A Crumble of Walls (The Kin of Kings Book 4) (24 page)

God’s mercy, she seems like a different person again.
This was the Sanya he’d met at the Academy, the
human
Sanya. Could Vithos tell if she was lying? Basen gave a questioning look to the Elf.

“All truth,” Vithos said.

“You’re not even angry about the portals?” Basen asked Sanya. “I made them before a week was up.”

“I was angry,” she admitted. “But you didn’t make very many. I suppose I figured you only did what you must, as you just confirmed. That’s all I’ve done as well. Only recently have I realized that I didn’t
need
to do any of it. I chose to.”

Basen checked on his injured arm with a tender touch. The pain had become different, he realized. He’d endured the worst agony possible and had come so close to death. Now pain reminded him he was alive, a glorious feeling he wanted to celebrate.

“Come back to the Academy with me,” he suggested to her. “Let them decide your punishment, and you won’t need to run any longer.”

She shook her head. “I’m not ready.”

“After you get rid of the weapon.”

“No, there’s a list of tasks I need to do.”

He wanted her to answer for her crimes, but he understood there was little reason for her to give up on life yet. If she wouldn’t go with him, then that was that.

“Why would you try to kill Yeso?” he asked, hoping to get a better sense of whether this woman was his enemy or really his ally as she’d made it seem.

“Because he wanted me dead or gone.”

Basen sighed at having to give her the unfortunate news. “Sanya, there are a lot more people than Yeso who want that.”

“I know.”

“Do you plan to kill them all?”

“Of course not.”

She didn’t seem to want to say more.

“What will you do now?” she asked. “The path back through the Fjallejon Mountains isn’t safe for you.”

“And why is it safe for you? Who do my enemies think you are?”

“A Takary.”

Basen paused. “God’s mercy, you’re serious.”

“Ulric has put his trust in me and given me this disguise. He told people I came with him from Greenedge and cannot speak, nor can I show my face because of a fire that made me hideous.”

It seemed absurd until he remembered she’d tricked everyone at the Academy without a disguise, even Basen, who had grown up with her.

“What will you do with his trust?” Basen asked, even less sure now if she was his ally.

“I will kill Tauwin.”

Her quick answer made it clear this had been her plan for some time. But she was either lying to him or lying to herself.

“He would’ve been dead already if that’s really what you want.”

Her head jerked as if insulted, her hair falling over half her face. “It’s not that easy. There’s been no opportunity.”

“So create your own.”

Silence came upon them.

She brushed her hair away. If she wasn’t such a monster, she might’ve been beautiful. Her face drew the eye, her surprisingly gentle features put together nicely. She did not look at all like the easily angered young woman he remembered who always wore a scowl.

He realized she must’ve spent years practicing to become this other woman, as it was not in her nature. So much work she’d put into changing herself, just to choose such a terrible path in life.
What a waste.

He wondered if she would try to take his akorell stone. He wasn’t sure he and Vithos could kill her if necessary. She was quick, after all, and could get to her weapon in the time it took Basen to cast a single fireball. It would all depend on Vithos, whether his psyche was strong enough to slow her down. If she broke the bastial energy in the air, she couldn’t use the weapon, and Basen knew he could defeat her in a brawl, as neither of them had a sword.

Should he attack? What would Effie say if she knew he’d let Sanya live?

But fighting her was the last thing he wanted right now. Even if she deserved it, he couldn’t bring himself to kill someone who’d just saved his life.
Her time will come later,
he told himself.
Even she seems to know that.

“You don’t have to worry about your precious stone,” she said. “I don’t need it.”

“When did you become able to pick up on thoughts?”
And what else did you find out just now?

“I can only feel your emotion—your fear of losing something. It has to be the akorell stone. I’ve been able to read feelings for years. I almost couldn’t take it in the castle.” Her voice quieted. “Everyone despised me. I couldn’t help who I was, so all I could do was hate them in return.”

Basen felt a pang of guilt. He had been part of the problem, not the solution. He remembered how his mother had wanted so desperately to help Sanya, while the thought had never crossed Basen’s mind.

“I still don’t understand why you helped me.” It was his last attempt at deciphering whether this was an ally or enemy in front of him, as he still didn’t know what to do about her.

She bit down on her lip as she looked at the black grass around her weapon.

“I don’t know.”

“Everyone has to choose a side in this war,” Basen informed her. “You’d better make your decision quick, or it’ll be made for you.”

Sanya paused as if thinking, but she said nothing. She retrieved her weapon and set off without a goodbye. Basen watched her for a while, still unsure of his thoughts about her.

She stopped and looked back. “Basen.”

“What?”

“Tauwin likes to watch the battles from the top of Kyrro’s castle.”

They stared at each other in silence.

“Thank you,” Basen said.

Sanya left without another word.

CHAPTER TWENTY

After some consideration, Basen and Vithos realized their best route back to the Academy would take them to a place Basen had promised he would never return. Tenred castle. It seemed safer than the other two options. One was to go through the Fjallejon Pathway, which was likely to get Basen shot from above if he wasn’t killed by Yeso’s Elves going the opposite way. The second was to head north, like those Elves, to Regash Forest, where Basen could make a portal.

But that was also where he’d likely run into Fatholl again, as the Elves and Krepps would be there for a while, building. No doubt the Elves would be happy to take a moment out of their busy day to kill him.

Basen and Vithos needed to wait until the cover of night and for the akorell stone to charge, not that they minded. They each had a bit of coin they used to purchase a meal and a bath in the city of Tenred leading up to the castle.

With a few hours to spare before night, Basen spent it charging the stone in remote alleys of the city while chatting with Vithos. The swelling of his arm had gone down enough so it wasn’t noticeable, and his mood couldn’t have been better. He had no more obligations to scary psychic Elves. His mother and father were both safe. Basen felt as though he’d been given a second chance at life, and he liked how this one was shaping up.

He wasn’t sure what he could say to Alabell, but she needed to know the strength she’d given him. Thoughts and emotions were more powerful than he’d realized. He longed to see her and kiss her, to tell her how he felt about her.

“Good trip,” Vithos said after smiling in silence for a while, his hands on his hips. He looked pleased by his thoughts as he watched the sunset sky grow ever darker.

“Good trip,” Basen agreed. He touched his bandaged arm and found it to be healing quicker each moment, though he might have a long scar to remind him Fatholl was alive and probably wishing Basen wasn’t.

Eventually the akorell stone was ready. It glowed so bright, Basen had to purchase a satchel so its light wouldn’t give them away as they snuck into the castle through the exposed hole among the rubble. He wondered why he was not at all worried about being caught as they headed there, and soon he realized why. He felt a new power within himself. Not an ability, exactly, but confidence he could handle whatever dared to put itself in his way. His plan to kill Yeso had worked, despite flaws and surprises. That giant on the mountain, with his battle axe…Basen would never forget him.

But the most difficult challenge he’d faced was Fatholl. Basen wasn’t sure he would’ve made it out of Corin Forest without Sanya’s help.
Should I tell anyone what she did for me?

It looked as if stonemasons had been working on the corner of the castle, as stones cut to replace the damage in the walls were lying around the openings. Basen and Vithos had to shove a few out of the way to fit through, but soon they were walking down the quiet castle halls and headed for the kitchen.

They passed a couple people using a candle to light their path, and then a guard, but no one paid any attention. Basen kept his wand up, the light making it hard for others to make out his face or Vithos’ Elvish ears. Soon they were in the kitchen, and Vithos went straight for the pantry where he stole some bread and cheese for the two of them, because why not?

Afterward, Basen ripped open a portal to the Group One training grounds. He’d gotten so used to this arduous task that now it just felt like lifting something heavy. A great strain, yes, but completely manageable. He wondered if it might be possible one day to make a portal without the boost of energy from an akorell stone.

He tumbled through the portal after Vithos and onto the training grounds. As much as he’d gotten used to creating a portal, going through one was still a problem. He sat on the sand and held his stomach.

There was no crowd of Group One mages to celebrate his return. In fact, not a single person knew he was back or what he’d done. With Yeso dead, and Fatholl’s threat to the rest of Yeso’s Elves, they would no longer be an opponent in this war. Basen smiled through the nausea at being able to deliver this exciting news. Even Penny wouldn’t be able to deny he’d made good use of his time away from training.

First he had to make sure his mother and her escorts had returned safely. “I’m going to see my father,” he told Vithos.

“I’m going to see Terren,” Vithos replied.

With both leaders living near each other, Basen and Vithos could walk in the same direction. Enjoying Vithos’ silent companionship, Basen felt as if he’d made at least one Elven friend, even if all others wanted to kill him.

*****

The lights were out in his father’s house. Basen raised his arm to knock, then stopped himself. News of his return could wait until tomorrow, so as not to disturb Henry’s sleep. He just wanted to make sure his mother was in fact there. Basen walked around to where he knew the bedroom to be of this small house. Being a residence for faculty, it was different than the student houses. It had a large living room that Henry could use as an office or to hold meetings. The bedroom was bigger as well, with a bed that fit two far easier than any of the student beds.

Basen tried to get a glimpse to ensure both his parents were there, but the curtains were drawn. He noticed Vithos hadn’t yet knocked on Terren’s door, so he hurried over.

“I didn’t want to wake them,” Basen explained.

That stopped Vithos from knocking. “You’re right. We shouldn’t wake Terren, too.”

After he and Vithos separated, Basen decided to check on his roommate to make sure that she, Effie, Steffen, the Krepps, and of course his mother were back and safe. Otherwise, Basen wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Fortunately, Annah awoke when he unlocked the front door. She looked suspicious and a bit worried as she peered down the hallway, squinting as she moved her hair out of her face.

“It’s me,” he said, putting light upon himself from his wand.

“Basen!”

They met halfway down the hall and hugged.

“Did everyone make it back safely?” he asked.

“Yes, except some of the Krepps fell.”

“Fell? Did you have to climb part of the mountain?”

“No,” she whispered, her voice carrying pain. “Fell in battle. There were troops at Lake Kayvol, a hundred or so.”

“God’s mercy, I’m sorry! I didn’t think there would be, otherwise I wouldn’t have sent you there.”

“None of us thought anyone would be there, Basen. It’s not your fault. We all knew the plan before we left and assumed we would return without encountering enemies.”

“How many Krepps died?”

“Eight. But they were prepared to die. It was an honor for them. The other Krepps were proud of them, themselves, and us. Your mother…”

“What?”

“She fought in the battle. She mostly stayed with Effie toward the back, but I know she claimed at least one kill.”

“What in god’s world? I can’t even imagine her yelling, so I certainly can’t see her killing someone. Wait, did you say a hundred enemies?”

“Yes. We took them by surprise at night. They didn’t expect us to attack from the east. But soon they overwhelmed us, and the Krepps began to fall quickly. I heard Effie thanking Neeko later for saving her and Juliana’s life. He joined us mid-battle, Basen. He—” She stopped in search of words. “I don’t know how to describe what he does with swords, but it was incredible. I don’t think even Effie knew what he was fully capable of, because she seemed shocked, too.”