Maggie Furey - Aurian

“What kind of ridiculous place is this?” Aurian complained, as they explored yet another abandoned chamber. “What’s the use of it all?” She felt leaden with exhaustion, and her headache had returned.

“How the blazes should I know?” Anvar snapped. He sagged against her, grinding his knuckles into bloodshot eyes. The Mage glanced sharply at his slumped form, noticing for the first time that Bohan looked similarly weary. “How long is it since you’ve slept?”

He groaned. “Days—I don’t remember. Not since you disappeared.”

“Anvar!” Aurian scolded. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Taking his arm, she led him to the rear of the small room and sat him down, propped against the wall. “This place is about as defensible as we can get. We’ll rest here.”

They each took a small sip of water from the dwindling contents of their sack, Anvar pouring some into Aurian’s cupped hands for Shia to lap. The Mage insisted on taking the first watch. “I was doing nothing all the time you poor souls were searching for me,” she told them. “It’s only fair.” No one had the energy to argue.

“Wake me next,” Shia told her. “We can share the watching. I need less rest than you feeble two-legged folk.”

Aurian left them asleep and sat to one side of the entrance, her sword ready to her hand. She began to count time by tapping her dagger on the palm of her hand to mark the seconds and switching hands when each minute had passed, but soon gave it up. The counting lulled her, and she found herself beginning to nod. Instead, she thought about her child. It must be about five months now, though it was hard to work out the time exactly—Magewomen were taught to suppress the monthly cycles that were such a bother for Mortals, They usually became aware of their pregnancy after the second month, and Aurian thought that was about right, She had certainly felt the child’s presence once it had been pointed out to her. Not much longer before my powers vanish entirely, she thought, and what will we do then? If we ever escape from here, that is. What could have prompted Harihn to such treachery? Did I really misjudge him so badly?

The Mage wondered what was happening in Nexis, Miathan would use the powers of the Caldron to enslave the Mortals he despised, with Eliseth, Bragar, and Davorshan as willing accomplices. What had become of her friends? Had Vannor and Parric survived? What of Maya and D’arvan, and her mother? While her powers were crippled by the bracelets, she might have been unaware of any deaths among the Magefolk! She shivered, despite the warm air of the chamber, and longed for Portal’s sturdy old cloak, which had been lost in the shipwreck. Its familiar weight on her shoulders had always been a comfort. But cloak and Forral were gone, and she was cold and alone in this dark place,

Aurian, lost in sorrowful thoughts, was startled by a cold black nose poking into her face. “Thought so,” Shia said. “You’re almost asleep. Time I took over!”

The Mage was quick to agree. It would be a relief to escape for a while into oblivion. She crossed the chamber to where her friends slept, and lay down beside Anvar. As always he seemed to sense her presence, and turned to put an arm around her, murmuring her name in his sleep. Aurian snuggled close, and felt her burden lifting. At least I have Shia and Bohan, she thought, and especially Anvar.

The next day, if day it was, they encountered the trap. After a frugal breakfast that left them with slender rations, indeed, they resumed their weary trudge, winding ever upward round the featureless stone spiral with its empty rooms until their feet dragged with exhaustion. Aurian was close to despair. Had she been wrong in her hope of finding the lost knowledge of the Dragonfolk? Did it really matter? We’re doomed to die here, she thought. This bloody mountain will be our tomb, and that will be that.

Suddenly Shia, stalking ahead as usual, stopped. “Magic!” she growled.

“You’re right,” Anvar said. “Aurian, do you see it?”

A few paces in front of them there was a silvery disturbance in the air, like the illusory shimmer above a stone pavement on a hot day. It stretched across the passage like a curtain, barring their way.

Danger or not, Aurian was glad that something had occurred to break the monotony of the trek. She walked forward cautiously, staff in one hand, the other held up before her, palm foremost. As she reached the roiling, silky distortion, two things happened. The shimmer vanished—and all the light in the tunnel went out. Taken by surprise, Aurian took another step forward, striking a ball of Magelight above her head. As it flared, there was a low, thunderous grinding from above, drawing her eyes upward. Her breath caught in her throat as a huge, squared-off block of the ceiling detached itself and came plummeting toward her.

To Aurian, everything happened in nightmare slow motion. The block seemed to float downward as she plunged forward. One foot slipped and she fell, twisting, facing back in the direction from which she had come.

“Aurian!” Anvar was hurling himself forward, diving into the narrowing gap between stone and floor. The massive block plunged inexorably down, smashing Anvar into the floor with a jarring crunch that shuddered the walls.

“Anvar!” Aurian’s shriek tore her throat. Her Magelight went out, plunging her into darkness. Her mind reeled with hideous, unbearable visions . . . Anvar, pulverized beneath tons of stone . . . She collapsed against the wall, retching, choking on sobs—

And leapt about a yard into the air as a hand touched her shoulder.

“It’s me!” Anvar’s strangled voice was almost lost in her squeak of fright.

“You! You can’t ... I saw . . .” Aurian found it impossible to get the words past her chattering teeth.

Anvar, it seemed, was having similar difficulties as they clung together, shaking. “Illusion,” he gasped.

Illusion? Illusion! Aurian’s Magelight rekindled, flaring fiery red as anger boiled up within her. She drew back, staring at Anvar’s ashen face. “You fool! You bloody idiot! I thought you were dead, damn you! How could you do such a stupid thing!” she stormed. Tears of shock and rage ran down her face and she dashed them angrily away.

Anvar grabbed her shoulders. “Because I’m not prepared to lose you again! I’d rather die, don’t you understand?” he yelled, his fingers digging hard into her flesh.

Oh. Aurian felt her anger draining away. She understood— she had felt the same way about Forral, She shook her head, unwilling to accept the implications. “Anvar . . .”

He looked away from her, biting his lip. “Never mind. Forget it.”

“If you two have quite finished!” Shia’s mental voice was a welcome distraction, but Aurian could tell from the steely tone that the cat too was angry at the scare they had given her. She was nowhere in sight; still hidden, presumably, behind the illusory block of stone. “How you expect anyone to get their thoughts through such a turmoil as you have been throwing up, I have no idea!” Shia went on irritably, “But since you’ve finally deigned to listen to me, have you anything constructive to suggest?”

Suddenly Aurian found herself giggling helplessly. That started Anvar off too, and they laughed together until their ribs ached and they were wheezing for breath. The little ball of Magelight, bright gold now, flickered and bobbed above Aurian’s head as though it too were chuckling.

“WELL?” The thunder of Shia’s voice finally sobere them.

“Sorry, Shia.” Aurian grinned at Anvar, speaking her thoughts aloud for Bohan’s benefit. “I suggest you walk straight through. The block is an illusion—as Anvar so conclusively proved!” She gave him a mock-fierce scowl.