“You summoned a creature I can’t begin to describe. Something we would have read about in books or our mothers would have told stories about. And you walk and talk as if it’s nothing. So does Ryne and Galiana.” He pointed at Ancel’s right arm. “You have enough of those now to rival Ryne.” His eyes shifted to Charra. “Not even he’s normal. So tell me how you expected me to act. Seriously. You know what? Let me ask now, before I lose my nerve. Exactly what in Ilumni’s name are you?”
Ancel felt his eyebrows bolt up his forehead. His friend’s words were a little more than he’d bargained for. “I’m an Eztezian.” For the first time, as if saying the words had some added impact, he believed.
“So you’re a god.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Mirz, Eztezians aren’t gods.”
“Might as well be. All things considered though, I’m handling this pretty well. Danvir probably would have bawled like he did back in Randane.”
Ancel couldn’t help but chuckle. For whatever reason, Mirza appeared more relieved than anything with his admission. “Now that you know, can you please stop acting as if I’m going to eat you?”
“I’d taste disgusting anyway, but I’ll think about it.”
The crunching of bones stopped. Massive head raised, Charra glanced toward the door before he returned to his meal.
“It’s Ryne,” Ancel said to Mirza’s unspoken question.
As he finished the words, Ryne, with Galiana close on his heels, pushed open the door and entered. His expression was grim. Galiana’s face was a reflection of his.
Ancel shoved his plate away. “What is it?”
“Trouble.” Galiana shuffled toward the window and pulled the curtains closed.
Mirza groaned. “Just when I was beginning to relax.”
“We need to leave right away,” Ryne said.
“What about supplies?” Ancel asked.
“No time. The zyphyls are awake.”
“And that means …?”
“This is the second time I heard you mention a zyphyl,” Mirza said. “And we have no clue what they are.”
“You tell them.” Ryne inclined his head toward Galiana. “You two get dressed while she talks.”
Galiana took a seat at the edge of a bed. “During the Shadowbearer War, we faced a crisis. The Travelshafts, which we used for fast transport between all major cities, were not only being raided by the Svenzar, but were used by the shade’s armies as well.”
“Why didn’t you close them?” Mirza was pulling on a new set of wool trousers the serving girl had delivered with the food.
“We did not know how. The Svenzar built them, and they never shared their secrets. So, we had to decide on a solution. Upon construction, one of the original issues with the Travelshafts was that they could not be used to traverse large bodies of water like the sea. It was something to do with the shafts being of the Forms, and therefore in direct opposition to the Flows. Anyway, one of The Custodians within the Iluminus’ Great Library found a solution in one of the Chronicles: a creature balanced between the essences and elements. It was more myth than anything, but so many of the Chronicles proved true, how could we not follow this one?”
“You were desperate,” Mirza said with a snort.
Galiana glared at him. “Several expeditions ventured into Everland’s northernmost wastes as suggested, and there we found the zyphyls by the hundreds. Afterward, we placed one at the doorways to the shafts connecting Felan Mark with Damal’s Landing, making it possible to cross the Sea of Swirls without a ship. We then added more zyphyls to a few cities farther inland in both Ostania and Granadia.
“As the Shadowbearer War progressed, we realized we needed to prevent travel between the continents should Nerian’s armies breach the Vallum. However, the zyphyls were quite volatile and their use had other side effects, which later led us to abandon them. We experimented with putting them to sleep. They still worked as intended. At the same time, we discovered shadelings had used several shafts in cities they captured to cross the Vallum of Light.”
“Wait,” Ancel said, “did the shadelings use the shafts with the zyphyls or without?” The shirt he pulled on fit a little tight, but it was better than the stench of his old clothes.
“Both. But for reasons we still do not understand, they and the Svenzar could only use those where either we had placed none of the creatures or we had kept them awake. Further research showed sleep triggers something within the creatures to change its balance and prevent the passage of shade. Later, we found the Svenzar fear the zyphyl more when they are dormant.”
Ancel felt his heart begin to race with his understanding. “By waking them, someone gave passage to the shade,” he whispered.
Mirza had stopped dressing. “Is that how they got into Eldanhill?”
“Yes,” Ryne answered, “but that is not all. Although they do not normally interfere with the affairs of men, the Svenzar have no love for the Tribunal. From what we learned, they have once again begun to raid any Travelshaft the Tribunal’s Ashishin are using.”
“Wait,” Ancel said, “you mentioned the Tribunal had abandoned the shafts.”
“Until recently, yes. I can only guess it was for one of their plots. I first got word the Svenzar were here last year before you left for Randane,” Galiana said. “I wondered why, and now I believe I know. They are not only trying to stop us but also the shade’s armies.”
“What do we do?” Fully clothed in wool and leathers, Mirza did make for an imposing figure, his flame-colored hair spilling down his shoulders. He strode toward where his scythe leaned on a wall.
“We leave immediately.” Galiana stood. “As of right now, there are guards assigned to each Travelshaft. They will be enough of a warning. We must reach Calisto as soon as possible before we head to Torandil.”
A low growled issued from Charra. The door burst open. Ancel had his hand on his sword before he realized it was Gebbert, his chest laboring with exertion. Dressed in brigandine the color of blood, with hardened leather spaulders to protect the shoulders and upper arms, vambraces at the forearms, and greaves to match, he looked like a different man.
“Shin Galiana,” the innkeeper huffed. “High Shin Cantor is here with his Pathfinders.”
Ancel closed his eyes against the rising sense of panic within him. Maybe he should have done as Mirza said and gone to the common room. A last pleasure. Whatever was going to happen, he was convinced none of it would be good. Gebbert’s uniform said as much.
“Where is he? Galiana appeared oddly calm.
“At the Travelshaft,” Gebbert said. “The others have already assembled.”
She looked him up and down, taking in his uniform, and then nodded her approval. “Good. Thank you, Master Gebbert, we shall be along shortly.”
The innkeeper bobbed his head several times, turned on his heels, and left.
“Um …” Eyebrows raised, Mirza pursed his lips. “Shouldn’t we be looking to escape somehow?”
“No need. I expected this.”
“You expected us to be captured?” Ancel said in disbelief.
Galiana gave that knowing smile of hers. “Who mentioned anything about being captured?”
Relief washed through Ancel before it faded, quickly becoming apprehension. “Wait, you don’t expect us to fight them, do you?” It wasn’t that he lacked confidence in his new power, but these weren’t shadelings they would face. These were Matii with years more experience in Forging, whether in practice or actual battles. He didn’t even want to consider the Pathfinders who specialized in hunting other Matii.
“From the look on her face, she’s about to say she didn’t suggest fighting them either,” Mirza said under his breath. “Ashishin,” he added with a slow shake of his head and a smirk.
“Don’t be presumptuous, Mirza, even if you’re right.”
Mirza made to speak but Galiana arched an eyebrow. The words remained unspoken.
“So what are we going to do?” Ancel tried his best to squeeze his fear into a tiny knot in his belly. “If they take us, there’s no telling what the Tribunal will do. You know as well as I do-” He stopped himself. He had little reason not to trust Galiana’s judgment. She hadn’t failed them thus far, and she wouldn’t now. Whatever happened, she had a solution.