Death Sworn(66)

A heavy rumbling noise filled the cavern, like angry wind, and Sorin snapped, “Throw yourself down!”

She did, not entirely of her own volition, one wrist buckling as it hit the ground. Shock waves ran through the rock below her and shuddered painfully through her body. Something cracked far above, and a large piece of rock slammed into the floor inches from her head. Dirt rained down on her hair. Ileni bit off a scream, covered the back of her head with her arms, and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Use your magic!” Sorin shouted. “We’re being attacked—”

Something struck the back of her head. She screamed. Pain lanced through her, and then there was nothing.



It seemed only a second later that she blinked her eyes open. She was lying on her back, and a pair of arms were holding her off the ground, cradling her against a familiar gray tunic.

She blinked again, and Sorin’s face came into wavering focus inches from hers. His eyes were wide, his mouth tight, an expression she had never before seen on his face.

“Ileni,” he whispered, and it was there in his voice, too: fear. “You’re all right?”

She closed her eyes. Not trying to see made it easier to think. “What happened?”

“A rock broke off the ceiling and hit you in the head. It should have—” His voice broke. She felt his chest rise and fall. Then his lips pressed briefly on her hair. When he spoke again, his voice was cool and steady. “Why are you not dead?”

She groped for her last memories. She had felt the impact—and had screamed, instinctively, the single word of a healing spell. She must have used it just in time.

She shifted, resting her forehead against Sorin’s shoulder. “I mean, what made the caves shake? Was it an earthquake?”

“It was an attack. The Empire tried to break through our wards. They failed. Can you stand?”

“I—what?”

He rose in a single smooth motion, pulling her up by her arms. She swayed and leaned back against him.

“I’m sorry,” Sorin whispered. “I . . . if you . . .” He turned her around to face him, still holding her steady. The motion made the cave rock around her, back and forth, back and forth. . . . “I’ll keep you safe. No matter what the cost. I promise.”

Looking at him made her even more dizzy. But she did it anyhow.

Sorin brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “Are you really all right?”

“Yes. Aftereffect of the healing spell.” She had no idea why she was lying, except for a vague sense that she didn’t want to seem weak to him. “It will fade in a few minutes.”

“Good.” He took a deep breath and let go of her. “I have to get to the training cavern, find out what the master wants me to do next. I’m sure he has a response already planned. And you should probably check the wards, make sure the attack didn’t damage them. Can you?”

“I—of course.” The healing spell had drained her. But even without her power, she should be able to sense any problems. “Go.”

Ileni waited until Sorin was out of sight, then leaned against the wall. Her head hurt so much, and the cavern was spinning all around her. She shouldn’t be here, alone, with her magic gone.

Her room. She should go to her room. She would be safe there, behind the wards.

Unless the Empire attacked again.

But they wouldn’t, would they? Not so soon after they had failed. Failed. The might of the Empire, shattered against her peoples’ wards.

She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other until she was out in the main corridor. It was so light. If she’d had the power, she would have dimmed the glowstones assaulting her eyes.

Which way was her room? She should know this. She had most of the corridors memorized by now.

“Are you all right?” someone said, and Ileni realized that she was sitting on the floor with her eyes closed. She didn’t remember deciding to sit down. She opened her eyes a cautious slit. Arkim was crouched next to her, his forehead furrowed, his gray-white eyebrows drawn together.

“We were attacked,” Ileni explained thickly.

“Yes.” He reached around to touch the back of her head, then glanced at the blood on his fingers. “I’m going to take you to your room.”

“I’m on my way there.”

“So I see.” He held out his bony hand. Ileni just looked at it. Once, that hand had held a dagger and killed a child. She looked up at his face, which revealed nothing but concern.