Chapter 11
“You,” a deep hate filled voice bellowed before Jillian felt herself being picked up by the throat and slammed against the hard rock wall. A weak cry of pain escaped despite her best efforts. The halls were dark, no longer lit by the magic of the keeper. The only light came from the torch Mareth held in his free hand. They’re all dead her mind told her. It’s the only explanation. But not all, if she was still alive so was Kathrin.
“I don’t know how but you warned them, it’s the only explanation.”
“The Keeper,” Jillian forced. “She sees much.” Hope returned. If Mareth was this mad many must have escaped.
“And you didn’t feel a need to tell me this?”
“Apologies, Milord. I did not think it would matter.”
Mareth released his grip allowing Jillian to crash onto the floor. “Your usefulness has run out. Tell me why I should not kill you now.”
Jillian was on her hands and knees gasping for air. “I have always been the best of my order. To be defeated twice like this dishonors me. Give me one more chance to avenge my embarrassment.”
Mareth thought for a moment. He knew the woman was probably playing him, but avenging defeat is something he could now relate to. Besides, it might be fun to toy with her for a while. “And what makes you think the next time it will be different?”
“Teach me how to fight better. I’ve not seen a warrior greater, with your help I know I will succeed.”
Mareth chuckled to himself then removed his helmet dropping it on the ground, then offered his hand to Jillian. Jillian hesitated not sure what to do, but eventually allowed Mareth to pull her to her feet.
For the first time Jillian got a look at Mareth’s face. She had expected something hideous and deformed but the face before her was quite handsome. “You will help me then?”
“What you ask comes at a price, and you will pay it often.”
The handsome face fixated on Jillian with hungry eyes that made her ill. It took all she had not to recoil when Mareth cupped her cheek. The cost would be high indeed she thought as she considered her last words to Vessa.
. . . . .
“And that’s when Hadrenn came running out of the tent wearing nothing but a scabbard upon his back, sword in hand thinking we were being attacked by the entire Duke’s army.” Eertu told the laughing party members assembled around the camp fire.
Hadrenn pointed toward Eertu, “Don’t listen to him Vessa, he’s lying.”
“About what?” Eertu asked.
“I was not wearing a scabbard.” Hadrenn boasted as even more laughter broke out.
“Anja, are all the Northmen like him,” Vessa asked.
“Even by their standards he’s a character.”
Hadrenn choked down a piece of dried meat, “I must say I’m surprised by your lot. Yesterday morning you were all driven from your sanctuary, and recently suffered a catastrophic blow to your numbers, yet here you are in the wilderness enjoying what there is.”
“Well, for me,” Anja began, “it’s partially to do with the northerner in me. I don’t have to tell you how things can change from one day to the next, but I have found that among the sisterhood it is a live today die tomorrow attitude. I assure you what just happened was no mere slight and we fully intend to somehow get vengeance for that, but where we are is where we are. No reason to sulk.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Eertu said. “How is it you manage to find and recruit so many telepaths into the order? As far as I know only Argile had more in his employ.”
“Well, obviously we do not go around knocking on doors asking for volunteers to join an order of assassins and information brokers. We do have ways of hunting for those with special abilities of course, but you would be surprised how many come to us, many as a family tradition. Nichole and Lesley came in sisters if you have not already guessed it after one of our recruiters found them extorting gullible young men out of money.”
Nichole and Lesley shrugged as one. “Was easy really,” Erica said
“Erica here is a twin, her brother does not meet certain criteria obviously, but he does work the docks in an undisclosed city. He keeps us updated on certain interests, we supply the muscle for the few odd jobs he manages to pick up for us. Now Kathrin is rare. Jillian is of course Kathrin’s older sister by eight years. For a link to be made more than two years apart is almost unheard of, but there link was not formed at Kathrin’s birth. Jillian had a twin sister named Jessica. Jessica was violently slain on a job. Her death was of such a manner that it should have also killed Jillian as happens often when a telepath’s bonded other suffers so. Somehow Jillian made a connection with Kathrin that saved her life.”
“Speaking of Kathrin,” Vessa said. “Where did she go?”
“Slipped out a bit ago,” Lesley answered, said she was not feeling well.
Vessa stood and stretched. “I’ll go check on her. I could use a walk anyway.”
“Recruiting is becoming harder and harder,” Anja continued. “What is not commonly known is less and less gifted people are born each generation. While the numbers are fewer, the ones that are born are more and more powerful. That goes for all forms of magic wielders.”
“Would that explain the sorcerer leading this new army,” Eertu asked. While I was mind hopping I got close. You could feel the energy he was emitting.”
“Not by itself, but with the control you say he is able to take over people he could be using others to help channel his own power. Each soul under his control would give him that much more to work with.”
“There were a huge collection of shaman, mages, and a few others I have not encountered before spread throughout his army.”
“These would have to be consolidated, subdued, and completely submissive to his will.”
“There was a large tent toward the rear of the army. I thought it odd that they would take the time to raise it no longer than the siege lasted. There was great power emanating from it.”
“Perhaps what was in the tent allowed them to call down the sky like they did,” Hadrenn suggested.
Anja pursed her lips “It would be worth looking into if we get the opportunity.”
Vessa eventually found Kathrin sitting on a tree stump about a hundred paces from the campsite. She looked sickly pale, shivering despite the layers of clothing she wore. “Kathrin, your freezing, we should get you back to the fire.”
“I just need a few more minutes.”
Vessa laid a hand on Kathrin’s shoulder. “Anything I can do to help?” Kathrin looked up at Vessa. There was worry and fear in her eyes, tear streaks down her face.
“I don’t know, I was sitting there thinking about Jillian when this wave of nausea came over me followed by a feeling of complete disgust. It did not feel as if it originated from me but settled over me. I thought maybe this is Jillian projecting what she is unable to hide from me, but there is so much about the link I don‘t understand.”
A pang of guild hit Vessa. What would happen to Kathrin has vanished from her mind as she tried to kill Jillian, or when she left the woman unconscious for Mareth to find if he survived the fight. It was very possible something had happened Kathrin’s link was less than a year old so it was likely she would not have experienced this before. Somebody like Jillian could block out a great many things with the practice of years of experience. “I won’t lie to, you may very well be right, but if you are feeling these things than she is still alive, still working her mission.”
“I know, but I can’t shut this out. Fear, despair, embarrassment, how do you deal with such feelings when they are not even yours to deal with?”
“It takes practice,” Vessa said sitting down on the ground next to Kathrin. “It does get easier to block out unwanted feelings with time. With the line of work we are in, you will get plenty of opportunity to practice. For now all you can do is take heart in the fact that you know she is alive. That is more than most would know right now.”
r /> Kathrin wiped her tears away, “Thank you Vessa.”
“Don’t mention it, now come,” Vessa stood and offered her hand to Kathrin. “Let’s get you warmed up before your sister starts thinking you are freezing to death.”