The Unmaking (The Last Days of Tian Di, #2)(24)

“You have to let me go,” said Eliza again, more feebly. It was no good. She sank to the earthen floor and buried her face in her hands. The Oracle’s voice hissing that she would cut her own heart out came back to her. She choked back a sob and leaped to her feet again. She would not wait in this hole for Nia to come.

In this way the night passed, and much of the following day. She swung between despair and grim determination. The air was getting thicker and her head was pounding from hunger and thirst. As long as the Oracle remained, nobody would bring her food or water. At this rate, she might be dead before Nia even arrived. She thought she was dreaming when a sudden groaning and straining sounded from overhead. The Oracle stared furiously at the hinged flagstone, which trembled as if some great force were trying to shift it. Then the flagstone dropped away and the Oracle leaped to her feet, spitting. Eliza backed against the far wall with the Oracle, assuming it was Nia come for them, but instead Swarn’s face appeared above.

“Pardon my intrusion, O Oracle of the Ancients,” she said in a rather perfunctory tone. Eliza was so flooded with relief she could have wept.

“Insolence,” hissed the Oracle.

“Eliza must come with me,” said Swarn. “I have received a message.”

“We are doomed,” the Oracle replied in a dead voice, not budging. But Eliza leaped for the arm Swarn extended her and Swarn pulled her up and out of the pit. She drank back the fresh air outside it, the fog in her brain clearing as if in a sudden breeze.

“It’s about Nia, nay?” said Eliza, her heart hammering in her chest. Swarn gave her a sharp look.

“What about Nia?”

“She’s coming,” said Eliza. “She’s free of the barriers.”

“I did not know,” said Swarn quietly. “A messenger bird from the Citadel came to me with two words only – Eliza Return. It was sent in great haste by your Spellmaster.”

“So Foss did know where I was all along,” said Eliza. “And they must know about Nia already, aye.” Her panic was beginning to subside. This time, she would not have to face Nia alone. She had the Mancers and Swarn on her side.

“Yes. You will be safer with them than with me, I expect. Your friend the Shade is waiting outside. Come.”

The daylight was so bright after her days in the Chamber of the Oracle that her eyes watered. Rhianu was waiting with Charlie and Swarn’s dragon in the shadow of the Temple. She handed Eliza her dagger and Eliza took it gratefully.

“It’s Nia,” Eliza told Charlie immediately. “She’s free.”

His face tightened slightly but all he said was, “You look thirsty, aye.” He gave her a flask and she drank it dry before turning to Rhianu.

“Your hospitality...” she began, but she was too agitated to think of the right words. “I’m sorry to leave this way,” she said. “Thank you.”

Rhianu bowed and said, “Your Destiny awaits you.”

Eliza did not find this particularly comforting, given what the Oracle had told her of her destiny, but again she said, “Thank you.”

“This is for you,” said Swarn gruffly, untying a long, bright spear from her dragon’s spikes. “It is deeply enchanted. When the time comes to use it, aim for the heart.” She strapped it expertly to Eliza’s back. Eliza could feel its power against her spine. Then Swarn pressed a small leather gourd into her hand. “A potion, also. Should you need it, it will give you some extra hours of strength when all your strength has been sapped.”

Eliza put it in the pocket of her robe gratefully. Such a potion was very potent indeed and she happened to know it required the mucus of a giant, no easy thing to come by.

“I wish I could have stayed longer,” said Eliza. “What will you do?”

“Warn the Faeries,” said Swarn. “When you arrive, Eliza, tell Kyreth we await his call and are ready to join the Mancers in Di Shang if need be.”

“I’ll tell him,” promised Eliza.

“May the Ancients keep you safe and guard you always,” shouted Rhianu as they took off, heading for the black cliffs around the lake of the Crossing, where Swarn commanded the Boatman to take them home.

~~~

They disembarked on the silvery beach and headed in among the trees. No reply came to Eliza’s request for entry and no barrier stopped them as they passed through the dark wood into the grounds of the Citadel. She had a sudden, panicky urge to flee with Charlie to the desert and her father. But that was foolish. She was safer with the Mancers. Perhaps in her exhaustion she had simply not felt the usual acknowledgement of her arrival, or the barriers may have been down in expectation of her.

“Something feels different, aye,” said Charlie. “I dinnay like it.”

“You dinnay need to stay,” said Eliza.

“Lah, I’m not leaving you here alone,” he said grumpily.

When Eliza’s eyes fell on the Inner Sanctum she gave a cry of surprise, for its usually gleaming white dome was black and spiked. It was a moment before she realized it was covered with silent ravens. She and Charlie exchanged a horrified look and approached it together. Eliza had never been inside but the ravens covering it looked at her hard as if willing her to go in. Whether that meant she should or should not enter she couldn’t say but curiosity won over prudence. She drew her dagger.