Queen of Embers

V. Rescue

"I hate to interrupt, but we have pressing business," Ekaitz said quietly. "Perhaps after, you two can catch up?"

"Right," Irune said, suddenly self-conscious. "I got the bird saying you wanted to talk, sir. What can I do for you?"

Ekaitz looked over at Sorne for a moment before saying, "What happened to the witch?"

"Locked up. I reckon they wanted Amets to help the magister, but they've not had much luck trying to convince the witch. Last I heard, Amets is locked up across from the demon."

"Demon?" Sorne asked, raising an eyebrow.

Irune let out a sigh. "Not a real demon, I think, but definitely kith. Has one of them funny western accents. The Duke forbid anyone but the King or his men to carry weapons in Mauléon. Anyway, she walked in with a sword on her hip, the guards tried to arrest her, and she knocked the living daylights out of them. But there are more guards than there were demon, so she's cooling her heels in the Hole."

Sorne remembered the cell well, given how many days she'd spent beside it while her first combat mentor was locked away. It was a blighted square of solid stone and metal bars, completely devoid of any view of the outside world. There was no light in it, other than the flickering of torchlight from the doorway. Imprisonment there was not something she would have wished on anyone. "How long?"

"Been about two months now," Irune said.

"A demon-kith?" Ekaitz said, surprised. "Why is she here?"

"Well, Okoro says she's looking for an item, something magical. She didn't say why she wanted it, just..." Irune paused, lowering her voice carefully. "She asked him if he knew where to find the fire that struck down a god."

When Sorne suddenly went very still and made no noise, Ekaitz seemed deeply worried. "Does the mage know about it?"

"Maybe?" Irune said. "I don't think she's told anyone anything since she was locked up, except maybe Amets. Puts a good bruise on anyone who gets too close other than the servants who bring her food and water. Snarled something fierce at Luken."

"Luken's alive?" Sorne said, the rage flaring in her heart. She would never forget his role in making sure her hands burned, nor would she forgive it. The revelation that he was alive had kicked her brain out of conflicted concerns and into combat mode. Sorne's fight-or-flight instinct barely had any flight in it to begin with and with enough hate, even that was gone.

"He is," Irune said, albeit cautiously at hearing such venom in Sorne's voice. "He won't be happy to see you, Sorne."

She flexed her scarred hands. "I'll make sure of that," Sorne said. It seemed to worry Irune.

"Sorne, we have to deal with the mage," Ekaitz reminded her sternly.

Sorne didn't appreciate his tone, but she understood the message. "If we're going to do this, we want Amets. I don't know of anyone else who could counter a spell. You and I are both just walking, talking spell components to a battlemage." She looked at Irune. "Can you tell us anything about him?"

"I'm afraid I don't know much," Irune admitted. "He's warded his room and the library, and I haven't heard anyone say they've seen him anywhere else in the keep since he arrived, except the halls between those two places. Even servants aren't allowed in either. Only his spellguards can come and go."

"How many spellguards?" Sorne asked seriously.

"Six."

Sorne sighed. She doubted she could tangle with six spellguards, let alone six spellguards and a battlemage. "We need Amets before we set foot near the main target," she said quietly. She paused for a moment before continuing, "And I need to talk to that demon-kith."