Shadow Dagger Ch. 10

"Enough of this," Reynar growled.

The sword hummed and Sophina realized it was a warning. She blindly swung her sword and felt the familiar song echo inside of her as it cut the invisible runes of a spell. Reynar's eyes bulged in anger and disbelief.

Sophina laughed as the sword hummed and sang as she cut down spell after spell. Other Magi quickly joined Reynar in the attack. Sophina knew that, magic sword or no magic sword, this fight was soon to be over. The magic attack gave her the benefit of keeping the guards back, as they didn't want to accidentally walk into a spell.

She cut down spells as quickly as she could as she made her way over to Ashford. She didn't quite understand how she was able to slice every spell until she saw Evelyn. She was still standing next to Reynar. Her eyes glowed silver and she stood perfectly still as she made small gestures with her hand.

There must have been so many spells flying at Sophina that nobody noticed that some of the spells were helping her. Sophina loved Evelyn even more in that moment. She could tell from Evelyn's pinched eyes and the sweat dripping off of her face that it was costing her dearly.

Sophina's arms quickly grew tired. She realized with amusement how stupid she must look to any non-Magi standing around. As far as they could tell, she was just swinging her sword wildly at the thin air.

She had no idea what to do next but, as it turned out, it hardly mattered. A spell finally slipped past her and bound her arms and legs together. The sword was trapped by her side, unable to slice any part of the spell.

"Stop!" Evelyn yelled, turning toward Reynar. "What do you want?"

Reynar slowly turned his eyes away from Sophina. "Actually, I want you."

Sophina struggled against her bonds. "No, Evelyn! Don't listen to him!"

Evelyn shook her head. "What do you want from me?"

Reynar cocked his head to the side. "Don't tell me that Jon didn't tell you?"

Evelyn looked confused. "Tell me what?"

Reynar threw back his head and laughed. "That man and his secrets! Tell me, Evelyn, do you trust him?"

"Evelyn, please don't listen to him!" Sophina begged.

Reynar gestured angrily at her. Sophina felt something press over her mouth. Reynar turned back to Evelyn. "Well?"

Evelyn looked away. "No," she admitted quietly.

Sophina closed her eyes.Please, Evelyn, don't listen to anything he has to say. She opened her eyes. Reynar was smiling. "Evelyn, Jon Laurent is not who you think he is. He is a very bad man and can't be trusted."

"And you can?" Evelyn snapped.

"That's for you to decide," he replied quietly. He glanced around at the Magi listening intently and leaned in closer to her. "But I can promise you that I will never lie to you. Come with me and I will explain everything. Can the man who killed your husband make that same promise?"

The Magi behind them gasped. Evelyn never took her eyes off of Reynar. "You will tell me everything? You will tell me why everyone seems so interested in me lately?"

Reynar nodded, his face serious. "I will tell you anything you want to know. Evelyn, this is your choice. You are free to leave if you wish. But I have the answers you are looking for. I can tell you why your power has greatly increased."

Evelyn's eyes widened. She was seriously considering his offer. Sophina couldn't believe it. "I will go with you under one condition," Evelyn replied.

"Name it," Reynar said quickly.

Evelyn pointed at Sophina. "I want you to let them go."

Reynar rubbed his chin and looked over at Sophina. His eyes drifted down to her sword. Sophina saw the covetous look in his eyes. But then he sighed and nodded his head. "You have a deal."

"Give them a horse and don't follow them," Evelyn demanded.

Reynar smiled. "You certainly are fierce, aren't you? Done and done," he said, holding out his hand.

Sophina felt her heart break as Evelyn put her hand in his. She had just lost her again.Why? Why couldn't you trust us?

Reynar waved his hand and the bonds holding Sophina disappeared. He turned to one of his guardsmen. "Give them a horse." The man nodded and ran off.

Evelyn walked up to Sophina. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Sophina turned her head to the side, not wanting Evelyn to see her tears. "Why?" she whispered hoarsely.

"I need answers and I don't trust Jon. There is something he is hiding from us, Sophina. Can't you feel it?"

Sophina wiped her tears away angrily. She let Evelyn see the hurt in her eyes. "What about Ashford? You trust a man who nearly kills his own friend?"

"And what is Jon but an assassin?" she snapped back. "He killed my husband!"

Sophina couldn't argue against that. In truth, she had no idea why she trusted a man like Jon Laurent. But it felt right to her. She suddenly knew that there would be no convincing Evelyn of that. "Are we still friends?" Sophina asked.

Evelyn hugged her tightly. "Of course," she breathed by her ear. She kissed Sophina's bloody cheek and walked away quickly. Sophina could tell she wanted to hide her own tears.

The guardsmen soon came back with a horse. Sophina gently picked up Ashford and set him over the horse's back, in front of the saddle. She climbed up and held onto Ashford with one hand.

"Let's go," Reynar told everyone. The group of Magi and guardsmen began walking through the chaos of the Courtyard toward the palace. Evelyn looked over her shoulder and gave Sophina a smile. Sophina waved back.

Please, God, let me see her again.

She waited until the Courtyard was deserted before kicking the horse into motion. Hopefully, Jon would already be back at his house so he could heal Ashford right away. She tried not to think of what she would do if he wasn't there.

***

Raynolt had never been more shocked in his life when the fireball spontaneously erupted around him, not even when the King bypassed his shields. The attack itself wasn't what shocked him; it was the suddenness of it. He had never seen magic cast at a distant location. The fire hadn't been thrown; it appeared right where he was standing.

The next thing that shocked him was the shield that suddenly surrounded him. He knew who cast it instantly. It appeared Raynolt now owed King Reynar his life.

Damn him! Where did he learn this magic? Raynolt couldn't stop his hands from shaking with fear as he checked to make sure he wasn't on fire. He only had a moment to be relieved before a Shadow Dagger erupted from the chest of Safra Howe.

Just like that, the podium was swarmed by Magi Victus. Not even the Magi stationed as civilians in the first row of benches had been enough to stop the Magi Victus from ambushing them. They were just too fast.

"You better get out of here," Reynar told him calmly. A Magi Victus stabbed at him but he didn't even flinch as his shield flared. He swatted the Magi Victus away with a blast of air as if he were nothing more than an annoying fly.

"I'm in no danger," Raynolt replied, sneering. In truth, he couldn't be sure he could trust Sanje. Regardless, he still had his own plan to execute. He turned away from Reynar and spotted Morgana helping out another Magi to fight off a Magi Victus.

"Morgana! We need to go!" Raynolt shouted.

The Magi Victus disappeared. Morgana let out a relieved breath and turned toward Raynolt. "Are you sure?"

Raynolt suppressed his irritation. Even now, Morgana was still questioning him. It was time to finish his plan already. "Yes, we are needed elsewhere."

He swept past her and down off the podium. She followed him quickly as he strode toward a nearby alley. The Magi guarding the mouth of the alley kept the panicked crowd away from it. They nodded at Raynolt as he passed through.

Morgana looked over her shoulder. "Where's Lenard?" she asked.

"Where he needs to be," Raynolt answered evasively. He hoped the man hadn't already gotten himself killed by Jon Laurent.

"Where are we going? Is this part of your plan to assassinate Reynar? If it is, you must be crazy. I saw that shield he cast on you. He's not really under your command, is he?"

It's ironic that she would bring that up now. She still has no clue that I'm on to her. Raynolt smiled as he turned the corner of the alley. They were now in a small courtyard between several buildings.

"Raynolt, are you going to tell me--" She stopped, her eyes widening in her face. She slowly glanced down at the dagger sticking from her chest. She looked back up at Raynolt, blood pouring from her mouth.

Raynolt looked into her eyes and sneered. She blinked several times before dropping to her knees and falling onto her back.

"You...fool," she gasped, spitting blood up onto her face.

Raynolt knelt down beside her. He put his hand on the hilt of the dagger. "The last hell is reserved for traitors," he said, shoving the dagger all the way to the hilt and twisting it.

Morgana wheezed one last breath and then lay still. Her face was as pale as the snow in winter. It made the blood on her face look that much redder. Her pales eyes were open, staring accusingly at Raynolt.

Raynolt leaned down and kissed her forehead and closed her eyes. He had done the same thing for his wife all those many years ago. The women in his life always seemed to betray him. The only one who didn't betray him was the non-Magi woman he had laid with. But he had been forced to kill her too.

After all, he couldn't leave alive the woman who had born his Magi Victus son. He had a plan and didn't want to take the risk of anyone finding out. Still, in the deepest part of his heart, he had regretted it.

She would have been ashamed, though, of what he had done with their son. Raynolt absently ran his hand through Morgana's hair as he contemplated everything that had brought him to this moment. It had been a good plan, though. In fact, it was genius. He regretted that nobody could ever find out about it.

He hummed under his breath as he stroked Morgana's pale face. She really was beautiful. Raynolt sighed and got to his feet. He better go check on how Lenard and Sanje were doing. He hoped they were still alive. He didn't worry too much about Sanje, though. The boy was a survivor.

Just like his father.

***

Sanje leaned against the edge of the building and enjoyed the warm late-afternoon breeze. It had been a good day, topped off with Jon Laurent's death. His heart still soared as he remembered Jon Laurent falling, falling, falling all the way to the ground. The man had put up quite a fight, though. He killed three Magi and several more Magi Victus. It was worth the price.

His reverie was interrupted by the arrival of Vance on the rooftop. Sanje smiled and went out to meet him. "So did you get it?"

Vance grimaced and didn't meet Sanje's gaze. Sanje felt an icy-hand squeeze his heart. "Well?" Sanje asked coldly.

Vance looked up. "He's gone."

Sanje grabbed the man by the tunic and shook him. "What do you mean he's gone? I saw his body smash against the ground! Where is he?"

Vance glanced nervously behind him as Sanje drove him to the edge of the roof. "Sir, we don't know! By the time we got down there, his body was gone! But he can't be alive, can he? That had to be a five hundred foot drop."

Sanje growled and let go of his tunic. "The man is dead. Somebody must have come by and took his body. Search the area. I want him found!"

Vance bowed his head and ran off. Sanje punched his palm and strode over to the edge of the roof. He looked down and saw only the shadow of the alleyway. There was no way the man had survived.

He had to be dead.

***

The first thing he knew was that he was dying. He could hear the gurgling in his chest. One lung had to be collapsed. Pain shot through every part of his body as he was dragged along the ground. He couldn't tell how many of his bones were broken. Still, he had been surprised to open his eyes again. He knew he was dead the split-second before he hit the ground.

Jon didn't know where he was. He only wished whoever was dragging him would stop. The pain was unbearable. He tried to speak but no air would escape his mouth. He didn't know why the person bothered to drag him; he was dead in a few minutes time.

Mercifully, the person must have heard him because the dragging stopped. The pain eased slightly but not enough. He wished the end would hurry up and come. Maybe he could see Sarah again...

He saw a shadow hover of his face. He could smell the stale breath on his face. Was this Death come to take him? He knew it wasn't the God. The God had stopped caring about this world a long time ago.

"You're still alive, you stubborn bastard? I didn't think I made it on time."

Jon thought he knew that voice. It was oddly familiar. But the voice was lucid. It was never lucid. Jon took rapid breaths and got enough air to speak one word. "Who?"

A hand reached out and stroked his forehead. "It's me...your brother."

Jon felt a faint blossom of hope. His breath stirred in his lungs. "Marcussss..." he hissed.

"It's not your time yet, Jon. The God's not done with you yet."

Dying or no, Jon still felt a flash of irritation.Damn Marcus and his unwavering faith! Jon needed to talk; so he did the only thing he could. He opened himself up and dragged in as much magic as he could. It wasn't much but it was enough to bolster his failing body.

"That was foolish, Jon," Marcus admonished him.

"What...do...I...have...to...lose?" Jon gasped.

Marcus smiled. Jon could see him more clearly now. Sweat dripped off his face and his eyes were red.Those couldn't have been tears... It wasn't important right now. "Where...are...we?"

"In an abandon building not far from where you fell. I was waiting for you. My dreams last night..."

Jon took in another deep breath. "Not..safe.."

Marcus laughed. "Well, you better heal up fast before the Magi Victus find you."

Jon wanted to laugh, too. He knew it was absurd to worry about them when he was at death's door. That was just the way his brain worked. "Need...your...help."

Marcus smiled but Jon could see the worry in his face. "I can't help you. I took a risk just by saving you. I don't know what path I just set you on."

Anger gave Jon more strength to speak. "Use it!"

Marcus shook his head frantically. "I can't! It's been over two thousand years, Jon. My ability has been stunted for a long time now. The drug has done its damage."

Jon coughed. He could feel his strength slipping away. "Lie...know...it." He coughed again. "Fall...dead...without...help." His vision swam in his eyes. He barely knew what he was saying.

"That was different. I couldn't just let you fall. And I barely managed any power to slow you...please, Jon, don't make me..." Marcus begged. "I was never meant to walk that path. The only reason I'm still here is because I denied that power and became the God's oracle."

Jon could feel himself slipping. He just had to reach Marcus one last time. "No...still...here...because..." He reached out blindly with his hand and felt Marcus squeeze it.

"Because why?" Marcus asked, the emotion heavy in his voice.

"Because...I am...your...brother...and...I...love you," Jon finished. He didn't have the breath to say anything more.

He felt Marcus lay his forehead against his. He could feel Marcus' hot tears as they fell on his cheek. Marcus kissed his forehead. "For you, Jon. For you."

Golden light poured from Marcus' eyes.

***

Note: Chapter 11 - No more secrets: The life of Jon d'Thelas san Ronar.