I slipped a couple of the inferno cantrips out of the box and into the pendant around my neck before leaving the break room with the others. Outside the castle, I found the shadowy form of a lich waiting for me.
“Hey,” said Harper.
“Hey,” I said. “Where have you been?”
“Around,” she said. “Miles came here looking for you. How’d you get split up?”
“I went looking for my family,” I said. “Let’s just say I got more than I bargained for.”
In truth, I had no idea what to do with the new revelation that they’d fixed up their old base, let alone Lex’s proclamation that she intended to step in to take advantage of a war which looked more and more inevitable by the day. The Family had always thrived on chaos. Even before they’d started outright interfering among the Houses, they’d sent in spies and assassins to sow paranoia in the city. That was one reason nobody had been sorry to see them locked up, yet they’d escaped anyway. Had the House of Fire’s jailor helped free them? Tay had acted against him, which ought to prove she wasn’t supporting the Family any longer, but I couldn’t help wondering if she’d known their location all along.
“I want to come with you to free the sprites,” said Harper. “I can help.”
I turned to her. “You want to come to the citadel?”
She drifted closer to me. “Yes. If Hawker has any cantrips which can bring me back to life, they’ve got to be there.”
“Are you sure he’d have left them lying around?”
“It’s worth a shot,” Harper said. “I can’t deal with this crap any longer. I hate being dead.”
Sympathy squeezed my chest. “I’m not saying you don’t have good reason to, but experimental cantrips… they can have downsides. Big ones. I can check with Liv, if you like. She might know if there’s a chance of finding them there.”
“Thanks, Bria,” said Harper. “I appreciate it.”
I turned away from the castle and saw Miles and several other spirit mages gathering in the ground, while Liv herself stood further off. If she’d been the one who’d brought the warning, she’d know if Hawker was likely to have a cure for the liches hidden in the citadel, so I made my way over to her.
When Liv caught sight of me, I said, “Harper wanted me to ask if you found the cure yet.”
“You mean for being dead?” said Liv. “Yeah, there’s a cantrip which technically returns someone to life, but there’s a major downside. Also, Hawker stole it anyway. He’s only using those fake ones.”
“Fake ones?” I said.
“They bring you back to life but make you rot from the inside out and fall to bits,” she said. “Trust me, Harper doesn’t want that.”
“Guess not.” I reached into my pocket and held up one of the inferno cantrips. “You want a way to destroy the machinery? This shit works. I already blew up one of them.”
She eyed the cantrip. “Is that one of those inferno cantrips which amplifies fire magic?”
“You’ve got it,” I said. “If I tell you to move, then I’d get outta the way.”
“I’ll take your word for it on that.” She sounded like her usual grumpy self, and I wondered what had possessed her to go and hear Hawker out when he’d tried to recruit her. On the other hand, I’d rather not tell her what I’d been doing for the last hour, so I returned to Harper’s side.
“Liv said Hawker’s using fake cantrips which bring you back to life and make you rot from the inside out,” I told her.
“Oh, ugh,” she said. “You know what, I prefer being a lich, thanks.”
“Exactly my thinking.”
I’ll find a way to help her. On top of the other shit going on, it seemed a tall order, but who knew, maybe the enemy had left a clue lying around which would enable me to help her return to life. It was no more outlandish a notion than the idea of capturing the Family again, after all.
Dex flew over to me. “Ready to stage a rescue mission?”
“You’re coming to save the sprites?” I said.
“Yes,” he said. “Wouldn’t miss it. Where’ve you been all day?”
A shadow fell over us as the Death King descended the stone staircase at the front of the castle, sparing me from having to reply. The King of the Dead wore a human face which looked younger than I’d expected, though it must be an illusion. A convincing one, too.
“Come with me,” he told our group. “We will go in through Arcadia’s citadel. Expect an ambush—and expect them to be armed.”
Yeah, I figured that much.
The Death King swept out of the gates, towards the node. Liv walked to catch him up, while I kept both eyes open for potential intruders lurking in the swamp.
Miles caught my arm. “You’re jumpy. Sure you’re up for this?”
“I’m sure.” I think. “Someone’s gotta do it.”
I walked with him towards the node, keeping my fingers and toes crossed that no members of the Family waited on the other side.
14
None did. We landed in Arcadia’s dark street, where the Death King led the way across the town square to the citadel. I’d assumed the way in was still barred, but he reached out and did something to the door, which slid open as though pulled by a mechanism from inside. Neat trick. I’d have asked him how he did it, but several liches waited on the other side of the door, and not the friendly type. They moved in a tide of shadow, and our allies stepped up to meet them.
I’d never duelled a lich before, but a flame from my hand took care of two of them, burning them to ashes. They’d regenerate, but hopefully somewhere far away. Ryan’s air
