by Brux, Boone
“Even his own brother?” Meran asked.
“Oh yes. The Summoners were the most powerful group of Bringers. They drew their abilities from dark magic, which eventually corrupted nearly all of them.” Brita slowly moved around the table, weaving her tale. “When King Harlin realized his brother had been scheming to take the crown, he created an inescapable prison and threw each of the Summoners into it—including his own mother.” She paused. “The Abyss is that prison.”
“His own mother?” Rell shook her head. “Were such drastic measures necessary?”
“Most definitely.” Brita stopped at the opposite end of the table. “She had corrupted Ander into believing that he should be king and in so doing, he would be able to set the Summoners above all other Bringers and rule not only Bael, but other worlds that the Mystic Arch opens to.” She nodded. “Though Harlin was a tyrant when it came to dealing with the humans, he believed all empowered Bringers were equal and that no single group should rule the other.”
“What a contrary king,” Ravyn said. “Where is the Abyss located?”
“We don’t know.” Magnus’s thumb stroked the hilt of his sword again and Siban realized it was an action the Tell did when distressed. “Many things were kept secret by King Harlin for reasons of security. For a long time we assumed the Abyss was in Bael, hidden from those wishing to free the Summoners.”
“But now?” Instead of feeling like he understood the Bringers better, the information only raised more questions for Siban.
Brita and Magnus exchanged glances. “Now we believe it’s somewhere in Inness,” she said.
“But…” Ravyn turned to face Magnus and Brita. “We’ve always believed that Vile has been trying to open the Abyss.” She shook her head. “Why would he do this?”
“There is a legend that whomever opens the prison controls the army within.” A heavy sign escaped Brita. “Perhaps the Demon King is misguided in his beliefs that he will be able to control the Summoners.”
“Because of his bold move to kidnap Bringers, we feel he understands some of our history. But we also believe Vile is missing vital pieces, which will render his attempts to open the Abyss unsuccessful.” Magnus rubbed the back of his neck. “Fortunately for us. Let’s pray that is the reality.”
“What would happen if he was successful?” Luc shifted and draped his arm across Jade’s shoulder.
“Death, destruction.” Magnus crossed his arms over his chest. “The battle against the Bane a thousand years ago would seem like a mere skirmish.”
“The power the Summoners possess is great and horrifying.” Brita walked slowly around the table, spinning the tale. “Because they draw from the dark, their source is nearly endless. Always there is suffering and greed from which they feed their powers.” She stopped at the opposite end of the table. “That is why when a Bringer embraces their ability as a Summoner, it is almost guaranteed they will be corrupted.”
Siban slid his hand along Rell’s leg, needing the contact. They had both experienced the darkness. Was that the same black force, which was void of compassion and happiness, the evil the Summoners claimed? A tiny shiver ran along his skin. He couldn’t imagine voluntarily embracing such a choice and condemning himself to a life of such insatiable mercilessness.
“Both Magnus and I have battled against the Summoners,” Brita continued. “And though their abilities were far greater than any of the other Bringers, I’m quite certain we only witnessed a small part of their capabilities.”
“Keeping the humans from persecution had been King Arron’s mission.” Magnus paused. “Let’s pray that saving the world from the Summoners will not be ours.” His gaze shifted to the doorway of the kitchen. “Are there any more questions?” When nobody spoke, he raised his hand and waved Delphina into the Great Hall. “That’s enough for today. Transferring visions is draining for the both the Tell and the receiver. Refresh yourself and meet back in the bailey for guard assignments.”
Magnus turned and strode from the room with Brita gliding behind him.
“I thought you lot might be thirsty.” Delphina hefted a tray laden with mugs of ale. Jacob jumped to his feet and relieved her of her burden, setting it on the table.
“Thank you, Delphina.” Ravyn stood and reached for a mug. “I feel like I just ran a mile.”
The group was quiet as they handed the drinks down the line, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts of what they’d witnessed. Siban took a long drink, attempting to wash away the acrid taste the battle scene had left in his mouth.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Delphina said.
“Good as,” Luc replied. He drank deeply and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. “But this helps, thanks.”
“Are you all right?” Siban rubbed his hand up and down Rell’s thigh.
She stared into her cup but glanced up at his question. All eyes were on her. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just trying to take it all in.”
“That was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.” Jade closed her eyes and pressed the heels of her hands against her lids. “It’s like the visions were burned into my mind.” She lowered her hands and blinked. “Now I have more questions than before Magnus shared this information with us.”
Rhys leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “As do I. And I believe Magnus started us out easy. At least now I understand how Queen Anna knew to go to the Mystic Arch when she needed help with the Bane.”
“And if that’s true, then everybody on Inness, except the Bane, originated from Bringers.” Jacob paused. “Including Splinters. They seemed to have figured out a way to regain a small amount of their own powers.”
“Through dark earth magic,” Jade said.
“I wonder, if they had been born with Bringer powers if they would have been Summoners.” Luc absently tapped his finger against the tabletop.
“Perhaps,” Meran said. “That would explain why they are so adept in the dark practices.”
Ravyn exhaled. “It’s a lot to take in and I have a feeling we’ve not even scratched the surface of what we’re still to learn.”
Siban’s nerves hummed as if he’d just come off the battlefield. Rell covered his hand with hers. Warmth and calm spread through him. Was this part of their Tell powers? Brita had seemed to do the same for Magnus. Siban’s abilities were still so new, but he looked forward to finding out how they would be helpful in battle. He glanced at her…and in more intimate situations.
Learning to control his powers was much more difficult than Siban had thought it would be. Though Brita tried to gently guide them in sending out their awareness, his seemed to have a mind of its own. Each time he released it, his powers shot forward like one of the fireballs from Magnus’s vision. The majority of Siban’s training was spent wrestling his Tell under control. Before being brought to full power he hadn’t had a problem. His abilities had been ingrained and flowed naturally with his desires. Now it seemed that his Tell was a freethinking entity that did what it wished, despite his command. It felt foreign, resisting his persistent efforts like a cold lump of clay.
To make matters worse, none of the others seemed to be struggling with the exercises. After the fifth time that his awareness sprang forward and pelted his senses with a million bits of information, Siban turned and kicked a wooden pail filled with water. The liquid splashed in all directions and spilled across the grass.
“Be gentle with yourself, Siban.” Brita approached him and laid a hand on his arm, instantly calming him. “You must work in unison with your Tell, not fight it for control.”
“Perhaps you could explain that to my Tell. It’s being quite uncooperative.” His mouth compressed into a tight line when he looked at Rell. Her lips were pressed together in an effort not to smile. “Am I amusing you?”
She held up her hands in defense. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Let me help you.” Brita moved to stand in front of him. “Hold out your hands.” She laid hers atop his. “
Now close your eyes and relax so I might guide you.”
He gritted his teeth. “I feel like a child.”
“I sometimes use this technique when teaching the young.” Her words held no hint of mockery. “It allows them to become accustomed to how their powers move.”
Quiet laughter sounded from somewhere in front of him. He opened one eye. Rhys’s face was passive, but Rell had her back to him. Siban harrumphed and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Now, think of using your Tell in the same way you would float on the water. Ease onto it and drift while gently directing your course.”
With a deep exhale, he envisioned himself sinking into his power and he opened his mind. It shot forward, but instead of hauling it back like a runaway horse, he rode the wave. Eventually the frantic pace slowed. His senses spread across the ground, picking up on the tiny life-forms that pulsed within the grass.
“Good,” Brita said. “Now open your eyes, and focus your Tell on a specific destination.”
Brita’s presence was beside him, riding the wave as well. But she didn’t interfere, allowing him to maintain control. A few times she nudged his attempts to keep his Tell on course.
Siban focused on the forest beyond the manor. With a single thought he projected what he desired to know. The path his Tell had taken narrowed and turned in the direction he intended. The amount of psychic information lessened and became more purposeful, as if understanding what he wanted.
When his awareness entered the first row of trees it slowed even further, creeping through the underbrush and feeding information back to Siban. The life forces from different birds and animals flitted through his mind. Puddles of water, moss growing on trees, and even the wind registered positively in his mind. All was as it should be. Nothing out of placed dwelled within the range.
“Now bring your senses back, but not in a straight path. Stop at various points. When you’re finished, release them,” Brita said.
She removed her hands from his. The loss of her presence quivered across the top of his Tell wave, but didn’t disrupt the flow. Though not as smooth as when Brita had been guiding him, Siban was able to redirect, stop, take in the information, and then continue along a course that brought his Tell willingly back to him.
He released it and exhaled. “I did it.”
Brita’s smile was like a mother’s kiss. “Very good. Now you know what it feels like and will be able to do it again.”
Rhys slapped him on the back. “Nicely done. I wish I understood your power.” He flexed his biceps. “Shields are brawn, not brain.”
“I wish I understood it as well,” Siban said.
Rell approached. “I’m proud of you.”
“I don’t suppose you were having trouble too?”
She held up her thumb and index finger. “A bit, but I was having more fun watching you get frustrated.”
Brita sighed. “I can see that this group will be just like my young students.”
“You think we’re bad,” Rhys said, “You’ve got Luc, Jade, and Ravyn next.”
Siban smiled apologetically at Brita. “Good luck with that crew.”
For the first time, Brita’s expression turned dark and slightly mischievous. “Let’s try this lesson again, shall we?”
Rell groaned. “My head is pounding.”
“Then you need more practice.” Brita walked to her and held out her hands. “It’s your turn.”
Rell looked at Siban for support. He mimicked her previous action and held up his hands in defense. “Don’t look at me.”
“Just get the feel of your Tell. Try to guide it. Later we’ll work on connecting,” Brita said to Rell. She turned to Rhys. “You will be able to sense information they send directly to you, but for the most part these lessons are about learning to work with each other and to find ways to communicate or read the body language of your group.”
“Understood,” Rhys said.
After Rell had mastered control of her Tell powers, Brita had them send out their awareness side by side and scan the grounds in a grid formation. Though Siban was completely cognizant of Rell, Rhys’s presence hovered like a shadow in the background. Trying to connect with him was like standing in a thick fog and catching glimpses of his dark form every so often. Siban focused his awareness behind him in an attempt to link more strongly with Rhys. When in battle, he would need to know where the members of his party were situated. Attempting this with only one person was difficult at best. Tracking an entire group would take considerably more training.
With great effort Siban maintained his awareness of Rhys and scanned the area ahead of him. It took several attempts to clarify the streams of information pouring into him, but eventually requests from Rell began trickling to him. Her desire to patrol a certain area crystalized. He in turn made a request and each time she responded accurately. By the end of practice, their abilities hummed in near perfect harmony.
Their knack for sensing one another’s needs calmed Siban’s apprehension about their journey into the Shadow World. Unlike before, he would not be alone and now possessed the skill to communicate with Rell if captured again.
His eyes cut to Rell. What would she do if faced with being turned Bane again? He watched her pick up the small sword she’d been given and examine the blade. She appeared calmer than he’d seen her in days. Maybe their newly acquired talents gave her more confidence. He watched her slash the air with the weapon, her face set in grim determination.
He hoped she wasn’t too confident as to be reckless.
Chapter Five
By the end of the day Rell’s head was swimming with information and her muscles ached with fatigue. Serena had readied a bath for her in the stone tub in her chamber. More than ever, Rell appreciated the fact that Jacob Le Daun was a man of innovations. He’d taken advantage of the hot springs under Faela and had created a hand pump and pipes that opened to let the water run freely into the tub. Getting the water in appeared easy, but Rell was uncertain how they were to get the water out.
Determined to enjoy her bath, Rell piled her hair on top of her head and slid into the steaming liquid. Heat surrounded her, sinking deep into her bones. She sighed as the warmth chased away the chill that was starting to settle as her body cooled from its vigorous workout. She lay against the smooth rock and thought about everything she’d learned.
Magnus had begun their lesson at the turning point just before the Thousand Year War between the Bringers and the Bane. He and Brita had imparted so much history her mind actually hurt. Ripples skated across the surface when she stirred the steaming water with her hand. Rose petals bobbed like boats on a windswept lake. Rell tilted her head forward until the water covered her chin. The muscles in her neck stretched and slowly released their tight hold.
A knock sounded at the door. “Who is it?”
“Siban. May I come in?”
She slid lower until the cloudy water touched her earlobes. Her first thought was to call out that she was not decent, but she stayed that urge. Though today’s activities had exhausted her, they’d also left her exhilarated and feeling slightly daring. “Come in.”
The door opened halfway and Siban stepped inside. He stopped, his eyes taking in the scene. Without looking away, he shoved the door closed behind him. His hand fumbled for the bolt and when he found it, he slid it across. “I can come back later.”
Certain he had no intention of leaving since he’d just locked them inside, Rell repressed her smile. “If you’d prefer to come back later, that’s fine.”
He glided forward, pulling his tunic and shirt over his head in one smooth move. “I don’t prefer that, so perhaps it’s better if I stay.”
Her breath caught in her throat. It was all she could do not to blush like the maiden she was. After everything she’d been through, it was a miracle he could still make her feel like an innocent.
Golden skin spread across his broad chest and rippled abdomen. Even in the low flickering light of the lanterns she could see
the tiny white scars she’d spent hours healing, scars given to him by Vile and Sha-hera. Rell forced herself to look at his face, not letting him know the evidence of his torture brought back the pain of the desolate days they’d spent together in the Shadow World.
A shy smile crept across her lips. She was confident he would guide her when she no longer knew what came next. “Are you here to wash my back?”
His eyebrows lifted, he was surprised by her boldness. “That—and other things.”
His words sent a flash of heat through her and she suddenly wanted nothing more than to feel his hands on her body. She sat forward and bared her back to him, giving him silent permission to approach.
Siban knelt beside the stone tub and picked up the cloth. After dipping it in the water, he squeezed out the excess and applied it to her skin. She wished she could see him. Perhaps it was her insecurity at not knowing what to do or maybe she just wanted to watch his reaction as he touched her.
Rell wrapped her arms around her legs and bent her back. The cloth skated across her skin, gently washing away the grime of the day’s workout. Her eyelids slid closed and she concentrated on the exquisite sensation of Siban touching her so intimately.
His presence in her chamber with her naked and vulnerable awakened a part of her that she hadn’t felt since her encounter with Icarus in the caverns of the Shadow World. But this was different—more right—more thrilling—free of the darkness and unspoken obligations.
The cloth fell into the water with a tiny splash. She opened her eyes, staring at the wall opposite. Siban’s fingers replaced the rag, moving across her back, gently kneading and exploring every inch. Tiny shivers pebbled her skin when he gently blew on her shoulder.
Her quiet laugh turned to a moan of pleasure when his thumbs lightly dug into her shoulders, working the knots free. Rell relaxed her position and straightened slightly. The water still hid her breasts, keeping her modesty intact, but the desire to have Siban touch her in more intimate places was quickly growing.