Flight Into Darkness Read Online Free PDF Page A

and crystal were formed, it drew on ancient energies long buried and untapped since the making of the world.
    The marble floor of the palace began to shiver beneath his feet. From far beyond the cloud of anger that enveloped him, he heard shrieks and cries of fear as the ground shook. He saw the Arkhan grasp at his desk to keep himself upright.
    “Master, no!” Ormas's voice penetrated the turmoil in his brain. “Don't do this. Don't destroy any more lives.”
    As if from a great way off, Rieuk found himself looking down at Sardion, who had crawled beneath his desk to protect himself from the shaking of the earth. The powerful Arkhan cowered, his hands clasped over his head.
    Why have I been in awe of this man for so long? Why have I let him, control my life?
    “I should have you tortured for this,” cried Sardion, “but it seems to me that no excruciation my torturers could inflict on your body could touch you as deeply as the pain you are suffering now.”
    “Where is Imri?” Rieuk thrust the empty soul glass in Lord Estael's face. “This glass is empty. Where is he?”
    Lord Estael made a sudden move but Rieuk grabbed his wrist, yanking his arm up behind his back so that he could not perform a conjuration.
    “Almiras!” Estael cried to his Emissary. But Rieuk had been expecting this and clicked his fingers to summon Ormas. As Almiras emerged from Lord Estael's body, Ormas darted out, beating him back with an unstoppable fury.
    “Take me into the Rift,” Rieuk said into Lord Estael's ear. The shadow hawks dived and dodged in the air, Ormas deftly keeping Almiras at bay. “I want proof. No matter how painful, I want the truth.”
    Rieuk instantly sensed the change in the air of the Rift. It had always been so still and calm, a place of verdant stillness, except for the breeze stirring the boughs of the eternal trees. But now he could feel the gusting of an erratic, dust-dry wind, that seemed to blow from some desolate pit of hell. The faint vanilla-sweet scent emanating from the haoma trees had gone. The boughs overhead were ragged, as though the mean wind had torn through, shredding leaves and scattering green needles all around. Even the light from the emerald moon was so faint that when Rieuk raised his head, he saw that it was waning, veiled in tattered clouds. A sense of disquiet had replaced the soothing calm, fueled by the sinister gusting of the errant wind, as though a thunderstorm were brewing.
    “You've stolen souls, Rieuk. You know what becomes of the physical body once the two are separated for too long… or the soul glass is shattered. Did it never occur to you that even a mage's soul could not be preserved intact all this time?”
    “But we are magi. And we are bonded with our Emissaries. You told me—” Rieuk made an effort to control himself. Estael despised any display of weakness; he must not break down or he would lose his advantage. “You told me that we are different. You told me that Tabris was protecting Imri's soul. You lied.”
    “Yes, I lied.” Lord Estael's voice was dry, emotionless. “It happened when the Rift became unstable. Tabris began to weaken and fade. You were far away, in Francia. I did what I could to restore Imri to his body. But it was too late, and I lost him.”
    “Lost him?” Rieuk repeated, saying the words aloud but not understanding them. “You lost Imri's soul?”
    “Tabris fled deep into the Ways Beyond, leaving Imri's soul unprotected. If the Rift had stayed stable, then maybe we could have brought Imri back.” In the lurid light Lord Estael's features suddenly looked old and drawn. “But the atmosphere in the Rift has become more and more unstable as time passes. Azilis was the only one who could keep the balance—”
    “Azilis. Always Azilis.” Rieuk could not bear to be reminded of her—or the damage she had done to him. “So it's my fault, for not being powerful enough to bring her back?” He came close to Lord Estael. “Aren't we