Read Online Wrath of the White Tigress by David Alastair Hayden - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Alastair Hayden
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something or perhaps nursing a fallen comrade. Rakas, the palymfar leader, feared another possibility, that the two held Jaska within and planned to use him as a bargaining piece.
The firelight ceased and Rakas's qavra released all its active magics, including his darksight. Only the dim light of charcoal Zhura high above illuminated the canyon now. He uttered a spell to restore his qavra's functions. Nothing happened. Glancing around, he quickly realized it was the same for the others.
"Retreat," Rakas whispered.
Power again stirred within his qavra. He paused, hoping his abilities would return. But something unthinkable occurred. Every qavra blazed to life, emanating violet light and humming loudly.
An arrow skewered the palymfar beside Rakas. The twang of another bowstring panicked his comrades and they fled. Rakas ripped the glowing qavra from his neck and tossed it over the ledge, sacrilege though it might be.
~~~
As he sprinted along the path down into the canyon, Jaska whistled to signal Ohzikar. Then he turned and dropped over the side. He fell twenty feet, caught a ledge with his foot, propelled himself along the wall to a lower ledge, and bounded downward again. Three more times he did this, alighting for a brief moment with only a single foot. Finally, he launched himself away from the canyon wall and struck the sandy bottom shoulder-first, rolling forward onto his feet.
He ran ahead and caught up to one of the fleeing palymfar who had abandoned his qavra. The assassin heard Jaska's approach only at the last moment. As soon as he spun around, cold steel bit deep into his neck.
~~~
The lone palymfar guarding the horses saw the eerie violet lights deep within the canyon and heard the faint hum of arrows. The horses stirred and snorted. He tensed and held to the reins, patted necks and spoke soothing words. Then came the sound of men screaming. The horses nearly bolted, but he calmed them with a spell. This worked for only a few seconds, until his qavra stopped responding. His darksight dimmed. Then his qavra glowed with violet light. He drew his saber and waited as he heard men fight and die in the canyon beyond. He thought to flee but feared the repercussions.
Something whispered across the ground toward him.
A dark shape appeared, blood-splattered and fearsome.
"M-Master Bavadi?"
A throwing spike pierced deep into his eye socket, and he died before Jaska's saber sliced into his heart for good measure.
When Zyrella and Ohzikar arrived a few minutes later, Jaska was crouched beside the body, staring through the Shadowland into the canyon, making sure he hadn't missed any of the palymfar. Both cringed when they looked at him.
"The way is clear," Jaska said. "They're all dead. You can ride up and get the rest of your supplies now."
Ohzikar left immediately.
"What did you do to their qavra?" Zyrella asked.
"To combat any betrayals, Salahn hid a spell within all the qavra that can stop active magics and cause the qavra to glow and hum. Only Salahn, Mardha, and I and know about it."
"I didn't detect it when I scanned the qavra."
"Only Salahn can see the spell or get rid of it. My original is probably vulnerable as well." Jaska wondered just how many protections Salahn had built up against him. "And I'm sure it probably has additional measures, just in case."
~~~
As they reached Alkrahar Road, riding at a slow canter, Ohzikar said, "Surely we aren't going to attack the enemy head-on?"
"No," Zyrella said. "Salahn has grown too powerful for that."
Jaska made no reply and seemed not to have heard them.
"Jaska," Zyrella said, waking him from whatever ill reverie possessed him. "Could you have defeated Salahn a month ago?"
"With surprise, a good plan, and a lot of luck, maybe. But not now."
"And there are hundreds of palymfar to contend with," Ohzikar said.
Eyes narrowed, Jaska replied: "Five hundred and twenty, with nearly a hundred always near Salahn. And he has thousands of
The firelight ceased and Rakas's qavra released all its active magics, including his darksight. Only the dim light of charcoal Zhura high above illuminated the canyon now. He uttered a spell to restore his qavra's functions. Nothing happened. Glancing around, he quickly realized it was the same for the others.
"Retreat," Rakas whispered.
Power again stirred within his qavra. He paused, hoping his abilities would return. But something unthinkable occurred. Every qavra blazed to life, emanating violet light and humming loudly.
An arrow skewered the palymfar beside Rakas. The twang of another bowstring panicked his comrades and they fled. Rakas ripped the glowing qavra from his neck and tossed it over the ledge, sacrilege though it might be.
~~~
As he sprinted along the path down into the canyon, Jaska whistled to signal Ohzikar. Then he turned and dropped over the side. He fell twenty feet, caught a ledge with his foot, propelled himself along the wall to a lower ledge, and bounded downward again. Three more times he did this, alighting for a brief moment with only a single foot. Finally, he launched himself away from the canyon wall and struck the sandy bottom shoulder-first, rolling forward onto his feet.
He ran ahead and caught up to one of the fleeing palymfar who had abandoned his qavra. The assassin heard Jaska's approach only at the last moment. As soon as he spun around, cold steel bit deep into his neck.
~~~
The lone palymfar guarding the horses saw the eerie violet lights deep within the canyon and heard the faint hum of arrows. The horses stirred and snorted. He tensed and held to the reins, patted necks and spoke soothing words. Then came the sound of men screaming. The horses nearly bolted, but he calmed them with a spell. This worked for only a few seconds, until his qavra stopped responding. His darksight dimmed. Then his qavra glowed with violet light. He drew his saber and waited as he heard men fight and die in the canyon beyond. He thought to flee but feared the repercussions.
Something whispered across the ground toward him.
A dark shape appeared, blood-splattered and fearsome.
"M-Master Bavadi?"
A throwing spike pierced deep into his eye socket, and he died before Jaska's saber sliced into his heart for good measure.
When Zyrella and Ohzikar arrived a few minutes later, Jaska was crouched beside the body, staring through the Shadowland into the canyon, making sure he hadn't missed any of the palymfar. Both cringed when they looked at him.
"The way is clear," Jaska said. "They're all dead. You can ride up and get the rest of your supplies now."
Ohzikar left immediately.
"What did you do to their qavra?" Zyrella asked.
"To combat any betrayals, Salahn hid a spell within all the qavra that can stop active magics and cause the qavra to glow and hum. Only Salahn, Mardha, and I and know about it."
"I didn't detect it when I scanned the qavra."
"Only Salahn can see the spell or get rid of it. My original is probably vulnerable as well." Jaska wondered just how many protections Salahn had built up against him. "And I'm sure it probably has additional measures, just in case."
~~~
As they reached Alkrahar Road, riding at a slow canter, Ohzikar said, "Surely we aren't going to attack the enemy head-on?"
"No," Zyrella said. "Salahn has grown too powerful for that."
Jaska made no reply and seemed not to have heard them.
"Jaska," Zyrella said, waking him from whatever ill reverie possessed him. "Could you have defeated Salahn a month ago?"
"With surprise, a good plan, and a lot of luck, maybe. But not now."
"And there are hundreds of palymfar to contend with," Ohzikar said.
Eyes narrowed, Jaska replied: "Five hundred and twenty, with nearly a hundred always near Salahn. And he has thousands of
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