Savric frowned. “How is it possible? The prophecy states that the twins would be born to ʊnzhifʈäd.”
Niesha stepped up to the table. “What does ʊnzhifʈäd mean?”
“Ungifted,” answered Theyn. “Without mezhik.”
Niesha nodded. “Like me.”
“Vitara and I both thought we were.” Nardus rubbed his left bicep. “I didn’t even know who I was until yesterday.”
“Mezhik derk,” said Savric. Chills shrugged his shoulders.
Nardus wiped his cheeks. “Exactly. Now, back to… Alderan, you called him?”
“Yes,” said Zerenity. “He is quite the handsome young man.”
Nardus smiled. “And Shanara… err Aria looks just like her mother.”
“Who is their mother, if you don’t mind me asking,” said Zerenity.
“Vitara, but you might know of her as Ilia Klae.”
“Ilia of the Seven?” asked Savric.
Nardus nodded. “She must’ve been awakened at the same time as me. Our memories and identities were altered so that we thought we were in love with each other.”
“My God…” Zerenity’s eyes lit with wonder. “It makes so much sense now. Aria and Alderan are the children of Cyrus Nithik and Ilia Klae.”
“Two mage parents…” Savric stroked his beard.
“For certain,” said Nardus.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you,” said Zerenity. “After going into hiding and then seeing the prophecy being fulfilled by the twins being born, we fell short of our duties to watch and protect Ūrdär Dhef Ƨäfn Dhä.”
Nardus raked his head with his fingers. “I’d gladly put all the blame on the shoulders of you two, but it’s actually mine. Every last bit of it. The order should’ve sacrificed their lives instead of preserving them. Because of that mistake, we are here in this moment. Furthermore, I’m the one who retrieved Cinolth’s heart from Räəllm Kenzhärd Dhä. I’m responsible for everything.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how I can live with the guilt, but I must. I will rectify this if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Do you know who is behind all of this?” asked Zerenity.
“I’m quite certain that it’s Pravus Rosai. He orchestrated everything but must’ve had help from several other wizards. What makes matters worse is that he married my daughter.”
“Dear Ƨäʈūr,” exclaimed Zerenity. “That must be difficult to swallow.”
“It is.” Nardus squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “Enough of this. We can catch up on everything else after we’ve stopped Cinolth and Pravus.”
“Agreed,” said Savric. “What would you have us do?”
“I will send you back from where you came.” He looked between Savric and Zerenity. “Do not delay in heading to the Three Kingdoms. Protect King Zaridus with your lives if that’s what it takes. I will meet you there as soon as I can.”
Zerenity hung her legs over the table edge and dropped onto the floor. “We are ready.”
“Good. And do you know where I can find others?” asked Nardus.
“Other wizards?” Savric sighed when Nardus nodded. “I fear most of them have disappeared or have been hunted and killed. My brother, Qotan, is under Cinolth’s control, otherwise he would be honored to fight by your side. However, there is an aquatic elf named Morcinda who is sympathetic to our cause. She meets with King Zaridus as we speak. Other than her, I know of none who would fight for our cause. Not including your son, of course.”
“And where will I find my son?” asked Nardus.
“With your daughter and Pravus.”
Nardus smacked the table. “Damn.”
“We’ll find him,” said Theyn.
“And make Pravus pay,” Berggren added.
“Of course we will.” Nardus retrieved the rest of the bracelets from underneath each of the cryogenic chambers and handed two to Savric and one to Zerenity. “These will help you defend the Three Kingdoms. The extra one is in case you meet up with another wizard or sorceress who is willing to fight.” They both nodded and shoved the bracelets over their hands.
Nardus discarded the spent bracelet, shoved another one over his own hand, and pocketed the last two. He looked at them both. “Ready?”
Savric eyed Zerenity but knowing what she did made it difficult for him to maintain eye contact with her. He looked away and fondled one of the bracelet on his wrist. “Meet me back at the gateway wall. We will travel from there.”
“Agreed,” said Zerenity.
“We are ready,” said Savric and Zerenity.
Nardus drew the rune spell for Feƨzhärz Dhä in the air with his finger. “Feƨzhärz Dhä, diƨmiƨʈ zíū er.”
Savric’s hands and feet warmed as he and Zerenity transformed into pure energy and evaporated.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Pravus stared at the maps spread across the table but didn’t study them. Credan and several of the generals huddled around the table as well, discussing strategy for their impending attack on Elatos. No matter how hard he concentrated on Credan’s voice, thoughts of Aria plagued his mind and stole his attention.
They’d spoken little, if any, since the incident at the wall. Had he known the repercussions of using Alderan as a pawn to motivate her, he might’ve reconsidered. Still, he enjoyed the rift it had created between Aria and Alderan. The boy could still ruin everything, so Pravus begged the gods to sever the bond the two of them shared for good.
“My lord, what do you think?” asked Credan.
Pravus blinked several times, his mind unfocused. Credan stared at him, concern wrinkling his brow. “Do you plan on saying something, or are you content with your gaze fixated upon me like a fool?”
Credan’s gaze shifted away from Pravus as he addressed the generals. “Gentleman, I believe we’ve had enough discussion for this evening. We will resume planning when we setup camp again tomorrow night.”
The generals gladly packed up and exited the tent. Credan gathered up his things as well.
“I will take my leave now, my lord.” Credan bowed slightly.
“Yes, of course.” Pravus squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “Before you turn in for the night, make sure you find Aria and insist that she returns to me at once.”
“As you wish.” Credan exited the tent.
Pravus moved from the table to the bed and sat down on the end of it. The tent opening parted and Aria stepped inside. His eyes met hers for the briefest of moments before she looked away.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
“Enjoying the night.” She stripped bare, crawled into the bed, and turned her back to him.
Pravus grabbed her arm. “Look at me.”
She rolled onto her back and looked at him, or rather through him, her glare burning holes right through his head. “What do you want?”
“I’m concerned about you, my love.” He smiled faintly. Genuine concern twisted his stomach. “I understood when you vomited after what happened to Lord Uli Edersheimer, but then you did so again this morning. Have you come down with some sort of sickness?”
Aria shook her head and snapped, “I’m not sick, you fool. I’m carrying your child.”
My child…
Pravus’s entire body went rigid. He couldn’t have forced a breath into his lungs if he’d tried.
“This is why I didn’t tell you. You’re too weak to handle anything.” She rolled back onto her side.
Pravus finally exhaled. He no longer cared how much she insulted him. She carried his baby. An heir to the throne they would claim within the next week.
Excitement and fear collided in his chest. “Call Cinolth. You must leave at once.”
“Leave?” She turned and faced him again. “And where exactly would I be leaving to?”
“You shall return to the castle at once. I can’t have you out here risking your life when my son lies in your belly.”
“I will do no such
thing,” she snarled. “And for your information, I’m having a girl.”
A girl?
The word tripped him up. He’d never contemplated having a girl. In his mind, his heir had always been a son. What the gods would he do with a daughter? The prospect strangled him. He couldn’t control Aria. A smaller version of her would surely be insufferable.
He groaned and severed all thoughts on the matter.
The baby’s gender doesn’t matter.
His focus must be on Aria and her safety.
I must insist she leaves at once.
“This matter isn’t up for discussion. You must return to Galondu Castle tonight. Ask your scaly beast. I’m certain he’d agree with me on this.”
“When are you going to learn that you have no control over me or what I do?” She stormed out of the tent.
“Aria, wait!” He followed her out, but she pushed him aside as she marched back into the tent.
She grabbed her clothes and pulled them back on. “Just do your part in the war while I kill the king.” Contempt radiated from her gaze when she looked up at him. “And stay out of my way.”
Pravus rubbed his head. “Aria, you’re not being rational.”
He followed her out of the tent again. Thunderous wings moved the air as Cinolth approached.
Thump-thump. Whoosh!
Several soldiers dove out of the way as Cinolth dropped to the ground with a loud thud. Cinolth roared and his neck glowed red-hot, poised to spew fire. Pravus backed away.
“Aria!” yelled Pravus. “Where are you going?”
Cinolth lifted Aria onto his neck and then took to the air. The draught from his wings knocked Pravus back several steps and rattled the tent poles. The thick canvas snapped taut, cracking the air like a whip.
Pravus shook his fist at the dark skies.
Damn that scaly beast.
† † †
Sarai dropped Nardus and the others off in the middle of The Plains, about fifty miles south of Elatos. It wouldn’t take a tracker to follow the trail of destruction left behind by the army. A strip of land more than a mile wide and trampled into dirt stretched north.
“The three of you must wait here while I go confront Pravus,” said Nardus.
“And miss my opportunity to smash that bastard in the mouth?” grumbled Berggren. “Don’t think so. He’s the reason Shaul’s dead.”
“I get that, Iceberg, but you must stay here and protect Niesha and Theyn.”
“You’re not leaving me,” growled Theyn. “Ever again.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t risk it. If any of you come along, I’ll be worrying about you and not paying attention to what’s happening.”
“I’m going with you,” demanded Theyn. “I’ll stay out of sight.”
Nardus rubbed his head. He knew there was little point in arguing with her. Aside from knocking her out, he wouldn’t be able to stop her from following him. “Alright, but you must stay out of sight. No heroics no matter what.”
“Agreed, but there is one more thing that I insist on. I need to see our future first.”
“We don’t have time.” He emphasized each word with his hand.
“Then make time.” She stared him down hard. “It’s not a request.”
Nardus sighed. “We already know what happens. You’re killed by a dragon.”
“I’ve thought about that experience a lot, and I don’t believe any of it is true.”
“And why is that?” asked Nardus.
“When the stone—Cinolth’s heart—was inside your chest, it influenced that first vision we shared. I believe he didn’t want you finding out who you really were and tried to deter us from ever going to the Valley of Dragons.”
Theyn’s logic was sound. It explained a lot, just like the dragon telling him that he only had so many days to give the stone to his daughter. All of it had been lies, and he’d played the part of the fool perfectly. Now, he didn’t want to know what might happen, but nothing would deter Theyn from hounding him to the ends of the world until she had her answer.
“Fine. That makes sense, but you said before that we only see a potential future. What good will that do us?”
Theyn’s grim expression didn’t suit her beautiful face. “We’ll know if one of us is meant to die this very night.”
Nardus knelt before Theyn. “Then hurry.” He still didn’t want anything to do with it.
Theyn pierced the pads of her thumbs with her upper fangs and placed them on Nardus’s temples. Mezhik tingled against his skin as Theyn’s mind joined his.
She mindspoke to him. “Are you ready?”
For this to be over.
“As I’ll ever be,” Nardus replied through their link.
As with the first time on the boat, Nardus felt himself slip down into what felt like a dream.
† † †
Theyn stood alone on top of a barren hill, the last of her enemies vanquished. Plumes of smoke rose in every direction as far as the eye could see, the destruction beyond anything she’d ever witnessed. Corpses strewn everywhere, fodder for carrion birds and scavengers of every kind.
The sight of so much carnage brought with it a sense of deep satisfaction. She raised her head skyward and roared. Never had she felt so free.
Blood dripped from her jowls, its coppery taste still fresh on her tongue. A corpse lay beneath her bloody front paw, its chest shredded, and its throat ripped out. She’d hated the bastard, and his death satiated her blood lust. At least for the time.
Nardus slowly climbed the hill before her and met her gaze as he ascended. Shallow breaths came from his lips in ragged succession. Blood covered him from head to toe. She couldn’t distinguish between his blood and that of their enemies.
“It is done.” Each word wheezed from Nardus’s mouth as though he had a hole punched through his throat. He fell on his knees two-thirds of the way up the hill.
Theyn met him where he’d dropped to his knees and licked the blood from his face. The right side of his face bled anew, the white of his cheekbone visible through a gaping hole stretching from his earlobe to the underside of his right nostril.
“And we’re still alive.”
Shick!
Nardus jerked forward and drooped against Theyn.
“No!” she growled.
He fell on his side. A quad-tipped, blacksteel spear protruded from the left side of his chest. The rest of the five-foot spear hung from the entry point in his back. Blood seeped from the wound and pooled around him at an alarming rate.
Theyn shifted back into her human form and pulled Nardus into her arms. His eyes rolled back in his head, and his body went limp.
Tears blurred her vision, and her heart ached more than she thought possible.
“Don’t die on me now,” she whispered.
But he already had.
† † †
The entire world crashed down on top of Nardus when Theyn withdrew her thumbs from his temples. He grabbed his chest and swallowed back pain he knew didn’t exist. Theyn held her chest as well, her face contorted with agony. After several deep breaths the pain subsided, but its memory didn’t fade.
Nardus pulled Theyn close and held her as she cried. Neither of them said a word about it. What words could be said? She’d felt the pain, same as him. Tasted the blood. Smelled death. Nothing would change the experience.
Theyn trembled in his arms as tears continued to streak her face. She looked into his eyes. Hers were full of sorrow and despair. He imagined his mirrored hers.
Drawing a deep breath, he swallowed his emotions. “At least the vision had nothing to do with facing Pravus.” He stood and grabbed her hand.
Theyn looked into his eyes. “What are you doing?” Fear quavered her voice.
“Getting us closer.” Nardus kissed her forehead and then her lips.
“Then call Sarai.”
“It’s far too dangerous. I’ll manage.�
�
“Are you mad? You could kill us both!” Theyn tried to pull her hand away but Nardus held firm.
“Trust me, my love. And yes, I’ve always been a bit mad.” He smiled deviously.
With a single step, Nardus teleported the two of them northward and into the darkness of the unknown.
† † †
Pravus didn’t need to turn around to verify a hostile gaze pierced the back of his skull. Based on experience, he knew the gaze didn’t belong to Aria either. He pretended not to notice the presence while he gathered mezhik into the palm of his hand.
With a grunt, Pravus spun around and thrust a reddish-white fireball in the direction of his visitor. But the fireball hung in the air, suspended over his palm. It didn’t undulate, spark, or crackle. Notwithstanding it’s shape and color, it could just as easily have been an ice ball.
The tent canvas no longer billowed and snapped as it had moments ago, and the wind had lost its howl. No papers rustled on the table. His robes did not sway. All motion in the tent had ceased, including his own.
But the shadows moved.
Stalked him.
Circled him.
Pravus lost track of them as they passed beyond his field of vision. He tried to speak, but his mouth failed to open, and his tongue refused to move.
His heart still beat. Harder and harder.
Air wheezed from his lungs as he exhaled and sounded ragged and raw as he drew another breath in.
Then, the shadows drew back.
Physically unchanged, the man who stood before Pravus was no longer Nardus.
“Pravus Rosai.” Lightning flashed in Cyrus’s eyes. “Know that I have come here to kill you, but first you will answer for your crimes.”
Pravus’s tongue loosened and defiance wet his lips. “Ah, the infamous Cyrus Nithik. I see you’ve finally found yourself. Your manipulation of time is quite impressive, but not impressive enough to turn it backward. How does it feel knowing your life for the past twenty years has been a lie?”
“Every sentence that leaves your mouth is twisted with deceit.” He grabbed Pravus by the throat and squeezed. “By the time I’ve finished with you, you’ll be begging for death.”
Rended Souls Page 47