Engines of Alchemancy (The Alchemancer Book One)

Chapter 10. A Change of Fortune

ONE OF THE SITHERI CAME for Shanna an hour after sunset. There were protests from the sergeant and some others, but once Shanna saw the lone snakeman framed in the cage's opening, one scaly, claw-tipped finger pointing at her, she pushed past those trying to protect her and went quietly. She was led to the lonely tent where the other sitheri guard stood watch outside. At Shanna's approach, the tent's flap was lifted. She hesitated a moment, then entered. Neither of the guards followed her in as the flap was sealed behind her. Golden glow-globes greeted her, the fiery spheres, one at each corner of the room, providing light but no heat. Even so, it was warmer than outside just for the presence of the walls that kept the biting chill of the wind at bay. Shanna would have liked to have taken a moment to soak in the warmth if not for the boy staring at her with hunger in his eyes.

He was dressed as before, in a red tunic and pantaloons, except that now he also wore a king's robe, long and plush and trimmed in white fur that cascaded from his shoulders to pile at his feet. At his belt was a jeweled knife. He stood next to a gilded, darkwood chair that was occupied by the boney-handed man with the cane. The man was covered in the same simple gray robes, though this time Shanna spied the tip of a pointed nose and cheeks the color of milky paste within the cowl.

The boy came forward. He didn't say a word. The same smirk he'd worn earlier and the lust in his eyes said enough. Shanna backed up against the tent's flap, finding it as unyielding as a solid door. Then the boy took a quick step and grabbed hold of her arm. There were two interior, curtained doorways. Despite Shanna's best efforts to stop him, he dragged her toward the leftmost one. Desperate, Shanna looked at the man, slouched in his chair, but he showed no interest at all. There was no one here to help her, no one except...

"W-Where's Corrin?"

The boy stopped. His gaze turned to the robed man. Nothing at first, but then one arm lifted, and a boney finger pointed at the opposite entry. The boy released her and folded his arms across his chest. He gestured with his chin, prompting her with the glint in his eye, almost daring her to investigate.

She did, casting more than one glance at her captors before she drew aside the velvety curtain and slipped inside. The room within was only partially lit by a single glow-globe. Its contents unfolded as she followed a narrow lane created by two long tables stacked high with an odd assortment of glass vials, stoppered beakers, flasks, metal crucibles, bone cupels, and a set of scales, one larger than the other. Tubules straight and spiraled formed a network amongst the containment vessels. Some hung suspended over oil-fueled burners that, right now, were unlit. Shanna eyed the paraphernalia with suspicion and wonder, then she lost interest, for just beyond the pair of tables was Corrin.

She drew closer, gasping. Strapped to an operating table set near vertical, he was stripped to the waist with arms tied above his head and his legs spread apart. A single broad strap lay across his chest. Even at a distance, in the half-light created by the single glow-globe, Corrin looked...diminished. Drained was more like it, Shanna thought, as she eyed the tubules running from various parts of his body to just below his feet where they connected to some sort of manifold. There was a single outlet tube coming out of the device. Whatever vessel had been there was gone now. Trembling, Shanna saw that though Corrin's eyes were closed, he still drew shallow, barely perceivable breaths. She traced the path of the tubules from the device at Corrin's feet on up. There were so many, all inserted directly into him at his wrists, neck, between his ribs, and just below his ankles. They'd had no consideration for his clubfoot, the misshapen appendage having been stuck as neatly as the good one. Shanna took hold of one of the tubules between a thumb and forefinger and gave it a gentle tug. Fluids that had dried formed a sort of seal, but, once that seal was broken, it slid out easily enough. She removed them all, one after the other, pausing only once to wipe tears from her eyes. Corrin's only response was to moan as each tube left his body. Then she undid the straps. She undid his wrists and ankles first, then fumbled at the single strap across his chest. Once unclasped, Corrin's body slumped forward. She caught him as best she could. His diminished weight was still too much for her as they tumbled to the ground together. Corrin stirred at the rough treatment. His eyelids fluttered and a moan escaped his lips as Shanna untangled herself enough to lay him flat. She kept his head resting in her lap as she ran a hand across his ashen cheek. They'd done more than just drain him. They'd killed him.