The Golden Basilisk (The Lost Ancients Book 5) Read online

  Lorcan patted Flarinen’s shoulder and pulled down his sleeve over the new bandages. “I was afraid of that when you both had trouble calling the swords. But nothing can break your connection to them. It’s simply impossible.” He turned to me. “I see yours is in place?”

  I patted the metal troublemaker and shrugged. “I have no idea why, but it’s sticking around.”

  “They are looking for you,” Kelm said quietly. Those bright blue eyes were focused directly on me. “The people who took us. They described Lady Taryn well.”

  “Just Taryn please.” I smiled. This was the first time since joining us that he’d spoken to me. “They mentioned me by name?” There was no way that was going to be good.

  I’d looked at Kelm too long, he turned red and looked down. “No. But they described you well enough that it was clear. They didn’t say why they wanted you though.”

  “I think we need to hear what happened to Flarinen and Kelm,” Alric said. “Then Taryn and I have some interesting news about a way out.”

  Everyone else spoke at once, but he held up his hand. “It will wait, and it’s only a possible, and unreliable lead.” He tilted his head to Flarinen.

  I noticed both knights had their weapons, they must have found them on the way out of the compound they’d been held in. Flarinen was seated and wouldn’t take his hand off the hilt of his sword. He was trying to be the cocky bastard we all knew and hated, but there was a concern in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

  “I have to admit that I am ashamed they were able to take us, and it was completely my fault. Kelm acted within his training and did the knights proud.”

  The entire stable went silent. I’d heard the faeries giggling and snorting in the rafters when we first came in—even they were quiet now.

  “But, Captain—” Kelm stared to talk but a raised fist cut him off.

  “No. I am the one who failed. We followed a rumor that the power behind this place lived near the edge of town. We went, they trapped us, and we were overwhelmed.” A flash of anger stomped out his self-loathing for a moment and looked far more natural. “They were idiots and undisciplined. The only leader I saw was a former caravan guard gone to seed.”

  He went back to self-loathing but waved to Kelm to go on.

  “They first tried to rob us, but aside from our weapons, they found nothing. Then a runner came and there was a flurry of interest in who Captain Flarinen was. Then they started beating us up to find out where the relics and Taryn were.”

  Alric frowned. “How do so many people here know about these things?”

  I was about to ask Flarinen some questions, something I never thought I’d ever do, when a chill passed through me. Literally. I screamed as a ghostly form wafted through me and came out about chest level. The shape solidified a bit as it pulled free of me but was hard to make out. Slowly short white hair came into view, then the rest of a familiar looking, annoyed dwarf. Mackil.

  “Damn, boy, you have some fine companions!” He looked me up and down and waggled his eyebrows. “And a trellian too! And sorry, me buckos, I don’t go for males, but I’m sure you’re all fine examples.” He sloshed to one side. Interesting that a being who wasn’t standing on the ground, was not corporeal in the least, was managing to tip over because he was drunk.

  “What happened to you?” Alric walked completely around his drunken, ghostly friend. “We only left you a few hours ago.”

  Mackil chuckled and blew himself over. “Hours? More like weeks.” He leaned closer to Alric. “You may be prettier than ya was the last I saw ya, and you dumped that scary redhead, but you aren’t any brighter.”

  Alric and I shared a look. First Covey said we’d been missing for hours when we thought we hadn’t and now Mackil said it had been weeks since we saw him and Rue at the pub. Time waves in the desert on the way to escape were scary, but with maps hopefully could be avoided. But having them drifting around town was terrifying.

  “I think you’re missing an important issue,” Lorcan said. He came up to Mackil and ran his hand through him. “I doubt your friend was in this state when you saw him?” When both of us shook our heads he peered closer at Mackil’s face. “Yes, I can see it. So when did my brother steal your body?”

  14

  Alric started swearing under his breath but the words were too low for me to make out which ones he was using. Not to mention they sounded to be in elvish. “Damn it, when did he get you?”

  Mackil had been focusing on Lorcan as he waved his hands over, around, and through him. The movements meant something to Lorcan, but Mackil acted like it was a game and kept spinning around to follow the hands.

  “Your brother did this to me, eh? He’s a right bastard is what he is.” He drifted over to Alric with Lorcan trailing behind. “He got me a few weeks ago. Hey, it was right after you and that mean-looking redhead took off with the warrior trellian lady.” He smiled and wiggled his fingers at Covey. “Yup, my bastard contact shows up, gets me and Rue drunk, then bam. I wake up like this and he’s got my body.”

  “If he can’t drink, is he staying drunk because he was when he…was removed from his body?” I didn’t want to say died. He was happy so far, but Mackil was an ass and I didn’t want to deal with that after the day I’d already had. At least time had stayed more or less in order on our end and it was late afternoon.

  “That is a good question and one I’d say is an affirmative.” Lorcan grabbed one of his never-ending supply of small blank books and started scribbling in it. I’d have thought it would be odd to see another person go through the same horror that you just got out of. But, like Covey, it appeared that scientific inquiry won out over bad memories. Even if those memories were of being mostly dead.

  “Reginald was your contact? The one who betrayed you when you brought him his supplies?” Alric asked.

  “Hmmm?” Mackil had been watching his hand go in and out of Lorcan’s head but he tried to focus on Alric. “Yes, that blustery blowhard…that’s why you look familiar!” He tried to push Lorcan but instead shoved his entire arm through Lorcan’s chest. “You look like your brother! Or how I remember he looked. Haven’t seen him in a while. You two twins?”

  Padraig had been off to the side, swearing at something he was trying to create in his hand. Finally he came over with a simple glow. “This will help you focus.” He let it drift up to the height of Mackil’s eyes.

  “That’s nice.” Mackil sounded both more focused yet more drifty at the same time. At least his energy was staying focused on the small ball of light.

  “Isn’t it? Now when did you first meet Reginald?”

  I pulled myself out of the conversation at that point. Alric and I had already heard the story.

  “If he knew him when he looked like Lorcan, but Lorcan got his body back, whose body was he in when he stole Mackil’s form?” I’d kept my voice down as I asked Alric, but Mackil still looked up.

  “Ah, he was that damn dwoller bartender. Still could tell it was Reggie though. Never did trust dwollers, like them even less now. He friended me up after you left, got both Rue and I drunk, then this.”

  That wasn’t good. I was extremely glad that Alric had gone behind my back and put a glamour on me. Hopefully, Reginald hadn’t recognized Alric either. Considering who we were, I’d think if he had noticed he would have chosen to body swap Alric instead of Mackil.

  “That’s interesting,” Lorcan said. “More information I’ve found in the books indicates body grabbing is not easy, needs a lot more magic behind it than my brother ever had, and there needs to be a connection of some sort between the two individuals.”

  I thought of the nasty bartender; he was awful even without knowing he was actually Reginald. “What connection did he and the dwoller have?” A number of scenarios came to mind, all of which were going to give me nightmares.

  “Needed energy,” Mackil said. “Reggie broke up with his partner, stole something from him. He needed energy so he let the dwoller bite
him, then turned the tables and bit him back.”

  “So they’re not together anymore?” Alric asked.

  “No, I knew that when he took over my body. Now that was a weird feeling let me tell you.” Alric, Padraig, and Lorcan played question the drunken ghost for a few minutes more, but he’d only gotten a tiny slice of what was foremost on Reginald’s mind as the transfer took place. Or at least that was all he could recall now.

  The two mages having a falling out was good in that it weakened their collective powers.

  “Where’s Rue?” I knew trying to figure out what had happened to our possible source for getting out of here was more important, but I felt bad about the kid.

  “I don’t know. He’d passed out before the dwoller sucked the life out of me and made me like this. When I woke up he was gone and weeks had passed.” He started to frown but Padraig waved the glow again and he went back to watching it.

  “How do you know weeks went by?”

  “Well, because…I don’t know.”

  “How long until nightfall?” Alric looked to Lorcan.

  “About two hours if it stays on schedule. It’s not a good idea to be out there when night hits,” Lorcan said.

  “I need to borrow your trick glow, Padraig,” Alric said. “I’m going to take Mackil back to the pub and see about the time lapse. We might not be able to get out of here if there are time waves running rampant.”

  “I’m going with you,” I said without even realizing the words had come out of my mouth. Yes, Alric was the love of my life, but I knew he didn’t need me to protect him on this. But I needed to be there.

  “Us too!” Garbage yelled as she, Leaf, and Crusty swooped down from the rafters. The rest of the faeries nodded solemnly but didn’t try to join in. Bunky and the gargoyle rose a foot in the air, buzzed, then settled in next to the remaining faeries. They were going to stay and guard.

  I had no idea why these three felt the need to go. I’d say it was the chance for a pub trip, but if that had been the case all of them would have gone. And Garbage had a determined look on her face.

  I pulled my hood low as we left the stable. I peered down the alley as the door chains were put in place behind us. Null was a weird little place, and the spell pressing on us made it even odder. Yet, aside from our people being taken, and Reginald stealing Mackil’s body, it didn’t seem dangerous. Depressing yes, but not scary. But the feeling of eyes on me was disturbing.

  Alric was quietly talking with Mackil, trying to keep him focused on the spelled glow and get more information out of him.

  I waved the faeries down to me. They’d automatically flown out of the stable when we left but the feeling of being watched was heavier now. “How about you three ride with me? It’s warmer.” I held open my cloak and they all dove into the pocket. “What did you three see when you were out? Any trouble?” Yes, my version of trouble and their version were totally different things but some information might be useful.

  The other two finished climbing deeper in the pocket they shared, but Garbage stayed out.

  “We no stay here. Sing land gone bad.” Then she scowled at me as if it was my fault and climbed in to join her friends in the pocket. A moment later, she pushed her way back out, shot me another evil look and hopped to Alric. She wormed her way into his shirt.

  Great. I’d gone from briefly being great because I’d brought us all here, something I was now sure I hadn’t done, to being bad because this place wasn’t what it was supposed to be. I was about to drag Garbage back out and find out more of what she’d meant, but Alric and Mackil stopped in their tracks. Okay, Alric did, Mackil drifted around a bit.

  A thin column of smoke, not noticeable at first because it matched the heavy gray sky, rose from a few streets over. Alric started jogging that way and I noticed his sword was back. When we’d left the stable he’d only been armed with his throwing blades and a dagger. I was sure he had more but that was what was visible. But now he had one hand down on his scabbard as he ran.

  Mine was sticking around as well, and I quickly found why he had one hand down as he ran; swords bouncing while running wasn’t fun. I did the same, then skidded to a halt as Alric stopped in front of me. We’d come out on the main street, near where we were earlier in the day. But now the assayer’s office was in flames. The people who’d been trying to get in this morning were now standing around and watching it burn. Soon the entire row of buildings, including the pub we were going to, were engulfed.

  “Aren’t they going to stop it?”

  Alric’s face was screwed up and his right hand came up like Padraig’s did when casting a spell. Finally he shook his head. “I can’t stop it with a spell.”

  “But why—” My words were cut off by an explosion as the pub’s alcohol supplies caught fire. Both of us were knocked off our feet and Mackil tumbled backwards a few buildings.

  I shook my head. There had been a wave of pressure that came at the same time as the explosion, but didn’t seem to be from the explosion.

  “Get out of the way! Daft idiots!” Both Alric and I scrambled clear of a donkey cart that was about to run us over. The driver had plenty of room, the road was wide enough and his cart was small. He just didn’t like us laying in the road. Neither did I.

  I was off to the side, dusting myself off when I realized I was standing next to the assayers shop. And it was intact. Nothing was on fire, nor did it look like it ever had been.

  “Alric?” I couldn’t even finish my sentence. That had been real—the heat was strong enough to reach us in the road—but the smoke, the ash, all of it was gone now.

  “I saw it too.” He held up the spelled glow and Mackil drifted over. “You’ve been here longer. What the hell happened?”

  The ghost seemed thinner than before, only his outline remained. Then he shuddered and came back into view.

  “That would be the time waves. You have to be careful crossing the land to get out—they’ll get you every time.”

  “Mackil, we’re not in the desert, we’re in town. What are they doing in town?”

  “Oh! That I don’t know. They only stay in the desert.”

  “Is right. They no be here.” Garbage was out of the pocket and glaring at the air above us. It could have been my imagination but I swore I felt the air pressure vanish. “Is not good.” She slid back into my pocket again and there were enough people roaming around that I didn’t want to dig her out.

  “Let’s keep going to the pub,” Alric pulled his hood up, reached over and fixed mine as well, then held the glow up to Mackil.

  There were far more people inside than there had been this morning, or afternoon, depending upon which time section you went with.

  Rue was at the table we’d left him at. He was working on dinner, and smiled when he saw Alric. “Mackil’s friend. Good to see you again.”

  Alric hadn’t had time to put a glamour on me before the ghost Mackil found us in the stable. And I was thinking he didn’t really want to show his magic in front of him. But if I kept my hood up, and my hair pulled forward, it should help anyone who actually knew me from spotting me.

  I’d keep telling myself that.

  “This is my friend, Leesa,” Alric said. Then he held up the glow and Mackil drifted closer.

  But Rue didn’t even appear to notice. I could see Mackil, Alric obviously could as well. But no one in the pub even looked over our way. A few people even stumbled through him.

  “Where’s Mackil?” Alric had noticed the lack of anyone seeing him as well. Mackil floated in place, transfixed by the glow.

  “He took off.” Rue shook his head. “After you and your lady friends all left, the barkeep brought us more drinks.” He turned red. “I passed out, and Mackil was gone when I woke up. I thought about looking for him, but decided to stay here instead.”

  “Today?” Alric looked as surprised as I felt. Mackil might be a ghost now but he’d appeared certain that it had been weeks since we saw him.

  Rue took
a slow drink of his ale. “Aye?” He looked around the pub, but no one was close by. “Is this another test?” He waggled his finger between Alric and I. “Are you two with that other fella? The one with the magic? He seemed a lot scarier than you, no offense. And I had nothing to tell him, not cause I didn’t want to but there’s nothing to tell. So, yes, today.”

  “Other fella?” I leaned forward so I could keep my voice down and still be heard. I also kept my hood low. “Was he tall with a sinister look?” Yes, Nivinal could change his appearance, but I think the last one we saw him in was his permanent one. He was vain enough to want to have his best face forward at his time of triumph. And he’d definitely thought the battle in the palace was going to be his moment.

  Rue leaned forward as well. “That would be the one. He wanted to know where the dwoller bartender was, kept asking everyone. Managed to clear this place out for a bit, folks were so frightened by him. Then he got to me and I told him the barkeep vanished when my master did. He asked who my master was, got really mad when I told him. He blasted a hole over there, and walked out. Guess he didn’t like doorways.”

  Crap, so clearly Nivinal knew that Reginald had been in the dwoller’s body, and now he knew he was in Mackil’s. There was always the chance that if Nivinal was mad enough at his former partner, he might destroy him. The hole in the side of the pub was huge and there was no doubt that he walked out that way. But we needed Mackil back in his own body if we were going to be able to use him to get out of here. His mental connection with his former self was nowhere as strong as Lorcan’s had been. As he currently was, he couldn’t help us with anything.

  Alric was quiet for a few moments. “We’re not like that other man, and yes, you’d do best to stay away from him. I’d recommend avoiding your master also, at least for now. He got hit by the wrong end of a spell and might be behaving dangerously. You don’t want to get between him and the guy looking for him.” He clapped Rue on the shoulder and we walked to the back where the hole was.