by K.N. Lee
After they passed the towers, the lanterns were fewer and most were unlit. Sensing an evil presence in this darker section, Gilly soon called a halt. Voices whispered to her but she could spot no living thing nearby other than her party. Everywhere, the ground was parched. She touched a plant and it crumbled as if fire had recently consumed it, leaving behind a skeleton of dust.
“The door is close by,” Ned whispered.
Nowhere did Gilly see any sign of a door. The street they had stopped at stretched long and narrow. All the plants were dried branches as if it were winter instead of midsummer.
Suddenly, Ned vanished from sight. Then he reappeared around a side of the wall that she had at first taken to be crease. On closer inspection, she noted an emptiness that must be the start of a tunnel. Her sister and friends ducked under a knot of bare dead branches and vanished from sight.
The sense of a dark presence was everywhere. Gilly looked up and then ducked. The sky felt as if it began two feet above her head. Darkness loomed over her like a malevolent mist. She forced herself to straighten and then reached up. On her fingertips’ contact with the throbbing darkness, Light shot up from her hand, drawn upward.
The cloud shrank, as if her magic scorched it. In the instant of contact, Gilly received a clear impression of the spell used to create this cloud. She breathed in a breath of admiration. Pattern laid upon pattern. A convoluted spell than any she’d ever woven.
This was the dark cloud she’d mentally visited. A master sorcerer held these souls captive. The bindings used to keep them trapped in place appeared to her, drawn like a treasure map. She instantly understood not only how this trap had been crafted, but how it could be dismantled. Like a puzzle to be unhinged, layer by layer. Had Jarrod known she could decipher a spell by simply touching it? Was this why he labelled her Defender of the Light?
“Gilly!” Anna called from inside the tunnel.
“I’m coming,” she ran to catch up. Past a short corridor Ned held an intricately carved wooden gate open while Tom fashioned a rope knot to keep it hinged that way. Smart. The others coming in their wake wouldn’t need Hagan’s key to get in.
She brushed her hand over the vines etched into the gate. “No wards are placed on this structure.”
“Thanks,” Tom said absently, focused on his work.
“What kept you back there?” Anna asked.
“The dark cloud is directly above this location,” Gilly said. “I touched it and it retreated. It was afraid of me.”
“Why?”
“Because on contact, I saw how it could be destroyed.”
Anna’s eyes widened in shock.
Once the door was stable, they travelled on for a long distance, following a passage that twisted and turned moving ever upward. Scurrying and squeaks suggested vermin and insects frequented here.
Tom and Ned lit torches posted along the walls. Talus and the rest of the Rycan warriors coming after them would have an easier time coming through here. After a sharp bend, moans could be heard from up ahead. They were approaching inhabited grounds. Anna took Gilly’s hand and squeezed tight.
“Prepare yourselves for the stench,” Tom said.
In her next breath, a whiff of dank and musty air assaulted her, and Gilly gagged at the rank smell of decay and death. The smell warned her of what was ahead but nothing could have prepared her for what they encountered when Ned opened a door along the corridor.
She’d visited with these lost souls inside the cloud and knew of their hopelessness. Now she understood their suffering. Beside her, Anna retched. Once she stopped, Tom put his arm around them both, drawing them closer, forcibly shutting out their surroundings from their horror-stricken eyes.
Gilly held her breath but couldn’t keep out the cries of pain, which continued unabated.
Her body shrank even as she recalled Hagan’s words. They are your people. If there’s anything left of those poor sods, they need to be put to a quick end and given a decent burial.
Anna straightened. She looked terrified, yet drawn toward the pain and suffering. Within the safety of Tom’s arms, Gilly watched Anna push the door wide open and enter. There were at least ten bodies in this chamber alone. The odor of fecal matter and urine assaulted them in a wave.
Her sister touched the man nearest her and a host of flies scattered into the air and rats dispersed. Anna pulled back but then, shuddering, she knelt near the closest man and laid her trembling hand on his forehead. He flailed, grabbing at her.
Tom approached and held him down so Anna could work. Gilly watched from the doorway, listening to Ned’s harsh breathing.
Like the others, the person Anna tended was almost naked and had open sores. His ankles were bound by a rope. No, not a rope, but the same kind of cord that formed the netting One-Eye used on her and Skye. Every prisoner’s ankles were tied with the same material. The drip, drip of Light draining off these men and women glinted in the darkness.
“Anna, don’t touch that cord by his feet,” Gilly warned before turning to Ned. “Remove the cords from all the prisoners and pile them in a corner outside. We’ll destroy them later.”
He hurried to do as she bid. Even as he released each prisoner, no one moved.
“Doubt there’s much she can do for him,” Ned muttered as he left with the cord that had bound the man Anna was helping.
He was more right than he realized. Anna’s healing worked on the man’s wounds on his face and neck, but his eyes remained blank.
Footsteps of several people, followed by Ned’s relieved voice, suggested the next group had arrived.
“I’ll get them to help us free others in adjacent rooms,” Ned said from the doorway.
She nodded before crouching beside Anna. With a nod to Tom who struggled to hold the writhing patient still, she laid her hand on the patient’s head. She searched for his consciousness and found emptiness. Swallowing back her loathing at what she must do next, she kept a thread connected to his body and reached toward the black cloud roaming above the castle. Somewhere in there was this man’s soul.
She hesitated at the edge of the inky cloud, dreading entering the darkness and losing herself within. How could she hope to find this man’s spirit within so many lost ones? She didn’t even know his name.
Bran, a voice whispered.
It had come from the body. The soul had been removed, but the body knew its name.
Bran, she called and sank into the cloud. Would the identity-less soul remember its previous name? Bran, answer me.
Bran, the souls took up her call. Bran, they repeated, chanting over and over in a mindless melody. A lone voice whispered, Bran, in counterpoint.
Gilly followed that whisper. Come home.
Home, the chanting began.
Bran, come home, she said.
Bran, come home, the voice whispered.
Bran, the mindless voices shouted.
Gilly untangled the spell that held this man’s soul captive inside the cloud, enough to allow Bran to follow her. She acted as the conduit, drawing him toward his body, enticing him, calling to him until in a swoop Bran’s spirit settled into his body.
Bran sat up with a gasp and cried out in pain.
“You’ve done it,” Ned said in wonder, peering back into the room.
Bran howled in agony.
Gilly felt him slip back out. She held him in place, speaking in soothing tones, assuring him about the safety and necessity of staying. Warmth emanated from Anna as she healed the man’s wounds.
Stay, Gilly said, Bran, stay, you’re home.
“Oh, please let him die.” Ned said. “It’s better to die than face such suffering.”
“Die,” Bran cried, his gaze coming into focus. “I want to die.”
Heat radiated from Anna’s fingertips and spread over Bran’s body.
“You’re burning me,” he shouted. “Mercy, you are burning me.”
Anna slumped back, exhausted. The fiery light dissipated, leaving behind red an
d blue skin, swollen in patches but no longer open and oozing.
Gilly let go of his head. Was it too soon? Could he keep hold of his life?
Tom gently released the man’s arms.
Bran sat still, his face contorted in a look of unimaginable suffering. His shallow breathing deepened. His pallor receded from his cheeks, replaced by a healthier glow.
Ned approached and offered a sip of water from his leather flask. When Bran stared blankly, Ned tipped it to the man’s lips and tilted his head back. Water dribbled around his mouth and then with a gasp Bran took a gulp. Ned took the bottle away. Bran flailed toward him, seeking more.
“Slowly,” Ned said. “Or you will harm yourself.”
Bran made a cackling sound and then another.
Gilly looked at Tom. Had they released a mad man?
A smile broke out on Tom’s lips. “He’s laughing, Gilly. Ned made him laugh.”
He was right. Bran was laughing at Ned’s suggestion he might harm himself. After what he’d gone through, the thought was rather funny. She let out a laugh herself, relieved to see him in his right mind.
Her laughter died when she looked around the room and down the long corridor. How many others were in Bran’s recent state? Anna was exhausted simply healing one man. What were they going to do?
“She can’t heal them all,” Ned said, as if reading Gilly’s mind.
Gilly turned to Anna. “Remember what happened when we tried to merge our powers?”
Her sister nodded. “We can do more together.”
“Tell the other’s, Ned. We’ll need to gather all those who are still alive. You must fetch them closer to Anna and me. If we try together, Anna, we might be able to bring them all back in one trip.”
“Is that possible?” Tom asked with awe.
“I don’t know,” Gilly said. “But it’s the only chance we have. Trying to heal one at a time will exhaust us and take too long.” She helped Anna stand. “It’s our best chance to find Mam and Garren and Tamara. Lingering here will draw Tamarisk to us. May already have.”
Everyone except Gilly, Anna and Bran, who still couldn’t stand, scattered to gather all those who were conscious. Tom cleared the entryway outside and around the corner of debris, so Gilly and Anna could work there.
In the end, they gathered close to four dozen people. Many others were beyond hope. Through it all, there was no sign of Gilly’s family. She wasn’t sure if she was happy or sad at the news. Death was preferable to the existence these sorcerers had endured for so long. Then again, perhaps Tamarisk housed her family in more congenial quarters than the rest of his prisoners. After all, rumor was he had loved her mam. For now, they would do what they could to help these prisoners.
She and Anna sat surrounded by the guild sorcerers. Gilly reached out and took Anna’s hands and heat jump up her arms. Faster than she could think it, she was within the black cloud, surrounded by lost souls. The names of men and women swirled through the blackness and they assembled around her. She sensed the confusion and anger of those whom she had not called.
With words and pictures she wove a future for those she could help, herding them toward their bodies until she was alone with the dammed. The ones who had no body left alive to return to. They pulled at her, pleading with her to stay. Gilly promised to return and followed her sister’s call.
Screams of loneliness followed her out of the cloud. Anna’s eyes were wide with fear. Her sister was afraid she could not save so many. Gilly had no such doubts. She’d experienced the incredible bounty of Anna’s power within her. Her turn to share that wonder with her sister. She sent her Light into Anna, who sat up straight as the rush of power swept through her.
Anna’s tears fell as she sent their joint Light flitting across the room until it swamped each and every prisoner. A haze of red surrounded the entryway. Slowly, the screams of pain subsided. The raging red aura changed to mauve to orange to yellow, and finally a blinding white. With inexplicable joy, Gilly watched Anna as her sister realized she had indeed healed all these people.
When her sister released her hands, Gilly immediately returned to the cloud above. Tamarisk could not help but notice their work this night. And she had one more task to perform before bidding farewell to the souls left in limbo. Jarrod’s wish that she vanquish the dark cloud was foremost on her mind. Now she knew how to fulfil that promise. When she had physically touched the cloud, an idea had come to her.
She needed to help them remember who they once were.
The moment she entered the cloud, voices swamped her, sending her impressions of confusion and panic.
I promised I would return and here I am.
We miss the ones who left. We’re alone and afraid.
Gilly gathered them and then merged with them until they were one.
Where are they? We are alone. The Master is gone. We are alone. We will die.
We are not alone.
We are alone. We will die.
We are not alone. But we must die.
No! The Master will save us. The Master is calling to us.
Leave the Master. Come this way.
The Master will save us. We are alone.
We are not alone. We are together. We will save the world. Save our people. Come this way. See the wonder. Touch the spirits of your descendants. See who we have become. See what we do to our world. Understand the blessing of our curse.
Together they roamed across Ryca. Visited the fields of Tavdar, touched the villagers sleeping in their cottages. Felt their worry about the horsemen. They travelled through the Kocheya Basin to Erov. Watched in wonder as that city flitted from place to place. The people saw them and shrank in fear.
Why are they afraid? We love them. We are them. Why are they afraid?
A bright Light waved a welcome.
They settled near it and it began to diminish.
It is dying. The Light is dying. Why?
We are killing the Light.
They alighted and sped away.
We are afraid. What are we? Why do we kill the Light? Light is good. Light must be preserved. The Light is the world. We are killing the Light.
They flew over the Makakala Range. Perm welcomed them. Women and children dreamed of their missing men. The Rycan Warriors who would save this world. Their men would save this world. They would free the imprisoned sorcerers. Those poor souls. Those tortured souls. They must be freed from imprisonment.
Free the sorcerers, the call went out. Free the sorcerers. They must be released. They must be set free. Who dares hold us prisoner? Who takes the Light from the land? The sorcerers are the Light of the world. Their Light must be preserved for the world to flourish.
Tamarisk holds us prisoner.
Tamarisk is the Master. We hate the Master. We will never answer the Master’s call. Where are we? The Lights are afraid.
The land is scorched. All is darkness.
No! The Master lives here. This is true darkness. Here, Light is dead.
We are the Light and we are dead.
We are the sorcerers and we destroy our land.
The Master uses us to find the Light and we are the Master’s vessel.
The spell. We see the spell the Master weaves to hold us prisoner. The spell must be dismantled. We must destroy the cloud. We must destroy the Destroyer of Light.
Not yet. Wait.
Wait. Why wait?
Wait for Tamarisk.
Wait for the Master. We will not leave before the Master is entwined within our arms. Go! Bring Tamarisk to us. Bring us the Master.
Satisfied, Gilly withdrew from the cloud.
The Rycan Warriors left the tunnel, each small group leading a handful of sorcerers out of the dungeons. Gilly gave Ned strict instructions. If she, Tom and Anna did not return to the ship by daybreak, they must depart for Emba immediately. If they saw trouble approaching, the newly released sorcerers’ safety was their primary concern.
It was only when they were about to head int
o the castle, Gilly noticed Talus was not among them. “What has happened to Talus?” she asked Tom.
“He didn’t want you to get your hopes up, or to worry about him in case he failed. But he’s gone to the King’s Warriors’ compound to speak to his friends. He hopes he can turn some of them to our cause, so if a fight breaks out, we will have help.”
Foolish as the move was, his action touched Gilly. Talus might get himself arrested, or worse, killed, but she could not blame him for turning to his friends for help. This meant they were on their own. She couldn’t ask for two better companions than Anna and Tom.
Tom led the way. This far down in the dungeons, no guards were posted. Gilly supposed there was no need. The poor souls who resided here held little hope for survival let alone mischief. She had seen evidence the men were fed occasionally but the servants who tended them were probably too frightened to tarry.
Considering the prisoners were his main source of power, she was surprised Tamarisk did not take better care of them. It showed him as a man who had no compassion or caring, and who valued human life less than his possessions.
She couldn’t imagine what Tamarisk looked like. According to Hagan, she had known him when she was a child. Now she knew the truth about her past, why would her mind not reveal the details? Any bit of information could be invaluable in finding her mother.
They reached the level in the dungeons where ordinary prisoners were kept. Here, guards were everywhere. Tom was about to brave a fight, when Gilly held him back and softly chanted a spell of confusion. As the guards looked around for noise in one direction, she, Tom and Anna moved in another. They passed through the corridors, avoiding maids, footmen and guards alike. They were hiding behind a tapestry near the main stairway when Anna peered through a hole in the material and drew in a harsh breath.
Footsteps halted. “Who goes there?”
Before she could stop her sister, Anna peeked around the tapestry. “Cullen, it’s us.”
Tom swung aside the tapestry and held his sword to the minstrel’s throat.
“Never thought you’d make it to here,” Cullen said sounding impressed.
“You knew we were coming?” Gilly shifted past Anna.
