Part 17 (1/2)

”Just a minute,” Denner said. ”We've established how Simon knew what the Grandmasters were planning. But how did you know he knew?”

Indirial smiled. ”Trade secret,” he said. ”Now, if I may have your attention.”

The Overlord spread a map out on his table, pointing. ”We're here, just to the southeast of Harinfel. Well, what used to be Harinfel. If the Incarnation had continued in a straight line toward Cana, he would have reached the village of Belcor, which is only a few miles south of our position. But, as far as we can tell, Belcor still stands.”

Indirial nodded to Simon. ”What does that mean, Simon?”

Simon hurriedly scanned the map. Presumably, the white tent-shaped piece on the center of the board represented their location. Harinfel was a small labeled dot to the northwest, Belcor another small dot to the south. If the Incarnation was headed straight to Cana, there was no way around.

Simon cleared his throat. ”Either he's still here, or he went the long way, around the village. Or, I guess, he could have moved through the village without killing anybody.”

Indirial nodded. ”Well put. We find it unlikely that he stayed here. Even as a human, Valin didn't like standing still, and I'm sure he's even more restless now. So it's unlikely he stayed here, and even more unlikely that he moved through the village without killing anyone, but we know he wants to get to Cana.”

Kai waved a dismissive hand. ”He could have pa.s.sed through another Territory. If Enosh found him, we won't see him again until he's tearing down the gates of Cana.”

Indirial hesitated. ”Let's just say I have reason to believe that's not the case. Even if it is, though, Cana is well-defended. But I find it more likely that he will show up somewhere between here and Cana, where the land becomes so populated that he can't sneak through. If we wait here, we'll be close enough to Travel as a group and catch him as soon as he appears. We should be ready to move in a day or two.”

”Wait here,” Denner said. He sounded oddly hopeful. ”Justawait around?”

The Overlord chuckled. ”Sorry, Denner. We need someone to deal with the Grandmasters.”

Denner sighed.

”Now,” Indirial continued, ”We know what they want: they're trying to attack a Hanging Tree, wherever they can. Since each Overlord guards one of the Trees*”

”The Hanging Tree?” Simon interrupted. He had heard references to it before, but no one had ever explained what it meant.

”It's an artifact of Ragnarus,” Denner explained. ”It keeps the Incarnations in check. Each Tree seals one Incarnation, but they're all connected: the more Trees destroyed, the closer all Incarnations get to escaping.”

Indirial returned his attention to the map. ”We know that the Grandmasters will be attacking the Overlords they see as weakest. We've checked on each Overlord, and we feel confident that will mean Deborah, Eli, and Malachi. Malachi's wife isn't a Traveler, so they'll almost certainly hit that point. I was planning on giving you two,” he indicated Kai and Denner, ”a team, and have you each defend one of these points. But without Kathrin to cover the third...”

Indirial paused thoughtfully. ”Simon,” he began, but Kai cut him off.

”No,” Kai said firmly.

”Do you have access to ghost armor?” Indirial asked Simon, ignoring Kai.

Simon glanced between Kai and the Overlord, trying to determine what had pa.s.sed between them. But he was missing far too much information to make any sense out of the situation. ”What? Ghost armor?”

Indirial nodded, digesting the information. ”How about the frozen horn?”

Simon shook his head. Were these Valinhall powers?

”The black gauntlet?”

”Sorry, no.”

The side of Indirial's mouth quirked up. ”What do you have, then?”

Simon did not consider himself a dramatic person. Big, flashy gestures were for people like Alin. But every once in a while, he felt the situation called for more than just a simple answer.

He reached out his mind in a mental call, and Azura answered.

At the same time, he summoned steel and essence both. In a fraction of a second he held Azura in his hand, and he spun the sword forward, so that the razor's edge of the blade rested against Indirial's neck.

A flap of fabric from the tent fluttered to the ground, where Azura's blade had neatly sliced through it.

Indirial's lopsided smile didn't vanish. His eyes turned to Kai. ”Nye essence?”

Kai shrugged. ”Not my doing,” he said.

”Clearly. Well, Simon, I've got news for you.”

First, Indirial was standing over his map, sword at the edge of his neck. Then, suddenly, he just wasn't.

There came a blur of black motion, and then a pain in Simon's hand, and he was no longer holding Azura.

”You're not the only one,” Indirial said, from behind him. Simon turned around to see Indirial offering Azura's hilt back.

Simon's face flushed, and he took Azura and banished it without a word.

That's what you get for showing off, Angeline said.

You're not helping, Simon sent. His embarra.s.sment lent an edge to his mental voice.

No need to snap.

”That's good, Simon,” Indirial said. ”But I can't send you out on your own if you're not prepared to stand against a real Traveler. Kai, you protect the Naraka Incarnation in Malachi's realm. Denner, I'll send you to protect the Asphodel Incarnation with Eli. You have some experience in Asphodel anyway, don't you?”

Denner repressed what might have been a twitch in one eye, and Hariman chuckled. But, eventually, the Traveler nodded.

”Excellent. So you'll support Eli, Kai can help Adrienne, and I'll come up with a team for Deborah. She probably needs the least help. Simon, you'll stay here with me. If the two of you don't make it back in time, then Simon and I will be the ones to intercept Valin.”

No one liked that.

”Oh, I see, he'll stay with you,” Kai said. ”Under your protection, I'm sure? Pardon me if I don't trust in that.”

”He's just a boy, Indirial,” Denner said. ”He's not ready for this.”

Simon didn't say anything, but he didn't relish the idea of spending his time in battle alongside a Damascan Overlord.

Indirial held up a hand to their objections. ”Honestly, he'll be safest here. I'll be able to keep an eye on them, and I spoke to the King only moments before I met you. I'll be getting some backup. They will arrive in two hours, at most.”

”If you'll have so much help,” Kai said, ”then you don't need the boy.”

Simon was beginning to get a little sick of being called 'the boy.'

”He should learn how the world works, Kai,” Indirial said. ”Since you're not going to teach him, somebody has to.”

Denner raised a hand, like a child waiting for an adult to call on him. ”Uh, excuse me, but I think we brushed past something fairly important. What kind of backup are you expecting, Indirial?”