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  Knave followed, looking ashen grey. He pulled out his canteen with shaking hands and took a mouthful of water. He swirled it around in his mouth before spitting it out. It made him wish he had something a bit stronger in his canteen, only he’d be spitting that out too.

  “Let’s hope the ones who did this are long gone by now.”

  Cassia wasn’t so sure. Given a choice, she’d prefer to deal with them – permanently, so they couldn’t do this to anyone else.

  “The Nemorans?” Alexa asked, shaking her head.

  “I have no idea,” Knave admitted. “I don’t particularly want to go back in there and wade through the dead to try and find out, either. Let’s just find a way out of here… fast.

  ***

  Ariane was asleep when Knave, Cassia and Alexa returned to wake her, accompanied by Cassia’s orb of light.

  “What is it?” she asked groggily, as she sat straight up, wondering what they’d found.

  “We’ve got to go,” Cassia insisted, her voice low.

  It was unlikely she’d be overheard, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

  “There are a lot of dead people in another cavern close-by. A large number of people have been killed or had their bodies dumped. It looks like it happened a while ago.”

  Alexa felt bile rise in her throat, but she swallowed it down. “I think we should get as far from here as we can, and as cautiously as we can, in case they come back or they’re watching.”

  She didn’t think they’d be watching this place if everyone was dead, but she couldn’t be sure.

  “You’re kidding?” Ariane asked, her eyes widening.

  “Obviously we’re not. There are men, women and children. It’s a sight I never want to see again, Ariane,” Cassia exclaimed.

  “Why do you think they were targeted? Did you find any markings on these caves or signs of habitation?” Ariane asked.

  Knave nodded. “We haven’t explored that far but this seems to be a communal place where many people lived… until recently. It’s unwise to stay, even if the threat of the perpetrators coming back is minimal. Being around so many dead people is unhealthy.”

  Cassia nodded. “It’s well-known, and there may be ghosts.”

  Knave’s eyes narrowed like he didn’t quite believe her.

  “Who do you suppose these people were?” Alexa asked, while Knave packed away the blanket he’d loaned Sister Ariane.

  “That may be a secret they’ll take with them,” Knave answered sadly. “I’m sorry you had to see that; either of you,” he told Cassia and Alexa. “It’s a sight no good person should have to see in their lifetime.”

  As it would’ve been necessary for the residents to venture outside for food and quite probably water, they reasoned that a way out shouldn’t be that hard to find. They were exhausted from lack of sleep as they searched for the correct tunnel among a honeycomb of so many, but they eventually found it.

  Stairs led to a trapdoor. There was no outline of light around it, but Cassia lifted it slightly and peered out. It was night time outside and there was little light to see by; only from the golden moon and stars above. If they were to escape undetected, it seemed an appropriate time to leave.

  Cassia pushed it fully open and ventured out alone. She was awed by the sight of a thousand stars – she’d never seen them with such clarity over Kalle at night. Nearby, a jagged cliff rose high, leaving a darkened silhouette. In all other directions, she saw only what seemed to be low hills of sand.

  She returned to the trapdoor and crouched down to speak with the others inside.

  “I think we might be in the middle of nowhere.”

  “That’s not all that surprising,” Alexa admitted. “We can use the sign of Gevrus as a marker so we don’t get turned around in the desert. It would be an easy thing to do.”

  “What about water? We could run out,” Cassia replied. “With so many people here, they must’ve had a well or a water source like one.”

  Knave raised his hand to draw her attention, and then shook his head. “I wouldn’t advise it. They wanted the people here dead. It’s likely they poisoned the well or dumped the dead into it. I wouldn’t drink from it lass, given a choice.”

  She gagged merely at the thought, and was glad he was here to give them good advice.

  When Knave, Alexa and Ariane had climbed out, the battlemage covered the trapdoor over with sand.

  “There’s no reason to make anybody think we’ve been here, if we can help it. Hopefully sand will have covered our footsteps by morning,” Ariane whispered.

  There wasn’t much of a breeze, but winds could gust through the desert at times.

  “So which way do we go?” Alexa felt uncertain as she addressed her companions, hoping they had more of an insight than she did. “I sense where I drew the sign of Gevrus, so I think the tunnel we were in headed off that way.” She pointed off into the desert, with the cliff to her left.

  “I wish I knew,” Cassia offered, knowing it wasn’t the answer Alexa was looking for.

  “I’m not certain it’s the right way,” Alexa admitted. “I think there may have been something to find in this underground settlement, but I doubt it’s still here with so many dead. Whatever we decide, we should probably get moving soon in case there are watchers above the cliff.”

  Cassia frowned. “I never thought of that. Could you reach out your senses and see if you can detect a presence in any direction?” After all, Alexa had done that before.

  “That’s a very good idea,” Ariane added.

  “I can try,” Alexa agreed, “though it doesn’t always work quite how I want it to.”

  She closed her eyes, though she saw little less than when they were open, because the night was dark and Cassia must have extinguished her orb. She paced her breathing, letting the air flow in through her nose and out through her mouth. Soon she felt a sense of calm and let her mind wander.

  Stretching out her senses, Alexa let her mind calmly traverse the landscape. As she did so, she sensed a tree in the distance. She wasn’t sure why she sensed it when there might be many others, but it jutted out of a crack in the ground, and towered tall. As well as her travelling companions, she had a slight impression of people and animals far away. They were in the direction of the tree, only much farther distant. That was to the east, she realised. She also sensed two people to the south, who were also at a distance. She was sure there must be more people out there, but for the moment she had no perception of them. It was likely they were beyond the reach of her senses.

  “It’s hard to explain why I’m sensing it, but I see a tree climbing up through the earth to the east.” She pointed in an easterly direction, to show them where she meant. The others saw no visible sign of it, but they wouldn’t have when it was dark out anyway.

  “Beyond it there are people, but they’re far away. I only sense them faintly.”

  Sister Ariane was curious. “Do you have any idea who they are?”

  “I’m afraid I don’t,” Alexa told her. “There are also people to the south, but just two of them. I don’t know who they are either. I don’t think we’re close to anyone else here right now, but we should be cautious of traps.”

  Sister Ariane nodded at that. “We’d be unlikely to see them in the sand, especially at night.”

  “Why a tree?” Cassia asked curiously. “I mean, you don’t sense trees most of the time, do you?”

  “Sometimes I do,” Alexa replied. ”It’s usually if I single one out to focus on. It’s how I used to practice my skill. This one might be relevant somehow or it might have been influenced by magickal energy.”

  “You’re an empath aren’t you?” Knave asked. “That makes me think – if one happened to be an evil cultist bent on destruction and world domination, it might be the one track they’re lacking.”

  Cassia grinned. “You know, I think he might be right.”

  “You probably are right,” Alexa told him with a grin. “They don’t seem to care much
for others.

  We should investigate the tree, because I’m genuinely curious about it and it might be something. It makes sense to head toward the large group of people in the same direction.”

  They couldn’t know if there were regular people there or the enemy, but the same could be said for any city or town.

  “It’s a good plan,” Knave told her. “You didn’t sense any presence from the tunnels, did you? I wonder if anyone might’ve survived.”

  Alexa shook her head. “I’m sorry, but no. The ground might be blocking my senses, but I don’t sense anything else nearby.”

  Cassia had a question too. “How far away are the two people you sensed?”

  Alexa shrugged. “I don’t know. All I can say is they’re far. I don’t think they’re beyond our ability to travel to them. I’d say a day or two at the most, but I can’t be sure. They could be people who escaped the slaughter. Then again, they could be anyone. It’s about the same distance to the larger group of people.”

  Sister Ariane pursed her lips. “It makes far more sense to approach the larger group as there’s undoubtedly a settlement there. We should have enough water, but it might be close. Are any of you skilled with water magick?”

  Cassia shook her head and then turned to her sister. “You don’t think your sense could be used that way, do you?”

  Alexa smiled. “You know, I think it might, but there would have to be water there to begin with. Why don’t we get going and we can work on ideas along the way?”

  “You didn’t notice any traps?” Knave asked, before they ventured too far.

  “No. I think we’ll be alright,” Alexa told him.

  Chapter 8

  Jonas was careful in his search of the compound, as he tried to find the location of the artefact. He also tallied the number of soldiers; so far he’d seen six of them as they patrolled the grounds.

  It was dark out and most of them were likely asleep, but he was surprised he’d even made it as far as he had so easily. Their overconfidence might have been their weakness.

  He hadn’t found the item yet, nor a large number of guards gathered in one place, but he was still alive and as far as he knew, he’d gone unnoticed.

  The only building Jonas stayed well away from was the stables, because he didn’t expect the item to be there. He also didn’t want to disturb the horses and reveal his presence in the process. Viewing the stables from a distance, he crept closer to the large manor house, keeping to the shadows. He didn’t see any sign of guards just yet. The sides and back of the property were walled-off. He guessed it could be an enclosed garden.

  The alley behind the neighbouring building, which he thought was a home to many of the cultist militants, had a dead end where it met the wall. Jonas didn’t like cutting off his avenues of escape, but his options were limited if he was to proceed with his mission.

  The dead end of the laneway was shrouded in shadow, but he noticed barbed spikes protruding from the wall. It was hard to see where all of them jutted out, and Jonas wondered if they might be poisoned. It seemed they must have been left there as a protective measure, but they would only help his footing. He approached the wall on the left and ran a hand down its surface, noting it was much smoother to the touch. The building had some kind of stone façade. He listened carefully, but no sounds carried from the surrounding buildings or the garden.

  The wall opposite was the stone inner-wall that ringed the compound and it would be much easier to climb. He put a foot on it to test it, and surprisingly the stone crumbled. He tried again, and it fragmented under his weight. He’d never seen anything like it before. The wall couldn’t be that old. He was under the assumption it was constructed when the Nemorans came to Feidhlim, which made it much younger than a lot of the buildings.

  Unless, he thought to himself, the item is somehow leaching strength from the stone. If that is so, then it would need to be close, probably below-ground, and it means it must be activated.

  The colour drained from his face; well-hidden by the shadows of night.

  Jonas already knew the dangers of activating a manse and the power it gave the user. He still remembered the Guardians’ teaching. He had been one of them, but now he was no one.

  No, not no one, he decided. The only one bold enough to come here and set things right, and bring the manse back to my people.

  His anger was barely-contained. They hid in their tunnels, and yet they judged him for wanting to do more. He still held out hope of being hailed a hero, but it would mean more to be able to go home and see his family again. He wanted to return from his exile. He wanted to get the manse back. He also wanted to save Yasmin and the people of Feidhlim; he worried about what had happened to them and if it could happen to others.

  It’s time, he eventually decided. He wasn’t going to run from the manse because it was active. He would deal with it, one step at a time.

  Jonas chose to climb the wall opposite the outer wall as it seemed more stable. It was smoother, but taking a deep breath, he ran toward it, and where his foot met the wall, he thrust himself upwards. He easily grabbed the top of the garden wall and climbed on top of it. There were a few spikes, but they were easily-avoided. He was a natural climber.

  He was worried there might be guards patrolling the garden, but he saw none. The walled garden was larger than he’d expected, filled with many trees, and plants of types he couldn’t distinguish by moonlight. His searching gaze didn’t detect anyone, so he dropped down to the ground, and moved between the trees. He only saw hints of the house from there, but as he drew nearer, he noticed golden light radiated from one of its distant windows.

  This house had three levels, so far as he could tell, but Jonas wondered if it also had a basement. He decided it was likely and might also house the manse.

  He was close to the open door at the back of the house when he heard soft voices carrying from somewhere close-by. He crouched down between two trees and carefully listened in. He heard a man speak, his voice slightly gravelly with a note of defensiveness to it. They must have been among the foliage in the garden, or he’d have seen them.

  “Elena Briette, you know that I care for you. I’d spirit you far away from here if I could, but we wouldn’t make it. Not right now with Jarlath here.”

  When he heard a woman speak, Jonas leaned forward against the trunk of the tree to hear more.

  “I know, but I would go with you if I could.”

  Her voice held a tone of bittersweet sadness, but with little hope.

  “If he overheard us,” she said, “he would kill you for your disloyalty. Let’s not talk of it more until something can be done. I just hope it’s soon, Kraven, because I don’t know how much longer I can last here. Every time Jarlath returns, I wonder if it will be my last day.”

  Jonas peered between the branches, but he only noticed a flash of midnight-blue material and a black veil, as Elena Briette entered the house. He couldn’t tell much about her, but she sounded beautiful and lost. The man didn’t immediately follow her, instead seeming to prefer lingering in the garden.

  Jonas tried not to move a muscle, in case the snap of a branch or the slightest movement gave him away.

  Kraven sniffled and it revealed his exact location to Jonas. He was on the other side of the trees, not far away.

  “It would be far safer to go on my own,” he murmured to himself.

  Jonas was just close enough to make out his words.

  “But nowhere near as exciting.”

  Silence followed; then Jonas heard the distant crunch of grass as Kraven walked back to the house. Likely not wanting to return immediately after his lady friend, Kraven closed the door behind him. It seemingly left the garden empty, dark and silent, except for Jonas.

  He wondered if Kraven had heard him there in the darkness, but it didn’t seem so. As for the man’s motivations, Kraven didn’t sound all that genuine when it came to the lady, but that would have to be her problem. Right now, Jonas had enough of his
own.

  Once he was as certain as he could be that the way was clear, Jonas ventured out from behind the trees. There was no window on this side of the house overlooking the garden, but there seemed to be one further along. The door was closer to him, so he made his way over to it, employing what stealth he could.

  He opened the door slightly and peered in – it wasn’t locked. Within, the house was dark and he could only make out the merest outlines of a hallway.

  Jonas was concerned he was about to bring a whole world of trouble on himself, but he wasn’t here to hide in shadows and get nothing done. He’d come for the manse and if he could, to release the people who he thought might be held prisoner by the Nemorans.

  As he stepped inside, he left the door slightly ajar. The hallway led to an empty kitchen on his right side. He could smell the aroma of cooked meat, and bowls with fresh fruits and vegetables sat out on the counter.

  He knew it was a risk, but he lifted an apple from the bowl and slipped it into his pocket. The bowl was large enough that it probably wouldn’t be noticed and food was scarce in Feidhlim these days.

  It was the middle of the night now, so perhaps most of the cultists were asleep, aside from Kraven and Elena Briette.

  Knowing that the manse might be underground – which could also have helped shield it from sorcerous sight, Jonas searched for any sign of a basement door. There was no stairway down from the kitchen, and it only had one way in or out, so he ventured further along the dark hallway. When he reached the end, it met another corridor with an entrance room beyond it. Dimly-lit stairs led further up into the mansion.

  There was no one in the entrance room, and he had no wish to go upstairs unless he needed to, so Jonas followed the hallway along. There were three doorways ahead of him, two of which had their doors closed. A dim light filtered through the open door. That meant there were three places he could be discovered from, if he didn’t count the entrance room and the hallway behind him.

  Holding his breath, he inched closer to the nearest door, which was closed. He put his ear to it and listened for sounds of a presence on the other side. There were none, but as his hand moved to the door handle, he heard a man’s laughter from the room at the end of the hall. It sounded close to the doorway, which meant he might be leaving the room.