Page 11 of Invocation

All of them watched as she strode across the room to pick up a pack, which she shoved into Aruna’s arms before he’d even gotten up from his chair. He asked her something, and she gave a sharp reply.

“What’s going on?” Novikke asked.

Neiryn was pulling Kadaki out of her chair. “She says we need to leave. Right now.”

“Why?” Kadaki said. “What’s happening?”

Shadri was still snapping at them. She ushered Aruna to the door, then turned to the rest of them and impatiently waved them on. She was pushing them all through the door and onto the porch when she looked out toward the village. She froze.

Aruna was looking in the same direction, watching something that Novikke couldn’t see in the darkness. After her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she saw the dim outlines of figures approaching. Faintly shimmering eyes hovered in patches of black.

It was just a village, she told herself. They were just people. But there was something about being in the dark, stalked by beings of darkness, that pulled at a primitive, animal part of her. It was impossible not to feel terror when you looked into the darkness of night and knew something was coming for you.

One of the figures stopped a short distance away from the porch. He spoke, loud enough for all to hear. Then another one shouted something. Then another. They did not sound pleased.

“They’re saying that they’ve received news,” Neiryn said quietly. “They’re saying that Aruna is a traitor and that we all need to be taken to Vondh Rav to face justice. They’re telling us to surrender.”

“I’m impressed they haven’t just decided to kill us,” Novikke said.

“I think that’s far from ruled out,” Neiryn muttered.

The mob waited for a response. There was a trace of guilt on Shadri’s face as she sidestepped away, separating herself from them. None of the Varai moved toward her. She wasn’t the one they wanted.

Aruna spoke into the darkness. He didn’t have the confidence in his voice that his accusers had. Even without understanding his words, Novikke thought it sounded unconvincing. An argument erupted, people in the crowd shouting accusations while Aruna tried to defend himself.

There was another pause—a brief impasse. Aruna murmured something to Neiryn.

“They’re afraid of us,” Neiryn translated, then added, “As they should be. We can fight them. Kadaki can shield us from arrows and I can torch them.”

“Are you crazy?” Novikke hissed. “We can’t just start killing people.”

“What do you think they’re going to do to us if we don’t?”

Something flew toward them. They all jumped as an arrow jammed into the wood beside the door. A warning shot.

“Everyone come here,” Kadaki said, her voice solid and commanding. “Now.”

They all turned to her. She grabbed them and pulled them in a tight circle around her. “Stay close to me,” she said, then bowed her head and closed her eyes. Her mouth moved, whispering the words to a spell under her breath.

One of the Varai yelled something at them. Novikke couldn’t help but think that it sounded like a “last warning” sort of tone. She watched the darkness beyond the porch with wide eyes, taking in as much of the low light as she could. One of her hands had found Aruna’s arm without really meaning to, and the other was on her sword hilt.

Footsteps approached. She glanced at Kadaki, wanting to ask what she was planning, but not daring to interrupt her. When she looked back at the darkness, a shape had emerged, lit by the dim firelight coming through the doorway: a man holding a sword in one hand and wearing a murderous expression. He shouted something at Aruna.

Novikke drew her sword. Kadaki’s voice grew louder as the spell took shape.

“Kadaki—” Neiryn said, and Kadaki’s eyes squinted tighter, as if trying to block him out. Neiryn turned toward the approaching Varai, still holding Kadaki’s hand, and summoned a bright flame in his other hand. There was a chorus of gasps from the crowd.

Aruna’s hand shot out to grab Neiryn’s arm. Aruna snarled a warning at him, his fingers tight around his wrist. Neiryn yelled something back, tearing his arm away.

Several people had reached the porch steps. The man in front came toward Neiryn, sword raised.

And then, something happened.

The world spun and blurred in front of Novikke’s eyes. She had the distinct sensation that she was falling at great speed. There was a feeling like her heart being pulled out through her throat.

And then, with a stomach-wrenching jerk, everything was still again, except they were no longer standing on Shadri’s porch.

She took an unsteady step back, feeling like she was was on a ship rolling over tall waves. There was white stone under her feet. The familiar towers and arches of the Auren-Li ruins stood all around them. Crickets chirped nearby, as if to emphasize the sudden silence.

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