Liana turned sideways to slip through the gap, which was far too narrow for a broad human to enter. Eiric struggled, but despite his wide shoulders his frame was lean, and he made it through a moment later.
‘How—?’ Eiric began.
Liana shook her head, putting her finger to her lips.
She took his hand once more, drawing him ever onward. It grew dark when the rock at the top of the walls closed together, forming a ceiling. The defile they were following became a tunnel. Liana was leading Eiric into a cave.
Though the passage was narrow, the ceiling was high overhead. Ferns grew in niches on both sides and moisture covered the walls. The air smelled fresh and wet.
Eiric looked down when he realized that what he was walking on was strangely soft. A carpet of moss coated the ground, thick as a cushion. It made his steps feel like he was walking on air. The number of ferns increased, and there were soon so many that they sprouted in all directions. Trailing growth draped tendrils from the ceiling. Eiric was forced to release Liana’s hand so he could part the green curtain and make progress.
At the same time that he realized Liana had stopped, and was looking back at him and smiling, he also realized something else.
She was standing near a powerful green light.
Eiric swept aside the last tendrils hanging from the cave’s ceiling and came to a halt beside Liana. He gasped. Liana’s hand sought his, and he clasped her palm tightly.
‘Words fail me,’ Eiric murmured.
Plant life like nothing he had seen before covered the rear wall of the cave. Vines swirled in and out of moss while grasses and ferns mingled with it all to form a solid mass of growth. Flowers with petals as large as Eiric’s hand sprouted from thick stems. The flowers’ colors were incredible, but the patterns inside them were even more so. Every design blended opposite colors together; the petals were more vibrant than the most beautiful butterfly wings.
Yet most captivating of all were the crystal shards embedded like bright fruit in the wall of growth. There were dozens of them – no . . . hundreds. Each shard looked clear, but glowed from inside, pouring out light the color of green grass on a summer’s day.
Eiric reached out with his senses. The connection was weak, but even broken as the jewel was, he could still feel it. The power of life. It was bound to the eldren. It gave them their abilities. It connected them with this land. When it waned, Sindara became Cinder Fen.
‘Even after I broke it, the pieces kept glowing,’ Liana said. ‘I didn’t know what to do, so I brought the shards here. And then when I returned . . . I saw that this had happened.’ She indicated the incredible life in front of her as the glow turned her pale skin green and shone from her silver hair. ‘What does it mean?’
‘It means our powers are not completely lost,’ Eiric said with a smile.
‘We can still change?’
‘I doubt we would stay changed for long if we ventured far from Sindara. But close to home?’ Eiric met Liana’s eyes. ‘We can still hunt, and swim, and fly.’
He and Liana watched the glowing shards for a moment in silence.
Liana suddenly smiled. ‘I just realized that the humans won’t fear us anymore,’ she said. ‘Outside Sindara, we will be just like them.’
Eiric thought for a moment, and then nodded. ‘We must still form deeper bonds for a lasting peace. We will open Sindara to the world. One day our descendants might move to Phalesia or Xanthos. Anyone with odd-colored eyes will be just that, and not treated any differently. And that is for the best.’ Eiric took Liana’s hand. ‘It feels good, doesn’t it?’
She tilted her head, perplexed.
‘It feels good’ – he smiled – ‘to no longer have anything to be afraid of.’
She returned his smile.
‘Have I told you I love you?’ he asked.
‘Not lately.’
He pulled her close. ‘I may be my father’s son,’ he said. ‘But his spirit lives on in you.’
60
Chloe sat on the edge of a cliff at Athos and gazed out to sea. Waves crashed against the rocks far below. The cool breeze whipped at her hair. The bright sun warmed her skin.
Her thoughts were in turmoil. But magic was gone, and along with it her powers, never to return. Rather than meditate to clear her mind, she let the thoughts come.
Most of all, she wondered what had happened at the battle. Had she acted in time? The last thing she remembered was kneeling on the sand with the army formed up nearby. She had called on the golden orb from the Lighthouse of Aleuthea. Then darkness had descended until she found herself at Athos with Liana standing beside her.
She had already prayed to all the gods that Dion was still alive. There was nothing more she could do. She almost wished she could look into the future, but the Source was gone, as was the Wellspring in Sindara. Liana and Dion would no longer be able to change their forms, and couldn’t come to get her. She would never again soar above the clouds on dragon back.
Surely Dion was alive? They had both given so much. He had to be.
She froze when she saw a ship.
She climbed to her feet and shielded her eyes. The vessel became larger as it neared. It was long and lean, the color of pine, and a white square of sail puffed out from the tall mast. A multitude of oars hauled at the water as the ship rose and fell on the waves, sending up a cascade of spray every time the bow struck the sea. It wasn’t heading directly toward the island, but the captain might be trying to take advantage of the westerly wind. Chloe tried to see the flag, but it was hidden behind the sail. She squinted to see how many banks of oars it had, but it still wasn’t close enough.
The ship began to turn.
It moved ponderously, so that she wasn’t sure if it was going to head toward the island or was just changing course. The oars swept back and forth; surely it was too fast on the water to be a bireme?
The ship completed the turn. She allowed her hope to surge: there were three banks of oars. It was a trireme, longer and broader than a bireme. Only the fleet of Xanthos possessed triremes. The ship was even flying a crimson flag.
It had to be from Dion.
Chloe turned and began to run. She leaped over the rocky area of cliffs and sprinted toward Seer’s Cove. Her heart raced. Excitement and fear fought each other. The ship must be here to collect her, but she also might be about to learn that Dion was dead. He couldn’t be. Please, she prayed as she raced. He couldn’t be.
She plunged into a section of forest. Twigs snapped beneath her feet while she weaved through the trees. Finally she made it through and emerged out the other side. Panting heavily, she ran toward the cove. She constantly thought about what she was going to learn.
She climbed a hillside, and the ground opened up, revealing the stretches of smooth rock where once colorful fires burned. Her breath ran ragged. She sprinted down the path of blue stone and then finally came to a halt at the low stone wall separating the path from the sandy shore.
Placing her hands on her hips, she fought to regain her breath. The ship would be navigating the channel that led to the cove, and she still couldn’t see it. Her breath slowly evened out. She gnawed at her lip while she waited.
The trireme rounded a headland and came into view.
The sail was down, and the ship was sliding over the water on oars alone. The sea was calm in this area, and the blue water was pale close to the beach. The sun glistened off the surface, creating sparkles when it shone on the slight ripples. The scene would have been beautiful, if she wasn’t so terrified.
She recognized the ship as the Liberty, Dion’s flagship. Soon the figures on the deck would be clear. She was suddenly too afraid to watch the vessel approach. She closed her eyes and prayed harder than she ever had before. After she finished she counted slowly backward from ten, still with her eyes tightly shut.
Chloe opened her eyes.
She immediately saw the young man standing at the bow.
He was lean and suntanned
. He had flaxen hair and a broad smile as he flashed his white teeth.
The moment the ship reached the shallows, Dion jumped over the side. He plunged into water up to his waist and began to wade directly for shore.
Chloe raced down the beach to meet him. He climbed out of the water and opened his arms, and she threw herself into them.
For a long time they simply held each other, neither saying a word.
The Liberty made all speed for Phalesia. Dion and Chloe stood together, watching the antics of a group of dolphins as they leaped in and out of the water just ahead of the bow.
‘It worked because the arch used human and eldran magic together,’ Chloe explained. ‘We ended the spell.’
‘You saved us,’ Dion said. His expression became concerned when he saw Chloe’s face. ‘What is it?’
Chloe tried not to show her mixed emotions. ‘I’m just sad that the eldren had to lose everything. We aren’t bound to magic in the same way they are.’ She scowled. ‘Why are you smiling?’
‘Liana told me something. Their magic isn’t gone, not completely.’
Chloe’s mouth dropped open.
‘They can still change,’ Dion said, his eyes twinkling, ‘as long as they don’t go far from Sindara. And there is no chance of Sindara becoming Cinder Fen again.’
Chloe suddenly realized. ‘But that means . . .’
Dion nodded. ‘I don’t live in Sindara, and so I can’t change. I’m almost as human as you are. Does that bother you?’
She returned his smile. ‘Bother me?’ She pretended to consider. ‘Perhaps it does . . . I do like to fly.’
He started to give her a mock punch in the shoulder, but she grabbed his fist and pulled him close. For a time they held each other.
‘Perhaps this was part of the Oracle’s plan,’ Dion finally said. ‘Some eldren will want to stay in Sindara, but others might want to know the wider world.’
Chloe shook her head in wonder. ‘And some of our people might go to live in Sindara. No more necklaces. No more fear.’
Dion leaned forward to kiss her. She kissed him back, and then she saw a change come over his face. ‘What is it?’
He frowned. ‘But why not destroy the Source sooner?’
Chloe told Dion what the Oracle had told her in the strange place of whiteness.
‘She planned it the way it turned out,’ she finished. ‘Everyone had to learn to work together. Kargan had to change, and so did you. This was the way it had to happen for there to be lasting peace.’ When Dion’s frown deepened, Chloe continued. ‘I know we lost a lot, Dion, but it wasn’t your fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame the Oracle. Just remember that we can’t ever let peace falter.’
Dion nodded. He was pensive for a time, but then he remembered that he was standing here with Chloe, and their future together was bright.
‘Listen, Chloe. I’ve been a fool,’ he said. ‘You know I love you, don’t you?’
She smiled and looked up at him. ‘I do.’
‘You are your own woman. I realize that now. And if there is one thing I know, it’s that we all owe you everything.’ He turned and pointed. ‘Look!’
They were nearing the coast, and already the headlands were opening up to reveal the white city of Phalesia, spread around the bay. The sea calmed as the Liberty entered the harbor, passing vessels of all shapes and sizes. Soon the tall cliffs at the Temple of Aldus towered over them while they approached the pebbled shore. Dion took in the beautiful city, seeing the lyceum, the library, and the temples.
The stone embankment framing the agora thronged with activity. People in colorful tunics filled every available space, cheering and waving at them. Dion picked Finn’s face from the crowd, and saw Cob and Roxana standing beside him. Dozens of consuls in white tunics began to descend the steps to greet them.
Dion and Chloe exchanged glances and then waved. A loud roar came from the crowd.
The trireme slid up on the shore. The oarsmen leaped out at the sides and began to haul the great vessel up onto the pebbles.
Dion smiled and held out his palm. ‘Come on,’ he said, leading Chloe toward the waiting gangway. ‘Your people are waiting for you.’
They descended together, hand in hand.
61
Dion watched Sophia walk forward to lay a wreath on the sarcophagus.
Newly made of marble, it rested side by side with the tomb of Aristocles. The two fallen leaders of Phalesia would share this holy place, at the Temple of Aldus, on a plateau high above the city, gazing out over the Maltherean Sea.
Sophia’s eyes were red as she returned to her sister. Chloe pulled Sophia close.
Dion stood beside them both as he fought to control his own emotions.
They had found Amos in the Temple of Aeris. He had been sitting upright and leaning back against the wall.
His expression had been content.
Dion gazed at the two marble tombs as the priest addressed the crowd. The priest spoke about the journey from this world to the next, but Dion wasn’t listening. Instead he remembered both Amos and Aristocles. He thought about the two men, who had shared their lives as friends and companions, and would always be remembered as stewards of their city. They had also been guardians of the sisters Dion now stood with, one a girl, still finding her place in the world, and the other a young woman who was as strong as her father before her.
Dion pictured the two men now, Aristocles doting on his daughters and Amos steadfast to the end. The gods did what they willed, and their lives had been cut short, along with so many others.
He remembered Zachary, who took Dion in when his brother rejected him and did his best to welcome him into life as an eldran. He remembered Glaukos, his uncle, always trying to guide him while he learned to be a king.
With one hand on Sophia’s shoulder, he used the other to pull Chloe close, and he knew that she was remembering them too.
62
After a journey that would become legend in years to come, Kyphos returned to Malakai.
The Targus slowed and then turned to face the shore, while the vessel behind followed suit, and this continued down the line until all twelve ships had their bows pointed toward the city. The crews lowered the sails of each vessel. With the pace of a steady march, the oars pulled at the sea.
Kyphos saw Malakai’s walls grow larger. The city rose up, with the Sky Tower easily taller than every structure around it. On his left, the Targus passed the single, solitary pier, where a few small boats bobbed and some locals holding fishing poles watched the fleet’s arrival.
He thought about all that had happened since his departure. He remembered his shock at seeing that his people had been driven from Necropolis . . . the trek over the snow . . . the blizzard . . . the broken ice sheet. The journey back had been terrifying. First it was the storm . . . then the luck at finding land that became horror when the island started moving.
Everyone traveling with the fleet was lucky to be alive. But alive they were. Kyphos had promised his king that he would sail to Necropolis and return with the people left behind. He had fulfilled his vow. Now it was time to learn what had taken place in his absence.
While the fleet eased toward shore, Kyphos gazed at the city, trying to guess the state of affairs. Malakai was obviously still in Palemon’s hands, for he could see desert clansmen manning the walls. He scanned the sky. There were no dragons flying overhead, which likely meant that the army was on foreign shores, consolidating its hold on one nation or another. There was only a small group of civilians and soldiers waiting on the beach to greet the new arrivals. It appeared that the king was away.
Kyphos was disappointed that Palemon wasn’t here to welcome his people to their new home, but it wasn’t unexpected. The kings of Ilea and Xanthos would do anything to see Palemon brought to his knees. Kargan wanted Malakai to return to its place as part of his empire. Palemon needed to fight to ensure they were all safe.
The sun was blazing hot after the frigid cold i
n the north. Waves lapped at the shore; the blue water looked cool and inviting. Kyphos heard the sound of the sea bed scraping against his ship’s hull. A series of splashes came from all directions as the oarsmen leaped out to drag the vessel above the tide line.
He strode to the hatch leading to the lower decks and climbed down the ladder. When he was below decks, he stopped to scan all the faces in front of him. Even with the oarsmen gone, there were far too many to be squeezed into such a small space. He saw children and their parents and grandparents. Careworn mothers held babes in their arms.
‘Welcome,’ Kyphos said. ‘Your journey is over. You will be safe here, you have my word. You may find it hot, but the bright sun enables crops to grow tall, and there is plenty of food. You may find it strange, but in time you will discover pleasures in new things: sherbet, silk, wine, and cheese . . . swimming in the sea, and shopping in the markets.’ He smiled. ‘Welcome to your new home.’
While his men took care of disembarking the passengers, Kyphos approached the small welcoming party on the shore.
He recognized several faces. Some of the soldiers were captains Palemon had put in charge of Malakai’s defenses. The civilians were representatives from the desert clans and the city’s administrators.
Kyphos was still a dozen paces away when he saw the soldiers in the group straighten to attention. He raised an eyebrow; his people were picking up the customs of these lands more quickly than he’d thought possible. One of the captains stepped forward. His name was Agon, and like many cold bloods he had shaved his beard and his pale skin had developed a deep tan.
‘Lord Kyphos,’ Agon said. ‘Welcome home.’
Kyphos was puzzled. First the strange salute, and now the man was calling him a lord. ‘What is going on here?’ he asked. He scanned the group; everyone was watching him expectantly.
‘I have grave news,’ Agon continued. ‘The king is dead. As is the sorceress, Zara. There was a battle. Their bodies were returned to us.’
Iron Will Page 35
