"I don't care what it takes. Dig farther into her past if needs be when you examine her—if there is anything we can employ to force both in the proper direction, then I wish to use it."
"And if there isn't?"
"I'm not above blackmail in this case. He has to see reason, you understand. I want the best for him, and this girl—Sherra, is the best."
"She certainly saved those others in her cohort by using the mindspeaking ability she has. That's extremely rare in black roses."
"I believe that when she helped train the others on shielding, it helped them maintain a strong shield under difficult circumstances," Barth offered. "Everything I hear about her is positive."
"And that's what the Prince Commander needs," Wulf pounded a fist on his desk. "He has to see reason in this and set his personal losses and feelings aside. He doesn't need an inferior, or even a second-best. He needs the best at his side. You know he's the strongest in a very long time, and he needs the same sort of strength to support him."
"Are we agreed then?" Barth asked. "To do whatever it takes to make this happen?"
"We're agreed."
Sherra
We were up early, as we usually were—Levi, Armon and I—to continue with our special training sessions before breakfast.
Today, Kerok came, when he hadn't in a while.
"We want to practice pulling energy away," Armon told me. "Don't worry," he said when I expressed fear and surprise at his words. "It won't be much, and this is usually set aside for the intense training after choices are made. This is a preliminary thing—just to see how well you respond. We'll decide whether to employ it with the other trainees afterward."
"What are you afraid of?" Kerok walked toward me, his voice low and reassuring.
"This is how we die," I said and lowered my eyes.
Kerok went completely still; I could see his feet and legs in front of me. After a moment, he spoke again.
"You have permission to speak your mind, trainee. Nothing will be held against you."
"Do you care?" I lifted my eyes to him, refusing to wipe away the tears gathering and unshed. "Do any of you care that we'll die? I know the King doesn't give a fuck about any of us, and the villagers only look forward to the money when it comes. We're outcasts the moment the tattoos are placed on our wrists. Slavery isn't allowed in any other circumstance than this." I turned my back to him before wiping stubborn tears away.
K erok
Even Grae had never had the courage to speak to me this way. Perhaps she felt the same, but never voiced it.
Nearby, Levi had moved closer to Armon, who placed an arm about his shoulders. After she wiped tears away, I watched as Sherra's arms came around herself, holding in sobs—refusing to let me see that.
"Your ideas can save those lives," I took a step toward her. "I know it. I've been on the battlefield for more than forty-five years, Sherra. I've never had as much hope as I do now. I can't speak for everyone, but every time an escort dies, a part of me dies with her."
"How can you be certain the King will agree to any of this?" she wept. "He doesn't care, remember? When I reach the battlefield, how much more of a battle will I have to fight to convince the other roses that the new method will help them? You've already seen what jealousy can do. Veri proved that."
"If the King approves it, the Prince Commander will order it done." I barely realized that my hands had gone to her shoulders. She stiffened at my touch.
Armon, I sent mindspeak, Take Levi back to my office and stay there until I say.
He and Levi disappeared.
"Hush, now," I pulled Sherra against me. "I didn't mean to upset or frighten you this morning. I'll wait for the power-pulling lessons at Secondary Camp, as I should have done." She shuddered against me, making me feel like a fool. How would I react in her place? I didn't have an answer for that.
Born with power and born to die young. She'd known her fate most of her life. "If I could change things, I would," I soothed as she trembled in my arms. "Life is seldom fair, and for some, it never is."
Sherra
"What happened?" Wend asked when I arrived at breakfast, my eyes still red from crying.
"Please don't ask," I whispered. "Some things are so hard for me to accept."
"I'll ask later, then," she said. "When you feel like talking."
"Stress," Caral said from behind me as we waited in line for our trays. "Trials are coming fast, and so much has happened to all of us already."
Perhaps it was stress. What had happened, however—I'd never expected such gentleness from Kerok. It skewed my brain and I could barely force a logical thought through it afterward. That in itself terrified me—I had to stay sharp to finish training washouts and prepare for the testing.
If I were honest with myself, I'd never been held by a man before. If my father had ever done so, I didn't remember it. Pottles had been the only one to soothe me when I felt alone and frightened. After her death, I'd felt more alone than ever.
Nobody in Merthis had spoken to me unless it was necessary. I wasn't lying about being outcast. Perhaps Veri and Ura, in their own way, were starved for attention, too, and had fallen into the Bulldog's way of thinking.
That mattered little now. Ura was dead and Veri, when they found her, would be just as dead. It didn't excuse her actions in my mind, however. She'd killed two, and attempted to kill so many others.
Trainee, stop thinking such terrible thoughts, Armon's mental voice sounded kind. I'd forgotten that he and Levi would be here, supervising and eating with us. It's on your face and in the frown, he added, as I wondered how he knew these things.
Any word on Veri? I returned.
Dead, he replied. Found that way not long after her escape. I don't have details to share, other than that.
Thank you, I said.
Don't tell the others—it could upset them at an inconvenient time.
I won't. He was right—we had enough worries, and some of the trainees were scared witless of the trials and what would come after—regarding the lists and the choices that had to be made.
Whomever they chose would watch them die—that was a given, and it still left a bitter taste of hopelessness in my mouth.
K erok
Drenn wants to see you. Hunter's mental voice interrupted my thoughts on the morning's events.
What does he want? I didn't want to see Drenn. He probably knew that, as I hadn't had kind words for him the last time. He was a criminal in my mind, and if he didn't realize it, then he was a bigger fool than I imagined.
He kept his life because of our father's decision and for no other reason than that. I don't know what he wants—he didn't explain and I know better than to ask, Hunter answered my question.
Drenn wasn't the easiest person to deal with if anyone questioned his motives.
When? I asked. Does Father know?
I doubt it, but feel free to ask, Hunter said. The tone of his voice urged me to ask, but he didn't come out and say it. Drenn wants to see you at dinner tonight, if it's convenient.
It would have to be convenient—I was subject to Drenn's whims in most cases, just as the Council was, as long as it had nothing to do with the army or any decisions made regarding it. Only Father could supersede my decisions in that respect, and he generally deferred to my choices.
I'll be there.
Good. See me when dinner is over.
I will.
Sherra
All of us were covered with sweat and dust by the time our training was over for the day—a strong wind had whipped up, blowing sand and grit at us whenever we didn't have a shield up.
Dark clouds had formed to the north, and we could see rain—at least I hoped it was rain, although the water wouldn't soak into the ground at first—the drought we'd had would ensure it, and runoff could shift to low-lying areas and flood them.
The camp was in a low-lying area, between mountains and not far from the lake that provided our water supply. I wondered if i
t had ever flooded before.
"Get cleaned up and then get in formation to march to the evening meal," Levi ordered as a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Rain began to fall before we'd finished with our showers.
K erok
"Drenn," I nodded as respectfully as I could to my older brother. I'd been ushered into the small dining room adjoining his private suite in the palace. His valet dipped his head to Drenn before backing away.
Food and drink were already on the table, and I heard the door shut behind Drenn's personal servant.
"Why the privacy, brother?" I asked as he pointed to the empty chair at the table.
"It's a delicate matter." Drenn seldom expressed real happiness in his smiles; therefore, they were more of a self-satisfied smirk. I hated it, but Father either didn't notice, or chose to ignore it.
"What delicate matter is that?" I reached for the open bottle of wine and poured for him first, before filling my glass.
"I'm sure you know I have, ah, informants," he began, the smirk firmly pasted on his features.
"Your spies, you mean?" I lifted the wineglass and drank. "Good," I saluted him in his choice.
"I suppose you could call them that—for expediency's sake."
"Good. Glad that's cleared up," I said.
"This involves you—and a plot Father is hatching with Barth and Hunter."
"There's a plot? What if I don't believe you?"
"You'll believe me when I tell you what it is."
"Then tell me." I lifted my knife and fork to cut into the fowl on my plate.
"They intend to blackmail you—and that Sherra woman, to put you together. Father told Barth to look deep into her past to find something he could use, or go so far as to fabricate something that would place her in danger if she didn't choose you."
"You heard what I had to say on the matter," I pointed my fork at Drenn. "If I don't offer, she can't refuse me."
"But you're included in their diabolical machinations," Drenn's smirk widened. "I didn't know what they planned for you until recently—that's why I didn't ask to see you until now."
I drew in a breath and released it slowly, so I wouldn't reach out to punch Drenn in the face. My anger at him from the defiling of a trainee hadn't abated, and now that flame was fanned to an inferno at hearing that he'd spied on our own father.
No, I didn't appreciate Father's plan in this, but I believed it came from his love for me and nothing else. Drenn only wished to drive a wedge between us, and I knew that better than anyone.
I couldn't let him know this, however. He was too clever, and he'd find a way to make me pay. "What is Father's plan?" I expressed anger in my words. Drenn wouldn't realize they were meant for him and not Father.
"That new method you're perfecting?"
I went still. That would be the ultimate blackmail. If Father refused to approve it, lives would be lost—I was more than sure of it. And, after the events that morning, it didn't sit well with me at all.
"What's your advice in this, then?" I asked. Drenn loved to be asked for advice—it made him appear wise—in his own eyes.
"The girl's a goner anyway, and you said yourself you don't want any part in her death. Let Father decree her death for you. I can suggest that it be quick and as painless as possible. Problem solved." He lifted his knife and fork to cut into his meat.
"Why would Father decree her death?" That wasn't logical at all.
"Because my spies have been working overtime, you understand."
"Overtime? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"I have this." He leaned down beside his chair to lift something. In his hand, he held a small book. "She learned to do what she does with this." He pushed the book in my direction.
"Go ahead, take it. Look inside—it won't explode or cast a spell."
Warily, I reached out to lift the book, unsure of why Drenn would present such to me. The Rose Mark was printed on the cover, the title outlined by square lines of gold leaf, and a red rose had replaced a single letter in the title.
"Open it," Drenn sounded gleeful.
I opened the book and almost dropped it when I did—a spark of power and a vision of fire went through me before I could even read the first page.
The forbidden book. I had no idea why it was forbidden, I only knew that it was.
"It was hers, as near as I can tell," Drenn chuckled. "I sent my spies to Merthis to ask questions. A few villagers reported seeing her at times with a small, black book in her hand. My men had to do some digging to find it, you understand."
"Drenn," I kicked my chair back and stood, my body stiff and my anger seething. "If you've told this to anyone else, I will fry you here and now, and then announce to all what you did to that trainee. I have witnesses, and Barth will certainly testify against you. Any other Diviner is welcome to test your ashes, to see for themselves. What will it be, Drenn? Answer quickly, as I have no patience for you or your schemes."
"I only wanted to give you a way out of all this," he cowered in his chair. "You said you didn't want any part of her death. I was making it easy for you."
"You make nothing easy. I will take this," I shoved the book into my pocket. "I will see it destroyed and if you ever, ever speak of this, I will see you dead."
I slammed the door behind me when I left Drenn's suite, and that's when I received Armon's message.
The camp is flooding, he reported. From an unexpected, heavy rain.
CHAPTER 11
Sherra
"I think I can shield the camp, but I need a way to push the perimeter of my shield into the ground," I shouted at Levi while thunder growled over our heads and lightning lit the sky to the north.
This wasn't a swift-moving storm that would be over quickly; dark clouds covered everything as far as we could see whenever lighting lit the skies.
"Armon?" Levi turned to his partner, whose frown was deep and the worry in his eyes troubling.
"If we send up blasts, do you think you can tilt your shield to send them tumbling down the sides to the ground?" Armon asked.
"Maybe," I nodded as more thunder came and rain pounded harder. The three of us stood outside the mess hall, where a thin layer of water already covered the floors. In the distance, our barracks was receiving the same treatment, and the water would only get higher as the storm progressed.
"Let's try it," Levi agreed. "We'll have to stand in the rain to do this—we can't fire blasts beneath any roof."
That meant we'd have to move away from the covered walkway outside the mess hall to do this. "I'll put up a shield—so our heads won't get wet," I offered.
"Go ahead," Armon half-shouted as louder thunder broke over our heads. I raised a shield to cover the three of us as we strode toward empty ground; our boots splashed and splattered as we walked through rising water.
Normal mud would be sucking at our boots. This wasn't mud. This was baked-dry ground that only held the water on its surface.
"Here is good enough," Armon raised his voice to be heard against the pounding rain.
"All right. I'll have to cover every occupied building," I warned.
"Let us know when you have it done."
"It's done," I reported. My shields recognized Levi and Armon's blasts, and would allow them through. Levi nodded briefly at Armon before they both lifted their hands and prepared to send out blasts.
Gauge them carefully, Kerok's voice sounded in Armon's and my mind.
We will, Armon included me in his reply. I wondered briefly where Kerok had been, but turned back to the emergency at hand.
Blasts were fired; I tilted my head to watch them fly upward. This would take a finesse I hadn't employed before. Mostly, I hoped to keep us alive while I experimented with this new technique.
K erok
I'd shoved the book into a desk drawer before stepping toward the mess hall, where Armon and Levi worked with Sherra. Other warriors waited inside the mess hall, in case a full evacuation was necessary.
"They're trying to sink the edges of Sherra's shield into the ground, so the water will flow around it," Caral had to raise her voice so I'd hear her over the rain and thunder.
It was a brilliant idea—if it worked. That's when I sent mindspeak to Armon and Sherra, to gauge their efforts carefully.
Four blasts were fired straight up, until they cleared the top of Sherra's shield—I could see where that was easily; the rain was hitting it and bouncing off with a great deal of noise.
It helped Armon and Levi gauge their blasts, as I'd asked them to. The blasts cleared the shield dome; Sherra moved her shield to capture the blasts, then sent their dripping flames down the sides of her shield.
Would they accomplish their goal? I wondered.
"Look—she's moving the bottom of the shield, too," Caral pointed out.
I watched in awe as the blasts flowing down the sides were redirected just before they hit the ground, sending them in a trail around the edge of the shield dome.
"I have chills," Caral admitted as we watched Sherra release the part of her shield directing the blasts around the perimeter.
They melted into a fiery ring around the base, and I physically felt the shield lower itself by nearly a foot.
"She did it." Wend had joined us, and was now bouncing and laughing.
When the lightning bolt struck Sherra's shield, we were all thrown to the ground by the impact.
Sherra
"I'm fine, stop fussing." I attempted to push Levi and Armon away. "I'll have trouble holding the shield if you do that."
Both wanted to put their hands on me to check for damage, to make sure I was all right after the lightning strike. If I'd known it was coming, I'd have waited for it to envelope my shield and dig deeper into the ground around it.
My shield had sunk two more feet after it hit.
The Rose Mark: Black Rose Sorceress, Book 1 Page 15
