The Whitefire Crossing (42 page)

But if I sent Cara to the Alathians, she’d stay safe, and I could trust Melly’s fate to her hands. Leaving me free to...what?
There’s always a way
, I’d said to Kiran. But going up against a blood mage at the height of his power...how in Khalmet’s name would I pull that off?

CHAPTER TWENTY

(Dev)

I
stared at the shimmering veil of the border, my mind racing. The gap wasn’t large enough for a carriage to pass. Simon must intend for Pello to return to Kost, perhaps bring the remainder of his supplies through the border in the ordinary way. The faint glimmerings of a plan formed. I poked Cara and pointed first at the bow, then at Pello.
Get ready,
I signed.

She braced the bow, her face bleak. Likely she thought I simply meant to kill Pello if Simon left him behind, to remove the threat to Melly.

The guardsman carried Simon’s warded box through the gap. Simon gestured for him to stay beyond the border. The edges of the hole wavered and crept inward. Simon grunted with effort, his face twisting, and the hole widened out again.

“Take the carriage back to Kost and through the gate,” he said to Pello, harshly.

Pello blinked in apparently innocent confusion. “And after? Where shall I—”

“I will contact you.” Simon directed a burning look Pello’s way. He sketched a quick sign in the air with his free hand. Pello flinched back as if Simon had struck him. “Speak to the Alathians, and you die.”

“I had no intention of it,” Pello said, with a dry irony that made me frown. What did Pello intend instead, to save his skin?

Simon moved to the gap, his arm still outstretched. As he stepped through, the charm flared, green sparks showering through the air. I held my breath, but the gap held and the wards didn’t trigger. Too bad.

Simon’s teeth were bared and his skin shone with sweat when he turned on the gap’s far side. He squeezed his eyes shut, and the gap slowly shrunk away to nothing. His charm gave a last green pulse, and all the color vanished, the border fading back into invisibility.

One heavily laden horse, three people, and Simon looked in no condition to speed their travel with a spell. Good.

“Soon as they’re gone, I’ll climb down,” I whispered to Cara. “When I whistle, shoot Pello—but don’t kill him.”

Cara glanced at me, her brows raised in surprise. I nodded, firmly.

She tapped the longsight charm and waggled her hand. I nodded again, to show I understood even a longsight charm might not guarantee that kind of precision.
Try,
I mouthed.

She gave me a look like she thought me brain-burned, but bent to peer through the engraved copper ring of the sighting charm.

On the far side of the border, Simon clambered up on the horse. Kiran sat slumped in front of him, his legs tied to either side of the saddle and Simon’s arm tight around his waist to keep him upright. The guardsman stuffed Simon’s warded box into a pack, heaved it on his back, and took up the horse’s lead. They moved off into the woods, heading east toward the river.

Pello muttered something and raked his hands through his curls. After a moment, he began pacing beside the carriage, his expression dark and inward. Trying to figure a way to survive, no doubt.

I scrambled down the tree, quiet as I could. Edged through the kamma bushes toward the clearing, and paused. By now, Simon should be close enough to the river that the roar of water would mask other noises. Pello was still pacing. Cara should have a good sightline.

I whistled, softly. Pello whirled, a blade dropping into his hand.

Cara’s crossbow bolt slammed into his left shoulder. He let out a strangled yelp and toppled backward into the ferns. I rushed forward, kicked his knife away, and planted a knee in his stomach. Gripping the protruding bolt with one hand, I laid my knife against his throat with the other.

“Spark a charm, and you die.” I put pressure on the knife. Blood trickled down his throat to join the spreading stain on his shoulder.

He choked and spat, “You blind little fool!
Now,
you choose to act?”

“Yeah, now. When you and I can have a chat without any interference from your gods-damned master.”

Pello twisted under me, and I yanked on the bolt. He groaned, his face going gray, and wheezed out, “Simon is no master of mine. I work for the lord of Ninavel, curse you!”

Nice try, but I knew better. “I saw Simon search your mind. You’d be dead now if you worked for Sechaveh. You’re nothing but a greedy little rat who wanted a chance at going highside.”

“You saw...” He shut his eyes, and gave a pained laugh. “Shaikar take me, no wonder you refused my offer. Yes, Simon searched my mind...but not deeply, his power restricted by fear of the Council’s wards. When I gave him what he expected to see, he looked no further.”

“You expect me to believe you could fool a blood mage?” He must think me a total idiot.

“It would never work, in Arkennland.” He coughed, and groaned again, his copper skin sallow. “Little good it did me. He cast a binding that near crippled my ability to work against him. I’d thought to free the boy, but when Simon found I’d spoken to him, he forbade me any further contact, until the end...I sought to enlist your help, but you were too wary of me.”

Gods, but he had a smooth tongue. Almost, I could believe him. Except... “A binding so strong it prevented a shadow man from finding a way to tip off the Alathians? Yeah, right.”

Pello grimaced. “My orders...I was to involve the Alathians only as a last resort. Simon Levanian knows much that Sechaveh does not wish in foreign hands.” He stopped, panting. Swallowed, and continued. “At the first, we only knew that after years of silent exile, Simon Levanian sought an observer to shadow a young man traveling with a convoy...I was tasked to accept the job, to discover what Simon wanted, and why. By the time I learned the truth, my options were few.”

He shut his eyes again. “I hoped you played your own game...I gave you every chance I could to reach the boy. I’d arranged for a diversion down riverside to distract Simon. I thought if I’d misread you, or if you failed—either the boy’s gemstone would draw the mage at the gate, or I’d act there before Simon could stop me.” He shook his head, and winced. “I didn’t...didn’t know he could breach the border wards, Shaikar curse him.”

I stared at him, my mind whirling. If he told the truth...gods all damn it, I might have saved Kiran days ago.

No. I couldn’t afford to trust him. Besides, even if he did work for Sechaveh, that wouldn’t help me now.

Cara slid through the bushes, her crossbow aimed at Pello’s head. “Did I hear right? This bastard claims to work for Lord Sechaveh?” She sounded as incredulous as I felt.

“It doesn’t matter what he claims.” I didn’t take my eyes from Pello. Despite the blood soaking his jacket and the labored sound of his breath, I’d no doubt he remained deadly as a sand adder. “Cut the reins off the carriage harness, and help me tie him up.”

She hurried to the front of the carriage. I said to Pello, “You learned the truth, did you? What does Simon mean to do with Kiran, then?”

“Use him in...some sort of spell, to destroy Ruslan Khaveirin...” Pello’s dark eyes were fixed on my face. “Ruslan is...the only mage in Ninavel with power to match Simon’s. With Ruslan dead, Simon will make Ninavel his own private charnel house, and...none can stop him.” His voice had gone hoarse.

“The Alathians can stop him,” Cara called out.

“Within their borders, perhaps, but—”

I tweaked the bolt, and he stopped, gasping. His eyes narrowed; flicked Cara’s way, then back to me. I waited, ready to take stronger action, but he held his tongue.

Cara returned, reins in hand. “If Simon’s such a threat, why didn’t Sechaveh kill him years ago?”

Pello gave another harsh, ragged laugh. “Kill a blood mage...might as well try to snuff out the sun. Even their own kind find it a challenge. A shame...the boy’s death would have solved much.”

Gods. Of course he’d have killed Kiran if he could, rather than let Simon use him, and never felt a single qualm.

Cara’s mouth had set in a thin, hard line. She held the crossbow inches from Pello’s head while I bound him against a carriage wheel. Soon as I’d finished, I turned to her.

“If we can provide the Alathians a charm or some other proof of Simon’s spellwork, it’ll save time and arguing. I want to search his trunks, but I need the supplies in my saddlebag to break their seal wards. Go get our horses—I’ll watch Pello.”

Cara put a hand on my shoulder. “If we go to the Alathians...what about you? They’ll arrest you...”

“That’s why you’ll give me a head start. Soon as we’ve checked Simon’s trunks, I’ll ride for Kost; you wait three hours, then follow. That’s enough time for me to collect my gear and get safely into Arkennland. Once past the border gate, I’ll ditch the trail and make for Ninavel cross-country. Meanwhile, you march into the nearest guard post, tell the Alathians everything, and soon as they’re done with you...” I moved in close and muttered, “Get the money and gems out of my accounts, and ride for Ninavel. Ruslan shouldn’t know you’re involved—but stick to trailless passes, just in case. When you reach the city, meet me in Acaltar district at the Blackstrike. That’s where Red Dal likes to drink.”

“Three hours head start...” Her brow creased. “Of course I want you to get clear, but won’t that give Simon too much time?”

“Kiran told me the border wards disrupt powerful spells. Simon’ll want to get well away before he tries anything against Ruslan, and they won’t be moving fast.”

“What about him?” She jerked a thumb at Pello, her blue eyes troubled. Her voice lowered to a bare whisper. “I know you meant to kill him, for Melly’s safety. But Dev...if he’s truly Sechaveh’s man, it’s not right.”

If Pello spoke truth, and I slit his throat...queasiness roiled my gut. Yet my head rang with Jylla’s mocking laugh.
Gods, Dev, you’re such a soft mark. He’s lying—and even if he’s not, shadow men are no innocents. Kill him, and have done. He’d do the same, in your place.

Cara’s frown deepened. “Dev. You can’t still mean—”

“Let me think on it while you get the horses.”

Cara’s eyes narrowed, searching my face. I gave her an urgent look. “Hurry, Cara. The sooner we finish here, the sooner you can send the Alathians after Simon. I promise, I won’t do anything rash.” Not right off, anyway.

Her frown remained, but she jogged off.

“You fear for young Melly,” Pello said softly, watching me. His mouth pulled into a rueful, bitter grimace. “A mistake, to offer her as bait. But for my life, I have another offer...”

I laughed, sharply, and took a renewed grip on the bolt. “Why in Shaikar’s name would I listen?”

“Because I know how to find Simon—and you don’t mean to simply run to Ninavel.”

No, I didn’t. I’d hoped Pello knew Simon’s plans, though I’d expected I’d have to force the information from him during our brief interval of privacy. A bargain was the easier path, and yet...“Simple enough for you to lie, and send me wandering in the forest.”

“Simple enough, if I had only words to offer.”

My heart sped up. “You have a way to track them?”

Pello nodded, his breath rasping in his throat. “Give me your word that you’ll both stay your hand and stop this bleeding...” He twitched his chin toward his sodden jacket. “I’ll give you the means to hunt Simon...and my own word, that I’ll bring no harm to Melly.”

I laughed again. “You’d trust my word?” I sure as hell didn’t trust his.

“I learned much of you before leaving Ninavel,” Pello said. “Some men break vows easily as wind-weakened twigs...but not you.”

Life would certainly be simpler if I broke promises readily as Jylla. My eyes wandered to the trunks, then the carriage. If Pello had hair or blood from Simon hidden away somewhere, maybe I could discover his stash myself.

Pello gave an airless chuckle. “You’ll not find it easily—and every moment you waste in searching brings Simon closer to his casting.”

True enough, damn him. I chewed my lip. Leaving Pello alive was a risk, no question. But then again, if we left him a prisoner for the Alathians to interrogate...Sechaveh’s man or Simon’s, either way, the Council would spend long weeks prying information from his head. By the time he returned to Ninavel—if he ever did—Cara should have Melly safely gone from the city.

“Fine,” I said. “Hold to your end of the bargain, and I vow on Suliyya’s thousand jewels I’ll not kill you. When Cara returns, I’ve a bloodfreeze charm in my pack that’ll keep you from bleeding out. Good enough?”

Pello scrutinized my face for a long moment, then nodded. “The saddlebag on the driver’s box...inside, there’s a wool hat. Cut the stitching on the red patch over the right earflap.”

I did as he instructed, taking care to keep him in my field of vision. The hat was the brightly dyed patchwork cap I remembered from his days with the convoy. Inside the red patch’s lining, I found a thin, tightly folded slip of linen. Coiled within the linen were several strands of straight brown hair, far longer than Simon’s.

My stomach jumped. I rubbed a finger firmly over a hair. When I lifted it away, a faint brown stain marked my skin.

“These are Kiran’s.” Excitement buzzed in my blood.

Pello grunted an assent. “Took them from him...at Ice Lake.”

With these, I could track Kiran directly, and from miles away at that. Gods, I might truly still have a chance to save him.

Pello’s dark eyes gleamed, holding mine. “Take me with you. I have charms in Kost that would patch this injury, and even with Simon’s binding...I might be of help.”

“Fuck, no.” I glared at him. “I don’t trust you, not even a decet’s worth. You’ve earned your life, but you’ll stay right here, where you can’t put a knife in my back.” I took a spare shirt from his saddlebag, cut it into strips, and bound his wound, leaving the bolt in place. One shred of cloth I dipped into the blood pooling on matted cinnabar needles.

“A little insurance,” I told Pello, as I tucked away the reddened cloth. I’d cut the shred in two. One half for me to keep, and the other for Cara to give the Alathians. Even if Pello somehow got free, they’d easily hunt him down with a sample of his blood to key a tracking spell.