Fire Angels

Chapter 16 Part 2 Another return

"I want to tell you something," said Shad later, "but it is something that is dangerous to us both. Can you promise not to tell anyone?"

It was a bright moon lit light and I could see his suddenly serious face quite clearly.

"Of course."

"There is a plot within the Southern army to split off and go south independently of the Duke, the way Ren Daniel suggested."

I understood his seriousness. What would the Duke do if he found this out?

"Everyone would rather go south with the whole army," he continued. "But there is discontent and impatience every where. People begin to doubt that the Duke will ever go south. They fear that our lives will be wasted in some stupid fight with the Patriarch, while the Burning Light still works its will upon our friends and families back home. Have you heard that the Burning Light are beginning to round up all non-believers?"

I had heard that story. It had come with the small trickle of southern refugees that had managed to escape. There had been other reports too, stories of the mass execution of villages and the removal of children from families whose menfolk had come to join the Duke's army.

"Nothing is definite yet. People are simply forming alliances. That is why I am here. Julia Madraga sent a message to Lord Quercy. I'm not sure what it said, but he believes she would be willing to lead an army south. I was sent with letters to her."

Here was the opportunity I'd been looking for. Here was my chance to use my power to do something useful.

"You will need mages. What about mages?"

"That is the most promising thing of all. Ren Daniel's plan has a lot of support among the mages, both Gallian and Morian. Especially after what you said about the Fire Angels. It's likely that we will be able to muster a couple of full phalanxes despite the Duke's mixing Gallian and Morian together. Your kind's hatred for necromancy is greater than their loyalty to the Duke."

"Please Shad, when the time comes will you tell me what is happening so that I may come with you."

Shad kissed me heartily.

"I was hoping you would say that. I did not like to ask you to volunteer. It will be more dangerous for you to be involved in this plot then me, Dion. Like it or not, you are a public figure and people look up to you. The Duke might punish you more harshly than others if he found out."

"Then we must make sure he doesn't," I said lightly. I did not feel afraid. Was it because I had the friendship of Julia Madraga and other influential people? I suppose in my innocence I could not imagine being really punished for undertaking such a worthy enterprise.

We talked excitedly about the possibilities of these plans far into the night until we fell asleep wrapped in each other arms.

I awoke to the sound of someone gently calling my name. The voice drew me and I must not follow. The room was full of golden sunlight and someone was calling tenderly, "Wake up my darling little mage."

That voice. Who was it?

"Wake up my precious. I am here."

Oh God it was Andre! I sat up in bed in terror.

And he was there. Andre's voice, but it was Bedazzer's face leering in through the window all horned snout and sharp-fanged grin. He was laughing, but he was angry too, very angry. I could see it burning in his cruel red eyes. I tried to scream, but I could not. I cringed back against the bed head clutching the sheets to me, but there was no cover, nowhere to hide. He was there, peering through that window. No, it was a mirror. There was a mirror on the wall and he was looking out of it. How long had it been there?