by Jordan Baker
"I wouldn't imagine they would be," Laurana said.
The elven queen led Borrican and Storm to a richly appointed chamber in a wing of the palace. As they approached the room, they heard Ariana's voice, and they entered to find her sitting up in bed, with several elven women attending to her.
"I told them I am fine," Ariana said when she saw the three of them, and it seemed she had regained her senses. "I have no idea what came over me."
Laurana looked to the healers and the women nodded, then they silently left the room. Borrican and Storm stood by as Laurana took a seat on the edge of the bed.
"There are times when we are not entirely ourselves," she said. "It is best that you rest a while."
"But I am fine," Ariana said, then her eyes started to close. "Maybe I am a little tired, but there isn't time to be tired. We have to protect the forest."
"Rest, Ariana," Borrican said, putting his hand on hers as she fought to keep her eyes open. "There is time yet."
"I will only rest a little," she said, and her eyes fluttered closed.
Laurana adjusted the coverlet and rose from the bed and she led Borrican and Storm from the room, to the passageway outside.
"The healers seemed to know something," Borrican said once they were out of the room. "Do you know what is wrong with her?"
"Apart from the strange changes to her that you say are from her visit to the dragon lands, there is nothing wrong with Ariana," Laurana told him. "She is behaving like any elven woman would in her state."
"In her state?" Borrican was confused. "What state is that?"
"I should think you would know," Laurana said with a glimmer in her eye and the hint of a smile. "I don't think she got that way on her own."
"You mean..." Borrican choked, unable to say it.
"I think you know of that which I speak," Laurana replied, eying him with a mother's suspicion.
Borrican was already overwhelmed by the situation with Vale and quietly hoped that things with Ariana might be simpler, but apparently that was not to be.
"It is part of the bonding," Storm said, as though such things were obvious.
"Is there anything else I should know?" Borrican asked Laurana.
"If Ariana is anything like her mother, then you might want to keep a close eye on her," Laurana said.
"I wish Keira were here," Borrican said. "And Margo too."
"I wondered that they did not return," Laurana said.
"Ariana insisted they stay in Kandara to help with the people," Borrican told her. "We also sort of left without telling them, so I would imagine they are probably not too happy about that."
"Keira is a sworn member of the Queen's Guard, and she takes her duty very seriously," Laurana said. "I must also attend to my duties. You are welcome here in the palace."
"Thank you, Queen Laurana," Borrican said. "I hope we will be able to assist you in the defense of your realm."
Laurana nodded. "Quenta was wise enough to reserve that right. For now, I am glad you are here to defend the people who have taken refuge in our forest."
"We will guard the queen, Akandar," Storm said to Borrican as Laurana turned and walked away.
"Of course, but it would be better if the enemy is stopped before they make it further into the forest. Unfortunately, the elves are a little sensitive about dragons and fire," Borrican told him. "As for Ariana, I think I am going to have a little talk with those healers and find out a little more about what elven women are like when they're, in a state."
"Prince Borrican!" a voice shouted and they turned to see Nathas, accompanied by another man, who looked to be a few years younger than him.
"Nathas!" Borrican said, clasping his arm, and he noticed his unhealthy pallor and the weakness of his grip. "Are you well?"
"I am recovering from a foul poison," Nathas said. "The elven healers have been working their magic upon me, for which I will be ever grateful."
"Prince Akandar," said the other man. "It is a pleasure and an honor."
"Ah yes, you would not have met," Nathas said. "Kaleb Alaran, meet Borrican Akandar, Prince of Kandara and one of my former students. Kaleb fought on our side at Kandara."
"Then you have my gratitude," Borrican said. "It was a difficult battle."
"An unfortunate one," Kaleb said. "I hope we will see Kandara free again soon."
"Kandara is free, if such a thing can be said," Borrican told him. "The people have suffered greatly and I fear that the land has been forever changed. It will take time before the skies over Kandara are no longer grey."
"It is a tragedy that must not be allowed to happen again," Kaleb said. "But it is pleasing to hear that you were able to drive Cerric's men from your land."
"Cerric is no more," Borrican told him. "We received word that he was killed, murdered by his queen, Calexis, who now commands the power of the dark god."
"Well, Cerric will certainly not be missed," Nathas commented. "But if Calexis rules now and with such power as he possessed, then it appears that nothing has changed. Our enemy remains the same."
"Indeed, it is the god we fight," Borrican said. "And the purpose of this god appears to be only destruction and enslavement."
"From what we have seen here, the Darga intend to destroy even the forest itself," Nathas said. "The elves value the trees nearly as much as their own lives."
"The forest is the source of their power," Borrican said, recalling some of the things he had learned from Ariana. "They are bound to the land in many ways."
"If this is true then we must do what we can to protect it," Storm said. "I can see now why they do not welcome dragon fire."
"I apologize," Borrican said. "I got carried away and should have introduced you to Storm"
"Storm?" Kaleb raised an eyebrow, then he clasped Storm by the arm and noticed how muscled his arms and body were. "A strong name for a strong lad. How are you with a blade?"
"I have little need of weapons," Storm said.
"Oh, ho!" Kaleb laughed. "You might want to reconsider when you see what kind of creatures we are up against."
"Darga," Storm said. "They are weak, worthless creatures."
"I take it your friend is good in a fight, then," Nathas said, turning to Borrican.
"Oh, I think so," Borrican replied. "Storm here is eager to chew up a few Darga and spit them out in pieces."
"Your acknowledgement is appreciated, Akandar," Storm said, and Kaleb squinted at Borrican and his young friend.
"Have you heard the rumors the elves are all whispering about, that there are dragons in the elven city?" Kaleb asked.
"Is that what the elves are saying?" Borrican asked, glancing over at Storm then back at Kaleb, with a mischievous smile appearing on his face. "What have you heard?"
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Lying back on a luxurious bed of richly embroidered red and black, Calexis waited, listening and feeling with her power, trying to discern where he might be. Her soldiers had been out in force, searching through the night for the missing mage priest, and she could feel hints of other energies within the city that were not within her control, but they eluded her. It was aggravating, since she did not like being unable to see everything, to know everything. The other gods had always kept secrets and they guarded their power, making it nearly impossible to destroy them. She had come close once, when Stroma had devised his scheme with the books, but the god had lied, and the other gods had not honored their parts of the agreement either. Calexis hated them for their power and their arrogant trickery, her thoughts fully consumed by the memories of the god she had become.
As the early morning slowly turned to day, she slipped in and out of waking dreams of darkness, while, deep inside her thoughts, another part of Calexis watched silently in horror as her very essence was slowly consumed by shadows. She had begun to understand how the god had taken over her being, becoming one with her at her foolish invitation, then immediately overwhelming her will, but she could see that there was another power that seem
ed to be doing the same thing to the god. It was strange to consider that she was somehow able to exist within herself, and it reminded her of a set of dolls she had once owned as a child, made by a craftsman in one of the many lands to the east that her father had subjugated. The dolls were identical, except in size, each one smaller than the other, and they were hollow, like eggs and cut round the middle. Every doll that was smaller than the other fit inside it, and she felt like she was the smallest one, hidden under the many layers of herself that, unlike the dolls, no longer looked the same, especially from where she saw them.
Calexis had always been sure of herself, bold and calculating in every way, but now that she saw the sheer magnitude and complexity of the manipulation of the god and the dark shadow that had its tendrils woven tightly through that power, she felt small and weak, like a child's doll, as though she had only been playing at power over the years. Her own dreams of grandeur seemed so simplistic and foolish compared to what she now knew, but she was confused by it, for instead of embracing the magnitude of that greater power, she felt herself pulling away from it, finding it distasteful. Perhaps it was that she had come to realize that neither the god nor the power of the shadow pursued power for any true purpose. Even the seeming pleasures the god took in her glorification were only for passing moments of fleeting satisfaction, and the hunger for power always continued to grow. Calexis also began to understand where it would lead if every living thing was consumed by the shadow, and it felt like a contradiction, like a complete and utter lie, but perhaps that was the nature of the shadow and the god that had become her, and it was knowing the truth of the lie that made her afraid.
Her eyes snapped open as she felt a tremor of power and Calexis retreated deep inside herself as the other dolls, her other selves, took over. She rose from the bed, crawling over several bodies that lay around her, broken playthings from the night before. She stretched like a cat, just risen from a nap, and wiped the dried, crusted blood from the corners of her mouth as she looked in the large mirror in the chamber. Calexis admired herself, fascinated at the blending of the reptilian dragon and the sumptuous body she had begun with, which she felt had accentuated her beauty into something that was both deadly and primal. She turned and looked at the tangle of lifeless arms and legs sprawled across the bed and she smiled, then she reached out with her thoughts and began issuing commands to the servants of the palace, that they should remove the mess as she tried to decide what to wear for the arrival of the one she sought.
*****
Lexi crept her way through the alleyways and side streets, avoiding the patrols of guards that seemed to be everywhere. They seemed to be searching for someone, which gave her hope, since if the guards were out in the city, then maybe Aaron had not yet gone the palace, and maybe there was time for her to stop her mother before he faced her. Two guards appeared and she ducked against a wall behind several wooden crates that were overflowing with refuse, and she shifted the color of her body to match the stone, becoming nearly invisible. Once the guards turned a corner, she quickly dashed across the open street, barely more than a blur of energy as she ducked back into the shadows of another alleyway.
It was a strange power she had inherited from the god Stroma, one that she was only beginning to understand. It was almost like the way the Ansari changed their shape, except she could almost become energy, moving fast like a flash of lightning or mimicking what things looked like by feeling the way they vibrated, almost as though the way things appeared had to do with sound, and copying them was like finding the same note. She had never noticed before that things had a resonance, though it seemed like it was something she had always known, for the ability came fairly easily. What was more difficult was getting used to the sheer amount of power she felt coursing within her, and she constantly felt like she might burst open from the pressure of it, which was why she was glad that Tash had finally agreed to leave the city with the thief named Jax. With the power building up inside of her, Lexi was worried that she might lose control and became the creature again and she did not want her friend to see her kill, and killing was all that was on her mind, so it was good that Tash was away, somewhere safe. The fact that Jax knew Aaron was also reassuring, and Lexi could tell from his scent that even though he was not entirely trustworthy and he had his secrets, he meant no harm to either of them. Either way she also knew that Tash could take care of herself, if need be.
She poked her head around a corner, looking to see if the way was clear across yet another wide street and she ducked back quickly, for she thought she saw something moving. Lexi blended into the stone of the building she was next to, hiding herself, and she carefully peered past the corner. She saw the movement again, like a ripple in a pond, just beyond the corner of another side street. Lexi focused her eyes, trying to see what it might be, and her vision suddenly changed to strange colors. It was disorienting at first, but through the wavering energy, she could see the faint outline of a familiar figure and she watched as the mage, Stavros looked up and down the street, then walked out from where he had been standing and hurried down the street. A few moments later, he opened the door of a small structure that looked like it might be a shop or maybe even a house, and went inside. Lexi was tempted to follow him, but she realized that the mage would probably be angry with her and he might try to stop her from doing what she had come here to do. Resolved to carry on, and with the way still clear, she dashed across the street in a blur, and ducked down the side street where Stavros had just been.
Lexi continued on, making her way through the city, until she found herself at a dead end that was blocked by a high wall. Once again, she shifted herself to look like the stone and scaled her way up the wall, her hard, claw like nails latching onto the thin grooves between the heavy blocks. When she reached the top, she was surprised at how different the city looked now that she was closer to the palace. Gone were the low roofs of rough wooden shingles and thatch, now replaced by high walled, storied structures topped with slate and built with artisan purpose. It was as though every building in the city ahead was a small palace, though all but a few seemed small compared to the high towers and spires of the royal palace that loomed up above them.
She leapt down from the wall, into what looked like it must have once been a beautiful garden, which had at some point become overgrown and was now withered and dried. She carefully made her way through the thick vines and dead flowers, making sure to step carefully so as not to rustle the dry foliage. Lexi froze when she suddenly noticed someone sitting on a stone bench, set against the wall of the residence. An old woman, her skin drawn and aged, wearing a light colored cotton smock, sat unmoving and holding a mass of dark, black fabric in her hands. Even though Lexi had shifted herself to blend with the garden and tried her best to remain still, the woman's eyes were locked onto her, and it was obvious that she could see her.
"I suppose you are here to take me back," she said with a dry but soft voice that somehow seemed younger than she looked. "You are one of her creatures."
Lexi turned toward the woman, slowly, then she noticed the black robe, and she shifted, becoming visible once more and crackling with power, ready to attack.
"You are a priest of the god," Lexi said.
"I was," the woman said, with a somber smile. "I suppose I will be again, unless you intend to kill me."
"Why are you here?" Lexi asked, a little confused.
"I think this was my home once," she said, looking around the garden, seeming lost. "I remember living in this house, and I even found clothes in a room that seems like it was once my own. The people who lived here are now gone. They were taken, but I don't know what happened to them."
"But why did you come here?" Lexi asked, not understanding the woman's answer.
"Where else would I go?" she replied. "I have very little strength and the soldiers have been looking for me. I am surprised they haven't searched here yet, but I suppose you have found me."
"I am not a soldier," L
exi said.
"But you are one of her creatures," the mage said again, staring at her. "You even look like her."
"You speak of Calexis."
"Yes, that is her name. She was not important before, when the king ruled, but she is the god now, and all must obey, as servants to her will."
"I do not serve her."
"No?"
"No."
"I did not expect that," she said. "This city belongs to her almost completely."
"Why do you not leave?" Lexi asked. "If you are free, then you should go."
"I would, but I haven't the strength to go any further." The woman looked down at herself. "You see, the god has taken everything from me except that small part of my magic that she needs."
"What does she need your magic for?"
"I work the spells on the crystals in the temple, the ones that steal life from the people of the city. That is my task."
"That is what she is doing?" Lexi asked, feeling her anger spark within her.
"It was my duty to the god, a shameful thing, but it was never my will," the mage said, her lined expression turning to a frown. "I did not want to be a mage of the book, but they made me look upon its pages. I tried to stop them, but I was too weak. The will of the god is so powerful."
"I know about the book," Lexi said. "I know people, powerful people who want to destroy the book and free the mages."
"Then maybe they have succeeded, for I have been freed, though I suppose the god has other ways," she said. "They will come, eventually, then they will take me to the temple and the god will make me work the magic of the crystals. I think I would rather die. I do not want my power to hurt any more people."
"Isn't there some way you can leave?" Lexi asked, growing frustrated. She did not want to leave the woman here, where the guards might find her, and she could not help her.
"I was lucky that I found an elixir that gave me some strength, but it was only enough to get me home," she said. "I don't know where else I would go, even if I could."
