Swanheart

Chapter Thirteen

Secrets And Lies

Firetail had barely landed in Chitaan's courtyard as the High Sorceress of Urdgard jumped from the dragon's back, her eyes firmly fixed on the man with the silver hair that came running towards her.

"Zaylan," she gasped, flinging her arms around him.

As soon as the king had gathered her into an embrace, Ranya lost the tight grip she had had on her emotions until that point. Holding on tightly to him, she cried into his shoulder, her whole body shaking under the force of her sobs.

He made soothing noises, gently rubbing her back the whole time.

After the storm had passed, she pulled back, wiping her eyes. Looking at the wet stain her tears had left behind on his robes, she apologized. "I'm sorry for falling apart like that."

Zaylan tenderly caressed one of her cheeks. "It's alright, don't worry. You have been through a lot lately and needed an outlet."

She looked at him and the sadness, which he could detect in the depths of her eyes, tugged painfully at his heart. "My premonition became true in the worst way. Urdgard is in ruins and the enemy has another sacred gemstone. I failed, Zaylan," she whispered, brokenly. "I shouldn't be the High Sorceress of Urdgard any longer. I wasn't there to protect my people. I wasn't there to keep the stone safe. I let everybody down, including myself. Now, I will concentrate on retrieving the jewel and rebuilding Urdgard. As soon as that is done, I will leave, after appointing somebody else as High Sorcerer."

Zaylan was shocked as he heard that. "No, Ranya. You can't be serious about that. Your people need you. There is no other, who could fill that position, and you know that. You were born to be a High Sorceress. You were chosen and made the ruler of Urdgard. You know that the High Councilors don't make a decision like that lightly. You just made one mistake…"

"Yes, one mistake that cost thousands of lives!" she cut him off angrily. "One mistake that I won't be able to atone for, no matter how hard I will work! I…" As quickly as the anger had come, it vanished. "I'm sorry," she said, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. "I didn't come here to argue with you."

"I know. Listen to me, Ranya. You are a wonderful woman, an awesome magician and a great leader. We will find a way to defeat the masked sorcerer and to bring peace back to Yuron. Don't give up hope."

"That is exactly what I have been telling her too," Firetail chimed in, no longer able to be quiet.

Ranya sighed. "I… I feel much better now," she replied, reaching up to place her own hand on the one that still rested against her cheek.

Zaylan smiled. "Good. I'm glad to hear that."

"Hey, are there not a few people missing?" the dragon remarked, raising her head. "I can only count three when it should at least be five."

Over the king's shoulder, Ranya saw several people coming towards them. She recognized them as Loreen, Ranib and Wyan. "Firetail is right. Where are the others?"

"Alannah and Terrulli are still with the Elves and Leigh is on a quest. They will return soon."

"Will you tell me more about it later?" Ranya asked.

Zaylan nodded.

"Alright. We should go inside. There is a lot to talk about. Firetail and I have been in Shircon. I had a talk with the High Councilors and the news I bring are definitely not of the good kind."

"The High Councilors sent me a message. It was rather disturbing," Zaylan responded. "I have not told anybody about it yet, because I was waiting for Loreen to return from Ilumera."

Meanwhile, the Half-Elf and her sons had reached them. The healer's sharp ears had caught the last part of the king's sentence. "I'm here now. While we were gone, Ranib and Wyan found something, which is of great importance. We really have to talk."

Zaylan nodded. "I know. Let's go inside," he said, indicating for the others to follow him.

*****

The Siren that had her arms still wrapped around Leigh's upper body smiled gleefully. "Finally, the struggling ceased," she told her sister, who was still holding on to the knight's legs. She felt the young woman sag in her embrace. It had been so easy to lure her latest victim into the trap, but Leigh had put up quite a fight and almost had managed to get away.

Steadily, they dragged her further down into the depths of the dark ocean.

"The one in her heart looked beautiful, don't you think?" her sister asked.

"Yes, I wonder who it was."

"Does it matter? She will never know. She…" The reply was cut off abruptly and turned to a gasp as a shape was racing towards the water creatures. "What is that?"

At the same time, Leigh began to jerk violently in the Siren's arms.

Caught by surprise of the sudden movements, they lost their grip on the Human and her body began to slowly rise towards the surface.

Then the shape had reached the Sirens, engaging them into a fight. Swimming quickly around them, they were whirled helplessly in the current that was created by the rapid moves. Disoriented, they were unable to defend themselves, though their arms flailed about, trying to use their claws against their attacker.

The first Siren was hit by a tremendous force into the stomach. It knocked her backward. Curling up into herself and wailing in pain, she retreated further, as quickly as she could. "My sister, let us swim away! It's not worth it," she hissed, holding on to her stomach.

The other Siren ground her teeth in frustration. "No! Not this time!" she growled. She knew who was attacking them. It had happened before, but she was determined that he wouldn't be victorious this time. "She is mine!" she howled, furious. "Do you hear me, Grayfin? You can't have her, because she is mine!" She looked around for the shape, which seemed to have disappeared. Scanning her surroundings for the Human, she couldn't detect her either. Screeching in anger, she swam towards the surface.

"My sister, please… I am injured... I need help…"

"Stop your whining, sister!" the Siren snarled, searching the dark water intently and wild-eyed for her victim.

"LOOK OUT!"

But the other Siren's warning came too late. The gray shape came at her out of the blue, ramming full force into the back of the water creature. Blow upon blow met her body, hard and fast. Her spine almost snapped under the onslaught and the searing pain made her pass out.

"Why? Why? Why can you not leave us alone? It is in our nature to do what we do. We were created that way!" Whimpering and crying, the other Siren gathered her heavily injured sister in her arms and carried her away, down to their cave, where they both would recover eventually.

In a last desperate attempt to escape the clutches of certain death, Leigh had regained conscience. Her arms and legs felt so heavy that she could hardly move them, her lungs burnt and her head was all foggy from lack of oxygen. She felt a gentle pressure against her stomach. Something was pushing her, aiding her in her descent to the surface. Reaching down, her clammy hands touched smooth, gray skin that felt like rubber.

"Hold on, we are almost there," a voice said in her head. It was male and sounded very gentle, reminding Leigh of an Elven voice.

Then her head broke through the surface and she took in a much needed breath. Whatever creature was carrying her, it brought her to the boat, which was still bobbing on the waves. On the floor lay her sword, shield and armor, as well as the green cloak and the bag with food that Loredane had given her.

With arms that felt as heavy as lead, Leigh clutched the wooden rim of the boat and heaved her soaked self inside. Her teeth chattered heavily from the cold and the tremors that wrecked her frame were violent.

Quickly, she hung her head over the boat's side. Retching, coughing, spitting and sputtering, her body got rid of all the salt water that had entered her lungs. Every inch of her hurt and behind her tightly closed eyelids, she saw bright spots dancing.

Leigh wiped a shaking hand across her face. Gasping and panting for breath, she tried to get the trembling of her limbs under control. On her hands and knees, Leigh wanted to turn around, wishing to have a look at her savior. In front of her, she just saw an oddly-shaped, blurry, gray creature with big, black eyes and what seemed to be a constant smile on its face. 'A dolphin?' it shot through her mind. Only a moment later, her strength left her, and she lost conscience again.

Before her mind was cast into velvety darkness, she thought she heard the voice say, "That was a close call. Rest now, you are safe."

A short, smooth, gray snout appeared, reaching for the green cloak with its teeth. Carefully, the fabric was dragged over the knight's body to warm her. The cloak began to glow slightly, working its magic for the first time. A soft heat seeped into her chilled bones, warming every cell of her abused body and drying her.

Grayfin swam under the boat and took the rope, which was still attached to its bow, between his teeth, pulling it after him as he raced off.

*****

Loreen, Ranya, Ranib and Wyan sat at the round table in the king's study, which was covered with scrolls, maps, books and other papers. It was obvious that Zaylan must have done some serious studying during the days he had locked himself in his chambers. That time with little or no sleep had left their mark on his face. He looked beyond tired but his mind was still as sharp as a tack.

It was deadly silent in the hall, except for Zaylan's footsteps which echoed unusually loud through the room. With his arms crossed in front of his chest, he paced. His eyes were fixed to the ground and the crease between his silver eyebrows told everyone that he was deep in thought. He raised his head, looking at Ranya, who had just finished her report about the attack on Urdgard.

Loreen and the twins looked dismayed as they heard about Urdgard's fate.

"If there is one positive thing, it is that Nirios, his sister and Samira are very successful in recruiting helpers. The people of Yuron are really growing back together. At the moment there are a few troops from several non-magical countries that aid us in rebuilding Urdgard, without asking for anything in return. I also sent two messenger birds to Livos and Slidur, telling them about the portals. If the masked sorcerer really uses the portals to gain entrance into the countries, we might just be able to take away the advantage he has," Ranya closed.

"What about the one in Urdgard? Were you able to shut it down? Can it be used again?" Zaylan wanted to know.

The High Sorceress sighed. "I tried to destroy it, but no matter what magical spell I used, the frame just absorbed the energy. I ordered a few men to take it down and bury it in the desert. I don't know if it will work. Have you searched here already, Zaylan?"

The king nodded. "The whole castle was searched and I have several troops out there, looking for something that fits the description you gave me. Until now, we didn't find anything. Maybe our ancestors already took it down, or it is hidden so well that we can't discover it. We will keep our eyes open." He stopped next to her, leaning his arms on the backrest of an empty chair. "Could the High Council tell you something about the portals?"

"Naphtalon said he had never heard of anything like that, but Arida mentioned it might be an ancient transportation system, which got lost and forgotten during the Age of Distrust. She said she would check in the library to see if she could find more information on it. She will send us a message."

Reaching out, he shoved a few scrolls and documents aside, until he found the one he was looking for in the rather disordered pile. He picked up the parchment with the broken, violet seal and gave it to Ranya. "This is the message, the High Council sent to me."

The High Sorceress took it and read it. Once she was done, she folded it and placed it back on the table. "That is what Naphtalon and Arida told me, too. They believe that Cerrn, Asram's dark brother, is involved somehow."

Loreen gasped and her sons looked shocked as the name fell. "And there is no doubt?"

Ranya shook her head. "I'm afraid not. They found out that High Councilor Ciem was in cohorts with him, talking to the dark one via an enchanted mirror. Before they could arrest him, he was killed, which is unfortunate for us. We don't know how much he might have revealed to his dark master about our plans to stop the masked sorcerer. And we also don't know, if he followed Cerrn's orders willingly or if he was under some sort of mind-controlling spell."

Zaylan stroked his beard, thinking. "After Urdgard, no other country was attacked yet. With the discovery of the magical portals we might have taken away the advantage the masked sorcerer had on us. There still is no life sign of Tanith or Krymm. Also, we don't know for certain what happened to Rovannah and Tyrel."

Loreen pulled the small bag and the bloodstained scroll from a pocket of her dress. "While we were in Ilumera, a magpie took up residence in an abandoned bird nest of Rubyoh's tree." She gave the scroll to Zaylan. "I have reason to believe that the magpie was Krymm's messenger bird Buttoneye."

The king's eyebrows rose in astonishment. "Buttoneye wouldn't leave Krymm, unless…" He left the last part of his sentence unspoken and looked at the scroll, recognizing it as the formal invitation letter, calling for a meeting that the High Council sent out. "Do you believe it is his blood?"

"I fear so," the Half-Elf replied.

He nodded quietly. "After what we saw at Kentaara, I thought the same, but there is still hope that he was abducted like Tanith. We shouldn't assume the worst. This scroll only tells us that he was wounded, if it is indeed his blood." His attention turned to the bag.

"Be careful," Loreen warned.

Zaylan opened it with great caution and froze in his tracks.

Ranya rose and looked over his shoulder, wanting to see what had rendered her friend speechless. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "By the Spirits," she gasped.

*****

As Leigh awoke, she found herself in the middle of the gently bobbing boat. The sun was shining down on her, warming her. Blinking, she slowly sat up and the green cloak slipped off her shoulders. Leigh wrinkled her eyebrows, wondering how it had gotten there, since the last thing she remembered was passing out cold, after her life had almost ended in the deadly clutches of two Sirens. Taking stock of her body, she was relieved to find everything as it should be. For a brief second, she thought that she had just fallen asleep in the boat, while waiting for the Mermen, and that her near death experience had just been a bad dream. Then she encountered bruises and scratches on her arms where the water creatures had grabbed her and their sharp nails had injured her. Her whole rib cage was still aching too, telling her that the occurrence had been very real.

Looking around, she found that the boat was in a little bay. It was open on one side, while large boulders and rocks formed a natural border on the other three sides. The boat's rope had been fastened to an iron ring, which was attached to one particularly large boulder, keeping it from drifting away.

Leigh ran a hand through her dry hair and exhaled sharply. She was safe now and still able to carry out her mission. That was all that mattered at the moment.

"Finally awake, are you?"

Leigh's head whipped around, scanning her surroundings for the one that had spoken. In the dark recesses of her mind, she felt something stir. She recognized it. It was the same soft, male voice that she had heard, shortly before she lost conscience. "Where are you?" she called out hoarsely.

The answer was swift. A gray tail fin appeared and produced a mighty splash that hit her right in the face. The dolphin rose from the water, whistling and clicking, seemingly dancing on top of a wave. He swam close to the boat and stuck his head over the rim, his eyes bright and the ever-present smile was in place as well.

Leigh used the sleeves of her shirt to wipe the water from her face. "I sure am awake now," she grumbled.

"Good. There was a time I was worried."

The knight stared at him in disbelief. There was only one animal that was able to communicate in the Human way and that was Ranya's dragon Firetail. This had to be a trick. Maybe the Mermen were trying to play a prank on her to see how smart she was. One of them was probably hiding behind the rocks, giving the dolphin a voice and laughing his head off that she believed an animal could talk.

The black eyes regarded her, good-natured humor clearly visible in their depths. "You are not very smart if you think that. The Mermen are quite a serious people. They would not waste time on pranks and jokes."

Leigh gasped. The mouth of the dolphin had not moved, but she was certain that he was talking with her, in her mind.

"Of course, I am talking with you in your mind. Otherwise, you would be unable to understand me."

"You… y-you can r-read m-my mind?" she stuttered, utterly surprised. "Okay… alright… what crazy dream have I entered now?"

"No dream, trust me. It is all reality." To prove his point, Grayfin tweaked her nose with his snout. "See?"

Still hesitating, Leigh reached out a hand and placed her palm flat on the dolphin's head. It did feel real. "You saved me. Without you, I would have died. Thank you."

"You are most welcome."

"Do you have a name?"

"You may call me Grayfin, Leigh Swanheart." The dolphin replied, diving under the boat and emerging on the other side, splashing her again.

Leigh couldn't help but smile at his antics. "I wish Alannah could be here to see you. Where are we anyway?"

"We are exactly where you need to be," Grayfin told her mysteriously.

"I need to speak with Paquin, Lord of the Mermen," Leigh responded. "Do you know how to find him?"

"Patience," the dolphin said and disappeared once more under the water's surface.

The knight quickly turned around and looked over the side of the boat, trying to catch a glimpse of Grayfin. Straining her eyes, she only could detect a few colorful fish and some greenish-brown sea grass that gently wafted in the current.

*****

Standing in front of the swan pond, Zaylan held out his arms, his palms facing towards the water. He had his eyes closed and was muttering under his breath.

The swans that would usually circle calmly across the water had retreated, keeping their distance from the king, who was only one step away from the water.

Ripples appeared on the small lake and soon after a heavy stone chest broke through the surface, held up by the magic that Zaylan wove.

The king opened his eyes and directed the chest with movements of his arms and fingers. With a small thud, it came to rest on the grass beside him, still glistening from water and covered by algae. The lock that kept the heavy stone lid shut, gleamed in the sun. There was not one tiny speck of rust on it.

Zaylan plucked a few little water snails off the chest and threw them back into the lake. Then, he reached into a pocket of his robes, producing a small wooden flute, which was about six inches long. The instrument was called a Nai and was passed down from generation to generation. He had inherited it when he was proclaimed ruler of Chitaan. A mighty sorcerer of Slidur had created it, carving it from the bark of a special tree that only grew in the country of wood. It was enchanted and if one mastered the magic that lay behind the tones that it could create, the Nai was an instrument of enormous power.

Zaylan raised it to his lips and gently blew inside, his fingers flitting over the holes that had been drilled along the small flute's shaft.

The metal lock on the chest glowed in a dark blue light, while the beautiful melody drifted through the air. It trembled and quaked, until it finally snapped open.

Sliding the flute back into his pocket, Zaylan knelt in front of the chest. He pulled the lock from the lid. "Help me," he said to Ranib and Wyan and the twins assisted him to open the heavy lid. Inside, on a pillow of blue velvet, Chitaan's piece of Asram's Stone of Creation rested, radiating a pulsing dark blue light.

"Why is it pulsing so strongly? I don't think that Urdgard's gemstone ever glowed that brightly," Ranya said, awed.

"It feels the energy of the other piece," Zaylan explained, pointing at the jewel that was still in its bag. It was also reacting to the other stone. The faint light-blue gleam that shone through the bag was a telltale sign for that.

"Is it wise then to keep them in the same place?" Ranya questioned. "What if the masked sorcerer picks up on the combined radiation?"

Zaylan shook his head. "He can't feel it. Remember what Krymm's servant at Kentaara said? The enemy had to get the stone's exact position from Krymm. That's why he also tore up the castle in Ashkyhra, looking all over for it. There is no way he is able to feel where the jewels are. Otherwise he wouldn't have needed to engage the protectors into a fight."

"Did the idea ever cross your mind that he is a monster and loves to torture and hurt others?"

"Unfortunately, that is quite obvious," Zaylan replied and placed the bagged jewel next to the sacred gem of Chitaan. "I think that for right now, this is the safest place to hide it until Yuron is at peace again and Terrulli can return to Ashkyhra with its stone."

Motioning to Ranib and Wyan to help him, they closed the chest's lid. The king slid the lock into place. It snapped shut with a click.

Zaylan rose and used a magical spell to lift the chest, submerging it once again in the swan pond. Then he turned around and walked back to the castle.

The others followed him, only a few steps behind.

"And now, I want to know more about Leigh's quest and what Alannah and Terrulli are doing in Ilumera," Ranya demanded.

As soon as the last ripple had disappeared and the lake's surface lay calm and silent, the swans appeared, quietly swimming across the water.

*****

Some time passed and Leigh was about to sit back down in the boat as a very cold jet of water hit her at the nape of her neck. She almost lost her balance and only the tight grip, which she had on the boat's rim, kept her from toppling into the sea.

'This dolphin sure has a weird kind of humor,' she thought to herself, feeling cold water droplets running under her shirt and over her back, causing shivers to race along her skin. Turning around, she found nothing, but she quickly ducked her head, successfully dodging another water jet, which had been aimed at her.

Grayfin rose from the water, clicking and whistling in happiness. "It is fun to play with you, Leigh Swanheart," he told her, tweaking her nose again with his snout.

"Uh… thank you. Where did you go?" the knight asked, curious.

"The Mermen are waiting."

Leigh wrinkled her brows. "What do you mean, they are waiting? What are they waiting for? Shouldn't they come to me and talk with me?"

Grayfin snorted, shaking his head, blowing some air through the hole on top of it. "They are waiting for you to come to them. Follow me."

"Wait!" Leigh yelled, keeping him from diving. "How am I supposed to do that? You saw what happens if a Human stays too long under water. We are unable to breathe down there and I can't hold my breath longer than a few minutes. I cannot go to the Mermen. They have to come to me."

The dolphin reached for the cloak that had fallen off her shoulders. "Use the magic."

"I can't. I don't know how. I'm not a magic-wielder. I don't have any magic in my blood," she explained, desperately, wishing once more that Alannah was with her. The princess would probably have a spell handy that would allow them to breathe under water.

"But the one, who holds your heart, is not here. You have to use the magic of the cloak."

'But, I so wish, she was,' Leigh thought before responding. "The magic of the cloak? What does that mean?" Leigh's frown deepened.

Grayfin whistled, rose and balanced on his tail fin. "You own a cloak that was blessed by the Spirits and you do not know about its magic?"

The knight shook her head. "I do remember Loreen saying something about magical powers of the cloak, but I never tried it."

The dolphin nodded. "No time like the present. The Half-Elf is a very wise woman."

Leigh tied the cloak around her neck, looking questioningly at Grayfin. "Now, what do I need to do to make the magic work?"

"You do not need to do a thing. The Spirits will be with you, especially, Ossyr. Just follow me!" That said, he propelled himself out of the water, somersaulted and disappeared under the surface.

The knight rose and stood on slightly shaking legs in the middle of the boat. Her eyes flitted back and forth between the waves and her sword. Should she take it with her? Would it be of any help in the ocean? What was waiting for her in the darkness of the deep blue? Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair. This was not the time to analyze. Closing her eyes, she pictured Alannah's gently smiling face in her mind. Immediately, she felt a great wave of incredible warmth spreading through her chest and settling in her heart. Everything would be alright.

Green eyes flew open and she exhaled sharply. "By Ossyr, I hope this is going to work." Gathering her courage, Leigh took a leap, leaving armor, sword and shield behind. It was also a leap of faith. As soon as she was submerged, she tensed.

"Inhale, Leigh Swanheart," Grayfin said gently. "And open your eyes. It will be alright, I promise."

The knight shook her head, still holding her breath. Her arms and legs were moving slightly to keep her position, even though every cell in her body screamed at her to return to land. The sound of her own heavily pounding heartbeat filled her ears. Her thoughts and feelings were in an uproar. 'Just what was I thinking, jumping into the ocean like that? I'm going to drown!'

The dolphin was slowly circling her, picking up on her emotions that her body radiated so strongly. "Do not be scared. Have faith. Trust in yourself and in your Spirits."

Her eyes opened then and she was face to face with Grayfin. It felt strange to be floating under water like that, but she had to admit it wasn't uncomfortable. Her hands reached up to her neck. 'What is that?' she wondered after her fingers touched weird bumps and slits along the sides.

"Your gills," the dolphin explained, calmly. "You will be able to breathe under water now. Do not worry. They will disappear again as soon as we are back on the surface."

"That is good to know," Leigh replied, each word setting free a stream of small bubbles from her mouth. "Where are we going now?"

"To the Mermen, of course," Grayfin responded. "Hold on to my back fin," he said, turning around.

Leigh swam closer and wrapped the fingers of both hands around the presented fin.

"Hold on tight and do not let go," the dolphin said and the knight could clearly hear happiness, excitement and anticipation in his voice.

Only a second later, they shot through the water at a breakneck speed, forcing Leigh to take a firmer grip. The underwater world rushed past them so quickly that Leigh only caught brief flashes of colorful fish and coral reefs.

Grayfin increased the speed further, almost making her dizzy. "We will reach the palace of Lord Paquin soon."

Leigh wasn't sure if she had truly heard the words, because she was concentrating so hard on keeping her grip.

Some time passed and finally the dolphin slowed down, until he swam at a normal pace. "There. It is right in front of us," Grayfin pointed out coming to a stop.

Leigh's eyes widened as she took in the magnificent sight before her. She wanted to remember every detail so that she could tell Alannah about the realm of the Mermen. It was simply beautiful.

Just like the Elves had done with Ilumera, the Mermen had gotten accustomed to their natural environment. Caves and rocks, corals and huge sponges, water plants and everything else had been left untouched, but still formed houses and dwellings, and in the middle of it all, proud and tall, rose the castle of Surandia.

They reached the gate and found their way blocked by two stern-looking guards, who crossed their tridents in front of them. Leigh could see the bulging muscles on their naked arms, indicating their strength. Both of them wore golden breastplates and helmets. Their fishtail were covered in dark blue scales. They eyed the new arrivals apprehensively, scrutinizing them up and down.

"Grayfin," one of them addressed the dolphin. "Is this the surface-dweller that wishes to speak to our Lord?"

"Yes. This is Leigh Swanheart."

The guard nodded briefly. "Welcome to Surandia, the capital of Paquin's dwellings and the location of his castle," he said, his face not losing any of his sternness. "Follow me. Our Lord is waiting for you."

Leigh slowly swam after him. After a few strokes, she turned around to look at Grayfin questioningly. "Are you not coming with me?"

"I will wait right here for your return."

The knight nodded in understanding and turned back to follow the guard.

*****

High Sorceress Tanith regarded the boy, who was sitting next to her on a pile of moldy straw. He shoveled the cold porridge with such pleasure as if it was a feast. A change had come over Tyrel. Since the day Burak had brought him back from another 'meeting' with the masked sorcerer, where he had been on the brink of almost crossing over to the Different World, he had been immensely recovering.

Tanith was very glad and happy about that, having thought that Rovannah's son would surely die. He didn't. Instead, he had regained his strength quicker than she had expected. There was one thing that had her worried though. He kept talking about his mother as if she was close by.

Tyrel stopped eating and looked at her questioningly as he felt her scrutinizing gaze. "What?" he mumbled around a mouthful of porridge.

She just shook her head and turned towards her own bowl. The shackles, which were still attached to her wrists, clanked softly as she dipped her fingers into the slimy, cold mass that was considered a meal. Tanith wrinkled her nose in disgust. The food didn't look appealing and it most certainly tasted even worse. She was sick and tired of it and longed for a simple piece of bread, just to have something that could be chewed. Her appetite left and she shoved the bowl aside. "I wonder when they allow us to have another bath. I stink to the high heavens and my robes could be cleaned too."

Tyrel swallowed the last bit of his porridge. Then he scooted closer and took one of her hands. It felt icy to his touch, and he began to gently rub some warmth into her chilled flesh. "Don't worry," he told her. "Mother is here and she will find a way to get us out of this place."

Tanith sighed heavily. She desperately wished that she could just have one ounce of the faith that he had. "How can you be certain that it was your mother, who called for you?"

He frowned. "What do you mean? I told you, I heard her voice clearly in my mind."

"I know that, Tyrel. But what if it is a lie? What if it is just a trick from the masked sorcerer to get through to the information he wants?"

Tyrel shook his head in denial. "No, it can't be."

"Why are you so sure of that?" She reached up and brushed a hand through his hair. "I don't want to hurt you with my next words, but I have to say them."

"It's alright," he said. "We are in the same mess. We need to get through it together and it is important that we can trust each other. We have to be honest with each other, so please, speak your mind. I promise that I won't get angry at you."

"You are wise far beyond your age, my young friend," she replied, ruffling his hair again. "What if you just imagined hearing your mother? What if some kind of memory, where she told you that everything would be alright, was activated due to him prodding your mind? I mean, you almost died from the torture, Tyrel. It could be that your body conjured up a vision to save itself and to keep you alive."

Tyrel thought about it. "No, I don't think that happened. It really felt like when Mother and I talk via mind-link."

Tanith looked into his eyes, searching. He really believed what he had just said and wasn't merely holding on to a dream to make himself and her feel better.

"The problem is, I was too weak to respond and it didn't happen again," he added.

"Have you tried reaching out with your mind since you recovered?"

Tyrel shook his head. "Not yet. I'm waiting for the masked sorcerer to leave. He must not know, otherwise we would be even more endangered."

The sound of heavy footsteps interrupted them.

The boy leapt off her make-shift bed and curled up on his own nasty-smelling pile of straw, pretending to be asleep.

Rattling and clicking the cell door opened, revealing Burak. He carried a bucket with steaming water and one with cold water. He also had a bundle of fresh robes for Tanith and new clothes for Tyrel under his arm. Among them were two towels as well. "Time to wash up, Milady," he said sarcastically and set down the bucket. Stepping close to her, he unlocked the shackles.

Tanith glowered at him and rubbed her sore wrists. "It's about time," she snapped. "I was already beginning to think that you wanted us to kill each other with our own stench!"

He placed a bar of soap into her hands. "Less talking, more washing," Burak ordered, smirking. "I'll be back in ten minutes to reattach your beautiful bracelets." Chuckling, he left and shut the door behind him.

Tanith seethed with barely restrained anger. The shackles had drained her magic so much there was no way she could recover in ten minutes to cast even a minor spell.

Tyrel scrambled up and joined her at the bucket. "I think he is beginning to like us. We got warm water and soap this time. And look, new clothes and towels."

The High Sorceress just clenched her jaws tightly, biting back the nasty words that wanted so desperately to slip off her tongue. Until now, she still had been unable to figure out the mystery that was General Burak. On whose side was he?

*****

The large doors parted right in front of her and Leigh entered the bare hall. It was just a room with a door and a few holes that worked like windows, though without glass. The walls were unadorned, since there was no need for paintings or tapestries under water.

"Wait here," the guard instructed. "Our Lord will be with you shortly."

She didn't have to wait long.

"You are Leigh Swanheart?"

The knight turned around as she heard the question.

In front of her floated a tall Merman. His long black hair and the equally long beard were slightly curled and had a greenish tint. His fishtail was dark green with three black stripes. The trident, which he held in one hand, was bigger than the ones she had seen in possession of the guards. A belt that held several small pouches was wrapped around the Merman's waist. His chest and arms were muscled. A red crown, which had been carved from coral, rested on his head and broad golden bracelets adorned his upper arms and wrists. Around his neck he wore a chain, made out of black pearls and small, white shells. His chiseled features bore similarities to the faces of the Elves in the way it was shaped, though lacking the Elven softness. There were no laugh lines to be detected anywhere and his gold-brown eyes watched her intently.

Leigh bowed quickly, which was a bit difficult in water, but she didn't wish to be disrespecting. "Lord Paquin, King of the Mermen, it is a great honor to meet you."

He swam closer, switching his weapon to his left hand. Holding out his right hand, he offered it to the knight.

Leigh shook it without hesitation. His hand was cool and smooth, reminding her of Grayfin's skin.

"The honor is all mine, Deliverer of Peace," Paquin announced, looking deeply into her eyes as if he was searching for something.

Leigh was taken aback by the use of the title. The Merman's smile told her that she had been unable to hide her surprise. "How do you…"

"Grayfin told me everything," he interrupted her. "You are the first Human being we allowed to enter our realm. Please, forgive me that we could not come to you, but past experiences with land-dwellers that had dishonorable intentions, have made us very suspicious of the world above our ocean."

"I understand, Lord Paquin, and I'm sorry to hear about the unfortunate encounters with other races," Leigh responded. "Nonetheless, I'm honored about the trust you show me."

The Merman bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement. "We have been waiting a long time for your arrival, Chosen of the Spirits. I know why you are here, and I have been guarding what you need in order to fulfill your destiny," he explained. Reaching inside one of the small pouches that were attached to his belt, his fist closed around an object. He held it out to the knight. Paquin slowly opened his fingers, revealing a white pearl, which lay on his palm.

Leigh looked at it, greatly fascinated, but didn't dare touch it. "Is this the Pearl of Zimahil?"

"Indeed it is," the Merman confirmed

"What does it do? How does it work?"

Paquin looked surprised at her questions. "You have not been told?" he inquired.

"I know that it is a device that will release Shadow Warriors from the dark spell and send them to the Different World, but I don't know how it does that and how it works," Leigh answered.

The Merman took one of her hands and placed the pearl on her palm. "You need to know that this weapon will not work in the hands of a sorcerer. Only one with non-magical blood and possessing a pure heart will be able to activate it."

Leigh looked from the pearl, which felt incredibly light, to Paquin. "What do I need to do?"

"To keep yourself and others safe it is important not to get too close to the Shadow Warriors. If their cursed weapons touch you, your soul will be in danger of joining them. Therefore, the pearl can take up whatever shape you want it to have. A sword, a spear, bow and arrow, it will be transformed into whatever you want. All you have to do is think about it." Paquin retreated a bit to give her some room. "Try, Leigh Swanheart."

The knight's fingers closed around the artifact. She closed her eyes as well, picturing her sword that she had left behind in the boat. After a few seconds her eyes opened and she stared at her fist. Nothing had happened. The pearl was still a round and white pearl. She looked at Paquin.

The Merman's face was expressionless. "Try again," he said calmly.

Leigh did, but once again her attempt to transform the pearl was unsuccessful. "Uh… maybe I'm not the right person after all," she said, feeling uncomfortable and she was about to return the pearl to Paquin.

He just shook his head. "You are the right one, I can feel it. What weapon were you picturing?"

"My sword."

"Ah, that is the reason it does not work. You are trying to create a weapon that already exists. Do not be so specific."

"Alright," Leigh said and closed her eyes again. This time she pictured a simple spear. Immediately, she could detect a change. A soft humming could be heard and the pearl became warm. It grew and reshaped in her hand.

"Wonderful," Paquin announced. "I knew that you were the right one."

The knight's eyes slowly fluttered open and she stared at her hand that was now holding a six feet long spear. The weapon was not solid, because it wasn't made out of wood and metal. It was a creation of pure energy, similar to a lightning bolt. It also glowed, radiating a bright blue light.

Paquin swam closer and touched the spear. His hand went right through it, unharmed. "As you can see, it will not wound living beings in any way."

"How will it free the trapped souls that are the Shadow Warriors?" Leigh wanted to know.

"All it takes is for the magic to touch them," the Merman explained, "and the Shadow Warriors will be reduced to what they are. Their tortured souls will be freed from the dark magical spell that bound them and they will be able to cross over to the Different World. Of course, you will need to practice with it, so that the transformation will be quicker."

Leigh nodded. "I will. I have one more question though."

"What do you wish to know, Leigh Swanheart?"

"Can this pearl be transformed into a different shape that will make it easier to carry it around?"

"What do you have in mind?" Paquin asked.

"I was wondering if it could be shaped into a ring or bracelet, so that I could keep it close at hand and will not have to pull it out of a pouch. I don't wish to lose it," Leigh replied.

The Merman ran a hand through his long beard, twisting several strands around his fingers, thinking. "Let me see what I can do."

Carefully, Leigh gave him the pearl.

He placed it on his left palm, while his right hand hovered closely above it. Muttering words in a language, which was unknown to the knight, he wove a spell.

Leigh stared at the pearl that was slowly transformed into a ring. It was unadorned, very simple, and it looked as if it had been carved out of ivory.

He gave it to her.

The knight took it and slipped the ring on the middle finger of her left hand.

Paquin nodded in agreement. "That is a good decision. This way you can grab it quickly and it will not interfere when you do not need it."

Leigh bowed. "Thank you, Lord Paquin."

The Merman bowed also. "Farewell, Leigh Swanheart."

He led her to the gate, where Grayfin was waiting for her.

*****

Continued...