Chapter Twenty-Four

“Stop it!” Leah covered her ears to block out his cruel words.

“I speak only the truth.”

“No. You’re lying. My father would never do that to my mother.” Snatching up her sword, Leah flung herself at him, only to be rebuffed by his shield and counter-attack. She fell back, trying to ignore his mocking laughter.

“Not so easy now, is it, to defend a man so lacking in honour.” Shalyer kept up a steady stream of taunts as he deflected her feeble attacks with ease.

Tears smearing her vision, body and spirit sapped of energy, Leah stumbled to her knees and leant on her sword. She could no longer deny Shalyer’s words. The rift between her parents that had begun with Evalan’s birth when Maeve had refused to allow Edmon near... her suspicions about Ana, it was all true... her worst fears were true.

Her father was to blame... the king was to blame for all this. One moment’s indiscretion had caused so much pain. Maybe I should give in and surrender... join Shalyer, and let Father answer for what he’s done–

“Yes, join me,” said Shalyer softly. “I can see how much you want to. Why fight for one who has deceived you and all you hold dear?”

She shut her eyes as if to shut out his mesmerising voice.

[Embrace your power, mortal.]

She jerked back on hearing his voice in her head... an unsettling intrusion.

[Let it fill your senses. Allow yourself to be more than mortal.]

A sob escaped her; a part of her – the part tainted by Belosh’s gift – was drawn to the intimacy of such a penetrating communication.

[Leah...]

His being seemed to flood her senses with the discovery of her name.

[I see you now as you deserve to be seen. Your true self... so much more than this mortal shell. Come, let me show you...]

Opening her eyes, she saw his pale hand held out before her. Her gaze travelled up and was caught by the intense stare of his alabaster eyes. Could it be that easy? Was that all that was required of her, to merely take hold of his hand?

[Yes, Leah. It is that simple.]

“I-I don’t –”

[No. Do not use that crude method. Speak to me in this more... graceful form. So much more pleasurable with you than with my creatures.]

A moment’s hesitation before she replied, [Like this?]

Sucking in his breath, his eyes widened as did his smile. [Yes... Most pleasurable...]

Leah gasped, shuddered; never before had she experienced so intimate a contact as this as if he was now part of her... and she was part of him. She could sense, albeit fleetingly, his power coursing through him, making him... different. Her eyes closed as she admitted the truth of her desire. To surrender to my power... to surrender to him...

[Yes,] said Shalyer. [You can see it now... you and I together. Imagine the power. We will be unstoppable. We will make the king pay for all the hurt he has caused.]

Leah let her sword drop to the ground and raised her trembling hand... “Your skin,” she whispered, “so smooth... like rose petals...”

Shalyer raised her to her feet.

It’s true, thought Leah. This is father’s fault, he has to answer... the king has to answer for his actions. Nodding, she started to smile, and with that, her dark self broke free. Her knees buckled, and she exclaimed as the full force of her power rushed through her.

Taking hold of both her hands, Shalyer laughed. [Revel in your power, Leah. You are now more than the ordinary mortals around you could ever hope to be. The king, his family... the people, they are fit only to be your slaves.]

Leah thought of Veha as her slave; she laughed. And Conor... he would have no choice but to choose Leah. “All those who’ve treated me so badly... my so-called friends, the priests, all those foolish people... I will make them regret what they’ve done...”

But what of Evalan, said a small voice in her head, struggling to make itself heard.

“Evalan?” she whispered. He has not treated me badly. He loves me. Even though I’ve been touched by evil, he still loves me...

Shalyer caressed her neck, drew his thumb across her lips, then leant close to her.

Blinking, Leah’s gaze fell on his mouth. Thoughts of Evalan faded, replaced by an ache to taste Shalyer. Her eyes were sliding shut when a flash of red and silver caught the corner of her vision. She glanced down; a red cord necklace adorned with silver had worked free from his open-necked tunic. Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember where she’d seen its like before. Then it came to her; it was the kind worn by Kurabaran women. In that instant, Leah remembered Eoli... and her shrivelled body.

With a cry like an injured beast, she pushed Shalyer away, tearing his tunic which was still clenched in her fists. Stumbling back, fighting against the cramping that snatched at her, she squeezed her eyes shut. Her back arched with the exertion of struggling to subdue the dark part of her... to cage it. The effort forced her to her knees.

Shalyer stared at Leah, his long fingers fluttering over his ripped tunic. [What are you–?]

“I. Will not. Be dictated to by magic. Infested. Creatures.” Labouring to her feet, she pushed herself upright. Her sword back in her hand, she faced him, limbs trembling. “My purpose is clear. I know what I have to do... and I will do it.” As her breathing steadied, so did her stance. “I will defeat you. Even if it means my death,” she finished softly, a heaviness settling in her chest.

[So be it.]

Leah flinched. This time, his voice in her head felt like a physical blow.

“It is to be expected of a mortal,” he continued aloud. “I should not be surprised. But you forget, you also are a... magic-infested creature, one who refuses to embrace her gift. Unlike me.” As he finished speaking he raised his hands; an orb appeared to speed towards Leah.

She dodged it, destroying it with an orb of her own.

Showing no sign of alarm, and with the barest of movements, Shalyer caused more orbs to appear and sent them hurtling towards her.

Dancing back, Leah stepped from side to side, her movements blurring as she fought to repel the orbs. She refused to allow herself to show any pain, even when a number of them hit her.

Gradually, Shalyer ceased his attack and shook his head. “Such a waste...”

Holding her now energised sword before her, Leah frowned, panting.

“A formidable warrior with the added advantage of magic, and yet... Belosh has granted magic to both of us, the only two beings in this land with such power yet I am the only one who has seized it fully. Like you, I too have mortal blood, but the difference between us – I do not let it weaken me.”

“Being mortal doesn’t mean I’m weaker than you –”

His harsh laugh interrupted her. “But you have proved that, fool. By denying the totality of your power, you have weakened yourself.”

Leah started to retort before realising the truth of his words. She could not deny how invincible she’d felt when she’d allowed her power to engulf her. Having experienced and then denied it, she now felt as if she’d hacked off her own limb.

A large, pulsating orb appeared and flew towards her. Caught off-guard, she tried to deflect it. It glanced off her shoulder, burned through the links of her mail shirt. She screamed in agony. Bent double, she held her right arm tight against her body, whimpering as tears trickled a clean path down her grimy cheeks.

“Now, mortal, it is you who will die.”

Leah fought to straighten up, to ignore the pain. I have to fight. I cannot afford for him to win... And I am strong. I have to be... for Evalan...

“I will consume your life force. Slowly. I mean to relish every drop.”

As he moved towards her, Leah could feel the energy-streams around her being manipulated. Forcing her arm to move, she clutched her sword with both hands. She had to stop him now. With a maddened howl, she drove her body forward. Bringing her sword down, she slashed him across the chest.

A stunned scream leapt from him, his mouth hung open as his hands clutched at the wound. Stumbling back, he dropped to his knees and stared, eyes bulging, at the blood oozing out, bright against the bone-whiteness of his fingers.

“You want to know the real difference between you and me?” said Leah, her breath rasping loudly from her open mouth. “I am a warrior... a mortal warrior, fighting for my family... my people. And it is my mortality, that part of me and you that you scorn... it is that which gives me the strength to be more than you.” Baring her teeth, Leah drew her arm back and plunged her energised sword into his stomach. With her free hand, she seized his shoulder, leant forward, twisted the blade... then yanked it out.

For one unbearably long moment there was no sound, only silence. Then a seemingly endless howl poured from his mouth, as the blood poured from the wound.

Dropping her sword, the blade turning black, rotting, Leah lurched back.

Finally, the howl died away, leaving an eerie hush in its wake. Shalyer lay on his back, staring at the sky, mouth frozen open.

Leah’s shoulder burned, her breathing was now one agonised grunt after another. Hot breath caressed her face; she started, but it was only Varendis. He nickered softly as he nudged her arm with his head. “No... no, faithful one.” Leah could barely speak. “I release you now. Go home. Home...” As gently as she could she severed the mind link, tried to physically push him away.

But he stood his ground, ears pricked towards her.

“Go,” she whispered, using magic to push him.

Startled, he trotted away but didn’t go far.

Leah’s legs buckled. She fell heavily on her side, turning to lie on her back as agonised moans crept from her. “Take it away. I did what you wanted... kept my side of the bargain. Belosh... take it away, please...” But the only answer she got was the wind sighing over the now empty landscape. 

*          *          *          *

Through the red veil of pain, Leah sensed the change around her even as she heard Varendis’ terrified whinny. His hoof beats faded into the distance. She prised open her eyes. To meet the blood-red, jewel-bright gaze of a giant hooded serpent.

“You have done well,” hissed Belosh. “Better than I would have given you credit for.”

She had not the energy for small talk. “Take it.”

He regarded her thoughtfully, a bizarre expression when seen on a serpent. “You will die.”

“I’m dying anyway.”

“No. It is the dark essence in you that is keeping you alive. Without it, you would have died the moment the orb struck you. Without it, you will die. But if you keep it...”

She groaned as if the effort required to shake her head was too much. “I cannot... don’t want to live with it. It’s ruined my life. I would rather die without it than live with it.”

Belosh stared. “What a delicious conundrum you are, mortal. I can see, you know, as if it is a tangible thing, the part of you that revels in wielding magic. I felt it when you rode into battle, and I know you felt it too. Do not try to deny it, you know of what I speak: that element in you that yearns to give up everything in your life, and keep the magic. Yet here you are denying it. Choosing death instead.” He sighed. “I have to take the magic away, of course, I am bound by my oath.”

How odd to see a serpent smile, thought Leah then shuddered as he wound himself around her. The huge face hovered inches from hers.

“But I am not all bad,” he whispered.

She frowned. “What?”

His tongue flicked across her wounded shoulder.

For a moment, the pain sharpened; she whimpered. “What are you...?” Her unfinished question hung in the air when she realised she was alone. Distant laughter echoed in her ears. She lay staring at the pristine azure sky, feeling strangely at peace. The pain in her shoulder seemed to have numbed. I wonder if death will hurt…