“I’m not taking the stone first. I want to save the people.”
“We can handle the Ai’thol.”
“I know you can, but three ships’ worth?”
Rayen clenched her jaw. “Take the women who have been on duty longest.”
“I need to go quickly. Otherwise you’re going to be too far for me to return.” Even if he took one at a time, he would have to Slide as quickly as he ever had in order to return to the same spot. That would require him to start at the bow and hope that he would return no farther than the stern. He’d have to move with a speed and a focus he wasn’t sure he could manage.
For these women, women who had fought beside him, he would try.
He glanced down at the stone. It would be the hardest for him to Slide, so he would have to take that last.
“You’re going to have to give the order,” Daniel said.
“Of course.” Rayen whistled, and Tori came running toward her, waiting as she whispered something into her ear. When she was done, Tori nodded, racing off.
Daniel started toward the bow, waiting. Two women appeared, neither of whom he knew all that well. Mandy was short and strong, wearing a single sword, whereas Leah carried two much like Beatrice. Leah was taller, coming up to Daniel’s chin, and they both looked at him with suspicion.
“I’m going to Slide you to safety,” he said.
“We aren’t abandoning the others.”
“Rayen agrees with this plan,” Daniel said.
Mandy watched him, and something in the way she did made him think she wanted to hurt him. “I know what Rayen agrees with. That doesn’t mean I agree with this plan.”
Daniel glanced at the two women before flicking his gaze over to where Rayen remained at the helm. Was he going to have to fight with them to convince them to do what was needed?
In the distance, the ships were now close enough he could make out the logos fluttering on the sails.
“We need to stay ahead of the Ai’thol. This isn’t about fighting them. Not this time. I know you are both capable fighters, but the longer we remain, the more likely it is they will overpower everyone on board this ship.” When neither gave him any sign that they were in agreement, he shook his head. “There are three ships, and likely all of them are full of Ai’thol. We need to get moving before anything happens.”
Mandy opened her mouth, and Daniel decided to simply Slide to them, grabbing both women and then Sliding them to Nyaesh. He released them and Slid back to the ship.
He was gone for no more than a heartbeat or two, and yet when he emerged, he did so near the stern. He staggered, almost thrown over the railing, catching himself and Sliding so that he ended up near Rayen.
“I thought you were going to take some people off the ship.”
He nodded. “I am. I did. Mandy and Leah.”
“They are safe?”
“They’re safe.”
“This is difficult for you?”
“Reaching a moving ship is difficult. If I mistime it, I could end up in the water, or even embedded in the deck of the ship.” That was part of the reason he made certain to emerge a little above the deck, landing with a thump on board, and part of why he’d staggered so much when he had emerged.
“I could slow the ship,” Rayen said.
“I don’t need you to slow it. I need to be faster.”
“I don’t know how much longer I can hold this.” Rayen looked over at him, meeting his gaze. It was a rare moment of honesty from her. She was a strong woman, and he knew she hated to admit to any weakness. The fact that she did meant she was very near the end of her abilities.
He needed to work quickly.
“Give me a few more minutes.”
She took a deep breath, gripping the wheel, and nodded.
Daniel Slid to the bow, waiting for others to join him. Two more women, Isabel and a woman named Elaine, arrived. He said nothing, Sliding them rapidly to Nyaesh before Sliding back.
He thought he was as fast as he had been before, counting his heartbeats, but he emerged closer to the railing, practically falling onto it with the movement of the ship. Daniel caught himself, glancing over to the oncoming ships before turning his attention to where the other women approached. He Slid to the bow, waiting for two more. He grabbed them when they appeared, Sliding them, and returning as quickly as he could.
When he emerged, this time he slammed into the railing.
Daniel staggered, catching himself before he fell over and into the water.
It seemed as if he were going as fast each time, but it couldn’t be true. If he were, he would end up in the same place.
The only way he would be able to keep this up would be to go one at a time. It would take more trips and more effort, but it was possible he would be able to keep from ending up in the water.
He grabbed the next Binder, Sliding her to Nyaesh before Sliding back. When he emerged, he was pleased to see that he was in the middle of the deck.
One after another he went, taking woman after woman away until it was only he and Rayen—and the stone.
The three ships were near.
“We’re going to have to abandon the ship,” he said.
“I know.”
“Will Carth be angry?”
Rayen glanced over, frowning at him. “Carth doesn’t care about the ships. If you know anything about her, you know that all she cares about is the Binders.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“There is no problem.”
The way she said it told him that she wasn’t convinced.
Something slammed into the ship.
Rayen jerked the wheel, and her jaw clenched.
“What is it?”
“They mean to board us.”
“They’re still quite a ways away,” Daniel said.
Rayen nodded toward the nearest ship. “It won’t be long.”
“Then it’s time for us to go.”
“What’s your intention?”
“I intend to get you out of here.”
“And leave the stone?”
Daniel glanced down at it. It still reflected the light, shimmering. After all the Sliding he had been doing to rescue the rest of the women from the ship, he didn’t know if he had the strength needed to Slide both the stone and Rayen.
If he had to choose, it was an easy decision. Rescuing Rayen was far more important than bringing the stone with him. It was possible that he could return to the island, find another stone, and uncover what the Ai’thol were doing in that way. It was better that than to lose Rayen.
Could he bring them both?
He was already tired, and it was possible he didn’t have enough strength to do so.
Rayen continued to squeeze the wheel, her knuckles white. She wouldn’t say it, but he could tell she was nervous.
“What are you waiting for?” she asked without looking over at him.
“I’m trying to prepare myself.”
“For what?”
“For taking you and the stone at the same time.”
“Take the stone. Don’t worry about me.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You might not have a choice.”
One of the other ships aimed something at their ship, and Daniel stared, caught up in trying to understand what was targeting them. Almost too late, he realized it was a massive ballista bolt. It crossed the distance between their ships far faster than he would have imagined possible. Another struck. Then another. All of them attached with rope, and they dragged their ship back.
Daniel grabbed Rayen, leaning down to lift the stone, but it was heavy.
“I’m going to need your help.”
“With what?”
“Holding on to the stone.”
Rayen cracked a half smile. “You’re not strong enough to carry it?”
“I’m not strong enough to carry you and it.”
“And I’ve told you that you don’t need to carry me.”
“And I’ve told you that I—”
He didn’t have a chance to finish.
The ship started to heave.
Rayen released the wheel, scooping up the stone, holding it with swirls of shadow curving around her. She looked at him expectantly.
Taking her arm, he stepped into a Slide.
They didn’t go anywhere.
“Daniel?” Rayen said.
“Give me a minute,” he said.
“We have only a moment more.”
He took another step. Something held him back.
It wasn’t the same resistance as when he had been on the island. This seemed to come from something closer—the stone.
It would require a great heave of effort. At least he hadn’t tried to Slide it first. If he had, he wouldn’t have been strong enough to return for the others. He might not be strong enough to get it away.
He continued to try to pull, tearing himself across the distance, dragging himself toward Nyaesh, but they didn’t move.
“They intend to capsize us.” Rayen was far calmer than he felt.
Panic raced through him as he tried to Slide. Each attempt left him failing, and though he knew the solution was to take only himself and Rayen, there wouldn’t be any point in having risked themselves if they didn’t take the stone back with them.
He needed to do this.
Daniel screamed as he attempted to Slide.
With a tearing sensation, they began to move, but slowly. Painfully.
There was no whistling, and no choir. There were only the slow reverberations of the painful Slide.
Daniel held on to the focus of the Slide, worried that if he didn’t, they would end up emerging someplace far from where he intended. There were reports of others who had ended up emerging places where they hadn’t wanted to be, and he could easily envision some mistake with the Slide—especially one this difficult—pulling him out and leaving him someplace unsafe.
He screamed.
He tried to refrain from crying out, but couldn’t. There was too much pain rolling through him from the effort involved in Sliding. Everything about him hurt. Arms and legs and even his insides all throbbed from the effort of the Slide.
And then they emerged, like drawing free from thick mud.
He staggered, stumbling forward and looking over at Rayen, who lay next to him. For a moment, he feared she wasn’t moving, but then she rolled over, looking at him.
“You could have warned me that it would be so painful.”
“It’s not supposed to be.”
He glanced down at the stone. He had made it, and the stone had come with him, but where were they?
It wasn’t Nyaesh. The landscape around them was incredibly rocky, and he didn’t see anyone moving. There was the sound of waves crashing against the shore nearby, but not so near as to be able to see them.
“Where did you bring us?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Getting to his feet, Daniel had to brace himself, resting his hands on his thighs. He took a few gasping breaths, straining to calm himself. If he had to Slide again, he wasn’t sure that he’d be able to. It had required every ounce of strength he’d possessed to make it this far, and going any further would be nearly impossible at this point.
“There’s something familiar about it,” Rayen said.
“You’ve been here before?”
She wasn’t nearly as shaky as he was when she got to her feet, and she started to venture away. After taking a dozen or so steps, she paused, and shadows drifted away from her, rolling across the ground. Rayen’s breath caught.
“What is it?” Daniel asked.
“I know where we are.”
“And?”
She looked over at him. “I’ve never visited, not as an adult. And I thought it was destroyed.”
“You thought where was destroyed?”
“Here. Ih.”
9
Daniel
Daniel looked around the landscape. It was unwelcoming. The rock was all black, likely volcanic, and rough under his boots. The air hung with a sulfuric stench, though the wind carried it away, whipping inland, bringing with it the smells of the sea. A gentle haze hung over everything, making it difficult to see clearly. When the wind picked up, it carried the haze away, leaving more of the landscape visible.
Had they Slid only a little ways inland?
They were lucky to be alive, if so.
“Are you sure this is Ih?” he asked, heading toward Rayen and joining her where she stood surveying the landscape.
“Look out there.” She pointed, motioning toward the distant rocks.
Daniel frowned, trying to uncover anything he could, but nothing was clear. All he noticed was more of the rocks. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”
“This. All of it. This was once Ih.”
“Once?”
She nodded, squeezing her hands into fists at her side. Rayen wore tension upon her like a cloak, mixing it with the shadows that swirled around her. “It wasn’t always like this. It was supposedly a wondrous land, a place where my people were able to understand and master the connection to the shadows. Over time, something changed.”
“What changed?”
“War. Ih battled with Lashasn, two nations that had once been separated.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Centuries.”
“It still looks like this?”
“The Lashasn are the precursors to the power that exists in Nyaesh.”
“The Elder Stone?”
Rayen nodded. “The history of that time is not well known. There was so much destruction, so much devastation, that everything that mattered was lost. Eventually, both Ih and Lashasn fell, leaving only Ih-lash in its wake. Even that didn’t last long.”
“The two peoples merged?”
“There was an attempt to merge, but how can you merge two people who have never trusted each other? It wasn’t possible. Instead of merging, there was nothing but more fighting. Rather than fighting openly, the fighting that took place after Ih-lash was founded ended up being on a smaller scale.” She wandered away from him, pausing from time to time to lean down and touch the rocks. Every time she did, Daniel waited, uncertain what she was attempting to determine, but then she would stand again, making her way further along the rock. “This was the heart of Ih long ago.”
“How can you tell?”
“Because it still steams,” she said.
He frowned, realizing that the haze wasn’t what he had thought. “This is from destruction caused by the Lashasn?”
She nodded. “Much of ancient Ih was destroyed, much like Lashasn was destroyed by my people.” She turned to him, standing and wiping her hands on her pants.
“What if the Elder Stone is here?”
“We’ve searched for it, but we haven’t been able to uncover it.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“Carth has plenty of theories. It’s possible that when Ih fell, they moved the stone. The people of that time were incredibly knowledgeable about their abilities, and more of them were shadow born than now.”
She stared off into the distance, shadows stretching away from her, and Daniel wondered what she was detecting. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe this was only her way of exploring a place that had meaning to her and her people.
She turned back to him. “My ability is more potent here.”
“How so?”
“I can stretch further away from myself than I normally can. I don’t know how much of that has to do with this location, or perhaps it’s simply that everything else has been burned away, leaving nothing but this blackened stone.”
The mention of the stone drew his focus back to the rock he had Slid here. He headed back the way they’d come and found the stone resting where he had emerged from the Slide. It blended into the landscape, though the silver striations within it caught the light. He ran his hands along the surface of the stone. There seemed to be something
metallic about it, though it wasn’t entirely metal.
“We can’t forget that,” Rayen said as she joined him.
“Do you think they used something from these lands to help them make it?”
“I doubt the shadows would prevent anyone from Sliding.”
“What if it isn’t just shadows?” He studied the stone, noticing how similar it looked to much of the rock around here. His fingers traced along the silver streaking through it. It was almost as if he could detect something within that silver, though what was it?
“What else prevents you from Sliding?”
Daniel stood, taking a step back as he eyed the stone. “Me personally?”
“Is it different for each person who can Slide?”
“Some are more powerful than others. Rsiran isn’t limited when Sliding. Neither is Lucy.”
“What prevents you from Sliding?”
“There is a naturally occurring metal many within Elaeavn know of. We call it heartstone.”
“I’m familiar with heartstone.”
“Well, in sufficient quantities, it makes it difficult to Slide.”
“This doesn’t look to be heartstone.”
Daniel studied the stone. Heartstone had a bluish hue to it, and this carried none of that. “No. I don’t think it is heartstone, though I don’t really know what it is.”
“Do we need the entire stone to study it?”
“Why?”
“Seeing as how you struggled to carry us here, I wonder if we could take a smaller sample and you would have an easier time of returning us to Nyaesh.”
“It’s possible,” Daniel said. But even if it were possible, there was value in taking the entirety of the stone. He needed to know just what the Ai’thol were intending with these stones, and if they only had a single one, and not even the entirety of it, it might not be possible to unravel the mystery.
“You don’t want to try.”
Daniel shook his head. “I think we need to bring all of it.”
Rayen watched him for a moment before shrugging. “I will leave it to you.”
“I’m not going to be able to Slide just yet.”
“I didn’t think you would.”
“It takes a while for me to recover after using such energy.”
The Elder Stones Saga Boxset: Books 1-3 Page 114
