Rider (Spirals of Destiny) (31 page)

He flicked his hand in irritation. “This displeases me. For your sake, I hope you have something else that does please me.”

Fear and humiliation swirled inside his rider. “I understand, Master. But I have brought you another battle maiden and her unicorn to join our ranks. She is one of our officers and an air maiden. Once she has been liberated, she will be a valuable asset.”

“Now that is good news, Danella. Your transgression is forgiven. Bring me my new warrior. Let us set her on the path to righteousness!”

Townsend was dragged in and over to the stone table. She cried out in pain as her arms were strapped down. The Master stood and descended the stairs. His acolyte, the man named Amir, hefted a large chest and opened it for his liege. A metal object, steaming with a thick, oily smoke was removed. It resembled a large incense burner. Glowing glyphs danced along the rusted surface and a rhythmic thumping sound was loud enough that he could hear it. Whatever was inside scared Majherri in ways the manticore couldn’t approach. It was blind terror … and something he had felt before!

The device was placed into the circular inset on the table and two soldiers forced Townsend’s head over it. The woman screamed and choked on the vapors.

“Easy, boy,” Danella tried to calm him, but he wanted to leave the tent and was pulling her.

“Calm down, now! Be still!” He felt her force of will, backed by whatever magic she now possessed, overpower him through their bond. His resistance crumbled and could only stand there and observe the thrashing air maiden.

It went on for a few minutes before the wizard said, “Enough for today. You will eventually surrender to my control. I look forward to breaking you.”

“Never!” Townsend spat bile at his feet.

“Such a brave woman – I salute your spirit, but you are delusional. Would you care to know what this is?” The Master asked gesturing to the object on the table. “It is the still beating heart of a nether-beast. The magic will corrupt you, just as it did Danella and the other seven of your sister warriors that fight alongside my army at this very moment. Soon, you will beg to join my cause. Guards, take her away. She needs to recover her strength before her next treatment.”

Even Danella’s willpower couldn’t stop Majherri from rearing. This wizard had done the unthinkable and opened a rift to the nether realms!

The Master stopped and looked at Majherri. The eyes probed his soul. “Ah, you don’t like it, Majherri. Bring him closer.”

Danella commanded and his hooves grudgingly responded to her orders. The putrid smell made him nauseous. He looked into the metal container and saw the heart of darkness. The color was such a deep red that it was almost black. The thumping grew louder until it seemed like it was penetrating his body. Even so, Majherri’s eyes were drawn to a tiny sliver of white piercing the infernal organ. The area around that piece of bone dripped ichor that hissed and pooled in the bottom of the cistern. Majherri quivered, both in rage and terror, as the flood of memories rushed back to him – the battle, the beast that wouldn’t die, even with his horn piercing its chest. That tiny piece of bone … it would fit perfectly where the crack in his horn was.

His angry words slithered past the pounding in Majherri’s ears. “Were it not for Danella’s loyalty, you would already be killed, unicorn. Fortunately the beast has two more hearts, but the wound you inflicted forced me to send it back through the rift, where it recovers and waits for the stars to align. Your great victory was only a minor delay. Soon, I will call that beast back to me and the world will know that Count Darius has risen again. You’d best prove yourself worthy, Majherri. When my nether-beast returns, it will be hungry.”

A line of humans were paraded in, all to kneel before the heart of darkness. Some succumbed almost immediately, while others fought against the control. Majherri wanted nothing more than to destroy that abomination, but Danella’s control made it impossible.

The sand sorcerer motioned for his rider and she approached the scrying glass. Majherri tried to look around her, but couldn’t. He did hear the man’s cryptic words.

“Lady warrior, you may have a problem.”

She woke to the relentless heat of the morning sun. Devastation surrounded her. The rocks bore horrible scorch marks and other than the patch of sand under her body, the nearby dessert had been turned into a sheet of glass. Her hand was sore from clutching the dagger for so long.

Kayleigh’s clothes were in tatters and her dented and discarded helmet was partially melted. Choking back the bile in her throat, she looked at the bodies of the sand troll and the nomad warriors. Her explosion had taken them all out.

Forcing herself up, she staggered across the destruction. The weight of her steps cracked the glass sheet she’d created. She looked for anything salvageable, especially water canteens. There were a few weapons, but no water.

“All this!” She exclaimed to the heavens above. “All this and I’m still going to die in this cursed desert!”

The burning sun seemed not to care about her fate.

It felt foolish to continue speaking to the desert, but she did anyway. “I did fire magic, without my unicorn! I think I even did some water magic … hey, wait just a minute! If I did that, maybe I can do another water trick.”

She cupped her hands together like she had seen Amanda Edwards do before and concentrated. Nothing happened for a moment, but then it felt as if the air was hotter and drier than before. This was offset by the dampness on her palms. Skeptically, she opened one eye and saw her hand was half-full with liquid. It was ambrosia to her parched mouth.

Walking twenty paces, she repeated her actions and was rewarded with a second handful of water. Her immediate problem was solved, but it once again raised questions about how she was able to do any magic, let alone water magic, without a unicorn. She searched for traces of the bond she shared with Majherri. There was only her end, broken and frayed.

“Maybe I was really supposed to be a water maiden and it was only Danella’s interference? Wouldn’t Captain Lynch be shocked? No, that still doesn’t fit. I can still do fire magic and it still doesn’t explain where the magic is coming from. The only people who can do magic on there own, without a magical creature to draw on are … no, that doesn’t make sense. I couldn’t be! Could I? Am I a sorceress? Does that mean I’m really not a battle maiden after all?”

The sun, the sand, and the bodies of the slain did not answer her questions. Kayleigh knew that whatever she was, this wasn’t the place to ponder it. She needed to get moving and looked at her two choices.

She summoned another handful of water and drank it.
In that direction is Danella, Majherri, this Master person, and a large army. Maybe I could disguise myself and follow the tracks and try to free Majherri and the lieutenant. What are the odds I’ll survive? Not very good.

Frowning, she looked back over her shoulder. Behind me are seven trainees and a friend. Their only crime was being in the Portal when Danella summoned Majherri to her. I should rejoin them and see them safely out of this desert. If I really am a sorceress, I’ll need to learn how to use my powers before I confront Danella again.

“I’m sorry, Majherri. Saving you will have to wait. Now, all I need is a way to travel faster.”

The desert answered as two horseback riders appeared on a nearby dune. They pulled out spears and raced toward her.

Next time, I’ll be a bit more specific in my request! But they do have horses.

Kayleigh reflected on the changes in her over the last months and, more importantly, the last few days. If this were still Helden, she’d be running in terror and looking for a place to hide. Now, she was already wondering what supplies these riders had.

A burst of flame from her outstretched hand made both horses rear. One rider was thrown and she hurled her dagger at the second nomad. The blade struck true and the warrior fell to the ground.

The first nomad grabbed his spear and jumped to his feat as Kayleigh reformed the flaming blade in her hand. She looked into his eyes and saw they were normal, not pools of darkness. They were also full of fear. He was just a normal man, maybe even a boy.

She knew she was could kill him, but she didn’t have to. Kayleigh needed to make certain she was still capable of mercy. Making the fire around her knife larger she said, “There’s been enough killing. If you get back up on that horse and ride away, you can live. Otherwise, you will die.”

The nomad warrior lowered his spear and nodded. He backed away and grabbed for the reins of his horse.

“Wise decision. Assuming you tell them that I am still alive, tell Danella Lynch to start looking over her shoulder. I
will
find her one day and I
will
take Majherri back from her.”

“I will deliver your message,” he said quietly.

“Why do you fight for this Master?”

“He promises our people a better place in this world. He will lead us out of the desert and to a fertile land.”

Her studies of leaders at The Academy came to mind. This was usually the hollow promise of someone who had no intention of keeping it. Yet people still fall prey to that lie. “You realize someone is probably already living in that fertile land?”

“You say my people do not deserve a better life, witch!” The rider growled his reply.

“A better life is earned. It can not be taken.” Kayleigh quoted General Jyslin and wasn’t sure how to react to being called a witch. If her suspicions were correct, she would have to get used to people calling her that.

The horseman turned and rode away as Kayleigh ensured the other rider was dead and tried to approach the remaining horse. The next ten minutes proved laughable as she attempted to get the reins. The horse was a female and finally let her near when Kayleigh summoned some water for it.

Swinging herself into the saddle, she saw water skins and a sack of dried meat and fruit. Uncertain of what the source of the meat was, she selected some of the fruit and put it in her mouth. The brown horse just stood there. She’d forgotten that a horse wasn’t an intelligent unicorn.

“Oh right. Sorry, I’ve never really ridden a horse before. Alright, how do I make you go forward?”

Using her new abilities, she was able to make good time and keep both her and the horse she’d named “Brownie” watered. As expected, the trainees and Annabeth were nowhere in sight when she reached the previous campsite. Her clothes and other items were still there and Kayleigh could change out of the tattered rags she wore. Resting the horse, she waited for nightfall.

As the sun set, Kayleigh followed the tracks of the party. They were probably a full day ahead of her and she really wasn’t able to fall asleep. Although, she was able to keep the horse watered, and that meant she should be able to gain ground on them.

She tried talking to the horse. It was lonely without the emotions of a bond and no other human company. Riding through the night, Kayleigh felt small and insignificant in the vast wasteland. As the sun came up, she prepared to stop, but noticed birds circling a few miles ahead. Fear replenished her fatigue as she kicked the beast into a gallop.

Please don’t let it be them! Please don’t let it be them!

She chanted that mantra as she covered the distance. Worst case scenarios ran through her mind like wild fire.

In the flatland in front of her, were the bodies of a dozen nomads. That wasn’t the sight that sent a chill through her. What did was the lone unicorn standing over an unmoving body. Tears were forming and she didn’t even know who it was yet.

With a heavy heart, she rode into the battle scene. The unicorn wasn’t well and lowered its horn in a defensive manner as she approached.

The knot in Kayleigh’s throat grew when she recognized the male unicorn. It was Rheysurrah. She dismounted and fell to her knees.

The tears lasted for minutes. The blame would last much longer. From the look in Rheysurrah’s eyes, he blamed her as well. Kayleigh rose and walked to the body of her friend. The logical part of her mind reconstructed the battle scene. From the few bedrolls strewn over the ground, they were attacked while camping. Annabeth would have ordered the girls to run while she held them off. A glance at the tracks leading away showed that Annabeth had been successful, but paid the ultimate price.

She leaned down and closed the woman’s eyes. “I’m so sorry, Rheysurrah. Maybe if I’d been here, this wouldn’t have happened. This was all one horrible trap. Majherri’s first rider never died. She’s a thrall of this master person and they did something to make the Portal bring us here to the west. She snapped my bond with Majherri and took him with her. I could feel him fighting it, but she was too powerful. They captured Lieutenant Townsend and her unicorn. Did the rest of the trainees get away?”

The unicorn nodded.

At least Annabeth didn’t die in vain.

“We can take her someplace better. I don’t want to leave her or you out here in this forsaken place. I’ll clean her up and tie her to you. Is that what you want?”

Again, Rheysurrah nodded. He seemed indifferent to her, which was a change from the earlier harsh gaze.

She removed the arrows from Annabeth’s body and hoisted her onto Rheysurrah’s saddle. It was difficult for her to do by herself and the effort left her panting. Clasping her hands together, she summoned water. Rheysurrah looked at her intently.