Tevek blinked and closed his eyes against the pale light. Years ago, he had secured Krystia’s future. She was still safe and hopefully had a long, full life ahead of her. As a temple priestess, she could use her powers to help others, and maybe Areekan’s successor would finally start to accept her kind. She had been able to atone for what she had done as a child, and she could spend her life continuing to do so.
But Elade would not be so lucky. She could never return home to Maz’Belar, and vaeyn were not welcome anywhere else in the world. Without the Dawn, she would find it difficult to fit in anywhere…and he had no doubt that others would eventually come after her once they learned the truth about her powers.
Ultimately, there was only one being on Obsidian who could help them now, and it was time to face him.
Holding himself rigid, Tevek walked towards the Godstone. The crystal was nearly twenty feet tall, and it had been driven into the center of the chamber like a blade of white light. Two thousand years ago, Maeleon had merged his spirit with this crystal, and his followers had constructed the Dawn Citadel around it. He no longer spoke to his knights directly, but he remained capable of granting them a fraction of his power…and, in rare circumstances, of taking it away.
Tevek unsheathed his blade and placed it on the ground by the crystal before kneeling next to it, his flowing ceremonial blue and silver cape stretched out behind him. He was to spend this night in supplication before his lord, meditating on his life of service and the lies that had broken it. In the morning, when he had found clarity, Avilar would arrive and finish the ritual. Maeleon willing, Tevek’s bond would be renewed and the power of the Aether would be open to him once again.
“I have spoken lies, my lord,” Tevek whispered, eyes lost in the sparkling silver of his blade. “I have shielded your Conclave from a truth they would not accept. You are a being of compassion and tolerance, while we are but frail shells of flesh and bone. I beg you to show them the errors of their judgment.”
He glanced up from the blade to the crystal. “To the young I have offered hope instead of fear. To the wounded I have offered redemption instead of vengeance. I act for the future of this world and the people you once protected. I see signs of change all around us, and we must be willing to embrace it. If our enemy can truly shatter the bond that exists between us, my lord, then we will need a new weapon to stand against them. I ask that you do not judge your daughter, but that instead you choose to guide her. Strengthen her blade and temper her heart against this growing darkness. Accept the power of her difference, and make it ours.”
Tevek lowered his head and closed his eyes. “Know that in your service I have forsaken love and family in the defense of others’ children. Know that I love them, and that I offer my life to save them. Know that I beg not for your forgiveness, but for your mercy. Allow me to be your champion once more, and together we shall be a bastion of hope against the forces of despair. Together we shall be a light against the darkness.”
He sighed and let the tears slide out from beneath his eyelids. His hands clenched tightly into fists. “Together we shall protect this world and its people from now until the coming of the last dawn.”
***
Jason clutched the edge of the bed to avoid falling over. Just the thought of standing up made him dizzy at this point, and he was seriously starting to wonder if he would even be able to make the trip though the portal in the morning. He wasn’t exactly sure what time it was, but he assumed it had to be after midnight. Soft beams of moonlight filtered in from the balcony window, and he could barely make out the sleeping figures of his comrades strewn about the beds and furniture. They were all worried about him, he knew, and with good reason. He could feel himself deteriorating, and if Krystia couldn’t help him…
Grimacing, he hoisted himself to his feet and stumbled out onto the balcony. The glass door was already cracked open, and he was surprised to see Elade standing outside. The late autumn wind chilled his face, but she didn’t seem to be shivering. Her long white hair, untied, blew recklessly about, and the folds of her nightgown danced in the same rhythm.
“I didn’t know anyone was out here,” he murmured.
“It’s something of a habit of mine,” she whispered without turning.
“Standing outside in the cold.”
“Enjoying the night sky. My eyes still struggle in the daylight.” Elade glanced back over her shoulder and smiled. “There’s a spot near the top of the Citadel. I try to watch every sunset when I’m there. It’s…soothing, for some reason.”
Jason leaned against the railing and tried not to vomit. It was more difficult than he’d imagined. “I can’t imagine this view has the same majesty.”
“No,” she murmured. “Though that battlement would probably give a nice view of the nearby lake and mountains.”
Jason started to follow her gaze but stopped himself when the dizziness returned. He clutched his head involuntarily.
“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”
He winced. “Yes.”
“We’re heading into one of the world’s largest cities tomorrow. Are you sure you’ll be able to manage?”
“I’m not sure about much of anything at this point,” he grumbled. “The headaches were bad enough, but I think the nausea might actually be worse. I spoke with Malacross again earlier, and she basically told me that I’m withering away.”
“Did she have any ideas on how to help?”
“Not really. For a goddess, she’s pretty clueless sometimes.” He pursed his lips. “Though to be fair, it’s not like she has any experience with this, either. She’s trying to help…but I suppose it’s possible that she won’t be able to join with me after all.”
“And if it isn’t, what happens then?”
“I don’t know.” Jason draped his arms over the ledge and forced himself to breathe slowly. “It might kill me. It might wipe my memory. Or maybe I’ll be fine, just like nothing happened. Who the hell knows?”
Elade placed a hand on his arm. “Krystia should be able to help you.”
“Maybe,” he muttered. “It would be easier if we didn’t have all these other problems. I still can’t believe dad is alive.”
“I will find him for you if I can,” she promised.
Jason smiled tightly. “I know, but that’s not the hard part. Walking up to him, explaining what we know…what if we have to stop him?” He looked firmly into her eyes. “What if we have to kill him? I’m not sure I can do that, even if he is the one responsible for this mess.”
“You won’t need to make that decision,” Elade whispered, placing a hand on his forehead. She closed her eyes, and he could feel the Aether swirling around her like thick smoke.
For thirty years he had been surrounded by channelers on a daily basis, and yet he had been completely unable to perceive the source of their power. Now he could watch in amazement as it curled up and down her athletic frame like a foggy serpent. He still couldn’t channel it directly, of course, but then he didn’t need to. Malacross was made of Aether, essentially, and now she resided within him. He might have been the only human in history to interact with an Immortal like this.
Jason blinked and realized he had been tracing his hands along the Aether swirls, which subsequently meant he had been running his fingers along the side of Elade’s body.
“Er…oops,” he said, blushing. “I’ve just…I’ve never been able to watch someone channel before.”
She didn’t respond, and her eyes remained closed. He could see the blue glow emanating from her hand as it touched his forehead. His skin warmed, but the pain didn’t abate. Sighing, he took a step backwards and let out a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing else I can do,” Elade whispered. “I can sense the pain, but I can’t stop it. There’s nothing wrong with you that I can detect.”
“It’s not your fault,” he soothed. “Hopefully Krystia can help.”
“I can render you unconscious, if you want.
At least that way you could avoid the pain until we get to Celenest.”
“I’m not sure being bludgeoned on the head is the best thing for me at the moment,” Jason muttered.
“It’s a technique the Dawn uses to incapacitate rather than kill,” Elade said, smirking. “It won’t hurt at all and doesn’t require a mace, I promise.”
“I’ll manage. I do appreciate the offer, though.” He turned away and leaned over the railing again.
Her eyes lingered on him for a while before she followed his lead and quietly gazed out across the fortress. A pair of mounted patrollers trotted past below their building, but otherwise Garos was as quiet as a tomb. He suddenly thought of his vision, of the empty city with only his friends left to defend it.
“Malacross showed me something,” he whispered. “She claimed it was a glimpse of a possible future.”
“Of what specifically?”
“The Crell marched on the city, but we were the only ones left to defend it. You were at the front gate not far from here, and I was on the southwestern wall.”
“That’s…strange.”
He grunted. “I assume it’s a metaphor of some kind. Every time she speaks to me we’re someplace different. Once it was in a nice open meadow, and this time it was here. I don’t really understand why.”
“If the Crell attack, Garos will be well-defended. Darius has been reinforcing it with everything he can spare.”
Jason nodded and smiled. “Speaking of the general, you two seem to get along well.”
“We fought together at Serogar,” Elade said. “You served under him at Isen, if I recall correctly.”
“We both served under my father, actually, but Darius was my direct superior. We fought together in a few places before that, too.” He glanced at her. “I never called him by his first name, though.”
The corner of her lip curled into a smile. “He has always been a bit…infatuated with me.”
“I can’t say I blame him.” Jason blinked and realized he’d spoken the words aloud. “Uh, I mean, I like it when a beautiful woman saves my life. Just ask Sarina.”
Elade chuckled. “I think you’re the one who should be talking to her.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just something I’ve noticed after spending time around humans. She clearly cares about you, and she has no idea how to handle your new abilities.”
“That makes two of us,” Jason muttered.
“You also took a great risk to protect her, and I get the impression she’s not used to being saved.”
He grimaced. “I used that damn cube to save my own ass as much as hers.”
“You ran out into that alley to save her,” Elade told him. “There’s no need to be ashamed.”
“I’m not,” he insisted. “I’m just…I don’t know. I’ve barely spoken to her in two years.”
“What difference does that make?”
He grunted. “A lot. It’s a long time, at least for us.”
“Tevek loves Selvhara, and they rarely see each other even that often. If you care about her, what else matters?”
“It just does. I don’t know why.”
“Because she took another lover and you did not?”
Jason turned to glare at her, but she still wasn’t looking at him. His flash of anger faded at the sight of her moonlight bathed silhouette. He had spent enough years around Selvhara that he should have been used to this by now. The faeyn were annoyingly intuitive, and apparently that was a trait they shared with their gray-skinned cousins.
“It shouldn’t bother me, but it does,” he admitted. “Ghaile was even a good guy, by all accounts.”
“Admitting your feelings is the first step. Perhaps the next is talking to her about them.”
Jason snorted. “You haven’t spent much time around Asgardians, have you?”
“Not really.”
“Well, let’s just say that they’re not big on talking.”
Elade shrugged. “Go kill a wild animal and bring it back with you—preferably a large and dangerous one. That should earn her respect.”
Jason eyed her for a moment, wondering if she was serious, before a thin smile pulled across her lips. It was infectious, as much as any he had ever seen.
“I’ll think about it,” he said, turning back to head inside.
He glanced back over his shoulder briefly and wished he could control this telepathy. As rude as it might have been to skim over someone’s thoughts, he really wanted to know Elade’s. Or maybe he just wanted to know her better. She had saved his life, after all. There was also the undeniable fact that she was an ageless, exotic beauty, and he was a man who hadn’t been with a woman since Sarina had left two years ago…
Jason slipped back into the room and shook his head. His head pounded, his stomach churned, and his very life was possibly in jeopardy—and he had been thinking about sex. If that wasn’t desperate and pathetic, he didn’t know what was.
Plopping back down onto his bed, he glanced over to where Sarina was sleeping. She looked as peaceful as ever, which in her case meant she was tucked into a coiled ball, ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble. He actually smiled at the thought, but then quickly pushed it away. Whatever dormant passions might have still existed between the two of them, now was definitely not the time to reawaken them. Not until he figured out what was wrong with him, and not until he confronted his father.
Closing his eyes, Jason tried to catch a few more winks of sleep before dawn.
Chapter Thirteen
“I wish I knew where you were and what you were doing, Jason. I still think about you almost every day. Sometimes when the older priests are mean, I think about finding you and running away together. I know it’s silly, but I miss you. I just wish you could be a part of my life.”
—Excerpt from the diary of Krystia Tharule, 2008 AG
Sarina couldn’t help but be impressed when the massive double-doors swung open and she got her first look at the Garos portal. The forty-foot diameter gateway shimmered with blue-green energy like the eye of a great tempest, and even though she wasn’t a channeler she swore she could feel the Aether stirring around them. The complex itself was underground, with a wide exit ramp that allowed soldiers and cargo to move back and forth with ease. She had never seen anything like this in Asgardia or in Galvia, though she knew the Crell had installed several of their own in Ashenfel, Lyebel and other major cities. At this point in history, Aetheric gateways were one of the most powerful strategic resources of any empire, but she had never known what they looked like until now.
“Damn,” Tam whistled as they walked down the ramp, their horses and cargo in tow. “You think nobles get to just walk through these things whenever they want?”
“No,” Elade told him. “Maintaining a portal is very draining on both the priests and their Ascendant, and each use siphons away some of that power. They are also difficult and time-consuming to re-open if they ever collapse. Typically only the military has unfettered access, and even then they try to restrict traffic to essential supplies or personnel. I’d imagine only the Legion Generals and their assistants use them with any frequency.”
“Do the vaeyn have any?” Sarina asked.
“Several, yes. Without them we never would have survived this long. The Dawn also uses one to ferry knights to Torsia, of course.”
“Everything is ready,” General Iouna said softly, gesturing towards the four priests kneeling next to the gateway. “I’ve made sure there’s no one around on either side except soldiers loyal to me, but you’ll want to hurry. The priests won’t even notice you, and once you’re in Celenest you should head to the rendezvous with Krystia as quickly as possible.”
“We really appreciate all of this, General,” Selvhara said, placing her arm on his. “It was good to see you again.”
“Indeed,” Jason said, firmly shaking the other man’s hand. “We’ll do our best not to bother you again.”
Iouna smiled. “I’ll
hold you to that.” His eyes flicked over to Elade, and he smiled at her. “Until next time, my lady.”
Sarina rolled her eyes and tried not to be sick. First Tam had started acting like a love-struck puppy around this woman, and then last night Jason had started fawning over her when he thought everyone else was asleep. Now Elade apparently had a Legion General wrapped around her fingers, too. Sarina liked the vaeyn well enough, but apparently all the men she traveled with were complete idiots.
“If you are all finished prattling, it’s time to go,” Gor grumbled as he led the horses forward. “Hopefully someone on the other side is willing to buy the rest of this drek.”
Sarina smiled despite herself and followed him. “Are you sure the horses aren’t going to flip out?”
Next to her, Selvhara visibly winced. A few weeks ago, the druid could have magically soothed the horses’ minds, but now…well, she was obviously still reeling from her return to the world of normal people.
“I calmed them as best I could,” Elade said. “The Dawn employs some techniques to keep their mounts from panicking in battle; they should work here as well.”
“Here’s hoping,” Jason murmured. “See you all on the other side.”
He stepped through the shimmering mass of energy and disappeared. Tam, Selvhara, and Elade followed close behind.
Sarina hesitated. She had fought in countless skirmishes across Torsia, and she had stared down horrendous monsters that would make an enraged chagari balk. Fear was not something any Asgardian huntress was accustomed to. As a child, she had been taught to mold her fear into rage…but this was not some fleshy beast come to claim her with its fangs and claws. Anger would not make her axe bite farther into its hide, and determination would not straighten her arrows. This was something beyond her understanding.
“You’ll survive,” Gor commented from behind her.
Sarina turned and glared at him. But to her surprise, his orange eyes glimmered with sympathy rather than derision.
“We are warriors, you and I,” the chagari whispered. “We look death in the eyes and do not blink. This is no different.”
The Godswar Saga (Omnibus) Page 64
