My mother seemingly didn’t hear my question, and one of the guards answered.
“He’s a suspected Keeper, miss. An unregistered one. They’re just extolling the punishment deemed by Lord d’Refan and the Northern Territories.” His tone was offhanded and bored, as if he was discussing the weather and not a human being.
I shook my head. “But how do they even know he’s a Keeper?”
“Look at him, miss. His hair, his height, his eyes. Even his skin. They’re all indicative of Solace’s descendants.” A second guard gestured toward the man as he talked, the Mages surrounding him now, extracting punishment from his flesh.
There was the distinct sound of flesh meeting flesh and bones audibly snapping. The Keeper whimpered in pain, occasionally crying out for the Mages to stop.
The crowd grew more agitated as the Mages became more aggressive, and our family guards tensed in anticipation. The crowd was swelling and jostling around, trying desperately to get inside the protective circle, and more than once, my mother and I were inadvertently bumped or hit by a wayward elbow.
“Lady d’Aelius, Miss Ellowyn, it’s no longer safe here,” our head guard said as a random pan flew through the air, just missing our heads. Wecrouched low and began picking our way back through the mass of bodies.
Our guards formed a protective circle around us, but they could neither block out the sounds of pain and torment nor the aggressive chatter from the masses.
“We don’t want their kind here.”
“The Warlord needs to take his Mages and leave Hestin alone.”
“Fuck Solace and Kaos! Fuck the Warlord!”
There were smaller scuffles now breaking out in the agitated crowd, and my breaths came in pants as we weaved and bobbed through the mass of gathered people. The air was hot and stifling, and it felt like I couldn’t take a full breath.
Just as I thought I would suffocate in the crowd, our guards pushed through, and I gulped in clean, crisp air.
My body shook and no one said a word as Mother and I were hustled to our carriage.
Once inside, we left Katiska and the growing mob at a clipped pace. But even after we reached the city limits and were well into the countryside, I couldn’t shake the utter helplessness and fear. My back was still sweating and my hands shaking as I stared at nothing out the carriage window.
“What will happen to him?” I finally asked in a small voice.
“He’s a perceived traitor to the Northern Territories, Ellowyn. He, and whoever hid him, will receive punishment fit for their crimes.” For once, my mother didn’t sound sharp or proper. Her voice was tired, if even a bit sad. “Your father and his council will have a time cleaning this up and quelling this . . . rebellion.”
I didn’t say anything in return, my thoughts whirring for the remainder of the ride.
That night, I heard the servants talking about the man and family found strung up in the middle of the market square. His tongue had been cut out, his penis, fingers, eyes, and ears all removed and nailed to the board he hung from.
I didn’t ask because inherently I already knew who met their painful end.
The servants’ looks were dark and their whispers quiet.
But it felt like something shifted in the city that day.
And I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Chapter 14
Rohak
The carriage moved effortlessly across the typically bumpy country roads that connected Vespera to Hestin. That was the benefit of having an extraordinary amount of wealth and influence, I supposed. Alois d’Refan—Leader of the Northern Territories—employed a variety of Mages for his endless needs, and we always traveled with no fewer than two dozen Mages and their Vessels. Some were necessary for protection, like the handful of Creators and Elementals who surrounded the carriage, but others were more frivolous in nature. Like the Earth and Air Elemental Mages who were constantly channeling to create a smooth road for our carriage. It was such a flippant use of magic, but one that Alois had grown accustomed to over time. At this point, I wasn’t sure he could function without the use of magic.
The carriage hit a small bump and Alois glowered out the window. The Earth Mage was tiring; he would inevitably need a large boost of power when we reached Hestin. Theoretically, he could refill while we were traveling, but we’d have to stop so he could interact with the earth, and if Alois’ glower was anything to go by, that wasn’t on the timetable today. The carriage bumped once more, causing Alois to scowl so hard I was certain his eyebrows would touch his cheekbones.
“Careful, Alois, or your face will freeze that way,” I teased. Alois turned his frown onto me.
“Is that better?” he asked gruffly, his forehead relaxing a minute amount.
I tried to hide a smile. The act of relaxing looked physically painful for him.
