“I remember both of you.” The Tsar glared at me. “Especially you. Now, thanks to our good friend the Vicomte, I have the power to deal with the pair of you properly.” He raised his hands to chest level. A shifting purple sphere appeared between his palms. I’d never seen anything like it—sharp cords of bone were laced through with writhing red serpents.
The Tsar lowered his hands, and the violet ball sped straight for Rowan. I quickly cast a bone shield and tossed it to Rowan, who knelt behind its protection.
The sphere slammed into the shield, splitting it in two before smashing into Rowan. He fell flat on his back. After a second or two, I expected him to stand up again. After all, it was only one volley and Rowan was a strong warrior.
But Rowan didn’t move. I raced to his side. Something was wrong. Rowan looked deathly pale. I inspected his skin, seeing a crimson snake latched onto his throat. Poison. I ripped the serpent away and tossed it aside.
I needed to cast a spell of healing before the poison took too great a hold. I lifted my left hand, trying to pull fresh power into me. Rowan had saved my life. Whatever else happened between us, I couldn’t allow him to die.
A rush of power sped into me just as rough hands grabbed me from behind. My flow of Necromancer energy stopped. I looked at the hands restraining me. Blue mist danced across the man’s skin.
This was a Fantome, and he’d cast some spell to block my magick. Bastard. I tried to pull power into myself, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t even possible to set loose the power I’d been able to gather.
An idea appeared. The bone crawlers. All of the Tsar’s followers had one of those creatures inside them. If I could get my hands on one, then I’d have access to hybrid power, too.
And I’d kill the Tsar once and for all.
As the Fantome held me from behind, the Tsar strode toward me, the lines of his face still tight with fury. “You were the ones who sent me to exile. You’ll pay.”
I lifted my chin. “Your kind of evil doesn’t belong here.”
The Tsar’s eyes narrowed with cool rage. Something in what I’d said hit a sore spot. His hands balled into fists. “You think me evil?”
“You’re killing all my Brothers and Sisters. That’s the definition of evil.”
“You have it all wrong.” The Tsar stalked closer, and I could see the thin spider web of scars over his elegant features. “In truth, we’re a lot alike.” His voice lowered. “I know that you’ve killed Fantomes, little girl.”
“That was different.”
“We both think we know what’s best for the magick of our kind. I happen to believe that a small number of Necromancers must wield all the power in order for us to survive. You think it’s best strewn out across the masses. But what happens when a plague strikes or a civilization falls? The weak die. Those who survive are the strongest. I am doing the same. Sacrificing the weak so those who remain will be strong as the gods themselves.” He raised his fist. “That is true power and security. That is actual goodness.” A sneer twisted his mouth. “You save lesser creatures and call it a boon to the realm. Meanwhile, I perfect us for the ultimate battle.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was all some kind of blood purge to create an ultimate mage. “Who do you think you’re battling? The realm was peaceful before you arrived.”
The Tsar chuckled. “You have no idea what is coming, little girl. This is the only way we will survive.”
My mouth fell open with shock. He was clearly insane. That meant I needed a bone crawler and fast.
I scanned my surroundings, searching for any way to escape. In every direction, stacks of rubble stretched off into the night. Plus, the Fantome behind me still held me firmly in place. All the other Fantomes stood unmoving, their dark robes shifting in the soft breeze.
A face in the crowd slowly came into clearer focus. It was familiar. A spark of hope lit inside me. This was the mage that Quinn had possessed for me. The Tsar must have set them all free without knowing what I’d done. I locked gazes with him across the darkness and tilted my head slightly. Are you still in control, Quinn?
He gave me the slightest nod. Yes.
My heart beat with such force I thought it might burst. A plan quickly formed in my mind.
Please, let this work.
I tilted my head back, exposing my bare shoulder. I hoped that was enough to convey what I needed. Bone crawler.
Quinn frowned. Using his pointer finger, he outlined the shape of a V on his shoulder. After that, he shook his fingers slightly, like the legs of a bone crawler.
I gave him the barest of nods. Yes, that’s what I want. All the bone crawlers made a V shape on the mage’s shoulder.
Quinn made no more signs but hiked over the rubble as he approached the Tsar. “I know this girl, my master. Allow me to show you her weakness.”
“Go on.”
Quinn stepped toward me while whispering an incantation. I’d heard ones like these before. A spell of release. It could be used to free my tongue so I’d share all my secrets.
Or it could be used to free a bone crawler. Clever Quinn.