Veilspeaker (Pharim War Book 2) (23 page)

“What?”

“The image Sharim put in our minds. He put the same
one in each of us.”

Maries was almost to them. Jez closed his eyes. He
could feel the shackles around his arms, and his face pressed against the wood.
The ax gleamed in the sunlight. It was almost impossibly complex for a
contingent image. If Sharim hadn’t burned it into their minds, he would’ve
never even attempted this. Jez reached out for Lina’s power, and they melded
into one. This time, there was no oily darkness. He was aware of her senses,
but he didn’t get the disorienting double image. Her power flowed into him. He
opened his eyes to see Maries’s blade coming for his head. He caught the
attack, grunting under the power of the blow. He drew back and lunged towards
the demon’s head. The bone blade lashed out, attempting to catch the image of
the sword heading for Maries’s stomach. He never even saw the invisible blade
that bit into his neck.

His throat was so thickly muscled that Jez couldn’t
force the blade all the way through. The demon looked up. Brilliant red beams
shot from his eyes, burning a pair of holes in the ceiling. When Maries looked
back down, his eyes had gone black. The circle sputtered. Color drained from
Maries’s face until the skin was the same white as the uniform he wore. The
medals fell off his chest and crumbled to dust when they hit the ground. The
demon slid off his blade. For a moment, he stood upright, but then, like the
wax of a candle that had grown just a little too hot, Maries began to melt. He
seemed to say something at the last moment, but it came out as a gurgle, and he
was gone.

The ground rumbled and the portal opened for a second
and spat out the battered form of Shamarion. The pharim’s robes were ripped and
his sword looked tarnished, but he stood up and saluted Jez. With the throne
reclaimed, the royal magic withdrew. Jez screamed as his own power began to
consume him. He let it go, returning to his mortal form and falling to the
ground. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was the cracks in
the stone where he’d trapped Sharim.

The demon in human flesh was gone.

Jez woke to see the healer Paleel
standing over him, her hands glowing yellow. When she saw he was awake, she yelped
and ran out of the room before he could say anything. Haziel came in a few
minutes later. He wore new robes and had obviously bathed recently. To Jez’s
surprise, he bowed.

“Baron Jezreel, I owe you a great deal. Ashtar may
well have fallen if not for you.”

Jez glanced at Paleel. “You found the mages.”

Haziel nodded. “Once Maries was free, he summoned
demons that could bind their powers and imprisoned them in their own rooms.”

“Flinas?”

“The demon we were fighting disappeared when we saw
that red light in the sky. As far as we can tell, the rest of the demons did
that too.”

Jez tried to sit up, but he didn’t have the strength.
Haziel put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down. “I wouldn’t. The healers
say you’re weak. It’s like you’ve gone days without eating. You had burns too,
but the healers have taken care of those.”

“Osmund? Lina?”

“They’re both fine. They want to see you if you’re
feeling up to it. I insisted on coming in first.” He smiled. “Being king does
have its privileges.”

Jez was feeling tired, but he managed a nod, and the
king walked out into the hall. Osmund and Lina came in a second later. Osmund’s
arm was in a sling, and he had a bandage on his face, but otherwise he looked
fine. Lina wore one of her gowns, though she no longer used an illusion to hide
her scar. When she noticed him looking, she turned away, and her fingers went
to her cheek.

“Sorry,” he said.

She turned back and inclined her head, and her hand
dropped back to her side. “No, it’s nothing. After all I’ve seen, it seems ridiculous
to spend my power hiding this, doesn’t it?”

Jez grinned. “Just a little bit.” He glanced at
Osmund. “We never did apologize for accusing you of summoning the demon, did
we?”

She shook her head. “No, but I understand why you did.
Sharim fooled us all.”

“All the same, I apologize. We had no right.”

Jez glared at Osmund, but he only shrugged.
“Technically, I never accused her. That was you.”

Jez’s eyes were heavy, and he wanted to rest, but this
was important. “Osmund.”

Osmund let out a breath, and his shoulders sagged.
“Sorry Lina.”

“I suppose I should apologize to you as well, for
bringing you to trial.” She reddened a little. “And for before, when Regis and
I attacked you.”

Osmund gaped at her for a few seconds, unable to speak
until Lina was obviously uncomfortable under his stare.

“How is your father?” Jez asked.

Osmund blinked and, as if realizing he’d been staring,
he turned back to Jez. Lina shrugged. “They say he’ll be fine. There’s nothing
physically wrong with him. He’s going back home. Mother will hire someone to
care for him while she sees to the affairs of our lands.” She grinned. “She’s
been doing that for years anyway.”

“You’re not going with him?”

“I think I’ll go back to the Academy. I was hoping
you’d permit me to ride with you.”

“You’re coming back?”

She glanced at Osmund. “I left because I was afraid of
what he would do to me. I don’t think I need to be afraid anymore.” She smiled.
“You know, you never apologized for that either.”

“I’m sorry,” Osmund said without hesitation. If Jez
hadn’t known Osmund as well as he did, he might’ve missed the sorrow in his friend’s
voice.

Osmund didn’t meet her eyes. Lina seemed confused, but
Jez understood. Nothing weighed down on Osmund’s conscious so much as the
actions he’d take while Ziary was out of control. He cleared his throat, and
they both looked at him.

“Of course you can come with us. You’ve earned our
trust and respect.”

“What about...” she let the words hang.

“I’ll tell you on the way back to the Academy. Like I
said, it’s a long story.”

“Thank you.”

“Did Shamarion say anything?”

“The pharim?”

“Yes.”

She nodded. “He said to thank you. Maries’s power was
holding him in the abyss. When you banished Maries, you allowed him to find his
own way back.”

“What about Sharim?”

She shook her head. “He was gone. He must’ve gotten
free and fled. Haziel sent men looking for him.”

“They’ll never find him.”

“I think he knows that. He just doesn’t know what else
to do.”

“The speaking stones are working again,” Osmund said.
“I contacted the masters. They’ll spread the word. If he shows his face
anywhere in Ashtar, we’ll know.”

Jez nodded, but he doubted even they would find
Sharim. He’d hidden in the keep for years under the eye of an afur. He wouldn’t
be found unless he chose to. Jez had no doubt he would see Sharim again,
though. He tried to say as much, but his words came out in a mumble. Dimly, he
was aware of a healer ushering his friends out. The pillow felt wonderfully
soft, and for the first time in a long time, Jez allowed himself to truly rest.

Gama Ray Martinez lives near Salt Lake City, Utah.
He moved there solely because he likes mountains. He collects weapons in case
he ever needs to supply a medieval battalion, and he greatly resents when work
or other real life things get in the way of writing. Find him at
http://gamarayburst.com/
and
http://www.facebook.com/gamarayburst.