The Heart of Alchemy by James Wisher (i like reading books txt) 📗

The chill wind slapped him and he put a little extra power into his shield, cutting it off. That done, he became one with the ether and focused on the connection between Annamaria’s blood and Abby. The link was of course strong and an instant later he emerged in a clearing facing a modest cabin. He sank into the snow up to his shins and grimaced.

An orange glow emerged from the windows and smoke filled the air. He closed his eyes and sent his vision flying into the cabin.

There were only two rooms: a kitchen and living area, and each had an entrance. Abby lay on the dining table, bundled up in the blanket his mother had made for her, seeming none the worse for her adventure.

So far so good.

Now for the kidnapper. The man in question emerged from the kitchen, a tin cup of water in his hand. It was Baron St. Croy’s servant, Ahmed. He was dressed in all black and a sword hung at his waist.

Otto wished he was more surprised, but from the beginning he’d feared something was up with them. He flicked his ring and sent a thread in to bind the man. It nearly touched him before vanishing.

Otto frowned. The only thing he’d ever encountered that created such an effect was mirrorshine, the alchemical compound Markane had provided Uther during his brief rebellion. Any doubt Otto harbored about this being a trap for him vanished like his thread.

Lucky for him, since he first learned of the substance, he’d come up with a few tricks on the not-small possibility that he ran into someone using it again. He drew his dagger and worked his way around to the back entrance, conjuring an ethereal path in front of him so every step didn’t crunch in the snow.

The cabin door had only a crude, iron lock which yielded to Otto’s magic in about two seconds. An ethereal tentacle caught the wine jug balanced just inside before it could shatter. He slipped through and closed the door behind him.

Light from the living area gave him a good view of the kitchen. No one had been here in a long time. Probably why the assassin chose it.

Now for his surprise.

He forged a powerful connection to his dagger, just like he used to when studying with his former master. The weapon flew up and hung in the air.

Leaving it where it was, Otto walked into the living area.

The assassin turned to face him. Ahmed looked very much the same, yet his eyes now held a hard gleam, all signs of the servant long gone. He held Abby in the crook of his left arm and a dagger in his right.

“You’re punctual, very good. Since you’re not a fool, I assume you know your magic won’t affect me.” He moved the dagger closer to Abby. “I applied the mirrorshine to my weapon as well. Any attempt to protect your daughter with magic or stop the blade will fail.”

Otto moved deeper into the living room, shifting so Ahmed had to adjust his own position to face him. “So what happens now? You know the limits of mirrorshine as well as I do. I can kill you with indirect magic as easily as direct.”

“But not without killing the child as well.”

“True.” Otto moved a little more until Ahmed stood directly in front of the kitchen door. “So I ask again. What now?”

“Now, you’re going to stay very still and I’m going to approach with your daughter in front of me. Do anything I don’t like and she dies.”

“You understand what I’ll do to you if anything happens to her.” While keeping Ahmed distracted with talk, Otto brought the dagger through the doorway and positioned it directly above the man’s head.

“I lose my life and you lose your daughter.” Ahmed took a step closer to Otto. “Which of us ends up hurt worse? Not the dead man certainly.”

Otto adjusted the dagger again and smiled. “But there’s one thing you didn’t know. Something very important. Abby isn’t my daughter.”

Ahmed froze, stunned for an instant.

That’s when Otto struck.

The dagger streaked down with all the force of his magic behind it, crashing into the assassin’s skull, and piercing to the hilt.

Otto caught Abby in an ethereal cushion a foot from the floor as the assassin collapsed. She giggled when he picked her up.

“Enjoyed that, did you?” He sniffed and winced. Ahmed hadn’t changed her during her captivity and Otto certainly wasn’t about to. “Let’s bring you back to your mother.”

He’d barely taken a step toward the door when a spark of ether hit his brain along with Allen’s message. It seemed no one in Blue Cove knew Jade. Had the assassin used her and her uncle as a way into the city or was something more dangerous at work?

He intended to find that out first thing in the morning. Right now, he had a long walk back to the city in front of him.

Chapter 15

Wolfric lay in the dark, a huge smile plastered on his face. He felt cocooned in warmth and contentment. The moon’s meager light coming through the window outlined Jade’s perfect face. Her eyes were closed and her breathing even. He’d never seen anyone so beautiful, so perfect. His future wife would make a fine empress and an even better companion to spend the rest of his life with. He made a mental note to have Otto dismiss the harem. Now that he had Jade, he wouldn’t need them anymore.

He sighed and closed his eyes. Even if he couldn’t sleep, he needed to rest. Tomorrow they needed to plan the announcement of their engagement. Word would have to go out to all the governors and nobles as well as the leading merchants. A summer wedding would be nice. Otto could serve as his best man. Certainly no one had ever had a better friend.

He needed to plan a private dinner with Otto and Annamaria. As