Beatrix and Reaver were among the throng of villagers dancing in the glow of torches on the far side of the room near the wooden door to the night. They danced like they were the only two in the room, sweat pouring from their bodies, hips swinging to the drumbeat, and a cup of mead in each hand.
My left arm rested around Yaltu’s shoulder while my right caressed Enra’s breast under her shirt. Enra fed me from the wooden plate of food she’d brought for us and was breathing deeply as she rubbed her cheek against my chest.
My hand stopped when I touched something between her breasts. It was small, no larger than my thumbnail, and was attached to a leather cord.
“What’s that?” I asked.
Enra withdrew a carved amulet from under her shirt and held it up for me. I couldn’t see what it was made of, but from the silhouette of the dim firelight, it looked like a two-pronged trident.
“It means hope,” Enra said. “I wear it to remind me to never lose hope. I hoped you would return. I hope for peace. I hope for prosperity for the Ish-Nul.”
She put the amulet back, and when she noticed my hand had moved below her breast, she returned it, encouraging me to play with her nipple. I was happy to oblige, feeling it slowly harden under my touch.
Privacy wasn’t a concern, because the central fire was kept low, providing plenty of heat but little smoke and its light didn’t reach our corner of the longhouse. Other than the faces on the other side infrequently peeking out from the darkness and some of the older women serving mead and refilling plates, it felt like Yaltu, Enra, and I were alone in the world.
“I missed you,” Enra said. Before I could reciprocate, she continued: “But I’m curious why you returned now. You said you were still looking for more of your friends.”
I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts. A lot had happened so far, and I wasn’t sure where to begin.
“After I found Reaver,” I said, “we were forced to fight Beatrix in the Brazud arena. I defeated her, but when I didn’t kill her, King Demetrios ordered me to finish her off. He didn’t like it when I flipped him the bird.”
“You… threw a bird at him?” She tilted her head back to look me in the eyes.
“No,” I laughed, “I stuck my middle finger up at him.”
Enra gasped. “That’s very bad!” she said with a laugh.
“It was. Then, we had to fight four creatures like Pedaloth—the dragon we killed before I left. We didn’t kill them, though. We freed them. They tore the city up while we escaped. They did a lot of damage—killed a lot of guards. I’m concerned the slavers will come here, looking for revenge. I needed to check on your people to make sure you’re able to defend yourselves. And I wanted to see you again.”
I watched her face carefully for her reaction.
“There’s one more thing,” I continued. “Before we escaped the arena, Beatrix mentioned a place that is black as a starless night. She said there might be a communications device or something there. It might allow me to speak directly with the Lakunae.”
Though I hadn't talked loudly, as soon as I said the words, the room became hushed. When the last person stopped speaking, the drums went silent, and all eyes found their way to me.
“What is it?” Timo-Ran asked from somewhere on the other side of the fire.
Enra hesitated, and her body stiffened before she answered. “Jacob has asked about the Void Temple.”
I wasn’t sure what rule I’d broken, but the room felt eerily silent and sterile.
It was apparent they knew something but were afraid to speak of it. I had to convince them to talk to me, and I hoped I’d earned enough trust to make it happen.
As I stood, Yaltu and Enra moved out of the way and turned to face me. Yaltu’s expression was curious, but Enra’s face was pale with stress and fright. Reaver and Beatrix seemed like they were preparing for a fight but didn’t know who the enemy was. When Reaver looked to me, I waggled my hand to let her know there was no threat. She relaxed, but only a little.
“I’m looking for the Void Temple,” I announced to the room. “I’ve been told it may hold answers to my questions. If you know of it, I need to find it.”
“We can trust him,” Enra said to Timo-Ran. “He won’t betray us.”
Timo-Ran stared at the floor for several seconds before he nodded.
“The Void Temple,” Enra explained, “is a sacred site. We don’t speak of it. We’re not ashamed, but we don’t wish to anger the Void Gods. It’s where we learned of the Dark Ones. As you said, it’s black as a starless night. Darker than a cave. Stronger than the mountains. It’s black like your sword.”
“Where is it?” I asked, doing my best not to sound too excited.
Enra shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Only the priestess can open the temple, and she’s no longer with us.”
“She died?” I asked, feeling hope begin to drain from my heart in a slow, dark trickle.
“We don’t know,” Timo-Ran said. “She was taken to the powerplant near the town of Griastana, just south of the woods across the river. She was one of the Ish-Nul who didn’t make it back after the vrak stole them away. . .” His voice trailed off into silence.
“If the priestess is alive,” Enra said, “she’ll be at the powerplant.”
I lifted my eyes to Beatrix. She and Reaver were watching me, resolve turning their faces to chiseled stone. They were ready to go on a rescue mission. I knew they’d go anywhere I went.
“I’ll free the priestess and return her to you,” I announced. “But
