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twenty

Cal

Cal stared glumly down at the void orb, lowering his latest selection of lock rods.

Once again, the Void-cursed thing had reset.

At this point, he was about ready to hurl it across the room and take his chances with it shattering.

Better that than waiting to be torn apart by whatever it conjured next.

He didn’t even know how many monstrous aberrants the High Commander had slain by now.

The room looked more like a battlefield than an office, scattered with charred scraps of paper and broken hunks of wood.

Dark only knew what would happen when the void orb ran out of furniture to animate.

Somehow, Cal doubted it would simply fizzle out.

When something stirred yet again in that tear in reality, Cal braced himself for some fresh horror to emerge.

Relief flooded him when it was Griff who appeared instead.

His coat billowed dramatically behind him, and he held his revolver raised at the ready.

He came back for me.

The thought buoyed Cal’s flagging spirit, and for the first time since the void orb activated, genuine hope returned to him.

Maybe they’d actually make it out of this in one piece.

As Griff took in the scene with wide eyes, Cal could only imagine what it must look like to him: Cal crouched there amid the destruction, his clothes torn from countless minor wounds, while behind him the bloodied High Commander engaged in a gallant standoff with his former chair that now resembled a monstrous spider.

When Griff’s eyes met his, holding his gaze, the concern and love in them sent warmth spiraling through his veins.

Barely aware of what he was doing, he surged to his feet and rushed to Griff, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

The gesture was made slightly awkward thanks to the orb and lock rods he still grasped, but Griff didn’t hesitate to return it.

“Thank the Light you’re all right,” Griff said.

He buried his face into Cal’s neck.

“I was worried I’d be too late.”

A great crash echoed behind them.

Cal pulled back, holding up the void orb.

“You’re right on time. Mind putting that aura-sight of yours to good use?”

“For you?” Griff smiled.

“Always.”

The aberrant let out a horrifying shriek, followed by another crash.

“What the Void is going on over there?” High Commander Pern shouted.

“Am I going mad, or are there two of you now?”

Oh, right.

Feeling a bit sheepish, Cal canceled his duskflame disguise.

In all the confusion, he’d honestly forgotten he was still wearing it.

“Sorry,” he shouted.

“My bad. No time for explanations right now. Just hang in there while we get this mess sorted out.”

Ignoring the High Commander’s curses, Cal proffered the pulsing orb to Griff.

The inspector took it, wincing slightly as he squinted at its swirling depths.

“Merciful Light,” he cursed.

“Its aura was bad enough before, but now that it’s active, it hurts my eyes just looking at it.” Fierce determination tightened his jaw.

“But I’ll do my best to describe what I see.”

Cal nodded.

“It’s just like that ward guarding the archives at the Treasury. We’ve got this, no problem.”

Hoping he was right, he huddled on the floor with Griff while the High Commander fought to defend them in the near distance.

They kept the orb between them while Cal raised up his tools, took a deep breath, and dove back in, listening for Griff’s callouts.

“Here. The voidflame is bunching around this spot.”

“Its aura has shifted again. It’s wilder now, untamed.”

“Wait, it’s slowing down. I can sense several disparate threads of magic slowly weaving together.”

Cal swapped between his rods with lightning speed as he struggled to keep up with every minute fluctuation Griff detected, grateful for his agile fingers.

One slip-up would force them to start anew.

Living wood, obsidian, jade, back to living wood.

..

Each new rod had to be moved in an incredibly specific pattern to match the voidflame’s shifting pattern.

A series of light taps here, a slashing motion there.

Tight, concentric circles that shifted into slow, undulating waves.

Even with Griff’s assistance, he struggled to keep up.

Gradually, however, they fell into a rhythm.

It got to a point where Griff barely even needed to call out an order, Cal already anticipating the next rod he’d need by feel.

It was as if the two of them were practically working as one, Cal almost able to see the aura himself.

The closest he’d ever come to feeling so perfectly in sync with another person was Kelsith, and that was nothing but a pale imitation to how he felt now.

It was glorious, everything he’d ever wanted.

And Void, how he’d miss it once it was gone…

With one final jiggle of a harmonite rod, the storm of violet light infusing the void orb finally began to settle.

As the voidflame receded, the purple haze hanging in the air faded along with it.

The gaping hole in reality where the door had been resealed.

The violet energy coating the walls flickered out.

And in the blink of an eye, the room was once again nothing but an office…

albeit a heavily destroyed one.

High Commander Pern staggered over.

His uniform hung in tatters, his face and side coated in slick blood.

“Excellent work, you two!” He squinted at Cal.

“Though I believe some amount of explanation is in order.”

Cal hesitated, too worn out after his efforts defusing the void orb to think of a good excuse on the fly.

He was grateful when Griff jumped in.

“Sir, this is Cal. He’s been assisting me on this case. We’ve been tracking the void orb in secret for over a week now, trying to determine who purchased it and why. All we know for certain is that someone on the Pentarchy is involved.”

“And apparently wants you dead,” Cal chimed in.

He flinched when the High Commander turned his hard gaze upon him.

“Yes, I got that much myself.” He glanced pointedly about his ruined office.

“What I don’t understand is how they managed to plant the relic here without me or my attendant noticing.”

Once again, it was Griff who stepped in.

“I’m sorry, sir, but we have reason to believe Sasha was collaborating with them. I have him detained outside.”

“Lieutenant Thrack!” The High Commander’s eyes narrowed.

“Very well. Then let us get to the bottom of this.”

Cal and Griff followed him as he stalked to his office door and threw it open.

Cal felt a surge of satisfaction when he saw Sasha lying on the floor, tangled up in one of Griff’s magical nets.

Served the Void-eater right for trying to electrocute Cal earlier.

It looked like he’d been trying to free himself, extricating one of his arms and legs before they arrived.

He fell still when he saw them standing there.

Fixing his gaze on the High Commander, he stretched out his arm.

“Please, sir, there’s been a huge mistake! I have no idea what Griff is talking about. You have to believe me!”

When the High Commander didn’t immediately answer, Griff approached and knelt beside the captured protector.

“It’s over, Sasha,” he said, his voice pained.

“I have proof that you’re involved with the Brotherhood, and you’re the only one who could’ve placed that void relic in High Commander Pern’s office tonight without being seen. Tell me what you know, and I promise I’ll ask the magisters for leniency during your trial.”

Sasha’s panicked gaze flicked from Griff to the High Commander.

“Trial? But I haven’t done anything wrong! Sir, please, I—”

“I suggest you cooperate, Lieutenant,” the High Commander said.

Sasha flinched at his harsh, unforgiving tone.

“This may be your last chance to save yourself from the gallows. Use it wisely.”

Cal almost felt bad for the man as his face paled, his breathing growing erratic.

He cast another frantic glance about the hall at each of their unyielding faces.

Then, the fight seemed to go out of him.

He slumped in the net.

“I had no idea anyone would get hurt,” he said softly.

“Honest! T-they told me that I’d be helping to prevent war with Nalax. That what I did would save countless lives. After what I saw in Urtoq Jungle, what I’ve seen here in Derimay…I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Cal could definitely relate to that.

Judging by Griff’s forlorn grimace, so could he.

“What did you have to do?” Griff asked.

“Nothing that seemed too crazy. Every couple weeks, they’d leave orders for me: a new delivery to pick up from the Brotherhood and bring somewhere. I didn’t like having to deal with those brutes, but my orders assured me that it was for the greater good.”

“Orders from who?” the High Commander demanded.

“Who hired you?”

“I don’t know,” Sasha whimpered.

“I never saw a face or met them in person. I just received a letter one day with the offer.” He licked his lips.

“Maybe I should’ve asked more questions. But you know how things are with Lucile. We could use the extra money. Please, sir, you have to believe me! I never thought anyone would get hurt!”

High Commander Pern’s face was as hard and merciless as stone.

“Save your excuses for the magisters. I have no interest in the word of traitors.”

While Sasha began to sniffle and weep, curling in on himself, Cal hesitantly stepped forward.

He crouched down beside Griff.

Shooting him a glance, he awkwardly patted Sasha’s back.

“There, now. As long as you cooperate, everything will be okay. I promise. Now, what about the void orb? Where were you taking it when you picked it up from Bald Locke a little over a week ago?”

Sniffling, Sasha glanced up at him with a questioning look.

“Who the Void are you?”

“Just answer his question,” Griff said.

Sasha licked his lips, his gaze flicking from Griff back to Cal.

“T-the usual drop-off point: Tabitha’s Fineries. There was a bin out back they told me to use.”

Cal knew the place.

One of the more reputable tapestry makers in the city.

It was also located at a busy intersection.

Countless people walked past that bin every day.

He doubted they’d be able to glean much from it.

High Commander Pern loomed over Sasha.

“Then how did it end up in my office?”

Sasha trembled.

Cal couldn’t help feeling sorry for the guy, and a sudden thought struck him—this could’ve been him , on any one of dozens of situations.

Had he been a little slower or a little more careless during a job, he might’ve found himself in exactly this sort of predicament.

It was only by the grace of the Goddess—and Griff—that he was standing here a free man instead.

“T-his man s-showed up here earlier tonight,” Sasha said, his voice shaky.

“I-I’d never seen him before, but he knew all about my arrangement and the void orb. He gave it to me, along with orders to place it in your office. I…I slipped it in while you were preoccupied with your work.”

“And you didn’t think to question what a relic laced with voidflame was intended to do?” Cal demanded incredulously.

Sash’s bowed head was answer enough.

Maybe at first he really had believed his actions were for the greater good and that no one would be hurt.

But by the end, some part of him must’ve realized what he was doing by placing that void orb in his superior’s office.

And he’d done it anyway.

The High Commander’s expression darkened with fury.

He took a step closer, raising his crackling baton.

Caked in blood as he was, it was a truly ominous sight.

“Traitor!” the High Commander bellowed.

“You don’t deserve any mercy! You’ve betrayed everything your office ever stood for, and for what? Empty promises and a sack of gallants!”

Sasha began to sob.

Griff stared down at him, pity flickering across his features.

Cal reached out and rested a hand on Griff’s back.

Griff flashed him a sad smile.

The High Commander remained there for a long moment, his baton raised and poised to strike.

Then, he let out a low growl and spun, striding away.

Cal shared a quick glance with Griff before they rose in unison and followed the High Commander back out of the sobbing protector’s earshot.

“As far as I can tell from his aura, sir, he’s telling the truth,” Griff said.

He hesitated, shooting another pitying glance toward Sasha.

“Or at least, the truth as he sees it.”

“We should check that drop-off point,” Cal said.

“Make sure there’s nothing else there.”

Griff nodded.

“I doubt we’ll find anything, but it’s worth a shot.” Some unreadable emotion flickered across his face.

“I had a little chat with Kelsith before I came here. Best I can determine, once Sasha lost the void orb, his mysterious benefactor hired Kelsith to retrieve it and make sure it was planted here. Kelsith pretty much confirmed as much before he escaped.”

Cal clenched his jaw at the mention of his former mentor.

Escaped? He fully intended to question Griff about that encounter later.

For now, though, they had bigger problems.

“That means we’re no closer to figuring out who’s behind all this,” he said with a sigh.

“I know who it is.” Both Cal and Griff turned toward the High Commander as his gaze narrowed.

“High Merchant Teodoro has been blocking my efforts to build up our defenses for months, claiming it would harm trade with Nalax. All he cares about is his bottom line. He wouldn’t hesitate to get me out of the way if he thought it would fill his pockets.”

Recalling the fight they’d seen at the gala, Cal had to admit it made sense.

Teodoro had a clear motive for wanting the High Commander dead, and someone like him would certainly have had the financial knowledge and contacts to pull something like this off.

Other than the High Commander, he’d been their prime suspect.

Griff appeared less convinced.

“If the High Merchant simply wanted you dead, why use the void orb to attack you? Someone with his resources could’ve devised any number of simpler ways to take you out. Why go through all this trouble and hassle?”

Good point.

Cal tapped his chin, considering.

“Perhaps that’s precisely why he did it? Sure, there are easier methods, from poison in a drink to a dagger in the night. But killing someone in such an elaborate, grandiose fashion sends a clear message.”

“It also presents a clear culprit,” High Commander Pern grunted.

He sounded begrudging.

“With voidflame involved, most would assume the Empty Eye cultists behind the attack. After such a high profile attack, it wouldn’t be hard to shift attention from Nalax to them. What better way to ease tensions with one enemy than by presenting another?” Holstering his baton, he gave Sasha one last disgusted look as he strode past him down the hall.

“I’ll order Teodoro’s arrest at once.”

“Hold on, sir,” Griff said.

Cal turned and saw that he had that cute little divot he got when he was parsing a difficult problem.

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure…” Griff frowned.

“Something about all this just seems too easy.”

High Commander Pern gave a disbelieving snort.

“Easy? We barely escaped with our lives!”

“Apologies, sir,” Griff said, bowing his head.

“I didn’t mean to make light of the danger you faced. Still…I ask that you trust me. Call an emergency meeting of the Pentarchy, and I swear I’ll get to the bottom of this. If all the evidence still seems to point to the High Merchant, you can order his arrest right then and there.”

The High Commander studied him for a moment before heaving a sigh.

“If it was anyone else asking me…very well, Inspector. I trust your instincts. Let us see what my fellow councilors have to say for themselves…just as soon as I find a change of clothes.”