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

by R. Michael Card

  “I can.”

  “Fine, then,” Wyllea said preparing the knife. “Let’s begin.”

  The procedure was simple… in theory. Wyllea had come up with it after Davar had told everyone about how the abbey itself blocked the Blacklord from contacting him. Wyllea had done a little research into the spells that had been carved into the walls of the abbey with the help from old Anar from the archives, before his death in the raid. She’d found that some of the runes contained mind magic specific to keeping mental communication out.

  So they were going to try to use her mind talent to raise a shield around his mind. But to make it permanent, they needed to carve those same runes into his skull.

  Davar was only slightly concerned. The pain of someone carving into the bone around his head he could block, but to make sure he didn’t heal the bone instantly, he’d had to completely shut down his earth talent. The healing would be done by Cass, carefully healing the skin, but not the bone. Actually, she would heal the bone too, but in a special way that would leave the carving intact. This way his body wouldn’t try to heal the bone when he put his talent back up again. It was beyond his ability to do such delicate healing work, so he was thankful to have her there.

  Wyllea began, digging the knife into his forehead. There was a moment of sharp pain before his mind blocked it out. After that, he was left with the odd sensation of the knife in his skin, digging into bone, but no pain. Blood ran down along his nose, and he absent-mindedly wiped it away.

  His hand, still on Cass’ thigh felt her tremble slightly. She could see what was happening and despite all the war wounds she might have witnessed in her time, he didn’t doubt it was altogether different to watch someone you love being intentionally harmed. Yet she stayed strong and said nothing.

  “Done. Three to go,” Wyllea said, moving to Davar’s side.

  Cass moved in front and placed warm fingers next to the wound. Davar could feel the skin knitting together once again, and an odd sensation like an intense headache washed over him for a moment then vanished.

  Cass knelt before him, her smile forced. “I feel better now. Hang in there. We still have three more to do.” Her words sounded as if they were meant to reassure him, but he didn’t need it. He guessed they were more for her benefit than his.

  He smiled back, not wanting to speak for fear the movement of his head might throw off Wyllea where she carved into him above his ear.

  And so it went with Wyllea carving and Cass healing until the last rune over his left ear. When Wyllea had finished carving, before Cass came to heal, she pressed two fingers into the wound onto the bone of his head and crashed through into his mind.

  Davar screamed, not from the intrusion, but because when she’d broken through he’d lost his protection from pain. So he felt the full glory of a rather nasty open wound on the side of his head into which she was poking her fingers.

  This will only take a moment. I’m sorry for the pain, Wyllea said into his mind. I need to set up the barrier and fuse it to the runes. Please lower all of your mental defenses.

  It was hard. He rarely had all his defenses down. With the intense pain over his ear he wanted nothing more than to throw up his mental shields and block everything out, but he knew this wouldn’t work if he did. So he dropped all his mental defenses, feeling bare and exposed to the world physically and mentally. The only time before he’d ever been this open, this vulnerable, was when he’d been bonded to Cass after teleporting.

  He focused on that memory, those moments, the pleasure and joy he felt. The angel who’d chosen him and everything she’d done for him since.

  All done. Wyllea left his mind, taking her fingers from his head.

  Cass moved into heal quickly.

  Davar raised his defenses as soon as she was done.

  “Try putting your mental defenses back up again,” Wyllea said

  “They are up.”

  “Oh.” And can you hear me?

  Yes.

  Wow, that was easy. Are you sure your defenses are all the way up, I can’t feel any resistance at all.

  They’re fully in place. Glad to know you can slip by them so easily now.

  Don’t worry. I won’t do it often. I’ll let you have your privacy… most of the time.

  Can he hear me, too? This from a new voice in his head.

  Who’s that? Davar asked.

  That’s Eaglewing, apparently being connected to me means being connected to her.

  Oh. Great. Now he had a bow in his head too.

  Not just any bow! Eaglewing said indignantly. Also, sorry about nearly killing you all those months ago.

  It’s ok. Can we stop now? This is getting weird.

  Done. Blocking you out.

  “Thanks.”

  “Any time,” Wyllea said. “I’ll leave you two alone now. Try not to have any thoughts that are too intense right away, I’m still new at this connection and may have trouble blocking them out.”

  “Noted.”

  Wyllea stopped at the door. “Tomorrow morning come up to the bailey. Senia and I will be waiting. We need to see if this really works and if you can go beyond the wall now.”

  He nodded and she left.

  Cass sat sideways in his lap, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him close. His head was cradled on her breasts, soft and yielding. He felt a spike of arousal but ignored it to simply embrace her in return.

  The door opened. “What did I say about intense thoughts?” Wyllea yelled.

  “Sorry. My fault I think,” Cass said sheepishly.

  Wyllea shook her head. “Can’t you two keep your hands off each other for one minute?” She sighed. “Well, try to keep it down, will you.” She pointed to Davar then slammed the door leaving again.

  Cass laughed. “Oh, the things I could do right now to get you into trouble.”

  Davar was trying really, really hard not to imagine those things, but the effort seemed ridiculous. He couldn’t stop laughter from bubbling up from within. He steadied himself slowly thinking of nice calm thoughts, a pleasant meal, a sunset. “Please don’t,” he said. “Wyllea would never forgive us.”

  Cass slid off his lap. “Fine. I should continue my work with Starsong anyway.”

  Davar knew she was still having trouble with the soul in the sword. “Perhaps I could come down and help some time, just probably not today, if I’m supposed to stay away from intense thoughts. I don’t think Wyllea wants to hear about my loathing for that thing. Though that might be preferable to my thoughts about you.”

  “And what are these intense thoughts about me?”

  “I…” He grimaced. “You little troublemaker. Do you want her to know everything about us?”

  Cass laughed. “Something tells me she already does. But I love you, and I don’t care what people know. It won’t affect how I feel.”

  “You don’t mind her knowing the details of what we did last night? Every… little… detail?”

  Cass flushed again. It spread from her cheeks to her entire face and down into her cleavage. “Well, perhaps not.”

  “I didn’t think so. Now, go do your work before I start remembering things.”

  She smiled, came back to him for a quick kiss, then left.

  The next morning Davar stood on the wall of St. Antin, fear and doubt plaguing him. The day was dark, thick clouds overhead seeming to emulate his mood. The weather had turned colder too, but he could block that out. A strong wind buffeted him atop the wall and he tried to use the cold on his face to blow away his fear, but it wouldn’t go.

  “How goes the war?” He asked in hopes of distracting himself and perhaps them, from what was to come.

  Senia and Wyllea stood on either side of him. It was Senia who responded. “Well enough. They’ve done little since the raid, as have we. We’re planning a strike soon. We can no longer just let them sit and wait for more reinforcements. With our forces depleted of healers and leaders after that raid, we need to strike fast and eliminate
them as a threat.”

  “Enough stalling, you ready big guy?” Wyllea asked bluntly.

  He nodded.

  “Remember jump down to the base of the wall, don’t go too far,” Senia said. Of all of them, she was most restricted in how far and how fast she could move.

  He nodded again, walked to the edge, vaulted over the crenellations, and fell the fifty feet to the ground.

  He waited, expecting the Blacklord to sense him, break through his barriers, but nothing happened.

  The two scions landed beside him, weapons ready.

  “Seems to be working,” he said cautiously.

  “How do we know?” Wyllea asked.

  “You’re the one who can get into my head whenever she wants.”

  She grimaced. “Right.” He felt her inside his mind, looking around. “Looks clean-ish in there.”

  “I think the wards must be working.” Davar nodded. “I haven’t even felt him try to reach me. I don’t think he knows I’ve left the abbey, which means I’m invisible to him. It worked.”

  Wyllea relaxed a little, but Senia not seeing his mind was skeptical. “How can we know for sure?”

  Davar smiled. “Because I’m about to willingly go back.” He pointed at the walls of St. Antin. “If the Blacklord had any sway over me, there would be no way he’d let me do that and lose control of me again.”

  Senia cocked her head to one side. “Understood. Let’s go then.”

  All three of them leapt back up to the top of the wall, then down into the Bailey. There was a mutual feeling between them, like some great sigh of relief.

  “Well it seems we’re good to go. Now we just need to win the war,” Wyllea said.

  “That and I’d like to get my sword back before we leave. A scion without their bonded weapon is—”

  “Still a very powerful multi-talent, at least in your case.” Wyllea finished for him. “But I understand your point. And we’ll want every advantage going up against the Blacklord.”

  Davar nodded. “Cass hasn’t been having a lot of luck with the sword so far and with only two and a half months left before we go, I’m starting to worry… a little.”

  “Win a war, undo the curse on a sword, defeat the most powerful wizard of all time, I’m glad we’re not overburdened or anything,” Wyllea said acidly.

  “I don’t know how much Wyllea and I will be involved in the planning for the upcoming attack, but perhaps we can help Cass with the sword?” Senia offered.

  “Perhaps. I’ll ask her what she needs,” Davar said. “Good-day ladies.”

  He found Cass in the archives working with Shadowfang. He still thought of the blade as Shadowfang despite knowing its proper name was Starsong. There was far too much evil in the blade for Davar to acknowledge the new name yet.

  She looked up as he entered and a smile spread across her weary face. His heart bloomed whenever he saw her happy. She was everything to him now.

  It occurred to him that the purpose of Cass healing him had been to him figure out who he was without the Blacklord’s influence. Well, he knew now. He was a man who loved Cass with every fiber of his being. Her joy was his joy, and her pain was his sorrow as well. He had lived to destroy and inflict pain before. Now he lived to serve her and to grow as a man to be more like the ideal she set as a person.

  She ran over to him, embracing him intensely. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, then released him, falling a little to stand before him. “How did it go today?”

  “I’m free,” he said with a grin.

  She hugged him again, her voice slightly muffled from her face being pressed into his shoulder as she said, “I’m so happy for you!”

  “How do things progress with… that?” he asked motioning to the sword when she’d disengaged again.

  She grimaced, sighing. “More of the same. You’ve heard it all before.”

  He approached the large marble table on which the sword lay. It seemed different to him, but only slightly. Cass had the area lit with several balls of intense light and even with the light-drinking black blade the intricate detailing on the blade, guard, and hilt were clear.

  He reached out to the rounded pommel, noticing the starburst pattern inlaid there.

  “Was this here before?” he asked.

  She came over to look. “Yes, I think so, why? Don’t you remember it?”

  “No. Odd.” His hand hovered over the hilt. A sudden realization hit him and he drew his arm back sharply. He blinked, looking from his hand to the blade then inward to his thoughts. He couldn’t sense Shadowfang at all. Could Wyllea’s shield be keeping the sword out as well?

  “What is it? Is the sword calling to you?” Cass asked.

  “No just the opposite actually. I can’t hear it at all. Usually if I’m this close it’s screaming at me.” He tentatively reached out and touched the pommel, retracting his hand quickly.

  There had been a moment of connection with the sword when he’d touched it, but after that, there was nothing.

  The moment had been more than enough, though. “You must be doing something right. The sword is in pain. It doesn’t like what’s happening. I’m thinking that’s a good sign.”

  She shook her head. “You got all that from the barest of touches and I still have yet to even really connect with the soul in this sword. That’s my real problem. I’m trying to change something I don’t even understand.”

  He could see the frustration plainly on her face, hear the defeat in her voice. “It’s been months, and I’ve yet to make any real progress.”

  He stepped in to hold her close, her disappointment and concern pricking him, his pain echoing hers.

  “I could help.” The words were out before could stop them. He didn’t want to help. He didn’t want to be anywhere near this sword as it was. Yet he now knew that love meant sometimes doing things you really didn’t want to do. Besides he couldn’t stand by and watch her suffering if there was something he could do. “If you connect to the sword through me that might make things easier.”

  She looked at him, her eyes softening. “You would do that? I know how much it pains you to deal with the sword. Thank you.” After a moment she added, “Is there any risk you’ll…”

  “Go evil? I don’t think so. Shadowfang could control me last time because I was still very far gone to darkness. Now I have a lot of light in me to resist his call for slaughter. Also with Wyllea’s block in my head, I think that also limits the connection. I think I could allow someone in or in this case something, but put the walls back up if I need to.” He put a hand on her cheek, caressing it. “As for my willingness to help, you know I’d do anything for you. So here I am, doing something.”

  She threw herself at him in another embrace and he returned it. “Thank you,” she whispered close to his ear. Her hot breath and soft voice caused memories of their time together to flash to mind. Yes, he’d do anything for this amazing woman. She was everything to him.

  Wow! That was intense, Wyllea said into his mind. Remember to keep things down for awhile, will you?

  Actually, I’m about to do something that will probably get some pretty strong thoughts going, just to warn you. They won’t be pleasant.

  Do you have to?

  Yes, I promised Cass.

  Fine, I’ll try to block it out.

  “Let’s give this a try, shall we?” He held out his left hand to Cass. She took it. He laid his other hand on Shadowfang’s hilt and tentatively let down his newfound mental defenses.

  Help, she’s trying to destroy me! Again, the voice seemed distorted, sometimes high in pitch, sometimes low, fluctuating as if on some unseen wave.

  So am I, he said to the blade. He connected with Cass’ soul and let her join in his link with the sword.

  Noooooo! Shadowfang let out a long wail as Cass touched him.

  I’m not here to harm you, she said through the connection to the sword.

  Yes, you are, you’re too pure, full of light, your touch hurts, go
away! The sword wailed in its wild variations in voice.

  My touch hurts? What of Davar, he is purer now too, does his touch hurt?

  The question seemed to stun the sword, who stopped his wailing to consider this. Yes, yes it does. He’s not the same. He is pain too, both of you go away!

  I can take away your pain, Cass said soothingly.

  Yes, by leaving, go now!

  There’s another way.

  No, you must leave!

  I know what was done to you. I can see it now. All of those dark rituals, the blooding, the torture. I can see what you endured, how you changed. Let me help you.

  No! That’s who I am. I’m the darkness! Don’t touch that!

  I must.

  No! This wail was so loud and piercing within Davar that he nearly let go. Yet he could sense Cass starting to touch the darkest parts of Shadowfang’s twisted soul, to sooth and heal the pain and black memories.

  The wail continued, nearly all Davar could bear, as Cass worked.

  Davar felt a hand on the bare skin of his neck. Then a voice boomed into his mind.

  WHAT IN ALL THE BLAZES OF THE DEEPEST VOID ARE YOU DOING! Wyllea was furious. I had to come down to the archives just to get through to you. You’re driving me crazy!

  Sorry, but I warned you. This is apparently what it’s going to take for Cass to heal my sword.

  Really? Wyllea seemed skeptical. Oddly the scion reached through his connection with Shadowfang to Cass, still speaking in his mind. Hey there, healer, can you come out and talk for a minute?

  A moment later Davar had released Shadowfang and Cass. He stood, slightly disoriented. The sword’s call still rang in his mind, dizzying him.

  Wyllea was rubbing her temples as well. She found a chair and sunk into it.

  “I’d hoped that putting the barrier up in your mind wouldn’t impact me this much,” the scion said slowly, voice tense. “I was in the middle of target practice when that… sword screeched into my mind. I flinched and nearly killed a guard on the wall.” She looked up at both of them. “How much longer is this going to take?”

  Cass was leaning on the table with the sword. “I was only just getting started. There’s a lot of evil there to root out. Even with Davar’s help, I fear this will still take weeks.”