Fire Study - Study 03

CHAPTER 23

THE WORLD STIRRED. MY thoughts scattered and failed to connect. Warm hands guided me. Whenever the hands pulled away, the ground swelled and I tumbled off my feet.

I thought about the lack of fear for only a moment before the air spun around my head. Lying down felt best. I sensed movement and smelled horses.

Inside my chicken crate, I wondered what I was supposed to be doing. Important things? My mind chased the thought until the sunlight lit the dust motes. I studied the flecks floating above me. The flecks transformed into daggers. I wanted to knock them away. My hands stayed glued to my back. A leather strap lodged in my teeth. The problem disappeared with the sun.

Time ebbed and flowed. My crate opened. It closed. Faces peered. Mouths talked. Words chimed in my ears. Some like eat, drink and sleep I understood. Others resembled a baby’s babble. Goo-goo. Goo-goo. A prick on my arm or neck or back. The air filled with colors. My crate bobbed on an invisible sea.

A small lucid part of me wanted action. Freedom. Majority ruled and I let the world slide by me content in my crate. My crate. My crate. I giggled.

The fire woke me. A finger of flame poked. I jerked away, no longer inside my crate. My thoughts congealed into a coherent whole. The air became invisible, revealing my surroundings. I braced for another prick. When none came I focused. The booted feet of a couple guards stood near me. I lay on my side in front of a campfire. Darkness pressed against the firelight, and my hands were tied behind my back.

Actual conversation reached my ears. The baby babble was gone. But for how long? I coaxed my mind to think, but my thoughts remained sluggish.

A man’s voice. “Should not do this,” he said. “She should stay under until we reach our destination. Jal is the only one strong enough to counter her power.”

A familiar voice said, “I made a promise to her. I want her to know who has her, and what we plan to do to her.”

Footsteps approached and I tried to put a name to the familiar voice. My mind churned as if mired in river mud.

“Take the gag off,” Familiar Voice said from behind me.

One of the guards removed the leather strap. A mixture of pain and relief flowed into my cracked lips. I licked them, tasting blood. Other aches and cramps woke. Only the sight of a pair of black riding boots covered with dust could distract me from my medley of aches.

My gaze followed the boots up to jodhpurs that disappeared under a gray riding cloak. I squinted in the firelight, hoping the person in front of me was an illusion.

The cocky smirk caused my heart to stutter. And when he kicked me in the ribs, I knew all hopes for a pleasant reunion were gone. I coughed and wheezed as the pain shot through my body.

“That’s for hitting me with Curare!” He kicked me again. “And that’s just because I can.”

His words sounded thin and distant, reaching me through my efforts to reclaim my breath. He loomed over me. When the sharp pain dulled to a loud throb, I struggled to a sitting position. I glanced around. Four guards stood a few feet away and I counted three Daviian Vermin nearby, but I couldn’t tell if they were Warpers or not.

“Cahil,” I said between gasps. “You’re still…scared. Of me.”

He laughed. The washed-out blue of his eyes sparked with amusement.

“Yelena, you’re the one who should be scared.” He crouched down.

We were face-to-face. He held a dart between us. A drop of clear liquid hung from the end. Fear coiled in my stomach as I smelled the sweet odor. Curare. I tried not to let my terror show on my face.

“I allowed you this brief moment of lucidity. Listen closely. Remember what I said to you the last time we were together?”

“When you wanted to exchange me for Marrok?”

“No. When I promised to find a person who could defeat you and Valek. I’ve met with success. In fact, you have already had an encounter with my champion.”

“Ferde?” I played the simpleton to prolong the conversation, hoping my slow mind would produce a plan for escape.

“Act the fool, but I know better. My champion makes you sweat with fear and desire. The Fire Warper has been called to this world with one mission. To capture you. And you’re powerless against him.” Pure satisfaction shone on Cahil’s face. “I will deliver you to Jal and the Fire Warper. Jal will perform the Kirakawa ritual’s binding ceremony on you, taking your powers as the Fire Warper claims your soul.”

My mind buzzed with the need to stop him yet produced nothing intelligent. I couldn’t even connect with the power source. “And what do you get, Cahil?”

“I get to witness your death and watch your heart mate suffer before he meets the same end.”

“But Jal gains power. Do you really believe Jal will let you rule? And what about the Fire Warper? Do you think he’ll be content to go back after his task is complete?”

“He has come asking for you. Once he has you, he’ll go back. Then Jal rules Sitia, and I rule Ixia.”

I saw a faint trace of uncertainty in Cahil’s eyes. My mind pulled free from the mire of the goo-goo juice and I made a connection. “Before you said you called him. Now you say he has come. Which one is it?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes it does. If you called him, you have control over him.”

He shrugged. “Jal will deal with him. As long as I have Ixia. I don’t care.”

“You should care. The need for power is addicting. Ask your Daviian friends about the history of the Sandseed Clan and the Daviian Mountains. Then you’ll realize Jal won’t be content with just ruling Sitia. Once your usefulness is gone, you will be too.”

“You’re just trying to trick me. I know better than to listen to you.”

He tried to stab the dart into my throat. I fell back and pulled power as Cahil pinned me with his weight. With no time to think, I focused the magic on my neck as he jabbed the dart into my skin. Closing my eyes, I treated the area as I would an injury. In my mind’s eye, I saw the Curare as a pulsing red light, spreading through my throat. I used power to push the liquid back through the tiny hole in my skin. It trickled down the side of my neck.

My gaze met Cahil’s when I opened my eyes. He stared at me with a mixture of triumph and hatred.

Hoping he hadn’t seen the drug run out, I said, “Pay close attention, Cahil. You’ll see the truth.” I acted as if I had been paralyzed, unfocusing my eyes and letting my body go slack.

He grunted and stood. “I’ve seen the truth. That’s why I want you dead.”

The Vermin joined him next to the fire, and I watched them from the corner of my eye.

“I felt magic. Brief. Did she use her power on you?” one of the Vermin asked Cahil.

“No. I got her in time.”

They discussed their plans for leaving in the morning.

When the others moved to set up camp, Cahil said, “I should kill her now.”

Alarmed replies told him it would be imprudent. For the first time ever, I agreed with the Vermin.

“Jal needs her and we do not wish to infuriate the Fire Warper,” another said.

“Why should I care about infuriating the Fire Warper?” Cahil asked. “I’m in charge. He should answer to me. He should worry about infuriating me, especially after the fiasco in the jungle.”

Soothing words were muttered.

“Put her back in the box,” Cahil finally said. “Secure it, just in case we encounter trouble.”

Two of the Vermin lifted me. I concentrated on being a dead weight. My hands were tied and I couldn’t use magic without alerting them. I knew one of the three was a Warper but was unsure about the other two. At this point I needed more information. I decided to wait for a better opportunity and hoped I would get one.

The Vermin climbed onto a cart, dropped me into a crate and shut the lid. In the darkness the sound of metal latches being closed grated on my skin. I bit down on a cry of dismay when the snap of three locks sounded. The coffin-shaped crate seemed to press into me, and I drew in a couple of calming breaths. My gaze found the small slit between the boards, allowing air to come in. And light. The faint flicker of firelight seeped through the cracks.

I wiggled into a more comfortable position. My mind raced over my limited options. Magic remained my only weapon. The desire to project my awareness and scan my surroundings pulled at me, but I knew if they discovered I wasn’t drugged, all possibility of escape would be gone. Would the Warper feel my power while he slept? Could I put the Vermin and Cahil into a deep sleep? I would still be locked in a box, but I could call someone to break me out.

Who? Only a fellow magician could hear my mental call, and I had no idea where I was. If I was lucky enough to find a local citizen, perhaps I could discover my location.

Unable to plan a course of action, I marveled over my ability to push the drug out of my body. Had I known I possessed that skill, I wouldn’t be in this situation. And my problems with Curare, sleeping potion and goo-goo juice were solved. Although it was hard to celebrate when locked in a box.

Ever since I went to Sitia, all I wanted was to learn about magic, to discover the extent of my powers and be reacquainted with my family. Events conspired against me and I had hardly had time to catch my breath, let alone spend time exploring my magic.

Pushing the Curare out of my body was a new wrinkle. My abilities only affected living things, since my magic didn’t move the drug; it must have made the muscles in my body do the work.

Desperation and raw instinct had gotten me this far. I hoped it would carry me through, and as much as I disliked using it, magic was unavoidable. If I was lucky enough to survive this, I planned to retire as a Soulfinder and limit my magic to only communicating with Kiki. I wondered if she knew I’d been taken. Did Valek know? And what about Star’s role in all this?

Too many questions without answers swirled in my mind. Eventually, my thoughts bounced back to the need to do something soon, because I sensed being delivered to the Fire Warper would be the ultimate end.

“Let’s get moving. If we push, we can reach the Avibian border by sundown.”

Cahil’s voice woke me from a light doze. A few disorienting seconds passed before I remembered my predicament and his words sank in. Shock followed understanding. We were in Sitia. I must have been under the influence of the goo-goo juice for days. Where was Valek? So much for my promise not to go to Sitia without him.

“Should we check on her?” a voice with an Ixian accent asked.

“No. She’s under Curare now. She can’t do anything besides breathe until the potion wears off,” Cahil answered. “Finish feeding the girls. We’ll let the juice wear off before we prepare them for the ritual.”

The girls? I peered through one of the slits in my crate. Another crate lay beside mine. My stomach turned to ice. How many and could I help them? I suppressed a hollow laugh. Here I was trying to save others while locked in a box.

Two lids slammed then the crate lurched forward. The sound of trotting horses added to the rumble of the wagon. We were on our way.

My body went through a gamut of emotions as the day passed. Sometimes terrified, sometimes hopeful and sometimes bored, I even listed an inventory of woes. Thirsty, hungry, aching ribs, numb hands, sore muscles and a burning cramp between my shoulder blades. With the noise of our travel masking my movements, I attempted to alleviate some of my misery. I squirmed and wiggled until I managed to squeeze my body and legs through my arms. The benefits of keeping limber and being small became apparent as I succeeded in bringing my tied hands to the front of my body. I almost groaned aloud when cool relief spread over my back.

Having my hands in front allowed me to explore. I patted my right thigh, checking for my switchblade. No luck. Even the holder had been removed. I stared at the knots on the leather straps binding my hands and pulled at them with my teeth. I untied a few before the wagon stopped, but I decided to keep working, risking discovery.

“We’ll camp here,” Cahil said. “When you’re done setting up, let the girls out. They should be lucid by now and you can get them ready for the Kirakawa tomorrow.”

“What about the Soulfinder?” one of the Vermin asked.

“Drakke will give her another dose tonight. Too much Curare could stop her heart,” Cahil replied.

I listened to the sounds of the men in the camp as I continued to gnaw and pull at my bindings. The smell of roasting meat stole into my crate. My stomach grumbled with alarming loudness. After a while, two crates were opened and two scared voices asked questions. By the brief flash of a red jumper through the slits in my box, I guessed the girls were the students from Ixia. Liv and Kieran. My heart went out to them.

Again I wondered how the Vermin and Cahil had managed to smuggle us all out of Ixia. Perhaps the Vermin had posed as traders taking a wagonload of goods across the border.

I caught glimpses of the camp. A tent had been erected and I counted four guards and three Vermin. Some of the guards I recognized as Cahil’s men, while two looked unfamiliar. All were armed with swords or scimitars. I searched for some sign of my backpack. The limited view hindered me, although I guessed my pack would be found with Cahil.

The daylight faded, and I renewed my efforts on the leather strips around my wrists. Each shrill scream from one of the girls spurred me on. I ignored the pain, the smell of fear and the metallic taste of blood as I yanked at the knots. Cahil had mentioned a ritual tomorrow. Tonight would be my only chance to escape.

The last knot proved impossible to untie, but my spit had soaked the leather enough to give a little when I moved. I pulled my hand through the last loop, scraping off a layer of skin in the process. Panting with relief, I relaxed and waited for my crate to open.

My plan was simple, with as much chance for failure as for success. Time moved at a glacial pace. Years crept by. When the rasp and click of the lock finally sounded, I laced my hands behind my back and froze.

A soft yellow glow of firelight reflected off the Vermin who opened my crate. He lifted the lid up with one hand and reached toward me with the other. He held a tiny dart between his finger and thumb.

I moved.

Grabbing his hand in both of mine, I yanked him toward me, unbalancing him. He grunted with surprise. His weight came forward. I bent his hand back and shoved the dart into the Vermin’s shoulder. Letting go of his hand, I covered his mouth to stifle his yell.

Mere seconds later the Curare paralyzed his muscles. The lid rested on his back and his body leaned on my chest. Knowing I probably had seconds before someone discovered us, I pulled the rest of him inside my box. An awkward, difficult maneuver to do while trying to keep the lid from slamming down.

Once the Vermin joined me, I wriggled from under his body and lifted the lid to peek out. The guards remained by the fire, but the other two Vermin were out of sight. The two girls had been stripped and tied down by the fire. Bloody cuts lined their arms and legs. There was nothing I could do for them right now. One problem at a time.

I slid down to the end of my crate and considered my options. Try to sneak out of the box and slip into the night or just shove the lid up and make a run for it?

What I really needed was a distraction, but that involved magic. By the time they figured out the magic came from me, I would be gone. I hoped.

A flicker of black above the campfire gave me an idea. Pulling a strand of power as thin as a spider’s silk, I projected my mind toward the bat. He flew through the hot, insect-filled air rising from the flames. I tapped into the collective consciousness of his fellow bats and sent them all an image. An image of insects covering the men below. Large juicy crawling things. Easy picking for a mass of hungry bats.

Black shapes swooped down from the sky. The guards yelled and swung their arms around. Cahil and the Warper exited the tent to investigate. The Warper yelled about magic, but his words were cut off as the bats attacked.

I pushed the lid wide and hopped out. After a quick glance to make sure no one had noticed me, I stepped off the wagon and bolted for the darkness, keeping the wagon between me and the campfire.

I encountered the third Vermin who had been tending the horses. Prepared for my approach, he had pulled his scimitar. With a gesture of his weapon magic slammed through my mental defenses and my body froze. Another Warper. I cursed as he called for his companions. Then I realized he didn’t have control of my mind. I projected to the two horses.

Tired, sore and unsettled by the smell of blood, the horses welcomed my contact. I appealed to them for help.

Bad men want to hurt me, I said in their minds.

Kick?

Please.

The one horse backed up. With a blur of motion, the Warper went flying. As soon as the man’s head slammed into the ground, he lost consciousness, releasing his magical hold on me.

Thank you. I ran.

Kick others?

Sounds of pursuit drew closer. The bats had lost their insect image when I switched my efforts to the horses.

If you can, I said, increasing my speed. Shouts of surprise reached my ears. I glanced over my shoulder. Four figures still chased me. The terrain remained flat and featureless, as if part of the Avibian Plains. A black bulge in the distance looked promising. Perhaps it was a cluster of trees.

The men gained on me. My hopes to reach cover faded with every step.

I pulled power and planned to baffle my pursuers’ minds, betting my life on the pure conjecture that I possessed the ability to project confusing images into four minds in rapid succession.

A figure on horseback approached from the left, aiming for me. I caught a glint of moonlight off a sword. My options dwindled to either bewildering the men or stopping the horse.

My chances of success went from doubtful to none when a cold sting pricked my back.