Shadow of the Exile by Mitchell Hogan

Author:Mitchell Hogan [Hogan, Mitchell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781503903227
Publisher: 47North
Published: 2018-10-09T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Back at the house, Ren created another flying disc out of water, steam, and sorcery as they prepared to leave Dwemor Port. It was still the middle of the night, but the rain had stopped, and the clouds had been mostly cleared by a fresh wind. Tarrik was grateful; the thought of flying on Ren’s disc in a downpour made him tremble with disgust. He would be glad to leave this human city and the two people Ren had conned into believing she stood for something other than herself. He guessed that was why she hadn’t wanted Veika to accompany them when they confronted Lischen, because he would have seen who she truly was. The stupid only stayed gulled if they were kept in the dark.

Slivers of both moons were high in the sky by the time Ren made it outside to where Tarrik had been waiting for what seemed like ages. Veika stood close by, silent for once. At Ren’s order, Tarrik piled their gear on the platform—no saddles this time—then sat on it, his spear cradled across his arms. He half expected attacking soldiers to appear or a sorcerous assault—Ren had killed one of the Nine, after all. Surely there would be retribution from the others. But to his surprise nothing materialized.

He cast a sidelong glance at Ren as she ceased shouting cants, hopped onto the disc, and moved to what he assumed was the front. Did it have a front? Again, he could only sense a minimal draw of dawn- and dusk-tide emanations by Ren, which set his mind to wondering afresh. She was more powerful than Lischen, who had augmented herself with the powers of more than a few fledgling sorcerers. So where did Ren’s power come from? Was its source the artifact Tarrik had stolen for her? He was no fool, especially when it came to sorcerers. He wouldn’t put all his coin on one explanation. Sorcerers were never what they seemed.

“Do you have to go so soon?” asked Jendra, emerging from the kitchen.

“I’m sorry—I must,” replied Ren.

“When will you be back?”

“I . . . I don’t know.”

Jendra opened her mouth to speak again, but Veika’s hand on her arm stopped her. She frowned at him, then sighed in resignation.

They aren’t sure whether they’ll ever see her again. Tarrik found the thought calming and sat up a little straighter. The life of a sorcerer was risky, and the path Ren had chosen was more dangerous than most. The way she was going, she’d be certain to make a mistake, and that would be the end of her. He only had to stay alive until it happened.

Jendra approached the disc and handed Tarrik a small burlap sack. “Provisions,” she said, and backed away quickly.

With a final brief wave at Veika and Jendra, Ren knelt and began to whisper cants. Crimson-violet lightning gathered between her hands, and she grasped its glittering strands. The shimmering disc rose into the air as heat waves cracked the stone pavers of the courtyard.

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