Chapter 12
Arnath walked into Mark's cell, frustrated about this unshakeable sleep Mark was in. He'd even given him a couple good lashings with his sword on Mark's back and he still didn't wake. Arnath didn't know how this could have happened. He hadn't put Mark in this enchanted sleep. Could Seilnai have done it from a distance? Did she even know about this? Was it Garandol and his magic?
Regardless, he wasn't about to let this stop him from hurting the young man. Mark would receive his daily beating as promised. How could Arnath let him down? He was a man of his word...usually.
“I don't know how you're doing this, boy, but it won't save you. You will wake one of these days. Even if you don't, it won't stop me from eventually killing you,” Arnath said, walking around Mark. “You have caused me quite a bit of trouble the past year and a half, and now I have you. I have both you and your sister in my clutches. The only difference is, I love your sister. She is my daughter now.”
Mark's face didn't flinch from Arnath's words. Arnath was hoping that there would be some kind of response from his prisoner, but he was only met with disappointment. He didn't realize that the sleep Mark was put in was induced by Sol's power, and only Sol could lift the power that kept Mark asleep.
“You know, Mark, it's rude to ignore your king,” Arnath threatened. “Of course, you don't bow down to me as your king anyhow do you? That may be the first lesson I teach you when you finally wake. Who knows? Maybe I can have both you and your sister. With both of your powers combined, we would be unstoppable. Her mind and your strength; Seth and Serina wouldn't stand a chance!”
Arnath studied Mark's face to see if there was any change, but once again, he was met with disappointment. In a sudden outburst of rage, Arnath struck Mark across the face, giving him two small cuts with the rings on his fingers.
Seilnai sat up in bed suddenly, feeling a sharp pain on her left cheek. Touching the sore spot, she felt two small marks where she had been scratched unexpectedly. She had no idea why she was feeling pains from wounds no one was inflicting on her. Who could get close enough to Seilnai without her knowing? Who was brave enough to hurt her if they did? Possibly Serina, but she was nowhere near.
What was it Serina did to her mind? She had invaded somehow and not been poisoned by her magic. She was hurt, but only temporarily. Perhaps Serina had poisoned her to make these minor injuries appear at her will! She would pay for this, if it was the last thing Seilnai did.
The dark witch rose from her bed and went to the mirror. There she was able to see the wounds on her cheek. Two small scratches lined her left cheek. They looked like they had once been small cuts, but she couldn't remember anything causing it. Looking closer she saw something else at the top of the scratches; it was a symbol she had only seen a few times before. She recognized it as Turmna's insignia. It was the shape of a serpent's eyeball. Arnath had a ring with that symbol on it.
Turmna is punishing me for letting Seth and Serina go, she thought.
Seilnai couldn't let anybody see the mark on her face, so she took out her makeup and applied an extra layer of white to her face, covering up the scratches and Turmna's symbol. After successfully covering the newest blemish on her face, Seilnai dressed back in her battle garments and left her room in the Pub/Inn in Trondil to continue on to Serpa. Serpa was the last town to sway to Arnath's side, or take captive. Either way, they were going to be under her command soon enough.
Seth and his small band of soldiers rode hard from Cathair Aureus. They had to beat Seilnai to Serpa before she either convinced them to join her army, or she took them captive to serve as slaves in her army. Seth looked back and did a quick survey of his companions. Serina rode directly to his right with Karis just beyond her. Arland and Tobiith were on his left with Gaith and Hiln behind him. The Centaurs always kept to the back to protect them from a rear attack. Since they were Centaurs, the bouncing of their galloping horse bodies didn't affect their aim with a bow and arrow. For humans, it would be a much more difficult task. Gaith and Hiln would have no problem continuing to run a steady pace while firing arrows behind them.
Seth was glad to have them back as his guard. Gaith and Hiln hadn't left his side since the escape from Arnath's castle after Serina's rescue. The only time the two Centaurs had left them was to help secure their own borders of Kushen. The Cathians had been trying to take over Kushen since they arrived a year ago. So far, the Centaurs had put up a great fight. Their borders had yet to be breached.
The end of the Aontacht Forest was near. They were finally back in Eranithia. At the pace they were traveling, they would hit Serpa within two days. Seth hoped they would beat Seilnai there.
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