The King's Gate

by K T Munson

  Without the compass in his pocket to guide him, he had to shoulder his way through the only doorway he could see. The entire building shook again as he paused in the doorway, fighting to keep his balance. Ethandirill knew the Soul Collectors had started their attack. He only hoped it was enough to keep Arawn busy.

  Checking both ways, he found the hallway empty. He stepped out into the open and hurried across the space. Something squeaked at him and he stopped. A young messenger stood in front of him, holding a letter in his hands. The messenger held the parchment up like a shield against what he was seeing.

  “Sleep.” Ethandirill called, his voice layered with the power in his blood.

  The shock quickly faded from the little messenger’s face as he fell backwards, asleep. His little pinwheel hat rolled away from him. Ethandirill slipped into the room across the hall and hurried toward the secret passage. He didn’t have a lot of time. As the thought crossed his mind, Arawn’s horn sounded—he was on the hunt. It would be a while before Arawn noticed Elisabeth’s absence, but he hoped he was beyond Morhaven before that happened.

  The passageway was narrow, so he had to gather Elisabeth close to his chest to keep her head and feet from hitting the walls. Water dripped down the sides of the golden walls, which were carved with leaves and other beautiful markings. A soft blue glow from fungus on the walls and ceiling lit his way.

  Upon reaching the end, Ethandirill eased himself through the stone—the secret passage meant only for a Det Mor. It let him through thanks to his blood, and it let Elisabeth through because he was holding her. On the side of the building he saw guards running toward the disturbance. Slipping back inside, he held Elisabeth closer to his body, protectively. She whimpered in her sleep and her fingers curled onto his clothes. It was difficult to see someone so powerful brought so low.

  Adjusting his hold on Elisabeth, Ethandirill lifted the hood of his cloak up. Instantly, he vanished from view. He only had minutes, and then the invisibility would fade. It would take days to rejuvenate it again for use—or at least that was what Melody had said right after she’d told him where to find it amongst his grandmother’s things. He covered Elisabeth with the cloak, making sure they had vanished completely before rushing out into the daylight. Beautiful sun shone down as Ethandirill slipped around guards. They would feel him if he ran into them, so he was careful to dodge them at every turn. He heard screeching and quickly spotted a circling dragon by the top of the dome, where the Soul Collectors were focusing their attack.

  He was so fixated on the dragon that for a moment he missed the massive Elemental coming toward him. Its massive body was twisted roots covered in moss and patches of flowers. Timing it carefully Ethandirill stepped to the left just as it passed overhead. It made a deep call that rocked the ground beneath Ethandirill’s feet. Struggling to keep upright, Ethandirill rushed toward the Poppy Fields.

  For the first time in his life, Ethandirill was grateful that he’d had to endure life in the inhospitable Netherworld. There, Ethandirill had had only had his blood and sword to protect him. Stripped of his power, he had learned to survive the hard way. Now, running with Elisabeth in his arms he was grateful for that. He was also thankful that he would soon be reunited with Nanette and that they could work alongside Elisabeth to right the worlds. Nanette’s face flashed in his mind, driving him forward with more vigor.

  When he reached the Poppy Fields, he glanced back toward the battle. The roaring was impossible to miss, but now it was joined by the sound of a horn. There, on the back of a dragon, Arawn rode toward the point of the attack. The Soul Collectors began to leave, drifting away before vanishing entirely.

  Ethandirill realized he was out of time.

  The red flowers brushed against his legs as he carried Elisabeth to safety. He reached the edge and passed through it with ease. The compass seemed warm in his pocket, but it could not be held back by any means, even if Arawn willed it. Nothing could overpower the blessed items—their Det Morian ancestors had seen to that. The compass, watch, sundial, and telescope were the objects he knew of the six houses.

  Ethandirill felt the need to hurry—the red hue of the Netherworld was waning. Just as the invisibility faded from the cloak, he stepped into the quickly darkening Netherworld. He dropped the goggles from his forehead, and the shapes of the world came alive in soft purple light.

  He hastened toward the location within the Netherworld that reflected the cottage. He could only hope that Ki and Malthael had been able to decipher his message. It was nearly two their time. It took him a while to reach it. Just as he came over the pile of rumble that was likely the church down the road from the cottage, a horn sounded. Ethandirill froze. The sound came from the direction of Morhaven, but it was closer—dangerously so.

  Arawn knew where he was.

  Ethandirill half slid, half fell down the rubble as he sprinted the last leg to the cottage. When he arrived, he could all but feel Arawn on his heels. His heart in his throat, he set Elisabeth down. He took her hand in his and quickly cut her thumb. Blood welled, and although it would attract creatures, Ethandirill planned to be gone before they arrived.

  Envisioning the markings that Melody had showed him, he quickly drew them on Elisabeth’s forehead. He knelt and began to chant, trying to link blood to blood. He worried briefly about who had decided to become the Guardian of this new gate but tried not to focus on that. If it was Nanette, they would make it work. All that mattered was getting them safely out of the Netherworld.

  The ground shimmered, and he felt the tendrils of magic reaching for its counterpart on the planet. He bound them to Elisabeth, waiting for Selene’s blood to bind to it. At first nothing happened, and then for a moment he saw the greener planets and the happy cottage. He saw Malthael, Selene, and Ki standing at the edge of the circle. His heart thumped at not seeing Nanette there. He picked Elisabeth up and moved them toward the circle.

  Something struck his back and sent him sprawling. Pain exploded through him as he fell, and Elisabeth rolled from his arms. As he struggled to his feet, an arrow buried itself in the ground where his head had been a moment before. Hastily he reached for Elisabeth, desperation nearly turning his legs into gel.

  “Kill him!” Arawn yelled as Ethandirill stood and picked up Elisabeth again.

  “Ethandirill?” Elisabeth whispered, her eyes half open.

  “We are almost there,” he told to her.

  “Are you real?” she asked as another arrow hit him, this one buried deep in his shoulder.

  He grunted at the pain but kept going, panting heavily. Elisabeth blinked for a moment before her gaze went past him and toward Arawn. Anger crept over her face, and she lifted a hand. Ethandirill wanted to tell her to stop, that she didn’t have it in her, but he couldn’t concentrate. The arrows must have been laced with something; they were weakening him. He was too afraid to speak, lest his Det Morian ability leak out and cause irreparable damage.

  For a moment Ethandirill saw the outline of Elisabeth’s skull beneath her skin—a flash of what she was as she used her powers. An arrow went spiraling off to his right, and Ethandirill knew Elisabeth was using whatever she had left to protect them. Sweat broke out on his brow. She was breathing hard, and her left hand was holding tightly to his shoulder as he fell to his knees.

  “Blood calls to blood,” Ethandirill whispered each word with great effort.

  The air around them thickened, and sound deafened into silence. Elisabeth relaxed in his arms, slumping over and sliding from them. She lay inside the marked area, no longer conscious. He couldn’t tell if she was breathing. He reached over his shoulder and tried to jerk the arrow from his skin. His body protested as his fingers became slick with golden blood. He didn’t have the strength to pull them out.

  Silence was replaced with a whomping noise. It grew in volume as he saw flashes of Lyreane and Kerrigan standing at the middle of the circle. Glancing to his right, he saw Selene, Malthael, and Ki but his gaze could not find Nanette.
He searched desperately for her. Black smeared the edge of his vision as he fell forward, his body landing next to Elisabeth’s. He struggled to breathe, and with a stabbing fear he realized he was dying. Arawn had broken the law of the Divine Court and used the only thing that could kill one of them.

  “Nanette.” Her name was a whisper on his lips the moment before he lost consciousness.

  Chapter 22: Lyreane

  The moment he saw Elisabeth’s and Ethandirill’s outlines appear, Ki ran to the edge of the circle. He waited for the magic to dissipate and for Kerrigan’s scream of pain to cease as the tendrils of magic stabbed into her body, binding her to the place. Kerrigan was its Guardian now.

  When the barrier around the edge of the circle collapsed, Kerrigan fell to her knees. Blood spilled across the ground from the bowl. Ki ran directly to Elizabeth. He knelt by her side. Her breathing was painfully shallow. Turning his head, he put his face close to hers.

  “Feed,” he said softly.

  When she did nothing, he kissed her, pressing his lips to hers. He heard commotion behind him but ignored it. When he shifted back, he felt panicked. She hadn’t fed. He tried again, and still nothing. He shook her and lifted her into his arms, promising anything to anyone as long as she would live. After everything they’d done, they couldn’t fail now.

  “Please,” he begged, pressing his face close to hers. “Elisabeth, please. You must feed.”

  Her eyes snapped open. As she extracted life force from him, they turned a vibrant blue. Her hands went to the side of his face, and he realized her desire for life force was primal, necessary for survival, and that he wasn’t even sure she was awake. When he felt her scraping the bottom of his well, when he felt weak, he tried to turn away, but didn’t matter if he died. He would come back fully healed, though far from there.

  Just as Ki felt the end coming, the emptiness of death upon him, something barreled into him, breaking the connection. He blinked in confusion, trying to focus on what was on top of him. When fur brushed his cheek, he realized it was Ashley. The tiger stood over him protectively. Thankful, he put a hand on the tiger as he turned to Elisabeth, who was slumped over. Her eyes were open, but she appeared confused.

  “Ki?” she asked, seeming to come out of it.

  “Elisabeth,” he said and reached toward her.

  Her face twisted in desperation. “Please be real.”

  “I am,” Ki said as he shifted toward her. “I promise.” She crawled over to him and he embraced her. She sobbed against his chest. He reveled in the feeling of her in his arms, even in his weakened state.

  “You’re all alive,” she muttered. She grasped his clothing in her fists as she wept.

  “He isn’t breathing,” Malthael said, and Ki’s sat up straight. He moved next to Ethandirill and knelt.

  Elisabeth immediately pushed herself up. “He saved me.”

  Without warning, life force started to flow out of everyone but Ethandirill and Ki. After everything she’d taken, how could she still need more? Fighting against his own exhaustion, he put his hands on her shoulders and shook her. Instantly the stream of life force stopped.

  “Elisabeth?” he said. The haze of fatigue made his movements lethargic.

  “I can save him,” she said, sniffling. “I have to. Help me remove the arrows.”

  Malthael made quick work of them as Elisabeth turned her attention to the Det Morian prince. She rolled Ethandirill onto his back and bent over him. When light flashed, Ki understood. She was transferring her life force, the extra she didn’t need, to Ethandirill. It filled his chest like a kiss of life, and his once-still chest began rising and falling. Despite the infusion of life force, however, he remained unconscious. Elisabeth put a hand on Ethandirill’s chest and gazed down at him, her eyebrows furrowed with concern.

  “Elsa,” Malthael said. He touched his daughter’s hand.

  Elisabeth recoiled from his touch and stumbled back into Ki. She shook her head, looking angry and disgusted. Ki could see the hurt and confusion on Malthael’s face. Equally baffled, Ki put his hands on Elisabeth’s shoulders.

  “What is it?” Ki asked.

  “My entire life, you lied,” she said to Malthael. “I couldn’t kill you, but I can’t even look at you because of what you did to her.”

  She sounded insane, but whatever she meant, Malthael understood. If it had been possible for the color to drain out of Malthael’s face, it would have. He was stricken by her words. Elisabeth didn’t say anything else, her gaze accusing.

  Elisabeth gripped Ki’s hand. “It’s true.” She was shaking. “I didn’t think it could be true. I didn’t think it was real.” Malthael looked at a loss for words.

  “Kerrigan won’t wake up,” Selene said. Everyone turned to her.

  “Let’s get her inside,” Ki said softly, reluctant to let Elisabeth go. “She’ll be drained, but she’ll recover.”

  Elisabeth’s fingers dug into Ki’s arm as she stared at Selene. “Serena,” she said. He’d forgotten that Elisabeth didn’t know who Selene was. Elisabeth’s eyes darted around, her face twisted into a mask of horror. “I’m still in.”

  “What?” Ki asked, but Elisabeth was already backing up. She bolted before anyone could react.

  Ki started after her, but Malthael stepped in his path.

  “Let her go,” Malthael said, suffering still in his eyes. “I’ll have Duke or Nathan see to her. You see to Kerrigan and Ethandirill.”

  Ki fought his urge to go after her, but Malthael was right. He didn’t know how to help Elisabeth. Whatever she had endured had broken part of her. Even if Ki wanted to mend her, he needed more information. Sighing heavily, he nodded his consent, and Malthael visibly relaxed.

  “We need Nanette,” Ki said plainly before moving to help get Ethandirill inside.

  Chapter 23: Hystera

  “How are you feeling?” Nanette asked as Troy sipped the bitter tea.

  “Tired,” Troy answered, “but better.”

  Nodding, Nanette stood. “I’m glad you’re improving.”

  As she was about to leave the room, Troy’s voice made her pause. “I remember everything. I don’t think most Keepers experience this. Jinq talked about being connected to the planet, but not to other Keepers. I am remembering their lives. I remember trapping the Black King. It was as though I was there.”

  Fascinated, Nanette sat back down. “Do you think that is why you became the next Keeper?”

  “I think a Gate Guardian becoming a Keeper was an accident,” Troy said, his gaze distant as he swallowed another gulp of his tea. He scowled at it before letting it rest in his lap.

  “My sister always said that nothing happens without a reason, that we are all destined for something,” Nanette said. She gazed off in the distance for a moment as she thought of Yuna and home. Blinking, she came out of it and fiddled with the frayed strings on the blanket at the end of his bed. “I never believed that, but since I fell into the Netherworld, I’m not so sure. Particularly after meeting The Fates and hearing their ‘Every choice changes fate’ speech.”

  “You met The Fates?” Troy asked, a soft smile on his lips.

  Nanette felt her ears burn; she was being teased by a child! A highly intelligent child, but still a boy by any standard. As he sipped his tea, the steam curled around his smirking face.

  Nanette pursed her lips and turned to leave again. “I better see to dinner.”

  “Why is it here?” he said as she opened the door.

  Turning back, Nanette shook her head in confusion. “Why is what here?”

  “The gate.” Troy’s young eyes seemed to bore into her very soul.

  Nanette paled. She knew what gate he was referring to. “How do you know that?”

  “I can feel it,” he answered, which made her shudder. “It is like a dark void, and Hystera doesn’t like it.”

  “Only half is here. Malthael put the other half somewhere else for safekeeping,” she assured him as much as herself.

>   He just stared at her, the cup clasped in his hands. When he met her eyes for a moment, they seemed empty. He took a sip. “Were you going somewhere?”

  Nanette forced a smile onto her face. “Just going for dinner.”

  Rushing down the hall, she felt dread claw its way into her brain. She tried to calm herself. Troy was so young, and though he was brilliant, he was losing his mind. It twisted her insides into knots. He was too young to take on the burden of the Keeper, and it was destroying him.

  Between that and not knowing what was happening with everyone else, she was fighting tears when she entered the kitchen. Distracted by all of her thoughts, she barely managed to ask for dinner to be sent to Troy’s room. She wandered aimlessly at first, trying to focus on anything as she tried not to worry. Elisabeth was strong and capable. Ki and Malthael would stop at nothing to help her. She only hoped Ethandirill would show up soon, as she missed him terribly.

  Nanette.

  Startled, Nanette whirled around, certain she had heard Ethandirill call her name. The empty hallway did nothing to reassure her. Something in the pit of her stomach didn’t sit well. Uneasy she decided to return to Troy’s room in order to check on him. When she turned back, Ethandirill was standing directly in her path.

  Nanette yelped before she could help herself. She was about to yell at him when she realized he was translucent. Her mouth dropped open as she stared at Ethandirill’s form. He smiled at her, a sad little expression. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she reached for him. He didn’t move as her fingers brushed against his face. The edge of his face shifted as though he was made of mist.