Jean Lorrah - Flight to Savage Empire

Vortius also had scouts. Before Liliths troops could gather to defend her castle he set out-using Adept power to kill the watchers who would have reported his movements.

Vortius’ army was less than half a day’s ride to the north of the castle, Zanos, Astra, and their friends about an equal distance to the south. Perhaps seventy of Liliths soldiers in all were within distance to reach the castle before Vortius did-but once inside they might be able to hold it until further help came.

Without the watchers’ warnings, though, they didn’t know that the situation had become critical.

For once in her life, Astra blessed the extended range of her Reading talent as she reached out to Amicus. He was Reading, too-and trying to determine which side was stronger before throwing his lot in with them.

“You fool!” Astra projected to him. “Don’t you know that Seriak is really Vortius?”

“Who-? Ah, you are the other Reader I’ve sensed spying-but not out of body any longer.” He Read Astra, Zanos, the others. “Who are you, renegade?”

“Magister Astra, of Portias Academy,” she replied. “But Portia is dead now, and so is the corruption among Readers. Warn the castle that enemies are preparing to attack!”

“Why should I? These people took me hostage. I owe them nothing.”

“Then protect your own life! If Vortius wins, he’ll either kill you or force you to do his will.”

“And what will you do if you win? Vortius has no Readers. He will reward me well for my services.”

To her horror, Astra realized that her intrusion had caused Amicus to choose sides-the wrong side!

She tried again. “Vortius might have bribed Readers in the empire-but out here he doesn’t have to bother with the appearance of a good citizen. Amicus, he’ll-”

The door to Amicus’ room burst open. He turned to face a man in Lilith’s livery, carrying a sword.

“Die, traitor!” the man cried, and, catching the Reader in utter surprise, plunged the sword into his heart.

Amicus’ mind screamed with pain, assaulting Astra and striking down Master Corus’ mental barriers.

“Amicus, what-?” “Guards! Guards! Help-we’re being attacked!” Corus cried as he pounded on the door of his room.

But there was only one guard on duty-and he had just killed one of his charges. Now he turned to the other.

The second Reader fought valiantly, but, weaponless, he was no match for the guardsman’s youth and strength. He was driven into a corner and slaughtered.

Although she could hardly cling to her horse amid the shared pain, Astra forced herself to continue Reading the scene. That guard-he was the same one Vortius had caused to choke on his scouting mission, and then provided “medicine” for! Now he was carrying out the orders Vortius had carefully programmed into him with subsequent doses of “medication,” the last few doled out on secret trips out of the castle and paid for with detailed descriptions of floor plans and security routines.

At the news that reports had ceased from the watchers to the north, this man had first come up here to kill the Readers lest they give the alarm.

Astra realized that Vortius would never trust a Reader he couldn’t control by some means other than a bribe. After all, someone else might offer a bigger reward!

Now the guard went quickly down to the courtyard and up the watchtower, where the man on duty turned anxiously to say, “I can’t get any response from Yakov, sir!”

“I’ll take over here,” replied Vortius’ man. “Go to the arms room and help prepare the weaponry.”

“Aye, sir!”

Alone on the tower, the guard first faced northward, to where the next relay of watchers lay dead, where Vortius waited for his signal. “All is accomplished. Come ahead.”

Then he turned to the south and flashed, “Cancel alert. No trouble here. Yakov’s relief late. Tell Lilith all is well. Drav.”

And remembering Drav’s reaction the day Vortius had come to scout the castle, Astra was sure he was one of Lilith’s most conscientious retainers. She would trust his word… and not hurry home.

Astra relayed what she had Read to her companions. “We have no choice-if we don’t help defend that castle, Vortius will take it by nightfall.”

“And get more people into his power-the most resistant ones with white lotus.” Zanos shuddered, and urged his horse to a faster pace.

Now their problem was twofold: to warn the castle that Vortius was coming, and to persuade those who defended it that they were friends, not enemies.

That problem was still unresolved when they approached a roadblock set up by the army. “Where are you going?” demanded the officer in charge.

“To the Lady Lilith’s castle,” replied Trel. “We’re entertainers, come to help celebrate the great victory over the Aventines.”

“Sir,” spoke up one of the soldiers, “I saw them perform two days ago over at the Crossroads. They put on a fine show.

Astra Read the officer thinking that over. Word had just come from the watchers that the alert was a false alarm-Drav’s counterfeit message.

“Very well,” said the officer. “Pass through. Perhaps we’ll be let off duty tonight and can see your show.”

“Why are you blocking the road?” asked Trel. “Is there some danger ahead?”

“Nay-we thought there might be, but it proved merely a watcher late to his duties. We ought to be moving back toward the castle-if there were any trouble, that’d be the target.” And Astra Read thoughts of Lilith’s treasure rooms-certainly Vortius’ target.

“Or we might be,” Trel improvised quickly.

“Eh?” questioned the officer.

“We had a scare back there-all this activity has the bandit clans restless, you know.”

“Aye-we’ve been having trouble with ‘em south o’ here ever since the Aventine invasion, ‘ agreed the officer. “You see something?”

“Aye. You know, we’ve picked up a nice bit of money our last few performances-generous folks

‘round these parts, ” said Trel. “We’re thinking of staying in this kingdom-my life’s ambition has been to build my own theater, and I understand there is none in this country. But a bunch of bandits tried to ambush us this morning-there wasn’t enough of them, and they quick gave up when they saw we’d fight for what’s ours.”

“But you’re thinking, if you settle in these parts, are you going to have to defend yourselves-or will the Lady of the Land protect you? She will, sir-that I can promise as her loyal follower these twenty years.

And for the rest of your journey-why don’t you ride with us back to the castle? No bandits are going to attack a troop of Lady Lilith’s army!”

It was exactly what Astra had had no idea of how

to accomplish. The officer, whose name was Brodik, was about the same age as Trel, and in half an hour the two men were fast friends. Kimma, and even Seela, flirted gently with some of the men, and they rode at a steady pace which Astra saw would put them near the castle at about the same time Vortius’

troops arrived.

They were still far outnumbered, and she feared that there would not be time to get inside the castle and bar the gate against the invaders-but they had brought twenty armed and well-trained men to join forces with Lilith’s retainers. Of the people in the castle, she could Read none in league with Drav- but he still manned the watchtower, relaying false messages that all was well, supposedly coming from the lookout post where Vortius had killed Yakov. The two guards he had sent for a break had resumed their posts outside Amicus’ and Corns’ rooms, with no idea that their charges now lay dead inside.

Zanos rode steadily, with the tension she recognized as the fighter’s pitch, ready to move at the first threat. He had nothing to say-perhaps because some of the soldiers riding beside their little troupe might hear.