Page 43 of Lured By the Dus
“It is symbolic of life and death, and its power kept me sleeping until you changed the balance with your blood. This relic allowed me to access my true power. I did not understand how to use it until I sat on the hillock to think. Tanith, you gave me the gift of life, and in return, I will bring death to this city.”
I held up the pyramid, staring at the golden flakes at the bottom. Some of them were turning black, or maybe their edges were charred? Perhaps I only imagined it. “Why give it to me?”
“Everything comes full circle and works together in harmony. Perhaps you were meant to enter the crypt, to steal from me, so that this could happen.”
Then, without another word, he walked forward and began to play again. I followed as lightning split the sky and the clouds rolled darker. I should have been afraid, walking into the storm with the Devil of Dowler who wasn’t so devilish after all. He’d come for retribution and revenge, he’d come to do what was right, to enact terrible justice, and I followed, blindly trusting in him, unwilling to consider why I stood tall in the face of danger.
The courtyard was empty, but upon the roof stood the sorcerers, chanting and weaving spells. Black and red words coasted in the air, and a vile scent carried through as they prayed to the sky. The balls of fire grew bigger, some almost falling on us, breaking the stones of the courtyard with the power of their impact. Embers stung my ankles, but I ignored the pain as Oren continued to play, and the ground shook.
A bellow of rage came from within the palace and the doors burst open. Sorcerers walked out, flanked by priests, their eyes dark, their faces tight with determination. The truth of the situation slammed into me, and I grabbed Oren’s shirt, fisting it tight to give me confidence. The nasty truth lay before us. Many deaths would happen tonight. In fact, we might die too. But Oren did not falter, did not stop. His song swept through the air and the rain poured down harder. The balls of fire did not touch us and another roar filled the air. It was deeper than the hiss of the fire or the pounding of the rain, as bolts of light streaked across the black sky with the distant rumble of thunder.
Beneath the palace ran the river, in no danger of flooding the land. It was a beautiful sight to look at when the sun was shining and the waters glistened. But today it brimmed, overflowing, rising higher as though it sought the sky and magic pulled it there. The roar was the loud and deep voice of the river, and it was coming for us.
My hand on Oren’s shirt trembled and then a cry tore out of the sky. Birds descended, sharp beaks out. Oren’s familiars attacked.
It was chaos for a moment, all snarls and barks, wet fur and flesh burning. The music stopped and Oren whirled to me, almost dragging me up the steps into the hall. His hell dogs rushed by on each side, barking and leaping at the sorcerers who tried and failed to keep them at bay.
“Lead the way to the vault,” Oren gasped.
I squeezed his hand and ran, ducking into the dark halls while the ground shook beneath us.
I knew the path by heart now, weaving through the dark innards of the palace. My heart thudded in my chest—go, go, go—and my feet gained speed. I ran while the roaring outside continued and the storm shook the building.
Just as we reached the temple, a loud cracking sound came, and we were hurled off our feet. I screamed as my knees skidded across the stone and the pyramid fell. Sucking in deep breaths to calm myself, I picked it up, cutting my palm on the sharp edges. A few drops of blood flowed out as Oren’s arm came around my waist, lifting me. A curious light shone on his face, and that’s when I saw the pyramid was shining. A golden hue blazed around it, as though the flakes within were burning up. The stain of my blood on the crystal evaporated, sinking into the light.
“Life and death,” Oren murmured against my ear, and then we were running again.
The shaking grew stronger as we slipped into the temple, the incense braziers still burning, a sacrifice smoking on the altar. I turned my face away from the mutilated flesh and bone, even though it appeared to be an animal. The priests and sorcerers were nothing but monsters, there to suckle at magic and use it for their foul pleasure.
No one was within, yet I half expected them to be barring the doors that led to the vault. The mountain shook harder as we moved behind the curtain, and the stairs leading below were mere shadows. But the pyramid glowed brighter, the only light as we descended. The sickly smell of corruption, greed, sin, and torture made the air difficult to breathe.
“Here it is,” I said, lifting the pyramid high to show off the doors to the vault.
A tug on my arm made me turn and Oren sank to his knees, face pale, hair damp with sweat. “I can’t go in there,” he whispered. “The magic forbids it.”
33Tanith
“Oren!” I cried, panic making my voice high.
He hunched over, wrapping his arms around his belly. Shaking his head, he spoke with effort. “This is the reason I’ve never been down here. It saps my strength and my magic is useless. Lord Faren has to give up the magic-thralls freely, he has to stop this magic. I’m sorry, Tanith.”
Before I could respond, the doors to the vault burst open and my uncle walked out, flanked by three sorcerers. His hair was mussed, eyes red rimmed, and his fists bruised. Someone had struck him in the face, for his lower lip was swollen, and I couldn’t help but hope that it had been Aunt Matzie, that she’d stood up to him at last, even though she’d escaped with a beating.
Lord Faren pointed at us. “I told you they would come, and look at the Piper now, weak as a kitten, barely able to hold up a finger. Take him into the vault and steal his magic. We’ll put an end to this once and for all.”
“What about the lady?” One sorcerer leered at me, fingers tapping together as he licked his lips, as though I were a tasty morsel.
I’d long suspected my uncle wanted to have his way with me, but he’d done nothing except use violence against me. I’d seen the guards and even the priests peek at me, but I’d kept my head down, ignoring their gaze. Now I feared what would happen in the crypt. Did the torture extend to more than mind games, more than tearing flesh from bone and blood-letting? Was this what the Others had to endure, and would endure longer because Oren could not save them? He went limp, and it took all three sorcerers to lift him.
Stunned, I watched as they dragged him inside, the silver light winking. The altar had been cleansed, waiting for him. What should I do? If I ran, I’d only dash into the arms of more sorcerers. Confirming my fears, my uncle’s hand clamped down on my arm, dragging me inside. I didn’t have my knife anymore, only the pyramid which glowed, almost burning hot in my hands. I glanced at Oren as they dragged him to the altar, trying with some difficulty to maneuver his limp body. He looked so sick, so deathly, even though he was one of the undying. If they tortured him, I could not take it.
I thought of Oren and his attitude toward me, the stolen kiss the night we’d wed, his calm control at my poor attempts to run away, the fury at which he’d protected me, and our frenzied lovemaking. My fear abated, followed by a surge of rage.
In one swift motion, I brought the pyramid up and drove the sharp end straight into my uncle’s eye. He screamed, a terrible scream, and his flesh caught fire as the pyramid burst, sending a river of golden flakes down his body. His arms flailed as he moved backward, roaring and shouting in terrible pain. Crossing my arms, I watched, unable to tear my eyes away as the fire burned his skin, melting the flesh. It was only when white bone peeked out that I turned away and vomited.
Tears stung my eyes and when my vision cleared, the three sorcerers advanced toward me, as though I had some kind of magic they needed to devour. I backed away, pressing myself against the wall. I had nothing left to give as the mountain trembled, cracks opening on the walls and ceiling, steadily growing.
Lord Faren’s last cries rang out, and then melted away. As the sorcerers approached, a roar filled my ears and the mountain exploded.
