CHAPTER 34
Jez woke as a yellow sashed healer was standing over him. The grandfatherly man held his hands clasped over Jez’s stomach and warmth flooded into his body. He took in a deep breath and the healer smiled.
“I’m glad to see you awake. We weren’t sure you’d make it. The wound was bad enough but what that thing left inside...” The healer shivered. “No matter. It’s gone now.”
“What happened?” Jez asked.
“We were hoping you could tell us.” Jez turned to see Osmund standing near him. “We found you unconscious in the hall. The guards said something about shadows, but they were so scared it was hard to get anything out of them.”
Jez nodded, though the effort drained him. “It was some kind of demon. Lina got away and sent them to cover her retreat. Did you find her?”
Osmund shook his head. “We got Varin. He actually came running back to us, screaming. It’s why we went looking for you. The king threw him in the dungeon.”
“What about Villia?”
“What about her?”
“Is she all right?”
“I haven’t seen her in the past couple of hours.”
“She saved me,” he said. “Maybe she went after Lina.”
“Jez, her workshop is empty.”
“What?”
“It looks like she left.”
“No,” Jez said as he tried and failed to sit up. “I convinced her to stay. She wouldn’t just...”
Jez’s words died out. He’d convinced her to fight, and she’d done it badly. She was lucky to be alive. She’d been hurt and should’ve been here. If she wasn’t, and her body hadn’t been found, Osmund was probably right. Of course, that was all assuming a dead afur would leave a body.
“What exactly happened?” Osmund asked. “How did Lina get away?”
“I’m not sure.” Jez thought back to her capture. “When we came out of the dungeon, she tried to use her power, but I countered her and cut her off. Oh no.”
“What?”
“I thought I cut her off. She turned invisible, remember? I thought I countered her, but it was too fast. She made an illusion of herself. That’s why her expression never changed. She made me think I had warded her by fooling my protection sense.” He remembered feeling the draft as they had gone in to see the king. “She even brushed by me in the map room, and I still didn’t put it together.”
Osmund let out a low whistle. “She’s very good.”
“That’s enough for now,” the healer said. “He needs his rest.”
“The king will want to see him.”
“The king will have to wait if he wants anything more than a few minutes with him.”
“A few minutes will be fine,” Haziel said as he came up next to Jez. His eyes were hard, and his brow was creased in anger. “Baron, I was given to understand you were a skilled binder. Villia’s apprentice has been trying to convince me of that, but I don’t see any evidence. Would you care to explain how a mere child escaped your personal escort using only illusions?”
“Your Majesty?”
“I would not have entrusted her into your care if I’d known you were so incompetent.”
“She tricked us,” Jez said. “Even your guards didn’t know.”
“My guards are not mages. Give me one reason I shouldn’t throw you in the dungeon alongside the traitor Varin.”
Jez just stared at him for several seconds, unsure of what to say. Finally, he blurted the first thing that came into his mind. “It was all Lina. I don’t think Varin actually did anything.”
The king’s face reddened and he spoke through clenched teeth. “You’re working with him.”
“What? No.” Jez started coughing and the healer practically pushed Haziel out of the way. The king glared, but the healer didn’t seem to notice. He put a hand on Jez’s forehead, but Jez waved him off. “Your Majesty, I’m the one that accused him.”
Haziel snorted. “A clever ploy.”
“To do what?” Osmund asked.
The king rounded on him. “Don’t take that tone with me, monster. You’re lucky you’re not already in prison. That can be remedied.”
Osmund’s eyes went wide, he looked at Jez, but Jez could only shrug. What could’ve happened to so completely change Haziel’s attitude? Before he could say anything, however, the healer stepped forward. He flinched when he saw the expression on Haziel’s face, but he stood firm.
“Your Majesty, I really must insist you continue this after Baron Jezreel has gotten some rest. It does no one any good to exhaust him further.”
The king scowled but nodded. “Very well, but I want him under guard.” He glared at Osmund. “I want both of them under guard with binders to keep their powers under control. If the baron does not provide a satisfactory explanation for this disaster, he and his attack dog will be thrown into the dungeon and suffer the same fate as Varin.”
The king started to walk away, and Jez reached up and grabbed his sleeve. The king turned and gave him a look that could’ve burned stone. He pulled away. Jez tried to hold on, but he didn’t have the strength, and the king’s robes slipped away. Jez gasped and Osmund moved forward. Jez shook his head and Osmund backed up. The healer ushered the king out and Osmund went to Jez’s side.
“What was that about?”
“He smelled like sulfur,” Jez said. “I think Haziel is under the influence of a demon.”
Osmund watched the departing king. “Are you sure?”
Jez shook his head. “Not really, but nothing else makes sense.”
“He’s controlled by Lina, then?”
“It looks like it.” Jez’s thoughts were fuzzy. “She’s a summoner and a mentalist. Where did she learn it all?”
“But the king was mad that Lina got away. Why would she make him feel like that?”
The healer exchanged a few words with the king before shutting the door. He started to walk back to them, so Jez spoke quietly so the old man wouldn’t here.
“I have no idea.”
CHAPTER 35
Jez fell asleep shortly after the king left. For the next several hours, he slept in fits and spurts. Nightmares of his battles with Marrowit stopped him from slumbering too long. He kept worrying he wouldn’t wake up. Every time he woke, Osmund was by his side though they never spoke for very long. Once, he dreamed the arm he’d been stabbed in was on fire. The pain was so intense his arm still tingled after he woke up. A few times, he woke screaming, his cries summoning whatever healer was on duty. Most of the time, they would only touch his forehead or give him a drink of water. Once, it was Paleel, and she clasped her hands over his chest. They glowed, and warmth spread through his body. His eyelids felt heavy and he couldn’t keep them open. He fell asleep a few seconds later.
The sun was shining when he awoke the last time. There was a bowl on a small table by his bed. Chunks of chicken were floating in a yellow broth. The soup was still steaming, and Jez’s stomach growled at the scent. He grunted but managed to sit. Osmund, who was dozing in a nearby chair, stirred and woke. Almost instantly, he was at Jez’s side, but Jez smiled at him, and Osmund relaxed a little. Jez took a few spoonfuls of soup while a healer, a young woman with dark hair, came to examine him. Her eyes glowed yellow for a second, and she nodded before scurrying away. Osmund handed him a cup, and Jez drank deeply of the water. He hadn’t realized how thirsty he was until he put the cup down and saw that he’d emptied it. Once he was done with the meal, he felt stronger, though the sight of the guards inside the sick chambers made his stomach churn.
“Have they been here all night?”
Osmund followed his gaze and nodded. “Haziel came in a little while ago, but Mage Rana turned him away.” He shuddered. “That’s one mean old woman.”
Jez smiled. “Master Balud said some healers are like that when they’re taking care of someone. You didn’t have to stay here all night.”
Osmund looked back at the guards. “Actually, I did.”
Jez’s mind was still foggy and it took him a while to figure out what Osmund was talking about. “Oh right.”
“Can you free the king from whatever is controlling him?”
Jez let out a breath. “I don’t know. Without knowing if it’s a full possession or just some kind of influence, I don’t know what I can do. It’s not like he’s going to sit down and let me examine him.” Jez shook his head. “I need more information. There’s more going on here than we thought. Have we been declared prisoners?”
“No, not officially.”
“Then, I’m still the Baron of Korand.”
Osmund nodded. “As far as I know.”
He called over the healer. She walked to him and inclined her head.
“Yes, do you need something?”
“Can you get me a canvas and some paints?”
Osmund smiled. Jez had used this technique to access hidden knowledge before, but the healer’s brow wrinkled. “My lord?”
“A canvas and some paints.” Jez smiled. “Don’t worry, I promise it won’t tire me too much. I’d very much like to paint right now. It helps relax my mind.”
The healer looked uneasy. “I’m not sure. I should probably ask Mage Rana. I think she’s still sleeping though. She was tending to you all night.”
“I don’t think you need to bother her. I don’t even need to get out of bed. I just want to paint a little.”
“Well, yes, I suppose that would be all right, as long as you didn’t tire yourself.”
Jez smiled. “I’ll be careful.”
Her head bobbed, and she scurried away to speak to the guards. A gruff faced man glared at him, but Jez didn’t blink. Osmund stood next to him with his hand at his side. It could’ve been a coincidence, or he could’ve been preparing to summon his sword. The guard blanched but nodded. It took nearly a quarter hour for the supplies to be delivered. Servants who brought them in struggled to set up a small easel near the bed so Jez wouldn’t have to get up. He always felt awkward when people were serving him like that, but this time, the image fit with what he was going for. An old man with ink stained fingers handed Jez a palette. It held half a dozen colors as well as three brushes. Jez took the biggest one and dismissed the servants. The healer was trying to look over Jez’s shoulder, but she left at a wave of Jez’s hand. He turned and stared at the canvas.
“Go ahead,” Osmund said.
Jez rolled his eyes. “This isn’t really something I can do on command. Talk to me.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
Jez shrugged. “Anything. Is this your first time in Rumar?”
Osmund nodded. “I never made it this far inland before.”
“Where else have you been?”
“Mostly the places you’ve been.”
“But you come from the Narian Isles, right?”
“Yes.”
“What were they like?”
“Hot,” Osmund said, though the beginnings of a smile had formed on his face. “So hot, you thought you were sweating a gallon every day. There were animals of every kind you could imagine, and jungles so thick you couldn’t walk through them. I used to hide there when the people got too hostile because of this.” He waved his hand in front his of face and wrinkled a nose that was just a little too large. He smiled. “It was nice except for the people, and the water was so blue you wouldn’t believe it.”
“I did come from a coastal town,” Jez pointed out. “I’ve seen blue water before.”
“Not like this. It’s almost like the water is made of sapphire. I think you would like it.” Osmund blinked. “It’s not working.”
“What?”
Osmund pointed at the canvas. “You’re not painting anything.”
Jez blinked and let out a breath of frustration. The canvas was still blank, and the brush was dry in his hand. He was tempted to keep trying, but it wouldn’t do any good. Sariel had locked away his memories too well, and even if he needed them, they were beyond his reach. He put down the brush. “What do we do now?”
Just then, the door opened, and Haziel stormed in, two blue sashed mages on his heels. The king’s eyes looked as hard as diamonds, and he stalked over to Jez’s bed and glared as if trying to drive Jez into bed with the weight of his stare alone. A second later, the binders cut Jez off from his power.
“Enough of your delays. You will tell me everything, or I’ll lock you up for the rest of your days.”
CHAPTER 36
Jez looked to Osmund, and the other boy nodded. He took a step toward the king, and the binding on Jez’s power weakened as they focused on Osmund who had started blabbering something about how they were both innocent. Jez wasn’t listening. He knew the binding to get rid of a possession and he splayed his fingers. He stood up on shaky legs, and the healer ran to his side, but he waved her off. The king turned to him, and Jez pretended to stumble. He threw his hand forward, touching the king’s head. He brought the hand down to Haziel’s heart, forcing power through the barrier the binders had set and channeling it through his fingers.
The king scowled and shoved Jez back. Jez nearly tripped but managed to keep on his feet. The binding had been complete, and he hadn’t felt any resistance. Almost instantly, he felt the binder’s barrier slide back into place. Jez fell back onto the bed. Osmund moved toward him, but Jez shook his head and the other boy remained where he was.
“Well, boy?” the king said. “You don’t honestly expect me to believe your monster of a bodyguard, do you? Did Lina escape through your incompetence or through your treason?”
“Have you seen her?” Jez asked. “Did she come to you?”
“If she had come to me, she’d be in the dungeon next to her father. Now, answer the question.”
Jez sighed. “Your Majesty, she escaped because she’s very good. She’s one of the best illusionists I’ve ever seen.”
“She’s only a child.”
“She’s older than I am,” Jez said.
The king snorted. “Is that your only excuse?”
“I don’t know what else to say. She’s practically a master. I have no idea what she’s capable of.”
“How convenient for you that one of the few people who could confirm that is missing. Would you care to tell me what you did to Mage Villia?”
“There were demons attacking your keep,” Osmund broke in. “Half the people living here ran away. Why are you so surprised she’s no different?”
“Muzzle your beast, Baron,” the king said, “or I will have him thrown in the kennel with the rest of the dogs.”
Osmund’s eyes flashed orange. His sword flickered into existence only to vanish a second later as Osmund made a visible effort to calm down. The king never even looked at him, though the healer’s eyes went wide. Jez searched his mind for how to ward against the indirect influence of demons, but it was a subtler part of binding, and while Luntayary might know how it was done, that knowledge was locked away, and he hadn’t yet studied it at the Academy. The only thing he could think to do was tell the truth.
“Lina got to you,” he said quietly, his eyes darting around to make sure none of the healers were close enough to hear. “She must’ve summoned a demon who could influence the mind. She’s controlling you or at least influencing you.”
The king balled his fist, and for a moment, Jez thought he would hit him, but Haziel took a deep breath. “First, you release the traitor. Then, you accuse me of working with her. You go too far. Guards, take him to the dungeon.”
“Sire,” the healer said as she stood between Jez and the king, “he’s not strong enough to be moved.”
The king’s face went scarlet. “You do not command me in my own keep, little girl. The guards will take him.”
The girl paled and backed up several steps, her head bobbing. She moved so fast, she almost tripped over her own feet. “Yes, of course, Your Majesty. Forgive me.”
The guards came up to Jez and lifted him by the shoulders. Pain rushed down his arms, and he clenc
hed his teeth to stop from crying out. They practically dragged him across the room before found his balance. Osmund walked in front of him with a sword at his back. Both had a blue sashed mage walking next to them, and the barrier separating Jez from his power felt stronger than ever. The king remained in the healing chambers as the guards led them away.
“This isn’t really necessary,” Osmund said as they led him across another corner.
“Sir, I’m afraid it is. The king has ordered you confined.”
“I know that,” Osmund said, his voice perfectly calm. “I only mean that if I wanted to escape,” he let the words hang for a second, and Jez heard the unasked question, “you wouldn’t be able to stop me.”
A guard with a thick black beard let out a bark of laughter. Jez stopped, and the man escorting him gave him a harsh shove that almost pushed him off his feet. He stumbled into Osmund. Jez’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Don’t hurt them.”
The bearded guard heard him and laughed. “What do you expect him to do?”
The next second, the guard was knocked of his feet as wings emerged from Osmund’s back. The others cried out, but before they could draw their weapons, Ziary stood in their midst. The light from his wings was almost blinding. A blast of wind rushed out from the scion, though it parted around Jez. Everyone else was pushed to the ground. Some grunted and tried to get up, but the wind was too strong. The ward between Jez and his magic wavered as the binder tried to split his power between Jez and Osmund, no doubt hoping the extra energy would help bind Ziary.
Veilspeaker (Pharim War Book 2) Page 11