“This had got to be the worst dream ever.”
Mother is helping.
Bethany snorted. “Now I know this is a dream.”
When you wake up, I need you to be calm. Mother is talking me through taking down the barrier.
Bethany snorted. “What are you doing? Talking to it?”
Yes.
“Seriously?”
The boundary is made of the spirits of the dead. I am asking them for their help, so they can be released to the Wind, to do eternally as they please. Now, when you wake, you’re going to feel a lot of Power hit you. I’m going to try to slow the stream, but I’m not strong. It’s going to overwhelm you. Don’t panic.
“I still think it’s a dream.”
There’s something else I need you to do. When the time comes, Mother is going to help you with Sarissa.
“I don’t need her help.”
You might. And then…and then I need you to kill her.
“I already plan to kill Sarissa.”
No, Bethany. Not Sarissa. Mother. Now, wake up.
Power rushed through Bethany’s veins. The hum that had been missing for months surged back. Warm comfort screamed as her very soul cried out in relief at being whole once more. It was not her Power; her entire being recognized that, but it was Power all the same. She’d spent a lifetime avoiding it, hiding it, and burying it deep within her until even she struggled to find it.
But she wasn’t mortal and wasn’t supposed to feel completely mortal. And as the Power enveloped her, slamming into her in irregular waves, she knew this was who she truly was.
Divine.
This isn’t your own Power. Sarissa stole that from you. This is a mixture of mine and mother’s. Not all of ours; just enough for you to fight. Put your hands on the ground.
Without thinking, Bethany did so. The cave’s dirt floor was cold and clammy.
Heal yourself, Bethany.
“I don’t know how.”
You did it before; you called out the earth to heal your wounds. Do it now. Ask the Power inside you to clear your mind, your lungs, and whatever else is probably wrong with you right now.
Bethany tried, but she was confused; if this was a dream, it was the craziest her brain had ever come up with. Warmth filled her body, and calm waters embraced her. All of her cuts and aches, the bruises and breaks, faded away. Her spine stopped aching. Her shoulders relaxed. Her ribs, some of which were still badly bruised, didn’t hurt when she took a deep breath.
“Lady Bethany! Wake up!”
Bethany was dimly aware of Jackson’s voice in the distance. Why was he so far away?
Bethany, hurry! I can’t hold this for much longer. The boundary’s coming down. You need to shield them or you’ll all die.
And then Bethany’s eyes snapped open and she realized this was not a dream.
****
“What’s happening to her?” Myra demanded.
Glowing bubbles of water wrapped themselves around Bethany's crouching figure. The buzz of static filled the air, and Bethany's tufts of hair stood on end. The mineshaft's smooth walls glistened with a soft glow that came from Bethany's skin. The water writhed across her skin and worked its way over her face. As it did, the paleness disappeared, as did the angry redness of her nose. In its wake appeared rosy skin, the way many pale-skinned elves looked after being in the sun too long.
Bethany's eyes sharpened and she lost the blurred dullness that had been there since she drank the last of their stolen liquor in an attempt to quell her cough. The redness died away and was replaced with the solid whiteness in her eyes. Various cuts and scrapes on her face closed up, leaving scabs behind.
And Bethany shrieked the entire time.
Myra reached down to cover her mouth, but Jackson grabbed her hand.
She shot him a look. “She’s going to give us away.”
“Don't touch her. I was there when she lost her shit at the temple.”
“What do you mean?”
“She grabbed animated swords by the blades and buried them into her sister. Her hands were ruined. There was blood everywhere, and her hands were falling apart, it was that bad. And then,” Jackson motioned with his head. “She started screaming like this. There was lightning and it rained, and Bethany's hands healed, right there, in front of us all. Lord Allric didn't touch her until she stopped screaming.”
“But she'll give us away…”
“Yeah.”
“Should we kill her?” Jonas asked.
“I don't think she'd be that easy to kill right now,” Jackson said. “I've worked with her for a while now. She's been missing something. I think it's back.”
A dome of shimmering light engulfed them.
Jonas stepped back. “What is that?”
The earth began to tremble.
An explosion ripped at their eardrums.
****
Arrago bolted down the corridor to the source of the high-pitched shrieking. Dozens of castle guards had the same idea. As Arrago grew closer, he recoiled in horror that the sound was coming from Lendra’s apartments.
“Get back!” Erem shouted.
Arrago pushed his way through the crowd and found Erem blocking the doors, sword drawn.
“Erem? What are you doing?”
“Arrago, I mean it. Everyone has to stay back.”
“What’s going on in there?” he demanded.
“I don’t know,” Erem confessed, “but Lendra told me to hold everyone off for one day.” He glanced at the clock he’d moved to the floor in front of her door. “There’s two hours left. I promised.”
Lendra screamed more than any human should be able to. Her voice never cracked, never dipped. It just kept on going.
“Erem, there might be someone in there with her.”
He shook his head. “There isn’t.”
“Out of the way!” came Allric’s booming voice. He pushed the guards who were too slow to move aside and looked at Arrago. “What’s happening?”
Arrago turned to Erem.
“Erem, why is your sword drawn?”
“Lendra asked me to protect her…from all of you,” Erem said, licking his lips. He looked down at the clock again. “She has two hours before I break down the door.”
“What’s she doing in there?” Allric demanded.
Erem didn’t answer—because the screaming stopped.
There was total silence. Arrago put his hand on his sword, preparing to draw it at a moment’s notice.
“Lendra!” Allric called.
“Shut up, you’re distracting me!” Came her shrieking reply.
Allric, Erem, and Arrago shared a look.
“Wow,” Arrago said, “she sounds like Bethany.”
“Ugh, sisters,” Allric said as he sheathed his sword and stepped closer to the door. Erem gave him a warning look, but Allric pounded on it. “Lendra, open this door this instant.”
“Duck!” she shouted.
“What?” Arrago asked.
“GET DOWN, NOW!” she bellowed.
Arrago ducked and held his ears, just from the pain of her voice inside his head. The others did the same.
It was what saved their lives; a blast hit the castle so hard the floor shook. The window near them shattered inwards, sending glass through the air. Several tiny shards hit Arrago’s hands and neck, and they stung. Plaster dust from the ceiling sprinkled down on them like snow. Several of the men were taken off guard and fell to the floor.
“What the fuck was that?” Erem said.
“I don’t know,” Arrago said.
“Earth tremor?” Allric asked.
“We don’t get them in this part of the country.”
Erem whirled and began pounding on the door. “Lendra! Are you okay? Open this door. Talk to me! Are you okay?”
“That’s it,” Allric said, looking at Arrago. He nodded.
The three men began kicking the door. Even with Allric’s size, it was an oak door with two metal locking mech
anisms; it took several attempts before the latch snapped and the double doors swung wide.
“Lendra!” Erem called, dashing into the room.
On the floor lay Lendra’s bloody body. The room stank of feces, urine, and vomit, and a good portion of that was smeared over Lendra’s powder blue dress. Erem ignored it and scooped her unmoving form into his arms. He brushed the straw-coloured hair from her damp face and whispered, “Lendra? Please, can you hear me?”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t move.
Erem kissed her mouth and sobbed. “Come on. Wake up. You promised me dinner, remember? We were going to eat dinner together. And…please.”
Allric sent Arrago a questioning look. Arrago answered with a sad smile.
Allric, clearly unaware of the rumours, closed his eyes and whispered, “Merciful Apexia.”
A weak cough escaped Lendra. Erem gasped and pulled back from her so he could look into her eyes. “Lendra? Lendra!”
Arrago spotted some water in a pitcher on her desk. He grabbed the linen blanket Lendra often wrapped herself in and dipped the corner in the water. He handed it to Erem, who wiped her face.
“I did it,” she whispered.
“Did what?” Allric asked.
“It’s down, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Go.” Lendra slipped into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER 17
The Present
The water was calm and the stars sparkled in the sky. Arrago stood on the dock, looking out at the fleet of ships, as all around him people hurried to make ready for the invasion. Closest to shore were the small vessels that could easily carry men and equipment across the straits from the mainland. Off in the distance the tall sail ships waited, lanterns hanging off their sides.
“Majesty, I’m glad we caught you,” a feminine voice said.
Arrago looked over his shoulder and smiled as Jovan, Eve and Allric walked down the dock.
“Here to see me off?”
“I’m coming with you,” Jovan said dryly.
Arrago smiled and turned back to the sea. “I can’t believe this day has arrived.”
“I wondered if it would ever come.” Allric offered Arrago his hand. “Good luck, Majesty.”
They shook hands in the elven style: gripping at the wrist. “Same with you, Lord Allric.”
“I gave Erem Bethany’s swords. Just in case you find her.”
Arrago sucked in a breath. “Thank you.”
“Best you both get going,” Allric said. He looked at Jovan. “Best say your good byes now.” He walked back up the dock.
Arrago turned to Eve. “I’ll look after Jovan for you.”
Eve snorted. “You might regret making that promise.” She held out her hand and he accepted it. “Good luck, Arrago. When we make it back, let’s all get very drunk indeed.”
“There’s some outstanding whiskey in my cellars,” Arrago said, smiling. “Well, I’ll let you two talk in peace. Jovan, I’ll be on our boat.”
“Save me a seat.”
Arrago walked away, though he glanced back to see Jovan resting his forehead against Eve’s.
A pang hit him, but he kept walking. There was a war to fight.
CHAPTER 18
Bethany sat on the horse and surveyed the rolling hills. The coppice of trees provided her tiny band with some protection. But Bethany wasn't hiding anymore. She'd washed her tabard in the river and, though it was still stained with blood and mud, it was clear she was with the elven service. Her heavy armour also gave that away. The barrier was down. Soon, tens of thousands of soldiers would be pouring on to the Island; she wanted to gather as much information as possible.
Roving bands of…well, she refused to call Sarissa’s desperate or crazed bandits “soldiers,” had been chasing them for days. Bethany was chasing plenty of them, too. With the barrier down, a lot was happening in this part of the Island.
There was no way she could make it down South, the most likely crossing point from Taftlin. The migration of Magi and followers was from the Chateau southward. They could take on a few men easily, especially now they were back on horse. However, she had no interest in challenging entire armies of Magi and men.
She knew where Sarissa was located: between Chateau and Castle Brook, but she couldn't get there by herself. So she’d moved her group north-east, following rivers and burned-out estates. If she knew Allric, there’d be an advance party sent north to catch any stragglers. Another would be sent west to block off potential escape routes, or at least to track a massive exodus.
In the last two days, her little group of fifteen had swelled to thirty-five, as she came across several pockets of Rygent fighters also fleeing east and released a number of Rygent prisoners from one of the recently-abandoned estates. Bethany was using Myra’s information and the Rygents’ to comb through the various great houses in the area, in case there were more survivors chained up in their basements—left to die, now the boundary was down.
Even with the additional help, the only two real soldiers were herself and Jackson, whose foot was still healing.
The others took orders well, though, and Kia was a quick learner. She asked a lot of questions, and asked them of both Bethany and Jackson alike, which was a good sign. They had very different experiences in war and conflict and they were able to offer different perspectives.
They all had horses, though some of them were doubled up on mounts. They were not well enough equipped for Bethany’s liking. They’d “liberated” a few maces, a couple of pikes, and some spears, likewise some padding, random mail pieces, and heavy leather jackets. And, of course, food and blankets.
But they weren’t in much of a position to harass the main exodus.
“Anything?” Jackson asked impatiently.
She handed him the spyglass. “There’s a group of men in the trees just beyond that ridge.”
“I see them. Magi?”
“If they are, why skulk in the woods? I mean, they still own the Island.”
“More Rygents?” Myra suggested.
Bethany shrugged. “I suppose.” She turned back to Jackson. “I don’t think they’re reinforcements from Castle Gree. I don’t see any elves, do you?”
Jackson was quiet for a moment. “No elves that I can see. They could be Rygents, I suppose. I don’t see any markings, but…” He passed the glass back to her. “I don’t know.”
“What should we do?” Jonas said.
Bethany turned to Kia. “I'm not here. What do you recommend?”
“Um…” Kia looked at Bethany. “I don't know.”
“Make a decision. My mission was to train up-and-coming knights. You’re an up-and-coming knight.”
“Um…well…um…Mr. Jackson?”
Jackson looked at Bethany and rolled his eyes. “Yes?”
“Do you have any recommendations?”
“We're in no danger here for the moment. We don't know who those people are. They aren't in any danger themselves. Seems to me, watching and waiting isn't going to harm anyone, and we might learn something.”
“Lady Bethany?” Kia asked. “Is that a good plan?”
“I died in a valiant struggle to free you all from prison.”
Kia sighed dramatically. “I think we should wait and observe, then. We don't want to attack potential allies, and we don't want to tip them off to our location if they’re enemies. We can observe and learn, and then…um…decide on the best strategy…”
“Think, woman! Use your head!” Jackson snapped. At Bethany's amused expression, he added, “Look, I'm grieving your valiant death or whatever cock spray you're talking about, and I'm short tempered.”
Bethany snorted. “Cock spray? I'll have to tell Jovan that one.”
“Lord Jovan was the one who taught me that.”
Myra looked confused. “Um…what are you talking about?”
Jonas chuckled. “I'll explain it when you're older.”
“I’m more than twice your
age!”
“Then I’ll explain it later tonight,” Jonas said, still chuckling.
Myra made an annoyed sound, which made Bethany smile. “He’s talking about penises, Myra.”
This time, Myra’s grunt was full of disgust. “Can’t you people talk about anything else?”
Bethany ignored the complaint. “All right, we're following Kia's lead on this. We're going to observe. Everyone stay on guard, though. If we can see them, they can see us. We have to assume they’re also aware of our presence. We can let them make the first move. That puts us on the defensive, but it does allow us more time to gather information and make decisions. Knowledge is strength. Or, we can decide to be aggressive when we think there’s an opening.”
“I think we should…I mean, I would prefer it if we waited,” Kia said.
“Why?”
“Well, there aren't many of us and most of us aren't soldiers. I am, but I've never been in a real battle. Myra's first real mission got her caught behind the lines. Jonas has been in one battle. It's really just you and Jackson. I don't know…well…I don't know…”
“You don't know how you personally will respond in a crisis, so you don't want to force a crisis if you don't have to,” Bethany said.
“I'm sorry, Lady Bethany.”
“Don't be. Cockiness gets many people in trouble.” Bethany smiled. “Look at my entire career.”
“Look at my face,” Jackson said, laughing as he pointed to his badly-scarred skin.
Bethany gave him a once over. “Ya know, it doesn't look as bad as it used to. The healers did a good job. For a while there, I thought you were always going to resemble melted wax.”
“Now it's just smooth melted wax,” Jackson said. “Well, the whores are still nice to me.”
“How lovely,” Bethany said, deadpan.
“That's what…wait…Bethany…Look.” Jackson pointed ahead. “The brush is moving.”
Bethany positioned her spyglass to her good eye and pointed it where Jackson indicted with his finger. “That's at least twenty sneaking up on our friends in the trees over there. Hmmm.” Bethany handed the glass back to Myra. “Do you recognize anyone? Maybe one of the scouts that came over with you escaped?”
Fury (Tranquility Book 3) Page 19