Sorcerer's Legacy by Janny Wurts

Author:Janny Wurts [Wurts, Janny]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Event Horizon EBooks
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Duel of Masters

GLARE shattered against dream-roused senses. Elienne squinted. She lay on a tabletop, ringed by a net of forces that shone with the blue-violet corona of a lightning flash. The sorcery was not hostile. Though still numb from the elixir, Elienne realized that her own resistance had admitted this influx of energy. The harmonics that tingled against her ears were familiar; Taroith’s trained awareness had detected the gap in Faisix’s defenses. The lash of his response as he exploited the break had fallen with immediate and visible result upon those who threatened her.

Thrown from his feet, the cowled man sprawled amid smashed fumishings and the icy, frost-point glitter of broken glassware. Above him, Faisix clung to the edge of a cabinet, knuckles whitened as though his body were savaged by galewind. Though awed by the intensity of power permitted access through her dissent, Elienne retained wits enough to roll onto her elbow and reach for the mirrowstone.

“Heggen!” Faisix shouted. “Stop her!” His yellow eyes narrowed, intent upon murder. ‘‘I will break Taroith’s defenses.”

The black-clothed man stirred. His thick fingers closed, gashed by gritty slivers of glass, yet he seemed oblivious to pain. Through the brilliance of the light, Elienne watched him rise and stumble toward her, cowl fallen back to reveal a hairless, hideous face.

Faisix shouted in a foreign tongue. The light flickered. Elienne swore, dazed beyond immediate recognition of threat. Vivid as nightmare, yet strangely remote to her drug-stunned senses, Heggen stretched blood-streaked hands through the barrier to seize her.

Elienne recoiled. The man was recklessly confident; he thought to take her easily as a boy would pin a moth against a lantern. Elienne exploded into sudden fury. Denied speech to voice her contempt, she spat on Heggen’s raised palms. Instantly, the vehemence of her denial admitted a tortured crackle of sound. Blinded by the flaring brilliance, Elienne heard Heggen scream.

Faisix shouted curses, his cool facade abandoned.

Elienne clutched the mirrowstone in feverish fingers. Rage mounted, tangible as fire within her, and the polarity generated by her resistance widened, unleashing the powers of those who defended her. Destruction resulted. A flask erupted into a fountainhead of shards. Heggen yelled warning. A shelf careened off the far wall, spilling a thunderous avalanche of books over Faisix’s head. He dove clear. Spilled liquid met hot oil and flame. Yellow fumes roiled upward; sparks flew, acridly laced with smoke.

“Master!” Heggen’s appeal was hoarse. “Drop the wards over Torkal.” A candelabrum whirled and toppled, streaming tongues of fire. “Would you destroy us? Release the binding before we are stewed like fishes in a pot!”

Elienne heard Faisix curse again. Then a coarse sound like the tear of canvas ripped the air, and a starburst of light slammed her eyes. Wind clawed her hair. Faintly Elienne heard voices.

“She’s done it!” The triumphant words were Taroith’s. “The wards over Torkal are down!”

A reply from the Prince reached Elienne’s ears, distant and ragged with hope. “Ma’Diere guide you. Bring my Lady back unharmed.”

Elienne drew breath and found her speech freed.

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