Sorceress (Book 2)

by Jim Bernheimer

  Those eyes hadn’t changed back since their encounter at the cages and the unicorn knew a bad omen when he saw it. The lieutenant had turned. Some of the humans, who hadn’t quite given themselves over to the evil, would act as if they had changed in the feeble hope that they wouldn’t have to endure it any longer. Inevitably, they failed. The last test consisted of the container being placed in front of them with just enough room for them to move toward it. Only those who had willingly given themselves over were capable of thrusting their face over the opening. Majherri was convinced that Amir already knew who might try to fake their subversion. The sorcerer took perverse pleasure in making them go first.

  Osalon was in the tent. The male’s coat seemed dull and he didn’t fight the men restraining him, despite the fact that he could easily overwhelm them. His spirit was broken. The lack of contact with his rider, coupled with being forced to endure her suffering had taken a horrible toll on the unicorn. In a way, Majherri was grateful that he didn’t have to endure this with Danella. He had spent that period wandering aimlessly through the desert in a fit of madness.

  As Lieutenant Townsend’s turn came, she eagerly shoved her face deep into the cistern and Majherri felt a pang of regret at not going to see Osalon sooner. It would have spared them both this cruel fate.

  The woman did not retch when she sat back. Dark wisps of smoke curled around her face as she exhaled. Amir, presiding over the ceremony in the place of his liege, gestured to a pair of soldiers who removed her shackles. Standing, the Battle Maiden bowed her head in respect to the man.

  Danella left Majherri’s side and went over to Amir. She whispered in his ear and he nodded to her.

  “Come, Sister,” his rider said. “Reclaim your unicorn and take a ride with me. We have things to discuss.”

  Danella turned to a nearby officer and said, “Have someone fetch the lieutenant’s saddle and be quick about it!”

  The man bristled at her command and Majherri supposed that it was a cultural thing. Males in this part of the world were especially resentful when it came to taking orders from females.

  From the few memories he’d seen of Danella’s time without him, at least one of these warriors had dared to question Danella’s right to give him an order. She’d killed that one, wiped the blood from her blade on the man’s tunic, and dared the next man to refuse her order. As he watched the male swallow his pride and send a runner out of the tent, Majherri was glad that unicorns had a culture of merit, where males and females earned their status. Of course, that led him to wonder whether the changes Danella had wrought in him were going to change things for the Greater Herd.

  While waiting for Osalon’s riding gear to be retrieved, Majherri thought about how set in their ways the Greater Herd was. They were hesitant and resistant to change, more stubborn in a fashion than any of these human kingdoms. For untold seasons, the structure of the herds and the Greater Herd had served his kind, but the question now became, Would it still serve me as I am, and do I still owe allegiance to the Greater Herd?

  “You taught Reese for the last few months,” Danella said to Osalon’s rider as they left the tent and rode into the city streets. They were going out of Jaruciax and allowing the air maiden to take her unicorn for a swift ride. “What do you make of her?”

  The newly freed convert thought for a moment before answering. “I was her history of warfare teacher. Academically, she was borderline, because she’d been thrown into the middle of the third year. She proved to be a diligent worker. Before we left Talcosa, I’d been cautioned by Heather Sycroft to keep an eye on her because of her unusual abilities, but that order obviously came from General Jyslin.”

  “I’d thought the general would have been more interested in Reese. Majherri barely had any memories of her.”

  “She stayed in the background, but she was as curious as the rest. After witnessing Reese’s fireshade against a pair of sand trolls, I can see why everyone was keeping track of her. Still, why do you ask, Master Scout? You have Majherri and she does not. I’m surprised she’s even alive.”

  “It matters because she managed to survive the attack in the desert and then an encounter with the manticore, injuring it. The Master sent word for me to learn everything about this Kayleigh Reese. I’ve been reviewing Majherri’s memories of her, but if you know anything useful, then I must know it.”

  The unicorn noted the almost painful manner in which Danella spoke his other rider’s name.

  The officer seemed taken aback by Danella’s tone and Majherri suspected that Osalon was warning her not to provoke the woman.

  “I doubt there is anything I could...Wait! When she doubled up with me and we searched for Majherri, Reese said she could sense the bond I shared with Osalon! Both Osalon and I could feel her presence. It became so distracting that he considered throwing her.”

  “Go on,” Danella said.

  “I told her to report it to Captain Sycroft and General Jyslin when we returned to The Academy. Reese told me that the young unbonded unicorns shied away from her because they felt her presence as well. I’ve never heard of another maiden sensing bonds.”

  Majherri felt a tiny sliver of worry swirling under Danella’s emotions. He’d never heard of this ability either but, looking back, it explained a few things.

  “So, she hid this from you as well,” Danella said. The jealousy consuming his rider caused her to take any opportunity to portray Kayleigh in a bad light. The passing cloud of resentment traveling through him was purely Danella’s doing.

  His rider returned her attention to the other human. “Thank you for this information. Our leige will know how to use it to bring about the girl’s death.”

  After Osalon and his rider left, a breathless soldier approached and informed Danella that the ship carrying The Master was already in the harbor, arriving ahead of schedule. This caught his rider by surprise and they hurried to the docks.

  To Majherri it made sense: Count Darius was a powerful mage and the most successful of the vessels navigating the Clef River used enchantments on their sails to speed their travel. The count’s inner circle was already concerned about setbacks to the invasion and it seemed reasonable that the man in charge would be equally worried about sustaining their momentum.

  At best, this army is irregular. They will get better soon enough, but he will need to consolidate control of the river all the way to the ocean before they can hope to wage war against the Middle Kingdoms and the South.

  The streets at this late hour were thankfully clear, because of the curfew being enforced on the citizens. There was no need to force his way through a wall of flesh and, in Danella’s current state of mind, she’d likely trample any that barred their way.

  They arrived as the boat docked with the pier. Without waiting for the wooden planks to connect the two, Majherri saw the cloaked figure of Count Darius leap across the gap, propelling his body with magical energy and landing with practiced ease on the pier.

  He immediately began issuing orders.

  “Bring another and be quick about it! You were told to prepare for my arrival. That gangway will snap under the weight of my beast.”

  Danella dismounted and led Majherri down the pier.

  The small vessel floated low in the water, weighted down by the massive body of the manticore resting in the stern. Majherri saw bandages covering a good portion of the beast’s side, including one wing. Without his rider’s stifling touch, he swelled in pride at the knowledge that Kayleigh had defeated this monster.

  Still, Danella sensed enough to turn and give him a scowl. “You’re thinking about her again. This will be added to the list of reasons she will die.”

  He snorted in reply and cautioned Danella not to underestimate Kayleigh Reese.

  The manticore roared with displeasure and stood on unsteady legs. To be truthful, Majherri didn’t care for any voyage longer than a river ferry crossing and felt a smattering of empathy for the beast’s plight. It paced around on the deck an
d crouched on powerful legs.

  Even Majherri had to appreciate the strength of the manticore as it jumped onto the pier, unwilling to wait for the humans to bring sturdier wood. Those still on the ship fought to keep the vessel from capsizing as several plunged into the water.

  The landing was awkward and lacked the monster’s normal grace. It yowled in frustration against the mass of bandages keeping it from folding one of its wings.

  Count Darius did not seem pleased that his familiar was taking unnecessary risks and said as much to the beast as it approached before calling out for the medicines to be brought for the manticore.

  It made a sound of dissatisfaction that sounded similar to a housecat trying to cough up mouthful of its fur and regarded Majherri.

  “Leave my presence, dark unicorn. I am in a foul mood and have no patience for you or your kind.”

  As Danella greeted her master and began her report on Kayleigh, Majherri snorted and replied, “If I did not fear you when you were uninjured, what makes you believe that your current state would cause me to cower. I wish you a swift recovery.”

  “A silvery tongue gets you nowhere, mulekin! What do you wish to know?”

  Ignoring the slight to his heritage Majherri continued, “I wish to know what happened. I heard the human who did this to you was my former rider and was curious.”

  “I will not speak of the girl and have been forbidden to seek out my revenge!”

  Majherri was about to ask why when he felt Danella assert her control over him. When he trotted back to her side, she gripped his head with both hands and looked into his eyes.

  Memories stirred and he found himself thinking of the walk along the streets of Helden and seeing Kayleigh come back out of the small house with her mother.

  “The woman introduces herself as Brenda Reese,” Danella described. “She’s petite, a full head shorter than my twin sister. Her hair is darker than the daughter’s. She carries herself well and demonstrates proper etiquette when addressing the maidens.”

  Why are they so interested in Kayleigh’s mother? Majherri thought while Danella recounted the conversation word for word to her Master. Brenda protesting that Kayleigh had been tested in Laurent, and her ultimatum forcing Kayleigh’s decision to leave.

  Count Darius waved and the air shimmered. Wisps of smoke swirled and formed the image of a human female.

  “Tell me, fair Danella. Does this Brenda Reese look something like this?”

  The illusion came together and became a fair representation of Kayleigh’s mother.

  Danella stepped from his side and inspected the illusion. “The cheeks are a little less full and she is thinner, but I assume you know this Brenda Reese?”

  The count gave a hollow laugh and said, “By that name, no. Come to think of it, her handmaiden was named Brenda and her personal protector’s first name was Reese.”

  “Who is she then?” Danella asked.

  “A traitor, one who is as much to blame for my last defeat as Naomi Jyslin and her allies.”

  Danella drew herself up to her full height and said, “Then it will be my pleasure to hunt her daughter down and bring her head back to you for their transgressions against you. I will ride tonight and not rest until the filthy wretch is dead!”

  The manticore growled and said to Majherri, “Your mistress is about to be disappointed. I know what his answer will be.”

  “I cannot allow that, Danella,” Darius said.

  “But why, Milord?”

  “I have only just confirmed that this girl is my daughter and it would be an insult to the spirits of my ancestors if the first thing I do is order her death.”

  “What?” Danella exclaimed. Majherri was stunned by the statement.

  “I am as surprised as you are, but I cannot deny what occurred when I faced her.”

  “Impossible!”

  “You know that isn’t true. Isn’t your twin almost immune to your elemental magic, Danella?”

  “Yes,” she sputtered.

  “Kayleigh’s fire gave me but a token burn and my spells were capable of killing a fully grown ogre. Instead, she escaped out of the city with her new unicorn and possibly Rider Garrett as her prisoner. Even though she is thwarting my efforts, I must applaud her resourcefulness.”

  She has another unicorn! Majherri reeled from that revelation. Part of him hoped that Kayleigh might come for him, but now that was never going to happen. Betrayal resonated throughout his body. I’ve been replaced!

  He saw Danella looking at him and despite being infuriated, he sensed a wave of perverse pleasure from her directed at him. She was gloating!

  “What do you intend to do about her then, Milord?” Danella asked, never taking her eyes from Majherri.

  “From what you have learned, Kayleigh has been disowned by her mother and treated poorly by your sister and the other maidens. I bear her no malice. Properly trained, she could be a force to be reckoned with. I wish to recruit her.”

  Fighting through her obvious displeasure, Danella asked, “How may I help?”

  “My allies in the south are waiting for Salif to fall or declare neutrality before their uprising begins. I will send word to them to try and capture my wayward daughter. As for you, Danella, your mission will be twofold. Are you familiar with the Yar?”

  “Only by reputation,” she answered. “Capable warriors and raiders, but not a serious threat to the Northern Kingdoms.”

  “They rule by force. Their shamans and chieftains rise in status over the bodies of their rivals. They have a powerful tribal magic and might is valued above all else.”

  “What is it you wish?”

  “You shall be my emissary. Convince the Yar to join my cause and attack the Northern Kingdoms. Those rulers will be reluctant to send troops to aid the High-King if their borders are threatened.”

  “And if their chieftains cannot be convinced?” Danella asked with a cruel smile.

  Count Darius returned her smile and reached forward to cup her chin. “Then you shall become their queen. Persuade them, one way or another.”

  “Yes, Milord. And my second task?”

  “Find the woman who calls herself Brenda Reese. Be careful, as she may be concealing her magical abilities. I’d like her alive, if possible, but do not let this come between you and your first task.”

  “What will you do with her?”

  The mage laughed at Danella’s question. “If she still has her magic, I shall remake her as I have you, my dear. If she does not, then the mother will be a lure to bring my daughter to me.”

  Chapter 10- Broken Trust

  Between Garrett’s distinctive helmet combined with her shouting that she had, “Prisoners for the Master!” bluffing their way out of Shiftla proved to be easier than Kayleigh had dared hope.

  Most of the nomad cavalry ran amuck inside the city and only a few patrolled outside of the wall, trying to prevent the denizens from escaping. Rahzir’s presence driving the wagon also lent credibility to her masquerade. She was even able to order more soldiers to this gate with the hopes that it would allow those on the other side of the city a better chance to get out of the west gate. Briefly, she thought of Laurel and the others and whispered prayers for them.

  “Why did you do it? Why did you come with me?” she asked Rahzir when they were safely out onto the road.

  The young man had removed his head wrappings and she saw tanned skin and brown eyes. He had an air of intensity that she’d never seen in other boys, even Brian Tomas. Thinking about the desert they’d left behind, she knew he couldn’t have had an easy life. He had dark curly hair and his nose was perhaps larger than it should have been, but was offset by wide, thin lips set with determination.

  “I thought long and hard, riding back after we first met. You spared me, but upon my return I was whipped in punishment by the witch who stole the unicorn you had. I concluded that if my enemies were showing the mercy and restraint that my allies were not capable of, I was obviously on the wrong
side of this conflict. My uncles and cousins have become consumed with ruling cities and the claiming of titles. My wants are different. I want freedom. I have no need of servants, and I wish to serve none but myself.”

  “But your side is winning,” Kayleigh said.

  “When I saw you fight the leader and drive him and his beast off, I knew as sure as the sun travels the sky that he was no god and certainly not invulnerable.”

  “What do you know about him?”

  “Precious little. His true name is spoken only by his faithful and those who he has subjugated to his will with magic, like the warrior woman bound in the bed of the wagon. I do know that he is not one of my people and have come to realize that his promises will be kept only by the blood we spill for him. He speaks with a false tongue and if he can be bested by someone who is close to my age, I fear for my people. This will not end well for them.”

  “I got lucky,” Kayleigh said, feeling embarrassed. “He retreated to prevent further harm to that manticore thing he was riding. I was exhausted. If you had attacked with those other men, I think you would have won.”

  The man shrugged and replied, “My victory would have avenged the shame of being beaten by you before. Perhaps, instead of commanding a dozen riders, I would be given charge of two score or even a hundred, but I have already told you how much I value my personal freedom. More men to order into battle, more death by my commands, these things do not interest me in the slightest.”

  “Won’t your leaving cause problems for your family?” Tamera asked from her spot in the wagon. She hadn’t spoken in the last ten minutes, nor done anything except stare at their prisoner.

  “It is possible,” he confessed. “Most will probably assume I was killed. If word of my orders to flee reach their ears, the others will call out my name and spit upon the ground at my shame, but my uncles and cousins are in command of these riders. Their glory in victory will cast aside any accusations of cowardice on my behalf.”