by Sarah Hawke
Darkstone abruptly removed the sack. Underneath was a young vaeyn woman, her mouth plugged by a leather gag. Her long, unkempt silver hair was plastered across her gray forehead, and her sensitive eyes squinted away from the sudden brightness. She didn’t appear to be injured, but I could see her jaw quivering in terror at what was about to happen…
“She never revealed her name, though it’s hardly relevant at this point,” Darkstone said. “As far as we can tell she’s just a regular scout, not even a ranger and definitely not a Shadow Knight. Still, she’s supple enough…and knowing Gabriel’s tastes, I’m sure he’ll appreciate her.”
“I think you’re right,” Larric said, smiling and pacing around the woman. His expression was appropriately lecherous, though I could see the disgust behind his eyes. Hopefully no one else would notice. “She remains unbroken?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to deprive my old friend of the pleasure.” Darkstone signaled again, and this time his guards stripped off her tunic and left her naked aside from her thin undergarments. The Duke ran his fingers along the intricate tattoo covering the right side of her body. “It’s a pity they blemish themselves. Another sign of their barbarism.”
“Gabriel might enjoy the thought of taming a savage,” Duchess Cassandra suggested. She flashed Larric a playful grin. “I have a feeling you might as well.”
“Yes, feel free to enjoy her along the way—the gift is as much for you as him.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency,” Larric replied. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Just remind him that we hold the fate of the Empire in our hands,” Darkstone said. “And think of this as a reminder that the vaeyn cannot be trusted.”
His men hoisted the woman up into the carriage, and Larric beckoned for me to sit next to her. When she struggled, Darkstone produced a control rod and tapped a button on the side. A surge of Aetheric energy jolted from her collar into her muscles, and she collapsed down on the floor right in front of me, paralyzed.
“I hope we see each other again soon,” Darkstone said, handing Larric the rod and flashing him a wry smile. “Long live the Emperor…well, not that long.”
Larric returned the man’s smile. “Glory to the Empire.”
We set out a few minutes later, and I spent the next several minutes staring down at the helpless vaeyn woman. Her eyes—a radiant shade of crystal blue—slowly refocused as she recovered from her collar’s “corrective” stun blast. She looked up at me, and I desperatedly wanted to touch her face and try to console her. But with my hands bound behind my back, there was nothing I could do.
An hour or so later, once we had cleared the gates of Skyfall and entered the countryside, Larric climbed back into the carriage with us. The vaeyn woman glanced up to him in horror, but he quickly put his fingers to his mouth and made a shushing motion.
“I promise I won’t harm you, but you need to stay quiet for a bit longer,” he told her.
She clearly didn’t believe him, but she just as clearly didn’t have a choice but to listen.
“My name is Larric Aresi,” he said, leaning down next to the woman. “Do you know Lady Karethys?”
She stared up at him, a dozen separate emotions flickering across her face as she tried to decide whether or not she should believe him. Eventually she nodded.
“Good,” Larric said. “I know this will sound strange, but…” His eyes flicked to me, then back down to her. “We are allies. I had no idea you were being held captive or I would have done something sooner.” He pursed his lips and gesturing with his chin towards the carriage’s covered window. “Darkstone said his men captured you in the Salt Peaks. Was he correct that you are a scout?”
She hesitated for several seconds before nodding again.
“Then I’m sure you’re aware of several paths through the mountains to Glorinfel,” Larric said. “I realize it’s not ideal, but there’s no way we can escort you all the way home. And if you’re still here by the time we reach the border…” He sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. “If all goes well, we’ll roll into a small village tonight. There’s no wall or fence, and you should be able to escape in the forest easily enough. From there, you’ll you have to find your way through the Peaks and back to your people.”
The woman had almost completely frozen in place. She obviously couldn’t decide if he was telling the truth or just toying with her.
“I wish I could do more,” Larric told her. “I should be able to get you some basic equipment, at least. Do you understand what I’m offering?”
The woman swallowed heavily but nodded again. I locked eyes with her and did my best to appear calm and reassuring.
“I know this sounds crazy, but just hold on and try to relax,” he soothed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I promise I’ll get you out of here.”
He glanced at me one last time before he slipped back out of the carriage and returned to the horses. I allowed the silence to linger for a few seconds before I let out a deep breath and leaned down.
“He’ll help you,” I said, speaking as softly as I could. “He’s not what he seems.”
The woman stared up at me, clearly surprised that I was willing and able to speak with her. Hopefully, the words of a fellow slave would carry more weight than those of an Imperial soldier.
“He’s worried about the other guards,” I went on. “They are loyal to Duke Kristoff, and they won’t allow him to let you go. That’s why he wants to wait until after nightfall when they’ve retired for the evening.”
After another long pause, she took in a deep breath and nodded in understanding. I could feel her mind slowly settling, and I was tempted to demonstrate my channeling ability with some kind of overt display. The vaeyn were much more comfortable with magic than humans, after all, and she might have been more inclined to believe me if she realized I was an Unbound. But the risks were too great, and so instead I remained still and silent.
The carriage stopped for a break around mid-day, and Larric allowed me to step outside and stretch my legs. At this point, the other guards barely paid me any attention—they were too busy leering at the vaeyn. They spoke openly and unapologetically about their desire to “fuck an infidel.” I forced myself to remain calm as Larric freed my hands and offered me several pieces of fruit.
“I know you’re confused right now,” he said once the other men had fed the horses and started to pack up, “but I need you to do something for me.”
“Of course, my lord.”
“When we’re back on the road, give her this,” he ordered, handing me several strips of salted meat wrapped in cloth. “Instruct her not to make any noise while her gag is off—she doesn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to herself. Do you understand?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Good.” He eyed me up and down, and for an instant I recognized the softer Larric that had appeared during his meeting with Karethys. But then his eyes hardened and the regular Larric returned. “Let’s get moving.”
We started moving a few minutes later, and I opened the piece of cloth and showed the meat strips to the vaeyn. She looked up at me expectantly.
“If you’d like to eat, I can remove your restraints,” I told her, keeping my voice as soft as possible. “But you need to stay still and quiet. If you struggle, the guards will just start watching you more closely.”
She nodded in understanding, and I leaned down on a knee and unfastened her gag. She didn’t scream, thankfully. I was tempted to unlock the shackles around her wrists, but that would probably only embolden her to try something stupid. Besides, it wasn’t like I had the key anyway.
I eased one of the strips into her mouth, and after taking a small first bite she practically wolfed down the others. Had Darkstone even fed her since her capture?
Once she was finished, I smiled down at her and retrieved the gag. More than anything, I wanted to have a conversation with her…but I knew that wasn’t possible. And depending what Larric had plann
ed, it might never be.
“We can’t afford to speak,” I told her. “But my name is Elara.”
“Ralyne,” she whispered back. Her accent was much thicker than Karethys’s had been. “Thank you.”
I smiled and reattached the gag. We traveled the rest of the way in silence, though I allowed myself to channel the Aether and brush against her surface thoughts. She remained anxious and scared, of course, but I could also feel a fresh surge of hope. I prayed that Larric wouldn’t disappoint her...
We rolled into the mining village of Reskin just after nightfall, and once again the local baron was more than willing to share his impressive mansion with the Grand Duke’s entourage. Larric made the appropriate arrangements while the two of us remained in the carriage. He wasn’t shy about displaying me, of course, but he clearly didn’t want to cause a stir by unveiling a vaeyn.
Eventually he opened the door and ordered the two of us to hop out. The stables were nearby, though I didn’t spot any other onlookers aside from our own guards. As a precaution, Larric still tossed a hood back over Ralyne’s head before he ordered two of the guards to escort us inside the adjacent mansion. We were quickly ferried into a familiar room, at which point one of the men shoved Ralyne down onto the wooden floor. With her feet and wrists shackled, she quickly lost her balance and tumbled over onto her side with a muffled grunt.
“Worthless elf slut,” the man sneered. “How many legionnaires do you think she’s killed?”
“Too many,” his shorter partner replied. “At least she’ll finally get what’s coming to her.”
“Are you kidding? You’ve seen the way Kristoff treats this one.” He waved a gauntlet-covered hand in my direction. “Good food, private room…she’s practically a baroness. All she has to do is spread her legs once in a while.”
The shorter man grunted. “You never got a chance to peek inside Darkstone’s party.” He chortled as he watched Ralyne squirm away until she bumped into the wall. “But you might be right. I doubt the Captain’s happy about it, either. You know how much he hates the gray-ears.”
“Maybe he’ll let us have a taste,” the first guard replied before he glanced back towards me. “But I’d settle for a night with this one. What do you think, cunt? You want to—?”
“I ordered you to escort you to their room, not stand around like a couple of drunken legionnaires,” Larric said from the doorway. As always, I was amazed at how quietly he could move even while clad in armor. “Go and secure the horses. Once everything’s taken care of, you can hit the taverns.”
The two men shared confused looks before the shorter one finally found his voice. “How many men should we keep on duty, sir?”
“Have a few of the orcs guard the perimeter around the city, but the rest of you can have the night off,” Larric instructed. “You worked hard in Skyfall, and you haven’t had an opportunity to relax since we left Sanctum.”
“You’re…you’re certain, sir?”
“Yes. The local baron keeps more guards than farmers in Reskin. I’ll be fine.” He flicked his chin towards the door. “Go on.”
The two men left a moment later, their spirts clearly heightened. Larric waited a few minutes before he let out a deep breath and glanced down at Ralyne.
“Just stay put for a bit longer. I need to take care of some things, but once the men are occupied we’ll get you out of here. All right?”
The vaeyn nodded slowly. Her anxiety had returned in full force, but his words seemed to help. After spending more time around him, I wasn’t surprised. He could be incredibly convincing and sincere when he wanted to.
Larric didn’t keep us waiting long. He returned less than an hour later and beckoned for us to follow him. We slipped into the adjacent hallway, and I was struck by how empty the mansion was. The last time we’d been here, the estate had been crawling with guards and servants. Larric must have organized some kind of distraction to aide our passing…
We reached the village’s outskirts a few minutes later, and once we were clear he leaned down and removed our ankle restraints so we could walk more quickly. He left our leashes on, however, probably to allay the suspicions of anyone who happened to spot us from a distance. We then scurried past Reskin’s outermost farmsteads and pressed north into the open plains. Behind us, the Ember Peaks blocked out fully half the night sky, though remarkably Skyfall itself was still plainly visible. The farther we traveled, the more the mountains began to resemble a giant, slumbering monster silhouetted in starlight…and the more the glowing pyres atop Skyfall’s towers resembled a pair of beady, sinister orange eyes squinting down at us.
I had no idea how far we actually walked, but it must have been at least two or three miles before Larric finally brought us to a halt. He finally unfastened Ralyne’s leash and collar, though he left mine attached.
“This as far as I can take you and still get back in time,” he told her. “It’s not perfect, but you should have enough distance from the settlement that no one will be able to catch you. Just head straight north as best you can. You should reach the edge of the Salt Peaks in a few days.”
She nodded stiffly, and he reached behind her and worked at her wrist cuffs. He allowed her a moment to stretch before he finally removed the gag as well.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked, her voice so soft it nearly splintered into the breeze.
“The less you know, the better,” Larric replied, tossing me yet another strange glance. I still had no idea why he had even brought me out here, other than the fact he might not have wanted to leave me alone. “All you need to understand is that I’m a friend of Lady Karethys.”
“But that’s…” Ralyne shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“You don’t need to. Like I said before, this is your only chance. Once we reach the Imperial checkpoint tomorrow, the Covenant soldiers will want to officially brand you like every other elf slave. The magic will allow them to track you.” He sighed and unfastened the bundle of furs strapped to his back. Inside was a wide assortment of supplies and weapons. “Hopefully these clothes fit you well enough. I couldn’t afford to buy any armor without drawing suspicion, but I did find a bow and a decent sword.”
She stared at him for another long moment before she leaned down to study the weapons. “I don’t even know what to say,” she breathed. “You are an Imperial soldier but you’re willing to give me weapons?
“I hope you don’t have to use them, but you might not have a choice. Game is fairly sparse in this area, but travelers are common. Steal whatever you need to survive, but…” He grunted. “Don’t take any unnecessary risks. You won’t find many other sympathizers here.”
Ralyne lifted the sword and stared down the length of the blade. “I understand.”
“Good,” Larric said. He swept his eyes around the area then let out a heavy sigh. “We need to get back. Ilhari kyorl dos.”
“Bel’la dos, abbil,” she replied, smiling for the first time. “I will not forget your kindness.”
Larric smiled and nodded, then grabbed back onto my leash and turned—
“Captain!” a deep voice called out from the shadows. “Captain, what in the void is going on?”
I gasped and turned as a trio of men emerged from the high grass to the west. Even in the near darkness, my elven eyes allowed me to make out the features of Master Kristoff’s guardsmen. I had no idea how they’d managed to follow us without being spotted, but I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised—they were all Legion-trained scouts, after all, and they had been selected specifically for their tracking skills.
Ralyne swore under her breath as they approached. In panic, she dove for the bow and quiver lying on the ground, but before she could lift the weapon a crossbow bolt pierced the dirt near her hand. She leapt backwards and froze in place.
“Make another move for that weapon and Duke Kristoff will have to settle for a broken toy,” one of the men warned. “On your knees, bitch!”
“St
and down, Veneti,” Larric said, turning crisply on a heel. His voice was as cold and commanding as ever. If he was at all worried about having his hand caught in the proverbial treat jar, he was hiding it well. “This isn’t your concern.”
“I’m afraid it is, Captain,” the guardsman replied. The other two men fanned out and surrounded us, their hands dropping to their swords. “I thought you were behaving strangely all day, and when you said we could take the night off I knew something was wrong. You’re never that soft.”
Larric crept forward and lifted his hands. “This isn’t what you think, kid.”
“I certainly hope not. Because it looks like you’re letting this dark elf cunt escape into the countryside.”
“I am, but there’s a reason for it,” Larric said, creeping forward another few inches. He had released his grip on my leash, and I had already dropped to my knees and curled into a ball. Not that they were paying me any attention—their eyes kept flicking between Larric and Ralyne.
“A reason you didn’t feel like sharing?” one of the other men, Bentos, asked.
“At Duke Darkstone’s request,” Larric told him. “This woman isn’t really a gift for Master Kristoff—that was all a ruse for the benefit of the duke’s family and guards. She is actually a messenger. He wanted her to deliver a secret missive to her people at Balagarde.”
The soldiers all frowned at one another. I could tell that they wanted to be loyal to their captain, but they were even more loyal to Duke Kristoff—or at least, to his gold.
“I’m sorry, sir, but that doesn’t make any sense,” Veneti said after a moment. “Duke Darkstone was quite clear that this bitch is a gift for Kristoff.”
“You weren’t involved in the negotiations, so I don’t expect you to understand the nuances,” Larric said. “Thankfully, understanding isn’t your job. I’m in charge of this mission—that’s all you need to know. Now stand down.”