Light and Darkness: The Complete Series: Epic Fantasy Romance by Jayne Castel

Author:Jayne Castel [Castel, Jayne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Winter Mist Press
Published: 2019-11-17T07:00:00+00:00

18

Unshackled

STRAIGHTENING UP AFTER removing the princess’s shackles, Mira listened for noise on the landing beyond the iron door. The door was so thick it possibly muffled any noise from inside. They were also fortunate the garrison soldiers hadn’t brought them supper—otherwise they would have caught them trying to get free of their irons.

Ninia shivered, pulling her cloak about her. “It’s freezing in here.”

Mira didn’t reply; her attention was on Asher instead as she watched him scan the room. His gaze rested on the flickering cresset above the door. Then he glanced over at the hawk. “You’d better go, Grim,” he said quietly. “It’ll be safer to watch this from above.”

Without a sound, the bird dipped its proud head. Then it launched itself off the window-sill—disappearing into the darkness.

Mira watched Grim go. “What’s the plan then?” she asked Asher. “Can you gather the Light and break the door down?”

“It’s armored … and dead-bolted from the outside.”

Mira raised an eyebrow. “No challenge for you, surely?”

Asher ignored her and crossed instead to the princess. He hunkered down before Ninia and met her eye. “I’m going to need your help,” he said, keeping his voice low. “We must gather the Light together. Will you follow my lead?”

The princess stared back at him before nodding. “I'm not good at controlling it,” she warned him. “But I’ll do my best.”

Asher reached down and helped the girl to her feet. Mira stepped close to them, irritated at being ignored. “Mind sharing what you’re up to?”

Asher gave her a cool smile. “We’re going to set this room on fire.”

Mira tensed. “With us in it?”

“I’m afraid so. We need to create a diversion. Wait behind the door. When it opens … kill the guards.”

“With my bare hands?”

“Aye … I know you’re capable of it.”

Their gazes held for a moment before Mira nodded.

Asher and Ninia crossed to the window while Mira took up her place by the door. The princess sneezed again and wiped her streaming nose with the back of her sleeve. Her eyes had taken on a slightly glazed appearance as the fever took hold. “I’m ready,” she said before giving a loud sniff.

Asher nodded and gathered the Light with his right hand, holding out his left with the palm upward. The orange flames burning in the cresset spat upward and flew in a single fluid arc across the room, landing on Asher’s outstretched palm.

The enchanter turned to Ninia. “It’s not much to work with, but we need to use this flame to set the wall beside us on fire.”

Ninia frowned. “But it’s tiny … last time I gathered the light of the sun. This is different.”

Asher shook his head. “It works on the same principle. Light is still light. All we need to do is magnify it.”

Across the room, Mira watched them. Asher and Ninia stood close, their voices low as the enchanter whispered instructions to the princess. Mira didn’t catch half of what passed between them, but what she did hear made little sense to her.

Watching Ninia’s flushed face, Mira felt a grudging respect for her.

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