The stairs wound up the entire height of the building, with landings at every floor. The dust that covered them was undisturbed, but that didn’t mean elves hadn’t been this way. Looking back, she could see her footprints in the dust. She was leaving a trail, even if Erion and Kai hadn’t.
Following the stairs all the way to the top landing, she looked around cautiously as she stopped to catch her breath. The fall she’d taken had been serious, she decided, feeling the weakness in her body and her magic. She wondered how many days she’d been lying unconscious in this place.
Once she could breathe again, she began to open doors that ran along the landing hallway. Each opened into a once-beautiful bedroom, which was now standing empty. There was no sign Erion, Kai or Garabaldi had been this way. Finding her way back to the stairs, she descended to the next landing. She checked every floor until she returned to the entryway. There was still no sign of her friends. She was certain now that they’d encountered some kind of trouble. Did she risk being discovered using magic to find them?
Deciding it was taking too much of a chance in her present condition, she turned in the opposite direction of the sitting room and continued her search of the ground floor. She wouldn’t leave here without her friends, she said fiercely to herself. Even as she said it, she knew it wasn’t true. At some point, if she didn’t find them, she would have to make that decision. But that time hadn’t come yet.
She went from one beautifully decorated room to the next, leaving each, no closer to her goal. Eventually, she found herself in the kitchen. Three steps led down to the stone floor. Tables stood in the middle of the room. Counters and cupboards lined the walls. Near the back of the room, a door stood slightly ajar. Taking her long knife from her belt, Leilas moved toward the door cautiously. It could have stood open like this for centuries, for all she knew. There had been no sign anyone had been here recently. Still, she gripped her knife as she moved to the door and pushed it open further. Stairs descended from the doorway down into the darkness.
Summoning a small ball of light, Leilas descended the stairs. The room below was a root cellar. There was a strong smell of damp earth and wood. If there had been food down here, it had rotted away long ago. A covered well stood in the middle of the room. Leilas lowered the bucket, which hung from a rusty chain. She heard it hit water and raised it again. Filling her water skin and taking a long drink, she continued her search.
When she reached the back wall, she found a small door that had been recently opened. Extinguishing her light, she opened the door as quietly as she could and crawled through. She found herself in another room, almost identical to the first. However, this room didn’t have racks for vegetables or a well. What it did have was recently made footprints. Leilas found it difficult to believe dark creatures would venture into this place, with such strong light magic, but the effects of the magic were less down here, deeper in the earth. Perhaps if they’d tunneled toward the castle, they could withstand the magic for a few minutes at a time.
The pattern of the footprints showed a struggle then two more were leaving than had arrived. She had to believe she now had the reason Erion hadn’t returned. The footprints looked as if they belonged to goblins, not darklings. Perhaps these were just some of the dark creatures that lurked in this mountain that Kai had warned her about and not the darklings Dredrac and Rengailai had sent to stop her.
Forgoing a light, she started through the third room, following the footprints. The goblins had made no effort to hide their tracks. They probably didn’t realize there had been another intruder still in the castle. As she suspected, there was no door in this room. Instead, there was an opening into a roughly hewn tunnel. Leilas plunged on, ignoring the slime on the walls as she used them to guide her. There was a light in the tunnel up ahead, which shed some light for her to traverse the hallway. The light grew brighter and she slowed, shrinking against the walls for cover.
She slowly entered a cavern that had been carved into the tunnel. There were several openings in the wall, each bearing a wooden door with barred windows. A cooking pot stood in the center of the room and bones were scattered across the floor. There was no noise from the barred doors and no goblins in sight. Although this clearly was a holding cell, they hadn’t stopped here or had already moved on toward their destination.
Checking the rooms behind the barred doors just to be certain, Leilas continued through the tunnel. She had no idea how much of a head start her quarry had on her. It could be hours or days. She’d wasted precious time exploring the upper floors. They had the advantage here. She was handicapped by the dark and her weakened condition.
The ashes were still warm at the next holding station she came across. But there was still no sign of goblins or of Erion and Kai. Believing she was closing the gap, Leilas hurried on through the tunnel. Occasionally, she thought she heard voices and scuffling of feet, but it was still ahead in the distance.
The tunnel ended abruptly. She practically fell into the cave where it originated. An irregularly shaped dome, there was no doubt this was a goblin warren. Bones were strewn all over the floor and it stank of unwashed goblins and fetid food. Picking herself up off her knees, Leilas hugged the wall and quickly covered her mouth and nose with a piece of cloth. Once the smell was less overwhelming, she looked to see where they might have taken her friends. She had no idea why the goblins would take elves captive, unless they’d been instructed to do so by someone they feared. Although light elves were their enemies, they’d honored an uneasy truce for many years.
It was a fairly small cave and it didn’t take long for Leilas to find the wooden door with the barred window. One peek inside told her she’d found her friends. But she still didn’t know why they’d been captured. Moving past the door, she crept down to a room where a dozen goblins were gathered, drinking an obnoxious smelling brew.
“The dark master will be pleased with these two, I think,” said one of the goblins in a harsh voice. Leilas barely understood the dialect he was speaking. “Perhaps he’ll let us eat them, as well as pay us gold.”
A larger goblin thumped his head. “Don’t be stupid mugwar. If he wants them, he’ll take them. There’ll be no gold or elvin bones to munch on. We’ll be luckier if he doesn’t want them.”
“He wants to see any who come into Solaero. He’s expecting someone,” said the one who appeared to be the leader.
But who is ‘he’? thought Leilas in frustration. She could try to ferret the information out of the goblins’ minds, but she could as easily be sucked into the chaotic madness that ruled their thoughts most of the time.
“He should still give us something,” grumbled the first goblin. “After all, we did all the work.”
“And he could kill you with a wink of his eye. Don’t forget who you’re serving,” said the leader, thumping his head again.
So, it was a dark crafter they were expecting, a powerful master. Leilas had to believe they were looking for her and she needed to be careful she didn’t end up giving them their prize.
Slipping back away from the room, she made her way back to the wooden door that held her friends captive. There was no guard, although one could show up at any time. Touching the lock with her hand, she whispered an opening spell, then quickly slipped inside the room and pulled the door almost closed.
Erion and Kai lay unconscious on the floor of the cell. Leilas skirted the walls, doing her best to stay out of sight of the small window until she’d reached her friends. Closing her eyes, she risked using magic again and attended to the wounds the goblins had inflicted. She could feel her strength fading and stopped her singing, even though her friends weren’t completely healed. It would have to be enough for now.
Leilas put her finger to her lips as Erion and Kai came slowly awake. In a whisper, she explained where they were and what they needed to do to escape. Erion and Kai nodded that they understood then Leilas peered out the window. There was still no guard and they easily slipped from the cell and awa
y from the room where their captors were drinking. They skirted the wall of the cave and were nearing the entrance when a commotion outside stopped them. As they shrank back into the shadows, a golden-haired man, in a blue robe stepped into the cave. Leilas barely had time to shield her magic from him. He turned in their direction, his head cocked as if listening. Leilas held her breath. She wasn’t ready to meet her former master, yet. There would be a time, she told herself, when he would pay for his betrayal.
“So, where are these prisoners?” he asked the goblin who was guiding him through the cave, turning away from where Leilas, Erion and Kai were hiding.
“The holding cell,” whispered the goblin, trying not to anger the mad crafter.
As soon as they dared, Leilas led them from the cave into the trees and behinds some rocks. They wouldn’t be safe there long from Master Frey’s magic. “What now?” asked Erion.
“Back to the castle?” suggested Leilas, shrugging her shoulders.
“That’s the first place they’ll look,” said Kai. “We’re not too far from the temple. We should go there.”
She crouched behind the rocks until they’d moved past the cave entrance then broke into a run up the mountain. Erion followed and Leilas did her best to keep up. She knew the consequences if she failed.
CHAPTER 36
Leilas felt the surge of power as Gidron Frey destroyed the goblins. Sadness swept over her, but she didn’t stop running behind Erion. Her lungs felt as if they were going to explode, but she still kept running. Again, Erion had given her a confused look as to why she chose to run instead of stand and fight this evil crafter. She had no answer for him, other than she knew this wasn’t the proper time or place and if she did stand and fight, she put all of Preterlandis in jeopardy.
Kai scrambled up an incline and stopped at a door that blended into the hillside. Like the castle, the magic flowed from the temple, keeping it safe from dark creatures.
“I don’t know how to get inside the temple,” said Kai. “I’m supposed to wait to see what my next duty is to be.”
“You should stay with Kai,” Leilas told Erion. “And don’t try and face Gidron. He is too powerful and the time isn’t right.”
Erion bowed his acquiescence, though his eyes flashed anger. Leilas knew how he felt, but there was too much at stake to give in to the need for revenge. Stepping over to her friend, she placed her hand on his arm. “We’ll defeat him, when the time is right.”
“I’ll do my best to be patient,” said Erion, shrugging away from her touch.
Leilas tried not to feel the hurt. “There’s so much that depends on our choices,” said Leilas, turning back to the door. Understanding began to rise in Erion’s eyes and he bowed to her again. With a deep breath, Leilas placed her hand on the rune on the door and spoke the word she’d learned from Rengailai. The door swung open and allowed her entrance. Stepping inside, the door closed behind her, leaving her friends outside.
As in the first two temples, there was a platform and a seer stone. This platform was made of red crystal. Leilas slowly climbed the steps and stood to the west of the stone. Reaching out, she touched the rune on the face of the square stone. The center of the stone became cloudy and appeared to change. Once again a face appeared in the stone and again, the warning was given. “Few have entered here and touched this stone. None have survived who have not turned back at this warning. Only one may live to see what is hidden here.” Leilas took a deep breath to prepare herself for what was to come and stood her ground. A loud, rushing sound filled the temple and a red light shot out from the rune through her. She fell to her knees as emotion swept over her. Of all the tests, this was the hardest to endure. Bitterness and disappointment swept over her, her bitterness from the past, her disappointment, all those feelings that had influenced who she’d become. Unfulfilled dreams and wishes washed over her, opening old hurts and leaving her defenseless against them again. She groaned in anguish when she awoke and buried her head in her hands, trying to make the feelings go away.
“These feelings are what make you unique,” said the voice in the stone. They are your weakness and your strength. Learn to use them, but protect yourself against those who’ll use them against you.”
Leilas rose unsteadily to her feet. How did she protect herself from someone using these feelings against her in this manner? There was no spell to protect one from themselves.
Feeling as though she’d failed this test, Leilas slowly descended the stairs. When she reached the last step, a compartment slid open in the leg of the platform. Reaching inside, Leilas retrieved the piece of the staff and a small scroll. Placing this piece with the others around her waist, Leilas walked back through the temple door and collapsed into Erion’s arms.
She awoke to Garabaldi’s grizzled face. “Where is Erion?” she asked, struggling to a sitting position.
“Patrolling. There are quite a few dark creatures in this part of the mountain. They’re drawn to the volcano.”
“I would have thought they’d avoid such a show of natural power.”
“You have a great deal to learn about dark creatures,” said Garabaldi, “and so little time.”
“I suppose then, I shall just have to make do with what I do know,” replied Leilas, taking the food Garabaldi was offering her. “Where did you come from?”
“I followed you when you emerged from the warren. I happened to be watching it.”
“Convenient,” said Leilas, sarcastically.
“Wasn’t it?” replied Garabaldi, innocently. “Imagine my surprise to see Gidron Frey. He is completely mad, you know. No one can read the Book of Rengailai and stay sane.”
“I know he was never the master of Light I believed him to be,” said Leilas, the disappointment she’d felt when she’d learned that fact still fresh in her mind and her heart.
“No,” agreed Garabaldi, his head bobbing. “He never was.”
Leilas resisted the urge to slap the smug expression off the gnome’s face. Instead, she asked where her scroll had gone.
“Erion insisted on keeping it until you awakened,” said Garabaldi sadly. “He still doesn’t trust me.”
“I guess I should go find him, then,” said Leilas, ignoring Garabaldi’s last remark. “So we know where we need to go next.”
As if summoned, Erion and Kai chose that moment to appear. “At last you’re awake,” said Erion. “I thought you’d sleep forever. Our dark friend here wouldn’t let me wake you.”
“She needed the rest, if she’s to continue on this journey,” retorted Garabaldi.
“And now I’m rested. What did the scroll say?” asked Leilas avoiding the argument that was bound to come if she let these two continue.
“I couldn’t read it,” said Erion, “and I wasn’t going to let our dark friend have the first go at it.” He placed the scroll in her hand, casting a scowl in Garabaldi’s direction. Leilas read the scroll through twice before she rolled it up and tucked it away inside her tunic. “Kai, it looks as if I must rely on your help for the last leg of the journey, as well.”
“I’m your guide for as long as you need me,” replied the elf maiden.
“Then we should head back to the ship and then toward the Outer Reaches.”
“Very few have been to the Outer Reaches. Even fewer have returned,” said Kai.
“But you’ve done both, I think,” said Leilas, rising to her feet. “Let’s hope the trip down the mountain isn’t as eventful as the trip up.”
The four travelers made quick work of breaking camp and were soon on their way back to Nereid. Kai didn’t try scaling the cliff faces, but stuck to the narrow trail that wound its way across the western face of the mountain. At least, she called it a trail. Leilas thought perhaps it was a gully for water run-off. Still, they were making good time, no one was hurt and they hadn’t seen any sign of their enemies. Stopping when darkness fell, Kai led them down into a sheltered gully, near a stream. She didn’t collect firewood, or start a fire. Leil
as sighed and wrapped her cloak tightly around her shivering body. She knew it was prudent, that didn’t mean she had to like it.
Frey’s nearness awakened her. He, too, was leaving the mountain. Quickly, Leilas spoke a spell of hiding and then waited. Frey was very powerful. If they met now, Leilas wasn’t sure what the outcome would be, other than different from her dreams. Garabaldi’s words came back to her. Did she put too much faith in those dreams? Could she meet Frey and come out victorious, here, rather than at the Chasm of Ceryk? Or was that what Garabaldi wanted, because it would serve the purpose of the dark masters?
She held her breath as she felt Frey move by them. Her friends wouldn’t stand a chance against Gidron Frey. He would use their deaths to torture and break her. If she could avoid this confrontation, she would, however cowardly it appeared to Erion and Kai.
Frey didn’t stop his downward descent as he passed by them. Leilas breathed a sigh of relief as she felt his power fade with distance. Frey was here, trailing her, because he wanted to meet her in a place other than Ceryk. Perhaps he’d been having the same visions and was hoping to alter the outcome. He was still looking, but his attention was focused elsewhere this evening. Leilas had to wonder what was happening to distract him. It would be too dangerous to call the mists or reach out to Joshuas or her mother. Setting her jaw in determination, she resisted the urge to know, wrapped her cloak around her and tried to sleep.
Traversing the jungle wasn’t any easier going toward Nereid than it was going toward the mountains. Two days of sweat and insects brought them back to the beautiful city. Leilas found her dwelling and fell onto her bed gratefully. It would be so easy to stay here forever. Maybe someday, she told herself, taking the pieces of the staff from around her waist. Though she could see how they should go together, no amount of rearranging made them come together as a whole. Gathering the pieces back together, Leilas secured them to her waist. Perhaps the staff wouldn’t assemble until all the pieces were together. They still had one piece left to collect. She still had one more test to pass.
First Comes The One Who Wanders Page 58
