Mistress of the Night - Don Bassingthwaite [78]
"No!" Keph spat. "It's not false. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"Too late, Uncle Keph!"
She lunged and he twisted desperately. Quick slid past his belly, close enough that he could smell the lightning on her blade. Keph grabbed Adrey's extended arm and pulled her off balance, using the momentum to leap past her.
Through the open doors where she had entered, there was light-twilight, the hot glow of sunset, the only true light in the hall.
Keph glanced over his shoulder. Adrey was back on her feet and coming after him. He turned back to the doorway, but Jarull and Variance barred his path.
"It's too late to back out now," Jarull said.
"The cult," said Variance, "must be protected."
He gulped-and dived between them.
For a moment it seemed like it might work. The light drew closer. He was almost there, almost out of the hall.
Hands closed on his legs. He hit the ground screaming and kicked out. Hands fell away but grabbed again.
"Too late," Variance chanted, "Too late."
Keph glanced up at her. She wasn't human anymore-her legs vanished in writhing darkness, while a dozen arms sprouted from her shoulders to twine around his legs. Her eyes were black. When she spoke, shadows escaped from her tongue in wisps.
When she smiled, deepest night itself shone through.
"Shar embraces you, Keph. She has plans for you. She's not going to let you go so easily."
She began to pull on his legs, slowly, irresistibly, dragging him back toward the darkness where Adrey waited with Quick and Jarull with Shar's knife. Keph choked and thrashed hard-
–and sat up in his bed, sheets twisted around his legs. The light of sunset lanced through a gap in the curtains over his window. Somewhere a fly buzzed slowly, back and forth.
He was drenched in sweat. His hair was soaked with it. When he rubbed his hands across his face, it ran between his fingers in fat drops.
She's not going to let you go so easily.
CHAPTER 11
Full night had finally fallen. Moonshadow Hall had slipped, if not into slumber, then at least into the uncomfortable quiet that followed in the wake of horror. Through her window, Feena could hear Dhauna's intermittent shrieks and inarticulate curses as they echoed up from the infirmary and across the inner courtyard.
She closed her eyes for a moment and murmured, "Forgive me."
Feena crossed to the door of her chamber-old sandals making no noise on the floor, homespun skirt and linen blouse whispering around her body-and opened the door.
Outside, Jhezzail started. Feena bit back a wince. She'd expected there would be someone watching her door. She'd hoped it wouldn't be someone she liked.
"Be at ease," she said.
One hand made a sign. The other touched her medallion. Jhezzail's eyes widened for a moment as Selune's magic took hold of her, then drooped and softened, her fear washed away. Her arms fell down to her sides. She didn't move as Feena approached, but her eyes followed her closely.
"Velsinore commanded me to watch your door and summon her if you came out," the acolyte said with utter calm.
"I guessed that," Feena replied. "What's been happening in the temple?"
"I don't know. I've been here all evening. I think Velsinore and Mifano have been in the infirmary with Mother Dhauna."
"And Julith?"
"They shut her out. She's waiting in the winter chapel." A spark glimmered in Jhezzail's placid eyes and she added, "She asked me to let her know if you came out."
Of course, Feena thought. Julith would do that.
Feena raised her chin and said, "Thank you, Jhezzail. I'm sorry I have to do this." Before the acolyte could react, she thrust out her fingers once more. "Bright Lady of Night," she prayed, "hold her fast!"
The calm in Jhezzail's eyes flashed in alarm, but it was too late. The power of the spell locked her muscles and joints, paralyzing her. Feena acted swiftly, darting back into her room and emerging with the patiently torn strips that had been her bed linens. The calming spell had been necessary to draw information out of the acolyte, but neither it nor the spell of holding would last long. Feena gagged Jhezzail