Anwyn returned with food for the students, and the three proceeded to eat. The conversation continued, with Dawyn and Anwyn briefing the others on their journey and the Earthlings regaling tales from their time in Tar Ebon.
Ashley was in the midst of telling them about the blacksmith she had met when the door handle turned and Dawyn focused on the figure that entered, all thoughts forgotten. Bridgette.
She wore black clothing, like she had worn the last time he saw her, with her hood down and veil removed. She scanned the room, taking in each person before focusing on Dawyn. “Brother,” she said. Even though Jason had told her that Dawyn was here, it appeared that she was still struck by his presence.
Dawyn stood and went to embrace her. They embraced awkwardly, as if they were strangers on the street. Bridgette’s limbs were stiff, her body rigid. The embrace was short. Dawyn placed a hand on each shoulder and looked her over. “My God, you haven’t changed. Still the woman I remember.”
Bridgette snorted. “Yes, the woman you abandoned to her fate. Did you even look for me?”
Dawyn stepped back as if physically struck. “Abandoned? No! Bridgette, I searched everywhere for you. I traveled around the world searching for you, keeping my eyes and ears open. I can’t count the number of times I approached a woman, thinking she was you, or followed a rumor of a woman who looked like you. I would have given anything to have been the one taken that night, and I have been searching for you ever since.” He swallowed, avoiding the urge to look away. “Garik told me what…what he did to you. I can hardly imagine, and I’m sorry you were subjected to that level of abuse.”
Bridgette averted her eyes. “I try not to think about that time. That part of my life died with Garik. I’m sorry, I just thought…” she trailed off.
“That I didn’t care about you?” Dawyn asked. “Bridgette, I would do anything for you. Yes, we had - have - our differences and have fought in the past, but I still love you, little sister.”
Bridgette smiled. “I love you too, brother.” She tipped her chin up, indicating Jason. “Did he fill you in on how I’m here today?”
“Yes, the Rod of Binding and all that, he told me. How does it feel?”
“Very odd, as if there’s another person in my head. It takes concentration to keep my thoughts to myself and not share them with him. But given time, I will master the link.”
“That’s good. Please, come sit. I’m sure you’re hungry from traveling.” As Bridgette entered further into the room and took a seat, Dawyn gestured to Anwyn. “Bridgette, this is my good friend, Anwyn.”
Bridgette appraised Anwyn for a moment, before compressing her lips in a semblance of a smile. “Hello.”
“Greetings, Bridgette,” Anwyn said. She kept a smile on her face, despite the cool introduction. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
John excused himself to fetch food for Bridgette, while Dawyn resumed his seat. For several moments, he sat thinking of things to say to Bridgette. Should he ask her about what she remembered? Should he ask her where she had been for the last several months? There were many touchy subjects in her past, and Dawyn did not want another outburst from her. “Where are you staying?” There, that should be a safe enough question, Dawyn thought.
“I haven’t acquired lodging yet,” Bridgette said. “When I arrived to carry out my mission, I went straight to the palace once night fell. After that night, I left town and headed straight for Garik.”
“Well, I will ask the innkeeper’s wife to prepare a room for you, if you don’t mind staying here at the Dancing Mare.”
“I don’t mind.”
John returned with a plate of food for Bridgette, which she ate in short order.
Dawyn cleared his throat as Bridgette finished eating. “I would like to take all of you, minus Bridgette and Jason, to visit the king this evening. I think he would be quite interested in meeting two of the individuals responsible for me relinquishing my position as commander of the Shadow Watch Guard. What do you say?”
“The king?” John asked. “I’ve never met a real king, but everyone I’ve spoken to speaks well of him.”
Anwyn and Ashley gave their agreement and Dawyn smiled. “Alright, it’s settled then. We’ll visit the king right away.”
Chapter 28 - Questions
The door closed behind the others as they left to visit the king at the palace. Jason turned his eyes from the door to Bridgette. He smiled. “So, did you want to talk?”
“What’s there to talk about?” Bridgette asked.
Jason winced. He had hoped things would go easier with her. He was silent for a moment.
“Why are you so quiet?” Bridgette asked, eyebrow arched. She was studying him.
“I was thinking,” Jason explained. “I think it would be a good idea to get to know one another better. I mean, we’re going to be linked like this for the rest of our lives.”
Bridgette just nodded, which Jason took as permission to continue.
“Perhaps we can take turns talking about our lives on Earth. What do you think?”
Bridgette averted her eyes. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Awe, come on. Here, I’ll go first. I was born in the United States, in the state of Michigan. My twin sister is Ashley, whom you’ve met. I lived with my mother, father and two younger sisters until Ashley and I went away to college. My best friend is John, who lived right down the road from our farmhouse. I’ve always been a little,” he hesitated, not wanting to disparage himself in front of her, “awkward in social situations. I’ve never had a girlfriend, a fact my father and John remind me of often. My father asks ‘do you have a girlfriend yet?’ almost every time he sees me, while John teases me about it.”
Bridgette snorted and brought her eyes up. “Some friend he is, teasing you about something like that.”
“He’s always been there for me, and that’s just the way he is. He takes very few things seriously in life, and likes to fancy himself as a joker.”
“How do you feel about him dating your sister?”
“I think he’s got his hands full,” Jason said and chuckled. “She’s a spitfire, and sometimes too smart for her own good. But they get along very well and I think they’re a perfect match.”
“And how do you feel about me?”
Jason gulped and averted his eyes, though the action did nothing to ease the feel of Bridgette’s gaze upon his face. The heat rose in his cheeks as he blushed. “Well, I don’t know. I mean, you’re a very attractive young woman,” he purposely avoided looking at her body as he spoke, “and you seem nice enough.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Jason sighed and met her eyes. “I like you, alright? From the moment you, uh, shoved me down on the couch and spoke to me, I’ve been intrigued with you. How do I feel about you? I feel like you’re a woman I could be with long-term, and I sort of have to be with you long-term, but beyond saying that I’m physically and mentally attracted to you, I can’t describe my feelings for you any more accurately than that.”
Bridgette was silent for a few moments, before nodding. “Good enough, thank you. I suppose it’s my turn now, since that’s only fair.” She cleared her throat. “Before coming to this world, I lived in the UK, northwest of London. I lived there with my mother, father, a younger brother, sister and Dawyn. I may look young but I am nearing fifty years of life, having seen as many summers. When I was taken, I was in my bedroom at home, reading. I dreamed of being a princess, but that dream never came true.”
“Do you think we’ll ever get home?” Jason asked.
“No. I don’t think we will ever get home. When we first came here, I prayed to God every day. I prayed we would be returned home, that we would see our parents and siblings again, that I could kiss my gran on the cheek one last time. But God did not answer my prayer. Instead, He subjected me to my own personal Hell. I suspect He has no power in this place, if He exists at all.”
“Oh,” Jason sai
d. He believed strongly in God, attending church every Sunday, but the lack of faith she displayed made him speechless for a moment. “Have you considered that everything that has happened was meant to happen? That God had a reason for what he did to you and Dawyn, and my friends and I?”
“I considered it, and rejected it.” Jason opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “Just let it go, Jason. I don’t want to talk about it any longer. You clearly have your faith in God, and I have my lack of faith.”
Jason sighed, but nodded in acceptance of her words. “I understand.” He decided to change the subject. “Dawyn mentioned you have some sort of ability. How does it work?”
“I can shift my physical body into another dimension,” Bridgette explained. “’Shift’ is the best word I know to describe the phenomenon. One moment I’m there, the next I’m in a world that is like a shadow of our own world. I can see people and objects, and everything occurs in real time, except I can move from place to place with a mere thought. So for instance, if I want to go from here to the front of the inn, I simply shift into the shadow realm and envision myself being at the front of the inn, which causes me to appear there. I then shift back to the real world. This only works if I know the place where I am going, however. If I don’t know where I’m going, I would have to open the door of the room, walk out, move to the end of the hall, which is in my line of sight, then move to the front of the inn, which would then be within my line of sight.”
“Can you take anyone else with you?”
Bridgette frowned. “I have never tried. Despite his power, I believe Garik was afraid of my abilities. He never commanded me to take him or any of his servants into the shadow realm. I suppose that if I envisioned an individual or group of individuals all at once when I shifted, it might work, but I don’t know if my shifting would kill them, leave them stranded or something else.”
“How long can you remain in the shadow realm?”
“I think as long as I like. I typically only remain for a few moments, long enough to teleport to the other side of a room, or behind a foe, that sort of thing. I’ve yet to try traveling long distance in the shadow realm.”
“Hmmm,” Jason said. His mind whirled with the implications and capabilities of such a power. “Does this shifting let you do anything else?”
“I can partially shift myself, causing projectiles or other weapons to pass through me as if I were not there. I’ve used the ability to reach into lock-boxes and other secure containers and grab things. I shift partially, reach in with my hand, re-materialize my hand and grab the item. Then I shift again and pull the item out. Anything I am touching when I shift can be shifted without my needing to focus on it. But for locked doors and the like, I simply shift and enter. Nothing is a bar to me in the shadow realm.”
They continued talking late into the night, Jason sharing stories of his time in the United States and Bridgette of hers in the UK. They talked of their dreams prior to coming to Tar Ebon and what they were like before their arrival. Despite how well the night went, Jason felt Bridgette was holding something back.
Chapter 29 - Grave Tidings
Boris finished wrapping his arm with a bandage and looked around. Only four gladiators had survived the fight, and Valentin, the former leader of the Helgstad gladiators, had not survived. Boris wasn’t sure what to think of that. He had not hated the man. In fact, he had even respected the fighting prowess of the man. He was told that Valentin had been killed early on, though the details were murky. With Valentin gone, however, it would be time to choose a new leader. Because of his pivotal role in the victory, the other three gladiators had begun to defer to him, electing him as their defacto leader. He didn’t mind that, though it caused Darin’s frown to deepen further whenever he laid eyes upon Boris.
Clarence lay on his cot, fast asleep, and Boris thought the other two men were off whoring in the servant quarters. Boris did not approve of the behavior, but his authority as leader extended only to martial matters, not to their personal lives, however impersonal they may be.
How did I survive? Boris wondered. Several times he thought he was going to die, to never return to free the love of his life. He realized it had been that desire - the desire to save the woman he loved - which had driven him to fight on, well past what other men would do. How long that desire would act as a life-saving shield was a question Boris didn’t want to answer.
The door to the chamber opened and in strode Darin, a wide smile on his face. He headed straight for Boris.
The hackles on the back of Boris’ neck rose and he sat up straighter. “What do you want, Darin?”
“Ah, Boris!” Darin exclaimed, as if he had not heard Boris speak. “Just the man I was looking for. Good news, you’ll be fighting in the arena again very soon.”
“That’s the good news?” Boris asked.
“Yes.” Darin’s smile grew so wide that Boris could see his yellow, rotting teeth in far more detail than he wanted. “But it’s a special match. You’ll be facing your most difficult opponent yet.”
“And who would that be?” Boris asked, not really caring. He wouldn’t recognize the name Darin threw out - he seldom even knew the name of his opponents, let alone recognized them - and would fight as he always did, regardless.
“Your good friend Clarence,” Darin said, pointing toward Clarence’s sleeping form.
Boris sat back, reeling. Clarence? One of the few men he had called a friend since arriving in this treacherous place, and they were going to try and take him from him? “No,” he heard himself say.
“No?” Darin asked in an exaggerated manner. “You don’t get a choice, slave. You’ll fight on the morrow. Say your goodbyes tonight.” Not waiting for a rebuttal, he turned and left the room.
Clarence stirred. Sitting up, he saw the look on Boris’ face and stopped. “Boris, what’s wrong?”
Boris closed his eyes. Memories of Veronica assailed him - of her body lying on the ground, blood pooling beneath her, of the lifeless look she adopted as the last breath left her. None of the other deaths had bothered him like hers, and he couldn’t bear to think of losing another friend. Sitting up straighter, he took a deep breath, opened his eyes and addressed Clarence. “Darin has commanded that I fight you - to the death.”
Clarence’s eyes opened wide, then he averted his gaze. “In a way, I expected it. Don’t worry, I’ll let you kill me tomorrow.”
“Don’t say that,” Boris said. “We’ll find another way out of this. We’ll escape tonight, or during the fight, or-”
Clarence held up his hand, meeting Boris’ eyes. “You know that will only result in us both being killed. We’d never make it out alive.”
“It’s worth a try. I won’t just stand there and watch you die!”
“I’m old, Boris. I’ve lived my life and, although I regret many things, being your friend is not one of them.” He smiled. “Besides, you’ve got a woman to get back to - mine died long ago. I’ve got no one to return to.”
Boris remained silent. What other options did he have? If he tried to run, there was a good chance he and Clarence would be caught. Runaway slaves found few allies in the Empire, due to the harsh punishment dealt to those who aided them. If they tried to fight their way out of the match tomorrow, they would be surrounded and slain.
His thoughts went to Alexandra, and his resolve stiffened. He would do anything to see Alexandra again; even kill a good friend. “You will be missed, friend,” he said at last.
“And I will surely miss you as well, should the Founders see fit to raise me up.”
Chapter 30 - Meeting the King
John looked around in wonder as Dawyn led them through the winding halls of the Celestial Palace. The polished floors reflected vast tapestries that made their home on the white stone walls. Orbs of light sat in sconces along the walls, reminding John of light bulbs from back home. The Tower was populated by similar light sources, and John guessed they were remnants of the Founders, signifying the level of tec
hnology they had achieved before coming to Tar Ebon.
Servants stopped and bowed respectfully as the group passed. Several Shadow Watch Guards saluted Dawyn, which made sense to John, considering Dawyn had once been their commander. The group headed straight toward the main throne room.
Passing through the massive wooden doors, John’s eyes grew even wider as he stared at the large stone pillars of the throne room. Ornate decorations hung from each pillar, while tapestries many times larger than the tapestries in the hallways outside hung from the ceiling to the floor, depicting epic battles or other monumental moments in history. One such tapestry caught his eye. It depicted glowing orbs - ships, John realized - descending from the sky. Seven of them were displayed, and they appeared to be dispersing. That must depict the Founding, John thought. Dawyn had explained in-depth the time known as the Founding and what the legends said of that time. No one now living remembered that time, but extensive records lay in the archives beneath the Tower and the palace, describing recollections from those first settlers.
As they walked down the long red carpet toward the throne, John turned his eyes to the figure seated there. The king seemed larger than life, towering over the group despite being seated. He wore a simple yet elegant set of robes, with a crown atop his head. From such a distance, it was difficult to make out many more details. To the king’s left was a smaller, though no less elaborate, throne which was reserved for the queen. To the right of the queen’s throne was another, less elaborate than the other two, in which a younger woman sat.
The woman’s raven black hair ran to her shoulders where it gave way to a black uniform, tunic, trousers and boots, akin to those of the Shadow Watch Guards. She wore no helmet, and as the group neared, her green eyes struck John as hiding a great intellect.
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