Kaina's Dawn (Kaina Saga Book 1)

by Brittany Comeaux

  Kaina took the key from its resting place and examined it. It was about the length of her hand and made of some kind of stone or metal, but was as light as a feather. It was dark silver and inscribed with strange letters. It was also adorned with blue, shimmering stones that were flush with the surface of the metal.

  “Let me see,” Melchior said.

  Kaina handed him the key, and while he examined it, she took out the parchment that had been resting underneath it. She then placed the book on the ground at her feet and unfolded the parchment. Tristan stood by her shoulders to look at it with her.

  “This is Merunian,” Melchior said. “It's inscribed with a message. It reads: 'Whoever finds this key holds the key to all knowledge. Venture forth into the library of Zion to embrace the arcane and return it to the mortal realm.' This must be the key to the Lost Library.”

  Kaina didn't even notice as Melchior looked up at her, but she did hear him say, “What is it? What is that parchment?”

  Kaina and Tristan studied the parchment, and the former replied, “It's a map of Ilesia, but...”

  “But what?” Melchior asked. “Does it show the location of the Lost Library.”

  “I think so...but it doesn't make any sense,” Kaina said.

  “Why not?”

  Kaina met Melchior's gaze and replied, “Because if this map is correct, then the Lost Library is in Eboncrest.”

  The room fell silent.

  “Eboncrest...you mean your home town?” Tristan asked.

  “That's right,” Kaina said, “and I certainly think I'd remember seeing a legendary library full of magical books.”

  Melchior stroked his pointed chin, then said, “Well, Zion did say that the library was hidden, so it's quite possible that the entrance to the library is in Eboncrest, but the library itself is somewhere else entirely. I'm certain that Zion would have taken every precaution imaginable to hide the existence of the library and would have made it impossible for someone to stumble upon it by accident.”

  “But if that's the case,” Kaina said, “why bother telling anyone about it? Why would Zion have told Roric's forces about the library and sent them all over the kingdom looking for it?”

  “If I had to guess,” Melchior said, “it was so Roric wouldn't find as many of the wizards that were left because he'd be so focused on destroying this library. I firmly believe that was the only reason so many of us managed to go into hiding.”

  “How do we know this library even exists, then?” Tristan asked. “How do we know that this wasn't just some ploy by Zion to distract Roric after all?”

  Melchior gestured to the map, and then held up the key. “The proof is right in front of us. Zion would have never gone through the trouble of creating these items if there were no library to be found.”

  “Unless it were just another trick to make Roric believe it was real,” Tristan pointed out.

  “I don't believe that's the case,” Melchior argued. “Remember, I knew Zion personally, and I know that he wouldn't have done anything if there was not a purpose behind it other than to trick a man into following a false lead. What we have here is the genuine key and location to his library.”

  He then turned to Kaina and said, “You were chosen by Zion to find the library, and so you must be entrusted with the key and the map to lead us there.”

  Kaina couldn't believe what she was hearing. Lead the wizards to find Zion's library? Not her, she was just a lover of books and learning. Surely she couldn't become a master of the arcane?

  Kaina looked down at the ground. “Why me?”

  “What was that?” Melchior asked.

  Kaina looked back up. “Why did Zion choose me? Why did I find that book, get Aldis captured, and get hunted by a demon? All I wanted was to live a life of my own away from my family who saw me nothing more than a pawn. Now it seems that I've become a pawn all over again.”

  Melchior lowered the key. “It would be wrong to force you to do this, so I will not. I will, however, ask it of you not because I view you as a tool for my own purpose, but because Zion would not have opened his book for you if he had not seen something in you that proved you were capable of greatness.”

  Kaina looked at the floor again. “All right. I'll do it...”

  “I thank you, Kaina,” Melchior said. “I will meet with the elder wizards to discuss our next step. I will take the key and the map to them as proof. In the meantime, I ask that you get some rest, as I know you are both likely exhausted from your journey.”

  Kaina then realized that he was correct in his assumption when she yawned at the thought of a warm bed.

  “Come, let me show you to a room,” Melchior said.

  As they followed Melchior into Undercliff, Kaina and Tristan hung back a bit and walked side by side. While they had a chance to speak, Kaina said, “Where did you go while I was in my trance?”

  “We saw that black smoke around you and Melchior said it was the work of a demon,” Tristan explained. “I figured Casimir was behind it, as I'd always heard rumors that he dabbled with demons.”

  “The demon's name was Mareth,” Kaina said, “and you were right, he did hint that Casimir sent him, but...you actually went after him for me?”

  Tristan grew red in the face, and Kaina couldn't help but laugh.

  “It wasn't like that,” Tristan said, “I just knew that it...would have been bad for everyone. Besides, being controlled by a demon is a fate worse than death, and no one deserves that.”

  “Right, of course,” Kaina said with a smile.

  “Besides, are you saying that you actually killed a demon?” Tristan asked.

  “I don't think so,” Kaina admitted, “but he was very near death when he vanished.”

  “Well regardless,” Tristan said. “we have other problems. I overheard three men while I was looking for Casimir and I think they are looking for you. One of the was Hugo Haventhorn.”

  “Hugo is in Eldercliff?” Kaina asked in shock. “What about the other two? What did they look like?”

  “They were both young, and one of them looked about my age,” Tristan said. “The other was older, but I'm convinced that he is a child trapped in a man's body.”

  Kaina scoffed. “Hugo is my cousin, and the other two are my brothers. Devon is the younger one and the man-child you are referring to is Gabriel. If you thought he was unbearable to listen to for a moment, imagine living with him for seventeen years.”

  Tristan shivered and they shared a laugh as Melchior turned a corner and led them to a new building. He eventually led them to sleeping quarters for apprentices, and then brought them to a room.

  “Unfortunately, we only have one room available,” Melchior said. “There are two beds inside, though.”

  “You want both of us...to share a room?” Kaina asked.

  Melchior opened the door and said, “I'm not one to judge what two people do when they are alone, but do try to get some sleep.”

  Kaina's face flushed bright red as Melchior walked off, and she was certain that Tristan had the same reaction. Neither looked at one another as they went into the room and took separate beds, neither daring to make eye contact for the rest of the night.

  Chapter 22

  The night grew still, and Hugo was beginning to think that they would never find Kaina. To start, the scholars at the library hadn't heard from her or even Aldis. In fact, the head scholars expressed their concerns and even stated that they were sending a search party to look for him on the road.

  To Hugo, this was clear evidence that Aldis was somehow involved in Kaina's disappearance, and he had every intention of seeing that the scholar paid dearly for it.

  “When are we going to stop for the night?” Gabriel said for about the hundredth time that night.

  Hugo stopped and inhaled sharply, then said through gritted teeth, “Gabriel, I swear, if I hear one more word out of you, I'll shove my boot up your--”

  “Sir Hugo?”

  Hugo stopped to face the p
erson who addressed him and saw one of the Eldercliff city guards. He bowed before the nobles and said, “I come on behalf of Prince Casimir. He heard you were in town, and he wishes to speak to you.”

  Hugo stared at the guard. “You are ill informed...Prince Casimir is in Eboncrest at my home in Haventhorn Manor.”

  The guard froze, embarrassed. “I don't know what to tell you, My Lord, but I received the orders directly from the Prince himself. You can follow me and see for yourself.”

  “I will be glad to do that,” Hugo said, “and when I discover the impostor, I will certainly see that he is punished accordingly.”

  “I can assure you that he is no impostor, my Lord,” the guard said. “I've met the prince only once before, but I can vouch for his identity.”

  Hugo certainly wasn't going to take the word of a guard for something like that, but he still said, “Very well, lead the way.”

  The guard saluted him, then he marched off with Hugo, Gabriel, and Devon following close behind. The guard eventually led them to the barracks on the north end of Eldercliff, and once he let them inside, Hugo received the shock of his life.

  “Prince Casimir?” Hugo said.

  Casimir himself stood over a map of the city with the captain of the guard, and he looked up when they entered and said, “Good evening, Sir Hugo.”

  “But...how?” Hugo asked. “You were still at the manor when we left!”

  Casimir stood up straight and met Hugo's gaze. “How I arrived before you is not important. All you must know is that I discovered that Kaina was here in the city, and I decided to come here and organize the city guard to find her.”

  Casimir then edged closer to Hugo and said with a disapproving scowl, “I have also discovered that her 'abduction' was in fact not an abduction at all, but a plot to run away from home.”

  If Hugo had any color in his face, he no doubt lost it all. This was the moment he dreaded, the moment when Casimir discovered what really happened with Kaina and blamed the Haventhorn family for it.

  “Of course, this is of no fault of the Haventhorn clan. It is clear to me that Kaina and her conspirators planted the note and staged the abduction for you to see so that no one would be any the wiser to her intentions. Rest assured, Lord Hugo, that the Haventhorn family is not to blame here and will not be shamed by the actions of only one member,” Casimir said.

  A wave of relief washed over Hugo. He let out a nervous chuckle and said, “I can assure you, Prince Casimir, that we were completely unaware of this. The men who had originally found her and her companion told us that they escaped and came this way, so we stopped in the city to search for her. We had no idea that she staged all this, and you have no idea how truly devastating this is for all of us.”

  “I understand, and I want you to know that I am still willing to give Kaina a chance to marry me,” Casimir stated. “Once we find her, I will persuade her that I mean no ill will towards her.”

  Hugo smiled and said, “I thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness.”

  Casimir nodded. “It's settled, then. With all of our forces combined, I have no doubt that we will find Kaina by morning, and hopefully she--”

  A shiver ran down Casimir's spine and a dark expression washed over his face, which didn't escape Hugo's notice.

  “You Majesty,” Hugo said, “is everything all right?”

  Casimir didn't answer right away, but he eventually nodded and said, “I'm fine, I just...need a moment alone. If you will excuse me.”

  Everyone nodded, and then Casimir disappeared through the door and left everyone scratching their heads.

  Casimir knew that feeling. He knew when Mareth was close, and he cursed the blasted demon for coming around when he was in front of witnesses. If he was this careless, of course, it meant he had a dire situation. It wasn't until the prince descended into the basement that he realized the extent of it.

  There was a chill in the air, a clear sign of a demonic presence, but it far weaker than that of a demon of Mareth's status. On top of this, Casimir could find no sign of shadows or black smoke forming. The terrible omen sent a chill trough his blood that no demon could accomplish.

  After several moments of nothing or no one making their presence known, Casimir finally said, “Mareth? Where are you?”

  A small, dry gasp came from behind a stack of barrels off to the side of the room, and Casimir went to investigate. When he turned the corner, however, his heart nearly stopped. The thing that lay on the ground before him was not the Mareth he remembered, but a white, naked, and skeletal copy of him. His eyes had lost their red glow and were now completely black and empty. His hair had fallen out and nothing but stringy pieces remained.

  Casimir stared in horror and said, “What...what happened to you?”

  Mareth turned his weak head to face the prince and said, “She's...too powerful...couldn't...break her...drained...my power...”

  Casimir shifted his demeanor from horror to ire. “You failed once more, didn't you?”

  “I had no chance!” Mareth gasped. “The girl is too powerful...no one has ever been so powerful...not since...”

  “Zion...” Casimir muttered.

  “She's...his chosen...she...opened the book...”

  Casimir's heart dropped and he stumbled back against the wall. “She's opened it...then that means that Melchior and the other wizards will find the library.”

  Casimir then stared at the skeletal Mareth and said, “And what's more, you failed to complete your contract. You know what this means, don't you Mareth?”

  Mareth's black eyes grew wide with horror. “Please...mercy...”

  Casimir smiled and edged closer to the demon. “You know what happens when a demon fails to complete a contract...Roric discovered it centuries ago, and it's why he began his war.”

  “No...stop...”

  Casimir stood over Mareth and put his boot on his rib cage. “When a demon cannot complete a contract, not only is the contractor's soul returned, but--”

  “I beg of you!” Mareth shrieked.

  “--the demon's soul is forfeited to the contractor.”

  “I can get her, please!” Mareth was shouting now. “I BEG OF YOU!”

  With a merciless grin, Casimir reached down and clenched his fingers around Mareth's throat and lifted him up in the air. His skeletal body weighed about as much as an infant and his legs curled up in a fetal position to hide his nakedness.

  Casimir brought Mareth's eyes only inches from his and said, “Pay up, demon.”

  With a gag, Mareth's mouth and eyes poured black smoke into the air and it went straight into Casimir's mouth. A cold, yet burning sensation coursed through his body, starting at his mouth and then seeping into his veins. The prince could feel himself growing stronger by the second, and when the smoke had stopped, Mareth's body dissolved into dust and fell to the floor as though he had never even existed.

  Casimir breathed in and felt his muscles contorting with their newfound strength. He practically shouted as he felt his body shifting around and growing stronger. He had no idea how weak he was before, but with the power of that demon inside of him, he was confident that no man could stand against him.

  When the change was over, Casimir examined himself. Visibly, he was completely unchanged, but inside he could feel Mareth's power brewing and giving him new life. All those years of trading favors, waiting for the demon to make a mistake, and it finally happened.

  Casimir breathed out, satisfied that he would be able to accomplish his task, and then he emerged from the basement, leaving Mareth's ashes to be abandoned and forgotten.

  After waking the following morning and stretching their now sore muscles, Kaina and Tristan headed outside into the city and found their way to Melchior's tower. They went inside and up the stairs to the top floor, and when they got there, they saw Melchior emerge from his chamber.

  “Oh, I was just about to go and find you two,” Melchior said. “I spoke with the elder wizards last night, and
they agreed to meet this morning to discuss our findings. They insisted upon meeting you, Kaina.”

  “Me?” Kaina asked incredulously.

  “That's right,” Melchior said. “With you there, I'm certain that they will see that you are Zion's chosen and will lead us to the Lost Library.”

  Kaina looked at the ground, and then back up to Melchior. “I'll go, but I really don't think I have anything more to offer other than what you could tell them.”

  “It's more of a formality, but I can assure you that your appearance at this meeting will be invaluable,” Melchior said. “Follow me.”

  Melchior led them to the second floor, and when he opened the doors, which led into a small foyer with another, bigger set of double doors. Melchior opened them to reveal a large, round chamber with several seats with podiums attached to them arranged in a crescent shape around the room. The elder wizards that Melchior mentioned were already present and getting settled into their seats. Each of them wore silver robes with hoods covering their heads, but Kaina could still clearly see their faces. She expected to see older wizards, as their title suggested, but she was surprised to see several who were middle-aged and even a few who were no older than thirty. Men and women filled the role of the Elder Wizard in a gloriously diverse group of people.

  A hush fell over the crowd when the doors opened. Melchior stepped inside, and a podium in the middle of the floor. He then bowed slightly before the elders, and began, “Good morning, Elder Wizards. I thank you for meeting with me here today, and I trust you have all heard by now what this is about.”

  He paused, and one by one the elders nodded.

  “Now then, I know you have all heard the tales of Zion's Lost Library and the book which contained the secret to find it. A young woman by the name of Kaina not only delivered the book to Undercliff, but managed to open it as well. Inside, we found a map showing us the location of the library as well as the key to open it. My request to you, Elder wizards of Undercliff, is to arrange a quest to find the library and open it to obtain all the secret knowledge that Zion had hidden away.”