Scion’s Sacrifice (The Guardians of Light Book 3)

by R. Michael Card

  He was furious and yet wanted to laugh out loud at the same time.

  He turned to see who had spoken even though he knew that voice.

  Cassine stood, eyes wide with concern, yet with her lips pressed tightly together on the verge of a laugh.

  Their gazes met and all the tension in him released in a bout of laughter. She joined him. It was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. Not just her laughter, but theirs together. He wasn’t sure of the last time he’d laughed in such a pure and light way, perhaps never.

  He laughed so hard he fell to his side, rolling on the ground, which only made her laugh harder still.

  It was several joyous moments before the laughter slowly died away, returning in fits. By that time she was kneeling next to him. He reached out to her and she took his hand.

  “I can’t believe you’re here, that you’re real.”

  “I am,” she said simply. She was just as he remembered her, her dress remade, long hair swaying with every slight movement of her head, eyes golden in the sunlight. “It took me a long time to figure out what I was going to do after you left. In the end, there was no choice. I had to come find you, no matter what that meant for me, or you, or us.”

  Davar’s thoughts whirled. He was about to ask how she’d gotten here so fast when he remembered she could teleport, which led to another question. “How did you find me?”

  “I searched for your spirit. Spirit finding isn’t as easy for me, but you have a spirit like a beacon. It was quite easy to find something that strong even from that far away. So I teleported, but this time, I tried to focus on your spirit and let that pull me to you. It worked.”

  He sat up, grinning like a fool. “And I’m glad you did. Gods, but I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.” And with that she leaned in, cupping his face with one hand and kissed him lightly, her lips soft on his. He was so shocked he didn’t even have time to react before it was finished. “I couldn’t let you go.”

  His thoughts turned dark. “I didn’t want to let you go, but… I could see no way to stay without my father taking control once again.” A thought occurred to him now, an extension of one of the ideas he’d mulled over earlier. “Unless…”

  “What?”

  “Could you teleport us directly back into St. Antin. It would have to be within the walls. It couldn’t be outside. That wouldn’t work. Do you think you can target your teleport that much?”

  She sat back on her heels. “I… don’t know. Perhaps. I might need some practice first.”

  “Then practice. Because if you can get me within the walls of St. Antin, my father can’t contact me, and perhaps the monks there know of some way to help me resist him. If they can help me then well, anything is possible.”

  His soul flooded with hope and joy at her return and the prospect of not having to live his life without her. More than that, he reveled in the faint hope that he might be able to someday resist his father’s call.

  “Then practice I will.” She stood and he with her. “This might take some time, though. I’m only just learning what I can do with teleportation and it’s still draining. I wasn’t as tired this last time because it wasn’t as far as the first time, I’m guessing. If I’m going to practice with great distances, though I may need whole days of rest in between. Tomorrow I’ll try teleporting to St. Antin alone and see how well I do. Then I’ll need to rest before returning to you. I should be back in a couple of days.”

  “I can wait,” he said placing his hands on her upper arms, then pulling her into a tight embrace, which she returned, as much as that amazed him. “For you, I’ll wait as long as it takes,” he whispered near her ear.

  She drew back and shed the light of one of her angelic smiles upon him. Her gaze met his and he saw how she felt; how her feelings for him matched his for her. It might be young still, but they shared a connection deeper than their bonding had ever been.

  “I’ll need to regain some energy before I try it. Feel like hunting?”

  “You’re here with me, I feel like singing or flying, but hunting will have to do.”

  She laughed at that. “I can’t imagine you singing.”

  He joined her mirth. “Come to think of it, neither can I.”

  Chapter 9

  Cassine found herself standing in someone’s private quarters within St. Antin Abbey. If it hadn’t been for a faint glow that gave sparse illumination to the small room, it would have been near impossible to tell where she was. She could see a small table with two chairs next to a glowing object, a very large sword. Also in the room were two chests, a bedside table, and a bed… with Senia and Ahrn in it.

  Having needed some strong anchor point of spirit to teleport herself back to the abbey, Cassine had focused on Senia, the strongest spirit she knew. She was fairly surprised that she’d hit the mark so close on the first try. She just hadn’t expected to find the woman in bed, as… exposed… as she and Ahrn were.

  “Oh! Sorry. Ah… Hi?” Cassine said feeling more than a little awkward.

  Ahrn was awake. He’d flinched upon seeing her, but other than that just gaped. He composed himself quickly though, seeming to grow calm, smiling at her. He was about to speak with a quick succession of events stopped him.

  Senia had been sleeping, her body half over his, head pillowed on his chest. She came awake suddenly and gave a quick cry of alarm, pulling sheets up over herself. A moment later a thick glowing blade appeared at Cassine’s neck, lifting her head slightly with its presence.

  “Hello, Emberthorn,” Cassine said, trying to keep her voice steady. The name of Senia’s Aehryn-Gift was well known throughout the abbey.

  Senia blinked away her surprise as Ahrn laughed.

  “Hello Cass,” Ahrn said easily. “Fancy meeting you here. You’ve been gone for a while. You had a lot of us worried.”

  Senia slapped him, half-playfully on his arm. “Shut up darling, can’t you see she’s embarrassed enough as it is?” The blade at her neck fell away and hovered back to its corner of the room. “Sorry about that, gut reaction.”

  “No worries,” Cassine said, breathing easier, though she was then hit by a wave of fatigue and had to put an arm out against the cold stone wall to brace herself. “I didn’t mean to… disturb you. I didn’t think you’d still be in bed. I thought… well, it’s of no matter now. Here I am. My apologies for waking you.”

  “I can sense your spirit is weary. You’ve spent yourself. Please sit.” Senia rose, wrapping blankets around herself, which left Ahrn uncovered on the bed, naked, an unintended side effect.

  “Oh,” Cassine said, looking elsewhere. Ahrn was a handsome enough man, if not near as large as Davar. He was very fit as most monks were, with chiseled muscles. She tried not to think about that. His features were pleasant, dark brown hair, long and tousled, vaguely reminiscent of Davar’s. His eyes were of a pale brown, like her own, and he had a straight nose and small mouth. In many ways, he could have been her brother, which made what she’d seen just a little more… wrong.

  Ahrn laughed. “I’m sure it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. But let me find some clothes.” He rose to dig out some clothes from a chest. Senia helped Cassine to the table with the two chairs.

  Senia was the picture of serenity. Her long auburn hair had been tied back for sleeping, now pulled over a shoulder to rest in her lap. Eyes like pristine pools of blue waters regarded Cassine with concern. Senia was nearly as tall as Cass, but mush more slender, willowy some would say.

  Cassine sat heavily, tired, but not as wiped out as she’d been that fist time she’d teleported with Davar to the Silver Mountains. She’d still need lots of rest before she tried teleporting again, but she seemed to be growing more adept at it.

  “What happened?” Senia asked. “Where have you been? It’s been so long. We thought the worst.”

  Cassine took a moment to regain herself. “I’ve been in the Silver Mountains.”

  Senia’s eyes went wide. “That’s
over a thousand leagues from here!”

  Cassine nodded. “It’s a blazes of a trip, let me tell you. Teleporting is no easy feat.”

  “Teleporting?” Senia said slowly, sounding out the word.

  “Moving from one place to another in an instant, even great distances,” Ahrn said slipping on some pants. “It was one of the powers of the most powerful Aehryn-Gifts. It takes all four elements to even think of trying.”

  “Oh,” Senia said still looking slightly confused.

  “I’m a multi-talent,” Cassine said, knowing she could trust these two. It wasn’t something she shared with many. Even among her sisters within the Daughters of Ehlani, she’d told but a few.

  “Oh!” Senia said again then laughed at herself. “I see. Well, go on then.”

  “Actually, I appreciate your help, but I wasn’t coming to see you… really.”

  “Oh?” Senia said, then again laughed at herself. This time Ahrn joined her.

  Cassine could tell that the other woman was still a little tired and groggy, not fully awake yet. This was all a little too much information for her so early.

  “No, it’s a long story, which you’re probably going to want to hear, but I need to talk to High Sister Olinda as well, perhaps even the High Abbot. I arrived in your room as you were the strongest spirit I was familiar with. Again, my apologies for waking you.”

  Senia rose. “Understood. Why don’t you wait outside for a moment while Ahrn and I get ready then we can accompany you to the High Sister.”

  “I’ll be fine on my own, I know the way, and I’d rather do this alone if that’s alright with you.”

  “No worries.” Senia helped Cassine up then embraced her. “We’re just glad you’re back. When you disappeared with the Blacklord’s son, we feared the worst! I’m glad you are well.”

  “I am thank you. No need to worry.”

  Senia nodded. “Then perhaps we can talk later. I’d love to hear what happened to you and how you came to be at the Silver Mountains,” Senia said. “I’m sure it’s a great story.”

  “You have no idea,” Cassine said then excused herself from the room. Once alone in the dim light of the hall, she took a moment to simply breathe. This helped to steady her and regain some of her strength. She was still a little light-headed and weak from the intensity of the spell that had brought her here, but she dug deep into her earth talent to refresh her body. Though her wind talent wasn’t as strong, she used a bit to clear her mind. She felt ready to face the High Sister now. Though in truth she had no idea how she was going to explain any of this.

  Cassine made her way through the halls of St. Antin as morning stirred its inhabitants. She met a few bleary-eyed monks as they roused from their rest for another day of war. It occurred to Cassine that the High Sister might not be in her quarters, but out in the bailey helping with healing, but since she was most of the way to the woman’s room, she’d check there first.

  As it turned out, the High Sister was in her quarters and was more than a little surprised to find Cassine knocking at her door.

  “Oh, by all the Gods, girl, you’re alive!” the High Sister, tears in her eyes, rushed out and embraced Cassine tightly. After a moment, without releasing her, the other woman asked, “where have you been?” There was great concern in the woman’s voice. “When you went missing the same time as the Blacklord’s son escaped… and those guards said he’d taken you prisoner. We searched everywhere for you! Gods we thought…” She pressed her lips together for a moment before she calmed and spoke again. “But I can see you are well.” She drew in a long breath. “Forgive my concern. It is good to see you.”

  “And you, High Sister.”

  Olinda nodded. “So then tell me, where were you?” She ushered Cassine into her chambers and lit a few extra candles.

  “Far away… falling in love,” she said casually, unsure what prompted her to respond in such a way.

  That stopped the high sister. “In love?” Olinda turned to her and grasped her by both shoulders, looking intently into Cassine’s eyes. “With a man of darkness?” There was something intense and urgent behind the surprising question.

  “Yes, you could say that. Why?”

  “But… no… Not…” The high sister’s eyes went wide for a moment, then she seemed to come to her own conclusion and shake her head. “No, it couldn’t be.”

  “What do you know?” It was clear to Cassine the High Sister knew more than she should about this.

  Olinda smiled and ushered Cassine to a chair. “I’m sorry my girl, I interrupted. Please tell me everything!”

  Cassine wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but this wasn’t it.

  So Cassine told the story of her time with Davar.

  The high sister’s reaction when she found out who Cassine had fallen for was… not unexpected.

  “The Blacklord’s son! Oh by all the Gods! I didn’t think…” The woman sat there for a moment speechless. “This is the man you love?”

  “He is. But there’s more to the story. He isn’t the man he was.”

  “You best go on then and explain. I’d never imagined the dark one would be…” the high sister was lost for words apparently.

  Cassine had to ask. “You speak as if you had expected me to fall in love with someone… dark.”

  The High Sister only nodded. “There will be time for that later. First tell me your story.”

  When Cassine had finished, the High Sister sat in thought for a moment. “This is a most remarkable tale, my child. If I didn’t know you better I’d think you were spinning fantasies like a tavern minstrel.” The other woman’s eyes met Cassine’s with a great intensity. “You asked how I knew about all of this. Well, I will say that there’s more at stake here than you can imagine. For the whole tale, I think we’ll need to gather a few others first.”

  Within an hour, a whole host of people had gathered in the High Abbot’s chambers. There were too many to sit in the area before the hearth, so the members were scattered around the large room.

  Cassine, still tired from her magical exertions earlier that day, sat in one of the large chairs. Senia and Ahrn were there, not so surprising as they were some of the leaders, the captains of the defense against the Blacklord’s armies. He stood leaning against the wall of bookshelves with Senia in front of him, leaning against him. He had his arm around her, and they looked comfortable together. Emberthorn hovered in a corner.

  Wyllea was also there, a hip against the large table strewn with battle plans. Her man was there as well. Tirol wandered the room slowly taking in everything, nothing escaping his keen gaze. He’d seemed surprised to be there, but adjusted quickly.

  Master Elia was pacing along one side of the grand table. Her presence was expected, she was second only to the High Abbot among the monks of Embreth. The High Abbot herself was speaking quietly with High Sister Olinda in a corner but came forth as soon as the last person arrived. The one they’d been waiting for was a Scandian girl, wide-eyed and young, seeming very out of place in this counsel.

  Again Cassine was prompted to tell her tale and as much as some of those in attendance displayed great shock and surprise at the notion that Davar might show any signs of benevolence, the High Abbot and Master Elia seemed unfazed. When she finished, she explained that she’d have to rest again today to be able to return to Davar and bring him back.

  “In chains, I hope,” Tirol said vehemently.

  “That won’t be needed, he’s changed,” Cassine said. Some of the others didn’t seem convinced.

  “I’ve trouble believing he’s changed that much in only a few weeks,” Wyllea said with a fire burning behind her green eyes. “He took you hostage less than a month ago!” She pushed herself off from the table and took a solid stance.

  “Give him a chance to redeem himself,” Cassine urged.

  “That he will get,” the High Abbot said evenly, silencing further argument. “It’s time you all know of a… foreseeing, which involves all of you a
nd… it would seem, Davar as well.”

  “Let me guess,” Tirol quipped. “We trust him, then he betrays and kills us all, is that how this foreseeing goes?” After a stern look from the High Abbot he muttered a quick, “Sorry, go on.” Then went back to examining the many books on the shelves around the room.

  “This is Ragnalla,” the High Abbot said indicating the Scandian girl. The girl curtseyed with a shy smile. “She has the ability of foresight. She’s seen two possible futures for us. One where the Blacklord eventually succeeds and darkness covers all the land, and one where he is defeated.”

  Tirol piped up with, “If it were up to me, I’d take the second option.”

  Wyllea took a long stride over to where he was and slapped him on the arm with a hissed, “Shut up, lover.”

  But there was no rebuke from the High Abbot who said simply, “You may get your wish. It may be up to you.”

  “Uh… oh, really?” he said, otherwise silenced. He was paying full attention now.

  Cassine was getting curious as to where this was heading, but her spirit sense of those in the room, mixing with her innate ability to see souls was telling her she wasn’t going to like it. The High Abbot and the High Sister were scared. They knew something between them, and yet their emotions were betraying a desperate hope mixed with a distant fear.

  As the High Abbot went on, Cassine began to understand why.

  “It was seen that six, and only six, individuals will go to face the Blacklord. We have clearly identified some of these: Senia, Wyllea, and Cassine. The others were a bit of a mystery.” The High Abbot turned to Ragnalla. “Have you seen anything further on the others, these two men, do they fit your vision?”

  The girl, Ragnalla, peered intently at Ahrn and Tirol. Cassine looked to the two men who seemed to be taking the scrutiny with vastly different reactions. Ahrn was calm and unruffled, accepting of this fate. Tirol was visibly dismayed. She could sense the fear and turmoil in his soul.

  “Yes. These are two of those who must go. There remains but the dark one.”