Chained By Fear: 2 (30 page)

On the second morning after the eclipse, Invictus came to his senses. He sat up and demanded boiled eggs and salted pork, which he ate ravenously.

Afterward, he ordered Mala to escort him to the main balcony.

“Aaaaaaah, the sun loves me again,” Invictus said, basking in the bright light of late morning. “I owe you a great deal, General Mala. You will not regret your loyalty. Tell me everything that happened while I was
 . . .
incapacitated. I remember so little. Bhayatupa has escaped, I presume. What else?”

“I have terrible news, my king. The dragon was not the only one to escape. When Bhayatupa attacked, I was knocked unconscious. When I woke, Izumo and Lucius had fled—along with the queen.”

Mala didn’t know what to expect. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Invictus had burnt him to a crisp. He was amazed when the sorcerer reacted calmly.

“I should have listened to you more closely, Mala. You never did trust the firstborn, but I had a tender place for him in my heart and wanted to believe he was loyal. I suppose, until recently, he was. How long has it been since my sister left Avici?”

“Close to two days. We’ve begun the search, but the land is wide, and there are many places to hide. Auxiliaries have been sent north, south and west; and Kilesa protects the east. Some of the dracools are patrolling the skies, especially along the foothills of Mahaggata, but most have stayed in Avici and are attempting to locate Izumo from here, though I don’t understand how they are claiming to do it. Iddhi-Pada is watched, as are the banks of the Ogha. But Laylah and the traitors were far away before anyone noticed they were missing. Where were they headed? Nissaya seems most obvious. Or the mountains. Can you sense her whereabouts, my king?” Invictus did not answer, so Mala continued his ramble. “A force of wolves and Mogols is ready to march under my command, along with a Kojin and some cave trolls and druids. But I didn’t want to leave your side until I was sure you were recovered.”

Invictus faced the sun, holding his arms aloft. Mala waited, not daring to say more. The sorcerer did not speak again until the fiery orb was directly overhead.

“Laylah remains alive, of that I am certain, though I believe the altered sunlight will continue to sicken her much longer than it did me—for I am far greater, and your strength quickened my recovery even more than you might realize. Without similar aid, my dear sister will have a far more difficult time. Still, my ability to determine her whereabouts has been diminished, and I’m assuming this is due in large part to Vedana. Why else would my grandmother have murdered the newborn? Perhaps she thwarts my perception in some way that I cannot detect. Because of this, the dracools might be our best chance. They are able to meld their minds and kill from afar, and if they can eliminate Izumo, Laylah’s ability to travel will be curtailed. We must wait to see what the dracools perceive. In the meantime, I will delve further. Once we discover Laylah’s location, we must act quickly. I
will
have her back.”

Later that day, a dracool came to Mala and reported that Izumo had been detected somewhere east of the mountains near the Gap of Gamana. When Mala told the king, Invictus digested this information slowly, though it was obvious he was puzzled.

“Why would they still be east of the mountains? Has Izumo weakened so much that he can no longer carry them? There are many places to hide in Mahaggata. What are they waiting for? What scheme has Lucius devised?”

“Perhaps I should march toward the gap now,” Mala said. “You can send dracools to alert me when you learn more.”

“Wait until morning,” Invictus said. “I’ll make my decision then.”

But the following morning, they knew no more. It was as if Laylah and Lucius had vanished from the world. The dracools continued to report that Izumo was somewhere near the southeastern tip of the gap, though now he was moving about.

The mouth of Gamana was a rushed two-day march from Avici. Mala left soon after dawn. A thousand wolves, five hundred Mogols, a hundred druids, several cave trolls and a Kojin accompanied him. The dracools were able to spare ten from what remained of the flock in Avici, and they flew ahead as scouts. Ravens were dispatched along with them.

Mala marched northward along the left bank of the Ogha until late afternoon, when he then veered westward. By nightfall he had reached the shore of Lake Ti-ratana, where he rested until midnight while waiting for word from his airborne spies and messengers. When none came, he continued his march. By morning he had reached the northernmost point of Ti-ratana. Still there was no word from Invictus. Mala was perplexed. He decided to wait until further orders came from his king.

Just before noon, a lone dracool approached from the southeast. Mala stomped about impatiently until the
baby dragon
finally landed a few paces away. The dracool, a female, had been flying hard and was out of breath.

“Speak quickly,” said Mala, towering over the dracool as he did most other beings. “What have you to report?”

“Izumo has gone to the Whore City,” she said, hissing through the round holes in her snout.

“Kamupadana
 . . .
what the hell?” Mala said, his chain glowing ominously. “And where are Laylah and Lucius?”

The dracool shrugged. “We know naught. But the king wants you to go to Kamupadana, meet with Jākita-Abhinno, and hear her report.”

Mala thought that was a stupid idea, but at least he had a clear destination. Soon after, his army moved again.

Although Kamupadana was thirty leagues away, most of that distance was across a grassy plain that was easy to traverse. To avoid outrunning their masters, the wolves were forced to slow their pace, but the army still managed to cover ground abnormally fast. By late afternoon of the following day, Mala came within sight of the ninth wall.

Fifty Sāykan soldiers raced out to meet them. Mala, the Kojin, one dracool and one Porisāda were escorted within the gates. At dusk, the hideous version of Jākita-Abhinno greeted them inside the ziggurat, and she led them to the scene of the carnage.

“Lord Mala, your arrival pleases us,” the queen of the Warlish witches said. “As you can ssssee, a terrible thing occurred here this very morning. We were outmatched—and the marvelous little
undines
were destroyed. It was as if one of the old godssss arose from oblivion to punish us.”

“He was no god,” Mala said as he stomped around the bloodied chamber. “This is the work of the Death-Knower. The bastard has as many lives as a Tyger. So where is he now, you witless whore? How did he manage to escape when thousands of Sāykans had surrounded him? Are you harlots that incompetent?”

Jākita was aghast. “I will not be spoken to this way.”

Mala swept out his hand and sent her flying against the wall, where she crouched on all fours and hissed. Sāykan guards rose to defend her, but they retreated when the Kojin pounded her chest. The witch’s bravado did not impress Mala.

“I will speak to you however I choose. Do you dare oppose the might of Invictus? Answer my questions as if
he
was asking them—for I am his eyes and his ears, and I speak for him in all ways. Compared to me, you are
nothing
.”

As if accepting the truth in his words, the witch crawled over to him, whining and submissive. After an explosion of fire and smoke, the beautiful version of the queen rose and stood before him, her voice as intoxicating as the milk of the poppy.

“My lord, I meant no offense. It’s just that I am still upset over this morning’s incident. My city and ssssoldiers are at your command. As for the Death-Knower, he escaped through a passageway that runs beneath the walls. We ssssearched for him everywhere, but he has not been found.”

“I’m not surprised. Women can’t do anything right.”

Jākita’s anger rose again, and a single strand of auburn hair curled and turned gray. But she regained control before another transformation took place. “As you ssssay, my lord. What will you do now?”

“The Death-Knower is not the reason I’m here. He can be dealt with later. I search for others: Queen Laylah and General Lucius. Have they been seen?”

“There are tenssss of thousands within the walls. Until now, the assassin has been our only concern.”

“It’s believed a dracool accompanied the woman and the firstborn.”

“There are no dracoolssss in the city, other than the one that accompanies youuuu now.” She turned to a Sāykan captain who stood nearby, nervously eyeing the Kojin. “Have there been any reports of
baby dragons
?”

“None that I am aware, my queen,” the captain said. “Though it is not unusual to see them in the skies.”

“You twats are worthless!” Mala said. “
Nothing
ever gets done unless I do it myself.”

“As you ssssay, my lord,” Jākita sneered, her green eyes glistening.

“Aaaaargh! Out of my way, you smelly slut. I have work to do.”

When Mala passed through the ninth gate and rejoined his small army, it was deep into the evening, and the crescent moon had long since set. But one of the Porisādas was waiting for him with news.

“Master, the wolves have picked up the queen’s scent,” said the cannibal, who bore skull tattoos on both sides of his face. “And Lucius’ too. They have headed southwest toward the foothills—and the gap.”

Mala stomped around angrily, spitting globs of mucus that sizzled in the gray grass. “How long ago? How far ahead? Was it just the two of them?”

“We believe their lead is less than a day,” the cannibal said. “But there is more you should know, master. They are not alone. We count at least four others.”

“At least?”

“There are strange signs and scents. Is it possible there are Tugars among them? Maybe even Asēkhas? The desert warriors leave no marks when they walk, but the wolves can sometimes sense their presence. They are acting strangely, growling and snapping at each other.”

A loud sound startled Mala and the others. The Kojin had walked into the field and was on her knees, sniffing the ground. Then she stood and pointed all six of her index fingers toward the southwest.

“That’s all I need to know,” Mala said. “Let’s move! Take fifty Porisādas and ride ahead on wolfback. And spread out the dracools. The woman must be taken alive, but feel free to kill the rest, whoever they might be, including Lucius and Izumo.”

Another dracool waddled forward. “Izumo is no longer,” she said. “I have sensed his demise. His life is ended.”

“Good riddance,” Mala said. “One down, two to go. Make that three. I want the Death-Knower’s head, as well. If he and his ratty Asēkhas have joined the queen, I can get rid of all of them at once. This could turn out to be fun after all.”

Though she tried to sleep, Laylah could not relax enough even to close her eyes. The four strange men she had met in Kamupadana already were snoring, along with Lucius. In the darkness of the shelter they lay on blankets the healer’s friends had provided. The Asēkhas moved about silently, performing various chores. They had shed their disguises—at least, that is what Laylah presumed them to be—for black jackets and matching breeches. Their gracefulness awed her. No effort was wasted, no movement unplanned. When it became too dark to see, she lay soundlessly and listened. All she could hear was the snoring. The Asēkhas were as silent as air.

Unexpectedly, a soft blue glow illuminated a portion of the shelter. Laylah’s heart skipped a beat. The healer approached, his staff burning like a torch. As if in response, Lucius stirred.

Stay asleep, Lucius. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stand any more of your complaining
.

And then the healer leaned down and spoke a word from the ancient tongue. A tiny tendril of blue vapor slipped into Lucius’ nostrils, and he went as still as a well-fed baby.

The healer turned to her. “This will make him sleep deeply for a little while.” Then he said softly, “Will you come with me?”

She did not resist. Nor did she want to. To be alone with him had become her fondest desire.

Once they were outside the shelter he took her hand, and for a moment both of them jerked away, as if miniature bolts of lightning had shocked them. But then he grasped her hand again and held on tight. The sensation subsided, and tingling warmth replaced it.

He led her up the side of a steep slope to a ledge of banded stone. The crescent moon had already set, and the night was overcast, but just enough light remained for her to make out his features. His eyes were as blue as sapphire and his hair as black as coal. There was a kindness to the set of his mouth. She imagined what it would be like to make love to him and was surprised to feel no pain in her abdomen as a result. This man’s presence did not appear to threaten whatever it was that guarded the flesh of her womb.

“My name is Torg. I’m also called
The Torgon
.” The powerful sounds almost made her swoon. But she sensed an undercurrent of nervousness in his voice. She was having an effect on him, too.

“I am a king and a wizard. They call me a Death-Knower. I’d tell you more, if we had time. It’s my desire to sit with you and talk long into the night, but I fear we don’t yet have that luxury. Will you be kind enough to tell me your name?”

“I am Laylah. Some call me sorceress, and some call me queen. I am the sister of Invictus.”

If this shocked Torg, he did not show it.

“But I despise him,” Laylah continued. “I’ve been his prisoner for the past seventy years. But I never gave up hope that one day I would be free. And now
 . . .
here I am. I saw you—once. Mala had imprisoned you in the wagon. The memory burns in my mind. Do you remember me?”

“Oh, yes. It has consumed my thoughts ever since.”

She smiled warmly. “I thought you were dead. Mala returned to Avici and said so himself. And yet somehow you live. For me, meeting you is a dream come true.”

“For me, as well,” Torg said, lifting his hand to caress her lovely cheek. “I’ve dreamt of you
 . . .
so many times
. When the moon was full, I felt your presence. There’s so much I would know about you. How were you able to escape? And who led you to me? But I would guess it’s a long story, and our time is short. You need to rest. Tomorrow we will travel far.”

“Life is cruel. Most of mine has been spent in misery, but now that I’ve finally found reason for joy, I’m not permitted to savor it.”

“To hear you say those words fills me with more happiness than you could imagine. I’ve lived a long life, more than a thousand years, but before meeting you it was incomplete. I can wait awhile, as long as I know you feel the same.”

“I do. And more. I’ve lived fewer than one hundred years, but they’ve felt like a thousand.”

Then she leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth against his, white energy bursting from her lips. He nudged her away, as if afraid.

“Have I offended you?” Laylah said.

“Quite the opposite. But there’s more you must know of me before we proceed further. Being with me can be
 . . .
dangerous.”

She sighed. “I think I understand. And there’s more you must know of me, too. Will you take me back to the shelter? You’ve done much to heal me, but I’m still weak.”

“Of course. But there’s one thing I need to know before you retire. Who is the man with you? It’s obvious you care about him, but tell me why I should allow him to remain with us.”

Laylah couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you jealous?”

“If I denied it, I’d be a liar.”

She laughed again, but then her face grew serious. “His name is Lucius. Before the rise of Mala, he was Invictus’ greatest general. But he became disillusioned with my brother and switched his loyalty to me. Without his help, I never would have escaped from Avici. I owe him my freedom and my life. But I don’t love him like a spouse, if that is your concern.”

Torg looked relieved.

“One problem remains,” she continued. “Lucius does love
me
in that way, and he has openly professed it. I fear to tell him how I feel—about you. I have no idea how he’ll react, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he became violent.”

This time, it was Torg’s turn to laugh. “The man you call Lucius lacks the strength to harm me. I am beyond him. But I understand how much you owe him—and in turn, how much
I
owe him. So
 . . .
what do you propose? Do we pretend not to care for each other?”

“For a while
 . . .
until I can bear to tell him the truth. But know this: You are my one and only.”

A single tear slid down his cheek. “I will do as you ask, for as long as you ask. But regardless of what games we must play, I will not be separated from you. I plan to travel west and then south and eventually seek shelter in Jivita. Next to Anna and Nissaya, there will be no safer place in the world once Invictus unleashes his army. Will you come with me? It will be a long journey.”

“If you’ll have me.”

Then she kissed him again.

This time, he did not resist.

When she returned to the shelter, she collapsed into the deepest, sweetest sleep of her life.

Torg let them sleep
until midnight. He and several Asēkhas meditated for fifty long breaths before rousing the others. Outside the cavern it was cool, overcast and extremely dark. Before departing, they ate squares of
Cirāya
and drank desert wine. They had no time for more. Torg was too anxious.

“We have a head start, but it’s not enough. Mala will not rest.”

Ugga belched and then stretched. “I was having the best dream. Too bad we have to go in such a hurry. I hasn’t felt this good in a long time.”

“Me neither,” Bard said. “The wine has filled me with vigor. How are ya doing, Elu? I’ll bet ya have growed an inch already.”

“Elu feels wonderful,” the Svakaran said. “But he doesn’t like wolves chasing him.”

“Who are these wolves after, anyway?” Rathburt said, gesturing toward Laylah and Lucius. “Us or them?”

“You know full well who they’re after,” Lucius said. “But there’s no need to worry. The two of us will be on our way now and will trouble you no longer.”

“Don’t be foolish,” Torg said. “You’d stand no chance without us. You’re obviously no woodsman, and Laylah isn’t fully recovered.”

“Laylah? Is it
Laylah
, now? How did you come by that name?”

Kusala stepped forward. “My lord, must you abide his insolence? His king has tortured you enough. Why should you have to suffer further insults from such a fool? I say we put an end to his foul words and cut off his head. Or at least take out his tongue.”

“You would attack an unarmed man?” Lucius said.

“I would gladly arm you, but it would make no difference.”

Once again Laylah defended Lucius. “Please do not harm him. He has endured more than you know, and if he speaks harshly, it’s out of concern for my welfare.” Then she walked over to Lucius and stared into his face. “If for no other reason, will you try to get along with these men for my sake? We need their protection.”

“Very
well
,” Lucius said, but afterward he refused to leave Laylah’s side for even a moment.

As they left the shelter and strode into the darkness, Elu came alongside Laylah and tugged on the sleeve of her dress. “You are called Laylah? That’s a nice name. May Elu call you Laylah now?”

She smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”

“Yeah, why don’t you?” Lucius snarled. “In fact, why don’t you scream it all over the woods?”

“Lucius is right,” Torg said, trying to sound conciliatory. “Let’s use names as little as possible, and then only in whispers.”

Then he patted Lucius on the shoulder. “It’s time we all try to ‘get along,’” he said to the firstborn. “We have a common enemy. I’m willing to call a truce, if you are.”

Lucius grunted but his expression softened.

Laylah looked at Torg and mouthed the words
thank you
.

As the night deepened, they continued toward the southwest, skirting the feet of several great mountains that towered above them on their right. The uneven ground would have been treacherous even in daylight for anyone not used to such terrain, but Torg and the Asēkhas never stumbled, and Ugga, Bard, Elu and even Rathburt were at home in the woods. For Laylah it had been more than seventy years since she had run wild and free in Mahaggata, but she quickly regained her confidence and walked as effortlessly as the rest. However, Lucius fared poorly, and he cursed under his breath every time he lost his footing or bumped his head. Despite the yellow-haired man’s struggles, the others dared not light a torch or make use of Torg’s staff. Wolves had excellent night vision and could detect the scent of smoke or magic for leagues. And dracools could see almost as well as dragons.

Tāseti rushed forward and bowed to Kusala. “Chieftain, a dracool has been spotted in the sky. We don’t believe it has seen us, but it soon might. What should we do?”

Kusala turned to his king. “Lord?”

“Is it within reach of a sling?” Torg said.

“It can be done,” Tāseti said.

Torg nodded, and Kusala’s heir raced into the darkness.

“A dracool aided us,” Laylah said to Torg. “He told us that their kind is interconnected through their minds. Will the ones with Mala be able to sense if one of their own has fallen?”

Just hearing her voice made Torg feel dizzy, but he tried not to show it. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “But I still believe it will be best to eliminate any spies that come near. With the Asēkhas leading us, we hope to go a long way before we’re discovered. However, the wolves will find us eventually. And then I’ll have decisions to make.”

“Whatever decisions ya make, don’t leave Ugga out of them,” the crossbreed said. “Bard and me want to stay with ya, Master Hah-nah. Will ya keep us by your side?”

“I’d have it no other way,” Torg said. “For better or worse—and probably worse—you’re stuck with me.”

“Don’t forget Elu,” the Svakaran said. “He wants to stay too.”

“Elu will stay. And even Rathburt,” Torg said.

“Lucky me,” the slump-shouldered Death-Knower responded gloomily.

Just then a loud crash erupted in the nearby brush.

Soon after, Tāseti came into view. “A clean kill, my lord. It fell without a cry.”

“It’s a pity that such an ancient creature had to perish,” Torg said. “Given the proper direction, dracools might prove worthy of our friendship. But they seem more attracted to evil than good.”

“Izumo wasn’t that way,” Lucius said. “Without him, Laylah and I wouldn’t be alive.”

“I wish I had met Izumo,” Torg said. “The dracools remember much that most others have forgotten. But they’ve never been fond of speaking about it to me.”

“You would have liked Izumo,” Laylah said. “In some ways you remind me of him.”