21. Ignatius #2
Erys gave a helpless shrug. “I would if I could. But I am no battle mage, and as I said, it would take too long for me to unravel Matrim’s spell. Not to mention the risks involved in meddling with magic tainted by voidflame.”
“If magic alone cannot solve this, then we will need to stop the abomination by force.”
Alistair’s pronouncement rang out through the chamber, drawing everyone’s attention.
Iggie turned to regard him, his heart swelling at the sure set of the paladin’s shoulders and the determined look on his chiseled face.
Alistair appeared ready to take on the Void itself, and in that moment, Iggie would have eagerly followed the paladin anywhere.
The others, however, were not so easily convinced.
Liliana gave a derisive snort. “Correct me if I’m wrong, paladin, but did you not admit a mere day ago that your attacks had no effect on this creature?
” Her gaze flicked to Kelvin, the hostility in her tone easing a fraction at the look of warning on the priest’s face.
“I don’t mean to question the Order’s capabilities, but such a foe seems beyond even your hands. ”
“Perhaps I can offer a solution for that,” Erys said.
He stroked his chin, appearing to have recovered at least some of his composure.
“Golems typically take on the inherent properties of the materials used in their creation. If we can identify a weakness to exploit, that might grant our champion here the edge he needs.”
“Harmonite, huh?” Liliana leaned back in her seat, her fingers toying with a small harmonite crystal set into her lapel.
“While the crystals remain pliable in their raw form, once they’ve been shaped and the magic within them stabilized, they become nearly impossible to destroy.
Your best bet is sufficient force applied to a singular spot.
That might cause a strong enough cascade reaction to shatter the entire crystalline lattice all at once. ”
Iggie was still trying to parse the artisan’s words when Alistair rested a hand on the hilt of his sword. “So, you’re saying if I focus my attacks on one spot, that’ll eventually kill the beast?”
“Perhaps.” Liliana shrugged, her brawny shoulders bunching. “But you’d have to cause enough damage to impact the harmonite’s structural integrity. If your attacks are too weak, they’ll slide right off the crystal.”
“Then, I will be certain to strike true.”
Once again, Iggie was struck by the picture-perfect image Alistair presented as the hero come to save the day. Not like me, a bitter part of him whispered while the village elders regarded the paladin with varying degrees of relief and hope. In their eyes, I will always be the villain.
“I wouldn’t presume to dictate a Knight’s battle strategy,” Maxwell said with a smarmy smile. “But this sounds like it may prove a difficult fight. Perhaps it would be best if you faced this creature outside town, away from any potential bystanders.”
“Unfortunately, I doubt that will work,” Erys said before Alistair could reply. “Given what we know of the golem’s driving orders, it would likely ignore the paladin and press on toward town regardless so that it might present itself on Dawncoming.”
“Then, why not confront it before Dawncoming arrives?” Liliana demanded.
Iggie had already considered that question himself, and he answered without thinking.
“It’s too risky. The golem might ambush any scouting expeditions like it did Alistair and me, and if Alistair ends up stranded in the frozen wastes again, we lose our best and only defense.
The safest course is to wait for the beast to come to us. ”
Liliana’s gaze fastened on him, and Iggie swallowed, bracing himself for her wrath. To his surprise, she simply studied him for a heartbeat before turning away with a stiff nod. Had…had the master artisan actually agreed with his suggestion?
“If we can’t get the creature away from town, then we’ll get the town away from the creature,” Liliana said.
“I’ve mapped scores of harmonite caverns scattered about Singer’s Rest, plenty of which have room to house everyone in the village along with enough rations and firewood for a few days.
If we start at first light tomorrow morning and press hard, we should be able to gather supplies and caravan out to the nearest deposit before Dawncoming. ”
Kelvin pursed his lips. “A wise suggestion, Liliana. That should remove the townspeople from any danger. Once Sir Alistair has slain the beast, he can come retrieve us.”
Alistair hesitated, and for the first time since the meeting began, Iggie saw his confident mask cracking to reveal the self-doubt beneath.
Iggie didn’t blame him. The town was placing all its faith in him, the burden of success resting heavy on his shoulders.
And though part of Iggie was grateful not to have to bear such responsibility, another part of him wished he could earn even a fraction of that belief.
Alistair believes in you.
Iggie’s words rang out through the chamber before he could reconsider. “I will help him.”
All eyes turned to him, and he wilted beneath their scrutiny.
“I’m not sure that is, er, wise,” Maxwell said. He glanced around at the rest of the council as if attempting to gauge their thoughts on the matter.
Liliana snorted. “It sounds like the makings of a right mess to me. Bad enough we have an enhanced voidflame golem on our hands. The last thing we need is more abominations rampaging through our streets.”
Kelvin didn’t speak, but the hard, piercing look he gave Iggie was answer enough. It suggested he was a worm, less than a worm—barely worthy of contempt, let alone notice.
Shadow and shade, what had Iggie been thinking, volunteering for a duty none of them wanted him to take? He was about a split second from charging for the doors and barreling out into the night when a light touch landed on his forearm.
Glancing over, he found Alistair fixing him with a private smile meant only for him. The paladin’s touch was brief, lingering a mere heartbeat before he gave a gentle squeeze and let go. But even that brief touch lent Iggie some portion of the paladin’s courage.
He took a deep breath. I can do this. He forced the words out, trying to will away the tremble leaking into his voice.
“I mean no disrespect, but it sounds to me like you need all the help you can get when this creature returns. Please. Let me do this. Let me atone for the trouble I’ve caused you.
” For all the people I’ve unwittingly hurt over the years.
When he was finished, he sagged, the fight running out of him as he bowed his head. He’d said his piece. If they still banished him now, he’d go quietly.
Erys broke the tense silence with a chuckle, and Iggie jerked his head up to stare at the mage’s wide grin.
“Spoken like a true hero, my boy!” He clapped his hands together, the sudden sound making Iggie jump.
“Well, I for one agree with Iggie. Who are we to turn away aid in our most desperate hour, no matter its source?” He glanced at Alistair, raising an eyebrow.
“Assuming our Knight here is not opposed?”
Iggie turned to Alistair just in time to catch a pleased quirk of the paladin’s lips before he smoothed his face, securing his stoic mask back in place. “I have no objections.”
“Splendid,” Erys said cheerfully. “In that case, I suggest we put it to a vote. If you’d be so kind, Maxwell?”
“What? Oh, er, yes. Of course.” The mayor cleared his throat. “All those in favor of accepting the necromancer’s aid?”
Erys’ hand shot up without hesitation while Kelvin crossed his arms over his resplendent robe with a slight frown.
The priest clearly had no intention of humoring the request. Maxwell glanced between them, appearing frozen by indecision.
No doubt he intended to follow the majority, whatever that might be.
That left Liliana as the deciding vote. Defeat bowed Iggie’s back. She’d made no secret of her disdain for him at her workshop or during this meeting. She’d likely vote against his aid purely out of spite.
Liliana’s gaze narrowed on him. Then, to his utter shock, she smiled tightly and raised her hand. “Why not? Let’s see what good he can do.”
Iggie barely heard the rest of their conversation, his mind in a daze as the council discussed logistics.
They’d sided with him, put their faith in him as they had Alistair.
Only as a last resort, true, and with great reluctance.
But this was still the first chance anyone had ever given him to prove himself. And he had Alistair to thank for that.
Ignoring the council’s bickering, he glanced over at the paladin, who kept his attention focused firmly forward. The paladin had supported him, even spoken up for him. Just as he’d done all along.
Watching Alistair now, an unfamiliar lightness spread through Iggie’s chest, followed swiftly by a jolt of dismay.
Because in that moment, he realized two things with absolute certainty: he wanted more than a single fleeting night with Alistair, no matter their divergent paths…
and that future remained as impossibly out of reach as the stars above.