The Gods Beneath Read online

  He leaned in to kiss her. “Well, with you in charge it’s a vision worth fighting for.”

  ****

  When dawn came, Ezekiel trekked to the town’s eastern gate. He wasn’t sure if anyone would show, but he was hopeful that the people of New Romanov would start to take their own defense seriously.

  What he saw nearly floored him.

  Three dozen people stood waiting for him. Men and women of all ages—including children—were anxiously milling about. Curtis stood in front of them, his arms crossed and a wide smile across his face.

  “Curtis, what is this?” Ezekiel said, scanning the crowd.

  “You said that anyone who was willing to learn should come here. Well, here we are, mighty wizard. Lead us in your ways.”

  “But... I expected maybe a handful of people. Half of New Romanov must be here.”

  Curtis turned to look at the crowd like he was counting his flock. “More than half, I reckon. And there would be more, but many are already out with Olaf working on sword- and spear-craft.”

  A young man stepped forward. He was tall for his age, but he still carried the awkwardness of youth with him. “Mr. Ezekiel, sir, are you really going to show us how to fight?”

  Another young man, shorter but with intelligent eyes, tugged on the gangly youth’s sleeve. He turned to look at his friend. “What? Oh yeah,” he said, then turned back to Ezekiel. “Like the Bitch and Bastard Brigade. You’re going to teach us to fight like them?”

  Ezekiel smiled. “Well, young man, I’ll put you on the path. The question is, do you have the determination to follow it?”

  The kid nodded vigorously, then gave his silent friend a high five. They both slunk back into the crowd.

  Ezekiel looked at everyone, then said, “Well, time’s a wastin’. Let’s get to work.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  After three hours, the grounds just outside the walls looked like a battlefield. Fire and ice and roots had torn across the field, making it seem like it had been created in some drunken mystic’s vision.

  Ezekiel surveyed his fledgling army, impressed with their progress.

  “Not too shabby, old man.”

  Ezekiel turned to look at Mika, who was sauntering toward him. The tall goddess of a woman had returned from Urai to help Olaf train the fighting folk. If the small crew could even fight half as well as she could, New Romanov would have nothing to worry about.

  “Thanks,” he said. “I’ve recently had some practice teaching the most obstinate person I’ve ever met.”

  “What happened to that person?” Mika said.

  “I put her in charge of my team,” he said with a smile. “Hannah learned a lot, despite her stubbornness, but she also taught me a few things about how to better instruct people. For example, we don’t have nearly enough time to train them properly in the broad uses of magic. Whatever plans the Laughing Queen has for us will be implemented soon. So instead of starting with the basics, I decided to throw them all into the deep end, so to speak. I put them into pairs and ordered them to fight.

  “Most of them already knew some type of magic, but they had never used it in combat before. I told them that whoever lost would have to spend the afternoon running laps with Olaf. That lit a fire under them, and they quickly learned to lean on their innate powers. I’d rather fight beside a magician who knows one spell well than one who knows a dozen but can’t deliver.”

  “A sound strategy,” the woman said, “but Olaf and I are trying a different approach.”

  “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

  “We’ve been beating them with the flats of our swords until they learn to block. I’d rather fight beside a warrior who’s experienced pain and can defend themselves anyway.”

  Ezekiel laughed. “With you, Olaf, and me at the helm, we’re sure to succeed.”

  “Ezekiel!” a voice cried from the far end of the field. Ezekiel sighed and turned toward the commotion.

  “I already told you. If you’ve been injured, get a healer to practice on you—”

  “No, it’s not that,” Roman, the tall young man said as he and his quiet friend ran toward them. “It’s Yuri.”

  Ezekiel looked at the boy in front of him. His eyes were wide with fear, and he was pointing frantically toward the south.

  Ezekiel turned toward the skyline, but couldn’t see anything. He returned his regard to Yuri, then placed his hand on the boy’s head. As his eyes flashed red, Ezekiel could see images of remnant floating in Yuri’s mind. The remnant were armed, and heading this way.

  He started to yell for everyone to retreat into the city, but then had another idea.

  “Mika, I need your help.”

  “Anything, Master Ezekiel.”

  “There’s a small band of remnant raiders heading toward us,” he said. “I want you to gather our trainees and position them so that they can see the fight, but not interfere.”

  “Of course,” she said. “But I don’t understand.”

  “They’re still too green to risk sending them into open battle, but I think observing how magic can be used effectively in combat will enlighten them.”

  Mika smiled. “Most certainly. I too look forward to being enlightened.”

  As Mika herded the students into defensive positions, Ezekiel turned toward the south and closed his eyes. He calmed his breathing, and focused on the strength within him.

  Moments later, he heard the telltale battle cries of the remnant.

  Ezekiel raised his staff in front of him and stepped forward.

  He was going to enjoy this.

  ***

  The sun broke over the surrounding mountain peaks and started to burn off the morning fog. Gregory was already at the controls and was taking it slow, as Hannah had directed. Time was of the essence, but she knew that her team needed rest and training regardless. An extra day on Unlawful would prove helpful in lifting their spirits, and it provided space for Team BBB to learn a thing or two.

  She expected that everyone aboard would need it, including herself.

  As she crossed the deck with Sal tromping at her side, the smell of kaffe struck her. Its strong, pungent aroma tickled her nose and drew a low purr from deep within her dragon.

  “Don’t even think of it, or I’ll skin you and make Parker a new pair of boots. The gods know he needs them.”

  Sal’s purr turned to a gentle growl.

  “Should I toss it overboard?” Hadley asked with a grin as he held up his mug. His eyes squinted as they walked toward him, since the sun was directly behind them.

  “That won’t be necessary. Sal here does everything I ask, even if he doesn’t like it.” She scratched him under the chin. “Isn’t that right, pal?”

  Sal responded with a louder growl, baring his dagger-like teeth a little.

  “Yeah.” Hadley laughed. “Looks like it.” He tilted back the mug and finished Laurel’s powerful concoction. “Now, to what do I owe the honor, Princess Magic Pants?”

  Hannah ignored his playful teasing. She’d become accustomed to it long ago. “Remember I said that we all need to learn some skills before we hit the ground?”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Hadley said, kicking an imaginary rock. “You’re going to make me learn to fight like the uncivilized members of the team, aren’t you?”

  “Eventually, yes. But right now I’m not here for you, but for me.” She closed the distance between them and sat on the step leading to the bow of the ship. She patted the boards next to her, inviting Hadley to join her. Sal curled up in the sun close by. “I need to know how to cast images like you did last night and in the streets of Arcadia.”

  “Whoa! You need to learn something from me? I thought you progressed beyond the rank of ‘student’ months ago.”

  “Don’t be a dick about it, Hadley. You know my real focus is physical magic. Hell, I can mix bits of other things in, but I’ve never taken the time to really command mental magic.”

  He leaned back on the planks, holding his weight
up on his arms. “OK, no more being a dick, but…you seemed to do just fine casting mental magic when you had to disguise yourself as Cassandra to sneak into the Academy.”

  “Deborah! I was Deborah. Cassandra was that crank of a roommate I had.” Her stomach turned, just thinking of the charade she had carried on what felt like a lifetime ago.

  “Deborah, Cassandra…all those lowlander toads have the same boring names anyway.” He grinned and winced as she batted him with the back of her hand. “Hey! I didn’t say ‘Hannah’ was boring, but now that I think of it…” He laughed as he received another smack, this one harder and more precise.

  “Anyway, that was easy. Zeke walked me through it step by step. It was like painting by numbers. The hardest damned part was learning to dance. Oh, and not throwing up when I heard that sweet, refined voice roll off my tongue.” She turned sideways so that she was nearly facing him. “I certainly didn’t learn to cast images like you can, so now you’re going to hook me up.”

  “Oh, yeah? What are you going to do for me?”

  “First, I’m not going to throw your pretty-boy ass over the side of the ship.”

  “And second?”

  She smiled slyly. “If you’re a good teacher, I’ll make sure I match you up with Karl for your first fighting lesson—unless you want to get your ass handed to you by a woman?”

  He raised his brows and cocked his head to the side. “Sounds like a reasonable deal.”

  “Very reasonable,” Hannah snapped back. “And you can’t be a dick, either.”

  “Worry not, Hannah. I will erect my best behavior.” They both laughed, and Hadley saw Parker across the deck, leaning against the rail. The former conman kept sipping his kaffe and stealing glances at his girlfriend laughing in the sun with the handsome mystic. “Uh, oh,” he said. “Jealousy alert.”

  Hannah glanced at Parker and gave him a little wave. He faked a look of surprise, and waved back. “Parker? Jealous?”

  Hadley raised his eyebrows. “Come on, Captain. Don’t tell me you are the most powerful magician in all Irth, and you’re still stone-stupid about men. He’s worried and, knowing me, he probably has good cause.”

  Hannah slapped him across the chest, and Hadley added, “I’m sure that didn’t help.” Looking up, he also gave Parker a wave.

  “OK,” she admitted, “maybe a little jealous. And can you blame him, the way you came at me that first week?”

  “No, can’t blame him at all. I’d be scared shitless right now if I were your man and only a common lowlander. Hell, look at me!”

  Hannah put her hand over her mouth to stifle the laugh. “Remember the part about not being a dick?”

  “I’m not doing great, am I?”

  “Utter failure,” she confirmed.

  Hadley sat up and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Parker,” he yelled, drawing his friend’s attention. “Don’t worry, I’m not all that into her. And she thinks I’m a total dick.”

  Parker gave him the finger and went below deck.

  “No problem,” Hadley said. “All taken care of. Now, about those lessons…”

  Hannah walked Hadley through the training she had received from Ezekiel. The ways he had helped her to focus the power of the Etheric through the training exercises that had begun in the tower outside of Arcadia. She reminded him of the lessons he had given her at the temple, and how, given more time, she would have been able to move closer to mastery.

  “But I ran out of time,” she finally said.

  “Yeah, you had that little revolution you decided to run, which ended in the emancipation of your people and this journey east. Can’t understand how your dance card filled so quickly.” Hadley stood on the deck and glanced over the rail at the clear blue sky. “What do you want to be able to do?”

  She thought for a second before answering. “I’ve always been impressed by Zeke’s diversionary tactics. And I heard those dragons you called down on the Prophet in the Boulevard were pretty damned cool.”

  “How about we learn to walk first?” His eyes turned white, and his lips moved slowly at first and then faster. Hannah could hear sounds, but couldn’t make out the words he was saying.

  He lifted his hands palms-up in front of him, and a small glowing gray ball appeared and floated between them. With the turn of his hand, the ball warped and twisted and transformed into a sparrow, which hovered inches above his hands. He spoke once more and the bird flapped its wings, turned in a tight circle, and flew away, to be lost in the brightness of the morning sun.

  Hadley’s eyes turned back to normal, and he gave her a little nod. “Like that.”

  “Easy for you to say. I’ve been trying all your tricks—the meditation, the mumbling, the focus—and still no big images.”

  Hadley leaned back against the boards again. Shrugging, he said, “Listen, it’s just what works for me. What we were taught. I mean, we’ve both learned a lot about our magic since tagging along with the old man. What we do know is that the crafts work differently because we learn them differently. Maybe you don’t need me. Maybe you should just learn your own damned way.”

  Hannah didn’t answer. She just sat there staring at him, until she realized she was staring right through him. Cutting her eyes away, she surveyed the deck. Team BBB was starting to assemble, and she watched as Karl and Aysa bullshitted with each other on the stern of the ship. Gregory and Laurel huddled over kaffe in their own corner of the deck, Devin scrambling at their feet.

  With all they’d been through, and all that was to come, she couldn’t help but feel something as she gazed at them. Hannah tried to put her finger on it—what exactly the team brought her. Then it hit her. All her life she had felt a certain emptiness, but now, watching her friends on the deck, she felt full.

  Full of life.

  Full of hope.

  Full of love.

  Love, she thought again, and then she remembered her conversation with the Oracle. All magicians had their ways of unlocking the energy—twisting fingers, mumbled words, fingers in the foliage—but Hannah’s was love.

  Her eyes floated across the open deck and landed on Sal, who was lazily sleeping in the warm sun. Seeing him there—her dragon, her original work of power—her heart leaped. At once her eyes flashed red, and without so much as a thought a tiny image, blurry at first, appeared. It focused and grew until a perfect likeness of Sal hovered in the space between her and the mystic.

  Hadley’s mouth dropped open as Hannah concentrated. Mini-Sal flapped his wings, and after making the exact same turn Hadley’s bird had, flew off in the same direction as if on the hunt for the sparrow.

  “Damn!” he finally said, once the image was out of sight. “That wasn’t too shabby, Captain.”

  Hannah’s eyes returned to normal, and she let out a long sigh. Her stamina when working with the magic inside her had increased. The nanocytes had gained efficiency through her experiences, learning to use every ounce of Etheric energy as effectively as possible. But this… This wore her out.

  “Thanks,” she whispered. “It’s a start.”

  Hadley laughed. “A bloody good one, I’d say. What’d you do?”

  “I remembered what Lilith told me. My focus—the thing that makes my magic come—is love. Just needed to direct that at making an image.”

  Hadley raised his brows. “There’re some ladies in the Heights who might say my love is magic, but it ain’t nothing like that! It kind of kicked your ass though, didn’t it?” Her face was noticeably drawn.

  She nodded. “Always like this when I start something new. I’ll get it with practice. Now,” she nodded toward the others, “it looks like it’s time for you to start your lessons with Karl.”

  Hadley glanced across the deck at Karl. The rearick was lining up swords and knives and other tools of martial combat.

  “Do I have to?” he whined.

  Hannah laughed. “Yes, little boy. You have to. And, one of these days you will thank me for it.”

  CHAP
TER FIVE

  Hannah leaned against the ship’s railing, enjoying the warm breeze blowing through her hair. She watched with more than mild interest as Hadley prepared to train with Karl and Parker.

  Laurel and Aysa were watching too, both warrior women ready to laugh at the mystic’s expense.

  “Awright, lad,” Karl said. “We’ll start ye off slow. Try this bo staff. Ye can’t do much damage wi’ that.”

  Hannah smiled as Karl ran him through his paces. Not long ago Karl had done the same thing with her and Parker at their secret house in the Noble Quarter. Despite his occasional lapses in patience, the rearick was a great teacher.

  But that didn’t make Hadley a great student.

  Time after time, Karl sent the young man sprawling across the deck—to much applause from the audience.

  Hadley climbed to his feet and picked his staff back up. “Do we really have to do this in front of everyone?” he asked.

  “What’d’ya expect?” Karl growled. “Are ye plannin’ on doin’ all yer fightin’ in a quiet room? Stop worrying about the cheap seats and focus on yer stance.”

  Hadley rolled his eyes, then looked at Hannah. Thanks a lot for this.

  You’re welcome, she sent back to him. Listen, you’ll never win if you don’t use your strengths.

  Hadley looked down at his arms, then back at her. What strengths? I can barely keep this staff in my hand.

  Not all strength lies in the body, Had. I think it was you who taught me that.

  A sly grin spread across the mystic’s face.

  “Yer still smilin’?” Karl yelled. “I guess I’m not trainin’ ye hard enough.”

  “Yeah, rearick,” Hadley said with his old confidence showing. “Come over here and teach me.”

  Karl charged forward with his practice staff held straight out, then at the last minute swiped it low to trip the young man. But Hadley jumped, dodging the attack.

  Karl followed up with a flurry of swings, all of which were deftly evaded by Hadley.

  “How the hell ye doin’ that?” Karl asked. “It’s almost as if… Yer readin’ me mind, ain’t ya?”