by Avril Sabine
She stopped pacing. “What?”
“Go back to your pacing and let us finish reading,” Briant said.
Brianne strode forward, planting her hands on the desk. “What did you just read?” When her relatives looked past her, she turned to see Talon standing at her shoulder, his hands at his sides, one hovering at the hilt of his sword. She faced her relatives. “Well?”
Briant shared a look with Ewyn before he rummaged in his desk drawer, rose from the stool and handed her a folded piece of paper. “You’re welcome to use my living room if you want some privacy to read it.”
Brianne’s hands remained planted on the desk, her eyes meeting Briant’s gaze. “Who is it from?”
“Zinervie.”
Brianne recoiled, as if struck, her back pressing against Talon’s chest. She felt his hand at her side, steadying her. “For me.” The words sounded more statement than question, but Brianne didn’t think she could have heard correctly.
“Go into the living room and read it. Give Ewyn time to finish the letters.” Briant continued to hold the letter out.
It was Talon who took the letter and tugged on her arm, drawing her from the room. She didn’t even know if she wanted to read it. Sitting on one of the cushioned, backless rectangular seats, she warily eyed the letter Talon held.
Talon sat down beside her. “Do you want me to read it for you?”
Brianne shook her head, taking the letter from him. Whatever it was, she’d face it, not cower behind someone else. It was several minutes before she could open it and several more before the words started to make sense. She looked up at Talon, dropping the letter to her lap, shaking her head.
“What does it say?”
She looked away from him, taking a deep breath. “I’m going to kill Macklyn.” Rising to her feet, she started to stride towards the entrance only to be captured by Talon.
“What did it say?”
“Let me go.” She struggled against him.
“Tell me and I might even help you.”
She stopped fighting, his arms still around her, and met his gaze. Brown eyes stared at her, concern in their depths. “He told Zinervie that I’d decided to join the House. That after days of contemplation at the town where I was staying, I finally figured out that I wanted to forget my past and live only for the Lord and Lady who accept everyone, even abominations.” She fell silent, unable to find the words to tell him the rest.
“What happened?” His voice was soft.
Time spun out as she continued to stare up at him. “He told my Uncle I was discovered and captured. They put about the story that I was captured during a raid on the town I was staying at and presumed dead.” Her voice faltered and Talon’s arms tightened around her. She lowered her gaze, seeing only the golden brown of his skin. When she finally managed to continue, her voice was a whisper. “She joined the House in my memory and sent a letter to my grandfather apologising to him for not being a better friend to me while I was alive.”
“I’ll help you kill him.” Talon pressed her head against his chest.
She rested there for a moment before she pulled away and headed back to her grandfather. Stepping into the room, she was about to ask where Macklyn was, when she noticed her grandfather was alone. “Where’s Uncle Ewyn?”
“Questioning Macklyn. We thought it might be best that we take him into custody before you decided to kill him.”
Brianne glared at her grandfather. Sometimes it was annoying how well he knew her. “He doesn’t deserve to live.”
“Maybe not, but we need to know why he told us you’d been captured.”
“I bet I could get the information out of him before he dies.” She thought of the knife in her boot, the one Macklyn didn’t think she could use. She’d show him how well she could use it.
“No.” Briant shook his head. “Forget about Macklyn for a minute, I want to talk to you about the garrisons.”
“What about Zinervie?”
“She left yesterday.”
“Left?”
“With two other new penitents. Left to go into seclusion for training to become a penitent.”
Brianne dropped onto the stool. “They’ve taken her away already?”
Briant nodded.
She felt Talon’s hand rest on her shoulder and placed one of her own on his. “We have to find them.”
“Ewyn is organising aerial searches. By morning this city will be locked down. Only those with wings will be able to get in or out,” Briant said.
“Why?”
“So that when we raid the House of the Lord and Lady and the earthly dwelling of the Master of the Infernal World none can escape.”
She felt Talon’s hand tighten on her shoulder. “I want to help.”
“So do I,” Talon said.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Talon
Talon stood beside Brianne as they waited with a group of soldiers for the word to attack. His sword was still sheathed, but he was ready to draw it, his hand resting on the hilt. Around him stood men and women with wings at rest, all wearing one of the backless vests like he’d been given. It had taken less time than he’d expected to gather the soldiers and get them into position for the attack, less than an hour, impressing him with how well organised the Caelian army was.
The moment the call went out he drew his sword, looking forward to his first battle in years. He raced forward with the soldiers attacking on foot, the aerial squads already above with bows drawn. Swinging his sword at the Prilonian that attacked him, Talon quickly disarmed the robed figure, hitting him over the head so he crumpled to the ground. A Caelian came forward and tied him up. Talon looked around, seeing three Prilonians attacking a single Caelian. He ran forward. The moment he attacked, the Prilonian dropped the sword he’d wielded inexpertly and grovelled at his feet, begging for mercy.
Talon looked at the Prilonian in disgust. It would have been far easier to kill the man than tie him up, but he had his orders. Once the man was tied, he raced back into the fight. Seeing Brianne attacking a brown robed figure, he moved in to help her. Between the two of them they made short work of him. Brianne gave him a grin before she dashed back into the fighting, leaving him to secure their prisoner.
Roughly tying up his prisoner, he growled, “You’re lucky I don’t kill you.”
“You’ll wish you had when word gets out about what’s happened here tonight.” The man’s hood had fallen back to reveal light brown hair and bluish green eyes.
“The city has been locked down. No one gets past the walls tonight,” Talon said.
The man laughed.
Talon grabbed him by a fistful of robe, pulling him close. “Tell me.”
“Killing me won’t give you the answer you need.”
Brianne joined him. “What’s wrong?”
“He reckons a message is going to get out about the attack.” Talon continued to hold the man’s robe.
“I wonder if they’ve finished torturing Macklyn and are ready for another one.” Brianne looked the man up and down. “I bet they could have the information out of him in two minutes. I’ve been told the longest anyone can last is ten minutes, but I’m not sure that counts since he was insane by the end.”
“You lie,” the man said.
Brianne slowly smiled. “Do I?”
Not knowing if she spoke the truth or not, Talon decided to help her efforts. “I was there when Briant ordered Macklyn tortured to find out what he knew. If he’s willing to order the torture of one of his own I doubt he’d worry about ordering his enemy tortured.”
Brianne drew her curved knife and held it out to Talon. “How about you start on him while I organise having him collected by some guards.”
Talon took the knife and eyed the man up and down. “Where do you reckon I should start? How about the fingers of his right hand?”
“There’s a tunnel,” the man blurted out.
“Where?” Talon pressed the knife to the man’s cheek.
> “Below. At the end of the southern corridor. It’s locked. You won’t be able to stop him.”
“Where’s the key?”
“The messenger has it.”
Talon let the man drop, handing the dagger back to Brianne. “We need to try.”
She nodded. “Give me a minute.” She ran to the closest soldier, told him something, then ran back to Talon. “Let’s go.”
Talon led the way to the altar, heading into the room behind it and down the stairs. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he turned to Brianne. “Which way is south?”
She flung a door open. “This way.”
He followed her, glad of the lanterns that hung above them along the corridor. They were part way along when two robed figures burst from one of the doors, swinging swords.
Talon’s sword met one of the blades, Brianne fought at his side protecting him from the other. There was barely enough room to fight in the corridor and he swung fiercely, driving his opponent back into the room he’d come from. Soldiers appeared at his side, telling him to go.
“Come on,” Brianne called out, the robed figure she’d been fighting now subdued by two of the soldiers. She didn’t wait for him, dashing into the corridor ahead of him.
Sheathing his sword, Talon ran after her, finding a soldier at her side carrying a large axe. He ran behind the two of them, until they reached the far end of the corridor, a closed door in front of them. Moving forward, Talon tried to open it. “Locked.”
“Stand back,” the soldier with the axe ordered.
Talon stepped away as the soldier swung the axe at the wooden door. He turned to Brianne. “What made you think of the axe?”
“I didn’t. I said we needed something to break down a locked door.”
Talon grinned at her. “That should do it.”
With a loud crack, the door burst open to show an unlit corridor. The soldier gestured inside. “After you.”
Brianne grabbed a lantern from a ceiling hook. “We need to hurry.”
Talon nodded, pulling down a lantern of his own before he broke into a run. His feet pounded against the stone of the corridor as his eyes searched the darkness ahead in the hope of seeing something. There was only blackness. He pushed himself harder, trying to pick up speed. He could hear Brianne and the soldier at his heels. The tunnel led upwards, a slight slope to it.
“Maybe he lied,” Brianne said.
He better not have or he’d be going back to have another talk to him and this one wouldn’t be as friendly. “Then we’ll soon know.” He’d barely spoken the words when they reached another closed door and he came to a stop. Talon tried to open it. “It’s locked too.
“Out of the way.” The soldier pushed past him, swinging the axe.
Talon jumped back as splinters flew around him.
“Hurry up,” Brianne urged. “We don’t want the messenger to get away.”
With a crack, the door splintered around the lock, opening to a pale sky, the sun nearly ready to rise above the horizon. Talon shouted, “Stop,” and the reddish-brown robed figure glanced over his shoulder before he tried to run faster, his robes bunched up around his thighs. Placing his lantern on the ground, Talon started to reach for his sword, tensing to run after the man.
Leaving her lantern behind, Brianne stepped up beside Talon, her arrow already pulled back in her bow. “He’s not getting away.” She let go of the string and the arrow travelled through the air, another one ready.
Talon’s hand remained on the hilt of his sword as he stayed beside Brianne. The man stumbled as the arrow hit him in the leg. He tried to continue, glancing over his shoulder as he stumbled onwards. When Talon was about to move forward, Brianne let another arrow go. This time, when the arrow pierced his other leg, the man fell to the ground and Brianne lowered her bow.
“Let’s find out what he knows.” She broke into a run.
Talon sprinted after her, reaching the man as she did, the soldier several steps behind them. The man writhed on the ground cursing, and Talon stared down at him. How had these people managed to fool them for so long?
The soldier used the head of the axe to press the man to the ground. “Are you the only one?”
The man nodded frantically. “Help me. Please help me. The arrows.”
“The arrows will be a splinter compared to what we’ll do if you don’t answer,” Brianne said.
“I’m the only one. Help me.”
Talon felt no sympathy, but he also didn’t feel the satisfaction he’d expected to feel. He held out his hand. “The message.”
“My legs,” the man moaned. “Help me. I don’t want to lose my legs.”
“Give us the message.” The soldier drew the axe back. “Or your legs won’t be a problem. They’ll be gone.”
“No. No. Wait.” The man rummaged in his belt pouch. “Wait. Please wait.” He dropped the folded piece of paper as he drew it out.
Talon grabbed hold of the message, opening the page to see a messy scrawl. He held it out to Brianne, relieved they’d intercepted it. “It says the House and earthly dwelling have been attacked and for the garrisons to strike immediately.”
Taking the message, Brianne’s eyes scanned the page before she handed it to the soldier. She glanced over as two soldiers came running towards them. “Let the First Officer know. We’ll get this man back into the city. We also need the doors fixed and guards to keep anyone from wandering in and out.”
The soldier handed the letter onto his companions. “My thoughts exactly. You two see the First Officer. Send back the first couple of soldiers you see to guard the door. I’ll help with the prisoner.”
With a nod, the two soldiers ran towards the smashed door of the corridor. From the outside it looked like a rundown shack.
Talon stared down at their prisoner who was still moaning. “How are we going to do this?”
“I vote with a knife,” Brianne said.
“We’re not to kill him,” the soldier said.
“A pity. He’s really starting to annoy me.”
Talon had to agree with Brianne. A knife was exactly what the Prilonian needed to quieten his complaints and drawn out groans. “Grab a hold of one of his arms.” He directed the comment to the soldier. “If he can’t walk we’ll drag him back.” The prisoner started to shout in protest, but Talon ignored him, determined to get the man to the city.
The soldier grabbed the other arm and they hoisted him to his feet.
Brianne stood with a hand on her hip, glaring at the prisoner. “Shut up,” She snapped when the man’s whining got louder.
“You’re going to kill me,” he moaned.
“Shut up or I will,” Brianne muttered.
“Not until we finish finding out what he knows,” the soldier said.
Talon nodded. “Yes, things like where the new recruits go.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Brianne
At Talon’s words, anger had Brianne in the prisoner’s face, her dagger at his throat, her bow on the ground where she’d stood. “Where are they? What have you done to Zinervie?”
“You’ll never save her.”
Not the words she wanted to hear. “Tell me or you’ll never have the chance to speak again.”
“You won’t get away with this. New Prilonia will send more troops when none of our regular messages come through.”
“When’s the next one due?” Talon asked.
“We need to get him back for questioning,” the soldier said.
“Where is Zinervie,” Brianne demanded.
The prisoner’s expression of fear changed to one of smugness. “Their wings are removed as soon as they’re taken to New Prilonia. One out of every ten don’t make it.”
His words made her anger explode. She drew her arm back to stab him. Her wrist was caught at the same time as the prisoner’s expression turned to one of fear and he dropped to the ground where he lay screaming, trying to drag himself away. The soldier grabbed Brianne’s other a
rm and she tried to pull away from him and Talon, who was warning the soldier to let her go.
Soldiers dropped down around them, Ewyn amongst them and only Talon was left to keep her back from the prisoner, his arms around her waist as she struggled to get free.
When Ewyn ordered several soldiers to fly the prisoner back to the city, Brianne screamed, “No. Make him tell us where Zinervie is. They’re going to cut off her wings.” She remembered Ewyn had organised aerial searches. “Have they found her? And what about Macklyn? Did he say anything?” She stopped fighting Talon’s arms and sank back against his chest.
“Meet me at your grandfather’s home. We’ve got a lot to discuss.” Ewyn turned to his soldiers, pointing to three of them. “Guard the door.” He pointed to another one. “Arrange to have it fixed.” Then he faced Brianne. “Get there as soon as you can.” He launched into the air.
“Wait.” Brianne pulled away from Talon. “What about Zinervie?”
Ewyn ignored her, flying towards the city wall.
Brianne stared after him, anger and frustration making her want to grab her bow and bring him out of the sky. He better have some answers for her when she reached her grandfather’s home. Striding back to her bow, she picked it up, heading towards the busted door.
Talon fell into step beside her. “They’ll get more information out of him if he’s alive.”
Brianne stopped, turning to face him. “Would you have let him live if he’d sent Marshall into slavery?”
“No, but I hope you’d have stopped me because later I’d be wondering what information I could have gotten out of him to help me find Marshall.”
It took a few moments for the worst of her anger to fade, replaced by relief. “Thank you.”
Talon grinned. “Any time. Just make sure you do the same for me.”
Brianne returned his grin fleetingly, unable to maintain it for more than a second at the thought of Zinervie in the hands of the enemy, regretting not being a better friend. They had to find her. “I will.” She glanced towards the door. “Let’s find out what my uncle has to say. It better be good.” The last was muttered under her breath as she strode towards the door.
