Michael Manning - The Archmage unbound

Bring her to me, I commanded.

Moira’s answer had a strange feel to it when she responded, as though strong emotions were overwhelming her thoughts. Not yet, we are… talking. I will bring her back when she is ready.

That was interesting, and it did little to relieve my anxiety. Pressing onward I found the room that Rose was in, I needed to make sure she wasn’t dying before I addressed anything else. I found her lying on a large bed where it appeared she had been hastily dumped. Her arms and legs were askew and by their unnatural positions I didn’t think she had moved at all since Cyhan had presumably left her there. That didn’t bode well, normally even unconscious people move a bit.

Elaine was curled up at the foot of the bed and a cursory examination showed she had nothing more wrong with her than a large goose egg on the back of her head, along with an assortment of scratches. I passed over her immediately and set my hand over Rose’s forehead.

Her skin was cold but not clammy for she wasn’t sweating, in fact if felt remarkably similar to what I would have expected from a corpse but I could tell her heart was still beating. Her gown had been ripped and a large wadded up ball of the fabric had been tied against her abdomen. Even so blood had seeped through the material and the bed beneath her was soaked with it. Shit! I thought and immediately I focused my senses on her wound.

She had been stabbed and likely with a very sharp blade, for her assailant had ripped the blade out with a slashing motion rather than simply withdrawing it. Cyhan had probably had to tuck her innards back in before binding her wound. I had no more time for thought, forgetting my weariness I began sealing arteries and torn vessels, knitting everything back together as quickly as possible before she could lose any more blood.

Unlike the terrible wound Penny had suffered once this one was much simpler and I was able to effectively repair the injuries without trying to work from the inside as I had done before. The biggest problem was loss of blood; she had lost so much of it that I feared her body might shut down from that simple lack. Her heart was beating at an incredible rate trying to make up for the paucity of blood.

I glanced down at the brilliant golden stone I held in my hand and wished I could heal the way the gods were able to. I had seen them heal far worse and yet I struggled with something as simple as a mere shortage of blood. In desperation I briefly considered connecting her blood vessels with those of the girl next to her and trying to share some of Elaine’s blood between them.

More likely you’ll kill both of them, I chided myself. I didn’t know enough to try something like that. Instead I found a pitcher of clean water and used my magic to coerce it through the air and then slip it through her mouth and down her throat. I filled her stomach halfway and stopped, and then I stood back and wiped my forehead. I could only hope that it would help.

A wave of fatigue washed over me and I knew I couldn’t keep going for much longer. I needed rest like a starving man needs food. I ignored the impulse to lie down on the floor and instead I moved Elaine close beside Rose, arranging her so that she might help keep the other woman warm and then I wrapped them both gently in the large comforter that lay underneath them.

Closing my eyes I fought the urge to sleep and sent my mind outward again. Briefly I checked on Dorian… he was still breathing steadily and his heartbeat was strong so I moved on. Searching the grounds I finally found the man I was searching for, Edward, King of Lothion. Soon to be the late-King, I added mentally.

He had had plenty of time to escape, but for the stone column that had fallen and pinned him beneath a pile of rubble. Moving steadily through the palace and across torn gardens I drew closer and I could tell that his left leg had been crushed. I had trouble imagining a better man to suffer such misfortune. As I neared him I felt Cyhan approaching from a different direction and I paused to wait for his arrival.

He saw me standing amid the rubble and changed direction to meet me. I called out to him when he was close, “Thank you.”

Cyhan frowned, “What’s that for?”

“You freed Penny and Dorian didn’t you? I’m fairly certain Edward wouldn’t have had him locked up with his armor and weapons,” I said as if it were a matter of plain fact. “I also appreciate your help getting Rose and the girl out of there,” I added.

The older warrior’s eyes appraised me silently but he only grunted and gave a small nod. “Have you found the King?” he asked, ignoring my gratitude.

“He’s close by,” I said guardedly. I still had doubts regarding Cyhan’s motivations. “First I’d like to know where you and I stand.”

A ripple went through the big man’s shoulders as his muscles twitched. “Twenty years ago I gave my oaths to the king and I have not yet broken them. So long as that remains true the only thing that can change between us is either your death or my own.”

I felt a surge of anger at the other man’s irrational behavior. Clinging to his outdated vows he wouldn’t be satisfied till one of us was dead, even though he obviously no longer believed in the reasons behind those vows. “Why don’t we just settle things now then,” I ground out. “I’m sick of waiting for you to try and kill me.”

Cyhan glanced at me and then looked away, scanning the area for some sign of Edward. “I’m not a fool, nor do I plan to issue a challenge and face you in some knightly bout. My only chance of killing you will be when you are either unconscious or badly wounded. Pray I do not find you so. Where is the King?”

“What’s to stop me from just killing you now then?” I said bitterly.

The large man spun around and glared at me as if I had just caught fire. His eyes were lit with fury. “You should have done that long before now!” he almost shouted, spitting the words from his mouth as if they had left a bad taste there. “Since you won’t, why don’t you tell me where my King is.”

I fought down the impulse to give the other man what he so obviously desired… a quick death. Taking a deep breath I answered him, “I want to talk to him first. You can see him after that.”

“Then hurry, I grow impatient,” Cyhan replied.

I bit my tongue rather than reply and began walking to the north. Crossing a ruined garden and stepping over a fallen wall I found the large stone pillar that had fallen upon the king of Lothion. Edward was lying quietly near the base, wedged between the stone column and a heavy bench that had kept the massive weight from completely crushing his lower body. He was losing blood slowly for the heavy weight had effectively compressed his torn blood vessels. It would take him hours to die, unless he was healed.

Watching me approach he gave me a pained smile. “Count di’Cameron, it is a pleasure to see you again. Have you come to finish your business or just gloat over an old man?”

I had no intention of healing him. After a long pause I spoke, “Time will finish our business. I merely wanted to ask your advice regarding the succession.”

“A cruel reply, Mordecai, you would let me bleed to death while in considerable pain. Why should I give you advice? The world is done with me.” There was a tone of resignation in his voice.

Leaning down I touched his throat and uttered a few words quietly. Standing straight again I disguised myself as the King and answered him in his own voice, “If you care about Lothion you should want her ruler to act wisely.”

His eyes went wide and anger grew in his features. “It appears you have no need of my advice if you simply intend to usurp my place,” he said acrimoniously.