Eyes of the Alchemist (16 page)

Torma’s face broke into a broad smile when the rest of them sheepishly filed out. They were shivering with the cold. As his glance fell on their shriveled appendages he grinned. “You’re a disgrace to Cabrilan manhood. Come on you useless worms, cover your shame, lest even the most desperate of maids will run the other way in disgust.”

He kept guard while they dressed, silently debating whether to seek out General Saayer or not. He decided against it. Better they got out of the manor without raising a hue and cry. It would give them a head start.

Weapons were taken from racks. Grim-faced and boots in hand, they filed noiselessly downstairs, outside and through the dark lanes to the open countryside. They met nobody, not even a guard to vent their anger on. Overhead, lightning lanced red through the clouds and thunder rumbled. The wind no longer keened, it gusted with long drawn out moans and high-pitched shrieks. 

A soft murmur of hoots and whistles brought the night chargers to them one by one. The whole operation had taken very little time. Torma grinned happily as they headed for the forest, proud of his night’s work.

* * * *

Tiana couldn’t believe her eyes. Safely concealed under the wind-lashed canopy of the forest was an army of mounted troopers. They were lit by the collective glow from the eyes of the watchers.

Torma dismounted and bowed. “We are at your command, Lady. What are your orders?”

“Orders?” Slanting her head to one side she regarded them with laughter in her eyes and a smile on her lips. “I’m no general born to command Kavan’s troopers. He has named me as such only for your amusement, surely.”

Torma grinned. “Our Lord has placed us at your disposal. We’ve sworn fealty to you as our commander-in-chief in Kavan's absence.”

“Protect and befriend me, then, but do not look to me for guidance in matters of war when my mission has always been that of peace. He of highest rank amongst you must assume command of the troop.”

Torma nodded his approval. “That’s me. Tell me first, since Shazah has been summoned by you, do you have a strategy, Lady?”

“My intention is to rescue Lord Kavan.”

The troopers grinned and cracked their knuckles in anticipation.

She frowned at them. “I will go alone.”

The troopers began to laugh.

“I'm not jesting. A large force might be noticed.”

Groans greeted her words. Then one of them thought to ask, “Do you know of Lord Kavan’s whereabouts, then?”

“The followers of Beltane have him prisoner in a vertical shaft of some sort. His feet and hands are manacled. His feet don’t quite touch the ground so his wrists are taking the weight of his body, which is stretched to its limit. Worst of all, about half a thumb length below his feet is a metal grid. His feet are bare and dragon bats are pecking through to the soles of his feet. Eventually, they will sever a vein and he’ll be drained of blood and die.” She gave an involuntary shudder.

A collective murmur of protest went through the troopers. “How do you intend to bring about his rescue, Lady?”

“If I’m able to join in mind contact with him he can guide me to his prison. Shazah will be my transport and the hawk my eyes.” She gazed apologetically at them. “Time is short and a storm nearly upon us. I cannot have any distractions or well-meant advice. It might interfere with the mind contact.”

There seemed to be a thousand questions shot at her.

“Once found, how will you free him from his restraints?”

“What if he’s guarded?”

“You cannot go alone, Lady. If anything happened to you, Kavan would –”

Santo appeared in a crackle of light. A hundred swords hissed from their scabbards. The one nearest to him sliced through his neck.

“What magic is this?” the aggressor shouted at Santo when his head remained firmly in place.

Santo grinned widely at his attacker. “Don’t be so hasty with your sword arm, friend. I’m on your side and I’m going with the Lady Tiana.”

“So am I,” Torma growled. “Kavan will have my . . . well, he’ll have a tender part of me on a spike if his lady rides without the proper escort to protect her.” The troopers grinned, scratched their crotches and exchanged glances.

Tiana pretended not to notice. “Make sure you stay vigilant. Post sentries to watch for any hue and cry from the manor. The guards might try another assault of the High Place at daybreak.”

“If all goes well there won’t be any of them left to guard by then,” one of them said, and a raucous cheer went up.

“Think before you act. Kavan will be after someone’s blood when he returns, and we don’t want it to be ours.”

A couple of the watchers descended from the tree canopies, and with eyes gleaming settled themselves on Torma’s mount. Amused, Torma grinned at them. “Of what use are you two midgets?”

“Their eyesight is keener than most. They’re brave and are accurate with their tranquiliser arrows,” Santo said, as Shazah knelt to Tiana’s command.

“Their eyes will be seen from afar.”

The watchers blinked in unison, extinguishing the lights. “Lord Kavan appointed us to watch over the lady and that’s what we’re going to do,” one of them said.

“That honor belongs to us,” one of the troopers shouted out, and the others noisily agreed with him.

It sounded as if the debate would degenerate into argument. It was time to test the strength of her command. Tiana held up her arms, cried out, “Enough.” The hubbub died down.

“It seems that Kavan has appointed everyone as my protector, but failed to take into account that I have a mind of my own. Generous of him when it’s obvious that he is the one who can’t look after himself.”

 It was the type of humor the troop understood, for they dissolved into laughter. Throwing her sack over her shoulder she clambered on Shazah’s back with Santo behind her. “Let’s go, Torma,” she said. 

Soundlessly, they soared up into the wind.

*

Time dragged for Kavan. His feet were raw and bloodied from the relentless pecking. Each prick of needle-sharp teeth seemed to unearth a new nerve. Every part of his body ached as if it had been flagellated. His nostrils burned from the odor of bad blood, bats and his own unwashed body. Every itch was unrelieved torture, and there were plenty of them. Biting and stinging insects had left their marks on almost every portion of his exposed flesh.

Over the day he’d spent precious energy struggling against his bonds and deciding what he’d do to the followers of Beltane when he got free. He’d boil them in oil. But first, he’d cut off their eyelids and leave them staring into the sun. Eventually, their eyes would fry in their own juice, and pop. As for Pannis, he’d hang the diabolical bastard right where he was now, but by his manly parts, if he had any.”

He growled, and the dragon bats squeaked in alarm. “It’s night,” he shouted. “Why don’t you seek other prey?” But then he thought. Why should they go to the effort when they had him hanging like a carcass in a larder?

* * * *

High above, the hawk’s head swiveled round and it gave a soft trill. Tiana hoped it wouldn’t be another false alarm.

The storm had hampered the search. The wind carried away sound and the lightning confused the eyes. At her command, Shazah wheeled around and began to glide in ever-decreasing circles. Below the clouds the light of a fire gleamed on water. She concentrated on it, drew its serenity into her mind.

“Where are you, Lord?”

“In your mind, your heart and your soul, as you are in mine.”

“This is no time for foolish love talk. I’m here to rescue you. Describe your surroundings.”

“My Lady is sour.”

“My Lord is an idiot if his intent is to indulge in idle chit chat,” she said shortly. “ I cannot meditate indefinitely, and your hawk is unable to locate your exact position in the storm.”

“You’re close. I can smell your perfume on the draught coming down the shaft.”

“You need not wax lyrical about it,” she said drily. “Your location, Lord?”

“I’m in a blow hole on the shore of an ancient ocean bed.”

How weary he sounded. She absorbed some of his pain to give him strength, sucking in a swift intake of breath at its intensity. “Torma knows the place.”

“You’ve brought my troopers?”

 Was he concerned he’d lose respect if they sighted him in weakness? Never. She’d seen for herself how much love he inspired. Her voice softened. “Only Torma. He insisted, and I will need his strength.”

“Aye, Lady, so will I,” was the faint reply.

* * * *

Thanks to the gods, Tiana had protection.

There was a scuffle at the top of the shaft and gravel peppered Kavan’s head. Light from some lanterns bathed him when he looked up.

Tiana gazed back at him, her expression one of preoccupation. He grinned at her like the idiot she’d accused him of being. “Being rescued by a woman will be an everlasting source of amusement with my troopers.”

She snorted and spat out, “Hah!” which made him grin even more. She turned to consult with someone, and then turned back to him again. “Close your eyes. Santo will try a spell to free you.”

“That child?”

The manacle on his wrists exploded in a shower of sparks and singed the hairs from his wrists. “Banefire,” he yelled and sagged to his knees in a heap of protesting muscles. Immediately, his ankle manacles exploded under him, and with the same result.”

“Can you climb up the rope?”

“Climb up the rope? Are you insane, woman? I can hardly move for pain, and now I suffer from burns inflicted on me by a foolish child who cannot properly control a bit of fire trickery.” Too late, he realized he’d incensed her.

“Fire trickery! If you’d prefer being eaten by dragon bats I’ll insist he reinstate you to your former glory.” A clump of earth landed on his shoulder . . . and were those tears glistening in her eyes and thickening her voice? “You can climb out of there unaided for all I care. I’m going home, you . . . you, ungrateful savage.”

Dirt made his eyes water. “Will you please stop pelting me with soil.”

“I’d throw a rock if I could find one, monkey-brain.” She gave a sob and disappeared.

 What was the matter with the woman? Had she no backbone? “Tiana, come back,” he said softly, but she did not reappear.

Instead, Torma swung his leg over the hole and was lowered to where he crouched. Unceremoniously, Kavan was pincered between his thighs. “Pull,” Torma shouted.

Gradually Torma’s charger dragged them up the shaft in a series of jerks. Deposited on the ground, Kavan swallowed deep gulps of air into his lungs. When he tried to stand his legs collapsed beneath him.

They were all watching him. Torma, the child, Santo . . . ? He shook his head in wonder. Santo had become a man overnight. Tiana had brought a couple of watchers with her as well. Their eyes shone, which explained the lanterns. How had she’d persuaded them to leave the forest?

Torma put a flask against his lips. Kavan drained it, using the last of the water to splash on his face. He began to massage his calf muscles, Torma started on his shoulders. “Leave it, we have no time. Fetch Tiana to heal my feet.”

“She’s taken Shazah and gone.”

“Without a bodyguard?”

“Most of the troop is standing off. They’ll intercept her and bring her back.”

“She brought the troop with her, but she said –”

“No, Lord. She commanded them to stay, but they followed at a discreet distance.”

“She’s their commanding officer. They should have obeyed her.”

“They put her safety first, Lord, as you would have expected of them.”

Kavan groaned and gave a piercing whistle. He could not lay any blame on them, but their presence would heap indignity upon indignity and he could expect no mercy from their bantering.

Within a short while Shazah came back to him. Tiana tumbled from the charger’s back and stood over him her chest heaving with affront. He noted the tears glistening on her cheeks and gazed at his companions. Some moments needed privacy. “Leave us.” 

When they moved discreetly out of earshot, he said. “My thanks for the rescue, Lady.”

“I should have left you there.”

“Much as you dislike me I doubt if you’d let me die.”

“I did not say I disliked you.”

He pulled her down beside him and smeared away the tears on her cheek. “Do you cry for another, then?”

 She would not meet his eyes. “I did not say I liked you, either. I feel your pain as I would the pain of any other wounded creature. It makes me sad.”

 He stroked the side of her face. “You have a soft heart. However undeserving you find him, can you ease this poor creature’s pain?”

“I’ll try.” She placed his feet in her lap and laid her palms against the shredded soles. Her eyes came up to his, glowing like still water in the sun. The silence in her was uncanny. He allowed her access to his mind, but no further than she needed to effect healing. He floated in the coolness of her serenity, feeling it settle about him like a healing cloak.

Above them the storm raged, the air was sultry, the wind throwing gusts, like the breath of sulphurous tongues reaching for them.

His feet gradually stopped throbbing, and then the flesh cooled and healed. He sensed she was about to withdraw, but he wanted more of her, wanted to share his troubled thoughts with her so his soul was refreshed as well. His eyes brought hers back to his, kept them there, drew her into him. He sensed her resistance and overcame it by force of will. A tiny plea plucked at his conscience.

“You cannot use me in this way, Kavan. It diminishes me.”

Uttering an oath, he withdrew. She removed his feet from her lap, stood up, and shoulders drooping with tiredness, stumbled away from him.

He drew himself upright to go after her. Rubbing at his aching wrists, for the blood was rushing back into his body with a vengeance, he called after her. “My thanks, Lady Tiana. You’ve cured me.”

 When she turned, her eyes were blazing. “I’ve cured only your flesh, Kavan. Your fury roils like the storm above us, and your need for vengeance twists at my very soul.”