Entangled web of destruc.., p.17
Entangled Web of Destruction, page 17
Jack clenches his fist as he walks closer to Pugh.
“Don’t get grumpy with me, cousin. I was asking a question to see, if you maybe forgot to check somewhere.”
Cora intervenes, “Both of you, stop. We have Kyle, who may have been poisoned, and there are no horses. We need out of here before the mage decides to take care of all of us.”
“We are going to need to travel on foot to the caverns,” Kyle says.
He didn’t want to reveal what the mage said about the cave, hoping that she was wrong, but something tells him she was not lying, and he doesn’t know how to process all the information. There can always be a hidden agenda, but staying in the open to reach the river will expose their location to his uncle’s army, and he can’t take that chance.
39
Constantina
Splintered Vale
The queen consort meets with a small audience to receive updates about the search for her son. She has been struggling with sleeping and eating since his disappearance. Kayleen is forbidden from leaving the royal suite, which causes some turmoil between them over safety. Especially since, if Kyle does not return, she would ascend the throne in his place.
“Your Majesty, we continue to scour the land, but there are no signs of the prince, and we do not feel that he has been captured by Richard or is in danger. He is a step ahead of us, and all the towns are on high alert to notify us of any signs or word of his whereabouts,” informs Alexander.
“My company retraced the steps to Orchard Ridge, and even the towns on the outskirts have no word to provide,” Charnell informs her. “We did our best to search the Forbidden Forest.”
“He has not vanished. We need more men to search the land. It’s been over a week since his departure. We need to do more to bring him home,” she says.
The door to the hall opens as Lord Mitchell enters. He is out of breath, and sweat is pouring down his face. He is dressed in more relaxing clothes than his typical attire for castle meetings. He nods toward the two knights at the door and makes his way to the table, where he stands waiting for the queen to acknowledge him.
Constantina instructs a butler to bring him water.
“Lord Mitchell of Clifford Point, have you brought any news to us today?”
“Your Majesty, a few days ago, the prince and a girl arrived at my town. They left the area with my son and nephew at their side as Richard’s scouts were closing in. Once we cleared out the intruders, I left instantly to inform you of the news.”
“How was the prince?”
“Tired, but in good spirits. Their goal is to escort the girl to the Hidden City to reconnect with her aunt, High Priestess Aurora Winifred.”
“Alexander, please escort everyone out of this room, except you, the Grandmasters of Arms, Lord Mitchell, and the sorceress.”
He nods.
Constantina waits patiently for the other nobles, lords, and Privy Council to be guided out of the room. She slightly rubs her hands together and projects a faint smile to display her happiness, knowing her son is alive and well, but there is still worry that his uncle continues to search for him and what he will do once he is located.
Alexander returns after ensuring the door is secure.
He nods for her to continue.
“Lord Mitchell, your prompt report is enlightening and appreciated. If my son and the others are traveling to the kingdom in the mountains, do you know the path they will take?”
“It is hard to say, but based on my experience, I would cross the rivers connecting the plains, caverns, and mountains. However, that would expose their location too easily. My family has been exploring the area for years, and both my son and nephew are great hunters. Based on the map,” he says, pulling out a map of The Vale had been drawn on parchment paper many years ago, the edges frayed with pieces crumbling. Everyone gathers around except for Nelia. “You can see that the only paths to the Wavering Mountains are either by sea, through the caverns, or the plains from the cliffs above my town. I don’t foresee the option of sea travel because it would be hard to locate a boat. My best guess is that the party will try to access the mountains from the Hermitage Caverns.”
“The caverns were sealed off many years ago,” Nelia reminds him. “They would likely be trapped inside.”
“I believe there are still entrances or exits located inside, and I have the confidence in my family to ensure that they will not be stuck with no way out,” says Mitchell.
“Alexander, Charnell, what are your thoughts?”
“Based on the information Lord Mitchell has presented, I feel they will attempt to enter the caverns. If does not work, there is a small fishing port located at the sea, but it’s tough to find. I am unsure if they would even know where to look,” Alexander says.
“I agree with both. It has been years, since I was at that port, and at that time, it was tough to find. There were too many bandits, who were not confrontational, but times have changed, so it’s unclear if they would be friendly or not,” Charnell adds.
Charnell and the others continue to review the map.
“Nelia, I have not forgotten that your daughter is traveling with my son. What are your thoughts?”
“I have nothing to add, Your Majesty. I will rely on the guidance of our leaders in this room.”
“Nelia, do you know what city your daughter grew up in?” Charnell asks.
“I do not.”
“Her family traveled to the markets, and she may be worried about her parents. If that is true, we need to send a group here,” he says, pointing to Massifhill. “If I didn’t know the status of my parents, I would look for them at home.”
“Charnell, I had not had a chance to catch up with you since I returned late last night. I have an informant who has reported her parents are imprisoned at Broken Rest.”
“Do we know if they are safe?” asks Nelia.
“There has been no further information. If Your Majesty wishes, I can travel there to demand their release,” Alexander says.
“Give me a minute,” she says as she walks to the window to be alone for a minute.
Kyle is so much like his father, always wanting to do the right thing, and Jonathan would not stand by while an innocent family is being held against their will, especially since there is no reason for their captivity. Shielding her children from the outside world has not provided the protection she had hoped for. There are so many factors to determine how they will travel to Nelia’s homeland, and she doesn’t have enough men to spread them out. That will place the kingdom at risk, if Richard has an ulterior motive.
“Lord Mitchell, I believe my son and your family have a long history, if I recall.”
He nods.
“Charnell, you travel with him to Clifford Point with a group of knights to locate the prince.”
He nods.
“Alexander, please have Niel send a message via carrier to Broken Rest, warning Richard that war will be upon him, if he does not release the family. Refrain from listing anything about the prince or Cora.”
He nods in agreement.
“Nelia, continue to reach out to Aurora.”
Constantina leans against the table. “You are all dismissed.”
After the last person has left the room, she sits down on the steps to the throne and rests her face in her hands. Her instincts tell her that Richard and the warlock are up to something, so she must keep Alexander close to home. She deeply misses her husband and the advice he would give her on this day, as she faces the unknown of what could happen to her family.
40
Kyle
Hermitage Caverns
The party arrives at Hermitage Caverns shortly before dusk, breaking into smaller groups to ensure that they have not been set up to be ambushed. After what seems like an eternity, they regroup and walk toward the entrance as the sun descends behind the mountains. The entry has collapsed on the outside, but after removing some rocks and debris, they can see a small tunnel free of rubble.
Pugh lights a few torches, handing one to Jack, who enters first, and to Kyle, who follows.
The rugged opening scrapes against Kyle’s shoulders as he squeezes inside. The musty smell of the dampness is present, but not too overpowering, as he reaches the narrow corridor. The light from Jack’s torch fades in the distance, as he does not wait for everyone else to enter and goes exploring on his own.
Cora enters next, pulling the supplies from Pugh as he shoves them toward her.
The fluttering of wings disturbs the silence as strangers enter the domain, and the bats leave their roost. It’s unclear what lies ahead of them or where Jack went at this time, but Kyle knows they will catch up with him soon, or at least he hopes so.
The floor is slippery from the runoff, and Cora slips but braces herself on the wall.
They enter a large chamber to see steps leading up to what resembles a monastery, where Jack waits for his friends. At the top, a small gathering area wraps around a fire pit, with a cauldron on each side of the stairs. Four marble columns reach the ceiling, flanking a sealed door. The scene is frozen in time, untouched for years. At least, that is what Kyle presumes.
“Is there a reason that you took off by yourself?” Kyle complains as he tosses Jack’s supplies to him.
“I saw something, but it clearly disappeared, or it was shadows. I have already secured this area, and it’s a good vantage point, unless of course they can stealth in the dark.”
“That is not comforting,” Cora teases.
“I think we need two people per lookout after the incident with the mage. Jack, you and Cora take the first watch, and Pugh and I will take the next one. You need to wake us, if there is a problem.”
Jack gathers a longbow and sword, placing them on a bench with some daggers.
“Cousin, where did you get all of these weapons?”
“There is a room over there with a bunch of armor and gear. I helped myself, seeing that no one here needs them.”
Pugh rolls his eyes, walking off.
“Cora, can you help me with lighting the fires. Pugh can put on his famous stew after he naps.”
Jack stretches the torch over the stacks of wood in a cauldron. The wood ignites, bringing with it warmth and bright light dances with the shadows.
Kyle is unable to sleep, the pain radiating down his arm, as he stares up at the ceiling, listening to the crackling of the wood. It appears that this place was carved out smoothly, with no spikes forming on the ceiling or on the ground inside the dome. He lies in silence, eavesdropping on Cora and Jack’s conversation.
“You stole the mage’s daggers,” she says as she places her hands on her hips.
“She didn’t need them, or at least not anymore.”
“No one will stand in the way, if she shows up to take revenge against you. Do you take anything that doesn’t belong to you?”
He ignores her question. “Can you light the torches at the bottom of the steps?”
“Me? I am not walking down there alone.”
“You will have a torch with you, or you can use your magic.” He winks and smiles.
Jack stands at the top, holding a torch in one hand and a sword in the other. His heavy breathing overpowers the silence as he attempts to stand still, to focus on the darkness.
“Something’s down there,” he whispers.
“What do you mean?” she asks as she walks up next to him.
“I mean, there is something down there.”
“And you wanted me to go down there alone,” she says sarcastically as she pats his shoulder. “I would dare you to move forward, but if you don’t make it back, I might feel bad.”
Kyle interrupts, “You two are having too much fun. I will take over, so you can sleep.”
“Good, you can deal with whatever slithers up the steps. I am out of here,” he cautions as he disappears.
“I didn’t see anything, but he has kept saying there is something here, since we arrived. I don’t know what to think,” says Cora.
“There are many types of cave dwellers, as we have already seen. I will keep watch, but I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” informs Kyle.
“Do you want me to stay with you until Pugh wakes up?”
“It’s not necessary.”
“Don’t ever forget I offered,” she says, giving him a faint smile. “Night.”
“Duly noted.”
He doesn’t wake Pugh up and places more firewood in the cauldrons to keep them burning, not to give off their location. Hopefully to detour someone from trying to ambush them. He studies the pictures on the wall while everyone sleeps, taking in the scenery and artwork from those who came before them.
“The hard ground was not doing justice to my back,” says Pugh. “I can take over, if you would like to sleep a while, and I can wake you if something happens.”
“I can’t sleep either. The pain comes and goes, causing too much aggravation.”
A clattering of what appears to be rocks falling causes something to scurry away.
“Maybe you should go and check it out,” Kyle urges.
“That is not going to happen.”
“I order you to go down the steps,” jokes Kyle.
“Your Majesty, you may arrest me for disobeying orders.” He bows.
They both share a laugh.
“Shhh.”
Kyle tries to hold his breath for a moment to focus on what cannot be seen. A jostling of water resonates as something races through the standing pools and heads in their direction.
Kyle jumps as Pugh tosses a torch down the steps. Thump. Thump. Thump. It seems to hit every step, sending sparks flying until it reaches the bottom. A small orange halo circles around the light source, illuminating the surrounding area, but nothing out of the ordinary can be seen.
41
Cora
Hermitage Caverns
Cora tries to process the dream that awakened her as the others talk about old times around the fire pit.
Kyle explains that he had to stop traveling to Clifford Point after his duties required more attention. Therefore, he could no longer be normal, hanging out with his friends, fishing, or even training for combat without oversight from Charnell.
The surroundings start to distort as Cora is transported back in time, to when the monastery was full of life.
The sealed doors open outward with a beam of light traveling toward her.
Inside, the vault pillars rise to the ceiling. The floors are shiny and white, with gold speckles embedded in the marble. Chambers span the entire area, housing magical beings seeking solitude as they practice their gifts without criticism from the outside world. Candelabras are located everywhere, from the chambers to the halls, and even in the arena flanking a large tree.
Cora follows a crowd of people, who are each dressed in a different-colored robe or similar attire to symbolize their rank within the convent, she presumes. The wall is cold against her touch, yet soothing.
Raised voices coming from a chamber a few feet away catch her attention, and she peers through the crack in the door to see three people sitting around a table with a man standing with his back toward her. The man is tall, wearing a black cloak that is darker than any other she has seen, and his long, silky hair slides down his back.
She is unable to make out their faces, but their clothes resemble something she would think a higher-ranking official would wear. Golden gowns made of silk, rings of silver with diamonds shining in the warm light.
“You are making me leave?” the man asks.
“We think this would be best for everyone. We can call upon you if we need you,” says the man to the right. “You will carry no name after today.”
“This will not be the last time you deal with me. You are failures as Elders, taking her side over mine.”
“This request is being sent through us by High Priest Winifred. This is out of our hands. You must vacate the temple immediately, and you will be forbidden to return,” the middle Elder explains.
“Your leader will be dead soon,” he curses. “Those who stand against me will be forsaken and will never win.”
“Your threats have been empty,” the middle Elder criticizes. “We were faced with a difficult decision due to your actions. Our loyalties must remain with our divine leader.”
“Even if he is the one who will dissolve our empire.”
“You underestimate us, Elbas. We have seen kingdoms fall, rebuild, and even disappear, but no matter what has happened, we are still here.”
“First, you demote me, next you kick me out of the temple. You take my name. This is not over, Elders, not in the slightest.”
He lifts the table a few inches off the ground and slams it back down.
As he passes through Cora, she is impacted by the wide variety of emotions that Elbas is feeling. A sense of hopelessness for being pushed away from the only family he has known. Rage for being exiled from the temple and the magical community. Revenge toward those who have betrayed him.
She turns around.
Elbas passes a dagger to a stranger, and Cora tries to warn everyone, but her voice is silent. The arena is quiet, with only a few people in attendance, as others seem scattered throughout the area, either in conversations, chambers, or elsewhere. The stranger approaches a man praying, and everything unfolds too quick for anyone to react. The dagger appears to glide slowly down to the ground as the stranger walks away, trying to be undetected, but he is not sneaky enough to escape as two Elders detain him.
A young lady rushes in from an unknown destination. She slides beside the man on the ground, pulling him into her arms as tears rush down her cheeks.
“Father!” she weeps.
“It’s too late, High Priestess,” the stranger says.
