Mindbender (21 page)

Lacy nodded with wide eyes. She wasn’t sure it was wise to attack thirty armed men but she also knew that Wizard Saul was smarter and more experienced than she was. All she could do was trust his guidance.

Twenty of the men had formed a line in front of the gate, while the other ten dismounted and entered the gatehouse to close the portcullis and bar the gate.

Wizard Saul whispered the words of his spell for several minutes. Lacy started to wonder if he would attack before the gate was closed and their only escape cut off. He raised his staff and spoke the final word with firm authority.

At the sound of his voice, the soldiers all turned and looked directly at the two of them as if they’d just appeared out of nowhere. Before they could react, the tip of Wizard Saul’s staff glowed bright amber and a wave of light pulsed out toward the soldiers. As it passed through them, they froze in place. A shimmering field of amber surrounded each soldier and their mounts, immobilizing them completely.

“Hurry, the spell won’t last for long,” Wizard Saul said, and they were off at a gallop.

They raced through the gate and out onto the fields surrounding the city of Fellenden. People were fleeing in every direction. Those on foot were not even a mile from the city as Lacy and Saul raced past. She looked back and saw a squad of soldiers in pursuit. They didn’t seem interested in the civilians. It was clear from their course that they were coming for Lacy and the wizard.

Saul reined in his horse and slowed to a stop. “Lacy, I’m going to cast another concealing spell. We must be quiet and walk our horses slowly or they will see through the magic.”

Lacy nodded and the wizard began casting his spell. They moved away slowly and quietly as the enemy soldiers charged past.

By nightfall they’d made it into the mountains southwest of Fellenden city. Lacy could see smoke rising in the distance. She quietly cried herself to sleep in the dark of night, clutching the key her father had given her. Her safe, perfect little world was gone. In its place was a world of fear and death. Lacy wasn’t sure she knew how to live in such a world.

Chapter 15

Isabel and Wren stood on the observation platform overlooking the flight deck where Abigail was training with her wyvern. The beast had grown quickly and taken to wing less than a week after hatching. Abigail had been spending most of her time with Knight Raja learning about her wyvern and the code of the Sky Knights.

Today would be her first flight. It was a simple introduction to riding a flying steed. Abigail and Raja were to make a single loop around the fortress island and return to the flight deck. When they disappeared over the edge of the flight deck a moment after launch, Isabel stopped breathing. She had to remind herself to take a breath as she waited for Abigail to return.

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back. Slyder was floating high over the island. Through his eyes, she could see Abigail soaring in a wide arc that would bring her full circle around the island and back to the flight deck. She looked a little unsteady and her wyvern didn’t fly with the same grace as Knight Raja’s, but she was managing to stay in the air. At this point that was all that mattered. Isabel stayed with Slyder until Abigail was nearing the flight deck for her landing.

“Here they come,” Isabel said to Wren.

The wide-eyed waif of a girl was nearly as excited as Isabel. She had become a fixture of their lives in the fortress island. Her assigned duty was to serve them and maintain their quarters but she had become much more than that.

She was their friend.

She shared meals with them and spent any free time she had tagging along behind them. Her curiosity was innocent and somewhat naïve but she had become more comfortable asking questions. She was always eager to hear any stories they had to tell of life outside the fortress island and yearned for the opportunity to see more of the world.

Abigail came into view out over the ocean. Her wyvern was flying unsteadily and they were coming in too high. She overcorrected at the last moment and they landed hard, her wyvern skidding to a stop on his belly. Abigail looked a little rattled by the experience but she shook it off quickly and was off her steed a moment later hoisting the hindquarter of a calf from the feed cart for him. He struggled for a minute to get to his feet but eagerly took the snack just as Raja landed gently nearby.

A throng of wyvern handlers swarmed the beasts, removing their saddles and tack while the riders fed their steeds. Once the wyverns were led off toward the stables, Raja and Mistress Bianca took Abigail aside to critique her first flight. Even at this distance, Isabel could see that Abigail wasn’t happy with her landing but the more experienced Sky Knights didn’t seem too concerned about it.

A horn sounded from the watchtower on the side of the landing platform signaling that another wyvern was inbound. Isabel watched as two more wyverns floated into the landing bay and touched down gracefully.

Her heart started beating a little faster when she realized that one of the riders was Magda. The triumvir had been away from the fortress island for several days. Isabel suspected that she’d been looking for Alexander. The triumvir dismounted and fed her wyvern while handlers removed its tack and saddle. She gave her steed a pat on the side of the jaw and strode purposefully from the landing bay.

Abigail and Isabel shared a look.

Isabel hurried back to her quarters with Wren in tow. She wanted to speak to Magda but knew that she would have to wait for the triumvirate to summon her. She wanted to be easy to find when the summons came.

Abigail arrived a few minutes later.

“How was it?” Isabel asked with a smile.

“It was the most exhilarating thing I’ve ever done,” Abigail said with giddy happiness. “I’ve always loved to ride but this is beyond anything I’ve ever even dreamed of. I was pretty embarrassed by my landing, but Flight Commander Bianca said it was common for the first flight to end with a hard landing. Did you see Magda return?”

Isabel nodded with a frown. “I’d love to know what she’s been up to. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with Alexander.”

“Me, too,” Abigail said. “Hopefully, they’ll summon us so we can get some answers.”

Almost as if on cue there was a knock at the door. Wren answered it and a Sky Knight entered.

“The triumvirate has summoned you both,” he said. “Please come with me.”

Isabel schooled her nervousness as they walked through the corridors toward the triumvirs’ hall. The giant room was empty except for the three women who had been their hosts and jailers for the past several weeks. Two chairs were waiting for them before the triumvirs’ bench. Isabel figured they used the grandeur of the room to lend credence to their authority. She understood well enough the power of appearances. She and Abigail took their seats without a word and the guard excused himself, leaving them alone with the three women.

Magda and Cassandra wore expressions of caution but Gabriella was clearly angry.

Isabel reminded herself that they may still be in danger. The reality of the situation brought her focus to a razor’s edge.

“Thank you for joining us here today,” Magda said. “I trust your stay with us has been comfortable.”

This was new. Magda was usually very direct. Isabel wondered if the acceptance of Abigail into the Sky Knights had somehow changed their standing on the island or if there was more to it than that.

“It has,” Isabel said, “after the initial unpleasantness, anyway.”

Gabriella’s mood seemed to darken perceptibly. Isabel reminded herself to tread lightly.

“I’ve just come from the Isle of Ithilian,” Magda said.

Isabel’s heart started pounding in her chest. Alexander was on Ithilian but the triumvirate didn’t know she was aware of that. She still hadn’t revealed the existence of Slyder to them and didn’t intend to, since he offered her access to information that she desperately needed.

“I’ve spoken to Alexander,” Magda continued.

Isabel had to remind herself to breathe.

“I delivered an offer of exchange to him—your lives for the Sovereign Stone.” Magda’s eyes bored into Isabel. “He refused.”

The statement fell like a sentence. Abigail tensed as if preparing to spring into motion. Isabel calmed the hammering in her chest and willed steadiness into her voice.

“Have you summoned us here to murder us then?” she asked coolly.

“By all rights we should kill them,” Gabriella said heatedly to the other two triumvirs. “The Stone must be placed in our care. We should make good on our threat and then take it from him by whatever means necessary.”

“We’ve already had this discussion, Gabriella,” Magda said with a tinge of ire in her voice. “You have been heard and the decision has been made.”

Gabriella glared at the other two triumvirs and then at Isabel.

“Isabel, your husband made a compelling argument,” Magda said. “The antidote provided by Mage Gamaliel will be administered this afternoon. Once you have completely recovered from the effects of your poisoning, you have a decision to make.”

Isabel frowned. She could only imagine what Alexander had said to Magda to convince her to change her position.

Before Isabel could respond or Magda could continue, Gabriella interrupted. “Your husband was willing to sacrifice you for his own power. Doesn’t that bother you?” Her tone had changed abruptly. She no longer sounded angry but was almost sickeningly sweet.

“Not in the least,” Isabel said. “I’m proud of him for his courage and his resolve to preserve the future no matter the cost to himself.”

Gabriella scowled. Exactly the response Isabel was hoping for. She understood Alexander’s heart better than any and knew that the decision to risk her life was made from necessity rather than lust for power.

“Am I to assume that you have made an agreement with Alexander?” Isabel asked.

“Yes, but there are conditions that must be met,” Magda said. “The Sovereign Stone has bonded to him and he has sat in council with the previous Reishi Sovereigns. The General Commander of the Reishi Protectorate has recognized him as the Sovereign, as has the King of Ithilian.

“In the time of the Reishi Empire, only a witch was permitted to marry the Lord Reishi. His mate must be capable of standing with him over the course of his reign. Only a witch has the strength and longevity to do so.”

Isabel felt a tingle of dread wash over every square inch of her body. The implications of Magda’s words terrified her.

“We offered to provide him with a suitable wife, but he refused,” Magda said.

Isabel again reminded herself to breathe.

“I would make you the same offer,” Magda said. “Renounce your vows to Alexander and allow him to choose an accomplished witch from the Reishi Coven as his wife.”

Her green eyes flashed and she bolted to her feet. “Never! He is my husband and he will be my husband for every day that I draw breath. What’s more, he would never accept such a thing.”

Magda smiled slightly. “No, I don’t suppose he would. In fact, he reached for his sword when I suggested it to him. That leaves you with only one choice.” She placed two vials on the bench before her. “You must endure the mana fast and become ordained as a witch of the Reishi Coven if you are to be the Lady Reishi.”

Isabel was stunned speechless. She had never even considered becoming a witch and would have never imagined that she might have the opportunity, let alone the obligation. Magda looked at her with expectation and maybe even hope, Cassandra wore an expression of skepticism, and Gabriella sneered with open contempt.

Magda continued, “In times past, the fast took forty days and was performed at a secluded and secret location on the Reishi Isle where there is a naturally high concentration of Wizard’s Dust in the water. However, Alexander has provided us with enough Wizard’s Dust for each of you to undergo the fast, as well as a gift of enough for another of our conclave to be initiated.”

Isabel and Abigail looked at each other and then back at the triumvirate. The decision was so simple. Isabel knew it was a risk but she also knew that she would do whatever she had to do to be with Alexander.

“When can I begin the fast?” Isabel asked.

“Are you sure about this?” Abigail said.

Isabel looked over at her sister and nodded confidently.

Gabriella snorted.

“If you’re certain, then you may begin training for the fast as soon as you recover from the poison,” Magda said. “Normally, we train apprentice witches for many years prior to the fast but in your case I suspect you will not be willing to wait that long.”

“The sooner I complete the fast the sooner I can return to my husband,” Isabel said. “Provide me with the training that I require and let me take the fast.”

Gabriella chuckled derisively. “Your arrogance will be the death of you.”

Isabel had had enough of the third triumvir. “Why do you hate us so much?” she asked.

Gabriella fumed for a moment before she burst out with a shout, “Because your husband killed my husband!”