Akatika's Legacy Read online

  “Why?” The voice demanded.

  “I want to know how Lafe and the other lumberjack are alive. I want to know how they came back from the dead.” Siliras answered.

  His head was still spinning, and he couldn’t concentrate enough to figure out whether the footsteps he heard told of the departure or entrance of new people. Whatever the situation was he was grateful that he was being given a moment to rest. After a few more moments of silence, he let sleep take him again. If his captors needed him, they could wake him.

  The dizziness and confusion were gone when next Siliras woke. The bag over his head still remained making him feel somewhat claustrophobic. A few moments of tossing his head about and sliding around on the floor got the bag off his head. His hands and legs were still bound but at least he could see, a little. The room had no lights except for a few small beams coming from around the closed door.

  They had questioned him and for some reason, he had been willing to give them any information they wanted. He wanted to keep his reasons for seeking out the lumberjack secret but when asked he complied. It didn’t feel right. He recalled feeling confused and dizzy when being questioned and thought it was from being hit over the head and nearly drowned. Could that woman be using some sort of compulsion on him? It was an unsettling thought, but it was possible. He needed to get out and think about his next move.

  From the angle he was at on the floor it was hard to tell anything about the room. Under either, a thick layer of dust or dirt was a hard-stone floor. That made breathing difficult now that the bag was off his head. The room was small only about ten paces by ten paces.

  There was a bucket, where his captors had dunked his head, Siliras thought, and there seemed to be some shelves along two of the walls. The shelves had crates or maybe baskets on them, but from where he was and the low light he couldn’t really tell.

  Siliras fidgeted with the cords binding his hands but couldn’t get them loose. Frustrated with the lack of progress he was making he pulled against the cords with all his strength. He was rewarded with a sharp pain that slowly turned to complete numbness of his right hand. He had cut off the flow of blood to his hand and would need to act quickly or risk losing the ability to use it permanently. Magical means were out of the question. He could summon a spirit blade to cut his bindings but not being able to see his hands made that dangerous. The blade would appear in this hand and cut through anything softer than iron. His body was softer than iron and snuggly against his hands. The spell was simple but would only leave him dead or at the very least dismembered.

  He slid along the floor until he reached one of the selves and started to slam his back into it. They were sturdy shelves and he was convinced the only thing about to break from his constant pounding was his ribs. He shimmied his now bruised back up the shelf until he was standing.

  With his back against the shelf, he used his left hand to probe the area for anything that might be useful for his escape. A few minutes later he found the key to his escape. It was what felt like a rusted spoon. The surface was rough and pitted and Siliras estimated might be able to be used as a saw to cut the cords on his hands.

  It had taken longer than Siliras had thought, to get through the cords of leather binding his wrists. The first thing he did was slide the handle between the cord and his right wrist. A few moments of wiggling the spoon sensation began to come back to his right hand. He counted the pin picks of pain a blessing. Next he started to saw the cords that connected one wrist to the other.

  He counted five cords between his wrists, by the time they were all cut. By Siliras’ reckoning, it had taken about an hour for each of the cords. The spoon was not a great tool for cutting leather cords, but it was the only one he had and had done the trick. Once he had freed his hands, he untied the cords at his feet and walked to the door.

  The latch lifted easily in his hand and light filled the room as he cautiously opened the door. He was being held captive in a pantry. Siliras sighed. He would never have guessed that someone would hold a mage captive in a pantry. Not only that but they had not bothered to post any guards outside to make sure he didn’t escape. His captors were either incredibly stupid or confident.

  As he turned the corner at the end of the hallway leading to his makeshift cell he ran into the back of a rather large man. The man spun around quickly, almost faster than Siliras could have imagined was possible without magical aid. To his surprise, it was the lumberjack that he had helped out of the coffin.

  They stared at each other for a moment.

  “You! Uh Tod, right?” Siliras said, hoping that he had remembered correctly.

  The giant of a man smiled at Siliras with recognition and said; “I know you.”

  “You’re the man from the tomb in town, aren’t you?” Siliras said.

  “Oh, yeah. The name’s James, James Sauer. I was told to come and get you.” James informed him.

  “Who told you to come and get me?” Siliras questioned.

  “Lady Akatika. She wants to ask you some more questions.” James answered.

  Siliras gave him a hesitant look, weighing his options. He could try and run for it, he’d most likely be stopped by the massive man. He could try fighting his way out, but these guys didn’t stay dead and he had no idea how many people were here. The last option was to stay and try to find out more, this would most likely be the most fruitful.

  James began to reach for him.

  “Wait, I’ll come. No need for manhandling. I’m here for information not to fight.” Siliras said.

  James put his hand down and shrugged his head toward the end of the hall and directed; “This way.”

  They walked down a corridor lined with doors that ended in a stairwell. From there James took him to a dimly lit dining hall. Threadbare tapestries and faded paintings lined the walls. A small fire burned in one of the three hearths, providing most of the light in the room. In the center of the hall was what once would have been a very fine grand table. The wood had dried out and started to splinter from lack of care.

  At the head of the table sat a young woman with white hair. Sitting on either side of her were a handful of other people. None of whom Siliras knew, but he guessed the other imposing men must be the other lumberjacks from the scouting party. One was most likely Lafe.

  “Did you manage to get yourself free or was it, James?” The woman at the head of the table asked.

  Siliras bowed and replied, “My own skill. Lady Akatika, is it?”

  “Jessica and I bet you’d free yourself. The men, however, didn’t think you would be able to.” She replied gesturing to a seat near the end of the table. “Yes, I am the Lady Akatika. Please sit so that we can talk like civilized people.”

  “Thank you.” Siliras said as he made his way to the designated seat.

  “I regret we have nothing to offer in the way of food here for you. We were not expecting guests. And my apologies for your treatment. My last guests were not hospitable at all.” Akatika explained.

  “If it's not too much to ask I have a few questions for James and Lafe.” Siliras said nodding at James.

  “First, I want to know a few things, then we will see about your questions.” Akatika explained.

  “Of course.” Siliras said bowing his head slightly.

  “How did you find us here?” Akatika asked.

  “I used a tracking spell to find Lafe. I made it from some blood the girls gave me.” Siliras replied.

  “Why did they send you after Lafe?” Akatika inquired.

  “One of them is in love with the boy is my guess.” Siliras said.

  “Gabby sent you. She’s looking for me?” The man to the right of Akatika said.

  “If you’re Lafe then yes, she is quite obsessed with you.” Siliras said. “She hired me to find the wolves that killed you in the forest. Once she found out you had come back from the dead, she changed the contract to locating you.”

  “What do you mean found out that he wasn’t dead?” Akatika e
xclaimed.

  “She came to me claiming that Lafe visited her. I wouldn’t have believed her, but I am the one who freed the other lumberjack from his tomb.” Siliras explained.

  Akatika jumped from her chair and backhanded Lafe, sending him sliding across the floor.

  “You fool!” She hissed. “They will come to kill us.”

  Lafe picked himself up off the ground and bowed his head. “I’m sorry my lady. Begging your pardon but Gabby would never harm anyone.”

  “Why would they want to kill you, lady Akatika?” Siliras asked.

  “Because your kind hates us.” Akatika deadpanned. “You always have. You and yours have hunted us. My kin were slaughtered, when all we sought was peace. We left our homeland and settled here to escape your kind. We lived off the land but your Kelvites came and killed everyone.”

  “Kelvites? There haven’t been Kelvites in this region for hundreds of years. How old are you?” Siliras asked.

  Akatika sat back down and patted her hair and adjusted the copper-colored bodice she wore. “Did your mother not teach you manners? You never ask a woman’s age. So rude.”

  “I mean no offence, it’s just few in this area would even know what a Kelvite was. The last time they were here was when a plague broke out in this area hundreds of years ago.” Siliras said.

  “Hundreds of years ago? Jess, could we have been trapped for that long and not have known it?” Akatika asked, turning to look at the woman next to her.

  “Maybe.” The dark-skinned woman replied.

  “Not rude then, just curious. If you must know I lost count.” Akatika said.

  “Lost count?” Siliras asked in shock.

  “Yes, I have no idea how long I was trapped here, and after a while, those matters are simply trivial. I had stopped keeping tally ages before then. The Kelvites killed everyone and left me and Jessica trapped, hoping I would waste away. Once I was free, I found her trapped similarly.” Akatika answered.

  “The Kelvites tried to kill you? Kelvites left Thoamira before the breaking of the Dawn Empire. That was over four hundred years ago.” Siliras was aghast. He was talking to a person that if believed was close to immortal. It was amazing. Even Deagao Felshaw, the oldest Kairos Kynigos only lived to be two hundred and sixty-seven years old. By the time he reached that age the last five years of his life were spent in his bed.

  “How are you still alive?” Siliras asked.

  “My dear boy, you assume too much. I’m not.” Akatika said with a wry smile.

  “What?” Siliras asked confused.

  “We’re vampires, silly.” Jessica said resting a hand on top of Akatika’s.

  “Vampires.” Siliras gasped leaning back in his chair.

  Siliras had the answer that he was looking for, though not the one that he wanted. It was disappointing, immortality had seeming slipped from his grasp again. Now he was in a very precarious position. His curiosity had left him trapped in the care of beings that could see him as a very real threat. Under normal circumstances, he could exterminate the vampires. He was however completely at their mercy right now. Being the pragmatic man that he was would do just about anything to prolong his life.

  “Now down to the brass tacks of it all, my dear Siliras, how many know about us?” Akatika asked.

  “Assuming that none of the SuSefs or townsfolk have gone into the mausoleum looking for any of you. I didn’t tell anyone, so unless the girls did the three of us.” Siliras said.

  Siliras could feel the danger rising in the room. He had admitted to the secretive group that the only witnesses of their existence were two grieving young women and their captive. If they wanted their secret kept it would not be hard to kill him. The only hard part of eliminating the girls was getting to them unseen. Which, for vampires, would not be hard at all in the dead of night.

  “Until the Kelvites came here, my clan was a peaceful one. We only hunted animals and even kept livestock. I realize now that our two peoples cannot live in harmony. The unfortunate thing is that we are not strong enough to survive a full attack from your garrisons. Willing partners are always better than enthralled slaves, so my question is; which will you be, Siliras?”

  “Partner, for sure. What would you have me do to solidify our relationship?” He replied.

  “Rid me of the girls.” Akatika said.

  “No.” Lafe said jumping up from his seat.

  Akatika turned to look at Lafe, annoyance clear on her face. “And why do you protest? You love one of these girls?”

  “Yes, their good girls. They will keep our secret, let me talk to them.” Lafe said.

  “I can lead them here. They did hire me to find Lafe. Escorting them here wouldn’t be too much of a hassle.” Siliras said.

  “Sit down Lafe, you're making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. Siliras bring them here at once.” Akatika said.

  With a gesture, Jessica stood and walked over to Siliras. Placing a hand on his shoulder she said; “Let me show you the way.”

  The smile on Jessica’s face would have told Siliras that something was amiss, but from his angle, he couldn’t see it. He was also unprepared for just how fast she was. She went from standing next to him to straddling him and sinking her teeth into his neck.

  The last thing he heard was Akatika; “Not too much dear. We need him to get the girls in the next day or two. We can’t wait as long as we did for the lumber jacks.”

  Chapter 19

  The Red Wave Inn was bustling as always when Gabby and Ivy arrived. They made their way to the counter to talk with the innkeeper about running a message down to Siliras. The innkeeper knew the girls now, so he didn’t try to stop their inquiries about the mage. A few moments later he came back up and told them there was no response when he knocked, and they were welcome to wait for him at the counter.

  As the innkeeper walked away Sahvi, the innkeeper’s wife, walked up. She was a short dark-haired woman. Her thick accent and dark skin pointed to a Rioen lineage. She was a prankster and liked to have an audience for her pranks. More often than not they involved her finding a way to get her enormous cats to follow her target around the inn attacking them all day. So, it was no surprise when she walked up and started talking to the girls.

  “Here my sweeties, tsk, tsk, tsk.” Sahvi said as she propped her two enormous cats on the counter and shook a small stuffed rat in front of them.

  “Hey Sahvi, what ya got there?” Gabby asked.

  “See the fellow over there in the green shirt, watch this.” Sahvi said.

  Both Gabby and Ivy turned to look at the man that Sahvi had described. The small stuffed rat flew across the room and landed directly in front of the man on the table. Two giant balls of fur darted across the floor and leaped upon the table. The poor man had the misfortune of having picked up the rat before the cats got to him and were hit full force by the two cats, sending him backward in his chair to the floor.

  “Don’t slap the serving girls’ bottoms or it’ll be me next time!” Sahvi shouted at the man.

  “Oh, I like your style.” Gabby said giggling.

  “The trick is to not feed them in the morning, and they’ll chase just about anything they think is food.” Sahvi said as she walked away.

  “That was entertaining, albeit strange.” Gabby said.

  “Agreed.” Ivy said turning her gaze to the door. “I told Tony that we were going to be here. He should be off duty by now.”

  “Did you tell him about Lafe?” Gabby asked.

  “No, it's not my place. He came to you not me; you should be the one to tell people.” Ivy replied.

  “You think Tony will believe me?” Gabby asked.

  “I don’t think so. I didn’t believe you, Siliras didn’t believe you, so stands to reason Tony won't either. Well, at least not until I confirm your story for him. Two or more witnesses and all.” Ivy explained.

  “You don’t have to quote the teachings of Ibedd to me. Sheesh, you go to devotion too much Ivy.” Gabby said.
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  “I wouldn’t expect to hear that from someone who’s boyfriend came back from the dead. Miracles and everything.” Ivy said.

  Gabby sighed. She had never been very devout, not that she didn’t believe, she just got bored with the devotional services. She knew that Ivy was right. Lafe had miraculously returned from the grave, and if that wasn’t a reason for greater spirituality, nothing was. Maerryth must have heard her cursing her at the last feast and responded.

  “You negotiating for your father now Gabby?” Tony asked, startling the two girls.

  Gabby swung around on the stool and couldn’t help but notice how striking Tony looked in his guards’ uniform. “No, why do you ask?”