“Damon?” Kendra’s voice. “You awake?”
I whispered past cracked and dry lips, “Yes?”
“You’ve been unconscious since the attack. How do you feel?”
After mentally checking myself by flexing most parts of my body, I whispered back, “Nothing major. What’s happening?”
“They have us tied up. All four of us. They’re invaders from another kingdom,” Kendra said hurriedly. “They speak a language I’m not familiar with.”
It must be a poor kingdom, my thoughts assured myself as if that observation was helpful. They wore rags, their weapons were worse, and they hide in the mountains and attack travelers. All of them were skinny, dirty, and poor fighters. A well-planned attack should have taken all of us easily, dead or alive, their choice, without a loss to them. “Have they said what they want?”
“From the way they act, they want to sell us. They took our silver and gold and anything else of value. Do you see what they left me to wear?”
For the first time, my own clothing felt strange and awkward and smelled bad. A glance down, even in the dim light, revealed I was wearing filthy scraps of clothing, much of which didn’t fit. My wrists were tied behind me, as were my feet, but otherwise, I felt reasonably well, at least nothing was broken, and I could survive the cold. “Elizabeth?”
“They have her alone, on the other side of the fire.”
“Tater?”
“Behind me. They beat him more than us. He’s hurt.”
“Springer?”
“I don’t know.”
Considering what was happening, the question about the dog was inane, but I wanted to know. One of them had turned and was watching us from his seat beside the fire. He’d probably heard us. I talked without moving my lips, “One is looking this way. Stay still. How many are there?”
“Those beside the fire and two more on watch. Nine, in all.”
I felt a smile form. Kendra knew what was important and what to look for. She was a warrior in her own right and anticipated my response. “They will check our bindings before they sleep.”
“Of course, Damon. How do you want to do this?”
The curious one stood. I turned my face slightly away and closed my eyes and considered her question. The ropes used to tie us were no problem. Any of a dozen small-magic tricks would get us loose, and both Kendra and Elizabeth knew that. I’d free me, then Kendra. Since Tater was hurt, I’d leave him be. Elizabeth might be hurt or worse, so I’d leave her until later, too. That made it nine warriors against the two of us. I felt a brief pang of pity for them.
Kendra and I always made a good team. The obvious way was to free the two of us and creep into the woods and locate the two guards. Two against two, especially if we had the advantage of surprise suited me well. “After they go to sleep.”
It didn’t take long. The one who had been watching us from the corner of his eye strode to my side and roughly tugged on the ropes, then did the same to the others. Finding us secure, he went back to the fire and ordered two men to replace the ones on guard. I didn’t understand the grunted words, but the wave of an arm and the reluctant reactions of the others told me all. Two climbed slowly to their feet and entered the dark shadows under the trees to one side, while the leader pointed to another pair and issued an order. He probably told them they were the reliefs for the ones who were now relieving the guard.
Eventually, two returned from the darkness. Their reliefs had probably passed a few words before taking over the watch, and the new pair on watch were situated closer than we preferred. Soon, all were bedded down. Snoring came from a few, but one tossed and turned. He was not asleep, and I remained still, hissing to quiet Kendra.
He eventually calmed, and one strand of rope eased free of the knot with a touch of magic to encourage the movement. Once that one was loose, the binding almost fell from my wrists. I rolled and touched Kendra’s arm. She turned to make it easier for me to grope until my fingers located the knot. A little small-magic could have freed her, but often it is just more simple and easier to do it the normal way. Besides, the reappearance of the Blue Woman in response to my use of the essence she considered hers wasn’t needed now.
As soon as her hands were untied, Kendra brought her knees to her chest and worked on the ropes around her ankles, as I did the same. Then we quietly crawled into the deeper shadows and followed the same path the guards had used. My hand seized a rock the size of my fist and handed it to Kendra. She didn’t need instructions.
A hefty stick shifted underfoot, and my fingers picked it up, almost without thinking. It was shorter than a cane, larger in diameter, and heavy, green wood. We crept slowly. There would be only one chance.
The trees ended at the same meadow where we’d been captured. The two guards sat beside each other watching the trail, their backs to us. I couldn’t be sure, but it appeared the one on the left was dozing because of the way his head bobbed now and then.
Kendra touched my arm. She leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “Charge on three?”
“No.” Her idea was fine if there were no others to wake. One shout of warning made our jobs harder, if not impossible. But taking them quietly allowed us to return to the camp with their weapons. A finger to my lips told her to be quiet. I reached out with my mind and sent calming thoughts to the one already dozing. My miniscule powers wouldn’t put him to sleep, but they would help. His chin slowly lowered to his chest, and he slept.
The other remained alert, his back straight and his head up. He resisted my efforts at making him sleep too, and finally, he stood to force his body to remain on watch. My magic cannot make people do things against their will. I cannot force a man to eat turnips if he does not like them, but it is possible to make him believe the turnips are carrots.
Mine is a softer, quiet sort of magic instead of the flashy, in-your-face sort mages use. Hinted at solutions or the use natural forces like water and wind to do my bidding. He stood alert less than ten steps away from us. Sooner or later, either Kendra or I would clear our throats, cough, sniffle, or perhaps he would smell her perfume or my sweat. It didn’t matter. He would discover us before long.
I nodded to Kendra again, although she had no idea of what we were about to do. However, she was ready, rock in hand, for whatever it was. My mind reached out and gently shook a branch on the guard’s right, the side away from us. The leaves rustled. He turned to it. We charged.
Ten steps walking is only five or six while running. As we ran, I lifted the club, and before we reached him, was already swinging it down, like chopping a log. He heard me at the last instant and twisted, moving his head to one side and forcing my blow to strike his shoulder instead. It didn’t matter. The heavy branch struck him on the point of his shoulder, and the snap of bone broke the silence of the night. He fell silently at my feet. My club struck him again before his howl of pain could form and warn the others. Another swing at his motionless head connected solidly.
While I dispatched him, Kendra had rushed at the one sleeping and swung her rock-filled fist at him. He was dead before his body rolled to the ground. We stood in stunned surprise while we exchanged looks barely seen in the starlight. There are those who say no man is as savage as a woman. That might be true. My sister and I had now killed our first enemies. Neither of us liked it. Bile rose, and I tried to prevent that from turning into gagging or vomiting.