'Shh, Hirad,' whispered Jonas. 'Just watch.'
Ilkar thought he saw the tiniest of smiles flicker across Densyr's expression. The mist expanded, like corn seeds scattered over water separating and spreading. It was set about five feet above Densyr's face, which was turned upwards to see his work. It was no bigger than a quarter-light window.
Densyr took his hands from his temples and clasped them in front of his chest. His eyes closed and he became perfectly still. His breathing slowed and deepened and the pause between each inhalation grew. Ilkar dropped into the mana spectrum and suppressed a gasp.
It was beautiful. The mist was wreathed in strands of mana, each one pulling out at a different angle to keep the mist taut in its frame, as it were. And from Densyr's upturned face came a gentle stream of deep blue, wispy and shot through with light. It was as if he was giving of his own soul to the construct.
Ilkar nodded his appreciation and tore himself away and back to the chamber. Diera was staring at the mist while her arms clutched hard at Sol's waist. He was seated with her on the ground, stroking her hair and whispering. On their chairs, Jonas was still but young Hirad was restless with Densyr's continued meditation. He opened his mouth but this time Vuldaroq turned to him, put a finger to his lips and ruffled his hair with a stick-thin hand.
Ilkar felt a growing pull inside his body. Not painful now but a yearning to recover what was lost and an impatience to begin. He breathed out slowly and deliberately and glanced around. Sirendor and Thraun beckoned him to join them by Hirad. The yearning eased.
Densyr let his head fall forward once more and his hands dropped back into his lap. He rubbed them on his thighs and turned to Sol, his expression sorrowful.
'It is done,' he said. 'Sharyr.'
Sharyr picked up a goblet and brought it to Densyr. The Lord of the Mount held it in a hand that displayed a slight shake.
'Look at me,' he said. 'Just like the early years after the demons left.'
'A shame we can't sit and reminisce about it any more,' said Sol.
'Just one sip will do. But we have diluted the poison with some particularly fine Blackthorne red so you might feel a long draught is in order.'
'How . . . how quickly does it work?' asked Diera, voice admirably steady.
'A matter of moments,' said Densyr. 'And there is no pain.'
'Nothing physical anyway,' she said, trying to smile and bursting into tears instead. 'Sorry, sorry.'
'For what?' asked Ilkar. 'For having more courage than the rest of us put together? Or for marrying a man determined to be a hero even after he's dead?'
It was a weak attempt at humour but the tension released just a little anyway.
'I need you all to leave now,' said Diera. 'You don't have to move Hirad if you don't need to. And you might as well leave Auum too. They don't seem to be taking part any more.'
Ilkar glanced at the elves. Their heads were still bowed in prayer, their arms on each other's shoulders.
'C'mon, let's go. Through here, Densyr?'
'It is marginally more comfortable than the corridor,' said Densyr.
'Jonas, Hirad, come here,' said Sol.
Ilkar ushered Vuldaroq through the door and closed it quietly behind him.
'Jonas, you have important work to do,' said Sol.
'I know what's happening, Father. And I'll be strong and I'll look after everyone for you.'
Sol smiled and put a hand to Jonas's cheek.
'Tell me you really understand,' said Sol.
Jonas swallowed hard and blinked away the moisture in his eyes. 'I know what is in that goblet. And I know you are going to drink it. I know that means I will never see you again but-'
Sol dragged him into a crushing embrace as Jonas broke down, sobbing on his father's shoulder. So much surged through Sol. Conflicts raged within his mind, his heart and his soul. Holding his son so close, smelling his hair and feeling his heaving chest and his breath, all desire to leave deserted him. He didn't care how long he clung on to Jonas. He didn't flinch when another massive impact struck the college but he covered his boy's head to stop the dust falling in his hair.
Sol looked at the goblet placed on the ground near him. The wine and poison had a film of dust on its surface. Sol reached out a hand, ready to knock it flying, scatter the contents across the stone and bring an end to the madness. Sol felt his pulse rattling in his temple and the heat in his face. The tears flowed down his cheeks. Slowly, he pulled Jonas away from him. Their two faces were close together. Jonas wiped Sol's cheek.
'I wish with all my heart you didn't have to do this,' he said. 'But I am proud. Because you always want to save those you love and even those you do not know. Just like you taught me.'
Sol almost choked and his love for his son deepened further than even he thought possible. He saw Diera's face, admiration through the pain. She reached out a hand and stroked Jonas's hair.
'You really are your father's son,' she said. 'Gods falling, but you will keep me strong, I know it.'
'Remember this day,' said Sol. 'Remember this moment. Because it was when you became the man you were destined to be. So much important work lies ahead of you but none more than this. Contact Sha-Kaan. Tell them what we are doing. We need his help on the journey.'
'I will, Father.'
'I love you, Jonas. And from beyond death, I will always do so.'
'One day, we'll stand together again,' said Jonas. 'But I'll be old and grey like you before that happens.'
Sol chuckled. 'I am proud you are my son. And I trust no one more than you to see the family safe. No one.'
Jonas almost burst as he breathed in and stood up. 'I will not let you down, Father.'
'I know you won't.'
Jonas stepped away and let young Hirad come to Sol's embrace.
'And what about you, young man?' he asked.
Hirad's little round face was creased with the anxiety he had picked up around him but there was no genuine understanding in his eyes.
'I want to come with you,' he said brightly.
'Oh, I don't think so,' said Sol. 'Too dangerous. And I need you to look after your mother.'
'When will you be back? You promised to teach me to ride a horse.'
Sol bit his lip. 'Sometimes we cannot do everything we want to do. Sometimes there isn't enough time.'
'But when you come back,' said Hirad.
'I cannot lie to you, young Hirad. Even if you don't understand now, one day you will and it is better that the truth was not hidden from you. So listen.'
Sol shifted his body and hoisted Hirad to sit on his thigh so he could hold the boy close while he spoke.
'I have to go to a place now from which I will not be able to return. I have to go to search for a new place for you to live because it is not safe here any more.'
'But why can't you come back?' There were tears in Hirad's eyes now and a quiver to his voice as the message began to sink in.
'You remember what happened to your grandmother just a little while ago?'
Hirad nodded. 'She died.'
'Yes, she did. And . . . and for me to go to the place I must go, I have to die too. And that means I cannot come back to you because no one can come back when they are dead.'
Hirad frowned. 'Yes, they can. There are lots of them here now. You can do that too, can't you.'
'Get out of that one,' whispered Diera, her hand resting on the back of Sol's neck.
'Well, at the moment, some dead people are here again but they shouldn't be. And when you go to your new home, those people will go to their new home and they are in different places. I will be in the other place.'
'You'll be dead?' asked Hirad.
'Yes, I will,' said Sol quietly. 'So I need to tell you now how much I love you and how proud I am of you.'
'Please don't go!' Hirad threw his arms around Sol's neck and buried his face in Sol's chest. 'I don't want you to go.'
'Neither do I, Hirad,' said Sol, caressing Hirad's head. 'But I have to. Because you and Jonas and your mother have to be safe. That is why I have to go.'
'NO!' screamed Hirad, and his limbs flailed in Sol's embrace. 'You mustn't.'
'I'm sorry, Hirad.' Sol beckoned Jonas closer. 'Goodbye, little one. Remember me as I remember you.'
Sol unpicked Hirad's arms from his neck and released him to Jonas. Hirad was screaming and crying, and Sol had to look away to save himself from breaking.
'Father.'
'Yes, Jonas,' said Sol, turning back.
'Let me down!' shrieked Hirad. 'I want Father. Let me down!'
'Goodbye, Father. I will make him understand.'
'All in good time,' said Sol. 'Go on. It won't get any easier.'
Jonas nodded, smiled and walked quickly to the door, trying to calm the screaming Hirad. Sol watched them go, breathing in every last glimpse. As the door opened, Jonas turned back a final time. Hirad looked up from his shoulder and reached out.
'Goodbye,' said Sol, feeling the sobs building again. 'Know that I love you.'
The door closed on his boys. His world. Diera's hand was on his shoulder. He covered it with one of his own. He turned to look at her. She drew him slowly to his feet and they fell into a long, silent embrace.
Chapter 35.
Diera did not want the dance to stop. She moved her hands all over his back and arms, feeling the strength of him and the tenderness. She touched the wound in his lower back and felt him relax into it. She breathed in his scent. Male and powerful, sweat and determination. Belief. Another day it would have been an aphrodisiac too powerful to resist.
His breath was caressing her neck and his hands were stroking her back. They swayed gently where they stood, closer than she could remember for years. Before the visions began.
'I'm sorry I didn't believe you,' she said.
'When?'
Neither of them moved to look at the other. The touch was everything.
'When The Raven came to you in your dreams.'
'I'm glad you didn't,' he said. 'Someone had to challenge me. It's always been you.'
'And are you ready now?'
'No. But I never will be.'
'I love what you said to the boys. They will hurt but they will never feel cheated.'
'I hope not. And what about you?'
'I've felt cheated of you so often it ceases to surprise me,' she said, and did surprise herself by laughing.
'What's so funny?'
'You, my hero husband. Because you ought to be a ridiculous figure but you never were and you never will be.'
'How so?'
'Men puff themselves up for all sorts of stupid things. Trying to make themselves great in the eyes of their women and their children. But you . . . well you just went and did what you had to do every time. Hardly even a backward glance and never any big words. That was hard. Sometimes I wanted you to be all grand and speak about the great good you were setting off to do.'
'You'd have seen straight through that.'
'And you always came back like you'd spent the day at the bakery or something.'
Diera could feel Sol smiling.
'Not this time. And I suppose my grand words lacked a little.'
'Well you've not had a great deal of practice.'
They fell silent again, continuing to sway. But Diera knew it could not go on. Three further impacts rattled through the catacombs, each one sounding closer and more violent than the last. She prised herself away from him and the chill that touched her body was a prelude to all that was to come.
'Come on. I don't want this to be more of a waste than it already is,' she said.