insistent, her eyes wide and searching his. “We have a chance now, a chance to free ourselves! Join me in this fight. Our people, yours and mine, deserve better.”
Duncan closed his eyes, his newfound grip on clarity finding its first challenge in this world, slowly cracking like the top of cooled magma when the hot caldera below bubbled. He began to shake, the quest for his wife and child threatening to overcome any semblance of fortitude this place had carefully propped up.
He rose and in a voice echoing his grief he said simply, “Give me my wife. My debt is paid in full.”
The Lady watched him, her eyes seemingly measuring the tenuous hold he had on his own control. Then, as if understanding his precarious place, she let out a breath and said, “Sonya is a captive of Highlord Valarius on the isle of Avalyon.”
“What?” he screamed, unable to control himself any further.
Her guards reacted, as did the children, scattering behind the protective legs of their guardians. Everything in the throne room came to an awkward halt.
“Careful, Archmage,” she admonished, her eyes flashing like living sapphires, “you are not the only one here with power.” Slowly, the room regained its balance and things returned to normal. When he’d calmed himself enough, she continued, “I said, ‘all may not be as you wish.’ ”
“You expect me to believe Valarius Galadine survived the battle against your forces two hundred years ago? That he still lives, here?”
“Yet you believe the same of your wife? How is your quest any less foolhardy?” she asked in a tone that managed to somehow be both genuine and condescending.
Duncan stayed silent, the idea that Valarius had somehow survived had never occurred to him. Oh, the man was irritatingly full of himself, but if anyone could have cheated death it would have been Val. That thread of logic led him to his next realization. That would mean he and Sonya had spent the last two hundred years together… alone.
“You look ill, Lore Father,” said the blue-skinned demonlord. “May I get you something?”
Duncan ignored her, trying to catch his breath. Was Sonya truly his captive? They had stood against Lilyth together, and fought for the safety of Edyn. The three of them had been friends once, but that had been so long ago. “Where is Avalyon?” he asked carefully. Then he forced himself to smile, for he knew he was very much at Lilyth’s mercy.
Lilyth paused, searching his face, then said, “It stays between realms, appearing only when necessary, else my Furies would have found it by now and destroyed Valarius. He and his elves distract me from the more important battle with Sovereign. But you,” she looked at him calculatingly, “can accomplish a critical need in my efforts.”
“What?” he barked, the idea of yet another task laid at his feet irritating him beyond reason. Had he not been her agent in good faith these many years? The measure of their bargain had been the return of his wife, and Duncan was quickly coming to the conclusion that he may have to visit Val and secure Sonya’s release on his own.
She blinked once, then said something that seemed unrelated, startling him out of his reverie. “Did you know you have a son?”
Duncan felt the world tilt beneath him. He knew Sonya had been with child, but to know the truth… the baby had survived! Then the reason for her comment became clear. “You have him.”
“Born of Sonya, raised by me. He’s a fine boy, one that may yet make his father proud.”
Duncan moved forward with a snarl, but Lilyth raised her hand and he felt himself clenched in a hold so tight it was just short of crushing his ribs. He gasped, feeling his feet lift off the ground as the demonlord held him in her grasp.
“Do not tempt me, Lore Father,” she said icily, and for the first time true malevolence bled through her regal demeanor. “You’re nothing to me, a means to an end. If you become unmanageable, I will
Duncan closed his eyes, his newfound grip on clarity finding its first challenge in this world, slowly cracking like the top of cooled magma when the hot caldera below bubbled. He began to shake, the quest for his wife and child threatening to overcome any semblance of fortitude this place had carefully propped up.
He rose and in a voice echoing his grief he said simply, “Give me my wife. My debt is paid in full.”
The Lady watched him, her eyes seemingly measuring the tenuous hold he had on his own control. Then, as if understanding his precarious place, she let out a breath and said, “Sonya is a captive of Highlord Valarius on the isle of Avalyon.”
“What?” he screamed, unable to control himself any further.
Her guards reacted, as did the children, scattering behind the protective legs of their guardians. Everything in the throne room came to an awkward halt.
“Careful, Archmage,” she admonished, her eyes flashing like living sapphires, “you are not the only one here with power.” Slowly, the room regained its balance and things returned to normal. When he’d calmed himself enough, she continued, “I said, ‘all may not be as you wish.’ ”
“You expect me to believe Valarius Galadine survived the battle against your forces two hundred years ago? That he still lives, here?”
“Yet you believe the same of your wife? How is your quest any less foolhardy?” she asked in a tone that managed to somehow be both genuine and condescending.
Duncan stayed silent, the idea that Valarius had somehow survived had never occurred to him. Oh, the man was irritatingly full of himself, but if anyone could have cheated death it would have been Val. That thread of logic led him to his next realization. That would mean he and Sonya had spent the last two hundred years together… alone.
“You look ill, Lore Father,” said the blue-skinned demonlord. “May I get you something?”
Duncan ignored her, trying to catch his breath. Was Sonya truly his captive? They had stood against Lilyth together, and fought for the safety of Edyn. The three of them had been friends once, but that had been so long ago. “Where is Avalyon?” he asked carefully. Then he forced himself to smile, for he knew he was very much at Lilyth’s mercy.
Lilyth paused, searching his face, then said, “It stays between realms, appearing only when necessary, else my Furies would have found it by now and destroyed Valarius. He and his elves distract me from the more important battle with Sovereign. But you,” she looked at him calculatingly, “can accomplish a critical need in my efforts.”
“What?” he barked, the idea of yet another task laid at his feet irritating him beyond reason. Had he not been her agent in good faith these many years? The measure of their bargain had been the return of his wife, and Duncan was quickly coming to the conclusion that he may have to visit Val and secure Sonya’s release on his own.
She blinked once, then said something that seemed unrelated, startling him out of his reverie. “Did you know you have a son?”
Duncan felt the world tilt beneath him. He knew Sonya had been with child, but to know the truth… the baby had survived! Then the reason for her comment became clear. “You have him.”
“Born of Sonya, raised by me. He’s a fine boy, one that may yet make his father proud.”
Duncan moved forward with a snarl, but Lilyth raised her hand and he felt himself clenched in a hold so tight it was just short of crushing his ribs. He gasped, feeling his feet lift off the ground as the demonlord held him in her grasp.
“Do not tempt me, Lore Father,” she said icily, and for the first time true malevolence bled through her regal demeanor. “You’re nothing to me, a means to an end. If you become unmanageable, I will
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