Warlock Ch. 09

The guards looked to one another and the man in charge hesitated. His horse even took a step back as though he knew better than to push the issue. The man glanced at Artesia and then Corsa again before he took in a deep breath.

"Khalas claims the land a day's ride from the city in all directions. You're going to need to turn that wagon around and come back with us so she can be properly inspected. If your story proves true you can be on your way."

"With wine that's been sitting in the sun for an extra two days? I think not. We rode yesterday for a day, we're beyond your borders. Turn around and leave us be."

"The day's ride counts for a man on a horse, not a man in a wagon," the man said. He nodded to the soldiers. "Last chance, friend, turn around or—"

John stood up, one foot on the rung and the other leg bent on the plank that ran under the driver's bench. He raised his hand and willing the dark magic into it. Black flames burst from his hand as he waved his hand in a slow circle. "No!" John growled, using more of the infernal magic to deepen and project his voice. "This is your last chance. Choose a man or I choose him for you. Choose one of your men. I'll take their sight to prove your own blindness!"

The horses shied away from his booming voice. John let the flame build higher and waited while they fought to control their horses and reassemble.

"Don't make the mistake of trifling with the King of Khalas, he will—"

John flung the flames and guided them through the air. They struck the archer square in the face and encompassed his entire head. He dropped his bow and howled as he grabbed for his face. He clawed and pulled, trying to pull the flames away.

The other soldiers looked on even as their horses shied again from the man's bloodcurdling screams. The archer swayed on his saddle, off balance and panicking as his horse tried to get away from him. He tilted too far and fell from his saddle. His mount bolted, dragging the screaming man down the road to the south back toward Khalas.

Another guard turned and charged after him. The leader of the broken soldiers fought against his horse and, by the time he got it turned around, found his other guard fast on his way after the other two. He cursed and saw John standing with fresh flames wreathing his hand.

"Khalas will remember this!" the man cried before he turned and bolted after his companions.

John turned to lone soldier off the front of the wagon. His horse circled until he got it to stop facing to the north. He twisted and saw John glaring at him. John stretched his left hand and called his spear to it.

The soldier dropped the reigns to his horse and held his hands up. "Mercy! It was Squire Armand that wanted you, not us. He seeks to impress the King! Please, milord, mercy!"

John nodded and gestured with his spear for him to ride past. The soldier wasted no time and grabbed his reigns. He pulled his horse around and snapped them hard, riding off at a gallop.

As soon as he was past John called back his magic and sat back down. Zynga was grinning and chortling and even John had a smile on his face.

"That was stupid," Artesia broke the silence.

John turned on her and saw Corsa flinch back and out of his way. He relaxed his bearing a little but still had to ask, "What was stupid?"

"They'll ride hard all the way, probably kill half their horses. Those that make it will have a tale to tell... a tale of how they fought to reclaim the lost lady but couldn't fight against magic. He'll have his army after us now."

John stiffened again. "Should I have let them take her?"

"No, we should have killed them," Artesia said. "Gained two days on them, at the least, assuming they could track us after so long."

"Well, we've got two days anyhow," John said. "A day there and back. Not much difference and I didn't have to kill men that didn't deserve to be killed."

Zynga snorted.

"As you see it, my lord," Artesia said.

John saw he wasn't going to get her to agree with how he handled things so he hopped off the wagon and picked up the dropped bow. He laid it in the back of the wagon and climbed back up, hoping the brief respite had calmed things down.

"Did you really steal his sight?" Jennaca asked. "That was pretty scary, you had me going. I know I'm young, but I've seen some pretty serious stuff. Oh! I need to tell you about Volera and—"

"Later," John cut her off. He smiled and answered her question before she had a chance to go on, "No, I didn't steal his sight. My... flames blind and confuse. They irritate too, which is why he was trying to pull them away."

Zynga chuckled. "By irritate he means burns like the very fires of hell."

Jennaca gasped. "He's burned? His entire face— no, head?"

"They're phantom flames. Not real. The feeling is real enough, but other than the memory of the pain, they do not burn."

"Oh... that's... that's pretty amazing. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, you've been pretty amazing over all!"

Zynga rolled her eyes. Artesia snapped the reins and started them moving again. Corsa remained tucked back against the wagon. She clutched the dagger through her dress and risked glances at John. When he looked at her she blushed and looked away, then thought better and met his gaze. She tried a smile and put her hand to her heart again.

"You're welcome," he said. "And please don't think anything I said was how I felt or thought of you. I didn't mean any of it. I don't own you. You or Artesia."

Zynga chose that moment to mock him. "Taresia? How creative! At least she got a name with some thought put into it."

John ignored her and remained focused on Corsa. "I suspect you've known man men like those in your life."

She nodded.

"Show them strength and they run. Artesia's right about one thing, that one man, Squire Armand, will seek to turn this to his advantage another way. If we meet him again, I suspect I won't have any qualms about killing him."

Corsa swallowed and nodded. She clutched her dagger and then looked past John to the ground. She nodded and held up a hand with her two fingers walking on air. John smiled and hopped down so she could climb out. She hurried behind and around the wagon, then came up beside Sasha and dropped her hand between the tiger's shoulders. Sasha glanced at her and let out a content rumble before continuing on.

John returned to his bench and sighed. Artesia was mad at him. Corsa was scared of him. Zynga was... Zynga. That left Jennaca. She seemed the type to smile her way through a hurricane.

He sighed and twisted around to fetch his books from his chest. Studying magic would put his mind at ease. Or at least distract him from the troubled woman he'd surrounded himself with.