Possessing the Grimstone - By John Grover Page 0,64
She put her arms up: a slice on her shoulder was revealed. Sooth-Malesh’s anger was not satiated. Olani saw his eyes gleam with blue light.
The crimson mage turned to the wall and lifted his hands into the air. Every flame from every torch and sconce in the city shot to Sooth-Malesh and obeyed his call. He directed the fire down into the battle.
Fireballs exploded on the ground, arms and legs sprouted out of them, and fiery orange figures elementals joined the battle. Standing taller than any being on the field, they unleashed crackling screeches and attacked the Neshing, setting them ablaze. Howls and screams rose, catapults burned, and mages turned their attention from the city walls to the elementals wreaking havoc among them.
“Told you…” Olani grinned.
“Long unused, but still there,” he said. “I only needed some incentive.”
Olani laughed and struggled to get up. When she looked down into the courtyard, she saw Nachin peeking out of the shadows. Once she made eye contact with him, he stepped out of hiding, and rushed to her.
“M’lady… I have been searching all over for you. This is no place for you. Please come with me, return to your room.”
“I cannot leave. I am needed here. I…”
“I agree with him,” Sooth-Malesh said. “You should not be here. It is far too dangerous. You are not a warrior.”
“Neither are you, mage.”
“You are wounded. Go to your room, Lady Olani.”
“Very well. I will see to my wound, and then return.”
Sooth-Malesh shook his head and moved back to the wall. The elementals burned through the Neshing ranks, but the attacks continued. Fire against fire, strength against strength, the battle intensified.
###
Nachin escorted Olani back to her room. She rinsed her shoulder and bandaged it.
“I shall make you your tea,” Nachin said.
“Now is not the time. I do not want to relax. We are under siege.”
“What better time to have it, M’lady? You must take it. It does your soul good.”
“Must you always contradict me?”
“You misunderstand my intentions, M’lady. I have always known what is best for you. Now please, rest while I prepare you a cup.”
Olani removed her rings and bracelets. She brushed the hair from her eyes. Outside, she heard a rumble. She thought of it as thunder, but knew it was the war. A tremor rippled through the palace. She wondered what the King was doing right now. Where was he? Why did he not care of the attack upon his city?
There was a clatter behind her as Nachin fixed her tea. Her back was to him as he stood in an alcove, tending the fire in the hearth. The pot above it steamed and whistled.
Dishes clanked. The scent of jasmine filled the air. The candles in the room flickered to life, flames sparking in the wicks. The fire had returned to the city. Olani looked up and out of the window closest to her. The sky outside flashed, and as she went for a closer look, she caught Nachin’s reflection.
She watched him fiddle over her cup, a vial in his hand. She squinted and saw him pour white powder into her tea.
He returned to her, the cup in his hand.
“You always know what’s best for me, Nachin?”
“Of course, always, M’lady. Drink your tea, now.”
“Now? Leave it on the table. I’ll drink it when it cools.”
“I think you should take some now, so you can rest.” He pushed the cup toward her.
“Rest in peace, Nachin?”
“M’lady?”
She smashed the cup from his hand. It crashed to the floor in a tidal wave of hot tea.
“I trusted you!” She screamed. “You have been part of my family for years. You were to guide me!”
“Lady Olani, I am shocked. You have lost your senses…”
“Stop lying to me. I saw you. I saw you put it in my tea.”
“You are mistaken…”
“I’m summoning the gaurds.”
She took a step, and Nachin backhanded her. Olani collided with the reading table beside her, and tumbled onto the floor.
“Utter half-wit!” Nachin wailed. “I am not going to let a sniveling, weak girl take away my rule! I have waited too long for this; I’ve lived in servitiude to the most passive, ineffective leaders. That time is over!”
She attempted to crawl to her feet, but Nachin delivered a kick to her ribs. Olani hit the floor again, rolling over.
Nachin pulled a blade from his belt and stormed over to her. He whipped her onto her back and put the knife to her throat. “You were taking forever to die… you just kept recovering and recovering. I had