the mark of Kelarac. He placed it on his favorite slaves.” She had left her circle now, marching forward, and Calder could no longer physically stay where he was. He scrambled back, leaving his own circle, groping at his waist for a weapon he didn’t have.
Estyr spoke with the finality of an executioner. “His soul belongs to Kelarac, and he will not leave this room alive.”
She loomed over him as his back hit the wall. Though Teach and Kern both stood fully in front of him now, he felt naked before her.
“The Head of the Blackwatch has vouched for him,” Kern said. He held both hands out in front of him, and Calder wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a defensive gesture or a placating one.
Teach sounded like she was begging, and Calder noted that her trembling had returned. “We have kept him under observation in the Palace, and he has shown no cooperation with Elders or the Elder powers.”
Estyr stared through them, locked onto Calder with centuries of fury.
“I will Read the truth from him myself.”
She reached out, and Calder was certain he wouldn’t survive her touch.
Baldezar Kern seized her wrist, his arm twice as thick as her own. “Regent, please. Let’s take a moment to…”
He grunted with effort. Then he latched onto her with another hand.
She was pushing downward against him now, and his arms trembled. She made it look effortless even as the Head Champion’s face turned red and slick with sweat.
Metal shrieked as Kern’s armor began to crack. His knees buckled.
Calder’s thoughts were paralyzed by overwhelming Intent, and he was certain that he was about to die.
Teach dove into Estyr in a shoulder-tackle, but Estyr weathered it like a solid oak. She drew back her free hand into a fist, her eyes still on Calder.
“Elderspawn,” she spat.
Then she punched Baldezar Kern straight through the floor.
Chapter Six
present day
Kern was hammered through the floor as though by the fist of a Great Elder, and then everything moved too fast for Calder to see.
Dust exploded up from the new Champion-shaped hole in the floor, and Calder threw up an arm to protect his eyes, but he was only blinded for a second.
In that second, Teach had already taken a beating.
Estyr’s fists were so fast it was like she had twelve arms, and the room rang with the thunder of dented steel as Teach’s armor was caved in. The Guild Head tried to fight back, but Estyr was a whirling shadow, too fast to see until she threw Teach into the ceiling.
Then Kern erupted from the floor below. His face was bloody, but before Calder could see if he was all right, he and Estyr had bounced each other off all the walls. He couldn’t even tell who was winning; it was so loud that his eyes hurt, and he had already clapped both hands over his ears.
He had to get out.
Teach returned to the fight as Calder stumbled to the door leading to the staircase. He passed the Farstrider sisters, but they didn’t seem bothered by the noise; their eyes jumped around as though they could follow the fight just fine.
He hesitated next to them. So far, everyone who knew about his connection to Kelarac had dealt with the Great Elders themselves. They understood that sometimes, there was no other choice but to make a deal.
But these Witnesses could tell everyone that he was in league with a Great Elder. Without their testimony, the public would hear only that the Regents had attacked the Imperial Steward under a flag of truce.
He abandoned that line of thinking in a second. After the fight was over, he could worry about what the Witnesses would say. For now, he needed to get out of the room.
Estyr roared behind him. “Shera! My Vessels!”
If she got her Vessels, it was all over
But if he could get Teach and Kern their weapons first…
He didn’t look at Shera. If he did, that might be the time it took her to reach him and attack. He knew she was unarmed, and in a fight without weapons he thought he could defend himself against her, but there was no sense taking chances with a trained assassin. Not when there were protectors within arm’s reach.
He dashed through the door, shouting for the Imperial Guard.
A Guard with fox ears was standing on the other side of the door, her eyes wide and ears twitching.
Calder grabbed her by the shoulder and gestured for her to move down the stairs.