It was a wonder she was still alive.
After Urzed had cried out, in such an imperious tone there could be no doubt he was issuing a command, the twins had finally moved. They had both frowned and looked around, and her heart leapt as she thought they were breaking free of the Stone.
But then Jessa lifted her arm, face transformed with an expression of cold indifference that was far worse than Urzed’s cruel grin, and Betharad knew they were still lost. She experienced a sudden feeling of vertigo, as if she’d been flung up high into the sky, though she knew she had not moved.
If she hadn’t already been looking at Jessa, she would never have noticed how the air between her sister and the wall warped and snapped like a bowstring after the release of an arrow. A loud crashing sound reminded her of the explosion that tore through the ceremonial platform, and she watched in amazement as the wall burst apart, raining shards and splinters down over everyone.
That was followed by a moment of pure, breathless silence—until Sarnd followed Jessa’s lead and the world shattered into chaos again.
The floor began to tremble and groan as if an angry leviathan was waking up beneath. Urzed’s cry of alarm pierced the din made by the dying fortress. Wherever one of the twins turned, the wall there twisted one way and then the other before a huge section disintegrated. Betharad was forced to hold on to Kavilas and the pillar just to stay on her feet. So much gritty dust and rubble was falling from the stressed arches above she had to shield her face with her cloak, leaving a narrow gap to watch through. Her eyes still stung, but being unable to see would be worse.
From the rapturous smiles on the twins’ faces, they were taking great delight in ruining the fortress around them. Betharad’s heart sank further, wondering how far removed they would become from the siblings she loved. Either they did not notice the people trapped and terrified within, or they had no care who was hurt or killed.
A shout of terror made her turn to the right; Oreno had leapt away from a large piece of one of the arches that was now embedded in the floor. The pillars were shaking and lurching, but they remained upright and offered the best cover, at least for now. And not only from the disintegrating masonry—some of the Enjeb were bound to be aware of her presence, even if Urzed was preoccupied.
But her biggest fear was that Sarnd and Jessa would notice her. What would happen then? They might not know who she was. Or they might know her, and kill her anyway. Having witnessed what they could do to a solid stone building, Betharad had no doubt their power would erase her from the world without a trace.
The grit mixed with the tears in her eyes, making them sting and water even more. Her sob became a choke when she inhaled some dust. She covered her nose and mouth with more of her cloak, though part of her was asking why she bothered. Death seemed imminent—and perhaps would be preferable to seeing what Jessa and Sarnd would do next.
She suspected none of her companions, including Amacet and Niedde for all their wisdom, had a plan for surviving this apocalyptic nightmare. Overcoming the combined dangers of the twins, Urzed, the Serpentstone and Karrti’s imminent arrival was no more than a remote fantasy.
A louder, grinding rumble announced the tops of the walls were unable to withstand any more of this treatment, and another enormous chunk of masonry hit the floor with deafening crashes.
Urzed, however, was not the sort of person to give up easily. From this angle, she could see tension in his face as determination warred with panic. His movements were very animated and sweat dripped from his brow, but his attempts to attract the twins’ attention were fruitless. They continued to direct their energies towards damaging the walls.
Why are they so fixated on destroying the fortress? Betharad wondered. Is it just because they can?
Over the din that infused the air around them, she heard Relchen say, “What in Orydneth’s name is he doing?”
Amacet’s expression changed from confusion to outright surprise as he squinted at Urzed. “He is casting lines of power around the creatures, but they slip away unheeded.”
“So, he’s trying to gain control of them. At least he’s not succeeding.”
Amacet’s forehead crinkled. “I do not understand how he is doing that. In my judgment, he lacks the strength needed to work with that quantity of the Lifespring.”
“What do you mean?”
“His injuries from the fire may have reduced his capacity to wield the Lifespring. Or,” and he turned to fix Relchen with an accusatory look, “he was never as powerful as you led me to believe.”
Relchen’s eyes widened and he took a half step backwards, but any reply he wanted to make was cut off when Amacet said, “Aha!” He had transferred his attention to a group of about seven or eight Enjeb on the far side of the chamber. “Someone among them can use the Lifespring. Urzed is drawing on their power to bolster his own.”
“Are you sure? Who is it?”
“I cannot say,” said Amacet, his brow creased with concern. “But by my estimate, they are more powerful than Urzed. I did not expect we would face more than one person who was Gifted.”
Betharad wondered again why Amacet had not thought to bring more custodians with him.
After another piece of the wall collapsed, a few of the Enjeb and both dogs slipped out of the chamber. Only four people remained huddled tightly in the corner, and she found herself silently urging them to abandon Urzed as well.
Indistinct shapes were beginning to form in the opening above, though none that resembled the demon described in the accounts from the Naerun Archive. Nevertheless, a deluge of urgent hunger flowed down over them. The others felt it too; Relchen stared at the Fissure with an expression of helplessness, while Kavilas and Oreno were slack-jawed with horror. Elian cowered behind a pillar, arms covering her ears and eyes. Amacet was pale, looking up with grim determination.
For an instant, Betharad wished she could flee this place like the Enjeb had done. But her family were here, and she would not leave without them, even if it meant her death.
Though what she could do to help was beyond her.