Entangled web of destruc.., p.22
Entangled Web of Destruction, page 22
“You are where you need to be. If the Elders had something to do with poisoning you, it’s unclear what will happen once they find out we know,” Kyle says. “We can take care of ourselves, no hard feelings for abandoning us.”
“Your mothers will not feel the same.”
“As long as nothing happens to either of us, we will not have to discuss this with any of them,” Cora jokes. “Kyle, I am ready, if you are.”
“Take care, Charnell. You are the bravest person I know.”
52
Pugh
Hidden City
Kyle and Cora arrive in the courtyard as the gates to the city open, with fifty riders entering, wearing dark tunics, and hoods covering their faces. The men do not attempt to hide their uncle’s family crest, as if they want the army from Splintered Vale to be intimidated by their presence. They have been set up or tracked. Either way, they are in trouble with everyone against them. More than likely, there are other men stationed outside the gates waiting for their escape.
“Jack, I need you to sneak back into the castle through the door we came out of, turn right, make the first left, and take another right. You will follow the hall until you reach a dark area, where Aurora and Charnell are located. Either an Elder or someone else guards the door. Don’t make any sudden moves, for Richard’s knights just entered the grounds.”
He nods, disappearing quickly.
“Pugh, you need to warn your father,” Kyle says. “Cora, I need you to follow me, so we can get you out of sight.”
“Kyle, you know you are a target as well,” Pugh reminds him.
He nods. “None of us are dying here today. Find your father. We will regroup later.”
Kyle’s famous last words. Pugh smirks as he watches his friends disappear into the castle.
He scans the crowds that stand in front of the stables for his father, but he doesn’t see him. However, as he approaches, he can hear his father’s laughter coming from inside the barn. As he enters, he sees Mitchell talking with a few fellow knights, unaware of the dangers unfolding outside. He waits a moment before interrupting the conversation.
“Father, Richard’s men just arrived,” whispers Pugh.
“You three, hurry and notify everyone to gather their weapons and be on the lookout for a surprise attack,” Mitchell warns. “Pugh, where is Charnell?”
“Jack went to warn him, but Aurora is not doing well, and it’s suspected someone here poisoned her. Kyle asked Charnell to stay and protect her.”
“Understood, gather your gear.”
It doesn’t take long for Richard’s men to make their move; they remove their hoods and draw their swords, making their way over to the stables. Some members of the group are staying at the inn because there was a lack of space in the cottages, and they will be unaware of the situation until it may be too late. Pugh grips the shield in his right hand and sword in his left, unsure how he feels about the unfolding events.
“Splintered Vale, surrender, and we will give you mercy,” someone yells.
“We do not surrender,” Mitchell replies. “Your attack on us will bring war to Broken Rest.”
“Nonsense.”
Silence settles in on the city.
Pugh takes a step forward, getting into a fighting stance as he waits for something to happen. Sweat trickles down his face, blurring his vision for a moment as he clears his eyes, and a flash of steel catches his attention. The movement reminds him of a dream. Everything is slow, but he knows that is not the case. The sound of steel weapons colliding with one another is too real, as he has never been in battle before.
Pugh blocks a swing with his shield; the jarring of the impact sends vibrations throughout his arm.
Jumping back, he swings the sword, slicing through the air, not even close to his opponent, who counterstrikes, hitting Pugh’s shield again.
He pushes through his fear, blocking his challenger’s attack. Pugh thrusts his sword forward and slashes at the air, missing the man each time, but he does not stop. Pugh refuses to allow the man to have the advantage as he continues to block the attacks and deflect his lunges. His adrenaline increases, with the rapid beating of his heart and his anxiety.
A large shadow blankets the city as chaos erupts from the sky and a dragon soars down, sending a fiery blast toward several buildings on the edge of town. Fire erupts, reaching toward the sky as smoke swirls into the air. His wings stretch over the city from one end to another. It’s not typical for a dragon to be this far north and out of the Needle Point Chasm.
Everyone runs toward a shelter to prepare for another strike as the beast disappears into the sky once again. Pugh gets separated from his father and unknowingly follows Richard’s men into a cave behind a building. He takes a deep breath, standing within the crowd, unsure of his next move. His heart beats rapidly against his chest, and he is hyper-focused on his surroundings. Hopefully, they will think he is from the Hidden City and not somewhere else. Loose roof tiles crash against the street as a heavy gust of wind flows through the city.
“It’s the warlock doing this, isn’t it?” someone harps. “I don’t know why our king trusts that man.”
“Hush,” someone yells.
A surge of air smashes through the cave, knocking everyone back, some off their feet, as others maintain their balance. Several men lie on the ground, groaning from pain, and others are not moving, and those who are able return to the entrance to defend.
The dragon continues to circle around the city.
Pugh searches for his weapons, but they are no longer in reach. He brushes his hand against his left temple, and pain radiates through his head. He must have hit something, when he flew backward. He cuts a piece of cloth from his tunic with his dagger and holds the material against the wound to help stop the bleeding. He crawls out of the foot traffic and sits against the wall, partially behind some crates.
He tries to stretch, but the discomfort is too much, and the ache in his back is like he has slept on solid ground. Pugh tries to fight the fatigue until he can no longer keep his eyes open.
53
Jack
Hidden City
Jack knocks softly on a door hoping Charnell is okay, but there is no answer. There are no signs of the Elders, or anyone else, for that matter. However, something tells him it will not be forever. Calling out for Charnell does not give him the response he needs, either. Maybe he has the wrong room or messed up Kyle’s directions, but he doesn’t think he did. The worst-case scenarios rotate in his mind, but he can’t foresee anything happening to Charnell.
He hears a commotion down the hallway and takes a few small steps, easing his way around a corner to see the warlock, a few other men, and Nelia, who is fighting them.
“Nelia, this will go better for you if you stop fighting,” the warlock says.
“I will not allow you to hurt my daughter.”
“You’re assuming that is my plan,” he says.
Jack follows at a distance to avoid drawing any attention to himself because he has no weapons. The twisty, dark passageway leads to a room deep within the ground hasn’t been used much lately. There is dust everywhere and cobwebs hanging from the ceiling.
He detours up a ramp, searching for something, but he is not sure what it is.
He enters a room that is an observation area, above the dungeon, where Nelia was taken. The chamber is unique, with torches spanning the circular room, highlighting the shackles on the wall. A small stone platform is placed in the middle, which is not a seating area. Instead, it is used for executions.
A guard places Nelia’s arms and legs in shackles as she continues to argue with them and the warlock. Before they can cover her mouth with a binding, she conjures a spell expelling them from the room. That doesn’t stop the warlock from reentering, covering her mouth, and placing a hood over her head.
Taking a few deep breaths to ease his anxiety under control, he continues to explore. All he sees are tables, books, and nothing he can use as a weapon. He was in such a hurry to get out of the courtyard, so he didn’t bring anything with him for protection. The flickering of the flames dances through the window, but it doesn’t provide much light to allow him to search the room more thoroughly.
He jumps as the door to the dungeon slams against the frame. The sound of a board scraping against metal makes him cringe as the drawbar is put in place.
A hinge on a chest creaks as he opens the lid. Inside, he finds a long rope.
Peering back into the room to check on Nelia, he glances over the wall to observe the height, something he is not thrilled about. However, he doesn’t think he has a choice. He lugs the long-braided rope to the opening, dropping some of it inside. It slams against the wall. Pausing, he ensures no one from outside has heard him before moving forward.
Jack tugs at the link, lowering more rope until it reaches the floor, and he ties off the excess to a metal hoop. He scales down the wall slowly, as his hands already have fresh calluses from tugging on the line. Cringing, he climbs over the half wall, holding onto the ropes as he drops slightly, swinging into the wall. Once he regains his posture, he makes his way down, and his legs tremble.
He walks cautiously over to Nelia.
“Sorceress, you don’t know me, but I am here to help.”
Removing the hood, he gives her a faint smile as he removes the binding from her mouth.
“I am Jack. I have been traveling with Cora and the prince.”
“How are they?”
“They were fine the last time we saw each other, which was shortly before I found you.”
Jack picks up a rod to help remove the chains.
“That is not going to help,” she says. “Stand back while I concentrate.” A glow radiates off her body as the shackles melt away from her wrists and ankles. “Wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Not taking any chances, the two individuals ascend the wall. Once Nelia reaches the top, she rests a moment as Jack contemplates a plan. Any plan that doesn’t include him or her getting captured.
“Where is Charnell?” she asks.
“It’s a little complicated. Aurora and Charnell are together trying to heal from a toxin of some sort. I tried to check on them earlier, but neither of them would answer the door. Maybe we will have better luck this time.”
They make their way through the narrow passageways, until they reach the section where Jack believes Charnell and Aurora are located. He sees the door ajar and carefully pushes it inward to reveal an empty room.
“Do you have some kind of magic tracker, or something, you can use to figure out where they went?”
“Not exactly.”
“Let’s go find my uncle, if Charnell may have rejoined the knights of Splintered Vale.”
“You two are not going anywhere, other than coming with us,” an Elder says.
Nelia flicks her hand, but magic doesn’t faze the Elder; she forgot to have Jack remove the warlock’s locket.
“Please take Nelia into custody and get rid of this kid.”
“This kid will not be harmed,” she snaps.
A gaze between Jack and the Elder seems to go on forever as he wonders what the decision will be. There is no way he can fight the Elder and the four other men to free himself or Nelia.
Nelia yells, “Fire!”
She conjures a ball of flames in her hand and casts it toward the Elder, who quickly deflects it with a shield of magic.
“Run!”
Another orb of fire appears in her palm, and she tosses it toward the four men, who dodge the fiery sphere.
Jack quickly runs away from Nelia, but he doesn’t get far as another Elder arrives, plunging a dagger into his side, and he gasps, falling to his knees.
“No!” Nelia yells, calling forth her magic again, sending a ray of fire toward the other Elder, who is unprepared for the attack. The magical flares collide with the man, propelling him down the hall. “Jack,” she says as she kneels beside him. “You all need to help him.”
Jack fights fatigue and the urge to pass out because he doesn’t want to lose sight of what is going on around him. He can’t help as two men pull Nelia off the ground, and a third wraps a guard around her mouth.
“Take him with us,” orders the Elder.
Jack doubles over, putting pressure on the wound as two men gather on either side of him, escorting him to someplace he more than likely doesn’t want to be. The blood seeps out of the wound as he tries to stay alert long enough to receive medical attention.
54
Cora
Hidden City
Cora and Kyle take a moment to adjust to the darker atmosphere from the bright sunshine. They move in and out of the corridors, unsure of which direction they will take them to a safe area. They keep going, and eventually, they end up at the end of a passage with nowhere else to go.
A breeze spins around them, the torches flicker, and the shadows dance, as fast movement catches them by surprise. They are surrounded and separated quickly, without either of them being able to defend themselves. The blockage was an illusion that disappears quickly with an Elder welcoming them.
“This was easier than we expected,” the Elder says. “Escort Prince Ainsworth to the room down the hall. Ms. Cora, you are coming with me.”
“I am not going anywhere with you.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“Get your hands off me,” she yells, attempting to pull away from two guards. “Do not touch me.”
“If you do as we ask, there will be no problems. If not, we will physically escort you with us,” the Elder warns.
“So, do you wish to kill me, or what is the plan?”
“You will soon be the remaining member of the Winifred family, all of the powers will transfer to you, and that will make you very powerful.”
“A plan Elbas had all along, right? Get rid of my aunt and my mother to siphon my powers. Who says that will even work anyway?”
“Only time will tell.”
Cora is escorted into a room with no windows, only one exit, and lots of furniture, which she can use as weapons if needed. The room is surrounded by numerous bookshelves filled with old books, and a few tables in the center of the room with seating. The more she looks around the room, the more awkward it appears, with no windows since its location should be on the outside wall. The windows may be hidden behind the bookshelves.
The Elder sits at the table, as two other men stand by the door. It’s unclear how many are on the other side waiting. He’s much older than in her vision. His demeanor still appears the same, quiet, and he only follows along. He may be a link to helping her escape, but at this time, she is unsure. She leans against the shelf, using a book to help cool her off.
The room is stuffy and humid, something she was not expecting, since it’s located in the snowy mountains. She pulls her hair up off her neck and wraps it into a bun using a small wooden rod that she found on a shelf.
The men at the door stand with their arms crossed, staring off into space, unfocused on either her or the Elder, which she finds a little strange. She waves her hand in front of one of the men, and he does not blink.
She returns to the Elder, keeping her distance but getting close enough to watch him.
“I have only seen two of you today. Where is the third one lurking?”
He ignores her.
“Do you want to have the conversation about the three of you, and the warlock, plotting to kill my grandfather?”
“I don’t know what someone has told you, but none of us had anything to do with that.”
“I saw everything,” she says, giving him a grin and waiting for him to respond.
“Again, you have no idea what you are talking about,” he says as he pulls at the collar of his robe.
“You remember the temple in the Hermitage Caverns. It’s a beautiful place, with lovely marble floors and gold embedded in everything. I can’t forget to talk about the large tree, the thick branches little children could climb, or the green leaves that never seem to fade.” She can see that he is getting nervous; this time, he pulls off his robe, revealing similar-colored attire but more lightweight. “Did you know that people came from all over to seek a haven to practice their magic or to get away from all the magicless societies?”
“You have a great imagination, Coralynn. I would love to hear more about your theories, but our time is almost up, and your father will be here any minute.”
“One of you is responsible for poisoning High Priestess Aurora.”
He moves too quick for her to react, pinning her against the wall with his elbow, as the other men do nothing.
“You banished the warlock from the city many years ago, yet you continue to have contact with him. There seems to be no concerns with the past charges or accusations.”
“You generate more trouble than your aunt or mother ever has,” he notes. “I will take pleasure in watching you fail.”
The door abruptly opens with the warlock entering, and the two guards in the room step outside into the hall.
“Enough, release her.”
The Elder hesitates, but does as he is told.
“Coralynn, you look so much like your mother, and it seems that you have her persistent attitude.”
“Where are my parents?”
“They are tucked away safely at Broken Rest. I will be more than happy to show you.” He reaches out for her, but she refuses to accept.
“I am not going anywhere with you.”
“That is where you are wrong.”
“Wrong?”
“You have no choice here, do you? Where will you go? You can’t elude me or the army at my disposal. Even if you did get past me, you will be caught before you exit the door. Your loyalty to the Williams family will keep you compliant, or you will worry about their fate, and it would be your fault if something happened to them.”
