Entangled web of destruc.., p.16
Entangled Web of Destruction, page 16
“I am just passing through with a friend.”
“Leaving you at the stables seems a bit rude, don’t you think? I am Jack,” he says, reaching out for her hand.
“Cora,” she says, returning a smile. “Do you always mutter to yourself?”
“Oh, you saw that. It’s been a long morning, and my sidekick didn’t show up, but I will deal with him later.” He smirks. “What friend are you waiting for?”
“Ummm.”
“It’s okay, you don’t need to explain why you are here or who you are with. I was making conversation before I get back to work.”
“It’s Kyle,” she whispers, hoping that Jack is a friend and not someone she needs to worry about.
“He is here?” Jack meets her tone, getting closer. “I can’t believe that the reports of him running off with a girl are true, not that he doesn’t like girls or anything. However, he has been confined to the castle grounds by the queen regent. Of course, you already know all of this.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“I can’t wait to tell Pugh.” Jack waves for her to follow him as he continues to talk. “The unruly prince of Splintered Vale is what we call him, not out of disrespect or anything, but his defiance of not wanting to follow the rules and be adventurous.”
Cora listens to Jack talk about their adventures together and how much trouble the three of them have gotten into over the years. The town is quiet and smaller than her township, which she never knew could be possible. A woman at a shop waves and continues sweeping off the steps. The aroma of something sweet circles around the square as they pass a small inn, her mouth starts to water, and her stomach rumbles loudly.
“Lord Mitchell, have you seen Pugh?”
“He was fishing earlier when I saw him.”
“Of course, he was,” he complains softly. “Thank you, Uncle!”
“Pugh is your sidekick, I presume?”
“Yeah. He is more of a rebel than the prince.” He laughs. “We should find them both at that small shack at the end of the town by the large oak.”
They continue to walk to the edge of town, where streams race down the mountain terrain into a small pond. The closer they get, the more questions she has about Kyle, but she will save those for another time. Several of the townspeople have waved or called out to Jack during their journey, which is warming, but also concerning Cora. The more people who see her, the more danger she could be in.
Jack cheers, “I can’t believe you are here, friend. I mean, you have this festival coming up to meet all the available ladies, yet you have fled the city.”
“Good to see you, Jack.” They shake hands. “Pugh, this is Cora.”
Cora waves softly.
“Jack, he wants us to help Cora reach the Hidden City, but there is a catch.” Pugh drills a large stick onto the ground. “Are you in?”
“You said there was a problem but forgot to mention that for a reason?” Jack complains.
Kyle replies, “My uncle is involved.”
“That does present a problem,” confirms Jack. “What is the connection with Cora?” His eyes dart from Kyle to Cora as he waits for someone to answer him, but no one does. “Pugh, did he tell you the connection?”
Cora explains, “It doesn’t really matter, but my parents are the sorceress and warlock.”
“I beg to differ; that is information we should all know, right, Pugh?” Jack says.
Pugh shrugs his shoulders.
“Kyle, I am sure you have made even more enemies for leaving court today. I will help you escort her to the Hidden City, but as your friend, I ask you don’t keep anything else from Pugh and me.”
“Deal. Can we get something to eat before we leave?”
“That sounds like a great plan,” confirms Cora. “I’m starving.”
“Pugh, can you show them the café? I need to gather supplies and get the horses for our trip. We can all meet at the barn shortly after the church bells ring.”
“I will grab you some grub, cousin.”
37
Cora
Clifford Point
Jack sees a group of Richard’s scouts several yards from town and alerts everyone they must leave without hesitation. They have little time to grab supplies, and their only hope is their journey will not be as long as they expect.
Pugh leads the party to the steep cliffs, which are dangerous and were previously carved out by early settlers, but they’re hardly traveled anymore.
“We have about ten miles through a narrow trail before we reach the top. I would suggest not looking back as we climb, or you may lose your balance,” says Pugh.
The soft ground wraps around their footwear as they climb the path with their horses trailing behind them. Kyle steps too much to his left, causing some rubble of dirt to slide down the embankment. He steps back from the edge, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. A light rain escapes the sky.
“We need to hurry, before the soil turns into mush,” warns Jack.
Cora feel her heart rapidly beating at the image of Kyle falling, even though he is safe.
“Are you okay?” she whispers.
“Nothing like a scare to get you moving faster,” he jokes.
After they reach the top, Jack lies on the ground waiting for everyone else.
Cora sits on a rock as the others talk and catch up. The land is beautiful from this elevation; she can see the towers of Splintered Vale in the distance, and the Forbidden Forest seems endless. The wind brushes back her hair, bringing with it light rain and coolness to the area. A commotion refocuses her attention.
“Take it back.” Kyle pushes Jack.
“No! You are a fool to think otherwise.”
Pugh interjects, “What are you two bickering about?”
“Not your problem,” Kyle warns. “This is between old friends who have not spoken in a long time. Besides, don’t you have duties to attend to?”
“Including you, so whatever it is, get over it and find the supplies we need.”
Jack warns, “We have company heading our way fast. We need to get out of sight!”
Pugh shoos the horses into the shadows as the others hide behind boulders, and he takes cover in the tree line.
A large group of citizen soldiers arrives in the clearing.
“You can’t hide forever, Lady Coralynn. Your parents are safe at Broken Rest and eager to reconnect with you,” a lieutenant shouts.
“What are you doing?” snaps the general. “We have strict orders not to threaten the girl.”
“No threats, but more of a promise. Besides, maybe we will get lucky, and she will turn herself in.”
“Let’s ride,” the general orders.
Cora pulls her knees to her chest, crying as the others argue again.
“This is getting more dangerous than I anticipated, Kyle. We are outnumbered, and I don’t know if we are going to make it,” Pugh says.
Jack confides, “I ran into a traitor years ago who alleged the warlock had a powerful weapon that would destroy Splintered Vale, but I brushed it off, since he was drunk. Do you realize we could be in possession of that weapon?”
“You can stop talking about me as if I am not here. The warlock indeed wants to control me, but that will not happen. I may appear weak, as I did a moment ago, not me. My parents mean everything, and if either Richard or the warlock harms them, I will take revenge.”
“You can’t take revenge without being strong enough to fight.”
“You don’t need to remind me. Since neither of you has asked, I can wield arcane magic, but my aunt placed a damping spell on me, until I find my true love, just like a fairytale. My powers have been gaining strength over the past few years, but they are still unpredictable.”
“You conjured a forceful wind, casting me and several scouts out of the way.”
“Oh, I am sorry,” she says, giving him a faint smile. “That was a little unexpected.”
“Tell me what you need us to do,” says Jack.
“I would like your help navigating a safe passage to the Wavering Mountains, if you are still up to it. If not, I understand, and there will be no hard feelings.”
“When do you think Charnell and the royal army will arrive?” Pugh asks.
“The plan was to meet Charnell at Orchard Ridge, but we had to take a detour when we were ambushed. It may take a while for him to figure out where we are, since it’s too dangerous to send a carrier.”
THE LANDSCAPE WHIZZES BY as they travel further away from Clifford Point. It’s unclear how long it will take to arrive at the Hidden City, especially since the scouts are not going to give up that easily and have only been delayed momentarily. The party gallops through the brushland, unaware their travels are leading them into a territory of untraveled paths. The horses squeal as sharp thorns of the thicket scrape against their legs.
Kyle quickly cuts away vines that get tangled in his saddle.
They enter a grove of trees, and the fallen branches crumble under the horse’s hooves.
An unexpected premonition casts doubt on Cora, warning her they are traveling in the wrong direction, but she tells herself it’s anxiety and there is nothing to worry about.
Moments later, a voice interrupts her thoughts, cautioning her she can’t trust anyone, even the party she is with, and going on the mission solo is the best option. She refocuses on the path before her, her hands sweaty against the leather, and her eyes blurry from perspiration racing down her forehead.
In the distance, she sees a unicorn nickering for her attention. Before she realizes it, she has traveled out of line. She moves closer to the unicorn, more cautiously as she closes in, and the creature does not budge but watches her with curiosity. She reaches out to pet the beast, but it pulls away, running.
Kyle yells, “What are you doing?”
She quickly picks up her pace, jumping over a small creek, almost losing her footing, and keeps moving forward in the direction the creature went. She enters an unsteady land, which is lined with stones, crevices, and slopes. Her cloak rips on the rocky ground, causing her to stumble into a tree, and the needlelike bark scrapes her shoulders. She quickly grabs the laceration, groaning in pain as Kyle catches up with her.
“Did you see it?”
“There is nothing. Taking off puts everyone in danger. What were you thinking?”
Gritting her teeth, she looks over at the cousins and back at Kyle.
“I did not imagine the unicorn or the voices warned me not to travel to the caves or tell me not to trust any of you, but here we are.”
Pugh interrupts, “Check out the mage’s cabin. Do you think the rumors of her existence are true?”
“Time will tell, since darkness will be here soon and we need shelter,” Jack says.
The smoke billows out of the chimney as if someone or something is waiting. The small home is nestled between a grove of trees and is allegedly the residence of an old mage who was cursed to live in solitude. A shadow is observed in the window, but it vanishes quickly, and the smoke starts to diminish.
38
Kyle
Mage Home
The smell of a decomposing animal lingers as Kyle steps onto the shaky porch, and he crinkles his nose at the stench. The door creaks as it swings inward, revealing the darkness. Little light filters in from the door and a small window in the corner of the home, where they had observed a shadow standing earlier. In the low beams, furniture sits throughout the room, casting shadows.
Pugh lights a torch, handing it to Kyle as Jack and Cora stay with the horses.
The one-room cabin has no evidence of anyone or anything being inside the building for a long time. There is dust covering every surface of the room, and large, thick cobwebs hang from the corners of the ceiling. Dried herbs hang on the fireplace mantel, accompanied by dusty jars filled with an unknown liquid. A few daggers lay on the table.
“It’s clear. Let’s secure the horses,” Kyle says.
“Do you think it’s safe for a fire, or would you rather not?”
“I think after sundown would work best, if you are putting on your famous stew.”
“Of course.” He grins.
“Cora, do you have any idea what led you in this direction, other than a magical intervention?” inquires Jack.
“I know you did not see the unicorn, but I am telling you it was real, and I was not imagining things.”
“I was not doubting you,” Jack reassures her. “Let’s get some rest, and Pugh will get dinner going in a few hours.” Jack lies on the floor, using his bag as a pillow.
Cora sits on an old cot, stirring up the dust, and pulls out her blanket. She exhales in frustration as the unsteadiness of the bed shifts on the wooden floor as she lies down.
Pugh lights several candles scattered throughout the area. It’s like they were waiting for someone to find them, all hidden, lost from onlookers, and filled with happiness once found. Flickering, soft flames dance with excitement, bringing the sweet fragrance of lavender throughout.
Kyle allows the calming atmosphere to help elevate some of his fears, but not all.
Pugh whispers, “There is something not right about this place, and I don’t feel safe.
“Earlier, Cora mumbled something about the caves potentially being dangerous, but I brushed it off. Do you think the warlock is trying to intervene?”
“If he knew our location, don’t you think the army would have been here?” Pugh asks.
“Her powers are more or less dormant at the moment, so maybe he can only channel her partially or at specific times.”
“I don’t know.”
Pugh continues to cut up garden vegetables he had packed for the trip.
Kyle rolls his neck to try to alleviate some of the tension, but it doesn’t work. He places his weapon on the table before pulling up another chair to rest his feet. The floorboards creak as Pugh makes his way to the fireplace, gathers up a cooking pot, and returns to the prepping area. Kyle fights the fatigue, focusing on his friend, but the exhaustion is taking over.
A light rain pelts the wood siding, bringing a strong wind that shakes the walls and windows. The horses get restless, neighing and shuffling around the small shelter as thunder rattles somewhere in the distance.
JERKING AWAKE, KYLE REACHES for his sword, but it’s gone.
An old woman sits across from him, hunched over as she leans on the table. Her long, stringy hair hangs in her face, her skin wrinkled, pale, and covered in scars. Her gaze is blank and unnerving, sending chills up his spine.
“Who are you?” Kyle asks.
“You and your friends invaded my home, did you not?”
“My apologies for the intrusion, but we were lost and needed to rest for the night.”
Her long fingers twist against each other as she stretches them. Several boils cover her face, something he had not noticed because her oily hair provided concealment. The clothes she wears are dark, ragged, torn, and dirty.
“You travel a path full of dangerous turmoil, and the high probability of death. One wrong move or decision can place each of you in a situation where one of you may not return home.”
“Are you the one who sent the warnings to Cora?”
“Aww, the one that should not be in this world, an offspring of two powerful beings who have black magic coursing through their blood. The one who could destroy our entire realm, if she chooses the dark side.”
“Why are you here?”
She laughs. “I told you; you invaded my home.”
“You have a motive that you are not sharing with me. Why did you tell Cora we should not travel through the Hermitage Caverns?”
“Journeying through the caves will bring you face-to-face with the apparitions of the past and lost souls unable to cross out of this world. You wear the cross of kings, yet you have not been crowned, and your knowledge of history is lacking. You fear people will not respect you as they did your father or mother. What is your motive for running away from your royal duties?”
He leans closer to her. “I have not fled my royal duties. I was ordered to protect her, and that is what I am doing.”
“Be warned, her powers will intensify as she gets closer to the Hidden City, for she will be able to tap into her ancestors. Her magic will be chaotic, unpredictable, and very dangerous, as you have already witnessed. Take her to the river and allow your uncle’s army to bring her to the warlock for an intervention.”
“I will not betray her.”
“You have been warned, Prince Kyle Nathaniel Ainsworth of Splintered Vale.”
She glides off the chair toward Kyle, who watches her intensely, but she is faster than expected. She pulls out a dagger, going straight for his heart. They struggle, and the chair breaks, with Kyle tumbling to the floor and the mage continuously trying to strike him. He blocks an attack on his face with his arm, the blade slices his skin, and he cries out.
In the midst of the chaos, Pugh yells at him to stop, but he refuses to take his attention away from the mage, who is like a rabid beast. Finally, his mind clears, and he realizes the witch is gone, and Pugh stands over him.
“You’re bleeding,” Pugh says as he reaches for him.
“Don’t touch me. The mage did this, and I don’t know what type of powers she has.”
“That doesn’t sound promising, especially since it’s already infected.” Pugh motions for Kyle to rotate the arm to see the extent of the damage. “I will help clean it off and wrap it until we reach a healer.”
Cora asks, “Is there anything we can find to help treat the infection?”
“If it’s poison, we will need a specialized healer,” Jack warns as he walks onto the porch. “There should be one at the Hidden City.” Silence. “We have a problem. The horses are gone,” Jack warns.
“Gone? Are they not grazing somewhere nearby?” Pugh asks.
“I would not have said there was a problem if I knew their location,” snaps Jack. “Why would you even ask that? I mean, it was apparent by what I said that I had no idea where the horses were.”
