by Lisa Rector
The earth shook. Sharp, jutted rocks forced their way up through the sand and lifted Rhianu high into the sky, onto a ledge as tall as the outer walls of her stronghold. Far below, Catrin glared up at her.
Electricity built inside Rhianu, and she released it into the sky, making contact with several dragons at once. The smell of charred flesh filled the air around her as the dragons fell.
A violet dragon landed on the ledge and breathed fire at her. Rhianu lifted a hand, and the flame fanned out against a protective barrier.
The dragon attacked again, this time whipping her tail around to knock Rhianu off her feet. With one sword swipe, Rhianu severed the tail from the dragon’s body. Blood soaked the ground as the dragon’s cries rent the air.
Thick, black energy flew from Rhianu, and blue light flew from the rider, colliding. The resulting boom knocked Rhianu backward, but the rider toppled off her saddle and over the ledge. The dragon dove after her.
They would be dead, the dragon too injured to pull up from a dive that steep.
Pleased with the idea of a whirlwind, Rhianu lifted her hands above her head and chanted boldly into the night. Her voice resounded around her. Sand rose, turning into a funnel, which reached high into the sky. Rhianu opened her arms wide, and the base of the cyclone spread before her.
She pushed the whirlwind into the chaos, toward the rear of the enemy’s line, catching up dragons from both sides.
The Old Ones saw the funnel coming and spread out in a line. A wall of light emerged and stopped the wind from going any farther. Rhianu pushed harder, trying to break through their energy. The Old Ones were too strong together. Frustrated, Rhianu flung her hands wide and watched while the poor souls in the torrent were tossed like rag dolls across the battlefield.
Filled with rage, Rhianu screamed, and a bolt of lightning left her fingers and struck one of the emrys in the center of the line, crumpling him. She would take out each one individually if she had to. She attacked again, but a shield blocked her aim.
Battle was proving to be a challenge, but a welcome one nonetheless. Nothing ever felt as good as wreaking carnage.
“I am the Vessel!” Rhianu shouted. “Bleed for me!”
CHAPTER THIRTY
BROKEN HOPE
Your father?”
Einion grinned, even though Siana couldn’t see it in the dark. “Yes. He died before I was born. I’ve never met him. He just appeared to me.”
Siana paused in her steps. “This has never happened. You have Deian’s blessing.”
“My mother told me something after I became king. She told me about a prophecy concerning me.”
“What did the prophecy say?” Siana whispered, as if to speak louder would be sacrilegious.
“I would be the soul who’d subdue the hold of the Dark Master. His servant would be thwarted, and Cysgod would crawl back into his eternal prison.” Now that he said it, Einion couldn’t believe the reality of what he was doing. “It’s talking about Rhianu. She’s his servant. I’m to take his power. It’s my hand that will force his power back into his prison, isn’t it? Does this mean that I’ll succeed?”
“It would seem that it does. I’ve never heard this prophecy. It must have been made after I left Gorlassar.”
“Yes. It was. Taliesin, a tegyd, made it right after my birth.”
Einion and Siana continued on in the dark for some distance. At one point, they edged along a precipice. Siana assured Einion it was a long drop. He kept his left hand on the wall and shuffled forward. This went on forever. The loud echoes suggested that the cavern must indeed be deep.
“Is there no end?” Einion asked.
“We draw close. Look ahead. The tunnel lightens.”
“I don’t understand why anyone could gain admittance if this place is protecting such evil,” Einion said.
“Ask yourself, what’s your true motivation?”
Einion shrugged his shoulders. “Love.”
Siana’s eyebrows lifted, and Einion took that as an indication to continue with his thought process. “So because I’m willing to sacrifice to save Rhianu, because my actions are out of love, Deian is allowing my passage? What about Rhianu? How could she pass?”
“The trials reveal your heart. Deian wants you to see the consequences of your actions and to choose the best outcome. He doesn’t stand in the way of agency. It’s an eternal law we must follow. No one’s prohibited from entering, but many who’ve tried either turn back in failure or perish in the attempt. Their motivations were not resolute enough to succeed.”
Gradually the light increased, and in the center of the chamber stood a well of fire, giving off a greenish glow.
Siana relit the torch with the flame. “The Well of Hope.”
“Good name for it,” Einion agreed. “So thoughtfully placed.”
“After that journey in the dark, how do you feel upon seeing this well?”
“As though I might not die.”
“Who do you think keeps this well burning, Einion?” Siana asked, her voice reverent.
“The Master of Light. How else could it fail to die out?” Einion asked.
“Yes. I want you to see this. Few people have stared into these flames. I have many times… and Rhianu. For Rhianu, all she saw was the fire. For me, I saw what would result if I continued down the next passage. Do you know why that is?”
“Rhianu had completed her transition at this point,” Einion said.
“Yes…”
“The visions work only for those carrying the light.”
“Exactly.”
“You want me to look?” Einion asked.
“You must. You must know the results of your choice should you proceed.”
“What did you see when you looked?”
Siana remained silent, her eyes thoughtful. With a deep breath she spoke. “I saw the moments that have led to now.”
“And you did nothing to stop them?”
“I followed my own destiny.”
Einion sighed. “You sound like Meinwen.”
“Indeed.” Siana smiled.
Einion moved closer to the flames. He looked at Siana once more before fixing his gaze on the hot fire that scorched his brow. He thought he would see nothing.
But the image changed…
Events rushed forward. Einion saw himself in a chamber with mystifying writings and a stone altar. His hand touched a cold barrier in the rear of the room, and he felt an aura of black, empty death. Einion gasped and collapsed as his vision shifted, and he emerged onto a battlefield. Catrin and Rhianu were locked in combat. Einion could hear the screams of death, but he felt detached from the reality of the carnage. His body shook with terrible might, and rage surfaced under his skin and in his mind.
Kill them.
A rushing wind filled his ears. Einion lost all time for a season. When he came back to his senses, he stood on a desolate battlefield as the last man. Smoke and blood were the only elements his eyes could see…
Einion jerked his head away from the flames and staggered backward. The true horror and the enormity of what he was about to do overwhelmed him. Einion had never taken a life, and to see such a result because of his actions…
He fell to his knees and buried his head. He sobbed again, like a child, taking comfort when Siana knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around him.
“How is this hope?” Einion cried. “Why would the Master of Light show me this? Is his purpose to dissuade me?” How, after he had made it through all these passages, how, after the visit from his father could his confidence be shattered with one vision?
“His purpose is to give you knowledge.”
“His purpose is to crush my resolve. It looks as though I kill everyone on the battlefield, including Rhianu. Are the visions sure? Can the future be altered?” Einion looked up into Siana’s face. Her eyes were full of love and wisdom. “How do you know what the visions mean? Did you see alternate paths?”
“We’re not bound to a singl
e thread of fate. I shaped the pattern of my tapestry. You can shape yours.”
“Stop talking in riddles and answer me plainly, Siana. Will I destroy Rhianu? Look into the flames and tell me what you see.”
Siana rose and peered into the fire while Einion waited. Serenity composed her face as she viewed the future. Siana stepped back when she finished.
“There is hope, Einion. I didn’t see Rhianu’s death. Though many are dying as we speak, the battle has commenced. We should not delay any longer! I swear to you—those you love will not fall and not by your hand. I asked you to trust me before. Trust me now. We must move to the next chamber!”
“How can you be sure?” Einion exclaimed.
“You don’t know how another might intervene. The well reflects the vision your heart most fears,” Siana said.
“Then why show me?”
“You must face your fears. To know your heart truly, you must know what hides deep inside. You saw what you most dread, a future where your fears come true. The Master of Light gives you this knowledge. Now wield it! Gird yourself and press on, Einion.”
He glared at Siana, hesitant to believe her words. What would Meinwen say to him? Look, inside your heart, Einion. You’re a good man. Valiant and honest in all you do. Even if Cysgod held sway in your heart and mind, you’d be true to yourself. You know who you are. Be certain!
Had Meinwen said those words to him before? Was she saying them to him now? Regardless, he knew that was exactly what she would’ve said, and he believed those words, even if he didn’t believe anything else.
Einion pulled himself up and took the torch from Siana’s hands. Walking to the far side of the room, he stepped onto the final path.
***
Einion entered the chamber and crossed past the altar to the barrier. Siana followed him in silence. She would have no need to direct his actions. He lifted his hands and touched the swirling jet blackness without hesitation. For Rhianu.
For our child.
Dark matter, more tangible and heavy than he’d ever experienced, washed through him with alarming thrust, carrying Cysgod’s essence. As if Cysgod curled vile tendrils into every fiber—every breath of Einion’s body.
He recoiled when the assault overtook him. A flood of terrifying visions assimilated with him while Cysgod’s voice ripped through his mind.
Einion… Einion… what have you done? You have taken what was not yours to take! I shall make you wish for death.
Rage. Anger. Fear. Einion groaned. It was all coming true. He would fall to the darkness. He would be the hand to bring a plague on his people. How had he ever hoped to fight this? Einion raked his fingers over his skin, digging at his flesh, trying to rip the Evil from his body. He pressed his head into his hands to alleviate the feeling that his eyes might bulge from their sockets. Veins pulsated under his skin. A throbbing began at his temples.
Through his cloud of torment, Siana’s voice reached him. “Einion, you still have light inside you. Fight it!”
Pressure enveloped him when Siana threw a cloak of energy around him, stanching the power that built. But Einion wanted to release it. He wanted to kill and bring the relief he desired. Einion shook as the Evil pressed against her light.
He growled. “Get away from me, Siana.”
“I promised to help you through this. I will save you.”
“I can’t control it!” His body lurched. Surging inside, the power felt so raw, so incredible. A part of him wanted to give in. Every carnal desire, every whim, he could own and not feel guilt. Isn’t that what he wanted? Siana was so close. He could reach out and snap her neck. The act of the kill would finish the transition, his light would leave, and the torment could be over. No! You’ll not trick me into believing your lies.
He thrashed onto his back, and his body arched. The force from Siana increased. Einion fought against it. He gave one push and shattered the protective field. Flipping onto his hands and knees, Einion lifted his head slowly. He had to give her time. He held himself back. “Run, Siana…”
Terrified, she stared at him.
“RUN!” Einion hissed, and he lunged at her.
Siana slipped out of his grasp and ran to the passage from which they had come. Einion took off after her like a feral beast.
He made it to the passage. He would have her. One more step and his fingers would close around her throat. Einion stepped through the exit.
Stunned, he looked around. Siana was right, the mountain was all too eager to let them go. The same passage that they had wandered for hours dumped them right out onto the smoking mountainside.
A few feet away, Siana stood next to Meuric. True to his word, Meuric had waited.
Delighted, Einion realized he could snap a much more satisfying neck. “Are you going to stop me? Surely, Meuric, you know this will be your death.” Einion flexed his arms, feeling his raging muscles. He brought his hands up, prepared to attack. His body spasmed while his light pushed against the darkness inside of him.
I can fight this. It’s not over.
Kill Meuric. You want him dead for what he did to you.
A spasm cut through Einion’s body, and he groaned. “Meuric,” Einion said. “Help me.” He reached out toward Meuric. “I’m… in agony.” His body trembled again.
Meuric glared at him. “His light fights to free him from the darkness. He hasn’t fully transitioned. He can be saved.”
Einion seethed at his words, and his head twitched to the side.
“Meuric, will you help him—for Rhianu?” Siana begged. “Don’t kill him.”
“I will do this for her.” Meuric stepped toward the Vessel.
Einion unleashed a black, inky blob at Meuric, who deflected it with a wave of his hand.
“We have only moments. He’s weak. Mother, project a shield.”
Einion trembled. A cloud of darkness seeped from his body, but Siana threw an energy shield around Einion, and the swirling mass retreated inside.
“Let me go, woman!” Einion snarled. He flexed his might against the shield. “Give me your neck to wring so I can be rid of this torment!”
Meuric strode up to Einion and grabbed him by his tunic. “I’m not sorry for this.” He punched Einion in the stomach, bringing him to his knees.
The pain of the hit was dull compared to the agony that swelled inside Einion. Too much pressure!
“Siana, give me your hand!” Meuric shouted.
“What do you mean to do?” Siana asked.
“Hand!” Meuric shook his fist at her while maintaining a grip on Einion. Siana stepped forward and clasped Meuric’s hand. Einion quivered as an intense crushing weight—a pressure far different from Cysgod’s might—pulled on him.
Einion’s world blackened.
***
Catrin climbed the side of the rock face, using her light to propel herself farther and faster. She lost track of Trahaearn after the fall, though she heard him in her mind. He was thick into battle.
Lightning crackled from the edges of the cliff. Rhianu was working her devilry. One more push and Catrin reached the summit. She kicked up underneath a bolt of lightning and caught Rhianu in the shin, causing her to buckle.
Rhianu fell to her knees. Knife in hand, Catrin lunged at her. When Rhianu threw herself to the side, her leg swung out, knocking Catrin’s feet from under her. Catrin fell forward, and her knife clattered from her grasp. She had rolled onto her back before Rhianu scrambled onto her and held her down.
A flaming staff materialized in the air, and Rhianu pushed it against Catrin’s chest. The smooth wood burned with a peculiar heat that leapt with purple fingers around its length. Pain seared through Catrin’s chest. She tried to pry the staff away, but it burned her palms. What unnatural flame is this? Light didn’t burn emrys. This was dark magic.
“I warned you, you’d be burned,” Rhianu hissed. “Do you like my staff? A gift from the Dark Master.” She pressed it harder into Catrin’s chest.
The pressure inc
reased against her ribs. They would soon crack. Catrin couldn’t breathe. Her legs thrashed behind her, but she remained trapped. Rhianu wasn’t harmed from touching the staff. Her flesh wasn’t burning. She’s too powerful. Catrin called on the light inside her for strength to push the staff away. A scream rose in her throat. The pain was unbearable.
Trahaearn, help! Where are you? I need help! Where was Urien for that matter? Where was anyone? A rib cracked, and Catrin howled. Rhianu laughed—vile, nightmarish laughter to counter Catrin’s agony.
But Rhianu faltered. Catrin felt a sudden release of pressure and burning.
“No!” Rhianu cried.
Through her tears, Catrin looked into Rhianu’s miserably empty eyes. Still straddling Catrin, Rhianu was frozen, staring at her empty hands in disbelief. The staff had disappeared as unexpectedly as it had come. Noticeably weakened, Rhianu trembled. Clearly she had not expected this. The once fearless warrior now cowered.
Where did her powers go? Catrin almost felt sorry for her. As an unreliable ally, wickedness was bound to double-cross her and leave her to her own devices.
Catrin used the confusion and threw her captor off.
Rhianu shrieked and rolled to the side with Catrin’s push. Catrin glanced around—the knife lay mere feet away. She grabbed it and held it to Rhianu’s throat. With the light’s energy, Catrin pinned Rhianu with as much vehemence as Rhianu had crushed her with the flaming staff.
“Sorry, looks as though your master abandoned you.” Catrin pierced the skin at Rhianu’s neck. It was the only explanation.
“Sorry, Catrin. It looks as though the Dark Master has your Einion.” Rhianu spat in her face.
Catrin pushed the knife farther, causing a bead of blood to slip down Rhianu’s throat. “You lie! Be quiet or I’ll kill you!” What was Rhianu talking about?
Rhianu gasped but smiled. “Your precious Einion is trying to save me! Ha! He took the Dark Master’s essence. He took my power.” Rhianu laughed, forcing the knife blade deeper with her movement. “He’s the new vessel. The rash fool. He loves me and not you, Catrin.”
