Hag cackled and gobbled down the morsel. She hopped sideways to a crumpled body wearing the soft brown leathers of an Eagle warrior. She stabbed with her beak and tossed an eye down her throat, muttering in delight. Favrian made no move to stop her, nor would the tribesmen. The soul had fled the body which was only the empty container now. Let the discarded flesh feed the birds and the blood feed the land.
The fighting had all but ceased. Favrian checked the men in his squad. Ten appeared unwounded, four having wounds quickly bound. Six missing then, probably among the mounds of corpses. With some surprise, Favrian saw the sun had nearly dropped behind the mountains, Dark shadows reaching towards the Falls to gather in the newly freed souls. Favrian studied his blade, waiting until every speck of blood vanished into the metal before sheathing it.
In the comparative quiet the Ghost Falls’ rushing noise sounded more distant than it was, but then a voice rose, strident and outraged. Favrian saw The Bear striding towards him, holding a Kelshan by the arm. The Kelshan was nearly off his feet, struggling on tiptoes against The Bear’s grip.
‘This one led them.’ The Bear tossed the man down at Favrian’s feet. ‘He didn’t fight. I would say he has no sword or battle training yet claims to lead warriors. He stood back and watched his men die.’ The Bear’s words rang with contempt. ‘My warriors will not have their hands or weapons tainted with this one’s death.’
The Bear turned away, his great axe held loosely in one hand. Favrian knew just how heavy that axe was, yet it looked a mere toy as The Bear moved off. The Kelshan at his feet was scrambling to stand. The man swallowed when he finally stared into Favrian’s face and saw those brilliant eyes.
‘I am Captain Strannik,’ he managed eventually. ‘And I lodge formal complaint at this unwarranted attack on my force.’
Favrian saw General Whilk and Prince Jemin making their way across the killing ground and smiled at Strannik. Not pleasantly.
‘And you have a reason to offer for bringing such a large number of armed men into this Realm?’ Favrian folded his arms.
‘We come by order of the great Imperatrix Veranta of Kelshan and the Confederacies. We would negotiate trade treaties.’
Favrian laughed. ‘But those were not General Whilk’s, nor Captain Lessur’s orders. Why would your orders be so different from theirs?’
Strannik opened his mouth to reply and it stayed open as he gaped in horror at General Whilk who moved to Favrian’s side. Whilk nodded.
‘Strannik,’ he acknowledged the man.
‘Traitor!’ Strannik shrieked, pointing at the General’s chest. ‘You have betrayed us to these evil killers!’
The man at the General’s shoulder rolled his eyes.
‘You could make a living in the playhouses Strannik; not the better ones of course, but a living of sorts surely.’
Strannik glared. ‘Who are you to dare such rudeness to a Kelshan officer?’
General Whilk smiled. ‘This is Prince Jemin, son of the late Imperator Jarvos, and he is my commander and lord.’
Strannik gaped again before he could find his voice. His face flushed dark crimson. ‘So, all these years your sister has mourned you, you have dwelt here, amongst these devils, plotting against her.’ He spat the words at the Prince.
Jemin’s expression didn’t change but his hazel eyes went flat and cold. ‘I have no sister. If you refer to the tyrant Veranta, she would not mourn anything or anyone except as it affected her or her plans.’ He drew a breath. ‘You claim still that you are hers, body and soul?’
‘Of course I do.’ Strannik drew himself up.
Then he stared down in surprise. Jemin’s sword was buried in his chest, yet he hadn’t seen the Prince draw it, and he could feel nothing. Strannik raised his eyes to General Whilk, to the Dark Lord, and finally to the man who was now slowly withdrawing the blade from Strannik’s chest. Blood gushed from the wound and Strannik watched for a moment, unable to understand what could have happened to his visions of glory. He was dead before he hit the ground.
Jemin’s blood metal blade was clean and dry when General Whilk looked over at him.
‘It was necessary General. He would never have changed his views.’
The General nodded. ‘I know. But why did you do it? Many of the Kelshan guards are watching and you just killed their unarmed officer.’
‘I did it so that they know General. Know that my sword will serve them, fight with them, and protect them, if they serve me. Likewise, my sword will take their lives should they betray me.’
Chapter Nineteen
The Dark Lord Daylith had joined the group in Chindar’s rooms. Tika thought he looked quite young, but she found it nearly impossible to judge people’s ages. Like most Dark Ones she’d met so far, he was slender, and taller than most Sapphreans. His hair was swept straight back from his forehead and grew down to his shoulders. His eyes were a bright fresh gold above sharp cheekbones. At Chindar’s gesture, Daylith began to speak. His voice was low and had a slight lilt to it which was new to Tika.
‘I opened a gateway as Seola instructed, directly into Snail’s establishment,’ he began. ‘Snail had a warning from General Whilk, and as far as she knew, none of the Spiders were taken for questioning. When Waxin Pule returned here with Seola, the Kelshan guards made searches throughout the Citadel and the City. Many were taken, but Snail said she knew none who might know anything about contact with us.’
Chindar smiled. ‘General Whilk has made no mention of the Spiders’ Web. He has always believed the organisation obtained information for his wild clans.’
Corman disagreed. ‘In the last years I think he has suspected our involvement. He met Seola, twice at least. She told me she thought he’d guessed her origins. But by then, he was so disillusioned with Veranta’s tyranny, he felt no sense of wrongness in passing information through the Spiders.’
Chindar nodded at Daylith to continue.
‘Snail is very frightened. Obviously, the Spiders are keeping well out of sight, and they are not risking contact with each other. She said they had all become aware, increasingly over the last half year, of something malignant in Kelshan City. She told me that several nights ago, a fear grew upon her such as she’s never experienced. It vanished with the dawn, but Snail was terrified even as she described it to me.’
A silence followed his words. Chindar leaned back in his chair. ‘Lady Emla, I would suggest it is time for you to return to your lands. The Splintered Kingdom has made too many attacks too close together I believe. More will come.’ He frowned. ‘It is impossible to decide if these attacks are made from a position of confidence or of panic, but there can be no doubt they are increasing.’
Emla nodded. ‘I have felt I should return to Gaharn these last two days, Lord Chindar.’ She touched Tika’s shoulder. ‘But how will we know what happens here? It is obvious Tika will remain in your Realm for now.’ She smiled sadly and stroked Tika’s cheek. ‘But we – I – would know what occurs.’
‘Of course Lady Emla. One of my people will take you to your home and, if it is agreeable, she will remain with you for a while. There are several ways we can get news to you.’
Emla stood up. ‘In that case, I will find Nesh and Soran, and we will ready ourselves.’
Gan also rose. ‘I would speak with Soran before they go, Chindar.’
‘Certainly, but I ask you to stay a moment Lady Tika.’
Tika sat down again and summoned a faint smile. ‘I do wish you wouldn’t call me lady.’
Chindar laughed. ‘Very well.’ His expression grew sombre. ‘You offered us your assistance when you saw the First Daughter?’
Tika’s oddly silvered green eyes met Chindar’s dull gold ones steadily. ‘I did, and I still offer my service.’
‘You have experienced the close attention of the Crazed One. Would you be able to anticipate his interest now – could you perhaps sense if he drew near?’
Tika frowned as she considered. ‘Perhaps. I’m not hones
tly sure. Oh. He spoke when Sket and I fell – I’d forgotten that. He called me a meddlesome brat. And he laughed.’ She shivered. ‘I saw – somehow – I don’t know if it was just a picture in my mind. But no, it was real.’ Her tone was definite. ‘A part of the evil was watching too. A human woman, one of the Survivors from the Ship in the desert, was giving birth. But it was a monster that came from her, a foul thing, which deliberately killed her and then drank her spilled blood. It was that, that thing. It looked straight at me and that’s when we were tossed aside, into the Splintered Kingdom, as you call it.’
Chindar poured more dark wine into his goblet and swirled it thoughtfully. ‘I would ask you to go to Kelshan.’ He met her eyes again. ‘It could be difficult – your eyes will not be easy to hide. I would ask Daylith to take you, but I fear Farn would be in great danger if he accompanied you.’
Tika slowly nodded. ‘It would not be for long?’ she asked.
‘A day at most, just long enough to see if you have any sense of the Crazed One’s presence.’
Tika sighed. ‘Something happened to us all. The bond I have with Farn is as strong as before in most ways, but it feels less – constricting. It’s almost as though Farn has realised, and accepted, that we are two separate beings. I think he would remain here calmly, but Sket won’t.’ She grinned ruefully. ‘Sket appointed himself my personal guard, and nothing will keep him here.’
She got to her feet again. ‘Oh. I meant to ask before. Who is the First Lord? Corman took one of Seela’s scales to show him I think, but he’s not returned it to me, or said anything.’
Chindar stood too and joined Tika at the door. ‘Let’s ask him,’ he said.
He led the way down to the great library and through to Corman’s room. Finding Corman busy scribbling at a pile of papers, Chindar repeated Tika’s question. Corman pushed aside his work.
‘I will take you to the First Lord. I warn you, he may choose to speak with you, he may not. I left the scale with him. It will still be there.’
Tika trotted along behind Corman, lower and lower through the levels of the Karmazen Palace. The Dark Lord’s back didn’t seem to invite conversation so she followed in silence. She could see no particular light source but the walls themselves seemed to radiate a soft glow, sufficient for her to see the way clearly. It was a wide corridor Corman finally led her to, with another massive archway at its farthest end. Corman stopped.
‘The First Lord is there. His name is Dabray. I cannot say if he will speak with you.’ He leaned against the wall and folded his arms, plainly intending to wait there rather than accompany her further.
Tika squared her shoulders, not afraid, but a little unsettled by Corman’s manner. She was surprised how far it was before she stood at the threshold of the arch. She glanced back and saw Corman’s distant figure, still leaning against the wall. Looking into the cavernous archway, she saw it was unlit. Cautiously, Tika took a pace forward. She found the wall curved to her right, and within a dozen steps she could no longer see the entrance. She hesitated, then the walls gave a hint of luminescence and she walked on. Gradually, Tika realised she was in a vast chamber devoid of furniture. She turned in a slow circle in confusion. Then she saw the enormous carving along one wall, and moved closer.
It was a Dragon obviously, but far larger than even Brin, and yet less bulky. Tika studied the way the head had been set half clear of the wall and realised it was a Dragon such as the one Cyrek had transformed into. There was a clink on the stone floor, making Tika jump. It sounded over loud in the deep hush here. She saw a shape by her feet and stooped to pick it up, recognising Seela’s purple scale. Where had it come from? She straightened and her heart nearly stopped. The Dragon’s exposed eye was open and fixed on her. The edge of the scale cut her fingers as she clenched her hand so tightly round it. She swallowed.
‘If you are the First Lord Dabray, I am Tika. I asked Corman to bring me here.’
‘I know who you are.’ The voice was a dry rustle, aloud, not inside her mind.
Tika’s chin came up. ‘I owe the First Daughter a debt I doubt I will ever be able to repay. But I will try to do so.’
Tears sprang to Tika’s eyes at the profound sadness in the voice’s reply. ‘You owe Lerran nothing. She chose freely.’
Tika realised she hadn’t known the First Daughter’s name before. She cleared her throat. ‘Will – will Lerran recover?’
A huge sigh gusted round the chamber as though the very walls exhaled. ‘I can see many things within this Palace Tika. The stone is my body now. But although I am nearly completely stone, my heart bleeds for my wife’s pain.’
Tika closed her eyes. ‘Why is her body so altered?’ she whispered.
‘Lerran sank deep into the Dark. Things touched her and knew she still had life. They have been lost so long and yet still they would snatch a chance to live again. There is no acceptance among such as they.’
‘But what were they? Were they from this Splintered Kingdom?’
‘No, no. They are what we once were, thousands upon thousands of years ago.’
The great eye which stared at her from the wall blinked slowly. It rippled with many soft colours, but gold predominated. Tika drew a breath.
‘What did you learn from Seela’s scale Lord Dabray? And what can you tell me of this Crazed One and his Splintered Kingdom?’
‘There is sufficient residue within the scale for me to know how brave your friend Seela was. To know of her love for you personally, and that she chose her death with pride. She is Beyond.’
There was a silence while Tika absorbed the First Lord’s whispered words. Then Dabray spoke again.
‘We knew of the people who came to this world from across the stars. They call themselves Asatarians, after their distant home. We knew of the others who came. Some of their ships landed here and some still circle high above. Mostly dead shells now. We chose to keep aloof from all these people. My people suffered terribly, long, long ago, and we swore to stay hidden away, living the way we have always lived, and having no involvement with any other peoples.’
Tika had backed away a few paces and now sat cross legged, staring up at that ancient eye.
‘You see, the Crazed One came before those others. He nearly destroyed us. He would probably have succeeded if we had not fled here. He too comes from a world too far to imagine the distance. We cannot know how he came to be mad, but it is so: his mind is utterly fractured as is his Realm. But he retains his power, which alone, was nearly more than that of my people’s when it was combined against him. He retreated, and we came here. But he returned.’
‘Chindar thinks this creature has somehow infected Kelshan.’
Dabray was quiet a moment. ‘The Crazed One finds footing in certain minds. This is what happened in your land across the sea, and also in Drogoya, north of Kelshan. We believe it has happened on many other worlds. Maybe the Crazed One attacked the home worlds of those who came here. So far, we have divined no method to slow him, or to stop him.’
‘And you think I can do something, when even you can’t?’ Tika got up, moving closer to stare into that huge eye.
‘You know that something affected you in the Splintered Kingdom.’ Dabray’s voice was fainter. ‘Both Lerran and I believe your heritage somehow holds Dark blood. You have been empowered since your confinement by the Crazed One. I ask you to do what you can.’
The eye blinked shut as another clink chimed on the floor. Tika picked the object up, knowing it was another scale. She bowed to the motionless shape on the wall and retreated towards the archway, the room dimming behind her. She paused when she emerged into the illumined corridor and studied the two scales in her hand. Seela’s familiar purple, smooth as silk. And now Dabray’s, shimmering as though with its own light; a silvery pearl shot through with every other colour you could ever imagine.
When Tika explained that she would be going to Kelshan, Farn grew thoughtful. Storm suggested that perhaps they could fly to meet Tika near t
he border of the Dark Realm. Brin picked up the idea, emphasising how much stronger Farn was getting, and pointing out the advantages of a longer flight than he’d yet attempted. Lord Cyrek was present at this discussion and asked if he might join them. Sergeant Essa, Gossamer Tewk and Shea also listened to Brin’s plans. They were rather taken aback when he turned towards them, prismed eyes flashing pink and scarlet.
‘You should come with us,’ he announced.
Farn and Storm were immediately enthusiastic at this idea while Tika merely raised a brow. Kija huffed but made no comment. Farn was apparently quite calm in the face of separation from Tika, but having other human company might well distract him should distraction be necessary. It was agreed that Tika and Sket would leave through a Dark gateway in two days time. Tika wished to spend some time with Lady Emla, who would be returning to Gaharn tomorrow. The great chamber emptied as people went on their various errands until only the Dragons, Shea and Akomi remained.
Brin suggested a hunting flight to Kija, who had eaten very little in the time since Farn’s collapse. When she hesitated, Storm insisted he could stay with Farn. They were having riddle contests with anyone who could be inveigled into taking part and they would invent the most amazing riddles while Brin and Kija were gone. Kija thought the love of riddles was the most tedious thing she’d yet discovered about humans, and she deplored the fact that Farn seemed so enamoured of them. But she knew, that once started, riddle making would keep both Farn and Storm happily occupied indefinitely. With the strictest instructions to Shea to keep her eyes on the two youngsters, Kija made her way to the roof terrace with Brin.
Akomi and Shea listened to Storm composing a complicated riddle about a particular kind of fish that only a sea Dragon could possibly understand, when Farn interrupted.
‘Have you seen the First Daughter, Shea? I thought she would have come to see us by now. Is she very busy?’
Shea felt Akomi’s claws dig into her thigh.
Dark Realm: Book 5 Circles of Light series Page 24
