Shaper of Stone (The Shapers Book 1) (9 page)

He indicated the cushioned chair.

“The chair is for you. As long as
you cooperate, we’ll try to keep you comfortable, but if you
resist,” he patted the metal table. “Well, that really
isn’t an option. I’ll take what I want and you won’t
be the only one who finds it unpleasant.”

I wanted to tell him to stick it, but
instead I hung my head low and sat on the chair. I would do his
tricks if it would buy me some time.

“Well done,” he said as he
handed me a helmet. Like the orbs it too was made of some sort of
nerafpan composite. I figured the nerafpan helped channel the energy
to the orbs. I lifted it to put it on my head.

“There is no need to wear the
helmet. It is simpler to strap it on someone’s head if they are
resistant, but that is not required. As long as you hold it in your
hands we can proceed.”

“You mean it is working now?”
I asked.

“Yes, but not efficiently. At
this rate it will take several weeks to charge a sphere. You have the
gift boy, and thanks to the training I provided, you can use it.
Visualize the flow of your energy through the conduit into the sphere
and we’ll get a new sphere each day that you are here. Don’t
worry, you’ll have time to rest. I wouldn’t want you to
exhaust yourself too quickly.”

I pointed to the bracelet on my left
hand, “Won’t I get zapped if I try that?”

“No. The conduit will draw the
energy away from you before the bracelet can react. Think of it as
pouring water into a bucket with a hole in the bottom. As long as the
hole is uncovered, the bucket won’t overflow.”

I turned the helmet over in my hand. It
was pretty much just a pot with a leather strap along the bottom and
four nerafpan coated chords running out of it. They connected to the
base where the sphere rested. It didn’t look comfortable at
all.

But then, I don’t think Vatrale
was overly concerned with his victims comfort.

I really wasn’t looking forward
to spending a day locked in this room, but at least I didn’t
need this thing strapped to my head while I was here.

“Why try to fill it all in one
day. Couldn’t we do an hour or two each day and get the same
results?”

Vatrale shook his head before replying,
“Unfortunately no. First, the longer you channel through the
conduit, the more you will be able to channel. Second, it takes time
to recover. In the end it is better to dedicate a single day to the
exchange than to do several smaller sessions.”

I nodded my head and said, “So,
I’m going to be at this all day.” I sighed. “Might
as well get started then.”

“Indeed, my boy. I’ll leave
you to your work as I have other duties to perform today. Carvis will
remain nearby. Should you need anything speak to him.”

Stepping closer, he gave my shoulder a
squeeze, “I know you won’t fail me.”

Without waiting for a reply he left the
cell. Carvis waited for him to leave before closing the door and
taking a position with his back to it, facing me. He crossed his arms
and stared.

Well at least he wasn’t smiling
at me.

-o-

I was exhausted by the time Vatrale
returned. I never would have thought that sitting in one spot all day
long would take so much out of me. Carvis had to half carry me back
to my room. I was too weak to walk on my own.

The stone where Shira had been tied was
still standing, but she was no longer there. I wanted to ask about
her, but I just couldn’t form the words. I promised myself I
would ask tomorrow.

Tomorrow never came. At least it didn’t
for me. I fall asleep as soon as Carvis dropped me on my bed and
slept straight through the next day. When I did wake, I felt weak and
my joints were stiff and sore. I had to lay there for a while before
I could convince myself to get out of bed. It was the smell of food
that finally got me moving. I was starving.

-o-

Talia and Shira were talking quietly at
the table in the sitting room when I staggered in. I was relieved to
see Shira. She smiled and started to stand.

Talia stopped her, “Now Shira,
you just sit there. You need to rest too.”

I found a chair and grabbed hold of the
back of it to steady myself, “Don’t mind me. I’m
just going to pull up a chair and sit down. If that is OK?”

Shira halted about halfway up before
resuming her seat. I noticed a faint grimace of pain as she sat down,
but she quickly covered it with a forced smile, “We were just
talking about you. You’ve been sleeping a long time, and we
were beginning to get worried.”

“I’m fine,” I lied. I
could crawl back into bed for another day or two, but that wouldn’t
help me get out of here.

“How are you?” I asked
Shira.

“I’m stiff, but nothing
worse. As soon as you went below ground, Garit had a canopy placed
over me to keep me out of the sun. He stood watch over me.”

“He did more than that. Balruc
came around and if it wasn’t for Garit I don’t know what
he might have done,” added Talia.

“Balruc? Who is that?” I
asked.

“He is the overseer for Vatrale.
An ugly man with nothing but black teeth.”

“Yeah, I remember him. He was
there when I first woke up in the cell.”

We fell quiet. Talia got up and brought
us some drinks, dried cheese and bread while I stared at the top of
the table. Shira was the one to break the silence.

“I know you didn’t have a
choice. If you didn’t pick someone, he would have punished
everyone. He’s done it before.”

She paused and took a sip from her
glass before continuing.

“He has always been like that. He
uses those you care about like a knife to the heart, and most of his
guards are all too happy to do his bidding.”

I didn’t look up from the table
when I answered her, “It works. Damn him! He has me trapped,
and there is nothing I can do. I thought I could find a way to stand
up to him, but all I did was make it easier for him to control me.”

Shira sighed. “That’s it
then. You are giving up.”

Did I really want to give up? This
wasn’t like dropping out of college or not showing up for work.
People could die if I made the wrong choice. Hell, people were going
to die no matter what choice I made. Vatrale didn’t even see us
as people. We were just tools for him to use and throw away when he
was done.

“Forget that!” I growled.
“I am not letting that nut job win.”

Shira and Talia both smiled at each
other.

“First thing you need to do is
stop thinking you have to do this by yourself,” Shira said as
she reached out to take my left hand. “We are not going to let
him win.”

Talia joined us, placing her hand over
ours, “You aren’t the only one who wants to stop him.”

My heart was thumping at double time as
I thought about how dangerous this was going to be, but I didn’t
want to let them down. I didn’t want to let myself down.

-o-

Vatrale monitored the first two
attempts at charging the sphere, which meant that he checked my
progress at the end of the day. He never remained in the room while I
worked, and after the first day even Carvis was absent. A guard would
escort me into the cell, but after a few minutes he would find
something else to do. Most of the time I was alone.

One morning we woke to find Vatrale
riding off with his men and a wagon full of the charged spheres. Most
of the spheres came from the other prisoners, before I was captured.
Only the last few were my work. He left without speaking to anyone
and not even the guards knew when he would return.

It was a routine everyone was used to.
When Vatrale was gone, Balruc was left in charge. Balruc was a fat,
black toothed slob who liked to bully the other guards as often as he
bullied us. Fortunately when Vatrale was absent, he preferred to stay
in his quarters and drink. He left the running of the prison to his
men, and they went out of their way to avoid contact with him.

For prisoners we had lots of time to
ourselves. The guards watched the compound and didn’t interfere
with us. It seemed like we only intermingled on the days that I
needed to go into the pit to charge a sphere.

On those days Balruc and one of his men
ushered me out of my room and lead me down into the cell. Balruc made
sure to push me along as we went so that everyone knew he was the one
in charge. He would always stop at the lift and let the other guard
take me down. He didn’t seem to want to go into the ground
anymore than the rest of us did.

-o-

Carvis arrived back at the estate with
a band of his fellow lizard men pulling an empty wagon. The young man
at his side slid from his saddle and approached the guard at the gate
while Carvis lead the wagon to the stable.

“I have an important message for
the Lady Abella concerning her uncle, Lord Vatrale. Please take me to
her at once.”

Without hesitation the gate keeper
escorted the traveler to Abella. He knew all too well how anxious she
had been to hear word of her uncle and his student. They found her in
the library with Tavi.

“My Lady, This man bears a
message from your uncle.”

“I am sorry to inform you that
your uncle is dead. As his legal heir I will be assuming all lands
and titles that were held by my father. Per his request you and the
boy will remain here as honored guests.”

“What?” she gasped. “What
happened? Who are you?”

“The master is dead,” said
Carvis as he entered the library a little behind the others. “As
is the one called Devin. It was the master’s last wish that I
present his son Horatio as his heir.”

Horatio clapped his hands, “Excellent.
Now that this is settled, I would very much like to acquaint myself
with my new home.”

The young lord spun and began to leave,
stopping as he reached the door. He turned back to Abella, “Of
course, you’ll join me for dinner. I want to learn all about
you, cousin.” Without waiting for an answer he was out the door
and down the hall heading toward the elder lord’s private
quarters.

“Carvis, wait,” implored
Abella before the lizard man could leave the room.

“Yes?” he asked, obviously
annoyed by being stopped.

“What happened to them? How did
Devin die?”

“He was dead when we found the
slavers. It was not an easy death. In his anger the Master attacked.
Few escaped his wrath and those that did found my brethren waiting
for them.”

“And my uncle?”

“He was ill. The burns were not
healing well. He was feverish. When the last slaver was killed, your
uncle collapsed. He did not awake.” The lizard man paused, then
anxious to be on his way asked, “Is that all?”

“One more thing. What do you know
about Horatio?”

“The Master seldom spoke of him.
The boy’s mother died in childbirth and her family did not
recognize the Master as the father. He respected their wishes, but
still watched over him.”

“Thank you Carvis. Please express
my regrets to the new lord. Tonight I wish to dine alone. This has
all been so much, and I would not be good company.”

The guardsman didn’t answer.
Instead he simply nodded his head before leaving the room in pursuit
of the young lord.

As soon as he was gone, Abella grabbed
Tavi’s hand and dashed to her own room.

“Carvis is lying. I’m sure
of it.”

She rummaged around her room until she
found a sheet of parchment and ink. She scribbled a note on it then
handed it to Tavi.

“Do you remember the man who
saved us in the alley? Do you think you can find him?”

Tavi’s eyes flew across the paper
before he looked up to answer Abella. He nodded his head while
sliding the note under his tunic.

“Give him that. We must meet in
secret.” She paused before adding, “I think the deceiver
he warned us about is here.”

Tavi nodded his head in complete
agreement.

-o-

There was dew on the grass when Tavi
and Abella left the estate for a morning ride two days later. As long
as they remained within the walls no one questioned their comings and
goings. It provided them the perfect opportunity to meet their savior
at a pool in the forest.

When they arrived at the secluded spot
the lizard man was there with another man. The second man was short,
maybe just a little over five feet tall, and thin. His hair was long
and shone like silver in the morning light.

The pond that separated them was about
twenty feet across with a tiny feeder stream flowing in from the
north. Abella dismounted and passed the reigns to Tavi.

From the reply that Tavi carried to
her, she expected a second man. One who promised to have answers for
her.

She walked around the southern edge of
the pond to avoid the stream while the two men also moved toward her.
The weight of the two daggers at her back might have reassured her at
any other time, but after seeing the lizard man fight she knew she
had little chance if they decided to betray her.

She could still turn and walk away at
any time. She didn’t. She kept moving forward, and soon she was
standing face to face with them.

The old man immediately bowed, “I
am Talamas. My friend, who you have already met, is Tibron.”

Abella gracefully returned the bow,
“Thank you for meeting me. I owe my life to Tibron.”

“Many do,” replied Talamas.
“But, I do not think you invited us here to simply offer
thanks. The note your young friend brought us mentioned a deceiver.
Has Vatrale and Carvis returned?”

“Two days ago, except it was only
Carvis. He told me that my uncle and a friend were killed by slavers.
He brought with him a man who claims he is my cousin and heir to the
barony. I think Carvis lied to me. Devin and my uncle might be dead,
but I don’t believe the slaver story. Whoever this Horatio is,
I don’t trust him.”