The Hidden Relic (The Evermen Saga, Book Two) (53 page)

The prince grabbed her hand, holding her back when he saw she was about to enter the sunken stairway.

"Please, we need to hurry," she said.

"You do not know what's in there," he said.

A piercing sound came from everywhere at once, and both Ella and Prince Ilathor put their hands to their ears. When the volume ebbed Ella shook the prince's restraining hand away and rushed headlong down the stairs, barely cognizant of her surroundings as she ran down the corridor and started to climb the spiralling stairs at the other end.

It would have taken Killian some time to swim to the Sentinel. Had he made it here in time to keep the relic out of the Primate's hands? Had he met Evrin, and were they now fighting the Primate together?

What would she find at the end of these stairs?

"Slow down!" the prince cried from behind her.

Ella didn't bother to reply. Looking up, she saw blue light above her. Feeling her heart race and her stomach clench with fear and dread, she ran up the last few steps.

Then she was out.

It took Ella a moment to take stock of the scene in front of her. The cavernous chamber curved high above where the Sentinel's shoulders and head must be. She was probably at the level of its waist, and where she stood there was a crescent-shaped gallery with tiered steps facing an expansive pool. Ella instantly knew the liquid was essence.

At the far end of the gallery an old man — Evrin — lay prone in the corner. Nearby stood a tall warrior in the garb of an Akari, staring, as Evrin was, at the pool. Ella realised that not far away from her Miro held an arrow pointed at the Akari, but his eyes were also on the pool.

They were all staring at Killian. Ella could see that the protection of the runes she had drawn on his skin had faded. His body looked bruised and battered.

"It must be stopped," Evrin said, his voice wheezing. "Now that it has activated, it can only be stopped from the other side. The seals must be replaced, but they won't work if the beacon isn't stopped."

Prince Ilathor stepped forward, trying to shield Ella, but she fought him as he tried to hold her back.

Everyone else stared at the relic.

The tall oval mirror floating above the platform in the centre of the pool slowly changed hue, from gold to red.

Killian looked back at Ella, and his expression said everything. She didn't know what the relic was, but her intuition told her it was some kind of doorway. She didn't know what lay on the other side, but she knew Killian, and she knew from his face that he was a man preparing to die.

Killian walked forward and entered the pool, the only man alive who could do so. He waded through the essence, mindless of its touch on his skin.

"No!" Ella cried. He couldn't leave her. He couldn't!

She tried to go to him but the prince held her back, his grip too strong to break.

Killian mounted the platform and replaced the seals. He turned one final time and looked at Ella.

His last words were to tell her he loved her.

The surface of the mirror rippled like molten gold. Killian's expression was set with determination as he took a breath and then walked through. Ella looked for his body to emerge on the other side of the shimmering curtain.

But he was gone.

Moments later, the sound of the beacon ceased as abruptly as it had started. Evrin's voice could be heard as he reactivated the seals, and the reddened shade of the portal shifted steadily back to silver. Evrin sighed and hung his head.

For a long time there was silence.

The Akari was the first to speak. "You can lower your weapon, bladesinger. I won't fight."

Miro slowly relaxed the arrow he had nocked to his ear.

Ella wanted to go to her brother but there was still too much that she needed to know. Instead she ran around the pool to Evrin. The old man was badly wounded; one of his legs was clearly broken and the other bore a terrible wound that might be infected. His lips were parched and cracked. "Water!" she cried.

Miro threw her a sloshing flask. Ella snatched it out of the air and pressed it to Evrin's lips, waiting until the old man had taken a large gulp before she spoke.

"Where did he go? When will he come back?"

"I'm sorry," Evrin said, appearing to revive in front of her. "He cannot come back."

"No," Ella said. "I don't believe you. How could you let him go if you knew he could never come back? Bring him back." She shook the old man, heedless of Evrin's moans of pain. "I know about your secrets. I know you have powers. Bring him back!"

"Ella," Miro and Prince Ilathor both said in unison. They then looked at each other as if each man was noticing the other for the first time.

"Who are you?" Miro said.

Ella looked up at her brother and Prince Ilathor. It was like a meeting of two black-maned lions, circling as they took each other's measure. Both were tall, but Miro was slightly taller. Both men were lean and broad-shouldered, but Ilathor's shoulders were a little wider. Each wore the right of command like a mantle.

"My name is Prince Ilathor Shanti of Tarn Teharan. I take it you are the brother of Ella?"

"Miro Torresante, Lord Marshal of the allied armies of Altura and Halaran."

Dain Barden picked up his war hammer and leaned on the head. "I remember you, Lord Marshal. We met on the Azure Plains."

"We should get out of here," Ella said, breaking the tension in the room. "Miro, Ilathor, help me with Evrin."

The two warriors lifted the groaning old man between them and carried him out of the chamber.

"Don't even think about it," Ella said, glaring at the Akari and looking pointedly at his war hammer.

Ella followed the Dain down the spiral stairs, but before she left she saw a book on the ground. Its pages were seared at the edges and part of it was missing completely, but it was made of the same metallic fabric as the Lexicons. She bent down and picked it up.

Soon Ella, Miro, Prince Ilathor, and Dain Barden all stood on the pedestal at the foot of the Sentinel.

"Please, put me down here," Evrin said. "Lean me up against the foot. Yes, that's it. Before I speak, there is something I must do."

The old man called out a series of activations, names Ella didn't recognise at all. The circle of runes around the opening in the pedestal flared blue, and there was the sound of stone moving against stone. In an instant the opening was closed, sealed as if it had never been. Only the circle of runes remained.

Now they were safely out of the chamber and Miro and Ilathor held the Akari in check, Ella rounded on Evrin.

"Where did Killian go?" Ella demanded.

"He went to another place, removed in both time and space from this world. I am sorry, but where he has gone you cannot follow," Evrin said sadly.

Ella's mouth set with determination. Killian had given himself so they could be safe from the danger on the other side of the portal. He couldn't be gone forever. He just couldn't.

"I promise you, I will find a way," Ella said.

Ella saw Miro coming towards her and fell into his embrace, closing her eyes for a moment. She looked over Miro's shoulder and saw Prince Ilathor, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time. Ella remembered Killian's last words as she looked past the prince.

"Look," Ella said, pushing her brother away and pointing, laughing despite herself. "It's Jehral. He has Bartolo with him. And Shani! And…"

71

M
IRO
released his sister and then turned his head in the direction she pointed. Five figures were walking across the tiny island towards where their group clustered at the base of the Sentinel.

Miro saw the Hazaran first, recognising Jehral from long ago in Sarostar, though he was now covered in blood and walked with a terrible limp.

Supporting Jehral on each side were Shani, the Petryan woman, and a bladesinger. Miro grinned when he saw Bartolo, smiling broadly despite his wounds.

Then Miro saw Rogan Jarvish, whose tall body obscured the woman beside him. Rogan smiled wearily.

And then Miro was running. He didn't remember telling his feet to move, they were simply propelling his body forward. "Amber!" he cried.

Amber held something in her arms, and Miro suddenly drew up short, staring at her in shock.

Amber looked up at Miro, and he could see the trepidation in her eyes. She pulled the soft wool from the bundle in her arms so that he could see the tiny babe she carried.

"Miro," she said, "this is my son."

Miro gazed down at the baby, looking at its clear blue eyes and dimpled chin. The baby held his hand in front of his face and then reached out, as if trying to touch the chin of the warrior who loomed over him.

Miro stared at Amber, and then his eyes returned once more to the baby. The babe's hands were tiny, each little finger represented in detail. Miro reached down with his own hand, and the boy grabbed hold of his finger with surprising strength.

"What's… what's his name?" Miro asked.

He looked up at Amber when she didn't reply, and then he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. Miro's heart instantly when out to her, and he reached out and pulled her close to him, with the baby held between them.

"He doesn't have a name," Amber said through her tears.

"He's beautiful," Miro said, and he meant it. Here, clean and sweet, with her baby held so naturally to her breast, Amber looked lovelier than ever. "You're beautiful."

Amber's eyes shone through her tears. "He's Igor's," she said. "I never told Igor I was with child."

"Amber, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Do you think…?" Miro was suddenly unsure of himself. "Do you think we could name him together?"

Amber laughed. "Of course we can. I'd like that very much."

"I would too."

"Amber." Ella's arms went around her friend and tears fell from her eyes. "I've missed you so much." Then the baby started crying, and Ella laughed. "He's beautiful."

"The city is secured," Rogan said to Miro. "The desert men like Jehral here," he nodded, "and our soldiers are working well together as we restore order."

Miro locked eyes with Prince Ilathor.

"There's one score I need to settle first," Miro said, frowning at the prince. "No one comes to my city under the guise of a treaty and captures my sister. No one."

Prince Ilathor dropped his hand to rest on the scimitar at his side.

Miro reached around to the hilt of the zenblade on his back.

"Miro, stop," Ella said. "He needed our help to take the Petryan capital. By knocking Petrya out of the war, he enabled you to take back Halaran."

"My prince, listen to me," Jehral said. "It was not our people who took this city; it was those from all over the world. They come from Altura, and Halaran, from Torakon and Loua Louna. It is for no one house to claim victory. We are in their debt."

Prince Ilathor took his hand away from his sword, and after a moment, Miro followed suit. The prince held out his hand, and Miro hesitated, but a moment later, he reached out, and the two men shook.

"There is one more," Rogan said. "All others have either surrendered, or come to our side." He looked pointedly at Dain Barden.

The ruler of the Akari shook his head. "We won't go against the wishes of the houses. It's too hot here. I've already sent the orders. I'm taking my people back north."

"What did you really want?" Miro asked.

Dain Barden shrugged. "We wanted to join the empire. People find our lore repulsive, but it is who we are. No one is harmed except for the dead, and those we send them to fight."

"Provided you keep your lore to yourselves," Rogan said.

"Yes, I'll give you that. Provided we keep our lore to ourselves. The first Emperor, Xenovere the Great they call him, exiled us because of who we are. All we ever wanted was to have our own place in the world."

"Then go back to the north," Amber said, "but this time not to exile."

"The Tingaran Empire is gone," Miro said, "and the brief rule of the Primate is over. It is up to men like us to decide what comes next. Whatever happens, we must never again let any one man control the world's essence, just as we must keep a wary eye on the powerful relics the Evermen left behind."

"A worthy sentiment," Evrin spoke from his seat, leaning against the Sentinel's big toe. "As soon as I'm well enough, I'll help you rebuild the machines that once resided in Stonewater. Extracting essence from the dead may work for the Akari, but essence taken from lignite works just as well."

"Wait," Ella said, causing all eyes to be on her. "Before we say anything more, I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Miro said.

Ella turned to Evrin. "It's time to know the truth. Killian left us," her voice caught, "so that he could prevent the return of the Evermen. Twice now you've asked everything of him, and twice he's given you everything. All he ever wanted was to know the truth. Yet he left without ever knowing. It's time we knew, Evrin Evenstar."

"I'm wounded," Evrin protested.

"Then the sooner you start, the sooner you'll see a healer," Ella said. "None of us are leaving this island until we know the truth. It's time," she repeated.

Evrin bowed his head. "I suppose it is. I used to think the best protection lay in ignorance, but the Primate has proven me wrong. Listen to me well, for I will not repeat myself."

Ella and Miro exchanged glances. Soon they all clustered around the old man.

72

"M
Y NAME
is Evrin Evenstar," he began. "I'm not sure how old I am, but I have walked Merralya for at least a thousand years. Please put aside everything you have learned from the Evermen Cycles, for what you have learned is a lie, and what I am now telling you is the real truth."

Ella and her brother exchanged glances. Ella looked at Evrin and now saw the passage of centuries behind his eyes, and as he spoke power came to his voice, so that Ella could believe that this was the man who created the Lexicons.