‘Oh, gods,’ he whispered, covering his face with his hands.
‘What, Fern?’ she asked worriedly.
‘Nobody told me,’ he muttered. ‘I didn’t know you were alive—they said you were dead. Everybody told me you were dead...’
‘It’s all right, Fern,’ she said again, but now he pulled away from her touch, and she was unsure what to do.
He looked up at her, his face haggard.
‘I’m married, Jane,’ he said roughly.
‘What? What are you talking about?’
‘I ... you were dead. I had duties here to my people, my mother ... I thought that ... I thought you were never coming back, so it didn’t matter...’
She stared, and finally she understood. Quickly she stood, stepping away from him. ‘Jesus, Fern. You’re such an idiot!’
‘I’m sorry, Jane. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to do...’ Fern shuddered.
She shook her head. ‘Let’s not do this,’ she said softly. ‘I can’t right now. I’m too tired. We can talk about it later.’ Then she turned and walked away from him. Fern’s chest tightened painfully, but suddenly she paused, looking over her shoulder at him.
‘I’ll need somewhere to stay to recover for a night or two,’ she said bluntly. He nodded, his heart starting to beat again. So they walked across the plain towards the ice castle together.
There was a part of him that knew what he had lost, the part that made his footsteps heavier.
But better she was alive and not his than dead. He’d lost her out of his own haste and stupidity, but at least they had not all lost her from the world.
Jane was alive, and finally he could breathe again.
It was at that precise moment that the power of banishment was broken. A force that had for so long been silent, a name that was feared to mention, became a reality once more.
It was at that moment that the Scourge of the land of Paragor, creature of dark malevolence, destroyed the bindings that had held him. His thoughts, so long focused on his banishment, turned towards the people
of Paragor, with all the vengeance and hatred that had been sitting at the bottom of his black heart for over a thousand years.
And the power he commanded now, born and fed by his own anger and longings, was great. He would not be overcome again. This time he was too strong.
This time he had a plan.
Mia lay face down on her bed, swaying with the waves that rocked the ship. A timid knock on the door interrupted her sobs. Wiping her eyes, she struggled to stand and open the door. In front of her were the two ladies Elixia had sent to accompany her on her journey. Harry and Anna had wanted to come with her, because they hadn’t understood that she needed to do this alone. They had only agreed not to come if Mia took the two women along.
‘Lady, whatever is the matter?’ the younger one—Claudia—gasped, rushing into the room to put a comforting arm around her. The girl had a mess of blonde hair and a giggly, whimsical imagination. Gwen, on the other hand, was older and sterner. Her lips were constantly forming a thin line, not of disapproval, but of watchfulness.
Now she went quickly to the basin, wetting a cloth and wiping Mia’s face. The two women sat her down on the bed and stroked her hair gently.
‘I’m sorry,’ Mia cried. ‘I didn’t mean for you to see me like this.’
‘Hush now,’ Gwen said. ‘There’s no need for apologies.’
‘Why are you upset?’ Claudia asked, her eyes wide.
Mia sighed, shaking her head. ‘I just ... I just broke up with someone.’
‘A man!’ Claudia exclaimed. ‘You were courting someone? Who was it?’
‘Don’t harass her, child,’ Gwen chided.
‘Another Stranger,’ Mia explained. ‘We came to Paragor together. But ... he didn’t understand why I needed to come here, so ... I ended it.’
‘If he didn’t follow you to the ends of the land, then he did not truly love you!’ Claudia announced with a grand sweep of her hands.
‘I told him not to follow me,’ she said miserably. ‘Maybe I was too harsh?’
Gwen shook her head firmly. ‘No use crying over what-ifs. Now let’s get you ready for bed.’ The older woman began preparing Mia’s nightgown, while Claudia started to comb the tangled mess of her red hair.
Claudia laughed. ‘I never imagined I’d get to wait on one of the famous Bright Ones!’
‘It’s so strange to think of us as famous,’ Mia smiled. ‘I haven’t done anything!’
‘You will,’ Gwen murmured, almost too softly to hear.
‘The first four did enough that the six of you will be talked about forever,’ Claudia said with a happy sigh.
‘Yeah, I’ve heard all about that,’ Mia said.
‘But you know them personally!’ Claudia went on excitedly. ‘Could you tell us about them?’
‘What do you want to know?’
‘Well ... I’ve always wondered about ... Jane and the prince.’
‘Actually,’ Mia said, ‘So have I. I don’t have a clue what happened.’
‘So you don’t know what happened in the end, when he died?’
‘No. I’ve heard that she left.’
Claudia frowned. ‘I guess that is possible.’
Gwen shook her head. ‘Claudia,’ she snapped. ‘There’s no sense in encouraging such thoughts.’
‘Why?’
‘Because everyone knows...’ Gwen coloured slightly.
‘What?’ Mia pressed.
‘She died,’ Gwen finished softly, staring at the ground.
There was a deep silence in the room.
‘There are other stories,’ Gwen said gently. ‘Other ways it might have happened.’
‘Oh, yes!’ Claudia agreed quickly. ‘Some say she was turned into a mermaid!’
‘What?’
Gwen rolled her eyes, but the younger girl ignored her. ‘The story of the first mermaid is centuries old. As a human, she was the first woman to ever experience a broken heart—a
real
broken heart. She couldn’t bear it, this woman, so she went to Freyja the love goddess, and she asked to be set free of the torture. Freyja offered her a deal—no more pain, but no more joy either. An eternity of nothingness, swimming the cold and unforgiving oceans. So great was the woman’s pain that she agreed, and so was transformed into a half-woman, half-fish, that she might navigate through the water, icy like her heart, for the rest of time. And so the story goes that every woman who has ever had a real broken heart ends up with the same fate.’
Mia stared at her, her mouth open. ‘
And this is what happened to Jane?
’
Claudia blinked. ‘Oh, no—I didn’t mean—’
‘Of course it isn’t,’ Gwen snapped. ‘It’s just a ridiculous tale, told by silly young girls.’
Mia lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. They were wrong. Jane was coming back. She had to. ‘She was just a girl,’ Mia murmured. ‘My friend. And
she didn’t know anything about boys. How could she have a broken heart?’
Neither of the girls replied.
The next day the ship arrived at the small dock of Tirana.
Standing a few paces back from the wooden walkway, amid leagues of hot sand that stretched as far as the eye could see, was a tall, dark-skinned man. He wore a light cotton vest, and had his large arms crossed, his legs spread wide. The sun reflected off his bald head. Mia stopped in front of him, her eyes wide.
The enormous man’s lip curled, and without speaking, he turned and began walking into the desert.
‘Excuse me?’ Mia called out to his retreating form. He ignored her, except to give a flick of his head that indicated they should follow him.
Claudia looked terrified, but Gwen gave a shrug. ‘Suppose we’d better go with him then.’
Mia cast a wishful look at the boat behind them, already preparing to sail again, and then resolutely turned away from it, an image in her mind of towering walls amid a sea of sand that was very much like the sand she was standing in.
It took them the good part of the morning to reach the camp. Mia spotted it in the distance—hundreds of white shapes, glistening under the hot sun, turning red as night drew closer. All day the heat had threatened to make her dizzy, but now its edge was fading, and she knew it was going to be very cold here at night.
A group of people waited on the outskirts. A man stood in front of them, almost an exact replica of the man who had led them through the desert, except this one was not as tall, and his face was beaming with
a wide, welcoming smile.
‘Greetings,’ he said, bowing as he clasped Mia’s hand. ‘You must be the Bright One, Mia. We have awaited your arrival very gladly. I am Emperor Liam of the Kabduh, and you stand now in the Sands of Anuk.’
Mia blinked, bowing as gracefully as she could. This man had tattoos all over his face, and his body was adorned with knives and swords. The whites of his eyes, and the brightness of his teeth stood out in a sharp contrast to his dark skin.
‘Thank you,’ Mia said, unable to help the grin that spread across her face. ‘It’s a pleasure to be here.’ And she meant it. Despite the sand that had made its way into every crevice of her body, Mia already loved the desert. More than that—she loved that she was on her own, making her own adventure.
‘Come inside and have tea with us,’ Liam offered, leading her into a tent and sitting down on a mat. ‘You’ve already met my younger brother, Lastaam. Forgive his manner—he doesn’t speak a word of your language.’
‘I get the feeling that’s not what he was upset about.’ Mia eyed Lastaam who stood near the entrance to the tent, brooding.
Liam frowned. ‘I apologise if he was anything but polite to you—he thinks he was being punished by being sent on an errand to look after women.’
‘I see.’ Suddenly Mia didn’t think she was going to like Tirana as much as she thought. Claudia moved uncomfortably on the mat beside her.
‘In any case, your presence is very welcome,’ Liam assured her. ‘I was sent word from the High Queen that you are here to obtain certain information.’
‘Yes I, uh...’ All of a sudden Mia wasn’t sure what to say. Now that she was here, she couldn’t figure out what it was, really, that she wanted.
‘I’ve been having these dreams,’ she started, flustered. There were too many sets of eyes trained on her. ‘I ... I’m not sure...’
‘Forgive me for speaking out of turn,’ Gwen interrupted softly. ‘But have you ever heard of the basin of destiny, highness?’
The Emperor looked at her, clearly surprised that she had spoken at all.
‘Of course,’ he replied. ‘There aren’t many who haven’t heard of its power.’
‘Well then you will know of the pull it has,’ Gwen said, and looked at Mia.
Nodding, Mia took over. ‘When I looked in, Emperor,’ she said shakily, ‘I saw something that has led me to Tirana in search of answers, and I think you are the only one who might be able to give them to me.’
Everyone in the tent was peering at her intently, and she looked down at the mat before she lost her place again. ‘Have you ever heard of a city called Samaraq?’
The silence, somehow, became electric. She had no idea if the men spoke English, or if they were just reacting to the name. Liam stared at her, and suddenly he was no longer looking at her as a young girl, but as a woman who knew more than she should.
‘How do you know that name?’ he whispered.
‘I ... I dreamt of it. I
dream
of it. Every night. I need to find it. I need your help. Do you know where it is?’
He shook his head slowly. ‘It’s gone. Thousands of years ago.’
Mia clenched her teeth. ‘I know that. But I need to find it. I
must.
’ She leant forward. ‘I know everyone thinks it’s useless, but I have to try. Even if I could find where it once was.’
Liam shrugged hopelessly. ‘It is gone. Completely lost to the years. There aren’t even any ruins left.
Even if we could find the location where the city once lay, what do you think you will find.’
Mia flushed.
‘I don’t know. I’ll just have to see what happens when we get there,’ she said determinedly.
‘Do you plan on walking the desert until you come across something? Because it is a very big place—’
‘I don’t care!’ she snapped suddenly, her voice in the quiet tent making the men bristle. It took her a moment to control herself. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, ‘I’m really sorry, I just...’
Liam sighed and nodded. ‘A long time ago, there was said to be a scroll written by the Queen of Samaraq, because she knew what was going to happen to her beloved city. The scroll told of where the city lay, and how to find it once it was past the gates of the mortal world. But no one knows if the scroll actually existed.’
‘It must be real,’ Mia said excitedly, and Liam shook his head.
‘Do not be so sure, Mia. Even if we did find the scroll, which we probably will not, we would then have to decipher what it says, locate the site, and somehow follow the orders to find the city.’
‘We have to try. Please, Liam,’ Mia pleaded.
He pondered for a while, then shrugged and smiled. ‘All right. I’ll help you. I’ve seen your kind do some great things, and if this is the wish of your heart, then who am I to deny a Bright One? I’m just warning you not to get your hopes up.’
There was silence, and then Liam turned back to his brothers, who were waiting impatiently to converse with him. Mia frowned and looked through the opening of the tent. There were more tents everywhere, and a healthy bustle of people, but beyond that lay endless white sand. She didn’t know how the Kabduh found
their way anywhere in the midst of it, and thanked her stars that she had Liam to help her.
Claudia leant towards her. ‘You are sure?’
Mia nodded. ‘We’ve come this far.’ The next day they once again entered the desert, in search of a wise man who Liam thought might be able to help. Lastaam had decided to come along again, even though he seemed to find the task of escorting women as enticing as cleaning the dirt off his shoes.
Liam rode his horse next to Mia’s. ‘There is an oasis up ahead, and Sharif, our wise man, likes to dwell there,’ he told her as he led them through the sand. ‘Hopefully he will know of what we speak.’
Mia was so hot she thought she might melt. She had already shed as many layers of clothing as she could before becoming indecent. On Earth, Mia could wear pretty much anything she wanted, but here in Paragor, and especially Tirana, she had to cover herself. How did the women survive in such heat?
They came to the oasis half a day later, and Mia collapsed on the water in relief, washing her face and drinking like she’d never tasted water before. It was like a little paradise amid a burning hot hell. She had insect bites all over her face and hands, and she washed them in the water gratefully. Liam left them at the pool and went to find Sharif, returning shortly after to usher them all forward.
Mia had a sense of foreboding as she entered the tent and saw the ancient man sitting on a mat on the floor. His eyes were shut and he did not stir, even after they were seated opposite him.
They sat in silence, until Liam snapped something in his language and the man opened his eyes, grinning.
He had only a few teeth in his mouth, and his face became so wrinkled when he smiled that Mia thought he looked almost mummified.
‘Thank you for seeing us,’ she said and Liam looked quickly at her.
‘Do not speak,’ he ordered and Mia frowned, embarrassed. The Emperor turned back to Sharif and began speaking at length in their dialect. Finally, Sharif turned to Mia.
‘Flame-haired woman,’ he said in a crackly voice, and Mia was surprised that he spoke English. She nodded. ‘You have come here to find something that does not belong to you, and which is not your concern.’
Mia frowned again, starting to feel annoyed at the men in this country. ‘I beg to differ, sir,’ she said softly and Liam shook his head. She ignored him. ‘It’s my destiny.’
‘
Your
destiny? But why?’ Sharif asked after a long silence. ‘You are a woman from a foreign land. This is not even your home. You have dragged these people along with you on a quest that is foolish at best.’
Mia suddenly felt gutted. He was right. Everyone was right. She was on a wild goose chase, and had brought all these people from their homes, for what? She had no idea what she was trying so vainly to find.
She looked down at her hands. She thought about Jack, and all her friends back in Amalia, about what she could be doing with them now if she hadn’t started this mess.
‘I know it seems foolish,’ she whispered. ‘I know it’s just a hopeless wish. But don’t you think, even for the most impossible tasks, there need to be people who will try anyway? What was lost ... it seems to me that it needs to be found again.’ She paused. ‘I know this isn’t my home,’ Mia said softly. ‘That’s what I’m trying to find.’