The Anvil's Mark by D.K. Holmberg

Author:D.K. Holmberg [Holmberg, D.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

We bound the woman in Talina’s previous cell. If she did have some innate magical ability, I wanted to be careful with her, though I didn’t really expect that she did. Still, the mere possibility that she might find a way to escape was enough to make me ensure that she couldn’t break free while we were trying to get answers.

We didn’t have chains, but the chains had only been a secondary aspect of the protections for Talina. The cell itself had been the primary counter to anything that Talina might have been able to do. As far as I knew, the chains, and the fabrication marks worked into the metal, had only been assisting in keeping her incarcerated.

I still wondered how she had managed to escape. That was going to be a question, and a problem, for another time, but it was most definitely a problem.

“What if she doesn’t talk?” Asi asked.

“She’ll talk.”

“She’s got a knife wound to the shoulder.”

“That was me.”

“I realize that,” Asi said, shooting me a hard look. “But what if she chooses not to talk because she’s injured? What if she can’t? What if you severed⁠—”

“It’s to her right shoulder, which won’t be in her heart. I might’ve punctured a lung, but given the way that she’s breathing, I doubt it. If I had, she would’ve been gasping for breath, and would not have been able to sit here so comfortably. In fact, considering the way that she is resting, I would argue that she’s awake and just feigning unconsciousness.”

Asi frowned and turned to the woman before heading over to her and nudging her. “Is that right? Are you awake?”

The woman didn’t react.

“Seems like she’s not,” Asi said.

“Watch her.”

“Is she going to use some sort of trick?”

“Maybe. But if she does have any power, she’s going to quickly find that this room mitigates it. There are certain protections here that will ensure that she can’t escape, and that she can’t use whatever devices she might have on her, or in her.”

Asi regarded me with a curious look before turning her attention back to the woman. “You think this is a Daughter of Inkasa?”

“I think it’s possible. Maybe even probable. I haven’t seen any sign of the ink, but I don’t know if that’s just because she hasn’t displayed her particular talents.”

Asi regarded the woman again. Then she brought out her blade, strode over to her, and jammed it into the existing wound.

This was an interesting technique.

The woman reacted. She gasped, immediately opened her eyes, and tried to squirm away.

“I guess you were right,” Asi said, yet she held the woman down. For someone her size, she was incredibly strong. She was also quick, so I wasn’t terribly concerned when the woman tried to swing at her, though she had her arms bound and wouldn’t be able to even reach Asi.

Asi brought her free hand up and chopped the woman on the shoulder, which sagged as if she had shattered a bone, or maybe just incapacitated some nerve there.

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