Island Shifters: Book 02 - An Oath of the Mage (35 page)

Suddenly, a vision appeared before their eyes. It was of Airron’s wife, Melania Shael, in bed and making love to an Elven male.

Airron grunted. “Thanks, Kiernan, for planting that one there.”

“Sorry.”

“That is your deepest fear?” questioned Rogan incredulously. “Are you serious?”

Kiernan could sense Airron’s shrug. “At this moment, it is all I can think about.”

The intimate vision went on in detail and in every direction within the mist, no matter where she looked. Even shutting her eyes did not stop the image as it simply continued to pay out in her mind. She did not know how Airron could stand to watch.

The picture disappeared abruptly and was replaced by a horrifying visual of Janin standing back-to-back with Rogan in the thick of battle. A violent struggle went on for long moments before one of the faceless enemy soldiers lashed out with his blade and pierced Janin directly through the heart. She fell away from Rogan to the ground and clutched her bloodied chest.

It felt so real that Kiernan wanted to cry out for Janin, but Rogan was already doing so.

“I am here, Kal. I am safe,” she murmured soothingly, and she heard him take a deep, calming breath.

Soon, the image faded, and tears filled Kiernan’s eyes when an illusion of Gemini Starr dying in several different and horrifying ways appeared. In the depicted scenes, Sapphire was always running toward Gemini to help, but was always just a fraction of a second too late to save her mother as she died over and over again.

Sapphire did not utter a sound.

The Void’s attempt to break Diamond came next in a nightmarish sensation of spiders crawling in a black mass over the sorceress’ body. Kiernan could not stop herself from brushing frantically at her own arms and legs as big, hairy spiders slithered over Diamond’s body and bit down on her exposed white flesh while she screamed, both in the vision and in reality.

Kiernan flinched when the mental probe of the Void penetrated her mind like the stabbing prick of a pin. Her biggest fear came to life as a simple image yet unbearable to fathom. It showed her sitting on her throne in Grace Hall surrounded by her three children, adults now, and another man standing behind her with his hand on her shoulder.

Beck was not in the picture.

Beck had never come home.

“It is an illusion, Kiernan,” reminded Diamond.

“I wish I could believe that.” She closed her eyes tightly, but still saw the image clearly in her mind.

Suddenly, the rope around her waist tugged violently and she fell to the ground.

“Citrine! Stop!” shouted Sapphire.

Opening her eyes, Kiernan looked up. The gray mist showed a younger Citrine praying for the death of her predecessor Sect Leader so that she could be raised Leader. The image changed and they were in the center of the Demon War. The sounds, the smells, and the colors assailed Kiernan’s senses. Men were screaming, weapons clashed violently. In the middle of the horror, it was Citrine and not Avalon Ravener who walked to her former mentor and with a glint of glee in her eye, twisted her neck.

It was obvious that Citrine was carrying an enormous amount of fear that it was her childish, yet appalling, wishes that had caused the woman’s death.

“Citrine! It is an illusion! Stop!”

The skin on Kiernan’s knees ripped open when she was dragged on the ground. She screamed out and then the rope became slack. “What happened?”

“Citrine is gone. She cut the rope and ran into the Void alone.”

“We have to help her!” Kiernan shouted, getting to her feet.

“It is too late. Keep walking,” Sapphire instructed.

Kiernan shook her head. “No! We cannot leave her out there! We have to do something!”

“You will die if you go after her. You will never find her and you both will die. There is no other possible outcome when dealing with the Void.”

Kiernan struggled with the rope.

“You must listen to Sapphire, Kiernan!” screamed Diamond. Then, quieter, “I foresaw Citrine’s death months ago. Do not throw your life away needlessly.”

“You said yourself that your foretelling is not always accurate, Diamond! We may be able to change Citrine’s fate if we try.”

“Not this time.” Kiernan could not see Diamond, but the pain in her voice was clear.

It took a moment for Kiernan to suppress the urge to run after Citrine, but knew Diamond was right.

Her blood oath had not stirred in the least.

Kiernan tightened the rope around her waist once more and began walking forward. It was one of the most difficult things she ever had to do.

The party was silent as they continued through the rolling darkness. There were no more visions. There was no need. The Void had culled the weakest and claimed its victim.

C
HAPTER
22

A Shout in the Dark

“Kenley, darling, come over and join me for some hot tea.”

Since disobedience brought nothing but pain and discomfort, Kenley rose from her pallet in the corner of the room and walked to the table where the Mistress was sitting.

She pulled out a chair and sat in it gingerly.

“Still sore, my dear?” asked the Mistress.

Kenley nodded.

“Well, that lesson was absolutely necessary, young lady, but if you do not try to use your airshifting again, you will not have to learn it twice.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Kenley tried to press the Mistress up against the wall with air the previous evening, and the welts where her kidnapper had taken a strap to her backside still throbbed painfully. No, she would not use her airshifting again unless she was sure it would allow her a better chance at escape.

“I am much, much stronger than you, Kenley. Remember that always.”

“I will.”

A shadow fell over the table and Kenley turned toward the cave entrance. It was the guard that the Mistress called Cyrus.

“Well?” demanded the Mistress impatiently. “With the Dwarves out of Kondor, we cannot waste this opportunity, Cyrus!”

“They ‘ave returned,” he told her. “Still a few leagues away, but I can see them on the ‘orizon.”

“Did they succeed?”

Cyrus nodded, and Kenley recoiled when the Mistress clapped her hands in delight. “That is good news, Cyrus! The earthshifter may have gotten away, but as it turns out, I did not need him after all.” She turned toward Kenley and put her fingers under her chin. “I got what I wanted without his help.” She glanced over her shoulder and muttered, “I guess these wings are good for something after all.”

Kenley remained silent. The Mistress often talked to herself and it was best not to draw attention her way while she did.

The Mistress tapped her fingernails on the stone table while she poured tea. “Kenley, the Cyman scouts tell me that your father is not with the others that are traveling this way. Do you know where he might be?”

She shook her head. “No.” Then, she dared to ask. “Who is coming here, Mistress?”

The woman waved a hand in her face. “Nothing for you to concern yourself about…yet.”

“When can I go home, Mistress?”

The disappointment on the Mistress’ face was unmistakable.

“Kenley, how old are you?”

“I will be six years very soon.”

“Then you are old enough to stop asking childish questions. I told you, that part of your life is over.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “But, that is where I belong, with my Daddy and Maman and new brothers.”

The teacup in the Mistress’ hand fell to the stone table and shattered. “You have brothers?”

Kenley backed away from the advancing black liquid. “Yes, twin brothers. They were just born.”

“Two more pureblood unmarked boys!” The Mistress stood and began to pace the chamber, her tea forgotten on the table. “With this news, I may have to change my plans.” She was talking to herself again. “Maybe we will not return to Nordik. With that many purebloods by my side, I could stay right here and rule. Where Adrian failed, I most certainly will not now,” she declared fiercely. She turned back to Kenley. “Do you realize how powerful we can be together, Kenley? Once the
Savitars
are gone, nobody can stop us!”

Kenley was confused about what the Mistress was saying.

“First things first. Kenley, I will need your help.”

“My help?”

“Yes, and you will be a good girl and do as I say, won’t you? You remember what happens when you do not?”

Kenley swallowed. “Yes, Mistress.”

Another Cyman guard returned. It was Arlen, and Kenley smiled at him. He was very nice to her and always made sure that she had something soft at night to pillow her head. He even rubbed her back at night when she cried herself to sleep.

She liked Arlen.

“The Sea of Void is gone, Mistress.”

“Did it work?”

“It took one of their members. A female.”

“With any luck, it was…,” she turned toward Kenley. “Finish your tea, darling, I must speak to Cyrus and Arlen.” The Mistress went into a corner of the chamber to talk with the guards.

Who was coming? The Mistress mentioned that it was not her Daddy, but could it be her Maman? As she glanced at the three adults deep in conversation, she briefly thought about using her airshifting to shove the Mistress out into the night air, but then quickly dismissed the idea. The woman would only turn into a bird or, worse, the winged creature that brought her here. If that happened, her punishment would be far worse than a strapping. She was sure of it.

Princess!

Kenley gasped aloud at the mental shout. The Mistress turned her way. “What is it?” she asked, angry over the interruption.

“Nothing, Mistress. I am just going to lie down for a few minutes. My stomach does not feel very well.”

“Fine.”

Kenley got up from the table and hurried over to her pallet and laid down with her back to the adults. She did not want them to see her black eyes.

Baya!

I am here.

Highworld, Baya, how did you find me?

I traveled behind your Maman and then passed her and the others when they stopped at the witches’ castle.

My Maman is coming?

Yes.

I am so frightened, Baya, that if you or Maman come here, you will be killed. The Mistress is very mean and powerful. You must not try to rescue me!
She was crying freely now.

She does not frighten me.

That is because you do not know her.

A growl sounded in her head.
Did she harm you?

It does not matter. Where are you?

Deepstone. Where your Maman is coming. But, for some reason, I cannot scent you. Where are you?

I am up in a very high cave.

I will keep searching until I find you.

No! Please, Baya, I could not bear it if something were to happen to you.

And, I could not bear the same. That is why I must come.

Baya…

I was born to protect you.

Please be careful. The Mistress is a bodyshifter and can turn into an animal that could hurt you.

And, I am Draca Cat. It is the evil Mistress that should take care.