Chapter One

Kyrianna  watched as the others left. She didn’t remember much from the time she  had been pulled through the portal until she awakened in this room.  There had been the demoness who questioned her about Myrith and  Andrinor. She claimed to be working against Thynitic but still  threatened to turn Kyrianna over to the Lady of Chaos if Kyrianna didn’t  answer her questions. Despite not wanting to, she found herself  answering those questions. Then Myrith and the others arrived and the  demoness told her Thynitic was having an amulet made for her and the  goddess already had everything she required to bind Kyrianna to it once  it was completed.

Her  mind retreated into itself at those words. She could still feel the  pain Brular suffered constantly from being tortured. She did not want to  imagine herself as a plaything for the Lady of Chaos for all  eternity—without even the hope of death releasing her. Brular had said  when he died, his soul would again be trapped by the amulet. Now, even  if she escaped Thynitic’s influence, she knew when she died, her soul  would not go to Frayrith but would instead end up trapped by Thynitic.  She didn’t know what Thynitic needed to bind her soul to the amulet, but  the image of the goddess standing before her as she cut her cheek and  caught the blood that flowed from the wound came to her and she knew the  demoness had spoken truthfully.

As  she had lain there, unable even to whimper, Tristan Duvall’s face had  flashed in her mind forcing the image of Thynitic away. The same fear  that he was in danger grabbed at her heart just as it had at Tyril’s  cabin. After that, everything had faded into a swirling gray fog. She  had felt someone helping her up, but had been unable to focus on  anything through the fog. Then had come a sensation of something  powerful studying her. Something that tried to block the chaos and give  her a thread of order to grasp onto, then it was gone. Gone too had been  the fear she had felt for Tristan.

She  had emerged from the fog and chaos to find herself being held by Myrith  and Andrinor in this small room. The older woman held a vial and urged  her to drink. As the warm liquid flowed down her throat, she felt  something blocking the memories of what had happened. The sharp edges of  the pain were dulled and she found she could ignore them to focus on  what had to be done—find a way to rescue Brular from Thynitic.

She  considered the Cleric of Hellavar a friend and he had given her  something she could never repay—she was not going to let Thynitic have  him without a fight. Myrith had said they would talk tomorrow about  going after Brular, but she needed to talk to her now. Kyrianna had no  doubt Myrith would be willing to attempt the rescue, but she needed to  know about the demoness’ interest in both her and Andrinor.

Kyrianna  waited until the noise in the hallway died down then got out of the  bed. Shadow Seeker whined softly as she approached the door to the room.

“Don’t worry Shadow, I’m not running off.” She opened the door to see Andrinor looking at her.

“Myrith told you to rest.”

Kyrianna shook her head at the frown on the young man’s face; a frown not reflected in his pale blue eyes.

“I’m sure she told all of us to rest. What are you doing here?”

“Guarding you—per her instructions.”

Kyrianna sighed. Still trying to protect me. I thank you for it, Myrith, but there are some things even you cannot protect others from.

She  placed a hand on Andrinor’s arm. “Do me a favor and tell Myrith I need  to talk to her. Now, without the others. I will remain here and Shadow  can alert you if anything happens.”

The wolf moved past them to sit in front of the door.

Andrinor nodded. “We’ll be back shortly.”

Kyrianna  left the door cracked open as she sat on the edge of the small bed.  Perhaps now, before she lost the chance, she should also tell Myrith  about her past as well as the demoness and the amulet.

She  looked up as Myrith entered the room. “What’s wrong?” the older woman  asked. Her concern was evident in her disheveled clothes and her sword  in her hand.

Kyrianna caught Andrinor’s gaze from where he stood next to the door. The young man just shrugged then turned to leave.

“Please stay,” she said.

“You  need to know the demoness seemed extremely interested in both of you. I  don’t know why, but she kept asking me questions about you. Andrinor,  she was interested in where your power came from. Myrith, she seemed  more interested in where you came from and who your father might have  been.”

“While  we did not know she had questioned you about us, she did not hide her  interest when we arrived. She made a comment that indicated she had a  son by my father. We will deal with her if we have to.” Myrith paused  and looked at Kyrianna. “Was there anything else?”

“The  demoness told me Thynitic is having one of those vile amulets made for  me.” The words came out in a rush and Kyrianna sat there not saying  anything as she waited for Myrith to react.

“Then  that is one more thing we will take care of when we face her. I have no  intention of letting her have you again,” Myrith said. “Her power was  weakened by the events of the last day. If we hurry, we may yet be able  to rescue Brular and destroy both amulets.” She turned toward the door  then stopped and turned back. “Drink the potion, Kyri. Allow it to help  you sleep. We’ll talk again in the morning.” With that she turned and  left the room, followed by Andrinor.

Kyrianna  glanced at the vial of pale blue liquid sitting on the table as Shadow  Seeker came back into the room and jumped on the bed next to her and  pushed his head under her hand. She closed her eyes for a moment as she  scratched the wolf’s ears, letting her mind still enough to hear the  murmuring in his mind telling her to rest; he was there to protect her.

“Thank  you,” she whispered. Kyrianna turned to blow out the candle on the  small table next to the bed. The flames puffed brightly and smoke filled  her eyes. She coughed, then found herself staring at a familiar  clearing. It was the place she had seen in her link with Brular. The  clearing where he found Torliana as she prepared to perform the dance to  welcome the coming of spring. The place where she asked him to stay  with her and he failed to see what she was truly offering. An offer  that, if it had been accepted, could have changed many things.

She  picked up the vial and threw it against the wall. She had had enough of  magic being worked on her. Shadow Seeker whined and stuck his nose in  her face. “Ugh, dog breath,” she said as she pushed him away.

The  wolf barked playfully then pounced at her, his tail waving. Kyrianna  reached out and grabbed him around the neck and hugged him tightly. The  wolf relaxed and she rested her head against him and started to drift  off to sleep.

Kyrianna froze as she heard a voice; no it was two voices woven together as one, whispering in the silence. No, she thought. No.

:Peace, Kyrianna, the voices said.

“Frayrith?” She whispered the name into the darkness; her breath held as she waited.

:Yes, Daughter of Arielle. There was a pause. :You  have won back your soul. You witnessed what could have unleashed Chaos  and have turned it back toward the Balance. You have done well—see the  change you have brought about.

An  image formed in her mind of Thynitic’s throne room. Brular lay on the  ground with Torliana sitting beside him their hands clasped together.

:Order and Chaos joined. Balance can yet be restored. Rest, Kyrianna, you have braved the darkness; tomorrow wake in the light.