The Calling (The Andovia Chronicles Book 1) Read online

  Gods, had he sensed her power?

  No, he couldn’t. She had the band on.

  “Guard!”

  Nyx flinched, and her heart pounded in her ears. If they came for her, she’d whip the bracelet off and let her power roam free. Keeping her power a secret would no longer matter then.

  A guard came in, dragging another man with him. A slave, she realised, a winged fae like those she had seen on Doringa. Long blue hair trailed down his neck, his large catlike eyes were bruised and his frame was thin from lack of nourishment.

  What was Gideon up to?

  “Someone has been stealing from my chamber. I’ve already questioned my personal guards who are loyal to me,” Gideon said. “Now I want you to read his thoughts and find out if he’s the one responsible.”

  “But I can’t,” Nyx protested. Blood roared through her ears as her panic rose. What could she do to avoid using her power? Would the band even be enough to hold it back?

  “You will or you will both die,” Gideon growled.

  “And if I do?” Her voice came out stronger than she expected. “I will not help you sentence this man to death. I am a thief, not a murderer.”

  “Then you get to live a little longer.”

  Nyx scoffed at that. “You won’t kill me. I’m too important. That’s why you sent your brother to find me.” She knew she was right. “You need me for something, don’t you?”

  He thought he could intimidate her — he could, but she knew he wouldn’t kill her. His prophecy was too important for that.

  “I only pick up bits and pieces. I became known as a good thief because I’m fast. Not because of my power or because I made anyone forget.”

  “Read him,” Gideon snapped. “I won’t keep you alive unless you prove useful to me, so don’t think otherwise. You are not important. You are as worthless as dirt, and your death would mean nothing to me.”

  The fae servant flinched as the guard forced him to his knees.

  Nyx bit her lip and headed over to him. Would her power even work? She couldn’t breathe. “I — I have never read a fae before. Human thoughts are easier to pick up on.”

  “Try harder. If you don’t, you’ll die. If you refuse, I’ll kill him.” Gideon motioned to the guard who drew a dagger and held it against the servant’s throat.

  The man whimpered. “Please help me,” he pleaded with Nyx. “I didn’t do anything. I swear I didn’t steal anything.”

  “You’ll kill him anyway.” Nyx crossed her arms. Gods, forgive me. She hated bargaining with someone’s life like this, but she couldn’t risk Gideon seeing her fear. If he did, he would know he had power over her.

  “If you do as I asked you and you fail, you will receive a quick death. If not, he will suffer first.”

  The poor man would die no matter what she did.

  She closed her eyes. Her heart pounded faster. Buzzing came from his mind, but she couldn’t make out the words. “I’m not getting anything. I can’t read fae.”

  “Then I’ll have him suffer. The longer you take, the more he will have to endure. Can you really bear to watch that?” Gideon chuckled. The guard kicked the man in the back, making him crumble to the floor. “The more you refuse, the more I will have him beaten, but then again, you are a killer yourself. You probably care nothing for your fellow fae. In that case, feel free to watch him suffer and die a slow, painful death.”

  “Punishing him won’t get me to do what I can’t. My powers are unreliable, especially on a fae.”

  “Use your touch on him. Make sure he talks then.”

  Nyx shook her head. “You don’t understand. I already touched him, and I can’t get anything.” She didn’t have to pull off a convincing lie. The fae’s thoughts were a jumbled mess; she couldn’t make much sense of them.

  Gideon sneered. “Mind whisperers can touch someone’s mind and force them to do whatever they want. That’s why they were wiped out.”

  “My power doesn’t work that way. I only hear fragments of thoughts. Nothing substantial. All of those stories you think are true are nothing but exaggerations.” Nyx shook her head. “I have no real power.”

  Gideon gave a harsh laugh. “I know you better than you think. I had people watching you for weeks. They saw how you touched people and forced them to give you whatever you wanted.”

  Her stomach dropped. She had told Harland how she thought someone was following her before he died. He had scoffed at that. “Why should I believe you? If you think I’m so powerful, you wouldn’t have given me to your brother. That means you are not certain, are you, prince?”

  “Or perhaps you need a stronger motivation. I could have one of your sisters brought here. I’m sure they’d make fine slaves.”

  All colour drained from her face. Could her sisters be in Andovia?

  No, they couldn’t be. She would know. They would call her in thought… unless they couldn’t reach her. What if they were locked up unconscious somewhere? Bile rose in her throat and she forced herself to swallow it back down.

  “You are bluffing.” She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t have my sisters. Even if you did, they mean nothing to me anymore. They didn’t even do anything to help save me after I was sentenced to death.” Nyx knew she somehow had to convince Gideon there was no one she cared about, no one he could use as leverage against her, especially not her sisters.

  Gideon grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked it so hard her leather bracelet snapped and fell off. “Am I? Do you want to take the risk?”

  Nyx gasped as Gideon then let go of her. She didn’t know what to do. Should she grab hold of her bracelet again? Her heart pounded so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest. Had he sensed her power? If so, why hadn’t he done anything? No, she had to stay calm. Panicking would only make things worse.

  Nyx grabbed the servant. She would find out what he knew and needed her full power to do so. Tell me if you stole from the prince.

  Nothing happened.

  “Why isn’t anything happening?” Gideon demanded. “If you are trying to trick me, the consequences will be dire.”

  “I told you I can’t use my touch or whatever you called it. I do sense he is innocent. I’m good at sensing whether someone is lying.” She raised her chin with more confidence than she felt.

  Gideon growled at her. “Get out.”

  “What?” She couldn’t believe it. Didn’t he want to torture her some more?

  “I said, get out!”

  Another guard came in and made a grab for her. Nyx didn’t need to be told again.

  She bent, grabbed her bracelet, then ran from the room. The guard led her outside then told her to go. He slammed the door shut before she had a chance to ask how she would get back to Eldara.

  Nyx found herself alone outside in a deserted courtyard. Why hadn’t the guard conjured the transport circle?

  Wonderful, first the prince dragged her here, then he abandoned her. She didn’t know Avenia well enough to know where to go. How would she get back to Eldara, in the dark no less?

  Nyx muttered a curse. Why had Gideon thrown her out? Did he even have her sisters? She didn’t expect him to even know about them. If he did have them, she had to find them. But first, she had to talk to the druid.

  Why hadn’t her power worked? The band had come off. Had Gideon somehow known that it had been repressing her power? The druid would know the answer to that question; he knew his brother better than anyone and might know what kind of game he was playing.

  Stupid, stupid. She had shown her weakness to Gideon. Nyx still didn’t know why he had grabbed hold of her wrist or even why her power hadn’t worked. She pulled the band out of her pocket and frowned at it. Had it repressed her powers so much it no longer worked? She would have to repair it. Gods, what if Gideon had sensed her full power after he snapped the band off her wrist when he grabbed her?

  No, if he had, he wouldn’t have let her go.

  She sighed. Druid? she called. I’m stuck now. Can you help
me get back to the house?

  No response came.

  Had the band made her completely powerless?

  Druid?

  Was he ignoring her?

  Darius? She tried instead. Come on, druid. I’m stranded.

  Her senses prickled as someone came up behind her and grabbed her before she had a chance to react.

  Chapter 22

  Darius crouched in the grass close to the open rift in Migara. Lucien strode over to him in wolf form. Night was the ideal time to track the darklings as the rift usually became more active then.

  Ambrose had gone off to another council meeting, so Darius convinced Lucien to come on the hunt with him. It was strange not having Nyx around and he guessed he must have grown used to her presence. He hadn’t wanted her to meet with Gideon either, but there was nothing either of them could do about it.

  What are we looking for? Lucien asked. I don’t see anything.

  Darius motioned to the faint green flashes of the rift in the darkness. He hadn’t conjured any orbs because he wanted them to remain hidden. We are waiting to see what comes through. He almost wished Nyx were there. She could sense the darklings better than anyone.

  Darius kept his senses on alert and waited.

  They didn’t have to wait long.

  A large black mass came out of the rift, blacking out the faint, green shimmers of the veil.

  What is that? Lucien asked.

  Darius shook his head. No idea, but we are going to find out.

  The creature grappled up onto the embankment on the other side of the rift. Darius couldn’t make out what it was.

  It turned and disappeared into the distance. Darius’ mouth fell open. How had it vanished? One moment it was there the next it was gone.

  They had to track that thing.

  Lucien leapt from the bush and darted around the rift, a blur in the dark.

  Darius knew he wouldn’t be able to track him on foot, so he whistled for Sirin to appear. The dragon swooped down, her skin like moonlight.

  Darius scrambled onto her back and they took to the air. Darius had to keep his senses focused or he would lose track of Lucien. He sent his senses out like a net, scanning for his friend and any sign of the strange creature they had seen emerge from the rift.

  Nothing.

  Whatever it was, it had vanished.

  Lucien, have you found it?

  No, it disappeared.

  How could it disappear? It looked like flesh and blood.

  If it’s a spirit, it could have moved between the planes easily enough.

  Darius groaned. It didn’t look like a spirit. We have to find it.

  You should call your fae. She could help us, Lucien suggested.

  If you mean Nyx, she’s not my anything. And she can’t help. She had to go and see my brother. Darius scanned the area again with his senses but found nothing.

  That was a couple of hours ago. Perhaps she’s back now.

  Darius would be glad if she was. They could use her help.

  Nyx? He reached out to her with his mind. Nyx?

  No answer came.

  Why wasn’t she answering?

  Something moved out of the shadows: the creature he had seen emerge from the rift.

  “The girl is gone. Soon she will be dead and the way between the worlds will stay open forever,” it said.

  “Gone?” Darius frowned. “Gone where?” His chest tightened. Had something happened to Nyx? Maybe that was why she hadn’t answered him.

  The creature laughed. “You have no idea what is coming, do you, druid?”

  Lucien rounded the corner. “Why don’t you enlighten us?” He growled.

  The creature laughed again. “The dark time shall come again. All of Erthea will burn and be torn asunder.”

  Darius raised his hand and cast a web of energy around it. He had to contain the creature and figure out what it was. The creature thrashed against the glowing web of energy and roared with fury. In one swift move, it broke through the web and launched itself at Darius. Darius raised his hand and fired a bolt of lightning at it. The creature screamed as its flesh smouldered, then it darted off in the opposite direction.

  “Hurry, after it!” Darius called out to his friend.

  Lucien blurred away, and Darius urged Sirin onward. The dragon flapped her massive wings and took to the air once again. Trees spread out like gnarled phantoms below them and Lucien vanished underneath the thick canopy of leaves.

  Where had that damned creature gone? And what had it meant?

  He didn’t know how it could have broken through his web either. Webs were designed to contain things, only something with great power would have been able to get through.

  Darius would have to get to the Hall of Knowledge and check things out, but first, he had to find the creature again. He raised his hand and cast a tracking spell. Light flared between his fingers and whirled around them before it shot out through the night sky.

  Luc, have you found anything?

  Again with the Luc. And, no, I haven’t. That thing moves fast.

  Nyx? He reached out her again with his mind but felt no sign of her. Nor did she reply.

  Darius guided the dragon lower, the wind rushed past his face, and it took several moments before he found a space in the thick canopy big enough for them to get through. Sirin screeched as she drove through the gap. Giant leaves whacked against them as they descended lower into the forest. Orbs of light danced all around the dark trees that stood like silent sentinels.

  Where had that creature disappeared to? He had to find it before it hurt someone or worse. Although perhaps then Gideon and the rest of the high council would take the threat of the rifts seriously.

  His dragon circled around, careful not to collide with any of the overhanging canopy or endless tree branches. Darius sent his senses out again, scanning the surrounding area for signs of anything unnatural. Earth, air and water all pulsed around him in different directions. The energy here in the forest thrummed with its own steady rhythm, yet the tear in the veil prickled at the edge of his mind like an open wound. Poison was seeping out of it, and if they didn’t find a way to stop it soon, he dreaded to think what would happen to the island and the rest of the realm.

  Nyx? He reached out to her one more time in case she heard him.

  No response came.

  Darius, I have lost the creature’s scent. I don’t know where it has gone.

  His mind raced with thoughts. What did the creature want? So far things had been attacking Nyx. Were she and the rift somehow connected? If she was part of the prophecy, he supposed that could be true.

  Maybe Gideon would know where she was.

  Gideon? He called his brother. Is Nyx still with you? Is she alright? He cursed himself for the last question. He knew better than to ask such a thing. It wasn’t as if Gideon would tell him if he had hurt her.

  What do you want now, brother? Gideon sighed.

  I need my servant back. Where is she?

  How should I know? Gideon sounded impatient. She is your servant, not mine. It’s not my responsibility to keep her in line.

  She left to answer your summons. So, where is she? His hands clenched into fists as he fought to keep his anger under control. Why couldn’t his brother just give him a straight answer?

  She’s not here. I dismissed her a while ago.

  Darius gritted his teeth. Did you send her back to Ambrose’s house? Knowing his brother, he probably would have tossed Nyx out to find her own way back to Eldara.

  No, I sent her away.

  You mean you threw her out without bothering to make sure she got back safely. Darius groaned. Why couldn’t Gideon be considerate of others? Nyx wouldn’t be able to find her way back since he hadn’t shown her how to use transportation circles yet for fear she would use them to escape.

  She’s a servant, brother. Nothing more. If she can’t find her own way around, send her to the slave islands where she belongs, Gideon snapped. All
of those stories about her seem untrue — unless she somehow hid her powers from me. One way or another, I will find out. If she proves to be useless, we might as well kill her. A powerless mind whisperer is no good to anyone.

  When did she leave? Darius knew he had to find Nyx. He had become less worried about her running away over the past couple of weeks, but he did fear she might get lost somewhere.

  How should I know? I don’t keep tabs on the comings and goings of servants.

  Darius ended the connection and muttered an oath. Why did Gideon have to be so careless? Anything could have happened to Nyx now, but finding her would have to wait a little longer. Finding that creature took priority.

  He urged the dragon lower, closer to the ground so they could see more. Sirin screeched, uneasy.

  I don’t sense that strange creature anywhere, she told him.

  Where had that damn thing gone to? His spell had turned up nothing.

  Darius gritted his teeth again and chanted another spell, this time to find an intended target. Orbs of light shot through the night sky, descending into the darkness below them.

  Darius waited a few moments as Sirin circled around, taking everything in.

  Nothing. His spell fizzled out and dissolved into nothingness. Why weren’t any of his spells working? These spells had been used in the Forest Guard for generations, and he had druid magic on his side.

  Maybe he needed to rely more on his druid magic — and the things his father had taught him. Darius hated everything about the darker side of magic, but that creature had been something born of darkness — he had sensed as much when he first saw it. Maybe dark magic was the only way to find it.

  He hesitated then chanted the words to a druid tracking spell. Sparks of light crackled between his fingers as the high magic flared to life. Darius hated the feeling of exhilaration that came whenever he called upon the darker side of his powers.

  The sparks curled around his fingers as he clenched them into a fist, almost reluctant to let them go. He sighed, then released the spell. Find the creature I seek.

  The orbs shot out into the night, leaving a trail of golden light in their wake.

  I sense dark magic in the air, Lucien remarked.