Chapter 33 Like a Boulder
LIKE A BOULDER
Hardin slid open another drawer, the last thread of hope unraveling like twine under pressure.
“It’s empty.”
Like every other drawer, chest, shelf and closet in the room, the Hyalite was not there. Stepping to the window, he checked again to see if Venrick was still outside with the wagon. His head snapped as he did a double-take.
“Wha-the?”
He watched Giant and Thunder lurch into motion and saw that the wagon was being driven by someone other than Venrick. The rear door flexed as something on the inside pounded to open the wagon from within, but it wasn’t budging.
“Ven, he’s been caught.”
Footsteps squeaked against the floorboards in the hallway outside the door.
He froze. The footsteps approached. Hardin searched the room for somewhere to hide.
His options were less than ideal; behind the desk or curtain, or back out the window onto the narrow ledge. He dove behind the end of the desk.
Oh ash, did I forget to close the drawer?
The door opened a second later, footsteps clicked into the room and then paused.
“Sasja,” a smooth voice called from down the corridor.
The door creaked on its hinges as it closed partway. A second set of heavier foot falls approached, and the door creaked wide open again.
“We’ve dealt with the intruder, but something has me second-guessing that that’s the extent of the intrusion.
A part of me questions whether he was actually alone.
Tel’s Squire shouldn’t possess the magical ability to get past my wards.
Either I missed something when I created them, which has never happened before…
or he’s with someone capable of slipping through without so much as a hint of triggering an alarm. ”
“Why would he have come here and not gone to the fortress if he had access to such power?” Sasja replied.
“The only thing I can come up with is that he somehow snuck through my portal. Did you have eyes on it the entire time?”
“No, I didn’t because you commanded me to search for the wagon,” Sasja said through gritted teeth. A moment later sounds of distress came from her, though Hardin couldn’t see what was overcoming her. He nearly stepped out from his hiding place when they suddenly stopped.
“When you use that tone with me, I question where your true loyalties lie,” the man replied.
“It’s bad enough that I have to live like this. Now you want to control my thoughts and emotions, too?” Sasja argued.
“I let you go out into the world; you have more freedom than the Morsythians,” he answered.
“I’m as free as a boulder rolling down a mountain. My fate is set, the paths I can take are defined. I can’t escape.”
There was a long pause where Hardin thought the mage might’ve left. Then he said, “Be thankful you are still of use to the Order.”
“I’m not of use to you now. I don’t know how Venrick was able to get through your wards.”
“He has the genetic marker that my Master spoke of, but that wouldn’t give him the strength to break through my wards.”
Hardin leaned in, hoping to hear the mage explain.
“But you caught him?” she asked.
The man’s voice shifted to a condescending tone. “The fool went out the window, scraping the snow off the ledge. I’ve sent him to the fortress, where the Morsythians and I will handle him,” he replied.
The mage caught Venrick and took him to the fortress, Hardin’s eyes went wide as he realized he was all alone now.
“He didn’t find it, did he?” she asked.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t keep the Hyalite in an unguarded building. It’s still secure where nothing can get past the protection I have set around it. Not even the Archmagus could take it,” he replied.
“What about Ella. She could, couldn’t she.”
The mage didn’t answer aloud. After a brief pause, he asked, “Didn’t you say you saw the Doranian in Astral City?”
“He must’ve continued on his quest undeterred to the Vermillion Keep.”
“Was he traveling with the dwarf?”
“How would I know?”
“You saw him near the Keep, but was he with the dwarf?”
“Hardin didn’t have the funds to contract anyone from the Vermillion Keep. Your plan to steer him away from Lamar was still intact. He would’ve had to go back to Stormwatch to afford a Knight.”
Hardin nearly gasped aloud but held his breath. Sasja was in Doran to stop him from coming to Lamar?
“He shouldn’t have continued beyond Stormwatch if you had done your job. It was imperative that he not make it to Astral City, yet you saw him there.”
“I did my job. I tried to convince him to go to Storm Keep. When that didn’t work, he was beaten by your orcs, then robbed because of me, all by your design,” she said.
“Continue to search the estate. I want to verify that my wards have not been compromised before you join us for the event.”
“As if I had a choice,” she muttered under her breath.
“Say that again,” he threatened.
“I do as your will commands,” she said, venom lacing her voice.
“It does, and don’t forget, Sasja. I know about your past with that dragonrider. Do anything to aid her and you’ll meet the same fate.”
“How could I? With this amulet, I am a boulder rolling down a mountain while wishing to break free and fly,” Sasja repeated, struggling to keep the pain out of her voice.
“As are so many. Count yourself lucky I don’t make you serve as the Morsythians do,” he said, leaving her in the entrance.
Hardin remained still. In his heart he longed to step out from behind the desk, to see her again, but he wasn’t sure that he could trust her.
Wouldn’t she out him to the mage as soon as he approached?
But Sasja had answers to questions that had brought him here.
She had targeted Hardin since before they met, stolen his coin according to this mage’s design to throw him off course, to distract him from going to Astral City. Why?
I have to know!
Hardin rose from behind the desk just as Sasja stepped out of the room and into the hallway.
Hardin slipped over, catching the door before it closed.
Sasja whirled, her blue eyes widening as she faced him.
Her shock faded into a grin, before horror contorted her perfect features.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulled her into the room, and closed the door behind them.
As he held her, Sasja’s lips parted to say an apology? or… She drew in a sharp breath.
She’s going to cry out, he realized.
Hardin’s instincts took over. With his hands full, holding her still and keeping the door shut, he did the only thing he could think of that would keep her mouth shut.
He pressed his mouth against hers, locking lips and kissing her.
Hardin squeezed his eyes tight, hoping Sasja’s voice wouldn’t blast through his lips.
Her exhale cut short as she let out a slightly alarmed mummer that faded into a simmering hum.
Sasja’s rigid posture relaxed. Her lips worked against his, kissing him in turn.
She ran her hands into his hair inviting him in.
Hardin melted into her, their ebbing and flowing rising with equal passion.
He brought his hand away from the door, gently cupping the side of her face, as he held her closer.
She ran her hand into his hair, pushing him in, deepening their kiss.
The time apart, the unspoken attraction between them, the desire he felt for her all coalesced into this moment.
A moment he didn’t want to end. Whatever was going to happen after this kiss, Hardin didn’t want to factor in.
He couldn’t think those thoughts. He wanted to remain there, in that moment, immersed in the throes of their passion.
Fluttering tickled his heart as the kiss came to a natural end, leaving both of them panting as they held one another. Hardin waited for Sasja to speak, ready to throw himself right back into the kiss to keep her from shouting an alarm.
“Hardin, I wanted to come back to you. I wanted to explain, but this,” she said motioning to the circular amulet around her neck. “I wish I could explain to you how much it pained me. How hard I was resisting his power.”
“Sasja,” he said, quieting her. “I understand.”
“You do?” she said, her bright blue eyes narrowing.
“This curse,” he said, running a finger gently down the amulet. “It’s why I was traveling to Astral City. It’s why I still have to find a way to help the people in my town.”
“But you aren’t,” she said, pressing a hand against his chest, feeling for an amulet like hers.
“I don’t have it because I walked away from it,” he said.
She shook her head. “That’s not how this works. If you had, you would be dead.”
“I didn’t die because I’m a… Well, apparently, one of my parents is a—”
“You’re a Ward Walker.”
He nodded.
“That’s how you and Venrick were able go through the portal without him knowing,” she said, nodding toward the door.
“I pulled us through the portal. We’re here to find the Hyalite.”
“I…” she stammered.
“I know the conditions of your curse. I was victim of a curse like you, but because of what I am, I didn’t die when I disobeyed. You don’t need to risk your life to answer my questions. Just nod or shake your head when I ask a question. You didn’t want to steal the Hyalite from Lark, did you?”
She shook her head, a quarter of a smile coloring her cheeks slightly. “Lark, the name suits her far better than Ella.”
“The whole time I’ve known you, you’ve been under a mage’s curse and forced against your will to do his bidding,” he said.
She nodded.
“The amulets the Morsythians wear are his, too. They are all under his control.”
She nodded.
“This mage has discovered a new way to wield power through the curses in the amulets.”
She nodded.
“But not all Morsythians wear them.”
She shook her head.
“So, something else is binding the Morsythians to this mage’s will?”
She nodded.
“But what could that be?”
Sasja shook her head. “If I tell you, it will kill me.”
“It must have something to do with the Hyalite. Something they can do with the power from it.”
She nodded.
“But if he’s had it for this long… He’s waiting for something else,” Hardin said.
She nodded.
“You do know what it is.”
She shrugged.
“You have an idea but you’re not sure.”
She nodded.
“Do you know where they took Venrick?”
She nodded.
“That’s where the Hyalite is. You need to take me there,” Hardin said.
“I will take you, but Hardin, if they find you… If he finds out you’re here, he can turn everyone under his control into a slave who will carry out his desires. He can use me to work against you,” she warned.
Hardin kissed her again. Sasja’s lips moved against his, kissing him back. Their passion rose. Hardin wanted to remain in that room, just the two of them, but he knew they couldn’t stay for long.
When they came up for air, he said, “The mage won’t know I’m there. He can’t feel my presence through his wards. I can get the Hyalite and Venrick out of there. You just need to take me to the Fortress.”
Sasja took his hand, leading him to the closet door. “Here,” she said, pulling a fur cloak and matching hat from the rack. “Put these on. You’ll blend in as one of the warlocks who is often present to assist the Magi Order.”
“Won’t the others suspect me?” he asked.
“Nobody but the mage knows when a warlock has been summoned. As long as he doesn’t see you, you should be able to get around without much trouble,” she said, pausing as she bit her upper lip.
“What is it?” he asked.
“You’ll need to lose the Doranian accent,” she said. “How’s your Sojax accent? The warlocks are almost always from the kingdom south of Lamar.”
“I’ve tried before but my Sojax is abysmal. I could try a Gambrian accent. Are there ever any warlocks from the East?” he said, switching to the eastern accent.
“No human ones, but that will have to do. Just don’t say anything if you don’t have to. I’ll get you in. Once we’re there, it’s on you to find it and take it.”
“It being the Hyalite,” Hardin confirmed.
She nodded.
With the disguise donned, Hardin followed Sasja out of the office, and down a hallway.
She paused, checking down the stairs to make sure the main floor was empty.
She led him out from the bottom of the stairs, past the entryway and into a mudroom.
From there, they exited a side door and went out to the stable.
She harnessed a single black mare to a buggy and took up the driver’s seat.
Hardin climbed on next to her, hoping the magi robes with their deep hood would be enough to disguise him.