supposed to happen. Not with invincible sorcery at their disposal.
“How did it happen?” Rayan asked.
“He died at Kiernan Atlan’s hand.”
“A mindshifter killed a Mage?”
“I think we can all agree that Kiernan Atlan is not just a mindshifter,” Perrod responded, shaking the rain from his hair.
“Idiots,” Rayan spat, looking away from Zavier to make it clear he wasn’t addressing him. “The orders were simple. Kill the Kings, kill the Savitars .”
“Not so simple. We all know that.” Perrod paused. “Bron is dead, too. He’s outside. I found his body in the King’s chambers.” At the first shouted outbursts, he raised his hands. “Don’t worry, he killed the King before he died.”
Zavier stood and all went silent. The glare on the block-faced man could stop a heartbeat on a good day, and this wasn’t one of those. “We’ve lost two. Our liege will not be pleased.” Rayan swallowed as Zavier’s dead gaze scanned the chamber. “I will kill the next person who fails at their task. Understand?”
All nodded. Even Rayan. In order to defeat magic, they had to use it. Use it to their advantage in starting a war.
Chapter 14
Cael Trathen
“We can’t go any further!” the wagon driver screamed over the storm. “The bloody roads are washing out and I can’t lose my goods!”
Flashes of light in the roiling clouds above etched out his intense features as he navigated the treacherous path. They lost track of the other wagon a few leagues back and it surprised her that he had managed to stay on the road this long. Kiernan wiped the rain from her eyes and nodded.
The man pointed to a cobblestone farmhouse up ahead. Off to the side, away from the house, stood an old barn—one that had doors large enough to drive the wagon through. Kiernan hoped the owners of the farm wouldn’t mind travelers taking refuge on their property. If they could even see them at all through the heavy curtain of rain.
When the driver guided the horse off the road toward the barn, Kiernan screamed, “I’ll get the doors!” She caught the driver’s look of surprise as she jumped out of the wagon. Her sandaled feet sank into the mud and she grimaced but sloshed ahead toward the barn. The rain lashed at her, cold and biting, drenching her to the bone. She finally stumbled against the doors and pushed up with all her strength on the wooden bar that latched them closed. It gave way, and the doors swung open wide, sending a brood of chickens scurrying in a hail of squawks and feathers. She ran back to grasp the horse’s bridle to lead him inside, but the animal needed no further prompting to get out of the storm and stepped in with a contented huff and shake of his head.
The driver jumped down and closed the doors shut.
“That’s a good boy,” Kiernan cooed and reached out to pet the horse’s nose. “What is his name?”
The man raised an eyebrow at her. “You wish to know the name of the horse before the name of the stranger you’re about to spend the night with?”
The confines of the large barn suddenly grew smaller as the man loomed closer. He was taller than she originally thought. His wet shirt clung to his skin, outlining the curve of powerful muscle in his arms and chest. Long, wet hair curled around his face giving him a wild, untamed look. Yet, his words didn’t concern her. She could easily mindshift any untoward advances aside, and she still had the man’s dagger for protection. Although, he had asked for it, she had not yet returned it. “I suppose you make a good point. All right, I will have both.”
Warm brown eyes flashed with amusement. “The horse is Tinker and I am Cael Trathen. And, your name, my lady?”
Kiernan readied the lie she had time to perfect on the ride. “Larkin. Larkin Malley, and I am no lady.”
“Not until your husband arrives with his dueling rapier, that is,” he muttered.
She grinned. “I told you, I am not highborn. I am…I was a simple
“How did it happen?” Rayan asked.
“He died at Kiernan Atlan’s hand.”
“A mindshifter killed a Mage?”
“I think we can all agree that Kiernan Atlan is not just a mindshifter,” Perrod responded, shaking the rain from his hair.
“Idiots,” Rayan spat, looking away from Zavier to make it clear he wasn’t addressing him. “The orders were simple. Kill the Kings, kill the Savitars .”
“Not so simple. We all know that.” Perrod paused. “Bron is dead, too. He’s outside. I found his body in the King’s chambers.” At the first shouted outbursts, he raised his hands. “Don’t worry, he killed the King before he died.”
Zavier stood and all went silent. The glare on the block-faced man could stop a heartbeat on a good day, and this wasn’t one of those. “We’ve lost two. Our liege will not be pleased.” Rayan swallowed as Zavier’s dead gaze scanned the chamber. “I will kill the next person who fails at their task. Understand?”
All nodded. Even Rayan. In order to defeat magic, they had to use it. Use it to their advantage in starting a war.
Chapter 14
Cael Trathen
“We can’t go any further!” the wagon driver screamed over the storm. “The bloody roads are washing out and I can’t lose my goods!”
Flashes of light in the roiling clouds above etched out his intense features as he navigated the treacherous path. They lost track of the other wagon a few leagues back and it surprised her that he had managed to stay on the road this long. Kiernan wiped the rain from her eyes and nodded.
The man pointed to a cobblestone farmhouse up ahead. Off to the side, away from the house, stood an old barn—one that had doors large enough to drive the wagon through. Kiernan hoped the owners of the farm wouldn’t mind travelers taking refuge on their property. If they could even see them at all through the heavy curtain of rain.
When the driver guided the horse off the road toward the barn, Kiernan screamed, “I’ll get the doors!” She caught the driver’s look of surprise as she jumped out of the wagon. Her sandaled feet sank into the mud and she grimaced but sloshed ahead toward the barn. The rain lashed at her, cold and biting, drenching her to the bone. She finally stumbled against the doors and pushed up with all her strength on the wooden bar that latched them closed. It gave way, and the doors swung open wide, sending a brood of chickens scurrying in a hail of squawks and feathers. She ran back to grasp the horse’s bridle to lead him inside, but the animal needed no further prompting to get out of the storm and stepped in with a contented huff and shake of his head.
The driver jumped down and closed the doors shut.
“That’s a good boy,” Kiernan cooed and reached out to pet the horse’s nose. “What is his name?”
The man raised an eyebrow at her. “You wish to know the name of the horse before the name of the stranger you’re about to spend the night with?”
The confines of the large barn suddenly grew smaller as the man loomed closer. He was taller than she originally thought. His wet shirt clung to his skin, outlining the curve of powerful muscle in his arms and chest. Long, wet hair curled around his face giving him a wild, untamed look. Yet, his words didn’t concern her. She could easily mindshift any untoward advances aside, and she still had the man’s dagger for protection. Although, he had asked for it, she had not yet returned it. “I suppose you make a good point. All right, I will have both.”
Warm brown eyes flashed with amusement. “The horse is Tinker and I am Cael Trathen. And, your name, my lady?”
Kiernan readied the lie she had time to perfect on the ride. “Larkin. Larkin Malley, and I am no lady.”
“Not until your husband arrives with his dueling rapier, that is,” he muttered.
She grinned. “I told you, I am not highborn. I am…I was a simple
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