Spirits of Light and Shadow (The Gods of Talmor) (28 page)

Octavia’s mouth felt dry. She licked her lips. “I will help you, use my knowledge and training to find this dark conduit as I said I would. I ask only that you fulfill what your servant Graiphen promised. Allow us to live and clear our names.”

The haunting voice returned.
I cannot allow any follower—

“Then I will not aid you,” Octavia interrupted.

Graiphen opened his mouth and a bellow exploded from within. The Spirit screeched and wailed in anger.

It required all of Octavia’s training and fortitude to stay standing. Without the cloak of protection from the One, she could not have withstood it. She felt Braetin’s presence like a thousand stinging ants crawling over her flesh, and they were rendered weaponless only because of her connection to the One.

“Do we have a bargain, Spirit?” Octavia asked.

A clacking of mandibles sounded and a strange chittering filled her thoughts.
Yes, servant of Eurmus. I will meet your terms if you destroy the one you call the dark conduit. He has grown too powerful. He works against my servant even still, and this one is useful to me.

“Very well,” Octavia said.

If you fail, your soul belongs to me.

A chill spread over Octavia’s skin, and she shivered. She had no choice. If she didn’t enter the bargain, both she and Korbin would die in this place, and Braetin would have them anyway.

“I will not fail.”

Chapter 22

Korbin watched his father and Octavia staring at each other within the circle. Strange sounds echoed, but he couldn’t make out words, only murmurs and cries. He wasn’t sure what was real. He felt helpless, and all he could do was sit and wait. Although it looked on the surface like nothing was happening, even he, who had never been a big believer in spiritual things, sensed the thrum of power in the room. He didn’t dare look away.

Graiphen lifted a hand subtly, and the candles went out one by one, starting in the center. Octavia stood still, looking pale and strained. When only one candle remained lit, Graiphen smiled unpleasantly at Octavia and walked toward the door. He met Korbin’s gaze as he left, but said nothing.

When the door closed behind his father, Korbin approached the edge of the circle, uncertain if he should enter. Octavia raced past him, rushing to grab a chamber pot from under the bed. Her stomach heaved and emptied.

Korbin knelt beside her, pulling her hair back. Worry twisted his gut, but he waited until it seemed she could vomit no more. “Are you all right?” He touched her face. It was cold and damp.

She nodded, sitting back. “You didn’t hear?”

“No. What happened?”

Octavia gave a bitter laugh. “I got too cocky.” When he didn’t respond immediately, she explained. “I sensed your father was going to betray us, so I formulated a plan to hold him to his word. There are several incantations that will influence someone’s will if done correctly.”

Korbin frowned. He could have told her that Graiphen’s will would not be easily bent but was curious how she was so certain about his father’s plotting. “I take it they didn’t work.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t even try.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I saw what possesses him. She is not to be trifled with.”

“She?”

“His goddess.”

“You saw her?” Dread filled Korbin and he couldn’t bring himself to say the name.

Octavia shuddered. “We struck a bargain. If I succeed in destroying the dark conduit, she will allow us to live.”

Korbin didn’t have to ask what would happen if they failed. And he’d thought his father was the worst thing they’d have to deal with. He stood and put the cover on the chamber pot and placed it outside the door. He’d half expected to find the doorway guarded, but the corridor was empty and silent.

For a fleeting second, he considered leaving. He knew he couldn’t do it, but he wanted to get away from this place, away from Graiphen, away from all of it. With a sigh, he returned to Octavia. “There was no one to ask for water for you to wash.”

“There’s no time for that,” she said. “Fetch me the linen and the bay laurel.” While he did that, she returned to the circle, still looking unsteady but determined after her encounter.

She picked up the parchment containing Graiphen’s blood and folded it into an intricate pattern until the paper had taken the shape of a strange, spikey flower. She put it on one of the empty shelves, handling it as though the flower were both delicate and poisonous.

Returning to Korbin, she accepted the laurel leaves from him. “Rip the cloth into strips, please.” While he did that, she twisted the stems together, forming a chain which she joined at the ends. Then she took the strips of linen and gently wrapped them around the circlet until the leaves were covered and she had a crown of cloth. Sharp spikes on the leaves poked through the thin material, but she didn’t flinch when she placed the crown on her head.

She stared into space, as though contemplating a decision.

“Now what?” he asked.

“Now I sleep.”

It wasn’t the answer Korbin expected, but nothing she was doing was familiar to him. “How long?”

A fleeting smile came to her lips. “Until I wake.” She went to the bed. “Help me drag this into the circle.” As he pulled, she removed the candles in the way, then replaced them after he got the small, narrow cot in place. She began to unbutton her dress.

He looked away. “I can wait outside.”

“No.” She took his hand. “Please stay. I need you to watch over me.” She glanced around the room. “I am not safe in this place, even with the protection of the One.”

“Of course,” he said and squeezed her fingers.

She sighed with obvious relief and released his hand, then continued undressing until she was naked. Korbin didn’t know quite where to look, so he maintained eye contact as much as possible.

She laid her clothes outside the circle and returned with a silver blade he’d seen her use before. He worried he was going to have to watch her cut herself again, but instead she tied it on a golden string around her neck and let it hang between her small, round breasts. He glanced up and met her eyes and felt his face warm. She was beautiful.

She relit the candles while muttering an incantation he didn’t understand. With slow, fluid movements, she returned to the center and lay on the cot, making sure the blade was resting squarely on her chest.

Closing her eyes, she said, “Do not speak to me or touch me unless it’s absolutely necessary. Watch over me.”

“What do I watch for?” Korbin whispered.

Her eyelids fluttered open. “You’ll know,” she told him. She shut her eyes again and started to breathe more slowly.

He marveled at how quickly she drifted toward sleep.

In a dreamy voice, she added, “Don’t break the circle.”

He sat beside the low cot and watched her sleep, amazed by the trust she was placing in him. He took that trust very seriously, suddenly feeling this may be the most important task of their journey so far. He had no idea what she was afraid might happen, so he remained vigilant and waited, watching, hoping that if anything did happen, he would be equal to the faith she’d placed in him.

∞

Octavia hovered in nothingness in the cloudless sky, looking down on the city of Vol. The breeze was light and cool, the soft sound relaxing her. She knew she was there to do something important, but the gentle wind lulled her away for a moment. Glancing around the bright, winter sky, she sighed happily. Her connection to the One was strong, to the earth below and the sky above.

Stars sparkled and she felt the energy of every pinprick of light filtering toward her. The ground was cold and hard, but only on the surface. Deep in the earth, a warmth bubbled and her awareness delved toward it. A sense of peace settled over her, and she felt intense relief. Why, she wasn’t sure. Something terrible lurked far away, but she didn’t allow herself to focus on it.

After a few luxurious moments, a heavy feeling caught her attention and she looked down. Hanging between her breasts was the silver blade Rhikar had given her. It pulled toward the ground. When she moved, she felt a prick from her head. Reaching up, she touched the spiny laurel leaves in her hair.

Her memory cleared. She had work to do, and it was not work she was looking forward to. She could be wrong, she thought. With a heavy sigh, she let herself float downward. She wasn’t wrong.

“Where are you?” she whispered.

The dagger tugged again, pulling her to Four Keithing, one of the poorest districts in Vol, one populated by a mix of immigrants and Talmorans. She frowned, following the urging of the blade.

“Show me the way,” she told it.

In her dream-state, she couldn’t smell the dirty streets with gutters full of waste and rot, but she wrinkled her nose at the sights, her imagination unhelpfully filling in the odors she knew she would encounter there.

She had no difficulty determining the right place once she got close enough. One small, unassuming hovel was bound and covered with the most intricate spellwork fortifications she’d ever seen. Not a single conduit she’d encountered would be able to unwind that knot of protection.

Still, curiosity pulled at her. If she was going to attempt it, where would she start? At first, she didn’t recognize the beckoning, but then she froze in mid-air. It was drawing her into a trap.

“Clever,” she thought. Casting her attention outward, she sought Korbin’s protective presence and found it nearby. He had no idea how vital this small act had been. Glancing toward the part of the city where he sat next to her sleeping body, she used his essence and anchored herself.

Once again, the safe, cool feeling enveloped her. The One coursed through her. She longed to stay here, but she had a promise to keep, and Korbin was waiting.

She floated high in the sky, moving toward him. Then, letting go of the safety of the dream realm, she began to fall. She rushed toward the ground, faster and faster, hurtling at bone-crushing speed.

Sitting up suddenly, she woke with a start, her consciousness having merged with her body once again. Her skin was cold, and she started to tremble.

Korbin hesitated only a moment before taking her into his arms. He was so warm, and his embrace brought her fully to the physical world, although it took her a few moments before her mind and body connected enough for her to speak.

Finally, she pulled back from him. Swinging her legs off the cot, she took his hand and he helped her to stand. A wobble sent her into his arms again.

“Take it slow,” he said. “What happened? You shouted when you woke.”

“Did I?” The act of speaking felt strange and foreign. “What did I say?”

“Nothing. You just cried out like you were in pain or afraid. Are you okay?”

Octavia nodded, although she was both in pain and afraid. “Yes. Of course.”

“Did you have a bad dream?”

With a shiver, she nodded again. “Where is my dress?” She looked around the room, still disoriented. She had no time to waste.

“I’ll get it,” Korbin said. “You sit for a second.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted, but when he returned with the Talmoran dress, she did let him help her fasten the hooks on her bodice. She was still too uncoordinated to manage quickly.

“It’s time to go,” she said when she was fully clothed.

“Where?” he asked.

“To Four Keithing.”

The puzzled expression on Korbin’s face told her he had many questions, but he didn’t ask them. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s see if my father is going to give us those tokens he promised.”

Octavia knew he would. Braetin herself wanted this deed done. Octavia wondered how many of the priests here had experienced the kind of encounter she did earlier, actually hearing the voice of their mistress. It did explain their devotion. What were life and death compared to such a powerful presence?

Some people, she knew, were attracted to the kind of darkness Braetin represented, just as some sought only the dark side of the One. Of course, those were not allowed to become conduits of the Sennestelle.

The dark conduit must have had no idea what he would be dealing with when he attacked Graiphen. Her presence explained why there had been no more direct attacks on the former Dul, but Octavia found it curious that the goddess had said she wanted him gone, that he still troubled Graiphen. The only person who could explain that fully was the dark conduit himself. And now it was time to speak to him.

She waited while Korbin left the room and listened to the voices outside. Their keeper must have returned while she was sleeping. She wondered how long she’d been gone. Judging by how jarring the return had been, how misty and disconnected she still felt, she had to assume it had been a long time.

When he stepped back in, he held up two red tokens. “Got them,” he said. “Where to?”

She held a finger to her lips. The less said between them in this place, the better. Not that they’d be safe elsewhere, but the dangers here were too many.

Korbin nodded and held the door open for her to join him in the corridor. Octavia stepped out and came face to face with the priest who had led them here. He had the same flat, black eyes Graiphen had. She looked at Korbin, but he didn’t seem to notice anything wrong. The priest smiled knowingly at her. Surprised that she could see the goddess’ presence now even outside her protective circle, she turned away from the priest, not wanting to maintain eye contact.

“We should hurry,” she said.

The sound of the priest laughing followed her up the stairs and through the temple. Everywhere, she encountered more of the priests, and every one she saw had the same dead eyes. Only the acolytes seemed normal. Octavia wanted to scream at them to run before it was too late, but she knew they wouldn’t listen. One could only attain that level of possession voluntarily. The thought made her skin crawl.

When they reached the street, she breathed in deeply of the cold night air.

“It feels good to be out of there, doesn’t it?” Korbin asked. “Something about that place gives me a shiver.”

“Me too,” Octavia said.

Korbin handed her one of the tokens. It bore a spider, Braetin’s symbol. She didn’t like touching it, so she slipped it into an empty pocket. She didn’t even want it coming into contact with anything else of hers. She wished she had a bit of black dampening cloth to wrap it in. Braetin’s influence would be impossible to outrun, and if Octavia failed, she knew there was no place in this realm she could hide from the goddess now that their bargain had been struck. Still, touching the token made her feel like those hollow eyes were watching her every move.