In the Darkness

by Charles Edward

  Evin was as stunned as anyone else, but for a different reason. These people put out the fires first. And they stand up after you kill them. What if…what if they were just like Gareth? What if Gareth hadn’t been cursed at all, but a lost child of these people?

  What if he, Evin, knew how to defeat them?

  But did he know? How do you burn them if they can put out the fires?

  Denua spoke first. Her decision was as grim as anyone in the room might have guessed. “Pull back our experienced troops and leave it to citizens to defend as best they can. Then bombard any neighborhood that the enemy enters. Sacrifice any part of the city to delay their advance on the castle. We will prepare for a siege, search for sorcelry to defeat them, and hope to hold out until help arrives. Do you all understand?”

  There was a chorus of nods and “Yes, Your Majesty,” and the conference dissolved into murmuring groups. Aubair and Uliette strode out. Denua demanded to know why her scryers had not yet reported anything useful. Evin walked over and touched her arm.

  When she turned her attention to him, he said, “I’d like to go with Captain Uliette to see what I can learn about the enemy.”

  Denua didn’t even think about it. “No, I don’t want you to risk going outside these walls.”

  “I heard the report just now. Is it really any safer in here? Besides, the captain isn’t going to the front line. She’ll keep me safe.”

  Denua frowned at him. “I should put you in irons to keep you from getting killed trying to help me.”

  “But I need to help. And I might learn something useful to you. Please let me go.”

  “Go. But do not distract Uliette from her duties.”

  He bowed quickly and fled to catch up with Uliette, and began to plan how he would escape from her in order to go see the enemy soldiers for himself.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Evin caught up with Captain Uliette as she met her own small entourage in the gathering chamber of the castle’s main floor. He joined the group smoothly and went with them out the castle doors and down the vast flight of marble steps leading to the gate that would take them from the castle to the city.

  One of the city guardsmen was just making his way through that very checkpoint, coming into the castle as the group descended the stairs. The newcomer’s face was red with exertion, but he broke into an excited smile when he saw Uliette. “Captain! I got news for you!”

  “Hello, Melber,” Uliette said as her people parted for her to come forward. “Let’s hear it, then.”

  “We captured one-a them evil brutes for you. Got it in a coach outside.”

  A satisfied look dawned on her face. “Well done. I’m curious to see what manner of brute they are.”

  Their group couldn’t get through the gate fast enough to suit Evin. When they did, Melber led them to a carriage that had landed in the middle of the street. It was surrounded on all sides by guards and curious citizens. Some held torches or lanterns near the coach’s windows for illumination; others were trying to climb onto the undercarriage so they could get high enough to see. Many were silent and curious, but others shouted epithets at the enemy inside.

  The coach rocked suddenly, and someone inside barked a curse. Then it was still.

  Melber hadn’t broken his pace. He looked back briefly to grin at Uliette and said, “He gets feisty ever so often and we have ta stick ’im again.”

  Uliette’s group added to the onlookers, but the people let her through.

  Inside the coach, three men stood over an armored body. One of them held a spear piercing the motionless invader, and the rest eyed it warily, ready to strike when next it moved. Splashes of blood painted the coach’s interior and everyone within it.

  “He’s dead,” Uliette said, clearly disappointed that there would be no chance to interrogate the enemy soldier.

  Evin wasn’t sure he really wanted to find what he was looking for. He gazed over the invader’s body, searching for a glimpse of skin. The enemy’s hands were smeared with blood, just like most of his armor. Evin could not see the invader’s face beneath its helmet, but—there! A bit of his jaw, and—Evin’s heart clenched and turned to stone in his chest. Wherever it wasn’t bloodstained, the skin was dark green.

  The invader’s hands shifted. His fingers flowed to change from thick and blunt into long, pointed claws in an instant. He jerked, trying to throw off his captors. A claw slapped the sword from one man’s hand, and Evin and Uliette ducked aside as the weapon came tumbling out at them.

  With a grunt, one of the other captors stabbed his blade through a bloody gap in the enemy’s armor. More blood poured out, and as he twisted his sword and put his weight into driving it deep, the invader’s body quieted to stillness again.

  “He’ll fool you,” Melber said, finally responding to Uliette’s comment.

  “Right.” Uliette turned to one of her subordinates. “Get chains, quickly. We’ve got to stop stabbing him if we want to ask any questions.”

  Evin found his voice. “Keep those torches back! If he burns, you can’t ask questions, either.”

  “Who are you, then?” said one of the guards.

  Uliette gave Evin a puzzled look, then said, “Keep the torches away. When we get chains, we’ll bind his feet in the coach, then try to get him out.”

  The few minutes it took for men to arrive with chains seemed like an eternity to Evin. Where did Gareth’s people come from, and why were they invading Parige? He could hear the distant rumbles and crashes as the enemy were bombarded. They were still distant from the castle, but how long would it take for them to get here? He hoped he’d have time to learn something useful.

  Finally he got Uliette’s attention. He spoke loudly so she could hear him over the crowd. “Can we talk?”

  She nodded and directed him to move aside with her. When they could speak normally, she said, “What is it, Evin?”

  “I know some stuff. Remember how Cydrich sent me here to tell about the demon he—”

  “Yes, of course. Is this a demon?”

  Evin shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Cydrich… He did something to me. I think he made me forget important things for a while.”

  Uliette looked at him with sincere but impatient concern. “I’m sorry. But unless you’ve remembered something that will help us today—”

  “Yes, I think I have! The most important thing is, you can burn them to death. Really to death. That’s why they put out the torches, not to blind us.”

  She was interested now. “What else?”

  “Just that he—he wasn’t a demon. He…Gareth never wanted to hurt anybody.” His vision blurred, and he looked away for a moment, willing his eyes to dry. “Gareth saved me once, and people saw him, is all. Cydrich killed him for no reason. No reason!”

  “Today, Evin,” she said. “What do you know that will help us today?”

  He focused, and after a moment said, “That’s it. You can use fire. But they’re people.”

  Uliette looked thoughtful. “Maybe the queen can send word to Cydrich that we need him now to fight these things.”

  Men arrived with the chains, and after a few minutes of struggle and stabbing the creature some more, they had it out of the carriage and fully bound. They were arguing about whether to carry it into the castle, but Uliette ordered it to be put on the street. She asked Evin to examine it closely to see that it was indeed the sort of creature Cydrich slew.

  Someone removed the helmet.

  “Oh no,” Evin said in a small and anguished voice. “No, not you.”

  He found himself on his knees, cradling Gareth’s head, using his hands and the sleeves of his doublet to wipe blood and sweat from the wounded youth’s face. “Gareth, wake up! Wake up! Please, you have to be okay, please!”

  He barely heard the curses or felt the hands of men as they took his arms and tried to pull him away. But Uliette must have ordered them to leave him be, because the hands withdrew and he was left alone to soothe Gareth an
d wait for him to—

  Gareth’s body jerked violently, and he began to struggle against the chains. Eyelids flickered open, luminous eyes focused, and he froze.

  “Evin?”

  “I’m here; I’m here. I’ve got you. I’m here.”

  “No! He’ll hurt—”

  Someone shouted, “Tell us what yeh want, yeh bloody vile bastard!”

  “It’s okay. I’m here.”

  “No, you can’t be.” Gareth’s strength was returning. “I can’t be. He’ll hurt you! Let me go!”

  The crowd fell silent. Uliette stepped forward. “Who, son? Who are you afraid of?”

  Gareth’s gaze flicked to her briefly, then back to Evin’s face. “I’m sorry, Evin. He’s making us fight. He told me what he would do to you if I didn’t!”

  “Who?” Uliette demanded again.

  She hadn’t put it together yet, that there was only one way Gareth could be alive. Only one person could be behind it all. But Evin finally understood.

  “Cydrich.”

  Melber was among those near enough to hear. He said, “The demon hunter?”

  Tears rolled from Gareth’s eyes. “He told me he’d torture you. I have to do what he says.”

  Evin stroked Gareth’s hair but looked up at Uliette. “That’s why Gareth’s not dead. Cydrich didn’t kill him. Cydrich’s never really been a demon hunter. He’s been collecting Gareth’s people for his army all along.”

  “No,” Gareth said. “They’re all me.”

  Evin looked back to him. “What?”

  “He used blood sorcelry to make a mirror… My blood… I came out of the mirror. Everyone did.”

  “Holy gods,” said Uliette. “This entire army—they’re all the same person?”

  “You have to let me go. If I don’t help him, he’ll kill Evin. Please!”

  “Is Evin right? Will fire kill you?”

  For a moment, Evin didn’t believe he’d heard the question correctly. “No! I just found him! He doesn’t want to hurt us!”

  She gestured for the men to pull Evin away. He struggled against them. “Get away from me! Uliette, you can’t, damn you, he doesn’t want to hurt anybody!”

  She bent down on one knee to look Gareth in the eye. “We have to defend ourselves from you. We’re going to stop Cydrich. Isn’t that the best way to protect Evin?”

  Gareth didn’t look at her. He kept Evin’s gaze as Evin was pulled away. “Yes. Cydrich says fire will end me.”

  “Stop it, you bitch! Leave him alone!”

  Uliette called to her subordinates. “Take this news to the queen. The enemy is Cydrich, and we must use fire against his minions.” When the men left, she bent back down to Gareth. “I believe you, son, but we didn’t start this fight. We’ll burn as many of you as we can until we get to Cydrich. When he’s gone, will you—I mean, will all of you surrender?”

  Gareth did look at her now, and nodded. “Yes. If they know Cydrich is dead and Evin is safe, there’s no reason to fight no more. There’s nothing here I want. Please just keep Evin safe.”

  Uliette ordered him carried to the dungeon, then strode to where Evin yet struggled against the men holding him.

  “Stop fighting!” she said. “I’m trying to save your life.”

  Evin stopped trying to pull away, but he only glared at Uliette, breathing heavily.

  “We must know his weakness. Do you think Cydrich will use him to destroy the queen and then just set him free? Or you?”

  “I won’t let you hurt him.”

  “Gareth is a weapon. He’ll never be free. Cydrich will use him as long as he is valuable, then burn him.” She motioned for Evin to be released. “But if we can kill Cydrich, maybe some of them can be saved.”

  He couldn’t contain the fury in his voice. “What do you want from me?”

  Uliette grabbed Evin’s head and pulled him close to speak into his ear. “I want you to stop behaving like a child. If you curse your queen for fighting these invaders, she’ll have you executed where you stand. And I’m not a fool. That creature loves you. So how did you know him before Cydrich took him? I don’t care—but the queen will. You need to be careful.”

  She pushed Evin away and turned to lead her entourage through the gate, back into the castle.

  Evin looked out over the city’s rooftops, toward the sounds of war. He had betrayed Gareth before he even knew it, by telling Uliette to use fire.

  How could he fix it now? Find one or several of the Gareths and try to convince them to run away again? Hope they wouldn’t be found by Cydrich or Denua?

  No. They had already been captured once. Cydrich must have the sorcelry to track them. They would never win freedom by running away from him.

  Evin rushed to catch up to Uliette.

  * * *

  When Evin and Uliette arrived at the war chamber, they found Denua poring over a map of the city. She pointed out a landmark to one of her soldiers, then looked up. Her face was alight with excitement.

  “Well done, both of you. With the information you found, I think I know where Cydrich is going.”

  Uliette and Evin rushed to her side. Uliette asked, “Are they not attacking the castle?”

  “That will possibly be a later stage of his plan. He has some means of hiding from my scryers, so he is difficult to attack directly. Right now, there is one place I’m sure he will go in person, so we must go immediately. This is our chance.”

  One of the advisors was exasperated. “Your Majesty, you should stay here. You mustn’t risk yourself. We don’t know what other devices he may—”

  “Nobody can end this but me, and I don’t want to waste any more of my soldiers against his bloody army. Get me a carriage now!”

  “Your Majesty—”

  “Don’t argue with me, Uliette.”

  “No, we have a chance and we must take it. But there is more you need to know. The traitor Cydrich tricked Evin and then used him to trick us.”

  “Evin…?” Denua’s gaze flicked to him.

  Evin kept silent while Uliette spoke. If Denua took the impression that Evin had lied, or was involved in a plot, she might have him executed immediately. However, he was sure Uliette believed that if losing him didn’t prove to be a fatal mistake, it would certainly prolong the fight.

  Let her do the talking.

  Uliette said, “We thought Cydrich gave orders to Evin simply because he was nearby when Cydrich needed to send a message to you, but there is a reason why Evin was there. The creature Cydrich said he destroyed looks like an ill-born man. He was Evin’s friend. Cydrich clouded Evin’s mind, made him think his friend was a monster that Cydrich killed, and sent him here to tell us. In truth, Cydrich did not kill the creature but took it and used sorcelry to turn it into this army.”

  Denua stared at Uliette. “The sorceled door in the field wasn’t a door. It twinned the creature.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “I could never know of the approaching army because there was no army.”

  “And yet a force of any size, once Cydrich arrived. Until we smashed the door.”

  Denua looked to Evin. “All these creatures are your friend?”

  Evin nodded. “If you can kill Cydrich, I can end the fighting.”

  “I’ve seen it myself,” Uliette said. “We would have ended the fight already, but the creature is too afraid of Cydrich to resist his commands.”

  Chapter Twenty-five

  The flight over the castle wall took them high enough for Evin to briefly see the devastation of neighborhoods where the invaders marched. All around the city, pristine, snow-covered rooftops shone in the faint light of a crescent moon. To the southwest, the snowy cityscape was marred by columns of smoke and flashes of fire from the queen’s bombardment. Neighborhoods were burning, and Evin could only hope none of the Gareths had been caught by the flames. His stomach was leaden with worry.

  Denua had ordered that the bombardment remain well away from her destination but that it
continue until the invaders were subdued. How many Parigians would die tonight simply to prevent Cydrich from noticing a change in strategy?

  The carriage turned toward the southwest, cutting off his view. The place they were headed, the museum at Balmorda University, was nearly in a direct line between the castle and the point where the invaders entered the city.

  The flight was swift. Presently they arrived at the museum, a building constructed like a small castle or cathedral, made of a dark stone that looked black in the night. Their carriage landed on the museum’s rooftop. Denua’s guards were the first out of the vehicle, leaving to scout the rooftop for threats before signaling that it was safe for the queen to descend. More carriages landed and disgorged their troops.

  Hundreds or thousands of booted feet marched in the streets below, a sound interrupted occasionally by the clash of weapons and shouts or screams. A hopeless chant drifted up on the wind. “Please don’t fight us. We don’t want to hurt you.” Denua gave her troops terse instructions about how to disperse within the building, then beckoned Evin and Uliette to follow her. She allowed only a few units of her troops to enter before she herself went into the building.

  The museum had wide, open floors, with most of the space occupied by tables or cases containing treasures. It was nearly as cold inside as out. The building was empty, and the great fireplaces at either end of each floor were dark. Evin couldn’t see much, but progress through the building and down the stairs was swift. Denua led her group through the halls with no hesitation.

  A crash echoed from below, followed by the sound of splintering wood. Denua led her group on until they reached the flight of stone stairs leading down to the ground level, which was actually two stories high. Evin looked down as they descended. Faint light glinted off rows of display cases filling the floor. At one end of the room, an arch gaped onto the night. The door had been broken open.

  In through the arch streamed groups of men whose lamplike yellow eyes glowed from within their helmets. They fanned out through the room, taking positions. Some headed toward the stairs as Denua and her group descended.