“So Tairen Souls only exist because of the Mages,” Lord Morvel noted from Rain’s right.
“The tale is a myth,” Rain replied. “Spoken of only in very ancient Fey poetry written before the dawn of the First Age. But it is interesting to note that even then, in the time before memory, Elden Mages were an evil, corrupt lot seeking conquest over the Fey.”
“Then it’s a good thing you destroyed all the Mages a thousand years ago,” Queen Annoura replied coolly, “and that we’ve seen no sign of their revival since.”
Ellysetta saw Rain’s fingers tighten around the stem of his wineglass. She caught his other hand in hers. He sent her a disgruntled look, but held his silence.
“Now we have only to worry about murderousdahl’reisenlike the Dark Lord, Gaelen vel Serranis,” Lady Thea agreed. “Though, of course, some say he’s a myth too.”
“No.” Beside her, Lord Barrial took a long gulp of pinalle. “TheDark Lord is no myth. He definitely still exists. And while I remain skeptical about his involvement in the recent troubles on the borders, I don’t doubt that many of the legends about him are true. A more deathly, frightening being I’ve yet to meet.” He glanced at Marissya, who sat out of earshot at the far end of the head table, then looked at Rain. “No offense to the Fey, or to Lady Marissya.”
“I am well aware of what Celierians say about Gaelen vel Serranis,” Rain said.
Ellie shivered. Although most believed that Marissya’s brother, Gaelen vel Serranis, had died in the Mage Wars, Celierian legend proclaimed that he—or his ghost—still roamed the borders, hunting for Eld and stealing the souls of the unwary.
“You say you’ve met him?” King Dorian inquired. “He’s still alive?”
“Ta.” Lord Barrial slipped into his native border dialect before remembering himself. “I mean, yes. He is alive, and I have met him. Twice, actually. Once when I was a lad of five, during the Elden raid that caused my parents’ deaths. Then again this year, just before my daughter wed diSebourne.”
“What is he like?” Lady Thea whispered.
Lord Barrial stared into the pale blue depths of his goblet for a few silent moments. “Cold,” he replied at last. “When he’s near, the world grows cold and your breath mists before your face, as if his presence sucks all the warmth from the living. That’s the only sign that tells you he’s nearby. Other than that, you don’t see, sense, or hear him, unless he wants you to.”
“Bah,” Lord Morvel scoffed. “Nothing but nonsense and ghost stories, Barrial. Quit trying to scare the ladies.”
Lord Barrial gave his fellow border lord a hard look. “You don’t believe, Morvel, because you don’t want to believe there’s a presence on the border greater than yours. But Gaelen vel Serranis is real.”
Morvel huffed. “Never once in all my years have I seen anything to make me believe that some soul-damned ghost warrior roams the borders in search of Eld prey. It’s a silly story made up by parents to keep their children from wandering too far from the safety of their own keeps.”
“Morvel, I saw him gut the ten Elden raiders who had killed my parents and were about to kill me. I saw his face, his eyes a blue as pale and cold as glacier ice, and hisdahl’reisenscar. Running from the center of his forehead, bisecting his right eyebrow, and ending here just below his right ear.” Barrial’s hand traced the path of the scar on his own face. “It was the Dark Lord.”
“You were in shock from seeing your parents killed. You saw what you wanted to see.”
“And how do you explain the second appearance, three months ago when he appeared in my own gardens, the night of Talisa and Colum’s prenuptial dinner?” Lord Barrial retorted. “It was definitely vel Serranis. He walked through the wards around my keep as if they weren’t there, and he was real enough to make even mydahl’reisennervous.” Lord Barrial leaned forward, his brown eyes narrowing. “Do you have any idea, Morvel, what it takes to make adahl’reisennervous?”
“Bah,” Lord Morvel snorted. “They’re probably in on it too—same as they’re probably behind all this killing that’s been going on. They can charge a much higher fee for their services by keeping Celierian fears alive.”
Ellie glanced at Rain. Did Lord Morvel not care who was sitting beside him? But Rain raised his goblet and drank a deep draught of pinalle as if the border lord’s insulting remark rolled right off him.
«The dahl’reisen are beyond the honor of the Fey, shei’tani.»he told her silently.«They are capable of much that the warriors of the Fading Lands would find abhorrent.»
Despite his mild words, she could sense the curl of anger tightening within him. The men Morvel discussed so contemptuouslywere people Rain would have known, perhaps even loved.Dahl’reisenor not, she knew he did not like to hear them disparaged.
Lord Morvel continued in the same oblivious, insulting vein. “Your visitor was probably just anotherdahl’reisencloaked in Spirit to make him look like vel Serranis, and the cold was probably caused by someone weaving Fire and Air.”
“It was the Dark Lord, not some otherdahl’reisenmasquerading as him in order to bilk me of my gold. Flaming souls, Morvel, they’re Fey!” Lord Barrial met Rain’s gaze briefly in an unspoken apology. “They can make their own damned gold if that’s what they’re after. And for your information, there are twenty-fivedahl’reisenliving on my lands, and I only pay the two who’ve been with my family for the last three centuries.”
Beside Ellie, Rain went still. She glanced at him in surprised inquiry.
«Twenty-five is no arbitrary number, Ellysetta. It is five sets of five, a combination capable of weaving vast power.»
She swallowed, sensing enough concern in him to know what he had left unsaid. If twenty-fivedahl’reisenhad come to Lord Barrial’s land, there was a reason for it. And if Gaelen vel Serranis was behind it, there was reason to fear.
“It was the Dark Lord,” Lord Barrial continued. “He told me darkness was rising and said I should guard my children and wear my crystal.” He looked at Rain. “Those were his exact words: ‘Darkness is rising.’ He was warning me the Mages have returned to power.”
“Ha. Sounds more like a warning to quit drinking so damn much pinalle. That’s what it was.”
Lord Barrial glared. “You’re a blind, hardheaded fool, Morvel.”
