The Star Child (The Star Child Series) (25 page)

At first I thought the light in the distance was only my imagination. We’d been crossing the distance in near darkness for so long that it seemed a mirage, a trick of the mind. Yet the light stood out like a sunrise on the horizon.

“We are nearly there, young friends. You must watch the light. Do not take your eyes from it.”

I could hear a tentative note of triumph in his voice that gave me a lift. I wanted to dance and shout aloud as relief started to creep into my veins.

Crísdean cautioned us. “When we reach land, I will turn the clock back four years. The creature will immediately try to attack me, so you will not have much time. You must find a way out.”

I nodded, though Crísdean couldn’t see me. Both Calienta and I did as we were told and looked straight toward the light, which was shining on a beautiful coastline that must surely be only a quarter of a mile away. Yet as much as I was focused on our goal, I was still distracted by the growing roar behind me.

It might have been my focus on our target or Crísdean’s words, but I let down my guard for a second and something grabbed my armor. I gasped for air and yelled “Crísdean!” as I grabbed onto one of his flanks. I didn’t have a very good hold on him and I’d be sucked into the abyss.

“Kellen.” Calienta turned and grabbed onto my forearm, holding on tightly.

I tried to swing my sword with my other arm, but a headless ghoul was keeping a firm grasp on my sword arm while being dragged along in the wall of water that appeared on my right side. Behind us, the walls collapsed and were immediately replaced once again by the churning sea. My hand started to slip away as I looked into Calienta’s eyes.

“You have to let go of me.”

Tears fell silently from her liquid blue eyes. She shook her head. “No, no, I can’t.”

“You
have
to.” And in a moment of blinding clarity, I had the answer. “The prophecy was wrong. I’m not the king. I’m the sacrifice.”

“No!”

A terrible calm washed over me; this was the right decision. “I’ll always love you.” I nodded, looking into her eyes, and then I let go of Crísdean and I was thrown into the abyss of darkness.

***

At first it was calming, like floating along in a dark room. My fear was detached from me, and although I could hear Calienta’s cries still from within this place, she’d be safe. Then they came for me. The souls swarmed toward me, a mass of bone and flesh, with spears and swords as ancient as they. Some were whole in their appearance, but most were missing limbs: heads, arms, legs, even torsos.

The first time my flesh was pierced, I nearly cried out. Yet I refused to show weakness. They’d not see my tears; they’d not hear my cries. I wasn’t a warrior physically, but I’d overcome them with my mind. I’d be brave until the very moment my body was destroyed. They continued to attack, trying to rip my soul from my body. I closed my eyes and that helped, not having to look at them.

It occurred to me that Calienta’s cries, which had been slowly fading away, were getting louder, not softer. Then they were so loud that my eyes popped open. I realized that I was no longer in darkness, but in the alleyway with Crísdean and Calienta. I stood in front of something opposite them and I turned to see what it was.

The sea was growing and bonding together to form a shape. As it grew in height, the floor of the sea was exposed and a vast desert-like landscape of dry earth could be seen. The souls that made up the water had bonded together to form an enormous specter.

The creature was simply a large skeleton that wore a cloak of gray which hung open to its feet to reveal a translucent skeletal body; on its frame hung rotting flesh, which gave off a repulsive stench. The creature towered above Crísdean, several thousand feet higher than our friend, and I feared for his safety.

Crísdean whipped around to face the specter and Calienta was instantly ejected from the animal’s back and propelled toward the coast, opposite the one from which our journey began. She landed roughly on the sand but didn’t seem injured. The air shimmered around us, signifying the change in time. I needed to get to her if I stood any chance.

“You cannot escape us. We have taken one of your own.” The creature ended its words on a moan that was as unendurable as its mangled visage. It rocked back and forth, swaying as if intoxicated.

“You may not have him.” Crísdean’s words were confident and I wondered what choice he had in the matter.

I tried not to look down at myself, at the wounds and blood that I was now more conscious of than when I’d been in the abyss. Even if Crísdean managed to save me, I’d surely not survive this attack.

As if reading my mind, Crísdean stared at me. As soon as our eyes met, his light, which had grown so dim, now shone brightly again. It shot into my body and out through my fingertips, my eyes, my ears, warming me everywhere. He was restoring me, making me whole again. As soon as I could run, I sprinted across the short distance that separated me from Crísdean.

“You may not have him, creature. You will battle me instead. I am the one that you want.” The stag started to back up, almost knocking me down to the ground as he pushed me rather forcefully with his hind flanks.

“We shall see.” The specter’s voice practically dripped with evil. The creature lunged at Crísdean with surprising agility and he lithely darted out of the way in return.

“Kellen, the portal,” cried Crísdean.

Turning, I realized that he’d backed me up to the beach. Without hesitation, I ran up the embankment to the door that stood there, and into Calienta’s arms.

“Go. I have to try and help him. Figure out how to open it. I know you’ll know what to do.” She pulled away from me and ran down the small slope to stand behind Crísdean.

I looked back at the door that had nothing on either side of it. I could probably walk completely around it and not encounter a way out. It was as though someone had walked into a home improvement store, purchased a door and frame, and stuck them into the sand.

The door was made out of aged mahogany and was weathered, with a symbol carved into its core. There was writing around the door, inscribed within the frame, as I remembered from the image I’d seen earlier. However, one thing was different from the picture. There was no doorknob.

Calienta was standing at the edge of the sand with both palms extended. I was about to warn her that her powers might not exist here, might not be strong enough, but from the end of each hand fire shot out and struck the creature square on the chest. It recoiled from the heat and light and shrank in size by about a foot.

Yet it rallied, and the creature waved its hand and sent shards of ice at Crísdean and Calienta. Running back, I grabbed her arm, yanking her out of the way just in time while Crísdean melted the ice by shooting fire from his antlers.

Calienta sent a ball of light at the creature and it roared its anger, trying to charge toward us. I was supposed to try to get through the door but I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene in front of me.

Then Crísdean spoke up. “Kellen, the portal. You must figure out how to open it.”

I turned to face the door in front of me again.
Okay, think
. This time I paid close attention to the symbol. The symbol was familiar to me. It was in the cave; it was the symbol of the original Children of Danu.

Suddenly I understood why I was here, what I had to contribute. I wasn’t the sacrifice as I’d originally thought. I alone had the key to the Ellipse. I’d been wearing it around my neck this entire time.

All thoughts flew from my head as I grabbed the pendant I wore and, without taking it off, placed it into a small, carved indentation in the door. It was a perfect fit. I waited for the door to open, but nothing happened.

What? This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. The pendant fit perfectly.
Why wasn’t the door opening?

“Kellen.”

“Calienta.” And my heart was in my throat, for I looked over to see her surrounded. The Hounds of Hell had returned to hunt us for their master, Arawn. Calienta could fend for herself; her strength and power were far greater than my own, yet I wanted to help her. She’d rescued me and I would return the favor.

They charged in pairs, the first pair upon us in seconds. Sword in hand, I was prepared to bring it down upon the head of each beast if necessary. Calienta leaned forward and blew a stream of air from her lips in a short puff. In seconds, each beast was frozen in its tracks, encased in ice statues.

I turned to look at her, both impressed and a little afraid. “Damn.”

“I have a few abilities.”

“I’ve seen.”

“But I only use them to protect myself.”

“Huh. Note to self: Do not anger this woman.”

We turned to look back at Crísdean. As the battle wore on, some damage had been done to his opponent and the creature was now no taller than Crísdean himself. Yet this incarnation was most definitely comprised of the most evil of souls, for it now dripped blood from its crooked skeletal mouth.

Crísdean began to back away from this creature. I didn’t believe his actions were rooted in fear but more related to strategy.

However, he wasn’t given time to plan his next move as the creature began to charge at him, its skeletal arms outstretched to seize our valiant friend. An opening in the abyss appeared above the creature; light streamed down from the crevice. And with a toss of his head, Crísdean charged the creature and they both disappeared into the light, the specter screaming in agony as he was sucked into the hole. Then there was silence.

As we looked around, there was nothing except the churning abyss. Everything else was desert, a void where even the souls of the unforgiven no longer existed.

“Did he fall?” Calienta’s voice was worried.

“I don’t know, but let’s get the hell out of here before something else happens.”

Tugging on her hand, I led her over to the door and pressed the pendant against the indentation with my palm. My memory recalled at that moment one more line of text on the picture that hung in Stephen’s house. How could I ever have forgotten it? It was the only part that resonated with me, the one line that I’d focus on whenever I was forced to walk by the thing.

I am the key, I am the light.

I spoke those words now. “I am the key, I am the light.” At first nothing happened…and then, with a heavy creak, the door opened a sliver. Using my hands, I pried it open. It was a small opening, but one that would be enough for two people to get through. We both hesitated.

I looked at Calienta, her eyes wide. “On the count of three?” When she nodded, I continued. “One, two, and three…”

As we stepped over the threshold, a rush of wind gusted over and around us, through us. There were a million sights, sounds, and scents in that brief moment. Then our vision blurred. This was what Crísdean had spoken of: we were regaining the four years we’d lost in an instant. We were passing through time.

Then the air stilled. As we opened our eyes, the breath rushed out of my lungs. Cabhan stood in front of us with a dagger in his hand.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EYE CONTACT

The green grass of the lush valley surrounded Calienta and me, so different from the place that we’d just left. There was, in front of us, a sort of stage in a large open area, with steps rising up to a sheltered area at the top.

Glancing back, I looked for the doorway through which we’d come. Maybe we could trap Cabhan there? Startling me, the door slammed shut with a firm thud, disappearing from sight.
Guess that’s out
.

On a riser behind Cabhan, sat five thrones richly covered in plush velvet of varying shades. There was a different color for each chair: royal blue, burgundy, dark purple, hunter green, and blood red. On the steps in front of these thrones, Lugh was bound and gagged with rope. It must have had magickal properties, as the rope continued to bind itself tighter around Lugh every time he struggled. His arms were rubbed raw from the effort.

Brigid was also bound, though not as inhumanely, if that was possible. She was tied to the blue throne, her arms wrapped back behind her. Our eyes met and her shock was apparent. She hadn’t expected us to make it and the tears in her eyes were a testament to the weight that she’d been carrying inside of her.

Behind her stood Arawn, or at least I assumed that it must be Arawn, for one of the hounds sat at his feet growling fiercely. Looking at Arawn, my blood ran cold. He was a shadow, a non-entity, completely black and opaque. He had no distinguishable features at all, save for his red eyes. It was like someone had cut his frame out of the sky and filled in the cut out with black paint.

He was easily over six feet tall, with two long horns, jagged at the edges, extending from his head.. He said nothing but his eyes mocked me, though he had no pupils to truly give his glare any meaning. It was only instinct that told me otherwise. And there were other emotions as well. Negativity radiated off him in waves, as did the pain that seemed to come from his very core.

Cabhan’s face, which had appeared in my mirror so long ago, captured my attention now. The distorted visage that appeared to me in Gran’s bathroom and on the screens in the cave hadn’t done him justice. Every bit the god, he stood ten feet tall, and his golden hair was blown back from his face in long waves.

His cheekbones were as chiseled as a sculpture, his skin pale but still managing to hold a healthy glow. Had these been different circumstances and his height more normal, I might have mistaken him for a soccer player, given the size of the muscles in his legs. When he spoke, everyone snapped to attention.

“This is the mortal of whom the prophecy speaks? He is hardly a man and no threat at all to us, surely. Is he truly your saving grace, sister?” He turned and looked at Calienta, howling, roaring with laughter at my expense.

Okay, this guy was a jerk.

“He’s more of a man than you could ever be,” Calienta cried in my defense.
Yes, you tell him.