by A J Park
“Finn?” she said.
He blinked slowly and stared up at her bemused. “Shalyrie? You’re alive? I thought Galenor was going to kill you.”
“Where is Shalyrie?” Lorelei asked him.
“She was right there,” he glanced toward the wall. “He tied all of us. Shalyrie, maybe you should just tell him what he wants to know. If you do, he’ll stop hurting you. I’m so sorry for what he did. I tried to stop him. He shouldn’t have hurt you.”
Lorelei put her hand on his forehead. He was burning with fever.
Finn continued to ramble, “If you tell him what he wants to know, he’ll give you the medicine. Just tell him. If you get the antidote, it won’t hurt so much.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Lorelei asked Karrah.
“Galenor poisons people he doesn’t like,” Karrah said. “He’s done it before. I saw. He keeps the cure in a little bottle.”
“Where is it?”
Karrah shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“We need help,” Lorelei said. “You heard what he said. Galenor was torturing Shalyrie. She was here. And now they’ve taken her somewhere else. The king is following them, and everything they told him must have been a lie. Maybe they’ve already killed Shalyrie, and the king is in danger now too.”
“They are taking the king toward my people,” Karrah said.
“Would Galenor really hurt Shalyrie?” Lorelei asked in disbelief.
Karrah bowed her head. “He’s a bad man,” she said looking down. “He has kept us captive here all this time just because we are not sea-folk. He has hurt and killed many people. I think he killed my husband.” Karrah twisted her hands together.
Lorelei felt frozen in shock. It was a moment before she could speak. “He… he killed your husband?”
“He went with the other soldiers. Galenor made them go. The others came back, but not Gareth.”
Lorelei took her hand. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so very sorry.”
“I loved him, even though he was one of your people. Now I just want to take my son and go home.”
“Back into the hills?”
Karrah nodded. “Please? I want to go home. That’s all any of us who are captive here want. We know the land, so we can help you find the king quickly.”
Lorelei took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I know what to do. The king left Lord Brennan in charge here. He’s an old friend. When he hears what Finn has told us, he’ll help us. Shalyrie and the king are in terrible danger. We have to go after them.”
CHAPTER 28
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
Shalyrie woke in a place that was dark and close. She didn’t know how long it had been. Her hands and feet were tied, and her skin was still burning out of control. She tried to move and found that not only was she tied and gagged, there was no space around her. She felt rough wood right above her and pressing in from all sides. There wasn’t room to straighten her legs.
In growing panic, she tried to move, to get free. There wasn’t enough air in here and the walls were closing in tighter. She screamed into the gag.
No. No.
She was alive.
Breathe. Breathe. Slowly in. Slowly out. Air. There was a little. Enough for now, if she didn’t breathe too fast. It would be all right.
Unless they left her in here to die.
She tried to scream again and struggled wildly.
No. Try to be calm.
Time ceased to exist. There was only suffering. Burning skin, aching, cramped body. No air.
Try to breathe slowly.
It seemed like she’d been trapped for days when she suddenly felt motion. What were they doing to her? Where was she? She must be in some kind of storage crate. Someone set the box down roughly, jarring her. But then she heard them opening the lid.
Out. Out. Let me out.
The lid was raised, and blessed, fresh, cold night air came in. It was dark, but she could see the stars. She’d never been so glad to see anything before. Stars. Air. She wanted to get out and run wildly, but her abused limbs wouldn’t obey her.
Someone had a lantern, but it was covered so that only a sliver of light came from it.
Shalyrie saw someone above her. For a moment, she thought they might help her, but no… It was one of Calreth’s men. Hands seized her roughly, pulled her up out of the crate, and dropped her onto the ground. The jolt sent pain through her injured body.
She lay there, just breathing—nothing else. Gradually, she became aware that there were other people moving around. They must have left the city and traveled some distance. She could see hills around her. She saw them unload another crate from the back of a wagon.
The men pried the lid off the crate, pulled Sinnar out, and dropped him to the ground. His uncovered face showed a trace of the same panic she had been feeling. He was breathing fast too.
They unloaded Kalleck next from yet another crate. He was still breathing. Still alive. Where was Finn?
Neither of the others looked good. Shalyrie could feel the poison from the sea-star working in her, the fever constantly rising, shapes and colors dancing at the edge of her vision. Things that weren’t really there. How long until none of them knew what was happening around them? How long until the poison killed them?
One of the men came and cut the ropes at her ankles.
“Get up. Walk,” he ordered. She rubbed her legs against each other, trying to bring some life back into them. Her arms were still tied behind her back. The fever made her weak and her burning skin was a constant distraction.
“Get up,” another man ordered. She recognized Calreth’s voice. “My men will carry you if you’re dead. Otherwise… walk.” He pulled her to her feet.
Stand, she willed herself. Stand. Walk.
They started walking. It was a relief to move and stretch, but they were going uphill and she couldn’t keep up the pace. She stumbled along. It was dark, with only a little moonlight to brighten their way.
Suddenly, she realized there was someone walking beside her. She turned to see who it was and saw her father. It was so good to see him! She hadn’t seen him since she was a child, and she’d missed him. His face blurred and was replaced by Uncle Telthan’s. What a relief! He could help her. He could stop all of this. But then, just as quickly as the man beside her had appeared, he was gone. She was alone again.
She sank to her knees, gasping, desperate for relief. No one was going to help her. There were only her captors. One of them pulled her back to her feet, and they went on.
It didn’t last. The ground was suddenly much closer than she expected. She’d fallen again. “Get up!” Calreth yelled. She tried. She felt a crushing blow to her side. She didn’t have the energy to scream. It came out as a strangled moan.
Stop. Please, stop.
Maybe the blows stopped, or maybe she just didn’t feel them anymore. For a long time, she wasn’t aware of anything. Slowly, she realized that she felt motion. Someone was carrying her. One person carrying her by the shoulders, and one carrying her feet. She heard voices. Some of them, she was sure weren’t real, but others she began to make sense of.
“…go up to the tower rock. Wait until the king is close. He’s on his way already. Kill her and the other one. And it has to look like the horsemen killed her. I’ll take one of them back down to meet the king. When the king sees what they’ve done to her, he’ll join us. He’ll be ready to kill them all himself. We won’t have to convince him of anything.”
“Get ready then,” Calreth commanded. “We’re almost there.”
They were going to kill her. And they would make the king think that the Yalkur had killed her. They knew he would be angry. They thought that he’d be angry enough to help them finish their war.
They had to be stopped! How? How? What could she do?
; “There’s the rock,” Calreth’s voice said. “The king’s men have been behind us all the way from the city. They’re just down there. It’s time now. Take this one. I’ll kill the others.”
Shalyrie wrenched her eyes open. Kalleck. Where was Kalleck?
“Take him,” she heard Calreth say.
She saw men in Almorian uniforms dragging someone away. Was it Kalleck? There must be some way to stop them from killing him.
“Help, help.” She wanted to scream and yell, but she wasn’t sure she’d even spoken out loud. It wouldn’t be much longer now. What could she do? It had become impossible to tell reality from the visions brought on by the poison. She needed the pain to end.
There was nothing she could do. She closed her eyes and saw snowflakes falling. Her vision was getting darker. Kalleck was gone.
She heard Calreth again. “It’s time.”
She opened her eyes to see him above her. His face was terrifying. He raised his knife.
Her time was up. She had fought so hard up to this point, but there was nothing else she could do. He was going to kill her. At least, she wouldn’t be in pain anymore…
Without warning, something struck him from behind and he fell across Shalyrie. He got up and turned around, and she saw him grappling with Sinnar. Somehow, she had no idea how, Sinnar had gotten his hands free. Calreth’s men rushed to his aid and soon had Sinnar pinned in spite of his struggles. They had their weapons out. Surely, they would kill him.
Her vision swirled and twisted, multiplying the fighting figures until there even more of them. Someone had to stop them. Help Sinnar!
Stop them.
Stop.
She couldn’t hold on any longer. Reality slowly flitted away.
CHAPTER 29
Telthan Almorin, King of Almoria
King Telthan Almorin looked up the hill toward a tall pillar of rock. He had left Newport with Galenor and their men days ago. They had traveled to the great bridge and crossed it, heading up into the hills, climbing ever higher until the land was spread out below them and they could see the winding of the river. White mountain peaks were standing silently above them. They had pushed up the hill with all haste.
They were following the men who had taken Shalyrie. Galenor had told him of the few wandering savages in the hills. Horsemen. He’d explained to Telthan what horses were, and that the men rode on their backs. What he didn’t understand was why they would have any cause to harm Shalyrie. What could they hope to gain?
Galenor seemed just as tense and upset as Telthan felt. The uncertainty was unbearable. He didn’t know if she was safe or even if she was still alive.
“We have to hurry,” Galenor said beside him, his brow furrowed with concern as he pointed up the hill. “That tower of rock is just below the ridge. I’ve never been beyond it. We have to catch up with them before they cross. Our scouts say they came this way just a little while ago. We have to find her before it’s too late.”
They hurried on.
Telthan shook his head. It couldn’t be too late. How had he ever let Shalyrie fall into such danger? He should never have let her out his sight. He was never going to let her out of his sight again, if they found her before it was too late.
They weren’t far from the rock pillar when the king saw four blue-uniformed Almorians coming down the hill to meet them. They were holding a fifth man between them. His hands were tied, but he still struggled against them. One of the soldiers hit him, knocking him to his knees. They pulled him back to his feet.
As they drew near, Telthan could see the prisoner more clearly. He had a tattoo on the side of his face and dark hair and eyes. He was tall and muscular, but he had obviously been beaten. There were cuts on his side, and long, raw welts across his chest and arms that almost looked like burns.
“The news we bring is the worst, Your Majesty,” one of the soldiers said. “They’ve killed Lady Shalyrie! It must have just happened. We followed—we tried to stop them. But we were too late. She was already dead when we caught them. We killed the other horseman, but we brought this one to you alive.”
The words felt like a blow.
Telthan looked at the young man they had brought. He must be one of those they called “the horsemen.” He had to know what had happened. “Is there any way to question him?” he asked. He needed to understand what had happened here. The soldiers forced the horseman to his knees in front of Telthan.
Galenor looked pale. “Are you telling me that she is dead?” he asked in a choked voice. “What have they done? It can’t be true.”
“Can we question him?” Telthan asked Galenor.
“This man killed her! Why should we question him?” Galenor took out his knife. “They aren’t willing to communicate. They’re just filthy, treacherous savages…”
King Telthan looked down again at the horseman and met his eyes. The man spoke unexpectedly in perfect Almorian. “Please, King Telthan Almorin. Please help Shalyrie! She was alive just a few moments ago. I didn’t harm her. Galenor ordered his men to kill her when you came.”
Galenor jumped forward, enraged. “How dare you speak to the king?! You pretend all this time not to understand me, and now you would lie to the king? I’ll rip out your tongue!”
Telthan looked from one to the other in shock. The horseman said Galenor ordered his men to kill her? That made no sense at all. But Telthan could hear the sincerity in the horseman’s voice. He needed more information.
Galenor raised his knife to strike, but Telthan grabbed his arm with both hands. He nodded to his captain, and two men came forward to restrain the raving man. Telthan twisted the knife from his hand. He could read the undisguised hatred in Galenor’s expression—he wanted to kill the horseman. He wanted it badly.
Telthan looked back to the horseman. He could see overwhelming concern for Shalyrie in the young man’s expression. Telthan believed him.
“Please,” the horseman pleaded. “We have to help her.”
Telthan cut the horseman’s bonds and ordered, “Keep Galenor here until I find out what’s going on.” Several more of the king’s men surrounded Galenor as he struggled and screamed curses at the horseman.
Telthan offered his hand to help the young man up. “Tell me where she is.”
“Up there,” he pointed. “Galenor took us hostage back in Newport and then imprisoned us in the dungeon. He poisoned her and then watched her suffer. He told her she could have the cure in exchange for information.”
“He did what?” Telthan felt horror and rage consume him. The whole thing was unbelievable. How could Galenor have done that to Shalyrie? And why? He turned furiously to Galenor, who quailed before the king’s fury.
Galenor stumbled over his words in his haste to protest. “You must realize this barbarian is lying to you! I wouldn’t hurt her. None of this is true!”
“There was a small jar,” the dark-haired man said urgently. “He held it just out of reach, taunting her with it. He put it—” The horseman ran to Galenor, sidestepping as Galenor tried to kick him. He dug in the pouch at the man’s belt. A few coins fell unnoticed to the ground, but his hand felt the jar. He pulled it out in relief.
“He’s lying,” Galenor snarled. “He’s the one who hurt her!”
Telthan ignored him. The only thing that was important now was finding Shalyrie.
“She’s up there,” the horseman pointed. “They are waiting until you reach those rocks. When they see you get there, they will kill her. They are watching for you to come.”
“Captain!” Telthan ordered. His captain came quickly. Without explaining further, Telthan switched coats with him. “Stay with my banner. Move slowly. Give us time to get ahead of you.”
The captain nodded.
“I need a dozen men,” King Telthan shouted. Several of his men came forward. He turned to the horseman. “Come quickly, show
us where she is.”
CHAPTER 30
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
Kalleck’s heart was pounding from the climb, and he was in more pain than he ever remembered being in before. But, Shalyrie… She was suffering more than he was, and he had to help her. He clutched the jar in his hand. This would ease her pain.
The sea-king ran beside him as they hurried up the hill. It seemed to take so long. Had they really come down this far before? Kalleck’s body ached with fever and he was exhausted. Slowly, the tower rock grew closer.
Kalleck ran through the rocks to where he could see them. Shalyrie was still on the ground where she had been, and Sinnar was near her. But now a man held a knife poised, ready to drive it into her heart.
Kalleck ran. This couldn’t happen. Not after everything else.
The knife was falling, and Kalleck was still too far away.
Sinnar wrenched his hands free from their restraints, wrists bloodied from fighting against them, and barreled into the man with the knife. They tumbled to the ground together, and Sinnar wrestled the knife away from the man. More of Galenor’s men rushed to stop Sinnar.
Kalleck reached them and knocked one of the soldiers over from behind. He tore the weapon from the man’s hand and turned, holding it ready, looking for enemies.
“Stop!” the king commanded.
A sudden silence fell.
Sinnar fell to his knees. Blood was flowing from several wounds. Kalleck ran to him, easing him down to the ground, and putting pressure on the worst of the gashes, trying to slow the bleeding. Sinnar looked up as if he wanted to speak.
“It’s all right now,” Kalleck told him. “We found the king. He will stop Galenor. Our people will be safe. You saved Shalyrie.”
Sinnar nodded. He’d heard. He knew.
“We’ll get you back to the spring. Just hold on till then,” Kalleck said, but there was so much blood under his hands. “You have to hold on,” Kalleck ordered him.