The Path of Ashes [Omnibus Edition]

by Parker, Brian

  “I don’t know yet. When you were drinking, I saw a new moon overhead and you tumbled into the pool… Only, you didn’t splash in the water, you continued to fall, farther and farther away.”

  Frederick thrust his canteen at Darci. “Here. Drink some more water. You’re delusional.”

  “No, that’s not it. I— I have a secret that only the Mistress knows.”

  “What is it?” Brandt asked, edging closer.

  Tanya watched emotions war across Darci’s face as she struggled to decide whether she’d tell them her secret.

  Finally, she relented. “I have visions sometimes. I see things that might happen.”

  “You’re a Seer?” Tanya blurted out.

  Darci looked at her, clearly annoyed. “No, I’m not a Seer, but I do have visions—rarely of anything nice, mostly of death.”

  “And you’ve had visions of death about our trip to find Jade?” the princess choked.

  “Yes—and no.” She sighed and then continued, “It’s difficult to explain. Yes, I saw an ocean of blood long ago when the Mistress first told me that I would help the Traxx family, but that may be about the war, not about this journey. Besides the vision of you falling into the pool, I haven’t seen anything specific regarding our quest at all; everything has come from the Seers.”

  Darci unbuckled the saddle from her horse and set it on the ground with a soft grunt. She began to rub her hands deeply into the muscles on the mare’s hindquarters, working out the lactic acid, which could cause the beast to go lame if it built up over night. “Plus,” she continued, “the things I see don’t always come to pass. The future can be altered by our actions in the present.”

  Tanya accepted what the woman said at face value, she didn’t know anything about visions. Instead, she tried to get the archer to expand on her statement from earlier. “So you said something’s changed, but you don’t know what that is. How do you find out?”

  “Since my normal visions aren’t clear enough to use as a guide, the Mistress gave me Calamus to aid in coaxing a vision when I felt like the time was right.” Darci must have seen the confusion in everyone’s eyes because she amended, “It’s a drug that gets burned and I’m supposed to inhale the fumes.”

  “Like a pipe?” Brandt asked.

  “Sort of,” she nodded. “The Seers use a sealed room and burn it in a brazier, but I suppose smoking it would give the same effect.”

  Tanya was skeptical and she told the archer so. “I don’t know. Smoking it from a pipe seems like you’d get a lot of it directly into your lungs. What if it’s dangerous and you take in too much? There’s got to be a reason the Seers burn it and not smoke the stuff.”

  Darci shrugged. “See any sealed rooms around here?”

  “There are abandoned houses all over the place,” Frederick said. “Why don’t we use one of those?”

  “Because I don’t have much, only a handful of leaves. They burn twice what I’ve got per session and I expect that I’ll need to use it again once we get closer.”

  She had a point. They were just past the midway point on the Seer’s map, but there was no way of telling how accurate the distances between the Skull Lands and the forests were, or how big this desert was. They couldn’t afford to go to the place annotated on the map if it was no longer a valid location.

  “Okay, what do we do?”

  Darci smirked. “We wouldn’t be lucky enough that one of you has a pipe, would we?”

  Tanya and Frederick shook their heads, but Brandt held up his hand meekly. “I’ve got a pipe in my saddlebag.”

  “Why do you have a pipe?” Tanya asked and threw her hand up to her mouth. “You said you quit.”

  “It helps me relax in the evenings. The siege has been stressful.”

  “You’re smoking that shit while you’re on watch, when we’re sleeping out here, aren’t you?” Frederick accused.

  “Smoking what?” Darci asked.

  “It’s harmless,” Brandt said. “There’s a plant that grows all over the place called Cannabis. A lot of people in Homelake smoke it to calm their nerves.”

  “Yeah, but it dulls your senses,” Frederick stated. “We’ve outlawed its use in the Guard. The militia uses it quite a bit, though.”

  “You told me you stopped,” Tanya said.

  “I did. Then the siege started and all those people died. I just needed some help getting to sleep at night. I’m sorry, Tanya.”

  She was furious at her cousin. He shouldn’t need to take drugs to balance him out. “Get your pipe,” she ordered. “Darci needs it so we can find out where Jade is.”

  He pushed himself up away from the pool and rifled through his saddlebag, digging deep, past all of the stuff he’d hidden the pipe under. “Here you go,” he said glumly, handing the hand-carved bone pipe to the archer.

  The three of them busied themselves with filling their canteens and preparing the midday meal while Darci gathered her supplies. It wasn’t much, but the little bit of privacy they offered her was likely needed. She spent several minutes removing various knives and weapons from her clothing and securing them tightly inside her saddlebags.

  Tanya saw how uncomfortable it made the woman to talk about her visions and made her seem almost vulnerable. The fact that the archer had demons she hid from softened Tanya’s heart toward her. Maybe she was such a hard-ass because of the things that she’d seen and the visions that plagued her. She decided that she should give the woman another shot at becoming more than just guide and protector to the princess. Maybe they could even become friends.

  They ate their meal quickly and Darci spread the map out on the ground. She handed Tanya an old pencil. “Here, make any annotations on the map as I say them.”

  The princess accepted the tool solemnly, like she’d been given a delicate flower instead of a simple pencil.

  Once Darci was ready, she handed a length of rope to Frederick. “I don’t know how I’ll react to the Calamus,” she cautioned. “I’ve only been in the sanctum with the Seers when they performed the ceremony once…”

  “Is everything alright, Darci?” Tanya asked as the archer trailed off.

  “Hmm? Oh, yes. I just— I don’t trust myself, so I need Frederick to bind my hands. Which means I’ll need one of you to hold the pipe up to my lips.”

  “I’ll do it,” Brandt volunteered.

  She looked at the younger Traxx with a smile. “I’m too old for you, junior.”

  “I— That’s not…” he trailed off, an embarrassed flush spreading across his cheeks.

  “Darci, what does this stuff do to you?” the princess questioned. “I couldn’t help but see you put all of your weapons away so they’d be difficult to get to.”

  “It made me go nearly insane the only time I’ve inhaled it. I nearly killed a petitioner in the sanctum, which is why I stay outside when they go into the lodge. I don’t want to take any chances, so that’s why I secured my weapons and will have my hands tied behind my back.”

  “Good to know,” Frederick muttered and cinched the ropes a little tighter. A momentary grimace of pain registered on the archer’s face and then she nodded for Brandt to begin.

  “I’ll be here for you,” Tanya assured her and sat directly in front of Darci so she could attempt to soothe her if she started to panic or become violent.

  The Calamus smelled awful as Darci sucked on the end of the pipe. The smoke exhaled from her lungs seemed to hang low over the water like a fog and Tanya couldn’t help but breathe it in as well, causing her to cough. She saw the archer’s pupils begin to expand and reached across to rub her shoulders. Sitting in that position must be hell on her joints, she thought.

  Darci shook her head violently and Brandt pulled the pipe away. She stared at him for a moment and then turned back to Tanya. “The game is afoot.”

  “What?” Tanya asked in confusion and looked to her Guard.

  Frederick shook his head, mouthing the words, “Be quiet.”

  “The Deceive
r will travel to the pit before the Winter Solstice. The earth is sick and must— Your land is saved! A mighty victory— Death! An ocean of blood. The Taker of Souls is not finished. His never-ending hunger demands more.”

  Darci kicked out. Tanya didn’t expect any violence from her and took the boot to her face. She flew backward, gore pouring from her nose. She struggled to sit up, lightheaded.

  Frederick and Brandt fought to restrain the archer. She screamed obscenities and said a few awful things about their mothers.

  “What the hell is wrong with her?” Tanya asked, wiping away the blood oozing from her injured nose.

  “Nothing!” Darci screeched and ceased fighting them. “This is the truth you asked for. The cleansing is almost complete. The Mother is ready to come back from the depths. The blood of billions has satisfied humanity’s debts.”

  “Darci?” Tanya asked hesitantly. “Is that you or are you still under the vision?”

  The archer sat back and relaxed, seemingly normal once more. “You must go to Washington before the new moon at Yule. There is a place known as Manastash Ridge where the Mother awaits. Your daughter will be there with another Traxx. Beware of treachery for the Deceiver always tries to come out on top.”

  “I don’t—” Tanya stopped as Darci slumped sideways to the ground. She was unconscious. “What are we supposed to do now?”

  “You heard her. We have to reach this Washington place in a few weeks,” Frederick answered.

  She held up the pencil. “I didn’t get anything that she said. How do we know which way to go?”

  “Uh, guys?” Brandt muttered.

  “What?” Frederick asked.

  “Look at the map.”

  Tanya shifted and did as he asked. Blood covered parts of the map from when the archer had kicked her, breaking her nose. “Yeah, it’s ruined.”

  “No, Tanya. Look at it,” Brandt insisted.

  She wiped away more blood and snot from her upper lip and stared at the map. A glob of drying blood sat on the edge of the Skull Lands. A line of blood bisected their old destination and the pencil ran perpendicular to that, forming a giant “X” over the River Valley. Instead, a different line of bloody mucus stretched away from the midway point of the Skull Lands toward northwest and ended at another mass of blood. A small clod of black dirt had flown up during the struggle and rested next to the second mass.

  “You don’t think…”

  “That’s our map,” Brandt asserted.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Frederick muttered, staring over her shoulder.

  “If you’re wrong, we won’t arrive at this place in time,” Tanya warned her cousin.

  Brandt shook his head. “I don’t know how, but I know I’m not wrong. This is our map to the ridge she spoke of.”

  They didn’t have any other options. The new path led them north of their original destination, but not by much. Darci had clearly stated that Jade wouldn’t be at the River Valley that was marked on the map and that they needed to arrive at the ridge by the new moon. Is this the right path?

  She glanced at the unconscious archer, wishing she were awake and could offer some advice. If she guessed wrong, it could be disastrous. Her head pounded from the lack of water and the importance of her decision.

  “Lash Darci to her horse,” Tanya ordered. “I can’t believe I’m saying this… Let’s follow the blood.”

  SEVENTEEN

  The path looked the same as it had eight years ago when Garrett went to the Valley Lodge with Nicholas and Brandt. Back then, he’d wanted to know if he was the right choice for a long-term leader for the people of Homelake. That’s when the Seers had told him that the Vultures would return and burn everything. Recent history would prove that they hadn’t been wiped out like previously thought, and they’d certainly mastered the art of burning villages. So, who will betray me?

  His small group crested the path and the valley spread out below him like he remembered. Little had changed. The last time he’d been here, the fall chill had already turned the grasses brown, this time a few inches of snow coated the valley floor. The old lodge sat in the middle, a thin trail of smoke coming from the central chimney.

  “Looks just the same, doesn’t it?” Nicholas said from behind him.

  “Yeah.” He paused and looked up at the chimney where the woman with the crossbow was likely watching them right now. “Let’s go.”

  The party of five men walked down, following the depression in the snow that indicated the path. They were the first ones to walk this way since it had snowed, a good sign that they’d be the only ones at the lodge and would be able to see the Mistress right away. He stopped at the old metal pipe sticking conspicuously from the snow and waited for the guards to tell him it was alright to walk past that point.

  It took a while for someone to speak to them, but finally, a male voice emerged from the pipe. “You are under observation. Follow the path closely and do not stray into the snow.”

  “A little different than last time,” he muttered, leading the men down the path.

  A familiar face met them at the fence that kept the lodge’s livestock safe from the traps in the fields beyond. “Hello, King Traxx. I’m sorry, I don’t remember your first name,” the man said.

  “It’s fine. I can’t remember yours either,” he chuckled. “Garrett.”

  The guard snapped his fingers and pointed at him. “That’s right. It’s been a long time.”

  “That it has,” Garrett replied.

  “Garth,” the man answered with a hand to his heart. “The Mistress has been expecting you.”

  “Good,” the king smiled. “That means we’ll be able to get on with our quest sooner than I’d expected.”

  The guard unlatched the gate and invited everyone inside before locking it securely behind them once more.

  Garth talked as he led them toward the lodge. “Darci’s been gone for about two or three weeks. I wasn’t privy to her mission other than she was going to help you. I guess she didn’t survive the battle?”

  “I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about,” Traxx answered truthfully. Darci was the woman who’d been the head of security when he was here the last time.

  “Hmm… She said she was going to help the Traxx family. Surely she would have gone to you.”

  “Until two days ago, Homelake was surrounded by an army of savages. If she tried to reach us a couple of weeks ago, then I’m afraid she didn’t make it.”

  “Then that’s a mighty loss to the Valley Lodge. I knew it was a fool’s errand.” Garth opened the door for them and bid his farewell to return to his post on the roof—Darci’s old spot.

  A young girl sat them in the lobby and went to fetch the Mistress. As Garrett looked around the room, he was hit with the feeling that it had all happened before. What’s the point of all this? I keep coming to these ladies for advice and nothing changes. Here I am with another request…

  “Garrett Traxx,” a ruined voice called from the doorway where the girl had disappeared. “I foresaw your arrival, but I didn’t know that you’d press on through the snowstorm.”

  He rose and kissed both of Diane’s cheeks. “Mistress. You look as stunning as you did the last time I was here.”

  “And you still have a silk tongue, King of Homelake.”

  “For you, the compliments come easily.”

  She smiled and the scars on her exposed neck dimpled inwards. “I like you. There is too much estrogen in this household. We could use someone like you around here.”

  “Alas, I’m committed to my wife, Peyton.”

  “Pity,” the Mistress mumbled, her eyes traveling down his body and back up. “Come, let us talk, Garrett. Bring your man—Nicholas, is that right?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Nicholas replied, following behind the retreating pair obediently.

  Instead of leading them to the sanctum as Garrett expected, she took them to a small office, set with two couches facing one another and a short ta
ble between them. The table was set with a steaming kettle in the center and three empty mugs beside a plate of warm bread.

  Diane took the guesswork out of where they were to sit by moving around to the side with only one mug. “Please, sit,” she said. “Coffee?”

  “Real coffee?” Nicholas asked.

  “Yes. It’s over a hundred years old, but the people of the old world had ingenious ways of preserving their foodstuffs.”

  The girl reappeared and poured each of them a cup of coffee before disappearing again. Garrett took a sip. It was hot, but one of the most wonderful things he’d ever drank. In Homelake, they used different berries, roots and tree barks to make a version of coffee, but it was nothing like what the Seers served.

  “I’m glad that the siege of your city has finally ended,” the Mistress stated, breaking the silence. “You should visit me more often.”

  Garrett frowned. That damned lady was frustrating. She was beautiful and certainly as sexy as any woman he’d ever met. But, did she have to lay it on so thick? He knew her game from past interactions. She used her femininity to get what she wanted from men. What did he have to offer her?

  “Thank you, Diane,” he replied. “We lost a lot of our citizens to the Vultures, but it could have been a lot worse. If it hadn’t been for your warning that they were coming, we’d have never prepared like we did. Homelake has an established military culture, all because of you.”

  She inclined her head slightly and her robe slipped open as she did, allowing the men a view of her ample cleavage. “I’m glad to help. Could you possibly repay the debt by sending a shipment of supplies to the Valley Lodge?”

  There it is, he thought. “Of course, Mistress. Homelake wants to remain in the good graces of the Seers.”

  “You will always be in our good graces, Garrett Traxx,” she laughed, causing the gold and silver bracelets she wore on both wrists to jingle. “But the services we provide keep us locked away in the mountains without the ability to produce our own food. So, we do ask for help from time to time.”

  Garrett nodded. “I understand.” He took another sip of the wonderful coffee and then continued. “The reason I’m here is—”