[fan] diviners saga 02 - diviners curse

by Nicolette Andrews

  Johai stepped up to the wooden door, which had gaps large enough that I could see the dark shadows within and strips of light that illuminated a dirt floor.

  Before he rapped on the door, a voice called out from within, "Come in, I've been expecting you."

  A chill rippled down my spine. We had not sent word. We had only heard rumors, and I had feared that we had risked coming to the city for naught. I hoped to be proved wrong.

  Johai pushed open the door, which creaked and threatened to fall apart beneath his touch. A man with white hair sat bent over a pot boiling over a fire in the center of the room. He wore long breaches rolled up to the knees and had bare feet that were callused and brown. He looked up with rheumy eyes as we entered.

  "Heit tho ba regla beranta," he said and motioned to three pillows laid out on the ground across the pot from him.

  The language in which he spoke was one I was not familiar with. Johai did not blink at it and replied in the same language.

  "Aba, thyuy ka serthea."

  I leaned in to Johai and whispered, "What did he say?"

  "If you have a question, ask me directly, illusino," the old man said in Neaux, pinning me with his rheumy almond-shaped eyes. The skin on his face was leathery and a dark brown from the sun.

  "Then you are him, the mystic, the du-toath from the tribes of the Biski?" I asked. At last something had gone right, we had found the man we had come to find. The du-toath were the mystics of the Biski tribes. They were rumored to know of ancient magics that connected them with the earth. As a girl, I had read stories of du-toath destroying entire villages by calling forth a storm or hiding their warriors with sudden mists. I hoped their people remembered something about the specter that we had forgotten.

  He chuckled. "So you are more than a pretty face." I blushed, wondering if he was not blind or merely patronizing me. He stirred the contents of his pot and revealed a tattoo on his inner wrist: it was a square with angular cross marks overlapping it, and each line was connected like a thread without beginning or end. He then said, "I once was a du-toath, many years ago. I hail from the Clan of the Fern."

  "Aba, I do not mean to trouble you, but we seek guidance," Johai said with a desperate edge to his tone that I had not heard before. He was always so calm and in control of his emotions.

  The du-toath set the spoon he was stirring with aside and folded his thin arms over his bare chest, which hosted a patch of white hair that contrasted against his nut-brown skin. "They do not come here if they do not seek."

  "What do you know of spirits?" I asked, taking the lead. I was impatient for answers.

  The man directed his milky gaze away from us as if looking beyond and into time itself. "Your impatience will hinder your quest. You ask questions but do not wait long enough to hear the answers."

  His chastisement stung, and I bit back a retort. The old man exhaled and then let his gaze linger on each of us in turn. When his gaze fell on me, I squirmed beneath his regard. I felt as if he was peering into my very heart, and I feared what he would discover there.

  "The boy with the white hair is touched. I could sense that upon your arrival. That is why you have come to me, looking for answers; am I correct?"

  "Yes, Aba," Johai replied. He shifted, and I wasn't sure if it was the boy comment or the fact that the man had touched on the source so quickly. "I summoned an ancient spirit, one whose name has been lost to the sands of time."

  The man nodded. "I can feel him in this room. I know who you summoned. The question is, did you know what you unleashed when you performed the summoning?"

  I had never seen Johai cowed, but he was by this old man. He looked at the flames in front of him and did not meet the du-toath's gaze. "Yes."

  His words caught me off guard. I had thought it was a mistake made in his youth, something he had dabbled with when he was training as a magiker as a boy. I wanted desperately to interject and ask Johai why he had done this. If he knew what was in store for him, why subject himself to this fate?

  The man chortled. "And you want me to help you? What's to stop me from letting nature run its course and be done with you?"

  Johai did not answer the du-toath right away. I held myself back from pressing the topic further, though I was dying to know more.

  "I acquired the book from my father, who also sought the spirit's power but never completed the ritual. I was young when I performed the summoning, a child and reckless. I knew what I summoned forth, but I was arrogant, and I thought I could control him." Johai stared straight forward and did not meet the man's gaze. Not that I am certain it would have been necessary; I still wasn't sure if he was blind or not.

  The old man nodded but did not respond, and I suspected he wanted Johai to continue.

  "I have managed to contain him by limiting my use of magic. However, lately, my emotions seem to awaken him. I can feel my consciousness slipping. I have lost minutes, hours. I do not know how much longer I can maintain control."

  I reached over and laid my hand over Johai's without thinking. Why had he not told me it was this serious? Of course, I suspected. At the back of my mind I knew that time was running short, but to hear it so bluntly in his own words was a different matter.

  "You are strong to have held him off for this long, but a spirit of this strength will not be easily assuaged. There is only one way to prevent his rising, and that answer you already have," the du-toath said.

  I gripped Johai's hand tight and felt him tense under my touch. "There must be something we can do!" I shouted. No matter who we spoke to, the answer was the same. There had to be a way to save him. I could not accept the fact that I had to kill Johai. He saved me; why could I not do the same?

  The old man did not look at me but continued to gaze at Johai. "You know how to end this, but are you willing to make that sacrifice?"

  Johai lowered his head, and I stared at his profile. The profound sadness in his eyes said it all. This was another dead end. I refused to give up, however. I had sworn to free him, and we had come this far; I would not give up.

  "There has to be another way. I know that everything says I must kill Johai, but I cannot. I will not," I shouted.

  "And instead you would unleash the destruction of all things?" The du-toath's words were like cold water splashed on me. "This is no mere trifle you play with. This spirit is ancient and vengeful, and you are kindling to his fire."

  I was not cowed; I refused to give up. "Then I will help him burn until the fires go out. A blaze cannot burn forever."

  The du-toath did not flinch but fixed me with a bland expression. His crabbed hands were flat upon his forearms. "That is not possible. Their souls were tangled the moment he took that spirit within himself. They cannot be separated. You, illusino, and women like you, are destined to be his destruction. If not, then he will be yours. And if you are destroyed, then the darkness wins, and all life will cease to exist."

  My hands shook from frustration.

  "You cannot undo a century's worth of hatred. It is in your blood and tied in with your very essence!"

  "Why me? Why do I have to be the one?" I was ashamed of my own selfishness, but it had been weighing upon me for some time, and after the du-toath's declaration, I could not hold it in any longer.

  "It is the reason you have the abilities you do. You foretold the coming of his rising, and only you can thwart it!"

  "And what if I do not want these powers? What if I would give it up just to save one life instead of standing aside while everyone I care about suffers?" The tears were flowing freely now.

  "That is not your fate, illusino," the du-toath said in a low voice.

  Johai touched my hand, and I realized I had jumped to my feet. I unbunched my fists and found blood pooling in half-moons on my palms where my nails had dug into the skin. The du-toath tutted and reached for a rag in a bucket nearby. He gave it to me to wash my wounds, and it had a pungent odor that stung my nose.

  "We all have destinies. Some are great, and so
me are small. But we cannot fight fate," the du-toath said after settling back down behind the fire.

  I lowered my gaze and did not comment further. Was this my fate, to forever look into the future and never be able to change anything? To kill the man who had saved my life? I felt as if the room swayed. It was ridiculous, not possible, but—I looked sidelong at Johai. Would I forever be burdened with the ability to see backwards and forwards and forever to walk alone?

  Chapter Two

  NEAUX GUARDS WERE WAITING at the inn where I had rendezvoused with Johai. A man in hosen and wearing a deep blue doublet chatted with the barmaid. His back was to me, and I could not see anything but his dark curly hair, which was pulled back in a tail at the base of his neck. Beau stepped in front of me, shielding Johai and me from sight. I peered around his shoulder and watched the exchange.

  "Perhaps that man alerted the embassy," I said, without looking to my companions. The guilt was tying knots in my stomach.

  "It would appear so," Johai remarked.

  I felt worse not having him chastise me. If he had, then at least I could have defended myself.

  "We should leave the city," Beau said and turned down the street and marched in the other direction.

  "What about the horses?" I asked as I glanced back towards the Neaux guards and the man. Who is that man? Perhaps he is the ambassador?

  "We'll leave them behind," Johai replied. "We cannot risk detection."

  They both headed back in the direction we had come. I lingered a moment longer, and as I did, the man turned and looked over his shoulder in my direction. His eyes widened, and there was no mistaking it, he had seen me. Duke Jon Sixton raised his arm as if to hail me. I ran in the opposite direction.

  I caught up with Johai and Beau, who gave me slanted glances.

  "Jon Sixton is here in the city! He saw me!" I gasped. I looked over my shoulder, waiting for Duke Sixton to come after us with the Danhadine soldiers who had accompanied him, but he did not. Jon Sixton, when I met him, had been a merchant's son, but in his time at court in Keisan, he had risen in power to become Duke of Sixton. He was also a member of the Order of the Oak and a friend of Adair's. I suspected Adair had sent him here to find us. Why does he not pursue us? Unless it's a trap. They're waiting for us to flee the city, and then they'll capture us. Is that why there are so many soldiers in the city? Even to me it seemed excessive. However, Johai had split a ship in half with the power of the specter, so maybe it was not unreasonable for Adair to send so many people after us.

  We ran down the alleyway, not hesitating to look for pursuit. Beau led us towards the city gates, which loomed overhead. The great iron gate was drawn back, and I could see men walking along the catwalk above it, pacing. Below and just beside the gates, Danhadine soldiers talked in knotted groups.

  "Wait," I called and leaned against the wall and took a moment to catch my breath. "They know we're in the city. They saw Beau, and the merchant told him I was here. They'll expect us to run, and without horses we cannot get far, even if we manage to slip past those soldiers."

  The men exchanged a glance, and I knew they were both weighing the risks and benefits.

  "The population could aid us in blending in," Beau said after a tense silence.

  There was little time to debate. Many of our decisions had been made on impulse since we had fled Danhad. Our lives were at risk if we lingered, and if we did not find somewhere to hide soon, we would be captured.

  "Very well," Johai replied, his mouth tight and his shoulders tense. I followed him away from the city gates, and every couple of feet I glanced over my shoulder, checking for pursuit. To my surprise and relief, none came.

  I worried about lingering too long in the city, especially with a heavy Danhadine presence. I wanted more than ever to continue our journey. Sitting idle as we were felt like we were a target, especially with our enemies close at hand.

  As twilight encroached on the horizon, we stumbled into an inn on the far end of the city from where we had entered. A round woman with a smiling face sat us at a table and poured dark ale for us to drink. Johai held his glass with one hand and tugged at his braid with the other. The walnut dye I had used to disguise him did not fit his aquiline features. I often wondered how his natural blond would look as opposed to the white I had become accustomed to.

  "We should not stay here more than a fortnight; that should be long enough to let things die down," Johai said at last.

  I stared down into the amber liquid in my cup and let my thoughts chase themselves in circles as the men made plans.

  "Do you think Adair suspects we fled to Sanore?" Beau asked with a calm that seemed unreasonable.

  Does it matter? If he did not know before, he knows now.

  "Why else would a substantial Danhadine force be sent here?" Johai asked in return. "I overturned an entire ship. He would not risk sending too few men. He is many things, but he is no fool."

  Beau did not respond, but his eyes flickered towards the doorway as if he expected the soldiers to burst through the door at any moment and apprehend us.

  "What of our coin? We cannot hope to sustain ourselves here for very long," I asked, trying to insert myself into the conversation. The two of them often took it upon themselves to make decisions, treating me as if I were a simple-minded girl.

  Johai extracted a small purse from his waist and dropped it onto the table. The coins within jingled, but the bag was thin. "We'll need to find a way to increase our funds before leaving the city." He sighed. "I will return to the inn tomorrow and try to retrieve the horses. Mayhap if we sell them, we can get enough coin to buy our way onto a caravan." He pinched his brow.

  I had few skills to speak of, except for my powers, which I was reluctant to ply. I felt responsible for our situation, but there was nothing I could do to improve it. If one merchant had recognized me, another might. If I hadn't lingered at the previous inn, Jon would not have seen me. We would be on our way by now.

  "It's too dangerous to return to the inn. They'll expect us to come back," I said, thinking of Jon Sixton lying in wait for us to return.

  Johai sighed. "You're right." He looked at me from across the table; his sapphire eyes pierced me through. For a moment the color changed from blue to black, and my stomach turned, and I looked away. The specter seemed closer to the surface than ever before. Johai's words earlier in the day haunted my memory. Am I fighting a battle I cannot win? How can I possibly kill him?

  Beau cleared his throat, ending the awkward tension. I gave him a grateful smile, which he ignored, and he pretended to drink his ale. I knew he would not touch a drop. He was too watchful, and perhaps a bit too paranoid, to ever get into his cups.

  "I will find employment, and once we have the coin, we will leave Sanore," Johai announced, ending our discussion.

  That night, I went to bed on a lumpy mattress in a room I was to share with Johai. He took the floor. For convenience we continued our story of being husband and wife—we could not afford the extra room. He had arranged some blankets and pillows on the ground. I lay awake, unable to close my eyes despite my exhaustion. I could feel every inch between Johai and me. We had often slept in close quarters, but that was out in the open under the stars, with Beau a few feet away, watchful and silent. Though Beau sat sentry outside our door, refusing a room and rest, he may as well have been miles away.

  To preoccupy my thoughts, I pondered Jon's presence in the city. What scheme were Adair and the Order at? Did this have anything to do with his plans to conquer Neaux and bring it under one joint rule? Or was this Jon's own ploy, for what I could only guess. I rolled over onto my side and considered seeking Johai's opinion. However, as much as I craved his perspective, I also feared my own curiosity. If I were to investigate further or even allow myself the opportunity to entertain trying to figure out why he was here, I knew I would fall right into Adair's hands.

  "Maea." Johai's voice whispered across me, and I shivered.

  "Yes?" I regretted the
expectancy in my voice. What was I hoping for?

  "I think you and Beau should leave the city together. It would be safer if you fled south towards Biski territory. He informed me that he has allies down there that would keep you safe."

  I hesitated to answer. It would be simple to run away, leave Johai behind, and try to forge a life for myself. I entertained the thought for a moment, but in the end I knew I could not abandon Johai, even if the du-toath said there was no other way. I was too stubborn to give up on him.

  "You know I will not," I replied.

  He sighed, and no more was said on the matter.

  Eventually, I fell asleep, and when I did, I dreamed. A young woman with long, curling, blonde hair wore a blue dress, which flared about her as she spun in circles. Her golden curls trailed away from her like rivers of gold. A crowd gathered around her and clapped and cheered as she spun. She was the sun, and they were gray clouds outshone by her radiance. No matter how sweetly they called to her, she disregarded them, absorbed in her own joyous dance. She spread her arms and closed her eyes as she continued to twirl.

  Then the crowds faded away, leaving just her in the center, spinning in a shaft of light. A red thread descended from above and wrapped around her wrist. Then another snaked around her calf, yet another bound her throat, and a fourth around her waist. As they captured her, the threads tangled and became knotted. She stumbled, unable to move due to her bindings. She fell to her knees and tilted her head back and let the light fall on her pale face.

  The light expanded, and at the end of each thread, a hand clasped it. Light illuminated their faces. They were ones I recognized, and some I did not. Among them were Sabine and Adair, King Dallin and Queen Idella and Damara, and three people I did not know: a young Neaux woman with cropped hair, an older Neaux woman with coifed hair streaked with grey, and a Neaux man with a pointed beard. They all held tight to the threads and pulled in different directions. Sarelle gasped and clutched at her throat. She looked to me with a pleading expression. Help me, her eyes seemed to say. But I was frozen to the spot, unable to lift a finger to assist her. The threads created a noose in which she was lifted from her feet, dangling like a puppet. My eyes followed the threads upwards. At their source, a hooded figure with a pale white hand held onto them. I gasped and shouted just as it pulled, and the blonde grew still and limp, sagging in her bonds.