Warlord's Ward

Mages Everywhere

The next evening, came with the cries of the woman in the Girl's Wing of the Guild. Making me cringe. The terror in her voice rang through the castle. And I was sure we weren't the only ones cowering from that dreadful sound.

She has some lungs.

There's power in that voice.

A long pause cut the night. And we knew it was him telling the guards he was taking yet another up to his chambers.

Never to be seen from again.

And once more the guards allowed it.

He tossed Alyssa in and slammed the door just as viciously as he'd done to Sunny.

A show for anyone who watched.

"Why do they let you keep bringing them up?" I blurted as he closed the door behind him.

"Because I tell them I wish it. And they'd rather not argue with me. And we all know the King cares little when mages die."

"And they believe you're killing us." Tanya filled in.

Alyssa was looking around at all of us in obvious confusion.

***

"Tanya?" She queried.

"I'm okay." Tanya walked over to stroke the dark-haired girl's locks. Smoothing them along the side of her face. "It was all a ruse. We're going to kill the King."

Well, she'd already turned summarizing that tale into a fine art.

We waited two nights before Killian came and got another.

Then two more nights before he fetched one silently. Spelling her to keep her from screaming before bringing two more up the night following.

"Two at once?" The guard laughed. "Fucking them to death rather quickly, aren't you?"

But there was the hint of suspicion in his voice.

Killian knew time was running out.

***

He tossed these two shrieking banshees into his chamber and closed the door decisively. It's thud echoing through the tower.

His chamber was filled with young women.

Tanya had been able to sway them to her will.

"We need men." Killian paced the chamber.

He looks worried.

"I know some." One of the most recent girls, Willow, grinned cheekily. She was a tall ebony beauty with glistening midnight skin which shined like the coat of a glorious mare. Her hair a riot of curls circling her features. Full lipped with high dusky red cheeks.

"Some that would be loyal?" Killian asked skeptically.

"They're certainly loyal to me." She stroked her hand down her body seductively before tossing her tower of hair in a way that drew attention to the sleekness of her neck.

"You've seduced them?"

"Power comes from joining with mages." She said haughtily. "I get what I need from them."

Killian eyed her warily.

Trollop.

***

Even I could tell that.

She flounced closer to Killian to stroke his arm. "Bring them up. I'll talk to them."

I saw Killian's dark smoke quake slightly as she touched him.