Siege of Stone

CHAPTER 59

As she left Tanimura, Nicci felt satisfied with the response from the D’Haran garrison, confident that General Linden would build up the defenses and alert the rest of Lord Rahl’s army. She was already making plans for similar missions to major Old World cities, but after she had dream-witnessed Mrra’s battle with the heart hounds, Nicci worried about Ildakar. She had to get back.

“Breathe!”

Returning via the sliph, Nicci rolled over the low wall inside the chamber in the lower levels of the city. She dropped to her knees on the hard floor, coughed up the silvery presence that filled her lungs, her heart and soul. The sliph was in her, but she forced it out.

In the shadows of the unlit chamber, Nicci summoned a light in her hand as she got to her feet. The glow filled her surroundings, and she smelled the damp rock and moss. She turned to find the sliph waiting in her well, gleaming, metallic, and beautiful.

“Tell me what you achieved for the cause,” the sliph said. “Tell me about Sulachan and how our war fares.” She was eager and intense. “I sacrificed everything long ago to achieve victory against the wizards of the New World. I expect the same sacrifice from all our allies.”

“What I accomplished is not your concern,” Nicci said. She thought the sliph might be able to detect a lie, and she didn’t want to answer at all.

The creature was incensed. “I need to know. I can travel from city to city, but I see only my well. It has been so long since I carried anyone else. Tell me news.”

Nicci would need to use the sliph again to travel, but she was uneasy that the strange woman was so curious, so demanding. Placing her hands on her hips, Nicci faced the sliph. “Talking about secret missions is a sure way for the cause to fail. You took me to Tanimura, and I did what I had to do. You don’t need to know what it was. Soon, I will require you to take me elsewhere for another mission. I expect you to cooperate.”

“I will cooperate,” the sliph said, sulking.

“Be satisfied to know that you are helping me.”

“So long as you and I fight for the same cause,” she warned.

Nicci felt a hint of suspicion in the creature’s voice. Without answering, she went to the door of the low chamber and emerged into the daylight of Ildakar. Behind her the sliph remained, watching her for a long moment before she melted back into her placid pool.

Utros’s half-petrified soldiers continued to pound on the walls. Ildakaran engineers had discovered alarming, hair-thin cracks within the ancient blocks, and gifted nobles used magic to reshape and solidify the stone before the cracks could widen.

With a gathering crowd of curiosity seekers around her, Nicci went to the ruling tower to report about her trip to Tanimura. When she walked into the chamber, Rendell was talking about all the work ungifted people did throughout the city, sharpening swords, fashioning armor, creating weapons, and generally keeping Ildakar functioning. The former slave’s words faltered as soon as Nicci entered.

Nathan jumped to his feet. “Dear sorceress! I am glad to see you.”

Her gaze swept around the room. “I informed the D’Haran garrison about Utros and his army, and Lord Rahl will soon be aware of the threat. We cannot expect reinforcements any time soon, though. Ildakar must defend itself. Have you made any progress? Found any new weapons?”

Olgya explained that the Ildakaran silk houses were working to create enhanced worms that spun even tougher silken armor. Before the woman could finish her report, Bannon dashed in, grinning, accompanied by a businesslike Lila. “Nicci! You’re back.”

Though overwhelmed with surprise to see the young man still alive, Nicci controlled her reaction. “I’m pleased to see that you survived. You are a good fighter, and I would not have wanted to lose you.” He seemed overly exuberant as usual, and hurried forward, but reconsidered a welcoming embrace at the last moment.

Elsa added in a heavy voice, “We also have bad news. Lani is dead.”

The conversation in the chamber became low and muted. Nicci asked, “What happened to her?”

Nathan stroked his long white hair. “She used her water-scrying magic to spy on General Utros, but his two sorceresses caught her and struck back.”

“Lani was no match for them,” Elsa said. “They killed her, right here. And we could not save her.”

“That is a blow,” Nicci said. “We need every gifted fighter, and Lani was strong.”

Nathan said, “It gets worse, I’m afraid … dear spirits, it gets worse. Before she was killed, Lani learned that Utros and those two women were working a summoning spell. Something so powerful that it terrifies me.”

“It terrifies all of us,” said Quentin. “We should seriously consider our last resort of raising the shroud before the general can succeed. Sovrena Thora offered us her cooperation.”

Nicci didn’t want to hear about Thora. “What did Lani discover? What summoning spell?”

Nathan said, “Utros intends to summon a dragon. He has a connection, and the sorceresses drew upon it.”

Damon’s voice cracked, showing his fear and stress. “If a dragon joins that ancient army, our walls won’t be able to protect us. The monster will wreak havoc on Ildakar. Countless thousands of lives will be lost, our homes destroyed.”

Nicci understood the threat. “If General Utros can command a dragon, then we have to prepare.”

Quentin said, “If a dragon comes, what can we do? We haven’t found a sufficient weapon.”

Nathan looked down at the stone table in front of him, then squared his shoulders. “I have been waiting for Nicci before even suggesting this.” He looked at them all with his alert azure eyes. “Ildakar does have such a weapon, and now we truly have to consider it.” Intrigued, Nicci waited for him to say more. Nathan rose to his feet. “Sorceress, come with me. You can tell me whether or not I’m mad even to suggest the idea.”

In broken patches of sunlight in Andre’s ruined studio, Nicci stared at the towering Ixax warriors. “You destroyed one of these yourself when you regained your gift,” she said.

Nathan and Elsa were beside her, both uneasy. Nathan said, “Mirrormask unleashed it to cause chaos, and the Ixax was maddened by centuries of mindless inactivity.” He lowered his voice, stroking his chin. “The fault lies squarely on Andre’s shoulders.”

Nicci looked at the two remaining titans. Behind the slits in their cumbersome helmets, she saw their yellow eyes staring straight ahead.

Nathan moved closer to them, as if to demonstrate his confidence. “These two have suffered the same endless waiting, but the souls of the original young men are still inside them—I know it. When Ildakar was first threatened, long ago, they volunteered to become these monstrous warriors. But they remember, and they know the city’s need.”

Nicci thought about the sliph, who had similarly volunteered to become something inhuman because of her fierce devotion to a cause. “Are you sure they remember their loyalty? Have you spoken with them? Can you speak to them?”

“I have been talking to them regularly, reading them stories, legends, and history,” Nathan said. “I’ve explained what is happening now outside the walls, with the reawakened army. I am convinced they understand.”

Elsa touched his arm. “We reminded them of their duty. The Ixax may not be able to defeat a dragon, but they are the most powerful weapon Ildakar has right now.”

Nicci nodded slowly. “They were designed to slay tens of thousands of enemy soldiers. They would certainly cause much greater harm than our surprise attack the other night.” She studied the giant warriors for a long moment. They would be devastating in their own way. “Yes, I think we should take the chance.”