Sorceress (Book 2)

by Jim Bernheimer

  It took precious minutes, driving the invaders back. There was no sign of the manticore and the wizard riding it. One arrow bit deeply into her shield as another clanged off her chest plate. In a slight panic, she unleashed a powerful wave of flame that made both of them dizzy. Her unicorn suffered from the drain as well and she banged into the side of the building next to them.

  Sucking in a calming breath, she used the shield to protect both of them while she gathered her wits. Her blast had set two buildings on fire and they needed to press forward before it spread.

  Her unicorn responded to the situation and pushed ahead, using his front hooves like a warhorse and his horn like a lance. Kayleigh witnessed the look of frozen horror on a man’s face as Rhey’s horn drove into his midriff. Acting on instinct, she struck him with the flat of her shield and sent him down underneath her mounts ever-moving hooves.

  The nomads didn’t ride trained warhorses. They were light cavalry at best and were driven back by the fury of an intelligent four-legged fighter making full use of his abilities. Kayleigh decided to save her strength and drew Annabeth’s scimitar. She slashed whenever she had an opening and gripped her mount’s frame tightly with her legs to hold on whenever he reared. Riding while fighting was something the third years had spent considerable time on. It was a coordinated dance that the two refined over time and learned to fight as almost a single entity.

  Unfortunately, this was their first time as “dancing partners.” She and Rheysurrah were a drunken brawler in comparison as they pushed up the narrow street. It was more like a frantic run through thorn bushes, leaving the pair with cuts and bruises.

  They broke into a clearing, chasing after two who had turned and retreated. There were none barring the way as no others had come down this street. One of them hurled a knife which was blocked by the shield, but served to slow her down. They’d come out near where the gate used to be and Rhey dodged the stone debris. Meanwhile, Kayleigh’s vision locked onto a pair of white unicorns. A badly injured one stood protectively over a female shape as the other and her rider circled. The maiden still in the saddle held a drawn bow with no arrow on the string and that meant the crumpled form on the ground was her friend Tamera. The empty string twanged and the riderless unicorn bucked, hit by the magical arrow.

  “Garrett!” Kayleigh hissed and kicked Rheysurrah into a gallop. Tamera’s unicorn saw them and made a threatening move to keep the attacking rider distracted. It took another invisible arrow in its side, but left the bewitched air maiden momentarily weaponless.

  They were on them before the air maiden could properly react. Garrett wheeled her mount with the speed of a well-disciplined warrior, but Rhey and Kayleigh were already there. The bow blocked Kayleigh’s downward scimitar slash, but Rhey’s horn slammed into her armor and tossed the woman from the saddle. Kayleigh’s left leg was momentarily crushed between the two colliding unicorns and she felt a good deal of pain.

  Just as the group was beginning to untangle themselves, Tamera’s injured unicorn joined the fray rearing and bringing a hoof down onto the one ridden by Garrett. Kayleigh tumbled out of the saddle just to prevent her leg from being pinned again. Staggering to her feet, she ran to where Garrett was just starting to rise onto unsteady feet. The air maiden tugged at a hatchet hanging from a loop on her belt and tried to block Kayleigh’s swing. Perhaps it was the adrenaline or the sight of her friend, face down on the ground, but her strike was every bit as hard as when she’d fought that mock duel against Andrea Hawthorne. The hatchet took some of the momentum from it and turned the blow slightly, but was knocked from Garrett’s hand. The rest of the force carried Annabeth’s weapon against the side of the woman’s helmet.

  Garrett dropped like a sack of grain and made no move to rise. Garrett’s unicorn bleated like a sheep being slaughtered and stumbled around. Rhey smacked into the side of the unicorn, herding it to one side. Tamera’s unicorn had dropped down to the ground and was flailing with his legs trying to rise.

  Kicking the hatchet away, Kayleigh bent down and took the knife from the woman’s belt. She pulled the helm off and lingered long enough to see that the woman was still breathing before running to Tamera’s side.

  The earth maiden bled from three separate invisible arrow wounds, but none seemed to be life threatening except for the amount of blood she was losing. Kayleigh called on her fire magic once more and sealed the wounds, causing Tamera to cry out in agony.

  “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Kayleigh babbled.

  Through gritted teeth, Tamera growled and said, “S’okay, just hurry and get to my unicorn. Wirnax is in worse shape.”

  Kayleigh finished and started running to the downed unicorn, hoping there was something she could do, but the ground shook, causing her to stumble and when she looked up, the manticore was between her and Tamera’s unicorn. She caught wind of a foul odor and swallowed hard at the terrifying sight in front of her.

  “Surrender or die!” the man on the beast’s back shouted. Cloth wrappings hid the sorcerer’s face, but the glowing staff he carried promised to make good on his threat.

  Realizing that she had one shot at surprising the man with her strength, Kayleigh thrust her hand out and pushed all the flame she could muster at the man. The man pulled his staff across his body and the air between them warped as he summoned some kind of eldritch barrier. The wizard, the manticore, and even Kayleigh expected her attack to fail when it hit the shield, but to everyone’s surprise, it passed through and hit the creature. It roared in pain and bucked hard, leaping back some twenty feet.

  The man wasn’t injured, but the beast was scorched on its shoulder and right wing. The sorcerer yelled, “How did you …,” before trailing off and gesturing at her with his staff. A bolt of lightning shot forward and Kayleigh dived to her left. She felt the energy pass through her side and was certain she would be dead in a moment.

  Instead, she was just on the ground. Her entire side tingled oddly, but Kayleigh knew she was quite alive.

  Amazed that she wasn’t off to visit the Goddess now, Kayleigh rose and summoned a trio of fireballs. The manticore dodged two, but one splashed against the monster’s front leg and it roared for a second time.

  The sorcerer cast another bolt of lightning. Kayleigh knew it to be madness, but she held her ground and continued throwing bursts of fire. The bolt hit her directly in the chest and face. She was blinded for a moment and nearly fell over, but she remained standing and thanked whatever power preserved her.

  As her vision cleared, she saw that the man was beating down the flames on his saddle. Even though the monster he rode was savaged by her attacks, the man was as unharmed as she. She was tiring quickly though.

  “Rhey, I need you!” she called, but her mount was rooted to the spot. Kayleigh felt a sense of betrayal course through her body and used that hurt as fuel for whatever magic she had left. Though she could not hurt this Master any more than he could her, Kayleigh could kill the manticore.

  The sorcerer must have reached the same conclusion. He pivoted the manticore away and tried to get it airborne, but the wing and shoulder on the right side were too badly injured to properly beat and the best it could managed was a series of powerful leaps that carried it back through the opening where the gate once was.

  Rheysurrah broke free of the terror gripping him and bolted to her side. She sagged against him and drew some of his energy to replenish herself. Feelings of pure guilt and shame for his lack of action seeped through the bond as she held onto him.

  “We need to check on Wirnax,” she said and pushed herself forward. Unfortunately, Tamera’s unicorn was not moving when they reached it. Kayleigh felt awful, but couldn’t afford to wallow in grief as a dozen riders approached.

  Exhausted, she pulled herself into the saddle. The only weapon Kayleigh had at the moment was the Yar knife. Several had bows and her shield was over by Tamera.

  “Be ready to dodge. I should be able to drive them off.”

  Rheysurr
ah snorted in agreement.

  One of the horsemen cried out, “Pull back! This witch is too strong for us to take.”

  Another shouted something at the speaker that Kayleigh couldn’t quite catch but the man responded, “She just drove off the Master! If she can do that what hope do we have? Go now!”

  Were it not for her surviving a battle with a manticore riding sorcerer, seeing those horsemen turn and ride off would have been the most shocking thing that happened. Instead she was just puzzled.

  The rider who had shouted the alarm remained and moved his horse closer, sheathing his weapon.

  “Why aren’t you leaving?” she demanded.

  “You spared my life once, witch. Honor demands I do the same.”

  “Witch? You’re the man from the desert!”

  “Yes,” he answered. “I am Rahzir. You must hurry. Only those under my command would listen to me. If more come, there is nothing I can do.”

  “What will happen to you?”

  “It is not your concern,” he replied.

  Kayleigh had an idea what would actually happen to the man and said, “Come with me!”

  “I cannot,” he said, but his tone lacked conviction.

  “Yes, you can! I meant what I said back when I spared you. If you want a better life, earn it!” Kayleigh misquoted General Jyslin’s words, but they felt right.

  He paused and she waited for his decision. It was the kind of moment she’d faced when leaving her mother to become a Battle Maiden.

  “All right, let’s go,” he said.

  Kayleigh rode over to where Tamera was sobbing on the ground and jumped off.

  Grabbing the injured girl’s shoulder, she began pulling her upright and said, “C’mon, Tamera. We have to go!”

  “Forget me! My unicorn is dead. I’m nothing.”

  “I will not leave you to die or worse. Now get on! That’s an order!”

  Tamera was still in shock, but moved mechanically up into Rheysurrah’s saddle.

  Kayleigh prepared to join her when a loud neigh interrupted her. She turned and saw Garrett’s unicorn standing next to her unconscious rider.

  “What do you want?”

  The unicorn snorted and was speaking with Rheysurrah. Through the bond they shared, Kayleigh sensed Rhey’s apprehension. The female over there wanted to come with them and bring her rider.

  “She’ll turn on us as soon as she wakes,” Kayleigh said, shaking her head. “We’d have to tie her up and even then it might not work. It would slow us down.”

  The female unicorn moved to the side of Garrett and kicked an object at Kayleigh. It was Garrett’s crested helmet.

  “Of course,” Rahzir said. “Put it on! Most of the warriors don’t know her face, only her helmet. Grab her bow and you can pretend to be her. It will work!”

  As Rahzir found a wagon with a pair of horses teamed to it and they threw Garrett inside, Kayleigh was tested for the first time as a group of riders approached. Wearing the helmet and holding the empty bow she shouted, “Go down toward the docks and hold them until you’re relieved!”

  She breathed a sigh of relief when it worked. Turning to the female unicorn she said, “Follow us.”

  “We should kill her!” Tamera exclaimed, pointing at the air maiden.

  “She’s a thrall to that dark magic. We have to try and save her, Tamera.”

  “I don’t care! She killed Wirnax.”

  “Don’t, Tamera. She knows about the army and this Master. If we get her to Salif, General Hawthorne can try to cure her and learn the size of the army and what magic is backing them.”

  “He can probably tell you that,” she said, gesturing to Rahzir.

  She understood her friend’s grief. If it had been Danella Lynch in that wagon, Kayleigh would be fighting against her own need to kill that woman.

  Drawing her Yar knife, she held it out to the earth maiden and said, “If her blood will balance things in your mind, then do it, but kill her unicorn first. She shouldn’t have to suffer through the wasting.”

  The female unicorn reared and panicked. Rheysurrah sent his own admonitions through their bond. Steeling herself against Rhey’s outburst, she pushed through it.

  Kayleigh said, “Make your choice, Tamera, and do it quickly or not at all.”

  The other girl deflated, but not completely. “Fine, but if she makes one wrong move…”

  Kayleigh nodded to Rahzir, who used ropes to bind and gag the air maiden before climbing into the driver’s seat. Kayleigh tied the female unicorn securely to the wagon. She hooked Razhir’s horse to the back of the wagon as well and they started toward the ruins of the gate. She paused noticing the barracks where Orsa had been taken was still intact.

  “Quickly!” she said. “Inside.”

  “What’s in here?”

  “Hopefully the captain of the guard and maybe the food and water we’ll need.” At least she hoped there was food. Rhey had some in his saddlebags, but not enough for everyone.

  He nodded as they found Orsa. Kayleigh was grateful the man was still alive. “Alright, let’s hurry. If the Goddess is smiling on us, I’ll be able to masquerade as Garrett until we’re out of here.”

  Chapter 9- Startling Revelations

  Danella gripped Majherri’s head and he saw anger in the darkened eyes of his rider. She was rummaging through his mind, looking for memories of his partnership with Kayleigh Reese.

  At the mere mention of his former rider, Danella immediately discarded her half-formed plan to kill Amir and refocused her attention on the young woman who had nearly ended Danella’s life only a short time ago.

  “Have you made much progress?” Amir asked.

  “The girl showed fits of power during her time at The Academy and even the ability to call forth a fireshade. I am working my way backward. You should have let me go after her. I should be stalking her right now!”

  “That was the decision of our liege. Perhaps he will reconsider now, but all I know is from the magical vision he provided.”

  “If you could tell me something specific to look for, it would be greatly appreciated.”

  The sand sorcerer looked irritated by Danella’s comment and said, “His manticore was badly injured by the girl’s fire and is unable to fly. This has slowed his return to us and delayed the timetable. He wishes to know everything about this girl that your unicorn knows.”

  “The thrice cursed wretch just won’t die!”

  “Indeed,” Amir commented. “Should you learn anything important, I will be attempting to discern the girl’s whereabouts. I know that she is no longer in Shiftla.”

  At least Majherri knew why Danella was doing this. His heart swelled with pride after learning that Kayleigh had faced the legendary monster and sent it away licking its wounds. He hoped she came through uninjured.

  The fond recollection of his other rider angered Danella and she pressed her fingers harder against his head.

  “You’re mine, Majherri! I’ll never let you go again.”

  He refused to allow her tirade anger him. Instead he focused on Kayleigh’s memories. If she was so intent on forcing him to relive his memories, Majherri intended to enjoy it and remind Danella what a partnership between unicorn and rider was supposed to be like.

  She bested the manticore! How? I must ask the creature about the battle when it returns. Pity she didn’t kill it.

  The memories continued backward and they were viewing a dressing down from Meghan Lynch during a mounted formation.

  “My sister has taken a disliking to the wretch,” Danella said. “Meghan always had a keen eye for judging people.”

  Majherri pushed the memory, only a few moments ago, of Amir stating that Kayleigh defeated the manticore. For someone who had not yet seen seventeen summers, it was a noteworthy achievement.

  “I will not let you stop me from killing her,” Danella said, her voice dripping venom. “Her death is a given.”

  As much as Majherri wanted to provoke a greater r
eaction from Danella, he refrained. His memory switched to the odd aura they’d produced when the dying unicorn arrived at the island. She lingered, fascinated by the manifestation of power when he and Kayleigh almost destroyed a stable.

  “So beautiful,” she mumbled before she shook her head and returned to the scowl he’d grown accustomed to.

  “I see you like this Pasha...more than even Cyemma,” Danella said. “Perhaps her rider can be recruited and you can have her. Although, I must say that I am not pleased by your treatment by the herd. Many of them will have to be disciplined for this. You were meant for greater things, Majherri. You will lead your own herd soon! No other can match your power.”

  He snorted at her exaggerations and she responded, “You’ve been avoiding the females since your encounter with Cyemma. You should be asserting your dominance!”

  Filling his mind with images of the herd, he gave her somewhere to direct her scorn. One thing that Majherri had noticed about Danella’s insanity was that she could be distracted if she wasn’t focusing and obsessing. The unicorn let the idea take hold and began guiding her down a different path.

  Gradually, he shifted his memories to the pleasant times he and Danella had together, nothing to do with Kayleigh at all. Her scowl melted into a wistful smile. Together, they revisited long rides along the southern shores and through the bright sunlit desert. He was careful to avoid encounters with other unicorns or Battle Maidens to keep the focus on their partnership.

  Almost two hours passed before Danella realized what he was doing.

  “Oh you sneaky, silly unicorn,” she said and softly ran her hand through his mane. “As much as I’ve enjoyed this I need to get back to the task.”

  By nightfall Count Darius hadn’t returned. Still, Majherri was brought to the command tent. The prisoners were being brought before what he’d come to call the Heart of Darkness. He vehemently disliked this. Most of the humans knelt in their chains, shivering and moaning. His eyes found Sandra Townsend. The air maiden did not cower. Instead, the woman sat straight and with an eager gleam in her darkened eyes.