The Dark Remains - Mark Anthony [153]
“The artifact does have writing upon it, but although we have been able to translate it from the ancient tongue of Morindu, we do not know what it means. It says that to open the way, we must have blood as powerful as the Blood of Light.”
Grace sighed. “And you don’t have any more idea than I do what that means.”
Vani did not answer.
“So you’re stuck here,” Travis said. “We’re stuck here.”
Vani stood and paced before the window, black leather creaking. “We suspected the blood would be consumed in using the artifact. I knew before I came that the journey would be in one direction only. But then, nearly a year ago, my brother sent word to me that the ones we sought had appeared on Eldh—and that their names were Grace Beckett and Travis Wilder.”
Deirdre let out a low whistle. “That must have been a blow, having come here with no way back, then finding out the ones you were searching for were back on Eldh.”
Vani gazed at Deirdre, mouth twisted in a bitter smile. “You have a great gift for understatement, Seeker. However, two months ago, my brother sent me another message, telling me that Wilder and Beckett had returned to Earth.”
Travis fought for understanding. “Wait a minute. If you can’t open the gate, how can your brother send messages to you?”
“With this.”
Vani reached into her pocket and drew out a triangle of black stone.
Farr moved closer, peering. “What is it?”
“It is a piece of the artifact of Morindu,” Vani said. “It allows my brother to speak to me through the artifact—although at some cost to him. Without this, the artifact is not complete. Which is quite fortunate.”
“How so?” Farr said.
Vani tightened her fingers around the triangle. “A month ago, the gateway appeared before me. I thought it another message from my brother. It was not. The gate … opened wider.”
Grace sat up straight. “The Scirathi.”
“I did not know it at the time, not for certain. I was caught off guard and barely managed to keep my life. In the chaos of the moment, I could not see my attacker, but last night confirmed my fears. It was indeed a sorcerer of Scirath who came through the gate. He must have wrested the artifact from my brother. And I believe he brought it with him through the gate.”
“Wait a minute,” Travis said. “I thought you said you couldn’t open the artifact without the right kind of blood.”
“Yes,” Vani said. “I did.”
A thrill coursed through him as he understood the truth. However, Grace was faster. That scientific mind of hers.
“You think the sorcerer has learned the secret. You think he knows what kind of blood you need to enable the artifact.”
“He must,” Vani said. “Else he could not have come through.”
Farr looked at Deirdre, his face grim.
“What?” she said.
He rubbed his stubble-shadowed chin. “This is very bad. The events of last night can only mean one thing: The being Vani calls the Scirathi is working in coordination with Duratek. The news report about the attack at the motel had Duratek written all over it.”
Deirdre sucked in a breath. “Which means there’s nothing to stop Duratek from using the Scirathi’s gate to gain access to Eldh.”
Fear bubbled up inside Travis. If Deirdre was right, it meant the end of everything he had fought for, the end of Eldh as a free and separate world. He looked at Grace, and she returned his gaze with frightened eyes.
“No,” Vani said, “do not despair so easily. All hope is not lost.”
Farr looked at her. “Forgive me, Vani, but you don’t know Duratek. They’ll exploit any chance they have to get to Eldh and claim its resources for their own.”
“You are wrong, Seeker.” Vani’s eyes glittered. “I do know this group of sorcerers you call Duratek. I have watched them, even as I have watched you. And while they have the knight, the gate, and the secret of the blood, there is yet one thing they do not have.”
Even as she unfolded her fingers, Travis remembered.
“The stone triangle. You said the artifact