A Sea of Broken Glass Page 10

  He stuck to the shadows, still in his fox form, and sat near the edge of the platform. No sense in scaring the miners. He would wait until the train left before he shifted back into a human.

  “The Voice said she should be arriving today. Somehow, she slipped through the net in Easton.”

  Aeron’s ear perked and his head swiveled toward the speaker. A pair of men sat on a bench nearby, their identities cloaked in shadow.

  “It won’t be easy. Her watchdog is the best swordsman in the entire Bastion,” the closest of the men said.

  The man with the gravelly voice leaned forward, the light from an oil lamp above his head revealing his face. Pritchard Caldwell, a paladin that Aeron had seen on several occasions but had never bothered to become acquainted with. That would make his partner, Raines. The pair were never apart.

  “We’ve got the okay to kill if we have to,” Caldwell said.

  Kill who? Was he talking about Michel and Ris?

  “What about the little rat?” Raines asked.

  “The Voice says he’s still at the Outpost, so we don’t have to worry.”

  “Too bad. I’d love to cash in on that action.”

  A quiet growl rumbled in Aeron’s chest. The pieces fell together. The Voice was clearly playing Aeron as a fool. It was becoming increasingly apparent that the Council had their own agenda, one that didn’t match the Lords of Light.

  Aeron wouldn’t let the Voice have his way. The consequences of disobeying would mean exile and a possible execution order. The prospect of death wasn’t new. It scared him, but protecting Ris mattered more. He was her Cloak and wouldn’t fail her a second time.

  He glanced at the large clock at the end of the platform. The train was set to leave in two minutes. Killing a paladin wasn’t an option he wished to consider, no matter the circumstances. He’d taken lives before, but that was in the past. Before the Lady. Before he’d sworn himself to the Light.

  He could send them on a wild goose chase. A plan took shape as he darted behind the station and around the other side, shifting out of his fox form while he ran.

  Carefully so as not to alert Caldwell and Raines to the ruse, Aeron pulled on his magic and wrapped it around his body like a shroud. He crafted the slow, sonorous drumbeat into an image of Ris, his memory of her clear from the last time he’d seen her. Long, honey blonde hair pulled into a bun, blue eyes, and a half-a-head taller than him. A perfect illusion meant to make the pair follow him onto the train.

  Aeron climbed the platform stairs, making sure to step into clear view of the two men on the bench. He caught their look of confusion as he edged past a grizzled man and onto the train. Caldwell and Raines pointed at him and quickly followed.

  Aeron muttered hurried apologies as he jostled his way between passengers. A burly woman with short cropped hair grabbed his arm and pulled his to a stop when he accidently stepped on her foot.

  “Oy, watch it. No need to be in such a hurry.”

  Aeron glanced over his shoulder. Caldwell had made it into the train car. Light, this wasn’t going to work unless he could get further ahead of them. He grabbed the woman’s arm and leaned close. “Please, those men are after me. I have to get out of here.”

  The woman looked over the top of his head. Raines joined Caldwell, and the pair closed in. Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep ’em busy.” She gave Aeron a little push to get him moving again. He darted away, hiding his smile.

  “Oy,” the woman’s voice carried over the crowd. “I hear you’re causing a bit a trouble. How about you try me instead?”

  Aeron hurried down the length of the train, deftly weaving through people until at last he reached the caboose. Caldwell and Raines hadn’t caught up, and a quick peek at the platform and the tracks on the other side of the train confirmed they hadn’t gotten off either. The conductor yelled out the final boarding call, and Aeron breathed a sigh of relief. He’d made it without getting caught. He wished he knew the name of the woman that had helped him with his little deception. He’d love to thank her.

  Aeron jumped from the train and back onto the platform, being careful to stick to the shadows. Through the window of the passenger car, he could see Raines and Caldwell still arguing with the woman. With any luck, she’d be able to keep them busy until it was too late for them to jump off.

  The final whistle blew, and the train started to move forward. Aeron hid in the shadows to watch as the train passed, letting his illusion of Ris dissolve.

  Raines eyes widened as the train jolted into motion. He pulled Caldwell away from the woman. She grabbed at them, but missed, her face red with fury. The door to the passenger car slid open, and Caldwell made a jump for it, barely catching the edge of the platform as the train left the station. Raines followed a few seconds later.

  Aeron’s hands tightened into fists. Demon’s balls, his plan had almost worked. What to do now? He had to get them away from Hader’s Junction. His best bet would be to lead them deep enough into the hills that they would get lost. It was nighttime, and he had the advantage. He’d spent the last few days scouting the area. They, on the other hand, wouldn’t have a clue where they were. He dashed across the stock yard once again cloaking himself in the illusion of Ris. That should keep them interested enough to follow.

  Aeron ducked behind box cars, careful to stay just visible enough. Once he reached the cover of the hills, he dropped his illusion and raced away, leaving a bread-crumb trail of magic for Raines and Caldwell to follow. He shifted into his fox form and used the thick shadows of night to help hide him.

  “Where’d she go?” Caldwell panted, his voice bouncing off the shale covered hills.

  “Are you sure it was her?” Raines replied.

  “Matched the daguerreotype I have perfectly.” Caldwell stepped into view.

  Night cloaked the hills in inky darkness. Aeron’s night vision allowed him to see the men without being seen. Only original paladins and Lords of Light could shift their forms. A gift from the Lady and the Heart. Caldwell and Raines were very much modern paladins.

  “I don’t think she’s here.” Raines turned back toward Hader’s Junction. “Do you think it’s the little rat leading us on a wild goose chase?”

  Aeron froze. Did they mean him?

  “If he’s here,” Caldwell responded, “we’ll have to take care of him. The Voice wants him, dead or alive.”

  What in the Void was going on?

  “My preference is dead.” Raines spat on the rocky ground. “The little rat is nothing but trouble.”

  Time crawled to a near stop while Aeron steadied his breathing. Dead or alive. He wouldn’t let that happen. A lifetime of hard lessons coursed through his brain. Never leave an enemy at your back was a rule he’d learned on the streets of Odenfeld. Letting Raines and Caldwell live meant leaving someone behind who could follow and cause trouble. His reluctance to kill them solidified into resolve. He didn’t want to do it, but his job was to protect Ris.

  They were far enough into the hills that the paladins’ bodies wouldn’t be discovered any time soon. Light, what was he thinking?

  “We should head back. The girl and her escort should be here soon.” Caldwell turned toward Hader’s Junction and started walking.

  One heartbeat passed. Two.

  Aeron slipped back into his human form, wrapping himself in a cloak of invisibility as his bones elongated and he stood on two legs. The beat of kettle drums pounded through his mind and body. His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness. His night vision wasn’t as clear as when he was a fox, but he could see well enough for what he needed to do.

  Another heartbeat. And another.

  He slid his daggers out, careful not to make any sound as he stalked his prey.

  One breath. Two.

  Raines lagged a bit behind, muttering to himself as he picked his way back to town in the dark. Aeron stepped close to him, covered his mouth, muffling Raines’s surprised cry, then s
lid his dagger across the man’s throat. He let the body fall and moved away.

  Caldwell continued on, unaware of the loss of his companion. All the better. Aeron followed him silently over the rocky ground, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

  “This is stupid. I can’t see a blasted thing out here.” Caldwell looked over his shoulder, and Aeron froze, holding his breath against discovery. “Raines? You got any idea how to get back?” When Raines didn’t answer, Caldwell stopped walking. “Hey, where’d you go?”

  Aeron attempted to lower his voice in imitation of man he’d killed. He stepped closer, hoping Caldwell wouldn’t guess his intention. “Sorry, I can’t see a thing either.”

  “You’re not Raines.” The darkness hid Caldwell’s reaction, but Aeron guessed from the scrape of leather and metal that he was drawing a pistol.

  Aeron crouched and scooped up a handful of rocks, tossing them to his left. He circled right as Caldwell turned toward the clatter of stones. Two more steps and Aeron lunged, his dagger sliding neatly between Caldwell’s ribs. Aeron was grateful for the darkness. It hid Caldwell’s expression as he slumped to the ground.

  Ice ran through his veins as he walked a few paces away and dropped to his knees. The coppery scent of blood filled his nose, and his hands were slick with the two lives he’d ended.

  Light help him. Bile rose in his throat. He choked it back. Choked back the tears that threatened to fall. The Lady had forgiven him once, but he doubted she’d forgive him for this. Light, he didn’t deserve forgiveness.

  He didn’t have time for self-recrimination. Ris’s life was on the line.

  Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself together, cleaned himself up as best as he could, and searched the bodies for clues. It was too dark to see much, but he could make out most of it by feel. Train stubs. A pocket watch. A pair of pistols. Some shot. A folded piece of paper.

  Aeron kept the pistols, shot, and paper. He’d read it once he got back into Hader’s Junction. The rest of their belongings he left. Their deaths were another black mark against his soul. How many more before he turned to the Darkness?

  Guilt weighed him down, making his steps back to the town heavy. He avoided the lit street as he snuck into the bath house. It was cold and dark. Perfect for cleaning up without being seen.

  Aeron quickly washed off the gore before sneaking back to his boarding house. The illusion of shadows that he’d woven around himself still held as he climbed through the window into his room. Once he was inside, he let his magic go and lit the oil lamp next to his bed.

  A moment passed as he stared into space, his body and thoughts leaden with what he’d done. He shook himself and pulled out the paper he’d taken off Raines. Red filled his vision and his stomach hollowed out as he read the words. He crumpled the paper and threw it across the room as his icy core of guilt burned away, replaced by molten anger.

  The seerstone around his neck chimed, and he pulled it out from under his shirt. He took a deep, calming breath, then activated the stone.

  The Voice’s face swam into view, distorted by the curves of the orb. “Do you have an update?”

  Aeron carefully schooled the anger from his expression. “Nothing. No sign of Ris or Michel.”

  The Voice heaved an exaggerated sigh. “It seems like we’ll have to change our plans. Return to the Bastion.”

  “What about Ris?” Aeron kept his tone neutral, afraid of giving anything away.

  “Don’t worry about her. I’ve got it taken care of.”

  Aeron’s free hand curled into a tight fist. “There are signs of demons at the Outpost.”

  “The girl will be fine. You will be of more use to her once you’re here.”

  “I’ll take the next train,” Aeron lied, to the Void with the consequences. The Voice had already betrayed him.

  “Very well.” The seerstone went dark.

  Aeron grabbed the crumpled note from the floor and reread it. “The paladin, Aeron Chapel, is hereby convicted of murder. The Voice of the Lady and the Council offer a five thousand ara reward for his capture, dead or alive.” The Voice’s signature and seal ended the letter.

  It was dated the same day he had ordered Aeron to betray Bran and bring Ris to the Bastion.

  Aeron laid back on the bed and draped an arm over his eyes. A tired sigh escaped him as he rolled onto his side and stared out the small window. His choices were limited with a bounty on his head. Ris would arrive in a few hours. That should give him enough time to secure a route to Raven’s Keep. He closed his eyes and prayed to the Lady. He doubted it would help, but knew it wouldn’t hurt.

  10

  Bran settled onto a tree stump and shook off the rain that coated him. Flying in a storm was a miserable experience. Cre’s wolf form was fast, but couldn’t keep up with Bran’s wings when he caught a good draft. Not that they were racing or anything, but Bran would bet money that Cre would whine about the injustice.

  He preened several errant feathers back into place and waited. Sunlight peeked through the clouds and spread shadow and light over the meadow where he perched. It was a meager offering on a cool spring day, but far better than the rain. A carpet of blue, orange, and white wildflowers swept across the small clearing. Ferns peeked up from the riot of colors, their tender shoots a vibrant green against the rainbow. If Ris were here, she would tell him the names of all the flowers and their potential uses. A forlorn caw escaped.

  Bran wrapped magic around himself like a warm blanket. His feathers and bones dissolved for a moment, replaced by light before his true form emerged.

  As soon as he finished shifting, his seerstone chimed a triple trill of notes. He pulled the orb from under his shirt and filled it with the solemn tones of oboe notes. Llyr’s face appeared inside the stone, warped by the curves of the sphere.

  Bran blinked back surprise at his brother’s disheveled appearance. He reminded Bran of a peacock with the way he strutted about in brightly colored silk waistcoats.

  “Good morning.” Bran offered him a tired smile. “You’re looking a bit frazzled.”

  Llyr snorted. “That’s putting it mildly. We have a problem.”

  “Just the one? And here I thought keeping Ris out of demon hands was more than enough.” Bran couldn’t help tweaking Llyr’s nose a bit. It was an old habit and hard to break, in spite of the current threat.

  “The Council has issued writs for your arrest, as well as Aeron, Michel, and Ris.” Llyr rubbed his forehead. “Mine probably isn’t far behind.”

  A lead weight settled in Bran’s stomach. “They’re making their move.”

  Llyr nodded. “I recalled the rest of the original paladins and sent them to Raven’s Keep. I’ll be headed that way soon.”

  “Will any of the modern paladins join us?”

  A long moment passed before Llyr spoke. “A few. I’m bringing the ones I know are trustworthy. There’s more.”

  “Demon’s balls.” Bran steeled himself. “Go on.”

  “I looked into Aeron’s report about the Mining Outpost. Plague has been as busy as Ruin. Hordes of demons wiped out several mining settlements in the Copper Hills. The only thing that remains are packs of ghouls. I’ve sent out squads to contain the spread, but at this point it might be better if we abandon the area.”

  That was troubling. “What about the Outposts? Aren’t they doing anything?”

  Llyr pressed his lips together. “The Council refuses to believe the reports. They are blaming us for causing mass hysteria.”

  “Light, that’s insane. What will it take to get them to understand the danger?”

  Llyr raised an eyebrow. “At this point? Nothing.”

  “Did Tolbert make it back?” Bran asked.

  “Yes, and he’s in Gwilam’s care. The traces of possession indicate he’s been compromised for years.”

  “How?” Bran pushed the heel of his hands into his eyes.

  Llyr shrugged. “Tolbert passed
his Test of Light, so whatever happened to him, happened after that.”

  Bran shuddered. To be possessed by the thing you were sworn to destroy. That was a fate worse than death. “More paladins have to be compromised. Be careful.”

  “Gwilam and Heinrich are working on it. We’re trying to figure out who is Cloaking the demons and how to identify them.” Llyr looked over his shoulder and then back into the orb. “I’m worried that we don’t have the numbers to stop the Darkness this time.”

  Bran pinched the bridge of his nose. Llyr was right. They didn’t have the Heart or the Lady. The world would end up a wasteland with nothing but demons and ghouls if they didn’t find a solution, and fast. “Somehow Ruin knew where to find Ris and lured me away long enough for Tolbert to get his hands on her. I just don’t understand how.”

  Llyr winced. “I may be to blame for that.”

  Bran’s fingers tightened on the orb. “What do you mean?”

  “Tolbert was in my office when you contacted me a few months ago. We must have said something to clue him into who you were Shielding. I didn’t realize he was possessed, so I didn’t think anything of it.”

  “Void take it, Llyr, you know better.”

  “It’s been… chaotic around here.” Llyr rubbed at his forehead. “The Council and the Voice have been busy. It’s like trying to hold back a flood with a stick.”

  “Do what you can. Our priority has to be getting to Ris. If the Darkness gets his hands on her, it’s all over.”

  “One more thing. Ris and Michel were delayed, but they are back on track.”

  Fear and worry surged through him. “Cre and I will—”

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” Llyr warned. “There’s still plenty of time, and if Michel senses a threat, he’ll take another route.”

  “Something is blocking—”

  “Cre filled me in.”