The Scourge of Muirwood (Legends of Muirwood #3)

A gust of wind swept across the grass, bringing the scent of fire mixed with flowers. Pareigis’ hair whipped across her face. Pressure began to build in the air. Lia felt it inside her ears.

“It is your pity that you do not fear me,” Pareigis said. “You have been troublesome to me. That trouble will end tonight. You are the last maston. I have saved you for last.”

The wind began to whip more violently.

“You summon a storm?” Pareigis said with delight. “I am the Queen of storms. Water is my dominion.”

“You have no dominion,” Lia said. “You only steal. Nothing is truly yours. I know your power. I do not fear it. You cannot harm me.”

Pareigis’ eyes flashed with murder. “Harm you? I will kill you, little one. You also will be trapped on this pitiful earth. The mastons who fell before you were fortunate because they could return to Idumea. But not you. This is your reward, foolish child. This is what the Medium bestows on you for your faithfulness.” She spat the word. “Misery. That is your reward. I give you misery for bread and suffering for cider.”

In the distance, there was thunder.

Lia stared at Pareigis, unconcerned. “You will go. Depart from Muirwood and never return.” She took a step towards her.

“You cannot command me!” Pareigis shrieked in fury. “I command the oceans and the waves and they obey me. The winds come at my calling. Fire burns at my will. You cannot command me!”

“By the Medium, I command you to leave,” Lia said, holding up her hand in the maston sign.

Lightning lashed in the sky. The wind began to keen and howl like wolves. Lia’s hair was also whipped about her face. Her clothes thrashed with the fury of the gale. She took another step closer.

Pareigis’s raven hair spun wildly around her. She was hunched, as if under a huge weight. “This is my world. You are my daughter. I have destroyed all of the mastons and I will destroy you! Do you think you can defy an army led by the Dochte Mandar? I allowed this Abbey’s defenses to destroy my army. It was part of my plan to ruin you. This is my dominion!”

Lia took another step. The air felt like it would burn. “You have taken everything from me. My true family. My real home. The one I love. There is nothing else you can take from me. I surrender all that I am and all that I have to the Medium’s will. I speak your true name. You are Ereshkigal, the Unborn. You will depart.”

“No! You cannot command me! You are a child! Nothing but a child!”

The sky lit up with jagged shards of lightning. The trees swayed wildly. Plump drops of rain began to splatter against the walls and against Lia’s face.

“You are Ereshkigal, the Unborn. You will depart.”

The look in Pareigis’ eyes was wild with frustration and fury. She screamed then, a sound so loud and startling and unearthly that it made Lia shrink inside. The scream grew louder and louder, drowning out the booms of thunder. Pareigis’ fingers, hooked into claws, swept forward as she rushed to rake Lia with them.

Lia grabbed her wrists, holding her back with all her strength as the storm cracked open and torrents of rain began to dash from the skies. Lia clenched Pareigis’ wrists tightly, digging her heels into the ground to help her balance.

“You are Ereshkigal, the Unborn!” Lia shouted. “You will depart!”

It was as if all the strength gushed out of Pareigis’ body. Lia found herself holding the frail girl up by her wrists as she sagged and collapsed. Lightning seared the air, revealing onlooking Dahomeyjan knights who stared at Lia and the Queen Dowager with awe and terror.

On her knees in front of Lia, the Queen Dowager’s eyes fluttered open.

“Where am I?” she whispered, her voice a tiny frail wheeze. She spoke in Dahomeyjan. “What Abbey is this that burns?” she said, gazing at the fires raging within Muirwood. The rain began to quench the flames.

The Queen Dowager’s hair was soon drenched with rain and she stared up at Lia in confusion and terror. “What land is this?”

Lia helped her to stand. “This is a foreign land. You must return to your country. You are sick, my lady. You will make others sick if you kiss them.” She stared into her eyes. “Please, do not make others sick.”

Pareigis blinked with the rain, confused.

“Duerden,” Lia said, turning around. He was on the ground, huddled against the downpour. “Help her to get away. Take her far away. The storm will get worse until she is gone. Go or it will kill you both.”

He nodded mutely and came forward, helping Pareigis to stand. He supported her and guided her in the rain towards the broken outer gates.

Chunks of ice began to thud against the grass and trees. Lia knew the storm was still building its strength. It was far from spent. It would be the greatest storm that Muirwood had ever known. And somehow, in her heart, she knew that it would last for three days and three nights.

Hugging herself and her dripping clothes, Lia walked slowly to the Aldermaston’s kitchen seeking shelter.





CHAPTER THIRTY SIX:


The Battle of Forshee