Triskelion

by Avril Borthiry

  “Well, I doubt he'll notice you, or anyone come to that.” Owen stepped up to John's side. “He's too busy feeding his dinner to the fish.”

  John grunted and lifted his face to the wind again. Owen swallowed a lungful of sea air and scanned the misty horizon, where the mountains of Mann rose from the waves.

  Chapter 16

  Kate's consciousness drifted in the twilight between sleep and waking. She was aware of silk against her skin, an ache in her limbs, and the fading image of Owen in her dreams. She opened her eyes to the glimmer of candlelight, her thoughts blurred. Nothing looked familiar.

  Where...? Where am I?

  She choked on a lump of panic and sat up, a stab of pain lancing through her ribs. The truth spun in her befuddled mind, and all that had happened settled back into place. Almost all.

  The ship. Kate remembered the pitch of the waves, the nausea. Elric. His voice had soothed her, and his touch.... she shivered, blushing at the memory of her response. It was as if he could reach into her mind and caress her thoughts.

  He'd given her a drink, she remembered, an infusion of some kind that had eased her sickness. After that, she remembered...nothing.

  Kate looked around, aware of a growing sense of claustrophobia. What was this hellish, windowless place? If not for a fat candle, flickering on a small table at her bedside, there would be no light at all. The chamber appeared to have been carved out of solid rock, like some kind of man-made cave.

  Wooden beams, dark with age, sat flush against the walls, supporting the trusses that ran across the ceiling. The floor had been roughly tiled and strewn with the skins of deer and fox. A plain wooden chair stood against one wall, and a large chest sat at the foot of the bed.

  An iron-studded door at the far end of the chamber beckoned to Kate. She slid off the bed and stumbled towards it, her movement disturbing the candle flame. Shadows danced as she reached for the door handle - a massive metal ring, cold to the touch. She grasped it with both hands, took a deep breath, and tugged. The door remained steadfast on its hinges.

  “Please,” Kate whimpered, “please, let me out.”

  She pounded on the door, her fists making no impression on the thick oak. Behind her, the candle flame spat and crackled. Kate held her breath and spun round, gripped by a fear of being plunged into absolute darkness. The flame wavered and settled back into a steady burn.

  Kate's gaze fell upon the large chest. Perhaps it contained more candles. She knelt before it and lifted the heavy lid, moaning at the effort. When she saw what the chest contained, she sat back on her heels, bewildered.

  A selection of exquisite robes and undergarments lay neatly folded, while several pairs of silk slippers rested to one side. Without touching them, Kate could tell they were made from the finest fabrics. It was then, with a sudden flare of shock, she realized that someone must have undressed her before placing her in the bed.

  As if to bear out the embarrassing truth, she pulled her shift forward at the neck and peered down at her nakedness. She gasped at the sight of the bruising on her stomach and closed her eyes against the memory of the terrible ride.

  “The marks will fade, Katherine.”

  She screamed, her eyes flying open to see Elric standing over her, his face gilded by candlelight. The door now stood ajar, exposing thick darkness beyond.

  “I... I did not hear you enter.” Kate shot to her feet, the speed of her ascent sending her head into a spin. She stumbled, sick with dizziness, into a pair of strong arms.

  “Gently.” His breath brushed across her hair and his hold tightened as she struggled against him. “No, don't fight me. I have no desire to hurt you.”

  “You have already done so.” She looked into Elric's dark, impassioned eyes, a flush of anger and indignation burning across her skin. “Where is this horrid place? I want to go home. Please, Elric. You have no right to keep me here.”

  His gaze wandered across her face and a small muscle twitched beneath his scarred cheek. “Adela,” he murmured, his expression softening. “How very like her you are.”

  Kate's heart missed a beat. “You...you knew my mother?”

  The muscle in his cheek twitched again as he released her. “Get dressed, child.” He gestured to the chest. “The clothes, you will find, are a perfect fit. I shall return shortly.”

  “No, wait, please. What...?” She grabbed his sleeve, her eyes drawn to the silver medallion that rested against his chest, the spirals appearing to spin of their own volition. “What...what do you want from me?”

  He pried her fingers free and raised them to his lips. “I want you to obey me.”

  A strange warmth flooded her limbs, and her resistance melted. What devilish magic did this man possess that he could steal her resolve?

  Unbidden, a thought crossed her mind. Did you undress me?

  He raised a brow. “Your body is known to me, Katherine, but you need not fear. Your virtue is safe.”

  God above, it seemed he could steal her thoughts as well.

  Only when the door closed did her resolve return. Too late, she ran after him and pulled on the door handle, her cry of desperation wasted.

  “Elric, please,” she sobbed. “I want to go home.”

  A voice in Kate's head dared her to resist him – to curl up on the bed like a rebellious child and spit out a refusal to obey. But the voice was interrupted by a calmer whisper of reason. To survive this, she realized, she'd be better served to comply with his request – at least for now.

  The Dark One.

  Curiosity about her captor sprouted in Kate’s mind. He had, after all, been present in her dreams for some time. Who was he? And how did he know her mother? That, she had not foreseen. Nor did she yet know the reason for her kidnapping. He wanted to teach her, he'd said. Teach her what?

  Resigned, she dressed in silken finery, braided her hair, and sat on the chair to await Elric’s return. The candle, she noticed, had all but burned down to the base. It sputtered, choking on what little remained of the wick. Kate gripped the arms of the chair, her eyes switching back and forth between the door and the candle. With a hiss, the flame expired, and the room plunged into blackness.

  Kate froze as terror closed in. A moment later, the door swung open.

  Elric stood on the threshold, one hand bearing a flaming torch that chased the darkness from the room. His eyes swept over her, and Kate saw approval in his pale scrutiny. “Come with me, little one.”

  She flew to him, eager to be free of the chamber. “The candle went out,” she said, breathless, placing her hand in his.

  “Darkness frightens you?” His thumb pressed against the back of her hand and a ripple, no longer unfamiliar, ran through her mind. She flinched.

  “No, it doesn't,” she said, glaring at him. “Stop that. I don't like it.” The sensation ceased, and Elric's eyes narrowed.

  “You'll accept me soon enough, Katherine,” he said. “You'll also become accustomed to the dark. The mind sees more clearly when it is not blinded by light.”

  He led her, then, along a narrow passageway. The torch, raised aloft, created a golden halo that swept along the walls as they walked. Other passageways appeared here and there, branching off into what seemed like oblivion. Ahead and behind lay a thick, impenetrable darkness. Elric never hesitated in his stride, apparently certain of the way. Kate shivered, having already lost all sense of direction.

  “Let me in,” he whispered, squeezing her hand, “and your fears will vanish.”

  She gritted her teeth and dug her nails into the back of his hand. “No.”

  His growl echoed off the walls. “Your resistance is amusing for now, Katherine. My patience, however, will only stretch so far. It is unwise to test it.”

  The torch flame danced in a sudden gust of air and Kate tasted salt on her lips. They had to be close to the sea then, but were they still in England? She doubted it, since their journey had been over water. Mann, perhaps? Or Ireland?

  Before she could ask,
an arched doorway loomed out of the dark. Elric pushed it open and it swung back with a weary groan. Its hollow sound gave Kate the impression of a large space beyond. A burnished light shimmered within, as if cast by flames, and a subdued roar filled the air. It looked like the entrance to a dragon's lair – forbidding and dangerous. The hair on Kate's neck lifted and she pulled back on Elric's hand.

  “What is this place?”

  “Come and see,” he said, guiding her over the threshold. “There are no dragons here.”

  Kate flashed a scowl at him. Had he intruded in her mind again? As she moved forward, her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. This was no dragon's lair. She had, it seemed, stepped into the belly of the dragon itself.

  A curved bank of rough stone steps led down to the floor of a vast cavern. Once again, the jagged walls and ceiling were supported by a cage of thick oak beams, like the giant ribs of some mythical beast. On the left side of the cavern, the floor sheared away before it met the cave wall, forming a long, narrow crevasse. An endless, muffled roar rose up from its ominous depths. It was the sea, Kate realized, pounding against rocks far below.

  Above her, a sliver of daylight leached through a natural fissure in the ceiling and fell on an ancient stone table beneath. The table – an immense slab of rock – had been carved with strange and intricate designs. One of them she recognized. Its spiralled likeness, sculpted in silver, hung on a chain around Elric's neck.

  The dragon's belly had been furnished, but sparsely. A plain wooden table and two chairs stood against the cave wall. The tabletop was littered with books, scrolls, and several flickering candles that lit the space with its golden light. At the back of the cavern, a wooden screen hid whatever lay beyond, suggesting the intention of privacy.

  “God help me,” Kate murmured, stunned by the unearthliness of her prison. She asked again. “What is this place?”

  Elric let out a growl. “God does not dwell here.” He closed the door with a bang and descended the stairs, his cloak spreading out behind him like great black wings. At the bottom, he turned to face her, his chiselled features void of expression. His eyes, however, shone with whatever evil passion possessed him. “This is a pagan cathedral, built by the ancients, long since abandoned and forgotten.”

  “You live here?” Kate glanced around the cavern again. “Alone?”

  “Yes.” His voice softened. “Except I'm not alone anymore.”

  The significance of his words choked her like a noose.

  “But you can't keep me here. It's...it's cruel.” She looked back at the door, stifling a sob as she thought of what lay beyond. Escape, she knew, would be impossible.

  Elric echoed her thoughts. “Any attempt to leave me would be foolish. We're surrounded by a labyrinth of tunnels, each one darker than the next. Only I know the way of them. And your charge of cruelty is unfounded. As long as you obey me, you'll be well treated.”

  She shook her head. “But I'll still be held captive.”

  “For now, yes.”

  Kate looked up at the fissure, which told her only that the sun had not yet set. “Are we still in England?”

  “Where we are is of no consequence.”

  “But I don't understand why you're doing this.”

  “You will.” He held out a hand. “Come here.”

  “Not until you tell me where we are and why you're doing this.” Kate's voice echoed her anguish. “Does it have something to do with my mother?”

  Elric's jaw tightened. “Perhaps you should go back to your chamber and ponder your disobedience,” he said, setting a foot on the bottom step. “Absolute darkness can be very illuminating.”

  The threat shattered her resolve. “No.” She started down the steps. “Please, not that.”

  “That's better,” he murmured, taking her hand and guiding her to the table. “You'll eat now. It has been more than a day since you did so.”

  “I'm not hungry.” She sat in one of the chairs, her stomach clenching at the thought of food. “Truly, I feel quite sick. Is it so surprising, after all I've endured?”

  “Hmm.” His hand cupped the curve of her cheek and she felt the warmth of his touch penetrating her mind. “Still, I insist you try and eat a little.”

  She pushed his hand away. “I've told you. I don't like it when you do that. 'Tis some kind of...of witchcraft.”

  “A strange observation from a girl who has seen me in her dreams.” Elric took a cloth bag from the table and opened it, setting the contents of bread and fruit on a wooden plate. “You have much to learn.”

  She frowned. “What if I don't want to learn?” But even as she spat out the retort, a ripple of curiosity stirred in her mind. What did he intend to teach her? It had something to do with her visions. Of that, she was certain. “How do you know so much about me? How do you know my mother?”

  “Eat,” he said, setting the plate in front of her, but not before Kate saw the tightening of the skin around his eyes. Whenever she mentioned her mother, it affected him somehow. She pondered this while he filled a goblet and handed it to her. The drink tasted sweet, and felt cool on her throat. Kate downed it with relish and held the goblet out for more.

  “Not yet.” Elric sat beside her. “Do as you're told. Eat something.”

  Kate blinked, puzzled by a sudden, yet gentle sense of contentment. It seemed to emanate from within, soothing her emotion and fear like a balm. She sighed and reached for the bread.

  “Eat slowly,” said Elric, “or your stomach will protest.”

  At first Kate obeyed, tearing off small pieces and nibbling on them. Then she noticed the satisfied curl of Elric's lip, and defiance flared anew. She shoved the entire piece of bread in her mouth, coughing as crumbs caught in the back of her throat.

  The curl of Elric's lip disappeared and the small muscle beneath his scar twitched. He filled the goblet again and placed it in her hand. “You're being childish, Katherine.”

  “Mmm.” She ignored his comment and gulped the liquid. “This is so delicious. What is it?”

  Elric's knuckles brushed across her cheek. “Look at me,” he said.

  An intoxicating tingle ran down Kate's spine. Like a cat seeking attention, she leaned into his touch and met his unblinking gaze. Inwardly, she cursed her compliance. “You're in my mind again, aren't you?” She hiccupped. “What was in that drink?”

  He inclined his head. “How do you feel?”

  “I've told you. I don't...I don't like it when you...” She shivered, and placed her hand over his, where it rested on her cheek. “Elric, please.”

  “Do you want me to stop?” His voice, like his touch, had the entrancing ability to caress every part of her.

  “Yes. No.”

  God, no.

  She squeezed his hand, trying to fight what she believed to be wrong. But how could something so wrong feel so...incredible? Her head swam with a multitude of blurred images. But were they hers, or his?

  “Please, Elric. I beg of you...”

  “Where's your father, Katherine?”

  The unexpected question scattered her thoughts like leaves in the wind. She hiccupped again. “My father?”

  “Yes. Where is he?”

  “I don't know.” Tears burned her eyes. “But he'll be looking for me, you can be sure of that.”

  “I have no doubt. That's why I want you to think about him. I want you to bring him into your mind and tell me what you see.”

  Kate frowned. “I don't understand.”

  Elric's thumb caressed the corner of her mouth. “Keep your eyes on mine, breathe slowly, and summon up your father's image.”

  Somehow, he stripped her resistance bare. Her muscles relaxed and her breathing slowed.

  “Yes,” he whispered, “that's right. See him as he is now. At this moment.”

  At this moment?

  The command puzzled her. Images emerged, but they were all images of the past, drawn from memory. Kate could see every detail of her father's face - his blue eyes
, strong features and kind smile. Then, as she watched, his expression changed to one of anguish. She frowned, trying to change the image, but Elric's whisper travelled over her resistance.

  “No, see him as he is. Don't fight it.”

  The blurred lines fell away and Kate drew a sharp breath.

  Papa.

  There. He was there, standing tall, his hair lifting in the wind, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He looked so tired and sad. She saw something at his side and someone behind--.

  “Stay focused.” Elric's whisper pulled her back to her father's image. “Where is he?”

  “I don't know.”

  “Then tell me what you see.”

  “A ship,” she said. “I see a ship. Is it real?”

  Her focus wavered. Had Elric's hand tensed?

  “The name, Katherine. Tell me the ship's name.”

  Kate watched the bright sails catch the wind. The ship leaned as she rode the waves, and a single word came into focus on her bow. Surely, this was a dream.

  “Kateryn.”

  Elric removed his hand, its warm imprint fading in moments to an icy chill. The images in her mind shattered like a smashed mirror.

  “Papa! No, wait.”

  Elric's face came back into focus, his eyes reflecting the candlelight, the semblance of a satisfied smile on his lips. Once, as a child, Kate had fallen out of bed in the middle of the night. That same feeling of shock and confusion was with her now.

  “What is this devilish witchcraft?” A sob rose in her throat. “Is it your doing? Are you putting these...these images in my head? Say you are, because I have no wish to possess such a curse.”

  Elric shook his head. “'Tis no curse. You've inherited a great gift. Your dreams, your visions – they are just the beginning. You possess powers as yet unexplored. I'll show you how to hone them, to use them. You need me, child. Without my guidance, you'll never learn the true depth of your talents.” He stood and lifted the goblet to her lips. “Drink and then rest a while. We'll continue later.”