Kovac shrugged. "No one knows. It could've been a plague or an earthquake. The story says that one day the people were here and the next they were all gone. Just wiped clean."

"There was treasure here, but not the kind you're after," said Monella, handing out bowls of stew. Alyssa tried not to make a face when she saw lumps of rhubarb floating on the surface. At least it was filling and would warm her up. "Voechenka was the birthplace of the Blessed Mother. The first church devoted to her was built here hundreds of years ago."

Followers of the Blessed Mother claimed it to be one of the first religions in the world. Alyssa had always known that it was an old faith, but people with golden skin had been living in Shael for centuries. How could Monella know such a thing?

"What happened?" asked Tammy, before Alyssa could ask.

"What always happens," said Monella, shoving a bowl into Kovac's hands with more force than was necessary. "War. One tribe didn't like the new religion. They fought and tried to kill everyone who followed the Blessed Mother. Some escaped and they spread the Faith."

"If it's not gold or riches, what was the treasure?" asked Tammy.

"The original sacred text," said Monella with more than a hint of reverence. "All eight books of the Harvest written on stone tablets. The divine word passed down from God through a true Oracle. It was so precious they built a maze and hid the books at its heart to keep them safe."

Alyssa saw that Monella was taking perverse pleasure in telling Kovac that his treasure hunt had been for nothing.

"How do you know this?" asked Alyssa.

Monella's expression darkened and she didn't answer until she'd ushered her two aides away down the stairs. "I suppose it doesn't matter now. I used to be one of the Faithful. I devoted my life to the Blessed Mother. The origin of our faith is a secret that has been passed down through the generations of priests here in Voechenka. It has been this way since the old city fell."

"The High Priest. Other members of the Faithful elsewhere. Do they know?"

Monella shook her head. "No one knew outside this city. There are dozens of stories out there, but they're all fake. All of the Faithful in Voechenka are dead. Now, you are the only ones that know this secret."

"Did you ever try to find it?" asked Alyssa. "Find the heart of the maze?"

Monella started to turn away but paused with her back towards them. "No."

"Why not?"

"My faith wasn't strong enough." With that the old woman stumped away down the stairs.

"A maze," said Balfruss, poking at his stew with a spoon. "That could take weeks to map."

He didn't need to say it. They were all thinking the same thing. They didn't have time. The Forsaken were destroying a different base almost every night. Their power and strength would be growing, so too would their numbers. They left no bodies behind unless they were truly dead. It wouldn't be long before they came to the winery. For all Alyssa knew, they could be next.

Even as she thought about the Forsaken Alyssa heard a scream drift through the air from elsewhere in the city. Next came the roar of battle and the clash of steel as people in another camp fought for their lives.

Part of her was grateful that it wasn't their turn tonight and she immediately felt guilty for such an unworthy thought. The Forsaken would come for them soon enough.

Closing her eyes Alyssa offered a prayer to the Blessed Mother to watch over them all. If she couldn't protect them then perhaps she could gift them with a swift and merciful death. The more Alyssa learned about the Forsaken the less terrifying she found the alternative.

Knowing that others would be looking to her for strength and hope, she went to her room to pray.

This time, as she sank down on her knees in the silence of her own room, she found other thoughts didn't intrude. Other noises in the building were muffled but she could easily block them out. Despair and fear about what might happen to them all caused tears to run down her cheeks, but she didn't wipe them away. Lying down and just waiting to be consumed by the tide would be so easy. They'd fought long and hard, but now it seemed pointless. You couldn't fight the ocean and the Forsaken seemed as implacable and relentless as the waves.

Alyssa knew a small portion of her fear came from the city and its taint, but the rest was all of her own making. It was she who had given comfort to her people in the death camps when all hope was lost. It was she who had taken on the role as spiritual leader when others lost their faith. And now it was she who had been chosen to lead her people and inspire them. But for all of her people's recent accomplishments and their spark of defiance, she was afraid it was far too little, too late.

Here, in one of the darkest corners of the world, Alyssa wondered if the Blessed Mother still listened to the prayers of her Faithful. Surely, if this was truly her birthplace, then she would hear.

"Blessed Mother, help me." Alyssa choked back a sob. "Blessed Mother, guide me. I didn't want it, but I have become the leader of my people. I try to offer them hope in the darkness, but the evil surrounding us is so strong. I have given everything and now the well is dry. I need something. I need help."

She bowed her head and tried to find even a spark of something that would lift her up. But she was hollow inside, scraped clean by years of terrible experiences, and now more was being asked of her. Behind the closed door of her room, Alyssa began to cry. She did her best to muffle the noise, clamping a hand over her mouth, but her body still shook. It hurt so much she felt as if her heart was going to explode from the anguish inside.

The Forsaken would win and everyone in her camp would die or be taken. Every child would scream and beg for mercy, but none would be given. Everyone would be dragged away and the betrayal in their eyes would cut deeper than any blade. She would see their faces right up to the moment she too was hollowed out and became one of the damned.

When a hand fell on her shoulder she stopped crying, afraid that someone had overheard and come to investigate. Then she noticed the door was still locked. Looking up from the hand on her shoulder to the person's face Alyssa's heart skipped a beat. Her mouth stretched wide in a cry of joy but no sound emerged.

A pure white light began to fill the room, driving away all of the shadows, wrapping her in a cherished warmth she'd not felt since being a child. It was so bright it hurt her eyes but she didn't look away or blink. The light passed through her skin and filled her being with joy unlike anything she'd ever known.

A voice told her to rest but she fought it, desperate to stay awake. But she was so tired, right down to her bones, that eventually her eyelids began to droop. Slowly, she drifted into a dreamless sleep, but Alyssa knew someone was still there, watching over her and protecting her from the darkness, within and without.

CHAPTER 37.

The next morning Tammy made sure her armour was on tight, checked her weapons and even considered taking her shield, but in the end she left her room without it. It would be too heavy if they needed to run and she was better using her sword with both hands.

Balfruss had only loaned her the blade fairly recently and already she thought of Maligne as hers. Normally she wasn't someone that grew attached to objects. Weapons were merely tools. The sword she'd carried for years as a Guardian was simple and had done its job well, but if it were stolen or broken, she wouldn't mourn. She'd simply buy another.

This sword though. It was something else. At night, when she honed Maligne Tammy often found herself staring into its surface as myriad colours danced across it. Her training and experience made her dangerous, but when she wielded this weapon she felt unbeatable. She needed to be careful that feeling didn't become the death of her, especially as so many emotions were still bubbling away under the surface. Balfruss's idea about how to find the Forsaken had worked, but it had left her feeling raw and she had to work harder than normal to control her moods.

Quickly she sheathed the sword and left her room. The sooner she left this damned city the better. One way or another, it would all be over soon.

She was the last to arrive at the main gate. Alyssa and the mercenaries led by Kovac were waiting for her. All were rubbing their hands or stamping their feet, trying to stay warm as a light shower fell. The snow had settled enough to paint the whole area in a brilliant white sheet, hiding the dried blood from previous nights.

Without a word they went up the stairs and then down the rope. As soon as they were all in the street they drew their weapons. Alyssa carried none but she didn't need any. The sisters took the lead but it was Alyssa who directed them towards the nearest mercenary camp. Tammy noticed that everyone now followed Alyssa's lead without question. She didn't want to be responsible for everyone in the winery and yet they all instinctively looked to her for guidance. Last night she'd been unsettled by the distant sounds of battle in the city, but this morning she was serene.

Alyssa walked through the city as if it belonged to her or she was a visiting dignitary and they her bodyguards. In a way that was true as she'd insisted on coming on this trip. Tammy had thought someone on the wall would argue but not one person had objected.

Half an hour later they arrived at the remains of the mercenary camp that had been attacked during the night. There was very little to see. Scorch marks showed on one of the outer walls from where the Forsaken had tried to smoke out the mercenaries, but the fire had been quickly extinguished. Dried blood and churned mud marked where the battle had taken place but there was little else. No bodies. Not even a stray limb. Broken arrows and shattered weapons littered the ground outside. The front door and part of the front surrounding wall had been broken down.

While the mercenaries kept watch outside, the rest of them went into the building. There was more of the same, splashes of blood on stone, stray weapons and signs of a struggle. In some places the blood had frozen to form red sheets of ice. Given the choice of death or being taken by the Forsaken some people had taken their own lives. Daggers and swords were buried in throats and hearts, and in one room they found one man and six women. The women's throats had been slit, frozen blood forming red necklaces. The man had died from the dagger buried in the side of his own neck. None of the dead looked peaceful.

The air was bitingly cold but they didn't hurry their search. Alyssa walked ahead of everyone going into each room first. She paused beside each body to murmur a quiet prayer before moving on to the next. Her face was without expression but Tammy could see the grief in her eyes. Kovac stalked from room to room, teeth gritted, knuckles white on his sword.

When they'd searched every room and found no one alive, Tammy and the others followed Alyssa to the next base. There were only two remaining, apart from the winery, and one of them was controlled by Fenne, the Morrin. Tammy had no desire to go back to the temple, but she doubted arguing with Alyssa would change her mind. She intended to make the same offer again to each base, regardless of personal feelings and what had recently transpired. Not for the first time Tammy wondered who Alyssa had been before the war.

The mercenary camp at the old bank had been attacked at least once since Tammy's last visit. There was more rubble in the street outside. The previously dented front door was now covered with deep craters and dozens of scratches. One section in the top left corner had been gouged away and temporarily repaired. The Forsaken had clearly tried extraordinarily hard to get inside on their last attempt. A few bars on the ground-floor windows had been removed, but not enough for a person to squeeze through. Those that remained looked battered and in desperate need of repair.

Alyssa was also studying the new damage. She touched the sheared-off remains of an iron bar on one of the windows and her fingers came away red from old blood.

"They tried their best," said a rasping voice from the roof, "but they didn't get inside. Not one of them."

The mercenary, Graff, looked even more drained and exhausted than the last time. His pale skin was waxy, his eyes completely bloodshot and he had a blood-soaked bandage around his head. Alyssa regarded him and the street for a minute.

"You can see what's happening, Graff," said Alyssa, gesturing at the destruction in the street. "The Forsaken are getting stronger. Almost every night they're overrunning a base. If you stay here tonight, you'll die. Or worse, you'll be taken." Her voice wasn't cold but Tammy had expected a gentler or more compassionate approach. "If you want to stay, go ahead, but I'm here for those you're trying to protect. I can offer them a chance."

Graff ran a hand over his tired features, scrubbing it back and forth as he tried to wake himself up. "You've changed, girl," he muttered.

"In this place, what choice do any of us have?" said Alyssa.

Graff grunted and looked off into the distance. He was on the edge and at his wits' end, but Alyssa didn't soften her approach.

"There are only two camps left besides mine. Once we're done I'm going to speak to Fenne. If we stand together there's a chance we might survive until tomorrow. You have until nightfall to decide."

"Do you really think that we can win?" asked Graff, staring down at Alyssa.

Alyssa shrugged. "We're stronger together. The Forsaken know that. That's why they've kept us separate and scared. Now, I don't think they care what we do, but it's not over yet."

With that, Alyssa set off towards the old temple and they hurried after her, the sisters racing ahead to scout the streets. Kovac fell in step beside Tammy, a troubled look on his face.

"Say it," said Tammy.

"Do you really want Fenne and his people in the camp?"

"No, but they might be all that stands between us and the Forsaken."

"Fenne might play nice at first, maybe even appear all meek and humble, but he'll turn on us," said Kovac. "It's just his nature."

Tammy didn't disagree but she wasn't sure they had a choice. She knew Alyssa had some of her people keeping a close eye on all of the mercenaries in the winery, just in case one of them stepped out of line. It would be no different with Fenne and the others. Things would be a lot more crowded though, and she'd have to work extra hard not to punch him in the face whenever she saw him.

Tammy didn't realise she'd muttered the last part out loud until Kovac chuckled.

"I think we all feel like that. He has one of those faces."

When the old temple came into view at the end of the street Tammy's shoulders tensed. She tried to unclench her muscles but the place was clearly having a similar effect on Kovac and the other mercenaries.

As they came closer the sisters spotted something and ran ahead. The mercenary called Prince took up the front position, putting himself between Alyssa and any danger. She started to move forward but Prince urged her back and they paused as the sisters checked for any danger.

"What is it?" asked Tammy.

Kovac squinted at the temple and clenched his teeth. "Look at the gate."

It took Tammy a few seconds to realise what was amiss. The gate was open. The sisters disappeared through the gate while the rest waited in silence, listening for the first sounds of trouble. Tammy scanned windows and doorways, convinced that someone would come racing towards her at any second. A few minutes later they came trotting back down the street, armour rattling and spiky hair waving.

They still held their weapons ready but the urgency had faded from their movements.

"Whole place is empty," said Teela. "Not one body inside."

"Any signs of a battle?" asked Tammy.

Teeva shook her head. "Doesn't make sense. How'd the Forsaken get inside without a fight?"

"I might be able to help," said a voice to their left. A figure stepped out of the shadows between two buildings. Prince shoved Alyssa behind him and the others formed a protective line.

The ragged figure of Roake stepped into the street and slowly raised his hands in surrender. His clothes were ripped and covered in filth, and his pale golden skin was now green and blue in places. Parts of his scalp had come away revealing bright pink flesh underneath. His soiled clothes hung off a body so bony he resembled a freshly dug-up corpse.

"Kill it," hissed Teela, starting to move towards Roake, her sister a second behind her.

"Wait!" shouted Alyssa. The tone of her voice carried sufficient authority that the sisters froze, their weapons inches from Roake's face. He didn't seem alarmed and when they stepped back he looked genuinely disappointed. Alyssa gently moved the others aside until she stood facing the dead man.

"Do you know this creature?" asked Kovac.

"This is Roake," said Alyssa.

"He's one of the Forsaken," said Teeva. "We should kill it."

"When was the last time you saw a Forsaken so ragged?" asked Alyssa. "What do you want, Roake?"

He lowered his hands but there was really no need. It was clear he didn't pose any kind of threat. "I know what happened to them," he said, gesturing at the temple. "Fenne invited the Forsaken inside."

"He wouldn't do that," said Kovac, although it didn't sound as if he really believed what he was saying.

"I was here when he opened the gates," said Roake. "He gave everyone to the Forsaken. In return he kept his own skin and wasn't Embraced."

"This could be some kind of Forsaken trick," said Teeva, and her sister nodded emphatically, readying their weapons for a fight.

"All he had to do was let everyone else die to save himself," said Roake. "He gave them an army."

"What are you?" asked Tammy.

She felt slightly sick when Roake grinned, showing off black and yellow gums with a few remaining rotting teeth. "I was taken and the Forsaken tried their Embrace on me." He lifted up one side of his shirt to reveal an open wound in his right side below his ribs. It was the size of two fists and it looked as if something had exploded out of his chest. "It didn't work."

"Blessed Mother save us," murmured Alyssa.

"That's impossible," said Kovac.

"He might be telling the truth," said Tammy. "This is the second time I've heard a story like this."

"You didn't answer my question," said Alyssa. "What do you want?"

"I'll tell you, but only you," he said, gesturing at Alyssa. Despite protests from the others she moved them aside and boldly walked right up to Roake. It wouldn't take much for him to reach out and snap her neck. If he truly wanted her dead he could do it quickly and they wouldn't have time to stop him. Alyssa knew the risks but she stared him straight in the eye, almost daring Roake to try.

Instead he merely leaned closer and whispered something in her ear. Alyssa flinched, either at the smell of him or at his words. She considered his request for a minute and then nodded.

"He's coming with us," she said, holding up a hand before anyone could argue. "He has information that might prove valuable."

Tammy was remembering what the old man, Perron, had told her in the temple about his friend. Roake might be a lot more useful than even Alyssa realised.

They set off the way they'd come, Roake walking in the middle of the circle beside Alyssa. The sisters resumed their position at the front while Kovac and Tammy followed at the rear.

"Do you know what happened to everyone?" asked Kovac, gesturing at the temple behind them. "Have they all been changed?"