* * * * *
Darien always felt more relaxed after a powerful speech. He hated that he had to lie to his people about some things, but he couldn't let them know his true plans.
He could handle that sacrifice.
Taren had accompanied him to his chambers in the Golden Palace. Darien knew Taren well enough now that he didn't feel the need to entertain him in the throne room. Instead, Taren sat in a soft armchair, relaxed in his emperor's presence. A true rarity.
Darien sat upon another armchair, sipping at a cup of warm tea. "What are your impressions of Nadia, Markus, and Rik?"
Taren hesitated a moment. "They seem capable. Are you sure it's wise to let them proceed with their plans to kill you? I can't claim to understand your plans, but there must be another way."
"There is no other way. The Webs of Fate are very clear on that, even if they aren't clear on many things. I must allow them to continue in their efforts. For now."
If only he didn't have to help them along so much. Rik had come far too close to dying, forcing Darien to intervene more directly than he would have liked. He had procured the Miracle Fruit for Taren weeks ago and instructed him to give it to Rik if the time came.
"Why did you allow them to disrespect you?" Taren asked.
"Because I understand how they must feel about me. I don't like what I have to do, and I'd love to reveal my true plans to everyone, but I can't change what the Webs demand. I've taken so much from them. I can handle a little disrespect in turn."
"But don't you think they might suspect something?"
"Perhaps," Darien said, and took a quiet sip of his tea. "However, I think Nadia's drive for vengeance will overpower her logical side. Even if she believes she'll fail, she'll still try."
Taren sipped at his own tea. "And you're prepared for that day?"
"I've been prepared for a long time."
Chapter 39
Berig felt numb as he followed the rest of the group around the edges of the black lake. Again and again, he looked at those waters, expecting the tentacle to reappear, praying that Graig would emerge.
Neither happened.
Berig walked in a daze. No one spoke. The weight of Graig's loss hung over them as thickly as the swamp's mist. Sweat drenched Berig's face and clothes, but he didn't care.
Once they walked a fair distance from the lake, they stopped to rest and recover. Berig collapsed against the soft ground, leaning back among tree roots and thick vines. He couldn't meet anyone's eyes, couldn't think about anything but Graig. How could such a good person come to such a sudden and terrible demise?
"It's not your fault," Danica said, settling down beside him.
Berig fought against tears. "Yes, it is! Everything's my fault. I don't know how, but it's like bad luck follows me around. My parents, dead. My brother, dead. Crayden, destroyed as soon as I got there. Graig, dead because of me, because I got hurt last night."
Ander approached. "We would've taken this route anyway. It appeared safer."
Berig glared through his tears. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"It's true," Aric said. "Why would we risk falling into the black water?"
Berig wanted to argue, but he understood the logic. Still, it was easier to blame himself. Maybe he should turn back, go through life on his own. Less people to hurt that way. It would have been better if he'd died in Crayden.
"We would've been with everyone else if I hadn't been hurt," he said.
"Don't think like that," Talia said, slumped against a skeletal tree a few feet away. She wiped a tear from her cheek. "Don't blame yourself. We all knew what might happen when we got involved in this. I'm upset enough as it is. I don't need you adding to it."
Berig choked back tears. He'd been so wrapped up in his own misery that he hadn't considered Talia. Seeing the strong woman in tears seemed strange, but anyone could fall apart after a loss like this.
She'd probably recover before Berig. That was the sad part.
"We can't just sit around here," Ander said. "Moving toward our goal will distract us from the loss." He turned to Talia, softening his tone. "Will you be able to keep going?"
She rose and wiped away another tear. "We can give Graig a proper funeral later."
"Good," Ander said. "Let's get moving." He, Aric, and Captain Davis led the way. As usual, the captain remained silent while Ander and Aric shared quiet conversation. Danica invited Berig to walk with her and Talia. Once more, Farah traveled apart from the rest of the group.
Distant growls sounded, and unseen creatures lurked somewhere off their path. Maybe the swamp's creatures feared the large party and attacked only when someone was alone.
When it became so dark they could no longer see the black pools of water, they settled down for the night. The mist had thickened again, reducing visibility to little more than twenty feet as they huddled close around the campfire, waiting for their meal to cook. Even Farah sat closer than usual, but she didn't make eye contact with anyone.
"I know it's been a rough day," Ander said, "but we should be close to the plateau."
"I sure hope so," Berig said. "I'm sick of this damn place."
Aric forced a smile. "I think we all are. But we need to remember that Graig wouldn't want us to feel so miserable."
Talia leaned closer to the fire. "You're right. Graig could always look at things in a positive light, and no matter how we might feel, he's in a better place right now, with God."
Berig frowned, looking into the fire. If only he could believe that. How could God let people like Graig die so senselessly? How could He allow thousands to die in Crayden?
"I should've been there to protect him," Captain Davis said. "Yet another on my long list of failures. What kind of protector am I?"
Danica scooted closer to the captain. "You couldn't have known. You and Berig are a lot alike. You keep blaming yourselves for things that are out of your control."
"No," Captain Davis said. "There's a big difference. Berig lacks the skills to protect people. I don't. I'm just a coward, a worthless coward."
"No, you're not," Aric said. "You're a brave man, a protector."
The captain barked a laugh. "A brave man? Really? When Imperial Guards raided the Order meeting, what did I do? I ran away with everyone else. Lady Nadia nearly died. Varek and Len, two good men, guards much braver than me, died protecting her. I was too busy worrying about my own life, failing in my duties as a protector."
"You couldn't have known that was going to happen," Aric said. "We all left that meeting. We're all to blame for what happened."
"You never took an oath to protect the people," the captain said.
Ander turned to him. "We all did. That's part of the Order."
"It's different for me. When I became a guard, protecting the people became my purpose in life. I thought I was good at it, thought I would always do the right thing. I was wrong."
He looked down at the ground, shaking his head in disgust.
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," Ander said.
The captain gave another sharp laugh. "Oh, that's not even the worst of it. No, that happened when Crayden burned. I fought for a while. I tried to protect the people. But when you came to me with news of a way out, I didn't even stop to think about anyone else. All I cared about was saving my own life. Some hero I am, some protector."
"We all did the same," Aric said. "We all feel bad about it. But you can't let it consume you. Use these feelings to rededicate yourself to the Order. You can still do a lot of good."
Farah scooted closer to them. "He's right. We all have things we aren't proud of. Look at me. I was like any other noble. I supported Warrick. How do you think I feel about that?"
They all turned to her. Was she finally going to open up, reveal her true allegiances?
"She makes a good point," Aric said. "We can't dwell on the past. We can't change it. We can only act in the present and prepare for the future."
The captain stared
at the ground. "The past says a lot about you."
"No, it doesn't," Aric said. "It only tells you who you were, not who you are, and definitely not who you will be. People can change. Give yourself a break."
"Well, I don't agree," Captain Davis said. "But I'll try. It's just so damn hard."
Berig thought over these arguments. Maybe he was capable of changing too. But was it possible to change a lifetime of thought patterns? At least Berig understood the source of the captain's bitter mood. The man had every right to feel the way he did. A failure. Worthless.
Like Berig.
Something rustled in the stunted bushes nearby.
"What was that?" Danica whispered, firelight dancing across her face. Ander, Aric, Talia, and Captain Davis sprang to their feet, readying their swords and staring into the mist as the rustling grew louder.
Berig pulled his knife from his belt. He felt foolish holding a weapon, and it reminded him of the man he'd killed in Riverside.
He crept closer, peering through the thick mist. At last, something huge emerged from the nearby vegetation. It looked at least fifteen feet long, standing on four relatively short legs and hissing loudly as it approached.
"What the hell is that?" Berig said, pulse pounding.
Aric's voice sounded tight. "Giant lizard, I think."
Berig didn't know what the hell a lizard was. A snake with legs?
It lunged at Aric and Ander, knocking them flying. They hit the ground hard, grunted, and scrambled to their feet—but too slowly.
Captain Davis and Talia approached the lizard from the sides, slashing at its tough, scaly skin. They didn't do much damage, but they did make it pounce on them instead, hissing loudly. Talia rolled to the side, but the lizard crashed atop the captain.
Berig's heart pounded in his ears as he stood there frozen, watching the scene with horror. What good could he do against a beast so large?
The lizard took Captain Davis in its giant mouth and crunched down, but then it dropped him, recoiling with a violent hiss. It must have found the captain's chainmail impossible to chew through. Captain Davis scrambled to his feet, then staggered toward the twisted trees at the side of the clearing, pursued by the lizard. The other three started hacking at it again, but couldn't pierce its thick skin.
"I have an idea," Aric said as Talia and Ander continued slashing at the beast.
Aric swung around in front of the creature just as it approached the captain, who lay on the ground, groaning.
The lizard hissed, its giant yellow eyes locking on Aric, who held his sword with grim determination. The lizard lunged, and Aric kept his feet firmly planted in the soft ground.
As the lizard closed its mouth around Aric, he drove his sword upward with tremendous force. A fang sank into his arm, and he screamed, but the lizard let out a shriek far more terrible. It staggered sideways as Aric retracted the sword and hit the ground limply. Soon the lizard fell still.
Berig took tentative steps toward it. "Is that thing dead?"
Ander approached cautiously, then touched it with his sword. "Looks like it."
"What about Aric and the captain?" Berig asked, stomach twisting into knots.
Ander knelt beside Aric, who lay on the ground, blood drenching his right arm. Aric looked up, his face pale in the distant firelight. "Did I kill it?" he asked weakly.
"Yes, you did." Ander squatted low to examine Aric. "Are you going to live?"
"I don't know. I can feel its poison running through me. I'm not hopeful."
Ander turned to Berig. "Get Farah. She might be able to help."
Berig rushed back to the campsite, where Farah and Danica stood by the fire, looking pale and shaken. Danica glanced at Berig. "Did you kill it?"
"Yeah, but we're gonna need some help. Aric's hurt badly."
Farah shot to her feet. "I'm coming. How bad is he?"
"He thinks he's gonna die."
"I might still be able to save him," Farah said.
They rushed back to the edge of the clearing, where Aric had grown paler. More blood now soaked his clothes and the ground. Farah didn't flinch at the sight. She squatted beside him and touched his arm. "Did it get you anywhere else?"
"I-I don't think so."
Farah and Ander got Aric out of his shirt, and then Farah placed her hand against the gaping hole in Aric's flesh. The wound seemed to sizzle, and blood covered Farah's hands. Danica stood beside Berig, ready with bandages, and Berig felt queasy. How could anyone stand to be a doctor or healer?
After a few moments, Farah stood up. "I've done as much as I can."
The skin had healed over the injury, but a lot of blood remained. Aric sat up and examined his wound with a deep frown. "The poison's still in me."
Ander stepped closer, his face pale. "Do you think you'll live?"
"I can't be sure. We'll know with time, I suppose."
"Has anyone checked on the captain?" Berig asked, peering into the trees where the man had disappeared. The others shook their heads as Aric got to his feet. He walked with them toward where they'd left Captain Davis. The captain was sitting up against a tree.
"Are you okay?" Ander asked.
Captain Davis winced. "Some broken ribs, I think."
"It didn't bite you, then?" Aric said, wavering on his legs.
"No, it didn't get through my chainmail. I got the broken ribs when it landed on me."
Ander turned to Farah. "Can you heal his ribs?"
"I don't know. I've never dealt with broken bones before."
"They're not too badly broken," the captain said. "Probably just cracked."
Farah bent low over him, placing her hands against his chest. She closed her eyes and adopted a look of deep concentration. When she pulled away, she shook her head. "I might have managed a little healing, but I just can't work with this kind of injury."
"You tried," Aric said. "That's what counts."
Ander looked grim. "Let's get back to the campsite."
They had to move slowly, supporting Aric and the captain, neither of whom could walk unaided. When they reached the campsite, they settled down beside the fire.
"Let's pray that no more of those things show up," Danica said without her usual optimism.
They did pray, though Berig didn't think it would do any good. Why would God punish His faithful like this? Religion had never made sense to Berig, but he still prayed, figuring it couldn't hurt anything.
They started walking as soon as the sun rose the next morning. By Ander's estimation, they'd arrive at the Red Plateau today.
Throughout the day, they took frequent breaks so that Aric and Captain Davis could rest. The captain rarely complained about his ribs. He kept pace with the group, wincing occasionally but showing no other signs of his injuries. Aric, however, had to stop frequently. The poison burned in his veins, and every once in a while, he became suddenly weak. At times, his thoughts seemed scattered, his attention elsewhere.
Shortly after midday, their path widened, and the mist disappeared. Beyond a few rows of gnarled, skeletal trees stood a wall of brilliant red rock probably a thousand feet tall.
"I see why this place got its name," Berig said.
"We need to find the path through the plateau," Ander said. "Our compasses should have kept us close to where we need to be."
After a few hours, they found the passage, and Berig felt no sadness over leaving the swamp behind.
Chapter 40
Early the morning following Warrick's speech, after checking that they had everything, Nadia led the others out of the inn. The previous day, they'd spoken to Miles, and he'd offered them a ride across the river on his boat.
With sacks of supplies slung over their shoulders, they walked to the docks, where Miles waited, squinting up at them from his boat. They clambered into the boat and found barely enough room for their supplies.
"You sure you want to go through with this?" Miles asked.
"We know the dangers," Nadia said.
"W
ell, you're not the first people I've ferried across."
Nadia gave him a curious look. "You mean others have actually tried?"
"Well, the Plain of Storms isn't as dangerous as the legends make it out to be. Yeah, you'll probably see some tornadoes, maybe some monsters, but there are people who live on the plains. Not many, but you might run into them. A bit strange if you ask me."
"I didn't know that," Nadia said, trying to find a comfortable position.
"Well, most people have no reason to go to the plains. Some crazy people do, people like you, I guess. A few even return."
"No point in waiting around," Markus said, and they began rowing across the river.
After a while, Miles cleared his throat. "You still haven't told me why you're doing this."
"I'm afraid that will have to stay our secret," Nadia said.
"Okay, I understand. You can't trust anyone too much."
"This is kind of exciting, you know," Rik said with a grin. "I mean, isn't this the stuff they make stories out of—crossing places like the Plain of Storms?"
"I'm glad to see you're back to your usual self," Markus said.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said getting stabbed and all didn't bother me, but I got through it. I can't let things like that linger."
Nadia had the feeling Rik was masking his true feelings. She could see doubt in his eyes. How long before his newfound excitement faded?
By the time they reached the other side of the river, Nadia's arms ached. Rowing did not use the same muscles as swordplay. Markus and Rik also massaged their arms.
Miles shook hands with them. "Well, I wish you luck, whatever you're doing."
As he got into his boat and rowed away, Nadia felt sad to see him go. He'd been kind to them twice now, expecting nothing in return. She normally saw that type of kindness only in Order members.
Nadia's stomach churned as she thought about the next part of their journey. Up until now, her quest had seemed distant, something she could touch only in her mind.
She turned to Markus. "You know, you could have turned back. Warrick told you himself. He no longer expects you to serve him. You're free."
Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1) Page 32