Page 18 of Lured By the Dus
“What you see today will probably make you lose your meal, and I’d rather not have it all over me,” he responded.
My gut twisted in knots as he whistled, summoning the death horse. It was just as eerie in the daylight, appearing like some red-eyed monster that belonged in the underworld—skeletal with velvet skin as black as the crypt. My positive thoughts about the comforts of Oren’s home faded as he lifted me onto the horse’s back and swung up behind. As his powerful thighs squeezed around me, I wished I were behind him so I’d have something to hold on to. When his muscular arm came around my waist, I clutched it, unashamed, as the horse reared back with a hellish scream and dashed through the forest.
The wind stole my breath as we dashed away from the castle, back toward Dowler. Once the horse slowed to a stop, my entire body trembled from the sheer terror of our reckless gallop. Slowly, I unpeeled my fingers from Oren’s arm, glad he said nothing about how tightly I had gripped him.
“Where are we?” I asked, taking in my surroundings.
We were on a grassy knoll overlooking the city. The road lay a few feet away, sloping down into the valley and then back up to the palace. It was designed purposefully, so people were forced to look up and see the palace, the temple, and the mountain—a fortress of protection if a time of need ever came again.
The river flowed down from the mountain and forked into smaller bodies of water that threaded through and around the city. I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. The water was the wrong color. Instead of shimmering like a diamond in the sunlight, it was a dark crimson, an unnatural hue, and on the surface floated what must be dead fish. We were too far away to see clearly yet, but as the direction of the wind turned, I smelled the rot wafting off the water, the stink of death. My stomach turned.
“What did you do?” I whispered.
“I turned the water to blood.”
He sounded immensely proud of himself, and in that moment, I understood the weight of his power, and the toll it took from him. The day and a half he’d been gone had been to do this, to pour his magic into the river until the water turned to blood. Bile rose in my throat, but he had been right to deny me breakfast. Nothing came up.
“How could you?” I cried. “This affects more than just the palace. People who did nothing wrong live here. They have nothing to do with your vendetta against my uncle. How could you do such a thing to them? Water is the source of life! If they can’t drink or fish, what will they do?”
His arm tightened around me as he leaned forward. “Let’s go to the palace and find out if your uncle is more agreeable today.”
Rage swirled in the pit of my belly. I wanted to rip myself out of his grip. How could he toy with the lives of others in such a flippant manner? How could he oppress them like this? He really was the Devil of Dowler.
I fumed as we trotted down the hill and through the city. For a place once so lively, now only silence met my ears. People who’d been looking out closed their doors as we passed. They knew the truth, and guilt racked me because I was the one who’d done this. I’d gone to the tomb and awoken the Piper. This was my fault, and I couldn’t flee the city with this weighing on my conscience. I had to do everything in my power to work with my aunt and uncle and quell the Piper’s wrath.
My determination hardened as we approached the gates, still broken from the horse smashing into the hinges. Someone had finished the task, taking the gates off and leaning them against the stone.
We thundered into the courtyard, where Oren dismounted. When I looked down at his red hair, it was as if he’d transformed. I no longer saw Oren, but the Piper, a shroud of darkness enveloping him. How was I attracted to this man? Nothing but fury surrounded him.
I opened my mouth to condemn him, but then remembered what I’d done in the crypt. Desperation had driven me to make a choice I wasn’t proud of, an action that had unintended consequences. If I found out what was driving the Piper to commit such crimes against Dowler, perhaps I could stop him. My chest went tight as I dismounted. But what if Aunt Matzie was right, and he was carrying out his crimes for no good reason at all? I hated to admit it, but the answers to everything lay within that vault.
Oren’s fingers closed around my upper arm, pulling me close so he could direct his words to my ear. “We’re going in the front door and all eyes will be on me. Sneak away and see what you can find out about the vault. If Lord Faren keeps the key on his person, I will find it. When the wolf howls, it’s time to go.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, he released me and trotted up the steps, shaking his hair back as he pushed the doors open. All eyes turned toward him, and then the screams began. I didn’t blame them after what he’d done with the bats and now with the blood.
I glimpsed my uncle’s furious gaze as I crept toward the entrance. Even the guards standing at the hall moved forward as Lord Faren pointed at Oren and bellowed. “Seize him!”
“You don’t want to do that,” Oren snapped. “It will be much worse if you do. I came to see if you’d changed your mind.”
“No,” Lord Faren’s voice was hard as stone. “There will be no freedom here. Besides, my sorcerers will undo what you have wrought. If you think to take down my city with bullying and intimidation, I warn you, we will come for you …”
The sound of their voices died away as I moved further into the palace, trying to recall how I’d found the vault before. Then I remembered Oren’s words about the temple and headed that way. The palace was pungent with fear. Through open doors, I glimpsed people standing on balconies, likely watching the blood-filled river. Occasionally, I heard a low wail. I was almost at the temple when a voice hissed out. “Tanith?”
Carter’s round face peeked out from behind a door. I hurried to him, pressing a finger to my lips. “Carter, I can’t be seen with you.”
“What happened? Are you alright? I’m sorry, we shouldn’t have left you in the tomb, but …”
I shook my head as he trailed off. “It was a terrible idea. I shouldn’t have asked you to help me. Where is Kinder?”
“He’s fine. We both are, but you … you’re married to him.” Carter’s voice cracked at the end, betraying his emotion.
I frowned. “Yes, but Carter, I have little time. I have to stop him.”
“He’s here? Now? I can help you—”
“No, you can’t. My uncle will be ruthless if he finds out.” I closed my eyes briefly. I wanted help, but only I had been punished for entering the crypt. If Carter and Kinder were safe, they needed to remain that way. I alone carried the weight of my mistake. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if they were beaten for the part they’d played in waking the Piper too. “Just … stay away from me,” I told him.
“But Tanith, you can’t do this alone.”
