by S A Edwards
“The Elder of the Seekers.”
“Oh. No. Not yet.” I couldn’t meet him, not with the Seekers hunting me. And that meant I could only master six of the gifts. I bit my lip. That would hinder my ability to overcome the Council. But I would have six. It would have to be enough.
He grasped his book and stood. “The meeting happens once a year at the Guild. All information is brought forth, helping them to better plan and fight against the Corrupted.”
Something churned inside me at the mention of the Corrupted. “Where is the Guild?”
“It’s a well-known place, though only Seekers enter there. It marks the beginning of their territory. Everything from that point to the sea belongs to them.” He walked past me, and I hurried to keep up.
“When is the meeting?”
“Curious, aren’t you?”
No. I was angry. And ready to take action. I shrugged.
“Tomorrow night,” he said, “when the moons reach their peak.” He paused and placed a hand on my shoulder. “To answer your question, we use the Percurrere.”
“Sorry?”
“You saw the stand with the bowl on top? That’s it. And there’s another one, identical to it, a short way from the edge of the forest. We can move from one to the other in a heartbeat. Once you’ve mastered your gift, you can use it to head to the next Capital.” He wandered away, and I bit my lip, a plan forming in my mind. I jogged back to the treeline.
It was time to even the odds.
42
The treeline engulfed me, my plan to hunt the Seekers clinging to my mind.
“Going somewhere?”
I whirled to Tenebris. His hands hid beneath the long sleeves of his cloak, and his expression gave nothing away.
“I must,” I said.
“Must you?” His gaze shifted to my ring, and his eyes darkened. Did he suspect the Intrigue?
“Don’t try to stop me.” I may not have mastered his gift, but I had enough to withstand him. He wouldn’t sway my determination.
“That is not my intention. You must act in the way you choose.”
I turned away.
“Clara. If you continue down this path, you risk becoming lost.”
I scowled back at him. “I’m doing nothing wrong.”
“You’re blinded by the darkness. It creeps up little by little, until you’re so far down the road that return seems impossible.”
“You’re wrong,” I said. “The Council has to end somehow.”
He didn’t speak again, and I didn’t look back.
Star stones glimmered around the edge of the clearing, reflecting on the stone sides of the podium. The silver bowl lay untouched.
My fingers touched the flawless edge, and ripples poured across the surface. All my focus pooled on what I did know. What was right? Confusion about the Corrupted would get in my way. But I needed answers to make any decisions with confidence. That was right. I couldn’t act without knowing the truth. And to do that, I had to shift from this stone to the other at the end of the forest. But then what? Without being sure of the way, the truth was as good as lost.
Slipping off the golden ring, I stared at it, searching for some sign of where to find the Intrigue. What had Kilkerran said? Use the stars. But how? With the magic cloud of darkness covering the Capital and the thick canopy above, the stars were hidden.
Something snapped amongst the trees.
My heart lurched, and the ring tumbled to the grass and bounced off a star stone.
“Oh, of course.”
Snatching up the ring and stone, I returned to the Percurrere. The tools needed were in my grasp. Now only the truth awaited.
The scene around me blurred and distorted. The faded cloud vanished, and the fresh scent of Riparian flowers and a faint hint of burning wood touched my nose.
The Percurrere stone remained in front of me, and thin trees stretched toward the dawning sky. Ivied pillars circled the area in which I stood. With the moons mixing a silvery light with the rising rays, the whole place held an enchanting feel.
A smile slid to my lips. It worked.
Relying on the smell of the Beast within me, I popped the star stone in my pocket and travelled toward the smoky smell. The chill of early morning pinched my skin, and the lack of a cloak tugged on my regret. It hadn’t occurred to me to return to the hut for it before leaving the Capital.
The moons drifted below the horizon, and the shadows fled. Still, I called on my flames, enjoying the power surge and the cosy, orange light.
The treeline came to an abrupt end, and a narrow stone path crossed before me. In the distance, the firelight of torches flickered, just beginning to die.
Only a few villagers wandered a cobbled road, wicker baskets hanging from their arms.
Begrudgingly, I diminished my flames and wandered down the path.
A map of the land was framed on the wall of an inn, so I paused to study it, pinpointed my location, and then continued through the village to the woodland beyond.
“Clara!” Charlie ran down the path, cheeks red.
I stared at him, his muscles even larger than before. “How are you here?” He couldn’t have made it back through the forest already, even riding on the back of a Beast.
He stopped a few steps from me, his breathing heavy. “Tenebris sent me after you through the Percurrere. You didn’t even take the test.”
“I don’t need to. I’m about to get answers, and then take away the Council’s greatest weapon.”
“How?”
I walked on, letting Charlie fall into step beside me. “I’m going to get help.”
“I’ll help you.”
“I need power. You can’t give me that.”
“But mastering the Dark gift will.”
“No, Charlie. I’ve mastered that before. I’ll figure it out again eventually.”
He hesitated before speaking again. “Where are you going?”
“The Intrigue.”
His expression twisted into one of horror. “To the Corrupted? Clara, you can’t!”
“Yes, I can.”
“But the darkness –”
“Has no hold on me.” I turned to him. “I’m not joining them. I’m using them. And I’m not even sure they’re really bad.”
“What?” He grabbed my arm with surprising strength. “Listen to yourself.”
I tugged out of his grip. “If you can’t stand by me, then leave. I don’t need you anyway.”
He staggered back a step, hurt in his eyes.
“Charlie … I’m sorry, I … I don’t know why I said that.”
“I do.” His voice shook. “The Corruption nearly has you. If you do this, if you go to them, I might lose you.”
“Charlie.” I stepped forward and touched his arm. “With the Council in the way, we’ll never be free. I have to stop them.”
He shook his head.
“The Corrupted will be under my control,” I said. “I’m only using the tools I have. When this is over, the world will be ours.”
“Please, Clara.”
“I have to do this, Charlie. Find somewhere safe. I’ll come for you soon.”
*
Rough bark dug into my back, and the long grass prickled my elbows. Charlie’s sorrowful expression plagued my mind and tore at my heart. He hadn’t followed me, and I hadn’t turned back. He didn’t understand. Much like mine, his opinions were distorted by those that raised him, convincing him the Corrupted were evil, but too much of this was one-sided.
The golden ring gleamed beneath the star stone in my hand. The light beamed through the slits in the surface onto the ground: a perfect map of the land. Except the wilderness to the south wasn’t empty. A new village was marked, circled and labelled. The Intrigue.
The map flickered and faded, and a single line traced the grass, curving off to the left.
I lowered the ring, and the line shifted, curving more sharply. No matter which way I turned, the line targeted the same directi
on.
My heavy eyes nudged me toward sleep, so I staggered to my feet and trudged on, nibbling on a piece of lemon-corn. The last of the harvest was waiting in the field near the village, and with the day being so early when I passed through, no one appeared to prevent me taking some. The citrusy taste tingled on my tongue, stimulating my senses a little more.
The day passed slowly. Clasping the ring to the flat surface of the star stone left a hand free to grab my food and draw water from the air for drink.
Birds sang in the treetops and fluttered between the branches, soaking up the afternoon sun, though a chill crept in, sending shivers along my spine. The lemon-corn had soon run out, and my stomach rumbled.
“You’re hungry.”
I whirled to Zantos’ voice. He sat on a sloping tree branch, his black cloak draping to the ground.
“So, am I near a Gate this time,” I asked, “or are you simply here to see me fail again?”
His black eyes glistened. “Don’t be sore. When I’m bound to this world, there’s only so much I can do to find entertainment.”
“So, my life at risk is entertaining to you?”
He flashed a look of feigned innocence. “Of course not. The hunt on the other hand …”
“What do you want, Zantos?”
“Just checking in, in case you require assistance.”
“Assistance? From you? No thanks.”
He shook his head and dropped from the trunk. “By my word, I don’t know why you resist me so. We were close once.”
“So you say.”
“It is the truth.”
I retreated. “I haven’t got time for this.”
The scene blurred then, and Zantos’ swam before my vision, appearing in a rush of shadows. “I need your help.” My voice said, and something tugged within me from my forgotten past. “I can I count on you?”
Zantos smiled. “Of course.”
The scene shifted again, and the forest returned to view.
I peered back at Zantos. The vision was real, a memory from the past. Could they finally be returning? Confusion clouded my hope. Why would I ask him for help? The feeling of trust and confidence in relying on him still clung to me from the memory. “I trusted you once,” I said.
His eyebrows rose. “You remember?”
“Only a moment. But I asked you for help.”
“Indeed. And if you’ll allow me, I can help you now.”
“How?”
“There’s a field, one eona west. The last of the harvest is taking place. You can get more food there.”
I frowned. “I don’t know.”
“You need to eat. Go. The land workers have so much, they’ll never notice if a couple of bundles go missing.”
I studied his expression. This was the most normal conversation we’d had, and yet my instincts still screamed for me to run. Fighting to keep my emotions from my features, I nodded. “Thanks.”
“Happy eating.” Shadow rushed around him until he vanished in the darkness.
I pressed on, eager to be far from the area. I had no intentions of heading to the field. The last time I had listened to him, the Seeker nearly caught me. And Charlie. The sooner I got my truth, the better.
The moons were just beginning to rise when the land turned barren. Bare shrubs and rock jutted out from the hard, dusty ground, casting an unwelcome feel to the atmosphere. No signs of the Intrigue could be seen, and I hesitated, doubt clinging to my nerves, wondering if the trail was wrong.
My flames burned on my palm. The warmth and tingling of growing power comforted me and brought confidence. No corruption could be carried within so much pleasure.
The cracked ground led me further into the wilderness until the woodland shrunk far behind. A cold breeze raised goose bumps on my arms. Shadow stretched, distorted ahead of me under the silver moonlight, broken only by the star stone’s beam through the ring.
The scene ahead shivered, and a village swam into view. Torn material fluttered over sandy buildings, the colours barely recognisable in the darkness.
Anxiousness flickered within me, and my fire grew. The last time I had faced the Corrupted, my magic failed me. They outnumbered me. And now there might be more of them. If their answers brought no clarity, if I chose not to gain their assistance, would they release me again? Could I overpower them?
“Stop it,” I whispered. The gifts were mine. The lack of preparation with them let me down before. Not this time. This time, I would conquer.
43
The star stone’s light still pointed to the crumbled and badly kept buildings. Fabric flapped in the breeze through the roofs and doors, disturbing only the sand and dust that clung to the walls and pooled in open doorways.
The place seemed abandoned, cold, and quiet. The heat of my fire battled against the chill, and my neck hairs stood on end. The ground turned to stone, and my footfalls tapped against it, sharp in the night.
After a while, shouts of laughter pierced the silence, and firelight beamed across the ground ahead. Most of the doorways were covered in a thick curtain, barely moving despite the building wind.
Turning a corner, I tucked the ring and star stone away, and my gaze fell on a larger building set in the centre of a square. A wooden door hung open, and smoke billowed out. Firelight streaked through it, a beckoning beacon.
I marched through the smoke.
The room beyond was packed. Men and women sat at tables and stood around the walls, conversing and laughing with glasses in hand. Black markings ringed their shoulders and forearms.
A huge hearth supported a glowing fire against the far wall. Thick rope hung on the walls in chunky complicated knots.
A few glances were shot in my direction, and the knowledge of the danger surrounding me sent shivers down my spine.
No. I held more danger than them. I had no reason to fear.
“You’re new.” A blonde-haired man approached with large muscles, eyeing me with a smirk. A black cloak rested on his shoulders, and I wondered what his gift was. Every other Mage I had met wore their gift’s colour.
I peered at him with narrowed eyes. “Where’s Kilkerran?”
“Sure you don’t want someone else? I can offer you a better time.” He clamped a large, hot hand round my waist.
I sent a string of flames at his cloak, grazing his fingers on their way. “Woah!” He leapt back, whipped off his cloak, and surveyed his scorched hand.
“Must I ask again?” I cast him a sweet smile.
“Well, well.”
I kept my relaxed stance, my focus moving to Kilkerran. He approached from near the hearth, and silence fell over the room.
“You came sooner than expected,” he said.
“You the leader here?” I demanded, very aware of all the eyes on me. If they all attacked at once, I wasn’t sure I could protect myself.
He rubbed his hand round the back of his neck. “Of sorts.” He shrugged. “We all work on our own,” – he reached for my shoulder – “but now that you’re with us –”
“I’m not with you.” I jerked away. “I have questions. And a job to do.”
“Is that so?” He raised his eyebrows. “And what job is that?”
“I’m going to destroy the Seekers.”
Laughter erupted round the room, and my gaze fell on Kooja, the one who took Kyra before our climb up the mountain.
Kilkerran held up his hand. “Destroy the Seekers, you say? Impossible. It can’t be done.”
“Yes, it can.”
“You could never defeat them alone.”
“I don’t intend to.”
His eyes widened with realisation, and he chuckled. “I see. What happened to I have power enough … We will never be allies?”
My fists balled. “It still applies.”
“Sounds like you’re asking for help to me.”
A low growl rumbled deep in my throat.
His smile faltered. “Settle down now. Even if we did attempt the attack you’re s
uggesting –”
“I’m not suggesting anything –”
“There would be many casualties. Many lives lost.”
I smiled. “I know.” For Lallana.
Silence fell.
“We have better ways of fighting against the Council,” he said.
“Like attacking land workers? Stealing food? Kidnapping the Mage that stands against you?” I cast a dirty look at Kooja. “You’re pathetic. None of that will have the effect I need.”
“It will,” Kilkerran said. “With time. Join our cause.”
“No.”
“If you’re not with us, you’re against us.” He raised his hands.
The ropes untwisted from their knots on the walls and snaked round my arms in a flash.
My arms tensed, and I called my flames. Fire shot along the ropes, and they sizzled to the ground in a heap of ash.
Some of the Mage leapt from their chairs and rushed for the door. Billowing purple smoke marked the exit of others.
An icy breeze plunged from my flesh on my silent command. I wouldn’t let them escape. The door slammed shut and froze in place. Glistening frost covered the wood, untouched by the hearth’s heat.
Ice poured from my palms, collided with one of the Corrupted, and drove him against the wall, pinning him against the stone. Icy spears extended toward his neck.
I targeted another. Fire swirled around his muscled body like a whirlwind, drawing out the oxygen.
He reached out his hand.
His power pinched at the surge coursing through my body, and my flames dimmed.
Great. A Refiner. But I was still stronger than him.
My teeth gritted, and the fire exploded back to life, blue light reflecting on the Refiner’s shocked face.
His feeble magic tugged at mine once more, but my fire remained strong. He sank to his knees, cringing away from the flames, gasping for breath.
Others shuffled forward. Fire streamed toward me from a dark-eyed woman.
I sent a sheet of water back at my attacker, transforming her fire into steam, and dismissed a growing cloud of darkness with a wave of my hand.
The temperature plunged, and they clutched their cloaks to their bodies. The hearth’s fire died. Grey smoke curled from the ashes.
Tingles soared through me, and I revelled in the power. My flames continued to rage, untouched by the frost that climbed the walls. Shards extended from the ceiling, razor-sharp and deadly.