Epic: The Last Light

Chapter Eight

Deryck

"You released the Jackal?" Commander Amaras shouted. His voice echoed on the walls of the tower's inner sanctum.

Deryck ground his teeth to resist yelling back. He would show common courtesy to his superior while in the presence of so many guards, but Deryck knew Amaras was on borrowed time. With Lazerus becoming a pinnacle of power, backed with the unspoken treaty with Toric's old king, there was little chance of anyone marching against their home. Amaras had become lax and grew spoiled with so much power but little responsibility. It was Deryck who kept the tower in order, kept the guards on their toes, kept everything from falling apart. Soon enough he would take command. One way or another.

The dark room was perfectly round and curved up to form a dome, nestled in the heart of the tower's massive base. Every inch of the tower was built of stone harvested from the cursed Maro Islands to the east. It had taken the guard nearly a hundred years to carve out all the obsidian stones with their magic from the dark coast and an additional two hundred to build the tower they now called home. Every inch was made of the black stones that were rumored to be indestructible.

Amaras stood on a circular platform made of stone in the center of the sanctum. Guard members lined the walls, all standing at attention as if they too were made of stones. Only Deryck and Tull took a knee at the base of the platform. Tull's head hung low, and he cringed at the rise in Amaras's voice.

"And to my understanding," Amaras continued, "you sent him to reclaim your apprentice." He massaged the bridge of his nose. "So not only have you released the Jackal, but you were unable to control your own kin."

"She's under that demon's spell," Deryck replied. "I merely sent him to retrieve—"

"You sent him to Toric!" Amaras's voice bellowed over Deryck's. "Are you mad?"

Deryck grit his teeth and continued, straining to keep his voice level. "The command I gave the Jackal forbids him from telling anyone who he is or who sent him. They can't link him back to us."

Amaras paced the wide circle of the platform, eyes jumping from the stone beneath his feet to the guards around the room. "We have to intercept him." He turned suddenly on the heels of his boots and waved a hand. "Haron."

Haron, Amaras's favorite and the head scout, emerged from the seemingly faceless row of guards. She knelt before the stairs far to Deryck's right and dipped her head respectfully to Amaras. Her golden hair was braided in rows over her scalp and tied into a tail, the ends sweeping over her shoulder and touching the stair before her. She straightened and lifted her head from the bow, and her eyes shifted to Deryck. The corners of her lips curled into a snide smile, her black eyes cold and narrowed.

Deryck's tight scowl deepened.

"Yes, my commander," she replied. Her eyes moved to Amaras, and her smile smoothed into a serious line.

"Have our fastest horses readied and gather your best men," Amaras ordered. "I want the Jackal."

"It's too late," Tull mumbled.

All eyes shifted to Tull, and Haron paused on the bottom step.

Tull swallowed his fear of being reprimanded and shut his eyes as he continued. "The Jackal has more than a full day's lead, and the Death Sun will soon rise again. Even if it didn't, our scouts couldn't catch him before he reaches Toric boundaries."

Amaras purpled with rage. Turning on Deryck, he shouted, "You sent that cursed creature into enemy territory with no way of retrieving him?"

Deryck scowled. "The Demonborn—"

"It always comes back to the Demonborn."

Deryck shot to his feet as Amaras descended the stairs toward him. "I won't let him take what is mine and get away with it."

"You've risked starting a war over one girl."

"He's poisoned her mind and bewitched her, just as he has a hold over our Allfather. He—"

"I don't—"

"He's a traitor and a spy!"

"I don't care about your petty grudge!" Amaras barked, his voice echoing on the cold walls. The room fell into silence. Haron and Tull stood frozen as Amaras glared down at Deryck, who stood on the step beneath him. They both stared at the other like wild beasts ready to rip each other's throats out.

Deryck pressed his lips into a tight line and adjusted his doublet.

"Get out of my sight," Amaras growled low. "I'll arrange a conference with the Allfather to discuss what should be done."

Deryck turned his back on Amaras and stormed down the stairs. Tull's head sank low, almost touching the stairs with his forehead, before standing and following in Deryck's wake.

~ ~ ~

The cobblestone stairwell twisted in a tight circle, leading Deryck up into the tower's spire. Tull trailed behind. Their footfalls echoing against the dark stone walls were the only sound. Higher and higher and higher they climbed, but their inhuman muscles did not ache, nor did their lungs beg for air. Deryck finally turned to a door at his right and threw it open.

Deryck stormed into his private chamber. The Death Sun had begun to rise, and it caused his red glass windows to glow. The stillness of his chambers burned at his pride, a silent reminder that Mariana was gone.

Tull shut the door, but did not venture any farther into the room. "What did you mean when you said that the Demonborn was a traitor?"

A crystal chalice rested on the decorative table by the window. Deryck lifted the fragile cup. He'd brought it back from a trading market when Mariana was forbidden to leave the tower. He turned it in his hands. The light shifting through his window made the crystal glass glint with red light.

"Kai was my commander in the Coven War," Deryck said. "He fought on the side of Lurk, but when I stepped forward to lead an attack on our enemy, he ambushed me and foiled the attack."

Tull remained near the door, as if standing guard.

"I exposed him for the traitor he was," Deryck continued. "The men he commanded rallied with me, and we took him into custody."

"And King Lurk knows all this?"

"When we turned him over to the Allfather, Lurk simply set the demon free. Lurk assured us that he trusted Kai's strategies, and he demoted us for mutiny." The chalice in his hand cracked under the pressure of his grip. "Kai has some sort of spell over Lurk, I'm certain of it."

"I've never heard of a Demonborn having power over the mind," Tull replied.

"He has something over Lurk, whether it be magic or blackmail." Deryck lowered his gaze to the delicate goblet in his hand. And crushed it.

"Lurk will be furious to hear you've let free the Jackal."

"He won't find out."

"What?" Tull paused.

"I'll convince Amaras to wait. Why turn Lurk against the Day Guard if the Jackal can go and return without getting caught?"

Tull stared at Deryck, but he continued on. "Amaras knows how serious things are if Lurk is willing to bring Forsaken onto our lands."

"You'd risk sparking a war to bring Mariana back?"

"She is the key to everything. I would sacrifice Lurk himself to bring her back."