The Channel (The Gifted Book 2)
Page 1
The Channel
The Gifted
Book 2
C. L. MCCOURT
Copyright © 2013 Cynthia L McCourt
All rights reserved.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
For my family and friends.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
If not for the tireless efforts of several generous people, this book might not have made it. I want to thank Helen McCourt, Amanda Vavrina, Laura Johnston, and my husband BJ for their feedback and editorial services. I truly believe they made the story better.
Thank you.
The Gifted
The Guardian
The Channel
The Dark Healer
The Keeper
Learn more at http://luxatra.com
Map provided by Evagelia Ordoulidou of konordo.com
See a larger version of this map at http://luxatra.com
Table of Contents
1 Seeing
2 Acclimate
3 Brauns
4 Others
5 Travels
6 Farmer
7 Terranees
8 Attack
9 Horses
10 Taulin
11 Trackers
12 Packing
13 The Inn
14 Brothers
15 Family
16 Rendezvous
17 News
18 Prince
19 Next
20 Spies
21 South
22 Camp
23 Decision
24 Sentran
25 Attack
26 Questions
27 Prisoners
28 Runes
29 Future
30 Cauhill
31 Nauylors
32 Messages
33 Taelr
34 Memories
35 Visions
36 Lies
37 Queen
38 Proof
39 Kalaub
40 Voyage
41 Recon
42 Capture
Sneak Peek The Dark Healer
1
Seeing
The sound of Doaran's boots echoed in the long, torch-lit tunnel leading to the Seer's sanctuary, an ancient cave within the Kinling Mountains. Since the beginning of the Libraim's histories, the sanctuary had been a place where those gifted with visions could see most clearly and without distraction.
He knew she would be expecting him. The veil between the worlds had opened just a few hours ago, ready to receive, and he needed to know if there was any sign that the prophecy would be fulfilled. Doaran had started making this walk after the Seer advised Daen of his mission, after Daen had disappeared, a little over 18 years ago.
He stopped at the heavy wooden doors that hid the gifted seers from prying eyes. The knowledge obtained by the seers was not to be shared with just anyone—the future was not theirs to change. Visions of missions were the only bits of information the seers passed on, as it was believed to be their responsibility.
He gripped the iron handle and pressed the latch. The massive door slid open with ease, as if inviting him in. He stepped quietly inside and closed the door.
She sat with her back to him, on a stack of pillows in front of an opening in the cave wall. The sanctuary was located just a few feet below the rocky surface of the Kinling Mountains. He couldn't see her face, but he knew her white eyes were open, staring out at nature's window and seeing that which no one else could see.
Behind her, her fellow guardians, each with the gift of visions, sat with their eyes closed, yet, watching the world around them, waiting for the Libraim to send them a request.
A cool breeze whipped through the opening in the mountain's wall as Midori turned towards him, her long black hair swirling in the wind's wake. She lifted her white eyes to meet his and held his gaze. "They are here."
Doaran strained to control his excitement. "So the prophecy will be fulfilled?"
Midori dipped her head once. "It has started." She turned back to the opening. "Now we must wait."
Doaran turned on his heel and briskly left the sanctuary, returning the way he'd come; the elders and his peers would be the next to know. He reached the end of the tunnel and stepped into the cool storage room, closing the doors to the tunnel behind him.
Passing crates filled with supplies, barrels of wine, and stores of food, Doaran climbed the stone steps, carved out of the mountains rock, to the main floor meeting hall. Before him, the darkness of the vast chamber was tempered by a scattering of torches hanging along the walls, casting enough light to see only a few of the wood plank tables and benches that occupied the space.
He turned left, away from the tables, to a set of open doors at the end of the room. Darkness was upon Luxatra, but that didn't keep him from seeing those who sat around the table of decisions, waiting for his report. They would not retire, for what remained of the night, until the Seer's message had been delivered.
The heels of Doaran's boots gave notice of his approach, drawing all eyes to him as he entered the room and closed the doors. He proceeded to the head of the table where he stood and looked into the faces of the men and women who'd waited patiently, yet anxiously, to know. "They are here. The prophecy has come to be."
The rumble of voices, each commenting on top of the other, filled the room.
Doaran could see the excitement, as well as the concern, on their faces and in their body language. He remained standing, silently watching, as word of Daen's return was rejoiced and discussed.
~~~
Bestian and Gauvin reached the grassy shore of Hondau Lake, exhausted from their swim. It took them almost thirty minutes, fully clothed, to reach the shore after leaving the tiny island where they had been unceremoniously dumped.
Bestian's anger raged inside him, burning through his veins such that he didn't even notice the coldness of the water. He wanted Gauvin to know just what he planned to do to the guardian who had caused him so much trouble, but each time he spoke, water had splashed into his mouth causing him to spit and sputter.
It had taken only a few minutes for them to decide to leave the island. Gauvin had wanted to wait until the darkness had started to fade into light, but Bestian couldn't wait. After Gauvin had stepped onto the island, Bestian walked to the other side and slipped into the cold water again, determined to reach shore as fast as possible.
Gauvin had kept his mouth shut. He hadn't wanted to listen to Bestian's gripes and insults so he'd followed his partner into the lake. He had worked slowly and methodically, maximizing each stroke to reach a shore he hadn't been able to see in the dark but trusted was there. He hadn't known how far they'd have to swim so he'd focused on reserving his energy, ignoring Bestian, and hoping that he would survive.
Now, Bestian and Gauvin lay on the grass-line shore, recovering from their efforts.
"Do you think they returned, like he said they would?" Gauvin asked.
Bestian strained for every breath, barely able to answer, "I ... don't ... know." As he sucked in more breaths, his heart rate started to slow, and feeling started to return to his numb appendages. "It certainly sounded like he would."
"Do you have a plan for finding them?" Gauvin sat up and stared into the darkness. "They could be anyplace by n
ow."
Bestian didn't answer. He was too tired to deal with Gauvin's stupid questions. "Shut up and help me start a fire. Do you still carry your flint and steel?"
"Yeah." Gauvin opened the soggy pouch that hung at his hip and pulled out a small stone and a piece of steel.
"Good. Start a fire while I find us some wood."
Bestian and Gauvin were seasoned woodsmen. It wasn't long before they were drying themselves by the heat of a blazing camp fire.
Bestian lay down and closed his eyes. "You take first watch. We leave at first light."
~~~
The instant Daen stepped through the veil he could feel the energy from Luxatra seeping into his body. It was a sensation he'd taken for granted before he was cast from his home world, and now he reveled in the old and comfortable feeling.
Rhea turned to face the direction from which she and Randell had just come, and watched as Ander pointed in her direction. He told her parents, "She's watching, wave to her."
Rhea tried not to laugh at the uncomfortable look on her father's face as his eyes darted from side to side to ascertain whether any strangers might see him wave to a set of bushes. Her mother wiped her eyes and forced a smile to her lips as she waved goodbye.
Rhea returned the gesture. "Please tell them I love them and I will come back." She'd told them those same words before stepping through the veil, but they needed to be said again.
Ander did as she asked and asked a favor in return. "Please bring our son home to us."
Rhea studied the man's face, the seriousness in his eyes. "I will do my best." That's all she could promise.
If Daen was right, something bad was in her future, and Randell had volunteered to help. She hadn't spent a lot of time with Ander, but that didn't matter. She was connected to him. He was family, and he was from both her worlds.
Rhea returned one last wave as she watched her parents, and Randell's, retreat to their cars. The excitement she felt just being in Luxatra battled with the grief she felt having to leave her loved ones behind.
Randell leaned over her shoulder. "Are they gone?" He'd been waving in the same direction as Rhea even though he couldn't see his world.
Rhea's voice was tight with sorrow. "Yes." She turned to face Randell and Daen, barely able to discern their faces in the darkness. "Where are we?"
"From the smell and these large mounds surrounding us, I'd say we're in the middle of a hay field, shortly after drying." The last few words were spoken through a yawn that he could not hold back. "I checked the area around us and didn't feel the energy from anyone nearby, but it couldn't hurt for you to check it out as well."
Rhea closed her eyes and started to concentrate on her surroundings, but it didn't take much effort. Almost instantly, in her mind's eye, a psychedelic view of the heat signatures of the hay field came to life. The location of the large, round, reddish-orange circles was consistent with the hay stacks surrounding them, but the ground was cooler, bluer. "Before we came here, I had to concentrate to feel this way; but now ... I'm not even trying. It's just happening. It's like the energy is coming to me on its own."
Scanning the area around her had been easy at the Youngs' house because she already knew the lay of the yard and all its items. Now she wasn't sure what she would be seeing. What she did know was the only human source of energy nearby was located not far beyond the haystacks. "I think I see the farm house," she pointed, "in that direction, over a hundred yards away. There are three people."
Rhea opened her eyes to Daen and Randell standing close to her.
"We should be safe for now," said Daen.
Rhea extended her arms outwards and raised her face to the night's sky. "This is incredible. Randell, can you feel it?"
"You mean the feeling of just having consumed a couple espressos? Yeah, it's quite a buzz."
Rhea let the sensations run over her. "Without seeing it, I can feel the world around me, it's almost overwhelming."
"You'll get used to it," Daen explained. "Luxatra affects everyone differently, depending on their gift and its strength." He set his gear on the ground and laid his blanket at the base of one of the haystacks. "It's too dark to travel right now, and we could use the rest. It'll be light soon, and we have a long day ahead of us."
Rhea flinched at the idea of sleep. "Um ... what if I dream?"
Daen's expression was barely discernible in the darkness, but she could tell he shared her concerns.
"You said once I connected with the Libraim that I would be stronger. What if ...?" Rhea was truly scared. If a bad dream could throw her roommate out of bed in the world of shadows, what would it do here? What would it do to people physically close to her?
Randell watched for Daen's reaction. He'd felt his parents' house rattle last night, as if there had been a mild earthquake and the epicenter was Rhea's bed, but it was just Rhea dreaming again. They'd been prepared for it, but now, he was rather nervous.
"We can only hope that being here in Luxatra will calm the dreams. I'll do my best to wake you if I see you start to toss and turn."
Calm the dreams? If anything, Rhea was convinced they would just get worse, but what else could she do? She couldn't stay awake forever. At least she was in a field, but that wouldn't help Daen and Randell.
Daen motioned to her. "Come on. I'll keep an eye on you," he sat on his blanket and tapped the space next to him, "while I take first watch."
Randell laid his blanket against the haystack and turned to Daen. "Wake me in a few hours so you can get some sleep."
Rhea wrapped herself in her blanket and sat between Randell and Daen. "I hope you're right. Maybe I should be the one on watch."
Daen shook his head. "Not tonight. Get some rest. You'll have plenty of chances to take the watch."
"I don't want special treatment." Rhea looked at both of them as best she could, given how dark it was.
Daen groaned inwardly at her persistence. "It isn't special treatment. Think of it as building up reserves. We need you to be alert, like you were when you saved Randell. We might need it again."
Rhea considered what he said. It made sense, she guessed. "Fine. You win. This time." She rolled over on her side and closed her eyes.
~~~
The mist slowly dropped to the ground like a deflated cloud to reveal the source of a smell that made her gag. It was the smell of death, of rotting flesh that clung to the bodies that stood before her, encircling her. Their empty eye sockets glowed red, and the swords they held in their hands gleamed with an eerie silver glow.
Rhea spun around, desperately seeking a way out as laughter drifted from the darkness beyond ... a laughter so evil it made her skin crawl. She had to get away. As she turned around and around, the space between her and the monsters surrounding her grew smaller. The swords that were once by their side were now raised above their heads, ready to slay her.
She couldn't believe what was happening. She had to do something or she would surely be killed. Panic started to well up inside her when suddenly the scene changed. Horses with black riders charged her, but just before they reached her, they disappeared, replaced by a knife flying end over end towards her face.
Just before the knife struck, the scene changed to a cliff's edge and the sounds of water crashing on the rocks below. The wind pulled her long blond hair from her braid, whipping it about her face as a storm raged on the horizon. She turned away from the cliff and found herself in a cave surrounded by mummies, hundreds of dried leathery bodies, their arms reaching for her and then disappearing.
The scenes repeated, faster and faster, changing just before panic could set in. The smell of hay and the feel of a cool breeze flowing over her face mixed with her dream. Slowly, her conscious and subconscious merged and the nightmarish siege on her mind slowed. She was no longer a part of what she was seeing, she was an observer.
Each dream she'd had over the past six months came back to her as she watched the stories unfol
d. Gradually, the darkness of her makeshift movie theater faded to light, indicating the show was over and the episode was a distant memory. She welcomed the sense of relief and its calming affects.
2
Acclimate
Shortly after Rhea and Randell fell asleep, Luxatra's darkness started to lighten, a new day was beginning. The fatigue that threatened Daen's ability to stay awake seemed to lift as the light revealed more and more of his world. His mind raced with all the things he wanted to do, all the people he wanted to see.
Before he had a chance to wake Randell for his shift, Rhea started to stir. He watched, ready to wake her the minute she became too restless. At first, only her head jerked side to side; however, that quickly changed when her arms reached out as if to keep something away. Her agitation waned and increased, but never reached the panicked state Daen had witnessed in her dorm room.
After a short time, her breathing calmed, and the tension in her arms eased, as she gripped the edge of the blanket. She seemed at peace.
A wave of relief washed over him. He didn't know what he would do if she released her gift now that she was here. If he were right about her, the devastation could equate to a bomb going off.
Rhea pulled the corner of her blanket over her face to block the light highlighting her face. She sighed and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"Can't sleep with the light?" Daen whispered.
Rhea shook her head while stifling a yawn and glanced over to Randell who was totally out. She waved her thumb in Randell's direction, sending a what's-up-with-him look at Daen.
Daen rolled his eyes. "He can sleep through anything."
Rhea knew it was Randell's turn to watch, but she couldn't see waking him. "I'll take the next watch. You get some sleep."
"I thought I was going to have to wake you, but then you calmed," Daen whispered.
"Yeah, my dream was pretty creepy at first, but then it changed." She shared how the scenes from past dreams flashed before her until she was no longer in the scene but simply observing. "I think Randell was right. I think some of the dreams were visions, but some were actual nightmares." She shook her head. "I don't know. But one thing's for sure, I'm glad I didn't freak out and blow something up."