Apprenticed to Pleasure

by Brandon Fox

  Ander picked up a cloth and began sweeping crystal fragments into a pile. “The sooner we destroy the leech the better, as far as I’m concerned. That thing gives me nightmares.”

  Thane picked up another cloth and helped wipe up debris. After a few moments, he cleared his throat. “Um… maybe it’s not a good idea for you to go. It could be dangerous. There’s no reason for you to take the risk.”

  Ander glanced up. “Forget it. I’ll hold your cloak if that’s all I can do. But if you need me, I’ll be there.”

  “I just don’t want to see you get hurt if—”

  “And I don’t want to be stuck here worrying about you. I won’t get in the way or cause trouble.”

  “But—”

  “Thane. I belong with you.”

  He looked like he was about to protest further. Then a wistful expression crossed his face. He held his hands up in surrender. “I just remembered the last time I had this argument. It was with Lucian, and I lost then too. All right.”

  Ander tossed his rag on the table, then gave Thane a hug. “See what happens when you tell me you love me? You can’t get rid of me.”

  “I hope not.” Thane’s voice was tight. “I don’t think I could bear it.”

  “None of that. It’s a new day, and we’ll live it together. Let’s finish and get breakfast. There’s a lot to do.” They kissed tenderly. Ander wished there was time for more but knew the dark threat on the horizon took precedence over all else.

  Thane saw Katy in the corridor outside the workroom and sent her to roust Sorel and Nicolai out of bed, a job she accepted with enthusiasm. They soon joined Thane and Ander at breakfast, disheveled and grumbling about rude interruptions, not at all impressed by Katy’s pious protest that she was following orders.

  Thane wasted no time when there was work to be done. Within an hour they were on the road to Fochelis. Ander felt a warm sense of companionship enfold him as they rode. The world felt new and limitless. But he noticed that half their party didn’t seem to be appreciating the fine day. He leaned toward Thane.

  “Is it my imagination, or are those two about to fall asleep in their saddles? I thought they turned in early last night.”

  Nicolai heard the comment and turned. “Going to bed and getting some sleep are very different things when Sorel is involved.”

  Sorel dropped back, drawing even with Ander’s horse. “I was just making sure he’s recovered. A routine precaution.”

  “You had to make sure four times?” Nicolai asked, smiling. “Nobody but you would think four tumbles between midnight and breakfast is routine.”

  Sorel looked smug. “I’m glad to report you’re fully healed. There’s nothing wrong with you that a day of sleep won’t cure.”

  “Huh. I’d better pack you off with Ander and Thane, then. That’s the only way I’ll get any sleep.”

  “Sounds like fun,” Sorel replied. “Ander, how about if we—”

  Thane held up a hand and reined in his horse. “Did you just feel something?”

  Sorel blinked, coming to a stop beside him. “Like what?”

  Thane sat motionless, his face pale. His eyes were unfocused as if he was looking at something in the far distance. He took a sharp breath.

  “There! Didn’t you feel it? A cry in the kei. Pain. Or maybe a warning.”

  Sorel frowned and shook his head. “None of us are as sensitive as you. Let’s try a circle. That might make it clearer.”

  They dismounted and tied their horses to the twisted roots of a fallen tree, then walked a short distance off the trail to a slab of rock perched on a bluff. Cataracts in the valley below filled the air with mist. Thane sat cross-legged near the center of the slab, and the others settled around him to form a tight circle.

  “Join hands to form the link,” Thane instructed Ander. “Then clear your mind.”

  Ander joined hands with Thane on one side and Sorel on the other before closing his eyes. He began to take deep and slow breaths. Soon the sensation of the warm rock and his friends’ hands faded to insignificance.

  Just as conscious thought began to vanish completely, he felt a mental jab. It was almost physical in its intensity. Fear and pain. Confusion. Panic! But there was more, a sense of place. His eyes snapped open, his heart pounding.

  Nicolai saw his stunned expression. “We all felt it.” He turned to Thane, who held his head as if he’d been struck. “Is it happening at the lyceum, or did they just relay it?”

  Thane got to his feet, his face stricken, then staggered toward the horses. “No relay. I felt the energy of the estate. And… and I felt something happen to Erik.” He coughed as if choking on the memory. “We’ve got to get back. I think they’re under attack.”

  They remounted and galloped back toward the estate. Thane didn’t relent from his desperate rush until their horses threatened to founder. They slowed to a canter, giving Ander a chance to move alongside the mage.

  “Who could be attacking? Bandits? Or do you think the zamindar somehow found out about the lyceum?”

  “I couldn’t tell. The lyceum is known as a winery and perfumery, but it doesn’t have a reputation for wealth. We’ve never had a serious problem with bandits before.”

  “Then you think it’s the leech, or the zamindar’s troops?”

  Thane squinted into the distance as if trying to see all the way back home. “If it’s the zamindar, I don’t think he’s using his device. The leech makes a stench in the kei that can’t be missed.” He shook his head miserably. “I just don’t know. It might be a fire. Or maybe the hot springs. They’ve acted up before.”

  Sorel dropped back to join the conversation. “Not likely the hot springs. Anna found a way to vent the waters away when the pressure gets too high, remember?”

  Thane gripped his saddle horn tightly. The anguish in his eyes was frightening. “Was I wrong to leave? Is it a magical attack I could have prevented?”

  “Now’s not the time for guessing,” Ander said. “There’s no way of knowing the answers. And you’ll need all your attention on the problem, whatever it is, when we get back.”

  Thane’s clenched jaw didn’t loosen, but he gave a small nod. “Pray we’re not too late. All is lost if the lyceum’s secrets fall into the zamindar’s hands.”

  RETURNING to the estate took only a third the time of their aborted journey toward Fochelis, but their anxiety made it seem much longer. They left their horses in a grove out of view of the castle and then climbed a bluff until reaching a stand of trees on one of the hills overlooking the lyceum. Crouching low, Ander parted the shrubbery and peered down.

  Horses were tethered in front of the castle gate, and black-clad cuirassiers stood guard over initiates huddled in the courtyard. Skorri knelt near the edge of the crowd, cradling an unconscious Erik and pressing a wadded-up shirt against his lover’s bloody side. Several other prisoners showed bruises and cuts.

  “We’re too late,” Nicolai said. “They’re searching the buildings. They’ll find everything.”

  “The cantrips will delay them,” Thane said. “But not for long. They’ll send for sorcerers to defeat the cantrips. They’ll steal everything we’ve discovered and kill our comrades to fuel their magic.” His hands clenched into fists, knuckles white.

  Ander looked more closely. “See the insignia on their shoulders? I recognize it. They’re from Pella. What if they’re the ones who chased us when Nicolai and Sorel got me away from Seraskier Reincken? It might mean they didn’t know about magic at the lyceum until they got here.”

  “He’s right,” Sorel said. “If this is just a search party, then nobody but this patrol knows about the lyceum. Our secrets are safe until they get back to Pella.”

  “How does that help us?” Thane asked. “There are four of us, and we just have knives. You’re a skilled fighter, Sorel, but we still wouldn’t have a chance against thirty cuirassiers.”

  “We can’t just give up,” Nicolai protested. “We could sneak inside the tower, try to
take them quietly. Maybe we can even the odds before they notice what’s going on.”

  “Or maybe they’d discover us right away and have four more prisoners.” Thane chewed his lip. “The odds are bad.”

  Ander brushed hair from his eyes, hesitating to make what was probably a stupid suggestion but deciding there was little to lose. “What about the medallion? Didn’t you say it could be used against any source of energy? I don’t know much about the art, but I know that people create energy.”

  Thane shook his head. “Not a bad idea. But it won’t work. The medallion could be used against people, but it wouldn’t be selective. Whatever we did to the cuirassiers would affect us and everyone in the lyceum.”

  Screams from the courtyard drew their attention back to the prisoners. A cuirassier was wrenching Katy’s arm behind her back and twisting it viciously. Protests from the prisoners were met with blows. Thane started to surge to his feet, but Nicolai pulled him back down.

  “Make a plan before you move,” Nicolai cautioned. “I’m ready to try a sneak attack. It might be risky, but I haven’t heard any better ideas.” He started to creep back from the edge of the bluff, but Sorel put a hand on his arm.

  “Wait. Ander, you said they’re from Pella?”

  “I’m sure of it. I’ve lived there all my life. I ought to know what the garrison’s insignia looks like.”

  Sorel turned to Thane, his expression thoughtful. “How well can this medallion distinguish between different energy sources? Could it distinguish between people from different places? I’ve felt differences in the anima depending on where someone came from.”

  Thane looked skeptical. “I don’t know. We’d have to test it. If the settings aren’t right, it might not work at all. Or it might affect everybody regardless of where they’re from.”

  “How could we test it?” Sorel asked. “Remember, we don’t have many options.”

  “It’s designed to focus on whatever touches the mounting ring, when a sapphire that tunes it is in the right alignment. We’d need one of the soldiers to set it.”

  Sorel didn’t answer, but his glance at Ander made his thoughts clear.

  “You don’t need a soldier,” Ander said. “I’m from Pella. You can use me to set it.”

  Thane scowled. “Even if we’re able to set the medallion so it only works on men from Pella, you’d still be part of the target group.”

  “I know how important it is to protect the lyceum. If this is what’s needed, I’m willing—”

  “I’ve already thought about that,” Sorel said. “Nicolai and I might be able to shield you. We can try linking with you so you won’t look like a Pellan to the kei.”

  Thane was already pulling the medallion out of the pouch at his belt. Placing it on the ground, he used the point of his knife to adjust the delicate mechanism. A humming noise, high enough to make Ander’s teeth ache, sang from the taut wires. The mage put down his knife and then lifted the medallion by its thong. He looked at Ander solemnly.

  “Attuning the medallion shouldn’t hurt. It’s the next part, when we use it as a weapon, that has me worried.”

  “Then let’s get it over with. We’ve no time to waste.”

  He held out a hand, palm up, and Thane lowered the medallion until the cold silver ring touched his skin. Ander felt a wave of dizziness, and the humming stopped. The disorientation passed as soon as Thane lifted the medallion.

  “Now we see if it works.” He laid the device back on the grass in front of him and then looked at Sorel. “This wasn’t meant to be used against people. I don’t know how strong the effect will be. Make his shield as strong as you can.”

  Sorel squeezed his shoulder. “We know. We’ll do our best.” Nicolai nodded, solemn.

  Ander’s stomach fluttered as the risk of what they were about to attempt sank in. A memory of the shattering crystal, flying apart with explosive force, made him shiver.

  “I’ll start as soon as you’ve formed the link,” Thane said. He looked over the edge of the bluff. “Make it fast. Katy’s in real trouble.”

  Moving behind Ander, Nicolai sat and spread his legs apart. He gestured for Ander to sit in front of him and then pulled their bodies tightly together. “Spread your legs to make room for Sorel,” he instructed. “The more of you we cover, the better protected you’ll be.”

  As soon as Ander moved his legs apart, Sorel settled into the space so their crotches and chests pressed together when they wrapped their arms around each other. Nicolai spread his hands to cover as much of Ander’s sides as possible.

  “Keep as still as you can,” Sorel said. “Nicolai and I will try to link with you, but our bond will be far from complete.”

  “I’ll try.” He glanced at Thane and gave a small nod. “We’re ready.”

  Thane picked up his knife and bent over the medallion. He made a few adjustments, and the device began to vibrate at a pitch almost too low to be audible. Ander felt it more than he heard it. The mage lifted the medallion by its thong and held it above his head. It pulsed like a red beacon.

  Ander’s skin began to itch, and his head felt squeezed. He stiffened in alarm. Sensing his distress, Nicolai and Sorel held him tighter. The discomfort remained but didn’t get any worse.

  Surprised cries of confusion drifted up from below. Curses were followed within seconds by howls of pain. The shrieks raised hackles on the back of Ander’s neck.

  “What’s happening?” he asked. Staying motionless as Sorel had instructed despite the escalating cacophony proved a difficult challenge.

  Thane looked over the edge of the bluff. Satisfaction showed in his narrowed eyes. “Three of them have dropped already. There’s blood coming from their ears and noses, but they’re still twitching. They’re not dead. Half the rest are staggering.” His mouth turned down in a frown. “The other half look confused, but they’re still holding their weapons. Damn!”

  “Can you increase the power?” Sorel asked.

  “Some. I’m doing it now. But I don’t understand why some of—”

  The medallion’s wires screamed with a discordant edge, and the radiance pulsing from the red crystal at its center doubled in intensity. Thane didn’t even look at it. His horrified gaze was fixed on the base of the tower.

  “They’ve got a sorcerer with them! He’s trying to put up a shield. We’ve got to break through it before the medallion is drained.”

  Ander kept silent, his racing heart thumping against Sorel’s chest as Thane rose to his feet. Clutching the thong with white-knuckled fists, he held the medallion as high as he could. The hum of power smoothed out to a full-throated roar, and a new chorus of yells tore from the soldiers below. Thane’s muscles bunched as he poured his own anima into the effort.

  The pressure on Ander’s head increased, and in moments he found it almost impossible to breathe. Just as he thought he was going to lose consciousness, the medallion flashed like lightning and fell silent. Relief swept through him, but the shock on Thane’s face pierced him like a spear. He pulled loose from Sorel’s embrace, and the three of them turned to see what had happened below.

  “I don’t understand,” Thane said, his chest heaving. “How could one sorcerer deflect so much power?”

  “We don’t have time for questions,” Nicolai said. He pointed to the castle’s gate, where half the soldiers who still stood were forming into a squad under the sorcerer’s direction. “They’ve seen us, and they mean to catch us. Where can we take shelter?”

  “If we go back for our horses, we’ll be heading for them instead of away from them,” Sorel said. “I’d say we head further up. Try losing them in the ravine.”

  Thane nodded curtly, picking up his pouch and dropping the medallion into it. “You’re right. We can lose them in the hills and then come up with another plan. Let’s go.”

  They retreated from the bluff and plunged back into the dense forest. Ander could already hear the distant shouts of their pursuers like the baying of hounds.

&n
bsp; Chapter 20

  THEY pounded up the trail at full speed, not slowing until they crossed a log bridge and reached the first fork in the path. Ander was grateful for the respite; his side ached from the sudden exertion.

  Thane turned to Sorel. “What do you think? Up to the ridge or down to the river?”

  “Up,” Sorel advised. “Erik mentioned yesterday that he’d put food in the cabin at the overlook. He and Skorri were planning a session. We’ll need supplies.”

  “Where can we go for help?” Ander asked, gulping deep breaths. “Is there anyone who could help us fight the cuirassiers?”

  “Our closest ally is a two-day ride away,” Thane replied. “It would take far too long, even if we had horses. We have to stop the search party before they’re finished at the lyceum, or it’ll be impossible to undo the harm.”

  “But how? The medallion’s power is drained. What else do we have to use against them?”

  They began a fast walk up the trail. “We can’t compete with the patrol’s physical force,” Thane admitted. “The art is our only chance. If we can replenish the medallion’s power, maybe I can find a way. If we can figure out what their sorcerer was doing.”

  “That’s another advantage the zamindar has,” Sorel said. “He relies on pain. The body’s capacity for pain isn’t as easily exhausted as the capacity for pleasure. Nicolai and I held nothing back last night. I’m sorry.”

  “You had no way of knowing. Perhaps I can create enough anima myself.” Despite the brave words, there was doubt in his voice.

  “Thane, could I help you power the medallion? I know I’m inexperienced, but—”

  “It’s good of you to ask, Ander. But only the most powerful magic can generate the energy we need. It requires the strongest elixirs and great control. You haven’t begun the training.”

  “Still, isn’t there something—”

  Thane slowed. “You don’t understand. It’s not just the risk of failure. This part of the art, its intensity, can kill. It would be like putting a child on an unbroken stallion. I don’t see any choice but to hide a few hours, give Nicolai and Sorel time to rest. Among the three of us, we should have enough power.”