Jace drew his sword and pointed it at her.
“It’s been a long time, big sister.”
61
Brandt forced himself to focus on the path ahead. As soon as he crossed the bridge, the sounds of his friends fighting behind him faded away, allowing his imagination to run wild.
On the opposite side of the bridge he came to a small circular chamber with pillars around the outside. Torches had been lit inside, but a quick glance didn’t reveal anyone within. Brandt raced through, entering the hallway on the other side of the chamber.
He stopped when he thought he saw a flicker of movement in the corner of his vision. He glanced back, but the circular chamber appeared empty.
A trick of the imagination, he supposed.
Brandt ran down the hallway, the blue light growing more vivid with every step.
The hallway here was the same smooth stone they had seen so often in their descent through the mountain. The only difference was that here, inscriptions covered the walls. Brandt didn’t recognize the script, but his only language was imperial, and these caves definitely weren’t made by the empire.
He slowed again as he came to the end of the hallway. An arched doorway opened up to another chamber. The chamber appeared to be one large circular room. It was larger than the first chamber he’d passed through, and this room had no pillars.
Brandt checked behind him. The hallway remained empty. He turned back, giving his full attention to the lone man waiting for him in the chamber.
Kye held two short swords in an easy stance. Perhaps to an untrained eye, he might appear relaxed, but Brandt saw more. The man was in a position where he could react to almost any attack.
Brandt stepped into the chamber, then sidestepped until he could see past Kye. The blue light was nearly unbearable, and it came from the room beyond. Kye guarded the entrance. Brandt saw two women, kneeling before something out of his sight, something that was emitting the blue light.
It had to be the gate.
No matter what happened here, this was the end of his journey.
He was tired. The last day had exhausted him, and the fear that he had lost yet another group of warriors that trusted him whittled at his focus.
Still, he hated that he wasn’t more scared. This was Kye, the bandit who had killed his wolfblades. He should be terrified. But he didn’t remember.
Kye had been strong enough to defeat all five wolfblades fighting together years ago. Brandt was a stronger fighter now, but had he closed the gap between them?
The only way to find out would be to cross blades. He stepped forward, ready to put the question to rest forever.
Kye stopped him with a question. “You really don’t remember me, do you?”
Brandt met the governor’s gaze. He saw a stranger’s eyes. “You took their deaths away from me.”
Kye didn’t respond for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. “One could say that I gave you a second chance at life. You became stronger. You and Ana found each other again and started a life together. If I hadn’t taken their deaths from you, these last seven years never would have happened.”
Brandt growled. After everything, Kye wanted him to be grateful?
What really burned, though, was the knowledge that Kye wasn’t wrong. Because he hadn’t killed Brandt, he’d led a longer and more interesting life.
How did he balance the memories of his friends and the years of his life?
“Why did you let me live?”
“Because I never wanted to kill you. I was only interested in becoming stronger. My story from a few days ago was true. I want to be strong. I want this empire to be strong. When you demonstrated the depths of your ability in the forest, I thought that someday you might become an ally. I wanted you to explore your powers, to understand what was coming.”
Brandt pointed his sword at the Lolani women, still bowing and chanting beyond the doorway. “If you want the empire to be strong, why aid them?”
Kye gave a small shrug of his shoulders. “She will make us strong. Anders and his successors have made us weak.”
Brandt didn’t have time for Kye’s madness. “Let me pass.”
“No. But it isn’t too late for you, Brandt, or your friends. You’ve again demonstrated your quality. Help us, and be a part of the new world we are building, stronger than anything that’s come before.”
Brandt’s only answer was to step forward, his blade ready.
Kye almost looked saddened, but he didn’t budge.
Brandt tested Kye’s defenses, the point of his sword seeking gaps between Kye’s twin blades.
With the shorter weapons, Kye was faster. Brandt attempted several attacks, but none of them came close to cutting the governor. Some small part of Brandt had always wondered if what he had learned about Kye were true. Without memory, doubt remained. But after three passes, Brandt knew Kye’s skill surpassed his own. He broke off the attack.
The chanting of the women increased in volume. Whatever they planned, Brandt imagined they didn’t have much longer in their ritual. Every moment of his life led to this act. This was where he made the sacrifice of his friends mean something.
Sounds and extraneous thoughts fell away. His sword became an extension of his body, a single sharpened limb designed to kill. His focus was only on Kye.
He glided forward, light on his feet. Their exchange wasn’t the gentle exploration of a few heartbeats ago. Swords clashed in the blue light, waves of clanging sound echoing in the chamber, growing to a crescendo with each new impact.
Brandt barely noticed any of it. All that mattered was killing Kye, then killing the women beyond.
Brandt’s sword came down and was deflected by one of Kye’s. Kye stepped forward and attempted to impale Brandt. Brandt spun, keeping pressure on one blade while trying to land a quick spinning kick. Kye responded by stepping back, giving
