Once her new Mercesti friend joined them, the conversation centered around the Mercesti settlement and the various accomplishments achieved by Melanthe, Derian and the others. Hoygul treated Melanthe warmly, speaking to her as though they conversed on a regular basis. Based upon what she’d learned, Sophia figured they probably did.
Finally, Hoygul produced an intriguing glass disc. Sophia watched with rapt attention as the Scultresti murmured a few unintelligible words that caused the disc to glow Scultresti brown. Her eyes widened as an ephemeral map of the Estilorian plane appeared before her. She noticed a dark brown path leading from the cottage to another location. It took only a moment for the map to somehow imprint itself on her brain.
A gasp from Melanthe told Sophia that the process of sharing the map had somehow affected her, too. Before Sophia could plague Hoygul with questions, the Scultresti ushered them out of the cottage. Sophia hadn’t argued. She knew she had to get to the library as quickly as possible.
“Please give me one more moment with Hoygul,” she said to Melanthe. The Mercesti nodded and walked over to the others, and Sophia turned to Hoygul. “I wanted to get your message for Penelope before we leave.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is that why you believe I gave you the map?”
“No, sir. But I’ll be visiting Central at some point soon. I would be honored to deliver a message on your behalf.”
After studying her in silence for a moment, he turned and went back into the cottage. Sophia stood there for several minutes, wondering if he was actually coming back. She grew more anxious as the night faded to gray, heralding the approaching dawn. Just when Derian told her they had to leave, though, Hoygul once again emerged.
“Please give this to Penelope,” he said, handing her a small bundle wrapped in fabric.
“I will,” she said. Since she wasn’t wearing a satchel, she’d have to ask Melanthe to carry it for the time being. “Do you have anything you wish to tell her?”
“The gift you bear will tell her everything she needs to know.”
“Are you sure?” Sophia flushed and looked down at the small parcel, avoiding his gaze. “Sometimes a female just needs to hear the words to understand how someone feels about her.”
Hoygul reached out and touched her shoulder, prompting her to look up. Then he surprised her with a smile. “Thank you, Sophia. But Penelope will know.”
Clearing her throat, Sophia said her goodbye and set off with the Mercesti. The sun was fully cresting over the horizon as they reached the edge of the jungle. Although weariness had settled in her bones, Sophia took flight with the others, allowing the amazing map to lead them to their goal.
She had no idea what they would do when they got there. What if Eirik was already there? He’d managed to gather hundreds of soldiers before he reached the first scroll piece. They’d only managed to defeat him thanks to Tiege’s illusions and the timely arrival of Waresti reinforcements. This time, she had about fifty Mercesti as her escort and no backup. The facts didn’t add up to a conclusion that made her very comfortable.
They flew for a couple of hours before stopping to rest. Sophia sensed they were near the library and really wanted to press on, but she knew that the exhaustion she read on Melanthe’s face mirrored her own. The moment they landed in a grassy field, Sophia sank to the ground.
“Can I offer you something to eat or drink?” Melanthe asked a few minutes later. She was making her way among the Mercesti, generating refreshments.
Offering her new friend a small smile, Sophia shook her head. “I’m about to head over to that lovely stream to get a sip of water and try to wash away some of this fatigue. Thanks, though.”
Smiling back, Melanthe patted Sophia’s upper arm and then continued making her rounds. Derian shadowed her, his stride casual but his gaze vigilant. When he passed Sophia, he said, “Do not go off by yerself.”
Remembering a similar warning from Zachariah not even two days ago, Sophia fought a wave of remorse as she gave Derian an acknowledging nod. There were so many things she wished she had said and done differently. Sighing because there was nothing she could do about that now, she rose and headed for the stream only twenty feet away from the group.
Even as she kneeled to scoop water into her hands, she spotted a shadow blending with hers. Looking up—and then up some more—she realized Cleve had followed her.
Yesterday, this enormous male with his tattooed face and fearsome demeanor would have had her shaking in terror. Now, she found his presence comforting. Since he didn’t talk, she continued her drinking and washing in silence. Then she stood up and glanced in the direction of the forest in the distance.
“I need a little privacy,” she said. Her full bladder squelched any embarrassment she might have felt over the admission.
He surprised her with a friendly wink and started walking toward the trees. Relieved, she hurried to follow him. When they reached the tree line, she said, “I won’t go far.”
He nodded. She hurried into the forest, finding a small cluster of trees to use for cover as she saw to her personal needs. Thank goodness for Melanthe and her Lekwuesti abilities, she thought, not relishing the idea of having to use leaves.
She had only just adjusted her skirts back down when she sensed that she wasn’t alone.
“Cleve!” she called out, trusting her instincts although she didn’t see an immediate threat.
The sound of a weapon leaving its sheath had her diving to her left. She rose from her roll and found herself facing one of the Mercesti males who had tracked her as she chased Tate and Ariana.
“Tycho is taking care of your guard,” the male said, telling her she now faced Bertram.
His words made her aware of the sound of weapons clanging. She briefly glimpsed the two combatants through the trees before Bertram swung at her with his sword. She jumped away, her heart flinging itself against her breastbone.
Surely the others were aware of the fight and would soon reach the forest, she thought. She narrowly avoided another thrust of Bertram’s sword. Then her feet went out from under her.
A rope trap.
Disoriented and terrified, Sophia felt her second power surge out of her control. There was no stopping her shift. She fell back to the ground, this time in the form of a panther.
The cat’s incredible center of gravity allowed her to turn mid-fall so she landed on her feet. Unfortunately for Bertram, he stood between her and the ground. She shifted and fell so quickly that he didn’t even have time to raise his sword. Her animal instincts at their full height, she went for his throat.
When she next looked up, she found herself surrounded by Mercesti. Derian was the only one who dared to approach her.
“I told ye not to shift,” he said.
She licked blood from her muzzle.
“Right.” He looked down at what was left of Bertram’s form. “Guess ye had the right of it then.”
Chapter 38
The sun just started lightening the sky as Quincy laid eyes on Hoygul’s cottage. Much like it had when he first spotted it with Saraqael, the dwelling failed to impress. Now that he was aware of it, however, he sensed the heavy enchantments masking the cottage’s true appearance.
Although covered in dirt and sweat and feeling ready to sleep for a week, he approached the door with purpose and determination. Not long ago, Ini-herit received word that Uriel rescued Malukali. He also discovered that Knorbis wasn’t responding to his wife’s attempts to reach him. The reasons for that were limited and none of them were good.
Based on the second-hand information conveyed to Alexius by his commander, something had also happened to Tate. They learned that Zachariah had somehow avowed with her through their mental connection and something that he experienced through Tate’s thoughts sent him into a tailspin. The Mercesti said only that he recognized where she was and he was leading them to her. Apparently, he had lost his connection to her.
The news shocked them on every front. An even s
tronger sense of urgency propelled them the last mile to the cottage. Quincy felt it with every breath as he knocked on the door.
When Hoygul reached out and grabbed his arm to pull him inside, Quincy didn’t even flinch. The same thing had happened to Saraqael all those years ago. It seemed the Scultresti was a creature of habit. Once he had been pulled inside, Quincy steadied himself and faced the smaller male, prepared to battle it out to get the map.
“I am ready for this scroll piece to be found already,” Hoygul muttered in greeting. “There has been far too much interest in the library map for my peace of mind. A male my age needs his rest.”
Frowning, Quincy glanced around the tidy home. He noticed three teacups resting in the strainer beside the sink. “Who else has been here?” he asked. Looking again at Hoygul, he added, “Did you give them the map?”
“That I did. They left less than an hour ago.” Hoygul tilted his head slightly to the side. “She mentioned you.”
Something about the other male’s tone and expression had Quincy feeling lightheaded. He took two careful steps closer to the dining table and grasped the edge of the closest chair. Bracing himself, he managed to ask, “Sophia?”
“Yes.”
He sank into the chair. Emotion swarmed through him with such intensity that he had to press his palms against his eyes to stave it off.
Sophia was alive.
“You told her about your visit here with her grandfather.”
Quincy could only nod.
“She is very courageous. I saw much of Saraqael in her. That same spark…the thirst for knowledge.”
Taking a deep breath, Quincy lowered his hands and stared at the three teacups. A very foolish part of him wanted to know which had been hers so that he could touch it and feel more connected to her.
“Unlike her grandfather, however, it seems Sophia resisted the truth of her heart.”
Now shifting his gaze to the Scultresti, Quincy wondered, “What do you mean?”
Hoygul shrugged. “I will merely say that she harbors regret. Assuming you make good time, hopefully she can remedy that.”
Hope flared in Quincy’s chest. “You’ll give me the map?”
Producing the glass disc, Hoygul said, “Since Sophia and Melanthe have received both portions of the map, I will only share the library’s location with you.”
“Okay,” Quincy said, getting to his feet. “I truly can’t thank you enough, Hoygul, and I want to get out of here with all haste. But first, please answer me this: who on the Estilorian plane is Melanthe?”
Ariana didn’t think twice about leading Eirik to the library. Tate had warned her multiple times not to do so. But now Tate was severely injured and being carried by a male who flew next to Ariana as a warning. Her friend’s complexion had gone gray beneath the blood that covered her. Even with the wind in her ears, Ariana heard the rattle of Tate’s every breath. She feared Tiege’s sister wouldn’t survive the flight to the library. She had yet to regain consciousness.
The Mercesti left Knorbis behind. Ariana overheard Eirik and Metis arguing over whether the elder was more of a risk to keep among them, and she guessed they decided that was the case. She had no idea if he was even alive.
Tears continued to fall unchecked down her cheeks. Fortunately, she didn’t need to be able to see in order to follow the pull of her second power. Judging by the intensity of the pull, they would reach their destination very soon.
Metis had ordered the males keeping Deimos in check to fly near Ariana and Tate. The savage male continued to fight against his restraints, lured by the scent of Tate’s blood. Normally, this would have shaken Ariana. Now, the depth of her anguish and hopelessness had her feeling almost blessedly numb.
So what if he killed her? Wouldn’t all Estilorians be better off without her?
Knowing that she was Tate’s only real chance for survival kept Ariana from doing anything rash, however. Despite her despondency, she wouldn’t abandon another being like that.
Although she almost managed to convince herself she had done the right thing, when she sensed that they needed to land because they had reached the library, her stomach lurched. She was exactly where she wasn’t supposed to be. The awful knowledge had her leading them in several wide circles to stall for time. Only when she knew he was onto her did she finally signal to Eirik.
The place where her senses led her looked like an expanse of barren land. There wasn’t a thing around for at least half a mile in any direction. In the distance, she spotted the jagged edges of mountains on one side and, a bit closer, an expanse of forest on the other. The sun cast long shadows on the ground as it touched their forms.
Eirik walked over to the male carrying Tate. “Release her,” he said.
The male made quick work of unfastening the flight harness. Tate sank to the ground. Eirik looked at Ariana.
“Produce something to rouse her,” he ordered.
Swallowing, she nodded. She knelt next to Tate and gently smoothed her unruly, matted hair away from her battered face. Tears fell onto bloodied and bruised skin as Ariana generated the Estilorian equivalent of smelling salts and waved them under Tate’s nose.
After a moment, Tate turned her head from the powerful odor and moaned.
“Get up, female,” Eirik snapped.
“Tate, we’ve reached the library,” Ariana said, watching her friend struggle to open her swollen eyes. “They need you to dissolve the illusion surrounding it.”
Tate made a sound in the back of her throat. Ariana figured she was saying she understood. She carefully reached under Tate’s arms and guided her into a sitting position. Knowing she wasn’t strong enough to lift the larger female, she moved to one knee.
“Come on,” she said. “I’ll help you up.”
Though it must have pained her terribly, Tate put forth her best effort and managed to gain her feet. Ariana helped support her as Eirik moved to stand in front of them.
“Where is the library, female?” he asked.
Expecting Tate to look around so she could find the entrance, Ariana was puzzled when her friend just stood there staring at Eirik through her bleary eyes. Her jaw flexed as though she was trying to work up the energy to speak.
Then she spit in Eirik’s face, the liquid red with her blood.
“Find it your damn self,” she said.
Before he died, Tycho managed to slice open Cleve’s side with a well-targeted strike of his weapon. It took some time to repair the injury before again taking flight. Sophia thanked the Mercesti male numerous times for his heroism. He just nodded, offering her another wink.
A couple of hours later, she sensed that they were nearing the library. She motioned to Derian, who had asked her to let him know when they got close.
“Pay attention, all of ye,” he called out.
That was all the instruction needed. Fanning out, they all rose to a height that offered them maximum visibility of the ground below. It wasn’t long before Derian saw something that had him signaling for them to land.
“What is it?” Sophia asked the moment they were all on the ground.
“The library is on the other side of this forest,” he replied.
“How can you tell?”
“There are at least five hundred Mercesti gathered there.”
“Five hundred?”
Tiege repeated the number stated by Harold as they gathered in the forest near Ariana and Tate’s location. In his mind, the fact that they were standing there was nothing short of a miracle.
Not long after they left the wheat field, Harold managed to pry out of Zachariah that he recognized Tate and Ariana’s location from Tate’s thoughts. Because Zachariah had spent fifty years roaming the Estilorian plane and likely knew every shadowy crevice, Tiege didn’t find that hard to believe.
Only when Harold received a thought from his elder that Malukali had been rescued and she could no longer connect to Knorbis did Tiege really grow concerned. Although he asked Zachariah mu
ltiple times for news about Tate and Ariana, the Mercesti didn’t respond.
They reached a clearing in an ocean-side group of trees as the sun rose. The first thing Tiege noticed was Knorbis. The elder lay on the sandy ground. He had braced his hands beneath him and was shaking his head as if to clear it.
Zachariah didn’t even pause. He landed, grabbed Knorbis by his tank top, jerked him to his feet and plowed his fist into the elder’s face.
It took a couple of minutes for Harold and his men to subdue Zachariah. The Mercesti’s eyes glowed red with the obvious want for blood. Tiege could hardly provide an argument to stop him. Still, he had been raised by an objective father and forgiving mother, so he placed a restraining hand on Zachariah’s arm as he struggled to free himself.
“What would you do for Tate if you were in his position?” Tiege asked. When Zachariah yanked again in an attempt to get free, Tiege shifted so that the Mercesti had no choice but to look him in the eye. “You would sacrifice everyone—including yourself—to protect her.”
Finally, the violence in Zachariah’s eyes began to ease. His chest heaved with exertion as he stopped fighting for release. In the place of his fury, however, came an indescribable pain.
“But you don’t know what they did to her,” he said at last. “What he watched them do.”
Stunned by the powerful emotion behind Zachariah’s words, Tiege couldn’t respond. He took a deep breath to try and subdue the excruciating ache that settled in his chest. Then he nodded at Harold, who held Zachariah’s right arm. The commander gave the signal and let Zachariah go.
Rather than charge at the Wymzesti elder, who had been helped to his feet by a couple of Waresti, Zachariah walked over to a spot in the clearing. He dropped to one knee and reached out to touch the ground. That was when Tiege noticed all of the blood.
He was sure the Wymzesti elder felt every bit of his fury and anguish when he looked at him in disbelief.