12

Chapter 10

When we went to examine the prisoners the next morning, Sati was already waiting for us.

"It took you long enough to get here," she sniped at me. But there was no real ire in her voice. In fact, I could feel her eager excitement. Once again I had to wonder how idle and isolated her upbringing had been.

"We had a late night." I commented mildly. Her flush told that she knew exactly why Myta and I had been up. Her embarrassed flush was hidden by her darker complexion, but I could still feel it.

"What do we know about our guests?" I asked the guards. "Either the monk, or the slaves?"

"Not much," one of them replied. "The monk is a man, appearing to be about twenty years of age. The slaves are a mix of able-bodied workers. They were cooperative enough, but then the monk ordered them to keep quiet." The guard grimaced, chagrined. If the prisoners had been separated, we might have gotten more information from the slaves.

"Are they separated now?" At his nod I continued. "Good. Just show us where you're holding them, and we'll take it from there."

We visited the captive slaves first. From their builds and calluses I was easily able to pick out several professions among them. The woman with broad shoulders and burn scars on her forearms and hands was probably a baker or cook. The man with ink-stained fingers and a pair of spectacles was likely a clerk, and so on. Unfortunately the order that kept them silent also prevented them from writing, or even so much as nodding in answer to our questions.

I could have delved into their souls, and I suspected that Sati could do so even more easily than I. But it was unlikely that they would have any information that was worth the time and effort. Not when we could go straight to the source.

After assuring the slaves that I would do whatever I could for them, I led both my vas to the room where the monk was being kept. Even through the closed door I could feel him struggling against the enchanted restraints that bound him, stifling any use of mana.

Such restraints were fairly common, but only moderately effective. Given enough time their reserves of mana could be worn away, and a clever sorcerer could work to subvert or destroy them. Fortunately, this monk didn't appear to be skilled in that regard. His mana moved sluggishly in his meridians, and his presence drifted off him in wisps, rippling away from him with every passing shift in the room. Clear indications that the enchantment was in full effect.

I opened the door, allowing Myta to grab the sorcerer as he predictably tried to escape. She laughed as she pushed him unceremoniously back into a heavy chair, one that was affixed to the floor. I could tell that she recognized him, but she said nothing as she took up a position next to the chair. Delivering a punch to the man's gut as he tried to rise again.

I followed Myta, and came to an abrupt decision as I saw the petulant face of the monk. Instead of confronting him. I stepped forward to flank the chair on the opposite side from her. I began to siphon away the prisoner's presence, as I glanced back at Sati.

"He's ready for you, mistress."

This hadn't been our plan, but the apsara picked up my cue perfectly. She stepped forward in front of the monk, projecting a regal air. Tracing a long nail along his jaw, she smiled as he tried to strike at her, only for Myta and I to restrain him with perfect coordination.

Smiling softly, Sati waited patiently as I stripped the monk's presence away. Never taking her eyes off of his. Her own presence drifted into the gaps, tendrils of invisible mist that stroked at his anima. Even to my spiritual senses they were nearly invisible, and I had to suppress a shudder as I watched them slip through his anima.

"What do you want?" The monk finally broke the silence between them, and Sati smiled in satisfaction. It wasn't a vicious or gloating smile, just pleased. As though the man had just paid her a lovely compliment. I swore I could smell a floral perfume, and fresh running water in the air.

"I just want you to tell me your name." I remembered that voice, that tone. I'd heard it before when the former princess had tried to compel Myta. It was one of the sweetest sounds I'd ever heard, and it wasn't even aimed at me. The monk blinked, taken aback.

"Cathel, my name is Cathel."

"Well Cathel, I'm very sorry."

"I... I don't understand?" The monk's tone was confused, as Sati smiled at him with all the compassion in the world.

"It must be so difficult, so painful to be abandoned this way. After serving so faithfully. After coming so close to success."

"It is!" The monk shouted, almost crying as the words spilled from his mouth. "It wasn't our fault! If the sickness had spread like it was supposed to, all the leaders of Kuru would be dead now! All of Ramana would be ours already!"

"But instead you are here. Being punished because of someone else's failure. I can't imagine abandoning a loyal servant that way."

I thought perhaps she was laying that on a bit thick, but the monk didn't seem to understand, even as he gazed at her like a worshipful puppy. Myta leaned forward, whispering in the man's ear.

"Perhaps you need a new master? Or mistress?" Cathel bobbed his head in eager agreement.

"Pass your slave bonds to... Myta," Sati named my flame when I gestured with my eyes. "If you can do that, then I will allow you to serve me, instead."

"Of course, mistress!" He severed the bonds without a moment of hesitation, or tried to,at least. I assisted him in transferring them to my flame. I also helped stop him from bleeding his mana away from the six wounds he'd just taken. The restraints were actually helpful in that regard, slowing the loss. What was telling, however, was that the monk had a much stronger link. One that faded away into the Radiant Sea.

""If you wish to serve your mistress, you cannot be bound to another the way that you are." I wished in that moment that I had a stronger bond with Sati. Hopefully my words would suffice, without disturbing her influence over the man. I has do idea how strong that influence was, or what might strain it.

Sati seemed to have no compunctions about challenging him.

"Is this true?" She demanded. "You ask to serve me, while you are bound to another?"

Cathel stammered apologetically, practically begging for forgiveness while claiming ignorance. I could practically taste his desperate sincerity. It was entirely possible that Entreyu and his favored servants were leashing the other monks without their knowledge, just as Sati had a seal placed within her spirit all unknowing. The thought was more than a little worrying to me.

If the Pure could subvert other sorcerers without their victims even knowing, then they could easily infiltrate any major community. I needed to learn the limits of these seals, and quickly.

The monk was now begging for Sati to take his bond. I wasn't sure exactly how her influence functioned, but this demonstration convinced me that her sorcery was terrifying. Even so, I was concerned about moving the monk's link over to her. We had no idea if he could somehow reverse their positions. Gain influence over her.

I asked, very respectfully, for the others to join me in the hall to consult. But when I expressed my concerns, the apsara laughed.

"If we simply transfer the bond, how could there be an issue?" She asked me. "If he didn't even know that the link was there, there's no real chance of him being able to reverse it like that. Besides, the Pure created these bonds. I can't imagine them crating a binding that the servant could turn against the master."

"They did it before." I shook my head. "With the standard slave bonds, it is the person with the greatest spiritual strength that controls the bond."

Sati's eyes narrowed. "I've never heard of a slave bond being reversed. And what's more, if a tether is severed, the slave is bled of all their mana. That's not true of the holder."

"That's... complicated. Reversal of the bond is very rare, the bond strengthens your spirit, and most holders have more than one slave. It quickly makes the disparity very difficult to overcome. But it can happen, such as when a sorcerer is bound as a slave to an unawakened holder. That is why bound sorcerers are so rare.

"As for the bleed, that is due to the anchor, not the existence of the bond itself. I don't know how the anchors work, which is where our problems come from.

Sati was quiet for a while, sorting through what I'd told her.

"It seems to me the risk is negligible, although I appreciate your concern." She finally said. "If spiritual strength is what matters, then I have this well in hand. If there is some trickery with the anchor, then this monk will not know it, and I'll make sure he doesn't wish to turn on me in any case."

I examined her carefully, but saw no uncertainty in her gaze. It also didn't look as though she'd dismissed my concern, and so I finally nodded my acceptance.

We returned to our prisoner, who was fidgeting anxiously. He shot up from the chair when Sati entered the room, but only to kowtow at her feet. I thought he would say something, but he was silent, other than his panting breaths. He'd already made his desires known.

At Sati's silent nod, I flooded the room with my presence. Delving into my spiritual sight, I cast my will, and my gaze, deeper into the Radiant Sea. Cutting into the bond that led off of Cathel with my lancet was like chopping into a tree with a knife, but fortunately this particular tree felt rotten and soft.

I imagined that this tether must lead back to Entreyu, who was certainly still very badly wounded. His spirit and will would be deathly weak, and I was tempted to trace the connection. See if I could use it to attack the warmaster's spirit yet again. But that would have taken an immense amount of effort, and severing this bond would still hurt him.

I sliced from the outside in, curling the meridian of my lancet around the bond like a snake constricting a branch. The link was hollow, but still substantial, and shearing through it strained my anima. With a wet crunch the bond broke, and I staunched Cathel's bleeding mana as quickly as I could.

Tying him to Sati wasn't really a matter of choice for me. As soon as the ragged end of the link drew near her spirit, it leapt toward her, forcibly pulling from my grasp. It linked with her seal seamlessly, and for a bare moment I felt a tug at my own spirit. My link to Sati was tested, as both she and the monk pulled against me.

This wasn't an attack. I felt no intent behind the pull, although Sati's natural sense of superiority lent a little extra weight to it. It was more like gravity. A purely natural and impersonal force finding equilibrium. Then it settled, and was gone. I could sense the monk now, though barely. My weak connection to Sati made the link to my new vasra even fainter.

"Welcome to the family." I joked to the monk, although my attention was firmly on Sati. Ensuring that her spirit was not disrupted by her new connection.

"Family," the apsara mouthed the word silently. Her expression was complex, and impossible for me to read.

Chapter 11

Myta practically threw me out of the room. I could feel her concern for Sati acutely, and so I didn't think of arguing. My flame would let me know if I was needed, or something went wrong.

Instead of fretting over the matter, I sought out Hati, who led me to where the rest of our company was training. I gave them the same speech that I had delivered to Denu and Cata, who had already joined the others. Their response was universally the same, summed up effectively by Jito.

"When do we leave?"

I was touched by their dedication. They each had their own reasons for resolving to accompany us into hostile territory. Into the teeth of war. Jito was a thrill seeker, looking for meaning, Hati was determined to prove her worth, most of the warriors felt some desire to protect Ramana, or strike out at the Pure.

But by far and away, their driving motivation was their loyalty to Myta. And even, to a lesser extent, myself.

By the time that Sati and Myta joined us, Cathel and the slaves in tow, I'd informed the company of our immediate plans. Hati had them harnessing the goats within a half an hour. We rolled out of the gates of Bani before noon, everyone having taken an early lunch. Pedu had all of our supplies loaded, and the goats hitched to the wagons for us.

"Master," my flame spoke to me as we prepared to set out. "I had one of the wagons set up for you to ride in. It's covered, and set up for us to conduct the tempering ritual, while another drives."

I swallowed my reflexive protest after her first words. It would be awkward for me to ride while the majority of the company walked, but finishing the tempering of the company was of the greatest importance. Increasing the ability of our warriors would be key to our success in Metic.

"That was well done, my flame. Once everyone is fully tempered, it will also be a place where we can help them develop aspects."

"You mean, refine their aspects?" Myta was confused by my comment, and I had to chuckle.

"No, you skipped a step, remember? You were born with your aspect of fire, but most people require effort to develop any aspect beyond that of simply being alive, and human. This is why Ramana gifted us with those supplements. They are all infused with strongly aspected mana, so our students can get a feel for them.

"Jito, Hati, and Denu all developed strong aspects when they were tempered. Cata has a mild affinity. But I don't believe any others in the company have even that. We will need to consult with them, see what aspects might fit their interests. And you need to decide how the company will be structured."

"What does the company structure have to do with... Ah," understanding struck Myta before she finished the question. "Because different aspects are better suited to different roles."

"Precisely." I smiled, pleased at her acuity. "Hati is perfect as your second. The earth aspect lends itself well to remaining calm in battle, and anchoring a unit. Denu is ideal as a scout, and ranged fighter. Jito is a bit of a mystery. But all will excel at certain tasks over others. Those of our company that do not already have strong preferences, we can shape."

"I will think on it, master. What is Metic like? What will we face there?"

"It is a rich land. Beautiful and rugged." My eyes went distant, gazing into the past. "It's more temperate there, cool and moist. And most of the country is covered in old forests and rocky hills, with the occasional moor.

"The clans are... difficult. They fight constantly, both with outsiders and with each other. Raiding is a normal aspect of life among them, though they aren't as bloodthirsty or ruthless as the horse tribes of Ootrin. At times, the clans will hire themselves out as mercenaries. Usually just their youths and a few seasoned warriors. But occasionally the entire clan."

"You like it there. Maybe even love it." Myta let an edge of curiosity seep into her voice.

"The country is beautiful." I shrugged uncomfortably. "Visiting the clans was a strange experience for me. They're so different from what I knew. They're families, more than anything else. And if they welcome you, then you become family too. A family based on loyalty, not obligation. But I was an outsider there, and they aren't fond of outsiders."

My flame waited a little longer, giving me the space to say more. But though my memories of the country were strong and bittersweet, I didn't truly have a lot of experience there, and most of it wouldn't be relevant to a war campaign.

"Then it sounds like we will need more scouts and harrying forces." She finally said. "Ideally I'd like to put at least a full squad under Denu. What will our actual objectives look like?"

"I don't know," I growled. Not at the question, but at my own lack of knowledge. "If the Pure and their allies are preparing to simply invade Metic, then things might be simple. Support the northern clans in their fight. Try to convince the other clans to give more support."

"But it's unlikely that the Pure won't pair any assault with treachery. Some effort to undermine Metic from within." Myta noted.

"On top of that, our real goal is to gain the favor of their druids. I need to learn about runes, and they are the undisputed masters of runework in this region, possibly in the entirety of the Shattered Lands. But they don't teach outsiders easily. Helping them against the Pure is worth doing for its own sake, but hopefully it will earn us some goodwill as well."

"So we need to be flexible, operate in rough terrain, and make friends. I can work with that." Myta smiled, then cast her eyes at Sati. "I'll be less useful at gaining goodwill."

"We're not exactly diplomats." I agreed dryly.

Our exit from Bani was graced with an enthusiastic send off. While most of the city hadn't suffered that much from the Pure attack, the trade district had received the brunt of their ire. Many of the people there had personally witnessed Myta and I fighting in the streets. Protecting their homes and businesses. They marked our farewell with raucous cheering and singing, as if we were a triumphant parade.

Many men and women rushed up to try and touch us, to give us their thanks. A few even had tears in their eyes. Myta and I were both uncomfortable with the attention, so Hati and Jito ran interference for us. Both of them soaked up the adulation, kissing cheeks and babies.

Sati was incredibly uncomfortable, probably because the impromptu gathering was celebrating the failure of her plan. I put a steadying hand on her shoulder, not a comforting grip exactly, but a firm one.

"It's important to see how others view you actions. To witness the consequences. But it does no good to wallow in them." She glared at me, but I continued, unphased. "These people don't know anything about your plans, or your dreams. Strangers tried to burn the city, to take their homes, that's what they know. If you'd succeeded, that would likely still be all they ever knew.

"If you want to have power and authority, you need to count the cost of your actions. Decide if the balance is worthwhile. And always remember that even if you succeed, that doesn't wipe away the cost."

She pulled away from me, but she hadn't shaken off my hand. I thought that might be a sign that she had actually listened.

Once we exited the city, we made good time. I ensured that Ita and Ina remained unharnessed, so that they could show our new herd the ropes. More than one member of the company gave me disbelieving glances when I explained how we would be stopping to gather plants when the goats signaled us, but Denu and Cata listened with rapt attention as I described the awakened herbs we were most likely to encounter.

Denu also took the news that she would be training and leading a squad of scouts with enthusiasm, if not grace. Her squeal of excitement was piercing, and I was glad to see that some of her bubbly enthusiasm was returning. Guta, of course, would be the first of her newly formed rangers. Myta was confident that she would quickly fill out the squad with volunteers.

It had only been a short time since Futa, Guta's brother, had attempted to assault Denu. They seemed to have bonded over the incident, which still made me leery. Guta had protected Denu, and Futa had died at Myta's hand, which made the dynamics of their relationship... complicated. But Hati and I were both keeping a careful eye on things.

The sergeant had insisted that our form of discipline for Guta, assigning him as Denu's subordinate, would help to expose any issues between them quickly. That made perfect sense to me, but it also meant that the situation was potentially volatile. As if our circumstances weren't tense enough already