Blood of the Fold

From light to dark, from wind to water, I claim this spirit and Creator's daughter.

Till the heart's blood boils or the bones be ash, till the tallow be dust and death's teeth gnash, this one be mine.

I cast her gnomon into a sunless glen, and pull this soul beyond its umbras' ken.

Till her tasks be done and the worms be fed, till the flesh be dust and the soul has fled, this one be mine.

Lunette's voice lowered to a throaty chant. "Cock's hen, spiders ten, bezoar then, I make a thrall stew. Ox gall, castor and caul, I make a chattel brew…"

Her words drifted away and were lost in the wind, but her squat body bobbed as she went on, shaking her empty hand over the woman's head, and the other, with the chunk of flesh, over her own heart.

The duchess shuddered as tendrils of magic coiled around her, snaking into her flesh. She convulsed as its fangs sank into her very soul.

Galtero had all he could do to hold her, until at last, she went limp in his grip. Despite the wind, there seemed a sudden silence.

Lunetta opened her hand. "She be mine to bid. I pass my right to you." She placed the now desiccated knob of flesh in Brogan's upturned palm. "She be yours, now, my lord general."

Brogan closed the shriveled knot in his fist. The duchess hung glassy-eyed by her arms behind her back. Her legs held her weight, but she shook with pain and cold. Blood oozed from her wound.

Brogan tightened his fist. "Stop that shivering!"

She looked into his eyes, and her glazed expression faded. She became still. "Yes, my lord general."

Brogan gestured to his sister. "Heal her."

Galtero watched with a glint of lust in his dark eyes as Lunetta cupped both hands around the woman's injured breast. Duke Lumholtz, too, watched with eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. Lunetta's eyes closed again as she wove more magic, casting a soft spell. Blood trickled from between Lunetta's fingers until the woman's flesh began drawing together in the healing.

Brogan's mind drifted as he waited. The Creator did indeed watch over his own. A day that had started with him at the brink of the greatest of triumphs was brought nearly to ruin, but in the end he had proven that those who kept the Creator's cause in their hearts could prevail. Lord Rahl was going to find out just what happened to those who worshiped the Keeper, and the Imperial Order was going to find out just how valuable the lord general of the Blood of the Fold was to them. Galtero, too, had proven his worth this day; the man was entitled to a trifle for his efforts.

Lunetta used the duchess's wrap to wipe off the blood, and then withdrew to reveal a perfectly whole breast, as flawless as the other, except it had no nipple. Brogan had that, now.

Lunetta motioned toward the duke. "Am I to do him, too, Lord General? Do you wish to have them both?"

"No." Brogan lifted a hand with a dismissive wave. "No, I only need her. But he will play his part in my plan."

Brogan fixed his glare on the duke's panicked eyes. "This be a dangerous city. As Lord Rahl told us today, there be dangerous creatures about, attacking innocent citizens who have no chance against them. Shocking. If only Lord Rahl were here to protect the duke from such an attack."

"I will to see to it at once, Lord General," Galtero said.

"No, I can take care of this. I thought you might like to 'entertain1 the duchess here, while I see to the duke."

Galtero drew teeth across his lower lip as he gazed at the duchess. "Yes, Lord General, very much. Thank you." He tossed Brogan his knife. "You will need this. The soldiers told me that the creatures disemboweled their victims with a three-bladed knife. You will need to make three slices to duplicate the effect."

Brogan thanked his colonel. He could always count on Galtero's thoroughness. The woman's eyes moved back and forth between the three of them, but she said nothing.

"Would you like me to compel her to cooperate?"

A gruesome grin spread on Galtero's usually stony face. "And what would be the purpose of that, Lord General? Better if she learned another lesson this night."

Brogan nodded. "As you wish, then." He looked to the duchess. "My dear, I do not bid this of you. You are free to express your own true feelings about it to Galtero here."

She cried out when Galtero swept an arm around her waist. "Why don't we go over there, in the darkness, I would not want to offend your delicate sensibilities, Duchess, by allowing you to see what be happening to your husband."

"You can't!" she cried out. "I'll freeze in the snow! I must do my lord general's bidding. I'll freeze!"

Galtero patted her bottom. "Oh, you won't freeze. The midden will be warm under you."

She shrieked and tried to pull away, but Galtero already had a good grip on her. He tightened his other fist in her hair.