The Calling (The Andovia Chronicles Book 1)

by Tiffany Shand

  So that was why Ranelle had wanted her to come here. She thought Nyx could help save people. Nyx didn’t know whether to be intrigued or terrified by that. She chose the latter. How could anyone want her to use her powers on a broken man? Her curse could rip him apart — she had seen that much during the time she had lost control and almost hurt Ranelle and Lucien.

  She took a step back and shook her head. “I’m sorry I can’t. I don’t want to hurt anyone else.” Nyx half expected to hear Harland goading her again, accusing her of being a killer. She had enough blood on her hands already and didn’t want any more.

  “If you lose control, perhaps I can pull you out. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?” Ranelle persisted. “How else will you learn to control your gift unless you use it and understand how it works?”

  Do I have a choice? Nyx wondered. It sickened her to see the state of this man, but she had seen it before in the slave markets when slaves who had been broken had lost all the light and life in their eyes. They too were empty vessels devoid of souls.

  But then again, Ranelle did have a point. Nyx bit her lip. “Okay, I’ll try.” She reached into her pocket and put the leather bracelet back on. There was no way she would attempt this without her power being reined in. For all she knew it might not even work.

  She placed her hand on Lorek’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Her power simmered beneath the surface, aching to get out and burst free from the confines of her body. The leather bracelet burned her wrist, forcing her power back inside as though it were a caged animal fighting to get loose.

  Nyx took a deep breath and let her power loose. Energy vibrated through her entire body as her senses latched onto the man huddled beneath the dark cloak.

  There were no doors here, no sounds of thought or feeling. Instead, she appeared to be standing in a void of darkness. Nyx flinched. She had never encountered this in anyone’s mind before.

  What had the Archdruid done to this man? What kind of torture caused something like this? She had seen abuse often enough throughout her life, including from Harland when he had beaten her sisters, but this was far beyond that.

  She wandered deeper into the darkness and everything inside her screamed to pull back and get out of there.

  Nyx opened her eyes, her power reeling from the emptiness she had found. “There’s nothing there. I saw only blackness inside his mind, which was odd.” Even the thoughts of the broken slaves she had met before had echoes inside their minds or at least some remnant of their former selves. “There’s nothing I can do for him. I don’t know how to bring back someone’s spirit.”

  Ranelle’s expression turned grim, but she nodded. “I feared as much. Come on, the tunnel I set up earlier will lead us to the edge of the island. From there we can fly back to Ambrose’s house. I will make sure you get home safe.” She turned and motioned for Nyx to follow her again. “At least that proves you can use your power.”

  That didn’t bring her much comfort. Nyx shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t understand how someone could do that to another person. If his soul is in there, I couldn’t feel it.”

  “I know, but it’s hard to change the way things have been done for centuries.”

  “Why do you do it then?” Nyx knew it was impossible to go against the Archdruid. Even if they had an army, it wouldn’t be any match for his power or that of the fae of the high court.

  Ranelle frowned. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Who else will fight for these people if not us? They don’t have anyone else and I believe everything we do, no matter how small, does help. They may not seem like much, but I have to believe that.” She paused. “How did your meeting go with Gideon tonight?”

  Nyx grimaced. “Not as I expected. Do you think it’s possible Gideon has my sisters?” She might not have known Ranelle for long, but she did trust her now. “I know Mervyn said Gideon would do anything to get people to do what he wanted, but… if they are here in Andovia somewhere, I have to find them.”

  Ranelle shook her head. “Gideon does lie about a lot of things. He’ll say and do anything to bend people to his will. So no, I don’t think your sisters are here. We always monitor the slaves coming in and out of the islands, and there has been no sign of them.”

  But that didn’t mean her sisters weren’t nearby. It wasn’t like she could go back to Joriam to check on them as that was too far away. The druid would know what to do. The sooner she spoke to him the better.

  Chapter 24

  Darius avoided Lucien’s scrutinising gaze as they headed back towards the rift together. He had lost control of his sorcery again and worse still his friend had been there to witness it. He had expected Lucien to scold him for using dark magic, but to his surprise, it hadn’t happened yet. What was he waiting for? He always lectured Darius whenever he tapped into the darker side of his gift. Yes, it was dangerous, but it had been necessary at the time. At least that was what he kept telling himself.

  The high magic he had used earlier left his senses reeling. His power ached to get out. He still had no idea what the creature had been or what it wanted. He suspected it had been looking for new victims.

  Twigs and branches snapped as they trudged back towards where they had found the rift. As much as Darius wanted to find Nyx, he knew they had to check the rift one more time in case anything else had come out. He only wished Ambrose could be with them instead of at another council meeting. The older druid might have a better idea of how to deal with the spirits and whatever else came through.

  “We should go to the Hall of Knowledge later,” Darius finally broke the awkward silence between them. “Maybe we can find something there about what’s coming through the rift.”

  Lucien glowered at him. “Why did you use high magic earlier? You know damn well you shouldn’t touch that stuff. You’re almost as bad as Nyx when she loses control of her power.”

  Darius frowned. “I’m fully trained on how to use my abilities.” His jaw tightened. Nyx could barely control herself, let alone her powers. “Besides, it worked, didn’t it?”

  Lucien let out a low growl. “Maybe, but you take a risk every time you use high magic like that. It’s dangerous, and you know it.”

  “My brother has no trouble controlling it, does he?” Darius muttered under his breath.

  “Do you want to be like him?”

  Darius looked away, and his hands clenched into fists. No, he despised everything about his brother and how Gideon used his powers. That was why Darius had always vowed to be different from him. “No, but I will do everything I can to find out who is opening these rifts and letting things through. And why.” He ran a hand through his long hair and trudged on ahead.

  He would be glad to get home again. Maybe Nyx would be there. One good thing about her was she didn’t question him over his use of power.

  The rift came back into view. More columns of toxic green mist rose into the night sky. Darius sent his senses out again and scanned the area with his mind. He winced at the poison coming out of the rift. The trees, grass and everything else around it had already withered away.

  Dark shadows swirled in and out of the plumes of smoke. Wonderful, more darklings.

  Darius put a hand out to stop Lucien before he could go any closer.

  “Now what?” Lucien lowered his voice, fearful of attracting any unwanted attention.

  Darius switched to talking in thought so they wouldn’t be overheard. If we could create a web of energy and keep it contained, then maybe we could force them back through the rift. But he had tried using webs on the spirits before and they had had no effect.

  I have some crystals with me if that would help.

  What kind of crystals?

  Lucien pulled out a lump of clear crystal. It was a natural piece of stone that occurred over on Eldara and could be used for a lot of different things — especially channelling energy. The druids liked the stone, and so did the fae as they often used it in their spells, rituals and even in defens
ive wards since it was good for storing energy.

  Good idea. Darius nodded. How many do you have?

  Lucien rummaged through his pack and produced four pieces of crystal. Not as many as Darius would have liked, but it would have to do.

  I will take two and put them on this side of the rift. You need to put the other two on the other side. Do you think you can get around there without being detected? Darius took hold of the crystals and clutched them in his hands.

  Lucien smirked. Of course I can. I move a lot faster than they do. He ran off in a blur of movement.

  Darius chanted the words to a cloaking spell and light flashed around his body. He hoped it would be enough to conceal him, but he didn’t know if it had worked or not. Cloak in place, he edged nearer to the rift, his heart pounding in his ears. Just being near the dark spirits made him uneasy.

  He dropped into a crouch and placed one of the crystals near the edge of the rift. The toxic smoke burned his lungs, and he covered his mouth to repress a cough. Darius reluctantly drew magic so he could breathe easier, but doubted it would last long. Crawling, he made his way along the edge of the embankment to where he would need to place the other crystal. Lucien wasn’t anywhere in sight and moved too fast for him to see anyway.

  Stones dug into his arms and torso as he continued crawling along the verge. The smoke stung his eyes and burned his lungs more. He wished he had thought about conjuring a shield earlier, although that would have used a lot more power than he would have wanted and might have drawn the darkling’s attention.

  My first crystal is in place, Lucien told him. Are yours?

  Almost. I just need to place the second one. Just a few more feet and he would reach the ideal spot. He sensed the other crystals nearby and decided this would be a good point for the crystals combined energy to flow together and form a web that would cage the spirits in.

  The darklings continued to circle over the rift like cloaks flapping in a breeze. Darius wondered what they were circling for. Were they waiting for something? Someone? Most of the darklings they had seen so far had been searching for something or attacked someone, just like one had the night when he had gone to Joriam to find Nyx.

  One of the darklings drew near, and Darius felt himself fall.

  He winced as the air whooshed from his lungs, but his shield stopped him from falling any further into the rift.

  A screech rang out, and the darklings swarmed towards him.

  Holy spirits! Darius raised his hands. Lightning bolts arced over his head, forming another growing shield of energy. One by one, spirits battled against his shield like flying rocks.

  Wonderful, now he was stuck in the rift with one shield keeping him afloat and another keeping the darklings at bay.

  Luc, get the other crystal in place. More lightning shot from his palms.

  I’m trying, Lucien replied. These damn spirits keep coming for me. Darius had no doubt Lucien could stay one step ahead of them using his speed. Do you want me to help you get out of the rift?

  No. Darius knew he couldn’t keep this up forever. Sooner or later one of his shields would fail and he’d end up either being attacked or at the bottom of the rift. He didn’t know which would be worse. Hurry up!

  I’m trying. The bloody things keep blocking my way.

  Move faster.

  Darius knew he had to get out of there. He didn’t want to risk landing in the rift or being at the mercy of the darklings. He had to think fast. Spells raced through his mind. Druidry wouldn’t work. He would have to use his high magic again.

  Darius gritted his teeth and reached for magic. High magic didn’t always require words, only intention, which was what made it so dangerous.

  He raised his arms, lightning exploded in all directions. The darklings scattered like flies. Darius called on the air and used the currents to propel the shield underneath him up and out of the rift. Once he reached the edge of the embankment, he jumped off the shield.

  Darius landed on his feet and raised his hand. His magic burst to life, glad to be free from the confines he had kept it locked away in. Exhilaration rushed over him. Lightning shot through the air and each darkling screeched as the bolts struck them.

  Darius marvelled at his power as it made contact with solid flesh. Darklings could become corporeal when they chose. Their screeches rang through his ears, but part of him enjoyed it.

  “Darius?” Lucien’s voice sounded far away. “Stop this.”

  Darius ignored him and let his power fly free. In a few moments, he would rip these creatures apart. He gathered more magic, forcing it out and willing it to kill the spirits.

  In the back of his mind, all the endless hours of enduring his mother’s teachings came back to him. Mercury knew how to control spirits and could bend them to her will, but his father used high magic.

  The darklings continued their unholy wailing, but none of them had been vanquished yet. Something resisted his power and pushed against his magic. Someone else must have the power to control these things, but who?

  The other darklings dispersed, vanishing back into the depths of the rift. Only one remained. Its features were skeletal. Its eyes flashed with eerie orange light.

  “Who are you?” Darius demanded. “What do you want?”

  “The darkness is coming,” the creature hissed.

  If it wouldn’t talk, he would make it. Darius didn’t hesitate and sent out a mental command. Lightning shot from his hand as he let his magic loose. The bolt shot straight through the darkling.

  “Darius?” Lucien called out as he rushed back towards him.

  “Druid?” Nyx asked. “What are you doing?”

  “You need to stop this.” Ranelle came up behind them. “This is high magic. You know better than to use that again.”

  How else would he get answers? He was sick of watching people die.

  “Druid?” Nyx put her hand on his shoulder. “Stop.”

  Darius’ hands fell to his sides and his power dissipated. They were right. This was the wrong way of doing things. The darkling shot down and disappeared into the rift.

  Darius wiped the sweat off his forehead. What had he almost done?

  Darius didn’t say anything as he and the others transported to the underground tunnels. Nyx and Ranelle had told him about what happened after a resistance member grabbed Nyx outside the palace. Lucien had gone to grab Mervyn and take him into a different chamber so they could interrogate him, and Darius agreed leaving him down in the tunnels was too risky. He didn’t like the idea of locking Mervyn up down here, but they had nowhere else they could take him without the risk of being seen.

  Darius had been surprised to hear someone from the resistance had dared to try and kill Nyx. Why were people so interested in her? She might be powerful, but he hadn’t seen anything from her so far to indicate she might be the one the prophecy spoke of. Still, he was glad they had a potential lead at last. If they could figure out who was opening the rifts, maybe they could find a way to seal the veil once and for all.

  Darius called for Ambrose to come and help, but his mentor said he was out in the lower realm searching for rifts and could not return for a few hours. That had disappointed him, but Darius guessed they would have to manage by themselves for a while.

  Lucien dragged Mervyn into the chamber and Darius set wards in place to prevent him from escaping.

  He didn’t know Mervyn well and had only seen the other fae a few times, lurking around the palace.

  “Will your touch work on him?” Darius asked Nyx.

  “My what? Oh, you mean my influence.” She shook her head. “No, I already tried to use it on him twice. It had no effect. He is somehow immune to it.” She frowned. “How else are we going to get answers out of him?”

  That was a good question and one Darius didn’t know if he could answer yet. There were many ways of getting someone to tell the truth if you knew how to find their weakness and exploit it. He had learnt that much from watching his parents over t
he years. But they didn’t have time to waste, nor did he want to torture Mervyn either.

  They needed answers now.

  After Lucien dropped Mervyn off inside the cave, he and Ranelle went to check on the rest of the resistance members who were living in the tunnel system and to check out Mervyn’s quarters to see if they could glean any information.

  “You,” Mervyn spat the word out with disgust when he caught sight of Darius. “Not even you can make me talk. I serve a greater power than anything you mere children could possibly imagine.”

  Can you listen in on his thoughts? Darius asked Nyx. You said Gideon forced you to use your powers on him earlier. Go into his mind and see what you can find.

  Nyx hesitated. His mind is so jumbled. I found it hard to get anything from him. He somehow manages to confuse me with conflicting information.

  Try anyway. He must know something about the person who fractured the veil. Why else would he want to kill you?

  Nyx went over and placed her hand on Mervyn’s head. She closed her eyes and her brow creased in concentration. After a few moments, she drew back. His thoughts are still so confusing. I can’t find anything.

  Darius sighed, and spells raced through his mind. With a few words he could get Mervyn to speak the truth, but that would mean using high magic again. He had lost control once that night already and he didn’t want to risk doing so again.

  “See, your powers are useless against me.” Mervyn sneered. “The darkness is coming, and there’s nothing either of you can do to stop it.”

  “Who broke the veil?” Darius crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “I am a Valeran. You know I can make you talk if I choose to and I won’t need her powers to do it.” He inclined his head towards Nyx.

  Are you going to use high magic again? Nyx narrowed her eyes at him.

  Not unless I have to.