Marie raised her gaze to Tamsyn’s. “Do you want to tell me more about your situation? That might help with the interpretation. You can trust me. No one outside this room will know what is said here. My calling is to help, not harm.”
Grateful for that, Tamsyn said, “Between Paris and Calais, we were stalked by a gifted man we called the Scorpion. He’s the one who arrested Cade, and he has the terrible gifts of mind blocking as well as the ability to inflict hideous pain by touch.”
Marie looked appalled. “Claude Bastien! He is notorious in gifted circles. He works for the French government, but also for himself. You must get your brother away from him as soon as possible!”
“My thoughts exactly. I can feel Cade through mind touch, but he is almost paralyzed mentally. I’m a healer and I’m sure I can lift the paralysis, but first I must free him. Do you know where Bastien lives? And how well guarded the place is? It was suggested to me that the Bastien property is a bit beyond Frethun and right on the sea.”
“Your information is good,” Marie said. “I’ve only seen Château Bastien once from a distance. It is formidable, a very old fortress.”
“Do you know of anyone who works for him, or has worked for him in the past? It would be very helpful to know what to expect.”
“The few servants he has managed to keep never speak of the fortress. They all fear their master.”
“With reason,” Tamsyn muttered.
“The château is built on a rocky rise above the sea, and it’s said there are caves below that were used by smugglers in the past.” Marie shrugged. “Perhaps they are still used that way.”
Tamsyn was hit by a powerful certainty that those caves might be her way into the château. “I think I’ll do some exploring.”
“Be very, very careful. Bastien is the worst kind of gifted man, one who uses his powers for gain and cruelty.”
“He destroys. I heal,” Tamsyn said fiercely. “Whose power is greater?”
“You have great power,” Marie agreed. “But even more you need luck and guile.”
“I can manage guile. Luck I’ll have to pray for.” Tamsyn frowned. “After I rescue Cade, do you know any smugglers who could take us back to England?”
Marie bit her lip. “When the time comes, transport over the channel can be arranged. I do know a gifted woman in Frethun, a widow, who could help you enter Château Bastien if she’s willing. Her aid would come at a price, however.”
“Whatever her price, I will pay it,” Tamsyn said flatly.
“The price wouldn’t be in money,” Marie said. “I’ll send her a note to say that you will call on her tomorrow. She can decide how much she wants to say.”
“Thank you,” Tamsyn said, praying that the gifted widow would be in a cooperative mood.
CHAPTER14
Cade’s mind and memory were still clouded, but he found that physical exercise helped him feel not only stronger, but more himself—whoever that was. Besides push-ups against the wall, he found he could jog in place next to the bed.
The only window in the room was high and narrow, but it was within the range of his chain. He found that he could jump up and catch the sill, then raise himself to look outside. The sea was there, and the sight of the broad sweep of water lifted his spirits.
Though it took practice because his balance was off, he found after cautious experimentation that he could do handstands as his strength and balance increased. None of his exercises offered much help to his mind, but they helped combat the deadly boredom.
His only regular visitor was the burly servant who brought food and drink in pewter vessels, then removed the empties left from the previous meal. He looked strong and brutal and never spoke or responded to questions. Unfortunately, he took care to stay out of Cade’s reach. Though even if Cade could bring the man down, he wouldn’t be able to escape the chain or the room.
Damn,he wanted his full mind back!
* * *
On what might have been the third or maybe the fourth day, Bastien entered Cade’s cell, his expression predatory. “I’m going to lift the mind block enough that you can answer questions, but not enough to restore you fully. Answer my questions and I will restore your mind to its full power. I might even release you.” He briefly laid his open palm on Cade’s forehead.
After a shock of dizziness, Cade felt a sharpening of his thoughts, though there was much he still couldn’t remember. He studied the other man, who was tall, dark, and somehow familiar, but if they’d ever met in the past, Cade couldn’t remember when or where. “You’re a bad liar, Bastien. You’ll see me dead before you’ll free me.”
Bastien looked amused. “Perhaps, perhaps not. I haven’t decided. If you give me the names and locations of other British Home Office agents, things will go much better for you.”
“I won’t, so you might as well go directly to the torture,” Cade said. “You know that you want to.”
Bastien’s eyes narrowed. “Indeed I do, but I don’t want to do so much damage that you’ll be useless to me.”
