Maybe so, but that doesn’t make what you are doing right.
“That’s just it, isn’t it? I am damn if I do and damned if I don’t. I am cursed and now I am embracing that curse for better or for worse.”
Sarren curled up on a soft plot of long grass near the dying camp fire.
Tessa concentrated and used her death abilities to seek out Sir Danton and Tanyth’s blood feeders. Sure enough, she felt them traveling north from Emlestra. She wondered if she could use her magic to move her small army to the arena to intercept him. Then she got an idea. She made sure Sarren was asleep and then slowly over away from her pallet bedding. It was no small feat to move away from a cat without rousing her. Once she was clear of Sarren and the others, she made a plea to Marlee.
“Marlee, I hear you watch us sometimes through a magical lens. If you are somehow watching me now, I need to warn you there is an army of blood feeders I technically created but do not control heading for you and the arena. He intends to take you hostage in order to force your sister into making a poison. If you can hear me, take precautions. Your sister is also on the way there to help you. I am bringing my own force to thwart this other bunch of blood feeders. I don’t know how this all works, but I hope you can hear me.” She waited for a few minutes to see if there might be some kind of sign and then made her way back to camp.
When night fell, Thessa used her death magic and found another tavern full of undesirable people. She turned them all. She didn’t try to find more. Instead, she joined the two forces together and marched toward the arena. Her senses told her that Tanyth was closing in, so she had to leave now in order to intercept him on time. She also knew that Sarren was probably right about the city civic leaders missing their citizens, but she had to hope she was right and they would turn a blind eye to her doings in order to take credit for getting rid of the criminals. She could not afford to feel bad or guilty about it now. She had to push on because the world as she knew it was at stake. She also owed Gaelyn the chance to return to normal, even if their relationship was over before it really got started. She looked at the rising sun. “Where are you, mother?”
The way to the arena was basically due west from the city of Ironhold, and Thessa drove her force as fast as they could go, which was actually painfully slow. She was exhausted by the time the first day had ended. After they had left the forest and entered into the grasslands, the trees became few and far between so they had to stop for the night out in the open, underneath the stars. The second day was just as slow. Each night she kept looking with her magic to see how far Danton and Tanyth had gotten. Thankfully, they also moved slowly.
On the third day, her force had made a little better progress until the roots came. Large treelike roots came from underneath the ground and Thessa knew they had to be magical because there was only grass as far as she could see, with mesquite tress dotting the landscape here and there. The Green Mage had found them. When they were all halted by the roots, Thessa saw Teoni walking over a small hill ahead. She moved deliberately, and Thessa knew she planned to stop them permanently. She had no idea the real threat to her sister was moving up from the south.
“Thessa,” Teoni began, “Turn back and I will let you all go.” She raised a line of roots about waste high to both sides.
Thessa used her magic and freed she of the men in the front then she moved into a position where Teoni could hear her clearly, “Get out of the way, Green Mage” She didn’t wait for the reply but instead sent her freed men ahead toward Teoni’s lines.
“Don’t do this, Thessa. Don’t take any more steps toward the arena.”
“You fool! You have been listening to the wrong people. I am trying to do what is right! I am trying to stop the real force that’s trying to capture your sister.”
“No, I have found you with a small army moving directly west. It’s you who are bringing an army of blood feeders to destroy the arena. That’s all I need to know.”
“Whoever told you that was sent by Cassany to deceive you. I am here to help.”
“I see how you are trying to help. You have created blood feeders? When did you decide you were a killer?”
“I will not be lectured by you. You know it is a matter of life and death.”
“I guess that’s what we are, Thessa. I’m life and you are death.” She commanded the ground roots to stop the men running toward her while keeping the larger roots near her at bay. She rooted the men running toward her to the ground again.
Chapter 24: White Mage
“Well, this is not about to end well.” Fia said as she made her way between the two rivals.
“What are you doing here, Fia?” Thessa asked.
“I followed you. I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t leave things the way they were between us.”
“You betrayed my trust and friendship with what you did, and I don’t think I can get over it so soon.”
“I know and I want to make it up to you.”
Teoni cleared her throat, “I think this is all a bit uncomfortable.”
“Just a moment,
