crafting a subtle Sapping spell. Blindly and numbly he had acted, fumbling with magic by feel and from memory, when normally he could have cast such a spell in an instant. He had enshrouded the thing within the best concealment spells he had learned from Grand Master Tudor and across the floor he sent it. He attached it to the leg of Cang and it began nibbling cautiously at his power.
The stream of power that came back into Samuel revitalised him. He took a few refreshing gulps and then he sent out a blast of magic towards the leader of the Circle. The spell struck Cang without effect, for the cunning magician ever had his defences in place. He took the blow without flinching and, turning from Lomar, he sent a spell of his own back that evaporated Samuel’s hastily crafted barriers in a single swipe.
At this, Balten seemed to lurch into life and came forward to assist his master, but Eric in turn struck out against him, sending a spell into the man’s back that made him spin around with a grimace. The two fought, trading spells that whistled and roared, but Balten had to take care not to damage the circle. Eric, however, was under no such limitation.
Samuel opened his Sapping spell further, for the thing had rooted itself deeply within Cang and had a tight grip. He started gulping at the power and only then did Cang realise what was happening.
‘Damn you all thrice!’ he howled and struggled to disrupt the spell, stamping his legs and blasting at the elusive magic with magic of his own.
Samuel took the chance to send more spells hurtling at the old magician, using the wiry man’s own power against him, and Cang howled in rage as he deflected the blows with one hand.
A shadow caught Samuel’s eye and he was relieved to see that Lomar had finally gained his place beside Eric, with the child moving about inside his robe. It was Master Celioswhogave him away, for he came running up behind Lomar laughing and clapping.
‘The King is here! The King is here!’ he cried, like a buffoon and,in response, Lomar acted. He twirled about like a tornado, once in full circle and with the deftness of an acrobat. Something had glinted in his hand amongst the blur of flying black cloth and Celios froze on the spot, clutching at the red line across his throat.
‘What in blazes are you doing? You fool!’ Cang called aloud.
Lomar’s hand then reached Eric and he gripped on and hugged close. Eric looked as surprised as Samuel at the deftness and ferocity at which Lomar had dispatched of Celios, for the seer had been more of a pest than a threat. Still, Eric’s spell hadanticipatedthe plan, and his second Journey spell snapped out around the both of them and they were gone.
Cang stood wide-eyed with disbelief. The room was quiet, with smoke rising from scorched pieces of stone where spells had landed astray. Only Master Celios’ gurgling and final coughs of blood broke the silence, until he, too, was quiet, lying still on the floor.
‘What has he done?’ Cang stammered and snapped Samuel’s Sapping spell with a final shake of his leg.
Balten had wandered onto the dais, but Cang rushed past and pushed him aside.
‘Get outofthe way,’ Cang ordered and,with that,he forged his own Journey spell, bringing it into being around himself with impressive speed and skill.
Samuel could no longer see the weaves in play, but he could sense the magic falling into place. He could feel the designs as if they were scars upon reality, but they were intangible to his eyes.
‘There!’ Cang called as he finished the final segment, and he released the spell at once. He should have disappeared along with the spell as the magic flashed from existence, but something went terribly awry. His right hand had vanished, while the rest of him remained. He held the stump before him and roared, but more from anger than anything. No blood issued from the wound,andCang was too powerful to be worriedashe turned to face Samuel, full of rage.
‘Do you see what you’ve done? The Demon King has escaped and we cannot follow him. Your fool friend has broken the stones at the other side. We are trapped here!’
Several shrill screams sounded from the birthing room and Samuel felt magic at work from within. He forgot Cang and went to rush away, but the Koian woman had already come running out and was tying a sash around her waist. She had new clothes on, of the Paatin-style, and,remarkably, she looked refreshed and vital. She looked as lithe as she had in the year past and was obviously having no difficulty in moving about, despite the trauma of having just given birth.
‘Where is my baby?’ she called.
‘Your demon spawn is gone!’ Cang called. ‘Escaped!’
She looked content with the news and came over tostandbeside Samuel. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, pushing her face into his chest. ‘That’s good. Then let us go and be with him.’
‘What have you done?’ Samuel asked her, pushing her away so he could look into her face. ‘Where are the midwives?’ he added, looking back towards the room.
‘I couldn’t just wait in bed,’ she replied. ‘I needed them. If we were all going to die anyway, what does it matter?’
Samuel had no time to argue with her. In the end, he supposed it was true; they had no time to let her rest in bed. It was only her flagrant disregard for the livesof othersthat bothered him.
‘How can this be?’ Cang said to himself, still raging. ‘What has he done? Lomar has ruined everything!’
‘Lomar has tricked you,’ Samuel said. ‘Eric will be back for us, but your plans are finished.’
‘Back? My dear Samuel, Iamcertain that by now your friend Eric is dead. Lomar is the most devilish servant of the Circle I have. I just can’t imagine how he thinks to profit from ruining our plans. He must realise this means doom for us all.’
‘What do you mean?’ Samuel asked.
‘Who do you think kidnapped the Empress and brought her here in the first place? He was the one who secreted her away, keeping her hidden in Ghant andsurrenderingher to the Paatin. He delivered the Paatin Queen’s poison to your School of Magic and ensured it would thin the Order ranks. That was Anthem’s punishment for tampering with Chancellor Donovan’s affairs, and the Chancellor’s payment for services rendered. Lomar has been on top of this whole affair since the start. Why do you think he has been standing with his mouth clamped shut all this time, while we have been making revelations that would attract comment from even the most dim-witted of magicians? I will tell you why. Of all my minions, Lomar was my oldest and most trusted. He already knew everything there was to know! Lomar was supposed to carry on with my plan if I fell. See how skilfully he killed poor Master Celios? What kind of magician can do that? He has been an assassin since he was barely nine years old.’
‘That’s ridiculous.’
‘My, how you have been fooled! Balten’s task was to intimidate you when required, but Lomar was charged with befriending you. He was there from the very beginning, or don’t you remember? After I first heard rumours of your presence in Marlen, he was the first man to be sent to the scene! It was he that called in Ash and his team to do their dirty work upon your family. Lomar has been steering you all along.’
‘No, you lie,’ Samuel said, in complete denial of Cang’s words.
‘It is true, Samuel,’ Balten said. ‘If you think deeply, you will realise that he has always been leading you towards this path. Lomar is much more diabolical than he seems. He is my superior within the Circle.’
Cang grit his teeth in anger. ‘He would have made a worthy successor, but now, he has done the inconceivable and deceived even me.’
‘No,’ Samuel said, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘Lomar wouldn’t do that. Ash’s men tried to kill me, too. I only got away by jumping in the river. They would have killed me, too.’
‘Those fools got carried away! They were supposed to catch you, not kill you, but those worthless scum were lazier than they were worth. Once Cadin had gotten his hands on you,he would have realised you were the one, but those fools were only interested in their spoils. Luckily, despite their incompetence, it ended well. Lomar arranged for you to move down from the mountains where we could keep a closer eye on you. When the time was right, we sent you to Cintar and,as you know, everything progressed from there.’
‘And we are stuck here now,’ said Balten.
‘We can still Journey away,’ Samuel suggested, still attempting to digest what he had learned.
‘But not to anywhere worth going,’ Cang added sourly. ‘Anywhere we can reach will still be destroyed. We need to cross the world in the next few minutes to survive. Even then, our survival will only be temporary-ten, fifteen years at the most. With Lin escaped, he will eventually come for us all.’
There was a tiny flicker of light and a swelling of magic and they turned towards the dais as Eric reappeared
