The Balance of Power (Godsland Series: Books Four, Five, and Six) (30 page)

Pausing a moment to say a prayer, he prepared for the arduous climb, hoping there was nothing waiting for him on the other side. When he reached the top, he had a commanding view of the rear entrance to Dragonhold. It appeared to be completely deserted. Brother Vaughn watched for some time just to be certain there was no one about, waiting in ambush. After a few deep breaths and another prayer, Brother Vaughn rushed away from the dead dragon and covered the mostly open ground between himself and the entrance. Birds flew before him, flushed from the bushes by his determined stride. He did not run, but he did not dally either. A nearby tree's branches rattled, and Brother Vaughn stepped as quickly as he could up to the wooden stairs, which he took two at a time. When he reached the lake shore, Brother Vaughn was panting and trembling, feeling more terrified than ever. Never before had he felt so alone and so afraid he would die alone. The thoughts shamed him, but he accepted them. They were a part of him. The mantra was comforting. He had almost returned his breathing to normal when the waters before him parted and a large, dark shape moved straight toward him.

* * *

Acrid smoke filled the air within the valley, and Catrin wanted to retreat from it. There was guilt in that smoke. No matter how much she felt justified in her fury, she hated to kill other creatures, especially in large numbers. Most of the dragons had been pulled from the valley and were being burned in a single, massive pyre. There were three that were too large to be moved from where they had died, and they were burned in place. In the end, all that was left were scales, teeth, and claws, all of which were highly prized, and a number of scuffles had already broken out. The Arghast were a fiery people, and these were treasures both practical and sacred.

Despite all the work it had taken to burn the dragons, the Arghast had somehow found enough talent and manpower to create a very close replica of Catrin's saddle, minus the dragon ore of course. The original and the replica sat atop mounds of straw bound with rope, and neither was empty for very long. All the Arghast wanted their turn in the saddle while they had the chance, and Catrin was about to take that chance away from some of them. She didn't have time to stay and help the Arghast; she had to go after Sinjin. Kyrien had already told her that he was ready to fly. There was no more time to waste.

Mikala and Arakhan oversaw the projects together, and it was clear that the events had elevated the two to new positions of power. Catrin felt she'd chosen well. Kyrien seemed to think so, but there was always doubt. Catrin had no desire to ruin people's lives by forcing power on them that they weren't prepared for and didn't know how to properly use. That was a fate she understood more than any other.

"Thank you, mighty tribes of Arghast," Catrin said when everyone stopped to watch her approach. "You have once again proven to be strong, capable, and wise. I wish I could stay longer, but I must go after the people who took my son." A wave of anxiety rolled over the crowd and was reflected back at Catrin, who felt overwhelmed by it but suppressed the feelings. "Would you please help me put the saddle back on Kyrien?"

It came as little shock that the Arghast were honored to have the opportunity to saddle a dragon. This was as close as Catrin had ever come to fulfilling the prophecy that said she would teach the Arghast to fly dragons. She doubted very much she would ever get any further toward really teaching them to fly. It was a burden she carried, and it had never felt heavier.

Mikala and Arakhan nominated people, and there was a sense of approval tinged with disappointment from those who had not been selected. Soon, though, there was no time for hard feelings as the saddle was on the move. Like people cheering at the Summer Games or the Spring Challenges, fathers cheered their sons, and mothers cheered their daughters, shouting advice from what the tribes collectively determined was a respectful distance. For a group who often fought among themselves, Catrin was amazed at how well the tribes worked when their purpose was united.

Kyrien watched those saddling him with a critical eye, and Catrin thought he might be laying it on a bit thick for the Arghast, but she also knew that they would take to it like water from the sky, as the old Arghast saying went. When the saddle had been secured to his approval, Kyrien bowed his head to those who had been so honored.

No one seemed to know exactly what to do, except get out of Catrin's way as she walked to Kyrien. Before she mounted, Catrin turned and said, "Thank you again, my friends, noble tribes of Arghast. You are truly worthy allies. I'll never forget those who've given their lives to protect mine. I'll never forget Irvil of the Sun clan--"

A cheer went up from a group of those gathered, though most remained silent.

"I'll never forget Vertook of the Viper clan--"

Another cheer rose from a different group.

"And I'll never forget Mika, whose clan I do not know, for he came to me with no pretense and no desire to do anything but serve his people."

The entire valley erupted in cheers.

Catrin mounted. Those who had lifted the saddle into place scrambled up and secured her with speed and skill. The Arghast now knew a great deal more about her saddle than she did. Perhaps she really had taught them something after all.

"I'll never forget Halmsa of the Wind clan," Catrin said. "May he find his way home soon."

Unlike her previous declarations, this brought no cheer from the assembled, and Catrin wondered if perhaps the Wind clan was not represented. Their clan leader had, after all, been within Dragonhold the last time Catrin had seen him. Regardless of the cause, Catrin decided she'd said enough. Kyrien bowed his head to the Arghast one last time then leaped into the air. With only a few flaps of his wings, he and Catrin were skimming across the water. As they flew, Catrin couldn't help but wonder what the place would look like the next time she came here, given how much her first visit to this valley had altered it. Even when she had struck the well, she could not have imagined just how much it would change. Her gut told her that this visit might have an even greater impact, yet she couldn't say why.

The Arghast raised cries of encouragement when Kyrien gained speed and altitude and turned to enter the narrow valley mouth sideways, hugging the terrain and trying his best to make certain there was enough clearance to protect Catrin. It was a nearly impossible task, and Catrin had to duck to avoid a number of jutting rock formations that approached at unbelievable speed.

As soon as they were free of the mountains, the desert before them was mostly unremarkable, save the fires. Kyrien avoided the pyres and seemed to not want to look at the bodies of the ferals being burned. Catrin couldn't blame him. The carnage was horrific. Part of her felt great joy at the death of the evil creatures, but another part of her hated to see so much death. The best she could do was to remind herself that these creatures were the reason Sinjin was gone. So many friends and countrymen had given their lives to protect her from the attacks of these monsters. Only when she was able to think of them as monsters could she reconcile her heart and her actions. Only then did the world make any sense.

Kyrien took them higher, and Catrin scanned the skies, not knowing if any ferals remained. The battle in the valley was blurred in her memory, and she couldn't remember if any of the dragons escaped. She also considered the possibility that some of the dragons may have remained in the Pinook and Chinawpa Valleys to keep watch on Dragonhold and what remained of Harborton. That thought pained Catrin as well. Though her countrymen in the south had long since been aligned with Master Edling, who was among Catrin's greatest adversaries, she hated that so much of their history was being lost. The academy where she had studied had been beautifully constructed and had contained the accumulated wisdom of her forefathers. The last time she had seen the academy, it was aflame and being overrun by demons. This was something she would never have wished for, something she had never desired. Even if a part of her had been angry and had felt scorned and abandoned by those who had once been her friends, she would never have wished them harm.

Catrin's guts tightened when the mountains materialized from the shimmering haze before her. Visions of what might await her within Dragonhold haunted her. Guilt stabbed at her, and tears filled her eyes. She had asked these people to trust her, to forward her goals, to move underground, inside of a mountain range. And when danger had approached and laid siege to the hold, Catrin and Kyrien had abandoned them. Kyrien's shame mixed with her own, and the two flew with heavy hearts. Despite the fact that they had left only in an effort to save both their species from extinction, that didn't seem to matter now that she had to return and face the consequences of her decision. She knew already that the dark forces had taken her son, and she would soon be going after him. She also knew her people had suffered losses during this conflict, and those losses were her responsibility. Still, she didn't know what she was going to do about any of it. Part of her wanted to turn around and fly away from all of this, but it was a small part, and they continued on a direct course for Dragonhold.

Chapter 6

Few things are respected as much as an indomitable spirit.

--The Pauper King

* * *

Dark water rippled and parted even as Brother Vaughn took several steps backward, trying to escape whatever death emerged from the water. With primal fear driving his heels, he spun around to flee. As his head turned, though, he caught one last glimpse of the form in the water. It took him four more steps before he could convince his body to stop running. He had recognized the man coming out of the water. When Brother Vaughn turned back around, there he stood, with a piece of hollow reed in his hand.

"I'm sorry," Halmsa of the Wind clan said. "You must be ready to hide. They come back."

Brother Vaughn did not need to ask who "they" were. He looked around but saw no signs of any more reeds, and he bowed his head in appreciation when Halmsa snapped his reed in half and handed a piece to Brother Vaughn. It was a gesture that Brother Vaughn knew could save his life or endanger them both. Without the additional length, Halmsa would have to stay closer to the surface to breathe, and that would make him easier to spot in the water. Brother Vaughn felt a lump in his throat when he understood the level of sacrifice this man had just made on his behalf. "Thank you," he said.

Halmsa just held a finger up to his lips and looked about. Then he pointed to the water and made a swimming motion with his hands. Brother Vaughn shook his head. He was not an unaccomplished swimmer, but the entrance to the hold proper was farther than he thought he could swim. Part of him admitted that the thought of what might be in that water frightened him. He'd already seen the enormous feral dragon that had been constructed at the bottom of this lake. Who knew what other dark and perhaps living things lurked beneath the deceivingly placid surface?

The sound of approaching footfalls stifled any argument that Brother Vaughn might have raised. The demons had returned for him, and now there was nowhere else for him to hide. The only tool he had at his disposal was a piece of reed, and it seemed a slim defense against creatures that he knew were amphibious and could probably see just fine under water. This ruse would conceal them only if the demons remained on the shore and did not enter the water. This seemed unlikely to Brother Vaughn. Why else would they come back in here but to cross over to the main keep? The barges were drifting in the middle of the lake, and there would be no other way to get there than to swim. That meant that they would be caught in the water with amphibious creatures that could probably fight better in water than on land. That thought almost kept Brother Vaughn standing where he was, but Halmsa pulled him into the water.

Fear threatened to paralyze Brother Vaughn as the water closed in around him. He had never tried to breathe from under water before, and he accidentally inhaled through his nose when only his mouth was closed around the reed. Doing his best not to panic, he took in slow, purposeful breaths through his mouth while holding his nose closed with his other hand. At first, he did all of this with his eyes squeezed shut. Then slowly and deliberately, he opened his eyes and could see multiple large, inhuman forms silhouetted against the light of the cavern entrance.

His heart racing, Brother Vaughn watched his death approach. The demons, five of them, moved toward the water. Halmsa placed a hand on Brother Vaughn's shoulder, and he nearly bolted upright. When the first demon entered the water, it felt as if all hope had gone. But then a new silhouette graced the entranceway, followed by a hulking shape that blotted out the light and plunged them all into darkness. The sound of scales on stone drowned out any other sounds. For a moment, nothing happened. Then all at once, the demons turned and moved back toward the entrance at a run. Brother Vaughn felt as if his chest would explode, and he tried to regain his calm while breathing through the reed. An instant later, a blue radiance lit the cavern in a way it never had been before. Waves of blue fire poured over the edges of the demons, and they retreated to the water, which steamed and squealed in protest to the heat.

A mighty boom shook the surface of the water, and Brother Vaughn considered raising his head above the surface for long enough to see what was happening, but Halmsa kept a hand on his shoulder and helped convince him to stay down. Brother Vaughn couldn't help it, though. He wanted to know who was attacking the demons. He could think of only one who would come with a giant beast, and he feared Catrin needed his help. Discarding caution, Brother Vaughn stood and let his head break the surface.

What he saw would remain distinct in his memory for the rest of his days. Catrin stood with her arms to her sides, her hands blazing like twin stars. A nimbus of blue surrounded her and illuminated the cavern; behind her, Kyrien was poised like a snake ready to strike. Never had he seen such a display of raw power and intimidation. Catrin saw him then, and she turned her blazing hands toward him, her eyes wild and fire leaping at her will. Terrified, Brother Vaughn watched her uncoil like a striking snake, and energy leaped toward Brother Vaughn.

* * *

Scars marred the landscape, and each was like a knife in Catrin's spirit. She had allowed this to happen; she had failed to protect her family, her hold, and her homeland. And it had been despoiled. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes no matter how hard she tried to suppress them. One thing kept her moving toward Dragonhold: Prios. He was still within the hold. Her sense of him was vague and troubling, but she knew he was alive and waiting for her.

Though the main entrance to Dragonhold would have been more expeditious, it was also likely to be more heavily guarded. As they soared over the upper Pinook Valley, columns of smoke could still be seen, but all signs of the black armies were gone. Only the stains they left on the land remained to give evidence that they'd ever been there. Then Catrin saw movement farther ahead in the valley, near the rear entrance to Dragonhold. Kyrien skimmed low over the trees, coming in fast and silent. The dark forms climbed the stair and moved into the darkness.

"Wait for me out here," Catrin said when Kyrien alighted on the massive wooden stair.

No.

Catrin climbed from the saddle and looked Kyrien in the eye. He just nudged her toward the entrance with his rocklike jaw. Rather than question him, Catrin moved into the chamber that held the God's Eye. The demons must have heard their approach, as they were frozen on the stone shore of the lake, listening. Then they were moving into the water. Not wanting them to escape, Catrin stepped onto the shore and breathed in deeply, drawing on the power. Blue light sprang from her hands, and she felt it course through her. Like a candlewick, she felt as if she conveyed the energy and was mostly untouched by it, but over time, it wore away at her until she felt that she might evaporate or crumble.

Once the power had come to her only through great effort; now, though, things had changed. Catrin felt as if she had far too much power. The currents of it threatened to sweep her away, and only the strength of her will kept her from tumbling into madness. Still, there was a beauty and sensation that could not be described. It felt as if she could burn very brightly if she chose but only for a short time.

The demons ran toward her then, and time seemed to progress once again. Catrin cast flames into the faces of those who had invaded her homeland and fouled the very air she breathed. The demons sickened her; they were twisted perversions of nature, something that never should have been. These beasts had been created as killing machines, and Catrin could feel no mercy for them as she did what was in her nature. She, too, was a killing machine, and she knew it, but what she did was for a purpose, for the greater good, and for all those she loved.

Just as she was about to release a massive killing strike, something in the water moved. A new threat registered in her battle-ready mind. Without time for another thought, reflex brought her about to face this new foe, and her concentrated attack leaped from her, eager to split the air between her and the enemy, ready to light it up from the inside out. Somehow intellect overruled instinct as Catrin recognized the face of Brother Vaughn. Twisting back toward the demons, she did her best to redirect the attack. It struck several demons and was accompanied by a loud scraping sound, but despite her efforts, it still reached out for Brother Vaughn. The demons retreated to the water, their reptilian hides smoking and hissing as they hit the surface.

Catrin realized then that Brother Vaughn would be in great danger if the beasts managed to get themselves under water. Without another thought, she pulled the air to her breast and flung it toward the demons, hurtling them far out into the water. Kyrien uncoiled and struck two that had escaped Catrin's attack and sent them nearly as far as she had.

Halmsa of the Wind clan emerged from the water next to Brother Vaughn and cast him a very disapproving look.

"Are you all right?" Catrin asked as she stepped forward and helped Brother Vaughn from the water.

"I'll live," he said. "I'm so glad you recognized me. If you hadn't redirected your attack, I'm certain I'd be dead."

The words brought Catrin little comfort. She'd nearly killed her dear friend and mentor. Even after she'd recognized him, her power had been out of control and struck him anyway. The fact that he smelled strongly of burned hair did little to ease her conscience. Halmsa had stayed under water and appeared to be uninjured, though he looked at the singed upper portion of his hollow reed and seemed to be wondering just how safe he had actually been.

"Are you all right as well?" Catrin asked Halmsa, but the man was distracted by Kyrien's saddle. As soon as he laid eyes on it, Catrin might as well have ceased to exist. Halmsa approached Kyrien, bowing with his hands pressed together before his face. Kyrien gave him a respectful nod. Catrin knew that Kyrien remembered Halmsa as well; there was something between the two of them that Catrin could not quite understand. Kyrien seemed to want it that way and would express nothing more about it.

"It's so beautiful," Halmsa said.

"I agree," Brother Vaughn said after a moment.

"It was a gift," Catrin said, her voice thick with emotion.

Neither pressed her further about the saddle.

"I'm so glad to see you well, Brother Vaughn," Catrin said. "When I last saw you, you were jumping into the river to escape the demons."

"You were there?" he asked, incredulous.

"I was there in spirit," Catrin replied.

Brother Vaughn looked as if he were trying to decide exactly what her meaning of "in spirit" was. Catrin knew it was certainly more than in the traditional meaning of the phrase.

"Do either of you know what the state of the hold is?" Catrin asked.

"Parts of it are closed," Halmsa said. "And sometimes it moves."

Catrin wasn't certain she'd heard him correctly.

"I don't know," Brother Vaughn admitted. "Sinjin, Trinda, and I became trapped when the hold moved the first time. And the second time--"

"Dragonhold moved?" Catrin's question cut him short. Both men just nodded, and Catrin took a moment to let that sink in.

"The walls moved and blocked us in the first time, and then they opened, and the mysterious hall to nowhere opened up to parts of the hold that have been locked away for only the gods know how long," Brother Vaughn continued. "We were trying to find our way back when we found the underground river. You say you saw the demons take that place?"

"Yes," Catrin said. "You did the best you could."

Brother Vaughn looked at the ground. "I tried to keep them safe. I know Trinda lived because I saw her, but I didn't see Sinjin with her. I did see Strom and Durin, though. I'm so sorry."

"They've taken Sinjin," Catrin managed to say, though the emotion constricted her throat.

"By the gods," Brother Vaughn said.

Halmsa looked furious. "We will make them regret this," he said.

Catrin could find no more words to say on the subject, and she was reminded that she had no time to waste. "I need to find Prios."

"The last I saw him," Brother Vaughn said, "he was by the underground river. I can take you there."

Catrin was torn. Her sense of Prios was weak, and he had not responded to her calls for him. She was worried. "How far is it from here?"

"Half a day's walk," Brother Vaughn said.

It was difficult to imagine such distances, all completely underground. The scale of Dragonhold increased dramatically in Catrin's mind. Truly the ancients created the most wonderful things. "How far is it from the river to the kitchens? Do you know?"

"I don't know," Brother Vaughn said. "I believe that is where Prios and the others came from when they came to the river. But I can't be certain."

"We can make it directly to the kitchens in less than an hour," Catrin said. "We should check there first. And then we can find out how to get to the river from there."

"Kitchen's blocked," Halmsa said.

"Blocked how?" Brother Vaughn asked.

Halmsa just shrugged. "Rocks."

"Lots of rocks, correct?" Brother Vaughn asked.

Halmsa nodded.

Catrin cast Brother Vaughn a quizzical glance.

"When we were trapped in the hall to nowhere, it was not fallen rock that trapped us, it was enormous sections of granite that moved across the doorway to form a new, nearly seamless wall. That, I don't know how we could get through, but I think we can clear away enough loose stone to get through as long as there are none of the black devils there."