“Of course, my dear. These youths are here to right the wrongs of the past and restore the world back into prosperity.” Ralphoro addressed the trio. “Now, off you go. Make yourselves at home here, virtues. You are among friends and servants of the light. It is our duty to assist you by any means necessary. So, please, don’t hesitate to ask for anything.” He coughed heavily into the side of his robe before instructing Emma, “Emma, show them to their quarters.” He turned back to address them. “You will find each with its own bathing chambers. Once you’ve made yourselves comfortable, Emma will bring food to your rooms. Does that sound okay?”
“That sounds amazing,” Luzanna answered.
“Great. Well go on. This old man has to turn in for the time being, but I look forward to getting to know each of you better in the morning.”
“Thank you, Ralphoro. We are very grateful,” Lucia said, bowing her head.
“There is no need to be. It is our duty. Now please, carry on, my children.”
The three nodded as Ralphoro made his way back up the stairs. He was almost to the top when he stopped. “And once everyone is settled in, Emma, please see to it that everyone is off to their rooms and to bed. Though this place may be safe from your enemies, this tower has many secrets. Not to say I don’t trust you all, but I don’t need your bunch running amok and making a mess.”
“Don’t worry, Master. Everyone will be situated in the west wing.”
Ralphoro nodded before turning on his heel and disappearing out of sight.
Lucia knew this could not be the end to the misery they had seen. It was far from over—she knew that much. But she also finally felt like she had a moment to catch her breath.
“Follow me, everyone.” Emma lit a lantern and walked toward the stairs. The three heirs followed behind her, eagerly anticipating the hospitality that was promised them.
Lucia thought it was all too good to be true, but then she remembered Ralphoro’s words: Duty, she thought. With that word, she found comfort and felt her worries dissipate. They were closer than they ever had been to knowing the truth they longed for, and for the first time in a long time, she did feel safe. But despite it all, the familiar dread clung to her. She supposed there was no escaping it. It would always be there as long as the wings remained around her neck. But now, there was something to hope for. There was a resolution. Soon they would know the whole truth. It would be clear as day, and the war they spoke of would be over. Soon . . . she hoped.
Chapter Seventeen:
Depths of Darkness
Emma gazed into a shimmering silver mirror, staring deeply into her own dark eyes. She watched herself, tracing the body within her soft silk gown. It hung loosely over her slender shoulders and hugged at her waist, where a silver-studded leather belt secured her dress in place. With the gentle touch of her fingers, she caressed the gracefully sculpted roses on the mirror’s frame. They sparkled in the candlelight, emitting a bright yellow flow that refracted sparkles of violet, pink, and blue onto the redwood dressing table of her bedroom. She lowered her eyes, following the streams of light as they fell upon her many combs. Slowly, she took up her favorite, a comb of obsidian, and ran it through the ends of her raven-dark hair.
There was sadness in her eyes, a look of woe and grief that stemmed from a memory of something her master had said some time ago. It must have only been yesterday when he told her the horrible truth: “I sense its presence in the world again. The darkness has come to claim what it’s owed. Your brother—he has damned us all. Without the wings, we will surely perish.” The voice of the old man echoed within her mind, circling around the feeling of dread and suffering unlike anything she had known before. Her intuition was strong, too. Somehow, she knew that something terrible was going to happen, sooner than they could have ever expected. Like a thief in the night it would come, for it hungered for the power of Light Wings. Her stomach turned as she envisioned the chaos, smelling the decay in her nostrils and feeling the heat on her face. There was fire, lightning, and even ice. Terestria’s trials had only just begun. Soon, it would fully realize the consequences of its sin. As a protector, she had visions as a normality, but these were different. These visions were nightmares, and a reminder that the cost of her power was her duty as a protector—a duty she was never able to truly assume because the fall had happened so early in her life.
This duty was her life’s purpose: to preserve the light and never stray from it, to protect and never to destroy. She was well aware of the promise her people had made. Darkness was her sworn enemy, as it should be, but she felt a troubling guilt inside. The protectors had been corrupted, and they had died; all but her and her master. Why? She thought she understood. All this time, she had felt like she’d always known, but when she saw those wings for the first time, she started to question whether or not she was truly worthy of the light’s protection after what her people had done.
How long had it been since the world’s corruption? Twenty years, she thought; shortly after her second birthday. She was to be the protectors’ high priestess, to serve beside her brother, before he went into the crypts below the tower grounds and stole their sacred treasure all so he could follow that girl from beyond the forest. She wondered what had become of him, and if he knew of the grief he had caused her. Did he even think of her? And how could he have left the Light Wings in plain sight, for this innocent youth to find? The Light Wings had chosen her to fight—but why?
Emma’s hand tightened around her comb, her grip clenching into a fist. Soon, there was a snap as the comb broke in half and cut into the palm of her hand. Blood dripped onto the table as Emma stared blankly into the mirror, her mind wandering. She tried to remember that part of herself that bound her to her duty as protector. She thought of the light of the moon and of the stars. She thought of the sun and the warmth it brought to a midsummer’s day. She searched and searched, looking for that power she knew she held inside, the fragile incandescence that breathed life into the souls of man and the earth they inhabited. It was her duty to protect Terestria, to be the light that shined through the darkness. Yet, still, there was doubt within her mind. She refused to listen, shutting it out as she sprang from her seat. Her blood was not tainted. Her family, her lineage, could not be as dark as the truth perceived. This could not be her fault.
She grabbed her handkerchief and wiped the blood from her palm. Wrapping it, she rushed to the door of her bedroom. Quietly, she cracked the door open and looked outside, seeing nothing but the dim light of the moon shining through the stained glass of the hallway windows. She stepped out onto the carpet and shut the door behind her, trying hard not to let the sound of it closing echo through the hall. The last thing Emma wanted was to wake Ralphoro. In his old age, he had become stricter with her, and she could only imagine how he’d react if he found she had disobeyed him under the current circumstances. But she had this feeling brewing inside her. There was something she had to do. There was no waiting. She had to know the truth.
Emma glided through the hallway toward the chambers where she had put her visitors to rest. She had her eyes on the farthest one, where she knew the Light Wings waited. She approached the door, raising her fist to gently knock. She hesitated, wary still of Ralphoro sleeping down the hall. She took a deep breath before tapping on the door. It wasn’t long before she heard a shuffle and some footsteps. Lucia opened the door.
“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?” Emma whispered before bringing a finger to her lips and watching her surroundings.
Lucia blinked before awkwardly replying. “No. I was praying to the light.”
“Ah, I see,” Emma said. “What were you praying for?”
“Uh, I don’t know.” Lucia blinked again, bringing a hand to the pendant. “I was saying the same prayer I say every night, praying for my family, my people, and Terestria’s prosperity. But . . . ” Lucia paused. She looked up, her expression changed. “This time, I prayed
for answers. I’m tired of running, and it’s been weeks since I’ve seen my mother. I must know what I can do to save her.”
“So your mother—she’s who you care about most?”
Lucia smiled. “I guess you can say that. Although, I’ve grown quite close with Luzanna and Leo. I don’t know where I’d be without them.”
Emma softened her gaze. “You are so fortunate to have such great friends by your side. And your mother, she sounds like she means the world to you. You must love her very much.”
Lucia nodded as a surge of emotion built within her eyes. She cleared her throat, calming her thoughts so she could speak without falling into another one of her sobs. “What brings you here, Emma? Is something troubling you?”
Emma looked back again, watching the moonlight as it faded. “I was hoping we could talk. I know Ralphoro instructed us to wait until morning, but I’m afraid.” She lowered her eyes. How could she be so deliberate? Defying her master’s wishes. This was so unlike her. “I don’t believe we have much time. There is someplace we must go, a place you have to see.”
What was this? Lucia was confused. Emma was acting so strangely it caught her by surprise. When they’d first met, she seemed to be so composed and collected. Nothing seemed to faze her, but now it seemed as if she was sincerely afraid. Of what? Lucia wondered. She took a deep breath before smiling, trying not to look so alarmed. Putting on faces was her normal. There was something to gain from this, and at best, her curiosity was piqued. “Sure, shall I wake the others?”
“No,” Emma said. “Ralphoro must not know about this, and I’m afraid the more people come, the easier it will be for him to find out. The place we’re going is very sacred, and it’s not meant to be visited by outsiders.”
A sacred and secret place, Lucia thought. How odd was it that Emma would visit her in the middle of the night with such a request? Lucia sensed it in her core, a longing to go there, even though she had no idea where this place might be. What was it that was drawing her there? Her prayer for answers? The Light Wings themselves? She didn’t think long on it and simply nodded.
Lucia looked outside to both ends of the hallway before stepping out into the moonlit corridor. She was wearing a brown leather vest layered over a light yellow blouse. Oddly enough, she was also wearing a fresh pair of ivory-colored boots that matched the silky white skirt that hung down below her waist.
“I never did thank you for the clothes. It feels so good to get into something fresh.”
“It was no problem. After all, you’re our guests. There’s a long journey ahead of you, so I’m glad you’re wearing your boots.”
“Is it far, this place?” Lucia asked.
“Oh no,” Emma said. “It’s just not the most comfortable place to be.”
This made Lucia’s heart shudder. There it came, hovering over her like a silent rain, the dread of uncertainty that would continue to haunt her until she knew the truth. She took a breath, mentally preparing herself for whatever she might be walking herself into. “I’m ready,” she said.
Emma, with a wave of her hand, started down toward the east wing, where they would find the entrance to the tower’s catacombs—the home of the Light Wings.
***
Leo’s face emerged through the crack of his door, the shadows beneath his sapphire eyes showing signs of his restlessness.
“Leo, are you awake?” Luzanna asked in a rush.
“No, not at all. Is something the matter?” Leo said as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. He turned his head to the other doors, noticing only his was open. “What are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” Luzanna said before barging past Leo and into his room.
“Hey . . . h-hey!” Leo said, reaching for his shirt. “Could you just wait a minute? I’m not dressed.”
Luzanna rolled her eyes before looking around the room.
Leo threw on a dark blue tunic. Tugging on a pair of black trousers, he tied a pair of silver-laced boots onto his feet.
“There is something about this place that strikes me as odd,” Luzanna said as she turned back toward Leo, who was latching his dagger’s sheath to his belt. “I have this terrible feeling.”
“Well look at this place. It’s ancient, musty, old—anyone would be spooked, sleeping in a place like this.”
Luzanna crossed her arms. “Leo, that’s not what I meant. There’s something about us being here, something that I don’t like. I can’t explain it, but I feel like we could be in danger.”
“Really? What danger? You heard Ralphoro. This place is sacred. The darkness would not dare come into a place as holy as this. This is probably the safest place we could be right now.”
Luzanna shook her head. “How can you be so certain or so trusting? These are the protectors—the same ‘protectors’ that supposedly corrupted the light’s balance in the first place. Who’s to say we didn’t just fall into some sort of a trap?”
Leo pinched the bridge of his nose after he tightened one last strap on his vest. “Look, this has got to be the safest Lucia’s felt in weeks. She needs a break. And if she’s happy, I’m happy. So I don’t see the problem here.”
“Lucia? Safe? You don’t say,” Luzanna said with a sly bit of sarcasm. “Then tell me: where is she?” She squinted behind her mask.
“Sleeping in her room, of course,” Leo said confidently.
“Nope, think again.”
“What do you mean?” Leo felt a blow to the chest as uncertainty washed over him. “She’s not in her room?”
“No, she’s not. I went over to check on her before coming here. She’s nowhere to be found.”
As soon as he heard this, panic consumed his face and Leo’s breathing became heavy. “We’ve got to go. We’ve got to find her!” He bolted toward the door, but Luzanna caught him by the arm.
“It’s not that easy, Leo. This place is gigantic. She could be anywhere.” Luzanna clenched her teeth. “Why would she go off on her own?”
“Maybe she’s not on her own. What about Emma? Could she know where she is?”
“I went by her room and knocked. There was no answer. I assumed she was sleeping.”
“No, she must be with Lucia. That could be the only explanation.”
“Emma doesn’t seem like the type to go against her master’s wishes. I highly doubt that,” Luzanna said.
“But, so. Lucia’s the same. She wouldn’t go off for no good reason, especially without telling us.”
Luzanna lowered her eyes. She knew he was right even though she did not want to admit it. How much did they really know about Emma, Ralphoro, or the protectors? This could have all been a ploy to lower their guard and lead Lucia right into the darkness’ grasp. “Okay, I think we’re right to worry. But where would they go? There has to be something—a clue, or something they said, that could shed some light on where they could have gone.”
“Ralphoro did leave very explicit instructions. He didn’t want anyone wandering around the tower unsupervised.”
“That’s why Emma had us placed in the west wing, to keep us—”
“Away from whatever secret this tower is hiding,” Leo finished for her.
“Lucia has to have gone east. She’s more desperate for answers than any of us. Oh goodness, I hope she knows what she is getting herself into.”
“She doesn’t. She never does,” Leo said, reaching for the brass handle of his chamber door and pulling it open. “We’ve got to get a move on. If we wait too long, Lucia might find herself in more trouble than she bargained for.”
Luzanna nodded, stepping out of Leo’s room. She looked at the angle of the moonlight. “The moon rises in the east, so we go opposite of the direction where the windows are pointed.” She pointed to the light on the ground.
“Damn,” Leo said, “you’re smart.”
Luzanna rolled her
eyes again before stepping across the moonlit windows and toward the east wing of the grand tower. She hoped to her core that her intuition was right, that her theory was wrong, and that wherever they were headed was safer than she anticipated. But Luzanna could only think of the worst. There was a lingering sense of despair in the midst of that silent corridor. Whatever secrets this tower was hiding, she wasn’t at all sure Ralphoro was ready for them to realize the whole truth. Despite all he had told them, she held firmly on to this skepticism. Like they had been told: knowledge is power. But this was something Luzanna had grown up knowing all her life. So she knew it could be used to control those who lack it, just as Ralphoro had said. Whatever they knew now was only what the protectors wanted them to know—nothing more, nothing less. It was going to take more than some stories to convince Luzanna of the whole truth, that much was certain. But luckily for her, they were walking toward all the evidence she would ever need, for the east wing and the catacombs held all the answers they sought.
***
“I can’t believe this place.” Lucia gasped in admiration. The dim light of the lanterns hanging from the walls of the stronghold shined light on a place rich in artistic brilliance. It reminded her of her sanctuary in Moz, but on a greater scale. It held the same feeling, as if all the prayers spoken within the place were forever immortalized within its very walls.
As she followed right behind Emma, Lucia wondered if Emma wasn’t too different from her. After all, they looked so much alike. The resemblance was uncanny. They could be sisters, or twins for that matter—doppelgangers. She smiled at the thought. It came as no surprise that their fate was intertwined like so. Two young women of faith caught in a struggle for balance, called to serve their lord and creator. It held a certain sense of poetry to it, and that made Lucia all the more eager to find what awaited her at the end of their journey across the Tower of Origin. “Who built this place?” Lucia asked.
“This tower has stood in Remena for eons, almost as long as time has existed,” Emma said. “It’s rumored that it was constructed by the light itself, but I have a hard time believing that to be so. Very few items are said to have come from the creators themselves. Most notably, that pendant you’re wearing. It is what we call the ‘master rune,’ the rune that governs all the others.”
Dutybound Page 26