by Sharon Green
"Ah, I see there's something you do remember," the Razas woman said with a laugh, reaching down to caress him. "We can just dispense with the rest, then, and concentrate on your only current value. Here I come!"
Her tone had changed to a playful one as she came down onto the bed to bestride him, but not to immediately impale herself. She leaned forward first to kiss his face and lick his lips, teasing his arousal with her womanhood. The humiliation was intensely painful for Valiant and so was the revulsion he felt, but nothing seemed able to displace the terror. If he protested in any way she would have him put into that box, and he simply couldn't bear the thought of it—
"How dare you just walk in here!" the woman suddenly snarled as she looked toward the door. Valiant had heard the door opening, but the sound hadn't done more than register vaguely in his awareness. "Get out this instant, and go and pack your things. You no longer have a—''
Her words broke off as she colored even more, and then Valiant saw rage explode in her eyes. The doorway was all the way back to the right and well out of his line of sight, so Valiant had no idea about what was happening until he heard the voice.
"I find it really amusing that all you so-called nobles tend to say the same thing," were the words spoken, very dryly. " 'How dare you, how dare you'—as though any normal person needs permission to interrupt you freaks during your perversions. That pile of clothing in the corner appears to be his, so move your oversize backside away from him while this servant dresses him."
"You have the nerve to come into my house and try to give orders?'' the Razas woman spat in response, nevertheless rising quickly to her feet. "You're even more stupid than you are useless, you ignorant peasant, and it will be my pleasure to—"
Once again Razas's words broke off, this time with a small shriek as she stumbled back. She'd begun to stalk toward the door, but a heavy wall of flame had erupted into the air in front of her, driving her quickly back. At that point. Valiant could have wept. It was Tamrissa who had appeared, and she'd seen everything.
" 'Useless' isn't precisely the right term to apply to me,"
Tamrissa said, her words still very dry. "As you can see I do have one use, and I'm still extremely good at it. Have you ever seen someone of my strength burn something from the inside out? The trick is to keep the outside from going up until the inside is completely consumed, but it isn't nearly as hard as it sounds. For the second and last time, get out of the way so the servant can dress him."
"How far do you think you'll get once you leave here?" Razas demanded, nevertheless moving back to allow the husky male servant to reach the pile of clothing on the floor beside the chest. "I'll have the guard after you so fast that you'll think they appeared out of thin air! And when Lanir gets his hands on you again, you'll spend a long time regretting whatever trick you used to get away from him!"
"Lanir won't ever be getting his hands on anyone again," Tamrissa commented, faint amusement now in her voice. "You fools had a lot of nerve, letting him call himself the Seated High. Seated Middle was more like it, but he isn't even that any longer. And you really ought to understand: if you send guardsmen alter me and force me to kill them, I'll consider myself honor bound to come back and do the same to you. Even if you run away and try to hide. I'll still find you, and then you'll learn the most efficient way to slow-roast meat."
Razas paled at that, and the hands of the nervous male servant dressing Valiant began to tremble even more. It wasn't possible to believe that Tamrissa wasn't serious, and both of her listeners knew it.
"But you can't take him," Razas whispered, her pasty complexion showing the fear which now touched her. "They'll be here to reclaim him tomorrow morning, and if I can't produce him—! I'll pay you gold. Name a price and it's yours."
"You can't afford me," Tamrissa commented dismissively. "And if his being gone will bring you grief, so much the better. What were they going to do with him?"
"Why should I know or care?'' Razas countered, beginning to look frantic as she bent to retrieve her wrap and put it on. "But you can't let this happen to me, not to me. I've almost gotten the power I was always meant to have, so you simply can't interfere. I'll give you a thousand gold dins if you just go away, or I'll use that thousand to buy someone with Fire magic stronger than yours."
"For some reason you seem to be deliberately trying to miss the point," Tamrissa said, without the anger which could normally be expected. "There's no one left with Fire magic even as strong as mine, never mind stronger. Even the Blending we faced in the final competition couldn't match us, and I suspect that the same can be said of the Seated Five. None of your misnamed Highs and Adepts could do anything like—this, for instance."
Razas shrieked as the wrap she'd put on began to burn, then terror silenced her as well as freezing her in place. She stood trembling with her fists and eyes closed tight, and in a moment the wrap was completely consumed.
"There, you see?" Tamrissa asked lazily. "There's nothing left of your wrap but ash, and yet not the least bit of your skin was burned. That should show that I can reach you even if you try to hide in a tight knot of innocent servants, so remember what I said about summoning the guard. Now we'll be leaving, so help him up."
That last was to the servant who had finished dressing him, but not in the robe and sandals he'd worn during the competition. Someone had apparently retrieved the pants, shirt, and shoes he'd worn getting to the competition, and that was what he now wore. The servant pulled him up to sitting and then hoisted him to his feet, but even with his arm draped around the servant's neck and the servant's arm around his middle, Valiant discovered that he could barely stand, let alone walk.
"Give him all the help he needs," Tamrissa directed the servant, stepping aside to clear the doorway. "If it becomes necessary, carry him."
The servant nodded with a grunt and began to half drag him toward the door, and Valiant had never been so mortified in his entire life. Tamrissa was as beautiful and vital as ever, and there he was, being hauled along like a useless side of beef. How many times was he supposed to accept being humiliated in front of her without dying from the shame? He didn't know, but even one more time would have been too much. For that reason he gritted his teeth and forced himself to walk, if that dragging shuffle could be called walking....
"I think it's best if you stay in this room until someone lets you out, Eltrina," Tamrissa said as Valiant was hurried toward the door. The last glimpse he'd had of Razas was the way she still stood rooted to the spot, her eyes now open and visibly filled with fear. "Your people will be told that you don't want to be disturbed, and I suggest that you make no effort to call for help. The longer you stay locked up and out of touch, the better off you'll be if the guard comes looking for us after all. It won't save your life, but it will certainly save you a great deal of pain."
Valiant heard a sobbing moan come from Razas, and then the servant maneuvered him out of the room and began to guide him up the hall. Behind him he heard the sound of the door being closed and locked, and then Tamrissa moved ahead to lead the way. The way she glanced at him said he wasn't doing well at all with moving on his own—as though he needed to be told. Valiant made sure to avoid her gaze, concentrating instead on trying to keep up with the servant.
By the time they reached the front hall of the house, Valiant was drenched in sweat and gasping. He'd dreaded the thought that there might be stairs to descend, but his prison had been located at the back of the house rather than on an upper floor. Tamrissa moved forward to open the front door, then followed once the servant had him outside.
"Give me a moment and I'll have the coach door open," she said, but the expected delay wasn't necessary. Naran leaned forward to open the coach door from the inside, and the servant grunted as he lifted Valiant bodily and put him inside on the empty bench seat. Rion shared the seat opposite with Naran, and to Valiant the man looked almost as bad off as himself. That thought cheered Valiant not at all, but it was u
seful to help him ignore the way he'd been treated like an infant.
"Here, take this for your trouble," Valiant heard Tamrissa say, and he turned his head in time to see her handing something to the servant. "I'll appreciate your telling the other servants not to disturb Eltrina, and then you'll be wise to pack your things and leave. Even if you go and release her at once instead, she'll never keep you around after you witnessed what was done to her."
The servant's expression said he knew that Tamrissa was right, and his curt nod was one of full agreement. He headed back to the house with his fist wrapped tight around the coin he'd been given, and Tamrissa climbed into the coach and closed the door behind her before taking the seat beside Valiant.
"The least he could have done was help me into the coach," she muttered as she fought her skirts straight, her gaze already on his face. "Valiant, are you all right? You haven't said even a single word yet."
"Where is this coach takin' us?" Valiant obliged in a croak, looking through the window rather than at Tamrissa. "Somewhere where we can eat and sleep for a while, I hope."
"We need to stop back at Tamrissa's house," Naran said, sounding faintly disturbed. "I packed some clothing for everyone, so all we have to do is pick it up. Along with any food we can find. After that we'll have to find some place to hide, at feast until we locate Jovvi and Lorand. Once we do we'll get out of the city ... Valiant, you haven't said yet whether or not you're all right."
"He's probably no more 'all right' than I am," Rion said after a moment when it became clear that Valiant had no intention of replying. "That damnable drug has taken all my strength both physical and magical, but when it wears off I expect to be able to touch the power again and find myself unchanged. Mother insisted that being pulled out of the Blending so abruptly had caused me irreparable damage, Valiant, but I mean to prove her wrong and I expect you to join me in the endeavor."
Once again Valiant felt the clutch of fear, this time in regard to his ability. He could vaguely remember someone saying the same thing about him, that his strength would never again be what it had been. Finding out they'd spoken the truth would surprise him very little, especially after the rest of what he'd gone through....
"Valiant, isn't there anything else you can think of to say?" Tamrissa asked after another short silence, her hand coming to his arm. "What I mean is, something to me?"
"Oh, yes, forgive me for forgettin'," Valiant forced out, still making sure not to look at her. "You have my thanks for gettin' me out of that place, since it's perfectly obvious I couldn't have gotten myself out. Now I think I need to rest a while."
It was perfectly true that Valiant needed rest desperately, but what he needed even more was an end to the way Tamrissa was certainly looking at him: with compassion and pity. Just two days ago he'd been a full, strong man in her eyes, and now ... Now she would never see him the same. She'd witnessed his humiliation and shame, so from now on she'd remember that every time she looked at him. A weakling who had to be rescued by the woman he'd loved when he was whole, a woman he still loved but who now could do no more than pity him.
After a short hesitation her hand left his arm, and happily she said nothing more. Valiant continued to stare out the window, wishing with his entire being that he might be back and alone in that small, windowless room—so that he might weep like a child for all that he'd lost....
NINE
It had grown very quiet in the coach, my own silence adding to the rest. It had also grown even chillier out, and for some reason I noticed it more now than I had after we'd gotten Rion away from his mother. But it was true that I felt tired. so maybe that accounted for it....
Outside the coach the night was also quiet. Nothing but the creak of springs, the jingle of harness, and the clatter of the horses' hooves to be heard. I closed my eyes and embraced those small sounds, holding to them in an effort to ease the pain I foolishly felt. I'd told Jovvi that I expected my relationship with Valiant to end abruptly one day, and now, apparently, that day had come. I'd expected him to be as glad to see me as Rion had been to see Naran, but Rion had only been taken away from his mother. Valiant had been taken from Eltrina Razas, a female noble who really had an incredibly good figure, and it was impossible to deny that he'd been interested in her....
Keeping my eyes closed also became impossible, the pictures my mind dredged up making it so. Valiant had been about to make love to Eltrina Razas, and I'd come bursting in to end the time. His annoyance was apparently so great that he couldn't even look at me, and that despite the fact that he had to know he couldn't have stayed. The way he'd "thanked" me for saving him. I'd wanted just a few soft words of greeting, a strong arm around my shoulders, possibly even a kiss.
But I'd gotten none of that, and there was no use in wishing I had. Wishing never came true, just the way hoping usually failed. For a short while I'd had someone to do my hoping for me, but it had become very clear that Valiant no longer wanted the job. It was up to me again to do it for myself, but I'd given up on the practice too long ago to take it up again now.
It took quite some time before I found it possible to force my thoughts onto another track, and the only thing which made it possible was our next destination. I had my own reasons for being glad that we were retarding briefly to my house, as Jovvi had shared a very important secret with me.
I'd already spent three gold dins of what I'd taken from Lanir, and it was impossible to know how much more it would take before Jovvi and Lorand were also free. For that reason I'd decided to retrieve the cache of gold Jovvi had left in the house, the savings she'd intended to use to start her own courtesan's residence here in Gan Garee. Even if it turned out that I didn't need to use any of it, at least I'd have it to hand back to her when she was with us again.
I found that I had to work rather hard to cling to the belief that Jovvi and Lorand would be with us again. Not even knowing where they were made the thought too much like wishing or hoping, which had, as already mentioned, always turned out badly for me. I had to make certain that I believed instead, with all the stubbornness that touching the power brought stacked up behind the belief....
When the coach finally turned into my drive, I was even more weary than I had been. Rion had fallen asleep quite some time ago, and so had Valiant Ro. They both sat slumped bonelessly, deeply into that lack of consciousness which I remembered all too well. Even Naran had kept nodding off, but the change in motion of the carriage awakened her, and she looked outside.
"I'm glad we're finally here," she said softly, obviously to keep from waking the men. "The servants all left the house late yesterday, before I left it myself. I'll get the bags I packed, and then we can go to my friend's house. She's bound to have some idea about where we can hide until we find the others."
"I'll go inside with you," I said, just as softly. "There are a few things of my own that I'd like to get, not to mention an additional change of clothing. I'm freezing in this ridiculous gown, and my feet still hurt. These slippers are for walking around indoors, not outside."
"But shouldn't you stay with the coach to guard Rion and Valiant?" she asked, sounding unsure. "I can understand your wanting to change, but what if someone comes by while we're inside?"
"The driver can stand guard for a few minutes," I said, shaking my head a little. "Just tell him to shout if there's, any trouble, and I'll take care of it by looking out a window."
"That should work," she agreed with a shadowy smile. "I'll tell him before we go inside."
A pair of minutes later the coach pulled up by the front door, and Naran and I got out. The men continued to sleep soundly, so I went to the front door while Naran spoke to our driver. I'd expected the door to be looked and so it was, but that didn't mean I had to burn it down in order for us to get inside—or use the window Naran probably had to leave by. A large potted shrub stood to each side of the door, and under the soil of the one to the right was a door key. My late husband had put it there years earlier, to
be certain he would always be able to get back into his own house. I'd seen him checking on it once and afterward had found out what it was, but I'd never removed it even after his death. Right now I was very glad I hadn't.
The key let us in through the door without any difficulty, and I produced a small flame to light our way upstairs. Naran came with me and helped me change into warmer, more practical clothes in record time, and then I went with her to fetch the bags she'd packed. On the way I stopped at the statuette in the hall, groped around a bit to find the purse, then removed it.
"This belongs to Jovvi, and when we find her she'll want it back," I said in answer to Naran's unspoken question. "I'm tempted to take some of this very expensive junk to sell, but I suspect it would be wasted effort. A legitimate buyer will want proof of ownership, and a larcenous one won't give us more than a fraction of the piece's worth."
"And lugging it around until we find someone to buy it will be too much of a bother," she agreed with a nod. "I have some gold so we ought to get by, but we'll need more clothing for Rion. He only had those gray trousers and white shirts left, and his mother's people took those. I packed extra clothing from Valiant's bedchamber, but had to take only the uniform from Lorand's. The rest of his clothing is almost as distinctive as Rion's was."
"Once we get the bags downstairs, let's check the kitchen," I suggested after nodding to what she'd said. "If they've left any food behind, we ought to take it with us."
This time it was her turn to nod, and then we took care of the first part of the plan. There were five bags, none of them terribly heavy, so we got them down to the front hall rather quickly. A glance outside showed everything to be quiet, so we went back to the kitchen and looked around. Everything was perfectly clean and orderly, and there wasn't a single crumb of food left. With no one around to keep the perishables cold that was understandable, but not finding even a single loaf of bread was somehow depressing.
