To Rafe it was all a blur. He was simply happy, and though he took part in the ceremony, all he could really think of was how beautiful Olyva looked. He preferred her in less makeup; since her change her natural appearance seemed to radiate a beauty that other women could only dream of. Still, he liked that she had been made up for the wedding. He had donned the official uniform of the Earl’s Commander. It had been his father’s, and Rafe was pleasantly surprised that it was a good fit for him now. Going through his father’s belongings would have to wait, Rafe knew that much. He wouldn’t be able to hold back the rising tide of grief when he explored what his father had left behind. The uniform had been kept in the commander’s office, which now belonged to Rafe. The possessions there were few; most of the items were military in nature and belonged to the commander of the war band, which meant they were Rafe’s now.
The palace steward had informed Rafe that a room was being prepared for them, so for one night at least, everything would be taken care of. It was a relief for Rafe, who knew the next few days and weeks would be extremely difficult. There would be no rest after this night, no time to relax in Olyva’s arms or hold her body close to his so that only their breathing would move them. Soon everything would change, Rafe knew—he just didn’t know how soon.
Rafe had just kissed Olyva, and the priest was announcing them to the crowd, who stood and cheered, none louder than the soldiers on the city walls, when the sound of a rumble made the crowd grow quiet. It was like a long roll of thunder, but it didn’t crash or abate—it only grew louder.
“What is that?” Olyva asked.
“I don’t know,” Rafe said.
Then the ground began to trembled and shake. People in the palace garden screamed, and the shaking only grew worse. Rafe grabbed Olyva tightly with one hand and Desyra with the other. They nearly ran over the priest as they backed into the shelter of the willow tree’s swaying boughs. The earl’s guards appeared from the shadows and practically carried him back into the palace.
“I’m scared!” Desyra shouted, trying to be heard over the rumble.
“Everything will be okay—just stay with me,” Rafe said, trying to reassure her.
“Addoni help us,” the priest said in a voice pitched high with fear.
“It’s the mountain,” Olyva said. “Something’s happening. I can feel it.”
“What?” Rafe asked.
“There’s movement, deep inside the mountain.”
“Movement?” Rafe asked. “How is that possible?”
“The volcano,” Olyva said. “It’s waking up.”
There was a massive hissing sound, and the rumble subsided. The shaking stopped, but the sounds of panic didn’t.
“Should we help?” Olyva asked.
“I don’t think there is anything to be done,” Rafe said. “Are we safe?”
“I think so,” Olyva said. “I can feel tremors in the ground, but they don’t seem to be dangerous.”
“Is it over?” Desyra asked.
Olyva hugged her sister. Rafe noticed that the priest looked terrified.
“We should get to the palace,” Rafe said. “You need to tell the earl what you felt.”
“If you think that’s a good idea,” Olyva said.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Rafe asked.
“I don’t know—I guess I don’t like being the bearer of bad news.”
“At least it didn’t disrupt the wedding. We’re married now.”
Olyva smiled and put a hand on Rafe’s shoulder. There was a look in her eye that Rafe liked. The sounds of panic were dying down, and the hissing noise had stopped. As they stepped out of the willow tree’s canopy, they failed to notice that many of the bright stars overhead were blotted out. Instead they hurried across the beautiful garden and into the palace.
“Not so fast,” Olyva warned Rafe. “This dress wasn’t made for running.”
“You look beautiful,” Rafe said.
“Like a princess,” Desyra said happily.
“You should go to Mother—she’ll be worried about you,” Olyva told her youngest sister.
“All right, but I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”
“Of course. You’re going to help me, remember? Let’s meet in the feasting hall as soon as you’ve had some breakfast.”
Desyra gave her sister a big hug and then hurried away. Olyva gave Rafe another look, but this time it wasn’t romantic. He could sense the warning in her eyes.
“Is it bad?” he asked.
“This city is in danger,” Olyva said. “And there’s nothing we can do to save it.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying this mountain is going to erupt again, and when it does, there will be no more Avondale.”
Chapter 8
Tiberius
The encounter with the dragon left Tiberius feeling insecure. So far their combined efforts had been enough to see them through the dangers of the blighted lands, but with Rafe and Olyva still in Avondale, it was as if he had lost his right arm.
Sleep was elusive, and when dawn broke on the second day of their trip, Tiberius slipped from the little cabin where Lexi lay sleeping, her face still stained with dragon blood. Dancer opened one big eye, then settled in deeper beside Lexi and went back to sleep. Tiberius moved slowly. His back was a mass of pain. The muscles along his spine were knotted and strained. He could still feel the void in his back where the Balestone had been. It was worse than an open wound, constantly burning and radiating a terrible ache through his entire body.
He was tempted to take the sleeping herbs that Olyva had given him, but after the dragon’s attack, he didn’t feel he could risk going to sleep for so long. He was tired, but his mind wouldn’t stop spinning with dangers. There was no dawn in the blighted lands. The barrier of mist went from total darkness to bright amber sunlight in an instant. Tiberius slouched against the rail and peered out over the verdant land below.
“It's really quite amazing, isn’t it?” the captain said.
“What?” Tiberius asked, surprised by the question.
“The blighted lands, they’re nothing like I thought they would be.”
“It’s hard to believe we’ve been so wrong, isn’t it?” Tiberius said. “We’ve been hiding up on the mountaintops, and the world went on without us.”
“It wasn’t always like this,” the captain argued. “It couldn’t have been.”
“We’ve seen places that weren’t lush and alive like the plains below,” Tiberius said. “Some places are barren and desolate. We even saw ancient cities that were little more than rubble now.”
“So some of it is blighted?” the captain asked.
“My guess is that the places where magical battles were fought are ruined, but there is more than enough space for people to spread out and build a new kingdom.”
“What about the huge beasts that attack the city walls?”
“Have you seen any?” Ti asked. “There are some, but they’re few and far between. My guess is that the animals would learn to fear us and stay away. There are herds of tamakas—they’re like cattle and relatively harmless unless you get caught in front of them.”
“You’ve seen these beasts?”
“Tamakas, graypees, even the huge beasts the Hoskali call Draccons.”
“What are Hoskali?” the captain asked.
“They’re nomadic people who live on the plains.”
“There’s people already in the blighted lands?”
“Yes, and soon there will be more, I suppose, if we can stop Leo from destroying Valana.”
“You really think your own brother is that bad?”
“How much have you heard about our mission, Captain?” Tiberius asked.
“That it’s important. The earl said to take you wherever you needed to go.”
“That’s good. We’re going south, hoping to find the old commune run by the wizards of the Four Orders. Do you know what I’m talking about?”
“No,
my lord. I’m sorry. I never learned anything about magic. My father would have skinned me alive.”
“I understand,” Tiberius said, knowing that magic had been outlawed in the nine cities for over a century. “Before the cataclysm there was a group of wizards who were very careful about what they taught and how they worked magic. They classified magic into four separate categories that each wizard had to work his way through. For instance the First Order or category was healing magic. They called it Sana Magus. A wizard had to learn the healing arts and prove his mastery of them before he could move on to the next Order.”
“Sounds like they knew a thing or two,” the captain said. “It’s a little like working through the ranks, from cabin boy to captain.”
“Exactly,” Tiberius agreed. “We need to find the the village they built to teach new wizards. Our hope is there will be something there that can stop Leonosis.”
“But surely your brother wouldn’t destroy the kingdom. Why would anyone want to do that?”
“It isn’t my brother who wants to destroy Valana and enslave us. We think some kind of magical spirit is influencing him. This demon wants to open a portal to another world and let in all manner of foul creatures. We have to stop him.”
“How can you know all this?” the captain said. “I’ll admit things aren’t what we were taught. The blighted lands, for instance, magic maybe, but I remember you running around the palace with the sword master’s son when you were in short pants. How can you know so much?”
“I found a book on magic,” Tiberius said. “Yes, in Avondale. It was just a fragment of the book, really, but it was enough. I learned how to heal people and do a little more. Then the king came to Avondale—do you remember?”
“Of course, how could anyone forget that your brother banished you?”
“Well, the princess revealed to me that she knew magic, too. So we know that magic is being used in the capital. Then when we heard that Leonosis had been made king, by a unanimous consent of the other earls, it wasn’t hard to guess that they were influenced by magic. Finally, I discovered a secret order, the Arcanius Brotherhood, who had kept knowledge of magic and the events of Valana from before the cataclysm. They helped me to see what was happening.”
“There’s other wizards in Avondale?” the captain asked, unable to hide his shock.
“No, not wizards. Just a group of people determined to save the knowledge of magic. They don’t write things down. It’s an oral history, kept in secret just in case it was ever needed.”
“And so it was,” the captain said.
“Yes, it was. They were very helpful. I just hope we aren’t too late to save Valana from whatever is trying to destroy it.”
“Well, this little ship is speedy enough. As long as the winds hold true, I’ll get you where you need to go, my lord.”
“The only place he needs to go,” Lexi said as she came up the stairs from the hold of the ship, “is back to bed. You need your rest, Ti. What are doing up already?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” Tiberius said.
“Didn’t you take something for the pain?” Lexi asked.
Tiberius shook his head. He knew that Lexi was just watching out for him. He tried to hide his pain from her, but every time he moved, his back sent lancing pain through his body. He knew his movements were stiff and unnatural, but he didn’t know how else to minimize the pain without being drugged into unconsciousness.
“You have to rest,” Lexi said. “There’s nothing you can do up here.”
“She’s right, my lord,” the captain agreed. “We’ll take care of sailing the ship—don’t give that a second thought.”
“I know,” Tiberius said. “But what if we face another dragon or possibly something worse while I’m drugged out of my mind? I wouldn’t be able to help.”
“That’s a chance we’ll have to take. We’re not helpless here. Besides, if you don’t get well, you won’t be able to help with anything.”
Tiberius knew she was right, but he was afraid to let go. He felt as if his world were barely hanging on by a thread and, if he wasn’t careful, it would snap. Just then a gust of wind made the small ship shudder, and it took all of Tiberius’ strength not to groan.
“I mean it, Ti—you have to rest,” Lexi said.
“Don’t worry, Lord, we’ll see to the ship,” the captain said.
“And I’ll keep a careful watch for anything unusual. We’ll wake you immediately if we find anything.”
Tiberius couldn’t argue. He was exhausted, in pain, and worried. He knew he needed rest, since the wound caused by cutting out the Balestone couldn’t be healed magically. His only hope was that, in time, the wound might heal naturally.
“Okay, but do what you have to do to wake me up,” Tiberius said.
“We will,” Lexi said. “Robere is waiting for you below.”
Tiberius nodded and walked toward the stairs that led down into the hold of the small ship. Rest was sounding better by the minute. His back was aching, and he wanted nothing more than to get off his feet. Still, he felt that he was missing something. As we walked down the stairs into the gloomy space below the deck, he wondered if the future wasn’t just as bleak.
Chapter 9
Olyva
In the bright morning sunlight, Olyva felt truly alive. She was tempted to stop and just stand basking in the glorious light, but she had a task to accomplish, one that she knew was important. Even if they didn’t know it yet, the entire city would probably be depending on her to get them down the mountain and into a safe place.
“I can’t believe we’re leaving the city,” Desyra said as they passed through the massive gate.
People were stopping and staring, but Olyva guessed that strange sights were becoming common in Avondale. She hitched the pack higher on her shoulders and kept walking.
“What’s it like passing through the mists?” Desyra asked.
“You’ve been through them,” Olyva explained.
“Yes, but that was on the sky ship. This time we’ll be walking.”
“It’s no different—it only takes longer,” Olyva said with a smile.
She admired her sister’s courage and enthusiasm. Olyva had been a complete mess when she had been banished with Rafe. It hadn’t been all that long ago, but she could barely remember it. She had been so fearful, and then the Hosscum grove had changed her. She knew that the sentient trees had been trying to change her completely, to make her part of their grove. And she also knew that should frighten her, but it didn’t. She felt almost honored to have been chosen. The changes she experienced were wondrous, and she was a stronger, better person because of it. Those very changes now filled her with a sense of purpose and gave her the ability to trek out on her own into the blighted lands and even lead the people of Avondale down the mountain if it came to that.
They crossed the barren space between the walls of Avondale and the thick barrier of mist. There was very little vegetation outside the massive city walls. A few stunted trees managed to grow in the rocky soil, but very little else. When Olyva looked at those trees now, it made her incredibly sad. Those trees were meant to be tall and strong; instead, the thin soil and harsh winds had stunted their growth. They looked almost painful to her, but there was nothing she could do for them.
They walked boldly into the mists, knowing that there were dozens of men on the city walls watching them. She hoped they could see her lack of fear and trust that she could lead them to safety. She also hoped that would never be necessary.
There had been no more rumbles from the mountain after the initial quake. Still, Olyva was sure that the volcano Avondale was built on was becoming active. She could still feel the quiver of movement deep below the stone. Earl Ageus had seemed disappointed more than anything when she told him what she felt. Olyva wasn’t even sure he believed her, but the earl had been right in suggesting that their current plan of evacuating the city would be their best bet in case of either attack or volcanic eruption.
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“So tell me about your wedding night,” Desyra said with a mischievous grin.
“Desyra!” Olyva said, feeling equally as embarrassed as shocked.
“What? I’m not a baby. I know what happens when a man and woman get married.”
“You do?” Olyva asked.
“Of course. The man holds the woman all night long, and they stay up as late as they want talking. It sounds so wonderful.”
Olyva giggled. She was relieved and didn’t even consider correcting her baby sister’s innocent notions of marriage.
“Rafe seems really strong,” Desyra said.
“He is,” Olyva agreed.
“Was it hard to stay awake?”
“Not really.”
“I’ve tried, but I always end up falling asleep.”
Olyva had done her best to stay awake as long as possible. Even after Rafe had fallen asleep in their bed, Olyva, who normally wilted quickly once the sun set, wanted to savor every moment they had together. Their wedding night was the only normal thing about their marriage, and she involuntarily touched her stomach. It was silly to think she might be pregnant, and she couldn’t think of a worse time to bring a child into the world, and yet she couldn’t help but hope. Having a baby with Rafe seemed like the pinnacle of happiness to Olyva.
“That’s okay. Everyone needs rest. And we’ve got a long hike ahead of us,” Olyva said.
“At least it’s all downhill today,” Desyra said.
“That’s the spirit.”
“How long until we pass through the mist?”
“A while yet,” Olyva said.
“I don’t like it—it’s so gray and gloomy.”
“I agree,” Olyva said.
“If the sunlight can pass through the mist, why is it so dull inside the mists?”
“I don’t know,” Olyva said. “But I’ve thought the same thing myself.”
Olyva wished the mists were filled with the same warm, amber-colored sunlight that she loved so much in the blighted lands. She was tired already after getting so little sleep. She and Rafe had been up at dawn. He was making plans for the defense of Avondale, and she was gathering supplies for her scouting expedition. The sunlight in the city had been marvelous, but in the mist she felt tired and almost hungry, even though she didn’t normally eat regular food anymore. She thrived on sunlight and preferred to let water soak up through her long, rootish toes.
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