Sorceress (Book 2) (17 page)

Majherri snorted in frustration. There was nothing about this situation he could begin to like. One of their horsemen rode by to retrieve the riderless horse, but Majherri couldn’t care less.

She ignored his anger, lost in the fog of her delusions. Satisfied that his horn was hidden once more, Danella cupped her hands against his muzzle and closed her eyes. Majherri watched as the blood red lips spread wide on her pale face and she smiled – a truly wicked smile.

“Three warriors! It didn’t even occur to me to use my fire. Do you know that? They weren’t even a challenge to us. Oh, I have become terrible indeed and you…so fast. It is like the very air rushes to get out of our path when we ride. Greatness guides us, Majherri! So long as we are together, nothing shall stand in our way!”

“Milady?” Kuresh called from a respectful distance away with a trio of cavalry beside him. Majherri suspected the men heard Danella’s proclamation and doubted her sanity.

It was yet another subject where the unicorn agreed with the nomad officer.

His rider’s eyes became slits of fury and the smile fled from her face as quickly as it came. “Yes,” she answered in a low, threatening tone.

“My men are disposing of the bodies into the brush. Their mounts carry the branding of this kingdom, so we will not take them with us. We will be ready to leave in a few minutes.”

“Very well,” she answered as the man gestured to the others to take the corpse away. “Is there anything else?”

“As a matter of fact there is,” Kuresh said. “We cannot leave a trail of bodies from here to the northern lands. My orders are…”

“…Your orders are what I say your orders are! You really don’t want to annoy me further. It won’t end well for you.”

“You are correct, Milady. Truly, I doubt I could survive your wrath. But without me, my men will scatter, unwilling to serve you. What then, Danella Lynch? My orders are to see that you achieve the Master’s objectives. What you just did achieved nothing! These three would have died just the same, whether it was today or in the weeks ahead, but we can ill afford alerting others to our presence if our mission is to succeed.”

Danella pondered Kuresh’s words as Majherri felt her rage.

She wants to strike him down, but knows she can’t,
the unicorn thought.

“Tell me, Kuresh,” she said, adopting almost the same tone she’d taken with the dead men. “This is a dangerous mission and you volunteered for it. What prize beckons you so much so that you would risk everything?”

The man smiled and Majherri saw that the wound which had caused the scar also took some of his teeth along with it. “Succeed and I will be given a city to rule as my own. Nothing too large I am told, but something to begin building my own legacy.”

“Do you have one in mind?” she asked, amused once more.

“Something nice, with plentiful water and farmlands, where the women are soft and have never felt the heat of the desert sun,” he answered.

“Sounds pleasant enough,” Danella answered. “You dream, Kuresh, but temper your dream by setting a goal you can achieve. I like that. Very well, the next group we encounter, I shall leave it to your diplomatic skills to see us through.”

“I shall do my best, Milady.”

“See that you do.”

The moment Kayleigh both dreaded and hoped for had arrived. In the distance, the stone walls of Salif beckoned. The city, a shining jewel described as the gateway to the world, promised safety and security. It didn’t quite rival Talcosa’s mammoth size, but it possessed a grandeur of its own, with long piers stretching out into the Orilon Ocean. The city was one of the few that could boast that it had never been conquered.

Kayleigh sighed, knowing that such boasts and promises were difficult to keep, especially if Count Darius set his sights on the city.

From what Kayleigh had studied of the last war, Salif had maintained a cautious neutrality. The High-King was asked not to use the Portal inside the city to move his troops and the rebels under Count Darius were asked not to smuggle items in the ships traveling the Clef.

The leaders of the city turned a blind eye to both sides violating their requests and instead patrolled their streets to prevent any threat to their power.

Of more immediate concern to Kayleigh was the approaching column of unicorn riders. One of them carried a flag of the Southern Battalion, leaving no doubt as to the identity of the one in charge of the formation: General Althea Hawthorne. Nine other riders traveled with her, which meant a squad, the general, plus two aides. The women rode in a regular formation straight toward them, professional in both appearance and demeanor.

In contrast, Kayleigh looked at her own group. Each looked like they’d seen better days. The only one who appeared close to fresh was the Salif militia scout named Iver who’d joined them after he and his partner discovered them yesterday.

Iver’s partner had turned around and raced back to the city while the man had accompanied Kayleigh’s group. She’d gotten some news out of Iver. There was no flock of bewitched birds circling the skies over Salif. As with Shiftla, the city found itself crowded with refugees from the conflict, but the city was better able to absorb the sudden increase in population.

Nervous, Kayleigh smoothed her leathers and adjusted her dull, unpolished cuirass. Much of her armor had been discarded in the desert heat weeks ago and what she’d scrounged along the way was poorly matched. It made her look idiotic compared with the professional warriors approaching.

Briefly entertaining a fantasy where she just kept riding Cyemma past them, she braced herself for the encounter.

At least she’s not going to attack me,
Kayleigh thought. The last time she’d seen the general was in the aftermath of her disastrous challenge with the woman’s daughter, Andrea. The general had wanted to take Kayleigh from The Academy and train her where she couldn’t be a threat to other students. The commandant, General Jyslin, decided against allowing that.

Unfortunately for Kayleigh, she was now in General Hawthorne’s region of command. She was in charge of all Battle Maidens here.

Technically I’m not really one, but I’d rather not bring that up if I don’t have to.

She brought Cyemma to a halt and held her hand up to signal that the wagon and the others should stop. With that, Kayleigh crossed her arm over her chest and saluted.

It was somewhat awe inspiring, watching the general and the squad accompanying her move almost as one, spreading from a two by two column into a straight line. Seconds later, all but one stopped in place as General Hawthorne drew closer.

Her hair was a darker shade of brown than her daughter, Andrea’s, but her eyes were as cold and unfeeling as Kayleigh remembered.

“Kayleigh Reese,” the woman said.

“General,” she responded, noting that the woman didn’t address her as a trainee.

“We’ve been expecting you,” General Hawthorne said and tilted her head slightly to the left.

Kayleigh followed the motion with her eyes. At the end of the line she saw Laurel Whitaker smiling at her.

A tremendous weight lifted from Kayleigh’s chest and she beamed at her friend, grateful that the Goddess had heard her prayers.

“I did not put you at ease, Reese,” General Hawthorne said, interrupting her moment of gratitude.

Kayleigh snapped back to attention.

“Better. Now, what have you to report?”

She expected this is what would be asked of her and had practiced this report in her mind several times. “We escaped Shiftla with Senior Lancer Penelope Garrett in our custody. She’s afflicted by a dark power that is controlling her. Rider Akers lost her unicorn in battle against Garrett. We rescued the Captain of the Guard from Shiftla, but he is still in need of medical attention. The final member of my group is a defector from the enemy and is willing to share what knowledge he has of the enemy forces. Most importantly, I have reason to believe that the leader of this army is either pretending to be, or actually is Count Darius.”

The general frowned and said, “How much of that do you expect me to believe?”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I don’t understand.”

Hawthorne pointed an accusatory finger at her and said, “Andrea sent me a letter saying you and your unicorn were running away and now you return spewing this nonsense about the return of Count Darius. I’m this close to tossing you in a tower and forgetting where I place the key.”

Kayleigh felt the heat burning her cheeks, but she’d come too far to be dismissed. “My unicorn was under the influence of dark magic and, as you can see, I’m not on Majherri. He’s back with his original rider and I barely survived Danella Lynch’s attack.”

“Get off that unicorn,” Hawthorne ordered. “You don’t deserve to be in the saddle and I’ve heard enough of your lies, girl.”

“No!”

“No?”

“I was able to create a new bond with Rheysurrah over there and I’m riding Cyemma to keep her from being controlled by her rider! If I get off of her, she’ll go berserk.”

“It’s true, ma’am!” Tamera said.

“What’s true?” Hawthorne glared at the former earth maiden.

“All of it!” Tamera protested and threw her arms up in the air. “She’s blocking Rider Garrett’s control over her mount. I saw her fight a manticore with my own eyes. If Kayleigh hadn’t driven it off, it would have killed us both.”

“She fought off a manticore? You expect me ...”

Kayleigh cut her off by throwing both hands into the air and pushing a thick column of flame skyward. Straining, she made it grow even larger until it was twice as high as Shiftla’s walls had been. Anger, humiliation, and burning resentment fueled her outburst for a full twenty seconds, before she gasped and let her arms fall to her side.

It was a primal scream of defiance aimed at everyone who doubted her, a scream releasing all the frustrations churning inside her since she’d left The Academy.

Spent, she noticed at least two of the maidens escorting the general had their weapons in hand. The others stared in disbelief. Even Laurel, who had seen her do a fireshade had her mouth slightly open.

Kayleigh felt nauseous and dizzy, knowing she’d pay dearly for pushing herself so hard, but she wouldn’t falter now.

Staring down General Hawthorne, she said in her best angry voice, “You’ll note that I’m not riding my unicorn. All that was from me alone. I’m not sure what my limits are, but I’ve had to fight my way to get to you with this warning. Believe me or not, I don’t care anymore. Whether this master is really Count Darius or just masquerading I also do not know, but he rides a manticore, possesses some object that can make even a Battle Maiden do his bidding, and destroyed Shiftla’s walls in less time than it has taken me to tell you this! He has an army and has sacked Mon Alder, conquered Jaruciax, Shiftla, and everything in between already. Salif is the only city of any size on this side of the Clef that is not in his hands.”

Hawthorne turned to the woman who must be her aide and said, “Check the prisoner in their wagon and see to their injured. Escort them to our compound and get them settled. Place the battalion on high alert and send messengers to our forces in the field. I’ll be at the palace, gaining audience with the King of Salif.”

Turning her unicorn, the general left without addressing Kayleigh again.

Laurel was the first to approach while the captain that Hawthorne left in charge went to check on Garrett. “Kayleigh, I was worried about you.”

“Tamera and I got out, but her unicorn was killed. What about the rest?”

The air maiden looked downward for a moment before saying, “I saw Amanda get captured. They tried to use weighted nets on me too, but I was able to create an air shield. I got back to Smythe’s compound and he had a tunnel that led to the docks where he had a ship waiting for us. He’ll be pleased to hear you’re okay.”

Kayleigh scowled, thinking about the somewhat timid water maiden in the merciless hands of Danella Lynch. “I’ll say a prayer for Amanda. That was suspiciously kind of Smythe.”

“Well, we did have to help carry his valuables from his house. He made himself scarce as soon as we arrived, but I get the feeling that he’s still keeping an eye on us.”

“Oh, now that sounds more like him,” Kayleigh muttered. “I’m glad you all made it out safe and sound.”

“I threw up the whole way here, but it’s better than the alternative,” Laurel said.

“Is Marcia here?” Kayleigh asked.

“Yes, she might have said several things to General Hawthorne that might have affected her disposition toward you. For what it’s worth, I’ve spoken to her.”

With a grunt and a dismissive hand gesture, Kayleigh said, “I don’t think she needed much convincing when it comes to me.”

“That was really something you just did. Fought a manticore, huh?”

She shrugged. “I was so scared I could barely think.”

Laurel chuckled and said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re at your best when you don’t stop to think.”

“I’d argue, but you’re probably right.”

“I’m still shocked you saved Orsa. You thought about that one. See what I mean?”

“Funny. He didn’t deserve to die there. No one did. Thanks for cheering me up. I needed that. It’s been a rough couple of days.”

“I do what I can. Poor Tamera.”

“She’s trying to convince Rheysurrah that they’d make a good pair. She seems to hope that I can break my bond with her and somehow connect the two of them.”

Laurel looked incredulous. “Can you do that?”

“Truly, I don’t know. I think he’d be happier without me. He’s always thinking about Annabeth and blaming me for her death. I can’t trust him when we’re fighting together and the feeling seems to be mutual. I’m leaving the decision up to him. I think I can bond with any riderless unicorn at this point, though I’d rather have one that actually wants to be with me.”

“You!” the captain yelled for Kayleigh’s attention. “How could you treat one of our sisters in such a callous manner? Bound and unable to move! Sitting in her own filth! The general was right about you!”

Kayleigh turned to see that Tamera had been pushed aside and the woman was cutting Garrett’s bonds over the protests of Rahzir and Orsa.

“Goddess grant me strength,” Kayleigh muttered and looked at Laurel before returning her attention to the scene at the wagon.

The very moment Garrett was freed, the possessed air maiden launched a physical assault on her would-be rescuer. Cyemma bucked and Kayleigh struggled against the woman’s mental assault upon the unicorn she rode.

I didn’t realize that I’d be regretting wasting all my energy so soon!
Kayleigh shouted in her mind and set to the task of calming the unicorn.

Unable and unwilling to bring Cyemma any closer to the barely restrained woman in the bed of the wagon, Kayleigh watched as Tamera managed to grasp Garrett from behind while Orsa dragged the struggling woman back down.

Cyemma relaxed immediately.

“Do you have enough rope to secure her?” Kayleigh asked Rahzir.

“I believe so,” the nomad answered. “Fortunately, it won’t have to last long.”

“Tamera,” she said recalling the girl’s skills when it came to binding. “Help him tie her back up.”

Kayleigh looked at the Battle Maiden captain, who was holding a hand over one eye where she’d been head butted. “Ma’am, you’ll need to have an actual cell for her. She’s insane. To be honest, you’ll need to keep her unicorn far away from her and tied up as well. I could barely control Cyemma.”

The officer nodded and muttered some unladylike things under her breath before calling for one of the riders under her command to bring a vial of healing tears. At first, Kayleigh frowned, believing the captain was going to use the liquid to fix the black eye she was likely to have. However, the woman didn’t appear as concerned with that as she gave the vial to Captain Orsa instead. The weary soldier’s face immediately regained some color, and he looked slightly better. He had been running a fever for over a day now and Kayleigh was concerned for the man’s health.

Closing her eyes for a second, she shook loose some of the corruption on Cyemma’s bond. She wished that she could just keep her eyes closed and sleep the rest of the way into Salif, but there were still a few miles to go. If she had to choose between sleep, a full stomach, or a warm bath, Kayleigh knew that she’d eaten enough dried fruit and meat to hold her over and she was so far beyond the point of exhaustion that her smell wouldn’t bother her one bit.