The Unmaking (The Last Days of Tian Di, #2)(67)

“It’s coming!” Eliza called to the Sorma as soon as the dragon landed. She ran to where Uri Mon Lil was rereading her instructions to him.

“Is it ready?” she demanded. He gave her a startled look.

“Never mind who I am,” she snapped, picking up his book and reading the spell. It was complete. Relief washed over her. “I’m sorry,” she apologized immediately. “I’m very nervous. Thank you for doing this.”

“Not at all,” said Uri Mon Lil amiably. “But I appear to be preparing a very difficult barrier spell...to hold...some kind of beast. It seems an odd thing for me to be doing.”

“It’s a very good thing for you to be doing,” said Eliza, “and I’m grateful, aye. Come on.”

The Healers and the Spirit Speakers stood at the edge of the camp, waiting.

“Eliza,” said Rom, taking her arm. “If it doesn’t work...”

“It will,” she said, and hugged him fiercely. Then, without thinking about it, she hugged Rea too.

“It should be me doing this,” Rea whispered in her ear. “It was my battle.”

“You did your part,” said Eliza. “It’s my turn now.”

The Sorma Elders had formed a semi-circle before the camp. Uri Mon Lil was at the centre of it with his book open to the Sperre-Tahora. Rom helped Rea to a position next to the wizard and Eliza stepped aside, dagger at the ready should anything go wrong. They waited until the Kwellrahg appeared, dark and flaming, over the edge of the dune.

Spying the Sorma camp, the Kwellrahg extended its tattered wings wide, showering sparks, and crossed the sandy expanse at a gallop.

“By the Ancients,” murmured Rea, leaning heavily against Rom. He glanced anxiously at Eliza.

When it was only as far away as the length of a playing field, Eliza could hold herself still no longer. The closer the Kwellrahg was, the easier it would be for Uri Mon Lil to cast the Sperre-Tahora. But she could not risk the creature falling on her mother first.

“Now Uri!” she said.

He raised one arm, fingers outstretched, and called out the ancient words of the Sperre-Tahora. Eliza felt power rolling off him in great waves. He seemed to grow, not in size precisely but in another kind of stature. The Kwellrahg slowed, not because the spell was working yet but because it understood something was about to happen and didn’t know what. It tossed its great horned head about, vomiting smoke, uncertain. Its flaming eyes took in the enemy before it, Uri Mon Lil casting the spell, Eliza with her dagger drawn, the rows of Sorma, trying to determine which among them posed the greatest threat. Then its eyes fell on Rea again and it regained its purpose, making for her in a mad bolt as if recognizing the chance was close to slipping away. Rom wrapped his arms around his wife. They all felt the air around them sucked away as the Kwellrahg drew near. Rea could not look away but when the Kwellrahg was almost upon them Rom turned his head in horror, rasping, “Eliza! Stop it!” Eliza started forward just as something flew from the wizard’s hand and struck the Kwellrahg. It stumbled and the force that had struck it ballooned out around it, only visible as a shimmer in the air. Once it was enclosed, they could all breathe again. The Kwellrahg roared, hurling its battered, burning form against the barrier.

“How long will the barrier last?” Eliza asked Uri Mon Lil.

“I’ve no idea,” he answered. “I’ll stay close, in case it needs to be redone.”

Eliza nodded. “Go back to your tent,” she said to Rom and Rea. “You dinnay need to see the rest of this.”

Eliza joined the Sorma forming a circle around the trapped Kwellrahg. Her heart hammered against her ribs as if it were trying to break free and for a moment she imagined that it might burst out of her, a black raven, and take to the sky. The Kwellrahg’s fear and desperation had infected her. She wanted to scream at the Sorma to hurry. The urgency of the task overwhelmed her, made her knees fold under her. She felt her grandmother’s arms around her, holding her up, drawing her back into the circle. The Kwellrahg roared again and battered the barrier, which shuddered but did not break. The Sorma observed it quietly.

“This being is made of fear and anger and feeds on the same,” said Lai quietly. “At its core there is something that draws such emotion to it like a magnet. Can you feel it?”

“Yes,” whispered Eliza.

“That is what holds it together,” said Lai. “Its flesh and bone are so imbued with rage and terror that although it is burned and severed, the parts cannot fall away from the core. So it remains whole, in a sense, drawn tight around that centre. We cannot heal it, Eliza, because it was never whole. We can only try to add elements to it that will soothe it somewhat. But first you must tame it. Do you know why the Sorma can tame any beast?”

“No,” said Eliza.

“Because we can control our fear. You can master an animal physically by using its own strength against it. This is easily learned. But you must master the will of the beast as well. It must know, without a doubt, that you are stronger, that you can punish or protect it. For the beast to believe this, you must show no fear. Are you afraid, Eliza Tok?”

“Yes,” said Eliza.

“Then you are not ready.”

“But we don’t have time...”

“There is time. We have much to prepare. Go and ask your Aunt Ry for some tea. Rest.”