CHAPTER 10

~Compiled by Catherine~

With Cat safe in their room at the Last Chance, Andy and the serving-wench go outside. The woman tells him that the key hidden in his ale opens a chest in the stables. Inside the chest, Andy finds an Elven monk's robe and further instructions.

Returning to their room, he asks Cat why there's a price on her head. In response, she gives him the letter Dirkhan sewed into her jerkin, telling him it's meant for his Guildmaster. Andy tells her to get ready to leave, explaining that once he completes his mission, they'll return to Ashby.

Back in Ashby, Rowena tells Nick he'll have to impersonate Rhodan so they can get into the castle to rescue Brother John. Gemile ransacks empty rooms at the Seventh Stranger for an appropriate costume for Nick, while Rowena leads the group back into the night.

Meanwhile, Simon returns and asks Maeve for the scarf he gave her, intending it for Simone's disguise. Maeve tells him about Antonio, then hands her brother some supper before fetching the scarf. She stops to tell Antonio that Simone has returned, whereupon the mage and Sabrella go downstairs.

Simon has settled by the hearth. Simone joins him, introducing Alexa. At the same time, two newcomers arrive at the inn. The large man, Tarik, orders ale, while his companion, the boy Prentis, scans the room. Prentis spots Lysander, who has spent the afternoon at the inn. He whispers to Tarik, and they make their way to Lysander's table.

Tarik liberates chairs from two other patrons, and he and Prentis join Lysander. After introductions, Tarik asks Lysander his business in Ashby. Lysander stammers that he's looking for a friend. When Tarik asks the name of this friend, Lysander blurts out "Vincent," surprising himself and them.

Maeve sees Lysander's predicament and goes to his aid, under her brother's watchful eye. Simone, too, has seen the three men, and she notices the similarity between Lysander's appearance and hers, before greeting Antonio and Sabrella.

Tarik expresses doubts to Prentis as to his identification of Lysander; Prentis grabs the young man's pendant and shows it to his master, who grins. Maeve tries to grab the pendant, but the chain breaks, and Lysander slumps to the floor in a faint. Maeve calls on Simon to retrieve the pendant from Tarik, but Antonio intervenes, using magic to take it from the big man. He returns the pendant to Maeve.

While Tarik and Prentis discuss what they've learned, Simon introduces Alexa to his sister, asking if the girl can be of help. Maeve sends Alexa for her herb-satchel while she tries to revive Lysander, who recovers shortly. Maeve takes him and Alexa into the kitchen for supper.

Meanwhile, Simon has seen Bantam, who's struggling to get Nicholas to their room. The telepath offers to fetch Maeve for the boy. Bantam thanks him, but insists that he has to get Nicholas upstairs first. Simon returns to the bar. Tarik and Prentis engage in some suggestive banter about Maeve; Simon warns them off, then sits wondering what to do about Simone and his problem with Audra.

Simone has gone outside with Antonio, who explains that she is a member of the Tribe B'dars. He gives her a pendant bearing the Tribe's symbol and informs her that she has magical powers. Somewhat overwhelmed but determined to keep Sabrella safe from Audra, Simone tells Antonio that she knows what her friend has left behind and asks him to show her how to use her powers to portal-walk to the castle.

At Ashby Castle, Audra learns from her guards that the Flame has apparently killed three of their number and orders that she lose a finger for each dead guard. Chained to the wall, the Flame distracts her by trying to get Vanya to admit that she freed Nicholas. During their banter, Brother John passes out at last. Audra dispatches guards for a leech, while other guards carry the monk back to his cell.

By now, Rowena and the others have reached the castle walls. Gem darkens Nick's hair with coal dust, then Rowena dresses the young man in the rich cloak Gem has brought. Rowena instructs Nick how to act when they approach the gates.

After accepting Minuet's offer of invisibility, Warren leads the faerie and Sebastian to the entrance of a small courtyard at the castle. Minuet casts the spell, then buries herself in Sebastian's fur. All three charge through the door the moment it's opened, and with Minuet's guidance, Warren finds the dungeons.

In the torture chamber, Audra senses magic nearby and turns on the Flame. She demands to know why the children the sorceress and Warren rescued are valuable to Rowena. The Flame denies knowledge of Rowena. Tired of playing games, Audra unleashes a bolt of energy at the Flame, who responds with a counterspell. Audra then threatens the Flame with the hot poker. The Flame lies, telling her that the children are Nikolai's, then forces her spirit out of her body in a desperate bid to find Warren. Enraged, Audra thrashes the Flame's unconscious body with the poker, then nearly strangles Vanya before sweeping out of the room, heading for John's cell.

The Flame materializes in the corridor where Warren is about to engage two guards in a fight, and she calls out to him. Hearing her voice in his mind throws Warren off his stride; while he dispatches one guard, the other knocks him to the floor.

Having bluffed their way past the guards at the gate, Nick, Rowena, and the others reach the dungeons to find a guard about to run Warren through. Rowena holds the guard at knifepoint while Warren collects himself. The two rescuers wish each other luck, then Rowena forces the guard to take her to John's cell.

While watching the battle between Warren and the guards, the Flame realizes Audra is hurting her body; she screams to Warren. Frantic to find her, the warrior shouts to Minuet for help, but the faerie doesn't understand why he's upset. The Flame manages to tell Warren she's in the torture chamber just before her spirit is drawn back there.

When the guard unlocks the cell door, Rowena sees her vision come true. Distraught, she rushes to John's side, while Gem plans how to get him out of the castle. They hear Audra in the corridor; Rowena goes to face her stepmother, and the others gather up John, making for the exit.

Rowena and Audra engage in a brief but spectacular battle. Drawing on the power of the castle and that of Equus through Faran's aid, Rowena creates a shield to repel Audra's magic, then casts a few spells of her own. Realizing she can't win this fight, Audra tricks Rowena into thinking she hears John calling her. Rowena follows her friends.

Meanwhile, Simone and Antonio have portal-walked into the torture chamber. Hearing the noise of battle outside, Antonio tells Vanya to run as soon as the door opens. Simone arms herself with the abandoned poker, while Antonio frees the Flame's battered body. Simone realizes that she can see the auras of the people in the room and of the castle itself. Overcome, she faints, allowing the reawakened Sleeping God to take over her body. Antonio watches, amazed, as thus possessed, Simone leaves the room just ahead of Warren's arrival.

Warren charges into the torture chamber, sword at the ready. He recognizes Antonio, who tells him he has released the Flame from her bonds. Hardly listening to the mage, Warren kneels by the Flame's body. Promising to get her to a healer, he carries her from the room with a word of thanks to Antonio.

Antonio now follows Simone. Sensing a change in the atmosphere, he runs outside to see the courtyard alive with greenery and realizes the Sleeping God is cleansing the evil magic from the castle. He returns to the dungeons to await Simone.

Meanwhile, temporarily defeated, Audra retreats to her chambers to call upon her gods for help in finding Nikolai. She hears his voice from the fire, telling her he'll be with her soon; relieved, she crawls into bed and falls asleep. A being materializes in the room. He claims Lord Rhodan's identity and throws protections on the room, then goes to Vanya.

At the same time, Madeline awakes hungry from her post-coital slumber to find no one answering the bell. She sends Gwynfor after food, which he brings, along with information. Maddie finishes her snack, dismisses Gwynfor, and goes back to sleep.

Down in the dungeons, the Sleeping God tells Antonio, through Simone, that the woman's voice has been silenced to protect others, especially the Boy of Light, then the God leaves Simone's body. Antonio takes her to a distant room so they can rest. Having done so and eaten as well, they explore the room. Simone finds a chest containing Tribal clothing, into which she changes. They discover an intriguing portrait labelled "Kiera Rowena Ashby," then decide to spend the night.

Antonio is awakened by a spirit, presumably that of Kiera Ashby, which directs him to a hidden scroll. Simone wakes to see him retrieve it; he reads it to her. The scroll contains a brief history of the land, as well as a list of several people and their descendants. They decide to return to the Seventh Stranger.

In another chamber, Vanya is overjoyed to see her "master." In the midst of their dalliance, however, she admits that she is bleeding, still believing that Nikolai has put a spell on her. This "Nikolai" is disgusted at her condition and orders her to the Lady Madeline for help, while he goes in search of other entertainments.

Vanya does as she's bidden. Though irritated at being woken, Maddie teaches the girl the basics, then dismisses her with some cautionary words. They retire to their beds as the full moon shines down on the castle.

Beneath that same moon, Andy slips out of the Last Chance. He heads for the stables, where a horse awaits him. Cat and Tamerlaine meet him behind the building. With the thieves riding double and the dog following, the horse races off along the road. When he judges he's about halfway to his destination, Andy tells Cat to look for a place to wait for him; she chooses a stand of elms. Meanwhile, the Elven warrior-woman Talandriel and her companion Harbinger await Andy and the message he brings.

Outside Ashby Castle, while Gemile and the others make their escape, they're set upon by guards. They fend them off just as Rowena catches up to them, Legolas shooting the guards pursuing her. The group heads for the Seventh Stranger.

Warren is also on his way to the inn, carrying the Flame past confused guards at the castle and on towards Ashby. Nearing the end of his strength, Warren bursts into the Seventh Stranger, shouting for a healer. Xanax sees the state of the Flame's body and goes to fetch Maeve.

Maeve has heard Warren from the kitchen, but is determined to ignore him, until Xanax asks her to look at the injured party. At that moment, Rowena and her friends enter the kitchen by the back door. Maeve sends Xanax to clear out the back gaming-room and set up some pallets, then approaches the new arrivals. She's alarmed to see Brother John, naked and injured.

Warren helps Xanax in the back room, then he lays the Flame's body on a pallet and sits down while the barmaid hurries to tell Maeve everything's ready. The Flame looks at her own injuries, then returns to Warren's side when she hears him beg her to waken. She heals the cut on his forehead, then attempts and fails to do the same for her own body. She settles beside Warren, putting her hand in his, to await the healer. Warren reacts to the touch; the Flame manages to communicate with him, explaining what she thinks happened to her.

Back in the kitchen, shaken by John's reaction to Maeve's touch, Rowena curls up in a corner; Legolas goes to her. Nick hovers around until Maeve sends him into the taproom, where he sits at a table. Simon spots him and decides to keep an eye on this suspicious character.

Maeve is about to lead Daniel and his burden out of the kitchen, but she's stopped by the appearance of Tarik and Prentis. After some banter, Barbarella chases the two off, and Maeve continues to the back room.

Having got Nicholas settled, Bantam returns to the common room to ask an increasingly tipsy Simon about the healer. At the same time, Miranda, the castle servant who cared for Nicholas, arrives at the inn. Simon directs Bantam to the back room, then turns to Miranda, who says she wishes to speak to the boy. She introduces herself to Bantam and returns Nicholas' waistpurse, then leaves.

When Antonio and Simone portal back to the inn, Simone loses focus again, and she and the mage are separated. Antonio ends up at the Seventh Stranger. Cursing himself for not helping Simone, he enters the inn and asks Simon where Sabrella is. Simon doesn't know, and Antonio settles by the fire, where Sabrella finds him. She asks him about Simone; Antonio tells her as much as he knows. Deciding she must help, Sabrella tells him that her machine doesn't matter, only Simone's safety; Antonio is intrigued by mention of this machine.

Umbeknownst to the mage, Simone has landed in Nikolai's stronghold in Arcadia. With the help of a young telepath named Meggan, she stages a coup of the guards.

Back at the inn, Rowena recovers enough to follow Legolas out to the taproom to join Nick. Before they reach him, though, Nick heads for the back room. Rowena and Legolas claim the table and wait for news on John. Seeing Nick leave, Simon decides to go out for some air.

When Maeve reaches the back room, she finds Warren and the woman she saw him kill that morning. He assures her the Flame isn't dead. Maeve has Daniel lay Brother John on another pallet and sends Xanax to fetch hot water and Alexa while she sees to the Flame.

Just then, an itinerant tattoo artist from Menth named Rio enters the inn in search of lodging. Hearing the commotion, she goes to the back room and offers her services as a healer to Maeve. When Alexa arrives, Maeve instructs her to tend John's wounds, then, leaving the Flame in Rio's capable hands after a few minutes, she joins the girl at the monk's side. She works magic to start to heal the worst of John's injuries. Nick comes in to ask if John will be all right.

While Rio heals the superficial injuries to her body, the Flame remembers a ritual that must be performed to rejoin her body and spirit. She instructs Warren in the rite. Rio leaves them to it and joins Maeve, but she falls into conversation with Nick. When Warren completes the rite, the Flame at last opens her eyes, but she's in pain. Still feeling a connection with her, Warren calls Rio back to heal the sorceress.

<< Back to the Introduction <<Chapter One <<Chapter Two <<Chapter Three <<Chapter Four <<Chapter Five <<Chapter Six
<<Chapter Seven <<Chapter Eight <<Chapter Nine Chapter Ten >>Chapter Eleven >>Chapter Twelve
>>Chapter Thirteen >>Chapter Fourteen >>Chapter Fifteen >>Chapter Sixteen >>Chapter Seventeen
>>Chapter Eighteen >>Chapter Nineteen >>Chapter Twenty

[Join the Game] [Characters] [Map] [Links] [Fiction] [Art]