Nightfall: Book Two of the Chronicles of Arden (16 page)

Joel squinted his eyes against the barrage of dead leaves and sand pelting his face. Through the veil of the archway, he could see tall pillars and the lush greenery of a garden. It was as though he were looking through an open window or doorway.
It is a doorway
, Joel reminded himself.
And the Northern Empire lies beyond it—

NezReth’s voice rose above the screaming wind. “The portal is open! We must go now!”

At first, no one moved. Joel’s own body was frozen in place, paralyzed by fear and doubt. He’d been through portals before—he and Cenric had used a portal to get to and from Shantar—but the immensity of what he was about to do gripped him in sudden terror.
I shouldn’t be going. What was I thinking? This isn’t peaceful Shantar. This is the Northern Empire—

Cenric lurched forward, the first in the party to move. His short hair flew about his head, and the determined frown pulling at his lips only accentuated the age lines around his mouth and eyes. Without so much as a flinch, the ambassador stepped through the threshold.

“You next, Joel,” Koal commanded. “Hurry now!”

When Joel didn’t immediately respond, Hasain shoved him hard in the back. “Go!”

Joel forced his legs to move. It felt as though both appendages were as heavy as marble pillars. Taking several shuddering steps forward, he approached the crackling portal. There was no turning back now. This was it. With eyes slammed shut and breath locked deep inside his chest, Joel jumped through the swirling veil.

A blast of warm air hit him in the face, and a feeling of complete weightlessness passed over him as he traveled through the rip in the Void. Terrible thoughts of somehow becoming trapped there flew to the front of his mind, but before panic had a chance to set in, the sensation ebbed and he crossed safely to the far side.

He staggered, momentarily unable to ground his feet, but then NezReth came through and Joel felt a pair of hands on his back, steadying him. The Blessed Mage smiled, but Joel had no time to utter thanks, as the remaining members of the party still waited on the far side of the portal.

Joel darted out of the way, looking over his shoulder in time to see his father and brother pass through. Hasain brought up the rear. On the Ardenian side of the portal, Joel could still see the faces of his friends and family. King Rishi looked on, a worried frown pulling at his mouth. Beside him stood Queen Dahlia, and only a pace behind her stood Gib, shadowing Dean Marc. Joel couldn’t be sure, but Gib’s eyes appeared to be wet with tears. Joel wished he could now say the words he’d wanted to tell Gib earlier.
I love you. I’m so sorry
.

An instant after Hasain’s feet hit the ground, the portal shuddered, and Joel could feel the magic dissipate as it collapsed in on itself. The glowing blue light vanished, and the tendrils of magic seeped back into the cracks of the stonework, disappearing from sight. Where he had seen his friends and family a moment before, stood a wall of granite.

“Damn portal,” Koal muttered under his breath as he hastily readjusted his crimson cape.

Joel straightened his own frazzled hair as he looked around. They stood in the middle of a lush garden. Vines, heavy with fruit, clung to wooden trellises, and shrubs with leafy palms lay nestled among vibrant flowers of every color and size. Trees with winding, crooked bases and strange leathery leaves provided shade to the area, and smooth granite and limestone pavers created a walkway along the greenery. At the end of the path lay an open terrace, and beyond that, beautiful stone buildings with terracotta rooftops—reminiscent of the architectural style used at the palace in Silver City—rose in the distance.

The humid air was warm, which came as a surprise to Joel. Though he’d never been farther north than a few dozen leagues from Silver City, he knew from studying maps that Teivel, the capital city of the Northern Empire, sat high above the Pinnacle Peaks to Arden’s northernmost border—a place known for its harsh winters and only slightly less frigid summers. Why then, did it look and feel as though he’d stepped into a tropical paradise?

Hasain tugged at his collar, peeling the heavy fabric away from his neck. “Why is it so hot?”

“Magic,” Cenric replied at once. He nodded toward the sky. “The inner city of Teivel is climate controlled year-round. How else do you think such exotic flora is able to grow this far north?”

The entire city is kept warm? But how?
Joel raised his eyes to study the skyline, and tentatively he reached out with his magic to inspect it. Sure enough, he could detect a strange, iridescent film far above, nearly invisible to the naked eye but easily traceable by magic.
It’s a dome
, he realized.
A barrier made from magic
.
It must keep the cold out
.

He’d heard of such a thing, but never on such a large scale. During the coldest days of winter in Arden, the rich could hire a mage to bring warmth to a single room in a household, but such a spell was incredibly taxing on a mage’s power reserves so families mostly opted to build the fire in the hearth extra tall instead of paying for such services. If a single Ardenian mage could barely keep
one
room heated, then how in the two worlds were the mages of the Northern Empire able to keep an
entire city
warm
year-round
? The amount of magical energy needed for such a feat seemed incomprehensible. Joel opened his mouth to ask about it, but the sound of approaching footfalls caught his attention.

A dozen soldiers marched onto the terrace and turned toward the Ardenian party. Each wore splendid armor and longswords on their hips. Breastplates gilded with golden powder covered black, knee-length tunics, and leather sandals with metal studs protected the soldiers’ feet. Twelve sets of calculating eyes regarded the party from within feathered helms made from steel and polished to a sharp shine. Wordlessly, the patrol swept down the path, coming within several paces of Joel and the other Ardenian men, before halting. Joel waited on pins and needles to see what would happen next.

Movement finally occurred, and some of the soldiers shifted aside as one final newcomer joined the precession. A man dressed in a long golden robe made from sea silk stood out among the dark clothing of the soldiers like the sun against rain clouds. His haughty stance and elaborate clothing suggested he was of high rank, although Joel couldn’t be sure what title the man held. Jewels of sapphire and ruby clung to his white fingers, and blond hair fell to graze his shoulders in perfect ringlets.

The man clasped both hands together as he regarded the party in silence, his pale blue eyes passing over each of them, studying and undoubtedly judging. Even as the man gave a curt head bow in greeting, no trace of a smile passed across his thin lips and high cheekbones. Joel tried to imagine such a face showing pleasantries and was unable to. This man reminded Joel every bit of Liro or Neetra, and without even knowing him, Joel knew the man would have been welcomed with open arms by the other highborns on the High Council.

“On behalf of His Grace, Emperor Lichas Sarpedon, Supreme Ruler of all the North and blessed by the Son of Light Himself, I extend a fair greeting and welcome your party to Teivel.” The robed man’s voice was as smooth as the silk he wore, and despite slight discrepancies in pronunciation, Joel was able to follow the conversation. “I am Archmage Adrian Titus, overseer of the Mage Order of Teivel. I will be your host and guide for the longevity of your stay.”

Koal stepped forward, sweeping into a gracious bow. “I am Koal Adelwijn, seneschal of Arden and Right Hand of King Rishi Radek. These are Cenric Leal, Chief Ambassador of Arden, Hasain Radek, eldest son of the King, Liro Adelwijn, understudy to the High Councilor of Arden, and mages Joel Adelwijn and NezReth, of the King’s inner court.”

A frown crossed Adrian’s fair features. “Right Hand of the King? Forgive me, but the Emperor was expecting Rishi Radek to make the journey to Teivel. The message His Grace sent specifically requested the King of Arden’s presence.”

Koal nodded and spoke as though he’d been expecting such a response. “As I’m sure you’re already aware, Arden is in the middle of a conflict with Shiraz and Nales. Both countries threaten to take our country to war, and
King
Rishi was unable to leave his seat vacant under such dire conditions. However, the King has granted me authority to make decisions on behalf of Arden and has sent his eldest son as a gesture of good faith.”

“Eldest son—but not the Crowned Prince?”

Joel knew his father well enough not to be fooled by his hardened exterior or carefully neutral tone. Koal’s response was every bit that of a well-trained envoy. “Arden’s Crowned Prince Deegan is but a mere boy of twelve and would be no asset to our negotiations. Lord Hasain, however, is well schooled in both politics and diplomacy.”

Adrian issued a pompous chuckle. “It isn’t I you need worry about assuring, but His Grace, the Emperor.”

“Then let us meet him,” Koal insisted, his voice spiking just enough to draw notice.

Adrian fixed a cold stare on the seneschal, and for a moment, Joel feared his father might have overstepped the fine line between civil disagreement and brash disregard of courtesy.
Not that we’ve been received politely either. This Adrian Titus is as haughty as “dear” Uncle Neetra
.

Adrian straightened his back and turned his nose upward. “His Grace is holding court this mark. He’s expecting you. Come with me. You may leave your packs in the hands of the servants. Rest assured they will deliver your belongings to your suite unharmed.”

A pair of young women dressed in simple white dresses appeared beside Adrian and waited in silence, keeping their faces lowered and hands clasped together. Joel gripped the strap slung over his shoulder. He didn’t want to hand over his belongings to complete strangers. However, a moment later, Koal nodded his approval, so Joel grudgingly took the pack from his back and set it on the ground. The other members of the party did the same, and the servant girls moved forward to collect the rucksacks.

“Follow me,” Adrian said.

He swung around without awaiting a response, and silently the soldiers swept up to flank both sides of the Ardenian party, giving Joel and the other men no choice but to follow behind the Archmage. Joel cast a glance at his father, but Koal’s troubled eyes were focused ahead. Cenric offered a smile when Joel met the ambassador’s gaze, though Liro made no move to acknowledge his presence. Hasain glared miserably at the floor and followed a pace behind the rest of the group.

They followed along onto a paved pathway much wider than the one cutting through the garden. Stone villas with colorful tiled roofs and silken curtains in lieu of shutters lined the street. Each of these homes had small gardens of their own, featuring flowering plants, leafy ferns, and shrubs brimming with fruit.

As they walked on, Joel began to see more people. Women dressed in elaborate silk dresses, wearing ornate necklaces and pearls around their wrists congregated beneath shaded terraces, while young men and women in white tunics served them wine. They all turned curious eyes toward the Ardenian envoys as they passed.

Soldiers also patrolled the streets. Joel noted how quickly people moved aside to let them pass as well as the concern etched onto their faces. He frowned in thought. Did the people here have to worry about soldier brutality? Were the citizens of Teivel afraid of the very people who were supposed to protect them? If so, what did this have to say about the Emperor himself?

Joel stopped his pondering when an enormous shadow passed across his line of vision. He turned his face skyward, realizing they were now walking along the base of a giant wall. The marble stone, stacked higher than even the tallest villas, loomed above the surrounding rooftops, and upon further inspection, Joel could see armed soldiers walking along the top of the structure. Whatever lay on the other side of the wall must have been important to be so closely guarded.

Adrian led the group to a gateway, reinforced by thick iron bars and five men in military uniforms standing guard beside it. No questions were asked nor were pleasantries exchanged as Adrian approached the soldiers. The men bowed hastily to the Archmage and called for the gate to be raised. Joel watched as a pair of soldiers on the wall hurried to crank a lever, and with a loud wail of protesting hinges, the gate rose.

“We’re now entering the grounds of the Imperial palace,” Adrian announced, motioning for the envoys to follow.

He led them through a lush courtyard that put the one outside the palace in Silver City to shame. Poppy flowers blanketed the ground in a sea of red, yellow, and violet, and beautiful marble statues depicting various Imperial heroes of the past overlooked a pond with crystal clear waters that shimmered in the sunlight. The water seemed to have a life of its own, and as he stared at it, Joel realized that giant colorful fish swirled and danced just below the surface. Even as he watched, a servant went to the edge of the pond and began to sprinkle grain into the water. The fish went into a feeding frenzy, weaving among one another as each tried to get its share of the food. Joel could have stared in awe for days, but all too soon, their guide led the party through the garden and beneath a great stone arch covered in ivy.

The inside of the Imperial palace was a lavish display of the Empire’s finery. The entire building was constructed from shimmering white marble, the pillars intricately carved to look as though vines and ivy grew up them. Open arches allowed for the breeze from outside to freely freshen the air, and Joel could see full well why they would need the magic dome after all. The Imperial palace was not suited for cold weather.