The Dark (31 page)

I hold my hands up to the others. ‘Wait here, don’t move.’ Bending down, I try to coax Sera out.

She twists her head sideways. From her position on the floor she would only be able to see their legs, but it’s Ethan’s legs her eyes are glued to. ‘Come on, Sera, how long have you waited for this moment?’

Taking my offered hand she comes out and totters on unbalanced feet to stand before the others. She lifts her eyes and catches sight of the wren that accompanies them and starts screaming and gripping me so hard her hands go almost all the way through my arm. John screams too, leaping towards the door. Matt grabs him before he makes an exit, dragging him back.

Seeing Sera, Isabel gasps softly in surprise. Ethan
simply stares. With eyes fixed on his sister’s spiritual presence, he comes right up close. ‘Sera?’

Calming down a little, but keeping a watchful eye on the wren, Sera peels herself off me. Turning to her brother, she flings herself into his arms.

Ethan embraces her back, but stares up at me alarmed when his arms go slightly through her, and her body comes to rest slightly through his. I smile and give an encouraging shrug. ‘It seems to be the way.’

She stands on tip-toes and he lowers his head to the top of hers. Now it appears as if their bodies are melded as one.

Isabel looks at them with tears in her eyes. She too knows how much Ethan has suffered. ‘Will we be able to help her, Arkarian? Release her from this prison?’

‘If we can get her out of this world with us, then her spirit should be free to go wherever it was meant.’

A distant lion’s roar and the sounds of yelping remind us exactly where we are. ‘Do you think you could lead us back to the rift that brought you into this world?’ I ask hopefully.

Isabel and Matt share a strained look, while Ethan gives his head a thorough shake. ‘No way. I’m not going through that mountain again.’

‘Why not the mountain?’ Matt asks.

It’s the wren, John, who decides it for them. Peering suspiciously at Sera, he leaps over with a flap of his wings. ‘There’s another rift that joins with your world. Unfortunately, I don’t know where it is.’

Sera’s eyes grow huge and she grips her brother’s arm tightly again at the sight of the wren so close. ‘It’s all right, Sera,’ Ethan explains. ‘John is our friend.’

Sera looks at John sceptically, and Ethan says, ‘Trust
me. For this once, you can rely on me.’

With a tremor in her voice she asks, ‘What does this rift look like?’

‘A black flash in the sky,’ I tell her.

She thinks for a moment, her forehead creasing deeply. ‘I’ve seen this rift when the blood moon rises.’

The hounds draw nearer. Ethan’s illusion must be breaking up. We have to hurry and get out of here.

‘Can you lead us to this other rift?’ Ethan asks.

Sera nods excitedly. ‘I know exactly where to go. It’s right in the middle of—’

Her words are interrupted by a loud bang near the door. Someone is there, half hanging on to the doorway. I take a closer look. It’s Bastian, battered and bleeding, his clothes torn to shreds. I run over just as he slides to the ground. ‘Isabel! Quickly, you’re needed here.’

Before the others arrive, Bastian holds his hands up. ‘No,’ he heaves. ‘It’s too late. But …’ He tries to take a breath. ‘The other rift … you can’t. It’s over Marduke’s garden.’

Ethan and Matt arrive and recognise him instantly. ‘Dillon!’

‘Ethan? Matt!’

Matt gets down on his knees. ‘What happened to you?’

Ethan, on his other side, is more cautious. ‘What are you doing here?’

Isabel pushes both Ethan and her brother to the side. ‘Don’t ask him any more questions until I’ve finished.’

It takes her a few minutes, but eventually Bastian – no, his real name is Dillon – is healed. He gets up, still looking shaken, and grips Isabel’s hands. ‘How can I thank you?’

She tugs her hands out. ‘Are you one of them?’

‘Yes,’ he says. He flicks a look quickly over his shoulder. ‘Lathenia will be back soon. I have to get out of here. But I just had to tell you, the rift over Marduke’s garden is inaccessible.’

‘Why?’ I ask.

‘It’s drugged. You can’t go near it. It will numb your mind and you won’t be able to think for yourselves.’

‘Hell,’ Ethan exclaims. ‘Then how—’

John Wren runs in from outside, making a high-pitched squeal. ‘Hurry. The master is coming!’

Dillon looks around frantically. Seeing nowhere safe, he closes his eyes, preparing to use his wings. I grab his arm before he takes off. ‘Where will you go?’

His head shakes. ‘I have no idea. But I can’t stay here. She’ll kill me.’

‘You will come with us,’ I tell him.

He gives me a wary look. ‘Why? So the Guard can kill me too?’

‘You have my promise you will not be hurt.’

‘Will I be interrogated?’

‘Yes. Thoroughly. But you will also be protected.’

The hounds come bounding in, scattering us from the doorway. As before, they remain just outside the inner octagon. The rest of us take sancturary within it. Marduke walks in close behind them. He sees Dillon and stops. ‘So this is where you are! Lathenia has been running through the tunnels herself looking for you! What are you doing with
them
?’ His eyes shift to John. ‘It seems we have a room full of traitors! And look at you,
old friend
.’ He attempts to mock me. ‘Your healer has troubled herself in vain. But my mistress will be pleased. For you are all together now. And this temple will soon become your tomb.’

Chapter Thirty-one

Isabel

Lathenia appears before our eyes, along with the old man with the silver beard who helped kidnap Arkarian. She sees Dillon immediately. ‘You stand with them!’

Dillon stiffens by my side.

‘Stay with us,’ I whisper. ‘We’re your only chance, you know.’

He nods so vigorously I think his head’s going to drop off. Not that Matt would notice. He hasn’t even realised Lathenia is here yet. He’s distracted again, standing in the direct centre of the octagon, sometimes staring at the high central point, but mostly down at his feet. I’m starting to worry the strain is too much and he’s losing his mind. I have to get his attention. ‘What are you doing? Lathenia is here!’

His head shakes. ‘I feel something pulling me to this spot. I keep coming back to it.’ He starts tapping his foot on the marble flooring.

‘We’re all about to die, and you can think of nothing except tap dancing?’

He gets down on his knees and starts running his hands around the floor, drilling his fingers.

‘Leave him,’ Ethan says. ‘There must be something we can do to get out of here. Maybe I could try another illusion.’

Arkarian moves to stand in front of us, touching Ethan’s shoulder as he passes. ‘I feel my powers resurging. Stand behind me, all of you.’

‘No,’ I tell him. ‘We’ll stand
beside
you.’

Ethan stands on Arkarian’s other side, with Sera clinging to his arm. Dillon takes a position beside Ethan. Even John steps forward. But Matt is now on all fours, his ear to the flooring.

Lathenia smiles, but it’s a smile that reeks evil. ‘Did you think I would simply let you go? I am more powerful than all of you combined!’ She looks directly at Dillon. ‘How did you get out?’

‘You forget my power is strength.’

‘I forget nothing! But it seems you have. How can you forsake me after all that I have done for you? What about our cause? It’s your cause too!’

Dillon remains silent and Lathenia’s eyes flare. ‘Haven’t I shown you the riches that will be yours? I can give you everything you dream of!’

Dillon’s voice drops to a mere whisper. ‘Whatever I do now, you will kill me. If only to set an example to your soldiers.’

‘You give me no choice!’ Lathenia’s whole body flashes a brilliant luminescent hue. Even her eyes glow. It’s difficult not to cower and run at the sight. ‘You have brought this on yourself with your foolish doubts, and your fear of becoming like him!’ She points towards Marduke, then hisses like a snake. Marduke grunts.

‘You have chosen death,’ she says. ‘You shall die with them.’

Lathenia raises her hands. The seven Great Danes snarl viciously and start to drool. They look as if they haven’t eaten for a year.

Focusing on the hounds, Arkarian makes eye contact with each of them, seizing and holding their attention. Suddenly they shake their heads, give a painful whimper, and run out the temple door as fast as they can.

Lathenia practically growls. ‘Quickly, Keziah, his powers are back!’

It looks as if the old man could be a magician. That’s how she must be securing Arkarian’s powers. Strange how she sounds hurried, desperate even. I have to wonder why. Sure, she’s had first-hand experience of Arkarian’s powers, but my sixth sense is telling me there’s another reason, one much more relevant to her very existence. One that has to do with our getting out of this world.

Lathenia’s head turns in my direction. She perceives my thoughts, and she’s not happy with my reasoning. Her eyes flash. I don’t get an instant to react. Her hand lifts, long fingers pointing at me. The power of her hit sends me skittering backwards. For a moment the room and everything in it goes white. Matt drags me into the very centre of the octagon and starts talking rapidly.

‘Slow down,’ I tell him. ‘My head’s fuzzy and I can’t understand you.’

He takes a deep breath and whispers, ‘I think we can get out through this temple.’

‘What! How?’

‘Well, I’m not sure. But see this?’ He looks to his feet. He’s found a loose slab of marble. He puts firm
pressure on one particular spot and it tilts to reveal a crystal, about the size of a small hand, in the shape of an eight-sided octagon. I go to touch it, but when my hand draws near, the crystal starts to glow. It startles me and I take my hand back.

‘I think it’s a dial or something,’ Matt says, then looks up. ‘I reckon the ceiling wasn’t built that way for nothing. It’s going somewhere. Didn’t John say the people that lived here simply disappeared?’

‘Are you thinking they didn’t disappear at all, but
escaped
?’

Ethan comes running over. ‘What are you doing over here? Arkarian can’t hold them off much longer. He needs everyone’s help.’

Lathenia’s voice sings out, ‘Now, Keziah! Hurry! Marduke, hold him still so Keziah can do his work.’

I drag Arkarian back to the centre, just as Marduke raises his hands. Green light, like a wave, pulses towards us. We hit the ground hard and the green light continues on, exploding two pillars of marble. I dig my fingers into Arkarian’s arm, rushing my words out before Lathenia and Marduke have time to work out what we’re doing. ‘Listen, you can get us out of here.’

His head shakes. ‘Only an immortal can open a rift. But I think I can hold them while you get the others out. Dillon is helping.’

I give him a strong shake. ‘Listen to me: immortal or not, Lathenia thinks you can do it.’

‘But how?’

Dillon, apparently, agrees. ‘It’s true. That’s why she’s so paranoid about containing your powers.’

‘She knows something that you don’t,’ I tell Arkarian. ‘Now is the time for you to believe in yourself. Look at
the power that comes from your hands.’

Lathenia screams, a sound of frustration. I look across and see her eyes blazing, hands outstretched. ‘Watch out!’ I scream. Beams of vibrant energy shoot from her fingertips. They hit us full on, scattering us in all directions.

Stunned, I crawl over to Arkarian. I have to make him understand. ‘You have the power we need.’

He struggles to get his breath back. ‘But Isabel, I was trained to make the power you speak of. It wasn’t one of my skills.’

‘Whatever, Arkarian, I believe you can propel us out of here. And I think Lathenia knows this too.’

Lathenia lifts her hands, preparing to send another blast of energy our way. But just as it starts to generate, Ethan rams her, knocking her to the ground, and her fingertips flash in Marduke’s direction instead. He doubles over in pain, groaning.

I tug Arkarian back to the centre where Matt is still fiddling with the crystal he’s discovered. ‘Trust and believe,’ I whisper. ‘Isn’t that what we’re trained to do?’

‘Yes, but, Isabel, there’s no rift here.’

Marduke is up again with a wild look in his eye. He descends on Dillon, while Ethan tries to keep Lathenia on the ground. She screams, and suddenly Ethan is flung backwards. I call him over, then look frantically at Arkarian. ‘Just concentrate on creating that power.’

Hurrying now before Marduke and Lathenia strike again, I yank on Dillon’s arm and get everyone to form a circle around Arkarian and Matt.

‘What are you doing?’ Ethan asks me.

‘We have to protect Arkarian from Keziah’s magic. And Matt has an idea to get us out of here, so we have
to protect him too.’

‘Matt?’

‘Yes, Matt.’ I cross my fingers behind my back. ‘I just hope he’s right.’

Suddenly an explosion shatters the air. The ground vibrates below us, the marble cracking in several places. We stumble and fall over each other. When I find my balance, I see it’s Marduke’s work, and I wonder fleetingly what magnitude of power he possesses these days. Power I don’t want to know about. He raises his hands, attempting to strike at us again.

‘They’re protecting him!’ Lathenia screams out. She catches my eye and her own blaze brilliant blue, then deeper blue again; and from her fingertips shoot sparks of sizzling electricity, exploding around and over us. We try not to lose our positions, protecting Matt and Arkarian our first priority.

‘Nothing’s happening,’ Matt says behind me.

Lathenia screams out, ‘Keep trying, Keziah!’ And to Marduke, she says, ‘We finish this now!’

Turning my head slightly, I see Marduke and Lathenia separate and stand at right angles from us. Both of them – their entire bodies – begin to glow. There’s a power building between them, and I get the sense that it’s going to be something special. It becomes clearer as they hold out their hands towards each other. Electric currents sizzle and crackle as their energy reaches out across the space between them and meets in mid air, where a luminous ball of blue and red and purple light begins to generate. It doesn’t take long to work out what’s about to happen. The Goddess and Marduke are creating something huge, a powerful explosion of energy. It will bring the temple down.