The Dreaming Hunt (53 page)

In a single leap, the ice-armored warrior from Eben's first dream cleared the impossible distance between them, landing in front of the young ikonesti. Without even looking upon the massive elemental before him, the warrior addressed the elementals and humans upon the mound.

Marikeen whispered into Eben's ear, “Wait, Pebble. You will want to see this.”

“Know this: I am the Lord of Winter, and the Heaves are mine. Should I ever hear your calls within their slopes, I will return and destroy all of you.” With that, he plunged his hand into the chest of Llyrando.

In anger, the gauntleted man raised his hand, glowing with the colors of all the elements, to strike at the Lord of Winter, but the child laid hands upon the gauntleted man first.

She spoke, and his hand lowered, the power released. The gauntleted man threw back his hood, revealing a jann face of striking markings, bold and grand, unlike most of those in the horde below. In a respectful and sincere tone, he spoke. “The First Rime is yours, Great General of the Heaves. Take your champion. We seek no quarrel with you. You shall not hear our call again unless we be invited first to your land.”

The Lord of Winter pulled his fist from the body of Llyrando, who in turn released Kryth. Both ice warriors turned their backs upon the shamed Llyrando. Kryth retrieved the ice spear, and cheers rose from the assembled warriors of the Heaves.

As the two ice warriors walked away, memory struck Eben like a lightning bolt, rolling forth from the deepest recesses of his memory. That voice, that glow. He had met that man before. The Lord of Winter was the one who'd saved Marikeen on the Night of Green Fire! There could be no doubt. Eben moved forward to follow the ice lord, but a hand on his shoulder held him back.

“Come, Pebble. There is someone I want you to meet,” Marikeen murmured as she guided Eben toward the mound. The horde parted for them, making way not for him but for Marikeen.

“Sister, wait. Are you well? Where have you been? What is that cloak you wear that I cannot sense you when its hood is raised? Who are these people? Come back with me, or tell me where I can find you,” Eben demanded urgently, reaching out to take hold of her.

Marikeen slapped his hand away fiercely. “Don't touch me, Eben. You're not in charge of me. There is much happening here. You need to trust me, Pebble.”

Pebble was what his mother had called him when he was little. Marikeen knew how much it meant to him and how it would irritate him if she used it. He loved his sister dearly, but sometimes she really got on his nerves.

This was her to be sure. No pretender would be able to get under his skin so quickly. But something was different about her now. She'd lost her girlish innocence and replaced it with something powerful in her demeanor. Eben wasn't entirely sure it was for the better.

They reached the mound and walked to the center, approaching the gauntleted man. Marikeen reached into her satchel, made in the image of her mantle, black fabric with bronze flames, and took out a large natural crystal that exuded a glow of old magic. “An offering for the ancients, mighty hand. We continue our search for the items you requested, and we have a promising lead on one of the pieces of the Grand Tympan.”

The man smiled and motioned to the woman of crystal, Imogen, who approached.

“Well done, Marikeen,” the gauntleted man intoned. “You and your compatriots in the Cabal have been most effective,” he stated as the Mother of Crystal took the stone.

Eben fancied he heard new crystal growing in her as she held the glowing stone. It was as if Imogen was somehow becoming more … real.

The gauntleted man held out his right hand. “I know how to reward your efforts, young Marikeen. Come and receive the gift of the ancient magics of blending, that you may entwine elemental energies in our service.”

Marikeen knelt before him. “I am ready to receive the gift of blending, great hand.”

Eben moved to stop whatever was going on when the delicate but sharp hand of Imogen abruptly held him fast.

The man's gauntlet glowed, and he began to chant. Frustrated, Eben looked for another way to stop what was happening but instead noticed that the child seemed to be concentrating, as well.

The man laid his gauntlet upon Marikeen's head, and she screamed as power flowed into her. Eben lurched, and razor-sharp shards sliced into his skin, but he was unable to break free.

His sister's elemental marks, all four, burst with light through her robes.

“No, Marikeen! What have you people done to her?” Eben shouted.

Eben managed to tear his hands free, and he frantically made the sign of wind to escape the crystal vise. He flew to his sister's side. She crumpled as Eben embraced her.

“We have given her power, purpose, and position. The same we would do for ye, should ye choose to join us, Eben,” the gauntleted man declared.

Marikeen pushed her brother away and straightened, gathering her strength. “I don't need your strength, Eben. I have strength of my own. Harken Guuri! Harken Wiisen!” Then she clapped her two hands together, one glowing brown and gray with the colors of earth, the other hand swirling in shades of blue and aqua.

This time, the two figures before her were made of mud, not earth or water as before, but a blend of the two. Eben stared in awe. To mix elements—the power that took was staggering. The pride on his sister's face was enormous, but he spied something else, as well, a combination of desire and vengeance.

“Take heed, Marikeen,” the gauntleted man said solemnly. “If you would blend opposing elements together, powerful forces will array against the unnatural taint of your creations. Take care as well not to blend more than two forces together lest they become unstable.”

“Great hand, ancient ones, this is my brother Eben. He is…” Marikeen paused, searching for words.

“Everything you said he would be,” Cyndra finished for her, a shower of sparks accompanying her words.

“He is one who bears a grand mantle,” Imogen contradicted. “Your sister spoke highly of you, but even her words did not do you justice. I would have you carry my blazon, Eben. If you choose, wear this.” Imogen held out a small faceted crystal cut like a three-pointed star. “It represents my favor. Join us and be rewarded beyond measure.”

“Take it, Eben,” Marikeen urged. “I want you with us. With me.”

He had no choice, even if every part of his spirit told him this was wrong. He couldn't abandon his sister. He had searched too long and too hard. He could not lose her again. Eben nodded, taking the crystal from Imogen and placing it upon his cloak.

“So it begins…,” said the gauntleted man.

“What now?” Eben asked of his new acquaintances.

“Now,” Marikeen said grimly, “we make them pay.”

“Make who—”
Eben started.

The gauntleted man cut him off. “Gather the items of power and purpose that we seek and you shall be rewarded a hundredfold, Eben. A great change is coming, and you shall be an important part of it, like your sister.”

Eben jolted awake sharply, rudely torn from the dream.

“Sorry,” Rynn muttered. “It was time to get you out of there. Before you gave an answer you would regret.”

“Why?” Eben demanded. “She was going to tell me where to find her—”

“No. She wasn't. Your sister is in league with some powerful forces, and none of them bear anything but ill intent.”

“But they're just dreams,” he protested.

“Make no mistake. Beings from the dream plane are fully as powerful as any on the mortal plane. Particularly on their home realm.”

Eben frowned. “As powerful as, say, dragons? Or elemental lords?”

“Absolutely.”

Eben stared into the paxan's mesmerizingly turquoise eyes. He believed Rynn. And was afraid. Just how powerful were the elemental dream creatures his sister was involved with? And what did they have in mind to do with the enormous army they were assembling?

*   *   *

Justin started as the door to his tiny room—more like a prison cell, really—burst open without warning. Hadn't these people heard of knocking first?

He'd been having serious misgivings about this whole project ever since arriving at Alchizzadon. The mages were so secretive that it made him suspicious. They were up to something they weren't telling him about. He could feel it. But what? And how did Raina fit in to their schemes? Surely there was more to it than needing her to have a couple of children for them. Any woman could do that. Why her, specifically?

Kadir stood in the doorway, as big and forbidding as always. “It is time. Come with me.”

“Time for what?”

“We are going to wake your magic. And while I have the ritual casters gathered and the circles in place, we're going to mark you.”

Justin gulped and followed Kadir out of the cell. It all sounded horribly painful. But he'd be twice cursed before he showed weakness to these mages. He got the impression this secret enclave was very large, but it was hard to tell with everything always shrouded in darkness and all the windows covered or obscured. “And you're sure this is going to work?”

“Your lineage is rich with powerful magic users. Frankly, I'm shocked your magic did not manifest naturally. Perhaps proximity to the women of the House of Tyrel had some effect on it. Hmm. I should look into that.”

He followed Kadir, still mumbling to himself, down a trio of staircases into what had to be the bowels of the building. The entire place was appointed as richly as a castle, but everything—even the furniture and tapestries—had a look of extreme age.

“In here.” Kadir gestured at a pair of tall wooden doors with iron-banded hinges. Dim light spilled out into the corridor.

Justin stepped inside and stopped in surprise. At least a dozen mages, dressed in the same dark blue robes as Kadir, their faces covered with runic markings, turned to stare at him.

“Is this the candidate, then?” one of them asked.

“Aye,” Kadir answered.

An elderly man stepped forward. “And he understands that this will either work or he will die permanently?”

Justin's gaze snapped to Kadir.
Die? Permanently?

Never breaking Justin's stare, Kadir answered the other man. “Yes. He understands.”

He understood
now
. How kind of Kadir to get around to sharing that little detail moments before the cursed ritual. Death, huh? Was he willing to risk that to save Raina?

There was no question how he would answer that one.

He took another step into the room. “What are we waiting for?”

 

CHAPTER

26

“My lord, we have a problem.”

The First turned away from the window and its stunning view beyond the great plaza that held the Imperial Seat. “And what might that be, Talissar?”

“The Emperor has summoned the Master of the Dupree Mage's Guild to appear before him. Aurelius Lightstar portaled into the city a few minutes ago.”

Lightstar. There was a name he had not heard in a while. After a brief moment of fame as the quick-thinking mage who saved General Tarses from his own folly, Aurelius had been posted to Haelos and faded into obscurity. Which was startling for a solinari. They craved glory like cats craved naps in sunbeams.

“Why was he summoned?” the First asked.

“I do not know. I have a source working on finding out, and I will let you know as soon as I get an answer.”

The First responded gently, “Quickly, my friend. If Maximillian was in enough of a hurry to portal a minor functionary from a far colony directly to the seat, he will not wait long to speak to Aurelius.”

“How much does the elf know?” Talissar asked.

It went without saying that he referred to the Eight's plans. Although Aurelius was not a member of their web of operatives, he was known to work toward the same ends, which made it the Eight's business to protect the solinari. Eventually, he answered Talissar gravely, “He knows enough.”

“Can we cut ourselves off from him and those he knows?”

He frowned. “Rynn tells me that the party Aurelius has put together is the one to watch.”

“Meaning what?”

“He believes they have found one of the sleeping kings. And furthermore, Rynn has found a person I specifically sent him in search of. As luck would have it, she is one of Aurelius's protégés.”

“If I may ask, whom exactly did you send him in search of?”

“An awakened ethiri.”

Talissar's sharply sucked-in breath was indicator enough that the elf understood the significance of
that
find. “Is one enough? Will she be sufficient to break the Great Forgetting?”

“I do not know. Therefore, I shall not pin all my hopes upon one young girl. We proceed as planned.”

“Assuming we can protect Aurelius and all he knows from the Emperor,” Talissar reminded him, bringing them back to the crisis at hand.

A rare feeling came over him. Dread. It was not often that he feared anything. But the idea of Maximillian uncovering even a piece of what they had spent so many years working on was worth fearing. The Emperor would not stop at permanently ending the lives of everyone Aurelius had ever known. He would relentlessly dig deeper, seeking out and destroying every last thread of resistance to Koth.

The Emperor had been increasingly tense over the past few years. His efforts to suppress the prophecies of his own demise had failed, and whispers were flying of a storm on the Imperial horizon. All Maximillian needed was one excuse to launch a purge of epic proportions.