Chapter 46 Non #2
As I made my way behind Aeron up the steep steps, I looked behind me to see the others following. Dylan was only a couple of steps behind me, but kept his eyes pinned to the ground.
Aeron came to a stop next to the altar, where the monoliths stood proudly behind him.
From here, I could see the detail of the carvings, and they were breathtaking.
Each seemed to capture the different personalities of the gods.
I was drawn to a female who gazed up at the moon with a kind face, her red hair flowing out in waves behind her.
Dylan's voice was tight from behind me. “Arianrhod, goddess of the Moon.”
When I looked back at him, I could see the sheen of tears in his eyes. I reached out to touch him, but he moved to the next monolith.
“Gwydion, god of Trickery and the leader of the court of D?n.” The god’s lips were twisted into a wry smile as he sat on a throne surrounded by musicians. To the next, he said, “Mabon, god of Protection.”
“His vassals can summon wards, right?”
Dylan nodded and moved along.
“Amaethon, god of the Harvest.”
He was the god that Alaw's family worshipped; he, in return, had chosen most of her family as vassals. In the carving, he stood in a field of corn and held a sickle that was at least three times the size of Alaw's.
Dylan moved to the final one on this side of the monoliths. “Gofannon, god of the Forge.”
This carving was like looking at a picture of Henffych, only angrier.
“Do you know all the names of the children of Llyr?” I asked, looking to the other side of the stone pillars.
“I do, but I think we've kept Aeron waiting long enough.”
“Promise you'll tell me one day?”
Dylan was quiet for a long moment before he took my hand and led me to the altar. “One day.”
As I lay on the stone altar looking up at the storm, Aeron covered me in Witchfire.
If I didn't know any better, I would have thought it was black salt. But as the pieces touched my skin, a surge of power shot through me.
It felt like the connection I had to my daggers, but so much stronger. When I felt like I couldn't take any more and that my power was going to burst through my chest and rip me apart, Aeron lifted his cupped palms filled with Witchfire above me.
I snapped my eyes closed as I readied myself, but when nothing came, I looked up at Aeron.
His hands remained cupped, but his attention was fixed on the horizon.
I glanced over the other side of the altar, and many in the crowd pointed in the same direction.
I followed their line of sight to see a fleet of Cyhyraeth descending on the island.
At least a hundred of them screeched as they dove lower, readying themselves to land.
People in the crowd screamed, but Aeron moved to the edge of the hill and spoke. “This land is warded! The strongest Wielders of Mabon ensured we had adequate protection. They will not bring these wards down!”
With only a short distance between the Cyhyraeth and the island, I could see them more clearly now. On each of their backs was a rider. The one at the front, who seemed to be the leader, pointed in our direction at the top of the hill. The fleet all banked and made their way towards us.
I jumped off the platform and stood with the others, who'd all huddled together in front of the monoliths.
Dylan took my hand and pulled me next to him. “Stay close to me. We might have wards, but who knows what he'll do?” He squeezed my hand like he'd never let go.
The beasts reached out with their talons like they were about to land, and instinctively, everyone on the hill sprinted down the steps. I moved to follow, but Dylan pulled my arm back.
“We need to go!” I pleaded.
His expression was hard, but I could have sworn I saw guilt in his eyes.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered.
Gripping my wrist with both his hands, he pulled me in front of him and pressed my palm against the wards. The wards disintegrated away from my palm, creating a giant hole around us.
As quickly as the beasts moved, only a couple were able to land at a time. I tried to pry my hand away from Dylan, but his strength was five times my own.
Only a few Cyhyraeth with riders landed on the hill where we stood; the rest spread out, forming a ring around the island. Then the largest one landed on the altar with a boom. Its razor claws sliced into the stone with ease.
Dylan lifted my hand from the wards and pinned both my wrists to my lower back.
I felt something cold, maybe metal, against my wrists as they were bound.
In desperation, I looked for Seren or Mared in hopes they'd intervene, but some of the hooded riders had dismounted and intercepted them.
Dark chains had been wrapped around their wrists.
The rider who landed on the altar dismounted and dropped his hood.
I knew this man. Not only because of the pictures in Granny's study but also because his face resembled my own. His eyes were the same colour silver as one of mine.
Gwaun, my father.
He descended the stairs, and Dylan shoved me to follow him. When we made it to the platform below, I saw the other riders had chained the Cyngor Blaen as well.
Emna was the only one who kicked and screamed against the hooded figure who held her captive. Even Granny and Ail Llew seemed to accept their capture peacefully.
When the Cyngor and the other competitors were chained and huddled together, flanked by hooded riders, Gwaun stood at centre stage.
“As my sentries would have explained, we are not here to harm you. No blood needs to be spilled on such sacred lands. If you do not harm them, they will extend you the same courtesy. But should you decide to use your power, we will make sure our Cyhyraeth eat well this evening.”
The ring of beasts that blocked the crowds in snarled as they pressed in closer.
Gwaun turned his attention to the Cyngor Blaen next. “The same goes for you, although we made sure we brought the right tools to keep your power dampened. I had a hunch you wouldn't be as courteous.”
Emna elbowed the sentry holding her in the face, and another hooded figure next to her pulled a short blade and pressed it against her throat in warning.
“No decorum,” Gwaun scoffed.
When my father turned his attention to me, my lungs seized. “You've proven to be a very difficult person to find, daughter of mine.”
The use of that word—daughter—made my blood boil.
“And even when you reared your head a few weeks ago at Llwyn Onn, you still slipped through my grasp on more than one occasion.”
He paced in front of me as I kept trying to fight Dylan's hold.
“I am going to ask you this once. Refuse, and I will have to make this even more unpleasant for you.” He took a step closer to me. “Come with me, and no one gets harmed. Your power is wasted here, misunderstood. Come with me, and I can unleash the greatness within you.”
I spat at his feet.
Gwaun sighed. “Fine. Make this ugly. It makes no difference to me. I get what I want either way.”
The group of his sentries parted as two of them dragged a woman bound with rope and with a bag over her head onto the platform.
From the short blonde curly hair that could be seen underneath, I would have guessed it was Mared if she hadn't stood on the other side of the platform in restraints.
They forced her to her knees as Gwaun snatched the bag away.
My whole world crumbled when I saw the tear-streaked face of my mother.
I fought with all the strength I had left to get to her, but it was pointless.
Gwaun summoned a whip that was tipped with a metal claw. I begged and sobbed, knowing what he was going to do next.
“You had your chance, daughter. Now you must be punished for refusing me.”
His words cut through the air like a blade. I turned to my mother, but there was no trace of fear in her expression.
“It's okay, Non. Everything is going to be okay,” she said, her voice a whisper.
“No, please!” I pleaded, my voice cracking. “Do it to me, but not her. Please, don't hurt her!”
“Non, look at me.” My mother's voice was so calm.
Gwaun raised the whip over his head, his eyes filled with contempt.
“Non, I need you to listen to me. Please.”
I met her gaze, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to stop. She smiled at me through her tears.
“He's not your father,” she whispered.
And then everything around me exploded.
Blinding white light surged from my mother's hands, so bright that it was impossible to look directly at. The force of it sent Gwaun flying backwards into the crowd.
The air crackled with energy as sentries dove toward her with their weapons drawn.
Bolts of light shot from her, one after another, each one striking a sentry square in the chest. Their bodies disintegrated into ash before they even hit the ground.
I felt the chains around my wrists fall away, and I lunged toward my mother.
But Dylan snagged me around my waist and hauled me back.
“I know what this looks like,” he said, “but you have to come with me. Please.”
Fury was all I felt at his words. “I'll never trust you again.”
His eyes flicked over my shoulder, and I followed his gaze.
“Do it,” he said, his voice flat.
I twisted in his grip to find Jazz running towards me. Somehow, they'd managed to summon Rhongomyniad. A sob broke from my chest; I'd never been so grateful to see my friend.
“Jazz! Gods, am I glad—”
Now, now! my power screamed. You need to let me out now!
When Jazz nodded to Dylan, I was utterly confused. “Why aren't you—Jazz! Get me out of these chains.”
NOW, NON!
Cries echoed from the far side of the platform as a dozen pockets of glittering shadow burst into existence.
One by one, the hooded riders were pulled into them, vanishing.
When my power had taken as many as it could, it turned on the rock beneath us, pulling the platform itself toward the unravelling void.
“How the fuck is she doing that with the chains on?” Jazz exclaimed.
When I looked up to answer them, I realised their question hadn't been directed at me.
“If you don't do it now, then she's going to pull this whole gods-damned island through the gates,” Dylan roared from behind me.
Jazz finally lifted their staff to strike Dylan. “Please forgive me,” they muttered.
I opened my mouth to scream, but before the sound could leave my throat, the butt of their staff slammed into my temple with sickening force.
The last thing I saw as the world tilted sideways was my mother, her power surging outward in a tidal wave of light that consumed everything in its path. My eyes fluttered shut, and then... darkness.