It surprised Emerahl how much magic she could draw and hold. There was a limit, however, and as she reached it she converted it to light. The others were doing the same, surrounding the Voices and the White with a great dazzling sphere.
Then, abruptly, the magic ran out and the glow vanished.
Emerahl found herself standing uncomfortably close to ten confused sorcerers. They were casting about, looking wary and uncertain. One of the Voices gave her a hard look.
Time to go, she told herself. But she didn’t move. We don’t know if it worked or not.
Then a glow began to form in the middle of the Isthmus. Emerahl felt her stomach sink to her knees as she recognized Chaia. He was not looking at her, but up at Auraya. Four more figures appeared.
Mouth dry and heart pounding, Emerahl took advantage of the distraction and walked to the edge of the road. Nobody moved to prevent her. They were all too stunned and confused. To her relief, Surim waited there in a narrow boat. She skidded down the steep side of the Isthmus and clambered aboard.
“Did it work?” he whispered.
She shook her head. “Chaia appeared. He’s still alive.”
“And trapped inside the void,” a new voice said quietly. She and Surim turned to see Tamun and The Gull emerge from a crack in the Isthmus wall, paddling in another narrow boat. “Remember, there is often magic left in the middle of a void. We have only created a shell of magicless space about them.”
“Trapped for all eternity,” Surim said. He shrugged, then smiled evilly. “Actually, I like that better.”
“I don’t,” Emerahl growled. “If they’re alive, there’s a chance they’ll last in there until the magic seeps back.”
“Then we’ll just have to sneak back and finish them off, when there are no White or Voices around to stop us,” Surim said, shrugging.
“They’ll expect that. They’ll make sure they’re well guarded.”
“By who? Without the gods enhancing their powers, the White and Voices won’t be as strong,” The Gull pointed out.
“They will be, inside the void,” Emerahl said.
“But the gods need that power to survive.”
“Where is Auraya?” The Gull peered up at the edge of the Isthmus wall.
Emerahl followed his gaze. “She was still floating over them when I left.”
“She has issues to resolve,” Tamun said. “And she can fly away when she’s done. We can’t. We should go.”
“What about Mirar?”
Tamun frowned up at the wall. “He’s probably stayed because Auraya did.”
They stared up at the wall in silence. Emerahl sighed.
“I’ll wait,” she offered. “You three get out of here.”
50
The glowing figure of Chaia looked from Auraya to Juran. His lips moved, but she could not hear him.
Of course, she thought. I can’t hear him because there is a void between myself and him. He can only speak into minds - and he hasn’t been able to speak into mine since I learned to shield it He must either possess another or... I let my mind shield fall.
Juran nodded and looked up.
“Chaia asks that you come down and talk to us,” he said. He frowned. “He wants to know why you have done... whatever it is you’ve done.”
Auraya considered, conscious of the White and the Voices watching her. Seeing Nekaun, she shuddered. She wanted to get as far away from him as possible.
But the White needed to be told the truth. Even if they didn’t believe it.
Can they, the Voices or the gods harm me? They could attack me, but only by using up the magic inside the void. The gods won’t want any of it used. They’re using up magic just to make themselves visible. Once it is gone they’ll cease to exist.
Taking a deep breath, she drew magic to feed her barrier so she wouldn’t fall as she passed through the void, and descended to the ground.
Chaia turned to regard her. She would still be unable to hear him, unless she let the shield around her mind fall. There was nothing left to hide from them that they didn’t already know. She looked at the White and Voices, and to her surprise she found she could read their minds. Which meant they no longer had the Gifts the god had given them. They could not read anyone’s mind.
Still, it took a conscious effort to lower the veil. As soon as she did, Chaia spoke.
:Once again, we have underestimated you, Auraya. You and your immortal friends have us well trapped. At least tell us why.
“Why?” she repeated. “You know why.” She felt a stab of anger. “I suppose you thought you were putting me out of my misery when you told me I could escape the Sanctuary by becoming a god.”
He frowned.
:I have never proposed that you become a god. I would not want to see you confined to this form. It would be a prison for you.
“Then why would you tell me how...” She felt a twinge of doubt. Had he actually suggested she do it? She had been so sick that day. Surely she hadn’t dreamed it... “You said it was better that I become a god than die. That taking my soul isn’t the same.” She gave a bitter laugh. “Well, since Huan admitted you don’t take souls I guess you were right.”
Chaia looked at Huan. The other gods turned to regard the goddess, who straightened and stared back defiantly.
:You told her how to become a god? Yranna accused. You disguised yourself?
Chaia turned back to Auraya.
:Did I use our key word? Did I say “shadow”? he asked.
She frowned. Her memory was too hazy. “I can’t remember,” she admitted. “I was so sick. It was hard to think.”
Huan laughed.
:Yes, it wasn’t hard to fool you.
Looking up, Auraya shivered as she saw the goddess’s gleeful expression.
:So you admit it? Chaia asked Huan. The goddess glared at him and said nothing.
:Who else would it have been? Lore said bitterly. None of us broke the rules as often as Huan.
:Rules! The rules applied to the game, not to threats to our existence! Huan roared. If you’d listened to my warning about her, she pointed at Auraya, this wouldn’t have happened.
Chaia smiled grimly.
:We’ve all got into the habit of ignoring you whenever you spout foolish, paranoid nonsense. “Immortals might become gods! If they do, they’ll kill us all! Auraya is dangerous!”
:Huan was clearly right, Lore pointed out.
All fell silent. After a moment Juran made a strangled noise.
“I don’t understand. What has happened?”
:The Wilds have done to us what we did to our fellow gods many centuries ago, Lore explained. They have removed the magic from around us, trapping us in a small oasis in the center. We cannot leave.
:Not until the magic flows back in, Yranna added quietly. Which will take thousands of years.
Juran turned to stare at Auraya. “You helped them do this?”
She forced herself to return his gaze. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because they lied to us. They don’t take souls. They play games with us like—”
Brash laughter drowned out her words. All turned to look at Nekaun.
“You’ve imprisoned your own gods?” He shook his head. “What can I give you for doing me this service? Gold? Land? A place by my side?”