Legacy of the Blood (The Threshold Trilogy) (42 page)

The
blistering heat from the wild flames below was almost too much to bear. The
pads on his paws began to grow painful from walking on the hot stone, and the
faint smell of singed fur touched his nose.

Adesina’s
anxiety swelled.

Will
we be able to make it?

Ravi
was also fearful, but he steadied himself with his solid determination.

We
must.

It
was now Adesina’s turn to walk onto the bridge.

It
became difficult to breathe, and not just because of the super-heated air. Her
skin felt as though it were on the verge of blistering, and it was a challenge
for her to keep her balance on the narrow span of stone.

She
told herself not to look down, and her eyes immediately strayed to the chasm
beneath her feet. The barrier seemed to originate from deep within the earth,
and the blaze spewed forth like a tidal wave. Adesina knew that if she fell she
would be dead long before she hit the rocks below.

A
flash of
vyala
erupted from the mountaintop, and the whole of Daemon
Mount began to glow faintly with power. The earth beneath their feet began to
rumble and shake as another stage of the ritual to open the Threshold was
completed.

Adesina
fell to her knees and gripped the searing stone with both hands to keep her
balance. She heard Faryl shriek in horror, and she looked up just in time to
see Than’os begin to fall.

Adesina
lashed out with her
vyala
and suspended him in midair, but she was
unable to protect him from the flare of molten magic that spat out from the
chasm.

He
screamed in pain, and Adesina jerked him upward in a failed attempt to save him
from injury. She floated him across the barrier of fire and set him down gently
on the other side.

The
rest of them did their best to hurry across the bridge, so they could attend to
their wounded friend.

Faryl
knelt by Than’os’s side and began searching frantically through the medical
pack. The smell of burnt flesh permeated the air and Than’os groaned softly,
even though he was unconscious.

His
entire right side was badly burned, and his right hand was no more. The sight
of him caused Faryl to sob as she tried to reassure herself.

“He
is alright! He is alright! We can save him.”

Adesina
placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and quickly took command. “Mar’sal,
try to heal him.”

The
L’avan soldier didn’t need to be told.

With
the delicate touch of a healer, he wrapped his friend in a blanket of
vyala
and washed away all sense of pain. Than’os stopped groaning and his expression
smoothed into one of peaceful slumber.

Adesina
watched with admiration as Mar’sal wove his
vyala
with expert precision,
reviving burnt tissue and knitting together open wounds. He was unable to
restore Than’os’s lost hand, but he melded together the end of the injured
forearm.

It
was an exhausting process, because the damage was extensive. When Mar’sal was
finished, he collapsed next to Than’os with a gasp.

“I
did what I could,” explained Mar’sal, “but he still has minor burns. Curse this
desolate land! I cannot replace my
vyala
here, because there is none
around us from which I can borrow.”

“He
will live, though, will he not?” asked Faryl in distress.

Mar’sal
nodded. “Yes, he will live.”

Kendan
wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. “Let us move away from
this inferno. The entrance to the caves should be in that direction.”

“Lift
Than’os onto my back,” instructed Ravi. “I will carry him.”

The
ground was rocky, and Adesina could sense that Ravi’s paws still hurt from
crossing the bridge. Still, he murmured no complaint as they made their way to
the black opening into the mountain.

The
entrance was tall and wide, but it was well shaded. It offered blessed relief
from the unrelenting desert sun. There was a patch of soft sand near the
northern wall, and Ravi gently deposited Than’os there.

Than’os’s
clothing had been badly burned, so Kendan removed his desert robe to wrap
around the unconscious man.

“We
cannot take him with us,” the former Shimat said grimly.

“We
cannot just leave him behind, either,” snapped Faryl.

Mar’sal
shook his head. “When he wakes he will be quite weak. It would be best for him
to rest here.”

The
apothecary turned to Adesina with a pleading gaze. “We do not know what kind of
dangers live within the barrier. We cannot leave him helpless.”

Adesina
felt sympathy for the older woman, but she knew what had to be done. “I am sorry,
Faryl, but we cannot bring him with us. We have more obstacles to overcome
before reaching our goal, and we have little time.”

Maizah
touched Adesina’s arm softly and then gestured to herself. She knelt next to
Than’os and pointed to the ground.

“You
wish to stay here with him?” asked the young queen.

Maizah
nodded.

Kendan’s
brow creased, and he rubbed his chin. “I suppose that makes the most sense. We
do not need a Tracker now that we are in the mountain, and she has no combat
training to aid us in a fight.”

“I
could stay with him,” offered Faryl.

Adesina
immediately disagreed. “No, Faryl. We have need of your skills.”

Maizah
gestured to herself again and pointed to the ground.

Adesina
felt uneasy about leaving them alone, but it seemed to be the best option.
“Very well, Maizah. You stay here with Than’os and wait for our return.”

The
Tracker smiled with a trace of satisfaction.

Kendan
handed her a knife and asked, “Do you know how to defend yourself?”

Maizah
hesitated for several moments before nodding.

“Good,”
he responded. “Keep Than’os safe until we get back.”

She
straightened slowly, and pride filled her eyes at the task she had been given.

Another
surge of energy brought the L’avan and Ravi around to face the darkness of the
mountain caves.

“Come,”
said Adesina to her remaining companions. “We do not have much time.”

The
caves of Daemon Mount were large and smooth, almost as if they had been carved
out of the earth instead of forming naturally. The light decreased sharply as
the travelers moved away from the entrance, and Adesina paused to rummage
through her pack.

As
a parting gift, the Henka had given them smaller versions of the glowing lamps
that were used in the settlement. They were not much larger than a man’s fist,
but they gave sufficient light to the travelers. Adesina and her companions all
pulled the lamps out of their packs and shook them gently to awaken the
luminescent insects within.

There
were two trails leading away from the cave entrance. One led to an upward path,
and the other led downward. Adesina immediately started for the trail that
wound upward, and the others followed without hesitation.

The
path narrowed into a tunnel with a steady incline. Kendan eased his way forward
in the line until he was walking next to Adesina.

“You
act as though you know the way,” he commented quietly.

“I
suppose I do, in a way,” she replied.

“Is
it because you can sense the magic?”

She
hadn’t told anyone about the contents of her Dreams, and she wasn’t keen on sharing
them now.

“The
power of the Threshold is strong,” she stated evasively. “It would be difficult
to hide such a thing.”

Kendan
made a thoughtful noise. “Yes, I suppose so.”

The
path wound back and forth, almost as if it had once been a riverbed. The travelers
made their way upward for more than half and hour before the path began to
level out. The tunnel opened up to a large empty area and a tall, smooth wall
of stone.

Adesina
pursed her lips together. “I think we have reached the second barrier.”

She
was about to suggest probing it with her
vyala
when Kendan dropped his
pack and sprinted towards the wall. He jumped as high as he could, pushing his
feet against the vertical surface in order to grasp the top.

He
only just made it.

He
allowed himself to hang for a moment, adjusting his grip and gathering his
strength. Then he pulled himself up to a kneeling position on top of the stone
wall.

Kendan
studied the opposite side of the barrier and gave a low whistle. “This will not
be easy.”

“What
is on the other side?” asked Faryl.

Kendan
smiled grimly. “A rocky pit. There are several small stone platforms spanning
it, and it seems that we will need to jump from one to another in order to
cross.”

Adesina
pursed her lips together thoughtfully. The Henka elders had said that the
second barrier consisted of several obstacles. This rocky pit must be the first
of them.

Faryl
paled. “I…I do not think I can do that.”

Adesina
and Kendan exchanged concerned glances. Mar’sal was weak and Faryl was
frightened. That meant that it was up to the two former Shimat to get everyone
safely through this barrier. Her heart sank as she considered that they were
off to a poor start to overcoming the trials of the mountain.

The
L’avan queen briefly considered using her
vyala
to carry her companions
across the obstacles, but she dismissed the idea. The natural
vyala
of
Daemon Mount was low, and she had no way of replenishing her energy once it was
expended—other than with time, which they did not have. She needed to ration
her power very carefully or she would not be able to stop Basha from completing
the ritual.

Adesina
straightened in determination, walked over to the wall and placed her back
against it. “Faryl, I want you to stand on my shoulders and let Kendan pull you
up to the top.”

The
older woman immediately shook her head. “I cannot. Please, let me go back to
Than’os and Maizah. I will wait for you there.”

“Do
as I say,” commanded Adesina sternly.

Faryl
was shaking as she put a foot on Adesina’s bent thigh and hoisted herself upward.
The young queen steadied the other woman, and the weight was soon lifted as
Kendan grasped her arms and pulled her up.

“Sit
right here with your back against the wall,” Kendan’s voice instructed the
apothecary.

“Mar’sal,
you go next,” said Adesina.

The
soldier frowned. “I think I should go last, your Majesty.”

She
motioned to him impatiently. “You expended a lot of energy to heal Than’os. I
can make the jump more easily than you can at the moment.”

He
offered no other argument, but climbed onto her shoulders and then onto the top
of the wall. Adesina grunted softly under Mar’sal’s weight, but she held firm.

Then
it was Adesina’s turn to run and jump at the obstacle.

I
will lend you strength, Ma’eve.

She
dashed across the open area and launched herself into the air with all her
might. Kendan caught her hand and used her momentum to lift her the rest of the
way.

Her
former teacher grinned with admiration. “I have never seen you jump so high.”

She
smiled in return. “I would think not.”

“How
are we going to get Ravi up here?”

In
a fraction of a second, Adesina sensed Ravi shift. He focused his attention on
where he wanted to be, and he willed himself to be standing there. His
vyala
flickered a lavender-blue, and Adesina saw that it obeyed his desire.

“Do
not worry yourself,” said Ravi from behind Mar’sal. “I will follow without any
trouble.”

Adesina
almost laughed at the expressions on Kendan and Faryl’s faces at the sudden
appearance of the enormous feline on top of the wall. She distracted herself by
examining the next obstacle to overcome.

Kendan’s
description of a “rocky pit” was an understatement to say the least. The bottom
was not visible from where they stood. The only thing that Adesina could
distinguish was a multitude of spear-like rocks that rose out of the abyss. The
stone platforms that Kendan had mentioned were no more than a meter wide, and
they were far enough away from each other that one would have to jump from one
to the next.

The
walls of this section of the cavern were smooth, offering no alternative of
climbing around the obstacle. The ceiling was higher than the area before the
wall on which they now stood, but it was also smooth and without any helpful
features.

Adesina’s
brow furrowed in concern. The Serraf had created the barriers to slow the
progress of the demons, but not to stop them. It was not meant to be impossible
to reach the peak of Daemon Mount, but it was not meant to be easy either. If
Adesina had been alone in crossing this first obstacle of the second barrier,
it would not have been a problem. However, half of her companions were
considerably weakened, and that made things much more difficult.

Adesina
saw Faryl take on a ghostly hue and begin to shake as she stared at the
obstacle before them. “If there is a deity with an ounce of mercy,” she
whispered as she turned her eyes to the ceiling, “they will take my life now
and spare me the agony of this.”

Mar’sal
winced, as if he half expected her to be struck down on the spot. Adesina and
Ravi could not help but chuckled at his response.

“The
Creator is filled with mercy, Faryl,” said Ravi. “Unfortunately, that does not
mean that our journey to the Threshold will be an easy one.”

Adesina
turned to Kendan. “I will go first this time. I am more nimble than you.”

He
pulled out a length of rope and offered it to her. “Tie one end around your
waist, and the other around Faryl. I will do the same with Mar’sal.”

The
L’avan soldier protested. “I am quite capable—”

Kendan
cut him off. “Under normal circumstance, yes. Now you are weakened, and we will
take no chances.”

Adesina
tied the rope around herself first, and then knelt in front of Faryl. “Have you
ever hopped from stone to stone to cross a river?” she asked in a low, soothing
voice.

Faryl
swallowed and nodded.

“It
is just like that—one simple hop at a time. Do not look down, do not let fear
overcome you. Just focus on the next stone, and remember that I will be looking
after you.”

The
apothecary clenched her eyes shut and nodded again.

“I
will go first and I will tell you when to follow,” instructed the young queen.

Adesina
stood and turned to face the chasm. She took a deep breath, steadied herself,
and took a small leap forward.

The
platform was made of rock, but it was tall and thin. It shuddered slightly
under her sudden weight.

“The
stepping stones are a little unsteady,” she warned the others. “Try not to land
on them too hard.”

Adesina
moved on to the second one and then paused.

“Alright,
Faryl, jump onto that first one and then wait for me to advance. Let me stay
one platform ahead of you.”

Kendan
gripped the older woman’s arm in a gesture of confidence. “You will be fine. Do
not think about it—just go.”

With
a small squeak of terror, Faryl hopped forward. Her arms flailed wildly, and
she looked about to lose her balance.

“On
your knees,” snapped Adesina. “Ground yourself before trying to stand.”

Faryl
dropped and gripped the edges of the platform, her eyes wide with fear. The
stone swayed for several moments before becoming still once more. She looked to
Adesina for further instructions.

The
L’avan woman moved on to the next platform, careful not to pull the rope too
taut, and then gestured for Faryl to advance. Adesina felt beads of sweat
forming on her brow, but not from exertion. Her heart pounded with the worry
that Faryl would not be able to make it across the chasm.

Kendan
and Mar’sal followed closely behind, and it seemed to be going quite well.
Adesina breathed a bit easier with the knowledge that they were not in any
immediate danger.

The
L’avan queen jumped
onto
the last platform. There was only one jump left before she would be safely on
the other side of the pit. She had just begun to turn toward Faryl when she
felt
the stone
beneath her feet shift and crumble.

She
scrambled to leap back to the previous platform, but she was not fast enough.

“Faryl!”

It
was the only warning cry she could give as she fell.

The
rope caught on the stone platform between the two women, snapping it taut and
bringing Adesina to a sudden halt. The rope bit into her midsection painfully
and she slammed into the pillar, badly injuring her knee. The crash of falling
rock echoed from below, and the air filled with dust.

Her
companions all cried out in panicked voices.

“Ma’eve!”

“Adesina!”

“Adesina!”

It
took Adesina a moment to regain her breath. Her knee was searing with pain and
she was unable to speak initially. As soon as she was able, she yelled, “I am
here. I am alive.”

She
could see Ravi standing on the edge of the chasm, his face frozen with anxiety.
She concentrated on seeing through his eyes, and the situation appeared grave.
Neither of them could see a way for her to get to the other side without that
last platform.

The
sharp throbbing of her injuries added to the frustration of the situation, and
she clenched her fists in anger.

I
will have to use my
vyala.

Ravi
was reluctant, but he agreed.

I
cannot see an alternative, but please use it sparingly. You will need much
strength for what lies ahead.

“I
am going to use my
vyala
to finish crossing,” she called to the others.
“When each of you get to the last standing platform, I will do the same for
you.”

Adesina
summoned her
vyala
to support her weight, pulled a small knife from her
belt and used it to cut herself free from the rope. Then she used her power to
float over to Ravi’s side.

When
she looked back, she could see that Kendan was standing on the same platform as
Faryl. He must have leapt forward to help support Adesina’s weight as she fell.

The
young queen felt a rush of gratitude for Kendan’s quick thinking and trained
skills. He was proving to be indispensable on their mission to rescue L’iam.

Adesina
brought each of her comrades across safely, and they all sat down to rest and
calm their minds. Adesina measured her personal energy with anxiety, wondering
if she was using too much of her
vyala
for what was ahead.

Perhaps
if she did not use anymore she would be fine.

“Thank
you, Faryl,” said the young queen sincerely.

Faryl
shook her head. “It was Kendan that kept me from falling forward. He deserves
your thanks.”