Harrow's Wife Ch. 03

And still the power was building, swelling. There seemed to be no end to it. Gwen glanced down at the two dead Red Capes, and then she knew.

Freed life energy. The the most potent - and repugnant - source of magical power. She'd once told Harrow that with enough of it, she could do pretty much anything, but she'd never in her most horrific nightmares imagined using such an evil technique.

But now? Here? She'd gladly accept it. Whatever was necessary to rescue herself, Lana and the women. And most of all, her baby. For Ana, no measure was too extreme.

She stepped forward and took Lana by the hand. The other woman could sense the swirling nimbus of energy, too; her eyes were wide, mouth open, awestruck.

"Gwen...what...?"

"Come. It's time to set things right," Gwen said, surprised by the quiet confidence in her tone.

She stepped outside the tent and easily brushed aside the initial volley of crossbow bolts that immediately greeted her. She took a moment to consider the scene around her - the cowering women, looking on in terror and wonder. The Red Capes, hurrying to reload their crossbows.

There was so much power... she had so many options... how best to proceed? And then she had a thought that brought a wicked smile to her lips.

She took a deep breath, focused her will, then lashed out with more power than she ever dreamed she'd command; felt it ripple out from her body in pulsing, crackling waves...

And then there was silence. Gwen and Lana stood on the deck of the barge, hands joined. Gwen shrouded in white linen, Lana naked. Everyone else - Red Capes and prostitutes both - were unconscious. The rustle of the rain and the gentle lapping of the water against the hull of the barge were the only sounds.

"My girls?" Lana said at last, recovering from her shock.

"They're fine. So are the Red Capes, more's the pity for that."

"What did you do?"

"Mind Rinse. They won't remember the past day, nor the next one."

"I didn't know you could do that."

"I can't, not ordinarily. Imposing such magic on so many people at once takes a huge amount of power. But when you killed those two men, their freed life energy was trapped by the Bond and made accessible.

"So...you used the life energy of dead Red Capes to defeat the others?"

"In a sense, yes."

"And...my girls are going to be okay?"

"They'll be unconscious for another day, but other than a gap in their memories, they should be fine."

"We should get moving then. I don't want to be here when the Red Capes wake...or a second patrol comes by."

"I'll summon a stiff breeze and get us on our way. It's just an elemental effect and won't use much power. Maybe you should get dressed." Gwen couldn't help a smile as the younger woman suddenly realized she was still naked.

In minutes they were past the blockade and on their way to Radu again.

**