by V C Sanford
Lord Torrin failed to notice Edgar’s exit. Frustrated by the wines inability to calm his overwrought nerves, his mind kept returning to the contents of an elaborately carved marble box sitting atop the cabinet next to the window …and the small brass key that hung from a chain around his neck. Unable to control his trembling muscles, it took him three tries to get the key in the opening and turn it. In his haste his hand slipped, knocking the box to the floor, spilling the contents. Frantically, he dropped to his knees searching for one of the small packets now scattered across the carpet. He tore open the pouch and thrust his face into the soft white powder inside, inhaling, then licking the remainder up with his tongue like a cat. Seconds later, as his pulse and breathing began to return to normal, he slid slowly to the carpeted floor, his head lolling around on his neck as imaginary creatures danced across his wildly dilated eyes.
Chapter 24
“Do you think that’s what we’ve been looking for?” Rhianwen let her eyes move from Alex to Maxx to Nikiva as she spoke. The winds had died down allowing the youths an unrestricted view of the terrain that surrounded the peak. After the coolness of the underground passage, the heat of the desert sands was almost stifling even though it wasn’t much hotter than an average spring day, despite the light breeze blowing across their faces. The combination of warm sun and blue sky temporarily allowed her to forget how tired and hungry she was. The temple in the distance appeared to be the only structure standing though it showed signs of severe damage, probably a combination of those sustained during the conflict, and the natural degradation from the elements during the passing years. She dreaded the walk to come, but she knew darkness came swiftly as the planets twin suns sank beyond the horizon, bringing with it a bone-deep chilliness to the night air. The temple was shelter…and possibly the end of their lengthy search.
Finally, Alex answered, “I don’t know. Our plans have changed so often when we started, all that Maxx and I wanted was to find the medallion for my uncle and collect the reward.” Alex appeared worried as he continued. “Now, I think that the medallion was just a clue to finding the real secret. Even after we locate the treasure, we may still be in danger. It’s at least a week’s walk to Alliance, and we still must make our way home. If we are lucky, once we reach Alliance we can join a caravan bound for the coast.”
At least we don’t have to worry about Castillo any longer. There’s no way they can dig through that blockage.
“That’s true. One thing always bothered me…Castillo works for Samsara and Samsara hates my uncle, so why would he say my uncle sent him? I almost fell for his lies.”
“I had no idea Castillo was still following us either,” Maxx added sourly. “I can’t believe I missed every sign.”
“Don’t blame yourself, he’s a much better tracker than we’ll ever be.”
Nikiva had heard enough. “If you two are finished kicking yourselves, we’re ready to move on. There’s a pool of water near the foot of the mountain, you can see it from the ledge. I’m sick of drinking limey cave runoff. I know you men love sleeping under the stars, but we would rather be inside the ruins before dark, preferably behind closed doors with a warm fire.”
“Alright. You win. We’ll keep moving.”
From above the desert land was beautiful, a sea of rose and amber and purples against a backdrop of whites and grays. But the closer they came to the desert floor, the more she realized how dangerous that beauty was, sand, snow, wind, rock, ever-changing but nothing changes, it could drive you insane. She found herself humming just to make noise, any kind of sound to break up the monotonous silence… a silence so oppressive it tore at your soul.
Rhianwen removed her veil and tore it in half, giving Nikiva a portion to help diffuse the glare. “Tie the strip of cloth over your eyes, the sunlight can blind you and cause headaches. It’s so bright, you should have no trouble seeing through the cloth.
“With all this sunshine, I thought it would be hot.” Nikiva found herself wishing she had brought her heavy cape.
“How much farther do you think it is?” Rhianwen understood. Even with her desert clothing, she was uncomfortable. She could only imagine how miserable the others felt with nothing to protect their faces. The young men had stopped shaving long ago, but their sparse beards only covered part of the face, she could see how the area around their eyes and forehead was raw and blistered.
“I think we should be at the bottom soon. It’s cool now, but at night it will be cold. The desert loses heat quickly once the suns go down. You can see how the ice in the shadows hasn’t melted.” He looked at Rhianwen for a moment, and then looked away. It’s only going to get worse if we don’t make the ruins before nightfall. Why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut?
******** Rhianwen ran her fingers through the fine ash that covered everything like a dark gray blanket over virgin snow. “I don’t think anyone has visited the temple since it was destroyed. It’s like a tomb. I can believe there’s a secret treasure hidden inside, but it makes me feel like a grave robber. How are we going to search for something we won’t recognize when we see it?”
“The clues led us here, or at least the wyvern did, they all pointed to this temple. Someone went to a lot of trouble to carve them, they’ve got to be important. Anyone that could tell us why has been dead for years. But I’m certain something’s here…somewhere…just waiting for us to claim it.”
“That doesn’t make a bit of sense. We didn’t follow the clues, we were too busy trying to stay alive. Finding that wyvern was sheer luck. And the temple is the only building here. Anyone would know to check it out,” Nikiva said pointedly. “If there was a treasure here, it was probably discovered and removed a long time ago.”
“Take a look behind you,” Alex replied. “No footprints. We’re the first to walk these halls in ages, possibly since the war.” He pointed back along the path, their footprints showed a clear trail through the previously pristine snow, ash, and dust.
“It’s got to be warmer inside than here.” Maxx shouldered the almost empty pack he’d been sitting on and walked over to the only door still accessible. A quick search of the area around the entrance had brought little to pique his curiosity. He nudged a lump of snow with his foot, uncovering the bleached white skeletal remains lying just beneath. Lying just beneath the shattered skull was a tarnished necklace of beryl stones set in silver.
“First treasure! he exclaimed. These old ruins are probably full of undiscovered booty just waiting for a deserving party, like me for instance, to find them. Since everyone died at the same time, no one had a chance to remove anything. Surely a temple as big as this one must have a treasure room. Let’s go find it.” Whistling cheerfully, Maxx led the way into the unknown darkness.
“I’ve been in mausoleums that made me feel more comfortable,” Nikiva said to Rhianwen after they had all searched the vestibule at the bottom of the staircase. “This place would make the dead cringe. It’s more like a crypt than a temple with all the bones scattered around.”
“You could raise the dead, with that shriek you let out when that skeleton fell into pieces,” she replied.
“How was I to know there wasn’t anything holding the bones together? One touch with the tip of my finger, then whoosh, everything hit the floor.”
Two hundred years before any of their births, the thaumaturge Azaar Bran Tosi and the Elementalist LaSaundra the White had waged a war that had seemed unending until Azaar had miscast a spell designed to remove LaSaundra’s ability to manipulate the environment. The results of that miscast spell had been instantaneous and overwhelming. Besides the immediate destruction of both mages, every living thing within the spells scope had died instantly. Without living insects and other scavengers, there was nothing except time and the desert winds to affect the remains. The bare skeletons stood exactly as they died, haunting reminders of the once bustling city. Priests knelt at prayer in moldy cassocks. Mothers held their children at their breast or by the hand. Kitchen staff
sat at tables preparing meals, many of their hands still gripping a knife or the bones of a fowl. Nothing remained except bare bones, a few scraps clothing and--- Maxx was happy to find—anything made metal or jewelry. The halls of the temple were not difficult to navigate. Behind the main temple area, there were three halls laid out like an E, one directly behind the chapel, one to each side.
Rhianwen made the sign of Rheaaz as they entered the chapel area of the temple. Her mother had taught her the basic Shii-Lakka doctrine and rituals at an early age but had not pressed her to take her vows or pledge service to any temple. Her father had been more realistic. Once his children were old enough to know wrong from right, he allowed them to make their own choices and then respected their decisions, even when it led them away from his own values. Entering the temple chapel brought back many of Rhianwens happier childhood memories of family life before her birth parents untimely death.
Not that her adopted parents weren’t great. They’d always treated her as if she was their blood daughter. However, neither understood her choice to become Shii-Lakka, and both made it clear they considered it a mistake. She was pleased when Alex insisted they move on to explore other areas.
They investigated each hall at a brisk pace, stopping along the way to casually check out each room they came across. After a cursory search, they made their way back to the kitchens off of the main worship area and set up camp for the night. Alex broke up a small table left behind when the temple was decimated and built a small fire. Warm food would be welcome after the cold trek.
“We’ll need more wood to make it through the night. Maxx, think you can round up something to burn?”
“Why does it always seem to be my turn to look for firewood?” Not that he minded. There had to be firewood or coal somewhere. The temple had to burn a lot to keep so many priests warm. Maybe there was an exit beyond the pantry where it was stored? If not, he was certain to find a few more tables to burn.
“I’ll go with you,” Rhianwen offered unexpectedly. “I can help carry it back. It would be wonderful to be warm again.” She looked at him questioningly and Maxx once again found himself drowning in her pale green eyes.
“I’d enjoy the company,” he said.
As Maxx had expected, there was a sturdy metal clad door complete with a well-worn bar lock at the back of the pantry. It took seconds for Rhianwen to pick the lock. The door opened into a small walled courtyard divided into several bins, each overflowing with sections of neatly chopped firewood. There was also a bin with coal but no bucket to transport it. A large portion of the wood had been exposed to the weather and had rotted away, but there was more than enough remaining to supply the needs of their small group.
“Looks like it won’t take us as long as we thought to gather wood,” Maxx remarked.
No human had walked the pathway, though there was evidence a mouse or two had braved the powdery drifts. Maxx spread his cape out over one of the sturdier looking scrap piles and then motioned for her to take a seat with a courtly bow. They sat and watched the stars, enjoying the peaceful silence. Overhead, a pair of bats danced an impromptu ballet across the rising moon, a scene so beautiful it took Rhii’s breath away. The air was heavy with hints of the storm gathering just beyond the mountain ridge. It would break before moon fall, bringing with it fresh snow and the possibility of ice.
“We might better gather the wood and head back inside. The storm looks like it’s going to be a strong one,” she said.
“There’s time, he said confidently, two or the hours at least.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do. I’ve had years and years of practice.
“So, you’re just guessing?” she stated wryly.
“Nope. It’s experience. Watch the bats. See how they’re still foraging for food? If the storm was near, they would be heading for shelter, probably through a broken window. They don’t have to see the storm to know when it’s near. If the animals are moving about, we still have time before it hits.” He sounded so smug she looked at him a moment in silence.
“What are you so pleased about?”
“I’m just content”, he replied, his voice unexpectedly soft, an expression in his eyes that was strangely hypnotic. I’d forgotten how good it felt to just sit and take in the world around me.”
“Liar” She lifted her head, her green eyes flashing defiantly in the moonlight.
He studied her for a second or two, smiling as blushed. And then, very slowly and calmly, he pulled her into his arms. His lips were firm and as he pressed his mouth to hers. He lingered for a moment more, before pulling back and breaking contact.
Rhianwen tensed at the unfamiliar twisting in her stomach. Only when he finally sat back did she allow herself to breathe once more. She tried to smile, but her mouth refused to obey her mental demands. I am not going to faint. I’m not going to run away.
“Cinnamon and honey,” Maxx murmured softly. “You taste so sweet, I wanted to savor the moment.” He noticed that he was no longer tired, in fact, he was certain it would be a long sleepless night…possibly two.
“It’s all right. Just give me a second to gather my thoughts.” He was breathing softly, in slow deep inhalations. “I’ve wanted to do that for some time.”
Her heart did a little flip. She hadn’t been prepared for this. Nor had she considered her own response. She lowered her eyes, to hide the confusion she was feeling.
“You act as though you don't believe me,” he said. “Do you mind telling me why?” She looked at him uneasily, wondering if she’d somehow, misread his intentions. “I’m Shii-Lakka”, she whispered as though that should explain everything.
“What has that to do with anything?”
“Shii- Lakka are, ---different. I’m only a novice, I haven’t taken my final vows. But the Goddess has accepted me as one of her own, she grants me the ability to heal. You saw the scars. They are one burden I must bear in exchange for her blessings. The other mattered little to me, yet now, I find myself doubting for the first time. Before my next birthday, I must take my vows. That means I can never have a life mate. It’s not allowed.”
He stared at her as if he couldn’t believe what she was saying. Disappointment lent a hard edge to his voice as he spoke. “So, you have to choose between me or Rheaaz? I don’t need more than one guess to figure this one out.” He was silent for a minute. Then he started gathering wood from the bin. “Looks like I was wrong about the weather, the storm is closer than I thought. We need to go in now.”
Rhianwen watched him walk away from her. She tried to stay strong, but her emotions got the best of her. “Maxx, wait!”
He heard his name, but he kept walking, ignoring her calls. Quickly she gathered her own bundle and followed. Neither spoke, instead, they’d walked silently, side by side but not touching. Rhianwen glanced at him once or twice and was quite shocked by the hard bitterness showing on his face. “Maxx-------”
He raised a hand, seeking to silence her.
She sighed but didn’t argue. She couldn’t blame him at all.
********
Maxx’s head was throbbing. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t concentrate. There was something about her --- he couldn’t get that kiss out of his mind. Even though nothing had really happened since the river, he’d felt like they’d somehow reached an agreement… a promise of sorts, of their future intentions. True, Rhianwen had never said anything in actual words, he’d just assumed their relationship would grow stronger as time passed by. Not a chance now.
Alex knew there was trouble brewing as soon as Maxx and Rhianwen returned. Rhianwen was distraught. Maxx looked like he could chew iron, the air thick with tension as he dropped his armload of scrap wood without saying a word.
Rhianwen kept her veil pulled up and her hatta low so no one could see was struggling to keep the tears away. Somehow, had to avoid Nikiva, one look and her friend know something was upsetting her. Better to put it off until tomorrow. She would, she sup
posed, get quite a tongue lashing from Nikiva when the boys weren’t around. Rhianwen felt her lower lip tremble as the tears began to slide down her cheek. Now she was over-reacting, Nikiva was certain to notice.
Instead of joining them at the fire, she turned away after adding her meager load to the night’s stack of firewood. Then she stirred the pot of stew a few times before filling her bowl with the savory mixture of dried rabbit and chessi roots, and then she found a spot to eat in the shadows away from the fire.
Nikiva was puzzled. Rhianwen had pasted a big smile on her face but it looked fake, … as if she was overcompensating for something. She wanted to ask her what was wrong, but Alex was dead set on ribbing Maxx and it was easier to wait until the girls were alone.
“That’s an awfully small handful of wood, after such a long absence,” Alex said. “Did you have to wait for the trees to grow? Or for the snow’s weight to break them off? Or maybe you had your hands full of other things.”
Maxx lifted one dark eyebrow. “Is there a question in all that rambling?” he asked frostily.
“I’m just curious. What kept you away so long?” Alex continued, unable to see that his questions were making matters worse.
Maxx answered Alex’s questioning gaze with a challenge of his own. “Exactly the same thing you and Nikiva do every time you disappear from camp,” he said dryly.
“And what exactly was that?” Nikiva inquired archly. She felt her heart drop into her stomach as Rhianwen’s face paled. Immediately, she regretted asking that question. As much as she wanted to know what was going on between the miss-matched pair, she valued her friendship more.
Maxx was more amused than angry at her petulant manner. For a moment he was tempted to tell them everything, just to enjoy the look on Rhii’s face. Unfortunately, he really liked her, and she was already suffering enough. At least he hoped she was miserable because he certainly was. Besides, Alex could be a sadistic jerk. He’d relish using that tidbit of information against him, taking a pleasurable memory and turning it into illicit grope session. He shrugged.