Pawns (The Wielders of Arantha Book 1)
Page 35
She'd been bitten by a hugar. Just like Ilora.
Her dream, and Onara's words echoed through her mind.
You must—-
“Save her!” Davin begged, tears trickling down his face. His knees were starting to wobble, and he looked like he was going to pass out. “Please save her! She's dying!”
Kelia rushed forward, helping brace Davin's fall as he sank to his knees, his mother's weight too much to bear. She placed her hands underneath Maeve's body, lowering it gently to the ground.
You must save me.
She took Maeve's hand in hers and closed her eyes. She reached out with her mind, searching for any trace of the mental bond they'd built through the Sharing. There was nothing. No life. No energy. Only darkness.
You must save me.
Desperation grew within Kelia as she searched, in vain, for any spark of life within her sister Wielder. She saw, felt the hugar's poison, coursing through Maeve's veins, gripping her heart with icy fingers. Smothering it. Extinguishing its …
There.
A single spark, a faint ember of life, hidden deep within Maeve's mind, fighting to stay lit as darkness closed around it.
Kelia tightened her grip on Maeve's hand, pushing her concentration to its limit. She called forth the energy Arantha had gifted her with, surrounding the spark and keeping the inky blackness out. She built a wall around it, tempering it with every ounce of will she could muster.
She hadn't been there to save Ilora. Despite her protestations to Susarra to the contrary, a part of her blamed herself for her lover's death. It couldn't happen again. It wouldn't. She wouldn't let it.
That's when it hit her. This is why Arantha sent me to Maeve. To bond with her. To Share with her.
To save her.
The wall complete, she opened her eyes, meeting Davin's gaze. His teeth were clenched together so tightly she thought they might snap, and tears continued to leak from his eyes.
“Is she …”
“She's alive,” Kelia said. “Just barely. Why does she not heal herself?”
Relief erupted on his face. “Sh-she put the Stone on the ship somewhere. In a shielded box. She didn't tell me where. I–I didn't have time to look for it.”
Kelia's thoughts raced. As long as the two of them were connected, she could keep Maeve alive. Eventually, though, her strength would wane. She needed–
That's it!
She turned around to see that the crowd of Ixtrayu had grown in size over the last few minutes, silently staring at them from a respectful distance.
“Eleri!” she called to a young girl with short brown hair and hazel eyes standing by the entrance.
The girl took a nervous step forward, separating herself from the crowd. “Yes, Protectress?”
“Get the healers! Have them meet us in the cave! Go now!”
She nodded, turned on her heels and ran out the door without a word.
Kelia faced Davin again. “Pick her up. Come with me. We don't have much time.”
Davin attempted to rise to his feet with Maeve in his arms, but he looked completely drained.
“Runa!” Kelia called, and her friend ran forward to hoist Maeve's limp body up, lifting her as if she weighed nothing.
“Now what?” Davin said.
“Follow me. Quickly.”
News of the aliens' arrival must have spread through the entire village, judging by the throng of women gathered to catch a glimpse. Kelia and Davin, with Runa carrying Maeve right behind her, hurried down the path, across the bridge and into the cave.
She lit all the torches with a quick wave of her hand, striding to the Stone. As she laid eyes on it, its glow appeared, growing in luminosity until it bathed the cave in its light.
“Bring her here.” She motioned to Runa, who gently laid her on the ground right next to the altar. Davin sat down next to her, clutching her hand.
The light's intensity grew even more.
Kelia took her other hand, reaching out with her mind again. The spark was still there, but the protective wall surrounding it had weakened. She quickly rebuilt it, but her strength was flagging. She wasn't a healer. Even in the presence of the Stone, there was only so much she could do.
Maeve confessed to Kelia that she'd healed decades of scars unconsciously. To fight the hugar's venom, however, required knowledge and training she didn't possess. The poison had overwhelmed her mind and body so quickly that she hadn't had time to react. On top of that, she'd foolishly placed a barrier between herself and her Stone. If Kelia and the healers couldn't rid her body of the poison, Maeve would die.
You must save me.
A commotion from outside the cave drew Kelia's attention. She turned to see a crowd of Ixtrayu, craning their necks to see inside. “Runa, keep everyone out of here! Let only the healers in!”
Runa nodded. “They're here.”
Lyala and Sershi pushed through the crowd and entered the cave. Runa took up a position at the entrance, filling the doorway with her large frame.
The two healers gaped in astonishment at the sight of the two strangers on the floor. Kelia understood their shock. Maeve and Davin's clothes, not to mention their pale skin, Maeve's hair and skin drawings, and Davin's maleness was the very definition of unique in their village. “Protectress?” Lyala asked, her eyes widening.
“Thank Arantha,” Kelia said. “She's been bitten by a hugar. The venom has almost shut her heart down. You must heal her.”
Lyala exchanged a harrowed look with her daughter. “We've never done that before,” she stammered, her lip trembling. “Hugar bites are lethal. No one's ever survived long enough for me to –”
“She's alive, Lyala!” Kelia shouted, her sudden anger boiling over. “Do something! I command you!”
With an obedient nod, both healers rushed forward, kneeling next to Maeve's body. Davin grudgingly released her hand and stood back, his eyes never leaving his mother.
Sershi moved around behind Maeve's head, placing her fingertips on the sides of the unconscious woman's skull. Lyala folded the palm of her left hand over her right, and placed both of them over Maeve's heart. The two healers shared a glance and a nod, took a deep breath, and closed their eyes.
Kelia, too, closed her eyes, returning to the spot in Maeve's mind where the last spark of life remained. Once again, the poison was breaking through her defenses. She tried once again to rebuild it, but without success. The link between them was breaking.
“Hurry,” Kelia whispered, a sob choking her voice.
The wall of darkness closed in. The ember's light flickered.
Arantha, she prayed. I beg of you, do not let this woman die!
A blinding light swept through the darkness, flowing over the ember, coating it like a blanket. A light so blinding, it hurt her to look into it.
She opened her eyes with a gasp, letting go of Maeve's hand. Lyala and Sershi still had their hands pressed to her heart and head, and Kelia could see—-no, feel—-Arantha's energy pour out of them and into Maeve's weakened body. She stared at her friend's face, looking desperately for a sign of life.
The glow emitted by the Stone diminished until it was faint again, giving way to the torchlight. Kelia's heart soared at what she saw.
Maeve opened her mouth, sucking in a huge lungful of air. Once, twice, three times. Her eyelids fluttered, but didn't open.
Kelia scanned the faces of Lyala and Sershi, who, as one, removed their hands from Maeve's body. They looked haggard, especially Lyala. She'd never seen Lyala looking this spent. The elder healer inched backwards and almost fell, but Sershi was there to catch her.
Davin, who had been standing against the cave wall watching silently, knelt once again at Maeve's side. He lifted her shoulders, placing her head in his lap. “Mom?” He sniffed. His tears still hadn't stopped. “Mom?”
Her eyes opened and quickly closed again, her brow creasing. A silent moan escaped her lips. “Dav?”
A weak smile broke out on his face. He lifted he
r gently into a sitting position, wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her hard. “I'm here, Mom. I'm here,” he sobbed, kissing her cheek.
“I'm alright, kiddo.” Her eyes still closed, she let out a soft groan. “What a farked-up week I'm having.”
Davin grinned and hugged her again. “Love you, Mom.”
“Love you too, Little Bug.” She smiled as well.
Kelia smiled, too, as a tear rolled down her own cheek.
Still out of breath, Davin stared with gracious eyes at Kelia and the two healers. “Thank you,” he said softly.
Kelia faced the healers as well. “Take your mother home, Sershi, and then prepare a bed in the Room of Healing. We will be there shortly.”
Sershi stood, helping her mother to her feet. Lyala clutched at her daughter's arms for support.
“Lyala?” Kelia said.
Lyala's face was ashen, but she could still speak. “Protectress?”
“I am beyond grateful. To both of you.” The words were woefully inadequate for the gratitude she felt, but they would have to do for now.
The two ladies bowed their heads and, still supporting each other, walked past Runa and out of the cave.
Kelia turned back to Maeve, whose eyes were now fully open. And staring right at her.
The last bit of Kelia's resolve crumbled, and her own tears flowed unabated. She thought of her time with Maeve: the Sharing, their flight, their kiss. She thought of Ilora, and of her failure to save her companion's life; a failure she'd atoned for today.
She unconsciously moved her hand to the lumpy metallic pendant around her neck. For the first time in years, she felt fulfilled. Arantha had set forth a path, and she'd followed it correctly. It was her will that this strange, incredible turn of events transpire. Where the path would lead from here, she had no idea. There was only one thing of which she could be certain: after eight hundred years of uniformity, things had changed. And they would never be the same again.
“Kelia?” Maeve said, staring up at her. “You came back?”
Kelia briefly met Davin's gaze, then looked at Maeve again, brushing a strand of her amazing purple hair away from her face. “Not exactly,” she said with a wry smile.
Maeve's expression was blank, but then it scrunched up in anguish. “I'm sorry,” she said, her voice scratchy and raw. “I'm so sorry. For everything I said to you.”
“As am I, my friend. Rest now.”
Maeve's eyes darted around the cave as if searching for something familiar. “Dav? Where are we?”
“We're in Kelia's village,” he said sheepishly.
“How –”
“The PTs had enough juice for one final jump,” he said. “It was the only thing I could think of.”
“Nice work, Dav.” She looked down at her body. “Why can't I move?” Before Kelia could answer, Maeve added, “The snake.”
“You were bitten, Maeve,” Kelia said, “by a hugar. Its venom kills quickly. I believe you are the first person to ever survive a bite from one.”
“Yay me,” Maeve said with a light chuckle.
“Your mobility will return in time. Now that you're awake, your healing ability should take effect.”
A faraway look appeared on Maeve's face. “It felt like I was … in a room. With no light, and no exits. I felt the darkness closing in around me. It was cold, so cold. But then I felt something else. A sort of warmth, keeping me alive. Was that you?”
“It was,” Kelia said. “It would seem our Sharing has benefited us both once again.”
A shuffle of footsteps came from the entrance. Without turning, Kelia said, “Runa, I told you not to let anyone else in.”
“Don't blame Runa,” Liana said. “I'm afraid we insisted.”
Kelia faced the entrance to see all three members of the Council standing just inside the entrance. Runa, standing behind them, gave her an apologetic shrug.
“Councilors,” Kelia said.
“Protectress,” Katura's normally placid expression bore a mixture of surprise and disappointment. “It would seem you left a few details out of the story you told us yesterday. I trust, in the near future, you will see fit to tell us what really happened.”
Kelia, caught in her own half-truth, nodded. “I promise I will do so, Councilors. In the meantime …” She looked at her guests. “Maeve, Davin, meet the Council: Katura, Eloni, and Liana.”
Maeve cracked a weak smile. “Hi,” she and Davin said in unison.
“Hello,” Liana said. Although apprehensive, the three bowed respectfully.
“Councilors,” Kelia continued, “may I present to you: Major Maeve Cromack, daughter of Helen, retired Space Corps pilot, commander of the 308th Antares Squadron …”
The three elderly women stared blankly at her. Maeve chuckled under her breath.
“… and her son, Davin,” Kelia finished.
“Nice to meet you all,” Davin said, flashing a wide, innocent smile. “Sorry to drop in on you like this.”
A smile creased Katura's kind face. “Given the events of the past week, I believe I speak for my fellow Councilors when I say that it is clearly Arantha's will that you have found your way to us. You are welcome here.”
“Thank you,” Maeve said. Davin pulled her close to him again.
Kelia turned her attention back to Maeve. “I have things to discuss with you, and the Council, when you've recovered.”
Then, Maeve's face became serious. “That's nothing compared to my news,” she said. “If you thought what I told you in the mountains was unbelievable, trust me, you ain't heard nothing yet.”
Chapter Forty-Five
E lzor drummed his fingers on the table impatiently as Elzaria finished her meal. Sitting silently in the surrounding chairs were Langon and several other high-ranking Elzorath, who looked like they'd rather be doing anything else. None said a word, though. They'd been summoned back to Castle Tynal's dining hall by Elzor; not for a meal, but to hear news of monumental importance.
Elzaria popped the last morsel of bread into her mouth, chewed, swallowed, and leaned back in her chair with a contented sigh, dabbing her face with a small cloth.
“If you still have room, I can have a servant bring you some dessert as well,” Elzor said with surprising sincerity.
“Yes, that would be wonderful,” she said. She knew perfectly well the men assembled were waiting to hear what she had to say, but she was famished. She'd never eaten like a royal before, and wanted to relish it while it lasted.
Elzor waved a hand at a servant, a frumpy woman standing in the corner, and she scurried through the back door to relay his order to the kitchen staff. “Now that you're no longer in danger of starving to death, sister, I would prefer we get down to business.”
She looked at him with a catty smile, thumped her chest lightly, and let out a belch. Then she balled up her napkin and dropped it on the table. “Very well. Thank you for indulging me, my liege.” She straightened herself in her chair. “Did someone get the maps I asked for?”
He waved to a soldier standing at the far end of the hall, gesturing him to come forward with his burden, a stack of scrolls he'd retrieved from the castle's archive at Elzor's order. He set the stack in front of Elzor, bowed, and resumed his post.
Elzaria grabbed the scroll on top and unrolled it. It was the most comprehensive map of the main continent on Elystra ever drafted. It included the borders of all six kingdoms, as well as forests, mountain ranges, and other points of interest that were known to exist. Nothing had been drawn of the southern half of the continent, as the wetlands were impossible to navigate and were uncharted as of yet.
“Before I begin, let me say that although my vision showed me some things that I understood, there was much that I could not comprehend. If the descriptions of my visions seem fantastical, it is because that is how I perceived them.”
“Understood,” Elzor said. “Begin.”
“Merdeen's prophecy was correct,” she said, smiling. “There are three Stone
s. I saw them come to our world. I do not know where they originated, but they are definitely from the Above.”
Several Elzorath gasped. Elzor's eyes widened.
“I saw Elystra from far above. All the Stones arrived at the same time, as if thrown by some giant hand. They struck thousands, perhaps millions of years ago; I cannot say. They buried themselves deep in the rock of our world, and it is only now that all three have been unearthed.”
She looked her brother in the eyes. “The Stone we found at Mogran … that we found it the way we did, at the time we did, is nothing short of a miracle. Was it by design or an incredible coincidence? I don't know. But I believe we were meant to find it.”
“That is good to know,” Elzor said. “And thanks to your vision, I can assume we were equally meant to find the other two as well.”
“Not necessarily. The other two Stones, as I've said, have already been found. They are held by two other Wielders who would most certainly oppose us and our plans. I don't know if they're aware of the prophecy, but it seems unlikely. So it is in our best interests to acquire the other two Stones while those that hold them are still isolated.”
Elzor huffed. “As you can see, Elzaria, my general and my commanders are here. We are ready to begin formulating battle strategies for just that purpose. Can you please cut to the chase and tell us where these other Stones are?”
Elzaria jabbed a finger at the map, indicating the long, curving representation of the Kaberian Mountains. “The second Stone was just unearthed somewhere in this area,” she said. “I cannot give you an exact location because one stretch of mountains looks like all the others, and there are no landmarks to pinpoint their location. All I can tell you is that the beings from the Above who found the Stone are somewhere near a large mountain lake. With luck, future visions will help us narrow down the search area.”
“Beings from the Above?” Langon said in alarm. “Are you serious?”
“I am deadly serious, General,” Elzaria said. “However, there appear to be only two of them, a woman and a boy. The craft they came in is … impressive, to say the least. It is far beyond anything we could build.”