Enshroud, Mosaic Chronicles Book Eight

by Pearson, Andrea

  She stared at the guardian, tapping the top of the lantern as she considered her options. It didn’t take long to decide to join Akeno and Jacob outside. Three brains were better than one, after all.

  The moment she stepped through the door, the two jumped to their feet, rushing at her excitedly.

  “Are you done already?” Jacob asked.

  “No, not yet,” Nicole said. “I just needed a break.”

  She slumped to the ground near where Jacob and Akeno had set up a little camp. Resting her head on her knees, she wrapped her arms around her legs, ignoring the slight pain from her fresh burns. It was nothing compared to what she’d experienced over the past few months.

  “What’s the matter?” Jacob asked.

  Nicole looked at him. “I’ve learned something new, and I don’t know what to do with it.”

  “What’s that?” Jacob asked.

  Nicole sighed. “From what it looks like, Lasia is tied to the light while guarding it. I have no idea why.”

  “Wait. Are you serious?” Jacob asked. “She’s tied to it?”

  Nicole nodded again. “Yes, and I feel like it’s important. Like it’s going to help me figure out how to beat her.”

  Jacob scratched his head, looking just as confused as Nicole felt. “Well, Akeno and I were about to eat. You’re welcome to join us. Once we get some food in us—and some rest for you—we can discuss it. Sound good?”

  Nicole thought that was a fantastic idea. They ate a quick meal, she sent a message to Austin and Lizzie to let them know she was safe, and then Akeno shrank her.

  She woke up feeling energized and ready to get the problem figured out. While they discussed it, she ate again and restocked her Kaede sap supplies.

  No matter how much discussing they did, though, nothing felt right. Part of the equation was still missing. Rather than spending more time going over the particulars, Nicole decided to head back to the forest.

  She said goodbye to her friends and entered the room in the corner of the fifth floor. The sun was about to set, and the place was bathed in red light. Dust particles floated through the air, resting on the shelf tops and on the items that filled the room. It made it feel more magical than it already was. The guardian waited in his usual corner, his eyes shut, watching her without seeing.

  Nicole gave him a little wave, but didn’t pause as she approached the lantern. Instead of picking it up, she hesitated, her mind returning to the dilemma. Why would Lasia be chained if she absolutely wanted to stay there? And Nicole felt Lasia did want to stay—that she was loyal to Keitus’s cause.

  A thought popped into Nicole’s mind. She needed to release Lasia—the woman not wanting to be released was the answer. Or at least one answer. It occurred to Nicole that something would force Lasia to leave if she weren’t tied down.

  Nicole chewed on the inside of her lip, studying out this new direction her thoughts were taking her. She tapped the side of her face. Could it be something external to the Fire Pulser? Something about Shonlin, or perhaps Shonlin’s rules? Maybe the rules about being a guardian?

  Onyev knew about Lasia, so why hadn’t he done anything yet? Why hadn’t he ordered a council and cleansed the forest of the unwelcome guardian?

  Nicole paced a couple more times, pondering. Was it because Onyev couldn’t release Lasia? If that was the case, why hadn’t he said anything to Nicole?

  Something told her this was huge—the guardian rules would force Lasia to leave the forest, whether she wanted that to happen or not. Nicole was sure of it. And if so, the only thing Nicole needed to do was release the Fire Pulser, as she’d already deduced. The magic of Shonlin would do the rest.

  Warmth spread over Nicole. That had to be it—it had to be.

  Her new goal, then, was to figure out how to actually go about doing it. She obviously needed to get close enough to the cord.

  Nicole strode across the library floor and picked up the lantern, watching as the wall dissolved and the forest of Shonlin appeared. She barely noticed the wetness of the air as she stepped through the ferns, feeling them tickle her legs. She walked to the place where she’d hidden the lantern before and put it there once more. At least now she had the comfort of knowing she’d be able to find it again.

  Refreshed and ready to begin battling Lasia, Nicole decided not to skirt around the creature. Instead, she headed directly for her. Nicole knew the moment when Lasia noticed her. There was that slight pop in the air, and flames that roared through the forest. Nicole continued walking, ignoring them.

  She couldn’t help but smile at the confusion that spread across the Fire Pulser’s face. Even Lasia’s body language conveyed her bewilderment as Nicole approached. Lasia’s arms dropped to her sides, and she stared at Nicole.

  Nicole stopped only ten feet away. She folded her arms, taking a moment to study Lasia in return, realizing the Fire Pulser was waiting for her to do something first.

  Lasia’s hair was fiery red and long, the ends tinged with black. Her facial features were strong—a chin that jutted forward and a very high forehead. One eye was bright red, the other coal black. Her skin was pale and had red and blue veins streaking across it. The vessels on her face were the biggest—they protruded at least a quarter of an inch. Disgusting.

  Instead of giving the Fire Pulser what she expected, Nicole danced to the side and raced toward the orb and the cord that tied Lasia to it.

  It didn’t take long for the Fire Pulser to catch on. She screamed, jumping at Nicole. She swung wildly, raking the air with her nails. Finally, one hand snagged hold of Nicole’s arm and flung her to the ground, with Lasia landing on top of her.

  Nicole was expecting the creature to continue pulsing fire. What she wasn’t expecting was for Lasia to bite her. She shrieked, struggling to get out from under the beast. The two grappled with each other for several moments, neither gaining the upper hand as Nicole tried to get at Lasia’s wrist.

  Nicole hated having to use hand-to-hand combat, but she was grateful to find that Lasia wasn’t much better than she was—the creature wasn’t used to fighting like this. She pulsed flames multiple times, but her fire didn’t do anything against Nicole, who was completely refreshed and recharged from her rest, new Kaede sap filling her pockets and covering her skin.

  One of the biggest advantages Lasia had over Nicole was her incredible strength. It didn’t matter how hard Nicole tried to reach that spot on Lasia’s wrist—the Fire Pulser was able to push her away. Whether it was because Lasia realized what Nicole was doing, or because it was instinctual to protect her wrists, Nicole didn’t know. But she hated that Sanso’s biggest tip was turning out to be impossible to use.

  After flaming Nicole multiple times with no results, Lasia finally got frustrated enough to pick her up and throw her across the forest. Nicole slammed into a tree trunk and dropped to the ground. Dazed, it took her a moment to get to her feet again. When she did, Lasia was circling the light, fingering the cord that tied her to it. She snarled when she saw Nicole stand.

  “Stop fighting, Lasia,” Nicole said. “Do you actually think Keitus will live up to what he’s promised?”

  Lasia sneered. “He has already given me what I want.”

  “And what is that?” Nicole asked.

  The Pulser didn’t respond.

  Power drew toward Lasia, and Nicole knew she was about to pulse again. Judging by the amount of pain Nicole felt from slamming into the tree, her sap was already at the edge of its limits. She might be able to survive one more bout of flames, maybe two if she got lucky, but no more than that.

  A sudden idea struck her, and she dashed through the forest to where she’d hidden the lantern. Picking it up, Nicole turned and ran back toward the Fire Pulser.

  Lasia hadn’t moved an inch. She stared at Nicole, confusion and suspicion on her face.

  Not waiting to see what the Fire Pulser would do, Nicole rushed, and at the last moment, she tossed the lantern at her.

  Lasia caught it, shock
ed just long enough for Nicole to jump at her and tackle her into the glowing orb.

  Visions sprang into Nicole’s mind. She no longer could sense the Fire Pulser or herself. Numbness blossomed over her, and her sight blackened for a moment. Then she saw a white glass box.

  And Keitus.

  The elderly man was surrounded by falling snow and pristine fields of white. Nicole could almost feel the crisp breath herself as it entered and exited the old man’s lungs. She realized it wasn’t just her imagination when Keitus turned and looked at her. He laughed, obviously knowing where she was and what she was doing.

  “You’re too late,” he said to her.

  Keitus picked up the glass box, opened it, and pulled out the final talisman, tucking it into his pocket.

  Nicole felt Lasia struggling. The numbness in her body dissolved, and the vision ended. Her sight returned to the forest surrounding her and the Fire Pulser beneath her. Keitus had what he needed!

  Lasia finally got a hand free. She punched Nicole in the jaw, nearly forcing her to release her grasp, but Nicole didn’t let go.

  Using all her strength, she forced her way to her mental connection with the guardian of Shonlin who waited back in the library. She had never been told that a magical item couldn’t be sealed inside the forest itself, and she was about to try.

  The guardian recognized her desire as soon as she pulled at his attention, and the necessary power enveloped her, granting her permission to seal the cord in place.

  She spoke the required words, and just like that, the cord was sealed, its magic rendered useless.

  Lasia was freed.

  She screamed, and Nicole held on as tightly as she could with one hand, grabbing the lantern from where Lasia had dropped it with the other. She sensed it the second the magic of Shonlin realized a traitor was there.

  Lasia was dragged through the forest, shrieking, screaming, thrashing. She and Nicole banged into underbrush, logs, and branches. The ferns pulled away from the Fire Pulser. Those hundreds of eyes Nicole always felt watching her were directed at Lasia at that moment. Lasia scrambled, struggled, and yelled.

  Nicole had to force all of her energy into her grip. The beast attempted to pulse multiple times, but each episode was weaker than the last. Still, Nicole felt her sap stop working and the burning start. She gritted her teeth against the pain, not letting go.

  Lasia was thrust back into the library, and Nicole was sucked through after her. She pinned the Fire Pulser to the stone floor, not sure what to do now that they’d left the forest. She released the lantern, sensing as the doorway behind them dissolved back to stone wall.

  Nicole sensed it the moment when Onyev turned his attention to Lasia.

  The Fire Pulser froze and began glowing brightly, so bright that Nicole couldn’t look directly at her. Nicole scrambled to get away just before Lasia exploded into a million particles of light.

  She shielded her eyes as bits of bright dust and glitter settled everywhere.

  A wave of gratitude from hundreds of guardians who had been watching, waiting for Lasia to be removed from the forest, rushed over her.

  Nicole glanced at the guardian and asked, “Is that it? Has she been destroyed?”

  He shook his head. “No, a council still must take place.”

  “What sort of council?” Nicole asked.

  “You’ll see.”

  The guardian didn’t say anything more.

  Waves of excruciating pain began rolling over Nicole. Pushing it all aside, she rushed through the door and out to where Akeno and Jacob waited.

  “Nicole!” Akeno said. “Are you done?”

  “Yes, it’s over. We don’t have much time. Can’t stand around talking.”

  Jacob jumped to his feet. “But you’re injured.”

  Nicole shrugged. Doing so made her shoulders hurt, but she refused to let it distract her. “Doesn’t matter. Keitus has all of the talismans. We’re too late in stopping him. We have to let everyone know.”

  “What do you mean, we’re too late?” Jacob asked.

  “He’s got what he needs.” Nicole said. “The talismans, the amulet—” She paused, glancing at Jacob.

  “But not Helen’s body,” he said.

  “You’re right,” she said. “And now that we know he plans to destroy her, we might be able to convince her to deny him.”

  ###

  http://andreapearsonbooks.com/myfreebooks.html

  Note from the Author:

  I hope you enjoyed Enshroud! Withhold is in the pipeline and should be completed in the next couple of months. I’m also working on a series for Lizzie. I can’t wait!

  If you haven’t already joined my readers group, do so here. I’ll let you know when Withhold has been released.

  Until then. :-)

  - Andrea

  About the Author

  Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

  Andrea graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Series and Mosaic Chronicles), and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life – it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her family and close friends is where she's happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

  Andrea and her husband and children live in a western state surrounded by mountains and rolling hills.

  Connect with her Online:

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  (She values your privacy and doesn’t sell or misuse email addresses)

  Series by Andrea Pearson:

  Kilenya

  Kilenya Romances

  Kilenya Adventures

  Mosaic Chronicles

  Ranch City Academy