- CHAPTER 2 -

Taken

The ancients write of silver being scarce. A precious metal cast into coins and used as currency. This has confused many scholars and is one of many secrets we still have yet to unravel. There are theories, of course. Some say that we, like the Wellspring, came from another world. Others claim Legaleian culture was simply different back then, or that, once upon a time, silver was not so easily accessible on Mani’s surface.

— From Secrets of Mani, by Sor the Lark

(Fynle 26, 997—Sunrise)

Kaen and Phoebe returned an hour later, bearing a pouch of coins and a sack of food purchased from the street market. “Here’s some food,” Kaen said with a sigh. “Master Harcost was very hesitant to give me our wages, but he eventually did.” He shook the coin bag, causing the copper inside to jingle. “This is all we have to go on for now.”

I nodded. “It will have to do.”

We stayed in the second story of the abandoned building that night, where we cleaned up a bit before setting up our sleeping arrangements. We kept one person on watch at all times. Tomorrow, we would move—it was too risky to stay in one place too long, as we didn’t know what the mage soldiers wanted with us, nor what might happen should they catch us.

Nothing good. That’s what my gut told me.

The next day, the backstreets were abuzz with news of the big chase with the mage soldiers. Everywhere we went, people talked about it:

“Oh, they’ll catch them for sure.”

“I heard they’re part of the Underground.”

“They say it was one girl, with hair like the blazing Sun!”

With each passerby we came across, I grew more afraid of what they might say, or who might report us to the authorities. My friends gave me glances that varied between amused and annoyed. Were the mage soldiers still after me? And why? There was no way they knew about . . . no, only Kaen knew my secret. There was only my white hair, but surely that wasn’t enough to . . .

Wait. ‘You! With the white hair!’ I recalled the mage soldier from the day before who had said just that, and groaned inwardly as I realized Lord Kalceron may be after me specifically—that this might not just stem from his well-known hatred of orphans.

The streets were cluttered as we made our way through the lower Market District. Here, the once-great city of Nytaea was brightened up by storefronts and merchant stalls. Colorful ribbons, banners and other decorations festooned the timeless white of the aged stone buildings, crisscrossing the streets not far above head level. Carts, horses and pedestrians passed by every second, hiding us in their midst. The hustle and bustle always made this part of the city seem so much more alive than other sectors, but it was hard to even think with all the noise. Varying scents from the food vendors’ stalls rose and fell as we passed them by.

Sol shone her usual brilliant white through the silver sky to the east, the last colors of dawn fading away at this point—being as it was the third day of the Sunlit Cycle, or Day Season. Each day, the white sun would rise to its zenith and eventually set, and we would enter the Sunless Cycle, or Night Season; then after another two weeks, it was back to the Sunlit Cycle. I know, it’s confusing.

Clouds rolling by cast long, flickering shadows of dawn upon the streets and the tall buildings. The peaked roofs around us felt like one more hedge of protection against those searching for us, but over them all to the north loomed the Nytaean Palace, gleaming white in the sunlight. Home of Lord Kalceron, governor of our city-state, along with much of the nobility. Nytaea, despite being only one of thirteen provinces of the Kystrean empire, had always been known as one of the greatest. Over all twelve kings—excuse me, governors—reigned a supreme Archlord, who I could only assume was eviler yet than Lord Kalceron.

We were heading to our next hideout. Hopefully, we could rest there for another while. We had made the hideouts over the years in case something along these lines ever happened, something that forced us from our home.

“Kaen,” I said as I kept pace just behind him, “What do you think those mage soldiers were after? I mean . . . they did point out my hair. . . .”

He said nothing for a moment, brushing past a couple of men as he walked. I mumbled a quick apology in his stead, while Phoebe and Mandrie followed behind. Then he answered, “I don’t want to believe that. Either way, I hope we don’t have to find out. Whatever it was, they were already on the lookout. We always knew we would have to move if anything happened to the orphanage, so . . . here we are, looking.”

He pointedly didn’t add, ‘and to Lentha,’ I noticed.

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Phoebe made a growling noise behind us, muttering something about how “those pigs” most likely got away after the arson. While I understood her frustration and anger, the best I could do was hope they had been caught by the city watch and brought to justice. It was out of our hands.

“Let’s just focus on getting to the shelter for now, all right?” I proposed. I couldn’t wait to be done with this city entirely. That was our aim, but it would take some planning, the right timing, and . . . well, probably a bit of luck.

We came to an intersection in the street ahead, and Kaen turned right, with the rest of us following after. Labeled “Farley Avenue,” this street was narrower and less crowded, and led away from the Market District. In a few minutes, we turned onto another street, and a few turns later, we were heading into the eastern slums. Here, we might be in for some trouble. But that was why I had my favorite knife belted onto my thigh beneath my grey skirt; just in case.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw someone following us thirty paces back. It was a woman. She wore a wide-brimmed hat and a non-descript grey cloak cinched at her breastbone with a brass pin. But underneath the cloak and hat I caught the glint of silver armor. On her wrists were silver cuffs, and on her legs she wore silver greaves and tall boots. A mage soldier, possibly an officer. And yet disguised.

“Kaen,” I hissed, “We’ve got a tail. A mage soldier, maybe an important one.”

“Just look straight ahead and keep walking,” he replied, not turning his head.

I felt my heartbeat quickening in my chest. We kept walking past the backstreet that led to our hideout, lest we show the mage our lair. She probably had backup waiting somewhere as well. I glanced furtively down the perpendicular streets and up at the buildings above, attempting to spot possible threats. I caught a few shadowy figures hiding, but they seemed to be the local no-goods curious about who we were.

“What’s our plan?” whispered Phoebe from beside me. “How do we shake this soldier?”

“I’m sure she has others around nearby,” I replied without turning my head. “I just wish I knew why she hasn’t come out and attacked us yet.”

“I don’t like it,” Kaen said. “We’re going to have to split up. Phoebe, you take Mandrie and hide out on the next left, while Lyn and I distract them. Make a break for it when you see a chance.”

Phoebe knew better than to protest when time was of the essence. “All right,” she muttered.

Kaen led the way down the alley to the left, and Mandrie and Phoebe hid themselves behind some crates outside an abandoned building while Kaen and I sprinted for the next small intersection, preparing to wait for the mage soldier to turn the corner—at which point we would bolt, as though we were only two of four escaping that way.

The woman came at us suddenly from the street to our left, hurtling out of the dark with a blue, crackling energy in her hands. She rushed me, but I dodged nimbly out of the way just before she released the bolt of lightning. She skidded to a halt, surprised that I had been able to evade her magic. She then pulled out a thin, silver sword, the weapon of choice of Lord Kalceron’s mage soldiers, and turned to Kaen.

I rolled up the right side of my skirt and pulled my knife from its sheath with a small ssshk!

Seeing an opening, I leaped in with my knife and thrust at her neck. She saw it coming, however, and turned at the last moment, and my knife only grazed her shoulder.

The mage cried out in pain, twisting to slice at me with her sword. I ducked, and Kaen slashed with his own knife, which glanced off of her armor instead of sinking into her ribs. The enchanted silver armor proved as strong as they said, hard enough to shrug off our bronze blades. She sprang back, throwing out a stunning pulse that stopped Kaen in his tracks.

Now a second mage soldier, a red-caped man, jumped into the fray in front of the woman, shouting threats at us. He swung his sword at me in a horizontal sweep, but I leapt right over it and rushed him, throwing him back into the female mage and then closing in with my dagger. I didn’t have any more fighting skills than Kaen, but I was quick and very strong.

The man dodged to the side and hurled a firebolt at me, but I leaned backward to evade it. The woman, already recovered, jolted me with lightning magic, stiffening my body and causing me to drop my knife. I would have cried out, or at least grunted, but the pulse took my breath away. My teeth ached and my ears pounded with pain.

I recovered within a few seconds, though, and dodged to the left, leaving my knife on the ground. Instead, I smashed the man in the head with my elbow, driven by every ounce of force I had, and he crumpled to the ground, rolling limply. I turned to the woman in time to see Kaen diving for her—only to have her bat the knife out of his hands with her sword.

I stole the opportunity, kicking the mage woman with all my might. My foot drove into her shoulder and sent her reeling to fall back-first onto the cobblestones.

“Thanks,” Kaen said.

I paid him no mind, leaping in one bound to where the woman lay struggling to catch her breath after the fall. I knelt, placing one knee heavily on her armored sternum and pinning her right arm with one hand. I raised my other arm, making a fist. I wanted so badly to smash her face into a new one, but we had to know what it was that they wanted with us.

The woman glared up at me, still gasping for air, wincing in pain as I pressed my knee harder against her chest. Only now did I notice the gold highlights on her outfit, denoting her elemental specialty. With her hat off, I was able to see her face more clearly, and I was struck by how much it reminded me of a fox. Sly and vulpine. “So you are a monster,” she gasped, almost triumphantly.

“I just . . . I just want to know why you attacked us,” I said through heavy breaths. My heart was still beating like a racehorse, adrenaline rushing through my veins like wildfire. These effects were most likely due to the fight having awakened a buried energy that didn’t often make its way to the surface.

“I-I’ll admit,” the mage soldier sputtered through gritted teeth, “I didn’t think it would come to this.”

I hesitated, but I didn’t lower my fist.

“Lyn, you can’t trust her!” Kaen shouted from behind me.

I pressed down harder with my knee, causing the woman to grunt in pain, and raised my fist, clenching my fingers tighter.

“Stop,” she croaked, “Or your—friends—die.”