Rise of the Elder Read online

  Another thought—one that was more troubling—came to him. What if there were others like this man? What had he called himself… A’ras? Rsiran needed to keep that term in mind, but he had to complete this first. If he couldn’t find a way to defeat the man, then it wouldn’t matter.

  Pushing on the lorcith knives, he Slid forward, emerging long enough to pull on them as well. He Slid again, this time jerking on the knives, pulling them toward the side. With each Slide, he changed the direction of the knives.

  The man took a step toward him. Rsiran pulled on the knives, Sliding as he did, so that when he emerged, the knives were already moving, and went soaring toward him, catching him in the chest.

  The man fell in a heap.

  Rsiran approached carefully. He toed the sword, intending to kick it away.

  Carth landed next to him. She glanced at the man before shaking her head. “Don’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “The blade is poisoned. A dangerous kind of poison if you were to touch it.”

  Rsiran glanced at the sword thankful that he hadn’t been hit by it during the confrontation. “What do we do with him?”

  “You leave him like this. Others will find him.”

  “How will Lorst get credit for this?”

  She kicked a toe at his knives. “These will remain. They are your calling card.”

  “Mine or Lorst’s?”

  She arched a brow.

  How would Lorst have lorcith knives as his calling card?

  “You’ve been planning this, haven’t you?”

  “I always plan.”

  “But for this? You knew I’d need your help. You prepared for Lorst.”

  She smiled tightly. “You needed my help, much as I need yours. Come. Now we wait.”

  “For what?”

  “For your summons.”

  Chapter 5

  When it came, Rsiran wasn’t fully prepared.

  Carth helped him get ready, but he collected the knives that he needed, wishing he had access to his forge so he could create more. He supposed he could find a smithy outside of Elaeavn, but searching would take more time than he had. The dozen or so knives that he had would have to be enough.

  “Where do I need to meet him?” he asked as they crouched on another rooftop, this time with a silver sliver of moon shining overhead. The streets were busy at night, filled with soldiers and thieves and other people, all making their way along the streets. Noise and commotion followed, something that was much louder than he’d ever experienced in Elaeavn. There, the sea often covered most of the noises of the city, a soothing sort of sound that was a constant presence.

  “He has called you to his home,” Carth answered. “Such a summons is more dangerous than meeting on the street. It is a sign he has taken Lorst seriously. You should know there are others with skill he has hired for some job.”

  “Is it common to hire more than one?”

  “For particular jobs, he has been known to do so.”

  “And this job?”

  “I suspect there is something else at play here. You must discover what it is, and be ready.”

  “The crystal?”

  Carth frowned thoughtfully. “Perhaps. I don’t know if he has discovered the crystal or if there is something else at work here.”

  “And you think that I should go?”

  “Can’t you free yourself if you are in danger?”

  “There are ways to trap those who can Slide.”

  She smiled slightly. “I have heard you don’t have the same limitations as others with your particular ability.”

  “I can get free of most traps, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Most?”

  It was his turn not to answer. He wouldn’t share everything with Carth, not when she had made it clear that she wanted to know more than he was comfortable sharing. “Where do I go?”

  She pointed to a place where two men stood guarding a door. Both held crossbows and wore swords sheathed at their sides. “That will be your entrance. Behind there, you will find more men armed with weapons. You must not touch any of them. Let them claim your knives. I can see you will find a way to recover them if needed.”

  “And then?”

  “Then you will hear what Orly has to say.”

  Rsiran held his breath and Slid. If this was what he had to do in order to find information about the crystals, then he was going to do it. He emerged in the alley near the men and walked carefully toward them. They watched him approach, both men with hands going to the hilts of their swords.

  “Orly is expecting me,” Rsiran said, trying to sound harder than he felt.

  The men exchanged glances. “You’re Lorst?”

  Rsiran didn’t know what Orly expected Lorst to look like. It was possible Carth had made him appear different, or less threatening—or even more threatening.

  “What were you expecting?”

  The man nearest snorted, eyeing Rsiran from his head to his feet. “Looks like Galen in some ways.”

  “Don’t tell Galen that,” the other said. “He’d likely kill you for suggesting he looks like someone else.”

  “Who is Galen?” Rsiran asked.

  “Thought your kind all knew each other,” the first man said.

  “My kind?”

  “Yeah. Green-eyed kind. Tall bastards, ain’t you?”

  The other glanced at his friend. “You should be careful—”

  Rsiran flipped a knife so that it sank into the wood frame next to the door. He gave it the slightest push, not wanting to actually hit the man but wanting to show that he was more dangerous than they suspected. It was the kind of thing that Lorst would have done.

  “Orly. He called me, I believe.”

  The nearest man smiled in spite of the knife that had nearly connected with his skull. “Ah, maybe you are him. None seen him—you—before, so don’t really know. Thought we’ test it.”

  Rsiran reached past him and pulled the knife from the wall and slipped it back into his pocket. Had he pulled it, he would have revealed his ability, and he had no interest in doing that. It opened him to more questions and ones that Lorst might not have the answers for.

  “Am I to remain standing here or will you take me in to see Orly?”

  “You’ll need to leave the knives behind. And any other weapons you might carry with you, like swords or darts.”

  “Darts?” Rsiran asked.

  They nodded.

  Rsiran took the knives in his pockets and handed them to the men. “I’ll be returning for those.”

  “Only if Orly decides you should.”

  Rsiran actually smiled. “I’d like to see him stop me.”

  He worried for a moment he might have gone too far. Would they think him overly arrogant, or would they believe that to be the way Lorst would act? Rsiran hadn’t learned how deeply Carth had seated the rumor of Lorst, and whether he would be the kind of person to act arrogant, or whether he would be more the silent but deadly type.

  “Think Orly might like this one,” one of the men said.

  They led him into a narrow hallway where they placed his knives. Rsiran maintained his connection to the knives, ready to pull on them if needed, but worried the distance might actually create problems. If he were to need the knives, he could be too far away and might not be able to call to them.

  They guided him to another pair of men. Both were enormous, incredibly muscular, and moved with a sure grace that suggested to him they were more deadly than the outer guards had been. Neither appeared to carry swords, though Rsiran knew from experience carrying a sword didn’t mean you knew how to use it.

  They stopped at the top of a long stairway. “Down,” one said.

  Rsiran expected them to lead him down, but they didn’t.

  At the bottom of the stairs, he paused in front of a door. What would he find on the other side? A man dangerous enough that he warranted Carth’s respect. Possibly dangerous enough he could harm Rsiran,
but Rsiran took some comfort knowing he could Slide away if needed. But this man might have insight about the crystal. That was what he needed more than anything else.

  He didn’t even have to knock, and the door swung open. A darkened room on the other side greeted him. Shelves lined the walls. He noted bottles of wine and dark liquids, as well as the expected books and papers. A thick, plush chair of red velvet—the color reminding him in some way of the man he’d killed in order to obtain the summons to come here—sat angled in front of the hearth. A thick carpet underfoot screamed wealth.

  A smallish man stepped forward. He had a plain face and short gray hair, but his eyes warned Rsiran toward caution. They were hard and flat and nearly the color of his hair. “Lorst, I presume.”

  Rsiran tipped his head. “I am Lorst.” It felt easier each time he said it, though it still didn’t feel natural to him. Less awkward than the first time he’d used the name, but he needed to accept it or he risked discovery.

  “You come with quite a reputation. I had not expected to find you in Eban.”

  Rsiran shrugged. “Cort has grown less interesting.”

  Orly arched his brow. “Indeed? From what I hear, Cort has a different problem these days. Perhaps that is the reason you have ventured away?”

  He knew about Venass. Did that mean that he knew the truth about him as well?

  Rsiran trusted Carth had provided him with the identity that he needed, but if she hadn’t… he would already have lost his opportunity to discover what Orly might know about the crystal.

  Before coming here, he would have thought it unlikely that a man without abilities would have access to the crystals, but seeing Orly, and noting the flat way he watched him, one that was a mixture of disinterest and strength, made him realize that Orly might know much more than Rsiran would have expected.

  “Borders don’t matter so much to me,” Rsiran answered. He had already decided he would reveal his ability to Slide, so Orly needed to know he could.

  “There are others without such concern as well. They have a different interest, though.”

  “I don’t really care about such things,” he said. “I’m more concerned about jobs. That is why I’m here, isn’t it?”

  Orly turned to one of the shelves and pulled down a flagon of amber liquid and poured two glasses. He offered one to Rsiran, which he took and sniffed, but didn’t sip. “Direct. I think we will get along well then, Lorst.”

  “Do we need to get along?”

  “It would help, I think. There is another of your kind who challenges me in the same way. I would prefer if we got off on a better footing.”

  Rsiran wondered who Orly might mean. There was someone Carth had referenced, as well, though she hadn’t explained more, and then there was the person the guards had referenced as well.

  What was his name?

  “Galen and I are nothing alike,” Rsiran said. If he was wrong in throwing out the name, he risked offending Orly, but if he was right… there was the potential he would find it easier to get into his good graces.

  Orly’s flat eyes narrowed slightly. Enough that Rsiran knew he had gambled well.

  “Yes, well he is part of the problem now. I had found him to be a useful resource, but he can be… troublesome. I would rather not have the need to eliminate him, but when his quirks begin to impact my job, then it is time I remove him. Are you willing to do that, Lorst?” He took a swig of his honey-colored liqueur and left the cup at his lips, waiting for Rsiran.

  Rsiran set the glass down. He wouldn’t drink from Orly’s cup, not without knowing what he might have placed in the cup. “That is the job?”

  Orly nodded. “Twenty gold tils if you remove Galen of Elaeavn. Is that a problem for you?”

  Rsiran bit back the first response that came to mind. Killing in general was a problem, and this was killing for money. At least now he knew a name, but he still didn’t know if this Galen would lead him to the crystal. He needed to check with Haern to learn whether this man would have had access to the crystals. Could he have been someone of the guilds with access?

  “Lorst? Is it a problem?”

  Rsiran shook his head. “I doubt Galen will pose much of a problem for me.”

  Orly turned back to his shelves and pulled another bottle from it, swirling it around. “You might find he is more trouble than you expect. He certainly is for me. But if you remove him as a threat, I think twenty gold will be well earned. Him and a woman he’s with.”

  From his tone, Rsiran could tell he was unconvinced Lorst would succeed.

  What kind of man was this Galen?

  Had he made a mistake in coming here and offering himself for this task?

  Not if it ended with him finding the crystal. That was worth it, even if he had to kill.

  A nagging sense in his stomach made him wonder if it really was, or if he was doing something as terrible as what he accused Venass of doing.

  “Which is more important to you—Galen or the woman?”

  Orly tipped his head and frowned. “Does it matter?”

  A troubling thought came to him. If it meant finding the crystal, it didn’t.

  Chapter 6

  The heart of the Aisl Forest was difficult to reach, especially now that the guild maintained it as a home. In the few days that Rsiran had been gone, he found several things had changed. Not the least being the sheer number of people in the forest.

  When he emerged from his Slide—one of the few who could actually reach the heart of the Aisl by Sliding—he looked around trying to take stock of all the people. Had the guild brought more here, or had some come without having someone to guide them?

  Rsiran reached for a sense of heartstone, listening for the telltale sign of Jessa’s necklace, and found it above the smith guild tree. Rsiran Slid to the tree and emerged on a long, flat section of the branch. A cluster of three women stood near the trunk on a wide platform, and Rsiran recognized Alyse with Jessa, but not the third woman.

  “Rsiran!” Jessa said. She hurried to him, not concerned about the narrow branch she used to reach him. As she embraced him, she whispered in his ear. “Did you do it? Is it done?” Her tone was much more worried than it had seemed when she first greeted him.

  “Not done. I have the assignment, but don’t know whether it is the person who might have the crystal.”

  Alyse approached and Jessa stepped away from him. “Where have you been?” With her fists planted on her hips and her jaw jutted out, Alyse came across angrier than she should be. Brusus’s presence had softened her before now.

  “There are things that I need to do, Alyse. I have certain responsibilities—”

  She smiled and the firmness faded. “I know your responsibilities, Rsiran. I’m only teasing you. Brusus tells me you’ve been looking for the missing crystal.”

  Rsiran wondered how many knew about the crystal. For so long, few within Elaeavn other than the Elvraeth even knew the crystals existed, and now everyone in Aisl knew about them. Then again, that fit with Rsiran’s plan for the crystals if they were ever able to reclaim the missing one. All gifted with abilities should be given the opportunity to hold them, not only the Elvraeth.

  “I’ve been trying. I’m closer than I was before.” He glanced toward the forest floor far below and the dozens of people there that hadn’t been here when last he had been in Aisl. “How did so many find us?”

  “Not find,” the third woman answered. As she turned, he recognized her, but not because of the guilds. He had known her growing up, when his father had sent him on errands for the shop. Malina was a weaver, and had apprenticed nearly the same time as he had. Her raven black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and eyes of a moderate green watched him with curiosity.

  Rsiran glanced to Jessa. “How many of the other guilds did they bring in?”

  “It was Alyse’s idea to bring the other guilds to Aisl,” she said. “Not all came, but those who have… they have skills the rest of the camp lacks. We’re building
a new home here, Rsiran.”

  Rsiran surveyed the camp. This was never meant to be their home again, only a place where they could regroup and prepare for the coming war. The longer they stayed and became established, the less likely it was the others would want to risk war in order to return to their city. And he didn’t blame them. He didn’t want a war, either, but he wanted to return to his smithy. He was smith born and carried with him the blood of the smiths. And he was sure the other smiths would want to have access to their smithies.

  “Home? This isn’t our home. Not like the Barth and the smithy and the shores.”

  She smiled at him and hugged him tightly. “This doesn’t have to be our home.”

  “There are some who might choose to remain,” Alyse said. “You know our people came from the trees before we went to the shores. Some want to remain here now that we have come back.”

  “Would you?” Rsiran asked.

  Alyse’s nose crinkled. “Not here. This… this isn’t for me. I would rather return to Elaeavn, and to the tavern and the kitchen and Brusus.” Her voice trailed off as she spoke, and Rsiran smiled. To think that Alyse would ever have come to a point where she would want to return to a tavern amused him. In some ways, she had changed as much as he had. And seemed happier for it.

  “Brusus wouldn’t stay?”

  “You know him well enough.”

  Rsiran did. The idea of the Brusus that he had known staying in the forest actually amused him, too. Brusus wasn’t meant for this life. He might not even be meant for the life he now lived, abandoning his work as a thief that had defined him for so long.

  “Where is he?” Rsiran asked. “Or Haern. Either could help.”

  Jessa frowned. “What is it?”

  “The price for finding the crystal. I need to know if it’s one that I am willing to pay.”

  “You need to,” Jessa said. “If Venass gets the crystal…”

  “I know what we fear happening if Venass gets the crystal, but I don’t want to do something that will change who we are.” There was a part of him that feared going farther than he already had. If he did that, would he be any better than those he tried to stop? “I’m not willing to go as far as Venass.”