*
Jade heard him leave and shut the door, and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She’d almost screamed when he’d started stroking her arm. And she’d felt, very strongly, the spurt of twisted hunger from him. She felt nauseated. She swallowed several times to keep her gorge down. She’d also felt the flare of pain from him and was thankful. It had kept him from touching her anywhere else.
She felt something else. Kendis was closer. And he was with the Elvwists. She cast around quickly. There were a whole lot of people with him. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he had half an enclave of Elvwists with him.
She tried to judge how close they were and realized they were still some distance away. Crap! Not close enough.
She forced herself to think. Montford had said he’d be “fine” by tomorrow. She didn’t know what time it was now but knew it was late. She could see moonlight and a few stars twinkling at the top edge of the curtainless window. She had to free herself tonight.
She began to look for that feeling she had when she and Kendis flew together, the one that allowed her to lift and move things, and she connected with it. It wasn’t nearly as strong as it was when she was with Kendis but maybe it would be enough.
She concentrated on the ties binding her arms and they slowly began to loosen. She was sweating by the time her arms came free. She tried to remove the ones binding her legs to the ring, and she could feel them trying to come loose but it was too slow.
She knew from S’tella that Montford could listen in on the room. That probably meant he could watch it too.
He had turned the bright light out as he left, leaving the room in near dark. She hoped if anyone was watching they wouldn’t be able to see much. She sat up slowly and bent down feeling for the ties on her ankles. She saw how they were fastened and released the catches.
Huh, she thought, he sure doesn’t think too highly of my intelligence or abilities to bind me in such a flimsy way.
But she wasn’t complaining. She slid off the bed. The ties had been a little too snug, cutting her circulation off some, and she stumbled. There was going to be no way to make it seem as if she were still there so she had to get far from the building as quickly as she could. She forced herself not to stamp her feet at the pins and needles sensations crawling up her legs. She was tired but she had to go on.
She darted to the door, using her finder esa to determine if anyone was outside. There wasn’t. She tried the knob. It wouldn’t turn. She stood and thought for a moment, then moved to the window. She studied it and determined it opened by sliding up.
She said a prayer to the gods and pushed up on the window. To her surprise - and great relief - it slid up with only a slight squeak. She caught the pungent smell of quana trees mixed in with the thick scent of pines on the breeze that came in.
Sliding the window all the way up, she lifted herself to the sill and dangled her legs out.
Lunatoo was in quarter phase and dimly lit the shadowy landscape. High overhead, the smallest moon, Silver, showing just a sliver, was heading west, and even higher up, looking like a fat, shiny bead, the mid-sized moon, Rim, ran after Silver, as if trying to catch up to it.
Jade could feel there were men down on the mountain slope. A lot of them. Most of them were in some type of buildings, settled in for the night, but there were others positioned at what were bound to be strategic locations. Guards.
She wondered if they watched the skies at night. She didn’t want to take any chances. She hovered by the window thinking, then she closed the window, and staying close to the building, she descended slowly. She decided she could fly below where they may be looking.
She had already chosen her path out and started in that direction, when she thought of S’tella. She was almost certain she’d been asking for her help.
She stopped and hovered. She didn’t know what she could do but she couldn’t just leave without trying. She’d felt as if S’tella could be a friend, and she’d tried to help her. And what of the two children she’d felt? She guessed they belonged to S’tella and maybe she wanted to get herself and them out.
Jade had gotten the distinct impression that S’tella wasn’t there by choice.
She cast around to see where everyone was. S’tella was with the children in a room not too far from where she sensed Montford. They were all on the same wing. There was another man in a room near where S’tella and the children were.
Jade could sense the others in the building, and most of them were in what she determined were the servants quarters in the lower right part of the building. There were four who might be guards as they seemed to be stationed at the front, back, and sides of the building.
Jade was getting tired hovering and looked around for a place to rest. She settled on the limb of a nearby quana tree. The tall tree reached up to the second floor of the building, the same floor as the room she’d been in and where she sensed S’tella and the others, and there were only the five people on that floor.
She knew there was a window into S’tella’s room so she lifted from the tree and flew around to it. She could see a light through the curtain and a woman shaped shadow.
She tapped on the window as lightly as she could, and saw the shadow straighten up. She could sense when S’tella looked towards the window. She stood up and came over, moved the curtain aside and let the window up. She peered out at Jade.
She didn’t seem surprised to see her out there.
“You got out, but he will catch you again,” she stated flatly, her eyes sorrowful.
Jade was taken aback. “How do you know?” she asked, realizing the woman acted as if she had known she was coming.
“I’m a precog. I’ve Seen it and it’s unavoidable in this instance. I can’t See everything but you must be patient and have faith. Someone is coming to get you. You have a…soul-mate? Yes, I can See that. He’s coming. You must get away from my window though, or he will see you. He will think I helped you escape and that will be bad for my children.” A tear slipped down her face. “He will put you back into that room - and there is something that happens in there that I can’t See.”
She looked behind her and said, “I have to go.” She started to close the window.
“Wait!” hissed Jade. “Do you know what kind of security he has?”
S’tella looked nervously behind her again, and said, “He’s got a weapon on the roof and armed men all over the slope, down among the quana trees. There’re some men guarding the entrances of the house and there’s another guard, Charles, that makes rounds several times a day. He’s on this floor and he’s mostly here to keep me from leaving, but where would I go? How would I get down this mountain, past all his men below? Besides, I couldn’t leave my children. Then there are the servants, but most of them don’t want to be here either. They can’t help you but neither will they hinder you.”
“Why are you and your children here, S’tella?” asked Jade.
S’tella was silent for a moment. Then she said, “My children were born here. One is his child too, though he thinks both are his. But he doesn’t care about either of them. I am here because he elected to keep me around for my esa. He keeps me around for the few times I can tell him something useful. Precognition is the only esa I have but I am a very strong one. I Foresaw your coming, Jade. You will take my children out of here with you.”
S’tella looked behind her again and said, “Charles is coming! I’m sorry, I have to go!” she hurriedly closed the window.
Jade hung there in alarm for a moment, staring at the shadow of S’tella and a huge man who’d come into the room and must be Charles. Then the man embraced S’tella and the lights went out.
Oh. Well, she thought, wonder if that’s the father of her other child?
She flew back to her tree limb. S’tella had said she couldn’t See everything and Jade knew from Sparrow that the future was changeable. Maybe she wouldn’t get caught.
She left her tree and landed on the ground. She didn’t have any shoes on and she felt a momentary flash of irritation. The asshole had taken her shoes and she loved those shoes. He should be punished for that if for nothing else!
She paused, and knew from having had such an irrational thought that she was getting too tired. She shook her head at herself. She was in a weakened state from whatever drug Montford had given her before he brought her here, plus the fact that he hadn’t had an IV placed in her so she’d had no nourishment for the two days she was out of it. Not to mention she’d had to fight off the drugs in the food she did get.
She’d expended more energy working her way out of her bonds, then flown around the building and hovered for a while. She needed food and rest.
She estimated it was around three in the morning. She felt for Kendis again. Closer. But still not close enough.
Perhaps, she thought, worriedly, I should have waited before trying to escape. Or just should have left right off.
But she knew she couldn’t have done that without at least seeing if there was anything she could do to help S’tella. She thought of the weapon on the roof and wondered anxiously if Kendis and his group knew about it.
She went a little farther downslope into the forest, found a small clearing and sat down, leaning against a tree. She felt out to the roof of the building, searching for the weapon. She found it and saw it shot some type of projectiles very rapidly. It would be lethal.
She scanned it, trying to see some way to incapacitate it. She couldn’t allow that thing to be operational when Kendis came.
She found a circuit board sticking out its side and tried to remove it but only succeeded in jiggling it around. She scanned for something smaller, and a nano-dot on the board stood out to her.
She smiled, and using what was probably the last of her strength, tugged hard at it, breaking it away from the main board, and lifted it over the edge of the roof, tossing it down the side of the mountain.
She knew it was dangerous to remain where she was but when she tried to rise to her feet, she found she could barely move.
She looked through the trees toward the house, saw some activity, and knew Montford probably had learned of her escape. He would have the skies watched. Maybe he wouldn’t think to look for her on the ground. She tried to get to her feet again and her mind went blank as she slid sideways to the ground.
She awakened to find herself back in the room.
Crap, she thought tiredly, S’tella was right. She had said something about recapture being unavoidable. Must’ve been one of those “all probabilities leading to the same end” things she’d heard Sparrow speak of before.
She felt a little less tired but was ravenous. She needed food. She was restrained again, in the same position. She was betting, though, that these were much stronger than the last ones had been. She tried moving an arm and heard a clinking sound.
She looked and - yep - she was now bound with chains and shackles. The asshole had gained a bit more respect for her abilities. She bet the window had been locked too. She looked down at herself.
Her clothing had been changed, she was wearing a different white tunic and she could feel her underwear had been removed. Sheesh.
Early morning light was streaming into the room through the window. She turned to look out and saw trees and a tall mountain peak off in the distance. The slopes were so covered with trees she had no doubt that this chateau was pretty much hidden by them. She could feel Kendis and his group were even closer.
Shards! There wasn’t a half enclave of Elvwists with him, but almost. A number of them appeared to be flyers and lifters too. There were also a contingent of Humans from Law and several very large Dogs, one of whom was Dots. Alex was with him too. And Louis.
Louis? What was he doing here? Shards, they must have gone to the camp to get Dots and Louis. And Hester was with him. Jade smiled. Not surprising. Hester refused to be away from Louis. They were soul-bonded, too.
Which brought her back to Alex. Where was Ro? She cast around for her. Oh. She was in hospital or she would have been with Alex. Lark was with her. What the hell had Montford done to her? He should hope Law got to him first because if it was Alex - or Kendis, for that matter - he might not make it to Law.
She felt S’tella and looked towards the door.
S’tella came in with a food tray, bringing it over to her bed. She set it down on the stand and looked at Jade.
“He has sent your breakfast, Jade,” she said, again without preamble, and softly. “He will be in here shortly and is very angry with you for trying to get away.”
Jade shrugged as best she could with her arms chained up but remained silent, watching her. Was that a hint of a smile on her face?
“You don’t have to eat all of it if you don’t want to,” she said, “But it’s really good food today and there’s a lot of it,” she added, with just the briefest smile. If she had blinked, Jade would have missed it.
Jade smiled, her eyes sparkling. “Thank you, S’tella, I believe I can eat it all.” S’tella must have known she’d be extra hungry.
S’tella reached over and loosened her chains. When her arm accidentally brushed against Jade’s, she heard in mind-speak: and it stopped when S’tella broke the contact.
Jade’s eyes widened, and she said, very softly: “Touch me.”
And S’tella didn’t hesitate: she touched her hand.
Jade sent quickly.
Jade kept eating just in case Montford had some type of imager in the room. Besides, it was good and she was very hungry.
She felt for Kendis as he was easier for her to find. she answered.
She could see the relief in S’tella’s face.
Jade stared at her.
Jade felt sudden tears behind her eyes. She knew S’tella must have seen her own death.
And S’tella looked at her sadly, saying what Jade had been afraid she’s say:
Jade controlled her tears. She didn’t want Montford to see them if he was monitoring the room.
She finished her breakfast and reached the tray to S’tella, her chains clinking. She brushed her fingers.
she said.
She set the tray down and reached to tighten Jade’s arms back up. She turned her face slightly more towards the headboard, and when she knew Jade was looking, she smiled.
She bumped Jade’s arm again: It was a prayer.
sent Jade. She felt the need to say that now. She didn’t know if she’d get another chance, but what had she meant by “chosen one”?
Before she could ask, S’tella picked up the tray and left the room. Jade watched her go. She knew where the suppressor was, along with the fact that it was in a booby-trapped, esa-proofed safe. She only knew it was there because nothing could hide from her finder esa. Apparently, it couldn’t hide from a precog, either. And she had seen what else was in the large safe.
She also knew where Charles was. At the moment, he was using the facility beside the stair that led to the attic and through there to the roof.
She felt Kendis getting ever nearer, and was glad she’d used the last of her energy to disable that weapon. She hadn’t had enough energy to get herself clean away, anyway.
Her door opened and Montford came into the room. He was smiling coldly. He had on a bathrobe and Jade had the sinking feeling he had nothing on underneath it. She guessed he was coming to get better…acquainted.
“Good Morning, Jade.” He regarded her, his slate gray eyes narrowed. “You tried to leave me and that was not a smart move on your part. You should have known you couldn’t get away from me.” He shook his head. “Now, I’m going to have to teach you a lesson. You will learn who your master is. This room is sound-proof and no one can hear you. So make all the noise you want.”
He wore an ugly smile as he walked over to the stand and opened a drawer. He stood looking down into it for a moment,
then reached in and pulled out a…fork.
Jade looked at it in consternation. What the hell was he going to do with that? She decided she didn’t want to find out.
Keep him talking, she thought.
She had no desire to see what he had under his robe. Kendis was nearly here, she only had to hold the maniac off for just a few minutes longer. Maybe she’d better try working on her shackles too, just in case.
“Why are you doing this, Mr. Montford? Don’t you know my mother will never stop looking for me?”
“Who cares about your mother looking for you!” he said, disdainfully, “No one will ever find you here. You are mine!”
Jade stared at him in disbelief. Was it possible the idiot didn’t know who her mother was?
“Well, Law won’t take too kindly to someone who kidnaps a daughter of one of the ruling council members Mr. Montford, and they will certainly care about my mother looking for me! In, fact they will help her look.”
She had been working at the shackles while she talked to Montford but nothing was happening. Ah, well, at least the roof weapon couldn’t be used against Kendis and their friends.
Montford looked at her frowning. “What are you talking about? You’re nobody! A ruling council member’s daughter wouldn’t be working for a pest company or out at that abysmal camp where I found you!”
He laughed. “You must think me a complete fool, Jade. If you were a council member’s missing daughter it would have been all over the news. I’ve been watching the holo and there’s been no mention of a kidnapping.”
He didn’t seem to understand much about it. Anyone wanting to be independent had to work somewhere and there weren’t that many choices that paid well for inexperienced young people. Why would he think she wouldn’t work for the pest company? They paid a living wage, and nearly everyone had worked for them at one time or another. Didn’t he work there? Yeah, he was in management but she was pretty sure he hadn’t started there.
And he apparently hadn’t thought about the authorities not wanting to alert the kidnapper to the fact they were aware of who he was, or were waiting for him to ask for ransom. Though she knew that wasn’t why he’d kidnapped her, they didn’t.
Jade stared at him and shook her head. “I see you didn’t do your homework, did you? And look what happened the last time you didn’t believe me, Mr. Montford. I told you then and I’ll tell you again - I don’t exaggerate. I also don’t lie. I don’t care whether you believe me or not but you’d better hope you never have to face Maggie Lowry. I know how you knocked me out and she’s as far above you in psyscanning as this mountain is above the ground.” By now she was glaring at him.
“And you can forget about psyscanning me again. That will no longer work on me.” She’d figured out what he’d done to capture her and had strengthened her shields. She was confident he wouldn’t be able to get through them again. And what was that faint noise she heard? Montford didn’t appear to notice it.
His eye’s widened. He tossed the fork down on the stand, came over to the bed and grabbed her under the chin, lifting her face up and squeezing it. Damn! There was a resemblance to the council woman.
“No matter, she’ll never find you here,” and he started unfastening his robe. He seemed to have forgotten his fork. He smiled thinly. “Come, dear Jade. It’s time to consummate our relationship.”
He leered at her, pulled his robe open and dropped it to the floor.