| THE LORELEI SIGNAL |
.
| Written by Anita Siraki / Artwork by Steve Cartwright |
| Make a donation to this writer |
| Widow |
Everything was gone. Her kingdom, her husband and
child—gone. Ilyana sat on a pile of velvet cushions in the cabin
of the former flagship of her defeated fleet. The roar of the
approaching waterfall drowned out the screams of the traitors
and prisoners locked in the holds below. The people of
Elthuzah sentenced her to death because she’d tried to
convince them she could use her magic to help them. They
didn’t believe her, queen she had been. She imagined herself
on deck, the wind whipping through her thick raven tresses.
Ilyana ran a delicate hand through her hair brushing it from
her eyes, leaning forward on the cushions. In her mind’s eye,
she ran to the prow of the ship and bent over the rail, staring
into the roiling abyss.
With a sigh, she thought of her reason for being on the ship;
Mael. A manipulative sorcerer, he’d promised her more
powers in exchange for the lives of her husband, child, and
people. She’d agreed, thinking she could kill the sorcerer with
the newfound powers she never received. She couldn’t
believe how blind she’d been not to have seen through his
deception. Elthuzah had never had a ruling high mage;
Instead of gaining additional magic to aid her people, she’d
lost all the magic she’d had to begin with and Mael took over
Elthuzah. Her desire to prove mages weren’t evil failed.
The ship swayed gently back and forth. Beads of sweat
clustered on her forehead. Why would the ship not hurry and
plunge? The waiting was torture. She admitted to herself she
probably deserved to die for the uses of magic she’d employed,
but the greed for those powers that once consumed her had
finally left.
She’d lost all ambition when she’d tried to regain her magic:
spells, charms, everything. Not powerful enough to confront
Mael, she’d given up.
Moonlight didn’t dare to seep through the windows. Blackness engulfed her. Unable to see anything, she closed her eyes.
She heard a muffled noise and shot upright.
The portal to the abyss came into view, growing nearer as she watched; a swirling whirlpool that glowed an eerie red. She
lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. In a few moments, she would leave the ills of the world behind forever.
Glass and wood shattered. It had come from the foot of her bed, the window and chunks of wood now lying broken. Her
eyes shot open. Hanging from a ladder, a man stepped onto the bed, then grabbed her by the hand and pulled her outside
before she had a chance to object. They both dangled on the lowest step of the rope ladder for a moment. “Hurry up and
climb before this rope burns my hand.” His tone was urgent.
The stranger climbed not far behind. He pointed the direction she should take on deck and sprinted after her. Below, the
ship plummeted into the dazzling, red light of the abyss.
Pulling Ilyana aboard a small airship, the stranger helped her to her feet. A few stray locks of blazing red hair tumbled over
his face made dark by working under the sun. Warmth radiated from his brown eyes.
Waves of heat and cold washed over her. Her heartbeat reverberated in her ears. She bit her lower lip as her hands
twitched. Who was this rogue and why hadn’t he let her die? He couldn’t be from the main city of Elthuzah; almost
everyone despised her there.
“I’m lucky I found you when I did,” he said. “No one else can help me.”
She furrowed her brows. “Are you sure you have the right person? I think you made a mistake, rogue.” She said the word
like it was something unholy and bestial.
“Please, call me Eiric,” he replied. “Based on rumor of your beauty and arrogance, I think I’ve found the right person.”
She forced a smile. “Who would that be?”
“Widow,” he replied, which prompted her to laugh.
“Do you know how long it has been since I’ve gone by that name?”
“So you are who I’m looking for.” He smiled. Eiric took the helm and steered the airship to a nearby dock. There seemed
to be no other crew members aboard the ship, but then, many mercenaries were known to have stolen ships like this one,
and larger, if they worked in groups.
When they landed, he assisted her onto a dock of weathered, gray planks. Together, they walked to an eatery serving fish.
It was dark now, and cold. Ilyana shuddered slightly as gusts of wind blew at her. She held her cloak more tightly to her,
revealing fragile, white hands.
When Eiric began to remove his fur coat, Ilyana put up a hand. “I’m fine.”
#
Inside, the odor of freshly poached fish filled Eiric’s nostrils and mingled with the other smells of ale and sweat from the
many men that littered the tiny, warm place. He knew she had best try to hide her from them. These people were brute
savages and frequently fought over women.
Eiric went to pull Ilyana’s chair out for her, but she waved a hand at him dismissively, seating herself. She rubbed her
hands together and removed her hood to reveal a face whiter than any patch of snow Eiric had ever seen.
“I admit to having once been Widow,” she began, combing a hand through her black hair. “But I’m no longer able to do
the things I did. Why do you need me?”
He paused for a moment. “I need you to retrieve something of great value that is neither jewel nor sword. It isn’t even
physical.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I can?”
“You were able to destroy an entire kingdom all on your own,” he said and took a sip of ale.
She drew back a little and her eyes softened. “That was a very long time ago. Whatever it is you want of me, I refuse. My
powers aren’t what they once were.”
Eiric furrowed his brows. “It was a mistake to ask for your help.”
Ilyana scoffed. “You aren’t the first to have said that.”
“Listen, I helped you escape out of necessity. I had no other choice.”
Her expression darkened. “I’m not what I used to be. What I did was wrong, but at the time, I was blind to what went on
around me.”
He took a swig of ale. “I don’t trust you. But I’m desperate. I’m prepared to offer you a reward, of course.”
She laughed. “How do you know what I want? You don’t know anything about me.”
He examined her seriously. “I know you lost all you held dear when your magic subverted you.”
“Even if I could help you, what makes you think I will? If you understood me well, you would know why I lost it all. I
used to be a force of evil feared much more than Mael.” Her face contorted as she said the name.
He nodded understandingly. “He’s the one who rules and molds the land now, is he not?”
There was a look of desperation in her eyes then. “And the one who tricked me into sacrificing what I held dear for more
power—a lie,” she said, her voice shaky.
“I’ll give you a chance to confront Mael.”
She seemed to be deep in thought. “I want a chance to make what is wrong right. If you can give me the chance to
confront Mael, I will try to retrieve what you need—what is it?”
He took her tiny, cold hands into his. “My soul.”
#
Ilyana and Eiric set out for the only place she knew of where she could possibly retrieve his soul, the only place her
remaining magic could work—the cave of Lelan.
Few knew of the existence of the cave, located within a barren mountain range on the northern limits of Elthuzah’s
territory. She had made her bargain with Mael there—and the demi-god had robbed her of everything. Except my life, she
thought.
They boarded his airship once more. The smell of seawater filled her nostrils as the wind whipped her hair back.
“I wonder, wouldn’t it be much easier if you teleported us to the cave?” he whispered.
Ilyana took in a long breath and exhaled. “If I could do that, what makes you think I would put up with this airship?”
He looked away. “Sail on we shall”.
#
The two sailed north for several days, stopping by shores every so often to hunt game in the forests they called their
temporary home. Every night, Eiric would use an axe he carried to chop wood for fires. The forest was the most peaceful
place he had been to. The sounds of crickets in the evening lulled him to sleep. In the mornings, birds chirping cheerfully
woke him.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the trees. The smell of roast deer lingered in the air, even though they’d eaten a few
hours earlier. Ilyana sat with her back to an oak tree, saying nothing.
He lay beside the fire, opposite her. Heavy drops of water slapped his face, followed by more in an intense patter of rain at
which point he rushed into a nearby tree gnarl, forgetting the fire, now gone out.
Eiric watched as Ilyana curled up into a ball under the tree, throwing a blanket over herself. The wetness of the rainwater
spread all over her. Soon, the blanket was drenched. He pretended not to notice Ilyana’s huddled form but wished she
would stop torturing herself in an attempt to prove to him she could survive in harsh conditions. He wished she would
stop being so stubborn and come into the gnarl where it was warm and safe.
A moment later, she threw the wet blanket off herself and screamed. “I could catch a cold and die like this while you sit
there in your shelter without a care in the world!”
He smiled. “It must be difficult for you realizing life is often unfair and one must prepare oneself to deal with that.” But
even if she needed to see how life outside the sheltered walls of a palace was, he didn’t want to see her suffer.
“Just move over and make room for me,” she said and crawled into the gnarl. Eiric draped a dry blanket around her.
“But what about you?” she said, clutching the blanket tightly.
He chuckled. “I am used to cold winds and rain and I don’t get sick very often. Our lives are very different, highness.”
She rolled her eyes in response.
For minutes, neither said a word. Eiric interrupted the silence. “How exactly did you lose your loved ones?”
“I don’t need to tell you anything. All I agreed to do was get your soul back, not tell you about my foolish mistakes.” She
paused. “I’m really starting to wonder why you think I can help you, why you took me from that ship.”
“Mael can help me, but I can’t go to him,” he said. “It’s ironic; I wouldn’t have any use for you if I hadn’t lost my body
in a street fight.”
She turned to him. “What do you mean?”
“I used to be a sorcerer, as well. But a rogue killed me; the one that inhabited the body you see now. I’m using it as a
vessel.” He paused. “He killed me, so I cast a spell in my astral form to slay him and took over his body.”
“Do you know that my death could have purified Elthuzah of all the damage Mael has done and continues to do? Now that
I am alive, the land suffers more every day.” It was as if she hadn’t heard a word he’d said, so wrapped up in her own
problems.
He shrugged. “Sometimes what you think will make everything right will not. How do you know your death would have
purified those around you?”
“I assumed it would,” she replied. “But look—the land becomes worse every day.”
“That isn’t your fault,” he said, gently easing her grip over the blanket. He slid next to Ilyana and held her tightly to him,
almost protectively. Poor creature. She’d been tricked into losing everything. And by a demi-god at that. “Sleep,” he said
and shut his eyes, trying to force her out of his thoughts. She fell asleep after a few minutes, but it was hours before he
could get comfortable.
He realized to his sudden mortification he enjoyed the lavender scent of her hair and the soft contours of her body pressed
against him. She fit well into his arms. It was comforting to hold the warm, slender body of a woman again. He would
have to discard such thoughts—if he got attached to her, it would make it much more difficult to get a mage’s body to re-
inhabit. He needed to get rid of this rogue body and soon. He knew the price he would pay with a mage’s body—he would
forget Ilyana. But he needed to practice magic. If Ilyana could defeat Mael, Eiric could take the sorcerer’s body and
ensure someone deserving put his powers to use. Closing his eyes, he tried to sleep.
#
Ilyana stood next to him on the ship’s weathered planks, last night’s rainstorm still lingering in her thoughts. It had been
nice falling asleep against Eiric, his gentle heartbeat thumping in a steady rhythm.
“Would you please try not to sneeze all over me?” Eiric asked. She cast him a fierce scowl. With that one question, he
ruined it all.
“I’m a safe distance from you,” she said and sniffled, her voice congested. “Besides, I used to be a queen—I remember
my manners.”
“I just hope you’re not ill,” Eiric said, steering the helm. “That’s the last thing we need.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said. After a few minutes, she sneezed again. Soon she was sneezing every half minute until Eiric held
her to him.
Thoughts she wished wouldn’t surface washed over her mind as her body slid against his. His hands were so warm and
strong…a sense of dizziness washed over her. He put a hand to her forehead. “You have a fever!”
She couldn’t manage any words. Her eyes closed.
#
Eiric panicked. Though her skin was hot to the touch, she shivered incessantly. Even in her lucid moments, he couldn’t
convince her to eat anything, and often it was as if she didn’t hear him at all. He needed to find a healer soon, or she
would be beyond hope.
Trying to calm himself, Eiric thought of who he could take her to—and if there were any healers nearby. In this vessel, he
was useless, unable to use magic. But if he didn’t get Widow better, he could forget about ever getting a mage’s body—or
seeing if his feelings for the once sorceress would ever be reciprocated.
She’d been married once, he knew, but her husband was dead. The possibility remained that she still loved the man. Even
if she didn’t, Eiric could just imagine her disgusted response if he told her of his feelings. He cared for her, he admitted.
But he was also suspicious of Widow at the same time because of her past. Still, a person could change. She certainly
didn’t seem as evil as she once was.
He ate his lunch, watching her body wrapped tightly in a blanket every so often. Widow would be very hungry when she
awoke, so he saved most of it for her, reasoning he could always hunt more game.
Much to his delight, she awoke and stirred against him, putting an arm around his waist and stroking his chest with the
other. But a few moments later, she began to cough blood.
He asked her to spit inside a handkerchief and then gave her some water to drink.
Not knowing what else to do, Eiric looked in his satchel for something—anything.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he came upon a special herb used for treating serious illnesses. Certainly, she needed it
more than he ever would. He convinced her to eat some of it. After an hour or so, it looked like her condition was slowly
improving. The sun warmed Eiric’s left side as he resumed his post, steering the ship. He kept telling himself they would
soon be at the cave. Everything would be all right. He would get the mage’s body he needed and then Widow could move
on with her life. He couldn’t afford to get attached.
#
Before they set out to continue their journey the next day, Eiric plucked some herbs and roots from the forest and
replenished their meager meat supply by snaring a brace of rabbits.
Sorcerer and former queen sailed further north and reached a small embankment where they rested when evening fell.
Ilyana, lying on her back on a cloak, gazed at the moon that glowed in the sky, and she reflected on the journey that had
passed thus far.
She still didn’t know why she had agreed to help Eiric. Perhaps she had seen the desperation in his eyes. She remembered
that well.
Thankful for the trouble Eiric took with the herbs, she smiled. She would be dead and certainly of no use to him without
them. That was the only reason he helped her. That was the only explanation. It was impossible for him to love her. He
didn’t feel what she did. Her fondest memory of the journey was the rainy night when Eiric had held her close to him as
she slept under the warmth and protection of the gnarl. The feel of his heartbeat had been so comforting…the scent of the
soap she forced him to use had flooded her nostrils. The warmth of his soft skin touching her beneath their clothes
lingered in her memory, as well. His gentle breath…
She stopped herself before any more of the memories had a chance to hurt her. It was wrong. So what if she wanted to
kiss him as he lay silently at her side, gazing at the stars overhead? He would never return her feelings. She didn’t think it
possible for a minute, so she thought it would be best if she just forgot about the thoughts she had about Eiric. He could
never love her, and probably had someone else, anyway. Ilyana scolded herself for feelings she deemed silly. She could
picture it now: he had a sorceress wife with more powers than she ever had. What lay before her wasn’t his real body;
she knew that. A sorcerer, he could probably rival her former powers.
Eiric interrupted her thoughts. “Did you hear that?” He knelt and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard. Eiric examined
their surroundings carefully. The crackling sounds of the fire were all Ilyana could hear accompanied by the occasional
whistling of the wind through the trees.
She sat up. “I don’t hear anything unusual.”
He put a finger to his lips. After a moment, Ilyana could hear it, too: the faint sound of footsteps crunching over the leaves
of the forest.
Ilyana had to accustom herself not to rely on abilities she no longer had—the skill of sensing the identity of others, for one.
It embarrassed her when she tried to discover the identity of those who approached them only to remember she couldn’t.
Soon, the pursuers circled them. Eiric grabbed Ilyana’s hand and pulled her to him. She smiled, grateful for the closeness
between herself and the mage.
“What have we here?” one of the men asked. Dressed in the primitive garb of hunters, the men bore Mael’s seal—a cat’s
eye. They held staves, their faces hidden behind masks. “You’re trespassing on Mael’s property.”
“I suppose he sent you here to kill me,” Ilyana replied, her expression unchanged. If she showed fear to these servants,
they would attack her instantly. The trick was to somehow make them afraid of her. No matter how difficult the task, she
would try. Mael often had several guards patrolling the land in and around his cave. How could she have forgotten that?
“Come with us. The master will deal with you.”
“You’re lying,” she said. “You were patrolling the area and happened to stumble upon us by chance.” She chuckled. “Mael
might be powerful but not so much that he would know Widow is alive.”
Gasps came from some of the men. The one who faced her ignored them. “Widow?” He shook slightly, though the area
was warm and he was well-clothed.
“Widow died on a ship a few weeks ago,” another said.
“I escaped,” Ilyana said. “Now leave us!”
With that, Ilyana took her remaining magic and caused blue sparks to flicker at her fingertips. One of the men lunged at
Eiric but met with a fatal blow to the stomach. The other men drew back. “We must warn Mael!” one instructed. As
quickly as they appeared, Mael’s servants vanished into the forest. Within moments, there was only silence.
“How did you do that?” Eiric asked after a few moments.
“I have very little magic left,” she replied and sat down. “I can make it look as if I’m going to unleash a torrent of fire or
other powerful magic when really it’s just sparks.”
“Whatever you did, it was certainly good enough to ward off those guards.”
She smiled. “That may be so, but it won’t stop them from telling him I’m alive and capable of opposing him, even if that’s
not true.”
“Don’t worry about Mael until we reach the cave. When we arrive, I’ll deal with him.”
Ilyana smiled for the first time since she was put on the ship to the abyss. “You wouldn’t last a minute.”
Eiric furrowed his brows. “I meant that I would defend you no matter what. I really appreciate your mockery.”
“I’m sorry,” she said and chuckled. She put her arms around him when he sat by the fire.
He did nothing for some time, then held her hand. “This journey hasn’t brought out the best of either of us, but if there’s
one thing I’m glad of, it’s that we have each other to share our torment.”
She kissed his cheek then, but regretted it a moment later, seeing his expression. “I’m sorry. I know you probably have a
wife and…” Ilyana was about to say more, but he silenced her with a kiss, hard on the mouth.
So he did feel the same. She pulled him close, running her hands all over the strong muscles of his back. She sensed his
longing. But she withdrew from the passionate embrace when she felt something wet.
“You’re injured,” she said, drawing back a little at the sight of his blood on her fingers.
“It’s nothing.” He shrugged it off. “Just a scratch, really.” He must have incurred the injury from one of Mael’s servants.
Forgetting about the embrace they shared moments ago, Ilyana turned her attention to his wound. Judging from the
amount of blood on her hands, it was deep. She demanded he remove his tunic. Producing a cloth from her cloak, Ilyana
ran to the embankment nearby and drenched it, then returned to Eiric.
She gently spread the cloth over the gaping wound, causing him to flinch. Ilyana put aside the bloodied cloth, ripped off
some of her skirt, and tied the material around Eiric’s wound. He put his tunic back on and lay down carefully.
Thankfully, his face was starting to regain some color.
Wondering if he would bring up their embrace, Ilyana sat beside him. Would he try to start it again? Ilyana now knew his
true feelings for her, but wondered if he would want to share them again. She began to wonder about what he would do
after she retrieved his soul. Would he abandon her completely? Would he forget her as if she didn’t exist and carry on with
his life? Would he care about what happened to her?
Ilyana knew that although the task set before her was next to impossible, she would somehow accomplish it. She couldn’t
fail Eiric. Not after all they had been through together. Mael had to be stopped. The appearance of his servants indicated
she was only a few miles away from the cave. Another half day of traveling and they would reach their destination.
Then, she would do whatever she could to put an end to Mael’s cadaverous grip over Elthuzah and avenge her loved ones,
even if he had ten times her power. Along the way, she would retrieve Eiric’s soul as she had promised, but the more she
thought of the matter, the more she realized how grateful she was for Eiric rescuing her from the ship to the abyss. He
had given her another chance to prove she wasn’t a failure and that she could reassemble what had been set asunder.
Eiric pulled Ilyana down beside him and held her close. He mumbled something about how she should rest and kissed her
forehead, but within minutes, he fell asleep leaving Ilyana awake, afraid and uncertain of what would happen tomorrow.
She knew Mael would be watching them from now on and they could expect a confrontation once they reached the cave.
She could picture his long, sharp fingernails holding the moonstone globe he used to scry information, the perverse tilt in
his smile when he would see exactly where she was. His blue eyes haunted her, icy and seductive. She tried to banish the
images of the dark sorcerer from her mind.
#
By mid-afternoon the next day, they were close enough to Cave Lelan they could walk. They reached the hidden mountain
range in which Mael’s cavern rested. The mountains, once a magnificent sight to observe with snowy peaks and a setting
sun behind them, were unrecognizable. Once tall and proud, they now consisted of jagged edges. The once magnificent
snow caps were long gone.
Cave Lelan’s entrance was well hidden, tricking the untrained eye into thinking that nothing lay behind the solid rock.
Despite her lack of powers, she remembered the illusion from the many times she’d visited the cave.
Smiling at Eiric, she passed through an invisible barrier and entered the cave. Once on the other side, she leafed through
her pocket for matches to light a torch in a sconce nearby. When she lit one, the rest lit themselves. A fatal mistake, she
knew. It would alert Mael of their presence instantly. With no other choice but to go forward, she took the torch from its
sconce and walked deeper into the musky, brown cave. While she didn’t have a concrete plan, she knew that Mael would
hesitate to attack. This would buy her some time.
She saw Mael’s famed Chamber of Souls—a large, circular mass of blue souls floating aimlessly.
“My God, how many souls does he have in there?” Eiric exclaimed.
Ilyana shushed him instantly, but the damage had been done. She sensed a strong presence.
“When my soldiers told me you were alive, I couldn’t believe them, for what they said was inconceivable,” Mael said.
Though she could hear his voice, he was nowhere to be seen. “But now that I see you with my own eyes, I challenge
them, as well,” he continued. “I never thought you would have the audacity to show me your face ever again, Widow. But
here you are, back to challenge me—and you’ve brought a useless friend.”
Eiric drew his sword, but Ilyana put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.
“I’m here on a matter of business that concerns this man,” Ilyana said. “I didn’t come here to start any battles with you,
although I admit choosing not to have your lackeys here was a brave move.”
“As I told them, I wanted the pleasure of killing you myself.”
A figure appeared then, walking with a child who looked at least fifteen years of age.
Mael came into full view. Despite his sunken cheeks, he was still a handsome man. He swept aside a few stray locks of
his blond mane. “What’s the matter, Widow? Don’t you recognize your own daughter?”
“This is your daughter?” Eiric said. “She looks nothing like you.”
Ilyana cast the former sorcerer a reproving glance. “He’s lying. My child died when I made my bargain. So did her father.”
“Don’t be absurd. I’m Adiriah’s father,” Mael said, a perverse smile on his face.
“He’s your husband?” Eiric shouted.
“You aren’t her father!” Ilyana yelled, turning to Mael. “Her true father died when I made that bargain and his name was
Rabdiel. My daughter died with him.”
Suddenly, the girl stepped forward. Her eyes brimmed with hatred as she looked at Ilyana. Her hard cheekbones matched
an already angular face, almost ivory in hue. She stared at Ilyana with a penetrating glare, lips curled as if about to spit.
“Mael is my father,” she began, “the only family I have. My mother died a long time ago. I don’t know what kind of
stranger you are, but I know you aren’t welcome here.”
Ilyana looked carefully at the child. She bore a striking resemblance to her late husband. Fighting the feelings of outrage
and loss she had at Mael for keeping the girl and then training her to be used as a weapon against herself, she smiled
slightly. “You’ve done some terrible things, Mael, but I must admit I never expected you to take my own child and turn
her against me.” She chuckled. “Really, you’ve outdone yourself. I thought you killed her as soon as I handed her to you.”
Ilyana didn’t know how to feel about her daughter. Adiriah was against her; that was clear. But what was she to do if the
girl attacked? Just stand and be killed?
Although armed with a scabbard, Adiriah drew no sword. Instead, she closed her eyes, arms outstretched. Mael
whispered something into the girl’s ear, then stepped back.
Ilyana stood her ground. She was shocked when red fire lanced from Adiriah’s hands. Not knowing what to do, Ilyana
stood helplessly as Eiric jumped in front of her. She winced as he cried out, flying through the air. The thud with which he
hit the wall sent chills through her body.
Ilyana ran to him as he slid down the wall and leaned over his now bloodied form. Much of his back was torn and
bloodied. It was a miracle there hadn’t been a sharp edge to impale him.
Without warning, Mael slapped Adiriah’s cheek. “Fool! You killed the wrong one! Can’t you use any magic properly?”
“Please, father. I’m sorry,” the girl said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “It’s hard to use magic.”
Mael pulled the girl closer to him and something Ilyana could not hear.
She turned her attention to Eiric and brushed a hand over his head very gently. “It’s all right. I won’t let you die.”
“How does she…have that much...power?” Eiric asked.
“Don’t worry about her. She can be dealt with,” Ilyana replied. “Although I do find it strange how she has that much
power at such an age. It took me years to study magic and use it properly. She’s too young to possess the powers she
appears to have.”
“Maybe…it’s an illusion,” he gasped. “Mael…”
Her eyes widened. “That would explain why she said it’s hard to use magic. I’m beginning to think Mael might have given
her power.”
“My…soul,” he croaked. “Please…hurry.” Ilyana crept toward the Chamber of Souls.
Mael produced a knife and held it to Adiriah’s neck. “Take one more step near the Chamber and she dies,” he said, his
face expressionless. Adiriah was trying desperately to wriggle free, but to no avail.
“Why should I care what you do to her? She’s not my child, remember? And her mother is dead,” Ilyana said in a
mocking tone.
“No! Help me!” Adiriah cried. “I believe you now! He tricked me!” Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks.
“A nice trick, Mael, but it won’t work.” Inside, Ilyana’s emotions tore at her heart. She could save Eiric and have Mael kill
the daughter she knew nothing about and who could have easily killed her without hesitation or help her and fail an already
dying Eiric, the man she had grown to love; a man who would forget her. She didn’t know what to do.
“What if I offered you something in exchange for the lives of my daughter and Eiric?” she asked. She was baiting Mael to
fall into a trap, but silently hoped he would believe the lies she was about to tell.
Mael shook his head, smiling. “You really want to save this miscreant’s life after she tried to kill you and practically killed
your friend? That isn’t the Widow I know.”
“The Widow you knew is dead and buried,” she said, her expression darkening. “Now free my child and Eiric for what I
offer.”
Mael pursed his lips. “What could you offer me, Widow? Your life perhaps?”
“No. My remaining powers.”
“No, Widow!” Eiric shouted, still clutching his chest where the bolt had stricken him.
She turned around and mouthed the words “trust me” to him, then faced Mael once more.
“Very well,” Mael began. “Two lives in exchange for your powers. Oh, I’m sorry,” he said. He sliced Adiriah’s throat in
one fluid motion, letting go of her.
“Liar!” Ilyana shouted, charging after Mael only to have him blast her back with an invisible shield.
“You didn’t let me finish,” he said, feigning anger. The blood on his blade was still fresh and red. It dripped over Adiriah’s
lifeless body.
“Your friend is already dying, but I had to kill dear Adiriah because you have no powers anymore.”
“That’s what you think.” Running to the Chamber of Souls, she spotted Eiric’s spiritual form—the mage’s soul. She
needed a diversion. He’d already wasted at least thirty souls to fuel the barrier spell. As long as he continued to use the
souls for power, he would be vulnerable. He’d be desperate for a new soul soon.
Mael laughed. Red lightning lanced from his fingers as Ilyana dodged them as best she could. More and more souls were
being depleted. After a few more fire attacks, only two souls remained: the mage’s and someone else’s. Reaching inside
the chamber and pulling with all her might, she freed his soul.
Holding the blue sphere, she smiled. “I may not have magical powers, but that doesn’t make me a useless, old fool.”
“That,” Mael began, “was a very foolish thing to do.” He inched toward her.
Eiric inched behind Mael very silently, sword in hands, she saw. But Mael could kill him in an instant. “I love you, Ilyana.
Never forget that.”
Mael turned. Taking Eiric’s sword, he stabbed the former sorcerer with it.
“Eiric!” Ilyana screamed. But as his soul emerged from his body, something strange happened to Mael. He appeared
frozen. Ilyana sensed he tried to move but could not no matter how hard he struggled.
She jolted as the blue sphere in her hands flew from her toward Mael and forced itself inside the sorcerer’s body. A green
soul emerged a few moments after—Mael’s.
“Fool!” it yelled. “He won’t remember anything of what you shared! He is lost to you forever!”
Fully reanimated, Eiric grabbed Mael’s soul and threw it into the Chamber.
Bursts of blue energy filled the cave as Ilyana shielded her eyes.
Ilyana turned to Mael’s recently reanimated corpse. “Is that you in there, Eiric?”
He squinted. “I don’t think we’ve met before.”
He didn’t recognize her. Her thin frame shook with sobs, a bitter smile on her face. “You don’t remember me or anything
we shared, do you?”
”What happened?”
“You asked me to get you a mage vessel. I did.”
He smiled. “You’ll have to excuse my rudeness. My memory fails to serve me now. It will take me a few moments to
remember what’s happened.”
Ilyana caught sight of Adiriah’s corpse. Her daughter’s death was behind her now. Although Adiriah’s death hurt her
simply because the girl has been her flesh and blood, it was almost as if she wasn’t. While the two had blood relations,
Mael had been more of a parent to Adiriah. Ilyana blamed herself for not realizing Mael would use the girl as a weapon
against her. Why wouldn’t he? It surprised her Mael kept the girl for so long. But now, there were other things to do.
#
Ilyana smiled as she and Eiric exited the cave. Sunlight shone down and warmed her face. She stared at the blue sky and
clouds as if she’d never seen them before.
A gentle breeze wafted over her then. Breathing in the scent of fresh grass, Ilyana looked into Eiric’s eyes, now a warm
blue. “Thank you for keeping to your word,” he said. “Where are you going now?”
“You once told me life is unfair,” the reply came. “You’re right. I don’t know where I’m going to go now or what I’m
going to do. I’ve lost everything once again, but at least this time, something good came out of it.”
He chuckled. “I don’t understand.”
She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Don’t worry about it; it doesn’t matter now.” She sighed. Another lover stolen from
her. She wanted to die. When she’d lost Rabdiel, it was her own fault. But, this time, she’d done something good—a
selfless act. She didn’t expect her powers back. Certainly, she didn’t expect her family back. But she’d wanted to
continue her life with Eiric. His kiss still lingered in her mind.
“I’m going into the main city. Would you like to come with me miss, what’s your name?”
The wind whipped her hair. “Widow.”
child—gone. Ilyana sat on a pile of velvet cushions in the cabin
of the former flagship of her defeated fleet. The roar of the
approaching waterfall drowned out the screams of the traitors
and prisoners locked in the holds below. The people of
Elthuzah sentenced her to death because she’d tried to
convince them she could use her magic to help them. They
didn’t believe her, queen she had been. She imagined herself
on deck, the wind whipping through her thick raven tresses.
Ilyana ran a delicate hand through her hair brushing it from
her eyes, leaning forward on the cushions. In her mind’s eye,
she ran to the prow of the ship and bent over the rail, staring
into the roiling abyss.
With a sigh, she thought of her reason for being on the ship;
Mael. A manipulative sorcerer, he’d promised her more
powers in exchange for the lives of her husband, child, and
people. She’d agreed, thinking she could kill the sorcerer with
the newfound powers she never received. She couldn’t
believe how blind she’d been not to have seen through his
deception. Elthuzah had never had a ruling high mage;
Instead of gaining additional magic to aid her people, she’d
lost all the magic she’d had to begin with and Mael took over
Elthuzah. Her desire to prove mages weren’t evil failed.
The ship swayed gently back and forth. Beads of sweat
clustered on her forehead. Why would the ship not hurry and
plunge? The waiting was torture. She admitted to herself she
probably deserved to die for the uses of magic she’d employed,
but the greed for those powers that once consumed her had
finally left.
She’d lost all ambition when she’d tried to regain her magic:
spells, charms, everything. Not powerful enough to confront
Mael, she’d given up.
Moonlight didn’t dare to seep through the windows. Blackness engulfed her. Unable to see anything, she closed her eyes.
She heard a muffled noise and shot upright.
The portal to the abyss came into view, growing nearer as she watched; a swirling whirlpool that glowed an eerie red. She
lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. In a few moments, she would leave the ills of the world behind forever.
Glass and wood shattered. It had come from the foot of her bed, the window and chunks of wood now lying broken. Her
eyes shot open. Hanging from a ladder, a man stepped onto the bed, then grabbed her by the hand and pulled her outside
before she had a chance to object. They both dangled on the lowest step of the rope ladder for a moment. “Hurry up and
climb before this rope burns my hand.” His tone was urgent.
The stranger climbed not far behind. He pointed the direction she should take on deck and sprinted after her. Below, the
ship plummeted into the dazzling, red light of the abyss.
Pulling Ilyana aboard a small airship, the stranger helped her to her feet. A few stray locks of blazing red hair tumbled over
his face made dark by working under the sun. Warmth radiated from his brown eyes.
Waves of heat and cold washed over her. Her heartbeat reverberated in her ears. She bit her lower lip as her hands
twitched. Who was this rogue and why hadn’t he let her die? He couldn’t be from the main city of Elthuzah; almost
everyone despised her there.
“I’m lucky I found you when I did,” he said. “No one else can help me.”
She furrowed her brows. “Are you sure you have the right person? I think you made a mistake, rogue.” She said the word
like it was something unholy and bestial.
“Please, call me Eiric,” he replied. “Based on rumor of your beauty and arrogance, I think I’ve found the right person.”
She forced a smile. “Who would that be?”
“Widow,” he replied, which prompted her to laugh.
“Do you know how long it has been since I’ve gone by that name?”
“So you are who I’m looking for.” He smiled. Eiric took the helm and steered the airship to a nearby dock. There seemed
to be no other crew members aboard the ship, but then, many mercenaries were known to have stolen ships like this one,
and larger, if they worked in groups.
When they landed, he assisted her onto a dock of weathered, gray planks. Together, they walked to an eatery serving fish.
It was dark now, and cold. Ilyana shuddered slightly as gusts of wind blew at her. She held her cloak more tightly to her,
revealing fragile, white hands.
When Eiric began to remove his fur coat, Ilyana put up a hand. “I’m fine.”
#
Inside, the odor of freshly poached fish filled Eiric’s nostrils and mingled with the other smells of ale and sweat from the
many men that littered the tiny, warm place. He knew she had best try to hide her from them. These people were brute
savages and frequently fought over women.
Eiric went to pull Ilyana’s chair out for her, but she waved a hand at him dismissively, seating herself. She rubbed her
hands together and removed her hood to reveal a face whiter than any patch of snow Eiric had ever seen.
“I admit to having once been Widow,” she began, combing a hand through her black hair. “But I’m no longer able to do
the things I did. Why do you need me?”
He paused for a moment. “I need you to retrieve something of great value that is neither jewel nor sword. It isn’t even
physical.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I can?”
“You were able to destroy an entire kingdom all on your own,” he said and took a sip of ale.
She drew back a little and her eyes softened. “That was a very long time ago. Whatever it is you want of me, I refuse. My
powers aren’t what they once were.”
Eiric furrowed his brows. “It was a mistake to ask for your help.”
Ilyana scoffed. “You aren’t the first to have said that.”
“Listen, I helped you escape out of necessity. I had no other choice.”
Her expression darkened. “I’m not what I used to be. What I did was wrong, but at the time, I was blind to what went on
around me.”
He took a swig of ale. “I don’t trust you. But I’m desperate. I’m prepared to offer you a reward, of course.”
She laughed. “How do you know what I want? You don’t know anything about me.”
He examined her seriously. “I know you lost all you held dear when your magic subverted you.”
“Even if I could help you, what makes you think I will? If you understood me well, you would know why I lost it all. I
used to be a force of evil feared much more than Mael.” Her face contorted as she said the name.
He nodded understandingly. “He’s the one who rules and molds the land now, is he not?”
There was a look of desperation in her eyes then. “And the one who tricked me into sacrificing what I held dear for more
power—a lie,” she said, her voice shaky.
“I’ll give you a chance to confront Mael.”
She seemed to be deep in thought. “I want a chance to make what is wrong right. If you can give me the chance to
confront Mael, I will try to retrieve what you need—what is it?”
He took her tiny, cold hands into his. “My soul.”
#
Ilyana and Eiric set out for the only place she knew of where she could possibly retrieve his soul, the only place her
remaining magic could work—the cave of Lelan.
Few knew of the existence of the cave, located within a barren mountain range on the northern limits of Elthuzah’s
territory. She had made her bargain with Mael there—and the demi-god had robbed her of everything. Except my life, she
thought.
They boarded his airship once more. The smell of seawater filled her nostrils as the wind whipped her hair back.
“I wonder, wouldn’t it be much easier if you teleported us to the cave?” he whispered.
Ilyana took in a long breath and exhaled. “If I could do that, what makes you think I would put up with this airship?”
He looked away. “Sail on we shall”.
#
The two sailed north for several days, stopping by shores every so often to hunt game in the forests they called their
temporary home. Every night, Eiric would use an axe he carried to chop wood for fires. The forest was the most peaceful
place he had been to. The sounds of crickets in the evening lulled him to sleep. In the mornings, birds chirping cheerfully
woke him.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the trees. The smell of roast deer lingered in the air, even though they’d eaten a few
hours earlier. Ilyana sat with her back to an oak tree, saying nothing.
He lay beside the fire, opposite her. Heavy drops of water slapped his face, followed by more in an intense patter of rain at
which point he rushed into a nearby tree gnarl, forgetting the fire, now gone out.
Eiric watched as Ilyana curled up into a ball under the tree, throwing a blanket over herself. The wetness of the rainwater
spread all over her. Soon, the blanket was drenched. He pretended not to notice Ilyana’s huddled form but wished she
would stop torturing herself in an attempt to prove to him she could survive in harsh conditions. He wished she would
stop being so stubborn and come into the gnarl where it was warm and safe.
A moment later, she threw the wet blanket off herself and screamed. “I could catch a cold and die like this while you sit
there in your shelter without a care in the world!”
He smiled. “It must be difficult for you realizing life is often unfair and one must prepare oneself to deal with that.” But
even if she needed to see how life outside the sheltered walls of a palace was, he didn’t want to see her suffer.
“Just move over and make room for me,” she said and crawled into the gnarl. Eiric draped a dry blanket around her.
“But what about you?” she said, clutching the blanket tightly.
He chuckled. “I am used to cold winds and rain and I don’t get sick very often. Our lives are very different, highness.”
She rolled her eyes in response.
For minutes, neither said a word. Eiric interrupted the silence. “How exactly did you lose your loved ones?”
“I don’t need to tell you anything. All I agreed to do was get your soul back, not tell you about my foolish mistakes.” She
paused. “I’m really starting to wonder why you think I can help you, why you took me from that ship.”
“Mael can help me, but I can’t go to him,” he said. “It’s ironic; I wouldn’t have any use for you if I hadn’t lost my body
in a street fight.”
She turned to him. “What do you mean?”
“I used to be a sorcerer, as well. But a rogue killed me; the one that inhabited the body you see now. I’m using it as a
vessel.” He paused. “He killed me, so I cast a spell in my astral form to slay him and took over his body.”
“Do you know that my death could have purified Elthuzah of all the damage Mael has done and continues to do? Now that
I am alive, the land suffers more every day.” It was as if she hadn’t heard a word he’d said, so wrapped up in her own
problems.
He shrugged. “Sometimes what you think will make everything right will not. How do you know your death would have
purified those around you?”
“I assumed it would,” she replied. “But look—the land becomes worse every day.”
“That isn’t your fault,” he said, gently easing her grip over the blanket. He slid next to Ilyana and held her tightly to him,
almost protectively. Poor creature. She’d been tricked into losing everything. And by a demi-god at that. “Sleep,” he said
and shut his eyes, trying to force her out of his thoughts. She fell asleep after a few minutes, but it was hours before he
could get comfortable.
He realized to his sudden mortification he enjoyed the lavender scent of her hair and the soft contours of her body pressed
against him. She fit well into his arms. It was comforting to hold the warm, slender body of a woman again. He would
have to discard such thoughts—if he got attached to her, it would make it much more difficult to get a mage’s body to re-
inhabit. He needed to get rid of this rogue body and soon. He knew the price he would pay with a mage’s body—he would
forget Ilyana. But he needed to practice magic. If Ilyana could defeat Mael, Eiric could take the sorcerer’s body and
ensure someone deserving put his powers to use. Closing his eyes, he tried to sleep.
#
Ilyana stood next to him on the ship’s weathered planks, last night’s rainstorm still lingering in her thoughts. It had been
nice falling asleep against Eiric, his gentle heartbeat thumping in a steady rhythm.
“Would you please try not to sneeze all over me?” Eiric asked. She cast him a fierce scowl. With that one question, he
ruined it all.
“I’m a safe distance from you,” she said and sniffled, her voice congested. “Besides, I used to be a queen—I remember
my manners.”
“I just hope you’re not ill,” Eiric said, steering the helm. “That’s the last thing we need.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said. After a few minutes, she sneezed again. Soon she was sneezing every half minute until Eiric held
her to him.
Thoughts she wished wouldn’t surface washed over her mind as her body slid against his. His hands were so warm and
strong…a sense of dizziness washed over her. He put a hand to her forehead. “You have a fever!”
She couldn’t manage any words. Her eyes closed.
#
Eiric panicked. Though her skin was hot to the touch, she shivered incessantly. Even in her lucid moments, he couldn’t
convince her to eat anything, and often it was as if she didn’t hear him at all. He needed to find a healer soon, or she
would be beyond hope.
Trying to calm himself, Eiric thought of who he could take her to—and if there were any healers nearby. In this vessel, he
was useless, unable to use magic. But if he didn’t get Widow better, he could forget about ever getting a mage’s body—or
seeing if his feelings for the once sorceress would ever be reciprocated.
She’d been married once, he knew, but her husband was dead. The possibility remained that she still loved the man. Even
if she didn’t, Eiric could just imagine her disgusted response if he told her of his feelings. He cared for her, he admitted.
But he was also suspicious of Widow at the same time because of her past. Still, a person could change. She certainly
didn’t seem as evil as she once was.
He ate his lunch, watching her body wrapped tightly in a blanket every so often. Widow would be very hungry when she
awoke, so he saved most of it for her, reasoning he could always hunt more game.
Much to his delight, she awoke and stirred against him, putting an arm around his waist and stroking his chest with the
other. But a few moments later, she began to cough blood.
He asked her to spit inside a handkerchief and then gave her some water to drink.
Not knowing what else to do, Eiric looked in his satchel for something—anything.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he came upon a special herb used for treating serious illnesses. Certainly, she needed it
more than he ever would. He convinced her to eat some of it. After an hour or so, it looked like her condition was slowly
improving. The sun warmed Eiric’s left side as he resumed his post, steering the ship. He kept telling himself they would
soon be at the cave. Everything would be all right. He would get the mage’s body he needed and then Widow could move
on with her life. He couldn’t afford to get attached.
#
Before they set out to continue their journey the next day, Eiric plucked some herbs and roots from the forest and
replenished their meager meat supply by snaring a brace of rabbits.
Sorcerer and former queen sailed further north and reached a small embankment where they rested when evening fell.
Ilyana, lying on her back on a cloak, gazed at the moon that glowed in the sky, and she reflected on the journey that had
passed thus far.
She still didn’t know why she had agreed to help Eiric. Perhaps she had seen the desperation in his eyes. She remembered
that well.
Thankful for the trouble Eiric took with the herbs, she smiled. She would be dead and certainly of no use to him without
them. That was the only reason he helped her. That was the only explanation. It was impossible for him to love her. He
didn’t feel what she did. Her fondest memory of the journey was the rainy night when Eiric had held her close to him as
she slept under the warmth and protection of the gnarl. The feel of his heartbeat had been so comforting…the scent of the
soap she forced him to use had flooded her nostrils. The warmth of his soft skin touching her beneath their clothes
lingered in her memory, as well. His gentle breath…
She stopped herself before any more of the memories had a chance to hurt her. It was wrong. So what if she wanted to
kiss him as he lay silently at her side, gazing at the stars overhead? He would never return her feelings. She didn’t think it
possible for a minute, so she thought it would be best if she just forgot about the thoughts she had about Eiric. He could
never love her, and probably had someone else, anyway. Ilyana scolded herself for feelings she deemed silly. She could
picture it now: he had a sorceress wife with more powers than she ever had. What lay before her wasn’t his real body;
she knew that. A sorcerer, he could probably rival her former powers.
Eiric interrupted her thoughts. “Did you hear that?” He knelt and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard. Eiric examined
their surroundings carefully. The crackling sounds of the fire were all Ilyana could hear accompanied by the occasional
whistling of the wind through the trees.
She sat up. “I don’t hear anything unusual.”
He put a finger to his lips. After a moment, Ilyana could hear it, too: the faint sound of footsteps crunching over the leaves
of the forest.
Ilyana had to accustom herself not to rely on abilities she no longer had—the skill of sensing the identity of others, for one.
It embarrassed her when she tried to discover the identity of those who approached them only to remember she couldn’t.
Soon, the pursuers circled them. Eiric grabbed Ilyana’s hand and pulled her to him. She smiled, grateful for the closeness
between herself and the mage.
“What have we here?” one of the men asked. Dressed in the primitive garb of hunters, the men bore Mael’s seal—a cat’s
eye. They held staves, their faces hidden behind masks. “You’re trespassing on Mael’s property.”
“I suppose he sent you here to kill me,” Ilyana replied, her expression unchanged. If she showed fear to these servants,
they would attack her instantly. The trick was to somehow make them afraid of her. No matter how difficult the task, she
would try. Mael often had several guards patrolling the land in and around his cave. How could she have forgotten that?
“Come with us. The master will deal with you.”
“You’re lying,” she said. “You were patrolling the area and happened to stumble upon us by chance.” She chuckled. “Mael
might be powerful but not so much that he would know Widow is alive.”
Gasps came from some of the men. The one who faced her ignored them. “Widow?” He shook slightly, though the area
was warm and he was well-clothed.
“Widow died on a ship a few weeks ago,” another said.
“I escaped,” Ilyana said. “Now leave us!”
With that, Ilyana took her remaining magic and caused blue sparks to flicker at her fingertips. One of the men lunged at
Eiric but met with a fatal blow to the stomach. The other men drew back. “We must warn Mael!” one instructed. As
quickly as they appeared, Mael’s servants vanished into the forest. Within moments, there was only silence.
“How did you do that?” Eiric asked after a few moments.
“I have very little magic left,” she replied and sat down. “I can make it look as if I’m going to unleash a torrent of fire or
other powerful magic when really it’s just sparks.”
“Whatever you did, it was certainly good enough to ward off those guards.”
She smiled. “That may be so, but it won’t stop them from telling him I’m alive and capable of opposing him, even if that’s
not true.”
“Don’t worry about Mael until we reach the cave. When we arrive, I’ll deal with him.”
Ilyana smiled for the first time since she was put on the ship to the abyss. “You wouldn’t last a minute.”
Eiric furrowed his brows. “I meant that I would defend you no matter what. I really appreciate your mockery.”
“I’m sorry,” she said and chuckled. She put her arms around him when he sat by the fire.
He did nothing for some time, then held her hand. “This journey hasn’t brought out the best of either of us, but if there’s
one thing I’m glad of, it’s that we have each other to share our torment.”
She kissed his cheek then, but regretted it a moment later, seeing his expression. “I’m sorry. I know you probably have a
wife and…” Ilyana was about to say more, but he silenced her with a kiss, hard on the mouth.
So he did feel the same. She pulled him close, running her hands all over the strong muscles of his back. She sensed his
longing. But she withdrew from the passionate embrace when she felt something wet.
“You’re injured,” she said, drawing back a little at the sight of his blood on her fingers.
“It’s nothing.” He shrugged it off. “Just a scratch, really.” He must have incurred the injury from one of Mael’s servants.
Forgetting about the embrace they shared moments ago, Ilyana turned her attention to his wound. Judging from the
amount of blood on her hands, it was deep. She demanded he remove his tunic. Producing a cloth from her cloak, Ilyana
ran to the embankment nearby and drenched it, then returned to Eiric.
She gently spread the cloth over the gaping wound, causing him to flinch. Ilyana put aside the bloodied cloth, ripped off
some of her skirt, and tied the material around Eiric’s wound. He put his tunic back on and lay down carefully.
Thankfully, his face was starting to regain some color.
Wondering if he would bring up their embrace, Ilyana sat beside him. Would he try to start it again? Ilyana now knew his
true feelings for her, but wondered if he would want to share them again. She began to wonder about what he would do
after she retrieved his soul. Would he abandon her completely? Would he forget her as if she didn’t exist and carry on with
his life? Would he care about what happened to her?
Ilyana knew that although the task set before her was next to impossible, she would somehow accomplish it. She couldn’t
fail Eiric. Not after all they had been through together. Mael had to be stopped. The appearance of his servants indicated
she was only a few miles away from the cave. Another half day of traveling and they would reach their destination.
Then, she would do whatever she could to put an end to Mael’s cadaverous grip over Elthuzah and avenge her loved ones,
even if he had ten times her power. Along the way, she would retrieve Eiric’s soul as she had promised, but the more she
thought of the matter, the more she realized how grateful she was for Eiric rescuing her from the ship to the abyss. He
had given her another chance to prove she wasn’t a failure and that she could reassemble what had been set asunder.
Eiric pulled Ilyana down beside him and held her close. He mumbled something about how she should rest and kissed her
forehead, but within minutes, he fell asleep leaving Ilyana awake, afraid and uncertain of what would happen tomorrow.
She knew Mael would be watching them from now on and they could expect a confrontation once they reached the cave.
She could picture his long, sharp fingernails holding the moonstone globe he used to scry information, the perverse tilt in
his smile when he would see exactly where she was. His blue eyes haunted her, icy and seductive. She tried to banish the
images of the dark sorcerer from her mind.
#
By mid-afternoon the next day, they were close enough to Cave Lelan they could walk. They reached the hidden mountain
range in which Mael’s cavern rested. The mountains, once a magnificent sight to observe with snowy peaks and a setting
sun behind them, were unrecognizable. Once tall and proud, they now consisted of jagged edges. The once magnificent
snow caps were long gone.
Cave Lelan’s entrance was well hidden, tricking the untrained eye into thinking that nothing lay behind the solid rock.
Despite her lack of powers, she remembered the illusion from the many times she’d visited the cave.
Smiling at Eiric, she passed through an invisible barrier and entered the cave. Once on the other side, she leafed through
her pocket for matches to light a torch in a sconce nearby. When she lit one, the rest lit themselves. A fatal mistake, she
knew. It would alert Mael of their presence instantly. With no other choice but to go forward, she took the torch from its
sconce and walked deeper into the musky, brown cave. While she didn’t have a concrete plan, she knew that Mael would
hesitate to attack. This would buy her some time.
She saw Mael’s famed Chamber of Souls—a large, circular mass of blue souls floating aimlessly.
“My God, how many souls does he have in there?” Eiric exclaimed.
Ilyana shushed him instantly, but the damage had been done. She sensed a strong presence.
“When my soldiers told me you were alive, I couldn’t believe them, for what they said was inconceivable,” Mael said.
Though she could hear his voice, he was nowhere to be seen. “But now that I see you with my own eyes, I challenge
them, as well,” he continued. “I never thought you would have the audacity to show me your face ever again, Widow. But
here you are, back to challenge me—and you’ve brought a useless friend.”
Eiric drew his sword, but Ilyana put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.
“I’m here on a matter of business that concerns this man,” Ilyana said. “I didn’t come here to start any battles with you,
although I admit choosing not to have your lackeys here was a brave move.”
“As I told them, I wanted the pleasure of killing you myself.”
A figure appeared then, walking with a child who looked at least fifteen years of age.
Mael came into full view. Despite his sunken cheeks, he was still a handsome man. He swept aside a few stray locks of
his blond mane. “What’s the matter, Widow? Don’t you recognize your own daughter?”
“This is your daughter?” Eiric said. “She looks nothing like you.”
Ilyana cast the former sorcerer a reproving glance. “He’s lying. My child died when I made my bargain. So did her father.”
“Don’t be absurd. I’m Adiriah’s father,” Mael said, a perverse smile on his face.
“He’s your husband?” Eiric shouted.
“You aren’t her father!” Ilyana yelled, turning to Mael. “Her true father died when I made that bargain and his name was
Rabdiel. My daughter died with him.”
Suddenly, the girl stepped forward. Her eyes brimmed with hatred as she looked at Ilyana. Her hard cheekbones matched
an already angular face, almost ivory in hue. She stared at Ilyana with a penetrating glare, lips curled as if about to spit.
“Mael is my father,” she began, “the only family I have. My mother died a long time ago. I don’t know what kind of
stranger you are, but I know you aren’t welcome here.”
Ilyana looked carefully at the child. She bore a striking resemblance to her late husband. Fighting the feelings of outrage
and loss she had at Mael for keeping the girl and then training her to be used as a weapon against herself, she smiled
slightly. “You’ve done some terrible things, Mael, but I must admit I never expected you to take my own child and turn
her against me.” She chuckled. “Really, you’ve outdone yourself. I thought you killed her as soon as I handed her to you.”
Ilyana didn’t know how to feel about her daughter. Adiriah was against her; that was clear. But what was she to do if the
girl attacked? Just stand and be killed?
Although armed with a scabbard, Adiriah drew no sword. Instead, she closed her eyes, arms outstretched. Mael
whispered something into the girl’s ear, then stepped back.
Ilyana stood her ground. She was shocked when red fire lanced from Adiriah’s hands. Not knowing what to do, Ilyana
stood helplessly as Eiric jumped in front of her. She winced as he cried out, flying through the air. The thud with which he
hit the wall sent chills through her body.
Ilyana ran to him as he slid down the wall and leaned over his now bloodied form. Much of his back was torn and
bloodied. It was a miracle there hadn’t been a sharp edge to impale him.
Without warning, Mael slapped Adiriah’s cheek. “Fool! You killed the wrong one! Can’t you use any magic properly?”
“Please, father. I’m sorry,” the girl said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “It’s hard to use magic.”
Mael pulled the girl closer to him and something Ilyana could not hear.
She turned her attention to Eiric and brushed a hand over his head very gently. “It’s all right. I won’t let you die.”
“How does she…have that much...power?” Eiric asked.
“Don’t worry about her. She can be dealt with,” Ilyana replied. “Although I do find it strange how she has that much
power at such an age. It took me years to study magic and use it properly. She’s too young to possess the powers she
appears to have.”
“Maybe…it’s an illusion,” he gasped. “Mael…”
Her eyes widened. “That would explain why she said it’s hard to use magic. I’m beginning to think Mael might have given
her power.”
“My…soul,” he croaked. “Please…hurry.” Ilyana crept toward the Chamber of Souls.
Mael produced a knife and held it to Adiriah’s neck. “Take one more step near the Chamber and she dies,” he said, his
face expressionless. Adiriah was trying desperately to wriggle free, but to no avail.
“Why should I care what you do to her? She’s not my child, remember? And her mother is dead,” Ilyana said in a
mocking tone.
“No! Help me!” Adiriah cried. “I believe you now! He tricked me!” Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks.
“A nice trick, Mael, but it won’t work.” Inside, Ilyana’s emotions tore at her heart. She could save Eiric and have Mael kill
the daughter she knew nothing about and who could have easily killed her without hesitation or help her and fail an already
dying Eiric, the man she had grown to love; a man who would forget her. She didn’t know what to do.
“What if I offered you something in exchange for the lives of my daughter and Eiric?” she asked. She was baiting Mael to
fall into a trap, but silently hoped he would believe the lies she was about to tell.
Mael shook his head, smiling. “You really want to save this miscreant’s life after she tried to kill you and practically killed
your friend? That isn’t the Widow I know.”
“The Widow you knew is dead and buried,” she said, her expression darkening. “Now free my child and Eiric for what I
offer.”
Mael pursed his lips. “What could you offer me, Widow? Your life perhaps?”
“No. My remaining powers.”
“No, Widow!” Eiric shouted, still clutching his chest where the bolt had stricken him.
She turned around and mouthed the words “trust me” to him, then faced Mael once more.
“Very well,” Mael began. “Two lives in exchange for your powers. Oh, I’m sorry,” he said. He sliced Adiriah’s throat in
one fluid motion, letting go of her.
“Liar!” Ilyana shouted, charging after Mael only to have him blast her back with an invisible shield.
“You didn’t let me finish,” he said, feigning anger. The blood on his blade was still fresh and red. It dripped over Adiriah’s
lifeless body.
“Your friend is already dying, but I had to kill dear Adiriah because you have no powers anymore.”
“That’s what you think.” Running to the Chamber of Souls, she spotted Eiric’s spiritual form—the mage’s soul. She
needed a diversion. He’d already wasted at least thirty souls to fuel the barrier spell. As long as he continued to use the
souls for power, he would be vulnerable. He’d be desperate for a new soul soon.
Mael laughed. Red lightning lanced from his fingers as Ilyana dodged them as best she could. More and more souls were
being depleted. After a few more fire attacks, only two souls remained: the mage’s and someone else’s. Reaching inside
the chamber and pulling with all her might, she freed his soul.
Holding the blue sphere, she smiled. “I may not have magical powers, but that doesn’t make me a useless, old fool.”
“That,” Mael began, “was a very foolish thing to do.” He inched toward her.
Eiric inched behind Mael very silently, sword in hands, she saw. But Mael could kill him in an instant. “I love you, Ilyana.
Never forget that.”
Mael turned. Taking Eiric’s sword, he stabbed the former sorcerer with it.
“Eiric!” Ilyana screamed. But as his soul emerged from his body, something strange happened to Mael. He appeared
frozen. Ilyana sensed he tried to move but could not no matter how hard he struggled.
She jolted as the blue sphere in her hands flew from her toward Mael and forced itself inside the sorcerer’s body. A green
soul emerged a few moments after—Mael’s.
“Fool!” it yelled. “He won’t remember anything of what you shared! He is lost to you forever!”
Fully reanimated, Eiric grabbed Mael’s soul and threw it into the Chamber.
Bursts of blue energy filled the cave as Ilyana shielded her eyes.
Ilyana turned to Mael’s recently reanimated corpse. “Is that you in there, Eiric?”
He squinted. “I don’t think we’ve met before.”
He didn’t recognize her. Her thin frame shook with sobs, a bitter smile on her face. “You don’t remember me or anything
we shared, do you?”
”What happened?”
“You asked me to get you a mage vessel. I did.”
He smiled. “You’ll have to excuse my rudeness. My memory fails to serve me now. It will take me a few moments to
remember what’s happened.”
Ilyana caught sight of Adiriah’s corpse. Her daughter’s death was behind her now. Although Adiriah’s death hurt her
simply because the girl has been her flesh and blood, it was almost as if she wasn’t. While the two had blood relations,
Mael had been more of a parent to Adiriah. Ilyana blamed herself for not realizing Mael would use the girl as a weapon
against her. Why wouldn’t he? It surprised her Mael kept the girl for so long. But now, there were other things to do.
#
Ilyana smiled as she and Eiric exited the cave. Sunlight shone down and warmed her face. She stared at the blue sky and
clouds as if she’d never seen them before.
A gentle breeze wafted over her then. Breathing in the scent of fresh grass, Ilyana looked into Eiric’s eyes, now a warm
blue. “Thank you for keeping to your word,” he said. “Where are you going now?”
“You once told me life is unfair,” the reply came. “You’re right. I don’t know where I’m going to go now or what I’m
going to do. I’ve lost everything once again, but at least this time, something good came out of it.”
He chuckled. “I don’t understand.”
She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Don’t worry about it; it doesn’t matter now.” She sighed. Another lover stolen from
her. She wanted to die. When she’d lost Rabdiel, it was her own fault. But, this time, she’d done something good—a
selfless act. She didn’t expect her powers back. Certainly, she didn’t expect her family back. But she’d wanted to
continue her life with Eiric. His kiss still lingered in her mind.
“I’m going into the main city. Would you like to come with me miss, what’s your name?”
The wind whipped her hair. “Widow.”
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