Ghost in the Flames (25 page)

She looked into the night sky and blinked in astonishment.

A billowing plume of smoke rose over the city, lit from below by roiling flames. She saw people standing in the streets, gaping in terrified awe at the sky. Caina squinted at the flames, calculating the distances in her head. 

It was coming from the Temple of Living Flame. 

Caina turned to Ark. “I know where to find Kalastus.” 

Chapter 25 - Wrath of the Burning Flame

Chaos reigned in Rasadda. 

Families fled through the streets, clutching their children and their possessions, determined to get away. Others simply stood and stared at the glowing pillar of smoke. Here and there militiamen screamed orders, but no one heeded them. Caina saw Sons of Corazain among the crowds, terror on their faces as they raced for the city’s gates. Perhaps the revealed fury of an Ashbringer did not quite meet their expectations. 

Ark drove like a madman, reins clenched in one hand, sword in the other. He bellowed threats at anyone who got in their way, waving the broadsword, and they made good time. 

“What are we going to do when we find Kalastus?” said Ark.

“That’s easy,” said Caina. “We’re going to kill the murdering bastard.” 

Ark snorted. “Yes. Very easy. How?” 

Good question.

“It will have to be quick,” said Caina. “We have to surprise him, kill him before he even knows where there. If he gets a chance to use his powers against us, he could kill us both in the space of three heartbeats. You saw what he did to that crowd, and he didn’t even use pyromancy.” Caina glanced at Romarion’s rapier, lying where she had thrown it into the back of the wagon. “And it will have to be a fatal wound. Tadaia said that he’s murdered so many people that he likely has a reservoir of stole life force. He can probably recover from anything less than a killing blow in a few moments.” 

“And how do we land that killing blow?” said Ark.

“We stab him in the back,” said Caina. 

“Yes,” said Ark. “Easy.” 

Caina looked up at the fiery plume. 

But why had Kalastus attacked the Temple of Living Flame? Caina doubted that his hatred of the Saddai had been a ruse to cover his study of pyromancy. Had he finally decided to kill them all? Or had the last threads of his sanity burned away, driving him to lash out at random?

The wagon rattled into the plaza before the Temple of Living Flame.

“Gods,” muttered Ark.

The Temple stood in ruin. Half the dome had been blasted away, jagged fingers of broken stone clawing at the sky. The Temple’s living quarters lay in a heap of shattered stone and burning timbers. The explosions had shattered many of the buildings surrounding the plaza, flames dancing in their ruined shells 

“Stop here,” said Caina. Ark brought the horses to a stop, and they climbed out. Caina had not taken three steps before she heard the sounds of fighting over the crackle of the flames. There were bodies lying motionless on the Temple’s cracked steps. Caina drew knives in either hand and hurried towards the Temple, Ark besides her with sword and shield ready. 

Most of the corpses were Saddai, unarmored and equipped with crude weapons, the flame tattoo blazoned across their chests. But a few of the corpses wore steel helms and gauntlets, mail shirts hidden beneath black leather jerkins.

The Black Wolves. 

“What are they doing here?” said Caina. 

“Killing the Sons of Corazain, it seems,” said Ark, tapping one of the corpses with his boot. He listened a moment. “It sounds like they’re still fighting. The back of the Temple, maybe inside.” 

Caina wondered if Sister Tadaia lay dead beneath the rubble. 

“Let’s look around,” said Caina. 

The Temple’s doors had been blasted to twisted shards. Heaps of rubble lay on the Temple’s circular floor, fallen from the ruined dome. The fire at the center of the Temple still blazed, though it had been half-buried beneath broken stone. More Sons of Corazain lay dead atop the rubble and cracked floor, along with the occasional Black Wolf. 

Steel rang on steel.

Caina darted around a pile of rubble, keeping low, Ark besides her. She saw four Black Wolves fighting near the circular wall. Five Sons of Corazain struggled against them, their clubs and shortswords little use against steel mail and broadswords. Gaidan was with them, blood trickling down his neck, his face slack with terror. One by one the Black Wolves butchered the Sons of Corazain, and advanced on the Brother of the Living Flame. Gone was the furious orator who had rallied the Sons of Corazain. In his place trembled a man driven out of his mind by fear. 

“Hold! Hold, I say!”

Caina knew that voice. And then she knew who had hired the Black Wolves to kill Ark.

Ephaeron picked his way through the rubble, the Black Wolves walking to his side. He stopped and pointed at Gaidan. “Priest. Where is the Ashbringer?”

“I don’t…I don’t know,” sobbed Gaidan. 

Ephaeron hissed in irritation. “Don’t lie to me, fool. The hour for games is long past. The Ashbringer was here, and used his powers to level the Temple. Where is he?”

Gaidan drew himself up, some courage returning to his face. “He…he will kill you all, he is Corazain reborn, he will set the Empire to burn!” He thrust out his hand, and Caina felt a faint, feeble prickling as Gaidan tried to work a spell.

Ephaeron’s lip curled in contempt, and he gestured. Caina felt the sudden rush, and Gaidan fell against the walls, screaming, his hands clenched to his temples. Ephaeron made a hooking motion, and Gaidan floated into the air, still screaming. 

“Your charlatan’s mummery is no match for a master of arcane science. Now. Where is the Ashbringer?” said Ephaeron.

“I don’t know!” said Gaidan.

Ephaeron sighed, and gestured. Caina heard Gaidan’s arm break, and the priest’s scream redoubled. “I say again. Where is the Ashbringer?”

“I don’t know!” sobbed Gaidan. “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know…”

Ephaeron repeated the gesture. Gaidan’s other arm snapped with such force that the bones tore through the flesh. 

“He came here,” babbled Gaidan, “he did come here, he did come here, but…but he demanded that Sister Tadaia come with him. She refused. And then he started casting a spell…and the whole Temple exploded around us.”

“Where did he go?” said Ephaeron. 

“The pyramid…Corazain’s pyramid, the very top…I don’t…I don’t…”

“Good enough,” said Ephaeron, voice dripping with contempt. “I thank you for your honesty.” 

He made a pushing motion. Gaidan hurtled through the air, screaming, and smashed into the wall with terrific force. He collapsed in a boneless heap to the floor, blood pooling around him. 

Ephaeron sighed, and sagged a little. Perhaps the effort of sorcery had tired him. “Captain Dio,” he said to the nearest Black Wolf. Caina recognized the man. He was the leader of the Black Wolves who had tried to kill her and Ark. “Gather your men. We leave for Corazain’s pyramid at once.”

“We didn’t sign up to fight sorcerers,” said Dio. 

Ephaeron’s eyes flashed, and Dio took a cautious step back. “If you fail to do as I have bid, you will find yourself fighting a magus soon enough! But fear not. I am the only one capable of dealing with this rogue Ashbringer. You shall merely have to keep any of his followers from interrupting me.” 

Dio nodded, and then Ephaeron frowned, and looked around.

“Wait.” Ephaeron closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating. Again Caina felt the tingle of sorcery. A sudden smile crossed his face, and he looked right at where Caina and Ark were hiding. “There you are. I was wondering when you would turn up.”

“Damn,” muttered Caina. 

“I know you’re there. You may as well show yourselves,” said Ephaeron, “before my men drag you out.” 

Caina hesitated, and then stood, Ark besides her. Dio looked at them, and laughed in surprise. 

“That was clever,” said Dio, “that business at the bathhouse.” 

“Silence,” said Ephaeron. “So Dio’s eyes did not play him false. There are two of you. I should have known. The Ghosts never operate singly.” 

“How did you find us?” said Caina, making sure to keep her voice disguised. 

“I offered your companion a glass of wine at Lord Nicephorus’s banquet, and he drank. The wine was quite harmless, along with the tincture I added to it. Of my own design, I might add. Once it entered his blood, my spells could locate him anywhere in the city.” 

That, at least, explained how the Black Wolves had found them.

“Why are you trying to kill us?” said Caina.

Ephaeron’s face hardened. “Don’t play the fool with me, Ghost. I know that you are behind everything that has happened here.” 

Caina blinked. “What?” 

“This entire affair, from the start, has been a Ghost plot to discredit the Magisterium,” said Ephaeron. “When you realized that Nicephorus was a corrupt fool, you saw your chance. You encouraged the Saddai to rebel against his depredations, forming the Sons of Corazain. And then, no doubt, you gave safe haven to some Brother of the Living Flame to train as an Ashbringer, little dreaming of the horror your folly would unleash.” 

Caina stared at him in astonishment. “You thundering idiot,” she said. “Kalastus is the pyromancer. He found one of Corazain’s books and…”

“Kalastus?” said Ephaeron with a bitter laugh. “Kalastus is too stupid to clean himself, let alone to study forbidden arcane sciences. He spends half his time ranting about the Saddai, and the other half molesting the servant women. No, I knew that the Ghosts were behind this plot. And proof came when I saw him,” he pointed at Ark, “at Lord Nicephorus’s banquet. He was a decorated centurion in the Eighteenth Legion, and I served as battle magus for the Eighteenth. Such a coincidence captured my attention. When I observed him spying upon the Sons of Corazain, I knew that he was a Ghost, sent to incite the Saddai to rebellion.” 

“Idiot,” said Caina, “Kalastus slaughtered every Ghost in Rasadda. His sanity has gone and I don’t know what he’ll do next. If you have any wit at all you’ll help us to stop…”

“Enough,” said Ephaeron. “I will not listen to your lies. It is clear that the Ghosts instigated this revolt to discredit the Magisterium before the Imperial Curia and the Emperor.” His mouth tightened. “You fools could not even see the danger in unleashing an Ashbringer upon the city, could you? All these deaths are upon your heads. But you will answer for them, I promise.” He gestured to the Black Wolves. “Captain, take them. Cripple them if you must, but I want them alive. I can interrogate them at leisure in the chapterhouse after I’ve dealt with the Ashbringer.” 

The four mercenaries started forward, swords ready, shields held out before them. Caina flung the knife in her right hand, not at the mercenaries but at Ephaeron. Her aim was true, and the blade struck home at the soft skin of his throat.

Only to bounce away in a shower of sparks. 

“Please,” said Ephaeron. “I was a battle magus. Did you think I would take no precautions against weapons of steel?” 

Dio and two of the Black Wolves converged on Ark, who backed away, shield raised and face grim. The fourth came at Caina, shield ready to block any thrown knives, sword drawn back for a stabbing thrust. Caina snatched a dagger from her boot, watching the sword. The mercenary was too well-armored, too well-trained. No way could she take him in a straight fight. 

Fine. So she would have to do something clever. 

Caina tossed the dagger to her right hand and held it out before her. With her left hand she reached up and undid the black brooch holding her cloak shut. The shadow-woven cloth came close without a sound, draping over her left arm. The mercenary’s eyes creased in a faint frown, but still he stepped closer. A dead Son of Corazain lay behind Caina, a short sword still in his grasp. She stepped over the corpse’s left arm, and let herself stumble.

Instantly the mercenary came at her, his sword a blur of steel. Caina twisted as she fell, the blade shooting past her face, and flung the cloak at him. It billowed over his outstretched sword arm and fell over his head. Cursing, the mercenary stepped back, clawing at the cloak. Caina rolled, came to one knee, and stabbed. The mercenary yanked off her cloak just in time for her dagger to angle beneath the skirt of his mail shirt and plunge into his belly. He doubled over with a groan of pain, and Caina leapt to her feet, bringing the pommel of the dagger onto the back of his helmet. The metal dented, and the mercenary fell.

She whirled, saw Ark pressed hard by the Black Wolves, his shield gashed and torn, blood running down his face. More Black Wolves ran through the Temple doors, weapons in hand, and ran at Ark. If they saw her they would cut her down in a heartbeat. 

Ephaeron. She had to deal with Ephaeron. If she could kill him, she might be able to talk the Black Wolves out of killing them. No sense fighting if Ephaeron couldn’t pay them, after all. She spotted the master magus watching the fight with an impatient expression, drumming his fingers on his leg. Moving silently, Caina crept up behind him, bloody dagger ready in her hand. She drove the dagger between his shoulders, aiming for his heart.

She felt the blade rip through his cloak and robes, but when it touched his skin, there was a burst of sparks, and the dagger clanged away as if Caina had stabbed a stone wall. Ephaeron spun, pointed two fingers at her, and barked a word. Invisible force slammed into Caina’s torso and flung her back a dozen steps. She rolled, trying to slow her momentum, and slammed into a pile of rubble.

“I commend your persistence,” said Ephaeron, making a hooking motion with his right hand. Again Caina felt unseen force seize her, and she floated into the air, as Gaidan had floated. “But I told you that I am warded against steel.”

Steel, yes. But would his spells stop a rock? Caina seized a chunk of stone as Ephaeron’s sorcery lifted her into the air. 

“I confess that I have failed in one respect,” said Ephaeron. “I have absolutely no idea who you are. Someone else in that flirtatious minx of a Countess’s household, I expect. Let’s see what is under that mask, shall we?”

She heard Ark growl in sudden pain. 

Ephaeron beckoned again, drawing Caina closer, and she flung the broken stone at him as hard as he could. 

It hit him right in the mouth, and his head snapped back with a spray of blood. The force holding Caina vanished, and she hit the floor again. Ephaeron stumbled back, clutching at his face, and Caina scrambled to her feet. A rock, she needed a bigger rock. She looked up at the jagged fingers of the shattered dome, and wild idea took her. She yanked the grapnel and the slender knotted rope from her belt and flung it. The grapnel caught on the very edge of one of the jagged fingers, and Caina began to scramble up.