The Tree of Black and White (The Shadowdancer Chronicles, Book Two)

Chapter Four

The tension beneath his temples began to dissipate; the all too familiar pain receded back to the depths of his mind. It was taking longer to recover each time, a fact that Karn had not ignored, only refused to acknowledge as any real threat. But it was a threat, an obstacle; an undeniable cataclysm. His hands shook as he reached for his wine. It was a light red and from some lesser vineyard, obviously not something welcome at his master’s table, but, then again, he was not at his master’s table. He took a generous pull before discarding the chalice on the ebony slab. Karn ignored the intricate designs that traced throughout the wood. His predecessor could have spoken for days about the care, expertise and ingenuity required to carve such a masterpiece, but to Karn, it was nothing more than an unnecessary extravagance.

The echo struck then, paralyzing his body, sending his mind into a spinning horror. It lasted only seconds, but in that time a cool sweat had gathered on his brow. He shuddered as the tremor left his body.

He was running on empty, an enveloping need to refill resounded through his body. And so soon, he thought with a frown.

“Is everything…okay, m’lord?”

Karn glanced up at the voice. It was one of the house servants, though her name escaped him. He only nodded in response, leaving the skinny girl to fidget nervously as she spoke.

“M’lord bid me to remind you of the time. Night’s first is upon us.” She was a finicky thing, always adjusting her weight from one foot to the other as she talked.

            He nodded once more. The girl could not have left any faster. Karn would have laughed had he not just recovered from an echo. It is a small price to pay, he told himself time and again. With some effort he pulled himself from his seat and moved to the far side of the room. An odd shaped bureau sat against the wall. Karn opened the door and reached into the space near the back, depressing a small block that was hidden in the corner. When his finger let up the pressure, a hidden compartment popped out. His hands shook as he grabbed the single vial that lay on its side in the compartment. It was smaller than his little finger and cylindrical at the bottom but narrowed towards the top. There was a clear liquid inside and a piece of wax covering the opening. He pulled off the stopper and, attempting to steady his hands, raised the vial to his left eye. The liquid touched his eyeball, immediately calming his tremors, quelling his hunger. He closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling; the soothing liquid coated the surface of his soul and settled his unease. It took only moments for the effects to reverberate throughout his body. The exhaustion that dug into his bones fluttered away. He replaced the wax on the vial then, staring at the minute amount of serum left. There were two, maybe three doses left. It was not enough.

            A pang of regret struck him as he thought about the lost vial of oclasalt, the contents of which would have supplied him with years of serum. It was not the only way to create the serum. He could garner the same effects from Fae blood, if the possibility of obtaining Fae blood even existed any longer. But the Fae were gone, lost to the world along with the truest forms of magik. As an Illusionist, or a Distorter as he was so aptly named by many of his counterparts, forms of magik were used every day, but they did not even compare to the world of mysticism that once existed long ago. Of course, he was not alive for such a time…pity.

            The truth was that the oclasalt would have provided more than just ample amounts of serum. Karn owed a debt to a man, a very powerful man; one who was not like to forget those who owed him and even less likely to forgive when they failed to deliver.

            Despite his obvious disquiet, he could chastise himself later over the ruinous result of the coterie. He had a meeting with a very important individual, one whom would not enjoy being forced to wait. Karn rose from the giant black desk and sauntered out of the chamber. He moved quickly through the stone hallways, dodging servants and stewards with indifference. It was not the largest keep in the kingdom, but it was not far from it.