Adrian considered the captain's words as the artillery pieces were hauled into place in range of the city. Crews worked to raise the barrels to an appropriate angle and they gathered racks of cartridges from the beds of the trucks. Each man knew his role and soon the pieces were loaded and ready for the signal.

  "Prince Adrian," Algot Gunn said. "Sir, should I give the order?"

  "Those soldiers know not to hit the chancery, right?"

  "That's right."

  "Then yes. Let us begin."

  Using a turquoise contract crystal, Algot Gunn summoned a Wind Elemental. This was the signal that provoked identical conjurations down the line of artillery pieces. The Wind Elementals, like the Fire Elementals, were all female, except their bodies appeared to be constructed from swirling clouds of turquoise mist. With a flash of Elemental power each man, all down the line, became suddenly surrounded by a thin, nearly-transparent spherical barrier. A wind barrier to block the sound.

  From atop the parked autocar Adrian had a decent view of the gently-sloping floodplains. The first of the pieces fired with a remote thud, followed shortly after by dozens of others. The explosions ravaged the pale yellow city walls, throwing up huge plumes of red fire and black debris. The farms and tenements outside the walls immediately caught fire.

  Waves of infantry rushed into the chaos, guns ablaze. Adrian watched the battle through the optics of Algot Gunn's personal sniper rifle. Some of the savages attempted to surrender and they were promptly executed.

  The next wave of artillery landed deeper into the city, ahead of the advancing infantry. This was beyond the smoke of the original volley and Adrian could no longer make out the details.

  "Take me closer to the front lines," he commanded.

  "Sir?" the captain asked.

  "I want to be there when they take the chancery."

  "Yes sir."

  They got back in the autocar and Algot drove them down the dirt road between the farms toward the city. The river and the lake shimmered in the gray light beyond the copses between the farms. All the while Felicia, the War Elemental, floated beside the autocar, seemingly deep in thought.

  Adrian rolled the window down again. The air was hot and smelled of spent munitions.

  "Felicia," he said. "Is it true?"

  Is what true? the Elemental asked.

  "Were there really people who flew through the sky in magical flying machines?"

  To this the Elemental did not reply.

  "Did someone tell you not to talk about magical flying machines?" he asked.

  I must consult with my mother, Felicia said.

  "Your mother? You mean the Elemental Queen of Life?"

  That's right.

  Adrian faced Algot Gunn. The marine shrugged. They drove on in silence.

  Mother says that she does not know, Felicia finally replied. She says that if there were such people who flew such machines then those people will make haste to invent those machines once more.

  "I wouldn't mind a flying machine," he admitted. "Something faster than a balloon to help scout enemy positions before the battle starts."

  "The spymaster had the same idea," Algot Gunn said. "That's why he assigned me the task of investigating these rumors."

  They caught up to the lines of infantry crossing into the city. They followed slowly behind each wave of artillery shells until they reached the leading edge of the infantry line. Unfortunately they were forced to abandon the autocar because the ground had become pocked with deep craters. There was smoke everywhere and the sound of gunfire. They went on through crumbling buildings and the still corpses of enemy soldiers. It was a massacre.

  "We should make our way to the chancery," Adrian said.

  Algot Gunn made contact with one of the nearby sergeants and after a brief negotiation they went on. They made their way up a narrow, sloping street. The air was filled with gunsmoke and sparks from the exploding street lamps and shattered glass from the parked autocars. There were flashes of green light as combat medics summoned Life Elementals to treat wounded soldiers. The enemy seemed to be well-armed relative to the tribesmen outside the walls.

  The chancery was located in a plaza of broad lawns and parking lots. There was a ring of flagpoles in the center surrounded by a ring of rose gardens. The structure itself was stately with white marble facades and long red banners between the columns. It was also heavily guarded.

  "That's the leader," Algot Gunn said. "Look."

  He offered his sniper and Adrian took it. He scanned the grand staircase and the enemy leader wasn't too difficult to pick out. He was outrageously tall and muscular, clad in a jerkin studded with human bones. In spite of this the man looked deeply agitated. He bellowed orders to his subordinates but Adrian could tell he was on the verge of breaking.

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  Something's wrong, Adrian thought.

  He opened the bolt and he held out one open palm.

  "Sir?"

  "I don't think the hostages are in any danger. Either that or they are already dead."

  Algot Gunn slipped one of the huge cartridges into his hand.

  "Two minutes left and three minutes up," the marine said.

  Adrian twisted the knobs on the optics then he loaded the cartridge and locked the bolt. He smoothly brought the man's head into the crosshairs and as soon as the target stopped moving he pulled the trigger. There was a supersonic crack followed by a dull echo of the shot. The man's head simply vanished. Adrian whistled but he could not hear his own voice for he had been briefly deafened.

  The marines stormed the chancery and when they reported it was clear Adrian went inside with Algot Gunn. It was as Adrian had feared. There were no hostages at all. Everyone was dead and they had been dead for a long time.

  "What a disaster," Algot Gunn said.

  A soldier came bounding down the stairs in the foyer.

  "My prince!" he said. "There's someone here. A Light Matron!"

  "Take me to her," Adrian said.

  The Light Matron was waiting for them on the top floor conservatory, overlooking the battle below. She wore the solid gold robes of her order and her face was obscured behind a golden mask.

  Beside the Matron floated the Light Elemental, a woman made of ghostly pale gold light and clad in heavy armor. She had huge wings which spanned the conservatory and she wore a winged helmet. As always, the Light Elemental appeared to be corrupted with a mother-of-pearl sheen, like oil on the surface of a pond.

  I figured a Light Elemental was involved, Adrian thought.

  "Prince Adrian," the woman said dryly.

  Even this brief sequence of syllables betrayed an accent, one common to mainland Taisia.

  "What's this about?" Adrian asked.

  "There has been a problem, Adrian. A problem with the contract."

  "Which contract is that?"

  "Don't play coy with me Maryy. You know quite well that I was referring to the contract your ancestors made with the Queen of Light."

  "I suppose you're going to tell me about this problem?"

  "There was a loophole that we did not consider. I'm afraid I cannot discuss this with you right now. The chairman of your local bank will consult with you when we have more information. In the meantime, I would speak with you in private. Send your soldiers away."

  "I will not," Adrian said firmly. "Why did you start this rebellion? What was your goal?"

  "The chairman will contact you," she replied.

  She reached into her golden robes and produced an amulet inset with a triad of huge emerald contract crystals.

  Keystones!

  "Second High Daughter of the Queen of Life!" the woman bellowed. "Open a portal to the Domain of Life!"

  I forbid it! Felicia screamed in their minds.

  The three emerald contract crystals flickered and went dull. Felicia floated into the room from the hallway behind them. Adrian had not noticed that she didn't follow them into the room before that moment, though it perhaps was for the best. She likely knew the woman had the contract crystals. In fact, it was possible Felicia had come to the region because of those crystals.

  "Impossible!" the Light Matron shrieked. "The First! The First! Light Elemental, this is an emergency. Summon the Heaven Keystones immediately. Do it now!"

  As you wish, the Light Elemental replied.

  Her voice was delicate, like windchimes, though it had a sinister tint to it as well.

  With an explosion of golden light three indigo contract crystals appeared before the Light Matron.

  "Second High Daughter of the Queen of Heaven!" the Matron said quickly. "Open a portal to the Domain of Heaven!"

  The three indigo crystals pulsed and then the circular portal exploded into existence behind the Matron. An undulating cloud of pale and dark indigo surrounded by a bird's nest of worm-like indigo lines. The portal fully opened to reveal a foggy landscape under a breathtaking night sky.

  A figure in red robes stood just beyond the portal. Young-looking and slender but distinctly female. Over her red robes she wore a black fishnet studded with rubies. Her face was obscured behind a lustrous ebony mask.

  The Light Matron turned around proudly as if to pass through the portal, saw the figure on the other side, and froze.

  "Close the portal!" she shouted.

  The figure became indistinct as the portal undulated and broke.

  The Light Matron collapsed on the ground. The woman removed her gold mask and started gasping for breath. As if she had just survived certain death. She looked up to Adrian with eyes pleading.

  "It seems you don't be going anywhere," Adrian observed.

  "Adrian, I want to negotiate."

  "Tell me why you started this rebellion," he said.

  "I'll tell you what I know," she said. "Adrian. There are people all over Taisia and the Heylin Empire who remember how to make flying machines."

  "What of it?" Algot Gunn asked.

  "Adrian," she replied, voice breaking. "They are only found in Taisia and the Heylin Empire."

  "That doesn't explain why you started this rebellion," Adrian said.

  "They knew you were going to crush the rebellion and they planned to sell this as a massacre in the media, in the intelligentsia. It's a smokescreen, one of many, to help pacify the masses against what they have planned."

  "Which is?"

  "The absolute extermination of all Taisians. Everywhere. Including the descendants of Vaska of Veninmark. Your ancestors, Adrian. And it gets worse. They know where to find Reyndell the Paladin."

  Her eyes involuntarily glanced up at Felicia.

  "First," she said. "Why did you come?"

  But Felicia did not reply. Instead, she vanished in a flash of emerald light.

  "Who was the girl in the red robes?" Adrian asked.

  The Light Matron shivered.

  "I've never seen her before," she said.

  Adrian nodded.

  "You are free to go. Return to your masters in Taisia City. You may make use of any form of transportation required anywhere in the empire. Captain, this woman is not to be hindered in any way. Pass the order to the marines."

  "Yes sir," Algot Gunn replied.

  Outside the conservatory he pulled the spy aside.

  "Watch her," he commanded. "She will try to inform the banks about her encounter with that girl in the red robes. Intercept all her messages. Find out what she isn't telling us."

  "Yes sir," the spy replied.

  "And one more thing."

  "Yes sir?"

  "You report directly to me now."

  "Very good sir."