The Innocent

By Alysha King

"Courage..."

Determined to stop Saar from enacting his nefarious plans, Carey is faced with an impossible choice. With darkness pressing in on all sides, the question is this - what is she willing to sacrifice in order to win?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alysha Khokhar
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9780648500377

Alysha King

Alysha King is an Australian author who loves nothing more than a good book, a well-stocked art and craft shop and vintage fashion. When she's not writing she can be found madly sewing cosplay costumes for her and her two kidlets or starting yet another hobby. Alysha lives in Canberra with her husband, two children, their very large dog and lazy white cat. She is currently working on the follow up novels to The Order of the Rose.

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Alysha King

The Innocent

Copyright © 2020 by Alysha King

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Alysha King asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

First edition

ISBN: 9780648500377

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To all you rebels out there, especially those fighting their own darkness –

you are the light.

And for the real Carey.

You know who you are.

Prologue

Darkness is creeping at the edges of the world. I can sense it growing. No one speaks of it, but the air is thick with tension, worry… fear. Like a storm brewing on the horizon, it looms threateningly.

What can I do but wait? For what is there to fight when all one can see is shadows?

1

Ultimatum

The tavern by the castle gates rumbled with low voices and laughter. It was late, and Jensen sat at the bar nursing a mug of ale after a long and uneventful guard shift. It was humid inside, the air spiced with the smell of liquor, and Jensen couldn’t help his eyelids drooping from exhaustion.

Just for a moment, he promised as he placed his head down on the polished wood.

The sounds of the other patrons swelled around him, a cocoon of warmth enveloping him as his eyes closed just for a moment. Laughter, chatter, and the thud of mugs on wood filled his ears. It was oddly relaxing after the hours of absolute silence, and Jensen let it all wash over him.

There was a rush of wind, and at first Jensen thought it was someone coming in from outside, but then everything went quiet. Deathly quiet.

Jensen opened his eyes and cried out in shock.

He was no longer in the tavern.

He stood in the centre of a dark clearing. The edges were blurred by a low-hanging fog and there were no landmarks from which he might discern his location. Shaking his head, Jensen willed himself to wake, for surely this was a dream.

I wouldn’t bother trying to wake up, came a low voice dripping with malice.

Jensen turned to find a familiar face emerging from the fog. He lifted a hand and reached for his magic, aiming at the man’s chest.

Halt, traitor!

Saar grinned, clearly amused.

You’ll find you have very little control here, he said lazily. Besides, once you’ve heard what I have to say, you’ll be falling over yourself to help me.

Jensen narrowed his eyes, unsure of his next move. In any other situation he would have made to subdue the man, but he was acutely aware of his adversary’s abilities and knew he did not have equal footing. That being said, he doubted there was anything Saar could say that would convince him to help him.

Saar looked straight at the guard and Jensen’s body seized. He made to pull back, but he found himself completely frozen in place. His fear spiked.

Saar advanced on Jensen, pushing the guard’s hand aside with his finger as he passed.

Jensen tried to move again, but he could not overcome Saar’s magic. He watched as Saar moved to his side, feeling beads of sweat forming on his brow. The traitor considered him, a slow, predatory grin spreading across his face before lifting a hand. The fog swirled as it parted to reveal a scene that made Jensen’s eyes pop with terror.

A room appeared before them, a simple bedroom where an ashen-haired man slept soundly on a low bed. Faren. Jensen’s gaze flicked manically from the sleeping man to where their two infant wards rested in bassinets by his side. His heart beat painfully as his mind raced with terrifying imaginings.

What have you done to them? he asked, his throat dry with fear.

Saar, his eyes on the children, said, "Nothing. At least, nothing yet."

Please, Jensen said. Don’t hurt them. They haven’t done anything.

Saar let out a bark of malicious laughter. It sent a chill down Jensen’s spine.

"Their virtue is of no consequence here. It is your actions which concern me. Saar paced slowly around to the guard’s other side, drawing himself level with Jensen’s line of sight. Look at me."

Jensen’s gaze snapped back to Saar’s unblinking eyes.

You will do as I ask, whenever I ask, or your family here will suffer more than a quick death. Refuse me and I will ensure they do not wake, trapped in an eternal nightmare, only to escape by the slow decay of time and its ravages upon their bodies. What do you say?

There was barely a moment of hesitation from the paralysed guard.

I’ll do it. Whatever it is you ask of me, I’ll do it.

Good, Saar said, and the scene dissipated. I will be in touch. He moved away towards the fog that had gathered once more around them. Just remember – hesitate but once, attempt to tell him or anyone of this encounter, and I will show no mercy.

Before Jensen could answer, his surrounds vanished and he jerked awake, knocking over the mug of ale he’d been holding. He was drenched in sweat and his heart was racing as he spun around, searching. What was that? A dream?

No. Something told him he’d just experienced a true encounter with the former Council member Lord Acheron – Saar. He knew of the man’s ability to travel using his mind, and had Jensen been in the castle, he would’ve been safe from the man. But Saar had waited for Jensen, singled him out, and the guard’s stomach turned over at the thought. He knew what that man was capable of and the idea terrified him. Guilt surged through him as he picked up the mug and apologised to the barman. He’d just promised to help the traitor, to do whatever he asked. Yet, as Jensen left the bar, racing for home through the shadowed streets, Saar’s threats echoed back to him. He swallowed his guilt. He had his family to think about, to protect. And to him, that was more important than anything else.

2

The Stronghold

Carey watched the battle from the edge of the snow-covered clearing. Snow fell gently, swirling in a graceful dance, its beauty standing in stark contrast to the violence before her. Imperial loyalists surged forwards in small, tight groups, flashes of magic and curses flying at the guards blocking the gateway. They had erected a boundary of wooden spikes facing the loyalists, a boundary that held them at bay yet didn’t deter them. Despite the magic that imbued it, it wasn’t able to block their attacks completely. The right strike in the right place…

Her gaze drifted to the stone gateway, its carvings thrown into sharp relief in the moonlight. Carey could still see Sirona’s body lying there, her blood staining the snow, her murderer standing over her as he opened the gateway.

The guards fought back, holding off the Imperials with their own magic and martial prowess. The attacks were getting worse. In the days following Saar’s opening of the gateway, handfuls of Imperials had been drawn to its threshold. They’d seemed jubilant, triumphant in Saar’s success. Perhaps they’d known of his plans, or maybe it was something Malevolence had promised. Either way, the news had spread.

Now Imperials were arriving daily and they were becoming more organised. Despite the strength and determination of the City guards, the loyalists would soon prove too strong for the defenders at the gate. Even as she observed, an Imperial slipped by them and passed into the fog churning within the archway.

Oliver Binx’s military forces were yet to be deployed to protect the gateway; many were securing other parts of the kingdom still under attack by Imperial loyalists. Carey wished they’d hurry up.

Another group of Imperials passed her in their attempt to make it through the gateway, their breaths rising in clouds in the frigid air. She, on the other hand, felt nothing. This was her projection; she wouldn’t feel it unless she wanted to. The enemy around her didn’t see her because she willed it. Weeks of practice were finally paying off.

Carey found she could engage with her Twilight Travelling ability far easier than she had before, and as she watched this latest group of Imperials advance on the gateway, she expected Saar had much to do with it. Before he’d left, Carey had struggled with her ability as a Fiorilusa. Now he was gone and she was beyond his influence, Carey felt a mastery she hadn’t before. She held out a hand to catch a snowflake and watched as it passed through her. No, she did not feel the cold; what she did feel was rage and an ever-increasing sense of injustice. Within a week there’d be enough loyalists to take the gateway and she would lose her chance to pursue Saar. She would never be allowed to attempt a passing if Imperials took control.

Taking a deep steadying breath, Carey took one last look before closing her eyes and letting go.

She opened her eyes to find herself back in her bedroom. Slowly, Carey pulled herself up into a sitting position, running her hands through her hair as she contemplated her visions. She’d done this every day for the past couple of weeks and each time her frustration grew at her inability to do anything.

The clock on the mantelpiece above the fireplace showed it was almost time for the Council to convene. Shelving her frustration, she got to her feet, pulled on her boots, and slung the sabre Marjen had given her around her hips before setting off towards the chambers.

Carey’s footsteps echoed off the walls as she walked purposefully down the hallway, her hand resting almost expectantly on the hilt of her sword. A small cough brought her to a standstill.

Any news? she whispered as Rupert appeared from the shadows of a sunken doorway.

His thick, rumpled hair was a midnight blue today, making his pale skin seem almost opaque. A constellation of freckles was mapped out beneath his bright eyes.

I’ve heard that they’re lookin’ ter ask the Vuletians fer help, Rupert said as he fell in beside her. Apparently, some are comin’ ter talk.

She felt his eyes on her, gauging her reaction, and tried not to show the lurch she felt in her stomach.

The last time she’d had contact with the Vuletians was just before she’d lost two of their commanders in a violent storm. Not to mention she was still wracked with guilt over the death of their captain, Marjen Tutari, whom Carey had befriended during her time in their city.

Did you hear who? she asked, trying to keep her voice level.

A lieutenant an’ two others. No names, Rupert said. Sorry.

Never mind, Carey replied. I’m on my way to the Council Chambers now. I’m sure I’ll learn more there. Thanks for the heads-up.

Rupert winked. Not a problem.

He headed in the opposite direction, leaving her to consider his news. The Vuletians were easily the superior military force in the region and she would be glad of their aid, should they agree to help. Perhaps with their assistance the Imperial masses would be less inclined to approach the gateway. They could hold them back, giving Carey the opening she needed to get through. The Council guards that stood watch over the gateway were well trained and loyal to her parents, but she’d seen the Vuletians fight. They were ferocious opponents, even without magic, and they did not hold back.

If only Marjen were still here…

If only… Carey muttered, thinking quietly of his sacrifice as she so often did.

If only what?

She jumped; Carey hadn’t noticed Kat’s arrival.

Oh just… nothing, she said, shaking her head. Don’t scare me like that. Can’t you see I have a sword?

Kat snorted. Yes, but you’re so easy to scare. Plus, I have these. She indicated the weapons at her hip – a pair of long, fork-like sai. I’m always up for a bit of practice.

Kat kept pace with her, her expression hardening, all trace of humour gone. So, what’s the update from the front line? I assume you Travelled there today already?

Carey quickly relayed what she’d witnessed at the gateway and it was Kat’s turn to sigh.

More loyalists… just what we need, she said as they approached the Council’s main chambers.

I know, said Carey. It’s going to be almost impossible for us to make a go of it without being attacked.

Carey clenched her fists, regretting once more not going after Saar earlier.

And you’re going to tell the Council this, Kat said.

"Of course. And I’ll keep telling them until they relent. It’s not a matter of if but when we go through after Saar. I would prefer it be sooner rather than later."

They came to a halt outside the ornate wooden doors of the Council chambers and Carey took a deep breath, reeling in her emotions before pushing them open.

The rest of the Council were already there, talking in low voices. The light from the high windows left them in shadow, lending the room a clandestine atmosphere. Carey’s parents sat at the head of the table, with Oliver Binx and his second-in-charge, Sir Barris, and Madame Keller, the court potioneer, opposite. Lord Carron and Lady Marksis were deep in conversation at one side.

Carey took her place by her parents as Kat broke away to join her father, Peter. Everyone fell silent as Carey’s father, Robert, stood, signalling the beginning of the meeting.

As you all know, the situation at the gateway is becoming more troublesome with every day that passes, he said. It has proved a greater pull for Imperial loyalists than we originally thought, giving rise to the probability that Lord Acheron had people in place to spread the news once he succeeded in activating it. It is therefore a great possibility that his intentions reached far beyond just opening the gateway and these loyalists are heading through to join him in whatever he has planned next.

He turned to Carey.

What have you seen of the situation there today?

Carey got to her feet, her gaze flitting from one face to the next. I’ve been using my ability to Twilight Travel to observe what’s been happening at the gateway, and frankly, it’s getting worse. More Imperials arrive daily and more are slipping past our guards. There are just too many for them to handle. What’s more, they are starting to strategise and combine their forces. It’s really only a matter of time before it goes from them just fighting to get past our guards to overpowering them and claiming the gateway for their own. Give it a few more days and we will lose what little control of the gateway we have.

If I may, Carey, Oliver Binx said. We have received similar news from the gateway, and based on this, we have asked the Vuletian army for aid. Their Captain and two of his consorts will be arriving within the next two days to assess the situation before they send for reinforcements. They are more than happy to oblige, and I admit, we could use their expertise.

What about going after Saar? Carey said. Are they going to help us with that?

She was eager to know if the Council was making plans to hunt down that murderer. Surely calling upon the Vuletians would mean the gateway could be secured enough for a hunting party to go through after him. After all, he was the most wanted man in all the realms.

Going after Saar? Sir Barris repeated as though he hadn’t quite heard her correctly.

Yes. She leaned on the table, her palms flat on the polished surface. Going after Saar. Surely that should be our main priority here. If the Imperials take the gateway, it will make it near impossible to pursue him.

Sorry to contradict you, Carey, Oliver said, but stopping any more of his supporters from joining him takes precedence. One man on his own is less of a worry than that one man with an army. We are all very aware of Acheron’s abilities, even more so of his compete disregard for life, which is also why we’re not taking any risks. We don’t know what is waiting on the other side of that gateway. My responsibility is to ensure the safety of my people, and wandering blindly after a man as dangerous as Acheron is not a risk I’m willing to take right now.

Carey looked at Kat, who grimaced as though this answer came as no surprise.

So, what you’re saying is that we’re not going after him, Carey said, straightening and gripping the hilt of her sword in an attempt to redirect her anger.

Not until we can secure the gateway, Oliver replied with a hint of an apology.

Carey bit back a retort. It would do no good to lose her temper in front of the Council. If she was to prove herself capable and be taken seriously, she had to remain civil. When she said no more, Oliver continued with his speech, but Carey heard no more. She was too angry to concentrate; her hand was cramping with the tightness of her grip on her hilt. Besides, if he said anything of note, Kat would tell her – her gaze was flicking between Oliver and Carey, her lips a tight thin line.

As Oliver finished and the other members stood to leave, Carey’s mother, Jenny, leant over the table, reaching out a hand.

Carey, do you mind staying behind? We have something we need to discuss with you, she said.

Kat paused as she walked by, a single eyebrow raised. She gave a small nod to say she’d see Carey in a bit, to which Carey replied with the slightest of smiles.

Her parents waited until the chamber was empty before turning to her. Her mother radiated warmth and undeniable power as she stood within the half shadows, her sandy hair streaked with grey and swept back high on her head. She wore a loose long-sleeved tunic with worn brown slacks tucked neatly in at the waist and her customary leather boots that she often wore on expeditions beyond the city walls. Carey’s father stood straight-backed beside Jenny, strong stance and gentle eyes, his formerly black hair a mix of salt and pepper. He similarly wore a loose top and slacks, but his shirt was covered with a dark green vest, and a small dagger hung at his side from a thick brown belt. Their Seeker’s pendants peeked from within the folds of their collars, just as Carey’s did.

An understanding smile played on Jenny’s lips.

I know what you’re thinking, Carey dearest. We know how badly you want to go after Saar, but there is something you need to know first.

"First?" Carey’s ears pricked at the use of this promising word.

Yes, Robert said. We are not going to delude ourselves into thinking we can stop you from going, Carey. We’re acutely aware of your connection to Saar and we know you will stop at nothing to get to him.

There is, however, something we need to talk to you about, Jenny said. What do you know of Malevolence’s magic and what happened to it after you stopped her?

Carey looked hard at her mother, wondering what this had to do with Saar. It was enclosed in a Tear Globe. Captured. That’s what Kat told me afterwards, in any case.

And kept here, in the castle, under strict guard. Only those in the Council know of its existence and location, due to the danger that magic poses should it fall into the wrong hands. Did Saar ever intimate what he planned to do once he’d opened the gateway to the Third World?

Carey was silent for a moment, her mind racing with the possibilities. You don’t think he would try to obtain it, do you? He never said as much but, if he still had the Dragon’s Heart, it would’ve been all too easy for him to wield Malevolence’s magic. Is that what you’re thinking?

Robert gestured for her to join him. Come. We have something to show you.

Carey followed her parents to the back of the chamber, where Jenny pulled aside a towering tapestry to reveal a blank stretch of stone. Momentarily perplexed, Carey watched as her mother presented her hand to the wall. After a moment, the stone shimmered oddly, and Jenny stepped right through it. Carey inhaled sharply as her father did the same. Cautiously, she raised a hand to the wall and felt an odd sensation prickle her palm. It spread warmly through her body, and just as it filled her, covering every inch of her, the wall rippled again and she, too, stepped into it.

It felt like silk running over her bare skin as she passed through the wall. Blinking, Carey found herself in a long, dark hallway lit by low-burning torches. There were no windows and only one door, at the very end. A single castle guard stood watch before it – Jensen, with whom she was friendly.

As they approached, he stood to attention, his heels clacking together and the butt of his poleaxe thudding hard on the floor by his toes.

Your majesties, he said sharply, his eyes forwards.

Jensen, Jenny acknowledged before placing a hand against the large, heavy door.

Usually jovial, Jensen seemed drawn and distracted. He pointedly ignored Carey’s attempts to capture his gaze, and as she drew closer, his expression remained rigid. It was most unlike him, and so Carey turned from him with a frown, instead concentrating on what her mother was doing.

At Jenny’s touch, a great number of clicks and thuds sounded. It was as though the insides of the door were rearranging themselves. There came a final clunk and the door swung slowly open. Carey stepped in after her mother, her father following behind, and she found herself in a stunningly designed round room. The walls were of shining marble, the domed roof high and ornately carved, and the room emanated an inexplicably ethereal air. Swirling runic markings were carved into the walls and, as Carey studied them, they shimmered. Veins of brilliant blue crystal were inlaid in the walls; they shot up from the floor, joining at a point in the very centre of the ceiling to form a many-pointed star.

A guard stood beside a table in the centre of the room. He snapped to attention as they entered. The small, round marble table seemingly grew from the floor, its base melding with the cool, white stone. Atop was a dark, polished wooden box with a rounded lid. As her eyes fell on the small chest, Carey felt an odd sense of desire stir deep within her, and she shuddered. She wanted to look away from it but she couldn’t. The magic emanating from the centre of the room felt… familiar. She initially assumed it was because she’d encountered it before, but no. It was more like an invisible current was drawing her closer. Carey shook her head, trying to ignore the strange sensation. Blinking, she recognised the guard – Faren, who she often saw accompanying Jensen. He also appeared stern, but at least he smiled at Carey when she approached.

Thank you, Faren, Jenny said. Would you mind stepping outside for a moment?

When he had gone, Carey asked, What is this place?

This, Robert said, is the Stronghold. It’s designed to hold objects of great power. Over the years the Council has needed to hide various objects of immense magic, many being too dangerous to wield. Right now, it holds Malevolence’s magic. Since we are yet to discern a way to destroy it, it’s kept here under constant guard.

Carey stared at the box. There it was again – that pull. Something roused within her, and the magic she feared so much tingled ominously throughout her extremities, as though it could sense the power contained within that small wooden chest.

Jenny carefully lifted a thin filigreed latch on the lid and opened the box. Leaning closer, Carey could see a delicate tear-shaped globe nestled within. However, unlike Kat’s magic, which had shone within the globe that time by the Mystic Falls, Malevolence’s magic swirled dark and foreboding. As she watched it, Carey was overcome by intense desire once more. She wanted to seize the globe and… what? She couldn’t rationalise the feeling it evoked in her, only that it was absolutely and completely irrational. She took a deep breath, pulling herself away from the box and its contents.

She turned her thoughts to the Stronghold instead.

Wait. If all the Council members know about this place, then that means Saar does too, doesn’t it? she said.

Unfortunately, yes, Robert said.

Then we have to move it, Carey said. It’s too dangerous to keep it now we know who and what Saar is.

Therein lies the beauty of the Stronghold, Jenny said as she pointed to the many markings upon the walls. This room is imbued with magic that allows it to be hidden anywhere within the castle.

We can change its location so that Saar will be unable to find it, Robert explained. The magic this room was created with makes it the perfect place to hide an artefact like this.

Carey strode across to one of the walls and laid a palm gently upon the carved façade. Magic flitted beneath her fingers like a skittish water beetle skipping back and forth across a pond.

I can feel it, Carey said in wonder before turning back to her parents. Has the room been moved already? Could he get in now?

It was changed in the days following the opening of the gateway, Jenny said as she closed the chest. "Regardless, we do need to know if he said anything – anything – about it. You may not even have noticed at the time."

Carey thought back over all the shadowed conversations she’d had with the former Head Chancellor. Not that I can recall but, then again, everything he ever said was cloaked in double meaning. He was always just vague enough in his requests and threats to not give away his true intentions. But considering he didn’t get away with the Dragon’s Heart, he may seek another source of power for whatever he has planned.

That’s exactly what we were thinking, too, Robert said. That’s why we wanted you to know about the Stronghold. You need to be on your guard. Try to go over anything he may have said or did that may point to him wanting to get his hands on this. Tell Kat and Rupert. Kat is a member of the Council and should know based simply on that right, and Rupert may have heard something.

Robert chuckled at Carey’s look of surprise.

Yes, we’re well aware of Rupert’s penchant for knowing more than he should. There’s every possibility he already knows about the Stronghold.

It serves no one to be secretive about that which could prove disastrous to us all, Jenny said. Keep your friends close – they can prove invaluable.

Carey didn’t need telling twice. She’d struggled with this concept in the past, having never had true friends in which she could confide before Kat and Ji came along. Keeping things to herself was a hard habit to break, but she was getting better at it.

When do you think I’ll be able to make for the Third World? I know that Oliver doesn’t seem too keen on the idea, but we can’t wait much longer.

She knew she was pushing the subject, given what had just been said in the meeting, but she couldn’t accept Oliver’s decision.

As soon as the Vuletians arrive, we hope to be able to secure the gateway. Then you should be able to pursue Saar unhindered, Jenny said.

What? Carey asked.

This hadn’t been the answer she’d expected. Carey thought they’d push back, tell her they didn’t want her to go. After the loss of her sisters, she thought they’d be more protective. Instead, it would seem they were helping her plan a journey that would most certainly be dangerous, if not potentially fatal. It didn’t make sense.

Robert frowned. We know you’d like to go after him as soon as possible, but we need to wait for the Vuletians–

Carey shook her head. No, it’s not that. Why are you doing this? Helping me go after him? She tried not to sound ungrateful. She certainly didn’t want them rescinding their offer. I was expecting you to try and stop me.

Jenny and Robert glanced at each other before answering.

When we saw you last, Jenny said slowly, you were just a waif of a nine-year-old and as curious as any child I’d ever known. Then, when you saved us, we found you all grown, so strong and full of courage, and we quickly realised that despite not being there to see you grow, to help you along that path, you’d become everything we’d hoped you would. Jenny took her daughter’s hands and squeezed them gently. Who would we be if we told you not to go? Doing so would only serve to put our own fears to rest and nothing else. You are your own person now, with or without us.

A single tear streaked down her mother’s face and it surprised Carey to find tears gathering at the edges of her own eyes.

Robert placed a comforting hand on Jenny’s shoulder and gazed lovingly at his daughter.

We want you to go because we know that you have the strength and determination to do so, and that in itself could make us no prouder.

3

Seramina

So, let me get this straight – there’s a room that can essentially be moved anywhere in the castle and holds whatever dangerous magical artefacts the Council manages to possess?

Kat leant forwards in the chaise as she spoke, a fire crackling in the hearth beside her. They were in Carey’s room, Rupert having joined them after the Council meeting. The sun was sinking below the horizon beyond the open window, a brisk autumn wind ruffling the curtain. Rupert had boldly taken up residence on Carey’s bed and was resting with his hands behind his head, his socked feet crossed. His boots, which reminded Carey of swashbuckling pirates, were lying at the foot of her bed. His dark button-down top was untucked from his heavy belt.

Carey stood leaning against the end post of her bed, her arms crossed.

Yes, and we’re not to talk about it to anyone else, Carey reminded them both.

How the hell did we not know about this already? Kat asked, flopping back in her chair.

Rupert raised his hand in the air, his elbow still resting on the bed. I did.

Kat threw a cushion at his head playfully.

And you neglected to tell us about it?

He deflected the pillow with his outstretched hand. It never came up, I suppose.

You know what, Rupert? Carey said with a grin. If it were a genuine surprise – you knowing, that is – I’d be inclined to throw something at that great blue head of yours also.

Rupert ran his hand through his dark-blue tresses. If yer have grievance with my hairstyle, please, feel free ter take it up with my sister.

Carey let out a laugh. No, thank you. I quite like my hair how it is. She flicked at the ends of her own sandy hair before getting serious again. Back to the Stronghold though. What else do you know about it?

Only that there are some here whose great-grandparents et cetera worked in the castle at the time of the emperor before Malevolence was in power, an’ they said that th’ Council possessed some great magical artefact. It was kept in a secret room which bears great resemblance ter the Stronghold. Apparently, this is the magic Malevolence stole in order ter gain power, Rupert said.

He really was in his element, Carey thought, speaking of castle secrets and conspiracies. However, his words took her back to a conversation she’d had with Lady Sirona about Elara, her grandmother’s sister. Elara had attempted to steal what had been called the Orb of Power from the Council, and had killed her father in the process.

Carey relayed the story to the others.

The orb must have been kept in the Stronghold. Elara never got a hold of it, though. She was banished to the Darklands for doing what she did. But what if she told Malevolence about it? Her family was part of the Council and apparently only Council members are supposed to know about it. Malevolence came from the Darklands, right? If Elara told her about it, that could have been why Malevolence came to the Council in the first place, Carey said.

Kat held a finger to her lips, deep in thought. All I know about when Malevolence came into power is that she did so rather grandly. She was on the Council of a rather powerful emperor, Merilius, and she overthrew him. Perhaps she managed to procure this orb – she would’ve known where it was by then – and used it to kill the emperor and take the throne for herself. It could explain why Malevolence wasn’t completely destroyed, why her magic has lingered.

Rupert shrugged and said, It’s not somethin’ I’ve heard of, but honestly, Malevolence was somethin’ else. It might be possible. Who knows?

What does this have to do with Saar though? Kat asked Carey.

Carey leant her head against the bedpost; she could feel a headache developing, but she was far too interested in talking about Saar to want to rest.

"We know that since Saar lost the Dragon’s Heart he no longer has the ability to capture the magic of those around him. He was Malevolence’s right-hand man – there is every possibility she told him about this magic she stole. I hadn’t even considered that he might try to steal Malevolence’s magic for himself until today. But, like I’ve said before, he always alluded to something bigger, some greater plan that he clearly needed some powerful magic for. Before, he had mine, Sirona’s, and Mizèi’s magic, but now he needs something else," she said.

Even if that were so, the Stronghold has already been moved, and now that the Council knows he’s a Shapeshifter there have been additional magics placed on the castle to prevent him using that ability in here, Kat pointed out. It’ll be near impossible for him to obtain it.

Carey signalled for Rupert to vacate. Her headache was growing despite her desire to keep speculating.

I hope you’re right, she said as she lay down, placing a hand over her eyes. Knowing Saar, though, he’ll have a plan.

*

Her head continued to pound long after her friends had left. She tried to ignore the throbbing, unable to stop thinking about Saar and his plans, and wondering about the feeling she’d experienced in the Stronghold. It was as though the magic within her knew something about Malevolence’s magic that she didn’t. But what? Carey groaned, rubbing at her temples as the pain worsened, and momentarily Carey wondered whether she should ask Rupert for a sleeping draught. He might still be awake, possibly tending to Zacharia, whose condition continued to show no signs of improvement even though Rupert remained hopeful. Zacharia, whose face reminded Carey so forcibly of his brother. She wanted to visit him and yet, at the same time, didn’t. She was afraid he’d evoke memories that were still too painful to examine, and she didn’t know how she would deal with that. There was barely a moment where she didn’t feel Ji’s absence acutely. Speculating about Saar and the Stronghold didn’t feel the same without Ji there to be the voice of reason.

Carey squirmed uncomfortably. She could picture Ji sitting by the fire as Kat had, listening to them speak with quiet contemplation. He would ruffle his walnut-brown hair in thought and crinkle his nose. His eyes, once that piercing blue but now hidden behind a haze of white, would find her as she spoke. Carey remembered the last time she’d looked into those eyes and heard that voice. She knew there was hope of seeing him again, that the gateway wouldn’t remain closed forever, but at that moment, lying in the dark with nothing but the silence and her memories, it felt like eternity stood between them. It didn’t help that there was that constant desire to seek him out, to be wherever he was. As if she was at one end of a piece of string and Ji at the other, tied together by something more than she could ever understand. It was bad enough that she couldn’t Travel to speak with him. Apparently, the gateway needed to be open for that to happen, as Lady Marksis had discovered in her archives, so even that avenue was closed to them. Yet, despite this, Carey still tried every night before going to sleep. Perhaps, if she reached him, she could talk to him, see him… Carey thought of Zachariah in the Healer’s Ward, oblivious to the broken world around him and the missing part of her heart that was also part of his…

She could hear voices echo from the darkness. There was one she knew – a young girl’s.

Seramina.

She was speaking to someone, a man, judging by the low rumble of the voice. It sounded like she was trying to comfort him, her tone gentle and pacifying. Carey moved towards them, though she wasn’t sure whether she was moving at all. There were no structures or sources of light – everything was smothered in a deep, pervasive darkness that pressed on Carey’s eyeballs.

Do you think you can do it? Carey heard the man ask. Do you really think you can break it?

I know I can, came Seramina’s voice. You just have to trust me.

Carey shuffled closer.

Zacharia, you know you can trust me, Seramina said softly, and Carey halted.

Zacharia?

Sorry, yes. I trust you. It’s been so long… I just want this to end.

As Carey advanced again, a light flared, illuminating two figures – Seramina and Zacharia. Seramina’s red hair was aflame against the black and Zacharia stood hunched and unsure, his familiar brown hair ruffled and messed, his eyes wide. They were standing close together, holding each other’s hands. The light was shining from within their enclosed fists. Carey stared, transfixed, as a heavy silence fell over them. It was the kind of silence that drew everything else into it and expanded outwards, like the ocean dragging water from the shore before spilling it back onto the sand. Seramina’s eyes were closed in concentration and Zacharia was watching her with quiet anticipation. The glow grew steadily brighter, and all around them cracks of light began to appear, splintering the oppressive gloom. More and more slivers cut through the dark, until they were surrounded by a veritable web of the brightest light. Then, with a distant rumble that grew to a deafening roar, it exploded –

Carey woke with a jerk. She’d been asleep, and for the first time in a long time, she’d Travelled without meaning to. Sitting up in her bed, Carey watched the moonlight falling across her blankets shift with the fluttering of her curtains. She could still see the blinding light that had engulfed them, its imprint burned into her eyes so that she had to blink a couple of times to rid herself of the shadows across her sight.

Seramina and Zacharia. She had difficulty understanding what she’d just witnessed. First of all, Zacharia was lying in the Healer’s Ward, unconscious. He couldn’t physically be anywhere else, and yet… What had Seramina been doing? More importantly, how was she talking to him? She’d spoken with Zacharia as though she knew him, as though this wasn’t the first time they’d met. Carey thought of the overwhelming blackness, the absolute oppressiveness she’d felt bear down upon her. Rupert had once described Zacharia as being beyond what his magic could reach, that he was yet to find something