The Elfmaid's Curse (The Elfmaid Trilogy Book 1) (40 page)

            Maeve felt the Gift of Persuasion strike her wards. It gnawed at her self-control. She wanted terribly to obey him, but was able to throw aside his spell and continue her advance.

            Kyras reacted immediately, leaping off his throne and started to pull power around himself. Maeve could see the magic forming around him, but she was still confident she could penetrate his wards. Though he had magic other than the Gift, she was assured he was no stronger than a witch. Eyes narrowed, he gazed at the sorceress.

            "Who are you? Only the Queen of the Vikon is so powerful and you are not their queen," he said. "What do you want?"

            "I want your Gift," she said. She enjoyed the look of alarm on his face. "I intend no harm to you or yours, my friend. Let's do this the easy way and no one will be hurt."

            Kyras moved to stand behind his little gang of urchin thieves. The kids were staring at her with superstitious fear, and rightly so.

            "I will share nothing with you, thief," he said. Turning to the wide-eyed urchins, "Take her down!"

            Maeve knew a moment of panic, knowing she could never do anything to actually hurt them. Children were sacred to the Tyrian peoples, but she could still scare them witless.

            With hands glowing eldritch blue, she said, "I will start by turning all your little minions into little yapping dogs!"

            The children stopped, casting worried looks back at Kyras. The goblin clenched his fists and fumed. Maeve, fearing she'd lose the upper hand if Kyras spoke to them using his Gift, cast a spell requiring little energy. It hit the group of urchins with a soulful wail of despair, leaving a stunned and disoriented dog in their midst.

            The bespelled child was unhurt and unchanged, but a glamour enshrouded him so the others saw him as a dog. When he spoke they heard barks. It was a Witchcraft glamour, and would fade away within the hour.

            "He is only the first!" she cried.

            The street urchins tore out of the chamber without a thought or a glance back.

            Maeve relaxed, wagging her brows at the stunned goblin. Kyras shook his head woefully as the urchins vanished, the bespelled boy amidst them.

            "You are a wily one, sorceress," he said.

            High praise from a goblin. Maeve felt a rush of pride at his words. This was the first real test of her powers, and she was succeeding far beyond her dreams.

            "I took all scenarios into consideration, Kyras," she said. "I know your strengths and weaknesses better than even you. You cannot win."

            Looking sad, "I cannot lose. I would lose far more than my Gift."

            Maeve's Mage Sight alerted her to his attack. Seeing the texture and weave of his spell, she deduced its nature and threw up an arcane shield to deflect the thunderous bolt aimed at her breast. She called up a score of otherworld creatures, all small, inhumanly strong, and with nasty dispositions. Kyras held them at bay with his own magical shield, changing his tactics and starting a chant to summon demons.

            "No!" Maeve cried, sending three bolts at the goblin.

            Her attack broke his concentration. His spell dissipated, saving them both from ravening demons bent on vengeance. Knowing the spell he was using, she doubted either of them would have survived the demon attack. Neither possessed the power and experience needed to fight unrestrained demons.

            "You're a fool!"

            "I would rather die that give you my Gift."

            "I did not realize how implacable you would prove to be on this," she said.

            With subtle hand signals Maeve shifted her host of otherworld creatures. Kyras saw the creatures before him ease back a step, not realizing the others were creeping closer, using their own magical abilities to push through his magical defenses. Whenever he glanced back, the otherworld creatures immediately reversed direction to give him false confidence.

            "I would barter with you, goblin," Maeve said to capture his attention. "I have many interesting amulets and pieces of exotic jewelry."

            Kyras's eyes lit up greedily. Goblins were notorious collectors and hoarders of anything shiny. Their treasure hordes were legendary.

            "But if I share my Gift, I will lose it. Only one can possess it at a time. I am an outcast, and only survive in the human world due to my Gift."

            Maeve was taken aback, though careful not to show it. The wording in the myths and legends had always spoken of "sharing" Gifts. Nowhere was anything said of the blessed ones losing the Gift. She never really wanted to hurt the goblin, but she also didn't care what happened to him afterwards. His fate was his own concern.

            "Losing your Gift is far better than losing your life, my friend," she said soothingly. She signaled for the otherworld creature directly behind Kyras to make his move.

            He look at her with undisguised scorn.

            "I'd rather die."

            Shrugging, "Too bad."

            The otherworld creature grabbed him in a powerful bear hug before Kyras could react. In an eye blink Maeve was at his side and laying a hand on his forehead. A Word of Power sent a jolt through the goblin, stripping him of all his wards.

            "You are mine, little monster," she laughed.

            "Monster? You are the monster!"

            "Perhaps, but I prefer to think of myself as the victor," she said, smiling sweetly. She quoted, "To the victor goes the spoils."

            Maeve spoke another Word of Power, and sent her otherworld creatures home. Kyras, deprived of his wards was helpless to defend himself against her.

            "I will have my vengeance on you, sorceress. It will be terrible, too. I will repay you for this outrage a hundred times over."

            "Your threats mean nothing to me, Kyras." She gave him a withering look. Maeve did not like to be threatened. "If you aren't careful, I will do more than take your Gift."

            Kyras spat in her face.

            Maeve staggered back a step. Never had anyone dared to insult her so. That was the worst possible insult to a Tyrian. She fought to retain control of her rage, her emotions. She fought an almost overwhelming demand to kill the little monster. Which was likely why he did it.

            Teeth clamped tightly together, she said, "If you ever..."

            Kyras hit her with another volley of spittle right between the eyes. With that, Maeve lost all self-control and pulled her sword.

            With Maeve near berserk, Kyras was released from the spell binding him. He reached out a hand as Maeve stepped forward to skewer him. Grabbing her knee, and thus bypassing all of her wards, he gathered his power and sent a powerful jolt through her.

            Maeve wailed. Slashing at him with her sword, she tried to escape his hold. As a mage, she knew better than anyone the danger he poised to her. She understood what his powers and Gift could force her to do, force her to be. She could not be captured helpless.

            Using his inhuman speed and strength, Kyras avoided her blade and held on. Keeping one hand on her at all times, he moved about her as she tried to force him away with her sword and dagger.

            "No!" Maeve wailed as she felt her wards being torn away.

            Kyras leapt out of her reach, flashing a victorious grin.

            Using his Gift, he said, "Halt. Drop your weapons and submit."

            Maeve gasped, frozen in place as she fought the terrible compulsion to obey. First her hands, then the rest of her body began trembling violently. She groaned as her weapons clattered to the floor and she dropped to her knees before Kyras.

            "You are mine," he said. "Say it, sorceress."

            Maeve struggled, fought with all her mental might to deny him. Fought to remain her own master, but his Gift was not to be denied. Without her wards, she was all but helpless. She tried to muster what little mental self-control she had and focus on using her magic.

            "You are mine! Say it," he screamed, his power thrust hard into her.

            Bitter, cold blackness engulfed her. It only lasted a second, but left her shaking uncontrollably.

            Throat tight, head spinning, she struggled as she licked her dry lips.            "I…am…yours."

            "You will obey me in everything."

            The power of his Gift was undeniable. Maeve felt all of her defenses, magical and mental collapse.

            "I will obey."

            Kyras threw back his head and laughed. Soon pale faces peeked around a far corner. The urchins were cautious, fearing some trick. Adults were always trying to trick them, to capture and enslave them.

            "Come, my friends," Kyras called. "The evil sorceress is no longer any danger. I have defeated her, as I will do to anyone who tries to hurt us. We are now family."

            Little faces lit up at his pronouncement. Laughing and giggling children raced over to be with their hero and taunt their helpless captive. To amuse the urchins, Kyras ordered Maeve to believe she was a dog and let them chase her around the chamber with sticks and hurled rocks. They roared with laughter as she crawled around on all fours, barking and growling.

            After an hour, they tired of that game. Kyras commanded her to kneel before him, battered and shaking in her exhaustion. Several of the braver urchins darted in to punch or poke her, racing away with laughter at her inability to strike back.

            From his throne, Kyras ordered, "Grovel before me, sorceress."

            Maeve hurried to follow his instructions, whimpering and begging for mercy at his feet. Her face burned with shame and helpless rage, even while she obeyed. Never had she been so abused and demeaned. As she groveled before him, under the full fury of his burning eyes, she knew another feeling. Raw fear. Even with his meager magical knowledge he would have no trouble stripping her of all her magic and disposing of her. Neither the goblin nor the street urchins would have any use for her thus no reason to keep her around and alive. Simply releasing her would be beyond stupid.

            "What shall we do with you?" Kyras asked. "Stop groveling. Kneel."

            Maeve obeyed without hesitation. She watched him warily, huffing and puffing, face wet with tears. Heart burning with growing rage.

            "Kill her," a small girl's voice called out.

            Maeve groaned.

            "No fun that," Kyras said. "But in truth, she hasn't proven that much fun anyway."

            "I could buy my freedom, master," Maeve said. "My loyalty can be ensured by your Gift."

            He hesitated, looking her over carefully.

            "Buy it with what? Do you have a treasure to buy your freedom with?"

            She so wished she had wealth to barter. With his Gift she was sure she'd get it, but now all her plans lay in ruin. She only had one talent to barter with, if he was interested.

            "I am an exceptional thief, master. Tell me what you want, and I will get it for you or die trying."

            Kyras's dark eyes lit up once again.

            "Is there anything in Allaria you know of I would like?"

            Maeve immediately thought of Danica's talisman. She tried to drive the thought of it away, but it kept clawing its way back in the mind.

            "There...is a powerful...talisman, master," she said, tears starting to flow again at her inability to hold the admission back. "It is a conduit of power straight from Maag. Very powerful. A good friend and former lover now possesses it. I could easily steal it for you."

            Kyras was fidgeting on his throne. Talismans were even more prestigious than jewelry, coins, and gems among the goblins. With such a formidable object of power he could return home in triumph. Maybe even banish the king that exiled him and rule in his stead.

            A young teenage boy stepped up beside Kyras. Maeve didn't like the way he was looking at her. It made her feel like vermin.

            "What about the High Mage?" he asked the goblin. "Didn't you agree to help her?"

            Kyras scowled at him a moment.

            Maeve didn't like it. Kyras almost looked scared. What power did Ayesha have over him? Was it anything she could use to free herself?

            "But if I give her the sorceress, she'll take the talisman, too," Kyras said.

            "But she'll kill us if you don't," he said.

            Several of the urchins were becoming restless. Most were looking around fearfully. Maeve found it all strange. She could think of no reason for the High Mage of Allaria to treat with the street urchins. Goblins would be more inclined to disrupt anything they knew you were up to. It was just their nature. However, she could think of a very good reason why the High Mage wanted any mages the urchins caught.

            If turned over to the High Mage, or any other spellcaster, Maeve could only expect to be stripped of her magic and arcane knowledge, then killed.

            "Where is the talisman right now?" Kyras asked. "Can you fetch it quickly?"

            "I fear not, master. My friend is on her way by now to fight the Wizard Talar, but she will return by morning."

            "Talar? Blood of the Damned!" Kyras cried, leaping off his throne.

            He hurried straight to the nearest wall and spoke a Word of Power. A bright orange pentacle appeared. Reciting a short spell, he caused a misty whirlpool to form inside the pentacle. Soon a woman's face appeared. She looked pretty, haughty, and more than a little annoyed.

            "What is it, Kyras?" Ayesha said, eyes narrowing.

            "I caught a sorceress trying to steal my Gift," he said. "She knows of a powerful talisman here in the city, being used by a friend of hers to fight Talar this very night."