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close enough to one of his stashes to get to it if he found himself
unarmed.
Which was frequently.
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FIRES OF BALLIAN
Moh dredion didn t want him to depend on physical arms, he
wanted him to use magick. But almost all the creatures he sent
after Keiran did carry weapons of some sort everything from
assorted blades, scythes, axes, and maces, to quarterstaffs and
clubs. It had become simple enough for Keiran to relieve the
creatures of any weaponry he might find useful after he d slain
them. He d managed to procure the occasional blanket and pouch
of food as well.
This is it, Keiran said, holding back several thick, prickly
branches to reveal the opening.
Though they had to bend down to go through the entrance,
once inside, the cave widened up and out and was big enough not
only to stand in upright, but to easily accommodate two men,
Keiran s backup weapons, and have some room to move around or
even fully stretch out on the floor to sleep. Though this wasn t his
actual body, Keiran found he still had to eat, drink, and sleep in
order to survive here.
There was room for a fire pit on the floor as well, but he hadn t
ever dared light a blaze for fear it would reveal his hideaway,
which, thankfully, none of Moh dredion s dream minions had
discovered yet. He d been able to cope without a fire for cooking,
surviving mostly by foraging in the woods. And though it wasn t
warm here, it was never quite cold either. In spite of the violent
storms Death loved to throw at Keiran, the temperature remained
moderate day and night. Almost as if, living in his deep
underground cavern where he himself had little exposure to the
changing of seasons, night and day, and fluctuating temperature,
Moh dredion didn t realize his dream world climate should be any
other way.
Once they were inside, Gaige turned and held a palm up to the
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opening Keiran knew he was about to put a protective screen
over the entrance to hide it and them.
He placed a hand on Gaige s arm. No magic.
When Gaige looked at him in confusion, Keiran said, We
can t use magick here. I mean, we can use it, but I don t. I won t.
And while you re here, you can t either. It s what Moh dredion
wants. He feeds off it. Draegan magick makes his power strong.
And the magick of a draegan lord even more so, Gaige said,
understanding and finishing the thought.
Gods but he d missed that& the way he and Gaige could often
finish each other s thoughts and sentences. Yes. That s why he
taunts me and sends hunters after me. He s trying to force me into
using it to save myself. Or to save& His voice trailed off.
This isn t the first time you ve seen me here, is it? You said I
always die. Gaige turned toward him. Even muddy and still
dripping from the rain outside, he was the most beautiful thing
Keiran had ever seen. It made his breath catch just to look at him.
But then again, it had always been that way.
Keiran sighed, sinking into a crouch, his back against a wall of
the cave. I ve seen you, but not the real you. Just a creation, a
form that looks like you. Moh dredion puts you in my dreams
sometimes.
You thought you were dreaming me out there today. That s
why you reacted the way you did, wasn t it?
I am dreaming you. Even though it s the real you and not
some farce Death created, this is still just a dream, Gaige. My
dream. You ve somehow entered it, but it s a dream nonetheless.
That s what Moh dredion does when he brings someone into
Ballian.
Ballian?
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Here. Where we are. Well, where my body is.
Gaige knelt in front of him and rested his hands atop Keiran s
knees, squeezing gently. His face was a study in love, worry,
fear but not fear for himself, for Keiran. Tell me. I don t know
how long I have here, how long my grandmother s potion will
work, and I need to know everything, Keiran.
Keiran s chest tightened. He leaned forward and kissed Gaige,
savoring his taste, the feel of his warm lips against his own. I ve
missed you so damned much.
I ve missed you, too. I was afraid you were dead. I couldn t
feel you anymore. It was like&
A part of you was gone.
Yes.
I know. I know, m aerlas. It was the same for me. I don t even
know& how long have I been here?
Three weeks.
Keiran squeezed his eyes closed. For me it s been& He
swallowed hard.
It s been what? Does time move differently here?
I think so. I don t know how long it s been exactly there s
no day and night here, just gray but it s felt like months. Maybe
longer.
Gaige let out a soft huff of breath and his face tightened. Talk
to me. What happened after Death took you from our tent that
night?
He brought me through the portal to Ballian& that s the name
of the shadow world. Right now my body is lying on a stone table
in Ballian, growing weaker. That s how he feeds. He uses some
kind of ancient earth magick to trap his victim in a deep sleep
where all they can do is dream. And then he fills the dreams with
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hurt and pain and torment.
Like the visions. The ones I had of you for weeks before he
took you away.
I remember. And, yes, that s exactly what it s like. He wants
to escalate the victims level of fear, which in turn makes their
energy all that much more satisfying for him. With draegans, or
other beings with inherent magick, he feeds on not only the life
energy, but the magic as well.
Hence his appetite for draegan children?
Children are easy to frighten, and the draegan children also
have magick.
But then he decided to come after you. Why?
Byram told Moh dredion about me, after you and I escaped
from Thrythgar. The moment Death found out one with lord blood
survived, he began to plan.
Keiran sank the rest of the way onto the floor. Thomas was
right. When Byram went to Moh dredion to bargain with him,
Moh dredion had been on a starvation regime ever since the elves
closed the passage between our worlds. He was desperate, and
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