Chapter 16
The sun didn't shine the next morning. A fresh, thin layer of snow covered the ground, the skies were still white with clouds threatening to drop more. Seth and Arland left the cave early that morning to follow the path back to their horses.
An hour later they rode up to the thousand man guard in front of the castle. More had been stationed in front of the original barricade the day before. When Seth and Arland were about a hundred yards from the guard, they stopped and waited as ten men rode out to them. Seth recognized them by rank. A general, obviously new since Margus had been killed; his second, whom rode at his General's right hand; six corporals and two privates.
“What is your business here?” the general asked.
“My name is Seth, this is my friend, Arland.” Seth leaned forward on the horn of his saddle casually, then said, “I'm here to see my uncle.”
The general's eyes widened, “S-Seth?”
Seth gave him a wide grin and nodded.
The general leaned to one of the corporals and whispered to him. The corporal turned and rode for the castle.
“If you wouldn't mind dismounting,” the general said.
“Of course, Kyle,” Seth said, then swung off of his horse. Arland did the same, then they both slapped the rumps of their horses, sending them back in the direction they'd come.
“You...you know me?” General Kyle asked.
Seth looked up at the general, saying, “Just because I've been gone for ten years doesn't mean I forget a face. I mean, we were once friends. Or did you forget?”
Kyle's mouth seemed unable to close. Seth could see puffs of white coming from his gaping mouth because of the cold. He didn't seem to know what to say. Seth hoped he'd gained a friend with him. He'd hate to have to kill an old friend merely because he'd been misguided.
Kyle cleared his throat and said, “You do know, of course, I'm going to have to bind you.”
“Of course. My uncle still fears me.”
Kyle nodded to his men. Four of them dropped from their horses, then, after taking their weapons, bound Seth and Arland's hands behind their backs.
“Twice in a little more than a week, that's got to be a record hasn't it Arland?” Seth joked.
“For you maybe,” Arland joked back.
Garandol and the others ran down the tunnel the half of a mile it was to the end. His staff lit the way for them. It didn't take them long to get to the end of the passage. When they did, they found a ladder carved into the rock wall.
“I'll go up first,” Broc said.
He climbed up and pushed the wooden door open.
“If there's anyone in the passage, I can't see them. It's too dark,” he whispered down.
“Here,” Jennifer said, then created an orb of light between her hands and sent it up to Broc. It floated up to him as he climbed out of the door in the floor. The orb lit up the passage enough for him to walk up and down it to make sure it was clear. He returned a couple of minutes later.
“It's all clear,” he said, reaching his hand down to help the next one up.
Mark climbed the ladder. Broc helped him up, then Jennifer. The blue/white glow from the orb returned to her hand where she kept it lit. Garandol climbed up next then Karis behind him and finally Sasha.
“Mark, you come with me. Broc and Jennifer go to Serina's room to gather clothes for her change into. Sasha and Karis, go watch the Throne Room, but stay out of sight.”
They split up into the three pairs. Sasha and Karis went with Garandol and Mark to their end of the passage, up the spiral staircase and into another narrow hallway. Garandol went to the door ten yards away and searched behind it with his mind. He didn't sense anyone's presence behind the door, so he opened it and the others followed.
“Seth said his door was the last one on the right. The first one on the left should take you through the Master's Chambers. I will search the room before you open it so there aren't any unexpected surprises.”
Ten yards down, on the left was a door. Garandol searched behind the door with his mind. He held up his hand, telling them to wait as he listened in on the conversation...
“Sire, your nephew has turned himself in.”
“He what?” Arnath asked, surprised.
“He's here with an Elf. Bound and waiting for you in the Throne Room.”
“You're sure they're bound?”
“Yes, sire.”
“Are they also at the point of a blade?”
“Yes, sire.”
“I hope that's enough,” he said.
Garandol heard the fear in his voice. After all of these years, he still feared Seth's strength. He heard the door shut. Every mind that had been in the room was gone. He nodded to the Elves, they returned the nod and went into the chamber.
“Come,” Garandol said.
Mark followed him to the end of the hall. The last door on the right led them into Seth's room. It was empty, as they suspected it would be. They crossed the room to the main double doors to the room. Garandol reached out with his mind for anyone passing by. Two patrolling guards walked past. Garandol cracked the door open, saw they were a safe distance away then led Mark down the hall to the stairway to the Throne Room.
Seth and Arland waited for Arnath to come to the throne room, their hands still bound behind their backs. He entered from a door to the left of the throne, wearing a heavy black robe, what used to be Damien's crown and his fingers adorned with many rings.
Seth glared at his uncle, thinking, How dare he wear my father's crown!
“Nephew!” Arnath said, greeting Seth as if he were pleased to see him.
“Uncle,” Seth said curtly.
“It's been a long time, where have you been?”
“Here and there. Mostly there.”
“Have you really been living in the Blood Mountains all these years?”
Seth nodded, then said, “It's really lovely, especially in the summertime. You should come visit sometime.”
“Hmm. So what brings you here today?”
“The release of my sister.”
Arnath laughed loudly at Seth's demand. Then he stopped, pretending like he thought Seth was joking.
“Oh, you're serious.”
“Don't mock me, Uncle. Release her to me or else.”
“Or else what? You're bound and in my custody.”
Seth continued to glare at his uncle. He hated how much Arnath looked like his father, Damien. The only difference was the goatee and mustache Arnath wore on his face. He wanted to break the ropes around his wrists, strangle his uncle with his bare hands and pluck out the ugly goatee, one hair at a time. But he had to keep his urges under control until the right moment.
Jennifer and Broc entered Serina's room from the secret passage. It was left exactly how she had left it before being put under the enchanted sleep. No one ever entered the room. Cobwebs hung from every corner and doorway, her bed sheets were tossed aside as if she'd just woken up. Ten years of dust blanketed every hard surface.
Jennifer liked Serina just by looking at her room. She was neat and organized, like herself.
Broc crossed to Serina's closet, opened the door then began going through her clothes.
“She'll need something comfortable to travel in, but will also allow her to fight if need be.”
He found something much like what Karis wore. A brown, soft leather shirt and matching skirt. He also grabbed a long, black, wool cloak. With winter upon them, she would need the cloak to keep warm.
“Got it, let's go,” he said, heading for the double doors to the main hallway.
“Wait,” she whispered.
He stopped with his hand inches from the doorknob, then looked back waiting for her cue to go ahead.
Jennifer searched the hall with her mind for any enemies outside. There were two guards coming towards the door. She stretched both hands in front of her then clapped them together. Broc heard the thud of two bodies falling to the floor.
“Okay,” she said. “Go ahead.”
He opened the door to find two soldiers lying next to each other as if their heads had been smashed together. He looked back at Jennifer with a hint of fear in his eyes. All she did was smile then walk past him. She pulled the door open the rest of the way, looked both ways down the hall, then waited for Broc to join her. He looked up and down the hall as well, then led her to the south end where a stone staircase led to the Throne Room. Broc stashed the clothes halfway down the stairs.
“Don't mock me, Uncle. Release her to me or else,” they heard Seth say.
“Or else what? You're bound and in my custody.”
From within the shadows of the stairs Jennifer watched the scene. Seth looked directly at her without turning his head.
I'm here, she said.
So am I, Mark said.
Immediately Seth gave them orders. Mark, go down to the dungeons. Take Broc with you. Jennifer I need you and Garandol to stay here to help me in case Engard shows up.
Mark nodded then disappeared back up the staircase he was on.
Jennifer leaned back towards Broc and whispered, “Take Mark to the dungeons to free Serina.”
Broc turned and went back up the stairs without a sound. Jennifer watched as Arnath went on a rant about how he had finally won. He had Seth and Serina together in one place finally and could kill them both, together. Each spill of laughter made Jennifer's blood boil more and more.
No comments:
Post a Comment