Cursed Song

by Samantha Kroese

  “Boldly, you seek my help, Leader Ruyne. Your offering suggests you come with a hefty request indeed,” the woman’s musical voice rang out, beautiful and seductive.

  Ruyne resisted the urge to cover his ears and, instead, shifted to a subservient position on his hands and knees. “Goddess of Song, your enemy has become our enemy. He has stolen one who is dear to us. We seek your power to drive him from our friend’s body and bring Derestan back to the Band.”

  The face in the water went through several emotions in a few moments. Anger, rage, sadness. Finally, the voice spoke again, “Do you know what you ask, Leader Ruyne? Is this one member of your Band worth any cost?”

  Ruyne closed his eyes. Any cost? He didn’t know what she was alluding to. “Yes, Goddess. We do not leave any of our Band behind. We cannot let this evil continue in his form.”

  “Even if it costs you the rest of your Band?” The voice scoffed.

  “Each of us would gladly pay with our lives to free him,” Bronze’s voice rang out strongly behind Ruyne as he and the rest of the Band walked up. “He is our family. We do not abandon family. We do not abandon the chosen of the Song. No matter the cost.”

  Ruyne tensed as the rest of the Band members added their voices of agreement. The solidarity warmed him, but he could feel the chill of displeasure from the being before them at the disruption.

  The image of the goddess considered each member of the Band gathered there. Her gaze settled on Shadow just a little longer than the rest and her watery lips pursed. Her voice warmed as she turned back to Ruyne, “I am proud of this Band. You are generous and loyal. You are my most favored. I sense your plan. I will grant your request.” She turned again to consider Shadow. “You must sing as you have never sung before. You must draw Travain’s entire being here to the shrine. When he is here, the child must use her voice to drive him out of Derestan’s body, and then I will bind our enemy to this place.” The face shifted to look at everyone else. “The rest of you must leave, back to the camp. Join your voices to the child from there, but do not approach the altar, no matter what you hear or see.”

  Silver clutched Truyna to his chest, his gaze haunted, as he looked at Ruyne. Ruyne turned his gaze to the ground, so he did not have to see the look in Silver’s eyes. He walked over and took Truyna from Silver and sat her down on the ground, kneeling to be face to face with her. He smiled and kissed her forehead. She gave him a sweet, innocent smile in return. Ruyne tried to ignore the distress he could feel in Silver’s Song magic, trying to send his own over their bond to soothe it before anyone else could feel it. “Truyna, you’re going to stay here with Uncle Shadow while we go back to camp. When you see Uncle Derry, you need to sing the song from last night. Do you remember that one?”

  “Of course, Daddy,” Truyna said with a confused look, like he was silly to think she’d forgotten.

  Ruyne hugged her and got up. He heard a splash behind him and knew that the goddess had returned to the bowl. A glance back revealed the water in the bowl was crystal clear and smooth as ice once more.

  Shadow reached out his hand to take Truyna’s as she came up to him, and he gave her one of his charming smiles. Then he nodded to Ruyne and Silver. “We’ll be fine. We have the blessing of the Song.”

  “Of course,” Ruyne agreed then, with a nod, he waved the others back to the camp. “Let us go, then.” He reached to take Silver’s hand in his as he walked beside his lover back to the camp. “Second thoughts, love?” Ruyne asked, too low for the others to hear.

  “What if I’m wrong, Ruyne?” Silver murmured, leaning against him and clutching Ruyne’s arm.

  “It matters not.” Ruyne shrugged. “We have to stop him, Silver. If this way doesn’t work, then we will find another way.”

  “What if this way hurts more people that we love?” Silver glanced back at Shadow and Truyna standing before the altar.

  Ruyne reached gently to turn Silver’s face away from the altar. “Trust the Song. Doubt is what gives Travain power. What does your Song say?”

  Silver closed his eyes. “That we have to save Derry, or we are all lost.”

  “Then we are all in agreement,” Bronze said gently from beside them as the rest of the Band gathered around them. Bronze smiled and reached to place a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder. “All will be well, Silver. Believe in the Song.”

  Ruyne turned to his Band and relaxed, forcing his own worry away. United they were strong. They had already proved that with the townspeople earlier. He would not give Travain that power over his Band. He turned, squeezing Silver’s hand in a show of support as they waited for Shadow to sing.

  Chapter 26

  Shadow

  Shadow walked up to the altar. He could feel the chill in the air in contrast to the warmth of the tiny hand in his. He looked down at Truyna when the little girl squeezed his hand. Truyna smiled brightly up at him, her prismatic eyes brilliant with her Song magic. “It’s okay, Uncle Shadow. We’re going to save Derry. I promise.”

  Shadow nodded to her. “Yes, we are,” he said then, with renewed determination, he came to a stop before the altar. He closed his eyes and surrendered to the Song beating deep in his chest. He used the strong magic to trace his bond to Derry once more. So far away. So hard to reach. As his voice started to pour out of him, bleeding the strong emotions, the bond became stronger. He threw everything into the song; his pain, the grief and loss over losing Derry, his regret, and the passion and desire of their love.

  At first, he could feel Derry resisting him, trying to shove him away. His love was still trying to protect him. Shadow’s eyes flew open when he sensed Derry appear nearby. Derry walked out of thin air and into the meadow a short distance from the altar. But his eyes reflected the monster inside, as Travain’s voice snarled, “You didn’t learn from the first time you summoned me?”

  Shadow let his song fade as he pushed Truyna behind him and they backed toward the altar. “I will not give up on Derry. Give him back.”

  “What is so important about this one? He is plain. Without me, he doesn’t even sing well. He will bring nothing of importance to your Band.” Travain waved his hands to display Derry’s body. “You don’t know what he’s seen me do with his body. His mind is fractured. Remove me and you will have nothing.”

  “Stop,” Shadow growled, his eyes narrowed. “Derry is not worthless. I love him. This Band loves him. You will not defeat our love for him with your lies. Give him back, or we will take him.”

  Travain walked closer, laughing. “My children have gotten quite arrogant in my absence. You can’t stop me, little ones. I have power beyond your imagining. You were useful tools, but now I see you’re going to be difficult and get in my way.” He stretched out a hand just as his foot hit the edge of the platform around the altar.

  Truyna ran out from behind Shadow and climbed up onto the altar, playing a soothing tune on her flute. When the rest of the band started to hum along, she stopped playing and stared right at Travain’s eyes with a determined look. Her beautiful young voice began to float through the air in a hypnotic song as she rocked back and forth to the tune. She sang simple words of happy memories of the past, things Derry would remember, trying to pull him closer.

  “What are you doing? Travain demanded but his voice faded away. Derry’s body shook as the monster faded from his eyes.

  Truyna waved her hands in front of her as she started to dance, and the Song magic rose like colored ribbons from the altar. She stepped onto one and danced along it like a tight rope as it unfurled around Derry.

  Derry stared at her, looking dazed and rocking slightly to her voice. The Song magic swirled around him in many different colors, the ribbons of magic gently tugging at him to pull him onto the platform and closer to the altar. He stumbled a few steps as though his feet were fighting with him.

  Truyna narrowed her eyes in understanding, and her voice became louder and more insistent. The ribbons of magic wrapped through her fingers and around Derry and
she gently pulled him along as she danced on air back to the altar.

  Shadow did not dare move. He finally caught his breath as Derry finally stepped up to the altar.

  Truyna’s words changed from soothing memories to words summoning a great power, but by now, Derry was too entranced by her voice to realize what was happening. As she finished her message and the last of Truyna’s voice faded, another female voice sang from the altar. Surprised, Truyna jumped off the altar and ran to hide behind Shadow’s legs.

  The ribbons of magic caressed Derry’s body, then suddenly transformed into chains, causing Derry to jerk and cry out in pain as they twisted around him. “No!” he screamed, clutching at them, his voice a mixture of Derry’s and Travain’s.

  Truyna buried her face against Shadow’s leg so she didn’t have to watch. Shadow rested a hand her head to comfort her. He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to rush forward to Derry’s aid.

  The chains of Song dragged the ghostly form of Travain from Derry’s body as the female’s voice became powerful. Derry let out a gasp, then sank to the ground, unconscious. Travain’s spirit grabbed at the chains and roared, singing a song of his own to try to combat it. His voice, no longer filtered through Derry’s body, sounded like a raging demon and Shadow cringed, resisting the urge to cover his ears.

  “Truyna! To me. Shadow, get Derry!” Ruyne called over the battle of song happening on the altar. Truyna squealed and ran as fast as she could to Ruyne as a terrible wind picked up. The battle between the siren and Travain started to affect the world around them. The wind tore at them and threw rock and tree. Shadow scrambled forward and just barely managed to pick up Derry’s limp body before lightning struck the ground all around the altar.

  Shadow rushed away, nearly losing his footing as he tumbled down the hill toward the camp. He didn’t dare look backward as he ran. Everything within him was screaming to get as far away as he could.

  Ruyne already had the camp in motion. People had scattered to the wagons and they were on the move. Silver hung out of the door to their wagon, holding out a hand. “Shadow! Here!”

  Shadow shifted Derry over his shoulder, then lunged forward to grab Silver’s hand but a tree loosed by the tornado forming at the altar flew toward him, and he had to dive the other direction to avoid it. He tumbled to the ground with the still unconscious Derry, the breath knocked out of him.

  “Up, up!” Ruyne commanded, as he ran over to them and picked up Derry, then his strong arm grabbed Shadow’s and yanked him to his feet. Together they ran to Ruyne’s wagon and Silver pulled them all inside. The horse outside pulled the wagon without direction, trained to follow the others if no one held the reins. Once the door slammed behind them Ruyne called the command to his horse to break into full speed, the wagon flying and rocking at an alarming pace.

  Shadow bolted to the window to look out behind them at the altar. It looked as though two titans battled where the altar had been. A giant ghostly Siren now wove and dodged attacks from an over-sized ghost of Travain. They fought each other with no regard to the damage they were inflicting on the land around them.

  Ruyne helped Silver get Derry’s unconscious body into a chair, then he bolted over to watch with Shadow. “She’s losing,” he whispered as the battle faded farther into the distance.

  The Siren’s death cry echoed so loudly that it shook the ground around them like an earthquake as she fell. “No longer will you sing at dusk, my children! There will be no more dusk or night!” Travain yelled, as his ghost rose into the sky. Then the sky parted with blinding light that made them look away. When they looked back the sun beat down harshly around them, already withering the grove around where the altar had been. The altar itself was a smoking crater and there was no sign of Travain.

  “What have we done?” Ruyne mumbled, staring in shock.

  Shadow didn’t care. He didn’t care if Travain destroyed the entire world now. Not if Derry was back. He scrambled back over to Derry and knelt in front of him, taking his hands. “Derry! Derry, wake up. Come back to me.”

  Derry’s dark eyes fluttered open, and he took a deep shaky breath. When he saw Shadow, he cried out and threw his arms around Shadow’s neck, breaking into sobs.

  Silver and Truyna both rubbed Derry’s back gently, trying to calm him. Ruyne waved them away and pulled Shadow back. Then he looked deep into Derry’s eyes, using his Leader magic to make certain only Derry remained. Derry froze at the examination, then fell limply back into Shadow’s arms when Ruyne released him.

  “We saved him, Daddy!” Truyna said proudly, her eyes bright as she hugged Derry’s arm.

  “Yes, we did,” Ruyne mumbled. Without another word, he opened the door to the wagon and climbed out to regain control of the terrified horse.

  “What have you done?” Derry whispered close to Shadow’s ear as they embraced.

  Shadow closed his eyes, running his fingers through Derry’s silky hair and whispered into Derry’s ear. “We had to save you. You’re back; that’s what matters.”

  Tears continued to roll down Derry’s cheeks as he clung to Shadow. The wagon did not stop rolling for a very long time.

  Chapter 27

  Derry

  Almost as soon as he was back in Shadow’s protective embrace, Derry fell asleep. He got lost in nightmares. Lost in the woods, alone. Truly alone. For one who had grown up in the camp with the Song magic connecting everyone, it was a terrifying experience to be cut off from that reassuring magic. There was always someone nearby in the Band, someone who would help you. Someone who loved you.

  He woke up in a panic, certain the monster had trapped him once more. Instead of being a prisoner inside his mind as Travain used his body for all sorts of evil, he woke up in bed in a wagon. The familiar smell of the musky soaps that Shadow preferred filled his nostrils, and when he shifted, he felt Shadow’s strong arm pull him closer. He opened his eyes to confirm that Shadow was curled up asleep next to him.

  Derry relaxed. If this was a dream, it was one he wanted to stay in. He studied Shadow’s sleeping face. Still handsome and familiar, even with the wrinkles from age and the tattoos covering scars. Shadow wore his scars on the outside. Derry reached gently to trace the inked skin underneath Shadow’s eye. Tattoos were not common in the Bands, and even in the towns he was familiar with, they were rare. He traced the scar underneath the mark. What had Shadow gone through looking for him all those years? He never would have believed Shadow would do that. He had thought that once he was gone, Shadow would just move on. After all, Shadow never wanted for lovers; he could have had anyone he wanted.

  Shadow opened his eyes, then reached to brush tears from Derry’s eyes. “Don’t cry, Derry. We’re together. You’re safe now. I won’t ever let anything happen to you again.”

  Derry swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to find his voice. “I misjudged you, Shadow. I thought, when I was gone, you would find someone else. I never thought you would come for me. Forgive me.”

  “Nothing to forgive,” Shadow whispered, pulling Derry close to him. “You had every right to think that. I didn’t even realize how much I needed you until you were gone. Then I couldn’t live without you. None of this was worth it without you.”

  Derry choked back a sob as he rested his face against Shadow’s broad chest. “Not making it easy for me not to cry.”

  Shadow stroked his hair and, when Derry pulled back, Shadow wore his normal charming grin, almost carefree, like the old days. “We’re back together. That’s what matters, Derry.” Shadow raised a brow. “How are you feeling?”

  “Strange. Wonderful. Scared this is a dream,” Derry mumbled, cuddling closer to Shadow as the wagon rocked over a bump in the road. They were moving. He could feel a tenuous link to the rest of the Band. His Song magic was already returning.

  “You’re not dreaming,” Shadow reassured him. “I missed you, so much,” Shadow mumbled as his hands started to trail hungrily over Derry.

  Derry shifted so he could
sit up and straddle Shadow, undoing the buttons on Shadow’s shirt. “I need you.”

  “Good, because I need you more,” Shadow growled then joined Derry in the hasty and violent removal of their clothing. Lost to everything but each other’s touch and the fiery need to make up lost time, they had just finished the first round of their reunion when Ruyne’s familiar knock rang on their door.

  Derry bit back a yelp and scurried to dress, his face flaming. Of all the people he didn’t want to see him naked or doing anything naughty with Shadow-

  “Go away, Ruyne. We’re busy. Give us some privacy,” Shadow growled as he got up and pushed Derry up against the wall to stop his hurried dressing. “I’m not done with you,” Shadow whispered into Derry’s ear.

  Derry’s knees weakened and he trembled at Shadow’s husky tone. He almost completely forgot Ruyne until their Leader knocked again, this time rattling the door on its hinges. “Go see what it is, Shadow. It must be important.”

  “It had damned well better be,” Shadow muttered, as he yanked on his pants. He did not even bother fastening them, just held them up with a hand, as he stormed over to throw open the door. “I said leave us alone.”

  “I need you both out here,” Ruyne said, his blue eyes like daggers. “Put some clothes on and get out here. Now!”

  Shadow snarled and slammed the door shut in Ruyne’s face, then angrily stalked over to finish dressing. Once they were both somewhat presentable, Derry followed Shadow like a puppy at his heels as they left the wagon. He blushed and looked away shyly as everyone they passed murmured a welcome back to the Band. He felt like he did not deserve it. Not after everything Travain had done.