Insurgence

  Lightning magi tend to be intelligent and cunning, quick of thought and quick of learning. Some have been known to be quite greedy for power, but it would be unfair to apply that stereotype across the board, as the only possible correlation is their thirst for growth and knowledge, which are not bad things—as long as they are tempered with self-control.

  — From Secrets of Mani, by Sor the Lark

  (Dri’Shal 25, 997—Dawn)

  I gasped in momentary panic, jerking awake. I was in my bed. I felt about my body as though searching for the hands, but they weren’t there. I let out a sigh and leaned back onto my pillow. Just another dream—albeit a strange one. That vision . . . it was like . . . like I was seeing a small baby or toddler’s perspective.

  And then it hit me: that was exactly what it was. That girl . . . White, or whatever her name was . . . she showed me a glimpse of my mother. But it was more like a vision of the past, a . . . memory. Was that really what my mother had looked like? And how could it possibly be real if I didn’t remember her at all? Or was my own mind creating dreams born of wishful thinking?

  I gave up the mental goose chase with a sigh and got out of bed. This was a day of far more pressing matters.

  The hour was still early, but I got dressed and prepared anyway. It was time for action. I woke Mydia and informed her that I was going out for the preparations.

  I met Rhidea and Kaen in one of the smaller outer courtyards. There was some introduction and explanation, and then we got to it. “Remember, we’re going out in style,” Rhidea said. “I will go and free Gaela and Bartimaeus, making a scene of stopping the execution, while you two head to the prison tower and free your friends.”

  I nodded.

  “What about the princess?” Kaen asked. “Is she going to . . . ?”

  “I’m here,” mumbled Mydia, who was just now approaching in her morning gown, hair a mess and yawning widely. “Now, what kind of illusions do you need?”

  Rhidea looked from me to Mydia. “Nothing too elaborate. If we run into your father, they’re unfortunately not going to matter anyway.”

  Mydia nodded and gave us all powerful illusions that masked our faces. “They’ll be good for about an hour,” she said before departing for her rooms.

  “Let’s make haste, then,” Rhidea said.

  I nodded as she set off, then turned to my friend. “All right, Kaen. Let’s go.”

  He drew his sword, a fine, long blade that gleamed in the light. Where had he come across such a stately weapon? “I’m ready. Can’t believe we’re storming the Palace—from the inside, at that—but let’s go.”

  Fortunately, at this early hour, the Palace was pretty quiet, so we didn’t have to worry about running into servants or soldiers. Upon reaching the locked entrance that led to the tower, however, we ran into more security. “Halt!” called the guards, two men in leather and bronze armor.

  We had discussed this beforehand: Rhidea had insisted that we refrain from violence, so we would try to dispatch as many guards as possible without killing them—after all, we didn’t need innocent blood on our hands. Bearing this in mind, we rushed the two guardsmen.

  I took the guard on the left, who threw up his spear in a defensive stance as I came close, while Kaen took on the guard on the right. I ducked in and grabbed my opponent’s spear just below the head as he thrust, yanking him off-balance with my inhuman strength. After ripping the spear from his hands, I proceeded to crack him on the back of the head with the haft. Even through his light helm, the force was enough to knock him unconscious, and he crumpled to the ground.

  Kaen and the other soldier still clashed to my right. Kaen was holding his own, parrying his opponent’s spear while searching for an opportunity. I gave it to him by sliding in and kicking out the guard’s leg. Kaen knocked the man’s spear away with a backhanded swing, and then slammed his sword pommel-first into his temple.

  Two down, but they wouldn’t stay down for long. Kaen and I nodded to each other, and I bashed the doors in with a kick.

  Inside the tower, we were met by more surprised guards and silver-armored mage soldiers. The room was well lit by torches that lined the walls, and had a flight of stairs circling upwards on the right. That was our goal. But standing in our way were three mage soldiers and three guards, with the guards on the right and magi on the left. I knew there would be no games here—if we couldn’t take them out without killing them, then we would have to do so.

  I dashed in before the magi could collect their wits, taking out the nearest with a giant leap and a kick to his chestplate. The silver plate dented inward and he tumbled backward and fell. It must have not been the spell-reinforced grade. I was already upon the next, raising my stolen spear to strike for his head with the flat of the blade.

  This mage was quicker, erecting a split-second defensive shield out of ice. Had he formed it from water in the air? Clearly, he was a water mage specializing in ice, not that I was an expert in classifications. My spear crashed right through it nevertheless, but it was enough to stop most of the force, so that the spearhead only staggered him as it struck his helmet. The strain on my spear’s haft threatened to snap it in two.

  The third mage fired a bolt of lightning my way, and I was forced to duck to avoid it, backing up toward the gaping doorway. The second mage, recovering from his stagger, swung at me, a sword of ice materializing in his hand as he did so. This I blocked with my spear, shattering the ice, shortly before evading another bolt from the thunder mage. Now I had an opportunity to attack again. I leapt at the ice mage, thrusting for his throat with lightning speed and precision—my strength accounting for the speed, while the accuracy I’d have chalked up to luck. He wasn’t able to dodge my quick attack, and the spear took him just under his chinstrap, and he fell. I grim-aced, feeling sick as blood gushed from the fatal wound.

  Glancing back briefly at Kaen, I saw that he was holding his own against the regular soldiers until I could get to them. Just as I looked back, however, I saw the first mage, who I had assumed to be out of commission from his head trauma, sit up and attempt to blast me with a firebolt. The thunder mage came at me as well, and I was forced to dodge between two attacks at once. My body reacted faster than I thought possible as I danced around the thunder mage, tripped his legs and rammed my spear between two plates of armor in his side. The haft broke off as I did so, and I ripped it free, moving to confront the remaining mage soldier, who was now up and rushing toward me, twin flames in hand.

  Hefting my broken spear shaft, I leaped to the side and swung my shaft of wood in a two-handed arc, cracking the wood into the fire mage’s silver helm with enough force to stop him in his tracks. The fires in his palms went out and he wavered briefly before toppling to the stone floor.

  “Lyn!” I heard Kaen shout over the ringing of metal-on-metal. “A little . . . help here!”

  I looked his way, taking in his predicament in a glance. He crossed swords with two soldiers at once, the other staying back with a heavy limp and blood running down his leg. Kaen himself had two separate cuts, one on his left arm and one on the other leg. His performance was quite shocking, and he held his own, although it was plain to see that he was reaching his limits.

  I rushed in to help, pulling out a boot knife. As Kaen parried the farther guard’s next attack, I sank my knife into the closer one’s shoulder, yanking it back out with a spray of blood as the man cried out in pain, dropping his sword and clutching his shoulder as he turned to face me. I scooped up the sword as it dropped and whipped the blade around to knock the flat into his helmet.

  I looked up just in time to see Kaen run his sword through the leather armor covering the other soldier’s stomach. He dropped to the floor with a gurgle and a thump. And just like that, the room went silent, all except for the shuffling sound of the third guard attempting to flee out the door . . . Kaen caught him as he limped away, knocking him unconscious with his sword pommel. He looked back at me and shrugged guiltily. “Sorry, I know. Couldn’t have him getting away.”

  I nodded distractedly, drawing in a big breath. “I’m just happy we’re still alive. I . . . think I might have killed a couple of them. I’m not sure.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “No time to dwell on that, Lyn. That’s for later. Let’s see what’s up these stairs now.”

  We proceeded up the circular flight of stairs, encountering more guards, and took care of them as they came. We went up floor after floor of abandoned cells, torture rooms, and more cells. No one was inside of them, fortunately. Apparently, Mandrie and Phoebe really were the only prisoners in the tower.

  At last, we reached the floor of their cell. Kaen rushed over and banged on the silver bars. “Mandrie! Mandrie, it’s me!”

  “Oh, Kaen . . . you came!” Mandrie began to cry as she ran to see her long-lost brother. Phoebe didn’t say anything, but surprise and relief were clear on her face. Then I helped out and wrenched the bars apart to let them out. Crafted of solid silver one inch thick, these cell bars were only made to keep regular people—perhaps even magi—out; not monsters like me.

  Mandrie shied back, never having seen what I could do before.

  “How did you do that?” Phoebe breathed in a spooked tone, the first thing she’d said so far.

  “It’s not important right now,” I answered, “but we have a lot of catching up to do once this is all over. Don’t ask too many questions; we need to get you out of here. Come on!”

  We led the three of them down the tower stairs and out through the wrecked doorway into the Palace grounds. Mandrie and Phoebe had a hard time keeping up because of their weakened condition, but they made it. I escorted them to one of the side gates of the castle, where Rhidea and the rebel soldiers met us up, Big Bart and Gaela in tow. Tall Tom and Skinny Sam were not among their numbers. By now, soldiers were swarming everywhere, and alarm bells rang in my ears. “Rhidea,” I said hurriedly. “Get them out now!”

  “Where are you going?” she demanded.

  “I’ll be safe; don’t worry. Just get them to safety, and I’ll meet you up.”

  “. . . All right. Hurry now, child!”

  I did. Kaen tried to stop me, but I ignored him, turning around and sprinting full-out for Mydia’s rooms. I took the winding stairs of her tower three and four at a time, using my hands to propel myself off the walls for further speed. Why did I have such a bad feeling about this?

  I burst into her room to find Teli and Julia right there, with Chara nowhere in sight. Perfect, except that Mydia was not here either. “Julia, Teli,” I said frantically. “Come quickly.”

  “What?” Julia responded nervously. “What’s going on, Podda?”

  “I’m getting you out of here,” I told them. “Now come with me, both of you!”

  They did, to their credit. As I turned to lead them out, I heard Chara’s voice as she approached, huffing and puffing. “Hurry, this way! She’s got to still be up here—”

  Chara appeared in the doorway a moment later, leading two men in leather and bronze armor—more of the Palace Guard. Pushing the two girls behind me, I said, “What do you think you’re doing?” in as calm a voice as I could manage. I just knew that old hag was going to make trouble. . . .

  “You!” Chara hissed. Turning to the guards and backpedaling down the hallway, she cried, “There she is! Seize her! She’s the intruder who was conspiring with the princess!”

  The two men grunted their assent and brandished their weapons at me. What is going on? This Palace has turned crazy! “Hide yourselves!” I whispered to Julia and Teli, pushing them behind me. Taking out my second boot knife, I dodged backward as the men rushed in to grab me. I swiped the guard on the right twice in quick succession with my knives and kicked the other one into the left side of the doorway. He grunted while the first guard cursed in pain, grabbing at his arm. I turned to Chara with a scathing look. I took the chance to grab the first guard, pivoting myself to his side and throwing him roughly against the wall. He caught my arm, but I bashed his elbow with my knee, and the shock of his head hitting the wall stunned him.

  The other guard took out his sword and apparently threw aside his apprehension about hurting me, shouting a threat as he lunged for my chest. I ducked and shin-kicked his legs out from under him, slamming his shoulder as he fell in order to aid his fall. His head hit the wood-paneled floor with a loud crack.

  Chara stared from the hallway, still backing up, covering her mouth with a hand. “How did . . . how . . . ?” Suddenly she turned to run down the stairs.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” I growled angrily, springing over the unconscious guard’s body to chase her down.

  Soon, all three of them—Chara and the two guards—were bound and gagged using scraps of cloth that the two frightened handmaids helped me find, and I was leading the girls out by the back staircase.

  We did not even make it out of the Palace before Rhidea met up with us. “Lyn! Oh, I see. The handmaids. But I assumed . . .”

  “Mydia’s missing.”

  “Missing? Since when?”

  “She left a few minutes back,” said Julia. “And then Chara went and told some of the guards, and they came, but . . . Podda took care of them!”

  Rhidea pointed toward an exit. “Go. I’ll find her. Get these two to safety; straight that way, you’ll find the rubble of the building.”

  “What! The Underground’s old hideout? They destroyed that!”

  “Exactly. But the subterranean chamber is fine, and sufficiently ventilated. Hurry, child!”

  I did, leaving Rhidea to search out Mydia’s whereabouts. I would come back to help, once I got Teli and Julia to the others’ hideaway. It turned out that the old stairs that led to the meeting chamber were indeed accessible. I left the two handmaidens in the care of Kaen and the others, and turned to sprint back toward the Palace.

  I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and quickly arrived at the site of the execution that had been planned. Perhaps Mydia was here . . .

  Known as the Palace Common, the courtyard Lord Kalceron had chosen for his gallows was the largest in the palace. Not only was the entire area total chaos, with nobles, soldiers and trained magi running everywhere, but I did not see Mydia amidst the crowd, nor one of her common illusions. Although, how would I be able to tell with the throngs of people and the mage soldiers vainly attempting to keep them safe? Armed men, both soldiers and rebels—yes, definitely rebel forces—swarmed all over the Palace, and bodies lay scattered about already. I had no idea it would come to this. . . .

  The princess was nowhere to be found. She would either be hiding out somewhere or, more likely, with her father, but . . . Lord Kalceron and his guard were nowhere in sight, either. At one point, I saw Lady Lieda in passing, who looked my way with a sharp glare from across the hall. Oh, great auroras. Not her. I scrambled for somewhere to hide, trying not to lose myself in the halls.

  Finally, I found myself at the door of Lord Kalceron’s royal audience hall. My heart beat rapidly from both exertion and nerves. This was the one place I hadn’t looked. As I listened at the door, I heard raised voices and tense conversation. Just as I went to open the oak doors, I heard a soft voice from behind me:

  “Ah-ah-ahhh, not so fast.”

  I stiffened at Lady Lieda’s voice. How in blazes did she find me? She must have been following me. I jerked around sharply to see the witch herself standing there in her signature jet-black dress, one hand on her hip and the other half raised in an admonishing gesture. Her lip tilted upward in an expression halfway between a smirk and a sneer.

  “What do you want?” I demanded, more bravely than I felt. This woman always unsettled me.

  “Why, is that any way to speak to the queen consort of Nytaea?”

  “I don’t have time for this! Mydia could be in danger!”

  “Oh my.” Lieda put a hand over her mouth in mock concern. “What a horrible thought. Listen, swine. Barging in there will get you nowhere. He will see easily through your disguise, and then he’ll finally have his prize.”

  I opened my mouth to say something—a retort, perhaps even an observation on her unintentional rhyme—and promptly shut it. She was right, of course: he would see through Mydia’s illusion. But I knew Lieda was probably stalling for time. I turned back to the audience hall door as though to push it open, but Lieda stopped me.

  “He didn’t believe me about you,” she said.

  I hesitated, waiting to hear what would come next.

  “That you were the one he was looking for all along. But I think he’ll know the moment you set foot in that room. You think you can stand up to a High Mage like Edrius Kalceron? He may be a fool, but he’s a powerful fool.”

  If only Rhidea were here now, I thought. She’d crush you and Kalceron together. Where was she, anyway? Turning to face Lieda, I said, “So Mydia is in there. What does he want with her?”

  “Her? Nothing. She is trash. He wants you.”

  I scrunched my eyebrows together in a scowl. “I’m sick of listening to you. I’m getting Mydia out of here.”

  Before Lieda could respond, the door behind her flew open and Rhidea strode in busily. Lieda cursed, backing away, as Rhidea took in the scene. “Well, well,” mused my teacher. “Lady Lieda. Harassing my star pupil again, are we?”

  Lieda blanched, still backing up. “N-no, milady. I was just—just on my way through and—”

  “Well, whatever it is, I don’t have time to hear it,” Rhidea muttered, waving a hand. An invisible wave swept Lieda even as she tried to run, knocking her off her feet before another force flung her up into the air and held her there.

  I watched in awe, never having seen Rhidea’s Authority in action before. As I watched, she used her powers to rip chunks of stone from the walls of the hallway, fusing them together over the woman’s ankles and wrists, and then slammed her to the floor, using the same technique to bind her to the stones. Lady Lieda tried to scream up until the point when her head hit the stones . . . she was unconscious then.

  “That should hold for a while,” Rhidea said with a sharp exhale. “Now, it’s time to make an appearance.”

  I nodded and kicked in the oaken doors, sending them to slam against the inner walls and then shudder quietly. At the far end of the hall, Lord Kalceron sat on his great chair, talking with two familiar mage soldiers—Lorta and Hespian—who held between them a young woman with her head bowed:

  Princess Mydia.