There he was, at her feet. Varley, the one who had hurt her most. No, wait a minute, hadn't he saved her? And the other one, Camryn, he had held her. . . but he wanted her gone. . .
A tortured whimper escaped Leena as she raised the knife high above her head, preparing to strike the unprotected breast of her. . . friend? Enemy? She hardly knew. The blade began to descend. She fought it, trying to control herself. Her muscles burned as she struggled to keep the blade away from her. . . friend. Varley had saved her life, more than once. If she could only wake them, they could tell her what to do. . .
Then one of them did stir. Camryn rolled over, eyes half open. Leena made an urgent grunting sound, all she could manage. His eyes flew open and widened with shock. Then he leapt up and knocked her flat.
"Varley! Wake up!"
Leena's body struggled against her will and the night became chaos, as Camryn's shout roused more then just Varley. She was aware of an explosion, laced with her Master's power signature. Then Varley was on her as well, helping Camryn wrest the dagger away from her frenzied grip.
Leena felt her strength draining as her Master drew on it. Light erupted into being, illuminating an insane scene at the center of the wagon circle. Leena saw it all through her Master's eyes. He held a closed jewelry casket in his hands, trying to open it. He laughed maniacally as merchants tried to attack him, setting fire to man, beast, and wagon indiscriminately with Leena's power. He grew frustrated and smashed the casket against a rock, then snatched up the pendant which spilled out.
"At last! It is mine! The great Eye of the Djinn! I shal—"
His voice cut off abruptly. The pendant began glowing with a vivid ruby beam of light, focused on the Dark Lord. He clawed frantically at his throat with one hand, trying to shake the blazing gem off the other hand. Then he gave a great gasp as air rushed back into his lungs, only to exhale it in an uncanny shriek that went on and on as the already intense beam of light grew brighter, hotter. The shriek continued, even as he burst into flames.
Leena echoed the shriek, clawing at her own throat. The black rose, nearly forgotten moments ago, now burned fiercely into her as the Master died. She ripped it off, shaking violently but in full control of her body once again.
"The fires! We must help with the fires! Let me up!"
Varley and Camryn exchanged glances. Varley nodded, and they released her, but watched her warily. She staggered to her feet and called on her own power, ignoring the taint of darkness. She focused on dousing the flames trying to consume living beings first. . . except for the unnaturally hot red blaze which even now emitted a ghost of a shriek. Varley and Cam went into action, organizing frightened and disoriented merchants to try and stop the flames. But all soon saw that is was no use. The fire had too firm a hold of the three large wagons. The survivors pulled together and straggled wearily to the top of the hill to watch the destruction.
Leena sought her friends out and took their hands. "I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault," Camryn said.
The three of them stood staring at the burning wreck of the caravan. Visible even through the smoke, a beam of ruby light shot skyward. The pendant rested atop a pile of ashes which had once been a Dark Lord. Leena could still feel the darkness within herself, calling. . . She shook her head to clear it of that insidious voice.
"The enemy has been defeated. Isn't this the part where the heroes ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after?"
Camryn made a disgusted sound.
"That hardly seems likely, at this point of the tale," Varley sighed, shoulders slumping with exhaustion.
"Happy ending or no, at least we're still alive," Camryn said, summoning up a weary smile. He pushed damp hair back from his soot-smeared face.
"And we will make it, I swear." Leena turned away from the destruction below to face her friends. "Together."
A wilted sounding mew sounded by her foot. Astounded, Leena bent down and found her missing kitten, smoke stained, weary, but alive. She raised her eyes to her friends, cradling Izzy with the beginnings of a smile. "If he can do it, then so can we. Right?"
"Right!"
She sighed heavily. "Then I suppose we'd better get back to it. They need us to help with the wounded."
That brief moment of peace was their last until nearly dawn. Of the original dozen surviving merchants, six had died and the others were all either wounded or in total shock. Once all were made as comfortable as possible, Leena threw herself on a blanket and tried to sleep.
When her eyes closed she saw herself standing over her friends again, blade in hand, about to carry out her Master's will. Her eyes flew open. Breathing in ragged gasps, she lay on the hard ground and stared at the brightening eastern sky. I wouldn't have done it, she repeated to herself over and over. I couldn't have done it. But the guilty litany did nothing to disguise the memory. She lay staring sleeplessly at the stars, so different from those of her homeland. Eventually she dropped into a fitful slumber.
Chapter 20
Running, running. Alone and friendless. They betrayed me. Nightmare sense of pursuit, but nothing visible. Betrayal burning through her very veins. I thought they were my friends. Then—
Peace. Quiet. No longer running, the pain distant now. Ah, you have come to me at last.
A small black speck, floating in space. Blacker than black, it hung in the emptiness and spoke to the darkness within her.
I knew you would not be long. None such as yourself can resist the lure of my darkness.
"Who are you?"
I am your future.
Images flashing through her head: the betrayers vanquished, herself laughing triumphantly, power singing through her veins like liquid black fire. Whole countries bowing down to serve her. Immortal life, in exchange for. . .
"For what? What are you after?"
Nothing that is not yours to give, little one. I merely ask access to your mind. The whole world shall be yours.
"And why do you wish this? Who—what are you?"
That is not important. I ask of you a mere trifle, and offer the world.
Flash of her own hand holding the blade ready to descend—no, he is my friend, surely he is my friend—on the great betrayer.
"Something is not right."
But it is right. I tire of this foolish child I now inhabit. Your Master was not strong enough- his character had a fatal flaw. But you. . . you are better than either. Give me your mind now, and be the Dark Queen.
"Never!"
* * * *
Leena woke,, tears pouring down her cheeks, to find Camryn kneeling over her. "I'm sorry to disturb you so soon, but. . . hey, are you alright?"
She scrubbed at the tears and took a deep breath, then struggled into a sitting position. "Bad dream. What is wrong?"
"Not wrong, really. Just something needs your attention."
She took a closer look at him, the dark circles under his eyes, his face still smudged with soot, the weary expression. "Did you get any sleep?"
"Some." Then he smiled a little. "Well, not really. I did lay down for a few minutes though."
"You need to take better care of yourself. So what was it again?"
"The merchants want to recover that pendant, but they're afraid to touch it. They say it's best left to someone with mage-power. Are you up to it?"
Blazing red light, the scream that echoed even now in her memory. . . the feeling of freedom as the evil one died. "I think so." She ran her hand over her hair and grimaced at the sticky texture. She clambered to her feet slowly. The sun was well up now. She must have been asleep for at least a couple of hours, despite the fact that it felt like only a few minutes.
Cam walked with her to the smoldering remains of the Dark Lord.
"Eew." She looked down at the greasy ashes. The pendant rested atop the pile, pulsing with power. "Wonder what'll happen when I touch it?"
"Nothing," said Camryn firmly. "They said that particular little bauble is supposed to dest
roy evil."
Leena giggled. "It certainly does that. . . wonder why he wanted it?"
"It is also supposed to hold the power of one of the Greater Djinn."
Leena snorted derisively. Everyone knew there was no such thing as a Djinn. "Indeed. Well, wish me luck."
With a quick motion, she plucked the pendant out of the ashes. Immediately she felt something tickling at her mind, a feeling of being weighed and measured against some exacting standard. Then a ruby glow formed at the heart of the stone.
"What—" She couldn't speak, or breathe. Something crawled through her, rooting out all the darkness from her entire being, burning it with ruby fire. She moaned and thrashed, unable to break away. Darkness writhed and shrieked as it was immolated by the ruby blaze. Her flesh healed and became whole again in the wake of the fire. Then it was done. The stone gave a few last flickers and then subsided.
"What under the sun was that?" Leena asked weakly. She felt drained, yet better than she had in days.
"I'm not sure," Cam said, gazing at the stone warily. "I think you've been cleansed."
"I think you're right." Leena shook herself all over. "I feel. . . good. Very good, in fact. So what am I supposed to do with this thing?"
"I think they want it back. Shall we?" He gustured towards the hilltop, where the survivors were recovering.
"We shall."
* * * *
"So what was that plan again? Go to Larantyne, challenge a Guard Captain to a duel, move us all into a castle. Right?"
"That sounds like what I said." Varley leaned casually against the log, watching their faces in the flickering firelight.
Leena sighed. "And what of us, then? What are Cam and I supposed to do, sit on our rumps and look pretty?"
Cam laughed. "I, for one, would not do to well at that, but I'm sure there's plenty of opportunity for employment in a castle."
"But. . ." Leena held out her hand. A ball of fire appeared above her palm. She stared at it. "After learning what I have of magic, I doubt I'll ever be content to work in a kennel again." She doused the fire. "Even the position of kennel manager means less than nothing when compared to this power I have now."
"So find a teacher." Varley did not appear too concerned.
"Among the Magicmen, who dislike Vindra for his training methods and women for their gender? That may not be possible."
"Must we settle down?" Camryn looked up from the twig he was demolishing.
"It was just an idea! What else could we do, anyway?"
"I think we make a good team," Cam said, a bit surprised by Varley's defensive tone. "Maybe there is a market for guards with other skills as well. How many groups can there be with our combination of talents?"
"Not many, I'll wager." Leena perked up with interest. Life on the road was difficult, but she wanted an opportunity to use her new skills.
"But do we really want to continue wandering?"
"I'm up for it."
"And I." Leena held her breath.
"Perhaps. . ." Varley stared moodily into the fire.
"A compromise," Cam suggested. "We start for Larantyne but keep an ear out for any jobs along the way."
Varley grumbled and complained, but eventually agreed.
* * * *
Other titles from Marie Brown:
Closer To The Stars
Prince of the Northlands, Vol 1
Larantyne
Prince of the Northlands, Vol 2
Apprentice
Breaking Traditions, Vol 1
In Service Of The Light
Breaking Traditions, Vol 2
and many more
Visit the author online at
the Evil Kitten Project
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