Chapter 5 Zethan #2
Lorton gave him a disappointed frown. “First you agree, Boyo. Your word of honor.”
Zohav shook her head slightly, glaring at him. Her thoughts, not this again, clear on her face. He signaled play along to her.
“I agree.”
“Goody. First, I need information.” He pointed to Heli. “Is your Stormdancer going to behave? She’s the most powerful of you lot, right?”
He certainly hoped she’d misbehave, but they had to bide their time. “She will once she understands.”
“And will she give us the glass recipe for the orbs? So, we can make more?”
“She can’t. The Stormdancers don’t know it for this exact reason. Only the glass blower knows the percentages.” He kept his expression neutral. Knowing Heli’s insatiable curiosity, she had probably figured it out by now.
“Uh huh.” Lorton sucked on his teeth for a minute. “Can she call fog?”
“Yes.”
“And you bring the storms?”
“Yes.”
Lorton turned to Zohav. “All we’ve heard is that you can move snowflakes around. What else can you do?”
Zethan wondered who had told them all this information. By the response from his so-called friends, it could have been anyone living in Icefaren. Zo directed her high powered glare to the captain. Lorton was unfazed.
“I can move raindrops, too, keeping everyone dry.”
Smart of her to downplay her abilities. Zethan approved.
“Whatcha thinkin’, Cap?” Beet asked.
“I’m thinking bad weather can win a battle.”
What battle? Zethan wondered as they headed northwest. He and Zohav walked behind the wagon.
Beet had taken over the driver’s seat and kept a slow and steady pace.
Kitty hadn’t been happy with the strangers, but he was hitched and smart enough to keep calm.
Beet followed Lorton, who rode Smoke. They had laid Heli on top of the tarp, and the other soldiers marched on either side of Zethan and Zohav.
Zethan used the time to collect information, noting weapons, and any weaknesses he and Zo could exploit. Too bad the ground was dry. They had left the snow covered roads behind a few days ago. Plus, it was the end of the cold season, which meant clearer skies and warmer temperatures in Ixia.
Heli woke with a groan. Beet called a warning and stopped the wagon. The captain explained the situation to Heli, who blinked at him as if trying to clear her vision.
Then she met Zethan’s gaze. “That so?”
“Yes,” he said while signaling for now. Wait for it. It being the perfect opportunity to escape.
“All right,” Heli said. She joined them.
With the three of them together, they could easily whisper, but Lorton ordered them to remain silent. Not a problem. They had all been trained to use the signals Valek had created.
Escape plan? Heli asked.
Working on it, Zethan said. Any ideas, Zo?
Not yet.
Sneak out at night? Heli suggested.
“Hey, stop that,” one man said to them. “Hey, Captain, they’re talking with their fingers,” he called.
Shit.
Lorton looped around. “Cuff their hands behind their backs,” he ordered. “That’s one, Boyo.”
“One, what?” Zethan asked as a soldier yanked his arms back and slapped on a pair of manacles. The cold metal bit into his wrists.
“Transgression. The punishment is losing your freedom for a few days. The next one will be followed by lots of pain. The third…” He shook his head sadly. “No one survives the third.”
Zethan didn’t quite understand the loss of freedom punishment.
They were already prisoners. But the ramifications soon became apparent.
Walking with your hands secured behind your back was much harder.
And when they stopped at a travel shelter for the night, they were secured to the beds.
No food or drinks were offered and taking care of other necessities was closely supervised.
Zethan lay in bed and listened to the patrol enjoy Aunt Larrisa’s food as his stomach grumbled.
Overall, they were a quiet bunch and didn’t discuss their mission.
Of the sixteen total, he guessed there were ten who appeared to be men.
They all obeyed Lorton without question. Beet was his second in command.
He considered his options. Thanks to his brother’s training, Zethan had a set of lock picks concealed in the hem of his uniform. Unlocking the cuffs would be too noisy with the entire patrol nearby. Hopefully, Lorton would leave them alone and they could escape.
The other possibility was waiting for help.
Not from poor Annika and Endre. He allowed a wave of grief to flow through him, but he didn’t wallow.
He’d have the energy to mourn them properly later.
As for being rescued, the trio would eventually be missed in Sitia and Valek would be alerted.
How long would that take? And could they survive?
Unfortunately, Lorton was proving to be smarter than the average thug. After a second day without food or water, Zethan, Zo, and Heli didn’t have the strength to do anything except stumbled after the wagon.
The third morning, Beet removed their cuffs and handed them each a water skin and a bowl of oatmeal.
The cool liquid tasted divine. It rehydrated his tongue, which had shrunken like a raisin in his mouth.
He’d never take water for granted again.
Savoring the oatmeal, Zethan took his time.
He’d already learned the lesson of not shoveling food down your throat after a few days of not eating.
“Boyo and Storm Girl, come walk with me,” Lorton ordered.
Zethan exchanged a glance with Zo, but he didn’t dare signal her.
“Don’t worry about your sister. She won’t be harmed unless I don’t come back.”
He and Heli followed Lorton as the man entered a narrow path through the forest. Dried leaves and twigs snapped under their boots.
Anticipation vibrated in the air as if the trees and foliage couldn’t wait to unfurl their leaves and bloom.
A few bushes already sported buds along their branches.
A thin layer of gray clouds sealed the sky.
They weren’t beefy enough to produce precipitation.
Lorton hiked uphill for over an hour. Zethan and Heli struggled to keep up. He finally stopped at the top, where the rest of the forest dropped away into a vast valley. A few villages dotted a river that flowed along the bottom.
“You see that big gray box?” Lorton pointed to a square building on the other side. It had a wall around it and was located halfway up the opposite ridge.
“Is that MD-8’s garrison?” Zethan asked.
“No. That is MD-8’s penitentiary. I need more soldiers for my army.”
Zethan stilled.
“Figured it out yet, Boyo?”
“You plan to recruit from the prisoners.”
“Exactly. I’ve the orbs to break down the walls, but I need cover so we can get close. That’s where you come in, Storm Girl. I need a deep enough fog to reach the penitentiary.”
Heli scanned the valley. “It’s too dry.”
“There’s a river,” Lorton said. A warning clear in his tone. “Plenty of water.”
“For a ground fog. If it has to reach the fortress, I need more water.”
“Can’t you make it rain?”
“Not from those clouds and there’s not enough humidity in the air.”
Lorton looked at Zethan. “Guess we need it to rain in this valley.”
Zethan stretched his senses, seeking a storm. He found one far to the west just at the edge of his range. “I might be able to encourage one to come this way.”
“Might? I don’t like that word, Boyo.”
“Then you shouldn’t have starved me.” He snapped but instantly regretted his words.
Pure instinct helped him block Lorton’s first strike, but the second—a jab to his solar plexus—sent Zethan to the ground, gasping for breath. Lorton pulled back his foot. Zethan braced for the kick.
“Stop it!” Heli yelled. “Or he won’t be any use to you.”
Lorton paused. “How so?”
“Using magic has consequences. It takes a toll on our bodies. If we’re malnourished or injured or sick, we can’t use our full powers.”
Lorton crouched next to Zethan. “I need to consider if your smart mouth is a transgression or not. It’ll depend on how much rain the valley gets. Understand?”
He choked out a yes. Satisfied, Lorton headed back down the trail.
Heli helped him to his feet.
“Thanks,” he whispered.
“You know we can’t let him break into the prison,” she whispered. “There are guards on the wall. People will die.”
“I know.”
They couldn’t let Lorton succeed with his scheme. However, Zethan couldn’t think of a way to stop him. Well, he could, but he doubted they’d survive it.