need to do. Now we must infiltrate The City and learn all we can about what the Hierarch is doing, and what he proposes to do. Then we must turn the people’s hearts to what is right.”
The other princes nodded.
“And Lara?” Prince Nasim asked.
“She will have the most difficult task of all,” Prince Kaliq said. “She must convince Cam that he really is the Hierarch, and that his purpose is for good not evil.”
“Given his bloodline that will not be an easy job,” Lothair noted. “But if anyone can do this, Lara can. And, Kaliq, remember, you must allow her to do this on her own. We all know that you love her, but do not interfere with her destiny, my brother.”
Kaliq nodded slowly.
“Love is painful, isn’t it?” Lothair said. “It skews the judgment.”
“I am not a youth that I lack judgment or self-discipline,” Kaliq snapped irritably.
The other princes laughed aloud, and Kaliq flushed, but then he laughed, for he knew they were right. His love for the faerie woman was both bitter and sweet. But he had never really loved any female as he loved her, and he knew he would never again love another as he loved her.
“She will be fine,” Prince Nasim said.
If Lara had heard his words she might not have agreed, for suddenly she was faced with having to deal with her instinctive feelings of dislike and distrust for Cam, the son of her first husband’s murderers. Was it possible to overcome these intense feelings? And as for Cam, she knew he hated her. How could he not hold her responsible for the deaths of his parents? She had taken up her sword, Andraste, and slain them within moments of Vartan’s murder. It had been her right to do so. But in doing so she had orphaned Cam. He had grown up with a grandmother who had been in the hall that terrible day, and had been driven mad by what she saw.
The Lady Bera had been unable to face all that she had seen. Her younger son had murdered her older son in cold blood. All she could recall of that hour was that Lara had cried out to her sword, Andraste, which had flown into her hand from its place above the hearth. The sword was already singing in its deep and deadly voice as Lara grasped its hilt in both of her small hands, and then took revenge for herself and her children by decapitating both Adon and his wife, Elin. Elin, it was later learned, had been bribed by Hetar, and had in turn encouraged her husband to murder. But from the look on Elin’s face that day, and her screams of encouragement to her husband, Lara had known that she was equally responsible.
But Cam had lost both of his parents that day, and then been put in the care of a madwoman who did nothing but rail against her surviving daughter-in-law. It was then that a terrible darkness came over the child. It took hold of him, driving him to wickedness against other children, including Lara’s son and daughter, Dillon and Anoush. Finally Cam had been removed from his grandmother’s care, and sent to the headwoman Sholeh of Rivalen village. A widow had been put into the Lady Bera’s house to watch over her, and several years later she died a peaceful death, the names of her sons the last words upon her lips.
Sholeh had taken charge of raising Cam, the son of her kinsman. And he had seemed to change outwardly. But Lara had also sensed that darkness still possessed Cam’s heart and soul. How was she going to be able to appeal to him? His weaknesses, of course, were his hunger for wealth and power. Could she use those weaknesses to exorcise the evil in him? And did he really love Anoush, or was Lara’s daughter just a means to an end? Had he attempted to use Anoush as Jonah was using the besotted Zagiri?
These were all things Lara needed to know. And there was only one way to find out. She had to deal with Cam face-to-face, which meant she would have to go to Hetar. But first she must speak with her son Taj. He needed to understand what was happening. He was young, but he was also very intelligent. She found him in the castle hall playing a game of Herder with his friend Gare. She watched them for a while, but then, seeing the game would take a while, she put a hand on Taj’s shoulder.
The young Dominus looked up, smiling at her.
“When you are finished with your game come and speak with me,” Lara said.
“It may be a while,” Taj told her. “Gare has gotten very good at this game.”
“I was always very good at it,” Gare said, grinning. “That you realize you are having difficulty beating me indicates you have improved your skills at Herder. I used to be able to beat you before you even realized what was happening.”
Lara laughed. Gare and Sinon’s companionship had kept Taj from losing touch with reality. It would have been easy for the fourteen-year-old Dominus, ruler of a kingdom and catered to by all, to forget that he was just a growing boy. If they would remain with him for the next few years she would be grateful. Terahn boys would have treated Taj far differently because he was the Dominus, which would, of course, defeat the whole purpose. Lara patted her son’s shoulder, and left him to his game.
Taj came to his mother’s apartments an hour later. Lara greeted him with a kiss upon his cheek, and then drew him down to sit next to her on the cushioned couch. “I am going to have to go away for a time,” she began, “and I want you to understand why. Terah must be protected and kept safe from the darkness, as must Hetar.”
“Are you going to Hetar?” he asked her.
Lara nodded.
“For Zagiri’s sake?”
“Nay, for Terah’s sake. You have youth, courage and honesty with which to fight against the darkness, my son, but it is not enough. Especially when other mortals, in their quest for power and wealth, give themselves over to evil in exchange.”
“You speak of the one known as the Hierarch, do you not, Mother?”
“The man claiming that title is the son of those who slew Vartan of the Fiacre, Taj. Anoush’s father. He is manipulated by a beautiful Darkling who uses his hate for her own purposes. The Darkling’s father is the Twilight Lord, Kol. She desires, like her sire, to bring darkness to our worlds. And she uses Cam, for that is his name, to help her accomplish this.”
“Why do you go to Hetar, then, Mother?” Taj asked her.
“I must know if Cam can be turned back into the light,” Lara said. “If he can then we can use him for the good, and defeat the darkness, send the Darkling Ciarda back to the Dark Lands where she belongs, and where the darkness is held and thrives.”
“Will it be dangerous for you to go to Hetar?” Taj wanted to know.
“Aye and nay. I have many friends there, and a half brother I can trust to shelter me should I need shelter,” Lara told him.
“You must go to my sister,” Taj said. “Zagiri must know you are there.”
“Nay, Taj, I do not want Zagiri or her husband knowing I am in Hetar,” Lara said. “Jonah stole your sister and wed her because he believed that in times of trouble Terah would aid Hetar because we were bound by blood. It wasn’t enough for him that our kingdoms had an alliance, and that Terah would keep its word. As for Zagiri, she was told she was not to marry the Lord High Ruler of Hetar, but she schemed with Jonah to do so. She must live with the choices she has made, but I will tell you that I am told she is very happy as
He nodded his understanding now that she had explained. “Who else aids in this endeavour?” Taj asked.
“The faerie kingdoms and the Shadow Princes,” Lara said.
“I think you should ask Aunt Nidhug to come from Belmair and scorch the Darkling and the Dark Lands into ash,” he told her.
“Nay, Taj. There must always be a balance between good and evil. Light and dark. If there were not who knows what would happen to all the kingdoms of all the worlds both magic and mortal,” Lara explained.
“There is so much to learn,” Taj complained. “Will I ever know all that I must to be a good Dominus, Mother?”
“Nay, you will not,” Lara said. “And the older you get you will find there are many more questions than there are answers, Taj.” She ruffled his golden head.
“Some days growing up is very difficult, Mother. And other days it is wonderful, and I cannot get to where I am going quick enough,” Taj told her.
Lara laughed. “It is the same for me, my darling. Remember I am still considered a child in the faerie world.”
“A clever child,” he replied with a grin.
