Chapter 10

Kira

I stared at Jebediah for a few more minutes, waiting for him to continue his thought.

"And?"

"Wait — you mean to tell me you have heard about this body of water?"

"Of course I have, Jebediah. My family has ruled these lands for generations. You think we wouldn't know?"

"Oh, well. When you put it that way." His voice began to trail off as he muttered to himself. I sighed and started closing the door, ready to put an end to this nonsense.

"Jebediah, if you don't have anything of value to tell me, I'm afraid your time is up."

"Wait!" He slammed his foot into the door to keep it from closing. "You told me to decipher the Book of Light and I did. The next clue in the journey to the New Promised Land leads to a large body of water far to the west. The Sea of Thantaos."

"And how, pray tell, would they even be able to cross it? That area is known as a dead zone. Nothing lives or grows there — the water isn't fresh. It would be suicide to travel there."

"Perhaps. But that's not my problem, is it? You wanted me to translate the book, and I held up my end of the deal." I held his gaze for a half second longer, knowing full well he was right. So much time had passed since we lost the rest of our property. I could tell my men were getting restless.

"You're right. Thank you, Jebediah. You shall be fully compensated for your work. Guard, take this man to an empty chamber where he can spend the night. After that he is free to go."

"Thank you, Commander Kira. If I may be so bold — let me come with you on this journey as a consultant. Regrettably, you don't know the ways of the Light Keepers, but I do. It would be my honor to assist you in their capture."

I was no fool. I knew exactly what Jebediah wanted. Revenge. He wanted to see Jasper dragged back down into the pits where he believed he deserved to rot. Jebediah was a wild card — but I couldn't deny his usefulness.

"Very well. You'll come as my consultant." Jebediah bowed and let the guard lead him away. "But hear me, Jebediah." I waited until he turned back. "One slip up. That's all it takes. Your journey on this earth ends then and there."

I closed the door behind me and dropped onto my bed. My body was screaming for rest. My eyes began to droop, and I let myself fall into a deep sleep.

I woke up standing in the middle of my room.

Strange. I could have sworn I had just closed my eyes.

The room began to cave in almost immediately — all four walls pressing inward, slow and steady, the way a fist closes around something it intends to crush. The darkness came next, thickening until I couldn't see my hands in front of my face. I ran to the door and threw myself against it. It didn't move. I felt along the walls for the window. It was gone.

I went back to the door and beat my fists against it, screaming for help until my throat went raw. No one answered. The walls kept coming. I crouched on the floor, breathing hard, somewhere between forcing myself calm and silently accepting that this was the end — when the floor gave out beneath me.

I fell several stories and landed hard.

The Dungeon.

I knew it immediately. The smell. The damp stone. The particular quality of the silence. I got to my feet and walked the familiar corridor, looking into each cell as I passed. Empty. Every one of them. Not a soul.

"Hello?" My voice came back to me off the walls, carrying nothing with it.

I turned around.

Jasper was standing at the far end of the hall.

"Good," I said, straightening. "You've come to your senses. Come here — there's work to be done."

He didn't move. A slow, strained smile spread across his face, and a whip appeared in his right hand. He took one step forward. Then another. There was something wrong with the way he moved — unsteady, swaying, as though something else was wearing him. The smile kept growing. The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I understood in my bones that I was in danger.

I turned and ran.

His footsteps started slow. Then they picked up. Then they were right behind me, and the hallway kept stretching ahead of me, endless, no matter how fast I moved.

The whip cracked.

It wrapped around my ankles and I hit the ground hard, face first.

"Soon the darkness will consume you." The voice was not his. It was not anything I recognized. I rolled onto my back and looked up at him standing over me, that smile wider now than any human smile had any right to be.

"Please." The word came out small. "Spare me."

The thing wearing Jasper's face laughed.

"Spare you? After you've spared so many of your own prisoners?" It raised the whip. "No. Prepare to be tormented by the one thing you desire most."

The crack of the whip hit my back like a thunderclap.

I woke up in my bed, gasping, heart hammering against my ribs. A guard burst in at the sound.

"Commander — what's wrong?"

"Nothing." I pressed my hand flat against my chest. "It was nothing. Return to your post."

He saluted and withdrew. I lay there in the dark for a long time, breathing, staring at the ceiling.

I did not sleep again.

The next morning moved the way mornings do when you've spent the night wide awake — too quickly and yet not fast enough. I ate in the mess hall, came up to my office, put my head down into the work. I was determined not to let my mind wander back to the dream. It almost worked.

Lieutenant Orion appeared in my doorway with the latest report before I'd noticed the time passing.

"Everything is loaded and ready, Commander. We're just waiting on your command." I was staring out the window, barely hearing him. "...Commander. Commander!"

His hand landed on my shoulder. I came back to the room.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Orion. I didn't sleep well." I kept my eyes on the window.

"Might I ask why?"

I let out a slow breath. "A bad dream. I'm having a hard time making sense of it."

"Hmm." He was quiet for a moment. "Have you considered visiting the High Mother? She specializes in exactly this sort of thing."

"The High Mother." I let out a short laugh. "That old lunatic? The last time I went to her she had nothing good to say."

"It didn't help that you held your sword to her throat."

"In my defense, she wouldn't stop asking questions."

"That is quite literally her job."

"I don't want to discuss this anymore." I stood and moved toward the door. I could hear him behind me, working very hard to swallow a laugh. I rolled my eyes, grateful he couldn't see it.

The company was assembled at the entrance to the compound. I spotted Jebediah immediately — standing a little apart from my soldiers, looking profoundly out of place. I turned to Orion before addressing the men.

"Were you able to send my message?"

"Yes. He should receive it within a day."

"Good." I faced forward. "I have a feeling we'll need my uncle before this is over."

I let my gaze move across the assembled troops.

"Listen up. We are heading somewhere most of you have never been. The journey will be long. But when we return with our cargo, we return as a proper garrison — one that no one will dare to challenge again." I paused. "Who's with me?"

The cheer went up.

I led them forward into the western sky.