Season 2: Episode 1 – Beneath the Façade

This series contains mature themes and is intended for adult listeners.

>Begin Porta Cor imprint.<

Today, I risked sending a message to Bryn from inside the prison.

I do not yet know whether Emperor Dax’s machines can detect Porta Cor transmissions.

If they can, every thought I record here will lead them straight to me.

I needed her to know that she’s not alone.

I am always with her, just as I was the day we fled Teithia.

I remember the day we fled as clearly as if it happened moments ago.

Everyone in the capsule that afternoon and into the evening hours remained quiet.

Helplessly, I watched each of them suffer. The woman whom I called mother, Melys Tawel, died in Teithia, so all four of us were impacted by grief. That grief sat with us in the capsule like a fifth passenger.

Kylah murmured something incoherent, and I looked around for more gauze as I saw the wound in her shoulder bleeding again.

“Oswalt, can you hand me that med pack on your side?” I asked him, pointing to the compartment by the window. He wiped his tears away and handed me the pack.

“Thanks.”

“Where are we going, Dahlfia?” he asked, glancing out the window as our capsule shifted more west than south.

I finished adding more gauze to Kylah’s wound, and she offered me a grateful smile.

“We’re going to the safest place I know,” I said.

Kylah lifted her head and looked out the window. “Is there anywhere safe?”

I chewed my bottom lip, debating whether to say the name aloud. “Che’el de Velg’lan.” I breathed.

Bryn remained unmoving, her eyes blank, staring at nothing.

Kylah’s head snapped toward me. Oswalt choked on his water, unable to speak.

“What the hell?” Kylah managed to get out. “Have you lost your mind?”

The high walls of Che’el de Velg’lan appeared beside us as we approached the eastern gate. They were higher than any I had seen before.

I saw no guards, but I knew they were watching. Our capsule and the ones behind us carried the exiles of Teithia and other communities that had fallen in the last day.

After the shock of where we were going and the initial rounds of curses, Kylah had drifted back into unconsciousness.

A moment later, she stirred again and lifted her head, staring at the walls. “Fuck me.”

“Kylah, we will manage.”

In truth, I only hoped we would.

Our capsule and those behind us stopped as we approached the closed east gate. I opened the door to the capsule and got out as guards at the gate came forward, fully armed to greet me. Somewhere above the gate, I heard a faint metallic click.

I squatted and then stretched for a moment, acting nonchalant. Never let a Velg’lan see you nervous.

Four female guards stopped in front of me. The dance began.

I lowered my head in respect and waited. The seconds ticked like hours. Were they going to engage?

One, with the insignia of a captain, lowered her head to me, and I felt a little breath of relief escape. One formality completed. I waited for her to lift her head before lifting mine, and I uttered the tongue of their people in the best way I could, “Cyfarchion i’r tân.”

I think my last word was a little off in pronunciation, but I didn’t let it show on my face.

The four guards exchanged a brief glance. Then the Captain repeated back, “Cyfarchion i’r tân.” 

She paused for a moment and then extended her right hand to my shoulder.

Then I lifted my right hand to her shoulder.

And then we both lowered our heads again together.

“Welcome back to Che’el de Velg’lan, Dahlfia of Teithia. We are expecting you.”

Of course they were, I thought.

The captain continued, “I am Captain Tanbaid. Before you enter, we must collect all weapons carried by anyone in your capsule.”

We dropped our arms simultaneously, and she motioned to the capsule.

“Of course,” I said, looking back to the capsule. “I have one badly injured passenger and two barely holding themselves together.”

“We will be mindful,” she promised.

I nodded and stepped aside. One guard took my knives and swords from me and then patted me down to make sure I had no more.

Another searched Oswalt, who complied, but the guard’s expression shifted to confusion over the concept of someone being unarmed.

Bryn stood up out of the capsule mindlessly, and a guard searched her and removed a couple of knives from her sleeves.

Kylah, on the other hand, posed a more eventful search. I stepped toward her as she was attempting to slap the guard’s hands away from her. “Kylah, let them search you. We cannot enter armed. You will get your weapons back.”

She staggered a moment and sneered at the guard, “Fuck off.” But her knees buckled, and she began to sink. I rushed to her side and held her up, motioning for the guard to hurry and finish the search.

The guard cautiously patted Kylah while I held her, removing knives, throwing stars, swords, and other small, twisted weapons. “You carry around a small weapon shop?” I asked her, amused. She did not seem amused by the glance she gave me as I sat her back down in the capsule once the guards completed their search.

The gates began their slow grind open, metal gears and pulleys echoing against the stone. Captain Tanbaid motioned toward the center of town once the gates were fully opened.

“You remember where the smithy is?” she asked.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Navigate to the smithy and stop there. A party will direct you.”

“Thank you, Captain.” I lowered my head again, and she lowered hers in response. I stepped into our capsule again and navigated it through the massive black metal gates.

Behind us, the capsules stopped one by one to be searched before entering.

I looked out the window at the buildings and streets as we passed. Shops and houses lined the streets on either side. Croenddu walked about as if going about their ordinary day. But I knew it was all a façade.

The cobblestone streets. The stone houses with their thatched roofs. Even the taverns and bakeries.

They were all lies.

I stopped outside the smithy and turned to help Kylah out of the capsule. Oswalt helped Bryn out, who seemed to follow instructions in a stupor.

A different set of guards appeared now in the unmarked building across from the smithy. These guards were more decorated than the ones at the gates, as they should be given who they guard.

With Kylah’s arm over my shoulder, I held her upright. The guards nodded in greeting and motioned for us to follow them inside.

The capsule behind us had unloaded as well. Councilor Myr of Eleri entered with the others behind us. Other guard units greeted the capsules behind us and escorted them inside later.

Inside the building, a few desks were scattered about. Croenddu stood or sat nearby, whispering to one another while watching us. A few gazes lingered on Kylah as she leaned heavily on me.

The guards led us through double doors to a lift. We stepped inside. Myr was standing next to me with her eyes open in wonder at the lift, especially as it started moving down instead of up.

The last time I had been here, I wandered these halls for nearly an hour before finding my way back.

Myr shifted nervously as we continued to descend. About 8 floors down, the lift came to a stop, and the guards opened the doors for us to exit. The lift exit opened into a large reception room, where about two dozen Croenddu, dressed in black cloaks with red embroidery sewn along the hemlines, stood. Their hoods were thrown over their heads except for the one in the center.

I recognized those bright gold eyes, long curly black hair, and a face impossible to read, but I knew her.

As we approached, I nodded my head in respect, and she nodded back to me. “Dahlfia, welcome back to Che’el de Velg’lan, old friend.”

“Awyr, it is such a relief to be here.”

She lifted her hand to cut off any gratitude I was about to extend. “All against the current Council of Elders are welcome here,” she said firmly. “Our rules must be followed.”

I nodded my understanding, and that satisfied her.

Her eyes shifted over Bryn and Oswalt, and her expression remained unreadable.

I noticed Bryn staring at the floor blankly.

Then Awyr’s gaze fell on Kylah, whom I was holding upright still. Kylah stirred, coming back into consciousness.

Awyr stepped forward, and now there was a slight upward tug on the corners of her long, thin lips. “Ah, Kylah.”

Kylah started to shove me away from her and stand up on her own, but she was so unsteady I had to catch her again.

“Awyr,” she sneered her name as though it was a curse word.

“I see you’re in no shape to take me on in the arena at the moment,” Awyr added, looking her over. “You’ve got some blood coming through your bandage there.”

I looked down, and sure enough, the extra gauze I applied in the capsule was already soaked through and now blood dripped on the floor.

“I could still take you,” Kylah argued defiantly.

“Not today.” Awyr assessed coolly.

“Stop it,” I hissed at Kylah. They were only goading each other like usual, but their competitive natures were not helping Kylah’s condition at this point. “I need medical attention for her.”

Awyr nodded, “They will all receive care.”

She made a soft clicking sound, and the guards stood at attention again. Then several who stood with Awyr came and took Kylah from me, escorting her to a healer, and another came to escort Oswalt and Bryn. Bryn walked beside them, staring blankly at the ceiling.

After about ten minutes, the huge chamber was empty except for Awyr and me. “I need to speak with you.” She whispered and motioned me to follow her as she quickly turned and left the chamber through a small hallway at the back of the room.

I hurried after her. She led me through a calculated maze of hallways to a room, bringing me inside and locking the door behind us.

The room was simple, with no décor, a desk, a table, eight tall-back chairs, some lights, and a rug in the center. No papers, no food, no drink. Nothing to suggest anyone used this room, except that there was no dust.

She took a seat and motioned across from her, so I sat there.

She leaned forward with her intense gold eyes on me, “Dahlfia, you don’t have to explain. I know.”

I nodded, relieved I would not have to speak everything that happened to us in Teithia. Of course, she knew. The Velg’lans always knew.

“They have not taken all the communities on Landoris. Teithia is gone. Eleri fell. Cian too. Linton, Torand, Cariad, all taken. We are holding Lartia, Thantos, Alban, and Rhoeri. Some of them barely. Here, Thantos and Alltud are untouched as usual. We are going to need Bryn as soon as possible. The leaders of all the communities left to us, and those deposed, will be looking to her.” She looked at me intently, “Is she going to be able to handle this?”

I paused to think a moment, and knowing what I know about Bryn, I nodded with confidence. “I think she just needs a little time.”

Awyr nodded. “I know you know her best. A little time will be all we have, though, and then we need to regroup and set a game plan.”

“I agree. I don’t want Mallaidh to build up any more allies while we are here. We need to get word out to Thantos, as they would be the most likely to sway if monetary gain were offered.”

“They would sell their souls to the highest bidder.” She agreed. “Now, I want you to go get cleaned up and get some rest, too. You look and smell awful.” Her face was still stoic. “But there is one more thing I need to warn you about.” She leaned in even closer to me, so I leaned toward her as well.

“There is news.” She paused. “About Kylah.”

I arched one eyebrow curiously.

“Before Teithia fell, someone had been disposing of unwanted humans.”

She paused. “The reports say Kylah was the one doing it.”

I shifted uncomfortably.

“And Dahlfia, before the fall, she was seen speaking with Mallaidh supporters.”

I said nothing.

>End Porta Cor imprint.<