Pixilated (21 page)

"Is there anything useful we can learn
here?"

"It looks like he was taken by a dozen men.
Maybe more. They came through the trees on foot and surrounded him.
Look at this." Chana picked up the overturned kettle, closed her
eyes, letting her mind flow back envisioning the attack. "The
captain is setting up the camp. He doesn’t hear them coming until
they are almost on top of him. What does he do? He is out numbered.
He knows we're tight on his tale. He does the safest thing for the
Wilderkin. He surrenders."

The First Lieutenant digested this theory.
Pulling a map from his breast pocket, he consulted it briefly. The
location Kree had marked on it was the only likely place to take
prisoners. "Our mission, in that event, becomes extracting our
captain. We will swing around this ridgeline and come down on the
lodge, thereby gaining control of both the water course and the
high ground."

***

Kree’s head had exploded. Nothing else
accounted for such intense pain. He was sure should he open his
eyes he would discover little bits of his brain smeared across… He
moved his hand. Wood. Smooth wood. Little bits of his brain smeared
across a wood floor.

"You are whole," a voice said above him,
speaking heavily accented Elharan. "Let me say in defense of my
people, Hueil could have as easily called for your death. It is
within his Talent. Instead, he put you to sleep. I cannot guess why
you are in pain. You should not be."

Kree's eyelids cracked open just a little.
"That’s good to know."

The speaker crouched at his side peering
down at him, another amber-eyed Nhurstari with moonlight pale skin.
Sunlight coming in from somewhere overhead touched off bronze
highlights in the rich brown hair curling around his pointed ears.
He wore a pale green tunic of raw silk over dark green leggings and
soft butter-yellow leather boots. When the elf rose, he was tall in
the way Kree had come to expect of Nhurstari, but his lean body
gave him an unfinished look betraying youth. He bowed from the
waist. "Rian, Majority Apparent."

His accent made it sound like Ree-an. Kree
levered himself slowly to a sitting position and took the measure
of the young lord. His gaze traveled around the space they
occupied, a cellar of some sort, and touched on Fergus, Biggs and
four other Nhurstari before coming back to Rian. "You don’t look
all that apparent to me."

Rian gave no sign of offense, only a slight
lift of one shoulder, a curious bird-like tilt of his head. "You do
not look like a legendary warrior either, though your men say you
are."

So the Nhurstari lad gave as good as he got.
Kree snorted. He rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "That was
a very long time ago. I haven’t done much lately, but I take your
point. We are neither of us showing at our best just now." Gaining
his feet, he extended his hand. "Kree Fawr, Captain at Qets
Garrison." After a long pause, Rian shook his hand.

Kree flashed a crooked grin at his
Templemen. "I’m glad to see my mad gesture didn’t get the two of
you killed."

Biggs shrugged, nodding toward Rian. "Thank
him for that, boss. Turns out he’s a right fine healer."

"Blood talker." Rian corrected.

What place is this?

"We are imprisoned in the wine cellar below
my hunting lodge."

A glance at Rian brought a smile, showing
too many pointed white teeth for Kree’s comfort. The sunlight
steamed in narrow windows set near the ceiling.

What day is it?

"This is the morning of the second day since
you were taken." Rian gestured to the other Nhurstari. "These are
my companions. The twins are my cousins come down with me to greet
my betrothed, Eoin and Eamon."

Kree made it OH-in and AY-mun. They nodded
as one. Identical square-jawed young males clothed in russet tunics
over brown leggings and brown boots. their short-cropped hair fell
in jagged uneven spikes over their foreheads. They were the first
blond Nhurstari he had seen, and they were strikingly beautiful
fellows. They put him in mind of his first lieutenant who, by the
hells, should be somewhere around here by now.

"The big fellow over there is my brother,
Garen."

This elf was taller, broader, and more
mature than the other Nhurstari. His hair was the same warm brown
as Rian’s, but longer, held off his brow by a silver circlet. He
wore a short fur lined cape rakishly flipped over one shoulder. His
tunic was deep scarlet.

"And the elder in the corner is my mentor,
Alrick."

He must be older than dirt to look so worn
out.

Rian’s eyes went wide. He barked a laugh. A
moment passed and then another, he cocked his head again. "Who is
Katie?"

Kree’s mind flashed to Kayseri.

Another big toothy smile accompanied by
another of those slight pauses. "What is Katie?"

"His lady love."

Biggs swatted Fergus on the back of his
head.

"Well, she is." Fergus rubbed his head.

"That is for the boss to say, and for you to
stay clear of."

"Rian," Alrick's voice was as tarnished as
old silver to Kree's ears. Time had dimmed it, but he still heard
rich undertones. "The human is not telepathic. You are making him
uneasy answering questions he has not asked, and he reeks of ready
violence."

The young lord turned back to Kree, a look
of horror on his too perfect face. "I do apologize, Kree Fawr. I
did not mean to intrude upon your private thoughts." Rian shot a
helpless look at Alrick. "Are you certain? He is so loud. And he
knows something about Sandahl."

"Get out of his mind!" Alrick crossed the
room in a flash of speed Kree did not think possible in one so old
and laid a gnarled hand flat against Kree’s temple.
"Shelet,"

Magic tingled along Kree’s scalp. Grabbing
the elf by the throat, he held the elder off. "Don’t touch me."
Kree glared at the Nhurstari. "None of you touch me."

Rian sat down on a wine cask cradled his
head in his hands, and rocked slowly back and forth, while Alrick
made quick placating gestures. "Rian means no harm. The Majority
Apparent is young and extraordinarily telepathic. I took the
liberty of shielding you, since you do not seem to possess natural
shields. I only meant to help."

"The next one of you who helps me is going
to be picking his pointy teeth up off the floor." Kree glared
around.

"Take it easy, boss. They're solid."

One of Nhurstari twins, Eoin or Eamon, Kree
could not tell which handed him a cup of wine. "We are not trying
to anger you. Why would we? You killed a Nhurstari enchanter not
long since. I smell his death on you. These other humans are
fighters and they have killed, but you...your scent—Are you so
mighty a killer then?"

Rian jerked his head up. "A man cannot help
his scent, Eamon." He snuffed the air like a hound. "He reeks of
enchantment, not violence. We are smelling protection wards, I
think, although I don't recognize their making. Please sit down,
beloved cousin."

Kree drained the cup and set it on top of a
nearby cask. This meeting was going badly. He moistened his lips
and addressed himself to Rian. "Eamon is right. Several days ago,
I’ve lost track, I killed the Nhurstari who abducted Princess
Sandahl." Kree turned his attention to Eamon. "I don’t like being
called a killer unless I'm the one doing the calling. I am a
cavalryman, a soldier. I know Wilderkin don’t like the way I smell,
not even the ones I call friends. I can ask your pardon for it, but
as Prince Rian pointed out, I cannot change it."

"Just Rian." The elf motioned for more wine
for himself and for Kree. "What are Wilderkin? I don’t know this
term."

"It’s the term we humans give to your races.
It includes elves, pixies, and fairies, all your basic long-lived,
pointy-eared types. You asked me what Katie is. She is a
pixie-human hybrid with just a touch of elf thrown in on her
father’s side. She’s what the folks who locked you down here are
likely afraid will happen to your race if you go through with your
alliance with the Thallasi. Mostly, Katie is…someone I failed to
protect just as failed your little princess."

"Is Sandahl here?"

"Yeah, she's here. Your enemy has her."

"Then she shall be treated well. I thought
she traveled with Prince Eldren?"

"We lost him to a mercenary attack. I'm
sorry."

After a long pause, Rian took a sip of wine
and gave a wistful smile. "I saw your Katie in your mind, a dark
little beauty and very dear to you."

Kree eased himself onto a wine cask. "I wish
I knew if Katie is...treated well."

Rian tilted his head in that curious way of
his again. His amber eyes sparkled with a look Kree knew too well.
Mischief. "Can she hear you?"

A frown puckered Kree’s brow. He remembered
Kayseri and Eldren with their heads bent together talking without
words in the same unsettling way Rian had answered questions he had
not asked. He thought about of all the times she had used pixie
mischief to spy on him. "Absolutely not. And even if she could, I
can’t."

"But I can." Rian grinned. "I can act as a
conduit to anyone who has ever heard you. Does Sandahl hear
you?"

"I don’t know."

Rian smiled. "You are very loud. I do not
see how she could fail to hear you if only in passing. Would you
like me to try?"

Kree’s natural aversion to magic other than
Goddess magic made him hesitate, but his desire for news of Kayseri
overwhelmed his misgivings. "What would I have to do?"

"Open your mind. Show me a clear picture of
Sandahl. I have never seen her."

Easily done. Kree had years of military
discipline to draw on. He concentrated on Sandahl. Only
Sandahl.

An inner radiance lit Rian’s face. His
breath sucked in. "Oh. How pretty she is. I see you admire
her."

"Yeah, I do. She's a lot tougher than she
looks. You'll see. How’s this work?"

"If Sandahl touched your mind she left
trace. I will find it and follow it to her. The method is sort of
like tracking." Rian tilted his head, studying Kree’s expression.
"Be easy, Kree Fawr. Not all Nhurstari can do this. Perhaps Alrick
could, but I know of no other. I will speak aloud so you can hear,
and I will repeat her answers for you. However, I am not an
enchanter. I cannot cast. I will have to touch you. Most Nhurstari
work their talents through touch."

Kree offered his hand.

Rian expected to find a maze of trace in a
mind so open. To his surprise, he sensed himself, Alrick, an older
trace of a mature elf, and a soft recent trace of a young elf in
the image Kree held of Sandahl. He followed it.

"Sandahl?"

No response.

"Sandahl."

"Who are you?"

Rian was delighted. His princess was strong
and unafraid.
"Rian."

"Prince Rian? How?"

"Just Rian. I followed the trace you left
behind when you touched Kree Fawr. He doesn’t look happy about it.
I’ll remind him that without your small transgression, I would not
be able to ask his all-important question. How is his Katie?"

"She is well. We have been together since
the captain went crazy on the lawn. We are worried even though
Kayseri’s bond to him allowed us to know he was not dead."

Rian blinked.
"Bond?"
He met Kree’s
tense, eager gaze. "Your Katie is well. They are together."

"Do not tell him about the bond."

"Why not?"

Another pause.
"Kayseri does not want him
to know. It is a great mystery. That’s why I touched him. Please,
you must not tell him."

"Ask her where they are housed under what
sort of guard," Kree said.

Rian repeated the questions and answered.
"At the moment they are with Hueil in the great hall. They have the
upstairs corner bedchamber in the south wing. They are not locked
in, but they are guarded by Hueil's followers."

"Could Katie mischief her way out and find
Red Fist?"

Rian relayed the question and shook his
head. "Her talent is known to the man, Colt. He watches her."

"Colt is here. Something is happening."

Silence.

"Sandahl?"
Rian dropped Kree’s hand.
"She said the Colt person was there. She said something was
happening. She broke our connection."

"Get her back."

"I cannot. She’s gone." Rian heaved a sigh
and accepted the goblet of wine Alrick pressed into his hands.
"Sandahl has a strong beautiful essence. Alrick, what do you think
Hueil means to do with her?"

"I think Hueil means to raise our House to
Majority. Once done." The elder shrugged eloquently. "There will be
no reason for you to complete this abominable marriage, and he will
send the girl back to her people."

Kree gave a loud snort. "You think that old
man, if it gives you comfort. The truth is Hueil is going to kill
Rian and the princess or hold them captive indefinitely. I believe
he will kill them. Blame their deaths on humans and call for war.
It is a call Thallasi will answer." He rapped Rian’s knee with his
hand. "If this were my coup, I’d have killed you already. Dead
hostages are so much easier to handle. Hueil must have a compelling
reason for not doing so."

Rian stared at his mentor a long moment. "My
father negotiated a good match for me, Alrick. Now that I’ve talked
to the female and felt her promise, I want this match. She is
well-worth waiting for."

He paced the floor, his long fingered hands
folded into the small of his back. "My father still lives and the
council have not confirmed my succession. If I am not present to
press my claim, there will be other contenders. Of those, Hueil’s
House has the best connections. Beyond that, win or lose, he will
want to ransom me." Rian stopped pacing. "This is how Nhurstari
play the game of Houses or else we would revert to the old days of
endless blood feuds. Still, your perspective fills me with a
troubling vision, but what can I do?"