Chapter 23
Ridgecrest Fortress, Realm of Eldridge
F iltered dawn light turned the overgrown landscape into wild shadows looming around them. The dense greenery was uncommon in most of Eldridge, only growing close to the Zamyran border. It was an odd combination of jungle, forest, and mountain territory, as if the land didn’t quite know what it was supposed to be.
Rodric held back a muttered curse as he ducked under the feathery moss hanging off a low branch. Having spent his life roaming the forests, canyons, and mountains present in the middle of the realm, hiking through the deep overgrowth was a little unsettling. With so many things left to chance, out of his control, the unfamiliar setting added weight to the many things throwing him off balance. Settling down into a position on the opposite side of the complex as Connor, he began the daybreak watch.
A flash of sunlight at the wrong angle across the far side of the complex told him that his comrades were in position. Cass and Connor had insisted on taking the closest, most dangerous assignments. Wise, given their skill sets, but aggravating.
The two warriors had been very in sync since their weapons practice that morning. There was something in their behavior he couldn’t put his finger on. Not suspicious exactly, but something they knew that the others didn’t. He didn’t know Connor yet, but he trusted Cass, so he’d let the observation go. Had they been on a hunting mission, he and Sev would probably act much the same—completely in their element in a fundamental way the others couldn’t quite match.
As close as they were to the facility, Rodric was actively fighting the urge to rush in and attack. His mind knew that he needed to wait and stalk his prey until the opportune moment. Hunters learned the mental game of patience early if they wanted to succeed.
His heart was another matter. After a long night of worrying and discussing possible plans, his anxiety was at a high, making it difficult to still his body and do the needed recon. Working smart was apparently hard on his nerves.
Thankfully, Celina had agreed to go with Sev and Daya to a higher vantage point, where they were mapping the facility from above. The huntress—and her pair of hawks—had decided to join them and had proven an excellent addition to their group. With her knowledge of the mountain range, it was the longest stretch they’d gone without referencing their trusted map.
A second flash indicated that Cass was beginning her infiltration of the facility. The first rays of light had produced a myriad of shadows for her to use as she took a closer inspection. With only six of them, including two non-combatants who would stay outside the fortress, they were hanging their plan on the critical information gained during their morning reconnaissance.
High walls crumbled in places, coming as much as halfway down. The remnants of stone were overgrown with dirt and vines, a living extension of the outer walls that used to ring the fortress. The time and natural destruction gave him a decent line of sight.
Nearest to him was a stable and a small building, what was once most likely a guardhouse, on the close side of the entrance gate. Similar to the rest of the fortress, the highest floor of the guardhouse showed old damage from storms or sieges, but not enough to make it unusable. The stable was fully in use, with horses lazing about in the fenced area as well as making noise from inside.
The complex was nowhere near inactive, with many people moving about. The soldiers were alert but relaxed, obviously not concerned about anyone resisting or even noticing their presence. Fair enough, given the remote location on the mountain. It angered him even as it eased some of the tension in his gut. The more relaxed the soldiers were, the easier it would be to sneak in and retrieve Brenna and any other children.
The fact that the town of Mountainview and populace in this area were ignorant or blatantly ignoring what was happening fired up the rage he’d been able to suppress while they made the journey to this point. The direction of his rage wasn’t entirely fair, as his own townspeople had sold out Brenna and others like her, but they were a convenient target.
How had he been blind to what was happening around him? Granted, he spent as little time as possible interacting with other people, letting his cousin handle the estate and lord’s responsibilities for him and only showing up when absolutely necessary. He preferred to be out in the wilds working with local hunters. Even then, there was still talk. He typically found other things needing his attention and avoided those conversations.
Was he really so reticent that he’d ignored the whispered murmurs? The disappearances two or three times a year? Guilt amped up his other emotions, carving his need for action into a desperate, sharp edge inside him.
Closing his eyes, he sank into his magic and watched the ice blue and misty white swirl around. The wall surrounding it was still clear but formed a barrier nonetheless. He knew from trying that the magic could pass through it, but it wasn’t free like it had been when the wall shattered and he joined Celina in healing for the first time.
Brenna deserved a better soul-guardian. One who wasn’t afraid to embrace magic.
Echoes of sound reached him from the pass below, breaking him out of his morose thoughts. Bringing himself back to the outside world, he focused on the sounds, identifying three travelers approaching based on the voices. Following his instinct, he moved down the hillside, until he was hugging the crumbling fortress wall. Slithering very close to the ground, he let the shadows produced by the dense greenery help hide him.
Moving incredibly slowly, he tilted his head into a painful position so that he could see through a crack in the pile of fallen stones. It was a low view unfortunately, showing him only the legs of numerous men and horses who had entered and were lingering between the guardhouse and the stable.
Multiple sets of boots approached from the direction of the guardhouse.
“You’re late! We were expecting you three days ago. Got a quarry with you?”
“Sorry for the delay, Captain. Bad weather. The kid was trouble, so Jack kept putting him under. Tag him as orange until we see how he behaves in the group environment. He’s smart enough to warrant watching.”
“One mage brat, as ordered,” a new, sneering voice said. A loud thump accompanied a young boy falling to the ground in an unconscious heap. Bruises and dried blood marred his face where he lay against the dirt, arms twisted behind him with rope. Even from a distance, there was a lump visible on the boy’s head.
Rodric guessed he was around Brenna’s age. Not unusual, according to Celina, since it was a common age magic began to develop. To think all this information was ‘normal’ knowledge in some places. He fought a shudder up his spine, forcing his muscles still.
“Orange? Kavesh, what’s with this group? That makes two oranges and a red. I swear they’re getting less docile each season,” the captain grunted in annoyance. “At least you have a reason for being late. Neither Rejak nor Van’s group reported in. Should’ve been back two weeks ago.”
“They enjoy wreaking havoc.” The man who had dropped the boy gave a harsh laugh. “Probably holed up together during the storm and entertained themselves instead of moving through. Wish we would have done the same instead of riding through the rain.”
“We pay you for retrieval, Jack,” a new voice reprimanded. “Damaging them beyond use does us no good. Indulge your violent tendencies on your own time and money.”
“The lieutenant is correct,” a deep, gravelly voice said. “It appears you are going to be short your quota, Captain Darrett. You should have had at least ten mages with so many men allocated to this region. I expect better.”
“It’s been an unusually bad season, Commander Gorman,” the captain reasoned. “We lost a team early on to the Calderrans.”
“One? Sounds like you’ve lost three.” The commander scoffed. “You’ve delayed long enough. Don’t wait on the others to return. They can find new jobs if they’re still alive. I need to get back, but I’ll leave a few of my men with you to help with transport since you’ve lost so many. Don’t make me come out for a status report in the future, Captain. You’re easily replaced.”
Captain Darrett cursed as the commander stomped toward the guardhouse. “You heard him, start packing. I want to be out of here in two days. Command has decided we’re done with this outpost for now; it’s becoming noticeable. Going to have to recruit three replacement teams for next season and start scouting a new holding facility.”
Low voices became muffled as the soldiers moved their horses toward the stable, kicking up enough dirt to block his view momentarily. When the dust settled, he saw a soldier with the boy over his shoulder approaching the main building some distance away. They’d guessed the large, three-story building was where the kids were being held, probably below ground. The confirmation was nice, but he hoped that Cass had gotten her eye on Brenna.
“Hey, girl!” The soldier’s shout came from farther away near the stable. “Come get these horses.”
Rodric froze, his eyes scanning the surrounding rocks. There!
As quietly as he could, he lifted his head up and to the left, peering through a higher crack in the remaining wall. His neck muscles strained as he held his head level with the viewpoint without moving the rest of his body. Even lifting his head like this was a risk, but he couldn’t resist the slim possibility the soldier was yelling at Brenna.
A tiny child, not more than an underfed six-year-old, came out of the stable. Shoulders hunched, dirt covering her from head to toe, her hair in a tangled mess that may have once been a braid. A length of rope dyed blue was looped around her throat in a tight necklace, standing out boldly against the dull, dirt-laden clothing she wore.
Reaching out, she took the nearest horse’s reins without looking up. Rodric’s heart pounded as he lay unmoving against the rocks, his mind racing as decoded the color system the guards were using. He wondered what color Brenna had been labeled. She was a strong girl, but in this instance, he hoped she was a meek blue like this little one and not the more brutally handled orange or red the leader had mentioned.
Grabbing the child by the front of her dress, one of the men jerked her forward a step so that she was right under him, small head tilted as far back as it could go, feet barely touching the ground. It was a precise move needing no adjustment, telling him the soldier had done it frequently with this little one and probably the other children as well.
“You remember the rules?” The voice identified the bully as Captain Darrett.
She gave a quick nod, a jarring fear to the sharp dip of her head.
“You steal anything or try to ride away, we’ll catch you. And we’ll make dinner out of whatever horse you tried to escape with. That’s all you’ll eat until we reach the trade point. Got it?” The captain gave her a shake, and she nodded frantically.
Suddenly released, the girl stumbled backward, quickly righting her footing and picking up the reins she’d dropped earlier. Glancing between the two soldiers, she hesitated, obviously afraid, before flicking her eyes to the fourth man.
“Come here,” Lieutenant Devryn instructed. He drew her to him, away from the other men.
Placing his large hand on her shoulder, he stilled her movement. The girl’s shoulders relaxed a little, hinting that this was routine treatment, preferable to the threat of violence the others emanated. Moving his hand, he tucked two fingers into her blue collar and tugged lightly until she moved a step closer to him. He kept her with him while he waited for the men to unlatch the saddlebags. The weight of his palm rested controllingly on her neck. Holding out his free hand to his companions, he collected the reins of the other two horses, presumably doing the girl a favor by not forcing her to get closer to the soldiers.
Fury heated Rodric’s nerves to boiling, his hand throbbing where it fisted his dagger. Making a concerted effort, he released the hilt, his fingers refusing to unfurl their gripping shape. The effortless and practiced way the soldiers manipulated the child’s behavior was the last match to light the undying fire in his soul.
Angling the girl to face him, Lieutenant Devryn leaned down slightly, voice quiet and engaging. “Do a good job with the horses, and I’ll make sure you have an extra blanket tonight.”
The little girl shivered slightly, as if she was imagining the dark coldness of the dungeon. When he tugged on her choker again, waiting for her response, she nodded quickly.
“Good girl. Go on, now. Behave.” He released her and handed over the reins, giving her a light push in the direction of the barn. The horses followed her amicably into the stable, heads dropped low to her level.
“Still won’t talk, huh?” one of the soldiers asked.
“Not a single word. But she’s compliant, so leave her be.”
“Hey, works for me. I sure don’t want to spend an hour grooming the horses of all that travel grime.” The soldier tipped his head at their captain. “What did we miss, besides a visit from the higher-ups? Any more breakout attempts by the little orange metal mage?”
Rodric’s heart exploded with a mix of fear and relief. No way they’d picked up two girls with Brenna’s ability and the ferocity of spirit to defy her captors. It had to be his soul-daughter. Orange. His little sunshine had no doubt been suffering for her courage. He was proud, yet equally terrified, that she’d drawn their attention with her escape attempts.
“Nothing significant,” Captain Darrett replied. “Seems we finally found the right incentive to get her to behave. Hayes will update you.”
The sneering soldier who’d originally dropped the boy spoke. “Too bad. Hopefully, Red has been mouthing off again and earned several punishments.”
“Sometimes, I think you like beating on them a little too much, Jack,” the other soldier said. The barest hint of reprimand laced his tone.
“Not all of us can be soft on them,” Jack said. He rocked back on his heels, clad in an unusual red leather. “Captain, let me be Red’s handler on the trip back. She’s bound to be enough trouble to warrant separation from the rest of them. That one needs aggressive handling to keep her controlled.”
“Fine, but be careful not to damage her permanently. The commander is displeased enough as it is.”
“And stay away from the little one,” Lieutenant Devryn added. “You’ll ruin her. The teen has enough fight to survive, at least.”
“Agreed. All six need to arrive in decent condition or we may as well not show up.” Captain Darrett gestured to the saddlebags on the ground. “Go check in and get packing orders from Hayes before you volunteer to take over whatever discipline the teen has earned. We need to be ready to depart in two days.”
“Too bad we’re not returning to this fortress. It’s much better equipped than our usual camps,” Jack said as he picked up his saddlebags.
The other soldier murmured in agreement as he grabbed the remaining bags and headed toward the keep with Jack. Turning, Captain Darrett scanned the crumbling wall with a speculative frown. His eyes stopped exactly at the area Rodric was hiding.
Holding his breath, Rodric waited until the man turned away, slowly following the path the commander had taken toward the guardhouse with an intentionality that made Rodric’s skin crawl. We’re here, Brenna, just hold on a little longer.
He lay still as the stones cut into his side, wanting to block out the conversation he’d just heard, yet knowing he couldn’t. They needed all the information they could get, and it had been disturbingly useful. His mind noted Jack’s red boots with a death sentence as he reviewed the information he needed to share with the team.