Page 88 of Vow of the Shadow King

“There’s nothing to be done for her, my boy!” Ar puts up both hands and takes a step back from the table. “I don’t have the means to put a living soul back into a body.”

“Is her body broken?” Vor demands.

Once again, the healer bends over my flesh form. To my surprise, she seems to take the question seriously and proceeds to inspect every inch of me for signs of physical damage. She lingers a moment over my mangled ankle, but finally steps back. “I see no signs of a death blow. But her heart has given out.”

“Does it still beat?”

“Not that I can detect.”

“But she’s not gone cold.”

“It may take a little time for coldness to set in. Humans are not like troldefolk, after all—”

“Then you must not treat her like a trolde. Treat her like a human.”

“I haven’t the experience.”

“You’ve cared for a human before. One whom everyone believed had died. You brought her back from the brink on the very day that I was born.”

“The brink of death is not death itself, dear boy.”

At those words, Vor seems to come undone. He bows over the table, over my remains. His spirit darkens, its luminous light dimming with despair. How I wish I could reach out to him, envelop him in my arms, offer him comfort. But to try would only risk hurting him more.

Oh, Vor! Vor! A small part of me had dared to hope his sheer determination would be enough to . . . But there’s no use in such hopes. It’s better for us both if this ends. I’m not afraid. There is no more pain for me. Only ascension and expansion and the light of eternity. My one sorrow is that I must leave him behind.

Vor,I whisper, crooning the words close to his ear.It’s all right. Please, my love, let me—

Vor looks up. His eyes flash like two knives as they lock with Ar’s. “If you cannot treat humans,” he growls, “tell me where to find one who can.”

Ar’s face shutters. Her spirit dims, retreats.

“I know you know where she is,” Vor continues.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play with me.” He lunges across the table, catches the shoulder of Ar’s garment. “Tell me where she is. Tell me where I can find her. If anyone can help me, she can.”

Ar squirms in his grasp. Her soul flickers uneasily. “Fine!” she says at last. “She dwells on the Surface. I can tell you where. But are you certain, Vor? Are you certain you want to see her? After all this time?”

I don’t understand. What is going on here? Of whom are they speaking? I flick my awareness from Ar’s spirit back to Vor’s. That determined light is back, shining brighter and hotter than ever in his soul. He leans in, drawing his face close to the healer’s. “Tell me,” he growls.

39

VOR

I’ve wrapped her body in the black robe I found beside her among the Urzulhar Circle. It makes her look even paler as she rests against my breast. I remember when I first met her how struck I was by the pinkish tint of her skin, so different from trolde women. Now I would give anything to see that rosy flush return.

I hold her before me on Knar’s broad back, much as I had the night of our first meeting. We are alone as we fly up from the city. No one can be spared to join me on this journey; everyone is needed in the wake of the attack. Those who don’t chase the remaining devils from the city streets must tend the wounded and collect the dead. A bolt of shame strikes my heart. I should be down there with them. I am their king. What does it say about me that I am riding with all speed straight out of the city in the wake of its greatest disaster?

Pressing Faraine close against me, I lean over the morleth’s neck and spur him on faster and faster. Were it not for her, for this frail, delicate, courageous woman, the disaster would have been far worse, the slaughter unimaginable. Cave devils would be rampaging through the stricken streets even now, tearing out throats and rending limbs. I don’t understand how she did it. I don’t know how she stopped them. But I know if it weren’t for Faraine . . .

I look down into her still face. My chest tightens until I fear my heart will cease to beat. Gods, what a fool I was! I’d fought with everything I had to reach her, believing I was the only one who could save her. It never occurred to me that I was the one who needed saving.

Knar gains speed as he climbs into the air above the city, up and up toward the cavern ceiling. In the gloom of deepdimness, he is happy, a being of pure shadow. We make for one of the shaft openings to the Surface World. These are difficult to access, impossible by any means save morleth. And morleth do not like the air up above, so it takes a skilled rider to dare such an ascent. I’ve never done it before.

I don’t hesitate now. Even as the massive death drop yawns below, even as my city shrinks away, I urge Knar on. This is Faraine’s only chance. I would brave far greater perils for the mere hope of seeing her eyes gaze up at me one last time.

We weave in among the stalactites. There are marks left to guide the way—little white stars carved into the stone and set with small, ever-brightlorstcrystals, which shine even when their greater, brighter brethren have dimmed. I follow these pinpoint gleamings, drive Knar with my spurs when he sniffs the air and angrily tosses his head. He knows now where we are going and doesn’t like it. But he doesn’t fight me.

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