pinprick in the center of my chest. I tried not to think of the gem breaking through the bone of my sternum. I tried to not imagine the gem accidentally piercing my heart and spilling my life out in pints of blood on the ground below me.
But I did, and my heart sped and my breathing deepened in response. Sweat beaded on my forehead despite the cool air. My pulse throbbed at my temples, my bound wrists, and my chest.
Then there was silence. I could only hear my own deep breathing and the thump of each of my rapid heartbeats. A cold tear fell down my cheek. Before it could drip from my chin, there was a rush of air against my chest, the clink of a hammer against stone, pain beyond words, and then, there was nothing.
Chapter 10
Day 12
Day 12
All hope is lost.
Let me explain. This morning we stopped at a roadside inn. Apparently my captors believed I was looking quite haggard and needed the chance to clean up. If I could’ve gotten away with it, I swear I would’ve ensured that they could never produce children by giving them each a swift kick to the . . .
It’s just the audacity of these bastard Third-Rankers. They lock me in a box for well over a week with nothing but a ceramic chamber pot that they empty once a day, and what, they expect me to smell like flowers and radiate sunshine from my skin? No one would ever guess that my father was Nehril Fellway, the Grand Wizard of Amirand, with how they treat me. I may as well be a lowly brigand or murderer.
I can’t help but get a little worked up about it.
Anyway, three of my captors—save Alix—took me into the inn. Boakler, that curly-haired know-it-all, escorted me into a back room, where there was a copper tub of steaming water waiting for me. Stemon and Jisan waited outside the only door into the room, standing guard in case I was able to overtake Boakler in an escape attempt.
My aching muscles yearned for that hot water; a week in a jostling carriage will do that to you. I would’ve truly enjoyed the steaming bath if I’d just been able to relax. Instead, I spent the whole time making sure that Boakler didn’t ogle my naked body as I washed. He kept his back to me, but I wasn’t about to take my eyes off him.
I highly considered drawing magic energy from my own body to bring Boakler down and wipe the insufferable smugness off his face, but I knew no good would come from doing so. There was only one door out of the room, and Boakler was blocking it. Also, with my rare ability to see the magic energy used in spells and imbued in objects, I could identify the glow of a protective wall of concentrated air around him. Behind that wall, Boakler’s body emitted a soft yellow aura, a barely perceptible glow that I can always see around anyone able to use magic.
Most anything I could’ve used to attack Boakler would’ve been halted by his barrier. Fire would’ve broken through it, but I didn’t have the desire to hurt him that bad. Then again . . .
If nothing else, Stemon and Jisan stood right outside the door, likely using magic to listen in on each and every sound coming from the room. They would’ve intervened if I’d tried anything.
After I cleaned up, I changed into a clean, brown wizard robe. Boakler, joined by Stemon and Jisan, shepherded me back outside. As we approached the carriage, I made my first attempt in days to be given access to Max. I’ll describe how it went in detail, while my resultant conversation with Boakler is still fresh on my mind.
~~~~
“Will you please allow me to keep the squirrel with me?” I pleaded. Yes, now that I write that down, it sounds pretty ridiculous. “It’s not as if it can do anything from inside that abelyr box you have it in.
“And let the carriage’s abelyr frame dispel the seal on the box?” Boakler scoffed. “As always, there is not a chance in Rizear’s domain that we will give you access to our recent
But I did, and my heart sped and my breathing deepened in response. Sweat beaded on my forehead despite the cool air. My pulse throbbed at my temples, my bound wrists, and my chest.
Then there was silence. I could only hear my own deep breathing and the thump of each of my rapid heartbeats. A cold tear fell down my cheek. Before it could drip from my chin, there was a rush of air against my chest, the clink of a hammer against stone, pain beyond words, and then, there was nothing.
Chapter 10
Day 12
Day 12
All hope is lost.
Let me explain. This morning we stopped at a roadside inn. Apparently my captors believed I was looking quite haggard and needed the chance to clean up. If I could’ve gotten away with it, I swear I would’ve ensured that they could never produce children by giving them each a swift kick to the . . .
It’s just the audacity of these bastard Third-Rankers. They lock me in a box for well over a week with nothing but a ceramic chamber pot that they empty once a day, and what, they expect me to smell like flowers and radiate sunshine from my skin? No one would ever guess that my father was Nehril Fellway, the Grand Wizard of Amirand, with how they treat me. I may as well be a lowly brigand or murderer.
I can’t help but get a little worked up about it.
Anyway, three of my captors—save Alix—took me into the inn. Boakler, that curly-haired know-it-all, escorted me into a back room, where there was a copper tub of steaming water waiting for me. Stemon and Jisan waited outside the only door into the room, standing guard in case I was able to overtake Boakler in an escape attempt.
My aching muscles yearned for that hot water; a week in a jostling carriage will do that to you. I would’ve truly enjoyed the steaming bath if I’d just been able to relax. Instead, I spent the whole time making sure that Boakler didn’t ogle my naked body as I washed. He kept his back to me, but I wasn’t about to take my eyes off him.
I highly considered drawing magic energy from my own body to bring Boakler down and wipe the insufferable smugness off his face, but I knew no good would come from doing so. There was only one door out of the room, and Boakler was blocking it. Also, with my rare ability to see the magic energy used in spells and imbued in objects, I could identify the glow of a protective wall of concentrated air around him. Behind that wall, Boakler’s body emitted a soft yellow aura, a barely perceptible glow that I can always see around anyone able to use magic.
Most anything I could’ve used to attack Boakler would’ve been halted by his barrier. Fire would’ve broken through it, but I didn’t have the desire to hurt him that bad. Then again . . .
If nothing else, Stemon and Jisan stood right outside the door, likely using magic to listen in on each and every sound coming from the room. They would’ve intervened if I’d tried anything.
After I cleaned up, I changed into a clean, brown wizard robe. Boakler, joined by Stemon and Jisan, shepherded me back outside. As we approached the carriage, I made my first attempt in days to be given access to Max. I’ll describe how it went in detail, while my resultant conversation with Boakler is still fresh on my mind.
~~~~
“Will you please allow me to keep the squirrel with me?” I pleaded. Yes, now that I write that down, it sounds pretty ridiculous. “It’s not as if it can do anything from inside that abelyr box you have it in.
“And let the carriage’s abelyr frame dispel the seal on the box?” Boakler scoffed. “As always, there is not a chance in Rizear’s domain that we will give you access to our recent
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