Eielawyn [The Maidens of Mocmoran 3] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Wynette Davis

  Three men grabbed hold of Raenos. She turned to see two men restraining Kinsbithu, and Zhoardaeash walking out from the woods wearing a confident smile. Raenos was yelling to her to run. But run where? Two of the people she loved most in the world were being restrained by guards. Running wasn’t an option.

  Raenos suddenly yelled out in pain, and she looked to see the men putting some kind of restraint on him, but a restraint like she’d never seen before. She immediately knew that the restraint was sending electric jolts of current throughout his body. She wanted to suggest to the guards, but she couldn’t focus. Too much was happening at once. She wanted to scream. She felt that scream buried somewhere deep inside of her body, but she pushed it down. Later.

  The guards that were holding Raenos began to pull him away. It was then that she heard the air transport above her. She began to think fast. Too many thoughts ran through her mind at once. She needed to focus on what was most important. One, they had Raenos in restraints. If they wanted him dead, they would have killed him like they had Filkothinor. Shit, Filkothinor. Kinsbithu continued to scream. She loved Raenos, but she needed to prioritize.

  She turned her head to look at Kinsbithu and yelled out as she was suddenly and violently punched in the stomach. She doubled over in pain, but Zhoardaeash took hold of her arms, pulling them forcefully behind her, and making her wince in response.

  “You fuckin’ sonofabitch!” she yelled.

  “I suppose I am,” Zhoardaeash said close to her ear. “But I like that part. Too bad about your friend.” He shoved her toward the body on the ground. “But that fuckin’ asshole has been eluding us for months. I got the order to kill him on sight. Oh, and the order for you and your girlfriend over there, too. But Queen Balaedras wants your man for her personal plaything. I really wanted to kill that bastard, but orders are orders.”

  It was all happening so fast. In a matter of seconds Filkothinor was dead, Raenos was being shocked and restrained by Balaedras’ henchmen, Kinsbithu was screaming as she was also restrained by two men that were commenting on what they wanted to do to her, and she had her arm wrenched behind her by the one man she loathed more than any other. She had to think fast. She couldn’t suggest on all five guards at once.

  Raenos raised his head to look pitifully at her, the pain weakening him, as he was taken. She knew what that look conveyed. She nodded to him, trying to calm herself so her suggestion would take. But she was suddenly and violently shoved toward the other guards holding Kinsbithu.

  “I’m taking that asshole to Queen Balaedras personally,” he said to the other guards. Then, he whispered close to her ear again. “I seriously thought about cutting your throat myself, but I’m sure to be promoted because of all of this. Maybe even to captain. Killing you is grunt work. Well below my station.” He looked up at the other guards again. “I don’t give a shit what you do to these two bitches, just make sure they’re dead when you’re done. Contact me when you’ve finished.”

  No! She thought. He couldn’t leave until she’d suggested to him to put his tracer into his mouth and pull the trigger. She never used her gift to kill, but she honestly wanted to make an exception for Zhoardaeash. But before she could focus her concentration on him, one of the other guards backhanded her across the face so hard she saw sparks in front of her eyes. She heard Kinsbithu yell out, as the other guard began to hit her. She knew what would happen. They were going to beat them senseless and then rape them. They were large men. They were the royal guards of Teveoch. A few more punches from them and there wouldn’t be much left of them to rape.

  The guard restraining Kinsbithu began to pull her into the woods. He had one hand over her mouth, and his other held both of her arms up behind her back, wrenching them in a painful angle as he dragged her along with him. Eielawyn had enough. Zhoardaeash had left with the other guards and Raenos. Where he’d taken him, she didn’t know. But that was something she would think about later. For now, she focused her aura on the guard that was restraining her. He’d led her into the woods, as the other guard had with Kinsbithu. They were supposed to be afraid. She knew at any other time, in any other circumstance, she would have been afraid. But a renewed spirit filled her. Survival. Because she knew that if she relented to the fear inside of her, she wouldn’t be able to call on her aura. She wouldn’t be able to use her gift, and she desperately needed to use her gift. It was all they had.

  The guard suddenly let go of her, turning to gaze, entranced, into the dusk of the woods. The other guard let go of Kinsbithu, who looked over to where Eielawyn was standing. The look on her face told her that Kinsbithu knew what was happening.

  She found out early on that there were levels of her aura. She thought of it like a dial on a preparer. The more she focused on those she suggested on, the higher the intensity of the suggestion. She mentally turned the dial up to full on her suggestion.

  The guard that had held her unfastened his pants, as the other nonchalantly walk over to kneel in front of him. He took his hand, pulled the other’s penis from his pants, and began to hungrily suck on it. That is, before he bit down and continued to bite and gnash like a feral thrihn cat on a piece of meat. Blood spurted from his mouth and the mangled cock of the other guard. There was no screaming in pain. No wailing in agony. In that respect, she knew she had something in common with fairies. But she didn’t stop.

  “Eielawyn, let’s go,” Kinsbithu said, looking on at the bloody groin of the guard.

  Eielawyn shook her head. She wasn’t finished. Kinsbithu tried to pull her away from the grisly sight, but Eielawyn shook her off like a leech. “Not yet,” she said softly.

  The guard with the bloody crotch reached to his side and removed his tracer from his holster. She was thinking about Filkothinor. She was thinking about that poor man’s skull obliterated into nothing more than pulp. So when the guard put the tracer to his head and pulled the trigger, she didn’t flinch or look away when his head burst into pieces of brain tissue and bloody tendrils of sinew.

  The other guard still held a dripping, bloody penis in his mouth. He was kneeling on the ground as if he were waiting for something to happen. So, she focused on him, and he began to chew on the penis.

  “Eielawyn, let’s just get out of here! What are you doing?” Kinsbithu tried to pull her again.

  “I’m making them pay,” she said, watching the guard eat and swallow the bloody penis of his friend. Only when she was sure that he’d swallowed every bit did she focus on an ending, as the guard removed his tracer and put it under his jaw. It only took one pull on the trigger, and his head exploded. Kinsbithu screamed, but Eielawyn watched the small bits of his head rain down around the body, as it fell lifelessly to the side. “They had to pay.”

  Kinsbithu pulled at her again, and this time she allowed her. Holding on to each other’s hand, they emerged from the woods bloody, battered, and alone. But they were alive, as they began to run toward the border gate and the safety of Yaeltaran. They were alive. And they had to stay alive, Eielawyn thought, because she had to find Raenos. She had to find Raenos, and she had to find Zhoardaeash. The debt had to be paid in full.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Eielawyn sat with Kinsbithu on the back of the old transport. They’d made it to the border, but it took some convincing talk with the guards there before they finally relented and contacted Laeros. An hour later, a transport pulled near the gate, and Laeros ran over to the guards. His eyes were wild, seeing only Eielawyn and Kinsbithu there. They spent the next hour in the transport filling him in on what happened.

  They were now stopped at a small cabin in the hills near the Yaelnoar Pass. Although she would have loved to take a long hot shower, she settled for the cold, wet cloth Laeros gave to the both of them. It was a relief to finally wipe away the blood from Filkothinor’s death. Kinsbithu seemed to be angry with her for making the guards kill themselves, glancing at her from time to time with a look of disbelief. She loved her like a sister, but there was only so much she co
uld take.

  “Stop it, Kinsbithu,” she said, staring at her.

  “I never knew you were able to do something like that, Eielawyn. It was like it didn’t affect you at all.”

  “I did what had to be done so we could survive! What were you going to do? Bargain with them to spare our lives? They were going to kill us like they killed Filkothinor! They fuckin’ took Raenos! So either toughen the fuck up or find a corner to cower in. I used my vaedra gift to save us! And by the goddesses, Kinsbithu, I’m not about to apologize for that!”

  Laeros came running into the cabin and stood looking at both of them, ready for the two women to come to blows. “Everything all right in here?”

  Kinsbithu wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. “I know that, Eielawyn. I’m sorry. And…and, thank you for saving us. I’m just a little shocked at the whole mess. Filkothinor is dead, Eielawyn. He was like a father to me,” she said as she started to sob. “He’s dead and I’m alone! I have no family. I thought that after all of this I could go back to Yaesdrah and have a life with Praedis, but the guard will have a bounty out on my head now. Praedis,” she sniffed, and wiped at her tears. “Praedis contacted me a few days ago to tell me that he didn’t think he could devote himself to my affections any longer. Devote himself to my fuckin’ affections! So, now I have nothing!”

  Eielawyn had honestly forgotten about Kinsbithu’s connection with Filkothinor. She somewhat suspected Praedis would call off the engagement, but she never told Kinsbithu her suspicion. The man rarely came to Yaesdrah to see her. She stood and walked over to where Kinsbithu was sitting in an old chair. Kneeling in front of her, she took hold of her hand and kissed the palm.

  “I’m so sorry, Bithy. Please, forgive me.”

  Kinsbithu nodded, as the two of them hugged. Laeros walked closer to them. “Good. Now, I need to talk to you both.”

  “We need to find out where they took Raenos,” Eielawyn said, as she stood up.

  “Yeah, that,” Laeros said. “I know someone that can help us with that.”

  “Who?” she asked.

  In the next instant, a man seemingly appeared out of nowhere in the corner of the room. Eielawyn smiled wide and ran over to him. “Me,” Theoch said, holding his arms open for Eielawyn.

  “Theoch,” she breathed into his chest. “How’s Glywyn? And Draedon? Oh! The baby! How’s the baby?”

  Theoch smiled and laughed softly. “Everyone is fine. I wish I had time to visit, but I’m actually supposed to be in a meeting right now. Prince Laeros asked if I could do you all a favor and see where they’ve taken Raenos. Unfortunately, Yaeltaran can’t intercede with any help. It’ll be seen as an act of aggression toward Teveoch. King Lavaerion doesn’t have the military power to go against Teveoch at this time. In time, we hope that’ll change.”

  “I understand, Theoch,” she said. “I just want Raenos back. He wants to renounce his oath to Teveoch. He wants sanctuary in Yaeltaran.”

  Theoch frowned, looking at Laeros and then back to her. “You know that King Lavaerion will be cautious in granting sanctuary to a royal guard of Teveoch, Eielawyn. Balaedras has sent spies into the kingdom for that purpose before.”

  “I’ll vouch for him, Theoch,” Laeros said.

  “Hell, I’ll vouch for him,” Kinsbithu said, standing up from her seat. “But I’m not a prince or princess. So, that might not have the same weight, huh?”

  Theoch smiled warmly but shook his head. “No, it may not. But if you’re willing to vouch for him, Laeros, then so will I.”

  Eielawyn grabbed hold of Theoch’s waist, hugging him thankfully. “Thank you, Theoch. Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said realizing she hadn’t introduced him to Kinsbithu. “This is my very best friend in all of Oaes. Kinsbithu, daughter of Crim.” Theoch gave a short bow of his head to Kinsbithu. “You’re going to mist to him?” Eielawyn asked him. "Do you need to know what he looks like?”

  “I know Raenos. He’s a good man. A loyal man. Almost to a fault. If he was willing to denounce his oath…it’s not something any guard does lightly. I’ll mist to him, and come back to tell you where he’s being held. But then I need to get to my meeting, and also inform King Lavaerion of Raenos’ intention.” He stared down into Eielawyn’s face. “You love him, don’t you?”

  Eielawyn nodded. “More than I thought was possible.”

  “I wish I could do more.” He seemed to think of something. “You shouldn’t try to free him on your own. No offense, but two women and a prince? Do you trust me?”

  “Always. You know that,” Eielawyn said.

  “Laeros could keep you safe if you had only one guard to contend with. But I’m sure there are more guards with Raenos than you all can handle.”

  “Theoch, I can suggest on three at a time,” she said to him.

  “She was able to save both our lives out there by suggesting on the guards,” said Kinsbithu. “She…she can…do things.”

  “Yes,” Theoch said. “I’m aware of Eielawyn’s gifts. But I’m not talking about suggesting on someone. I’m talking about something entirely different. But I need your trust,” he said to all of them. He waited for them all to agree before he continued. “I know a baenthahndorse.”

  “A real one?” Laeros asked, walking closer to Theoch. “I thought they were only a myth.”

  “Yeah,” Eielawyn said. “I’ve heard that one before,” she said, giving Laeros a knowing look.

  “Let me contact him,” Theoch said. “This cabin may not be the best, but can you stay here for a few hours while I contact him.”

  “And just how is this bang-on-horse person supposed to help us?” asked Kinsbithu.

  Eielawyn grimaced, as she stared at her friend. “You have no idea how far off that was, do you?”

  “He’s a baenthahndorse,” said Theoch. “It’s pronounced bane-thahn-doors. He’s from the north. Way north. More north than most people know is north. But he has…abilities that can come in handy. Wait here, and he’ll come to you if he agrees. All right?”

  Theoch hugged Eielawyn again, vowing to see her when the all came to the safety of Yaelvoch, and he was gone.

  “Okay,” she said, looking around at the rest of them. “So, we stay here until this baen-person comes to help us.”

  “You two need to rest,” Laeros said. “You’ve been through an unimaginable experience. And maybe, if you want, we can contemplate Filkothinor’s essence.”

  “Yes,” Kinsbithu said. “Yes, please. Can we, Eielawyn?”

  Eielawyn nodded, walking over to take hold of Kinsbithu’s hand. They walked out the cabin together with Laeros leading the way to give respect to Filkothinor. It was the least that they could do for the man that had started the rebellion against Balaedras. A man that had dedicated his life to those seeking freedom. So, as they stood in silence in the stillness of the woods outside the cabin, they honored the passing of his essence.

  * * * *

  The pain was excruciating, but he refused to let it overwhelm him. His hands were shackled behind his back, as were his ankles. The pain came from the shackles. Shock shackles, they were called. The guard in front of him held the small control in his hand, his thumb poised over the red button that would send currents of painful electricity throughout his body with just a push. After he killed Zhoardaeash, the guard with the control was the next on his list to die.

  Raenos thought at first they were taking him to Morhais. To the queen. But as he lay on the floor of the air transport, he knew they couldn’t be taking him to Morhais. After no more than ten minutes in the air, they landed. He was roughly removed from the transport, carried like a trussed boar by two royal guards.

  He tried to look around at where he was, but all he saw was ground, dirt, rocks, and mud before he was thrown into a portable cell. He knew it had to be portable. He was sitting on the hard ground, still shackled. But at least the pain had stopped. He then yelled out, as electricity coursed through him again. The guard with the control laughed cynically, before wal
king away from the cell.

  “Welcome home, Raenos,” Zhoardaeash said, as he walked close to the cell. “At least it’ll be your home for the time it takes the guard to leave Yaesdrah.”

  He didn’t smell the sea. They couldn’t be in Yaesdrah. He smelled pine and dark soil. He smelled moss and musty scent of gloven plant. He knew then that he was somewhere in hills of Teveoch, very close to Yaeltaran. Gloven plant only grew in the highest elevations of the Teveoch Mountains. How far they’d taken him from the place they’d killed Filkothinor, he didn’t know. But he pushed that thought away, because when he thought about Filkothinor, he also thought about Eielawyn and Kinsbithu. He didn’t want to think about what the guards might have done to them. He only hoped Eielawyn had used her gifts to save her and Kinsbithu.

  “The queen wants you alive,” Zhoardaeash continued. “Pity. Because I really want you dead. You have no idea how much I wanted to just put a tracer in your gut, and leave you out there for the animals to eat. They say that part of the woods is teeming with vaem wolves. They would’ve torn you apart.”

  “Your day will come, Zhoardaeash,” Raenos said hoarsely. “You wanted to put a tracer in my gut? Well,” he chuckled, then coughed almost violently before recovering. “I will see to your end.”

  “Yeah, try to hold on to that hope,” said Zhoardaeash. “Accidents happen. Maybe one will happen before we’re able to get you to the queen.”

  Raenos rolled to a half-sitting position. “The queen wants me in her bed, Zhoardaeash. These shackles will be removed. Once they are, I will come for you.”

  “Of course you will. I’m counting on that.” Zhoardaeash turned to walk away but stopped short. He turned his head to stare at Raenos with malicious grin. “By the way, I left your cunt of a girlfriend with two of my guards. Her and her girlfriend. I must say she can take a punch. Just like a man. I doubt they’re still alive. Maybe they’ve become useful to the vaem wolves. Oh, and here,” he said, pressing down on the button of the controller.