Chapter 28
I gawked, craning my neck from side to side as we flew above the capital on Connacher’s condorla. He flew the bird himself, sending the Klese pilot home as the second seat was occupied by me. I had voiced my concerns that once in the capital; someone would recognize me and report my presence to Lyr Averon. He had told me not to worry about that.
After four days of lying on my belly and healing under Linter’s care, I was able to sit up and move around the room. I had no desire to leave the room’s confines. If I even stepped in the doorway, the collar jabbed me with what was a gentle reminder. I asked no questions. I ate what they gave me and obeyed his every command the instant it was spoken.
On the fifth day, Connacher came and began my lessons. He taught me spells that let me enter and exit places unseen, how to open any lock and reach any room whether on the ground floor or the top of the Great Trees.
He spent almost a week on my sword skills, telling me my knife and archery skills were the equal of any Elassai Klese Ranger. I took that to be a complement although it did not instill in me any pride. By two weeks after the beating, the only sign of it were the faint scars on my back overlaid by the original ones given me by Sergeant Hudson.
I knew how to pilot a condorla, ride a sylph and travel through the Great Trees as easily as one of them. Though Connacher showed me the city and let me follow him freely, at night, I was locked into the cage room. He did not lock me in the cage but I knew well the consequences should I leave the room.
During the nighttime when I could not sleep, he sent Klese or Faet warriors in to hone my skills. They had orders to fight me to the death and yet only a few managed to wound me–none seriously. Those that failed, Connacher let me feed on. And only once did I make that mistake. As the loser’s blood touched my lips, I was seized with such cramps that I thought I had been stabbed in the back by one of the Klese. Connacher had laughed and slammed the door shut. I heard his words through the wooden panels. “Do you think I would let you feed and gain your power back, gwaed? Jorgas will bring your pint of animal blood at mealtime.”
I straightened. “Yes, master.” I’d gone to the corner, sat down to contemplate the oozing slices on my side, arms and leg while I waited for my meal. Every other day, I was given a bucket of water, soap and a rag. Told to keep myself clean and on the day we left the capital, one of the Klese brought me a uniform and cape like theirs. He told me to dress in it.
The pilot’s green jerkin, brown leather trousers and soft khaki blouse were loose and comfortable in the woods, on horseback or walking, as were the knee-high flat-soled boots with heels. I wore a belt that carried a sword scabbard and knife sheath. From my shoulder, hung a quiver and a short bow. Connacher gave me a metal cuff that covered my hand and protected my inner wrist from the bowstring. Gloves hung from the belt. Folded in the Klese pilot’s hand was a Loden green cape with a hood. Ranger’s cape yet none of the garments held the Klese Rangers’ insignia, a tree within a circle with mountains in the background.
That cape flapped as we flew into the heart of the capital, diving between tall towers that rivaled the images I had seen of giant skyscrapers in the Ice City’s databanks. Connacher did not steer for the Palace but the Council Towers and his own estates near there.
Landing on the Eyrie where the birds were, we were met by the Wing Leader who held the bird’s reins as we dismounted. The Elassai pilot bowed, greeted his Lord and eyeballed me as I stood quietly behind Connacher.
“Shadom,” the Wizard said. “Any news?”
“The Lyr has marched towards the Border Wall and is joining the forces arrayed against the Ice City.”
“Is the gate breached yet?” Connacher gestured and I stepped around him.
“No, my Lord. The Warlord’s forces have thrown everything against it yet the gate still stands. The Border Wall is down near the Falls and the Border Rangers are patrolling that area.”
“Any Newlanders make it through?”
“A few. None past the Mists. A few Rangers were killed.”
I started and then stopped as the conditioning kicked in. I could not think of Arianell without triggering the collar or Blackfin’s geas.
“How many Klese are left in the city?”
“Enough that this one will not stand out. New recruit?”
Connacher laughed. “Green as grass. Didn’t even have time to get his patches but I needed him for protection against the human wizards. Send Gerill to me in my chambers when he reports in. Reuven, follow me.”
He turned on his heel and we left the stable for the giant birds, exited the closed-in hall and nearly trotted down a dark corridor towards an open walkway between buildings. It was made of glass so that I could see in every direction, especially down. My steps faltered as I trod on a path that literally ended before my eyes. I shuddered as the Wizard continued blithely on, only stopping halfway across when he realized I was not with him.
“Reuven,” he called. “Come here.”
I put one foot on the invisible archway and could not step further. I trembled like a palsied horse. Sweat flooded me instantly. I did not remember ever being so terrified by heights before but even the thought of another session under the collar could not get my feet to move.
The Wizard spoke in my head. He seized control of my mind and muscles literally moving my feet step-by-step across the open skyway. He forced my eyes to look down as he forced me to walk across what my eyes told me was not there. Once on the other side inside solid walls of a sumptuous mansion, he slapped me so hard that my head hit my shoulder.
“You will obey me, slave,” he hissed in my face. “Whether you are afraid or not, you will do what I say instantly. Now. Walk across again and do it until I tell you to stop.”
I walked the skyway all night some thirteen hundred times stopping only when he gave me permission to do so. The fear never left me.