Altered Intentions Read online

  Reyga glanced up at the keep, and then turned to the others. He raised his eyebrows without speaking. Silence was their only ally on this mission.

  Once everyone had signaled their readiness, the group made its way along the forest edge toward the side of the keep. When the tree line curved away from the Haven, they moved quickly to the stone base underneath the thick walls. The ground sloped downward as they crept toward the back of the keep, leaving a rough stone face reaching for the smooth granite walls above. Loose rock and gravel made each step treacherous, slowing their progress. Brin used his power to steady the rock as much as he dared. Too much power would reveal their presence, but one slip, and the next stop would be at the base of the slope far below, with the noise certain to attract unwanted attention from above.

  It seemed hours had passed when they finally reached the point they deemed the closest to the subterranean chamber holding the High One and the others. Reyga wiped a sheen of sweat from his face. The stress of moving over the precarious footing coupled with the constant possibility of discovery was almost as draining as had been the battle on the Scorched Plains. He could see the strain was wearing on the others as well. Only Brin appeared composed as they came to a stop.

  Without speaking, Brin motioned them all to the side. Here, he would have to use dimsai and hope to be quick enough for them to get into concealment without being seen. He took a deep breath, and then released it slowly as crimson power enveloped his hands. He extended his hands toward the rock, and his face hardened until it seemed to be made from the stone as well, the light from the dimsai painting his face in shadows and shades of red. The fiery glow extended from his hands until it caressed the stone, then it seemed to sink into the rock face.

  Reyga watched as, with a muffled scraping sound, the rock flowed away, leaving a circular cavity in the side of the cliff. To his ears, the rumbling sounded as loud as an avalanche, but no one appeared at the top of the wall to investigate. Still, he could not keep his heart from racing as Brin enlarged the opening enough to allow him to step inside.

  Rock continued to flow out of the hole, which now looked like a tunnel leading into the base of a volcano due to the glow of Brin’s power. After a few moments, he came back to the entrance and motioned to them. Reyga stepped into the opening and saw that Brin had extended it a dozen paces into the cliff face. Once all of them were inside, Brin turned to the entrance. Reyga watched the exit shrink as the rock flowed back into place. This was part of the plan, but he could not help feeling as if he were being entombed as the darkness became absolute.

  “Seryn, would you be so good as to give us some light?” Brin asked, once the entrance had been sealed. With the rock face restored, they could speak freely without fear of being overheard.

  Soft argent light filled the cavity as Seryn created a small orb of power.

  “Now the way grows easier, at least for a while,” Brin said. “I will move the rock out of the way, replacing it behind us as we go. Once we are close enough, I will create a much smaller hole to the cell. If the power in the walls of the cell is a shield, we do not want to attract attention.” He looked around at them. “Stay clear of the back wall. My attention will be on the front. I would prefer not to encase any of you in stone by accident.” The corner of his mouth crooked slightly. Reyga assumed it was his idea of a jest.

  He turned back to the front of the small cavern and power bloomed on his hands again. They began walking as the rock flowed away from the front of their stone cocoon, moving around and over them to be deposited at the back. In the crimson light of Brin’s power, Reyga could see small beads of sweat glistening on the Ruby Loremaster’s forehead, but he did not pause or slow his pace.

  “Stop,” Brelt said.

  Brin paused and turned to the apprentice.

  “Delani says we are close. She can hear you.”

  Brin wiped his face with his sleeve and turned back to the stone. Using one hand, he focused his power so that it created a small hole no larger than his wrist. Rock crawled out of the smaller hole as he slowly extended it deeper. After a few moments, he quenched his power. Reyga could see a faint light coming from the opening.

  “I have reached the cell,” Brin said. Then he moved to the other side of the chamber and repeated his actions, until he had created another opening on that side.

  “We are at a slight angle to the wall of their prison,” he said. “I will need to move slowly now, in case Regor has a shield in place that we cannot detect.”

  “A moment, Brin,” Seryn said as she stepped forward. “High One,” she said into the small hole, “are you well?”

  “I am better,” he answered, “but we must get out of here as quickly as possible.”

  Seryn moved back and Brin called his power. They watched as the rock began flowing again, although more slowly this time. Reyga had to force himself to stay calm and not insist that Brin move faster. It would not do to get this close, only to have foolish haste draw Regor’s attention.

  By the time they had a clear opening between them and the others, it seemed as if it had taken longer to go the last couple of paces than it had all of the distance before. He saw dried blood staining the side of the High One’s face. Other than that, they looked relatively unscathed. Borin took a step forward, but the High One grabbed his arm.

  “Wait. We do not want to trigger a trap.” He moved to the side of the opening and laid his hand on the stone. He slowly slid his hand along the wall toward the opening. As his fingers cleared the edge, the tips curled over the lip of the opening, just breaking the plane of the wall. He stepped back and nodded.

  “So, we can go through.” He rubbed his fingers together. “Although, I have some numbness in my fingertips.” He examined the edges of the opening. “If that extends to any part of our body that crosses the barrier, we may need assistance once we pass through. I wish we had more time to examine our options, but we must move quickly. Loremaster Jarril, can you open a portal back to your home? Once Regor finds that we are gone, I am hoping the distance and the fact that we are not going to a human village will give us some time.”

  “Of course, High One. But if I may, I hope we will not be there too long. I have no desire to bring Regor’s power to bear on my home and my people.”

  “We just need enough time to decide our next steps, and then we will move again.”

  “Thank you, High One. Shall I open the portal now?”

  “Yes. Every moment we delay could be one moment too long.”

  With a few gestures, a portal sprang into being inside the small chamber, creating a hole in the side of the cavity. Through the portal, light from torches mounted on stakes in the ground illuminated a small lane running between rows of cottages.

  “Very well,” the High One said. “Since we do not know what may happen to us when we go through, I will go first.”

  “High One,” Delani stepped forward, “you are injured. You should not risk yourself. Allow me.”

  He held up a hand to stop her, shaking his head. “I appreciate your concern, but as the leader of the Circle, it falls to me to assume the risk first.”

  Without waiting for her answer, he turned and pushed his arm through. Where his arm crossed the plane of the wall, dark spots of shadow danced on it. His hand hung limply from his wrist.

  “As I feared,” he said, gritting his teeth. “My arm is almost completely numb. Someone will need to hold me up when I come through.”

  Brin stepped forward and the High One pushed through the shadowy barrier, falling into Brin’s arms as his body went limp.

  “Hurry,” he slurred through slack lips.

  The remaining Loremasters wasted no time. Within seconds, Brelt supported Delani, Seryn held up Kalen, and Reyga and T’kel had Borin. Moving as quickly as they could, they went through the portal to Jarril’s village.

  *****

  The two moons were climbing through the night sky as Jason stared out the small window. More than anything else, the fi
rst time he had seen the second moon hanging in the sky had driven home the fact that he really was on an alien world. Only his father being here as well kept him from succumbing to a wave of self-pity and homesickness. His gaze dropped to the ground as he wondered what was happening back at Lore’s Haven, and if his dad was okay. To ease his misgivings, he told himself someone would keep an eye on his dad. Still, if Regor hadn’t been so focused on getting even with him, he would never have left him there.

  He looked at the two silvery orbs again. He wished Kenrik would have told him what it was that he was supposed to be seeing through the opening. During the day he could see nothing but the tops of trees, and tonight, over the blackness of the forest, all he could see were a few faint stars and the two moons which would soon be out of his range of vision as well. He leaned back against the post and was about to slide back down into a sitting position when Kenrik’s face appeared at the window, jerking him back to attention. He almost said something, but Kenrik put his hand over his own mouth and shook his head. When Kenrik saw that he wasn’t going to speak, he nodded. It may have been the shadows, but he didn’t seem nearly as crazy now as he had earlier.

  Then something else appeared at the window in the man’s hand. A small knife. Being very careful not to touch the frame, he tossed it at Jason’s feet. Jason slid the ropes down the pole until he could reach down and pick it up. Getting a firm grip, he started sawing at the heavy rope. There appeared to be thin metal threads wound into the cord. He looked closer. It looked like the same metal as in the shackles. Never mind that, he chastised himself, and resumed working on the rope. A few minutes later the last strands parted and fell away from his neck. His head jerked up as he heard a familiar voice in his mind.

  “Now tie the ends of the rope to the post so that they won’t know you’re free.”

  His eyes snapped to the face at the window. Kenrik stared at him intently, pointing at the rope on the ground. Jason didn’t waste time even though there were more than a few questions scrambling around in his head. He picked up one of the ends and started looping it around the post.

  Who are you? he thought at Kenrik, but got no answer. Either Kenrik wasn’t talking, or the communication only worked one way. Then it hit him. The rope! Bartel had said it prevented dimsai from working. He finished the knot, but before he reached for the other end he sent, Can you hear me?

  “Yes, now tie the rope. Hurry!”

  He tied the other end as quickly as he could. Now what?

  Come over here. When Jason walked to the window, Kenrik reached through, again being careful not to touch the frame, and grabbed Jason’s shoulder. Then everything went dark. A small orb of energy appeared, floating above Kenrik’s hand. Kenrik motioned upward, and the glowing sphere floated up until it hovered overhead. Jason saw by its light that the two of them were standing just inside the entrance to a cave.

  “Okay, who are you?” Jason asked. “Because you’re sure not nasaiken.”

  “And I thought I used to have bad manners,” Kenrik said. “You could say ‘thank you.’”

  Jason started to repeat his question, but then caught himself. “You’re right. Thank you. Now will you tell me who you are and what’s going on?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Kenrik said. “All that’s important is that you’re free and you have a job to do.”

  “A job?” How did he know about Jason's mission? His eyes narrowed. “It was you talking to me when I went to the Riftlands.” A wisp of memory drifted through his mind. “You’re Nivek, aren’t you?”

  Kenrik cocked his head. “Why do you say that?”

  “’Cause when you were doing all the changing during that meeting at the battle, this is one of the people you changed into. I just now realized it.”

  Kenrik stared at him a moment, and then shook his head with a little smile. His features shifted and his stance straightened until a dark-haired boy about Jason's own age stood in the old man's place. “Mom said you were quick. All the people I change into are people I remember from before the war. People from our neighborhood.”

  “Mom? You’re Nyala’s son! From the picnic.” Now that he knew, he could see the resemblance.

  “She told you about that? Well, you’re right. Nyala’s my mother.”

  “And this guy you were pretending to be. Who’s he?”

  “You sure ask a lot of questions.” He took a step away, looking around the cave. “He was just an old man that lived a couple of doors from us. He was always sitting in his front yard, and always had a smile for you. If he’d had any kids, he would have been a good grandfather.” He turned back to Jason. “But we don’t have time for this. You have to find my mother and free her somehow.”

  A sudden rush of anger overwhelmed him.

  “You could help!” he shouted in Nivek's face. His fists clenched until his arms ached and his body shook in fury. What is this? What's wrong with me? Where did that come from? Nivek looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. Suddenly, he understood. Lenai! It wasn't his anger he was feeling, it was hers. With an effort, he forced his muscles to relax.

  “Wait a second,” he said to Nivek's shocked expression. Deep breaths, Jason, he told himself. After a few moments he pulled his emotions back in check, although his muscles still twitched occasionally. The depths of Lenai's fury pushed every other thought from his mind. He'd never felt an emotion that strong from her. What could be happening that had her in such a rage? Then the intense emotion vanished as quickly as it had come. The sudden release made his head swim.

  “Sorry.” He took a long, shaky breath as his thoughts cleared. “Something's wrong with Lenai.”

  “Who's Lenai? And how do you know something’s wrong with her?”

  “She's a Shanthi girl. We're bonded, like our souls are tied together somehow. I can feel what she feels and she can feel what I feel. Just then, she was really, really mad.” He checked his feelings. “But I don't feel anything now. Something's wrong. I need to help her.”

  “Jason, listen to me. I don't know what's happening with her, but if you really want to help her and everyone else in Teleria, you have to get my mother out.”

  “But—”

  “This is about more than one person. With the Altered in charge, everyone in Teleria will suffer. People have already died.”

  That set him back. He couldn't help but wonder if it was anyone he knew. With Regor in charge of Lore's Haven, it very well could be.

  “But Lenai...”

  “I don't know Lenai, but I am familiar with the Shanthi. Ask yourself: what would she want you to do?”

  He didn't even have to wonder what her answer would be to such a question.

  “Then why don't you help me get Nyala out?”

  “I can't. It takes two Altered to set her free. And even if I tried, they'd know and I'd be put in another prison just like hers. Then I wouldn’t be any use to either one of us. I’m sorry, but it’s up to you.”

  “But even if I figure out how, won’t they just put her back in that glowing ball again?”

  “Maybe,” Nivek said. “But if they put me in one too, you won’t have any friends among the Altered at all.” He looked around nervously. “I’ve got to go. I’ve been here too long already.” He gave Jason a hard look. “Free my mother.”

  Jason shook his head as he stared at the empty footprints in the sand. Why does everyone think I can do everything? He walked out of the cave into the moonlight and looked around. The trees crowded close enough to the entrance that, unless someone knew it was there, it would be easy to miss the opening. I need to know what’s going on with the Circle. Reyga needed to know what he'd felt from Lenai too. He'd know what to do. He thought for a moment, and then started to open a portal before stopping himself. I don’t really want to go there at night. He would wait in the cave until morning, and then try to contact Reyga.

  *****

  The portal closed behind Tal as Jarril stepped through. He looked around at the small village. Jarril indi
cated a nearby house.

  “High One, Loremasters, please come to my home. We can discuss our next move beside a warm fire.”

  “You are most gracious, Loremaster Jarril,” Tal said, as they followed the Amber Loremaster to his house.

  “High One, we must treat your injury.” Seryn was eyeing the dried blood on the side of his head.

  “Now is not the time, Loremaster Seryn,” he said. He tried to move his head as little as possible. Any sudden move could bring a wave of dizziness, and, with his limbs still tingling from Regor's power, Brin would have to bear all of his weight if he were to fall. “We need to keep moving. I do not wish to spend any more time than necessary in any one place. I only pause now to allow the four of us to regain the feeling in our limbs. There will be time for healing later.”

  Jarril opened the door to his home and then stopped suddenly as the tip of a sword caressed his throat.

  “Reeka?” he asked.

  “Jarril?” a female voice answered from inside. “Is that you?”

  “It is unless you slip with the blade.”

  The sword fell to the ground as a woman came through the door and wrapped her arms around Jarril.

  “Oh, Jarril, I am so glad you are here! So much has been happening. These strange beings appeared and told us they were taking over Teleria, and then Seerka came and said we needed to prepare for yet another war! When I could not reach you at Lore's Haven, I feared the worst. Then I heard voices outside and…” Her voice faded.

  “Let go your fears, my dear. As you can see, I am well.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Now, can you build up the fire? I have the Circle with me. We need to discuss recent events and what we need to do next.”

  Reeka let go of Jarril, as if noticing for the first time that he was not alone. “Of course.” She turned to them. “I apologize for my outburst. Please, be welcome in our home.”