Blood of the Earth (5 page)

“I would like to accompany you,” Kelvin said. “I may be of some assistance.”

“I was hoping you would,” Alexander said. “Do you have another one of those collars?”

“I’m afraid the one around our prisoner’s neck is the only one. It will take over a week to make another.”

“All right,” Alexander said, turning to Wizard Jahoda. “We’re going to need another magic circle built at the base of the Keep. I don’t want to risk taking that wraithkin inside Blackstone, and we need to get that collar off him so we can use it against the shade. I considered executing him, but he might still provide some valuable information.”

“I’ll begin at once,” Jahoda said. “I believe there’s a suitable space within the encampment of the garrison guarding the road.”

“I need to talk to Conner,” Alexander said, standing up. “Anyone know where he might be?”

“He’s making the rounds through the Ithilian Infantry,” Duncan said, “trying to calm their nerves after the shade’s attack.”

Alexander appraised the soldiers of his army as he made his way through the encampment. Isabel and Jack accompanied him with Boaberous trailing along behind. Alexander could see the fear in the men’s colors. The shades were creatures of legend, monsters from a dark period in history. They were feared, and for good reason. The fact that one was loose in his army worried him, that it was serving Phane was more troubling still.

It was a good bet that the Reishi Prince knew about the Nether Gate. That made finding it a greater priority than ever. That familiar sense of urgency started to build within his gut. He’d only just returned to Ruatha and he was already planning to leave, but he needed to get counsel first.

He found Conner standing in a small group of soldiers. They all came to attention when Alexander approached.

“Relax, gentlemen,” Alexander said. “I’m afraid I need to talk with Prince Conner for a moment.”

They all nodded and melted back into the encampment.

“Lord Reishi,” Conner said, “it’s good to see you. The soldiers are a little nervous, so I’ve been trying to ease their fears, although I’m not really sure what to tell them.”

“At this point, I’m not sure either,” Alexander said. “We’re working on a way to contain the shade, but it’ll probably be a few days before we’re ready and even then implementing the plan will be difficult.”

“At least you have a plan,” Conner said. “That alone will give the men some hope.”

“Conner, I need to send you back to Ithilian with a message for your father,” Alexander said. “I’m holding a council meeting with everyone I can get on such short notice. I’d like him to attend.”

“I can be ready in an hour,” Conner said.

It was nearing sunset when they arrived at the Gate. Conner had an honor guard of a hundred Ithilian infantry, and Lieutenant Wyatt had volunteered to accompany Alexander. His Rangers were fanned out, watching the empty plain as if it might attack.

Alexander touched the Island of Ithilian on the map carved into the Gate. The stone shimmered for a moment and abruptly opened to the plains of Ithilian.

A dozen men stood guard, awaiting word of the campaign on Ruatha.

“Prince Conner,” the sergeant said with a salute, “your father is anxious for word. He’s here in the encampment.”

Chapter 4

Before Alexander closed the Ruathan Gate, he set both it and the Ithilian Gate to accept commands from the wielders of the Thinblades.

It was well after dark by the time they made it back to the command area of the army encampment. As he rode through the neat and orderly rows of tents, Alexander reflected on how large his army seemed to him. Before this ordeal had begun, he’d never seen so many people in one place. But he knew with terrifying clarity that his army was tiny compared to Phane’s, and he didn’t even like to think about the vast horde of battle-hardened warriors serving Zuhl.

There would be blood and dying before this war was decided, and lots of it. Alexander focused on figuring out how to make sure it was the enemy’s blood that ran freely. He couldn’t hope to defeat either of his foes in a direct conflict. He had to be smarter. He had to find a way to attack without wasting his army in a futile engagement. He hoped his war council would help him formulate a sane and sensible strategy.

His mother was waiting in his tent when he and Isabel entered.

“Alexander, it’s good to see you. Have you eaten?”

“Actually, I haven’t had time for dinner,” Alexander said, giving his mom a hug.

“Well, you have to eat,” Bella said. “You need your strength and a clear head. They told me you’d been injured.”

Alexander grimaced slightly, motioning to the bandage on his arm.

“Well, sit down and let me have a look.”

Bella maneuvered him to a chair at the field table and lit another lamp before carefully unwrapping the bandage.

Isabel sat down across from Alexander.

Bella turned to her with a warm smile. “Hello, dear, I hear you had some excitement at Northport. They tell me these wraithkin don’t like your light very much.”

Alexander chuckled.

“No,” Isabel said. “The one we captured wasn’t afraid of anything until I hit him with my Maker’s light spell. That got him talking.”

“Well done, Dear,” Bella said, then turned back to Alexander’s wound and frowned, pursing her lips as she examined the gash. It was healing poorly, if at all. Blood still oozed from the laceration and it wasn’t clotting as it should.

“I don’t like the looks of this at all,” Bella said with a hint of worry in her voice as she turned back to Isabel.

“I’m told you used your healing magic and it had no effect,” Bella said.

Isabel nodded gravely. “I don’t understand why, either. It worked on Abigail and Anatoly. It certainly should have worked on Alexander.”

“Not necessarily,” Bella said. “Dark magic can counter healing magic. Did you notice any difference in the way your healing spell felt when you cast it on Alexander?”

Isabel thought for a moment and nodded slightly. “It felt colder. The first two times, I felt a gentle warmth within, but when I cast it on Alexander, I felt a hint of deathly cold in the center of my chest. I didn’t think much of it at the time because I was worried about Alexander and confused that my spell hadn’t worked.”

Bella sighed and shook her head. “These weapons may be more dangerous than we first thought. Have you tried your healing since then?”

“No,” Isabel said. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s just a hunch, and I hope I’m wrong,” Bella said.

Alexander felt a little thrill of fear when he saw his mother’s colors. She was afraid. Bella Valentine was a strong woman, a witch with considerable wisdom. She didn’t frighten easily.

“What is it, Mom?”

“It may be nothing, or it may be something very serious. I can’t know for sure just yet.”

Alexander took a deep breath to calm the urgency that was building in his gut.

“Tell me what you think it is.”

Bella held her son’s eyes for a moment.

“The magic of the dagger may have tainted Isabel’s connection to the light or to the firmament when she tried to heal you.”

Alexander looked at Isabel intently, scrutinizing her beautiful colors. She looked as clear and bright as ever.

“I don’t see any difference in her colors.”

Chloe buzzed into existence in a ball of scintillating white light and flew in an orbit around Alexander’s head once before landing in the middle of the table.

“I don’t sense any darkness in Isabel, nor in Alexander, even though his wound is tainted with it,” she said.

“The magic may take time to work,” Bella said, “or it may only advance when she casts a spell … or I could be completely wrong.”

“Is there any way to know for sure?” Isabel asked. She had only recently become a witch, but she felt a sudden vulnerability at the possibility of losing her magic.

“Perhaps, but it may just make matters worse,” Bella said.

“How so?” Alexander asked.

“If Isabel uses her magic, you may be able to discern if the taint has spread from your wound to her through her colors, but it may cause the taint to grow.”

“Knowing for sure would be worth the risk. What spell should I cast?” Isabel asked.

“I don’t know your repertoire, Dear, but I’d suggest something defensive that doesn’t rely on your unique connection to the realm of light.”

Alexander had spent several days with his family while the army prepared to move from Northport. During that time Isabel and Bella had talked a great deal about witchcraft and magic. Bella had slipped easily into the role of mentor and Isabel felt a greater willingness to be forthcoming with her about her magic than she did with even Magda. She trusted the triumvir but not nearly so much as she’d come to trust Bella. Alexander was happy to see them becoming friends. He valued his mother’s opinion a great deal. That she genuinely liked and respected Isabel meant a lot to him.

“I learned a shield spell,” Isabel said. “I’ll start with that.”

She stepped away from the table and began the casting. The spell depended on anger. Alexander watched her colors closely as she formed the emotion necessary to defend against the firmament. He marveled at her passion and emotional control. From the intensity of her colors, he was certain that he couldn’t match the controlled rage she was able to call so easily. The spell succeeded and a shimmer of magic enclosed her in a protective shell. Then the anger she had called to cast the spell drained away.

He looked closely for any hint of darkness within her aura, but saw none.

Shaking his head, he said, “Maybe there’s nothing wrong with her.”

“I hope you’re right, Son, but we have to be sure,” Bella said. “Can you make a connection with the realm of light, Isabel?”

Isabel nodded and closed her eyes for a moment to center herself, then touched the passage within her psyche that led to the realm of light. She had come to view her connection with the light as the most potent magic she had at her disposal. She cherished it all the more because it had been created through the birth of Sara, Alexander and Chloe’s fairy daughter.

Isabel felt the light flood into her as the warm, loving creativity of it engulfed her.

Then Alexander cried out, “Stop! I see darkness in your colors.”

Isabel slammed the passage shut in a rush of fear and loss. She loved the light. It filled her with calm, loving purpose every time she touched it.

“The darkness is gone now. I’m so sorry, Isabel,” Alexander said as he drew her into a hug. She sobbed gently against his chest for several moments. Once she’d composed herself, she turned to Bella.

“How do we fix it?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure some of the wizards may be able to help,” Bella said. “In the meantime, you must refrain from using magic that requires you to touch the realm of light.”

“My healing and my Maker’s light are the most powerful magic I have,” Isabel said. “What if I need to use them?”

“Be sure there’s no alternative,” Bella said. “Darkness is not to be trifled with. A taint such as this was undoubtedly constructed deliberately, most likely as a secondary attack against any healers within our ranks. Also, I fear Phane wanted to ensure that those injured by these blades died slowly and painfully.”

“Don’t risk it, Isabel,” Alexander said, still holding her beside him with an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll find another way. Until we figure out how to undo the daggers’ magic, you can’t cast those spells.”

She nodded wearily.

“We’ll figure this out, Dear,” Bella said with a reassuring smile.

“Let me call for some food and then I’ll sew up that gash.”

“My Love, you should put a pinch of fairy dust into the wound,” Chloe said. “It may help with the taint.”

Alexander looked to his mother for advice.

Bella shrugged. “Fairy dust is powerful magic. If you have some, I doubt it could hurt.”

Alexander sat down and carefully opened the vial of fairy dust, took a small pinch and sprinkled it into his wound.

At first he felt a warm tingling as the iridescent powder dissolved into his blood. The warmth spread throughout his body. He began to relax and feel heavier. Then he felt a stab of pain in his chest. A moment later he felt like he was on fire. He tensed up, losing all muscle control as he toppled out of the chair.

Isabel and Bella both raced to his side. He heard Chloe whimpering in despair and apology within his mind, but the unmitigated agony coursing through his body wouldn’t allow him to form a single thought to comfort her. He felt himself on the floor, every muscle clenched in an uncontrollable spasm. He couldn’t make his lungs work and felt an especially keen burning in his chest. As he struggled to gain a breath, the darkness began to close in.

The last thing he heard before the darkness claimed him was Chloe’s voice in his mind, “Please don’t leave me, My Love.”

Chapter 5

Lacy Fellenden was tired, hungry, and absolutely terrified.