The Six and the Gardeners of Ialana (The Ialana Series Book 2) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Copyright

  Map of Ialana

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Other books by Katlynn Brooke

  The Six and the Gardeners of Ialana

  By Katlynn Brooke

  For my mother, who always wanted me to write.

  Copyright © 2014 by Katlynn Brooke

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. No actual person or event is depicted.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at the address below.

  [email protected]

  www.katlynnbrooke.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  www.dragonrealmpress.com

  Map of Ialana

  Chapter One

  To Galon

  It took several hours for the dust cloud over Rhiannon to disappear. It hung like a dark mushroom in the sky, just over the horizon, as the fishing boat headed east through the Sea of Alania. The Six, along with Yared, Askia, Shogna, Holgar, and Adne, sat silently in the boat, awed by the remarkable power that had unleashed from the Citadel of Amrafalus. Finally, the cloud disappeared from their sight, sinking behind the trees and hills of the southern shoreline.

  For a while, they were each lost in their thoughts. Death had come too close in the tunnel beneath the bay, the one that Irusan’s rock-melting crystal had carved out for them from the Citadel where they’d been imprisoned. It was only now that the reality of their escape had sunk in. The generator crystals had released their pent-up energy with a ferocity that had brought the Citadel down. It must have crushed not only Amrafalus but everyone still in it.

  As soon as they were a safe distance from shore, Irusan had shape-shifted into his albatross form. With a farewell squawk, he launched himself up into the air, gliding effortlessly in circles around the boat then disappearing into the distance. The Six were always sorry when the cat-man took his leave. They wished he would stay with them forever, but they knew he found it difficult to stay in their reality for long. The longer he stayed, the more difficult it became for him to return to his natural state. He would visit them whenever the situation warranted it, but not until then.

  Jarah sighed. He was now, once again, the leader of the group. He rested his chin on his hands, his elbows on the rail of the boat, as he stared out over the water toward the setting sun. He had never wanted to be a leader, but Irusan had stressed that this was his role and that he was perfectly capable. He recalled his private conversation with Irusan as they’d sailed away from the destruction.

  Tristan should lead since as a soldier, he’s done it before, and he is the eldest in our group. If it were not for Tristan, Jarah had added, they would never have made it over the Osgoi Mountains. Tristan had helped them escape their capture by King Brenin’s army recruiters. It had been no small feat. Of course, if it were not for Kex, none of them would be alive now. If it were not for Djana, they would not have found their way through the mountain tunnels, and if it were not for Tegan, they would never have found Irusan. What had he done to ensure their safety and well-being? He’d simply located the healing crystal, and even that had felt like an accident.

  Irusan had looked at him strangely with his large, cat-blue eyes. Do you feel your role was merely accidental, and you have not contributed? A foolish thought, Jarah, and not one worthy of a leader. Think, before you speak.

  This so-called humility does not serve you well. If you can’t appreciate yourself and your contributions, how are you going to value that of others? You will always second-guess your guidance, and it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. You will become the ineffective leader you fear.

  Jarah had blushed. Irusan’s words rang true. He’d never valued himself, and he could hear his parents’ voices—mostly his mother’s—echoing in his head.

  “Jarah, you are bone-lazy! Jarah, you lack responsibility!” and the worst, “You will never amount to anything if you don’t stop your incessant day-dreaming!”

  He looked at Tegan, standing at the prow of the boat, corn-silk hair flowing in the breeze. What did she see in him? A nineteen-year-old who blushed easily, and whose red hair never lay flat no matter what he did. On the other hand, did she see the man he only wished he were, the man he could still be? He decided that whatever it was she saw in him, he was lucky. Their connection was strong.

  She turned and gave him a comforting smile, answering with the thought, Irusan was right. You are our leader, and we’re all happy with that.

  I consider you all leaders, he returned. I am merely the one who holds the healing crystal, and that is not false humility!

  Yes, we all have an equal say, Jarah, but we also chose you to lead us because of your healing skills and knowledge of crystals. We decided all this before we set out on our original mission five hundred years ago. As far as we’re concerned, you are still El-Azar, and that has not changed.

  He glanced at Djana sitting with her parents Holgar and Adne. Yared, the Trueni, and his wife Shogna fussed over their baby girl. They all seemed happy to leave Rhiannon, but he sensed sadness, too. Rhiannon and Akelarre had been their home for so long, and they didn’t know if they’d ever see it again. Askia, at the helm, whistled a lively tune. Now the proud owner of a beautiful fishing boat, thanks to Blaidd’s generosity, he did not appear sad at leaving.

  “What do you think happened to Blaidd?” asked Kex.

>   Jarah straightened up and turned. They stood just behind him, Adain’s arm draped protectively over her shoulder. There was no doubt now how they felt about each other, and Kex had adored Adain right from the beginning.

  “I have no idea. I hope he made it out. I wonder more about Amrafalus. Is he still alive? I wish we knew.”

  Tristan joined them at the stern. “They’re all dead. No one inside that Citadel could have escaped.”

  “I suppose we’ll never know,” said Adain. “We probably won’t be back in Rhiannon ever again.”

  “Don’t tell that to Djana,” said Jarah. “It will break her heart.”

  “Irusan told Askia to head for Galon, to the port of Abena,” said Tristan.

  No one suggested they return to Mu’A, the island where, for moons, they’d been so happy and carefree, and where they’d continued their education in the old skills: the Basajaun command of crystal technology. They had all felt after their escape from Rhiannon that their mission must continue. Their mission, five hundred years ago in different bodies and now, was to heal those with distorted templates—the Trueni slaves—using the crystal.

  They could not do this from the safety of Mu’A.

  Askia had healed considerably. Although he still had a slightly piggish look around the face, he had lost most of his speech defects. He now spoke with a more sophisticated speech pattern, like that of a human. Yared and Shogna had not yet had the opportunity to partake of the crystal’s healing, but Jarah hoped they would be able to once they reached Galon.

  Jarah was left to his thoughts again as the sun slowly sank over the western horizon. Shogna and Yared were preparing their evening meal with the help of Holgar and Adne. Shogna had fed the baby, who was now sleeping peacefully in a little hammock between two crates. Tegan, Djana, and Kex softly sang a Bhajan that Irusan had taught them.

  Jarah felt more at peace now than he had in a while. The sea, like the sky, turned a brilliant orange, and purple, fair-weather clouds overhead promising smooth sailing.

  He ran his fingers through his hair, and a small shiver went through his body. He wondered again about Blaidd. As much as he still disliked him, it had occurred to him that he could have done more. He should have seen the direction their old friend was headed. He could have pulled him aside and tried to gain his confidence, but he hadn’t. He felt bad for his former friend with his lazy and drunken father and no mother. He could have shown him more compassion.

  It was too late now. Blaidd was probably dead.

  Chapter Two

  Blaidd

  Blaidd was far from dead. His legs shook, his head was wet with blood from being hit with falling debris, and he looked like a grey, stone statue from all the dust, but he was still very much alive. He had barely escaped a falling tower—one that almost crushed him like a mosquito. He had reached the bridge, out of danger for now, but riderless horses hurtled past him, their panicked hooves flying dangerously close to his head. Soldiers dashed past on foot, like ants from an upturned nest.

  A crush of horses and men now blocked the gate to the Citadel, all attempting to go through at the same time. He knew people must have been screaming because their mouths were wide open, but he couldn’t hear them. The popping noises in his ears muffled all sound. Some, like him, simply stood rooted in shock as they gazed with empty, uncomprehending eyes at the devastation around them. He still held the crystal in his hand. He staggered and almost fell, but a firm grip under his arm steadied him.

  A woman stood behind him, one he’d never seen before, a woman with glossy, raven black hair that framed a porcelain, oval face. As his uncomprehending eyes locked with hers, a wave of dizziness hit him, and his vision dimmed. The last thing he remembered was being lifted up, and then there was blackness.

  ***

  He sat up. The dark, silent room was unfamiliar. He moved his head and rubbed his neck, blinking. His vision was fuzzy, and for a moment, he couldn’t remember what had happened, but then it all came back to him in a rush. The five crystals under the Citadel…not working…the overload of energy and running…running upstairs as the Citadel collapsed around him. Oh yes, and the crystal! He felt a surge of panic as his hands went to his neck. It was still there in its pouch! He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as he remembered how he’d taken it from Jarah.

  Did Amrafalus make it out? He had no idea. Amrafalus had been at the other end of the cavern. He hadn’t looked back as he ran, but he’d heard pounding footsteps behind him. He’d just barely made it out himself, and he didn’t know how anyone else behind him could have escaped. Thanks to the gods of his ancestors, he’d always been a fast runner. He wondered what had happened to the Six. They’d mysteriously disappeared from the cavern below. His instincts told him that Irusan must have had something to do with that.

  His head jerked at a rattle from the door; then it swung open. The woman glided in, the same woman who had appeared at the Citadel and held him up before he lost consciousness. She must have been the one who brought him here. His breath caught in his throat. The glow from her lantern accentuated her dark sapphire eyes that radiated love and concern as they bored into his soul. His mouth opened and closed and he shook his head, staring at her like a fool. She merely smiled and set the lantern down next to his bed.

  “So you’re awake, Blaidd. How do you feel?” Her voice was as gentle as her demeanor, but all he could do was gape. “My name is Branwyn.”

  “H-how do you know my name?”

  “I know a lot of things about you, Blaidd. Or should I call you Seryn?”

  Blaidd’s heart raced, but whether from fear or excitement, he couldn’t tell. Maybe she wasn’t as benign as she looked. She knew too much about him already.

  She nodded. “You’re right. I’ve probed your mind, and there is nothing I don’t know about you. But don’t worry. I’m not here to harm you. I know what you want, and I think I can help.”

  “Call me Blaidd.” He sat up straighter in the bed. The name ‘Seryn’ had not brought him much luck. Seryn was the man he had once been five hundred years ago, the man who had betrayed the Six and lost his own life in the process. He would not make the same mistakes again.

  A part of his memory was returning…or had she had placed it there? He wasn’t sure. She reminded him so much of Irusan by the way she spoke and the way she read his mind. Was she—

  “Yes, Blaidd,” she said. “I am one of them, or at least I was until they threw me out. You probably remember the old stories about us from Mu’A. The Azur’A, Irusan’s people, they were my people too, once. How dare they judge me!”

  Her voice changed. No longer soft and loving, a harsher tone had crept in, and he drew the covers up to his chin as if he could hide from her. Her sensuous mouth pouted.

  “I did not want to get involved with idiots who could not protect the Basajaun from invasion. I expressed myself strongly, and many agreed with me. I said our crystal experts should train the Basajaun in the weaponization of crystals, but the Council of Twenty-Four decided otherwise." She paused as her mouth turned down again. "We will never turn crystals into weapons," she mimicked like a council member before she continued, her voice returning to its normal pitch. "But I went ahead with the project without their permission or their help and created a crystal, a weapon, that would kill."

  Her mouth twitched, lifting in a brief smile.

  "But just as I was going to hand it over to the Basajaun, they intercepted me and the crystal was destroyed. Months of work, just destroyed! They exiled me from Agra’Tan. And guess who escorted me out personally? Your friend, Irusan.”

  “He isn’t my friend. He helped the healers escape, and he doesn’t like me anyway.”

  Branwyn’s hand rose, and she stroked Blaidd’s cheek lovingly. “Yes, I know, dear. That is why I know you will help me, and I will help you. Together, we can make Rhiannon great again, and not only Rhiannon. We’ll rule the whole continent, together. Now, let me take a closer look at that crystal of yours. I didn
’t have time to examine it before.”

  Her eyes went to the pouch around Blaidd’s neck, but his hand moved toward it protectively.

  “No, don’t worry. I am not going to take it away from you. It’s yours. I took it out of your hand and put it back in your pouch. I only want to see it.”

  Slowly, he lifted the pouch from around his neck and shook the crystal out into the palm of her hand. Branwyn looked at it for a moment and closed her eyes. He sensed a probing energy directed toward it. She pressed her lips together, frowning.

  “Oh Blaidd, dear, I am so sorry. They have fooled you once again.”

  His heart seemed to stop beating for a moment.

  “What do you mean? How? They fooled me? This is the crystal—I saw it—Jarah always wore it around his neck!”

  “It’s a rock-crystal, useless, I’m afraid. They must have used sleight-of-hand. I believe they’re rather good at that considering they fooled both you and Amrafalus to bring the Citadel down.”

  Blaidd put his head in his hands. In spite of the dreadful day, he’d still felt as if he had so much to live for now that he possessed the crystal. Or he thought he did.

  “Oh, don’t cry!” Branwyn enveloped him in her shapely arms, and he could smell the scent of roses as he rested his head on her breast. “We’ll get it back for you, I promise! I have plans, but I need your help.”

  He raised his head and gazed into her eyes. They were deep blue, so dark they almost appeared black. He could lose himself in them forever. Yes, they would get it back! He would do anything to help her. Anything!

  Chapter Three

  Trapped