The Broken Song

Chapter Thirty-Five

—Lower Town—

Trapped in an endless nightmare, there was naught she could do but be swept up in the torrential storm. There were voices echoing all around her, their words too faint or distorted for her to hear. Beneath her, the ground was trembling, and somewhere she thought she could hear someone screaming over the rushing of the tempest air. But, she felt sluggish, heavy, and breathless. She didn't have the energy even to turn her head and search for the source of the sound. What she wanted, more than anything, was to close her eyes and rest.

All she needed was some sleep.

But, the moment she began to surrender to her body's aching needs, something jolted her awake. She couldn't give in, her mind whispered, but why she couldn't remember. There was something she needed to do? No, that wasn't it. There was—someone she needed to—her thoughts were too jumbled to organize. The thought slipped away as she felt another tremble around her. The world was so dark and cold. What was the point in continuing to struggle? Shouldn't she just—Warmth flooded through her, offering a breath of fresh air that expanded her lungs. Her thoughts cleared for a moment, just long enough for the most important reason to break through.

Lulu. She had to stay awake for Lulu.

That thought snapped her back to awareness, and, suddenly, every bit of her body was screaming in pain. She remembered Tal'Dovah, the Well, and what she had seen just before she found herself lost in this nightmare. All of her senses came flooding back, and she wanted to cry out, but she couldn't. Her mouth was clamped shut, her body unresponsive as she tried to rouse herself.

The more she struggled and made no progress, the more panicked she became. The voices were unrelenting in their torrent, dark words persuading her to surrender while the warmth in her chest continued to help her to fight. Why was she so weak? Why couldn't she be more like Lulu and her friends? If she could just—

The dark whispers riled at her resistance. They swirled around her in a black cloud that set every nerve on fire. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to cry out against the pain. She was powerless against the force that held her. So, she did the only thing available to her. Teressa prayed—

—And someone answered.

******

D'rundri was near the barrier to Higher Town when he felt the first tremors. So focused on searching for the source of the disturbance, he almost didn't notice the arrival of two very unexpected guests. The small sylph on his head tugged his short, choppy hair, directing him back toward the barrier Ori had erected. The Sorceress and the king stood on the opposite side, neither gaze directed toward him, but to the disturbance coming from Lower Town. They stood there for only a moment, and then the Sorceress disappeared in a swirl of dark light.

When she was gone, the king unsheathed his sword and returned to the keep. D'rundri watched him fade from view, but then screams of unprecedented proportions erupted from Lower Town. There was no more time to hesitate. Idelle was near where the rumbling originated. Whatever new threat emerged, she would need his help. The sylph spurred him on, slapping the top of his head, urging him to hurry.

******

She was breaking. Every seam, every scar was ripping open in new, agonizing ways as the world crumbled around her. She could feel Thancred's arms surrounding her, shielding her from the falling debris. She could hear the screams of people echoing in a furious crescendo that could barely capture the ache she felt inside. Her own screams had stopped, but the pain was still growing, amplified by every thought of Ephine and Teressa.