To Kill a Wizard: Rose's Story (The Protectors of Tarak Book 1) (35 page)

I entered through the portal to Sereus and was surprised by the silence that greeted me. I’d expected to see warriors guarding the area, but quickly realized how foolish such an idea had been. The true danger lay in what was outside of Tarak, not within.

Even though it was a great relief to no longer trudge through snow, I moved slowly, strangely alert in the unnatural silence. The sun had climbed low in the west, peeking beneath the trees. It lit the white of the trunks, and the blue of the leaves, but somehow deepened the unnatural, crisp shadows.

“Rose?”

I spun at the heart-wrenching sound of his voice.

Asher stood in the shadows cast by one of the trees, his sword in hand. The magical darkness hid him as if it were night, so he was little more than an outline of a man.

Uncertainty uncurled inside of me. If our walls had been down, maybe I could’ve sensed his feelings. But between the shadows and the separation created by our own magic, I had no idea what he was thinking or feeling.

“You came,” I said, trying to keep all emotion from my words as I squinted into the shadows, trying to read his face.

He re-sheathed his blade and stepped into the evening light. “I had to.” Guilt flashed across his face. “I couldn’t let you fight alone.”

Being without him had hurt somewhere deep inside, but missing our connection altogether had been even worse. I’d missed him, so much it was a physical aching each moment of my day. But now, he was standing in front of me, and even the small space between us was too much to bear.

Something snapped inside me. I raced to him, throwing myself into his arms.

He held me close. His touch saying all the things he couldn’t.

My head rested against his chest, listening to the racing of his heart. For a long time we stood together, saying nothing, until at last I couldn’t bear it any longer.

Glancing up into his face, hesitation and concern marred his brow. I kissed his cheek, willing him to trust me, even while I lied to him.

He smiled, his charming half-smile that made my heart beat fast and slow all at once. “You’re wearing pants.”

Blushing, I took a step away from him and glanced down. “I thought it was more practical than a dress in battle.”

“And the sword and dagger?” he asked, gesturing at the weapons on my belt.

Imagines of my practices with Meisha and Clarissa swam through my mind. What would Asher think if he saw me fight? I hoped he’d be impressed.

I grinned hesitantly. “I thought they might be useful too.”

“I don’t like the idea of you fighting,” he said, frowning.

I set my hand on the stubble along his cheek. “You know I have to. For Sirena. And because Sazar and his men can’t be allowed back in Tarak.”

“I know,” he pressed his hand against mine. “But when this is all over, I want to be with you.”

“You’re my One. Of course we’ll be together.”

That was if he still wanted me after he learned the truth.

His hand tensed around mine, as if he was reading my thoughts.

I nibbled on my bottom lip. “Why are you here?”

He smiled. “Because, whether it’s magic, or just you, I couldn’t stay away.”

I straightened and met his gaze. “Does this mean you’ve found some peace with The Protectors?”

“Of course not,” he said, tightening his grip on me. “But I understand you have to work with them.”

“What about your sister?”

This time, he let me go. “I won’t discuss her.”

“But, love…”

“Love can forgive you working with Protectors to save all of Tarak. It can’t forgive a traitor.”

His words were like a blow. I turned away from him and stared down at the leather piece, which hid the Protector’s mark on my wrist.

When he discovered the truth, he would not forgive me. I was leading him to war, to a battle we were expected to lose. He might die for me, and I was lying to him. And yet, he could stop the battle from even starting, he could save countless lives. What was I to do?

“Rose,” he whispered, touching the small of my back. “We don’t have time to talk of sisters and traitors. We need to prepare for this battle. My mother and village wait to see if this is going to be their final day.”

“So,” I said, lifting my head, but not looking back at him. “You’re fighting for your home.”

“And for you,” he said, gently.

His words brought tears to my eyes, but I pushed them down. “Then, we should hurry.”

He took my hand as we walked, and I fought the urge to pull away. “What will happen now?” he asked, watching me closely.

I took a second to steady my voice. “We’ll go to Norma. She’s The Protector who runs this village. We’ll tell her our plan and see what she thinks.”

He frowned. “Can we trust her?”

The same thought crossed my mind. “In a few hours darkness is going to fall, and the Undead wizards will attack. I’m sure she’ll do anything to help our odds.”

He was silent for a moment. “Why is there blood on some of the trees?”

My mind flashed back to my first battle in Sereus. Norma slashing her stomach open. Falling against the tree. The white sweeping over the lands. Her people transforming into monsters, as The Protector became a she-demon, leading our side.

“I’m not sure,” I said, swallowing my sickness. “It might be to warn people away, or it might have something to do with Norma’s powers.”

“Her powers? Are they like yours?”

I stiffened, trying not to feel offended by his question. “No, Protectors aren’t like wizards. Their powers aren’t just stronger or weaker; they differ in the kind as well.”

“So how are hers different from yours?”

“They’re completely different,” I said, sharply, and then softened my voice. “She can transform herself and the villagers into terrifying creatures, and I can use the goddesses’ names.”

To my surprise, it was my powers that brought questions.

“What do you mean
use the goddesses’ names
? I mean, I saw you use a name when you freed me, but I just assumed you mainly did the basic things: take strength and give strength, move and control things with your mind, things like that.”

“Is that what you can do?” I asked, giving myself some time to think.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Yes. I can do all of those things, and more.”

I hadn’t expected that. “How did you learn them so quickly?”

After a moment, he whispered, “Blair taught me.”

I stopped walking and turned to him.

He avoided my gaze. “When I was a prisoner, she visited me more than I led on. She didn’t tell me why, but she taught me to use my powers. She also said I was stronger than most wizards and Protectors.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? When you showed me the tree, I thought that was all you knew.” Hurt laced my words.

He took my hand. “I didn’t think you would understand. Blair and I, we weren’t friends. But when you’re trapped in a cell all day, seeing only one person, who offers to teach you how to use your magic, well…”

“You really thought I wouldn’t understand?”

His grip tightened. “No, it wasn’t you. I just.” He looked to the sky, as if the answers could be found there, and then back at me. “I guess I was just embarrassed. You’ve been so strong to refuse The Protectors, and I submitted so easily to her teachings. All along I thought I might learn something I could use to escape. At least that’s what I told myself, but perhaps, I should’ve ignored her, treated her how she deserved to be treated.”

“And yet you can’t forgive your sister?”

“Let it go,” he grumbled.

We walked in silence for an uncomfortable minute.

“I asked Blair why I couldn’t use my powers all this time, and she said that they’d been locked somehow.”

If his powers had been locked, someone powerful must have known he was a wizard. But I asked the more important question, “how were they unlocked?”

He hesitated. “She thinks it was my need to protect you that broke the ties on my magic.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“She said it must have been powerful magic.”

For some reason, I wondered if Blair was responsible, and then shook my head. Blair would’ve imprisoned him long ago if she’d known he was a wizard, or killed him. Someone else must have locked his magic, someone who wished to keep him safe.

“Did you ask your mom about it when you returned?”

He stopped, looking up at the unique leaves above us. “Yes, but she didn’t seem to know any more than me.”

I could see Asher doubted her, and I was glad, because I doubted her too.

“You there!” someone shouted, we turned to see Ugar walking quickly towards us, his sword drawn.

In an instant, Asher was in front of me, his sword clutched in his hand.

I knew what he must have seen: a man tattered and filthy, face smeared with mud, and an ugly red scar only too visible beneath the mud. He looked dangerous, and he was, but not to us.

“Ugar!” I cried, moving out from behind Asher. “It’s Rose, and I’ve brought a friend to help.”

He lowered his sword, but didn’t put it down. “Tell your friend, it’s a dangerous thing to draw one’s sword in Sereus.”

Asher glared. “One against one. I can handle those odds.”

“My archers feel a little differently,” he said, nodding up to the trees.

Squinting, I saw nothing at first, until a slight movement drew my gaze to a man, his arrow pointed squarely at Asher’s chest.

“Re-sheath your sword,” I hissed.

He did as I told him.

“Just so you know,” Asher whispered, his lips touching my ear. “I knew they were there. I was going to knock them out of the trees with my magic.”

I tried not to look impressed. “I guess that’d help a lot, if they didn’t shoot you first.” Then, I turned to Ugar. “Can you take us to Norma?”

Ugar said nothing; instead, he turned towards the village.

In no time at all, we were among the blackened buildings.

“What happened to this place?” Asher asked in horror.

“We can keep the wizards out with enough magic,” Ugar said, looking back at us. “But their little Undead beasts slip through the little holes the wizards make and usually cause quite a ruckus before we send them back to Hadia.”

Asher paled.

I put my hand in his. “They have a magical wall around all of Tarak. The Protectors use their powers to keep it strong, but it hasn’t been enough.”

An awkward silence followed my words as we both stared at Asher, waiting for his reaction.  Luckily, it didn’t take long.

“What are the Undead creatures like?” Asher asked, meeting Ugar’s gaze.

“Unpleasant,” he said, and then added, “they have the heads of lizards and the bodies of men. They’re quick little buggers, and strong, but not very bright.”

“Delightful,” Asher muttered.

I tried to change the subject before Ugar said more to frighten Asher. “And Norma knows about the deal I made with Zeuita?”

A grin spread the man’s scarred face. “Goddesses’ teeth, you know she does, and she can’t wait to send those creatures to Hadia, once and for all.”

We walked through the rest of town, past the charred temple, where the Oracle knelt alone on the gray marble. A few stray warriors stood talking, leaning against burned walls, but there was an air of tension sizzling through them as they glanced our way.

“Why do your men always seem so alert?” I asked, trying to ignore the lingering concerns the glances of the warriors left festering inside of me.

Ugar stopped at Norma’s door. “Sometimes the stronger beasts will make Forever Shadows, shadows that stay even through the day. They’ll wait till mornin’, when we think we’re all safe, and pop out and kill a few of us. Or burn a home or two, before we either kill ‘em or the sun fries ‘em alive.”

It all made sense now. Not just the tension among their warriors, but also the deep shadows beneath the trees. Just thinking about what they might conceal, even now, was enough to make any man as agitated as a cat surrounded by dogs.

“Go right on in,” Ugar said, and I realized he was holding open the door for us.

I took a step forward. “Wait, Asher, maybe I should talk to her alone first.”

He frowned. “Why?”

No good lie came to mind. “Because she knows me.”

He didn’t seem happy, but he shrugged.

I entered Norma’s home and pushed back the heavy curtain. She was there, as if she’d never left, seated before her table of maps and papers.

The strong smell of Oryens’ Potion overwhelmed the windowless room, and the fire crackled far too loudly in another section of the curtained room. The light from the fire was softened by a thin curtain in front of it.

Norma looked up, her harsh features made worse by the light of the fire. “You here for the battle, girl?”