A March into Darkness dobas-2

by Robert Newcomb

  Tristan suspected what was coming. If he was right, this would be hard for her. She could use a sword and command an oceangoing vessel with the best of them. But when it came to showing her innermost emotions she oftentimes faltered, just as he did. Rather than ask, he decided to let her take her time. Quiet moments passed.

  “I love you,” she said simply, honestly. As she spoke, he saw a glimmer of hope flash in her eyes.

  “Forgive me,” she said. “The truth is that I simply can’t help it. It started slowly, that day I rescued you from one of Wulfgar’s slaver frigates. It has only grown since then. I’m sorry you lost Celeste. I loved her too, and I mean no disrespect to her memory. But I need to know how you feel about me.”

  Aware that he was about to break her heart, Tristan closed his eyes for a moment.

  “I understand, but we can’t be together that way,” he said, trying to tell her as gently as he could. “I care for you, you know that. But my heart still searches.”

  He sensed her pain, and he could tell that she was bravely trying not to cry. True to her nature she blinked hard, conquering her impending tears.

  “Is it because I serve on the Conclave?” she asked. “That didn’t keep you from loving Celeste.”

  “I know,” he answered. “But that is precisely why it cannot happen again. Celeste died while on a Conclave mission that I commanded. In some ways, I will forever carry that guilt. For everyone’s benefit, I simply cannot place my heart-or another Conclave member’s heart-in that position again.”

  Reaching out, he placed one palm against her cheek. As he felt her tears run among his fingers, she closed her eyes and reached up to press his hand closer.

  He knew that telling her this way-rather than reminding her of what they each knew to be true-would be the kindest. When Tristan had found the Scroll Master, the young man had told him that there would be another woman for him, and that he would know her when he saw her. She would be the true love of his life, and she would bear his children. Since that day he had known that Tyranny was not the one. Nor was Yasmin, who had so unknowingly helped restore his heart.

  “I want you to know that had we met in another place or time, things might have been different between us,” he said. “There will always be that much. As it is, I can only ask that you respect my feelings.”

  Tyranny nodded and swallowed hard. “My heart suspected that this was how it would be,” she said. “But I had to know.”

  She took a deep breath and gave him another searching look. Coming closer, she kissed his cheek.

  “I hope you find her, Jin’Sai, ” she said softly. “Whoever she is, she’s a lucky woman.”

  Saying nothing more, she turned and walked away. After watching her go, Tristan turned and looked back at the moonlit Sea of Whispers.

  Whoever she is, he thought, echoing Tyranny’s parting words. But will I ever find her?

  TheJin’Sai remained alone at the ship’s rail for a long time, wondering.

  CHAPTER LX

  DAWN WAS COMING QUIETLY TO PARTHALON, BUT EVERYONEtaking refuge in the Recluse knew that the peacefulness would not last. The coming day would be momentous.

  Serena stood quietly in her private chambers. Outside her balcony, the sun crept above the eastern horizon, flooding the inky sky with light. Einar and Reznik were there with her.

  Serena walked over to the pink marble altar. Clarice still lay atop it, but today no red rose petals adorned the floor, the altar, or her corpse. Their scent could interfere with his formula, Reznik had warned. As an added precaution, the dead child was naked.

  As she reached down to touch Clarice’s face, Serena shivered with fear and joy alike as she thought about what would soon happen. Her two servants knew better than to intrude on her private thoughts during moments such as this. Their queen had suffered much to see this day. This would be done in her way, and in her time.

  Early yesterday Einar had hurried to her bearing the good news. We have done it! he said. Failee’s spell and Reznik’s accompanying potion were finally ready. They had tried it on the last five lepers remaining at the Recluse. After killing them, they had successfully revived each one.

  At the queen’s insistence, five more subjects had been tested. But these persons had not been lepers. They had been female newborns, hastily abducted by Serena’s consuls from nearby towns and villages, and then flown to the Recluse by envelopers. Their terrified parents had fought back as best they could, but they stood little chance against the craft. Most died while trying to save their babies.

  Under the queen’s merciless gaze, Einar and Reznik had strangled each of the wailing infants to death, then successfully brought them back to life. Only then did Serena agree to try the process on Clarice. The revived baby girls had been carried to the top of the fortress walls and tossed alive into the moat. The hungry shrews had devoured them greedily, leaving no evidence of the queen’s crimes.

  Serena turned to look at Einar. She knew that time was of the essence, for the Heretics had been keeping her informed of theJin’Sai ’s quick progress across the sea. Only three hours ago they had again touched her mind to tell her that the fleet was sailing overland, and that Clarice must be brought back to life quickly. Einar and Reznik’s success had not come a moment too soon. The hiding shrews and camouflaged envelopers had also been warned of theJin’Sai ’s imminent arrival.

  Serena glared into Einar’s eyes. “Are yousure?” she demanded.

  Einar nodded. “As sure as we can be,” he answered. “More testing would be prudent, but we have no time. After we finish here we must see to the defense of the Recluse. Only when your child is revived and theJin’Sai has been destroyed can we finally relish our victory.”

  “Very well,” she said. “You may start. But if you harm Clarice rather than give her life, I will kill you both.”

  As Serena backed away, Einar and Reznik nervously approached the altar. Einar waved a hand, and Failee’s spell materialized in the air. It twinkled beautifully as it quietly hovered above the altar. As Reznik removed something from his butcher’s smock, Serena recognized it as a herbmaster’s sachet. Reznik placed the sachet on Clarice’s chest, then quietly backed away.

  Einar started to recite Failee’s spell. Wispy smoke soon rose from the sachet and started to whirl into a little maelstrom. Then the maelstrom entered the skin of the child’s bare chest, leaving no mark. As they watched and waited, quiet reclaimed the room. Serena held her breath.

  Suddenly Clarice’s chest started to rise and fall, and she coughed. Color quickly returned to her gray skin. Then her arms and legs wriggled about and she started crying. As tears streamed down her cheeks, she stretched her arms higher, and her blue eyes opened in an instinctual search for her mother.

  Reznik looked over at Einar. Knowing better than to speak during this momentous event, Einar only smiled. The two servants humbly backed away.

  Lunging for the altar, Serna lifted her squirming child and held her close. As she did, Clarice’s wispy, dark hair quietly brushed against the dead rose secured in Serena’s bosom.

  Reunited at last, Serena’s heart cried out.

  Crying, laughing, and then crying again, Serena turned to her mystics. Tears ran freely down her face.

  “Well done,” she whispered.

  She stood that way for some time, rocking her child and lovingly remembering the man who had fathered her. Clarice’s crying soon quieted into a soft gurgle.

  Serena turned to the door and sharply called out. One of the trusted handmaidens she had brought from the Citadel obediently entered the room. Her name was Dagmar, and she would serve as Clarice’s nanny and wet nurse. She smiled when she saw the revived child. When Dagmar neared, Serena reluctantly handed Clarice to her. The queen gave Dagmar a grave look.

  “If she perishes, you perish,” she warned ominously.

  Cradling the reborn child in her arms, Dagmar bowed. “Yes, Your Grace,” she said.

  Just then Serena sensed a familiar se
nsation start to grow in her mind. “Leave us,” she said to Dagmar.

  After giving her queen another bow, the wet nurse took the gurgling child from the room. As Einar and Reznik watched, Serena went to her knees.

  “I am here,”she said.

  “You have done well,”thePon Q’tar said to her.“But your greatest trial is about to start. Your child has been reborn, but it is too late for you and her to flee. So now you must do everything in your power to protect her. The Black Ships approach. But the Recluse defenses are strong, so make the Conclave come to you. Defend Clarice and the Recluse with your life, if need be. Destroy the Jin’Saionce and for all.”

  “On my life,”Serena answered.

  When she sensed the clerics’ presence fading away, she came to her feet. Just as she was about to address Reznik and Einar, Actinius burst into the room.

  “Forgive me, Your Grace!” he exclaimed. “An enveloper patrol has sighted the Black Ships! They can be seen from the tops of the castle walls!”

  “I know,” Serena answered quietly, surprising them all.

  The three mystics saw a look of grim determination come over their queen. They had finally given her the one thing she wanted most in the world, and they knew that she would do anything, sacrifice anything, to protect her child. She gave her servants a commanding look.

  “Hurry!” she said to them. “You know your orders!” At once all four mystics ran from the room.

  The battle for the Recluse was about to start.

  CHAPTER LXI

  FROM THE BOW OF THETAMMERLAND, TRISTAN USEDTyranny’s spyglass to look north. What he saw worried him.

  Under his orders, the four Black Ships had stopped at a point south of the Recluse and about three hundred meters away. Wigg was still empowering theTammerland. At theJin’Sai ’s order the ship hovered twenty meters in the air. Faegan, Aeolus, and Jessamay soon positioned the other three vessels to hover in a battle line on theTammerland ’s starboard side. As the rising sun cast its rays over the vessels, the massive Black Ships twinkled ominously in the growing light.

  Tristan lowered the spyglass and turned to look at his friends. Save for Jessamay, Faegan, and Aeolus, all of the Conclave members-including Traax-were present. Rafe, Scars, Ox, and Balthazar were also there, waiting for orders. Thousands of Minion warriors and highlander horsemen crowded the ships’ decks, every fighter eager for the battle to start. Thousands more waited belowdecks. So far, the fleet had met no resistance.

  Tristan handed the spyglass to Wigg. “Give me your opinion,” he said.

  Wigg took the glass and focused its lenses on the Recluse. After a time, he shook his head.

  “It looks deserted,” he said. “But every instinct in me says that it’s not. It’s a trap.”

  “I think you’re right,” Tristan agreed.

  Shailiha took the glass from Wigg to see for herself. To her surprise, the Recluse looked abandoned. Under normal circumstances, Minion warriors would have prowled the guard paths lining the tops of the walls. The drawbridge would have been lowered, and more warriors would be seen guarding the drawbridge and the arched bridge stretching over the island’s lake. Other warriors would have been flying patrol in the sky. But today not one could be seen, and the wooden drawbridge was raised. All the blue-and-gold flags displaying the heraldry of the House of Galland had been lowered. An ominous stillness commanded the entire structure and the surrounding land.

  Seeing the Recluse like this was eerie, Shailiha realized. In some ways, its seemingly abandoned state was even more foreboding than if it had been swarming with Wulfgar’s once-powerful demonslavers. She lowered the glass and looked at Tristan.

  “What are your orders?” she asked him.

  Tristan leaned against the gunwale, thinking. He was about to speak when Wigg beat him to it.

  “Serena might want us to risk it all on a full frontal assault,” the wizard said. “And I must admit that it’s a tempting idea. But I would caution against it. We still don’t know what kind of strength she has gathered behind those walls. If her forces outnumber us, we could lose this battle soon after it starts.”

  Tristan agreed with Wigg. But he also trusted Traax’s opinions in such matters. He looked toward his battle-hardened commander.

  “And you, my friend?” he asked. “What do you say?”

  Leaving Duvessa’s side, Traax walked closer. Although the warrior was up and about, his left arm was still bandaged. The look on his face was thoughtful, cautious.

  “I agree with Wigg,” he said. “If there are too many of them and we attack in force, we could lose everything. Better to let a small group of warriors approach the castle and draw them out to test their defenses. It could be a suicide mission, but we might learn much.”

  Tristan gave Traax a wry look. “And I suppose you want to lead them?” he asked.

  Traax smiled. “Who better?” he asked. “My left arm might be weak, but my wings and my sword arm are fine.”

  Tristan thought for a moment. “We could send a force of one thousand,” he mused. “That would be small enough not to weaken us badly should the group be vanquished, but perhaps large enough to draw the enemy out. As you say, we must find out what we’re up against.” TheJin’Sai went quiet again as he looked back at the distant Recluse.

  “All right,” he said to Traax. “You may lead them. But I want half of the warriors to walk toward the castle while the rest circle above, protecting them from the air. That way we might learn what threats await us on the groundand in the sky. If you meet overwhelming odds, sound a retreat. Leave as soon as you have assembled your group.”

  Tristan turned to Ox. “You’re in charge of relaying our plan to the other ships,” he ordered. “Be quick about it. Tell Faegan, Jessamay, and Aeolus that they are to take no action without my direct order.” In a flash, Ox and Traax were gone.

  Taking a deep breath, Tristan looked back at the solitary Recluse. Soon we will know, he thought. But I fear that Serena’s response will be swift and deadly.

  Shortly after that, the Conclave members watched the Minion forces soar away from theTammerland. Traax led the ground forces. With their dreggans drawn they landed warily, then started to advance on the Recluse. The other five hundred stayed in the air as their eyes scanned the sky and the warriors beneath them. Like Tristan had ordered, the flying warriors circled slowly so as not to gain distance on the ground troops.

  As the probing warriors approached the Recluse, Tristan looked over at Shailiha. She gave him a short smile, telling him that she agreed with his decision. After nodding back he took the spyglass from Wigg.

  His face grim, Tristan watched his troops cross the field and near the halfway point to the Recluse. Still there was no resistance. As the troops advanced, Tristan started wondering if the castle was indeed abandoned. He lowered the glass and looked down at the deck, thinking.

  Had Serena already managed to revive her dead child? If so, had she fled? He knew that she would probably not return to the Citadel, for the Conclave was well acquainted with its existence. With the help of her rogue consuls, she and Clarice could easily hide in Parthalon until Clarice was the proper age for the other part of the Heretics’ mad plan. The Conclave might search for decades and never find her. Suddenly he heard the sounds of battle, and he looked to his troops.

  Rising from the castle lake and surrounding ponds, thousands of snarling swamp shrews raced toward the approaching warriors. At first Tristan was startled, but then he remembered that the Minions had battled shrews before. Raising the glass back to one eye, he watched the shrews and the warriors tear into each other.

  Hundreds died on either side as shrews eagerly devoured their victims and frantic warriors cut the snarling beasts down with abandon. Twisting the spyglass cylinders, Tristan looked closer to see two shrews attack a struggling warrior. Pouncing on him from behind, they tore the warrior’s legs away, then dragged off the upper half of his body to start greedily feeding on him.

  But fiv
e other warriors had seen his plight and took to the air. They soared over the two shrews to hack them apart with their dreggans. Amazingly, the warrior that had been torn apart was still alive, writhing in agony on the bloody grass. As a fellow Minion came to stand over the stricken warrior, Tristan knew what would come next. Without hesitation the warrior raised his sword high, then brought the blade down hard into his fellow soldier’s heart, ending his pain.

  Tristan tried to find Traax but could not. As the battle progressed, Tristan tensed. His highly outnumbered ground troops were losing. He soon wondered why a retreat hadn’t been called, also forcing him to fear that Traax might have been killed. Blood and body parts from both sides lay everywhere as the killing went on unabated.

  Tristan lifted the spyglass toward the five hundred warriors circling the sky. When he saw them fold their wings into place behind their backs, he knew why. Confident that no threat existed in the air, they couldn’t continue to watch their fellows being slaughtered. Plunging vertically into free fall, the warriors went to the aid of their stricken brothers.

  Feeling more confident, Tristan lowered the glass and nodded. This will help even the score, he thought. If they can kill all the shrews, we will sail for the Recluse.

  Raising the glass again, he turned it on the castle. Suddenly he saw something that he didn’t understand. Twisting the lenses, he brought the majestic fortress into sharper focus.

  At first he thought he must be dreaming. Parts of the castle walls looked like they weremoving. Stunned, he watched thousands of small wall areas start to shimmer and shift. Soon they somehow lifted away to blend into the morning sky. Then they were gone. Had he not been looking directly at the castle walls as they departed, he might never have seen them. His heart pounding, Tristan shoved the spyglass into Wigg’s hands and pointed to the sky.

  “Look there!” he shouted. “Augment your eyesight and tell me what you see!”

  Wigg hurriedly put the spyglass to one eye. At first the wizard saw nothing. Then he applied all the power he could spare toward sharpening his vision. Even using his gifts he could barely see the thousands of shimmering shapes flying through the air.