Nemesis (32 page)

Hell. She’d actually kept her word.

“I need to go to Aglaia,” I said. “Kay’s out there alone.”

Carl nodded. “This is far off policy, but what the Conners have done–there are fifty arrest warrants out on Valeria and the other Alliance branches are up in arms. Looks like they were involved with illegal trade on Klathica, too. Our other magic-wielders are over there, and we don’t have backup at the ready. I can send you on ahead, but this is charged for one-use only.”

He took something from his pocket. It was the thin glass-like rod I’d seen in his office, and it gleamed black, reflecting the blue Passage light in fragments.

“World-keys are rarely allowed for use even by Ambassadors,” he said. “But Ms Weston tells me you can handle this. Let’s hope she’s right.”

He drew a symbol on the wall, shaped like a sideways arrow, and leaned in close to sketch three smaller symbols besides the end. A humming sounded with a surge of magic–like in the Campbells’ place–and a door opened where there hadn’t been a door before.

On the other side, a familiar forest waited.

“You can handle it from here?” He gave me two daggers. “Just in case.”

I nodded, pocketing the weapons. “Thank you.”

“Good luck, Ada. You only have a minute to get through that door.”

Like I’d hesitate when Nell was out there. I stepped through the door to Aglaia.

KAY

The council building was quiet. I used magic to open a likely window and climbed in as silently as possible. No one was about. But Aric’s family… I was willing to bet at least one of them would be here.

Even if not, if the way back was blocked, I hadn’t a freaking clue how I was going to get Ada’s guardian out of here without getting both of us killed.

I slipped down the corridor, following the path I remembered. There were
holding cells in this place, for people on trial who needed to be held on neutral ground for whatever reason. Like suspects for crimes against the Alliance. I headed downstairs, my skin prickling all over. Ignoring all instinct to get the hell out of the confined, dark space, I tried every door. Most were open.

One was locked.

Child’s play. I shot magic at the lock on the door, breaking it. Before I could open the door, it opened and someone ran into me. I stopped, almost letting the invisibility slip, as the dishevelled figure of Nell, Ada’s guardian, fell to the ground. I took in the bloodied cuffs on her wrists, her drawn face, now looking around in open confusion.

“What in all the Multiverse are you?” she asked, as I pulled her to her feet.

“Central’s monster.” I switched off the invisibility.

“You’re Walker.” Her eyes blazed in the darkness. I examined the handcuffs and carefully directed magic into one part of them. The metal shattered in a second, and she jumped.

“The name,” I said, “is Kay, and I’m here for Ada’s sake, not yours.”

She recovered herself, looking at the shattered cuffs with a slightly dazed expression. Aside from her wrists, she didn’t appear hurt, at least. I guessed they’d needed her to be able to help them.

“This is your doing. All of it. Thanks to you, they
tortured
my son.” She took an unsteady step towards me.

“Yeah?” I said. “The Multiverse is more than you and your family. This is something that’s been going on a long time, and if we don’t get a move on, I won’t be able to stop it.”

“Is that how it is?” said Nell. “You arrested my daughter. You’re the reason we’re involved in this.”

She might as well have stuck a knife in me. “Maybe you aren’t the only person who thinks that, but I don’t give a crap.
You
called your daughter a monster. If we get out of here alive, the first thing you’re going to do is apologise to her if you ever want her to talk to you again. Get the hell over yourself and quit taking it out on her.”

She said nothing. Her jaw hung slack.

“Follow me, and keep quiet.”

She didn’t protest. I still hadn’t figured out the next step. Find somewhere to hide. Maybe. Or I could get us to the doorway. Use magic–that was my only option now.

“Did you do it?” I asked. “Did you help the Conners?”

“No,” she said, through clenched teeth. “I refused. The Conner girl left to help her father. What is your game here, Walker?”

“I told you not to call me that,” I said. “I’ll take care of the Conners. But it’d help to know what I’m up against.”

Apart from an amplifying magical source. But if they’d tapped into it already, I was pretty sure I’d know about it. We were on the mainland now, the clearing only a short distance away. I wished I could transfer the chameleon effect, but that only worked with Ada, because of her ability. This woman had no magic of her own.

“They had bloodrock solution,” I said. “Some of them disguised themselves… did you see Mr Conner himself?”

I’d never met the guy until now. He’d probably been involved with the Walkers at some point, but the Conner family were mostly about developing technologies on worlds close to Earth. The idea that something like
this
was going on–who had even told them about the source in the first place?

“No. Only the girl. Wynn.”

I swore. Of course. “Right. I’m gonna try and get you back to the Passages, but there are centaurs blocking the way and they don’t look too friendly.” I glanced at her. “You can fight?”

“Of course.”

Yeah. I figured where Ada got her stubbornness. I was willing to bet neither had wanted to give ground and apologise… a pretty familiar situation.

Except two humans against a bunch of aggravated centaurs was hardly a fair match without magic. And using that would risk both our lives.

Wait. I’d forgotten the blasted earpiece.
Idiot, Kay.
I’d been so focused on getting Nell out of there, it had slipped my mind. Tapping the device, I said, quietly, “Markos? Are you there?”

Did Ada’s brother still have the other earpiece? I hoped not. He was hurt, anyway. Tortured by Aric’s sister.

This whole thing was fucking insane.

“Human,” said Markos’s voice. “By the gods, you have awful timing.”

“What? I need Passages access,
now.
Where are you?”

“With my family. They can hear you.”

Shit. “You’re in the clearing? What happened to those monsters?” I was nearing the clearing myself by this point, Nell on my heels.

“We killed them. There may be more. We’re by the Passages, but–” I had to raise my voice over the yelling in the background–“They’re not letting anyone through.”

“Oh, for crying out loud,” I said. “Tell them it’s a goddamn emergency! And make sure Ada knows her guardian’s safe.”

“She’s not on Earth,” said Markos. “Carl just got a message through. She’s coming here.”

“What?”

I spotted him in the clearing, then, surrounded by other centaurs. He tapped a hoof, while several of the others circled him, tails swishing. All were armed with crossbows and spears. Shit.

“I have no idea where she is, human. Our communication was cut off.”

They must still be in the Passages. Dammit.

“Can you get away and find her?” I said to Markos. “I’ll divert their attention.” I switched on the camouflage, indicating to Nell to stay back.

Then I let magic surge through my fingers, up into the sky.

***

ADA

I ran through the forest, cursing every step. The area I’d come out the door in was right by the clearing, but the centaurs gathered around the Passage entrance killed all notion of asking for help. They were probably there to make sure no one else got in.

I needed to find Nell, if Kay hadn’t already. But I had no idea where he was. Wandering into centaur territory alone would likely get me killed.

The coast. Head for the coast. That was neutral territory, so supposedly safe. But without Kay, I couldn’t turn invisible.

Hell. I was in trouble.

I skidded to a halt at the edge of a cliff. A narrow path led the way to a large building–the council house, Kay had told me–and beyond, the islands the humans lived on. A distant glow surrounded the island facing me, and the smell of smoke mingled with the sea breeze. Fire. There’d been an attack on the capital.

A crackle of thunder made me spin around, in time to see a fork of lightning surge through the trees. The sounds of angry centaurs drifted out of the forest.

Crap. Someone had used magic in centaur territory. I froze up. It must be one of the Conners, which meant they were close by.

Move it, Ada,
I thought, and aimed for the bridge.

And then hands grabbed me, lifting me off my feet–
way
off my feet. I yelled, my cry cut off as a hand clamped over my mouth.

A centaur held me, right over the cliff’s edge, over the churning waves.

“If you want to live, I’d get away from there.”

I went limp with relief. It was Markos.

The hand lifted from my mouth. “What’re you doing?” I said. “I’m here to save my guardian. Did you see her?”

“I didn’t, human.” The centaur sounded weary. A long scratch marked the right side of his face. He must have caught me staring, because he said, “The kimaros haven’t been seen on this world in a hundred years.”

My heart plummeted. “Was that… what you were fighting? There were some of those in the Passages yesterday, too.”

“Yes, I believe they came through the illegal doorway.”

“I thought so,” I said. “Listen.” And I summarised the situation. “Conner is going after your source. He might already be there!”

Markos bristled in alarm. “By the gods, human.” And he drew back, putting me down, and began to canter off into the woods.

“Wait!” I hurried after. “You can’t fight him alone. He’ll have this magic source. Centaurs–you can’t use magic.”

“I am aware of that, human.” He slowed, agitated.

“Kay’s here somewhere. He might be going up against Conner. I have to go there.” But he still didn’t let me go. “I have adamantine in my blood,” I said. “I can absorb magic. I’ll be your shield. Please. Let me help.”

The centaur went very still. “You
what,
human?”

“There’s no time to explain,” I said. “Please. Help.”

Then, in one motion, he lifted me by the scruff of my coat and placed me on his back.

“Hold on tight, human.”

And he ran, with me clinging on for dear life.

KAY

Naturally, the instant I entered the clearing, I became the centre of attention, and the group of furious centaurs turned on me.

“We need Passages access,” I said to Eidora. Or the queen, now. If
she
guarded the door, then they must be dead serious about keeping people out.

“You shouldn’t be here, human,” she said, hoof tapping the ground.

I looked her in those furious eyes. “Tough. I am here, and if you don’t want the Conners to burn the forest to the ground, I’d suggest you let me pass.”

“You humans are responsible for attacking our world,” Eidora spat. “Because of you, my brother betrayed us. How dare you come here?”

“We haven’t got time for this,” I snapped. “The Conners are after your source. Where the hell is Mr Conner?”

“The human escaped,” said one of the others. Leonid. “We’re searching the forest. He’s unarmed, he cannot have gone far.”

“And who brought him here?” Eidora snarled. “You humans bring chaos wherever you go.”

“I’m not the one pointing spears at people.”

I stepped back as several centaurs closed in, spears out. My heart sank. Nell was unarmed, and I’d never risk her getting caught in the backlash if I used magic. And Markos was gone.

I raised my hands in surrender. “I’m not going to attack you. Are the council still behind the door?”

“Nobody is allowed in or out, human. Those monstrosities came from the Passages.”

“This woman was captured and tortured.” I glanced at Nell, who appeared dazed but defiant. “By the Conners. Under Alliance law, I demand access to the Passages.”

A pause. Not even the centaurs’ queen could deny that. I knew their laws allowed for circumstances like this.

The centaurs moved aside, and the Passage door slid open. Immediately, a group of what looked like several worlds’ Alliance council members and guards tried to emerge, only to be pushed back by the centaurs’ spears.

Hell.

“We are allowing access for this one individual.” Eidora gave me a contemptuous look, and I turned to Nell, who glared at the lot of them. Pretty bold of her.

“The Conner family captured and tortured her,” I said. “As part of some kind of insane plan involving a magic source. Warn the Alliance, in all the worlds, to prepare for the backlash if I can’t stop them. Unless you’re willing to change your minds.” I glared at the centaurs.