Chain of Illusions (Bringer and the Bane) (8 page)

He glided out of the darkness, his black skin gleaming in the light of the near full moon, each muscle cut to perfection in the blue glow. His yellow eyes remained fixed on her and his strides closed the distance. He stopped a mere foot beyond the boundaries.

Silence stretched between them. His stare skated over her, taking in every inch of her human body. With caution, she opened her senses and tried to gauge his response. A chaotic consciousness filled her mind, crowding her soul. She staggered against the overwhelming force and slammed her mental shields down to block out the familiar and unwanted darkness in which the Bane dwelled. Now free from her demon form, she could no longer bear the suffocating touch of the desolation.

“You have changed.” The deep bass of his voice drifted across her like warm air over her chilled skin. His words hovered somewhere between a question and a statement.

From what Rell had gleaned from conversations within the manor, the Bringers feared Icarus the most. Besides Vile, he would eventually be the most hunted. Though she’d never voiced her thoughts to anyone, including Siban, her time spent with Icarus in the Shadow World had told her there was more to him than the soul-sucking Spoil he’d been labeled as.

“Yes.” She rubbed her hands against her arms. “They found my body and healed me.”

He continued to stare at her. The wind whispered in the canopy of the trees and the low song of the night hoppers began again. After several seconds he asked, “Is it…good?”

His question, so full of desperate hopefulness, tore at her heart. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She swallowed hard, pressing her lips together against the lump rising in her throat, and nodded. Another awareness skated through her, probably Siban sensing her distress. The thought that he was always with her, even during her private time, irritated Rell. She pushed his presence aside and refocused on Icarus. She understood his question, his need to know not how they’d healed her, but that they’d rid her of the darkness. “Yes.” She sniffed. “It’s very good, Icarus.”

Though nearly imperceptible, she saw his posture relax. He attempted a smile, but only succeeded in curling one corner of his mouth, which looked more like a sneer, and exposed a white fang. “You are smaller than I thought you’d be.”

A giggle threatened to trickle from her, but Rell managed to keep it suppressed. Instead she crossed her arms. “Don’t underestimate me, Bane.”

“Ah.” He paced along the perimeter of the ward. “Bane is it? I guess it is only natural that we should now become foes.”

“No.” She let her arms fall to her sides. “I don’t believe that.” She took a step forward. “You once said that I was different, like you.” She matched his pace. “What if you had once been a Bringer too?”

He stopped and peered at her. “A Bringer? Me?”

“Could it be possible?” Since her transformation, she’d thought about him often. The way his body had been warm like hers. How he had no memories beyond being a Bane. “What if Vile took your soul? What if your body is frozen in the Shadow World—like mine was.”

He was silent for a long time, contemplating her words. “I have lived for a thousand years, Rell. Do you not think I’d know if Vile had hidden my human body?”

“Did you know about my body?” She wanted to believe he hadn’t. “Or the other Bringers?”

He stopped suddenly and faced her. “No, I did not. It seems there is much my father has done without my knowledge. But I don’t think I was ever anything other than what I am now.”

His agitation ricocheted off the ward. She didn’t know how far she could push him. Maybe giving him something to hope for would drive him to find the truth and help them on their quest. “Perhaps Vile is not your father.” She cleared her throat. “Perhaps he’s been toying with you all this time.”

The darkness inside Icarus swelled at her words, beating at her. His reptilian eyes pierced her, as if assessing whether or not
she
was the one who was toying with him. The air suddenly shifted. Icarus’s head snapped up, and he scanned the sky. He thrust his wings outward and crouched, but it was too late.

From above a heavy net dropped over him. Rell screamed, understanding dawning. Icarus thrashed under the weighty tangle, but couldn’t get free. Like a hundred beating drums, the thump of wings sounded overhead. Three dragons dropped from the sky. Their claws gouged the earth when they settled.

Unsure what to do, Rell rushed forward, intent on protecting Icarus. The dragons shifted. Rhys, Gregory, and Luc cut off her course and tackled Icarus, taking him to the ground.

“Don’t hurt him.” They didn’t understand—didn’t know Icarus like she did. She hurled her body at the melee but was yanked backward before she reached them. “Let me go.”

Siban wrapped her in a hug she couldn’t get free of. “Rell, calm down.”

“Let me go.” She landed a solid kick to Siban’s shin but he didn’t release her. She watched, helpless to make them understand that Icarus didn’t mean her any harm. Tears welled and spilled down her cheeks. “He wasn’t going to hurt me.”

The fight bled out of her once the three Shields pinned Icarus’s limbs to his body and rolled him over. They pressed him against the ground, each man struggling to hold the much stronger demon down.

More Bringers appeared, flooding around Rell and Siban to join the fight. Jade walked past her, but didn’t stop to comfort Rell or even meet her eyes. Raising her hands, she spoke the chant to un-ward a small section of the barrier. Her actions could only mean one thing. They were planning on imprisoning Icarus within the boundaries.

Ravyn, Meran, and Juna strode to where Icarus now lay motionless. All the fight seemed to have left him.

“If you don’t fight us, Bane, you will remain unhurt,” Rhys said.

Icarus turned his head to the side and sneered at him. “It is you who should be concerned about being hurt.”

Luc pulled back his arm and leveled a solid punch to the demon’s jaw. Icarus’s head smashed into the ground. “Just returning the favor for the time we shared in the Shadow World.”

“Please, Icarus, don’t fight.” Rell struggled against Siban. This time he loosened his hold. With a jerk she pulled completely free of his grasp and stepped away. “Why are you doing this?”

“To protect you.” Siban pointed to Icarus. “Though you refuse to see it, he is dangerous.”

Rell looked from Bringer to Bringer. “You knew he would come here and you set this trap.” The betrayal of being kept in the dark swamped her. She glared at Siban. “You knew and you didn’t tell me?”

He didn’t reply. There was no need. She knew the answer.

She swallowed back her panic. “What are you going to do with him?”

“Imprison and interrogate him.” Gregory’s words were blunt and held no delusions that if need be, they’d kill Icarus. “Do what we must.”

“He didn’t hurt me. You’ve got to listen to me.” She took a step forward but Okee blocked her path. She glanced from him and then back to the group. “There is something different about him. Icarus is more like me than Vile.”

“Impossible, there is no humanity in that beast,” Siban spat. “You and he are nothing alike.”

She spun to glare at him. “Just because you don’t want it to be doesn’t make it so. I know what I’m talking about. Why aren’t you listening to me?”

“Because you’re not thinking clearly.” He shook his head. “What you say sounds like something you wish to believe, not something that is true.”

“Wishing we could heal him isn’t wrong. If he can be healed, I’ll do whatever it takes.” She shook her head. “Nobody deserves the punishment he’s endured.”

“You care for him more than you should.” Siban’s jealousy spilled from his tight words.

“As I would care for anybody who needed help.” She lifted her chin, daring him to reprimand her further. “When did you become my decision maker?”

“I love you. That’s why I protect you.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me. I’m not a child.”

“Enough.” Gregory’s command sliced through their stalemate. “This won’t be solved tonight. Right now we need to get him into the cell and re-ward the walls.”

More than anything, Rell wanted to rage against all of them. Frustration seized her and it was painfully apparent that even though she was no longer Bane, she still wasn’t fully included with the Bringers. The fact that Siban knew and didn’t tell her of their plan was the worst betrayal. Where did that leave her? Once again she had no place in the world, neither Bringer nor Bane.

Meran, Juna, and Ravyn stationed themselves at three points around the men and Icarus. Rhys, Gregory, and Luc hoisted the demon onto their shoulders but didn’t proceed forward. He no longer fought against his captivity.

The three sisters extended their arms in either direction and began chanting. Words Rell didn’t understand filled the night as if magnified tenfold. White light erupted from their fingertips and connected, forming a circle around the men and Icarus.

“What are they doing?” Rell’s panic welled gain, certain they were hurting him.

“The light will protect him from the wards,” Okee said. “He’ll be safe once he’s inside the cell.”

At his words more threads of white light shot underneath Icarus and upward in an arch, making contact with the other side. What looked like an egg-shaped net of light surrounded but didn’t touch him.

“Let’s get him inside,” Gregory said.

The group of men moved forward and the three sisters mirrored their pace. White light continued to surround Icarus and their words resonated through the night air. Rell turned and watched them move steadily across the ground, but she had no inclination to follow. Being in the cell herself had been bad enough. Watching another being imprisoned was more than she could stomach—no matter what the situation.

Jade raised her hands again, moving them across the space in the barrier. Her soft words hissed from her and Rell could feel the wards fall back into place. When finished, Jade turned and walked to her. With silent comfort she placed a hand on Rell’s shoulder. The depth of her sister’s concern seeped into Rell’s skin like a warm blanket, but she was in no mood to forgive any of them for their betrayal. After a few seconds, Jade slid her hand from Rell and walked away.

“Come back to the manor,” Siban said.

Even though she knew he acted out of worry, his statement sounded more like a command. She needed to be alone. The last thing she wanted was to listen to all his reasons for why she should not help Icarus. “I still have two hours left on my patrol.”

For a few seconds Siban didn’t say anything. His distrust scraped along her awareness, making it clear he didn’t trust her.

“We’ll talk when you return.” He hesitated, but when she didn’t reply, he nodded. “I’ll see you back at the manor.”

He turned and strode in the same direction as the other Bringers.

Rell pivoted and paced along the ward’s borders. How could she make the Bringers listen to her—especially Siban? Why couldn’t he trust her? She wasn’t some witless female, who had led a sheltered life. Far from it. Daily, he hovered over her as if she’d shatter into a million pieces the minute something went wrong, but the situation tonight was something different all together. They’d used her as bait to draw Icarus to them. She stomped along the ground, letting her anger feed the dark stain on her soul. Though she knew she shouldn’t, she let the rage of betrayal wash through her. She stopped and stared into the darkness. Sparks of blue light tingled at her fingertips. Cupping her hands, she let the brilliant light pool in her palms. The Bringers plan had worked and they’d gotten what they wanted at the expense of her trust.

Rell gritted her teeth and thrust the pulsating blue orbs at the ward. They passed through, unrestrained, and struck a tree beyond the ward. The trunk splintered, sending chunks of bark in all directions.

At times like this, she missed being a Bane. The ability to fly away from her problems and hide in the caverns had far greater appeal than facing this situation head on. Emotions she wasn’t used to crowded inside her. Her throat tightened and she forced down a swallow. How was she supposed to do what was right—both for her own conscience and the group?

She turned and paced a course in the opposite direction, trying to tame her anger to a manageable level. Tomorrow she would talk to Gregory when Siban was not around. Perhaps she could get him to see that Icarus was more than the soul-sucking demon the Bringers believed him to be. If not, how would she live with the guilt knowing she’d been given a new life but he’d been condemned for what was the same offense—being a Bane?

Chapter Eight

Siban rubbed his face with his hands and yawned. Sleep hadn’t come easily last night. Rell hadn’t returned to the room before he’d fallen asleep and when he’d awoken, she was already dressed and gone. In reviewing last night’s incident he felt confident that he’d acted appropriately. She was too close to the situation and wasn’t thinking clearly. No matter what her feelings were for Icarus, Rell needed to learn that he couldn’t be trusted under the best of circumstances. Though he had to wonder what exactly her feelings were for the demon. Her reaction had been fierce and it hadn’t taken his Tell powers to know she’d felt betrayed.

The words he’d needed to smooth things over escaped him. He loved Rell, but even now she was a paradox. The dark stain of being a Bane still tainted her soul and he sensed that she hadn’t fully embraced being back to her human form. Her reaction to Icarus had been intense—too intense. The safety of the Bringers trumped personal feelings. What she wanted was for him to trust her. And that was something he couldn’t give her right now.

Siban rolled his head from left to right, trying to release some of the tension that had built between his shoulder blades, and tightened the belt that held his sword around his waist. Tomorrow at dawn they would leave for the Shadow World, and though he wouldn’t admit it to anybody else, it was not a journey he looked forward to.

Old nightmares had resurfaced, as if he was reliving his days of torture. In the light of day he could bury the scenes and pretend they didn’t eat away at him, but how he would react once back in the place where he’d been imprisoned for nearly two years, he couldn’t say. The added conflict with Rell only burdened him more.

He made his way down the staircase and into the Great Hall, stopping just inside the door. Rell sat with Meran and Gregory, speaking in low tones. Unease crept over him. As much as he wanted to, he didn’t trust her when it came to Icarus. Was she trying to manipulate the other Bringers into believing the demon was different? He stiffened his spine, trying to repress the pang of jealousy pushing at him. With a deep inhale, he stuffed his emotions down and set his mask of detachment in place.

When he approached, Rell looked up, but didn’t smile. “Good morning.”

“Morning.” He gripped the hilt of his sword. Thankfully his voice remained steady, hiding his agitated state. “Did you sleep well? You must have come in after I fell asleep.”

“We have no training this morning so I didn’t wake you.”

The fact that her statement hadn’t answered his curiosity about where she’d slept didn’t escape him. He nodded. “That was kind of you, but you needn’t have taken such pains.”

“Come.” Gregory stood and indicated his spot at the table. “I’ll tell Delphina to bring you food. I have a few tasks to attend to before the day gets started.”

Siban wondered if those tasks involved Icarus. Certainly he’d interrupted a private conversation. And since none of them seemed inclined to include him, he slid onto the bench next to Rell and reached for the pitcher. “Would you like some?”

She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ve already eaten.”

“Anxious about tomorrow?” he asked, pouring the ale into his mug.

“We all are, I think,” Meran said. “Speaking of which, I suppose I should help your mother and Delphina with provisions.” She stood. “Though I doubt they’ll let me do much.”

“They’re very territorial of the kitchen,” Rell said.

Meran laughed. “That’s a good way to describe them. Perhaps they’ll let me peel a potato or scour a pot.”

“Good luck,” Rell said.

They watched her walk away. When she was out of hearing distance he turned to Rell. “You three looked cozy. What were you talking about?”

She didn’t look at him. “Icarus.”

“What about Icarus?” His words came out sharp, the demon’s name leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

“Meran agrees with me. We can’t completely discount his interest in my transformation.” She swirled her spoon in her porridge, still refusing to meet his eyes. “He may even be able to help us.”

As he’d suspected, she hadn’t dropped the subject. Siban snorted. “Help us? Have you gone mad?”

She did look at him then, her eyes narrowing and her mouth drawing into a thin line. “They agree.”

“I’m quite certain Luc would disagree. Have you forgotten the torture he endured at the hand of Icarus? Or how about Ravyn, whom he speared with his talons? For every Bringer who supports your claim I can give you two who do not.” Rell didn’t reply. He slammed his fist on the table. “Is my time in the Shadow World so easily dismissed?”

“That’s a cruel thing to say.” She refocused on her food, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I will never forget that time.”

“Then why do you insist on believing there is something more to Icarus than there is?”

“Because I need to,” she hissed. Snatching up her bowl, she stood. Her eyes burned into him. “If there is a chance he was once human, he will need our help.” She stepped over the bench. “Nobody should be forced to live as something they were not meant to be.” She shook her head, her expression laced with what looked like disappointment. “It makes me wonder why you fought so hard to save me.”

“You are not like Icarus.”

“Can you be so sure?” Not waiting for him to reply, she spun and stomped toward the kitchen.

He watched her stiff-spined retreat, knowing their difference over Icarus would not be solved by Gregory’s and Meran’s support. The demon had caused too much devastation and showed no remorse for it. Rell and the demon were nothing alike—even if she claimed otherwise. She couldn’t be. She was his Rell. Damaged, but strong. The Bane hadn’t broken her and he’d be damned if he’d let Icarus weave his web of lies and draw her back into the darkness.

“You seem vexed.” Delphina set a bowl of porridge in front of Siban and began clearing the dishes left by the other Bringers. “Though I suspect you have a lot on your mind with the upcoming journey.”

“Yes.” He dipped his spoon into the hot gruel. “We all have much to worry about these days.”

He took a bite but the porridge turned sour in his stomach. No longer hungry, he stood and picked up his dish.

“I’ll take that if you’re finished,” Delphina said. “Just pile it on the tray.”

“Thank you.” He did as she asked. The woman smiled at him and then went back to collecting the empty serving dishes. In an effort to lighten his mood, he attempted small talk, something he was neither comfortable with nor good at. “How did your talk with Jacob go?”

She set a stack of bowls on the tray and beamed at him. “Couldn’t have gone better. He said I could buy whatever I needed for Lady Rell’s gown. Said he’d be happy to pay.”

“Jacob is a generous man.”

“Yes he is.” She blushed slightly. “But then, everybody at the manor is. Makes each day of livin’ here a gift.” She hefted the tray. “Well, best get on with my chores. We’ve got a quest to prepare for.”

“Yes we do.” He tipped his head in a quick bow and walked from the hall, heading for the armory.

Inside, Magnus and another Bringer named Trace sat sharpening the weapons they had gathered from Jacob’s storage and those the Bringers had brought with them.

“What can I help with?” Siban picked up the axe Luc had found in the Shadow World and examined the edge. “This blade is already sharp.”

Trace motioned to the two identical daggers lying on the table where the axe had been. “Immortal weapons don’t appear to need sharpening.”

“That will come in handy during battle,” Magnus said. “That Bane hide is thick.”

“I remember.” Siban set the weapon back on the table.

“Grab one of these.” Magnus motioned to the pile of swords. “And a sharpening stone. They all need a good edge on them.”

Remembering his own blade, Siban pulled his sword from its sheath and took a seat on a short stool. With the stone in his right hand, he ran it along the edge numerous times and then flipped it over to do the other side. After he finished, he picked up a thick dagger from the pile and did the same. Neither of the other men spoke. Each of the Bringers sharpened two knives to Siban’s one. Trace’s nimble fingers slid along the blades, testing each edge and then tossing it into a pile.

The three worked through the day, only stopping for the noon meal. Once all the blades had been honed, they checked the sheaths and harnesses for tears or weak stitching. Throughout the day Bringers trickled in to claim several weapons each. For his efforts, Siban developed a blister on his thumb and his back ached from hunching forward. By the evening meal, the weapons had been doled out and a small bag of provisions had been given to every person leaving on the quest. When Siban entered the Great Hall, the smell of roasting meat surrounded him. A low grumble from his stomach answered the tantalizing odor.

Most of the group was already assembled, including Rell. She sat between Jade and Ravyn, and from what he could surmise, the three were talking about the interior of the Shadow World. Siban took a seat near Rhys and was instantly presented with a heaping plate of food by Willa.

“Thank you.”

“Eat up.” She patted him on the shoulder. “It might be the last hot meal you have for a while.”

“Cheery thought,” Rhys said.

Small talk flowed around Siban but he ate in silence. The group seemed more sedate than usual, the gravity of tomorrow’s trip obviously weighing on more people than just him. Halfway through the meal Gregory stood and walked to the head of the table.

“Before we retire tonight, I wanted to say a few words.” He leaned a fist against the table and looked at the group. “I know I don’t have to tell you how perilous tomorrow’s journey will be. I think it’s evident in everybody’s expression.” His gaze tracked to each of them. “It is imperative that we stay together as much as possible once in the Shadow World.”

Siban glanced at Rell, whose eyes were fixed on the king with an intensity that belied her anxiety. Despite their disagreement, he wished he was sitting next to her so he could ease her worries.

“We don’t know what to expect once we enter the Bane’s domain.” The king made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “Though some of us have knowledge of the interior and the workings of the demons, it is wise to expect the unexpected.”

The crowd remained silent, though Siban noticed that Jade shifted to lean against Luc. He wrapped his arm protectively around her. Once again Siban looked at Rell. She sat ramrod straight and unmoving. After dinner he would go to her, let her know he was there to protect her—to give his life for her, if it came to that.

“As all of you know, one of the unexpected turns we’ve had already is Icarus,” Gregory said.

At that Rell looked at Siban, staring at him for a second before looking away. There was no mistaking her message. She would do as she pleased—what
she
felt was right for the Bringers. He gritted his teeth, worrying about what drove her obsession to help Icarus. Was it merely her desire to right the wrongs of the Bane or did her feelings for the demon run much deeper? No matter what, protecting her was going to be more difficult than he’d expected. Trusting her even more so.

“It appears he’s taken an interest in Rell’s transformation. We’ve got him locked in the cell we used for Rell now, but at some point we’re going to have to deal with him,” Gregory said. “Though I’m still unsure what decision will need to be made, after consultation with Rell and Meran, we believe Icarus might be of some use to us. His actions seem more personal than spurred on by Vile’s influence.”

“Why do you say that?” Luc’s voice held a hint of malice, understandably so.

After being lured into the Shadow World by Rell and Icarus, the demon had tried to force information from Luc by torturing him. Siban caught his eyes and gave him a nod of agreement.

“We think there might be a chance he was once human and that until Rell was transformed, Icarus was unaware of the possibility.” Gregory shrugged. “This may mean nothing.”

“It was my understanding that we’d finally rid ourselves of the demon once we garnered information.” Luc pulled the immortal dagger from its sheath at his belt and buried the tip in the wooden tabletop. “If you will not do it—then I will.”

“You have every right, Luc, but I’m asking for patience in this matter.” Gregory paused. “From all of you. If Icarus
was
human, he’s been Bane for far longer. I’ve never had direct contact with the demon, so I am not in a position to offer my opinion until I speak with him further. I do however put great stock in Meran’s Tell abilities. And from what Rell has said, there are enough differences between Icarus and the other Bane to indicate several possibilities.”

It would take more than the word of the two Tell women to ever convince Siban, and from Luc’s stoic expression, him as well.

The decision to keep Icarus alive was foolish. He felt it clear to his bones. “Be done with him, Gregory, and spare us all a lot of trouble.”

“So now you are judge and executioner?” Rell said.

“If need be.” He didn’t look at her, not wanting to see the anger he felt emanating from her. “I will do what it takes to keep you safe.”

She didn’t reply.

Their leader held up his hands to stay the argument. “I’m not saying that we trust him or even interact with the demon. But we should not act rashly. A captured foe may be of more use than a dead one.” He lowered his arms and sighed. “We’ll be leaving at first light. Get some sleep. Meran and Rell, I’d like you to come with me when I speak with Icarus.”

“I will come, too,” Siban said. “I want to hear his words for myself.”

Gregory hesitated. “Only if you remain calm and silent.”

That would be easier said than done, but he needed to assess the situation for his own peace of mind. “I will try.”

After a few seconds Gregory relented. “Come then.”

The Bringers rose, their low conversations about the quest and the revelation about Icarus swirling around Siban. He stood and made his way to where Gregory waited. Rell approached. Words seemed awkward. It would be best to let the situation unfold instead of trying to defend his opinion that Icarus should die.