Chapter 18

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***

Corinne Tilly.

Damian Blackheart was nothing like the former student of Philippa Eilhart had imagined him to be.

He wasn't a narcissistic, pompous turkey who had gathered people around him solely on account of his mother's name or money. These were incorruptible men, in terms of service to him. Men who respected Blackheart, you could tell.

Corina met a strange group of humans and non-humans in the woods around Ard Carraig. She also went to the outskirts of Kaedwen's capital city looking for ingredients for potions and medicines, as well as just to admire the mighty forests of the land.

Word of mouth, plus an unexpected attack by the Utopians, and they were already working together against the creatures.

Already later, Corina talked to the unspoken leader of this group and realised that she had fallen into acquaintance with an interesting company, which is under the hand of Jennyfair of Vengerberg. Though Tilly didn't quite understand why the illustrious sorceress would want this group of mercenaries that only nominally belonged to her son. But the oneiromancer wanted to know, and besides, as she had learnt, they were not in Caedwen for long and were going to visit many places.

So she offered them her help and wanted to join the squad for a while.

The first change in her opinion came after she met with Yennyfair, who had little interest in her joining the squad. Which surprised and hurt Tilly a little.

Then she met Marti Sodergren, with whom they had studied together and graduated together. Only they ended up having different practices and teachers. But they both stayed on good terms, and were genuinely happy to meet. Besides, she had learnt a lot of interesting things about her "commander" from her. Which confused and bewildered Tilly.

But on the evening of the same day, she met Damian Blackheart and his trio of friends who had arrived, joined by the Rubyle trio from Crinfield.

She could see from his squad and the attitude of this group that racism and discrimination of any kind was not favoured here. The main thing was not to interfere with other people's lives or the common cause. So sleep with whoever you want, eat whatever you want, be of any race or ethnicity, worship gods, follow traditions, but again, that all this does not go beyond the general discipline of the squad.

You don't see that much of that anywhere. This pleasantly surprised and interested Korina.

And then it was her turn to talk, and they were alone.

They were in his chambers then, Damian sitting on the windowsill and performing magical manipulations with his dagger. Tilly didn't recognise all of them, only realising that he was putting extra Runes on the dagger.

Damian himself was very handsome, with his mother's violet eyes, shoulder-length blond hair (rumoured to have been inherited from his father) that was gathered in a ponytail at the back of his head, and golden-coloured skin. His facial features were both sweet and masculine. Not a single obvious scar or deformity, taller than Corinne, with well-developed muscles. And he was dressed quite well, though not in very expensive clothes of dark and white colours like his mother, but with flecks of yellow elements, but not gold. When Tilly looked more closely, she realised that it was not the patterns of the clothes, but some strange writing of a magical nature. The essence of which she did not know. But they were clearly not from the North, nor from Nilfgaard, which confused and confounded her even more.

- Am I beautiful? - Korina was brought out of her thoughts by the young man's mocking voice.

- What?

- You, Corina, have been staring at me for a minute or two. - Blackheart didn't take his eyes off his dagger, which he was finishing his work with. - I fear for my honour. I'm tempted to call for help.

- Hmm. I don't need help for that. - Tilly smiled at the joke. - But that's only if I wanted you, Blackheart.

- Everyone wants me, they just don't admit it. - He shrugged and put his dagger back into its sheath.

Then he looked at her for the second time during their retreat. That's where it hit her. She didn't know why, but goosebumps ran through her body and she began to sweat. The eyes of a predator stared back at her. The last time she'd felt that way was when she'd looked into de Vrieux's angry eyes, when she'd pranked and got on the nerves of the oldest sorceress in the world. Eilhart's situation was a little different, and it had more to do with boys and harassment.

But the point was that she now perceived Blackheart as more of a threat than many other individuals, even his mother.

Suddenly that pressure stopped, Tilly was already looking into eyes that shone with kindness and understanding.

- But let's not talk about what you'll see later. - said Blackheart smugly, examining her in detail. - You are already familiar with the rules of our squadron, someone told you about them, right?

- Yes, Skellie Bella, Marty and your mother.

- Good. As far as pay goes, it's standard, just like any other squad. A certain fee to the magician, plus a bonus and a percentage of any deals you help make or participate in. So it's up to you. Besides, we often hunt different monsters, so you will have plenty of ingredients. If there are any difficulties, you can tell me or your mum. If we won't be available, then Kirk, Iskra or Bella and Borchis can be at your disposal, they will strain our guys for a good deed. You'll have plenty of free time, so you don't have to worry about your personal business and research. Your duties, as far as I can tell, will be limited to oneiromancy, and, I think, medicine. You've never been in combat, I take it? - she shook her head in the negative. - I see. I'm not afraid. It's not required. What spells you have, I'll find out later, it doesn't matter. We've pretty much established the main point.

- How do you know I'm an Oneiromancer? - Tilly wondered.

He looked at her like a fool, but answered.

- I've been in contact for a while and even lived in Eilhart's house, so I know a lot about her students. And there aren't that many oneiromancers out there. Plus don't forget about magical sight. - Corina mentally slapped herself. Well, Jennyfair's son can't forget that. - So it's obvious.

- I was quick to join your squad.

- Just make sure you don't get out of it just as quickly. Remember the rules.

- I don't break the rules and I don't pry into anyone's soul. - snorted the sorceress.

- That's good. If that's all, I'll ask you to leave me alone. I've had a hard day, and tomorrow we're going to move to the place of our contract, as I think you know.

- I know. Good night. - Corinne nodded and headed for the exit, but on her way out she remembered something she had forgotten to ask at first. - Listen, does your squad even have a name?

- Sure..." he smiled oddly. - "We're the Sith!

"Sith?! What does that mean? - The Oneiromancer was mentally surprised, but said nothing, "It's not a reference to one of the elven nations. Though given that he's tolerant of all races, it's possible that's the case"

The next morning Corinna Tilly had to wake up earlier than usual, thanks to Marti for unceremoniously getting her up at the crack of dawn. And with her help, she quickly got up and packed her things. And then they were all off through the portals to Gorse Velen, but without the extra stuff and animals, which they left in the care of one old Sith knight and half a dozen of the youngsters who had performed poorly compared to the other Sith. So they would take care of getting all this good stuff the usual way to Vengerberg, along with a small delegation from King Demavend's homecoming.

At Gorse Velen they had already assembled, met the banker and his men who would help guard the valuable cargo and the five ships. A few hours later, they were already loading on the ships.

Damian took over the entire defence strategy and command of Gjokardi's men and his own, having six and a half dozen men on hand, not counting the crews of the ships with the merchants. Though not particularly liked by the captains, they obeyed Blackheart rather quickly. It was quite possible that he used compulsion on them, but Corinne didn't care about that.

After lunch, they departed from Gorse Velen.

The island of Thanedd, where she had spent her youth, could be seen in the distance, and soon it disappeared over the horizon.

The first day of sailing was fairly easy and unremarkable, they didn't even encounter at least one ship along the way.

The situation changed on their second day at sea. They sailed in a single column during the day, and at night they formed themselves into the semblance of a square. There was one ship in the centre, to which four others were attached in the direction of north-east, north-west, south-west and south-east by powerful ropes, but besides them the young sorceress noticed magic markings that Blackheart had placed on them.

She was also a little surprised by Damian's command to divide his men into two ships and send five of his own to train and command the banker's men on the third. The second ship was where she shared her quarters with Marty. Blackheart's men were commanded by two women, Iskra and Bella, who were friends. The first, which was in the centre, contained Jennyfair and Damian. The third had a trio of other elves and Rubyle of Crinfield, who were in charge of training and commanding the humans, though Corinne understood that the one-eyed elf called Yorveth was more in charge there.

As it was said, the second day was already more understandable to her with the concerns of the crew and meeting other ships of honour and other ships under different flags of familiar and unfamiliar countries, though she was friendly with geography.

On the third day of the voyage, they should have already crossed the proximity to the Cydarian lands, and on the fifth day they arrived at Cintra by evening.

But on the second night of the voyage, she awoke from a terrible dream. A prophetic dream, which she immediately decided to report to her commander.

As soon as she threw on her dressing gown, Jennyfair came out of the portal and woke Marty, who was asleep after a good fuck with the ship's captain the night before.

- You got up because you dreamed about the future? - The sorceress smiled with just the edge of her lips. - That's good. We're under attack.

- How did Damian know?! - A note of surprise came from Marty, who was struggling to get out of bed.

- Corina is not the only one who can see the future in dreams, and my son has a very well-developed sixth sense.

- What do we do? - Tillie's all geared up in a flash.

- Prepare to help the wounded and be ready to fend off magical attacks just in case. There won't be many mages, if any. It's all about getting the team out of obsession or sleep, that's all. Leave the rest to the fighters and my son.

And then she disappeared from their room just as she had appeared.

In less than a minute they were dressed in simple suits, ran out of the cabin and upstairs, where the work of defending the ship was already going on, but everything was quiet, they did not make too much noise.

Spark was frowning and angry, tossing from side to side and cursing the yet unknown enemy. She clearly wanted to sleep...

- If I get my hands on them, I don't know what I'll do with them. - The elf mumbled in Elder Speech.

- I spotted them. There are... six ships. - Marty said. - Corinne, you look.

- Yeah. Six.

- Six? Hmm. How many people?

- On all six... over two hundred. - added the Oneiromancer, who had calculated the approximate quantitative signature of living beings on them.

- I see." Bella grinned, polishing her sword. - My sword will drink a lot of blood tonight.

- What if... are these your tribesmen? - The Oneiromancer asked cautiously.

- Hmm. So? Are we Skellijans that we don't spill each other's blood from time to time? Besides, my Jarl is Damian, my only relatives are in the same squad with me, and there are strangers, albeit of the same faith and homeland as me. The rest doesn't matter. - Bella dismissed the matter and went on with her work.

Tilly was hurt that she had learnt about the threat later than the others. It hurt her professionally.

Marty ran downstairs to prepare a place for the wounded.

A portal opened on the deck and out stepped Blackheart in his black armour, behind him his mother, both berserkers, Kirk and half a dozen other fighters.

- They're coming in from the southeast. - Damian reported without looking at her and walked to the edge of the board. - All six ships are Skellijans, I believe. - And began to stare into the midnight darkness. Soon his eyes lit up. - Hmm. Indeed, Bella, they are your countrymen.

- Whatever. - she and her brother said in unison, causing the third Skellijan to laugh.

He stared into the darkness for a while while the men prepared their bows and crossbows for battle, and then spoke loudly with magic so that he could be heard.

- Who are you and why are you following us? - Blackheart's voice was non-threatening and good-natured, but the blond drew both of his swords. One was clearly of Mahakam workmanship, with Runes and a mana reservoir in the sword's tip, and the other, judging by the writing, was from Nilfgaard. - Are you aware that these ships are under the protection of my squad and myself? I am Damian Blackheart, and my squad are the glorious Sith. You shouldn't make people nervous with such nighttime activities. It could end badly for you.

An immediate response followed:

- How dare you pathetic land rat tell me Jarl Harold Thordarroch of Undvik what to do? Surrender your ships and I will forgive your insolence and let you all live. I give you my word. We'll only take the valuables and the women, and you prisoners can be ransomed. I don't make such offers to many men. Take Damian of Yennyfair. Ha-ha-ha-ha.

- I guess they've heard a little about you after all. - Kirk smirked.

- Apparently not heard enough. - Blackheart gritted his teeth and shone the light from his eyes. - Since he said that to me.

- Don't lose your head. - Jennyfair warned him.

- Don't worry Mum, I'm not going to lose my head tonight. However..." he turned to them and smiled wickedly. - ... today I guarantee that heads will fly like leaves in the wind.

The Skellijans shouted something obscene in the direction of the ship's defenders.

At that moment, Spark brought up some oblong object, which she set on fire after which ten projectiles that resembled white-coloured fireworks flew out of it one after another. They lit up a decent portion of the water surface and completely exposed the six ships to the amazement of the sea wolves.

Damian who until this moment had been standing motionless with his eyes closed.

- They have one mage, on the same board as this Harold. This ship is the first one in the centre. - Then he opened his eyes and whistled.

A mighty figure of a chimera in the form of a wolf as black as the night itself flew onto the deck, scaring half of the crew that was ready for a night fight.

Immediately, Damian's men placed a crate of jars next to him.

- Careful with those! - Damian grimaced. - Such cargo must be handled with care.

Taking out his dagger that he had enchanted two days ago and opening a portal, Damian threw the dagger into it.

This portal led to one of the side ships and immediately closed.

Spark lit a common wick to all the jugs and stepped away from it.

- Are you going to launch them? - Kirk grimaced and moved away from those jugs.

Tilly didn't understand what was going on, but she knew something important and dangerous was going on.

Damian waved his hands and in a golden glow the box disappeared and in its place appeared the same dagger that glowed with the same golden glow.

The outermost of the islanders' drakkars exploded, covering itself and the water ten metres in diameter around with a green wild flame that lit up as well as a dozen "fireworks" that had not yet fallen into the sea.

- Beautiful. - Blackheart said. - I would have admired it forever. But, alas, the battle is urgent. Osmund, Baldur, prepare to enter your extremely sweet and kindly state. You and Kirk and the Red Men, and under cover of Bella and her half-dozen rubes, will dance on the left flank.

The Oneiromancer, only now realising that the two were berserkers, saw them begin to enter a state that frightened her.

Damian opened a portal, and they fell into it, followed by the berserkers, who with foaming mouths and burning eyes rushed in.

- The rest of you, hold your shields and fire at the freaks. Night, my dear, you and I are going to go out and taste the lovely blood of the Skellijans. - He stroked his pet, pleased with these words and opened the portal for himself.

He found himself on the same ship where the only mage and the Jarl were.

At the same moment he heard the sound of screaming, metallic clanking and flashes of fire, lightning and shouts of magic spells.

And Tilly's eyesight, which was pretty good thanks to magic, allowed her to see everything that was going on there.

Though Blackheart's movements were fast and blurred, but still she understood and realised that this man alone, supported by just one chimerical creature in the form of a huge wolf that clashed with the ship's berserker, was massacring the sea wolves and the mage that was fighting the son of Yennifair.

The two ships neighbouring the jarl's drakkar rushed to his aid.

- Will you not help him? - Corina asked the dark-haired sorceress who was casting a spell.

- The Jarl can't be helped. - With a smile through sweat and tension, Jennyfair answered and finished forming the spell.

A long light blue snake emerged from the circle of the spell. Which flew towards one of the two drakkars coming towards them.

Once the snake reached him, the fate of the sea wolves was sealed. The scream was not drowned out even in the flames that tormented the wood of the drakkar.

Well, the last drakkar kept coming.

Jennyfair grasped Corina's shoulder, all pale.

- Let's go inside. - she said. - It's not our concern from here. They can do it themselves. Prepare... help... better help Marty prepare the infirmary for the wounded. You've got a lot of work to do today. And I'll... heh, get some rest.

As Tilly led Jennyfer down, she caught a glimpse of the younger Elemental Genius on that Jarl's drakkar. The Fire Spirit that was raging there, but he was definitely attacking Blackheart.

For some reason, Tilly was worried about the young warlock, though she thought he would do well. She hoped he would.

Next thing she knew, Tilly was no longer on the upper deck, hearing the noise of battle and all the horrors that accompanied it.

It was getting light!

Corina and Marty were receiving wounded, but not as many as she had hoped. Only a dozen and a half, plus another dozen sailors who had taken part in the battle from their ship. No cripples, thankfully. Though there were some badly wounded. They had learnt from Jennyfair, who had come to them, that they had four dead on their side. The only two knights in their squad, and two redcoats. Plus seven sailors who had also gone over the edge.

But they won!

When Corinna stepped out onto the deck, she saw Blackheart's men happy, though battle-weary, and himself with his mother behind him, nursing his wounds.

He was naked to the waist and flaunting his new wounds and the blood he was covered with from head to toe, while he stroked lovingly and tenderly his sword, which had changed.

That sword of Mahakam's work was now glowing red, or rather its Runes, and the crystal that was meant to store mana was now glowing not with a light white, but with a blood red light and hiding something in it.

Looking at it with her magical vision, Tilly realised that Blackheart had not only managed to defeat the enemy mage, but had even managed to intercept the control of the fire spirit and imprison it in this storage device, making a prison for it.

- How are you, Corina? - He asked her caringly. - You look pale.

- And you're sickly red... Was it hot? - The oneiromancer said with a smile, despite her disgust at the amount of blood and corpses that had been torn apart.

The team laughed merrily, as did Blackheart, who appreciated her sense of humour.

- You're a funny girl. There's humour, so you're all right. Baldur here is rampaging and doesn't want to be cured, or rather didn't want to go downstairs. Can you fix him?

- Sure. - She nodded and went to the already lying and tired Skellijan, who was still conscious and joking.

At the same moment Night jumped onto the deck with a man in her teeth.

She walked up to her master and right in front of him dropped the carcass of the one she held in her teeth.

- Ar-r-r-r-r-r-r! Kha-kha! - he coughed.

- Jarl Harold. - Blackheart grinned contentedly. - It is good to see you in good health. - The words made everyone laugh with even more vigour.

Corinna Tilly continued to treat the big man, but listened carefully to their conversation.

- Bitch's udder! I wish you were dead, bitch! - and was immediately kicked in the teeth by Sparky.

- Sparky, my dear, you shouldn't interrupt a man when he's trying to convey important information to me. It's indecent. - Damian jokingly chastised her.

- I apologise. I was just so eager to test the strength of the Earl's jaw. - She "apologised" immediately.

- It's a lousy jaw, if it couldn't even bite off what he had to offer, let alone chew it. - quipped Kirk, who was rewinding his arm. - How many were there? Three hundred? Not enough for our fifty. I'm not kidding. We're Sith! And Damian Blackheart is with us!

- Blackheart! Blackheart! Blackheart.

- Long live Blackheart!

- Bloody Blackheart!

His men chanted his name as he oozed joy and anticipation.

He stopped them only when Jennyfair had finished his treatment and sat down, not far away, with her foot on his leg and her hand propped on it, on which she had already rested her head, watching the unfolding scene with interest.

- Jarl Harold. You are an idiot and a deaf fool for daring to attack me after I announced that this cargo was under the protection of me and my men. It was a foolishness that you and your men along with you paid for. But if you think that's the end of it, you are sorely mistaken.

- What do you want? - spat the defeated Earl.

- Compensation. For yourself and your troop. Half a million to each side. That's the amount your clan must pay for one year from now on.

At this all his men fell silent and looked at their leader with mute astonishment. Yennyfeather just smiled and covered her eyes.

- W-what?! What the hell are you talking about? We Skellige Islanders have never paid tribute to anyone!

- Pay me. - Damian kicked him. - But it's not tribute, it's more like compensation, like I said. For material, human and moral damage. Plus lost time for a lot of things. And an important lecture in your life.

- What fucking lecture? - the Jarl was outraged.

- "The basics of life of large predators on sea and land under the conditions of modernisation and integration of the world in the New Age!" - Blackheart explained to him with a stone-serious face. - Of course, not everyone had heard her yet. But they will. As people far away and not so rich, I've even decided to give you a discount, so instead of a million for me and my men, I've halved the price.

- You're lucky. - Spark died. - Damian is very kind and sensitive to his neighbours.

The astonished Earl didn't know what to say to all this.

But Damian did not lose his initiative and continued to speak:

- Taking into account the destroyed ships and one on which you will load your dead, whose bodies have been preserved and already loaded, plus one which is allocated for those survivors that you Jarl have left, then it turns out we get two more drakkars as a pledge.

- What?!

- Exactly! - Damian nodded importantly as he continued to mock the Jarl. - This pledge is not enough. So that you don't forget your debt, which you will pay. I will keep it for safekeeping, and at the end of the term I will give you back your other property.

Then again with quick, greased hand movements of his sword he cut off his left arm and leg, and also poked out the left eye of the Jarl, who screamed with pain and humiliation.

- Don't worry. - He smiled good-naturedly at the ten captured Skellijans who were bound and guarded by crossbowmen. - I will not chop you anything. Why should I stab a cow that will bring me plenty of milk? - and again changed the tone of his words. - 'After all, I will get what I and my men are entitled to anyway.

"Where the fuck have I got to? - The oneiromancer's mind was spinning. -Who is he and what does he hope for, putting on such a show? Is he not afraid of death or the gods at all! "