"Because I am reasonable. I just have my duties to fulfill."
"I still think you can fight it," she said.
"You don't know how it feels. You can never understand."
"Then tell me. How does it feel?"
He rose from the chair. "There's no point. You're a mortal—a useful mortal, yes, but still a mortal. Still limited by your pathetic experience of life."
Danica swallowed nervously. She wasn't sure what to say. Krinir seemed on the edge of losing his temper. The last time he'd become angry, he'd nearly killed her.
"Surely you've found other mortals worth your time," she said.
He sat there silently for a long time. At last, he said, "I've met a few. I even have a daughter out there." He shook his head. "I saw her for the first time not long ago, and I tried to kill her."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because she's dangerous. Because the Webs of Fate demanded it. I may read them better than anyone else, but I don't always understand them. I had to try to kill her then, but the next time I see her, that won't be necessary."
"That sounds confusing," Danica said.
"It is, but it's all part of a bigger plan. If I hadn't tried to kill her, she would have felt too sympathetic toward me. For my plans to work, she needs to hate me." His gaze became distant, haunted. "But I don't want her to hate me."
"Then make a choice. Try to change."
"How many times do I have to tell you? It doesn't work like that."
His anger was rising again, so Danica held back her retort. She leaned forward on her bed, looking into his dark eyes, wondering what thoughts were running through his head. She had never met anyone who was such an enigma.
There was a long silence before Krinir said, "She's on her way. My daughter."
"And what are you going to do when you see her?"
"I don't know."
Another long silence. Danica could have sworn she heard her own heart beating.
"But when she comes here," he said, "that's when you're most likely to succeed in sending me back. I've seen that much in the Webs." For a moment, he looked as if he wanted to add something, but then he closed his mouth, and his gaze became distant again.
"You're keeping something from me," she said.
"I am a god. Why should I share all my secrets with a mortal like you?"
"Well, maybe if you did, I'd stand a better chance of learning what I have to do. You can read these Webs. Haven't they shown you how I succeed?"
He sat in silence, stroking his chin in thought. After almost a minute, he said, "All they show me is that you will die when you send me back."
Danica felt as if a cold knife had stabbed her in the chest. She knew her death was likely, but hearing it in such certain terms terrified her.
"That actually makes sense," she said.
He raised an eyebrow.
"You've said it yourself. When you send people out of the Shadowed Land, it always comes with a price. From what I've read, the Shadowed Land is meant to be the most secure prison ever devised. It is against the very nature of such a place to permit people to leave. That's why it comes with a cost. This time, it appears the cost is my life."
"You're taking this rather calmly," he said.
"At this point, I think I'd rather die than be stuck here the rest of my life."
Krinir gave her a dark look. "Am I really such terrible company?"
"You're a god of destruction who sees killing as something natural and inconsequential. That goes against everything I believe in."
"I'm not used to people speaking their minds with me like this."
Danica shrugged. "I've always been that way."
"It's not a criticism," Krinir said. "It's actually quite refreshing. I think that's why I craved your company. You may fear me, but not in the same way most people do."
"I still wish I could change you."
"Telling me not to destroy is like telling the wolf not to hunt."
There was a note of finality in his voice that told her she shouldn't continue pursuing that subject. She'd tried to convince him, and she'd failed. It was time to accept that, even if it made her feel sick.
"They'll be here soon," Krinir said. "My daughter and those with her."
"How soon?"
"An hour, maybe two."
Danica's stomach twisted. "So that's how long I have to prepare for my death."
"You should be grateful. Death comes suddenly for many."
Danica glared at him. "For some reason, I don't feel grateful. Maybe I should refuse to do it. If I'm gonna die anyway, I might as well stand up to you."
"That would be a grave mistake. Remember? I told you before that I could inflict upon you the worst pain imaginable. I may like your company at times, but don't think I'll hesitate to hurt you. I'll do the same to my daughter and those with her, and then I'll kill them. That will be a lot of pain and three deaths on your conscience. Is that what you want?"
"And if I cooperate, you'll spare them all that?"
"I will," Krinir said. "You have my word on that."
Danica wasn't sure she could trust his word, but what choice did she have? She took a deep breath, worried she was making the biggest mistake of her life. "All right, I'll do it."
Part III
Life after Tyranny
Chapter 33: Dark Consequences
Garet sat at a table in a Bradenton inn, downing his fourth glass of ale. They'd succeeded in killing Warrick, but all he could think about was Ander's sacrifice. Ander had always doubted his abilities as a leader, but those doubts had been wrong. Nothing demonstrated leadership like sacrificing yourself to save your companions.
As Garet swished the ale around in his mouth, he wondered if he would have done the same. Sure, he'd performed heroic actions, like when he'd jumped in the river to save Rik. Back then, however, he was fairly confident he'd survive. He'd always been a strong swimmer.
To do what Ander had done, to stay behind with the knowledge that death was coming—that was different. Garet had experienced the feelings that came with imminent death, back in the sewers beneath Imperia. He still didn't understand why they'd spared him, sending him to the Prison City instead of killing him. None of it made sense, and that bothered him.
Dave sat on the stool next to him and patted him on the shoulder. "Warrick's gone. You should be celebrating, not drinking yourself into oblivion."
"I know. I just wish we hadn't lost Ander."
"He knew what he was getting into. We all did."
Mara took the stool on his other side. "Besides, there's gonna be war. That much is certain. The Imperial Guards will try to hold on to their power now that Warrick's gone, but as soon as the Order knows the truth, they'll fight."
Garet stared solemnly at his empty glass. "And what if I don't feel like fighting?"
"No one's gonna make you," Mara said.
"And do you think I could live with that?"
"I don't know. It's your choice, not mine. As for me, I will fight. Warrick may be gone, but his influence remains. This won't be an easy fight, and we'll need the best people we have." She put a hand on Garet's shoulder. "And that includes you."
"I'm not a leader. I've always operated best on my own."
"Every war needs scouts," Dave said. "You and I could do good work together."
Approaching footsteps signaled the arrival of Captain Davis. His face was flushed, as if he'd had a few too many as well. He settled down shakily on a nearby stool.
"You're taking it hard, too," Dave said. It wasn't a question.
"Ander was a great man," said Captain Davis. "A better man than me, for sure."
Dave stroked his beard. "Ander had his doubts, too. We all have. It's part of being human. My advice to you is to avoid making decisions you'll regret the rest of your lives." Pain flashed behind his eyes.
Garet recalled what Warrick had said to Dave. He couldn't imagine doing what Dave had done as an Imperial Guard. Thankfully, Garet h
ad never even considered taking it up as a career. He'd always hated Imperial Guards, hated everything they stood for. Sure, there were good men among them, but not enough of them to make up for those who were evil.
"What do you think the Imperial Guards are gonna do?" Garet asked.
Dave leaned one arm on the bar. "Well, if I know Commander Adams like I think I do, he's gonna try to keep this quiet. Not sure how successful he'll be."
"Keep what quiet?"
Garet turned to see the dark-haired innkeeper standing nearby, wiping down the counter with a wet rag. How long had he been listening?
"I could have sworn I heard something about Warrick being gone," he said.
Dave's gaze became stern. "Your ears must have been tricking you."
The innkeeper took a step closer. "Look. I can tell you aren't Warrick supporters. Neither am I. I've thought of joining the Order quite a few times. You can trust me. The name's Liam."
"He'll hear the truth eventually," Mara said.
"Yes, Warrick's gone," Garet said before anyone else could stop him. "We sent him to the Shadowed Land. Not sure if he'll return or not, but it shouldn't happen right away at any rate." He wanted to take another drink, but his glass was still empty. "There's gonna be war."
"War," Liam said, as if tasting the word on his tongue. "Can't say I know much about war."
"None of us do," said Captain Davis. "Unless you consider what happened in Crayden war. But I don't. That was slaughter, pure and simple."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "You were there?"
Captain Davis nodded but said nothing else on the subject. Throughout their travels, Garet had noted that the captain didn't like to talk about what had happened that day.
"I've heard it was horrible," Liam said, as if sensing the captain's discomfort.
"Horrible doesn't even begin to describe it," said Captain Davis.
Liam was about to say something else, but then alarmed shouts came from outside. Garet shot to his feet, swaying a little. "What do you think's going on?"
No one had an answer, so they stepped outside. Immediately, Garet saw the source of concern. A strange shadow was coming from the east, bathing the city in darkness. It moved slowly, but soon it would engulf the entire city.
"What the hell is that?" asked Captain Davis.
A chill ran through Garet. "That's the Forest of Darkness."
"But why's the darkness spreading?" Liam asked, looking pale.
Dave faced the darkness, shaking his head. "Warrick is gone, and his magical barriers disappeared with him. We are in deep, deep trouble."
Chapter 34: A New World
Tylen was well northeast of the mountains, passing through wide open lands full of tall grasses. A slight autumn chill hung in the air, and sometimes he wrapped his cloak tighter about him. Then, only a few minutes later, he'd start sweating and cast aside the cloak.
Farah remained with him, but he'd also been joined by his friend Will, who'd decided he'd be safer outside the Empire. Will had been a little behind Tylen's group at first, so Tylen hadn't realized that his friend had fled the Empire as well.
"You think we made the right decision?" Will asked as they walked through the tall grass. He swatted at a fly buzzing around his face. "What if Warrick comes back and punishes us? We're still close enough to turn back."
Tylen considered for a moment. "I don't know if I should tell you this, but Warrick wanted me to leave the Empire. Perhaps you were meant to come with me."
Will ran a hand through his short brown beard. "Hope you're right."
"Does it really matter at this point?" Farah asked. "We're outside the Empire. Even if Warrick did return, he'd have no control over us."
"I think he'll always have his ways," Tylen said.
They walked through the rest of the day, then settled down late that evening and ate from their packs. So far, they'd had little luck in catching anything. A few animals scurried through the tall grass, but they were all too quick to catch.
Will leaned back against one of the few trees dotting the plain. "Did Warrick really tell you to leave the Empire? Seems a bit strange to me."
"He did. I'm not sure exactly what he wants from me. I'd like to think I'm a free man now, but I don't know. All I know is we have to reach the eastern shore, however long that takes, and then we have to cross the ocean to reach Luminia."
"The City of Light," Will said. "I've always wondered what it looks like."
Tylen hadn't spent much time thinking about that. Above all, he liked to consider himself a practical man, and being practical meant he didn't spend time thinking about things he'd never have a chance to do. As far as he'd known, he was stuck in the Empire.
He couldn't believe how much his life had changed.
"Warrick also told me to go to Luminia," Farah said. As soon as she spoke, her expression twitched, as if she wasn't sure she should have shared that information.
Tylen raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"He's been commanding me for a long time. My mother's family has always supported Warrick, and so he discovered my magical talents early. He met with me a few times, but he didn't start telling me what to do until shortly before he destroyed Crayden."
Tylen could suddenly smell the smoke again. He felt the heat of the flames, heard the screams, saw that ring of fire closing in on him.
No matter what Nadia might think of him, he couldn't be the same man after that.
"I wasn't there when the city was destroyed," she said. "I waited in the forest near my—near that cabin we all gathered at. I went with a party led by Lord Ander, but I never owed any allegiance to them. It was always Warrick. He gifted me with the ability to teleport, and I used that to inform him of the party's progress and get them captured."
"Well, it didn't matter in the end," Tylen said, staring at their crackling fire. "They escaped later."
"Oh, it did matter," she said. "Warrick wanted them to escape."
Tylen shook his head. "I wish I understood even half of what that man does."
"Earlier, you mentioned your mother's family," Will said. "What about your father?"
Farah looked down at the dirt, chewing on her lower lip. "I've never told anyone about this, but my noble father is not my father. My real father was an Imperial Guard. He doesn't even know that he has a daughter."
"Is it somebody we know?" Tylen asked.
"Well, you know him," Farah said. "Remember Theo, the former Imperial Guard who got so many people out of Crayden, the owner of that cabin? He's my father."
"Interesting," Tylen said. He didn't know what to think of this revelation. Even though he'd rested outside the man's cabin, the two of them had never interacted. But he did remember the way he'd felt about Theo's nephew, in whom Nadia had shown too much interest.
"You see that?" Will asked, disturbing Tylen's thoughts.
Tylen faced him. "What?"
Will pointed toward the horizon. "There's a fire burning out there."
"Maybe there are people out here after all," Tylen said.
Chapter 35: The Spread of Darkness
Garet stood upon the streets of Bradenton as the darkness thickened. He remembered the Forest of Darkness and didn't relish the thought of a place like that spreading. Surely monsters would come with this darkness.
Many of the people of Bradenton had taken shelter in their homes already, and Garet couldn't blame them. They'd lived most of their lives with that giant monster. Now that this darkness was spreading, they likely feared more monsters would threaten their city.
The Bradenton town guard and the Imperial Guards both stood on the street as well. They normally didn't associate with one another, but there was a greater enemy now.
The town guards were telling everyone to get inside, but Garet remained outside. They didn't force him or his party to take shelter, probably because they remembered that he'd played a role in defeating the monster that had plagued them.
Garet strode over to the captain of the tow
n guard.
"You should really get inside," said the man.
"I've been in the Forest of Darkness," Garet said. "I know what it's like in there."
The captain frowned. "Yes, you're one of the people who got rid of the monster. I'm Captain Leon Young. I hope you'll be able to help us again."
"We'll all try to help," said Captain Davis.
Of the group that had exited the inn, only Liam had gone back inside. Garet didn't blame him. A man like that knew how to be a good innkeeper, but facing darkness and evil took an entirely different set of skills.
An Imperial Guard approached them. Garet tensed for a moment, but it didn't appear that the man intended to arrest anyone. In fact, he looked as terrified as everyone else.
Captain Young turned to him. "Gram, you know what's going on?"
"Warrick's gone. The barriers have weakened."
"How do you know this?" asked Captain Young.
Garet stepped forward and whispered in his ear. "It's true. I was part of the group that sent him to the Shadowed Land."
Captain Young's eyes widened.
"What did he tell you?" Gram asked, stepping closer.
Garet shot him a stern glare. "None of your business."
"You can trust him," said Captain Young. "He's a good man despite his occupation."
Garet felt anxious about telling an Imperial Guard, but now that this darkness was spreading, they had to join together. A divided empire would not survive this. With a twinge in his gut, Garet wondered if they'd sentenced the people to a fate worse than Warrick.
"We sent him to the Shadowed Land," Garet said.
Gram nodded. "I was wondering how he'd disappeared. I don't think anyone could have killed him. Not even Cyrus has that kind of power."
"I know," Garet said, watching the darkening sky. "He told me so himself."
"I suppose you've seen a lot, then," Gram said. "Not many people around here can claim to have met Cyrus. So I gather you've been through the Forest of Darkness."
Garet nodded. "I guess that makes me useful now."
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