Edge of Pathos (Book 4 of The Conjurors Series)

Chapter 21

After an hour of pacing Mer's tiny hut, Valerie finally saw Mira and Sibyl returning with Claremont and Cerise on their heels.

"How many do we have to capture to end Putrefus's rule?" Valerie asked Sibyl.

"Most follow him out of fear. But his core followers are his best friends of many years. There are eleven," Sibyl said.

"We have located nine," Mira added. "They reside in the new hut they call the castle."

Sibyl's face was red with indignation. "That structure was intended as a hospital, so that critically ill Conjurors could come for the healing waters of our pool. But Putrefus has turned it into his headquarters."

"I don't know how they get off calling it a castle," Claremont said. "Looks like a big pile of mud to me."

"What about the other two of Putrefus's friends?" Thai asked.

"We didn't find them, but I know where they live," Sibyl said.

"Let's grab them first," Valerie said.

After conferring with Sibyl, the group headed out. Sibyl directed them to the huts of the two allies of Putrefus who didn't live in his castle. At each stop, Valerie and Cerise snuck in and quickly knocked the target unconscious.

Thai, Mira, and Claremont hauled them back to Mer's hut, where Thai had activated the charm to turn it into a little prison. It would last a few hours, which should be enough time to take Sibyl and her friends back into the city. Mer was gleeful about his role of jailer of Putrefus's gang.

It was only two hours later that they gathered at a back entrance of the Oracle hospital.

"I'm guessing Putrefus and his friends are on the top floor," Sibyl said. "It has a view of the whole city."

Quietly, the group stepped on platforms that whizzed up a ramp that had stops at each floor.

"Mira and Thai, wait a floor below. If we don't come for you, flee back to Arden for reinforcements," Valerie commanded.

Claremont was all but rubbing her hands in anticipation of a fight as she, Cerise, Sibyl, and Valerie took the platform to the top floor.

They stepped onto the landing, and the hall was quiet. A murmur of voices was the only sound, and they followed it.

Valerie stopped at a doorway and saw Putrefus with three of his friends, laughing as they clashed with black weapons obviously given to them by Reaper. But other than that, no signs of Fractus reinforcements were visible.

"This won't even be enough of a fight to be fun," Claremont said before launching herself into the room, her light-imbued mace in her hand.

Putrefus's face was a mask of horror when he saw Valerie, Sibyl, Cerise, and Claremont charge in.

"G-get back! These weapons will suck your magic!" Putrefus said, but he and his friends had backed into a corner.

One of Putrefus's friends, who had close-cropped hair and a snout that reminded Valerie of a pig, threw his dagger at Cerise with more skill than she would have guessed he had.

Valerie's magic surged, and she knocked the knife to the ground before it lodged in Cerise's heart. Then Claremont struck him with a hard punch to his temple, and snout-nose crumpled to the ground.

Claremont laughed then turned and swung her mace, knocking the black weapon of another of Putrefus's cohorts to the ground. Valerie had drawn Pathos, and she struck Putrefus's sword with her own, shattering it.