by Jade Mere
“But why open the Dim?”
“Why do humans do anything? For power. They are searching for the immortals to unlock their secrets. The Dim appears in many cultures, though it’s not called the same thing. Many believe it’s an afterlife and that the gods are beings of infinite power. Emperors, queens, bishops, they all seek larger armies, deadlier guns, heavier bags of gold. But no family has gone to such length to obtain power as the Királyes have. They are willing to tear the world apart for it.”
Tahki swallowed again and again. His throat felt dry and hot. He tried to absorb her words, tried to sort out the lies from the truth.
Nii continued. “The Királyes have pushed for technological advancement in order to find a way to keep the pathway open. They claim they want the world to evolve. Every time a new power source emerges, they use it to try and open the Dim. They capture a mystic and try to keep the path open. I was taken from my home. From my bed by a Királye lackey. They brought me here, bound me, bled me, and forced the pathway to open through me. It was so violating I welcomed death when the pathway collapsed. At least I drove one of them insane.” She spat.
Tahki’s head spun. “Dyraien would never do that. He’s… he’s intelligent. He’s logical. He would never believe in something like this. He’s not like his mother or grandmother or great-grandmother. He’s different.”
Nii’s mouth curved into a cruel smile. “Yes, he is different. But not for the reasons you think.”
Tahki felt cold.
“Ten years ago,” Nii said, “Dyraien’s mother opened the Dim. Dyraien was with her when it happened. She entered and the pathway collapsed. Her body returned to this world just like her predecessors. But this time was different. This time, something was taken from the Dim. The queen stole a piece of the Dim before the path fell. Something the gods want returned to them, because they fear what is to come. Tahki, are you listening?”
Tahki held his breath.
“This is why I am here, Tahki. This is why the gods allowed me to return. For the first time since this world was born, the gods are fearful. Fearful of Dyraien, for he is the first living human to lay eyes on the Dim and keep his sanity. He has witnessed the power the Dim holds, he has discovered its secrets, and he will find a way to bring back that power and use it for his own conquest.”
Tahki shook his head. “I’ve never heard Dyraien mention the Dim.” Nii had him all wrong. And yet, Dyraien had looked so obsessive when he saw Tahki’s design.
Nii raised an eye brow. “Tahki, what purpose did you think this castle, built over a sacred river in the middle of nowhere, would have? Dyraien wants a weapon. A weapon that will be used to keep the pathway open long enough for him to get what he wants.”
“It can’t be.”
The eels pecked at Nii’s side. A high-pitched screech filled the room.
“Tahki,” the eels screamed. “You must destroy the castle.”
He grabbed his ears.
“Listen to my words,” Nii said. “Ten years ago, the monks uncovered the Királyes’ plot. Dyraien closed the borders and silenced all who knew the truth.”
Tahki forced himself to look at her.
Her eyes swelled with rage. “Dyraien will find a mystic and use this castle to open the Dim. He will destroy both worlds. The Dim must not be opened! You must destroy this castle!”
“I can’t!” Tahki yelled.
The eels simmered, and a hush fell over them.
“The castle means everything to me,” Tahki said. “You tormented me. Tried to drown me. What if you’re just some evil spirit? How do I even know you’re my great-grandmother?”
“Because you feel my words are true,” Nii said. “Deep inside, you know something is wrong with this castle. The gods have brought you here for a reason.”
“My skills as an architect brought me here.” He stood a little straighter. “If you want the castle destroyed, why not just take the cat’s body and do it yourself?”
“I can’t do it alone, Tahki. The cat’s body is vulnerable, and illusions only work for so long. It takes a great deal of energy to possess something. If the cat is destroyed, my spirit won’t be strong enough to take another. And even if I did manage to kill Dyraien, there are others who know of his plan. So long as this castle stands, there is always a risk. More innocent people will be killed in the Királye conquest.”
“But I’ve worked so hard,” Tahki pleaded. “I finally proved myself.”
Nii looked suddenly tired. “I know you will do the right thing. I know you will become the man your mother says you are.”
Every inch of Tahki’s skin crawled. It only struck him now to ask the obvious question. “If you really are a spirit, and you have a connection to the Dim, then I want to see my mother.”
Nii looked down into the water. “It does not work like that.”
“Why not?” Tahki said. “Why are you here and not her?”
“Because the gods wish it so.”
“The gods.” Tahki laughed. “If they’re all-powerful, why not have them destroy the castle?”
At this, Nii hesitated. “The gods are not what you think. They need your help.”
“They took my mother from me. They burned her alive.”
Nii’s body appeared shorter. She sunk slowly into the pool. “Tahki.” Her voice sounded weak. “I know you are hurt and confused, but you must do what is right. You must push aside your doubt and find the courage to save your people, to honor your fallen ancestors. It is up to you now.” A faint black mist evaporated off her body. Tahki tried to ask more questions, but she fell into the pool with an unceremonious splash. The eels slithered beneath the surface. The water rippled for a minute and then stilled.
Only Tahki’s shallow breath filled the room. He approached the pool and stared into the black waters. Nii’s words bounced across his mind, but one sentence stood out: You must destroy the castle.
A grunting noise drew his eyes to the body of the black cat. Her paws twitched, then her whiskers, and then her tail swung outward, catching him in the gut, knocking him over. She rose, stretched, and yawned as though waking from a nap.
Tahki stood. “Nii?”
The black cat looked at him.
“Can you understand me?”
The cat didn’t move.
“Blink once if you can understand.”
The cat didn’t blink.
Tahki buried his face in his hands. “Gods, this isn’t happening. This can’t be happening.” They lived in such an advanced world. A world where science and logic outranked religion for the first time in decades. And now he was forced to think about gods and spirits and other worlds. He knew he needed to do something but wasn’t sure what that something was. He couldn’t destroy the castle, but he couldn’t ignore what Nii told him, either. He’d have to find the piece of the Dim Queen Genevi supposedly brought back.
A creaking noise drew his attention. The cat rolled her head on the ground near the black gate, twisting and turning in the dirt.
“What are you doing?”
The cat ignored him. Tahki saw a small brass lever, something he’d missed before, click forward, and the gates opened an inch. Tahki ran to them. He set his hands on the sturdy wood and heaved. The gate gave way just enough for him to fit his body through. He fetched Rye’s clothing and squeezed out. The cat wiggled through as well. He found the stairs and started up. The cat followed.
Tahki halted. “They can’t see you. You’ll send everyone in a frenzy.”
The cat swished her tail and continued upward.
“Listen,” he said. “If you want me to help you, you need to stay out of sight.”
At this, the cat stopped. She regarded him with a humanlike irritation. For a moment, he thought she might bite him. Instead, she slunk back down the stairway and vanished. After he was sure she was gone, he headed up, unsure how he’d explain his escape to Rye.
Chapter 13
HE FOUND Rye, still wet and gathering supplies for
Tahki’s rescue, and gave him his clothing, explaining that he’d found a thin part in the wall and dug through. He said he’d ended up on the other side of the black gates and was able to open them and come through.
“So what’s behind there?” Rye asked after Tahki changed into dry clothing.
“Where?”
“The black gates. You were wondering about them, weren’t you?”
“Oh. There isn’t anything, just a dirt room.” Tahki hesitated, and then said, “Would you mind not telling Dyraien I was in there?”
“Why?”
Tahki shrugged. “It just seems like somewhere he wouldn’t want anyone to be. I’d rather not upset him after I’ve already thrown us off schedule.”
“I don’t think Dyraien would mind,” Rye said. “But I won’t say anything, if you don’t want me to.”
“Thanks.” Tahki sat on his bed and rested his head against the wall.
“Dyraien and I will ride to Edgewater to check the order. You should rest.”
“All right,” Tahki said. Physically, he felt better and should have gone with Rye, but he needed to sort out what Nii had told him.
Rye hesitated and then said, “When I get back, let’s have that talk.” He left before Tahki could reply.
A few moments later, Dyraien appeared in his doorway, dressed for riding.
“Rye said you felt guilty about falling in the river,” Dyraien said, posed with his hand against the doorframe. “I wanted to tell you not to worry. We’ve only been delayed half a day. Nothing to fret over.”
“I’m sorry I’ve delayed our work,” Tahki said.
Dyraien’s blue eyes drifted over Tahki. “We have a busy next couple of days, and I’ll need you fresh and ready to work when I return.”
Tahki forced a nod.
It felt strange talking to him, pretending like nothing had changed. Of course in Dyraien’s mind nothing had. But to Tahki, the prince’s eyes appeared darker, his golden hair a little less lustrous. Tahki had known from the first day something was off about Dyraien’s plans for the castle, but could he really be trying to open the Dim? It sounded too unbelievable. And yet, wasn’t everything that had happened to him unbelievable? The castle flooding. A resurrected cat. Talking to a spirit. It was all too much. Nii expected him to act, but his mind spun in so many different directions, he could think of nowhere to start.
Tahki thought about confronting him. All these secrets and games hurt his head. They were civilized humans, weren’t they? What would happen if he outright asked Dyraien about his family, about the Dim, about the true purpose of the castle? It wasn’t like Dyraien had royal guards waiting to arrest him.
But he didn’t know anything for sure, except that Dyraien was hiding something, and he couldn’t risk both his life and possibly Sornjia’s by exposing himself.
Dyraien lingered. “You really need to be more careful, Tahki. We can’t have you drowning on us now, can we? Not before the rebirth of our castle.” He said “our castle” like he and Tahki were having a child together.
“I’m excited to see her completed,” Tahki said.
“You should be.” Dyraien smiled. “You’ve worked so hard, and soon you’ll be repaid for all your efforts. I promise.”
AFTER DYRAIEN and Rye left for Edgewater, Tahki took a long bath, washed the mud off his face, dressed, and went to find Sornjia. The sun dimmed, and a low haze covered the orange and pink sky. Evening approached.
Before he reached the bottom of the cliff, he heard heavy steps behind him. He glanced back. The black cat followed at a distance. He didn’t try to chase her away.
When he reached the house, he told the cat to wait outside until he made sure Gale was gone, but the cat ignored him and pushed inside the home with her snout.
“Hold on a minute!” Tahki whispered. “If she sees you—”
“Gale?” Sornjia called from the kitchen. “Did you forget something?”
Sornjia stepped into the room and froze at the sight of the black cat. The cat looked even more monstrous inside the house. If she stood on her hind paws, her head would break through the low ceiling.
Tahki hadn’t seen his brother surprised by much. In fact, he couldn’t remember his brother ever looking so shocked. It felt like a small victory.
“That’s her?” Sornjia said. “The cat who attacked you?”
Tahki nodded.
“She’s beautiful,” Sornjia said in a breathless voice.
“Beautiful?” Tahki frowned. “She’s a monster.”
“I want to pet her.”
“What? No. Sornjia, she tried to drown me.”
Sornjia reached out a hand. Instead of growling or snapping or clawing at him like she’d done to Tahki, she leaned gently into his touch. The eels peeked out from under her skin and reached forward like long blades of grass turning toward the sun. Sornjia tensed but didn’t pull away as they hissed and curled around his fingers. They disappeared back into her fur after a few seconds. Sornjia smiled.
“You can’t be serious,” Tahki said. “Aren’t you the least bit shocked by her? Even you can’t deny she’s the creepiest thing you’ve ever seen.”
The cat turned to Tahki and snarled. He took a step back.
“People are scared of darkness and shadows,” Sornjia said. “But shadows have never hurt anyone.”
Tahki gave up. He’d expected a little more resistance from Sornjia. A little more questioning. A little more something. Sornjia acted like Tahki had brought home a stray street cat.
“Tell me everything,” Sornjia said.
“What if Gale comes back?”
“She won’t. She’s gone until tomorrow morning on a fishing trip. Sit. Speak.”
Sornjia settled himself on a wobbly chair by the table, and Tahki sat across from him. The cat hunched by Sornjia’s side, her head now at eye level with them.
Tahki spoke with clear and precise words, recalling as much detail as he could. He started with his near-death experience in the river, even confessed his kiss with Rye, and then talked about Nii. As he spoke, Sornjia stroked the cat’s head as though she were nothing more than a playful kitten. He knew Sornjia believed in the gods. He meditated and worshipped as adamantly as their father. But even their father would have had difficulty accepting the cat’s existence.
When Tahki finished, Sornjia fetched him a glass of water without being asked. Tahki drank it in three large gulps. It cooled his raw throat. The water here tasted more heavily of minerals than the water back home.
“Are you going to do it?” Sornjia said after Tahki caught his breath.
“Do what?”
“Destroy the castle.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I have no idea what I’m up against.” Tahki rubbed his eyes with his wrists. “I need to find proof. I need to know for certain what Nii said about Dyraien is true.”
He couldn’t ignore what Nii had told him, but the weight of what she said about the castle felt like a boulder pinning him down. He’d worked so hard on his designs, overcome so much failure to find success. And how would Rye react if he took down the castle without proof? He didn’t even know how to destroy it. They had no explosives, and obsidian wouldn’t burn. He might be able to get Rye behind the black gates, let him talk to Nii, but that was a huge risk. Rye might run at the sight of the cat or think it was a trick. One thing he knew for sure, if he tried to bring down the castle or Dyraien without solid proof, Rye would never forgive him.
“Pooka,” Sornjia said.
“What?”
“Pooka,” Sornjia repeated. “That’s what I’m going to call her.”
Tahki looked at the cat. “She isn’t a stray. You can’t name her. Besides, shouldn’t we call her Nii?”
Sornjia rubbed behind her ear. She shut her eyes and made a low throaty noise that sounded like a deep purr. “I don’t think it is Nii,” Sornjia said. “Not entirely. I think Nii’s spirit is in there, but these bones, those muscle
s, her teeth and claws and tail, they all belong to the cat.” The black cat—now unarguably named Pooka—rolled her shoulders and yawned. If he understood correctly, she was more wild animal than possessed spirit. Nothing prevented her from turning them into an afternoon meal.
Tahki scooted away from her. “Sornjia, I need to find proof of what the Királyes have done. I need something I can show Rye and Gale to convince them I’m not crazy. I’ll need their help if I want to expose Dyraien.”
Sornjia smiled. “Then we search for evidence.”
When Sornjia smiled, it always touched his eyes. They were identical, but Tahki could never smile like that. Sornjia had a genuine selflessness about him, a mindful nature that seemed unreachable to Tahki. It was wrong to ask his brother for help. Sornjia’s life might be at risk. He should insist he leave. Yet he knew his brother would not go. Tahki might be able to force him, drag him across the border, but that would leave Rye here alone to withstand whatever Dyraien planned.
Tahki said, “All right. Where do we start?”
Sornjia sat forward in his chair. “We need to find what Dyraien’s mother took from the Dim.”
Tahki chewed the inside of his lip. “If he had anything, it would be in his room.”
“You’ll have to search when he’s away.”
Tahki nodded. “He’s in Edgewater now. What about you?”
“Dyraien mentioned a parcel. I’m going to try and find out what it is. From what you overheard, it sounds like Zinc and Hona will be delivering it to the castle. I’ll hide out on the high road and wait for them.”
Tahki took a breath. “Promise me you’ll stay away from Zinc. I think he’s waiting for an opportunity to get me alone.”
Sornjia smiled wider. “It will be just like when we played Alabaraiin as children.”
Tahki thought back to all the trouble they’d caused as kids, stealing curry pies and spying on their father’s diplomatic meetings as they reenacted adventures of their favorite storybook hero. In those stories, there was always some great evil to vanquish. A villain with a scar across his left eye and an evil laugh. Tahki wished things were as straightforward in real life.