The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice

by Melissa Collins

  Neomi’s hands reached for him again. He gave no resistance, his motion forward already halted by the painful realization that he was no use to his friend. He’d promised Cadell and Aiva that he would watch over Callum and now he was faced with a situation where his friend needed his help and he was left to stand by helplessly while someone else did what he could not. Forlorn, he allowed Neomi to help him to a sitting position a few feet away. Moinie’s light dissipated, leaving the room in shadows while her energy shifted to her hand, resting firmly over Callum’s chest. Finding his clothes to be in the way, she began to unfasten the buttons on his doublet, reminding Edric of when Neomi had done the same to him after the Boeikath attack. She was trying to find a better contact point with Callum’s body. A meridian that would allow her energy to flow through him with more ease.

  In the back of his mind Edric didn’t want Moinie to be so close to him. It didn’t seem appropriate. But what could he do? He couldn’t offer to do the work for her. He lacked the ability to utilize his energy the way Moinie could. There was no choice other than to allow Moinie to remove Callum’s shirt and complete the procedure she intended. “What is she going to do?” he whispered, sinking against Neomi, grateful for the comfort of her embrace.

  “She must determine the source of the blood. It will require great concentration. You should maintain your distance and try to rest. We are not accustomed to the use of our energy in this way. It could take some time and you would be a distraction.”

  “What if she makes a mistake? It’s dangerous for her to meddle with him when she has no experience…”

  “It is no different from when I did the same to you, Edric. Have faith in her. She is not a fool.”

  There had been times in the past when Edric might have thought to argue with Neomi about Moinie’s intelligence. They had their share of disagreements along the way but this was not the time to question her. Moinie was Callum’s only hope at recovery. Edric had no choice but to swallow his pride and accept her help.

  Giving in, he clutched at his injured side, slumped in Neomi’s arms to relieve the strain on the muscles, wishing he could just close his eyes and awaken to find it to have been a dream. Some terrible nightmare. He couldn’t be so lucky. The frigid air was proof that he wasn’t asleep. The tortured groans of Callum from under Moinie’s glowing hands reminded him of exactly where he was and the predicament they were in. Their time in Ethrysta was so short and already they faced the possibility of defeat.

  No. They weren’t going to give up. They would find a way to get out of this prison and back to the surface where they could send for help. Callum wouldn’t want him to surrender so easily. With Callum and Gadiel injured, the men would rely on Edric more than ever to lead them. This was a test. One that he had no intention of failing.

  He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, minutes crawling by like hours in the darkness. Moinie had long since ceased her work on Callum, the light extinguished completely from around her lithe figure, leaving them without the slightest hint of illumination in the confines of the cave. Sleep came and went, Edric’s limbs exhausted from the abundance of adrenaline that had long since dissipated, no longer helping to conceal the pain that now stabbed viciously across his midsection. Neomi remained at his side, arms wrapped around him, her head tilted forward against his shoulder where she slept.

  The silence was eerie. Frightening. Edric’s mind raced over all the terrible things that could happen. He had no way of knowing whether Moinie’s attempts at tending Callum had been successful. There was no sign of motion anywhere in the cave. Were they all asleep? And Gadiel… he hadn’t made the slightest noise since their arrival to this place. It was hard to believe he would still be unconscious after all this time. Instinct told him to use his energy to illuminate the area and check on Gadiel’s condition. He was grateful that his mind was coherent enough to stop him from doing so.

  Escape seemed an easy task if they could get Moinie and Neomi rested enough to use their energy a little more. The rocks would be no match against their strength. Edric’s concern was in the fact that he’d seen Neomi’s weakness after the fall. The wounds she sustained hindered her abilities. Her body struggled over the most miniscule uses. They couldn’t count on her to be much help until she had time to recover. And Moinie… he wondered what had become of her. After her diligent efforts to stabilize Callum she had immediately fallen into a stupor, drained, overexerted. Similar to the way Neomi had been after the Boeikath attack when she transferred her energy into Edric. Regardless of the bountiful resources for Moinie’s body to rejuvenate itself, she’d pushed it beyond its limits. It would be some time before she was restored to full health.

  He was surprised by the clarity with which he was able to consider their situation. The initial fear and panic had subsided, his mind sober, weighing their options carefully. Threats beyond their physical condition now posed greater danger. Dehydration. Starvation if they weren’t able to get out of there soon. The Avaern attack was too sudden for them to have thought about grabbing supplies to provide food and water. They could use the snow until they were left with nothing but rocks and then they would have nothing. No one knew where they were. If anyone had survived the Avaern’s ambush they would likely assume them all to be dead. Thankfully he doubted the threat of starvation was very pressing. Moinie wouldn’t take long to recover her strength. Her energy alone would be beneficial in at least sending a signal to direct the survivors to their location.

  Voices from somewhere outside interrupted Edric’s thoughts, making him wonder if he was going mad. They sounded close. Almost too close for him to believe they were real. Sitting up in Neomi’s arms, he let his gaze linger in the direction of the sound. Again he heard them. Calling out names. A female shouted for Callum. Edric. She was looking for them. But how was he supposed to let her know where they were?

  “Edric, what is it?” Neomi whispered, awoken by his sudden stirring. Hands clutched tightly at his injured side Edric leaned forward, listening intently. It came again. Louder this time. The woman was getting closer.

  “Sahra,” he replied quietly, knees wobbling as he tried to get to his feet. Neomi was to him instantly, helping to steady his balance. “Do you hear her? Am I imagining things?”

  Neomi was quiet. The voice came again, clearer than before, erasing any doubt Edric had about the source. It was Sahra. She had somehow managed to survive. Without responding, Neomi’s hands slid away from Edric’s waist, moving through the darkness toward the sound of the voice. Had she heard it? His heart fluttered excitedly at the thought. He wasn’t crazy. Someone was coming for them.

  A brief flicker of light surrounded Neomi, allowing a momentary glimpse of the fallen rocks where the entrance to the cave had been. His vision distorted from the flash, Edric stumbled forward, following Neomi toward the rubble. “Grab the rocks,” she commanded, her tone authoritative yet soft. “If we can clear enough of them, they might be able to find us.”

  Reaching blindly into the dark he picked up the rocks, discarding them to the side, a pained grimace crossing his face from the strain he placed on his injuries. He wasn’t going to be much help. They weren’t going to be able to move them all on their own. “Sahra!” he called out, clearing his throat to repeat the name again. Over and over he shouted it, praying she would hear. It made sense that she would. Her voice carried well enough to them. He could only hope that she was attentive.

  Outside he could hear rocks starting to shift. Neomi’s hand grabbed onto the back of Edric’s doublet, pulling him toward her to take cover in the shadows. Edric was confused at first, unsure of why she would order him to move the rubble only to then force him to stop. He thought to say something when he suddenly became aware of a second voice accompanying Sahra’s from the other side, his heart sinking in his chest, recognizing it to be that of Ewei. Perfect. Ewei would use this against them. They would be in his debt for rescuing them and there was no telling what he would require of them in return. He
didn’t have much time to dwell on it. A loud rumble filled the cave as the rocks suddenly shot outward, a soft, cool, evening breeze wafting through the cavern as an opening revealed Ewei and Sahra standing before them.

  At the sight of Ewei, Neomi’s hands dropped quickly away from Edric, rising to her feet in a nervous motion. He didn’t question her reasons. Their situation was no excuse for them to be seen in each other’s arms. After all the time they spent arguing the innocence of their association, they couldn’t risk Ewei’s suspicions rising once again.

  “Edric!” Sahra exclaimed, rushing forward into the cave. She reached out for him where he sat on the ground, her hands running over his chest and arms, searching for injuries. He flinched at her touch, inhaling a shaky breath as he tried to convince himself to remain still. She was their savior. It was only polite to tolerate her overzealousness.

  “I never thought I would be so happy to see you,” he grumbled, sliding his palms up the wall of the cave to help guide himself to his feet. “You escaped the creature? Are you hurt?”

  Shaking her head Sahra stood up, glancing over her shoulder to where Ewei remained in the opening, the bright blue light from his eyes narrowed in an icy glare directed at Edric. Clearing her throat she averted her gaze, focusing her attention on Edric. “I’m fine. I heard the commotion and came looking for you and the Captain. Had it not been for Ewei, I would not be alive. He helped me find shelter until the beast was gone.”

  “How very noble of him,” Neomi rolled her eyes. “I am surprised he did not leave you there as bait.”

  “You speak harshly for a woman who has thus far failed to complete the duties required of her,” Ewei stated coolly. “The Avaern has a head-start by a few hours. I would have taken the task upon me to track it but you were quite insistent that I not do you any favors.”

  “That is because I know what you would request in exchange and I will not allow you to have that over me.”

  “Then I suggest you get the remaining men together and get moving. If you wait much longer the opportunity will pass and we will be left with nothing to report back to your brother. Or is that what you are hoping for?”

  “You think I trapped myself in this cave intentionally to avoid my duties? I am no coward –”

  “Yet you surround yourself with them. It will do you some good to have time away from these men.”

  All at once Edric’s concern from before returned. His progress toward convincing Neomi to stay behind was quickly unraveling before his eyes and he was powerless to stop it. Anything he said would spark further animosity with Ewei, but he couldn’t just let her go. “Neomi, I must urge you not to go. Your brother will understand your reasons for not taking chase after the beast once he hears of the ambush. There was no time to prepare…”

  “Stay out of this, Vor’shai,” Ewei snapped. “Your people may not take issue with blatant disregard of orders but ours do. It is not your place to involve yourself in our affairs.”

  “Ewei, that is enough.” In a show of defiance Neomi walked up to him, arms folded across her chest, eyes narrowed. “If my father knew the way you treat our allies, he would be appalled. Your position could be stripped while your name branded a disgrace to our people. Do not think for a minute that I can be convinced to keep the truth to myself. I will track the Avaern as ordered by my brother and the news of your behavior will be passed along immediately upon my arrival to Nahedu. Do you understand?”

  A sly smirk played at the corners of Ewei’s mouth. “I understand perfectly. You waste time, however. The Avaern is moving as we speak.”

  “I am not going anywhere until the Vor’shai men have been returned to the surface. If you are not willing to help then I will seek someone else who is more amenable.”

  “Help? Can they not make the climb on their own?”

  “The Captain and his commander are injured. They require assistance so they can reach their supplies and properly tend the rest of their wounds.”

  In an irritated huff Ewei stepped past Neomi into the cave, the soft light of his internal energy wrapping around his body to illuminate the darkness. Edric followed him with his eyes, taking in the area, cautious, unsure of what Ewei intended to do. Callum stood proudly near the center of the cavern, positioned in front of Gadiel’s unconscious form, as if protecting him from Ewei. Moinie was beside him, hands rested on her hips, glaring at Ewei with a hate-filled scowl.

  He paused near Callum, craning his neck to stare down at Gadiel. With a derisive snort he looked to Moinie in disapproval. “Leave that one. He is of no use to us.”

  “We are not leaving anyone.” Moinie showed no sign of intimidation. Edric couldn’t help being impressed by her ability to stand up to Ewei. For a man who thought himself so great and powerful, he held little sway over these women.

  “Then make the Vor’shai carry the invalid. We are not their slaves.”

  “The Prince cannot assist both the other men by himself.”

  Nose wrinkled in disdain Ewei looked Callum over, the edges of his lips twitching higher into a bemused smile. His eyes lingered over the limp arm hanging at Callum’s right side. “In my opinion we should leave them both. A leader with a broken arm is useless in battle.” Before Moinie had a chance to respond, Ewei’s hand reached toward Callum, gripping harshly over the bicep of his right arm. Pain registered instantly on Callum’s pale features. Edric couldn’t imagine the torture his friend suffered. Reflexively Callum burst into motion, his left hand grabbing Ewei’s wrist. A loud grunt sounded through the cavern as Callum sought a point of pressure, Ewei’s fingers instantly releasing their hold. Within seconds Callum had taken Ewei to the ground, pressed face-first into the cold rocks, his knee secured atop Ewei’s shoulder to restrain him, pulling upward on the arm at an awkward angle until Edric feared the bone might snap under the force.

  “The only one proving useless right now is you,” Callum hissed, jerking harder on the already precarious joint. “If you ever think to come near me in that way again, I will see your arm broken in so many places, no amount of setting would correct it. Are we clear?”

  A wash of pride came over Edric to see his friend take control of Ewei with such ease. Ewei deserved it. He’d done nothing but insult them since their arrival. Tossing about derogatory remarks to imply their presence to be a hindrance. Accusing them of weakness. It felt good to see him reduced to pathetic groans under Callum’s hand. Taken down by a man with the use of only one arm.

  Lying still against the ground Ewei’s jaw clenched, fighting his pride at the humiliation. “I will carry your fallen man. You can find your own way to the surface.”

  Satisfied with Ewei’s submission, Callum released his grip, inhaling a long, steady breath as he rose to his feet. “We will follow you, then.”

  Dusting himself off Ewei cast a quick glance in Neomi’s direction. The shift in his gaze was brief, almost slipping past Edric’s notice. There was a hint of anger in his eyes, though why it would be directed toward Neomi, Edric couldn’t understand. She’d done nothing wrong. The embarrassment he faced under Callum’s hand was brought on by his own foolishness. Not that Ewei would ever admit something like that. He was more likely to concoct an excuse for why this was someone else’s fault in order to spare his pride.

  No words were spoken amongst the group as they made their way out of the cave. Ewei and Moinie worked together to maneuver the weight of Gadiel’s unconscious form while Edric did his best to aid Callum up the side of the chasm. It was a longer climb than Edric remembered. Their pace was slow, impeded by the various injuries of those among them. The darkened sky did nothing to help the task. He was surprised to discover how long they’d been trapped inside the cave. When the Avaern attacked it was only morning. The entire afternoon had been spent in captivity behind the fallen rocks, drifting in and out of sleep, unsure of how they were going to reach the surface. Edric didn’t mind Sahra’s company, given the circumstances. His only wish was that she had found someone to bring al
ong other than Ewei.

  When they reached the surface Edric could think of nothing but getting to Neomi. He had to convince her to stay. She was so close to giving in. It wouldn’t take much to bring her back. Turning to find her, he felt his heart sink to see Sahra behind him, blocking his path. “Your Highness, you need to let me look at your wounds. I can tell by the way you carry yourself that you suffer.”

  “Not right now, Sahra. I have business to attend to –”

  “You won’t be much good to anyone if you are injured, regardless of business.”

  “If you insist on tending injuries, see to the Captain. He is in worse shape than myself and will need assistance with Gadiel. I will survive until they have been taken care of.”

  “Edric!” Callum’s voice cut through Edric’s thoughts. Ignoring Sahra’s continued pleas he spun around to face where the call had come from. His eyes opened wide to see Gadiel propped against Callum’s uninjured arm, awake, the features of his face contorted in agony. No longer interested in arguing with Sahra he walked away, hurrying toward his friend.

  Kneeling on the ground Edric let his hand extend toward Gadiel’s forehead, sliding his fingers along his head to make sure the cuts there hadn’t started bleeding again. Gadiel looked disoriented. Not that Edric could blame him. He’d taken quite a fall, from the looks of things. It would be a miracle if he even knew who he was in that moment. “When did he awaken?” Edric questioned, glancing to Callum with an inquisitive gaze.

  “With any luck… just now. I hate to think he suffered throughout the climb. When Ewei laid him down I noticed his eyes open. It’s possible he has been conscious for some time.”

  “Has he said anything?”

  “No.” Callum shook his head. “We need to get him out of the cold so we can examine his injuries in better light. I don’t know about you, but I’m almost frozen through. We can’t stand around outside much longer.”