The Dark Ability: Books 1-4

by D. K. Holmberg

  Rsiran shifted, turning to face Firell. “He’s nothing like me.”

  Firell held up his hands. Blood soaked the bandage on one arm. Dirt stained the other, caked under his nails as if Firell had been trying to scratch his way to freedom. “I meant nothing by that. Just that you both have the same ability. The chains he gave us didn’t work on you. What makes you think they’ll work on him?”

  “They hold him.”

  But for how long? Josun was Elvraeth, which meant he possessed some degree of each ability. What if Josun had some of the same ability as Rsiran? What if he could hear the lorcith? Would he be able to use that and push on the heartstone alloy to open the chains?

  Would Rsiran be ready?

  He pushed away the thought. If Josun were able to escape, he would have by now.

  “Why are you here?” Firell asked. “What do you want with Shael?”

  Rsiran squeezed Jessa’s hand. “There is something Shael knows about. But since you don’t seem to know where to find him, I think Jessa is right. It’s time for us to be going.”

  He prepared to Slide them out of the cell. Rsiran didn’t know where they’d go. Probably back to Elaeavn at this point, regroup, and then confront Josun again. If he did know how to find the Forgotten, Rsiran would see that he helped them.

  And then Firell lunged at him.

  Rsiran Slid off the to side, pulling Jessa with him. Firell’s momentum into empty space sent him sprawling. He pushed up slowly and turned to face them.

  “Don’t. Please, Rsiran. Take me with you. I need to find Lena. I don’t know what he did to her. She’s too young… can’t withstand him on her own… not without any abilities.”

  Rsiran hesitated. Could he leave Firell here tormented by the loss of his daughter? Firell had betrayed them, but had he done it by choice or force?

  He looked over at Jessa. She nodded.

  Rsiran faced Firell again. “You will stay with us until I release you. If you try anything that might hurt Jessa, or me, trust that I’ll hide you where no one will ever find you. And I won’t do anything to find Lena.”

  Firell studied him for a moment before nodding. “I think they underestimated you, Rsiran.”

  Rsiran hesitated. “What?’

  Firell didn’t get the chance to answer.

  An entire wall burst open, light spilling into the cell. Firell threw himself back against the wall, moving out of the way.

  Rsiran spun toward the door, holding Jessa’s hand tightly in his. Six men stood facing them. One had a thick beard covering his face—something never seen in Elaeavn—and forked at each corner of his chin. Two holding swords, another pair with crossbows.

  All were aimed at Jessa.

  Firell had betrayed them again.

  Rsiran readied to push his knives. He only had five on him, plus the pair of knives Jessa carried. If he acted fast enough, he could drop the attackers and get them to safety.

  Or he could Slide. Nothing blocked him from Sliding. He could hold onto Jessa’s hand and Slide to safety. Traveling a short distance would take little more than a thought to reach safety. And then he could take them to Elaeavn.

  But if he wasn’t fast enough?

  A crossbow bolt might hit Jessa. He’d seen what could happen if he didn’t Slide quickly enough. One of the Elvraeth had grabbed onto him during a Slide to Della’s. If they did the same, or if the crossbow fired quickly enough, Jessa would be hurt.

  Rsiran had another reason for hesitating. If these were the Forgotten, didn’t he want to know why they had attacked?

  When he didn’t disappear, one of them stepped forward. He was startled to see it was a woman. She had black hair tied back behind her head. A tight-fitting jacket that flared at her waist, and loose-fitting leather pants. As she stepped into the orange lantern light, eyes flashed a deep green.

  She smiled. “You’re a hard one to find, Rsiran Lareth.” Her voice had a deep quality to it, almost drawing him toward her.

  Rsiran flicked his gaze over to Firell. How much had he told them about his abilities? Would they know he could push lorcith?

  He listened for a moment, sensing for lorcith. Two of the men carried knives—his forgings even—made of lorcith. Unlikely they knew then.

  It gave him an advantage.

  “You know my name, but I don’t know yours.” As he spoke, he shifted so that he stood more in front of Jessa. He could still Slide them to safety this way, and she would be less likely to be injured.

  The woman didn’t move, only spread her hands. A steel sword hung from one hand and she nodded. “Mine no longer matters.”

  One of the Forgotten. The comment practically admitted to it.

  Were all of these men Forgotten?

  Something about the way she spoke made him realize that she tried to Push him.

  Rsiran ensured his mental barriers were in place, infusing them with lorcith. If Readers were among them, he didn’t want to risk someone learning anything more about him.

  “Why are you holding Firell?”

  The Forgotten glanced at the smuggler. He still cowered against the wall. Rsiran realized he may not have been any more a willing participant than he had with Josun. That didn’t mean he didn’t have a choice.

  “I needed to see if what he said was true.”

  “And what did he say?”

  “That there is a dangerous man who can Slide, one not Elvraeth.”

  She moved in a flicker, appearing suddenly in front of Rsiran. Sliding.

  Rsiran tensed. She’d Slid faster than Rsiran could blink. Faster than he’d seen Josun Slide. Rsiran didn’t think he could move that quickly, especially not with Jessa.

  “I’ve met another who can Slide,” Rsiran offered. “He killed someone I care about.”

  She leaned forward. She smelled of sweat and grease and something else. A familiar odor Rsiran couldn’t quite place.

  “Where is he?”

  Rsiran didn’t move. This close, he could sink one of his knives into her without moving if he needed to, but he needed to know more before he attacked her. Was she the only one who could Slide or could any of these others? And where were the rest of the Forgotten?

  “Somewhere he won’t harm anyone I care about again.”

  She studied Rsiran for a moment and then laughed. “Confidence. Interesting from one not born to the Elvraeth.” She nodded at Firell. “He tells me you have another impressive ability.”

  Rsiran held his breath. If Firell had told them of his ability to push lorcith, any advantage he had would be gone. Of course, Josun already knew of that ability of his. He could have told any of the Forgotten before Firell needed to.

  “About how you escaped from Elvraeth chains.” She turned back to Rsiran. “Said you even Slid into the palace. I would like to know how you managed to do that.”

  Rsiran shook his head. “I can’t explain what I do. I just can.”

  A wide smile spread across her face. “That’s how you injured Josun the first time. Damn near killed him. Had he not had a ready supply of tchinth, he would have been gone. The Great Watcher knows it’s a good thing you didn’t finish him off sooner, or else we never would have found you.”

  “And why would you want to find me?”

  She leaned into Rsiran’s ear. Her breath was warm and smelled of faint spice. “Because you’re going to help us.”

  Chapter 26

  The woman had marched Rsiran to a room above the cell, leading them up a narrow staircase. A low ceiling forced him to duck as he made his way along the halls. The air smelled damp and musty, stinking of wet earth. Strange carvings marked the wood as they passed, written with marks that reminded him of what they’d found on the crates in the warehouse and those within Venass.

  Small lanterns hung on hooks along the wall, staggered far enough apart that shadows still filled the space between them. When they reached the top of the stairs, Rsiran and Jessa had to duck to move through the door, as if it were made for a much shorter p
erson.

  And then they were in a wide room. A fire pit filled the middle of the room. Thick smoke rose toward a hole cut in the ceiling overhead, and thick logs crackled with heat. Two long tables filled the rest of the space, with benches along either side. Another narrow door led out the other side of the room.

  The woman motioned them to sit, and Rsiran did, glancing to one of the men carrying a crossbow behind him. He eyed it briefly, noting that it seemed tipped with lorcith. Were he quick enough, he could deflect the bolt before it hit them, but they didn’t seem interested in injuring them anymore. No longer did he fear for Jessa’s safety. More than anything, he felt curiosity.

  She Slid to a seat across from him. Four lanterns hung on posts around the room, spilling bright orange light around them. She leaned forward, the line of her sharp jaw catching the shadows between lanterns in such a way that her face seemed longer than it should. Bright green eyes looked out at them.

  Jessa sat next to him, clutching tightly to his hand. She leaned toward him, as if claiming him as hers. She hadn’t said anything since they left the small cell, abandoning Firell to whatever fate the Forgotten had in mind for him. After betraying them a second time, Rsiran struggled to feel any pity for him.

  “Is this more comfortable?” the woman asked.

  Rsiran glanced around the room. Other than the tables and the fire pit, not much else occupied the room. There was a faint scent of bread and meat. A sheen of grease smeared across the table. This was a barracks of some kind.

  “You think to hold us here?” he asked.

  She smiled. “From what I hear, you’ve shown you can’t be held.” She set her hands atop the table and leaned back, thrusting out her chest. A smile hadn’t left her face since she appeared before them down in the cell.

  Rsiran shrugged. “You can try.”

  She snorted. “Seems that would not serve any purpose, now would it? Besides, how can I convince you to help if I mistreat you?”

  “What makes you think I’ll help? After what Josun did—”

  Darkness flashed across the woman’s face. “That one acted on his own more often than not. He was useful, in his own way, but careless. He thought he could act alone.”

  “And do what?” After what happened in the palace and how Firell and Shael worked for Josun, Rsiran had thought all the Forgotten worked with him. But Josun had denied it, claimed he only wanted to find the Forgotten. What was the truth?

  She arched an eyebrow. “Don’t play the fool with me, Lareth. You saw what he wanted.”

  Rsiran resisted the urge to look over at Jessa. He wondered what she thought of this woman. With her Sight, she always picked up cues he missed, even without Reading. By the way Jessa leaned into him, he sensed jealousy from her, an emotion he’d never noticed from Jessa.

  “I know what Josun claims he wanted, but I’m not sure I know what he really wanted.”

  The woman flashed her teeth, looking briefly like some kind of wild thing. “Fair enough. Tell me what you do know.”

  He debated answering honestly. He didn’t think she could Read him—not with his barriers in place—but that didn’t mean she couldn’t Read Jessa. Or that she hadn’t heard from Firell or even Josun what he’d done.

  “He claims he searched for the exiles.” Confusion flashed across the woman’s eyes and then was gone. “That was why he wanted to poison the council. He called it a demonstration, but it was more than that, wasn’t it? And he shipped lorcith out of the city. Since you have Firell, you would know that.”

  “You didn’t poison them?”

  The way she asked made it seem as if she really didn’t know.

  He shook his head. “I think I would have. But no. I didn’t poison them.”

  Rsiran watched the woman. Her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed slightly. One hand scratched at her face as she ran a hand through her hair.

  “Why would he claim he can’t find you?” Rsiran said.

  The woman hesitated before answering. “He can be a bit short-sighted. Comes from his abilities, I suppose. Well, that and the fact that he’s never worn the chains like others of us—” She cut off sharply and forced a smile onto her face.

  Others had worn the chains? There would only be one reason they’d need to wear them. “How many of you can Slide?”

  “You’re no fool, are you, Lareth?” the woman asked. “Josun made a mistake with you, I think. He should have brought you here rather than trying to push you.”

  “Josun didn’t push me. He killed one of my friends.”

  “That is unfortunate. Doing so did nothing but draw attention to us. That’s something we don’t want yet.”

  Yet.

  “Why attack me in Elaeavn? Why come after me already?”

  The woman flicked her gaze to one of the men behind her before turning back to him. “As I said, we want you to help.”

  “That’s no way for you to convince me to help,” he said. Lorcith moved somewhere behind him, and he resisted the urge to turn around.

  “You haven’t said how many can Slide,” Jessa said.

  The woman looked over to Jessa and frowned. It was the first time she’d spoken.

  “Or your name. If you’re asking Rsiran to help, the usual course would be to give your name. Draw him into your trust before you start making requests.”

  Her smile faltered for a moment, long enough that Rsiran noticed. Then it widened again, splitting her mouth.

  “Ah, the sneak. We’ve heard about you as well. A thief of some skill. We could use your talents as well.”

  “We. You’ve said that before but shown no signs of anyone other than these men with you.”

  She nodded toward the pair of men standing behind her, practically hovering over her shoulder. Both carried crossbows. Swords would be nearly useless against someone who could Slide, but crossbows… they could damage before he had a chance to get them away.

  “And you’ve given no indication that you’re anything but Elvraeth tools.”

  Jessa laughed at that. “Elvraeth? You’re actually suggesting that we might be helping the Elvraeth?”

  The woman tipped her head and her eyes widened slightly. “That’s exactly what I’m suggesting.”

  “We live in Lower Town. We couldn’t be further from the Elvraeth if we lived here.”

  “Really?” She leaned back and turned to Rsiran. “You think yourself so separated from the Elvraeth that you’re essentially exiled?” She laughed darkly. “Yet you still live within the city, enjoy the same protection of its walls, never fearing you’ll be dragged away from your intended Slide as we fear. And you have one among you who visits the palace with enough regularity that he might as well live there.” Her smiled disappeared. “Do not tell me you are separated from the Elvraeth.”

  If what she said was true, the Forgotten didn’t just live in exile, they lived in fear. But of what?

  “Who pulls you while you Slide?” he asked. “How many of you are there who can Slide?”

  Something changed about the woman’s face. It was as if it softened, the edge and the hidden anger fading. Rsiran didn’t know if it was an act, or if she simply showed her true emotions.

  “You really don’t know, do you?”

  Rsiran shook his head.

  “This is not the first time you’ve left the city. You came to Asador. Took one of the smiths.”

  Rsiran nodded carefully.

  “You didn’t feel any… influence… while you were away from the city?”

  “Influence?”

  The woman let out a breath and shook her head. “You did not. Great Watcher, you really are a dangerous man, Lareth. You Slide without knowing the dangers. You travel without fear. And yet you do so safely. These are things we should like to understand.”

  Rsiran knew from what Della had told him—and shown him—that his Sliding could be affected by those able to sense him Sliding. She hadn’t thought there were many with that ability. But from what he’d seen of Vena
ss, they had some ability to influence his Sliding, especially if they managed to pull him into the Tower. But he’d needed to be close for them to do that, hadn’t he?

  “What dangers are you talking about? How many can pull you from a Slide?”

  “So you know about that. Not as ignorant as you would have me believe.”

  “I know a Slide can be influenced. I’ve met someone with the ability.”

  “Where? Not in Elaeavn. That ability has been long dead, but there are those who study, who begin to understand—”

  She cut off before she finished, but she didn’t need to for him to understand what she meant. Venass.

  Rsiran didn’t say anything and hoped his barriers were stout enough that the woman couldn’t Read him. If she thought the ability long dead, then it was better for Della. “Not as dead as you might think.” He wouldn’t tell her that he had been to Venass. Not yet.

  The woman laughed. “Fair enough. But it’s the reason we wanted to know about your ability. If you can safely Slide outside Elaeavn, there must be a reason. We would like to learn what that is.”

  “Why only outside the city? What makes Sliding within Elaeavn any safer?”

  “The Elvraeth make it safer.”

  “I thought the Forgotten wanted to push the Elvraeth out?” Jessa asked.

  “Is that what you think? There are some who feel that way. You’ve met one. Most of us don’t care for the Elvraeth, not after what they did to us, how they either exiled us or our families, but most understand they serve a purpose.”

  “And what is that?”

  She shook her head. “I can’t believe you still don’t know. The Elvraeth protect the city and its people. That’s their purpose, why the Great Watcher chose them to rule.”

  Rsiran shook his head. “They don’t do anything but collect lorcith and sit within the palace.”

  The woman smiled. “For the most part, that’s true. But the council, at least, knows of their other purpose and guards it closely. It’s why exile is such a punishment. Haven’t you ever wondered why the Elvraeth banish people from the city? What kind of punishment is that unless there is something about the city that would benefit them?”