Shadow Dagger Ch. 15

Raynolt smirked again and gave her a tiny nod of his head. "You wish to form an alliance, do you not?"

Sophina nodded. "To remove King Reynar from the throne."

"And to place me on it in his stead."

"That's not part of the deal." Sophina stared at him, refusing to blink first.

Raynolt slowly scanned the crowd with his eyes. Sophina followed his gaze. Every face in the room clearly had murder on the mind. Raynolt looked back at Sophina.

"Well, it seems like I'm getting a raw deal here. Not only don't I have any incentive to help you, but I see clearly that my life would be in jeopardy if I should ever turn my back."

"They won't kill you," Sophina assured him.

"And how can you be sure of that?"

"Because I didn't pay them to."

Raynolt's smile was as cold as the heart of winter. "Ah yes,mercenaries." His frozen smile twisted up into another sneer. Sophina was beginning to think that was a permanent look for the man. "I'm sure I can trust their code of honor."

"You have my personal guarantee."

Raynolt sighed dramatically. "My dear, your bunch of rag-tag mercenaries aside, I still fail to see the incentive for me. Why help you if you don't wish me to be king?"

"I never said I didn't have anything to offer. We don't want you to be king, Raynolt. We have somebody else in mind for that. But I can see that you're a man who desires power above all else. Why would you want to be king? Do you really see yourself running this country with all the mundane tasks that come with it?"

Sophina could see the curiosity in his face. Raynolt studied her for several moments, trying to read her face. Sophina sat perfectly still. Raynolt tapped the table with his finger as he considered.

"I'm listening."

"I know your kind, Raynolt. You don't really wish to be king. You just wish to obtain more power than anybody else. You wish to be the most respected man among your peers. That's what drives you. And I can offer you something that would make you more powerful than King Reynar."

Sophina knew she had him; she could see it in his face. His eyes blazed with an intense hunger. "What can you offer me?"

Sophina hesitated. Jon had told her to make this offer. She had to trust his instincts. "It's not mine to offer. You know Jon Laurent is alive, correct?"

Sanje, who to this point had hardly moved a muscle during the conversation, jerked upright in his seat. "What did you say?"

Raynolt held out his hand to quiet him. Sophina could almost feel the rage coming from Sanje. Raynolt looked highly intrigued.

"We have come to that conclusion, yes. Are you confirming that he is indeed alive?"

Sophina nodded. "I'm negotiating on his behalf."

Raynolt leaned forward intently. His eyes bored into hers. "Tell me, how did he survive the attack? And the fall from the roof? Who healed his wounds?"

Sophina ignored his questions and was careful not to glance sideways at Marcus. "He has an offer for you. Help us removed Reynar from the throne and free Evelyn Ventus from his custody and he will..." She trailed off deliberately, just to set the bait.

Raynolt took it.

"He will what? Speak, woman!" His eyes shone with a fierce light.

Jon was right; this man desires power simply for the sake of having it. How...sad. "If you give your word that you will not reach for the crown, Jon Laurent will teach you all he knows about magic. This includes the secret to the making of a Shadow Dagger. He will also give you his own Shadow Dagger as a token of respect for your cooperation."

Raynolt's eyebrows shot up in shock. Marcus' hands twitched on the table. Sophina felt Peron shift behind her. The Magi Raynolt introduced as Lenard Demps whistled under his breath.

Sanje had the most startling reaction of all.

"Impossible!" he roared. He banged his fists on the table and stood up angrily. He leaned over the table and put his shadowed face close to Sophina's. She could see the smoothness of his cheeks and chin.

My God, he's so young! "That is what Jon offered. Knowledge. A powerful weapon, is it not, Raynolt?" Sophina asked, looking past Sanje's snarling face toward Raynolt.

"Jon Laurent, as lowly and depraved as he is, would never betray the Magi Victus!" Sanje turned angrily toward Raynolt. "Raynolt, you can't seriously be considering this offer. Touching the Shadow Dagger of a Magi Victus will kill you instantly, Magi or not. It's a trick! And the knowledge of how to make a Shadow Dagger would be useless to you!"

Raynolt didn't turn to face him. Instead, he continued to study Sophina in that calculating way of his. Whatever faults the man had, he clearly wasn't an idiot. She could see the intelligence in his eyes.

"An intriguing offer, to say the least. The fact that Jon Laurent would hand over one of the most powerful objects in this world is very telling. Tell me, why are you so desperate? There's something I'm missing, isn't there?"

Sanje dropped back in his chair with an angry snort. Sophina glanced at Marcus, who to this point had been quiet and still. Marcus nodded. Sophina turned back toward Raynolt, who looked at Marcus in confusion.

"King Reynar is in a position to greatly alter the future of Astuari in a direction that we fervently oppose. Weneed to have him removed, for all of our sakes."

Sophina waited patiently while Raynolt sat still and considered his next words. "I have to admit, I'm highly intrigued by what you just said about Reynar. You're hiding something from me, I can tell. You want to offer me knowledge? Fine, I accept. First thing, what is it that you know about Reynar?"

"That's not the offer on the table," Sophina said carefully. "Jon Laurent will greatly enhance your knowledge of magic, making you the most powerful Magi alive. That is the offer."

Raynolt looked up at the ceiling and smiled. "You were right about me, you know." He looked back at Sophina, the smile still tugging his lips. "I crave power, it's true. I want to be the most powerful man in history. And to further such pursuits, I have and will always seek knowledge. Knowledge, as you say, is indeed a powerful weapon."

Sophina felt a sudden chill. She had a bad feeling about where this was going. Raynolt's smile wasn't helping to calm her nerves, either. "What's your point?"

"I know you're hiding something from me. You want me to help you by blindly following orders, is that right? No, I don't think so. Iwill have the knowledge you possess concerning King Reynar. And, to seal our deal, you will hand over that wonderful sword of yours once our business is concluded."

Dead silence followed his words. Raynolt leaned back in his chair and continued to smile. Sophina's grip on her sword tightened. He couldn't pry the sword out of her cold, dead fingers.

"And what makes you think I will give you what you ask?"

Raynolt's smile stretched his mouth wider, like a cat looking at the mouse it had underneath it's paws. "Because otherwise, I have a terrible feeling something awful will happen to your family out on that lonely farm of theirs."

Sophina kicked back her chair and unsheathed her sword before she even knew what she was doing. There was a loud roar followed by the banging of chairs and tables. Marcus and Peron were both yelling, either at her or Raynolt. Sophina couldn't hear them. She could only hear the pounding of the blood in her ears.

Sanje had his Shadow Dagger out and was crouched in a fighting position. Lenard Demps' eyes glowed silver and he had his hand held out. Raynolt, however, continued to smile as he stared down at Sophina's blade, which was an inch from his neck.

"What did you say about my family?" Sophina roared, her hand shaking badly as she struggled to keep the sword from striking off Raynolt's head.

"My dear, I think you're overreacting. I merely made a comment about the health of your family. Surely you're concerned about your seven fine young brothers and their families who keep your family farm afloat, aren't you? I've heard rumors of bandits striking farms like yours recently. I've already sent out one of my men to keep a watch out for your family. They are under his careful eye, don't you worry."

Sophina breathed heavily through her nose. She longed to plunge her sword into his black heart. But at the same time, fear made her stay her hand. Raynolt's threat was clear; don't agree to this deal and his "man" will see to it that "bandits" strike her farm. He had her and the smug bastard knew it.

"Don't listen to this scum," Peron hissed. His own sword was pointed at Raynolt as well. "He only has power over you if you allow him to."

"Peron is right," Marcus agreed. "This man of Raynolt's can't take action if he doesn't hear from him. I can take care of this problem here and now."

Marcus cold, quiet voice sent a chill through Sophina's raging temper. She shook her head and slammed her sword back in it's sheath.

"Put up your weapons," Sophina commanded sharply.

"Sophina, don't listen--" Peron began but Sophina cut him off with a glare.

"Just do as I say!"

Peron looked very unhappy but he reluctantly sheathed his sword. Sophina caught the glimpse of satisfaction that crossed Raynolt's face. She let her murderous glare bore into Raynolt's smiling face.

"I agree." She had to force the words through gritted teeth. They tasted very bitter on her tongue.

Marcus turned toward her. "Are you sure? Jon wouldn't want this. Just let me take care of this problem."

"Who is this man and why is he so foolish as to threaten me?" Raynolt demanded, the smile finally gone from his face.

Marcus said nothing but just stared into Raynolt's face. Raynolt must have sense some measure of power from Marcus because he blinked slowly and looked away. "He is my personal advisor," Sophina said.

Raynolt snorted. "You keep interesting friends, Sophina Crews. As to his threat, do you think me so foolish to come here unprepared? Should my man not hear from me tonight, he will withdraw his protection from your family's farm. No doubt they would soon be hit by bandits."

"It's ok," Sophina said, touching Marcus' arm lightly. "Jon trusted me to make difficult decisions. I can't do anything to jeopardize my family. He would understand that."

Marcus nodded slowly. Sophina squeezed his arm and turned back to Raynolt. She tried her best to keep her hand away from her sword. "I accept your terms."

"Good," Raynolt said, clapping his hands.

He seated himself back in his seat. Sophina and the rest of the men followed suit. Sanje and Lenard slowly sat back down next to Raynolt. Both men looked ready to kill at a moment's notice.

"Now, tell me, what is your objection to Reynar as king?"

***

Ashford shaded his eyes with his hand and studied the horizon. A shimmering heat wave in the air distorted most of what he saw. The only noticeable feature were the towering mountains hundreds of miles away. Other than that, the landscape in front of his eyes was flat and barren.

They had finally arrived in Raves.

Ashford looked up at the sun and closed his eyes. He could already feel the heat drying up all the moisture on his cheeks and lips. They were most definitely in Raves now.

He turned to look at Jon, who was quietly sleeping in a sitting position on the bench next to him. He had driven the cart all through the night and most of the morning. It would be a pity to wake him. But he had asked.

"Jon," Ashford said quietly.

That's all it took. Jon's eyes instantly snapped open. He blinked a few times and studied his surroundings. "We're here."

Ashford nodded and pointed to the west. "See that tall structure way in the distance?" It was a rhetorical question; he knew Jon's keen eyes had probably already spotted it.

Jon nodded. "I see it."

"That's Fort Barren, the last outpost of the Astuarian nation. It's our first line of defense against raids from Raves and the last sign of civilization you see before entering the desert. The back way we took has taken us to the eastern edge of the border."

"What tribe rules this land?" Jon asked as he continued to study the area.

Ashford hesitated and then hoped Jon didn't notice. "The Tribe of the Desert Scorpion. They will be your first test."

"What do you know of their chieftain?"

Too much. He tried to keep his voice conversational. "He's a powerful man. His tribe is second in power only to the Tribe of the Desert Snake."

"Peron's tribe, the man you sent Sophina to recruit."

"Yes," Ashford replied. "Peron and Sazon, the chieftain of the Desert Scorpion, are bitter enemies and rivals. If the War of the Desert hadn't started, those two men would have surely killed each other in battle."

"It's a good place to start," Jon said absently. His mind seemed to be on other things the last few days. Ashford worried about him.

"Do you what to know about Sazon's fighting techniques? His strengths and weaknesses?"

"Not necessary," Jon said simply.

Ashford should have felt relief at the confidence Jon displayed but, instead, he was oddly worried.

"I have a bad feeling, Jon. We have a good plan but there's something...I don't know, I can't quite put my finger on it."

"They know we're coming," Jon said quietly, his gaze locked on the horizon.

Ashford shook his head. "No, I don't think that's it. It's just--"

"No," Jon interrupted. He pointed at the horizon. "They know we're coming."

Ashford turned to look at what Jon was pointing at. The heat distortion in the air was making it difficult for him to see anything. "Jon, I don't know--" He stopped as something in the distance caught his eye.

A dark line was wavering across the distance. "What is that..." Ashford trailed off and opened his eyes wide. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The heat continued to distort the distance but it was becoming clearer.

An army was marching towards them.

"This is not what I expected!" Ashford shouted. His heart was hammering away in his chest.

Jon, however, hardly seemed ruffled. In fact, he even seemed pleased. "She's planned for this," he whispered, almost as if he was talking to himself.

Ashford turned toward him. "The goddess?"

Jon snorted. "She's no goddess. Though she always did fancy herself a god."

"Jon, what's going on? What do you know?"

Jon turned toward him, smiling. "That we have a fight coming our way."

Ashford could only groan.

***

Raynolt leaned back in his chair slowly. He looked to his left at Sanje. Sanje looked troubled. Raynolt glanced to his right at Lenard. The tall Magi looked highly skeptical. Raynolt cleared his voice.

"Are you trying to tell me that Evelyn Ventus is carrying some type of magical...baby?" Raynolt couldn't keep the scorn out of his voice. Who did they think he was?

Sophina snorted. "That's not what I said. I said the baby she is carrying was conceived through magical means. This child is very, very special and is the reason why we need to get her away from King Reynar."

Raynolt shook his head. Nothing she said made any sense. "Jon Laurent was the one who fed you this story?"

Sophina's face tightened momentarily in anger. "He didn'tfeed us anything. This is the truth. Or are you going to sit here and tell me you know every secret of a soul-bond?"

Raynolt turned back to Lenard. "Have you heard anything like this before?"

Lenard shook his head. "No, Grand Master. But to be honest, I know almost nothing about soul-mates."

Raynolt turned back to Sophina and tried his best to read her face. He didn't see any signs that she was lying. Then again, she was hard to read. He needed more information.

"Let's say for a moment that I believe you. Why would King Reynar care about this child?"

Sophina leaned her elbows on the table as she spoke. "You're a Magi, Raynolt. You tell me what you would want with a child who was born through magic. Can't you imagine the power a child like this could wield?"

Raynolt had to admit it that it made sense. If a child could truly be born under those circumstances, it's potential would be limitless. Magic made manifest...

Yes, I could see why Reynar would want a child like this. His hold on the throne would be secure and the child could rule the way he wanted it to.

Raynolt still wasn't convinced, though. Something else was bothering him. He still didn't know the whole story. "If all this is true, why would you care what Reynar wanted with the child?"

Sophina hesitated and looked to her companion on her left before answering. Raynolt once again studied the man sitting next to her. Why did he look so familiar?

"King Reynar, we believe, is acting on false information. This information was given to him in order to ensure the destruction of Astuari and perhaps the world."

Raynolt had a hard time buying the story about the child. Now they wanted him to believe this?

"You're insane," Raynolt said, unable to contain his laughter. "Jon Laurent really does have you eating out of the palm of his hand!"

Suddenly, Raynolt didn't feel bad that Jon Laurent continued to mystify him. He was playing his own companions!

Jon Laurent is one devious man. But what's his game? Why this story?

Sophina did not look amused. Her anger only made Raynolt laugh harder. Her next words cut his laughter off short.

"Would you still be laughing if I told you that King Reynar was being manipulated by Raves? That it was the desert people who sought the destruction of our country?"

Now that's interesting. Raynolt stopped laughing. "That would make a better story, I think. But who in the desert would possibly have enough influence and power to manipulate Reynar?"

"You ever hear of a desert goddess?"

Raynolt blinked. "I've heard rumors," he said slowly. "Where did you get that information? The desert people are a notoriously close-lipped people." Raynolt's eyes strayed to Peron. "Ah, but of course. Feeling chatty, Peron?"

Peron's smile revealed most of his teeth. "Extremely. But mostly about the women I bedded. You should look elsewhere for information about the goddess."

Raynolt glanced back at Sophina and lifted his eyebrows questioningly. "If not Peron, then who?"

"Ashford," Sophina said simply, though her eyes watched Raynolt carefully.

I should have known that, Raynolt thought irritably. "Ah yes, of course one of Reynar's dear childhood friends would know about that. So you, and when I say you I mean Jon Laurent, think that the goddess is manipulating Reynar into destroying his own country? How?"

"This goddess claims to be an Oracle," Sophina replied. "She claims that the future hinges on the life of Evelyn's child."

"Is that so?" Raynolt replied slowly.An Oracle? What nonsense. He shook his head. "Reynar is not a fool. Why would he believe that?"

Sophina shot him an scornful look. "Do you think that's all Reynar learned from her? Have you never wondered how Reynar came to be so powerful?"

Raynolt stared sightlessly forward. He sat still, shocked, while his brain tried to process this information.

It's true, he had to learn it from somewhere. Is this goddess really who she claims to be?

"It seems our desert friends are cleverer than we thought," Raynolt finally replied, more to himself than to anybody in the room. He glanced up and saw the smug smile on Peron's face.

"Indeed," Lenard chimed in. Raynolt glanced over at him. Lenard's brow was furrowed in thought. "It does make a certain kind of sense. The pieces are fitting together, if you will. This must be the source of Reynar's power."

"It is starting to make sense," Raynolt replied thoughtfully.

Sanje shifted in his chair next to him. "This explains why he suddenly decided to marry her."

Raynolt nodded. "Exactly. This child is another source of power for him. Bind the child to his blood and lineage and he will bind it's power to him."