Songbird

by Colleen Helme

  “He didn’t say. Only that he wants to talk to you.”

  Even though that sounded reassuring, she could hardly stop her growing anxiety. “Are we still going through with your plans?”

  “Shh...I’ll tell you later.”

  Golden light spilled out of the tent. Jesse pulled back the flap and ushered her inside. Korban sat at a table, finishing off a glass of wine. “Have a seat,” he said.

  Jesse remained by the entrance, so Teya sat on a mat across from Korban. He said nothing, and she straightened her spine and endured his rudeness, deciding not to speak first.

  “You’re probably wondering what you’re doing here,” he finally said. “We’re almost there. In fact all that stands between us and the grove is the Destroyer. I need the tones that will keep all of us safe.”

  So that was what he wanted. She should have known. “It takes magic to keep the Destroyer back. Magic you don’t have.”

  “I have plenty of sym for me and my men. We can protect the rest of you, but only with the proper tones.”

  She took a deep breath, knowing this was the moment to bargain for her release from the kundar. She didn’t think it would work, but she had to try. “If I promise to help you against the Destroyer, will you take this off?”

  His smile deepened with pity. “So you can turn on me? No, my dear, I don’t think so. Once we get to the grove and I have secured my powers, all of the Kalorians will be freed, but not before then.”

  “How do I know you’ll free us then?”

  “There will be no reason to keep you bound. You won’t be a threat to me, and the grove will need all our magic to survive.”

  His words hung in the silence and she knew further discussion would get her nowhere. “All right, listen carefully.” She picked three tones that were similar to the real ones and let them resonate in the air. They held a hint of the power needed to stop the Destroyer, but would never be enough.

  “What was that?” Korban’s expression turned to stone, then his lips drew down in displeasure.

  Teya sucked in a nervous breath. She hadn’t fooled him. “What do you mean?”

  “Those were not the same tones you gave the Kalorians today.”

  Her stomach clenched. How did Korban know? Had someone betrayed her? She glanced at Jesse only to find him frowning with confusion. He obviously knew nothing. Was Korban bluffing? One look into his eyes told her more than any spoken words. She felt the magic in him. The magic of sym that felt all too familiar and she shuddered. Her magic flowed through him.

  Korban smiled at her horrified gasp. “I have enough of your sym to last me quite a while and have decided to keep using it until I reach my goals. Naturally, I picked up on the magic that you passed to the Kalorians. I wanted to know what you had planned.” He took a sip of wine before speaking again. “I also had to know if Jesse was in on your plans. I see that he wasn’t.”

  Jesse’s jaw hardened with comprehension, and Teya fought against sinking despair. “Since Jesse doesn’t know the tones,” Korban said. “Why don’t you sing them for him?”

  Was this another test of some kind, or was Korban mocking her? “Why don’t you?” The defiance came without thought of the consequences. The danger brought an exhilarating freedom, and her heart pounded.

  “I admire your courage,” Korban said. “It’s lucky for you this wine has dulled my wits. Otherwise, I might be tempted to punish you severely for that. As it is, I will only insist that you do as I ask. Sing the tones for Jesse.”

  He’d backed her into a corner and he wasn’t bluffing. Only pride kept her from singing, but she couldn’t hold out against him, knowing he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her people until she gave in. Knowing defeat, she let the tones curl into the air, taking her hopes for defeating Korban with them.

  “Good,” he said, satisfied. “Take her back, Jesse.”

  As they left the tent a cold chill settled over Teya. Jesse led her partway back, before skirting into the trees for privacy. Surprisingly, his voice carried no hint of anger. “Was he telling the truth?”

  There was no point in lying now. “Yes. I didn’t want to leave the Kalorians without protecting them from the Destroyer. Not telling Korban the right tones seemed like a good idea.”

  Jesse wrestled with her confession for a moment. “I’m not sure he already knew them.”

  “What? You think he was bluffing?”

  “I don’t know. Do you think he could have picked up on the magic you passed to the Kalorians today?”

  “Using sym...probably.”

  “Now I know he’s suspicious of me. I will have to be careful.” His faraway gaze came to rest on her. “I have what I need to take the kundar off. Stay close to me tomorrow. When we encounter the Destroyer, Korban will be too busy to notice, and I’ll take it off then.”

  “Why not take it off now?”

  “It’s too risky. You said yourself that Korban will know. The Destroyer is the perfect diversion. It will keep Korban busy and by the time he realizes your kundar is gone, it will be too late to do anything about it.”

  “How do I know you mean it?”

  “What we do now will determine the balance of things in the future. I don’t want the future Korban has planned. The only future I want is one with you in it, free and unharmed. I have chosen my path and I choose you.”

  Teya didn’t know how to respond. His declaration left her speechless. “We’d better get back.” He took her hand and led her back to the low-burning fire. With a quick squeeze of her fingers, he left.

  She looked after him for a moment before finding her discarded blankets. Glancing up, the stars shone brightly in the night sky, but offered her no comfort, and it was a long time before she fell asleep.

  Chapter 13

  I choose you.

  Those words had haunted her through the long night, and now the light of morning came without relief. Could she believe Jesse? Did that mean he would free her from the kundar before the coming battle with the Destroyer?

  Her stomach cramped in nervous anticipation, knowing there was so much that could go wrong. But she also knew that whatever happened, she would do all in her power to save her people and stop Korban.

  After washing up at the stream and eating a quick breakfast, she watched for Jesse, hoping he would speak to her before they left. He never came. Preparations to leave passed in tense anxiety. Teya watched for her chance to warn Hewson. It came as they readied the horses, and she snuck between them to his side.

  He frowned at the risk she took, clearly displeased with what he perceived as her interference. “Korban is using sym from my blood,” she whispered breathlessly. “All the time. Anything you try against him will fail. You must leave him to me.”

  His brows drew down and his nostrils flared. “No. It’s not for you.”

  “Yes, it is. I can do it. Look to our people. They need you now.”

  “How? What do you have planned?”

  “I can’t explain it right now. But it will work. When we reach the path of the Destroyer, you must hold our people together. Sing the tones with as much power as you can.”

  She prayed it would be enough. She didn’t want Hewson to know that Korban also knew the tones and her plan had failed. What about Jesse? Hewson wouldn’t believe that he would help her, so there was no point in telling him.

  A guard took notice of them. “Hey,” he yelled, and started in their direction. His coming precluded further explanation, which was probably just as well. After a nod to Hewson, Teya ducked under the horse and skirted a few others before finding her way back to Iris and the rest of the women.

  “Did he listen to you?” Iris asked anxiously.

  “Yes,” Teya said. “But keep an eye on him just the same. Keep everyone together as we travel. I’m going to see if I can get closer to Jesse.” She had told Iris as little as possible, barely hinting at Jesse’s involvement, then pressed her to take charge of the women. Iris wasn’t pleased, but had agreed anyway.r />
  Before they left, Korban passed a command to his soldiers that puzzled her until she saw the vials. They all drank sym in preparation for their meeting with the Destroyer. Anger bristled that her people were left shackled by the kundar, while Korban’s men were protected because of them.

  They mounted their horses, and with tense silence, began the journey toward the fractured trees. Korban remained in the forefront with Jesse, flanked by his men. Jesse dropped back every now and then to check the company’s progress, but Teya knew his real reason was to check on her.

  With the Kalorians heavily guarded, Teya moved toward the outside edge of her people as close to the guards as she dared. From this side, she had better access to Jesse. Hewson kept an eye on her as well, but with his close proximity to Korban, it didn’t look like he had given up on his own plans. She silently cursed his stubbornness, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

  They entered the fractured trees, with knotted trunks twisted like broken fingers. The birds were gone. In the eerie quiet, the overcast sky brought a gray bleakness. The jingle of harness and bridle echoed, and all conversation ceased. The tension increased, encompassing them with strains of unease and discomfort. This was the last boundary between them and the Destroyer.

  For a brief moment, Teya felt a startling pulse of awareness through her link to Bran. As a shocked cry came from the guard at her side, she twisted to look behind her. An arrow had sliced into his back, and he fell from his horse. Other arrows rained down upon them, and the guards yelled, warning of an attack.

  At that moment a large group of the king’s soldiers came at them from behind. The roar of their cries filled her with terror. Teya kicked her horse forward, running into Korban’s men, who turned to meet the soldiers. She fought to keep her horse from turning as well, but from her position, she got caught in their advance.

  Her horse reared, and she barely managed to hold on before it took her with the advancing guards. As she fought for control, someone called her name, and she twisted to find Jesse closing in. He cut to the side of her horse and managed to turn them away from the fighting.

  Gunfire erupted behind them and Teya winced, ducking instinctively. Fighting broke out on every side of them and Jesse urged her to flee. One of Korban’s soldiers grabbed for Teya and caught her arm. With a jerk, he pulled her from the saddle and her horse bolted.

  As the soldier reached down for her, a bullet ripped through him, and he tumbled to the ground. Jesse holstered his gun and, grabbing her by the arms, helped her mount onto the back of his horse. Barely seated, he took off through the trees, firing his gun behind them to keep the advancing soldiers from pursuit. They soon outdistanced their pursuers, but continued forward in a reckless bid for freedom.

  In a rocky outcropping, Jesse pulled the horse to an abrupt stop between the dead trees. Ahead of them spread the desolate land of the Destroyer. From behind them came the sounds of pursuit.

  “Now’s our chance to take the kundar off,” Jesse said, helping Teya down, then dismounting.

  He rifled through his pockets, pulling out a small packet, and opened the cloth holding a wire coated with gunpowder. “How do we do this without burning your neck?” he asked.

  Teya concentrated on the approaching hooves. The sound came closer, but from a different direction. “There’s no time, just wrap it around the kundar and light it. Hurry!” Teya could feel magic pulsing in the air, along with something dark. She tried to focus on the link to Bran, but could barely concentrate.

  Jesse fumbled with the string, his fingers stiff in his hurry. “I can’t light this without protecting you.” He tore off his leather jacket. At the same time, a dark shadow hurtled from the rocks above.

  Teya screamed. Jesse drew his gun, but a vicious blow from Korban knocked him sideways. He staggered to his feet, but Korban’s magic held him in a vise-like grip. Korban lowered his tone to fling Jesse backward onto the ground and towered over him. Jesse gasped for air, clutching at his throat.

  “I knew you would try to take her for yourself. I hoped against it, but I could see the way you looked at her.” He released his magic and Jesse drew in a strangled breath. “The strange thing is... it’s something I probably would have done myself.”

  With a surge of determination, Jesse lurched to his feet, holding back Korban’s strangling tones with magic of his own.

  “You’re learning,” Korban ground out. “But you’re not as strong as me.” With a harsh cry, Korban pushed through Jesse’s defenses, and he flew back against the stones.

  “Stop it!” Teya ran to Jesse’s side. His eyes were glazed and blood ran from the back of his head. “You’re going to kill him!”

  “Didn’t he want you to kill me?”

  “No. He never wanted you killed.”

  “Then I’ll let him live, but you’re coming with me.” Korban stood over her, his eyes filled with menace.

  “You can’t leave Jesse here,” she cried. “They’ll kill him.” The fighting closed in on them. Only the rocky outcropping kept them from being seen.

  “I can’t worry about him now,” Korban said. “I sent the Kalorians across. We need to catch up with them before the Destroyer does.”

  “I’m coming with you.” Jesse held his head, but staggered to his feet with a groan.

  Korban shrugged. “Then hurry, I won’t be waiting if you fall behind.”

  Teya grabbed the reins of Jesse’s horse and quickly helped him up. He swayed in the saddle, but kept his seat. He helped pull her up behind him and they burst out of their rocky concealment, following closely behind Korban.

  Ahead of them, the Kalorians traveled rapidly, putting distance between them and their attackers. Korban’s army still held the king’s soldiers back, but they were vastly outnumbered and wouldn’t hold for long. As they raced toward the Kalorians, a group of king’s soldiers spotted them, and several riders broke off to follow.

  Teya glanced behind, catching sight of a familiar figure, and her breath caught. In desperation, she focused on her link with Bran, but a dark, looming cloud appeared just ahead of them. The shadow lengthened, and the gathering darkness coalesced into a monstrous shape.

  The black seething bulk changed form, growing enormous wings and a long neck. The bird-like head held red, flaming eyes and a mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth.

  Teya cringed with horror. The Destroyer had changed. It was filled with dark power that thrashed within the smoky outline of a bird of prey.

  Korban cursed and quickly changed course. “Our only hope is to race directly to the grove,” he shouted. Instead of joining the Kalorians, he raced to put them between him and the Destroyer

  “No!” Teya screamed. “They’ll all be killed. We have to help them.”

  “Against that? Nothing will stop it. The Kalorians are beyond our help. You’ll only end up dying too. Jesse! Come on!” Korban kicked his horse and raced forward. Jesse started after him.

  “Jesse! No!” Teya grabbed Jesse’s arms to stop him. “We can’t leave them!”

  “But we’ll die!”

  “I don’t care!” Jesse slowed the horse and Teya let go of him to jump off.

  “Teya! Wait!” Jesse cried. “I’ll take you. If you run, you’ll never make it in time.”

  “Then go!” She held on tight and he spurred the horse toward the Kalorians.

  The Destroyer flew above them, completely formed. With a shriek of decaying breath, it rose higher into the air. Teya’s stomach clenched and a cry of terror caught in her throat.

  It attacked the border first, where men still fought. She watched it land, then change into the form of a black wave, eating up everyone in its path. Some escaped into the trees, others weren’t so lucky and screamed as the life was sucked out of them.

  “Jesse, listen! As soon as we get to the Kalorians, I need you to finish breaking my kundar.”

  “Okay...I’ll try.”

  As they reached her people, she shouted at them to sing the tone
s and stay together. “No matter what happens, keep to the grove!”

  A rider garbed in the king’s uniform dodged the path of the Destroyer and raced into their midst. Jesse raised his gun to fire, but Teya pushed it down and slid off the horse. She rushed into Bran’s outstretched arms, weary with relief and hope that he could help her.

  A deafening screech brought them around. The Destroyer landed not far away, and began advancing toward them.

  Bran opened a packet. “I’ve got wire and matches.” He quickly wrapped the wire around her kundar. With his gloved hand as a shield, he lit the wire. The kundar sizzled apart, releasing the dark power and Teya gasped. “Help the others.”

  She began to sing the tones with the Kalorians. Their voices rose as one, and the magic coalesced around them. With that pulse of power, something inside her rose up, responding to the magic with a deep sense of urgency. Magic sang through her blood, swelling in purpose and seeking release. Giving her magic free rein, she strode toward the Destroyer.

  It screeched in bellowing hatred, then with a wail of rage, unfolded its wings and lifted skyward. It circled the Kalorians, then came to ground on the other side away from Teya, and began advancing toward them. Here, the tones they sang were weak, leaving them vulnerable to a vicious death.

  Something snapped in Teya and her voice rose in a challenging echo. The deep magic stirring inside her began to pulse with new power. She abandoned her will and let the power consume her. It surged through her body with a life of its own, changing her into a creature of its own making.

  Light shot out of her fingers and cascaded over her transcending form. Power filled her lungs while her heart slowed and her vision narrowed. Tiny pinpricks of power sent a tingling rush through her body, hitting her skin like hard drops of ice.

  Before panic set in, her heart beat to a new rhythm and her vision cleared. Taking a deep breath she raised her arms, surprised at how light they felt. Her whole body shook, emerging from the whirling power into the feathered wings of a bird.

  Opening her wings, Teya’s breath caught with wonder and excitement. She reveled in her newfound glory, instinctively knowing what to do. With a sweep of her wings, she jumped into the sky. Soaring over her people, she left a streak of light in her wake, and dove toward the Destroyer.