“Lord Cameron?” said Leomund in a querulous tone.
I said nothing for several seconds, scanning the room with my eyes. The remaining servants were still, but their faces registered shock and fear. The naked woman stood several feet past Leomund, except I could now see she was no woman at all.
It was a girl, younger than Irene if I had to guess, twelve or thirteen years of age perhaps. She stood close to what might be her adult height, but her breasts were still budding. Blood dripped down her back, following one hip and leg before making a small puddle on the floor.
At first, I didn’t react. My mind was in shock as I tried to process the sight, but then Leomund spoke again, his tone mocking, “If I had known you were interested in such things, Mordecai, I would have happily extended an invitation to you.”
The voice that answered him was so deep and gravelly I almost didn’t recognize it as my own. “One more word and I’ll kill you where you stand.” Turning my head, I addressed his servants, “Leave.”
They didn’t need any more encouragement. They scrambled from the room as though their lives depended on it, which I suppose they might. I wasn’t sure what I would do either.
“Count Cameron,” began the Prince, but he didn’t finish. Stepping forward, I drove my fist into his chin with such force that it probably dislocated his jaw at the same time it broke one of the bones in my hand. I had used my power without thinking, increasing my strength and failing to protect my own flesh. The pain was intense. Which somehow made me feel better.
The girl backed away, finding a corner to hide in as the Prince stumbled and fell to the floor, staining his clothing with her fresh blood.
Leomund didn’t move. He had fallen limply, unconscious before reaching the ground. That alone saved him from further punishment. The bastard wouldn’t feel it.
Breathing heavily, I didn’t spare him any more of my attention. I focused my senses on my injured hand and straightened the broken bone fragments before fusing them together. That hurt even more, but the pain seemed to help me clear my head. Then I looked at the girl huddled in the corner.
She flinched when my eyes landed on her. “Please, milord, don’t hurt me. I’ll do whatever you say.” Tears ran down her cheeks even as she tried to straighten her back, presenting her breasts in a way that was so artificial I was certain she had been trained to do so.
My stomach turned at the sight, and I wanted to cry. Only my anger prevented it. “I’m not here to hurt you,” I said without moving. “What’s your name?”
Considering the circumstances, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had been unable to answer, but she spoke immediately, “Millie, milord.”
How long has she been enduring this treatment? The girl was obviously used to accepting commands even while terrified. “And your last name? Where’s your family?” I asked.
“I don’t have one, milord. They sold me to the Prince when I was still too young to talk,” she answered.
My imagination balked at considering what her life might have been like. I picked her dress up from the bed and handed it to her. “Put that back on.” She was quick to obey, but I caught her wrist as she lifted it over her head. I had forgotten her wound. “Wait, your back—turn around, and let me look at it.”
The way she flinched at my touch tore at my heart, but she turned around obediently, and the sight of her back only made matters worse. Leomund hadn’t held back at all. The whip had torn the skin, creating a bright red weal that was still seeping blood. Worse, it was obviously not the first time a whip had been used on her. Millie had a collection of scars that ranged from old to still healing. What kind of man could do this to a child?
I wanted to break things, most of all the body of the man lying on the floor nearby. Leomund looked far too peaceful, even sprawled unconscious on the hard floor. He doesn’t deserve to live, I thought coldly. For a moment, I considered the consequences. If I murdered him I would become a criminal, wanted across Lothion. I would lose my title and lands, and probably my life itself, assuming they could bring me to justice. Even Ariadne couldn’t shield me from the law if I killed her husband, regardless of her personal feelings about the bastard. He was a prince.
My son might or might not be allowed to inherit the title. My entire estate could be withdrawn by the crown and passed to another family entirely.
Staring at Leomund, one thing rang true down to my very soul. “If my wife were here, you would already be dead,” I muttered. That thought alone almost drove me over the edge. Penny wouldn’t blame me, if she were alive. She would have already put her sword through Leomund’s black heart. “It might be best to honor her memory by doing what she would have wanted,” I said coldly, fingering the dagger on my belt.
Millie began to cry. “Please, sir. Please don’t kill him. This place is all I have. If he dies, I’ll be thrown out.” The words were almost unintelligible through her sobbing, but I still understood her. I wish I hadn’t.
I looked into the girl’s eyes and felt my own begin to fill with tears. How much had she suffered? She had probably never known anything else but violence and abuse, and now she pled for the life of her abuser.
Wiping my face with my sleeve, I turned away from Leomund and took my hand off my dagger. But for Millie’s plea, I would have killed him and said to hell with the price. She had suffered too much, and more violence would only hurt her more, especially if it was done by the hand of a stranger pretending to be her rescuer.
“Shibal,” I intoned softly, sending the girl into a deep sleep. I caught her as she fell and laid her gently on the bed, face down. Then I blocked the nerves in her back and sealed her wound before carefully redressing her. I tried not to think of my own daughters as I tugged her dress back into place, but it was difficult. Her body was covered in bruises, some yellowing and others fresh and dark.
Venting my anger at last, I blew the exterior wall of the bedroom apart with a surge of aythar. Then I lifted Millie and cradled her in my arms before taking flight. Within seconds we were gone, and Leomund’s hunting lodge was soon beyond sight.
Chapter 11
Ten minutes passed before my mind cleared enough for me to consider where I was going. Gauging the sun and the time of day, I realized I was traveling northwest, following a course roughly in the direction of home, but even if I flew at dangerous speeds, it would take at least a couple of hours to get there.
That wouldn’t do. The girl I was carrying wouldn’t benefit from being hauled across the country in my arms. She needed a bath, a warm bed, and soft blankets. She needed a home, preferably twelve years ago, so she could grow up safe and comfortable. Her biggest concern should be whether there were flowers blooming in the spring, or whether her favorite food was being served at dinner. My vision blurred, and I was forced to shut my thoughts down once again.
Finally coming to my senses, I set down in the seemingly endless forest that stretched from the capital all way to the Elentir Mountains. Reaching into my pouch, I took out my stencil and created a temporary circle to take me home. To take us home, I amended mentally.
Alyssa was the first one to spot us after I crossed the threshold of my home and walked down the front hall. “My lord, who is this?” She was carrying a basket full of freshly washed sheets, but she put it down to free up her hands.
“Her name is Millie,” I answered softly.
Moira stepped out of her room behind me and looked over my shoulder. “What happened to her? Where did you find her?”
“I found her at Leomund’s hunting lodge, near Albamarl. She was one of his servants,” I said numbly.
My oldest daughter hissed when she saw the bruises on Millie’s thin arms. “She’s hurt! Take her into my room. We can put her on the bed in there.”
Within minutes, the entire household had gathered in the hallway outside Moira’s bedroom. Moira and her alter-ego Myra kept the
mselves busy tending to Millie while Alyssa ran back and forth, bringing towels and water from the kitchen.
Rather than crowd into the bedroom, I took everyone else into the main room and gave the others an abbreviated version of what I had seen.
“You should have stopped his heart,” said Lynaralla, the first to speak after I finished. As always, her voice was calm and even, giving little evidence of the emotions within her.
“Leomund is the Prince-Consort,” observed Matthew. “They would try to execute Dad if he did that.”
“Why?” asked Lynaralla curiously.
“It’s the law,” said my son. “Murder isn’t allowed, and it’s far worse if the person killed is a member of the royal family.”
“Stopping his heart would be painless,” explained Lynaralla. “Dangerous animals shouldn’t be left to endanger others.”
Irene nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Lynn, but the law would still require Dad to pay for the crime.”
“Then your law is foolish,” pronounced the She’Har woman. “Torture and abuse cause pain and suffering. Stopping such is a mercy, not a crime.”
Irene smiled faintly at Lynaralla’s statement, then turned to me. “Do you think the Prince will try to get her back?”
I grimaced. “He can try, but it won’t happen.”
“Technically she’s his property,” said Matthew. “If she’s a serf, that is. He could accuse you of theft.”
I growled, “He can add that to the list. I’ve already committed assault and destruction of property.” All the people in Washbrook and those in Arundel were freemen. Having been raised a commoner, the practice of keeping people in what amounted to slavery was repugnant to me, but it was still allowed in Lothion according to the desires of whatever noble ruled over a particular region.
“What did you destroy now?” asked Gram, standing in the doorway that led to the hall. We had been so wrapped up in our discussion that none of us had noticed his arrival through the portal.
Matthew started to explain, but Alyssa stepped out of Moira’s room and ran to embrace her fiancé, forcing us to wait until they had finished their greeting. After they had separated, Matthew caught his friend up on my recent doings, and the conversation resumed.
It didn’t really bring us any closer to a solution, but Gram brought up an important point. “You need to report what you saw to the Queen.”
I shook my head. “If I go back now, she’ll be forced to lock me up until all of this is sorted out. The matter of Lancaster has gone without resolution for far too long. If Roland is still alive, he could be in dire straits. Even if he isn’t, there could be a lot of people there that need a rescue.”
Gram frowned. “The longer you wait, the worse your case will look. Leomund could accuse you of evading justice. It could undermine your claim that he was torturing the girl.”
“There were lots of witnesses,” I argued. “Everyone there knew what he was doing to her.”
“But will they dare testify against the Prince?” said Matthew.
“We have the girl,” I stated. “Her words, and the evidence that lies upon her flesh should be proof enough when combined with my statement.”
“She’s property,” said Matthew sadly. “The law gives Leomund the right to dispose of her however he wishes.”
“Torture is still a crime,” I said grinding my teeth. “Even the nobility are not allowed to harm their serfs beyond a certain point, even when punishing a crime.”
“And what does the law say of striking a prince of the realm?” challenged Gram.
“What would you have done in my place?” I snarled, my frustration bubbling over.
Gram slumped in his chair. “I would already be in prison.”
Irene spoke up, “Ari would never lock Dad up for this. It was justice.”
Matthew was staring at the floor. “Ariadne wouldn’t, but the Queen must, otherwise the nobles would rebel.”
“Then we’ll just put the shield up,” declared Irene. “They can’t arrest him if they can’t get in.”
“That would mean civil war,” said my son.
I nodded. “He’s right. How many people would die if I started a conflict like that?”
“No one,” insisted Irene. “The shield would keep them out.”
“And what about the farmers?” I asked. “What about the free-holders?”
“They could stay in Washbrook,” said Irene.
Ever logical, Matthew pointed out the glaring flaw in her plan. “For how long? How much food do we have for a siege? Think about it, Rennie.”
Gram looked at me. “What will you do?”
“You were right,” I said. “I have to report this to the Queen, but I’ll do so after we handle Lancaster tomorrow. Roland and the people there are too important to wait.”
***
The next morning, I stood just outside the area that had once been Lancaster. With me were Gram, Alyssa, Matthew, Karen, Irene, and Lynaralla, although the latter two wouldn’t be coming with us across the dimensional boundary. They would be returning home to help Moira with Millie. My purpose for bringing them was to see whether they could also detect Matthew’s special translation magic.
Also with us were Gram and Matthew’s massive dragons, Grace and Zephyr, and Alyssa’s much smaller, newly hatched dragon, Sassy. I still hadn’t gotten over the name, but Alyssa insisted it was the most appropriate name for her bond-mate.
Alyssa herself could be described many ways—fierce, loyal, deadly, but sassy wasn’t one of them. She was too well composed and respectful of authority for such a term, but she seemed to feel it was a perfect description of her companion, so she had stubbornly stuck with the name.
I directed everyone to observe carefully, and then nodded for Matthew to begin. He held out his hands and aythar flowed outward from his fingers in colorful streamers, pulsing and tracing strange patterns through the air. Before he went any further, I asked, “Can anyone see what he’s doing?”
Lynaralla nodded and Irene answered, “Of course.”
Karen shook her head negatively. “Nothing.” Matthew continued, and the view changed, showing us the road leading to Lancaster. Karen piped up again, “Now I see it.”
“Anyone could see it now,” said Sassy with no small amount of snark in her voice.
Maybe her name was more apt than I realized, I observed silently. I looked at Irene and Lynaralla. “Do you think you could replicate what he just did?”
“Uh,” said Irene uncomfortably.
Lynaralla answered with more confidence. “With practice.”
“If we don’t return by tomorrow, you may have to bring reinforcements,” I told them. “Go home for now.”
Irene spoke up, “You’re taking the dragons. Are we supposed to walk?”
Lynaralla was tugging on Irene’s sleeve to get her attention, but I warned her with a shake of my head. “Is that the only way you have of getting home?” I asked. Lynaralla started to answer for her, but I held up my hand to stop her. “Let her figure it out.”
My youngest daughter looked between Lynaralla and me, and then after a moment she had her epiphany. “Oh!” An expression of embarrassment crossed her face. She reached into her new belt pouch and pulled out the little book that contained her notes regarding teleportation circles. “I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
I pursed my lips but didn’t say anything, merely nodding.
Another thought came to her, though. “Wait, I don’t have one of those stencils you use.”
“You don’t need one. You can draw it out yourself. You wrote the circle down as well, didn’t you?” I told her.
“I could take them back and return. It would only take a few seconds,” suggested Karen helpfully.
“She needs to learn. We can’t always rely on you, Karen,” I replied.
&
nbsp; Irene gave me a sour look as I started to pass through the dimensional boundary. “Aren’t you going to at least wait and see if I do it correctly?”
Waiting would take at least ten minutes, if she got it right the first time. “You’ll learn faster without me looking over your shoulder,” I told her.
Gram seemed uncomfortable. “Is it really alright to leave them alone out here?”
I frowned at him. “Do you really think there’s anything out here that could threaten the two of them?”
“I guess you’re right,” said Gram, embarrassed, while Alyssa took the opportunity to laugh at him.
Striding forward, I went through the portal Matthew had created. The others followed after me, and then Matthew released it. We were on the other side.
The view before us was relatively normal. The road continued on toward Lancaster, just as I remembered it, with the same familiar forest on either side, broken up by small clearings now and then. Behind us, however, was the same looming, primeval forest that I had so recently destroyed. Its trees were larger and more varied, with a thick, almost impenetrable undergrowth of vines and bushes.
We started walking quickly with the larger dragons, Grace and Zephyr, pacing us on either side. The sooner we were away from that wild border, the safer we would be—presumably.
Chapter 12
It was a pleasant walk. Gram and Alyssa took the front, with her dragon Sassy riding on her armored shoulder. Matthew, Karen, and I followed behind them. The road rolled across the terrain, sinking and rising gently as it followed the land.
We could have traveled faster if we had ridden the dragons, but I wanted to go slowly and examine the countryside as we went. After fifteen minutes, we crossed another slight rise and I could see the house I had grown up in off to our left. My mother had sold it a number of years back, and the new owner was also a smith, one who had come to Lancaster to take over the business opportunities arising from my father’s death.
The new smith was a young man with a young and sturdily built wife. Sean and Tracy were their names if I had heard correctly, for I hadn’t met them in person. My mother had told me they had two sons and another child on the way. By now that meant they had three children, barring unfortunate accidents.
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