I had no time to think however, for the child-like creature I faced was already weaving more signs. The symbols writhed in the air as if they were made of living blue fire. Twisting they stretched toward me rapidly, spreading and seeking to enfold my shield like a net. It stopped them for a moment before I felt them burning inward, eating at the power that I had formed my shield with and causing it to sag. It was an odd sensation, at once similar to the physical touch of the shiggreth and yet this touch ate away at only my magical strength.
I had mere seconds to react. Seeing my failure to harm it directly I changed tactics and turned my power directly upon the ground beneath it, “Grabol ni’targoth,” I said quickly, opening a hole in the earth beneath the childlike creature. It was a spell I had used once to incapacitate Cyhan and it worked just as well here as it had then. The undead spellcaster fell into the hole and the magic eating at my shield vanished as it lost its concentration.
I spoke another word to close the hole and trap it within the earth and then I turned my attention to the great bear that was bearing down upon me. “Pyrren thylen,” I said again and this time my magical fire tore into its target, slicing the undead beast into two large and smoldering pieces. I felt a surge of exultation as it fell apart and I turned to finish the other monster lumbering toward me on its three remaining legs. Then the light I had conjured above went out and the subterranean chamber was plunged into darkness.
“Did you think I would be so easily trapped?” came Timothy’s soft words in my ear as it dropped catlike down from the ceiling above. It had escaped my pit before it closed and it now stood directly behind me, so close I could smell the unnatural state of its flesh. My shield had vanished, utterly absorbed by its close physical presence and now the creature’s hand fell upon my bare neck.
The world vanished, replaced by a black void and a dark wind. The wind was hungry and it tore at me, drawing me into the emptiness that stretched before me. I fluttered in that wind, but try as I might I could find no purchase to stop my inexorable slide into oblivion. In the distance I heard Harold’s voice screaming something. It was too faint to understand, but I could only assume the bear had found him.
Then the world returned to me in a rush. It was still black to my normal vision, but my magesight could see Harold holding the void wrapped form of a small child, kicking and struggling pathetically in his strong grasp. I scrambled backward across the floor to gain space and then my hand landed upon my staff.
Drawing myself up to my feet I ignored my exhaustion and created a new light above us. The new illumination made it even clearer what had happened. In the darkness Harold had fought and dismembered the remaining bear. One of his swords still lay on the ground near its mutilated hind quarters. Now that he could see again he was preparing to strike the undead child in his vice-like grip with the other sword. It was a sight that made me want to cheer.
Unfortunately the creature that now called itself Timothy had not given up yet. As Harold drew his arm back to slice it in two one of its arms traced more symbols of blue fire and they raced across Harold’s enchanted armor, smoking and burning wherever they found a gap that led inward to human flesh. With a scream of pain and anger he threw the small body of our enemy across the cavern to land some twenty feet away. “Damn you!” he screamed in anger. I had to agree with his sentiment.
Raising my staff I sent fire streaming toward it, hoping to burn it to ashes before it could raise another protective barrier. My aim was off however and the thing leapt from the ground with blinding speed before I could strike again. It ran toward me faster than my eyes could track and yet before it could reach me Harold was there, blocking its path and striking out with the one sword that remained to him. His aim was true and one of the thing’s arms went flying to the side before it could scramble away.
“Ha!” Harold yelled challengingly. “Not so brave when faced with honest steel are you?”
Honest enchanted steel, I added mentally, but I didn’t think it was really appropriate to mention at that point. “Stay close to me, I’ll try to burn it from a distance,” I told him instead.
The abomination that occupied Timothy’s body had had enough. Before I could aim another strike it darted away, fleeing into the tunnel that led back the way we had come.
“Walter!” I yelled in warning, “It’s coming from behind you!” A loud explosion answered my cry and a thunderous roar followed. Walter had brought down the tunnel. Dust filled the air and we waited for what seemed an eternity for the rumbling of falling rock to cease.
When the dust had settled the three of us were trapped inside the cavern, with no open route to the surface. The tunnel that Walter had collapsed had been the only way in or out. Thankfully Walter had hidden his presence and the creature had merely run past him. For now, we were alone.
“What now?” Harold asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over us.
I opened my pouch and drew out the silver stylus that was quickly becoming my favorite tool. It would be much easier to create the teleportation circle using it rather than my hands or staff. I held it up dramatically and looked at my tired and emotionally drained companions. Fear is one of the most exhausting emotions. For some reason their weariness sparked my perverse sense of humor. “With this,” I began dramatically, “we can cut our way through the rock and take the enemy from behind!” I grinned and waited for their reactions.
Walter couldn’t even reply, his jaw simply fell open. Harold was more pragmatic, wiping his sword blades off he sheathed them before commenting… “How did Dorian survive childhood with you?”
I decided to revise my previous estimation of Harold; he was definitely developing a nasty case of sarcasm. “I was joking. Give me half an hour and I’ll have us back in Lancaster.”
“Why not take us back to the Duke’s camp?” asked the burly warrior.
I shrugged, “I can’t. There isn’t a circle there.”
“If you leave a circle here that thing may be able to use it,” Walter pointed out.
I opened my magical pouch again and this time I drew a set of two small round objects wrapped together in a small square of paper, one made of glass and the other of iron. “These are a matched set,” I told him. “I created a lot of these for the war with Gododdin but I still keep a few handy. They are similar to the necklace I put on you a while back. Smash the glass bead and the iron one explodes. I’ll place the iron one near the circle before we teleport away. Once we’re safely in Lancaster I’ll smash the glass bead and destroy the circle.” I smiled smugly; I was rather pleased with myself for thinking up such a neat solution. Honestly though I hadn’t thought it up on the spot, I had spent some time considering such problems after some channelers had used one of my previous circles to invade Castle Cameron.
Harold whistled appraisingly, “Dorian was right.”
“About what?” I asked.
“He said you were too dangerous to be allowed to run free without a babysitter,” he explained.
“Was this when he explained why you were being stuck with guarding me?”
Harold grinned and nodded but Walter interrupted before we could say anything else. “Excuse me…” he said mildly. Once he was sure we had paused he continued, “How many of these explosive devices do you carry about on your person? Aren’t you worried you’ll trip and blow us all to bits of bone and jam?”
I chuckled at his odd turn of phrase. It was a valid question though, especially since I hadn’t shown him my special pouch. I drew it out again and opened the top. Rather than explain I demonstrated by pushing my arm into the bag. Although it appeared to be no more than eight inches deep I was easily able to put my arm into it until my shoulder reached the mouth of the purse. From his perspective it now appeared as if most of my arm had been amputated. “I keep all my dangerous surprises stored far from my person,” I informed him.
The look on his face was priceless, but I didn’t say anything else. I got busy working on our way out. I didn’t
think any of us wanted to spend any more time in our subterranean prison.
Chapter 38
Cyhan followed the king down a long flight of stairs. He had been summoned late at night but he was used to such odd hours. During his years of service Edward had often needed him to serve in various capacities at times when most common men were long abed. Tonight was unusual in that the King was leading him through a circuitous route. The stairs they were on now led down from the outer palace wall and reached the courtyard near where the infrequently used postern gate stood.
The implication was obvious; Edward planned to meet someone secretly at the gate. Cyhan’s presence was purely for protection. If the King had wanted him to serve in a more aggressive role he would have been given more warning and time for preparation.
As they reached the gate the King addressed him, “The ones we will be meeting are dangerous but they should keep to their word unless I am mistaken. They will be bringing hostages, two of them. You merely need to keep them secure until the priests arrive.” While he was speaking Cyhan noted that the gate was open and the night duty guards were absent.
The veteran warrior understood immediately. This wasn’t the first time he had been asked to perform such a role. The fact that the priests would be arriving to take charge of the prisoners meant that the king wanted these ‘guests’ kept discretely in a place where none would think to find them. Edward had kept a number of such hostages over the years. What was unusual was the fact that the king had chosen to receive such prisoners without any other guards.
“Your majesty,” said Cyhan carefully, “I cannot guarantee your safety and secure the prisoners at the same time by myself.”
“We understand that,” answered the King. “Just make sure the prisoners are kept safely until the brothers arrive. There will be no treachery tonight.”
Other than our own, thought Cyhan. Given the timing he had a good idea who the prisoners might be though it still didn’t explain Edward’s obsessive need for secrecy. The King had a number of guards that could be trusted in such situations, and in the past he had used them. Something about tonight was different, so different that he needed to hide the details even from his most trusted guards. Except me, for my oath is my life.
They waited a short time, less than a quarter of an hour before several heavily cloaked figures entered through the open gate. Between them they had two people, bound and being led on short chains. All in all there were eight of them escorting the two prisoners. The prisoners were also cloaked but their faces were only partly hidden by the deep hoods and Cyhan was fairly certain that his suspicions were correct regarding their identities.
The king stepped forward confidently, “Let me see their faces. I need to be sure they are who you claim them to be.”
The voice that answered was a woman’s, though her speech was oddly inflected, as if she wasn’t used to speaking regularly. “Of course your Majesty, it shall be as you say. We do not wish you to suspect us of any trickery.” Despite her strange intonation Cyhan thought she sounded somewhat familiar.
Hands reached up and pulled the prisoner’s hoods aside, removing any doubt as to their identities. Standing before them were the Countess di’Cameron and Sir Dorian Thornbear. They appeared unharmed but their eyes were a bit wild around the edges. Penny’s gaze immediately locked upon Cyhan. “Snake! I should have known you’d be here serving your…,” she said vehemently but she was interrupted by one of her captors.
“Silence,” the strange woman’s voice broke in as she held up a finger in front of Penny’s face. The countess’s eyes locked upon that finger as it drew close to her cheek, and a look of intense fear and loathing was evident in her visage. Penny promptly closed her mouth while drawing her head back to avoid her captor’s touch.
Dorian struggled beside her, but he was tightly bound and gagged, even so he managed to pull away from those holding him for a moment and struck the woman threatening Penny with his shoulder. She stumbled backward as the two holding his chains pulled and tugged to get him back under control. The motion caused her hood to fall away and for a moment her face was clearly visible to Cyhan in the dim moonlight. It was Ruth.
A chill passed down his spine. Seeing her there was not unexpected, he had already guessed at the purpose of her mission before she had left. What unnerved him was her expression, or rather her lack of expression. Her eyes passed over him with no hint of recognition. That along with the strangeness of her voice a moment ago told him more than enough. She was no longer the woman he had known.
“Chain them to the post there,” said Edward calmly. “I want you gone before the others arrive.”
“We have kept our part of the bargain. Do not forget your part, King of Lothion,” answered the creature that had once been Ruth.
Edward’s eyes narrowed in the darkness. “Do not presume to lecture me. I have not forgotten. Begone lest I lose my temper!”
The shiggreth made no reply and within minutes they were gone, leaving behind their shackled prisoners. Cyhan stood guard silently beside his king while they waited for the priests to arrive. His eyes never left Penny and Dorian’s faces but his mind was far away.
My king has made an alliance with the undead, he thought quietly, and Ruth is now one of them. Those two facts chased each other in circles within his head and he could find no way to escape the horror they presented. He had gone numb, physically and mentally. Try as he might he could find no meaning or reason in what he had just witnessed. I have only my oath.
Chapter 39
Our arrival in Lancaster was greeted with some surprise but I didn’t have much patience for formalities. I headed for the keep as soon as we arrived, stopping only to ask one question of the guard on duty, “Where is Genevieve now?”
“She’s in the study sir,” the man answered quickly.
I turned to Walter and Harold, “I will be meeting with the duchess, go ahead and find something to eat but don’t go too far. I plan to travel again momentarily.”
I ran into Benchley right after entering the main hall. “Your Excellency, it is good to see you again,” he said to me in a tone that was genuinely respectful. Since I had been granted the title of count I found I missed his sarcastic tones. He just isn’t the same anymore, I lamented inwardly.
“Benchley!” I exclaimed. “I’m going to see her Grace but she will need your assistance immediately thereafter. She will want to send several messages. I would appreciate it if you would call for the messengers and tell the head groom to get a fast horse ready.”
He gave me a tight lipped smile and walked with me to the study door. “Certainly sir,” he replied.
I stopped, “I mean now Benchley. I can let myself in. I don’t need you to open the door for me.”
He coughed. “Begging your pardon sir but I’ve already taken care of those things. Do you still wish to open the door for yourself or is there something else you would like me to do?” His hand was already gripping the door handle.
I almost laughed, instead I grinned at him. “You smug bastard, I’ve missed you.”
He gave me a quizzical look, “I never left sir.” His tone and expression gave nothing away, but my magesight showed me a distinct flicker of amusement as he answered. I could study for a hundred years and never attain this man’s level of sarcastic excellence, I reminded myself.
I waved my hand at the door and let him open it for me. I found Genevieve sitting at a desk leaning over a heavy ledger book. She glanced up at me in surprise, “I hadn’t expected to see you back so soon. Is James alright?” Her eyes had already taken in the fact that I was alone.
I walked around the desk and held out my hands. She tentatively accepted them and I pulled her gently to her feet before embracing her. “Penny and Dorian are alive,” I said softly. It was something I had only learned myself an hour past and the emotion that swept over me as I allowed myself to say the words was overwhelming.
“What?!” she said thrusting me out to arm’s le
ngth. “Where are they? How did you learn this?”
“They’re in Albamarl. The King has them…,” I began. It took almost a quarter of an hour to explain the situation and how I had come by the information. The matter was only made more difficult by the fact that I could barely speak due to the storm of emotions that was running through me.
The duchess was patient as I told my story, waiting till I had run down before she spoke. “What do you intend to do now?” she asked bluntly when I had finished.
“I need you to send a message to James. He still thinks we’re trapped in that cave. He should come back and I will probably need his help soon,” I told her.
“And then?”
Frustration boiled up causing me to clench my fists, “I don’t know! I want to go to the capital and separate Edward from his entrails!”
Genevieve shook her head, “You know you cannot do that.”
“Why not?” I asked. “If he can’t speak he can’t order their deaths. I simply have to kill him quickly.” I knew better but I wasn’t in the mood for being rational.
“He has been at this game for much longer than you have been alive. If you kill him they will die, you can count on that Mordecai,” she replied sternly.
Helpless anger put tears in my eyes as I looked up at her. “Then what would you advise me to do?”
“You might consider negotiating first. Obviously he will use them as hostages to ensure your cooperation. Depending on his plans for you it may be better to cooperate than risk him harming the two of them,” she said slowly.
“No,” I said immediately, “Walter took that course and he hasn’t seen his family in over four years. Besides, the king doesn’t dare kill them. We are at an impasse. If he kills them I will not hesitate to avenge them. Their lives are the only things that shield him.”