Between Darkness and Light Trilogy (13 page)

“She is my sister, and I will see that she
is given proper care!”

One of the medical staff steps forward,
“Count Novanus, I understand your concern for her, but I assure you
we will give her the best care possible.”

“How can you when you don’t even know what
is wrong with her?” He pauses, looking at the other escorts.
“Alright, listen. She is in a coma that was brought about by an
extremely powerful mental attack. She shielded two others from it,
thus compounding it’s effect upon her; she has been in a coma ever
since – I’d say three and a half to four days so far. Most of that
occurred while she was imprisoned way out on the fringes of Chaos.
I have done all I could for her in the short term, but she needs
rest, nourishment and exposure to artifacts of power. The closer
she is kept to the Spire, the faster she will recover.”

“I understand, thank you for your
assessment, Novanus. We will begin treatment immediately.” One of
them taps a device on his wrist and they all disappear – I suppose
it makes sense that they would have some way of reaching their
medical facilities quickly. I return my attention to the rest of
the group and notice another argument in progress. Alma sounds
upset.

“You don’t understand – she is extremely
dangerous! I will not allow her out of my sight until I am certain
she is safely detained.” She sounds as though set in stone… they
will not win this argument with her. I see now why William
encouraged me to steer clear of her earlier; she raises ‘angry’ to
a new level. She takes hold of the floating pallet with the heavily
chained occupant and gazes intently at the guards. They step closer
to her and all disappear in sparkling light.

The remaining escort looks at us
expectantly. “Would you now please accompany us to his Imperial
Majesty?”

Novanus still sounds annoyed. “Oh please…”
We are engulfed in sparkling light, and appear just inside the
throne room doors. The guards' startled expressions almost make me
laugh.

The Emperor greets Novanus first, “Ah,
Novanus, we launched our rescue operation just this morning, and
already you are returned to us safe and sound. It appears that you
hardly needed assistance.”

“On the contrary, Your Majesty, in truth I
nearly met my end this time, and I have many to thank for my life
and freedom. Celeste and Shi'ahn rescued themselves and my sister
from a crystal trap, and Gwenllian came for us after rescuing Alma
from her abductor.”

The Emperor looks surprised. “They escaped a
crystal trap? How?” Novanus turns toward Celeste, who in turn looks
to me.

“Well, there wasn’t that much to it… after
we puzzled it through. Celeste explained to me that we were more
than data but less than mass. That our existence as
three-dimensional beings was a figment of what existed of our
minds, and in a way it was that illusion that held us prisoner. I
found that difficult to accept, but while inspecting myself I
noticed that fast motion caused my hand to become… sort of two
dimensional, and then Celeste successfully passed her hand through
the floor of our prison. So… we just spun around quickly until our
entire bodies became two dimensional, then threw ourselves through
the floor. Unfortunately, we had to leave nearly all our physical
possessions behind to compensate for the energy loss we suspected
was occurring while we puzzled it out.”

“What did you lose?”

“Nearly everything. I even had to leave
behind my transport crystal.” I look down, expecting him to be
angry.

“What of Aurora’s crystal?” I smile and
reach into my belt pouch.

“That we saved.”

Celeste gasps in relief as I hold it up
triumphantly, and Novanus exclaims, “I think she will forgive you
all her other losses.” He plucks it from my hand. “No wonder you
were so careful to secure that pouch.” He turns to the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, I must give credit where it is due - Shi'ahn
sustained me with both the food she brought in that simple pouch,
and with her own vitality. I owe her my life… and I suspect my
sister does as well.”

“Well, Shi'ahn, how… unusual of you, to give
of yourself so that others might survive.”

Why is he looking at me so strangely? “I
merely did what seemed right at the time.”

“You appear to have very good instincts; you
have earned our Imperial thanks.” His look of approval, strangely,
does not reach his eyes, as though he is more annoyed than pleased
with my actions. His statement also rings of dismissal, and he
turns to Gwenllian.

“Tell me, Gwenllian, how did you know where
to find Alma and Novanus?”

“Alma was simple to find, she had triggered
a distress signal which we merely followed. It took a while to
catch up with her – she was blinking in and out of space at quite a
pace; they were following one of those ‘passages’ the shiftlings
are so fond of. As for Novanus…” She turns to William.

“Ah, well, while we were picking up Alma I
sensed Shi'ahn’s presence. I just know when she is near, she has… a
particular feel about her.”

“So you just barged into their prison and
freed them?”

“Not without difficulty and losses.
Fortunately the mistress of that strange place was absent up until
the very end.”

“And who was that?”

Novanus answers in a cold voice.
“Appropriate you should put it in that tense. Her Name was Cas
Maude de Mithridia. She will not be troubling us further.”

The Emperor looks displeased. “A pity you
didn’t take her captive, it would have been useful to be able to
interrogate her regarding Alma’s abduction.”

Novanus is untouched by the Emperor's tone;
his reply sounds even darker, “I was angry.” He pauses, and his
tone becomes circumspect. “I also did not know at that time that
there had been another abduction.”

The Emperor nods, apparently that’s all the
explanation he requires of Novanus, he turns to Alma. “I understand
that you have quite a story to tell as well.”

“
Do I ever! That bitch,
Lydia, she calls herself, kidnapped and shot me!”

“And how did she manage to kidnap you?”

“Damned if I know. There I was, asleep in my
bed here in the Citadel, the next thing I knew I woke up beside a
dirt road! At first there wasn’t anyone around, and I decided to go
exploring, trying to figure out where I was. The area was strange,
definitely not within the realms of order. I encountered a woman
riding a horse toward me on the road, and struck up a conversation
with her. I asked her where we were and her answer made no sense at
all, then she asked me where I was from. When I replied she threw
open her cloak to reveal a wrist mounted crossbow and forced me to
walk with her. Of course I tried to transport out, but my crystal
wouldn't respond. I tried other means of transporting, but nothing
worked. I believe she was alternatively blocking the dimensions,
though I couldn't tell how she was accomplishing it. Then she began
world shifting and I knew she was a woman of power, so I ordered
her to summon me a horse. Would you believe she refused me? The
nerve! Then she shot me, took my crystal and all the other devices
she found, trussed me up with rope and tossed me over her horse!
The indignity of it! Fortunately she wasn’t smart enough to locate
or disable my distress beacon, which is of my own design.”

“Did she give you any indication of where
she was taking you?”

“No, she only said that we would be
traveling for the better part of the day, and if I didn’t want to
get shot again, I should keep my mouth shut.”

“How far did you travel after she said
that?”

She pauses for a moment. “Not long at all,
really, a couple of hours, perhaps.”

“Did you see the Castle nearby?”

“Yes, it was on the other side of a deep
chasm. The road we followed did not cross the chasm.”

“So she made no effort to cross over to the
castle?”

“No, none at all. I don’t think she even
looked that way more than fleetingly.”

“Are you saying that you do not believe that
castle was your destination?”

“Yes, that is what I believe. She didn’t
seem the least bit interested in it.”

“Interesting.”

Novanus enters the discussion. “Are you
honestly telling us that you believe our abductions are unrelated?
What could the chances of that possibly be?” Alma looks at him
oddly, almost condescendingly.

“I have no idea whether or not they are
related, I only feel sure that the castle you were held in was not
the destination she had in mind, she expected to travel much
further. She didn’t seem the least bit interested in the place, as
though it was nothing but a landmark to her.”

“I can’t believe that – I won’t believe it.
I’m certain Mithridia was in collusion with the Lagash Dynasty, and
if we can prove that your abductor was as well, then their causes
were related.”

The Emperor looks intently at Novanus. “And
why are you so certain that Lagash is involved in this?”

“Because they murdered my son! That bitch
knew of his death, knew of the vendetta Lagash has declared. She
swore that there would be more deaths, that all of Lumina would pay
the price. Another abduction passing through the same world is too
much for coincidence. Also, there is absolutely no way that
Mithridia could have fashioned the barrier around their castle –
they had to have had very powerful help in order to block my
powers. Lagash is the only household with the strength to produce
such shielding, aside from the royal house, of course, but they
would have no reason, while Lagash…” Novanus’ anger is palpable,
I’ve never seen the like before.

The Emperor pauses in thought. “Your
argument is compelling, but we need proof before we can take such
an accusation to their Magni Dominar. Our captive must be
questioned. Unfortunately, her Household has already learned of her
capture. They will be sending a representative to negotiate her
release, so we have very little time to interrogate her. Lucian,
you are in charge of that. I want answers, truthful ones, but heed
this, she is to sustain no visible damage.” I silently sigh in
relief – at least we will not do to her anything like was done to
Novanus. The Emperor continues, “To do so would risk war with
Chaos, and… my personal, highly displeased attentions.” Is it my
imagination, or does Lucian actually turn slightly pale at the
thought?

“Of course, Father, I shall act within your
limitations.” He turns to the rest of us then, “If any wish to help
with the interrogation, you are welcome.”

No one accepts.

~~~

As soon as the meeting is adjourned, I
swiftly follow Novanus, catching his sleeve just outside the throne
room. “Novanus, May I speak with you, privately?” He nods
curtly.

“Follow me.” He leads me to a private
sitting room. Once the door is closed I begin excitedly asking
questions,

“Novanus, you referred to my ability as
‘Harmony’, would you tell me what you know of it?” His eyes turn
cold.

“I will not and cannot. You won’t find
anyone else around here that can either. It is rare, and possessing
it is dangerous. Associating with those of Harmony is dangerous as
well; trust me in this. Do not speak of it – to anyone!”

“But Novanus, if it is dangerous, please
tell me why, teach me how to protect myself, please!” I’d been so
certain he would help me…

“Listen, Shi'ahn. The food you brought,
water you provided and the energy I took from you saved my life,
and your novel way of approaching difficulties saved the lives of
my sister and niece as well, and for those things I owed you a
debt. But in putting you in good light with the Emperor while not
mentioning either your Harmony or how masterfully deceptive you
are, I have repaid that debt in full. I owe you nothing now.”

“Masterfully deceptive? What are you talking
about?”

“Oh please. The bitch was even truth-scrying
you, and you passed her test! Not many could do that.”

“I did not lie to her, within the bounds of
the identities you had assigned to us. You renamed each of us and
Celeste declared me a servant, and by the oath I swore to the
Emperor I was bound to follow the directives of my elders.”

“You also told her that Aurora’s crystal was
lost.”

“She asked me where my jewel was, and it was
indeed lost. She was deceived by her own expectations and poorly
worded questions, not by me.” He pauses a moment, I can only guess
he reviews the conversation in his mind.

“Truth or not, from your carefully selective
point of view, the deception still gives proof to masterful skill
which I assure you the Emperor would want to be informed of. I
protected you from that. I also refrained from bringing your
‘Harmony’ to light. Exhibiting strange unexplainable powers is not
the way to earn the throne’s trust. So you see, my debt is indeed
paid in full.” My look of incredulity must be plain to see, he
continues. “You should have paid closer attention to Celeste’s
words – we of Lumina pull together in times of need, but otherwise
we often turn upon each other. I needed to survive, and you
provided me the means; but now my debt is repaid and I have more
important matters to attend to.”

“But you protected me as well! Why would you
do that if I you hate me so?”

“It was in my best interests for our captor
to have an interest in you, to think of you as an innocent that she
might rescue from the hated Luminarians. It distracted her from my
growing strength. Now mark my words; knowing what I know of you, I
wish no further interaction between us.” With that he turns and
leaves.

His last words echo in my mind; for all I’m
worth I know he spoke the truth. I should have stayed with my
initial impression of the man – I want nothing to do with him.

~~~

I leave the room and realize I don’t know
where I am. No, that isn’t entirely true… it is time I start
thinking these things through. I delve back into my memory,
re-creating each of the paths I have been led through since I came
here. There are intersecting memories… I use them to trace my steps
to my rooms. Almost immediately upon reaching them I am engulfed in
sparkling light, and find myself in Cailli’s tower.