Temple of Fyre (Island of Fyre) (20 page)

* * *

Malera sat outside her tent and ate the midday meal the servants had prepared. The studs followed two of the priestesses into a tent. Malera wiped her fingers on a perfumed cloth and took her fyrestone into her hand.

Where was Ria? Until the young woman was dead, Malera’s control over the priestesses could be broken. During the journey, Malera had secretly listened to the conversations of the priestesses she’d chosen for the quest. After their recovery from the shattering of the stones during Ria’s challenge, the trio had questioned Malera’s announcement of Ria’s defeat. Their questions remained. Leaving them in Rosti to foment trouble wouldn’t have been wise.

Why had Ria’s conditioning failed? The young woman had been eager to learn the ways of the temple. Why had she issued a challenge just before the solstice? The attempt had been inept, yet powerful. If she had waited until after the solstice rites when the power of the chief priestess was weakened, Ria could have won.

Malera dragged her thoughts from the past and considered her quest. Where was this fabled temple, and where was Ria? Show me, she demanded. When a dark passage lit by white crystals appeared Malera gasped. The tunnel ended in a blaze of light. The scarlet stone pulsed. The young woman she sought was near.

Malera rose to follow the pull of her stone. She gestured to the acolytes and the priestess who lounged by the fire. “Fetch the other priestesses and come with me.” She motioned to the guards. “Two of you bring the prisoner and some torches.” She smiled. When she found Ria, she wanted the stone seeker to witness the traitor’s death.

As the guard yanked Ari to his feet, his eyes flew open. He staggered and nearly fell.

Malera ran the handle of her flail along his jaw. “You survived the shattering of the scarlet you wrongfully wore. Trust me when I say your recovery is temporary. Before long, you’ll march to my command. When I find your traitorous companion, you’ll watch her burn.” His silence infuriated her, and with great reluctance, she blocked the desire to char him.

When they reached the entrance to the cavern, Malera pointed to a boulder that partially blocked the wide entrance. “Leave the prisoner here.” She waited for the acolytes to light torches and enter the cavern. Loud gasps and shrill exclamations drew her to the entrance. “What is the problem?”

“We’ll never have to purchase fyrestones again. There are thousands scattered over the floor.”

Malera stepped inside. The glow from the crystals awed her. She pointed to one of the acolytes. “Fetch as many empty sacks as you can find. If there are none, bring cloth or blankets. With these in our possession, our power will be unlimited.” She sat on a flat rock and stared at the vast treasure.

As soon as the acolyte returned, Malera took one of the smaller sacks. She picked through one of the heaps and selected only scarlet crystals. When she saw crystals in the chains like the one Ari had worn, she frowned. Why would anyone want to cage a fyrestone and miss the rush of power from holding the stone against the skin?

She looked up and studied the pattern of crystals on the dome. Almost a map, but surely not one of Fyre. ‘Twas too large. She noticed the three symbols, a flame, a beast, and a wand. With a shrug, she dismissed them and returned to hunting scarlets.

“Malera, I’ve found a blue fyrestone,” one of the acolytes cried.

“Bring it to me.”

The girl scurried across the cavern. Malera snatched the stone from the girl’s hand and stared into the core. Malera smiled. With this crystal under her control, no one could challenge her and win. Though tempted to call fire from the blue, she could wait until she found Ria. Now there was no way the younger woman could survive the challenge.

One of the priestesses waved. “There are three passages leading from this place. The right one is blocked, but the others appear open. The center one has fyrestones to light the way.”

Malera strode to where the woman stood. Her scarlet crystal pulsed. Malera peered into the opening and knew this was the tunnel she’d seen when she’d searched the flames for Ria.

She pointed to an acolyte. “Summon the guards to carry the stones to camp. They are to remain there until I summon them. I believe we’ve found the ancient temple where no man may enter the inner chamber. If the fates are kind, we will find the traitor and end her rebellion for all time.”

* * *

Ari slumped against the boulder and tried to make himself invisible. Once Malera saw the vast store of firestones, surely she would forget him? Could he free himself and join Ria before disaster struck? If Malera found Ria, a challenge would be cried and the pair would duel with the flames. Ria was alone. Malera had three priestesses and two acolytes to help her. Ari groaned. Would his presence at Ria’s side be an aid or a hindrance?

As soon as Malera and the priestesses entered the cavern, Ari began to work on his bonds. He wiggled along the boulder until his ropes caught against a sharp protuberance. He began to move his arms and shoulders. Several times, his skin was torn instead of the ropes. He suppressed cries of pain. The shouts and laughter from inside the cave gave him hope there was enough time for his escape before Malera searched for Ria. Where was she? Was she aware the chief priestess had arrived in the glen?

A young woman dressed in a white caftan, now stained with streaks of dirt, dashed past. One of the guards chased her. “Is there a problem?

She turned. “Malera needs some things from the camp.”

He trotted after her. The other guard lounged against the wall. Ari scanned the camp. He watched a figure dash into the orchard. Had Ria taken refuge there?

He worked harder on the bonds. Silently, he cursed himself for leaving her. Together, they could have found a way to escape. If only the bonding of their minds hadn’t brought knowledge and fear, they could have faced Malera and her minions as a team. Why had the final step of the triple bond been so hard to achieve?

His shoulders cramped. Agonizing spears of pain shot down his arms. He paused to allow the pain to subside. Once the ropes were severed, would he be able to use his arms? The spasms ebbed. He sucked in a breath and once more, began to rub the ropes against the rock.

An odd thought arose. Why had the convulsions aborted after Malera had shattered the scarlet he’d worn for most of his life? Could the new scarlet he wore have protected him?

The acolyte and the guard returned with sacks and pieces of cloth. Ari rested again. His throat was dry. How long would the priestesses gather the stones? Would they find more blue fyrestones? Did Malera know how to use one?

Ria had known about the blue crystals. She’d told him of the things she’d read in the scrolls. Could there be more information in the scrolls she feared to open? Had Malera and the priestesses found the cylinders? What information had been lost when the papyrus had fallen into the fire?

With a snap, the bonds broke. The sudden release of tension in his shoulders brought tears to his eyes. His arms tingled, and then burned with the rush of returning blood. Ari clamped his teeth on his lower lip to stop a roar of pain. He dare not let his captors know he was free. While he waited for an opportunity to escape, he focused his gaze on the grove. Where was the person he’d thought he’d seen earlier? He saw nothing. He closed his eyes to rest and to plan.

Sometime later, one of the acolytes called to the guards. “Come and carry these sacks to the camp. You are to remain there and guard the contents until Malera summons you.”

The guards entered the cavern. When they emerged, each man carried four large sacks. They bent beneath with weight of their burdens. Neither man glanced at Ari. Once they were across the stream, he pushed to his feet. He exercised his shoulders to relieve the last of the kinks and slipped toward the opening. One of the guards had left a full water flask behind. Ari drank deeply. He turned to survey the camp. The guards dropped the sacks and sat beside the fire.

As Ari slipped into the cavern, he saw Malera enter the center passage at the rear. He pulled the scarlet fyrestone from beneath his tunic and took the blue in his hand. Both stones pulsed with energy.

He heard a sound behind him and whirled. One of the young men he’d seen in the camp entered the cave. Though his hands were bound by silver chains, his legs were unfettered. He held a haversack by the straps. When he saw Ari, he froze.

“Don’t fear me,” Ari said. “I was also her prisoner.”

“Please. I need to escape. She plans to leave me for the lopestas when she returns to Rosti.”

“There is nowhere to go.”

The young man pointed to the rear of the cavern. “In my land, I was a scholar, a dragon master and heir to the prince. There is a passage leading through the mountain to my land.”

How could this young man be sure which passage to use? “Do you know which is the right one? One tunnel is blocked.”

“Before I was betrayed and sold to the slavers, I read the histories of my land. One scroll told of how the rulers of the three lands of Fyre met in this place.”

Ari grabbed the chain and used his knife to snap the links. “Go. Good luck.” He reached for the remainder of the torches and lit one. “Take these three to light your way. And take the water flask. May the fates favor you.”

“You have my thanks. Should you ever cross the mountains, look for me. I am Drakon.”

“Ari.”

As the young man scurried to the left-hand tunnel, Ari hoped the escape would succeed. He crossed the cavern and entered the center passage. Just inside, he paused to make sure Malera hadn’t lingered.

* * *

Ria jumped to her feet. She had dozed. What had roused her? When she heard voices, she peered into the dimly lit tunnel and listened. Sandals scraped across stone. Light from a yellow fyrestone broke through the darkness. The crystals on the passage walls gleamed.

Who, she wondered? The first of the shadowy figures took shape. A woman clad in a dusty yellow caftan appeared. Ria backed away. Had the priestess been sent to drag her back to Rosti? They couldn’t, for she now had a scarlet crystal.

“What do you see?”

The husky timbre of that voice startled Ria. Malera, who never left the hamlet, was here. Ria’s body trembled. Was she ready to face the chief priestess? She had to be. There was no other choice for there was no place to hide.

What had happened to Ari? He had planned to leave the glen. Had he been captured? Was that the reason she hadn’t been able to sense him? For an instant, she wondered if he had betrayed her. Impossible. They were twice bonded.

She closed her eyes and sought him and brushed against his presence. She sent a plea. If he stood with her, they might survive the challenge.

She retreated to the far side of the tiered circle. Prepare. Had the thought been his or hers? She climbed the tier and stood on the scarlet level facing the entrance. Her hand pressed against the three caged crystals she wore. She drew several calming breaths and steeled herself to face Malera.

A woman emerged from the passage. Ria recognized her as one of the priestesses who had been part of the circle when the fyrestones had been destroyed. Two more priestesses and two acolytes moved from the tunnel’s mouth.

“’Tis like the inner chamber,” an acolyte said

The first priestess walked to the foot of the circle. “’Tis larger than the one in Rosti. Look, there are stones in the cups. What is this place?”

Malera glided from the passage. “’Tis the ancient temple and a place of great power.”

The priestess who drew fire from an orange lifted a crystal from a cup on the lowest level. “Whites. We never use them except during the solstice rites.”

Malera laughed. “When we return to Rosti, we will expand the inner chamber and duplicate this circle. Think of the power we will wield. No one will dare oppose me.”

“No one.” Ria hadn’t meant to speak, but the words were out before she could stop them.

Malera looked up. “So you are here. You should have fled. This place and all it holds is mine.” She raised her fyrestone. “Prepare to die.”

Ria drew a deep breath. She held her caged scarlet. “In this ancient temple where men and women worked as equals, using the crystals for good, I challenge you. You destroyed Gydon, turned fertile fields into a waste where only lopestas can live. Join me on the tiers. We will call the flames and see who wins.”

Malera laughed. “A traitor deserves death.” A tongue of flame shot from her stone.

Ria sent an arrow of fire to divert Malera’s threat. “Again, I cry a challenge.”

“You are but a child newly come to power. For twenty-five years I’ve been a priestess and have ruled the temple for almost twenty. Do you think you can defeat me?”

“Perhaps I will lose, but I remember another time we met. When I stood on the Rosti circle, you couldn’t force me to obey your commands.” Ria cupped the scarlet and braced for another assault. A cloud passed over the opening above the tiers and cast shadows over the chamber. “Come, Malera. Join me on the tiers. I will face you. Are you afraid to meet me?”