The Realm's Mystics [Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book 3] (82 page)

"Soon, Force Leader. But we now have another challenge.” San'lr'in’ continued to look about the scene, studying the patterns she could find.

"My Queen?"

San'lr'in'thel'ineln’ held out one of the arrows she had removed from her sister's body, “This is not a Mungardies arrow, Force Leader. We need to know who did this.” She turned to Sle'nel', “Do your Elfin ears or eyes sense them?"

"They moved to well north of here. I informed An'ther'on. She took her guards to find them."

Ann'wn watched as Sume'n'tinel'ti'non was being moved. She would be carried on a horse, riding with another, “It will be a hard ride for her, my Queen."

"The Healer will tend to her. I would tell her to keep her unconscious until our arrival, but The Healer would tell Me I wish it for Myself, only."

"When would you like to continue the journey, my Queen?"

She looked at Ann'wn, and sighed deeply, “You mean our never-ending journey? As soon as we can. An'ther'on will be able to catch up to us when she is able. Send a messenger to her that we leave.” She looked back over her now dead guards who she had sent to escort her sister, “Leave four of your guards to give our lost-ones their due."

Sele’ came over to her High Queen, “I see no bodies of the enemy, my Queen."

San'lr'in’ had already noticed this, “Someone wishes us to think the Mungardies attacked her. They must have removed their own dead ones."

Sle'nel’ suddenly realized Sele’ was in the battle scene, “You are overly young to see as such."

"But I have seen many battles, even prior to my birth, Birth-Mother. It is expected of me to know of such. Is this not truth, High Queen?"

The High Queen ignored the question, seeing little sense in answering it.

"Jandra, Dear. Have you seen M'Love?” Caitha had come up, looking for her Meera.

Ann'wn replied, “She and Sam have gone with An'ther'on. An'ther'on had need of the Warrior Woman's tracking skills. My Queen, by which mountain pass do we head?"

There were four passes through the great mountains. San'lr'in’ pointed to the one that would be the most direct, then moved to prepare for the journey, “Remain on your guard. It is good country for an ambush, in that pass."

The High Queen was now exhausted, having used her life-saving power. She welcomed that they would be riding again, knowing she could rest as they traveled. They began their journey as soon as The High Queen's sister was settled onto Uthrn's horse, with Uthrn holding onto her.

Ann'wn hoped that Sle'nel’ noticed that The High Queen slept while they rode, as she had to lead the group. She was glad that The High Queen's Black Guard now scouted and guarded them, knowing that the pass may conceal danger well from them. Sle'nel’ had seen her Queen begin to sleep as they rode, so rode next to her. Sele’ rode with Caitha on this turn, but remained unusually quiet. Sle'nel’ guessed that Sele’ had been troubled by the battle scene.

Once they had ridden to the beginning of the pass, everyone placed on their warm garments. Sle'nel’ gently covered her Queen with a cloak, so as not to awaken her. It took most of the turn to travel through the cold and snowy pass, with Ann'wn allowing no moments for rest. In most places the horses had to travel single-file, and even then, the path was narrow and filled with rocks.

After they had achieved the top most part of the pass, and as they began their decent, The High Queen had finally woken. She looked briefly about her, placed her cloak on more firmly, and settled in quietly to the long ride into eve. She had a guess as to who had ambushed her sister, but wasn't yet prepared to discuss it. The implications were not good for her sister, and she wondered if anyone else had begun to suspect the enemy's identity as well. As they exited from the pass, toward very late after-midturn, they began entering once more into the forests, moving in a continual downward path.

"My Queen. Do you know these parts well?"

San'lr'in’ sighed, wishing they were further ahead than where they were, “Go further. You will know the location when you see it. We will arrive just at dark,
again
."

Ann'wn winced at the implication of her Queen's quiet, yet well-frustrated voice. As the sun's set came upon them, they entered into a large river canyon. They traveled along the west side of the river, being the only path available. Ann'wn saw her Queen's meaning the moment she saw the location. The path they had traveled on was extremely narrow, wide enough for only one horse. Far above them was the shelf of the great mountains they had just passed through. Ann'wn was pleased, as there was no chance for any surprise attack in this location. She halted the travelers when they had come to the one wide area in the canyon, and was grateful for its largeness, having been concerned as to how they would all make camp this eve.

Ann'wn allowed fires to be made, and all helped prepare their camp and food. Many of the guards began spearing and netting fish from the river to add to their eve meal.

San'lr'in’ checked with The Healer, “How does she fare?"

"I have removed part of her pain, but she is more difficult than you."

San'lr'in’ crouched down next to her sister, looking upon her, but speaking to The Healer, “Is she aware of who she is with, and where she is?"

Her sister moaned, then replied angrily, “Not you. Please tell me it is not you who saved me."

San'lr'in’ looked to The Healer, “Make certain that no one is about."

She looked back down to her sister, “How are you feeling?"

"If I knew not better, I would say you did this to me."

"Are you aware of who did this to you?"

"I am certain it must be you, but in truth, I cannot recall the moment. Ohhh! The pain! Do something! Remove this pain from me. It is killing me."

San'lr'in’ placed a hand on her sister's head, softly, “I need not ride this far out of My way to kill you. I could have you killed and be done with it. Now, lay quiet for a moment and I will try to remove some of this pain from you."

She felt into her sister's mind for a moment, finding where the intense pain lay the deepest, “Your head throbs. Is this your greatest of the pains?"

"Yes, yes, yes. Just hurry. Can you do nothing quickly? Are you always this slow?"

San'lr'in’ sighed, wondering for a moment why she wasted her efforts on this one, then began to remove some of her sister's head pain from her.

"Do you know how to remove your own pain?"

"Why would I allow the likes of you to touch me if I were able to do as such?"

She rose to leave, “I will let The Healer do this for you. I can take no more of you at this moment. Your ill behavior is tedious."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non reached up and grabbed onto her gown, “Remain here."

San'lr'in’ crouched back down next to her, “What is it you want from Me?"

She spoke softly and through great pain, “Who did this to me? All I recall is that it was not who I was expecting."

"You are correct. None were Mungardies. But I am having your attackers tracked down. We will know soon enough. I have saved one of their arrows, and will show it to you in the morn."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non looked at her with eyes that spoke truly of great pain, “I feel like I hurt all over, yet I have no bandages."

"We did much healing of you so that you could travel. And I have a most wonderful of Healers."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non studied her sister for a long moment, “I cannot read your mind, but I think there is more to this than you say. I recall a knife going into me, yet there is no wound."

"Think on it later. You need to rest."

She moaned deeply from the pain, “I hope you expect me not to say thank you for saving me."

San'lr'in’ laughed lightly, amused by her own thought, “It is thanks enough that you pulled no knife from your sleeve and slit My throat just now, as that is what I expect from you."

The High Queen was woken early by her Elf, “San'lr'in'. An'ther'on has returned. She has captured two of the attackers."

She stirred from a deep sleep, trying to move quickly, “Your former lover? The Warrior Woman? Are they safe?"

Sle'nel’ nodded, “They are safe, but An'ther'on lost a few of her guards in the battle. And Meera is injured in her shoulder."

"Where do I now head?"

Ann'wn came up to her, “Follow me, Highness. They are waiting just down the canyon, in another recessed area."

The High Queen followed her Force Leader down the canyon. When she arrived, she saw whom she had expected to see.

She nodded to An'ther'on, who had bowed her head to her, “High Queen. We have captured two of your sister's attackers. They are not as we expected."

"Bring My Healer to Me. And have My sister brought here. She will need to be carried, and gently so."

She saw that An'ther'on's guards had bound the two attackers strongly, and had gagged and blindfolded them. She left them as they were, placing her hand upon one of the attacker's head, searching into her mind. She found that this attacker was who she thought she was:
Part R'kin'dles'. Part Mystic
.

She searched more deeply for the leader of the attackers, then placed some great pain into this one's head, quickly removing her hand. The attacker screamed, then fell over into unconsciousness. The other attacker, unable to see or speak, began to pathetically sob.

"What did you do to her, Highness?"

She saw that her Healer had arrived, “I gave her something to think about before she is put to death. A pain for a pain, one might say."

"And the other one? I would dare not assume you would wait for me to attempt any connection such as this. Perhaps we should have left a bit of that fear in you. Perhaps then you would be not so bold, or so careless of your own safety."

"Calm yourself, Healer. I only entered that one's mind for a moment, and have done nothing with the other. Yet. But it is I who called for you, so this you should know."

"Why? So if anything happened I would be here after the moment? Most gracious of you, High Queen."

"You try my patience, Healer. I did nothing outside My abilities."

"And you try mine, High Queen."

"Then we are a good match.” She laughed, but added, “In truth, I had you brought here for the Warrior Woman, and for My sister. I suspect that after she learns of who attacked her, she will release her rage, and then require much of your healing abilities. And the Warrior Woman was injured in battle prior eve. In her shoulder, or so I have been informed. She is a treasured one of mine, Healer, so heal her well. Her moment has yet to come in The Realm, but it will. I have a feeling about this one."

The Healer looked over to Meera, “Yes, my Queen. I will remember this."

One of An'ther'on's guards came into the small camp, carrying The High Queen's sister, who was moaning from the pain.

"She has some of your traits, but there are other traits of yours she has none of, sadly."

The Healer stood back as Sume'n'tinel'ti'non was laid gently upon already prepared soft padding. She moaned again, trying to yell, “You oaf! Be gentle."

San'lr'in’ closed her eyes, trying to control her deep frustration of her sister, yet wondering why she bothered to save her.

She looked to An'ther'on and Ann'wn, “Clear the area. Only The Healer, the Warrior Woman and you are to remain. No one else."

She crouched down next to her sister, “We have captured two of your attackers. Before you see them though, I would like you to examine this arrow. We removed it from your midsection."

She held it close to her sister so she could see it. Sume'n'tinel'ti'non looked at it, then raised her hand, taking it, examining it even more carefully. The High Queen could see the shift in her sister's thinking as she began to understand where the arrow had come from.

"This is not a Mungardies’ arrow."

San'lr'in’ didn't answer. She didn't need to. Her sister knew she was correct.

"Let me see them. Help me to get up. I must see who these traitors are."

San'lr'in’ motioned to Ann'wn and An'ther'on to help her. They raised her up, then mostly carried her over to the attackers.

"Remove their blindfolds. I want to see their eyes. I want them to see me."

Ann'wn moved some wood over so that The High Queen's sister could sit upon something while An'ther'on removed the attackers’ blindfolds.

As the blindfolds and gags were undone, the two traitors looked at their High Priestess, fully shocked to see her alive. The High Queen saw their expressions, understanding them for what they meant, but said nothing. She probed into one of their minds and heard what she thought she would:
I killed her. I know I did. I placed my knife deep within her heart. She could not have lived through such.

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non gasped, “Rn'lydr', and Sinthrn'.” She lowered her head for a moment, saddened by the knowledge that her most loyal of advisors had become traitors. She suddenly looked at her sister, “You lie. They would not do as such. You did this to me, and are now blaming them."

San'lr'in’ breathed in deeply, astonished at the depth of her sister's hate of her, “Then you sense into their minds and find out for yourself. Or have them tortured. You will learn then. Believe Me, or no; I care not. But you had better learn the truth, as blaming Me will not prevent your problems in this regard."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non shook her head, “How am I supposed to find this out?"

"Torture them. They will then tell you the truth."

"You should be the one tortured."

San'lr'in’ had enough of her sister, just staring at her. She began to leave.

"Come to me."

San'lr'in’ halted, breathed in deeply, then turned back around, “I am tired of your games, Sister. I am sorry I have tried to make a path between us."

"Come to me."

She went, “What is it you want?"

She whispered, “Did they really do this to me?"

San'lr'in’ nodded, “These are two of the ones we caught. The rest have been killed, but we leave the bodies in case you would like to affirm their act of traitor, further. We can arrange that you travel to the site so you can see for yourself. They were all dressed like Mungardies, but carried and used their own weapons. I have read one of these attacker's minds briefly, but know not the entire plot. The other is untouched by Me. I suspect they have been communicating with the Mungardies for some moments, and when the Mungardies became angry at you, they commanded that your trusted advisors kill you. But it is only My guess."