Authors: Cyndi Friberg
She felt Vee slip gently into her mind.
The Symposium has reason to believe Dez dar Joon can
monitor even telepathic communications. I needed to give a
full reporting but could not risk being gone so long or
having my transmission intercepted
.
Charlotte focused, found the link Vee had formed and intentionally sent her thoughts directly to him for the first time.
Is he able to monitor us now? Besides, what did Dro Tar
tell the Symposium that he doesn’t already know? He
seems to be two steps ahead of us on this one
.
The Mystic shield protects us so long as we speak mind
to mind. Which ye are doing beautifully by the way. The
Symposium is combing the Wisdom of the Ages for
anything that might help us stop Dez dar Joon.
Wisdom of the Ages? What is that?
It is the primary purpose of the Symposium to protect
and manage the Wisdom of the Ages. We collect
information from all over the galaxy. We study and store it
so it may be accessed by anyone needing information
.
Charlotte laughed softly.
You’re the intergalactic
Internet!
Vee smiled. “It is a fair assessment. But our search engines are far more intuitive.”
“That’s a major upgrade, believe me.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and her thoughts returned to Tal. “How long will it take him to cool off?”
“It is hard to say. His responses to you have been rather unpredictable.”
Charlotte had no idea if that was good or bad. Vee stared at her as if he meant to say something. This was not the first time she’d seen that conflicted expression in his emerald eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.” He stared out over the exercise yard. “It is a Mystic’s responsibility to use their powers for the greater good, Shar Lott. Tal Aune would have ye believe ye owe allegiance to the Traditionalist Sect, but this is one of the few things upon which he and I disagree. Ye owe allegiance to no one and to everyone. Ye are first and foremost an Ontarian, secondly a Mystic—beyond that, ye must decide for thyself.”
Before she could respond, he kissed her cheek and walked back into the cool recesses of the training hall.
With a heavy sigh, Charlotte turned back to the peaceful scene. A temperate breeze brushed her face, bringing with it the faint scent of some alien flower.
So, what do you want to do with your life?
She chuckled. At least she had more options on Ontariese.
She intended to dedicate herself to her training but she wasn’t willing to give up on the code manager idea just yet.
Charlotte Layton was stubborn on any planet.
The breeze suddenly stilled. Not a voice, not a bird, not the echo of a footstep disturbed the silence. She didn’t breathe. The stillness trapped her, paralyzed her. This felt wrong.
A twig snapped in the distance, releasing the spell.
She pressed a hand to her chest, laughing at the ridiculous pounding of her heart. Singing erupted from somewhere inside the building and she shook away the odd foreboding.
What to do about Tal? Their argument doubtlessly compounded his reluctance to trust her. He had lost so much to the Reformation Sect and her initial reaction to his society’s structure was to agree with the enemy. What a tangle!
“Greetings, Mistress Charlotte.”
Lor’s mentor approached her, a friendly smile on his face. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle and took a step backward. Though she had worked with the boy several times in the past week, she had never spoken directly with his mentor.
“I am Mage Rin,” he said pleasantly.
She inclined her head. “What can I do for you?”
“I have a few questions about young Lor’s training.
You see, I have never worked with a pyrokin before and I thought you might—”
“Master Vee would be a much better person to ask.
I’m still in training myself.” Restlessness coursed through her, demanding a reaction. “Why don’t we see if we can find him?” She started toward the archway.
His hand closed around her upper arm and Charlotte bit back a scream. What was the matter with her? This was sacred ground. She was safe within the Mystic shields.
Rin’s gaze darted away, his fingers moving subtly against her arm. “I must confess my deception. I’m using Lor as an excuse to speak with you.” The caressing quality in his voice released fear’s chokehold and Charlotte felt laughter bubble up within her. He was flirting with her! She cleared her throat. “I’ll save us both an awkward conversation. I have a social alliance with Master Tal.”
His eyes narrowed, his fingers tightening against her arm. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
She tugged against his grasp. What a jerk.
“Let go,” she ordered.
Rin extended his other hand and a brilliant, spinning vortex opened beside him. The low rumble of distant thunder rapidly built to a deafening roar.
Charlotte screamed, frantically yanking against his hold.
He didn’t bother to shape-shift but Charlotte knew who held her. “Help! He’s here! Help me!” she shouted both verbally and telepathically.
Joon dragged her toward the vortex and Charlotte went wild. Kicking and screaming, she lashed out with her free arm. He sent an incapacitating pulse toward her mind but she raised a shield and deflected the burst of energy.
“They’ve taught you a trick or two,” Joon muttered.
He grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder—
with unbelievable ease. Charlotte’s second scream died as his shoulder slammed into her belly.
The vortex groaned and then blinked out.
Charlotte laughed. “They found you, dirtbag.” He dumped her on the floor, not releasing his hold on her arm. She kicked up at him but he deflected each strike with his foot as his shape transitioned.
Holding an artificial form apparently taxed his energy.
In one fluid movement, he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his hair around her neck. The coil tightened until she could hardly breathe then maintained a constant pressure. Stars danced before her eyes. She tugged against the coil, fighting for air.
Joon grabbed her arm and headed across the exercise yard. Charlotte stumbled along beside him.
She heard shouts from the gallery while pulses of energy exploded around them. Oxygen deprivation blurred the edges of her vision and muddled her thinking. She had to do something! She couldn’t let him take her beyond the shields.
Digging her fingers into his hair didn’t even slow him down. Tugging against the coil only increased the pressure on her throat.
He stopped running and she sank to her knees. His hair remained firmly around her throat. He spread his arms and began chanting. The cadence of his voice changed, became more urgent, more aggressive.
The pressure of his hair increased in time to his frustration. Did he realize he was choking her? The question followed her into unconsciousness.
* * * * *
Trapped within a containment field, Charlotte watched Dez dar Joon pace in front of her. His energy levels were depleted. That was all she’d been able to determine before he raised an impenetrable shield around his mind.
His long white hair swung rhythmically as he walked, his dove-gray robe rippled with fluid grace.
Unless his gaze was on her, it was impossible to distinguish him from Vee. She shivered and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
The barren room consisted of four stone walls and a door. No furniture of any kind. He couldn’t mean to keep her for long, at least not in this cell. But if he meant to kill her, she’d be dead.
“What is this about?” she asked. “Why am I here?” She felt his mental probe before he turned to face her. Quickly reinforcing her shields, she struggled against his aggression. His gaze glowed bright turquoise, his features tense and determined.
Charlotte held firm, finding strength in her accomplishments.
He broke off suddenly, grunting and shaking his head. “I’m weaker than I thought.”
Or I’m more powerful.
His gaze snapped back to hers and Charlotte smiled.
“You’ve worked with Vee for less than a cycle of the moons. I’m not intimidated.”
Well, she sure as hell was, but her enemy couldn’t know that. “Why am I here?” she asked again, doing her best to sound bored.
His eyes narrowed but he didn’t respond.
“What do you want with me?” It was more a demand than a question. Charlotte was through playing games. If this was her day to die, so be it. She would
not
entertain this beast one instant longer.
“You really don’t know, do you?” He sounded genuinely confused. “How is it possible that Vee released your gifts without realizing who you are?” His convoluted reply made her falter. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Joon laughed. “Not as powerful as you thought?” He stepped closer and the containment field closed in. Her skin prickled and the air around her sizzled.
She held perfectly still.
He studied her, examined her, but her shields kept him out of her mind. “Every Mystic can erect a shield and your telepathy is barely audible. What is your gift? What are your abilities?”
Charlotte felt her eyes widen but she quickly hid her surprise. Didn’t he know what she was? Tal and Vee believed her gift was the reason Joon pursued her. If he didn’t know she was a catalyst, then why—
“You’re a catalyst?” Joon took a step back, shock clear in his expression. “How is that possible?
Catalysts have been extinct since…” He started laughing.
The sound grated against her nerves. Would she ever stop broadcasting?
None of this made sense.
The containment field dropped and she took a deep breath. He no longer perceived her as a threat.
Catalysts could only intensify the abilities of others.
They generally had no significant powers of their own.
“Oh, this is better than I ever imagined. My powers magnified by a catalyst! I will be—”
“You will be dead or I will. Tal will come for me and I will
never
use my abilities to help you.” Suddenly he grabbed her. Charlotte didn’t have time to retreat. His arms banded her, forcing her to acknowledge the strength evident in his form. “We are taught that energy transfers cannot be forced.” His eyes gleamed with ambition and lust. The blood drained from her face. It took no imagination to see where this led.
“It’s a lie,” he whispered, his mouth a hairsbreadth from hers. “Not only can I take what I want but the pleasure is unbelievable—at least for me.” The subtle ringing in her ears built in time to her terror. He meant to rape her and drain energy from her body.
“Oh, I mean to do much more than that. While I’m inside you, I’ll form a bond, a connection that will allow me to access your gift without your cooperation. It may take more than once, but I don’t mind.”
Fear opened her mind to him but his lust offered her an opening as well. Ignoring his words, she scanned his mind. Charlotte recoiled in horror then forced herself to maintain the link, searching for any weakness.
Evil crawled across her skin like a blanket of insects. The putrid scent of rotting flesh filled her nose. She gagged and shuddered then pressed on.
Her feet sank ankle-deep in mud and oozing gore.
Energy was tainted when it was taken by force. Tal had told her that. Now she witnessed the result. Years of tainted energy had corrupted and twisted Dez dar Joon.
With a groan, Joon broke away, panting harshly.
She sank to her knees, her ragged breath echoing his. Why had he stopped? She crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself tightly.
“I suppose our joining must wait a bit longer,” he whispered, his voice thin and shaky.
He shifted through the door, leaving her alone in the barren cell.
* * * * *
A faint, bleak presence reached out to Charlotte from the darkness surrounding her cell. The female voice sounded tentative and hopeless.
Why has he brought you here?
Why was she still alive
? was probably a better question, but Charlotte kept that thought to herself.
Who are you? Where are you?
Pushing against the cold stone floor, Charlotte managed to sit up. Her throat burned. The muscles and tendons in her neck protested at the smallest movement. She carefully swallowed and groaning at the pain. The filth of Joon’s mind had left its taint within her own. Still she was alive and unmolested.
For now.
How badly are you injured
? the unseen woman asked.
I’ll survive. There is nothing in this room but me so I
don’t think he intends to keep me here for long.
Cutting through the Mystic shields and then
transporting with you here drastically depleted his energy.
He’s rejuvenating. We have a little while. Once he’s
conscious again, he won’t allow us to communicate.
Where are you?
Charlotte identified the link within her mind and traced it back to the source. The woman was in a cell similar to hers, farther down the stone corridor.
For that matter, where am I?
The detention level of Fortress Joon
.
Charlotte walked to the heavy wooden door. It was securely locked, as she knew it would be, but she had to try. No windows, no furniture, just a large firestone recessed in the ceiling kept Charlotte from feeling as if she’d been buried alive.
I don’t understand why you’re here.
The woman went on
. He promised if we cooperated, he wouldn’t involve
anyone else
.
Before Charlotte could question her meaning, a second voice entered the meld.
Can’t you sense her power? I’ve never felt anything like
it. Who are you?
My name is Charlotte and this is getting confusing.
Who spoke to me first?
Acarra spoke first. I’m E’Duri. What are you, Charlotte? The rhythm of your energy is strange.
Were these women prisoners as well? What had they promised to cooperate with? Charlotte’s head swarmed with questions. Could these women help her escape? Would they? Did they really have time for lengthy explanations?