Forging Alliances: Wizards of White Haven Read online

  Also by Frances Howitt

  Wizards of White Haven:

  Book 1. AMELIE

  Book 2. CLAN GREEN BEAR

  Book 3. NATALYA

  The Immortal Chronicles:

  SURVIVING PROPHESY

  FORGING ALLIANCES

  Wizards of White Haven

  Book 4

  Frances Howitt

  Copyright © Frances Howitt 2016

  All rights reserved

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  All characters and events in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons,

  living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Acknowledgements

  With grateful thanks to my editor Patrick and to my husband for your help and support.

  Contents

  1. Caged

  2. Escape

  3. More Surprises

  4. New Information

  5. Meeting Behind Closed Doors

  6. Holly

  7. Half Circle

  8. Planning Ahead

  9. Haven’s Rest

  10. Lord Aubrey

  11. The Garrison Farm

  12. Sir Cyril

  13. Natalya

  14. New Pathways

  15. Martha & Stanley

  16. Stripe

  17. The Wedding

  18. Féarmathuin Castle

  19. Scouting

  20. Warrior Class Challenge

  21. Shields

  22. Final Examinations

  23. Jack’s Reward

  24. Market Day

  25. Quite a Predicament

  26. Lost At Sea

  1. Caged

  Jack stared morosely through the bars of his cage. The small wagon his cage was bolted onto lurched and jolted over the potholed and cobbled streets of yet another small town.

  He was shivering and rubbed his arms and legs trying to get his blood circulating fast enough for warmth. Sadly his action did little to help, he was naked and the iron bars awarded no shelter from the chill wind or persistent rain. His cage was too small to stand up in so he couldn’t even walk around either.

  The only concession to any kind of comfort was the rough wooden planks flooring the cage. That at least gave him something to sit on rather than the metal bars. Unfortunately, the planking had suffered years of hard abuse from weather and others with claws; he watched where he sat. But with the un-sprung wagon vibrating and throwing him around as it jolted over every rut, he couldn’t help sliding.

  His fingers were numb and frozen rigid from gripping the cold bars but he had little option than to use them to brace himself. As it was, whenever they stopped, he grimly had to work splinters from his skin. He idly wondered if he would live long enough for the splinters he couldn’t reach to fester. His rage was as icy as the elements; someone would bleed for this.

  He tried to ignore the stares of the people they passed, trying to project haughty indifference. Being paraded nude along a busy shopping street in the sight of hundreds of people, was humiliating enough, but he didn’t want to see their reactions to him. Watching the whole gamut of shocked expressions pass over people’s faces had made coping with his predicament that much worse. Shock and fear he could deal with, it was the pity that he couldn’t abide.

  Adding to his anger was the fact he had no idea where they were taking him. His wizard captors had told him nothing and neither had the surly guards. He didn’t even know what they wanted with him. Why had they kept him alive? What was due to happen at their destination? It was certainly possible he was to be tortured for information and then killed. The inhumane way he was being treated didn’t bode well.

  He tried not to let his imagination add layers of paralysing fear to his distress, but it was difficult. He was already far from everyone he’d ever known or who might care what befell him. He was on his own. However, if he didn’t remain alert and focussed, he would miss any potential opportunities coming his way to escape. All he knew for sure was that they were travelling slowly but steadily east, away from the coast.

  ***

  The inquisitors had targeted his family for no other reason than that they were animus. Having narrowly managed to evade capture in their beds, they had been ill prepared to go on the run, but had little option but to flee. Relentlessly pursued nonstop for three days and nights, they’d inevitably become cornered. His wife was heavily pregnant and his three young daughters didn’t have the stamina for such an extended and terrifying flight. Without sufficient food or water, in an unfamiliar place and without friends to go to, their luck had finally run out. Going ahead to search out a safe route while they rested, he’d returned only minutes later, to watch his worst nightmare play out. His family had been found and cornered by an inquisitor squad.

  Peering warily round a tree he could see they were surrounded and already helpless in the hands of wizards. Knowing there was nothing he could do to release them, especially from magical bonds, he’d had to quell his first instinctive reaction to rush down to their aid. He was no match for so many fully alert wizards. As a leopard, stealth and ambush was his forte. He might get an opportunity to release them later, but only if he wasn’t captured too. He met his wife’s despairing eyes and caught her gesture to run. He was torn; everything protective in him rebelled at the thought of abandoning his whole family, leaving them in the hands of their enemies without even fighting. He’d lingered, helplessly watching them, hoping for an opportunity to aid them, when he heard shouts. Realising he’d been seen, he had no option then but to turn tail and run like a coward.

  But oh no, the wizards were not satisfied with taking his whole family. They hunted him mercilessly, day and night, calling in other teams to join the pursuit and cut every escape route off.

  Driven hard and hoping to get out of sight and therefore range of any spells, he headed for a farm. He ducked round behind a barn and found himself in a partially enclosed farm yard. Not liking the looks of the place he ran for the narrow exit at the far end. Unfortunately a wizard suddenly stepped into that space blocking his escape. He whirled around but another wizard had moved in behind him. Neither wizard was alone; reinforcements were quickly coming into sight. He knew he couldn’t hope to prevail by charging and trying to overpower a fully aware inquisitor wizard. He was trapped.

  Threatened, his leopard instinctively took over, changing his form into that of the cat. He was far better equipped to fight or climb in this form. Absently kicking off his constricting clothes he snarled angrily watching them begin to approach once more. He roared, expressing his fury at full volume and the wizards paused. They were cornering a fully aware adult male animus leopard in his prime. Livestock in the barns responded with terrified bawling, but instead of retreating, the wizards glanced at one another and started to advance once more.

  Jack’s eyes darted about him seeking a way out. The wall he was closest to was a smooth unyielding brick. Opposite however, was a taller but timber barn wall. With no other options he dashed across to it. Leaping hard to get as much height as possible, he found purchase with his sharp claws and began the difficult climb up the vertical wall.

  He glanced at his pursuers to find them running towards him so he desperately tried to climb faster. He’d clawed nearly to the top of the barn wall when something magical fell over him. A brutal pressure swiped at his feet and he slid, desperately scrabbling for grip as though on ice. The pressure was relentless however, separating him from the wall and preventing him from keeping anything more than a momentary hold. His scrabbling did at least slow the speed of his descent, but he was coming down from a dangerous height. Knowing he was falling
whatever he did, and that landing wrong would cause massive injury, he pushed off into a back flip. Now with space and his push helping to alter his posture, he desperately twisted in midair to get his feet beneath him for the heavy landing coming up.

  Wincing from the heavy jarring impact, he nevertheless jumped as quickly to his feet as he was able, trying to ignore the pain. Wizards surrounded him, their faces coldly calculating. He tried to run only to discover he was magically snared. A wizard spell had encased him in an opaque bubble. Instinctively he fought it, but it resisted his sharp desperate claws. It also stung him every time he touched it, and since it encased him, his already bruised and aching feet were getting a constant barrage of pain.

  Admitting to himself he was trapped and wasting his energy, he stilled and glared at the people surrounding him. He snarled at the wizard leader and felt a small measure of satisfaction at the other man’s wary fear. He knew his leopard form was particularly large and powerful. Baring his long sharp fangs furiously, all who saw him would recognise him for the deadly hunter he was. After what they’d done to his family, they should fear his revenge, but wizards believed themselves superior and many now openly gloated at him. Jack eyed each wizard, memorising their faces and meeting their eyes until they looked away. He was a dominant alpha leopard; few dared hold his furious gaze. Whilst he no longer fought, he made sure they knew that was his choice and that his anger was unabated.

  The wizards now turned to walk away and he took the opportunity of glancing down at his feet wondering if they were actually injured. Why did they feel the need to cruelly continue to cause him pain? Hadn’t they done enough? The wizard leader smirked at him with vindictive superiority. He’d been spying on Jack’s thoughts, had he? Jack immediately filled his mind with detailed images of rending this particular wizard limb from limb, in as painful and gory a manner as possible. Jack had the intelligence of a man, fused with the cunning instincts and powerful body of a leopard. His cat liked to play with his prey and could draw it out and be inventive. The wizard’s smile disappeared and he stomped off.

  It was frustrating and also embarrassing how easily and fearlessly the ordinary soldiers were then able to take over. They rolled his bubble along the ground, laughing that he was helpless to resist. Vindictively they pushed it fast and made it wobble so he kept falling, which of course forced him repeatedly against the stinging sides. He couldn’t clearly see where they were going or be prepared when they were about to bounce over small bumps or dips either. They laughed at his snarls knowing he was trying not to yelp in pain. He couldn’t fight or even lay a claw on them. Finally he was rolled up a ramp into a small metal cage. Only once the wizard in charge had locked the door, was the bubble snare extinguished.

  ***

  Jack had always been strong and self-sufficient, like his leopard. It was infuriating that he was so easily and deliberately being stripped of his strength, both physically as well as mentally. Having been in animal form at his capture he was now naked. His leopard would be snug and warm with its thick weatherproof fur coat. But facing starvation, he hadn’t the strength anymore to maintain his leopard form, even to ward off hypothermia.

  The capture had been degrading, but it was nothing to how he felt now. Being towed in a caged wagon through a town like an animal was humiliation enough, but doing it naked was infinitely worse. The first few towns, after he’d lost his leopard, had been really bad but now he hadn’t the strength to care what people thought. They had given him nothing to eat or drink in the four days since his capture. That was after being on the run without real sustenance for a further three days. Whilst he could turn his face to the leaking sky to quench his dreadful thirst, it was not food. He was literally starving. Only the elements were stopping him dying quickly of dehydration, but exposure without food or clothing, was taking a heavy toll. He was slowly failing. The bars of his cage awarded him no shelter from the persistent rain either, adding chills to his misery.

  A tall, stunning young woman with long white blonde hair walked into view. She was coming from the direction he was travelling in and seemed to deliberately choose to pass close to his wagon. The hood of her cloak cast her face in shadow and hid most of her hair but he was animus with excellent vision. He was used to being stared at speculatively by passing women, but she wore a frown. He breathed in her scent automatically; it was warm, clean and captivating. He also recognised it as being animus and something predatory.

  She turned out of his view but he searched for her amongst the crowds. He found her across the street, in the shadows cast by a shop wall. She’d joined a tall man and both were watching him. The man, with his broad shoulders and lean athletic physique, was obviously animus. What were they doing here? Weren’t they worried about getting caught? Whilst his wagon was only guarded by ordinaries, they were under the employ of the inquisitor squads.

  He noticed the man was very alert and constantly scanned the guards and the crowds around them. Their eyes met and the stranger nodded in greeting and made a minute “hold” hand gesture. Hold? He was trapped; where could he go to? Or was he merely warning him not to draw attention to them?

  Jack noticed the woman place her hand on the man’s chest for a moment and the way they looked into each other’s eyes told him they were a couple. Then the woman turned to meet his eyes and he felt an almost physical jolt go through him. His senses must be playing tricks on him, or he was more exhausted than he thought. He shivered this time, the sensation less strong. Had he just heard words in his mind? Was she a wizard to be brushing his mind with a question? He’d been sure she was animus rather than wizard. Now he didn’t know what to think.

  ‘Are you injured?’

  Jack shook his head in reply. The voice had been feminine and concerned. But he wasn’t sure whether he should talk to her. He had no idea if he could trust a wizard. If that animus man had been alone then he wouldn’t have hesitated or be so wary, but wizards were unpredictable and overly complicated. It was rarely clear what their real objective was or whose side they were on.

  The inquisitor squads had at least one wizard in each team. He had the impression it had taken more than two squads and wizard reinforcements to capture him and his family. The squads were known and feared for their cruelty and vicious efficiency. Jack was well aware those wizards working in the squads had probably been selected because of their lack of humanity. That trait would not necessarily be common to all wizards. They were probably only a small minority. He knew full well that there were cruel individuals in every type of people. However, a cruel ordinary or animus could do less damage and was more controllable than a malicious wizard. Unfortunately, because of the King’s ethnic persecution of animus people, a whole raft of penalties had sprung up to punish anyone helping or harbouring an animus fugitive. It was also particularly frustrating that his influence had spread over the border amongst the eastern lords. Instead of remaining a safe harbour, animus discovered their lords were adopting many of the same policies, attempting to either curry favour or avoid rebuke. So whilst he’d heard many wizards did not agree with the racist views, they could do little to stop them unless they were prepared to risk being ostracised and their families blacklisted.

  Jack’s wagon moved at a snail’s pace through the congested, narrow streets. It was therefore easy for the following couple to keep his wagon in sight. Jack wondered what they were thinking or indeed planning. Although how anyone could spring him from this wizard locked cage he didn’t know. But for the first time in a week hope burned in his chest.

  Scents of a different sort assailed his nostrils and he turned to the bars on his other side. A street vendor had a small cart by the side of the street and was selling hot meat pies. Jack’s empty stomach growled and clenched painfully. A pie sat invitingly close on the hot plate but it was out of his reach. The vendor ignored his pleas, pretending he did not exist. His wagon’s guards seemed to think this was highly amusing and came back to taunt their prisoner. They waved a pastry j
ust out of his reach and laughed to see him grab and eat the flakes of pastry that floated off.

  Jack turned away from his tormentors and stared out the back of the wagon. It was particularly cruel to seriously starve someone then let him see and smell food sitting just out of reach. He wondered what the couple had made of that and felt humiliated all over again. He dropped his face onto his knees, not daring to look their way. He could not stand pity. The smell of a hot beef pie suddenly assailed his nose again. He couldn’t help a whimper of dismay. Was he going to have to go through it all again?

  ‘Look,’ the feminine voice urged in his mind. He tentatively raised his head. To his complete shock a large pie sat inside his cage beside his foot. Who had done this and how? Was someone playing a trick on him? Was it poisoned?

  ‘We got it for you. It smells fresh still,’ she told him gently. ‘Eat, you need to, you know you do.’

  Jack glanced round and found the woman not far away. She smiled at him encouragingly. He checked his guards, but none were paying him any attention now they’d had their fun and his current posture hid the pie from them anyway. He stretched out a hand and felt the hot undeniable evidence of food. His mouth instantly watered.

  ‘Slowly. You don’t want the guards to notice or hear you eating,’ she told him. ‘Be careful, it’s hot. Don’t burn your mouth.’

  Jack shook his head, feeling his first smile in days touch his lips; she sounded just like his wife. But he was glad of her timely reminder and also the suggestion that she cared. It took great willpower not to cram it all in his mouth and bolt it down, but he was determined not to be noticed. He hid the pie between his feet and broke off bite sized pieces, eating quickly. He recognised that the guards would certainly notice if he attempted to lift the whole pie up to his face to bite directly into it. In this way he savoured every mouthful, making sure he didn’t waste any. Chewing and swallowing properly also gave his shrunken belly a chance to digest after so long without anything at all.