Book 5, Chapter 42: A Smile
The cart was wheeled around, facing me toward the inner courtyard. Torches cast the cobblestones in flickering shadows. Immediately beyond the courtyard was a building as high as a cathedral, but with windows evenly spaced from side to side and top to bottom, indicating multiple floors. Beyond it, I could just make out other buildings. I couldn’t tell if they were connected, but the stone walkways also went in that direction.
No guards or soldiers stood ready to receive me, save Tye’s, only twenty or so elderly women in greyish dresses waited about. Each of them held a staff.
One such woman, slightly hunched, wearing a large chain-link necklace, looked at me through the bars and said, “Oh, you poor dear. You look terribly mistreated. They battered you in that cage, didn’t they?”
A soldier of the wizard’s put his arm on her shoulder, “Be careful, old woman! She is very dangerous.”
She didn’t look at him but brushed his hand away. “Not in here she isn’t.”
Tye had entered as well. He walked over to the woman, “She has some training in martial fighting as well. Be wary.”
For my part, I said nothing. I was desperate for water, my tongue swollen from thirst, but putting more of that drug in me wouldn’t help. I needed to be alert. If they were really handing me over to old women, I might have a chance. I wanted to say, ‘Hey guys, could you give Morry to these ladies, too?’
“Our abbey has been host to those like her before. We are well prepared. And it seems you’ve bound her in perseidian iron.”
“To quench her powers.”
“It shows how little you understand, Wizard. I should remind you that you, too, are powerless here. That’s a nasty bruise on her head.” To me, she said, “Speak up. Did they beat you, girl?”
Before I could think to answer, Tye did, “She was treated fairly.”
“I seriously doubt that. We’ll take her from here. Your rooms are being prepared. Once we have her in a cell, I’ll meet with you to discuss the ritual.”
“My guards will accompany you. To lend support, should you need it.”
“We don’t.”
“We had an agreement, Abbess.”
“Your guards may accompany us, but they are not to interfere. We must prepare her and that requires exacting procedures.”
“As you say.”
“Now open up this cage and take those useless manacles off her. All you’re doing is bruising her arms.” To me, she said, “Come, dear, we’re going to get you cleaned up.”
I hated myself for begging, and the roughness of my voice surprised me. “Water, please.”
She looked over my shoulder at the large clay water jug, then scowled again at the wizard.
Once the door was open, two elderly women took hold of each of my arms, helping me down from my cage. My legs cramped and I nearly fell, but for their support. Someone off to the side draped a heavy cloak about my shoulders, and one of the women tied it up in the front. It warmed me, and my teeth eventually stopped chattering.
One of the mage’s guards removed the iron from my wrists.
I smelled awful, was filthy, and embarrassed. I managed to get out, “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. How awful you’ve been treated and how wretched you look.”
I felt no change, exiting the cage. No reconnection to magic. I tested it again, closed my eyes and tried to feel it, but it was hidden from me.
One of the women helping must have understood, for she said, “You won’t find your power in here.”
“No,” said the abbess, “this place is sacrosanct. No magic. Now, come, let’s get you cleaned up and your thirst and hunger quenched.”
Five of the wizard’s soldiers followed us. I looked back to see the remainder pulling the big man in. Tried to shout at him, but my voice failed. Morry! His hands were bound by manacles, a rope around them, soldiers pulled at him and he walked, but his eyes were on me.
The big man flashed me a smile.
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