Beyond the Sapphire Gate: Epic Fantasy-Some Magic Should Remain Untouched (The Flow of Power Book 1) (27 page)

“So the Dark Road is the main thoroughfare to and from the Dark Citadel?” Jade popped the last bite of cheese in her mouth savoring its rich flavor, though she wasn’t happy with what she was hearing. The Dark Citadel’s reach was long. She’d hoped that once they escaped the caverns the worst was over. Now she wasn’t so certain.

“Yes, it extends the length of Virun. Caught on or near the road is certain death, they would know immediately we are not in service to the Great Lord. After dispatching those guards, they are pursuing us. Our best hope is they believe us still in the tunnels underneath the Citadel with no way out.”

The cheese grew bitter in her mouth. Chewing slowly, she forced it down.
He mentions violence so casually,
she thought. “Do we really have a chance of escaping this?” she asked quietly.

He gazed at her for a moment, his weathered face stoic. “We have been doing okay so far, but we have still got some distance to go. We had better get moving, it will be dark before long.” Pushing away from the mountain, he began the trek across the debris mound. He hesitated. “One other thing—”

“Yes?”

“You have done well, in fact, very well, so far.”

Jade sat a minute longer, watching him spring from rock to rock across the mound. Had he just given her a compliment? It certainly sounded like one, yet she must’ve not heard him right. She most definitely hadn’t done well since her arrival. The flickers had almost claimed her, not to mention the dominion wraith. Burl had twice had to carry her or she wouldn’t have made it this far.

She climbed to her feet, starting across the mound, keeping to the few grassy spots with soil underneath, following Camoe’s example. She felt much better after the short rest, and the unexpected conversation that ensued. It was nice to have the taciturn druid’s approval; she relied on him beyond what she cared to admit. Burl, too, even without a voice, was a comforting and rock-steady companion to have near her. Perhaps together, they’d make it out of Virun alive. Right now, she didn’t want anything else. She was anxious to begin the search for her sister, but to do that, they had to escape from Virun’s apparent long reach.

Camoe paused at yet another edge. Going to one knee, he studied the path of descent with care. Jade jumped to the next mound of soil.

There was just enough time to let out a yelp of surprise before the world fell out from under her.

Plummeting into darkness, she slammed into frigid water.

NOT RUN BACK

Broth padded behind Crystalyn as she rounded the fire pit, making her way to the Naturists’ camp by the wagon. The camp was set away from the rest of them for reasons not given, though she suspected they wanted privacy for the mysterious contents of the crate. Something she was ready to discuss, among other things.

The Lore Mother stirred a simmering pot over a fire, not looking up from the task when Crystalyn halted opposite her. Folding her arms to her chest, Crystalyn settled in to wait, gazing around the Naturist’s orderly camp. Lore Rayna sat rigid on a log nearby, her face a thundercloud. Cudgel slathered something dark on one side of the hub of the wagon wheel while glancing surreptitiously now and then at Lore Rayna. There was trouble between natures children, it seemed.

Stirring the pot a final time, the Lore Mother removed the spoon and lifted it away from the fire, setting it on a rock to let it cool. Satisfied it would remain where she wanted it, the old woman acknowledged her presence with a glowing gaze, her hands going to her hips. “What is it?”

“What are you cooking?” Crystalyn asked. She’d get around to the significant part soon enough, besides, she did want to know what the wizened woman had made. It smelled…exotic.

The Lore mother looked abashed. “Something I should have taken the time to make once we climbed higher into these wild lands—a poultice to rub on the horses. Carnivores do not like the smell of it, though it should deter the smaller ones simply by having your young prince around.” She inclined her head toward Broth.

Sitting on his rear haunches beside her, Crystalyn smiled at Broth, sending a query laced with amusement through the link.
Are your princely duties going to take you away from me?

Embarrassment tinged with…apprehension, flowed back to her.
There are many females searching for me to perform my…duty. My sire has sent them after me to ensure a continuing bloodline. Please do not reveal this to anyone. Ask the Valen to refrain from naming me prince outside of your clan here, please.

Crystalyn was mildly shocked. She’d meant the question as a jest.
Your secret is safe with me for now. However—

Yes, my Do’brieni?

There may come a time when I will ask you to fulfill your sire’s wish
.

An image of Broth racing away from camp flowed briefly through the link.

Crystalyn sent an image of her standing in the way of his escape path with her hands on her hips.

Broth’s next image showed the Warden skidding to a halt, surprise dropping his jaw.

Crystalyn laughed.

The Lore Mother glanced at her sharply, then her glowing eyes settled on Broth, her lips pursed. Finally, she set the wooden ladle on a rock and stretched. Crystalyn heard the crack of several bones shifting into place. “Though you carry a smile, I am certain you did not seek me out to learn solely of my concoctions, my Daughter.”

Crystalyn’s amusement faded. “I want to know about the spiderbees, I mean the leechers. Will there be such creatures as dangerous that are native to Astura? I suppose I most want to know about those that are unaffected by my symbols, Mother.”

“I am afraid so. Most we know how to combat, as we did with the…spiderbees—I like your word for them better. However, a few seem impervious to any damage. Those we have learned to avoid.” The Lore Mother pulled a rag from her white dress to dab at her sweat and ash-stained face.

Lore Rayna’s face had flushed deeper throughout the conversation. “Stop your foolishness, outlander. Avoid unfamiliar creatures altogether.”

Crystalyn ignored her, as did most everyone in both camps. Lore Rayna had spouted nothing but ill remarks beginning when she’d brought the Warden into camp two days past. Perhaps, it had gotten worse with his arrival and no one had noticed it much before. Whichever the case, when Broth was close, Lore Rayna’s scathing words bit at everyone but him, for reasons known only to the big Naturist. Crystalyn was getting tired of arguing with her—so was everyone else in her little group.

The Lore Mother looked toward her pupil.

Lore Rayna looked away, kicking at the dirt under the grass.

Keeping her thoughts to herself, the Lore Mother turned back to the conversation. “For instance, let us talk about the krell. It requires steel or lead to dispatch the krell, the Flow has no effect on them. Some are Dark Creations that have destroyed their creator to gain freedom, but that is another discussion. For now, you should be aware when passing through known areas, it is advisable for a User to travel with soldiers if the User has not trained with a weapon, which most do not. The sand krell are the worst; only an infused weapon of some sort will damage one. As bad as those—while rare, are the tree dragons. Their teeth and claws are so poisonous men have died from the mere threat of being slashed by them when spotting them among their habitat, but any weapon or magic may damage them.”

“What? Are you serious?”

Cudgel let out a roaring guffaw.

The Lore Mother smiled. “No, but I did want to lighten the tone a little. The tree dragon’s poison will kill a strong man in twelve heartbeats or less, they are quite dangerous. There are many other dangers on Astura; all are region specific. For now, I shall speak only of the dangers we may encounter on our journey to the White Lands, as we make our way to Surbo.”

“That’s another thing: I know you’re concerned with me healing a while longer, but we should be moving on. I have to find my sister.”

“Yes, yes, we should get moving, to Surbo. We have to go to Surbo,” Lore Rayna said her ringing voice louder than normal.

The Lore Mother turned to Lore Rayna, a frown creasing her forehead. “Your constant interruptions are going too far, daughter. We have been over this not long ago, yet there you are doing it again. You will desist at once.”

Lore Rayna’s full lips compressed to a thin line, but she said nothing.

Cudgel’s deep voice rumbled through the cool evening air. “Why do you persist with that, Rayne? What’s the big hurry? We will get there in good time.”

Drawing a deep breath, Lore Rayna’s face looked ready to burst. “Now who is interrupting, when he should be repairing the wagon? No one permitted you to speak. You are taking too long as it is. Do not dawdle or I will do it,” she said. Her voice had gained in intensity.

Cudgel stiffened. Reaching for a gob of the black substance, he growled a reply, his words as rigid as his body. “I’m going as fast as the job allows. You can work on the other side if you think you can do better.”

“I’ll do the other side as soon as I’ve watered the horses,” Hastel called. His raspy voice came from out of the trees on the far side of camp, a stark testament to how far their words carried.

“Stop it, Rayna that is enough! We’ve spoken of this far too much as it is. I will decide when Crystalyn is travel ready. Only then will we continue our journey.” The Lore Mother’s harsh words rang through the camp.

Lore Rayna’s lips curled. “And when shall that be? Do we leave tomorrow, the next day, or the two after that? Why is it our burden the child has to fight everything that moves? Even our youngest know better than to stray too close to misted water. We have to keep moving.”

Crystalyn was angry, beyond what the situation probably merited, but she’d had it with their squabbles. “Hold on, all of you!
I
decide when
I’m
good enough to travel, no one else.
We
leave at first light, with or without the three of you.” Folding her arms at her waist, she glanced around the camp.

“Yes, let us leave. We have to keep moving,” Lore Rayna said.

The whole conversation made Crystalyn querulous. As her eyes fell upon the crate beside the Lore Mother’s tent, her anger grew. “As I said, we leave in the morning. Now you’re either going to tell me,
the rest of us,
what’s in the bloody crate, or you can pack it on your back from here on. We’re taking the wagon and horses, they’re ours.”

The camp stilled, even Lore Rayna quieted. The Lore Mother faced her in stony silence for many moments. Crystalyn’s anger lessened, she began to wonder if she’d gone too far. Finally, the Lore Mother looked away. “I suppose it is time you knew. It is taxing keeping the Child of Dark away from it, anyway. Or do you like the challenge, Atoi?” she asked, turning toward the crate.

Atoi looked up from where she had bent over the crate. Pulling a lock pick from the keyhole, she straightened.

The Lore Mother’s long stride brought her beside Atoi before she could step back from the crate. Crystalyn hurried to Atoi’s side, Broth going with her.

Removing an iron key on a chain from her bosom and around her neck, the Lore Mother’s head swiveled between those in view. “I want everyone’s word you will not speak of what you see until I say it is safe to do so. Do we all agree on this?”

“Of course we do,” Crystalyn, said eager to get on with it. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

“Do not do it, Mother!” Lore Rayna exclaimed.

Cudgel stood up from the wagon’s hub. “Are you sure about this, Great Mother?”

“Of course, I’m not,” the Lore Mother, said. “But you cannot carry it on your shoulders the rest of the way to Surbo, strong as they may be.” Bending, she prepared to insert the key.

“It’s unlocked,” Atoi said, quietly.

The Lore Mother frowned sharply at Atoi. Without another word, she slipped the key’s chain over her head, and snapped the lock downward with a loud chink. Removing it from its hasp, she flung the hinged door against the tent.

Crystalyn gasped. Packed with wood chips, a pair of topaz crystal obelisks gleamed inside. She glared at the Lore Mother. “You had these this whole time and never told me?”

The Lore Mother shrugged. “That was the idea, dear. The fewer privy to the gate’s existence, the safer for the obelisks, they are quite valuable. This set alone would purchase a Duke’s keep and the servants’ to maintain them, along with the mercenary cost to hold a besieging border kingdom at bay.”

“Can I use them to return to my world, Mother?”

“I am afraid not, dear. This gate is attuned to one location, a location best kept secret.” Crystalyn opened her mouth to ask where, but the Lore Mother held up her hand. “I know you will never be satisfied to leave it at that, but you will have to for now. In time, you may gain additional knowledge, but right now, I cannot and will not, speak of it without guarded walls.”

Gazing at the crystals, Crystalyn frowned. If they wouldn’t help her return home after she’d found Jade, what good were they?

Atoi’s tone was dispassionate. “I am not surprised by their subterfuge, Crystalyn. The three of them wear secrets like a favorite shawl they fear to lend.”

Hastel took up a position behind Atoi. “We don’t want your shawls.”

At least Hastel and Atoi seemed to be part of her team, she was grateful for that. “Yes we do, Hastel. I don’t expect to know all their secrets, but I do expect some respect and I will have it. This secret would’ve been safe with us from the start. Their…the Lore Mother’s lack of trust is misguided.”

Lore Rayna jumped to her feet. Drawing an arrow to her bow in one fluid motion, she leveled the razor-sharp tip at Crystalyn’s breast. “What we and the Lore Mother do is for our discretion. You
will
show the Lore Mother
respect
before your own. I have warned you for the last time,” she said, pulling the bowstring to her bosom. Crystalyn was astounded. After all she’d done, Lore Rayna drew on her?

Broth leaped. Stretching out a front paw, his great claws raked the bow, slicing the string. A loud twang split the air, as the Warden dropped to the ground, dragging the bow with him. Grunting in surprise, Lore Rayna’s forearms thickened, taking on a wooden, branch-like quality, her fingers forming pointed stakes. Without pause, the big woman swung at the Warden.

“Broth!” Crystalyn screamed.

Front shoulders tangled in the longbow, the Warden leapt backward on his two rear legs, but didn’t get far. Lore Rayna charged, executing another swing. “No!” Crystalyn screamed again.

Cudgel leapt between the two, his club taking the brunt of Lore Rayna’s swing. “Rayne! What are you doing? You’re attacking a
Warden
!” he yelled, his tone aghast.

Ignoring him, Lore Rayna rained blow after blow upon Cudgel’s weapon.

Both hands centered on his iron-tipped club, Cudgel spun the ends back and forth, blocking every blow with expert skill.

“Daughter!” the Lore Mother shouted her voice a boom. “Cease this immediately!”

Lore Rayna snarled. Her arms doubled in size and elongated as her stake fingers branched tree-like outward, seeking a way around the club to the man behind it. Thick, root-like vines formed from her feet, ripping through the humus ground, they circled around the warrior, making for the one he protected.

Crystalyn brought out and released her knockback symbol. The three silver concentric rings slammed into the big woman, pushing her backwards across the meadow. Slamming Lore Rayna to the ground, the rings rippled the leaves on her dress as they passed over, blowing soil, plants, and small rocks high in the air, forming a dense cloud of debris. The three rings hit the trees at meadows edge and broke apart, raining twigs and soil around the base of the falun trees behind the fallen woman. Gasping for breath, Lore Rayna slowly regained her feet, gazing at her companions in silence.