“Ah, they’re closing ranks, trying to boost their numbers a little.” Zane grinned. “The Maras are getting a little anxious. Clearly rumors about my father’s failure to capture us have given the Lords some of those crazy, I-might-be-able-to-topple-the-daemon-supremacy thoughts.”
“Do you think there’s any substance in them?” I asked, and Zane replied with a short burst of mocking laughter. “I’ll take that as a no,” I muttered, then looked around.
The Valley of Screams was hundreds of miles away, but I could see its gorges rising to my right, drawn across the eastern horizon. Behind us were flatlands and a fallen mountain. To my left, I could see the green Plains of Lagerith stretching along the line where the sky touched the ground. It reached along the northeast, where we were headed.
We walked in a straight line, the sun heating us up as we put more miles between us and Ragnar Peak. We had a long way to go, but, just like before, we’d come a long way already. For a moment, I felt as though the hardest part was only just beginning.
After all, we could handle all kinds of battle scenarios—we’d proven that, repeatedly. We’d pushed our limits, we’d fought tooth and nail, and we’d stopped at nothing to retain our freedom and integrity.
But now… Now, we had to sneak into Azure Heights and steal a swamp witch, while avoiding capture.
Well, challenge accepted.
Hansa
We kept to the shadows and patches of woods along the way, as we headed northeast. By sundown, we could see the so-called lake district stretching a few miles ahead.
The lakes went on for miles, the sky reflected on their calm surfaces. It looked as though Neraka was holding a mirror up to the orange and pink afternoon clouds. Thick woods bordered most of the lakes, with tall pine trees providing shade and refuge to a plethora of wild animals.
The trip had been uneventful so far. We’d left the hot spot behind, anyway. Both daemons and Exiled Maras were most likely busy converging on the collapsed Ragnar Peak, thinking they’d find us there, dead or alive. I had a feeling it didn’t matter that much anymore, not after the amount of damage we’d inflicted.
Harper used her True Sight to survey the area on a regular basis, while the pit wolves frequently went ahead and scoured the area, like the wonderful, extra-large guardians that they’d chosen to be during our incursion into Neraka’s less-traveled areas.
“Have you been to Meredrin before?” I asked Wyrran.
“A couple of times, yes,” he replied. “I haven’t been in touch with the town in a while, though. Worst-case scenario, it’s been abandoned already. However, I doubt that. It’s a good area. The lands are ripe, and the lakes and forests keep it secluded. Unless daemons raided it, there should still be Imen living there.”
I looked ahead and noticed the town’s silhouette rising over the lake—a solitary island in the middle. “Harper, can you tell us what you see?” I asked.
Harper narrowed her eyes, taking a few moments to reply.
“I see boats by a jetty,” she muttered. “Five of them, in good condition. Lights are coming on. Yep, it’s inhabited.”
“Hostiles?” I replied.
She shook her head. “No, Imen, from what I can tell. I’d need to get closer, though.”
“That’s a good sign,” Wyrran said, smiling. “They can help us with shelter and food for the night.”
“We do need to rest,” Jax agreed. “If we’re infiltrating Azure Heights tomorrow, like we should and like we already discussed, we need a quiet place to put our heads down.”
“Meredrin is a pretty tranquil place,” Wyrran confirmed.
“And once we get there, we should look into a way to reach out to Nevis and the others,” Harper said, frowning. “I’m still not comfortable with the idea of Imen sleepers infiltrating their ranks.”
As soon as she said that, I looked back at the end of the line. Dion was quiet and sullen, carrying an unconscious Alles on his back. Velnias stayed behind with him, as did Scarlett and Patrik. They occasionally exchanged words, reassuring Dion that they’d find a way to help Alles.
“Normally, once you remove someone from a Mara’s mind-bending influence, all it takes is some time and rest for them to recover,” Heron said. “That is, of course, if the subject wasn’t mind-bent too many times—the damage can be irreparable. Swamp witches used to be able to cure that. But in Alles’s case, I’m not sure how to help him. He had Tarsis’s suggestion planted so deep in his head, he didn’t even know it. On top of that, I’m pretty sure Tarsis had a backup plan for his ‘news delivery’, someone else to receive the intel in his absence.”
“Have you seen this before?” Avril asked.
“Oh, yeah, plenty of times. But we never questioned the aftereffects. I’ve never done it myself, but I’ve seen plenty of incubi back on Calliope with implanted orders. They flipped on their own people when one of my commanding officers gave the signal. It caught them by surprise. It was a bloodbath,” Heron replied.
“Maybe you could try something similar to what you did with the pit wolves?” I offered. “What did you say to them, exactly?”
“Oh, I basically mind-bent them again, overriding their original command,” Heron explained. “Which, in Hundurr and Rover’s case, was a direct order to attack us. Surprisingly, both mutts were unbelievably resilient and didn’t immediately give in. With Alles it might be a different story, but I’ll try and see if I can get him to forget he ever met Tarsis. My only concern is that he’ll have a bad reaction to my suggestion, if Tarsis mind-bent him into forgetting about him first, leaving only the suggestion to send messages or leave a trail or something.”
“We don’t know yet how Alles communicated with Tarsis. Not in detail, anyway,” I said. “We can find out first, then maybe you can try your mojo on him.”
Heron gave Dion a friendly half-smile, then nodded. “I’ll definitely try.”
“Thank you,” Dion murmured, his eyes still puffy. He’d cried a lot on the way. I understood the feeling of helplessness that came with finding out you’d been betrayed. In his case, however, it wasn’t even Alles’s fault. My history with betrayal ran much deeper and was much bloodier. I’d lost daughters and sisters to it.
We reached the edge of one of the lakes and took a few minutes to analyze our surroundings. The lakes were interconnected by thin strips of dry land and thick streams—they all came from the river flowing through the region.
“Over there,” Wyrran said, pointing to the far left across the water. I could see the greenery lining the river in the distance, as it cascaded down several rock clusters before spilling into the plain. “It’s the River Ebis,” he said. “It fills all nine lakes, then continues its flow south,” he added, as we followed the stream across the lake district to the right. “Ebis goes through the Valley of Screams, then right past Azure Heights, before it pours into the ocean.”
“It’s one of three rivers on this side of the continent, right?” I asked, remembering what I’d seen on one of the maps we’d studied for this mission.
Wyrran nodded. “Yes. The others are close, too, but you can’t see them from here. You’ll need a high altitude for that,” he replied, then nodded at the lake in front of us. Its crystalline water was lapping at the grassy shore. “We’ll need to cross this, of course.”
“Oh, that’s easy,” Idris said from behind.
He and Rayna came forward, and Vesta joined them. They looked at each other and smiled, then put their hands out.
The air rippled from their fingertips as they wiggled them. The lake’s surface trembled. I found myself holding my breath as the waters parted all the way to the bottom, clearing a straight passage for us—all the way to the next strip of land.
“Whoa,” Harper gasped, her eyes wide. “This is one hell of a trick.”
“It works better when there’s three of us.” Vesta grinned.
“Can you hold it for long enough?” I asked, a little worried about the lake accidentally swallowing us
. This planet had already tested plenty of my hidden fears; I didn’t want to deal with the prospect of drowning, too.
Idris nodded. “Don’t worry, you’ll all be safe. You all go first,” he said. “We’ll close the line.”
We went down to the bottom of the lake and made our way through the natural—yet unnatural—corridor. I could see fish and other aquatic creatures darting through the water on both sides. Their movements were frantic as they moved away from the edge, as if they knew they’d fall out if they came toward us.
A couple of fish did slip out, though, writhing on the ground for a few seconds, before Harper and Fiona picked them up and tossed them back into the water wall. I chuckled softly, then took Jax’s hand as we advanced through the first lake.
He held it tight, occasionally squeezing it to make me look at him. We didn’t say anything, but we didn’t need to. Our eyes had all the words we wanted to say—the sweet stuff we were both saving for later, when we’d be alone again.
Idris, Rayna, and Vesta repeated the water passage move through the next lake, then partially through the third. Halfway through that one, however, Ryker and Laughlan had to intervene. The town of Meredrin floated in the middle of the third lake. The fae couldn’t safely keep the waters split and raise the ground for us to reach the edge of the city. So, the Druids used their magic to raise mounds all the way to the shores of Meredrin, which we quickly climbed.
As soon as we were all back up above the lake, the fae released the waters. The liquid walls splashed into one another, causing ripples to spread out and lap at the grassy shore.
“Is this a floating island?” I asked. “I assume it is. Otherwise the corridor would’ve gone up a slope, right?”
Wyrran nodded. “Yes and no,” he said. “Technically speaking, yes, it’s a floating island. But it’s anchored from below.”
“Really? With what, exactly?” I replied, curious about the infrastructure.
The town itself was quaint and pretty, with simple, square homes and several bigger buildings, all built from sand-colored bricks. The roofs were thatched and dark gray, and there was an abundance of fruit trees lining the streets. The evening sky took on its signature indigo hue, sprinkled with stars and a rising first moon.
“Giant iron chains, from what I remember,” Wyrran said. “I hear it gets a little wobbly during a storm, but they rarely get one that’s powerful enough to shake this place up.”
There weren’t many Imen out. Those who were, however, had frozen, staring at us with a mixture of shock and fear.
“Ugh, I think we’ve freaked them out,” Fiona muttered, checking them out.
“We literally split the lake in half to get here. I’d be shocked, too, if I were one of them,” Heron replied dryly.
“We come in peace,” I said, raising my voice. “We just need a safe place for the night.”
Murmurs erupted from the Imen. Several figures stepped forward and made their way down the wide road connecting the town to the island shore. The closer they got, the paler they looked. My blood ran cold.
Jax cursed under his breath. “Dammit. Maras!”
We instantly drew our swords. The four Maras stopped and put their hands out in a defensive gesture. The one in the middle, looking like he was in his mid-twenties, smiled.
“Relax, we won’t hurt you,” the young Mara said.
“Said the Exiled Maras in the middle of an Imen town,” Jax shot back, his tone firm and unyielding.
“Meredrin took us in!” the Mara replied. “We ran from Azure Heights years ago. I’m Peyton, leader of our small Mara group. We all ran from the Lords. I promise you, we have no intention of harming you!”
Somehow, that made sense. Had this been a hostile city, they would’ve had guards looking out, maybe someone intercepting us. And they certainly wouldn’t have come down to chat with us. We would’ve been ambushed by now.
“I think he’s telling the truth,” Sienna murmured from the side. “There are many of us who fled Azure Heights. It’s public knowledge, actually. That’s why they’re being rounded up.”
“If they’re still here, it means the daemons definitely haven’t made their way into the area,” Jax muttered.
Peyton smiled. “And they probably never will. We left Azure Heights with some stolen swamp witch magic. We couldn’t get our hands on a cloaking spell, but we’ve got plenty of alarms set up across and around the lakes. You set one off, actually, and didn’t even know it.”
I put my sword away, as did the rest of our crew. “That’s why none of you attacked us. And why you don’t seem scared of us at all,” I breathed. “You saw us coming.”
Peyton nodded, then came closer and offered a curt nod. “I know who you are, too,” he said. “It’s an honor to meet the future saviors of Neraka.”
Heron chuckled. “Thanks for the encouragement, I guess.”
“But it’s true. You’re the outsiders! You’ve accomplished something no one else has!” Peyton replied, obviously thrilled to see us. “You’ve angered the Lords and the king of daemons. You’ve destroyed the prison city of Draconis. You have a dragon! We are all in awe of you, believe me.”
“What are you and your fellow Maras doing here?” Jax asked, keeping his defenses up, though he’d put his swords away already.
“The Imen took us in. There aren’t many of them left, but they’re living a good life here,” Peyton replied. “We do our best to keep them safe. Especially after dark.”
Jax frowned, crossing his arms. I couldn’t fault him for his skepticism. We’d been through enough with the Maras of Neraka to not want to fall for the same trick twice.
“Where’s the town leader?” I asked, looking to mediate this conversation and make sure we were safe in Meredrin.
“I’ll take you to her,” Peyton said.
We followed him and his Maras up the road and into the town center. The Imen watched us quietly, but kept their distance, while Peyton occasionally looked around and gave them reassuring nods and smiles. I found it ironic that we were the ones the Imen seemed wary of. Not the freaking Exiled Maras.
A middle-aged Iman female came out of the large building overlooking the town square. She briefly looked at Peyton, then at us, her brow slightly furrowed. She wore a dark brown toga-style dress, her shoulders covered with a thick pelt. Her blonde hair was combed in a tight bun, and her blue eyes seemed to cut right through us.
“Milady, these are the outsiders,” Peyton introduced us. “I do not know why they are here, but I stand by my previous statement. They seek shelter, just as I suspected. I think we should help them.” He then smiled at us. “Alara is our town leader. We came here ten years ago, and she was kind enough to grant us amnesty.”
We introduced ourselves, one by one, after which Jax and I briefly explained our journey so far, including our stunt at Ragnar Peak. Alara listened to us intently, without any interruptions. The more she found out about what we’d done, the more relaxed she seemed to become in our presence. But she didn’t say a word. When she did speak, however, my heart skipped a beat.
“It is an honor to have you all here,” she said, her voice soft like honey. “I can assure you that Peyton and his Maras are a part of our family. They do not mind-bend or threaten us. We all live together in harmony.”
“You’ll have to forgive me, milady, but we’ve heard that before, back in Azure Heights,” Jax replied. Alara smiled.
“Then please, test me, if you wish. You’re a Mara; I’m sure you can tell if I’ve been mind-bent in any way,” she said.
Jax gave me a brief sideways glance, nodded, then walked over to her and looked her straight in the eyes. He looked for the usual signs of mind-bending: dilated pupils, a slightly irregular heartbeat, and other discreet symptoms he’d registered over the years.
“Are the Maras holding you here against your will?” he asked, his voice low and husky. That was his mind-bending tone, and it always gave me goosebumps. It was both fearsome and impressive. He??
?d used it on me a couple of times in the past. I knew exactly how intense he could be.
Alara shook her head with confidence. “I am here of my own volition. We all are.”
“Are you aligned with the Exiled Maras of Azure Heights?” Jax asked. He mind-bent her for the truth. Usually, if a person was, in fact, mind-bent by another Mara, Jax could immediately tell. Most of us could, for that matter.
“No. We keep our distance and our lives here a secret. Few daemons or Azure Heights Maras venture into these parts. When they do, they trigger our alarms. We have traps ready for them. We’ve killed plenty over the centuries. We have protocols in place, which we pass down from generation to generation,” Alara explained.
Had she been mind-bent by another Mara, Alara’s brain would’ve been throbbing in excruciating pain by now. Jax’s shoulders dropped as he relaxed. The dark cloud that had gathered over him since we’d spotted Peyton and his Maras had finally and suddenly scattered. He smiled at us.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we have our first genuine instance of Imen and Maras coexisting peacefully, without coercion or mind-bending,” he muttered.
We breathed a collective sigh of relief, and Peyton joined Alara’s side.
“Milady, can we allow them to stay here tonight?” he asked Alara.
She nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “Have them taken to the inn. We haven’t had travelers in a long time. And especially not travelers who could help liberate our planet.” She then looked at Jax and me. “Whatever you need, we’ll get you. We keep a steady supply of food and blood, given our… mixed population. We’ve learned to use some of the swamp witch spells that Peyton stole from his former superiors in Azure Heights, so we have some herbs and crystals you might find of use, too. And the inn has running water and fireplaces in each room. It will make your stay comfortable.”
“Thank you, milady,” I said, and bowed before her.