Fire Angels

Chapter 21 Part 3 Captivity

Snap. Blinding sunlight filled my eyes. My temple stung. Sensing danger all around I tired to sit up, but my head spun round and someone pushed me not ungently back to the ground.

"Just stay there," said Parrus. "You can't get away, so for Gods sake don't try. Nobody's going to hurt you."

He turned and walked away. I remembered bitterly how happy I'd been to see him among the negotiators. Betraying Sod! I was lying on grass and all around birds were singing in trees and fields. I craned my aching head. There was a cart turning on the roadway and they were saddling horses.

There was a rustling of leaves behind me. I rolled over and saw Tomas wriggling on the ground nearby. He was wearing a witch manacle too. With a faint clanking of chain, he lifted his hand and put it in mine. He had a black eye and a split lip.

"I'm sorry sister. I tried to help you and instead they used me to defeat you."

I was very frightened. I wanted to cast myself on his shoulder and cry and beg him to help, but I knew he could do nothing, so I bit my tongue and tried to calm my sobbing breath.

"I followed you," he continued. "I had a feeling. When you started to scream I ran for help, but that fellow, that bastard who brought you there, he must have seen me following because he grabbed me before I got anywhere. Oh sister. It broke my heart to see you so defeated. Like a bird with its wings cut off."

"Where are we, Tomas? What's happening?"

"I've been unconscious too," he said, "but I gather they brought us here hidden in a cart. Lady Julia cannot know. She would never have given you up so easily. But she will have her hands full. Most of those mages have stayed in the castle with her. Now they are loading us onto horses probably so that we travel faster.

"I'm afraid, Tomas," I said, because I could no longer help it.

He put his arms around me. The chain on his manacles dragged across my chest.

"I know Dion, but at least we are together. And I have faith in Lucien and in Shad. They will not give us up easily. And you still have friends in Lammerquais and Gallia."

Kitten Avignon. And the Dean of the College had always treated me justly. He was a good man and would stand against Duke Leon if need be.

If need be. Duke Leon was as guilty as I was, if associating with Andre Gregorov was a crime. Would he really want me to give evidence that would implicate him as well?

"Tomas! The Duke cannot want me to stand trial."

"What?"

Quickly I told Tomas of Duke Leon's close friendship with Andre Gregorov; of how both of us knew that Gregorov was not a necromancer, but the demon itself, masquerading as an ordinary mortal. The story had been put out to protect the Duke and Gallian aristocracy, some of whom had actually slept with the sensuous Andre

"If I am tried, things may come out that are very embarrassing. Surely he won't want this evidence to come out. Oh Tomas, he doesn't have to try me at all. He could just keep me in prison at his pleasure for years. He's done it to others. Or I may never reach Gallia at all.

"Hush," whispered Tomas. "Hush, don't think on it."

"This is a very affecting scene," said Garthan Redona. He appeared above us suddenly, his shadow blotting out the sun. "But it's time to mount your horses now, my friends."

Someone cut the ropes around my ankles and Redona pulled me roughly to my feet.

"Come on, Monster," he said.