Chained By Fear: 2 Read online

  “You’ve done well,” Torg said with relief in his voice. “Thank you, chieftain. My faith in you has always been rewarded. But there’s more I must tell you before I speak with the woman.”

  “I’ve seen the way you look at her. Is there a special attraction?”

  “We shall see what we shall see.”

  “As you say, my lord. What are your wishes?”

  “My heart tells me that Invictus has not left Anna out of his plans. Tējo is our guardian, and the Simōōn remains impassable, but Invictus has powers that are beyond anything we have faced before. If he has devised a means to threaten the Tent City, then you must be there to counter him. My command is for you to return to Anna at dawn.”

  “But lord . . . who will protect you?”

  “The Asēkhas will stay with me—except for four of your choosing. You are to return the way you came, along the eastern foothills of the Mahaggatas. I want one of your party to go to Nissaya, the second to join our force at Hadaya, the third to proceed to Jivita, and the fourth to patrol the banks of the Ogha just north of Senasana.”

  Torg briefly described his ordeal in the ziggurat to the chieftain, including the threat of the undines.

  “It will be as you command,” Kusala said. “And where will you and the remaining Asēkhas go?”

  “We cannot travel the same path as you,” Torg said. “East of the mountains, Invictus is too strong, and I have no desire to make it easy for him to hunt me down. My plan is to stay north of Gamana until I pass by Dhutanga. From there, I’ll travel south to Jivita.”

  “My heart is lighter knowing that some of the Asēkhas will journey with you, though my instincts tell me that I’ll be of no use at Anna.”

  “If you’re wasted at Anna, then my heart will be lighter. Tell me one other thing before we part. How go Sister Tathagata and the noble ones?”

  “They rest comfortably in the haven.”

  “Good. When you return, bring them with you to Anna. And tell the Perfect One that I miss her. She’ll scoff at that, but do it anyway.”

  “As you say, my lord.”

  “And thank you for taking such good care of Obhasa for me. I didn’t feel whole without it.”

  When Torg returned to the rock shelter, the crescent moon had already set, the skies were overcast, and the night had become as black as the shivery depths of Lake Ti-ratana. While Kusala collected reports from the Asēkhas, Torg crept into the chamber. Some of his companions were asleep and snoring, but the warriors had smeared a paste of mint on the offending nostrils, reducing the intensity. Despite the sputtering torch, it was even darker inside the chamber than out, but the Asēkhas moved about effortlessly, using senses other than sight to navigate their surroundings.

  Torg willed Obhasa to glow just enough to illuminate a portion of the chamber. Bard, Ugga, Rathburt and Elu slept soundly. Lucius lay next to the woman, asleep but restless. Torg knelt next to him and lowered his mouth close to his face.

  “Niddaayahi,” he whispered.

  Blue vapor slipped into Lucius’ nostrils, and he grew still.

  But the woman was awake, staring at him with wide eyes.

  Torg held out his large hand. “Will you come with me?” he said in a tender voice.

  She did not resist.

  Chase

  34

  On the second morning after the eclipse, Invictus came to his senses. He sat up and demanded boiled eggs and salted pork, which he ate ravenously.

  Afterward, he ordered Mala to escort him to the main balcony.

  “Aaaaaaah, the sun loves me again,” Invictus said, basking in the bright light of late morning. “I owe you a great deal, General Mala. You will not regret your loyalty. Tell me everything that happened while I was . . . incapacitated. I remember so little. Bhayatupa has escaped, I presume. What else?”

  “I have terrible news, my king. The dragon was not the only one to escape. When Bhayatupa attacked, I was knocked unconscious. When I woke, Izumo and Lucius had fled—along with the queen.”

  Mala didn’t know what to expect. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Invictus had burnt him to a crisp. He was amazed when the sorcerer reacted calmly.

  “I should have listened to you more closely, Mala. You never did trust the firstborn, but I had a tender place for him in my heart and wanted to believe he was loyal. I suppose, until recently, he was. How long has it been since my sister left Avici?”

  “Close to two days. We’ve begun the search, but the land is wide, and there are many places to hide. Auxiliaries have been sent north, south and west; and Kilesa protects the east. Some of the dracools are patrolling the skies, especially along the foothills of Mahaggata, but most have stayed in Avici and are attempting to locate Izumo from here, though I don’t understand how they are claiming to do it. Iddhi-Pada is watched, as are the banks of the Ogha. But Laylah and the traitors were far away before anyone noticed they were missing. Where were they headed? Nissaya seems most obvious. Or the mountains. Can you sense her whereabouts, my king?” Invictus did not answer, so Mala continued his ramble. “A force of wolves and Mogols is ready to march under my command, along with a Kojin and some cave trolls and druids. But I didn’t want to leave your side until I was sure you were recovered.”

  Invictus faced the sun, holding his arms aloft. Mala waited, not daring to say more. The sorcerer did not speak again until the fiery orb was directly overhead.

  “Laylah remains alive, of that I am certain, though I believe the altered sunlight will continue to sicken her much longer than it did me—for I am far greater, and your strength quickened my recovery even more than you might realize. Without similar aid, my dear sister will have a far more difficult time. Still, my ability to determine her whereabouts has been diminished, and I’m assuming this is due in large part to Vedana. Why else would my grandmother have murdered the newborn? Perhaps she thwarts my perception in some way that I cannot detect. Because of this, the dracools might be our best chance. They are able to meld their minds and kill from afar, and if they can eliminate Izumo, Laylah’s ability to travel will be curtailed. We must wait to see what the dracools perceive. In the meantime, I will delve further. Once we discover Laylah’s location, we must act quickly. I will have her back.”

  Later that day, a dracool came to Mala and reported that Izumo had been detected somewhere east of the mountains near the Gap of Gamana. When Mala told the king, Invictus digested this information slowly, though it was obvious he was puzzled.

  “Why would they still be east of the mountains? Has Izumo weakened so much that he can no longer carry them? There are many places to hide in Mahaggata. What are they waiting for? What scheme has Lucius devised?”

  “Perhaps I should march toward the gap now,” Mala said. “You can send dracools to alert me when you learn more.”

  “Wait until morning,” Invictus said. “I’ll make my decision then.”

  But the following morning, they knew no more. It was as if Laylah and Lucius had vanished from the world. The dracools continued to report that Izumo was somewhere near the southeastern tip of the gap, though now he was moving about.

  The mouth of Gamana was a rushed two-day march from Avici. Mala left soon after dawn. A thousand wolves, five hundred Mogols, a hundred druids, several cave trolls and a Kojin accompanied him. The dracools were able to spare ten from what remained of the flock in Avici, and they flew ahead as scouts. Ravens were dispatched along with them.

  Mala marched northward along the left bank of the Ogha until late afternoon, when he then veered westward. By nightfall he had reached the shore of Lake Ti-ratana, where he rested until midnight while waiting for word from his airborne spies and messengers. When none came, he continued his march. By morning he had reached the northernmost point of Ti-ratana. Still there was no word from Invictus. Mala was perplexed. He decided to wait until further orders came from his king.

  Just before noon, a lone dracool approached from the southeast. Mala stomped about impatiently until t
he baby dragon finally landed a few paces away. The dracool, a female, had been flying hard and was out of breath.

  “Speak quickly,” said Mala, towering over the dracool as he did most other beings. “What have you to report?”

  “Izumo has gone to the Whore City,” she said, hissing through the round holes in her snout.

  “Kamupadana . . . what the hell?” Mala said, his chain glowing ominously. “And where are Laylah and Lucius?”

  The dracool shrugged. “We know naught. But the king wants you to go to Kamupadana, meet with Jākita-Abhinno, and hear her report.”

  Mala thought that was a stupid idea, but at least he had a clear destination. Soon after, his army moved again.

  Although Kamupadana was thirty leagues away, most of that distance was across a grassy plain that was easy to traverse. To avoid outrunning their masters, the wolves were forced to slow their pace, but the army still managed to cover ground abnormally fast. By late afternoon of the following day, Mala came within sight of the ninth wall.

  Fifty Sāykan soldiers raced out to meet them. Mala, the Kojin, one dracool and one Porisāda were escorted within the gates. At dusk, the hideous version of Jākita-Abhinno greeted them inside the ziggurat, and she led them to the scene of the carnage.

  “Lord Mala, your arrival pleases us,” the queen of the Warlish witches said. “As you can ssssee, a terrible thing occurred here this very morning. We were outmatched—and the marvelous little undines were destroyed. It was as if one of the old godssss arose from oblivion to punish us.”

  “He was no god,” Mala said as he stomped around the bloodied chamber. “This is the work of the Death-Knower. The bastard has as many lives as a Tyger. So where is he now, you witless whore? How did he manage to escape when thousands of Sāykans had surrounded him? Are you harlots that incompetent?”

  Jākita was aghast. “I will not be spoken to this way.”

  Mala swept out his hand and sent her flying against the wall, where she crouched on all fours and hissed. Sāykan guards rose to defend her, but they retreated when the Kojin pounded her chest. The witch’s bravado did not impress Mala.

  “I will speak to you however I choose. Do you dare oppose the might of Invictus? Answer my questions as if he was asking them—for I am his eyes and his ears, and I speak for him in all ways. Compared to me, you are nothing.”

  As if accepting the truth in his words, the witch crawled over to him, whining and submissive. After an explosion of fire and smoke, the beautiful version of the queen rose and stood before him, her voice as intoxicating as the milk of the poppy.

  “My lord, I meant no offense. It’s just that I am still upset over this morning’s incident. My city and ssssoldiers are at your command. As for the Death-Knower, he escaped through a passageway that runs beneath the walls. We ssssearched for him everywhere, but he has not been found.”

  “I’m not surprised. Women can’t do anything right.”

  Jākita’s anger rose again, and a single strand of auburn hair curled and turned gray. But she regained control before another transformation took place. “As you ssssay, my lord. What will you do now?”

  “The Death-Knower is not the reason I’m here. He can be dealt with later. I search for others: Queen Laylah and General Lucius. Have they been seen?”

  “There are tenssss of thousands within the walls. Until now, the assassin has been our only concern.”

  “It’s believed a dracool accompanied the woman and the firstborn.”

  “There are no dracoolssss in the city, other than the one that accompanies youuuu now.” She turned to a Sāykan captain who stood nearby, nervously eyeing the Kojin. “Have there been any reports of baby dragons?”

  “None that I am aware, my queen,” the captain said. “Though it is not unusual to see them in the skies.”

  “You twats are worthless!” Mala said. “Nothing ever gets done unless I do it myself.”

  “As you ssssay, my lord,” Jākita sneered, her green eyes glistening.

  “Aaaaargh! Out of my way, you smelly slut. I have work to do.”

  When Mala passed through the ninth gate and rejoined his small army, it was deep into the evening, and the crescent moon had long since set. But one of the Porisādas was waiting for him with news.

  “Master, the wolves have picked up the queen’s scent,” said the cannibal, who bore skull tattoos on both sides of his face. “And Lucius’ too. They have headed southwest toward the foothills—and the gap.”

  Mala stomped around angrily, spitting globs of mucus that sizzled in the gray grass. “How long ago? How far ahead? Was it just the two of them?”

  “We believe their lead is less than a day,” the cannibal said. “But there is more you should know, master. They are not alone. We count at least four others.”

  “At least?”

  “There are strange signs and scents. Is it possible there are Tugars among them? Maybe even Asēkhas? The desert warriors leave no marks when they walk, but the wolves can sometimes sense their presence. They are acting strangely, growling and snapping at each other.”

  A loud sound startled Mala and the others. The Kojin had walked into the field and was on her knees, sniffing the ground. Then she stood and pointed all six of her index fingers toward the southwest.

  “That’s all I need to know,” Mala said. “Let’s move! Take fifty Porisādas and ride ahead on wolfback. And spread out the dracools. The woman must be taken alive, but feel free to kill the rest, whoever they might be, including Lucius and Izumo.”

  Another dracool waddled forward. “Izumo is no longer,” she said. “I have sensed his demise. His life is ended.”

  “Good riddance,” Mala said. “One down, two to go. Make that three. I want the Death-Knower’s head, as well. If he and his ratty Asēkhas have joined the queen, I can get rid of all of them at once. This could turn out to be fun after all.”

  35

  Though she tried to sleep, Laylah could not relax enough even to close her eyes. The four strange men she had met in Kamupadana already were snoring, along with Lucius. In the darkness of the shelter they lay on blankets the healer’s friends had provided. The Asēkhas moved about silently, performing various chores. They had shed their disguises—at least, that is what Laylah presumed them to be—for black jackets and matching breeches. Their gracefulness awed her. No effort was wasted, no movement unplanned. When it became too dark to see, she lay soundlessly and listened. All she could hear was the snoring. The Asēkhas were as silent as air.

  Unexpectedly, a soft blue glow illuminated a portion of the shelter. Laylah’s heart skipped a beat. The healer approached, his staff burning like a torch. As if in response, Lucius stirred.

  Stay asleep, Lucius. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stand any more of your complaining.

  And then the healer leaned down and spoke a word from the ancient tongue. A tiny tendril of blue vapor slipped into Lucius’ nostrils, and he went as still as a well-fed baby.

  The healer turned to her. “This will make him sleep deeply for a little while.” Then he said softly, “Will you come with me?”

  She did not resist. Nor did she want to. To be alone with him had become her fondest desire.

  Once they were outside the shelter he took her hand, and for a moment both of them jerked away, as if miniature bolts of lightning had shocked them. But then he grasped her hand again and held on tight. The sensation subsided, and tingling warmth replaced it.

  He led her up the side of a steep slope to a ledge of banded stone. The crescent moon had already set, and the night was overcast, but just enough light remained for her to make out his features. His eyes were as blue as sapphire and his hair as black as coal. There was a kindness to the set of his mouth. She imagined what it would be like to make love to him and was surprised to feel no pain in her abdomen as a result. This man’s presence did not appear to threaten whatever it was that guarded the flesh of her womb.

  “My name is Torg. I’m also called The Torg
on.” The powerful sounds almost made her swoon. But she sensed an undercurrent of nervousness in his voice. She was having an effect on him, too.

  “I am a king and a wizard. They call me a Death-Knower. I’d tell you more, if we had time. It’s my desire to sit with you and talk long into the night, but I fear we don’t yet have that luxury. Will you be kind enough to tell me your name?”

  “I am Laylah. Some call me sorceress, and some call me queen. I am the sister of Invictus.”

  If this shocked Torg, he did not show it.

  “But I despise him,” Laylah continued. “I’ve been his prisoner for the past seventy years. But I never gave up hope that one day I would be free. And now . . . here I am. I saw you—once. Mala had imprisoned you in the wagon. The memory burns in my mind. Do you remember me?”

  “Oh, yes. It has consumed my thoughts ever since.”

  She smiled warmly. “I thought you were dead. Mala returned to Avici and said so himself. And yet somehow you live. For me, meeting you is a dream come true.”

  “For me, as well,” Torg said, lifting his hand to caress her lovely cheek. “I’ve dreamt of you . . . so many times. When the moon was full, I felt your presence. There’s so much I would know about you. How were you able to escape? And who led you to me? But I would guess it’s a long story, and our time is short. You need to rest. Tomorrow we will travel far.”

  “Life is cruel. Most of mine has been spent in misery, but now that I’ve finally found reason for joy, I’m not permitted to savor it.”

  “To hear you say those words fills me with more happiness than you could imagine. I’ve lived a long life, more than a thousand years, but before meeting you it was incomplete. I can wait awhile, as long as I know you feel the same.”

  “I do. And more. I’ve lived fewer than one hundred years, but they’ve felt like a thousand.”