Kwin

by Trudie Collins

  Eventually Gareth broke the silence. “Have you given much thought as to how we are going to actually rescue Shona when we get there?”

  He was trying to distract him, to take his mind off leaving Luka and Kwin had never felt more grateful toward him than he did then. He hadn’t told Gareth how his feelings for Luka had grown; there was no need. He also hadn’t told Luka. He had wanted to, but the words just wouldn’t form in his mouth. He longed to go back to her, but they had no future together. He had a job to do and that was all that mattered.

  “Not really,” he said. Of course he hadn’t. His mind had been consumed with thoughts of Luka. “I have a few suggestions, but I’m not sure if any of them are viable.”

  They discussed various possibilities as they rode. They were taking it easy. They had a long way to go and didn’t want to tire the horses. It would also look suspicious if they galloped down the road at that time of the morning.

  They would continue on the road until they got closer to the city, before going cross country for most of the rest of the way. It was a shorter route and there was less chance of them meeting anyone who would be suspicious of them.

  As soon as they left the road, they loosened the reigns, giving their horses the freedom they had been wanting. Without being told, both animals broke into a gallop and soon the only sound was the pounding of their hooves on the ground.

  Kwin and Gareth didn’t speak again until they stopped by a stream for a meal around midday. They finally settled on a plan. Once they reached Fillen’s estate, they would tether the horses and approach on foot. They would hide their presence with invisibility shields and break into the house. Nobody ever seemed to lock their doors in Wayvern so that part would not be a problem.

  They debated asking the first slave they came across for help in finding where Shona was, but eventually rejected the idea. They had no idea what sort of control Fillen had over them. They might be so terrified of him that they would betray their presence to him if they revealed themselves.

  The first day of their journey was pleasant. The sun shone, a gentle breeze kept them cool and they met very few people, none of whom questioned their reason for being out without their owner. They found a clearing in the middle of a copse late in the afternoon, just before the sun began to set, and decided to spend the night there.

  During the night, however, clouds arrived. It was still dark when they awoke, but they could see that the sun was trying to burst through, so they opted to grab a quick bite then continue on their journey.

  Midmorning it began to rain. It started off as a light drizzle, but soon became heavier. Both men put magical shields around themselves and their horses to keep them dry, but the bad weather slowed them down. It became harder so see and the ground became slippery, making it too dangerous to allow the horses to go any quicker than a fast walk.

  Gareth had been uneasy about using the shields. How would they be able to explain why they were dry if anyone saw them? After all, they were shackled and most people believed the shackles prevented the wearer from using their magic.

  Kwin had already thought of this and told Gareth that they would just say that their owner had placed the shields over them before they left his side.

  “His?” Gareth asked.

  Kwin nodded. “There are no female magic users here.”

  “Why?”

  “They kill them as soon as they discover they have magical ability.”

  “Won’t anyone question how the magic is still working from a distance?”

  Kwin shrugged. “Hopefully nobody who sees us will know a lot about magic.”

  The rain continued for the rest of the day and they resigned themselves to spending another night out in the open. Their route took them close to a small mountain range and they managed to find a cave. It was cold and dark, but at least it was dry. They had to eat a cold meal as they couldn’t build a fire. They could have used magic to make the wet wood burn, but the smoke would draw attention to their presence and they preferred to not let anyone know they were there.

  The rain cleared overnight, leaving the two men confident that they would arrive at Fillen’s estate later that day. They had borrowed a map from Luka and regularly checked it, making sure they were still heading in the right direction. They would soon arrive at a large town. Unfortunately there was no way of avoiding it.

  As they mounted up, both men prayed that they would get through it without anyone questioning them.

  Their prayers were not answered. There seemed to be only one road into the city and guards were stopping everyone who was entering. Kwin and Gareth joined the line and patiently waited for their turn to be interrogated.

  The line moved quickly and soon the two men were next to be questioned. Even if the guards didn’t notice their shackles, their skin colour would have told them that they were slaves.

  One of the guards drew his sword and pointed it at Gareth’s throat.

  “Where is your master?” the other guard asked Kwin. “Why are you travelling alone?”

  Kwin frowned, pretending not to understand. He and Gareth could easily take care of the two men, but he would prefer not to make a scene if he didn’t have to.

  “My friend asked you a question,” the other guard said, moving his sword close enough to Gareth that it was touching his skin.

  Kwin took a document out of his inside pocket and handed it over. He had no idea what it said, but it obviously satisfied the guard. He handed it back then waved them forward. The guard threatening Gareth looked disappointed at having to let him go unharmed.

  Kwin and Gareth rode in silence. They didn’t think that the guards would be able to speak their language, but they were taking no chances. Only once they had turned a corner and were out of sight did Gareth speak.

  “Bastard,” he said and rubbed his neck. “If he had pressed his sword any harder into my throat he would have drawn blood.”

  “And you would have killed him,” Kwin said.

  Gareth was forced to agree.

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  Fillen was in a foul mood that evening, though Shona didn’t know why. He was taking it out on everyone, so she sought refuge in the kitchen. She didn’t go there very often, as Fillen didn’t like her socialising with the other slaves, claiming that they were below her and a Lady should never be seen talking with them, unless she was giving them orders.

  As a result, she didn’t know the chef well. She was a tall, slim woman and the few times they had spoken, she had been friendly.

  “Get some of this inside you,” she said, placing a bowl in front of Shona. Shona had already had her evening meal, but Fillen’s mood had taken away her appetite. It wasn’t until she smelled the aromas coming from the bowl that she realised how hungry she was.

  “Thank you.” She took a bite. It was delicious and she told the chef so. “I hope Brend manages to calm the master down,” she said before taking another mouthful. “I don’t understand how he can bear to be around that man when he’s like this.”

  The chef grunted. “They’re as bad each other,” she said.

  The comment piqued Shona’s interest. She had never spoken about Brend with any of the other slaves, other than Dani, and she was curious as to what others thought of him. “What do you mean?”

  “After what he did to Dani, he deserves everything the master might do to him.”

  Shona put her spoon down. “What are you talking about? Brend said she was sold.”

  “I bet he did, the lying bastard. Do you want to know what really happened?”

  Shona didn’t, but nodded her head anyway. This was something she needed to know, even if she didn’t want to.

  “He handed her over to the guards. They raped her so hard they killed her. She’s buried out the back of the guardhouse somewhere.”

  Shona pushed her bowl away. The smells that had made her feel hungry a moment earlier were now making her feel sick. “Tha
t can’t be true,” she said in a small voice.

  “I heard the screams and saw her body once they had finished with her.”

  Shona couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Maybe Brend didn’t know about it. Maybe the master told him she had been sold, as he then told me.”

  The chef looked at her with sympathy. “Don’t kid yourself. Brend is a sadistic bastard. The butler not only saw him take Dani to the guardhouse, but Brend then ripped her clothes off her and was the first to attack her.”

  “Excuse me,” Shona said and ran from the room straight to the nearest bathroom, where she threw up the little food she had eaten. She had liked Dani, a lot, and the poor girl didn’t deserve to be treated like that. She found it hard to believe what she had been told, but why would the chef lie?

  When she returned to the kitchen, she was handed a slice of plain bread.

  “Eat this,” the chef said gently. “It may help.”

  Shona nodded and did as she was told. Her stomach wanted to reject the food, but she forced herself to keep eating. Her mind was in a whirl. Something had to change. She would never be able to speak to Brend in a civil manner again.

  She didn’t really know what she was doing when she took a sharp knife from the block when the chef turned her back. In a dream-like state, she left the kitchen and made her way to Fillen’s suite.

  She felt like someone else was controlling her body when she entered Brend’s room without knocking. He was pacing the room in agitation. “What do you want?” he snapped at her.

  “What really happened to Dani?” Shona asked. Her voice sounded like it was coming from someone else.

  “I told you, she was sold. Now get out.”

  Shona ignored him. “Tell me the truth.”

  Brend strode over to her and put his face so close to hers that his spittle hit her when he shouted, “The little bitch got what she deserved. Me and the guards taught her a lesson. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

  He turned around and walked away from her. Fury flowed through her, the likes of which she had never felt before. Letting out an animalistic scream, she ran forward and plunged the knife into Brend’s back, not caring that his death would cause her own. All that mattered was that he had to die.

  “It looks like we arrived just in time,” a voice said from behind her. She turned around, but there was nobody there. Fear gripped her as two armed men suddenly appeared before her. This time her scream was one of absolute terror.

  Chapter 41

  Gareth was the first to react. “Don’t be afraid Shona,” he said, keeping his voice as calm as he could. “My name is Gareth. I am here with Kwin Longbow. We are here to rescue you.”

  Shona dropped the bloody knife she was still holding. “Kwin?” she said, as though she could not believe what Gareth had just said. “Is that really you?”

  “Yes my Lady,” Kwin said and bowed to her. “Now before we can get you out of here, we need to get you released. Do you know where Fillen is?”

  Shona shook her head. “You don’t need him. Brend has my controller.” She indicated with her head the man she had just stabbed. Luckily she had missed all vital organs. The man was bleeding, but would live.

  Kwin rushed over to him and placed his hand on his head, forcing his way into his mind so he could block it, preventing him using the controller to harm Shona.

  Brend was groaning and Kwin helped him sit up. “Remove Shona’s shackles and I will treat your injury,” he said, neglecting to mention that he had already reduced the blood flow so it was no longer life threatening.

  “May Hellan take you,” Brend gasped. “You will never get out of here alive and Shona will get what’s coming to her.”

  “I don’t want to make you suffer,” Kwin said, his voice cold and hard. “But I will if I have to.”

  “Do what you want. I won’t remove her shackles.”

  Kwin did not like torturing people, but seeing no alternative, he prepared himself to start.

  “Wait,” Shona cried out. “You don’t have to hurt him, though he deserves it if you do. Find Fillen. Brend is in love with him and will do anything to protect him.”

  “You bitch,” Brend hissed, then called for the guards as loudly as he could.

  Kwin looked at him in amusement. “Make as much noise as you like. I’ve put a sound shield around this room. Nobody will hear you.”

  “You can’t do magic,” Brend said. “You’re shackled.”

  Kwin slowly removed his bracelets and dropped them on the floor. “No, I’m not.”

  The colour drained from Brend’s already pale face and he began to shake. Whether it was from fright or pain, Kwin didn’t care. He nodded to Gareth, who left the room, returning a few moments later with a struggling Wayvern in his grasp.

  “Fillen?’ he asked Shona, who nodded.

  Kwin, who had been bent down, talking to Brend, stood up and walked over to him. “Order Brend to release Shona. I don’t want to make you, but I will do whatever it takes for you to comply.”

  “Never,” Fillen hissed at him. Then he started to scream.

  “Stop,” Brend cried out. “I’ll do it.”

  Fillen stopped screaming when Kwin stopped using his magic on him and Brend hastily did what he needed to to his controller then told Shona she could remove her shackles. She looked questioningly at Kwin, who nodded.

  “Go ahead. Brend will not like the consequences of lying to us.”

  Shona removed her collar and bracelets, dropping them on the floor. Then she stamped on them.

  Gareth handed over a new set. “Put these on,” he said. “They’re fakes, like mine and Kwin’s, though they’re good enough to fool most people.”

  Kwin picked up his own bracelets from the floor and put them on again.

  “You’ll never get away with this,” Fillen said. “My guards will overpower you the moment you try to leave this room.”

  “Your guards won’t even know we have been here,” Kwin said. “Not for a while, anyway. Now sit down next to Brend.”

  Fillen did as commanded.

  Kwin ordered them both to place their hands in front of them, then he used magic to bind them with an invisible rope. He did the same to their feet. Then he tied them to the bedposts, effectively guaranteeing they couldn’t get out of the room or do anything that would warn others of their predicament.

  “Are you actually going to let me bleed to death?” Brend asked.

  Fillen looked at him sharply, the colour draining from his face. Kwin guessed he didn’t know that Brend had been injured.

  “You’ll be fine,” Kwin said. “The bleeding has probably stopped by now. If Shona was trying to kill you, she did a lousy job. I will have to train her to do better next time.”

  The look Fillen gave Shona was filled with hate.

  “Should I gag them?” Gareth asked, but Kwin shook his head.

  “I’ll leave my aural shield in place. It will stay active for a while after we’ve gone.”

  Gareth nodded, then looked at Shona. “Is there anything you want to take with you?”

  She shook her head. “No. Everything I have belongs to him.” She kicked Fillen’s leg as she spoke. “And I want no reminder of my time here.”

  “Then let’s go,” Kwin said. He nodded at Gareth, who took hold of Shona’s hand.

  “I’m going to make us invisible,” he told her. “I can only keep the shield around you if we keep in physical contact. Do you understand?”

  She nodded and tightened her grip on Gareth.

  “I’m relying on you to look after her,” Kwin said directly into Gareth’s mind.

  “I will,” Gareth replied. “Or die trying.”

  Then he and Shona disappeared as he activated his invisibility shield.

  Kwin did the same then pulled his sword from his belt and opened the door, checking there was nobody in sight before stepping into the corridor. He could only hope that Gareth was following him. As Gareth wouldn’t be able to see him
, Kwin gave him a telepathic running commentary on his movements so he always knew exactly where he was.

  They made it out of the house without seeing anyone. There were guards on the entrance to the house, but they had manged to slip past them when entering so neither man was worried.

  It took a while to walk to the edge of Fillen’s estate and retrieve their horses. Only then did Kwin drop his shield and order Gareth to do the same.

  “So far so good,” Kwin said. “My sound shield and magical restraints will remain in place for now, but will disintegrate before we are no more than a few leagues away. I won’t be able to maintain them from any greater distance.”

  He then turned to Shona. “You will have to ride with Gareth. I’m better with a bow than he is and you will be in my way if I have to use it to deter any pursuit.”

  “I understand,” Shona said and allowed Kwin to help her onto one of the horses. “Can I ask you a question?” she asked once she was seated. Kwin nodded. “Why didn’t you kill them? After what they have done, you would be doing the world a favour.”

  “I may be a soldier,” Kwin said, “but I only kill when I have to. If soldiers went around killing everyone they thought deserved it, the world would be a pretty empty place.”

  Gareth chuckled, then mounted his horse behind Shona. She made no objection when he placed his arms around her to take hold of the reins.

  “Ride fast for a while,” Kwin said. “Once we are off the road and into the countryside, slow down to a walk. We don’t want to tire the horses while my magic is still in place. I will feel when it fails. Then ride as fast as you can, but don’t get careless.”

  “When have you ever known me be careless?”

  “All the time,” Kwin mumbled.

  Before mounting, he untied his quiver from his saddle and placed it on his back, followed by his bow. “Let’s go,” he said. “I’ll take care of looking for signs of pursuit, you just concentrate on what is ahead of us.”

  Gareth nodded, kicked his heels into his horse’s side and took off. Kwin was close behind.

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