Prologue
The pain was unimaginable. She dragged herself along the
ground with her one working arm, at turns scrabbling at tree
roots or shrubs and at others digging her hand as deep into
the earth as she could manage before hauling her broken body
as far as possible. In the past hour, she had moved
approximately fifteen feet.
She knew she was going to die. The horrors that had been
visited upon her were so atrocious that she couldn't even
think of them now. It was as though a black haze coated her
memory.
But her attackers had left her in sight of a platform
that could get her to Central. They had no way of knowing it
because, being Mercesti, they were unable to see the heavily
enchanted travel system. The platform glimmered to her like
a taunting beacon, however, bouncing lightly on the waves.
If she'd had the required energy left, she would have
extended her wings and flown to it.
Animal–like sounds left her throat as she struggled
for the strength to move. If she could somehow get to the
platform, perhaps someone at Central could help her. And if
she was very fortunate, kyria Amber or archigos Gabriel
might even be in attendance. They could heal her.
Once more, she stretched her right arm in front of her.
The ground onto which she was emerging from the forest was
sandy and open. If any of her attackers remained nearby,
they would see her. While that thought terrified her, she
couldn't fight the instinct to survive. She knew she had to
try. So she pressed her hand into the blazing hot sand until
she had enough of a grip to pull herself. Then she strained
her already aching bicep and heaved herself forward as much
as she could.
She didn't even move a foot.
Although she thought her attackers had wrought all of the
tears from her, she realized now that wasn't the case. They
tracked down her bruised and broken face, joining with her
sweat and plopping into the sand beneath her head. Heat
radiated from the unforgiving surface beneath her, burning
her already punished skin.
A sound to her right had her stiffening in fear. She made
a whimpering sound as distinct footfalls grew nearer.
Her enemies must have returned to finish what they
started. The tears continued unchecked as she carefully
removed her hand from the sand in hopes she could do at
least a little damage to the next male who hurt her. She
would fight until she couldn't.
But the being approaching her stopped on her left side.
She tried to move her head toward her left and couldn't.
Another pained sound escaped her.
The presence knelt. He said, "Ah, Luvania. What have you
gotten yourself into?"
She couldn't turn her head and her vision was blurred by
tears and exhaustion, but recognition was immediate.
Although she hadn't heard that voice in over fifty years,
she could identify it. He still managed to sound both
impatient with the world and infinitely bored by it. And at
the moment, there was a gentleness beneath his tone she
would never have expected.
"I am afraid your injuries are beyond my ability to
repair," he said. "I have seen others emerge from the water
where you appear to be trying to reach. I can get you to the
platform with your assistance."
She couldn't find the energy to speak, so made another
sound in her throat and moved her head in a form of a nod.
"This will hurt."
He lifted her. Pain screamed through her body. She
squeezed her eyes shut against it. When she again opened her
eyes, she realized they were in the water. She must have
passed out.
"Thought I might have lost you there," he said. "Are you
ready for placement on the platform?"
Why would he not get on it with her? The thought floated
through her head and then faded as insignificant. They had
only a couple feet more to go. Extending her right arm
toward the platform, she indicated she was ready. He
obligingly moved forward. When her hand came into contact
with the platform, more tears welled in her eyes. He settled
her on it and stepped away.
"Good fortune to you, Luvania," he said.
She once again thought to ask why he wasn't accompanying
her, but by then she was lifting into the sky.
The trip took an eternity. She lost consciousness more
than once. Each time, she saw her rescuer's face in her
mind, though she hadn't actually glimpsed him during their
encounter. Thoughts of him from the past as well as what he
had just done for her kept her focused, overriding the
brutality she had endured.
She wanted to thank him. Wanted to praise him for giving
her hope merely moments after she had given up and decided
she was going to die. She wanted to help him as he had
helped her. Surely he needed her help if he was living on
the mainland and had removed himself from existence for over
five decades.
Her delirium grew. Thinking became difficult. But at long
last, through vision that was slowly fading to gray, she saw
the outline of Central approaching.
She had made it.
The platform eased its way into Central's loading bay.
The darkness of the underground cavern had her blinking to
try and focus. It did her no good.
Her brain registered the sounds around her, but couldn't
interpret them. The pain had leeched from her body. She
understood then that it had all been for nothing. Her
efforts. His efforts. For nothing.
"Holy light!" she heard.
There were other sounds. Other exclamations. People
touching her. But she no longer felt anything. She
registered only one lingering image.
"Luvania, can you hear me?"
Something flickered in her mind at the echoing voice.
Caoilinn.
"Luvania, can you tell us who did this to you?" the
Lekwuesti commander asked, her words filled with urgency.
She wanted to tell them. They needed to know. Others
would be at risk as she had been. There were dangers beyond
any Estilorian's knowledge lurking on the mainland.
So she struggled to work her strained vocal chords as
darkness clouded her mind. There was something important she
had to tell them. Wasn't there?
Then she remembered. The image she had carried with her
on the ride to Central. Someone she needed to help.
And with her last breath, she told them.
"Zachariah."