The Shadowhand Covenant (23 page)

“Jaxter!”

Reena emerged from one of the tents and ran to me, smiling.

“Are you okay?” I asked. “Where's Holm?”

“He's fine,” she assured me. “We're all fine. Everything's great. You'll see.”

She gave me a quick hug, then turned and disappeared back into the tent. My escorts took me to the tent at the very center of the camp. They pulled back the flap and pushed me inside.

The interior was nearly bare. A small table. A chair. And in that chair sat Kolo.

The old man smiled widely, while I could only return what I imagined to be a look of total shock. He stood slowly, grimacing in pain as he did. His hand emerged from his long, billowing sleeve as he reached to shake. I took his hand, dumbfounded.

“We've been worried about you,” he said in his gravelly voice.

“
You've
been worried about
me
?” I asked incredulously. “Kolo, we thought you'd been taken by the bloodreavers! We thought you were rotting away in Umbramore Tower. What are you doing here?”

Kolo went to the table and poured us both cups of singetea. I drank gratefully, and he filled my cup twice more before I felt sated. When I slowed down, he spoke.

“It was sheer luck that a handful of us managed to escape when the bloodreavers attacked,” he said, rubbing his finger
along the rim of his teacup thoughtfully. “Eight of them struck without any warning. They would grab several people in their arms and then vanish in a puff of smoke, only to return empty-handed moments later. I can only imagine that the bloodreavers magically transported anyone they caught to Umbramore.

“Only nine of us managed to evade the bloodreavers.” Kolo's face grew dark and his voice dropped. “
Nine
of us, Jaxter. The Sarosans once numbered over two hundred. When the High Laird first ordered our arrest, we lost over half that as our people were taken into custody. Now . . . we're only nine.”

“I'm sorry,” I said, looking into his pained eyes. He fought so hard to keep his people free. I couldn't imagine what he was going through.

He cleared his throat. “It doesn't matter. Nine is all we need. Very soon, all the Sarosans will be free again.” He turned and picked up Tree Bag. “I want to thank you for bringing me my book. I knew I'd found a kindred spirit in you.”

Kolo motioned for me to follow. Together, we walked out into the camp. He took a torch from the perimeter and whispered in the ear of the camp guard. Then he led me down a
tunnel on the far side of the chamber.

“My parents,” I said as we stepped into the darkness. “And Maloch. You can't just leave them there—”

He raised a hand. “They're being brought back to camp as we speak. You have my word they're safe. I apologize. I wanted to have a quick chat with you first. I admit, I'm curious. How is it that you and Maloch weren't in the camp when the bloodreavers attacked?”

“We, uh, were trying to escape. Reena and Holm saw us leave and came after us.”

Kolo raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. “Then it may be a small blessing that you got out. It spared Reena and Holm what came next. Although I'm sad you decided our hospitality was no longer to your liking.”

“My nanni always said that guests should never overstay their welcome . . . especially when the host is planning to chop their finger off and send it to the Dowager.”

“Ah,” he said, not even a little bit guiltily. “Yes. Warras told me of his plan. Well, I'm sure we can agree that it's a good thing it never came to that.”

That wasn't what I wanted to hear.
I never would have let him do that, Jaxter
would have been better. What he said
made it sound like he agreed with the Aviard's plan.

“Like I said, Jaxter, I see you as a kindred spirit. Someone who appreciates knowledge, reveres the natural world . . .”

Well, he had me there.

“. . . and hates magic and all those who practice it.”

And that's where he lost me.

I didn't hate mages. Or magic. I didn't particularly love them, but I also didn't share the Sarosans' hatred. But based on his tone, I didn't think contradicting him was wise.

“I was incredibly lucky to find these caves,” he said. “Of all the Sarosan safe houses, this is, in many ways, our best. I couldn't ask for a better location.”

“Why? Where are we?”

He nodded upward. “These tunnels run directly below the Palatinate Palace. Right now, not so far above us, every mage in the Provinces is plotting and planning.”

The tunnel we took split into a fork. To the left, I could hear the roar of rushing water. We took the path to the right.

“So,” I said slowly, “why is this the perfect place for you? I would think you'd want to be as far away from mages as possible.” The Palatinate had, at the High Laird's command, unleashed the bloodreavers. In fact, being here seemed
completely naff-nut. Wouldn't the bloodreavers find it easier to track the remaining Sarosans if they were hiding directly below the Palatinate Palace?

“The Palatinate aren't the only ones who can plan,” Kolo said angrily. “We have our own plans, and they're about to come to fruition. Now that we have the Covenant, we can finally make our move.”

My jaw dropped. The Sarosans had the Covenant? How was that even possible? And then it occurred to me that I was asking the wrong questions.

“Kolo, why were your people at the Dagger? And how could they get past—”

I stopped as a familiar scent hit my nose. I blanched at the thick, musty odor. A moment later, we stepped from the tunnel into a massive cavern. Bigger than any I'd ever seen before. So big, I couldn't see the far side in our meager torchlight. The light was just enough to show me what filled the room.

The entire floor was covered with tinderjack plants. At least five times as many as I'd found back at the Sarosans' old camp. I sealed my mouth shut, afraid to so much as breathe in the presence of so many explosive plants.

Kolo beamed proudly, staring out over the field of tinderjack. “We've dedicated our lives to convincing people that magic is evil. That those who practice it seek only to suppress the rest of us. The people of the Five Provinces wouldn't listen. We have to protect them from their own shortsightedness, Jaxter. Finally, we alone have the power to put an end to this.

“In their paranoia, the Palatinate recalled every mage in the land, afraid that the ‘Sarosan menace' might try to exact revenge if the mages were unprotected. They're all living up there in the palace, every single one of them. They've made it too easy.”

Kolo looked down at me, his eyes disappearing into shadow. “You see, I'm going to blow up the Palatinate.”

When we returned to Kolo's tent, I found Ma, Da, and Maloch there, as Kolo had promised. Granted, they were all tied to chairs and Maloch was gagged with what looked like a dirty stocking, but otherwise they were fine.

Reena and Holm stood near Warras, who held a sword. As we entered, Reena ran to Kolo.

“Kolo,” she said, “these are good people.” She pointed to Maloch. “He's irritating but . . . basically good. Do we need to tie them up?”

Kolo gave her black hair a pat. “There is a reason for everything, Reena. We're so glad to have you back in the fold. Why don't you and your brother leave us now? We have things to discuss.”

Holm stepped forward. “But—”

Before he or his sister could utter another word, Warras guided them from the tent. It was just the five of us.

“Reena has a point,” I said. “Do they need to be tied up?”

“Really, we're no threat,” Ma said. She and Da leaned their heads in together and flashed their cheesiest smiles.

“We'll see,” Kolo said.

“He wants to blow up the Palatinate,” I said plainly. Ma's and Da's eyes widened. Kolo's lips curled disapprovingly. Then he shook his head, deciding there was nothing he could do now that it was out in the open.

After a bit of gagging, a red-faced Maloch managed to eject the filthy stocking from his mouth. He spat and coughed. “If you're angry at the Palatinate, you've got no reason to keep us as prisoners. We have nothing to do with them.”

“Perhaps not,” Kolo said, “but you have, quite by accident, helped me overcome a rather large hole in my plan.”

Kolo went to his table and poured himself a cup of singetea. He took a small jar and began adding iceclovers in great heaping spoonfuls. He stirred, each turn of his wrist causing a grimace of pain. He lifted the cup to his lips, took a large swallow, then smiled at me in contentment.

The iceclovers.

I had to steady myself to keep from falling over. Of course. The answer
had
been staring me in the face the whole time.

I was about to speak when a small movement out of the corner of my eye distracted me. The far edge of the tent behind Kolo had risen slightly, and two dark-skinned ears pressed in, listening. Ah, Reena and Holm. Taking my own sneaky lead.

“I don't know what you've heard about the Grimjinx clan,” Da said gently, “although I imagine you've heard quite a bit. Thieves? I'll gladly take that. Cutpurses? Well, I'll frown but I'll accept it. Liars? And proud of it. But I think you'll find that no one can ever call us murderers.”

Ma agreed. “Right. I don't think we'll be able to help you
blow up the Palatinate. So, if you could just untie us—”

“Forgive me,” Kolo said, taking another sip of tea. “I haven't been clear. I don't need
your
help. I need Jaxter's.”

Everyone looked to me, incredulous.

“Er, like Da said, the Grimjinxes aren't killers,” I said. “Can't help you, I'm afraid.”

Kolo shook his head. “You won't be killing anyone. I need you to sneak into the Palatinate and retrieve the Sourcefire.”

Everyone knew of the Sourcefire. Legend had it that the Sourcefire was the magical fire spewed by the volcanoes that had formed the Five Provinces millennia ago. The green-blue flame torches that would burn until extinguished were made from it. Rumor was there was very little of the original Sourcefire left. What remained burned forever in the heart of the Palatinate Palace.

Kolo pointed upward. “We can get you into the palace. You just have to find the Sourcefire and bring it to me.”

Ma and Da, who usually faced danger with a sense of playful abandon, were growing more concerned.

Da started struggling with his bonds. “You're not sending my son into that. Send me. I'm a master burglar. I can be in and out in no time. Just tell me where to find the Sourcefire—”

“You're a master thief, Mr. Grimjinx,” Kolo said calmly. “Given time and the right resources, I've no doubt you could return with the Sourcefire and leave the Palatinate none the wiser. But time is short.” He took a pocket watch from the table and wound it. “Right now, the Palace is filled with young apprentices. Jaxter's age gives him natural camouflage.”

Kolo handed me the pocket watch. If the time was correct, it was midafternoon. “You have until sunset to bring me the Sourcefire.”

“That's just a few hours!” I protested.

Kolo ignored the interruption. “At the end of the day, I'm igniting the tinderjack. I assure you there's more than enough in that cave to destroy the palace and all those in it five times over. If you return with the Sourcefire, you'll all go free. If you don't return, your parents and Maloch will be in the room with the tinderjack.”

My jaw clenched as I tried to contain my anger. I couldn't believe I had been ready to give up my apprenticeship with the Dowager to study with Kolo. Sure, he was brilliant. But he was also completely insane.

“If you try to warn the Palatinate,” Kolo said, raising a cautionary finger, “I'll ignite the tinderjack right away with
your family and friend in the room. I have people watching the exits of the palace to make sure there are no evacuations. Understood?”

I met his eyes with my own steely glare. “And when I bring you the Sourcefire and you've used it to destroy the Covenant, then what?”

Kolo's eye twitched. He hadn't been expecting that.

Ma leaned in. “Destroy the Covenant? What are you talking about?”

“The Covenant is magical and can only be destroyed by magic, right?” I asked. Ma nodded. “That's why he needs the Sourcefire. For all the ways Kolo has found to thwart magic with natural means, not even the most magic-resistant plant is enough to negate the power of the Covenant. The Sourcefire's the only thing powerful enough.”

“But why?” Maloch said, teetering in his chair as he yanked at the ropes that held his hands.

“Haven't you guessed, Maloch?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow at the Sarosan leader. “Kolo is the traitor.”

“Believe deeds, not words, but use words to forge deeds.”

—Ancient par-Goblin proverb