Page 21 of Secrets of the Lore Keepers
Runes had once been the study of Lore Keepers, but eventually the desire to learn faded away. Since when had we picked what we knew? If Maraini and I had kept to the old ways and studied runes, we’d be able to read what was left for us. I could only guess they were a set of instructions or wards of protection to keep the goddess at rest. From the way Maraini’s brow puckered and her eyes glanced at the runes, I knew she was thinking the same thing. We had not been as vigilant as we should have been.
The steps were large blocks of stone, leading up to the sacred casket. Intangible evil wafted from it, something I could not see, but I sensed the aura of something that went deeper than death and rot.Power, I thought.Magic.
Wordlessly, we stopped at the top. Maraini was the first to reach out, pressing her hand over the latches that held the casket shut. I thought they might have been locked, but there was nothing, just a latch. Maraini undid it and I lifted the knife. Nothing in my past that had prepared me for this moment.
“Together,” she whispered.
I pressed my hand against the cool stone and we pushed as hard as we could.
The lid to the casket creaked open slowly until it stood upright. Instinctively, I backed away.
At first it appeared nothing happened. The casket was deeper than I expected. I’d have to move closer and lean over to see what was inside.
Common sense held me in its grip, for there was no rhyme or reason that would entice me to lean over and find myself caught in the grasp of an ancient goddess. She was supposed to be dead, sleeping, but that could not stop her, could it? Goddesses were ancient, immortal, nothing like humans, mortals. I did not know what to expect or what to do. Shifting my weight from one foot to the next, I gathered the nerve to approach the casket just as a cloud of black smoke rose out of it.
I screamed and stumbled back, holding my hands in front of my face to protect myself.
The smoke curled, blotting out the light. I heard the shatter of glass. Had Maraini dropped the lantern? And we were cast into a pitiless darkness.
I pressed my arms against my side and hunched over, trying to make myself small while a numbness came over me. The knife felt heavy in my sweaty hands, and I was afraid I’d drop it as a wind rustled around me. Wind. Where was it coming from?
A dense cloud covered me, both heavy and bitter, and twisted around my body, pouring into my throat and strangling the air within me. I coughed, one hand clutching my throat, and then I heard a scream. Gagging against the bitter taste in my mouth, I turned toward the wail. “Maraini?” I tried to shout, but my words were stuffed back into my mouth by the dense cloud of gloom.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I opened them again, but there was nothing but darkness, until I could not tell whether my eyes were opened or closed. Something fluttered in front of me. Clothing? The material was smooth, silky, but I hesitated, unwilling to strike out when I could hit either Kian or my sister. A grunt came from my left and I spun toward it:Kian?
My lips trembled and tears pressed against my eyes as I backed away. Placing my feet carefully to keep from falling. Every muscle within my body screamed for me to run, flee, escape evil that permuted the cavern. We shouldn’t have come here or opened the casket. I was sure we would die.
Lore Keepers weren’t meant to face battle or evil. We were meant to sit inside, reading our books, writing, crafting, healing, and helping. Not this madness. But there was no escape. It was this or the creatures that invaded our house. My stomach rolled at the thought of them, and I wished I’d had the forethought to bring a jar of lightning with me. My shaking fingers struck my pocket, and I recalled there was flint. Light.
I squeezed it, the unevenness of the stone grounding me, somehow. I lifted the blade and struck it against the rock.
Sparks flew up, the gentle yellow light piercing the darkness, driving away evil. I heard a hiss and saw something thick and snake-like slither away from me. I had nothing to light it with, unless I found the broken end of the lantern, and it seemed impossible in the darkness. That foul hiss came nearer, and then something backhanded me.
The breath left my body, and I fell backward, arms spread out to catch my fall. I landed on the stone with a thud and dropped both the flint and the knife. Agony raced up my back, and for mere moments I couldn’t move, only gasped for breath. Unless I was mistaken, what was in the casket was very much alive and angry.
A sob burst from my throat as I stretched my fingers, finding the flint again. I wiggled my arm, knowing I needed to get up, figure out a plan, make a move. My hand touched something long and branch-like. The sage stick Maraini had brought! Moving stealthily, I struck the flint against the stone, causing the sparks to rise again. This time they caught on the branches of the sage stick, which flared up. I held it up like a torch, even though it smoked, the smell of sage fighting against the darkness. The embers on the tips of the sage branch did not provide enough light to see, but I held it up as I rose to my knees, sweeping it back and forth.
The air in front of me cleared and the choking black cloud gave way. Another hiss broke the silence and then a light flared up.
I turned in the light’s direction and saw Maraini holding up a torch. Blood streamed from her head, matting her dark hair. The rest of her face was hidden in shadows, yet she sat, holding the light, waiting for me. A premonition stirred in my belly and I turned toward Kian, who was below, as though he’d fallen off the dais. His bow was broken, but he picked up an arrow, pointing it at something beyond me.
Turning, I looked beyond the casket, still open, although the smoke rolling out of it was repelled by the sage stick. Around the casket was the monstrous body of a snake, head reared back, yellow eyes gleaming as it hissed. A forked tongue came out and yet instead of pouncing, the snake delayed, writhing and hissing as though something held it back. My gaze went to the sage. Was it possible?
“Rae?” Maraini cried, her voice thin with pain. “The knife!”
I lunged for it just as a white hand appeared at the edge of the casket. The creature inside sat up and turned gleaming eyes on me. I took a step back, lost my balance, and tumbled off the dais.
Chapter Fourteen
Waves of painflared up as I landed hard on my already bruised body. Distantly I heard both Maraini and Kian calling my name, but nothing but moans escaped my lips. I could not tear my eyes away from the goddess who sprang from the casket, moving slowly, gingerly, as though she could not believe her freedom. We were the ones who’d freed her. The fact hurt like an arrow that sank between my breasts. We were the ones who’d opened the casket and soon she’d be free. Already the torchlight seemed dim, and I saw the glint of the knife above me on the dais. Another moan left my lips and as I rolled to my side, and saw a flurry of movement.
Kian dashed past me, arrows in both hands as he moved toward the goddess. He took the steps two at a time as she rose. Coming to a terrifying height she seemed to swell and grow as she stood, her head almost reaching the domed ceiling. Black eyes glared and her mouth came open as she waved, nostrils flaring at the scent of sage.
Sage and salt. I recalled the way Maraini and I had walked the land, blessing it, protecting it. Was it the key to keeping the goddess buried? She seemed to have an aversion to it. Grasping the sage stick, I crawled up the stairs while Kian struck at the goddess. He was magnificent to watch, arms whirling as he pointed the arrows toward her, evading her arms. But he’d forgotten about the snake.
“Kian!” I screamed just as the creature lunged.
The next few moments happened in a blur. I moved up the stairs faster than I thought was possible, my bruised limbs screaming in pain as I threw my flint at the snake. It bounced harmlessly off its head, but it was enough. Glowing yellow eyes met mine, and I waved the sage as the snake hissed, but did not come closer. I snatched up the knife with my free hand while the goddess struck Kian. He fell. She laughed, wicked lips twisted in mirth. And then she turned her hideous eyes on me.
