Realms of Shadow - Lizz Baldwin [22]
"But you failed. I should have known that chain-wielder wasn't an adequate challenge to determine if you could kill an archwizard.''
"Sir?"
Lume whirled, blurting out his words. "The chain-wielder, son! I sent him to test you. How else do you think a man of that skill ended up in such a backwater village as Rath?"
"You sent the blond man after me, sir? But, I… I don't understand."
"Are you stupid, boy? I planted the man in Kath and paid him to attack you," replied Lume.
"But… but why? That man almost killed me."
"To see if you were up to this assassination," he explained, "but obviously it was a poor test."
Cy stood with his arms limp and his mouth open wide.
Lume paced back and forth for a while longer, then he caught sight of Cy. "Child, stop your bemoaning. You lived. All that matters now is that we go back to kill Shadow and get that wand." Lume walked over to the young man and put his hand on his shoulder. "Despite the fact that you failed, you've provided us-provided our great leader Olostin himself-with a real opportunity to reclaim our world from the haughty archwizards."
Cy just stared, fuming at Lume.
"Son, if we get that wand," explained the captain, "we could use it against Shadow and all of his kind. We've been trying to kill that man for years, and now we might finally have an opportunity to use his own research against him. Wouldn't that be beautiful?" He smiled and slapped Cy on the shoulder. "You know something, Cy, I've sent a countless number of assassins after Shadow over the years, and you're the first to come back alive. You should take pride in that. You're one in perhaps a thousand, and now you'll get another chance to complete your mission."
Cy pulled away from the captain. "You do what you want, but I'll have no part of it."
Lume narrowed his gaze. "You'll do what I tell you, or you'll be dead." He stepped toward Cy and lowered his hand to his saber.
Cy stood his ground. "You sent me to die once already. I'm not going back."
The captain brought his sword up in a quick arc, hitting Cy squarely under the jaw with the pommel as the blade scraped out of its scabbard.
The young assassin fell back, and he held his hand to his face, trying to stop the flow of blood as he stared up at his captain from the floor. Two armed guards came through the tent flap, their swords drawn.
"Take him back to his tent," Lume instructed the men, "and make sure he doesn't go anywhere." He turned back to the young man on the floor. "He'll be needed shortly- to finish his failed duties."
* * * * *
Two days later, Lume sent a group of guards to escort Cy to the party's armory. The captain was there briefing a small group of men on the coming assassination.
"I will personally accompany you men to make sure that this time we succeed where Cy failed," intoned Lume. He smiled at Cy as the guards untied the younger man's bonds. "Cy will go along, under my personal supervision, to provide the necessary details about Shadow's home and habits." He looked out at the crowd of assembled assassins. "If this man-" he pointed to Cy-"attempts to escape or in any other way avoid his duty to this group, he is to be executed. Do I make myself clear?"
Every head in the group nodded assent.
Each of the assassins was given special boots that masked the sound of their footsteps and special cloaks that made them more difficult to see, and each was issued an amulet that made them less susceptible to the effects of Shadow's magic.
"These won't protect you from the shadows," explained Lume, "but they will make you less of a target for the archwizard."
Cy gritted his teeth. This whole mission might not be necessary had he had one of those amulets on the first attempt.
Then Lume gave each of the men a light crossbow with a single bolt, and a small dagger, and they left for Karsus. The plan was for Cy to lead the other assassins into