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Cian and I descended the black steps, past the undercroft where I had first come in. He held a lantern, the magic light within casting flickering shadows against the stairs in front and behind us. When he spoke, even in a whisper, his voice carried in both directions, echoing. “This was initially Nisang’s command.”
I still couldn’t hear his name without flinching a little. “I remember him mentioning them a few times.”
Cian nodded. “They were his idea. I was against it from the start, but there was never enough of me to go around. Sometimes, the Terrors would slip out in pairs, and I would spend weeks hunting them, even with Nisang and Odan’s help. That left Dev running things here far too often. I needed a reprieve from all the hunting, the fighting. The Silver Company was that reprieve. When I wasn’t too stubborn to listen.”
I could almost hear Nisang saying, “Which was never.”
“So, what are they?” I hurried to catch up with Cian, who was moving faster.
He paused, suddenly turning to face me. “They’re like me. Half-Terrors.”
I shuddered at the thought. Cian wasn’t a wicked man, but he had a vengeful streak that terrified me. “How exactly…?”
“When Iridyn unleashed the infertility curse on this land, it affected only the Nightmares. The Terrors remained untouched, as did the gargoyles. Even then, it is not an even affliction. Some young Nightmares become… desperate enough to make the attempt. It is not an easy mating, but Nisang was very good at providing… restraints.”
I listened to our footsteps for a long time. “You’re not affected, then?”
“We don’t know,” he said after a short pause. “The healers who’ve examined me seem to think I’m not affected since I’m half-Terror, but no one is certain and I have never tried, and even if I wanted to, I would never mate with the creatures down here. But some begged me for the chance and Nisang found a way with the weaker ones. The smaller, gentler ones capable of sentience and speech. The offspring are… different. They must be kept away, deep in the rock. Prolonged exposure to others… It breaks them. You will see.”
Deep in the rock, the black stairs spilled onto a carved city street. Doorways and windows had been carved into either side of the street and numbered wooden doors put up. It might have looked like a forgotten, buried underground street, but it was soundless as a tomb.
Cian pressed a finger to his lips as if my very thinking were too loud. Then he turned to face the empty, darkened street in silence. Slowly, lights came on inside each door. The doors scraped open, and the occupants stepped out.
They were hideous and beautiful, all of them giants with sleek silver skin and muscled torsos. They came out in their gleaming armor, spears at the ready, as if they never went or did anything without either. Identical helmets, each topped with a single onyx stone, hid most of their faces, but I could pick out a chiseled brow here, a stern jaw there. They were almost human in their construction except for the strangeness of their skin and their towering height. No wings, no claws, no fangs. Just big, silver men in perfect armor, armed with spears and shields.
The company lined up without a word from Cian, falling into line as if it were as natural as breathing. Cian walked up and down the line of them, inspecting silently before coming back to me. His hand went to one of the rings that adorned his fingers, silver with a black stone, onyx like the ones in their helmets. He offered it to me, whispering, “You will need this. When you put it on, you will be able to communicate mind to mind with them. You need only picture what you wish them to do, and it will be done.”
I frowned down at the ring. “Can’t I just… talk to them?”
He shook his head. “They can hear you, but are trained not to respond to voice commands. When you get used to it, you’ll actually find that mind to mind is far more effective and less time consuming.”
Cian pressed the ring into my hand. It was heavier than it looked, and made to fit his finger, not mine. Yet when I slid it on, it seemed to shift into the perfect fit. I waited for a sound, or some sign it was working, but received none.
Cian gestured for me to try it out.
Okay, I thought, and pictured them each raising a spear.
Their spears moved into position.
Right turn and forward march two steps.I didn’t think it as a command, just imagined it happening and it was done.
Metal jostled against metal as they moved and followed my silent command.
I thumbed the ring and casually entertained the idea of sticking one of those onyx helmets on Cian to see if he’d follow commands. The helmet… and nothing else.
All heads turned toward Cian.
I flushed and forced my mind blank as I realized I’d accidentally broadcast the thought.
Cian cocked his head to the side and gave me one of his playful, lazy smiles. “Congratulations. You made it what? Almost thirty seconds before picturing me naked?”
“You’re distracting me on purpose.”
He winked at me and showed me his other hand, which held an identical ring. “Maybe a little. I’m not playing fair, am I?”
“How many of these rings are there? Anybody else have one that I should know about?”
Cian shrugged. “Devonay has one. I’m sure she appreciated the eyeful she just got.”
