Azimuth duels are a non-lethal alternative to traditional mage combat, fought with focus weapons and intended to be non-lethal. Officially the Council frowns on traditional duels, though despite all their efforts traditional duels still carry a lot more prestige than azimuth ones. Annuller arches are focuses, designed to stop mages entering duels with spells active. Activating one isn’t dangerous, but it’s demanding and requires absolute concentration. Any distraction can ruin the whole process and force you to start over.
Naturally, this was the point at which Lisa showed up again.
‘You’re here,’ she said, breathless. She was limping slightly; high heels aren’t made for running. ‘Um, could you-’
‘Look, Lisa,’ I said, not taking my eyes off the archway. ‘This is really not a good time for us.’
‘Trust me,’ Luna said, and I could tell from her voice that she was smiling. ‘You don’t want to get too close to me.’
‘No, I-’ Lisa took a deep breath. ‘I can’t.’
‘Why not?’ Luna asked. She didn’t sound sympathetic.
‘My master wants to speak to him. He told me to invite him.’
‘What master?’
‘… Morden.’
The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I was concentrating on the annuller and couldn’t put a finger on it. I finished the spell and took a step back to look at the archway. It was humming softly, and I nodded. It would take a couple of minutes to charge. ‘Who?’ Luna asked.
‘You don’t know him?’
‘No, I don’t. Why are you doing what he says?’
Lisa stared at her.
‘It’s okay,’ I said to Luna. ‘I already know what this guy wants.’ I looked at Lisa. ‘The question is whether you do.’
‘Uh …’
‘She asked the right question. Why are you running errands for him?’
‘I …’ Lisa licked her lips. ‘Look, please, you have to come. He’ll be …’
‘We don’t have to do anything,’ Luna said in annoyance.
The hum from the archway stopped. I looked back and saw that a silvery mist was hanging inside it, glowing steadily. ‘Okay, we’re clear,’ I said to Luna. ‘Step through.’
Luna gave the other girl a look, then walked to the arch. ‘Please, can you just come?’ Lisa said in a low voice. She wasn’t trying to be seductive any more; she just looked frightened. It actually made her a lot more convincing. ‘I’ve taken too long. He’ll be angry.’
I gave Luna a glance, then for the first time turned my full attention to the girl in front of me. ‘Look, Lisa. I don’t know who your master is, but I’ve got a pretty good idea what he is. If you really want my help, tell me what he’s planning.’
‘I can’t do that!’
‘Then I can’t help you.’
To one side, Luna stepped through the archway. There was a very brief flash, then the archway was still again. Luna looked back at it curiously, then headed towards me.
‘Please, can’t you come?’ Lisa said. Her voice was pleading. ‘I’ll do anything. Just …’
I sighed slightly and looked her right in the eyes. ‘Okay. Leave him.’
‘What?’
‘I’ve been where you are.’ I held Lisa’s gaze, holding her motionless, and spoke quietly. ‘I know why you’re doing this. I know why you think it makes sense. But trust me: you don’t want to stay there.’ Luna approached and I turned away from Lisa, nodding to Luna. ‘Okay?’
‘I think …’ Luna said doubtfully. She looked at her hands. ‘I feel strange.’
‘It’s a nullifier,’ I said. Concentrating, I could see that the grey mist of Luna’s curse had briefly vanished. Now it was returning again, flowing out again and into my ribbon. ‘Grounds every magical connection on you, like earthing a power line. You’ll feel a bit out of place for a couple of days.’
‘It’ll stop them tracking me?’
I nodded and started walking, ignoring Lisa. ‘If we’re quick.’
Luna took one step, then halted, looking over my shoulder. ‘Um, Alex?’ I felt her hand creep over and squeeze my forearm. I didn’t think she was aware of it; she was staring towards the centre of the hall. ‘Not quick enough.’
I knew what I was going to see before I turned to look. Cinder was striding across the floor towards us, a look of death on his face. The masked woman was at his side. They were fewer than twenty paces away.
You’re probably wondering by this point why I wasn’t shouting for help. Simple reason: if those three were willing to kill to get their hands on Luna, others would be too. Dealing with one team of would-be kidnappers was bad enough; I had absolutely no intention of adding to the number if I could possibly avoid it. The same went for them: I knew Cinder wouldn’t want to attract any attention either.
Unfortunately, depending on how pissed off Cinder was, there were plenty of ways he could ruin my day even in a crowd of people, and looking into the future, I could see that we’d succeeded in making him angry enough to use them. In one hand he was concealing a weapon that he was getting ready to use. He’d aim it at Luna the second she turned to run. I couldn’t see exactly what it would do, but I knew it would be bad … except that as I looked, I saw something else as well, something approaching steadily from the other side of the room. I straightened to face them. ‘Alex?’ Luna whispered.
‘Stall them,’ I whispered back. ‘We need ninety seconds.’
‘Verus,’ Cinder growled as he came into range. ‘Should have kept running.’
‘Who’s running?’ I asked lightly. I stood slightly between Cinder and Luna. Lisa was off to one side, looking nervously between us, forgotten by everyone.
‘No,’ Cinder said. His voice was low and dangerous. ‘You won’t bluff me this time.’ He opened one hand, half concealed down by his side, and dark fire flared up around his fingers, a red-black aura that caused the light to dim. ‘You twitch, I’ll burn you to ash. Let’s see you trick your way out of that.’
He wasn’t kidding; in dozens of the futures unfolding before us I could see Cinder lunging forward to do exactly that. But the very fact that he was willing to try something so crude was oddly reassuring — if he had anything else up his sleeve, he wouldn’t be making the threat. ‘You know, Cinder,’ I said, ‘I hate to point it out, but there’s about a hundred people watching you.’
‘No one’ll miss you,’ Cinder growled.
‘Wrong,’ I said calmly. ‘Or haven’t you heard? I’m in demand these days.’
Uncertainty flickered in Cinder’s eyes, and he glanced quickly from side to side. People were watching; a lot of people. As Cinder saw that he was being watched, the future of him attacking faded. ‘You don’t want me as an enemy,’ Cinder said, recovering.
‘As a matter of fact, no, I don’t.’ I crossed my arms, watching Cinder casually. ‘So make me an offer.’
The woman in the mask hadn’t spoken. She was standing a half-step behind Cinder, letting him do the talking. But she was watching me and, through the eyeholes of the mask, her eyes were boring into me like needles. I had the uneasy feeling that she recognised me, and not in a good way. It felt as though she hated me and I didn’t know why. ‘Fine,’ Cinder said, his voice dangerous. ‘I’ll buy the girl.’
I felt Luna stiffen. ‘Really?’ I asked.
‘Don’t,’ Cinder growled. ‘You sell her. Usual price. Or we take her. And you.’
I looked at Cinder. Luna was still gripping my arm, and I could sense her nerves. I stood there, without answering, counting off the seconds. ‘Well?’ Cinder said.
‘She’s not for sale,’ I said. ‘And actually, I’m not interested in any offer you could make.’
Cinder stared at me. ‘You said-’
‘Oh, I was just wasting your time.’
Cinder just stood there for two seconds, then his eyes flashed with insane fury as he finally lost his temper. Hellfire flared up inside his eyes, and his irises actually turned red. He took one step forward, his hand coming up.
A voice spoke from one side. ‘Good evening. Your attention, please.’
The man approaching was dressed in a black suit and an open-necked shirt. He had dark hair and was good-looking in a smooth, polished sort of way, like a politician. At first glance he looked young, no older than thirty or so, but there was an assurance to his walk that made him seem older. A brunette in a red dress was following him two paces behind, her eyes lowered submissively.