Vi cursed. “Narro hath.” A swirl of magic appeared around the ring she wore. “Deneya, it’s not here. She must have it.”
“I know.”
“What?”
“I was just about to contact you. There’s trouble on this end. We’re in an alley behind a restaurant due west of the shop. She has the axe and is threatening some unfriendly looking men with it.”
“Don’t move, we’re on our way.” Vi released the glyph and jumped down the ladder. Taavin followed without question, even though he hadn’t heard the other half of the conversation. What was Vhalla thinking, showing the axe like that?
Foolish woman.
Foolish mortal!
Vi headed west and found the restaurant. Just as she was rounding the side, she saw a man bolt out from a nearby alley. A sense of familiarity overtook her. Who was he? She’d seen him before.
A shout cut through her thoughts. “The Windwalker—the Empire’s monster—has returned to wage war upon the West!”
Men and women emerged from restaurants, parlors and homes. They paused in the street, listening to what the shouting man had to say. “Look down there and find your brethren lying in pools of their own blood. Faces ripped open as only she can do.”
Vi moved toward where the man was pointing, but Taavin pulled her back.
“Don’t. She’s going to be on the run. Chasing won’t help now.”
“We can get the axe,” she seethed at him.
“It’s true!” a new voice called. “Th-there’s three! They’re dead!”
Whispers and glances multiplied around them.
“Go find her! Give her to the Knights. We’re the only ones who have ever been able to tame her kind. Clearly Solaris cannot be trusted.”
“The Knights of Jadar.” The mere words were poison to everything good in her life. “I should’ve known this all comes back to them.”
“They’re framing her for murder,” Taavin grumbled.
“Not framing,” Deneya said. She’d joined them. “Vhalla really did murder those people. But they didn’t look like they gave her much choice.”
Vi stared at the alleyway quickly flooding with people. Taavin was right. A manhunt was on and Vhalla would slip between all of their fingers once more.
As much as she wanted to rage and punch the wall at her side, she fought to keep a level head and refused to let her spark get the better of her. The Knights wanted Vhalla. The Knights knew she had a crystal weapon. They would no doubt try to unlock the Caverns to rebuild old Mhashan. That was all they ever wanted.
“By Yargen’s light,” Vi whispered. “That’s it.”
“What is?” Deneya took a step back as Vi spun to face her and Taavin. Vi’s arms wrapped around their shoulders, pulling them close; she kept her voice low.
“I know where they’re going. I know what’s going to happen.”
“How?” Taavin asked skeptically.
“I had a vision, when I touched the scythe.”
“And you didn’t tell us?” he balked.
“It didn’t seem relevant at the time. Listen—listen—it was Vhalla. She was tied to a horse and was in Mosant. There were men with her, Knights of Jadar.”
“How do you know it was the Knights?” Deneya asked.
“Let’s talk as we walk.” Vi’s mind was moving too fast for her feet to be still. She began heading back to their shop. “I know it was the Knights, because I saw one of them here, when Ophain arrived. He had a mustache and an armband with the Knights’ sigil. I didn’t make the connection until just now.”
