Leo noticed the enemy retreating, and knowing they were no longer a threat, decided to hold his fire. Whether that was the right thing to do or not, at that moment in time, he felt it was. He spotted Mia stood alone, although another woman seemed unsure whether to stay and help her or not. After standing and calling her name once more, the two stood and stared at each other.
Logan, Will and Dan, realising the enemy were in full flight took advantage. Both rangers pushed forward, and using their skill and ability to fire a bow whilst riding, downed another of the rogue sorcerers attempting to make a break for it. Leo watched on, feeling annoyed they were hunting an already defeated enemy, but was helpless to do anything.
Chapter 20.
Leo walked a little tentatively towards Mia, not quite sure whether the girl before him was the same he had known in the guild. Physically, he thought she looked just as pretty as she had always done. He also had to keep an eye on the other woman, who had decided to make a run for it after all, although she was running in the opposite direction to her colleagues.
“Mia,” he shouted probably louder than he needed to, being as the pair were now just ten paces apart from each other. “What are you doing? What have you done?” he asked in quick succession not letting her answer the first question before firing off the second. Mia slowly raised her hand a little and Leo thought she was going to attack and readied himself to counter if she moved it any further.
Leo felt a conflict of interests. Stood before him was a girl with whom he had shared his first proper kiss, and although the romance had been short lived he felt it was something he would always remember fondly. However, he knew that Mia had killed Ewan and at least one other innocent person whilst she had made good her escape. “You know I have to take you back to Surmont for trial Mia,” he found himself saying. Mia laughed, “I don’t think so. You want me to go back just so they can execute me. The guild are the real killers,” she hissed.
Leo sighed, knowing that letting Mia run free was wrong, yet this was something he was actually contemplating. With his mind in turmoil, he was slow to react as Mia thrust her hand forward, sending out several small blasts of energy. Had Logan not been on hand to throw up a hasty shield Leo would surely have been killed there and then. “Leo what the bloody hell are you doing,” the sorcerer shouted pulling his horse to a stop just a short way off.
Mia looked at the new arrival and snarled. Leo knew that Logan would have no such qualms about killing her as he was having, so did the only thing he could think of. With a slight wave of his hand he placed a shield over Mia, entrapping her. “I’m sorry,” he said as he watched the young girl struggle in vain against the barrier of glimmering light he held around her. Learning from his lessons and not wanting to make the same mistake he had against Carlton, he kept the barrier firmly under his control.
Cal and the young prince eventually trotted their horses nearer, as Will and Dan finally re-joined them. “We got two more as they ran,” Will said, sounding rather proud of the fact he had ended two lives. Mia suddenly stopped struggling. Instead she seemed to focus on the young finely dressed boy and started laughing. Leo wondered what was so funny, and was trying to think of something he might have done or said to have caused such a response.
“Leo release your shield, she needs to be dealt with,” Cal ordered him. Leo knew that meant only one outcome. As soon as he did that one of the rangers would likely slit Mia’s throat, something he could not allow. “She deserves a fair trial. She is sick and needs help,” he said pleading with his fellow sorcerer. Leo knew he was putting Cal and probably the others in an awkward situation. Why wouldn’t they want to kill Mia, it was what they trained for after all; hunting rogue magicians was part of their job.
“Leo you can’t keep her shielded forever,” Logan added to the conversation. Leo looked up at Cal, sat atop his horse, as much in hope as any expectation. “Leo she attacked us. She would have killed you had I not intervened,” he heard Logan say. All this was true, and Leo could not think of anything in Mia’s defence. “I have information,” she suddenly announced. Old Mia would have blubbered and cried her way to an early grave, but new Mia was strong and knew what needed to be done to survive. “What kind of information?” Cal enquired suddenly giving Leo a slight glimmer of hope.
There was a short silence before Mia answered. “I know that young man there is the prince,” she announced. “In fact we did not realise it at the time but our target was within our grasp. Had we known that we might have planned things differently.”
“You were going to Riverdale to kidnap me,” the youngster spoke for the first time. Mia just nodded, “Yes your highness. Although Fennick, their leader wanted just to kill you. Of course if you let me live and see your way to releasing me I will tell you where they all reside.”
Cal had the look of doubt on his face. “You know where the rogue magicians live?”
Mia laughed once more. “Of course, I stayed with them. It was they who helped me escape the city. They sneak around the streets of Surmont right under your noses and you don’t even know they are there,” she mocked clearly not helping her cause by doing so.
“Sedate her,” Cal finally announced, much to the clear annoyance of Logan. “If she has information we need, then we will extract it.” Happy that a stay of execution was in the offering Leo knew it was the best he could have hoped for. The two sorcerers looked at each other, and Leo knew then who the man in charge was, as Logan nodded his acceptance in the matter.
Leo, still with his hand held out slightly, keeping Mia encapsulated in a magical barrier stepped nearer to her. “Please don’t do anything stupid Mia,” he said as he let the barrier dissipate away. Cal reached in to one his saddlebags and pulled out a small vial, which he passed down to Leo. “Have her drink this,” he said sternly before glaring at the young woman, “If you so much as think about doing anything stupid I will kill you myself!”
Leo passed Mia the vial, and looked at her young face recalling the happier times they had shared. Thankfully she did as was asked, and without further ado removed the stopper and drank the contents. The effect was almost immediate as Leo caught her falling body from slumping face first on to the ground. “Now let’s get moving. Leo you need to get your horse. Will, take the prisoner and bind her hands behind her back,” Cal ordered clearly not in a good mood.
Leo was about to object about Mia having her hands tied, but thought it best not to push his luck any further. Instead, he watched as the ranger picked up her limp body and drape her over his horse in front of the saddle, before climbing up himself. “Come on Leo, every minute we waste is another where the prince is at risk,” Cal snapped. Leo mumbled an apology, looking both towards the sorcerer and the young prince sat patiently alongside.
Leo’s horse had decided to stop several hundred yards further off from where he had slipped down from the saddle. Fortunately, it had not gone further or else he might have found himself walking the rest of the way home. After remounting and returning to the group, he looked around to see if he could see any sign of the other rogue sorcerers. Where ever they had gone they were out of sight, and happy neither he nor any of the others were in danger, before then nodding to Cal that he was ready.
Clearly annoyed, the sorcerer in charge had the rangers set off at a pace that Leo found difficult. His horse, whilst different to the one he had ridden during the morning appeared just too stubborn. He was unsure as to why he always had such difficulties when just a few paces ahead of him, the young prince who was only eleven, was having no such problems.
As they rode, Leo kept a firm eye on the ranger at the front carrying Mia. Riding at least gave him time to think, and he was trying to work out what the guild would do to her. He supposed that as long as they deemed her useful, and that she had something they wanted she would be kept alive. However, he also knew that no matter what, they would eventually want her executed; something he was finding difficult to accept.
Perhaps he, as an im
portant sorcerer might be able to influence the king in giving her a custodial sentence. He then shook his head knowing that was never going to happen. Little short of keeping her sedated or drained of power permanently there was no way they could stop her using her magic, and that was something the guild would never allow. Thinking of the guild also had him recall something Mia had said. ‘The Guild are the real killers’ she had told him, and he wondered what she meant; something he would like to ask her when they got back when she was allowed to wake.
Fennick sat slumped on the ground, defeated and dejected. He blamed himself for the loss of half of his group. He cursed under his breath at how foolish he had been in wanting revenge, thinking for one moment that he would ever have succeeded. Those people now lay dead because of his stupid plan, although on the plus side he had now rid himself of Mia. The girl starting the attack had been a mistake, although he thought ever letting her in was an even bigger one.
Mia had been nothing but trouble since her arrival, and although Gallien appeared smitten with her, it was clear he also had eventually seen sense. However, he now needed to check Mia had been killed in the fighting, and as heartless as that thought might have been, it was something he wished to be true. Firstly, they needed to rest and keep hidden amongst the trees, away from the guild sorcerers and just as importantly the rangers that had shown their lust for killing.
Fennick waited until early evening before venturing back out into the open. Gallien and Kala followed him, whilst the others starting making a proper camp. They found two of their kin slumped face down in the short grass, both with arrows planted firmly in their backs. Kala was clearly upset by the sight and Gallien placed a comforting arm around the friend he had foolishly pushed away when Mia had shown up. “We should bury them,” Fennick said feeling the anger building in his weary body.
The trio also found the charred corpse of another of their friends, one whom had been killed by the guild sorcerer, the likes of which Fennick had never seen before. He knew that occasionally magicians of great power surfaced, but the one responsible for his own defeat and the man who had been stood next to him was something else.
Despite searching the local vicinity. they found no sign of Mia’s body. “Perhaps she managed to escape,” Kala said.
“I don’t think Mia was having any thoughts of running away,” Fennick replied looking up and down the dusty track. He wandered a few paces off to where he thought he had last seen the girl, and spotted a small glass vial. Now bereft of its contents he picked it up and placed it under his nose. An unmistakable smell drifted into his nostrils, and he knew this was bad news. “They have her prisoner!” he shouted over to the others who were stood just a few yards away.
As Gallien and Kala walked with linked arms, he held the small glass bottle up to show them what he had found. “They use this drug to sedate sorcerers,” he said taking a second sniff from the empty vessel before offering over for them to sniff for themselves. Gallien was first to realise the deeper meaning of this discovery, “What if she talks?” he asked no one in particular. “She knows where the passage into the city is…and worse, she knows the location of our village in the forest,” he added with the look of concern.
“Let’s hope she says nothing,” Fennick replied, although not believing that would ever be the case. Why else would they take a rogue sorcerer prisoner if not to question them.
There was of course one more twist to Mia’s tale. Fennick also knew that once the guild had extracted as much information as they thought possible, they would then execute their prisoner anyway. Someone with Mia’s recent record and background would likely be killed sooner rather than later. The guild would not want the bother of trying to keep a sorcerer prisoner for any longer than they needed to, especially one who was wanted for murder.
Chapter 21.
Haldar was beginning to think something untoward had happened as the hour grew late. He had paced his study over and over, drinking probably far more than he usually would, although not to the point where he was feeling intoxicated. The group he sent to fetch his son back should have returned a couple of hours ago, and with every minute that passed, the likelihood that something had happened became a possibility.
The last of the daylight had long since gone and the stars were now out into what looked like a beautiful night sky. Feeling both physically and mentally drained, Leo was glad to trot his horse through the main northern gates and into the capital. Cal, whom Leo had thought quite a laid back character when they had set out early that morning, had shown a different side on their trip back. Clearly unimpressed they had a prisoner slowing them down, the sorcerer insisted the group stay together right in through the palace gates.
A rather relieved looking king hastily walked their direction as they finally came to a halt just outside the main entrance. Daron, the king’s sorcerer walked beside him, although he made a beeline for Cal as opposed the young prince. The boy was clearly glad to see his father again, as Leo watched the pair embrace. He watched a few moments as the joy was clear to see on both of their faces in the flickering lamp lights.
Leo turned as his mentor Daron shouted his name, and knew then he was going to be in trouble. However, after asking Logan and Dan to take Mia to a special cell where they kept dangerous magical prisoners, Daron merely gestured for Leo to follow him. The two walked in through the main doors, leaving the king and his son to be reacquainted, although Leo noticed Cal stayed with them as a form of protection.
The pair walked in silence as Leo followed Daron down the elaborate corridors of the palace before eventually stopping outside a rather plain looking door. Leo waited as he watched Daron wave a hand and the door open by itself. “I was never shown how to do that,” he mumbled as much to himself as the man with him. “Come on let’s have a word, perhaps one day I’ll show you how it’s done.”
Daron waved a hand and let a small ball of energy float up to the ceiling, lighting the small study. “I could do with you showing me how to do that as well,” Leo said trying to make conversation. Whatever Daron wanted to say, it was clear he was keeping it to himself, for now at least, and was going to speak in his own time. Leo starting to feel a little nervous at the lack of communication and stood awaiting the inevitable.
He watched as Daron slowly walked around the other side of the desk, sat down and gestured with a hand for Leo to do likewise. After leaning back and clasping both hands together, the King’s Sorcerer stared at Leo for a few moments before finally speaking. “Why is it that where ever I send you, you always seem to cause me problems?” Leo gave a small grin, uncertain of what to say in reply. Fortunately, Daron did not wait for one, asking another question instead. “Why did you not kill Mia?”
Leo was actually quite taken aback by the forthright nature of the question being asked. “I couldn’t!” he mumbled back in reply. He heard Daron sighing heavily giving him a look of resignation, as if the man’s patience had all but run out. A short silence fell between the two, before Daron stood. “You know she will be executed…eventually,” he said as he started to pace across the small room. Leo was forced to turn his head one way then the other as he listened to a list of reasons why Mia would have to die.
All of this Leo already knew, yet something deep down hoped Daron of all people might understand that she had done all those bad things because she was sick. “Whether she is mentally unstable or not Leo, she has murdered at least two people. One of whom was your fellow guild apprentice!” Daron stopped as his voice got slightly louder expressing his anger. Leo had an instant reply, and whether that angered his Mentor further, then so be it. “I have killed hundreds…I just killed one more today protecting the prince. How does that make me any different?”
Daron’s face grew red, and Leo was worried he might blow his top. However, the sorcerer remained calm and after several deep breaths spoke in a much calmer tone. He returned to his seat and explained to Leo that only one outcome would be left for Mia, and that no matter how import
ant he or Leo thought themselves, there was nothing either could do to avert the inevitable outcome. “The guild will extract what she knows, and when they think they have all she has to give they will execute her!” he said bluntly.
Leo sat in pensive mood, and just nodded, Daron was not saying anything he did not already know, although he had hoped that perhaps he might have been able to influence the king in deciding Mia’s final verdict. However, it was seeming that was becoming unlikely as he had to sit and endure exactly what Mia would go through. Apparently the king would allow for Daron to drain her power to help keep her from causing trouble, although it not being allowed under normal circumstances.
Nothing that Daron said sounded particularly pleasant, and Leo was beginning to think Mia might have been better off if he had killed her. Being drained everyday would keep her bordering on physical exhaustion, a feeling he knew only too well. Moreover, she would also be given medication that would not only keep her drowsy but make her talk. “The guild has drugs that will make it very difficult for Mia not to answer any question they ask,” Daron added watching for some kind of reaction from Leo.
Leo sat and listened for quite some time, and despite him being tired and hungry, did so without complaint. Only when Daron had said all he had to say did the man let him leave, “I’ll see you in the morning for lessons as usual.” Leo nodded his understanding, and although there did not appear enough hours in a day at the moment he did not argue.
The Rogue Sorcerer: The Caldronian Guild : Book 2 Page 16