“You’re welcome,” Riley said. She spun around and walked backward, talking to Ocken. “Now, what’s this you need to tell us?”
Ocken caught up and the three of them walked together a short distance behind Evindal.
“It’s a story too long to tell,” Ocken said, looking to the sky as if reading it on the clouds. “But it involved some kingsbane.”
“Kingsbane?” Will asked.
“A plant,” Ocken said. “Doesn’t matter. We were on a quest to save Drygo’s wife.”
“Hold up,” Will and Riley said at the same time. “You were working with Drygo.”
Ocken nodded. “He was my friend. Once upon a time.”
“But—” Will said.
“Let him finish,” Evindal called back.
“The only thing that could heal the queen was a soul stone, so just as yourself, we ended up here,” Ocken explained. “And just like yourself, we had to prove ourselves to the elves before they would give us answers. We acquired a soul stone and… it changed the king—no, that’s not entirely true. It pushed him over the edge. He refused to bring the stone back to the elves. Just took it back to Sunbury—I mean, Shadowhold.”
“Like father like daughter,” Will said to himself.
“I left the king’s guard shortly thereafter,” Ocken continued. “And found myself in the service of Riley’s family.”
“I was twelve years old when you became my protector,” Riley said, her voice soft and far off.
“And you are far more worthy of my protection than Drygo ever was, kid,” Ocken said, wrapping a big arm around her shoulder and pulling her close.
An hour later it was too dark to proceed and they stopped for the night. Will volunteered for the first watch and the others went to sleep. Will had a lot on his mind.
Maya’s betrayal hurt. Was it because of who she really was? Because she lied to him? Or because she used him?
Then there was the bigger question. If Will had known who she was, would he have still helped her? They were questions he couldn’t answer.
Some time passed and Will’s thoughts shifted to Riley. He watched her sleeping a few feet away. He was grateful for her and Ocken. That they came all this way for him meant a great deal to him. And he was thankful that he had the chance to apologize.
A deep, low voice beside him said, “She trusts you.”
Will jumped and pulled his dagger.
Ocken didn’t flinch. “Don’t let her down.”
He relieved Will and allowed him to get some sleep.
22
Robert raced after the lone rider for thirty minutes before losing track of him in darkness. The sun had fully set and he now moved by the almost imperceptible light of the new moon. His horse came to a halt on the road and he nearly collapsed there in the saddle, adrenaline waning and exhaustion setting in.
He had failed. The attack had failed, the pyridis was destroyed, and the Revenant had finally been outed. All because of Robert. If Robert had waited another second the man would have died. Or if Robert hadn’t exploded the pyridis at all, perhaps they still could have won.
To make matters worse, Jade was going to kill him. He had openly disobeyed orders. Not to mention he was directly responsible for the loss of their prize.
The ride back to the battle site was excruciating. All these thoughts swam around in his head. He dreaded facing Jade again.
It took him almost an hour to get back since he didn’t push his steed as hard, but to Robert it felt like a few seconds. No amount of time could have been long enough at this exact moment.
When he rode back into the battle site, Strike was up, walking about. He spotted Robert and drew his weapon, ready to attack. Fear spiked within Robert, causing his body to tingle.
Strike’s faced scrunched up and then turned to one of joyous surprise. He sheathed his sword and started clapping.
Now it was Robert’s turn to act surprised. He hopped down off the horse and walked over to Strike.
“The hero returns,” Strike said with a huge smile.
“No,” Robert said, shaking his head. “He got away. We’re done for. I failed.”
“Never mind that!” Strike said, clapping him on the shoulders. “We’re alive. Alive! Thanks to you. That was some quick thinking, there.”
“What about Jade?” Robert asked.
“What about Jade?” Jade echoed as she stood up from behind one of the wagons and joined them.
Robert swallowed hard and closed his eyes.
“I—I’m sorry,” she said.
Robert’s eyes snapped open. “Say what?”
“I’m sorry for yelling at you,” Jade said. “You did the right thing. All of it. You saved our lives. You even had the wits about you to chase after the fleeing rider. You are the hero that Strike says you are and I’m sorry for threatening to court martial you.”
Robert was shocked. He didn’t know what to say so he moved to change the subject. He looked around at the aftermath of the carnage. He could see only two other Revenants alive, but no Trout. Panic replaced his fear. “Where’s Trout?”
“He’s fine,” Strike said. “I could see the worry on your face.”
“He’s gone to fetch the farmers,” Jade added. “Since the horses ran off, we have no way to move the pyridis.”
“It’s not all gone?” Robert asked.
“No, you only destroyed one wagon,” Jade said. “One wagon remained untouched and a second toppled over, but the pyridis is intact.”
He sighed in relief. The mission was not a total wash. Good men and women had not died in vain.
“Come on,” Jade said. “Help me finish reloading the second wagon. I managed to get it upright, but there’s a lot of pyridis here, and Strike’s too injured to help.”
“By the gods,” Robert said. “I’d almost forgotten. Strike, how are you?”
Strike grabbed his right arm, nursing it. “I’ll live. It wasn’t too bad.”
Jade scoffed. “It’s to the bone,” she said. “But he’s right. He’ll live. It didn’t clip anything vital, but he’ll need to be stitched up as soon as we get to the farmhouse.”
Jade waved and Robert followed her to the wagon. They began gently reloading the spilled cargo. Just as they packed up the last stone, Trout came riding in with the farmers.
Trout ran up to Robert and embraced him in a big bear hug. “Good on you, Newblood. I guess we’ll have to get you a new name when we get back,” he said. “How ’bout it, Jade?”
Jade smirked. “That’s up to Talon, but I’ll put in a good word.”
Will and the others continued their journey in the morning, arriving back at the temple before noon. They ascended the stairs leading up to the temple and walked through the entry corridor.
As they entered the courtyard, a female elf stood in front of the altar. The right side of her head was shaved, her long, brown hair flipped to the left, cascading down her shoulder. She wore a white gown, edged in a pattern of golden leaves.
“Milady,” Evindal said.
“Evindal, where are your manners?” said the female elf.
“My apologies,” Evindal said. He turned to Will and said, “This is Allynna, the Lady of Anima Sanctum.”
Will turned to her and said, “Pleased to meet you, Allynna. My name is—”
“Will Sumner of Celesti, though the surname is assumed. With you are Riley Harper of Berxley and Ocken of the desert tribes. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Anima Sanctum.”
Riley said, “How do you know—?”
“Milady possesses the power of Ophi, goddess of knowledge,” Evindal interrupted. “She is the seer of souls.”
“You know everything?” Will asked.
“I know enough,” she replied. “Come. Let us go inside and I will answer your questions.”
She turned and ascended the steps leading to the worship hall they had been in the previous day. Once inside, she turned left and walked to a door in the wall. Will hadn’t seen it
before, his attention drawn to the large statues in the room.
The door led to a stairway that took them beneath the temple. The walls fell away as the stairs continued down into a modest living space. Despite the stone above, the room was built with wood.
A small fireplace blazed to the right, a few seats placed around it. The soft glow from the hearth mixed with the browns of the wood created a warm, inviting environment. To the left was a bar, mugs hanging from a low support beam and several kegs built into the wall behind it. It doubled as a kitchen, with a dining table nearby.
Allynna motioned for them to take a seat near the fire. Will took a chair and sat down, as did Riley. Ocken chose to stand, moving to a corner of the room in shadow. Evindal took a seat at the bar.
“You want to know why I would help you,” Allynna offered.
Will nodded.
“I admit, my reasons are selfish, though I believe you will find that our goals are the same.”
“And what would those be?” Will asked.
“To overthrow the king of Aralith,” she said plainly. “To restore autonomy to your country. To seek justice for the deaths of your loved ones.”
“And you want these things?” Will asked, skeptical.
“In a manner of speaking, yes,” she said. “I believe Evindal told you that I cannot leave this temple?”
Will nodded.
“Your king once sought my assistance. Several years ago, his wife lay ill. He came to Anima Sanctum seeking the soul stone of Serith, which grants the power to heal. I agreed to help him on the condition that he free me from my prison.”
“How did you come to be stuck here?” Riley asked.
She sighed. “Where to start? The beginning I suppose,” she said. “The legend is that a thousand years ago the god Iket stole the power of Daldre and Qirrut before they were destroyed. The Forerunner never intended his followers to obtain more power than was given to them. This added power changed Iket. Shortly after, the gods locked away their powers in the stones, but Iket’s power was tainted.”
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and continued, “A close friend, bearing Iket’s stone, betrayed me and used his power to build a wall of protection and lock me away in this temple.”
“How long have you been here?” Will asked.
“The lives of elves are extensive,” she said. “I have been here long before you were born. So you understand my excitement when, after many years, someone discovered the temple. The only way to release the curse is to destroy the stone that created it. We agreed that Drygo would return with Iket’s stone and only then would I be able to help him find Serith’s stone.”
“But he didn’t return,” Will stated.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I see Ocken has filled you in on some of the details. The taint within the stone corrupted the king and he turned on us.”
“And so now you want me to destroy it?” Will asked.
“As I said, our goals are one and the same. The only way to defeat the king and stop his tyranny is to remove his power,” she said, holding her arms out to indicate the whole room. “By extension, you will also remove the curse surrounding this temple.”
“Where did Maya fit into all of this?” Will pressed. “Surely you can’t expect her to want to depose her father and destroy her kingdom?”
“The stone of Merva is crucial to your success,” was all Allynna said.
“You can see the future, too?” Riley asked in a snide tone.
She hesitated, as if determining how to answer the question. “No. Ophi’s power grants the ability to see the present, and no more.”
“You know what’s happening right now?” Will asked, amazed. “All over the continent?”
Again, she paused. “My abilities are unimportant. Only you can defeat the king.”
Riley spoke up for the first time. “Why him? Couldn’t anyone steal the stone and destroy it?”
“In theory, yes,” Allynna said. “But the king is powerful and does not let the stone out of his sight. I’m afraid none but Will have a hope of defeating him.”
Will thought on her words, then his face grew serious and he said, “But if I destroy the stone, then…”
“Yes, the king will die,” Allynna confirmed.
“Is there no way to remove his power without killing him?” Will asked.
“Why does it matter to you?” Allynna snapped. “He killed your father. He killed your brother. He has killed thousands of others over the years, many for his own wanton enjoyment. He deserves to die.”
Will was taken aback by her sudden outburst, but it was a good question. Why had Will even asked it? Did he not want to kill the king? Is that not what this was all about? Was that not always his end goal?
“No,” Will said after a pause. “I never wanted to kill him. Seek justice, maybe, but not kill him.”
“How else could that have ended but by his death?” Allynna countered. “What else could stop him? Are you so naïve to think Drygo will step down without a fight? Do you really think he’ll relinquish his rule over the neighboring kingdoms willingly?”
“What do I have to do?” Will asked.
“You can’t possibly be thinking of doing this,” Riley said. “It’s insane. He’ll kill you.”
“Agreed,” Ocken said from the corner.
“If he does not,” said Allynna, “the king will only grow more violent. He will continue seeking the stones. And when he finds them…”
“ ‘If ever they meet, the end will be, of all time and eternity,’ ” Will said.
“Yes,” she replied, nodding.
“What?” Riley asked, confused.
“It’s a prophecy. Inscribed on the altar in the courtyard above,” Will told her. “If all of the stones are discovered, the world as we know it will end.”
“Hogwash,” said Riley.
“Do you want to chance it?” Will countered.
She didn’t respond.
“I thought so,” Will said. Turning back to Allynna he said, “what do I need to do?”
“You are not strong enough to defeat him,” Allynna said. “You could not even defeat the man known as Shaw and he only possessed a small sliver of Iket’s power.”
Will visibly deflated at having his failures aired before him. “How does that work anyway? The sliver of power.”
“The stone of Iket is sometimes called the Soul Siphon,” Allynna explained. “Among other things, it allows him to give his power to others.”
That’s what he did to Will. Gave him some of his power. That must be how they’ve been tracking him. It’s also likely the reason Will can’t speak to Lotess. But how to get rid of it? Would he have to kill himself to defeat the king?
“If he has given out his power, will I need to kill every one of those people as well?” Will asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.
“No,” she said.
Will sighed in relief.
“It works like a tether,” she said. “If you destroy the main soul, the tethers will dissolve.”
“So… how does Will get strong enough to defeat him?” Riley asked.
“Evindal will teach him how to work his powers,” Allynna said, nodding in Evindal’s direction.
At the mention of his name, Evindal stood and walked over to Will. “I can teach you the basics,” he said, “but without the stone itself, you will never be strong enough to defeat him.”
“The stone functions as an anchor,” Allynna added. “It allows you to delve deeper into your power and strengthens your magic.”
Will’s confusion must have shown on his face because Evindal said, “Think of it as a fighting stance. It allows you to center your weight, throw stronger punches, and gives you greater defense. Without it, your blows do minimal damage and you leave yourself open for attack.”
“So I need to steal my soul stone?” Will said. “Again?”
“Yes,” they said together.
“Won’t Drygo be expe
cting this?” Will asked.
“Did you not wonder why he did not pursue you?” Allynna asked.
“But he did,” Will said. “Shaw chased me all the way here.”
“Yes,” she agreed, “but he sent a stooge. If this Shaw had captured you, it would have saved Drygo a great deal of frustration, but he knows you must eventually return to him.”
“If he’s expecting me, is there any hope of succeeding?” Will asked.
They looked at each other.
“We have a plan,” Evindal said. “And it involves your friends.”
Shaw walked through the city gates of Tikani, alone and despondent.
All of his men had died. He had failed. His own life was as good as forfeit. For whatever reason, Drygo had not killed him already. Nor had he taken control of Shaw since his fight with Will.
Shaw couldn’t hope to capture him with his powerful friends around. But neither could he return to the palace. Drygo wouldn’t likely let him resume his duties until Will was in custody.
But what to do?
Shaw could sit outside the forest and wait for Will to leave. But he could leave from any number of points and there was no way Shaw could watch the whole forest. He dared not go back in or anywhere near that elf.
The only thing Shaw could think to do was return home. Eventually, Will would have to turn up there. If Drygo’s fears of an insurrection held true, then it would be safe to say the boy would return at some point.
Yet he couldn’t return to the palace. He would need to find some place to hole up and watch from afar. A place that would give him a vantage over all entering the city. He would think about it some more upon his return.
For now, Shaw made his way through the second greatest city in Aralith’s borders. Tikani was far larger than Shadowhold, but only because it was more spread out. Shadowhold was locked by land and sea, whereas Tikani had room to grow on all but its lakeside.
Six main arteries all fed into the central circle. The one he now took brought him in from the so’west corner where Tikani’s main gates stood. He had not had an occasion to visit Tikani often, but this was also not his first time there.
Soul Render (Soul Stones Book 1) Page 21