Witch Song (Witch Song #1)

Chapter 31

31. ENEMY

 Senna waited with the Discipline Heads. They all knew it was useless to fight. Against a thousand, they had a slim chance. Against ten thousand, they were little more than a mantis pitted against a horde of ants.

 Mounted on a sleek, gray horse, General Reden cautiously approached them. Grudgingly, Senna had to admit he was handsome, in a brutish way. He was broad, built like a wrestler, with a long, puckered scar across his jaw. His eyes gleamed so dark they bordered on black, with hair to match. She couldn't venture a guess on how old he was. He might be in his mid-twenties or early forties. When he stood mere yards away, he paused, his musket trained on the ground. "Your decision?"

Coyel held out her hands in surrender. "You've given us little choice."

He gestured to the men at his sides, who stepped toward them. "That was my intention. Your name?"

"Coyel."

"Very well, Coyel. Allow my men to bind your hands and mouths and I'll ensure you receive fair treatment. Agreed?" The men approached them, cords in hand. Senna eyed them warily.

"And what assurance will you give me that you will honor your word?" Coyel asked.

He chuckled. "Asking you to surrender was a courtesy. If I had wanted to take you by force, I'd have done it already."

"And if you had, a great many of you'd be dead by now," Chavis said.

Did the woman have no fear? Senna wondered.

Coyel shot Chavis a warning glance. "Fair enough, Reden. But I'll hold you to your word."

Reden nodded to his men—two for each Witch. The soldiers who approached Senna stripped her of her seed belt. They tied a soft cotton rag across her mouth. The man who bound her hands did it strong enough she couldn't pull free, but loose enough she didn't lose circulation. A small part of her dared to hope Reden might keep his word.

The men took positions, one on each side. With their mouths covered, did Reden really think them dangerous enough to warrant two guards per Witch? Senna thought it excessive, until she began to move through the host of soldiers, who glowered at them as they passed. Only then did she understand they were the Witch's protectors just as much as they were their guards.

"I'm assigning my most trusted men to guard you," Reden said as they moved. "You'll be allowed to remove your gags while you eat, but they will have loaded muskets trained on you the entire time. I have given them instructions to shoot should one syllable leave your lips." His gaze rested on Chavis. "Understand there will be no mercy granted should this rule be broken."

When they were surrounded by ten thousand Tartens, they were strung together like pack animals. She and her mother were separated, Sacra in the back. All Senna could think of was Joshen—somewhere in the jungle without her—so she didn't notice she was first in line until Reden dismounted in front of her and signaled for her gag to be removed.

The Heads frowned at her suspiciously. She shrugged. Her hands tied in front of her, she waited.

He studied her. "How is it a mere girl came to free the Witches?"

How could he know it was me? she wondered. She wanted to look to Coyel for help, but she feared giving something away.

When she didn't answer, he continued. "And a single man traveled with you. It doesn't make much sense. What use would the Witches have for one man?"

"I don't see why it matters," Senna replied hotly.

"It doesn't," he replied. "I'm just trying to satisfy my curiosity. We have little else to do while we wait."