Demon Revealed (High Demon #2)(17)
Author: Connie Suttle

Arvil and his allies folded in, the wizards with him sending out blasts as they landed. Delvin stood beside the Prince and Alvis, pretending to hold up a shield. I was the one protecting the four of us as blasts and poison gas spells were hurled in our direction.

The troops the Station Commander placed around the palace were being killed by the dozens; they had no protection other than their rifles. Those still alive were making inroads against the non-wizard attackers, until they drew the attention of Arvil’s wizards. The wizards would carelessly toss a spell in their direction, and they had no hope of surviving those blasts.

Bodies, none of them whole, littered the palace and surrounding courtyard. The High Commander and Arvil were now surrounded by all seven wizards, and were being shielded by one of them—Delvin shouted that information over the din and chaos that continuously erupted around us.

We now fought in the courtyard before the Prince’s palace; there were fountains and elaborate stonework there, all of it being blown to bits as each blast landed. Bel, Hish, Ry, Max and Tory finally came, and to my surprise, Director Keef, Vice-Director Schaff and six others armed with laser rifles were with them.

Bel had brought some of the hedge wizards from the desert, but all of them immediately moved to protect the Prince’s regular troops, who were being slaughtered. Ry was hurling blasts of his own at the seven wizards, attempting to get to the High Commander and the one called Arvil. That divided the attention of the High Commander’s wizards; half of them turned to fight off the new threat. Tory was providing a shield to his group, just as I was shielding mine. Hish was forced to help whenever huge chunks of stone and other debris blew upward and then rained down around us—I wasn’t any good against a physical threat—only the magical ones in my current form.

Don’t turn! Tory’s voice sounded in my head—somehow he’d known I was thinking about it. Fleetingly I wondered why—I couldn’t see that either side was winning this fight and my Thifilatha would certainly turn the tide in our favor. Tory, too, could turn and do the same. A large, decorative fountain was hit right after Tory’s mindspeech came and the Prince, Alvis, Delvin and I ducked as water and chunks of stone blasted toward us. An arm came around my waist and I was physically pulled away from the Prince’s side. Delvin’s hand came over my mouth as he rushed me toward the knot of wizards surrounding the High Commander. If Delvin hadn’t held me in the tightest of grips, I’d likely have been left behind. As it was, my Thifilatha still trusted him at that moment and I was jerked—not folded, jerked—so far away from Mandil I couldn’t have said where we were when I landed.

"Reah," Delvin’s voice whispered in my ear as I saw others land around us—all the wrong ones. "Reah," Delvin repeated, "Don’t give yourself away." The High Commander, Arvil, the seven wizards—all of them surrounded me. "I swear I’ll protect you. I swear," Delvin whispered again before letting me go. I jumped backward, knocking into Delvin again as Arvil pulled a ranos pistol from his belt and shot the High Commander in the head. Delvin’s fingers closed on my shoulders once more.

"You won’t fail me again," Arvil snapped at the headless torso. The ranos pistol he held had obliterated the High Commander’s head, and blood and bits of bone were scattered everywhere. I could only stare in horror, my gaze darting from the High Commander’s body to Arvil and then back again.

"At least one part of the plan went well," Arvil placed the pistol back in his belt and moved closer to run his eyes over me. "You belong to me now, boy. You’ll be put in my kitchen—my last cook met with an unfortunate accident."

My mouth was open in surprise, I know, as I twisted in Delvin’s grip and stared up at him. Bel suspected one of his, but he hadn’t suspected this one. Delvin knew I felt betrayed—he could read it in my face.

"Where the f**k did they go?" Norian was shouting as his six, Bel and the remaining wizards corralled what was left of the High Commander’s cronies.

"Campiaa, where else?" Tory was blowing smoke as Ry attempted to calm his brother. "They took Reah!" Tory shouted at the sky.

"Send her mindspeech—tell her to cooperate with them," Norian issued orders quickly. "This is our opportunity to see who is involved!" The Director was in charge and he was seeing the possibilities.

"What if they hurt her?" Tory was coming after Norian, his hands clenching and unclenching while smoke poured from his nostrils.

"Tell her if they are about to harm her, to get away. Otherwise, I want her to stay!" Norian wasn’t backing down.

"Tell her your f**king self!" Tory shouted.

"I’ll tell her, she already hates me," Lendill offered. The Prince Royal, with his trusted advisor Alvis, watched the exchange with interest.

"Bel, take your wizards and fire those fields," the Prince issued the command.

"As you will it, my Prince." Bel bowed quickly and gathered his remaining Rangers and wizards. Delvin had betrayed them, taking Reah with him and the others. Bel was hoping that Delvin still had a decent bone in his body and thought to protect Reah, since he’d been the one to grab her before they’d disappeared.

Don’t change, Reah, don’t fight them and stay where you are—we need intelligence from your current location, Vice-Director Schaff’s mental voice was loud and frightening in my mind. I jerked when I received his mindspeech—I was terrified with Delvin and the others surrounding me. All but Delvin still thought I was a boy. Reah, did you hear me? Answer me!

I think I whimpered aloud before I answered Lendill Schaff’s mindspeech. I hear you, I returned as best I could.

Reah, if they hurt you, you have permission to come away from there. If they do not, you are in a position to hand all of them to us. We need names, Reah, and anything else you can get for us. Do this, Reah. It’s important. Remember the oath you took, when you came to the Alliance. You swore to protect it. Protect it now, Reah. You are duty-bound.

I shivered at his words. He expected me to stay and funnel information to him. Are Tory and Ry all right? My mental voice was sullen.

They are well. This is an order, Reah. Send information to me or to Director Keef—he can send and receive mindspeech, just as I can. If you desert your post, you will be committing treason.

He threw his trump card in my face. I was already considered a criminal by the Alliance. Now I might be guilty of treason if I didn’t stay among these thugs and listen for what little I might glean while working inside Arvil’s kitchen. I wanted to weep for being in so far over my head in all this. I couldn’t. I could only stand in front of Delvin and shiver.