The Embers of Light

by Tammy Farrell

  He must have caught her reaction, because he gave her a strange look. “The new Dia, of course. When you give the others Light.”

  Relieved, Mara let out her breath. “Yes, of course.”

  “You truly are the mother of all Dia.”

  Mara gave a half-smile and a quick nod.

  Corbin took a step closer, his hand caressing her cheek. “I shall see you before sundown, my lady.”

  When Corbin left, the room suddenly felt cold again. Mara gave the fire just a glance and it flared up. The moment of peace had passed and now she sat, staring into the flames, wishing her spirit, her soul was free again.

  Corbin and Ailwen walked down the mountain along the sloping path and through the valleys until they reached the river. They found a narrow crossing and waded through the water.

  Past the mountain and over the rocky hills, small cottages dotted the land. They made their way to a sheep farm nestled on the far side of a steep hill. The little cottage with the red door sat on the edge of a grain field with a cowshed, much larger than the little house on one side, and a pen for the sheep on the other.

  A bearded man in tanned leather was loading sacks of wool onto a cart while his herding dog slept in front of the cottage door. The smell of fresh baked bread filled the air.

  “Greetings, Howell,” Corbin said. “How do you fare this afternoon?”

  Howell nodded and waved. “Very well, sir, now that the rain has lifted.” He loaded another sack onto the cart with a heavy grunt. “Here for your horses, is yah?”

  “We are,” Corbin said.

  “It looks like your sheep have yielded you a good return this season,” Ailwen said.

  Howell tilted his head. “Aye, and I’d expect me ewes will each give a lamb come the end of the month.” Howell gave another grunt. “The gods have smiled on us this year.”

  Six more sacks rested next to the cart. Corbin and Ailwen helped Howell put them in, and when they were finished, Howell slapped the dust off his hands and waved the men to follow him to the cowshed. “They’ve been restless today. The storm must have rattled them,” he said.

  Howell asked no questions of Corbin or Ailwen. The man was under Mara’s spell¸ and neither he nor his wife ever wondered about the strangers on the mountain, or why they were paid so handsomely to care for their horses.

  Corbin would have liked to keep the horses at Ayrith, but the steep mountain was no place for horses to graze and run.

  The last four stalls, past the cow pen, were for the horses. Corbin’s horse, Findias, nickered and stamped his hoof as soon as he saw them. Corbin opened the stall and pulled Findias out. He patted the animal’s shiny black coat. “He looks well enough,” Corbin said. “A little thunder wouldn’t frighten you, eh Findias?” The horse snorted and nudged Corbin.

  A gray barn cat sat in the corner, licking a litter of kittens stumbling around her. Perfect for Isa, Corbin thought.

  “Are they weaned?” Corbin asked.

  Howell tipped his head. “Aye, just last week.”

  “May I take one of them?” Corbin asked.

  “Take ‘em all if you’d like. She births ‘em faster than I can keep up.”

  “Many thanks,” Corbin said. “I’ll pick one when we return.”

  Ailwen and Corbin saddled the horses and secured their packs. “We’ll be back before sundown,” Corbin said to Howell.

  The man nodded and waved as Corbin and Ailwen rode off.

  Their horses walked unhurried along the rocky path. Corbin remained quiet for a while, letting his horse amble up and down the hills, then Ailwen said, “I never thanked you for getting me out of that mine. I should have moved quicker.” Ailwen pressed his lips together with regret. “I was careless.”

  Corbin waved him off. “There was no way you could have known, my friend. You were brave to go in there in the first place.” Corbin smiled. “And besides, even as boys we knew never to leave a brother behind.”

  “Yes,” Ailwen said, looking off. Then he grinned. “Although, I suppose you did owe me a debt for saving you from that old crone. What was her name?”

  Corbin’s brows came together. “What old crone?”

  Ailwen laughed. “Ah, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten? You must have been at least a lad of eight.”

  Corbin smirked as the memory came back to him. “D’you mean Madge Brewster?”

  Ailwen laughed and slapped his thigh. “Ah yes, Madge. Old Crone Brewster. She would have beaten you bloody with that broom for stealing her ale had I not come to your rescue. You cowered like a wet cat, you did.”

  “I did nothing of the sort,” Corbin said and laughed. “I was simply trying to get a better peek at her daughter through the boards.”

  “I’m sure,” Ailwen mocked. “But you still would have been bloody had I not scattered her chickens.”

  Corbin laughed. “Then I guess we’re even.”

  “Dead even,” Ailwen said, nudging his horse up a hill. He took in a breath and exhaled. “I think that wedding might have put ideas in Annora’s head.”

  Corbin nodded. “I see you’ve not yet tired of her. Could it be that my wild friend has been tamed?”

  Ailwen shrugged with a half-smile. “Tamed? I don’t know about that. She’s still just a girl.”

  “She’s eighteen. Many girls marry sooner than that,” Corbin said.

  “Yes. But I am not the kind of man to sully young women.”

  Corbin lifted a questioning brow at his friend.

  Ailwen chuckled. “When night falls I remain in my chamber, as does she in hers. I swear on my honor that her virtue is still intact,” he said, striking a fist to his chest.

  “Then by your honor I believe you,” Corbin said.

  “She is a beauty, though,” Ailwen remarked. “I will say it hasn’t been easy. She clings to me like ivy. I’m afraid I won’t be able to resist her much longer.”

  “Do you love her?” Corbin asked with a side look.

  Ailwen thought for a moment. “I do love her. But what does love mean for us? If we become Dia, we are destined to live many lifetimes. It’s a prospect far greater than any mortal man could commit to.”

  Corbin smirked, understanding Ailwen’s reservations. “But soon you won’t be a mortal man. Mara wishes to give you the Light this very night.”

  Ailwen’s eyes widened. “I was beginning to think she wouldn’t. Why the sudden need?”

  “The accident,” Corbin said simply. “Is it what you want?”

  Ailwen nodded. “It is.” He paused. “Does it ever bother you?”

  Corbin clicked his tongue at Findias. “Does what bother me?”

  “Her power,” Ailwen said, looking ahead. “Drake says she is the strongest sort of Dia. It must be difficult to live by her command.”

  Corbin chuckled. “By her command? Is that how you think it works? Any man, mortal or not, bitten by love lives by his paramour’s command. You know that well enough already, don’t you?”

  “I do,” Ailwen said with a smile. “By the gods, I do.” He let out a long breath and looked up. “I suppose it’s better than an arranged marriage. Remember the ladies of our village? Some had faces that would frighten a devil.”

  Corbin laughed and gave a knowing nod. “We are fortunate, my friend. But you must remember, only a weak man fears a strong woman. We are their protectors, but as Dia, the women are the mothers of power.”

  Ailwen nodded thoughtfully.

  “And also, don’t forget that I am the Keeper’s guardian. Mara needs me as much as I need her. We all have our roles to play.”

  “Your loyalty is admirable,” Ailwen said teasingly.

  “You’d be wise to heed my words, friend. An unhappy woman makes for many rainy days.”

  Ailwen looked up at the clear sky. “In your case, I suppose that’s true.”

  “And besides, if you can find a woman who can endure your stench, I say keep her.” Corbin kicked Findias to a gallop and laughed.

  The day
dragged on until finally, the moon hung high above the mountain. Mara walked into the great hall where the others awaited her. Peaked marble arches encircling the immense room opened to the night sky, and the dozens of torches lit between the pillars gave the room an ethereal glow.

  Mara’s silk slippers made no sound on the smooth marble as she approached the dais. Two wide golden chairs sat atop the platform, one adorned with an amber star and the other an emerald moon. These were the same stones that ornamented the coire, the dagger that kept the Keeper’s power. Looking at the stones, Mara’s hand instinctively moved to the dagger hiding within her skirts. The coire’s power was alive inside her now, but the ancient weapon that had once contained it was always with her.

  The gilded chairs were undoubtedly once the seats of Dia kings and queens. There had been nights since coming to Ayrith that Mara would sit under the stars of the hall, looking at that throne, studying it, but never daring to sit on it.

  What must it have been like in the days when the Dia needed rulers? And what made those rulers abandon their throne, abandon their kind? The throne always kept its secrets under Mara’s watch—captivating her and terrifying her at the same time.

  Corbin stood at the head of the room, while Annora, Ailwen, Barrett, and Gareth were already gathered before the dais. Little Isa burst into the hall with her eager steps smacking the floor and her brown curls bouncing around her pretty face as she cradled a gray kitten in her arms.

  “Do I get to become a Dia, too?” she asked.

  Mara smiled and patted her head. “You are only seven. That’s far too young to carry the Light of a Dia.”

  Isa frowned. “How old do I have to be?”

  “Well, I was in my twentieth year when I gained the full power of my Light.”

  Isa counted in her mind with pursed lips. “That’s a long time away.”

  Mara nodded. “It may seem that way, but you are a descendant, so you have Dia blood in you already. Maybe you’ll get lucky and it will come to you sooner.” Mara gave her a playful wink. “Don’t worry, Little One. I will make sure you have the Light when you’re ready.”

  Isa’s cheeks lifted in a wide grin as they reached the others.

  “Did you hear that, Corbin? I will have magic like Mara someday,” Isa chimed.

  Corbin bent down and picked her up. “I did. And I’m certain you’ll make a wonderful Dia.” He hugged her, scratched the kitten on its head, and set her back down on her feet.

  Mara’s heart filled with happiness as she looked at Isa. The girl had been to the Otherworld, murdered by one of the magistrate’s men, and two years on, the little one seemed to have no recollection of her murder, her time in the Otherworld, or being brought back to life.

  Isa sat on the floor to play with her kitten when Drake walked in the room. He paused at the doorway, looking at them all, and then approached Mara.

  “I didn’t know if you’d come,” Mara said to him.

  He dipped his head. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  Mara gave him a grateful nod and with Corbin beside her, she mounted three of the five steps that led to the throne. The room was silent, the apprehension among the humans thick in the air.

  “Will it hurt?” Annora asked, her deep blue eyes wide like saucers.

  Mara looked to Corbin for an answer.

  He shook his head. “No, it shouldn’t.”

  Annora exhaled and glanced at Ailwen who took her hand and smiled reassuringly. “There’s no need to worry, my sweet.”

  Annora blushed and moved a piece of golden hair from her face to reveal the star-like scar etched near her eye. Once a wide burn, Mara had used her Light to heal it, leaving the smallest star to remind Annora of her strength.

  Barrett and Gareth stood like soldiers before Mara, with their shoulders pulled back and their hands at their sides.

  Mara took a breath and looked from Corbin to Drake, trying to hide the nerves storming inside her. She’d given the Light to Corbin and he survived it. She knew how to do it. She trusted her power. But there was a touch of doubt in her mind she couldn’t seem to shake.

  Drake gave her a solemn nod and Mara turned back to her friends, taking a step towards them and calling upon her Light. Her entire body began to warm and tremble with power. It was more power than she’d ever summoned before, but still it rose easily, like a column of fire within her, until it reached her hands, ready to spill out.

  She steadied herself before Barrett as he watched her, his smiling eyes wide and his bearded cheeks stretched in a nervous grin. Mara put a hand on his shoulder and he bent down on one knee and bowed his head. “My lady,” he said.

  “You are a good man, Barrett,” Mara said, her voice ringing out with unearthly power. “May the gods bless you.”

  The green light emerged from her hands. She touched the top of Barrett’s head and a shiver ran through her body as the Light passed on to him. She pulled her hand away and watched as the Light worked its way over him like a mist. The magical glow hovered around Barrett for only a moment and then it vanished.

  Barrett waited with his head still down.

  Mara sensed the bated breath of everyone in the room. But she had no fear.

  Her Light worked.

  When Barrett stood, she took in a measured breath. His smiling brown eyes were now ringed with an amber glow, and the lines on his face had become smooth, youthful. He grinned at her and looked himself over, giving a loud sigh of relief.

  Mara laughed, touched his shoulder, and moved on to Gareth. This was the man who’d almost taken her life—an unintended act, which Mara had forgiven.

  His gaze was downcast. She could still feel his guilt radiating from him like ocean mist. She lifted his chin to look at her. “Gareth, you fault yourself too severely. You risked your life for me against—” She paused, unable to say the name. “At Valenia,” she said in its place. “Accept my gift of thanks, and please, let go of the past.” Mara noted the irony of her own words and shook the thought away.

  Like Barrett, Gareth dropped to one knee. Mara gave him the Light and when he rose up, he too looked changed. He blinked several times and held out his hands, feeling the power now flowing through him like blood. “Thank you,” he said in a quivering voice.

  Mara took a step towards Annora, touched the tiny scar below her eye, and smiled. “I owe you my life. The scared girl I once met has become a brave woman. You are an inspiration to me. Your courage is what gave me my life, and it is now with gratitude that I give you yours.”

  Annora bowed her head and Mara touched her, letting the mist of Light trickle over her. But as the Light made its way through Annora, Mara suddenly felt her legs go weak, her eyes blur. She gritted her teeth against it and forced her Light to travel through Annora. It hovered a moment until it melted away with a shiver. When Annora lifted her eyes, Mara steadied herself, and took in a breath to gather her strength.

  She examined her progeny closely.

  Annora was a descendant of Dia, but her bloodline had been long diluted by mortal blood. Her power had been weak before, but now she stood before Mara with eyes that sparkled like sapphires, and skin that gleamed like polished marble.

  Ailwen stared at Annora, his eyes wide with fascination. He grabbed her hand, squeezed it, and let go when Mara stepped before him. Ailwen smiled and dropped to his knee.

  Mara took a deep breath, fighting to overcome the weakness in her limbs. “Ailwen, you have been like a brother to Corbin, and that makes you a brother to me. May the gods bless you.” She touched the top of his flaxen hair and just as the Light surrounded him, she felt an unexpected draw on her energy.

  She couldn’t control it, couldn’t slow it down.

  Mara went still, with her hand on his head, unable to pull away. The blood drained from her face and her arms quivered as the Light gushed out of her like a waterfall. She closed her eyes, her body tensed, and then with all of her strength, she struggled against it until her hand was free.

  She turne
d back and found Corbin, who smiled at her, seemingly unaware of what had just happened. She clenched her fists to still the trembling in her hands. Did they not see what had just happened? Her head was heavy with exhaustion.

  Ailwen pushed himself up and his dark blue eyes locked with hers. “You have my eternal gratitude,” he said with a smile.

  Mara paused and wrinkled her brow. Ailwen looked no different than the others. The power was flowing through him, that much she could see. She tried to focus in on his thoughts, but heard nothing, his Dia mind now forever closed to her.

  A gentle touch on her arm startled her.

  “Are you all right?” Corbin asked.

  Mara forced a smile at Corbin, and glanced back at Drake. His expression was flat, giving her no reassurance.

  “Yes,” she said. “I just felt so very drained a moment ago.”

  Corbin rubbed her arm affectionately. “What you did must have taken a lot of your energy.”

  “Yes,” she said, feeling a little strength return to her. She examined the new Dia. They were alive with power and Light as they stood before her. “How do you feel?” she asked them.

  “Wonderful,” Annora said.

  Isa wandered over to Annora and tipped her head back to look at her. Annora knelt down and let Isa touch her face.

  “You look so beautiful,” Isa said, “like a princess.”

  Annora laughed. “Well, thank you, little dove.”

  “Well?” Ailwen said, cracking his knuckles and putting his hands on his hips. “Let’s see what we can do with this Light.”

  Corbin clapped his hands. “Yes, we shall,” he said with excitement. “Now we can begin your real training.”

  Mara looked over her shoulder. Drake had left the room. She felt herself shudder from deep within.

  A rumble of thunder rolled through the open sky overhead.

  “I think I need a moment alone,” she said to Corbin. “I need some rest after using all of that power.”

  Corbin moved closer, touched her arm and leaned in. “Are you sure you’re all right?” he whispered.

  Mara nodded and put on a smile. “I am. I’m just tired.”