***
“There. At the end of the hall is the door,” Mouhra’ Lah said to Javin. They’d traveled through some pretty tight passages to get here unseen, still Javin didn’t like it. Like the corridor in front of him, all the other ways they’d passed had been vacant.
From the tower they’d traveled clear to the other side of the palace. Sure Mouhra and Siri had led them mostly through corridors only the most intimate and trusted servants would use, but some times they’d traveled right through the heart of the palace. They hadn’t seen another person.
“We can’t have been that lucky,” he said to Sauros. “Something’s up.”
“Up?” Sauros answered, raising his eyebrows. “Oh, I see. You don’t trust our luck to be this good.”
“That’s what I said. And I still haven’t heard anything from the city . . .” He didn’t need to say any more.
“There’s nowhere to go but forward,” Sauros said. We cannot fight something that we don’t know exists. And if there is a trap laid, do you plan to do any different?”
“Nope,” Javin said. “Yet being ready is half the game.”
“Why are you talking of games? This is a serious matter,” Mouhra’ Lah said.
“Don’t worry, love,” Sauros said. “It is just ‘Javin’ talk. You’ll get used to it.”
Javin turned a smile to Sauros. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Sauros returned the smile. “Shall we go?”
“After you.”
Sauros darted down the hall on the balls of his feet. Javin ghosted after. Siri and Mourha’ Lah followed at a slower pace. When Sauros and Javin reached the doorway they took up position close to the wall on either side. Sauros reached over and tried the lever. The door swung open.
“Open?” Javin was confused
Sauros nodded. “This is very strange.”
Mouhra’ Lah ignored them both and went inside. “Dierni, are you here?”
“Mouhra? Is that you?” came a muffled voice from inside.
“Sauros, come quickly.”
Sauros followed Mouhra’ Lah inside with Javin right behind. He saw Mouhra’ Lah across the large room working to untie a bound form who’d been tied to her cot. Sauros moved over and started tearing at the knots.
“This is getting worse all the time,” Javin mumbled as he stayed in the center of the room, watching. There was no other furniture, just the cot and a large, empty room. Then he heard a familiar laugh. He spun to see many -- too many -- black clad guards moving into the room with drawn blades. Saballa stepped in behind.
Javin heard a low growl at his side as he drew his blade. Sauros was beside him, blade in hand. Thankfully there were no Pontu’ Gi Javin could see or feel. That must mean something.
Saballa strode out to the side.
“You did just as we desired. Now you’re all in one easy package.” Saballa’s eyes gleamed with an evil fire. “My orders were quite explicit.” He gestured for his guards to move forward.
Javin chanced a quick glance behind. Siri had moved over to help Mouhra’ Lah with her sister’s bonds, and now all three were standing watching defiantly, though they realized it was hopeless.
Then to top it off, Javin started to feel a nagging itch in the back of his mind. It started with a little flash of pain then grew, piercing with an intense shock then vanished. He looked at Sauros. He didn’t seem affected.
It hit him again. The itching, like a thought was trying to push itself into his mind, then a flash of searing pain. His vision blurred, his eyes watering. What is this?
The surge came again just as he was focusing. Someone was trying to contact him.
Nemesis? Javin wondered. It could be, but it didn’t feel right. Not like . . . him. Javin looked around the room as the soldiers tried to come around to flank them and separate them from the women. Sauros and he backed then moved them all to a far corner of the room, feinting occasionally with their blades to keep the guards from rushing while they moved. All the while Javin kept half his mind alert, searching for what was barging in on his mind. There it is again! This time the pain almost made Javin stumble as they moved back. Sauros looked at him. Javin shook his head. “Don’t worry.”
Now they couldn’t be encircled, and only seven or eight of the twenty or so guards could come at them at a time. “Better odds,” Sauros said. “Shields?”
Javin knew the shields would protect them, but not the women. He wished they’d been able to figure out how to encompass more than just themselves in the shielding. Maybe there was a way, but his mind was divided enough as it was. Again! The pain hit. This time the message started to make its way into a form he could understand . . . just out of reach.
Like a whole lot of everything else! Javin cursed under his breath.
“Shields.” he agreed, keeping a close eye on the casually advancing guards. At least protecting themselves they’d be able to inflict much more damage on the guards facing them. That little bit would add to the protection of the women.
Javin concentrated and felt the warming in his breast as the crystal responded with the sheathing of safety wrapped next to his skin. Sauros had done the same. He could feel the other’s anticipation.
If the guard decided to rush in one group, they might take out quite a few, but there were others who’d get through to the women.
They’d still want the women alive wouldn’t they? He looked at Saballa for any clue. There was none. In fact, even if he’d been commanded to kill him and Sauros and take the women alive, Javin wouldn’t trust him.
Saballa’s eyes had a gleam that looked as if he didn’t care about his orders. They showed a thirst for death that would be quenched today no matter what.
Saballa smiled. “Take your time, animal. The end result is the same. You’ll be dead. It’s not perfect, but at least your dissection will prove a slight diversion.”
“Come get me,” Javin said, then smiled. “Oh, I forgot. You only fight defenseless women.” He remembered how good it had felt when his fist connected with Saballa’s jaw in the throne room. “Well, I’ll get around to you . . . again!”
Javin watched as Saballa shook with rage. “Take them!”
The guards eased forward. They weren’t eager to charge.
Javin raised his blade ready to let his reflexes take over. He calmed his mind, searching for some way out. Then the pain struck again. It lanced through the back of his skull and made his eyes feel like they’d pop out of his head.
“Did you feel that?” Javin asked Sauros.
“Feel what?”
Javin focused, trying to identify it. It was getting more coherant. It felt . . . familiar. The Pontu’ Gi? It felt like a Pontu’ Gi would feel, only . . . Not the group. Just one. One particular Pontu’ Gi . . .
A guard lashed out with his blade and Javin raised his to block, countered with a sweeping jab that the guard danced away from, and wasn’t quick enough. Javin had pinked his side. Another darted in just as the other moved back, taking his swing that Javin had to duck to avoid. He felt the air swish above his head, felt as Sauros took the swipe off his blade and flicked back. There was a grunt of satisfaction as Javin heard the sound of a blade slipping through flesh and the guard staggered, falling back against his fellows.
“Enough play!” Saballa shouted. “Take them! Take them now!”
“Here they come,” Javin said as he saw the guards prepare for a concerted rush.