Aisling forced herself to concentrate. She thought about the events of the past few weeks. I will not be a victim, she vowed. Through hard work, her powers were improving and she was able to take more control over her environment. She’d even helped the Fifth Prince win several decisive battles. She needed to take action.
Even though they weren’t together, Aisling realized that she and the prince could collaborate to rectify the dire situation.
Aisling motioned to her captors. “I’m not feeling well. I’m going to be sick.” She stood up, clutching a nearby tree for support.
“All right. Go behind those bushes. You have two minutes.”
She made her way to the clearing and produced her dagger. As her arms extended toward the sky, she thought about the prince. I must save him from the queen’s men, no matter what happens. Concentrating with her mind and heart, she issued a forceful decree.
“I command a flash flood so fierce, that it covers the valley.”
Aisling started to run.
It would be a matter of minutes before her disappearance was discovered. She scanned the horizon and headed west. As the winds howled, her pace accelerated. Torrents of rain swept across the barren landscape. The run-off from the mountains began to fill the streams and rivers, creating a marshy barrier. Soon, the valley would be impassible. Those within it would be trapped in swampy mire.
She ran as if her life depended on it.
The queen’s men would have registered her escape by now. Aisling looked at some of the surrounding peaks and thought about her options. She needed to climb and signal the prince, before it became dark. Ahead were the bluffs, with rock formations on both sides of the trail. “I’ll have something to hold onto,” she reasoned. With her dagger secured, she began the steep ascent.
At the halfway point, Aisling stopped to catch her breath. Still dizzy from the effects of the drug, she strained to see the top of the cliff. The rain pounded the rocks, obscuring the view. Any attempt to climb higher would be risky. She was already compensating for her injured arm by using her legs to lever herself from one rock formation to the next.
Clutching a nearby ledge, she calculated the distance to the peak. Navigating the crux of the slope would be difficult, as the angle was almost perpendicular to the ground.
Exhausted from deploying her magic to create the fog clouds and flood, she paused to look over the valley. The storm blocked out the last rays of sun, blurring the demarcation between the torrents of rising water and walls of unyielding stone.
I must reveal my location to the prince, she thought. The problem is that my captors will know too.
She removed her dagger and leaned against the back wall of the ledge, concentrating on creating a flame that could be seen for hundreds of miles. “With all my might, I command a bonfire on top of this mountain, with embers that glow in the dark sky.” As she felt the power radiating out, she slumped to the ground and hoped he would see her message.
Maológ sat in the captain’s quarters of the Cara. As he reviewed the inventory logs, there was a knock at the door.
“Sir, there’s a warrior monk here to see you, with a message from the palace.”
It must be news of Aisling, he thought. The last communiqué from her was after the journey inland to distribute food supplies. He was pleased the trip had been so successful.
“Send him in.”
He stood as a soldier swept into the room and bowed.
“I have an urgent message from the Fifth Prince.”
Maológ frowned as he grasped the note. Why isn’t this from Aisling, he wondered. As he read the news, he paled.
His niece was missing, it read. The prince and his men were scouring the countryside for her. He mentioned that their ships might be a target. Maológ turned to the courier. “Do you need more men to look for the commander?”
The man shook his head. “The prince says he is doing everything possible. He didn’t want you to hear the news from someone else. We also have more than one hundred warrior monks watching the fleet, for added protection.”
“Is the rest of the crew all right?”
“Yes, they are safe at the palace.”
At least that was a relief. Maológ nodded. With every fiber of his being, he wanted to mobilize the crew and search for her. But that wasn’t what Aisling would want. If she were here, he thought, she’d ask me to protect our men and ships. It was the hardest thing he’d ever been asked to do.
Drayaen and his soldiers stopped by the river to rest the horses. While they grazed, he scanned the terrain. “Aisling, tell me where you are,” he entreated. He turned as Colonel Lex approached.
“Your Highness, we may want to stop here for the night. It’s dark and there’s no moon. Navigation will be difficult.”
Drayaen rubbed his eyebrow and strained to hear any sounds. “I know. We should stop, but I can’t rest. I don’t have a good feeling. I sense she’s in trouble.”
The colonel nodded, and for a few moments they surveyed the darkness in silence. “Wait. Do you hear something? What’s that noise?” asked the prince.
“It sounds like water drainage from the mountains.”
Drayaen shook his head. “That’s strange. There’s been a drought for more than a year.” He turned and made his way to the nearby cliffs. Cascades of water were rushing into the river. It’s her! he thought. There’s no other rational explanation.
“She’s near. Have the scouts climb one of the peaks. It may give us a better view.”
“I’ll dispatch them now.”
“Tell the men to look for any weather systems out of the ordinary.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As he turned on his heel to deliver the orders, the reconnaissance unit rode into camp and dismounted.
The colonel conferred with his men and rushed back to the prince. “There’s a massive inferno on the mountain.”
“Where?”
“About a mile downstream.”
“Let’s go.”
“There’s something else.”
“What is it?”
“The valley’s been flooded. There are a number of riderless horses swimming across the canyon. It looks like some of the enemy has been swept away.”
“How can that be?”
“I don’t know, but conditions are treacherous. The best approach is to climb the end peak and follow the ridgeline. That way, we won’t have to scale the rockface. There’s a slope up ahead.”
“We’ll take a small group. The rest can camp out here. We’ll need supplies.”
“We’ve already assembled water, ropes, and torches.”
Drayaen nodded. “Good. We’ll ride until the path becomes too narrow. The remaining ground can be covered on foot.”
As the prince decamped with his men, he thought about Aisling. A chill permeated his body. No matter how hard he tried, his feeling of dread was getting worse.
They rode for a half-mile before the slope became rocky and narrow. Although the horses had been pastured on rolling lands and were familiar with mountainous terrain, they struggled to keep their footing on the slippery, muddy trails.
As they rounded a corner, Drayaen could see the inferno at the top of the ridge. The fire illuminated the surrounding area and cast fragments of light onto the cliffs below. The advance team dismounted and searched for signs of life. After several minutes, they cleared the area and waved the rest of the team forward. As the soldiers approached the blaze, they saw no trace of Aisling.
Drayaen turned to his colonel. “She must be here.” Why else is there a fire in the middle of the wilderness?
“Could it be a trap?”
“I doubt it. The hills are steep on both sides of the range. This is the one open path. There were no signs of other riders.”
“What if she climbed to higher ground but couldn’t make it to the top?”
“You may be right.” Peering over the ledge, he could see a sheer rock face at the higher elevations. He sho
uted to the men. “Search the area. Concentrate on the terrain closest to the fire.”
He crouched by the ledge and held the torch aloft. As he swept it over the peak to illuminate the rocks below, something caught his eye. There was a glittering object on the ground, surrounded by a red aura. He leaned over the rim for a closer view. It looked like a dagger. The stones embedded in the mantle glistened in the dark, resembling the item Aisling had carried into the confrontation between the Sixth Prince and General Neo.
“Over here!”
“What is it, Your Highness?”
“I believe that belongs to the commander,” he said, pointing to the jeweled dagger below.
The colonel nodded. “We’ll need to send someone down.”
“I’ll go.”
“Your Highness, it’s dangerous.”
“Fasten the ropes over these jagged stones. That will provide an anchor point for my descent.”
“Do you need the team?”
“Not yet. I’ll assess the situation first.”
If she is down there, he thought, she should be able to hear us.Yet aside from the sounds of his men, all was silent. His breathing became labored and his chest tightened. The soldiers gathered on the summit, releasing more rope, until Drayaen reached the plateau.
The colonel shouted over the rim. “See anything yet?”
After untying the cord, Drayaen walked over to the item and examined it. “It’s hers.”
He scanned the nearby terrain, but there appeared to be no signs of life. He inched along the back ledge. With no moon, the cliffs were enveloped in murky shadows. The sounds of rushing water grew louder, as torrents of rain collided with the intractable stone.
“I’m missing something,” he muttered in frustration. “She must be here.”
He leaned over the ledge to scan the rocks below.
Still nothing.
Dispirited, he readied the ropes, but as he was about to ascend, he saw a faint glow in the distance. Feeling his way along the slippery rock face, his hand plunged into darkness. There was an entrance to a cave.
“I almost missed it,” he muttered. Moving into the space, he knelt down and waited, adjusting to the shadows. “Aisling, are you here? Talk to me.”
His anxiety increasing, he swung his torch under the rock ledge. His heart pounded as he recognized her crumpled body lying a few feet in front of him. She was cold and unresponsive. He reached for her hand, feeling for a pulse.
“She’s still breathing,” he muttered with a sigh of relief.
He gathered her in his arms and held her close. I’m so relieved I’ve found you, he thought. I was going out of my mind.
After a moment or two, he laid her down and moved back to the site of the dangling rope.
“I’ve found her,” he shouted to Lex.
“Your Highness, is she all right?”
“She’s unconscious.”
“What do you want to do?”
“We’ll stay here for the night. It’s too dangerous to try and navigate in the dark. There’s a cave, so we’ll be sheltered.”
“What do you need?”
“Water, a towel, and some blankets. Materials to light a fire.”
“Right away.”
The colonel lowered the supplies, and the men set up camp for the night.
Drayaen scanned the ledge for the dagger, but it was gone.
The flames crackled, as the smoke and embers floated above the ridge and over the valley. The blaze began to emanate warmth, insulating Drayaen and Aisling from the harsh elements. As the light illuminated the interior walls, Drayaen inspected the cave. It was vaulted, with a low clearance at the entranceway that expanded into soaring ceilings once inside the hollow.
He crouched next to Aisling, anxious to assess her condition. Her breathing was shallow and there were still no signs of movement. Her lips were a bluish color. I have limited time, he thought.
While covering her with blankets, he noticed deep grooves on her wrists. Puzzled, he picked up her hand and examined it. “They’re rope burns,” he seethed. “Whoever did this to you will pay.”
As he checked for other injuries, he felt an object beneath her clothing. Upon closer inspection, he saw the same dagger that had guided him to the cave. His brow furrowed in confusion, but he shook his head and focused on reviving her. After a few minutes of unsuccessful attempts, he became more alarmed. Something isn’t right here, he thought. As he rubbed the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb, he noticed that her fingernails were discolored.
“She was drugged,” he realized. “Once her temperature stabilizes, I’ll try and wake her. The toxins she inhaled must be flushed out with water.”
Drayaen leaned back against the wall and held her hand. More than anything, he wanted her to get better. There was so much he needed to tell her, he realized.
Aisling had visions of her kidnappers. They were chasing her. She fought, kicked, and shouted, but the more she resisted, the more vicious they became. She couldn’t breathe. I’m choking. Run, she told herself. Get away. I need to flee, now, before it’s too late.
The looming faces came closer. Her arms and legs wouldn’t move. She cried out and gasped for air. Someone gripped her by the arms.
“Aisling, you’re all right. It’s me.”
She looked up, and realized it was the Fifth Prince. As he reached for her, she wrapped her arms around him and took a deep breath.
“What happened?” he asked, tightening his grip.
“The queen paid the men to take me to her brother’s compound. They planned to kill me there. But I was a pawn.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the real target. I had to stop those men from finding you.”
“What did you do?”
“I flooded the valley.”
As she recounted her story, he realized just how elaborate and entrenched the network of corruption and deceit was within the kingdom. It was a massive, tangled labyrinth that had taken years to build. He decided then and there that his future was not tied to life in the palace. If he were truthful, he still felt rejected every time he entered the gates.
For him to be happy, he wanted a new start with Aisling, some place far away from the kingdom.
Now, he thought, we need to disengage from the web.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
INTRIGUE AT THE
PALACE
Aisling awoke as the first rays of sun peered over the horizon. Next to her was the prince, sitting against the back wall, his legs outstretched. He was sleeping but still had a firm grip on her hand. She sat up and surveyed the surroundings. Their enclosure was dark and warm, the smoldering cinders of the fire still radiating heat.
She looked at the prince, and was grateful. I owe him my life. She shuddered to think what might have happened. Aisling covered him with a blanket and walked out into the morning air.
The rain had stopped. She approached the ledge and canvassed the area below. The floodwaters covered the valley, blocking egress from the east and west. She looked at the steep rock face and studied the adjoining hills. “Perhaps there is another way,” she muttered. She studied the terrain. We may be able to cut across the cliffs at the lower end, and follow the foothills. The bottom half of the mountains have more gradual inclines. It’s longer, but less risky. As she shivered in the raw air, she felt a sudden warm embrace. She smiled and turned around to face the prince.
“Come,” he said, taking her hand. “Let’s go inside for awhile before we pack up and head back to the palace.” He rolled out the blanket in front of the fire, and motioned for her to sit. “Lean back against me.” As he wrapped his arms around her, she felt tranquil and secure.
“When you were kidnapped, I feared the worst. Once I found you, I could breathe again.” He leaned in and murmured in her ear. “It’s made me realize that life is fragile.” He recalled the recent battles they had faced together. He turned and gazed at her. “Aisling, a match between us is improb
able. I’d be going against the wishes of my father and brother. I always thought I’d stay here, where I was needed.”
Her heart pounded. She knew what he was saying was true, but somehow she couldn’t bear to think about it.
“All those things don’t matter to me anymore.”
“What are you saying?”
“Aisling, I love you.”
She felt lightheaded and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. She nodded, thinking back to their first meeting. Somehow, she had been drawn to him even then.
“I love you too,” she murmured.
“Marry me.”
“What?” she asked, thinking that she must have misheard him.
“Fate has brought us together, and now I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“You want to leave? And go with me?” Or does he expect me to stay here?
“If your life is the merchant company, then I can accept that. I’ll miss the East Kingdom, but I would miss you more.”
“But what about your father? If he doesn’t approve, it will be difficult for you. He may never let you come back.”
“We must fight for the things that are important. That’s what I believe, anyway.” He caressed her cheek with his fingers. “You are my priority now. Our freedom and your happiness mean everything to me.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve spent too much time worrying about whether he’ll give us permission. I’ll still try to convince him, but our well-being depends on us. No one else.”
“What about discovering the truth about your mother and brother?”
“I think we’re close to finding out what happened. But I won’t build a life that’s based on the past. I’ve realized that revenge is a hollow goal, one with little satisfaction in the end.”
Princess of Sky, Earth, Fire and Water Page 14