Dreams of the Oracle

Chapter 26

"Some didn't want to fight, some doubted that he, their leader, could really achieve victory," he turned and looked down at the woman before him, "so he treated them as he would treat any dangerous enemy."

Milady kept her face impassive.

"Will these tasks be completed promptly?"

"Yes, your grace."

"Then you have my leave."

Milady turned and walked away. She was not quite running but her strides were much quicker than they had been when she had walked into the room...

Cassandra suddenly opened her eyes and looked up into the shadowy interior of her captor's tent. The metallic taste of blood was heavy in her mouth. She was lying on the floor her feet and legs still bound. She slowly turned her head. She could only see out of one eye, the other was swollen shut.

"What did you see?" came a cold voice beyond her range of vision.

Cassandra suppressed a groan. Didn't this devil woman ever sleep?

A pale hand pulled her up by her hair and she looked up into the face of her captor.

"I asked you a question, girl!"

The image of this woman running to do her master's bidding flashed before her eyes. "Nothing...I saw nothing," said Cassandra.

"Lies!" shrieked Milady, striking her face.

Pain exploded against her abused features. Tears dripped from her eyes and a cry shot from her throat. She shut her eyes and braced herself against another blow.

After a moment when none came she looked up with her good eye at the woman above her. Milady seemed to be collecting herself. Her face slowly transformed from boiling rage to cold impassive stone,

"Can you hear them?" she asked.

Cassandra just looked up at the woman blankly.

"I said," cried Milady lifting Cassandra up again and grabbing her ear. "Do you hear them!"

Cassandra rolled her frightened eye towards the tent flap. She suddenly knew what the woman was talking about. A strange hissing sound cut through the air, and, as soon as she noticed it, she could tell that it was coming from all around the tent. There was sniffing as well as though she were in a pit full of snakes and hungry dogs.

"Ah, you do here them," said the woman releasing her. "They smell you. They smell your blood."

Cassandra watched the woman and said nothing.

"Do you see that box, Cassandra?"

Cassandra looked over at the strange black and gold box with her good eye. She had almost forgotten it once the woman had started beating her.

"Within that box is something that will make what you have been through seem a happy memory," said Milady.

Cassandra tried to look back at the woman, but her eye seemed unable to look away.

"If you force me to open that box..." Milady said. "...it will haunt you until the day the deathkeepers carry away your corpse. Look at me!"

Cassandra looked away from the box and up at the woman. Milady's eyes were burning with intensity though her face seemed as calm as polished marble.

"You might think you have suffered up until now," said Milady. "You might think that by seeing your nightmares or the rashakas you've felt fear and pain. What is inside that box is beyond you. Do you understand?"

Cassandra looked from the woman to the box. Cold fear gathered in the pit of her stomach and trickled down her spine. She knew instinctively that the woman was telling the truth. Whatever was inside that box really was terrible.

"Do you hear me girl?" said Milady. "You will spend the rest of your worthless life crying at shadows and hiding in corners. You will never be rid of this experience."

Cassandra's good eye traced the swirling golden symbols. The shiny black cover of the box seemed to be a great void drawing her into a place of darkness.

"Swear obedience to me, Cassandra, for once that box is open there will no longer be a choice!"

***

Jack Linch rode through the stinking streets of Port Silver. His black, travel stained, clothes hung from him and rippled in the gentle sea breeze. His magic twisted and danced inside him like a celebratory bonfire. People pushed back and forth alongside his horse.

The rashakas had disappeared once again. For once, he wasn't too worried about it. This was where he would finally kill Abdiel. He could feel it as surely as he could feel his magic boiling inside his skin. That absolute certainty gave him a kind of peace. He had always known that he would eventually catch and kill the rat. Now he knew where and knowing when was only a matter of time.

His lips curled in a brutal grin. The stacked wooden structures that made up Port Silver seemed to welcome him to the place of his retribution. He should have known all along that this was where Abdiel would finally make his stand. They did have a history here after all. There was also, unless he was very much mistaken, a large contingent of the Order here as well. But Abdiel would face him alone.

Oh yes the swine would face him alone.

He watched two urchins dart out in front of him. One was holding a large chunk of bread, probably stolen, and laughing. The other followed close behind giggling and reaching for a piece.

Jack watched them contemptuously. His mind drifted back to another time, a time before Jack Linch, a time before Abdiel. A time when he had been an urchin living in the streets of Port Silver. He suddenly howled against the memories of his long buried past. His magic raced to his fingertips. Raw fire shot through his veins and pumped through his thudding heart.

He blinked and looked at the street around him. The urchins were gone. He had wandered into a less bustling part of the city. A handful of the passersby gave odd looks at the man on horseback who had screamed for no apparent reason. He glared at the ones with whom he could make eye contact. Then he dismounted unsteadily.

He held the horse's reins and walked beside it keeping his pace deliberate. Of course Abdiel would choose here. He knew perfectly well the memories that this city would dredge up. It was just another mind game. Oh he would be so happy to finally rid himself of that man!

"Master Linch."

Jack turned and looked at the creature that had suddenly materialized beside him. Raw frustrated hate burned in his eyes,

"Have you found him?"

The creature in man's form nodded, "We have a scent."

"Where is he?"

"The water, Master Linch."