Finding Valor (55 page)

“You’d need to rip the sleeves outta that shirt if you wanted to use it for a dance costume…or better yet, rip ‘em off while you’re onstage. That’d drive the ladies wild.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“That’s enough foolishness.” Vince's voice echoed in the stone corridor. “Valor, wear the clothes. They’re appropriate for…what you’re doing.”

It was obviously important to Vince. And they did feel good against his skin. “Do you think it’ll give me an edge?”

“I don’t know. But I do know that Tailor spent the past three days and nights working nonstop to make these for you and risked her life delivering them.”

“I’ll wear them.”

“There’s a hidden pocket inside the shirt for the Book of the Dead.”

“You want me to take it with me? What if I lose?”

“Then it won’t matter.”

As the time ticked down, Josh’s emotions bounced all over the place. He alternated between rock solid self-confidence and pure terror with every heartbeat. But mostly, he just wanted it to be over.
 

At 3:00 AM, ten guards, wearing black leather and black silk shirts entered the northeast wing. The tallest guard inclined his head respectfully. “It’s time, my prince. Please, come with us.”

The man’s demeanor surprised Josh. He pried past his energy shield, even though doing so was considered rude. He found nothing but respect, hope, and sadness. Huh. Josh wondered how many others under Dominance’s rule were secretly on his side. He patted the man’s shoulder, a silent apology for invading his privacy. “We’re ready.”

“I’m sorry, my prince, but the only one that may accompany you is your second.”

Josh didn’t like the sudden change of plans, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. He took Channie’s hand.

One of the other guards, a short stocky man that openly radiated contempt, stepped in front of her and glared at Josh. “No opposite sex may serve as second. Choose one of the males.”

“What? No!” The Book of the Dead specifically said that Channie had to stay by his side.

“It is the ancient way.”

“I don’t care. I’m not leaving my wife behind.”

“She’ll be safe until the duel is over.” The tall guard spoke quietly. “I’ll lock the doors to this wing. Everyone else will be in attendance.”

Was the man giving him some sort of message?

Vince shoved Hunter towards Josh. “Take Hunter as your second. I’ll
personally
see to Channie’s safety.”

Vince grew up there. Maybe he knew some secret passage out of the castle or something. He knew how important it was for Josh to keep Channie by his side. Vince's emphasis on personally guaranteeing Channie’s safety had to mean he had a plan to get her to Josh.

“Please, my prince.” The tall guard’s voice trembled. “If I do not deliver you on time, the lives of my entire family will be forfeited.

Josh couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t hear over the pounding of his heart.
 

Hunter took his arm and guided him towards the door. He murmured into Josh’s ear as they walked but he didn’t hear anything until they were almost at the clearing where the duel was to take place.
 

“It’ll be okay. Vince will get her there in time. There’re all sorts of secret tunnels and whatnot in that old castle. He told me all about growing up in it while you and Channie were otherwise occupied. Now breathe!”

Josh took a deep breath and nodded.

“That’s better.” Hunter hugged him and thumped him on the back. “By the way…what’s a second supposed to do?”

“I have no idea.”

Dominance clapped her hands, twice. All conversation stopped. She held her hand out to the side. “My second, Tempest Veyjivik, shall now read the rules of dueling as set forth in the ancient rites of our ancestors.”

Hunter leaned in closer. “Were you aware of any rules?”

“Not specifically. I just thought we were supposed to fight it out until one of us was dead. Winner takes all.”

Dominance cleared her throat and glared at Josh.
 

Tempest unrolled a scroll. “The challenged principle shall choose the weapons to be used in the duel. The seconds shall also be armed with the same weapons. Should either principle attack before the appointed time—”

“Wait!” Josh strode forward until he was face to face with Dominance. “You didn’t say anything about weapons. We’re supposed to fight with magic.”

“You agreed to fight according to the rules of the ancient rites and I choose pistols.”

“You challenged me, so I get to choose the weapons, and I choose magic.” Josh’s shield wouldn’t repel bullets unless he was touching Channie’s bare skin. Did Dominance know? Was that why she’d been so adamant about keeping Channie away from the duel? He couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with a pistol. An assault rifle, maybe, but not a pistol.

Dominance snapped her fingers. “Play the court records from my meeting with Prince Valor on December seventeenth.”

A mage stepped forward with an iPhone in his hand. He plugged it into a docking station then tapped the screen. The conversation between Dominance and Josh boomed out from half a dozen speakers.
 

“And how long will your hospitality last?”
Josh cringed at the suspicious undertone in his voice.

“I believe the invitation was until solstice.”
Dominance’s voice dripped with honey.

“And then what?”

“Then, we shall see who is the stronger mage.”

“A duel?”

“Conducted according to the ancient rites. Let’s set the time to coincide with the total eclipse, shall we?”

“To the death?”

“Winner take all.”

Dominance spread her arms and turned around as she spoke. “Did you all hear Prince Valor say ‘A duel?’”

Several of her minions chanted, “Yes, my queen.”
 

“But—”

She ignored Josh’s protest and spoke over him. “Is there any doubt that Prince Valor challenged me to a duel?”

“No, my queen.”

“I call bullshit!” Hunter raised his fist in the air.

Dominance shot a pure bolt of power straight at his heart. Josh’s shield slammed over Hunter a split second before her curse would have killed him.
 

The crowd gasped then buzzed with hushed whispers and lowered voices, too many and too quiet to discern. But the tension shot up exponentially. Josh didn’t want things to get out of control. He could feel the energy of his loyal army nearby and getting closer. This could easily turn into a blood bath. “Wait a minute…okay? Just…calm down.”

Silence spread out from him like a ripple across a pond.
 

“It was not my intention to challenge Dominance to a duel. I was merely asking if that was
her
intention when she said ‘we’ll see who is the stronger mage.’ But whether I did or not is irrelevant. We both agreed to do it according to ancient rites…and pistols are not ancient weapons.”

Dominance sighed as if she found the whole affair a terrible bore. “The ancient rites do not specify what weapons may or may not be used. Only that the challenged party gets to choose.”

“You set me up. I never would’ve agreed to a duel with pistols. Either we fight with magic or we go back to full scale war.” It wasn’t just his life on the line. If he lost, all mages would be bound by the agreement he’d made in ignorance. They’d be Dominance’s slaves.

All pretense of civility slid off Dominance’s face. Her countenance reflected nothing but pure evil. She extended her left arm and wiggled her fingers in a “come here” gesture.

The crowd parted. Two guards stepped forward. Josh’s heart stopped then fell to his feet. One of them held a knife to Vince's throat, the other to Channie’s.

“No.” It came out as a breathy whisper, but Josh was screaming inside. He swayed on his feet. He would have fallen to his knees if Hunter hadn’t grabbed his elbow.

“Excuse me.” Hunter cleared his throat. “As Valor’s second, I’d like to take his place.”

“No. Hunter, I won’t let you do that.”
 

“This ain’t just about saving you, Josh, although I’d still be willing. But there’s a whole lot more riding on this here duel.”

Dominance saved Josh the torture of deciding one way or the other. “No, you may not.”

Hunter lifted his chin. “What do the rules say?”

Channie cried out, pulling Josh’s gaze to her face. A weeping, red line underscored the knife at her throat.

“No! Stop.” The guard holding Channie was the one that had gotten in her face earlier. He’d cut her, and she was definitely bleeding, but it wasn’t a copious amount. Not yet. But Josh didn’t doubt that the man would enjoy slitting her throat.

“If I accept your terms, will you release my wife and my father?”

“Of course.” Dominance brushed a nonexistent strand of hair off her brow.
 

“Right now. I want my wife beside me.” It went against every fiber of Josh’s being to put Channie in the line of fire, but she’d be safer beside him, under his bulletproof shield than she was with a knife at her throat.

Dominance narrowed her eyes, but agreed with a curt nod of her head. “All I want is for you to honor our agreement. Now, come, choose your pistol.”

Hope flared in Josh’s chest. He’d have to suck his shield down tight so he could get the barrel of his gun outside of it, but even if he had to expose his entire arm to do so, it was better than nothing. And he’d be damn sure Channie stayed behind him.

Josh’s heart sank when he peered into the velvet lined box at the long barreled weapons. These were not revolvers. He’d only get one shot.

“Oh, and Valor?”

“What?”

“No magic means no shields.”

~***~

No shields means no protection.
Josh hit Channie with a calming spell that knocked her out then handed her to Vince. “Get her out of here.”

Vince handed her off to an old man then put a hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. He’s on our side.”

Josh wasn’t happy about it, but the man and Channie had already disappeared in the crowd.

Vince enhanced his voice with magic. “Tempest was interrupted before she finished reading the ancient rules of dueling. Does everyone understand the role of seconds?”

Dominance glared at him as half the crowd shook their heads.
 

Hunter frowned. “Maybe you better explain it.”

“To ensure a fair duel.” Vince twisted his mouth into his strange, but familiar, smile. “If either principle fires before the appointed time, it is the second’s duty to fire at the offender.”

Vince pointed at Tempest, Dominance’s second. “Please replace the weapon behind your back with one of the pistols that have been approved for this duel.”

The woman’s face blanched.
 

Dominance reached behind her and grabbed the gun then handed it to one of her guards. She shoved her second towards the man holding the box of pistols and waved Hunter forward. “Choose your weapons.”

Hunter, always a gentleman, waited for Tempest to make her choice before lifting a pistol out of the box. He balanced it in his hand then sighted down the barrel. “Anything special I should know about this here gun?”

Dominance rolled her eyes. “You pull the trigger, a bullet comes out the other end.”

“Thanks for nothing, bitch.” Hunter turned around and walked back towards Josh.

Dominance’s face turned from puce to purple but her second stepped in and whispered something that calmed her down.

“Are you crazy?” Josh spoke through gritted teeth. “There’s no way I could’ve gotten my shield over you in time when you’re standing right next to her. At least wait until you’re closer to me than her before you start calling her names.”

“She’s so pissed, her whole body’s shaking. It was worth the risk.”

“Mother?” Vince's voice trembled. “It’s me you hate. Let me take Valor’s place.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She smirked at him. “You can’t take Valor’s place, but you may replace his second.”

“Oh, hell no.” Hunter jammed the loaded pistol in the waistband of his jeans then lowered his voice to a whisper. “You know I’m the best shot. All we gotta do is get her to fire early so I can pop her.”

“And how do you propose to do that?” Vince's shoulders slumped.

Hunter shrugged. “Josh’ll just have to twitch his gun hand a little early to draw her fire.”

“That’s brilliant…
except
for the part about her firing early. What if she hits one of us?”

“That’s one of the reasons I called her a bitch. To get her riled up. Besides, these old pistols ain’t too accurate. I doubt she’ll hit anything vital.”

“Then how do you know you’ll be able to hit her?”

“My name’s Hunter. It’s what I do.”

A chill crept over Josh’s skin as the moon darkened. There was barely a sliver left when Tempest called out, “Take your marks. Fire on the count of three.”

“How come she gets to—”

“Shut up, Hunter.” Josh’s hand was already shaking. He kept his finger outside the trigger guard to keep from firing the gun accidentally. “Get ready.”

“I’m good.”

“One…” Tempest’s voice rang out as the eclipse reached its apex and the last sliver of light disappeared.

Josh’s pulse raced. Time slowed.
 

“Two…”

Josh raised his gun with a shaking hand, but Dominance did not take the bait. She did not fire early. Hunter couldn’t shoot without destroying the treaty.
It’s up to me. I can’t use magic, but I can draw on my power-name. It’s a part of me. I am Valor Veyjivik, a royal mage, the rightful heir to the throne. My people are counting on me to save them from tyranny.

Josh took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His body stilled. His mind calmed. His racing heart slowed. He aimed at the center of Dominance’s body.

Everything that followed happened in the space between one heartbeat and the next.

Tempest shouted, “Three!”

Vince stepped in front of Josh as a shot rang out then crumpled to the ground.

Josh fired. The recoil jerked his arm straight up.

Dominance screamed then grabbed her stomach as she sank to the ground.