Savage Messiah

CHAPTER LI

As they walked together, Adrian looked worriedly at Abbey. Lionel's death had hit both women hard. There had still been no word from Faegan's group. Ottikar said he could easily find Valrenkium again, but if Abbey's hunch was right, getting there would be only half the battle. With every passing moment, her concern for the wizard and his warriors grew.

Adrian carried a basket containing a quill, a bottle of ink, and several rolls of blank parchment. Abbey held a flask of green liquid. She had spent several hours preparing it, using Faegan's stores of herbs and precious oils, and she would be the first to admit that she couldn't trust its effectiveness. Not only had the formula been complex, but it had been gleaned solely from memory. Without Faegan or Lionel to help her, the process had been difficult.

At their destination, they found the door guarded by a quartet of stern-faced warriors. The Minions snapped to attention.

"There have been no incidents, I trust?" Abbey asked.

The warrior in charge shook his head. "Another pair of guards has been with him the entire time. There has been no trouble."

He unlocked the door and swung it open, and the two women walked into the room.

The chamber was spacious and tastefully decorated. A table laden with food and drink sat in one corner. There were no windows and no balcony; the only door was that which they had just come through.

Uther limped about the room like a wounded tiger. The two guards assigned to him sat quietly nearby, watching his every move. Uther's face was bruised and there were gaps in his teeth where Lionel had knocked two of them out during their brief scuffle. I wish Lionel could see that, Abbey thought.

When he heard the women enter the room, Uther swung around. He pointed an accusatory finger at them.

"Who are you?" he shouted. "What is this place, and how did I get here? What happened to my face?"

He started to approach the women, but the two warriors intervened. At a gesture from Abbey, the Minions halted, stopping just short of taking hold of him. Uther glowered at the acolyte and the herbmistress.

"And most important," he breathed, "how is it that I no longer possess my gifts of the craft?"

For a moment, Adrian found his questions odd. Surely he must already know, she thought. Then she remembered that Faegan had wiped Uther's mind clean of certain memories; in addition, should he try to use the craft, he would find himself powerless. He would presumably stay that way until Faegan ended the spell.

"We'll be the ones asking the questions," Abbey answered. She ordered the warriors to move the room's writing desk and chair to the center of the floor.

"Sit down at the desk," she ordered the Valrenkian.

"No!" Uther growled. "Go to the Afterlife, bitch!"

Abbey raised an eyebrow. Looking over at the two warriors, she snapped her fingers. The Minions grabbed the Valrenkian and dragged him across the room, lifted him high, and smashed him down into the chair. Dazed, Uther shook his head.

"Bind him," Abbey ordered.

The Minions produced a length of rope and tied Uther securely to the chair. As his consciousness cleared, he glared back at the two women with venom in his eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked thickly. "What do you want?"

"We want some answers," Abbey said. "And you are going to give them to us. As a wizard friend of mine is so fond of saying, we can either do this the hard way or the easy way."

"No." Raising his face, he spat at them.

"Suit yourself." Abbey looked over at the warriors. "Do whatever you must to open his mouth."

The warriors took hold of Uther's head. Struggling wildly, he screamed. When he managed to bite one of them on the hand, the warrior laughed and swiped the Valrenkian hard across the face. Then they wrenched his head back and forced open his jaws. Blood dripped from one corner of Uther's mouth.

Abbey didn't like using violence, but if the Valrenkian wouldn't cooperate, he left her no choice. She opened the bottle of green liquid and poured it down his throat. Uther coughed and then quieted. His head lolled, and his eyelids drooped heavily.

"What is it that you just gave him?" one of the warriors asked.

Abbey bent down and closely examined his eyes.

"It's a crude form of truth elixir," she said. "And it appears that it's beginning to take hold." Relieved, she walked back over to stand next to Adrian. "Your turn," she said.

Adrian closed her eyes and raised her palms. Almost at once, Uther was engulfed in azure haze. His eyes widened, and his head snapped back.

"You have succeeded in entering his mind?" Abbey asked. "And he will do as he is asked?"

Adrian nodded. "But not to the same degree that Wigg or Faegan could manage," she answered quietly. "We can only hope that combining your liquid with my use of the craft will be enough to get what we need."

"Then we'll start with a few test questions, to which we already know the answers," Abbey whispered. She returned her gaze to the prisoner.

"What is your name?"

Uther was still staring blankly into space. "Uther-Uther of the House of Kronsteen."

"Are you a Valrenkian?"

"Yes."

"Do you practice the Vagaries?"

A cruel smile came to his lips. "Yes."

"Do you know a fellow partial adept named Reznik?"

"Yes."

Deciding he was telling the truth, Abbey stepped closer.

"Other than scaling the bluffs or traveling through the stone maze, is there any way in or out of your village?"

"Only by flying in," he answered thickly. "But people can't fly. Only birds, insects, and your grotesque servants can fly." The smile came again.

"Tell me about the sandstone maze," she asked. "Do you know the way in and out?"

"Of course."

"The safe route is committed to your memory?"

"Yes."

Abbey nodded at Adrian. The acolyte walked to the desk and put down the basket she carried. She removed the writing items and set them before Uther. She opened the ink bottle and placed the quill into it. Then she unrolled the parchments and flattened them out. As though Adrian didn't exist, Uther gazed at nothing. Adrian returned to Abbey's side.

"Free his arms," Abbey ordered.

The warriors freed his arms but passed several coils around Uther's chest before reknotting the rope. Even so, the Valrenkian didn't move.

"There is now paper and ink before you," Abbey said.

Uther looked down dumbly at the items lying there. He nodded.

"Draw a map showing the safe way in and out of the stone maze," she said. "Leave nothing out. Do you understand?" Hoping against hope that he would comply, Abbey held her breath.

"Very well," Uther answered.

Numbly, he took up the quill and began to draw.

For Abbey and Adrian, the time passed with agonizing slowness. Trying to rid herself of nervous energy, Abbey walked to the other table and poured herself a glass of wine. They waited impatiently, listening to the scratching of Uther's quill. Finally he put it down and stared blankly into space once more.

"It is done," he said.

Abbey and Adrian walked to the table and stared down at the drawing. Sure enough, it was a map of the maze-complete with arrows pointing toward the passageways that would presumably lead one safely into the village. After blowing on the map to dry the ink, Abbey rolled it up and asked Uther, "How do I know that your map is valid?"

"I would stake my life on it."

For the first time since entering the room, Abbey smiled. "That's not a bad idea," she mused. She turned to the guards.

"Go and find Ottikar. I want him and an entire phalanx of armed warriors ready to depart at once." She pointed to Uther. "And bring the captive along. I have something special in mind for him."

The warrior nearest them snapped his heels together and untied the prisoner. As the two women walked to the door, Adrian asked Abbey, "You're bringing Uther with us? True, my spell still affects him, but I thought you told me that your potion wouldn't last very long."

Abbey gave her a wink. "Unless I miss my guess," she said, "it won't have to. In fact, I'm counting on it."

More confused than ever, Adrian followed Abbey down the hall.