Shields Lady (40 page)

            "The minute you start playing with prisma the whole Shield class will be down on this gorge like the first snow of winter."

            "Most will keep their distance rather than risk the destruction of whole towns. By then they will know I am fully capable of carrying out my threat. But there will be a few who will feel it their duty to try to stop me. That's why I must strengthen myself by practicing my mind skills on you. For some reason the skills are useless against untuned minds. The strongest blast of light goes unnoticed by a non-Shield. I know. I've experimented. But I'm sure I can devastate a tuned mind. I need to know precisely how strong I am before I take on the fools who will try to stop me."

            "You can't escape all of them. Look how close I got to you," Gryph said, pushing himself cautiously away from the wall.

            "You are here only because that idiot Rakken thinks he can use you and because I have a use for you. I've let Rakken have his way on several small matters because I needed him until recently. But soon I will no longer need him and then I'll get rid of him. He thinks he controls me, but the truth is just the opposite."

            "How about letting Sariana out of the middle of this power struggle?" Gryph asked. Targyn grinned. "Why should I let her go? You and I both know how hard it is to find potential

Shieldmates. You've been able to link with her so I can assume she's a proven mate. Intelligent and educated, too. I think I'll link with her when this is all over. She can not only produce sons for me, she can replace Rakken as my business manager." Targyn laughed as Gryph stared at him expressionlessly. "Think about it, Chassyn. You won't be around to enjoy my good fortune, but your Shieldmate will. Take what comfort you can from that."

            Gryph didn't move as the door slid shut. The lock outside clicked into place. He waited a long moment and then he fingered the palm blade in his hand.

            It took some work, but the finely honed blade eventually sliced through the leather straps of the twist. When the last of the shackles had fallen away Gryph surveyed the door as he absently massaged his wrists.

Getting free of the twist was only the first step. Now he needed someone to open the door to his cell.

            Having nothing better to do at the moment, Gryph closed his eyes and started groping mentally for Sariana. When he had successfully conveyed the image of the palm knife to her earlier he had learned something very interesting. It might not be possible to sort out the myriad prisma rays that were ricocheting through the mountain around him, but linking with Sariana was no trick at all now. The strange bond between them seemed to be growing stronger all the time.

            In the chamber where the meal had been served, Sariana paced the floor and tried desperately to appear attentive to and interested in the plans Etion Rakken was outlining for her. But all she could think about was Gryph. She had to get to him.

            "This is only a minor setback, Sariana," Rakken assured her. But his attempt at reassurance was hampered by the fact that he was very nervous himself. He poured himself some more wine in an apparent effort to soothe his anxiety. "Targyn walked in at a most inopportune moment, but there will be other chances to complete our plans."

            "I'm not so sure about that." Sariana rubbed her palms up and down her forearms as she concentrated. "If you ask me, Targyn is nearly out of control. Who's to say he hasn't already killed Gryph?"

            Rakken's hand shook. Wine slopped over the edge of the glass. "He wouldn't dare. Targyn knows I want Chassyn alive."

            "Yes, but does Targyn care about your wishes? I got the impression he thinks he can complete his grand scheme without any further aid from you. He's dangerous, Etion."

            Rakken's palm slapped the table. "I know he's dangerous. But I've been able to handle him until now. Damn it, he's just another hotheaded westerner. I can handle the locals."

            "Don't count on it. I've been learning some lessons about the locals lately and I'm here to tell you they shouldn't be underestimated. Targyn's dangerous. He's needed you until now." Sariana stopped her pacing and gazed levelly at Rakken. "But does he really need you any longer?"

            Rakken met her gaze for a few seconds and then looked away. "If he knows what's good for him - " "The man is insane, Etion. Furthermore, as you just noted, he's a westerner," she added with a weak

smile. "You can't count on him to apply logic or reason to the situation. If he's decided you're no longer useful to him as a businessman or partner, then I'd say he won't hesitate to get rid of you. But first he'll kill Gryph because he knows that of all of us, Gryph poses the only real danger to him."

            Something crumpled inside Rakken. His growing anxiety blossomed visibly as he surged to his feet. It was as if he had suddenly given up trying to reassure himself that he was still in command of the situation.

            "I'm not so sure Chassyn is much of a danger to him," Rakken announced morosely. "You didn't see the confrontation between the two of mem that I witnessed early this rooming. Targyn did something to Chassyn with his mind. Stopped him cold. I got the impression Chassyn barely survived the encounter. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Taigyn's been bragging about how 'strong' he's gotten since he's worked with the prisma hidden here, but I hadn't realized just what he meant. Damn it to the Lightstorm, Sariana, what are we going to do?"

            "We have to set Gryph free so he can deal with Targyn before the man gets any stronger!" Sariana tried to keep her tone calm and forceful. This was a time for coolheaded, businesslike reasoning and persuasion. She didn't want to panic Rakken further, but at the same time she needed to push him in the direction she wanted him to go. Time was running out.

            "What good is Chassyn going to be to us without that damn weapon kit?" Rakken muttered as he downed the remainder of his wine. "Even with the kit Targyn nearly killed him using some strange mental power. For some reason Targyn doesn't seem to be able to use his mind against normal people. At least not yet."

            "We don't have much choice. Targyn might not be able to use his mind against us the way you say he did with Gryph, but you've admitted yourself that he's a trained warrior. What are chances of escaping without Gryph?"

            "About zero," Rakken admitted. "Especially when you consider that there are three bandits working with Targyn. Miscroft might not be much of a problem. I've been talking to him on the side and we've almost decided to make a deal. He'd probably listen to reason. But the other two are definitely Targyn's men. Any one of the three is far more skilled with a blade bow or a knife than you or I could ever hope to be."

            "All the more reason to find Gryph and set him free." Sariana paused as a familiar feeling tickled her mind. It was the sort of feeling she'd had earlier just before the image of the blade knife had slipped into her consciousness. This time there was a fleeting sense of urgency, an insistent command that she find Gryph. Then the image of a corridor flickered in her head.

"Sariana?" Rakken eyed her worriedly. "What is it?"

            "We have to find Gryph. Now." She turned toward the door. At the last instant she stopped, remembering Lucky. She snatched up the cloak and headed back to the door.

            "Sariana, wait! We have to talk about this further." Rakken leaped after her. "There might be a way for you and me to escape if we make some plans."

            "There's no time left," Sariana said as she stepped into the metal corridor. "I have to get to Gryph." "Damn that man. Sariana, you're putting far too much faith in him. He's useless to us without that

weapon kit, and I no longer have it."

            She whirled on him, her voice a tight whisper. "Please be quiet, Etion. One of Targyn's men might hear us. Do you know where Gryph is being held?"

            Etion paused and then nodded bleakly toward a branching corridor. "Down that hall. There's a door on the left."

"Locked?"

            "Of course it's locked. Do you think Targyn would keep Chassyn in an unlocked cell?" "Let's go." Sariana hurried down the hall, scanning the blank walls for some sign of a door. Rakken,

apparently unable to think of any other course of action, followed.

            "There," he muttered, pointing to an intricate locking device affixed to a western style door. There was a grill at the top of the door. "Targyn said he might need a chamber for prisoners, but he couldn't figure out how to lock and unlock the metal doors in this place. This room didn't have a door so he had his men build this one and installed it in the opening."

"Targyn's got the only key, I suppose?"

            Rakken nodded wordlessly.

            "Sariana." Gryph's voice was a bare thread of sound from the other side of the grill. Sariana's heart leaped. "Gryph! We're here, but the door's locked and Etion doesn't have a key."

"Then you'll just have to pick the lock, won't you?" Gryph asked mildly.

            "Don't sound so damn casual," Sariana said tightly. "I have no more idea of how to pick a lock than I do of how to fly."

            "No problem. I'll guide you through the whole process. All you have to do is pay attention and follow instructions. Got that cloak pin I gave you?"

Sariana blinked and glanced down. "I've got it. What about it?"

            "Listen closely and do exactly as I say. I looked at the lock on the way in. It's pretty standard. Targyn probably didn't have time to have anything special made up. Take the pin and slide it along the seal that joins the two halves together."

            Sariana pulled the pin from the cloak she was carrying and went to work. It was a tedious process and Gryph lost his patience more than once. He wasn't the only impatient male in the vicinity, Sariana noted. Rakken was pacing in a circle in the corridor behind her, muttering dire predictions of disaster.

            "Damn it, Sariana," Gryph snapped at one point when she failed to probe the lock spring. "What's the matter with you? Can't you even follow a few simple orders?"

"Gryph, I'm trying. Explain the last sequence once more."

            Rakken glanced at her, his eyes feverish with anxiety. "Hurry up, Sariana. If you can't do it, just say so and drop the whole thing. We might still be able to get out of here."

"Shut up," Sariana said absently as she frowned in concentration. "Both of you." She jiggled the cloak

pin.

            Gryph ran through the description of the next step, his voice taut and controlled. Sariana tried again and failed to find the hidden spring. "Damn westerners," she mumbled under her

breath, "too clever for their own good."

            Rakken walked over to breathe down her neck. "Did you get it this time?" "No, I didn't get it this time. Gryph, you'll have to describe it again. I can't find the spring." "Sariana, any child could have released that spring by now," he said roughly. "Then go find yourself a child," she retorted, losing patience. "Listen to me, both of you. In case either

of you has failed to notice, I'm the only one doing any real work around here. I would appreciate a little quiet and some calm, rational behavior."

Rakken jerked away from her and resumed his pacing.

            "All right, Sariana," Gryph said with barely concealed irritation. "We'll try this one more time. Now listen carefully."

            Sariana listened carefully but still failed to find the spring on the next try. Her fingers were beginning to shake with the tension she was under.

"Gryph, I just can't find it. Maybe if we try it from a different angle?"

            "There is no other angle! I told you, it's just a standard locking device. There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to open it with that pin. You're just not listening!"

"I am listening, you arrogant Shield. This is all your fault. You're not explaining me process properly."

            "What am I supposed to do from in here? Draw you a picture?"

            There was a beat of silence as Sariana considered that. "Why don't you try?" she asked softly. "I got that image of the little knife clearly enough. Try drawing a picture inside my head, Gryph."

            Gryph was silent for a few seconds. "I don't know if I can get anything this detailed across. But I'll try." Sariana closed her eyes and concentrated on being totally receptive to the image appearing in her

head. It was a meticulously detailed picture of the lock in her fingers. She watched a pin being slipped into a hidden slot at an oblique angle. The lock in her mind sprang open.

A few seconds later, so did the lock in her hands.

"I did it," Sariana said with a sense of elation shared by neither of the two men.

            "Come on, let's get out of here," Rakken said. "Chassyn can cover us."

            "Forget it," Gryph advised as he strode through the door. "You'll never make it. Targyn has traps set at the entrance. I saw them last night."

"What do you mean?" Rakken demanded furiously. "I gave no approval for any traps at the entrance." "They're there. Take my word for it. They're the kind Shields and bandits use and you'll need my help to get past them. There's no point worrying about them now, though."

"Why not?" Rakken was enraged.

            "Believe me, we can't get out of here without Targyn knowing. I have to get him before he gets us. It's as simple as that. Where's the crystal ship?"

"Why?" Rakken was suspicious.

            "Because that's where I'll find Targyn, you fool." Gryph took a dangerous step toward the other man. "Now where is it?"

            Rakken sighed and pointed down the coiridor. "That way. When you come to a branching point in the hall, turn left and then left again. The ship is sitting right where Targyn found it."

            Gryph nodded once and turned to Sariana. "I want you to go back to that room where we had dinner. Stay there until I come for you."