The Tower of Venass (The Dark Ability Book 3)

by Holmberg, D. K.

  When the sense of those forgings moved to the back of his mind, he pushed away the other forgings of his in Elaeavn. After all the time he’d spent working at the smithy, many items he’d made were in use throughout the city. Easiest to ignore was the unforged lorcith, most of which he kept in his smithy. There were a few other collections, one he suspected in the alchemist guild house, that he pushed to the back of his mind. Then he felt Ilphaesn.

  The massive mountain worked with lorcith suddenly blazed against his senses. Rsiran could practically see it, as if the ore glowed with his awareness. Tunnels wove through the wide mountain, mineshafts worked throughout where lorcith had been taken out of the mountain for centuries. And still there remained massive amounts of the ore.

  All of this Rsiran pushed to the back of his mind as well.

  And then he sensed less lorcith.

  There were other collections around him, some distantly that seemed to have nearly as much as Ilphaesn. Rsiran nearly lost his focus with the realization. Wasn’t Ilphaesn the only source of lorcith? If there was another source, wouldn’t the Elvraeth want to control that as well?

  “What’s wrong?” Jessa squeezed his arm as she asked. She didn’t like standing too long atop Krali with the wind blowing, threatening to toss them from the top of the rock.

  He shook his head, straining to keep his focus. He would have to think about the other lorcith he sensed later.

  Rsiran pushed away the sense of the other lorcith. All unshaped lorcith disappeared, pushed into the back of his mind. All that was left were pinpricks of his forgings.

  Which one would be Firell?

  He listened. He didn’t know how long he stood atop Krali, focused on the lorcith. It could have been moment or hours. Eventually, he felt one of the forgings that seemed more familiar than the rest, one he’d held more than once.

  Reaching for it, he held it as an anchor, hoping it was one Firell carried. If it wasn’t, Rsiran had no idea where he Slid. He could Slide alone, leaving Jessa here, but she would be angry if he even suggested it.

  After squeezing her hand, he Slid.

  Chapter 25

  The Slide felt no different from any other. Colors swirled past him, almost creating a pattern. The swirling colors had a contour to them, a depth. Rsiran suspected this implied the distance they traveled. The air tasted stale and bitter, in a way, reminding him of mined lorcith. Jessa trailed along with him, a silent shadow he couldn’t see well while Sliding. He felt her presence and held tightly to her. He did not want to learn what would happen if they lost the connection while Sliding. Rsiran held onto the faint sense of his forging, anchoring to it as it drew ever closer, the sense of lorcith growing stronger.

  Then they emerged. Movement stopped. They were here.

  Darkness surrounded him. He welcomed back his sense of lorcith and felt a few items nearby, only one he’d forged himself. Others were shaped, not mined ore, but not his work. The air was musty and damp, though he didn’t sense any of the salt from the sea. Had he missed his mark? Was this not Firell’s ship?

  “What do you see?” he whispered.

  Jessa held onto his hand. “Not much. Walls. Part of a knife on a table, probably yours. A small box…”

  She let go of his hand as she trailed off.

  Rsiran latched onto his sense of the charm as she did. If something happened, he wouldn’t lose her as he had the last time. There came the sound of nails squealing and Jessa grunted.

  “What is it?”

  She started back toward him. “Nothing. Box was empty—”

  Light bloomed around them, a bright orange light. The suddenness burned into the back of Rsiran’s eyes, but he knew the color made it even harder for Jessa to see, nothing like the blue heartstone lanterns.

  “Thought you might return.”

  Rsiran spun to the sound of the voice. He readied a pair of knives, prepared to push them if needed, but at what? He couldn’t see anything until his eyes adjusted.

  “Firell?”

  The light dimmed slightly as the lantern was set down. A figure stepped forward, past the light. Firell looked different than he had the last time he’d seen him. Haggard and worn. A bandage wrapped around one arm.

  “Aye.”

  “Where are we? Your ship?”

  Firell grunted and shook his head. “My ship? You been on my ship, Rsiran. You think this anything like it?”

  Jessa stood next to Rsiran and took his hand. Not for reassurance. She knew to be close in case they needed to Slide to safety. “If not your ship, then where?”

  “You don’t know?” He turned and dimmed the lantern before facing them again. “Thought that was how you found me.”

  Rsiran shook his head. “I followed my forging.”

  Firell looked to the knife resting on the table. “That? I don’t know much about that ability of yours, but you must have been pretty close to notice that.”

  Rsiran didn’t argue with him. It didn’t do any good for Firell to know how far he could sense his forgings. “Where, then?”

  “They took my ship. Got into port, and the Forgotten put one of your knives to my throat as they walked me off. Claimed I did something to Josun.” He spat the name bitterly. “Not that I wouldn’t have. Just that I didn’t. Don’t know what happened to the Elvraeth. Haven’t seen him since you came on my ship.”

  Rsiran felt himself relaxing and forced himself to be more vigilant. Firell had turned on them once already. How did he know he wouldn’t do it again? Could he trust anything Firell said?

  “You the one who managed to take him?” Firell asked.

  “He doesn’t even know how to reach the exiled Elvraeth.”

  Firell laughed until he coughed. “He tell you that?” Rsiran nodded. “And you believed it?”

  Rsiran glanced to Jessa. “Who took your ship? Where’s Shael?”

  “Shael?” Firell shook his head. “Don’t know about Shael. They walked him off, too, but not the same way. He didn’t have to worry about a new smile like I did.”

  They’d found Firell, but not Shael. But maybe whoever had taken Firell would know where to find Shael.

  Rsiran’s eyes had finally adjusted to the orange light. The soft glow reminded him so much of his time spent in the mines. He didn’t know it at the time, but the orange light made it hard for Sighted to see well, putting everyone on equal footing. He wondered if Jessa saw nothing more than he did.

  They stood in a small room. She had been right. There wasn’t anything other than a table with the knife resting on it and the box, now with its top peeled away. How had Firell hidden from Jessa’s Sight?

  Something about the knife wasn’t quite right. Rsiran moved toward it and pulled it to him. It flipped through the air awkwardly, and he caught it.

  Not a full knife. Most of the blade was gone, leaving only the tang where it entered the handle. From the mark and the way the metal folded together, Rsiran knew it was one of his earliest forgings, made shortly after Brusus had found him the smithy.

  “What happened to the blade?” Lorcith was strong, but with enough force became brittle. This had broken, leaving only the handle.

  Firell frowned at him. “You happened to the blade. When you came to my ship and did… whatever it is you can do.”

  Rsiran didn’t remember any knives breaking as he’d Slid through the ship, but once Shael captured him in the Elvraeth chains, everything after that had been a blur. “This is all that’s left?” Firell nodded. “Why keep it?”

  “Thought that…” He shook his head and took a deep breath. When he looked at Rsiran again, his eyes looked hollow. The bright, playfulness he’d always had before was gone. “They didn’t see it as a threat and let me keep it.”

  “And you thought I might come looking again.”

  Firell shrugged. “I thought there was a chance.”

  Jessa pulled on his arm. “We should go, Rsiran. Something about this place makes me uncomfortable.”

  Rsiran nodded.
He wouldn’t make her stay here. It was too much like what Josun had done to her. “Where did they take Shael?”

  Firell shook his head. “Didn’t see where they took him. Too busy trying not to bleed.”

  “Why would the Forgotten imprison you?”

  “Still haven’t learned much, have you, Rsiran? You think I did what that Elvraeth wanted by choice? You think I would have betrayed Brusus had I any other options?”

  “There’s always a choice.”

  “Not when he’s got your daughter.” Firell’s voice caught. “Don’t know how he found out about her. In my line of work, need to keep certain things secret. Safer that way.”

  “He Read you, Firell,” Rsiran said softly. He remembered how Josun had practically crawled through his mind trying to Read him. Only by using lorcith to fortify his thoughts had he managed to block Josun from Reading him.

  But Firell? He might be able to create a mental barrier, but would it be stout enough to block a powerful Reader?

  “Why are they keeping you here?”

  “Waiting for him to return. Thought he’d have come by now. Usually doesn’t stay away from Asador too long.”

  Asador. At least now Rsiran knew where he and Jessa were. But why Asador again? It was where he’d found the sword Josun had stolen from him. And where he’d recovered his father.

  “He’s not coming,” Rsiran said.

  Firell leaned forward. “You killed him?”

  There was more than surprise to the question. Fear and worry mixed in as well. Firell didn’t care about what happened to Josun, but he might not be able to find his daughter again if Josun were truly dead.

  “I did the same thing to him that he did to Jessa.”

  Firell looked over. Relief swept across his eyes. “Where is he?”

  “Someplace he won’t be found.”

  “How? He’s like you, Rsiran. And we weren’t able to trap you for long.”

  Rsiran shifted, turning to face Firell. “He’s nothing like me.”

  Firell held up his hands. Blood soaked the bandage on one arm. Dirt stained the other, caked under his nails as if Firell had been trying to scratch his way to freedom. “I meant nothing by that. Just that you both have the same ability. The chains he gave us didn’t work on you. What makes you think they’ll work on him?”

  “They hold him.”

  But for how long? Josun was Elvraeth, which meant he possessed some degree of each ability. What if Josun had some of the same ability as Rsiran? What if he could hear the lorcith? Would he be able to use that and push on the heartstone alloy to open the chains?

  Would Rsiran be ready?

  He pushed away the thought. If Josun were able to escape, he would have by now.

  “Why are you here?” Firell asked. “What do you want with Shael?”

  Rsiran squeezed Jessa’s hand. “There is something Shael knows about. But since you don’t seem to know where to find him, I think Jessa is right. It’s time for us to be going.”

  He prepared to Slide them out of the cell. Rsiran didn’t know where they’d go. Probably back to Elaeavn at this point, regroup, and then confront Josun again. If he did know how to find the Forgotten, Rsiran would see that he helped them.

  And then Firell lunged at him.

  Rsiran Slid off the to side, pulling Jessa with him. Firell’s momentum into empty space sent him sprawling. He pushed up slowly and turned to face them.

  “Don’t. Please, Rsiran. Take me with you. I need to find Lena. I don’t know what he did to her. She’s too young… can’t withstand him on her own… not without any abilities.”

  Rsiran hesitated. Could he leave Firell here tormented by the loss of his daughter? Firell had betrayed them, but had he done it by choice or force?

  He looked over at Jessa. She nodded.

  Rsiran faced Firell again. “You will stay with us until I release you. If you try anything that might hurt Jessa, or me, trust that I’ll hide you where no one will ever find you. And I won’t do anything to find Lena.”

  Firell studied him for a moment before nodding. “I think they underestimated you, Rsiran.”

  Rsiran hesitated. “What?’

  Firell didn’t get the chance to answer.

  An entire wall burst open, light spilling into the cell. Firell threw himself back against the wall, moving out of the way.

  Rsiran spun toward the door, holding Jessa’s hand tightly in his. Six men stood facing them. One had a thick beard covering his face—something never seen in Elaeavn—and forked at each corner of his chin. Two holding swords, another pair with crossbows.

  All were aimed at Jessa.

  Firell had betrayed them again.

  Rsiran readied to push his knives. He only had five on him, plus the pair of knives Jessa carried. If he acted fast enough, he could drop the attackers and get them to safety.

  Or he could Slide. Nothing blocked him from Sliding. He could hold onto Jessa’s hand and Slide to safety. Traveling a short distance would take little more than a thought to reach safety. And then he could take them to Elaeavn.

  But if he wasn’t fast enough?

  A crossbow bolt might hit Jessa. He’d seen what could happen if he didn’t Slide quickly enough. One of the Elvraeth had grabbed onto him during a Slide to Della’s. If they did the same, or if the crossbow fired quickly enough, Jessa would be hurt.

  Rsiran had another reason for hesitating. If these were the Forgotten, didn’t he want to know why they had attacked?

  When he didn’t disappear, one of them stepped forward. He was startled to see it was a woman. She had black hair tied back behind her head. A tight-fitting jacket that flared at her waist, and loose-fitting leather pants. As she stepped into the orange lantern light, eyes flashed a deep green.

  She smiled. “You’re a hard one to find, Rsiran Lareth.” Her voice had a deep quality to it, almost drawing him toward her.

  Rsiran flicked his gaze over to Firell. How much had he told them about his abilities? Would they know he could push lorcith?

  He listened for a moment, sensing for lorcith. Two of the men carried knives—his forgings even—made of lorcith. Unlikely they knew then.

  It gave him an advantage.

  “You know my name, but I don’t know yours.” As he spoke, he shifted so that he stood more in front of Jessa. He could still Slide them to safety this way, and she would be less likely to be injured.

  The woman didn’t move, only spread her hands. A steel sword hung from one hand and she nodded. “Mine no longer matters.”

  One of the Forgotten. The comment practically admitted to it.

  Were all of these men Forgotten?

  Something about the way she spoke made him realize that she tried to Push him.

  Rsiran ensured his mental barriers were in place, infusing them with lorcith. If Readers were among them, he didn’t want to risk someone learning anything more about him.

  “Why are you holding Firell?”

  The Forgotten glanced at the smuggler. He still cowered against the wall. Rsiran realized he may not have been any more a willing participant than he had with Josun. That didn’t mean he didn’t have a choice.

  “I needed to see if what he said was true.”

  “And what did he say?”

  “That there is a dangerous man who can Slide, one not Elvraeth.”

  She moved in a flicker, appearing suddenly in front of Rsiran. Sliding.

  Rsiran tensed. She’d Slid faster than Rsiran could blink. Faster than he’d seen Josun Slide. Rsiran didn’t think he could move that quickly, especially not with Jessa.

  “I’ve met another who can Slide,” Rsiran offered. “He killed someone I care about.”

  She leaned forward. She smelled of sweat and grease and something else. A familiar odor Rsiran couldn’t quite place.

  “Where is he?”

  Rsiran didn’t move. This close, he could sink one of his knives into her without moving if he needed to, but he needed to know more b
efore he attacked her. Was she the only one who could Slide or could any of these others? And where were the rest of the Forgotten?

  “Somewhere he won’t harm anyone I care about again.”

  She studied Rsiran for a moment and then laughed. “Confidence. Interesting from one not born to the Elvraeth.” She nodded at Firell. “He tells me you have another impressive ability.”

  Rsiran held his breath. If Firell had told them of his ability to push lorcith, any advantage he had would be gone. Of course, Josun already knew of that ability of his. He could have told any of the Forgotten before Firell needed to.

  “About how you escaped from Elvraeth chains.” She turned back to Rsiran. “Said you even Slid into the palace. I would like to know how you managed to do that.”

  Rsiran shook his head. “I can’t explain what I do. I just can.”

  A wide smile spread across her face. “That’s how you injured Josun the first time. Damn near killed him. Had he not had a ready supply of tchinth, he would have been gone. The Great Watcher knows it’s a good thing you didn’t finish him off sooner, or else we never would have found you.”

  “And why would you want to find me?”

  She leaned into Rsiran’s ear. Her breath was warm and smelled of faint spice. “Because you’re going to help us.”

  Chapter 26

  The woman had marched Rsiran to a room above the cell, leading them up a narrow staircase. A low ceiling forced him to duck as he made his way along the halls. The air smelled damp and musty, stinking of wet earth. Strange carvings marked the wood as they passed, written with marks that reminded him of what they’d found on the crates in the warehouse and those within Venass.

  Small lanterns hung on hooks along the wall, staggered far enough apart that shadows still filled the space between them. When they reached the top of the stairs, Rsiran and Jessa had to duck to move through the door, as if it were made for a much shorter person.