Rivalry (War of Nytefall Book 3) Read online

  Instead of doing as Gregorio asks, Lost leaps over the desk and grabs the gnome by the back of his robe. She puts him on her shoulder and whistles for her bunny to bash down the door, her mind reaching out to take control of the other students. The sound of hardening crystal can be heard over the echoing thunder of feet hurrying up the stairs to the surface. Lost has the other womb-born run faster than their bodies can handle, many of them snapping their legs. The injured limbs are ignored and they are forced to continue charging thanks to the powerful psychic. Taking up the rear, she telekinetically hurls whatever she sees behind her without turning around. It is only when she passes a mirror that she notices the crimson crystal that is devouring the walls and seeping into the adjoining rooms. Coming to the stairs, she takes them by tens and nearly barrels into the crowd that is scrambling to get away from the ravenous jewels. Growing impatient, Lost uses her powers to violently eject all of the other Dawn Fangs from the lair and sprints to safety an instant before a deadly spire bursts from the entrance. The tip of the protrusion splinters to release a collection of five gems that sail into the sky and disappear over the horizon.

  “Is it safe to touch?” Lost asks as she yanks off one of her own fingers. She throws the severed digit at the crystal and watches it flop onto the grass. “That means we can smash our way back in and have our revenge on the evil pretty rock. Your Princess General orders you to attack and-”

  “Everyone needs to rest and let me think,” Gregorio snaps, his eyes straining to see in the sunlight. Throwing a ball of wind at the crystal, he hits it in the exact spot he needs to shatter the spire and the first ten feet of the blockage. “This fake ruby is fragile, which might be because it came from a very old trap spell. I wonder if this was meant for someone else and my lair was too big a space for it to maintain its full strength. Either way, this has to be a bad omen that we need to examine.”

  “So, do you know who did this?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “That’s nothing to be upset about.”

  “It is when I damn well know I should recognize this.”

  “Oh . . . At least the trap is pretty.”

  2

  General Kenneth Decker watches his men from atop the castle wall, his polished armor glinting in the green moonlight. Taking a rag out of his glove, he rubs the silver star medal on his chest until he can see Canst the Emerald Spring Moon’s reflection in its surface. The vampiric dwarf mutters at his sudden sense of vanity, but continues to run a comb through his ebony beard, which is neatly braided. The soldier finishes his preening in time to snaps his fingers at an archer, who is struggling to carry fifty quivers. Decker does not have to state his orders, a casual stare at the young woman relaying his words without fail. She salutes and lays down half of her load before taking the rest up a ladder to a nearby tower. Within a minute, the vampire returns to grab the rest and disappears back into the building where she will spend the entire night waiting along with twenty other archers. Opening a dented flask of blood-infused whiskey, the dwarf attempts a long sip and frowns when he finds that there is very little left inside. He tucks it back into his belt and leans over the turret to whistle at one of his men who always has a drink on hand. Making a pouring motion, he gets the chuckling soldier to throw him a bottle of wine, which Decker knows is a joke due to him openly stating that such brews are nothing more than fancy juices. Snapping off the neck, he pours the sweet alcohol into his mouth and enjoys how it tastes like fresh blood.

  Spotting a flicker of movement reflected off a nearby window, Decker draws his rusty axe and blocks a flying fang. The tiny weapon bursts into flames, which eliminates the misty poison that lingers after the projectile explodes. Facing his opponent, the dwarf sighs and tosses the bottle at Archillious. The wild-haired Dawn Fang catches the container in his mouth and shatters it, the shards causing blood to flow down his chin. Licking the ichor off, the assassin’s jaundiced eyes flicker with a passion for chaos that Decker has long grown bored of seeing. Gesturing for his arrogant sparring partner to attack, the dwarf changes his axe’s element to wind in order to avoid causing any lasting damage. The soldier sighs when Archillious spits out a fang at an incredible speed and fires a crossbow bolt to intercept his escape. Unwilling to get out of the way, the ancient veteran expertly catches the second shot between his fingers. The smell of burning flesh forces Decker to drop it and he takes a quick look at his hand, which is still dripping with the potent poison. He retaliates with a burst of wind that hits the Dawn Fang hard enough to shake his body and jingle the bells on his gaudy shoes. Neither warrior wishes to charge at the other, so it continues being a game of blocking and dodging. The display draws the attention of the soldiers below, but they move away in case Archillious unleashes one of his deadly poisons.

  Losing his patience, the former assassin finally runs on top of the turrets and draws a long knife from the inside of his jacket. He leaps and tries to strike down at the shorter warrior, who rolls under the attack. The instant he lands, the Dawn Fang releases a black mist from his sleeve and covers himself in the numbing toxin. Protected by the fog, he uses his longer reach to jab and thrust at the retreating soldier. A blood-dissolving poison flies from the blade, but Decker jumps high enough to take the blast in his armored chest instead of in the face. Archillious tries for another lunge, but the strike misses and he can only watch as his opponent’s axe slices through his wrist. Instead of cursing or getting upset, the assassin’s grin widens at the sensation of a glass orb shattering in his arm. The hidden container explodes into a plume of flesh-melting poison that hits Decker in the face and causes him to stumble back. Drawing another toxic knife, the Dawn Fang pounces only to take an arrow through his neck and get stuck to the stone wall next to him.

  “The ceremony starts in four hours and you two are trying to kill each other?” Kai asks as he jumps down from a nearby tower. He nocks another arrow in his bow in case the warriors want to continue, but relaxes a little when Decker puts his axe away. “I have too many preparations to complete to waste time babysitting grown men. I’m using that term loosely, Archillious, since I’m sure you’re the one who started this brawl. Are all of the poison traps in position or have you changed the orders to suit your whims?”

  “So many questions from our beloved superior. Now I’m using a term loosely,” the assassin replies, his voice a strange gurgle. He yanks the arrow out and tosses it back to the other vampire, who kicks the man’s severed hand over. “Regeneration is so much fun and nobody can heal faster than the durable Archillious. Don’t get so uppity, Stavros. I set everything up before lunch and even put some extra ones outside the wall. We’ll know when our uninvited and fully expected guests show up. Just have to listen for the horrific gagging noises and cries of how they should never have underestimated my genius.”

  “I should have sliced his mouth off,” Decker growls, the top of his face still a mass of melted flesh. He takes a seat on the ground and goes about pulling off the pieces that are too damaged to heal. “All of our men know where they have to be and they’re routinely seeing through illusions. Rather unlikely that they can pierce Clyde’s creations, but Stephanie is on that roof creating a revealing mist. It gives us a chance and that’s better than nothing. Lou is going to stay behind the thrones all night, which means I can roam the ballroom. Nothing else we can do since we have no intel on our enemies.”

  “Such a lousy excuse for mediocrity,” Archillious says while wiggling the fingers of his reattached hand. He cracks all of the knuckles and licks the line of blood off his wrist. “There’s one part of the plan that I don’t agree with. While my clothes may be that of a jester, the enigmatic Archillious prefers to lurk in the shadows. Have someone else pretend to be one of the entertainers and let me hide in the nest I added to the plans. Be a shame to let such a thing go to waste.”

  Pulling the plans out of an enchanted case at his belt, Kai finds that the Dawn Fang is telling the truth about the addition. “Hate to admit t
his, but it looks like it’s supposed to be there. You even copied my handwriting down to the barely perceived squiggles I do to make sure I can identify forgeries. All of that aside, Lord Tempest wants you hiding in the open. Your sanity draining touch will be a better weapon than your poisons because you don’t want to accidental hit one of the new councilmembers. Besides, this makes you the center of attention and a man of your grandeur should never shy from the spotlight.”

  “Trying to use my ego against me?”

  “It’s worked in the past.”

  “Promise me that I get to kill Lost and I’ll get my juggling blades.”

  “She’s all yours as long as she shows up.”

  “If she doesn’t then I get Mab.”

  Decker clears his throat at the request and tries not to laugh as he mentions, “Best to stick to the child. Mab would tear you apart and spread the pieces across the globe. I’m not exaggerating either since she did that to one of my best men last year. I’ll make sure I stay on the opposite side of the room from Archillious. That way we cover more area at once and the two of us aren’t near each other. You disgust me and I don’t want to be worrying about another idiotic attack. Is that going to be a problem?”

  “I’m a total professional once the job starts,” Archillious declares with a bow. Spotting Stephanie getting into position, the assassin pulls out a comb and runs it through his hair, which remains a mess. “I should check in on the beautiful Mistress Talon and see if she needs anything before the party starts. Those rituals can be really taxing and . . . Oooh, that noblewoman looks nice and I believe she dropped her purse. Might be an amorous reward for the lustful Archillious and we have a few hours to kill. Talk to you boys in the morning.”

  Kai darts forward to stop Decker from hitting the Dawn Fang in the back of the head with the flat side of his axe. The vampiric dwarf clenches his jaws to avoid saying what is on his mind, the pressure cracking all of his teeth. It is only when Archillious jumps off the wall and struts over to the elegant woman that the two vampires relax. Leaning on the turret, they watch and wait for their arrogant companion to get himself in trouble. To their surprise, the noble laughs and offers her arm to the assassin, who guides her through the nearest doorway, which leads to an empty supply closet. Decker cannot stop staring in disbelief while Kai shakes his head and goes back to his preparations. The spymaster whistles as his cunning mind creates a plan to use Archillious’s lust against him if the man ever becomes a liability.

  *****

  “Thanks. Sorry about the late delivery,” the slender man says to the guards before urging the horses forward.

  Passing under the entrance to Nyte, the metal carriage earns a few lingering stares due to the cold mist seeping out from under the bolted roof. The Elven merchant and his Orcish wife are too plainly dressed to garner anyone’s attention, which is what the pair had hoped for when they made their plans. Hitting a bump in the road, the brown-haired woman sneezes to cover a grunt that comes from the underside of the carriage. The sound nearly startles the horses, but a soothing whisper that only they can hear helps the beasts remain calm. Praying that their precious merchandise is still intact, the elf hands the reins to his wife and opens a panel behind his head. A blast of cold sends frost into his face, but he manages to see that the chocolate statue of a winged demon is still in one piece. He has to stick his head entirely inside to see that a collection of edible orchids is safe, the fragile flowers held beneath a glass case that is topped with a candy parrot. Tapping rhythmically on the freezing wall, the merchant closes the panel and goes back to steering the nervous horses towards the castle.

  “I have an auditory illusion going, so we can talk freely,” the wife says in a deep, masculine voice. She fixes her simple dress to hide her legs, which are itchy from having all of their hair removed. “Xavier’s forces are probably looking for my visual tricks, so it’s better to use good old disguises. Can’t believe I can regenerate limbs, but I can’t get my hair to grow back any quicker than that of a mortal. I’m envious of the others since they get to hide. These things hurt a lot. How does Chastity move around with such agony in her chest?”

  “Being on your back all the time makes it easier,” the elf jokes with an impish smirk. The disguised burglar tries to laugh, but the tight wrap around her chest threatens to snap. “I told you we shouldn’t have switched like this. You took this too far, Clyde. Bad enough that my upper torso is being crushed to make me look like a guy, but you didn’t have to sew fake breasts onto your body. Nobody would have noticed a padded dress since we’re hired help. Can’t believe we’re going to have to fight like this. Keep in mind that we aren’t sure if we can get Luther and Titus out of their disguises in an emergency. At least Bob is doing okay underneath us, but I’m not sure how he’s going to get into the castle.”

  “We have the cart and he can hide on the shelf,” Clyde replies as they go around a busy courtyard. The temptation to steal one of the banners is strong enough to make his fingers twitch, but he settles for making a lightning fast swing of his arm to slice it in half. “The important part is that we got through the wards and we’re still together. Once we reach the castle, we’ll unload the others and get them into the party. Xavier will drop his guard if the ceremony finishes without us appearing, so we’ll attack right before the desserts. Did you pack a change of clothes for us to use?”

  “I’ll be a dwarven warrior and you’ll be a fireskin caster.”

  “Those are way too bulky.”

  “They were the only costumes Chastity had that didn’t smell funny.”

  “I told you to buy fresh ones.”

  “Spend money on something I can borrow or steal? It’s like you don’t even know me.”

  Dropping the illusion at the castle gates, Clyde does his best to laugh in a more melodic voice while carefully getting off the carriage. He moves slowly out of fear of his fake chest shifting unnaturally and gaining attention. Knocking on the side to tell Bob that they have arrived, he calmly makes his way to the back where Mab is already unlocking the door, which has been frozen shut. Clyde puts on a show of opening the carriage, his true strength making the effort no more than if he was tearing a piece of paper. Without delay, his partner jumps into the icy compartment and immediately feels her chest wrap snap. Seeing the pause, the other thief nods at a thick apron on the wall while he pulls a wheeled cart out from under a bench. He flicks one of the doors closed with his finger and creates an illusionary wind to explain the movement, which hides Mab from view long enough for her to fix her disguise. Tossing a cloth over the cart, Clyde sees how part of it hovers for an instant, his eyes scanning the crowd to see if anyone else noticed his invisible friend. The guards are focused entirely on the chocolate demon that is handed to the homely orc, who unceremoniously puts it over her shoulder. Putting the orchids on the cart, the disguised intruders exchange sighs of relief that their plan is still going smoothly and quickly get inside the castle.

  The partners are surprised when they find that the hallways are devoid of activity beyond a handful of patrolling golems. Staring at the Dawn Fangs with empty eyes, the wood and carpet constructs let them by since they show no signs of aggression. They sound of distant music and faint applause drifts to their ears and helps them traverse the hallways, which are not as familiar as they had hoped. Passing rooms filled with valuable pieces of art, the thieves are tempted to grab a few vases, but the sense that they are being watched by unseen eyes keeps their urges at bay. As they cut through a courtyard, Mab coughs and nods to the roof where they can barely make out the naked figure of Stephanie Talon. The ritualist resembles a gargoyle in the way that she is leaning over the edge of a tower, her bleeding eyes allowing her to scry the entire city. A pool of gore has gathered at the base of her high perch, which the intruders have to pass within a few feet of.

  No sooner have they walked by the sweet-smelling obstacle than they spot Kai walking across the fortifications. The spymaster is about to speak to one o
f the guards when he sees the pair and holds up a hand. Clyde considers trying to trick the man with an illusion, but is sure that the cunning vampire is already trying to see through such spells. Instead, he slows down and pulls out a badly drawn map of the castle. Scratching his head and turning in random directions, he stops walking, which forces Mab to sigh and hurry over. She joins him in acting lost until she turns the paper over and gives her partner a patronizing pat on the cheek. Breaking into a jog, they hurry to the stairwell with Clyde going first to pull the front end of the cart while his fake husband pretends to struggle with the back. Once the door closes behind them, Mab hoists the entire thing over her head and leans it back enough to have Bob slide out. The sound of his lance scraping against the cart causes everyone to stand up straight and glare in the direction they think his is standing.

  The voices and music get louder as they near the door at the top of the tower, a smaller hatch in the ceiling leading to Stephanie’s perch. Clyde signals to Bob that he should stay in the stairwell, the horse-like stomp of a foot being the only response he gets. Tapping on the head of the candy-covered parrot, the Dawn Fang waits for a phantasmal raven to appear and pass through the wall before opening the entrance a crack. He watches for Luther’s double to briefly appear on the railing of the decorative nest that his informants had revealed in their last message to Nytefall. As soon as the forest tracker’s extra eyes are in position, Clyde enters the party and heads for the dessert table to deliver Titus to his position. Instead of cutting through the busy dance floor, the intruders go around the edge of the ballroom, which is lit by hundreds of floating gems that are powered by the emerald moonlight. With their attention on Archillious performing with poison-tipped blades, the Dawn Fangs nearly bump into Decker. The soldier mumbles about them watching where they are going before going back to watching the festivities and nursing a bottle of blood. By the time Clyde and Mab manage to drop off their chocolate-coated friend, they are no longer sure if they want to bother changing into the other costumes. Looking under the cloth, they can see that the package is still there and the invisibility paper they are wrapped in has torn. With a shrug, the thieves leave the ruined package behind and signal to their friends that they are staying in their elf and orc disguises.