Silk and Earth

by Mara Amberly

  “I was thinking some valerian tea would help me sleep.”

  She was so matter-of-fact, Jonas would’ve believed her had he not known otherwise.

  Jarlath sniffed, and Jonas saw him approach the bookshelf.

  He was relieved Jarlath hadn’t sensed the manse’s presence in the bag, but he wasn’t sure that wouldn’t still happen. Jonas also knew that once Jarlath entered the tunnel, he wouldn’t have much of a head start to get away. It wasn’t looking good.

  “What brings you here?” Elena Briette asked him.

  The clink of jars suggested to Jonas that she might be helping herself to the valerian.

  “That’s none of your concern,” he exclaimed loftily. “Just get what you need and begone.”

  She inclined her head. “It will be as you say, brother.”

  “Good.” The tone to Jarlath’s voice suggested his patience was wearing thin.

  Elena Briette walked back over to the door and opened it, glancing out. She then reached a hand down at her side, beckoning Jonas to go. He watched Jarlath long enough to ensure the sorcerer’s back was turned, and then dove out into the corridor, as quietly as he could manage.

  Elena Briette strode out with a more casual pace.

  Jonas was relieved to find the corridor empty. It had been a close call.

  Jarlath spoke again from behind Elena Briette, within the room. “You’re not to come here again without my permission. Do you understand?”

  She nodded. “Yes, brother.”

  It seemed to placate him for the moment.

  “And I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night. You’re to keep your veil on when you leave your room. Close the door.”

  She did as he asked, leaving the cult leader alone in the apothecary. It was easier going along with his wishes than challenging them most of the time. Ordinarily she might not have agreed so easily, but didn’t plan on returning.

  “We need to go,” she told Jonas and they made their way toward the back door of the house.

  There wasn’t much time and soon Jarlath would know what they’d done.

  In fact, Elena Briette realised that soon he’d believe her solely responsible for what had happened. She could expect nothing better than torture from him if he got his hands on her. She had to ensure that wouldn’t happen.

  Chapter 17

  Cassia marvelled at the detail as she ran her hand through the intricate spider’s web. Unlike some they’d brushed aside, this one was completely insubstantial. Her hand did no damage to the strands at all – it was as if she were a ghost.

  “It’s certainly an illusion,” she announced, rising from where she’d crouched. “Maybe the spider webs around the outside of the boundary were real or more effective illusions, but these ones are weaker.”

  “I still won’t be comfortable until we’re out of this place,” Knave admitted.

  “So where are the real spiders?” Ariane asked, batting away a fly that landed on her arm.

  “No idea,” Alexa stated, suppressing a shudder.

  There was no sign of Malachi the dragon either, though they knew he glided above. Alexa still had her connection to him and she could sense his flight and anxiety. It was hard to tell his discomfort entirely apart from her own.

  Alexa’s thoughts were on the future when Cassia turned her head, as though sensing a sound off among the trees, and raised a hand to stop.

  They froze, paying increased attention to their surroundings and readying themselves for a fight.

  A soft scuttling sound grew louder, though a search for the source revealed no sign of spiders or any other enemy. It was soon joined by a scratching sound that was hard to place. An ordinary spider wouldn’t have made a sound like that on account of being small, but one of its larger brethren might.

  Knave had no intention of sticking around. He gestured with his hand in the direction they’d been heading, and moved that way, very quietly and stealthily at first. Ariane followed him and remained vigilant.

  Cassia and Alexa moved with them, first slowly, and then at a jog. They didn’t want to run headlong into a spider web because they weren’t looking where they were going.

  Cassia noticed Knave was gaining a lead. “Don’t get too far ahead or the shield won’t protect you!”

  A large spindly leg came into sight behind them, and then a huge, furry body followed as a spider climbed over a fallen tree trunk. It was soon hidden again among the underbrush.

  They broke into a run while Alexa started to summon energy from the air around them. It was hard to do when she was running at the same time, and when they all needed to stay close enough to Ariane to be shielded properly.

  The shield might’ve been enough, but Cassia didn’t fancy taking a chance on being surrounded by venomous spiders, especially those enlarged by magick.

  “It’s ahead of us!” Knave exclaimed, as he dodged a tree branch and slowed slightly to catch his breath.

  “What is?” Ariane asked, reminded more than ever of why she hated spiders.

  “The way out. A clearing without webs!”

  The spider following behind them suddenly burst through the grass with many smaller ones behind it. They were still big enough to be unsettling – some easily bigger than dinner plates. The largest spider was bigger than Malachi.

  Alexa unleashed the air magick she’d been gathering. A sharp gust of wind swept from her hands, sending the spiders flying back, and flipping the largest spider on to its back. Trees bent back and branches snapped from the force of the wind.

  “Run!” she screamed.

  They didn’t need to be told twice. They made for the safety of the clearing of dried, brown grass, and didn’t stop until they were well-away from the spider-infested landscape and its inhabitants.

  Once they were clear of it, Alexa burst into tears while Cassia searched behind them to ensure none of the creatures were following. They didn’t appear to be.

  “Well that was terrifying,” Knave remarked dryly. “If I get any ideas about doing something so stupid and reckless again, remind me of this.”

  Ariane dropped the shield, wavering on her feet as it fell.

  The others could tell that it must’ve taken a lot of energy to sustain it.

  The town was close-by and they soon noticed buildings in the distance. Most of the town appeared to be on level ground, but a hill rose up to the right, and the buildings atop it sat higher than most others in the town.

  Not much stood between them and their destination except for the clearing they were in, a few trees, and a lot of sandy earth.

  “So that’s the cultists’ stronghold?” Ariane asked, noticing how desolate the town appeared.

  “It looks too big to be their stronghold,” Cassia stated. “It’s got to be somewhere in there, probably on the higher ground. Those who rule often like good views.”

  “They like to see what everyone else is doing,” Ariane asserted. “In case they get any ideas?”

  Alexa nodded then smiled as Malachi swooped down and landed beside them. She could sense the dragon’s tumultuous emotions and a heady desire for revenge.

  She reached out comfortingly with her mind, soothing the dragon.

  His mood eased but he continued to stare toward the town, before glancing at her more benevolently.

  ***

  Alexa let out a deep breath and surveyed their surroundings. The afternoon had passed quickly and it was already starting to go dark. She counted herself lucky they’d reached the clearing while they could still see clearly.

  “The message is sent,” Ariane said. “I told Magister Kelcedone that we’re here and warned her about the spiders, in case they send any other Sisters in to support us.”

  “I guess time will tell whether she contacts us further,” Cassia exclaimed.

  “She told us earlier to scout,” Knave reminded them, “so I’d suggest we do that. Alexa, you and I can take one side of the town, and you ladies take the other,” he said, indicating Ca
ssia and Ariane.

  Alexa wondered if there was something Knave wanted to talk to her about, but it wasn’t necessarily the reason. She couldn’t throw fireballs, but she was far from helpless and she had her sword.

  “That’s fine with me. We should hide our bags here somewhere, so we’re not burdened down with them. We’ve already had to run far enough with them for one day.”

  Bags containing food, blankets and cooking gear were left just beyond the outskirts of the town under natural cover.

  Ariane pointed out a tall, broken tree nearby. It wouldn’t be easy to see at night, but it had a distinct silhouette, which would help them find their way back to their possessions.

  “I think Ariane and I ought to check out the higher ground,” Cassia suggested. “We have fire magick if we need it. No offense – you’re strong Alexa, but we have more chance of burning the place down if we need to.”

  Alexa glanced at Malachi, who she’d only seen use flame a time or two, but the young dragon didn’t cut an intimidating figure, as he might someday. He wasn’t much larger than a wolf at present.

  “It’s alright. If Malachi has no protest, he can join us. Just remember, we’re here to scout until we receive further orders from Magister Kelcedone or Sister Anya. While it’s most important they’re relieved of the manse – if they have it, it could be very useful to us if we can get a hold of it. Be careful out there.”

  Knave and Alexa set out toward the left side of the town, while Cassia and Ariane set off up the hill to their right.

  The town felt very quiet and empty – perhaps even more so because it was dark out.

  Alexa and Knave crossed the barren ground toward the nearest buildings, while Malachi glided alongside them. He stopped every so often, slowing his flight and beating his wings while they caught up.

  “Do you want to reach out with your senses here and see if there are people nearby?” Knave asked her, though he tried to keep his voice down. Sound seemed to travel further at night and they didn’t want to be overheard.

  “I’ve already tried,” she admitted, “and it didn’t work. I think the manse could be blocking me or it might be something else. I know it’s not Malachi, because I could sense his thoughts before and your presence, but even that’s becoming more difficult the closer we get to the town. I think there’s definitely some spell in effect here.”

  The thought made Knave uncomfortable. “That suggests to me that they knew someone was coming. We could be walking into a trap.”

  It was a concerning thought to Alexa too, but she didn’t know one way or the other. “Sooner or later someone would be coming, after what they’ve done. It’s not a matter of if, but when.”

  Knave nodded, then whistled at the dragon as Malachi flew higher.

  “We don’t want the dragon being spotted. Tell him to stay close to the ground.”

  Malachi seemed to understand Knave’s request without help. He perched atop the building ahead of them, glaring.

  They moved in closer to the building, which was a single-level house, and Knave gave the door a tap.

  “What happened to inconspicuous?” Alexa asked with a tone of surprise.

  “Oh, right,” he remarked with a smile. “The windows are in darkness. It looks like nobody’s home,” he said.

  Alexa nodded, “and there was no sign of anyone about either. It’s strange. When I first sensed the town, there were a lot of people here.”

  They didn’t bother going inside the house. Instead, they skirted around the buildings and continued on their way. A road led toward the centre of town, so Knave and Alexa followed that one. There were no lights, animals or signs of trade. The whole place seemed dead, and as they paid greater attention, they noticed more signs that the town had become run down.

  “It’s like the whole place is abandoned.”

  “It seems that way,” she replied, feeling unsure. Alexa wondered where the people could be who she’d sensed before.

  They continued to scout the town for signs of anyone, and not just the enemy.

  ***

  Cassia and Ariane followed the road uphill into the town, staying close to the buildings. At first the houses were located well apart, but the closer they got to the centre of the town, the narrower the spaces were between them. They checked each laneway before proceeding on to the next house, but they didn’t knock.

  The town was shrouded in darkness with few signs of recent habitation. Ariane had just drawn Cassia’s attention to a statue located in a place where three roads converged when she heard a sound. She put a hand on the Sister’s shoulder and raised her finger to her lips.

  They didn’t move a muscle as they stood in the dark recesses of a laneway. At first there was nothing and then they heard the scuff of feet in the sand. Someone must’ve been out there. Rather than assuming it was merely a local, as the area seemed deserted, they stayed where they were… and watched as a child ventured along the street, while cautiously searching around them for threats.

  Ariane slipped around the corner of the building beside them and called out in a quiet voice. “Hello there.”

  Her simple greeting stopped the child in their tracks – it was hard to see in the dark, but she thought it was a young boy of eight or ten years old.

  He hesitated for a moment and then ran, disappearing between two buildings further down the road.

  “Should we stop him?” Cassia asked uncertainly.

  “No, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Ariane admitted. Her voice was only slightly above a whisper. “I doubt he’s going to report our presence here.”

  Cassia winced. “You don’t know that but you’re probably right. We shouldn’t stay here for too long just in case.”

  It sounded a bit paranoid to her, but they were trying to keep a low profile and not be noticed by the enemy.

  The Sisters quickly left and made their way through several adjoining streets, each dark and seemingly empty of occupants.

  “What happened here?” Ariane asked, looking around her. She’d never known any city, town or village to be so quiet. It was eerie.

  “Cultists happened,” she whispered, sighing. “Wait – I can see a light source. On the hilltop, there.”

  It was only because they’d walked around a tall building that had blocked their view that they saw it. A single window glowed with candle or lantern-light. It was on the second storey of a large building beyond a high wall.

  “We may have found them,” Cassia exclaimed. She didn’t know whether it was the townsfolk or the cultists in there. As far as she knew, they might’ve been one and the same.

  Chapter 18

  A tense moment passed as Cerus made the decision to let the palace guards take him into custody. He was a good enough fighter that he could’ve taken down a number of them, but he wasn’t likely to best them all, and given the dire situation in the palace at present, the King needed all the men he could get. He hoped it wouldn’t end in his death or imprisonment, but for the moment it seemed the best way Cerus could serve King Merrion was to allow himself to be arrested.

  “I’m on the same side as you,” he explained, as he was checked for weapons and his hands roughly tied, before he was escorted toward the door by two guards.

  “You have your orders,” the Captain told his men, before following Cerus and the two guards who led him quickly away.

  “You’re wasting your time on me when you should be helping the King,” Cerus told them.

  He was ignored, and marched over the palace’s green lawn.

  “Are we headed toward the docks?” he asked. Cerus noticed it wasn’t the pier where he’d first arrived, but he was certainly heading for the edge of the island. Perhaps they were going to kill him there or push him off the cliff. He never was much of a swimmer.

  “Can you at least tell me if King Merrion’s alive and safe?” he asked, his voice dark with worry.

  “The King is safe,” one of the guards answered.

  “That’s en
ough,” the Captain ordered.

  They walked in silence the rest of the way until a ship at anchor came into view. It wasn’t a boat like Cerus had arrived in; it was full sailing ship. No doubt a vessel of the King’s fleet, which he’d heard so much about.

  He was taken along a gang plank and up on to the deck. It was an impressive vessel with a crew dressed in uniforms, which seemed to him must belong to the King’s navy. He was avoided by the sailors but drew a few glances as he was taken down into the brig of the ship. There was little smell, as though the ship had been scrubbed clean twice over, but he knew there were other prisoners. He could hear a shuffle of movement in the darkness and rattling chains, though none was near.

  The Captain turned to one of the guards who’d brought Cerus on board. “Draw your sword.”

  Cerus’s eyes widened. It didn’t make any sense. Why make a mess killing him here when they could’ve done it on land?

  “Wait! I didn’t do anything. If you kill me, you’ll be killing an innocent man who’s loyal to King Merrion. More than many people it seems, I daresay.”

  The Captain sighed. “We’re not going to kill you… yet.”

  He stepped out of sight and the jangling of chains confirmed for Cerus what he already should’ve suspected. They were going to chain him in the brig.

  “I want a chance to prove my innocence,” Cerus declared.

  “Are you always this much of a pain?” one of the men asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

  “I’m Cerus Arani, Governor of Haledor. You’ve made a grave error in arresting me and this is only the beginning of how much trouble I can be.”

  He glanced toward the door of the brig, as though hope lay in that direction.

  The Captain sneered and folded his arms. “You could try to escape. You won’t get far; not alive anyway.”

  Cerus glowered, but he allowed himself to be chained with the manacles. They were secured to a post, as it seemed the other prisoners had likely been, in order to keep them separate.

  “When we’re under way, it will be determined who is loyal and who is not. Those determined to be enemy agents will be thrown overboard. The others will be freed.”