The Prophecy Con (Rogues of the Republic) (41 page)

“Meaning?” Shenziencis did not take her eyes off the ax. Not the man, Nystin noted, but the ax. They were at the corner of his vision, and he had not been given leave to turn, but he could still make it out.

“When we return, adjustments will be necessary on both sides,” the man said, lowering his ax to his side. “When we deployed the Hunter golems, we never imagined the complexity creatures such as you could attain. Serve me honestly, and I will see to it that you live . . . and, if you wish, the other creatures like you—provided they are willing to serve.”

Shenziencis went still. She raised an eyebrow at the man. “Is this part of your plan? You wish to comfort me so that I do not see my death coming, when Heaven’s Spire reaches the Temple of Butterflies?”

The man chuckled at that. “The blast will destroy much of the Empire and the Republic,” he said. “The human deaths it will cause are necessary for my people to return. Yours is not. Be at peace, Queen of the Cold River.”

And while Nystin doubted Shenziencis fully believed him, he could feel that some part of her
was
at peace, surprised and touched. She had spent centuries believing that the people responsible for the magic that created her thought her a monster whose existence was a monstrosity. Now, for the first time, she felt that she belonged.

In some part of whatever the naga had instead of a heart, something small and tender blossomed.

Nystin knew this because, for one moment, he felt the control slip.

He had practiced the maneuver for the past several hours. His right hand went to the dagger at his boot, even as he pivoted and kicked off the railing with his other leg, stiff muscles wobbly but still strong enough.

She turned, and her mouth opened, and Nystin slammed a backhand across her face, the shock of impact enough to stop the words that would lock his muscles. He hooked fingers under her nose and wrenched her head back, baring her throat and the glowing rainbow gem. He brought the silver dagger down on the source of the fairy creature’s power.

The haft of a magical ax cracked across his wrist, and the silver dagger fell to the deck.

“Your resolve is admirable,” it said, and Nystin realized that the voice was coming from the ax itself even as emerald coils wrapped around him, “but she is mine, now. She will live.”

“
Stop
,” the naga hissed, and Nystin froze, his muscles cramping at the shock.

“You are mine as well,” the ax said to Nystin, “so you will
also
live.”

Shenziencis glared at Nystin, then looked to the ax and nodded shortly.

“Although,” the ax added, “after what she does to you, that may not be to your advantage.”

Shenziencis smiled.

The blasts of fire from the ground below hadn’t gone unnoticed on Heaven’s Spire, and when the great surge of blinding light had blasted down from the city to destroy the Imperial garrison below, the people of Heaven’s Spire had taken to the streets.

Groups of wealthy merchants and lesser nobility packed the well-lit shopping plazas, chanting and waving signs. Glowlamps were torn from their casings and used as makeshift torches, waved to lead the crowd from the markets to the temples, and then from the temples to the palaces.

Everyone in the city that night was shouting, fighting, demanding answers.

This made it somewhat difficult for Captain Pyvic to get to the archvoyant’s palace.

“Justicar business!” he bellowed, pushing through the crowd elbow-first. “One side!” A big red-faced man shoved into him, and he shoved back, clearing a few more feet for himself.

“War’s gonna be over by the time we get there!” Kail shouted from behind him.

“Thank you, Kail!” Pyvic saw a man in the crowd pull a knife, shoved forward, and punched the man behind the ear. The man went down in the crowd. “A shame you never wanted to join the justicars, with that keen deductive int—” He broke off as another wave of people crashed into him.

Then the ground heaved beneath his feet as a massive boom sent everyone to their knees.

Desidora raised Ghylspwr back into the air dramatically, the only person still standing. “I am a priestess of the gods and a wielder of a weapon of the ancients,” she cried, “and I cannot save you until you
get out of my way!”

“
Besyn larveth’is!”
Ghylspwr boomed over her head, and then slammed back down.

Every window on the block shattered, and glowlamps popped and went dark as the ground sang like a beaten drum. The crowd fell back, and Desidora raised Ghylspwr again, looked down the street, and started walking.

Pyvic and Kail fell in behind her as the crowd parted.

“I liked how you neglected to say
who
you were a priestess of,” Kail said.

“Shut up, Kail.” Desidora had Ghylspwr raised before her, and the street had miraculously cleared before them.

“Because with the hammer, I’d’ve been thinking at
least
Esa-jolar. Maybe even Io-fergajar . . . except that you’re wearing a dress.”

“Shut
up,
Kail.”

“I didn’t see
you
clearing a path,” Pyvic said to Kail.

“You think I’m being sarcastic? That was some great lying there! It wouldn’t even have set off a verifier ward! I wish Icy were here to learn from this!”

“Sadly, he broke his leg saving us after you got your airship destroyed,” Pyvic said without missing a beat.

“That hurts, Justicar. That wounds me.”

“Yes, Pyvic, show some respect,” Desidora added. “Her name was
Iofegemet.
”

Pyvic stifled a laugh, and then they turned the corner, and the archvoyant’s palace stood before them. The great front lawn was lit by golden glowlamps, and hedges trimmed to look like dragons and manticores loomed large in the shadows. A great fountain spat streams of water that were bolstered with illusory light to create a falling display in all the colors of the rainbow.

It all sat safe behind high walls and wrought-iron gates protected with warding magic.

“How did all of you break into the palace last time?” Pyvic asked as they approached the front gate.

“Tern used a grappling line,” Desidora said. “Ululenia turned into a fish and swam up through the water pipes.”

“I think Icy just held his breath,” Kail added.

“I’m not sure we have time for any of those options at the moment,” Pyvic said.

“I agree.” Desidora had not stopped walking toward the gate, which sat closed and locked, doubtlessly secured by warding magic. “Ghylspwr?”

“
Kutesosh gajair’is!”

Her blow blasted the gate clean off its hinges. It flew across the lawn, took the head off a marble statue of a peasant girl, and smashed into the fountain.

“Direct approach it is,” Kail said as warding alarms began shrieking all across the lawn. Guards poured out of the great palace itself, the faster human versions and the slower but much larger security golems behind them.

“I am Justicar Captain Pyvic, here on a matter of Republic security!” he shouted, throwing his shoulders back and stepping past Desidora as guards raced toward them, silhouettes against the brilliant glow of the palace behind them. “The entire city of Heaven’s Spire is in immediate danger!”

“Of course it is,” came a familiar voice from one of the guards, “which is why the justicars have been here the entire time.”

“Justicar Derenky.” Pyvic nodded, squinting into the darkness as Derenky came forward, smirking. “Report.”

“Report?” Derenky laughed as guards closed in around Pyvic and the others. “We’re at war,
Captain
, and some of us had to stay here and deal with matters of Republic security instead of chasing our girlfriend the
thief
into the Elflands.”

“If Heaven’s Spire uses its energy blast on the Temple of Butterflies,” Desidora said, “the resulting explosion will destroy a quarter of the Empire and a third of the Republic.”

Pyvic had the exquisite satisfaction of watching Derenky actually shut his damn mouth.

“The temple’s an old artifact of the ancients, too,” he said into the sudden silence around them. “You know how dangerous it can be to bang artifacts of the ancients against each other.” He raised his voice, picking out the justicars among the palace guards by posture and stance, since most of them were still just silhouettes. “The whole thing is a setup by someone who wants both nations to destroy each other. I picked up that information while chasing my girlfriend the thief into the Elflands.” He smiled at Derenky, showing some teeth. Another justicar stepped out of the shadows into the light, and Pyvic nodded at the heavyset female form. “Jyrre?”

“Captain.” She nodded, her dark face pinched but calm. “I think I know where the weapon’s being controlled.”

“What?” Derenky shouted.

“Archvoyant Bertram ordered us to stay quiet about it, but I saw something in the rear garden.” She grimaced. “It’s a large column of crystal they had brought in special not long ago. We haven’t been allowed near it.”

“What are you talking about?” Derenky said. “I’ve been out back. I haven’t seen a damned thing!”

“Damn it, Derenky!” Jyrre glared. “Everyone knows you want the captain’s job. Are you going to risk the life of the Republic for it?”

The guards and the other justicars were silent. The security golems, finally catching up, clanked to a halt and surveyed the crowd, evidently waiting for orders.

“Show me,” Pyvic said to Jyrre, and she nodded and started up one of the garden paths. Pyvic fell into step beside her, with guards and golems following. “And I’ll need a spare blade.”

“Misplaced your last one?” Derenky asked, as one of the palace guard handed Pyvic a fresh blade.

“Yes, Derenky. That’s precisely how it happened. Well deduced. Who controls the golems?”

“We do,” Derenky answered. “Archvoyant Bertram gave me direct control when he brought the justicars in to provide additional security to the palace.”

“Good.” Pyvic looked at the palace, sheathed in light from the glowlamps on the walls. They were approaching a lit courtyard surrounded by marble statues. “Any other additions to palace security?”

“Military units,” Jyrre said. “Haven’t been able to get anything out of them.”

“The Knights of Gedesar,” Derenky said, smiling at Jyrre. “If you look carefully at their armor, you’d have noted the blacked-out insignia . . . and the fact that it’s
yvkefer-
alloy armor would also be a clue for any competent justicar.”

“Sorry,” Jyrre said tightly. “Suppose I’ve been a little distracted with the war on.” She gestured ahead, past the courtyard. “Should be just through here, Captain.”

“What, the ambush?” Pyvic asked, and stopped.

So did everyone else.

“Captain?” Jyrre asked.

“The ambush,” Pyvic said, “that you’re going to lead
me into
with the Knights of Gedesar.” He smiled at Jyrre. “You’ve always been smarter than Derenky, Justicar, and you’ve got more experience with fairy-creature crimes than anyone else on the squad. There’s no way he’d make them while you missed them, unless you were lying because you’re their inside source.”

“Those guys always
were
a little too good at tracking us down,” Kail said.

Jyrre stepped back slowly. “Captain . . .”

“Tell me something, Derenky,” Pyvic said, “do you want my job?”

Derenky smiled thinly. “Desperately, sir.”

“Would you like it right now, right in the middle of this political nightmare?”

“All things considered,” Derenky said, “I’d just as soon wait for you to trip up and then have you shuffled aside.”

“Right.” Pyvic drew his blade. “I don’t see you trying to feed me to the flamecannons. You’re a political animal.”

“Which is why he would come straight from the justicar station to the kahva-shop,” Desidora said, “to embarrass you by making you appear distracted from your job.”

“While Jyrre,” Pyvic finished, “who according to
everyone
left before he did, somehow arrived after him. Tell me, Justicar, who did you meet along the way?”

“Them,” Jyrre said, and jerked a thumb back toward the statues. “Fire!”

The crossbow bolts came hissing out of the darkness.

“Down!” Pyvic yelled, even as guards fell with bolts in their throats. Kail was already rolling, and Desidora stood where she was, Ghylspwr spinning before her to knock bolts aside. “Derenky! Get those golems moving!”

“I’m trying!” Derenky yelled from the ground behind Desidora. “The control crystal isn’t activating! They should be—”

“
Kutesosh gajair’is!”
Ghylspwr yelled, and Pyvic looked over.

The golems were indeed coming online, he saw.

One of them reached out, grabbed the control crystal from Derenky’s hand, and crushed it.