Necromancer Falling: Book Two of The Mukhtaar Chronicles (49 page)

“It will be close, but I think we can,” Morrigan said.

“How are they being transported?” Aelron asked.

“Tithian said something about a guild called
Azure Dawn
,” Nicolas said.

“The
Dawn
?” Morrigan asked. “No. This won’t be possible. We’ll have to find another way.”

“You’re going to back out now because some pirates are involved?” Aelron said.

“You don’t understand,” Morrigan said through gritted teeth.

“Why are you so afraid of them?” Nicolas asked.

“Who
are
you people?” Morrigan said. Her gaze shifted between Aelron and Nicolas. “Neither of you knows anything about the Moon Lake Sodality, and now you’re suggesting you know nothing of the Dawn either? You’re the archmage.” Her gaze shifted back to Aelron. “And you’re a former Shandarian Ranger—who’s now my
apprentice
, I might add.”

“You’re
what
?” Nicolas asked.

“It’s a new development,” Aelron said and looked away. “And I
am
aware of the Dawn. You think a man can train to be a ranger and not learn about the largest smuggling operation in the Three Kingdoms?”

“There are agreements in place,” Morrigan said. “
Ancient
agreements that I cannot break.”

“What would you be breaking?” Nicolas said. “The Dawn is transporting
Pinnacle
property
. One word from me, and you become an
agent
of the Pinnacle. Problem solved…whatever the
problem
was to begin with.”

“I’ve taken oaths.”

“I know the value of oaths,” Nicolas said. “I take them seriously. I can’t pretend to know your history or understand these
ancient agreements
you’re talking about. But I
do
know how much the Barathosians care about the Sodality and the Azure Dawn. Look out that window. That’s how much. Look at what’s left of Caspardis. Is that a fate you’d wish on every other city in the Three Kingdoms just to protect your
oaths
?”

Morrigan faced the window and leaned on the ruined sill. After a few moments, she brushed the dust off her hands and faced Nicolas.

“The Sodality has survived conquerors before,” Morrigan said. “We’ll survive this one too.”

Nicolas placed a hand on her shoulder, and turned her toward the window once more. He spoke in hushed tones.

“Conquerers don’t kill people they want to conquer. They’re not here to
conquer
. They’re here to
destroy
.”

Morrigan looked away.

“As far as I know, we’re the only people in the Three Kingdoms who have some idea of how to stop them,” Nicolas said. “Help me, Morrigan. Help me stop them from doing this to another city.”

Morrigan glanced at Aelron, who nodded at her. A moment later she stared into Nicolas’s eyes.

“You’re the archmage. Shouldn’t be
praying
for a solution from the safety of your palace?”

Nicolas chuckled. “I get it. I really do. There was a time I was every bit as cynical. Then I met a Mukhtaar Lord. A little rough around the edges, but a more devout man you won’t meet. He taught me a lot about prayer. The
hard
way. He taught me the gods aren’t in the wish-granting business. Praying for people is a great thing to do, if you’re of a mind to. But when you finish praying, you
help
them. Because that’s how prayer works. You pray. Then you
do
.”

Something changed in Morrigan’s eyes. Her expression softened.

“A magus I don’t want to strangle with his own cincture,” Morrigan said. “Wonders never cease.”

Kagan placed his arm around Nicolas’s shoulders, his cold wrist touching Nicolas’s neck.

“It would seem my blood
does
run through your veins,” Kagan said.

What Kagan could possibly mean by that was beyond Nicolas, but he wasn’t in the mood to get into it.

“I’ll do it,” Morrigan said.

“All right, then,” Nicolas said. “Aelron, Morrigan, you’re the backup plan. Find the fragments and get them to Dar Rodon. Hopefully, Kait can find a way to make them unnecessary. But if she can’t, at least we’ll be able to scout things out for when you get there.” He put a hand on Toridyn’s shoulder. “Was I correct in assuming you’ll need to inform the cichlos elders?”

“I can’t promise they’ll get involved, this time,” Toridyn said. “Now that Kagan’s barrier is gone, there is talk about returning to Terilya.”

Nicolas nodded. “Can you make it back safely?”

“You see all that water out there? That’s my
jam
, bro!”

“I actually think you said that right,” Kaitlyn said. She rushed forward and gave him a hug.

“Take care of my puppy,” Toridyn said. “He’s been through a lot.”

“He’s not disabled, Tor,” Nicolas said.

“Denial is not a quiver in Egis,” Toridyn said.

“A
river
in
Egypt
. Never mind.” Nicolas wrapped his arms around Toridyn and squeezed. “We’ll see each other again.”

Nicolas extended his hand to Aelron.

“Brother,” Aelron said. As they shook hands, Aelron pulled him close and slapped him on the back.

“Don’t get yourself killed,” Nicolas said.

Aelron smiled as he stepped back. “I’m hard to kill.”

Nicolas placed one arm around Kaitlyn and the other around Kagan.

The ruined farmhouse receded from Nicolas’s vision as he channeled power into the translocation orb.

The sanctuary at the Pinnacle rushed toward Nicolas as the translocation orb worked its magic.

When he, Kaitlyn, and Kagan materialized, a gust of cool air embraced them. The sound of a man chanting prayers was the first thing he heard.

He recognized the voice.

Tithian
.

“Archmage,” Tithian said. He stood from a kneeler in front of the Orb of Power.

“What was the chanting about?” Nicolas asked.

Tithian glanced back at the kneeler. “I must
repeatedly
remind myself you were not raised with our customs. This is a daily devotion you should learn, and it’s my fault for your lack of knowledge. You’ll be expected to lead prayer, from time to time. I’ll teach you as soon as possible.”

“Take it easy on yourself,” Nicolas said. “Things escalated quickly when I came back.”

The feeling of being watched overcame Nicolas, and he looked over his shoulder. No one was there. It was the same sensation as last time, but he’d seen no one then either. He shrugged it off as best he could and tried to focus.

“Lady Kaitlyn,” Tithian said. He bowed slightly at the waist. “Nicolas informed me of your success at Aquonome. For that, I am happy.”

Kaitlyn grinned, obviously uncomfortable and unsure how to respond.

“The new Shandarian Ambassador arrived earlier,” Tithian said. “I was beginning to wonder if the Chancellor would ever get around to appointing one. Emperor Relig will likely appoint one in a month or—”

“We failed. There was nothing we could do. The Barathosians appeared with a column of cannons—”

“A what?”

“Larger, more destructive versions of the gun I showed you. Their soldiers materialized in the city and killed the Caspardis guards. It didn’t take long for the cannons to finish the job. The only building left standing is the fortress, and it won’t be standing for long.”

Tithian’s face paled.

“And they’re using some kind of flying animal to kill survivors.”

“Gods.”

“I’ve had to make some command decisions in the field. I’ve sent Aelron and a friend to Dyr Agul to intercept the fragments and divert them to Dar Rodon. It sounds like the Barathosians are using the same sort of magic we use to travel. Maybe the fragments will send them back to wherever they came from.”

“If the fragments work against them the way they worked against me, the Barathosians will find it difficult to send reinforcements,” Tithian said. “I’ll spend some time in thought. Perhaps there’s some way I can assist. But, were you referring to Aelron
Ardirian
earlier?”

“I was.”

If Tithian was shocked by the news of Caspardis, he seemed doubly so at mention of Aelron.

“Aelron Ardirian
lives
?” Tithian asked. “By the gods, how could I have forgotten?”

That’s right. I never mentioned him when I came back for the fragment earlier.

“How did he appear?” Tithian asked. “His face, I mean. Did he have the eyes of a Shandarian Ranger?”

“No,” Nicolas said. “He’s not a ranger. But he looks no older than me. How is
that
possible?”

Tithian looked down.

Aelron’s aging mystery aside, this was an opportunity to put his word to the test.

“What do you remember about him?” Nicolas asked.

“The last time I saw Aelron was the day you disappeared. Kagan sent him away to the Elysian Fortress with your mother.”

“See?” Kaitlyn said. “Aelron was telling the truth.”

“There’s another name I’m curious about,” Nicolas said. “Azazel.”

“Azazel,” Kagan said. “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in…”

That strange presence returned, and Nicolas fought the urge to look over his shoulder again. The stress of everything must be affecting him more than he realized.

He drew ambient necropotency into his well to enhance his senses.

“I can’t say I know the name,” Tithian said. “Wait, the old man?”

“You tell
me
.”

“By the gods, that was decades ago. He was a pilgrim back before the barrier. A holy man, of sorts, though he professed vows to no particular order. Kagan took a liking to him, but sent him away with the rest of the pilgrims when the barrier went up. Your father knew him well. Why not ask
him
?”

“That’s…a problem. Sometimes he refuses to answer me.”

Tithian looked incredulous. “He’s your penitent. That’s not possible.”

“Penitent or not, he goes into a loop whenever he says the word
Azazel
. Blacks out, rewinds a few minutes, then repeats himself. And that reminds me…something else is going on. I had a penitent
pulled
back
to the Plane of Death. I tried to keep him here by pushing more power into the necromantic link, and it felt like it was going to explode or something.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like that happening. We’ll have to ask Lord Mukhtaar about this. If anyone would know what’s wrong with your necromantic link, it’s a Mukhtaar Lord.”

The sensation of being watched became overpowering, and Nicolas turned around. A rush of energy swept past him, and from the look on Tithian’s face, he’d felt it too. Wind blew through the room, warm and humid, smelling like jungle and dirt. It whipped Nicolas’s hair around until he thought the kneeler would tip over.

A blinding white light appeared near the door and emitted a crackling noise.

A man materialized in the doorway.

But not just any man.

“By Shealynd’s rosy arse!” Nuuan said. “
There’s
the cross-dressing postulant I’ve been looking for. Someone call for a Mukhtaar Lord?”

“Mujahid?” Kaitlyn asked. Her eyes were wide.

“Lord Nuuan!” Nicolas said.

Nicolas hadn’t seen the Battle for Rotham first hand, but Mujahid had told him about the
death fog
into which Nuuan had disappeared. And Nicolas had personally summoned two penitents outside of Arin’s Watch who reported similar events during the Religarian siege. Mujahid had spent months searching for signs of Nuuan throughout the Three Kingdoms. And here he was, standing in the sanctuary.

“Where have you been?” Nicolas asked.

“That question holds no meaning,” Nuuan said. “Never mind that. Something is trying to pierce the veil. Something
old
. It’s beginning to succeed, and that was enough to pull me back. But the longer I stay on this plane, the more likely this entire business will fail.”

“I’m hearing the words, Lord Nuuan, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“My time here is governed by—” Nuuan glanced at Kaitlyn, then stared at her and smiled.

What is it with these Mukhtaar brothers around Kait?

“This must be the Lady Kaitlyn,” Nuuan said. He bowed at the waist.

When Nuuan straightened, it was as if the whole exchange never happened.

“I can’t maintain this state for long,” Nuuan said. Whatever sweetness his voice held when addressing Kaitlyn was gone. “You’re going to Dar Rodon because you think Lady Kaitlyn can do something about the Barathosians. And she
can
. But you’ll need the emperor’s help.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I can
teach
, or I can
do
. There isn’t time for both.”

Nicolas took a deep breath and nodded.

“There’s something you need to do when you get there,” Nuuan said. “You’ll be tempted to hide what she is from Emperor Relig. Don’t.”

“But secrecy is the key to the whole plan.”

“Cognitomancers are a rare and precious thing,” Nuuan said. “The emperor has employed one throughout his reign, but he’s yet to find another. And the man he employs in that position has grown old. Emperor Relig will see Lady Kaitlyn as an opportunity. He’ll protect her.”