The Jewel of Turmish - Mel Odom [72]
If Borran Kiosk had not felt the woman's eyes on him, he would have sworn she was blind. He considered killing her outright but held himself at the last moment, giving in to curiosity. Whatever she was, alive though she may be, the scent around her didn't taste as human as it should have.
Turning his attention back to the approaching city guard, Borran Kiosk spoke words of power then pointed toward the street. A wall of violet flames sprang up from the cobblestones and darted around the larger puddles. Water hissed, spreading clouds of steam, and the heat drove the guardsmen back.
"Send for a watch wizard!" the commander roared, taking a firm hand with his nervous mount.
One of the guardsmen took off at once.
Ts this what you think you should do, Borran Kiosk?" the woman asked amid the harsh yells of the guardsmen and gawkers below. "Squander the second chance Malar has given you to wreak havoc among your enemies?"
"Have a care, woman," Borran Kiosk replied.
He sensed the woman walking closer to him, and he was amazed at her lack of fear. Gathering his energies, the mohrg gestured again. He watched as a shadow blurred the area in front of the watch commander.
The man screamed and swung at the air with his sword. His hoarse voice scared the men in his group, dividing their attention between him and the wall of twisting violet flames that gave off searing heat.
"What does he battle?" the woman asked, peering over Borran Kiosk's shoulder.
"His own fear," Borran Kiosk replied. "The spell I employed gave form to his private aberrations."
The watch commander screamed himself hoarse, startling his mount. Two of the guardsmen ran to him and attempted to help. One of them got a sword slash across his face for bis trouble. The other backed away. The commander stiffened and fell from his saddle. His limp body smacked onto the cobblestones.
¦Tie's dead?" the woman asked.
"Yes," Borran Kiosk said, watching the blurred shadow fade away as the commander died. "Touched by whatever he most feared in this life."
"Perhaps he envisioned himself fighting you."
A faint smile touched the woman's shadowed face.
Borran Kiosk faced her, intrigued anew. "I am," the mohrg said, "a frightful thing to behold."
The woman's opal eyes met his gaze without flinching. "I've never seen anything more horrid."
Standing close to the woman, Borran Kiosk found himself aware of her simple beauty. Her face was almost triangular, holding the wide-spaced opal eyes and coming down to a firm chin beneath a full-lipped mouth. Even though he was dead and the flesh and most of its natural calls had left him, he found himself drawn to the woman on a level he'd never experienced even while alive.
"Who are you?" he asked again.
"You may call me Allis," she answered.
"May?" Borran Kiosk mocked her with his tone. "You are impudent, child."
"I've seen worse things than you, Borran Kiosk."
Her demeanor was calm and easy. Before he could restrain the anger that burst within him, Borran Kiosk swung a mallet-hard, bony fist that would have broken her skull if it had connected.
The blow never landed. With incredible speed and poise, the woman dodged to one side and said, "You're making a mistake."
Borran Kiosk flailed at her again, but she dodged his next blow with even more ease.
"You're wasting time," Allis said. "Even with your power, do you think you can stand against a watch wizard? Surely after your demonstration of power one is already on his way."
Borran Kiosk spat his thick, purple tongue at her. She threw herself to one side and the vulgar appendage missed her by inches. Steadying himself, the mohrg lunged for the woman with his tongue again and again. His disbelief grew stronger as she continued to evade his attacks. He prepared another spell then pointed at her. Blurred energy sped from his outstretched hand and her shirt seemed to explode. Strange appendages sprang out of her. She