Dark Lady_s Chosen cotn-4

by Gail Z. Martin

  "Yeah, and drink a glass of brandy in my honor if I go up in a puff of smoke," Tris cracked. He wondered if Fallon had any idea of how nervous the night's working made him. "I've brought the things you asked for." Coalan stood in the tent's doorway. He held out a flat, intricately worked metal plate the size of a man's palm, a labyrinth to help Tris center his thoughts. A scabbard hung over his shoulder, with the hilt of a sword protruding. A braided rug made of wizard's cords hung over his arm.

  "That's not just any rug," Fallon observed as Tris spread the small, circular rug out on the tent floor.

  Tris managed a nervous smile. "It was my grandmother's. I don't know what made me bring

  it with me. It was her workspace in her room. I learned my first magic there as a boy. I don't know if you can feel it, but I can still sense Grandmother's power in the cords." Fallon nodded. "Great power leaves a signature, like a residue. I've encountered that same feeling before, in other magical items that belonged to Bava K'aa. And it's also in that sword." She glanced at the sword Coalan held out to Tris, a different weapon than the heavy broadsword Tris had carried with him into battle. "That's the sword Taru gave you at your coronation, isn't it? Bava K'aa's sword."

  Tris took the sword and drew it from its worn scabbard. It was beautifully forged but without ornamentation, save for the faint tracery of runes inscribed on the blade. Now, the runes were almost invisible, but when he had first been presented with the sword, they had blazed with fire. "Another one of those things I threw into my trunk without knowing why. I've been leery of carrying it into battle until I had a better idea of its power. But for this working, I'll take all the help I can get." He glanced at Fallon. "Taru was cryptic about it when she gave it to me. Can you shed any light on what it can do?"

  Fallon frowned and closed her eyes, letting her hand skim just above the sword, palm down as she extended her magic. "There is a trace of your grandmother's power. I can feel it, like a signature. Beyond that, its magic won't speak to me. I wouldn't be surprised if it requires a Summoner's power to activate it." She opened her eyes. "I'd warn you that it's risky to use a magic object if you don't know its power, but considering what you're about to try, the danger seems small by comparison."

  Fallon, Tris and Coalan arranged a workspace in the center of the tent with a pillar candle on a small flat board and the labyrinth in front of it. Coalan took a place blocking the tent doorway, with his own sword in hand. Fallon glanced at the notched candle on the desk that measured the time. It was burned down nearly to the nineteenth notch. "Nearly seventh bells. We'd better get into position," she said.

  Tris nodded, fighting back his own nervousness. What Carina's letter suggested had never been tried before-at least not to Fallon's considerable knowledge. The idea that he could send his magic across the Flow to anchor Carina's soul all the way in Dark Haven seemed absurd. But at the same time, the damaged Flow was making it nearly impossible to harness magic for this night's battle. "If I'm going to burst into flames, better here than on the battlefield," he said with a cheerfulness he didn't feel. He stepped onto the braided rug and raised his sword as his athame.

  Tris walked the circle of the braided rug as his grandmother had taught him long ago. He spoke the invocation of the quarters as he focused his concentration on the tip of the blade. Around him, the warding flared in a dome of blue-white power. Once his warding was in place, Fallon walked the same circle in the opposite direction, adding a golden dome of power to reinforce the warding. Looking out toward Coalan and Fallon, Tris saw their images distorted as if through rising waves of heat on a scorching summer's day as the wardings surrounded him.

  Tris knelt on the rug and laid his sword at his knees. He focused first on the pure flame of the candle, slowing his breathing as Bava K'aa had taught him until the roar of the battle beyond the thin canvas walls of the tent faded and only the flame remained. Centered, he turned his focus to the silver labyrinth. He lifted it reverently into his left hand, holding it in his palm as his right index finger began to slowly trace its intricate pattern. Chanting to himself, he felt his heartbeat and breathing slow further as he entered into a trance. Slipping onto the Plains of Spirit, Tris saw himself walking the complex labyrinth that appeared before him, carved into the gray stone at his feet. In the Nether, Tris felt his focus shift fully from where his mortal body knelt to a place in his consciousness where only spirit and magic existed. In this place between the living and the dead, Tris reached out his power to touch the Flow.

  Carina heard footsteps in the doorway to the sitting room. "It's nearly time," Taru said quietly.

  Carina rose and put Jonmarc's shirt aside. She straightened her healer's robes and squared her shoulders. With a confidence she did not feel, she walked with Taru down the long corridor toward the stairway to the ruined vaults beneath Dark Haven. Royster, Riqua and Lisette waited for them at the top of the stairs, and Carina could see Raen's ghostly shape glowing in the shadows.

  "I took the liberty of asking Neirin to secure anything that might shake loose and to keep the servants and the refugees well away from this end of the manor," Royster said, clearing his throat. "Just in case."

  Carina took his meaning clearly. The last person to tamper directly with the Flow had been Foor Arontala, when he had torn loose the orb that imprisoned the soul of the Obsidian King. The resulting burst of unharnessed power had collapsed part of the manor house, killed the last lord

  and wounded the Flow. "You shouldn't come with me. It's too dangerous."

  "And miss history in the making?" Royster protested. Carina saw a scroll, quill and bottle of ink bulged from one of Royster's pouches.

  "We will see this through," Riqua said in a voice that let Carina know the matter was settled.

  Carina managed a half smile, grateful for their courage. "Let's go."

  They made their way down the stone stairway, picking through the rubble. Raen led the way, followed by Riqua and then Royster, carrying a torch to light the way for the others.

  The lower they descended the colder it became, until Carina could see Taru's breath and Royster was shivering despite his woolen robes. The frigid air was still, and as they reached the bottom step, they heard the tower bells chime the seventh hour.

  "Hurry. I doubt Tris can hold on for long," Carina said, picking up her skirts to move more quickly.

  Beyond the archway, Carina could see the coruscating lights of the Flow. Like the Spirit Lights of the far north, the colors of the Flow flashed across the reflective crystals of the cave walls. Even without touching the powerful energy, Carina could sense that it was more damaged than when she visited before. But this time, she sensed something else: within the pulse of the Flow's wild energy, Carina felt Tris Drayke's magic.

  Carina took a step toward the Flow as if approaching a wounded beast. The chamber flared with light as the energy river acknowledged her presence. Carina moved closer, one halting step at a time. She struggled to quell her own fear, searching for a place of inner calm. Holding her breath, Carina stepped into the power of the Flow.

  Light surrounded her. Carina felt as if she were completely surrounded by the glittering ice crystals of a sudden snow squall. The Flow enveloped her, filled her, becoming the essence of her blood and bones. At the same time, she felt a comforting and familiar presence. Tris's magic found her and anchored her to his power.

  A torrent of pain and primal anger washed over Tris. He kept chanting. The violence of the Flow's contact slammed into him, but the chant and the labyrinth kept him anchored. In the Nether, Tris could see the Flow in all its brilliance, a radiant ribbon of light and color. Its sheer beauty took his breath away as it undulated, glistening like powdered diamonds. He stretched out

  his mage sense further, seeking Carina. He felt nothing but the turmoil of the Flow and forced despair from his thoughts, struggling to hold the trance.

  Suddenly, he felt the Flow shift. The patterns of the colors changed. Tris pictured Carina, sought her through the Fl
ow, throwing out tendrils of power on the wild currents of magic. Willing his power along the course of the Flow, he felt Carina's presence like a flutter against his skin.

  Tris doubled his effort, sending the full power of his magic along the link to her, searching for the blue glow of Carina's life thread. Carina's thread faltered and flickered, buffeted by the power of the Flow. Sweet Chenne, she's dying, Tris thought as he connected his power to her. Tris slipped deeper into the trance until his sole focus became Carina's life thread. He willed his power to strengthen the thread, anchoring it to his own life energy. The Flow began to convulse and Tris could now feel Carina's healing magic streaming out into the damaged river of energy. Tris poured his magic into the link, letting the power flow through him. The pounding of his heart seemed to shake his whole body, and the sound of his breath was deafening. Every fiber of his being tuned to the pulse of the Flow. He felt its pain. Images of the Soulcatcher orb being torn from the Flow flashed in his mind, and caught up in the Flow's magic, Tris felt the rending as if he were being torn on the rack and disemboweled. His body arched in agony and he screamed, but no sound came. Wave after wave of pain shuddered through him, too intense for him to black out. Hesitantly, Carina reached out toward the Flow with her healing magic. She felt the pain of the long-ago rending and the imbalance in the Flow's energies as if it were torn muscle and sinew. Acting on instinct, Carina began to will all of her healing essence into mending the broken places and soothing the pain. She could feel the draw of the Flow depleting her, weakening her life force, and she knew that without Tris's support, soon she would be lost to the currents of energy that pulled her under in the torrent.

  Carina willed herself to ride the waves of the Flow, focused completely on its pain. She let the pain wash through her, cleansing the energy. As the Flow calmed, she no longer sensed the boundaries between herself and the river of energy. Carina felt strength returning, and she could sense her connection to Tris, knew he was supporting her with his magic and his life force.

  Suddenly, Carina's view shifted and she saw a dimly lit temple with soaring gray stone walls. Banks of candles and torches in sconces flared along the temple walls, and a glowing stained glass image of Istra hung from the buttressed ceiling. A man lay slumped against one of the temple pillars, and as he struggled to his feet, battered and covered with blood, Carina recognized Jonmarc.

  Carina fought down panic. Bound to her energy, the Flow flared brilliantly in angry shades of red. Carina saw Jonmarc's sword snap in two and watched as Malesh pulled him in for the kill.

  Jonmarc loosed his hidden quarrel, and Carina felt Malesh's pain as it tore through the vayash moru's heart. Carina's screams echoed in the rock chamber as the wild energy of the Flow whipped around her. Fire engulfed Malesh, and Carina felt her skin burn and blister.

  It took all of Tris's will to focus on the blue glow of Carina's life thread. Just when he thought the pain would overcome him, he felt Carina's healing magic as a cooling presence along the pathways of power. The chaos of the Flow was beginning to coalesce, and the inchoate energies torn asunder by Arontala's betrayal were weaving together into a seamless whole. Tris watched in awe as the strands of power blended together and the pain gradually subsided. Power from the healing river of energy surged into him, giving him the energy to sustain the link.

  Suddenly, Tris felt as if his chest had been pierced by a sword. Panic overcame reason and he fought for control. Gasping for breath, he realized that he felt Carina's pain. Linked to her life force, Tris tried to blunt the worst of it, taking what he could onto himself until he cried out and every muscle strained. A searing wave of fire engulfed them. Tris could feel it consuming Carina, hear her screaming. Carina's life thread flickered wildly, slipping away. Tris wrapped his power around the dimming thread, drawing heavily from his own life energy until he felt both of their threads weaken.

  The Flow roiled. Power beyond his imagining surged around them, lifting them up like an ocean wave. Tris redoubled his grasp on Carina's life thread and felt the Flow shift. Like a storm surge, the Flow rushed back, and Tris felt his whole body burn with wild magic as the Flow channeled its power through him, making their life threads glow brilliantly. The Flow had become a maelstrom, howling like a blizzard wind. Carina felt her life force flicker wildly. Then she felt Tris wrap his power around her, supporting her with his magic and his own life energy. She knew Tris was tiring quickly, and she drew on Tris's power in the hope of sending one final burst of healing energy into the Flow.

  Time meant nothing suspended in the infinite currents of the Flow's power. Gradually, the violent reds and oranges faded to more subdued hues of yellow and pink, and then calmed to the blue-green of the clearest ocean. The energy drew back from Carina and Tris. The Flow swirled around them as powerful as the tides. As the tempest subsided and the currents of the Flow became quiet, Carina felt Tris gently withdraw his power. The Flow became a sparkling curtain of light once more, and Carina realized she was lying on the floor of the shattered vault as the world grew dark around her.

  In the darkness, she could still feel the Flow sustain her. An ethereal music called her back from unconsciousness, and Carina could feel the Flow all around her. Gone was the raging storm. The energy that pulsed around her was soothing and gentle. The magic of the Flow suffused her body, warming her. Gradually, the music faded. Carina drew a deep breath and opened her eyes.

  She was in her own bedchamber, surrounded by her friends. Taru sat on the edge of her bed holding her hand as the others looked on with worried expressions. Raen glowed dimly in the corner, and at the edge of her senses, Carina could hear the ghost girl singing nervously to herself.

  Tears glistened in Taru's eyes as she smoothed back the hair from Carina's face. "It worked," she said. "The Flow is healed-and so are you."

  The memory of what she had witnessed through Malesh's eyes returned to Carina vividly

  enough to take her breath away and she began to sob. "He's dead. I saw him die."

  Taru took her by the shoulders. "What are you talking about?"

  Carina looked up, struggling to breathe through the tears. "Did you see when the light flared?"

  "Yes, but-"

  "The bond Riqua said was between Malesh and me, the bond between maker and fledgling, it was real. All of a sudden, I saw through Malesh's eyes. He was in a temple, with candles all around and a stained glass image of the Dark Lady. He and Jonmarc were fighting, and I saw Malesh sink his teeth into Jonmarc's neck. I felt it. And then, Jonmarc struck Malesh through the heart and I felt that, too. Malesh fell against the candles and he burned, and- Goddess help me!-I burned with him."

  Taru and Riqua exchanged glances as Lisette gasped. Royster paled at the description and ran to thumb through a worn book on the desk. "What happened then?" Taru asked quietly as

  Carina struggled for control.

  "Tris hung on to me and supported me with his magic. And then the Flow surged. It seemed to know… know what was happening." Carina turned to look at Riqua. "You were right about the bond."

  Riqua's expression softened. "I am so sorry."

  "The Flow is healed," Carina murmured. "Maybe now, Tris can win the war." She looked back to Riqua. "I saw a temple to Istra. It had a large stained glass portrait of the Dark Lady. Do you know where that temple is?"

  Soberly, Riqua nodded. "In the hills, several candlemarks' ride from here. It's a sacred place for the vayash moru, for all who worship the Dark Lady. For Malesh to desecrate it with battle means that he really did mean to make the offering to Shanthadura. He thought the old legends were true, that he could become the consort of the Goddess. And for him to get that far means Gabriel and the vyrkin could not protect the temple. I'm afraid this evening's victory comes at a tremendous cost."

  Carina bit back tears. "We don't dare send Kolin to Wolvenskorn after what happened last time, not with the mob at the gates and no idea where Malesh's fighters are. At dawn, I'll have Neirin see if two mortal guards can sli
p through and find out what's happened." She paused until she found her voice. "At least. perhaps they can bring back the bodies."

  Chapter Twenty-three

  A panoply of colors and images that defied description danced through Tris's mind as he remained locked in the connection with Carina and the Flow. Time and place became meaningless as the cosmos seemed to bend around him. Gradually, the brilliant display faded and along with it the light that shone from Carina's thread. The Flow was whole, and Carina's life energy was stable. Completely weary, Tris withdrew his magic, following his own glowing life strand back to consciousness. He came to himself with a start. The candle in front of him burned steadily, barely lower than when he had begun the working, but the runes on the sword at his knees were blazing with cold fire.

  Shaking from the exertion, Tris climbed to his feet and raised the sword, dismissing the wardings. He could hear Fallon chanting as she, too, released her warding. Only then did Tris realize that Coalan was also chanting, and he smiled tiredly as he recognized the words to a prayer very young children learned to banish shadows from under their beds. Coalan stopped suddenly, as if he only then realized they could hear him. "What? It's the only chant I know," Coalan said defensively as Fallon helped Tris to a seat. "Did it work?" Fallon asked anxiously. Tris could feel her magic wash over him, assuring her that he was undamaged. "Something happened, that's for sure."

  Coalan pressed a glass of brandy into Tris's hand, and Tris downed it to steady his nerves as the aftermath of the powerful working gave him the shakes. After a moment, he found his voice and told them as best he could what had happened, finding that words were insufficient to fully describe the experience. "Thank you both," he said, setting the empty glass aside. "But Fallon and I had best get back to the fight." "Are you up to it? A working like that should have you flat on your back." Tris managed a wan smile. "Thank the Flow. I could feel it healing Carina-and it seemed to know that I was fading, too. It healed both of us. To tell you the truth, other than being a bit shaken, I feel better than I have in weeks." He sobered. "Which is a good thing. Once Curane's mages realize that the Flow is healed, I'm afraid they'll make a final strike with everything they've got left. We breached the wall in several more places. Their line can't hold much longer. One way or another, this ends tonight."