Free Sorceress (Book 2) by Jim Bernheimer Page B

appropriately fled, he was in a better position to try and puzzle together what had happened.
    Mating out of season and away from the Sacred Isle? The only possibility is the dark magic Danella courts.
    For the briefest of moments, Majherri considered locating one of the other females supposedly around the camp and seeing if they too would behave as Cyemma had, but he discarded the notion. Whatever this was, he needed to be careful with it until he understood the repercussions.
    Also, much to his chagrin, he found that he still could not leave the area by the tent. Danella’s control over him had not weakened and he feared it would only grow stronger.
    If my sister could see me now, T’rsa would no doubt decree that I am a monster and should be destroyed. I can only hope that she and her rider are spared from this madness.
    His musings struck him as odd. It was the first time since before he’d been separated from Danella that he had kind thoughts concerning T’rsa or her rider, Meghan Lynch. Danella’s plans for their reunion involved Meghan’s enslavement as well. The prospect of that did not sit well with Majherri.
    In a fit of anger, when he’d considered attacking T’rsa, he’d told her that she should think about whether his power to survive might be something that should be spread to the Greater Herd. Now, he knew his survival had been a lie, but the question still remained even though the wording had changed. He wondered about the power of this dark magic.
    Could Cyemma even conceive out of mating season? More to the point, if she did, what would become of the offspring?
    Beyond this dilemma was the problem of his thirst. He still could not venture from the pavilion to get any water. It was as if he was leashed to a spot and his hooves would not carry him beyond a certain point. He focused and marshaled all his concentration, but that only succeeded in getting two body lengths further than his previous best effort before he was compelled to return to where Danella had told him to wait.
    Many of the humans passing by looked upon him. Some stopped and stared while others made protective signs against evil and hurried on their way. He supposed that he did make a fearsome and unusual sight. He pondered the irony of his new existence. For the longest time he had searched for a way to distinguish himself from the others of his race. Now, he was uncertain if he could ever be a part of the herd again.
    He spotted a single unicorn, the male, Osalon, being led to the tent with his still injured rider. They’d been with Kayleigh and had been captured. The other unicorn regarded him with abject horror and they had to strike the injured lieutenant before he calmed. The brave air maiden officer was to undergo another session with the heart.
    At least Osalon does not find me enticing, he mused. I can take a small sense of normalcy in this maze in which I find myself trapped. He admitted to supporting my sister’s decree preventing me from mating. Is it wrong for me to want to see him suffer for standing against me?
    As expected, there were no easy answers to his questions and the lack of fluids continued to gnaw at him through the long, lonely night.
     
    Watching another false charge against the city, Majherri remained vigilant in the dark. He surmised that the real attack would begin at dawn’s first light, but the skirmishers, who would halt and withdraw just at the edge of arrow range, were keeping the defenders from resting.
    A human approached carrying a bucket in one hand, a feed bag in the other, and a saddle over her shoulder. He sensed it was Danella and strained his eyes to get a look at his rider. Majherri feared what changes he might see.
    The light, golden tresses on her head had turned the same color as the hair on his body. They were so dark that they almost seemed to absorb what little light was around.
    “I could probably feel your thirst all the way from Talcosa, old friend. Here, I brought you some