House of Blades Page 35

  “I spent two nights in the wilderness with the Elysian boy,” Leah responded. “We returned to Enosh this morning with the news of Malachi’s death. Some treated him like a hero, while others seemed to think of him as an irresponsible child.”

  Zakareth ran a hand down the wooden shaft of his spear. “Did you sleep with him?”

  Leah hesitated, sensing danger. “No, sire.”

  “A pity. He would have trusted you, then.” He closed his real eye, studying the length of the weapon with his ruby replacement. “And why didn’t you kill him?”

  She tried very hard not to let the smallest drop of sweat onto her face. Sometimes he took sweating as an admission of guilt. Not always, but often enough. “I was afraid it wouldn’t be wise. And your orders said only to keep an eye on him.”

  Zakareth nodded slowly, not looking at her. He gave no sign of what he thought about her answers. Suddenly he reversed the spear, grinding its point into the marble floor.

  “Yesterday was midsummer,” Zakareth announced. “Malachi died midsummer’s eve. In the chaos, no one thought to water his tree on the ninth day. I Traveled to Bel Calem this morning and performed the sacrifice myself, but it was late. You know what that means.”

  Leah shuddered and nodded.

  “This year, of all years,” Zakareth continued. “When the Incarnations shake their cage and all the Territories tremble. The sacrifice is late. And now we are missing an Overlord, while all Enosh gathers for war behind their Rising Sun. Tell me, since you know him, is he as dangerous as they think he is?”

  “I don’t think so,” she responded. “But he is growing. I hesitate to think what he will be like in a year. And in five years, I think he might really become a threat.”

  Zakareth spoke softly, but his gaze pinned Leah to the floor. “If he’s not dangerous, then how did Malachi die? He was childish sometimes, but not weak. And you were there, in the same house when he was killed.”

  “There was another one,” Leah put in quickly. “A second one.” She shot a glance at Indirial, gauging his reaction. “A Valinhall Traveler. He summoned a sword that looked like most of ten feet long, and had chains of shadow on his arms. Just like yours.”

  Indirial leaned forward, a smile creeping onto his face. “Really? Did he find one of the lost swords, or did someone hang up their steel at last?”

  Leah shook her head. “I can’t be sure. But I’ve seen myself that he is both strong and extremely quick. Malachi had to face him before the Elysian arrived.”

  “And he’s still alive?” Indirial mused. “Exciting. New blood after all this time. I look forward to meeting him. Maybe I can talk him out of siding with those maniacs in Enosh.”

  Leah shot a glance at her father. “I don’t think Simon cares about Enosh,” she said. She hoped Zakareth didn’t read too much into that. If he started thinking Leah could be used as leverage against both the Elysian Traveler and a new Valinhall Traveler, well, she would never get her life back.

  “Simon?” Indirial said. “Is that his name?”

  “Yeah. Simon, son of Kalman.”

  Indirial swallowed his smile. A strange expression passed over his face: shock, pity, maybe regret. “He lived in Myria, didn’t he? Before he became a Traveler.”

  Leah stared at Indirial before answering. How in the world would Indirial know Simon, of all people? Sure, maybe if they had met in their Territory, but Indirial had seemed surprised to hear that there was another Valinhall Traveler around. Which meant that he must have met Simon somewhere else. And how had that happened?

  “Yes,” she said finally. “His mother was killed by Cormac during the collection of the sacrifice. How do you know him?”

  Indirial’s eyes hardened. “I was there when his father died. He was killed at the edge of the Latari Forest by a pair of Travelers. Travelers from Enosh. They killed him and tortured his wife into insanity, all for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Simon has more reason to hate Enosh than anyone.”

  Leah’s mind reeled. Everyone knew Simon’s father had been killed, but by Travelers? Travelers from Enosh, no less? Did Simon even know the truth?

  Her father raised the blood-red spear, pointing it at Leah to get her attention. “Is this young dragon in Enosh as well?” Zakareth asked.

  “No. He stayed behind after Bel Calem. To...” she hesitated, but she couldn’t stop now. “To give us time to escape.” Leah glanced at Indirial, to see how he took the news that Simon was missing and probably dead. He stared off into space, saying nothing, clearly lost in thought. Maybe he hadn’t heard her.

  Zakareth stared at her again, and she wondered—not for the first time—if his red eye let him see into her mind.

  “Here is your task,” her father said at last. “Stay in Enosh. Keep track of the Elysian Traveler. Report to me everything he does, everyone of significance in his life. At the same time, watch the city. Judge their strength. As of this moment, though they realize it or not, we are at war.”

  Zakareth lifted his eyes, staring above Leah, beyond her.

  “They have gone too far. This time we will bring everything against the walls of Enosh. We will gather the Overlords, throw wide the Vaults of Ragnarus. We must use every weapon in our possession to grind that city to dust.

  “For if we fail,” the King said, “the world will burn.”

  THE END OF BOOK ONE

  Available August 10th, 2013:

  THE CRIMSON VAULT

  (Book #2 of the Traveler’s Gate Trilogy)

  Also, check out Will’s website for book updates, news, original fiction, and dark secrets long forgotten by mankind*:

  www.WillWight.com

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