by Demetri Grim
“You. I saw you. Hard at work. Fiddling away at your little machine. Melting gold to work on the savage’s horns. Or so you claimed when I asked you.” His eyes dug into her soul as the pace they walked quickened in his obvious anger. “Right before that damnable creature... Red, pulled me away for some foolish thing or another.” He squeezed hard on her arm, offering a smile to the guards as they passed the palace gates. “I find it, convenient timing. Don't you agree.” Beka cried out only to be muffled by his hand as he turned to face her, coming to a halt in the center of the grand boulevard. “I do not know what you have done to warrant such loyalty from my pets, but I will find out. This breach of trust will not be tolerated,” he hissed, inches from her face. Pulling his hand free of her mouth and silencing any further sound with a look. He locked her wrist in his and marched on.
Before long the walls of the Colosseum could be seen above the roofs as they quickly approached. Beka’s mind raced. Even knowing she was likely to be food for one of the lord mage’s pets. Or soon to become one of the city’s disappeared. Even as they neared the opening to the Menagerie Beka could only find herself thinking about her brother’s strange behavior. She had to know what the evil man had done to her kind hearted but fiercely loyal brother.
“What did you do to Lavets...” Her voice sounded small and weak as she pulled against her captor. She was tired of being dragged around. She pushed and pulled but his bony fingers only tightened painfully around her wrist. She had no chance of escape. She had enough of his manhandling. “Let go of me Takagi!” To her surprise the mage’s grip faltered at the use of his name. She yanked her hand free. He wheeled on her and his eyes flashed dangerously.
“You do not know when to stay silent do you. Know your place.” A rune flashed blue in his hand as his fingers danced across his array. The world turned to ice around her. The walls and pillars of the Colosseum glazed over as icicles grew dangerously from the roof above. A sheen of slick black frost coated the ground. She could feel the fingers of ice pierce into the souls of her shoes and lock her in place. The pair of guards at the Colosseum door took a step back from the spreading ice and lowered their halberds.
“Sir! Use of magics are not permitted within the city grounds! I order you to dispel this ice immediately! Further actions will be seen as a threat and met with lethal force!” The armored door guard shouted angrily at them. Clouded breath coming from his closed helmet as he took a step onto the ice. Kindredstar’s cold and furious eyes flashed blue at her before he looked over his shoulder. With a disgusted huff he straightened himself. Regaining his composure, he turned to face the guards. He fixed his collar and wiped unseen dust from his sleeve. The elf locked eyes with the guard. “I said dispel this ice mage!” He demanded, talking another step forward.
“Oh, for the gods sake be silent fool.” Kindredstar lifted his hand. Another sigil appeared from his array. It was a complex sigil unlike any Beka had ever seen, surrounded by dozens of smaller runes that the mage’s fingers danced across as he worked his magic. “I command you. Never forget that.” His tone was condescending and echoing oddly against the frozen walls as his words reached the guards. The sigil flared once before vanishing. The ice around them hissed and dripped as it quickly began to melt. “You demand nothing from me. You will return to your little door and keep standing there uselessly. Just as silent as you always do, until I say otherwise. If I say otherwise.” He hissed at the man before coming around behind her. The ice rooting Beka’s feet in place coming free the moment his hands closed on her shoulders. He pushed her forward.
“Please guards you have to help me! He is-” Beka pleaded. Her attempt to get help was cut off as Kindredstar laughed arrogantly and pushed her forward again. Her eyes turning to the guards who at first seemed worried and defensive. Now the men stood rooted in place by the entrance to the Colosseum, gazing into the distance with blank expressions in their eyes. There eyes flickered with cold blue light as she was hustled past. They ignored the both of them as if they were not there. “What have you done to them? How are you doing this! Is this what you did to my brother?!” She spat out her words as the mage led her deeper into the inner chambers of the Colosseum and to the Menagerie alcove proper.
“Always so full of insufferable questions. Be silent! You’re in no position to ask anything of me mongrel.” He hissed as his pushing nearly sent her toppling down the Menagerie stairs. Managing to catch herself on a flickering lamp along the wall she glared back at him. “Glare all you wish mongrel. But be mindful I have removed eyes for less.” He sneered at her. Moving the both of them farther down the stair and to the iron portal leading to his domain. Both guards immediately stood to attention and saluted. With a dismissive wave they dropped the salute and moved wordlessly to open the way.
“Are they brainwashed as well?” Beka hissed. It certainly would explain their odd behavior and why they never seemed to leave.
“No. They are mine. Like Red they serve a purpose. That will be your last question. Speak again without being spoken to and I will cut your tongue out.” His eyes flashed with the cold and very real threat. A flicker of light and the runed iron door to the Menagerie faded into mist.
Standing just on the other side was Red. His face a stern mask. Unblinking gold eyes flicked between her and Kindredstar. Worry mixed with anger sparked in the deep inner light of his eyes.
“Master. You have returned. Apologies. I did not see Miss Galten leave. I would have notified you.” Red opened his mouth to say more but the strike of Kindredstar’s back-hand across his face silenced the big man.
“You will be dealt with. I will not tolerate another lie from your venomed tongue lizard.” Lifting his hand to Red, another even more complex sigil than the one he used on the guards appeared. The same one he used in the office the day Beka had dropped off Heartseeker. His fingers again dancing across the runes surrounding it. Kindredstar’s array flickering away with a spark as he spoke. “I command you to return to your cell. Consider if this mongrel was worth your freedom.” Kindredstar pushed past the silently shaking monster. Her eyes met Red’s, barely contained rage burned across his features. An aura of oppressive power crushed the air out of her lungs as she mouthed her apology to him. His eyes did not leave the elf’s back even as he turned and pulled open a cell door, completely disregarding the enchantments that would have made it vanish into mist. Red simply ripped it from the wall and walked inside.
“A dragon, he is a bloody dragon...” She whispered under her breath lingering a distance behind her captor. Kindredstar had called him a lizard. She was right all along. The strange red monster in a man suit had to be a dragon. But how in the worlds did an elf noble, even as powerful as Kindredstar capture a dragon!?
“You are testing my patience.” The mage’s voice called out to her. Tinged with irritation as he stopped in front of his office door. She had stopped a considerable distance behind the man. Beka fought against her rising fears and the very real fact she was trapped. His finger thrust outwards to her and beckoned downward, directing her to a spot at his side. Cold blue eyes flashing. She swallowed hard and followed his directions, silently walking into the office behind him.
Not stopping, Kindredstar pushed her towards the exit to the holding cells. Her legs felt weak, and she stumbled through the door as it turned to mist. Falling to her knees she looked down the long hall of cages. The animals inside were restless and clawing at the bars and floor of their cages as they sensed the elf’s menacing aura. There might have been a chance she could run for the far exit— the barracks door was not enchanted and the guards inside could not possibly be under the noble’s control. Little Bit was proof of that. If she can get to the armory she might have a chance.
“I know that look. I see it everyday, foolish little mongrel. The look to flee. The spark of hope and the dream to run. Do not test me any further. Thinking you can get away… Ha!” He lifted his hand. His array flashed and the ground became slick under her as she tried to stand
. “You will not make it far.” He chuckled darkly. “Though your desire to run is proof that something is truly amiss. You would have been better off simply playing coy as you had before.” He sighed, sounding disappointed as he continued down the hall. “It cannot be helped. Your predictable, useless mongrel blood sees to it.”
She truly had made a mistake. He was right. Until this point she might have been able to play it off as a misunderstanding. He was toying with her this entire time. He had no proof. He only suspected, and she gave him all the proof he needed. Beka bowed her head and followed behind him, resigned. A moment later they stood in front of the door to the holding pit. Kindredstar took one last glance over his shoulder to her and pushed open the door, gesturing for her to enter first.
“Heh? You come back? Oh...” Goldenhorn’s voice called out to her as she entered. Sounding unsure at first and falling silent instantly as Kindredstar came in behind her. Resting his hands on her shoulders the mage peered over the top of her head at the monsters beyond. Beka glanced up to them for only a moment. Her fate was sealed. Standing unchained near the small forge was Goldenhorn, and next to him in her copied image was Grey. A set of tongs in each of their hands as they struggled to contain a thick goopy strand of overheated gold. It would be comical if not for the situation— she had made the same mistake many times over the years. “Crap...” The Kathani rumbled, looking to Grey whose stolen light grey eyes widened in fear.
"Now isn't this interesting." The mage’s voice was sickeningly sweet. He pushed her forward hard enough for her to stumble. Her knees hit the stones hard and she winced. Goldenhorn moved forward to aid her but the elf's sharp command stopped him in his tracks. "Touch her and she will suffer a fate worse than your own." Goldenhorn’s thick hooves rattled the ground under her as he stomped in irritation. Turning a tentative smile up to him she met his eyes. They were fearful and angry at the same time, but he made no move to help her. Rolling over, Beka looked up at the mage. His hand was outstretched, another unfamiliar sigil floating in his palm as he pecked at a few of the runes surrounding it. She scooted away towards Goldenhorn, the mage’s eyes darting down to her and sparking with vile mirth. “You don't seriously believe you can go to them for safety do you?” He laughed at her and wiped at his eye. “They are mine mongrel! They live and die by my hand. Whatever loyalty you think you have gained from them I can take away in a heartbeat.”
Suddenly Grey loomed before her. Beka shrunk away only to find they were blocking the mage from her protectively. “This one does not want her to die,” Grey said defiantly, if a little petulantly. Their tones were nothing she had heard from them before as they assumed Kindredstar’s form. “This one will not let you hurt her!” She froze in place as the sigil in his hand held array changed into one she recognized from the smithy. The rune for Blade materializing before his fingertips.
“How dare you...” A blade of razor sharp ice shot from the mage’s palm, catching Grey in the chest and driving them back. A second lance of blue light and a spray of blood splattered the ground before her as the elf lord’s own head came off the changeling’s body. The body of the monster turning back into the sickly grey flesh of their base form moments before the head started screaming. The high pitched keening cutting off sharply as the features reverted back to Grey's voiceless form.
“You monster!” She cried and jolted to her feet, her hands balling into fists. Her instinct to defend Grey once again leading her to disregard the danger around her. The magic crackled angrily in Kindredstar’s hand. The elf’s immaculate brow arching over his glowing blue eye. An incredulous look crossing his features.
A strong hand gripped around her shoulder and drove her into the ground painfully.
“Don’t kid. Grey still lives. Do not lose your life for them. Please Beka...” Goldenhorn’s soft voice echoed into her mind as the red haze of her anger diminished at his words. They were still alive...of course they were. They had their core, it must not have been damaged by the mage’s ice. Of course the evil bastard would know how to handle Grey. What the hell was she thinking trying to attack him? She was no mage, no fighter. She was just a blacksmith's daughter.
“You insolent beast. I told you not to touch her. Stupid savage. Can you not understand simple commands?” The mage’s voice cut her as keenly as his ice as a flash of blue light and the strange sigil appeared once more in his hand. He touched several runes. The mage’s array flashed; she recognized a few of them. A rune she thought meant Command as well as one that she recognized for Body flashed under his fingertips. As each was pressed another set of runes appeared one after the other. A few flashes later and she recognized the array from the elf's punishment of Red. “Grovel savage, and know you sealed her fate.” The rune for Kneel was pressed and then another she did not recognize. Goldenhorn’s knees buckled hard enough to crack the stone under him. His head came to rest on the floor, kneeling and groveling before the mage. Goldenhorn’s low rumble of anger left her skin prickling at his proximity. “Very good Brown. That is where you belong, on your knees before me with your face in the blood of your friends.” He barked out his terrible laugh.
“I... not... Brown! I Goldenhorn!” The warrior growled from between bared teeth as his head came up from the floor, his powerful hooves digging into the stones under him as he rose to standing.
“Interesting. You think you’re going to break my control?” The mage’s voice dripped with amused disdain. His array flashed again. Goldenhorn’s face struck the ground hard as he returned to groveling. “I will admit that is a remarkable trick Brown. How did you manage to pull it off?” His array flashed and changed again. This time the sigil for Mind glinted under his finger. Another string of runes danced across the mage’s fingers faster than she could keep up with. “How did you do it Brown. I command you to tell me.”
“I had...” Goldenhorn grunted and pounded his fist into the floor, sending shards of stone into the air as he resisted. “I had agreement for new name. Beka... gave it to me.” He spat out the words with a growl. His large amber eye opening to gaze at Beka. An apology clear in his soft gaze.
“So I see. Took a name without permission did we. Clever Brown. Too clever.” The mage turned his cold gaze on her and sniffed. “Brown, take Grey back to its cell, then lock yourself in your own. I will consider what your punishment shall be.” Another dance of runes across the mage’s array and Brown stood. Slowly stooping to take Grey's leaking head from the floor. After only the briefest of pauses to glance at her he moved away and out of the room. Heavy footfalls echoing down the holding cells until she was once again alone with the mage.
Cold fingers once again clamped around her wrist and hauled her to her feet. She struggled but fear stripped her of strength as Kindredstar pulled her from the room and into the hall. Beka’s mind raced. What is he doing? Why had he not simply ordered the monsters to kill her? Why not just leave her in the cell? “What are you going to do to me? What have you done to my-” Kindredstar rounded on her. Striking out with a bony hand he slapped her hard across the face. Her ears rung and her eyes started to water as she clutched at her burning cheek. Beka staggered away only to be caught by his grip again and yanked harder down the corridor.
“I said no more questions. But it appears a stupid mongrel like yourself must be beaten to learn.” Kindredstar yanked hard on her arm and threw her forward towards his office. The door to his office had not fully turned to mist as she was slammed hard into it. Her lip biting into the metal just before it faded away spilling her out onto the floor as the mage followed her inside.
“I won't go quietly! You’re a monster! More than any of your bloody pets.” Beka spit a glob of blood from her swollen and broken lip onto his stark green carpeted floor. She hoped it stained. Her spite was short-lived as he grabbed her by the hair and drug her the rest of the way into the room. Depositing her in front of his desk.
“No... clearly you won't go quietly. I said be silent. I said no more questions. You disobey at
every turn. “ He yanked her head back as he glared hard into her eyes. The blue light of his magic sparking inside infinitely black depths. He was way too close. His face only inches away as he studied her. Taking in a breath she snarled back at him and tried to spit another glob of blood onto his eyes. But the mage pushed her away before she was able. A bloody mouthful retching out onto the carpet as she felt his boot connect with her stomach. “Insolent creature. Worse than even the savage. I would have simply executed you for knowing too much. But now I will make you suffer.” She looked back at him as he wiped his face, a trail of her blood streaking down his cheek. She gave him a bloody satisfied smile. At least she got him a little with that.
“Whatever you think you’re going to do with Grey... my mother will not fall for it. When I disappear everyone will know it was you.” She shuffled into a sitting position and cradled her aching stomach. At least the mage had not broken her ribs again.
“Your mother? Ah yes...of course the damned changeling would have given that away.” He rounded his desk and withdrew a folded cloth from within. Taking the time to wipe his hands and face clean. Her gaze flicked to the parchment in his robe as he watched, her eyes meeting his once more and she froze. His eyebrow lifted and he patted his chest right over the concealed note. “Is that what this is? Interesting.”
“Others will know! Whatever you're doing to Lavets is not going to last. People will figure it out! My mother will tell the king!” She spat out her words, trying to make it as much of a threat as she could but her heart sank a moment later as Kindredstar’s wide grin split his face.
“Others? So I trust your uncle knows as well. That will not be a problem.” He laughed harshly and tossed the cloth onto his desk as he came back around to her. Pulling the rolled parchment from his robe he broke the seal and started to read. “Very damning information mongrel. This would indeed bring the king and others down upon me. My pets are going to need a reminder who is the master here.” He leaned against the desk unrolling the last of the scroll. His eyes alight with energy as he barked out a laugh.
