“Isaac!”Zaria hissed, gripping the vertical shaft of a threshing duct.“Stop grabbin’ass, I swear to gods!”
Therewasn’t time to investigate this discovery.Perhaps, with the danger imposed bythe Diet, the pirates of the desert, and the dwindling nature of theirsupplies, there never would be again.Even still, hebecame very aware that he had just brushed, unknowingly, against a monumentalrevelation, one that would change a fundamental understanding of life, if onlyhe possessed the time to study.
Isaacsighed, crawling on his hands and knees.
“Wherewe goin’, squire?”Zaria asked, waiting at the edge of the pipes.The spiralstairway was only a few feet below.“Need some direction.”
Hepicked his way carefully over a broken fan.“This is all conjecture, but Iimagine there must be some mechanical device, similar to the one we saw in thefactory, sitting at the bottom of the tomb, which would act as a controlstation for the conducting of souls.From there, Berith could direct all theenergy directly into the colossus.”
“Whathappens if he does?”
“Itwill crush us like ants, and likely the nine kingdoms, and then also theworld.”
“Lovely,”Zaria said.“And there was me thinking not all sorcerers were twats.”
“Wehave a chance,” Isaac replied.“This technology is ancient.It’sunsanctionable.The Diet doesn’t have anything close to it, and they’re toohampered by their constituent kingdoms to get away with open study of themechanics.They wouldn’t have bothered with this whole conspiracy if theycould.If we destroy this hypothetical device, and release all the souls intothe aether, they will have nothing to work with.”
“Good.Glad to hear.”She looked down through the pipes.“Gotta get there first.”
“And wehave to kill my uncle, too.”
Sheglanced at him.
“It’sthe only way,” Isaac said, standing up beside her.
“Isthat your rage speaking for you?”
Hedidn’t answer.
Theywere standing by the staircase.Their path was almost returned.Zaria glancedat the gap they would have to leap before dragging her gaze back to him.“Keepyour focus.You’re better than he is.”
“Yes, Iam.”
“Isaac,”she said.“You’re better than him, aren’t you?”
Helooked at her, realizing how hard his fists were clenched.He made his fingersloose and limber again.“Yes.I am.We’re going to smash this tomb to pieces.Nothing can survive.If the Archons and bearded wizards think they can merelyscheme their way—”
Somethingcaught his eye.He looked up, peering through the smoke and fog.
Metal glintedin his direction.
Theonly thing that saved his life was the reflexive flinch of his arm.He cockedit to his chest, like one might recoil from a burning stove, and two out of thethree knives stabbed through his arm instead of his chest.Isaac was so shockedat the sudden impalement that he didn’t even feel the initial blow.It was onlywhen he blinked, confused, reeling, looking down at the blades hilted insidehis flesh, that the wound became real, and the pain began to start.
It wasthe worst pain of his life.
Heloosed a ragged gasp, falling flat on the pipes.His eyes went wide.He staredat the knives in shock, losing all capacity for speech.Moments later, a figureleaped down from the stairs, landing nimbly on the pipes.She had white fur,tall ears, and a cutlass wrapped tightly in hand.
Shecharged across the tower, screaming for battle.
“Howthe fuck—” Zaria began.
CaptainBlack Eye Soren leaped from the pipes, her dexterous bunny legs carrying herinto a rushing arc through the air.Zaria barely managed to unsheathe herpolearm, blocking the plunging sword with the haft ofher axe.An instant later, the two pirates collided, body to body, the sheerweight of the impact sending them both tumbling from the pipes.They crashedinto the winding staircase, spilling down the ancient architecture in a ball ofgrunts, curses, and fur.
Isaacdid not follow the battle.He was still lying on his back, staring inbreathless shock.The first knife had skewered through his forearm.The secondwas sticking from the lateral head of his deltoid, just below the shoulder’sedge.The third blade, the one that had managed to strike his chest, wassticking gruesomely from a spot just beneath his collarbone.He tried to bendthe arm, and the pain sent his vision into a nauseous swim.
Hecouldn’t use the arm.
Hecould no longer cast a spell.
