Pledged

by Gwynneth White

  The commanding blast of a hunting horn split the air. Seth disentangled himself from Erin, and stood up to look out the window. The view opened onto the quadrangle. He sucked in a breath. “Oh man. It’s starting. They’re all gathering for the sacrifice.”

  Erin felt the tug from the Stone to join them. “I guess we’d better go.”

  Chapter 22

  SACRIFICE

  Erin and Seth landed, hand-in-hand, in the quadrangle. Hundreds of Defenders and Pledged – all the Fortress residents, in fact – had now gathered for Rustus’s spectacle. Many, their rapacious faces eager for the bloodletting, crowded the ramparts overlooking the altar. The squeamish, and there were a more than a few, huddled in a corner of the courtyard, where they could hide their eyes from the suffering to come.

  Outcasts had wheeled out a three-tiered timber podium, which towered higher than even the Fortress ramparts. At its summit sat Marlthas, Terah watchful at his side. Lords Alfred and Rustus occupied lesser thrones on the middle tier, while at the lowest level, at their feet, sat Daniel and Caleb. Daniel’s face was the colour of the grey-green bark of an acacia fever tree. Caleb stared hard at a cracked paving stone, his pallor only a shade less sickly. As newly appointed Warlord, Jared, straight-backed in full military regalia, stood before the altar, completing the tableaux. His face masked better than his cousins his repugnance at being here. Another blast of hunting horns signalled the arrival of Opher, the Great High Priest. Seth looked for the telltale flash of the Lightning Bird’s garnet eye, but could not see it. He guessed it was in the pocket of Opher’s leather breeches, the only clothing covering his tattooed body. Opher genuflected to the Overlord and glided to the altar.

  “All we need now is the victim.” Seth swallowed hard to hold down the bile brimming at the back of his throat.

  “Ugh.” Erin leaned deeper into Seth’s shoulder. “I can’t believe I’m actually here, about to watch someone being ritually murdered.”

  “Just imagine it’s the movies,” Seth said. “The priest in Indiana Jones about to rip someone’s heart out.”

  “I don’t have the stomach for movies like that.”

  As she lowered her head to block out the scene, two Defenders entered the quadrangle. They were dragging a man, gagged, hands and feet bound, and dressed only in a filthy loin-cloth. His bloodied head thudded against the flagstones as the men strode to the altar.

  Erin closed her eyes, pressing her forehead hard against Seth. “Tell me when it’s over.”

  “I think you’ll know.”

  The Defenders heaved the man onto the altar, tying him down tight with leather straps while Opher watched. From his bruises and scrapes it appeared as if they had dragged him across stony ground and through thorn bushes.

  “Poor bugger. I wonder who he is?” Seth looked at Rustus for enlightenment.

  Today the inner sanctum of Rustus’s mind was an even darker and angrier place than usual. Furious with Caleb for denying him Sophia to sacrifice, he had selected an Ammarod prisoner-of-war, whose name he had not bothered to discover.

  The Defenders at the altar saluted, and one of them handed Opher a hand-axe. Licking his lips, he hefted the axe into the air, sunlight glinting off its blades. Once he knew every eye was focused on him, he shouted, “By order of our great Overlord Marlthas, and in the name of our revered Reuel, I command all to kneel.”

  Everyone, including Jared, went down on one knee. Only the people on the podium remained seated. Opher bowed to Marlthas, who stood and surveyed his subjects before launching into his prayer.

  Terrified that he would miss the moment Opher produced the Lightning Bird’s eye, Seth barely heard Marlthas’s voice booming over the Fortress complex. Keeping his eyes fixed on the priest, he whispered to Erin, “I know this is the pits, but we have to stand next to Opher during the sacrifice. That’s the deal. But if you want you can stand behind me.” Seth leaned down and kissed her tousled head.

  Looking up at the warmth of his smile, feeling his love, she allowed him to lead her to the altar. A shiver ran down Seth’s spine as he unsheathed his sword in readiness for the exchange. Erin felt it too. Suspecting that it was the unseen Reuel, she nudged Seth on the arm. “Where’s the diamond? Is it safe?”

  “It’s in the backpack.”

  “Maybe I should carry it.”

  “Even after everything, you still don’t trust me with your precious Stone.”

  “You’re not the problem, Seth. It’s Kyle I worry about.”

  “Kyle’s got a lot of explaining to do before he touches this diamond, Erin.”

  “Promise me that.”

  He could hardly believe what he was hearing. “You want an oath? Is this Caleb and Talitha all over again?”

  She shrunk back from his expression. Even after everything that had happened between them, she’d never seen Seth look so hurt. It was painful for her too. She smiled reassuringly. “No, of course not, Seth. You take the diamond, but I’ll carry the backpack. I would hate my sisters, especially Mia, to get their hands on Nathan’s journal.” She wriggled into the backpack while Seth wrapped the Seer-Stone chain around his fist. They stood in silence while Marlthas finished his prayer.

  At last Marlthas pointed to the Ammarod soldier and cried, “Make of an example of him. Let those Ammarod lice learn what happens to those who attack me.”

  His words hung in the air like black storm clouds. Not a soul moved, not even Opher. The priest had looked into the eyes of a man he was about to murder, and his courage failed. No one – save Erin and Seth – heard Rustus’s deep sigh of frustration. He lifted himself from his mini-throne and clapped his hands to catch Opher’s attention. “Get on with it, man!”

  Opher raised the hand-axe high, then hesitated. It was only the intense pressure of the three sets of commanding eyes on the podium behind him that motivated him to bring the axe down, slamming it into his victim’s chest. Erin buried her hands in her face and listened to the frenzied cheering from the crowd.

  The wound wasn’t fatal. Opher lift the blade, and smashed it down again and again, stopping only after the victim’s legs had stopped twitching. Chest heaving, he dropped the axe, and stepped back to survey his handiwork with a triumphant grin blazing across his blood-splattered face. But as he turned to bow to the Overlord, his mouth fell open in astonishment and his arms sagged to his sides. When he tried to speak no sound came from his lips.

  Seth turned to look at Marlthas. He was slumped back in his throne, hands clutching at two arrow-shafts protruding from the centre of his blood-soaked chest. Terah lay dead next to him with an arrow embedded deep into her eye. Seth grabbed Erin’s arm. “Eli and Bastion got Marlthas. He’s dying as I speak.”

  Erin pulled her hands away from her face in time to see Caleb swing around to look at his father. She saw him pale as he waited for someone – anyone – to cry out that the Overlord was dead. But it was only when the shouting coming from the spectators had stopped, and every eye in the crowd was focused on Marlthas and the altar, that the full magnitude of the sacrifice became apparent.

  Then a single voice among the crowd screamed, “The Overlord. He’s been shot.”

  It was the signal. Caleb threw a bitter look of hatred at Rustus, then leapt to his feet and ran to his father. “A physician, get a physician!” he shouted to anyone who would listen.

  At that moment a second scream echoed across the square. It was Daniel. Caleb spun round to check that he was safe. Daniel was up on his feet, pointing to the altar. “Jared! Jared’s been shot – he’s down.”

  Ignoring his father’s hands tugging at him, Caleb turned to where Jared lay sprawled on the paving stones. Two arrows protruded from his back. Caleb’s face crumpled with shock. His voice tore from his chest, calling Jared’s name, commanding him to move, not to die. But Jared, who had defied Caleb in life, seemed now to mock him in death.

  With a gasp of despair, Rustus leapt to his feet and stumbled down the podium stairs, dragging his maimed foo
t. Calling Jared’s name, he fell down at his son’s side.

  Seth took a step towards Jared, and stopped. There was absolutely nothing he could do.

  Only Erin witnessed the moment when Marlthas’s spirit slipped from his body. Like Reuel’s, it was the colour of clotted blood. With a cry of joy, Cassandra sped towards him. His spirit seemed to instantly recognise her. Arms out-stretched, he floated forward to intercept her. They never even got to touch. A swarm of snarling Gefallen surged out of the Fourth Dimension, flying towards them. Some buffeted Cassandra away, while the rest whirled Marlthas into the Fourth Dimension.

  “Probably to his first meeting with Reuel,” Erin said, feeling strangely sorry for Marlthas and Cassandra.

  “Couldn’t have happened to two nicer people.” Erin turned to Seth, surprised to see that he had turned away from Jared. “Erin,” he whispered. “I know it’s lame, but I can’t watch Jared dying. Tell me . . . his spirit? Is he a Guardian or a Gefallen?”

  “Seth, he’s Pledged,” Erin replied as gently as she could. “What hope has he of being anything other than a Gefallen?”

  Seth looked down at his feet. “Just look for me.”

  A battle of wills raged between the living and the dead gathered around Jared’s still form. Lucian floated in the air above him, calling to Jared’s spirit to follow him. Meanwhile, on the paving stones, Rustus was cradling his boy, rocking him in his arms, begging him to live. Phineas stood off to one side, his face a mask of sorrow and worry as he too waited for the outcome of this tussle.

  Erin grabbed Seth. “Jared’s spirit is still in his body.”

  As Seth looked up to check for himself a movement from Opher caught his attention. Damn, I almost forgot about him! Panicked, he looked first at the priest, then at Jared, torn between leaving Shenaya, and staying to find out what happened to Jared. Opher fumbled in his pocket, pulled out the eye, and put it in a pool of blood on the altar. Still Seth hesitated.

  “Stay. Finding out if Jared survived is more important than anything else,” his spirit insisted.

  Seth shook his head. Typical of you to argue at a time like this! Erin and I have the diamond. We’re coming right back here after I’ve spoken to Kyle.

  “Is that for real? We’re coming back?”

  Yes. It’s for real.

  His spirit whooped with joy. “Grab the Stone and we can get the hell out of here, so that we can come back!”

  Seth nudged Erin’s shoulder. “Come, Sparkles. It’s time to go.” With one hand clutching the diamond, he used his other to drop his sword onto the altar and to pick up the Lightning Bird’s all-seeing eye.

  Erin watched Seth leave Shenaya.

  She took a step to follow him, but an invisible wall stopped her. Helplessly, she watched his retreating figure fade into a mere speck in the blank distance, and then vanish. It was as if he had never existed. Detached from him and the diamond, she pitched forward, about to collapse onto the paving. A firm hand steadied her.

  It was Stephanie. “The pain you feel, Erin, it will pass. It is better to endure it now than throughout all eternity.”

  Erin looked at her blankly.

  “Your soul mate has chosen to follow Reuel. That is always a bitter hurt.”

  “But . . . but . . . I was going with him. I have to protect the diamond. From Kyle. And Seth. From Mia.”

  It was Gideon who answered her. “Erin, you said you would make any sacrifice asked of you to free Seth from the curse. This is the sacrifice I want. After almost fifteen-hundred years of trying and failing to lift the curse, this way is all that’s left to us. I know it’s very risky. If Seth fails, you will be trapped here, a ghost in the past until you die. But we have to try it.”

  Erin ran her hands over her face, trying to grasp what Gideon was saying. Finally she blurted out, “But the diamond? Kyle will destroy it! And you said that the diamond and Kyle can’t be risked together.” She knew her English had failed her, but she didn’t care.

  Gideon did something unusual. He embraced her briefly, instilling her with comfort; then he let her go. “Erin, like all Shadow Lords before him, Seth has been offered his true love. Now he must make his choice between that love – you – and his brother Kyle, the Overlord of Shenaya.”

  Erin’s hand flew to her mouth. “Kyle’s the Overlord! This gets worse. And worse.”

  “I know a great deal has happened to you over the last few days, Erin, and there’s been so much to absorb,” Gideon said with a gentle rebuke in his voice. “But I had rather hoped you’d figure that out. After all, you have been watching a story about succession. And both you and Seth know that Seth’s parents are dead. Kyle has carried the title of Overlord for five years now.”

  Erin was vaguely aware that she should feel dumb for having missed something so obvious, but she had no emotions left for such trivia. “But Gideon, what about Mia? She’s–”

  “Yes, Erin,” Gideon interrupted. “Your step-sister is Seth’s Norin temptress. Such is Reuel’s Curse and my prophecy. But it’s what Seth wanted, to return to Kyle’s camp. Now he must make his choices.”

  “But this is so unfair. I didn’t choose this. I must go to him. I have to leave. Now.” Erin looked first at Gideon and then at Stephanie. And then the awful truth sank in. “I can’t, can I? Not without the diamond? That’s what you mean about it being risky.”

  “Only Seth can take you back to the modern world. He has to touch the diamond with the intention of lifting the curse. That is the only way you can ever be together again. And the only way you will return to your own life. That is what I meant by sacrifice, Erin.” Before Erin could react, Gideon waved his hand in the air, signalling to someone.

  With a blaze of fire, Kate dropped from the sky, bounced down on her feet and came up smiling. With a twirl, she flounced around Erin, showing off a short plaid skirt – Erin’s short plaid skirt, raided from the campsite. “Hi. I’m back.” She punched Erin on the arm. “I’ve been chosen to help you. Probably because I also like nice dresses. And nail polish.”

  Even in her misery Erin couldn’t resist a weak smile of welcome.

  “Kate,” Gideon said. “Take Erin to the Mists of Time where she can watch Seth as he returns to Kyle. It will help her understand the task that lies before her now.” He turned to Erin. “My friend, your work is only just beginning.”

  * * *

  A huge coppery sun was sliding below the horizon of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans when Seth landed at the edge of Kyle’s campsite. He looked for Erin, expecting her to be immediately behind him as usually happened in their time-travels. She wasn’t there. He guessed she must have arrived before him. But she wasn’t in front of him either. She was nowhere to be seen.

  A frisson of icy anger shot through him. Of course I’ve been screwed. How could I have honestly expected otherwise. “Damn you, Reuel.” But cursing didn’t change anything, so he stood still, debating what to do.

  “Go and talk to Kyle. Get it over with, and then let’s head back to her. And Jared,” his spirit said.

  But she’s going to think I ditched her. She already doesn’t trust me.

  “That’s why you need to move you’re butt and get it done.”

  Seth sighed. “I guess you’re right.” But first he needed to orientate himself to give him power in his negotiations with Kyle. He was standing on the crusty pan surface looking up at a low, finger-like hill. He recognised it as the escarpment where the Shenayan Fortress had once stood. He was surprised Kyle hadn’t sent up camp on the hill. Then it occurred to him that the dead – Reuel or Rustus? – must have told Vukani that the diamond had been buried on the pan. Why they hadn’t told Vukani the exact location was a matter of speculation.

  “Maybe the Guardians were protecting it,” Seth’s spirit suggested.

  Seth nodded, saying nothing. After all, it really didn’t matter anymore. All it told him was that if Reuel was talking to Vukani, then the sangoma was not to be trusted. Or taken lightly.

  Th
e sound of muffled conversation drifted over to him from the tents. The only voice he recognised was Kyle’s. For the first time in his life he felt nervous about joining his brother. He followed the sound. Kyle was crouched on a grass mat next to a campfire. With him were a black man of indeterminate age, and a spiky-haired blonde girl of about nineteen. But it was the man – obviously Vukani – who captured Seth’s attention. His face was handsome and strong, framed by a leopard skin, complete with the head, that draped down over his bare torso like a cloak. His only other clothing was a hide skirt, which hung to just above his bare knees. With a soft, almost melodic chanting, he threw a collection of bones and stones into the middle of their huddle. Brightest among them was the Lightning Bird’s garnet eye. So engrossed in their ritual, none of them noticed Seth’s silent arrival. Delaying a moment longer, he stood watching them.

  Like it or not, I have to finish what I started. He tossed his garnet onto the mat. It tumbled, making a tinkling sound as it touched the other bones, finally stopping next to the Lightning Bird’s other eye. They both lay glaring at him.

  Kyle and his companions looked up from their séance in surprise. The girl moved first. But, Seth noted, her excited cry wasn’t to welcome him; she didn’t even look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the diamond hanging from his fist. “Kyle, look! Your brother’s arrived – and what a pretty rock he’s brought us.”

  Kyle, handsome as ever, smiling, sun-bronzed, a long ponytail hanging down his back, leapt to his feet and gave Seth a bear-hug. “Great to see you, buddy. Didn’t hear you arrive. Where’s your truck?”

  Seth didn’t answer. He was watching Vukani. As he stood, his leopard skin cloak fell to one side, revealing an ancient-looking double-bladed hand-axe attached to a leather thong tied to his skirt. His black eyes never left the diamond dangling at Seth’s side.

  The girl – Izzy, Seth guessed – glided over to him, dazzling him with her smile. Without even bothering to introduce herself, she pulled the diamond from his fist. Gasping with delight, she twirled it through the air, holding it above the fire to catch the flickering light. Betraying itself, the Seer-Stone exploded into a million dancing colours. Kyle whistled in delight. Shocked by the speed everything was happening, Seth moved to rip the Stone from Izzy’s hand when Kyle snatched it.