by Peter Wacht
Finally, after ten sharp bolts of tingling misery, it stopped and was replaced by the deep burn of his many wounds. Killeran had told Kursool to make sure Thomas and Oso hurt more than they ever thought possible, but to ensure that they also remained alive. For three days Kursool had succeeded. On the stroke of every hour, Thomas and Oso were dealt five lashes. Every hour on the hour for three days. And they were still alive.
Thomas looked over at his friend. The reivers had started with him first this time. Oso was unconscious now. Thankfully, his friend was still breathing, as his chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm. He envied his friend in a way. It was the only way to escape the pain, if only for a few minutes.
The reivers assigned the task of caring for the two prisoners laughed heartily as they returned to their barracks. It was early morning, with dawn just a few hours away. The biting cold actually refreshed Thomas, easing the pain to a certain extent.
He and Oso were on the block, something that they hadn’t paid much attention to during their time in the Black Hole. Situated near the gates of the fort, so anyone entering or leaving would see it, the block functioning as a small stage, and one of the few places in the fort not covered by mud. Kursool had chained Thomas and Oso to it, their wrists attached by long steel lengths to metal shackles set in the wood floor. They could sit or even lie down on the block, but more important, they could be made to stand up, giving their jailers clear targets for their lashes.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Respect
The sun was about to brighten the sky when the first chain gang of workers made its way slowly out through the gates of the fort on their way to the mines. As they passed by, each one turned to the right to look at the block. Thomas and Oso stood there proudly, refusing to sit or lie down. They would not show any sign of weakness, though their bodies could barely keep them upright. The torture was taking its toll.
Most of the Highlanders stared at the two, their pride obvious. Some nodded in respect. They remembered now what it was like to be a Highlander, what it was like to be free, after such a long period of time in the mines. Killeran had hoped that by placing the two on the block, the gradual deterioration of their spirit would cow the Highlanders into working harder. The opposite had happened. It had made them angry — and proud.
Though their bodies cried out for peace — their torsos covered by cuts, bruises, welts and dried blood — Thomas and Oso ignored the pain as best they could. Their shirts had been reduced to tattered blood-red ribbons, yet they wore them as coats of arms.
Oso stood up a little straighter as the last chain gang of workers exited the fort. The girl they had saved was with them. She had recovered from the attack by the two reivers, the bruises on her wrists having healed. Each morning and evening, she locked eyes with Oso. Everything she wanted to say was in her eyes, and Oso never failed to read them.
Oso had regained consciousness shortly after the reivers returned to their barracks earlier in the morning. Thomas made him drink from the water skins the reivers left for them. The cool liquid revived him somewhat. Yet the only thing that could really help would be weeks of bed rest. At the moment Thomas could think of nothing better than being in his bed back home on the Isle of Mist, but it was a foolish wish, and he banished it from his mind. Killeran approached from across the muddy green with several reivers in tow.
“A wonderful morning, is it not, gentlemen?” Thomas wanted nothing more than to shove Killeran’s insolent grin into the mud. “So how are you faring today?”
Killeran knew that neither of the two would respond to his questions, but he still enjoyed taunting the two would-be heroes.
Thomas and Oso stood there in silence, though Thomas watched Killeran with keen eyes. Something was going on. Ever since they had been placed on the block, the whippings had taken place exactly on the hour, every hour. But the reivers had missed the last four. And Killeran had not shown his face for the last few days, staying cooped up in his headquarters with his sergeants.
Thomas took a moment to study the camp. There was more activity going on than usual, with many more reivers out and about at this early hour than Thomas had ever seen before. The reivers were preparing for something. Maybe that’s why Killeran had forgotten about them.
“I know you’ve enjoyed your time in the spotlight, and I certainly would like to extend it,” said Killeran, wiping an imaginary piece of dirt from his silver breastplate. “Unfortunately, other pressing matters prevent it, so we’ll be returning you to your cells for the time being. If you’re still alive when I return— Well, I don’t really expect that to be the case.” Killeran laughed at his own joke, as did his men. “Take them down and put them back in their cells.”
As the reivers hastened forward to obey Killeran’s command, Thomas and Oso looked at one another. Their expressions remained grim, but their eyes danced with pleasure. Killeran was finally leading another raid, and with him would go the warlocks. The exhaustion and pain that had become a common part of their lives dissipated. They felt restored, as if the wounds on their bodies were miraculously healed. Their thoughts immediately turned to escape.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Anticipation
“Just as I told you,” said Oso. “Killeran’s taking them out now. It gives them a better chance of avoiding the Highland scouts.”
The moon was well up in the sky, shining down brightly on the earth below. It was close to midnight, and though the reivers tried to leave the compound as quietly as possible, with such a large number of men and horses it was virtually impossible. Why Killeran demanded absolute silence, Thomas didn’t know. He was in his own fort. Why should he care if anyone else in the Black Hole knew what was going on?
It only created more confusion as the reivers tried to organize through whispers and hand signals. Thomas had a hard time not laughing at the scene before him. Whoever led the pack horses was not doing a very good job. The leads for the dozen or so animals were hopelessly entangled, and any reiver unfortunate enough to ride by often got caught up with them. Thomas would have laughed, if not for his desire to see Killeran take his troop of soldiers out through the gates as quickly as possible.
“You were right about that,” replied Thomas. “I just wish they’d move faster.”
About an hour later, a figure in a white cloak followed by more than a dozen cowled figures appeared before the milling mass of reivers, then trotted their horses out through the gate. The reivers followed after him, still trying to find some semblance of order.
Thomas dropped down to the floor, letting go of the two bars of his jail cell he was using to see out through the window. The past day had done wonders for his tortured body. The pain remained, but his spirits rose appreciably. He was even a little excited. Their opportunity for escape was creeping closer and closer.
Thomas counted fourteen warlocks riding out with Killeran, which meant that only two remained within the fort. Killeran was in desperate need of more miners, and either he was extremely confident that he had found a new source of workers, or he had reached the point where he had to take more risks. When he returned to the fort, Thomas was certain that he would view his latest expedition as a mistake.
Oso dropped down to the floor. “The raiding party is on their way.” Just like Thomas, the day of rest had proven to be extremely beneficial for Oso. Much of his strength had returned, and he felt rejuvenated.
Thomas nodded. “Then we wait.”
He planned to give Killeran time to get several leagues from the fort. As soon as Thomas made use of the Talent, the warlocks with Killeran would know. He wanted to ensure that no matter how long it took them to put their plan into action, the warlocks would not return in time.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Decision
“A good evening to begin a raid, milord,” said one of Killeran’s sergeants. A tall man, with a wispy mustache.
Killeran was in no mood to talk and ignored the attempt at conversation. It was a good evening to be
gin a raid, but something nagged him. He felt as if he had forgotten something. For the hundredth time he rethought his decision to leave those two boys alive. A small voice in his mind kept telling him that he had made a mistake by not killing them.
In the beginning, he had been intrigued by the small one with the intense green eyes. He thought he should recognize that one, since he seemed familiar enough. He just couldn’t put the pieces together. During the month the two had been in the fort he had tried many times to break them. Still, they remained defiant.
Killeran berated himself mentally. If he could break those two, just think what it would do to the other Highlanders. Production would increase tenfold. Yet they hadn’t been broken, and the Highlanders were getting more difficult to deal with because of them. Enough was enough. Those two were having the wrong effect on his workers. When he returned, they would die. Then he could be rid of them once and for all.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Taste of the Talent
Thomas and Oso waited impatiently as the minutes passed. Every so often, Oso climbed the bars to look out through the window and watch the moon move slowly across the sky. He then paced in his small cell, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Thomas sat quietly against the wall, enjoying the feeling of the cool stone on his back. It would take more than a day for his wounds to heal, but the cold alleviated some of the pain. He spent most of his time trying to relax, though it was difficult with the tiny pinpricks that constantly shot through his body. He wanted to be rested when the time for action came. He would need to concentrate.
As he sat back against the wall, for some strange reason a picture of the girl he saved in the Burren formed in his mind. He hadn’t thought about her for quite some time, and he had no idea why he did now. She truly was beautiful, and there was a spirit within her that he found hard to resist. If she was the daughter of the king of Fal Carrach, he was certain that she would be an excellent queen some day. He had seen it in her eyes.
Abruptly, Thomas rose to his feet. “It’s time. Killeran is several leagues away.”
Oso stopped in his tracks and looked down at the floor sheepishly. He had been pacing back and forth along the same trail for hours. He half expected to see that the stone beneath his feet was worn down a few inches. Distracted, Oso didn’t think to ask how Thomas could be so precise with respect to Killeran.
“What do you need me to do?” he asked in anticipation.
“Nothing just yet,” replied Thomas, seeing a flash of disappointment on his friend’s face. He smiled. His friend was as anxious as he to be gone from this cursed place. “Let me take care of the remaining warlocks first. Then we leave.”
Thomas turned around and looked up at the window above him, catching just a glimpse of the stars. Closing his eyes, he delicately took hold of the Talent. A surge of welcome energy immediately consumed him. With the power flowing within him, he felt more alive than he had in a very long time. Thomas took a few moments to relish his closer contact with the power of nature, letting it play across his body and through his heart and spirit.
He then turned his attention to his task. Thomas stretched out his senses carefully, not wishing to alarm the warlocks. He had guessed that only two remained, but he could be wrong. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake now. While engrossed in what he was doing, he would be vulnerable to an attack by someone with knowledge of Dark Magic. If that happened, his chances for escape would disintegrate. His only alternative then would be death.
Slowly he reached out, pushing his senses toward the warlocks’ barracks. Thomas pulled his senses back quickly. He had been right to be careful. He had miscounted. Three warlocks remained in the fort, all asleep. Luck was smiling down upon him, at least for now. He would have to concentrate all the more because of the additional warlock.
Thomas extended his senses once again, until he was at the very edge of the three warlocks’ awareness. Crossing over that obscure line would alert them to his presence and give them time to defend themselves, so he remained where he was and gathered his strength.
With a lightning quick strike he attacked, focusing the full force of his will on theirs. The speed and strength of his assault shattered their magical defenses and destroyed the minds of the three warlocks, who would never wake. It certainly wasn’t the bravest way to fight someone, but it was effective. And at the moment, that was all that Thomas cared about. Having eliminated the primary threat, it was time to put the rest of his plan into action.
“It’s done,” said Thomas as he turned back to his friend. “The warlocks are no longer a problem.”
“But how …” began Oso, before what he saw next dried the words in his mouth.
Thomas had focused on the lock to his cell, laying his hand on it. In a flash of blue light, the lock melted. Thomas pushed the door open and then did the same to Oso’s cell door.
Oso had never seen anything like it before. He was both amazed and frightened. Yet, now was not the time to think on it. It was time to act. Oso leaped out of his cell, glad to be free of it, and followed Thomas up the steps that led to the reivers’ barracks.
Thomas motioned with his hand for Oso to stop and remain silent as they reached the large steel door at the top of the stairs. It was, of course, bolted from the other side, but Oso didn’t worry about that after witnessing what his friend had done to the other locks.
A small part of his mind told Oso that he should fear his friend. The more rational part acknowledged the benefits of Thomas’ newly displayed abilities. He knew how the Shadow Lord created warlocks, imbuing them with Dark Magic. He also knew the stories of those with abilities similar to those of the warlocks, but who applied their skills in the fight against the Shadow Lord.
Thomas again extended his senses and was pleased by what he found. Killeran had taken more of his men with him this time than Thomas had expected. Only a quarter of the reivers remained, and some of those were on guard duty. Three were awake in the barracks, playing cards. Even better, they were in the small room on the other side of the steel door. The rest of the reivers were asleep in the main hall, which was all the way down the corridor. If he and Oso were quiet, they could make it out of the barracks without raising an alarm.
“There are three in the room beyond the door,” whispered Thomas, using the door as a canvas to show where they were situated. All three sat with their backs to the door in the far corner of the room. Thomas considered using the Talent on these three as well, but decided against it. It would have made things easier, but he wanted to conserve his strength. He knew that he would need it before the night was over, and the constant work and torture had weakened him. “We eliminate them quietly. I take the one on the left, you take the two on the right.” Oso nodded, pleased that it was time for him to play a part. “The rest of the reivers are in the barracks. If we do this right, we get out without any problems, then head for the cages.”
Thomas focused on the steel door, contemplating it for a time. He would have to do things a little differently since the lock was on the other side. Extending his senses, Thomas formed a picture of the mechanism in his mind. He then sent a thin stream of energy into it, which melted the bolts within the door soundlessly. Oso had moved up right next to the door while Thomas was at work and kept his hand against it so it wouldn’t swing backward and alert the reivers. In a few seconds, Thomas finished and joined Oso on the top step.
“Ready?” he asked.
Oso nodded again. Giving the door a gentle push, they stepped through the opening on silent feet. The reivers never knew what hit them. Thomas and Oso reached their quarry at the same time and took hold of their heads from behind, giving them a quick jerk. The first two reivers were dead before the third even looked up from his cards. Oso moved behind him and broke his neck with a quick jerk as well.
They dragged the three reivers from their chairs and put them on the other side of the steel door, pulling it closed. The bodies on the other side would prevent it from swinging op
en. If anyone came into the room, all would appear normal. Completing that task, they left the room and went down the hallway that led to the main door.
Oso was about to pull the door open when Thomas’ hand on his forearm made him stop. Thomas motioned to an open room off to their left. Oso looked at his friend and smiled. The storeroom, and it was filled from top to bottom with weapons. They trotted into the room marveling at their luck. Oso bent down and dug into a pile of swords, looking for one that would suit him. He almost jumped back in surprise.
“This one is yours,” he said, handing Thomas his grandfather’s sword.
If Oso recognized the blade as anything more than a plain but finely crafted sword, he didn’t show it. After Killeran took it from him, Thomas never expected to see it again. His luck certainly was good tonight. While Oso quietly rummaged through the many remaining blades for one of his own, Thomas searched for something else. After a few minutes, he finally found it — a large leather bag.
He went back to his friend, who was admiring the blade he had just found. It was of excellent quality, with intricate designs carved into the base. Oso grunted in satisfaction after testing the balance and swinging it through the air a few times.
“Fill this up with anything you can — daggers, swords, whatever — while I check outside,” said Thomas, thrusting the bag into his friend’s hands and making his way to the main door. Oso quickly went about his assignment, trying to stuff as many steel blades into the bag as would fit.
Thomas extended his senses into the courtyard before opening the door. No one was around. It hadn’t taken long for the guards who regularly walked along the top of the walls to slack off in Killeran’s absence. They had all congregated in one of the watchtowers playing a game of dice. Opening the door quietly, Thomas stepped outside. The moon was beautiful, but it was also a hindrance. He would have preferred a dark, cloudy night rather than one with a full moon.