To Kill a Wizard: Rose's Story (The Protectors of Tarak Book 1) (12 page)

We spent the remainder of the day playing the game. However, we stayed away from discussing anything too serious. A nervousness danced between us that was both frustrating and strangely nice.

But that night, I finally felt ready to ask him some of the questions plaguing me. While I munched on more cheese, savoring the unique flavors of the pale-colored food, I asked, “if your people hate The Choosing so much, why don’t you simply refuse to participate?”

“
Refuse
?” Disgust twisted the word into something foul. “My goddesses, we did more than refuse, we fought them!” He tossed his food on the blanket and rose. “They killed several of our people, but we thought that was the end of it. At least, they knew we wouldn’t
allow
it to happen anymore.” He ran his fingers through his hair and paced. “But, we were wrong. Nazar came for my sister not long after.”

I held my breath in anticipation, even though I knew how this story ended.

He stopped and pressed his fists into the wall of dirt. “I tried to fight her, but her evil magic was too strong, and no one else was willing to take action until
their
sisters, wives, and daughters were taken.”

I wanted to touch him, but I curled my hands into fists instead. “And then your people made this place to hide?”

Asher rested his forehead against the wall. “Yes, but we’ve done more than that. We’ve finally made a way out of the valley. One that doesn’t take weeks. It’s a ladder, carved into the dirt and stone, near the glass bridge. Using it, we’ll be able to reach the castle, to free our women.” His next words were barely louder than a whisper. “Some of us can, at least.”

I couldn’t see his face, but I could sense the misery carving a jagged path through his soul. What must it be like to sit helpless while the person you loved was taken away? Sirena’s face flashed in my mind.

My jaw clenched. No. I hadn’t given up on her yet, even though I’d face countless obstacles to reach her. It was my fault she was still there. If I’d just left without Yara and Bethenny, she might be home safe right now.

My fingers rubbed against the dried blood on my gown. “Where do you think your sister is now?”

He pushed away from the wall and tilted his head as he gazed at me. “I’m sure she’s imprisoned, for refusing to join them. She’d die before she dishonored herself like that.”

I wondered if she was already dead, but didn’t dare hurt him with such words.

He opened his mouth to say more, but before he could, the screaming began. We leapt to our feet, staring wildly at the hatch above us. Something terrible was happening in the town, something that might be a result of my presence.

Asher drew his sword and pushed me towards the boxes. We knelt down behind them and waited. More sounds, more muffled shouts filtered to us, and my stomach churned.

“Should you go check on your mother?” I whispered.

His gaze never left the hatch. “The Protectors aren’t here for my mother.”

Then, the scraping came. Dirt drifted down on our heads, and I prayed to the goddesses for our protection.

Nothing happened for a long time, and then, the hatch opened above us.

“Rose, I think your fun has come to an end.”

Ice shot down my spine. Blair had found me. I didn’t know what she’d done to the villagers, but I wouldn’t let her do the same to Asher.

Standing, I took a step.

Asher pulled me back. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched, and every muscle poised for battle.

“I guess we should finish this game then,” he said, his voice laced with malice.

Asher’s grip remained firm, but I opened my mouth, knowing there was no way out. And then, the creature jumped through the opening, and my bravery vanished. It was larger than a wolf, with the face of a wild cat, and ears as sharp as knives. Fur of varying shades of amber covered its lean body.

It crouched as if poised to jump. Its lips peeled back, revealing sharp teeth. A growl so deep it vibrated through my chest filled the air.

“Are you certain this is what you wish?” Blair asked. “No more blood need be shed this night, if only you’ll behave.”

“Send every beast you have!” Asher shouted. “I’ll cut them all down.”

He leapt towards the beast, swinging his sword out before him.

It easily moved out of his reach, and they circled each other. Several times it lunged for him, but each time he deflected it with his blade, never quite drawing its blood. His movements were quick and calculated, each step a move, as if he played some kind of game. But the creature was of magic, built for killing and survival. I knew Asher wouldn’t survive this on his own.

Scanning the room, my gaze fell on the torch near me. I plucked it from the wall, holding it out in front of me as I contemplated my plan.

The beast leapt at Asher, its teeth clamping down on his arm.

We screamed together.

His sword hit the earth.

The torch fell from my hand.

I blinked back tears as I stared at my arm. Nothing marred my flesh, and yet, it felt as if the beast had clamped down on my arm instead of his.

The creature growled, and its teeth slowly clamped down harder.

Fear squeezed my heart as the shocking pain radiated through my own arm. Plucking the torch from the ground, using my uninjured hand, I ran at the creature. It turned its big, amber-colored eyes on me a second before I pressed the fire into its side.

A screeching, nearly human in sound, emanated from it. Releasing Asher, the cat dropped to the ground, rolling in our forgotten meal as its fur blazed.

“Quick,” Asher cried, gripping his bloody arm. “Out through the top.”

I picked up my skirts and climbed the crudely built ladder, emerging out into the snowy day. Asher followed behind, staggering into the snow.

Blair waited, her face expressionless as usual. “Was that really necessary?”

Targanus screamed a battle cry as he appeared from behind a building. Blood smeared his face, and he ran at Blair.

She flicked her wrist and magic surged from her, throwing Targanus backwards and into a building.

A sickening crunch sounded. He crumpled into the snow, unmoving.

A groan from the pit below drifted up to us, and Asher took my hand in his bloodied one, positioning me behind him. I peeked around him, watching in awe as Meisha emerged from the pit. She was naked, although long amber hair spilled over much of her body.

Meisha stood on shaky legs before collapsing to her knees, her hand pressed against the burned flesh at her side. “I found the girl as ordered.” She took a ragged breath before continuing, “let us return.”

Blair appeared unmoved by the pain in Meisha’s voice or the obvious evidence of her badly burnt flesh, but my own stomach turned.

Then, the Protector’s gaze fell on Asher for the first time, and her eyes widened. “Why aren’t you with your mother? And why are you bleeding?”

Asher stiffened and a hesitant surprise filled his expression. “What’s it to you?”

The silence between them lasted a minute too long.

“Nothing,” Blair’s words held a chill. “But, as hard as this might be for you to believe, your people are very important to me. These enchanted lands produce more Protectors than any other village. There’s no need for a young man to be risking his life getting mixed up in
our
business when he should be busy marrying and having daughters.”

“So you can steal them?” he shot back, cradling his injured arm.

“Time to return to your new home, Rose.” Blair turned to me, dismissing Asher without another word. Her gray eyes flashed, and she stood tall and unmoving. A slight breeze blew through the drifting snow, but not a strand of her dark hair moved. “You belong with us. Your tantrum is unnecessary.”

I stepped around Asher, although his hand clamped down on my arm, keeping me beside him. “Why can’t you just let me go?”

“You are
ours
now, and I grow tired of this game. If you do not return with me now, I shall kill the boy.”

My breath caught in my throat. Blair’s face remained unexpressive, but I knew her words were more than just an idle threat. The warmth of her magic radiated out from her, searching for a target.

“I’ll return,” I whispered.

Asher turned his pale face to me. Blood dripped from the open wound on his arm, drenching the ground beneath him. “You don’t have to do this.”

I reached up, pressing the palm of my hand against his stubbled-cheek. “I know you would fight for me.”
But you wouldn’t win.

He was shaking, leaning forward on unsteady legs as if the slightest wind might knock him down.

I tore myself free from his touch.

His hand fell to his side. “Please, Rose, there’s something about you.”

I smiled and forced my shoulders back.
There’s something about you too.
“I’m sure we’ll meet again,” was all I managed to say, before walking away from him to meet Blair where she stood.

“That’s a smart girl.” Blair glanced at Meisha, who stood slowly, before limping to Blair’s other side.

A strange sense of acceptance washed over me. I’d fought hard to free myself from these women, but they were more powerful than me. They would bring me back to The Glass Castle, where Sirena waited. I would be taken to the ceremony that would likely end in our deaths. And, there was nothing more I could do about it. I knew no goddess’s name, True Name, that could free us from this fate.

“Wait,” Asher called. The sight of him washed away my certainty, leaving a strange feeling of emptiness as I saw the green hue that tinted his flesh. He’d risked all to save me, and was suffering greatly for his trouble.

“Boy,” Meisha said, her thick accent blending her words together even more with the obvious pain each word cost her. “You will not win this. Your life will be lost in vain.”

“You may have stolen my sister,” he whispered, taking a step towards us. “But, you
will not
,” he shouted, raising his hand towards us, “
take her
!”

A surge of chilling magic exploded from him. A spark of silver light flew from his hand, slamming into Blair and forcing her to the ground with such strength that the earth shook beneath our feet. Meisha cried out from beside me, and I gasped.

Waves of shock rolled over me as I turned to Asher. “You’re,” my voice shook as I spit the words, “a
wizard
?”

I stepped away, willing myself not to run. He frightened me more than the women ever could. They wished for my death, but a wizard desired much more.

Descriptions of soulless eyes filled my thoughts as bile rose in the back of my throat. All wizards should be dead, wiped out, so no person could be enslaved by them again. But trying to connect Asher with a wizard, it seemed impossible. How could something so evil exist inside of someone so… in Asher?

“I’m not,” he denied, shaking his head, but his wide eyes swept from me to his own hand.

“You can’t exist,” I said, taking another step backwards and shaking my head. “The dark days of your people are long gone.”

“They aren’t my people!” he exclaimed. “They’re nothing more than nightmares.”

“And yet you are one,” Meisha said. “Perhaps the last one to curse our lands.”

Blair rose from the ground as if pulled by magical strings, and the air sizzled around her. “Not for long.”

“Please,” Asher groaned, falling to his knees. “I don’t know what that was.” His eyes were locked on mine as he spoke, “but I’m not one of them.” He shuddered, reaching out to me once more. “Trust me.”

A thunderous noise boomed in my ears, and Asher was gone, leaving behind a scorched mark on the earth where he’d once knelt.

I stared down at myself. Numbness and disbelief wrapped me in a suffocating blanket. It was impossible that Asher was dead and gone. He was too much a part of me.

Perhaps I was still asleep in the Safe-Haven, tossing and turning as this nightmare squeezed me in its grip.

“What have you done with him?” Someone screamed.

The me still on the ground turned to the angry woman, my face blank. Blood was smeared across her white apron. More covered her hands and arms up to her elbows.

It took my brain a moment to recognize the woman as Asher’s mom.

“Return my son to me!” she demanded. “At once.”

“He’s dead.”

Each word punched my soul, dragging me back to myself. Numbness faded replaced by an agony too acute to describe. I took short, fast breaths as spots appeared before my eyes. Yet a desperate hope that what I’d seen had somehow been wrong had my gaze fastened to the two women, even as my vision darkened.

Brenna did something completely unexpected in that moment, she smirked. “We both know that’s not true. And if you know what’s good for you, and your secrets, you’ll send him back to me.”

Hope awakened me to the world beyond my suffering. The cold tore at my flesh, my arm still ached, and the smell of cooking food hung in the air.