The Night Bird

CHAPTER 25 SHADOWS OF NIGHT

“The horses should be over there. The man spoke in a low, urgent voice.

The warriors stopped, and Allegra sagged in their grip, out of breath, barely able to draw in enough air past the gag. Dark bluffs surrounded them.

“I see the horses, Ozarson said. He sounded far away. “Two of them.

“Ill take you on one, the man told him with respect. He turned toward the other soldier. “You can bring her.

“Allegra? Ozarson said from somewhere. “Are you there?

“Shes here, the man said.

Her stifled protest was almost soundless. With her wrists tied behind her back, she couldnt use her arms, so she twisted her shoulders back and forth, trying to free herself. One of the men put his arms around her, his front to her back, holding her still while the other man disappeared into the darkness. A horse snorted, and someone spoke in a low voice. Allegra caught bits and pieces: “leave saddleriding blanketHold the reins, Your Majesty.

The man reappeared out of the shadows, walking a horse without a rider. “Here, Zeik. He handed the reins to the man with Allegra. “You can take her in.

No! Allegra redoubled her efforts to twist free.

The man holding her, Zeik apparently, handed her to the other man. She kicked at him, and her foot hit a boot, then his knee. He swore under his breath and pulled her hard against him so she couldnt kick.

Zeik swung onto the horse. He reached down, and the other man lifted Allegra up to him. She wrenched back and forth, fighting them. The gag muffled her shouts, but in the silence of the night, even her grunts were audible. She twisted hard and began to slide off the horse. Zeik hauled her back up, then dragged her leg across the animal so she sat astride in front of him. He clamped his arms around her torso to hold her in place.

“You got her? the man on the ground asked.

“Fine. Zeik sounded out of breath. “We should split up. It will increase the chance that at least one of us gets through.

“Dragon willing, well both make it. Good luck.

“And you. Then Zeik set off through the night.

Allegra eventually wore herself out struggling and sagged in Zeiks hold with her head hanging down. As exhaustion caught up with her, nightmarish images flickered in her mind. Over and over, she remembered the man next to her collapsing in the dirt, an arrow in his neck as he died.

Her jaws ached. As soon as Zeik had a chance, he readjusted the gag so the leather ball settled firmly in her mouth, filling it and pushing down her tongue. He did something with the straps, locking them behind her head. When he finished, she doubted she could have taken the thing off even if she had her hands free. They had figured out too well how to “disarm what they considered a weaponher ability to do spells.

The pound of hooves sounded nearby, several horses perhaps. Zeik guided his mount behind a large bluff that rose as a darker shadow in the night. He laid the blade of a dagger flat against her neck. “Hold still. No noise.

Allegra barely breathed. After the riders passed, Zeik set off crossways on a steep hill instead of riding down to flatter land. His horse had to step carefully on the precarious slope. At first she hoped the slower pace would make them easier to catch. She soon realized why he had done it, though; no other riders were up here.

After a while, Zeik said, “I know youre evil. A witch. If you could sing, you would curse my soul. He shifted her in his arms. “But hell, I cant help it, you just seem like a frightened girl to me, one whos so pretty, men cant think straight around her. Even powerful men. Then he muttered, “Especially them. Theyre used to getting what they want. But even when they have you, they dont.

She had no idea what he meant by the last statement, but he had it right about one thing: She was frightened. Terrified.

Some time later, he said, “The General is a good commander. Harsh, its true. But a man must be harsh to conquer the barrens of Jazid. He pulled our forces together out of nothing. He gave us hope when we had none. He brought the atajazid and Prince Markus to freedom. Its my honor to follow him. He sounded as if he were arguing with himself. “Nor is he weakened by sentiments that would undercut his strength.

Allegra didnt doubt he felt what he said. But she wondered whom he was trying to convinceher or himself.

They were riding around a jumble of rocks when he brushed back her hair and leaned down so his lips touched her cheek. “Still, if I had a woman like you, I would never hurt her.

Then dont take me to Yargazon, she tried to say. It came out as a faint, scared sound.

“Dont cry. He sounded miserable. Then he gave an angry whistle. “Damn it, stop weakening me! After that, he said no more.

Eventually they reached flatter land. He made an odd noise, like the call of a blackwing hawk. As they continued on, another call drifted on the air. A rider appeared out of the darkness, almost upon them before Allegra realized he was there.

“Zeik, the newcomer said.

“Its me, Zeik said.

The other man, apparently a sentry, exhaled. “The dragon has blessed us twice this night.

“Twice? Zeik asked. “Did the atajazid make it back?

“He did indeed. The sentrys tone lightened as he rode with them. “Weve been quiet, no noises, but the men are rejoicing.

“At least some good came of this night.

“What happened with the raid?

“Everyone else in the tent escaped, Zeik said sourly. “As soon as they started to disperse, we attacked.

“Only two of you have made it back. The sentry sounded subdued. “It looks like all the rest were killed.

“Its a sad business, Zeik said. “But they died for the atajazid, that he could go free.

Tears gathered in Allegras eyes. Yargazons plan had failedalmost. In the greater scheme of these history-making events, she was nothing, just one girl with a bit of mage power. Whether she ended up in Jazid or Aronsdale made little difference in the long view. It mattered only to her, who would suffer the brutal consequences of her capture, one small victory in a failed attempt to murder all the leaders of the settled lands.

They reached the Jazid camp and rode among shadowed tents. Sentries passed them, patrolling in the dark, and the one escorting them quietly sent another soldier out to keep his watch. He took Zeik deeper into the camp, past other guards. Ahead, a dim light grew larger. They were approaching a tent whose sides glowed from the inside. As Zeik reined in his horse, a stable boy ran to them.

Zeik dismounted, then reached up and pulled Allegra off the horse. The dodecahedron in her pocket jabbed her thigh as the tunic hiked over her leg. Zeik put her on her feet, and for a moment he kept holding her, even though she was neither falling nor fighting.

The sentry jumped down and handed his reins to the stable boy. As the youth led away the horses, Zeik took her arm. “Come. The General is waiting.

No! She balked, refusing to move. Zeik jerked her, and she stumbled a few steps. When she held back again, he and the guard took her by the arms and dragged her forward until she managed to pull her feet beneath her. They stopped in front of the tent, and the sentry went on inside, leaving Zeik and Allegra waiting.

Please. She tried to say it, but even she couldnt decipher the noise she made. She looked up at Zeik and willed him to relent, to show mercy, to take her away from here.

“Your eyes are as big as moons, he said, his voice strained. He cupped his hand around her cheek.

A tear ran out of her eye. Please dont do this.

“Ach, he muttered. “Dont look at me that way.

The sentry opened the tent. “You can bring her in. He lifted the flap and stepped aside.

Zeiks expression hardened, and he pushed Allegra through the entrance as if he were angry at her for his own compassion. The light wasnt bright inside, but after so long in the dark, she had to squint. The reek of scorched hemp saturated the air. Three men sat around a low table, studying maps and other parchments. A torch burned in a stand behind them, lighting their area but leaving the rest of the tent in shadow. She recognized all three: Generals Yargazon and Ardoz and Colonel Bladebreak. As Yargazon looked up, Zeik saluted, his fist turned up to the sky.

“Well done, Lieutenant, Yargazon said. “Excellent work. He indicated a pole that held up the roof to Zeiks left. “Put her there. Then he returned to his meeting.

Zeik took her to the pole and shoved her down on her knees. Crouching behind her, he worked on the thongs binding her wrists. When he freed them, she tried to bring her arms in front of her body, but he pulled her hands over her head. By the time she realized what he intended, he had stretched her arms tight and bound her wrists to a metal loop jutting out from the pole above her.

Dont, she tried to say. It hurts.

He avoided looking at her as he pulled her calves so she was sitting with her legs bent to the side. He tied her ankles to a metal loop jammed into the ground. She felt ill when she saw the blood that stained the rugnear her big toe.

“Stop looking like that, he said in a low voice. “Your spells wont work on me. He hesitated, then pulled her tunic down, over her thighs. The cloth was too torn to cover much, especially with her arms pulled over her head, but his gesture of kindness made another tear roll down her cheek.

Zeiks face contorted as if he were in pain. “Im sorry, he muttered. When he reached up to her hands, for one incredible moment, she thought he would free her. But he was only checking the knots around her wrists. He pulled one, securing it perhaps. Then he stood up and turned toward Yargazon.

The General glanced up. “Thank you, Lieutenant. He inclined his head. “Im pleased. You will be rewarded.

“Thank you, sir.

Regret showed on Yargazons face. “We will hold a memorial for those who lost their lives tonight. Their sacrifice in rescuing the atajazid will be remembered. If you would like to speak for them?

“Sir, yes, I would, Zeik said. “Thank you.

“Very well, Lieutenant. You may go rest. The hint of a smile touched his expression. “Its well deserved, young man, and weve a few hours before we fight at dawn.

Zeik saluted and left the tent, accompanied by the sentry. Allegra felt as if her last hope of mercy had vanished. Not that she had really believed he would help her. But at least he had shown remorse. Watching the officers conferring with Yargazon, she wondered if they even cared what the General would do to her. She had thought Ardoz might, but neither he nor Bladebreak even acknowledged her presence. Perhaps they truly did think her evil.

Although she was too far away to hear all of their war council, she caught some. Their forces had occupied the palace in Quaaz, but the Taka Mal army continued to fight. Carrier birds had taken news of the invasion to Cobalts forces in Jazid, and many Jazidian soldiers had deserted that army to join Yargazons fugitives. Tonight Jazid and Taka Mal had called a temporary truce. They were waiting to see what would happen with Aronsdale and Harsdown, and for the arrival of the extra men from Jazid.

They also talked about the suicide raid. They had known it had little chance of success and that it violated accepted codes of war. They had been willing to try anyway, for if it had succeeded, the sun would have risen on a very different world. Ozi could have been close to becoming ruler of all the settled lands.

Yargazon finally set down the map he was holding and rubbed his eyes. “Its been a long night.

“So it has, Bladebreak said. “But when the men realize His Majesty has returned, it will improve morale.

“There is that. Yargazon rose to his feet with the others.

They spoke for a bit about inconsequential matters, and then Ardoz and Bladebreak bid him good-night. Ardoz glanced at Allegra as he and the colonel were leaving the tent, and a frown creased his face. He turned back to Yargazon. “Be careful with her, Dusk. Markus doesnt want her interrogated.

“Dont worry, Yargazon said. “Shell be fine.

Liar! Allegra thought. When Ardoz nodded and left the tent, she cried, Come back! but even she barely heard her muffled call.

Yargazon stretched his arms and rubbed the small of his back. He turned almost lazily toward Allegra. “So, he said. “The witch comes home.

Dont, she thought. She was having trouble breathing.

He came over and sat next to her with one leg stretched out and the other bent at the knee. Leaning his weight on one hand, he traced his finger up the inside of her elbow. With her wrists pulled over her head, her sleeves had fallen down to her shoulders, leaving her arms bare.

“Youre quiet tonight. Good. He touched her neckline. “This rag, however, offends me.

Dont hurt me, she thought, knowing it was futile.

He dropped his hand to his belt and pulled a dagger out of its gold sheath. As she stared at the knife, blood drained from her face. With methodical, relentless motions, he slit the neckline of her tunic, then ripped the cloth down her front. He cut off the sleeves and pulled away the scraps until none remained. Then he sat, his gaze traveling over her body.

“Ive wanted to do that since I first saw you, he said.

Her face flamed. She instinctively tried to pull her arms down to cover herself, but she could do nothing. He dropped the remaining rags of her tunic in a pile, and she saw the pocket that hid the dodecahedron. Unreachable.

Yargazon pointed his dagger at a structure half-hidden in shadow across the tent. “Do you see whats up there?

She squinted into the dark, but she could make out no more than a framework with a row of shapes along its top, cups or bottles perhaps.

“Theyre hourglasses, he said. “One hour each. Do you know how many are there?

She shook her head, and a curl fell into her eyes.

“Sixteen, he said. “One for each hour you left me chained. He picked up her curl and twirled it in his fingers, then deliberately let it fall back into her eyes. “You will pay for that. Folding his hand around her breast, he pinched her nipple. Then he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, his lips brushing the strap of her gag. “Sixteen hours for sixteen hours, he murmured.

No! Clenching her teeth, she wished she did have the power to curse him. May you lose everything youve ever cared about. Everything you love. The war. Markus. Ozarson. Everything.

Yargazon sheathed the dagger. Then he rose to his feet and walked to the row of hourglasses. He took one and turned around, holding it up so she could see. “The first hour, he said. He flipped it over and set it on a table where she could see it better. Sand began to pour from the upper into the lower half.

As the General walked back to her, Allegra flattened herself against the pole and wished she could shrink into it where he couldnt follow.

He stopped in front of her and looked down as he unbuckled his leather belt. “You may belong to him, he said, his voice low and angry, “but Im the one who controls you. He pulled the sheathed dagger off his belt and dropped it on the ground. “I will own you, Allegra, despite what those marriage documents say, because after tonight, you will know Im the one who has claimed your spirit.

Then he swung the belt.

The sand poured, and Allegra cried. She tried to distance herself from Yargazon and his swings, tried to think of Aronsdale, rolling green hills, her friends, Prince Aron, kindnesses she had known or of Markuss gentler side, instead of the violent warlord who wanted to conquer her in the same way he sought to conquer the brutal land that had forged him in the crucible of its merciless sun.

At one point, after Yargazons blows had become especially violent, he took a long breath and stepped back. Sitting on a crate, he leaned against a pole behind it, the belt hanging loose in his hand while the clenched set of his features eased. He closed his eyes, and his body relaxed for the first time that night.

Allegra breathed in ragged gasps, fighting for air, her face wet with tears. When she realized he had fallen asleep, relief surged through her. She didnt know what he would do to her for sixteen hours, but surely if he kept this up, she wouldnt survive.

Yargazon eventually lifted his head and rubbed his eyes. The intensity came back into his gaze as he watched her shuddering by the pole. Then he went to the shelf with the hourglasses. The first one had run out, so he took the second and lifted it so she could see. Then he flipped it over and set it on the table with the sand running. He returned to the pole

And swung his belt.

Her existence narrowed to each moment, one after another. She withdrew deep within herself, seeking a place where nothing could reach her, none of the cruelty that stamped this world.

A call came from outside the tent. “Sir?

Yargazon lowered his arm, the belt hanging from his hand. He wiped his other arm across his forehead, blotting the sweat from his exertions. Allegra shook with silent thanks for the reprieve.

The General strode to the entrance and swept aside the flap. “What is it?

“A messenger arrived, a man outside said. “With a scroll from Emperor Cobalt.

“Bring it in, Yargazon said, moving aside.

The man who entered wore black armor and a heavy sword across his back. He handed Yargazon a scroll and stood waiting while the General read it.

“So. After rolling up the scroll, Yargazon tapped it against his fingers. “It looks like no one is sleeping tonight. He walked over to Allegra and looked down at her. “Cobalt is willing to trade Markus for you and Drummer. How absurd, to think I would send back the wife of the prince regent.

Die, she thought. Have a terrible convulsion and die in agony. She knew too little about Jazid to know whether Yargazon had overstepped himself, but she couldnt imagine he could do this to the prince regents wife. He was betting on his irreplaceable value to control Markuss anger.

You cant control him, she thought. Yargazon had misjudged Markus this time. Maybe he couldnt understand the prince, for Markus acted differently with him than with other people. He didnt want to appear weak to the General. But Markus wasnt Ozar Onyx.

Yargazon turned to the other man. “Is the messenger from the emperor still here?

“Yes, sir.

“Good. I will speak to him. Yargazon sheathed his dagger on his belt and fastened the belt around his waist, once again the General in perfect array. He crossed the tent to his shadowed wall of time and set the second hourglass on its side, stopping the flow of sand. Glancing at Allegra, he said, “Well finish when I return.

With that, he strode from the tent.

Allegra sagged against the pole, so relieved that she wanted to laugh, then cry. Then she wanted to rage. She yanked on the cords binding her wrists

And they slipped.

Allegra froze. She looked up at the knot, the one Zeik had tightened before he left. At least she thought he had tightened it. Yet now it was coming apart.

Her pulse jumped. She yanked on the bonds over and over, and with each pull, the knot slipped a little more. When it finally unraveled, her arms fell into her lap. Her muscles hurt from being held in one position for so long, but she ignored the ache as she attacked the restraints on her ankles. They were tighter than the ones on her wrists, but Zeik hadnt pulled them as secure as possible, either. Thank you, she thought to his image in her mind. Thank you, forever.

As soon as her feet were free, she grabbed the dodecahedron out of her tunic pocket. But the wretched gag silenced her. Metal clasps were embedded in the ball of leather, with straps that pulled around her head, under her hair and locked in the back. She couldnt pull the leather out of her mouth or the strap over her head, and without her voice, she had no spell.

Allegra ran to the nearest chest and opened the top. Scrolls filled it. She kept searching, fast and furious, knowing Yargazon could return any moment. She found a chest with his uniforms and put on one of his shirts, hiding the dodecahedron in its pocket. She went through more chests, throwing out contents, until she found a shaving blade. Clenching the hilt, she ran to the back of the tent and hacked a hole, then pushed through it, out into the night.

She ran past dark tents, trying to ignore the pain from the welts on her body and lacerations on her feet. She found a row of supply carts and crouched behind them, straining to breathe. Then she went to work on the gag. The lock mechanism wouldnt release. The strap consisted of metal strips, so it couldnt stretch over her head, and the knife wouldnt cut it. She used the tip of the blade to dig through the strap that held the ball in her mouth, gouging the place where a stud held the leather in place. She hacked at it, striving to shred the gag without hurting herself.

Finally! The stud fell out of the leather. With a gasp, she yanked the gag out of her mouth and threw it on the ground. She gulped in air, nearly choking with her need to breathe.

Calm down. She took a steadying breath, then pulled out the dodecahedron and clenched it as she marshaled her thoughts. What spell to use? She couldnt put everyone here to sleep. They probably had precautions in place now, too. It was easy to counter her spells; they had only to shut out her voice. The last time, she had needed to affect a few people, walk a short distance while putting people around her to sleep and sing in the desert. Even that had drained her. She still hadnt fully recovered. Now she didnt know who to put to sleep, and she had only one chance. If her spell didnt succeed, she would do no more than warn Yargazon about her escape.

Allegra rested her forehead against the big wheel of the cart. In an act of mercy Zeik probably considered weakness, he had given her a hope of escape. But she had no resources. She could barely walk. She needed water and sleep. She was deep in a camp with many sentries. Tomorrow they would resume fighting the Taka Mal army, which hulked somewhere out in the basin. She had nowhere to go, no place to turn, and if Yargazon caught herNo! She couldnt go back to that nightmare.

Ozarson was here somewhere. Could he protect her? Allegra hesitated. She had kidnapped him. He later came willingly, but this army was the closest he had to a home. He would be horrified if he knew what Yargazon was doing to her, but despite his title, she doubted he could stop the General. Too many complications existed in Ozis life, as the atajazid and now, saints forbid, as the conquering sovereign in Taka Mal. He was vulnerable. Brave, yes, and intelligent. But he was only nine. If she sought him out, the General would retaliate against her, possibly even in subtle ways against Ozarson.

Drummer was here, too. Bile rose in her throat as she recalled the blood in Yargazons tent. She couldnt heal Drummer; she wasnt a blue mage. But she could ease his pain and help him escape. If he could walk. It was probably a stupid idea; she couldnt even escape herself. But she needed to do something.

Demoralized, Allegra closed her eyes. Then she took a breath and sang, her voice soft, a ballad about green hills and sunlight. She wove a gold spell to keep anyone nearby asleep so they wouldnt catch her, and a green so she could search for Ozarson and Drummer. King Jarid had called his wife using a green spell, so it had to be possible to find a person that way, though she had no idea how.

Her spells wavered. The dodecahedron had too many sides, and she couldnt grasp its power. She lost her grip and the spells faded. She hurt so very, very much, and Yargazon had barely started with her. He wouldnt let her die, but that only meant hour after hour of pain. Nor did she know how far he would go. The marriage contract had gone on at great length about how Markus could kill any man who slept with her. But Yargazon had an army at his disposal, and he had spent decades building his power base. If he wanted the prince regents wife, she wasnt certain even Markus could stop him.

“Please, she whispered. “Help me. But no one was here to answer. She had only herself.

Focus! She concentrated on her spells and her power swirled, more than she had ever wielded. But she couldnt quite grasp it. Nothing was distinct. It was as if she stood on the shore of a lake and tried to hold the water. The spells ran through her fingers.

A sense of someones pain trickled past her, but without a warriors hard edge. This was a gentler mind. Vulnerable. Then she knew. Like recognized like. She had touched another Aronsdale mage.

Allegra climbed to her feet, hanging on to the cart. The surge of energy that had driven her escape from Yargazons tent was gone, leaving exhaustion. She leaned over the cart while her head swam. Then she took a step toward that faint sense of recognition. Pain stabbed her feet, and she crumpled against the wheel. Gritting her teeth, she pushed away from the cart and hobbled behind a line of tents. Cold wind ruffled her black shirt, and silver braid on the shoulders and cuffs glinted in the starlight. The shirt came to midthigh, with the sleeves dangling past her hands. She heard the clank of a sentry on patrol and barely ducked down behind a barrel of water before he walked past. Then she went on, searching for Drummer.

Hell be in the next tent. She needed to lie down, but she forced her burning feet to keep stumbling. She couldnt give up.

Allegra knew when she reached Drummer. Only traces of the green spell still vibrated within her, but it was enough, for he burned like a flame. She knelt behind the tent where she sensed him and hacked at the cloth until she could squeeze through the hole. Inside, darkness surrounded her. She tried to stand, but pain jagged through her feet. So she crawled. The soft rugs under her hands and knees soothed her bruises and cuts.

Her hand hit a mound.

Allegra jerked back, sitting on her haunches. She heard someone breathing, slow and ragged. Stretching out her arm, she touched a cushion, then several others. She felt farther, and her hand brushed across a blanket. She froze when she realized her palm was resting on the back of a person lying in front of her.

Turning her concentration inward, she focused on a new spell, the simplest of all. When she opened her eyes, dim red light surrounded her. A man lay sprawled on his stomach, asleep, his face turned toward her. Yellow curls fell across his eyes. It had to be Drummer; he was probably the only man in Taka Mal or Jazid with hair that color. A blanket covered him to his waistand whip marks crisscrossed his back and arms. Her tears gathered again, this time for him.

Allegra recognized him, though they had never met. The same hills and valleys she called home had nurtured his mage gifts. He looked just like the other youths where she lived, with the handsome features and boyish face. He had the slender, lithe build of an Aronsdale man rather than the height and musculature of Jazids native sons. He could have been a farm boy from down the road. Except he was here, in agony, imprisoned while invaders used him as a pawn in their machinations to wrest the throne of his adopted land away from his wife and child.

When she saw the bloodied bandage on his left foot, which stuck out from the blanket, she almost threw up. She laid her hand on his forehead, and found him burning with fever. Dismayed, she closed her eyes, concentrating. She crooned softly, weaving an orange spell to ease the misery of his injuries.

It wasnt enough. Drummer needed a blue mage who could heal, either Jarid or Iris, possibly Aron. She felt as if a weight were crushing her. He couldnt walk, and she couldnt carry him. She would have to drag herself out of here, find a cart and an animal to pull it, bring it back, put him in it, cross the great Quaaz Basin and climb up the hills to the encamped Aronsdale army. She folded her arms across her stomach and rocked back and forth, knowing she couldnt fix this, that this man with such luminous mage power could soon die.

Light flared across the tent.

Allegra froze, then shielded her eyes with her hand. Her spell died, but it was too late. Two men entered the tent, holding a torch that threw huge shadows on the walls. General Ardoz and Colonel Bladebreak.

“I dont see the light anymore, Ardoz said.

Bladebreak indicated Allegra. “It was around her.

As they walked over, Allegra felt as if she were falling off a cliff with nothing but jagged rocks below. She tried to scramble to her feet, but her movements were slowed by pain and fatigue, and she barely made it up by the time Bladebreak reached her. He easily caught her around the waist. He held her with one arm, her front against his side while he handed the torch to Ardoz.

“No. Allegras voice cracked.

“Come now, Allegra, Bladebreak murmured while Ardoz put the torch in a nearby stand. “Its all right. Youd better sit.

She resisted when he pushed her down, but her legs buckled. He set her so she was sitting sideways to him, between his legs, her side against his chest. He pushed her knees up to her chest, then put his own legs around her, one pressing her shins, the other her spine, then slid one arm around her waist and put the other around her shoulders. She had always liked it when Markus held her that way, but now she thought she would hate it forever.

Bladebreak pressed his lips to her temple. “Were you waiting for us, hmm?

“Stop it. She tried to push him away, but he brushed aside her hands.

“Why is she here? Ardoz asked. He knelt next to Drummer and laid his palm against the princes forehead.

“Maybe Dusk wanted them together. She must have been with him. Shes wearing his shirt. Bladebreak touched one of her wrists, then her ankles. “Thats odd.

“What? Ardoz unslung a drinking bag from his shoulder and uncapped a narrow spout at the top.

“She isnt restrained, Bladebreak said. “She could have just walked out of here.

“I cant walk, Allegra said. “My feet are injured. She had the desperate hope that if they thought Yargazon had left her here, they might not mention her to him.

Ardoz tilted the water bag to Drummers lips, trying to get him to drink. “Hes burning alive, the general muttered.

Bladebreak spoke against Allegras ear. “You put us to sleep that night, didnt you? Before we even got started, you knocked us out. He ran his tongue around her lobe. “You shouldnt have done that.

“Dont. Allegra turned her head away.

“Why do you all grab her that way? Ardoz asked. “Leave the poor girl alone.

Bladebreak lifted his head. “They do that to you, these witches. Make you want them. He indicated Drummer. “Admit it. You wanted to come in here to see him.

“I want him to live, Ardoz said curtly. “If he dies, we have no hostage to trade for Markus.

Bladebreak brushed Allegras hair back from her face. “You should have listened to Jasmine, he told her. “Shes never suffered. I protect her. But you fight, you disrupt, you resist. You taunt us with your defiance. What did you expect to happen? You have to pay the price for your behavior.

She wondered who protected Jasmine from him. “No matter what you do, she said in a low voice, “Ill never bend to your will.

“Think again, girl, he said. “I can do what I want now.

“No, you cant, Ardoz said. “Shes Markuss consort. He took a cloth off a nearby pile and dampened it. Then he laid the compress on Drummers forehead. “Why is it that the women who cause such turmoil, the ones who bring down dynasties and change historywhy are they always the ones who make the men who want them the most miserable?

Bladebreak grunted. “The dragon only knows.

“You cant have her, Ivan.

“I never said I wanted her, Bladebreak said crossly, though he was still embracing her. “But Ill tell you thisMarkus is better off without her.

Ardoz looked upand Allegra knew. He hid his reaction well, but her mind was sensitized from her mood spell. Markus may have promoted Ardoz and then let his memories of the general fade, but Ardoz had never forgotten.

“Markus needs her, Ardoz said. “And if he needs her, he will have her. So leave her the hell alone.

“Fine, Bladebreak muttered. He motioned at Drummer. “You cant have him, either.

“Dont be absurd. Ardoz dampened another cloth and cleaned a cut on Drummers back. “I want him to live, thats all.

Bladebreak snorted. “Right.

“You dont want him to live?

“You really think he might die?

“His fever is worse, Ardoz said. “Dusk pushed him too hard during the interrogation.

“Hes as weak as a girl, Bladebreak said. “A child probably knows more about the queens army. They obviously dont tell him anything. Hes just her pretty, captive consort.

“Either that, Ardoz said, “or he held out against even Dusk.

“A trained officer couldnt do that. This minstrel would have crumpled right away if he knew anything.

Ardoz indicated Allegra. “Would you have thought she could do what shes managed? Or that the fire opal priestess could have been so strong? These mages, they look soft and pretty, Ivan, but I think they have steel inside.

Bladebreak snorted, what sounded like disagreement. He kept her trapped between his legs, caressing her body whenever Ardoz wasnt looking. Allegra wanted to slap him, but she knew if she struck, he would hurt her, and she didnt think she could take any more. Ardoz continued to treat Drummers wounds. From the last shreds of her spell, Allegra could tell his ministrations helped the prince.

Their contradictions drained her. Bladebreak, Yargazon, Zeikthey kept touching her, a caress or kiss, even their voices softening, as if they had a right to those intimacies, as if what they felt was affectionyet the threat of violence saturated their behavior. With Yargazon, the brutality was deliberate, but she didnt think the others even realized it. Bladebreak didnt think twice about stroking the consort of the prince regent while his own wife slept nearby. The imbalance in their culture, with so many men for every woman, sexualized everything. They acted as if they thought it gave their women an intolerable power over them. They couldnt see her as human, only as a threat.

What astounded her wasnt that Markus had absorbed those ideas, but that he tried to move past them. Maybe having known Ardoz helped him understand Allegra, because he had already once stepped outside the rigid constraints on love in his own culture.

Bladebreak idly slid his hand over Allegras fist. Then he said, “Are you holding something? He pried open her hand and took the dodecahedron. “Whats this?

“A good luck charm. Her pulse leaped. “Please dont take it.

“Why not? Maybe I should keep it.

“Ivan, give it back to her. Ardoz brushed the curls off his patients forehead. “Drummer? he asked. “Can you hear me?

The prince stirred, but didnt open his eyes.

“If you wake up, Ardoz said, “I can give you some water.

Drummers lashes lifted, then lowered.

Bladebreak held up the dodecahedron, examining the small block. “Why should I give anything back to her?

Ardoz looked up at the shapeand Allegra knew with terrible certainty that he had either learned or deduced the truth about how she made spells. She felt dizzy with fear, for if he revealed her, she had no doubt Bladebreak would retaliate against the “witch.

“Ivan, stop tormenting her, Ardoz said. “Let her have the toy. With amusement, he said, “Unless you like playing with childrens blocks.

“Very funny, Bladebreak said sourly. He pushed the block into Allegras hand. She sagged with relief, afraid to look at Ardoz or do anything that might spur him to change his mind about revealing her.

Bladebreak motioned at Drummer. “Ask him about the army. Sometimes people talk when theyre asleep.

Ardoz brushed the curls off Drummers forehead. “Tell me, golden prince. What is kindle powder?

“For saints sake, Bladebreak said. “Ask something useful.

“You never know what will be useful. Ardoz spoke to Drummer in a soothing voice. “You can talk to me, princeling. I wont hurt you. Tell me about kindle powder.

Drummer shifted and murmured in his sleep.

“What was that? Ardoz lowered his head. “Gum?

“Gunpowder, Drummer mumbled. “Doesnt work

“Powder? Bladebreak asked. “What, he needs womens cosmetics? Hes not beautiful enough already?

Allegra thought Drummer probably meant the gum-powder used in Aronsdale to make paste, but she kept quiet. Reminding them that he came from a country they despised wouldnt help him.

Ardoz massaged Drummers neck under the spill of his curls. “What is gunpowder?

“Called thatin old scrollstales of lost continent.

“Hes telling us folktales, Bladebreak said. “How useful.

“Do you think your powder will ever work? Ardoz asked Drummer.

“Someday Drummer sighed, and his breathing slowed as he sank deeper into sleep.

“Well, you see, Bladebreak said. “If he knew anything, Dusk would have had it out of him by now.

“I suppose. Ardoz moved down to Drummers feet and began changing the bandages. When he uncovered the foot, Allegra cringed. In the shadows, she could just see the stump where his toe had been.

“This is bad, Ardoz said. “He needs a doctor.

“The army doesnt have a doctor, Bladebreak said.

“We can have one brought from the palace.

“Heh. Thats right. Bladebreak gave a relieved laugh. “I keep forgetting we have their resources at our disposal. He rubbed his hand down Allegras back. “We cant leave her without restraints, though. Well take her to Dusk, see what he wants.

No. Allegras sense of panic flared. She couldnt go back to Yargazon. She clenched the dodecahedron and the jagged edges of a spell skittered around her mind, slipping by, slipping by. She had the sleep song in her mind, but she needed to sing, to hear the words, and it would take time to build a spell once she began. But the moment she started, they would gag her.

Frantic, with a force driven by desperation, she sought the only person who had ever spoken to her of mages working together, perhaps the only person alive who could manage such a feat.

Jarid, help me! The plea burst out of her, and she reached with a strength that in normal times, she could never have done.

Nothing.

Please. She whispered the word in her mind. Then, frantic, she shouted the thought. Please! Jarid, help me.

Suddenly the song flooded her mindand she understood. In his fourteen years of blindness, Jarid had achieved what no other mage had ever donehe could make spells simply by envisioning the shape rather than touching it. In his fourteen years of deafness, he had learned to hear in his mind as clearly as if he spoke aloud. He took her song and filled her with it. For one spectacular moment, her song and his power swelled together.

With a groan, Allegra released her spell. She thought she would explode into fragments, burn to ashes, blaze in a million fireworks. She could barely contain the immensity of the power he lent her. And in that instant of union, she thought, Sleep.

The world burst apart. Then the backlash of the spell hit Allegra and oblivion claimed her.