Tales Of Nevaeh: The Trilogy and Backstory of the Epic Sci-Fi Fantasy Series Tales Of Nevaeh: (The 4 Book Bundled Box Set)

by David Wind

  Areenna opened her eyes as a golden glow arose around her and the two women with her. Through the haze, she saw Mikaal and Roth watching and felt Mikaal’s presence fitted within her mind, holding the block, distant yet ready should she need him.

  As it had happened before she reached down, rather than call up her ability, and delved into the place The Speaker had guided her to the first time. Just before she reached the inner block, she grasped Enaid and Neleh’s hands and went onward. This time the block offered no resistance and she slipped gently within the power, her thoughts directed to a single point—the ships of the Dark Masters.

  There came a twist within herself, as if the fabric of her world changed and in her next breath, a half a dozen scenes sped across her consciousness. Another twist caught her and she was floating above the world on an ethereal silver cloud far over the sea that was now below.

  In the distance, a fleet of ships spread across the horizon, their sails billowing, and the wakes from their ships turning the sea to foam. She pushed forward and was suddenly above the very center of the immense fleet. She pushed downward, and saw the Dark Masters gathered on the deck of a ship, with their arms resting on each other’s shoulders, their heads forming an ellipse. After several seconds, they separated and six of The Masters stepped back. As she watched, time again changed and in the next instant only two Masters remained on the deck.

  Time shifted again; the fleet separated into three, and then the vision ended. Areenna opened her eyes; her heart beat too quickly and her breathing was ragged. An icy current ran through her. She stiffened, as she had the first time, and began to lose consciousness.

  In an instant, the gentle warmth of Mikaal’s thoughts soothed the anxiety created by the vision while Enaid caught Areenna before she fell backwards.

  Held in Enaid’s arms, and soothed by Mikaal’s presence within her, Areenna took a deep breath and, sitting up, looked directly at Roth. “I have seen the fleet.”

  Roth took several steps toward her. “And?”

  Areenna pushed aside the coldness brought on by the vision. “It is not good. The first two fleets will be here in two weeks, perhaps two and a half. The third fleet...I still cannot tell, but it will not be far behind. Within a few days of the others ships, at the most. But more importantly, once landed, the two fleets will wait for several days to gather and organize the forces Lessig has prepared for them, in both Llawnroc and Fainhall.”

  Before Roth could speak, Areenna sad, “Elyl cannot go to the wastelands of Llawnroc. He must go west. There are no longer any exiles free of the darkness. Lessig has seen to that. All he will find will be his own capture, or death. One of the fleets of the Dark Masters will land in the center of the badlands, somewhere between Llawnroc and Aldimor, and Lessig will have Llawnroc’s army waiting. The other fleet will land at Fainhall.”

  “Elyl goes west, not to Llawnroc,” Neleh said. “Jalil warned us of this.”

  “How many ships?” Roth asked, his voice low, his eyes locked on Areenna.

  “To Fainhall and Llawnroc, fifty to sixty each.”

  “The ships, they are the same as the ones that went to the Frozen Mountains?”

  When Areenna nodded, Roth said, “Twenty-five, perhaps thirty thousand ghazi. If Lessig has indeed gathered the exiles of the Wastelands, another five thousand in Llawnroc. Then another twenty-five or thirty thousand for the third fleet. If they—”

  “—No!” Areenna cut Roth off. “The third fleet is the largest, perhaps half again as much as the other two.”

  Roth stared at her a moment before nodding. “Now I understand what Jalil told me.”

  No one said a word; they just stared at Roth, waiting. “He told me to be wise, to think everything through and bring Northcrom to Tolemac. But let Dees stand in resistance.”

  A frown creased Enaid’s forehead. “Why would he say that?”

  Even as his wife spoke the words, the understanding he’d failed to find before struck home. Aldimor’s capital was Dees. He closed his eyes, and shook his head, as an image from the past spun upward through his mind and he saw the old buildings, the symbols, not Dees but D.C.! Of course they would go after the symbol, although meaningless to Nevaens, it must have remained in the Dark Masters’ memory.

  Then Roth smiled for the first time in days. “The third fleet goes to Aldimor, not Northcrom. They want Dees! They think in the past, not the present. They believe the loss of Dees will demoralize us as they tried to do three thousand years ago.” He laughed. “It won’t! Three thousand years ago, we called Dees, Washington D.C., which was the capital of our country, but today, Dees holds no symbolic meaning to Nevaens; it does to the Dark Ones. And that is their mistake.”

  Roth paused. He looked at the three and shared, “Jalil warned me that The Masters would put up a barricade, a barrier made by their powers. It will cut Nevaeh in half.” He looked at Enaid. “Do you believe they can do this?”

  Enaid nodded slowly. “If The Eight of the Island can do so to protect the Island, why could The Masters not do the same?”

  “That wasn’t the answer I had hoped for,” Roth said, dryly. “If you believe they can accomplish this, then we must get the armies of the western, northwestern, and northern dominions to Tolemac before The Masters reach Nevaeh. If we do not, we may lose those fighters.”

  Roth paused for a moment. “I will send messengers in the morning.”

  “No!” Enaid screamed suddenly. Jumping up, she spun and released a stream of brilliant energy into a bush at the edge of the courtyard. The bush exploded and a body flew into the air.

  The guards at both sides of the courtyard turned and raced over, but Mikaal reached the woman who lay unconscious before them. Enaid reached them at the same time as the guards.

  “Who is she?” Mikaal asked, as he probed the woman’s mind, but she maintained a block even unconscious.

  “Her name is Hannid. I believe she is one of Lessig’s spies.”

  “Then Lessig may already know what we have just learned,” Roth said.

  Enaid shook her head. “No, she is not strong enough; she would have to use a messenger.”

  Roth studied the woman. “Then we have time to learn from her.”

  Enaid gazed at Roth, then back at the woman. “Yes, if we can break through whatever protection Lessig set. But in the meantime we must put her somewhere safe, a place we can block.”

  Areenna stared at the woman, and then looked at Enaid. “How can you block someone who is blocked?”

  “No, the woman we cannot, but the place.”

  “One of the storerooms?” Roth proposed.

  Enaid nodded. “Guards must be at the door. They must be women of power, stronger than she.” Enaid looked at the two guards and issued instructions for them to carry her to a storeroom and lock her within. “I will set the guards,” and left.

  When they were gone, Areenna reached out to Mikaal. We must leave in the morning. The fleet is too close.

  Agreed, Mikaal responded and turned to his father. “We need to talk further. Areenna and I leave in the morning.”

  Roth, who had been watching Enaid leave, turned to Mikaal. “You’re sure?”

  Mikaal did not answer, he just returned Roth’s gaze.

  CHAPTER 23

  SITTING QUIETLY, AREENNA followed the interplay between Mikaal and Roth. Her emotions were in flux. The lingering aftereffects of her vision tainted everything with the bitter taste of the Dark Masters. Although there was no choice but to go to the Island, she was uncertain of Mikaal’s plan. Yet, there was no other way; traveling through the wastelands and badlands would alert every dark creature within the area—along with she who controlled them.

  “We wait for your mother,” Roth told Mikaal, pulling her from her thoughts.

  Enaid will understand what we must do. She told Mikaal when she sensed his tension rise. There is something else as well. Be patient.

  Patient? We have less time than we thought before they move against us and
you tell me to be patient?

  Neleh, who had been sitting quietly by herself, left her seat and sat on the other side of Mikaal. She took his hand and smiled at him, but said nothing.

  “Do you believe you and Mikaal can navigate a boat to the Island?” Roth asked Areenna.

  “Do you believe we cannot?” she replied.

  Roth stared at her for several long moments before shrugging. “You’re impossible, both of you! Have you ever done so before?”

  Without a blink, Areenna said, “No, it matters not. We will reach the Island.”

  “So sure are you?”

  Areenna shook her head. “Yes.”

  Roth raised his hands, palms skyward, at the same time as he shook his head in frustration. “I await my advisor to aid my decision on this matter.”

  Before Mikaal could say what Areenna knew was coming, she too grasped his hand. “As you say, My Lord.”

  Roth fixed her with a glare that ended only with Enaid’s arrival.

  “The air is thicker in here than in the midst of a storm. What have I missed?”

  Roth spoke first, relating everything. When he finished, Enaid smiled at her husband and turned to Areenna and Mikaal. “On our last day at Freemorn, I was granted a foreseeing. Before I could speak of it, too many other things took precedence. I sent a message to Ilsraeth. If everything holds true, you will have passage to the Island, from Aldimor’s small southern freesh village. No one would suspect your presence there.”

  The four sets of eyes across from Roth locked on him. For the second time that evening, he threw his hands in the air. “What’s the point of being High King, if no one listens to me?” After standing, he strode from the chamber.

  When Roth was gone, Areenna turned to Enaid. “There is little time left and Neleh needs to learn from you as I did. Train Neleh in defense, and Duv as well. Her aoutem must be battle trained and there is no time.”

  Enaid nodded. “Of course. Duv is a fast learner; Irii and I will work with him.” She turned to Neleh with a smile. “With your gifts and your natural abilities, it will be a short training.”

  “I would go with Mikaal and Areenna,” she said aloud, then, to Mikaal and Areenna, Leave me not. You need me with you. Her pale yellow eyes turned deep as she pleaded with them.

  You must have the training, and especially Duv. To not train Duv now risks his life and yours. You cannot let that happen. “We need you for what comes,” Mikaal added aloud.

  Areenna smiled at Neleh. “But even more so, we leave Gaalrie and Charka with you to keep safe for our return.”

  Neleh met Areenna’s gaze and slowly nodded.

  <><><>

  Shortly after midnight, Areenna lay in her bed, her mind a maze of doubts sending her thoughts back to when she and Mikaal took their first journey to the Island. Once again, they must face a new journey through hostile areas to find yet another key to Nevaeh’s salvation when all she wanted was to live her life with Mikaal.

  She remembered the trap when the Dark Masters had caught them in the wormhole. The memories were strongest at night, just before she fell asleep, when she would again feel Mikaal’s touch, his lips, his—

  —And one day we will, Mikaal told her even as her door opened and he entered, went to the bed, and sat. With the gentle light of the nightmoss leaking into the room from her dressing chamber, she saw him smile. He stroked her cheek with his hand. “I was trying to sleep when I sensed your discord. Know this: no matter what it takes, we will one day have what we desire.”

  He bent and kissed her. Caught by surprise, her breath hissed from between her lips when he drew back. Her eyes raced over his face. She slid her hand through his hair, cupping the back of his head and pulled him to her again to taste the soft warmth of his lips.

  She released him and, ignoring the sudden harshness of her breathing, sat up. “Yes, we will.”

  Mikaal stiffened. At the same instant, Areenna felt the call. The storeroom. Something is happening. Areenna slid from the bed as Mikaal stood. She went into her dressing chamber and returned a minute later wearing a tunic and pants and, together, she and Mikaal raced down to the lower level and the storerooms where they found Neleh, Roth, and Enaid at the door.

  “What?” Mikaal asked.

  Enaid shook her head. “I know not. Only that she has somehow barricaded the door and we cannot enter.”

  Neleh stared at the door and, suddenly, gasped. “She has ripped a vein and seeks death.”

  “How—”

  Neleh shook her head. “I know not how, only that I saw her do so as I was falling asleep and called grandmo...Enaid.”

  Mikaal looked at Areenna. Can you move whatever blocks the door?

  “No,” Enaid said suddenly. “Pull the door to us.” Join with me, all of you!

  There was no hesitation and the three joined with the Enaid and fed her their energy. The door began to shake and suddenly, instead of pulling out, it shattered and the cases wedged against it flew out of the storeroom and crashed against the far wall.

  Inside, the woman lay in a puddle of blood, her life draining over the floor. Bending next to her, Areenna reached into the woman’s mind and found the block gone. She pushed, trying to find the woman’s consciousness, but found only an emptiness.

  Reaching down, she cupped the woman’s head, pressing her palms tightly to each side and probed deeply within her mind until she found a small spark of life. Who are you?

  Nobody.

  You are someone.

  I am but the vessel for my mistress.

  Lessig?

  My Mistress.

  What women did you bring here?

  I cannot tell you. I must leave you.

  No! Then Areenna did something she’d never before done and thrust her question spear-like, ignoring the other’s plea to stop and penetrated into the remnants of the woman’s consciousness, forcing her to open her mind. Then she was within the core of the woman’s thoughts, chasing along the maze of thought-paths until a face rose before her, and then a second and a third. She pushed on, but found no more.

  As she sought through every corner of consciousness, a chill spread from her feet up through her legs, into her abdomen and again, upward as she heard Enaid urgently crying out her name. Then Mikaal’s hands were on her shoulders, shaking her. She withdrew, sluggishly, trying to clear the fog sucking her into a deep black mist.

  After several breaths, the mists cleared and she stared up at four faces. “What happened?”

  “She died but seconds after we forced you out. If we had not, you would have joined her.”

  You should not have done that alone, Mikaal scolded her, although the words were silent, she felt the trembling of the words as if he’d spoken aloud.

  “Let me sit,” she said and Mikaal drew her up. “There are three more spies,” she said to Enaid, and pushed the images of the women she had gotten from the dying woman. “Why would she do that?”

  “She did not do so on her own. Lessig set a control within her mind, a compulsion. When we locked her in the storeroom, it triggered the hidden command and she used her teeth to rip open the vein on her wrist. If it had not been for Neleh…” Enaid turned to the woman-child. “Thank you.”

  Neleh’s features were set in a mask of confusion. “Why would another do this to someone?”

  Enaid gazed down at Neleh. “The Dark Ones know no bounds. Be it The Masters themselves, or their Afzaleem, they do whatever they will, whenever they will because that is how they live and survive. If something endangers them, they stop it. In this case, Hannid could lead us to the other spies. Lessig would take no chances. The other three will have the same compulsion, so we must be careful when we take them.”

  “It must be done before morning,” Areenna said, looking directly at Roth. “They must not see us leave.”

  Before Roth could speak, Enaid said, “Their hands are to be bound behind them; the three must be kept separate. A Women of Power must guard each of the three. I shall call
them now.”

  “I will call my Six to find these women,” Roth said to Mikaal and Areenna, “Then we will question them. Now, get some sleep.”

  When Areenna laughed at his order, Roth raised a single eyebrow. “If you are still to leave in the morning, you need a few hours of sleep.”

  Before she could say anything, Mikaal took her hands and drew her to her feet. When he released her, he turned to Neleh. “Well done, Little One. You too should sleep; I want to see you before we leave.”

  Neleh went into his arms and hugged him tightly. She stepped back and smiled. “As you say.”

  Once Mikaal, Areenna, and Neleh left, Roth turned to Enaid. “We do this now. I do not trust that Lessig sent only those three. There may be others.”

  Enaid nodded. “I agree.”

  They left the chamber together, Roth to gather his Six, Enaid to where the Women of Power slept where, one by one, she roused three women of whom she had absolute trust. What would follow when they confronted the three spies would not be pleasant, but it had to be done.

  <><><>

  The midday sun beat steadily upon them as they reached the eastern border of Tolemac and Aldimor. With them rode three of Roth’s personal Six, three of whom were with them in the Frozen Mountains.

  Drawing the kraals to a stop just before the shallow river Tolemac, Aldimor, and Llawnroc shared, Mikaal and Areenna dismounted. Mikaal turned to the tallest of the Six. “Siwel, we go alone from here. We will follow the river to the sea.”

  Siwel nodded but stood still. “We have discussed this, Lav, Nafets, and I, and we would accompany you through Aldimor.”

  Mikaal. No.

  “It would be a great honor to have you with us, Siwel, but an honor we cannot accept. There is much to prepare, and your experience is important in Tolemac. For what we must do, stealth is safer than having five ride through Aldimor.”