Infused (Book 2 of The Pioneers Saga)

by William Stadler

  “Why did you employ the twins if you thought that the Hellstate was so bad?” Shauna asked.

  “I didn’t know how evil it was. I had never seen so many people’s lives destroyed by the darkness. The Spiritualists whom I have known to endure the Hellstate, they actually wanted it, so they weren’t so depressed. Or at least they didn’t seem to be. The twins certainly didn’t seem that way.”

  “We are satisfied, Madam,” the twins said in unison while putting their hands on Yael’s shoulder.

  She brushed their hands off and looked at them both. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t allow anyone to have to endure the Hellstate ever again.” She put her head in her hands, then she looked up at Caleb. “What kind of assistance are you looking for?”

  “We are looking for a way to help your people, but we may need you and your leaders to help with the distribution of a serum.”

  “What kind of serum?” she asked.

  “We don’t know yet, but we are hoping that a Materialist friend of ours will be able to assist your people to keep them from being Dominated,” Sarai said.

  “Is it safe? I mean. How can we get this serum and what does it do?”

  “We just don’t know yet. We have to talk to him again, but he we aren’t sure if he’ll be able to do it,” Caleb said.

  “If you need anything, just let me know. I cannot allow my people to endure this anymore.”

  Caleb nodded and motioned to Shauna. “You need to stay here with Yael. We’ll go up to see Jensen.”

  “I’m not staying here. I need to go with you to find the serum too,” Shauna said.

  “As much of a help as that would be, it’s just not safe for anyone with an emblem to be seen in Broughtonhaven. Especially a Spiritualist. Uriel, you stay with them too, and if Yael needs anything, you’ll know how to find us. If you have any questions, find Governor Rian.”

  CHAPTER 11

  THE INFUSION

  Shauna repositioned her Polarist clothes and twitched to make them fit more comfortably. Nothing worked. The Perene lace on the hems scratched against her skin, and the wool felt rough like burlap.

  The candles on the stands lit up the room by dancing on their posts. The room was jagged and unkempt with splinters jutting out of the wood. The house was not made of stone like most of the homes in central Broughtonhaven, but in the southern city of Fairlow, stone was hard to come by, so the few villagers who lived there only built with the wood from the area.

  Each person in the room sat quietly, and the brash sound of the waves from the nearby ocean bounced off the outside of the house. The day was in full bloom, but even though they were so far away from the conflict, the threat of Broughtonhaven’s fall felt close by.

  “I have another sari that you can wear since you don’t like those Polarist clothes,” said Yael.

  Shauna stopped twisting around and nodded. “Anything but these.” Shauna moaned in relief, knowing that if she could get out of those restrictive clothes, she’d feel somewhat better about it all.

  Yael went into the other room and brought back a folded garb that she handed to Shauna. “This should fit you better than what you have on.” Yael smiled and the wrinkles on her cheeks pushed together.

  Stunned, Shauna slowly grabbed the sari. She shook her head slowly not wanting to accept the gift, and she glanced from the cloak to Yael and then back to the cloak. “I-I can’t accept this.”

  “You have no choice,” Yael said. She was smiling even more now and standing at attention with her arms down to her side. Something about her posture seemed sophisticated and relaxed.

  “But why this one?” Shauna asked, still trying to understand the reason for the gift.

  “Black is not fitting for someone of your stature. You’ve worn the black sari for several years now, and at the time it suited you well.” Yael leaned her head softly to the side, interlocking her fingers to show her humble appreciation.

  “But why not orange or blue? Or white even?” Shauna still held the sari in front of her, and she wasn’t convinced that she was prepared to accept the gift.

  “Black is for our Maturists. It has no meaning other than rank. Orange is for the ascetics, whom we appreciate. We wouldn’t have our spiritual knowledge without them. The blue goes to the fighters, and the white is for the pure. But this gold one. This one here,” she said, pointing to the sari. “This one shows that you’ve been gilded. Much like the gold that has made many of our people so wealthy. You Shauna are a treasure to our people. A true piece of polished gold that has brought our people their wealth.”

  “I don’t understand how? I followed Wex, and I almost aided in the destruction of all of Clydenholm.”

  “You believed in a man whom we all trusted. You weren’t the only one who was fooled by Wex. The entire Alpha Council believed in him too. But like the polished piece of work you are, when you found out that Wex was evil, you abandoned him, and you have fought to abandon the Darkened Temptation. Only a person who has done what you’ve done should be allowed to wear the golden sari.”

  Shauna grabbed the cloak and hugged it against her chest with her arms crossed over it while still keeping her eyes fixed on Yael. “But why did you have it with you here?”

  “Because of you,” said Yael, casually pointing to Shauna. “I figured you would come looking for me as you always do whenever you have concerns. I’ve been wanting to give this to you for months now. Ever since the Battle of Bachenlaw.”

  “Why though? What have I done?”

  “You sacrificed yourself to save others. When Wex used the Voids and they were becoming too powerful, not even I could stop them.” Yael’s smile vanished, and a troubled look took over. “When I grabbed the Void and took over it, its spirit was too chaotic. I couldn’t contain it for more than a few seconds. But you, Shauna. You grabbed the Void and did what no one else could do. No one else could have stopped them like you did.”

  “But I lost control, and it killed so many people. And I used the Hellstate to do it.”

  “The Hellstate that you have is powerful, and as I said before, you sacrificed yourself even though you knew what it could do to you. Your need to connect is what saved Clydenholm. As bad as the Hellstate is, I could never ask you to embrace that darkness. Especially not now. But what I can ask. No. What I can require is that you wear the golden sari in honor of your sacrifice to the citizens of Broughtonhaven.”

  “I don’t want people to treat me differently.”

  Yael laughed and glanced at the candles around the room, elegantly touching her violet emblem with the tips of her fingers. “That’s exactly what your grandfather Arthur said when we offered him to wear the robe. He didn’t take it though. When people found out that he turned it down, they still treated him differently. Except it was worse than he thought. They treated him like he had turned his back on his people. No one said anything to him directly, but many people loathed him in a quiet disdain. So even though they admired Arthur, there was still something behind their admiration that could have been resolved if he had chosen to wear the cloak that I am now offering to you.”

  Shauna sighed and fixed her hair. “That’s not what I want either.” She went into the other room, changed, and then she came back out. The golden sari contrasted her dark hair beautifully. She lit up the room. Her smooth cheeks and warm skin were as bright as the candles.

  Yael put her hands together and smiled. “Magnificent! It’s even more stunning than I imagined, and there’s no one else whom I’d be more willing to give this to than you.”

  Shauna looked down with a nervous smile, rolling her eyes. “I suppose I’ll have to get used to this. It’s certainly more comfortable than those Polarist clothes.”

  “You look like a solid piece of gold,” said Uriel.

  “Hmph.” Shauna didn’t want to admit it, but she actually loved the sari. It made her feel alive and colorful. Her essence seemed to brighten, and the bruises on her face seemed to hide behind her gilded glare. Even the
spirits that surfaced came to her and moaned, and she connected with them to explain why she was now wearing something new. They retreated back into the spiritual plane, satisfied.

  Yael admired the robe a bit more, but then her face hung sadly as she returned to her sophisticatedly relaxed poise. “These positions are tearing me apart.”

  Shauna stopped fixing her sari. “Being on the council and being our governor you mean?”

  Yael nodded. “I knew I couldn’t handle both, but I thought I’d be better at it than this. Why do you think I was so on edge when you brought the Wanderers into my office? The last thing I needed was something else to oversee.”

  “Why not resign one of your posts?”

  “I can’t resign. My people need me too much. Besides it's not the council position that's difficult. It’s the governor position that I can't handle. I’m not a people person like you or Wex or Arthur. I like my seclusion, but being the governor took that away from me, and I miss it.” Yael gently placed her hands in her lap, fidgeting with her fingernails. “I don’t get to see my husband as much as I used to or my children.”

  “Why not promote one of your Maturists?” Shauna asked as she pointed to them around the room.

  “I have a better idea...one that involves you.”

  “Me? Wait. I’m not a politician.”

  “Maybe you aren’t right now, but the people adore you. It would be an easy position, because you wouldn’t have to win their affection. You already have it.”

  Shauna shook her head. “That’s a little much for me.”

  “Just think about it, though.”

  “I’ll think about it, but I can tell you now that my answer is 'no.'”

  “There’s no room for a governor right now anyway. Not until we get rid of Raylen and the Polarists, if that's even possible.” Yael paused and stared at Shauna for a brief moment. “Shauna? How much do you care about your people?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  Yael dropped her eyes to the floor like heavy stones, gray hair dangling over her shoulders. “Enough to die for them, I know.” Heavily she picked up her gaze, settling it on Shauna. “But do you care about them enough to kill for them?”

  Shauna gasped, brow lowered. “Kill who and for what reason?”

  “Let’s not be foolish here. I’m not a killer either, but I know that sometimes things have to be done that we don’t agree with.”

  “What kinds of things?”

  “Governor Rian Pryle doesn’t want to help the Spiritualists, because he said in the Alpha Council meeting that his people are too beaten up from their sacrifice with the Voids. When Caleb left us just moments ago, he invited Uriel to go talk to Rian if she needed anything. So Rian and Caleb must be close friends or strong acquaintances at the least.”

  “I don’t know where you’re going with this.”

  Yael turned and walked to the corner of the room where she took a seat. “I beg to differ. When Caleb was here, I heard something – something rare.” Yael's tone softened, as if she were setting a trap for her prey.

  Shauna fixed her golden robe, thumbing the hem which was double-stitched. “What do you mean?”

  Yael's words dragged off her tongue. “You’re connected with his spirit, aren’t you?”

  Shauna gasped on the inside, trying not to make it known that she was panicking, but her wide eyes and opened mouth showed it all. “What makes you say that?” she asked uneasily.

  “Shauna, I’m an Alpha. I thought I felt it when you were with him before, but I wasn’t sure, and I assumed that the havoc of Raylen’s barricades might have been interfering with my judgment.” Yael shook her finger, one eye closed. “But here in Fairlow, where it’s peaceful, that kind of connection cannot have gone unnoticed. Just tell me what I already know. Is it true?”

  Shauna threw her gaze at Uriel, afraid to even breathe, unable to connect eyes with Yael. She had kept this secret to herself for nearly seven months now. No one had known. She had taken precautions. Her secret was buried as deep as the emblems within the caves, but in a moment, she had been exposed. “It happened after Caleb killed Wex,” she replied, still unable to look at Yael.

  “He was the one who killed Wex? That Wanderer did? How?”

  “The Wanderers have found a way to harness the power of the emblems as you know, and Caleb was able to get close enough to Wex to kill him. After that, Uriel’s brother Fray attacked Caleb and nearly killed him. Caleb’s spirit was trying to decide whether it should stay or go, so I connected with his spirit and demanded that it remain.”

  “So you saved his life?” Yael asked pensively, tapping herself on the chin with her index finger.

  Shauna nodded. “It was the only way to keep him alive. He was close to death, and his spirit was about to give up.”

  “I’m sure that wasn’t easy for you,” said Yael. “And I know that what I’m asking of you will be just as difficult. But it has to be done. The Naturalists can save our people, and one man’s life shouldn’t take precedence over thousands, especially not a Wanderer's.”

  “What are you asking me to do?” Shauna's fear turned to a pre-disgust, waiting to hear Yael's request.

  “I need you to go to Rian’s place and tell him that if he doesn’t bring his people to fight with the Spiritualists, then you’re going to kill Caleb.”

  “I can’t do that,” said Shauna, shaking her head slowly, words almost stuck in her cheeks.

  “You have to. It’s the only way.”

  “Why can’t you do it?”

  “Because when this is over, I won't be seen as a peacekeeper on the council if I result to these kinds of tactics. Besides, I have no idea where Caleb is. But since you are connected with him, you can find him in only a few days. Think about it, Shauna. You could save so many lives, an entire province even. You sacrificed yourself. How willing are you to sacrifice someone else?”

  Shauna looked at her sari. The gold didn’t seem as brilliant anymore. It felt like an attempt to gild over the evil that she was being asked to do. No wonder Arthur had not worn the golden sari. He probably had been manipulated just like she had. But Yael was right. Caleb would have gladly sacrificed himself to save the Spiritualists anyway. Rian would certainly agree once he saw that the threat was real. “I’ll go….”

  Yael clasped her hands together, smiled, and stood to her feet, but the smile seemed guilty and forced. “Head north to Rian’s place, then let him know what you intend to do. After that, he’ll agree to come in and push the Polarists out. What’s a few more lives to sacrifice on his part? The Naturalists will Dominate the Polarist so severely that there won’t be but a few losses from Kyhelm anyway. Broughtonhaven will be restored by the end of the month.”

  Shauna turned solemnly to the doorway, unable to close her mouth from the shock of what she was being asked to do. Was this what it would be like to be the governor? Was this what Wex meant when he said that he hated being controlled? She certainly understood his reasoning now.

  “Wait,” said Uriel. “I’m going with you.” Shauna barely acknowledged her offer, but she indifferently beckoned Uriel to follow.

  The sunlight reflected against the sari as Shauna stepped outside, but she hardly noticed. The anticipation of her mission caved in on her. Caleb had risked his life to rescue her, and he had forgiven her for being involved with the death of his wife. Even his spirit was kind to her because it had rescued her many times from the chaos of her Hellstate. But now she was being asked to do something that her heart resisted — to betray him for the sake of her people. She knew he would have gladly sacrificed himself, but to do this to him was an unbearable burden.

  Uriel walked beside her, and they both headed north. The sunlight shined in twinkles from the crests of the waves that washed onto the sandy shore. Uriel’s fiery hair that was blonde at the roots but dark at the ends flapped in the wind, and she twiddled her fingers nervously in her hair as she caught up with Shauna. “You’re not really going to do this are you?”


  Shauna stopped and breathed through her teeth in frustration while shaking her head. “I hate being manipulated, and that’s exactly what Yael tried to do.” She pointed to the house that she just left, and her gold sari fluttered in the breeze. “Caleb has done so much for me. I care about my people, but I’ll have to find another way.”

  Uriel's brown eyes seemed darker, as if the somberness in her heart were affecting their brilliance. “What if there is no other way?”

  Shauna ignored the question. “We’re going to go to Rian’s and tell him about my connection with Caleb. If I let him know what Yael said to me, maybe he will just go along with it like he accepted the threat.”

  “When I asked him to help me find Caleb for you, he was sure that he wasn’t going to bring the Naturalists into this.”

  “If he doesn’t,” said Shauna, “then Yael will probably banish me from being in Broughtonhaven.” She sighed, conflicted between banishment and betrayal.

  “Even after all you’ve done for the Spiritualists? She wouldn’t exile you out after that.”

  “Don't be naïve. Yael gave me this sari to win me over so that she could use me to force a blade into Caleb's back.”

  “Yael isn’t like that,” Uriel said. Her voice was slightly deeper than Shauna’s, and it was much more assertive.

  “She didn’t use to be. These two positions are killing her though. She’s changed so much ever since Wex died.”

  The two of them headed north through Broughtonhaven towards Kyhelm. They stayed away from the roads whenever possible to keep from running into any Polarists and to make sure that they did not encounter any crazed Spiritualists. Shauna enjoyed her company even though she preferred to go the Naturalist Region by herself.

  The canopy got thicker as they entered the center of the region, and spirits surfaced in and out of the plane. The leaves overhead rustled in the breeze, and the parched earth underneath them cracked with lines like shattered glass under the weight of their footsteps.