Alora Read online

  Shifting slightly to relieve his cramped neck, stiff from the awkward sleeping position, Markaeus kept his eyes closed, maintaining a pretense of sleep. A soft feminine voice came from his right. Beth.

  “So Jireo... Since you were having a weird one-way conversation with yourself and ignoring all of us, we’re guessing you just heard from Darielle again. Good news, I hope.”

  Jireo’s voice sounded like someone was squeezing his neck. “Darielle contacted me with a warning. It seems my sister has spotted another portal. This one was inside her sleeping room in Laegenshire.”

  “Oh no!” Beth cried. “Does this one go to Vindrake, too? To Markaeus’ grandfather?”

  “No one has explored this new portal,” Jireo explained. “But Morvaen has set guards at the entrance, assuming Vindrake will send Water Clan warriors to invade.”

  “This confirms my fears. I’m now a danger to all, just as I warned you.” Daegreth’s voice was easy for Markaeus to recognize—not only was it deep, but he always sounded serious, like Uncle Charles, even though he had only one more year than Kaevin. “If Vindrake has created two portals, there is nothing to stop him from forming another. Nothing to prevent him from entering this realm. And we all know what will happen.”

  “Hey, you’re all missing something...” Wesley paused, and Markaeus knew he had their undivided attention. “Both portals were formed where a gressor was. Right? One went to Markaeus. The other went to Arista. In fact, the one Markaeus found went from his room to his grandfather, who’s also a gressor.”

  Beth lowered her voice to a whisper. “Then I guess it’s too bad Markaeus is here. At least if he were still in Tenavae, Vindrake wouldn’t be able to build a portal to Montana.”

  “Once Alora awakens, that will no longer be an issue,” Kaevin declared. “We will return to Laegenshire at once, and bring Markaeus with us.”

  “Then, you’ll be safe again, Daegreth. See? There’s nothing to worry about,” said Beth.

  “When you go back to Laegenshire for good, I’m going with you,” Wesley announced. “At least, I’m hoping my parents will let me. I’m not worried about Dad, but Mom’s another story.”

  “What about high school?” asked Beth. “It’s your senior year.”

  “I’ve thought about it a lot. I’m getting my GED this summer, to make Mom happy. And then I’m going to Tenavae, and I’m going to stay until I figure out how to take Vindrake’s bloodbond off of Daegreth. Mom ought to like that idea, as long as I can convince her it’s not too dangerous.

  “There’s no need for you to sacrifice your future for me,” Daegreth asserted.

  “We’re family, so it’s not a sacrifice.”

  “That’s not—” Daegreth began, but Beth cut his protest short.

  “Chill out, Daegreth. If I know Wesley, he’s probably using you as an excuse to go back to Tenavae. Tell him the truth, Wesley.”

  “Ha! I refuse to answer that question on the grounds I might incriminate myself.”

  “What is this word—incriminate?” asked Jireo. “Is this one of your special daily words?”

  “No, it’s just Wesley’s way of getting out of answering my question.” Beth laughed, and a chair scraped on the floor. “Come on, guys. Time to go. I told Mom I’d be back by two.”

  “Right. Come on, Daegreth,” said Wesley.

  “Are you coming back later tonight?” asked Kaevin.

  “Absolutely,” said Beth. “You’ve got Alora’s cell. Just call me when she wakes up.”

  “If she wakes up,” Kaevin corrected.

  “When she wakes up.” Beth’s firm tone didn’t allow for argument.

  The room grew so quiet, Markaeus opened his eyes a crack to see if he was alone. But Kaevin and Jireo were still there. Standing near the bed, facing one another, and Jireo looked like he was close to tears.

  “There is something I should tell you, Kaevin. My defender bond is warning me...” His voice cracked. “I’m so sorry.”

  “No...” came Kaevin’s hoarse reply. Shaking his head, he backed away. “No, it can’t be Alora. It must be something else. Our lives would be in danger if Vindrake built another portal. Perhaps you can sense it.”

  “It’s possible, but I don’t believe I would sense danger from another realm. I had no sense of warning when Markaeus found the first portal,” Jireo reasoned. “Not until after Alora had been in Portshire for a while.”

  The hope died in Kaevin’s eyes. He moved to Alora’s bedside, bending to place a kiss on her unresponsive lips and lingering for a few breaths. Lifting his sad gaze to Jireo, he asked, “Did that make any difference? Perhaps the soulmate bond...”

  “I’m sorry, but the answer is no. Believe me, I want it to be something else. It started in the same breath as Alora’s episode yesterday. I waited to tell you because I was uncertain.” Dropping his eyes, Jireo pushed his fingers through his wavy blond hair. “Merely a nagging feeling at first, but it grows steadily, by the hand. Already, I’m compelled to stay at your side.”

  “Did you warn Darielle?” Squeezing his lips together, Kaevin’s nostrils flared. “Does my father know?”

  “Yes, Darielle spoke to your father and the rest of the council. I had hopes that Nordamen could be of aid. Only Laethan seemed convinced he could help her.”

  Jireo raised his hand before Kaevin could interrupt. “And no, Laethan swears he must be in the same realm with her to render aid.”

  “I simply don’t understand what happened to her. Why she can’t awaken. Did Laethan explain?”

  “No, but I’ve given it much thought. The first time it happened immediately after she saw her father. Is that accurate?”

  Kaevin nodded, but his expression was sour, as if the memory had a bad taste.

  “I believe Vindrake may have cast an evil spell that is slowly draining her life force away.”

  “Why would he aim at her and not at me? I was in the forefront.”

  “As father and daughter, they share the same blood. He might have used his blood in the making.”

  The muscles on Kaevin’s jaw clenched. “Then, I should go through the portal myself. Perhaps if I kill Vindrake, the dark magick will be broken.”

  “That also seems a sure way to die. But, I swear to you, brother...” Jireo clasped his hands on Kaevin’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “If it comes to that... if I feel your remaining time is but a day, I’ll go with you to fight Vindrake. Better to die with honor. I’d be compelled to accompany you, regardless.”

  Kaevin inclined his head slightly as his gaze came to rest on Markaeus. Sucking in a startled breath, Markaeus snapped his eyes shut and made a soft snoring sound.

  “You may as well admit you’re awake, Markaeus. I know you were listening.” Kaevin sighed. “When Alora and I are gone, you and Uncle Charles will have only each other. You must be strong for him.”

  As he opened his eyes, Kaevin and Jireo wobbled in his vision, through puddled tears. He sat up, wiping his tears on his sleeves, his face heating in mortification.

  “It’s my fault. I’m to blame for everything that’s happened.”

  “No one blames you for this, Markaeus.” Kaevin knelt on the floor in front of his chair. He sounded sincere, but Markaeus didn’t feel any better. Avoiding Kaevin’s penetrating gaze, Markaeus turned his face toward the window.

  That’s when he saw it.

  A portal.

  And Markaeus knew in that moment exactly what he needed to do. He would return to Portshire, seal this new portal, and remain in Tenavae, thus protecting his friends. As Jireo said, Vindrake wouldn’t be able to create a new portal to Montana if he wasn’t present. And if God showed His favor, he might find a way to kill Vindrake, as well. He had to move quickly.

  Trying not to cry, he threw his arms around Kaevin.

  “I’ll miss you so much,” he mumbled, wondering if he would ever know whether Kaevin and Alora survived.

  Kaevin squeezed him in a tight hug. “Hey. I’m not dead, y
et. I will fight to the end. Even when everything appears as bleak as a dim wintery day, the sun is still there. Simply because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

  Palming two ceramic knives from Kaevin’s pocket, Markaeus choked back a sob. “Farewell, Kaevin. Farewell, Jireo.”

  Jireo’s confused face mirrored Kaevin’s. “Why me?”

  Markaeus backed toward the portal. With one last look at his friends, he stepped inside and closed the door before his courage was lost. Hurrying through the winding portal, he breathed a prayer.

  “Please. Before I die... help me make up for what I did.”

  **************

  “There are too many people in this corner. I can’t even breathe.” Alleraen shifted, bumping warriors on all sides, perhaps more roughly than necessary.

  One of them shoved him back, hard enough to knock him off balance. “Morvaen ordered us to be here, and here we will stay.”

  Welcoming the challenge as a respite from the boredom of watching the empty space in front of the window waiting for an open doorway to appear in midair, Alleraen crossed his arms, flexed his bulging muscles, and turned to give his most intimidating glare to Thalaena. Of course, the fierce warrior was not cowed in the least by his display, wriggling her fingers in the air before bringing them to rest on the hilt of her blade.

  Arista had been there earlier, opening the portal and stepping inside to determine the best vantage point for observing the entrance without being visible to anyone who might venture out of the portal. Then she’d left, albeit with loud protesting, to search for other portals within the walls of Laegenshire, leaving a large group of warriors to guard the portal in her room. Most were waiting in the gathering room, with more outside the residence. But a small elite force was assigned to keep guard from within the sleeping quarters.

  So the group of six pressed together in one corner, ready to pounce on any Water Clansman who stepped foot from the portal. And while they waited, the air grew warmer, the sweltering sun shining through the window.

  A bead of sweat trickled from Alleraen’s forehead down to his chin, dripping onto his shirt to broaden the darkening wet patch on his chest. He could easily ignore the ever-increasing stench of body odor from the closely packed crew, but after standing still for several hands, he became drowsy, almost to the point of nodding off. A bit of verbal sparring with Thalaena was just what he needed to pass the time.

  He bit back a smile, but only barely. Thalaena was tall, with well-defined muscles. Her agility gifting was exceptional, and she moved with incredible grace. Watching her spar was much like enjoying the movements of a talented dancer, though Alleraen could certainly beat her in a head-to-head match. Still, she would make a great weapons master, and he would obey her when she took that position, out of honest respect. That didn’t mean, however, that he couldn’t enjoy provoking her while she was still second in command. Especially since he wasn’t truly a Stone Clan citizen. Not yet. He’d declared his allegiance, as required by law, but he had yet to complete the year of service required to be a citizen.

  “What? No sarcastic retort? So unlike you, Alleraen. Are you feeling ill? Perhaps you should go home and lie down to rest. Leave this strenuous duty to the younger warriors.”

  “Are the younger warriors so daunted by my presence you must cajole me into leaving? Or perhaps you fear these infants will display their immaturity and lack of experience, retreating at the first sign of Vindrake’s assault?”

  “I only fear an aged weapon has become so brittle it will break.” Her lip curled slightly on one corner.

  “Do you not know iron becomes harder when thrust repeatedly into the fire? Trust me, Thalaena, my constant torture at my brother’s hand has tempered a sword that cannot be broken.”

  “I can’t trust a weapon I’ve yet to wield, no matter how exaggerated its reputation. I’ve not seen it in action beyond the practice field.”

  “Then you are indeed in for a treat, fair maiden.”

  As he hoped, her cheeks turned a delightful shade of rosy pink, and she huffed a few times amid chortles of laughter from their companions. She was indeed both a maiden and fair, but the term irked her to the point her knuckles turned white as they gripped her sword handle.

  He hoped to one day spur enough anger to make her draw a weapon. How he would love to fight her, especially knowing she had the gifting and skill to present a true challenge. He would relish the opportunity, though she might draw his blood. The sting would only make him feel alive, a sensation he’d longed for while held those many years in his brother’s dungeon.

  “Enough!” she sputtered in a harsh whisper. “How will we surprise the invaders when you have alerted them to our presence with your idle chatter?”

  With a heavy sigh, Alleraen resigned himself to a long and tedious wait. He tried to imagine his brother’s strategy. Why wait? Especially after creating a portal, certain to be discovered, within the residence of a gressor? Why not attack immediately? Perhaps Drakeon—his brother’s given name—desired his enemy to gather around the portal. Could he possibly send a weapon through the portal to destroy a large enemy force? Alleraen shivered at the thought. Perhaps his brother would send a ravenous wendt through the portal. If such a vile monster emerged, the Stone Clan warriors were as lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

  In that moment, he recognized the error of their plan. Why were they waiting for Water Clan to attack in Laegenshire? Stone Clan must take the battle to Portshire. It was the only way to assure the safety of Laegenshire’s innocent citizens.

  He started to share his idea, but the words died on his lips at the sight of a knife, floating in the air in the grasp of a disembodied hand near the portal location.

  It’s too late.

  ~6~

  Standing stark still, Alleraen kept his eyes on the knife, just over an arm’s length away. He lifted his sword. Timing was critical. He had to wait for more of the warrior’s body to be exposed before striking.

  Thalaena moved, her body a blur. Leaping, she grabbed the wrist and twisted. The warrior screamed in pain as she jerked him out of the portal, bending him to the floor.

  I suppose that works, if one doesn’t have the patience to wait for the intruder to emerge. He grinned, impressed with her initiative.

  Tensing, Alleraen kept his eyes on the portal, waiting for the next warrior to emerge.

  None came.

  Was there only a single Water Clan warrior? Had the first warrior’s cry alerted the others to the danger?

  Thalaena’s surprised exclamation drew his attention. “Markaeus? What are you doing here?”

  Sure enough, the struggling warrior she’d captured was merely the boy, Markaeus.

  “I’ve come to seal the portal.” Markaeus shook free from her grasp, rubbing his elbow as he backed away, his expression as ferocious as a wendt. “And I’ll kill Vindrake, as well. And you can’t stop me.”

  Alleraen chuckled, an action that seemed to further infuriate Markaeus, who pivoted to glare at him.

  “You think I’m too small to kill him? I can do it. I know how to slip inside his lair. You’ll see.”

  “No, Markaeus. I certainly believe you’re capable. But you won’t find my brother here in Laegenshire. At least, not at the moment.”

  “How did you come to be inside the portal?” asked Thalaena.

  “Laegenshire? We’re in Laegenshire?” Markaeus spun in a circle, inspecting his surroundings. A joyous grin, sporting a missing tooth, broke out on his face, and he danced from foot to foot. “Do you know what this means? I didn’t kill Alora and Kaevin!”

  What?

  “Come!” Markaeus shouted over the voices of the confused Stone Clan warriors. “We can fetch her to Laethan. Hurry, Alleraen, follow me!”

  Markaeus disappeared.

  Alleraen stared, unblinking, at the spot where he’d been, as did Thalaena and the other warriors in the room, while their conversation died off.

  “What shall we
do, now?” asked one of the Stone Clansmen.

  A head materialized in the spot where Markaeus had vanished. “What are you waiting for?” His slim arm snaked out, a beckoning hand stretched toward Alleraen.

  Though he didn’t fully understand, Alleraen grabbed Markaeus’ fingers, his large hand enveloping the boy’s small one. At the last moment he paused, glancing toward Thalaena. He raised his brows in question, and she nodded, her smile affirming his decision to ask permission, though he would have ignored her had she not given it. She didn’t need to know that.

  Alleraen stepped into the portal and the room was gone.

  **************

  “I’m telling you, Alora didn’t simply remember the pain—she felt it. She actually felt it. I know, because I felt it, as well.” Kaevin’s voice invaded Alora’s peaceful sleep. She pushed it away, seeking the blissful sanctuary again. The other voices faded in and out.

  “No.” Kaevin’s voice was insistent. “You may call it what you will, but I’m telling you her pain was excruciating. I wouldn’t have been surprised to find her arms blistered and oozing as before. Believe me, the pain was real, and it was much worse than the small burn on her forearm.”

  This time Dr. Sanders’ voice penetrated her consciousness, his words fading in and out. “PTSD can... not physiological pain... unless... phantom pain... not truly dangerous.”

  “You weren’t there.” Beth was speaking this time. “I agree with Kaevin—her pain was real. She screamed—a real blood-curdler—for about fifteen straight seconds.”

  “And Kaevin did the same,” Wesley added. “He scared Markaeus to death.”

  “I wasn’t scared,” Markaeus protested in a pouty tone, probably pushing his lower lip out about a foot.

  “She didn’t stop screaming until her eyes closed and she passed out,” said Beth.

  Alora struggled to open her super-glued eyelids, but they wouldn’t budge.

  “I’m certain these issues are all related to her enhanced empathy gifting,” said another familiar voice she couldn’t quite place in her fuzzy mind. “It’s a rare gift and we know so little of it. That’s why Raelene and Bardamen have already set out for Glaenshire to seek more answers at the Craedenza.”