Prince of Fire (29 page)

The creatures dragged a tightly bound Joryn out of the cave and into the almost-dawn of his last day on earth. Another waited for their exit, a smug creature Joryn recognized as the mutant who could speak. One arm was sloppily immobilized, as if the monster had been wounded and then hastily tended.

Joryn's ankles and hands were trussed so tightly he could barely move. He was dragged along die ground, and one of the monsters kicked him repeatedly with a large, somewhat hairy foot. After a while, the creature who had been waiting for them to exit the cave spoke, his words muddy as before.

"I don car if you hurt hm, but don kill hm. It is not hsss time."

The monster above Joryn grumbled and growled, and then delivered one last kick.

Joryn twisted his head to see what was happening to Druson. The man who was now the Grandfather, a spiritual leader who should be protected by all Caradon, was dragged unceremoniously from the cave by the single creature who had bound him. He screamed and then mumbled in confusion. Most of his words were unintelligible, but now and then Joryn caught a word or two that made some sense to anyone who might be listening.

The wizard could not know what his beasts had found. Druson possessed powers and knowledge even he did not yet realize, and for him to fall into the hands of someone who would use that knowledge for evil was unthinkable.

"Say nothing," Joryn instructed, shouting to be heard above the creatures' delighted growls and Druson's latest scream of protest. "Say
nothing!"

Druson's eyes caught Joryn's, and in spite of his obviously fragile mental state, he nodded in agreement. Perhaps his friend was not entirely insane, after all.

"The Red Keen wus right," the creature in charge said. "She tuld uz where tu fine yu, so clear dat a chile could've foun' yu an' yur frien'." His furry nose wrinkled. "She wus wrong 'bout yur frien's age, but I spose e'en a great seer iz 'lowed a mistake now and den."

He must be lying. Keelia would not have betrayed him. Not unless ... Not unless they'd tortured her. Hurt her. They'd forced her to betray him somehow.

The creature above kicked once more, this time with Joryn's head as his target. Just before darkness descended, one thought rang in Joryn's brain.

What had they done to Keelia?

14

At last all was relatively peaceable. Ariana had explained to her parents that she and Sian were married in her heart and mind, and when the time was right, they'd also marry legally. Her mother understood. Her father, like Sian, seemed to place a lot of importance on legalities.

She should've known that the first thing her father would ask Sian was if he'd done right by his daughter. The chokers had been a dead giveaway that something was going on. Now she'd have both her father and Sian pushing her to take the next step.

It was difficult to explain to anyone that she didn't want to say her vows in the midst of war, but wished to wait until she was surrounded by harmony and untarnished love. Right now, Ciro and his Own tarnished everything in Columbyana. The more Ariana learned to manipulate energy with her magic, the more she appreciated the importance of energy. It was present in all things at all times, and it was always flavored in some way. Dark, light, and everything in between.

She wanted to marry Sian, but not with this flavor to the world.

Merin's army was much larger and well armed than it had been just two months earlier. Tonight was their assigned meeting time, and although it was early in the day, the soldiers had begun to arrive. Alone, in small groups, in organized militias, they came. Some were on foot; others rode fine horses. All were solemn and prepared to fight against an evil they had never imagined before this moment. With each coming, she felt the hope in her heart grow. All was not entirely lost as it had once seemed to be.

Merin approached her as he had often during die morning. Without greeting or preamble, he spoke. "I have news from a recent arrival, sister. Ciro's army has been camped four days' hard ride from here, apparently training, after being defeated in a small village on their way to Arthes."

Hope.
"So, he's not made his way to his father yet."

"No, thank the heavens. If the emperor did not succumb to his illness since our departure from the palace, then he lives and the capital city remains ours."

But for how long? If Ciro took the palace, it would be very difficult to get him and his
men out.
Those who did not understand what he had become might even support his position there as Arik's only son. Well, only legitimate and
known
son.

Sian did not want to be emperor. He did not even want others to know of his true parentage. But if Sebestyen's sons were not found, what choice did he have?

There were still many hours of the day remaining before the sun set and the full moon rose. In that time, more soldiers would come. More trained and untrained fighters ready for battle would join the side of right.

Did Ciro's army grow as well? Ariana did not possess her cousin's psychic powers, but she suspected that was the case.

* * * * *

"Come, love, and see what we have found."

Keelia allowed Maccus to take her arm and lead her to a small, pleasantly chilly chamber in the cave home she now thought of as her own. Two men were imprisoned there. A man with dark hair liberally shot with gray, a man she did not know, was shackled. Heavy chains that were anchored in the wall were attached to leg irons, but his hands were free.

The other prisoner was familiar to her. Joryn was more staunchly restrained than his companion, with his hands and his feet immobilized. His face and arms were cut, and blood stained his brown trousers. He looked at her so hard, she felt that odd twitch once again. Looking at him made her dizzy, so she closed her eyes.

"Does he frighten you?" Maccus asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes," she whispered.

"In order for us to do what must be done, you must look at him, love. You must not let him make you afraid."

Joryn spoke, his words soft. "Keelia, what have they done to you?"

She did not open her eyes, but those words touched her inside in a place that was sleeping. Sleeping or dead? She could not be sure, but there was a numbness inside her that tingled at Joryn's voice. She had once thought herself in love with him.

"Open your eyes," Maccus ordered, and Keelia obeyed. It was as if she had no choice. "Look at the man we have captured."

Her eyes scanned him from head to toe. Yes, she had loved him once, but no more. He'd refused her when she'd needed him. He'd told her he could never love her. Maccus loved her.

"Keelia " Joryn whispered, and her heart twitched.

"Speak again, and I will have your mouth stuffed with rocks and bound with the skin of your useless little friend." Maccus nodded at the other prisoner, the one Keelia did not know.

Joryn's lips thinned and his mouth clamped shut. He wanted to speak, but would not for fear that Maccus would do as he threatened. The prisoner remained silent, but a distant voice whispered in her head. She had to strain to hear the words.

Snap out of it, Keelia.

Joryn's voice was almost real, but his mouth didn't move, and Maccus obviously heard nothing. In fact, the wizard continued to speak, taunting his prisoner.

Keelia answered silently.
Snap out of what? I am well. I am more well than I have ever been.
Something deep within her recognized that as a lie.

You're enchanted. You're not yourself I can see it in your eyes.

My eyes are fine.

Your eyes are dull and distant,
Joryn insisted, still inside her head.
They are not the eyes I came to love.

Love?

Yes, love.
There was a bitter tone to those words, even in thought. He did not want to love her, or anyone else.

Why can I hear you inside my head?

For a moment there was no answer, and then a terse,
Because I am your mate, Keelia. Because we are linked in all ways.

Maccus is my mate.
Again, a warning tingle suffused her body.
Tonight we will make a child beneath the full moon.

Joryn yanked at his chains, but they did not come loose.
Impossible. You have the power to remain human beneath the moon, but this mad wizard does not. He will be in mountain cat form. Besides, your fertile time has passed.

He said it does not matter. He will be elevated, and I will conceive.

Elevated? How?

I do not know.

Keelia, I...

The creature Keelia disliked so much entered the small room, and she was distracted. The voice in her head ended abruptly.

Maccus smiled at his servant. "I believe it is time. The moon will rise in a few hours."

Eneo bowed curtly, and when Maccus offered his arm, the mutant took it. When Maccus nodded once, the creature bent his head and bit hard into his master's arm. The wizard flinched, but he did not cry out. He closed his eyes and smiled as Eneo drew away.

"I can feel the poison coursing through my blood."

Keelia felt frozen. Numb, twitchy, and frozen.

Elevated, This man who said he loved her would turn into a monster beneath the full moon, and then they would be wed and mated.

The voice in her head returned, loud and insistent.
Run, Keelia. Run!

But she did not run. Her feet were frozen, as was her heart. She closed off the voice that tried to warn her, and retreated into the numbness where she felt safe and protected. She fiddled with the ring Maccus had given her, and when he leaned down to kiss her mouth, she did not protest.

But for a moment, just a moment, she smelled and tasted the prisoner Joryn, not the wizard who had promised to wed her when the moon rose.

* * * * *

In all Joryn's imaginings, he had never considered that the end would come so very badly. He was prepared for death. He had always been prepared for death. But to be imprisoned this way, helpless while Keelia was enchanted by the wizard and Druson was teetering on the edge of madness, was more horrible than a battle to the death.

He and Druson were alone in a prison not all that different from the one he'd prepared for Keelia, what seemed like a lifetime ago. He had not chained her, however. He had never mistreated her.