Traitor or Ally
NB: This chapter will feature a switch in POV from Dana to Doya, and you'll know exactly when.
Enjoy :)
Dana's POV
Kumbuye and I hurried back to the Sanctum grounds to find Ascend Darveth. We were halfway up the stone staircase leading to his quarters when we saw him coming down toward us.
"Oh, thank the Light," I whispered. "Ascend Darveth!" I called out, bowing my head as he stopped a few steps above us. "I have bad news. It's urgent."
He looked down at me. "What could be worse than the Cranium going missing?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
I glanced around the open stairwell, concerned that someone might hear us. "I think we should speak in private. Please."
"Very well. Follow me."
He turned back around and led us the rest of the way up to his quarters. Two guards stood at his door and with a sharp wave of his hand, he dismissed them. Inside the room was massive. It was not as decorated as Ascend Kaelric's, but it still held that same air of authority.
At the center stood a large table with six chairs. Darveth gestured for us to sit. He moved to a side table, pouring wine into silver cups, and set them in front of Kumbuye and me.
"Do you care for wine?" he asked. His voice was hoarse and rough.
Darveth was a man of few words, and he was intimidating to sit across from. He rarely spoke, but when he did, it commanded respect.
"No, thank you," I said, pressing my lips together.
He looked at Kumbuye, who also declined. Then he sat down, staring straight at us. "Speak. What is so important?"
I took a sharp breath, trying to steady my hands."The temple is under siege by the Forsaken."
His eyes widened in shock. "What?"
"That is not all," I said, looking down at my hands on the table.
He kept his gaze sharp on me, waiting for the rest.
"We believe that one of the Ascend has been compromised, also the Cranium would be used to release Balshak from his prison." I murmured.
The room went quiet. Darveth didn't move or speak for a while. Finally, he broke the silence.
"How did you come to this conclusion?"
"We captured a worker of darkness. He confessed."
"When?" His brow furrowed. "When did this happen?"
"This morning. Right after High Bound Roxy's execution."
"Did he give a name?" He leaned forward, his shadow looming over the table. "Did he say which Ascend it was?"
"No... but he told us the execution was a distraction." I explained. "Only the Ascend knew about the timing before anyone else."
He turned his head, staring straight at the wall. "This adds it all up."
"Adds what up?" I asked.
He ignored my question, instead he snapped his eyes back at me. "Where is this traitor now?"
"He is at Doya's cottage," I responded. "We came to you first. We need to know what to do about the siege."
Beside me, Kumbuye remained quiet. I glanced at him, wondering if he was trying to peek into Darveth's mind. But even if he tried, the Ascend were known for the mental walls they built. They knew Kumbuye's ability, they would never leave a door open for him to enter.
Darveth stood abruptly and walked to the window, looking out. "If an Ascend is truly compromised, you must tell no one else about the siege. We cannot let that information fall into the wrong hands."
"You said it adds up," I muttered, bringing him back to his earlier statement. "What did you mean?"
He turned around, his expression grim. "It is treason to speak against another Ascend," he began, hesitating. "But since you arrived, Ascend Kaelric has been acting... strangely. He has kept secrets from the rest of the council." He began to pace across the room. "After the breach, he told us to say nothing about a possible traitor among us to the rest of the Bound. He said he had it under control... but the council knew he was losing his grip, so they put me in charge of the matter instead."
He stopped and looked at me intently. "I suspected something was wrong, but I did not want to believe it. Now, I have no choice." He made his way back to the table and sat down, leaning close. "If we are going to stop Kaelric, we have to do this my way."
A chill went down my spine. "No," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Kaelric wouldn't..." I blinked in confusion. "Ascend Kaelric cannot be the one. That's not possible."
"But it is," Darveth said. "Kaelric wants power. He wants more control than the council allows. We must not let him succeed."
A cold weight settled in my gut. I didn't want to believe it, but hearing it from another Ascend made it feel real.
I sighed. "What do you want us to do?"
"Stay within the Sanctum grounds," he ordered. "It is not safe for you outside. Do not speak of the siege to anyone. I will move to unseat Kaelric from the highest seat of the council tonight. Once he is removed, I will inform the rest of the council about the siege and Kaelric's plans."
"We are supposed to meet Doya back at his cottage," I insisted.
"Don't worry about that, Dana. I'll meet with him myself and fill him in on everything we discussed," he said, then glanced at Kumbuye. "Anything you want to add?"
Kumbuye looked at him. "Dana has told you everything we know," he said shortly.
"Very well. Return to your quarters and remember — tell no one."
We walked out into the hall. Kumbuye still hadn't said a word until we were several hallways away.
"Is something the matter?" I asked.
"I don't trust him," he groaned.
"Why not?"
"I think he's hiding something. And he keeps saying we should tell no one about the siege. How does that help the temple?"
"It would keep the news from falling into the wrong hands and prevent the people from panicking." I replied, though it sounded more like I was trying to convince myself.
"I think they need to know how bad things are, people need to panic so they can prepare!" Kumbuye argued.
I sighed. "By tomorrow, everyone will know."
"Well... that's after he takes power from Kaelric," he noted.
I grabbed his arm, forcing him to a stop. "What are you saying? You think Darveth is the traitor?" My voice went thin, whispering.
"I'm saying Darveth is the one talking about power," he said, hardening his voice. "We need to be more careful."
"If you're so suspicious, why didn't you just go into his head?" I snapped, frustration bubbling over. I turned and started walking again, away from him.
"Come on, Dana!" he called after me, sounding just as frustrated. "You know I can't do that to an Ascend!"
I didn't answer. I just headed for my room, with my mind still spinning, and called for Lysara.
***
Doya's POV
The sun had begun to set, and still, Dana hadn't returned. My chest tightened. The Sanctum did not feel very safe anymore, not if an Ascend could be a traitor. I tried to think, but my mind was a mess.
"So, what's the deal? Is she your lover or something?"
Yurich's voice came from the dark corner, breaking my silence. I lost it instantly, my eyes snapped toward him. I grabbed a cloth, lunged across the room, and stuffed it into his mouth. I just wanted him to shut up.
He began to mumble through the cloth, the muffled sounds grating against my last nerve. I grabbed his chin and forced his head up. I made sure he looked me in the eyes.
"You just keep testing me," I whispered, my voice dropping to a low, rough edge. "And I swear to the heavens, Yurich, I will pull that tongue right out of your throat."
He went deathly still, the color draining from his face instantly. I shoved his head back, and stepped away still feeling the unease.
Just then, there was a loud knock at the door.
It was not the same kind of knock Dana and I were used to, but I hurried to the door anyway, hoping she had returned.
When I opened it, Ascend Darveth stood there, staring straight at me. For a moment, I froze. He was here, but Dana and Kumbuye were nowhere in sight.
"Would you keep your Ascend standing out any longer?" he demanded, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, forgive me. Please, come in." I stepped aside, gesturing him in.
"Where is Dana?" I asked as I closed the door.
"Is this the traitor?" he said instead, ignoring my question.
"Yes," I replied.
Yurich started mumbling again, struggling to scream, but Ascend Darveth silenced him, using his power to choke him. Yurich trembled on the chair, still restrained.
Confusion twisted in my chest. "Ascend Darveth, we need him," I said trying to stop him.
"No, we do not. He is a traitor and he deserves to die," Darveth said coldly.
"Yes, but he might have more information on the others," I pressed, desperation creeping into my voice.
Paying no heed to my concerns, Darveth snapped Yurich's neck. His head came off cleanly, rolling across the floor, with blood slipping down his lump body.
My blood ran cold. Darveth turned to me, noticing the shock in my eyes.
"It was necessary, Doya," he said quietly. "The temple must be protected from traitors like him."
I remained still, saying nothing. For a long moment, the silence stretched until I found my voice again.
"Where is Dana?" I asked.
"She should be at the Old Watchtower. I told her to meet me there when I came for you," he replied, his eyes scanning my room, with his presence heavy and intimidating.
"Why didn't she come with you?" suspicion rose in my chest.
"Ascend Kaelric called for her, but she did not want to keep you waiting. So, she asked me to come alone," he said smoothly.
A tight knot formed in my chest. Something about him felt wrong.
"The day is fading. We must reach the Old Watchtower quickly," Darveth muttered.
"Why do we have to go there, why not just stay here?" I asked him.
There was a brief pause. Not long, but long enough to feel intentional. His face hardened. "You asked for my help, did you not? Or have you forgotten that already?"
"That's not what I—"
He cut me off mid-sentence, "I do not like to be questioned. Do not start questioning every instruction I give you." His voice didn't rise, but it sharpened. "There are reasons for everything I do. You do not need to understand them, you just need to follow them."
I remained silent. All of this felt… strange, but I knew better than to question him further.
"What do we do about Yurich?" I asked instead, nodding toward his headless body.
"We will discuss that after we have had a meeting about the siege," he said, dismissively.
I walked toward my bed and grabbed a black coat, then we stepped outside. The Old Watchtower wasn't nearby. The path was long and exhausting, and the sun was already dipping behind the horizon. We walked in silence, the distance was giving my unease time to grow with each step.
When we finally reached the tower, Darveth led me down into the vault — the underground chamber where he claimed Dana was waiting. But the moment I descended the wooden stairs, the room was dark and empty.
"Where is sh—"
An iron collar clamped around my neck before I could finish.
My body froze.
"What is—" I began, but the realization slammed into me.
Darveth was the traitor.
I rushed to climb the stairs toward the vault door to escape, but before I could reach it, chains shot out of nowhere, wrapping tight around my wrists and yanking me down to my knees. The metal bit into my skin as I struggled, pulling me across the cold stone floor and slamming me into the far wall.
I yanked at them, desperately trying to release myself but I couldn't break free.
"What… what have you done?" I whispered, my voice cracking, laced in horror.
Darveth stepped closer, summoning fire to the iron sconces along the wall. The faint glow of the torches caught the cruel smirk on his face. "You always thought you were clever, did you not?" His voice was calm and gentle. "So brave, so… useful."
I froze, every muscle in my body locked.
He leaned down and lifted my chin with one hand, forcing me to meet his eyes. "You were the perfect pawn for my game," he said softly. "Everything I have done… everything I planned… it would not have worked without you helping, without you thinking you were outsmarting me. And for that… I should thank you."
I couldn't speak. A bile rose to my throat and my stomach tightened. I had trusted him. Every secret, every plan, I had given it all to him.
"But do not worry, this is for the greater good," he concluded, turning toward the door.
"Why?" I whispered, finally letting the question escape.
He glanced at me, his gaze lingering for a moment before he faced the door again. I heard the creak of the wooden stairs beneath his feet as he ascended from the underground vault, then the door opened and swung shut behind him.
Only then did I feel the sting in my knees. I had never been this scared. I put Dana in danger and made her confide in the very person she should have stayed away from. The emotional pain overshadowed the physical. Worse still, there was nothing I could do. No one knew I was here.
As my head swam with thoughts, I heard the door swing open again. Footsteps creaked on the wooden stairs.
My head shot up instantly. Someone had stepped inside.