Son of Truth (Follower of the Word)

by Morgan L. Busse

  He looked back at her face. Was she the dark pull? Was that why he could not feel her like he did the others, like a wisp in the fog?

  Caleb spun away from Velyni. He couldn’t handle both her intoxicating looks and the dark presence. His mind felt full of smoke. He took a faltering step toward the balcony. He needed to clear his head, breathe in fresh air.

  “Don’t leave. We have only just met.” Velyni swept past him and drew dark velvet curtains across the doorway.

  Caleb stopped.

  She turned. A smile crept across her face. “Stay for awhile. I would like to get to know you better, Caleb Tala.”

  Caleb could hear the full meaning of her words. His body reacted. Old desires caught fire inside of him. He took a step back and looked away. For the first time in his life, he found himself wishing he were a eunuch, to no longer be tempted by his flesh. Perhaps he could think more clearly if he were.

  He looked back at the curtains, his mind screaming run! Now!

  No. Caleb glanced at Velyni. He had to know for sure if she was the dark presence.

  Velyni let go of the curtains and walked toward him. “Corin is not a man to share what he has.” She moved until she stood right in front of Caleb. A feral smile crossed her lips. His mind started slipping away as his body reacted to her. “But he is not here right now. And what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” She laid her palm across his chest. “Just you and me.”

  His muscles tightened beneath her touch and he sucked in his breath. Sands! She felt human enough. He could feel the heat of her hand through his tunic. The battle deep in his belly raged into an inferno. Corin’s consort was offering herself to him. The old Caleb would have taken her in a heartbeat. But that man no longer existed. He was a Follower of the Word now. He was also an Eldaran, a Son of Truth.

  Oh, Word, please help me, Caleb screamed inside his mind.

  Velyni flinched. Then she placed her hand back on his chest, her face relaxing once more. Caleb frowned. Before he could respond to what he had seen, Velyni began to draw circles on his chest, moving her body closer until she was pressing against him. He could smell her bathing oils, very exotic, very expensive. Not at all like the soft floral scent Nierne wore.

  Nierne. Strange, Caleb thought, as Velyni’s hands began to move across his body, that he should be thinking of Nierne: her slightly upturned nose, dark grey eyes, the way her hair curled around her face, a deep and vibrant red…

  Caleb stepped back from Velyni. As much as he wanted to know if she was the dark pull, he no longer trusted himself. He shook his head and took another step back. “I’m sorry. This is not right.”

  Her fingertips traced the front of his tunic, leaving a trail of fire. “And why is that?”

  Caleb took another step back, out of reach of her hand. “Because there is no bond between us.” Time to go.

  Velyni laughed. “A bond? What do you mean ‘a bond’?”

  A roar filled his ears, drowning out her voice. The dark pull pressed down on him until Caleb felt like he was drowning. He had to get away, had to—

  Velyni reached up and placed her hands behind his head, pulling him down toward her face. His eyes went wide, and his breath stopped. Desire roared to life again. It had been so long…

  Caleb grabbed her hand. “Stop,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

  The moment he touched her hand, he knew. The flames inside him went dark and cold. He stared at Velyni.

  She was indeed the dark pull.

  29

  Caleb let go and took a step back. He crossed his arms and glared at her. “Who are you? What are you?”

  Velyni looked at him, shocked. “You can’t be…” She held her hand as if she had been burned. “You’re all dead.”

  Blazing heat raced through Caleb, ending at his right hand. His skin began to tingle. “What the—?” He looked down and found the mark on his palm glowing. A feeling stirred inside him as he stared at the light on his hand. Like a deep power shaking itself awake. Somehow he knew what to do, though he’d never done it in his life. He unfolded his arms and followed the instinct within him.

  Caleb moved his hand across his body and opened his palm. Velyni took another step back, her eyes pinned to his hand. Caleb brought his hand back horizontally across his body. The tingling sensation left his hand in the form of light that flowed from his palm in a single beam. Velyni hissed. When the beam reached half a meter in length, Caleb realized what it was forming. He closed his hand around the glowing hilt that had formed around his mark. It was a sword made of light, and it illuminated the dark room.

  “Veritas.” Velyni looked at him, and her eyes flashed red. “But how? All the Guardians are dead. I watched the last one die.”

  “Not all of them.” His mind felt detached from his body. He couldn’t believe he had just done that with his mark. He didn’t know how he’d done it, and yet it had felt so natural. Caleb grabbed the hilt with his other hand and held the sword between him and Velyni.

  Velyni glared. “But you are a Tala! There is no Eldaran blood in the Tala line.”

  “My mother was one,” Caleb said softly. “Corin and I share the same Tala blood, that is true. Our fathers were brothers. But my mother was not a Tala, nor even a Temanin. She came from the Great Desert.”

  Velyni hissed, and her eyes flashed red again. “No matter. You are no match for me, young one. You are new to this role, whereas I have been in the Lands for centuries.” She began to circle Caleb, her gaze darting between his sword and his face, the light reflecting off her eyes.

  Caleb watched her warily. What did she mean she had been in the Lands for centuries? He followed her with the tip of his sword.

  She kept out of reach of the blade, her gaze focused on his hand. “Is this really what you want, Caleb Tala?” She stopped and shifted her gaze to his face. “To be a pawn of the Word? I know the Tala men. You have…appetites. Do you really think you can live like that?”

  “What do you mean?” Caleb kept his sword between him and Velyni. His muscles tensed as he prepared to strike.

  She laughed and began to circle him again. Her words twisted their way into his mind. “The Word says to bond with just one woman. Can you live with just one woman?”

  Caleb hesitated.

  Velyni laughed. “I can see it on your face. I have been with your family for generations. I know your weakness.”

  Yes, he was weak. Caleb knew that. Look how fast he had succumbed to Velyni’s physical beauty when he had first entered the room. His sword felt suddenly heavy.

  Her smile widened. “But you do not have to be weak,” she said and continued to circle him. “I can make you strong.”

  “How?” Caleb said before thinking.

  “You are a Guardian, a Son of Truth. Your cousin Corin is simply a man. Compared to you, he is nothing.” She took a step closer to Caleb, but still out of reach of the glowing sword. “I would serve you in any way you like, Caleb. Give you my power, rid you of your enemies. Together, we could rule much more than only Temanin.”

  Caleb looked at Velyni. His heart thudded inside his chest.

  “Everything you want,” she whispered. “Gold, power…” She took a step closer. “Myself.”

  The sword lowered a bit in Caleb’s hands.

  “That’s right.” She slowly smiled. “Put Veritas away. There is no need to send me back.”

  He hesitated. Velyni’s words crawled through his skull, penetrating his very thoughts. The sword grew heavier in his hand. All he had to do was drop the sword…

  Caleb squeezed his eyes shut. Word, help me!

  A wave of cleansing heat washed over his body. The sword felt light again, like part of his arm. Her words evaporated from his mind.

  He snapped his eyes open. Velyni was so close she could touch him. Caleb swung his sword back up. Velyni jumped back, just clearing the area where his sword appeared in the air.

  “No.” His voice was firm. “I follow the Word now.”

 
Velyni growled. Her eyes swirled between black and red. Her body grew translucent until Caleb could see the couch behind her. “So you will throw everything away? You would choose death?” Her face looked like it was melting from her skull. He took a step back, repulsed. “What can the Word possibly offer you that I cannot?”

  True. The Word did not offer him gold. Or power. Or a dozen women. But the Word did give him the one thing he had needed most. “Forgiveness,” Caleb said, remembering the blood on his hands. “He has forgiven me. And given me a second chance.”

  Velyni screamed. Her body twisted unnaturally, and she began to spin. Caleb took another step back, holding his sword in place. Her eyes shot open. They were blood red now. How had he been attracted to this…monster?

  She spun faster and faster, her flesh pulling away and disappearing as if it had been flung off. A high-pitched shriek filled the air. Caleb covered one ear with his free hand. His eyes watered. With a final screech, Velyni disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

  The air slowly settled, and the shrieking stopped. Caleb staggered back and wiped his eyes. The pressure inside his head subsided. His ears popped. The candles had all been snuffed out, leaving the room dark except for the small area around his sword.

  He tensed and listened. Was she gone?

  “Then so be it, Caleb Tala.” Her voice came from all around. “My master has no need of you. He only desires the other Eldaran.”

  “Other?” He squinted into the dark, but could not see her.

  Velyni laughed. “The Truthsayer. She will be no help to you. I sent her to Thyra. You are all alone.”

  He felt a presence behind him, and Caleb spun around.

  A creature of whirling dark gas with red eyes hovered before him. “However, I will not leave without a fight.”

  Before Caleb could react, Velyni disappeared. He twisted his head right and left—

  “Ahhh!”

  He fell to one knee, gasping. It felt as though an icy dagger had been thrust into his back. The black shadow spun back into sight in front of him. “You are weak, Guardian.” Velyni hissed. “Weak.”

  The shadow creature cackled and spun out of sight again.

  Caleb stumbled to his feet. The coldness from his back began to spread toward his chest. He turned around, but could see no sign of Velyni. A breath of cold wind swept across the back of his neck. He spun around.

  Black vapors appeared and disappeared just beyond the light cast by his sword. Caleb breathed harder. The coldness continued to penetrate his body. He clenched the sword and gritted his teeth.

  Caleb caught sight of Velyni’s shadowed body to his left. He turned, swinging his sword toward her silhouette. She evaporated just as his sword reached her position.

  She laughed, the sound inhuman. “You cannot defeat me, young Guardian.” A frigid breeze touched his right cheek. Caleb turned toward her voice, but all he found was dissipating dark vapors. Velyni laughed again, and a sharp cold jab entered his side.

  Caleb gasped and fell to the floor. The icy coldness stole away his breath. It sliced through his middle, making his heart hurt with each beat. He tried to clear his mind and stand. The icy feeling intensified. He cried out and doubled over.

  “You should have chosen me.” Frozen fingers caressed his cheek. “I could have made you powerful. Now look at you.”

  Word, help me! Caleb panted. I can’t do this!

  Let go of yourself, Son of Truth. Let My power fill you.

  Caleb squeezed his eyes shut. Let go, let go, let… What did that mean? He struggled to get up again. One leg, then the other. He opened his eyes and gripped the sword. Velyni’s cold touch had left his side and back numb. His breath came out in cold, wispy vapors. He held his sword out and looked around. Nothing. Shadows danced on the walls. The balcony curtains fluttered to his right.

  Velyni laughed behind him. Caleb swirled around—

  A hand materialized from her smoke-like body and slammed into his chest. Caleb went flying back. He tried to twist—

  Crack. His face hit the low table. Hot blood gushed from his nose, filling his mouth with its metallic flavor. Caleb gagged and scrambled to his knees. His eyes stung with tears, and his nose throbbed. With his free hand he wiped his face.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Velyni appeared again. Caleb struck out with the sword. Its light cut through the dark, but missed her.

  She floated back and laughed. “You may have been a good assassin, but you are no Guardian, no Son of Truth.”

  Caleb staggered to his feet, panting, with blood still flowing from his nose. She’s right. You have no idea what you are doing. You have this sword but don’t know how to use it, or what it even does. He looked up. If the smoke-like Velyni had teeth in this form, he knew she would be smiling now.

  “I’ll give you one last chance.” The clouds swirled until Velyni’s human body formed from the smoke. Her eyes still glowed red, but she no longer looked like the monster from moments ago.

  Instead, she looked like Nierne. Her hair, which had been long and straight before her transformation, now lay in dark waves below her shoulders. Her nose was slightly upturned and her face very pale. Shadows hung across her like black silk, leaving little to the imagination.

  As if Velyni and Nierne had merged into this new, dark woman before him.

  Caleb took a step back, shocked. His mouth went dry, and he swung his gaze back to her face, pinning his eyes there, away from the rest of her body.

  Velyni held out a hand and smiled. “Join me. Take Corin’s place, rule Temanin and beyond, have everything your heart desires.”

  Caleb stared at her proffered hand, then down at the sword in his own. He might not understand who he was or the power he wielded, but he knew what he used to be: a cold, ruthless killer. A man who looked out for only himself and who stole from others, whose destiny was to be destroyed by those whom he had murdered.

  He shook his head and tightened his hand around the hilt. No. He would never go back. That was not him anymore.

  Caleb breathed in deeply. He looked up, bringing his sword with him and sliced the air in front of him. The arc of light almost caught her across the chest.

  She flew back, away from the reach of his sword. “You fool!” she screamed. “You reject me? Then I shall take everything from you.” She twisted, and her body dissipated into smoke and disappeared.

  Caleb stood there, listening. He twisted his head back and forth, and turned around. The room seemed empty. Nothing moved. Not even a breeze. The only things he could hear were the steady beat of his heart and the fountain. All he could feel was the intense cold in his back and side, the places where Velyni had touched him.

  Caleb slowly made his way toward the doorway that led to Corin’s bedchamber. Perhaps she had gone in there. He wasn’t going to wait around and let her come to him. He would find her first.

  A large, round bed filled the middle of the spacious room. Translucent gauze hung from a silver ring in the ceiling and encased the bed in sheer white film. Potted plants stood on either side of the doorway. Pale moonlight streamed from a window in the far wall. A changing screen stood in the corner, elaborate, with paintings of Azar across its canvas surface.

  What was she? He checked around the bed, his movement hampered by the increasing chill in his side and back. A banshee? A creature from the underworld? He moved toward the changing screen. Now he wished he had paid more attention to his teachers when he’d been younger. Perhaps he would know now what he was fighting. He’d always thought they had been stories meant for entertainment or to teach a lesson. Only to find out now that they were real. Very real.

  The gauze stirred around the bed. Caleb spun around and held up his sword. The gauze fluttered a moment longer then grew still.

  Caleb strained his eyes against the darkness and slowly turned. Where was she? He made his way toward the changing screen. Behind the screen he found only a dressing gown thrown across a wooden chair.

  The screen shook behind
him.

  Caleb turned.

  The screen went flying into the air.

  Velyni laughed, but he could not see her. “So you thought you could hide from me, Guardian?

  A gale force hit him across the back, throwing him into the air. Caleb crashed through the screens and hit the side of the bed.

  “I own the shadows.”

  Frigid wind slapped him across the face so hard his neck twisted to the side. His eyes watered, and his cheek smarted.

  “I know everything that moves in them.”

  Caleb staggered to his knees. “I wasn’t hiding—”

  A hand pierced his back. Caleb screamed. He felt like he was being picked up by his spine. His body turned and lifted from the ground.

  “And now you will die.”

  The invisible force launched him across the room. He flew halfway, hit the marble floor with a crack, and skidded to a stop near the wall.

  His breath was knocked from his lungs. Caleb stared at the ceiling, his mouth opening and closing like a fish on dry land. Aching coldness spread throughout his body. Velyni cackled nearby. She was right. He couldn’t do it. He was no Guardian. No Son of Truth. What was he thinking?

  You must let go of yourself, Caleb. Only My power is sufficient for you.

  A single tear formed in the corner of his eye. How? How could he let go of himself? He turned his head and looked at the wall. He was all he had ever known.

  And so you must let go.

  Caleb took a deep, shuddering breath and closed his eyes. He pictured the Word: the scars across His body, the gentleness in His eyes, the power he had felt, and the blinding light…

  He couldn’t defeat Velyni. But the Word could.

  Heat began to swirl inside Caleb’s chest, burning away the aching coldness. He waited a moment more, letting the warmth spread across his body. “Let go,” he whispered. “I must let go.”