The air rippled, then the scaffolding buckled inward as if punched by enormous, invisible fists. The crack of breaking timber and tortured metal echoed out of the gap in the wall, then the fortifications collapsed to the ground.
Looking up, Sonea saw that the magicians on the wall had all but disappeared. She watched as the Ichani strode into the city. Strikes came from the houses on either side, but the Sachakans ignored them. They strode on toward the Inner Wall.
Akkarin stepped back from the window, then turned to Cery.
'We must get into the city quickly,' he said, Cery smiled. 'No problem. Just follow me.'
It was not long before Farand was gasping for air. Dannyl caught the young man's arm and slowed to a fast walk. The young man glanced behind, his expression fearful.
'They won't follow us,' Dannyl assured him. 'They looked like they had their mind set on the Inner Circle.'
Farand nodded. The young magician had appeared beside Dannyl on the wall, perhaps seeking the reassurance of a familiar face. The magicians ahead drew farther away and eventually turned out of sight.
'Will we... get there... in time?' Farand panted as they reached the West Quarter.
'I hope so,' Dannyl replied. Looking up at the Inner Wall, he could see that some magicians were already hurrying along the top. He glanced at Farand, who was still pale but struggling along valiantly. 'Maybe not.'
He turned down the next street. The wall was directly ahead of them. When they reached it, Dannyl took hold of Farand's shoulders. He created a disc of power beneath their feet, and sent them upward as quickly as he dared. The sudden ascent made his stomach sink disconcertingly.
'I thought we weren't supposed to use any magic except in the fight,' Farand gasped.
They reached the top of the wall and Dannyl set them down. 'It's obvious you're still too weak for running,' he said. 'Better we got here soon enough for me to channel your power, than not get here in time at all.'
A magician hurried toward them, his face flushed from exertion, and they followed him along the wall. Looking down at the Inner Circle, Dannyl felt a flash of anxiety. Tayend was down there. Though the mansion the Scholar was hiding in was located on the other side of the Palace, it would not be any protection once the Ichani began to explore.
As they reached the line of magicians forming along the wall, Dannyl sent his power out to join the Guild's shield. He looked down at the Ichani. They were standing together before the gates, talking.
'Why haven't they attacked?' Farand asked.
Dannyl looked closer. 'I don't know. There's only six. One's missing.'
The Sachakan woman stepped out of a side street. She sauntered toward the Ichani. The leader crossed his arms and stepped forward to meet her. Dannyl watched their lips moving. The woman smiled, but when the leader turned away her expression changed to a sneer.
'She's rebellious,' Farand said. 'That might be useful, later.'
Dannyl nodded, then his attention was drawn back to the Ichani as they attacked. Strikes flashed through the air and he felt a vibration under his feet.
'They're attacking the wall,' a Healer nearby exclaimed.
The vibration increased rapidly to a shaking. Dannyl looked ahead. The magicians closest to the gates were struggling to keep their balance. Some had dropped to a crouch. As the Guild's shield fragmented, a few magicians were blasted off the wall completely.
Responding to Balkan's mental voice, Dannyl straightened. His own strike joined the hundreds that rained on the Sachakans. A hand touched his shoulder, and he felt Farand's power added to his own.
The shaking and noise ceased abruptly. The Ichani backed away from the gates. Dannyl felt a little surge of hope, though he had no idea what they were retreating from.
Then the gates fell outward and slammed into the ground at the Ichani's feet. Rubble from the ruined wall rained down on top of it. Kariko looked up at the magicians on either side and smiled with obvious satisfaction.
At once the magicians hurried to wooden staircases that had been built on the inside of the wall. Dannyl and Farand hastened down to the streets below.
'What next?' Farand panted as they reached the ground.
'We meet Lord Vorel.'
'And then?'
'I don't know. Vorel will have directions, I imagine.'
A few streets later, Dannyl found the Warrior waiting in the prearranged meeting place with several other magicians. All were quiet and subdued.
Vorel nodded at Balkan's command. He looked at each of them, his expression sober and grim. 'That means we are to get close to them, without being seen. When the next command comes, we are to attack at once, focusing our strikes on one Sachakan. Follow me.'
As Vorel hurried away, Dannyl, Farand and the other magicians in their group followed. Not a word was spoken.
Cery watched as Sonea and Akkarin disappeared into the darkened passage, following their guide. Drawing in a deep breath, he began walking in the other direction. Takan followed close behind.
He had much to do. The other Thieves needed to know that Akkarin and Sonea had made it into the Inner Circle. The fake magicians could be let loose on the streets. The slaves needed to be found and dealt with. And he... he needed a strong drink.
The journey through to the Inner Circle had been terrifying, even for one used to the passages of the Thieves' Road. The roof had collapsed under the wall, leaving only enough room to squirm through in places. Sonea had assured him that she and Akkarin would be able to hold the roof up with magic if it started to fall again, but with every breath of dust Cery had found it far too easy to imagine himself being crushed and buried.
He reached a stretch of passage that ran parallel to an alley. Grates high in the wall gave glimpses of the street beyond. Hearing the sound of running feet, Cery paused and watched as a magician ran past. The man skidded to a halt.
'Oh, no,' he whimpered.
Bending close to a grate, Cery saw that the alley was a dead end. The magician was a novice - a mere youth. His robes were covered in dust.
Then, from somewhere just past the street entrance, came a woman's voice.
'Where are you? Where are you, little magician?'
The woman's accent was so like Savara's, that for a moment Cery thought it was her. But the voice was higher, and the laugh that followed was cruel.
The youth cast about, but this was the Inner Circle, and there were no crates or rubbish lying about to hide behind. Cery hurried down the passage to the grate closest to the boy, then pushed it open.
'Hai, magician!' he whispered.
The boy jumped, then turned to stare at Cery.
'Come in here,' Cery beckoned. 'Come on.'
The youth glanced toward the alley entrance once, then dived for the opening. He fell into the passage head first, landed awkwardly, then rolled over and scrambled to his feet. As the woman's voice came again, he backed against the far wall, panting with terror.
'Where did you go?' the woman called as she strode down the alley. 'This goes nowhere. You must be inside one of these houses. Let's have a look.'
She tested a few doors, then blasted one open. As she disappeared inside, Cery turned to grin at the novice.
'You're safe now,' he said. 'It'll take her hours to search all the houses. Likely she'll get bored, and go looking for easier prey.'
The youth's panting had slowed to long, deliberate breaths. He straightened and pushed away from the wall.
