She opened her mouth to scream, but he snapped, “Be silent,” and the magic forced her to swallow the sound, choking. The numbness that followed the renewed spell did nothing to dull the pain.Misery and despair overwhelmed the tiny corner of her mind that remained hers even when the spell was strongest. She’d squandered her chance to escape, and now Carlich was on guard against her. There was no point anymore in resisting his control. She sank into a dreamlike daze, barely noticing when her body followed Carlich’s orders to nurse Barilan, clear the camp, and follow him through the forest. At some point he placed bread and cheese in her hands, and she ate. She replaced her specter;-;torn garments with the fresh ones he threw at her feet. After that there was dirt road beneath her trudging feet.A blast of blue lightning and buzz of power startled her back to awareness. Carlich jumped to grab the reins of a rearing horse as its rider slid lifeless from its back. He turned his sorcery against the rider’s companion, and the man slumped across his horse’s neck.
