The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer Read Free Book Online Page A

the mockery gone from her tanned face. “You and the kid get the rear station today. Jerik’s on point scouting the lower canyon, and I’m with the wagon.”
    Dev flicked a hand in acknowledgement. He turned to Kiran. “You ready?”
    “Yes. Should I—”
    Raw, unadulterated power slammed outward from the city. Invisible and inaudible, yet Ruslan’s magic blazed forth with the screaming intensity of a sandstorm. Kiran’s senses reeled as Lizaveta’s amulet seared fire into his skin. Dimly, he was aware of falling; then an impact knocked him breathless. The surge of magic washed over him, seeking onward through the valley. Kiran was left sprawled in the sand with one foot still caught in a stirrup.
    “I hate to think what’s gonna happen when your horse actually starts moving.” Dev leaned down from his saddle and freed Kiran’s foot, his face full of amused disgust. Beyond, men continued to bustle around the convoy wagons, hitching mules and securing gear, as if nothing had happened. Kiran shook his head in amazement. He’d known the untalented couldn’t sense magic, but this...how could they be so blind? His ears still buzzed with the sheer force of Ruslan’s fury.
    “Muscle cramp,” Kiran mumbled to Dev. He waved Dev’s offered hand away and staggered to his feet. “Sorry. Caught me by surprise.” Awe and terror tightened his throat. That blast of magic had been Ruslan’s alone, with no help from the great forces of the confluence. Kiran had always known Ruslan was powerful, but he’d never had quite so vivid a demonstration of Ruslan’s strength.
    “Told you, you should stretch.” Dev’s expression was bland, though his green eyes were sharp as ever. Kiran wanted to inspect the amulet for any damage, but under that gaze he didn’t dare. Dev was already suspicious enough of Kiran’s cover story. If Dev realized a mage hunted them, he’d plead with Pello to send a message to Ruslan, in hopes of saving himself. Kiran bit his tongue in frustration. Finding and destroying Pello’s charm would be child’s play, if he used magic. But the instant he did, he might as well shout his location straight into Ruslan’s ear.
    Kiran remounted his horse. This time the ache in his muscles faded to insignificance under the weight of his nerves. Ruslan’s initial salvo had been a matter of impulse, the equivalent of a single, visceral shout of anger. Now Ruslan would plan his spellwork in earnest. Mindful of Dev’s eyes on him, Kiran suppressed a shiver.

CHAPTER THREE
    (Dev)

    “Y ou sure you didn’t crack your skull in that little tumble this morning?” I asked Kiran, as our horses followed the tail wagon of the convoy around yet another dusty switchback. “You’ve barely said two words all day.”
    “I’m fine.” Kiran’s head was bowed, his shoulders stiff. “It’s just so hot.”
    True enough that the midday sun blazed fiercely enough to turn a man’s brains to sludge. But yesterday’s equally blistering heat hadn’t kept him from a steady stream of questions.
    “Well, good news: we’ve reached Silverlode Canyon.” I pointed ahead, where the trail left the sagebrush to disappear into a narrow gash in the pale cliffs. “In Silverlode, the heat’ll ease some. And we’ll be done with this gods-damned sand.”
    “Oh. Good.” Kiran’s gaze stayed locked on his saddle.
    So long as he hadn’t thumped his head badly enough to get brain sickness, he could stay silent as a sand lump if he liked. Though after long hours spent wrestling with the problem of Pello and his charm, I could’ve used a nice distracting conversation.
    Red Dal had taught me a whole host of dirty tricks for disabling charms, and the more inspired ones even worked without the Taint. Problem was, they all depended on direct access to the charm in question. A clever man like Pello was sure to use serious protective wards to hide his charm stash from prying eyes. I might search his wagon a thousand times and never find