Page 22 of Daughter of the Dark Sun
A white line streaked across the sky, blinding the cowering woman. The sky never lit on fire like this at home. Before she could think, a loudcracksounded overhead from the deep purple clouds. The sound rolled over the island in deafening waves. Energy crackled in the air. The hair on Apattar’s arms stood up as if trying to flee. Terror rooted her in place, pressed into the corner wall with wide eyes seeing all.
Another flash of white streaked across the sky, splitting halfway across the horizon. A jagged line of lightning raced down toward a dead tree in Apattar’s sight. The bolt struck the top of the tree. A hideous crackling and popping sound filled the air as it burst into flames. An involuntary scream escaped Apattar’s lips, drowned out by the booming clap of thunder overhead.
The deep, endless rumbling reminded her of her father’s voice. Apattar closed her eyes and tried to hum theSnow Flowermelody Saiya taught her as a child, but the sound stuck in her throat.
Bright red flashed across her closed eyelids with the next lightning strike; she prepared for the deafening reply from the sky. The square face of her father began to form in the blacknessof her terror. Apattar made a feeble attempt to open her eyes and make it go away. Dread snaked through each vein, paralyzing her, forcing her to witness her father’s harsh gaze.
Cold, calculating brown eyes looked at her in disapproval, the dark mahogany face twisted into a scowl. They bore through to her heart, searing the remnants of the tattered and broken thing with his fiery faze. Cruel, dark lips began to move. A voice slithered across her mind, probing each corner, sinking deep into every thought.
I never wanted you to live, Apattar. I begged your mother for days to let me end your life, let me fulfill my duty, purge evil from this world. You can thank her for your cursed life, not me. I have done everything I could to keep the world safe without breaking your mother’s heart. Everything to rid the black evil lingering inside, to free my daughter. I see I was foolish now. You desire to consort with the shadows; do not fear them as the Sunmaiden’s Children should. Your actions will end the world if left unchecked. Makhaeren Ánnarsera and I will… be visiting later this morning. Until then, leave my sight.
Apattar’s eyes flew open. The last words her father said cut as deep this time as the morning when she fled Av Madhira. They sliced and shredded her heart until she thought she would bleed out and die. Her hands and arms began to tremble, a cold tingle running through her thin body, growing stronger with each faint flutter of her heart.
The thunder rumbled above, the sky nearly black with rage, but Apattar remained a world away, drowning under the deafening sound of blood rushing past her ears. The chill void of Shadow-weave spread and consumed more of her broken soul, hollowing out the pain and rejection. Nothing remained except a cold and unwavering desire, no matter the cost.
Freedom.
eleven
Dead Voices
Thirty more over there,commander, in the far building. Two Timeweavers and five Earthweavers. If we split and surround…
No, no, you can’t take her! She is innocent, you have no proof! Give her back, give her to me! She’s my child, my baby girl! She isn’t a monster, please!
Rally to the Queen! To the Snow Flower, go, go! Hurry, we must leave! Grab Baliya, get the princess! There is no time, leave him, leave him! Protect the Queen!
Why didn’t I run? Why did I stay? Oh gods, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I thought I could escape. Sanya? Sanya? Please wake up, please open your eyes, tell me it’s all going to be okay. No, go away, go away, I don’t care what you say! I won’t do it again, I’d rather die, oh gods, I’d rather die…
They are the kinslayers, not us! The first blood of the Elessí is on the hands of the Maiden and her son. Do you not feel their stinking hatred still in our lands? Were we not the ones who came to find the truth? Let us hunt, brothers and sisters! To the shadows, my Dirnithrí! To war!
When I was young, before I knew of this world, before I knew of Music, I was alone. At peace in the dark. This is all I have wanted, my son, to find my peace again. I knew joy so boundless that nothing since has tasted sweet. I see the look in her eyes, and my heart stills. I wish to hide but know not where. Go east if you will, but I will stay, stay in the shadows and silver moonlight to find my peace.
Yes, yes I will do it, if I must. Please, let it end. I won’t fight, just take it all. Everything. I surrender…
They are over there, go, hurry! She is bleeding still, they will not get far. Save the woman if you can, but do not let the child live! Kill it quick, kill her if you must. Go, before the snow hides her! The pale woman calls upon the White Witch for help. She will disappear, hurry!
I’m here, Little Cub. I won’t let them hurt you. Pull them in closer, let the Siren’s song fill your heart. I am right here. I will never let you go, sweet boy. The dark will not hurt you so long as you remain calm. I am lucky to be a mother to such sweet young boys, you and Adon both.
Brother, why do the shadows not scare you?
twelve
White Gems
Memories of thousands longdead swam through Therat’s clouded mind. It became harder to tell man from shadow as the year wore on. Slipping into madness, losing himself to the screaming voices trapped in the twisted Shadow-weave.
Time lost meaning. Each day passed by in a black haze. Little of the world made it through the Shadow-weave coursingthrough his broken body. Even so, the descent into madness took longer than he imagined. Some feeble voice told him to fight, to live.
Too little, now. Too late.
Everything good fled from Therat’s life. Adon would leave the city soon for an education most could never dream of. Ninann never strayed from his side, and, if she had noliraes, the two would marry. Safe, secure. Therat wanted this for Adon, but gods, was it hard to witness. One day, he would wake to find Adon a stranger. A stranger like their mother and father, their faces long gone from Therat’s memory.
He had to run away, had to lose himself now that his sole purpose in life was complete.
Sleep—what little came—staved off the insanity. Did his body not realize it fought a futile war?
The haze cleared more during the day when Narán illuminated the world. Its warmth would break through the Shadow-weave and Therat’s senses slowly returned. Some days, the heat ate at Therat’s resolve to lose himself to his insanity, amplifying the hoarse whisper telling him to survive.
