The Crystal Key: An LGBTQ+ Fantasy Series (The Crystalline Chronicles Book 3)

by Blake R. Wolfe

  “Dusk!” Tara cried from behind.

  He heard heavy boots coming across the stone floor. The chalk circle around them wavered for a moment as she ran through it. Before Dusk could react, Yarick threw him over the pedestal and turned about, waving his gloved hand through the air. There was another quick flash and he saw Tara’s cloak catch fire. Yarick quickly dodged out of the way as the now-flaming Tara swung her blade at him. But he was too quick. Her greatsword struck the ground, the momentum of the swing throwing her off balance. Letting go of the blade she rolled across the ground in an effort to snuff out her burning cloak.

  Yarick yanked Dusk up again by the arm. “I’ve had enough of this. We’re going.”

  As Yarick stepped up to the mirror a dull thunk sounded on Dusk’s left. He whipped his head to the side as Yarick cried out. There was a long arrow with red fletching sticking out of the back of his shoulder. Yarick’s neck strained and Dusk could see the pulsing heartbeat in his jugular. Blood was already oozing from the wound in his shoulder, but he only glanced back for a moment.

  Another light twang sounded behind them, but this time Yarick spun on his heel and snatched the red arrow out of the air, mere inches from his face. He made a noise of disgust and threw it to the ground, the wooden shaft clattering across the flagstones.

  “Teaming up with these idiots, Diana? I thought you were better than that,” he spat, scowling towards the third figure that had come in with Lex and Tara. Dusk noticed that most of the black-cloaked men had already been dispatched and lay bleeding on the stones. He didn’t see Lex.

  “You killed my men and betrayed my trust, Yarick,” she responded with a cool and even tone. “I don’t take kindly to traitors.”

  “I used you just as I’ve used everyone else. Face it, Diana, you’re just a pawn in my game like the rest.”

  “Yarick!” Tiernan yelled from the other side of the mirror. “The magic is fading! Shut the fuck up and step through!”

  Yarick hesitated for a moment, opened his mouth to retort, but instead turned back towards the mirror. He grabbed Dusk by the collar with his gloved hand and stepped forward. His arm slipped easily through the mirror as if it were made of water. Dusk looked around desperately, but there was no one to save him. Tara was still rolling to put out the fire on her back and the woman with the bow was too far away to make it in time. He looked for Lex, but he didn’t see him anywhere. His legs were still under Yarick’s control and he had no way to fight back with his hands bound. Yarick pushed his arm further into the mirror and Dusk knew he was lost. He’d never get a chance to thank his friends who’d come back for him.

  As Yarick’s arm was swallowed up to the shoulder and he had one foot through the mirror, there came a deafening crack from in front of them. At first, Dusk thought it was from the Alamondian side of the mirror where Tiernan lay in wait. Another loud crack and Dusk saw a large fracture shoot through the glass like a lightning bolt. In an instant, the surface turned from ripples to a solid sheet of glass. Yarick screamed out in pain and Dusk felt his legs unbind instantly. He stumbled backward and Yarick pulled him to the floor, his grip still tight around Dusk’s collar. Blood was pouring from the stumps left where his arm and leg used to be. For the briefest moment, Dusk stared in horror, not understanding what had happened. Then he realized: they were in Alamond with the grandmaster, and had been cut clean off by the closing portal.

  Another loud crack split the air as the mirror shattered into a million tiny pieces. The large, ornate gold frame collapsed under its own weight and fell to the floor as the glowing circle around them faded. Behind it stood Lex with Tara’s greatsword in his hands. He looked angry and wild, something that Dusk had never seen before.

  Dusk felt the grip tighten on his collar as he was yanked down to Yarick’s face.

  “You will… never be free from… the Circle,” he murmured. Dusk felt the hot blood from Yarick’s wounds soak through his pants and into his skin as he stared back at him. Yarick was becoming paler by the moment. “You’ll never… be free… slave.”

  Dusk just watched with tears of anger forming at the corners of his eyes. Yarick’s grip loosened and his head dropped back onto the stone. The gloved hand fell to the ground as the light left his eyes. He’d bled out in under a minute.

  “Dusk!” Lex called, throwing the sword to the ground and scrambling over the broken glass. He crouched down next to him, pulling out a dagger and cutting the bonds that held his hands. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  Rage filled Dusk’s brain as he whipped around and threw Lex to the ground, ripping the dagger out of his hands. He lifted the knife high and drove it into Yarick’s chest. It felt good. He pulled it out and raised it high once more before slamming it down again. And again. And again. The hot tears rolled down his cheeks as he cried out with anguish. The man he’d come to call a father, the man who’d betrayed him more than anyone else in the world ever could, was dead. The more Dusk drove the knife into his chest, the more he realized that he would never get the payback he deserved. Yarick had run away to a place where Dusk could never hurt him the way he’d been hurt. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

  “Get off me!” Dusk screamed, pulling away and stabbing Yarick again.

  “Dusk! That’s enough!” he heard Lex yell, but nothing could stop him.

  Suddenly there were hands on his arms and another pair wrapped around his torso. He struggled and fought to keep the dagger, but it was pulled from his hands. Kicking and screaming he was lifted off the floor and carried away, punching and kicking his captor as he went. He couldn’t see anything but bright light through his tear-blurred eyes as he was carried through the temple and outside. He kept trying to stop whoever was carrying him. All he wanted to do was kill Yarick. He didn’t care if it was just a dead body, he wanted to destroy it.

  Dusk felt the sting of ice and snow as he was thrown to the hard ground, knocking the wind out of him. Pushing himself up on his hands and knees he gasped for air, trying desperately to fill his lungs. The cold seemed to pierce through his body, shocking his system. Instead of gasps for air, he began to hear sobs, only to realize they were coming from his own body. Tears continued to roll down his face, leaving tiny holes in the snow where they had fallen. He felt a pair of burly arms wrap around his shoulders and pull him backward. He didn’t resist. He couldn’t, and so he came to rest against someone’s body. Yarick’s blood that had soaked into his pants now stained the snow red.

  “It’s okay,” he heard Tara whisper, rocking him back and forth like a child. “It’s all over now. You’re going to be okay.”

  Dusk continued to sob silently, unable to fight the movement. He didn’t know how long they stayed like that. All sense of time was lost as the emotions flooded through his system. Dusk had never known something intangible could be so painful. He’d felt many things throughout his life, but Yarick’s betrayal and death were something he’d never experienced. He hated Yarick with every fiber of his being, but somehow he was also heartbroken that the only father he’d ever known was dead. Dusk wasn’t sure if he was crying because of the loss, or because he was so confused about how he felt.

  After a time his sobs died away into sniffles and an unblinking stare where he didn’t really see anything. The cold had numbed most of his body, but he didn’t care. Tara was still rocking him gently, but he barely felt it. There was a loud crackling from behind them and Dusk felt Tara turn her head, but he stayed where he was. Two pairs of footsteps came up on either side of them.

  “Is he okay?” Lex asked quietly from behind them.

  “He’s mostly unharmed, it seems,” Tara replied softly, turning her head towards him. “I can’t say how okay he is, though.”

  There was a pause among the group as Tara stopped rocking. Dusk caught the strong smell of smoke in the air and heard another loud pop behind him.

  “Should we let it burn?” Lex asked. “There’s a well right over there if we want to try to save it.”

  “
Did you get everything?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let it burn.”

  Three

  Dusk felt himself being lifted into the saddle on Maribel’s back. She turned her head over her shoulder to look at him with eyes full of concern, but Dusk was miles away, lost in his own thoughts. He simply stared into the distance as the snow began to fall around them. Smoke filled the air, mixing in with the biting cold of the overcast day. Finally glancing back, he saw the monastery engulfed in flame. The temple roof had collapsed inward under its own weight, burying the dead Circle members, the broken mirror, and Yarick. Off to the left, he saw the flames licking up the belfry tower. It made its last peal some time later as the wood gave way and the brass bell crashed to the ground below.

  Dusk didn’t remember much of the trip back to Emerald Deep. He was lost to his grief, leaning forward against Maribel’s neck. The heat of her body and the smell of horse fur gave him a sense of safety. It was familiar and easy to get lost in. He found himself replaying the days over and over, a never-ending loop of self-torture. A hundred times, he played Yarick’s admittance to betraying him in his head, shattering the trust they’d built over the past weeks. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Tiernan standing in the mirror with the glowing ruby crown upon his head. He wanted to run, but his body wouldn’t move anymore. If the previous weeks had taught him anything, it was that he could no longer trust anyone in the world, not even himself. His own poor judgment had gotten him into that situation and other people had had to risk their lives to save him. Even now that Lex and Tara had proven they cared for him, he felt like no more than a burden in their lives. If it weren’t for him, they would be pursuing their own interests in some far-off, much safer part of the world. Instead, they were fighting cloaked maniacs to save him, a nobody who wasn’t worth their time.

  The will to live slipped away and he felt the spark deep inside him shudder and go out. All he’d done was cause people to die and others to give up their own adventures to save him. Even when they’d done so, he’d shunned and pushed them away, convinced he knew better than anyone else. It was his fault Yarick had manipulated him and it was his fault people were dead. Eiran’s face popped up along the way and it felt like a knife had been rammed through his chest. Eiran’s life was over, no matter how much Dusk wished he could trade places with him. And what about Tarnesh, the guild member who’d kidnapped him on Yarick’s orders? Was his little girl doomed to die because of Dusk too? What would that do to her family, her mother? What pain had her father’s death already caused? The more he thought about it, the more he knew he brought nothing but agony to the world.

  By the time the group had reached the city, light was beginning to leave the sky. Tara led Maribel through the traffic-churned muddy, slushy streets. Dusk glanced around and saw far more people out and about than in previous weeks. It seemed every tavern, inn, and spare room had been rented out, leaving some folk camping in the streets. Campfires crackled in alleyways as people in ratty scarves and furs huddled together for warmth. More than one mother sat with her children against a building, begging for scraps of food from anyone that passed by. Signs were posted everywhere declaring that there were no rooms and no more food available for purchase. It looked as if all of Inahan and Ditania had converged upon the lake, trying to find an escape. Dusk couldn’t help wondering: had the war really progressed so quickly? But he kept his mouth firmly closed. He didn’t wish to speak, too afraid his words would do even more damage to the world.

  They plodded on through the streets, continuing to pass the homeless and destitute. Diana was in the lead with Tara behind holding Maribel’s reins. Lex brought up the rear of their party, although Dusk didn’t look back at him. He was too afraid to look and see the pity in his eyes. He didn’t deserve it after how he’d treated Lex.

  Winding through the buildings, Diana led them towards the center of the city near the lake’s edge. Even in the cold Dusk could smell the unmistakable pungent scent of fish wafting through the streets. The houses grew dingy and ramshackle with so many gaps between the boards that they must have been the same temperature inside as out. They turned down another street and Dusk saw a stone building rise up in front of them with large stained glass windows and a tall steeple at one end. It looked similar to the monastery, but more compact and imposing and surrounded by an iron fence with a large yard around it. Dotted across the snow-covered lawn were stones rising out of the fresh powder. It was a graveyard.

  Diana led them around the fence to an alleyway behind the building that in turn led to a dilapidated barn that looked as if it had once been a stable for rent. The windows were boarded and the doors chained shut. With a quick glance to either side, Diana stepped forward and produced a key from under her cloak. She dexterously unlatched the lock and ushered them inside before leaning in.

  “Stay here, I’ll come to fetch you in a moment.”

  Tara gave her a gentle nod and Diana pulled the doors closed, leaving them in darkness. Dusk listened to the sound of the chains being replaced and the lock clicking shut. They were trapped inside the building with no way out. He felt his heart begin to race for a second, but then he dismissed it with a simple sigh. Even if they were trapped, he didn’t care anymore. Leaning forward he rested his face against Maribel’s neck and closed his eyes.

  They stood in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being Maribel’s hooves on the ground as she shifted her weight once or twice. Just when Dusk was sure no one was coming back for them he heard a soft thud from nearby. He looked up to see orange light spill into the room as a large trapdoor was lifted from underneath the floor. Diana stepped out with two torches clutched in her hands. She came forward, handing one to Lex and keeping the other for herself. Another man came up out of the trapdoor with a torch and bundle of hay, while one more followed behind him with two buckets.

  “We’ll have to leave your animal here for now, but she will be well cared for,” Diana said softly, mindful to keep her voice low. “I’m afraid there’s nowhere else in the city for you to stay, but you are welcome among the thieves guild.”

  “Thank you. You’ve been too kind to us,” Tara replied, handing the reins over to one of the men.

  “Without your information, we may never have known what happened to my men. I’m glad to repay you in any way that I can.” She paused, looking up to Dusk who was still leaning against Maribel’s neck. “Gather your friend and we’ll go below. There are plenty of beds and food to be had.”

  Without a word, Tara stepped over to Dusk and took him by the arm. He didn’t resist as he was pulled off Maribel’s back and into her arms. It felt odd for her to be so gentle, but he secretly welcomed it. Diana led the way again with Lex bringing up the rear towards the trapdoor. The dirt floor gave way to stone stairs that spiraled downwards out of reach of the light. With careful steps Tara followed after, making sure that Dusk didn’t bump against the walls as they descended.

  It was a short staircase, but long enough to bring them into an underground hallway just wide enough for two men to pass shoulder to shoulder. Dusk could hear the sound of Maribel’s hooves echoing as she walked across the barn floor above their heads. They walked for less than a minute before they came to another arched door. Throwing it open Diana led them down two more flights of stairs and into a large underground room with a domed ceiling. The chamber was a large circle with doors and hallways branching off every few feet. In the center were tables, benches, and a bar where a few men were sitting with tankards in their hands. Torch sconces covered the walls and a few standing brackets were placed throughout, filling the room with a bright warm light. Through one door Dusk could see a glowing fireplace and a few people shuffling around a kitchen, running food to tables on small trays.

  “Your friend needs food and rest. Please, go find a table and I’ll have something brought over. I’ll only be a moment.” Diana gestured towards the center of the room and headed off in another direction.

  A few
heads turned to watch the man being carried by Tara but none made any comment, turning back to their own business when Tara sat Dusk down in one of the worn chairs. Tara took a seat next to him, making sure he wasn’t going to topple over backward. For a moment the three of them sat in silence.

  “Are you hurt, Dusk?” Tara asked gently, leaning forward with her hand on his back. “You took a nasty fall in that room.”

  She reached up to brush the hair out of his face, but he pulled away from her, keeping silent.

  “I know you must be shaken up, but I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

  “Please Dusk, just tell us you’re not hurt,” Lex pleaded from the other side of the table.

  “I... I don’t want to talk,” Dusk muttered, his tongue tripping over the words.

  Lex opened his mouth as if to retort, but Tara waved him off.

  “That’s fine,” she said simply. “We’ll talk this time and when you’re feeling up to it, we want to hear your side.”

  Lex sat back on the bench, leaning his elbows on the table. Dusk glanced up to see the look of concern on his face. He turned his gaze back towards the wooden surface immediately. Lex’s concern made him feel incredibly guilty. The last time he’d seen Lex he’d accused him of being no more than a spoiled brat who only wanted to help himself. He felt ashamed.

  “Well, I bet you’re wondering why we’re still here?” Tara started, turning herself on the bench to face Dusk. “I’ll admit after your stupid decision to turn us away, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see you again. We made it as far as the Crystal Gate before neither of us could go any further.” She paused to look at Lex. “We both knew that Yarick was playing you, but we weren’t sure how to convince you of the truth or why Yarick was doing it in the first place. Instead of rushing in, we decided to lay low, living here in the city while we periodically went out to the monastery to make sure everything was still okay. Lex went more often than I thought safe, but we were both so worried about you.”