Dreams of the Oracle

Chapter 24

Cass looked up into the eyes of a blonde woman dressed in black. She didn't like the way the woman was looking at her. It was a gaze full of intensity and purpose. Cass felt herself being appraised as though she were a piece of furniture, or an animal being purchased for the slaughter. She suddenly stopped backing away when she felt a dark presence behind her. She glanced up into the gleaming eyes of the rashaka called Stanis. Uttering a soft cry she pulled away from it and back towards the woman. 

"You have no idea how much I've wanted to meet you," said the woman her voice almost quivering with excitement.

"What do you want?" asked Cass, slowly finding her courage.

The woman made a gesture and a rashaka that was not Stanis appeared next to her and hoisted her up. The woman turned and walked towards a large tent and the rashaka dragged Cass along behind her.

"I just want to talk to you for a little while," replied the woman.

Another rashaka opened the tent flap for her and she stepped inside. Cassandra was dragged along right behind her. The tent was rather large, at least as big as some of the houses in Bordertown. It seemed to be made from layers of black cloth that hung down with enough weight to make it impervious to wind and weather.

Inside the tent was richly decorated with carpets and furs. Cass had never seen such a wealthy looking room. Quilts and rugs with designs of spun gold lay scattered about casually. A wooden chest that had been lacquered black stood against the tent walls and Cass half expected them all to be filled with gold like some fairy story.

The woman had her back to her at the moment. She was looking at something at the far end of the tent her blonde hair spilled over the black contrast of her robe. Cassandra watched the woman's back apprehensively. Then, in one quick moment she took a breath and bit into the rashaka's hand.

She had hoped that since it had worked with the innkeeper and since it was one of the things her brother had taught her that it might have a chance. Her teeth bit down but they didn't sink into anything solid. It was like biting into a cloud of smoke. Her teeth bit nothing but a foul taste like black ashes filled her mouth and coated her tongue. She coughed and spat on the silken rug beneath her feet. Her spittle was black.

Then the Rashaka laughed. Somehow that was even worse than the dry black ash flavor that was reaching to the back of her throat. Its laugh was sharp and wicked like the sting of a whip. Its gravelly voice seemed to echo throughout the tent as if they were trapped in a darkened cave. That wicked, mirthless laughter slid down her spine like cold fingers. She shivered and spat again trying to get the taste from her mouth.

"That was a very foolish thing to do."

Cassandra looked up into the calculating eyes of the woman who was her captor. The woman glanced up at the rashaka who dropped Cassandra on the floor and began binding her hands and feet. She began squirming and kicking frantically hoping that she might get some kind of opening she could use to escape. The monster in man's form held her easily, as though she were no more than a small bird in its hand. Soon she was trussed up and lying on the floor. Then the woman waved the creature away and it walked out of the tent leaving her and Cass alone.

"Who are you?" croaked Cassandra still trying to get the taste of ashes from her mouth and throat.

The woman lazily stepped over to a large silk cushion and seated herself. She looked at Cassandra for a moment as a cat may regard a strange mouse it had caught in its paws,

"You will call me "Milady"," she replied, "We will become very close, Cassandra, very close indeed."

"What do you want?" asked Cass coughing up another stream of black mucus on the floor. All at once she felt a flash of white pain smash into her forehead. She cried out and raised her bound hands over her head like a shield. She gasped and shook at the shock of the blow.