"You all right?" Rik asked.
Markus's chest felt tight. "Don't go down there! Please, don't."
Rik gazed into the dark opening, then back at Markus. "All right, if it bothers you so much, we'll go check out some other part of the city."
Thank God, Markus thought as Rik helped him to his feet. They navigated the rocky ruins of the house, reaching the front door. When they stepped outside, the air felt cold, but not as cold as by those stairs.
"Can we leave now?" Markus asked. "Please."
"I want to see what else there is. After all, it's the middle of the day. Ghosts are supposed to like the dark, right?"
"Yeah, maybe," Markus said. "Maybe that's why I felt so bad near those stairs."
"I guess you really are feeling something," Rik said.
As they picked their way through dense vegetation, the cold dissipated and Markus relaxed. The city's buildings stood a few feet apart from one another. Most had collapsed over time. Houses? Shops? It was impossible to tell.
The strange darkness lingered over the city, making the sun a dim shadow of itself.
"Are you sure it doesn't seem dark at all?" Markus asked.
"No, it's a bright afternoon."
Markus shook his head as they traveled toward the center of the city. He'd never heard of anything like this darkness that only one person could see. Was it tied to magic in some way? Markus had always thought only Warrick possessed magic, but maybe that wasn't true.
Markus tried to ignore the deepening cold, but his instincts told him to run. "I don't like the way this area feels. Let's turn back."
"Just a little farther. If it gets really bad, we'll turn around. I promise."
And what if it's too late? Markus thought as the vegetation became thicker, vines and gnarled trees growing over everything, looking as though they might strangle Markus.
Eventually, the path cleared, revealing a pyramidal temple at least twenty stories tall. The source of the city's evil? Rik hastened his pace. "Let's investigate."
"I really don't like that temple," Markus said, but he followed.
"Like I said, if it gets bad, we can turn around. No harm done, right?"
Markus glared at the back of Rik's head again. Why couldn't Rik overcome his desire for adventure and see some sense?
Twigs crunched beneath their feet as they came within a city block of the temple, walking beneath a sky as dark as night. Markus could see his breath, and the hair on his arms stood on end. He stopped, but Rik continued approaching the temple, across an area suspiciously clear of tangled vegetation, where the dirt path had turned to the rocky remnants of a street.
Markus stepped closer, and it felt as though an icy hand had gripped his heart. Out of the corners of his eyes, he thought he saw movement. Were the shadows playing tricks on him?
His legs felt weak, but he willed them not to collapse as he followed Rik, hanging a few feet back. The only thing more terrifying than what lay ahead was the thought of leaving Rik to suffer it alone. Friends had to stick together, even if one of them was an idiot.
The closer Markus walked, the more frigid the air became, as though someone had doused him in icy water.
Rik reached the large, unblocked door to the temple.
"Don't go in there!" Markus shouted in a high-pitched voice.
Suddenly pale, Rik looked at the door, then back at Markus. Something was coming closer, a smothering presence. Cold and heavy, it twisted Markus's insides into knots.
"Let's go now!" he shouted, trying to keep his legs steady.
"Just a little longer. Then we can go."
"No, we're going now. You promised."
"All right, I did promise." Rik gazed at the pyramid, then walked calmly to Markus's side. Where was the urgency? Something was chasing them—a real and deadly threat.
Markus took off at a run. "We need to move faster!"
"No need to rush."
Markus kept his pace, and Rik worked to keep up. When they reached an area of thicker vegetation, Markus looked back, and wished he hadn't. A shadowy creature the size of a person was gliding toward them.
It had no arms and no legs, and it was the deepest black Markus had ever seen.
Where a face should have been, it had only deep red eyes. It hovered closer like a black curtain, moving with alarming speed.
Rik had frozen. "Oh my God! What the hell is that?"
"I told you we shouldn't have come here."
They ran as quickly as the uneven terrain and dense vegetation would allow. Behind them, the wraith slid through obstacles as though nothing were there.
Markus ducked tree branches, leapt over large roots, pushed through thick vines. Branches scratched at his face. With every step, he felt like he might fall and twist an ankle. His heart pounded in his ears, and his breath came out in sharp gasps. It felt like they'd been running for hours.
Behind them, the wraith grew closer. The sky was so dark they could barely navigate the overgrown path.
Rik was panting. "You know that darkness you told me about? Well, I can see it now. I'm sorry I—"
"It doesn't matter."
Dark shapes materialized off to the side. The city was coming to life.
Only a few crumbling buildings were left, then the hill at the edge of the city, but Markus had no idea where Emperor Warrick's magical barrier began, or if it functioned anymore.
More than once, he stumbled over tree roots, and Rik helped him to his feet.
At last, they reached the edge of the city, but the wraith loomed two buildings way, gaining on them. They climbed the hill, bent over at times, using their hands to guide them. Twigs and rocks shifted at their touch.
The air had turned colder than ever. Even Rik's breath was visible, and his face looked paler than Markus had ever seen it.
At the top of the hill, the cold vanished, and the curtain of darkness lifted. Exhausted, Markus and Rik collapsed beside the supplies they'd left there.
Time to put their trust in Warrick's barrier.
Markus didn't want to watch as the wraith glided through the air, a shimmering black curtain. About five trees away, it stopped, staring at them with gleaming red eyes.
"The barrier works," Markus said, short on breath.
"Thank God."
Or perhaps Warrick, Markus added silently. He had no reason to love the emperor, but it appeared he was protecting them from this place.
Despite his exhaustion, Markus got to his feet. "Let's get out of here. I don't want to stare at that thing any longer than we have to."
* * * * *
Darien Warrick leaned back in his chair, exhaling with relief. He'd been paying special attention to the Webs of Fate, knowing that Markus and Rik would face danger. He hadn't realized beforehand how close they would come to death. Too close.
He needed them alive, Markus especially.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," Darien said.
His steward, a young man with curly brown hair and a matching beard, strode into the room. Darien didn't like to be disturbed while he was reading the Webs, but he did have an empire to run, so he brushed aside his anger. No need to terrify his steward.
Darien kept his voice calm. "What is it?"
"High Lord Taylor is here to speak with you. He's concerned about security. The Prison City is growing unruly, and some of the prisoners are trying to break through the wall again. He thinks the wall needs some reinforcement."
"Tell him I'll accompany him to Taylorville in a few minutes."
His steward bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
As the young man strode out of the room, Darien closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. Trying to manipulate the future was hard enough. Trying to do so while running an empire was nearly impossible. But he didn't want the people to think he didn't care.
Because he did care. He cared more than they could ever realize.
And how did they thank him? Constant resistance. Distrust. Hatred. He
detested the fact that he had to create an entire city as a prison for some of his subjects, but these people were threats to the peace he'd maintained, a peace the rest of the world didn't know.
If only his people understood what he was protecting them from.
Chapter 6
Berig sat at the edge of his bed in Liam's inn, going over Gram's plan. As an Imperial Guard, Gram could access the teleportation chamber in Bradenton's Imperial Guard garrison. Tonight, he'd help Berig into that chamber, and Berig would teleport to Riverside, far on the other side of the Empire. Since the monster attacked Bradenton every night, Gram was the only Imperial Guard patrolling the garrison.
Berig stowed his meager belongings in a small leather sack, then walked to the door of his room and looked back at the home he'd never see again. He hadn't been happy in Bradenton, but it was familiar, comforting in a way.
He'd never again see Gram, or Liam, or Captain Young. He'd never walk the cobblestone streets, never steal fresh bread from the market. Could he start all over?
He walked down the stairs and to the door.
The ground vibrated faintly while the monster tromped through the city. As long as it didn't see anyone, it never destroyed anything. Some said Warrick had created the monster only to terrorize them, and that made as much sense as anything.
Just don't let it see Gram, Berig thought, pacing. Two minutes to go, two long minutes. He pressed his eye to the door's peephole. Gram appeared in his vision right on time, and Berig opened the door before he could second-guess himself. Gram motioned him outside.
With trembling legs, Berig eased the door closed. The monster roared well on the other side of the city, so loud Berig's ears were ringing
"Let's go," Gram whispered.
Berig trailed behind Gram, glancing in every direction as moonlight guided them through the dark and silent city. They walked through the business district, keeping close to buildings. Gram paused at alleys and checked that the monster wasn't looking at them. It couldn't see everything, but Berig still worried.
"Sounds like it's kinda close to the garrison," Berig whispered, tugging at Gram's arm.
"I know. It was difficult getting past it."
The farther they walked, the closer they grew to the monster, and the more the ground trembled. The monster had to stand close to forty feet high, taller than most of the buildings. With its enormous mouth, it could swallow a man whole.
How had Gram convinced Berig to do this?
Desperation, that's how.
The Imperial Guard garrison stood directly opposite the business district, on the city's north side. Right where the monster was.
In the darkness, the monster was an enormous shadow. Its legs had to measure as large around as the oldest trees in the forest to the south.
Berig and Gram passed through the city's poorest district, and Berig realized he was sentencing himself to spending the rest of his life in a place like that. He would leave with only the bare necessities and a few silver coins. He wouldn't have any friends where he was going.
Maybe it would be better if the monster ate him.
The ground quaked, and Berig felt defenseless even with Gram at his side.
When they reached the north side of town, standing closer to the monster than ever, they stopped behind a house and waited. The monster stood right in their path. Even if they escaped it, it would make a lot of noise and wake the other Imperial Guards.
They waited and waited. Minutes passed, feeling like hours.
Thud. The monster stepped closer. Thud. It stood directly on the other side of the house. Berig leaned closer to the wall. Even Gram looked pale in the moonlight. They did not move, did not make a sound.
Thud. Louder than ever. Thud. Berig's insides turned to water. Thud. If it looked down, it would see them. Berig prayed, though he didn't believe in God. He closed his eyes, listening as the thuds grew softer, more distant.
After a few minutes, Gram nudged him in the shoulder. "Let's go, Berig."
Berig's legs felt like lead.
"Move, Berig. There's no telling when it'll come back this way."
But Berig couldn't move. He could barely think.
"Don't freeze up on me. We're almost there."
Gram tugged hard at Berig's arm. Berig lost his balance, then managed to collect his wits. Fear had always been his downfall as a thief.
Just another way he was worthless.
Don't need those thoughts right now, he told himself, following Gram and staying as silent as possible. With each careful step, Berig felt like giving up. The monster would catch them no matter what they did.
At last, they rounded a large house, and the garrison came into view. Built of stone, it had the look of a small fortress.
Between them and the garrison was a large street where they'd be exposed no matter how fast they moved. Berig looked over his shoulder. Now the monster loomed more toward the western side of the city, but it still might see them.
"Come on," Gram whispered. "You can do this, Berig."
They crossed the wide street, their steps muffled by the dirt. The monster was looking the other way. For now.
Thud. Berig had to turn again. The monster had swiveled its gaze in their direction. Had it heard them? Did it see them now? Thud. It stepped closer. Thud. Would it roar and wake the Imperial Guards?
"Faster," Gram whispered, tugging at Berig's arm.
Berig hastened his pace with less than twenty feet to the garrison. The building's wooden front door looked so far away, though, like something from a nightmare. The closer they got, the more it seemed to grow distant. He wanted to close his eyes.
They were feet from the door when the monster let out a bone-rattling roar. Berig covered his ears with his hands. The monster's vibrations grew stronger, closer. But Berig and Gram had reached the door. Gram pulled it open, shoved Berig through, then closed it behind them.
They stood in a long corridor of gray stone lined with wooden doors. Widely spaced torches cast flickering light against the walls.
A rustle of movement came from a nearby room. Gram opened the door to their left, shoved Berig through, then closed it softly. Heart pounding, Berig stood frozen in the dark common room.
Voices sounded in the corridor.
"What's going on out there? The monster sounds excited."
"Don't know," Gram said. "Looked outside to check, but it was too close. If someone's out there, I feel kinda sorry for them."
The other man chuckled. "Yeah, maybe a little bit. But anyone who's stupid enough to go outside at night is getting what they deserve."
"Very true. Hopefully the monster just thought it saw something."
"As long as it doesn't damage the garrison—"
Gram laughed. "No worries. I've got everything under control. Why don't you get back to bed? You've got a morning patrol."
"Good idea."
The man's footsteps faded into the distance, and a door closed. Berig waited until Gram opened the door and motioned for him to follow. They crept down the corridor, Gram's boots clunking against the stone floor. Berig remained silent, fighting his urge to sprint to the teleportation chamber.
At last, they stopped. A sign hung on the door, but Berig had never learned to read. He'd always lacked the patience, however much Liam tried to teach him.
Gram touched his hand to the door, which glowed blue before he pushed through it, Berig following. In the center of the large chamber, wide stone steps led up to a circular platform. Gram motioned for Berig to step onto this platform, and Berig ascended on trembling legs.
Once he stood at the center of the platform, he looked down at Gram, who hovered halfway up the steps.
"Well, this is it," Gram said. "You simply raise your right hand into the air and say, 'Riverside, outside Taren's inn.'"
"That don't seem very magical."
"Don't ask me how the magic works. Only the emperor knows that."
Berig's eyes filled with tears. "Well, this i
s goodbye, I guess."
"Goodbye, Berig. I'll miss you."
Berig took a deep breath and raised his right hand into the air. "Riverside, outside Taren's inn."
The world dissolved around him. His surroundings swirled, then vanished into darkness. His feet lifted from the ground. He spun like a tornado, feeling as if he'd throw up, but then the sensation stopped, and he stood on solid ground, legs wavering.
He opened his eyes. Around him were many wooden buildings lining undamaged cobblestone streets. The closest wooden sign indicated an inn; Berig knew that much. By all appearances, he'd gone where he'd intended.
Riverside. Where Berig would start his new life, his better life.
Chapter 7
Nadia's arrows all hit the targets dead center. After four years of archery training, it felt as natural as breathing. It also helped her clear her mind, allowed her to relax, and she needed that right now. She tensed with anger whenever she thought of the Order meeting.
Four years she'd lived with the image of her mother dying, and it never got better.
"Nice shot, Nadia," Len said from behind her.
She turned. "How long have you been watching?"
"Five minutes, maybe ten." He smiled. "Bet you can't shoot straight when you know I'm watching."
"Of course I can," she said. She never turned down a challenge. She'd grown up around the castle guards, most of whom were men, and she'd always tried to outperform them.
Len smiled again—that annoying, mocking smile of his. Avoiding his gaze, she put another arrow on the bowstring. Her arrow tailed to the left this time, hitting the target but missing the center.
Another smile. "Just like I said. You get nervous when you know someone's watching. What's going to happen if you're ever in a real battle?"
"I can shoot perfectly straight when Varek's watching. You're the only one who gives me problems. You and your stupid smile."
"What smile?" he said, smiling again.
"You. Are. So. Infuriating." She gave him a soft whack on the shoulder.
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