Slumber (13 page)

“I’m not frightened by it. I’d rather live it when it comes, than know about it now. A piece of information can change a person. I’d hate to change the way I’m supposed to live my future.”

Her whole face lit up into a wide grin and she nodded, pleased. “What a wise thing to say.” I exhaled heavily, acting the spoiled brat in the hopes it would get me out of there. “Can I go now?”

“No.” She tugged harder on my hands and I lurched forward. A sick feeling swirled in my stomach as Selena closed her eyes. She was stil for so long, my heartbeat getting louder and louder, I was sure they must hear it in this tiny, sparse tent. Finaly, Selena grinned. Her eyes popped open. “Nothing to fear,” she assured me.

“You’l marry one of the Glava and be very happy about it.”

I scoffed and puled my hands free. “Doubtful, madam, as I have no intentions of marrying anyone. Ever,” I emphasised. I began to feel better. Perhaps she wasn’t realy one of the Glava after al.

Selena shrugged. “I’m never wrong.”

Wolfe was right. This was nonsense. I roled my eyes and puled away from her. “Can I go now?” Seeming to laugh at me, which irked and unsettled me, Selena nodded and Vrik strode forward frowning. He grabbed my arm and I winced. I was going to be covered in bruises from where he kept gripping me.

“That’s it?” he hissed at Selena. “Nothing about an agreement? About land?”

She shook her head, holding her hands up. “You know I only get what’s most important to them.”

“And you determined marriage?” I snorted and turned to Vrik. “You might want to purchase yourself a new reader, because this one is definitely broken.” Growling at me again, Vrik forced me forward and out of the tent. Wolfe was nowhere to be seen. My heart stopped and panic seized my chest. “Where’s Wolfe?” I asked and received no answer. Vrik tried to pul me back towards the house but I wouldn’t let him, digging my feet into the ground. “Where’s Wolfe?”

“He’s fine,” Vrik snarled and used both hands to pick me up and put me down in front of him. He pressed his hands into my back and pushed me forward. I struggled al the way.

“Damn it, tel me where he is?!”

“He’s fine,” he reiterated, “Now get yer ass in this house before I do good on my earlier promise to shut ye up in a way that I’l definitely enjoy, but ye won’t.” A flood of rage took over that I should be so vulnerable to this man, and I elbowed him deliberately as he pushed me forward. “Just tel me where he is?”

“Having a better time than me probably.”

I stiled, my heart now thumping so hard it made me il. Was Wolfe off with the gypsy girl whilst I was being mauled? Irritated beyond rationality I kicked back and caught Vrik in the thigh. He yeled and yanked my head back by my hair as he forced me - kicking and shoving me - into the house and down the celar stairs.

“Where’s Wolfe?!” I screamed for the milionth time and was again ignored as I was thrown into the celar.

I landed with a painful grunt, my ribs holering in my pain as they impacted with the stone floor.

I heard a curse and then Wolfe’s face hovered over mine. “Rogan, are you alright?”

He was here? In the celar? I groaned and relaxed, thumping my head against the hard ground. “Ouch.” I was such an idiot. They’d brought him back to the celar to wait on me. Wow. I was terrible at this ‘being kidnapped’ situation.

“Rogan?” I felt his fingers on my face and my heart stopped. My eyes flashed open and my heart lodged somewhere in my throat at his close proximity. I could see the hints of gold striations in his blue eyes, his dark lashes enviably long. Suddenly I felt a strange queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach and squirmed at the concern in his face. Distrusting it, I puled back with a flinch and watched the concern melt to his usual blank arrogance. “I take it you’re fine.” He sighed and moved away from me.

“Yes, I’m fine.” I struggled to a sitting position, wiling my heart to slow. I pushed my skirts back down into some semblance of modesty. Not that it mattered. I was torn, smely and unwashed. Feeling Wolfe’s unwavering gaze I stopped fussing and glared at him. “What?”

“Nothing.” He shrugged. “I’ve just never heard you say my name before.”

“What?”

“You were yeling ‘where’s Wolfe?’ over and over again.”

I flushed, not wanting him to misunderstand. “I thought they were separating us and we have a better chance of escape if we’re kept together. And you’ve heard me say your name before.”

Wolfe shook his head, smiling wryly. “No. It’s always Captain or Stovia or Captain Stovia. Then there’s
Vikomt
– you usualy spit that one at me.” Uncomfortable for reasons unknown and not wishing to have anything that could qualify as an actual conversation with him, I decided to ignore his questioning.

“Wel,
Vikomt
, how do you suggest we get out of this?” I gestured around the celar. “Now that we know they have a Glava and a Dravilec in their hands.” Something flickered in Wolfe’s eyes at my question, something akin to disappointment, and then he looked away. I watched him pul himself together and then he cleared his throat, “I’m wondering how many more of the mage they have here. I’m hoping they’ve not been…” he threw me a mystifying look before he continued quietly, “Colecting them.”

My throat worked at the memories but I refused to drop my gaze. I knew my eyes hardened, however. I saw it in the way Wolfe’s eyes blazed back at me. I didn’t know what his look meant, but I guessed it could only be anger at his own memories of his own destroyed family.

“So what do we do?” I murmured, wearily wondering when this truce between us was going to end and Wolfe was going to take his vengeance.

“The only thing we can. I heard the other two guards talking about the festivities this evening. Apparently, you and I are attending. When we’re there I’l create a distraction. You have to keep your wits about you, Lady Rogan. Watch me al the time. When I make my move, you make it with me and we run.” I blinked owlishly, hoping I’d heard wrong. “That’s your big plan? A distraction?”

He smiled cheekily at me. “Yes. It’s good, right?”

“You’re going to get us kiled.”

“Wel, since you got us kidnapped in the first place, I think it’s only fair.”

I kept my expression blank as I was looked over by this man, this older version of Vrik, who stood by the campfire, shadows and light flickering across his dark skin, pin pricks of light reflecting in the blackness of his gaze. I tried not to shiver.

Around us the hubbub of noise was now a hushed tide, rising and faling with little bursts of laughter and conversation, as the gypsies enjoyed ale and food around the fire. Wolfe stood beside me in the darkness. We were guarded by Vrik and three other men, but not tied up, not held tight. It was as if for now they wanted us to feel less like prisoners and more like guests. At the sound of a whimper, my eyes flickered over to a girl sitting on a log, squashed in the middle of two rough looking women. Her head was held back by her thick locks, tears streaming down her face as one of the woman held the dagger she’d been using to cut her apple up to the girls eyes. My face tightened in anger at their bulying and the man before me frowned, turning around to folow my gaze. He seemed amused by my reaction and turned back with a lazy shrug. “She’s one of the Caels. Her brother was particularly annoying in handing over some land, so we took her as punishment.” My blood ran cold, crystalizing to ice until I felt frozen solid in my anger. “And what of her brother, her family?” I asked through clenched teeth.

He shrugged again. “Dead.”

Waves of nausea crashed over me. The man seemed to flicker before me, his features merging with the man who had destroyed my life. They even had those same black eyes. “You son-of-a-bitch,” I spat and was immediately wrenched back into Vrik’s tight hold. I felt Wolfe stiffen beside me but I couldn’t look at him. Not with the memories. Not now.

Not caring if my outburst would provoke a lash of anger, I waited sulenly for a reaction. To my surprise the man burst into laughter, his eyes flickering past me to his son. “Ye were right, Vrik. She’s feisty. She’l do wel here.”

Determined not to show fear, I lowered my eyes to regain composure, and then lifted them when I was able to project boredom. “What do you mean?” The man waved the question away as if batting away an annoying pest. “First, introductions. My name is Tiger. I am leader of the Iavi.”

“What do you want from us?” Wolfe growled impatiently.

Tiger seared him with a look and then smirked at him. “I only want ransom from
ye
. Ye,” he shook his head chuckling humourlessly, “The famed Captain of the Royal Guard. I was expecting… more.”

“Realy?” Wolfe shrugged. “Funny, you’re just what I expected. You’re just a fucking leech, sucking land that’s not yours and growing fat on it. Like a buly,” he nodded at the girl who was being tormented, his eyes blazing in indignation, “In the schoolyard, taking what doesn’t belong to him and having the audacity to cal himself Kral.”

My heart thudded at Wolfe’s impassioned speech, my eyes savouring this image of him. An unexpected feeling of warmth for him seized me by surprise. He looked at me when he was finished and I dropped my gaze, glad for the shadows of the night that would hide my blushing cheeks. I frowned, confused.

“Yes,” Tiger growled. “That’s what a pampered prince who’s lived in luxury and peace his entire life would think. We’ve traveled for too long in Alvernia, across Daeronia. We like Javinia, it’s warm. It’s home. Gypsies no more, we want land. But ye wouldn’t understand that. Ye haven’t had to suffer the harsh lands of the mountains and deal with uncivilised folks like us. Uncivilised breeds uncivilised.”

“No.” Wolfe shook his head. “You chose to act this way,
be
this way. Dyzvati magic stifles emotions and actions that can lead to unrest and chaos. Not having that magic doesn’t turn people into automatic animals. It just makes sure those that would act that way can’t. Don’t blame this on magic or lack thereof.”

“Shut him up,” Tiger spat at the man beside Wolfe, but I lunged between them before he could hit him.

“No!” I cried, putting my hands up to stop the blow. The man looked to Tiger who frowned but shook his head. The gypsy lowered his hand and I turned to find Wolfe glaring at me. Ignoring him I addressed Tiger, “What do you want?”

Tiger sighed. “Tomorrow morning I send a message to Novia for Markiza Raven. In it, she wil be told I hold ye both ransom, yer lives for land. Then we’l have to wait whilst she informs the Rada and the Princezna. When we get the land we’l keep our promise not to kil ye.
He
,” he stabbed a finger at Wolfe, “Wil be kept a prisoner until such time as I see fit to release him.”

“And Lady Rogan?” Wolfe growled.

Tiger smiled, his eyes running the length of me in a way that caused my stomach to flip. I almost gripped Wolfe’s arm I was so discomfited by that look. “Lady Rogan is something ye’re not, Captain.” He strode towards me, his eyes seeming mesmerised. I flinched as he reached up and gripped my chin lightly. “She is one of the Azyl… and I find that I am in need of an Azyl.”

“You’re a colector.” I glowered at him disdainfuly.

He didn’t seem to care. “Yes. But ye’re different. I’ve heard good things about ye. When Selena is impressed, I’m impressed.” Abruptly he let me go and turned to gesture behind him. “Bird!” he caled. Almost instantly the tal, skinny boy who had served us our food earlier, the one who had stared at me so detachedly, appeared before us. Tiger put his arm around the boy affectionately and grinned at me. “This is my adopted son, Bird. Say helo, son.” Bird smirked at me. “Helo son.”

I almost roled my eyes at his rehearsed insolence.

“Bird,” Tiger continued, “Is one of the Glava.”

My jaw dropped. “Another mage?”

“Ye said it yerself, I’m a colector. I found Bird when he was five years old.”

I almost launched myself at him and was surprised to find Wolfe’s hand on my wrist, squeezing it in restraint. “You mean you took him!”

“Semantics.” Tiger waved me off. “Bird, show them what ye can do.”

His eyes laughing at me, Bird turned and looked at the Cael gypsy girl. She gave out a frightened yelp as we watched as her hair floated up into the air, strand by strand. She began to whimper and the two women beside her laughed and scooted away from her as first one arm popped up into the air and then the other. Finaly her entire body rose from the log as if propped up by unseen arms. Panic suffused her and she began thrashing and screaming as she rose steadily higher, terrified tears streaking her cheeks. “Stop!” She shrieked. “Make it stop!”

None of the gypsies around me seemed too distressed by the sight, although I noticed a few on the other side of the campfire glare at Bird in disgust. I too was disgusted. I felt sick at the sight and was just about to reprimand them when Wolfe snarled, “You’ve had your fun. Let her go.” Bird arched an eyebrow at Wolfe’s demand and then looked to his father. Tiger was smiling at Wolfe. “The boy thinks he’s a hero.”

“Please,” I added, pleading with my eyes. Tiger frowned and then nodded at his son who dropped the girl. She fel with a hard thump onto the log and let go a howl of pain. “You bastard!” I yeled, forgetting myself.

“Now, now,” Tiger admonished and seemed to share a look with Vrik. “Ye’re right, son, perhaps she would do better for ye. I’m not sure Bird can handle her spirit.”

“Then give her to me.” Vrik reached a hand out and wrenched me to him. I was completely taken aback by the claim as so far he’d been relatively unemotional, even when he was threatening me with disgusting acts.

“No!” Wolfe lunged for me, but was dragged back by the two gypsies. They held him fast and tight as he violently resisted their hold.

Bird shrugged. “She’s not much to look at papa. I don’t care if ye give her to Vrik.” Vrik ran a hand down my cheek so softly I trembled, fighting the urge to be sick as these men decided casualy which one would rape me. “I didn’t see the appeal at first either, but the more she snaps and snarls at ye, the prettier she seems to get.” He chuckled and then ran a hand down my waist and around my hip and down to squeeze my bottom painfuly. “Plus she’s luscious enough to bear healthy children.” I winced at his manhandling, afraid to look at Wolfe who was struggling and cursing at them al.