The Flame Weaver

by Elicker, Tania

  As if in answer to his weariness, a hushed whisper from Rabbit cut through the blackness. “It may be a long night here, m’lord. You’ve had no rest yet, and a long day aheada you tomorrow. You best get back to your quarters for some sleep.”

  “I am tired,” Kazen admitted, “but I don’t wish to leave you alone.”

  “Ain’t no trouble, sir,” Rabbit said, taking the bow from Kazen’s hand. “Us Rabbits is quite at home sittin’ in a hole in the ground. You go on and get yourself some rest.”

  “Will I see you again before I leave?” Kazen asked, not attempting to conceal the sadness in his voice.

  “Aye. I’ll be there to see you off in the mornin’. You can count on that.”

  Smiling, Kazen gave Rabbit a quick pat on the shoulder before wiggling his way back down the long tunnel. He found the corridors silent and dimly lit, barely enough to see by. Aside from a few guards posted outside the weapons room and supply chamber, the halls were deserted. He strained to listen for any hint of voices or shuffling feet, but there was nothing above his own breathing. Either everyone was on watch, like Rabbit, or they were bunkered down throughout the expansive warren. Wherever they were, the stillness of the dark tunnels left Kazen feeling more than a bit uneasy.

  He hurried through the abandoned halls, peering into every room, hoping to find an area that looked familiar, but in the dim light of the sparse torches everything began to look the same. Cursing himself for not paying closer attention to his surroundings, Kazen wandered aimlessly until finally stumbling upon the kitchen where he and Rabbit had eaten supper. From there he traced his steps back to the hall that led to his quarters.

  Hoping to find Ilagon and the others already there, he was disappointed to see the room dark and still. Entering the chamber, he began searching the wall for the tiny glass lamp when a sudden icy feeling fell over him. Every hair on his arms and back of his neck stood on end, and he could feel the tangible sensation of eyes staring at him from behind the darkness. His body nearly frozen, he felt his thumb brush against the cool brass base of the lamp. Slowly leaning his face closer to the lantern, he whispered with his slightest breath, conjuring a tiny spark within the lamp, which ignited the oil-soaked wick.

  As the room was abruptly awakened by the sputtering flame, Kazen snatched the lamp from its metal hook and spun to face the hooded figure crouched in the far corner. The man did not move or even flinch as Kazen shined the light on him.

  “Who are you!” demanded Kazen. “What do you want?”

  “Avin was right. You do have the senses worthy of a Watcher.”

  Recognizing the voice, Kazen was sure he would have felt safer had it been a faceless assassin. “Kane? Everyone is looking for you. They think you’ve been captured by the enemy.”

  “Yes, I know,” Kane answered, rising slowly to his full height and pulling the hood from his head. “I’m sure they’re taking all the necessary precautions to assure this hideaway remains hidden and impenetrable. And yet”—he smiled deviously—“here I am. I suppose we need to tighten things up a bit. You mustn’t fault the men, though. After all, I’m the one who has taught them all they know. And, as every good teacher knows, you never divulge all of your secrets to your students.”

  “Why are you here, Kane?” Kazen demanded once again, becoming more uneasy with every second passed.

  A long silence followed as Kane stared off into the dimness of the ill-lighted room. “I’ve spent a lifetime beneath this shadow,” he finally said, with a distant, pain-stricken look upon his face. “Perhaps a hundred life times. It’s so hard to tell anymore. I’ve lost all memory of color. The world is a dark place, and the past is just a dream to me, a dream that seems to slip further and further away the harder I try to remember it. Have you ever had a dream like that?”

  Pressing his back to the wall, Kazen suppressed his growing instinct to flee from Kane and his increasingly bizarre manner. “We should tell Avin you’re here,” he insisted nervously.

  “Most of my day, today, was spent wandering aimlessly,” Kane continued, ignoring or not hearing Kazen’s comment. “I walked out in the open for hours, not caring if I was captured or killed. I could not, for the life of me, think of a single thing worth fighting for, not one thing worth taking another breath for.” Behind his placid face and soft-spoken words, madness seemed to be brewing in his burning eyes. “It was at that very moment, my darkest hour, that I was overtaken by a sudden change of heart. Like a beacon shining through the darkness, everything was made clear to me, and hope filled my heart once more. And I owe it all to you.” His face suddenly twisted into an ugly grimace, as if the words left a foul taste on his tongue. “I know, now, that you are truly a champion sent to save us from ruin, and that you will deliver us from this darkness.” Looking on, he paid no attention to his left fist, which clenched and unclenched in unconscious spasms. “So, before I present myself to my captain to accept punishment for my countless wrongdoings, I have come before you, Lord Kazen, to beg your forgiveness and offer my friendship in return.” Pools of sweat puddled up on his cheeks and forehead as he offered a trembling hand to Kazen.

  Kane’s overly exaggerated sentiment and forced smile left Kazen less than convinced of his sincerity. “I don’t believe we should keep Avin waiting any longer. I am sure he is worried.”

  “Are you turning your back on a hand offered to you in friendship?” Kane demanded, his voice loud and harsh.

  Taken aback by the sudden explosion, Kazen fumbled backward, reeling away from the trembling, outstretched hand before him.

  “You recoil from me?” Kane asked, feigning insult. “Do you pull away out of fear or disgust? If you fear me, then call out now and be rescued by the guards, but do not shame me by walking away out of contempt or bitterness.”

  Holding his breath, Kazen’s eyes darted from the doorway and back to Kane as he timidly reached out his own quavering hand. He was nearly pulled off his feet as Kane seized his hand and shook it vigorously. To Kazen’s great relief, the tension and rage seemed to melt from Kane’s face, and a grateful smile touched his lips.

  “You have done me a great service, but I must ask one final favor of you before we seek out my cousin.”

  “And what is that?” Kazen asked, wiggling his fingers inside Kane’s firm grip.

  Gently pulling Kazen in, Kane leaned his head close to Kazen’s and whispered softly in his ear. “Go quietly.”

  Perplexed, Kazen furrowed his brow as he looked into Kane’s unreadable eyes. “I don’t understand—”

  A sudden flash of silver and a jolt of searing pain across his hand silenced Kazen and sent him floundering backward. Blood flowed from a small but deep gash on the back of his hand, which he clutched to his chest. More shocked than afraid, he glanced up at Kane, who stood stoically in the center of the room, a tiny silver dagger in his left hand.

  “Why did you . . .” The words quickly left Kazen as his heart began to flutter wildly in his chest.

  Kane looked on with an icy stare, the familiar angry scowl returning to his leathery face. “The poison works very quickly,” he said with a satisfied sneer. “So do not fear, your pain will end soon.”

  Enraged and panicked, Kazen tried reaching for his sword, but his arms hung lifeless and numb at his sides. The world around him melted into a dark fog as his eyes were swathed in a milky haze. Painful tremors rippled through his body, and every muscle began to twitch and convulse uncontrollably. His curses came out as gasps and wheezes as his throat tightened and his lungs failed.

  “Struggling will only move the poison through your veins faster.” Kane rolled his eyes unsympathetically. “But if you insist, try to retain at least some small amount of dignity.”

  The deafening ringing in Kazen’s ears drowned out Kane’s callous words. Collapsing to the ground, he was overcome by a dark chill that crushed his bones and stabbed at his heart. An acidic taste of metal burned and itched on his swelling tongue, and like a fish out of water, he gulped fe
ebly for swallows of air. Pain soon gave way to tingling, and then to terrible numbness. He could feel himself slipping into a black place as walls of darkness closed in around him.

  Kneeling beside Kazen’s failing body, Kane pulled the sword from the sheath over Kazen’s back and tucked it under his own belt. “I know you probably don’t believe this,” he said, quite casually, “but I didn’t want it to end like this. It is unfortunate, but there really is no other way.”

  His heart barely beating within his constricted chest, Kazen could only stare at Kane with unblinking eyes as darkness enveloped him. He screamed on the inside, commanding his limbs to move and his lungs to breath. But soon, even his inner voice was silenced. All thoughts of reason and cause faded away like wisps of smoke. Names, faces, all memory vanished into darkness. He found himself welcoming the comfort of the abyss as the last flashes of light and unrecognizable colors were washed from his sight and replaced by emptiness. The final thump of his heart echoed through his head like the distant beat of a drum, and then the world turned black.

  Chapter 22

  Having returned back to the captain’s dining hall, E’enna hoped she would find Kazen there, but the room was empty when they arrived. Taking a seat across from Avin, she looked down at an overflowing plate of food, which had been set out for her. Bricks of cheese and slices of spiced meat teetered precariously atop mounds of wrinkled fruit and boiled potatoes. It was much more than she could ever hope to eat at a single sitting, but she politely ate a few bites of everything she was given.

  It had been a long day, and she was tired. The brief trip to the armory with Avin had turned into an all-day excursion through the vast tunnels of the underground barracks. They must have walked for miles, stopping at various rooms where Avin would explain, with great enthusiasm, the culture behind the many tapestries and banners that hung on the walls. Every piece of armor had a story, and every weapon was once held by a hero. By the time they had returned to the hall, she felt quite versed in the history of Halifex.

  Keeping her eyes on her plate, E’enna pretended not to notice the wistful way in which Avin watched her from across the table. In fact, she had spent most of the day trying not to notice his dashing smile and hypnotizing eyes, with which he had gazed sweetly upon her from the first moment they met. Had it been another time perhaps she would have appreciated such attention, but now it only added to her troubles.

  “I hope your meal is satisfactory.” Avin smiled anxiously from behind his goblet. “Though I’m sure you can recall having eaten in finer establishments. I only wish I had better to offer.”

  “Everything is quite delicious, thank you,” she answered.

  “I must tell you, I do feel guilty having kept you so long. It was not my intention, I assure you. The hours just seem to pass so painlessly in your company that I can scarcely account for the passage of an entire day. I only hope that being my captive audience for the day was not too terrible an experience for you.”

  “Not at all. In fact, it is I who feels guilty for having kept you so long from your obligations.”

  Pushing his plate aside, Avin looked at her with deep eyes. “I have a confession to make, E’enna. Though you may have guessed it, my interests today have lain more than in weapons of war and battles long passed. From the moment I first saw you, I have been unable to catch my breath. Just being in your presence today has shown me that there is at least one light that still shines bright beneath all this conjured darkness.” His voice softened to almost a whisper as he lay a shy hand on top of E’enna’s. “If I were a stronger man I might be able to turn away from your beauty in this unfortunate time of war, but instead I feel myself crumble each time I stand before you.”

  Shocked at how suddenly and openly Avin had lain his heart out before her; it left her speechless. Although Avin was charmingly handsome and an honorable man in every way, she would gladly have him exchange his place with Kazen. Even with all of his boyish brooding and clumsy words, it was Kazen who remained in her thoughts and in her heart.

  “I-I don’t k-know what you would have me say,” she stammered out timidly.

  “Then say nothing,” Avin insisted urgently as he squeezed her hand. “Silence at least holds a small glimmer of hope in it. Tomorrow will bring agony for me as I watch you leave, heading into great peril, but I know I cannot ask you to stay. Just as I cannot abandon my men, I know you must remain with your company. The winds of change are upon us, and I must accept that you are bound to a path I am not meant to follow. However, should I live to see the end of these days of shadow, I will find you again. It is then, when all of this madness is said and done, that I will ask you if there is a place in your heart for me. Until then, it will be enough for me to survive only on the hope of seeing your face once more.”

  E’enna stared, unblinking, into Avin’s hopeful eyes. His words were so honest and his heart so open that she wished she could return his love, but she had no words of comfort to offer him. No truth would console his bleeding heart.

  “Captain!” someone called from the open doorway, mercifully interrupting the torturous silence.

  Composing himself, Avin sprang to his feet to meet the uniformed man who stood at attention at the top of the steps. The same age and build as Avin, standing together, the pair looked as if they could almost be brothers. Though the soldier’s hair was darker, and his features not quite as fair, he was a handsome man, nonetheless.

  “What is it, Dullin?”

  “It’s Kane, Captain. He’s nearly an hour past due.”

  “An hour! Why was I not notified immediately?”

  “Forgive me, Captain,” Dullin answered nervously as he cast an awkward glance at E’enna, “I did not wish to disturb you.”

  His eyes blazing, Avin spoke through tightly clenched teeth. “Your heedless assumptions may have compromised the lives of every man in these barracks! Should we live through this night you can expect your punishment to be swift and fitting! Now get the men to their posts! Douse the fires! And lock down the hatches!”

  “Right away, Captain!” Dullin shouted as he bolted out the door. A whirlwind of commotion followed him as he hurried through the passages, barking orders and sounding the alarm.

  “What’s happening?” E’enna asked.

  “Something is terribly wrong.” Avin took E’enna by the arm and started down the hall. “Kane has not returned from his watch, and if my cousin is anything, it is punctual. He has either been captured by the enemy, or has been injured and is unable to return.”

  “Then you are sending men out to look for him.”

  Avin shook his head. “The nights here are too black to see even your own hand in front of your face. A search party shall be sent out at first light. Until then, we must seal the camp and presume the worst.” Stopping in front of a small room, he ushered E’enna inside. “I want you to stay here until this over.”

  “No. Give me a bow. I can help keep watch.”

  “Not this time.”

  “I will not be hidden away like a frightened child!”

  Avin shook his head. “I can scarcely fit fifty men into the Watcher’s den’s. There is just no room for you. Trust me, I do not underestimate your skills as a fighter. If it should ever come to it, I will consider it an honor to fight at your side.”

  A familiar, boisterous voice suddenly sounded from the hall. “Captain Avin!”

  Relieved, E’enna smiled as Shanks and Ilagon casually strolled into the room.

  “We heard the commotion,” Shanks said. “What can we do to help?”

  “At the moment, I must ask you all to remain here. The halls will soon be unlit, and it may not be safe for you to be wandering about. Do you know where Kazen is?”

  Ilagon shook his head. “We have not seen him since this morning.”

  “All right, then,” Avin said, “I will send someone to find him and bring him here. I will feel more at ease knowing you are all together and accounted for. If we discover anything about K
ane, I will send word to you. Until then, please try to get some rest, and do not let yourselves be too alarmed. We are only being cautious.” With a courteous bow, he dashed away, looking back only once to catch a last glimpse of E’enna before disappearing down the winding passage.

  The company remained together in the small room, seated around a square wooden table. They spoke of their day’s events, and whispered anxiously about Kane’s disappearance. Outside the room, the torches that filled the halls were snuffed methodically, one by one, until only the light from a tiny lamp upon their table remained. The sound of urgent voices and hustling feet soon withered away as well, leaving the room encompassed by a stark darkness not unlike the shadows above.

  “It’s times like this I’d rather be out in the open,” Shanks said, twirling a dagger restlessly between his fingers.

  “We will be on our way soon enough,” Ilagon said. “Once we are back under the watchful shadow you may long for the shelter of these walls.”

  “I wish Kazen were here,” E’enna thought aloud.

  “Indeed,” Ilagon agreed. “I wonder where that boy has gotten to. I hope he is not giving Avin’s messenger a difficult time.”

  “Well, he can’t get himself into too much trouble down here,” Shanks said. “Knowing Kazen, he’s probably found the kitchen and has made himself quite comfortable there.”

  The very thought of Kazen sitting in the dark somewhere stuffing himself in the midst of all this unrest made E’enna giggle. She imagined that he had probably suffered long enough by now, and that once they were all together again she would finally forgive him for his offensive behavior the night before. For now, however, she was content enough just to lay her head on the table and rest her tired eyes.

  Hours crept by, and the dark passages remained undisturbed by light or whisper. The flame of their tiny table lamp slowly dwindled to a throbbing glow, lulling the company into a jaded trance. It was not long before their boredom gave way to drowsiness. One by one, they sprawled themselves out on the floor and fell fast asleep.