Silver Blood

Chapter 26

Lorana reached for her dagger, but she was too clumsy. Her sweaty fingers slipped right over the hilt. Roan shifted into a defensive stance between her and Kael. Oran's anger slid into disbelief. The pain of betrayal creased the skin around his eyes.

Asha darted through the shadows. Kael aimed for Oran's throat. Asha emerged from the shadows in time to block the strike, the blade tearing through the palm of his left hand. The right hand grabbed the hilt, his hand resting over Kael's. Lightning sparked across the dagger and down Asha's frame. He screamed, the sound almost feral in its intensity, but he didn't let go. Oran backed up, eyes wide in terror. Eileen stood at the back of the tent. Her tensed hands making her look ready to claw her way through the fabric with her bare hands to escape.

Grian shrieked and Kael's magic cut off. Light lit up Grian, making him glow with gold magic. Kael grunted and dropped his dagger. He clutched at his left hand where the mark of the temple burned.

"You damned fat chicken!" he roared.

Asha collapsed onto his knees, cradling his wounded hand, blood seeping through his fingers and soaking into his shirt. Oran pressed a hand to his neck where blood dripped from a shallow wound. He stared at the blood on his hand in disbelief, his body trembling. Gold fire burst to life in his right hand before sputtering out again, his magic too worn out and weak from the standing stone ceremony to keep the flame. His attention slid to Roan, his eyes pleading. "Stop him, please." Grief weighed down the words.

The burning light of Kael's mark faded. His mark was gone, scorched right off by Grian's magic. One of the watchmen rallied himself enough to crawl away from the fight.

Lorana leaned closer to Roan. "We need to find a way to get his beads away from him."

Roan nodded. "He will be weaker without his guardian magic."

Kael advanced on Oran again. Asha fought to stand, his teeth gritting against the pain. Kael's beads tore toward Asha and he dodged out of the way. "You should have left everything be." He swung his beads, too focused on Oran to see the kick Roan aimed at him.

Roan's foot connected, sending Kael sprawling onto the tent's floor. Lorana crept up to the tent's opening, letting herself sink into the darkness. The magic felt like welcoming arms pulling her in. It made her hate that she'd been willing to give it up all to please the high temple. Never again, she promised herself.

Kael swung his beads and at the same time he jabbed with his dagger, forcing Roan to choose which one to dodge. He dodged the dagger, the beads wrapping around his arm and the post holding up the middle of the tent, trapping him. Gold sparks spread over the beads and up Roan's arm. Roan screamed, his body jerking from the pain. Kael didn't stop. He pushed his magic, turning the sparks back into weak lightning.

"Lo—" Roan's yell ended in a pained gasp.

Lorana sprinted through the tent, keeping her magic wrapped around herself. Kael's magic weakened, returning to uneven sparks. Lorana reached for the lanterns with her magic, smothering the flames until they spluttered and went out. Gasping, Roan swung his blade, cutting through the beads. Then Lorana grabbed his cloak, her magic engulfing him and pulling him from the short string of blades wrapped around his arm. She shoved him toward the back of the tent where Oran crouched.

She circled Kael, gliding through the darkness like a fish in water. Kael's magic followed her, but she was too far way for his sparks to reach. Next she ripped her scarf from her neck, wrapping it around both hands. She stopped in the same place she'd started and like a snake Kael struck. She held her hands apart, using the scarf to catch the string of beads. They wrapped around the fabric, gold sparks fizzling out on the fabric. In her hands she gathered her magic like a barrier, keeping the gold magic at bay.

With the beads secured, she yanked as hard as she could, pulling Kael off his feet as he held on.

"Blind him!" Asha shouted, his voice hoarse.

A ball of light magic flew at Kael, distracting him. He reached out to bat at it, loosening his grip. Lorana yanked the beads from him. With its prey found, Roan's magic flared brighter. Kael cried out as he covered his face. Lorana shut her eyes and turned her head. When the magic died down, she opened her eyes to find Roan crossing the tent to Kael. One arm was still flung over Kael's eyes.

With a roar Roan kicked him right in the chest. The force flung Kael into the front of the tent. The tent went with him, crumpling forward. Kael rolled into the tent opening. Behind them Eileen cried out as the tent collapsed, the center beam giving way. Lorana swept through the darkness, following Kael into the night. Her skirts fluttered as the falling tent skimmed them. Compared to the inside of the tent, the night felt bright with the shining night mirror overhead.

Her fingers wrapped around Asha's dagger on her thigh. She pulled it from its sheathe, testing the weight in her hand. It'd have to be enough as long as she could avoid his magic. She followed close behind as Kael staggered toward the cliff. He stopped at the edge, swaying as he struggled to stay upright.

"What did you do to my brother?" She had to shout to be heard over the roar of the waterfall.

Kael turned to face her, sneering. "Corwin, the light mage?"

"Did you have him killed at Tarsh too?"

"Is that way you came here, you foolish girl? For your brother?"

"Is he dead?" She shifted her weight, resisting the urge to lunge.

"No. He is far too important." He jerked his arm as if trying to use his beads, before looking down at his empty hands, opening and closing them as if he couldn't believe his beads were really gone. He looked up, his gaze focusing on the bloody night mirror. "Quit looking for him or you'll kill us all."

"Tell me where he is. I want my brother back!"

"Never." He lunged at her. She shifted her weight, stabbing up and into his chest as his hands went for her throat. He staggered back a step from the force, his left foot hitting air. She let go of the dagger, jerking her hand away in shock.

A bitter laugh bubbled out of him. "I won't let you destroy everything I've spent my life protecting."

"Protecting what? Murderers?"

"Sometimes sacrifices are necessary for the greater good. Not that a shadow bearer like you would understand." Magic crawled up his arms, the light sparking erratically in the darkness. He stepped toward her and she covered herself in a blanket of darkness. "I'll do anything to protect these lands. Even if it means giving my own life."

He reached for her and she stepped back. His magic struck out like a snake, tearing through her. She gasped as her breath rushed from her and her magic writhed in the clutches of his. He grabbed her cloak and yanked her forward, his overwhelming magic making it impossible to take back control and melt into the shadows and out of his hold. He stepped back toward the cliff, dragging her with him.

"Stop!" She tried to pull herself away, but she couldn't fight his magic and grip.

"Orva protect them," he muttered. He teetered over the edge, throwing his weight toward the waterfall. The wind sweeping off the water billowed his gold cloak out around them.

Her eyes landed on the hilt of the dagger jutting out of his chest. She gathered the last of her strength and grabbed the handle. She twisted it, the blade tearing through his chest. He sucked in a breath, his magic snapping back into him. She pulled away, throwing herself backward and landing on her ass.

Kael didn't stop. He tumbled over the edge and into the waterfall. The churning water swallowed him up.

Grian's shriek echoed over the hill, the waterfall devouring the mournful cry.