Between Darkness and Light Trilogy (10 page)

“I hunger…” At least I’m prepared for
this.

“I brought some food. Most of it is
unfortunately dried fruit, but… here, start with some grapes.
They’re somewhat crushed.” He appears not to mind at all, though
his eyes widen a bit as I dig around in the pouch. My own eyes
begin adjusting to the light level as I slowly feed him, I’m sure
he is seeing far more than I would prefer. I run out of grapes and
he asks for more. “What have you the strength for? I have… here are
some orange slices.” They aren’t in the best of shape either, but I
manage to peel them off the sides of the pouch and feed them to him
as fast he can take them, then realize I really ought to free his
hands. As I reach for the chains he shakes his head.

“Leave them, my captor may return at any
time, and my being freed from her bonds would intensify her anger.”
He’s sounding better at least. “What else do you have in that
wonderful pouch of yours?”

“Dried fruits, broken biscuits…”

“I’ll try a biscuit, and more water?” I pull
out pieces of a partially chocolate covered biscuit and he moans in
anticipation. “It’s been so long.”

“How long have you been here?”

He answers between bites, “Weeks, I think.
It’s hard to tell in a dungeon like this.”

“Weeks? You disappeared only last
night!”

“Then this place runs fast – you had better
save some of that food – you may be in for a long stay. Water?” I
cup my hands and cause them to fill with water again. He looks
surprised. “I had thought it odd that you had found so much water…
how are you doing that?”

“The air here is quite damp – I’m merely
causing some of it to condense. It’s quite pure, I assure you.” He
drinks what I have, then kisses the edge of my hand. A shock runs
through me, leaving me feeling slightly drained. Novanus takes a
deep breath and seems to have regained some vitality.

“Thank you, for your hospitality. Now
please, before my captor returns, tell me how it is that you are
controlling this environment – this cell is shielded against the
use of powers.”

“Is it? I hadn’t noticed.”

“No, apparently not. I ask again, how are
you doing it?”

“I… I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to
explain. The
song
of this place may be strange, but it still
obeys my will.”

His hand snakes out with tremendous speed
and locks around my wrist, his voice explodes in my mind. 'Harmony!
Listen to me, Shi'ahn, you must quit openly using that power here.
If our captor discovers it, you may never escape this place. Cut
the light and music now, and only gather water sparingly.' I do as
he asks, while my mind resounds with the implication of that one
word; Harmony. He said it like it is the name of a great power.

“What do you know of…”

'Do not speak of it!' He lets go of my wrist
and continues aloud, “I'll ask the questions - now tell me, how did
you happen to get here with my sister and niece?”

“Celeste and I were assisting Aurora in her
attempt to contact you through her crystal, and…” I pause
momentarily, realizing he will just yell at me again if I mention
my own addition to that attempt. “We made brief contact and began
to come to you, but we were hit with something terribly discordant.
We woke up in darkness… inside Aurora’s crystal.”

“She got you out of a crystal trap? I’m
impressed!” His voice resounds with pride, I hate to ruin it for
him.

“Well, no. Aurora is in a coma. Celeste and
I figured the way out.”

“You did?” He sounds doubtful, “Without the
power of the crystal wielder?”

“Yes, but… not without sacrifice. We left
nearly all our personal possessions behind to compensate for the
power drain that we feared may have occurred while we were within.
I hope Aurora will forgive the loss of all that was left
behind.”

“So that is why you have no clothes… I'd
wondered about that.” I need to learn to control my wordless
reactions, he chuckles. “I have been in the dark for a very long
time, the light you conjured was… quite illuminating. Now please do
me the favor of checking on my sister’s condition.”

I gladly move away from him, using sound to
judge where I go. “Aurora remains in the same condition she has
been in.”

“Damn these chains! I can’t chance being
caught free of them… Are you strong enough to carry her to me?”

“Ah… what can you do for her while you
remain in chains?”

“I just need to touch her – preferably her
forehead.”

“Well, she won’t be a very dignified
position, but yes, I can manage that.”

“Dignity is a luxury we simply do not have
available to us.”

“No, of course not.” Replies the naked
woman… I pick Aurora up, swing her over my shoulder and return to
Novanus’ side, trying to position her head as close as I can to his
hand. I try not to grunt as I shift her surprisingly weighty
body.

“Got her.” He falls silent and stays so for
quite a while. When he finally speaks he sounds as tired as I feel.
“Her mind took the full force of a rather powerful attack. I’ve
done all I can for her now, but she will remain unconscious for
quite some time. It’s for the best, really. Now listen to me, if
our captor shows up, do not give away your true identity! If
Celeste is awake at that point, let her do the talking, she is far
more knowledgeable in the art of misdirection than you. Now lie my
sister down as comfortably as possible, then return with your food
pouch.” I do as he asks, opening it to feed him some more. “No, we
need to conserve what is left. I’m going to lean forward some, you
slip it behind the small of my back. Yes, I know it will further
crush what is left, but we need to hide the fact that we have it,
and our captor will likely be more interested in you newcomers than
in me when she returns. Now, take my hand.”

It seems like an odd request, but again I
simply follow his direction. Immediately I begin to feel weak!
“What? What are you doing?” The feeling stops just as I’m about to
fall against him.

“This should help disguise what you really
are. Believe me, you don’t want to end up in her torture chamber.
If you appear to not be one of us, you may escape that fate. Now go
and try to wake Celeste. The sooner our captor notices your
presence, the better – before you recover from the draining.”

Almost as if on queue, Celeste groans. I
happily return to the floor to check on her.

“Shi'ahn, is that you?”

“Yes.”

“Where are we?”

“In a dungeon.”

She sniffs lightly, “Ah, that would explain
the smell.”

“On the bright side, we’ve found
Novanus.”

“Some rescue. How is he?”

Novanus himself answers in a louder voice
than we had been using moments before, yet it remains strained, as
though he continues to be terribly thirsty. “I’ve been better.
Thankfully Sarah here considers food more important than clothes.
Rather thoughtful of her, don’t you think, Amy?”

“Yes, she’s just full of good ideas. Perhaps
you could try to find her a better position in the staff, she’s
much too smart for a mere maid.”

“Are you angling for a promotion as
well?”

“Why not?”

I whisper to Celeste, “What are you
doing?”

She reaches out and touches me, 'Assigning
names and practicing roles. You never know when someone might be
listening in, though that isn’t likely until our presence is
discovered. Don’t worry, once you get into the swing of it, you’ll
be surprised how easy it is, and how much true information can be
hidden within the subterfuge. Think of it as a game, if that
helps.'

I’m about to reply when I hear something
very faint. “Do you hear that? Someone’s humming.”

Novanus’ whisper has an urgent quality to
it, “She is returning!”

~~~

I fall silent then, trying to look like a
young, hopelessly confused and frightened girl. It isn’t really all
that difficult, as for the most part it is the truth. The humming
slowly becomes louder, until finally it sounds as if it comes from
our very cell. A woman becomes visible in a soft aura of light. Her
hair is streaks of yellow and red, like flames. She wears red
leather riding clothes… I envy her their warmth. Her face would be
beautiful but for her cruel expression; she silently looks us
over.

“Well what have we here? You’ve managed to
summon naked women to you, Novanus? Surely you have higher
priorities.”

Novanus’ voice sounds raspy again, “They
just dropped in.”

“Really, now how could that be?”

Celeste begins her story, “We’re cleaning
staff, Lady. Sarah here found what must have been a power jewel on
the floor and called Mary and I over to look at it. She picked it
up, then, and Whoosh! Our bodies were flung through it somehow.
Mary got hurt in the fall, she hasn’t woken up yet.”

“Do you often wander the halls naked?”

“When we entered the room we were fully
clothed; when we fell into here we were not.”

The woman turns her penetrating gaze to me,
“And what do you have to say, Sarah?”

“I… I don’t know what to say! I’ve only been
at the Citadel three days now. Amy was showing me my duties, and
there was that jewel, and… here we are. I’d heard that the Citadel
was dangerous, but…” I look pleadingly up into her eyes, which
remain cold.

“Interesting, there must have been latent
energy. Where is your jewel?”

“It was lost. I have nothing, my lady.” I
hold out my arms in an age-old gesture of empty handedness. Her
gaze penetrates me.

“You speak the truth, and yet I know there
is deception here – those two” she gestures at Celeste and Aurora,
“absolutely reek of ‘enlightenment’ as your ilk call it. But you,
Sarah, you’re different. You are touched by it, but only slightly.
Tell me the truth, Sarah, if you wish to live.”

“I - I’m sorry, my lady, but the Lord
Novanus insisted we try to convince you that Amy and Mary are
servants. I don’t really know much about Mary – she was in the room
my lady Amy and I had entered. I’m my lady’s new maid. I don't know
much about the Citadel or it's people - I can’t even find my way
around yet.”

The woman’s eyes seem to burn right through
me, “Who are your parents, child?”

“I don’t know, my lady.” Her eyes! They bore
into mine as if seeking my very soul; I can’t hide the pain of my
loneliness from her as I do from others. Suddenly her gaze releases
me and I collapse to the floor.

“It is a pity, child, that you have fallen
in with this lot. I’ll not kill you yet, I think. A servant, two
Luminarians of indeterminate importance… I would have hoped for
better. I must ponder this.” She begins humming once again, and
fades away.

~~~

“You filthy little turncoat! Go ahead and
spill it all, will you? How ever did you qualify for employment
anyway?” Novanus’ voice lashes at me like a whip.

“She already knew the lie, Lord. There was
no point in surrendering my life over an already moot point.”

“You simple fool! She only suspected, she
had no proof until you gave it to her! I swear, if by some miracle
we get out of this, I will kill you myself!”

“I’m sorry, my lord… I didn’t understand.” I
let my voice be overtaken by sobs of despair.

Celeste implores him, “Count Novanus, she is
but a child…”

He practically explodes, “Did I ask you for
your opinion? What is it with you younglings that you think we care
what you have to say? Be Quiet!”

She whispers, “Yes, my Lord.”

We quit speaking altogether, then, and try
to get some rest. I’m unaccustomed to such silence, though, I can’t
take it. I decide to quietly hum a song Mother used to sing to me
when I was young. No one objects, so I continue until I fall
asleep.

I awake to hushed conversation, “What now,
Novanus?”

“I think her concentration is elsewhere at
the moment, but still we must be cautious.” His voice drops to a
whisper that even I can barely hear. “Sarah, are you awake?”

Sarah – do I know a Sarah? Why am I so cold?
Oh… right. “Just.”

“You did well earlier. Now let us continue
the game.”

Celeste’s voice lifts higher, “Sarah, are
you awake?”

“Yes, my Lady.”

“Good. I'm bored, and the only distraction
available to us is conversation. I’m curious, Sarah. Do you truly
have no idea who your parents were?”

“It is true. I have absolutely no memory of
a father, and my mother was taken from me when I was quite young –
in your years, I think I would have been five.”

“How did you survive then?”

“I was taken in by caretakers, but that
relationship didn’t last. I raised myself.”

“How sad. Tell me, do you still wish to find
your parents?”

“YES!!! Mathair, that is.”

“What about your father?”

“He chose to distance himself from me even
before I was born. He has given me no reason to care for him.”

Novanus joins the conversation, “Perhaps he
has good reason. If he is a criminal, then he could be forced to
sell you into slavery… or worse.”

Celeste adds, “If he is man of any
importance, then having a child would open him and you up to such
dangers as kidnapping or bribery. It can be dangerous, being
related to someone who is either powerful or has a less than
sterling background. Have you considered the fact that he could be
protecting you? Or on the other hand, perhaps he is no longer
alive.”

“In which case, it wouldn’t matter anyway.
Don’t you understand? I don’t care who he was. He wasn’t there for
me as a child, and he wasn’t there for Mathair. He meant so little
that she never spoke of him! Why should I care who he was?”

“What if he was rich, or powerful?”

“What would it matter? I don’t want his
wealth, I don’t want anything from him at all. The only way I might
even speak to the man, assuming he still lives, would be if he
sought me out. If he could justify his absence, then maybe… but
only then!” I can’t help the bitterness in my voice.