(eng) Jonathan Moeller - Ghost Book 08 by Ghost in the Mask

Author:Ghost in the Mask [Mask, Ghost in the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15 - Caer Magia

The next morning, Caina stood at the edge of the Henge and gazed at the dark, crumbling walls of Caer Magia.

“Are you certain that this is a good idea?” said Kylon.

Caina looked at the black amulet in her gloved hand, the emerald bloodcrystal flickering. She felt the potent sorcery wrapped around the thing, so powerful it made her fingers numb.

“Not particularly,” she said at last.

Caina, Kylon, and Corvalis had gone to the western slope of Caer Magia’s hill, about four miles from Calvarium. Here they would be out of sight from both Calvarium and the camps of Anashir and Maena. Caina had seen no one, not even shepherds, and the moor below the hill was utterly deserted.

Not even the sheep wanted to graze in the shadow of the black ruins.

“Claudia said the spells upon the amulet were ones of warding and defense,” said Caina.

“You never trusted Claudia’s judgment before,” said Corvalis. Like Caina, he had dressed as a mercenary, clad in leather and wool, though he wore chain mail beneath his jerkin.

“I think she is right about this,” said Caina.

“She may be,” said Kylon. “The amulet’s spells are potent. Perhaps strong enough to keep the aura surrounding Caer Magia from killing you. Or perhaps not.”

“Well,” said Caina, “there’s only one way to find out.”

She slipped the amulet’s cord over her neck and let it fall against her chest. At once she felt its power wrap around her, like a cloak made of needles. It was uncomfortable, but it still felt better than when she had crossed the Henge unprotected.

Corvalis’s hand closed around her arm. “You don’t have to do this. I could test it.”

“You can’t sense sorcery,” said Caina. “I can. And I am sure it will work.”

She was. Mostly.

Corvalis nodded, and Caina climbed the Henge and crossed the boundary.

The moment her boot touched the other side, she started counting her heartbeats.

The malefic aura of Caer Magia raged around her, trying to sink its icy fingers into her heart. But the amulet upon her chest grew warm, the bloodcrystal flaring brighter. Caina felt the pain of the amulet against her chest, but she did not feel the aura from the ruins touch her heart.

At least, she didn’t think she did.

“Is it working?” said Corvalis. She glanced back at Kylon on the other side of the boundary. They stood only three steps away, yet it might have been a thousand miles.

“I think so,” said Caina, as her heart passed its sixty-seventh beat. Her voice wavered, unsteady with the discomfort of the amulet, and she forced it back to calm. “Stay back. I don’t want either of you to blunder into the aura by mistake.”

She closed her eyes and focused on counting the beats of her heart. One hundred. Two hundred. Five hundred.

Seven hundred.

Seven hundred and fifty.

Caina opened her eyes, looked at her hands. She felt fine, save for the amulet’s aura. If the sorcery of Caer Magia was about to kill her, would she feel anything?

Her seven hundred and seventy-seventh heartbeat passed, and for a moment the world froze around her.

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