Soul's Reckoning (Broken Well Trilogy) (16 page)

‘We are bonded,’ she said. ‘Our Sprite souls entangled. Bel will never stop loving me.’ She laughed. It was true.

‘Bitch,’ said Lalenda quietly. ‘We know you think Losara is nothing. You are fools. You believe that because of some quirk in your heritage, your love is special? Losara and I did not rely on tradition to match us – we
chose each other
.’

‘You must not be overly confident,’ said Jaya. ‘After all, you are trying to kill me. Why do that, if the love of your man is so unshakeable?’

‘I felt sorry for you,’ said Lalenda. ‘Knowing how kind and compassionate my Losara is, and thus knowing Bel is without those qualities, I thought to put you out of your misery.’

‘Compassionate? After what he’s done? I should run you through where you lie.’

And why not?
she thought.
She isn’t on the ‘must not kill’ list.

Yet this talk of Losara and Bel combining had disturbed her. Their fates were uncertain but intertwined, and they involved both her and this angry pixie as well. Also, Losara had saved her from the Mireforms – admittedly ones which he had sent in the first place – but that did not change the fact that without his actions, she would be dead. Would she repay him by destroying his happiness? And if she did, would he not be angry with her, vengeful – and
then
what if Bel combined with him? Would that fury cross over as well?

Something yanked the sword from her grip and sent it spinning into the stream. She looked up and there was Losara, his torso floating upon shadows issuing up from the water. Lalenda scrambled to her feet as Jaya backed away, but before the pixie could do anything further, Losara beckoned his finger and she gave a cry as she lifted off her feet. He moved her through the air and set her beside him. She struggled for a moment, then gave an exclamation of frustration. Losara glanced at her and she stilled.

‘My apologies,’ he said, turning back to Jaya. ‘This was not done with my knowledge.’

‘Well, now,’ rang a jolly voice through the trees. All three pairs of eyes slid to the sound of its approach. ‘Just thought,’ said the young soldier, appearing out of the trees, ‘that I’d come here for a wash, for no particular .
 
.
 
.’ The smile faded from his face as he saw the dreamer and Lalenda floating over the stream. Jaya recognised him as the one she’d winked at on her way here. She rolled her eyes.

Should have known better
, she thought.

‘The .
 
.
 
. the dreamer,’ stammered the soldier, pale as snow. He glanced at her and she felt suddenly exposed, her undergarments clinging to her slickly. The sight of her seemed to make him find his spirit.

‘Stay back!’ he warned, and reached for his bow, falling to one knee and notching an arrow.

‘No!’ Jaya shouted, and ran at him. At the moment the arrow left the bow she collided with him, knocking him to the ground and sending the arrow wide. He looked up at her in confusion, and she rolled off him quickly. Meanwhile Lalenda was staring at her with an odd expression on her face. Jaya felt a strange moment between them.

‘I would not want Losara to die,’ she said quietly, ‘just as you would not kill Bel.’

Sounds of yelling came from the direction of the army, growing louder fast.

‘I am sensed,’ said Losara. Without another word he shot along the stream, dragging Lalenda with him. A moment later lightfists skidded out of the trees, but Losara and his pixie had already disappeared.

‘Why did you stop me firing?’ whined the young soldier, rubbing his arm.

‘You think that one arrow can kill the Shadowdreamer?’ she said, stooping to gather her clothes. ‘I probably saved your life.’ As the lightfists came towards them, she sighed. ‘All I wanted,’ she said, ‘was a little damn privacy.’

Bel had his sword in hand, and yet there was nothing to strike. ‘I warned you,’ he shouted, ‘about leaving the army!’

‘Don’t snap at me, Blade Bel,’ said Jaya levelly, crossing her arms. ‘I was the one who got attacked, remember? And, I might add, it only happened because I put up
with you
on such a regular basis.’

‘I’m not snapping at you!’ said Bel, unsure of who he really was most angry with. Jaya for her insistence on leaving the safety of the camp, himself for allowing it, Lalenda for initiating such maliciousness, or Losara for failing to control her .
 
.
 
. or even for being the one to rescue Jaya once again? It seemed, when he thought about it, that he was angry with all of them in equal measure. He was confused, too, over Lalenda’s motives. Losara had been curious about Jaya, he remembered, from the time his counterpart had spent disguised in their company .
 
.
 
. should he in turn be curious about Lalenda? But why, when he already knew he could never love anyone but Jaya?

‘I’m just angry I wasn’t there,’ he said, forcing himself to put away his sword. ‘Instead I sat here dumb and bored, ignorant of you in danger elsewhere.’

‘Well,’ said Jaya, ‘you do insist on remaining here, my stubborn friend, even though surely Losara won’t try to trick you with any more mander-ish illusions. Surely you can now allow yourself a wider range?’

‘If I saw him leave with the mander again,’ said Bel, ‘how could I be certain he’s not
actually
doing what he only pretended to before, this time banking on my disbelief? That’s what
I’d
do.’

Jaya placed a hand on Bel’s shoulder. ‘Exactly why he won’t.’

Bel calmed a little at her touch. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m just so utterly out of my mind with tedium here.’

‘Well,’ she gave him a squeeze, ‘careful what you say, or I’ll start to think you’re unhappy you missed the excitement for the wrong reasons.’

From Bel’s pack there came a chirp. As he knelt down to fumble inside, Querrus, who was snoozing nearby, said something unintelligible in his sleep.

‘Ridiculous.’ Bel scowled. ‘This is what I have to deal with! To be in plain view of the enemy, yet comfortable enough to nap. No wonder I’m going mad!’

He produced the bird, and touched the scroll.

‘Bel,’ came Fahren’s voice, ‘I thought you’d like to know we are drawing close, and should arrive around nightfall. Perhaps you could let Brahl know as well? See you in a short while.’

That was all, and the steam hissed to an abrupt end. Bel did not care, for his mood had instantly improved tenfold.

‘Finally!’ he said, his eyes flashing eagerly. ‘Fahren will be here by evening!’

‘I heard,’ said Jaya, not seeming to share his mood.

For a moment Bel’s exuberance faltered. ‘Which means she’ll be here too,’ he added, almost to himself.

He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that.

•

As they approached the Kainordan army, Battu couldn’t help but feel trepidation. That, he thought angrily, was a side effect of his encounter with Arkus. Iassia had said he must be sworn to serve because there was a risk he’d change his mind – and then proceeded to take away the very aspect of him that kept him so focused. To sharks, consequences were not high on the list of things worth considering. Now, alone with his thoughts, he found himself more greatly fearing the consequences of failure. What would the Dark Gods do to him, if he should return to them? He shuddered to think. Was that Arkus’s motivation, then? To punish him, by making him fear the choice he was locked into? Was the Sun God so petty?

‘Hold!’ an edgy voice called out. A group of lightfists on horseback appeared from the darkness ahead, illuminated by their wards, with hands held ready to cast. Fahren cantered forward, conjuring an orb that lit him also, and particularly the Auriel.

‘Calm yourselves,’ he said. ‘The one you sense is Lord Battu, here under my protection.’

The lightfist leader squinted at Fahren – searching out any illusions, most probably – then bowed his head. ‘My Throne,’ he said.

Warily the lightfists lowered their hands, though several kept close watch on Battu. He shot one young lady a grin, and was amused to see her flinch.

‘My Throne,’ said the leader, ‘with all due respect .
 
.
 
. are you sure it’s safe to let him into the camp?’

Battu chuckled. ‘Why thank you, lad,’ he said, deliberately misunderstanding the lightfist’s words, ‘for your concern for my safety. I am sure, however, I’ll be all right once you put word about that I’m bound by the will of Arkus to help your sorry lot. And anyone who gets it into their head to seek me out for past misdeeds should realise that I provide better help when I’m alive, and nothing in my oath prevents me from defending myself.’

The leader stared at him a moment, then looked to Fahren, who gave a nod.

‘And now,’ said Fahren, ‘take us to Blade Bel.’

•

‘Bel,’ said Jaya. ‘Look.’

There, emerging from the front lines, smiling ear to ear and spreading his arms wide, was Fahren. Bel rose and jogged across the grass, joyous that the monotony was broken at last. As he reached Fahren he went to embrace him, but only got as far as clasping his shoulders, when he saw who followed behind, and froze.

It was a lot to take in at once.

Elessa Lanclara was just as he remembered her from her grave. Her white Overseer’s dress showed nothing of the time that had passed, or the hardship it had seen. Her blond hair – for a single moment he remembered it wet – hung free and vivid. Her bright eyes did not look dead. In fact, she was beautiful. In sharp contrast, next to her was Battu, a hulking figure with silken black hair, his once-pale skin now blotched with sunburn, his mouth twisting as if it could not decide where it wanted to be. Instantly Bel was fascinated by him, this man who had once been the greatest enemy of his people. It was Battu who had ordered him found when he’d been a baby, had sent Fazel forth to rip him apart, had raised his
other
off in Fenvarrow, had been defeated by Corlas at the Shining Mines .
 
.
 
. and who had sent the weaver to trick his father to the detriment of so many. Yet Bel’s deferred anger had always been for some distant shadowy figure, not this person alone amongst Kainordans, looking awkward and uncomfortable.

Side by side stood these two who had helped make him what he was, now here to serve him.

Not knowing quite how to behave, he reverted to an old mask. ‘Welcome!’ he said expansively, smiling. ‘I am Bel Corinas. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?’

Battu gave a half-chuckle. ‘Already I can tell you are different from Losara.’

‘Well,’ said Bel, ‘I should certainly hope so.’ He turned to Elessa. ‘Been a long time, Miss Lanclara,’ he said.

‘Yes,’ she whispered.

‘I cannot tell you,’ said Bel, ‘how grateful I am that you have come.’

Elessa glanced at Fahren, then nodded. ‘I will do what I can to help the people of the light,’ she said stiffly.

‘Throne!’ came a voice, and Brahl bustled out of the darkness. He stopped short, eyeing Battu warily.

‘It is all right, Gerent,’ said Fahren.

‘I know, I know,’ said Brahl. ‘Still, you cannot blame me for having reservations.’

‘You would be a fool not to,’ said Battu. ‘But as Fahren will assure you, I am a scorpion whose claws are bound.’

The gerent stroked his chin. ‘It is the tail that does the harm,’ he said. ‘Nonetheless you, in turn, are safe in camp. I have let it be known that anyone who puts a sword through you will get a
very
harsh rap on the knuckles.’

‘Come now,’ snapped Fahren, a hint of how frayed his nerves were, ‘let us not begin this way.’

Bel clapped his hands together. ‘Fahren is right,’ he said. ‘And there is much to discuss.’

‘Shall we retire to my camp?’ suggested Brahl. ‘I think it would be wise to get out of plain view.’

Soon they were sitting around Brahl’s fire. They were a strange collection indeed. For Bel it was the first time away from his own camp in days, Fahren erected some kind of spell to keep their conversation contained, but that did not stop others nearby from casting curious looks. Talking about what they would do the next day made it seem very real –
finally
, things were going to happen – and Bel constandly had to force himself to focus.

‘Next,’ said Fahren, and his gaze fell on the Stone around Bel’s neck, ‘we should speak about whether or not we attempt the .
 
.
 
.
recombining
.
 
.
 
. during the fighting.’

A ripple of nervousness went through Bel. It must have showed on his face, for Jaya took his hand.

‘And you are sure that’s what we must do?’ said Brahl.

‘Arkus was very clear,’ said Fahren. ‘There must be one champion –
our
champion.’

‘Then it should be tomorrow,’ muttered Battu. He had been quiet for some while, but their plans had not really involved him yet. Now all eyes turned to him. ‘To make best use of the surprise,’ he said. ‘We may not have another opportunity.’

Fahren nodded slowly. ‘Then we must somehow root Losara in place, where Bel can be near, long enough for us to cast the spell on them both.’

‘Tricky,’ said Battu. ‘He can travel in shadowform, which makes him hard to pin down. The only thing I can suggest is .
 
.
 
.’ he grimaced, ‘.
 
.
 
. a circle of light. One that encloses him completely.’

Fahren looked troubled. ‘He will be protected, no doubt, by his own mages. We’d need a whole host of lightfists to aid us, which would leave other parts of the army scarcely defended.’

‘If it yields the result we seek,’ said Bel, trying to sound assured, ‘it will be worth it. How long will the .
 
.
 
. process .
 
.
 
. take?’

‘Hard to know,’ said Fahren. ‘Battu and I must practise tonight with the Stone.’

Unconsciously Bel’s hand went to his neck. He had come to rely on the Stone’s protection, almost thought of it as a part of him now – but, he told himself, by the morrow’s end, perhaps he would not need it. Could he really believe such a thing? It seemed impossible, after all he’d been through, that the end might actually be in sight. And that that end, for him, was really a beginning, for he would finally become a complete person. What changes would be wrought? he wondered. Would they be small and unnoticeable, or greatly influencing? Would Losara blend with him peacefully, or would inner demons claw at him forever? Would he gain Losara’s magical talent? If so, how would that magic express itself? Not as shadow, surely. Fahren had said it was possible to convert souls from shadow to light, so maybe it was the same with magic.

‘May I see it, Bel?’

Slowly and reluctantly Bel removed the Stone and handed it over. Fahren considered it for a moment, passed his fingers over it, and frowned. He caught Bel watching closely, and slipped it into his robe. ‘You can have it back,’ he said. ‘Afterwards.’ He looked around at the rest of the group. ‘So. Once we have Losara trapped, Battu and I will draw him, and Bel, through the gateway of the Stone.’

Jaya’s hand seemed sweaty in Bel’s. She looked worried, and he tried to give her a reassuring smile, though right then it was hard to muster.

‘And in the meantime,’ said Brahl, ‘the rest of us fight on – so when Bel emerges from that thing, he still has an army to lead!’

Soon everyone was eager to go about their own preparations. Fahren and Battu wanted to test the Stone, and Brahl had orders to give to his officers. As people began to leave, Bel felt uneasy, at a loose end. He was suddenly wary of a night spent worrying, uncertain over what would happen once Losara re-entered him. Surely the changes would be slight – Arkus had said his counterpart was but a shred of a man. Maybe it would be as simple as an end to the blankness?
That
he could live with.

Across the fire he saw Elessa staring off into space.

‘You go on back to camp,’ he whispered to Jaya. ‘I’ll be along shortly.’

‘Don’t be too long.’ Again he saw apprehension plain on her face. What could he tell her?

‘I won’t be,’ he said lamely.

As Jaya left, Elessa realised it was just her and Bel left.

‘Well,’ he said. ‘Who would have guessed that you and I would sit here together on the eve of it all?’

‘Not I,’ she said.

‘Do you mind if I talk to you?’

She paused, considering his question for longer than seemed necessary. ‘Why not?’ she said eventually, then shook her head. ‘It wasn’t you who made me this way, not really. You did not ask for your fate, just as I didn’t ask for mine. At any rate, some would see it as justice.’

‘Justice?’

‘That I damaged your soul, and in turn find mine damaged.’ She seemed to hearken to her own words, and he realised they had something in common.

‘Fahren said .
 
.
 
.’ he licked his lips. It was hard to know how to relate to this woman, or how open he could be with her. ‘That you did not come back .
 
.
 
. well, entirely.’

She chuckled, a grating noise that did not seem in keeping with the soft lips it came from. ‘No,’ she said. ‘I am no longer the person I was. It is .
 
.
 
. well, it is hard to describe.’

‘Bits of you are missing,’ said Bel matter-of-factly.

‘Indeed.’

‘Can you tell?’

‘Pardon?’

Bel sighed. ‘All my life a part of me has been gone. And yet I have no comparison, remembering no time before that was the case, as you do.’

‘Oh,’ she said. For a moment she would not meet his gaze. ‘Yes, I can tell.’

‘Ah. And it is not pleasant, I take it?’

‘Not especially.’

Bel pursed his lips. Did he suffer the same as she did, and just couldn’t know? Was he missing more, or less? Looking back, he knew he’d often been troubled or confused, but he did not think of his existence as being tortured. But maybe, when he and Losara were joined, he would suddenly experience life as he’d never imagined it before. Maybe he would learn that he’d been missing out on many things, as if there were colours he had never seen, scents he had never smelled. And
there
was his old excitement, coming to the fore – maybe the morrow would bring him not only glory, but fulfilment.