"What is that?" I struggled. "What are you doing?"
Rhea—Mistress Dothrai—crouched, setting the strongbox carefully on the ground. I couldn't see what was inside, but the pale light still shone on her face. "That," she said, "is what will change this world forever. You should have sided with my lord when you had the chance, princess. Now, you will experience his wrath." She held her hands over the box and closed her eyes, her lips moving with whispers I could not hear. But I felt the power, noxious and virulent and cold as death. It was a crushing sort of power, smothering and deadly yet somehow alluring. It was the power of dark magic, and she was using it to unleash the magnificent and deadly spell secured inside of the box. A spell my uncle had created. But for what purpose?
The wind picked up and the sky darkened as Rhea—Mistress Dothrai's chocolate hair whipped about her face. The light inside of the box grew brighter, pulsing like the steady beat of a heart. Tendrils of faint black smoke rose from inside the box, swirling over the lip and twisting into the earth like fingers. Ugly black and thorny roots snaked up from the ground, coiling around the strongbox protectively, thickening until all that remained of the box's existence was the eerie pulsing of white light through the new bramble.
Dark magic rolled through the earth, foul and evil, diffusing outward like ripples in a lake disturbed from a central point of contact. Darkness moved through my body, chilling my bones, and my heart raced with new fear. Never had I felt something so powerful and wrong.
She opened her eyes and stood. "We're leaving."
Lorimer looked like he regretted not being able to stay and watch whatever was about to happen to us.
"Mistress Dothrai? What do you want me to do with him?" asked one of the guards holding on to Thad.
"Leave him here to rot with his cousin," Mistress Dothrai said in a tone void of emotion.
"Oh, come on, Ma," Thad rasped. "This is a little cruel—even for you."
Mistress Dothrai waved her hand, and in a gust of wind, large black shapes descended upon us—vox, magnificent winged horses I'd met in the Arborenne and rescued during the games. Like the vox at the games, these looked as though they had been beaten and abused. Mistress Dothrai and her guards hurried away from Thad and me, and in the next moment, they mounted the vox and were gone, taking the box of the Draconi with them.
An overwhelming sense of desperation took over me as I scrambled to my feet. "You could've told me Astaire Dothrai—my chambermaid—is your mother!" I yelled at Thad.
Thad winced from pain as he stood. His left eye had swollen completely shut. "It didn't exactly come up."
"Well, now she's got the box!"
"Actually, she gave you a new one…"
"Thad!"
"Okay, okay…spirits."
"What did your mother just do?" I demanded, the two of us staring at the pulsing black bramble.
"Looks to me like she just set one of my ol' pop's curses on Pendel."
I grumbled. "I figured that much out myself, thanks. But what kind of curse?"
"I don't know, Rook. Like I said earlier: He doesn't tell me everything. But if he made it, you can bet it's pretty bad."
"Lovely parents you've got," I said.
Thad shrugged defensively. "Hey, I didn't exactly get to choose whose womb I grew in."
I looked back at the strongbox; it was completely buried in twisting black roots, and that pale light pulsed inside of the tangle like a heart. "How do we destroy it?"
Thad eyed the twisting bramble with his one good eye. "Dunno. But if he sent my ma to detonate it, I'm sure it's got some kind of really powerful failsafe…" He moved slowly around the bramble, examining it, then reached out his hand. His fingers were inches from the edge when light shocked his hand, throwing him back about five feet. He landed hard on his tailbone and winced.
"Can we get to it with magic?" I asked.
"Ah…" Thad stood, massaging his lower back. "Dark magic can only be broken by dark magic."
"Well, that shouldn't be a problem for you." I raised a brow.
He actually looked a little offended. "Hey, now, just because my parents—"
His words were cut off by the sound of collapsing rock, followed by an inhuman scream. We exchanged a terrified glance.
The kytharii.
I had completely forgotten about them, and by the surprise marked on Thad's face, he had, too. The kytharii must have clawed their way through the sarcophagus, and sure enough, gray bodies crouched on all fours in the threshold of the tower's doors, pale blue eyes glowing. Some were missing hands and good portions of their arms, as though the clawing had rubbed their arms to stumps. Their noses tilted in the air, sniffing like dogs on a scent.
"Uh, Rook…" Thad took a step backward, staring wide-eyed at the tower.
"I see them," I said, my heart hammering against my ribs. I had no idea what to do. We couldn't fight them; there were thousands of them down there. And there was no way we could outrun them. Our only chance would be to try to sneak away.
The sniffing stopped and all the pale eyes aimed straight at us. Well, so much for the sneaking. The air erupted with deep and gurgling snarls.
"Hellfire," Thad cursed.
The kytharii in front leapt into the air.
A bolt of light shot past me from somewhere behind, landing right in the side of the tower. The tower exploded, a force that racked the earth, and stone and mortar rained down, collapsing right on top of the kytharii, sealing the tunnels. But a couple of stragglers had still managed to get through before it had sealed.
An arrow shot past me, sinking into the nearest kytharii with so much force the kytharii stumbled back. More arrows fired, landing in the chests of the other two. Light erupted from the points of impact, as though individual suns had blossomed there. Rays of bright light streamed from their chests, and with shrill screams, those kytharii that had been hit with arrows exploded. Energy pulsed behind me again, and the other few kytharii erupted in flame. More shrieks filled the sky as they ran erratically, trying to dispel the fire, but the flames consumed them, reducing them to piles of ash. The rest wailed beneath the new and very large pile of rubble.
I spun around to find none other than— "Master Durus?!" I gasped in surprise, startled by the appearance of his dark mass, standing tall and firm and about as imposing as an ancient oak in a forest of new trees.
"Spirits, I never thought I'd be so happy to see that man!" Thad exclaimed beside me.
Master Durus wore a heavy cloak that fell over his broad shoulders in a way that made him look like a solid block, and stepping out from behind him was Arioch Prime followed by— "Sonya…?" She was lowering her bow. This time, my surprise led me forward. Slowly, at first, and then I broke into a full sprint. Relief flooded her features, and she ran toward me too, until we collided in an embrace.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"I thought I was too late," she said at the same time. She pulled back, gripping my shoulders. "Where's Alexander?"
"He's just outside of the city with Vera," I replied.
She released my shoulders and her stance visibly relaxed, and then she stared past me, at Thad. Her features darkened, and to ward off her flurry of questions, I said, "It's all right, Sonya. He's with us. It's a long story, but I'll explain later."
"Yes, I'm certain we have very much to discuss," she said.
"What is this?" Master Durus asked, standing over the twisting bramble, frowning.
"We're not sure," I said, exchanging a glance with Thad. "Mistress Dothrai brought a strongbox that held a spell of Eris's design, and she unleashed it right after she stole the box of the Draconi from me."
Master Durus's gaze snapped to me, dark and formidable. "Mistress Dothrai?"
"My mother," Thad clarified.
Master Durus's nose flared.
"And, apparently, she'd been disguised as Rhea, my handmaiden, all this time," I said.
It was a rare circumstance when Sonya actually looked like a
killer. "I can't believe I didn't catch it sooner," she spat.
"I spent every day with her for six months and I didn't see it. Anyway, she's working with Eris."
Master Durus glared at Thad as though he might smite him off the face of the earth.
"Hey, don't look at me!" Thad held up his palms. "I didn't do this."
Sonya's face sort of pinched together as she stepped forward, circling the bramble. "What kind of spell is this?"
"She didn't specify, other than to say it was Eris's wrath," I replied. "Once she unlocked it, the roots grew out of the ground and wrapped around the strongbox."
Sonya started to reach forward, when Thad grabbed her arm. "Don't do that!"
She looked more startled by his touch than his outburst.
"Thad's right," I said. "He already tried, and it shocked him before his fingers even grazed it."
Thad released her wrist, and Sonya flexed her hand, sliding her attention back to the enigma that was the bramble-covered strongbox.
"I have never seen anything like this before," Master Durus said lowly, arms folded over his chest. He looked put out that such a thing could be created without his understanding.
"I know what it is."
I'd almost forgotten Arioch Prime had been standing there.
Arioch stepped forward, hands clasped before him with his blue eyes fastened on the bramble. The truth haunted his gaze, putting a weight on his shoulders that made them sag a little. "I know the curse because it is similar to the one presiding over the kytharii in the Hall of the Dead." He stopped before the bramble.
Fear crawled up the back of my neck. "What do you mean…similar?" I asked.
"I mean that it is the same curse that had created the original kytharii, but what Eris has created is more powerful than anything I've ever seen. So powerful, in fact, that it leaked beyond its container, stirring the dead in Mistress Dothrai's wake, which is why you encountered one on the shores and even more so on land."
I did not like where this was going at all.
"And what is it doing now?" Sonya asked.
Arioch inhaled slowly, the reflection of the pale light pulsing in his eyes. "Now, it is leaking into the very soil of Pendel, moving through every body that has ever been buried in this land, and when it is through, we will be facing a horde of kytharii a hundred thousand strong."
His worlds were met with silence.
My own desperation filled me like a dark cloud. And then I whispered, "But why would he do that?"
Arioch's pale eyes settled on me. "Can you not think of a reason, princess?"
My head swam as I thought over everything. Eris already had the box, or he would once Mistress Dothrai handed it to him. He had an army of shadowguard along the northern wall, ready to attack Alioth. And then I understood: Eris was starting his war against the people of Gaia. "He's going to use them to attack Karth and take Pendel," I said. "But why? He's already taken the box of the Pandors…I mean, Draconi. What else could he possibly have to gain by taking Pendel?"
Arioch clasped his hands and bowed his head. "Pendel has always been a sort of promised land for the people of Gaia. Much of what has happened since the beginning of time has begun here, princess, and taking this land away from the people would be like ripping the very heart out of this world."
I glanced at Sonya. The lines in her face had deepened with worry. "We have to warn the people." My voice came out in a whisper.
Arioch sighed. "That would be wise, your highness."
"I'll stay with Arioch Prime," Master Durus said.
"But the kytharii—" I started.
"Master Durus and I will be all right, princess," Arioch replied. "Powerful spells take time to come into effect, and before the new kytharii rise, Master Durus and I must see if we can break Eris's curse. You and your Aegises must go back to the city and warn Sir Torren—the steward of Karth—so that he can prepare his men. Make sure word is sent to the surrounding clans. Those nearest must find safety behind the city walls, and best pray to the spirits for the rest."
I nodded stiffly. I didn't like leaving Master Durus and Arioch out here, exposed and unprotected, knowing kytharii could be crawling out of the ground at any moment, but Arioch was right. We needed to hurry and warn this Sir Torren, and if anyone had the ability to stop Eris's curse from spreading, it would be Arioch Prime and Master Durus.
Sonya, Thad, and I took off running. Karth was only a few miles away, but we didn't know how much time we'd have before the kytharii attacked. I just hoped Alex and Vera were still where we'd left them. My anxiety for them made me run a little bit faster.
"How did you know where to find us?" I asked Sonya as we ran.
"Your brother," she said, then noting my surprise, she continued. "But you mustn't be angry with him. It was in private and he only confessed to Pendel; I figured the rest. Your mother told me more than she probably should have when we were young."
We were breathing hard now, and I could hear Thad's footsteps pounding behind me. There were so many things I wanted to ask Sonya, but right then, I needed to focus on the more relevant questions.
"But how did you get here so fast?" I asked.
"I had Master Durus charge one of his amulets," she replied, "like the one we used to get to your house in Fresno."
Ah. I'd almost forgotten about that. Fresno was so far away. Another lifetime away. How convenient would it have been for Alex and me to have simply used an amulet to travel to Pendel. But that would've meant eliciting the help of the guild, and I didn't have the rapport with any of them that, apparently, Sonya had.
The walls of Karth soon came into view, but instead of going straight to the gates, I veered left, toward the edge of the clump of trees where we'd left Alex and Vera. I searched and searched the shadows as we approached, but it wasn't until we reached the very edge of the small outcropping that Alex stepped out from behind a tree.
His eyes locked on my face as he breathed in slowly and deeply, as though he were breathing me in piece by piece. Sonya's relief at seeing him mixed with my own. Alex's gaze slid to his mother, and he gave her a nod of acknowledgement. Vera appeared from behind cover as well, arms akimbo, looking very impatient for whatever bad news she expected.
I took a second to catch my breath, and then gave Alex and Vera a brief account of what had just happened, at the end of which Thad gave a sort of apologetic shrug and said, "What can I say? My parents are evil. Does that make me the white sheep in the family?"
Alex did not find the humor. The angles in his face had sharpened with Aegis-like focus. "How much time do we have?"
"We have no idea," Sonya replied, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"And we need to get moving," I urged.
I could tell Alex had a million more questions for me, but they would all have to wait. The five of us ran back toward the city walls. Alex glanced askance at Thad once or twice, as if Thad were some kind of enigma to him. The guards standing along the wall noticed us running toward them, and Sonya yelled, "Open the gates!"
The guards ignored her, of course. There were only five of us. We were hardly in any position to make commands.
"Open the gates!" she screamed again, her long braid swishing behind her.
Still, the guards did not open the gates. They leaned together, pointing at us, amused.
We didn't have time for this. "We aren't here for your afternoon entertainment!" I screamed at the guards this time, startling Alex beside me. "By the crown of my grandfather, King Darius, there's an army of dead men headed this way. We must speak to Sir Torren, or you will die here!"
They may not have believed me about the dead men, but my proclamation of being King Darius's granddaughter got their attention. They studied the five of us with renewed interest, discussing something amongst themselves. There were flickers of recognition as they noted Alex in particular.
It's a good thing Alex didn't accompany you the first time.
At last, they raised the portcullis. T
he five of us walked through the wall only to be surrounded by swords and spear tips on the other side.
"What is the meaning of this?" Sonya spat.
"I want to know what is going on," demanded one of the guards. It was the same guard Thad and I had run into earlier, only at that time I'd been in handcuffs. The guard looked between Thad and me, angry at being duped.
"Listen," I addressed the main guard, "I apologize for lying to you earlier, but I swear on my life I mean no harm to the citizens of Karth. I am not lying about the army of the dead. Lord Eris is using dark magic to turn all of your dead into kytharii." At mention of Lord Eris, a few of the guards shifted their stances and glanced between each other. "It's only a matter of time before these monsters claw their way out of the earth, and when they do, they will come here. Lord Eris has begun his war against Gaia, and he is starting with your city. I must get word to Sir Torren so that the clans can be warned, or they will all die."
The guard observed me a moment, his expression as harsh and untrusting as any commanding officer's might be when addressing the enemy. But I wasn't the enemy, and I hoped I could make him see that. At last, he said, "You two, come with me and the princess." He pointed to two of his guards. "The rest of you, don't let them out of your sight."
He intended to take me to Sir Torren by myself, leaving my Aegises here.
"Princess Daria will not be speaking to Sir Torren without us," Sonya said tightly.
"She will, or she won't be speaking to Sir Torren at all," said the guard through clenched teeth.
"Please," I said to the guard. "Perhaps you'd allow me to bring one Aegis. The others will stay here, on your orders. I swear to you they mean no harm."
The guard's scrutinizing gaze darted between my Aegises and me, until at last he grunted. "You can take her." He nodded stiffly at Vera.
Men.
Vera stepped forward and took her place right behind me.
We followed him through the streets, flanked by four other guards. Apparently, our lead guard wasn't so taken with Vera that he'd ignored the need for additional security. People stared as we walked past. Some flung very nasty insults, and others looked so hostile I was actually grateful for our escort. We wound the streets, ascending farther and farther until we reached the very top of the city, where the wide face of a huge building spanned the wall of the mountain, like the uppermost tier of a giant cake. Wind gusted freely up here, in the wild and open spaces, unimpeded by brick and stone. From here, I could see all of Karth sprawled before me with its system of aqueducts and its maze of streets and oddly shaped buildings, as though the streets had been built first and the buildings had been constructed later to fill the nooks and crannies in between. It was an interesting vantage point. From up here, removed from the trivialities of the bustling below, I felt as if I could do anything. I felt as if I owned the world.
Breath of Dragons (A Pandoran Novel) Page 38
