Halfway (Wizards and Faeries) (9 page)

    
What was I doing here? I was going to get murdered over a foolhardy plan to find a brother I had not known for a decade!

    
The faint light had solidified into a lantern hung from a tall, wrought-iron gate.

    
Mindlessly, I ran to the gate, groping blindly in the dark. It swung open and I ran into the blackness beyond.

    
The branches of bushes tugged at my skirt. I slowed down, my hands out to feel any obstacles.

    
A structure, a large one, loomed against the darkened sky. I approached it.

    
My hands touched something solid at the same moment the rain stopped pelting me.
I must be under an overhang or eaves of some sort
, I thought. I felt my way along it. My toe hit a ledge. I felt around some more and knew it was an alcove. Climbing into the tiny shelter, I curled myself into a ball.

I want to go home.

Chapter 13

Cemagna

“Miss? Miss, are you awake?”

Blinking, I opened my eyes and looked up. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but I could see a man looming over me. He was tall, perhaps around middle age or older, with whitish hair and round dark glasses over his eyes.

    
I looked around. I was curled up in an alcove in a large stone building. More gargoyles—why were there
always
gargoyles?—peered out around me.

    
“I—I’m sorry!” I burst out. “I had nowhere to take shelter from the rain!”

    
The man’s eyebrows raised slightly above his dark glasses. “How did you get in here? The gate is locked at night.”

    
“I—I don’t know.” I started to get up.
 
“I’ll leave now.” The last thing I needed was more trouble.

    
“No, stay,” he said. “Come inside with me, please. You must be cold and hungry.”

    
“I—I really am,” I blurted before I could stop myself.

    
“I’m Duke Von Chi,” he said.

    
I swallowed. The duke? I had fallen asleep in front of
his
house?

    
“I—I’m Cemagna,” I stammered. “I’m sorry. It was dark, and I didn’t know this was your house.”

    
“It is all right. I live to serve my people. Come inside.” He took my hand, helped me to my feet, and led me away.

    
“I really shouldn’t impose upon you, sir. I’m only in this city to find my brother. I’m not even sure I’m one of your, um, people. I’m not from Vel City. I come from a house on a cliff, somewhere far away.”

    
“Oh?” The eyebrows shot up again. “And why are you here, searching for your brother? Is he lost?” He kept walking, leading me past well-manicured gardens visible in the first light of dawn.

    
“I don’t know. The last time I saw him was ten years ago, when the moon-eye ship came. I think he may be with the Wizardly Order.”

    
“I will help you to find him,” he said. “But first, you must come inside and have something to eat and a proper night’s rest. Stone makes a poor bed.”
 

    
He was right. Already I was trying not to yawn.

    
We came to a heavy door, which he opened, ushering me into a wide, marble-floored hall.
 

    
A servant, a plump young woman, appeared at his elbow. “Garolda,” he said to her, “Cemagna here needs a room and a proper meal. See to it.” He turned to me. “I wish to help you find this brother of yours, but I am a busy man. Have a meal and a rest first, and I will come to you later. We will speak again then.” He turned, walking away down a corridor, the click of his boots loud on the marble floor.

    
The servant woman, Garolda, turned to me. “Come, I’ll show you to a room and send for some food to be brought up from the kitchens.” She motioned towards a staircase and we started walking.

    
“Does the duke live here all by himself here?”

    
“Goodness, no!” she laughed as we climbed the marble staircase, portraits of the duke and what I assumed to be other dukes who came before him lining the walls. “He has two children, but neither of them are here right now. And of course, there are all of us servants.” At the top of the stairs, she turned to walk down a hallway one lined with doors. “Duke Von Chi keeps to himself mostly, except when the people need him. He’s a very private man.” She cocked her head. “I find it a bit odd that he’s taken you in. I don’t know him to have ever done that. But then, no one’s ever snuck in before. The gate is usually locked.” She stopped before one of the doors.
 

    
I tried to stifle a yawn.

    
Garolda noticed. “You can sleep in this bedroom. I’ll send for food from the kitchens.”

    
I could only nod. Insufficient sleep and constant fleeing for my life were taking their toll.

#

I awoke in the bedroom in the duke’s house to the smell of food.
 
Darting up, I saw a plate of steaming soup had been placed on the table near the bed where I lay.
 
Eagerly, I dove towards it, grabbing the spoon and gulping the soup down in huge mouthfuls.
 
It was truly delicious soup… watery enough for my deprived stomach, but flavorful enough to satisfy me.

Far too soon the bowl was empty and I felt tired again.
 
How many days had I been on the run, unable to get a good rest?
 
I climbed back to the bed again.

The dream began again—the same dream.
 
I saw the shining water, the dark pearly shapes forming, rising from it.
 
I saw the ice-blond hair flow like a river as the woman fought them, just as I had.

The woman fought, her hands swinging like a dancer’s.
 
The watery shapes were forming and re-forming.
 
One of them struck the back of her head.
 
She fell forward to her hands and knees, stunned, but tried to get up again.
 
They hit her again, over and over, until she fell.

The last thing I saw was the watery creatures dancing around her, silent shrieks of glee almost vibrating in the air.

And I saw her face.

It wasn’t me.
 
It was Nessy.

Had Nessy been to this city?

#

    
I awoke with a start.
 
What did Nessy do that the people from the fountain wanted to hurt her so badly?
 
“Oh,” I groaned at the ceiling.
 
“Why did you keep secrets from me, Nessy?
 
Why didn’t you tell me?”

    
My forehead felt sore. Was I getting sick?

I noticed the bowl on the table had been refilled and I made my way to it, hungry again.

As I ate, I gazed around the room. Tapestries graced the walls in warm colors, skillfully made.
 
The colors in them danced before my eyes…lovely, strange shapes.

    
Squinting my eyes, I stared harder.
 
No, that wasn’t right.
 
Slowly, I cocked my head.

The shapes were pictures!
 
I stared, the tips of my fingers growing colder.

A picture of a savage lion’s head stared back at me, its mouth open to reveal a snake’s tongue.
 
Below it, human figures danced, their bodies bent at horrible angles. Below
that
, twin serpents writhed, their bodies half-alive, half-skeleton.

Shuddering, I turned away, refusing to stare at any more of the ghastly tapestry.
 

“No wonder the duke puts it in the guest room,” I murmured.
 
“He doesn’t want to look at something like that.”

Through the sheer curtains over the windows, I could see that it was rainy and nearly dark outside. How long had I slept?

My appetite for food forgotten, I padded to the door, opened it, and looked out. The door to my room was one of many along a long, high-ceilinged hallway, dimly lit by lamps set in the walls. Pulling my shawl over my shoulders, I wandered past at least ten other doors like my own.
 
They were all locked.

At the end of the hall was a room, geometrically shaped to hold a wide, angular window that looked down onto the city below.
 
It was dark, so I could see nothing but black shapes below me.
 
The patter on the windows told me it was raining.

Lighting flashed, illuminating the city.
 
I backpedaled away from the window, startled, as the city momentarily spread itself before me in white light.

I looked down, trying to see through the darkness. Glimpsing faint light from a lantern far below, I realized someone was outside the duke’s house, banging on the gate. I heard shouting. I could discern two words: “help” and “hurt.”

Maybe no one else was awake on this rainy night, but I was not going to let someone in need shiver in the rain. I hurried to the stairs.

And stopped abruptly, still in the shadows on the staircase, as the door banged shut. Whoever was outside had been tended to, but I was curious, so I craned my neck to see.

Below, two of the duke’s men carried a body sprawled on a canvas stretcher, a hand hanging limply towards the ground. The fingers dripped, but I was relieved to see it was only water from the rain outside, not blood.

The duke’s men moved silently, making the whole thing look like a funeral procession out of one of my books. I crept after them.

They placed the body on a cushioned sofa, lit candles nearby, and left.
 

It was all too eerie.

    
I crept into the room towards the body, my breath sounding harshly loud to my ears. In the light of the few candles, I could see a young man lying still, eyes shut. His black hair was plastered by the rain to his face, which was pale.

I was about to turn away when his eyelids fluttered, revealing steel-gray eyes red-rimmed from exhaustion.

His eyes darted wildly, taking in the surroundings, registering alarm at seeing me. His arm shot out, grabbing my wrist in a strong but almost skeletal grip.

I gasped as I felt a mental assault. His mind bored into mine. His consciousness, though keen and skilled, was fogged and panicky. But I could feel its strength. He had done this before.

Who are you?
he demanded.

Cemanga.
 
I was taken aback.
You—you are in my head.
I probed a bit into his mind.
You’re injured.

    
That’s not your concern,
he shot back, evidently understanding my thoughts.
I see I am at my father’s house, but I have never seen you before. You will tell me who you are.

    
He invited me to stay here.
Annoyance laced my tone.
I’m searching for my brother in the Wizardly Order. Von Chi invited me to stay here.

    
I felt him turn to my mind, trying to press through the mental barriers holding my thoughts. I tried to pull my hand from his grasp, but he held tightly for one so weak.

    
Get out of my head! And release my arm!

    
He ignored me, delving roughly into my mind, searching. As I struggled, he looked through my past, skimming through memories of Temet’s face that I held so dear.

    
Stop! Those are private!

    
He kept going.

    
Anger boiled inside me. I lashed back, plunging into his mind in return. He hesitated in surprise at my assault.

    
Let’s see. Your name is Ormas, son of the duke. Three of your ribs are broken, something you’ve been trying to ignore for days, but it finally overcame you. Your mother is dead. You have suspicions about the nature of your mother’s relationship with—

    
Don’t you dare!
he hissed back at me.

    
Should have asked permission before you went into my mind. Don’t like it so much, do you? You can’t handle me!
I taunted.

    
I can handle you, puny child!

    
I gritted my teeth.
Don’t call me that!
I withdrew my mind’s touch, probing only on the surface, feeling his rough breathing and broken ribs. He was in pain. I concentrated, mending his ribs, my Magic welding the broken bones and torn muscles together again.

    
His eyes widened.
You healed me!

    
A door opened somewhere in the silence and I heard footsteps. Yanking my hand from Ormas’ startled grasp, I turned and ran back to my room.

Ormas was pleasing on the eyes, even dripping with rain and injured. Especially with that inky-black hair. I wondered what it would look like dry. And that impressive jaw line… I chuckled to myself as I lay in the dark.

I shook my head. He was the duke’s son, probably engaged to some foreign noblewoman. I was not fit for him, and I had a mission, anyway. I had to find Temet.

I had to find Temet.

I had to find Temet.

My, but Ormas had very nice shoulders!

I really had to find Temet.

Chapter 14

Cemagna

Cold.

On my face, so cold.

I was trying to sleep! I tried to turn over.

And felt something trickling down my face. Sleepily, I reached for it and felt wetness.

I opened my eyes to find that it was still dark outside. Did the sun ever rise here? I looked down at my hand and found it was dark with blood.

I blinked. Blinking hurt. What was wrong with me?

Throwing off the bedclothes, I sat up, reaching to light a candle. When it was lit, I carried it over to the mirror and stared at my face.