Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Voices from the Grave
    Voices from the Grave
    Voices from the Grave
    Ebook558 pages8 hours

    Voices from the Grave

    By Ashley Abbiss

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    ‎‘Niari wasn't really sure when she first became aware of the sound. When she went back ‎‎over the events of that afternoon later, it seemed that it had been there all along, slowly ‎‎growing in volume, intruding itself gradually into her awareness. At first, it seemed like the ‎‎sighing of a breeze, a mere breath of sound that barely disturbed the silent air of the tomb, but ‎‎gradually it grew in intensity until it could no longer be ignored. All heads came up in sudden ‎‎alarm. ‎
    ‎ “What was that?” Mennia gasped, clutching Jomac's arm. He shook his head helplessly, ‎‎drawing her close and placing an arm around her. ‎
    It was all around them, a sighing whisper that seemed to be comprised of many voices, all ‎‎repeating the same thing, but still it was impossible to pick out what it was that they were ‎‎saying. The intruders listened and trembled. For some reason, though the door was close, ‎‎none of them thought to make for it and get out of the cave. And then Niari heard it, one ‎‎distinct word in all that mass of sighing. ‎
    ‎ “Awake.” ‎
    And all the other voices suddenly picked up on that word, repeating it over and over with ‎‎growing volume. ‎
    ‎ “Awake. Awake. Awake.” ‎
    The sound grew until it was a mighty crescendo. And then in one last thunderous climax, ‎‎all those unseen voices cried, “Awake. Awake, for the One is come!” ‎
    And then silence. Silence so profound that it seemed yet another sound to their terrified ‎‎ears. They stared at one another in shock and wonder. ‎
    Finally, Keladryn broke the silence. “Well,” he said in a voice that was remarkably steady ‎‎considering what had just happened, “it seems we're in the right tomb.” ‎
    ‎ “What's that?” Varia said, pointing towards the back of the cavern.’‎

    The last two years have been hectic for Niari and Carlitha. Their brother King Aanek has ‎‎made good use of the fact that he has two sorceresses for sisters, and they and their magic ‎have ‎played a major role in helping the country recover from the ravages of war. Now, the ‎rebuild is all but complete, their brother has a firm ‎grip on power, the economy is beginning to ‎pick up, and the mood in the country is one of ‎optimism. Finally, the sisters can begin to relax ‎and enjoy the fruits of their labours. ‎
    That is until a ghost turns up with a message from the gods. ‎
    Suddenly, it’s all happening again. The Cult of the Earth Mother is back and still ‎‎determined to conquer the world for its goddess. ‎
    And once again, Niari, Carlitha, Friend, and their companions must stand in their way. ‎
    With a group of mostly new companions, a few old acquaintances, and some very ‎‎unexpected allies, the three friends must set out on another mission to thwart the Cult and ‎‎secure peace for the world – if they can. The mission itself is simple. The Cult is on the trail of ‎‎a magical artefact, and Niari, Carlitha, and company must beat them to it. ‎
    But before they can even get started, they must find the prophecy that will guide them. ‎‎After that, they must find the rest of their company, then discover what they’re looking for, ‎‎where to find it, and how to keep it out of the Cult’s hands once they have it. Simple, right? ‎
    ‎ Join Niari, Carlitha and a rather motley group of companions on another wild ride ‎through ‎a world where magic is real and the gods are near, where prophecy determines the ‎direction of ‎events and trouble is around every corner, as they find themselves once again ‎caught up in the ‎battles of the very gods themselves. ‎
    This is the second novel in the Daughters of Destiny series and follows on from events in ‎‎The Collars of Phaleran. It is not necessary to have read The Collars of Phaleran in ‎order to ‎enjoy this book – although, of course, I do hope you may wish to go back and fill in ‎the ‎background to this story at some point! ‎

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAshley Abbiss
    Release dateJul 16, 2016
    ISBN9781310714085
    Voices from the Grave
    Author

    Ashley Abbiss

    Hello there. I’m Ashley Abbiss. ‎I live and write in beautiful New Zealand, where I live with one large dog, who looks nothing ‎like Friend from my Daughters of Destiny books. She is, however, almost as intelligent and definitely as ‎opinionated, and if she can’t quite speak in the way Friend does to Niari, that doesn’t really ‎hold her back much!‎I write fantasy, mostly of the epic variety. Let me say right up front that if you’re looking for a quick read, you’re in the wrong place. But if you like a substantial, ‎satisfying story that you can really get your teeth into, stick with me. I may have something ‎you’ll enjoy. There’s no graphic sex in my books. If that’s what you want, you’ll have to look ‎elsewhere. There is violence, and there is swearing, though mostly of the ‘s/he swore’ variety, ‎nothing overly graphic or offensive. I also write about strong, independent female characters, ‎so if your taste runs to something more macho, or something more frilly and helpless, this may ‎not be the place for you. ‎I’ve always loved wandering in different worlds, be they fantasy or science fiction, although ‎lately I tend to prefer fantasy. The only proviso is that they have to be believable worlds, ‎worlds that feel real, that have depth and scope – and they must, absolutely must be fun to ‎visit. I read for escape and entertainment, and I don’t really want to escape from this world ‎into one even grimmer. Trouble, tension, and danger I can deal with, what sort of story would ‎there be without them? Where would Pern be without Thread, Frodo without Sauron, Harry ‎Potter without Voldemort? But there has to be hope, and there has to be a light touch. Happy ‎ever after does have a lot going for it, even if initially it’s only a very small light at the end of ‎a long, dark tunnel. My personal favourites include Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, Anne ‎McCaffrey’s Pern series, and the fantasies of David Eddings, and lately, they’ve been joined ‎by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and a few others. Of those, David Eddings was probably my ‎greatest inspiration.‎I began to wonder if I could create my own world, one just as believable and multi-layered as ‎theirs. Could I create a world with its own history, geography, social structure, deities, and all ‎the rest? One that hung together? That a reader could believe in? It became a challenge, one I ‎really wanted to see if I could meet. So I dusted off my writing skills, learned a few more, ‎cranked up the imagination, and got busy. I’d always been good at creative writing, but ‎though I’d made a few attempts to write after I left school, none of them came to anything. ‎That was until I started writing fantasy. Suddenly, I knew I’d come home. ‎I quickly discovered that I’m not the sort of writer who can plan a book (or a world!) before I ‎start. I just can’t do it. But I can create characters, and suddenly the characters took on a ‎reality of their own and took over the stories, often to the extent that they actually surprised ‎me. And the stories worked. Their world worked. Sometimes I had to go back and fix the ‎odd contradiction, but mostly it worked and was very natural and organic. Even though my ‎first attempts were pitiful, I knew I’d found where I belong. I persevered, I learned, I wrote. ‎I discovered that the characters are key for me. Once I get them right, they tell their own ‎story. I was away. There were dark days during which my stories became my refuge, my ‎characters my friends. And I kept writing. There were happy times when I didn’t need a ‎refuge, but my characters were still my friends, and they drew me inexorably back. I kept ‎writing. ‎And now, I hope my characters may become your friends too, my worlds ones where you also ‎like to walk; perhaps even your refuge from dark days. Come join me in a world where magic ‎is real and the gods are near, where beasts talk and men and women achieve things they never ‎dreamed they could. But most of all, come and have fun! ‎Happy reading.‎Ash.‎

    Read more from Ashley Abbiss

    Related to Voices from the Grave

    Related ebooks

    Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      'Ladysitting' Offers Candor And A Singular Take On A Tale Familiar To Many

      May 6, 2019

      As Lorene Cary tells the story of her Nana and the stress and sadness all too common for caregivers, it's her recounting of her upbringing and ancestry that is most engaging and captivating.

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Women Of The Palace

      Sep 19, 2022

      At Georgia’s ragged edge stands a causeway made of earth piled by hand atop bricks and tires, long grown over with grass and sandspur and sea oxeye. It is a tenuous ribbon of stability cutting through mud and salt and spartina, connecting land and ri

      11 min read

    • Article

      The Only Rule

      Jul 13, 2020

      There is only one rule in polite English society, but it is iron clad. Of course, polite English society is a fiction. For one thing, its members are rarely polite. Politeness is for the middle classes rather than those who live off ancestral acres o

      5 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Aug 19, 2019

      Kya is just five when she watches her mother, carrying a packed suitcase and wearing her fake alligator high-heeled shoes, walk out on her alcoholic husband, her four children and the shack they all live in. One by one the remaining children follow s

      4 min read

    • Article

      This One So Loved

      May 9, 2019

      This One So Loved
      9 min read

    • Article

      Home & away

      Oct 30, 2022

      Home & away
      3 min read

    • Article

      Now That It’s Come to This

      Jun 3, 2021

      Now That It’s Come to This
      13 min read

    • Article

      Great Read

      Mar 22, 2023

      Great Read
      8 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Carey, Doshi, Lyon, and More

      Jan 26, 2021

      Here's a quick look at some notable books—new titles from the likes of Edward Carey, Annabel Lyon, Avni Doshi, and more—that are publishing this week. The post Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Carey, Doshi, Lyon, and More appeared first on The Milli

      5 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Aug 19, 2022

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Jan 23, 2023

      Books
      6 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday New Release Day: Starring L’Engle, Thammavongsa, Kidd, and More

      Apr 21, 2020

      This week we've got our eye on new books from the likes of Madeleine L'Engle, Souvankham Thammavongsa, Sue Monk Kidd, Sebastian Barry, and Sopan Deb. The post Tuesday New Release Day: Starring L’Engle, Thammavongsa, Kidd, and More appeared first on T

      5 min read

    • Article

      Wounds That Won’t Heal

      Oct 30, 2017

      Wounds That Won’t Heal
      7 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Knausgaard, Davies, North, and More

      Jan 5, 2021

      Here’s a quick look at some notable books—new titles from Karl Ove Knausgaard, Nnedi Okorafor, and Mateo Askaripour—that are publishing this week. The post Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Knausgaard, Davies, North, and More appeared first on The Mi

      6 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Nov 20, 2023

      How To Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir by Safiya Sinclair is a truly wonderful and compelling account of growing up as the eldest daughter in a strict Rasta family. Shining a light on the history of the much-persecuted Rastafari movement, Sinclair lyr

      3 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Oyeyemi, Thiong’o, Butler, Means, and More

      Mar 5, 2019

      Six new books to add to your nightstands. The post Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Oyeyemi, Thiong’o, Butler, Means, and More appeared first on The Millions.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Women At War

      Feb 26, 2023

      Women At War
      4 min read

    • Article

      Summer Reading Guide

      Jan 2, 2022

      Summer Reading Guide
      6 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Machado, Pico, Sexton, Tariq, Older, and More

      Nov 5, 2019

      New titles from the likes of Carmen Maria Machado, Tommy Pico, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, Malcolm Tariq, Daniel José Older, and more. The post Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Machado, Pico, Sexton, Tariq, Older, and More appeared first on The Milli

      6 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Aug 20, 2021

      ‘Brood’ is such a multi-layered word: thinking deeply about something, a group of young animals, something to do with longed-for motherhood… and this beautiful, spare book is about all of those, and more. The protagonist (she’s never named) and her h

      4 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Keefe, Beagin, Welsh, and More

      Feb 26, 2019

      Here’s a quick look at some notable books—new titles from the likes of Patrick Radden Keefe, Jen Beagin, Irvine Welsh and more—that are publishing this week. Want to learn more about upcoming titles? Then go read our most recent book preview. Want to

      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Voices from the Grave

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Voices from the Grave - Ashley Abbiss

      VOICES FROM THE GRAVE

      (The Second Daughters of Destiny Novel)

      Ashley Abbiss

      Copyright 2016 Ashley Abbiss

      Smashwords Edition

      Smashwords Edition License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      The Daughters of Destiny Series so far:

      The Collars of Phaleran

      Voices from the Grave

      The Temple of the Damned

      The Ancient Shrine (coming October 2016)

      Cover Photo Credits:

      Woman in Cloak © Edinorog12 | Dreamstime.com

      Cover Design and Editing… Ashley Abbiss

      To Ruth

      Informal Proof-reader, Sounding-board, Advice Bureau

      But most of all, Friend.

      Thanks for supporting me – on all levels.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS 

      TITLE PAGE

      MAP

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

      CHAPTER FOUR

      CHAPTER FIVE

      CHAPTER SIX

      CHAPTER SEVEN

      CHAPTER EIGHT

      CHAPTER NINE

      CHAPTER TEN

      CHAPTER ELEVEN

      CHAPTER TWELVE

      CHAPTER THIRTEEN

      CHAPTER FOURTEEN

      CHAPTER FIFTEEN

      CHAPTER SIXTEEN

      CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

      CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

      CHAPTER NINETEEN

      CHAPTER TWENTY

      CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

      CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

      CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

      CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

      CONNECT WITH ASHLEY ABBISS

      PREVIEW OF BOOK THREE THE TEMPLE OF THE DAMNED

      CHAPTER ONE

      Niari, princess of Nebreth, sorceress, and formerly the One of prophecy, was sitting in her favourite window seat with her embroidery. The work, however, lay untouched in her lap as she gazed out the window. The manor house she shared with her sister Carlitha was built high on a ridge in the forest of Ch’ranath Wivas, and the window looked out over league upon league of unbroken forest, until away on the horizon the trees gave way to a smudge of reddish brown that Niari knew was the great cliff that was the boundary with the Lost Lands. The season was spring, and the fresh green, yellow or bronze of new growth on the deciduous trees showed here and there as a vibrant counterpoint to the darker greens of the evergreens, making the forest a tapestry of colour. With that beneath and a brilliant blue sky above, peppered with fluffy white clouds like tufts of cotton, it was a view most definitely worth looking at. That, however, wasn’t what Niari was seeing right now.

      At breakfast that morning, her sister had happened to mention that it was two years almost to the day since they had first met. Niari had forgotten, but now as she sat, her thoughts turned back down the long tunnel of the years to that time. It had been a very significant time for her; a time of trouble and turmoil, of catastrophic loss and grief, and finally a slow, painful rebuilding. The life she had known previously had ended suddenly when she and her party were attacked on the road and her father had been killed. That had been another life altogether. Niari had been a priestess of Elithim and lived with her adoptive father on the Isle of Elithim. Aanek hadn’t been king then. Carlitha had been living here, on this ridge, with her adopted family, although there’d been a different house here at the time. None of them had known the others existed. Their parents’ affair had been a forbidden one, and the three children had been scattered and raised by different people in complete ignorance of each other. Only Aanek, who’d been kept by their father, the heir to the throne of Nebreth, had been aware of his royal origins. But even he had been separated from his parents. His cousin Malvas had tried to murder Aanek when he was ten, and he’d finished his growing up in the neighbouring country of Entroth while Malvas went on to usurp the throne that should have been Aanek’s.

      It had actually been Aanek who had saved Niari’s life when she was being pursued by the men who had killed her father, and as a result, she had become his ‘blood slave’, pledged to serve him until she had paid off her debt. It hadn’t been until they arrived here, at the house of Carlitha’s mother, that they had discovered they were brother and sister, twins in fact, and even later that they had learned Carlitha was their older sister. It had been a horribly confusing time for Niari, struggling to come to terms with the death of the only father she had ever known and the loss of her old life. Everything she’d known was gone, and she had nothing to hold on to. She wasn’t even sure who she was any more. Then, before she’d had time to deal with that, she had been told that Aanek was her twin brother, and that they and their lost sibling were destined, according to prophecy, to play a leading role in the struggle against the dreaded Cult of the Earth Mother and its ambition to conquer the whole world for its goddess.

      And as if all that hadn’t been enough, the time to select a new High Priestess of the Isle had arrived, and the Choice had fallen on Niari. It had all been too much. Niari could remember the feeling as though it had been yesterday. It had been just like drowning, or maybe suffocating. There’d been too much to cope with all at once. While she struggled for some sort of grounding, for some sense of who she was now, it seemed that others just kept piling stuff on top of her faster than she could hope to cope with it. She’d felt as though she had lost control of her own life, as though she was losing her very self. Only the friendship she had struck up with Carlitha kept her sane and gave her something to hold on to during those days. Then, Niari had discovered that she had the power of sorcery, and could communicate with animals, and she had been befriended by a runiac, the ultimate ancestor of the dog and the wolf. She looked down at Friend where he lay at her feet, peacefully slumbering. That, along with her friendship with Carlitha, had been one of the few good things to come out of that time. When Aanek, along with Carlitha’s family, had been kidnapped by the Cult, Friend had decided to accompany the two young women as they set out to try and free them, and he had been Niari’s protector and constant companion ever since.

      Together, the three friends had gone to the Isle of Elithim and found the tomb of Dalmia, within which were hidden some magical weapons. Aided by a group of other people appointed by the prophecy to help them, they had used these to attempt to break their people free. They’d actually found themselves fighting their own brother during that time, because the Cult had found the legendary Collars of Phaleran and bewitched Aanek, one of the few people who could use them, into helping them. But finally they had got their people free, and while Aanek went to the capital to claim his throne, Niari, Carlitha, and Friend had gone after Beniel, the Prophet of the Earth Mother and the leader of their enemies. Friend had called the animals to war to help overcome the people Beniel had with him, and Niari and Carlitha had taken on Beniel himself, but Carlitha had been badly wounded in the encounter and Niari and Friend had had to rush her to Nebreth City to get help. Meanwhile, the army of the Cult had already invaded the country, and there was still a battle to face, a battle in which Niari, Friend, and the other companions had participated. A battle which they had won in the end, though not without cost.

      Then, just when they’d thought it was all over and they could begin to pick up the pieces of their own lives, Aanek had decided to declare them both legitimate, which made them princesses. So the last couple of years had been another battle, to learn how to be princesses. Neither she nor Carlitha had been raised to high society, and there was an awful lot both to learn and to adjust to. Having both been brought up in a rural setting, they found the protocols stuffy, the culture of the court alien and distasteful, and the city uncongenial. It hadn’t been an easy time. Added to all that, there had been a lot of work to be done to help the country recover both from the war against the Cult and from the depredations of Malvas when he had been in charge. King Aanek had taken full advantage of the fact that he had two sorceresses for sisters, and Niari and Carlitha had spent a good bit of their time over the last two years dashing here and there about the country, using their power to help set things to rights. Since the Navan army had destroyed many crops, a great deal of the sisters’ time and effort that first winter had been directed towards magically increasing the contents of various storehouses to ensure that everyone had enough to eat. Although rewarding in its way, it had also been exhausting and stressful, and Niari thought it was just as well that her brother had had this house rebuilt for them and given them the forest and surrounding lands as their estate, because she was quite sure she would have gone completely insane if she hadn’t been able to escape here to the forest from time to time.

      However, they were pretty much up to speed with the court protocols and polite manners and all the rest of it now. That first winter had been survived and the worst of the damage fixed over the next year or so. Aanek had a firm hold on power, trade was beginning to pick up, and the mood of the people was now one of hope for the future. Life was beginning to settle down nicely and fall into a comfortable rhythm, and the two sisters could finally relax. The last couple of months had felt like a holiday compared to all that had gone before. Niari sighed contentedly and picked up her embroidery. The future looked like being very different from what she had always imagined it might be, but she finally felt that she belonged there. And that, she thought, as she put the first stitch in her work, was quite an achievement if she did say so herself. She settled happily to her needlework, the sun warm on her back, the future no longer quite such a dark, threatening place as it had once been. At last, after the years of struggle, she felt at peace with herself and her world.

      She’d been working at her embroidery for about half an hour when Mennia, her and Carlitha’s housekeeper and friend, burst into the room, flushed and excited.

      Niari, there are some people approaching the house!

      Niari looked up from her work and lifted an eyebrow. And this is so very unusual that it gets you all worked up? Who is it?

      I don't know. But they're not coming the usual way. They're coming up the track from the river.

      What? How many?

      Only three, but I still thought you should know.

      Where's Carlitha? Have you told her?

      Not yet. I came to you first.

      Well, go and find her now. I'll have a look.

      Mennia hurried out. Niari laid her embroidery aside and stood up. Friend, who had appeared to be deeply asleep, bounded to his feet the moment she began to move, and accompanied Niari as she followed Mennia from the room. Niari led the way through the house, wondering who the visitors could be. The only settlements were to the east. To the west of the ridge where the house was situated, the direction the riders were coming from, was only thick forest running eventually into the Lost Lands. For someone to come from that direction was definitely unusual, and therefore just a little concerning.

      Followed by Friend, Niari stepped through the kitchen door and made her way across the yard and through the orchard. As she reached the end of the trees, she saw the visitors some little way ahead, riding towards her at a trot. She raised a hand to her eyes and squinted into the sun. Friend stood looking out as she did for a moment, then yawned and informed her that he was going hunting. She watched him turn back toward the house in surprise. Well, he obviously wasn’t concerned about the newcomers. But who were they? She turned back to take another look at them. The next moment she was running as fast as she could out across the meadow towards the oncoming riders. The leader reined in as she approached and sat waiting.

      Yarisha! Niari gasped as she came to a halt. What are you doing here?

      Hello, Niari, Yarisha smiled. I'm bringing you some visitors. This is Voice of the River and her brother Shadow of an Ancestor. They've come all the way from the Northland to see you and Carlitha. Is your sister here?

      She's up at the house waiting for us. Impatiently, probably. You know Carlitha.

      Carlitha was waiting for them at the door, leaning on the sticks she used to help her walk. Niari's sister had been crippled since babyhood, and couldn't walk far without her sticks, but that had never held her back significantly. She got where she wanted to go, did most anything she wanted to do, and was one of the best horsewomen in that part of the world. Her face registered surprise and delight when she saw Yarisha.

      What are you doing here? she asked, giving the old woman a warm hug as she dismounted. It must be important to bring you out of your valley.

      Carlitha, meet Voice of the River and Shadow of an Ancestor. They're the reason we're here. They asked me to bring them to meet you.

      Carlitha looked at the newcomers as she shook hands. Crisp black curls, sooty black skin, emerald green eyes, small stature, their origin was plain enough.

      You're from the Northland, aren't you? she asked. You're a long way from home.

      Voice of the River inclined her head with a little smile.

      Come inside, Niari said, and led the way.

      When they were all seated and Mennia had brought in refreshments, the two sisters looked expectantly at their guests. Shadow of an Ancestor cleared his throat shyly.

      Our mother was Song of the Night, he explained.

      Carlitha felt her interest sharpen. Song of the Night had been one of their companions during the events culminating in the Battle of Nebreth City a couple of years ago. She had been killed in that battle.

      Shadow of an Ancestor was continuing. For months now, my sister has had dreams of our mother, dreams in which Song of the Night has been trying to tell her something. It's not uncommon among our people for a spirit to return in such a fashion, especially if there is something the dead person left unfinished. It's a duty when this happens to finish the business that is incomplete so the spirit of the loved one may find rest. Voice of the River and I would like to perform this service for our mother.

      I see Song of the Night very clearly in my dreams, Voice of the River said. Her spirit is very restless. I know she's troubled, that what she's trying to tell me is urgent, but the messages haven't been clear. I went to Shadow of an Ancestor for help, because he's a spiritspeaker. I hoped he could contact Song of the Night's spirit and find out what she wants.

      Voice of the River was afraid it was her fault that the message wasn't getting through, Shadow of an Ancestor continued. It happens sometimes if the recipient is afraid or reluctant, that the spirit can't make itself heard.

      I was ashamed of my mother, Voice of the River admitted quietly. She was outcast. I would not deny her spirit rest, but I was afraid my attitude was preventing her from speaking.

      That didn't seem to be the case, however, Shadow of an Ancestor took up the narrative again. I contacted Song of the Night's spirit, but we got very little more. She said, 'Danger. Warn the Companions', then again, 'Danger.' That was all. She didn't seem able to say more, except to say that she doesn't rest peacefully where she is. She has asked that we take her home where she can be set free to find rest. That's why we're here. We didn't know exactly where she died, but I knew that Yarisha was her friend. I didn't entirely share my sister's feelings about Song of the Night, and I've met with her a few times since she was cast out of the tribe. She'd told me about Yarisha, so Voice of the River and I decided to find her and ask her to help us. And she has brought us to you.

      The young man fell silent, and both he and his sister looked hopefully at Niari and Carlitha.

      So you want to take Song of the Night home, Niari said. We know where she is, of course. She was killed in the battle for Nebreth City, and she was buried there. I'm sure the king, our brother, will be more than happy to let you have her body.

      It's not her body that concerns us, Princess Niari. It's her spirit. That's what we must find and take home with us.

      Her spirit? Carlitha asked. I don't understand.

      Since she isn’t at rest, Song of the Night's spirit can’t have moved on, Shad explained. In that case, it will have entered into a rock or a tree, or possibly a body of water. Whatever it has entered will be very close to the place where she died. If you can take us there, I can locate her, and I have brought a sacred staff with me. In that, she can safely journey home, where we can perform the ceremonies that will free her spirit and allow her to move on to the afterlife.

      Your mother died in one of the watchtowers on the wall of the city, Niari said.

      This tower is built of stone?

      Yes.

      Then that is probably where she is.

      She is, Carlitha said excitedly, snapping her fingers. Don't you remember, Niari? The soldiers have refused to man that tower ever since the battle. They say it's haunted. We all thought that was just soldiers' superstition, but perhaps it isn't. Perhaps they sense Song of the Night's presence.

      Well then, Niari said. All you have to do is go to the city. I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting permission to remove Song of the Night's spirit. In fact, they'll be overjoyed that their watchtower isn't haunted any more.

      I'm glad we could help, Carlitha said. I'm pleased Song of the Night will be going home. I liked her, and it's sad to think of her trapped there in that tower, all alone.

      There's just one other thing, Yarisha said. I'll be going to the city with Shadow of an Ancestor and Voice of the River, and we'd like you two to come with us.

      What? Why? Carlitha said.

      There's something more to all this, isn't there, Yarisha? Niari said. You never leave your valley, yet you come here, and now you're planning to go to the city.

      Yes, I think there is.

      Why?

      You've forgotten the other part of Song of the Night's message, Niari. It's not very likely that she would pester Voice of the River as she has been doing just to tell her she wants to go home. She has something to tell us, something so urgent that she will cross the barrier between the worlds to let us know about it. I believe that's very difficult to do, isn't that right, Shadow of an Ancestor?

      The young man nodded. Yes, he said. It is difficult, and a spirit will only undertake it for something very important. Mother is trying to tell us something that we must know. So far she has been unable to do so, but if we are there, close to her, she might be able to communicate more clearly. It's well known that the closer one is to the resting place of the spirit, the clearer the message.

      Song of the Night mentioned danger, and she mentioned the companions, Yarisha said. Spirits usually only come back to complete things they left unfinished when they died. When Song of the Night died, she was one of the Companions of the Medallions. Therefore, they are almost certainly the companions she means.

      But isn’t that all over and done with? Niari asked. Our job was to defeat the Cult of the Earth Mother, and we did that. How can there be any unfinished business there?

      I don't pretend to know what Song of the Night is trying to tell us, Yarisha replied. But I do think it must involve the people she was associated with at the time of her death, and therefore, I think we should all go to the city and hear what she has to tell us.

      Niari and Carlitha looked at each other. Finally, Carlitha shrugged.

      All right then, we go to the city, I guess. Do you want to leave in the morning, or would you rather take a day to rest?

      I have a strange feeling about all this, Yarisha said. I don't think we should waste any time.

      The morning it is, then. I'll go and tell Mennia to start packing and see about rooms for you for tonight.

      CHAPTER TWO

      As Niari had predicted, the king was only too pleased to give them permission to hold the ceremony that would end the haunting of the watchtower. So it was that on the morning after their arrival in the city, Niari, Carlitha, Yarisha and the two Northerners entered the tower where Song of the Night had died. Quite a crowd had gathered at the foot of the stairs. Word had got around that the ghost of the tower was to be exorcised, but soldiers posted on the stairs ensured that the curious would not disrupt the ceremony.

      First, I'll try to locate Song of the Night's spirit, Shadow of an Ancestor explained when they were all inside the tower room and the door was shut behind them. Please stay very quiet. I'll need to concentrate.

      The others watched in silence as the young man slowly made a circuit of the room, running his hands over the surface of the stone blocks and sometimes resting his forehead against one for a few seconds. Niari's mind went back to the last time she'd been in this room, the day Song of the Night died. Then further, to remember the times she had spent with the small woman from the Northland, an outcast from her tribe, but an essential part of the quest they had been on. She had carried one of the medallions, the Treasures of Dalmia, been one of their fellowship, yet Niari had never really got to know her well. She had remained a strange woman from an alien culture, possessed of a fierce pride and an awe of Friend, Niari's runiac companion, that approached worship.

      Still, Niari remembered her now with affection, and it saddened her to think of Song of the Night's spirit trapped here in this tower. She was glad they were here, that her companion would soon be going home, to rest at last among her own people. Niari came back to the present with a start as Shadow of an Ancestor jumped back from the wall with a hoarse cry.

      What is it? What's wrong? Carlitha cried sharply.

      Shadow of an Ancestor stepped back a little further, pointing with a shaking hand at a misty shape that was beginning to form near the wall.

      Is that Song of the Night? Carlitha asked. Is she coming?

      If it is, she's coming on her own, Shadow of an Ancestor said in a voice he couldn't quite keep the tremor out of. I didn't call her.

      But that's unheard of, Voice of the River gasped. A spirit never shows itself unless it's summoned.

      That's not quite true, little sister. It has been known, but it's very rare.

      My children, a new voice said, and the mist resolved itself into the familiar figure of Song of the Night.

      Mother! Voice of the River cried. She took a step forward, but Song of the Night's hand came up in an arresting gesture.

      No, the small woman said. You may not touch me. It is forbidden. It's good to see you again, daughter, she continued in a more tender voice. My son, she said, turning then to Shadow of an Ancestor.

      Mother, he replied gravely.

      My companions, Song of the Night went on, turning to Niari and Carlitha. And dearest Yarisha. She smiled at them all for a moment more, and then a curious change came over her face. It was still the face of Song of the Night, but it was as though a different personality looked out of her eyes, impressed itself on her features. She glowed suddenly with such glory that it seemed her tiny form could not possibly contain it. An overwhelming sense of presence and power flowed from her. Niari, Carlitha, and Yarisha exchanged a startled glance. They knew that aura.

      My children, an unmistakably male voice issued from Song of the Night's lips. Know that this woman is my beloved daughter. She has performed her appointed tasks faithfully and well, and I am well pleased with her. Listen to her, for she speaks with my voice.

      The sense of presence faded, and Song of the Night stood before them as she had first appeared.

      Who was that? Shadow of an Ancestor breathed, his face pale and his hands shaking.

      Maras, Niari said in an awed voice.

      Yes, Song of the Night said. It was Laen, whom you call Maras.

      Laen? Voice of the River gasped. She was shaking all over and looked very much as though she might faint. Yarisha moved to her, laying a gentle hand on her arm, speaking softly to her. The ghost of her mother waited until she had regained a little of her composure before speaking again.

      Yes my daughter, it was Laen, and he calls you to follow him. Are you willing?

      Me?

      It was Laen's work I was doing when I died. That task is still incomplete, and you must finish it for me. I ask again, are you willing?

      Voice of the River stared at her mother. Twice she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, she swallowed hard and nodded.

      I would give you rest, my mother. If this is how I must do that, then I am willing.

      Song of the Night smiled reassuringly at her daughter. Then she turned to Shadow of an Ancestor. And you, my son? Are you also willing?

      There is a place for me in this?

      There is.

      The young man squared his shoulders and met his mother's eyes. I'm not sure what this is all about, Mother, but I'm not about to let my sister go into it alone.

      Know that your mother is proud of you, my children, Song of the Night said. Her hand came up as if to reach out to them, then with a sigh, she dropped it and turned to the others. My sisters and companions, she said in a strangely formal voice, he whom I know as Laen and you call Maras requires your service once again. Are you willing?

      I've served Maras all my life, Yarisha said simply. I won't stop now.

      Niari and Carlitha looked at one another. Finally, Carlitha shrugged.

      All right, she said. Now how about telling us what we've just let ourselves in for?

      You task is as it has always been. To prevent the Cult of the Earth Mother from conquering this world for their goddess.

      I thought we did that two years ago, Carlitha said.

      Song of the Night smiled. Dear Carlitha. Did you think that because you have won one battle, the war is over? That was only the first skirmish. The real war has barely begun. You have handed the Earth Mother her first defeat, but she is still there. Her Cult still exists, and they have not given up. They have merely withdrawn to lick their wounds, to regroup and gather their strength. They will be back. In fact, they have already begun to move, and they are moving against the Companions of the Medallions. You have heard that there have been deaths?

      M'raas, Fenira, and Ashtia, yes, Niari said. But there was nothing suspicious about any of those deaths. Or was there?

      In Ashtia's case, no. She wasn’t particularly strong to begin with, and she never really recovered from the wounds she received the day I died. The others, however, were murdered by the Cult, and soon they will come after the rest of you.

      But the Cult was defeated and their Prophet and Priestess were both killed, Niari objected. It's only been two years. Are you seriously suggesting that they could recover so soon from such a series of disasters?

      The Prophet was not, in fact, killed, Niari.

      You mean Beniel survived that fall over the cliff?

      Song of the Night nodded. He was badly injured, but not killed. Some of his priests fleeing from the battle with the animals found him and carried him back home. He has now recovered and resumed the leadership of the Cult. His body is crippled, and his health is precarious, but his hold over the Cult is just as strong as ever.

      I just don’t understand that, Carlitha said. How can they still follow him when they know he murdered their Priestess?

      Beniel has managed to persuade them that he found Sylva dead and that it was shock and horror at her death that made him run away.

      That’s complete and utter rubbish!

      Of course it is. But they need to believe it, or, at least, be seen to believe it. Murderer or not, Beniel is still their Prophet, appointed, as they believe, by their goddess. They wouldn’t dare speak against him. Meanwhile, his fanaticism and hatred of the companions are even greater than before, and the Cult’s prophecy remains unfulfilled. They must still gain possession of the Collars of Phaleran and the three children of the prophecy. Nothing must stand in the way of achieving that. Beniel knows that the medallions are the greatest threat to the Cult's ambitions, and so he means to destroy the fellowship of the medallions first. Then he will move against the children and the collars. The time has come for you to take up the medallions and stand against the Earth Mother and her cult as you did before. You must prevent the Cult from gaining possession of the collars and the children.

      Can we do that now? Niari asked. Surely the loss of three companions is going to weaken us.

      That is also what the Cult believes, Song of the Night said. They know that the power of the medallions can stop them, and knowing that only those chosen to wear the medallions dare touch them, they think that by destroying the Company of the Medallions they will destroy their power. But they have failed to allow for the power of Laen. Her mouth curved in a wry little smile. Not surprising, perhaps, since they don’t even acknowledge his existence. And since they don’t, they don’t of course, bother to learn anything about him. They don’t, for instance, know that the medallions were made at the behest of Laen, and they are keyed to those people whom Laen has appointed to use them. Which is a bit unfortunate for them, because what Laen has ordained he can also change. They can’t defeat Laen by destroying his instruments, for he will simply replace them; which is precisely what he has done. The smile became a rather wicked grin. I imagine Beniel and his followers are going to be rather chagrined when they realise the Company of the Medallions is still intact, and just as powerful as ever. New users have been appointed to replace those whose work is finished; both those who have died and your brother Aanek, who has moved on to his new task as king.

      Oh dear, Niari said. Aanek. He has the medallions. How are we going to explain all this to him? He said when he put them in the palace treasury that that was where they were going to stay, and he meant it, too. I don't know how we're going to convince him to let them go.

      Oh, I don't think we'll have too much trouble there, Carlitha laughed. Not once he hears that he doesn't have to wear his medallion any more. That was the bit that really scared him.

      Perhaps, Niari said a little dubiously. She turned to Song of the Night again. Does this mean that I’m still the One?

      Yes.

      Niari sighed. Being the One hadn’t been all that much fun last time. She wasn’t particularly looking forward to stepping back into that role. Just when I thought life was settling down, she said sadly.

      The only thing anyone ever got from settling down is fat and lazy, Carlitha said, waving a hand.

      Speak for yourself, Niari replied. Well, what's our first move? To talk Aanek into letting us have the medallions, I suppose.

      And to advise him of the situation, Yarisha said. He has the ‎collars too, and he must be informed that the Cult will be after them. He will have to ensure that they are adequately protected. Even then he may not be able to prevent the Cult from gaining possession of them.

      They're in the palace treasury, Yarisha, Carlitha said. They could hardly be better protected.

      It's not merely a matter of how well protected they are, Carlitha. They're part of a prophecy, and if it's time for the fulfilment of that prophecy then no force in this world can prevent the ‎collars from playing their part in that fulfilment.

      That's not very cheering, either. That sort of sounds as though we're beaten before we begin.

      We still have the medallions, Carlitha. Even if the Cult gains possession of the ‎collars, we'll be able to fight them. Yarisha spread her hands. The truth is, I don't know what will happen. All the study I did was directed towards your first meeting with the Cult. I have no information about what's supposed to happen this time. It may be that your last encounter with the Cult was the fulfilment of the prophecies I studied and we're on completely new ground now. I just don't know. I wonder, are you permitted to guide me in this, Song of the Night?

      What is it you wish to know, Yarisha?

      Are there writings dealing with what's happening now?

      Yes.

      And should I go to Onnian and look for them?

      To seek out the way has ever been your function, Yarisha, for you are the Pathfinder. You will not, however, find what you seek at Onnian.

      Yarisha looked slightly taken aback. The writings in question must be fairly obscure then. Can you tell me more?

      No. Finding these things is your task. I may not interfere.

      Hm. Yarisha's eyes became distant, and then she sighed and shrugged. Oh well, she smiled. If I'm meant to find them, then I can only assume that I'll be guided to them.

      Isn't that just a little fatalistic? Carlitha asked.

      Of course it is. But Maras isn't going to tell me what he wants me to know before he's ready, so there's absolutely no point in getting upset about it.

      You have a very strange way of looking at things, Yarisha.

      Perhaps, Yarisha smiled. But then you must remember that I've had dealings with the gods all my life. That tends to alter one's perspective.

      Well, Niari said. I suppose we'd better go and see Aanek.

      One moment, Princess Niari, Shadow of an Ancestor said. Mother, I have a sacred staff with me. Voice of the River and I had intended to take you home with us. But if we're to join in the fight against the Cult, it's possible that we may not get home for a long time, if at all. What would you have me do?

      I will enter the staff now. Song of the Night's face split in a dazzling and mischievous smile. I'm coming with you, my son. You'd likely get lost without me. And her clear laugh pealed out.

      Her son's face stiffened. I shall perform the ceremony then.

      There is no need. Place the staff on the floor and step back. Do as I say, my son. Watch and learn.

      Shadow of an Ancestor, looking very puzzled, laid the staff in the centre of the floor and stepped back to stand beside his sister, who threw him a questioning glance. He shrugged. As they watched, the image of their mother wavered and grew dim. The staff glowed briefly. Then Song of the Night was gone and the staff lay as it had before, a length of carved reddish wood. There was a gasp from Voice of the River, closely echoed by Shadow of an Ancestor.

      What happened? Voice of the River asked, staring at the staff as though it might jump up and bite her.

      I don't know, her brother said in a hushed voice.

      Is your mother in the staff now? Carlitha asked.

      Shadow of an Ancestor stepped forward and held a hand over the staff. Yes.

      Then what's the problem?

      She's not supposed to be able to do it on her own, the young man said, shaking his head in disbelief. I've never heard of this before. I wouldn't have believed it possible.

      Shadow of an Ancestor picked up the staff, turning it in his hands and looking at it as though he still couldn't believe what he'd just seen. Then he shrugged and, his arm about Voice of the River, he turned and led the way out of the tower. They emerged blinking into the afternoon sunlight. Below them, the normal bustle of the capital city went on. As one, the party paused. It seemed impossible that the world could remain so normal after the wonders they had just experienced. The spell was broken by a soldier below who demanded to know whether the ghost of the tower was gone.

      Yes, Carlitha called down to him. You can spread the word. The ghost will never bother you again. You can man the tower in safety.

      The party descended to the street and made their way back towards the palace. An hour later they met with the king.

      Well? Aanek demanded. Is the tower all right?

      All fixed, Carlitha replied.

      Good. Aanek's eyes narrowed. What else happened? There's something. I can see it in your faces.

      Song of the Night's spirit spoke to us, Niari said. She told us some things you're probably not going to like.

      I frequently hear things I don't like. Go on.

      First of all, Beniel wasn't killed when he went over that cliff.

      We rather suspected that when we didn't find his body.

      Song of the Night says that he's back in charge as Prophet, and there is or is very soon going to be, a resurgence of the Cult of the Earth Mother.

      I've already heard rumours to that effect. What else?

      We need the medallions to fight them.

      No. The medallions stay where they are. And if you think I have any intention of going off chasing shadows with you again, you can forget it. I've got a country to run.

      You don't have to, Aanek. Song of the Night says that your job is here now. But we have to fight the Cult, and the medallions are the only things with enough power to stand against them. You know what the Cult is capable of. And if they got their hands on the collars again...

      The collars are in the royal treasury, guarded day and night. There is no more secure place in Nebreth. And whatever other threats the Cult poses can be handled by normal means. The medallions stay where they are.

      Niari looked around helplessly, but no one could think of any argument to convince Aanek.

      Put the staff on the floor and step back, my son, a new voice said.

      Who said that? Aanek demanded, looking around the room.

      Do as I say, Shadow of an Ancestor, the voice said firmly.

      What's that? Aanek demanded nervously as Shadow of an Ancestor laid the staff before the throne.

      It's the staff that houses Song of the Night's spirit, Niari explained. I would guess that she wants to speak to you.

      As she spoke, there was a shimmering about the staff, and when it cleared, Song of the Night stood before the throne.

      Hail King, Song of the Night said, bowing with her forehead touching the floor after the manner of her people. Will you hear my words?

      Aanek swallowed hard and nodded. He had gone very pale.

      Then hear the command of Laen himself, whom you call Maras. You must let the medallions go. If you do not, then the Cult will triumph, and not all your mighty armies will suffice to stand against them. Think on this, King, and then decide.

      Song of the Night disappeared back into the staff. Aanek went, if possible, even paler than before. He cleared his throat twice before finally finding his voice.

      What trick is this?

      No trick, Lord King, Yarisha said softly. Song of the Night speaks for Maras, and he requires your answer.

      Aanek stared at her. Who are you?

      I am Yarisha, your Majesty.

      The old woman from the forest? I've heard my sisters speak of you.

      Yes. It is not an easy thing, your Majesty, to encounter the gods. They will bend you to their will, or they will break you, but they will have their way. This world has become their battleground, and we must choose whom we support. That is the only choice we have.

      I'm a soldier, not a mystic. What do I know of the gods?

      What do any of us know, Lord King? But if it makes you feel more comfortable, I will put it in your terms. This world is at war. We are the soldiers; the gods are the generals. When they command, we must obey. Does that make it any easier?

      Not appreciably, Aanek said wryly. I'm used to giving the orders, not taking them. He was silent for a moment. What are you going to do with the medallions?

      As to that, Yarisha replied with a smile, we have no orders as yet.

      Aanek stared at her for a moment, then burst out laughing. Fair enough, he said. I asked for that, I suppose. Just promise me that they'll be returned to the palace treasury when you've finished with them.

      The medallions belong to Maras, your Majesty. What finally happens to them is up to him. I can make no such promise.

      Again Aanek was silent for a time, then he nodded shortly. "There's not much danger, I suppose. Only certain people dare touch the things, after all. Which brings up a point. You won't be able to use all the medallions, will

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1