and the thunder accompanied her with a terrific rumbling. She was all soaking wet. Her eyes were glowing in an intoxicating fuse. Her armour shined in the light of candles.
‘Saddle up, ladies,’ she roared, ‘his majesty is breathing down our necks.’
My companions stood up with murmuring. Riding horses through the night and storm was no pleasure. However, Henry was a real deal. Our good old Witch Hunters were just a bunch of kids to compare with the King’s Guards.
Erica came to me and grabbed my hand. ‘One more ride, dear brother. Just one more.’
It was harder and harder to look for a new shelter since the peasants were constantly scared of magic and the nobbles were feared about their status even more. But we’ve managed to do it for three months already, slowly turning from the elites to a band of outlaws.
I was so tired of running. My arse hurt from an endless gallop. The nightmares followed me every night. But we had to move on. Who knew my dearest sister had such a leadership talent. Even though she was my only close person, I was always assured that she is quite a mediocre witch. Not better than me at least. But that our falling from grace turned the tables. Maybe forests and taverns were not made for me.
Jenna, a redhead from the Oldrich Castle, cast the spell to make the villagers forget us and all our eight horses moved into the night. I’d give an arm and a leg for a bath instead of the downpour. But it’ll finish soon.
‘I don’t like the place we stand. Open space here and over there. Our backs are not covered.’ Erica sat down with a soft clang. She had been judging every single overnight stay for a few weeks at least.
'Is somewhere here a safe place for us, though?' I snapped the fingers lighting a bonfire. ‘For now, we’ve found shelter.’
She put down the helmet and looked up the sky.
‘Damn, we strayed on a good mile on East. That bloody storm made us blind and deaf.’
‘Erica, dear, I just wonder what’s our destination’ I started this conversation again. I felt numerous hostile looks on myself.
‘The South is our aim.’ Erica had a confident voice but I was sure, that she scared, lost and wanted back home like every single one of us.
‘Why are you so sure that southern barbarians won’t cut our heads off after some card trick?’
‘Villem, for gods’ sake, you’re pyromanth, why do you need to do bloody card trick?’ Erica knew nothing about lands on the South. ‘I know you are freaked. We all are. But we’ll never be forgiven for the murder of the heir to the throne. So we need to move on. And Southern lands are the best choice.’
That’s funny, how she put the blame on the prince’s death on everyone. I would never hurt my overlord. She and I looked almost identical, but I wasn’t her at all.
‘Villem,’ she said quietly after a pause, ‘I love you brother. I’ll take care of you. Now eat and have some rest.’ she kissed me in the forehead and leaned to the tree.
The arrow whistled from nowhere and pointed right into my sister’s neck. Erica’s eyes widened. Through the blood in her mouth, she whispered the shield spell, but the magic left her together with her life. She was not a powerful sorcerer after all.
I froze in horror. Everything around me slowed down. I’ve seen my companions jumped up and fell down moment later. It was not that easy to defeat seven trained sorcerers but the enemies seemed to be countless. Though I haven’t seen a single soldier through the illusionary wall. But I knew, there’s not less than a hundred, all of them in amulets. Witch Hunters and Guards came here to exterminate a bunch of traitors.
‘Villem, burn them all!’ screamed redhead Jenna to me.
I haven’t done a single move. I was not a traitor. But I couldn’t kill my fellows as well. So I just stayed and watched. It finished quickly. Not a real fight but rather a slaughter.
‘The Crown is grateful to you, sir Villem. Excellent service.’ I’ve heard the voice of the King. His Majesty decided to look at the execution himself.
I opened mouth to answer but wasn’t able to make a sound.
‘Congrats! You are the first mage now, and the only one who left.’
I bowed.
‘Unfortunately, I cannot trust your kind anymore. But for your heroic deed, I’ll save your life.’ Henry turned his head to the generals, ‘clap him in irons.’
What? No, that’s not what my friends died for. That must be some trick. I felt a sharp pain in the back of the head. Everything darkened.
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