Allegra jumped up, and this time she pulled the chains away from her legs. Had she thrown one of her friends, it would have taken him time to recover, but Yargazon rolled easily to his feet, no longer groggy. As he came at her, she backed toward the pavilion entrance. She couldnt run outside and risk that someone was awake. He didnt bother to call for help; she doubted he even considered it. She knew why, and it wasnt only because he would consider the idea of needing help against her ludicrous. He wanted her to suffer for her defiance, and he intended to be the one who made her pay.
In the same instant he lunged for her, Allegra dropped to her knee and grabbed one of the braziers. She hurled its smoldering coals into his face.
“Ah! Yargazon swiped his hand across his eyes, knocking away embers, his face contorted. As Allegra jumped up, he said, “You fool! Are you trying to start a fire? He threw the burning coals into the curry, dousing their heat and splashing sauce all over the table. No one stirred; they all remained fast asleep.
Allegra backed away as he came at her. When he grabbed her, she tried to roll him over her body, but he anticipated the throw and turned it against her, swinging her around. He hit her openhanded across her face, then with his fist on her back.
“Oh, gods, Allegra groaned, stumbling.
Yargazon knocked her over, and she fell on her stomach. She tried to crawl away, but he dragged her across the carpet, the gems and metal on her clothes grinding her skin. He flipped her over, then lay on top of her, breathing fasterand the bastard was aroused, pushing his erection against her. He thrust his hand between their bodies and pulled on the ties of his trousers.
“You slime-scum asshole, Allegra saidand kneed him hard in the crotch.
With a shout, Yargazon curled forward, his face contorted. She heaved him off her body, desperate to free herself, and pushed to her knees. Even rigid with pain he managed to shove her off balance, and she fell onto a chest with a candelabra. Grabbing the metal holder with its burning candles, she swung it at his head. As he jerked up his arm to deflect the blow, he called her a filthy name she had never thought anyone would say to her. Then they were on their feet, both swaying. As Yargazon grabbed her arms, she swung away from him, unbalancing them. He fell sideways
And hit his head on the edge of the chest.
When Yargazon slumped forward, at first Allegra couldnt comprehend what had happened. She stood, heaving in breaths, staring at him, her hair tangled around her body.
“Ah, gods, she whispered, when she realized he wasnt going to move. Allegra knew what such a blow to the head could do. She hadnt meant to kill anyone! Dropping next to him, she leaned over his bodyand realized he was breathing. But when she pushed his head forward, blood ran over her hands from a gouge in the back of his head.
Yargazon groaned, and stirred, his eyes starting to open.
“No! Allegra heaved him onto his stomach. With a silent apology to Jasmine, she ripped a chain off her wedding dress and bound his wrists behind his back. She tied his ankles with a second chain. She ran to the table for the sash on Jasmines robe, and also snatched a cloth napkin. Returning to Yargazon, she stuffed the cloth in his mouth and tied the sash around his head, gagging him. Her pulse was racing. He probably wouldnt have killed her, but she doubted she would have felt much like living by the time he finished. It would have been his word against hers for what he had done. She could prove no more than a beating, and Markus might not censure him for it, given that she had also acted against Ozarson.
Allegra drew in a breath, shaking. It looked as if a whirlwind had struck the room, tables knocked over, rugs thrown around and the dinner ruined, with curry sauce splattered everywhere. The candles were no longer burning in the candelabra that lay broken on the rug, but the stench of the scorched carpet saturated the air.
Then Allegra noticed the white blob in Yargazons ear. She dug at it, and a wax plug fell into her hand. He hadnt rubbed his ears earlier; he had stopped them up so he wouldnt hear her sing. Maybe Bladebreak and Ardoz believed they had fallen asleep from wine in Markuss tent that night, but not the General.
As Allegra took the plugs out of his ears, her arm trembled. “Come on, she muttered. “Dont fall apart. She climbed to her feet and swayed, so dizzy. Her pulse was slowing, and she began to think more clearly. As much as she wanted to run, to leave this place as fast as possible, she needed a plan or she wouldnt survive in the desert. She also had to ensure everyone stayed asleep long enough for her to escape.
She ran into Ozarsons cluttered room, sweeping aside the jeweled curtain. She searched quickly through his cart of toys. Many of the blocks were perfect cubes, more clarified sources of power than a rectangular box, but they were smaller, which meant what she gained in the purity of the spell she would lose in power.
Then she hit gold: a block with eight sides, two four-sided pyramids glued together, base-to-base. An octahedron. When she picked it up, she uncovered an even more powerful form, two six-sided pyramids set base-to-base. Twelve sides. A dodecahedron. They were both small, fitting into the palm of her hand, but their lesser size didnt matter, for a little eight-sided shape was far more powerful than a big one with six sides.
Allegra had never tried a shape with twelve sides. She had thought it beyond her ability, but she wondered after these past few days. She understood better now why the mage mistress had wanted her to study at the guild. But whatever they might have hoped to learn about her suitability for Prince Aron had become moot, for even if she succeeded in her escape she was the consort of the man who commanded their enemies.
“Concentrate, she told herself. She needed supplies and information about the land. A quick search of Ozarsons room turned up several maps, but nothing to carry water or food. She dumped the blocks out of the cart and wheeled it into the other room. The whole time, she held the octahedral block. And she sang. Her spell wavered with the surging power of the unfamiliar shape, but it deepened the sleep spell so it would last longer and take Yargazon. She also strove to reach the guards outside the pavilion.
Allegra placed the tiara back in its box and set it by Ozarson. “It was a beautiful gift, she said. “It would be wrong for me to take it. She paused, her gaze caught by Markus. Her sense of loss was already building, and she pushed it away, afraid of where it would lead her.
Drawing in a breath to steady herself, she went to the smallest of the sleeping guards. She unclasped her bridal dress with relief and let it drop, rattling and clinking, into a heap. “Thank you for your kindness, she murmured to Jasmine.
Allegra changed clothes with the guard, drew his belt tight to keep up the pants, and rolled the legs into cuffs. She pulled a drape off the wall and ripped off a strip, then tied it around her chest, squashing her breasts, so she appeared flat under his shirt. Then she searched the other guards. One had a bag of gold and silver hexacoins stamped with the profile of a regal man, probably Ozarsons father. Another had a pouch used to carry messages, which she emptied and stuffed with vegetables and bread from the table. Dried food would last longer and take less room, but this would do for now. She could find water wherever they had the horses.
She paused and took a breath as reality descended on her. How would she outrun Markus and his men when they had so many more resources? Regardless of what she did, this army would march on Taka Mal. If they took the Topaz Throne, they would take on Cobalts army. If they persevered against him, then what? Aronsdale lay on their border, rich and fertile.
She had to warn someone, either King Jarid in Aronsdale or the queen of Taka Mal. But why would they believe her? Allegra was nobody. Nor did she have proof, except the marriage scrolls, and Ozarsons man had taken those. Jarid might think she made up the story to avoid marrying Prince Aron. She wouldnt be the first reluctant mage bride. Even if he did believe her, they had no leverage against Markus. He had lost everything; he had nothing else they could take.