Six of Ruin (Heirs of Irenwell #1)

Magic burst through me, led by my anger. The moment was strange; it reminded me of the time I first rode a horse for real. Between the excitement and the high, there was a moment I had lost all control over the beast. I was aware of it too. Completely and utterly aware one slipup separated me from chaos.

The energy flew through me, without my consent or control, and it felt exhilarating. It slammed into Ace’s mind and the hard, smooth shield he had around.

There was nowhere to go. Magic cracked into a million pieces, breaking against the solid shield. Disappointed and helpless, I blinked and gasped, having no clue how to protect myself.

Ace’s lips curled upward in a smug smile, “Nice try.”

A sickening, revolting sensation trashed against my stomach, turning it upside down, almost making me vomit. The world spun and dots appeared before my eyes. The ground came closer and closer until my head bumped against its grassy surface.

I shut my eyes tight and breathed in deeply, trying to calm my heartbeat and settle the panic.

“It’s harder than it looks.” Ace said, his voice distant and muffled. I couldn’t open my eyes to look at him. “Now, Princess, don’t be offended. After all, I needed a powerful mind mage to decide whether I could trust you. There has to be a compliment somewhere in there.”

My mind turned to mush, I barely understood him.

I knew one thing, though. I wasn’t as good as I thought I was. They were right all along. I was selfish and weak and thought I deserved more than others. I curled up in a ball, my mind still spinning.

“Now you know.” I squeezed through my teeth, still unable to open my eyes. “You can’t trust me because I’m only loyal to myself.”

Ace’s steps crunched the branches, approaching me. “And I don’t intend to trust you. But now I know what you want. And I know you will do anything in your power to protect yourself, including what I need you to do.”

I opened my eyes by force, swallowing the dizziness and vomit, “What?”

The mage squatted in front of me, his bare, dirty feet and his uncut toenails so near I could smell them. I sat upright, ignoring the vertigo.

Ace smiled at me, “There’s something I need you to do for me, Princess.”

Anger flashed before my eyes, “Why do you possibly think I would do you a favour after what you’ve done?”

“Because,” Ace came closer, grinning in my face, “If you do not, I will tell everyone you’re a mage. And if you think getting rid of your magic at the Vanishing Well will save you, you don’t know much about politics.”

My head dropped back on the ground. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Hot tears blurred my vision. How could I be so awfully stupid? I hit the dirt with my fists. How could we be so damn dumb to think having a mage on our side wouldn’t have any consequences?

I knew mages were evil. It’s been written in every fucking history book I’ve ever read. Twisted, cruel, unscrupulous!

No, I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I raised my head, ignoring the pain in my temples, and sat up again.

“Maybe I’ll own it.” I said, malice and rage lacing my words. “Maybe I’ll tell them before you do.”

Ace grinned, “Really? Let’s face it, Irina, you’re too much of a coward to do so.”

“Maybe they won’t care.” I tried, feeling the lie all too tangibly. “People changed, the world changed.”

“Oh, come on now.” Ace offered his hand. “Rixen might think you should own it, he might even think people wouldn’t care. But you and me both know that a mage cannot rule the human world. Now, you’re a bright little thing and you understand your choices. You also know exactly what you’ll do, so let’s cut the dramatics and do what we came here to do.”

My legs shook as I stood up, but I managed. There were other angles to attack this from and I’d try every single one before I caved.

“What if I tell Rodrig that you intend to start a war?”

Ace sighed, disappointment flashing over his face, “You must be aware by now that you will never leave Orathia if you get on my bad side.”

I had hardly ever felt as defeated as I felt in those woods, when I looked at Liliana, the blood-drinking, baby-killing mind mage, and tried to gain sympathy.

“Are you truly alright with what he’s doing?” I asked the witch.

There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation before she spoke, “At least I’ll have some entertainment. Winters get dull in the Spirit territory.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, rolled the words on my tongue, and spit them out with venom, “I want your word then, Ace.”

“Oh,” The witch chuckled, “She’s going to negotiate. Not that much of a coward, after all.”

“Or I overestimated her cleverness.” Ace murmured. “What do you want?”

“If I do as you say,” I breathed in sharply, “You will get us back home safely.”

Ace’s eyes narrowed, but smugness disappeared from the wild green of his irises, “I give you my word I will do everything in my power to get you all home safely.”

They were right. I was selfish. When I chose to go on this journey, I didn’t do it to save the world, or my kingdom, or even my family. I did it because I wouldn’t jeopardize my future, I did it because there was something I wanted.

Would I gamble it all away now?

No. I came too far.

I nodded, “What is it that you want me to do, High Mage?”

Ace’s lips spread, “All in good time, Princess. Now, let’s talk about our other problems.”

Without much strength left to stand, I sat back down on the ground. The warthog appeared by my side and licked the dried tears on my cheek. Another flood threatened to spill.

“Believe it or not, Irina, I am not your enemy.” Ace said.

Oh, I doubted that.

“Your enemy is approaching.” Ace continued. “And he’s far more insidious than me. He has no intention of keeping the balance, he wants all the power to himself and he’s not going to stop until he gets it. So I suggest you get up, clean up and get your shit together.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, “Is he going to catch us?”

“Not if we act accordingly.” His eyes landed on the witch. “And if we get them off our trail. Liliana, I need something else from you.”

The witch let out a throaty laugh, “It’s never just one thing with you, isn’t it? What do you want?”

“Glamour them.” Ace said sharply. “Make them see what we want them to see. It’s going to buy us a day to rest in the town of Dahn before we leave the Spirit territory. Gods know we’ll need it.”

“Did you truly think a satchel of blood would be enough to convince me to glamour a High Mage for you?” Liliana laughed again. “Tough luck, earth mage.”

“If they see our dead bodies, they will think something murdered us.” Ace pushed. “Soterios will need to check and he’s not that good at subtle spells, he’s a destroyer.”

Liliana’s lips flattened, “No.”

“Lily,” Ace growled, “I’m asking you for a favour. I will owe you one.”

The witch put her hand on her hip, “The last time you owed me one, I didn’t see you for three hundred years. There must be something else you can offer.”

I sucked in my lower lip. If the cultists lost our trail, we would gain time. Goddess knew we needed it.

Ace sighed, “Well-”

“I have something.” I cut in.

Both mages looked at me, surprise flickering in the green and icy blue eyes.

“What might that be?” Ace asked.

I glanced over the witch. Even when she was a bloodless old hag, she dressed nicely, carefully. Every single piece of clothing she had on was there on purpose, from the dark, blue robe to the silver shoes and the black colour on her nails. Also, she drank human blood to stay young. She was vain.

“Frank, come here, please.” I called the warthog who gladly hopped over if it meant he could move away from the witch.

My suitcase was still attached to his back.

Sadness flickered through me, but I opened it anyway, “I have a lot of dresses I no longer need.” I took out the garments one by one and laid them out in front of her.

The witch raised her eyebrow and came closer, “You might be a High Mage, Ace, but you will always lack female touch. These are lovely.”

“Thank you.” I swallowed and stared at the colourful, silken garments. Gretchen carefully picked out each and matched them with my crowns and shoes. I had no use for neither now.

“Gorgeous.” Liliana lifted the finery, her eyes entranced and glossy.

I took out one silver crown adorned with sapphires and onyxes, colours she might appreciate, “You can have this, too.”

Ace coughed, “Ridiculous. You females are ridiculous.”

“Quiet.” Liliana and I said at the same time.

The witch pondered over the offer for a moment, “I will not glamour them to see your dead bodies. My magic trail would be too strong and dresses aren’t enough to risk Soterios’s rage. But he will think something bad has happened to you.”

“Fair enough.” Ace said. “It will buy us some time.”

“I knew my dresses would save the day.” I mumbled.

“Come on, we have to go.” Ace began walking away. “It’s always a pleasure, Liliana.”

“Wait.” The witch said, her eyes skimming over me, the dresses and the silver crown now resting in her hand. “You will pass through Aradda on the night of the summer solstice.”

“Seems like it.” Ace said.

“Aradda guards have an order to kill you on sight.” Liliana looked at the mage.

Ace kept quiet.

“Your human blood is still too strong, Princess.” The witch turned to me. “You will need something to hide your trail, otherwise the spirits will smell you. Wait here.”

Ace and I exchanged a glance while the witch ran to her skin-made cabin. Did I just sell my soul to the High Mage? Would he stop using me after I did whatever he wanted me to do?

Half involuntarily, I began concocting a plan where I tell Rodrig the truth. He would do whatever possible to help his little sister. He would also make me move away from the court, probably to our family’s summer estate, where I would have to spend the rest of my life.

No matter what Rixen said, humans hated magic. It went beyond a simple war a thousand years ago. Humans have felt belittled by mages for ages. I dared say there was a hint of jealousy in the resentment.

The witch returned, pulling me out of my thoughts. In her hands, she carried black silk, silver fibres spreading through the black like stars in the night sky. I didn’t get a good look at the hem or the neckline, but I assumed it was skimpy.

“What is that?” I touched the fine fabric. It slid through my fingers, caressing the surface of my skin. It looked like silk, but I knew it wasn’t. It felt different than regular fabrics; there was something softer, lighter and richer about it. “It’s gorgeous and it’s so soft to the touch.”

“It’s a dress for the summer solstice ball in Aradda.” Liliana admired the fabrics. “I made it out of the materials I found here, it’s going to hide your trail.”

I looked at Ace, “I thought only Rixen would pass through Aradda?”

The witch cut in, “Nonsense. Every girl has to see the summer solstice ball once in her life. Do not tell me you were planning on sneaking her through the tunnels?” Liliana turned to Ace.

The mage sneered, “Ridiculous.”

“Thank you.” I murmured, still staring at the dress. Black wasn’t usually my colour, but the silver fibres lightened it up, adding just a touch of glamour I needed.

“You’re welcome.” Liliana smiled. “You know, Irenwell materials do not exist here. I would be delighted if you would fetch some for me the next time you visit.”

“Of course.” I was so lost in admiring the dress I barely registered her words. Next time?

“Irina,” Ace grunted, “We have to go. Need I remind you that both your boyfriend and your future husband are bleeding out on that clearing?”

“Oh, that’s right. Let’s go.” With an empty heart and an even emptier suitcase, I followed Ace back where we came from.

“Enjoy the summer solstice ball!” Liliana shouted after us before she went back into her skin-covered house.

Ace glanced at me sideways, judging while I stared at my new dress.

“What?” I mumbled.

“You like the witch.” He said.

“No, I appreciate her style.” I shook my head.

“She drinks blood from new-borns.” Ace muttered.

“And you drink the nerves from everyone you meet.” I pushed the branches aside and passed through the thick forest, “Let’s go!”

The clearing we left behind was now covered with more blood. At first, panic surged through me, but upon second glance, I realised there was no way thorn cuts managed to bleed them out so much. All of my companions were still tied with the vines.

Torvald was dozing off, Danilo and Rixen bickering with one another, and Nickeltinker cut the same vine over and over again, frustrated to see it grow right back. They were fine. The blood that soaked the ground and grass wasn’t theirs.

It was a glamour.

“Do you think Soterios will buy it?” I asked Ace.

Ace shrugged, still lingering behind the cover of the trees, “He will see the blood. He will smell the real blood that was spilled here. He will have to check, which will buy us some time, hopefully.”

“What’s the town of Dahn and why are we stopping there?” I pushed the branches away and appeared before our tied-up companions.

They stopped talking, their angry eyes scanning Ace from head to toe. Rixen’s emotions raged so much they almost blinded me. It was hard to tell my own self from him. But I tried to keep him out of my head, afraid he would learn about the deal I’ve made with Ace.

“The last town before the wastelands of the north.” Ace said. “We will need rest.”

The vines retracted back to the ground, untying our group. The least pissed off seemed to be Nickeltinker, who simply stretched his arms and legs, yawned and chugged from the liquor bottle.

“How dare you?” Danilo grabbed his sword the moment his hands were free. “King Bernard will hear about this!”

“King Bernard most likely tried to get you killed.” Ace shrugged and walked ahead.

“You’re lying.” Danilo grunted.

Rixen actually took Danilo’s side, “At the very least, you’re not telling us everything. Why would King Bernard want us dead?”

Ace continued down his path, “Because you’re both annoying? We have to go.”

“We cannot.” Danilo said, his voice lowering. “Some of us are hurt.” He gestured at the thorn cut marks covering his skin.

“Nick,” Ace mumbled, “Give them the salve.”

Nickeltinker dug through his pockets and fished out vial containing green-coloured liquid, “Heals quickly and leaves no scars!”

“Irina,” Rixen grabbed my forearm, “What happened?”

I sighed, “A baby-killing mind mage whose house is made out of skin gave me a gorgeous gown to wear to the summer solstice ball in Aradda, sent a mysterious message to aether and glamoured the High Mage at our heels. Oh, she also dug through my mind.”

Rixen said nothing, and for once, I appreciated silence. Helplessness enveloped me in a lulling, lethargic embrace. The will to fight ceased, replaced by compliance and obedience.

There was nothing we could do.

Ace was running this show and we could only hope he would let us play till the end.