Page 72 of Daughter of the Dark Sun
“Hear what?”
“The music. Like it’s calling me home. I’ve heard it before, so long ago I almost forgot the sound.” His voice sounded far away.
Try as she might, Mireithren could hear nothing but the river. It grew louder, ready to engulf her.
“I can only hear the rushing waters sealing us in this land of shadow. Let’s leave this place, I would not tarry long on these strange shores. The river is angry, I can feel it.” She tugged at Therat’s arm. His gaze broke away, down to hers.
“Come, my sweet. You found me my guide, now, let us find your pale woman.”
Therat kissed her forehead, gentle and breathy. Mireithren leaned into the warmth. His hand in hers, she pulled away and the two started walking to the towers of black.
After less than an hour of walking, a large gate of silver broke through the black fog surrounding the city walls. It gleamed bright, a beacon for them to follow. Mireithren could feel Therat’s tension building the closer they came. She had no idea what to expect, how they would explain who they were and why they were here. What seemed a rational plan mere hours before now felt like the delusions of a child.
Find Laisha. As if it were so simple.
As if on cue, the large silver gates broke open with a thunderous crack. Mireithren froze. Therat let go of her hand. One moment a man, the next a hulking figure cloaked in shadows, silvery eyes scanning the land ahead. The cool hands of his Shadow-weave reached across and engulfed Mireithren.
“Stay close,” he hissed. A tendril of shadows wrapped around her waist and pulled.
The lovers watched the silver gate open with rising anticipation. Two massive black shapes appeared, getting closer with each passing minute. The fog made it impossible to tell what approached. Mireithren and Therat both gasped once the lumbering forms broke free from the darkness surrounding Oneriath.
Two massive onyx black wyrms, their wings bent forward, lumbered across the grass with a rider on each. A man perched atop one, his skin a glistening deep black. Long dark hair flowed behind him, a complement to his red raiment. A crown sat upon his brow, the silver striking against his skin. On the other great wyrm sat a tall woman with white skin and hair.
“Laisha!” Mireithren heard herself scream. She broke free of Therat’s embrace and rushed forward. Therat yelled out something behind her, but the joy of finding the woman overwhelmed all thought.
The wyrm Laisha rode took off into the air, its great wings sending awhooshof air across the land. Mireithren’s hair, neatly plaited into two thick braids, stirred with the force. Therat screamed and pulled her back into his arms.
The beast rose high in the air. It circled once, twice before diving to the ground. With a screech, it landed not far in front of Mireithren, long claws ripping into the earth. Laisha swung her leg over the side and jumped down, landing with that cat-like grace Mireithren could not forget. She quickly closed the distance between them.
“Apattar, you came, at long last!” she said with a warm voice. Nothing about the woman had changed, except for the clothes she wore—white and silver, instead of white and red.
“Therat, it is fine. Let them go,” Mireithren whispered to the man still cloaked in Shadow-weave. He relaxed, the shadows withdrawing until Therat stood as himself again.
“Is this the woman you seek?”
“Yes. Shh, trust me. I know what I am doing.” Therat squeezed her hand.
Laisha rushed forward and pulled Mireithren into an awkward embrace. Arms too stiff, grip too high, but Mireithren did not care. She leaned into Laisha.
“Laisha, oh, there is so much to say! Yo-you have no idea what path you set me on those years ago.” Mireithren was unsure what to say at first. She had thought about this moment for so long, but never what would happen after finding Laisha.
The pale woman smiled, still toothy and awkward.
“And this is him? The one the Oracle saw, the son returned?” The excitement in Laisha’s eyes was clear, glimmers of silver in a sea of pale violet.
Therat stepped forward, hand held over his heart in a gesture of thanks.
“Mireithren tells me you saved her, those many years ago on Andeshar. You have my thanks for saving myliraes. I am Therat, of House Anatnará.”
“Mireithren? So, you have found yourself, truly. Exquisite. Come, now is not the place for introductions. We have been expecting you, Mireithren and Therat.” Laisha whistled, a piercing sound splitting the air. The great black wyrm she rode took off for the city, the black-skinned rider with a silver crown following.
With a squeeze of her hand, Therat led Mireithren forward, following the pale woman who sent her to find him. The puzzle pieces were falling into place. Therat would be safe, soon enough.
The thick band ofshadows lying over the city of Oneriath lay well behind the three, the silver gate shut once more. The buildings were all made of black stone, but the city was anything but dark. Tall trees of silver like those of the forest to the east reflected their light over the cobblestone streets, glowing as if lit with moonlight themselves. Their leaves were thin and long, dark green on top and bright underneath. Every time the wind blew through them, it sounded like a chorus of chimes. Mireithren thought it more beautiful than any painting she saw of the Eldest City, Tír is Eábhiri.
But the thick stink of fear and decay radiating from the slaves huddled on street corners or working under their masters spoiled her joy. The slaves grew in number the further they walked into the city, thousands dressed in rags, the glint of untarnished gold around their ankles. Mireithren knew the stink of hopelessness—Av Madhira’s strict caste system served to only benefit the Named Houses—but she struggled to witness the lifeless look in the eyes of the slaves.
Long and cruel were the years to the children of Eithranren after her betrayal and eventual death centuries later. Mireithren knew circumstances forced the hand of Laisha and those of her people. Many of the first slaves themselves waged a war against the Eithra’iri, seeking to destroy not only the Night Goddess but her people and their power as well. Malicious people with cruel intentions walked every corner of the world.
