At last, the door creaked open. Faina rushed out, looking skinnier than ever, her face pale.
The leader turned to the other fake Sun Guard. "Now where's the secret passage?"
"We'll have to break through the wall here," the man said, touching a blank spot of wall right next to Faina's former cell. "Let's hope we have enough to do it."
"I can help," Faina said.
"Good," said the leader. "We'll need it."
Without a word, they began working on the wall. Kadin had no idea how much he and Faina were adding as they fed their power to the others, who were more skilled at Yellow/Green weaves. Kadin wished he knew more about Sunweaving than he did.
The wall rumbled, and cracks formed in the grayish stones. Kadin kept his concentration fixed on the weave. He tried to ignore the sound of footsteps, now in the dungeon.
The wall blew open with a sharp crack, and they rushed into the corridor on the other side—a similar corridor containing more prison cells. They stopped and did another weave, this time filling the hole they'd created. There was no time to make it perfect, but it looked like it would hold at least a few seconds.
The second fake Sun Guard pulled the group to the right, then stopped before a blank stretch of wall. He touched his hand to it, and it rumbled open, revealing a dark passage. They all rushed into the passage before the same man closed it behind them.
"No time to rest," said the leader. "They know how to get in too."
The group took off at a sprint, making their way by the light of Yellow castings. Kadin's heart pounded, and sweat drenched him despite the chill in the air. The passage twisted along, so narrow that only two people could run side-by-side. Angry shouts came from behind, then heavy footsteps.
Cool air whipped at Kadin's face. His legs complained after days of little exercise, and his breathing came in sharp gasps. How much longer was this secret passage?
"What if they're waiting for us on the other side?" said the leader.
"They shouldn't be," said the other fake Sun Guard. "Yes, they've probably contacted others to stop us, but it'll take them a few minutes to get to the exit."
"Let's hope you're right," said the man they'd freed as they raced along the passage. At last, they came to a dead-end. The second fake Sun Guard touched the wall here, and the passage rumbled open like before. This time, he didn't bother closing it.
They rushed out into the afternoon sunlight. After the darkness of the passage, the dim sun shone like dozens of Sunlamps. Kadin's eyes took a few moments to adjust to the glare.
Once they did, he saw that they were in the heart of Hyrandel, standing in a back alley. The leader pulled them into a different alley a few streets away. There, he and his friend removed their Sun Guard uniforms.
"They'll be less likely to spot us this way," said the leader.
"Where do we go now?" Kadin asked, trying to convince himself this wasn't a dream.
The leader hesitated a moment. "Brotherhood headquarters."
Kadin glanced at Faina, who'd turned paler than ever. He remembered that she wasn't sure the Brotherhood would accept her, but what choice did they have now?
Catching his breath, Kadin ran with the rest of the group. They stuck to the alleys, which were plentiful in Hyrandel. Kadin's breathing became sharper, painful even, but he ignored it. He'd been given another chance, a chance he hadn't known he'd wanted, and he couldn't waste that chance.
"Wait!" said the leader's friend. "We're at the sewer entrance."
He put his hand against an area of stone darker than the rest of the street. From behind came the sound of voices—the Sun Guards closing in on them. Kadin felt more trapped than he'd ever felt at home or on the plantation.
The ground rumbled open, revealing a dark hole.
"This isn't going to smell good," said the leader's friend. "It's the sewers."
"Anything's better than getting caught," said the woman they'd freed.
They all jumped down the hole, hitting the stone ground about eight feet below. Kadin's legs buckled, and he skinned his knees, but he hopped back to his feet. The smell of the sewers assaulted him, and he gagged as he pulled his shirt over his nose.
The leader's friend touched a spot on the wall, and the hole above them closed. "This should confuse them," he said. "I think we'll lose them in here."
I sure hope so, Kadin thought, trying not to throw up.
They took off running, guided by Yellow castings. The smell became more and more unbearable as they wound their way through the twisting corridors. The walls were moist, and thin vines clung to them. Every now and then, a disgusting cloud of air hit them.
"We should stay above the actual sewage," said the leader's friend. "These passages were built specifically so that people could get around the city in an emergency." He hesitated a long moment. "Now let's hope I remember which direction to go."
Kadin hung toward the back of the group, feeling like he didn't belong. Faina ran beside him, and neither of them spoke. He felt so relieved to see that she might escape execution. That was all that had bothered him during the wait for his own execution. She didn't deserve that fate, not like him.
But then he remembered what he'd heard about the Sunlord. He had no idea if it was true, but now he understood how important he might be.
And he'd intended to throw himself away without even trying.
However, he still couldn't banish the sound of his father's screams, the image of Andric dying in that fire. Maybe the world did need Kadin, but that didn't mean he deserved to live. He would live to do his duty, the greatest duty of all, and that was it. As a Sunlord, he would have the chance to protect everyone from the world's worst fate.
Extinction.
The farther they ran, the more Kadin felt sickened by the smell. Chamber pot duty back home had never smelled this bad. Even with his shirt over his mouth, he gagged from time to time. Vomit rose in his throat.
They had to be careful. Many holes dotted the path. Without their Yellow castings, they would have fallen into one of these holes, and into the sewage beneath.
"We should be close now," said the leader's friend. "I didn't get as much time as I'd have liked to look at the path, but I think it should come out into the Brotherhood's headquarters right around here."
He ran his hand along the walls for a long time, feeling for something.
Kadin stepped closer to the leader. "What's he doing?"
"Feeling for the exit. There's a way you can recognize weaves, especially if you already know how it feels." He walked over to the wall and did the same.
The rest of the group watched in silence. No shouting came from behind, no hurried footsteps. Still, Kadin wouldn't allow himself to become too hopeful. Even the best-conceived plans could go wrong.
"Found it!" said the leader's friend, holding his hand against a section of the wall that looked no different from any other. A few moments later, the wall rumbled open. They stepped through the opening, then closed it behind them.
"Where are we now?" Kadin asked.
The leader turned to him. "A storage cellar. Brotherhood headquarters." He stepped closer and put his hands on Kadin's shoulders. "Were you telling the truth earlier? Can you feel the sun?"
"Yes, but I don't know how to be a Sunlord."
"What were you doing in prison?" the leader said.
"I killed a slave owner, aided a Fireweaver, and killed my father."
"Hmm, you don't seem like a bad kid to me."
"Well, the slave owner was raping Faina here," Kadin said. "She's the Fireweaver I helped. And my father was an abusive bastard who almost killed me before he sold me into slavery." He held back tears. "I know that doesn't justify what I did."
Faina put a hand on Kadin's back. "You need to stop blaming yourself." She met the leader's gaze. "And he is telling the truth about being a Sunlord. He mentioned his ability to feel the sun long before he knew what it meant. One of our overseers, a Suncaster, told him the truth about this abi
lity."
"I don't know how it's possible," the leader said, stepping away from Kadin. "But we have bigger issues to deal with right now." He turned to his friend. "Let's report to Sondir."
Kadin followed the rest of the group up the stairs and out of the cellar. They entered a large stone room where dozens of people were sitting and talking. Some of them glanced up, and Kadin didn't like the way they looked at the party. Too suspicious.
"Are you sure these people are your friends?" he asked.
The leader didn't meet his eyes. "No, not exactly."
The man led the group to a door at the side of the chamber and knocked. A man called for them to enter. Kadin wasn't sure what to do, so he followed everyone else.
The man behind the desk looked up as they entered. "Good, you're back."
"It didn't go well," said the leader. "Sondir, I think Arna might have betrayed us."
"And what makes you think that?"
"We did our part of the operation perfectly. The Sun Guards we took hostage didn't make enough noise to alert anyone. But then they somehow knew where we were." He paced the room. "I have the feeling Arna betrayed us so she could make her job easier."
The leader's friend cleared his throat. "And I have a feeling I might know why she betrayed us."
Everyone looked at him.
"If she's part of Halarik's Chosen," he said, "she must have worked closely with your brother. You two look similar enough that someone could make the connection. I think she's known all along who you really are."
The leader's face paled. "I think you might be right."
"Well, Arna should be back shortly," Sondir said. "We'll see what she has to say." He turned his gaze to Kadin and Faina, who stood in the corner of the room. "Who are you?"
"They're the reason we managed to escape," said the leader. "He's a Sunweaver, and she's a Fireweaver. When they added their weaves to ours, it gave us enough power to break through some of the walls."
Sondir fixed his stern gaze on Kadin. "And how do I know I can trust you?"
"I don't care that you're Fireweavers," Kadin said. "Faina's my closest friend, and she's a Fireweaver. I don't think it matters where someone gets their powers"
"Very well," Sondir said, rising and stepping across the room. "Now let's get out and wait for Arna. I need to hear what everyone has to say."
The leader tried to hide his fear, but Kadin could see it in the man's eyes.
Chapter 33: The Battle of the Brotherhood
Deril accompanied Sondir out into the central chamber, where people were watching him with suspicion. How many of them were involved with Arna and Halarik's Chosen? How many of them might know Deril's true identity? As much as he wanted to ignore Tiran's theory, he couldn't. He and his brother were identical after all.
The only difference was their hair. Deril wore his short while Karik wore his long. They had begun that at a young age, looking to separate themselves from one another.
In truth, they'd never gotten along that well. Sure, they'd tolerated each other, but that was it. Deril had always been so serious, Karik so casual. It was hard to believe that Karik harbored such hostile views toward Tarileth.
How much had Halarik's Chosen poisoned him?
Deril glanced back. The two Fireweavers they'd rescued had stepped off to the side. He didn't know what to think of them. They hadn't spoken much. Standing behind him were Faina and the boy who claimed to be a Sunlord. Deril would figure out what to do concerning them, but that would have to wait until later.
Voices came from the chamber's entrance. Deril tensed and watched as Davin and Arna strode into the chamber, two Fireweavers hanging close behind them.
Arna's eyes widened, and Davin froze at the chamber's threshold. After a moment, Arna recovered, switching to her usual stern expression. That surprise had been there long enough, though. Sondir must have seen it.
Davin hadn't recovered his composure. "How'd you two get back here?"
Deril stepped closer. "Secret passages. It wasn't easy, though, not after you two betrayed us." At Arna's fake puzzlement, he continued. "I know you did it. There's no other explanation for why the guards were so quick to pursue us. You were hoping to get rid of us."
"It's true," Davin said. "That's what Arna wanted. It wasn't what I wanted. Once she warned the Sun Guards, though, there was nothing I could do to stop it."
Sondir, standing close to Deril, narrowed his eyes. "Is this true, Arna?"
"Yes, it is. I think it's time we stopped playing games. It's time for Halarik's Chosen to rise up and take command of the Brotherhood." She turned her gaze to the rest of the chamber. "It's time for everyone to reveal their true loyalties."
"Not just yet," Deril said, holding up a hand. Everyone froze, watching him. Once silence fell, he continued. "I can play this game as well. No doubt some of you know who I am. I believe Arna does, after all."
He looked her direction.
"I knew from the moment I first saw you."
"My name is Deril Anduri. I'm the Sunlord's son, and I'm here because Halarik's Chosen have kidnapped the Sunlord and taken him to the Frozen Lands, where they hope to use him to free Halarik from his prison. I know you're all Fireweavers here, that you might feel some loyalty to Halarik, but how stable do you think Halarik is after six hundred years of suffering alone in prison? That's a risk we can't take."
The room had fallen silent, and Deril had no idea what anyone was thinking. He took a deep breath, his throat suddenly dry.
"Recently, I learned how they intend to return Halarik to our world. When Aralea sacrificed herself to imprison him, she created a weave that could only be broken if every Sunlord in the world worked together. I understand now why Halarik's Chosen have been killing potential Sunlords. It was all part of this plan. My father is the only Sunlord left. If they can force him to perform the weave necessary, Halarik will return."
Arna's mouth was a thin line. "And that's exactly why we should allow this to happen."
Murmurs broke out, some approving, some disapproving. It looked like opinion split almost evenly. Deril shuddered, wishing he had better numbers on his side. If this continued much longer, it would turn into a battle. That, it seemed, was Arna's intention.
Deril took a deep breath, then continued. "Our best hope of stopping Halarik's return is a mission deep into the Frozen Lands, a mission that will take us to Firelord Atarin's palace. That has always been my goal while I've been here. I needed help to rescue my father, and potentially save the world. Remember this. Halarik is the one who weakened our sun. We can't risk letting him go free."
More murmurs passed through the crowd, and Deril's legs trembled. Sondir gave him a quick nod, but most of the people weren't meeting his eyes. Had Deril made a terrible mistake in revealing everything? In truth, he didn't know why he'd done it.
"I think I did the wrong thing," he whispered to Tiran.
"No, it's the right thing. Arna was going to force this confrontation regardless."
That didn't make Deril feel better. He tried to calm his quivering legs as he glared at Arna, waiting for her next move. Her expression remained impassive.
At last, she said, "You've heard both sides of this. Do you want to side with the Sunweavers, your oppressors, and save the world they've created? Or do you want to side with us and remake a world where we are not persecuted?"
Deril felt sick to his stomach. When she stated her case like that, it sounded almost good enough that he could see her side. All he had told them was that Halarik might have gone insane in six hundred years of imprisonment. Her argument had all the emotional appeal.
"Stand by me if you intend to support me," she said. "Everything Deril said is true. We intend to bring back Halarik and reclaim the world. Stand by me if you want freedom."
Deril's mouth felt drier than ever. "Stand by me if you want to see a world where Sunweavers and Fireweavers can live together. I'll agree that you've been unfairly oppressed, and I intend to change that now. B
ut becoming the oppressors yourselves is not the right choice. Putting your faith in a god who might be insane is risking the entire world.
"You might be Fireweavers, but I'm sure many of you have friends and family who are Sunweavers and Suncasters. If you allow Halarik to go free, he will kill these people. Every single death, every bit of suffering he causes, will be on your conscience. I don't know about you, but I could never live with that knowledge.
"I recently discovered that my own mother has always been a Fireweaver. I'll admit that I hated her at first, but now I've realized I love her as much as I always did. In fact, I admire her courage. I see her as a much stronger woman than I ever thought.
"And my time here has shown me that Fireweavers are not the evil monsters I once thought. Fireweavers are nothing of the sort. You are simply people who got your powers from a different source. And I was one of the strongest supporters of the Church of Aralea you could find. I believed what they taught me, that people like you were evil."
Deril took one last deep breath. "And if I can change my mind, anyone can. Together, we can create a world where Sunweavers and Fireweavers live together peacefully."
To his amazement, Deril believed every word he'd said. Before this speech, he hadn't decided how he felt about his mother, about Fireweavers in general. Now he knew, without a doubt, that he would do everything he could to bring the world together.
He swept his gaze around the room. "Stand with me if you want peace."
"Enough talk." Arna said. Her mask had faltered, and worry lurked behind her eyes. She clearly wanted to stop the conversation before he could convert too many to his side. "It's time for you to decide."
Sondir stepped between Deril and Arna. "Isn't there some way we can settle this peacefully? You're going to destroy the Brotherhood if you let this battle happen."
Arna barked a laugh. "That's the point, Sondir. For too long, the Brotherhood has been unable to decide where its loyalties lie. One of us has to win. Fireweavers can't live on divided."
"Very well," Sondir said, backing away and shaking his head.
Deril's stomach churned. Could he handle a battle so soon after escaping from the prison? He concentrated on his light reserves, noting that his Yellow and Green were almost gone. With so little Yellow left, weaving shields would be a struggle.
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