Clash (The Arinthian Line Book 4) (32 page)

Gabe raised his hawk nose much like his father. “I won’t stop, no matter what.”

Augum shrugged. “Suit yourself,” and caught up to the others.

“I wonder if his sister has the aptitude too,” Leera whispered as they walked down a long corridor.

“Well they can’t train on their own, they’ll kill themselves,” Bridget replied.

Clayborne brought them into a dusty room filled with furniture covered in white sheets. In the middle sat a gigantic wooden crate surrounded by piles of books.

Mr. Goss gave it a couple knocks with his knuckle. “What do you think?”

Leera cocked her head. “It’s huge …”

“Oh dear, do you think it might be beyond the warlock’s abilities? The constable requested a highly advanced warlock for the job.”

Augum leaned over the neck-height edge of the crate. In the center was a low platform. “Could hide, like, ten people in here.”

“Yes, well, the purpose of its size is to truly conceal you all in case someone gets suspicious. There may be an inspection. It is the Legion, after all.”

“But only three are going,” Mr. Haroun said, entering the room. “Please do climb in and lie down under the center platform.”

The trio did as they were told. Mr. Haroun, Mr. Goss and Clayborne then began filling the space with books.

“This might just work,” Augum heard Leera say from beside him, her voice muffled by the books.

“I only hope the warlock can manage the size of it,” Bridget added from his other side.

“We can still hear you talk out here,” Mr. Goss said, voice muted from the books. “You will have to stay absolutely silent.”

They kept piling books on until Augum heard the stairs creak.

“I had Briggs acquire us extra Necrophyte robes,” said a huffing voice, “in case some did not fit. Bring them here, Son.”

“Ah, welcome, Constable Clouds and young Devon,” Mr. Haroun said. “What do you think?”

“I do believe it will work,” Clouds replied after a moment of inspection. “Can you hear me in there, you three?”

“Yes, Constable,” Bridget replied.

“Good, now listen carefully. You will have to come back here in the early morning and be hidden well before the warlock courier comes. He or she has never been to Milham, so will be riding in by horse. You will then be teleported to the Antioc library and are to see Lien Ning immediately. She is the senior arcaneologist there. She’s really old and more than a little … eccentric, but she’s with the Resistance.” He frowned, muttering, “At least, I’m pretty sure she is.”

“ ‘Pretty sure’?” Augum muttered to Leera within the dark crate.

“Are not all arcaneologists eccentric?” Mr. Haroun asked.

“This one especially so,” Clouds replied. “You’ll see what I mean. Now, she does not expect you three, but I have written a detailed letter you are to give to her. I expect she would welcome the opportunity to help you. After you complete your research, return to her. She should be able to teleport you back somewhere near. Then the challenge will be to find your way back here.”

“Great,” Leera whispered, “he’s not even sure the arcaneologist can teleport us back.”

“Or is even on our side apparently,” Augum muttered in reply. “We’ll bring the map and figure it out.” He was not about to abort the quest, regardless of what obstacles lay before them.

“All right, that should be everything,” Clouds concluded.

“I’ll help dig them out,” Devon said giddily, and began taking books off, the others joining in.

“Any questions?” Mr. Haroun asked when they climbed out.

The trio shook their heads.

Clouds gestured at his son. “Good, try the robes.”

Devon held a pile of necrophyte robes, each adorned with black and red vertical stripes. “You’re supposed to see which fit. Oh, I’m so excited for you! I wish I was going. I bet there’s all manner of neat stuff to see. You’ll probably meet so many different kinds of warlocks from all over and—”

“Devon, the robes,” Constable Clouds said.

“Right, sorry.” He extended his arms and they each chose one.

Leera grimaced. “Can’t believe I’m trying one of these on.”

“Do you know any necromancer spells?” Devon asked as they tried on the variously sized robes.

“Not one,” Augum replied, “but Haylee knows a couple.”

“This one time,” Devon began, “I saw one of the necrophytes actually bring a corpse to life from the ground! Mind you, it was from a distance, but it was horrible, I couldn’t stop shaking. She even—”

“Devon, not now, my son.”

“Of course. Sorry.”

At last, they found the right sizes of robes, placing the remaining ones aside.

The constable turned to the trio, face grave. “Remember the following—don’t look superiors in the eye. Don’t ask too many questions. Play it meek and quiet. If challenged, say that you are from Blackhaven on a scholarly quest. It’s common to have necrophytes go there for study. Go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.”

The trio nodded.

“Good, any questions?”

They shook their heads.

“Then we’ll see you in the wee hours of the morning.”

They thanked Mr. Haroun before departing with Devon, who was joining them for supper, while Mr. Goss stayed behind to dine with the Constable and Mr. Haroun so they may speak more on town defense matters. Augum, who was the last to step through the door, heard a “Psst—” from nearby. It was Annelise, and she was cringing, but waving him over.

“I’ll catch up,” he said to the others, receiving a questioning look from Leera.

Annelise shrank and swallowed as he approached. “Hi,” she squeaked.

“Hello, Annelise. What is it?”

Annelise rubbed her arm. “It’s about my brother …” She glanced about timidly.

“Take your time.”

“Malaika made my brother go after your girlfriend.”

“Oh.” Somehow, that didn’t surprise Augum in the least. In fact, it made a lot of sense. Gabe hadn’t even glanced at Leera since. Obviously Malaika had to have given up on that stupid plan.

“Thank you, Annelise.”

Annelise nodded quickly. “I just … I just wanted you to know the truth, that’s all.”

“You’re a good person. And I’m sure so is your brother.” Augum turned to leave.

“Good luck tomorrow!” she blurted, wringing her hands and avoiding eye contact.

Was it just him or did she have something more to say? He didn’t want to press the poor girl though, and so he only smiled. “Thanks, going to need it,” and strode off.

“What was that all about?” Leera asked back in the cabin.

“Nothing you probably didn’t already suspect,” and he filled her in on what Annelise had said.

“Guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but it’s amazing she thought something that stupid would work,” Leera muttered with a chortle, entwining her fingers with Augum’s.

Back at the Okeke home, they returned to planning. While receiving the usual earful of stories and questions from Devon, the trio soon decided that the Orb of Orion and the Agonex would stay with Leland and Mr. Goss, not that they could take them along anyway seeing as Mrs. Stone cast an anti-teleportation enchantment on the artifacts. They also decided on false names to use in front of people—Augustus for Augum, Brie for Bridget, and Leigh for Leera, just for easy memory sake. Last time Augum chose an odd public name he had forgotten it. Despite the fact he was not coming along, Devon thought of one for himself too—Derius, along with a detailed history of why he would be going and what he would get up to.

The potato-laden supper was a simple and nostalgic affair. Jengo, Priya, Chaska, Haylee, and Leland joined Augum, Bridget, Leera and Devon. They shared stories, jokes, and hopes. After a while, with their bellies full of a special carrot cake Haylee and Chaska prepared, they sat by the fire drinking sweet pine tea, saying little and watching the flames dance. Then the trio excused themselves for bed early. After washing up, they slept in the training cabins once again, the night cool and quiet. Augum had a hard time falling asleep, thoughts full of the tournament, the library, and the dangerous quest to come. Judging by the restless sounds in the other cabin, he suspected he wasn’t the only one.

The Crate

Mr. Goss awoke the trio well before sunrise. Everyone had dark circles under their eyes. The morning quickly proved a flurry of activity, with numerous hands pitching in with a breakfast of potatoes and some specially procured bacon, leek soup, and raspberry pie, the last courtesy of Huan, the innkeeper at the Miner’s Mule Inn. Blue robes were exchanged for black and red necrophyte ones. The map was folded neatly into a black reinforced snakeskin pouch—chosen to blend in with necromantic fashion—along with a generous 100 gold, 50 silver and 50 copper coins. Augum had never seen a gold coin before and had to take a moment to study it, only to receive quite a shock—on one side was the chiseled and skull-like face of his father wearing a crown, above which were the words
Eternal Service to our Esteemed Lord of the Legion
. On the other was the burning sword of the Legion and the words
Duty unto death
. He had heard Legion coinage was being used in the cities, but hadn’t yet seen it in the countryside. Of course, it made sense it would take time for the coins to filter out to the smaller towns and villages, replacing the old crowns of King Ridian.

“Do I pass as one of them?” Bridget asked, giving a twirl in her necrophyte robe after securing the snakeskin pouch to her waist.

“I could see you raising the dead already,” Leera replied, shoveling the last of her bacon into her mouth.

“He’s on a coin?” Augum asked, looking around at them all.

For a moment no one spoke.

“I thought you were aware,” Mr. Okeke said. “It was in the Herald. All coins are to be exchanged at a constabulary for Legion versions.”

“Oh.” Augum gave Bridget the coin to put in her pouch.

Jengo barely touched his food. “I’m nervous for you three, but I’m sure you won’t die a horrible death doing this crazy quest.”

Leera stared at him. “Thanks … thanks for that vote of confidence, Jengo.”

Leland moaned, hands firmly clutching the Agonex.

Augum couldn’t recall the last time he had seen him play with anything else. He gave Leland a light elbow. “Our little general is going to coordinate the Resistance while we’re gone.”

Leland moaned again, this time louder and shorter.

Augum raised his hands in surrender. “All right, all right. We’ll be careful, we promise.”

Mr. Goss kept readjusting his spectacles. “In all seriousness though, please do be mindful of yourselves. You are going without Mrs. Stone’s help, and your face is on every poster—”

“You mean that poorly drawn attempt depicting a squirrel and a blob of freckles, Mr. Goss?” Leera pointed out.

“Nonetheless, I must ask you to be conservative, thoughtful, pragmatic, cautious, safe, and take risks only when absolutely necessary—”

“—we will, Mr. Goss,” Leera said with a quick eye-roll at Augum. “We’ve done crazier things before.”

There was a knock at the door. When Mr. Okeke opened it, Devon spilled inside. Augum glimpsed a sea of faces behind him that began talking all at once.

“What, has the whole village come to see them off?” Jengo asked. “Great, word is definitely going to get out we’ve been harboring fugitives. I can just see the fires licking at the door—”

“Son, please.” Mr. Okeke gave Jengo a tired look. “You know we have been having regular town meetings. Everybody is firmly on board, I assure you. Do not underestimate how much though the constable and Mr. Haroun and everyone else involved has put into this.” He offered Devon a place at the table, along with some leek soup.

“Thank you, Mr. Okeke,” Devon said, taking a seat beside Bridget. “I couldn’t sleep I was so excited! Father says what you three are doing is going to be written into the history books along with tales of Codus Trazinius, Selma and Sinna Trailweaver, or even Atylla the Mighty! I think you’re true heroes—and you’re already quite famous, I know—but I think this is going to change the course of the war, I really do. I also think—”

Mr. Okeke leaned down beside the boy. “Devon.”

“Yes, Mr. Okeke?”

Mr. Okeke smiled and patted Devon’s shoulder. “Eat your breakfast.”

Devon blushed. “Yes, Mr. Okeke.”

Mr. Okeke began pouring everyone tea. “Our brave threesome is going to do the best they can. We must let them enjoy the journey, not worry over it.”

“But Father, how are we going to control what everyone says? I’m starting to get quite concerned—”

“Leave that to us, Jengo. We old folks know a thing or two about keeping people in line. Remember that the threat of a Legion questioning holds tremendous weight. Also, vows of secrecy matter when attached to loved ones, and not a soul remains in Milham that has
not
taken the vow. And since we no longer receive visitors into town like we used to, it is easier to keep everyone in line.”

“Am I supposed to be reassured by that, Father? Because I don’t feel any—”

“—Jengo—”

“—I mean, the chance of discovery and dying—”

“Jengo!” Mr. Okeke gave his son a meaningful but hard look.

Jengo’ eyes flicked to the trio. “Sorry.”

There was a double knock at the door.

Mr. Okeke’s ebony face lit up. “Ah, that should be the constable and Mr. Haroun.” He let them in.

Augum noticed Lieutenant Briggs and Sergeant Cobb stationed outside the door, controlling the crowd. The thought that this was getting out of hand returned. He had to agree with Jengo—how could word possibly
not
get out? It took a lot of restraint for him not to tell everyone in that room to get out of Milham as soon as he and the girls left for the library. He simply had to trust they knew what they were doing.

Clouds waddled in with his cane, Legion robe flowing around his bulk. “How do you three feel? Get a good night’s sleep?”

“They’re excited!” Devon said with a gigantic smile, “but super nervous too, I’m sure.”

“Will the money be ample enough?” Mr. Haroun asked, hands behind his back. “Because I can bring more—”

Bridget dropped her eyes. “Should be more than enough, Mr. Haroun, thank you, very generous of you.”