Gatewright (27 page)

I
gripped his face and almost winced.  Any human would have died, with an
internal temperature this high.  “Look at me.  Open your eyes and
look at me.”  I was surprised how calm I sounded.

He
did, but his eyes were unfocused with a mad sheen.  I suppressed a
shudder.  If he’d let loose, everyone in that room would be dead. 
Why they weren’t already
was
beyond me.

A
car door slammed.  “Jan, move away from him,” Jack warned.  I hadn’t
even registered him pulling up.  “He’s not in control.  He doesn’t
even have his focus stones.  Jan, get
back.
”

Of
course.  I pulled my amber necklace off and placed it in his hand. 
“There.  You have a stone now.  Focus on it.”  His hand flared
white as he gripped it, hard, but his expression did not change.

“Jan,
for fuck’s sake, he is
not safe!
”

No
way in hell was I leaving Riven.  He was not a ticking time bomb, he was
mine.
 I just needed to remind him of that fact.  I stroked his cheek,
the angles of his face too soft for a fey and too hard for a human.  His
indigo eyes slowly focused on me and I couldn’t help but smile with
relief.  Rage subsided, replaced by doubt and fear.  I struggled to
keep his emotions out of my own.  If I lost it, he might go over the edge.

His
gaze never left my face.  Despite the circumstances, I was still glad he
was here with me, and not off in Azry.  A faint smile touched his lips,
and my heart soared.  The bond echoed.

Jack
cleared his throat and I realized with embarrassment what we’d been sharing
through the bond.  Affection.  Its strength scared me.  If
affection like that wasn’t addressed promptly, it could grow into all sorts of
uncomfortable things that smelled like commitment.  I wasn’t touching the
L-word with a
ten foot
pole.

“Thank
you for saving my life.”  Riven’s voice was rough, as if he’d been
shouting.  With a groan, he pulled himself into a sitting position, close
enough to whisper to me, “Hiding emotions from me is rather pointless, you do
realize that?”

If
– and that was a big IF – I ever fell in love with him, I was going to let him
know on my own terms.  Best to change the subject.  “Just because
you’re not wearing a couple of rocks doesn’t mean you’re out of control,” I
pointed out.

“It
makes it a hell of a lot harder, though,” he shot back.  He was exhausted,
even though he was trying to hide it. 

Jack
interrupted.  “Crafting a binding on Earth to hide you both is
extremely
difficult.  Let’s go.”

I
helped Riven climb slowly to his feet.  He was still warm – so warm – but
no longer felt like he was going to catch on fire.  He leaned on me
heavily.

Jack
raised his eyebrow at me as we approached the car.  “I guess I’ll just be
your chauffer from now on,” he drawled.

“Welcome
to my world.”

I
helped Riven into the back seat, where he vainly attempted to stay in a roughly
upright position.  I got in the other side, and Riven pulled himself far
enough across the seat to use my thigh as a pillow.

As
we left Roanoke, I absently ran my hands through the few long locks of Riven’s
red hair that remained.  The rest had been brutally cut down to somewhere
between one and three inches.  He needed a haircut like nobody’s
business.  I surreptitious texted Rose to make sure she had a trimmer and
scissors at home.

Jack
was still tense.  “What happened?”

Couldn’t
he give him some time to recover?  I frowned at the back of Jack’s
head.  I certainly hadn’t wanted to talk about my experience in Azry the
moment I jumped home.  Riven must have sensed my irritation, and sent a
tendril of his magic through me.

“Careful,
you’re going to use it all up before we even get home,” I bitched.  As
nice as it was, I refused to let him placate me with a magical pat on the head.

In
response, he sent more, forcing me to close my eyes against the
sensation.  “I’ll just have you open up a gate to get more then.” He was
enjoying my reaction too much for my taste.

I
was going to strangle him.  But not right this second.

“You
know I can hear you,” Jack grumbled.

Riven
sobered and took a breath before speaking.  “They threatened my
mother.”  His hand still held the amber stone in an iron grip, and I
caught it glowing briefly from the corner of my eye.

“Who
did?” Jack pressed.

“Kusay
Jetay and Becot Mikiril.  Jetay claimed Peregare for himself, supposedly
with his mother’s consent.  Mikiril is clearly annexing Peregare and all
its lands to Becot.  I haven’t decided whether Jetay doesn’t realize it or
he doesn’t care.  I was in their way so they outcast me without trial in
my own home.  They’re holding my mother as a “guest”.  Pretty name
for a hostage.”

“Is
she in danger?” Jack asked calmly.

Riven
shook his head.  “There’s no place else safer for her in Anowir, and I’m
not making her an Exile.  They’ll keep her.  Not only would harming
her piss Queen Essint off, but it would forfeit their own advantage over me.”

Jack
suddenly swore.  “Calin’s supposed to send you information if he discovers
anything about the outcasts that attacked you on the road.”

“Calin?”

“Becot
Calin. 
Elohi ras
of the Temple in Delque, and my little brother.”

“You
found them.”  Riven smiled.  “You found your wife?”

“Who
was hiding, no thanks to you.”

“Jack,”
I warned.  This was not the time.

“We’re
taking the next exit and heading for Charleston,” Jack informed us.  “I
don’t need to explain myself, do I?”

“No. 
You don’t.  You have to protect those you love.”  Riven carefully
avoided looking at me.

“Good,”
Jack huffed, and moved Sadie into the right lane.

“Jan.” 
A voice said.

“Mmm?” 
Darkness.  Sleep tempted me back.

“Jan,
we’re here.”  The same voice, irritated now.

“Mmmrrhhh!” 
I frowned and hoped they’d get the message and go away.

“
Lianyos,
we need you.”  A different voice.

My
eyes flew open immediately, and Riven’s indigo ones crinkled with amusement.
  His ragged hair reminded me of what he’d just endured, dampening my
joy at seeing him.

“Okay,
I’m up,” I grumbled.  Riven pushed himself into the seated position,
allowing me to shift, stuff my feet back into the shoes I’d kicked off at some
point during the drive, and slowly get out of the car.  Spots of soreness
exploded in my back and neck.  “What time is it, anyway?”

“A
little after 1am,” Jack informed me, draining a sugary energy drink and
crushing the can.

I
blinked slowly, as if that would wake me up.  “We’re not at the old folks’
home,” I observed.

“No,
the temple is actually fairly easy to find.”  Jack peered up at thin
sliver of the moon.  “At least there isn’t likely to be anything special
going on.  I’d be surprised if they were teaching any of the star’s
movements tonight.”

Feeling
more and more awake, I peered around the darkness at our surroundings.  We
stood at the far edge of a large parking lot that fanned out from a single
building that hid in the darkness cast by great, tall trees with stark, broad
limbs.  An owl hooted nearby over the sound of distant traffic.  I
shivered.  This place reminded me of some Southern Gothic murder mystery.

“Do
you want me to make a gate right here?” I asked Jack as Riven pulled himself
out of the car.

Jack
shrugged.  “Best idea as any.  Honestly, I find the construction of
the parking lot here to be interesting.  The Temple is constructed around
the circles of the labyrinth, yet here is a reflection of that, with no nearby
gate as an excuse.  Do you think that perhaps the Great Mage works here at
well?  That humans can sense her presence or she guides their hand?” he
chattered away.

“No
more caffeine for you,” I declared.  “And remind me about all this when
I’m fully conscious.”

Riven
smiled, and Jack sighed tolerantly as I rubbed my hands together, anticipating
the buzz.

 
I opened a small gate and stuck my head through.  Jack’s instincts had
been spot on.  Not only were we right at the temple, we had one of the
obsidian pillars blocking the view of the rest of the space.  I pulled my
head back and nodded to them, enlarging the gate so we could come through
comfortably.

Jack
paused, holding up a hand at Riven.  “You don’t need to come.”

“Is
Jan going?” Riven asked, ever so politely.

“Yes.”

“Great. 
I’m coming.”  Riven kept moving.

Jack
exhaled.  “Great Mage save me from a stubborn Kusay.”

That
stopped Riven in his tracks.  “No.”

“What?”

“Whether
or not they were just to do so, the Kusay have made me outcast. Or Exile,
depending on how you look at it.”  My heart sank listening to him, his
pain visible in the corners of his eyes and the hard set of his mouth.

Jack
shook his head.  “It didn’t come from the Queen.”

He
gave a ragged laugh.  “You think that she’ll contradict her favorite
son?  You think he won’t find a reason?  Call me an Exile now or call
me an Exile later.  It makes no difference.  I have no braid, no
claim, no holdings, and my kin do not hold me as family.”

“Okay
then,
Riven,
we’ll deal with this later.  In the meantime, let’s
make sure my brother hasn’t painted a target on his back.”

I
followed them both, deep in thought.  Jack’s original words,
Kusay
Vaal, not Riven
, rang in my ears.  He may not have been wrong then,
but he certainly was wrong now.

Yet,
that didn’t mean I actually knew Riven that well.  I could understand him
better than I’d ever understood anyone before, and was frankly unsettled by how
much I cared about him after so short a time.  Granted, we’d shared some
unique experiences, but that didn’t make up for a lifetime of difference. 
He was still
fey
.  I was still human.  Sort of.

I
closed the gate behind me with an effort.  I’d lost count how many gates
I’d opened and closed to get Riven out of Peregare, and apparently, my
seven-hour nap hadn’t recharged me yet.

“I
don’t think I’ll ever get over what it’s like to come back,” Jack murmured,
stretching, and set off across the labyrinth toward the distant, small home
where Calin and his family stayed.  Riven and I hustled behind him, making
as little noise as we could.

Jack
took three steps before he stopped, peering into the center of the
labyrinth.  I followed his gaze to where a figure sat cross-legged with
their back to us, motionless.  He hissed slightly, and resumed making his
way to the home, gesturing for us to follow.

Instead
of knocking on the door, he closed his eyes.  I heard shuffling and a
muffled cry.  The door flew open to reveal Kestral.

“Thank
the Great Mage you’re back.”

“How
long has Calin been in the trance?” Jack embraced her briefly, distracted.

She
beckoned us inside.  “Fourteen hours.”  Her eyes darted to
Riven.  “Great Mage save us all, what happened to you?”  She bowed
her head.  “My apologies.  My name is Kestral.  What may I call
you?”

“Has
anyone tried to release him?”  Jack ignored the question before Riven
could find an answer.

Kestral
shook her head.

“I’ve
got to try,” Jack murmured, more to himself than to us, pacing.

“Jack,
will you please tell me what’s going on?” I asked, irritated.  “Is Calin
the one out there in the labyrinth?”

Jack
nodded.  “He’s seeking the wisdom of the Great Mage.  Normally a
trance lasts between one and three hours at most.”

“Why
hasn’t anyone tried to pull him out?”

Riven
reached over to squeeze my hand and speak quietly in my ear.  “Whoever
tries to pull him out might be sucked in too.  Especially the deeper and
longer trances.”

My
eyes snapped to Jack and my breath caught.  His face was set in grim
resolve.  Kestral hugged her arms to her chest, teeth gritted and her eyes
downcast.

“No.” 
I’d pulled Jack into this mess.  I wasn’t going to let him risk
himself.  “There has to be another way.  How do trances work?”

Jack
shook his head.  “Jan, you can’t even see magic.”

“How.
Does. It. Work.” I ground my teeth.

Jack
met my eyes and exhaled.  “The temple is built on an intersection of two
ley lines.  The labyrinth helps hold the energy from both.  If you
could feel magic, you’d feel it here.  Calin’s
lianti
is connected
to his body – like you are connected to Riven –when he dives into the flow of
magic.”

My
mind raced.  “So how would you pull him out?”

Jack
pressed his lips together. “Jan, you’re not a mage.”

“Dammit,
answer my fucking question!” I barked.  Riven tried to send me a thread of
warmth but I cut him off with a glare.

“How
will
I pull him out?” Jack’s eyes flashed.  “I will seek his mind
as
nagali. 
When I find him, I will speak to him.  If he
doesn’t respond, I will be forced to let my own
lianti
follow him. 
To put it into simple human terms: He is drowning, and I will have to dive as
deep to find him.  If I run out of breath, or my own rope snaps, we will
both die.”

The
seconds ticked by.  I needed a solution.  “Is there a way to give you
more breath or another rope?  What do you mean by breath?”

Jack
growled.  “Explanations of magical theory aren’t
-“

“Jack,
answer her questions.” Riven murmured, an edge to his voice.

{Cheryl
could provide another ‘rope’ for me, but she is not here and we don’t have
time.}  Out loud, he said, “No one can give me another rope.  That’s
not possible.  The amount of magic that the labyrinth holds is
overwhelming to those untrained, and the deeper you go, the more focus it
requires to hold on to your ‘rope’.  Jan…” his voice softened.  “I
appreciate what you are trying to do, but it’s not something you are capable
of.”

That
was the wrong thing to say.  My eyes narrowed, and still holding Riven’s
hand, I strode outside, pulling him behind me.

“Jan,
as much as I respect your abilities, I’m not sure how you can help with this
particular situation,” Riven kindly tried to dissuade me.

I
didn’t respond, but crossed to the center of the labyrinth.  Calin sat
there, peacefully, eyes shut and his hands on his knees.  His expression
held a slight element of confusion, his brows slightly furrowed.  I sensed
nothing, of course, but the night air caressing my face.  I sat myself
across from him and gently put my free hand over his.  My heart beat a
staccato in my chest.  “Riven,” I almost whispered, “I need you to pump as
much magic into me as you can.”

Embarrassment
rolled off of him.  “Out here?  Jack’s watching.”

I
raised my eyebrow.  “Seriously?”

He
shrugged.

I
reflexively inhaled the next moment as an overwhelming wave of warmth poured
into me.  Forcing my eyes to stay open, and not roll back in my head, I
peered at Calin.  I sensed the magic here, invisibly swirling in the
layers of the labyrinth like a giant whirlpool.  A thin, green tendril
stretched from Calin into the ground.

“More,”
I growled.  “You’ll know if it gets too much.”

The
warmth increased, reminding me of a sauna.  Breathing was a focused
effort, but now I could sense even more of the magic that surrounded me. 
Calin.  That was my goal.  Afraid to touch the delicate green thread
of Calin’s soul, I sent my awareness downward, instead, into the earth.  I
searched for him with senses not connected to my eyes.  I slipped down
into the whirlpool after him.  An ocean of magic beat a heavy rhythm
against my consciousness, muting my connection with Riven.  The underwater
analogy seemed rather on point, I mused.  I did feel like I’d jumped into
the ocean, magic beating a heavy rhythm against my senses.

Calin.

I
felt for the green thread of his life.  Perhaps because I was physically
touching him in the real world, perhaps because of something else, I sensed
him, drifting in the current.  I propelled myself deeper, taking a moment
to ensure I could still feel the connection with Riven.

I
found him.  Far from my body, I’d lost all physical sense of being,
wrapped in the torrent of red magic – I
sensed
it was red, rather than
saw it – that stretched from my mind to my body.  I reached out to touch
Calin’s spirit ever so gently.  His rope was dangerously thin.

He
grasped on to me with a desperation that terrified me.  One moment, I was
drifting in the waves, attempting to get his attention, then next, the current
ripped at him, trying to tear him away from me.  I felt as if I’d stepped
into a hurricane simulator.

Come
on, Calin, let’s get you back
. I thought.  Could
he hear me?

Granted,
I had no idea how to return to my body.  Undiluted panic lanced through
me. In response, my connection with Riven increased in volume.  He sensed
me.  I had my rope.

{Jan,
can you hear me?}

Jack. 
Thank God. 
I’ve got Calin
.

{I
can’t hear you, so just listen to me.  You want to pull Riven’s magic
toward you.}

Not
helpful.  How would I know how to pull magic?  I gripped Calin harder
against me and tried to clear my head.  I just needed to get out the way I
got in.  And I had one massive tether to the real world in the form of
Riven’s bond.  I held on to Calin and reached for my
lianyos,
the
same way I had searched for Jack’s brother.  The bond pulsed into me, and
beyond that, I felt the flicker of his
lianti. 
Wonderment swept
over me as I realized I was looking directly into Riven’s soul.  I
stretched toward it.  Fighting against the magic that pulled at Calin, I
felt myself begin to rise ever so slowly toward consciousness.  I pulled
harder, and began to piece together Riven’s emotions.  Determination mixed
with protectiveness and respect.  Pride and fear.  And fierce love.

A
sudden new sensation.  {I’ve got Calin, Jan,} Jack murmured.

No,
he wasn’t supposed to come in after me! 
Shecoa!

{Shut
up.  You did all the heavy lifting.  Getting him safely back in his
body is going to take some finesse.}

I
felt Calin drift from me and I held on stubbornly.  Did Jack
really
have
him?

{Dammit,
Jan,
let go!}

I
released Calin with a little trepidation and Jack’s presence disappeared,
leaving me alone with the bond.  Reassurance surged down it and I pulled
closer to Riven.  A sudden
pop
as I came back from the magical
depths.  But for a bizarre moment, I heard his thoughts, saw through his
eyes. 
…stupid, brave
lianyos
of mine…
then a moment of
recognition. 
Get back in your
own
body!
A push, and the
world went dark.  Slowly physical sensation began to return.  I
licked my lips.  This
felt
like my body.  Except I hadn’t left
my body quite so sweaty when I left.