“No,” Magiere answered, “I was thinking of our manning something smaller by ourselves. We wouldn’t need to sail far before—”
The sanctuary door opened, cutting her off.
Domin Ghassan il’Sänke stepped in. He was tall for a Suman, with dusky skin and peppered hair. Though he’d been more than useful in recent days, Magiere didn’t trust him any more than Brot’an—maybe less.
He took in the sight of the gathering, and the sudden silence as well. Clearly, he could tell he’d interrupted some discussion.
“Have I missed something?” he asked.
Magiere let out a long breath. There was no sense putting this off. “We’re going to hide the orb of Air. So we’ll be relocating both orbs soon.”
“You might hold off,” he said sharply.
Magiere was taken aback.
Ghassan rarely showed anger, though he had a barbed tongue. His tone wasn’t lost on Leesil either.
“What do you mean?” Leesil demanded.
Ghassan ignored him and remained focused on Magiere. “I mean that something has happened that might prohibit moving the orbs ... or make the task too dangerous.”
“What is that?” Wynn asked.
Magiere could almost feel Leesil tensing as he stepped near, shoulder-to-shoulder with her.
Ghassan remained fixed on her as he went on. “I have spoken with the new emperor. He related reports of strange movements in the east. Bands of unknowns have been spotted in the desert but only at night. When approached, they fled and vanished, even in the open. There was also mention of bodies found ... torn apart, partially eaten to the bones, or merely pale and desiccated in the heat and—”
In midsentence the domin scowled, flinched, scowled again, and appeared to turn menacing. Then some sudden shock spread over his dark face, as if a thought came to his mind that startled him. All of this quickly vanished, and he was calm and attentive again, as if waiting for a response.
Magiere was too puzzled and wary to say anything.
You will stop! Ghassan ordered with every particle of will he could gather.
He tried to seize control of his body, or at least his own mouth and tongue, and failed. The ancient specter had been distracted, focusing hard on his lies to Magiere and the others.
Ounyal’am had related no such reports, and the specter’s blatant lies were intended to keep Magiere from relocating two orbs ... and to keep those devices within its reach. But Khalidah had not been ready for such a sudden assault from within.
For the first time, Ghassan had felt his captor’s hold falter amid distraction. Ghassan had seized that moment, which passed and was now gone. Pressing down wild hope and desperation, he quickly refocused.
A second push to seize control drained him utterly without effect.
Enough, you little gnat, Khalidah hissed within their shared thoughts.
Ghassan flinched as everything went black, and he no longer saw through his own eyes. Raking pain like claws tore down his back in the darkness, then down his chest, and then his face, and he screamed.
Be silent, be still ... or you will be gone entirely.
At those words in the darkness, a shaft of light came a stone’s throw away, as if shining down from somewhere above. In it stood a dimly lit and spindly figure in a dark robe coated in scintillating symbols, which undulated with the cloth as the figure stepped nearer. The face seemed marked and withered.
I tolerate you only for the memories you have that are useful to me.
And closer still, those marks on its old face of wrinkles, narrow chin, and pinched mouth were patterns and symbols inked upon pallid skin. But its large, sunken eyes—the irises—were as black as the ink ... black as the darkness all around Ghassan.
Annoy me again, and you will be the last of our kind, our art, as I was—am—the first!
The light vanished. Once again, Ghassan was pressed down into the darkness.
Lost in the dark of his own mind—his prison—for a moment he curled up and wept. But for one instant only, he had almost seized control in Khalidah’s distraction amid fear and anger.
And then Ghassan heard another voice, as if the specter let that one in to taunt him.
“What are you saying?” Wynn asked.
Leesil couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he feared what was being implied. Small bands in the desert seen only at night? Bodies eaten to the bone? Pallid corpses as if drained of blood? He stared at the domin, but Ghassan’s dark brown eyes fixed on Wynn.
“I am saying the Ancient Enemy may be awakening,” the domin answered. “It is calling to and sending out those who still serve it.”
Leesil went cold and then hot in a flash. Everything was almost over and done ... They would soon be going home.
Magiere took a quick step toward the domin.
“That’s all you have?” she snarled at him. “All the more reason to get the orbs out of reach!”
Chap was suddenly at Leesil’s side but raised no memory-words. Of all the times he’d blathered into Leesil’s head, this wasn’t a time to say nothing. Wynn appeared too stunned to speak as she backed up a step on Chap’s other side. Then Shade closed to the outside of Wynn, and all of them just stood there.
“Domin ... ,” Wynn started, using his old title. “The new emperor told you of this? Is he sending soldiers? What is he doing to help the nomads or tribes out there? Is anyone going out there to confirm this?”
“None at present,” Ghassan answered. “The reports are too scattered, and he would not understand what they mean as we do. With the coronation pending, there are many nobles, dignitaries, and the royals of the seven nations gathering in the imperial capital. Their security takes precedence.”
“And what exactly do you think it means?” Leesil asked, feeling his self-control slipping away.
“I told you,” Ghassan answered calmly. “Except for the undead, what creatures drain their prey of blood or eat them while alive?”
Leesil had never heard of any flesh-eating undead, but that was a minor thing at the moment.
“And when have you ever heard of any traveling in packs?” Ghassan continued. “Undead are solitary creatures for a reason—to avoid exposing themselves for too many deaths at a time in a given place. And why would one or especially more be in a desolate area with so little to prey upon? They are gathering and not by their own choice. The Enemy is awakening ... and it may have even become aware of orbs close within this land.”
Osha, Wayfarer, and Chane had not moved, but Brot’an now crossed the room slowly.
“If that is indeed the case,” he said, “we cannot drop the orb of Air into the sea. Nor can we hide the orb of Spirit with the Lhoin’na.”
Magiere turned to him. “Why not?”
“Because we may have need of them,” Brot’an answered. “We may need all five. What other weapons or method might destroy so powerful a being, finally? If not, how long before this happens yet again? I will not tolerate that for my people, let alone any other.”
Leesil felt a knot in his stomach. What was happening here?
“I fear Brot’an may be correct,” Ghassan added, lowering his head and meshing his fingers together.
“No!” Magiere nearly shouted as she lunged a step toward Ghassan.
That caught Leesil’s whole attention, for this was now getting dangerous. Before he made a grab for her, she twisted on Brot’an.
“We don’t know anything other than secondhand rumors!” she went on. “You’re both guessing, and even if such rumors were true, it’s more reason to hide the orbs where no one finds any or all of them again.” She turned back to Ghassan. “That’s when it’s finished ... when I’m finished!”