Leslie Moore - Griffin's Shadow

She cast another pinch of incense onto the thurible, then lit two red candles.

She raised her arms. “I entreat thee, O Nameless One! Thy servant Sonoe awaits your dread touch. I am ready to receive thee, Master!”

She let all of her mental shields drop, and waited.

The black stone now glowed from within, emitting an eerie, blue light. Sonoe could feel the approach of the ancient spirit, the one who had dwelt in darkness, imprisoned, for a millennium, and now hovered on the verge of freedom. He had first come to her in a vision, whispering promises of power beyond all imagining, the power of an empress who would rule at his side.

The stone served as a link, and she, Sonoe, acted as the living tool by which the Nameless One would obtain the one thing essential to his plan.

The Key.

He came like the wind before a storm, surging along the link forged between them by the combined strength of their magics. He slammed into her body, hurling her onto her back with brutal force. She felt her legs forced apart and then the sensation of some thing entering her. Though she had anticipated this, still she screamed in pain and fury as the Nameless One assaulted her. She felt as if she were impaled upon a spear of ice, the frozen organ of a frost giant.

It seemed as if the rape went on for hours, but in reality, it lasted no more than a few heartbeats.

The Nameless One withdrew and hovered before her, radiating malevolent satisfaction.

In form, he appeared as a black mist, ever-shifting, though always maintaining the rough outline of a man. Twin orbs, glowing like baleful red coals, occupied the space where the eyes of a living man would have been.

His voice rang in her head like the peal of a huge, brazen bell.

You are mine, to do with as I please.

Sonoe licked dry, cracked lips. She struggled to rise, wincing in pain, but the spirit lashed out and forced her into a servile crouch.

You will always be on your knees before me, unless I give you permission to be otherwise, or unless I wish you on your back.

Sonoe shook with fury and fear in equal measure. “When you first came to me, you promised me power! You said that you would make me an empress, but instead, I find that I am to be your slave?” She glared up at the Nameless One through a curtain of mussed hair.

A rough sound, like the grinding of metal upon metal, rent the air. Sonoe flushed in humiliation at the Nameless One’s scornful laughter.

The moment you forged the mind link with me, you became my slave, Sonoe. But do not despair. Though you are my slave, you shall indeed share my triumph and my power. No other shall be set above you, save me. I shall reshape reality to my will and we will rule over all things, side by side.

Sonoe’s anger began to cool, then hardened into steely resolve. “I submit then, willingly, Master,” she murmured.

Again, the metallic grinding of the Nameless One’s laughter tore at her ears and her mind.

Submission does not come easily to you, beautiful one, but you will learn, and it will be my pleasure to teach you.

Sonoe felt her breasts and thighs caressed by an unseen, icy hand. Though bitter bile rose in her throat and threatened to choke her, she remained still.

The one who harbors the Key. Tell me of her.

“She sleeps in the arms of her husband, in chambers near the king’s private quarters,” Sonoe answered in a rough voice. “I have scanned her and tasted her energy! It is…delicious!” Sonoe found herself becoming aroused at the memory of how the Key had felt. She had experienced nothing like it before – intoxicating, exhilarating, yet terrifying all at once. She had immediately craved more, but there had been a barrier, like a layer of clear ice, preventing more than a cursory touch.

The vessel knows nothing of what she harbors?

“She knows she has Talent, and she knows some facts about the Key. I couldn’t prevent my…colleague, Amara Sakehera, from telling her. The girl is her daughter-in-law, after all.” Sonoe paused.

You must be careful. I need not tell you the dire consequences if you are discovered.

“I am well aware of the risks!” Sonoe hissed in annoyance. If any of her fellows in the Society discovered her duplicity, not even the king himself could save her. But none of that mattered. The Nameless One offered a prize worth any amount of risk.

You must be prepared to kill them all to gain control of the vessel.

Sonoe knew full well that “them” meant her fellow Kirians, as well as anyone else who might interfere. Amara Sakehera she could deal with easily, but Taya Onjara was another matter. As for the rest of the Kirian Society, the one person who had the power to stop her-the former Mistress of the Society, Chiana Hiraino-mysteriously disappeared years ago. The only remaining members-Iza Fudai and Keyak Hyuga-were both retired from practice.

“I can do whatever it takes,” Sonoe declared. “But you must be ready to do your part when the time comes!” She watched the spirit’s misty form grow ever more insubstantial as the power that sustained the link between them weakened.

My strength is fading, otherwise you would be writhing in agony for your insolence. The link must be severed soon, so listen carefully. First, you must befriend the girl, earn her trust. Only then will we be able to gain control of her. I shall…keep watch…on…your… progress…!

“I understand…Master,” Sonoe replied.

The Nameless One severed the link.

Sonoe knew the spirit had withdrawn to his prison beneath the icy wastes of the Kesen Numai Mountains to rest and rebuild his strength. She felt like a spent wineskin. The dull pain between her legs served as a brutal reminder of the price for her ambition. She crawled over to where her robe lay and pulled the thin fabric over her naked and bruised body, then slowly climbed to her feet. How she would explain her condition to Keizo she had not yet decided, but he knew that, at times, her work as a high level mage could be hazardous. He would not question her too closely.

With her remaining strength, she conjured a magelight, then extinguished the guttering tapers and slipped the black stone pendant around her neck. Lifting the offering chalice to her lips, she drained it to the dregs. Her magical sense detected not a trace of her blood left in the wine. The Nameless One had taken it all.

With the magelight drifting before her, Sonoe began the long walk back to the king’s private quarters.

"I’ve just received an urgent message from my steward.” Sen Sakehera waved a small piece of paper in the air like a flag. “Several reports have come in, leading him to believe that a sizable fighting force is gathering just beyond my borders at Amsara Castle.”

Raidan had never before seen Sakehera so agitated. Raidan and Keizo, along with Sakehera, now met in the king’s private chambers each morning, to eat breakfast and review any reports that had come in from the previous day. Six weeks had come and gone since Keizo had presented his daughter to the people, and during that time, the plans for the defense of Alasiri had begun to take their final shape.

“So. It begins,” Keizo said quietly. “But why so soon? Winter will be on us in a matter of weeks. Surely, the humans don’t mean to attack us in the snow!”

“No, the Soldarans are not stupid; on the contrary, they are very clever,” Raidan pointed out. “This move is meant as a diversionary tactic. We expected they might try this very thing.”

“Of course,” Keizo said, nodding. “The Soldarans know we will have to send a force out to deal with them… The empress is trying to distract us, split our forces and disrupt our plans for the defense of Tono next spring.”