by David Wind
“No! You’re feeling the effects of Lessig’s attack. Areenna, this is not you!” Mikaal grabbed her shoulders and forced her to face him. He stared into her eyes, pushing his next words into her mind. What is it? What happened?
Hesitating, she pulled her lower lip between her teeth and worried at it. She shook her head and drew in a shaky breath. I know her… Lessig. I recognized her not when The Speaker showed us her face. It was distorted, wrong. But just now…
Stunned, Mikaal could only blink. How do you know her?
She’s older now. The last I saw her, I was seven, she is twelve years older than I am. She is…she’s the daughter of my uncle and Lessig is not her name.
Mikaal’s brow furrowed, a deep line creased his forehead. “I don’t understand. I have never heard this uncle mentioned.”
“I’ve never met my uncle, Nerad. He was my father’s older brother. He was born disfigured, and when he was almost twenty, chose self-exile rather than staying among our people. My mother told me how my grandmother and grandfather tried everything to make him stay; he would not. However, they always received news from him. She learned he had a daughter, and the daughter was normal and he sent her to us—I was four when Eneri came to live with us.”
Areenna paused to take Mikaal’s hand in hers. “She was always a strange girl: distant, solitary, and shut off. Three years later, when I was seven, Eneri received her summons to the Island. All I remember is that she left one afternoon, and I never saw her again—no one ever saw her again. At least now I know why.”
“We still must stop her, no matter who she is,” Mikaal reminded her, his voice gentle.
She held still beneath his gaze, while the memory of when the Dark Masters had seared her with the images of the domains of Nevaeh in ashes, the people dead, dying, or enslaved by them returned to haunt her.
Joined with her still, Mikaal saw what she saw, and heard Areenna’s thoughts as plainly as words. “They do this to shake your confidence.”
“They have succeeded.”
They have not! You are Areenna of Freemorn, Daughter of the King of Freemorn. You are Areenna, of the line of Ailish. You are Areenna, the woman I love, even though I am not permitted that emotion yet.”
His words spiked into her head. She stiffened, turned, and walked away.
“Where are you going?”
“I need some time alone…to think.”
Mikaal bit back his next comment; he turned and looked east. The sky was dark, the night still holding off dawn’s arrival. “We leave at first light,” he declared and went to pack their things.
Areenna walked to the edge of the grassy knoll, her mind roiling. Sitting, she faced the swamp, ignoring what animals remained. Gaalrie settled in her lap, pressing herself against Areenna’s chest, offering comfort.
Although she stared into the swamp, she saw nothing as her thoughts burrowed inward even as her powers rose, not as if in battle, but gently, a soothing heat that stirred her mind and her memories. She had not thought about her cousin Eneri in years, but with a sudden and unexpected clarity, she saw herself again, as a seven-year-old child, standing outside her mother’s bedroom, listening to her mother and her cousin argue.
Eneri was so angry that even in the hallway, the air crackled with power. All Areenna could hear was the screaming with which Eneri bombarded her mother, while Inaria responded softly. Then Eneri screamed one last time and charged out of her mother’s chamber.
Before Areenna could leave, her father came down the hall toward her mother’s chamber. She stepped back before he saw her and waited until he entered. She started to leave, but stopped at the sound of her mother’s voice.
“She accuses us of chasing her father from Freemorn. That you sent him away because he was ‘different’, and said you were the one responsible.”
“I will find her and explain so she will understand.”
“Nosaj, no. She won’t listen. She’s received her summons to the Island. She will not go. She says nothing there interests her. She will learn on her own.”
“She has already moved into the darkness, has she not?”
“I sensed so when she came to my room. I tried to reason with her, but she heard nothing. She blocks me from her as if I were an enemy.”
“Then we must let her go her way,” Nosaj relented.
Even through the wall separating them, Areenna felt her mother crying at the loss of her niece. “It is a terrible risk. Do you not see it as clearly as I? She gains power every day. She will become a dreadful enemy if we cannot make her see the truth.”
“No one can force another to see what they do not want to see. No one can make another listen to reason when their truths are built on anger and lies. Give her time and her anger will lessen. Perhaps one day she will listen,” her father said.
“Were it that simple, Husband, I would not despair for her, but she has already been taken from us. I sensed it the moment she entered my chamber.”
The memory vision ended as suddenly as it had begun, and as Areenna gazed at the bogs and swamp spread out before her, her understanding grew. The powers and abilities within her had triggered the memory, allowing her to see what happened in the past, and use it for what she needed now.
She stood and saw Mikaal sitting by the fire he’d built. The horizon was shifting into purple and violet bands as the dawn prepared its arrival. She went to the fire and sat next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. I understand better now.
As do I, he said, I was with you when you watched your memories. It triggered in my mind when you began to remember. I could not stop it…I think it is something Ailish did to us, in the cavern in the mountain.
“Yes.”
“We have a choice to make, and we must do so now.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed her closer.
Areenna lifted her head to look at him. What choices could there possibly be?
Either we move forward, completely accept our gifts and make certain everything we do, we do because it is our responsibility…he paused and raised his brows. Or we do not.
Areenna sat abruptly, pulling free of his arm. Her eyes locked on his. I know you, Mikaal, as I know myself; no, I know all of you better than I know myself... You have already made your choice and will not tell me. See you that it matters not? Neither of us has had the option of choice, not since the instant we were conceived. “I understand that now.”
CHAPTER 13
ROTH STOOD ON the walkway of the keep’s parapet as the sun descended in the west, signaling the end to another long day. He looked left, to the expanded training grounds beyond the outer walls of the keep. There, hundreds of men and women trained in specialized ranks, under the watchful eyes of the Sixes, while others sat in circles, surrounding weapons masters who explained the intricacies of a particular weapon, or ringed about women of power, learning their fighting abilities so they would be ready to fight side by side with the women.
The smiths prepared swords and knives in one area while in another section, at least two dozen men, women, and older children sat at benches preparing arrows to add to those sent to Tolemac from Welkold. Although he could not see every detail, he pictured them tying the fletching created from traimore and crave feathers, just below the noc. The arrowheads they attached were hard-pounded steel, honed so sharply the force of its hit would be enough to penetrate light metal or padded leather armor.
Hundreds of tents ringed the training grounds, with more rising each day as the citizens of Tolemac learned of the coming of the Dark Masters and either accepted their responsibility to fight for their freedom, or came seeking safety within the walls of the capital of Nevaeh.
Yet, even with the valor of the Nevaens, Roth’s concerns for the future pressed heavily on him. Ten days ago, within an hour of his return to Tolemac, he’d dispatched riders to every domain. Along with his warning of the coming attack, he’d sent instructions for the building of Nevaeh’s army.
Armed with Areenn
a’s foretelling, Roth asked each domain to prepare their forces for battle, and this, combined with Enaid’s messages to the Women of Power throughout Nevaeh, assured the preparations were well underway.
He’d sent word to every domain, even those of uncertain loyalty. His hope was that the domains remained apart from the darkness; and, that The Masters were unsuccessful in luring any of Nevaeh’s kings or queens into their malevolent embrace. Yet, he’d held back part of his plans until he could ascertain which, if any were corrupted—if any king or queen had succumbed to the Dark Masters’ call.
Behind him, Enaid’s easily recognizable footfalls padded toward him. “You’ve discovered my hiding place,” he said, turning with a smile.
“How could I not, your sense of unease led me here like a rantor to a rabt. What bothers you?”
Shrugging, his smile faded. “Better to ask what does not; the need to know who is with us and who has been turned hammers at me. The answers determine our actions.”
“As they should. I received a message from Areenna. They return soon.”
“They found this sorceress?”
Enaid shook her head. “I know not. They will be here tomorrow.”
<><><>
Sitting in the library, Roth stared at the map on the long table. Enaid followed as he pointed out the obvious places a large fleet of ships could land. There were many, and others Roth knew would work well but were not so obvious.
Over the years, Roth had trained Enaid to read the maps he’d created while on the starship, teaching her the understandings of elevations, land contours, and distances. “It seems,” Enaid said, pointing to an area on the map, “This is similar to when we fought them in Brumwall[3]. They divided their forces into three, prior to attacking.
“Similar, but not the same. When we fought the Black Witch in Brumwall, she used two of the attack points as feints, and the third as the main attacking body. If Areenna’s foretelling is correct, their armies will attack three domains at once and sweep across the lands, joining together to attack Tolemac.” He paused, bending lower toward the map. “In Areenna’s vision, they land by Fainhall, Llawnroc, and Aldimor or Northcrom. Something is wrong with this. It spreads them too thin, unless they already have fighters in those three domains.”
“Never Northcrom, never Aldimor!” Enaid half shouted, her emotion leaping with his words.
He put his hand on her shoulder, pressed gently. “I think not either, but does it hurt to be prepared?”
Enaid took several deep breaths before nodding. “You’re right, Solomon. What hurts is to not have to plan for the worst. How do you see our countering?”
He leaned back and shook his head. “Counter what? Without solid information, any plans we make are wishes in the wind. We need information.”
Before Enaid could say more, there was a discreet knock at the entrance of the library, followed by Noslen’s entrance.
Roth rose to greet the Captain of the Sixes, strode across the room, and grasped his arm in a tight welcoming grip. “You have been missed,” Roth said.
Noslen smiled. “Not too badly, I can tell. A lot has happened and all seems to be going as planned.”
Roth guided Noslen to the sitting area, and then motioned the Captain to a chair; Enaid poured a glass of wine and handed it to him. “It went well in Freemorn?”
Noslen took a deep drink of the wine, sighed and put the glass on the table. He nodded. “My Lady, all goes well in Freemorn. King Nosaj has been gathering his army, and the people we brought from the Frozen Mountains have already begun building their homes.” He shook his head. “The girl Neleh… she is amazing.”
Enaid looked from Noslen to Roth and back at the Captain again. “How so?”
He spoke of the trip to the Blue Desert, and told them about the rantor cub. He finished by saying, “My Lord, My Lady, she is more powerful at fourteen than I could ever have imagined.”
Roth stayed quiet: Enaid leaned forward. “What of the cub?”
“She brought it to Caymir, Freemorn’s capital.”
“Good, she found her aoutem.” Then, looking into Noslen’s eyes, she said. “And her gifts will be desperately needed.”
Noslen stared at her for several moments. “She is to…fight?”
“Do you remember what she accomplished at the two peaks?” Roth asked.
“Clearly,” Noslen replied. “I would not be here if she had not.”
Enaid cut in. “Then know neither you nor I, nor Roth can stop her if she is determined. If she can control a family grouping of rantors, think you, we can tell her what she can and cannot do? Noslen, we need every person of power, because if we do not defeat them, it makes no difference if she fights or not. There will be no survivors, not as we know people now. Neleh is aware of this.”
Enaid stood, cutting off the conversation, “I’ll leave the two of you to discuss whatever else there is.” She favored both with a smile before she left the library.
Roth watched her leave before turning back to Noslen. “Now, the full report on Freemorn’s preparations.”
<><><>
While Noslen told Roth of Freemorn’s progress, King Nosaj, as he had done every night since their arrival, walked through the section near the keep walls, which he’d partitioned for the tents of Sirod’s people. Although they’d begun constructing their new home, they would live within the keep until all was completed. He had changed the original location for where they were to live, to follow along with his wife’s wishes. As he walked, nodding to those who acknowledged him, a sense of fulfillment at being able to help these people settled comfortably about his shoulders, knowing that they, who had spent so many generations in the Frozen Mountains, would be a welcome addition to Freemorn.
A little while into his walk, he found Sirod and Neleh sitting outside a tent, the rantor Neleh rescued on her lap.
“He is mending?” Nosaj inquired, kneeling to pet the cat.
“He does well,” Neleh said. “Getting stronger.”
“Have you named him?” Nosaj asks.
“Duv,” she told him.
Nosaj’s brows furrows. “I have never heard such a name.”
“It is a name from our far past. Before the…before we came to Nevaeh,” Sirod said.
“You know your history from the time of the Old Ones?”
Sirod shook her head. “I know only of the stories handed down parent to child. Duv was a great man, a great warrior of our people. That is all I know.”
Nosaj petted the rantor once more. “Goodbye, Duv.”
He started away, but Neleh stopped him and, when he turned back, she said, “Areenna and Mikaal are safe. They return from the wastelands.”
“Here?”
“They go to Tolemac.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Little One.”
“Will you go, too?”
He studied her face. “Perhaps.”
“May I come?”
Nosaj started to refuse, but stopped himself. “If I go, perhaps. But not until your mother and I discuss it.”
“Thank you, My Lord.”
When the king walked away, Neleh turned to her mother. “It is important.”
“I know. I have seen what you must do. But remember also, that soon you will have to lead our people.”
Neleh gazes at her mother, her emotions strong. “I understand. I…”
“Hush.” Sirod knelt at Neleh’s side and took her into her arms. “I will hold on as long as possible.”
“They will need me. If I go not—”
“I have seen. I understand.”
<><><>
On the southwestern Palisade, two thousand feet above the churning sea, a half-mile beyond the edge of the badlands of Fainhall, where the old Black Sorceress had dwelled for almost a century, stood Lessig, once known as Eneri, whose father had been the brother of Nosaj of Freemorn.
She stood as naked as the day of her birth, while behind her, in the old cavern of the Black Witch, firelight and
weaving shadows flickered endlessly. Above her floated a thick gray cloud. But this was no cloud; rather it was a viscous mist swirling in ever tightening circles and forming a solid halo above Lessig’s head.
Held within her mind’s eye was the Dark Master Fasil, her Master, her lover, her leader. They had never touched physically, it was unnecessary. She was his, body and soul, and had experienced more ecstasy through their mind connection than she had ever experienced laying with a man.
He called her now, offering her the final gift. Her body hummed in tune with him. Her mind was open to him as it was to no other. He was her life, he was her Master and she would die before failing him.
There is no returning from this. Once Afzaleem, severed are earthly attachments. Once Afzaleem, you are changed. To ascend, the asking, freely given, must it be.
Lessig looked into the whirling gray cloud. I understand, My Master. You are my life and I follow you willingly, heart and soul do I commit to you. I live to see Afzal rule all. I live to stand at your side. That is my life.
The two who defy us. What have you learned of them?
Lessig closed her eyes and brought up the memory of that night, she opened her mind, the way one would open a book to a certain page. Everything that happened that night was there, and the Master read well of what had transpired.
Good, he praised her, you did well.
I failed to kill them.
I expected that not. It was important for her to recognize you. She has weaknesses; one being her dislike of harming another, be it a person or an animal. Seeing who you are weakens her resolve. I could not speak of it to you, lest she sense it. If you had been Afzaleem then, she might not have recognized you.
I understand, Master. I await your pleasure.
The swirling gray mass dropped lower, surrounded her, and then re-formed. She saw not the leathered gray skin, the deformed face, nor the red-rimmed eyes spreading darkness wherever they settled; instead, she saw the Master, who stood a foot taller than she, his skin a glowing, brilliant, pale mocha, and his eyes shining with a light that brightened everything within her. His eyes caressed her so passionately that she trembled with desire.
