Chapter Twenty-Three
The powerful muscles of the horse rippled under his glistening black coat. Ears pricked forward, Varendis kept his neck slightly arched as he flew along the road, seemingly unaware of the weight on his back. His black tail streamed behind him like a triumphant banner, as did Leah’s cloak. From afar, rider and beast appeared to be some fantastical two-headed creature, for her dark attire seemed to blend with him.
She’d found him hard to handle at the beginning. Not only was he excited at being out on the road, he also kept fighting the unfamiliar, inexperienced hand that was attempting to control him. But, as the dawn sky blushed at the approach of the sun, both horse and rider were functioning as one. As gently as possible, so as not to upset or damage him, Leah had forged a mental link with the spirited horse. For Leah, Varendis now felt like a powerful extension of herself.
Brigands had attempted to ride her down, the sight of a lone rider too tempting a target to ignore. But a desultory wave of her hand had sent them flying off their horses. Her confidence soared along with her good humour. What a refreshing change not to have to face scared wariness at every turn. For a while at least I can pretend that I am free.
But with each passing hour, she became more and more aware of Shalyer. It was as if she could feel him, physically. By the third day, that feeling had grown to almost unbearable proportions. Slowing Varendis to a halt, she looked around at the fairly flat surroundings with no settlements nearby. “We will fight him here,” she said with a firm nod.
Swinging off Varendis, she absently patted his neck before removing her pack from his back to ready herself. The chink-clink of steel echoed in the quiet countryside as she attached the roundels that would protect her elbows and knees. But these sounds were soon tempered with her impatient mutterings each time the fastenings of the thigh plates kept getting tangled. Finally, suitably armoured, she shrugged on the white tabard that hung down to her shins.
“I will do my best to shield you, Varendis. I mean for you, at least, to survive this.”
* * * *
The sight of the rolling dust-cloud awoke a primal fear in Leah. Striving to calm her wildly beating heart, she whispered, “Ignore it. Concentrate. Concentrate on the fight...” It came to her then that Shalyer and his creatures might simply engulf her, and continue on their way. She would have to do something to stop him.
Extending her arm, encased in its gauntlet, Leah reached out to the energy-streams between her and the approaching dust cloud. Coiling them around her fist, she exploded them towards Shalyer. Flame burst in and around the cloud.
The cloud was no more. The wraiths solidified, shying away from the conflagration that engulfed their kin. Those who were untouched flocked protectively around the white-robed man.
Anonymous under her helmet, Leah watched, holding her body still. But the sight of the creatures brought with it the memory of how they’d decimated the Kurabarans, and icy fingers lifted the hair on her nape.
* * * *
“He knows magic,” said Shalyer. “How can this be? You told me that no mortal would have magic.”
[No mortal should have magic, master.]
“Then how do you explain this?”
[Maybe this also is immortal. A demon lord’s kin.]
[Or a demon lord.]
To add to his confusion, Shalyer became aware of an unfamiliar feeling. He’d never felt like this before; he wanted to fall to his knees and weep, to run and hide. “Go. Fight him. Destroy him.”
Struggling to draw a proper breath, a vision of his dead mother crossed his mind’s eye, renewing his strength and will. He forced himself to concentrate on the energy-streams between him and the upstart warrior. And the truth was made clear to him. “That is no demon lord. It is mortal... a mere mortal woman.”
* * * *
Varendis shifted his stance, tossed his head and snorted. As the wraiths flew towards her, Leah drew her sword. With the weapon in her hand, exhilaration rushed through her as she felt the pull of the energy-streams around her. “Like you, I too can wield magic,” she said to no one in particular. “But I am also a warrior, my father’s warrior, my king’s warrior. And I will not be easily bested.”
As the wraiths drew near, Leah slashed the one nearest her, her attention already on the next one, and the one after that... Varendis’ broadside slammed into the creatures.
Leah’s attack didn’t give the creatures much opportunity to attack her with magic, and she was barely aware of the pain her enemy did manage to inflict on her.
But their numbers were many, and soon... too soon, she could feel her strength waning... her pain increasing, her shields weakening.
Surrounded, Varendis slowed down. He whinnied in alarm as talons raked his rump. He continued to dance as if on hot coals, shaking his head defiantly, stamping his forelegs in challenge.
As sweat poured into her eyes, Leah tore off her helmet. Feeding magic into it, she flung it at a wraith. The helmet exploded, and the creature disappeared in the blast.
Looking up, she saw Shalyer being swept up in a dust-cloud, which began to carry him away from her. Channelling magic into her sword, not caring if she overloaded it, she bellowed in rage, thrusting her energised sword into a wraith. It gurgled and disappeared. Her blade humming with energy, she urged Varendis forward.
The rolling cloud was no match for Varendis’ speed. Leah galloped past it, her sword held out to cut through the cloud. Wheeling Varendis around, she slowed him to a stop. And finally got a proper look at the cause of her grief.
Sprawled on the ground, surrounded by the disappearing forms of barely moving wraiths, was a beautiful young man, his long black hair almost covering him. Panting heavily, Leah stared, surprised to see that he was not much older than her. Still sitting astride Varendis, her sword glowing and thrumming with power, she said, “I am going to kill you.”
Her words seemed to galvanise him. Leaping to his feet, Shalyer thrust his hand forward.
Leah flew off the saddle, landing heavily on her back. With a startled neigh, Varendis skittered out of the way.
“You? Kill me?” said Shalyer, an ugly twist to his mouth. “Who are you? I sense you to be merely mortal.”
Grimacing as she got to her feet, Leah said, “I’m the one who has been sent to kill you.”
“Who sent you?”
“Can’t you guess?”
Leaning away slightly, with arms crossed over his thrust-out chest, he shook his head.
“Belosh.”
Staggering back, Shalyer cried out as his gaze darted about before settling again on Leah. “How... I do not... Did you do penance as I did to gain his favour?”
She shook her head.
“But you are mortal. Why would he bestow magic on a mortal?”
“To do his foul work for him.”
Blinking rapidly, he again glanced around as if looking for answers.
Taking advantage of his bewilderment, Leah dashed forward, her sword ready to deal a fatal blow. In that moment, what felt like an invisible fist slammed through her shield and caught her across the face; she lurched to the side.
“Do not think me such easy prey, mortal,” said Shalyer, looming over her, his hand clenched in a fist. “He may have sent you, but it was also he who gave me my powers. And it was he who stole my mother and father from me. I will have my revenge.” He gestured again; unseen forces ripped Leah’s shields to shreds, forcing her backwards.
“And I must stop you. I don’t have a choice. I have to destroy you.” Leah frowned as Shalyer eased the intensity of his attack, his lips curled in a sneer.
“Pathetic creature. I can see your struggle so clearly. You want to embrace it, the magic that sets you apart from mediocrity. And yet you shy from it.” He chuckled at Leah’s tight-lipped silence. “What hold does he have on you? Come now.” Spreading his hands before him, he tilted his head, a smile softening his features. “What is the sense in secrets between us? I have told you my reason for revenge.”
Trying to quell the fluttering in her stomach, Leah narrowed her eyes, her body tense and ready for Shalyer to resume his attack.
“Will your life be forfeit? Your soul?”
She didn’t want to answer him yet she said, “He doesn’t want me. It is my family who will be hurt...”
He regarded her silently for long minutes, his colourless, orb-like eyes revealing nothing. Lifting his brow, he said, “Join me.”
“What?”
“Join me, and together we will bring about his downfall. Fear not for your family. I will see they remain safe.”
Leah snorted. “You? Protect my family?”
He flinched then nodded.
“You want to hurt my family. I know. I’ve been told. Your goal is Orenheart and my father.”
Shalyer’s eyes widened. “Your father... is the king?”
“I won’t let you anywhere near my family. Enough talk... it’s time to finish this.”
Turning away, he burst out laughing. “All this time... all this time, I believed him to have only one child. The irony... how delicious to find my adversary is the daughter of the mortal I loathe.”
Not wanting to know, yet Leah had to ask, “What has my father done to deserve your hate?”
Facing her again, Shalyer flicked his hair over his shoulder, his expression hardening. “What has he done? You believe him to be without fault? Listen, foolish girl, and I will reveal to you the truth about your father.”
She couldn’t block out his words; eyes wide, mouth opening and closing, Leah found herself listening as he talked of the king’s betrayal, her father’s betrayal with a maidservant whose only sin had been to love him. How the king, her father, had returned that love only to turn on the woman and drive her away into madness. Her sword slipped from her grasp as her breath caught in her chest, whipped away by the sudden coldness that gripped her…