“But you were a Dia once?” Malcolm asked.
She nodded. “Yes. I was a Dia once. But as a Dia I possessed the ability to enter spirit form whenever I wished, and when my earthly body was destroyed, I did not go to the Otherworld. Instead, I chose to wait for the time when you, my son, would become a true Dia.”
Malcolm’s head was spinning, and his heart still raced, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the specter. “How can this be?” Malcolm spoke more to himself than the woman. “I’ve never heard of any Revenant.”
The spirit nodded. “That’s because your teacher kept many things from you. Rowan was fearful you would become like your father, and while he tried to control your inborn nature, he should have known he could not meddle with fate.”
“And what is my fate then?” Malcolm asked.
She tilted her head. “Only the gods know that, my son. But they have given you the power to assist you on your path, I see.”
Malcolm sat up straighter, remembering his own strength and reproaching himself for fearing an apparition. “Can others see you?” he asked.
“No. I can possess the earthly bodies of others, but only for short periods of time. Only you can see me as I truly am, because you are my blood.”
“So then are you the presence we have felt these past months?”
She nodded. “Yes. The presence has been me all along. It was fortunate that the magistrate had Dia blood in him. It was a good distraction for the half-blood, Corbin. But I’m afraid you made a grievous error in letting that girl escape, Malcolm. She is the Keeper’s daughter and may hold the key to the coire. If not for me, she would have died in the forest, but I was able to restore her by using the body of the woman you just observed.”
Malcolm leaned forward. “Do you know where the coire is?”
“I don’t. But that girl might. And once you are able to find it, you can restore me to this world as I once was.”
“And that’s what you want?”
“Of course, son. Would you not want to breathe life back into your own mother?”
Malcolm frowned. “Are you not the same mother that left me?” he asked, feeling the bitter resentment of an abandoned child.
“No. I did not leave you. The girl’s mother, Ethnea, destroyed my body. I followed her after she killed your father. I sought revenge, but she was a strong Dia, and I could not defeat her. Then I watched from my current state as she crossed the sea and hid among the mortals. With your father and I dead, she thought she was safe, and so she weakened her powers to further veil her presence. But that got her killed in the end.”
“And what of Mara then? What shall I do with her?” Malcolm asked.
“You have her Light, and it is as strong as her mother’s once was. You can choose to give her only a portion of it in order for her to find the coire.”
Malcolm thought about this for a long moment. “And then what do I do with her?”
Daria smiled the same sly smile that so often crossed Malcolm’s lips. “Anything you want, my son.”
Mara and the others left their horses behind long before they reached the edge of Valenia forest. Corbin tried his best to veil them with his magic, but Mara knew Malcolm would see right through it. She was already certain he was onto them and would be waiting for them to arrive. They were all alert as they traveled. Mara and Corbin scanned the area ahead for any sign that Malcolm might already be with them, watching them like a falcon stalks its prey. But so far it seemed as though they were alone.
Mara tried to stay calm, but the closer they got to Valenia, the more her heart beat like a battle drum. She hoped her mother was watching over her, and wished that the gods were on her side, but the uncertainty was torturous.
She stayed close to Corbin, grasping for each passing moment together like it could soon be their last. If he was nervous, it didn’t show. Mara believed Corbin had a warrior’s heart, and he would fight until his last breath if it meant saving her.
What a terrible burden this was for her to bear, and so she came to the conclusion that she would have to fight Malcolm alone. It was the only way. Maybe this was what the old woman’s warning meant. Mara would have to give herself up to save Corbin. Even if she failed, she would make sure that he died along with her. At least then, the others would be safe.
Annora marched behind them, showing little evidence of fear. Mara looked back at her and smiled. Annora seemed like a different girl than the sad, timid child Mara knew at Valenia. Now she wore a sword on her back, and walked with a sure step that only comes when one has faced and conquered a crippling fear. Mara wondered if Annora’s courage came from the same place as her own. It was the kind of courage that arose from accepting either outcome the fates might decide. Mara didn’t care anymore for her own life, and if she had to give it to save the others, she would; it was living that scared her.
The silence among the travelers was finally broken when Corbin unsheathed his sword. Ailwen, Barrett, Drake, and Gareth did the same while Mara clutched her dagger so tightly in her hands that it made her fingers ache. Corbin had begged her to use a sword, but Mara was too weak and inexperienced to take such a risk. The dagger was the only thing she trusted.
When the familiar smell of salt came into the air, Mara raised her eyes to Corbin. They were close – very close. Corbin motioned for the group to come near and asked, “Are you ready? You can turn back now if you want.”
Drake looked to the others and shook his head. “No, son. We are with you.”
Corbin nodded. “Now remember, Malcolm has probably lowered the veil on Valenia, so Ailwen and Barrett, you won’t be able to see it anymore. You all should keep back, and I will try to draw him out. I can’t risk Annora, Mara, or myself getting trapped inside.” Corbin took a deep, thoughtful breath and looked at the men. “Now, listen carefully. If something should happen to me, you can’t fight Malcolm on your own,” he said gravely. “If I should die, you must promise to turn back and take Mara and Annora as far away from Valenia as you can. Do not let Malcolm capture either of them. Do you understand me?”
The mood among the group was heavy. “Aye,” Barrett said. “We swear it.”
Corbin turned to Mara. “You stay with me and don’t leave my side as long as I stand.” His eyes locked on hers for a long moment to let the unspoken words pass between them. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, but doing so might weaken her resolve. She was going to let him go in order to let him live. He would not be bound to her in death. But she kept these thoughts to herself.
When they came to the edge of the tree line, they stopped. Mara was shocked to see that Valenia was still visible to her. It was bathed in moonlight, as always. She turned to Corbin.“I can see it,” she whispered.
“How?” he said with a puzzled look.
Mara shook her head. “Can you see it, Drake?”
Drake stood agape at the sight before him and nodded. “Yes. I can see it,” he whispered.
“We can’t,” Ailwen said.
Mara nodded. “It must be because our souls are Dia,” she said.
Corbin tilted his head and listened. “There are others out there.”
Mara could hear the alarm in his voice. “Who—,” she began, but Corbin silenced her with his hand. “They’re waiting for us,” he said.
“Is it a trap?” Annora asked.
Corbin looked back through the trees. “Yes. But we can’t turn back now. They’re behind us, as well. Two of them…humans,” he said in a voice so low it was almost unheard.
“Are they all humans?” Barrett asked.
“Yes,” Corbin said.
Barrett tightened his grip on his sword. “Good. Then we should have no trouble getting through them.”
Corbin was the first to take a step forward. Mara walked behind him, and the others followed. Ailwen and Gareth walked backwards to keep an eye out for the two men hiding in the forest.
Corbin turned, locked eyes with Drake and pointed to the hidden entranc
e. “We will go over that way. If I have to go in after him, you can enter there when everything on the outside is safe. Be careful.”
They moved as quietly as possible towards Valenia when suddenly a brilliant flash of light sprang up from the highest point. Mara stopped and watched the white fire burn and gasped when she saw Malcolm step out of it. He glared down at them and let out a sinister laugh, which sent ripples of sound echoing through the air and bouncing off the ocean. Then he turned his blazing white eyes on Corbin. “Did you honestly think you were just going to walk in here?” He jumped up and floated down to a lower level. “I’ll tell you what, Corbin. Just give me Mara and I will kill you with mercy and let the rest of this pathetic display go free.”
Mara shivered with dread. Malcolm looked demonic and his eyes seemed to burn through her. Her throat went dry upon hearing his voice and she realized she was holding on to Corbin’s arm so tightly she almost dug into his flesh.
“Stay calm,” she whispered to Corbin. She could see the scorching hatred in Corbin’s eyes, and heat began to emanate from his body.
He turned his vivid blue eyes on her and said, “I’ll stay calm, you stay close.”
Mara knew his anger well when it had been her own. It was the same anger that controlled her on the day she killed the sheriff, and now she could see the same change in Corbin’s face. He no longer resembled a mortal man; he was now more like a creature, all instinct and no reason.
“Come down here, you coward!” Corbin growled at Malcolm.
Malcolm threw his head back with laughter. “I am the coward? You didn’t trust your instincts when you had the chance, brother. But you were too scared to act on what you already knew about me, weren’t you? And now you bring women to fight with you? I hardly think I am the coward here.”
Mara looked over to the base of Valenia. Something moved in the shadows, but before she had a chance to warn Corbin, three men emerged and charged at them. Mara whirled around to see two more men running at them from the forest. Ailwen and Barrett turned to face the two with their swords drawn.
Mara shot a look to Annora. “Go and hide, Annora.” She pointed to a clear path between Valenia and the beach. “You can’t fight these men.”
Annora nodded and ran around to the other side of Valenia.
Mara turned back to Corbin. His sword started to glow blue just as a tall, dark-haired man stepped from the secret entrance of Valenia. He held his head high and leapt down to the ground as if he was a Dia himself. Corbin’s head jerked in surprise and then he braced himself for the man’s approach.
Mara stayed as close as she could, but the chaos going on around her pulled her attention in every direction. She could hear the clash of steel on steel behind her as Barrett, Ailwen, Drake, and Gareth fought off the other men, and she watched with terror as the tall man approached Corbin with an expression of utter defiance. How was he not afraid of Corbin or his gleaming sword?
The tension between the two men was almost unbearable. Mara took a step back when Corbin charged towards him in full attack. His sword met Corbin’s with a loud clang, but the man didn’t falter. He was unnaturally quick on his feet, and he parried each and every one of Corbin’s blows, and followed it with an equally fierce retaliation. It was then Mara became aware of the lull behind her. She looked back to see all of the men watching the spectacle of the two warriors.
Mara clenched her fists when a sudden scream ripped through the air. Her eyes darted around, looking for the source. “Annora,” she cried.
Corbin was gaining ground with the dark-haired man, and was forcing him backwards with each severe and sudden blow.
Mara swallowed hard. Now was her chance. She hid her dagger under her cloak, and before anyone could make a move to stop her, she bolted towards the hidden entrance of Valenia.
“Mara, no!” Corbin shouted as another clash of swords rang out.
She didn’t look back. Mara climbed the levels of rock as quickly as her mortal body would allow, and slipped through the door of the darkened passageway. “Please watch over him,” she whispered in the dark. “Please keep him safe.”
She pulled open the heavy door.
The great hall was as she had last seen it, cold and dark. She knew where Malcolm would be, and walked towards the doorway that led to the long dining hall. Annora’s cry was the first sound to reach her ears before she entered the room, and when she stepped in, the light from hundreds of candles and torches made the space seem as if it was on fire. The long table was gone, and at the end of the room Malcolm stood, clutching Annora by the hair.
“Mara!” Annora cried. “Run. Go back.”
Malcolm shook Annora violently. “You had better shut your mouth, you wretched bitch.”
“Let her go, Malcolm,” Mara demanded, trying to conceal the tremor in her voice. “She’s not the one you want.”
His blazing eyes fell on Annora and then back to Mara. “You are right.” He smirked, picked Annora up by the hair and flung her across the room. She sailed through the air, crashed into the stone wall and tumbled to the floor.
Mara took a step towards Annora, but before she even saw Malcolm move, he was next to her, crushing her in his preternatural grip.
Mara tried to pull away from him and screamed when he gripped her tighter. He laughed and finally loosened his grip, spun her around and held her from behind. She squirmed, but his arms were too rigid to escape.
Malcolm buried his face in her hair and breathed. “Oh, you really don’t want to offend me. I promise you don’t.” He whirled her back around to face him, and brushed the hair away from her face. “I genuinely frighten you, don’t I?” he asked in a low whisper. He grabbed her wrists and used his Light to change forms. For a brief moment, he became hazy and then Mara gasped when he took the shape of Corbin. She gritted her teeth and turned away, but Malcolm grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him.
“Is this better?” He ran his hands down the length of her body. “Maybe I should have come to you like this. Then perhaps you would have been more accepting of our arrangement.”
Mara scowled at him and gritted her teeth as she tried to get her arm free from his grasp.
“You can’t fight me, Mara. Haven’t you realized that yet?” Malcolm threw his head back and laughed, causing the neckline of his robe to dip, exposing the Lia Fáil. Mara’s eyes locked on it. She took a deep, bitter breath and let herself fall into his embrace. “Let them go, Malcolm. I promise I will stay with you,” she said, doing her best to sound defeated.
“Now, now,” he scolded as he let the image of Corbin melt back into his own. “That was the deal we had before, and you didn’t keep your word. I would have kept mine, but now everyone is going to suffer for your lies.”
“Please Malcolm,” Mara begged, trying to inch her hand towards the stone.
Malcolm shook his head. “I’m sorry, my love. Begging won’t work on me now.”
Mara gave Malcolm the most desperate, conquered look she could manage when Malcolm spun her towards the door. Corbin ran into the room and right on his heels was the powerful warrior, his sword still drawn. “Mara,” Corbin shouted, his eyes on fire. He tried to take a step forward, but Malcolm raised his hand, creating a barrier between them.
“Excellent!” Malcolm exclaimed with a laugh. He brushed his lips against Mara’s ear and whispered, “Now you’ll get to watch me take Corbin’s Light too.” He let go of one of her wrists and with a hand behind her head, he crushed his lips to hers.
Mara pushed against him and wrapped her fingers around the stone. The heat from it seared her skin, but she held on and tugged at it just as Malcolm flung her away. The stone slipped from her grasp.
“Eli, hold her.” Malcolm pushed Mara into the arms of the soldier and said, “Make sure she watches this.”
The man named Eli grabbed Mara and pinned her wrists to her chest so that she faced Malcolm and Corbin.
Malcolm dropped the invisible barrier. “This should be quick,” he s
aid with a sneer.
Corbin took a step forward, glaring with his torrid cobalt eyes, and he lurched towards Malcolm with both hands on the hilt of his vibrant sword. “Come on, Malcolm. Now’s our time to settle this,” he challenged.
Malcolm smirked and formed a white ball of light in his hands. He hurled it at Corbin, knocking the sword from his grasp. It skidded across the floor. “We don’t need our weapons for this, do we, brother? I do seem to recall you being quite skilled with your Light.”
Corbin roared and dashed with preternatural speed, but Malcolm leapt into the air and hovered until he landed on the other side. “You can do better than that, Corbin…or actually…why don’t you ask Mara who can do it better?” His lip curled into a wicked grin.
Corbin took deep, angry breaths, and from his hands he shot a bright blue ball of light. It swept through the air, but Malcolm easily stepped aside with a laugh. Corbin growled with anger and charged at Malcolm again with almost the same speed as the light. Their bodies collided in a thunderous crash, nearly knocking Malcolm across the room.
Eli dragged Mara several steps backwards towards the safety of the doorway when Malcolm and Corbin clashed again and landed on the ground in front of them.
“Let go of me!” Mara shrieked. She tried to bite his hands and then throw her head back to hit Eli’s face, when suddenly a glint on the floor caught her eye. Not ten paces away from where she stood was the stone, laying on the ground. It glowed with a soft white light as if it was calling out to her.
Mara looked away from it and back to Corbin and Malcolm.
The two of them were moving almost faster than her mortal eyes could see. Even Eli’s head darted back and forth, trying to follow the two battling Dia.
Mara began to twist her body in an attempt to break free from Eli, but he tightened his grip. “Stop moving or I’ll break your arm,” he warned, bending her wrist back at an impossible angle. She screamed out and tried to bite him again.
The Darkness of Light Page 24
