Out Of The Darkness

by Calle J. Brookes

  An arrow hit the canvas tent behind them and it burst into flames. Nalik yanked her against him and protected her head with his arm. He cursed, “Go. Fast. I’ll be right behind you.”

  He had his sword ready. The blond man was there, appearing at their sides before Cass had even recognized movement. “Take your female and go. I have half my men to get through the key; the others have been given orders to protect your female, this side and that.”

  “I am in your debt.” Nalik nodded, giving Cass a small shove toward the ether.

  “I will take you up on that at a later date. Your female is going to balk upon the portkey. Best see to her quickly. I still have men to enter behind you.”

  She didn’t want to admit it, but she was terrified. The last time she’d ever seen a portkey open it had dragged her here. Where would this one take them?

  Hard hands wrapped around her waist and he lifted her off her feet again. He carried her toward the red. “We’ll do it together, then.”

  He stepped into the ether, and it surrounded them.

  Chapter 23

  Cass was sick. As soon as the ether cleared and revealed where they’d landed, she crawled away from Nalik and lost the meager contents of her stomach. Thank goodness she hadn’t had much in there to begin with.

  Nalik’s hands lifted her off the grass and to her feet. He whispered in her ear. “Don’t appear weak, if you can help it. We don’t have a damned clue where we are or what these people are about.”

  She didn’t need the reminder. “Why did he help us?”

  “I don’t have any idea.”

  “He had to have a reason.” One of the family rules that her Uncle Jason had drilled into her and Jade and Becca, and all of her cousins’ heads, was that people didn’t do things without reason. Be they good people or bad; they always had a reason.

  “I’m sure he does. And I have think part of that reason is boredom. He’s a strange one. And far older than I am, I think. Do not let your guard down.”

  “I don’t plan on it. Sticking to you like glue, remember?”

  “I may be mistaken, but I think I’ve been to this layer before.”

  “But what does that mean?”

  “It means that once we’re alone we can use some of those portkeys and get home.”

  “But when are we getting to be alone?” Cass looked around at the men. They were excited about something, and as the red mist disappeared she could see the blond man emerging. It was then that she realized that most of the men surrounding them hadn’t come through the ether with them. They’d already been there.

  And there were women and children of all ages greeting the men. It reminded her of the news clips that were all over the television of soldiers returning from the Middle East being reunited with their families. A small bit of her tension lessened. Just a bit. They were soldiers of some kind, but what did that mean for her and Nalik? “I think they’re back with their families. I don’t think they mean any harm.”

  “Do not be naïve. They’re at war, and war remains a constant in every layer. They will kill us without thought or mercy if it furthers their cause. Do not forget it.”

  “I’m not an idiot, Nalik. But I still prefer to see the best in people. And look at them. They don’t have war on their minds now.” Men were holding toddlers and sobbing. How could she not be touched by what she saw?

  “It’s been many months since most of my men saw their women, their youth. War tries men’s hearts, probably more so than they will ever let be known.” The blond man was behind them, and Cass turned at his words. “Welcome to Euschao, home of the displaced and forgotten. I am Jushua, dharran of these people. Leader of this land.”

  “Dharran?” Nalik had tensed beside her, and Cass wondered if it was because Jushua had taken her hand and pulled her away from Nalik slightly, or because of the unfamiliar word. She looked at Nalik, and knew at once that the word wasn’t unknown to him. “That’s not a word from the Euschao languages.”

  “I am not of Euschao, originally, though most of my men are. How know you of the Dharouix word? It is a private name for my ancestors only.”

  “Then one of your ancestors found their way into my world.”

  “Impossible. All of my people are accounted for. Or lost to death by fires of the Three Hells.”

  “You missed one, then.”

  Chapter 24

  Suspicion flooded the other male’s face, and Nalik understood it to some extent. Here he was, a stranger, questioning Jushua’s knowledge. And he and Cassandra were in a hell of a vulnerable position. “Know you anything of Gaia or Levia?”

  “No. Those worlds are not accessible to us. There are walls preventing my Kind from traveling there.” Jushua held up a hand. “Stay yourself from saying more. We shall adjourn to my home, where we can speak more.”

  “We need to get home.”

  “You know as well as I that a woman of her fragility of strength cannot portkey more than once in a tri-hour. She was already sick from the portkey once. Another trip will make her just even more ill than she still feels. Come with me. We shall talk worlds history, she can rest and partake of my mother’s sweet pies. And you can tell me how a male who speaks of Gaia and a world I have never heard of ended up in Evelanedea, the most distant of the worlds. The most guarded and isolated.”

  Nalik didn’t have to like it, but he did feel they owed the man something. Without his portkeys, he and Cassandra would still be in Evelanedea—directly in the path of those riders.

  Riders similar to the mercenaries that had plagued Relaklonos for centuries. He and Jareth and Adrastos had fought the demonic realm mercenaries on quite a few occasions. It was not something he wanted to repeat, especially with his Rajni so close. A wise man did not risk his female, ever.

  One glance at his female had his decision made. She still looked quite ill. She most definitely could not travel by portkey easily. At least not any time soon. He’d seen men twice her size leveled by too rapid portkey usage. There was no way a mostly-human girl would be able to withstand the pull on her body from the keys. He looked back at his new host. “A few hours, no more. Her sister and family are most likely beyond themselves with fear for her now.”

  “Understood.” Jushua held out his hand for Nalik to shake, and Nalik reciprocated, though he was reserving judgment upon the other male. “Come. My home is quarter of a mile in this direction. My lady, it would be my pleasure to escort you. My mother awaits.”

  Jushua held out his other arm for Cassandra. She took it, after looking at Nalik. He flanked her other side, putting her between his body and the other male’s.

  “Thank you.”

  “Tell me, little flower, have you been many other worlds?”

  “This is my second, now, I guess. Where exactly are we?”

  Nalik kept his attention on the crowds surrounding them; many of the people were calling out to Jushua as they passed. He was a leader amongst this crowd, too, and not just the band of fighters he’d had with him. “Did all of your men make it through the key?”

  “We did. A few had minor injuries, but we were prepared for this eventuality.”

  “You were quite outnumbered. Any particular reason why you were there?” He knew it was a pushy question, but he thought he had a decent read on the other man. Jushua would be the kind of leader to appreciate a male’s bluntness.

  “Yes.” Jushua’s words turned harsh, and Nalik rested his hand on his sword. Just in case. “Evelanedea is my home. My family ruled there for millennia, guiding the people with gentle hands. Until Woldhan mercenaries invaded more than four thousand years ago. They have enslaved my world, my people, and I fight to this day to free them. I will give my life to free them, as my father and siblings before me.”

  Well, that was a bit more than Nalik expected. He hated that he knew almost nothing about Evelanedea; being unprepared for something bothered him at every level.

  Cassandra put her hand on Jushua’s arm to comfort. “That’s
very brave. I’m sorry your people are suffering so horribly.”

  Jushua relaxed slightly, his face showing some surprise. Nalik understood it. She was too sweet for this type of world—all who looked at her would see that. He would get her home as quickly as he could. Get her to her home, then he would make doubled damned sure she was never threatened again. “There suffering ends soon. The seer’s have decreed it so.”

  “So where are we now? I’m not very clear on how this whole realm thing works.”

  Had she deliberately infused her voice with that small touch of vulnerability? Was she trying to appear more helpless, less threatening than she was?

  He hadn’t missed the rising weeds she’d wound around Jushua when he and Nalik had been sparring. She had to have done it from a great distance, with immense accuracy—something almost unheard of for such a young woman. Especially one who was not full-blooded Druid. Even if they were in a more magical layer than their own.

  Cassandra may look fragile and vulnerable, but she wasn’t as weak as she seemed. He knew that now. Did she?

  “Little flower, welcome to Euschao. It’s one of the least populated, and you’ll find a mix of many Kinds displaced to here. Druids, such as yourself, even.”

  Jushua led them through the settlement, and Nalik studied each building they passed. It was a small place, true, but the buildings were made of wood, appeared relatively stable, older than he’d expected, and showed signs of commerce. There were two different food markets plus several other businesses.

  It showed great signs of being a stable settlement. There was even a small school, and that told him much. It meant that the men and women of this place felt secure enough to part from their young for several hours each day. That said a lot.

  He had been to Euschao before, but the areas he and Cormac and Aodhan had traveled had been filled with more of the criminal occupants of this world than the civil. Had he ever been to a city in this world?

  He didn’t recall having been. He and the others had been hunting rogue demons when they’d been here in the past. And that had been close to three hundred years ago. Things would have changed in that time. It always did.

  Jushua’s home was the largest building in the center of the town area. It was made of rock with only a bit of wood trim. It looked like some of the places in his own world. Inside was rough wood walls with little decoration, but the home was warm. Welcoming. It reminded him of a Scottish keep of old, with its mix of stone and wood. The roaring fire, complete with canines of some kind basking in front of it.

  Hanging on the walls were woven tapestries that depicted scenes that were oddly familiar to him. A huge staircase dominated the center of the back wall, and he suspected that there were at least two levels of bedrooms.

  A maid cleaned the baseboards around the stairs with a rag and a bucket. He studied her for a moment—she showed signs of good health and he could hear her humming. She was happy in her task, telling him that this was a good place to serve. Telling him that Jushua treated his servants well, most likely honorably. More of the tension plaguing him lessened.

  A woman came down the stairs, regal with every step. She was a few shades darker in hair than her son, but one look at her and Nalik’s breath caught.

  She not only favored Jushua strongly, but she was almost identical to the damned goddess Kennera. Even the eyes. Dardaptoan eyes.

  She paused on the bottom stair. And just stared at the two of them. “Jushua?”

  “My dearest mother.” Their host stepped away from Cassandra and bowed low to his mother. The move echoed the Dardaptoan traditional bow almost completely. Who were these people? “I have brought guests from the world of Gaia. Cassandra and her male Nalik.”

  The woman kept staring at Nalik. He bowed. “Thank you for having visitors to your home, my lady. We are much honored to be welcomed.” Traditional Dardaptoan greeting; would she respond appropriately?

  She did the feminine version of the bow. “My calling to serve you, my home to welcome. Come, travelers, I have a meal prepared for my son’s arrival.”

  She answered his greeting in Dardaptoan. Effortlessly.

  Whoever these people were, they shared common ancestry with the Dardaptoan people. Had he ever heard of Dardaptoans leaving Gaia to form new colonies? He definitely didn’t think so. The damned goddess had strongly discouraged traveling to other layers. Did she know of these people?

  The woman was looking at him again, and he tilted his head in her direction.

  “Pardon my staring. It’s just that you remind me of someone lost to us now.” Sadness in every inch of her being, clear for him to see. He hurt for her, as memories of his brother and sister popped in to his head. He grieved them every day now for thirty years—would his grief go on for thousands more?

  “I am sorry for your lost ones.”

  “How many years have you passed?”

  “I have passed my seven hundredth, madam. I am not the one you lost, my lady.”

  “No, you are not. Rhomma has been gone more than four thousand years. Yet I grieve him and his lost siblings every day. As only a mother can.”

  Not his mother. She grieved Iavius and Erastine, but he greatly doubted she would ever grieve him. She’d said as much several times since he’d returned from Taniss’s laboratory without his younger siblings. She never let him forget that he’d lived while they hadn’t. “I am sorry for your loss, madam. I have lost siblings of my own.”

  “The time to grieve is a private one. Come, I shall feed you and you shall tell me of the world you have come from. I have never heard of it, in all of my days. Tell me, is it warm there?”

  “In places. It has climates that change from bitterly cold to blistering hot. Anything you can wish for, you can move to.” He offered her his arm, feeling strangely drawn to the woman. Cassandra followed with Jushua. “How is this place? Cold year round, I believe?”

  “Yes, that is true. One can get rather tired of such cold, but this is a good enough place for our needs. I am thankful for it.”

  She moved with awkward steps and it took him a moment to realize why. She was missing a leg, and her left side was weaker than the right.

  She was obviously semimortal, longer lived even than most Dardaptoans, yet she’d faced such a grievous injury? What had this woman endured?

  “How did you end up with my son? We rarely have visitors from other worlds, just Evelanedea and a few others. Two or three, and only at times of great wars and troubles.” She led them into a decent sized kitchen, complete with a long table running down the center. There was a cook and two servants busy at the stoves. “We are preparing a feast to celebrate my son’s return. Please join us. We have more than enough to share.”

  He took one look at his female and made his decision. There was excitement, intrigue, and curiosity on her face. How could he tell her no, when Jushua had spoken the truth earlier? It was still too soon for her to portkey safely.

  And Nalik was filled to the brim with curiosity over these people who were like Dardaptoan but far, far older than his Kind.

  Chapter 25

  Cass felt comfortable, even though she was in a new place in a strange world. She felt far more comfortable where she was now than she had in Dardanos for the past year. Jushua’s mother was wonderfully kind as she offered them the different foods she’d had prepared. They were similar to the foods Cass preferred, lots of vegetables and some type of bread she couldn’t identify.

  Jushua and Nalik were discussing the world they’d come from, and Cass was surprised to hear Nalik speaking more openly than he had in front of her before. He was a very wise man—she could tell that as he and Jushua talked about the mercenaries who Nalik had fought against in the past.

  He was definitely one of those warrior types. She had never cared much for men who sought to fight. But Nalik wasn’t just a fighter, was he? He’d protected her, when he really didn’t have to. And he’d tried to protect her from the very beginning. Why had he done that,
truly?

  Jushua’s mother looked at Cass. “You are very young, are you not?”

  Nalik was over seven hundred, this woman far older. “I guess I am. I just turned twenty-two a few weeks ago.”

  “And yet you have already found your male?”

  That definitely wasn’t expected. “No…Nalik is just…” What was he? A friend? Hardly. “Nalik…” She fought the urge to look at him. She lost. He was smirking at her, rare humor in his eyes. Darn him. He liked seeing her flustered like this. “I’m not exactly sure what he is. But he is not my man. Not at all.”

  Jushua looked at her, a strange expression on his face. “You certain of that, little flower?”

  “Definitely.” There was no way she would ever even think of Nalik like that. Even though he had kissed her—and she had kissed him back, she had to be honest about that—there would never be anything more than that between them. To even think about it was crazy. Wasn’t it?

  ***

  They must have spent several hours around Jushua’s table, talking with him about the worlds and the different layers. Cass had paid attention for a little while, but it was something she was never going to fully understand. Instead she and Jushua’s mother, Eaudne, discovered a mutual love of plants. Eaudne led her on a tour of the large house—it was too small to be a castle, though it had several characteristics that made her think of one—to look at the plants Eaudne was cultivating.

  After a long discussion on seed characteristics of poppies, which grew in both worlds under different names, Eaudne took both of Cass’s hands in hers. “Tell me, Cassandra, why does he look so much like my son? What do you know of his people?”

  Talk about blindsided. “I…I don’t know much about him. I really don’t.”

  “I see. You know there is a connection between your heart and his, do you not?” The woman’s hands tightened on Cass’s when Cass would have pulled away. “A bond that is already growing, that should not—cannot—be broken. Think wisely on what you do next.”