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  Soldiers yelled from the square. They had been discovered. Shareis took her dagger and finished the job. Just as the body fell to the ground, a series of tremendous explosions ravaged the town.

  Niv and Shareis ran from the devastation. Niv felt the heat from the firestorm and the tremendous waves of pressure as their final blow burned their invaders—and her home.

  There was no time to mourn. She didn’t stop running until she reached the train of wagons at the eastern edge of town.

  Lilly and Olivia helped her and Shareis into the wagon.

  Frasie looked behind them. “Where’s Aiden?”

  Farius hopped from the driver’s seat of their wagon. “I will find him.”

  Several shots rang out from behind them. One hit the sideboard of the wagon. Over a dozen men approached from the wreckage of the town, running toward them with weapons drawn.

  Frasie fired into their line, taking out one of them. Several returned fire, hitting one of the civilians in the wagon next to them.

  “I’ve got two arrows left!” Frasie yelled.

  “Explosives?” she asked.

  Lilly shook her head.

  Farius put his hand on her shoulder. “I will join you in Ashmar.”

  She clasped his arm. “No. You can’t go.”

  “I can search from the skies.”

  “It’s too dangerous.”

  Frasie fired another arrow. “We can’t leave Aiden!”

  She closed the back of the wagon and motioned for Farius to rejoin them. After a momentary exchange of glances between them, he obliged. The wagon started to move.

  Frasie grabbed her shoulder. “Are you seriously going to leave him?”

  “We don’t have a choice.”

  Frasie turned to Farius. “Stop the wagon. I’m getting out.”

  More bullets whirred past them.

  She gritted her teeth. “Ignore her.”

  Frasie shook with rage. She turned her head to avoid looking at her friend.

  “Let’s send some fire their way,” Olivia said. “It will slow them down.”

  She turned to the rear of the wagon and summoned two fireballs. Olivia did the same. She released hers, then Olivia.

  Olivia conjured another flame. “Again!”

  After they sent two more blasts behind them, Olivia stood.

  “What are you doing?” she asked. “Get down!”

  Olivia took a deep breath. “Aiden and I will see you in Ashmar.”

  Olivia jumped from the wagon and rolled on the ground.

  “Olivia! No!”

  Chapter 23

  Cadrin arrived on horseback to the remains of Brenloh. His staff tried to convince him to use one of the new steam-powered vehicles, but he enjoyed riding horseback. He fondly recalled his rides through the summer grasses of the Lahara Plains. He trusted his horse more than any of his friends—and certainly more than his wife Narelle.

  But that beautiful Pinto horse remained buried under the ashes of Lahara. His current service horse fit the requirements for any man of military service, but it would never be the same. A searing pain shot through his leg when he dismounted, a constant reminder of his desperate struggle with the undead in his beloved city. He was lucky to walk at all, so he didn’t complain.

  The once serene Brenloh now lay in ruins. Only the blacksmith’s building stood relatively intact. Their powerful cannons had reduced most of the town to dust. Dozens of dead bodies lined the town square, and the smell of their blood—once flowing through these vibrant, yet foolish people—hung in the air. Smoke from fires choked off most of the sunlight, leaving a depressing gray fog.

  “The town is ours, sir,” a soldier said.

  “What’s left of it,” Cadrin remarked.

  “They had explosives. Our intelligence said—”

  “Aiden,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Sir?”

  He looked around the square. “Have you fully searched the town and made full count of any survivors?”

  “Not yet, sir.”

  “See that this is done immediately,” he said. “If you find a man named Aiden, bring him to me.”

  The solider nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  He watched his men scurry about the village.

  They are useless. I’ll have to find him myself, won’t I?

  Hoofbeats approached from behind him. He turned in time to see Morgan dismount.

  He pointed to the horse. “What are you doing here? You should return to our ships. It’s too dangerous. We haven’t secured the area.”

  She approached with confidence. “If your men can’t keep a harmless woman like me on board the ship then what makes you think they can protect me here?”

  He chuckled. “Harmless?”

  She shrugged and gave him a coy grin. “More or less.”

  “This was Farius’s daughter’s hometown, you know?” He asked rhetorically. He looked to the sky. “I hope that blasted bird is circling these ruins right now.”

  Morgan ran her finger along his forehead. “This vein sticks out every time you talk about Farius, or any of the so-called friends you had.”

  He scoffed. “He wasn’t a so-called friend. He was a friend.” He rested his hands on her saddle.

  “Narelle charmed him, I’m sure,” Morgan said.

  “I don’t know. I don’t blame him for that filthy Skilla’s actions. I blame him for bringing his little war to Lahara.”

  She pulled him close to her. “All of that is in the past.”

  He shoved her away. “No, Morgan, it’s not. It’s all coming back to me. These are cursed lands, I tell you. If it wasn’t for that blasted rock underneath this soil, I’d raze these woods!”

  ‘Let’s not be too hasty,” she said. “I rather like them.”

  “I’m not interested in trees. I’m here for coal. And if I can bring some pain to those who robbed me of everything—my city, my cheating wife—then that’s a plus.”

  She frowned. “It’s more than that, and you know it. I fear your obsession for vengeance will be your end, Cadrin.”

  He abruptly turned and walked away.

  “I love you,” she said.

  “For now.” He snarled. “You should have stayed on the ship.”

  Chapter 24

  Olivia crept through the forest, staying low to avoid the newly established patrols around the perimeter of Brenloh. After an hour of careful observation, she discerned their patterns and found a collection of hiding places that would be relatively safe from prying eyes.

  She doubted the effectiveness of her magic, but nevertheless cast a glamour on herself to appear as a one of their soldiers. She visualized Aiden and replayed his voice in her mind, taking note of a gentle intuitive push toward the south. She felt confident in the result, so she proceeded that direction while doing her best to maintain cover.

  An intense search stalled her approach to town. She overheard some of the soldiers mention the commander had an interest in locating Aiden. Though the increased scrutiny would make things more difficult for her, she at least knew they hadn’t already captured him.

  Eventually, the search moved away from her, and she continued her southward curve around the city until she spotted someone lying against a stump. She approached and noticed the person’s cloak covered most of their body. She listened for any sign of life, then used the tip of her bow to edge the fabric away from them.

  She gasped. “Aiden!”

  She immediately regretted the volume of her voice. She looked carefully in the distance to see if any of the soldiers heard her.

  He drew a weapon and aimed it at her.

  “It’s me, Olivia!” she insisted.

  He hesitated a moment.

  “I’m using a glamor.”

  He relaxed a bit but remained guarded. “Who is your best friend?”

  Even still, to this day, the name was not far from her lips. “Narelle.”

  “And what was her fate?”

  “I had to k
ill her to save Niv.”

  He lowered his weapon.

  “I will clear the illusion for you.”

  She closed her eyes and thought of the image she projected, then visualized her circle of friends seeing her true self.

  My friends see beyond my illusions.

  “You looked like one of them. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

  “At least I know it still works.”

  “Nothing much seems to work against them,” he said. “Can’t say the same in reverse.” He moved his hand from his stomach. Blood oozed from a nasty looking wound.

  “Oh no,” she said. “Let me try to heal it.”

  “The man who fired the bullet had no idea he hit me.” Aiden pointed to his leg. “Twice.” Blood dripped from his pants. “I’m lucky to have made it this far.”

  “They’re looking for you,” she said. “By name.”

  “They’ve been here a few hours and I’m already famous,” he said, then chuckled, leading to a coughing fit that only encouraged more bleeding.

  She probed the stomach wound with her mind and discovered the projectile remained in his body. She couldn’t remove it with magic.

  “We need to get you out of here.”

  “I can’t go anywhere,” he said. “Unless you can carry me.”

  “I could. But I’d stick out like a sore thumb. And I can’t glamor you—they’d see right through it.”

  “I knew it wouldn’t be easy.”

  Aiden could barely catch a breath for coughing. She eased his head up and gave him a burst of healing energy to help stabilize him. He tried to sit upright but grimaced in pain.

  “You’re not going anywhere until I can heal you. I can’t remove the projectile—at least not with magic.”

  He leaned his head back and took a ragged breath. “Figures.”

  She produced her athame. “I can remove it manually. But it’s going to hurt. A lot.”

  He scanned the blade. “I don’t think I have a choice.”

  “Not really.”

  “I would put you under a sleeping spell, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t make it. You’re going to have to be awake, and you must be quiet.”

  “Alright.” His voice cracked. “Do it.”

  She removed his shirt, held her dagger firmly, and in one smooth, swift motion, she made a small incision from the wound to slightly enlarge the hole. His stomach muscles tensed, and he shook in pain. She inserted her finger and felt for the foreign object. His fists clenched until the skin turned white, and he made muffled screams that had to have been nearly impossible to stifle.

  After several moments of excruciating digging, she found the projectile. She made a few attempts at coaxing it toward the skin but failed. Then, in one uninterrupted maneuver, grabbed it with two fingers and removed it from his body.

  She was impressed by his silence until she realized he had passed out from the pain. She didn’t try to wake him, as his absence from his reality was a blessing. A tear rested on his cheek, and his fingernails left red lines in his palms. She placed both hands on the wound and applied healing, now finding it much easier to soothe and repair the tissue.

  She moved her attention to his leg, noting the wound there was not a puncture but rather a gash. The projectile must have grazed it, so that was much easier to heal. When she had finished her healing, she shook him firmly to bring him back to consciousness.

  She tore some cloth from her skirt and fashioned new bandages. “I’m sorry. I know that hurt.”

  “Thank you.”

  She helped him stand. “Can you walk?”

  He slowly put weight on his leg. “I think so.” He wavered and nearly lost his footing, but she kept him from falling. “Maybe.”

  She shifted some of his weight to her. “We’ll make it.”

  After a short distance, he pulled away and walked on his own. “I think I’ll be alright.”

  She spied two soldiers nearing their location. They quickly hid behind the burnt-out remains of the blacksmith’s shop. They remained still while two soldiers checked behind the building. She could feel her heartbeat as she struggled to remain still.

  A hand rested on her shoulder. “What are you looking for?” a familiar voice asked.

  She swallowed hard, then turned to see Cadrin.

  He gave her a crooked smile. “Ah, Olivia. My long-lost friend.”

  Chapter 25

  Cadrin’s hand on her shoulder tightened into a firm grip. “You must have thought I was dead.”

  Soldiers immediately surrounded Aiden and grabbed hold of him.

  “I didn’t know,” Olivia said.

  “You thought I was dead. “Or worse… You didn’t care.”

  She rotated her shoulder to remove his hand, only to have Cadrin clamp on to her forearm. “No, not today, dear.”

  They disarmed her and Aiden, then escorted them to the center of the ruins of Brenloh. A tall, blond woman approached. Contempt for them oozed from her every pore.

  “You’ll never guess who decided to drop by, Morgan,” Cadrin said.

  Morgan snarled her nose. “What is it?”

  “Olivia and Aiden.”

  Morgan surveyed Aiden from head to toe and rolled her eyes, then stood in front of her. Morgan’s gaze remained fixed on her. “I remember you. I could never forget that face.”

  She smirked. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  Morgan simpered. “You are an unashamedly brazen Skilla, aren’t you?”

  “Her name is Olivia,” Aiden said.

  “She doesn’t care,” she said. “This woman is only interested in my perceived sexual proclivity.”

  Cadrin flicked her hair from behind. “It’s well known Skilla don’t care who they sleep with. Isn’t that right, Olivia?”

  “I must have some good sense. I never slept with you.”

  Morgan slapped her. Aiden lunged, but the soldiers kept him from touching her.

  Cadrin grabbed him by the collar. “Feisty. Aiden, it’s such a shame of you to waste that brilliant mind on a piece of trash like Olivia.”

  She tried to divert his attention. “You’re jealous.”

  Cadrin immediately released Aiden and stood in front of her. “You have quite a tongue for someone who will soon be executed.”

  She shrugged. “If you’re going to kill me, I might as well speak my mind.”

  Cadrin studied her face. “I underestimated you, and I won’t make that mistake again.” He beckoned for a few of his men. “Find someplace secure to hold these two.”

  “Wouldn’t it be safer to kill them now?” Morgan asked.

  “They’re friends of Niv’leana and Farius, and they undoubtedly have information that will help us. Double the guard—I want a man with eyes on them at all time.”

  Soldiers tied their hands, escorted them back to the blacksmith building, then threw them against the stable wall.

  An officer held a rifle in front of their faces. “I’ll shoot you both if either one of you tries to escape. Understand?”

  They nodded.

  Fortunately, neither of the two men guarding them took their orders literally. Both stood at the entrance to the stables with their backs turned to them, occasionally talking to one another or conversing with other passersby. Regardless, with their hands bound and captors nearby, an escape would be difficult, if not impossible.

  “You saved our lives,” Aiden muttered.

  “Cadrin’s curiosity is keeping us alive,” she replied. “Nothing more.” She leaned her head against the cold, stone wall. “I wish I could charm them.”

  “You can,” he said.

  “Magic doesn’t work on these people.”

  Aiden chuckled. “Since when does a woman need magic to charm?”

  She knew they wouldn’t fall for the damsel in distress routine, but if she could isolate one of them, her feminine, and Skilla, wiles just might be enough to distract him.

  She visually surveyed the stables to see if anything might
help. She found nothing of use, but something in the corner caught her attention—a sparkling green eye gazing through a small hole in the wall. She blinked and checked again. The stare remained. She nudged Aiden and showed her what she saw.

  He gave a hopeful grin. “She’s insane.”

  She nodded, and then the green eye vanished. Soon after, the whole area shook from a powerful explosion. The leading edge of the resulting shockwave stirred a thick cloud of dust and smoke that made it impossible to see anything. She helped Aiden to his feet, then tried to guide them out of the stables.

  Her fingers traced the cobblestone wall until someone took her hand and led them around the other side of the building. Her vision cleared enough to see Niv, Shareis, Frasie, and Lilly standing before them.

  “Thank the stars you’re alright!” Olivia said.

  “I was about to say the same,” Niv said.

  “I thought we’d run out of explosives.”

  “One of the bombs we planted failed to detonate,” Niv said.

  “What’s the plan?” she asked.

  “Farius has a wagon waiting for us in the woods,” Niv replied. “We run to it and ride as fast as we can until we rejoin the caravan.”

  Soldiers started yelling in the distance.

  Shareis handed her and Aiden a rifle. “Make every shot count.”

  The yelling drew closer. They darted toward the trees but were forced to take cover after a round of incoming fire.

  Aiden grabbed his leg.

  “Are you hit?” Frasie asked.

  “I was, but Olivia healed me.”

  Shareis fired a shot behind them from her rifle. “Run!”

  She and the others advanced through the forest, stopping again for cover.

  Frasie pointed ahead of her. “I see the wagon!”

  She looked back and saw at least a half-dozen soldiers making their way through the foliage.

  “Can you make it?” she asked Aiden.

  Aiden took a quick glance at their attackers. “I’ll have to.”

  Frasie sent two arrows behind them, and they continued their advance. Just as Olivia left cover, a shot rang out from behind her, and a sharp pain seared through her thigh. She screamed in agony as she fell to the ground.