Page 78 of Lady's Steed
Who was this man who’d fathered Avera? A thief, apparently. Why had Basil taken the seals? What did he want with them?Had her mother known his intentions? Approved? What would Avera find in Verlora—if they even made it?
“Let me light the torch before we enter.” Gustav prepared it, wrapping a rag dipped in oil on the tip before lighting it. It emitted a faint burning smell but not too much smoke.
As they entered the tunnel, the air cooled noticeably despite the lit torch. The heat rising from the fires in the hollowed city pit didn’t reach this enclosed space. The passageway, which was a mix of natural rough stone and chiseled spots, had height and width enough to accommodate their horses if they travelled single file. The low ceiling, however, made it impossible to ride.
Gustav muttered, “Hope we don’t get ambushed. Gonna be tight quarters if we have to fight.”
“Opal mentioned rats and spiders as the main threats, meaning we should be fine.”
He snorted. “I doubt they’re the variety we’re used to if she felt a need to tell you about them.”
Most likely he had a point.
Josslyn cleared her throat. “So, are you going to explain who this Zhos is and what is happening in that stone city?”
Where to start? “Zhos is some kind of ancient enemy of humanity who’s been trapped for centuries under that lake of ice at the bottom of the pit.”
“Who trapped him?” Gustav asked.
“People, apparently. Don’t ask me how,” Avera stated quickly. “I would imagine it wasn’t easy. Opal called herself a guardian and claimed the city used to have many more.”
Josslyn glanced over her shoulder to ask, “What happened to them?”
Gustav had an answer. “It’s probably the same thing that happens to many small hamlets. A desire to see the wider world leading to young people moving out. Attrition that comes from lowered birthrates when not enough new blood is introduced.”
“Add in the fact Zhos didn’t pose a threat until recently and they most likely were bored as well,” Avera added.
“Why did Opal stay? It must not have been pleasant living there alone,” Josslyn stated softly.
“She claimed to see visions of the future. That it was her task to inform the new rulers of Daerva of the threat that lived under the lake.”
“Your mother met her?” Gustav inquired sharply.
“She did, both times Mother visited.” Avera paused. “From what Opal said, the second visit, when she brought Basil, started Zhos’ awakening and attempt to escape. Now it is up to me—to us—to stop that from happening.”
“Seems like that would be rather easy. Put out the fires and block the cave.” Gustav offered a very direct solution.
“If only it were that simple.”
“Why can’t it be?” Gustav retorted.
“Because during that second visit, my father stole five rocks that acted as some sort of seal. Hence why Opal needs me to go to Verlora. I’m supposed to find them.”
Interrupting with a snort, Gustav drawled, “I see rocks all over. Not sure why we need to travel to Verlora.”
“My understanding is they’re not ordinary stones.” Not that Opal had said much about them. Avera had no idea what they even looked like. Size, color, shape. Nothing. “I assume they have some kind of power because, since their removal, this Zhos has been gradually extending its influence via what we call the mist. It brought the people of Herder’s Respite to do its bidding. Drew animals, too. Although, with that said, I’m not sure how Zhos managed to infect Benoit.”
“What’s Benoit got to do with this Zhos thing?” Gustav barked.
Josslyn, though, gasped. “The master he and the admiral spoke of. Do you think?—”
“They’re one and the same, yes,” Avera interrupted. “According to Opal, Zhos somehow managed to convince Benoit to kill me and my family.”
“Why?”
At that query from Josslyn, Avera shrugged. “I’m not quite sure, but it seems to have something to do with my lineage.”
“The Voxspira line has been ruling as far back as our records go, and your blood obviously has some deterring effect on this thing under the ice, but the real question is how did this Zhos manage to influence Benoit? The Spire and the mist are nowhere close to the capital, and Benoit never ventured far from it,” Gustav pointed out.