by C. Ellsworth
As if in answer, a wide swath of light suddenly broke through the angry clouds above, beaming down through the cavern’s open dome. In an instant the walls all around shone with a sparkling brilliance like a sky full of stars. It lit the very recesses of that vast space, light coming from everywhere at once. Addy’s breath caught. It was so beautiful!
Then, just as suddenly, the sun was gone, and the walls dimmed as before. The two skeg behind her showed no signs of amazement, so that wondrous event must have been normal to them.
Addy and her escort continued down the well-worn path, drawing near to the pond in the center of the cavern. The mist from the falls was cool on her skin, and the air smelled fresh and new. Everything here was so clean and so alive. What was it about this place? Was it magic? The people seemed so full of energy, and there were so many children! And old people! How were there so many old people, and not one of them showing so much as a cough?
Suddenly a large hand clamped onto Addy’s bottom, and a small, startled squeak escaped her lips. The pale man behind her grinned. That slimy pig! Her arm swung, and her open palm slapped him across the face. Then Addy’s stomach clenched. Perhaps that wasn’t the smartest thing she could have done.
The skeg’s eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. He let out a low growl and pulled her harshly to him, twisting her arm. His face drew just inches from hers. “I have fun with you soon.” His rancid breath washed over her face.
A gnarled cane thumped against his skull, drawing a pained hiss through his crooked teeth. He let go, taking a step back with a hand rising to the lump quickly forming on his bald head. The old woman gave him a shove and raised her cane as if to strike again, but instead she released a torrent of angry skeg words.
A word caught Addy’s ear, and she frowned. “kha’lat?” Did she hear that correctly? “Is Kergen here? I’ll tear him apart for what he’s done! Take me to him now!” She should have been trembling with fear right then, but people had died—her friends had died! All because of that animal.
The old woman swung her cane, the attack aimed at Addy’s head. It came fast—faster than it should have from someone so old—but Addy managed to duck at the last moment, and the gnarled weapon rustled her hair as it passed. How did the old woman get so—
Without pause, the old woman continued her swing, the cane twirling in her grip. She spun with amazing agility, bringing her weapon arcing back around to smack hard against Addy’s legs. Addy let out a cry and crumpled, grasping at the back of her knees where bruises were surely forming.
Addy’s face flushed. She had broken one of the Guard Captain’s rules: never underestimate your opponent. She should have known that even the elder skeg were formidable. But she wouldn’t be making that mistake again.
As Addy came again to her feet, the pale man shot her a mocking grin, but at least his hand still nursed his own bruise. She narrowed her eyes at him.
The old woman spat another string of harsh words at Addy, but again, only ‘kha’lat’ was familiar. Had Addy broken some sacred rule not to speak this kha’lat’s true name? Well, if he doesn’t want people going around saying his name, maybe he shouldn’t have announced it to everyone in the barracks!
Addy remained silent, and the skeg nudged her forward once more, the path leading them around the pond to a place where wide, marble steps led upward. Her stomach twisted. Something about this place seemed familiar. She began to climb.
At the top were a dozen or so older skeg—some men and some women—all standing about in conversation. All wore the familiar furs that barely concealed their pale forms, but this group seemed more important somehow. They stood taller, their composure more—
Her breath froze.
There, as in her dream, sat a monstrous throne, built from the pale, broken bones of so many victims. Her legs turned to water, and only the firm grip of her escort kept her from collapsing to the ground.
Beneath an arch of grinning skulls atop that high-backed seat sat Kergen, the man who had brought death to Sorsia and sixteen others in the barracks, and personally drove a blade into Karine’s heart. Addy’s own dagger would find his heart, if she got the chance. She would see it so!
Kergen leaned forward, his scarred and nearly-naked form imposing on his throne. His head was bald, like all the other skeg men, and that scar was plainly visible between his eyes. His icy blue gaze was intent on Addy, and Addy alone. What would he do now that he had her, as he had proclaimed he would? He gave no outward appearance of anger or satisfaction. He simply studied her as if she were an ox for barter. Addy’s heart thumped.
He spoke then, his pale eyes taking in the others as well now, but again the words were just guttural noises. They sounded like pig chatter. Suddenly, raucous laughter erupted all around, and Addy gave a start. What was so funny? Some of the skeg looked at her appreciatively—especially the men—while others just watched. Perhaps it was best she didn’t know what they were talking about.
A figure appeared from behind the throne, and everyone fell silent. Sauntering out of the shadows was a lithe and supple woman wearing fur-lined skins that barely concealed the curves of her hips and bosom. She jingled softly from her ornate jewelry: necklaces, rings, bracelets, gems. And an opal the size of a sparrow’s egg dangled from a gold chain nestled between her breasts.
That woman! An icy grip clenched Addy’s heart. It was the woman from her dreams! Addy grew dizzy.
The white topknot in the center of the woman’s head swayed as she glided around the great throne. Then she perched herself on Kergen’s lap, her arm draped possessively around his thick neck. Her pale eyes were ever on Addy. “Welcome, my pretty plaything,” she cooed in words thick with accent, R’s rolling across her tongue. “We will have a lot of fun, I think, you and I.”
Kergen’s thick lips bent ever so slightly. A grin, perhaps, but far from friendly. Addy drew a deep breath, her head still swimming. She licked her suddenly-parched lips and made her mouth form words. “What . . . why . . . why am I here? Where are my friends? The camp . . .” Her words trailed off. Karine . . .
The woman tilted her head back and laughed, a sound like chimes. Such an odd thing, coming from a skeg. When the pale woman’s laughter subsided, she stood from Kergen’s knee and glided up to Addy. Her eyes caressed her up and down, a small, appreciative smile on those full, pouty lips. Addy may as well have been naked, for how the woman eyed her.
The woman raised a hand to caress Addy’s cheek. “I have watched you in my dreams, my lovely.” Her voice turned slow and sultry. Her finger traced across Addy’s chin and down her neck. “I have prayed to the Light for you to come.” The finger drew down past the pit of Addy’s throat, stopping at the top button of her linen shirt.
Addy’s heart skipped a beat.
“And now you are here.” The button came undone, and Addy felt the blood drain from her face. Kergen leaned forward, elbows on his knees and fingers steepled at his mouth. Addy closed her eyes. This isn’t happening! This must be another dream! Wake up, Addy! She opened her eyes, but nothing had changed. Her breath came short and quick.
The pale woman circled, her touch gliding across Addy’s collarbone as she moved to stand behind her. A warm breath touched Addy’s neck, and her skin pebbled. The skeg was close, so close her flowery scent swirled in the air. Addy bit her lower lip to keep from crying out.
There was a gentle tug at the fabric covering Addy’s shoulder, and her shirt was drawn down, baring her scar. Addy swallowed hard, the beat of her heart drumming in her ears.
The woman cooed. “What have we here?” Those fingers traced across the scar, caressing.
Enough! Addy turned from that touch, heat flooding into her cheeks. She quickly adjusted her shirt back into place and refastened the button. She might be taunting the adder, but at least she would keep her dignity! She drew air into her lungs and let out a slow, shuddering breath.
The woman gave a melodious chuckle and sauntered back around. Then those pale eyes met Addy�
�s for a moment before she turned away, hips swaying as she returned to Kergen’s side. She did not sit this time, but her hand came to rest on his scarred and muscled shoulder. The man merely smirked with that wide mouth, his eyes narrow and cold.
The lithe woman raised her voice for all to hear. “The Lord of Light has surely blessed us.” Then she spoke in skeg, presumably repeating the proclamation.
Murmurs of what sounded like agreement rose up among those gathered. Addy shut her eyes. Her legs trembled, and sweat beaded on her brow. She clenched her hands into fists. She would not be cowed by these animals! Give her a blade and she would show them!
She opened her eyes, and her strength fled.
Gone was the warm smile from the woman’s face, and in its place a wicked grin. “After you have lain with the kha’lat, you and I will come to know one another quite well. And when you have gifted us with a child, bearing the traits of your blood, perhaps I will find further use for you. Perhaps you will dance for us while the kha’lat takes his pleasure.”
Breath seized in Addy’s throat. She was to bear a child? Kergen’s child? No! “I . . . I . . .” The words wouldn’t come! Her lungs refused to draw breath! “I . . . must . . . get to the Tower. I have to speak . . . before the Lord.”
The only hint of the woman’s displeasure was a slight tightness around her eyes, but her voluptuous mouth never lost its sinister grin. “Who are you to interfere with Nier’d’ka’s wishes?”
Addy blinked. Interfere? “If I don’t get to the Tower . . . we will all die! And . . . and I am the only one who can stop what is about to happen!” Breathe, Addy, breathe!
Kergen chuckled, a sound like rocks breaking. “The vil’habak—the town-dwellers—think they know all, but they are fools.”
The woman ran her hand over Kergen’s bald head, a small smile still bending her pale lips. When she spoke, it was in his ear, but her gaze remained fixed on Addy. “It is a wonder they have survived so long. Their children are sick and weak. Their food is touched by the Faege. We should have wiped them from the earth long ago.”
Addy strained to draw breath.
Snaking a muscled arm around the woman, Kergen pulled her close, his hand gliding over her bare thigh. “Their numbers are small now.” He pressed his thick lips to the woman’s shoulder. “It is time. It is time we end their suffering.”
Addy gasped. “No! You can’t!” There had to be a way out of this! She couldn’t let this happen! Breathe! Breathe! But she couldn’t get enough air. Breathe! Help! Papa and Gevin were in danger. The skeg would kill them if she didn’t do something! Breathe! They would be slaughtered along with everyone else in town! Lord of Light, what could she do?
Darkness crept in from the edges of Addy’s vision, and the world grew dim around her.
The woman called to her, voice sounding distant. “I am Valenda,” she cooed, “and we will be good friends, you and I. Very good friends.”
Chapter 31
Addy awoke in her cage, aching from head to toe. She sat up from the cold floor, a soft moan slipping through her teeth. She gave the barred door a shake. Locked. Of course it was. They didn’t trust her. What would she have to do to earn more freedom like Jess, and how long would that take? How long had Jess been here? A year? Too long. Poor Jess. The woman seemed far from free, though, but at least she wasn’t locked up like an animal.
A yawn cracked her jaw as she looked about. Sunlight still showed through the hole above, gray and muted with a hint of red, but was this the same day or the next? The waterfalls had grown smaller, so perhaps she’d been unconscious for some time. There is no time. I have to get out of here! How long before the Tower Lord lost patience? Would the land and all the people be reduced to ash if she didn’t get there before it was too late?
The abrupt call of the Tower’s warning horn in the distance seemed to answer. Dust and pebbles rained down from the rocky ceiling, and the earth shuddered. The skeg within sight merely paused, though, to stare momentarily at the sky, and then they resumed their work when the echoes faded to nothing. Had they resolved themselves to their fate? Did they want the world to end?
Footsteps.
The old, half-blind woman from before hobbled up the path toward the cage. In her wake was Jess, eyes downcast and shoulders sagging. What have they done to you, Jess?
Jess’s face colored when their gazes met, but she said nothing and turned her eyes back to her feet.
The old woman’s scowl deepened as she unlocked the door and swung it open with a screech. The man with the soft-featured face was not with her this time, thank the Spirelight. Of course, he wasn’t the one hitting people with a cane! Perhaps it was the old woman she should fear.
The old woman beckoned. Addy paused. Should she resist? Should she fight? The back of her legs still ached from the last time she had been struck, and more bruises would only make things more miserable. No, she would think things through—plan carefully—before acting again.
Addy rose to her feet—crouching under the cage’s short height—and walked out. Very obedient. The model prisoner! Some warrior I’ve become. But give her a weapon and an opportunity, and things would be different.
The skeg woman spat something in that odd tongue, her half-blind gaze narrowed. What was she saying? Addy stood, staring back at the woman with a small frown. Why didn’t they all speak in words she could understand? Were only some allowed the privilege of learning that skill?
“Olgana . . . asks . . . that you come with us.” Jess kept her head mostly downcast as she muttered, drawing only a glance from the pale woman. “We all must do our part to keep the . . . um . . . gol’kat—what is the word . . . clan, maybe?—to keep the clan working as it should. Maybe ‘people’ would be a better word for it, I don’t know. Their language is very strange.” There was a second glare from the old woman, and Jess blushed and fell silent again.
Addy gave Olgana the warmest smile she could stomach. Wretched old bag! Then she fell in beside Jess as the old woman led them down the path in the opposite direction of the pond. Her friend—Jess was still her friend, wasn’t she?—seemed hesitant to talk with the skeg present, and so Addy said nothing either.
On they walked, down a path worn well, with shrubs and plants, and even flowers to either side. It smelled of clean air and fresh earth, sort of like Planting time, except that Planting time had never smelled so . . . alive. Birds flitted about happily in the branches of the trees, and bees bounced from flower to flower gathering pollen. There was simply none of the usual signs of the Faege in this place. It was breathtaking!
Finally, Jess spoke, looking pointedly at Addy’s clothing, her voice a whisper. “You’re heading to the Tower for the Affirmation.” She cast a nervous glance at the old woman ahead, but Olgana seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts, or perhaps her hearing was as poor as her eyesight.
Addy nodded, and Jess continued. “How many Proven are there?”
Addy sighed. “Just one this Cycle.”
Jess paused for a moment, watching Addy’s expression, then her eyes widened. “You? You’re the only one? Lord of Light!”
Olgana grunted, and Jess lowered her voice back to a whisper. “I have not been allowed topside yet, but we have all seen the red Spirelight and felt the tremors. The skeg here believe it is a signal of what they call the arik’sa, or Rebirth. Most are taking it in stride, but some are nervous. What’s happening, Addy?”
Addy looked down at her clothing. Her once-white shirt was more of a gray color now, with spots of blood, and her gray leather vest and pants were coated in dust and grime. She was filthy, to be sure, but she wasn’t going to stick around long enough to trade her outfit for skeg furs!
Addy eyed Olgana, but the skeg’s attention was still elsewhere. “No one knows quite what to make of it, Jess.” She kept her voice barely above a whisper. “Not even Phineus has answers. All I know is that I need to get to the Tower. There’s so little time left. I can . . . feel it.”
Jess
pursed her lips and swallowed. “I overheard that you were taken from a group of others. And that someone was . . . killed.”
Addy’s throat tightened. No, she wouldn’t cry! Emotion would only get in the way of what she had to do. A sudden fire in her middle burned away the tears. Kergen would pay, eventually. She nodded, clenching her teeth until the fire inside died down enough to talk without growling. “Karine.” Her words were like ice sliding across stone. “Jess, it was Karine who died. Kergen killed her right in front of me. I can’t get the image out of my head. The look on her face . . .”
Jess’s expression softened, but if she had known Karine enough to feel more than a mere twinge of sorrow, it didn’t show. She fell silent for a moment before speaking again. “I’m sorry, Addy.” Then she added quickly, “Not because I feel responsible for what these people have done, but because of what you’ve had to endure. The others are safe, though? Who came with you?”
“Ryan, Traizen . . .” Addy’s voice caught. “Liah . . .” She raised a hand to touch the figure beneath her shirt again. “I don’t know about the others, but Liah is . . . gone as well.” Faege and rot! This isn’t fair. This isn’t how things were supposed to be! She took a breath. “Jess, if Ryan and Traizen are still out there, they will be coming for me. I could really use your help.”
The color drained from Jess’s face, and she turned her eyes to the path ahead. “I . . . I can’t be of much help to you, Addy.” She clenched her jaw. “It’s not . . . as simple for me as you might think. The risk would be too great.”
“But you’ve trained for this, Jess!” Addy argued, her voice rising to a loud whisper. Risk? They were all at risk? “You’ve had far more training than even I. Surely you can—”
“No!” Jess hissed. “Please, speak no more of it. When the time comes, I will do what I can. I won’t try and stop you, but I can’t take risks either. I can’t!”