Chapter 51

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Dynan felt a tremor rising through the floor, startling him from his thoughts while the High Bishop intoned the Rites of Passage over the body of Gemern Taldic. Beside him, Dain shifted on the uncomfortable pew, straightening slightly.

Behind the central altar, by a distance of twenty paces, a window of cut and stained glass took up the entire back wall. The Sphere of the Gods, the Sacred Seal, meant to symbolize the encompassing power the Gods wielded into one force. Strength and valor, wisdom and truth, justice, love, and loyalty, combined to create the force that kept their lives in balance. A yellow firestone was set in the sphere’s center. Silver rays twining outward mirrored the Telaerin seal. The two were created at the same time, by the same man; Alurn Ardin Telaerin. Seven stones, representing the seven Gods and the seven tenets orbited the sphere in a field of intricate colors, blue predominant on white, slashing outward in powerful bands.

A shadow fell across the glass, dimming the natural brightness of the temple hall. The High Bishop faltered, then continued. His voice lifted to the vaulted ceiling. Another tremor shook through the floor, this one far more noticeable. Initiates and clerics stirred in their seats to either side of the altar, looking at each other. Dain, now completely alert, glanced at Dynan. A whispering murmur spread through the gathering.

The High Bishop touched Gemern Taldic’s forehead, anointing him with holy oils to seal his soul’s passage through the Hall of Transition, and Dynan wondered if he knew of the futility of this ceremony. In his other hand, the Bishop held a waving canister of incense, reminding Dynan sharply of his father’s funeral. He almost smiled, and stopped himself from looking back to the corner where Ambrose stood, hooded and cloaked in a monk’s robe so he wouldn’t be noticed.

Movement behind the stained glass drew his eye again, and he stared, watching an area of darkness weave back and forth, growing large. Its shape solidified, arching upward to cover the entire sphere. The High Bishop turned, looking back as darkness swallowed the hall.

“What is that?” Dain whispered.

“I don’t know, but I think we’re about to find out.” He stood, reaching under his formal dress cloak for his sword. Dain was beside him the next minute, doing the same thing, making Dynan immensely grateful that they’d followed Marc’s suggestion and worn their weapons. He turned to Ralion who stood beside him. “Get everyone out of here.”

Glass exploded inward.

Initiates and clerics were showered with broken shards. Murmurs changed to screams. A scaled black serpent, its eyes flaming with feral hatred, came through the shattered sphere, striking with incredible speed. It snatched up a hapless initiate who didn’t move fast enough, and in three gulping bites, ate him. The rest scattered, shrieking as they clawed and climbed over each other in a desperate attempt to escape.

“Whoa, shit!” Dain gasped. “That thing just ate that guy!”

The High Bishop clutched his chest, his face frozen in horror and he fell. Dynan blinked when Dain materialized from the Bishop, turning to catch the old man and pull him out of the way. Dynan stared at him, realizing he was whole and somehow able to remain separated. His brother, the one standing next to him, gaped at the mirror copy of himself, but he turned sharply and held out his hand. Dynan expected Marc to appear, but he didn’t, and another tremor shook the building. Dain started swearing.

“He can’t get in,” he said and moved up to the altar to face the beast as it gobbled up another monk. “Guards! To me!”

Even as he spoke and the guards rushed to join him, they froze, some stumbling and clutching at their heads. Weapons fell from hands. Every Palace guard dropped to the floor unconscious or dead. Dynan didn’t know which. The other Dain scooted across to a fallen guard and took up his sword. When he stood up, he was standing next to himself. Dain seemed to recoil away from the other, and they stared at each other in the instant they had before the serpent turned on them.

Behind Dynan, the panic of the room’s occupants blew out of control. They couldn’t get out. He saw Loren pulling Shalis away from the stream of people pushing by her. Governor Jerrim Peroll noticed their struggle and moved to help. Loren left him to manage, searching the room quickly with her eyes. She pushed her way to another door to the right of the altar. She reached it, and he saw by her face that it was sealed. Whatever the force that kept Marc out, also kept the rest of them in.

A manifestation of that power reared up above them, its mouth gaping open. Dynan took a step toward his brothers. Instantly, a wall of power rose behind him, cutting him off from the few men who remained standing. Ralion was one of them and he stared, trying to see what stopped him. When his eyes widened, shifting to the altar, Dynan turned in time to see one brother diving into the other, hauling him down, while he raised a hand overhead in a warding gesture. Dynan expected flames but a shower of liquid spewed from the mouth of the serpent, and cascaded around them. A foul steam rose in vapors as the stone floor was eaten through.

Frustrated that it couldn’t reach them, the serpent reared again, exposing its belly. Dynan raced across the altar dais, sliding underneath the creature as it let loose another stream of acid. He didn’t have time to think where its heart might be, stabbing upward as it came back down toward him. He was crushed under its weight. He held onto his sword, twisting it as hard as he could and the beast roared in agony, a deafening scream that left his ears ringing.

His sword was wrenched from his hands. A great forearm lowered. Grasping claws scooped him off his feet, clutching with bone crushing strength. He knew he was going to be thrown or worse. Teeth, long jagged rows of them opened before him and he heard people screaming.

The serpent jerked, writhing, and Dynan was let go, hurled forward of the gaping jaws. The hard surface of the floor came up to catch him, knocking all the air from his body and he landed with enough momentum to slide under the first two sets of now empty pews, scattering kneelers in his wake. He looked up in time to see Dain, one of them, thrown into the wall, leaving his sword stuck in the serpent’s neck, then crashing to the floor in a heap that he didn’t get up from. Dynan stood, snatched up another sword and started back. There was no need to. The thing slithered over the altar, defiling it with its blood, oozing black on the sacraments. Gemern Taldic’s bier was overturned, spilling the body onto the floor where it struck with a sickening thud. Gemern’s body disappeared under the creature’s weight. All Dynan could think of was Elise Taldic, mourning her husband’s death and seeing this sin committed before her eyes.

Rage replaced fear and he attacked, dodging away from crushing jaws that snapped at him. Its hissing breath burned his lungs as he stabbed beneath its outstretched head. Dain appeared at his side, hacking at it, spilling more of its blood. Together they beat at it, one striking blow after the other until the floor swam in black.

Dynan fell, slipping in mire, dragged back to his feet and attacked. He was butted aside by its head and fell again, landing beneath it. The thing rose, moved forward and tried to crush him. Dain fell, pinned down by one huge, clawed arm. The head lowered toward him, while he was lifted at the same time. Dynan squirmed forward, dropped his sword, went back for it and got it just as it would have been swallowed.

He struggled to his feet and saw Dain, hanging limp in the beast’s claws, and its mouth opened. Screams and gasps of horror filtered through his own. The serpent’s head lowered, turning at an angle to take its prey.

Dynan rammed his sword straight up with all the strength and will he had left, steel piercing scales beneath the gaping jaw. Dynan was yanked off his feet as the serpent reared up, before he thought to let go. He watched in terrified certainty, waiting for the mouth to close on Dain, when suddenly, the body behind him sank to the floor, collapsing in increments. The neck and then the head crashed forward, knocking him down with it. Still he watched, expecting the jaws to close in its final death throes.

Dain opened his eyes, starting suddenly when he saw where he was, lying lengthways across jagged teeth that with one last hiss of breath began to shut. He choked on a scream and tried to move.

Dynan hauled himself up, scrambled across the floor and grabbed Dain by his jacket, leaning inside to reach him. Then Ralion was there, jamming his foot on the bottom row of teeth, and pressing all his weight against the top. Dynan pulled, trying to keep Dain off razor sharp teeth, but his brother didn’t seem to care or notice when his leg raked across one that sliced into skin. The jaws snapped closed the moment Dain was clear, nearly taking off Ralion’s hands as he let go.

Ambrose knelt beside them, gathering them both up and pulling them away. “We couldn’t get to you. Are you all right? Dain, look at me. Dynan?”

Dynan couldn’t answer, seized by uncontrollable tremors. He couldn’t seem to get enough air. All he managed was a nod. He leaned against his father, still holding onto Dain, little caring about all the eyes that now turned to watch. Dynan found Loren, her arms wrapped protectively around Shalis and closed his eyes in relief. Abruptly he remembered his brother’s counterpart, filled with fear that he might not have survived. When Dynan turned to find him, he was standing unsteadily beside the altar.

That Dain moved to the High Bishop, reaching to see if he was alive. His face flooded with relief. Dynan didn’t think it was possible that the High Bishop could have lived. He was ashen and looked as near to death as any man he’d ever seen. Dain knelt beside him, touching his forehead as he bowed over him in concentration. Carryn pushed through to them and they stayed with him.

People started moving, recovering from fear and shock enough to look about them. Some of the Palace guards stirred, weaving drunkenly as they stood and tried to move. Avry was the first to shake off what had been done to him. His eyes found Dain, then saw the other one, shifting back and forth for a moment in open amazement. There were others with the same expressions.

Ralion and Trevan took charge, issuing orders to start clearing out the mess and securing the room again. “Let the monks tend to the injured. I want these people out of here and the room sealed. What do you want me to do about them?”

Ralion jerked a thumb over his shoulder. Alexia and Creal were watching them. The Queen stared at Ambrose, her face twisted in disbelief and a realization Dynan really enjoyed seeing. She saw in his father’s resurrection the death of all her plans. Drake sat in a pew, visibly shaken, periodically rubbing his forehead. Creal stood near him, looking at the dead beast sprawled on the floor in stunned disbelief. Then he too watched Ambrose.

Dynan looked at his father, desperately wishing he could hold on to this moment of doubt. All of Cobalt’s Governors gathered on one side of the main doors. He heard the whispers, Ambrose lives, followed closely by murmurs about the coronation and Ambrose is King.

“Dynan, I’m sorry. I couldn’t—”

“Don’t be. We knew this could happen.”

“I won’t take back the crown.”

Dynan shook his head, easing himself into a more upright position. “You keep telling me that,” he said, wincing as he got on his knees. Ambrose stood and helped him to his feet. The next instant his father pulled him back into his arms.

“I thought that thing was going to eat you,” he said, and was about to go on, when Dynan stiffened.

Behind him, Shalis gasped and collapsed. Renning, Varrot and Loren all barely managed to keep her from hitting the floor. A scream of pain erupted in Dynan’s mind followed instantly by the reality of it. He couldn’t breathe and he started to double. A crushing weight struck him, but then it was abruptly gone. His father kept him from falling and while no one else had heard or felt it, a gasping alarm ran through the crowd around him.

“What is it?” Ambrose asked.

“Marc.”

He turned and found both his brothers already moving. Dynan found his sword, blue sapphires glittering against the mire, and wrenched it from the carcass of the serpent.

Carryn took a step after him. “He’s in with the orbs.”

One Dain swore and took off in a limping run, followed by the other with the identical gait. An army of guards moved with them, but again an invisible wall stopped them. Dain reached the door and went through it. He looked back once when he realized that the guards couldn’t follow. Dynan turned from Ralion before his old guard could try to keep him from going too. Ralion punched the barrier when he met it. Dynan heard Loren whispering his name. He didn’t stop and he didn’t look back.