Page 45 of Requiem of Silence

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said, smiling faintly. “I will consider myself free to do so.”

She nodded once. “And Camm? Thank you. I did need some good news today.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Follow the stars or your art or your heart,

find answers that speak to your inner spark

and let them lead the way.

—THE HARMONY OF BEING

The caldera Mooriah had left for Kyara was a map—of sorts. When she applied a drop of her blood to the tiny, black stone, she was thrust into a vision. A journey unfolded in her mind like a memory. It was as if she had walked the trails before: a narrow, rocky path leading to an opening in the mountain. And then through the twisting tunnels, deeper and deeper inside until they ended at the cave city.

When Kyara came back to herself, Ella had marveled at the magic of it, but didn’t appear surprised. Apparently, she knew athing or two about blood magic. The group piled into an army vehicle driven by the young soldier who’d first greeted them. Kyara directed them north and as far east as they could go, until the dirt road petered out in the foothills of the mountain range. They were dropped off in an area covered in sparse, tough shrubbery. The landscape was not so different from the foothills in Lagrimar.

Several hours of hiking brought them to the cave entrance from her vision, an opening in the unrelenting stone that had been cut into a perfect rectangle. What little of the interior that was visible was smooth and sparkled in the day’s dying light. Beyond was an impenetrable blackness.

The knapsacks they’d picked up from the base included battery-powered electric flashlights, which entranced both Kyara and Ulani. They clicked them off and on again, marveling at the convenience and easy operation. Darvyn finally plucked hers out of her hands, shaking his head and smiling.

They entered the mountain, their steps echoing on the smooth, but uneven, cave floor. When she’d last been here, she’d heard the Cavefolk calling her—low whispers inside her head had led her to them. This time, as she adjusted to the atmosphere and smell of the tunnels they walked through, the whispers were silent. But anticipation hung in the air. Murmur and the others knew she was coming, she could practically feel them waiting for her.

Long hours later, Kyara’s legs were sore and her emotions on edge. Ella seemed to be having the hardest time with all the walking, but to her credit she didn’t complain. Kyara wished that someone could heal the woman’s blisters, visible during breaks when she’d take her shoes off to rub her feet. Ulani tutted and fretted over her mother in the most adorable way, but could do nothing to help.

The map’s vision was a constant in Kyara’s mind, guiding themthrough the maze of tunnels. Sometimes they would hear the trickle of running water, sometime the flutter and patter of some kind of animal. But on and on they walked into the heart of the mountain.

Finally, the darkness surrounding them steadily lightened until it was bright enough that they turned off the flashlights. Before them a doorway opened onto an upper ledge that looked out onto the city of the Cavefolk. The enormous cave had to be the size of the glass castle of Sayya. Walkways of stone crisscrossed the open space, with staircases rising and falling at intervals along the way.

She stepped through and up to the ledge, taking in the vast, wondrous space again. How had it been constructed? How many people used to occupy this place, and what was life like when it was a full and bustling city?

Darvyn, who had been bringing up the rear of the party, made a sound of alarm. Kyara spun around to find him still in the entryway, having not crossed the stone threshold onto the ledge the rest of them stood upon. When he tried to move forward, an invisible barrier held him back—one much like the Mantle that had once separated the two countries. He could not physically move past it. Kyara went back to him, easily crossing the space that restricted him. But even when she held his hand, though she could pass easily, he could not.

“This is some kind of spell,” she said. “I wonder if there’s another way into the city?” The map had only showed her one path, but obviously there must be more than one way to enter. There were pathways all over the place. But would any of them allow Darvyn through?

A melodious voice behind them broke in. “Whoareyou?”

Kyara spun to find Mooriah standing there, tilting her head. Rage mushroomed within at the sight of her. “This is Darvyn, youknow him!” Kyara shouted. “And howdareyou! How dare you take that child and force us out here?”

A visibly agitated Ella was talking rapidly in Elsiran, doubtless asking where her daughter was, but the ancient Lagrimari woman ignored both her and Kyara. “You are Lagrimari?” Mooriah asked Darvyn. “Bothyour parents?”

Darvyn jerked in surprise. “I never knew my father.”

“Hmm.” Mooriah’s gaze never left him. She waved a hand at Ella. “Tell the woman her daughter is fine. If she would just be quiet for a moment, I will take you to her.”

Darvyn narrowed his eyes and translated. Ella fell silent, eyes burning holes into Mooriah.

Kyara gritted her teeth. “Darvyn’s mother said his father was a man made of light,” she said. “Everyone always thought she was mad.” Kyara had known his mother when she was a child, and had loved her the way she’d never had the opportunity to love her own.

Mooriah shook her head. “No, she spoke true. His father must be why he cannot pass. His kind are not allowed in the city.”

Darvyn straightened. “You know who my father is?”

“No. But I knowwhathe must have been.”

“A man made of light?” he asked slowly.

“Yes.”

---