The King's War

40. The End of an Era

NATHANIEL

Corporal Wilson didn't hesitate. He trained his gun on Monique and fired. He would have hit her, but the bullet ricocheted off of an invisible barrier and landed in his thigh. He let out a howl of pain and clutched at the wound.

"I've found your prisoners, Abel, and their accomplice too. What shall I do?" Monique asked aloud. There was a pause as if we were listening to one side of a phone conversation. Finally, she gave a nod. "Very well."

Her arm shot out and a jolt of magic flew from her palm and hit Corporal Wilson square in the chest. He falls backward, landing into the airman's arms.

Airman Jordan muttered something inaudible over the Corporal's still form, trying to revive him. Corporal Wilson remained motionless.

A sharp pang of regret pierced my heart. The Corporal gave his life for us, for the chance to take the cure. And now I'd never even know why he even wanted it.

"Come with me," Madame Levesque said sharply through her daughter's lips. At least, I was certain it was her who was pulling Monique's strings. In my two brief encounters with the younger witch, I'd never seen her so vocal and animated.

Avery and I had no choice but to obey. The witch would make us crash if we tried to fly, and I feared to think of what she'd do if we tried to run. Putting my pistol down, I held my hand out behind me and Avery threaded her fingers through mine, huddling close. We stepped out of our hiding spot and onto the deck. Monique smirked at in satisfaction.

An explosion rocked the ship, throwing everyone off balance. Fire blazed in the distance. The cacophony of guns spitting lead drowned out all other sounds. I'd tried so hard to avoid a war, yet I'd ended up right in the thick of it.

When the witch led us back to the control tower, I wasn't scared. Balthazar had come with reinforcements. Whether that was for my sake or merely so he could hit Abel where it counted, I couldn't say. But his forces could win the day. Avery and I just had to stay alive long enough to see it happen.

Abel was parked in front of the intercom when we arrived, watching the fighting through the window. When he saw us come in, he grinned smugly. He leaned towards the com and pressed a button. "Well, look who's just been found!"

I frowned. Why was he announcing this?

Abel's eyes gleamed madly. "Tell you what, Duke, I'm willing to make a deal. We can halt the fighting and you can come up to the command tower to negotiate. Without your witch, of course."

What the hell was he planning? I studied him more closely, trying to figure him out, but Abel looked the same as he always did, if a touch more deranged.

"Do you really think this will work?" Madame Levesque — the real one — asked. A glance behind at her daughter told me that she'd gone back to her normal, emotionless state.

"If it doesn't, we'll at least have him out of the picture," Abel said with a shrug. "Then once the South is ours, we can move on to the North."

The doors burst open and Balthazar strode in, flanked by half a dozen guards. More hovered outside in the hall. They all bore the uniform of the Northeastern Territories' military. If he'd brought rebel forces along, they had to be in disguise.

"I told you not to bring backup," Abel said to him distastefully.

"You told me not to bring the witch," Balthazar replied. He scanned the room and his eyes widened a fraction when they landed on me.

Balthazar tried to take another step forward, but an invisible forcefield blocked his way. His lip curled in frustration. Both Abel and Madame Levesque smiled smugly.