Illusionist (Nightfall book 3)

Tira – 1463

Tira’s hands shook as she felt the heat from the fire. She and her master, Da'Niel, had been following a band of savages as they pillaged villages. The ones fortunate enough to survive the raiders had death visit soon after nightfall, helpless as they mourned.

As an elder of the Morgan clan, Da'Niel’s word was law and as his progeny, Tira had to follow along on this macabre tour of the countryside. At the moment he was away, finishing off what remained of this poor little fishing village. She was alone and contempled just letting the flames consume her. It seemed ironic that the fire should claim her now, so many centuries after Da'Niel had saved her from it. Her coppery brows furrowed as flames, both real and imaginary licked across her skin. Phantom voices intertwined with the sharp snaps and crackles of the fire as it devoured the dried wood

“Burn the witch!” The phantom voices whispered louder and Tira cringed away from the flame that burned her arm.

She could feel her chest begin to heave in panicked gasps, she still fell prey to human tendencies. She remembered screaming in pain and how the mob’s cheers had nearly drowned her out. Now they would be getting what they longed for, her charred and broken body, burned to ash. Da'Niel had been fool enough to steal her from her burning grave, but Tira always knew one day it would get her. She could feel her tears, cold as they streamed down her fire heated skin. She had longed for death several times over the years, even dreamed about it. Her existence had been one horror after another and it was endless, she had just wanted a rest from what lurks in the dark. It seemed fitting that she should die by fire, killing the darkness with light. She took a deep breath and gagged on it. Tira could smell the headless bodies burning in the next room. The stench was sickly sweet and dared to threaten her resolve.

Pulled from her memories of fire and into the present she moodily wiped the tears from her face and looked around. The smell was coming from a bedroom just off of the kitchen, the only one that hadn’t fully caught fire yet.

“I can’t even burn to death in peace…” She spat angrily as she sidestepped broken and burning furniture and into the small room.

A man and woman had been beheaded in the center of the room and left to bleed into the flames. Under the stench of burning blood was something sweeter, something that made her stomach lurch hungrily. Her blue eyes became hard and direct as the tears dried quickly. There was someone left alive and the demon inside her sprang to life. Instinctively her nostrils flared, picking through different scents that weren’t obscured by smoke. She felt her fangs ache of their own accord as she moved to the bed in the corner. Finesse forgotten she swept aside the little rough made frame, smashing it against the opposite wall.

Her eyes locked on the small figure huddled in the corner. For the entire world, Tira could not keep her monster at bay and like watching another, her own hands reached out and snatched up the child. He was barely breathing, the smoke and fire slowly stealing his life away. From inside her own head, she watched in horror as her body betrayed her. Slowly, the demon in her smelled along the beat of life in the small throat. Tira tried to make herself push the boy away but instead she opened her mouth and grazed her needle sharp fangs along the soft flesh. A shiver of both disgust and ecstasy shook her. In that second she grasped for control and won over the inner demon called vampire.

“No…” She whispered roughly. She looked down at the child in her arms and her jaw set tightly. She couldn’t let Da'Niel know she’d left someone alive. Again, Tira began to draw panicked breaths as her eyes darted around the burning room. The fire she once longed to devour her now threatened another. She grabbed a blanket off the floor and wrapped the child in it, making sure he could safely breathe. Slowly she turned in circles deciding that the windows were her safest escape. She took a last look down at the little bundle in her arms and clutched him to her as tight as she dared. Tira put her head down and pushed through the window and into the chaos that was still raging among the people. Women screamed and sobbed over slain men and children, while everything burned around them.

Tira couldn’t think, but her feet started moving. She ran towards the water where the fishermen docked their boats for the night. To her dismay, most were already destroyed. Again she was at a loss on where to turn when she saw the island in the distance. As she stared at the island of Mages she said a silent prayer that the magic she retained would be enough to get through their wards. She moved as if pulled by an unknown force and her feet slapped noisily down the dock as she ran. At the end there waited a small row boat. Breathing a sigh of relief she gently laid the boy in the boat and without hesitation, sat down and began rowing as fast as she could. Her eyes stayed fixed upon the burning shore as they moved across the foggy water, waiting for someone to come after them. She wasn’t sure why she had felt the need to save this one meaningless boy, but as she felt the power of the wards wash over her she stopped to let the boat drift. It was only a short distance to the shore now and Tira began to row again with smooth even pulls as she started to wrack her brain.

What was she doing? What if the mages didn’t take too kindly to her kind? What if they killed the boy?

Her chest tightened at the thought but before anything else could pass through her mind the boat bumped the rocky shore. Immediately she dropped the oars and gathered the boy in her arms, her back to the island.

“You take a great risk coming here, girl.” A gravelly voice murmured calmly.

Tira froze then turned slowly baring her fangs instinctively. There on the shore, a mere dozen feet from her stood a robed mage, staff in hand. They stared at each other, she in shock and he calmly. To her surprise he chuckled.

“If I’d meant you or the boy harm, you would have never made it across the water.” Gently he pushed his staff into the sand and extended a hand to her. Tira automatically recoiled, distrustful of his intentions.

“Why should I trust you?” She murmured as she held the boy close.

“It seems your inner nature already has, girl. Now come, preferably before sunrise.” He said steadily with his hand still outstretched.

Tira’s eyes darted to the horizon where it was still black as pitch. It was still early enough for her to make it somewhere safe, she still had time. She felt more than saw the mage shift impatiently, steadily holding his hand out. Her eyes found his easily in the dark and she found herself moving forward from the boat. She moved so the boy was farther from the mage and shielded by her body.

“So what brings you here?” The mage said with a smile as he finally dropped his hand.

“I have a feeling you already know that answer, mage.” Tira said cautiously. “The better question is how is it that you were here to meet us upon our arrival?” The mage made a face and waved her question off.

“Please, call me Turick… mage just sounds so confounded formal.” He said as he turned his back to her and started walking up the beach towards the gardens. Tira stood in shock as Turick turned his back on her, knowing full well what she was. Her brows drew down, expressing her confusion.

“You did not answer my question, how did you know to meet us here?” She called after him. Turick chuckled again and beckoned her to follow him. Again she began walking without her brain telling her feet to move.

“One with the gift, such as yourself, really needs to ask that question?” He asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

“You have the gift of foresight.” She stated rather than questioned and was met with an approving nod. 

“Aye, my dear. I saw this coming before the child was born.” He said sadly as he stopped and looked out over the water towards the fire lit shore. Tira felt rage bubble up through her chest at this.

“You could have prevented this… warned the poor people of that village.” She sputtered. Turick turned back towards her looking older and more tired than he did a moment ago.

“Such a passionate response to one who profits from these situations.” He said sternly. Tira shrank back from his gaze and lowered her eyes.

“I could not harm the boy; I didn’t want to feed on him… only to keep him safe.” She whispered as she looked at the sleeping child’s face.

“You are not like the others of your kind, girl.” Turick said gently before turning and walking away again.

“Tira.” She murmured and he nodded to himself.

“I know, but I thought it would be rude not to let you introduce yourself first.” He said with humor softening his voice.

“Will you take care of him?” Tira blurted out. Turick didn’t answer right away as he led her through a garden maze. They came to a courtyard in the center of it and he stopped. Silently he sat on the bench and laid his staff across his knees and looked up at her. The smile that curled his lip didn’t reach his eyes. He looked, to her, as if he knew a sad truth.

“Until his last breath.” He assured her and Tira looked uneasily from the mage to the boy.

“His name is Devlin.” Turick murmured.

“Devlin…” Tira murmured as she looked at the boy. She felt unimaginable sadness at leaving him in the care of others, but she could not throw him into the darkness with the beasts she knew. Beasts that would kill him faster than he could scream. Hesitantly Tira laid the boy on the bench next to the mage and took a step back.

“You’ve made the right choice, sweet Tira.” Turick said comfortingly as he laid a hand gently on top of the boys head. She could not bear to be there any longer, she was already fighting the urge to scoop the boy up and take him away from everything. Instead of answering Turick she simply turned and ran out of the garden and across the beach.

When she finally reached the boat her world was a blur of tears, before long she was rowing again. And in what seemed like only a moment she was climbing back onto the dock where the village was almost completely ash now. All she could manage to do was to sit on the dock with her head bowed and face in her hands as she sobbed. She cried for the boy, Devlin, and the numerous children that had lost their parents over the years. Whether it was because of her kind or the barbarians that thought it was a good time. She was unsure of how long she was there weeping for all that was lost, but soon enough there was a soft sound in the distance. She raised her head warily as she wiped away as much of her tears as she could.

“Where have you been, my child?” Said a smooth dark voice tinged with the lazy slur of one who has been sated. Tira scrambled to her feet and turned to see Da'Niel strolling down the dock to her.

“Wandering around the village.” She stammered before lowering her eyes. Da'Niel stopped in front of her and raised a hand to her chin and tilted it up. His hand was slick with warm blood and it clung to her skin.

“You’ve been crying, who has wronged my sweet girl?” He said with a frown as he dropped his hand again. His dark eyes wandered over her face and she saw that he was not as refined and polished as was his norm. His long dark hair that was usually pulled back into a tail at the base of his head was pulled out at odd angles and loose. His well-trimmed beard was matted with blood.

“No one has wronged me, father. I was merely saddened by the loss of so much life.” Tira said steadily as she met his eyes.

“Ah… My only progeny still clinging to such human ideals and morals.” He scoffed as he waved her away and pulled out a red handkerchief and began to clean his hands.

“I would have thought after two centuries with the clan, you would have gotten over it.” Da'Niel murmured as he cleaned under his nails.

“I swear, Tira, sometimes I think I am going to make you a brother so I can have one child to be proud of.” He said cruelly. Tira bit back her response and simply nodded.

“Perhaps, with a sibling, I would be able to relate more to someone of my kind and be less lonely.” She said defiantly. Da'Niel turned his attention back to her and she didn’t back down or cower at his gaze, so he simply raised an eyebrow.

“You are well aware of the process I must go through to find a suitable human, then to get approval from the council of elders. Not to mention it’s getting harder and harder to find humans with enough of the gift to even consider. Honestly, I am unsure whether or not I want to go through all of that again. I’ve been working with you for so long and it’s still a daily trial.” He said offhandedly as he looked her over.

“Father, I beg you… I no longer wish to be your only progeny. If you will not, I will go through the search for you… to find a suitable choice.” She pleaded as she folded her hands together.

“I will consider it at a future time, for now the answer will be no.” He said sternly, walking away, expecting her to follow, and she did so obediently.

***

Tira paced through the maze impatiently as she watched the horizon. The sun would be coming up in a few hours and she needed to see him. She needed to see that he was well and happy and if she could not, at least talk to Turick. Over the years she had visited the Mage’s island as often as she could, but sometimes years would pass before she was able to slip away. Tira found it hard to keep track of mortal time, it often moved too quickly to one such as herself. When you’re immortal things like time seem inconsequential to daily life, therefore you lose track of it. By her count it had been twenty years since she left Devlin in the care of the mages and at least thirteen since she had been able to visit. Turick had taken up coming to the garden under the excuse that he wanted to meditate as the sun rose, and that was when Tira would get to talk to him. In the first few years, Devlin had come to meet him after waking from his often occurring nightmares. This gave her the chance to actually see him, to really get a look at how well he may have been doing. She didn’t think Turick would lie to her but seeing it with her own eyes set her mind at ease. Now as she waited she feared it had been too long and something had happened. Before she could go tearing up to the castle she heard the soft shuffle of someone entering the courtyard. She slowed to a stop behind one of the hedges and waited to see who it was. Slowly Turick shuffled into view and she waited to see if Devlin had accompanied him. Tira frowned to herself as she saw that he was alone and walked out to meet him at the stone bench.

“Ah, Tira.” Turick greeted her as he smiled and sat down. She strolled up to him casually and returned his greeting with a nod.

“My apologies for being away for so long. I find that time moves a little differently for me.” She murmured as she sat down next to him.

“I understand, but I knew you’d return.” He chuckled and she nodded.

“I suppose you’d like to know how Devlin is doing?” He asked with a knowing smile.

“Of course… has he been well?” Tira asked anxiously and Turick smiled.

“Very well my dear, very well. He’s grown into a fine young man, and he’s become quite a skilled mage.” He said and glanced sideways at Tira as she started forming an idea.

“I’m glad to hear he’s been doing so well. I worry about him constantly.” She said as she started thinking of possibilities. Devlin could be the one she chooses to present to Da'Niel, the one to become a worthy son to him and companion to her. Her mind raced as Turick watched her.

“Oh yes, he’s been doing fine.” Turick said absently as if he were examining something from a distance. The look Tira knew meant he was seeing different possibilities for the future. She quickly changed her thoughts and smiled at him.

“I often wish I could see him, but being what I am makes it impossible in the daylight and such a hard working mage must sleep at night.” She said with a smile, hoping that he would come out to join Turick for a morning meditation.

“If I count it right, he should just about be… twenty nine now?” Tira asked with more cheer than she had meant to.

“Yes, just turned twenty nine about three months ago actually. He’s grown quite a bit since you were last here.” He said then smiled sadly. Tira looked him over and returned her forced smile as worry set into her. Their forced pleasantries at one time had been to pass the time, but now was habit. Tira had come to like the mage, sometimes she even ventured to think of him as a friend.

Before they could continue their conversation Tira heard the footsteps of someone running along the path towards them in the maze. She looked to Turick and he nodded once with another sad smile and closed his eyes to make it look like he was meditating. Quickly, Tira slipped to her hiding place just as Devlin came strolling into the little courtyard. For a moment she thought she was seeing someone else and as she realized it was him her eyes widened and her jaw threatened to hit the ground. The little Devlin she remembered no longer existed. Instead a tall and lean man was in his place. He had grown a full foot and a half and his dark hair was now well past his chin. Tira couldn’t believe it was him, but the same brilliant blue eyes shone and what was once a cute childish smile now became a roguish grin.

She watched, mesmerized by the result of passing years. He looked tired as he flopped down unceremoniously next to Turick and swiped his hands over his face.

“Oh! Devlin! I didn't hear you coming.” The old man said in a mock startled voice.

“Please excuse the fright, Mage Turick.” Devlin said formally with a grin.

“I was just walking and happened upon you.” He said with another one of his grins. The older man glanced sideways at Devlin with a knowing grin of his own and nodded.

“What has you up at this early hour? Can't be that excited about your ceremony can you?” He asked as Tira noted the tone of sadness that now laced his voice as well as his expression. Turick seemed to be memorizing Devlin’s face, like this would be the last time he’d see him and this made her wonder what he’d seen while talking to her.

“Of course…” He answered now aware of the scrutiny he was under. Suddenly Tira felt like she was spying on a private moment and took a step back into the shadows. They kept talking but she was already retreating through the maze towards the beach. Her mind started to race as did her feet along the uneven ground. Before she reached the edge of the small grove of trees tears were streaming down her face. After a while it was too hard for her to see through them so she stopped and rested her forehead against one of the tall trees. She didn’t know why she was crying but she let them flow freely now that she was far enough out of ear shot, where no one would hear her sobs. She was tired of running back to nothing but darkness and evil, to having to turn over her body to her inner demon. Quietly she wiped the tears from her cheeks and brushed her hair from her face.

“So this is where you sneak off to…” Whispered a hard voice. Tira gasped, her eyes widened as she spun around.

“Da'Niel!” She whispered breathlessly. Slowly he stepped out of the shadow of the trees and stopped with his hands clasped behind his back.

“I often wondered why you come back to this sad excuse for an island. I thought for sure when I told you not to you would listen. When I learned it was a haven for mages I expected you were searching for someone to present to me.” He raised an eyebrow as he glanced back towards the center of the maze then back to her.

“It seems you’ve been doing quite the opposite, you’ve been hiding him.” Da'Niel paused as Tira watched him cautiously. When she didn’t speak he continued.

“But Why? Why would someone so obsessed with having a companion hide such a promising subject? At first I thought maybe you had some notion of love for the human boy…” He wrinkled his nose in disgust. “…but he’d have had to have been a child.” He began to pace as he talked quickly as if to himself. “I think you have some twisted need to protect him, like a mother.” He stopped his pacing and stared at her, looking to see the truth of his words. Tira looked away only glancing momentarily towards where the two mages sat and talked.

“No, I don’t see him as my child.” She said quietly and blinked in shock as the words rang true. She wrapped her arms shakily around her middle.

“Then what?!” Da'Niel spat, his anger pouring out of him. “What could have possibly made you disobey your maker?”

Tira shook her head and let a curtain of curls fall between her and Da'Niel. She didn’t know the answer.

“I… I don’t know.” She said meekly. Before she could think to speak again, Da'Niel grabbed a fist full of her hair and yanked her head up so she was inches from his livid face. Tira bit down on a cry of pain as she looked into the murky depths of his eyes.

“I should kill them for your disobedience.” He growled. Tira’s stomach tightened as her vision blurred with more tears.

“NO!” She cried as her hand lashed out to fight him off. Her thoughts only circled around protecting the boy and the mage. Tira’s fingers curled into claws as she struck at his face. When they found their mark, Da'Niel reeled back raising his hand to cover a deep gouge in his cheek. She stumbled back looking at him as she realized what she’d done. The cuts ran from his hairline, across the bridge of his nose and the opposite jaw. He looked at her in shock, for the moment his anger stalled.

“You’ve made a grave mistake, my child. Two hundred years and you defy me for a human.” He said deadly calm and Tira swallowed back a hysterical laugh. “I will make you watch me kill them and then you will be punished.” He growled as she took a step back from him. In the tense silence that filled the next few moments was broken by bird song. Jolted from the heavy gaze of her master she looked towards the horizon. The sky was beginning to lighten and the world around them was beginning to wake as the sun started to rise. Suddenly Tira felt triumphant and a smile curled her lip as she turned back to Da'Niel.

“I’m afraid your plan will have to wait till nightfall, father.” She breathed quietly as she took off at a sprint back up the hill through the maze, back to Turick and Devlin. She kept an eye on the horizon and tried to keep in mind she only had minutes, if she stayed in the shadows maybe a little longer to figure something out. After being by Da'Niel’s side for so long, she knew he wouldn’t risk getting caught in the sun. She chanced a glance behind her as she entered the outer maze to see Da'Niel, unmoved, dabbing the blood from his cheek as he seethed. After this, she would be disowned by the clan and Da'Niel would make short work of turning them against her. She was on her own now and hadn’t thought much past what she was going to do this morning. She put the thought out of her head as she rounded each turn in the garden maze and prepared herself for what she was about to do