Part 20 (1/2)

The room which they entered had doors on three sides. They required no door, however, but rather the wall to the far right, through which they meant to get at the holding cells on the other side. Carson at once set to his task. He was to trans.m.u.te the mortar around each brick into mud, thereby allowing the loosened brick to slide out freely. While he did this, the others gathered apprehensively about his crouched form.

”Go listen by that door,” Cedrik said to his brother and instructed Cade to watch the second door. Bayne took himself over by the third and listened. Cedrik stood with his back to them, watching to see how Carson fared in bringing down part of the wall. It was a slower process than Cedrik would have liked. He felt anxious they would be discovered, and several times he turned, convinced he had heard steps.

The faint sounds of clanking armour would come to Derek's attentive ears at intervals, never close enough to think they were coming to the door, but soon he heard quick, yet heavy steps approaching louder and louder, till there was no doubt someone was about to enter. ”Someone's coming,” he whispered urgently.

There was a sound-a drawing of bolts. Cedrik turned hastily just as the door opened, and kicked it closed, smas.h.i.+ng it into the guard's face, who staggered backward, half-stunned, with a bloodied nose. Cedrik wasted no time before bounding onto the man, grappling him to the ground. There was not a large disparity in weight between the two men, but in the dominant position Cedrik easily overpowered him, pressing his forearm down across the throat, choking him unconscious.

While he did this, Derek attended to the guard behind. Taking advantage of the surprise, he landed a sharp blow to the guard's jaw with such a hard knock he felled him on the spot. Derek could easily have killed the man, had such been his desire, but he could not bring himself to the point.

Cedrik meanwhile rose from his unconscious foe. The chivalry he would usually abide was disregarded, and he plunged his blade through the man's chest. He then did the same to the other at Derek's feet, while Derek, who had never taken a life nor witnessed his brother take the life of man, stood breathless and overwhelmed.

Cedrik clutched his brother round the back of the neck. ”Are you holding?” Derek nodded hurriedly, as if numbed by a chill. Cedrik looked over at the companions and saw that enough of the wall was down for them to pa.s.s through.

”This is going better than I thought,” said Cade with relief.

”It will not go so easy when we come nearer to the holding area,” said Carson as he ducked through the narrow aperture he had produced, leading the way.

In his cell Deacon stood aimless. He was shackled in wrist irons, made of a particular alloy that had negating properties. These bonds did not render him entirely useless but made it exceedingly difficult for him to draw on any amount of strength. The holding cell was isolated from the others, situated in the middle of the chamber, entirely closed in with no windows but for the one set in the iron-bound door, equipped with thick bars.

A single man stood posted in front. He was not a city guard but one of the rangers who worked for Orsious. Further down from here several guards were posted at the entrance; they could not be seen from the prisoner's view. Deacon leaned his brow against the cold bars, hanging his arms limply through the s.p.a.ces between them.

”You cannot keep me here. I've done nothing wrong!” he said, his voice rising in agitation, but the guard paid no more attention to him than if he had not spoken at all. Deacon's hands were hanging down near to the lock. He made a subtle gesture, and for its attempt was inflicted with a charge. He swore and withdrew his hand. He had known how it would be, but had done it merely to satisfy his own knowing and to test the effect of his hindered strength.

The guard took a step forward and said, ”d.a.m.n you, do not tempt me!”

From their unusual entry point, the perpetrators pa.s.sed behind Deacon's cell. To their left more holding chambers extended, forming a narrow corridor with cells on either side. These they swiftly pa.s.sed, determining that Deacon would be held in the centre chamber, which was used for interrogation. Coming round the side of his cell, they came upon several guards posted at the entrance. The first guard to see them came to attention, startled, his hand reaching for the hilt of his sword. His violent start caused the others to do likewise. Out flashed the swords from their sheaths. No words were exchanged; the perpetrators' intentions were too clear to necessitate any conversation. Bayne, with a single movement, s.n.a.t.c.hed the concealed knife from his boot and hurled it into the throat of the first guard before the blade was fully drawn-he rushed forward to retrieve it mere seconds after it had left his hand. With that the two sides fell upon each other.

As yet unaware of his companions' proximity, Deacon remained leaning, his brow pressed against the bars, his hands hanging limp through them, suffering the lull of inaction.

”Pull your arms back in before I break them off,” threatened the guard. Even with the restraints he didn't trust the prisoner's abilities. He stepped forward but then was distracted by the sound of conflict. There was a commotion at one side of the room. In that moment of distraction, just as he turned his face, Deacon made a sharp, sudden gesture which dashed the guard's head against the wall and rendered him consciousless. The man laid sprawled, inert upon the floor.

Out from the corridor where the other cells where situated came three armed guards, hastening to the side of their a.s.sociates, who still offered resistance against the perpetrators. Cedrik was so ruthless it seemed he was determined to disarm the whole party on his own. Magenta pa.s.sed ahead of the hostilities and went toward Deacon's cell. One of the defending guards, determining her intent, hastened to intercept her, but Bayne was after him a few seconds later and broadsided him. Both men fell and smashed into the floor. Only Bayne rose from the struggle. Seizing the guard's sword, he cut the exposed throat and, thus armed, followed Magenta.

Deacon, after hearing the commotion, was aching to get out. Even with his heavily restrained energies, he tried to break the chain that served as a tether. When Magenta suddenly appeared at the door, he drew up straight, as if she were the last person he thought to see. ”Are you hurt?” was the first thing she said, touching his face through the bars. She placed her hand over the lock. He caught her wrist.

”It's difficult,” he said.

”Let her,” came Bayne's ruthless voice. ”She's a criminal.” Deacon released her, wary of the unfamiliar face. Magenta at once attempted to release the lock. Bayne planted his feet either side of the unconscious body of the ranger, and stooping down, he felt for the keys. Cedrik and the others had managed to subdue the resistance and stood at the entrance on guard, waiting for any who might venture through.

Cade came to stand by Bayne, who found the key-ring, attached still by a chain, and tore it free. He held it up. ”d.a.m.n me!” His heart sank at how many keys there were. ”Who is this man?” Before stepping away from the body, he gave the insensible guard a good, sharp kick in the side. ”He'll feel that when he wakes.”

”Quickly, quickly,” said Cade.

In the opened doorway to the cell, Deacon waited, unable to move further out. He said to Magenta, ”I wish you hadn't come.” Beneath the concern was something decidedly cold and impersonal. Pain came into her face, so subtle that only he could have noticed. ”Are my cousins here?”

”They wait down the hall,” Magenta told him. From his view he could not see them. She wanted to throw her arms about him and hold him close, but the strangeness of his manner kept her away. Bayne broke in rudely on their exchange and grabbed Deacon's wrists. ”Hold still, sweetheart, we'll get you out.” He winked and proceeded to try different keys. Cade stood next to him, trying to determine progress, his gaze lifting occasionally to see how his companions far down at the end fared.

Cedrik, Derek, and Carson stood on either side of the entrance, out of view from any who might come down the hall. Cedrik nursed several nasty sword-gashes and regretted the absence of the armour to which he was accustomed. The other two were also well-beaten, but no wound required immediate address. Carson observed the younger brother's ashen face-blood that was not his own smeared his cheek. ”Don't feel remorse,” he said. ”These guards are miserable sons-of-dogs. I have scars still upon my body from their hands.”

”Hush, do not speak,” said Cedrik. He wanted to listen for anyone coming. Moments after, they heard faint steps approaching. The instant the individual entered, Carson came forward. Seeing it was a woman, not a guard, the blow he meant to deal swiftly changed. Instead he caught her by the shoulders and dashed her against the wall, throwing his weight against her. He clapped his hand over the startled mouth, but not before a faint cry had reached the ear of a man who followed. It alerted him and gave time enough to ready himself. Sword drawn, he blocked the first attack. He retreated up the hall and sent forth sharp, alarming calls. Cedrik went after him, and in a moment disarmed and silenced him, but it was too late. Nearby guards had heard the alarm and were at once rus.h.i.+ng forth. Cedrik turned and ran.

The woman Carson had pinned against the wall remained helplessly pa.s.sive. An intensified fear showed on her brow when her gaze fell upon the dead guards who lay behind him. Carson, not knowing what else to do with her, drew the strings from his leather pants and bound her hands. He pushed her to the floor in a corner and was threatening her into silence when Cedrik ran into the room in a mad haste, his sword drawn. Carson and Derek heard the heavy clanking of armour, which left no doubt a number of well-armed men were coming after him.

While all this went on, Bayne worked at freeing the prisoner. Cade hovered anxiously, urging him to be quick with the task. ”You tried that one already.”

”No. I did not,” answered Bayne, undaunted.

The commotion at the entrance caught Cade's attention. Panicking, he bent close, so he spoke right to the other's ear and said with emphasis, ”Hurry up.”

Bayne turned to him, provoked. ”I will stick you with this key!” In that same instant they both turned and saw their companions engaged in fending off the impending onslaught of guards. Seeing them begin to falter under the weight of the attack, Cade began to lose his nerve and said, ”Are you sure we shouldn't have gone with the first plan?”

”Sh-h!” said Bayne, hurrying to unlock the prisoner's bonds. Just as a barrage of guards came through the entrance, Deacon stepped free of his cell, sending out a pulse of electricity that stunned and collapsed their bodies. Before they could recover from the paralysis, the companions regrouped and hastened down behind the cell to where they had secretly infiltrated. Instead of turning left, out through the door by which they had entered, they continued through, stepping over the two guards Cedrik and Derek had previously brought down. Leading the way, Bayne turned their steps toward an outer wall. As fortune would have it, they met no resistance on their path.

”We are to go through there,” Bayne said, pointing to the wall ahead. Before Carson had a chance to hasten forward and set to the tedious task of removing each brick, Deacon threw all his will against it. As if hit by some tremendous force, the stone burst and shattered, leaving a gaping hole. The fugitives halted briefly, stunned by the startling force, then continued through. Outside, in the limited s.p.a.ce between the structure and outer city wall, Bayne asked Deacon, ”Can you seal it back up?” He knew everyone in the place would be on their heels in less than fifteen minutes.

Deacon shook his head, bent over as if out of breath.

”It matters little,” said Bayne, turning to the wall. Focusing his attention, he deformed the surface of the stone, producing indentations and protrusions suitable for foot and hand holds. Deacon set his boot on the first step and set all his weight on it. It was a only a fifteen-foot wall, but it would not do for any of them to fall and break a bone.

”Let your woman go before us,” said Bayne, in the tone of an order, thinking if anything should go wrong she would be the first to suffer it. Deacon paid no attention and commenced his ascent. He scaled the wall effortlessly and without fear.

Magenta started soon after him. When she neared the top, her wrists were grasped from above, and she was hauled up the rest of the way. Standing precariously atop the wall, Deacon held her close. ”Hang down to the full length of your arms before you let go,” he instructed her. He went first, stepping off the edge and landing steadily upon his feet.

Carefully Magenta slid over the side, hanging with her body flat against the stone, arms fully extended. Deacon stood at the base waiting for her. As she dropped, he reached up and caught her round the waist to lessen the fall. In his arms she caught her balance and turned to him. When he determined she was unharmed, they swiftly moved out of the path for others who followed quickly behind. Bayne was the last. He landed hard and scrambled to his feet. ”Your horses are tied over in those trees,” he said, wincing with a pained ankle. He indicated the thicket of trees a small distance away.

”Where are you going to?” asked Cedrik. He knew the search would be on and that none might traverse the streets of Cheydon without being subject to interrogation.

”There's a tavern not far from here,” said Carson. ”We'll wait it out there and head back into the front gates with the morning trade.”

”You'd better clear off, then,” said Bayne. After farewell handclasps the Cheydon boys broke away in the other direction. Magenta went with Deacon, Cedrik and Derek. They slipped quickly into the trees, looking to retrieve the horses, of which were only three. They had not realized that she was to come with them. Without a word, Deacon held back, gently drawing her to a standstill with him. He turned only partly to face her, his eyes downcast. She was pressed softly against him, wondering. He waited while the brothers continued on ahead of them before he spoke.

”You cannot come with me,” he said in a low, firm voice, so only she could hear. He did not lift his eyes. Her heart sank within her and seemed to die. She could endure cold, wet or hunger, she had even borne Infliction, but the thought of being forever divided from him was as utterly unendurable as being asked not to breathe. ”Return to your father,” he said quietly. She stood silent as if she could not move. He suffered. He was going to move.

A sob rose in her throat. ”Deacon-” He had begun to turn, but her plea arrested him. ”All that I hold dear will be torn away with you.” She pleaded so softly no other ears heard. She sought his hand plaintively and pressed close against him. Though her touch was light, he felt as if she were hanging off the edge of a precipice and his strength alone would keep her from falling. He could feel himself being dragged down with her. Unable to endure her face as he let her slip and fall, he stooped down to whisper. She felt his smooth cheek brush her own, his lips against her ear, the words rapid and almost senseless, succeeded in a suspension of consciousness. She hadn't a chance even to apprehend the meaning before she drooped in his arms. Gently he lowered her to the soft earth.

”What did you do to her!” came Derek's voice of alarm. Cedrik and Derek both went over to Deacon, bringing the horses with them. ”Don't do your accursed magic on her!” said Derek, crouching down to see if she was all right, but he couldn't make her stir.

”Let us move on,” said Deacon, taking the reins of his horse from Cedrik. ”It'll not be long before we are discovered here.”

Cedrik frowned. ”We can't just leave her here,” he said. He felt it would be wrong to leave the young woman to such a fate, especially after she had risked herself for Deacon's freedom. ”You cannot just leave her here in this state.” Glancing down at her, she looked very vulnerable. ”Anyone who comes along may do what they will with her.”

”She is a priestess,” said Deacon. ”Guards that will be here all too soon will take her back to her father and us with her if we don't move.” Cedrik looked at him, hardly convinced. ”They would fear any other action,” Deacon said.

”And I suppose going back to her father, after disobeying him and freeing you, is not going to go bad for her? I met the man only briefly, but he left a vivid impression. Do you really wish to bring his anger down upon her?”

They were quickly running out of time, and Deacon knew Cedrik would have his way.