Soon, I’d have to force her to give me the dagger. The image of her in the bath popped into my mind. Felt heady and I ached to touch her again. But my curse was too great, especially at my weakened state. Luck had saved her this far.
But then the thought of her scarred back made me shift uncomfortably. Perhaps if she trusted me more, then I’d recover the dagger. I cringed, seeing the still-green bruises along her bandaged fingers.
“Your back — why were you beaten?” I tried to make my voice sound light, casual. Didn’t want her to know I had a hidden agenda.
She glanced at me and let her horse nibble the apple core from her fingers. “I deserve my scars.” After the animal had chomped the core to nothing, she sat across from me. Her gaze stared out over the stream, before she answered, “I didn’t understand when I was first imprisoned. But every mark upon my back represents someone. Someone who suffered because of me.”
I stared at her dumbfounded. How was a beating that severe ever deserved? She hadn’t harmed anyone. Even being around her for a few days, I already knew she would not harm another. She had just cause to kill Father Morgan many times over, and yet she had not. Perhaps that is why she didn’t see me for the abomination that I was.
“Because of me, Morgan tortured people; most were women and children.” Tears filled her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. And I saw her fist clench. “Again and again I was called to heal those near death. Heal those who took too long to heal on their own. Soon, those tortured feared me more than Morgan.
“But I was strong; despite their beatings I never divulged information. Finally he gave up on me.”
“What did they want?”
“Locations of other witches. But I wouldn’t tell them anything. Every night, when was I was given a few hours for sleep, I would dig at the mortar between the bricks and remember the village my Aunt Laurel lived in.
“When my mother was killed, I was to live with her. My mother made me memorize the directions. I repeated them until they were a song in my head. I had visited her often, even stayed summers with her. Her husband taught me to fight and ride a horse. I held onto those memories. If not for them, I’d have lost my mind. I learned about herbs and plants for healing. My aunt was the one who showed me how to use my gift of healing, but I didn’t learn how to use my power on myself. They captured me before I could learn how.”
Her blessing had been twisted into a curse. I felt a connection with her. My life, too, was once blessed, but now cursed.
How I longed to draw her into my arms and comfort her. Kiss away her troubles with my lips.
Instead I skipped rocks along the water.
A shadow darkened the sun. Celeste rose and at the same instant Shadowdancer whinnied.
“What is it?” I stuffed Celeste’s head covering with my chopped hair into my pack.
“Hurry,” she said bracing her foot in the stirrup and mounted. “A Bergone comes.”
Bergone? They weren’t real. Elvin mothers told their children about the Bergone sent to the corners of the world, watching for disobedient children. They were just stories from the wars of long ago. Weren’t they?
Before I mounted behind her, the horse lurched into a gallop. Water from the stream splashed over my trousers.
Through the cluster of sparse limbs, I saw a hairy animal tearing after us. Claws ripped through trees.
I struggled to hold on to Shadowdancer as I watched the Bergone gain upon us.
The Bergone chased us. Never had I seen such a beast. Lumbering on all fours, but closing the distance between us. Brown fur stood out all over its body. Arms and legs wider than even the oak trunks.
Celeste leaned forward, so I righted my body behind saddle and grabbed the cantle. My legs ached from holding them as far forward as I could to avoid squeezing Shadowdancer’s flanks.
My skin prickled from the contact of me pressed against her. But I heaved a relived sigh when I saw her gown protected my cursed skin from hers.
“If he catches us,” I shouted so she’d hear, “leave me. I’ll fight the creature and buy you time.”
Over my shoulder, I watched the beast charge after us. Smelled the stink of old blood and foulness like rotting mold. Red eyes stared into mine as the beast raged closer.
Perhaps my curse would still it. But as I watched the massive arms and legs propel it closer, I thought he’d rip me apart before I’d lay a finger upon his hide.
My bow. Leaning to the side I unhooked my bow from the pack. My quiver slid across my arm to my back.
Then, balancing sideways on Shadowdancer, I nocked the first arrow.
The point found the Bergone’s left shoulder. But his pace did not lesson. Quickly, I sent over two more arrows. One lodged in his chest, the other in his back leg.
Arrow after arrow I sent. My shafts sticking out of the beast at odd angles, but still he came.
I reached up to remove another arrow, when a low tree branch whacked me across my shoulder. Unprepared, I fell from the horse.
Before I inhaled, the Bergone loomed over me. Clawed hands hauled me up by my throat into the air. His mouth was shaped like a wolf’s, his body and claws like a bear.
A voice rumbled from the beast like a man speaking through a hollow tube, “Call for her, and we may let you live.”
“Never.”
The hand tightened on my throat. Felt the blood pulse inside my head.
If ever I wanted my curse to work, this was the time. But the coarse hair of the beast tickled me under my chin, and no power surged through me.
Hoping luck would be on my side. I swung up my leg and kicked the beast against the chin.
Laughter answered me and I fought for my vision to focus.
“We smell her scent on you, Elf. Can track her into the grave. Your death will not protect her.”
My tongue gurgled as I tried to answer and the beast loosened its grip. Air pierced my lungs with each breath. “Then why do you hesitate? Kill me.”
“Why?” the Bergone snarled. “Why would a Demon-Elf be among the humans? You escaped me in the village, but your witch isn’t here to save you again.”
His words made me think of the man with the cape I bumped into. Surely this beast before me was not that man. But how else could this beast know?
“Not since the war and the rupture of the races has one of your kind been among them.” The hand holding me up yanked me forward. Fangs as long as my sword glistened. “Tell me why with the magic you possess to kill, she remains alive.”
Whatever this thing was, it knew too much. And I’d no intention of revealing anything to man or beast.
Using both hands, I fought to pry the fingers from my throat.
Laughter shook the beast.
I managed to lift one claw away, but it snapped back as soon as my fingers slipped.
“We have ways of finding our answers.” Coiling black smoke poured from the creature’s mouth.
Like an arrow, the smoke pierced into my head. Tendrils clutched my mind, scoured for memories. Words from Nivel vibrated through my head. Speaking of the prophecies, the curse, and the dagger.
The creature’s voice sounded far to me, and colored spots waltzed before me. “Where’s the dagger now? Give it to me and you shall live.”
My heartbeat thundered inside me. Air surrounded me, but I could not catch my breath. Felt my life drain with each passing second. But I would say nothing.
Soon I’d die. I welcomed death’s embrace, but now no one would save my family … or my people.
My heart thundered in my ears as I dangled from the Bergone’s claws. Didn’t doubt the beast would tear into my flesh and devour me. No one back home would know of my death.
Nothing bothered me, except the realization of never seeing Celeste again, or delivering my family from execution in my place.
The grip on my throat lessened. Sharp air filled my lungs. Sweet and cold. Heard rumbling beats coming from behind me.
“So, she’s linked with you, as I thought.” The Bergone grinned showing a mouthful of sharp fangs. “Do you know what he’ll use the dagger for, Celeste?” The beast laughed, and it gave me shudders. “Come and greet your master, witch.”
Shadowdancer blurred around the creature. Celeste stood up in the stirrups.
“Give Morgan a message for me.” Her blond hair curled outward like frayed haloes. “Tell him I will use his heart to cast a death spell on you.”
His laughter rumbled in him, and his grip on my neck loosened more. Celeste made another pass around the creature. Then the garnet dagger flashed in the sunlight. She was the witch of the prophecy. No my heart screamed. Not her. But I knew it was no trick of the light that I had seen the jewel mark her as the one.
With a leap, she dove off Shadowdancer. Holding the dagger with both hands, she aimed where I and the Bergone were linked. For an instant I cringed, imagining her severing my nose along with her swipe.
The blade came down and sliced one of the beast’s claws clutching me. But the cut did not harm him, just splashed blood on my face. Disappointed, I hung helpless. The creature had me, and soon he would also have Celeste. I had to be the one to kill her and use the garnet dagger to pierce her heart.
My cursed power had no effect. Elvin arrows poked everywhere from the beast. I wiggled my hand to snatch my sword.
Almost freeing the tip, the Bergone shook me and the sword fell from my fingers. The dagger swiped at the furry hand reaching for Celeste.
So we were to both die, then. If she hadn’t come back after me, then she would have had a chance. Blackness danced before my eyes and I squeezed them shut. Perhaps I could delay my death long enough for her to escape.
“Celeste,” I forced the words out even though I knew I’d not have enough room to take in another breath. “Run, get away.”
I forced myself not to fall into unconsciousness even though it felt as though the world and I were spinning in opposite directions.
A distant thought shook loose. Now, a memory. Not mine, but someone else’s. The vampyre that attacked me. I felt as though I were him. He had fought one of these creatures before. Long ago. It was a close call, but something he learned had tipped the balance in his favor.
His hide is penetrated now. My eyes snapped open at the thought. Gritting my teeth, I forced my chin down on the injured finger.
Power from within me slammed forward. The wall blocking the power burst away as if made from rose petals.
The Bergone shivered as I broke the black coils binding us mind to mind, and my own power surged into him. Devoured his essence, yet I ached for more.
Through him I felt the breaking of him. His course hair stood on edge. Licked the energies, and sensed the man who spoke through him. Realized with my power this creature was not the man, but a tool.
The man cursed breaking his link with the beast before I trapped him with the Bergone’s death. Heard Shadowdancer cropping grass nearby.
“Don’t drain him fully,” Celeste snapped, but her warning was like buzzing.
And I licked the last essence from the beast as his heart stopped. With a shudder, the Bergone slumped to the ground and I landed on my feet.
Celeste snatched my sleeve with her hand and I noticed the dagger had once again disappeared. “What have you done?”
“Took his
kajh
, his life force,” I answered her. What was the matter with the woman? She stared at me as if my words may bring her redemption. “No fear, the creature is dead. Although I felt his master escape.”
“Told you to stop.” She rubbed her wrapped hand along the wrist. “No time to hide, they’ll be here soon.”
“What are — ”
The sound of snapping trees echoed in the distance, seemed to come from all directions.
“Never kill a Bergone.”
“There are more of them?” I drew my sword from the ground. “Mount and ride. I’ll drain them as they come.”
“Not even the Warloc can stop a frenzied swarm of Bergone if they turn on him.”
I stared at her.
“Come,” she said gesturing to Shadowdancer. “You will not kill them all.”
“How many?” Damn, my memories from the vampyre had only shown him sinking his teeth into the open flesh. What happened after hadn’t revealed itself to me.
“Twelve now. Each swarm has thirteen. When one dies, it alerts the others and they shift into a rage. Their scent is strong enough to smell their dead member on you for the rest of your life.
“Even if you managed to kill all of them, the Warloc will raise another group in less than a fortnight.” Shadowdancer pawed the ground beside her, and she mounted. “To flee is our only option now.”
I gritted my teeth, but knew she was right. Damn, the stories were real. How much more did I not know, being confined in the Elvin lands? Perhaps there were dragons as well? Seems as if we Elvin were not the only ones who had broken off from the land of humans and were now returning.
Even with my powers, because of their thick hides, I’d die fighting that many Bergone at once. But I was just saving her now to kill her later. Nodding, I sheathed my sword and mounted behind her. Shadowdancer galloped as trees crashed with roars behind us.
Darkened forms rushed through the forest after us. Shadowdancer’s coat dotted in sweat. But his hooves punched the ground in a steady gallop.
Twelve Bergone crowded through the forest. Looking over my shoulder, I saw treetops shake in different directions. Birds scattered in flight, and crows cawed their annoyance at the intrusion.
Celeste gripped the reins as she leaned forward. Whispered words of encouragement to Shadowdancer. But I knew the horse would collapse soon at this pace.
Damn, but there must be something to use against these beasts. I adjusted my weight behind the saddle. Part of me wanted to leap off and do what damage I could to the Bergone.
The other part, more logical, knew I’d die within minutes and my sacrifice would not save Celeste, nor my people.
Good thing one Bergone was dead. And its life force filled my strength. I realized magical creatures allowed me to continue for longer periods than the humans I absorbed. Unfortunately, I wanted no part in taking any life, human or other.