Star Rider and the Golden Threads by Heidi Skarie (best ereader for pdf and epub .TXT) 📗

She sat up and realized she wasina cage—a cage so small she couldn’t stand or stretch out. Nearby,other cages contained dragon lizards, horned toads, snakes and otherstrange-looking, off-world creatures. The only light coming into thedark room was from a small window near the top of one wall.

The room appeared to be aworkroom. Various sized bowls sat on a counter and jars of potionsand leather-bound books with singed pages stood on the shelf aboveit. An unlit stone fireplace had herb bundles and dead animal bodieshanging from hooks above it.

Onolyn realized Zac must havebrought her here after knocking her unconscious. The witch must havetaken control of him. How could she save him and herself? Rightbefore passing out, Erling had told her to protect her Soul.” Didhe mean protect her Soul from Seetva? Had he seen the future? Shewondered if Seetva had already trapped Zac’s Soul in the darkregions of the Inner Worlds after taking possession of his body.

Onolyn put her attention onMaster Bakka and chanted HU to calm her rising panic. Before long shefelt the Master’s inner presence.Don’t let fear enter your heart,he whispered inwardly. Focuson God and no power can harm you.

She leaned against the cold bars,rubbing her arms for warmth and reflected on his inner message.Seetva wouldn’t have any psychic control over her if she stayedstrong. But how could she keep fear from entering her heart?

Hours passed and Onolyn began topanic as she imagined all the terrible things that might happen toher. Would she be left in this cage to die, slowing starving todeath? Or become possessed like Zac? She focused on Spirit and triedto still her thoughts.

Long after it had grown darkoutside, Seetva walked into the room carrying a lantern. Zac followedher in and Onolyn was comforted by his presence until she got a goodlook at his eerie, vacant eyes and expressionless face. The witchwalked over to Onolyn’s cage.

“I see you’ve awakened,”Seetva said in her silky voice. “I’m sorry Zac hurt you. You andI are going to be friends.”

“I will never be friends withyou!”

Seetva laughed mirthlessly. “Doyou think you can resist me?” She studied Onolyn with a thoughtfulfrown. “I feel your inner strength.” Her voice turned harsh. “Butyou aren’t strong enough to fight me and my powers. Take a goodlook at Zachary. You can choose to be like him or me.”

“I will never be like you—orhim!”

“You think not, but a few daysin that foul-smelling cage without food or water will change yourmind. You’ll weaken as fear overtakes you.” Seetva picked up ajar from the table with a large toad and sea snake in it.

“Zachary, light a fire, thenkill these creatures and put them on the fireplace rack.” Zac litthe fire, then opened the jar and the snake slithered out. He choppedoff its head with a sharp cleaver and began roasting the body on arack.

“The toad was left with thesnake to increase the strength of poison in its body,” Seetva said,glancing at Onolyn.

Onolyn remained silent. Shedidn’t want to be drawn into a conversation with a witch until itoccurred to her that Seetva might reveal useful information. “Whatare you making?” Onolyn asked. Her voice sounded timid to her ownears and she resolved to speak with more confidence.

“The poison used on BorithonSwords. A wound from the sword can be very small and still deliverenough poison to kill.”

“How fast does the poisonwork?”

“It varies. A day or two atmost. The victim always dies unless given the antidote. Before dying,they pass into a state where the metabolic system is so low that thevictim appears dead. Even doctors can’t tell the difference and theperson is often buried alive. After burial, we can retrieve the bodyand revive the person if we choose.”

Onolyn’s stomach churned; itoccurred to her that Erling might not have been dead when Hendoraarrived with the antidote. But because he was in a death-like state,they wouldn’t have used the antidote and he could be buried orcremated while alive.

“Someday,” Seetva said,breaking into Onolyn’s thoughts. “I’ll teach you to make thepoison.” She held out a jar with two lizards inside, oneiridescent, the other blue, and gave them to Zac. “Roast these onthe grill.”

After killing them, he placedthem on the grill beside the snake and toad, then put another log onthe fire. The heat radiating from the flames took the chill out ofthe air and Onolyn started to warm up. She watched with horrifiedfascination as Seetva continued to make the potion, which consistedof freshly killed reptiles, a poisonous puffer fish and several toxicplants. All the ingredients were cooked to an oily consistency ofcharcoal, then placed in a mortar and crushed with a pestle. Onolyncovered her nose and mouth as the burnt stench filled the room.

When the poison was done, Seetvaput the mixture in a vessel, then said, “Come, Zachary, we’rethrough here. We’ll leave Onolyn with her fears and nightmares.”She turned back and looked at Onolyn. “You will have nightmares.You can’t escape me, even in sleep.”

“Wait!” Onolyn cried. “IsErling alive?”

“How would I know?”

“Was the vial you sold usreally the antidote?”

With a self-satisfied nod, Seetvasaid, “Yes, and if they administered it in time, he’ll live andcome to Haklute to find you and Zachary. When he does, you’ll helpme gain control of him so I can rule Jaipar through him. If you’renot successful, I’ll kill him.” Seetva walked out of the roomwith Zac. The door shut with a resounding thud and Onolyn huddledhelplessly in her cage, afraid it might become her tomb.

Two days after Erling was giventhe antidote, Koriann entered the entertainment room where Michio andToemeka sat watching a movie on a large screen. She envied theircontentment when she was so distraught. She sank into a chair.

When she was a child, she playedhere with her sister, brothers and Zachary. She remembered her fathercoming into the room, burdened by concerns about his country andSamrat Condor’s rapid growth in power. Now it was her burden.

“How’s Erling doing?”Toemeka asked, pausing the movie.

“He’s recovering physically,but he’s changed. He doesn’t seem happy, but he’s not sadeither. There’s a distant look in his eyes and he says as soon ashe’s well