Kelfor (The Orthomancers)

Chapter 14

Five hours later we are still at the wall. Inspiration has not come and the others are starting to lose confidence in me. I am glad it is dark here. They cannot see my face, and, better, I cannot see theirs. I don't want to witness their disappointment. They have all risked their lives to get here ... even Vannis and Ammeline.

Vannis can't be seen, but he is making himself heard. There are periodic little shuffles and then he blows out air. He is not satisfied with his new orthomancer.

Maybe it is a trick? Maybe we should go back to the bigger chambers, the ones with the trees which are lanterns in the dark? I am nearly ready to get up when the words Linnith spoke seem to reverberate around my head. The speakers of the land have not faltered in this entire journey. It is inconceivable that they could have made a mistake over this very last part. No, this must be the right path. This must be the way into Kelfor.

A small hand slips into mine. Kalyka tugs on my fingers. I lean down to listen to her.

"The amulet. You have forgotten the amulet."

I tighten my grasp without thinking and she gives a small whimper. Of course! The amulet! I pull it out and over my head. Immediately I can see better than before. Kalyka's head is vaguely traceable beside me, reflected in some light which seems to be coming from the locket. I bend my head down to examine it, aware of commentaries from the others, who have all come closer to observe where the tenuous light is coming from. There are murmurs of surprise.

Vannis makes a grab at my hand, taking the amulet. "Here! Let me see that!"

The light disappears as soon as the ornament leaves my hand. There is silence. Furian clears his throat.

"Perhaps you should return that, Vannis?"

I feel the amulet being pushed back into my hand. It glows again.

Linnith is excited. "That must be what the saying means! Yes! The amulet has some part in all this, and it can only be seen by someone of orthomancer blood!"

All very well, but what am I supposed to do next? Gingerly, I move the amulet up and down in front of me, trying to judge if there are any changes in the light. There aren't. I bite my lip. I can't see this coming to a good conclusion.

For some reason, I think of Torch. He carried this amulet all through the desert for me. I have to make it all count. I just have to.

But, however high I raise it, nothing happens. I use the light it gives off to examine every part of the wall in front of me, but there are no hidden entrances. All the walls are completely solid. So is the floor of the tunnel.

Yet the amulet is shining. It didn't before. It must mean something. I haven't looked hard enough.

I move around ten paces back, and stand behind the amulet, pointing it around me as if it were a water diviner. Only it is not water I need it to find. I squeeze my eyes shut and then open them. I want them to be rested, ready to detect the slightest difference in light. This amulet is the answer to the riddle. It has to be. There is no other plan.

At first, I can detect no variation in the light. Then I realize that it flares very slightly when I raise it toward the ceiling of the tunnel. My heart gives a thump of elation, making me momentarily faint. I lift it higher. Again I am sure that I see a small increase in the amount of light.

"I saw that too!" Ammeline has lost the petulance in her voice. "To the right! It seems strongest to the right."

I follow her suggestion, and it does seem to me that the light flares again. I move a few steps away from the center of this cave at the end of the tunnel. The glow is definitely stronger now. My disembodied hand is clear in the dark.