28. Damon

28

DAMON

D oroth Zain takes them from the small stone room to the Temple of the Immurite. They enter through the small hidden door Damon saw the Hare use, missing the usual point where visitors are given the white stone. It feels strange to Damon, to approach the small structure that holds the Immurite without that stone keeping his hands behind his back.

He kneels at the small door, Lyr kneels beside him. The last time he was here he was so strong, or he thought he was. He was ready to risk his life for Lyr. He did not die, but he became something else. His body is broken. He will never be a One Man Army again.

Twenty-two years fighting every bloody battle he was told to fight and he was barely touched, but love, love has ruined him.

The wooden door slides open revealing the metal grill. Behind it, the pale face of the Immurite.

"You are here for the last time Damon Darekul, and if not the last of all, the last for a long time."

"If you are to lend your voice to Doroth Zain's cause, know now we will not go to Ismagaar," Damon responds, ignoring all the correct protocols. "I will not ask that of Lyr."

"Your destiny awaits you there," the Immurite says calmly. "Many plans have been carefully laid for you. Taking Lyr from Pellex changed your path. It is set now. You must go there. You can choose to go toward your destiny or you can choose to run from it, but you will end up there. Jareleezi's Gods were not wrong."

"Is this a punishment for my sins? For not following your advice."

"My intention with every piece of guidance I gave you was always to keep you safe. We need you alive."

"Who needs me alive? Zai?"

"I have higher concerns, Damon Darekul."

"Higher than God?"

"I assure you, I work only for God. For all Gods, old and new. For Alios and his shadow sister Gaari, for the Sidusa of Artemia, for the golden ram of Lucent, for Pia and Prim, for the Forest Spirits of Ambolk and for more besides. And for Zai. And now, I would ask that you serve me, Damon Darekul. And you Lyr, Lyr of Klish. You are part of this too. Bound to it now along with your Master."

Lyr swallows with a soft sound. Damon can feel his fear. "I cannot go to Jareleezi. I will not."

"You must," says the Immurite, in a voice that is not her usual calming sweet tone. This is a command, and Damon finds it hard to resist her. "You must find Jareleezi and the Books of Alios."

"The Books Selim seeks?" says Damon.

"Selim must not find them. It must be you. You will need them."

Lyr shakes his head. In a low voice, he says again, "I cannot. I will not go to Jareleezi. "

"There is information in those books. Information you need for what is coming. This will affect all of you. All your brothers. You, Damon, Lukas, Tobi, Kerik." She pauses after Kerik.

Damon wonders if there was another name. One she chose not to say. "There is another, isn't there? My father has another child. It was that crime against Zai that had him sentenced to exile."

"Yes. Travel to Ismagaar, Damon Darekul. And when you do you will discover what cost you twenty years of your life."

The Immurite's hatch snaps shut.

Damon looks at Lyr. He has tears in his eyes as he says, "Damon, I cannot."

"You will not. I will never ask that of you."

Damon stands. He takes Lyr's hands and walks back to Doroth Zain, waiting a discreet distance away.

"Do you understand?" Doroth Zain says.

"I understand what you want from me. And will have no part of it. I have given up enough for Azuria."

"This is not for Azuria. This is greater than Azuria. I cannot let you leave until you swear to me you will do as I have bid you."

Damon shakes his head. "You will have to. You told me you need me alive. I am an exile. If I am found here in Attar, I will die for it. You will give me safe passage to the banks of the Gleam. Or I remain here, I give myself up to the Rose Court, and I die." Damon feels Lyr clutch his arm.

Doroth Zain nods. "You are so certain of how valuable your life is to me?"

"I am," says Damon. "You have done much to keep me alive."

"Very well. It is true that I cannot risk your life. But I warn you, your path is written, if you do not go willingly, it will be a harder climb."

"I'll take it," says Damon.

Trysta, Razelii and Opeth wait for them by the boat.

Lyr runs forward to embrace them. As they do, Damon steps back, he turns to Doroth Zain. "I want something else."

Doroth Zain raises a dark eyebrow. "I cannot cleanse your soul, Damon Darekul."

"Not that. I do not ask for that. I have made my peace with my sins and my God. This is about the Lady Inez. She will not marry Atticul. You will stop it. You will pronounce it against Zai."

Doroth Zain pauses thoughtfully. A bird calls in the distance. It sounds like a scream. "I have no power to do such a thing. Such matches are a matter for the Rose Court. Prince Atticul has never expressed an interest in marriage before. They are keen to see him finally wed and she is his choice. They will force her father if they must."

"She will not marry him. I don't care how you do it. But do it." Damon swallows. "And if you do, I will owe you a debt."

"A debt? Really? And what would that mean to you?"

"I am aware that you need me for something. If you do this for me, I will return. If you wish me to travel to Ismagaar, I will. But not with Lyr. I will find him safety first."

Doroth Zain looks out to the Gleam, where the waters reflect a slowly lightening sky, and then back to Damon. "When the Lady Inez was married to you, you lay with her? "

Damon nods. "Twice. On our wedding night and at the Feast of Surrus. It is well known."

Doroth Zain nods. "Zai would not support such a match, I believe. A woman should not marry the brother of a man she has lain with."

"Indeed. Thank you."

"But if I take this line, I will need the debt repaid."

"It will be repaid. When Lyr is somewhere I know he is safe. Do this for me and then I am yours. For Jareleezi. For whatever you need me to do."

For the third time, Damon Darekul uses his body to protect someone he loves.

As they sail away, back down the Gleam, Trysta says, "Where are we going?"

Damon looks at Lyr, his face peaceful in a way he has never seen before. He puts an arm around his slender waist and says, "Somewhere warm."