The ally sneered, guessing at the reason for Baluka’s question. “I hear he brought a whore in recently. I’ve not seen her myself, but they say she’s no great beauty and a bit stupid. I suppose the Raen can fix the former, but I’m afraid the latter is—”
Javox’s words were cut off. His eyes bulged, then a look of desperate determination set his features.
“Kill him, Tyen,” Baluka growled.
Tyen froze. “But we need—”
“Do it!” Baluka shouted. “I would do it myself but…” He shook his head. “We have to. He will tell the Raen we know of his world’s location.”
Tyen cursed silently as he saw the corner he was in. Baluka was not going to let Javox live while he thought the man had revealed the truth, and Tyen would only convince Baluka that Javox didn’t know the location of the Raen’s world once Javox was no longer present and attempting to prove otherwise.
The rebel leader was trying to get past a thin barrier the ally had put in place to protect his body. Javox ought to be suffocating, but some trick relating to agelessness was keeping him alive. While he had even a small amount of magic, Javox could heal all manner of damage to his body, so he was conserving his strength. The only way to kill him was to force him to use up all his magic.
If Javox realised he would die before his companions had the time to find and save him, he would change tactic and fight. A prolonged struggle could bring the roof crashing down on them. It has to be fast, he thought.
“Tyen!” Baluka growled. “If you don’t—”
“I’m working out how,” Tyen snapped. “Move back.”
Crashing down. Crushing. Tyen channelled magic into a force that enveloped Javox and squeezed, forcing the man to use more and more magic to resist. He watched, waiting for the thought that would betray when the ally ran out of magic or decided to fight. To his surprise, the former happened first. Tyen ceased the crushing force and let go of the man’s arm. Javox stumbled forward a step, caught his balance and staggered away from Tyen, his face a mask of confusion.
“What are you doing?” Baluka demanded.
“He has no magic,” Tyen told him. “He’s yours to deal with as you wish.”
Baluka’s eyes narrowed.
Javox clutched at his throat, fingers never meeting skin. A crack followed, then a gasp, and he fell to the floor, his head lolling to the side in an unnatural way. Baluka let out a sigh, but whether from satisfaction or regret it was difficult to tell.
Tyen shuddered. “Remind me never to get on your bad side, Baluka.”
“You really have no stomach for this, do you?” The rebel leader’s expression was sympathetic. “I know it isn’t cowardice, Tyen. Cowardice is the opposite of courage. You have courage. I’ve seen it. Not wanting to kill isn’t cowardice. It’s having a conscience.” I wish I still had such scruples, Baluka added silently. If I’m to save Rielle I can’t afford to have any. My friends don’t need to follow me down that path, though.
Tyen had to conceal his astonishment. Some time between his handing over control of the rebels and now, Baluka had decided Tyen was a friend.
“That’s why I’ve decided that, when the final battle comes, your role won’t be one that requires fighting unless there is no other choice,” Baluka said aloud. “You will be our transportation and escape route. There’s a risk so much magic will be used in the battle that we’ll become trapped in the Raen’s world. We’ll need someone who won’t get carried away and use all their magic to get us out. Someone who has moved many people at the same time before. Someone who can get them past six uninhabitable worlds that may not contain any magic.”
“I’m not sure what he told us is reliable, since he’d never travelled to the Raen’s world,” Tyen started.
“I know,” Baluka replied. “But if we can capture one ally, we can capture another. And next time it might be one who has been to Valhan’s world and can tell us the way.”
CHAPTER 18
It was only then, as Tyen cast about for his pack, that he realised it had been left behind. He cursed.
“What is it?” Baluka asked.
“My belongings. I left them in the mine. I will have to—”
“No.” The rebel leader shook his head. “You can’t go back for them.”
Tyen hesitated, then nodded. He’s right. Allies could be waiting. But they won’t watch the mine for ever. I’ll go back when they’ve given up on us returning. Beetle would guard his pack in the meantime. Though the insectoid could only sting a few times before he ran out of paralyser, and he wouldn’t survive if someone used brute force or magic against him. I’ll just have to hope nobody notices the pack, or is frightened off by the sight of a giant insect.
The irony was, he would not care less if he never saw the pack or its contents again, but he’d be sad to lose Beetle. He could always make another insectoid, but Beetle was one of the few possessions he still had from his world.
I will return for you, Beetle, he promised silently. But right now he had to get Baluka to safety.
“Where to next?” he asked.