“One of you will die to save the world, the other will unleash his magic to destroy it.”
He couldn’t decide which fate was worse.
4
The Price of Pride
Sitting on the sofa, Jace narrowed his eyes at the seer. The odd labels she had given to him and each of his companions left the room silent. Confusion and shock were reflected on their faces, while he reacted in a quite different fashion. He had seen his share of con artists and the methods used to prey on the weaknesses of their intended victims.
She is trying to get us off balance, controlling the conversation.
“Listen, lady,” he said, “I don’t know what game you are playing, but it’s time to stop with all the nonsense and explain why you are here.”
The seer turned toward him. Her blindfold unnerved him. Only by peering into the eyes of others could you discover motives and emotions otherwise hidden.
Xionne crossed the room to stand before him. “I have come to retrieve you and your companions. You must journey to Paehl Lanor, to the hidden city of Kelmar. With your presence, the seers will attempt an augury. We are currently blinded to the future, unable to determine which prophecies are true and which are false. The only truth of which we are certain is that our world is in grave danger.”
Jace frowned at her. “You expect us to believe this nonsense? Claiming a catastrophe looms in the near future seems like simple manipulation to me. You have no way to prove your statement, and we have no means to discredit it. Why should we follow you to this pale place anyway?”
Xionne tilted her head. “A doubter. I suspected you would be difficult. What might I do to convince you?”
He smiled. “Easy. Predict the future. What will happen next?”
She shook her head. “I cannot. Casting one’s mind into future events is not so simple a task. Even if we were with my sisters in the Oracle, something blocks our abilities. The last foretelling occurred a season ago. Since then, all we see is darkness.”
Jace snorted. “You have all the classic replies covered. I find it convenient that you wish us to follow you blindly with no means to prove anything you say is true or false. Besides, I don’t believe anyone can predict the future. How can you know what men will do next? I often don’t know what I will do next.”
As she stared at him, he wondered if she were actually blinded by the cloth around her eyes. It seemed a clever component of her scheme, whatever her intent.
“You love her,” Xionne said.
He flinched. “What are you talking about?”
“I have seen it in past foretellings. The princess… You love her, despite your desire to fight your feelings. It is useless, you know. Destiny has drawn you together. Two forces attracted to one another, the draw too great to overcome, in spite of your repeated attempts to pull away.”
Everyone stared at Jace, but he refused to look at them, locking his gaze upon Xionne. His heart raced as he struggled to form a reply to her accusation. His gaze slid to Narine. In her aqua blue eyes, he saw not the desire to run away, as he had feared, but a longing.
It frightened him to the core.
Jace looked at Xionne, the seer waiting patiently for his response. “Think what you want, woman, but Narine and I are just having fun,” he said with a frivolous wave of his hand. “Our attraction toward each other is physical. That’s it. Nothing more.” The final words were firm.
Narine approached him. Her gaze had hardened, lips pressed together as she glared down at him. “Is that all I am to you?”
He swallowed and shrugged, downplaying the twisting of his stomach. “I…” Everyone is looking at me, waiting for me to bend to the witch’s will. Forcing a smile, he said, “Admit it. You have had fun, as well. Why can’t we just leave it at that?”
Narine slammed her heel onto his foot.
“Ouch!” He grabbed at his boot as she turned and marched from the room.
Adyn followed, pausing at the doorway to look back at Jace. “You need to get over yourself, thief. You keep pushing her away and, sooner or later, she’ll stop coming back.”
As the door closed, Jace looked around. Everyone stared at him. Somehow, the expressions on their faces were worse than he had feared, the disapproval outweighing the wound his pride might have suffered if he had agreed with Xionne’s claim.
“Your pride is your enemy, thief.” Xionne sat in the chair opposite Jace.
Before he could issue a retort, Queen Ariella interceded.
“Unlike other wizardoms, Pallanar has long respected the Seers.” The queen circled the room as she spoke, her gaze shifting from one person to the next. “I ask you all to listen to Xionne and consider her request with care. Should a dark future await, could you carry the burden of not heeding her warning? In contrast, if you followed her guidance and no catastrophe comes to pass, what have you lost?”
Jace ran his hands through his hair and considered the queen’s request. His gaze swept the room, noticing others doing the same, eyes staring into space while the wheels spun in their heads.
“I say we do it,” Brogan muttered.
Blythe looked at Brogan and nodded. “If you go, I am going.”
“I will go,” Rhoa said. “It cannot be worse than the drama surrounding us since Taladain died.”
“Rawkobon and I will go, as well,” Algoron said, the man looking toward Hadnoddon. “We would like to meet our cousins at the Lonely Peak.”
Hadnoddon narrowed his eyes at the two dwarfs before issuing a nod.
Salvon walked over to Jace, leaned forward to place a hand on his shoulder, and looked him in the eye. “It would be best if we heed the seer’s advice, Jace. Their methods and mystical abilities might seem strange, but the Seers know things you cannot comprehend.” The man stood and looked back at Xionne and her bodyguard. “It is exceedingly rare for a seer to leave Paehl Lanor. Xionne would not be here if the situation were not dire.”
Xionne gave Salvon a slow nod. When the old man stepped back, Jace found all eyes on him again. An internal battle waged, a piece of him wishing to separate himself from a situation he felt was manipulative. Another part of him demanded he remain at Narine’s side, regardless of where she might go.
Finally, he sighed. “You seriously wish us to gallivant off to this pale place and–”
“Paehl Lanor,” Xionne corrected.
“Fine. You want us to run off to Paehl Lanor and do what exactly?”
“You will join the circle of the Oracle,” Xionne replied.
He frowned. “This isn’t any sort of sacrifice or anything, is it?”
She shook her head. “Nothing of the sort. It is a simple meeting of the minds. It is how we seek and craft prophecy.”
His thoughts drifted to Narine – her bright blue eyes, engaging smile, fiery spirit. He knew with her at his side, he was a better person. Something about her made his prior self seem incomplete, a shell of what was possible.
He looked at the seer and asked, “And when this circle thing is over, we can just leave?”
Xionne smiled. She had a nice smile, leaving Jace wondering about her eyes. He imagined them large and dark brown, the girl pretty in an exotic fashion. “Once possible futures are determined, you may depart.”
Jace stood in the shadows, listening, watching, waiting. It was late, well after the dinner hour, the lonely corridor dark, other than auras surrounding lanterns at each corner. The sound of footsteps came from the stairwell, then Brogan emerged.
Finally.
The big man lumbered toward one of the closed doors and knocked. Moments later, the door opened. “It’s our last night in Illustan,” Brogan rumbled. “I thought you might like to join me for a few ales. Theo and the guards tapped a keg and are drinking to Raskor’s memory.”
Adyn’s voice came from inside the room. “Do you mind?”
Narine’s response was too muffled to hear, but Jace knew she wouldn’t deny Adyn’s request.
“I’ll see you in a fe
w hours,” Adyn said before pulling the door closed and flashing Brogan a grin. “What’s the brew?”
He grunted. “I’m not sure, but knowing Theo, it’ll be strong.”
“All the better.”
The two descended the stairs, their footsteps and voices fading.
Jace emerged from the alcove and crossed the length of the hallway to stop outside Narine’s door. He debated just stepping inside without knocking, then thought better of it. The rapping of his knuckles on the wood echoed in the corridor.
“Yes?” Narine’s voice came from inside.
“It’s me.”
“Go away.”
“I am going to come in.”
After a silent beat, she said, “I can’t really stop you, can I?”
He opened the door. The room was dark, other than a dying fire in the fireplace and a candle on the nightstand. Jace scanned the room until he spotted her lying on the bed, hidden beneath the covers.
“You didn’t come to dinner,” Jace said as he closed the door.
“I didn’t feel like eating.” Her tone was somewhere between sadness and anger.
Perhaps a bit of both, he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. Come on, Jace. You need to do this. Moving closer to the bed, he considered where to start. Set your pride aside.
“I came to apologize.”
Curled up and facing away from him, she didn’t respond.
“I… I didn’t mean what I said.” Why is this so difficult?
“Yet you said it.”
He heard the tears and wondered how many she had shed.
“It wasn’t…” He clamped his mouth shut in frustration. “The seer made me say it.”
Narine sat up and turned toward him. Her eyes were red, cheeks blotchy. She looked horrible and amazing at the same time.
“That is your excuse?” She sounded incredulous. “Did she put a knife to your throat and force you to hurt me? Or does it give you joy to break my heart? After all, this thing between us is just for fun.” The last words were charged with anger, each clipped and sharp.
Jace flinched inwardly, the burning guilt within blazing with a vengeance. He looked away, shaking his head but refusing to meet the challenge in her stare. “I never wished to hurt you.”
“Rhoa was right. You only care about yourself.”
“No!” Stung, he moved closer and sat at the foot of the bed. Eyes closed, he reached down deep, drawing a rare emotion for him. Humility. “I do care for you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”
The pause seemed far longer than it really was.
“I want to believe you,” she said, “but this could just be another one of your games in order to spend another night in my bed only to spurn me again the next day.”
A long sigh slipped out as he opened his eyes and looked at her. “I am not playing a game. I just… I don’t trust Xionne. I don’t understand why everyone is willing to place so much faith in this strange girl. The way she speaks, the words she uses… It feels like she is manipulating us.”
“To what end?”
“To get us to follow her.”
“Then what?”
He shook his head. “I have no idea. I just don’t like being used.”
She arched a brow. “How ironic.”
Jace gripped her hand. “I never used you. In truth, you are the most honest of my pursuits.”
“Well, you had better explain yourself. So far, you have done a poor job of it.”
“When she pressed me about my feelings toward you, I…responded as I did because I was fighting back. I just couldn’t give her the satisfaction by validating any of it.”
“So you chose to hurt me rather than wound your own pride?”
Hearing the words, he realized how poor his choice had been. He swallowed the lump in his throat and wondered if a slice of his pride went with it. “I regret reacting as I did.”
“How would you react if given another chance?” There was a challenge in her tone, a test of sorts.
He winced. “Do I have to say it?”
“You owe me as much.”
He sighed again. “Honestly, I know nothing of love. I have been alone for so long, I don’t know if I could recognize it if it struck me in the face. What I do know is I enjoy being with you. I think about you when we are not together. You are obviously aware I am attracted to you, but this is more than just physical attraction.” When she didn’t respond, he added, “I have risked my life for yours more than once. Selfless acts are highly uncommon for someone like me. I can’t explain why, but it must mean something.”
She crawled toward him, her eyes closing as their lips met. The kiss was tender at first, then she pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him, her hands going to the laces of his tunic. He put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her away.
A frown appeared on her face as she looked down at him. “What’s wrong?”
Dressed in a thin shift, he found her intoxicating and wished nothing more than to take her in his arms. Steeling himself, he gathered his courage and used it as an anchor for what he was about to do.
Jace rolled over, stood, and backed away from the bed. “I want you to know, this is among the most difficult things I have ever done.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked, perplexed.
“You asked me a question about my intentions. I…” Can’t believe I am doing this. He closed his eyes and shook his head before opening them again. “I wish to prove my feelings for you. Prove that our relationship is more than physical. So, I will leave you for the night with only a single kiss to cherish.”
She stepped out of bed, the flickering candlelight dancing off her curves. “Are you sure?” Reaching up, she pulled one strap down to expose her shoulder. “Adyn said we are to depart in the morning.” The other strap followed, her shift held in place merely by the fullness of her bosom. “This might be our last chance for quite some time.”
He gripped the doorknob, his voice cracking as he replied, “I know, which makes this so much more difficult.”
Tilting her head, a hand on her hip, her back arched provocatively, she asked, “You are actually leaving me?”
Groaning, he fought against the burning desire to rush across the room and take her in a steamy embrace. “Only until morning,” he croaked, opening the door, his eyes drinking in the view of her glorious figure, lingering for a moment before turning away. His heart hammered in his chest, blood near boiling.
Pausing in the doorway, he spoke over his shoulder. “I still don’t agree with this bizarre quest to visit a bunch of mountain witches, but I will follow along because it is where you will be.”
The door clicked closed. Jace stood with his back against it for a moment, blowing out a breath before heading toward the stairs. It was time to find Brogan and Adyn. He needed some ale to douse the heat in his blood. A lot of ale.
5
Departure
Rhoa stepped outside the palace and gazed up at the gray sky. The wind blew from the south, the autumn air carrying a hint of winter. Her companions joined her at the top of the stairs, gathering in silence.
In the circular courtyard, three carriages waited, along with a pair of wagons filled with bundles, crates, and barrels. Two soldiers on horseback came from around the corner, each leading four horses, the reins of each linked to the horse behind it. Moments later, a squad of eight Gleam Guard rode up to join the others, the men armed and appearing prepared for battle. Rhoa hoped to avoid anything of the sort.
“This is quite different from our past two departures,” Salvon noted.
Jace snorted. “That’s an understatement.”
Rhoa thought back to their flight from Fastella and the later escape from Marquithe. “We have visited three great cities over recent weeks. In every case, the city we leave behind lacks the protection of a wizard lord.” She shook her head. “How can that be?”
A female replied from behind her, “You stand at the epice
nter of great change.”
Rhoa turned toward Xionne. As expected, Hadnoddon stood beside her.
The seer continued. “The culmination of events surrounding you points toward a dark future and proves why you must visit Kelmar.”
Before Rhoa could reply, the doors opened and Queen Ariella emerged, bracketed by two guards and followed by Brogan, Blythe, and Phantom, the dog at Blythe’s side, as usual.
The queen surveyed the scene before her and nodded. “All appears ready. Let us depart for the harbor so you can be on your way.”
The queen in the lead, the party descended the stairs. Brogan and Blythe climbed into Ariella’s carriage, while the others split up and filled the other two. During the ride down the long, curved roadway, Rhoa watched the citizens of Illustan go about their daily lives.
Farmers’ carts filled the market square, surrounded by people buying produce. Butchers, bakers, tailors, cobblers, and weavers stood in front of their shops, calling out to passersby. Children played, a dozen in a cluster beside a fountain. Here and there, soldiers dressed in chain mail walked among them.
The city itself was quite different from those in warmer climates, every roof steeply peaked. Soon, snow would reach the city and likely remain until spring. Rhoa wondered if she would finally experience true winter weather. With a journey taking them near the famous Pallanar Ice Fields, it seemed likely.
The road leveled, and the carriage turned down a street that ran through the heart of the city. Weapon shops, a cartographer, a general store, two inns, and a moneylender were among the shops Rhoa observed as they approached the city gates.
Outside the city walls, the carriage turned toward the busy harbor. They passed a cluster of warehouses before slowing to a stop, climbing out of the carriages, and gathering on the wharf. Those on horseback, including their Gleam Guard escort, continued down the long pier, toward the massive three-masted ship moored there. Although Rhoa had traveled extensively with the menagerie, she had never been on a ship, which made the impending journey both daunting and exciting at the same time.
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