Tears of the Sun

by Jennifer McCormack

  Movement out of the corner of her eye drew Talon’s attention back to the scene that was now unfolding. Everyone, both Arbiters and Coruscalli, stopped what they were doing when the spear of light blazed forth. All eyes were now on Jan, who lay motionless at the edge of the courtyard. Well, not quite motionless. The movement Talon saw was Jan. As if by some miracle, Jan Sterling pushed herself off the ground and regained her footing. She gazed about, dazed, at the people gathered before her.

  Jan appeared unharmed, for the most part. Her clothes were not singed by the arcane fire that struck her, that pierced her— Talon was certain she’d seen the spear of light burst forth from Jan’s back.

  After making an assessment of the situation, Jan surprised Talon again by using the chaos of the moment to her advantage. “Fall back!” she called. “Retreat into the tunnel we emerged from. Hurry!”

  The Arbiters did not argue. Talon came to her senses and ran across the courtyard, cutting down any Coruscalli that got in her way. She leapt over the rocks at the edge of the cave mouth, and nearly tumbled down the steep incline after the Arbiters.

  When they first made landfall on the island, Talon intended to create a diversion in which she could escape from the Arbiters. Given the circumstances, however, the wisest option would be to continue their “alliance,” at least until they were away from the Coruscalli’s lair. Talon did not understand what sort of ritual the Arbiters interrupted, but whatever it was, there was now an Ancient device broken, forever beyond repair, and the Grand Arbiter still lived. The Coruscalli had failed, and Talon doubted the cult would be forgiving at having its plans thwarted.

  “This way,” Jan instructed, leading her team of weary Arbiters through the tunnels. The woman must have had at least a few injuries, but if she did, she showed no signs.

  Talon paused a moment to regard Jan carefully as they entered the foyer with the Ancient text, nodding slightly as Jan directed her to the path leading outside.

  It looked as though Talon would be returning to Seawatch Tower with the Arbiters.

  Chapter Three

  AFTER JAN’S EXPERIENCES in the Labyrinthine Archipelago, Seawatch Tower was a welcome sight. Just because she was back in friendly territory did not mean that it was safe for her to relax, at least not according to her advisors. Rhys and Beatrix insisted that she remain with the healer for a few days. No doubt the incident in the Coruscalli’s lair frightened them. Jan had to admit that for a moment, after being struck by the intense light, she thought it was all over.

  “What I’m saying is that you should take it easy for a few days,” Rhys tried to convince her. “The weapon we saw on the island was like nothing I’ve seen before. Even though you appear to be fine now, you should rest.”

  “The Commander is right, dear,” Beatrix added. “It’s possible that those underground passageways were built by the Ancients. The Labyrinthine Archipelago’s isolated location would certainly enable the place to remain secret for so long. We know little of Ancient technology. All that we’re really sure of is that the Ancients held a deep understanding of the arcane and incorporated magical devices throughout their civilization. What we encountered was an arcane mystery. I don’t like imagining the effects such a thing could have on your body.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with me,” Jan insisted for what felt like the hundredth time.

  “Even so,” Beatrix continued, “it would perhaps be for the best if you didn’t push yourself. No strenuous activity for the next several days. The Coruscalli have existed in secrecy for hundreds of years, I’m sure it will not bring destruction to Lythril within the week.”

  “Maybe the weapon that did this to me was the Firebringer.” Jan placed her hand over her heart. Although covered by her layers of clothing, Jan knew it was there: a scar in the shape of an “X” over her heart. Unlike an ordinary scar, it glowed with the intensity of the light which struck her. Warmth radiated outward from the scar, yet even so it caused a chill to run down Jan’s spine. “If it was the Firebringer,” she continued, “now it is broken.”

  “The Black Talon seems doubtful that what we saw was the Firebringer.” Beatrix’s words caused Jan to look up in surprise.

  “She has spoken to you on this matter?” Jan asked. For some odd reason, she felt slightly betrayed. She’d thought Talon preferred to trust exclusively in her, due to her title of Grand Arbiter. Beatrix could be very persuasive, and after Jan collapsed from exhaustion upon reaching the ship, Beatrix and Rhys were likely to have questioned Talon on all that transpired on the island. She was an Astraeyu Nouvin, after all, and so more familiar with the Ancients.

  Beatrix’s whiskers twitched as she sat thoughtfully. “I took the liberty of speaking with our guest while you were being examined by the healers. Like you, I also held the hope that the malfunctioning device was the Firebringer. Alas, the Black Talon cast any such notion aside, stating that the weapon wasn’t grand enough in size or scope to be the legendary Firebringer.”

  “Talon told you that?” Jan wondered what could have made the usually tight-lipped swordswoman so talkative. She doubted Talon’s willingness to cooperate stemmed from fear. Astraeyu’s Talons were trained to fear nothing, not even the threat of death. Jan had made no such threat. She had gone out of her way to make Talon feel welcome.

  Beatrix nodded and said, “It was no easy task getting her to confide in me. At first she refused to speak to anyone other than you, but when I informed her that you were indisposed due to your unusual injury, she changed her mind. In fact, it was the Black Talon’s request that you remain under the supervision of your healers. I think she knows more about the weapon than she’s letting on, but I couldn’t get the information out of her.”

  “Always so suspicious, Beatrix. Did it ever occur to you that maybe the Black Talon is only concerned for my well-being?”

  Beatrix narrowed her eyes, the tip of her tail flicking agitatedly. “Whatever else she may be, she is an Astraeyu Nouvin. Her people have been engaged in perpetual skirmishes with the Four Kingdoms of Lythril since the beginning of time. The Black Talon has no reason to care what happens to any of us. Honestly, I’m surprised she didn’t try to escape while we were on the island.”

  “On that point, I must agree.” Rhys looked uncomfortable at agreeing with Beatrix again. Jan imagined it wasn’t easy for Rhys to condone any action, even something as small as a statement, of a confirmed Shifter. “I’m convinced the only reason the Outlander is still here is because the islands in the archipelago were too inhospitable for her to make her escape.”

  “Give Talon the credit she deserves,” Jan said. “She didn’t have to help us in Sonastra, and she certainly had no reason to direct us to the Labyrinthine Archipelago in the first place.” She sat up, swinging her legs over the side of her bed. “No matter what information she might be withholding, I intend to ask her myself. I would like to hear her account of the events that took place in the Coruscalli’s lair, from her own lips.”

  “Are you going to talk to her now?”

  “Relax, Rhys. Talon has no intention of cutting me down where I stand.” Jan groaned as she put her weight on her legs. Being pierced through by the spear of light had left her weaker than she thought, or perhaps she was merely stiff at being forced to lie in bed since escaping from the Coruscalli.

  “Furthermore,” she continued, working out the stiffness in her joints, “I can’t stand to be confined to my bed while the Coruscalli is still out there, free to plot against Lythril.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Rhys still looked doubtful as to whether Jan should be on her feet.

  “In order for such a cult to exist for so long, the Arbitrary Order of Lyth has grown lax. No more. From this moment forth, we step up our vigilance. We must end the threat the Coruscalli pose to the world before this Prophecy of Fire can come to pass.” Jan clasped the shoulders of Rhys and Beatrix as she passed by them, glad to have advisors she could trust in these dark times.
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  TALON WAS WAITING in her tower room, staring out the window as she’d done on Jan’s previous visit. Jan cleared her throat to announce her presence, although she knew such a gesture was not needed. Talon knew she was there.

  “Grand Arbiter,” she said, not taking her eyes from the window. “I’m relieved to see you are well.” Talon turned her head, meeting Jan’s gaze directly. “How are your injuries?”

  “They’re healing properly.” Jan made herself comfortable on the sofa facing the window. “I should be asking you the same question. If I recall, you received serious injuries during the incident in Sonastra, some of which couldn’t possibly have been fully healed when we set out for the Labyrinthine Archipelago. I hope our fiasco on the island didn’t further aggravate your injuries.”

  “I am fine, Grand Arbiter,” Talon said, a trace hesitantly. “Thank you for asking.”

  “Jan,” she corrected her. When Talon gave her a confused look, she added, “Remember to call me Jan. We are allies now, aren’t we? That is why I am concerned for your safety.” Jan wanted to reassure Talon, to earn her trust. “All of my allies, even those who are not Arbiters. You risked your life alongside those of the Order, Talon. If ever I was in doubt of your sincerity regarding our alliance, those fears were put to rest when you fought so valiantly so that my Arbiters could escape.”

  Talon seemed at a loss for words, but only for a moment. “It felt like the right thing to do. I have to wonder, though,” she added with a wry smile. “Do you repay all of your allies by having them locked in a tower and guarded day and night?”

  “This room is one of the safest, most secure places in Seawatch Tower. I insisted that you be placed here, in part for your own safety.” Jan sighed, unsure of how to continue her explanation without offending Talon. “I’m sure you have noticed the way some of the Tiruvali look at you. I know you are no pirate, but to some of these men and women, your appearance might seem rather fearsome.” She stopped, hoping she hadn’t said too much.

  Talon regarded her thoughtfully, her head tilted to one side. “So what you’re saying is that many of the Arbiters here refuse to trust a swarthy Outlander? That is why I’m in a magically sealed tower, so that I will be protected from those who might wish to cause me harm. Am I following you correctly so far, Jan?”

  Jan shrank away from the intensity of Talon’s gaze. That Talon addressed her by name did not help matters at all. Was Talon mocking her? It was so hard to tell. Talon was skilled at hiding her emotions. Jan was not. The sound of her name coming from Talon’s lips caused her to shudder, but she was not cold. She tried to dismiss the strange sensation that came over her and focused instead on their conversation. “Well,” she began in a small voice, “you have to admit, you are swarthy.”

  For several heartbeats Talon only stared at her, unblinking. The silence was so thick, Jan could have cut it with a blade. Then, the corners of Talon’s mouth curved into a smile. “I said as much myself, did I not? I’m aware of the reputation my people have in the Mainland, Jan. It is troubling, but that’s the way it has always been. What is worse, my homeland seems to harbor no intentions of altering its negative image. We’ve been accused of being pirates and witches for so long, we have come to accept what the rest of the world thinks of us as truth. If my actions can convince but a handful of Mainlanders to change their opinions of Astraeyu Nouvi, I will have accomplished more than any Astraeyu Nouvin in the past thousand years.” Talon leveled her gaze purposefully at Jan. “What of you, Jan? Do you still fear the tales of the Astraeyu Nouvin witches that many Mainlanders are told as children?”

  “I won’t lie to you,” Jan said, feeling trapped under the weight of Talon’s gaze. “When I first saw you in the Sonastra jail, I was reminded of the infamous dark complexion and golden eyes I’d only heard about before. ‘This woman is an Outlander,’ I told myself. A part of me wanted to be afraid, I think, to believe all the things I’ve been told, but I was an archivist. The scholar within me refused to give in to speculation and old superstitions. I’ve studied all the various cultures and peoples of Lythril, not just the Four Kingdoms. Now, I had an Astraeyu Nouvin right in front of me. It was the opportunity of a lifetime.”

  “You saw our meeting as an opportunity?” Talon arched an eyebrow.

  Jan said, “To prove all those old stories wrong.”

  “I see.” Talon withdrew into her taciturn behavior at the statement, her attention returned to the roiling waves of the Harrowing Sea. “I doubt you came here just to remind me how much my homeland is feared and mistrusted in the Four Kingdoms,” she continued, her back to Jan.

  Jan saw no point in delaying any longer, so she launched into the barrage of questions that was playing in her mind. “My Arcane Advisor informs me that you don’t believe the weapon we saw was the Firebringer. Is there a reason for your doubt? Because from what I saw, it appeared very much to be a relic of the Ancients.”

  “The device was of Ancient design, for sure, but it lacked the destructive force prophesied of the Firebringer.”

  “I saw no lack of force in its attack,” Jan said defensively.

  “You are alive, Jan. What we witnessed was no attack, certainly not one meant to end all things. The Prophecy of Fire speaks of the Firebringer as a means to alter the world. I’m convinced the device we saw was no weapon at all, but perhaps a means to survey the stars. The Ancients held a fascination for astronomy.”

  Not a weapon? Jan was speechless as she stared at Talon’s back, her lean form silhouetted against the light pouring in from the window. How dare Talon so casually dismiss the power of the relic they found! She wasn’t the one left scarred by the strange magical energy. Talon had no idea how terrified Jan was when the light struck her.

  Jan regained some of her composure and staggered to her feet. “Not a weapon?” she said, repeating aloud the words that resounded within her mind. “You are skilled at evading my questions, replying in carefully measured doses.”

  “Well, Talon,” Jan continued, unbuttoning her coat as she talked, “if what we encountered was no weapon, how do you explain this?” She tugged at the collar of her tunic, revealing the outermost edges of the luminescent mark upon her chest.

  The intense white light emanating from Jan’s chest was enough to get Talon to face her at last. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Jan waited, still holding the layers of her clothing out of the way of the scar.

  “Astraeyu’s silken undergarments,” she mused, her golden eyes round as she stared at the scar. “It cannot be… It just can not. Jan, you’ve been chosen.” Talon’s deep voice was low, so low that Jan had to strain to make out the words.

  “Chosen for what?”

  Talon shook her head and continued to regard Jan’s scar dazedly. “I’ve never witnessed such a miracle myself, but your mark fits every description I have ever heard of Astraeyu’s Light. Those who have been touched by Astraeyu bear Her Light as testament of Her blessing.”

  Jan was puzzled. “I’ve been blessed by the Phoenix? How is that even possible? I’m a woman of Lythrillian faith.”

  “I didn’t understand it before, but now it’s beginning to make sense.”

  “If you can make sense of any of this,” Jan said, “then, please, do explain.”

  “At the time, I thought the Ancient device was a weapon, also. I believed the Coruscalli to be in control as the device suddenly came to life. I watched helplessly when the ray of light was discharged, feeling certain that you were going to be killed.” Talon began to pace to and fro in front of the window. She moved her hands excitedly as she spoke. “Something did not feel quite right, though. From the moment you regained your footing, I knew the device was no weapon, and certainly not the Firebringer. Jan,” Talon said as she paused in her tracks and fixed her gaze on Jan, “do you realize what this means? I believe the device we found was a Lorikagi, built by the Ancients so long ago. The Lorikagi are rare, it is extremely difficult to find on
e intact.”

  “I’ve never heard of these…Lorikagi, did you say? What were they used for?”

  “They were a containment apparatus, of sorts.” Talon’s eyes darkened as she searched for words to explain. “It is common belief in Astraeyu Nouvi that the Ancients built the Lorikagi as a means to preserve themselves during long periods of slumber. The Ancient high priestesses were said to have a closer bond to the Phoenix, Astraeyu, than modern Astraeyu Nouvins. The device we saw could have been a Lorikagi containing the remains of an Ancient high priestess that was blessed by Astraeyu’s Light. What if the light that struck you was Astraeyu, or at least Her essence, magically sealed in the Lorikagi until someone worthy of Her blessing came along?”

  “I don’t know, Talon. This is all so strange to me. Why would Astraeyu grant Her blessing to a Mainlander?”

  Talon looked offended at Jan’s doubt. “Do you see yourself as unworthy simply because you are a Mainlander? Astraeyu is older than Lythril itself. She reigned over the world long before your Lyth ever laid claim to it.”

  “Lyth killed Astraeyu,” Jan stated, rather too bluntly. “I apologize, but every Lythrillian child knows the story of how Lyth hunted Astraeyu to the ends of the world.”

  “As does every Astraeyu Nouvin child know of how Lyth and her Followers spread their influence across the world,” Talon countered, “crushing or destroying anyone or anything that refused to bend to their will.”

  “A valid point,” Jan conceded, “and further reason for me to remain skeptical as to whether this glowing scar is a blessing.” Suddenly self-conscious of the luminescent mark marring her skin, Jan buttoned her coat and pulled the collar tight about her neck. “Believe it or not, my unusual injury isn’t my main worry at the moment. The reason I came to you is because of the Coruscalli. The cult’s numbers are greater than I realized, far more than I would have imagined.”