“Don’t be so certain of that,” came a voice from the throne.
They spun around to see Kain appear on the dais as if from nowhere. Daria, Seren, and the Dia Malcolm had called Davina appeared from the private chamber and took a place next to the treacherous Cian.
It was a sight that made Corbin’s lip twitch and his fists clench. These creatures had invaded his home, taken the bodies of his friends, and now stood before him like some scheming royal assemblage.
“I see you’ve recovered from your stay in the vault,” Kain said, eyeing them with amusement. “It’s amazing how fragile our Light is. It can ignite the world, and then be blown out like a dying candle.” He took a seat on the throne as though it had always been his. “My son is grateful to have his Light returned, I’m sure. If anyone knows the delicacy of our power, it’s him.” Kain cast a sidelong glance at Malcolm, who now stood at the table beside the dais, pouring himself a drink.
Malcolm raised the cup in his hand with an exaggerated lift of his brow. “Indeed, I do,” he said before taking a large draft of wine.
Kain rested his hands on the arms of the throne chair and tilted his head at Corbin. “That sword won’t win you any battles here, I’m afraid.”
Corbin stiffened. “It’s my understanding that we’ve not come to fight, but to make a truce.”
“A truce. Yes,” Kain said. “If by truce you mean that you give me the power, and I give you your lives…”
Mara touched Corbin’s arm, her eyes locked on his for a moment, telling him to trust her.
“The coire will be yours,” Mara said, her voice as steady as an oak. “And the Ruler’s stone, as well.”
The corner of Kain’s lip curled. “But, you’ve come with conditions, I gather?”
Mara let go of Corbin’s arm and took a step forward. “Yes.”
Kain looked amused, his black eyes glistening. “And what conditions are those?”
“We want Ailwen and Annora back,” Mara said, staring at him with unflinching resolve. “We want them as they were. You’ve already taken the life of one of our friends.” Her voice cracked. “We will not walk away from here without the others.”
Kain tilted his head back in thought and then looked back at Mara. “I could send you back down to the pits if that’s your wish.”
Drake cleared his throat. “But then you will never get the power you need, Kain. You will be no more than a jester sitting on a king’s throne.”
Kain’s face darkened. “Is that so? Interesting choice of words, old friend.”
“You know it’s the truth,” Mara said. “You may have the ability to imprison us, but you do not have the power to take my Light.”
Daria shrugged. “Time, my darling, even wears away the strongest of stones. Your mother was once as strong, and where is she now? Nothing but ash.”
Davina and Seren smirked at each other.
Mara look unfazed by the jab and kept her eyes fixed on Kain. “We will not leave without Ailwen and Annora. Either make this deal, or it will be death for one of us. I don’t care which.”
Kain pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, outwardly lost for words. He put a hand to his chin, and then glanced at Malcolm who was still tilting back cups of wine. “Look at my progeny,” Kain said irritably. “He gets his Light back and stands in my presence like a tormented man washing down his sins.”
Malcolm’s face twisted with virulent hate as he set the cup down on the table. “There are many to mollify, and many more to come, I’m sure.”
Kain shook his head reprovingly. “I’ll tell you something, Mara, your proposal is less than tempting, and I cannot agree to it. I can’t give you your friend back. I am him now. He is me. There is no saving either of them.”
Mara shook her head. “There is another way. A solution that gives us both what we want.”
“I doubt that,” Kain said.
“I’m not finished,” Mara said commandingly. “Ailwen is a Dia, but he has a mortal soul. Wouldn’t you prefer to have the body of a true Dia? The body of one who also has your blood running through his veins?”
Kain’s eyes widened with intrigue as her gaze shifted to Malcolm.
Malcolm dropped his hand to his side. “You can’t mean me?” His mouth dropped as he looked from Mara to Kain. “That’s not what we agreed to.”
Mara nodded. “My apologies. But it’s time you paid for you offenses.”
Malcolm took a step towards the dais. “Father, just take her power and kill them. They are playing games with you.”
Kain stared at Malcolm for a moment, the wheels of thought turning in his mind. “And what of my wife?” he asked Mara.
She pointed to Seren. “There is another Dia who can take Annora’s place, and a very gifted one, Corbin tells me.” There was venom in Mara’s tone.
Kain stroked his chin in thought.
“You can’t honestly be considering this,” Daria said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Malcolm is your son.”
Kain shook her hand away. “He is your son, Daria. No son of mine would have lost all of his Light to a woman.”
“Take the body of Tristan,” Daria shouted, pointing to Tristan standing near the throne room door. “He is a Raven. Surely that kind of power would be useful.”
“He is weak, Daria! He follows that girl around like a beaten dog,” Kain growled. “Now keep your mouth shut or I will banish you to the vault until you know your place.”
Corbin remained perfectly still, suppressing the urge to speak up. His gaze darted between Mara and Kain. Both of them showed little expression, stone-faced Dia standing off against one another. As much as he wanted to protect her, to take his sword to the intruder’s neck, this was her game to play.
“Well?” Mara said. “Give us our friends and you can have your power.”
“I think we may have a deal,” Kain said evenly.
Malcolm threw his pewter cup on the ground. “Liars! Traitors!” he spat. “You are worthy of nothing. I help you and you trade me off?” He took a step towards Mara and Corbin, but Kain shot out a hand, stopping him in his tracks.
“What—” Malcolm began as Kain got to his feet and descended from the dais.
“Malcolm, you must understand, sometimes we have to make sacrifices to get what we want,” Kain said. “Fortunately for me, I don’t have to sacrifice much.”
Malcolm struggled to break free from the invisible hands holding him in place. “They will betray you like they’ve betrayed me!” he cried.
“I’m sorry, son,” Kain said with mock sympathy. “It seems that you have more value than I thought.”
Before Malcolm had a moment to respond with more pleas, Ailwen’s body fell to the floor and a black plume of smoke emerged from his lips like a ghost rising from the grave.
Malcolm watched it, horrified. “What have you done?” he cried, his eyes darting from Mara to Corbin. “What have you done?”
The black fog settled on Malcolm, hovering over him like a shadow and as he fell backwards, it followed. There was no escaping it. Kain’s spirit had a hold of him, soaking into Malcolm’s body as though it were a sponge.
Corbin and the others watched in expectant silence, while Davina, Daria, and Seren stared with wide, fearful eyes as Malcolm convulsed on the floor.
Corbin felt a surge of hope rise within him, a sense of victory close at hand. Everything was falling into place, and the sight of Malcolm so fearful and helpless was better than he’d imagined.
Gasps and cries came from Daria as Kain’s spirit invaded Malcolm’s body, and when the violent shaking finally stopped, Malcolm’s eyes opened to reveal fiery, black irises. The sinister eyes looked around the room. “Ah yes,” Kain said, stretching out Malcolm’s arms. “I can feel my own blood coursing through his veins.”
Daria ran towards him as he got to his feet. “This isn’t right,” she hissed. “You can’t do this to your own son.”
Kain smiled behind Malcolm’s eyes. “Tread lightly, dear wife. We must ke
ep our promises.” He pointed a finger at her and a ribbon of black Light sprang out and wrapped itself around her.
“Stop it!” Daria cried as she thrashed against the Light encircling her. “Let me go!”
Right before Corbin’s eyes, Daria’s spirit began to emerge, dropping Annora’s body to the floor.
Unlike the black smoky shape of Kain’s spirit, Daria stood before them, scowling in her Revenant form. She looked up to her sister on the dais, her eyes begging for help.
Davina shrugged. “No worries, sister. I’m sure my daughter won’t mind lending her body to the new Dia queen,” she said. Her eyes followed Seren, who was attempting to slip by unnoticed.
Kain’s hand shot up. “Silence, witches. Daria will take a body when I command it. For now, let her remember what it’s like to be a specter.” Kain turned his attention back to Mara. “You have your friends back.” He motioned to Annora and Ailwen, unconscious on the floor. “Now you must keep up your end of the bargain.”
“Of course,” Mara said with a nod.
Corbin held his breath, waiting for what should come next.
Kain frowned with Malcolm’s face, and rubbed his hand to his throat. “Good,” he said hoarsely. He coughed and tried to clear his throat. “What is—” He broke off in another fit of coughing, and clutched his stomach. “What—” He dropped to one knee, gagging. “What have you done to me?” he croaked.
Corbin and Drake grinned at one another. Corbin loosened his grip on his sword and gave a knowing nod to Tristan. “Hemlock,” he said to the retching intruder. “It’s lethal to humans, but to a Dia, it’s a powerful sedative.”
Mara nodded as Kain shot her an angry glare. “Malcolm has been willingly drinking it this whole time.”
Drake withdrew his sword and turned to Tristan in the doorway. “Now,” he said.
Tristan gave a nod and opened the door.
Silas and Eira swept through the room like a warm breeze.
“It can’t be!” Davina cried.
This was the first time Corbin had seen the ancient Dia. They were even more ethereal than Mara had described. His gaze shifted from Davina to Eira. Apart from their clothing, they were mirror images of one another. Both had hair that gleamed like polished gold and ivory skin set against bright amber eyes.
“How unfortunate it is to see you, sisters,” Eira said, looking from Daria to Davina. “Things haven’t changed much over the years, have they?”
Davina put the back of her hand to her mouth, at a loss for words.
“I think you know the ancients,” Drake said to Kain who was still struggling to take in a breath. “You know them quite well, don’t you, old friend?”
Kain fell to the floor, coughing and spitting. “Do you think they can banish me?” he wheezed. “I will return again and again.” He gritted his teeth. “I will always find a way back.”
Silas and Eira stood calmly. “We don’t mean to banish you this time,” Silas said evenly.
Kain let out a groan, rolled on his back and clutched his stomach.
Corbin unsheathed his sword. “We all have to make sacrifices,” he said to Kain. “Your son finally understood that.”
Kain tried to speak, but only a liquid hiss came out.
Corbin lowered the blade of his sword to Kain’s neck. “All it takes is one move and both of you are back in the Otherworld.
Kain let out a painful laugh. “You have only poisoned this body. Do you think you can protect yourself from my soul?”
Suddenly Kain rolled away from the sword and jumped to his feet, his back hunched and his arms trembling. “I think your body will suit me well enough.” He leapt towards Corbin, tackling him to the ground. “You think you are stronger than me?” he growled as bile trickled from his mouth. He clasped his hands around Corbin’s throat and leaned in as Corbin tried to wrench free of his grasp. “Is she worth it?” Kain hissed. “Is she worth dying for?”
“No,” Corbin snarled. “She’s worth living for.” He stretched his arm towards the fallen sword, and in one quick thrust, slid the blade through Kain’s chest until it came out the other side. “She’s worth living for,” he repeated as warm blood trickled onto his hands.
Corbin shoved him off and got to his feet just as a cloud of smoke seeped out of Malcolm’s mouth. “You won’t take any of us this time,” Corbin said as he pulled his sword free and watched Kain’s spirit rise up.
Mara stood in front of the formless spirit and held up the small book, the one Corbin had taken from Isa. “You travel between worlds because your body is hidden on this earth. Well, we will keep your spirit trapped here as well.”
Silas, Eira, and Drake were already forming a line of power between them. “Mara!’ Eira shouted. “We don’t have much time.”
Mara and Corbin joined them as they summoned their powers to force Kain’s spirit into the vault.
“No!” Daria screamed, her translucent form soaring towards them. “Don’t do this to us. I am your sister, Eira.”
“You are no sister of mine,” Eira said calmly. “You chose your path centuries ago. You can spend eternity trapped with him.”
The dark cloud of smoke turned a pale gray as it hovered in the air. The circle of Dia concentrated, letting their combined Light wrap around it in a rainbow of colors and flashes. It was more power than Corbin had ever felt, like many candles lighting one ferocious torch.
“We can’t kill you,” Corbin shouted over the storm raging around them. “But we can trap you for an eternity.”
Tristan ran over to the vault and opened the hatch door. A loud hissing noise cut through the air and turned to a searing pitch.
“Hold on!” Silas urged in a deep, melodious voice that countered his young appearance. “He can’t fight us in that form.”
The cloud swirled like a twister, moving closer and closer to the vault.
Corbin felt the combined powers of all the Dia reach an apex and with a thunderous crack, a whirlpool of air enclosed on Kain’s spirit until it dragged him over the vault door and sucked him in.
Daria screamed and tried to flee, but Eira shot a delicate hand out at her, causing another gust of wind to capture the Revenant, until she too was dragged beneath the throne room floor.
Tristan slammed the door shut, and the room suddenly went quiet, the storm of power died down, and the night sky became clear.
Corbin dropped his hands, winded by the use of power, and reached out for Mara. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She showed no sign of exhaustion. “It worked,” she said with a somber smile.
“What about her?” Drake asked, looking at Davina.
Eira moved toward her twin, cowering near the throne. “Unless you want to suffer the same fate as our other sister, I suggest you take yourself away from here. Go back to creating your little villages.”
Davina nodded, frantically twisting her hands in front of her.
“And if I catch you near this place again, I won’t be so forgiving,” Eira warned.
“Yes, of course,” Davina said. She immediately rushed for the door, gave one look back, and vanished.
Eira shook her head. “Some of us are born with darkness.” She turned to Silas. “Come, my love. Let’s see to it that the vault stays closed this time.”
They walked over to the doorway and began to work up a burst of Light, sealing the vault with ancient magic.
Mara put her arm around Corbin’s. “Thank you,” she said.
“For what?” Corbin asked.
She smiled. “For living for me.”
Corbin exhaled and placed a kiss on her head. “Did you expect any less?”
Mara shook her head and looked aside. “But you still have one more promise to keep.”
Corbin bristled, knowing what she meant. “No, I don’t,” he said.
Mara nodded. “Yes, you do.”
Corbin grunted and walked over to Malcolm’s body. The wound where his sword had entered still bled. Despite his better j
udgment, Corbin had made sure to wound the body enough to force Kain out, but not enough to kill Malcolm. “I should let you die,” Corbin whispered. “No amount of retribution will erase your misdeeds.”
He could feel Mara’s eyes on him, and while he wanted nothing more than to see Malcolm dead, he would honor his deal with the wretch.
Corbin bent down reluctantly and put his hands over the wound, carefully avoiding even the quickest glance at Malcolm’s mind, and called upon his Light. Malcolm still had his power, but was so close to death, he was beyond saving himself. Corbin grunted and willed his power to heal the fiend until the wound finally closed up.
It was only another moment before Malcolm opened his eyes as though he’d just woken in a dream.
“You’ve kept your word,” Corbin said coldly. “And now I’ve kept mine.”
Malcolm shook his head drowsily and got to his feet. “Did it work? Is he banished?”
Corbin nodded towards the vault where Eira and Silas cast Light upon the lock. “Yes. We are all free from him now.”
Malcolm nodded, still looking dazed.
“Now get out of my sight,” Corbin said through clenched teeth. “Don’t ever come back here. Don’t ever look upon this mountain. Don’t ever think of us again. You have your Light back, you are whole. Make what you can of your life, but do it away from us, because we won’t be making any more deals.”
“Very well,” Malcolm said. “It’s as we agreed.”
Seren and Tristan were waiting like frightened pups near the door as Malcolm joined them.
Corbin marched after him. “The same goes for you,” he said to Seren. “I don’t ever want to see your face again, do you understand?”
She nodded. Her expression was cool but her eyes still burned.
“Wait!” Mara called. “Come here, Tristan,” she commanded.
Tristan hesitated, but moved closer.
“We couldn’t have done this without you,” she said. “I can see you are a good soul, Tristan. You don’t belong with them.” She put a hand on his arm. “Stay here with us.”
Tristan’s lip curled in a shy smile. “I am grateful for your invitation,” he said. “But I must stay with my sister.”
The Embers of Light Page 28
