A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (76 page)
Read A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) Online
Authors: Mitchell Hogan
He motioned for Amerdan to see to Miranda and looked towards Bells.
She paid no attention to Caldan’s approach. He stood behind her, bent over in pain. Slowly, he drew his sword, the
trinket
entrusted to him by Master Simmon. He raised the sword then brought it down, twisting at the last moment to strike Bells in the head with the flat of the blade.
With a sickening thud, she crumpled unconscious, silver bells tinkling.
Grabbing her by one arm, he dragged her over to Miranda, who still sat in the dirt, Amerdan hovering next to her.
With a deep breath, Caldan wiped his eyes, though they refused to obey him and leaked tears. He stood numbly, helping Miranda regain her feet. She stumbled. He picked her up in his arms.
“
Bells,
”
he grated through the pain.
“
Get her.
”
Amerdan nodded and lifted the limp sorcerer.
They trudged after Elpidia and Bees, leaving Keys behind.
Aftermath
To the south, in a sheltered cove along the coast, the ship containing Gazija, Quiss, Vasile and Aidan dropped anchor in the shallows and awaited news from Anasoma.
Gazija had tasked Vasile with convincing Aidan to join with them and he spent his time secluded in a cabin arguing with Aidan and his companions.
He expected objections, and he wasn’t disappointed.
Savine Khedevis approached the keep in Anasoma, surrounded by a dozen of his followers. Inside, within the cool stone walls, he was greeted briefly by a high-ranked Indryallan soldier, face haggard and marked by strain. Savine motioned to his faction and they knelt before the Indryallan commander.
For the time being,
he thought to himself, hiding his grimace of distaste. Once Gazija was dead, he could lead his people along the righteous path.
In the morning light, Caldan took a bowl of porridge from a cook fire and began the laborious task of feeding Miranda. She swallowed mechanically, eyes blank, and it took a long time before he was satisfied she’d eaten enough.
To one side lay Bells, bound with rope and gagged with cloth, though she remained unconscious. He took a knife and set to cutting the crafted bells out of the sorcerer’s hair, stuffing them into his pockets.
As they left, Caldan supported Miranda along the road. She made slow progress with erratic steps.
Far to the north, Kelhak, God-Emperor of Indryalla, received news his forces had taken Anasoma, though at a cost of two of his children. Aboard his personal warship, having sailed for Anasoma some time ago, he commanded the captain to urge the ship to greater speeds.
This ends A Crucible of Souls.
What happens next is recounted in
Book Two of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence.
To the Reader,
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Mitchell Hogan
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