The Mirror's Gaze

by Rae D. Magdon

  "Cate, Larna, we have to find Belle," I said, tugging at Cate's rippling arm. My hand came away sticky from her fur, but I didn't care. "She and Neva are missing!"

  That got Cate's attention. Her ears perked, and she and Larna shared a moment of silent communication. They bounded off, and I did my best to follow, stumbling over rocks and severed limbs and other disgusting things I didn't want to think about. I was so busy trying to keep up I almost ran straight into a hissing wall of fire. It devoured everything around it, and only Larna's powerful arm prevented me from toppling headfirst into it.

  Through the flickering flames, I made out the shape of a woman. Auburn hair spilled from beneath her hood. Ailynn was scorching the battlefield, burning a path through the carnage. When she saw us, she parted her hands, and the wall split in two. "They're behind me," she shouted before I could even speak. "Hurry!" I raced by without answering, relieved to hear she had seen them alive.

  There was much less fighting further on, but we passed several piles of blackened bone and ash. Ailynn's flames could probably devour an army of kerak all on their own. We ran across the charred ground, away from the fire pits and deeper into the darkness. The shouts behind us faded, but they picked up again further on, coming from the direction we were headed. Cate and Larna bounded off with a fast, loping gait, leaving me to scurry after them as best I could.

  At last, they stopped, and I managed to catch up. The sound of clashing swords rang out, and I saw a flashing ring of silver, shining beneath more torches. The dwellyn had formed a circle, slicing through everything that came near them. Their blades dripped with black blood, and over a dozen bodies lay strewn at their feet, but I scarcely noticed. A much taller figure stood in the center of the wheel, and I melted. Thank the Saints, she's alive.

  "Belle!"

  Belle turned toward me, and I noticed her sword was drawn as well. The relief on her pale face when she saw me mirrored mine, and she lowered her arm.

  Before she could move, Ulig called out, beady eyes wild above his bristling beard. "Behind!" Belle whipped back around, and another wave of kerak exploded out of the darkness, shrieking. They launched themselves at the dwellyn's circle, trying to tear their way through to the middle.

  At first, the dwellyn cut them down. The unlucky few at the front of the pack screeched in agony as they met the line and quickly crumpled before it. The ones that didn't met Cate and Larna's claws as they rushed to join the fray. But the kerak kept coming, mindless and fearless. As the pile of corpses grew, one of the creatures clambered past the others. It clawed its way over the twisted pile of grey limbs, flying straight for Belle.

  I screamed. She swung. Her sword came up to block just in time, and the kerak's scythes glanced off the blade. Its mouth gaped howling-wide, and while it struggled to find an opening, Belle lunged. Her sword went straight between the kerak's jaws, piercing through the back of its throat. The kerak gnashed its teeth, snapping uselessly, and Belle had to use her foot to dislodge her weapon. By the time she freed it, the rest of the kerak were dead. The circle fell apart, and I caught sight of Lok standing atop one of the countless bodies. "Belle, is she still breathing?"

  That was when I noticed a small, huddled form at Belle's feet. Neva was sprawled on the ground, clad only in her thin white shift. She was still and unmoving, and a foul cloud of magic surrounded her. It tasted sharp and smelled of fire sparks, and it rushed into fill my head. I rushed forward, but Belle was already on her knees. Her hands roamed over Neva's body, as if searching for something. "I don't know what she did this time," she rasped. "I can't."

  "I can," Lok said. "Hold her."

  By the time I reached them, Lok had taken her sword to the laces on Neva's nightgown. They sliced open, and a rush of air filled her small body. She started shivering, and Lok ran a hand along her back as Belle held her. "It was Mogra," she explained as I crouched beside them. "When I woke and noticed Neva's cot was empty, I went looking for her."

  "It's a good thing you did," Lok said. "Otherwise, we might not have found her in time."

  "Did we?" Belle asked, letting Neva's cheek rest against her shoulder. "She's breathing properly again, but she isn't moving."

  Before any of us could panic, Neva began to stir. Her blurry eyes shifted from Belle to Lok, then focused on my face. "Ellie? Why is it so cold?"

  Everyone smiled. Relief flooded through me, banishing the fear. The dwellyn huddled around us, and Gurn gave up his coat, draping it over Neva's shoulders. "Everything's fine," Belle said, although I knew she didn't believe it. "The witch tried to take you, but she's gone now."

  "So this was Mogra's army?" I swallowed, trying to hide the waver in my voice. On top of almost dying several times over, watching Belle fight off the kerak had shaken me. I scarcely knew how to process it. Remembering the monster leap for her and Neva seemed like something out of a nightmare. "Luciana isn't here?"

  Belle shook her head. "I know it was Mogra. I saw an old woman in a black cloak talking to Neva near the edge of camp. She ran when she saw me, and by the time I caught up, Neva was unconscious." Ailynn's fury and her unwillingness to follow us suddenly made sense. She hadn't just been defending the camp, but chasing after Mogra.

  Cate growled beside me, and her nostrils flared. Her form began to bunch, and she curled in on herself with the sickening crunch of bone. Her fur disappeared, and she lost several inches of height. Soon, she had regained her human form. "Wonderful," she said, disgusted. "Now we've got three evil villains and two undead armies trying to kill us."

  "Not just trying to kill us," Lok pointed out. "Mogra came here with a specific goal in mind."

  Though Lok's words were vague, Neva understood immediately. "She wants me back. That's why she sent the woman with no eyes to take me, and the witch to put me to sleep. She needs me to wake the dead for her."

  "But why?" Cate asked. "Mogra is already supplying her with an army."

  "Because," Neva whispered, her eyes wide and dark with fear. "If she didn't need me…or part of me …she would have killed me."

  Chapter Six

  Taken from the letters of Cathelin Raybrook, edited by Lady Eleanor Kingsclere

  THE MOOD WAS TENSE when Larna and I entered Jett Bahari's tent. Everyone else was already gathered around the table, and no one smiled. Rachari and Rufas exchanged icy stares, only breaking eye contact to spare us the briefest of glances. Jinale sucked steadily on the tip of an arrow, and Hassa's flanks shivered. Jett Bahari and Doran stopped their whispered conversation, and Jett Markku busied himself with the large map spread between them. Ellie still seemed pale from her brush with death the night before, and Belle didn't look much better. Only Ailynn's brooding didn't seem out of place. She wasn't normally cheerful to begin with.

  "Oh good," Raisa said, breaking the awkward silence. I was surprised to see her among the war council, and even more surprised by her chipper tone of voice. "You're finally here."

  "Aye, and so are you," Larna said, frowning slightly. "I might be asking why?"

  Rufas grunted. "A reasonable question, wolf. I don't see the need for so many humans here, especially those without rank or command."

  I bristled, angry on Raisa's behalf, but before I could argue, Ailynn stepped in. "Raisa, Lady Eleanor, and Lady Belladonna are here on my invitation. Raisa has a plan to deal with the Queen's armies, and as Princess Neva's guardians, Lady Eleanor and Lady Belladonna are involved in that plan."

  Her words did little to pacify him. Rufas turned to loom over her, lower jaw jutting out, jowls quivering. "I still don't see the need—"

  "Then it's a good thing you aren't in charge." Rachari shot him a disdainful glare before gesturing toward Jett Bahari. "The leader of the rebellion himself approved Ailynn's request. Who do you think you are to question his authority here?"

  "We are guests in his camp," Jinale agreed, ever the voice of diplomacy. I couldn’t help but admire her patience. Rufas’ aggressive behavior was the last thing we needed, especially after last n
ight’s attack, and I doubted I would have been so reasonable had I been in her place. "We have no right to dictate who he invites to his war councils."

  Jett Bahari nodded in thanks. "I agree. We have more important things to discuss than the make-up of this group. Mogra knows our location, and we suffered heavy losses in last night's attack. We need a better way to deal with her forces. Waiting for them to pick us off while we march for Kalmarin is unacceptable."

  "Quite right," said another voice low to the ground. I glanced down, trying to find its source, but all I could make out was the top of someone's forehead. It was one of the dwellyn that had arrived with Ellie, Belladonna, and the princess. I recognized her as the one who had sliced through the laces of Neva’s gown during the chaos of the previous night. Despite her tusks, her Amendyrri was perfect, without a trace of an accent. "The dwellyn army will meet us at Kalmarin, but until then, your forces are vulnerable. You have few means of defense against a horde of the undead, especially while traveling south across the plains."

  "What would you have us do until then, Lok?" Rufas huffed. "The liarre's main forces won't be able to help before then either. We're stuck with what we've got."

  "Not necessarily," Raisa said. To my surprise, she waved me closer. "Cate, I don't suppose you brought your bag with you?"

  I had, though I was uncertain as I set it on the table. The threads of Raisa's plan were starting to weave together in my mind, and I wasn't sure whether it was crazy or impressive. Without being asked, I drew out the hourglass Kalwyn had given me. The river of red sand flowed steadily no matter which way I turned it, and more than half of the grains had settled in the bottom portion.

  "Cate came into the possession of this enchanted hourglass through her mentor, Kalwyn," Raisa explained. "Supposedly, it predicts the return of the dragons to Amendyr."

  "Dragons?" Jinale repeated, eyes alighting. "Are you certain?"

  Rufas scoffed. "That's foolishness. No one's seen a dragon in hundreds of years."

  "Just because you haven't seen one doesn't mean they don't exist," Raisa continued, undaunted by his doubts. "I believe they do, and I also believe the unrest throughout Amendyr has woken them up. If we can find them and convince them to join our cause, Mogra's forces won't be a problem. And it wouldn't hurt to have a little wing-power on our side while trying to get past Kalmarin's walls, either."

  "Just how are you planning to convince these nonexistent dragons to join us in our fight, human?" Rufas growled.

  I rolled my eyes, but Raisa merely stared at him. "'Human'? I have a name, Rufas, and I'd appreciate you using it. But to answer your question, I'm not going to convince the dragons of anything. Ellie is."

  Ellie perked up at the sound of her name, and I hurried to translate. As I explained what Raisa had said, they grew even larger. "You want me to go looking for dragons? Why?"

  "Why not you?" I said. Part of me still thought Raisa's plan was crazy, but I did have faith in my friend. If anyone could convince a flight of dragons to fight on our side, Ellie could. "You're a druid. You can speak to them in their own language."

  "Besides, you've had a first-hand encounter with Umbra's sorcerer's chain," Raisa added in Serian, eyes glowing with excitement. "According to all the old legends, the dragons hated him. If we tell them Umbra's magical artifacts have corrupted the Queen, Mogra, and Luciana, they might decide to help us."

  "No." Belle's face set into a determined frown, but her blue eyes remained terrified. "Absolutely not. You can't possibly—"

  I smiled. I knew Ellie, and there was no faster way to convince her to do something than to tell her she couldn't.

  "I'll go," she said, resting her hand on Belle's stiff arm. "I'm not much good to the rebellion here anyway. I can't fight like the rest of you. If there's any way I can use my powers to help, I’ll do it."

  "Did you not hear the part about dragons?" Belle's voice rose in alarm. "Being caught in the middle of a war is bad enough. Now you want us to leave the safest place we could possibly be to go chasing the most dangerous creatures imaginable!"

  "Jett Bahari's camp isn't safe, Belle. Nowhere is." Ellie gazed up at her, fingers curling tight around her sleeve. "You know it's true. That's why you took up a sword. You can't ask me not to use the only weapon I have."

  Belle pulled Ellie in her arms, chin resting on top of her head.

  Raisa cleared her throat, redirecting all the stares back to her so they could have their private moment. "Good news," she said in Amendyrri. "Our resident druid has agreed to go. Any other volunteers?"

  "Ulig and I would be honored to accompany her," Lok said. "Princess Neva has become rather attached, and we believe it's best to remove her from camp as quickly as possible, considering the incident last night."

  "An incident?" Rachari said. "I suppose that's one way of putting it."

  Jett Bahari cleared his throat to cover her rudeness. "Lok, do you believe Princess Neva was the reason for Mogra's attack on our camp? Could the witch have used her to find us?"

  “It’s a likely thought,” Lok said. She glanced toward Ailynn, who nodded.

  "I'm certain of it. According to Ellie and Belle, Mogra was tailing them before they arrived here."

  I agreed with her. I knew all too well how cunning and devious Mogra could be, always working from the shadows. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibility that she had been following Neva all along, or had used her magic to track the princess down.

  "You can't possibly be considering this, Commander," Rufas said to Jett Bahari. "Sending the heir to Amendyr's throne out into the wilderness on a mad hunt for dragons is the definition of insanity."

  Despite Rufas' anger, Jett Bahari’s smooth expression didn't twitch. "If Mogra is trying to abduct Princess Neva and bring her back to the Queen, none of us are safe. Last night's attack proved that. Things will only get more dangerous as we approach Kalmarin. A small group headed for the mountains might have a better chance of hiding Neva from the witch."

  "This might sound cold, but Neva has already done all she can here," Rachari said. "She's given the human rebels a name and a face to fight for. I hope for her safety, but if she dies a martyr, she can still serve her purpose."

  It did sound cold, and I glanced over at Larna to see if she shared my disapproval. Although I could see the logic in Rachari’s thinking, it had been a callous thing to say. My mate looked similarly uncomfortable. Neva was under our protection, and we all needed to take the responsibility seriously.

  "Tell the troops she's under guard during the march south and send her north into the mountains for her own safety,” Jinale said. “If all goes well, she and her escorts should return just in time to take the city."

  That's not good enough. I exchanged a silent glance with Larna. Pain welled in her dark eyes, but I saw acceptance there, too. She knew exactly what I was thinking, and she nodded once, bangs falling over her forehead. Though she had given her permission, she couldn't keep looking at me.

  My heart clenched, but instead of taking her hand the way I wanted to, I stepped forward. There was no other choice I could make. "I volunteer to go with them," I said around the lump in my throat. "Ellie and the princess are going to need protection, as well as someone with a good nose to find the way."

  "Actually, you have to go," Raisa said, staring at the hourglass sitting on the table. "You're the only one with the map."

  "Map?" I studied the hourglass, but it looked the same as always. "What sort of map?"

  Raisa's face brightened. "That thing you wear around your neck. It lets you see magic, doesn't it?"

  "You mean the deadeye?" I withdrew the stone from beneath my shirt, feeling it hum in my fist. "Yes, it does. But I don't see how—"

  "Look at the hourglass. The enchantment has to lead to something. How is it supposed to know when the dragons have awoken if it isn't connected to them?"

  The others murmured with a mixture of surprise and disbelief, but Ailynn spoke up in support. "It's a sound theory,"
she said, giving Raisa a smile. "I learned something about enchanting from Mogra after our falling out. Those kinds of connections exist."

  With her encouragement, I lifted the stone and set it against my eye, peering through the gap in the middle. Instantly, the air around me came alive. Energy hummed through the tent, and my skin began to glow with warmth. Magic shimmered everywhere, curling like smoke and gathering in clouds. It pulsed around Ellie like an excited heartbeat, and Ailynn's deep auburn hair almost looked like it had been set aflame. The whipping streams around Doran seemed as though they might carry his frail body into the air.

  I turned away from them, focusing on the hourglass. It shuddered, curling like a living thing as I reached out to touch it. The tiny dragons coiled around the smooth glass body, ruby eyes blazing, stretching their jaws to show sharp golden teeth. Their tails flicked aside, and I noticed something else. A long, shimmering line was tied around the narrowest part of the hourglass, unraveling like a spool of crimson thread. It travelled in a straight line, disappearing through the wall of the tent.

  "She's right," I said, my voice rising. I lowered the stone. "I can see the magic stretching out somewhere, like it's reaching for something. Why didn't I think to use the deadeye before?"

  Raisa grinned. "Sometimes it takes an outsider to come up with a plan instead of an expert."

  "Fascinating," Lok muttered, peering eagerly over the table. "I'm even more certain in our party's decision to accompany you now. Our people always welcome opportunities to study ancient enchantments and magical objects. If this hourglass is literally tied to the dragons through magic, it has to be several centuries old at least!"

  I wasn't sure how I felt about letting the dwellyn study Kalwyn's last gift to me, but I didn't have much time to worry. Jett Bahari commanded the room's attention once more. "Then it's settled. A small party will leave tomorrow to enlist the aid of the dragons. The rest of us will march on Kalmarin to meet our reinforcements."