by Radu Aldea
Julia’s father, David, was already in the hall together with the messengers, who had been relieved of their weapons, and a considerable number of his guards. David was not taking any chances. The room was quiet and, obviously, everybody was waiting for her. Adrian put a hand on her shoulder, trying to give her some of his strength.
“Since you are Marcia’s, should I conclude Rufus is also dead?” Julia asked.
A short nod from the man Julia assumed was the leader. It was strange even for her to talk like that, knowing that the man in front of her was just a vessel for someone else. She had used this mode of communication on occasion, but she tried to avoid it if it was possible. Julia knew Marcia was behind the man’s eyes, reading his thoughts and feeding him the answers.
“What happened?” Julia was growing even more impatient and annoyed.
“Kara has been attacked by a large number of free human men and Rufus was assassinated in the villa in violation of the guest law. Senatorial involvement is very likely here.”
That explained Marcia’s cryptic message about the soldiers. What remained a mystery was how they managed to get close to Kara and escape afterwards.
“When did it happen?” David seemed content to let her daughter ask the questions. Rufus was a friend, but their relationship did not compare with what Julia and Kara had.
“Five days ago, around midday,” came the short answer.
Julia tried to figure the mathematic of time and how long would it take a raven to get a message from Kara to her. There was no definitive answer and she knew there wouldn’t be. Even if Kara had sent the message after the attack, she would’ve done it shortly after. Since the time it took a raven to get a message over that distance varied, the moment when Kara’s was sent could fall before or after the attack. Marcia’s was definitely sent after the attack.
“How did so many free men get that close to Kara? Do you know how many it would take to defeat her?” It was one of the questions Julia wanted answered.
“Yes!” The monosyllabic reply surprised her. They kept the true extent of their abilities secret. It was a decision they made when they turned fifteen and it was the last time any of them used their power to the fullest. They were so evenly matched they couldn’t hide it from each other, but their families and closest friends didn’t need to know. They didn’t tell this to anyone, but their powers kept growing. Julia hadn’t tested her limits since she came of age and even she wasn’t sure what she could do. This left another question unanswered.
“How do you know the men who attacked Kara weren’t under the control of a senator?”
“It would be better to discuss this topic face to face.”
“Did you capture some of them? Do you know who is behind the attack?”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out the attacks on Rufus and Kara were connected and everything that happened in the empire was with the knowledge of at least one faction of senators. Damn, this was worse than Julia could’ve imagined.
“Again, we should have this conversation face to face, but we know the men who attacked Kara came from Cuttland. I hope you will come and bring with you a considerable force? This cowardly act cannot be left unanswered or everyone will think us weak.”
“How considerable should this force be?” This time it was David who asked.
“At least two thousand soldiers!”
“I want to see Kara’s body. Don’t incinerate it until I get there,” Julia spoke.
“That would be difficult.”
“Don’t tell me you incinerated it already,” Julia hissed. She wanted at least to say goodbye to her friend. If Marcia cremated her already there would be hell to pay. In fact, Marcia had a lot to answer for when she got there, because she already decided she would go.
“We haven’t found Kara’s body or Rufus’s for that matter. All we found was his mask and some ashes in his urn in the crypt.”
“How sure are you that she is dead?”
“Again, this is a conversation we should have face to face.”
This was beyond infuriating. Julia felt Marcia’s doubts behind the man and his laconic answers. They were not sure Kara was dead, yet they were inclined to believe it. They might’ve captured some of the attackers after Marcia sent the cryptic note. It would explain a lot of things. Still, something bothered her. Julia’s instincts told her they had nothing and they would have known everything if they had captured some of them.
“I’m guessing your forces are concentrated in the mountains?” Julia asked.
“Yes! And we would advise you to do the same.”
She had already done the same and there was no way they knew that. Julia could not help smiling on the inside. The presence of the majority of Marcia’s forces in the fortresses of the Serelians gave her an opportunity. Because there was no way she trusted Marcia or would do what the older senator asked of her.
“Give me a few minutes to consult with my family,” Julia told Marcia.
Julia, Adrian, Amanda and David moved to a smaller room, adjacent to the hall.
“Kara’s not dead,” Julia began.
“Honey, I know you were such good friends and how much you cared about her, but you have to face the possibility,” Amanda told her.
“They plan a campaign against Cuttland. They didn’t think it through.” David.
“Of course they’re planning a campaign against Cuttland. They have nothing. I find it hard to believe all the senators in Cuttland are involved in this. I’m not saying some of them are not responsible, but it must be a small group,” Julia said.
“I agree!” Julia could see pride in her father’s eyes when he said that.
“It might be a trap.” Adrian was worrying about her.
“It’s possible,” Julia answered. “However, the fact their forces are massed in the mountains gives me the opportunity to get some answers. And if I don’t like the answers…”
“This is not the best time to start a campaign against Cuttland,” David said.
Her father was right. Marcia’s plan was ill conceived. Fighting against one Cuttland senatorial family was one thing. Fighting against all of them could prove disastrous. Considering Cuttland’s vastness it was almost certain it would be a long campaign and time would work against them. No, there was no chance she would attack Cuttland at this time.
“I have no intention of attacking Cuttland, unless they have clear evidence of who is responsible. And I don’t think they have any idea who attacked Kara and Rufus.” Julia.
“There is something they are not saying.” That was David.
“It’s somehow connected to how they know about Kara’s abilities,” Julia replied.
“They might’ve lied about it.” Adrian seemed to trust Marcia even less than she did.
“She didn’t have to. You can control a little above three hundred people, just like Kara. Marcia knows that.” David had no idea of his daughter’s abilities.
“My powers have grown. So have Kara’s. And I haven’t tested them to the limit since I was fifteen. Neither did Kara. We were very careful about it.”
“So Marcia and Christian together could not defeat Kara?” David was stunned.
“No! The lower limit of what is necessary to beat Kara is four powerful senators. That is if they are not stupid enough to show their face on the battlefield. Then they are done! Marcia is certainly not stupid and would not make such a mistake,” Julia chimed in.
“Have you considered Kara might be on her way here, running from them and she hasn’t arrived because she is taking a longer route?” Adrian asked.
“I know Marcia and she cares about Kara. She practically raised her. I don’t think she would do anything to harm the girl,” Amanda told Adrian.
“Kara might be on her way, but she’s not running. If she wrote that message after the attack she didn’t know who was responsible, yet the message itself indicates it was someone outside Suttland. She told me to guard the mountains not Creuis.”
“If Kara survived, she must’ve taken control of some of those men and should have a good idea who is behind them,” David spoke.
“Maybe, maybe not! All we can do at this time is to speculate. I have to go there and find out what happened for myself.”
“So what is the plan?” Adrian asked.
“Well, we are going back and tell them I will go with them now. I will take ten senators and a thousand soldiers. I hope Marcia didn’t lie to me and their soldiers are in the mountains. I will let her know I want to meet her near Kara’s villa so she doesn’t have the time to withdraw a large number of soldiers. And if Marcia even breathes the wrong way she’s dead.”
Julia thought this was a good plan. Keep them guessing and move fast enough so they don’t have time to respond or regain their balance.
Chapter twelve
They had traveled for days, through the rain, through the mud, through the woods. They headed east, always east. The mountain made the advance difficult, the rain almost unbearable. The good news was the rain had washed away their tracks. Michael did his part and they evaded the bands of soldiers who searched the mountains. There were few of them the first days, but now they met more and more. Kara suspected the situation was the same across the Creuis. Marcia and Julia must be doing what she told them to do.
They stopped at a stream and Kara went to wash her face. They were both miserable, oddly enough, Michael more than her. After all, he was the one always moving, never settling down anywhere. She had a home and was accustomed to luxury. Yet she was the one with the grueling physical training. Kara got the impression Michael neglected that component and was focused only on the mental side. He mostly relied on his considerable powers.
“The rain has stopped. Somebody is going to see our tracks and find us,” Michael said.
“I know!”
“Why didn’t we just cross into Cuttland and from there to Essland? The mountains are crawling with soldiers. It is easier to disappear among the people.”
Kara laughed softly. It wasn’t easier. In fact, if senators were looking for her, and she was confident they were, people were the enemy. If a human saw her the memory would be there for a senator to pluck. She was just too distinctive. However, telling Michael that wouldn’t do any good. He was not scared enough of senators. He should be. She’ll show him.
“Do you know what this is?” Kara changed the topic of conversation and pointed to the water. She was sure he wouldn’t guess and would be very surprised by the answer.
“A stream? We have crossed many of those. Why do you ask?”
“It is the Creuis. Its source is not far from here. On this side we are on Western Suttland and on the other side is Eastern Suttland. That is Julia’s territory.”
“Does that mean we don’t have to evade soldiers anymore?”
“No, it doesn’t! In fact, the search will be even more relentless on that side.”
“They don’t know anything and have no idea of what happened to you.”
“They’ll know. They found the battlefield by now and I promise you, Marcia will have a pretty accurate picture. From the burnt remains she will guess the number of soldiers and wizard or sorceress involvement. Depending on when they started the search they would be able to track the soldiers back to Cuttland. A thousand soldiers leave traces and rain can’t wash them all out. As I was saying, they know enough.”
“So what do we do?”
“Julia will find me if I cross the Creuis. She knows me better than anyone else in the world, except Aleyna. She knows how I think and the extent of my powers. We’ll have to cross the mountains into Cuttland. I don’t much like it and I will have to put on a disguise, but we don’t have a choice.”
“You have a choice. You could trust your friend and go to her.”
There was always that. Something inside her didn’t accept Julia might’ve betrayed her and screamed she should find her friend. The cold, rational part of her didn’t want to take any chances. Kara was at a crossroad. If she trusted Julia and she was wrong, she’d be dead. If Julia hadn’t betrayed her there would be war. In fact, she was pretty sure war was coming regardless of her actions. Kara considered her choices. Maybe there was a very small chance to end the madness with one strike. She didn’t think it would work, but it was worth the risk. At least she thought it did. Michael might feel different about it. She will have to talk to him.
“I have to do something first. Are you sure you want to stay with me?”
“You make things interesting. I want to see what you’ll do next. Besides, I don’t have anywhere else to go and you may need my help again. You know it’s true.”
Michael didn’t need to tell her. She was sure she was going to need his help to make her crazy plan work. The pull toward Julia was strong. It was the safest thing she could do.
“If you thought there was even the smallest chance to stop the coming war, would you take it even if it involves some risks?” Kara asked Michael.
“Well, it depends on how great the risk is and how small the chance.”
That’s what she thought he was going to say. That was what she was thinking, too.
“We will both risk our lives and we’ll have to trust each other.”
“Then it’s definitely not worth it. I do like living, you know,” he said and she laughed.
“I want to live, too, but the thought I could’ve saved many lives and did nothing…”
“Someone is power-hungry and bloodthirsty enough to attack the most powerful senator I’ve ever seen and sacrificed a thousand humans to do it. Trust me, the war is coming regardless of what you’ll do. You can’t stop it, but you can win it.”
Kara was not surprised Michael’s thought process mirrored her own. She had been taught strategy from an early age so Kara assumed he was too. The attack on Kara and her father was only the opening move in a game. She loathe to think of the struggle for power as a game, but someone did, so she had to act the same. Michael was right. Someone was bloodthirsty enough to sacrifice all those people without a second thought. Now, it was her turn.
“There’s a sanctuary of the White Goddess at the source of the Creuis. You can make camp while I go there and seek guidance. Perhaps the Goddess will answer my prayers.”
Michael regarded her with suspicion, but didn’t say anything. She knew he didn’t believe her and didn’t think she was a person who expected answers from prayer. She wasn’t. There was something she needed to do, regardless of the risk to herself. Michael, for his part, started to make the camp. Maybe he truly was curious about what she was going to do next.
She started climbing. Although they were relatively close to the source of Creuis, it still took hours of moving uphill to get there. The book was very clear about where the ritual had to take place: a mountain shrine of the White Goddess. There weren’t many to choose from and the one she was seeking was one of the most important. There were plenty of her temples in the cities, but they were all new. This sanctuary was old, perhaps it had been there since before the veil. After the Great War senators had forbidden anyone who was not of their kind to visit the sanctuary. The ruling was not actively enforced, which meant there were no guards there, but if you were caught by a senator you would be punished. That was perfect for her.
Kara found the narrow path without much difficulty. She knew it was there. Although not religious, she had visited the sanctuary a number of times. So had Julia. The shrine was technically on the border of their territories, so protecting it was both their responsibility. Other senators from Suttland were more frequent visitors. Kara wasn’t worried about that. The threat of war must’ve put all pilgrimages on hold. She guessed it could be the other way around. In a perilous time, people seek guidance. Yet the Order was a hierarchical organization after all, and they did obey orders that came from the top so Kara guessed there was only a small chance she would find someone up there. She kept going up, thinking she would deal with any problems when and if they turned up. Micha
el would’ve been of great help, sensing if someone was close, but she preferred not having him there while she performed the ritual.
There was no need for concern. After a few hours of climbing she reached the sanctuary and she hadn’t met anyone. Of course there was nobody there. Michael must’ve scanned the area before she left and he would’ve told her if there was any sign of danger.
She was a little winded when she got there. The rigorous physical training helped, but going up the mountain for hours was still exhausting. Returning to the camp would be easier, although she was pretty sure she would not arrive before nightfall. Kara was not worried she would not find her way back. She had only to follow the Creuis to the camp.
The simplicity of the shrine filled her with awe every time. It was located on a small ledge. The Creuis sprang from the rock above and dropped into a pool. Kara wasn’t sure if the pool was man-made or if the water had eroded the rock. Kara suspected it was both. The water must’ve created a small pool and men enlarged it. The sacrificial table, which was just a large, rectangular, stone, was in front of the pool. The water flowed from the pool down the mountain on both sides of the sacrificial stone. In a way, water surrounded the altar.
“Well, you are here so you might as well get right down to it,” Kara encouraged herself.
Now that she was there she was a little afraid. She could die! Of course she’d known that since she read about the ritual in the book. Who could say if it would work? This ritual had never been performed in recorded history. She put all her trust in the hope her ancestors from beyond the veil knew more about her power and how she could use it than she did.
She could die! Go to Julia, gather your soldiers and strike at Lucian fast and hard. And when he is gone, follow the trail of the people who killed your father to Cuttland, it will lead there eventually, and attack the province. The voice in her head was quite persuasive. Of course, they may not manage to defeat Lucian fast enough and help might come to him from other senators in Essland and Cuttland. Then they would lose and she would die!