“Then why are we not in pursuit this very minute,” James demanded, forgetting himself for the moment. “You said we could tame the Twenty Three if we captured the Seer’s bones?”
“Because, young sir, the bones are useless while their master is still alive, so we cannot send the Twenty Three from whence they came, nor can we pursue Keira and the other Larniusian elders she has in company because the Twenty Three are now protecting them.” Naratha spoke as if he’d already had this discussion and would prefer they didn’t have it again.
James was already thinking of a way around that. “Can the Twenty Three walk on water or fly?” he asked. He suspected not.
Naratha frowned at the question, as did Leefton and Sir Colita.
“Can they?” Faith demanded.
A glance was enough to see that Faith was thinking along the same lines as James.
“No, they cannot,” Naratha replied.
“We think they’re taking her to Wildling Cove where they intend to board a ship,” James said.
“How do you know this,” Naratha asked.
“The same way we knew about the Seer’s bones,” James replied. He quickly explained what Danielle had done to him, and then said, “Your Druid fire is accurate, I’ve seen that well enough. If we can get you within striking distance, you can kill their priestess across the water without fear of the Twenty Three. Once that is done, these beasts of men can be negated and we can board the ship and rescue our lady. Lord Leefton, if you would permit me the use of forty of your men, we’ll commandeer what vessels there are at Wildling Cove, and give chase, and once Lord Naratha and his colleagues have played their part, we will play ours. Please, sir, we can do this. We can still secure Dee’s escape.”
“I would agree, James, but it’s not up to me,” Leefton said.
“Lord Naratha, what say you?” Faith asked.
The aged druid had sat down on the stone slab and was massaging his forehead. He looked as if he’d aged a hundred years in the last few hours. His blue eyes lifted to meet James and Faith’s expectant gaze. “I am sorry, but it can’t be done. We could strike at their ship from the safety of another, even sink it, but Keira will be expecting us and be well protected now. And I think you know how futile it would be to board that ship with the Twenty Three waiting to defend it. You would be leading every man and woman who went with you to his or her death, and likely hasten your lady’s death as well. Keira will not let the Lady de Brie fall back into our hands alive. As hard as it is, it’s better that we turn our attention on procuring the Book of Minion. It’s not a weapon I want to wield, but it’s our only hope now. And we must act quickly, before they can turn your fiancée’s mind, and secure the book for themselves.”
“Danielle will never help them.”
“They have ways of subverting one’s will, James.”
“So how will you procure it before them?” James demanded. “Danielle is less than four miles away. There must be a way!”
“The other Child of Light must be brought from the shadows, whatever Cargius willed to the contrary,” Naratha said reluctantly.
James scoffed. “You’ll have more luck befriending a serpent. Or do you intend to subvert her will as well? And does the book not taint the soul of any who use it, including Kathiusian Druids?”
Naratha calmly weathered James’ anger and then said, “I am sorry, but the decision is not yours to make. This morning was a mistake that has cost us all dearly. You must bear your loss as we will bear ours. At the very least we can be pleased that the Twenty Three no longer ravage Amthenium. At least for the time being.” Naratha got stiffly back to his feet, and went to leave.
“There is another way,” Faith said.
They all looked at her.
“I can kill the priestess for you.”
Naratha seemed a little bemused by the suggestion. “You might be a fine warrior, Milady, but you are no match for the Twenty Three.”
“Apparently that’s not all together true. I have clashed with them twice today, and have lived to tell the tale.”
The old Druid’s eyes narrowed, puzzled to hear this. “I fear you must be mistaken, Milady, for what you speak simply is not possible. Living flesh cannot clash with these beasts of men and live.”
“Possible or not, it is the truth. The Twenty Three will not harm me. It was so in the square in front of Amthenium’s South Gate and again in the woods just now.”
“It is true, Milord,” James confirmed. He looked at Faith and said no more. This was her story to tell not his.
Faith hesitated, as if looking for the courage to continue. “They called me liege and say I am fated to be Kane’s bride.”
Grave concern marred Naratha’s face at hearing this. “Did they say anything else regarding this fating?”
“No.”
Naratha glanced over his shoulder and gestured to his Lord Protector. “Lord Baryon, here if you will.”
The tall young druid hurried over, his expression expectant. “Father?”
“The Twenty Three have named Lady Galloway Abbagay.”
Distrust and a touch of fear clouded the man’s face as he glanced at Faith. “There is nothing in her aura to mark her as such.”
“And her blood?” Naratha asked.
The druid seemed to catch the older druid’s meaning. He shut his mouth and nodded, and immediately knelt beside the small fire, drew his dagger and shovelled some of the embers up onto the sacrificial stone.
Naratha offered Faith his hand. “I will need a little of your blood.”
Leefton stepped forward and put out his hand stopping Faith from going to Naratha. “I think not. My niece is not Abbagay.”
“And if she is?” Naratha asked. “Would you have us turn a blind eye to the evil that will come from her womb?”
“She would never lie with that vile man.”
“Her will has nothing to do with it. Rape will do just as well.”
“Uncle, what is this? What is Abbagay?”
James was equally lost.
Leefton looked disapprovingly at Naratha and then said reluctantly, “A very old Druid legend says she will be the mother of the man who will make war on the gods themselves. It is said that a hand possessed with the purple aura will be the father of this son. The fulfilment of the legend has been watched for, since the first century of Larnius’ reign.”
Faith swallowed hard at the news and said, “If I am what you say and I go aboard that ship, they will not dare touch me. In fact they will flee rather than see me harmed, correct?”
Naratha shrugged. “Perhaps not harm you. More likely they would attempt to capture you.”
“And if I held a blade to my own throat, and threatened to kill myself?”
Naratha sighed and nodded reluctantly. “It is unlikely they would want that. But that will not necessarily save the Lady de Brie. If we attack and cannot get to her first, they will undoubtedly kill her, since they cannot take her with them. She is not able to change her form, and as I have already said, they will not let her fall back into our hands. They might even try and use her life against you; try and force your hand.”
“If it proves so, then we’ll die together and swing the advantage away from them and back to you. For they cannot secure the book without her, but you can, is that not so?”
“If you can’t kill Keira and nullify the Twenty Three, you agree to kill your friend and yourself?”
“If that is what is necessary, then yes.”
Naratha pondered that for a moment. “And you think they will trust you? You will be on board their ship uninvited and unexpected? Why would you do that? Certainly they will know your art as a warrior, Milady, and be wary enough to keep Keira at arms length. Perhaps even Danielle at arms length.”
“Then I’ll tell them what they want to hear. That I’m willing to be betrothed to Lord Kane, if they’ll spare my father’s kingdom. I’ll tell them that I ran, because you tried to kill me when you discovered who I am.”
Naratha pursed his lips and looked to Leefton. Before her uncle could speak Faith pushed past him and offered Naratha her arm. “The Chancellor does not command me, sir. Now take the blood. And if I am what they say, we attack the ship. For whatever the outcome, you can’t lose.”
Naratha let out a weary sigh and agreed, before motioning Lord Baryon to begin the procedure.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
“May I ask where you are taking me?” Danielle said.
It was the first opportunity she’d had to speak since leaving Faith and James high up in the forest overlooking Wildling Cove. Despite the poor light and the dara root they had given her to chew to help numb her pain the ride down through the foggy woods had been undertaken at breakneck speed and her wounds were screaming in pain because of it. Now the forest had disappeared and these beasts of men, along with Lord Allius and herself were riding along a fog-shrouded track with open paddocks on either side. Sheep were bleating somewhere to their right and Danielle could just make out the rooftops of the small village of Wildling Cove. They had turned off the rutted dirt road that led into the fishing settlement and appeared to be heading west which as she remembered it would take them past the only farm in the settlement and on to a small stony beach a mile along the coast. Failing that they’d have to re-enter the forest and that seemed most unlikely.
“I suspect that depends, Milady,” Allius replied. “If that symbol you bear is Aquitius of the lower tongue as our lady suspects, you’ll see Arkaelyon again when we move to recover the Book of Minion from the bottom of the Lake. Other than that it depends how long it takes for your dreams to reveal your true nature.”
“And in the meantime?”
“I’m hardly going to share that with you am I? I know you can touch your friend’s minds if they are close enough and on that account they are still far too close.”
After a short silence Danielle shared something else that was at the forefront of her mind. “What would it take to save my father?”
Allius smiled as if she were a particularly naïve child. “You should set your mind on protecting your brothers’ lives not your father’s, they are not named in the prophecy so might be saved if you do as you are told and give us no trouble.”
Danielle had been thinking about Eden and what little Cargius had told her about her brother’s part in all of this. It was a relief that it still remained a secret to these people. If all else failed she would ensure it stayed that way. It helped too that Eden and the others knew about Bianca. They would not be without a Child of Light if she did not make it through this. Even if that Child of Light was somewhat deficient without Cargius to lead her to enlightenment.
She looked back at the swirling fog behind them, hoping for rescue. She had thought James and Faith would have interpreted her message by now and that the Seer’s bones would be in their possession. Unfortunately, an hour or more had passed, dawn had come and gone, and there was no sign that her hope was well placed.
It wasn’t long before they rode onto a pebbly beach. Allius gave the order to dismount and sent several of the Twenty Three into the fog to find the waiting barge. Allius lifted Danielle down and made her sit on a large rock. She grimaced and tried to control her breathing as he examined her wounded leg. Despite the long coat he had wrapped around her she was shivering with cold, and felt lightheaded from the pain and blood loss. He didn’t look overly pleased by her condition, even though he was directly responsible for at least the arrow in her leg.
“Karic.”
“Milord?” A red bearded warrior approached, two long handled axes strapped to his back.
“Heal her.”
“But she’s Druid’s Bane? The pain will keep her compliant and weak and us the safer for it. And her blood is hardly enough to ensure she does not die.”
“Yes, but Keira will want her blood kept in good health, so do it.”
Karic spat out a wad of chewing tar and knelt down. He rubbed his hands together and then nodded to his commander. Danielle wasn’t sure what to expect and she stiffened in fright when Allius grabbed her from behind and cupped a hand firmly over her mouth. The other man reached out and grabbed her side with hands that were less than kind. Danielle went rigid as steel and let fly a muffled scream as the pain flared to agony and almost consumed her. The warrior muttered an incantation and the pain began to numb. It was the oddest sensation. Danielle felt like she could breath again, at least until he withdrew his hands from her side and settled them around the crossbow bolt protruding from her leg. She stiffened again, fighting the pain that flared up in her limb, and then thrashed, trying to kick him off as he took a hold of the shaft of the bolt and began to ease it out of her.
When it was done he cupped the bloody wound in her leg in both hands and squeezed. His lips moving with words Danielle did not understand or care to understand. All she knew was that the pain was easing again and while she felt numb and weak she was greatly relieved to be free of the pain her wounds had been causing her.
The men released her leg and Allius took his hand away from her mouth and moved to examine her healed wounds.
“Better?” the red headed warrior asked. He stood and sucked her blood off his hands and fingers through a grin that turned her stomach.
Danielle lowered her eyes. These men disgusted her. That said, the man had healed her and restored her strength. Her clothes were still bloodied and torn, but her flesh had knitted back together nicely and there was no pain. She offered a begrudging thank you.
“Nice work, Karic.” Allius stood and pulled Danielle back to her feet. He called for a rope from one of the horseman who was watching from his mount. The warrior tossed down a coil and dismounted to help.
Danielle stood there quietly as they tied her ankles and wrists. She was well aware that the smell of her blood had excited the senses of every man here. The warrior helping Allius had wiped his hands against her bloodied clothes and was licking at his fingers. And Karic had just about sucked his glistening red hands clean.
The sound of boots running through pebbles heralded the arrival of another of the Twenty Three from the fog. “The barge is here, commander. The other end of the beach.”
“Move out!” Allius ordered. “Karic, take my horse.”
Men and horses moved to comply.
The Druid Lord hoisted Danielle over his shoulder like a sack of flour and began to walk down the beach, his men shadows in the thick white fog around them.
Danielle eyed them wearily. She still wasn’t sure what these warriors were. Though they appeared to be living men they were not the black robed warriors who had abducted her from the Arkaelyus and whom she had seen fighting and dying up in the woods earlier. The power these dread knights exuded was so strong their mere presence chilled her skin. Escaping them would not be easy, but she was determined to find a way and doubly so since she was feeling so much better.
The barge was waiting for them at the water’s edge. It was one of the many such vessels that plied the Lake of Mist, carrying passengers and cargo out to the island city from the surrounding towns and villages and bringing people back to the mainland.
Warriors were already working to get their mounts aboard. The horses, none too pleased by the deck moving under their hooves, whinnied and skittered, flicking their tails and ears and shaking their heads as their masters worked to hobble them. The terrified ferrymen sat at their benches in silence, their oars in their hands, their heads bowed in servitude and fear. Their captain had been nailed to the bow railing, and his bowels loosed by a single sword stroke across the belly.
Danielle was disgusted and angry. “Why are you so bent on murder and death? What did that man do to you?” she said as she was made to sit down at the bow. She had seen too many innocent people die at the hands of these murderous bloodthirsty bastards.
Allius smirked at her ignorance. He rested his dusty boot on the bench she was sitting on and leaned forward, his gaze on the fog beyond the bow. “I cannot expe
ct you to understand, child, for you are as ignorant and blind to the world around you as a base born peasant or a self-conceited priest.”
“I guess that depends on where you sit,” Danielle countered.
“Perspective is irrelevant. Ultimate truth, the truth that is remembered, is the privilege of the victorious,” he replied with a telling grin.
“Name it however you wish, you and your kind are still nothing more than butchers.”
Allius chuckled condescendingly. “You sound like Cargius. Did he plant his ideas in your pretty little head as he fucked you like he has so many before you?” Allius sat down beside her and leaned close and smelt her hair.
Danielle quickly shut her mouth. She knew this was not a man you wanted to piss off.
“You should be pleased for this man’s sacrifice. His bowels and blood will keep this vessel hidden while we row out to the ship since it masks the smell of your precious blood. Which means my men will not be tempted by you and I will not have to spill the blood of your friends and followers if they were to attack us.”
Danielle froze and fear ballooned in her chest as Allius placed a hand on her thigh and moved to lay kisses on her neck.
“Not that any of this is your fault, Milady,” he said his voice husky with desire. “You cannot know the pleasure and power that dwells in living blood, or its craving. But I can assure you the brethren are going to enjoy feasting on you when the time comes. It’s been a long time since we had a Child of Light to bleed on the altar and to lift in toast and worship to Maig. Too long. And I fully intend to take my fill.”
Danielle cringed and stifled a cry as he nipped her skin and then put a hand on her shoulder and forced her down onto her back and began to undo his belt buckle. “In the meantime I’m going to have to settle for simpler pleasures.”
Tears sprang to Danielle’s eyes. She was considering taking her own life for rescue seemed increasingly unlikely and escape almost as impossible despite her renewed strength. And anything would be preferable to this. Drowning was the easiest option. All she had to do was get to the railing and throw herself into the lake. The weight of her long coat would drag her down, and with her hands and legs bound, the end would be certain.
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