Battle Mage Visions (A Tale of Alus Book 12) (44 page)

More ice formed around his arms and body preventing Istrias from lifting his hands to attempt to break the ice. The magic of the ice spell had been building, but the pretty blonde had been acting as a distraction, the wizard realized too late.

He struggled and thought to throw himself on the ground to break the ice. It was strong, but surely it could be broken to free him. Istrias knew the air spells to defend himself, but silenced and bound the wizard could do nothing.

The girl smiled at whoever was behind the wizard. Istrias tried to turn, but found the ice held his boots to the ground like a giant held him in its grasp.

"Did I do good enough, Wendle?"

"Very well, Stasia, I don't think he ever saw me coming. You are quite the... um, distraction," a male voice said from behind the wizard.

His eyes dropped to the ground in frustration and disappointment. Istrias had been sent to make contact with spies used to regular meet times with Sebastian. It had taken time for the portal wizards of Hala to find someone who could make use of the maps left with Raven Leros for just such an emergency situation, but the young wizard had botched it. Distracted by a girl, the enemy had him captured. Believing his life would end in torture and misery, Istrias could only bemoan his fate silently.

"What do we do with him?" Stasia asked glancing to the trapped wind wizard and back to the man standing behind him.

"We'll take him back to the house. When Palose and Sylvaine return, he can take this guy to the emperor or whatever he decides."

The girl frowned past him and said, "Too bad you can't do it yourself, but technically we don't exist here, I guess."

"You could have gone with Dorgred, if you had wanted," Wendle replied and used his magic to release Istrias' feet and pull the helpless wizard around, even while Stasia moved to stand closer to the Kardorian wizard.

"Dorgred thought I was pretty and that was fine while Palose ignores me for Sylvaine, but that didn't mean I wanted to run away with him. You could show me more attention and make it better too, you know. Talia doesn't seem to care one way or another."

Istrias caught the looks of a wizard probably younger than himself. The young man was taller than the wizard from Hala with thick, dark hair and a strong nose. Not truly handsome, Wendle wasn't ugly either; but the beautiful blonde seemed to be flirting with him, Istrias thought before wondering why he even cared.

He couldn't be jealous of the pair who had caught him for being a spy, could he? It was ridiculous, but then again he was the fool trapped in ice shackles freezing far from home and helpless because he had been distracted by a pretty face.

They guided him to a house not too far away. The map had a mark on it for a different reason; Istrias realized as he noticed where he was being taken. Marked in a different color from the other gates on the city map, there had been a note of one word on it, "Palose". He had been caught to be brought to the Betrayer, Istrias realized with dismay.

A shadow watched the wizard's capture and wondered if he could catch the captors by enough surprise to free the man. Sebastian had told him of the Betrayer's home and guests. It had been decided to avoid creating more of a commotion by simply avoiding them while the spies worked, but now after over two weeks' silence, a wizard arrived at one of the three meeting points just to be captured.

Where the mage had gotten off too was beyond Drayden, but maybe it was time to check on this Betrayer and his people? As long as he could catch them off guard, maybe it was time to turn the tables and get some answers while freeing the hapless wizard.

"Oh you poor boy, you look dreadful," Hilda said doting over her long term resident.

The woman proceeded to hug him so hard, that Sebastian thought that his ribs would crack again. At the moment, they were all intact; but they had been broken several times while under torture. Magic had been used to heal him so that he wouldn't die, but the pain often was meant to linger. Healing could be as painful as the original injury, if one wanted to torture a prisoner. It was something he hadn't thought about before, but Sebastian had experienced it for himself over and over.

"It isn't as bad as it looks, I don't think," Sebastian said breathlessly before the surprisingly strong inn keeper released him once more.

"Well, maybe a little bath wouldn't hurt," was the woman's reply after noticing the ripeness caused by over two weeks locked in a dungeon cell. "Why don't you go bathe and we'll have the kitchen whip up a small feast to get you back on your feet properly while you are gone?"

Feeling somewhat empty, the mage nodded and walked with Ashleen towards the stairs. Elzen and Serrena paused in the dining room with their newest member looking unsure of what to do.

Elzen tilted his head looking at the research wizard who had followed Sebastian looking a bit lost. "I'm surprised that you came with us instead of checking in with the local wizard's guild."

Still appearing rather possessive, Serrena nodded from beside the younger mage.

Smiling in a friendly way to boyish falcon, Zeria responded, "Deremas and Yenest said that I could report in the morning after I get settled, since they seem to have eased up about thinking Sebastian being controlled and such."

She was hugging her arms looking cold. Hala was much farther north as well as at a higher elevation making it much colder than New Harbor. Even those used to living there had felt the shock of returning to the cold weather so abruptly.

"You should probably get a warm jacket before you freeze to death," Elzen said noting her light wizard robes. She wore short boots at least, but the leather wasn't thick or water resistant. Her feet were still getting wet from the snow melting into the leather making them cold, though she was at least inside a warm building now. Sebastian had been no better clothed and Elzen had wondered at the odd combination of wizard like robes worn by his friend. "By the way, why is Bas dressed like that?"

Wincing at the question, which surprised the others, Zeria replied, "I believe those are the clothes that weren't covered in the blood of his torturers."

Serrena gasped before she realized it and hated giving this woman even that little edge on her.

Less affected by the news, Elzen asked, "They don't look like normal wizard robes to me. Who was torturing him?"

"I am not sure how much I should say to anyone outside of the wizards I will probably have to speak with about my involvement soon," the red haired researcher said and looked at the table closest to them. She was feeling tired as the thought of both her rescue and escape began to feel real to her. Her family had left New Harbor days ago based on her warnings and the signs already in the city. They weren't the first to flee what looked to be a changing of the guard.

The woman sat down on an open chair still rubbing her arms for warmth. Hilda must have noticed because suddenly her boys were feeding the fires in the fireplaces of the dining hall.

Elzen held Serrena's chair without thinking before sitting beside her. The fire wizard sat between them as if deciding to create a barrier between the two. Zeria noticed, but was unsure why the woman would feel that way. Her eyes could see the cues that the two were together.

The mage continued, "I think you might as well tell us. Bas will anyway, but I think his 'bath' will take awhile."

Zeria caught the insinuation that the owl would want to spend extra time with his pretty nurse, who had helped him up the stairs. Her eyes wandered in that direction unconsciously before looking at the young man in front of her.

Looking at Serrena a moment, the research wizard stated, "You can ease up, fire wizard. I'm not interested in your little mage. He's too young for me, maybe for you too."

Chuckling as Serrena turned red more from anger than embarrassment, Zeria wondered what the boyish falcon must be like to have won over the fire wizard. He was barely taller than Zeria, slim, but not unattractive, she thought. Still he didn't seem all that interesting, but then again love often made odd combinations among people.

Elzen sought to keep Serrena from releasing her temper on Sebastian's new friend and asked again, "So anyway, you helped Bas to escape?"

Shrugging, the woman replied, "Not exactly. They tried several things to break him. You can guess that anyone would want him to join their side. He's quite valuable just from the magical insight he has shown."

The woman paused and thought aloud, "I didn't exactly see much of what he could do really. I do know that our diplomacy specialist couldn't affect his mind at all. That caused quite a speed bump in the process intended to change him enough to make him join us."

"Who is this us?" Serrena questioned retaining a frown since Zeria had called into question their relationship. She was still trying to get used to it herself and didn't need this woman making her look a fool because of her interest in Elzen.

Again Zeria paused glancing around at the room. The dinner crowd was already beginning to arrive, but no one had sat too close just yet. "You know that things are changing in New Harbor. If you don't conform to those with the power, you find yourself with a collar around your neck sitting in a cell like Sebastian. They'll make you see their way or you'll likely die.

"Personally, I didn't have much choice. I also had family in the city that they could use against me. I just did my duty to those in control... until Sebastian freed me from that."

"What about your family?" Elzen asked with a frown at the brief revelation.

"They fled the city a few days ago. I just hope that they aren't hunted down because of me," Zeria said nervously thinking about the idea. She hoped that they had managed to get far enough away to escape the reach of the count and his people.

She continued, "Once Xaren failed, they beat Sebastian almost to the point of death a few times; but he never appeared ready to give up. He told me once that they would never be able to beat him because he still had hope. I didn't have any until he told me that. Following orders and keeping my head low had been my plan; but they thought he might find me pretty enough to convince him to fall for me, or something."

"Good luck on that," Elzen said scoffing at the idea. "Bas falls in love for only one woman at a time; even if there is an attraction to someone else he won't switch his allegiance. I guess that is kind of the way he is with Southwall too."

Zeria's eyes strayed to the stairs and the hall leading away into the second floor beyond. "I noticed that. He told me very little about her, but we had a few days alone for him to talk enough that I can tell that he loves her a lot. It must be nice," she added looking at the couple beside her.

Serrena blushed again and looked uncomfortable in her chair.

The research wizard continued without interruption. "Anyway, they would heal Sebastian if Civan beat him too hard. They didn't want to lose him because of an overzealous jailor who enjoys beating people. Healers were always near during that time, but they failed to budge him at all.

"I wasn't surprised, but I think that was done to try to get him to trust me more. I dressed to tease and seduce him. It was a different kind of torture, but I gave up almost immediately.

"Well, Sebastian stopped me, I suppose would be the more accurate way to tell it; but my heart wasn't into it either. He is too..."

Before the woman could search for the word, Serrena answered lifting her eyes away from Zeria as if looking to the clouds, "Noble?"

Nodding, Zeria replied, "That would definitely be a fitting word, though I guess we shouldn't say it too near an actual noble."

They laughed quietly. They had all come across nobles that didn't exemplify the meaning of the word, but that conversation was one best had in privacy just in case. Southwall was hardly known for oppressive nobles, but they could be touchy.

"Anyway, I began sneaking him extra food and drink. He rested up as best he could until they pulled me out for failing."

Elzen looked curious and interrupted with another question, "Didn't you worry that you might be punished for failing to do your job?"

Again the woman shrugged. "It didn't really matter. Xaren still lived, though he was found useless. Civan and his lackey weren't locked away or beaten either.

"It was a rather safe bet that they wouldn't risk losing people already proving themselves loyal to Count Terris. We might be admonished, but I didn't suspect that the third person to try would be in any more danger than the others.

"They brought in three wizards I didn't know after me. In fact, I thought that they were once prisoners. Sebastian made it sound like they had been anyway."

Looking inquisitive, Elzen asked, "What were their names?"

"Ileden, Wiler and Lorgan."

After a moment's thought, Elzen nodded. "At least two of those I remember from the strike Bas led to take down those men inciting rebellion in New Harbor. They were taken to the castle to be held there until they were judged."

"I guess the judgment went well for them," Zeria mused on the state of affairs in the distant city. "They became his torturers until the end. I tried to help him with more food. Unfortunately, I couldn't heal to do more; but he said that he had a plan.