Page 84 of Somewhere down the Ley Line
“What binding?” Isolde asked. Something tingled inside her mind. She was convinced that this was important.
But Felix simply shrugged. “They didn’t discuss it further.”
Isolde stared into the fire and tapped her lower lip with a finger. The presence at the Nexus was magic itself. She knew it needed her help. Was this binding restraining it somehow?
Mia rushed over to where she had stored her lute, startling everyone with the sudden movement.
“There is a song,” she said, excitement in her voice. “A lullaby. It’s quite old. One verse mentions something ‘bound’ by mages.” Her fingers danced across the neck of the instrument, and she cocked her head, trying to find the tune, but winced at a false note. “Ouch. The rain did a number on my poor baby.” She fiddled with the pegs and tried again.
“It is a longer song, but the verse I mentioned goes like this…”
She plucked at the strings, then sang.
“Arcaenum bound by mages’ might,
So all can rest in quiet night.
No magic wild, no spells astray,
All our fears are kept at bay.”
When she finished, all was silent. Even Biscuit was sitting quietly, his ears perked up in Mia’s direction.
Isolde racked her brain so thoroughly it gave her a headache. Arcaenum, where had she heard that word before? “Has anyone ever heard of this Arcaenum?” she asked the others, mentally crossing her fingers.
Please. Just one hint. One.
“Um, well,” Leif began. Isolde rounded on him, holding her breath.
“Not exactly the same, but in the language of my people, the spirit who stole the heart of the earth was called Arkanni…”
At that, the pieces slotted seamlessly into each other in her head.
“That’s it!” She bounced on her feet, clasping her hands together to keep them from shaking. “I have sensed it each time we crossed a ley line. The fourth god, the spirit, the Arcaenum. It is real, and it is bound… at the Nexus.”
Mia stared at her. “Bound by the mages! That’s what the song says.”
“Yes!” Isolde nodded vigorously. “And they want –need– my help to renew the binding. That’s why they let me live. They need a leytouched. But I won’t help them. I will free it instead, if I can.”
She looked around at the others. Her gaze landed on Garren, his face set in a frown. Isolde took a deep breath.
Say it.
“And even if the mages’ ritual could cure me… I don’t want it. This magic is mine, and I am keeping it.” She tilted her chin ever so slightly up in defiance. It was like shedding skin. Garren’s eyes narrowed, his frown deepening. Isolde looked away from him, past Luella, whose expression was impassive. Felix caught her eye, grinning widely and winking at her. She permitted herself a small smile in return.
Garren broke the silence. “My lady… These are but tales and songs for children. We can’t decide what actions to take based on stories. Your father sent you to the Nexus to be cured, not to chase after some myth.”
Isolde spun to him, her face set in a scowl. “Surely by now you can see that what they told us was not the truth? That this mage never once believed I could actually be ‘cured?’ He always had ulterior motives. My father didn’t want to see it.”
“Your father only wanted to keep you safe,” Garren retorted, crossing his arms. “You speak as if he offered you up like a lamb for slaughter.”
“Because he did!” Her voice shook, and she hated it did, but she couldn’t help it. “He didn’t even ask me what I wanted, or how I felt, or anything at all! Something happened that he didn’t understand, and his first instinct was to cut it out like a disease.”
Garren took a step forward. “He was only looking out for you.”
Isolde laughed, a harsh, bitter sound.
“Isa…” Felix said quietly from behind her, a warning, but she ignored him.
