Vorick set the lantern down on the stone-tiled floor, then reached for the sword in the dim light and tightened his hand about the grip. Little magic remained in the blade, and he would have to be careful for fear that it might become damaged. Gingerly, he pulled it from the scabbard, revealing the ornate scrollwork and the imposing rune inscribed on the white gleaming surface. His rune.
After stepping back into the room, he rested the scabbard on a nearby table, then made some sweeping cuts at the air with the blade. It was heavy, and his arm tired under the strain. He was tempted to slay Triff right there, which would allow him to charge the blade and reduce its weight to that of a feather, but he still needed the man. Instead, he channeled power from the bracer on his arm, fed it into his sword, and felt the weapon lighten immediately.
Much better.
Moving the magic gave him a thrill, as it always did, but the feel of the ivory blade in his hand gave him an even greater pleasure. If a real man carried a sword, what would you call a man who carried a talisman such as this? Perhaps Vorick was becoming much more than a man.
The blade needed a name. He thought of what would happen when this sword faced battle against normal soldiers—or even knights. Armor would be rendered useless. Shorn apart. Torn. Their skin would be pulled from their bones. Render? Shatter? Then he had it.
Flay.
He smiled with pride.
"I'll be back later today. Box up the armor and get it on a cart." Vorick tossed his rapier aside, tied Flay to his belt then walked toward the exit. "And pack your things, Triff."
"Where are we going, Lord?"
"We're going to war."
22
Truth
Crone’s Hill
Twenty-One Days after Announcement
When Bylo rose, a knot in his lower back complained loudly. Anne came into the cabin a few moments later.
"How are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm tired, Anne. Walking for so long these past days. I'm not accustomed to it."
"You've done well," she said. "But there is more to do. Please come. I want to show you something."
They left the cabin and walked up to the plateau. As he followed her, Bylo thought of Phelan. It had been a long time since he had a friend. Perhaps Anne could be one. At first, he hadn't trusted her, but she had done nothing to harm them in the recent days, and much to put them at ease.
She took a seat on a large rock and looked over the north side. Bylo sat next to her. The Twins were in view, but he wasn't gazing upon the peaks. Instead, he fixed his eyes on a figure running through the trees below at a full sprint. It was Mykel, and Bylo watched for several minutes as the boy raced about, moving up and down the steep slope. Despite his speed, he didn't seem to tire.
"Impressive, isn't he?" she asked.
"How is he doing that?” Bylo asked, amazed.
"He's a different sort of person than you have seen before."
A couple of times Mykel leaped off a high rock or precipice, then crashed onto rocks or fallen trees in what was clearly an intentional, seemingly suicidal leap. He would then rise, walking slowly for a moment, then race off in another direction, having already recovered from the fall, disappearing into some thick trees, only to emerge later at breakneck speeds.
"The health rune," Bylo said. "It's become permanent."
"Yes," Anne said. "But he needs another."
"Another?"
"I am hoping that you will give it to him."
"Which one? I'm only good with a few. It needs to be perfect on the first try, or it fails."
"A new one." Anne said, smiling.
Getting Mykel's health tattoo correct had required a combination of lots of practice and plenty of luck. She wanted him to learn a completely new one?
"And it will be the hardest one you've ever done," she said. "Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time, and you won't be inking in the dark after running scared for miles, either."
How did she know about the escape from Dimmitt? Had Nara told her? What else did this woman know?
"Please find Nara and bring her to the garden," she said. "I have something to show you both." She started to walk away, but then stopped and turned. "And Bylo…"
He turned to face her.
"You should tell her."
"Tell her what?"
"About the tavern keeper."
Bylo's blood went cold.
"Nara should hear it," Anne continued.
"It'll crush her," Bylo protested.
"She deserves the truth, Bylo. Especially from you. You're the only father she's ever had. Don't let her remain deceived."
"That will be hard, Anne."
"No, it won’t, it’s truth. Truth is easy. Give it to her, Bylo." Then she walked away.
His heart skipped a beat with the familiar words. Did Anne really believe that truth was easy or was she using the words to remind him of Nara's request? To echo the child's desire for truth, or perhaps to demand it on her behalf?
In so many ways, this woman reminded him of Nara. They were pragmatic in their views, so simple in how they looked at life, and there was a power in their personalities Bylo found compelling. He continued to sit for a time, then stood and slowly descended the incline toward the cabin. After a few minutes of searching, he found Nara sitting on a stump in the woods nearby, twisting a twig around her fingers and whistling.
"Hello," he said.
"Good morning," she replied, turning and smiling at him. "How did you sleep?"
"Well enough." He joined her, sitting on a nearby fallen log. "What are you doing?"
"Just thinking."
"About?"
"Nothing, I guess."
"I do that sometimes," he said, waving a hand in front of his face to ward away a mosquito. "Anne wanted to show us something. She's waiting at the garden."
"Okay," Nara said, but didn't rise. Bylo took the hint and waited with her.
"Bylo?"
"Yes?"
"On the boat, when I told you about how Dei saved us."
He braced himself as Anne's words hovered in the back of his mind. Nara looked up at him, but Bylo said nothing, raising an eyebrow in feigned curiosity.
"You didn't answer and told me to go to sleep. As if you didn't believe me."
"It's not that," he started to say, wanting to shut down the conversation. "It's just that…"
He stopped talking, not knowing how to proceed. Fear of crushing Nara's spirit stalled him, but Anne's appeal now urged him on. That amazing woman had foreseen this conversation. "It didn't happen like you said."
Quietly, as if she was expecting this, Nara whispered. "Tell me."
Bylo took a deep breath as he steeled himself to this task, despite the pain he was feeling for her. She did deserve the truth. She had always deserved the truth, and he had repeatedly chosen to keep it from her.
"Amos, the tavern keeper. He reached down to help you and Mykel when you fell," he said. His voice cracked as he spoke, grief for his little girl welling up inside him. "You touched him, and…"
"Amos is dead, isn't he?"
A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked up at him. He would have given anything to ease her pain, but this wasn't a skinned knee that he could bandage. "Nara, I..."
"When I thought it was Dei, it wasn't. It wasn't Him at all."
She buried her head in her hands. "I killed that lovely man."
"It's not your fault. Bad things happen, and we can't always stop them."
"Then whose fault was it?" There was anger in her voice.
Bylo could find no words. She had killed to save her friend. She had stolen an innocent man's life, leeching it like some sort of monster, and it had been horrible to watch. Had she suspected the truth but failed to admit it to herself? Did she now think herself evil? He remembered the conversation he'd had with her back in their cottage when she had asked if she was a demon. How she must now be suffering, her faith in Dei shattered and old fears rekindled. He felt his own fai
th shake a bit. Dei had never seemed like a warm, close friend. Years in the monastery, years of study and reverence had given Dei an aura of majesty in his mind, but He had remained a distant figure. A powerful god who was worthy of worship, but not warm. Never warm. In a way, he had been envious of Nara in this. She had always seemed to have a simple faith as if she saw Dei as a father. Or a friend. Perhaps her feelings about Dei would change, now.
She stood, and Bylo also stood. She made no noise, but a flood streamed down her face. She moved in for an embrace, and his arms were ready to receive her.
"I know it hurts, dear. I am so sorry." They stood there a moment, quietly. "I love you, my dear. Truly. You are an angel, a divine blessing to me. Amos' death was an accident. An accident that saved you and saved your friend." He hugged her tighter, then continued. "You lived, Nara. Mykel lived. A horrible, unfortunate day, yet you both lived! Maybe Dei was involved after all. Maybe He has more for you to do in this world, and Amos' sacrifice was part of that, somehow."
Bylo wanted to share his own feelings about Dei at that moment. He wanted to communicate that, despite his own desires, the Almighty always seemed to be working on something bigger than Bylo's own petty goals. That even as a grown man, he had felt like a leaf blown about by a raging wind. He had never possessed control over his life and had come to believe that control was just a fantasy. Humans played a role written for them long ago—none had a choice in the matter. Instead of talking, however, he just held her. After a time, she pulled away.
"Anne asked to see you," he said.
"Not now. I need to be alone."
She looked directly into his eyes as if pleading for help. The misery on her face tore at him, then she turned away.
Nara walked deeper into the woods, away from the hill, the cabin, and everyone else, eventually finding her way to a stream. She took off her shoes and dangled her bare feet in the water, which was unusually warm.
So, Dei didn't save her after all, and she was a killer. Why couldn't she have seen this without Bylo's help? Had she longed for contact with the divine so badly that she had let her vision be clouded? Had she invented Him in her own mind to find peace? Perhaps Bylo's efforts to keep her magic secret were born of wisdom after all, and fearful thinking was safe thinking. The thinking of good people rather than that of foolish children.
Amos Dak—he was the life of many village parties and had been loved by many. She had spent no time in his tavern, and certainly didn't know him well, but his bouncing belly and loud jokes had wrangled more than a few laughs from her. Taking his life hadn't been her intent, and Bylo's words helped ease the pain. At least he didn't think her to be a demon.
She wiggled her toes in the moving water, the smooth stones warm and pleasant under her feet. The combination of the water and the quiet sounds of the forest refreshed her and she lay back, resting her head upon some soft moss on the creek's side. Sunlight filtered through the leaves high above, flickering as the breeze moved the trees and branches, changing the way the light fell upon her.
Are you up there, Dei? Or are you just a figment of my imagination? A silly tale for children and fools?
She didn't expect Him to answer, and if Anne was right, she didn't know how to hear Him, anyway.
Just then, the wind picked up, and the high tree branches separated. With no leaves to block the sun, the light streaked onto her face, startling her, but she dared not move away from the brightness. On the contrary, she wished she could move closer to it, so hungry was she for the comfort. She closed her eyes with the pleasure and felt a peace come over her. Her body relaxed. A tingling sensation started behind her eyes, moving to her spine, slowly, then along her arms and out to her fingers. She felt her muscles relax, and she sank into the mossy bank of the creek, anxiety slipping away. Then it was over. The wind was gone, and the light faded. She opened her eyes to see that the sun had resumed its flickering dance among the leaves.
Was that an answer? She lay in place for a while, but the wind did not pick up again, and she wondered if it had been her imagination. So short was that moment, so brief that joy, and she longed for it again. Was that what Anne was talking about? Had Nara just listened to Him?
She didn't want to leave the creek just yet, but she heard the voices of Bylo, Anne, and Gwyn moving through the woods far upstream. After putting her shoes back on, she stood. She looked about, not knowing why, but reluctant to leave this place. But there was nothing here but water, moss, and trees. She smiled.
"Thank you," she said out loud.
It was a steep hike, but she found them up at the creek source, a hole in the ground where the water bubbled up under a sheer rock face. The stone wall above was in shadow, covered with layers of moss and vines.
"Sorry," Nara said. "I needed some time."
Bylo smiled tenderly.
"Where is Mykel?" she asked.
"He'll be along soon enough," Anne said.
"I brought some snacks," Gwyn said, reaching into her pack. She produced a couple of bread rolls with cheese and warm meat stuffed inside. They smelled great, but Nara wasn't hungry. "More coney," Gwyn added. "Fresh from this morning. They are all over the area."
Bylo grabbed a roll, but Nara refused. Instead, she turned to Anne. "You had something to show us?"
"Yes, I do," she said. "Right here." Anne smiled and turned toward the flat wall. "Now, where were they?" she said, peeling moss and pulling vines away from the side of the hill as if looking for something.
Gwyn drew a sword and helped Anne scrape away the vegetation, revealing a crack in the rock. No, it wasn't a crack; it looked like a seam. Manmade. Nara moved closer. The vegetation was so thick, it must have taken decades or longer to grow.
Gwyn continued to scrape away the moss and pulled on the vines, revealing a recessed stone door with no hinges. Might it slide to one side and disappear into the wall? Nara saw no handles, so how could one move it? The slab would be very heavy. Then she noticed two ornate runes, one to the left of the door, the other to the right. A white-colored grout filled the etchings.
"This one opens the door," Anne said, pointing to the left rune. "This one closes it," she said, pointing to the rune on the right.
"Bylo, this should interest you. The door is powered by water pressure in a chamber carved deep inside the rock." Smiling with satisfaction, Anne turned to her companions, then tapped a rune and looked at Bylo. "Remember this. This is what it looks like."
Bylo stood slack-jawed. "The water rune," he said, clearly amazed. Nara remembered how often that design had frustrated him in his studies, and she shared his joy at the discovery. What other secrets did this place hold?
"Anne?" Gwyn asked.
"Yes?"
"How do we open it, and what is inside?"
Anne's face screwed up with disapproval. “We don't open it, Gwyn. Nara does." She turned to Nara, expectantly. "And I'm not going to tell you what's inside. You'll have to see for yourself."
The look on Bylo's face showed that he was wondering how Anne could know what was in there. Clearly, nobody had been in this cave, or whatever it was, for many decades, perhaps even centuries.
"Anne," Nara said, “how long has it been since you were in there?"
"A long time.”
Nara then turned to the others and raised her eyebrows, wordlessly bragging that she had been privy to Anne's secret.
"Young man…" Bylo said, clearly putting it together. "Nara, you knew?"
Nara smiled then looked to Gwyn, who held an amazed look on her face, mouth open.
"You're an ancient?" Gwyn asked.
Anne smiled humbly but said nothing in response, turning to Nara. "Get to it, girl."
Nara knew what was being asked of her. The rune somehow opened the door, and she was to imbue it. Anne wanted her to use her magic, the same magic she had used to kill Amos Dak. But nobody would die today. This was just a door, and she was the only one who could open it.
She moved to the rune on the left sid
e, then placed her hand against the cold stone, feeling the emptiness within. She closed her eyes and poured out some of her energy.
The ground shook with vibration as the sound of grinding rock startled them. Nara pulled back, moving closer to Bylo. The grinding stopped, leaving only the sound of the stream behind them.
"More," Anne said. "Don't be shy."
Nara moved again to the rune, closed her eyes, and gave it a solid push of power, much greater than before. Only partially covered by her hand, the design began to glow brightly in response to the surge of power flowing through it. The ground shook again, the vibration continuing much louder now, and the four of them took a step back as the door slid to the right.
The sounds of water rushing beyond the wall reached their ears. Nara expected cool air, dust, and the odors of centuries of silence, but instead, the group was buffeted by a warm wind. Fresh aromas of flowers and grasses filled Nara’s nose as if there was life within. A long hallway carved from the rock was visible. It was not roughly hewn, but instead, smooth. Expertly crafted. Runes in the walls faintly illuminated the tunnel.
"Amazing," Nara said, looking at the glowing symbols. She had never heard of such a thing, not even in stories. "Where do they get the power?"
"Come," Anne said, stepping into the tunnel ahead of them. "I'll show you."
23
Library
Fairmont
The Estate of Lord Vorick
It had been several weeks since Kayna discovered the light rune, and she was obsessed with the search for new symbols. Knowing that important images came from holy books, she now found an interest in religion, attending mass, and reading scriptures when she could. But her interest was born of ambition, not of faith. There was power to be had, and she would find it.
As she used her sight to visualize the runes in the margins of the holy books, she discovered they were often wrong. Most of them possessed more complexity than the one that generated light, but she couldn't discern the proper configurations in her mind and produced no results. She must have been lucky with the rune of light and her irritation was growing.
The Godseeker Duet Page 18
