The Dark Throne (45 page)

“The veil was torn,” said Vell. “The veil between the worlds.”

I nodded. “A few of Malravenar’s creatures slipped through into the mortal world…and a few mortals came through into this world.” I paused. “I don’t know if it was an equal and opposite reaction, or if they chose to come through willingly, or they were kidnapped—but one of them is my brother, Liam.”

“Liam saved our lives, in your world,” said Merrick.

I rubbed my thumbs into my palms restlessly, feeling the raised edges and pearly smoothness of my scars. “Yes. He’s a soldier, a warrior. One of the best.” I took another deep breath. “But even the best would be unprepared to come through into an entirely different world.”

“Into an entirely different war,” said Finnead.

Vell gazed at me solemnly, her golden eyes large in her pale face, the circlet gleaming against her dark hair. “Are you sure that it is your brother, Tess?”

“Truthfully? No.” I shook my head, shifting my weight in frustration, trying to choke down the knot of worry already forming in my stomach. “I only know what Gwyneth told me through the Sword. And I don’t know where he is, or why he would have been brought through the veil.”

“Sometimes it’s not for us to know the underpinnings of all the events of the world,” said Vell almost distractedly, her mind already working intently on the problem at hand. “But this enemy does not do things without reason.” A crease appeared on her brow and she strode over to the table, snatching up a piece of parchment and a stick of sharpened charcoal. She motioned to Merrick and he quickly joined her, their two dark heads bent over the parchment.

Questions chased each other in my mind, whirling into a maelstrom. What did Malravenar hope to gain by tearing the veil and dragging more mortals into Faeortalam? Had he simply been testing a weapon, or had it been another one of his sorcerers? Was Liam wounded, still fighting, surrounded by Dark creatures? Had he already been captured? I clenched my fists but then realized suddenly that someone had spoken my name. I looked up to find Finnead looking at me.

“Sorry, what?” I said dazedly.

“We could make this a part of the vanguards’ mission,” he said, looking to Vell for approval. The High Queen still bent over the map with Merrick, her pale fingers moving quickly as she pointed at several different locations.

“With the Valkyrie in the air, our search radius will be quite large,” Calliea added.

“We don’t even know where they are,” I said.

“We do,” said Merrick instantly. “Or,” he amended, “we
might
.” He didn’t even turn to look at me as he spoke, unwrapping the protective cloth from around his scrying glass. Calliea wordlessly helped him unroll the large map of Faeortalam, their movements crisp and focused. She watched as he set the scrying glass on the map. I looked over Vell’s shoulder and saw that she had quickly sketched a landscape on the piece of parchment, her drawing surprisingly detailed. Merrick kept looking over at the sketch as he slid his scrying glass across the map.

I stared down at Vell’s sketch. It was as though we stood on the summit of a mountain, gazing out across a mountain range, the land rocky and wild. Dense forest covered the mountainsides. The ground dropped away sharply before our feet, a sharp incline of scree and dirt. I looked over to the large map of Faeortalam. Merrick slid the scrying glass over the Edhyre Mountains, the great range in the north of Faeortalam which stretched down from the far northern reaches, bordered the Seelie lands and curled into the Mab’s kingdom. I glanced at Vell.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“I don’t
know
,” she said, watching Merrick. “I got a glimpse, and I could
feel
where the veil was split. I don’t know if they came through in the same place, and they most certainly won’t
stay
in the same place, especially if they’re being hunted.”

I winced, but then reminded myself that this wouldn’t be the first time that Liam had been hunted through the mountains by an enemy intent on killing him. The Sword hummed in its sheath. I wasn’t certain if it was trying to be comforting or whether it was agreeing with my thought that Liam was a very capable fighter.

“I don’t want this to distract us from the bigger picture.” I had to choke out the words, because every fiber of my being wanted to saddle Nehalim and ride as fast as I could toward the mountains. My brother was in trouble, in a strange world with no idea of the magnitude of the Dark forces at work. “I can’t say how much I appreciate the offer of help, but this wouldn’t tip the balance. It’s not worth the risk.”

“We wouldn’t let our own warriors be held captive,” Calliea looked up at me, still holding down the edges of the large map with delicate hands.

“As the
vyldretning
has already said, the Shadow does not act without purpose,” said Finnead. “By rescuing them, we are thwarting him, though we might not know his full plans.”

“And we have rescued captives before,” said Vell. “When my people needed rescue, you helped me. Now it is my turn to help you.”

I nodded silently, unable to speak over the sudden rush of gratitude that closed my throat. I clenched my jaw and breathed deeply until I brought my emotions under control. “Thank you.”

“No need for thanks,” said Vell. “You have fought for us ever since arriving in our world. You have already done the same and more.” She pressed her lips together thoughtfully. “And I have to think that there is a reason why your brother was brought through the veil.”

I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. We’re of the same bloodline, obviously, so I don’t know whether that…” I trailed off suddenly, arrested by a thought. I looked at Vell and swallowed. “It might have to do with the fact that Liam can see the future.”

Finnead swore softly and Merrick looked up from the scrying glass with raised eyebrows. Vell glanced at him and he hurriedly returned to his task.

“He’s a Seer,” said the High Queen. “And he is of the Bearer’s blood.” She shook her head. “Just being of the blood alone might have been enough reason, but if Malravenar can twist a Seer to his own purposes…”

“Liam would die before he’d help Malravenar,” I said hotly.

“He might very well be of more use to Malravenar dead,” the High Queen replied.

I made a sound as if I’d been punched in the stomach. Vell’s face softened suddenly, the countenance of the High Queen falling away for just a moment as she reached over and gripped my hand hard.

“But we will find him before that happens,” she said fiercely. “I swear it.”

The air rippled with Vell’s power. It eased the knot in my stomach only slightly. I knew with certainty that I’d carry that worry like a stone in my gut until I put my hands on Liam’s shoulders, looked in his eyes and knew he was safe and whole.

“If we find their location, only one vanguard would be necessary for the rescue,” said Calliea, gazing down at the map.

“It all depends on the concentration of Malravenar’s forces, and whether they’ve already been captured,” said Finnead.

“Liam will use his abilities to help them evade capture, if he can,” I said. “We met in the ether, before we reached Brightvale.”

“And a Walker, too?” murmured Gray, her emerald eyes glittering.

“I suppose that’s what happens when you’re descended from ancient priestesses,” I said.

“More like mages,” said Vell distractedly, brow creased as she directed Merrick to focus his scrying glass over a particular mountain.

“A bloodline of power,” I said with a hand gesture. Vell gave a little hum of agreement to my change in definition. “In any case, he told me that he uses the visions to keep the guys in his unit alive when they go into battle. As best he can.”

“Better than what most can do,” said Calliea, “and I mean most Sidhe.”

Vell glanced at Finnead. “The other vanguard commanders. And the twins.”

With a silent nod, Finnead strode across the tent. He reappeared a few moments later with Niamh and Maire close behind him. Elwyn and Luca arrived in the High Queen’s tent with sweat gleaming on their brows.

“The perimeter of camp is secure,” said Elwyn.

“We doubled the watch, both aground and aloft,” Luca added with a nod to Calliea.

“Good,” said Vell. She turned away from the table, and her vanguard captains and the Valkyrie arrayed themselves before her respectfully. I forced myself to stop watching Merrick as he slid his scrying glass over the map.

“Malravenar tore through the veil between the worlds,” Vell said bluntly, surveying her commanders. “The earthquake was a physical side effect of the power distortion.”

“Is it a permanent tear?” asked Niamh.

“No. I do not think it will last. It has none of the precision or guidance of the wards required to open a Gate. Though the ability to tear through the veil is worrisome, it is not my primary concern,” continued Vell. “Anyone with enough power can force their way through the veil for a short time. What will require your action is what—or I suppose I should say
who
—came through the veil from the mortal world.” She paused, her gaze meeting mine in a silent question. I nodded slightly. “A small group of mortals came into our world. We do not know how many of them there are, or where exactly they are, though Arrisyn is working on that part. But what we do know is that one of them is a Seer, and he is of the Bearer’s blood.”

“My brother,” I added in a quiet but firm voice.

A moment of silence followed my words, punctuated by the small dry sound of Merrick’s scrying glass sliding across the map. I heard a few soft clicks as Merrick deftly adjusted the small knobs on the sides of his device.

“So we don’t know where they are,” said Maire.

“Or how many,” said Niamh.

“But we do know that they’re mortal, and one is a Seer,” rejoined Maire, her words flowing seamlessly with those of her twin. The two women glanced at each other and grinned.

“Sounds like the perfect setup for a daring rescue,” finished Niamh.

Vell held up a hand and the twins instantly sobered. “It should go without saying that the capture of a Seer could be disastrous in our war against the Shadow. But I’ll say it nonetheless to underscore the
gravity
of the situation.”

“We beg forgiveness, my Queen,” said Maire smoothly as she and her sister bowed their flaxen heads. “My twin and I spoke too lightly.”

Giving Maire nothing more than the suggestion of a nod, Vell continued. “Arrisyn will continue to search. But even if he does not find the exact location of the Seer and his companions, the vanguards will depart at first light on the scouting routes we previously established.” Vell looked at each of her commanders in turn. “So now your mission is twofold, both scouting and rescue, if you should find them. I expect a full report each day at dusk, delivered by a Walker from your vanguard.”

I thought for a moment that Murtagh would be in camp to receive the reports from the Walkers, and then I remembered belatedly that Murtagh was dead. A stab of sorrow pierced my chest, amplified by the tight worry for Liam. I clenched my fists and wondered angrily when I’d remember who among my friends was dead, so I could stop surprising myself into fresh sadness at the realization that they were gone.

“If you fail to send your Walker, I will wait until first light and then send one of the Walkers from camp to your last known location. If my Walker cannot establish contact, they will return and I will send a pair of Glasidhe as messengers.” Vell paused. “Keep the Arrisyn apprised of your location. He will track you on his map through your daily reports, and if need be use his scrying-glass to locate you. Or to let me check in on you.” The High Queen smiled faintly. “Gather your people. Ensure you will be ready to ride at dawn.”

As one all the warriors bowed their heads in assent. Niamh paused as she followed Maire from the tent, reaching out to touch my arm.

“We’ll find your brother, Tess,” she said with such sincere reassurance that it brought the tightness back to my throat. I nodded and tried to smile. She squeezed my arm and then left. Elwyn gave me a brisk nod as she passed. Vell turned back to the table, talking in a low voice with Merrick; Calliea searched through the stored maps at Merrick’s direction until she found a more detailed map of the Edhyres.

“I’ll wait for you just outside,” said Luca to me, just as I said, “I’ll be out in a minute.” The
ulfdrengr
smiled and patted my shoulder. He stopped at the table briefly to speak to Vell.

Finnead walked over to me. I found it difficult to meet his eyes. I swallowed. So much emotion whirled within me that it made me feel wooden and numb. Finally he stepped forward and slid two fingers under my chin, raising my face gently until I looked at him. I clenched my jaw but a few tears slipped down my cheeks. He brushed them away with his thumb.

“Don’t cry for your brother,” he told me quietly. “He is a warrior among warriors, and he is not dead.”

I nodded and took a deep breath. It seemed like that was all I’d been doing since the earthquake, nodding and trying to breathe through my emotions, I thought in irritation.

“We’ll find him,” Finnead continued firmly.

I managed a lopsided smile. “I know.”

He hugged me, but didn’t let the embrace linger. I was glad, because if he’d allowed me to feel the security of his strong arms about me for too long, I probably would have lost the last vestiges of my composure. He kissed my forehead. I shook my head at his gentlemanly attempt at restraint, pulling him close and kissing him on the lips, my mouth hot against his cool skin. Yet the kiss failed to ignite its usual fire. The faint stirring felt nothing like the usual whirlwind that engulfed me when we kissed. Somehow it felt hollow. The realization unsettled me, but I didn’t have the time to examine it closer in the wake of the afternoon’s events. I drew back and looked up at him, hoping that he couldn’t sense my lack of passion.

“I must go to my vanguard,” he said almost gently. “We may not see each other in the morning.”

I attempted a smile. “Be safe or be deadly.” It was one of Liam’s favorite phrases.