by Millie Burns
The ground became rockier, and the little rocks made way for their bigger siblings. Soon she was trudging around monstrous boulders. It was dark, but she could make out the shapes of the rocks and find the passages between them. All she could think of was a hot bath and hot food.
Trying to keep her mind off such things, her thoughts flew back to Draconis Island, and Ena. Wistful thoughts filled her mind, for Ena could have flown over this in no time. But she had to get back to her remaining eggs. Ravyn sighed, letting the tension in her shoulders fall away.
Her mind wandered to flights of fancy. Could she accomplish something like that? Just toss herself across this rocky wasteland? She sighed again. Connor said no magic.
She banged her head into a rock that jutted out above her. She rubbed her forehead, “Ouch, blasted rocks.”
The idea of flying flitted back to the forefront of her thoughts. Connor said that transporting oneself was exhausting. But, it was possible, she reasoned. They had been talking about crossing the space from Rowan’s island to Connor’s cottage. This was a mere ten or fifteen miles. Zelera was already tracking her. That was obvious. Could a little magic really hurt?
“No, no, no,” she cried aloud, reprimanding herself. Connor said no. She groaned, edging between two towering boulders.
The rocks closed ranks and the ground vanished. She faced a great stony field. She scrambled over huge boulders, hopping from one to the next. While mesmerized by daydreams of flying, she twisted her ankle in a crack.
She plunked down and grabbed her throbbing ankle. Tears slid down her dusty cheeks creating little brown rivers. Magic would make things so much easier, and Connor wouldn’t let her use it. Now she knew why they named it Desolation.
Ravyn sat up straight, wiping the muddy tracks from her cheeks. Princesses do not cry. She could feel magic coursing through her body, begging for release.
“I can’t stay here another night, and I can’t walk anymore,” she whined. She grabbed at the magic, forming an image of the grasslands she had seen while scrying. She pictured herself flying over the boulders, light as a feather. She imagined how the cool grass would feel beneath her feet, and the scent of rich fertile soil washed over her. Opening her eyes, she soaked in the panorama of green fields. She inhaled the scent of freshly cut hay. I did it!
Waves of fatigue and nausea rushed over her, spinning her world out of control. She slammed hard into the ground, the dark blue sky dimming to black. Forcing her eyes open, she saw a dark figure looming over her. “Blade, is that you,” she gasped.
“I’ll give you a blade,” a gravelly voice grunted. The flat of a sword swept out, hitting her hard across the forehead. She fell deep into a dark void.
Connor was pacing; Magda hadn’t contacted him. She and Blade must have Ravyn by now. Turning to his scrying bowl, he flew toward Land’s End. He found the rose and turquoise thread winding up toward him from Magda’s house. It smelt of spicy carnations.
Magda felt the psychic tug and opened up to Connor. ‘Calling again so soon? Do you miss me that much, man?’
‘I always miss you, sweet Magda. However, I must admit the lack of news is driving me batty. What is going on?’
Looking at the floor of her little cottage, Magda shifted uneasily. ‘Ah, well, yes. That can be annoying. But no news is good news, I’ve heard some say.’
‘Magda, quit stalling. What’s gone wrong? I can see it in your face; things didn’t go according to plan.’
‘I believe Blade’s located her general whereabouts, but he’s not been in contact with her yet.’ She cleared her throat. ‘It seems two nights ago she used magic to transport herself out of Desolation. Really, Connor, didn’t you warn her about the costs of that kind of magic? When she landed, Zelera’s thugs were waiting, and she was so drained. She didn’t even put up the tiniest bit of a fight.’
‘No! Oh, I haven’t been watching her closely. Zelera has been on my tail for days, and it’s taking every trick I know to keep one step ahead of her thugs.’ He paused collecting his thoughts, ‘Blade knows where she’s been taken?’
‘Aye, Blade’s tracking them. Not sure what he’s planning for a rescue, but I know that boy will think of something. He is clever. Never fear; Blade has a trick or two up his sleeve.’
‘I have no tricks to send the boy right now, Magda. I have been running several days straight. I can hear Zelera’s buffoons crashing through the woods right now. I’ll have to go soon. But, dear friend, is there anything you can do to aid them?’
‘I’m already ahead of you. I gave the boy a few things that might aid in a diversion. Aside from that, I can do no more. I cannot attract attention to myself. Unlike you, Connor, these old bones wouldn’t last more than a few days on the run. I am still shocked that Zelera hasn’t come for me. She’s captured most every practitioner of the Light. She must think her old School of Light head mistress is already dead.’
Connor winked, ‘Those old bones look pretty good to me.’
‘Stop! You’ll have me blushing like a young maid.’
Connor guffawed, clutching his sides. ‘I thought you were a young maid, my mistake. When this is over, Maggie, we need to get together for a visit. It’s been far too long.’
‘You old rogue, get back to whatever hidey-hole you were in, and keep quiet. I’ll hold you to that threat you just made. I expect a fine dinner, and an even finer bottle of wine.’
Connor felt Magda’s energy slide along his, then she was gone. He blushed; she really was an extraordinary woman.
Focusing on the scrying bowl again, he looked for Ravyn’s purple-blue thread. Locating a very faint trail, he followed it into the forest bordering the grasslands. In a small grove of trees, he spotted a campsite. A small stream burbled alongside the camp. Three brutish looking men moved about the camp gathering firewood, filling water skins, and tending their horses. Ravyn lay unconscious and gagged by a small fire. Retreating into the surrounding forest, Connor searched for Blade. If the boy was nearby, he was excellent at camouflage.
Exhaustion crept up on Connor, so he withdrew his thread. Hunkering down in his little shelter, he ate a meager meal. Closing one eye, he slept, alert for the sounds and scents of intruders.
Blade slunk from tree to tree, silence cloaking him. The camp lay a few hundred feet from him. These rough men had done nothing to cover their trail and made enough noise for a deaf man to hear. They were not worried about being followed.
Blade clenched his jaw, anger filling him. Who would be following them? Outlaws ran rampant in Aigerach since Zelera took the throne. No decent folk were out at night. The few knights that hadn’t been captured and tortured were hired by wealthy land owners to keep their properties safe. The country dissolved in a free for all, with no one looking out for anyone but themselves.
The three men bumbled about their camp. A tall lanky man took a girl off the back of his horse and tossed her by the fire. Blade stared at Ravyn. Her dark hair fell about her perfect doll-like face. She looked the same, but different. Her hands and feet were bound, and she appeared to be breathing steadily.
Creeping closer to the camp, the men’s voices reached him. The tall lanky man dropped a load of wood by the fire. “How long till we get to the caves, Tilgey? And,” he added with a lecherous stare at Ravyn, “what we gonna do with the little miss?”
“We reach the caves tomorrow, Cugh. Then we wait for Zelera’s orders. Nobody touches the girl. You understand?” Tilgey glared at Cugh, daring him to disobey.
“But, Tilgey, why don’t we just kill her now? She’s heavy baggage. And she ain’t no fun; she’s unconscious. No fun kissing the ladies if they can’t enjoy it too,” whined a pudgy younger man.
“Oh yeah, Smuggit. A real lady pleaser you are. Her highness will like me best; I’m much better looking than you,” Cugh prodded Smuggit’s overhanging gut.
“Quiet! You imbeciles, Zelera said we ain’t to touch her. I don’t want no more of that pain she gives. You two idiots don’t
know what it feels like; she ain’t zapped you yet. It’s like a million bees stinging you right in your eyes. It ain’t nothing you want to know about. That girl’s got to be in good condition or the empress will kill us. Now get back to work, and shut up.”
Blade sized up his opponents. He was outnumbered three to one. They were slovenly and clumsy. He could take on all three louts and win, but he couldn’t be sure of Ravyn’s safety. One of them could slit her throat while he was disposing of the other two. He had to wait and watch for the right moment. It hurt him to see her lying there, dirty and bruised. He longed to reach out to her, to tell her she would be safe.
Smuggit’s loud griping brought him back to attention, “Tilgey, if she’s got to be in good condition, why’d you hit her so hard? She’s been out for two whole days. Don’ t you think Zelera will be pissed about that?”
“That blow to the head weren’t nothing. Zelera said if she used too much magic, it’d wipe her out, and she’d go into some kind of deep sleep. I hope she stays asleep till Zelera gets her. She might be a wildcat when she’s awake, what with her magic and all. Zelera put a spell on us to protect us from attacks against our bodies, like magical armor. But what if she knocks a tree over and it falls on us, or something like that? No, sir, I don’t like magic; it never did me no good.”
The thought of magic sobered the men. Cugh and Smuggit witnessed Tilgey’s agonizing pain when Zelera punished him, and they wanted no part of it.
Ravyn was drifting in a black void, but gradually scents and sounds drifted in to her conscious thoughts. She could feel tight cords biting into her hands and feet. Light flickered over her eyelids and she smelled campfire smoke. Harsh voices filtered through her mind, and their words began making sense. She’d been captured. She hadn’t heeded Connor’s warning, and she drained herself of magic. She left herself helpless, an easy target for these men. Hunger, thirst, and a myriad of aches and pains nagged her. With effort, she shoved them aside, continuing to feign unconsciousness. She had to wait for the right opportunity, and then she would escape.
The fire crackled, and Ravyn could hear smacking and slurping. A loud belch erupted.
“Damn, Smuggit, you’re no better than a pig.” She heard someone gruff.
“Aw, Tilgey, I can’t help it. This ale does it to me every time. Least I ain’t breakin’ wind.”
“Never mind that, she ain’t eaten in a couple days. Try getting some broth down her. It won’t do her or us a lick of good if she dies before Zelera gets her,” Tilgey ordered.
“How’ll I do that if she’s still out?”
“Put a spoonful in her mouth, then stroke her throat; she’ll swallow. I seen my pa do that with some sick animals before; he called it a reflex or something like that.”
A pungent odor assaulted Ravyn; she fought the urge to gag. A cold spoon slipped past her lips and tipped salty broth into her mouth. Fat hairy knuckles brushed her throat. She schooled herself not to cringe and swallowed.
“Hey, it worked! Did you see that?”
“Of course it did, you moron; I told you it would. Give her a cup of that, and take first watch. I need me some sleep. We leave at dawn.” He grunted as he lay down on his blanket. “The sooner we get her back to Zelera, the sooner we rest easy.”
Every vile touch at her throat made Ravyn want to scream, but her life depended on her ability to play opossum. Finally, the spoon stopped coming. Rough hands rolled her on her side. What was he doing?
“Hey, Tilgey, these cords is cutting into her skin. Her hands and feet is all swollen.”
“Well, dunderhead, loosen them a bit, but not too much. Do I have to figure everything out for you?”
The cords loosened around her wrists. She flexed her muscles slightly as Smuggit retied the bonds. Then he loosened and retied the cords around her feet.
“Damn, Smuggit, she sure is a pretty thing. I swear it’s such a waste, her just laying there.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Tilgey’s sleeping. What he don’t know won’t hurt him.”
Ravyn felt a hand on her back. She felt for the magic; it was there, but weak.
“By the Darkness, Cugh, if you touch that girl, I’ll knock your teeth right outta your head. I’m not asleep, you idiot.”
Cugh grumbled under his breath, and Ravyn could hear him scuffling around. “I swear, Smuggit, when this job’s done, I’m heading to town, and I’m drinking meself under the table.”
“Yeah, I just want to find a big meal and a lean girl.”
“You’re so ugly you’ll be lucky to find a big girl that’ll look at ya.”
Ravyn lay waiting for Smuggit and Cugh to stop talking. Soon all she heard was snoring. She listened to three distinct snores. Smuggit was not keeping watch. She began flexing her wrists and ankles, working the fluid out of her hands and feet. The bonds loosened a little more, not enough to wriggle free. She clenched and unclenched her fists, stiff fingers limbering. She felt the magic simmering below the surface. Was it too soon to use it?
Ravyn felt herself falling, wind whispering past her cheeks. She landed hard on her stomach, the air whooshing from her lungs, and the smell of horse tickling her nose. Dammit! She’d fallen asleep! A rope wound about her, cinching her tight against the animal.
“Should I ride with her, in case she wakes up?” Cugh asked hopefully, patting her bottom.
“Nah, Zelera said this sleep would last 4 or 5 days. She ain’t going nowhere. And, stop touching her. Zelera could be watching. You want her mad at you?” Cugh snatched his hand away as if it were on fire.
She had a couple days until they thought she’d “wake up”. That would be enough time to come up with an escape plan. She flexed her hands against her bonds.
Blade trailed the noisy bandits. The two younger thugs were croaking out a bawdy tavern song. Their off-key ditty assaulted his ears. Blade shook his head. An entire army could be following them, and they wouldn’t hear a thing.
They were sticking to the trail. It headed to some caves a half day’s ride ahead. Would Zelera be there to greet them? She rarely left Veris, and it was a long hard journey over snowy passes. He exhaled deeply, letting out breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. No, Zelera wouldn’t be there.
Blade turned his horse off trail, picking a circuitous route to the rocky stronghold. The trail began ascending into the hills, rocks skittering beneath his horse’s hooves. Blade ran a comforting hand along his steed’s neck as the horse picked its way up the slope.
As the sun reached its zenith, Ravyn’s captors halted in front of a huge granite wall. Jagged peaks grasped at the sky. Ravyn heard the saddles creak and the heavy thud of the men’s feet on the hard ground. She peeked out through long lashes to see several large caves pock marking the cliff’s face.
A big man with heavy jowls and fat pink lips was scrutinizing the caves. “Smuggit, take care of the horses. Cugh, throw her in that cave there,” his chubby finger pointed to a cave with a large circular stone next to the opening. “I’ve gotta contact Zelera.”
“What do I do with her pack? You want it?”
“Nah, there ain’t nothing of value in there, I already checked. Toss it in with her for all I care. There’s a few pieces of moldy cheese and some stale biscuits. If she wakes up she can feed herself.” A gruff chuckle emanated from deep in his chest. “Once we seal her in, I ain’t opening it till Zelera’s ready for her.”
Cugh unlashed Ravyn from the back of the horse, slinging her over his shoulders. His foul body odor assaulted her nostrils. She trembled, trying to gain control of her lurching stomach. Cugh tossed her on the ground, her head cracking against the hard rock. A small moan escaped her lips, causing Cugh to jump back.
“Tilgey, I think she’s waking up!”
“Get out of there and help me roll this stone over the opening, you idiot!”
Ravyn heard scuffling and grunting. Opening her eyes a crack, she saw daylight diminishing in a thin crescent, and then all was dark.
Blade su
rveyed the stronghold from a rocky niche. A frontal attack was out of the question as there was no cover. He eyed the numerous caves and tunnels. Some reached through the mountain to the other side.
Blade retreated from his hiding place, slipping and sliding on loose rock as he descended the steep slope. He skidded to a stop in front of his horse. Untethering the mare, he patted her back. “If I don’t return before sundown, go back to Magda’s. Don’t let these maggots get their hands on you.” He ruffled her mane.
He worked his way over to the eastern side of the rock face, out of the ruffian’s line of sight. Blade tossed his pack over his shoulders and adjusted the straps. His fingers dug into the cool granite, and he began the arduous task of scaling the cliffs, hoping to find the back door open.
Ravyn wriggled her fingers, twisting her hands within the cords. The rough rope fibers scraped her tender skin. After several minutes her hands slipped free of their bonds. In the chilly darkness, she fumbled with the bonds around her feet. She felt like a rusty hinge, her joints and muscles screeching from disuse. She stamped her feet to get the blood flowing. Her foot bumped into her pack, and she bent down to retrieve it.
Like a mouse, she sniffed out the last few bits of food, nibbling each precious morsel. The biscuits left her mouth sticky and dry. Plink, plink, plink. The sound echoed off the walls from the back of the cave. With outstretched arms, Ravyn made her way deeper into the cave. Her fingers bumped into damp rough rock. Running her hands down the wall, she found a small puddle on the floor. She cupped her hands, filling them with the lucky find.
After quenching her thirst, she stood again and felt a slight stirring in the air. Stepping towards the draft, she banged into a pile of boulders. They blocked an opening. They were too big to physically lift, but with the aid of magic? Connor said she could do anything if she believed.