The Darkling Child

“Maybe you should eat something,” Lariana whispered to him, echoing Arca

But he wasn’t hungry and didn’t think he could keep anything down even if he tried. It was taking everything he had just to hold himself together long enough to try to get through what lay ahead. His mind was working madly, his thoughts ru

I love you enough that I will give up my life for you, she had said to him.

She would, too. He knew she would. And he would do the same for her, if that was what it took to save her.

Arca

The boy and the girl exchanged an uncertain glance. “Oh, don’t worry,” he continued. “It isn’t anything you probably haven’t already considered. I just need to reaffirm for you what the purpose of today’s exercise with the Red Slash will mean in the days to come.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, assuming a decidedly vulture-like look when hunched over in his dark robes. “Word will travel quickly when before the day is out. It will reach every city, hamlet, and village in the Four Lands. The mighty Red Slash, pride of the Federation army, has been destroyed! Not by another army or even a smaller force. But by two men, each a powerful wielder of magic, each a determined antagonist to those who would prefer magic ba

“If we live out the day,” Lariana interrupted. “There is every chance we won’t, given what you intend to try doing.”

“Ah, but you don’t actually know what I intend, do you? The fact is, the odds are so completely in our favor that I see no real obstacle to our success. I have kept the details from both of you so that you wouldn’t have to think on them until it is time. I leave nothing to chance. I take no u

He paused. “Assuming that Reyn can indeed control his magic as both of you have led me to believe, we will be successful. And you can do that, can’t you?”

He spoke directly to Reyn, who looked at the floor, saw his chance for saying otherwise slip away from him like a shadow before light, and nodded. “I will do what is needed.”

“There!” Arca

As Lariana warned, the boy thought. Of course it begins here. Of course it will continue. And it won’t end until I am dead, killed one way or another. Which will not be at a time of my choosing. All the choices will be made by him.

The sorcerer was already talking again. “Your training will begin in earnest after this. I will take you on as my apprentice and show you all the wonderful things you can do with your gift. Lariana will be my helper and your companion. We will be a family, the three of us—one bonded not by blood, but by common purpose.”

“To what end?” the girl pressed. “You have a larger goal in mind, do you not?”

“I do. I would finish another matter long left in limbo. I would gain control of the Druid Order and see it become the force it was always intended to be. It is an accomplishment that I almost realized once before. This time, when I pick up the loose threads, I will see it to a successful conclusion. I will see the Druids placed under my leadership or I will see them destroyed.”

“I don’t want any part of this!” Reyn blurted out, unable to stay silent any longer. “I don’t care anything about the Druids!”

Arca

His eyes shifted. “Isn’t this so, Lariana?”

She nodded slowly. “I was fortunate to be able to slip away from them when they weren’t paying close attention.”

“Because you knew, as I did, that they would have used you against Reyn!” he snapped triumphantly.

At one time, Reyn Frosch might have believed this. But not now. Not given what he had come to realize about Arca

“How soon do we leave?” he asked abruptly.

The sorcerer gave him a sharp look and then stood. “Why not right now? Come, children. Let’s make history!”

And together, they left their hiding place and went out into the night.

Paxon and Avelene approached the Red Slash barracks cautiously, noting from some distance away the activity taking place. It was early morning now, less than two hours before sunrise, and normal people were sound asleep in their beds. Not so these soldiers. The entire compound was brightly lit and alive with sound and movement. Shouts and cries and a rolling out of weapons and gear signaled ongoing preparations for a major mobilization. The Druid and the Highlander could see what was happening from the rise on which they stood, looking down over the buildings and parade yards, watching the men and women of the company as they hauled and loaded and fell into their perfect formations, one by one. Something was surely happening.

“What do we do now?” Paxon asked Avelene.

She pursed her lips. “We go in. We find Usurient and talk to him.” She gave him a glance. “Don’t worry. We aren’t the reason for all this. We don’t have anything to fear.”

He wasn’t so sure, thinking back on the encounter at Arbrox. But there was no way to reach the Red Slash Commander other than by walking through the compound gates. A conversation of some sort was necessary, if only to give warning that he and his soldiers were in danger.

“We could just wait and watch,” he said slowly, musing on it. “We could shadow him and find out what he’s about. It should become clear soon enough.”

“Wait too long and we risk losing Arca

Paxon shrugged. It wasn’t his place to make this decision, and his purpose in being here was to protect Avelene. He would do what that required.

They left the rise and proceeded to the front gates, which stood open waiting to disgorge the soldiers and their equipment. It was an awful lot of perso