Antisha looked back at the man with a glare that almost felt like magic in the air, and none of it good. "You have no right to make judgments of any kind. Shut up."
Galen glared. Connor began to think the man wasn't nearly as smart as people thought. Connor also felt as though he could move and think again. They had fought off all the creatures that had come for them and barely survived. Connor didn't understand why the others here thought he was the one who had led the trolls -- or maybe he did.
"Ah. These people think I'm behind the trouble, not just because I'm human, but also because we leapt to the Troll Lands," he said aloud.
Liam, looking pale and as annoyed as Connor had ever seen him, nodded. "Yes. And they weren't going to listen to us. Praise the Gods we had Antisha with us. They know her since she's worked with these people all her life."
"They knew Galen too, right?"
"Not so well. I had the feeling no one liked him," Liam said. "No matter what else, Connor, you at least are polite."
"And you killed my son because you didn't like him --" Galen began.
A soldier to the side caught the man's arm and glared. "You killed him -- or your mirror did the work. I was there and saw it happen. And you are a damned fool."
Galen looked shocked, but still not worried and not upset. Maybe there was a reason the mirror being had no trouble with the idea of killing Ordin. Perhaps he got that straight from Galen.
There would be a lot of things Connor would want others to explain to him later. So much he didn't understand -- and he hoped he survived long enough to learn the answers, even if he didn't remain Lord of Northgate. He wanted what was best for that place and those people.
That thought brought Connor a new feeling of peace and calm. Worries began to settle in Connor's mind, and he knew that he had to make sure he helped make things right.
Antisha led the way as the group headed for the stairs, gathering more people at every level until they were packed in tight. He wasn't certain what they intended to do, though.
Connor also wasn't surprised to find a shell of magic around the stone room.
"If we try to break through this, it's going to be a disaster," Antisha warned, almost touching the shell. Bits of power danced out toward her fingers, and she drew back "The shell is going to keep any magic out, and if we try to break it, the magic will implode and -- that would be horrible. Those inside would not survive. Neither, I think, would we."
"Then we have to find a way to deal with this creature," Druce said, snarling at Galen who didn't seem at all upset. The man was crazy.
"There's another way," Connor said. He even smiled, which didn't appear to set his companions at ease. "Antisha and I realized something --"
"Oh hell," she said. She took hold of Connor's arm. "If you can get in --"
"Go to the right," Liam said. He stared ahead, not seeing here or now, but just a little into the future, Connor hoped. Enough to give him an edge. "Go right and down. Get to the Southgate stone."
"Southgate," Connor said. "But --"
"You would never get to the Northgate one," Antisha agreed. "It's clear across the room. "However, if you can stop the Mirror from using the Southgate power --"
"Ah. Yes. But not with magic."
"Not unless you have to," Antisha said and met his look. "If you can get the shield down, though, we can help you."
Connor narrowed his eyes, recalling the layout of the room. They were right about not going for the Northgate stone. Besides, even if he could reach the stone, he wouldn't be able to use any magic that might cause a problem.
Connor took a deep breath before he stepped forward -- and then threw himself at the shield. The magic tested him, but Connor didn't fit the criteria for which it had been created. Even with the core of stone magic in him, it sensed him as a non-magical being and as something that was no danger.
Connor stepped through the shield, threw himself to the right, and dropped to the ground. He saw several trolls in the room, along with the King and Queen in a shell of exceptional magic that flickered dangerously as lights played over it. He didn't see Galen at first --
There he stood with his hands on the Southgate Stone. Mirror Galen concentrated on reaching the King and Queen. He had to work subtly. The creature did not pay much attention, even when a couple trolls growled.
Mirror Galen had no idea Connor had arrived.
Connor scrambled past the trolls who still had trouble with surprises and hadn't started to move against him. Their inability to react saved Connor from more than a vicious kick that half numbed his leg. No matter. He was already close to Galen.
Connor reached out and caught the man by the leg, yanking him off balance.
Mirror Galen lost control of the subtle magic -- it grew suddenly into a firestorm of multi-color lightning that spread all across the room. Everything went crazy.
Connor hadn't gotten the shield down, though, so no one could help him. Mirror Galen yelled for the trolls who recovered enough to stomp towards him. As long as Connor held tight to Mirror Galen, though, he figured he would be safe enough. Trolls were big, clumsy and they would be as likely to hit -- or stomp on -- Galen as him if he could stay close enough to his enemy.
Mirror Galen proved to be strong, and he had magic. He reached out towards the stone and grabbed at it, shouting in anger --
Change in plans.
1 comment:
Interesting reaad
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