Lavella and Excela had exited the portal area to check on Dorthik. Unwilling to turn her back on the place where she had last seen her husband, Alicia continued to stare into what had until moments ago been one of the continent’s three remaining portals. Eventually, overcome by the weight of the situation, she lowered herself into a sitting position, buried her face in her hands, and wept. Sorial might not be dead in the usual sense but he was dead to her. His arms would never again enfold her. His fingers would never again caress her skin. His lips would never again brush her neck. It was too much to bear but duty and obligation - his duty and obligation - had left her with no choice.
After a while, she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Lavella gazing down with sympathetic eyes. “Do you need more time?” she asked, her voice gentle.
I need more time than I could ever have. But that wasn’t an answer or at least not the kind of self-indulgent one she could give. Sorial had made it clear that he was relying on her to lead the wizards once he was gone and that’s what she intended to do. For now, she had to do her best to bypass the grief that threatened to overwhelm her and make the choices and decisions demanded by their current circumstances. There was no better way to honor her husband.
“How is Dorthik?”
“He’ll survive. He was less equipped than we were to deal with the intensity of what happened. The beautiful call suddenly turned resentful and bitter… Excela’s helping to relax him.”
“I hope he still wants to be a wizard because he’s going to get his chance.” It was a calculated risk, she knew, to expose him to a portal so soon. There was no convincing evidence that Sorial was dead. Using her magical sight, she couldn’t locate his signature but the same would be true if he had somehow slipped into a void. If he had passed into the Otherverse without actually dying, would the portal still consider him to be the reigning earth-wizard? Would sending Dorthik through the portal be a death sentence?
She found that it didn’t much matter to her. It was unanswerable. She needed an active, available Lord of Earth, so she was going to try it. If the portal rejected Dorthik, it would provide her with valuable information regarding Sorial’s status. If he was still alive, she would search for him. If he wasn’t, the plan might not be much different.
Lavella wandered back to where the others were gathered, leaving Alicia in darkness, giving her a more time to collect her thoughts and calm her emotions. Instead of mourning her loss and allowing the natural grieving process to take over, she began analyzing her options and planning her next move. At some point, she would need to cope with this situation as Alicia the widow. For the moment, however, she had to be the Magus Prime. That meant curbing her tears.
Sorial’s objective had been for the group to return to Vantok, report to Myselene, then await some means of confirmation that the situation in the Otherverse had been resolved. It wasn’t the best developed of plans because no one had known what to expect when he had stepped through the portal. Right now, the only thing they understood was that Sorial was gone. As far as Alicia could determine, there was no body. The portal was dead. And her magic couldn’t detect any sign of him.
Adhering to Sorial’s vision of how they should proceed didn’t seem reasonable, and she felt he would agree with that assessment. If he had failed, the danger would be as great as ever, and they had no way to ascertain whether he had succeeded… unless someone else went in. Did two wizards have a better chance than one? Altemiak had followed his brother, Malbranche, in what might have been the only other broaching of the Otherverse. Was there a lesson there? If she crossed over, would she be in a position to help Sorial or would she simply become another victim?
Lavella and Excela were kneeling beside a prone Dorthik when Alicia approached. His eyes were open and he struggled to a sitting position when he saw her. Her features were frozen into a cold mask. She was every inch The Lady of Water, Magus Prime. None of them had seen Alicia quite so determined.
“We’re going to Ibitsal.”
“As soon as we report to the queen?” asked Lavella.
“No. Now. Not back to Vantok. Directly to Ibitsal. Dorthik can make his trip through the portal then the three of you can help me follow Sorial.”
Lavella gaped at her. “That’s not what he said we should do.”
Alicia’s green eyes hardened. “He didn’t know what we should do because he didn’t know what to expect. If we had a clear notion of whether he succeeded or not, of whether he’s dead or alive, it might make sense to return to Vantok. But we don’t know. The limited information we have tells us he’s gone and the position of earth-wizard is vacant. It would be foolish to believe that equates with the danger in the Otherverse being extinguished.”
“If you go in after him, we’ll be left in the same situation we’re currently in: not knowing. And we won’t have a water-wizard so there’s no way anyone else will be able to make the attempt.”
“It’s a risk, I know. But we’re limited by the number of portals. We know of only two more - Ibitsal and one in the far south. That means only one more attempt can be made to enter the Otherverse while keeping magic alive. Sorial and I discussed the possibility of us attempting to enter through the portal in tandem, but we felt it was too dangerous, in part because of our lack of understanding of what would happen. But if there’s a way that my entering the portal can help him, it’s a better chance than waiting. What if the presence of a second wizard can mean the difference between success and failure?”
Lavella pleaded with her niece to see reason. “But you don’t know that he survived and if there was a mistake, you’d be repeating it.”
“If there’s a mistake in the process, there’s little hope that a prolonged period of study will help me rectify it. The Yu’Tar Library is no more and, despite the assertions of the cities’ best scholars, only a small fraction of the knowledge can be found on the continent. Waiting is a trap.”
“As might be precipitous action.”
Alicia nodded. “It could be. I won’t deny that. But if Sorial is fighting for his existence against forces of power and experience, he might not last for long. Action is required now, while there’s still a chance. The need for urgency has never been greater. The longer we wait, the less potential there is for his success.”
Alicia could tell by her aunt’s expression that Lavella wasn’t convinced, probably because the argument wasn’t sound. But Alicia couldn’t support the idea of waiting. If Sorial had succeeded in entering the Otherverse but couldn’t control the forces there, the best time to strike was now, when The Lords of Order and Chaos might be depleted or distracted. If he was there, still fighting, she hoped she could join her strength to his. And if he had never made it to the Otherverse then she would die in the same way he had regardless of whether she attempted it today, in a week, or in a year - if the world of matter survived that long.
But those arguments were rationalizations and Alicia knew it. Although she could construct a logical case for entering the Otherverse, the foundation of her desire was personal.
“I agree with her,” said Excela. “Don’t see no point in waiting. Two’s better’n one in any fight.”
Alicia’s eyes narrowed. The show of support was unexpected and Alicia’s suspicious nature caused her to wonder whether this was a power-play on The Lady of Fire’s part. With Sorial and Alicia gone, Lavella would hold the position of Magus Prime but it wouldn’t be secure. An alliance between fire and earth would be enough to topple her. So, although Excela’s support for Alicia’s plan might be genuine, she could also be seeing this as an expedient way to remove her most experienced adversary.
“I’m ready to do what’s necessary,” said Dorthik.
“Take a few minutes to gather yourself. When you’re recovered, we’ll travel to Ibitsal using magic.” Covertly motioning Lavella to follow her, Alicia wandered back toward the defunct portal, out of earshot of the others.
“After I do this, you’ll b
e Magus Prime and, judging by what I’m seeing, the other two are forming an alliance against you.”
“I’m more perceptive than you give me credit for. They jumped at the opportunity to remove you, but if they seek to challenge me, they may find themselves unprepared for the response I can deliver. I’m no delicate old maid who’s frightened of dirtying her fingers. I didn’t spend 15 years in the temple chanting and praying. When I was a little girl, Ferguson told me he believed I might be the first Wizard’s Bride in a thousand years to find her match. So, in the years after I gained the title but before disillusionment set in, I spent much of my time in the prelate’s personal library researching magic - not because I expected to use it myself but because I wanted to understand something that would be important to my future husband. It’s ironic how things work out.
“My magic is considerably more advanced than Excela’s. There may be areas in which my understanding surpasses even yours although, to be sure, your experience makes you my superior. But with those two, even if Dorthik proves to be a quick learner, it will be quite some time before they represent a threat. Hopefully by then I will have recruited a new Lord of Water to balance the scales.”
Alicia nodded, glad to know that her aunt understood the politics of the situation. Lavella’s mention of Ferguson prompted a question. “What did you think of the prelate?”
Lavella didn’t respond immediately and, when she did, it was obvious she was choosing her words carefully. “He was a great man who lost his way toward the end.”
“Only toward the end?”
She nodded. “When I was younger, he was very kind to me. In fact, he was always gentle where I was concerned. The burden the gods laid upon him weighed heavily, especially in recent years when his plans were in disarray. The time in the temple, you know how lonely it can be. He paid me a visit once or twice a week. He would sit with me and we’d talk. And, while some of the other priests would pretend to be attentive to the concerns of a young woman, he actually listened. I know you and Sorial had issues with him and I’ve heard rumors about some of the terrible things he did, but I choose to remember the man who gave me comfort during the darkest years of my life, when it seemed that being The Wizard’s Bride was a sentence rather than an honor.”
Alicia didn’t say anything but she wished the Ferguson she had known had been closer to the one Lavella described than the one blinded by ambition and his own self-importance.
* * *
One by one, with Alicia leading the way, they arrived in Ibitsal’s portal tower, appearing as if out of thin air. Their method of travel utilized as a reception point the large water-filled basin Alicia and Sorial had established on their previous visit. Alicia had previously experimented with near-instantaneous water-based travel but this was the first time she had attempted to bring others with her and she was surprised at how draining the experience was. On a solo trip, her ability to use the tiny droplets of water in the air to facilitate transportation occurred involuntarily. When accompanied, however, complete concentration was required for her to map out her companions’ progression. It wasn’t something she was eager to repeat.
With the silence and solemnity of a funeral procession, they ascended the narrow staircase to the top with Alicia in the lead. She could sense her aunt’s unease - not only was she concerned about Alicia’s proposal but she was cognizant that Excela or Dorthik might attempt some form of treachery during the process. There was a short yet critical juncture when Alicia would be vulnerable and if either chose to withhold their power at that moment, the results would be unpredictable. Although it made little sense to attack someone who was in the act of departing, people didn’t always act rationally when they saw what they deemed to be an opportunity. Death was, after all, more decisive than disappearance.
“First order of business,” said Alicia once they were gathered around the top. “Dorthik, are you ready? This isn’t something to be undertaken lightly.” She had no doubt about his commitment; unlike her, he wouldn’t have to be pushed through the opening. To this day, she wondered if she would have gone if Rexall hadn’t removed the element of choice.
“I can hear the call,” he said, his tone abstracted. There was a faraway cast to his eyes. After all he had gone through in the past hour - had it only been that long ago since they had entered the portal chamber in Havenham? - his dazed appearance didn’t surprise her. She remembered how insistent the portal could be in close proximity. Denying the call wasn’t easy.
She wondered if she should mention the risk associated with the ambiguity of Sorial’s fate but decided not to. No need to plant the seed of doubt. The process of progressing through a portal had never been a sure thing. It was a leap of faith - a gamble that the position was waiting to be filled. The fact wasn’t lost on Alicia that if Dorthik died, her plan would perish with him. She couldn’t enter the Otherverse with only three of the four elements represented.
“There’s no real preparation, as you saw with Lavella and Excela.” She might have added and Basil, but she didn’t. “Just steel yourself and step in.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he did just that. Alicia held her breath, not exhaling until several seconds had passed. There was no indication of the portal rejecting Dorthik. Crushed body parts didn’t fill the air. Instead, there was an eerie silence until, with a groan, the new Lord of Earth dragged his naked form out of the opening and deposited it onto the apron. The price he had paid for his transformation was evident: each of his hands and feet had lost the smallest digit. Alicia wondered about the apparent arbitrariness of what the portal demanded as compensation. The transaction always made sense in the moment but, afterward, there didn’t seem to be a reason for it. Alicia would have rather have sacrificed fingers and toes than her ability to give Sorial a child.
“Are you all right?” asked Excela, kneeling next to the prone man.
“Give me a minute. I can tell it worked but I’m weak. Takes a lot out of a person, going through that portal. Can’t hear it anymore, though.”
Alicia remained calm and still, watching Dorthik recover. She was anxious to move forward but didn’t want her impatience to show. A concern was whether Dorthik would be able to channel his power properly. What she needed from him was among the most basic uses of magic - taking control of it and directing it toward the portal without attempting to manage or manipulate it - but it was a large demand to make of someone who had just undergone the transformation. She would have to be patient. It would be foolish for her to force him to attempt something he wasn’t ready for. After all, she would be the one to pay the price if he failed.
Dorthik’s ascension to the position of The Lord of Earth provided confirmation of Sorial’s departure from the world of matter. Either he had passed completely into the Otherverse or death had claimed him. For Alicia, there was still reason to hope. She intended to follow in her husband’s footsteps; her fate would be the same as his unless something went wrong during the transition.
With Excela’s help, Dorthik rose. When he spoke, his voice exuded more confidence than it had moments before. “I can feel it under me. Sorial was right; it’s like an extension of who I am - so vast and so comforting. Not at all cold and hard like we imagine the earth to be.”
“Can you use your powers?” asked Alicia, keeping her voice from projecting the sense of urgency she felt.
“Let’s see,” said Dorthik, his voice continuing to regain strength and timbre. Moments later, Alicia felt the ground shift slightly beneath her feet. The tremor wasn’t forceful enough to knock her off-balance but it evidenced sufficient magnitude to be noticed. “That should answer the question.” A smirk degraded his comely features.
Since her conversation with Lavella in Havenham, Alicia had debated the benefits of issuing a warning. The cavalier manner in which Dorthik flaunted his powers convinced her it was necessary. It might offend the others, but that didn’t matter - she wouldn’t be around long enough to experience any long-term consequences o
f their ire. If there was a conspiracy afoot to kill her when she tried to enter the portal, putting them on notice that she was aware of it might cause them to reconsider.
“You all know what this entails - you saw it with Sorial. The process won’t be any different with me. I need your full concentration and loyalty throughout. If any of you harbors your own agendas, put them aside for the time being. Now isn’t the time to attempt a power play. There’s too much at stake. Your elevation as a wizard will mean little if the Otherverse isn’t stable.
“If you value your future, you’ll do what’s needed and open the gateway. Once I’m gone, you can engage in whatever gamesmanship you please, although the continent would be best served by cooperation. Another war is in no one’s interests.”
When she finished, Alicia looked around her to gauge the others’ reactions. Lavella’s features were placid. Dorthik was openly amused, as if someone had told a funny joke and he was trying not to laugh aloud. Excela stared daggers at Alicia. She had taken The Lady of Water’s words as an insult.
“Let’s take our places and begin.”
The wizards arranged themselves as they had in Havenham with one at each point of the compass. Then, at Alicia’s mark, they began pouring their concentrated power into the portal, flooding the mouth with elemental magic. It reacted as its twin to the south had - at first seeming to absorb the power with no effect then beginning to emit a teeth-grinding buzz. Next came the hostile, angry Comecomecome that was Alicia’s cue to follow her husband to wherever he had gone.
Thus far, there had been no signs of malfeasance from either Excela or Dorthik and if either was experiencing a challenge maintaining or controlling their magic, those difficulties were camouflaged. However, just as Alicia committed to entering the portal and stepped off the apron, they acted, cutting off their input in concert. The act was so precisely timed that it couldn’t have been accidental. In the fraction of a second it took Alicia to pierce the black veil, she recognized her peril but lacked the opportunity to avoid the trap.
Shadow of the Otherverse (The Last Whisper of the Gods Saga Book 3) Page 57
