The Song of Eloh Saga

by Megg Jensen

  “Seriously?” I said. “That’s what you’re laughing about? You’re so concerned with trust and you’re laughing about my dead father?”

  Ivy grabbed my hands and looked deep into my eyes.

  “I swear it, Reychel. I’ve changed. Something happened to me down in the dungeon.” Her eyes shifted to the side, but she gripped my hands if she was hanging off the side of a mountain and I was her only hope of rescue. As quickly as she’d grabbed my hands, she let go of them.

  Ivy stood and turned around, lifting up her dress. I was too curious to avert my eyes, although it wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen before. We’d shared a bunk for most of our lives and shaved each other’s heads. As children, we’d had the ultimate trust in each other.

  But as she lifted her dress above her waist, I saw something there I’d never seen before. Dimpled and bumpy scars crisscrossed her body. I gasped and reached out to touch them.

  “Who did this to you?”

  “Your father,” Ivy whispered. “Kandek whipped me the evening of our ruined wedding. He and his buddy, Blorn, came down into the dungeon. They were both drunk and ordered the guard to leave. Blorn ripped my dress off, from the shoulders down to my waist. I stood naked in front of both them, trembling with fear. Blorn wanted to...”

  Ivy’s voice faltered and she struggled to take a breath. I’d seen Ivy’s act. This wasn’t it. In front of me stood the girl who’d defended me when the other slaves teased me. Maybe she wasn’t all gone. I couldn’t see Ivy’s face, but I knew tears flooded from her eyes. I reached up and put my hand on her shoulder. She dropped her dress and turned around.

  “Instead of allowing myself to be violated, I used my gift to kill Blorn. It only took moments. I channeled all the power I had into soothing him until his mind snapped and his heart stopped.” Ivy’s voice fell to a whisper. “I didn’t know I had that kind of power.”

  I grabbed her hand and led her over to the chair. She sat down and I settled on the floor next to her, her hand still trembling in mine.

  “Then your father whipped me until I passed out. When I woke up, I swore I’d never use my gift to kill, or hurt, anyone ever again.”

  I laid my head on her knees. Despite everything she’d done to me, Mark, and our people, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. The child I’d known and loved still lived inside her and it took the worst moment in her life to set her free again. My heart ached. I wanted her back so much. I knew I could forgive her, but I didn’t know if I could ever forget.

  “When I heard they had you here, I told Alia about our past. I made her believe I could control you until they were ready to execute you. Really, I just wanted to get close to you again so I could help you. Maybe I could make up for everything I’ve done.”

  I lifted my head and looked at her. Ivy’s eyes were soaked and tear stains tracked down her red cheeks. Her chest rose and fell quickly. If she was faking it, I’d never seen a better actress.

  Then I remembered. I hadn’t felt her gift encroach on me. Not once. Ivy still didn’t know I could sense when she tried to soothe me. This would have been the perfect time for her to try to manipulate me.

  But she didn’t.

  I looked Ivy deep in the eyes and squeezed her hand.

  “I believe you,” I said. “Can you help me?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ivy promised to stand guard in our room while I ported into another part of the castle to try to find the answers to Krissin’s questions. I had only two days to gather all of the information and then it would all be over. We could defeat the gifted Malborn army and free our people from slavery. The reality every Serenian had longed for would finally be here.

  Then I would get a chance to live my own life. I’d be free from responsibility and free to be with Mark. A nagging tug pulled at my heart, but I pushed it to the side. There would be plenty of time to figure out how to avoid going mad. It didn’t happen overnight to Zelor and it wouldn’t to me either. My friends would help me figure out how to control my gift and the madness it would cause.

  I had to believe in that or I’d have nothing to fight for.

  Ivy, with her ear planted firmly on the door, nodded to me. I flicked my fingers and opened a portal into a place I was very familiar with, my father’s bedroom. Ivy had heard Alia was sleeping there and holding her planning meetings in the adjacent room. I’d spent more time than I cared to remember in that room.

  Kandek had called me in for tea, then sat me in front of a window, where I had given him prophecy after prophecy. I wanted to smack myself. How could I have ever believed I was just telling him stories? I also wondered now what was in that tea he gave me. I’d almost never been able to reliably bring on a vision on my own. He’d known about my gift for years and he’d obviously found a way to work around my inability to use my gift.

  I glanced over to the window again, knowing his grave was out there. I’d never know the answer now. He was my only connection to learning more about my biological mother. Too much information died with him. I didn’t miss Kandek, but I did long for the things he could shed light upon.

  The light from the portal caught my eye again. Ivy waved at me, urging me to step through. Ivy and I had seen Alia outside moments earlier, so we hoped her room was empty and no one would know I’d encroached on her personal space.

  Kandek had been the ruler here and he was my father. Technically, this entire castle should be mine. I squared my shoulders and stepped into his chamber. I flicked my fingers and closed the portal, making sure not to leave a string out. I didn’t need anyone detecting it and guessing that I’d been here.

  I heard the door click behind me. Sure that my work was clean, I hitched up my skirt and ran into the wardrobe. I sat on the floor, behind a line of fancy dresses. I covered my nose and held back the sneeze that threatened to give me away. My heart pounded as I heard Alia enter the room.

  I didn’t have to see her to know her voice. She’d fooled me once, convincing me she was a simple slave like I had once been. I’d taken pity on her, even tried confiding in her once. It wasn’t until she’d used her gift and I realized she didn’t have the spark like the rest of us that I knew something was off. It wasn’t long before she revealed her true self to us. I hated violence, but a small part of me wished Krissin had killed her when she had the chance. It wouldn’t have solved all of our problems, but it would have solved some.

  Instead, I hid in a wardrobe, among the taffeta and wool dresses threatening to suffocate me with years of dust they obviously hadn’t cleaned out when Alia’s wardrobe displaced my father’s. From the sound of the feet tromping around the room, she wasn’t the only one who’d come. Perfect.

  “He’s not cooperating,” someone said. I hadn’t heard this woman before. I listened closely, trying to pin down the inflection in her words. If I could find some identifying tic, maybe I could recognize her if I ever ran into her in person. I didn’t risk moving any of the dresses aside for fear they’d discover me.

  “I’m going to execute him at the same time I execute Reychel. I need to make an example of both of them if I’m going to convince everyone that I’m the new overlord,” Alia said. I’d recognize her voice anywhere.

  Someone cleared their throat. “Overlady. Not overlord.” Zuri was here too. Her deep tenor stood out.

  “How dare you?” A slap rang out in the room, followed by a quiet whimper. I wasn’t sure if the whimper came from the person who’d been hit or a witness to the brutality. “If I call myself an overlord, then I’m an overlord. Does overlady sound scary? No! I’m going to be the new leader here and everyone will fear me. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, m’lady,” Zuri answered. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

  “Three days from now we’re going to set this in motion. All of our agents have scouted out their positions. They will open portals across Serenia, step through, hold the town in thrall, and then broadcast my speech to everyone. There will be no rumors. They will see R
eychel lives. They will learn she lied and manipulated them to follow Krissin into battle. The people loyal to her will fall. The people loyal to him will fall. Then we’ll kill them both.”

  Alia paused and I heard papers shuffling. No one else dared to speak.

  “They will have nowhere to turn but to me.”

  I imagined the smug smile on her face and forced myself to sit still instead of jumping out of the wardrobe and punching her.

  “Not to put a damper on your plan, sister, but how will you hold up this dynasty? People have fought before, they will fight again. Just because Reychel is gone doesn’t mean they won’t stand up against you. If you dispose of the emperor as well, who’s to say they won’t join together?”

  Jada. She was here and wasn’t afraid to dissent with her younger sister, Alia. I imagined her in my mind, tall, dark, and beautiful. I thought she’d been my ally too, but she had only been breeding for Alia’s army. The last time I saw Jada, she was pregnant and I wondered if she’d had the baby yet.

  I shook my head lightly, not enough to ruffle any of the gowns. I was too trusting. I flashed back to Ivy, who was standing guard in our room. Supposedly, at least. Within two days I’d know whether or not I made the right decision in trusting her.

  “It doesn’t really matter to me what they all think,” Alia answered. As always, her voice warmed when she was engaged with Jada. Despite all of her problems, I believed she loved her sister. “Our army has grown in the last ten years. None of them are detectable, thanks to our selective breeding program.”

  “But all of you without the spark are infertile,” Jada insisted. “You won’t maintain control for long.”

  An uncomfortable silence flew through the room. I waited, holding my breath, for fear even one small sound would alert them to my presence.

  “That’s what you’re here for, dear sister. You can bear us more babies and hopefully most of them will have the gift without the spark. Doesn’t it make you feel good to be useful?”

  A chair scraped across the hard wooden floor. That would leave a gouge, I was sure.

  “You don’t own my body!” Jada screamed. “What if I refuse to cooperate?”

  A hand slammed on the table, sending something clattering to the floor.

  “If you refuse to cooperate,” Alia hissed, “then you will join the other women on the farm. Is that the life you want Jada? To live in close quarters with those breeders?”

  A sigh. “No. It’s not. But I am more to you than just a breeder, aren’t I?”

  “Most of the time,” Alia answered. “Now sit down.”

  I couldn’t understand how Jada could put up with her. And breeder? Were they holding women captive and forcing them to breed gifted babies without the spark? Alia’s treachery ran deeper than I’d ever guessed.

  “So it’s settled, then? The emperor stays in the dungeon until the time comes.” The unfamiliar voice spoke again. Her high-pitched tone should be enough for me to recognize her if I ever saw her in person. Other than that, I couldn’t pull anything unique from her speech patterns. “We’ll kill the emperor, kill Reychel, and take over everything?”

  “Yes,” Alia said.

  Another sighed followed. Jada said, “Yes, Mother. It’s agreed.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Three painful, held-back sneezes later, Alia, Jada, their mother, and Zuri finally left. I knew there had been no guarantee they’d leave quickly, but my cramped back and sore calves were relieved. I pushed the wardrobe door open a bit further and paused. If anyone was still in the room, I’d rather find out before crawling out of the wardrobe.

  No one screamed or pulled the door open further. I stepped out, slowly, letting my back muscles stretch to their normal state. I rubbed the top of my hip, and the sore muscles sang in relief.

  I glanced at the table they’d sat at. Only four chairs had been disturbed. Either that, or one of them was particularly conscientious about putting hers back perfectly and had been totally silent during the conversation. I’d easily recognized Alia, Zuri, and Jada’s voices. It was their mother’s voice that I hadn’t known.

  Now I was curious how the three of them came to power, and I was dying to know how they’d managed to capture the emperor and toss him in the dungeon. I knew my next destination. If he could give me the rest of the answers I needed, then I could finish early and get back to Krissin.

  I wanted Alia and her people out of here. Other than Johna’s cottage, this was my home and I suddenly felt a strong desire to save it. With my father gone, I knew I had to do something. I was probably the only person who cared.

  I looked around the table, but didn’t see anything there that hadn’t been lying there when I first ported in. I flicked my fingers and stepped through a portal back to my chambers.

  Ivy still sat against the door, but her index finger rested over her lips. I tiptoed over to her and slid down on the floor.

  She pointed with her free hand and mouthed Alia.

  I stood up and scuttled back over to the bed as the door opened. Alia entered the room, ignored Ivy on the floor, and strode to my side of the bed.

  “Do you think I don’t know?” She stuck a finger in my face, her nail dangerously close to my eyes. I didn’t flinch and willed my heart to slow down.

  “If it weren’t for you and your stupid prophecy this would have all been so much easier,” she continued. “I wouldn’t have to kowtow to anyone. But no, you make my life more difficult than it should be Reychel.”

  I wanted to let out a sigh of relief, but I held back and slowly let the air release through my nose. For a half-second I feared she’d figured out I’d been spying on her, but she hadn’t. She was here just to make me suffer because she was miserable.

  Luckily she didn’t know it wouldn’t work. I had hoped we would win and nothing she could say or do would upset me.

  Alia glared at me, her eyes attempting to shoot spears through my heart.

  “You’ve made my life a living hell. Obviously the thought of knowing you’ll be decapitated isn’t enough.”

  She grabbed my chin and squeezed, looking deeper into my eyes.

  “I want you to suffer, Reychel. I will find a way to do it. What if I capture and torture someone you love?”

  Not Mark. Not Mark. Not Mark. As if repeating it in my head would make a difference.

  “I wish I had your boyfriend, Mark.”

  I wanted to scream that he was my husband, so much more than a boyfriend, but I didn’t. Telling Alia would only make things worse. Mark was my secret, my heart.

  “Bring her in!” Alia screamed and squeezed my chin harder.

  Zuri’s arms were wrapped around a squirming, kicking slave and my heart dropped into my stomach. I didn’t need to see her face to know who it was.

  Alia chuckled. “This is an old friend of yours. Ella. Do you remember her, Reychel?”

  I shook my head, carrying on with the facade that I had lost my memory, while every part of me was screaming out to help Ella. She had been a friend back when I was a slave. She’d stood by me and helped me escape from the dungeon. Now, she’d pay for her association with me. Zuri dumped Ella on the floor next to Ivy. Ella kicked and her heel landed solidly on Zuri’s calf.

  Zuri grunted and fell to the ground, like a giant tree felled in the forest. I raised an eyebrow. Obviously Ella had learned something while I was gone. She’d never been so scrappy. Ella grabbed Zuri by the ears and tugged, hard, while Zuri screamed and thrashed.

  Alia reached out her hand toward Ella, who released Zuri’s ears and fell back against the wall.

  “I told you,” Alia snarled, “not to do that again.”

  Her hand shook as she pointed it at Ella. Ella’s mouth opened in a grimace, her teeth bared.

  “Stop it!” I yelled. “What are you doing to her?” Despite my better judgment, I jumped out of bed and grabbed Alia’s shoulders. Just because I had to pretend I didn’t remember Ella, it didn’t mean I’d lost my heart too.
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br />   Alia shook free of my grasp, turned around, and pointed her hand at me. I stumbled backward on the bed, my chest feeling like a ton of bricks had been laid on it. I gasped for air as my throat constricted. Ivy’s eyes pleaded at me, but I didn’t use my gift to defend myself. Alia needed me intact. I had no fear that she would kill me, and showing my only trump card would ruin everything.

  Instead, I closed my eyes and pretended to faint on the bed.

  “For Eloh’s sake,” Alia said. “She’s such an infant. Look at her curled up on the bed. Why was this girl chosen to be an all-powerful prophet? What a joke! If only her people could see her now.”

  A splash of water landed on my face, forcing my eyes open. Alia laughed, her hand covered in water.

  “Shut your mouth.” Ella’s protests turned to mumbles. Her lips were sealed tight, but her jaw fought to open. It didn’t do any good, Alia was keeping it held shut with her gift.

  “I have suffered my whole life because of you,” Alia said. “It’s time I get to see some of that horror in your eyes.” She looked back at Ella, still struggling to talk, and glanced at me again. “I don’t think this is enough, though.”

  Alia snapped her fingers and Ella’s head cracked against the stone wall, blood pouring from her scalp. Bile rose in my throat. I jumped out of bed and scurried to Ella’s side. I cradled her body in my arms and her head lay in the crook of my arm. I didn’t care about the blood on my clothes. I had to hold her.

  “I’ll leave you three now,” Alia said. “Hopefully Ivy’s gift is strong enough to save Ella from a long, drawn-out death.”

  Alia motioned to Zuri, who dragged herself off the floor without even a grunt. Zuri glanced back at Ella, but I couldn’t read her expression. Ella was all that mattered.

  The door closed behind them and I carefully slid Ella down to the floor, resting her head on my lap.

  “I don’t know anything about healing,” I said to Ivy. “I read a bit about it, but I’ve never tried. Do you think we can save her?”