Panic rose in Nemma’s throat. Endra had not mentioned the Sovereign’s Gift would have such an effect on her. She tried to think about what else she could do, but it was difficult to concentrate with the Sovereign’s bold vibration. She had been become useless.
“You can choose not to speak to me if you wish,” the Sovereign said. “But your friend will not be leaving this tower.”
Innogen cried out and Nemma called out to her to reassure her, but noticed that she was sinking into the platform.
“Isa!” Innogen screamed. “I’m falling!”
Nemma tried in desperation to pull the platform but it would not move. “Stop!” she yelled at the Sovereign, as Innogen legs started to come through the other side. “Stop it.”
“Talk to me,” the Sovereign said, as Innogen’s descent slowed to a stop. “Stay and talk to me and your friend can go.”
“I don’t want to be your prisoner.”
The Sovereign shrugged. “Isn’t it better to be my prisoner than to suffer Justice? Or hurt anyone else? You killed people.”
Nemma gritted her teeth. “The men I killed, killed my family.”
“I understand that,” the Sovereign said. “I respect that, even. But you killed them because you had no control, not because you wanted revenge. You could have ended up killing anyone, even your own family.”
Nemma stared at him, just making out the glitter of his eyes as he looked down at her beneath the hood. “My family were not trying to kill me. Your Thaide were.”
“Are you aware that your Gift is different from everyone else's?”
“Yes.”
“And what have the Phalorians told you about it?” the Sovereign asked, pulling back his hood an inch. “That you’re special? That you’re some kind of god to rival me? That you have come from some place far away to fight for them and be their greatest warrior?”
Nemma did not reply. She glanced at Innogen, who was looking between them in awe and horror.
“They’re misled, Nemma. They’ve done this before. They’re simply guessing, trying to make sense of it, but they’re wrong.”
Doubt snaked into Nemma’s mind. They had done this before? She began to feel disorientated from his powerful vibration. She withdrew from her Gift and the Sovereign’s vibration muted to slight hum.
The Sovereign clicked his tongue. “You cannot even bear to be in my presence while accessing the Gift, how could they hope you would rival me?”
Nemma pursed her lips. “And you know all about my Gift?”
“No, I don’t. Your Gift is terribly deformed, which is probably why it developed so late. I don’t think we have ever had such a serious case of deformity.”
“Is that a reason to kill me?”
“Don’t misunderstand. I don’t want to kill you. I want to try and help you so that you pose no further threat to others, or yourself.”
Nemma tightened her mouth. “Which could mean killing me.”
The Sovereign smiled, his mouth friendly and soft. “Perhaps, but think of the alternative. Your Gift is unstable. At any time your energy could erupt and burst from your body, killing you and everyone around you. It’s common with the deformed Giftborn. That’s one of the reasons why I have strict rules around training. Your new friends would have you believe that you’re safe with them, but in fact your presence puts them in danger.”
Nemma thought back to Endra and Riyen. They admitted they didn’t know the full picture around her Gift. What if Carrick had been mistaken? What if everything the Sovereign said was true?
“Why have you sent the Thaide to destroy them?”
“They’re dangerous,” the Sovereign said. “You couldn’t even guess the extent of their crimes. Look what they have encouraged you to do. You would have been safer if you had just come back with the Thaide.”
Nemma glanced at Innogen again. She looked awkward, one leg and a knee underneath the platform while her upper body was above the platform. “Secure her properly. I can’t think while she is dangling in the air.”
“No,” the Sovereign said. “You have to make a decision now, Nemma.”
Nemma thought back to Father and Mother. She had caused their deaths because of her choice to leave the hut that day. How many people had to die because of the decisions she made. She looked at Innogen who furiously shook her head. Nemma looked back at the Sovereign. It was difficult to judge his character without seeing his eyes. “If I stay, will you spare the Phalorians?”
The Sovereign was silent for a moment.
Nemma’s insides jolted as a force yanked her up from the ledge and into the air. She gasped, flailing her arms as she came to a stop midair in front of the Sovereign.
No. That is not negotiable, the Sovereign’s voice spoke directly to her mind. You don’t seem to realize your predicament. Either I force you to stay and your friend dies or you come willingly and your friend survives this ordeal.
Nemma wriggled her arms and legs—they moved freely without any pain. She wasn’t in a force bind, or on a platform, though her body felt unnaturally tense. How had he moved her? She looked down at Innogen, who stared up at her and the Sovereign with horror.
“Surely you didn’t think your journey could lead you anywhere other than to me, did you?” the Sovereign said, almost pitifully. He tilted his head and she suspected he could see her through his low hood. “I created you,” he mocked. “I’m the only one that can help ensure you hurt no one else.”
“I’ve only ever hurt Thaide,” Nemma shot back, a blazing anger rising in her. “They’re out of control. They abuse their power and kill innocent—”
“Enough!” the Sovereign bellowed. His vibration strengthened for a few moments, his mouth set in a straight line. “Two Thaide do not represent the entire company. You have killed innocent people too. Make your decision.”
Nemma’s anger quietened as a realization penetrated her thoughts.
She could feel him. She could still feel the Sovereign’s energy even though she was not accessing the Gift. Closing her eyes, she realized she could feel the bridge below her rustling faintly in the outer exterior of her mind.
“Let me say farewell to her,” Nemma said, opening her eyes.
“No, Isa!” Innogen shrieked.
The Sovereign nodded and her insides jolted again as he swept her back over to the ledge.
As she landed, Innogen’s platform moved towards her and when it reached Nemma it dissipated.
Innogen dropped onto the ledge and Nemma caught most of her weight and fell down with her.
“Isa, no,” Innogen whispered, disbelief in her wide eyes. “How could you agree? He’s cruel, he’ll hurt you.”
Nemma pulled her close and hugged her tight as the Sovereign floated over to other end of the ledge.
“I’ll not be safe now unless I’m with you, that’s what I realized. You can’t stay with him.”
Nemma pressed her mouth into Innogen’s ear. “Hold onto me tight.”
As Innogen hugged her back, Nemma thought back to when she wanted the gems at the brook. She let the desire build up in her, concentrating hard until it was a powerful desperate longing. She directed it towards the slight feel of the bridge.
It swooped towards her, enveloping both her and Innogen, transferring them to the woods. Innogen gasped in shock. Nemma jumped up and accessed her Gift, glad she could feel a multitude of vibrations again.
On the other side of the bridge, the Sovereign’s mouth had dropped open. “Wha…” he spluttered. “How did you…?”
Nemma took command of the bridge. Thinking of Chesna, she pushed her reach into its center. The view darted forward, past the Sovereign who seemed to be rooted to the spot, and blurred into a numerous contrasting colors.
Innogen got to her feet. “Where are we? Are we free?”
The view slowed until it showed Chesna, trudging along the side of a mountain with a carrysack among a large group of Phalorians, next to a carriage with some of the children and less a
ble. Chesna glanced towards the bridge and slowed to a stop, amazement on her face.
Nemma withdrew from the bridge. “Yes, we’re out of the Arc but…”
Innogen did not even look at her, more amazed by something beyond the dome. Nemma spun around.
The Thaide stood together in a large mass at the edge of the clearing while the Phalorians stood in a group of their own near the dome, tiny in comparison, watching them and moving their hands and arms in unison.
A number of bodies lay on the ground in the clearing, few in white, most in black.
“Endra,” Nemma said. “What’s happening?”
“Nemma,” Endra exclaimed, turning to her. “Thank the gods you’re back. I see you were successful, welcome Innogen.”
“Why aren’t they fighting or attacking?” Nemma asked, gesturing to the Thaide.
“I don’t know.” Endra lifted her shoulders and tensed her mouth with frustration. “I don’t know what they’re doing. They’re shielding themselves so nothing we do has any effect.”
“Well it doesn’t matter. I have a bridge to the traveling carriages. We need to go.”
Endra nodded and raised a hand signal to Ghalen, who stood at the front of the Phalorian group.
Ghalen nodded to his warriors and they slowed their movement to a stop. The children headed for the dome, while the older fighters checked the Phalorians on the ground.
“Nemma, take command of the central poa stone,” Endra said. “And release some of the rock energy. Not too much.”
Nemma nodded and extended her reach.
“After that,” Endra continued, tearing away a piece of material from the sleeve of her tunic. “Feed some of the energy of this material into the same stone.”
When Nemma had finished that, Endra reached out and touched the dome wall. When her fingers penetrated the barrier she nodded at the children, who walked into the dome.
“Make your way through the bridge,” Endra instructed. “Quickly, one at a time.”
As the first child stepped through the bridge, Nemma felt a strange pressure. As another stepped through, it increased.
“Is it manageable?” Endra asked, watching her.
Nemma nodded.
“The weight will start to build up so everyone will try and go through as quickly as possible.” As she spoke, adult Phalorians arrived with the wounded. Nemma stared out to the rest of the bodies in the clearing. They were obviously dead.
A sudden weight hit Nemma’s Gift and one of the children cried out, falling to the ground.
“Keep going, keep going,” Endra called, stepping around the poa mound to lift the fallen girl. Blood splatted onto her black tunic and was absorbed into the material. “Quicker!”
The energies of the dome and bridge wavered and then stabilized, the heavy weight easing.
“What’s happening?” Nemma asked, as Endra ushered everyone into the bridge faster.
“They’re sending a combined energy pulse into the dome,” Endra said. “The High Priest is trying to disrupt the energy of the poa stones by hitting them with the pulse. We have to move quicker.”
“What happens if he does?” Innogen asked.
“The dome will fail. And the bridge will collapse.”
“Innogen,” Nemma said, pausing at the increasing pressure. “Go through the bridge now. It’s better if you’re on the other side.”
“No,” Innogen said. “I’m not leaving you—”
“I don’t want to have to worry about you,” Nemma said. “Please.”
Innogen looked as though she would protest, but she glanced behind Nemma and dropped her shoulders. She enclosed Nemma in a quick hard hug. “I’ll see you on the other side.” As she walked to the bridge, Nemma turned to Endra who stood behind her.
“Thank you,” she said, wincing with the strain.
“I encouraged her to go for all of our sakes,” Endra commented. “How are you feeling?”
Nemma exhaled out. “How much longer?” The sudden weight hit again.
Endra looked around. “About twenty more.”
The dome and bridge flickered.
“It’s time to go, Endra.” Ghalen was by Endra’s side.
“I need to support Nemma through the closing of the dome. And I don’t want to leave the poa stones.”
“They may disrupt the poa stones before the last person has gone through,” Ghalen said.
“The last person to go through has to be Nemma,” Endra insisted. “And we’re not leaving her.”
Ghalen nodded. “Then I stay too.”
Four or five Thaide broke away from the group and walked to the edge of the dome watching Nemma with hard eyes under their hoods.
“Don’t worry,” Endra reassured Nemma. “They can’t step through without Phalorian wear or until you’re no longer in the dome.”
As the last Phalorians stepped through the pressure bore down upon Nemma like a thousand slabs of stone. Sweat dripped down her temples and she sucked air in a fast as she could, her heart beating fast. Ghalen and Endra had to hold her up. She gritted her teeth. Her hold on the bridge felt as though it was slipping and she had to close her eyes to concentrate.
Another sudden weight hit her and a new vibration thrust into existence.
Opening her eyes she saw a slab of energy forming next to the Thaide.
“Quick!” Endra yelled. “Get to the bridge. It’s the Sovereign!” Even as she spoke the slab of energy took shape and stabilized.
Nemma staggered backwards to the bridge while Endra and Ghalen supported her.
“What about the poa stones?” Nemma asked.
Endra said, “See if you can take command of them and—”
“No!” Ghalen bellowed. “If the bridge collapses on us, we’re dead. Leave them. Concentrate on maintaining the bridge.”
Nemma could see the gleam of the white skin of Torak Tower seeping through the other bridge. The Sovereign stepped through bringing with him his blinding energy. She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy and attention on holding the bridge.
The familiar fuzz flashed over her as she crossed over. The pressure lightened and she opened her eyes.
The Thaide that had been waiting at the edge of the dome started running towards the bridge. Behind them the Sovereign was extending his reach.
“Close the bridge, now!” shouted Endra. “They’ll come through.”
“How? I can’t remember!”
Endra starting talking but Nemma realized something. She pulled hard at the poa mound that she was still connected to. They rose up and shot toward the bridge. The quickest of the Thaide leapt into the air and was half way through the bridge when the poa stones darted past him and dissolved it. He screamed as his body twisted and dispersed with the different energies. Nemma closed her eyes as he was ripped apart.
And it was silent.
Gradually Nemma became aware of the soft vibrations around her and the fresh sharpness of the air she breathed. She opened her eyes.
A bloody half torso with one arm lay on the ground where the bridge had been, half covered by a piece of charred robe. It squirmed in place and a couple of the non-warriors who had been tending to the Phalorian wounded, shuffled away to retch.
Endra turned to Nemma and grinned, her black hair pasted to her head with sweat. “Well done. You are truly skilled.”
“Will they follow us here?” Nemma asked.
“No. They won’t know where to go as long as you don’t access your Gift. If we keep moving we’ll be gone by the time they scout this area.”
Nemma exhaled in relief and dropped to the floor.
Ghalen offered her quick nod and went to help tend to the wounded.
Endra crouched by her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You have shown real bravery, Nemma. Very few would have been willing to face the Sovereign. Imagine what you’ll be able to do once you have been trained. You must tell me all about it when you have your strength.”
“What if I hadn’
t survived?” Nemma breathed. “What if the Sovereign had captured me, or killed me. What would you and your people have done?”
Endra shrugged. “We would have fought to the death.”
“You took that risk?”
Endra smiled. “That’s what it means to be a Phalorian, Nemma. Having you here with us and willing to explore your Gift for us is worth the wounded and the dead. I trusted that the Sovereign wouldn’t make sense of what you are so it was worth the risk, yes.” She patted Nemma’s shoulder and rose. “Rest here for a moment. We have a small amount of time before we need to move on.”
As she walked away Nemma watched the torso as its jerking slowed to a stop in a puddle of dark red blood. The raw odor filled her nose tickling her gag reflex, but she forced herself to endure it. She had done this after all. She had killed again.
A pair of arms wrapped themselves around her. “Innogen.” Nemma’s mood lifted and a gladness rested on her so powerfully, she could not stop the sobs that overwhelmed her. She let them escape as she hugged Innogen back.
“Thank you, Nemma,” Innogen said, a catch in her throat. “Thank you.”
Thirty-One
The warm glowing feeling entered Clisantha’s mind unannounced. A rush of energy lurched in a part of her mind. Then she remembered.
“Try again, Clis. You need to find the balance between the tensions.” Pa’s voice. He stood next to her on the farm land on a ward, urging her on. He was really tall. “We’ll just keep trying until you get it.”
She firmed her mind. She would do it this time. Extending her reach she aimed for the blades of grass on the chair. The serf family always allowed her to pick her chair. It was pink and small and hers. The serf child was too big for it now anyway. The vibration in the freshly cut blades of grass was getting slower and softer as the seconds passed. She took command of the blades and pulled on their energy but they still would not do what they were told. Only two or three rose, while the others just wiggled on the stripy pink cushion.
She heard the heavy boots approaching before she saw the heavy man. He wore all black and had a big shaved head. He must be some kind of help for the serfs. Who would be foolish enough to cut their hair in such a way? She could not wait to have longer hair so she could do some of the styles Mother and her friends could do.
Deviants of Giftborn (The Etherya Series Book 1) Page 39
