Chain of Illusions (Bringer and the Bane)

by Brux, Boone

Brita had taken over imparting information to them since she had been King Arron’s top advisor. She’d shown them Arron’s peaceful reign and Queen Anna’s plea for him to open the Mystic Arch and help her people—the humans. The hardest vision to watch had been Arron’s death in battle against the Bane. He’d never known that Anna was pregnant with his child, Gregory. Having now witnessed the actual events, Rell was quite certain that Gregory fought not only to complete his mother and father’s vision for their people, but also to avenge both their deaths.

  With so much training and the constant flow of people, the opportunity to get reacquainted with her mother had not presented itself. But guilt over keeping her and Jade’s existence from their mother still plagued her

  During meals Rell sensed Willa’s restlessness to return to her husband and other children. The thought of her mother’s other life no longer made her angry or insecure. She’d found her place within the Bringers and with Siban. When the evening meal was finished, Rell and Siban picked up the last of the dishes and carried them to the kitchen.

  As she entered the room, Hayden ducked behind his mother’s skirt. Obviously he hadn’t gotten used to seeing her as a person yet. She couldn’t blame him since she still struggled with it herself.

  “Just give those to Serena,” Delphina said, gesturing with a wet rag to her oldest daughter. “That the last of them?”

  “Yes.” She handed the young girl her dishes, noticing Serena’s red hands when she took the plates. Dirty dishes were piled on the table and Delphina’s hair lay slick with sweat against her forehead. Her hands were also red from the hot water and the effort to scour the pots. “Can I help you with kitchen duties?”

  The older woman stopped her scrubbing and smiled. “Thank you for offering, but no.”

  “Are you sure?” Rell remembered the domestic work she’d done around their home before she’d been turned Bane. The tasks of cooking, cleaning, and sewing were now so foreign to her. Swordplay and her Tell powers had replaced all other duties but she still remembered how to do them. “I’d like to help.”

  “That’s very sweet, my lady, but I enjoy the hard work. It makes me feel useful.” Her smile grew determined. “It helps me remember what I’ve risen above, thanks to the help of the Bringers.” She flicked her head, motioning to Serena, who diligently scraped the drying food into a bowl. “And it does my children good to see their ma doing honest work.”

  At that moment, Willa shuffled in, hauling a large bucket of water. Siban crossed the room and relieved her of the burden. “Thank you. Just set it by the fire.”

  Unsure how to ease into a conversation that didn’t sound rehearsed, Rell said the first thing that came to her mind. “The meal was excellent, as usual.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” Her mother wiped her hands on the dirty rag draped around her hips. “Delphina has been a godsend. She’ll have no problem cooking for the group after I return home.”

  Willa’s disquiet washed over Rell. “Will you be leaving soon?”

  “It’s been nearly three weeks. I have to return sometime.” Her mother sighed and picked up the first plate. With more vigor than the dish required, she scraped the remains into a bowl. Now that the mission preparations are almost complete, it’s time I make arrangements for ship’s passage home.” She sniffed and cleared her throat. “I’ll leave after the group has left for the Shadow World.”

  This surprised Rell. “You won’t wait until after we return?”

  “No.” She appeared to blink back threatening tears. “Better I receive word of your mission’s success while I’m with Orvis and the children.” She picked up the next plate and scraped it as if to rid herself of the unpleasant possibility that they might not return. “Whether we celebrate or grieve, I’ll want to be with them.”

  “I understand.” Finally she did comprehend the depth one person could feel for those they loved. “I will miss you.”

  Willa’s haunted expression softened. “And I will miss you.” She set the plate down. “Promise you will come to the inn immediately after the Shadow World.”

  Could she promise such a thing? Perhaps it was more the security in believing the Bringers would make it than actually keeping her word. “I promise.”

  Siban wrapped an arm around her waist. “We promise.”

  His words brought a smile to Rell’s lips.

  “So, it’s you and my daughter, is it?” Willa crossed her arms. Delphina stopped her scrubbing, no longer pretending to ignore the conversation. “I won’t ask if you love her because that much is obvious.” She leveled an assessing stare at both of them. “But remember, she’s still my little girl.” She paused. “Which means she’s stubborn.”

  “With all due respect, my lady, I believe we’ve already seen the worst of each other.”

  “Maybe so. Maybe so.” She leaned against the wooden island in the center of the kitchen. “But trust me, someday she’s going to do something or say something that will make you so angry you’ll wonder what you ever saw in her.”

  “Thank you, Mother.” Rell enunciated the word mother, not sure if she should laugh or be offended by Willa’s prediction.

  “Esmeralda, I loved your father more than anything in the world, but the man could get me so angry that I contemplated bashing him in the head with the fire iron when he wasn’t looking.” She held up a hand. “So trust me when I say, I speak from experience.” Willa sighed. “I can see you don’t believe me, and that’s all right. But remember one thing.” She addressed Siban. “Even though she lived as a Bane and experienced things that make me shudder inside, Esmeralda has only been a woman for a few weeks.”

  Siban tipped his head in acknowledgment. “I assure you, my lady, I only have Rell’s best interest at heart.”

  “I’m sure you do, Siban. That’s why I’m trusting you to keep her safe. I just got my daughter back.” Her voice cracked with emotion. I don’t know what I would do if she was taken away from me again.”

  He didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Likewise, my lady.”

  Willa sniffed again and straightened. “Then it’s settled. You both will come to Dragon’s Head Inn to meet Orvis and the children. I know they are all very excited about the prospect of two new sisters.”

  Tears burned behind Rell’s eyes. It was an odd sensation and one she’d experienced several times over the last two weeks. That was one thing about being a demon. No pesky emotions except for anger to deal with. “I can’t wait.”

  Siban smiled and nodded.

  Delphina threw down the rag. “You’re going to need a new gown for when you meet your new family.”

  “What’s wrong with what I’ve got on?” Rell smoothed her hand over the black tunic. Thanks to Delphina and her mother’s cooking, she’d finally begun to fill it out. “They’re comfortable.”

  “Nothing wrong with them, but don’t you want to look like a lady?” A wistful expression crossed Delphina’s face. “I know I would if I was ever lucky enough to meet my family.” She blinked a few times and then looked at Rell. “I’ve got a fair bit of skill when it comes to sewing and my daughter is an artist when it comes to embellishing fabric. She used to make extra coin by selling what she made in the market on Saturdays.”

  Shame pinched at Rell. It was easy to believe that others hadn’t suffered as greatly as she had when she was a Bane. But when Delphina spoke of her life, Rell was humbled by the woman’s strength. “I’m sure she does beautiful work.”

  Delphina beamed at the girl, causing Serena to blush.

  “Perhaps I can start making the gown while you lot are gone.” The woman circumvented the island in the middle of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. “I’ll just need to take your measurements before you leave.”

  Taken aback by Delphina’s generous gift, Rell struggled to find the right words. “Thank you. That’s incredibly generous.”

  She waved a hand in the air. “It’s my pleasure.” She looked at Willa. “As long as your mum don’t
mind me taking the reins on this. I don’t want to overstep my position.”

  “Of course I don’t mind.” Willa untied the dirty rag from about her waist. “Perhaps Jacob has some old gowns we can repurpose.” She propped her hands on her hips and smiled at Delphina. “Or if we’re really lucky, maybe he’ll take us to the market to purchase everything we need. Jade told me about a little shop that carries the most amazing fabric.”

  Lord Le Daun’s feeling for Delphina were apparent, but she was a bit more difficult to read. Unable to resist, Rell smirked and said, “I believe if you allow Delphina to ask him, you’ll get everything you need.”

  The woman’s eyes grew wide and she sputtered an incoherent retort. Willa cupped a hand over her mouth in an unsuccessful effort to hide her smile. Obviously enjoying her mother’s discomfort, Serena giggled.

  “Come now, Delphina,” Siban said, joining in the fun. “Surely you’ve seen the way he looks at you?”

  “Lord Le Daun is a gentleman and would never be drawn to the likes of me.”

  Willa’s expression softened. “You mean a beautiful woman who has turned his cold manor into a home again?”

  Delphina opened her mouth to reply and then closed it, her gaze drifting to the wooden island. She scratched her thumbnail against the grain and fidgeted. “He couldn’t possibly fancy me.” She paused, sliding a glance to her daughter. “I’m soiled.”

  For the first time since Rell had been turned, she felt a kinship with another female. In a rare urge to comfort, she stepped forward and took Delphina’s hand. “You are no more tainted than I am.”

  The woman looked at her and swallowed hard. “But you didn’t have no control over being turned Bane.”

  “And you didn’t have any control over your mother selling you to a pleasure house.” Whether from Delphina’s emotions or her own outrage, fury rolled through Rell. “Even though life was difficult, you not only survived, but cared for your children and put their needs above your own.” Rell inhaled, trying to get control of her ire. “You are not soiled.”

  Serena wound her arms around her mother’s waist. “Mummy, you’re the best person I know.”

  Delphina swallowed and hugged her daughter. “No, you are the best person I know, love.”

  “Jacob Le Daun is lucky that you are in his life.” Trying to lighten the mood, Rell gave a half smile. “But I think he already realizes that.”

  Siban chuckled. “As a matter of fact, I think you are the only one who hasn’t realized that.”

  “Well…” Delphina straightened away from Serena and ran her hands down the front of her skirt. “The man must be daft.” She patted her hair. “I look like a scullery maid.”

  Willa walked around behind Delphina and untied her apron. “Now, why don’t you freshen up and then go ask Jacob about buying supplies for Rell’s gown. I’m fairly certain he’ll say yes.”

  Delphina bustled out of the kitchen, muttering to herself.

  “If I know Jacob,” Willa said, “he’d give her the world if she asked.”

  Siban squeezed Rell’s shoulder. “Love will do that to you.”

  One more day and they would leave the safety of the warded grounds and head back into the world where Rell’s nightmares had originated. Knowing she would not be able to sleep much, she volunteered to take the first night watch with Siban and Meran.

  The evening was unseasonably warm, the nip in the air tempered by breezes from the south. The buzz from night hoppers seesawed from the darkness, their mating song a comfort as Rell patrolled the perimeter of the warded boundaries of the manor.

  This was the third watch she’d taken, but the first she’d actually done by herself. Siban’s constant vigilance rarely left her time alone. She stared at the night sky, realizing how much she enjoyed and needed privacy. Once social and outgoing, she now preferred solitude.

  Keeping with protocol, she guided her Tell outward to the far corner of the warded area. All was as it should be. She let it seep beyond the distance she normally extended her powers. Always she endeavored to improve her skills, to become stronger, striving to regain the level of power she had experienced as a Bane.

  Her senses ghosted across an aberration, instantly drawing her attention. No taint of Bane bit against her skin, but neither had she ever felt this kind of disruption in her surroundings.

  A sparkle winked at the corner of her vision. She snapped her head to the right, but the object had disappeared. Again she sent her Tell toward the area she thought she’d seen the light. Her awareness flickered across the anomaly again and then it winked out.

  Straining to see beyond the dark line of trees, she prowled the edge of the perimeter. Nothing appeared out of place. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that all was not as it seemed.

  She crept along the warded barrier until she reached the opposite end. The sensation of a thousand stinging bees spread along her arms. Without warning, searing heat burned through her body and gathered in her palms. She fisted her hands, trying to control her Bringer reaction to a nearby Bane. Juna had explained what would happen when encountering demons, even going as far as saying the reaction would be swift and powerful. That seemed a bit of an understatement.

  Rell stepped away from the border. Though protected by the wards, she couldn’t get careless and cross onto unprotected ground. Thin spindles of lightning sparked between her fingers and palm when she clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to get control of her power.

  She inhaled a calming breath. The action soothed her nerves, but also brought with it a scent of the familiar. With a slow, silent exhale, she focused her awareness several yards beyond the ward near the forest. Her Tell slithered across the ground like an encroaching fog until it found the demon. Her pulse quickened. Though he had been lurking the night of her transformation, she’d not felt him since.

  “Icarus?” She took a small step forward. “I know you’re there. It’s me, Rell.”

  He glided out of the darkness, his black skin gleaming in the light of the near full moon, each muscle cut to perfection in the blue glow. His yellow eyes remained fixed on her and his strides closed the distance. He stopped a mere foot beyond the boundaries.

  Silence stretched between them. His stare skated over her, taking in every inch of her human body. With caution, she opened her senses and tried to gauge his response. A chaotic consciousness filled her mind, crowding her soul. She staggered against the overwhelming force and slammed her mental shields down to block out the familiar and unwanted darkness in which the Bane dwelled. Now free from her demon form, she could no longer bear the suffocating touch of the desolation.

  “You have changed.” The deep bass of his voice drifted across her like warm air over her chilled skin. His words hovered somewhere between a question and a statement.

  From what Rell had gleaned from conversations within the manor, the Bringers feared Icarus the most. Besides Vile, he would eventually be the most hunted. Though she’d never voiced her thoughts to anyone, including Siban, her time spent with Icarus in the Shadow World had told her there was more to him than the soul-sucking Spoil he’d been labeled as.

  “Yes.” She rubbed her hands against her arms. “They found my body and healed me.”

  He continued to stare at her. The wind whispered in the canopy of the trees and the low song of the night hoppers began again. After several seconds he asked, “Is it…good?”

  His question, so full of desperate hopefulness, tore at her heart. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She swallowed hard, pressing her lips together against the lump rising in her throat, and nodded. Another awareness skated through her, probably Siban sensing her distress. The thought that he was always with her, even during her private time, irritated Rell. She pushed his presence aside and refocused on Icarus. She understood his question, his need to know not how they’d healed her, but that they’d rid her of the darkness. “Yes.” She sniffed. “It’s very good, Icarus.”

  Though nea
rly imperceptible, she saw his posture relax. He attempted a smile, but only succeeded in curling one corner of his mouth, which looked more like a sneer, and exposed a white fang. “You are smaller than I thought you’d be.”

  A giggle threatened to trickle from her, but Rell managed to keep it suppressed. Instead she crossed her arms. “Don’t underestimate me, Bane.”

  “Ah.” He paced along the perimeter of the ward. “Bane is it? I guess it is only natural that we should now become foes.”

  “No.” She let her arms fall to her sides. “I don’t believe that.” She took a step forward. “You once said that I was different, like you.” She matched his pace. “What if you had once been a Bringer too?”

  He stopped and peered at her. “A Bringer? Me?”

  “Could it be possible?” Since her transformation, she’d thought about him often. The way his body had been warm like hers. How he had no memories beyond being a Bane. “What if Vile took your soul? What if your body is frozen in the Shadow World—like mine was.”

  He was silent for a long time, contemplating her words. “I have lived for a thousand years, Rell. Do you not think I’d know if Vile had hidden my human body?”

  “Did you know about my body?” She wanted to believe he hadn’t. “Or the other Bringers?”

  He stopped suddenly and faced her. “No, I did not. It seems there is much my father has done without my knowledge. But I don’t think I was ever anything other than what I am now.”

  His agitation ricocheted off the ward. She didn’t know how far she could push him. Maybe giving him something to hope for would drive him to find the truth and help them on their quest. “Perhaps Vile is not your father.” She cleared her throat. “Perhaps he’s been toying with you all this time.”

  The darkness inside Icarus swelled at her words, beating at her. His reptilian eyes pierced her, as if assessing whether or not she was the one who was toying with him. The air suddenly shifted. Icarus’s head snapped up, and he scanned the sky. He thrust his wings outward and crouched, but it was too late.

  From above a heavy net dropped over him. Rell screamed, understanding dawning. Icarus thrashed under the weighty tangle, but couldn’t get free. Like a hundred beating drums, the thump of wings sounded overhead. Three dragons dropped from the sky. Their claws gouged the earth when they settled.