Wild Sorcery - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

City of the Dead

I followed the apparition’s instructions through the city, with my reclaimed axe slung across my shoulder. I climbed higher up the mountainside through the narrow twisting cobblestoned alleys, seeking the place. About midmorning, I found it. A dead end of a cobblestoned street that hovered over a steep cliff and overlooked the bustling marketplace called Carmouris Square.

There was no one about, so I sat down to wait for whoever it was who wanted so much to speak with me. I was for a moment tampted to sit at the edge with my feet hanging down, but caution prevailed. I knew not who was coming, how many, nor how friendly they might be.

I had not long to wait alone, however. For after less than a few minutes, a yellow-haired mutt gamboled up to me, his tail wagging and his tongue hanging down.

“Hey, boy!” I said with a grin, for I have always loved dogs.

He came right up to me and I patted his head. Wuffing happily, he rolled over onto his side and I scratched his proffered belly, drawing forth frenzied kicks of delight.

A cold shadow fell across us both. We looked up and saw a vampire, looking down upon us. I stood to my feet and the mutt backed away, whimpering.

“What do you want?” I demanded, my hand dropping to the haft of my sword.

He came a bit closer and I looked him up and down. He appeared just as he had done in my cell - cream-colored skin, thick wavy crimson hair; droopy blank yellow eyes that held neither white nor pupil; plump of build, he still towered over me with a low forehead and prominent ears.

“Well?” I demanded

The mutt growled, showing his teeth, fur bristling on his back.

The vampire snarled beastially in response and stared at the dog. The mutt whimpered but was held, spellbound. The Vampire blinked, once, then the dog turned away, and stiff-legged, walked to the edge of the precipice.

“What are you-” I gasped, but he silence me with a glance of his yellow eyes.

The dog walked to the very edge of the cliff. He halted for a moment, quivering and whimpering, struggling to resist the Vampire’s mind control, while hardly understanding what it was.

“Don’t do this,” I whimpered, pleading for the dog’s sake.

But no vampire ever showed mercy. Finally the terrible uneven contest ended. The dog took a step over the cliff and vanished. A moment later there arose a terrible yelp, then silence.

I rushed to the cliff’s-edge and peered over it. Far below there lay a crumpled furry body surrounded by a splash of red. Around it, the market went on its normal way, passers-by paying the tragedy no more mind than to curse the poor hound for causing such a mess.

The vampire walked up behind me.

I whirled to face him, scrambling to my feet. “You didn’t have to do that!” I shouted at him.

He met my fury implacably. Then he smiled, “But it was fun.”

I drew a deep breath. “Why did you bring me here?”

“Because I want you,” he replied. “And I always get what I want.”

“Maybe,” I snapped. “That depends on what you want me for!”

He took a step toward me. Suddenly he loomed over me, cutting off much of the light, leaving me in sudden darkness.

“I want you for my purposes, which are no concern of yours,” he hissed, baring his long glistening ivory-white fangs.

“If I had no need to know anything, you would not bother talking to me!” I snapped with what self-possession I retained.

For a moment, he looked about to strike me for my effrontery, then he slowly backed away, permitting the light to shine upon me again. He smiled again, this time with good humor.

“You are right,” he said. “Turn around and look down.”

I started to turn, then glanced at him suspicously.

“Go on,” he insisted. “If I wanted you dead, you would be dead.”

Slowly, I turned around and looked again over the steep precipice into the market below. I felt his presence beside me, and his arm swept past me to point to someone below.

“See,” he hissed in my ear. “Do you see her?”

I followed his bony pointing finger to a young maiden walking through the market. She wore an odd outfit mostly in green. She was thin and her very short, straight, red hair was worn in an elegant style.

“Yes,” I said. I turned to face the Vampire. “What of her?”

“I want you to protect her,” he said.

I stared at him. For a moment I was on the brink of bursting out in laughter. “Why?” I asked at last.

“’Why’ is none of your concern,” he snapped.

“Why me?” I persisted. “Why would you need me to protect her when you could do it?”

He was silent for a moment.

“You can’t can you?” I pressed. “Why not?” His yellow eyes narrowed dangerously. “If I am to protect her,” I hurried on, “then I will need to know what threatens her, and why, won’t I?”

For a moment I could see his thoughts moving behind his eyes, weighing, measureing, then he turned back to the market below. “See,” he said, pointing again. “Do you see the other?”

I looked again, following his pale pointing finger to a carriage below. As I watched, the door of the carriage opened, and the vampiress glanced out; she peered through the crowd, and her eyes alighted on the red-haired maiden. I felt a chill starting down my back. “Yes,” I said quietly. “I see her.”

“The Lady is powerful,” he said quietly. “But she is blinded to all below her. She cares nothing for anyone but herself and thinks not at all about the future. If she is permitted to continue, she will be the cause of a war. One between creatures of the day, and those of the night.”

I glanced at him. “Why don’t you stop her yourself?”

His expression was unreadable. “I said that she is powerful,” he said.

“And doubtless she is not the only one,” I added.

He glared silently, then went on. “That maiden, should she fall under the Lady’s influence, shall clench the Lady’s control of the city, or so she thinks. Really, she shall be the first link in the chain that will lead to the utter destruction of Morteville.”

“Why should I care about that?” I asked.

“If you protect her from the Lady, the Lady will be infinitely displeased,” he said.

I had to admit, that did sound like a very compelling reason to do it. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll do it.”

He relaxed with a smile. “Well, then-”

“If,” I went on. “If you can return that dog to life,” I said, pointing to the dead mutt below.

He glowered at me. “You would have me dispense my powers on a dog?!”

“You would have me fight the Lady for a lark. I would do it for a dog’s life!” I snapped.

He glowered at me for a moment, then gave in. He reached into a pocket and took out a small silver amulet. Muttering something, he broke it between his thumb and forefinger.

Below I heard a yelp and whine. When I looked down, I saw the dog scramble to his feet, hale and hearty again.

When I looked back, the Vampire was gone.

Continued in Chapter 23

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