Gods of Rebellion

By Celina Summers

In order to defeat an ancient evil, sometimes you must be prepared to sacrifice everything.

Despite her grievous injuries, Tamsen doesn’t have the luxury of waiting until her regains her strength. Although she is aware that she is jeopardizing her future and the fate of her people, she has no choice but to continue her battle against the apostate gods. She must find a way to wield the most powerful magic ever crafted while still unable to walk—and somehow keep the five realms safe from a war between the gods. But the dream realm is sundered, and the elder gods’ power is growing. Tamsen knows the odds of her surviving this conflict are slim. Her determination to do what is right is leading her down a path of darkness—not toward death, but a fate that is far worse. She can no longer run from her fate, but she must find some way to save the fates of everyone else—mortal and immortal alike.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Celina Summers
• Release date: Nov 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370933556

Celina Summers

Celina Summers is a speculative fiction author who mashes all kinds of genres into one giant fantasy goo. Her first fantasy series, The Asphodel Cycle, was honored with multiple awards--including top ten finishes for all four books in the P&E Readers' Poll as well as a prestigious Golden Rose nomination. The Asphodel Cycle combines a strong classical mythology foundation, traditional fantasy characters and settings, and strong female protagonists--all elements to be found in all her work. Celina also writes contemporary literary fantasy under the pseudonym CA Chevault. Her other published works include the Mythos sensual romance series about Greco-Roman goddesses; Metamorphosis, a collection of her short stories; and the Covenant series, vampire historical fiction co-authored with Canadian author Rob Graham. Celina was the editor of the speculative fiction ezine Penumbra, and has worked as an editor and managing editor in e-publishing for well over a decade. Celina lives in Ohio with her husband and a plethora of rescued cats. She has two grown daughters, which leaves her a lot of time to sit at home and write.

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Gods of Rebellion

The Black Dream

Book Four

By Celina Summers

COPYRIGHT

The Black Dream, Book Four: Mage of Chaos

Copyright @ 2016 Celina Summers

Smashwords Edition

This book is a work of fiction. While references may be made to actual places or events, the names, characters, incidents, and locations within are from the author’s imagination and resemblance to actual living or dead persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. No part of this book can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.

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Released in the United States of America

Editor—Helen Hardt

Cover art—KMD Web Designs

Formatting & design—KMD Web Designs

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ASPHODEL

Tamsen Ka’antira de Asphodel—ruling Countess of Asphodel and Queen of the Elven Realm

Sieppa Ka’antira de Asphodel—younger sister to Tamsen, Woodlands Lord of Leselle

Bryse—Tamsen’s maid

THE ELVEN REALM

Kaldarte Ka’antira—the Elven Seer, wife of Arami, mother of Lamec, Wilden, and Morrote

Arami Ka’antira—Elven Elder, Woodlands Lord

Liliath Ka’antira—Princess of Leselle, married to Berond Ka’breona

Wilden Ka’antira—Elven Scout, Custos to Elven Queen

Brial Ka’breona—Elven Scout leader, Prince Consort of Leselle, married to Tamsen Ka’antira

Beron Ka’breona—commander of Elven armies, father of Brial, Balon, and Berond—deceased

Balon Ka’breona—Elven Scout

Berond Ka’breona—Elven general, married to Liliath Ka’antira

Tamarisk Ka’briala—daughter of Tamsen and Brial, heir apparent to the Elven throne, mage in training

Morrote Ka’briala—older twin son of Tamsen and Brial, Elven Scout in training

Brann Ka’briala—younger twin son of Tamsen and Brial, mage in training

Acheros Ka’charona—head of Council of Elders

GEOCHON

Mariol—Marquis de Beotte, cousin to the King, member of Privy Council, and warmage--deceased

Myrielle—Marquise de Beotte

Maron de Beotte, son to Mariol and Myrielle, mage in training

Kylos de Tizand—minor King of Ansienne

Arnia de Tizand—Countess of Tizand

Rontil de Tizand—Prince-Regent of Ansienne, Duke of Spesialle

Alcmene de Tizand, Princes of Ansienne and Hippolytos, sister of Antiope of Hippolytos

Anner de Ceolliune—Duke of Ceolliune

Anteros de Ceolliune—Duke of Ceolliune, son of Anner and Antiope, Queen of Hippolytos

Glaucon de Pamphylia—Duke of Pamphylia

Cetenne Ka’antira de Pamphylia—Duchess of Pamphylia, Princess of Leselle

Mylan de Phoclydies—Earl of Phoclydies

Gabril de Spesialle—deposed Duke of Spesialle

Rodolf de Spesialle—Tammuz sorcerer

Others and Immortals

Antiope—Warrior Queen of Hippolytos

Admete—Princess of Hippolytos

Alanta—Hippolyte envoy to Ansienne

Chironos—King of the Centaurs

Alydara—Chironos’s daughter, tutor to children of the Elven royal family

Asclepios—Chironos’s son, head of the Chironiti

Pholos—son of Asclepios

Kadesh—King of Sisyphos

Tahtawi—Queen of Sisyphos

Chephren—consort to Tahtai, general of Sisyphos

Dis—God of Death

Virgin Huntress—Goddess of the Elves

Phobetor—God of Dreams

Adonios—God of Resurrection

Daphnis—immortal Elven Seer, handmaiden to the Huntress

Panathea—Goddess of Wisdom

Aresen—God of War

Deimos—God of Rout

Chapter One

My first conscious moment was bad. Really bad.

I’d had some unenviable awakenings. My life hadn’t been one of ease. I’d been involved in conflicts between the gods, battled against mages of skill, fought in the largest battles in modern history. I was an instrument of my people and the instrument of my goddess. I’d wielded a sword in one hand and sorcery in the other. And despite being the Elven Queen, the natural grace and balance of my Elven heritage didn’t pass cleanly down through my ancestors to me.

I was used to waking up in pain. But not like this.

Before I could even open my eyes, I screamed. My spine felt like it was on fire, like a hot steel rod was being shoved between my vertebrae then as a long searing knife’s edge of pain down the back of my right leg. My eyes flew open and I reached desperately for something to seize—some solid thing I could grab and hold on to while this agony spread like torture through my body.

Tamsen. Sieppa’s voice was slightly breathless. Don’t move. Stay perfectly still.

Pain, I whispered.

I know. I’ll take care of that in a moment, but whatever you do, do not move.

Arami’s face appeared above mine, his brows creased. We should go for Kaldarte.

I can’t right now, she replied harshly. Wilden? Help Arami hold her down. She cannot move even an inch.

What are you doing? Wilden demanded.

Bracing her back. I have to immobilize her spine.

My upper lip tore with a swift sting. I broke it. Didn’t I?

Afraid so, she replied.

I closed my eyes on the off-chance that it might make me hurt less. Brial?

For a second no one said anything.

He’s safe. Wilden’s voice was curt.

In my pack. Poppy juice. Two drams, I whispered. Don’t dilute it.

So much? Sieppa asked.

If you are immobilizing my spine I cannot be awake for the next twenty-four hours at least. You’ll have to pack rocks around my body—big ones that will keep me from moving.

All right.

Something tightened around my torso and shoulder blade, and I couldn’t stop from screaming again.

Sieppa’s reply was sharp. "I know. Breathe against it. Patris—"

"Here, alanna," Arami said quietly. Open your mouth.

The sickly sweet poppy juice moved sluggishly down my throat, leaving numbness in its wake. The second dram had no taste as a result.

Ten minutes, I murmured. Before the poppy juice takes effect. Wilden? The apostates?

Haven’t reappeared since you dropped the whole pyramid on them. We should be safe enough in here.

Once I am unconscious, Sieppa, you must immediately find Chironos. He and Antiope won’t be able to enter the pyramid in the normal way. You will need his protection magically while I am incapacitated.

Oh, you’ll be able to wield your power once you’ve rested.

I won’t. The god said… The god said I couldn’t use my magic until I’m healed. Not even the apostolate.

Brial! Wilden roared. Get your ass over here!

Not even the apostolate? Sieppa muttered. Gods—

Leave Kaldarte in Leselle. She must remain in the city— Another brutal spear of pain shattered my thoughts.

This is bad. Glaucon’s voice was low.

What do you want? Brial asked harshly.

You are going to sit down and comfort your wife, Wilden said in the coldest voice I’d ever heard him use. Or I will break your legs.

Is that her command?

Brial—Morpheos warned me about you— The pain was starting to recede, taking my words with it. We must heal the breach or it will lead to ruin—

I’ll let you worry about that, my Queen.

From far away, I heard the sound of fighting, but I couldn’t pinpoint where it came from. I tried to focus. "The sundering is healed, avunculus…"

My next conscious thought was abrupt, as if I’d been completely dead and was suddenly alive again. I opened my eyes a slit.

When I’d been in the gods’ arena before, it had been blazing with lights and the presence of countless deities arranged with their companions in the galleries that ranged around the sides. But now it was dim, so dim that the ceiling overhead vanished into an inky darkness so absolute it was impenetrable to mortal sight. I closed my eyes against it. The arena was devoid of noise, just a deep silence ringing in my ears.

How is she? Anner’s voice was quiet.

Sorely injured. Chironos’s calm tones eased my fears a little. The next few days—well, weeks—will be critical. She cannot be moved.

We can’t even teleport her to Leselle?

No. Any movement at all might shift those broken bones into her spine and sever it. We cannot risk Tamsen in such a manner. She will have to remain here.

Will she walk again?

Chironos didn’t answer immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was measured. I do not know. I need to send Sieppa to bring snow and ice. If we can bring down the swelling I might be able to tell. But for the moment, I cannot gauge the severity of the injury without risking doing more damage.

Is she awake? Wilden asked softly.

No, Anner replied.

Best that she isn’t. The pain would be intolerable.

She will awaken soon, the centaur said. What dose did she tell you to give her of poppy juice?

Two drams, undiluted. Wilden murmured. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone take poppy juice without diluting it before.

Tamsen is a skilled healer, as would be anyone trained by the Seer, Chironos said. It would be best, I think, to prepare an identical dose. We should administer it immediately when she wakes.

The pain was tolerable still, but if the dose had started to wear off then it wouldn’t be bearable for much longer. I made an effort to open my eyes again, but halted abruptly when Anner asked curtly, "And him?"

He’ll be fine. Wilden’s voice was tight, as if he was talking through his teeth which he only did when he was seriously angry. When he comes down off the rage he’s in though, he will regret much of what he has done.

I’ve never seen him like that.

Elves rarely experience rage so intense, the centaur said in his quiet way. Such emotions are alien to their nature. The repercussions of such an event can be as devastating in many ways as an injury such as the one dealt to Tamsen.

This is my fault, Anner said wearily.

How did it happen?

Perses tried to stop us from entering the pyramid. Tamsen had to confront him so the rest of us could get in. I didn’t know it was even possible for a mortal mage to stand against the power of a god. As we were running for the arena in the tunnel, she said she’d used almost all her magic. Must have drained her strength too, because I ended up having to carry her. While that mad thing was blasting through solid rock to get at her, she was using her power to pull down the tunnel. Anner sighed. We collided with the wall a couple of times—hard. I was knocked senseless.

And then Adonios showed up. Wilden took up the story. "He had her by the throat. Anner was in a heap on the floor. Brial put his sword to the apostate’s throat and was probably about to kill him, but was waiting until I got Tamsen to safety. But then… Then she commanded him to run to the arena and he rose to the killing edge so fast I thought he was going to turn on her. Wasn’t until she mumbled that Perses was breaking through the collapsed tunnel that we understood what she was trying to say. We ran here as fast as we could, and as soon as Brial was free of that tunnel, she pulled the whole thing down. I’ve never seen anything like it. The entire pyramid shifted sideways and knocked everyone to the ground, but Tamsen flew into the stone edge of that wall and went instantly still. I thought she was dead."

She used all her magic, Chironos murmured. She must have had the power in her grip when she fell, because no normal fall could have caused this much damage. She should be… She should be dead.

Tamsen won’t die until she’s good and ready, Wilden said dryly.

Can’t say that about some others, Anner muttered.

We must heal the fractures between us, I mumbled. If we don’t, the god said it would lead to our ruin.

"Alanna? Where’s that cup?" Wilden asked.

I opened my eyes slowly. It’s not that bad yet. Get Brial.

Tamsen, it’s not a good—

Now.

Wilden glanced at Chironos and then set his jaw. For some reason, he looked different but I couldn’t quite figure out why.

I’ll go. Anner rose from where he’d been sitting at Chironos’s side and crossed out of my line of sight.

"Avunculus, you must listen to me, I said. Someone must go to fetch either Cetenne or Liliath. One of them must be here."

Why?

Ka’antira magic. The god told me I wouldn’t be able to wield my powers until I heal enough to have the strength. This injury is not an easy one to recover from. It may be weeks—or months. If it is known I cannot use my power, the apostates will risk the arena. There must be two Ka’antira here if we are to buy the time I need.

All right. I’ll make sure it happens.

And forgive him. I tried to give him a commanding glare, but a sharp pain scorched through my body and I bit my lip instead. I knew what I was doing. I deliberately focused his anger on me so I could get him away.

I’ve never seen anyone burn so many bridges when they’re standing on them, he commented. You really need to stop doing that.

Brial suddenly loomed above me. His face was pale, his eyes still flat with rage. He didn’t sit next to me. He didn’t say a word. He just waited.

And then I noticed the bruises.

Who hit him? I winced as another vicious flare of pain leapt when I tensed my neck.

Who didn’t? Wilden turned away slightly but not before I saw the huge contusion on his chin.

So that’s why he looks different. Men!

It doesn’t matter. Brial will regain his temper, and when he does he will remember what I say now. Because of me, we are vulnerable. We cannot leave the arena, but we also cannot defend it. The tunnel may be gone, but the apostate could teleport mortal or undead warriors into the galleries. We will need warriors until I can move.

I licked my dry lips. Chironos gently put a cup of juice to my lips and tilted some of it down until I could swallow it.

When—and only when—Brial regains his senses, he will assume command of this and the Elven Realm. And perhaps then he will realize why I spoke to him the way I did.

Brial opened his mouth but Wilden snarled, Not a damn word.

Chironos, you must keep me mostly unconscious for the next four or five days, I went on hurriedly. Cetenne and Liliath both have worked with this kind of injury before, on both humans and Elves. There are physical differences between the two races. I would treat an Elf with a broken back differently than a man. But I am of both races, and that will make recovering from this injury more difficult. My cousins know this, and whichever one comes will advise you.

I looked up at my husband. Your rage is understandable. I spoke to you in a way I never thought I would. It was because of my fear for you that I did, because you didn’t know how close Perses was to killing us all. But Morpheos warned me that if we do not heal this breach between us, all we have struggled to do will fail. The mortal realm will fall and take Olympos with it. Even though you will not care right now, in a few days you will understand. I bit my lip. I’ll take that dose now.

Again, the slow-moving narcotic oozed down my throat, and I clenched my teeth against the instinct to gag. "Wilden, support Brial in my absence. Chironos, tell my cousin I suspect two breaks—one below my shoulder blades and one at the base of my spine. I was hurled into the pyramid outside and felt a bone snap before I ever even got into the temple. We must play a game now—one in which things must appear that I am uninjured and my power unchanged. I rely upon you all to make certain this happens. I closed my eyes. And quit beating each other up. For all we know, something sent Brial to the killing edge deliberately and we were all manipulated into the situation we are now in. Keep me asleep, Chironos."

"I will, Tamsen…and there will be no more fights. On that, you have my word." The centaur’s voice was firm.

Thank you, I whispered.

There was a long silence.

Months? Did she say it would take months for her to heal? Anner’s voice was tight.

Wilden swore softly and his breath caught in his throat with a rasp.

Were there any other orders for me? Brial asked coldly.

Just one more punch, Anner said. Tamsen would let me hit him one more time for that.

It would be your last punch ever, Brial said softly, and everything around me began to fade away once more.

Chapter Two

By the time the first week had ended, the inactivity was more devastating than the pain.

The gods’ arena was now an armed camp. One side of the lowest galleries was occupied by half a legion of Hippolyte warriors, the other by Elven scouts. I couldn’t see them because I was now concealed within a rather large tent. I was still restrained against the punishing board, hemmed in by rocks I couldn’t have moved uninjured. The only time the agonizing bandages restraining me were removed was twice a day, when either Cetenne or Sieppa bathed my skin and readjusted the blankets beneath me with tiny movements. The poppy juice was working to control the pain, but I knew that they would soon have to lower the dose. Poppy juice was horrifically addictive and could not be used long term.

The worst part was being unable to find comfort or even to shift a limb tingling from lack of circulation. Once I awakened when I was still packed in snow, and my screams brought most of my family on the run. When I was alone, I would close my eyes and go through the earliest exercises Kaldarte had used when treating spinal injuries. I would begin by flexing my fingers, then my hands. Eventually, I grew brave enough to try to move my toes, and nearly sobbed in relief at the resulting stab of pain.

My spine hadn’t been severed then. Thank the gods. I felt the first twinge of hope and didn’t try to move them again for several days.

Everyone conspired to entertain me as I began to stay awake for longer periods of time. Chironos knelt beside me and told me stories for hours—stories I’d never heard before about the dawn of the younger gods and the mortal realm. During the evenings someone spent hours playing Elven music softly on the other side of the canvas walls. Antiope would tell me what was happening around me—funny stories about misunderstandings between the Elven scouts and the earthier Hippolyte warriors, and how she expected a rash of half-Elven Hippolytes to flesh out her growing cohort of archers. Glaucon dropped in often, both to check on me and to snatch a few moments with Cetenne, who was in charge of me during the day. Arami and Wilden made a point of bringing small matters to me to arbitrate, encouraging me to discuss each issue and to make a decision on it—a kindly deceit, because I could hear Brial moving through the arena issuing his own orders, and most of them ran contrary to mine.

Sieppa spent the nights at my side while the others slept, her dark-eyed custos always just behind her. Perhaps I should have left them in the Elven Realm? Perhaps I should have commanded them to the vialigatis that all the rest of us knew was already irrevocably set?

But I didn’t dare to suggest such a thing now. We must have two Ka’antira mages in the arena, two distinct individuals with the feel of the Ka’antira power. Sieppa’s was almost identical in nature to my own, but her power had always been dwarfed in the vicinity of mine outside of the Elven forest. With Cetenne’s angrier magic added to hers, perhaps we could maintain the fiction that the Elven Queen, both guardian and warrior, was well.

On the rare occasions I was alone, I worried about what might happen. If the apostates decided to risk a full-out attack upon the arena, Cetenne and Sieppa could be eliminated ruthlessly within minutes. Chironos was ancient, and not even I knew the depths of his magical ability. He, perhaps, could defend the warriors if the Ka’antira fell.

Maybe.

But I didn’t know. Because despite Morpheos’s words, I not only couldn’t feel my magic, I couldn’t feel any magic. The Ilian pendant lay silent and heavy around my neck. Since that long ago day when Gabril de Spesialle had massacred my parents, my world had been filled with magic. The swift tingle it left in the air. The taste against my tongue. The fiery kiss along my skin. Its sudden absence felt like I’d gone deaf, and instead of rejoicing in the beauty of power that drifted around me like the music of bird song in the wind, I was in a thick-walled room, alone, trapped in a silent world.

So I worried, fretting with impatience and tossing with the irksome fever that accompanied pain, and the days passed in slow tedium.

Brial did not come.

Funny, isn’t it? The things you miss? I was unaccustomed to sleeping alone. Many the long night had passed when I just lay beside Brial and listened to his slow, even breathing, taking comfort in the fact that he was there and alive—warm, safe and well enough to sleep peacefully at my side.

Sometimes, when Anner was there and we weren’t talking, I would close my eyes and imagine that the quiet respiration nearby was my husband’s and we were back home.

One night, I didn’t.

Anner spent the days with the warriors. I rarely even heard him until after the others were sitting at their evening meal, laughing and talking with that end of the day freedom. He would slip into my tent, freshly washed and his armor removed. Sometimes we talked about our long-ago days in Geochon. Many times, he asked me to tell him about what had happened in the world since his death on the blood plain of Ilia. And others, we rarely spoke at all. But he was always there—quiet, comforting, with that slightly ironic sense of humor I’d immediately liked about him when I was just a girl and he was the greatest knight at Lufaux’s Court.

One night, he’d been silent since he’d entered the tent, and I decided to start taking an interest in what was happening around.

So tell me, Anner. What’s been going on?

A lot of nothing, he said. We put on our armor, walk around in circles, take off our armor, and sleep. That’s about it.

You know that’s not what I mean.

He sighed.

Brial is still acting like an ass, I take it?

Not with everyone.

"Who is he acting normal with?"

The men. Antiope. Your sister and Cetenne. He’ll speak to Glaucon, but only if he has to.

That’s it? What about Balon?

Balon was the one who knocked him down first, Anner said.

Arami? Wilden?

They won’t give him the chance. If he comes near, they do that freezing up thing that Elves do. You know, when they look at you like you’re a bug. He laughed shortly. Like that one Elf did in the Council at Leselle a few weeks ago.

Chironos?

Chironos popped a shield around your husband right after you fell back asleep the first day. Kept him there for a day and a half. Brial hasn’t forgiven him yet.

Why did Chironos do that?

Anner hesitated.

I know that even in his worst mood, Brial isn’t suicidal enough to go after a centaur. He went after someone else after Chironos promised me there’d be no more fighting. I sighed. Did he hurt you?

Seriously? His response was so quick and his tone so insulted that I would have laughed if the question wasn’t so serious.

Instead, I waited.

Tamsen, Brial and I are both warriors. We fight. It’s perfectly normal.

Not between the pair of you it isn’t.

Maybe not once, he replied. Apparently it is now.

Who hit whom first?

Which time?

The first time. I’m assuming that after you came to in the arena, you fought then.

Well—

"So it was you."

I had no choice. He was pounding on Balon like he didn’t know who he was. So I figured I’d better wade in and break it up. I didn’t realize he was so out of control. I’d never seen an Elf with the battle madness on him. So I hauled him off his brother—who was handling himself very well, by the way—and Brial turned on me. Didn’t even blink. I stepped out of the way of his first swing and then— He hesitated and then added sheepishly, I sort of knocked him about ten feet.

Ten feet?

Anner shrugged. I’ve always been stronger than I look.

I rolled my eyes.

He picked himself up, spit blood out of his mouth, and pulled his sword.

Brial pulled his sword on you?

I told you. It’s battle madness.

You mean this kind of thing happens to other warriors?

Sure. All the time. Anner paused for a moment. You know how it is before a battle? You’re nervous because you’re having to push all your fear aside. Waiting makes you anxious. There’s only so much time you can spend thinking about your equipment before you start to think about all the things that could happen. Normal people think about what they fear—pain and death, mostly. But some warriors only think about what happens if they win. They think about glory and the satisfaction of besting your opponent. There’s no room for them to consider any possible bad consequences. So then, when the battle begins, they rush into it. The release from the anticipation causes them to lose sight of everything but the kill.

And what happens to them later?

Most of them don’t make it, he said quietly. Swinging a sword without control doesn’t keep a warrior alive. If you are not always thinking, always maintaining an eye on your defense, an eye on those around you, an eye on the pace and swings of the battle, you will probably die.

So is he still dealing with battle madness?

No. He’s dealing with the fact that everyone he knows and cares about has every reason to be furious with him right now. He’s furious with himself. And Brial being Brial— He shrugged again. It appears to others that he has become exactly what got us all so damn mad at him in the first place.

I blinked as tears stung my eyes.

Tamsen, you have to understand that Brial isn’t fighting with us right now. He’s fighting with himself. Even during some of your most spectacular fights with him, he’s never lost control. Not once. He let that sink in. He was suddenly awakened on Olympos by Phoebos, who said he must rush Brial back to this realm because his wife was about to be killed by the apostate. And when he got there? He found me, unconscious on the ground, while a god had his hands around your neck talking about how he intended to break you. If I had been in his shoes, the battle madness would have taken me too.

Are his hands all right?

They certainly are healed well enough to punch me, Anner said with a small smile. I saw stars too.

Your poor head had a rough day.

The two days after that were much worse.

I thought I had successfully fought the battle against my tears, but once the first one fell, others followed.

Don’t worry, Tamsen. Brial will pull himself out of this before much longer.

I hope so. I hate just lying here, worrying about him and knowing I can’t do anything to help him. So many times, Anner, he’s been there to set me back on the right path. And now when he needs the same thing, I am useless.

Your back is broken, Tamsen. That doesn’t make you useless.

Doesn’t it? I asked bitterly.

He brushed a tear from my cheek. No. It doesn’t.

How long has it been since I was hurt?

A little over three weeks.

Three weeks. I never would have thought—

Thought what?

That I could ever be lying someplace with a broken back and even though Brial is only a few feet away, he wouldn’t even bother to come see me.

Anner regarded me gravely for a moment. I bit my lip and closed my eyes.

Do you want me to go get him?

No.

I could probably manage to get him here, as long as he couldn’t get his hands on his sword.

No. It will just make matters worse between you.

Maybe if I just told him you were asking for him—

I shouldn’t have to ask my own husband to display an interest in my welfare! My eyes flew open as I snapped out the bitter sentence.

You must be getting better. Your temper’s coming back. That reminds me. I have a question.

What?

When we were trying to escape Perses, why didn’t you leave me and get away? Once I was knocked out?

I looked at him in confusion.

You had enough power to knock the entire pyramid off its foundations. You could have left me and teleported yourself to safety.

When we were trying to escape Perses and I could no longer walk, why didn’t you just leave me behind and run? I sighed and closed my eyes again. I could no more have left you defenseless against the mad god than you would have left me.

A week later, the constrictive bandages were finally removed. As the huge rocks were slid away from my body, pain rushed into my limbs. The sudden freedom hurt because my body immediately shifted into a new position for the first time in almost a month. But after about a half hour, my knotted muscles began to relax and the pain draught blurred my awareness. Chironos carefully lifted me from the hard board that had tortured me for weeks and cautiously turned me on my side. Sieppa and Cetenne examined my spine, and although I couldn’t feel it I knew they were meticulously searching for damage that might have been hidden while I’d been restrained.

Nothing, Cetenne announced after about twenty minutes. We didn’t miss anything. The broken vertebrae are fusing back together well, and there’s no damage to her spinal cord.

It is time to get her moving again, Chironos said. A little at a time. We can start to elevate her head bit by bit until she can tolerate sitting. Once she can do that, we can get her up on her feet.

It should only take a day or so for me to sit upright, I said. Kaldarte’s treatment plan from this point on progresses fairly quickly.

I have pillows, Sieppa said. Let’s see how you do.

Let me stay on my side for a couple of hours first, I said. Just finding a comfortable position will help speed the process.

I forgot you liked sleeping on your side, Cetenne said.

I’ve always hated lying on my back. After this, I’ll never willingly do so again.

I lifted my head and Sieppa slipped a goosedown pillow under it. The delicate scent made me smile. Acaule flowers. This is one of Kaldarte’s pillows.

We’ve been consulting with the Seer daily, Chironos said.

It was the only way to keep her in Leselle. Sieppa grinned. If she had any clue where this place was, she would have been here within seconds of me telling her you’d broken your back.

Chironos held out his arm. I grabbed it and pulled, slowly drawing my knees up into a bent position. Cetenne put a second pillow between my knees, and I sighed in relief.

In an hour or so, we’ll roll me prone and see how far I can sit up. If everything goes as it should, I might be able to sit up to eat.

Solid food will improve your disposition, Cetenne remarked.

Tonight I’ll take a few scouts with me to Leselle, Sieppa said. We’ll bring back a bed and a couch. That will aid you in the transition from sitting to standing.

How are things in Leselle?

Quiet. Merila and Sanctuary as well.

If Kaldarte has been worrying so much, bring her back with you. That way she can examine me herself. It will ease her mind.

I had a few questions I wouldn’t dare to ask anyone but the Elven Seer.

That would certainly make our visits to her a lot less annoying, Cetenne’s tone was a little sharp.

I will go with you, Chironos said abruptly. There are other things that may help to speed Tamsen’s recovery that you might need me to carry.

"We can take a lot of scouts,