Chapter Eleven
Eleven
They reached the Well chamber through the same archway Kai had used last time.
Not that he could tell by looking, because all the firepots had been extinguished and the huge room was now dark.
Except for the clear glow of an Immortal Blessed light near the center of the platform.
At least that meant that Highsun was still there.
They stood in the archway, silent, listening. Kai could hear nothing except a slight shifting that might be the grate of a boot sole against stone, the crackle of paper. Kai stepped back and whispered, “He’s made himself a Hierarch, but he doesn’t know how to use the Well yet.”
Arnsterath argued, “How do you know he doesn’t know how to use it?”
She was right, Kai didn’t. He conquered the urge to stab her and said, “Because if he does we’re all dead so there’s not much point in doing anything, is there?”
Arnsterath bared her teeth at him. “So what do we do, then?”
Tenes gestured upward and signed, He needs to remove the roof without burying the Well.
That was probably what Highsun was working on, but that crackle of paper had sent a chill through Kai’s veins.
Presumably other Hierarchs were available to teach the new ones who were consecrated.
If Highsun had managed to find records, accounts written by expositors or servant-nobles that might give him some clue how to draw on that power now …
They could stand here paralyzed talking about it or they could do something.
He said to Arnsterath, “I want you to distract him while I get close enough to kill him.”
Tenes turned sharply to him. She signed, You won’t—Not what Dahin came here for.
I won’t, Kai told her. He wasn’t sure it would work, for one thing. Killing Highsun was a far better solution. Ziede would kill me.
“Won’t what?” Arnsterath demanded. “Tell me everything, or I won’t help you.”
It took much of Kai’s strength of will not to just stamp off into the Well chamber and attack Highsun alone.
But he would only get one chance and he couldn’t waste it.
Gathering what was left of his patience, he said, “If a willing Immortal sacrifices their life to a death well, it supposedly destroys it.”
Arnsterath took that in, shaking her head, her expression turning suspicious. “How do I know you aren’t going to throw me in?”
“If I thought that would work, I’d do it,” he told her. Not that they had any proof one way or the other. But Kai couldn’t believe that if it had been so easy as to toss an unwilling Immortal in, someone hadn’t already tried it.
Arnsterath’s face contorted in indecision. Her clear struggle with distrust and fear didn’t endear her to Kai at all. Finally she looked to Tenes. “Are you going to help me?”
She signed, As well as I can. I’m too weak now to talk to the stone.
Arnsterath considered, biting her lip, and her expression was so much like Kai remembered Arn-Nefa, he couldn’t stand it and had to look away. She said, “All right. I think I know what we can do as a distraction.”
“Go toward the right,” Kai told her. “There are cages, and across from them are steps up to the Well platform.”
Arnsterath started away without another word. Tenes turned to Kai, grim purpose etched into her young face. She signed, Be careful.
You as well, he signed back.
She hurried to catch up with Arnsterath, and Kai took the opposite direction, around the other side of the Well.
Moving as quietly as possible, Kai ran, staying close to the wall of the platform.
The cold radiating from it stung even through the sleeves and skirt of his thick coat.
It was utterly silent and still, more so than any death well he had ever been this close to.
It had obviously been quiescent before, even with the constructs ready to feed it with the scholars’ pain.
Whether it had been the old Hierarch using the Voice or Highsun who had woken it, it made Kai’s skin creep with its power, the sense of something immense, a giant wound driven deep into the earth.
Just the thought of what might be under his feet made his nerves twitch.
Kai would need to be opposite whatever distraction Arnsterath and Tenes created, but he couldn’t be sure where that was until they started. He would have to move fast once it did.
Then Arnsterath’s voice shouted, “Highsun! I bring you one of your enemies. The stone Witch.”
Kai ran another ten paces, then flung himself at the side of the Well, finding a handhold and climbing. The stone was rough and pockmarked, its icy chill stealing his breath.
“That child isn’t my enemy,” Highsun said, impatient and annoyed.
Now he says that, after shooting a death weapon at us, Kai thought grimly.
He slung himself atop the platform. It was all in deep shadow except for the light around Highsun.
Breaking the empty expanse of the platform was a human-sized block of white stone, knee-height to Highsun, beside a round opening about ten paces across.
Highsun had set out his light and some metallic tools next to it.
Tenes is right, he needs to destroy the dome so the Well can be used, Kai thought.
And protect the platform? Or destroy it too?
They didn’t know why Highsun wanted to be a Hierarch, but he might not want anyone else becoming one after him, either.
Arnsterath appeared across the platform, hauling an apparently mostly limp Tenes by the arm. She stopped at the very edge of the light. “Isn’t she your enemy?” Arnsterath asked pointedly. “You brought down half this hill to kill her and Kaiisteron and the others.”
Kai eased up to a crouch and started toward Highsun. He wished Arnsterath hadn’t mentioned him, reminding Highsun that Kai must still be around here somewhere. The platform was broad, nearly half the size of the great chamber. He had to get close enough to cast the intention.
“Where is Kaiisteron?” Highsun said. He glanced down at his tools again, as if distracted and anxious to get back to his task.
“I killed him,” Arnsterath said. “I want to join you, help you.” She moved closer and pulled Tenes with her. “They’ve been lying to me, saying I could find shelter with the Rising World. I need a powerful patron.”
“Stop there.” Highsun jerked his head.
Arnsterath stopped and let go of Tenes, who dropped to the ground as if unable to support herself.
They seemed to have Highsun’s full attention and Kai crept closer.
He had relied on intentions because of the constructs but now he wondered if he should be preparing a cantrip instead, something to trap Highsun until he could get closer.
But intentions were quicker and Kai had three already prepared, this was no time to second-guess himself.
Still preoccupied with his tools, Highsun said. “I will not kill mortals or Witches, or anyone who doesn’t try to stop me. What is it you want?”
“Then who are you going to kill?” Arnsterath sounded honestly curious. Kai had to admit he was too.
“I will bring the reckoning to the Immortal Blessed that they have so long deserved.” Highsun finally looked up and took a step toward Arnsterath. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Kai, Ziede’s voice in his head whispered. Tahren’s coming around. Where are you?
Arnsterath persisted, “I just want to work for the winning side—”
Kai was almost close enough. He let Ziede see through his pearl, then darted forward to cast the intention.
Highsun turned with the speed of an Immortal Marshall, as if he had known Kai was there the whole time. The intention missed him and landed a few steps past, a wavering point of light askew on the stone. Highsun caught up the Thosaren weapon and fired.
Kai had already flung himself sideways but caught the edge of the weapon’s effect. His legs went numb and he crashed face-first into the stone of the platform. A mortal or a Witch would have been killed instantly. Kai snarled in rage and struggled to roll over. Highsun stood over him.
Highsun watched him solemnly, with no sign of triumph or regret.
“If I left you like this, you would die slowly and the Well would absorb your pain. But you fought these creatures for so many years, I cannot let that happen.” He lifted the Thosaren weapon and pointed it at Kai’s head.
“A quick death—” He choked, coughed, his expression startled.
Then he lifted a hand to his mouth and spat out a yellow springflower.
Kai’s laugh was mostly hiss. It was Tenes’ best cantrip.
Highsun staggered, coughing. Arnsterath paced closer to circle him. Tenes stood a little way behind her, her expression hard with concentration.
Then through the freezing stone, Kai felt power gather and rise. He shouted, “Run, the Well—”
The Voice rose from the Well. Kai saw the light of it take physical form, saw it hang in the air like an intention’s design.
Instinct made him roll over and cover his head.
He waited to die, that instant of sight carved into his eyelids, a column too bright to look at that was somehow the absence of all light at the same time.
The smothering power died away. Silence rang in his ears.
Until Arnsterath made a startled noise. Kai tried to struggle upright.
His legs prickled with the return of feeling as his body repaired the damage the Well weapon had done, but it wasn’t fast enough.
He managed to shove himself into a sitting position.
Highsun still stood, holding the Well weapon.
He stared toward Arnsterath, who sprawled on the platform.
Tenes stood as well, but she wasn’t moving.
Her gaze was fixed, her pale skin turning blue even as Kai watched.
In silence, she crumpled to the stone of the platform like an empty set of clothing.