Part 16 (2/2)
”Oh-I think the master of the spa is calling me,” she said, a bit breathlessly.
The Sensorian was indeed, waving her over.
”You go and have fun,” Kor said softly. ”Just be careful, blondie.”
”I will.” Maggie smiled at him. ”And you stay dry.”
He nodded gravely. ”I sure as h.e.l.l will. Don't worry about that.”
Maggie nodded and turned away.
”No, no, no!” Xandra hissed, glaring into the surface of her cauldron. ”He must get in-must submerge himself for the seed to be planted!”
”Problems?” A pair of glowing red eyes rose to the surface and stared at her.
”It's Therron-he refuses to get into the Remembrance Pool!” Xandra was thoroughly frustrated. ”And after I took so much trouble with my spell to influence that Sensorian fool to get him there in the first place. It's maddening!”
The eyes glowed brighter. ”Something must be done. I have not planned so carefully and worked so hard to get the male ready for nothing.”
”Well, what am I to do? My influence only extends so far-working magic from light years away is difficult.” Xandra frowned.
”Is the Remembrance Pool really a necessity? After the life he has lived-the pains and agonies I have ensured were inflicted upon him and especially after all the kills he has made-he ought to be thoroughly corrupted and ripe for invasion by now.”
”Well, he's not,” Xandra snapped. ”And you know you cannot inhabit a being that is not willfully evil.”
”True...” The eyes glowed thoughtfully. ”Well, if he will not get into the pool himself he must be forced in.”
”Don't you think I thought of that? But how?” Xandra demanded. ”Therron is not yet ripe for invasion and until the seed is planted my magic cannot influence him-only those around him.”
”Those around him...” The glowing eyes blinked. ”That is the answer. The girl with him-the one who named and claimed him-is she-?”
”That softhearted little wretch?” Xandra spat on the floor of her hovel. ”Not a chance. She barely let Therron touch her during the banquet and yet her mind is a turmoil of guilt.” She frowned. ”I must find a way to separate her from Therron-she is a bad influence on him. Or rather, a good one. He cares for her too much to allow himself to turn dark.”
”Perhaps there is an answer to both our problems. If Therron cannot be invaded and the girl with him is also a closed vessel, another must be found.”
”There is one whose mind and heart are evil,” Xandra said thoughtfully. ”She feels nothing but jealousy and spite and hatred-the perfect vessel. But she is certainly not strong enough to force Therron into the waters of Remembrance.”
The red eyes were half lidded with evil amus.e.m.e.nt. ”And who said it was Therron who must be forced in?”
Maggie turned away, heading for the shallow end of the pool. But she hadn't gone two steps before Lady Ponce'beast suddenly appeared at her side. She looked strange somehow-her eyes were wild with a reddish tinge and her wig was twisted around until it was nearly backwards. Her slave was trailing behind her with a worried expression on his face.
”Mistress?” he said. ”Mistress, I really think-”
”Nola Pope'nose,” Lady Ponce'beast snarled, glaring at Maggie. ”How are you, my dear? Did you enjoy the Pillow Fruit?”
”Lady Ponce'beast,” Maggie exclaimed, turning to face the other woman. ”Yes, I did. I've never tasted it before and it's really quite-”
”Taste this, you little b.i.t.c.h!” Lady Ponce'beast shouted. With a stiff, jerky movement-almost as though her body was being controlled by someone else-she lunged forward and shoved Maggie into the deep end of the Remembrance Pool.
Chapter Sixteen.
It happened before Kor could stop it. The crazy b.i.t.c.h pushed Maggie into the Remembrance Pool and then laughed maniacally-a strange, ugly sound that seemed to be too deep to come from a female's vocal chords.
Kor didn't stop to think twice. As the blood red waters closed over Maggie's head, he dived in to save her. Bad memories or not, he couldn't let her drown. Couldn't let her- ”Deeper! Thrust the spear in deeper-pierce his heart!”
Kor looked around wildly-the voice belonged to his old master. Where was he? And what was he saying?
Suddenly he was in a large private sparring chamber which had been made up to resemble an arena. There was a spectator box at one end and plenty of weapons hanging on the walls. There was even sand on the floor to soak up spilled blood. Sitting in the box were several rich patrons-as well as his old master.
”Harder!” his old master insisted, the light of greed growing in his small, piggy eyes. ”Our young patron has decided that your opponent must die. Finish him, Korexiroth!”
Kor looked down and saw that the point of his spear was penetrating another male's chest. No-not just another male. It was his dearest friend in the world-it was Lairtez. The one who had stood by him time and again and saved his life in the arena more times than he could count.
It all came back to Kor now. They were fighting a private exhibition-a manhood gift from one of their richest patrons to his son. It was supposed to be a harmless show-a mock battle in which Kor brought his opponent to his knees as only The Demon could. They had performed in this way countless times but this time things had gone wrong...terribly wrong. The patron's son had called for death instead of leniency. It wasn't part of the performance but apparently Kor's master had been offered enough credit to make the loss of a valued fighter more than worth his while.
”Lairtez,” Kor gasped, his own voice sounding choked in his ears. ”I cannot-”
”You must.” Blood seeped from the other male's mouth, trickling down his chin. His eyes were glazed but his voice was firm. ”If you don't, Master will have us both killed.”
Kor looked up and saw the light of anger growing in his master's eyes.
”Why do you hesitate, Korexiroth?” he demanded. ”Finish him! The patrons pay good credit to see blood-do as you're told.”
Kor felt sick. He and Lairtez had been thrust into the area together at an early age-too young, really to be trained. They would have been killed if they hadn't banded together. As they trained and grew into their new roles as fighters in the Blood Circuit, they had protected each other. Kor knew that no matter what else happened, Lairtez always had his back. And now he would be forced to kill him, on the whim of a bloodthirsty patron who cared only for the spectacle of death.
”No,” he croaked. ”I cannot.”
”You must. I'm dead already. No sense...” Lairtez choked, bringing up more blood. ”No sense in us both dying, Brother.”
His master came out of the box, striding over the blood soaked sand with a grim scowl on his face.
”Do it, slave,” he snapped. ”Finish him or you both die.”
”I-” Kor never got to finish his words. With a groan, Lairtez threw himself forward, using the weight of his large body to drive the spear point deeper into his chest. More blood gushed out, wetting the sand. In the private box, the patrons cheered.
”Good. It's done.” The master dusted his hands together and glared at Kor. ”You were much too slow to obey orders, Korexiroth. I'll see to you later.”
”Not if I see to your first.” Kor's eyes got hot and a red veil dropped over his vision as he reached for his master's throat. Distantly, he heard the young patron crowing-”The Demon! Look at his eyes-they're glowing! The Demon is finally showing his colors! He's-”
...too big to hold off. Too strong. Kor felt a rush of sick fear. A huge male he recognized as Taurex-the prize fighter of his master's stable- came lumbering after him.
Kor looked down at himself. He was younger now-much younger than when he'd been forced to kill his friend and had subsequently murdered his master as well. In fact, he had just started fighting in the arena a few days before. His record wasn't good-the worst in the stable. Which was why he had been given to Taurex as fresh meat.
<script>