by Mary Swift
“I’m just going to look in the next room, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“But-” Rowan began.
Killian put his hand up. “Stay here.” He went down the hall and into the room with the pool of green water. The three Founders were there. They had been attacked again. Their robes were torn away; there were gashes all over their bodies.
He knelt down and looked at Bryn’s leg. There was a wound on her ankle that went straight through to the bone. Killian hesitated and then stuck his finger on her leg. His arm began to shake. The new energy he had acquired pulsed through him. A choice came into his mind, life or death. He came to a sick realization, he wasn’t just a healer anymore, he was a reaper too.
“Life.” he whispered.
Bryn’s body shook. She opened her eyes and sat up. She grabbed his wrist. “Where is the robe?”
He tried to pull away.
“Where is the robe?” she screamed. “You had it and then you let it be taken away.” She squeezed his wrist until he thought the bone might break. “Where is it Killian? What was this all for?”
The point of a blade suddenly came between them. Kip was at his side.
Bryn’s eyes took in his uniform, or lack of it. “I remember you when Killian’s house was here. I never found out your name.”
Kip kept his grip on the weapon, but his body language changed. Even blind he could obviously sense when a woman was appreciating him. “Kip Hartsell, warrior.”
“Why do you keep me at knife point?” Bryn asked. “I am your Founder.”
“I know who you are, but my job is to protect Killian.”
“I wasn’t hurting him.” She got to her feet; her robe fell away in shreds, a new one suddenly appeared on her body. “He lost the Master Enchanter’s robe.”
“I can’t have it.” Killian said as he stood up. “I’m much too powerful.”
Bryn was still looking at Kip. Behind them Rowan was in the doorway. “You did it. You healed her.” he said.
Bryn smiled. “It’s more than healing, he gave me life. You’ve become something more Killian. It’s too bad that you can’t be our leader. Someone with the ability to deal out life and death should be. But you failed, you were supposed to bring us the robe and you let it slip away.”
Kip tightened his grip on the knife. “If you hurt him I will use this.”
“I know you will.” She touched Kip’s arm. “I’ve been out for a long time and I could sure use some company.”
Killian could see Kip’s resolve waning. He put the knife away.
Bryn smiled at him. “Now Kip, if you and the boy would leave us for a moment I’ll send for you later.”
“I’m not leaving my father.” Rowan said.
“Aren’t you a brave boy?” Bryn remarked. “But we have business, business that doesn’t include you.”
“It’s fine.” Killian said. “I’ll be right out.”
Rowan hesitated.
“I’ll be right out Rowan.” Killian told him.
Rowan backed out of the doorway. Kip smiled in Bryn’s direction and then turned around slowly, no doubt to show off his body as he left. When they were gone Bryn turned her attention back to Killian. “Revive Dylan and Charles.”
“Don’t get involved with Kip.”
She glared at him. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
“He’s vulnerable right now.”
“While you stand here trying to keep me away from a grown man enchanters everywhere are suffering. How many circles did your son get to? Not all of them. The sickness still rages.” She pointed to the men on the floor. “Wake them up.”
“You don’t need the robe.”
Bryn’s face turned red. “Wake them up! Do you want more of those babies born?” Her expression changed. “Maybe that’s what you want. That child gave you more power than you know what to do with. Maybe you want more of that.”
“That’s ridiculous. I came here for you.”
Bryn crossed her arms. “That’s why you gave up the robe. You can get all the power you want from those kids.”
“I’m here for you.”
“What are you going to do when it’s your own grandchild? Are you going to drain her energy and hand your daughter a mortal child who will die long before she does?”
Killian felt sick. He realized that he didn’t know anything about the Founders. Despite their condition they must have been aware of everything that happened in the outside world.
“Wake them up Killian.”
He approached Charles and Dylan. He knelt down and put a hand on each of their legs. “Life.” Both men woke up with a start. They looked at each other and then to Killian. Suddenly they picked him up and slammed him against the wall.
“Traitor!” Dylan shouted at him.
“We thought you were one of us.” Charles said.
“I just woke you up.”
Dylan put his hands around Killian’s neck and began to squeeze. “You were supposed to bring us the robe. That’s what we wanted. That’s why we chose you.”
Killian tried to say something but it was impossible. Charles punched him in the side. Dylan let go and Killian fell to the floor. They took turns kicking him.
“You will get us the robe.” Bryn said.
Dylan knelt down and searched Killian’s pockets. He found the pen. “I’m taking what’s rightfully mine.”
“You don’t deserve to be one of us.” Charles spat.
“I’ll send in your son.” Bryn said coldly. “The other one is mine.”
Chapter 78
Rowan found Killian crumpled on the floor. “Dad! What happened?”
Killian coughed and sat up. “I haven’t taken a beating in a long time, I needed a refresher.”
“They beat you?” Rowan cried.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes it does. Why did they beat you?”
“They want the robe. That’s why they took me, recruited me, whatever you want to call it.” Killian struggled to his feet. He put his arm around Rowan.
“Why would they want the robe? It belongs to Firesea.”
“They want to restart our world. They need powerful objects.”
Rowan helped him into the hallway. “We have to leave here. I’ll heal you and then we’ll get Kip and go.”
Killian shook his head. “No. They’re not going to push me out. I have just as much right to be here as they do. This is my council hall, my circle.”
“Can they exile you from the circle? That’s what they did to Dante.”
Killian managed a chuckle. “Let them try.”
They walked down a hall and turned a corner. A green door was in front of them. Killian leaned on it and clutched his stomach. “Go find Kip and bring him here.”
“I think I should heal you.”
Killian shook his head. “No. I’m afraid I could have a reaction to it. I could kill you Rowan.”
Rowan hurried away. His insides were shaking. He was scared to look for Kip and scared not to. The inside of the council hall was constantly changing. He ran down what seemed like an extra-long corridor and into the main chamber. Dylan and Charles were lounging on the floor. They sat up when he came in.
“What do you want?” Dylan asked. “You don’t belong here.”
“You used to be more welcoming.” Rowan didn’t know why he was venturing to be so bold. They had just beat up his father, they could do the same to him.
“Your father disappointed us.” Charles said. “He’s just like everyone else.”
He wanted to argue with them but there wasn’t time. “Where’s Kip?”
“Who is that?” Dylan asked.
Rowan was sure he knew exactly who that was. He noticed a passage on the far side of the wall. He ran into it. It turned out to be another long and dark corridor. He thought he heard Kip’s voice in the distance.
It sounded as though Kip was laughing. Rowan had a feeling he was going to walk into a scene that he didn’t rea
lly want to see. It wouldn’t be the first time he had caught Kip with a woman.
There was light coming from underneath a doorway at the end of the hall. Rowan sprinted towards it. The light intensified and then enveloped him. He suddenly found himself outside. The scrubby remnants of Darkhill were spread around him, visible once more. Maybe it was a trick. Maybe it was an old forgotten enchantment. Or maybe it was a way for the Founders to get rid of him.
“Rowan, is that you? Help me!” Kip’s voice was coming from somewhere above.
Rowan looked up and found Kip in the branches of a tree. “What are you doing up there?”
“Just get me down.”
“How?” The tree trunk was slender and there weren’t many branches on it. Rowan doubted he could climb it. “Why don’t you let yourself fall?”
“And break every bone in my body?”
“I’ll heal you.”
“That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it?”
“How did you get up there anyway?”
“I have no idea, a second ago I was- Never mind.”
Rowan knew the answer. “You’re going to have to fall out of the tree. It’s not that far.”
“That’s easy for you to say.” It was true. Kip would not have any idea of the distance. “Are you sure there’s no other way?”
“I’m sure. Do it now.”
Kip turned his body and he slipped out of the branches. The fall took less than a second. Kip’s body crumpled on the ground. Rowan knew immediately that he had broken his legs. Kip grimaced. “Make it quick.”
Rowan was grateful that Kip was used to his healing. He never complained about the side effects. He put his hands on Kip’s legs.
“What are you doing?” There was a voice behind him.
Rowan looked over his shoulder. There was a mortal man he had never seen before. The village was close by, he was probably from there. He turned his attention back to Kip. He could see how much pain he was in. “This will be over in a minute, just hang on.” Suddenly Rowan felt the blade of a knife on his neck.
“Take your hands off him or I’ll kill you.”
Rowan’s heart started racing. He knew his duty; it had been his choice to become a healer. “Don’t avenge my death Kip.” He pressed his hands down on Kip’s legs. The healing was nearly complete.
“I will kill you.” the man muttered.
Kip reached for his pistol. “Don’t move Rowan.” He pointed it at the stranger. A shot echoed in the air. Blood splattered on Rowan’s shoulder. He heard the man behind him run away. The healing was finished. Kip sat up and aimed the pistol again.
Rowan pushed Kip’s arm down. “Don’t.”
“He just tried to kill you.”
Rowan watched the stranger stumble through the circle. He knew he needed to heal him. He started to run. He had only gone a few feet when Kip caught his arm. “Let him go Rowan.”
Rowan watched the man disappear into the woods. “Who was he?”
Kip shrugged. “Just some nut. If you had let me I could have finished him off.”
“Why would he want to kill me?”
“I don’t know.”
Rowan looked into the woods and sighed. He should be going after that man. A gunshot wound was easy to heal.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Kip said. “Forget about him.”
“I don’t think we’re going to be able to get back into the hall. What should we do?”
“We could go into the village and find something to eat.” Kip suggested. “There could be girls there.”
“You can’t see them.”
“It doesn’t matter, they can see me.”
“We have to help my father.”
“I know, I know. I’m just thinking of afterwards.”
“After what?”
“After this is over.” Kip said.
“This will never be over. I wish we could all go home.”
Kip put his arm around his shoulder. “Don’t give up Rowan. I haven’t.”
Chapter 79
Killian knew that Rowan and Kip would not be coming back. He was the one who had sent Kip into the tree and opened a hole in the wall so that Rowan would run out. Putting them outside of the council hall would keep them safe, at least for a little while.
Killian was angry. He had done everything the Founders had asked. He had become a stronger, more dangerous enchanter for the sake of Darkhill. He had given up the robe and allowed himself to be exiled from the circle he was born in for them. His thanks had been a beating.
No one beat him up anymore. He didn’t deserve it. He understood that now. Before he confronted them he had to rest. He locked the door to his room and crawled onto the cot in the corner. He slept for several hours. When he woke the candles on the wall had burnt out.
He was hungry. He stood up and unlocked the door with his mind. He stepped into the hall expecting to be ambushed but no one was around. He went into the pool room and stripped off his clothes. The water worked its magic. His hunger went away and the soreness in his body ebbed. He got out and put on the clothes he had worn from Firesea.
The Founders were in the main hall lounging on cushions covering the hard stone floor. They watched him enter. “What are you doing in here?” Dylan sneered.
For a second Killian felt his courage slipping away, he could not lose his nerve. “I thought I would sit in my council hall.”
“Yours? What makes you think it’s yours?” Bryn asked.
“Because I’m one of you.”
“If you were one of us you would have brought us the robe.” Charles said. “You were the Master Enchanter. Then you let your wife take over. A Founder should never be married, it leads to unnecessary attachments.”
“You were married. I saw it when we mind shared. You have children. Why aren’t you with them?” Killian asked.
Charles stood up. “How dare you question me.” Killian noticed his fists were clenched.
“Why can’t I question you? We are equals.”
He knew that statement would elicit an angry response. Dylan stood up and slapped him across the face. “You are not our equal!”
Killian staggered backwards. It was the reaction he had expected and was waiting for. He grabbed Dylan’s wrist. “You’re right we are not equals. I am stronger than all of you put together.” He allowed himself to steal some of Dylan’s energy.
“What are you doing?” Dylan cried.
“Showing you what I’m capable of.”
“If you harm us you’ll destroy all enchanters.” Bryn said.
“You have to accept that I am your leader now.”
Charles glared at him. “How dare you! You can’t lead us.”
“I can and I’m going to.” Killian squeezed Dylan’s wrist. His eyes blinked and his knees buckled.
“Stop!” Bryn cried. She took hold of Dylan’s other arm. Killian could feel the additional energy. If they mind shared he could take it all. Killian let go of Dylan, he fell to the floor.
“You’re not going to rule us.” Charles said.
Killian decided to take a page out of Nora’s book. “You can and will obey me.” The statement sounded ridiculous coming out of his mouth.
“There is another who means to destroy us.” Bryn said.
“Who is it?”
They stared at him.
“You can either tell me now or I can force it out of you. It’s your choice.”
“Just tell him.” Dylan said from the floor.
“You always were the weak one Dylan.” Bryn said. “We always have to save you.”
He hit her leg. “I am not weak and you know it. You and Charles still haven’t forgotten that I’m a bastard no one wanted. You just love being able to rub that in my face.”
“That’s enough.” Killian said. “You can do your squabbling another time. You planned all of this didn’t you? Everything that has happened is your fault. Do you know how many people died from the sickness? My own father among t
hem.”
“You never cared about your father.” Charles said.”
“What about Dante?” Killian asked.
“Dante was useful to us.” Bryn said. “He did just as we wanted. He cleared out the circles so that we could take back control. We knew eventually someone would kill him. It didn’t matter who.”
“Were you ever really dead?”
The three of them started laughing. “Of course not.” Charles said. “Do you really think an arrow could bring us down? We were paralyzed just like you, but we weren’t dead. We knew everything that was going on.”
“And we knew what you were doing.” Bryn added.
“The sickness, enchanters were dying, they still are.”
Bryn shrugged. “So what?”
“So I thought that only happened when you died.” Killian said.
“There are other ways to bring that around.” Bryn told him. “We have many states of being that create interesting predicaments for the enchanters.”
“You’re monsters.” Killian said.
“Do you remember someone named Tom?” Charles asked him.
Killian’s mind went blank and then it came to him. Nora’s brother. Everyone assumed he was dead.
“He was made into a Firesea slave. He’s angry.” Bryn told him. “Dante is the one who let him into the hall. He tried to cut your heart but the knife he was using woke you up. It happened because you’re from Firesea.”
“He’s the one who stabbed you.” Killian said. “Why didn’t you die?”
“Why do you care so much?” Bryn asked.
“Because I want to understand.”
“You don’t need to understand.” Charles said. “You need to do what we say.”
“Only a reaper can kill you, isn’t that right?” Killian asked.
Charles shook his head. “You just think you know it all.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Killian said.
Bryn grabbed Killian’s arm. “Listen, you have to find Tom for us. Then you’ll get the robe. If you do this you’ll be well taken care of.”
Killian laughed. “Well taken care of? I’m not your ex-husband. I’m one of you. I told you, I’m your leader.”
Dylan stood up. “We have to follow him now. He’s stronger than us.”