“Take me with you.”
I shook my head.
“Do you know what he does to people?” She shivered. “Years I’ve spent watching people die. Seen more death than a hundred battles. Screams I can never rid my mind of.
“Ghosts of this place haunt me. I thought if I showed him my gift, he’d release me.” She had a hard faraway look. “But Morgan had other ideas. Made me heal his victims so he could torture them again and again. Sometimes he left them out of my reach and I watched the life fade from them.”
“I’m sorry, but I must leave this place. My people need me to complete my quest.” Impossible, she would slow me down.
Squaring her shoulders, she turned from me and rushed to a straw mattress on the far wall. She stuffed the dagger among the straw.
“Wha — ?”
The door flew open and pounded against the stone wall. Father Morgan stood in the doorway.
“Knew if I left long enough, you’d be unable to resist. Dead by nightfall? I think not.”
Four monks crept inside behind him.
He kicked the door closed and one of the others slid the bolt into place.
“Tell me his power, Celeste, and I may spare you.”
Silence answered him.
If I had the dagger, I could escape. Damn her for keeping the blade.
“To the rack with him,” Father Morgan said.
Hands gripped my arms. A monk bent over to grasp my feet. I swung my leg forward catching the monk on his chin. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed.
Gasps sounded.
“Fear not, God is with us. Remove his boots. And strap him to the rack.” Father Morgan pushed aside the fallen man.
The other monks were strong. Even though I struggled, my full strength had not yet returned. I strained my arms and legs to draw the life force from them, but nothing happened. I managed to wrestle one arm free and I punched one of the monks in the jaw. He stumbled back, but even as his eyes watered, he gripped my arm again.
Holding me down, they removed my boots. The coin pouch clinked onto the stone floor and they handed the coins to Father Morgan.
Then I was dragged to a wooden table.
Struggling, they bound first my right hand with leather straps. Wrung my other hand backwards across the table and locked it into place with a second set of straps.
Off balance, I landed with a thump on the table. Before I took a breath, they had my feet bound as well.
Father Morgan’s blotchy face peered into mine. “Tell me everything and I’ll spare you.”
Turning my head away, I refused to answer. Saw Celeste with her hands over her ears and hunched into a ball on her pile of straw.
A creak sounded and I realized wheels turned wrenching my arms and legs apart. My back arched against the pain as the wheel continued to rotate.
When the creaking ceased, my muscles screamed and shook under the strain.
“Lock the wheel.” Father Morgan leaned over me again. “Some have wet themselves just hearing the wheels turn. Tell me what you are, and why you’re here.”
Through my muscle spasms I clenched my teeth. “Feels like a massage. Got anything stronger?”
His fist struck my jaw. “Lower the spikes.”
Above me I saw iron stakes, three inches long and one inch wide.
Rusted red from blood. Fanned out, obviously to avoid killing, wanting to maim.
I refused to make a sound. Heard the grinding of a wheel and watched the spikes lower. The points stopped a breath from me.
“Last chance. Tell me or these will drip your blood.”
“Pin pricks don’t scare me.”
I grunted as the plate was dropped. Spears punctured into my flesh. My arms, legs, and sides pulsed with each beat of my heart. Blood trickled down the table spattering on the stone floor.
Blackness spun around me. Damn the girl for taking my blade.
The creaking resonated through my ears as the plate was raised. My arm stuck to a pike, and one of the monks ripped my skin away as they pushed my arm down. Blood gushed from the wound.
However, his touch was brief and I did not have control over my power to drain him.
I strained to remember how to open my curse. But I only succeeded in making my head throb. The sunlight poured through the window and my eyes snapped shut.
One of the monks pulled back my head and yanked my eyelids open.
Then a magnet twisted and unfastened inside my mind. The monk’s face froze over mine. I heard Father Morgan debating the next torture to use on me.
But my senses sharpened on this monk with his hands upon my flesh.
Like a whirlwind, my body drained his essence. Felt my blood clot, skin meld together. Like a ravenous animal, I held him to me by his touch.
Blood oozed from his nose and still I devoured him.
Heard roaches scurry behind the walls. Tasted the rust and salted tears from all the victims in this place. His screams inside his head resembled no words.
In the distance, a monk cried out, “H-he’s killing him.”
“Get him loose,” Father Morgan shouted.
Another monk touched the dying one still frozen to me.
Unable to free him, he distractedly put one hand on my shoulder as leverage to haul the other monk away. Pressure funneled through to my new victim. His mouth widened in shock as his essence drained from him through the dying man and into me.
My strength returned. I heard another man scream. The door was unlocked and flung open. His screams continued down the stairs. The monk I had knocked unconscious earlier chased after the other.
Father Morgan raced to my weapons and dragged my sword forward. “Leave them be or I’ll remove your head.”
In answer, the two monks collapsed, dead to the floor. I struggled with the bonds, but I could not break free.
A whistle sounded, followed by a thunk. Strained to rise up, I saw Father Morgan crumple to his knees.
I shuddered at hearing a clanking sound; I thought the pikes lowered again.
But Celeste strode forward, her chain dragging behind her like a steel snake. Reaching Father Morgan, she knelt down and removed the garnet dagger from his back.
“We’ve no time.” Blood dripped from the blade. “Other monks will come.” She twisted the rope belt from the groaning Father Morgan. Keys clattered on the stone floor.
“You won’t get away from me,” he chuckled, “why didn’t you kill me? I know you want to. Why didn’t you show the Lord your true nature?
Ignoring his taunt, Celeste gripped the iron keys off and tried them one at a time until the lock on her ankle sprang open. Her metal chain discarded and the clank of the metal hitting the stone floor echoed.
She rushed to my side, used the dagger to slice apart my leather bonds.
Not waiting to say thanks, I jumped down from the table. Celeste raced to the far wall. With my dagger in one hand, she grasped my pack in the other.
Stomping on my boots, I heard shouts from below. “They’re coming.”
She nodded and I retrieved my bow, quiver, and scabbard. Felt better with my weapons now. I could hold off a dozen, maybe two. If I was at full health, I could fight as many as needed. How many monks were in this place?
After stuffing my cloak into my pack, I pushed back Father Morgan. The briefest whisper as my skin touched his and I almost vomited from the visions which poured through me.
This man had more victims and death than a thousand vampyres.
Grinding my teeth, I shoved him away. Saw my coin pouch beside him on the floor and snatched it up. She used the handle of the dagger against his skull and he fell over. I saw he still breathed. Why did she not kill him? I knew from battles that his wound in the back wasn’t life threatening.
Celeste rushed passed me towards the door. Her thin frame strained against the door and it closed. Then she slid the bolt into place.
“Why did you do that?” Grasped my sword I stared after her
. “The windows barred. The door is the only way out.”
Her smile brought slight dimples to each side of her cheeks. “But I’ve made another window.” She ran to her straw mattress. Then she pushed aside the straw.
Along the edge of the wall, two stones with straw stuffed underneath them.
“To hide the light.” She answered my unspoken question. Scooped out the excess and tugged on the edges of the huge stone.
Clever. I’d thought of humans as being less intelligent than my kind. But doubted many of my people would have thought or taken the time needed to complete what she had done. Must have taken years.
“Move aside.” I wedged my sword underneath the stone. Wiggling the blade, the stone inched forward. I didn’t worry about breaking the sword, for was forged in Elvin fires.
As though confident in my ability, Celeste rounded up her rusty chain.
Heard footsteps come up the stairs as sweat beaded my brow.
Finally, I grasped the block’s edge and scooted it forward. Then the second stone was removed. She tossed her chain out the opening, the other end locked on the stone wall beside us. The ankle lock and chain stretched down one flight, but no more.
Even I doubted if I could make a jump that far down. Certain she would break her legs or her neck no less.
“Climb down first. I know the chain will hold me. If it breaks with you, come back for me.”
I nodded, but my mind raced. No way would I take her with me. My mission was to find the witch and kill her.
“You’ll need to stretch your arm when you reach the bottom. See the oak there?” She pointed and I saw her arm was so thin I could’ve circled it with my thumb and finger. “Swing a bit until you can grasp the branch.”
Surely she joked. The distance between them was a good leap through the air.
Pounding sounded against the door. I placed my sword in the scabbard. Shoved my bow and quiver into my pack, the point of my bow poked out the top.
With both hands, I grabbed the chain and eased my body passed the opening. Stone ground into my shoulders. Blowing out air, I wedged forward.
My joints cried as my legs hung over the opening, but my shoulders refused to budge. Rounding my shoulders, I angled one side up. With effort I wiggled free.
My hands clung to the chain. Hand over hand I worked my way down until I reached the opened lock which had kept Celeste bound. The oak tree stood away from me.
I released the chain and jumped to the closest branch. Heard Celeste’s gasp as I flew through the air. After I landed effortlessly on a thick branch, I flashed her a smile.
She shoved my pack through the opening which landed on the ground below. A few children gazed up at us, and I bowed, making them cheer.
Now Celeste’s bare feet stuck out of the opening. Within moments she was out and climbing down the chain. Her brown robes flapped in the breeze. If not for her rope belt, the gusts would drive the robes over her head.
Honor kept my eyes on her feet as she worked her way down.
As she reached the end of the chain and lock, I knew she would not make the leap. Jumping down, I hung from the outer edge of the tree limb by one hand. I stretched my free arm as far as I could toward her. As if she had no fear, she leapt through the air towards me.
I stretched out my hand farther and grasped her wrist as she swung towards me. Her shoulder jerked out of socket. My hand slipped and so I clamped down on her hand and fingers so as to not lose hold.
Cringing, I felt her fingers crack in my hand.
Helped her get a footing on the branch below me before I released her. Then I scampered down to the branch to her. Her arm hung at her side, her fingers swollen. We had no time to worry about her fingers now, but I could reset her shoulder at least.
“Let me fix your arm.”
She bit her lip, but nodded.
This hurt her, I knew. I eased her limp arm up and forced the shoulder joint back into socket. Felt the joint jolt into place. Her skin paled and sweat glistened on her forehead.
She pushed past me and proceeded to climb down the tree using her good hand, careful not to use her fingers. It was awkward at best. Any moment, and she could lose her footing and fall. After she passed the next limb, she glanced up at me.
“Are you going to wait till they burn the tree down with you in it?”
In answer, I skipped down the tree past her. Landing with a thud, I heard the wooden door above us in the tower crash open.
“Good thanks to you lass, but I must be on my way.”
Her foot slipped on a branch. “You promised.” Catching herself, pain shifted over her face as she braced herself despite her injury. But I could not linger to play nursemaid to a girl. Besides, she was a distraction to me. I could not afford to delay my mission.
“Promised nothing. But thank you for your help just the same.” I made my tone neutral.
The men in the tower yelled for us to stop. Celeste paid them no heed and continued her climb down.
Snatched up my pack and placed it around my shoulders. I turned to run toward the forest and disappear.
Instead, guilt plummeted into my gut. She had helped me.
Traitors, my feet refused to flee and leave her to her own devices. If not for her, I’d still be strapped to that table.
Her escape of the chambers scorched my heart too. For her trouble, I’d broken the bones in her hand. My eyes drifted to her form, struggling to climb down. At her pace, she’d take all day to reach the ground or fall. And she had the dagger.
After a sigh, I raced back up the tree to her.
Her arrogant lift of her head made me smile.
“Hold on to me.” I assisted her to get closer to me among the branches. Her good arm around my neck.
She was lighter than air. And again, I thought of angels skipping along clouds.
Used one hand to climb, my other clasped around her waist.
Within seconds, my boots thumped on the ground. She moved to break free, but I heard the men racing down the stairs. Moments and they’d be upon us. I could not take her with me on my journey no matter how much I wanted to make sure she was safe from her captors. I owed her for helping me escape. At the very least I should return the favor.
“Nay, fair lady. I will rush you to safety before I leave.”
With a nod, she tightened her grip. I tore through the valley and into the forest with dogs and men on our trail.
Chapter Eleven
Miles I ran with her in my arms. I dared not stop. Leaping over a boulder I felt her suck in a breath, for I bumped her injury.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. No longer did I smell the mangy stench of the dogs they’d sent after us. But still I ran. When I knew they couldn’t track us, then I’d stop.
Relief settled in my shoulders at hearing the sound of rushing water. Rounding a cluster of bushes, I waded into the river. Stinging cold numbed my legs, but I pressed on.
Her teeth chattered after I slipped and dunked her halfway underneath the water. But she never complained. I smiled, despite my resolve not to let this slip of a girl get underneath my skin. Liana would have ripped my head off if I’d slipped with her into water. Remembering my dead love, I felt my throat tighten.
Trudged a mile or so north in the river, before I allowed my soggy boots to tramp across the snow covered ground.
Surveying our distance, I judged would take the dogs at least a day to catch up. If they found our trail at all.
I moved with ease into the dense forest. Limbs stripped bare of leaves scratched the sky above us. Seeing a boulder had burst from the snow, I set her down upon the rock.
As if she’d come from a carriage ride, she dusted off her brown robes. In the sunlight, her short hair glowed like a golden aura around her head. Lifting up the edge or her robe she squeezed out the excess water with one hand.
“Let me see your injury.”
She stretched out her arm. Three fingers colored green and lined in purple.
Wincing,
my fingers pressed gingerly against her flesh. A tingling coursed through me. I stepped back, dropping her arm.
From the escape of the torture chamber, I knew my curse. Never could I touch another. With emotion, good or ill, my power reached out, snatching kajh, the life essence.
No longer would food sustain me. Death fed me.
My shoulders slumped. Never would I taste a woman’s kiss. Liana’s pale face flooded through my mind again. Her innocent kiss had brought her destruction.
Blinded by the past, I stomped off. After I was some distance from Celeste, I stopped.
Built the rage within me, I punished myself with blows to my chest.
When my anger was appeased, I gathered twigs to set Celeste’s hand. Needed binding so the bones would mend straight, I rent the edge off my silk tunic.
At my entering, she stuffed a piece of flat bread from my pack in her mouth.
“Didn’t think you’d need it,” she said between chews. Her cheeks plumped out from the wad of food.
How she managed to speak with so much food crammed into her mouth was beyond me. I nodded and her eyes twinkled. She pulled out another piece.
Kneeling in front of her, I held my hand out for her injured one. I’d covered my hand in the torn silk from my tunic so as not to touch her skin with mine. Hopefully it would help.
Her fingers brushed mine, and I forced down the coursing ache to know her essence even through the silk barrier.
“This will hurt.”
“I know.” She looked paler again.
I felt along her fingers, feeling the bump of the bones already fusing together. Three breaks. I tugged each finger and set it straight.
Each time, she gagged but did not vomit. My hands shook, but the bones were straightened so they would heal properly. She was brave. Or perhaps she was used to such torture that this seemed bearable. I felt anger at what had been done to her flare inside my chest. Before my mind could conjure up bloody broken images of her body, I snatched up the two sticks I had gathered.
Quickly, I set the sticks along her wrist and hand. Then wrapped the silk cloth around. Tied it off and then she set her arm across her lap. Grateful that my curse seemed satisfied with the monks I had just killed and didn’t gravitate to her kajh yet.
The Garnet Dagger Page 5
