by Linda Jordan
“No, I don’t. I’ve gotten worse injuries than this, my dear, and recovered alone.”
Mira paused, searching for a good argument. “You were younger then.”
“But I’m wiser now,” Aste smiled through her pain. “I will find a healer who will help restore me faster. Then I will meet you in the City. You do not have time to stand here arguing with me. You must get riding and find your sister’s soul before the Queen absorbs it into her body. You must stop her. After we reach the pass, I will leave you.”
Mira knew she was right and nodded. Somehow, they got Aste on her horse.
They climbed steadily higher following the trail. Trees were replaced by increasingly smaller, gnarled plants until all that remained was lichen on the rocks and a few sickly grasses. She felt thankful they packed grain for the horses. The sky grew bright and clear, although she could not get used to the purplish hue.
By midday they reached Fire Pass, so named because it used to be inhabited by dragons, Aste said. Then disagreements broke out among the dragon weirs. Aste explained that a weir was a city that held a clan of dragons. Fewer dragons were alive now. Aste said, “I don’t have time to tell their whole history here at lunch, the dragons have a long and complicated history. But I assure you, there will be another time to talk about all this.”
Aste had gotten off her horse with help and lay down on a warm, reddish colored boulder with a smooth, flat top. The land behind them was forest as far as Mira could see. The trees bled off into mists in the distance. On the other side of the pass she saw mostly open country with meadows, and further on, farmland and a few towns. In the distance she saw a great city with a tall tower, from which a violet light spread everywhere.
Aste said, pointing in the direction they were going, “The Tower of the Black Opal. The Opal breathes life into this land. The palace lies beneath it. That is your destination.” She pulled some herbs out of a pouch and put them in her mouth. Her face, contorted with pain, relaxed as she chewed
Mira felt naked standing on the rock staring at the large city. How would they ever pull this off? Her sister was a walking zombie. Dylan was becoming more withdrawn and spent his time whispering to the faeries, not speaking to anyone else. She guessed he missed having his mom present and his secure, routine life.
Aste pointed to the left, “That is Cossu on the Great Inland Sea. That is where I must go first.” She held up her hand as Mira opened her mouth to argue “I’m tougher than you think and so are you. I will be there when you need me and you will find other help along the way.”
Before they left Mira gave Amanda her infusion. It wasn’t too difficult. Amanda was so tired.
“Amanda will get stronger as you get closer to the city,” Aste said.
Dylan gave Aste a big hug, Amanda limply waved goodbye from astride her horse. Mira hugged Aste.
Aste said, “Remember, believe in yourself and in possibilities. Open yourself to the magic of this world and learn to use it and let it use you in return.”
Mira divided the supplies she’d taken from the pack horse, between Shadow and Amanda’s horse. Aste rode off on the black and leading the roan pack horse, taking the left fork of the trail downward, shadowed by the silver wolf. Mira, Dylan and Amanda took the right fork toward the Black Opal, who gleamed at them.
Mira had a difficult time understanding how a rock could be alive in the same way a human or animal or even a plant was. Aste assured her the Opal was very much alive and Mira would understand when she met the great stone in person.
Yet, since she had caught sight of the Black Opal, Mira felt as if it pierced her skin, then went deeper, reading her heart and soul, examining her and finding her wanting.
She shivered as they descended into the shadow behind a rock outcropping.
Chapter 14 - Ronan
In pooka form, Ronan followed Mira’s trail to the abandoned dragon cave. He found the wolf lying in the doorway and decided they were relatively safe. His body felt drained with no more power left to help them tonight. Crawling into a smaller, cavern nearby he discovered it already inhabited by a family of fox. They cowered under a stone shelf in the far end, but settled down once he ignored them.
His wounds ached, but as any good pooka would, he licked them clean. Pooka held amazing healing powers. Changing so quickly and so often had left him exhausted.
His opponent had not fared so well. Ronan had made him so weak the man needed to return to his human self. Then Ronan snapped his neck. It would not do to leave such an enemy alive, he thought regretfully. The man was extremely skilled at shape changing, but he smelled of the Queen. Afterwards Ronan had felt weak and nearly passed out. He lay on the hard rock until the rain restored him.
Now, inside the cave, sleep took him quickly.
The next morning he followed them, managing enough energy to stay invisible because someone else might be trailing them. They reached the pass by midday. He was puzzled to see Aste leave them, but guessed she was badly injured. The mare she rode was working hard to stay beneath her. She headed towards the coastal town of Cossu followed by the wolf. He considered following her to offer help, but the way she glared in his direction told him Aste didn’t want his company.
Mira and her sister were in greater danger. If the Queen had attacked Aste so that Mira would be defenseless, then she really did need his help. Aste would be safer going off by herself, if the Queen was after Mira. If Aste could ride far enough to find a healer.
His way felt clear.
Ronan studied the child as he followed them. Which sister was the boy’s mother? His magic seemed utterly unlike Mira’s, yet he clung to her most. The boy approached Amanda with the sort of sad formality one saves for the fragile and slowly dying.
He wondered what form the boy’s magic would ultimately take. He could access great power, would it prove too much? Most children in this land did not discover their magic until twice his age, provided they even carried the ability.
The weather grew warmer as they descended into the foothills. As a pooka his fur insulated him from warmth or cold. The cold did not help his painful wounds, although walking helped keep his body warm and healing. He’d seen Mira shivering beneath her shawl in the morning light.
That night Mira, Amanda and the boy had camped in Black Silk Canyon. He sat on a warm rock near the side of the canyon, watching them eat their cold supper, and made lists in his head of what was necessary to know about her.
He wanted to know where she came from, why she came here, did she have a lover, what she smelled like, what she tasted like, what she thought, would she stay in his land, was she going to confront the Queen? There could be no end to what there was to know about her, he thought, hungrily. He wanted to join with her mind, heart, body and soul. To stay together for life, as pooka did. Not the shallow relationships most humans he knew had. He desired a soul connection.
Ronan waited until Dylan and Amanda fell asleep. Mira was checking her circle’s integrity when he made himself visible. She looked so tired. He wondered how long since she had slept, then realized that Mira was waiting to be attacked.
Screeching filled the air as an elemental hit the edge of her circle. Ronan stepped inside her circle walking the edges with her, although on the far side, so as not to threaten her. The nightly attack had begun.
Chapter 15 - Nakia
Queen Nakia sat on the high throne watching a minor noble complain about one of his neighbors. The portly noble’s face twitched, turning redder as he spoke. He accused the neighbor’s son of getting his youngest daughter pregnant. The noble pushed the girl out in front of him. She looked miserable. The neighbor, a merchant stood across from them, arms folded and holding his temper in. The son beside him, looked down at his feet.
Yet the noble refused a marriage, because the son’s family wasn’t important enough; even though they could buy him several times over. Nakia smirked contemptuously at the man, pompous, very full of himself. After all, his family had only been title
d for two generations. She would have to think of a response suitable for him. He wanted the young man punished and financial reparation paid to him to bolster his bankrupt home. Nakia knew he gambled heavily.
Her attention strayed to the Sorcerer slinking in one of the side doors. His manner of walking made him look meek. She wondered if that was his intent, perhaps it was a ruse to draw people in and put them at ease. He saw her looking at him as he collapsed a little more, then puffed himself out with bravado. Interesting. She wondered what went on in his mind. Her first guess was something had gone wrong with his plot against Aste.
She tried to turn her mind back to the noble. The odious little man rambled on and she needed to think of a suitable ruling. This part of being Queen had grown boring. One day in every ten, she sat in court and made decisions about minor matters like this. A tradition her father started. But she had been Queen for sixty turns, far longer than his kingship, a paltry fifteen. In addition, she ruled only one world, so sat in state constantly. He had always traveled between the three known worlds which he ruled. On his death her father divided the three worlds between his daughters. His son by another marriage, Roderick, had been too young to rule and had been left out. Nakia worried he was plotting to take her throne.
Nakia had plans to claim all the worlds as her own. She would dispense with the tradition of sitting in court. The noble finally stopped talking and bowed to her.
He folded his arms and gave a smug look at the wealthy merchant. She stared at both of them. The merchant stated he wanted his son to marry the girl and help her care for the child. The pregnant girl and the son kept exchanging looks that spoke of a deep degree of intimacy. This was no casual union.
“You refuse this marriage?” she asked the noble.
“Yes, your Highness,” he said bowing.
“And you would marry this woman,” she asked the son.
“With all my heart,” said the young man, bowing awkwardly.
“What would you do?” she asked the young woman.
The girl looked very young, she glanced at her lover, then at her father, then at the Queen and said nervously, “Your highness, I do not know. I would like to obey my father, but that would be untrue to my heart. I will do what you command.”
Nakia felt tempted to simply have them all leave. “You should have been able to work this out between you, not bother the court with so trivial a matter. The girl will join the Caretakers and she and the child will serve the Black Opal. The boy shall enter my service, in the army.” She said to the noble, “Since you brought the matter up, you shall be fined. All of your livestock shall go to the army, I think. Should you intervene in any way, I will remove your title as well. Now begone, all of you.”
The young couple’s faces drooped with an understanding that this was the last time they’d see each other. The merchant looked at the noble with hatred. The noble bowed, his face full of anger he couldn’t hide. He’d been so sure of winning.
After they left, she turned to her servant and said, “I am finished for today. Call one of the Councilors in for the rest of the day.” She stood and left the large hallway through the door behind the high throne, glancing at the Sorcerer in such a way that he knew she wanted him to follow.
When he joined her in the antechamber, she said, “You have news for me?”
“Yes. My man did not return. My spies found his body near the Forest Road. He was not able to kill Aste, but she is badly wounded and heading for the coast. The outlanders continue towards the city.” He said, clasping his hands. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
She took a deep breath. How was it she seemed always surrounded by idiots who couldn’t accomplish a simple thing like killing someone?
“How did it happen she killed your best man?”
“I do not know. The man was a changer. My spies found tracks from bears of two different sizes, and dragons of two sizes. I can only guess another changer was nearby, perhaps traveling with them. Aste is not a changer and surely the outlanders do not have such magic.”
“Not that you know of,” she said, shaking her head impatiently. “Well, send someone else after Aste and see that she is killed this time. Can you at least accomplish that? A lone, wounded, old woman?”
“I have already sent another assassin, Your Grace.” He paused, looked unsure, smoothing down his dark, stringy hair. He said, “My Queen, I have been thinking. I am not sure we should attempt to put both souls in your body. It is not wise. It could cause your death. I have never even attempted this ritual with one soul before. It is also possible that those of other worlds have vastly different souls than we do.”
“I will not die and I will have both their souls. If you cannot do it I will find someone who can.”
“I will do my best, your highness,” he said, shrinking further into himself.
After he left, she stood looking out the window. Her face twitched with anger at such incompetence. She was also worried about the trouble Aste could cause if she wasn’t killed.
She felt lust at the thought of inhaling those two souls. A thought occurred to her. Why not all three? Nakia smiled at that. Surely, possessing three extra souls would make her invincible.
She took the shortest route to the tower room. Her pooka guards preceded her to ensure the room was empty. They bowed upon leaving. As she walked onto the catwalk that formed the floor in the domed room, her long skirts swirled in the breeze created by the half of the windows open to the sky. The remaining ones were covered with glass. The catwalk made of metal grates, circled the edge of the tower and extended almost out to the Black Opal. The room radiated purple from the massive Opal, who sat suspended in a wire mesh basket in the center, held at roughly eye level. The stone was larger than three of her grand carriages combined. Light began to dim, evening would be coming on. The Opal was angry.
The stone did not greet her. She walked out onto a glass extension, touching the massive stone, who shivered beneath her hand. No, she must have imagined that.
“I don’t know if you still hear me, but in five days I will have new souls that will make me even more powerful than before. You must accept me again. We cannot rule if you do not help.”
Nakia heard the stone make a deep rumble and saw it cloud with black. What plans was the Black Opal making? Dusk would be coming sooner tonight, the Opal was repulsed by her. She turned and stalked toward the door, then turned back and yelled, “You will have communion with me again or I shall find a way to destroy you! If I cannot rule here, no one will. This world will die.”
By the time she reached the prison section of the catacombs, her frustration had congealed into rage. She found her sorcerer with Jason Karsa. The second son of four, Jason sat strapped in an uncomfortable, wooden chair, a defiant gleam in his eyes.
“My Queen, I have just been searching for a suitable beverage for our friend here, something to make him understand to whom his family owe their allegiance.”
“Give him ‘No Wind’. That should settle the traitor,” she said, smiling.
“Perfect.” The Sorcerer turned to a cupboard and brought forth a blue bottle and a larger amber one. He poured a few drops from the blue bottle on Karsa’s head.
Nakia turned to Karsa and smiled sweetly to him. “It will only be a short time before it takes hold.” She took the amber colored bottle from the Sorcerer. “The poison he gave you will take your breath. You will wheeze and cough until your wind is gone. Your ribs will feel cracked and anguished, your entire body spasming, unable to inhale what you need most. It takes a long time to suffocate like that and the horror of it is inconceivable.”
She smiled as his hands became fists against the wooden chair arms. “Now this bottle,” she said waving the amber bottle in front of his face, “you must earn this bottle. This will return your wind, for a short time, then you will begin wheezing again, feeling your own body betray you, strangling as you struggle to breathe.” She watched Karsa keep his face empty, but reveled in the terror his eyes
revealed. “For every noble’s name who is a traitor that you give us, you will receive a sip from this bottle.”
Karsa spat, “You vile creature ....”
Nakia unsheathed the small silver dagger from her sleeve and sliced him across the cheek. “I will return after I dine and see if you have something better for me than this appetizer,” she said licking the droplets of blood from the dagger before sheathing it. Turning to leave, she felt much better than when she arrived. Now to deal with the outlanders.
Chapter 16 - Mira
Aste had told Mira it would take at least two days to come down this side of the pass. Now, she could see why. The trail seemed to vanish, dropping off the edge of the mountains, with one switchback after another. They walked the horses. Mira’s horse slipped and slid on the slick rock. Mira sensed a stab of fear from Shadow’s mind which startled her. She was still amazed the bay could speak with her. Mira kept listening to get impressions of what the world looked like from the mare’s perspective. Seeking luscious, green things continued to be a big concern as well as being alert for anything that might want to eat her. She wished she could bring the mare home with her. She hoped she could even get home, period.
It was nearing the end of the day before she found the canyon Aste told her about. Slippery, black rocks, like obsidian, formed three high walls. The canyon seemed to be solid and U-shaped, but wasn’t really. When they rode to the far end there lay a way out. The shiny, black rocks made the walls look seamless.
They made camp, but Aste had warned them to make no fires out in the open. So they huddled together for warmth and ate cold food for supper. The horses kept close to them, grazing on the scant grass of the canyon floor. She called a protective circle, but worried about being able to sustain it through the inevitable nightly attack.
After dinner Amanda fell asleep. Dylan, curled in his blanket, whispered to the faeries. Mira walked her circle to check its integrity. Squealing and caterwauling elementals bounced off the perimeter, setting her on edge.