The Allseer Trilogy

by Kaitlyn Rouhier

  Tomias frowned. He obviously wasn’t convinced. He pulled his horse as close to her as he could, his eyes tracing a path through the crowds. He was poised and ready for anything. Their pace across the bridge slowed to a crawl, the gate leading into the city too clogged with people to allow entry. They were trapped, unable to move forward or back until the gate was cleared.

  Kirheen could hear a voice, shrill and intense, rising above the din of the crowds. A woman stood on a wooden crate on the right side of the bridge, elevated above those she preached to. She wore the most unusual garb, great flowing robes of the deepest black. The fabric shimmered, tiny stones catching the light as she moved. The upper half of her face was hidden behind an elegant black mask, the fabric crafted into delicate twists and swirls.

  “Do you hear the voice from the stars?” she asked loudly, her hand sweeping over them. “Can you hear the cries of Zekar, great warden of our very souls? Do you hear him cry out against the madness in this city? I hear him. I hear him loudly, his thunderous voice ringing truth in my ears. Hear him, hear him all, for the stars are the only light that should exist in your heart. He spits on the cursed ones. He spits on them for their treachery and their lies.”

  She jabbed a finger towards the sky, her voice growing louder, her testaments bolder. Her audience was a captive one, trapped on the bridge and unable to flee her words. “The cursed ones have plagued this city. Like rodents, they crawl in the shadows bringing death and disease and madness to our glorious city. Zekar demands their tainted souls. Death through fire and blood is the way of the cursed. So they live, so they die. Death to the cursed ones!”

  A few in the crowd took up her cry, fervently agreeing with her vehement words. Those that did not speak nodded their head in agreement. A few averted eye contact and ignored the crazed woman. “Death, I say, death. It is the only answer for this corruption. It is the only way to free our hearts from this horrible taint. Do you agree with me? Do you? I want to hear it from you all. I want to hear it pour from your hearts.”

  “Death to the cursed ones,” came a loud chorus around them. “Death to them all!”

  The nervous energy that had set her heart to fluttering swelled. It was like some great beast that fed on the words the woman spouted. She was surrounded by people that would kill her if they even got a hint of what she was. This is real. This is actually real. All of it…

  “Kirheen,” Tomias growled, snapping her away from her thoughts. “Be ready for anything. Whatever you do, whatever happens, stay close to me.”

  Kirheen could do nothing but nod her head, fear constricting her throat too much to reply. The woman in the black robes continued to speak, her shrill voice piercing through her skull. The crowd was growing restless, she could see it in their faces, in the way they shuffled from foot to foot. They were ready for action, ready for the carnage the woman so blatantly called for. How can they let this happen?

  “Zekar gifted the world with life. He gifted the stars to create us. Riel, curse her name, thought us lesser, thought us unworthy of such a gift. We spit on her name. We curse her broken children, heathens of a tainted light. We cast them from our city, cast them to their deaths. We will not tolera-”

  Mid-sentence, the woman stopped speaking, her eyes going wide. She let out a strangled cry, her body going rigid. She turned ever so slowly towards the edge of the bridge. Her leg shot forward, almost as if against her will, and she tumbled from her box in a heap of black robes. The crowd went silent, watching her with a mixture of fear and confusion. “N-no,” she managed to squeak as she rose to her feet. She shambled towards the edge of the bridge, her shaking hands rising to grasp the short wall separating her from the ocean below.

  Kirheen was brought back to their time in the swamp, to men walking to their deaths, swallowed by the murky waters, drowned by power, by her power. This seemed no different. She watched in disbelief as the woman hoisted herself up, watched as she brought her leg up over the wall. Nobody moved, nobody breathed. There was a hushed whisper, the faint sound of the woman’s robes brushing against the smooth stone of the wall, and then she fell.

  Whatever power had held sway over her broke its hold as she tumbled over the wall. Her scream was a brief thing, quickly swallowed by the thundering waves below. The crowd stood in stunned silence, not a breath escaping them. It was silent enough to hear a pin drop and then someone screamed. It broke through the dazed crowd, igniting their emotions in a single piercing cry.

  It was chaos.

  The congregation swelled, pushing back away from the place where the woman had been standing. Shouts and warnings filled the air. People pushed and pulled but made little progress. There were too many people on the bridge and nowhere to go. The horses snorted nervously, pacing in the small circle they occupied.

  A man was shoved into Tomias’ horse and the sudden jostle spooked it. The horse reared and the motion sent an unprepared Tomias tumbling from his saddle. He hit the ground in a crumpled heap and narrowly missed behind crushed by his own horse. He scrambled to his feet, hand gripping his ribs, and tried to find a safe spot in all the commotion.

  A man in grimy clothing grabbed the horse, mounted in one swift movement, and fled in the other direction, trampling anyone in his way. Kirheen cursed and forced her horse towards Tomias. Benny swayed nervously, snorting as he paced from side to side, tail swishing in violent arcs. She could feel his tension, knew that at any moment she could wind up like Tomias. She slid from the saddle and into the chaos below. Keeping hold of Benny, she fought to unbuckle one of the packs from his back. The constant motion made it difficult, but she managed to loosen one and slip it over her shoulder.

  A hand slipped around her waist and she gave a start, turning to find Tomias at her side, his eyes watching the crowd like a hawk. “We need to get out of here,” he growled. As the words left his lips, the crowd lurched. The people to their left suddenly pressed in close, pinning her and Tomias against Benny. It was too much for the poor horse. He bucked, flailing himself around as he tried to free a spot in the crowd. Kirheen was yanked in the other direction, Tomias forcefully shoving his way through the masses to get them to safety. “Keep hold of me,” he yelled, his grip on her hand almost painful. She feared losing that connection. It would be far too easy to be swallowed up in the commotion, to lose Tomias in that chaos.

  A single word rang out, a word that turned her blood cold. “Seekers!”

  Several cloaked figures wearing all black appeared along the top of the city wall. They watched the chaos on the bridge, predatory birds waiting to strike. The raucous energy of the crowd simmered down and Kirheen could feel a slight dampening of her emotions, a pressure against her mind. They were manipulating them, quelling the emotions of those on the bridge in order to get the situation under control.

  People fled to either side of the bridge, clearing a path for the second group of Seekers walking in their midst. There were five of them, all wearing black robes, their faces hidden behind swirling, black masks. Their heads swiveled from side to side as they picked through the crowds looking for the person that had caused all the trouble. Concerned citizens joined in the search, a cry of alarm sounding when they found a man huddled behind one of the merchant stands. A Seeker yanked him out of hiding, dragging him to the middle of the bridge. He whimpered, barely putting up a fight as he was roughly shoved to the ground. Another Seeker stepped towards him. She was tall and lean, her ashen hair pulled back into a high tail. Her voice was feminine but rough, demanding silence and obedience as she spoke. “Are you responsible for this?” she demanded. The man at her feet bowed his head, his body shaking.

  “N-no, please. I didn’t mean - I didn’t do it!”

  “You didn’t or you didn’t mean to do it? That’s an important distinction. Choose your words carefully.”

  “I just wanted to make her stop,” he cried, burying his head in his hands. “The things she was saying. It’s not true. It’s not.”

  “Take him away,”
the Seeker said, nodding to one of her companions. The other Seeker grabbed the man, hoisting him to his feet and forcing him towards the city. With the problem taken care of, the Seeker raised her voice, addressing the crowds around her. “I’ll be picking several witnesses from those gathered here. After I’ve done this, this bridge is to be cleared. All merchants are to pack up for the rest of the day until I’ve investigated this incident further. Gates will promptly close at night fall. No further entry will be permitted after dark.”

  The Seeker began pacing. She stopped next to an elderly man, speaking to him in a hushed whisper Kirheen couldn’t quite make out. The man walked with an unsteady gait to the right side of the bridge. Several more were picked from the crowd; a young woman with a stern face and stick straight hair and a middle-aged couple that shifted nervously while talking to the Seeker. They also joined the old man on the right side of the bridge and awaited further questioning.

  The Seeker was very close to them, her eyes hidden in the shadows of the mask she wore. She looked back and forth and it was unnerving not knowing where her eyes wandered. Was she looking at them even now? Or perhaps her head was inclined towards the person just to the left of them, a portly man breathing far heavier than he should have been. The Seeker started walking towards her and Tomias and she felt her heart drop into her stomach. No, no, no. She tried not to think about her powers, about the unguarded state of her mind, about the fear dancing along every nerve.

  “You two,” the Seeker said, her voice gruff and uninterested. “I’d like to ask you a few questions about what took place here today. Please, join the others over there,” she said, pointing to the group gathered on the bridge. Kirheen was frozen, unable to move or breathe or talk. Up close, she could see the woman’s eyes. They were the color of the violent sea roaring beneath them, gray and penetrating. Kirheen couldn’t look away.

  “Of course. We’d love to help,” Tomias said, his words coaxing through her fear. She felt his hand intertwine with hers and he pulled her away from the Seeker and towards the other group. Her heart resumed beating.

  “This is a nightmare,” she whispered as they approached the others. She wondered if they looked out of place, if they looked like outsiders. The customary clothing of Val’shar seemed darker, the lines more elegant. Kirheen wore sturdy riding pants and a simple brown tunic, belted at the waist, and Tomias didn’t look very different. It was obvious they’d been traveling. The others regarded them wearily.

  Seemingly satisfied with their numbers, the Seeker joined them. She pulled them aside one by one, asking question after question until she was satisfied. Kirheen and Tomias were the last to be interviewed.

  “I hope this isn’t your first foray into the city,” the Seeker said. “Not the most fitting welcome you could have witnessed. Such horrendous acts should not be the highlight of our grand city.”

  “That was terrible. A shame we had to witness such a thing,” Tomias said.

  The woman gave a curt nod, clasping her hands behind her back. “I’ve gotten most of the information I needed from the others I questioned, so I’m afraid this is just a formality. I hope you do not mind. It is my job to protect this city within and without, and it didn’t escape my notice that you two are new here. What brings you to Val’shar?”

  “We don’t mind the questions,” Kirheen forced herself to say, trying to keep her voice from wavering. Her heart hammered wildly, muscles in her leg twitching, ready for flight. “Um, I have a sister. I haven’t heard from her in some time. With all the upheaval in the city, I’ve been really worried about her. We came to make sure she’s okay.”

  “I see. Val’shar is, in its current state, not the safest place for such an excursion. We’re containing the rebel threat and cleaning up the city as we speak, but I urge you to be cautious. This city can only remain safe through the dedicated vigilance of its citizens and visitors. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times.”

  “Yes, we will,” Tomias said. “And thank you for your service. I hope your work here has kept her sister safe.”

  The Seeker grunted, merely nodding her head in response. Her eyes scanned them once more, slow and thorough, as if the action was meant to save their image in her mind. “Keep out of trouble here on your visit. Good day to you both.” Without another word, she disappeared back into the crowds, heading towards the city with quick strides. The bridge began to clear of people, the common thread of conversation all about the incident they’d just witnessed.

  Kirheen shuddered, the full weight of her fear crashing into her like a wave. She stumbled towards the edge of the bridge, grasping on to the smooth, cold stone beneath her fingers. She tried not to think about the woman slipping over the edge, falling helplessly into the water below. Those violent waters had swallowed her. There probably wouldn’t be a body left to find.

  She was only faintly aware of Tomias standing next to her. His hand reached out, coming to rest on top of hers. “Kir, are you hurt? Are you all right?”

  She tried to form words with a tongue that felt foreign, fear having turned her mouth into a parched wasteland. “I’m fine. You? That was quite the fall.”

  He frowned. “Don’t worry about me. You’re sure you aren’t hurt? Too much happened just now.” He grabbed her arm, tried to turn her towards him.

  “I said I’m fine,” she growled, prying herself away from him. She felt angry, suddenly awash in a fresh wave of guilt. What was she getting them into? They’d just watched one of their own force a woman to kill herself. It was horrifying. “I just need a minute. I just need space.”

  He took a step back and she felt a twinge of shame at his pained expression. She turned away from him and looked out over the ocean, her panicked lungs working double time as fear and anxiety continued to pry at her every nerve. She watched the waves crash against the rocks far below, tried to lose herself in the sound, in the soft whisper of the wind caressing her ears.

  When she’d settled, she turned to Tomias. His brown eyes had turned solemn and gloomy, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched those fleeing the bridge with weary suspicion. She reached for his arm and he twitched at her touch. “We can’t stay here,” he said, turning the full weight of his gaze on her. “Kir, this is suicide. We need to leave while we still have the chance.”

  “What? No. Tomias, I am not leaving, not when I’m this close. I can’t.”

  Tomias flung his hands up in the air, letting out an exasperated growl. “Are you serious? Did you not see what I just saw? We could have been seriously injured on this bridge. We could have been accused. We could have been trampled or beaten or worse. We just talked to a Seeker, Kirheen, a Seeker! I don’t see how there is a choice here. We can leave now, alive, or we can enter through that gate and start counting down the moments until the next horrendous incident occurs, only next time we might not be lucky enough to escape alive!”

  “You don’t know that,” she argued, raising her voice. “You don’t know that at all. I don’t want trouble, I just want to see it, I want to know what is happening. We’ll keep our heads down, we’ll be careful.”

  Tomias let out a string of curses so intense and foul and out of character that Kirheen almost laughed. He glared at her, his eyes blazing. “That wasn’t close enough for you? That wasn’t a good enough look of what we’re bound to see when we go through that gate? You really want to creep closer and poke the sleeping bear with a stick?”

  In that moment, she didn’t know what she wanted. She felt fear, her body aching for flight, but deeper still, her soul churned, forcing her closer and closer to the wall separating her from safety and chaos. She simply wanted to dip her toe across that line, to bask in the chaos just long enough to understand it, to understand why it called to her so.

  “I don’t know, Tomias. I don’t know. Is that what you want to hear? I don’t know what I want. I’m standing outside the gates of something I’ve sacrificed everything for. This is the freedom I wanted and I’m looking at it. I’m lo
oking at the opportunity to face my own fears and I want to do that.”

  “And what of my fears?” he whispered, taking a step closer to her. He was suddenly an overwhelming presence, like a great storm cloud looming overhead. “What about what I want? What about what I fear losing the most?”

  “You don’t have to stay with me,” she said, her heart crumbling as the words left her mouth. “You don’t have to follow me through that gate. I don’t expect you to follow me into madness. I don’t expect that from you at all.”

  “And yet, how could you expect me to do anything else? You don’t even realize your own power.” They stayed as they were, gazes locked as people passed back and forth on the bridge. His hand brushed her arm briefly and then he stalked away, feet carrying him towards the city. She stepped after him, realizing with a sense of relief that she wouldn’t have to face it all alone. She mulled over his words, trying to decipher the meaning of what he’d said. What do you fear, Tomias? After their foray into the city was over, she’d talk to him about it all, about everything. She owed him that much.

  The bridge was nearly devoid of people and Kirheen felt exposed without a crowd to hide in. She already felt like a target, as if that Seeker had marked them and now followed with those stormy eyes, watching their every move.

  Several guards stood at the gate, peering with watchful eyes at all who passed. Kirheen and Tomias waited patiently for the crowd in front of them to thin and then they were stepping through, passing under the shadow of the massive gate.

  The street widened into a large square bustling with activity. In the center of it, a statue of glittering black stone stood proud, depicting Zekar in sweeping robes, his skeletal hands raised towards the sky. Stalls were set up throughout the square and Kirheen’s senses were assaulted by a wave of smells; grilled meats, the tangy scent of citrus, spices and herbs, perfumes, and thousands of other scents she couldn’t pinpoint. There were shouts and laughter from dirt-covered children darting between the stalls, causing mischief as they went. The low chanting of a priest joined their cries, his blessings bestowed upon all who passed. It was a strange mix of sights and sounds, an overwhelming energy that was almost too much to bear.