The quiet roar of a blazing torch abruptly broke the still darkness. E’enna rubbed her eyes and squinted past the sudden light to see Avin and two of his guards standing in the doorway.
“Is there news?” Ilagon asked, his tone grave with weariness.
Avin shook his head. “There has been no sign of Kane. But dawn is only a few hours away. We shall send out a party to search for him once you are all safely on your way.” His eyes darted around the room and a sudden look of concern came over him. “Kazen is not here with you?”
“No,” Ilagon answered, his own face reflecting Avin’s concern. “We have heard nothing. We had all assumed your men were too busy in their duties to be pulled away.”
“I sent Dullin to find him hours ago,” Avin swore.
“Then we have three missing,” Shanks said.
“It would seem so,” Avin replied anxiously. “But fear not. I will find Kazen myself and deliver him to you, personally.”
“We want to come with you,” E’enna said.
“Very well.” Avin nodded. “But make haste. There is some mischief stirring here, and I intend to put an end to it.”
Suddenly, shrill cries pierced through the muted passageway. “Captain! Captain!”
Two men fumbled their way frantically down the hall. Between them they dragged a third man who lay limp, his arms stretched over their necks. Panting heavily, they laid the barely conscious man down at Avin’s feet.
“Dullin!” Avin exclaimed as he knelt down beside the fallen man.
His face beaten and bruised, Dullin struggled to open his swollen eyes. Blood-soaked hair lay matted against his forehead, and a steady stream flowed down his cheek from a hidden gash above his brow.
“We found him alone on the floor like this outside the men’s kitchen,” one of the men said. “We brought him straight here to you.”
“Who has done this to you?” Avin asked, wiping the blood from the bridge of Dullin’s nose.
Dullin tried to speak, but labored gurgles and hacks were all that passed through his lips. Pushing through the men, E’enna hurried to his side. Looking at his battered face, she dreaded the thought of healing him. The pain would be swift and great, and like always, the process would leave her feeling weak and nauseous for hours. But she could not allow him to suffer. Placing her hands gently on his face, she smiled reassuringly as he gazed up at her through squinted eyes. A familiar warmth began to swell within her chest, and soon her entire body burned with a radiating heat. Pangs of pain and fire pulsed through her veins as she willed the suffering and poison from his body and into her own. What started as a brilliant and blinding spark of light behind her shut eyes quickly evolved into a tranquil, blue radiance, which rose from her body like a breath of steam, thrumming in time to the steady beat of her heart. A sharp breath escaped her lips as just for a moment she shared in the agony of Dullin’s every fear and darkest despair. And in the very next instant it was gone, she was alone again in body and mind.
The moment of peace was fleeting, however. Almost immediately after removing her hands from Dullin’s newly mended face, a droning hum began to echo through her ears. Her hands trembled and her heart raced as the sound grew louder and louder. The drumming continued to build to a deafening crescendo, pounding through her head and drowning out all other sounds.
Abruptly, the throbbing ceased. E’enna inhaled deeply, clutching her fists to her chest and shrinking in anxious anticipation. She did not have to wait long. Her head and face began to tingle. A sensation of rushing wind passing over her skin sent shivers through her body. As if by an invisible force, her head was suddenly tossed back and a large gash opened across her scalp, sending a river of blood down the side of her face. Her cheeks stung with the emergence of many smaller cuts and bruises, and the sharp taste of fresh blood lingered on her tongue.
Many hands from the astonished guards reached out to her aid, but she pushed them all aside. She held her breath as the wounds on her face and head began to heal, and nausea settled in her stomach. It was not long before the blood stopped flowing, and the spots of purple bruises faded back to pink.
Her heart still racing, she slowly rose to her feet, taking Shanks’ arm for support. She avoided Avin’s gaze, which was fixed upon her in perplexed wonder. The faces of the other Halifexians were frozen in equal befuddlement. All except for Dullin, who had leapt to his feet with newfound energy, and was thanking E’enna profusely for her kindness.
Forcing himself to pull his gawking eyes from E’enna, Avin finally turned to Dullin. “What happened to you?”
“I was attacked, Captain,” Dullin answered hesitantly, his face suddenly pale and doubtful. “It was Kane.”
“Kane? It cannot be! He could not have . . . Surely, he would have been seen returning. Are you certain of this?”
“Yes, Captain.”
Avin shook his head as he began pacing the dimly lit corridor. “What could have driven him to such a treacherous deed? Did you confront him about his absence? Is that what provoked him to attack you?”
“No,” Dullin answered, his nervous eyes darting from one face to another. “When I saw him outside the men’s hall he was carrying the young wizard in his arms.”
“Not Kazen!” E’enna wailed.
Dullin nodded sullenly. “Thinking the boy was ill, I did not stop to question Kane about his presence there. I only wished to aid him in getting the boy whatever help was needed. But as I moved closer I could see the fire of madness in Kane’s eyes. His hands trembled and his face dripped with sweat, though the hall was frigidly cold. He lay Lord Kazen down at his feet, and it was then I knew the boy’s condition was more grave then I had feared.”
“What are you saying, man?” Shanks demanded, anger flashing in his eyes.
“There was blood on Lord Kazen’s shirt,” Dullin continued with some difficulty. “His eyes were open, and he stared unblinking into the darkness. His skin was as pale as I have ever seen, and his chest did not rise. I went to him, but Kane struck me to the ground—and then apologized before striking me two more times on the back of my head. My last vision was of him scooping the boy up and tossing him over his shoulder.”
“No!” E’enna cried, shrieking and sputtering unintelligibly. “You don’t know! Did you touch him? Did you even touch him to feel if his skin was cold?”
Dullin shook his head.
“And you!” E’enna shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Avin. “You promised us we would be safe here! We trusted you! Now, Kazen is . . . He’s missing! And your own cousin is responsible! If you sought to destroy us, would it not have been easier to run us all through in our sleep?”
Avin accepted her rage without expression or rebuttal. He looked on as Shanks took her into his arms and comforted her. A blank look upon his face, Avin seemed to be lost for words.
“Avin,” Ilagon said, rousing the young captain from his vacant stupor, “we cannot wait until dawn to search for Kazen.”
“No,” Avin mumbled, still looking a bit numb, “no, we cannot.” He placed a hand on Dullin’s shoulder. “I want you to take fifteen men and search every room in these barracks. Let us make sure they are nowhere within the hideaway. And find out how Kane was able to return to the tunnels without being seen. If there are any more traitors among us, I want them dealt with immediately.”
“Yes, Captain!” With a nod of his head, Dullin vanished down the passageway.
“Ilagon, you three will wish to join in the search outside these barracks, I trust.” To which Ilagon and the others nodded most insistently. “Very well, then we should hasten to the main hall. My men shall ready us with supplies, and we will depart before first light.” With a flick of his head, Avin sent his remaining men off to gather supplies and armaments.
Fighting back a flood of tears, E’enna hurried down the passageway after Avin. The thought of Kazen’s lifeless body being flung over that terrible man’s shoulder like a worthless sack was too much to bear. Over and over agai
n, she told herself that Dullin was a fool, and that he had not the capacity to tell living from dead. No, not dead. She would not think Kazen dead until she laid her hands on him herself and could see into his eyes. No, not dead, injured perhaps, but not dead.
Rushing past the endless pockets of vacant rooms, the narrow corridor seemed to twist on forever. Dimly lit lamps and torches flew by in a blur as the group dashed down one passage after another. Finally, the tunnel broke and opened to the large chamber where E’enna and the others had first entered the underground hideaway the night before.
A dozen or so men were huddled about the cluster of crates, laughing and snorting as they played some sort of crude game involving sticks and pebbles. They all nearly fell from their seats as Avin entered the room and began barking orders. Stools and boxes were toppled aside as the men scattered in answer to their captain’s commands.
“Rovenolt!” Avin called to one of the bustling men.
“Yes, Cap’n!”
“Fetch me Fayn and Gillus!”
“Right away, Cap’n!”
Avin escorted the company to the table as the room ignited into a flurry of commotion. Men hurried in and out of the hall, dropping off packs of provisions, and suiting the captain in his soft leather armor. Torches were sparked back to life, and maps were laid across the table. E’enna and the others listened carefully as Avin explained where he thought they should begin their search. It was not long before Dullin returned, out of breath and eager to meet with the captain.
“What news do you bring?” Avin asked.
“The men have all reported back,” Dullin answered, clearly exhausted from a long run. “There is no sign of Kane, nor is there any explanation for how he was able to enter the hideaway unnoticed.”
“And nothing of Kazen?” E’enna implored.
Dullin shook his head. “But we did find this on the floor of your guest quarters.” Reaching under his tunic, Dullin pulled out a small silver dagger stained with blood, and tossed it on the table. On the hilt, and all along the blade was etched the image of an eclipsed sun.
Ilagon looked at the blade with disgust. “This dagger was forged by one in Gregore’s army.”
“No,” Avin grunted with a shake of his head as he plucked the dagger from the table. “I know what it is you must be thinking, but it is not so. Madness I can believe, but Kane is no traitor. There is no man alive who loves his country and its people more than he. And there is no man, wizard, or demon that could buy his loyalty.”
“Seems he’s been acting out of character a lot as of late,” Shanks mumbled.
“You don’t understand,” Avin insisted desperately. “Kane practically raised me from the time I arrived in Halifex. He is the one who taught me to appreciate this land and the proud people who live in it. He is a good man, better than most, and I know him as well as any man knows his own brother. His mind may have been tainted by this forsaken shadow, but he has not the heart of a traitor, nor the stomach for murder.”
E’enna groaned at the mention of the word.
“Please, E’enna,” Avin said, taking her hand in his. “I know you agonize over concern for Kazen, but do not think him lost. Dullin is an honest man, and only speaks of what he sees. But you of all people should know that things are not always as they seem. We will find Kazen well, I know it. I vow my very life on it.” Reluctantly, he pulled himself away from E’enna as Fayn and Gillus entered the room with bows slung over their shoulders.
E’enna moved to join Ilagon and Shanks, who had begun to gather up supplies at the far end of the table. “I wish we could just be on our way, already,” she griped sourly.
“Patience,” Ilagon said. “Rushing off unprepared will do us no good.”
Sighing heavily, E’enna slumped down on an empty crate. “Ilagon, you don’t think that Kazen could be . . .?”
“No,” Ilagon answered curtly. “Kazen is in great peril, of that I have no doubt, but he is alive. My heart would know if it were otherwise.”
E’enna smiled softly, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Yes, mine, too.”
They heard sudden cries from the halls, which echoed endlessly with little hint of their bearing. “Captain Avin!” Captain! You must come! Something stirs in the shadow!”
Avin snatched his sword from the table and sprinted away down a long passage, Dullin following. E’enna flashed an anxious glance at Shanks and Ilagon as, together, they too made their way swiftly after the captain.
They soon found themselves scurrying on hands and knees up a long, narrow tunnel, which opened to a deep alcove overlooking the wasted valley below. The thin sheet of burlap, which cleverly concealed the small recess, seemed a flimsy shield against the shadowy fingers that lingered heavily over the poisoned land. How odd, E’enna thought, that she had so quickly become accustomed to the cramped burrows and windowless passages of the hideaway. Now, a breath away from open air, she desired only to flee back to the solace of the constricted lair.
From somewhere beyond the falling hills, a firelight glowed. Most likely mercenaries, who lit their camps without need for fear. Their torches were not an uncommon sight in these parts, but rarely had they been seen so near or so bright. The red glow seemed almost like a blushing dawn, its subtle radiance filtering into the Watchers’ valley.
“There!” the soldier said, pointing a trembling finger to the red-lit sky.
Above the naked hills, like a great serpent slithering its way beneath an ocean swell, they beheld an enormous shape writhing and twisting upon the murky shadow. Though its true form could not be discerned through the dark swirls of clouds, the shadow it cast upon the land would dwarf even the most immense of dragons. Round and round it circled the small valley, soaring silently as it spiraled about in impossible acrobatics, never breaching the rolling shadow.
“This day just keeps getting better and better,” Shanks mumbled as he struggled to get a clear view through the camouflaged entranceway.
“What is it?” E’enna whispered.
“This is a new evil,” Avin responded with a scowl. “I have never seen a creature such as this. It worries me that it circles so near.”
“Do you think it knows we are here?” E’enna asked, her question answered by the troubled look upon Avin’s face.
They continued to gaze into the swirling shadows, hypnotized by the graceful feats of the monstrous beast. Here and there, hints of what seemed a scaly black hide sliced through the dark clouds, striking fear into the hearts of the anxious men, whose arrows tapped nervously on quivering bows. The air turned still and thick, like stagnant water, and a breathless hush swept over the valley.
The silence was shaken by a haunting wail that rose up from the distant hills to the north. Quiet at first, and then growing as more and more voices joined in the eerie chorus, the cries, like the sad baying of hungry hounds, left all who heard it filled with dread. In answer to the rising howls, the black clouds began to churn and swell in a fury as the creature above flailed and thrashed about. With an ear-piercing shriek of its own, the beast broke through the cloak of shadow and spiraled its way down toward the valley below.
Pushing past E’enna and Shanks, Avin shoved his way to the mouth of the alcove and flung aside the sheet of camouflage. He tossed his chin into the air let and out three sharp whistles, which resounded against the bare hills. The vale exploded as burlap and brush were strewn aside, revealing the scores of grottos which spotted both the east and west hills. From behind the darkness of the unlit caves came the very distinct sound of stretching twine, as well as a few fleeting glimpses of white-knuckled Watchers taking aim at the heavens.
Down the massive creature came, neither on wing nor outstretched limb. Long and thick like a fleshy snake, it had no discernable extremities at all. In the dimness of the bleak night it was difficult to tell head from tail, particularly considering how the creature swooped and arched in the most peculiar manner, almost seeming to fold in upon itself at times. Shrieking once again, the bea
st made a sudden thrash and plummeted down.
A spray of whistling arrows, set loose upon the descending creature, eclipsed the weak light of the struggling moon. The great beast did not falter before the barrage. To the disbelief of all, the bulk of the creature parted and separated from the rest of its body, allowing the arrows to pass through without harm. Twisting about, it quickly reformed and continued its downward spiral. It was then they realized they were not fighting a giant monster at all, but a swarm of a thousand smaller creatures.
Indeed, as the throng grew closer, what had seemed at first to be shimmering rows of scales, were actually small winged beasts, each the size of a small cat. Black and featherless, they looked to be the result of some unnatural bond between snake and rat. Enormous black eyes sat above pushed-in snouts and rows of cruel teeth, which poked out from their gaping jaws. Their bodies were thin and sleek, and their dark skin was covered in puckered bumps and tufts of course hair. Two short legs were kept tucked under their bellies, and a thin tail, twice their body length, whipped in the wind. Tattered wings, weathered by ancient age and war, sprouted from their backs. Little more than leathery skin stretched between skeletal appendages, it seemed a wonder their wings could lift them off the ground at all.
Screeching in unison, the swarm of winged beasts flooded the valley like a thunderous tidal wave. Great gusts of wind and dust wafted into the open caves as the creatures blasted by. Still in their serpentine formation, no more than an arm’s length from the ground, they circled the dell twice before exploding in every direction. Like a furious whirlwind, the beasts flapped and fluttered about in a mass of confusion. Darting in and out of the exposed grottos, they nipped and snapped at the startled men, who yelped and swatted feverishly at the invading creatures.
The Flame Weaver Page 28
