Chapter 3
THE SUMMONING
Lavinia hesitated at the fountain’s edge. Niri, Ria, and Ty had hidden in the darkness of a colonnaded gallery, waiting. Realizing Lavinia had returned, Ria darted from Ty's arms into the swirling mist of the courtyard before Ty could stop her. Ty followed after, glancing into the darkness of fog-choked alleyways. As Niri approached, Lavinia held out her hand and dropped a small black lump into Niri’s palm.
“It is all they had. Is it big enough?”
Niri nodded, feeling the solid weight of the cool stone in her fingers. It was not the size but the rock itself that mattered.
“Wait here around the pool. You’ll be able to see and hear, but not be seen so do not worry.” Niri spoke while she slipped off her plain leather shoes and sat on the chipped granite edge.
“Wait.” Ty hissed. “What are you about to do?” Anger seethed around the words, barely restrained by Lavinia’s hand on his arm.
Niri paused. They hadn’t discussed what would happen, not during the walk to the pool or the wait for Lavinia. They had barely spoken. The unresolved issue of what Ria had done was paramount, so all else was left as unimportant. Now, Niri pondered how to explain.
“I’m going to speak to someone who will know what happened. He can tell us if Ria is in danger.”
“Do you trust him?” Ty asked, hostility reduced at the reminder of the risk to Ria's life.
Niri held his gaze without wavering. She could not give him any reason to doubt her. “Yes, with my life.”
With a short hesitation, Ty stepped back. She guessed the thought that she might be about to betray them must have gone through all their minds. For a second, she had considered it. Niri could confess everything that had occurred. A part of her wanted to.
But if everything worked out, the three would be gone running from the Curse or Niri would have a new Elemental for the Church. Either way, she would soon be back to her chambers in the public complex. Tomorrow she would begin her journey home to Solaire. It would all be over in a few hours on this, the shortest night.
Niri swung her feet, slipping them into the pool. The comfort was immediate. The water welcomed her, soothing the turbulent doubt and sense of time slipping away in its calming embrace. She was one with the water, a part of it, and it was a part of her.
When she reached the center of the fountain, she turned to the three. They stood shoulder to shoulder at the water’s edge, no longer spirited youths on an adventure. Instead, worry and questions separated them, although they stood side by side.
All three gasped as Niri looked at them. She knew what had happened but had forgotten to warn them. Her brown eyes had changed to become the color of the sea under a bright sky, illuminated even in the darkness of night. The effect was startling. Caused by such a complete joining with her element, it was only the beginning of the strange things they were about to witness.
“Stay quiet, stay near. You won’t be seen, I promise.” Her voice now held undertones of waves, echoing as though part of Niri spoke from deep in the water. All three moved closer together and nodded as one, wide-eyed as children again.
The water surrounding her pulled at her consciousness. From where she knelt in the center, Niri focused herself, calling upon the years of training to continue with her task. With a thought, the liquid surface leapt up around her, forming a watery skin like a bubble. It began at the stone edge of the pool and rose to a few feet over her head. Within the protective sphere, Niri found it easier to concentrate.
Only a few of the Church were powerful enough to be able to use their gifts in such a way. Only a few had the control and ability to keep their thoughts steady. It was Niri’s guarantee to move up far in the Church, at least as far as she could as a Water Elemental. But what she was about to do had not been shown to her by the Church, but by someone she trusted and loved. Someone she desperately needed to talk to. He would have answers.
From deep within her, Niri sought out warmth. The coolness of the water in her chest changed to a deep heat, slowly spreading down her arms and to her belly. She focused on a spot a few feet in front of her and above the water’s surface. Niri funneled her warmth into it, waiting for a connection with an element that was opposite of her own.
It didn’t take long. It was just a flicker of the imagination at first and then the spot Niri focused on began to glow a faint red like a candle’s last light before the wick faded into wax. The light brightened and became a sphere. All at once, a small flame hovered inches above the pool as a fire sprite accepted Niri’s invitation and came into being. It wavered and reached out, growing and twisting, sensing the safety and location. Then it grew to a tower of fire more than a foot high. It turned and seethed, coiling back on itself. Sensing Niri, it raised its head, opening its mouth in a silent roar. The tiny fire dragon stared up at Niri, claws outstretched as it looked around the small enclosure.
Fire dragon to Fire Elemental, the sprite would create a connection that Niri could not manage. The Order of Fire could always talk to one another through flame. It was a trick no other Order could master.
Niri offered the piece of basalt to the creature. It greedily reached out, grabbing the stone in its paws of perfectly formed fire and pulled it to its chest. Even as it admired its new possession, the rock changed. A deep red glow began to form in its center. The light spread until the entire stone shone, turning it back into the magma it had been.
Even as the rock changed, so did the shape of the dragon. The flaming image dispersed and became an incandescent haze that grew bigger until it was as large as Niri. At first the glowing form was a mirror image of her sketched in an element opposing her own. Niri held Sinika’s name centered in her mind, waiting until he noticed the summoning in the flames near him in the Temple of Solaire.
A minute passed and nothing changed. Panic rose again in Niri’s chest. She had not considered the possibility that Sinika would not answer. Just as her thoughts wavered, the image of light altered once again, redefining itself into someone distinct. The person she sought. The anxiety dispersed as Niri gazed into Sinika’s eyes, formed in his element of fire.
The line of his mouth was hard. Niri had the impression her summons was not well timed. But the momentary rise of doubt disappeared with Sinika’s first words.
“Nirine, I’ve been worried.” His voice had a sibilant hiss coming from the throat of flame. “The Temple is in chaos. The High Council has been called together. We are to meet in the Chapel of Hope. I only have a few minutes.”
Niri leaned forward. “It was magic then? Not a powerful Elemental?”
Sinika’s image nodded. “Yes, the Curse has been released to find whatever caused this ... manifestation.” Sinika’s aristocratic lips tasted the bitterness of the word.
Niri’s heart thundered in her chest. Her first guess had been right and they had wasted valuable time simply to confirm it. Ria’s life was in danger. Ria, who stood now only feet from the image of someone that Niri didn’t want to imagine would mean her harm. But Sinika was a High Priest, one of only twelve who guided the Church of Four Orders. Now Niri doubted if the information was worth the risk. Only the thin skin of water protected Ria from being seen by Sinika. She needed to be away, any way she and her friends could manage.
“Do you know what it was, Nirine? You are the closest member of the Church. What happened?” Even through the visage of fire, Sinika stared deeply into Niri’s eyes. She chafed at the delay.
“I cannot explain now, Sinika. I will be back to the Temple of Solaire in five days. I will tell you then.”
His focus shifted a bit to the side and beyond her before returning. “No, Nirine.” Sinika paused. He looked away again as if he was checking to be sure no one else was near.
“You cannot come back. Don’t you see what this appears to be? The High Council knows magic was used in Mirocyne. The House Steward is an old Fire Priest. Once the Curse woke, they sent the House Steward to find you, but your rooms were deserted. He
could only assume you had left. The High Council doesn't know if you were a part of what happened, but considering the circumstances,” Sinika paused again.
The connection wavered, Sinika's form fading. "Niri!" Sinika yelled as he would when he'd taught her the summons. Discipline cleared the fear eating her concentration and left her mind empty.
When she refocused on him, Sinika continued. “If you tell me what happened, what you know, I will speak to the Council for you. I am sure your punishment will not be so great, if you tell me now. Otherwise,” Sinika gave a tiny shake of his head. “I cannot bear to think what they will do to you, Niri.” His gaze was earnest in its worry. “They would tear you apart, feed you to the Curse instead. Nirine, you must tell me or they will kill you.”
She couldn't think. “No, no, no ...” The fiery image wavered again. Niri grasped onto the connection with violent effort. Sinika's form solidified, appearing real.
He waited. It was too late to realize she had never considered what the impact of magic being used would have on the Church, that they would look for her, or even could contact someone in Mirocyne, and find her missing. Her life for the girl's. That was what Sinka offered.
Tears flooding her eyes, Niri met Sinika’s gaze. The slightest smile touched his lips as she opened her mouth.
“No,” she said again.“ No, I will not tell you what happened.”
Sinika stared at her. He blinked twice, his mouth moving to form a reply. Words failed before they reached his lips. Niri did not wait for him to recover.
“Do you know where the Curse is? Can you track it? How much time do we have?”
“Nirine, you cannot be serious. They will kill you. Do you understand? The Curse is coming now and will find you as assuredly as the magic user. I can do nothing to protect you.”
Anger caught her breath, surprising her with its sharpness. She had never dared retort to a higher member of the Church after her earliest lessons of the result. But Sinika was not an unknown superior and his presence was at her invitation. Mind crystal clear in her defiance, the water skin above her turned to ice.
“If you don’t want me dead this night by your hand as much as the High Council’s, then tell me where the Curse is, Sinika. I will not come back to Solaire to bring you a child to murder.”
Ria or Lavinia gasped from where the trio watched outside the icy shield. Though they could not be seen, the sound carried. Sinika’s eyes darted to the side. He rocked back on his heels, rejoining anger fading to something else as he regarded Niri. Stone-faced, he replied, “It took wing, so I would imagine it would be over Thornastal by now.”
Thornastal was only halfway. There was still time to escape.
The image of Sinika faded as Niri willed an end to the summoning. He reached out, nearly touching her with his hand of fire in an effort to keep her from breaking the fragile connection between them.
“You must hurry, Nirine, if you want to outrun the Church. There is a place I’ve heard of that may help you. Go to Karakastad and into the Temple of Dust. There is a library there where the old records were kept. You should be able to find documents on the making of the Curse. Hopefully, something to protect you. Take care of yourself, Nirine.”
“I will. Thank you, Sinika.” She paused. Saying goodbye wore away the numbness. If Sinika himself had stood there, she would have thrown herself against him and begged to return to Solaire. But he wasn't and she'd said no. Niri willed an end to the summoning. The thin layer of ice and water shattered, clattering down around her.
Niri shoved aside the lost ache filling her. Ria had to hurry. The Curse was coming for her, the Church surely behind. Niri hurried to the edge of the pool where the three teenagers waited, expressions nervous.
Despite the drive she felt, it took Niri a moment to find her voice. “You must go,” she said to Ria. Panic filled the girl's eyes.
“We must go,” Lavinia replied, placing a hand on Niri’s arm. Niri fought an urge to collapse against Lavinia, as Ria had done an hour earlier.
“You cannot be serious. We can’t take her ... she is a Priestess!” Ty’s anger was blacker than the night.
“No, she is not.” Lavinia said, calmly.
“Well, you aren’t going either! You will go home and ...”
Lavinia’s expression took on some of the heat of her brother’s, but she did not need to answer. Ria yelped and reached for Lavinia before Ty could finish. He stared at the two girls and Niri. In the silence, the pressing of time closed in like the fog.
“I’ll find us a boat.” Ty hissed, turning on his heels and leaving. Without his fuming presence to tense herself against, Niri swayed on her feet.
Lavinia caught her shoulder, and Ria took the other side. They stood together, joined by fear and a need to flee.
“We have to find Ty.” Lavinia said, gaze searching the mist-shrouded courtyard.
Lavinia's words spurred Niri to action. With gentle pressure, she pushed the girls forward.
“How ... how do you know which way he went?” Ria asked, voice hoarse. She trembled under Niri’s hand.
“I feel where the mist has moved with his passing,” Niri answered.