Arrival (23 page)

The priest laid the tools down and inspected them.

It was a set of old, slightly discoloured, silver surgical tools and she looked at them in horror. “Is this it?” she exclaimed.

“We could go to the Amazonian training camp, but he may not last that long,” said Blaise.

The priest frowned. “They’re all we’ve got. Let’s just hope they don’t make him worse.”

The priest took a deep breath and began the task. Jane sat by his side, handing him whatever he needed and wiping away the blood as it poured out of Fern.

Blaise slipped out and returned with bad news. “The ship has gone,” he said flatly. Jane closed her eyes. She had known it would have to leave, but she had selfishly hoped they would have waited just a little bit longer for her.

For hours they worked. It was so much harder, and so much bigger than anything Jane had done before. Finally the priest straightened for the first time and looked down at Fern’s wounds, which were stitched and cleaned.

“What now?” Jane asked, her voice haggard with exhaustion.

“It’s just a matter of waiting now,” said the priest. “I need to rest. You should do so too—you have done well.”

“Thank you,” Jane said to him, her voice choking up with gratitude. “I’m truly grateful.”

Once the priest had left the room, she turned back to Fern.

“Jane, you must rest,” Blaise said quietly from behind her, emotion thickening his accent. “There is nothing more you can do for him.”

Jane was reluctant to leave but Blaise insisted that she go to bed, where she fell into a deep, deep sleep, wracked with dreams of sorrow.

Elixia bent over the man’s body. He didn’t move. There was a gaping wound in his side. The Queen of Uns Lapodis then felt her body go stiff and her eyes roll back in her head as she left her body, went from the world of the living, and caught the man’s soul before it was grasped by Ares at the gates of the underworld. Using the gift her mother had passed to her, she grasped his soul and brought it back into the body lying before her. The man opened his eyes and Elixia woke from her dream with a start.

It took her a moment to realise that the dream had not been real, and that the unknown stranger had actually been her brother. She shivered and pulled the bed covers up around her.

She’d had many dreams like this before, and she had been dealing with them since she was a young child. She climbed out of her bed and silently donned her riding clothes. It did not take her long to get down to the stables and sneak a horse out past the sleeping stable hand.

She raced through the hills for hours, not returning home until the sun began to rise.

“Where have you been?” Columba shrieked as Elixia shook the dust from her clothes.

“I went for a ride, my lady. I did not know it wasn’t permitted.”

“You are a queen now. You cannot go gallivanting around all night. You have responsibilities.”

“Do not say anything more,” Elixia said. “You are right. I am Queen.”

Before Columba could respond, Elixia turned on her heel and walked to her room. She was surprised to see Accolon waiting on her balcony. He rarely came to her room.

“Good morning, Elixia,” he spoke without turning to face her.

“Good morning, Accolon. Has there been any word of their return?” She asked this question every day, but each time she received the same answer.

“I am afraid not. There’s not long now,” he sighed.

She needed no telling of this. She had been counting the days until she would see
The Book of the Dead.
It frightened her. The power within its pages was unchecked for those who knew how to wield it. “What brings you here at this hour?” She had stopped using formalities with him for he corrected her every time she did.

Accolon still did not turn to her, but asked, “Would you prefer that I left?”

“Oh no, I was just curious. You don’t usually visit me in my room.”

“I came to inform you of the carnival.”

“A carnival?” Elixia asked. “Why are you having a carnival now, in the middle of war preparations?”

“We have one each year as a follow up to Beltane.”

“Surely you must cancel, there is no time!”

“The people need to feel everything is normal. They must not be panicked.”

“You are right,” she said finally.

“You cannot be expected to know everything about my kingdom. You are so young...”

In the silence that followed, Accolon finally turned his gaze to her, and said, “What is it that you fear most?”

Elixia blinked, taken aback. The answer was on her tongue straight away, but she hesitated. “For the walls to close in around me.”

He turned away again. “She is as good as dead,” he said.

It took Elixia a moment to realise that he was talking about Satine, but by then he had already left the room.

Elixia ate breakfast alone in the big dining hall. She was restless, and in no hurry to go back to her room, so took the long route through the castle corridors. When she came to the east wing of the palace something stopped her. She had not been here before. This was where Columba slept.

The door to Columba’s room was shut, but Elixia heard voices. Curiosity overpowered her, and she crept silently to the door to listen.

“...not enough time,” Columba said.

Elixia crept closer.

“No, there is not. They will never make it, the fools.” A male voice, deep and menacing. “...surely perish.”

“Don’t be a fool yourself. If they do not make it back, then Blaise will be absent and we will have to hire someone else.”

“That’s possible, surely?” the man asked.

“Nobody is as good as Blaise, and we cannot afford to not be successful or we shall be punished beyond measure.” Then Elixia heard footsteps, as one of them crossed the room and sank into a chair.

“The girl is not cooperating,” Columba sighed.

“How do you mean?”

“She has been very short with me. I’d say she knows I am trying to control her. She just doesn’t know why, and to what extent.”

“You can’t let her know.”

“I know that, you imbecile. She’s a lot smarter than I had expected. We must be careful.”

Elixia’s eyes widened as she listened.

“I want you to find Blaise’s replacement. We cannot take any chances.”

“Of course.”

“Before you leave, how is your task coming along?” Columba asked.

“Perfectly. I could not have asked for more of a fool to manipulate.”

Elixia heard footsteps approach the door. She ran down the corridor, all the way to her room, and slammed the door. Then she walked out to her balcony and looked down at the gardens below. There were so many unanswered questions. She had always known there was something evil inside Columba. Now she had to prove it.

Liam arrived home in Tirana three days after he left Amalia and the war council, which gave him less than a month to raise an army. Sasteem had come to the dock to greet him. The brothers did not embrace, but touched palms. They rode together through the windy dunes towards the tribe. The Kabduh were a nomadic people, never staying in one place for long. Rarely were there any visitors to Tirana as there was no town or city, only the roaming tribes, and now there were only twenty-seven in all.

There had once been over three hundred different tribes, but that was many years ago. Since then, the tribes had combined to make fewer, larger tribes.

Liam was greeted with quiet joy by his family. So too, was his news. The Kabduh were a race of warriors. They lived to fight. The women would stay to look after the few surviving children, but every male would gladly answer the call of the emperor.

They were ready before the deadline. They worked fast and efficiently to be ready for war, packing up their camp and readying their weapons. Without much of a farewell, the Kabduh readied themselves at the docks, waiting to set sail for Lapis Matyr.

Blaise was known for his stealth and secrecy, but this had rattled him. He had lived his life in Uns Lapodis, his identity a secret. But the meeting of his cousin, the prince, had thrust him straight back into reality. He could not escape his past, no matter how hard he tried.

Once, long ago, he had been respected. A man who had commanded power and knowledge; a man who people had listened to. He’d had a family once.

They had been killed. It was why he was here, far from his people in an act that most thought to be a statement of defiance. It wasn’t a statement. Instead, it was his absolute sorrow at what had happened, and his inability to stay.

As far as he knew, Fern had no idea of his true identity. The boy had been too young when they first met. Meeting him now had made him proud beyond belief. His cousin was a far better prince than he would ever be. Or ever was.

“Blaise!”

The name broke into his thoughts, and he looked over to see Jane staring at him.

“I said, can you please pass the scalpel? The priest needs it.” She was understandably irritated and tired. He hurried to pass the scalpel to the man and watched him get back to work on the body. He was worried about Jane. She sat there watching like a maniac, never sleeping, never eating. But then, she did love him, and he knew how that felt. Knew what it was like to lose people you loved. A wife, and a daughter, in fact.

Blaise tried to focus on something else—on Jane. As he watched, she wiped a tendril of sweaty hair from her face and bit her lip, all the time watching Fern’s face. There was a look in her eyes that was so determined and so strong that Blaise had to wonder how she could cope so well. Blaise made a decision then that he would be there for her if this didn’t work.

Even after everything had been forsaken, and he had resigned himself to a colourless life, a grey life, without any thoughts for new feelings, he could still be shocked and surprised by the beauty the world could hold. It was right here for him to see in the unfailing devotion of this woman.

Blaise walked out onto the beach and stared at the water. After a moment he drew his sword and began to fight invisible foes. Thrust forward, parry, focus on the footwork, twist away.

“Would you like a sparring partner?” a voice called from behind him.

Blaise wheeled around to see Faraia, the young Amazonian woman standing outside the temple.

Faraia came down onto the sand and they fought, lightly at first—Blaise didn’t want to hurt her. Then, when she asked him not to insult her, he fought harder. She was good, but he was the lost Elvish prince. She could not beat him if her life depended on it.

“Thank you,” he said at the conclusion of their fight.

She bowed to him, and they walked into the temple.

“You have seen him,” Blaise stated and she nodded. “Could you have healed him better at the fortress?” he asked her.

She nodded again.

Blaise grimaced. “Will he live?” He had to wait for a moment before he saw the slow shake of her head.

Jane had been sleeping for an hour when the vision came to her. A magnificently beautiful woman. And there was something familiar about her—she was like the mermaid. They had the same eyes.

“He fades, Jane,” the woman said, and Jane was struck by the urgency in her tone. “You are the only thing that holds him to life. Bring him back.”

“How?” Jane called out to her, but she had already gone.

Jane snapped awake. She leapt from the bed and ran barefoot to the room where Fern was sleeping. His skin was pale and clammy, and his breathing shallow. Blaise and Faraia were sitting in the corner of the room watching her curiously.

“How do I pull him back?” she hissed.

She felt his hand grow cold, and his pulse fade away. A last breath escaped his lips, and then he was still.

“No!” Jane cried, and her tears spilled onto his handsome face.

In a burst of panic, Jane leaned over him and gently kissed his lips. Then, with all her will, and with every breath of longing she possessed, she called to him.

“Fern!” she whispered. “Come back. Don’t leave me.” Her hand tightened around his. “Please!” When begging didn’t work, she ordered him.

“Fern!” she yelled. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him roughly. “You can’t leave me! I won’t let you!” Jane opened her heart and mind for him to feel, and she screamed at him within her mind as well as with her voice, willing him to hear her. It was a hopeless act, she knew, a call flung into the air between them, but she had to try.

He didn’t move.

Jane collapsed on his chest, sobbing violently. The woman had been wrong. She couldn’t save him. She was going to have to live without him. Her crying echoed through the room.

“Jane...”

Fern’s eyes were tired and filled with pain, but they were open.

Jane grabbed him in a tight embrace. He groaned in pain and she straightened up, realising that she had been lying on his wound. Her tears fell all over his face again, and this made him smile.

“Don’t cry. What’s the matter?” he asked.

“What’s wrong? You died! That’s what’s wrong!”

He lifted his arms slightly and weakly enveloped her. They lay together for a long time, her tears staining the blanket over him.

“Fern,” she whispered, trying desperately, once again, to savour the feeling of him. “Don’t do that again.”

The morning after her arrival, Satine woke from a restless sleep. Nightmares had her sweating and tossing all night. Exhausted, she sat up in bed and looked around her old room. Everything was exactly as she’d left it. The mirror above her dressing table showed a face that was pale and tired.

She quickly pulled on a tunic that was hanging in the cupboard and slipped on some sandals. She attempted to braid her hair, but only succeeded in tangling it into knots. She sighed and looked around for a comb, then sat down to the arduous task of unknotting her long hair. It took a good twenty minutes. She looked through a wooden chest and found golden jewellery—a delicate necklace, some armbands and a circlet to sit on her brow. It would at least hold the hair off her face. Finally, when she looked half decent, Satine left her room.

Her footsteps clacked through the silent halls as she walked slowly to the door of Liessen’s chamber. Taking a deep breath, she knocked. It took a long time, but finally it swung open. Satine found herself staring at an older version of herself. But this woman was hunched over with the constant weight of carrying around her sorrow.

Liessen didn’t smile then, not even to see her own daughter, but her expression softened a great deal, and she lent forward to embrace Satine. They went inside and closed the door behind them. Taking a chair opposite Liessen, Satine peered closely at her mother. Liessen slouched in her chair and her face was slack with exhaustion. Her brown eyes were dull and lifeless, her hair limp. Her body, once toned and muscled, sagged. Yet Liessen was still a very beautiful woman.

Staring at her mother, Satine felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. Liessen was just a scared old woman who didn’t know what to do.

“Are you all right, sweetheart? What has happened?”

“I’m fine, Mother, I just came to see how you are.”

Liessen shrugged.

Leaning forward and staring her mother in the eyes, Satine said fiercely, “I’m not going to let this go on any longer, Mother. Tell me about my child.”

Liessen blinked, then slumped down in her chair and shut her eyes. “Why?” she whispered.

“Because I want to find him,” Satine replied. “I am ashamed at how long it has taken me to ask.”

“It’s not safe here for him. You know that. Leostrial would have had him outcast as a baby if he’d known of his existence.”

“I will decide where my son will and won’t be safe,” Satine snapped. “If he is with me I will never let him come to harm. I should have realised this long ago.”

Her mother lifted a hand to her head then dropped it to her side. She said flatly, “He is in the village of Marat. When you get there, ask for Sulla.”

Satine nodded in thanks and stood to leave. She cast a last look at her mother, wishing she could have asked for help from the older woman, but also knowing that Liessen would be incapable of giving it.

Satine bid her mother goodbye, walked slowly back through the halls until she made her way to the dining hall where she sat down numbly. Now that the thought was in her mind, and the decision was made, she felt terribly frightened. What if the child hated her for leaving him? What if he thought she didn’t love him?

Her seat was on the left hand side of Leostrial’s. It was where she’d sat when her father had been alive. She stared at the wall and slowly ate the food a servant placed in front of her.

Suddenly, her skin prickled, and she turned, knowing straight away who had entered the hall. It took him only moments to cross the room, his cloak sweeping, and slam his fist down on the table.

“How could you possibly think me so stupid?” he raged. “After all this, you still think to deceive me?”

A shudder ran through her at the thought that he could somehow read her mind. “No, I wasn’t deceiving you, my lord. It was all for my own reasons. He would have been sent away even if you had not come.”

“Why did you not tell me?” Leostrial asked, his eyes flashing dangerously.

“I didn’t tell anyone. A bastard child would have embarrassed the kingdom. And I was—ashamed. I didn’t want you to be ashamed of me too.”

Leostrial stared at her for a long time. His knuckles were white where they rested on the table. “You belittle both of us with such fears,” he said icily. “I could never be ashamed of you. See me in my room this evening.”

Finally Jane looked up at Fern.

“How could you behave so carelessly?”

“Believe me, I was not—” Fern started, but was interrupted by Faraia.

“There should not be any blame to lay.”

“Well, good,” Fern laughed, then winced, remembering the wound at his side.

Blaise knelt in front of his prince, his head bowed. “It is truly heartening to have you back with us, highness.”

“Get up, you fool,” Fern grinned, ruffling his hair fondly and the Elf smiled as he stepped back.

Fern then looked back at Jane next to him on the bed and said, “Why didn’t you leave straight away?”

Her eyebrows arched. “You were an idiot for going in there!” she said indignantly.

“If you had left sooner, I could have ridden out sooner, and avoided this great wound which, by the way, is causing me considerable discomfort.”

She shook her head and he smiled, squeezing her hand.

“Where are the others?” Fern asked eagerly. Jane bit her lip.

“Fern ... the others left. They had to return with the book,” Jane said softly.

“Of course. They couldn’t risk the safety of the rest of the world just to save me,” Fern said seriously.

“You’re not upset?”

“Upset? If they hadn’t left, we’d all be dead. Now we just have to think of a way to get off this island.”

“There is a ship that brings Amazonians for their training,” said Faraia. “I think it passes through Uns Lapodis, but it only comes once a season, and the last came only seven days ago.”

Blaise nodded grimly. “So we have a few cycles of the moon to wait.”

“That’s too late!” Jane exclaimed, standing up. “It might all be over by then!”

No one said anything.

She sank back down onto the bed next to Fern.

It took her a moment to realise that both he and Blaise were staring at her.

“What?”

Neither of them answered.

“What is it?”

Fern shrugged. “It would be easier to accept our fate if you weren’t stuck here with us.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” she exclaimed. “I feel really welcome!”

“Jane,” he said. “If there is anyone with a bigger part in this war than you, I would like to meet them.”

She stared at him uncomfortably. “My friends are there. They’re Bright Ones too, you know.”

Suddenly a noise came from outside, like a foghorn. Jane, Blaise, and Faraia raced outside onto the beach. There was a ship sailing steadily towards them. Jane leapt into the air and whooped with delight “It’s our ship come back!” She raced back to Fern and burst into the room. “They’re back!”

He tried to climb out of bed.

“No, don’t!” Jane warned. “I’ll get Harry and Luca to come in and help get you onto the ship.” Jane glowed. “I have to go back outside,” she said breathlessly. “Sorry,” she called over her shoulder as she ran out.

Her footsteps died after a moment though and she came to an abrupt halt on the sand. Was it right that she was slightly disappointed? For a few moments there she’d had no responsibilities, no expectations. She’d ceased to be a Bright One.

“Don’t look so worried,” Blaise said gently from behind, startling her. “It will be all right, Jane.”

She nodded. Then she smiled and allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Fern was alive. Her friends had come back for her. She wouldn’t have to spend any more time on this revolting island. It was a good morning.

Harry rubbed his eyes. He stared out the small window of his room in the ship and realised that they were moving.

He raced back up onto the deck and looked around in dismay. The crew were all busying themselves to sail!

“What’s going on?” he yelled, but no one paid him any attention. Luca appeared on the deck next to him.

“Why are we moving?” he asked in his resoundingly deep voice.

“Don’t ask me!” Harry replied. “The other’s aren’t here yet!”

Luca approached the captain at the helm and Harry followed.

“Why are we moving?” Luca repeated the question and the grey-haired captain looked at him blankly.

“The queen has ordered that we sail for Amalia.”

“What? Why?” Harry said. “We haven’t got all of our passengers yet! We can’t just leave Jane there!”

“We can because we must,” Fey said from behind them and they whirled around to face her.

“Fey,” Luca said. “You’re being too hasty. We can wait another day.”

She shook her head slowly. “You have no idea, do you? I shouldn’t be surprised, really. It is always man’s failing to be weak. We must get the book back, or we risk the fate of the world. What if it takes a week to unlock the secrets inside? Or to work out how to open it, for that matter! Have you noticed that we cannot actually get it open?”

Harry opened his mouth, but nothing came out. This wasn’t right! It was awful, but he could think of no way to argue.

Thank God Luca was here. “Having Fern with us is worth losing a day, surely.”

“Don’t be foolish!” Fey exclaimed. “He is dead! You do not truly believe what the girl was rambling about? Her crazed, grieving mind is what caused such ridiculous hope to formulate, and it will be of no help in this war. It may be best if Jane stays here a little longer after all.”

They stared at Fey. Harry couldn’t believe his ears.

“She’s not crazy,” he said faintly.

“You’re leaving her here on purpose?” Luca asked.

Harry had never seen him look so angry.

Fey sighed and shook her head. “I am merely concerned for the outcome of the war. If there is anything I can do to better our chances, then I will happily do it.”

“What about the prophecy?”

Fey shook her head. “I’ve never believed in the prophecy. Foolish are those who don’t take their futures into their own hands.”

“But it’s just one day!” Harry yelled. “You agreed to give her that long!”

Suddenly, Harry felt a new kind of strength come to him. He straightened to his full height and clenched his fists at his side. His voice, when it came, was colder and more determined than Luca had ever heard it.

“Think twice before you abandon one of the Bright Ones, Fey, and turn around to face the leaders of the rest of the world—they all rely on her presence for this war. And don’t think for one second that you won’t be blamed, because I’ll tell them everything.”

“Me too,” Luca agreed firmly.

“And I,” Ria added from behind them.

Harry held Fey’s gaze until she slowly turned away.

“I will leave it to you to explain why we are late,” she snapped and nodded at the captain who began to turn the ship around. Harry grinned.

“Way to go, man,” Luca slapped Harry on the back. “I knew you had it in you.”

Jane and Blaise watched the ship moor. As it slowly drew nearer, Jane could make out people boarding the long boat and rowing to shore. As soon as Harry, Luca and Ria climbed out onto the beach, Jane was on top of them, hugging and kissing their faces. When Luca surfaced, he looked at Jane carefully and said, “Sorry, Jane. We didn’t mean to leave without you.”

“It’s okay—we found him! He’s alive!”

Their faces lit up.

“Where is he?” Ria asked, and Jane led them inside to Fern.

“We thought we’d lost you there for a moment,” Harry said and walked over to give Fern an awkward pat on the shoulder.

The prince looked up at him and smiled.

“You’ll have to try harder next time.”

Luca stepped forward and said, “We’re really sorry, man. We shouldn’t have left you like that. It was Harry that got us back here.”

Jane looked at Harry with raised eyebrows and he blushed red.

“I’m touched by your concern,” Fern replied, “But you shouldn’t have come back. We might not make it in time and Satine will be stuck with that vermin forever.”

“Well, as to that, the captain said that if we have the winds on our side, and if we all pitch in, then we will make it,” Ria said, who had not let go of Fern’s hand since entering the room. “But we have to leave now. Are you all right to travel?” she asked.

“Not really,” Jane replied for him, “but we’ll have to anyway. Help me move him onto the ship.”

“I can walk!”

“Forget it, Fern. We did not stay to rescue you so that you can tear your stitches and die anyway,” Jane said. Then she turned to the door to thank Faraia for the hospitality and headed to the ship.

Blaise carried Fern up the rope ladder, and they managed to put together a pulley system to lift the rowboat with Nuitdor in it up onto the deck.

Once aboard, all the others came to greet them and apologise for leaving. Jane saw Fey standing at the back of the group and went to her. “I’m sorry I hit you, Fey,” she said carefully. “And thank you for coming back.” Fey just gave a slight nod and then turned away.

They put Fern to rest in a room below deck and then prepared themselves for some heavy work. It would be a long trip back.

Blaise sat next to Jane in the gallows and rowed. He said nothing for a time, and Jane was content just to row in his company. After a while though, he cleared his throat.

“Jane, you’ve dealt with all of this very well. The prince wouldn’t be here without you, and no matter what else happens, or doesn’t happen, Paragor already owes you a great debt.”

Jane stopped for a moment, then turned to look at him. With a smile she kissed him on the cheek and they both went back to rowing in silence.