The Inner Circle: The Gates of Hae'Evun

  'El-i-miir,' Ilgrin called weakly through the dark. 'El-i-miir.' He crawled about, searching for her. 'El-i-miir!' he cried desperately, ignoring the aches throughout his body.

  'I'm here,' she replied with eerie calm.

  'Where?' Ilgrin asked, feeling his way toward her.

  'Here.' her voice was weaker than before.

  'El-i-miir,' he moaned. 'Please be okay.' His hand landed in a warm puddle. He reached out, heart thundering. His hand landed on a human arm. Her flesh was cold. He felt along her arm and found her face.

  'What happened?' El-i-miir whispered. 'My memory is so . . . fractured.'

  'You affiliated everyone,' Ilgrin replied in a shuddering voice.

  'You're safe now though, right?' she whispered.

  'We're both safe.'

  'I'm sorry about Teah,' El-i-miir murmured. 'I know you loved her.'

  'What're you saying?' Ilgrin tried to keep his voice straight as his eyes filled with tears. There was no response. 'El-i-miir?' He patted her cheek before feeling down the length of her body. His hand landed in blood and then on the surface of a fallen tree branch. She'd been impaled. He grasped the branch, snapped it in half and slid El-i-miir off and into his arms. 'I'll just raise you again,' he sobbed. 'Maker what have we done?' He gazed up into the clouds. He'd lost count of how many whisps he'd added to their number.

  'I love you,' Ilgrin whispered, squeezing El-i-miir in his arms. 'It's always been you.' His cheek against hers grew warm and started to itch. His hand on her arm responded in kind. Ilgrin pulled back his head when her spine fell into place with a thud. Tears trickled down his cheeks when she took her first rattling breath and the wound in her stomach disappeared. He sobbed bitterly when she called out his name. He would have her back. His tears were not for her. He mourned for however many others he'd chosen to murder in her place. Loving El-i-miir had come with a hefty price.

  *

  'My Devil.' One of the few remaining soldiers landed before Noah, who panted tiredly, resting against the rocks. He looked at the dead angel in disgust. No wonder his father had tried to wipe the creatures out. They were far too dangerous. 'Are you all right?' The demon persisted.

  'Not at all,' Noah replied. 'Heal me. Quickly.

  'Of course.' The soldier stepped forward to place his hands. Moments later the whisp wafted away, leaving Noah feeling as healthy as ever. 'Elmsville must be destroyed,' he growled, raising to his feet and glowering at the angel's body in the dirt. 'Send everyone.'

  'You're not saying . . .?' The demon soldier trailed off nervously.

  'I don't care if it we have to leave Beldin and Gor completely defenceless,' Noah said pointedly. 'You must find every last silt you can and destroy that town. Kill everything that breathes.'

 

 

  CHAPTER Twenty-Seven

  into her darkest

  Cindi stood to the side of the town square from which point she was better able to observe the Eltari residence. Through the dirty window, she watched Seteal's blank expression, her old friend staring over the town, a white porcelain statue.

  'Cindi.' Mel snatched at her arm. 'Go and pack your things. We're leaving.'

  'Yes, Mother,' Cindi replied obediently, with a final regretful look back at Seteal's house. As she made her way home, Cindi did her best to avoid looking at the demon corpses strewn across town. She tried hard not to see their blood. The human bodies had all been gathered by loved ones for hasty burials.

  As Cindi dragged out a bag she'd packed days earlier from under her bed, she noticed a doll squashed up against the wall. On hands and knees she strained until she could reach it and pull it out. It was an ugly thing with buttons for eyes. They weren't even the same colour, one being red and the other being black. It looked as though someone had punched her in the eye. Its limbs were attached by nails and its dress was a kitchen towel.

  Cindi had thrown a tantrum on her seventh birthday after receiving the poorly constructed doll. She had expected a better gift from her best friend and hadn't been even slightly consoled by her mother's reminders that it was the best Mister Eltari could do. The man was a carpenter, certainly not someone familiar with the use of knitting needles. Seteal had apologised profusely through a constant flow of tears. Looking back, Cindi recognised that it was she who should've been apologising.

  It was just one more of the countless reasons she couldn't believe that Seteal would do anything to harm Elmsville. Whatever trouble she'd gotten herself involved in and whoever she chose to associate with, Cindi was certain that Seteal had to be doing it for the right reasons. Underneath the harsh fa?ade she'd built up to protect herself, Seteal was a good person.

  After finding room for her bag atop the family carriage and waiting until her father had gone around the back to gather the horses, Cindi hurried across the square. She passed the first row of houses and crept up to Seteal's with increasing caution.

  Something cold landed on Cindi's arm, which she stared at in confusion. A bead of black liquid ran down her wrist and onto her hand, leaving a grey stain as it went. She rubbed at the greasy fluid, only to succeed in smearing it across her skin. She shuddered as a sudden sting of pure hatred punched its way into her thoughts. Terrified by the peculiar sensation, Cindi ran the remaining distance to Seteal's house and hid beneath the eaves.

  *

  The town of Elmsville bustled with activity as the locals made their final preparations to leave. Nobody had bothered to bury or burn the silts she'd killed. That was how Seteal knew that they were leaving for good. But for the Eltari residence, by nightfall the town would be abandoned.

  With the people of Elmsville departing, she would be free to find Seeol. She smiled at the thought of seeing him again. She had, in some strange way, missed his company.

  Seteal clutched the sink and moaned, her body shaking uncontrollably. Black cracks slithered across her skin. She felt like she was going to burst. She held her breath and waited for the cracks to recede. The familiar bumps rolled beneath her flesh as the energy sought release. She inhaled slowly as the sensation faded.

  After having taken only a few steps across the room, Seteal stopped abruptly at the sound of light rain on the window. She swallowed nervously and turned to frown in dismay when she discovered murky black beads tapping against the glass. Some of them ignored the physical barrier and chose to move straight through the glass and onto the floorboards. Others slid down its length leaving a dirty smear or a nasty crack.

  Seteal backed away. 'Not yet,' she whispered. 'They were just about to leave!' she shouted at no one and ran from the room. She huddled down in the corner of the living room and covered her ears. Rocking back and forth, Seteal squeezed her eyes shut and tried to change the Ways. She tried to think of something nice, but the Ways didn't much like getting involved with whisps. And there wasn't much that was nice for her to think about anyway.

  Memories of Parrowun's tiny fingers squeezing her thumb had been replaced by the one of her squeezing his throat. Her father's loving smiles had been replaced by his face after half of the contents of his head had been sprayed across the room. Oddly and somewhat unexpectedly, the only comfort Seteal was able to find was in the idea of locating Seeol.

  Beneath the pressure of her hands on her ears, she was able to hear an awfully close and decidedly unwelcome tapping sound. Not surprisingly, the ceiling had decided to spring a leak, whisp rain being somewhat impartial to physical barriers. Seteal watched the black droplets falling one after the other just a handswidth from her toes. One of the droplets changed its path of descent and landed on Seteal's bare foot. She rolled her head about her shoulders uncomfortably before turning again to watch the droplets fall.

  Ilgrin had once described the feeling of whisp rain. He'd said that it erased everything and replaced it with an otherworldly hatred. Seteal remembered when Far-a-mael had violated her aura and implanted so much anger that she'd been unable to feel the underlying pain. She was invincible, even after having so recent
ly been raped. She wouldn't have objected to feeling so strong again.

  'Don't be silly,' Seteal reprimanded herself, but she didn't move her foot. A second droplet made its way toward her. 'No, don't.' The droplet stoped in mid-air, hovering, awaiting permission. 'Okay,' she whispered. 'I'm ready.' The droplet completed its journey and splashed onto her foot.

  Just a little bit wouldn't hurt. Seteal so wanted just for a few minutes to be free of the guilt she felt over Parrowun. Just for a little while. If she could just clear her mind of Master Fasil's face or forget what she'd done to her father, she'd be happy at last. Not to feel pain for just a few minutes was all she needed. She'd stay inside and keep to herself. She wouldn't take in so much as to hurt anyone.

  'Just a few minutes of peace,' Seteal whispered as the black rain beckoned her to lean forward. 'You won't hurt me now will you?' The droplet to have originally landed on her foot left a grey trail across her flesh. 'Set me free.'

  Reaching out with curiosity, Seteal put her hand beneath the steadily dripping rain. They trickled over her skin and in between her fingers with a repetitive tapping sound that bought her comfort. She chuckled as her hand turned grey. She rolled her head across her shoulders, listening to the little clicks in her neck.

  Seteal Eltari was ordinarily so weak. She moped about the house, forever a victim. She found herself standing. Seteal Eltari was pathetic, forever dwelling on the past when she could be out seeking vengeance. She could tear them all to shreds. With a single thought she could peel the flesh from their bones. Instead, Seteal Eltari preferred to slither about in the dark. Seteal Eltari didn't feel like she had the right to take life. She was weak with compassion.

  Seteal's feet were planted firmly on the floorboards. She felt every fibre of muscle within her legs. She felt the Ways surging back and forth within and without her. She threw out her arms and tossed back her head to laugh as the droplets splashed across her forehead. Free at last, she spun and danced in circles.

  'That's enough,' Seteal gasped, stepping hastily out of the stream. She'd taken in too much. What if she hurt someone? 'So what?' Seteal snarled.

  There was a rapid knocking at the door. Seteal realised that she should ignore it. 'Seteal, it's me,' a familiar voice called. 'It's Cindi. Please let me in. I'm scared.'

  'You should be scared,' she said softly. She raised her hand and the door blew open. 'You should come inside,' she said warmly. 'It's dangerous out there.'

  'I don't know what's happening.' Cindi quivered in her vulnerability; a little leaf ready to fall from a dying tree. 'The rain started to fall and people started going crazy out there. I don't know what's gotten into them. I think I saw Mister Green kill someone.'

  'Oh, no,' Seteal said with mock concern. 'What's that?' she asked, her eyes falling to an item in Cindi's hands.

  'Oh, I brought it over for you,' Cindi replied, her eyes on the doll's face as she caressed it.

  'I always knew you hated it.' The door slammed shut and the lock turned with a click. A second leak had appeared in the kitchen. 'You've come to rub my face in it before you leave?'

  'No, I . . .' Cindi was taken aback by the malice in Seteal's voice. 'I wanted you to have it to remember me. And I guess I wanted to apologise. Whatever you've been through . . . I know you. You're a good person. You were always my best friend, but lately I've failed to be yours.'

  'You have, haven't you?' Seteal flexed her fingers as small cracks broke out across the surface of her arms.

  'Seeing you mixing with demons was just so shocking, but it's clear to anybody but fools that you've been looking after us.'

  'Are you finished?' Seteal uttered disdainfully, her eyes moving to the stream of droplets in the kitchen. She found herself quite unable to resist moving toward the leak.

  'What are you doing?' Cindi gasped as Seteal placed her hand beneath the stream. She caught her reflection to discover that her eyes had become darker than usual, tiny black fractures having formed around them.

  'We've sprung another leak,' Seteal whispered, returning her attention to Cindi. 'You know what they say; it'll ruin the ceiling if we don't punch a hole in it.' She smiled cheekily, beckoning the Ways. Her intention was that a small puncture point should appear, but she pushed too hard and a portion of the ceiling no smaller than a table caved in around her. Seteal laughed when one of the rafters hit the ground and the ceiling sagged.

  'What're you doing?' Cindi squealed, dropping the doll as Seteal stepped into the rain and spun in a slow circle, swishing her dress. The remnants of her miseries vanished and rational thought abandoned her.

  'Whee!' Seteal sang as she spun around and around, her hair becoming drenched; rich brunette fading to black. 'Oh,' she giggled, drunk on the glory of newfound wickedness. 'I'm turning grey.' She raised her arms to show Cindi. 'I'm so powerful.' She came to a stop and dropped her head so that her hair hung forward and she could feel the cold spattering her neck. She moaned softly. 'Oh, yes,' she whispered, lifting her head.

  'Get out of there,' Cindi cried, snatching at Seteal's arm and pulling. But Seteal's feet were glued to the floor and Cindi's strength was that of a gnat.

  The bookshelf flew across the room and slammed into the girl, before continuing to crash against the opposite wall where she was left to crumple. Dark energy radiated through Seteal's soul as she stepped out of the rain, black cracks spreading across her entire body. With a small gesture, she sent the bookshelf hurtling back across the room. A second gesture had Cindi drifting through the air. The woman's face was one of terror. 'You're all so weak.' Seteal narrowed her eyes. Cindi's veins bulged, her face flushing red.

  'Seteal,' Cindi squirmed. 'I'm your friend.'

  'Not a very good one,' she replied pinching her fingers together. The ways compressed the air around Cindy and she yelped as her ribs started to break. The pressure continued to build as Seteal tilted her head sideways. Cindi's arms and legs bled. Her shoulders were crushed together. The woman stopped screaming when her scull caved in on itself. Cindi's body hit the ground.

  She'd killed again. She'd killed her son, too; sweet Parrowun. 'Get out of my head,' Seteal shrieked, turning an accusatory eye on the whisp rain. 'You promised,' she hissed before doubling over and screaming in agony as the black lines cracked and split. The Spirit sought release. 'I mustn't,' Seteal howled. 'I'm not supposed to! Where are you, Seeol?' She cried, before suddenly remembering the bird's absence. 'Do something,' she pleaded of the Ways. 'Stop me!' She stood still. The room pulsated around her. Somewhere deep inside something kept her from moving, but it lasted only a second. 'I need more.'

  Seteal found herself pulling open the front door. 'Leave me alone,' she demanded of her memories. 'Give me more,' she moaned, hurrying across the landing and down the steps. She stepped out into the rain. 'Please don't hurt them,' she whispered before she became completely lost to delirium.

  CHAPTER Twenty-Eight

  mendacity

  'Wait here,' Ilgrin ordered, pushing El-i-miir into a shallow cave in the cliff. 'I'm going back.'

  'You'd risk your life for him?' El-i-miir glowered. 'Why? He's betrayed us countless times.'

  'Jakob helped free me,' Ilgrin defended his position. 'We can't just abandon him.'

  'What about Noah?' El-i-miir clung to Ilgrin's arm, her tone reflecting her frustration. 'What if he's still alive?'

  'I'm not leaving Jakob up there,' Ilgrin stated with finality and turned to leave.

  'Fine,' El-i-miir said reluctantly, 'but I'm coming with you.'

  'It's too dangerous,' he argued. 'I won't let you risk your life again.'

  'I'm not doing it for you. I'm worried about Jakob, too,' she brazenly lied.

  'I can't stop you, can I?' Ilgrin shook his head, both frustrated and attracted to El-i-miir's determination.

  'Nope.' She took his hand. 'I'll possess you if you try.'

  'I'll just have to put up with you then.' Ilgrin put his arms around her and flew into the sky.

  Before long, th
ey'd reached the clearing atop the cliff where the campfire still burned. Teah was sprawled out on the blood-stained dirt where she'd died. In death, her eyes still bore the desperate plea for help that Ilgrin had chosen to ignore.

  'Jakob,' he called in a hushed voice.

  'Jakob,' El-i-miir joined in, undoubtedly also utilising her Elglair abilities to help locate him. 'Ilgrin,' she said softly after they'd called out a few more times. 'He's not here.'

  'Jakob,' he called out half-heartedly, after having found himself standing over Teah's body. 'You didn't deserve this,' he told her, voice shaking. 'We have to bury her,' he added more loudly, kneeling to straighten out the body. 'We need to bury her,' he insisted, turning to look for a stick or anything else with which to dig.

  'No, we have to go.'

  'She deserves better than that,' Ilgrin said emotionally, astonished by El-i-miir's heartlessness.

  'We have to go.' El-i-miir strode over to Ilgrin, reaching for his hand.

  He pushed her back. 'I'm not leaving her like this.'

  'Ilgrin,' El-i-miir gasped stretching her hands out to either side, 'it's beginning to rain.'

  As the words left her lips Ilgrin felt the first cold droplet land on the back of his neck. 'Then we'll have to be quick.'