Broken Forest: Book One of the Daath Chronicles (13 page)

“Any woman in your position would not hesitate at such an offer.”

“Am I free to go?”

“Go?”

She pulled her hand away. “You said you knew nothing about the kidnappings. My family will be looking for me. I cannot stay here.”

“I understand. I have a proposition for you.”

She stared at me with cautious eyes.

“The ball is in a few weeks’ time. You can write a letter to your family, explaining the misunderstanding and I’ll have it sent immediately. We can invite them here.”

“Mother wouldn’t believe me if I told her where I was,” Jeslyn said, looking around. “She’s always talked about Daath.”

“Then you must stay and bring her here. It’s the least I can do for the horrible way you were treated. If, by the ball, you still do not accept my proposal, I will not force you to stay.”

“It’s very kind of you, but…”

“Will you not give me a chance?”

Her fingers tapped against her thighs. I held my composure, playing the dashing lord.

“You are most gracious, but this is not my home.”

“I understand, and again, I apologize for the kidnapping. If you can wait until after the ball, I will personally escort you home, if that is what you truly desire.”

She glanced at the fountain, then at the roses sprouting from the nearby bushes. “How soon can we send word to my family?”

“You can script a letter to them tonight and at dawn I will send my fastest courier. He would arrive faster than we could travel.”

She breathed in, then faced me. “Very well. I will stay for the ball, but I cannot promise you anything more.”

I smiled, knowing she would give me so much more.

The twelve members of The Council sat around a black table debating our next move. The Eldest of the order, Eldesar, spoke.

“It is time,” he said, “for you to retreat from Daath and return to Mirth.”

“Retreat?” I said. “I have invested over a century in that place!”

Eldesar raised his hand. “This is not a discussion. We have made our decision. Your carelessness has brought too many wondering eyes. We will not risk all we have accomplished to appease your hobbies.”

I folded my hands, trying to contain the fury boiling within me. Teeth clenched, I said, “I was following this Council’s orders to find a bride.”

“You could have taken a female from Daath,” said the elder across from me. “That’s what you should have done!”

“Enough,” Eldesar said. “You will present this bride to the nobles at the ball. This marriage is for appearance. The nobles would find it odd that a young lord of your age would be unwed. There will be much talk amongst the lands once Daath is revealed. We must tread carefully. You’re absence in Daath will be reported as special business. It has been too long since you visited our people. This visit will remind you of your duties.”

No one understood the plan better than I. “Eldesar, my awakening is fast approaching. I will leave after my ritual is complete. Preparations have already begun.”

Eldesar regarded me from under his hooded cloak. He was an ancient, wise beyond years and older than any of the other members. It was no secret he disliked me, but that hatred traced beyond me, back to when my father was a prince on this Council.

“We have found the humans who attacked your men. They will be disposed of shortly. Complete your ritual and then return home,” Eldesar said, arousing unified agreements.

“We will meet again in seven days.” Eldesar lifted his dreary hand and flicked a dismissal at the group. “Leave.”

I rose and he pointed at me. “Not you.”

Holding back my annoyance, I sat down.

“Do you know how we stay in power?” he asked.

“Because we are the superior race,” I stated.

“Wrong. Patience.”

“Patience?” I said in surprise.

“Yes, our vision takes time.”

“Why not now? With our technology and magic we could easily wipe the humans out.”

“A war with the humans would cause great destruction on this planet. No, our current plan is the only way. Once our people are in the right places of power we can begin the transition. The humans will have no choice but to serve or die. This planet is the key to our survival.”

He paused and pulled back his hood. Power emanated from his black eyes and dark green scales covered his skin. He spoke in the ancient tongue. “Your fascination with their females is becoming troublesome. I expect you to end your obsession. Be careful of your next actions, very careful, or your reign in Daath will be over.” He eased back in chair. “Leave.”

Without hesitation, I stood and walked out the side door. The Council building had been relocated after the discovery of the gate. The gate, though unstable at times, needed to be monitored constantly, and not just by our guard. The Council preferred to have their toys closer.

Outside, they sky bled, looking vicious and deathly, streaks of grey and indigo amongst the clouds. A hovercraft sat nearby, waiting. One of the royal guard stood watch. I did not need a babysitter. I was more than capable of handling any threat, but Father took precautions. Times were dangerous and our people frightened.

From here, I could see the triangular structure. “Take me to the gate,” I said as the guard opened the door.

“Yes, my prince.”

The hovercraft sped across the dry and barren ground. The Council was right, we had little time left.

Crain Village sat on the eastern trade route, west of Nod Mountains, in Lord Thebas’ region. The Village had an unusual taste for hangings, an eerie habit that came about recently. Even the smallest of crimes could end with a noose around the neck.

We walked down the main road, and I spotted a black snake painted on a stone building with strange scratchy writing beside it. The image gave me a chill and I didn’t know why.

Three women dressed in purple and crimson robes approached me. Their eyes had a glazed appearance and each one wore a gold snake medallion. An emblem identical to the drawing on the building. I stepped out of their way—none of them noticed they’d almost walked into me. They chanted in a weird language and continued down the road.

Tarrtainya had one main religion with a few minor ones. Most people believed in The Creator or the woodland goddess, Everling. Cults never lasted or spread—The Order saw to that. I’d never been a fanatical follower of anything, but I knew those strange women were fanatical. New cults brought The Order and The Order brought trouble. I hoped they both would stay far from Lakewood.

Derrick suggested we go to the temple. We could leave the rescued girls there and then receive a blessing before we departed. I groaned, but agreed.

The large temple sat at the edge of the village. The suns seemed to shine brighter here. Four-foot-high sunflowers flanked the path heading to the temple doors. I knew each one had a library, one of the few places you could find a book. Maybe in that pile of information I could learn something useful about Daath.

One of the priests showed me to a row of books in a stuffy room beneath the temple. I scanned the dusty tomes for anything mentioning Daath. I was drawn to a worn-out brown cover. I pulled the book off the shelf and dust flew into my nose. I sneezed.

“Doesn’t anyone clean down here?” I said.

Using my sleeve, I wiped the cover. It read,
Places of Old
. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I’d heard it before. I carried the heavy book to a table and skimmed through its pages. The old paper crinkled as I turned page after page, and then there it was—a picture of a waterfall with a snake coiled underneath it, eating its own tail.

My heart stopped.

That’s the same image I saw outside. How can
that
be?

Daath was written on the bottom of the page, and on the adjacent page, the beginning of the fabled legend. I skimmed over the lengthy tale. It sounded more like a bedtime story my mother would tell. Instead of throwing the book aside, I inspected the ornate drawing accompanying the passage. Underneath the snake were runes and a sentence that read
the hidden visitor
. I continued flipping through the book and stopped when I saw writings on The Puring.

Father had told me a little of the Dark Wars and how they resulted in The Puring. Magic fascinated me. Over three hundred years ago, magic entered our world. No one understood it, and everyone was terrified. The Order had begun hunting mages, afraid they would take control of Tarrtainya. They had discovered blood crystals, a red stone that could disrupt magic, and they used the stones to subdue the mages.

The hunted fought back.

Then The Order created the Blood Knights whose sole purpose was to capture or kill mages. The war destroyed the lands on the western shores and it lasted three bloody years. Ever since then, magic had been controlled by The Order. If you had the ability to wield magic, and you were smart, you’d hide. Magic was a curse.

The book didn’t have any maps. The old tales about Daath suggested it disappeared into the East Sea after a terrible quake. Many men had died trying to climb Nod Mountains in search of the treasured land, said to have mystical plants and wonders unimaginable. Anyone that had ventured into the East Sea never returned.

I flipped back to the text and carefully re-read the tale. I gagged when I reached a part about a man and a woman and a line about starless nights. I slammed the book shut and banged my head against it. I didn’t have time for stupid love stories.

“Have you found what you’re looking for?” said a voice.

The priest who escorted me in stood above me. His wooden emblem hung around his neck.

“No. All that’s in here are useless stories. I need answers!” My voice echoed around the cramped room.

“Perhaps those answers can be found elsewhere,” he said, clearly asking me to leave.

“Perhaps.”