Read Online Demon Lord by T C Southwell - Free Book Online Page B

careworn
face framed by plaited black hair as she rubbed her wrists. He wore
a motley collection of dull clothes under a suit of rusted chain
mail with a rent in one side. Although short, he was powerfully
built, and the copper bands that encircled his upper arms
proclaimed him to be a member of a fierce warrior tribe from the
far north. He also appeared to be relatively sober, compared to the
others.
    The young soldier who had
brought her protested, "The Lord told me to torture her. He said he
wants to hear her scream."
    "Does he now?" The brown-eyed
soldier looked thoughtful, and turned to Mirra. "My name's Benton,
and I fear we'll have to oblige Bane, or we'll all suffer."
    "I understand, but I do not feel
pain."
    He raised a hand. "No, no, I
wasn't suggesting we hurt you. We respect healers, and they're much
needed in a war. Many men have injuries, and we ask that you heal
them now Bane has let you out of his sight. But if you scream,
he'll believe we're doing as he ordered, you understand?"
    She nodded. "I do, but it is
dishonest, for I will not be truly hurt."
    "We don't want to hurt you, but
if you don't do this he'll punish us."
    "Why does he want to hurt
me?"
    Benton gave a bark of bitter
laughter. "Because he's evil, healer. He's the Demon Lord! He
enjoys seeing others suffer. He loves to kill and torture. You
stand for everything that's pure and good. You, he wants to suffer
more than anyone."
    Mirra shivered and glanced
around at the rough, unshaven faces smeared with dirt and drawn
with fatigue. Most looked like they had once been honest farmers,
their faces weather-beaten, their hands callused from ploughing and
hoeing. They were, she realised, as much Bane's victims as she was,
forced to do his killing for him, or die. Many had probably been
press ganged into service; others joined up rather than be
slaughtered. Most of the humans in Bane's army were mercenaries or
soldiers from other armies, drawn by loot and conquest, but this
group did not appear to be made up of such men. They had picked up
some bad habits, however, judging by their initial rough handling
of her.
    "Then I will do as you ask."
    Benton nodded. "Now, if he asks
how we hurt you, what shall we tell him?"
    "To hurt a healer, you must
inflict pain on another, close by, without allowing the healer to
help them. Healers only feel the pain of others." She shivered
again. "I suffer just from being near him, for he is in pain
constantly."
    "Him? Mord says he has
headaches, nothing more."
    "He does, but there is more to
it than that. He suffers all the time."
    Benton frowned. "Well, you'd
best not tell him his presence hurts you, or he'll use it against
you." He looked around. "Madick, bring that girl in here. Is she
still alive?"
    A soldier went out and came back
carrying a young girl. She hung limp in his arms, unconscious,
burnt and bruised, covered with cuts and scrapes. Mirra tried to go
to her, but Benton restrained her.
    "No, you can't help her. If Bane
comes to see why you're screaming, we'll use her, so leave her
be."
    Mirra yearned to help the child,
unable to tear her eyes away, and Benton jerked his head at the
other man. The soldier took the girl out again, and Mirra slumped.
Benton led her to a window.
    "Now healer, scream."
    Mirra's first attempts were not
convincing. She felt foolish and dishonest, and her screams were
more like fluting cries. The men shouted encouragement, and she
shrieked louder. Soon the soldiers roared and Mirra screamed at the
top of her lungs, terrible, agonised sounds. Benton grinned,
patting her shoulder.
    "That should be music to his
ears."
    Mirra coincided her screams with
the men's roars, until she grew tired of it. Then she healed the
wounded, whose injuries were only cuts and sprains gained in
battle. A man was despatched to find more wounded, and Mirra eyed
the spread of raided food on the table.
    Benton noticed her hungry look
and gestured to the food. "Eat all you want."
    Mirra shook her head. "I