The Black Hold
"What are you doing here?"
The sight of Giselle made my stomach twist.
"I didn't expect such a warm welcome," she smiled, tilting her head. "Could you at least invite me in?"
"No," I said sharply. "What do you want?"
She sighed. "You always make things so dramatic. I heard… something happened." Her eyes flicked to Doya, lingering just a little too long. "And I thought I could… help."
I narrowed my eyes. "Help?"
I rose and stepped forward to close the door, but she held it firmly.
"I sent you that note, Dana."
My hands eased back from the door. "What?"
"Now, will you let me in?" she asked, her voice soft and coaxing.
I hesitated. Every instinct screamed no.
"I only want to help," she insisted.
I glanced at Doya. He stepped aside, giving her room to enter. I nodded, letting her in before closing the door behind her.
The silence stretched, thick and tense. Then she spoke.
"I tried to warn you."
"How did you know before it happened?" I demanded.
"What's going on?" Doya asked.
"Before the Cranium went missing, I received a note. A warning."
"And she sent it?" Kumbuye interjected.
Giselle scoffed. "You don't have to trust me. You just have to listen. You should have acted the moment you saw the warning. I always knew you weren't as competent as everyone thinks."
I rolled my eyes. "You still haven't answered my question. How did you know? Are you working with them?"
"Of course not," she said. "What do you think of me, Dana?" She drew a slow breath. "I overheard some Bound speaking in a bathhouse... They were in a private stall, they must have thought the place was empty."
"And what exactly did you hear?" I pressed.
"Enough to know the Cranium was in danger. Not enough to know who to be wary of." She shrugged. "They spoke of a meeting… and the Cranium was mentioned."
I looked at Kumbuye, silently seeking confirmation. He simply nodded.
"Where is this bathhouse?" I asked.
"Cindervale District." She responded.
"That's High Bound Roxy's district," Doya murmured.
I turned to her, narrowing my eyes. "And what were you doing there?"
She arched an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips. "Where?"
"In Cindervale District," I pressed.
"I stay there… I work at the bathhouse," she said casually.
"You've been in the Temple all this time?" I asked.
"I never said I left," she replied.
"How did you find out I stay here?" Doya asked.
"See, I hear things," she said, leaning forward slightly. "Words spread. You should know that. I don't mean you any harm… I swear it."
She sounded sincere, but I knew better than to trust her.
---
Kumbuye and I returned to the Sanctum grounds with the new information we had. Guards were stationed along the corridors, tense and alert, their eyes following our every move. We headed straight for Ascend Kaelric's quarters.
I knocked firmly on the door, and the two guards flanking the entrance stepped aside as the door swung open, allowing us in.
Kaelric looked between the two of us, his brows knitting together. "Dana? Kumbuye?"
"We have new information concerning the Cranium," I said quickly.
Kaelric's eyes darted down the corridor before he gestured us in. "What information do you have?"
"I received a warning yesterday about the Cranium going missing," I began, watching his expression shift. "The person who sent me the warning said there was a meeting in Cindervale District. It seems the workers of darkness aren't confined to Harrowfen alone, they may be operating across multiple districts."
Kaelric remained silent, pacing across the room. Finally, he spoke. "It would make sense if they're spread out. High Bound Paciver has been arrested and is being questioned as we speak. But if there are more, we need to expose them as soon as possible."
He turned to me sharply. "Why am I just hearing about this warning now?"
"I planned to show it to you today," I admitted, "not knowing the Cranium would be stolen at midnight."
"And who sent you this note?" he pressed.
"Her name is Giselle. She stays within Cindervale District. She overheard some Bound speaking about it in a bathhouse," I explained.
"If this is true, High Bound Roxy needs to be brought in immediately," Kaelric said.
Without delay, he ordered for the arrest of Roxy. The Cranium was still at large. The whole Temple was on lockdown but we had no idea if the Cranium had already left Thyr Vael.
Not long after the conversation I had with Kaelric, Kumbuye and I arrived at Thornwick, a building just outside the Sanctum grounds but still within the vicinity. The entire building was designed to intimidate, contain, and crush the spirit. People called this place the Black Hold. It was feared by all in the temple because few ever left it's walls unbroken. Inside, there were interrogation chambers and underground dungeons. The very same place where Paciver was being questioned, perhaps tortured for answers.
We passed through a maze of cells and corridors, each darker than the last, lined with cold chains and small barred windows that let in only the faintest light. Finally, we reached the chamber where Paciver was held.
We looked through the small bars. He was slumped against the far wall, his hands bound together by a chain, his face was pale. But his swollen eyes flicked up the moment he saw us.
"Dana..." he croaked. "I—"
He could barely speak. It hadn't been long since his arrest, yet they had already done a number on him. No wonder people feared this place.
I nodded to the guard standing nearby, signalling for him to open the door.
Paciver forced himself upright as Kumbuye and I stepped into the torture chamber. He was soaked in blood, and an iron collar had been fastened tightly around his neck, restraining his powers.
"P-Please… help me," he croaked, swallowing hard as his eyes darted to the dark corners of the room. "I don't know… I don't know anything."
"You just have to confess," I said, my voice hardening. "Tell us everything you know. The others working for Balshak in this Temple."
"I don't know anything, I swear it."
"If you refuse to speak," I warned, "we will draw the truth out of you. And it won't be easy."
He began to tremble. "I… I am telling you the truth. I don't know anything."
"Kumbuye," I called softly.
He stepped forward and placed his hands on Paciver's head, closing his eyes.
Over time in the Temple, Kumbuye's abilities had evolved greatly. He could now enter a person's mind and force them to speak by turning their own fears against them, breaking them until the truth spilled out. It was a painful process for anyone subjected to it.
Paciver screamed, begging and pleading, but Kumbuye pushed deeper.
After a short while of the mental torture, he finally pulled his hands away from Paciver's head. Paciver collapsed where he stood, his body going limp as he slipped into unconsciousness.
"What did you see?" I asked.
"He has done many things," Kumbuye said quietly, "but none of what he's being accused of."
"What does that mean?" I pressed.
"It means the man is a thief," Kumbuye muttered. "But he isn't the traitor we're looking for. He's innocent."
"What?" I whispered. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "I think someone is framing him… using him to lead us off the real trail."
I took a deep breath, my chest still tight from what I'd just witnessed. The room felt heavier now. If Paciver was being framed, it meant this went deeper than we thought. Perhaps they already knew our plans with Doya from the onset.
As we moved through the shadowed corridors of Thornwick, the echo of footsteps signaled another arrival. High Bound Roxy was being escorted in, her expression unreadable and cold. I watched her approach as the guards guided her past us, the tension in the air almost tangible.
The day outside had begun to darken, and yet, the Cranium's whereabouts remained a mystery.
Kumbuye and I returned to the Sanctum grounds. He went to his chambers while I headed straight for Kaelric.
"Paciver is innocent," I blurted the moment I saw him.
Kaelric turned toward me. "Why do you believe this?"
"Kumbuye went into his mind. The man is a greedy thief, yes, but he's not a worker of darkness. We've been deceived. Someone is framing him."
Kaelric said nothing. He stood by the window, staring out into the dimming light.
"Who gave the information that the meetings were being held in Harrowfen District?" I asked.
"The information came from a reliable source. Ascend Darveth can testify to that," Kaelric muttered.
"Yes, but do you know this reliable source?" I pressed.
"Well," he said, turning toward me and walking slowly across the room, "I did not see the need to ask further. Darveth has been handling the matter. I thought that was reason enough to trust it."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"Whoever is orchestrating this is highly strategic. This isn't just about stealing the Cranium," he said quietly. "Something bigger is moving."
I clenched my fists. Paciver being falsely accused was one thing, but the enemy's game was bigger than we realized. Someone was setting traps, framing others, and we were walking right into it.
I glanced at Kaelric. "We need to act fast. If they're strategic enough to steal the Cranium and frame Paciver, who knows what else they have planned?"
"There are twenty-four districts in this Temple," Kaelric muttered. "We have to be smart. No one can be trusted. We'll have news on Roxy by morning — if she's guilty, she'll talk."
I nodded and headed for the door.
"And Dana," he called out before I reached the handle. I stopped and looked back. "We'll get them. But this person you mentioned... the one who told you about Cindervale? She needs to be brought in too. We are not leaving any stone unturned."
I gave him a final nod and stepped out.
My head was spinning. I couldn't go back to my room, and sleep was out of the question. Instead, I slipped past the Sanctum grounds, saddled my horse, and rode for Harrowfen. I had to see Doya again.
---
The night was too quiet for the storm building inside me. When I reached Doya's cottage, I knocked softly — a specific rhythm only he and I used since the day he arrived here. I heard the lock click, and the door swung open.
I couldn't help but smile at the sight of him. He stepped aside, gesturing me in, and I felt the tension in my chest loosen just a little.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, shutting the door behind me.
"Of course not," I sighed, the weight of the night finally hitting me. "Everything is falling apart."
He didn't say a word, he just opened his arms and pulled me in for a hug. I held him tight, burying my face against him as the world outside disappeared.
"Everything will be fine," he whispered in my ear, then kissed my forehead gently and led me over to the bed to sit down.
"High Bound Paciver is innocent," I muttered.
"What?" He leaned closer, his voice a low whisper. "How can that be?"
"Kumbuye went into his head. He's innocent, someone is framing him." I let out a long, heavy breath. "I'm just so tired, Doya."
"That's why I couldn't find anything on him all this time," he muttered, mostly to himself. "Because he's clean."
I managed a weak scoff. "Well, he's not clean. The guy is still a thief."
Doya laughed softly at that. "Fair point."
The laughter faded as the reality of the situation settled back over us. "So," he groaned, "we're back to square one."
"Roxy is being questioned, so we'll know more by morning," I said, shrugging. "But Ascend Kaelric requested Giselle be brought in, too."
He frowned. "You told him about her?"
"I had to. The Cranium is missing. Everyone is a suspect now." I reached out my hands cupping his face as I looked into his eyes. "I just hope they don't come for you. I don't know what I'd do if they took you to the Black Hold. That place is... it's a nightmare."
Doya placed his hands over mine, his gaze steady. "Dana, you don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself."
"I know," I murmured. "I just... I can't lose you."
He pressed my palms to his lips and kissed them. "And you won't."
---
I rolled over and felt the warmth beside me. For a moment I stayed there, my body still heavy with sleep, before waking fully to the pale light filling the room. I had slept far longer than intended. Doya was still asleep. We had stayed up deep into the night, and now the morning was already half-spent.
I climbed out of the bed and pulled on my cloak. Doya stirred as I sat to fasten my boots.
Once I was done, I pressed a kiss to his forehead. His eyes shot open.
"You're leaving?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Yes, I must get to the Sanctum as soon as possible."
"I love you," he muttered, his voice thick with sleep.
"I love you too," I said, before stepping out of his cottage.
I saddled my horse and rode for the Sanctum. When I arrived, the grounds were unnaturally still. There were no Bound in sight.
As I dismounted, a Novitiate hurried toward me.
"The Ascend sent for you, a gathering is being held at the Great Hall and your presence is needed there." He said.
"Thank you." I nodded, turning quickly toward the Great Hall.
The heavy doors groaned open as I arrived. The first thing I heard was a sharp proclamation: "War is coming."
The hall went still. Every eye in the room turned toward me. I tried to slip to a corner to join the crowd, but the silence was so thick that the clicking of my boots felt like a betrayal of my presence.
War is coming?
I was still trying to wrap my head around the words when Ascend Corvath continued.
"Since the early hours of yesterday, the Cranium has been lost, and now we stand in a new day, yet still it is not recovered. More than a day wasted. This shall not stand." His voice echoed around the room.
"We must be prepared," he continued, "The disappearance of the Cranium is only the beginning. High Bound Roxy is in the Black Hold. She has confessed, and the rest of her circle has been detained as well."
Corvath scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the faces in the crowd. "There are many traitors among us. Whether you like it or not, you will be rooted out." His voice rose, tinged with a sudden anger.
"How do you intend to find these traitors?" One of the High Bound asked.
Corvath didn't respond. He simply sent the man a death glare.
"I am asking for the sake of the innocent," the High Bound clarified, his voice steadying. "For those who might be unfairly suspected."
"Details like those will not be discussed here," Corvath snapped. "However, let it be known today that High Bound Roxy, being a worker of darkness, will be executed without delay."
The hall erupted.
"You cannot execute a High Bound without a trial!" someone screamed from the back.
"Yes, we can," Kaelric interjected.
The room fell deathly silent. Kaelric stood from his seat, looming over the assembly. "It seems many of you don't understand the gravity of this situation." His eyes were cold with anger. "Blood was spilled in this Sanctum! We will not allow this to be overlooked. Roxy will be punished and her head will pay for her treason."
He lowered his voice, but it carried to every corner of the room. "As for those who think they can hide... your time is coming."
The silence that followed was so absolute you could have heard a pin drop.
"The hall is dismissed," Kaelric said.
He turned and walked through the door beside the thrones, followed closely by the other Ascend. A loud clamor broke out among the remaining Bound, everyone talking at once. Seizing the moment, I slipped out of the hall.