Page 44 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

Chapter fourteen

Abduction

Zorina

After a long day’s work at the pottery shop, Zorina headed home. The streets were nearly empty at the late hour, save for a few stragglers and a guard rotation. Surreptitiously, she glanced at the nearest guard to see if it was Herrick.

It wasn’t.

Not that she was looking.

Or rather, that she would admit to it if she was—which she wasn’t, and she wouldn’t.

Hustling her way through the almost vacant streets, Zorina thought she heard a song on the wind. A few lovely notes reached her ears as she approached Adael’s northern border where the city gave way to a small forest comprised of evergreens, deciduous trees, and bamboo. This forest was so small it wasn’t even on the map.

Anala twittered at her from the forest’s edge, standing on her hind legs before her furry head jolted toward the music.

So I didn’t imagine it.

Zorina stepped toward the red panda, noting that the animal had three gold coins in her paw. Exasperated, she shook her head. “Haven’t I told you not to pilfer every shiny coin you find? And where did you find them since you can’t enter the city proper anyway? Or did you find them in Herrick’s pouch instead?”

Anala tilted her head at the sound of Zorina’s voice, but it was hard to determine just how much the red panda understood. The animal’s attention was short-lived, however, as a song floated in the air, and she turned her head toward it again to listen.

The music seemed to draw nearer, though its source stayed in the woods. Pure, perfect, clear notes formed an intricate melody, skillfully played on a flute. It was like those other times she had heard music in the forest, but significantly closer.

Anala then dropped back down to all four paws and bolted toward the increasingly distinct sound. Zorina followed, though at a much slower pace.

Where was it coming from? And why did the piper play in the middle of the woods?

As she drew nearer, she saw the flutist at last, wearing black clothing, a black cloak, and a white mask.

Caliban.

Brown eyes met hers across the distance between them, and he smiled slightly as he played. He stood stock still, except for his fingers as they danced upon his flute, playing the most intoxicating song she had ever heard.

Zorina closed her eyes and sighed, content to let the music wash over her. It filled her with peace and joy. All of her worries seemed to melt away at the sound of his beautiful song. She relaxed into the melody, letting it carry all of her burdens. This was something she could easily lose herself to—and she relished it.

A smile tugged at her lips as she began to sway to the music, letting it envelope her completely.

Caliban

The moment Zorina’s expression relaxed into a hazy smile, Caliban played a few more strategic notes before pausing for breath. One corner of his mouth tipped up into a smirk. He had her exactly where he wanted her.

Well, almost.

He had her in the mental state he wanted her in, at least.

As for her physical body, well…a bit more music would take care of that.

Caliban changed his tune to shorter staccato notes in a lower register. The melodic legato song had done its job of lulling her into a trance. Now, the march would lead her onward.

To his home.

To him.

And, with any luck, to unlocking her apparent reticence to imbibing in black magic. After watching her for days, he had yet to see her use any magic at all, let alone the more powerful dark magic. Not even when she escorted the unfit impotent women back to Adael.

But he could sense that she had it, that she was the one he’d been searching for all along. He had found her at last.