Descent (19 page)

Harry jogged his way up the winding steps. As he passed the dorm rooms on each level he could see men playing dice, or reading, or practising archery to pass the time. Man, what a life, he thought. Being away from your family for months at a time, with nothing to do but sit and wait to be attacked.

Finally he reached the top level and poked his head into the large room. Twelve sets of crudely made
binoculars were perched around the walls, and next to each station sat a large long bow and a quiver filled with arrows. In the centre of the room was a huge glass bulb, and within it was a mighty, dancing flame, warming the room and serving as one of their fiercest weapons. When the hatch above the bulb was opened, the huge lamp shone a burst of bright light into the sky, instantly killing any Valkyries within it. Anna had come up with the idea, her quick mind always looking for new ways to develop their defence.

The men were only just preparing to start a shift, and were sitting down to an afternoon meal.

‘Hello—what do we have here?’ an amused voice called and Harry looked over to see that the twelve men seated around a small table were staring at him in surprise.

‘Who are you?’ another burly man asked.

‘My name’s Harry.’

It took a moment for them to realise who he must be. ‘The Bright One?’

From the table of large, bearded men, rose a very small boy with pale blond hair and a smooth chin. Each man looked at the boy with deference and admiration, allowing him the honour of greeting a Stranger. The boy extended a hand, his blue eyes warm and friendly. With a flash of recognition, Harry remembered the young criminal who had fought in the arena against Accolon all those years ago. He had to work hard to keep the shock from his face—he’d known Terret was young, but he’d had no idea he would seem like a child! Harry thought back to how old the boy had been two years ago. Fourteen then, which made him sixteen now. He looked about twelve.

Terret shook Harry’s hand, his grip surprisingly firm for such a thin arm. ‘Greetings. We are honoured beyond
measure to have you here among us, my lord.’ His voice was high, and had yet to break.

Harry stared at the child. The greatest army general Uns Lapodis had, the people said of Terret. Treasured by the High King, who’d seen something in him over two years ago, and who’d promoted him quickly through the ranks.

He never went home, the rumours said, but lived out here in these watchtowers, relentlessly on guard. Tales of his deeds in this war reached every corner of the world.

‘The honour is mine,’ Harry said seriously, for some reason absurdly touched by the boy’s youth. It made him feel better about his own young age in a land of such powerful men and women. It made him realise, too, that they were not yet without hope. There were still people in this world who could surpass expectations, who could be brilliant and brave and who would never give up, and the knowledge made Harry’s heart swell with pride to consider himself a man of this world.

‘I just came to offer my help for a night or two, for what good that will do.’

Terret’s blue eyes flashed. ‘Every helping hand is a gift from the gods. Are you trained with a bow?’

Harry nodded.

‘Then take a seat. You’re one of us now.’

It seemed to Mia that their journey took much longer than half a day. It was hot and windy, and the same sand dunes seemed to be everywhere, but she liked it nonetheless. There was pleasure in such base elements.

Eventually they stopped, and Liam gestured to the huge space in front of them. ‘Go on then,’ the Emperor said. His patience seemed to be waning.

Mia looked away from him, wringing her hands. Embarrassment crawled over her skin, for now that she was here she didn’t have any idea what to do.

She recalled the conversation she’d had with Jane the day before. It was strange, the difference having their friend back made within everyone’s mind-voices. They were all brighter than they had been only a day before. They’d barely had a chance to talk, and yet Mia felt better just knowing Jane was here. Jane had an uncanny way, like Luca once had, of making everything seem all right. And just knowing that she could open her mind and feel like she was standing next to Jane and the others made Mia feel instantly better.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Another image came to her, this time of the man in the water, and it was this, surprisingly, which calmed her the most.

Mia opened her eyes and looked into the desert in front of her. The tiny insects that skidded across the dunes, the wind that swept through the sand, lifting it
in an erratic dance. She looked at this country as she had never looked at anything before.

As if from nowhere, like a bubble rising out of her subconscious, there were words on her lips. She sent the deepest cadences of her soul out to the space before her. And then she spoke.

‘When the bright queen embraces dark,

Her children will be lost.

To bring them back, it calls for blood,

And the screams of eternity will be heard no longer.’

The skin on Mia’s inner forearms split, and blood spilt onto the sand. Cries came from the people around her, but Mia ignored them, fighting to control her own overwhelming fear.

The sand began to stir, the ground to shake and rumble. A white tip broke the surface of the sand. It was fast then, rising completely, an enormous series of buildings surrounded by a huge wall, sand falling away from it in waves.

The ground shook, and those standing were forced to their knees. Only Mia remained standing, her legs wide, her arms raised and dripping blood.

At last the shaking stopped and all the sand settled once more. And there it sat. The image of her dreams, her nightmares, her desires. Mighty Samaraq, white and gold, glistening in the hot sun, waiting for her.

Mia had a sudden, terrifying sense of recognition. It was beautiful, and it felt like home.

The men were on their knees, staring in wonder.

Mia went forward to the golden gates, and they were pulled open for her by those inside. An explosion of noise hit her, thousands of cheering voices and trumpets—a mighty celebration was raging. Mia walked slowly inside to be greeted by cries of joy. There were people everywhere, singing and dancing for freedom.

She was standing on a wide road that ran all the way through the city to the mighty palace on the other side. There were houses and shops closely packed together on either side of the road, and she had no doubt that they would spread out for leagues.

Children ran around her legs, and adults of many different skin colours stood on either side of the road, cheering as she walked the distance to the palace.

Excitement and incredulity prompted her forward, making her heart beat faster with every wonderful step. She would have to greet the queen, she remembered, and suddenly she felt nervous.

Mia walked with her friends behind her, past the hundreds of smiling people, past the markets that ran alongside road. There were people playing music, and those in the higher rooms of the buildings showered her with flower petals, screaming their approval.

Looking around her, Mia was reminded of what she knew about ancient Rome. The buildings were stone, not high, but very wide. The roads were compacted dirt, and the people wore white robes, long or short, with gold belts to match their glorious city.

The palace was white and gold also. It had great pillars and pointed roofs, and waiting at the top of the steps was a man. A man that Mia knew.

It was her rescuer from beneath the water. He was short and stocky, his skin dark, his eyes equally so.

An image of a king, she thought. A beautiful king, standing in the doors of his mighty palace.

And then, this man bent into a deep bow, athletically graceful, at her feet.

‘We are beyond gratitude and beyond joy, your majesty,’ he murmured softly, his voice deep and rich like honey, ‘at the return of our saviour. The sun shines in your heart, Queen Nayana.’

The man looked up at her, and Mia felt her heart turn cold.

‘What ... what did you call me?’ she whispered.

‘I called you by your title, your majesty, as you have asked me to do countless times,’ he said with a hint of humour.

‘But ... my title? What title?’

He looked up sharply and into her eyes, and then his own seemed to widen. He stood. ‘What is your name?’ he asked carefully.

‘Mia,’ she replied desperately. ‘This is the first time I’ve been here. I only came because I thought ... I felt ... I dreamt of this city...’

There was a sudden, acute pain in the man’s eyes. ‘You do not remember?’ he asked roughly, and it was then that Mia realised they were speaking a different language. A language she did not know, and yet was pouring from her mouth.

‘Remember what?’ she asked faintly and he closed his eyes.

‘Come inside so that we may talk and I can have you attended to,’ he said and led them in to the palace. Mia looked down and saw that her arms were still oozing blood—probably the reason for her light-headedness. Was she hallucinating all of this?

Inside she was overcome by the contrasting silence. The ceilings were so high she could barely see them, and great pillars supported their weight.

There was a fountain in the middle of the huge entrance room, and it trickled calmingly, surrounded by luscious green plants, an oasis in the desert.

‘Why did you call me that?’ Mia asked once a small woman in white had come to bandage her arm.

‘Sit down,’ he offered and she gratefully sank onto a long couch.

‘Where are my friends?’ she asked, leaning forward.

‘Waiting outside—I’ll have them taken care of.’

Mia nodded uncertainly.

‘I called you Nayana,’ the man said gently, ‘because that is who you are.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, wishing she didn’t have to disappoint him. ‘You must be mistaken. My name is Mia.’

He didn’t say anything, but the way he was looking at her made her uncomfortable. It was as though he pitied her.

‘I’m a Stranger to Paragor,’ she explained. ‘I arrived here a little over a week ago.’

Still he was silent. He shook his head, as though something was hurting him a great deal.

‘You look younger,’ he murmured.

‘I’m not Nayana! How could I possibly be!’

‘I don’t know why you don’t remember,’ he sighed, ‘but a very long time ago your name was Nayana, and you were the Queen of Samaraq. You have been reborn in another body and another time so that you could resurrect us. Every person here recognised you for who you are. I can see it in your eyes. They are exactly the same as when I last saw you, and to me that was but a breath ago.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Mia said desperately. Suddenly she wished Jack were here.

‘How else do you explain the strange connection you have with this city?’ the man asked. ‘Why else do you feel the tug at your soul? Only the queen, in whose name we were banished, could resurrect the lost city. We have waited for you,’ he said, ever so quietly, and she felt awkward and uncomfortable under his gaze.

‘But there must be some mistake. Surely you have the wrong woman. I’m not a queen. I’m just a girl.
I’m not even from here.’ Mia’s voice was a whisper as she realised she was close to tears.

‘Nayana ... I don’t know what else to tell you, except—there is no question. You will remember soon enough, I’m sure. You are our queen.’

He spread his hands, helplessly.

‘Do you want proof? Come with me,’ he said finally and led her to the other side of the room. There on the wall was a vast, beautifully crafted mosaic. The colours were so vibrant, and Mia caught her breath at the realism of the picture. It was a scene set in some sort of temple, full of people and animals, but what truly caught her off guard was the sudden recognition of one particular figure. There, in the middle of the mosaic, was a red-haired woman who looked
exactly
like Mia.

She gasped, taking a step back. The woman had her features, her hair, and she was dressed like a queen, with a golden crown atop her head. She stared back at Mia with an expression of such confidence, such strength, that Mia had a sudden longing for it all to be true.

The connection had always been there. It had driven her here, was why she had been so certain that she was meant to find this place. The man had said that only the true queen could call Samaraq back, and there she was, staring back at her, like a mirror into the past.

Mia’s heart thumped painfully. ‘Why can’t I remember?’ she asked, frustration and fear threaded through her voice.

‘Then you believe me?’ the man replied quickly, and she turned her frightened eyes to meet his. ‘I’ll help you find your way,’ he offered softly and Mia was startled to hear the intimacy in his voice.

‘Who are you?’ she asked belatedly.

‘Will you walk with me so that I may explain?’ She hesitated, then nodded. He turned to Liam who was
waiting at the entrance with Lastaam, Claudia, and Gwen. The small group was staring at Mia, their mouths agape.

‘Greetings, Emperor,’ the man said in perfect English. ‘Be welcome to Samaraq. All your needs will be attended to while you stay with us for as long as it pleases you.’ The man made a small bow and called for a servant to show them to their rooms.

Then, gesturing for her to follow, he padded barefoot across the room and out a door. Mia followed quickly, peering around her as they went. They walked down a wide, dark hall, dimly lit by torches hanging on the walls. At the end they came to a huge stone balcony that looked out over the city on one side, and the desert on the other. The balcony ran around the entire expanse of the palace, and standing there, looking out over everything, Mia had trouble breathing. It was so foreign, and yet so familiar, and her emotions swirled savagely.

‘I was queen of all this?’ she asked shakily.

‘Yes. And you were ... everything to us. We could not have asked for a better leader.’ His voice was soft as he spoke, and still he did not look at her.

‘I’m not sure I could do it now,’ she said, afraid of his disapproval. ‘I don’t know anything about this place.’

‘I will help you. It will come back. We have faith in you.’ He turned to her then, and his dark eyes were blazing. ‘You made us who we are Nay ... Mia. You gave us joy, in a time when we were persecuted. We owe you so much.’

Mia put her head in her hands. ‘But I had you banished,’ she said.

‘No. Do not think that way. It was never your fault that we lived in a world of ignorance. It was worth it in the end, for you have brought us back. None of it matters anymore.’

‘Who are you?’ she asked again, looking up at him.

‘My name is Tye,’ he said with a smile, ‘I am head of the royal servants here in the palace.’

‘Servants?’ Mia asked, incredulous. She had assumed, without question, that he was the king.

‘Highest servant,’ he said seriously. ‘And my life has always been yours to command, majesty.’ Again there was the tone of intimacy, of desire.

Mia felt a sudden random surge of disappointment.

‘I thought stupidly that you and I were...’ she trailed off, wishing she hadn’t spoken at all. He stared at her closely, and under his scrutiny she felt awkward, blundering. ‘Sorry,’ she murmured. His expression was unreadable. Mia thought she would explode if she didn’t know what he was thinking, but then, without a word, he turned to look back across the city.

‘Will you speak to your people?’ he asked, gesturing to the masses below them.

‘I have to speak to them...? Tye, am I seriously just supposed to become queen here? It seems ridiculous. I don’t understand how they’ll all just ... let me. I have no idea how to be queen! ’

He smiled kindly. ‘You will know. They need to hear from you. Say whatever you like. None of us could ever influence you in the way you ran this city. You’ve a mind of your own, certainly, Mia. Use it.’

‘Yes. Of course,’ she replied, dazed. ‘I’ll have to go get changed, I guess.’

‘All of your belongings are in your rooms.’

‘I have belongings?’

‘Mia, you must understand, for us, it is as though you have not been gone. Everything is exactly as we left it. You have a life here, ready to be taken up.’

‘I don’t understand—where have you been? How do you banish an entire city?’

Tye frowned. ‘It was as if ... everything went dark. We were frozen, suspended outside time, aware of our entrapment but not able to do anything about it. We blinked, but that blink lasted for over a thousand years. It was magic, certainly, but I know not how it was commanded. The High King and Queen in Amalia threatened us—they wanted control over us, and when we refused, they must have...’ He shook his head, lost in thought.

Mia watched him for a moment ‘How can I take up a life I know nothing about?’ she asked.

‘I will help you,’ he told her again, more softly this time. She didn’t know what was in his voice, but it frightened her. Mia turned to walk back to the entrance hall.

‘It is quicker if you come this way, highness,’ he called to her. She turned and saw him standing in the middle of the pathway, hands stretched wide, the sun shining off his body, and sadness etched in his face. She was struck, suddenly, by the despair in him.

It made her heart clench. She may have had no knowledge of the past, but she could certainly see far enough into the future to know that if she allowed herself to believe all of this, to give in to it—and then she failed—she was going to cause this man, and the whole of Samaraq, an unforgivable amount of grief.