The Sword of Wisimir

Chapter 13: Life and Death (Part 2)

"We have a problem, is he ready?"

Orri Garner looked up as far as he was able in the restraints. The woman Kathryn who had been sitting at the desk nearby also looked around as the familiar figure of Magister Leel shuffled into the room.

"It depends what you need of him Master, his abilities are limited."

"But he's intelligent enough? Better than the other cretins?"

"Yes he's capable of reasoning and some independence."

"And hopefully improvisation," Leel's cadaverous face was inches from the eyeholes in his bandages. Orri wouldn't have closed his eyes, if he still had eyelids.

"So Master Garner, are you ready for a little walk?"

The question didn't seem to need a response, which was fortunate as Orri wasn't sure he could give one.

"Undo the restraints," Leel said. Kathryn nodded, stood up and knelt in front of Orri. He watched her unclasp the manacles from his thighs and ankles, then undid the restraints at his wrists. They had dressed him in some sort of thick leather with a rusted chainmail shirt and metal greaves. He'd wondered for a long time what he'd do when they freed him, but instead of seizing her or the Magister by the throat as he wanted, he found himself remaining immobile where he was.

Leel took a knife from the table and cut into his own wrist, harvesting three droplets of blood into a small stone cup. Kathryn bound up the wound, dipped his index finger into the bowl and held it towards Orri.

"Hold out your hand."

Orri did as he was instructed, looking down to see the pale decaying flesh, crisscrossed with stitches. Leel drew a smeary line on the back of his hand.

"I command you, by all means necessary to travel from here and kill a woman called Serice. You will know her by the image in my mind, given to your mind. You will hide yourself from others, less you be discovered. When you have completed your task, you will return here."

Orri understood the words. An image of the woman's face appeared in his mind as if he'd seen her that very day. His conscious mind wanted to break the Magister into tiny pieces for what he'd done, but for some reason he couldn't. Instead he found he wanted to find the woman, as if he'd gone days without food and she was a gourmet meal.

"Off you go."

He stepped off the dais, drew up his hood and walked out of the room.

---

Eleven o'clock.

Jarno sat hunched against the wall of a building across the street from the Ferriers, watching the door. Haskel was taking good business it seemed and at least thirty or more people remained in the tavern.

Serice had to be there. The first and last thing Jarno wanted to do was storm in. He'd considered it and there were advantages. At least he'd know where she was and he could get her out, but then he'd be just as vulnerable as she was.

The first move had to be the Magister's.

Drinkers came and went; some more rowdy than others. He got cold, but stayed where he was, watching waiting.

"Back so soon?"

A voice he didn't recognise, he looked around and saw a man standing ten feet away; something about him was familiar though.

"Walk on friend you're talking to a Watchman."

"I know, we've met before, Jarno." The man smiled.

Then Jarno remembered. "You were the wizard at the door."

"Yes I was. My name is Sejel."

Jarno's hand went to the sword at his belt. "Then I'll be taking you to a cell on a charge of unlicensed sorcery."

Sejel smiled. "Better than being burned as a witch."

"You'd be surprised."

"Actually I wouldn't. I know precisely what happens to people imprisoned in this city, do you?"

The answer puzzled Jarno, but he wasn't about to show it. "Why are you here?"

"For the same reason I was here last time," Sejel replied. "To make sure you get to where you need to go."

That puzzled Jarno even more. "You mean Leel didn't send you?"

"No he didn't and he didn't last time either." Sejel's smile disappeared. "You needed to meet Haskel and Leyla then. Now, you need to be with them, before it's too late."

"I can't trust you," Jarno said. "Not after what you did before."

"You don't need to trust me, but you need to be inside the building, otherwise you'll be too late."

"And how do I know that's true?"

"If I had wanted to stop you or kill you, I'd have done it by now," Sejel said, "or I'd have done it last night. You needed to meet Serice's family; otherwise you might not be here now."

"I don't understand."

"You don't have to, but you do need to get inside, quickly."

Jarno stood up. "I think you've interfered enough, Wizard. Either explain, or I make up my own mind."

Sejel didn't reply.

"Fair enough then," Jarno said. "I do this my way."

---

Orri ran from the Magistry. He'd never been a fast runner before, but now he was, the distance melted before him, the armour no encumbrance at all.

He saw the gates ahead, a lamplight in the keeper's hut.

You will hide yourself from others...

He turned from the gate to the steel railings and leapt at them. The bars were at least nine feet high, but he cleared them easily and landed lightly in the street outside.

...kill a woman called Serice.

He didn't stop. The three steps and he leapt again, onto the roof of a house, over its arch and to the next one; the hunger building in him like a gnawing in his gut. Hand over hand across the roof and then to the next building and the next, heading towards the south of the city and the docks.

...kill...

Orri knew he'd never killed anyone. He remembered flashes of a dangerous life as a fixer on the Southside; beatings, threats, extortion, but never murder. He didn't have a weapon. Leel hadn't given him anything but his hands.

They'll have to do.

For some reason, killing the girl didn't bother him, in fact he wanted it. The hunger wouldn't abate until he did. Death meant nothing, was nothing. Orri should know, he'd been there and seen it.

Another rooftop, along a ledge and down into the street, Not far now; he could see the tavern he needed to reach in the distance; the Ferriers, near the portside with the tall masts of ships silhouetted in the moonlight. He could hear voices; laughter and singing.

You will hide yourself from others...

Orri reached the building and crouched low against the wall around the corner from the entrance. People crowded around the door, making entry impossible.

He looked up. Lanterns illuminated the first floor windows and faintly he could hear a woman's voice above.

Slowly and quietly, he started to climb the wall.