Captured Power: Sorcerer's Diary, #2

By Tyrel Viner

Though Carytas and Serena have managed to escape from the doomed city of Sila, the trouble hasn't stopped. Their interrupted flight leads them into a web of soldiers, spies, and treason.

Now, imprisoned, tormented, and chained, Cary must take full possesion of her nascent powers and push herself to her limit. With the height of winter drawing near and the Queen getting closer daily, Cary's escape will depend on freeing her own power from its bonds - with the help of one of her captors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tyrel Viner
• Release date: Aug 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386377214

Tyrel Viner

Tyrel Viner lives in a log cabin in central Wisconsin with his wife Corinne and his dog Carson. Those two, along with a bevy of overly persistent friends, are the only thing preventing him from becoming a weird hermit. With a Math degree, a penchant for weird experiments, and a thirst for knowledge, Tyrel is a collection of odd facts, trivia, and skills from the last 600 years of human development.

Book preview

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

CAPTURED POWER

First edition. August 28, 2017.

Copyright © 2017 Tyrel Viner.

ISBN: 978-1386377214

Written by Tyrel Viner.

Captured Power

Sorcerer’s Diary Series: Book 2

By: Tyrel Viner

Copyright © 2017 by Tyrel Viner

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the author

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2017

Cover art by: Corinne Viner

Excerpt

"...A crossbow bolt sunk into the tree beside me. I lunged forward and twisted around a tangle of tree roots to face the still mounted rider. My sword whipped through the air, veering away from the vital organs the man was protecting and biting deep into his forearm. He kicked me away and wheeled his horse, trying to block me with the animal’s body. I dove to the side as the horse reared, rolling beneath the raised hooves and slicing at the saddle strap as I came up to a crouch. The saddle canted to the side, the rider dropping his sword to grab for the horse’s bridle to steady himself. He made the grab, but left his side unprotected.

The point of my sword bit deep into his belly. His horse reared again. This time his cut saddle strap snapped the rest of the way, dumping the rider to the ground. A sudden sense of danger tore through my mind and I dove to the ground. The crossbow bolt missed me by a hairsbreadth, skittering along the front of my mail shirt and slamming into the unprotected flank of the horse behind me. The beast screamed and leapt into the air, crashing down on the stunned rider.

I rolled away from the crashing hooves and came to my feet at a run, sprinting toward the man who fired the shot. He stood near the bank of the raging river, yanking the string back on his crossbow back into firing position. The soldier saw me coming and kicked out of the crossbow's footstrap, dropping the spare bolt from his hand and bringing the crossbow up in time to block my swing.

I heard Serena cry in pain behind me and pushed forward, swinging hard and trying to drive my opponent backward into the river. He knocked my blade aside with the heavy spring-steal of the crossbow and sidestepped my lunge. Fire erupted through me before I could recover. A heavy, iron-tipped crossbow bolt punched through my armor and lodged in my back. I stumbled forward, my grasp going limp. The man beside me swung his heavy crossbow like a club and landed a crushing blow against the back of my head. I fell, blacking out as I hit the raging water..."

Table of Contents

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A Note from the Author

Acknowledgements

1.

Serena and I wandered through the labyrinth of caves in silence. Every step took us further away from Sila and the friends we’d left behind. Had the city surrendered yet? Were our people still fighting? It felt like days since we’d left, even though I knew it had barely been a couple of hours. Our only light was the small miner’s lantern Lord Diea had given us. The small flame of light was bright, white, and very cold. The winding caverns were tight and cramped and several times we had to stop and unpack the horses in order to squeeze them through some narrow passage. The sound of the storm raged strangely against the earth above our heads for the first hour or so that we traveled, but the sound faded as the sloping ground led us lower into the maze of rock beneath the earth. The silence rang against my ears, broken only by the sound of the horse’s hooves clapping against the rough stone. Not even the rustling of fabric, or the clank of an occasional buckle disturbed the idea that we’d been sealed away from the world, leaving our friends to face death without us.

The sound of the storm faded as we moved, but rain washed into the caverns from untold cracks and the soft chill of an underground stream grew to fill the air. Serena paused, cocking her head and closing her elven eyes, letting her sensitive ears focus. This must feed into the keep's deep well, she whispered.

The unexpected sound cut through me and I jumped. The silence had been undisturbed so long that part of me was afraid it would turn against us at the insult of her voice. I let the words fade from the air and focused on my breathing. My new magical senses strained against the walls of my will, aching to spill out through the caverns and I longed to release them. We were far below ground, but somehow, I knew I had enough range to find Thomas or Friss, to touch their minds with mine, to feel their presence and know if they were well. The walls of my will started to weaken with longing and I clamped down hard, rebuilding them behind boundaries of determination. Using my senses would tell Elsbeth I was escaping. Our powers were now linked through the SpellFire and her hatred for me burned like the scars on her face.

Serena and I trudged through the dark caves for hours more, always keeping the nearest cavern wall to our right to guide us through. From out of the dark distance ahead, a low rumble echoed through the tunnels. With a whispered word, Serena passed me the reins to her blindfolded horse and doused the lamp, slipping forward noiselessly in the dark.

I crept along in the dark behind her, my right hand scraping along the cavern wall for guidance. The horses strained and sweated with nerves, but remained silent. The distant rumbling sounds of the storm grew louder as we moved toward the tunnel exit. I felt Varya’s weight shift for a brief second before the smell of Serena's soot covered great coat grew in my nostrils. Gentle fingers touched my arm, sliding down to find my hand. She patted her palm flat against mine, a mute signal for me to stop and wait. The horses and I settled still while She crept out past the mouth of the cave. After several minutes, I heard her breathe, a soft long hiss in the dark, a whistle without sound. I eased myself forward, rounding the final corner with the horses to see the mouth of the cave; a lighter darkness of rain and wind against the solid black of unlit stone.

The horses pranced anxiously at the smell of fresh air, but I held them steady, easing their nerves with soft words until Serena’s second whistle beckoned me forward. She was drenched and grinning like a bobcat. It’s clear, she said, barely audible above the rain. Let’s get the horses out.

We cajoled the nervous horses through the low opening and out into the open. They stamped and tossed their heads, but we held them steady long enough to remove their blindfolds and their head covers. They strained against their lead ropes at the sight of open grass. The long sodden grass swished under foot and both starving horses immediately fell to grazing.

I watched the forest through the flashes of lightning or sat blind while guarding the horses. Frustration boiled within me. Now that I was free of the oppressive dark of the tunnels, keeping my senses in check was nearly impossible. My soul wanted to soar. I clamped down. I focused on my breathing. I tried to be still. Varya’s lead rope jerked free from my hand and my senses snapped open. My mind poured into the forest around me, slipping past my defenses and echoing around the glade. My breath caught in fear. I slammed my will down hard, desperately trying to stifle the roar of power.

Serena’s sharp senses heard my gasp of fear and I could feel her grow taught on the far side of the clearing. My power raged free for the span of another few pounding heartbeats dying out split seconds after touching an unfamiliar presence. I ducked to a crouch and grabbed a rock, tossing it to Serena’s feet. She spun to face me with her crossbow readied and lightning flashed close at hand, illuminating the man I had felt in sharp relief against the fading background.

He stood near a tree, twenty yards away through dense forest. His horse shifted restlessly in the storm, watching his master relieve himself. The man’s eyes widened as they locked with mine and my heart stopped beating. My hand shot forward and my power hammered into his being. I clenched his presence with my will and squeezed, crushing him with every ounce of strength I had. I felt him struggle and fight against me. I felt his mind scream. And I felt him die. My eyes snapped open as I shared the sensation of Serena’s crossbow bolt piercing the man’s throat. His death caught me, trapping my awareness inside his presence as I struggled to pull away. I felt his life bleed from him. I felt his mind thrashing in its final seconds and, for the smallest fraction of an instant, I followed him into death.

The back of Serena’s hand smashed against my cheek. I gasped and Serena’s free hand clamped over my mouth to stifle my escaping screams. I had fallen to the ground at the same instant as the guard. I gasped for air, teetering on the rim of consciousness and struggling to reclaim the world around me. Serena slapped me again, harder than she had before, forcing me awake as she leaned in and shouted above the wind. We have got to move, now!

Elsbeth’s power blazed into the night. The force of her fury pushed me to my feet. I half lunged, half staggered to the horses to help Serena rip the oiled tarps away from our saddles. Elsbeth had felt my power flare from her camp near the city. She knew I was no longer there. I clutched at Varya’s saddle and threw my senses outward. Eleven other men and horses waited very nearby. The crashing sound of panicked hooves echoed with the riderless horse’s whinny as the wind failed for a moment. I heaved myself into the saddle and Serena spurred her horse. My heels sank into Varya’s side and she leapt forward, flying from the clearing as the patrol’s lead rider entered it.

Serena faded from my vision almost instantly, her dark horse and coat fading into the forest, but my senses flooded through the trees around me, letting me steer Varya's panicked run. Something appeared crashing through the forest beside me. His shadowed form rode a tall grey horse and held a readied crossbow. I kicked Varya and twisted the reins, slamming her shoulder into the startled horse as my sword leapt to my hand and arced downward into its exposed front leg. The horse screamed and stumbled, sending its rider tumbling to the ground.

Varya leapt a low hedge at the tree line and we broke free from the forest, racing along softly sloping ground toward a swollen river lit by flashes of lighting. Serena was nowhere in sight and neither was the patrol. I eased back on Varya’s reins, slowing her run. My senses played through the forest behind me, searching for Serena’s presence. Seconds later, two more horses broke free from the forest wall, thundering toward the river.

Serena's lithe form was twisted in the saddle, aiming behind her. Her crossbow fired at the peak of her horse's stride and the bolt slammed home into the chasing rider. He fell hard, yanking the reins and taking his horse screaming to the ground beside him.

I yanked Varya’s reins around to run alongside Serena’s slowing horse. The rain ran blood red down the horse's flank, streaming from the haft of a crossbow bolt. I slowed Varya to match Serena’s slowing horse and let them breathe as we rode toward the riverbank.

The river was raging, engorged by the rain and spilling over both banks. Serena looked it over and gestured, but I shook my head, pointing toward her wounded horse. Her eyes hardened to stone and her jaw set as she gestured again. Even with my senses firmly clamped in place, I could feel the iron set of her resolve. Finally I relented, nodding and leading the way toward the banks of the swollen river. If we could make it to the opposite side, we could walk for hours and the river would destroy all traces.

Varya’s strong stride split the water and Serena urged her horse in beside me, letting Varya’s heavy body block much of the force for the wounded horse. The water raged around us and Serena and I slipped backward from our saddles, letting the horses swim freely, pulling us along. The current sucked at my legs and clothes, trying to drag me beneath Varya’s kicking hooves. The leather of my saddle-horn was slick and my armor and heavy cloak pulled at me, adding to the strength of the current. Serena’s horse struggled beside me, floundering in the heavy current. I whispered silent prayers and clung to my saddle, watching the bank fly past as the current carried us downstream.

Varya shuddered and my hand slipped. This is it. I thought. I’m sorry, Varya. She shuddered again and again, lurching forward. Her head cleared the water and she whinnied. The triumphant sound screamed through me. The shuddering lurches were her gorgeous hooves hitting solid ground below the surface. She lurched forward, dragging us slowly out of the raging water. I pulled myself forward into the saddle, locking my legs gratefully around Varya’s masterful body.

We staggered up the sloping bank and I slumped in the saddle, breathing hard and praising the New Gods. I turned back toward the river, looking for Serena and the other horse, but they floundered several yards away, slipping downstream. The injured horse was too weak to fight the current. Panic surged through me. I yanked the rope from my saddle and yelled above the wind, throwing an end to Serena. The line fell short. My arms were exhausted from clinging to the saddle against the current. I yanked the line back and tried again, forcing my aching arms to work.

Serena reached out, pulling the coil of rope from the river where it landed and tying it around her pommel. I turned Varya up the bank, wrapping the other end around my saddle horn and urging her forward. The soft ground gave way beneath her forceful steps and the weight of the extra horse and rider pulled us backward into the current. Varya shuddered, quivering with effort and exhaustion. The swollen river rushed in around us, swallowing Varya’s legs as we sank. I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around Varya’s tense neck and poured all my remaining strength into her body.

Instantly, we became one. We shuddered and struggled. One of our hearts raced and the other began to slow dangerously, too weak to give much more. Our hooves sludged through river mud, slipping as the ground gave way beneath us. We strained, lifting a hoof and striking down hard on hidden rock. Our hooves dug deep, clinging to the solid ground, fighting our way up the bank. Our bodies were exhausted and strength of will alone pushed us forward. Soon the water was below our lower chest, then down to our knees, and finally splashing along our hooves. The rope line slackened and we turned to see the other horse and rider climbing the bank.

The unity broke and I collapsed, falling off Varya’s back to splash into the shallow rushing water. My heart thudded slowly and I gasped for air. Varya had taken almost too much of my remaining strength. Serena stood nearby, examining her horse’s wound. The crossbow bolt had sunk deep, tearing the muscles underneath and the heavy barbs left behind a wound that would not close on its own. I crawled forward as the horse sank to its knees and Serena pulled her knife to cut the bolt free. I lay across the horse’s neck, pinning him to the ground as the knife bit into the flesh.

Serena cleaned and dressed the wound before sinking to the ground beside me. The wounded horse struggled away, crawling out of the running water. We lay still, catching our breath. I turned to Serena. That patrol is still out there.

I know. Serena paused. If we keep pushing we could lose both the horses, but we can’t stay in the open like this much longer either.

We struggled to our feet and forced the horses to move with Serena taking the lead. Her elven senses were less blinded by the weather and I was too exhausted to stay alert for long. We splashed along the sloping bank while the frigid water rushed past. The storm seemed endless. Unseen debris caught at our feet and several times we had to range up the bank to avoid some large section of washout or a fallen tree.

We crawled through the mud and rain for nearly another hour, fighting to gain another mile. I was chilled to the bone and barely able to keep my feet moving when Serena turned away from the river, leading us into a small cluster of trees bordering a washed-out section of ground. We stopped moving and the wounded horse collapsed, sinking trembling to the ground. I sank beside him, numbly fumbling with the saddle straps before pulling the oiled tarp over both of us to share our warmth as I slept.

2.

Serena woke first, rising with the dawn to scout the surrounding area while I groggily pulled myself back to alertness. I splashed my face with water while she tended the wounded horse and forced myself through my morning practice. The sky was gray and cold, threatening more rain. When I’d finished practicing I slumped to the ground near Serena, taking the chunk of salted beef she offered and chewing slowly.

I watched the banks of the river in the gray morning light, searching for any sign of a trail, ours or anyone else’s but I couldn’t see anything. How far do you think we’ve come?

We’re about six miles from the city.

I shook my head, grumbling. That’s not enough. That’s barely an hour’s ride from the city. Elsbeth knows we escaped. She’ll be looking for us as soon as the city surrenders. We need to...

I stopped talking. Serena had frozen in mid motion, unnatural quiet radiating from her like a chilling wind. She turned her head to face me, her eyes hard. The city is going to surrender?

My eyes widened as I looked at her. Serena, what did Friss tell you?

Friss ordered me to accompany you to scout for the relief garrison from Narissa. He said we needed to get word from them.

My heart sank. "He lied to you, Serena. I'm sorry. We received word yesterday from the LampLighter who went to Narissa. The garrison is on its way, but they’ve allied with the Queen. They’re coming to conquer the city, to save it."

The elf went slowly rigid, her eyes narrowing. He lied? She raised an eyebrow. "Then what exactly is our mission?"

I kept my voice calm and level. Our mission was to escape and survive. Something neither of us would have done had we remained in the city.

Serena’s eyes widened and she flew to her feet, stalking through the copse of trees like a hunting animal. The wounded horse nickered in fear and she froze, the tension draining from her body. I will not be dishonored again. She whispered into the air. Not even for my own good. She turned and stalked toward her gear.

I rose nervously to my feet. Serena, what are you doing?

She ripped the tarp away from her equipment, her eyes gleaming. She seized Whisper and a few short jerking movements of her skilled hands separated the metal barrel from the intricate wooden stock. I stood frozen. Friss had warned me that Serena would disassemble her rifle and commit suicide before she’d be willing to surrender. I lunged into a run and lowered my head, letting my momentum carry me shoulder first into her exposed back, wrapping my arms around her as we tumbled to the ground.

Serena shrieked like an injured animal as she hit the ground. The separate pieces of Whisper flew into the trees. She twisted and thrashed, her face a mask of fury. I struggled to keep hold. I had the advantage of size, but I was definitely outmatched. Her fingers gripped like steel talons and her fifty plus years of fighting experience quickly had me subdued.

I lay on my back, looking up into her blazing eyes while she straddled my body. One of my arms was trapped behind my back, pinned against the cold muddy ground beneath me and she held the other hand pinned above my head by the wrist. Her lips curled as she drew her dagger from her belt but I knew the razor sharp blade wasn’t meant for me.

Serena, wait! I yelled. "We aren’t dishonored. We didn’t surrender."

The blade wavered slightly and I spoke quickly into the hesitation. We didn’t come out here to run. We came out here to survive. To stalk and harass the enemy while the others escape before we rejoin the army at the capital. The same thing we’d do if we were the only survivors. I cursed in frustration. Dammit, Serena! We haven’t lost this fight!

Actually, you have.

We froze. The baritone voice came from the far end of the copse of trees. Serena shifted slightly to the side so I could see past her shoulder. Two uniformed men on horseback with readied crossbows sat at the far end of the clearing. I curled my fingers as I watched them, tapping twice at Serena’s hand. Something moved through the long grass behind me and without looking down she squeezed my wrist three times. There were five of them. We have you surrounded, the rider continued. Don’t try to resist.

Serena flexed her leg. A quick press of her thigh against my side to let me know which way she was going to jump. I shifted slightly in response and my trapped hand tore into the ground below me, grabbing a large clump of muddy soil. We’re not with the mercenaries or the other creatures currently attacking Sila, the man said. We won’t harm you if you come peacefully.

Serena tensed, readying herself to spring. At the same instant, the speaking rider swung a leg over the top of his horse and my muscles tightened. He lowered his crossbow and turned his head to slip to the ground, leaving only a single rider I could see watching us. Now! I yelled.

Serena dove left and I rolled to the right as crossbow bolts struck the ground we had occupied a split second before. I flung the clod of dirt at the remaining mounted rider. My throw went wide, but it was close enough to make him flinch while I scampered into cover. I drew my sword and slipped around the trees, focusing on the two men I’d seen.

A crossbow bolt sunk into the tree beside me. I lunged forward and twisted around a tangle of tree roots to face the still mounted rider. My sword whipped through the air, veering away from the vital organs the man was protecting and biting deep into his forearm. He kicked me away and wheeled his horse, trying to block me with the animal’s body. I dove to the side as the horse reared, rolling beneath the raised hooves and slicing at the saddle strap as I came up to a crouch. The saddle canted to the side, the rider dropping his sword to grab for the horse’s bridle to steady himself. He made the