“Josse is staying in the next inn over,” he said. “Hefrequents my place, and he was supposed to stay here, but we’ve had to cut corners lately.Hesaid it’s not fit for a man of his station any longer.”
Even around the terror,Calamitycould hear the bitterness in his words.
“And weaknesses?Itwould be easier for me to list his strengths.He’srich.Butbeyond that, he’s a mess.Drunkhalf the time.Angrythe other half.Hasbets out on a dozen different things at any given point.”
Calamity loosened the press of her arm on his chest, and his feet met the floor.
“What is his ante for this tournament?”Calamityasked, and she saw relief flood the dwarf’s face.Shelet the sparks on her hand die.
“Some magical item,” the dwarf said. “Somenecklace.Hewas blabbering about it last night.”
Calamity moved to leave, having gotten what she wanted.Butas she turned, she heard the unmistakable chink of sharp metal, and she felt something hot slice across her side.
She pivoted to look back at the barkeep, who now held out a knife in front of him, shaking in his hand.Calamityfelt rage bubble up within her as blood trickled down her side, and her hands began to properly burn.Shelifted them up in front of her, and they glowed white-hot as a flame formed between them.
The dwarf opened his mouth to say something– maybe to apologise, or to land a final barb– but the flames engulfed him before he could get it out.
The whole storeroom went up like a tinderbox, and it tookCalamitya good few seconds to realise what she’d done.Theflames licked closer, and she magically shielded herself, unsure what to do.
The door banged open behind her, and she whipped round to see her friends staring wide-eyed at her.Liamgrabbed her by the arm and pulled her back from the growing flames, but she shook him off, casting another spell instead.
A huge gust of wind burst forth from her, snuffing out the fire as it went, but the damage was done.Onewhole corner of the building had burned away in the seconds it had taken her friends to get to her, and she could see people on the street behind gawping at the commotion.
“What have you done?”Nashalaasked as she stepped over blackened beams to get toCalamity. “Whathappened to not making a scene?”
As if on cue, an alarm sounded nearby; someone had alerted theCityGuardto the mayhem.
“I got the information,”Calamitysaid, not willing to be shamed by someone corrupt enough to work for her father. “Now, let’s just go.”
“It doesn’t matter if you got it,”Liamsaid, “you also just guaranteed us a spot onSouthhelm’smost wanted list.”
“He stabbed me!”Calamitycried, pointing to her side.Nowthat she looked at it, though, it was quite a small wound.Pathetic, even.
“This is nothing,”Liamsaid, laying a hand onCalamity’sside.Thesmall cut healed instantly as the cool sear of his magic sent a chill up her spine.
Calamity looked down at her friendYorickfor support– he knew a thing or two about his temper getting the better of him.Buteven he shook his head.
“As long as we got what we came for,”Calamityhuffed, “what does it matter?”
“The ends don’t justify the means,”Nashalasneered. “Especiallywhen the means are as nonsensical as this.”
“As if you’re one to talk,”Calamitysaid, squaring off against her. “Youserve thePrinceofPandemonium, don’t you?Aren’tyou here to do his bidding?”
Nashala matched her confrontational energy, stepping even closer– so close thatCalamitycould make out the shape of every speckle on her face.
“My entire kind only exists because we willed it,” she said. “Ourwillpower was literally strong enough to tame the chaos of our liminal plane.So, no,Iam not a slave to chaos, no matter with whomIchoose to affiliate.”
Calamity rolled her eyes. “Well, aren’t you special.Inthe meantime, the rest of us are just trying to get the job done.”
Nashala looked around at the wreckageCalamityhad caused. “Ihope you feel good about what you’ve done, then,” she said, and from the way she set her mouth into a hard line, she clearly knew thatCalamitydidn’t, in fact, feel good about it.Notat all.
Shouts sounded from outside, and the rest of the party began to panic, muttering about guards, butCalamityheldNashala’sgaze.Shewouldn’t be the first to move away.Therewas a heat radiating between them, and it stoked the fire insideCalamity, her rage and regret and every overwhelming emotion mounting.Sheflexed her fingers to make sure it wouldn’t manifest in another outburst.
Eventually,Nashalastepped away, a smirk playing at her lips, andCalamityfinally exhaled.Thenshe turned and ran through the gap she’d created, needing to be by herself for a while.
Chapter17
Teddy
