by Rai Aren
They walked a short distance down the causeway that led to the entrance and sat down on the stone steps.
Bob took a hat out of his backpack and fanned himself with it.
“We’ve searched everywhere in the fort and found nothing,” Jack said, leaning back on the steps, exhausted.
“We don’t even know for sure if we’re in the right place,” Bob said. He guzzled some water.
“I’m sure,” Alex said. “I can feel it.”
“I agree with Alex,” Mitch said. “It has to be here somewhere.”
“Maybe we misinterpreted what Khadesh said,” Bob offered.
“I don’t think so,” Mitch said, shaking his head. “It has to be the Lighthouse.” He looked perplexed. “And we are on Pharos Island. And this citadel was built using fallen masonry from the Lighthouse.”
“But we’ve looked everywhere in the citadel,” Jack said. “Unless there’s a secret chamber underneath the fort, just like with the Sphinx?”
“Oh, good grief,” Bob said. “How would Dr. Khadesh have found the time to locate a secret chamber in this fort?”
“That’s it!” Alex exclaimed.
“What? A secret chamber?” Bob asked.
“No, the underwater site.” Alex took a deep breath, feeling a surge of energy. “When the Pharos of Alexandria was destroyed by the earthquakes, some of the masonry fell onto the island and remained here, and further excavations brought more of it up to the surface, but a lot of the lighthouse fell into the sea. There are more ruins under the sea.”
“Under the sea. Just great,” Bob sighed.
Chapter 37
Rage, Circa 10,000 B.C.
AFTER the failed bid for Setar, Zhek and his remaining men had returned to Rekar and Shera’s home in the village of Tessea, Zhek’s hiding place.
Zhek was incandescent with rage. He was out of his mind with anger and frustration at coming so close to his son, yet having him slip through his fingers. Zhek had thought of little else in the years that passed since Zazmaria’s death, than taking his son and making the Royal Family pay for destroying his own family. Zazmaria had been the love of his life, the only one who truly understood him. Now Setar was his future, he was all Zhek had. The thought of having his son by his side had been the only thing that had kept him going through all these desperate and desolate years. And now, he felt as far from that hope as he ever had. Zhek’s blood boiled within him. Once again the Royal Family had defeated him. Once again they took everything from him and left him with nothing.
Rekar saw Zhek’s fury. He knew how much this had meant to his friend. He had no idea what they would, or could, do next. Zhek paced the small living room.
“They now know about you, Zhek,” he said, offering him some spirits.
Zhek waved it away. He continued to pace. “That could not be helped.”
“They will come looking for you,” Rekar added, pouring himself a drink. “You will be a hunted man.”
“I may be, but at least my son now knows who his true father is. I have enlightened him to the lies he has been fed all these years. He may not be with me yet, but he knows he is my son.”
“Do you think they will admit the truth to him now?” Rekar asked, taking a drink.
“They will have no choice,” Zhek said. He stopped by a small, round table, and looked out the window. The soft light from a lamp shone on it. He saw his own reflection. Disfigured. Humiliated in defeat yet again. He breathed heavy, clenching and unclenching his fists. He felt like he could explode.
“He will be under even greater protection now,” Rekar said hesitantly. The implication was obvious. It would be extremely difficult to get to the young Prince now.
Zhek picked up a mug from the table and threw it hard against the wall. It smashed into tiny pieces. It only made him angrier. He wanted to kill Traeus. He would not rest until he was dead and he would make sure it was a painful death. Just like Zazmaria had suffered. He would kill him with his own hands. He would take the life, which had taken so much from him.
Shera heard the mug shatter and came rushing into the room. “Is everything all right?” As soon as she asked the question, she regretted it.
Rekar shook his head, his expression fearful.
“How can you ask that?” Zhek practically screamed at her.
“I-I am sorry, Zhek, I did not mean to…”
“Leave, woman!” he ordered, thrusting his arm out. He could not deal with anyone else right now. His mind was a jumble of hate and confusion. He was filled with bitterness and he could see no way to salvage this situation. He felt lost.
Shera looked at her husband, clearly upset. He nodded. She left the room without another word.
Rekar said nothing about the way Zhek had spoken to his wife in his own home. He knew Zhek was not thinking clearly now. He topped off his mug.
“Ahhh!” Zhek cried out furiously. “I cannot believe I was this close to him.” He pounded his fists against the wall. “This close, and I had to let him go.”
“There will be another chance,” Rekar said, though he knew his words sounded unconvincing. He had no idea what to do next.
Zhek glared at him. “There will be no such chance and you know it.”
Rekar did not answer.
Zhek paced the room like a caged lion. He pulled at his hair. “I have to find a way to end Traeus’ rule. If I can do that, Setar will be easier to get at.” He stopped and thought for a moment. “That is the only way now. Traeus will never let up his guard now that he knows I am alive and have come to claim my son. I have to end his Kingship.” He looked over at Rekar. “Then I will end his life.”
Rekar was exhausted. “Perhaps we should all get some sleep. Think things over a bit. We do not need to rush into anything…”
“That is easy for you to say!” Zhek shouted at him. “It is not your son who the Royal Family is wrongfully holding. It was not your family who was all but annihilated by those people.” Zhek’s face was turning red with rage.
“I do not mean to…” Rekar started to say.
“I will not rest until that family is brought to its knees and they look up at me for mercy!”
“Yes, Zhek,” Rekar said, trying to diffuse the situation.
It seemed to work. After a few moments, Zhek appeared a bit calmer. He took a seat.
Rekar sat down as well.
“We will need to take a very different approach this time,” Zhek said, thinking hard. He rubbed his chin. “Something they would never expect.”
Rekar thought on it. He could not come up with any ideas. His mind felt blank with fatigue.
“They will expect me to make another attempt for Setar, and they are right, but it will not be how they think.” He had an idea. His eyes were afire with new purpose. “I will make sure that they are weakened, crippled, fighting for their own survival first.” He pointed at Rekar, “And when they are weakest, I will strike with full force.”
Rekar just looked at him, unsure of where this was going.
“We must up the stakes,” Zhek said. “Our next actions must decisively move things to our favor.”
“We have already raided the Palace. At least we managed to burn down part of it. They know we can get to them.”
“We need to distract them, take their attention off what just happened,” Zhek said.
“But how?” Rekar asked. “This was pretty big. I cannot imagine what could make them forget that.”
Zhek grinned malevolently, “I can.”
Chapter 38
Evil Unfolds
ZHEK said nothing else that night. He told Rekar he wanted a couple of days to think over his idea and plan for what to do next. He also had to avoid the Royal guards the King had sent looking for him. He had little time. His next move would have to b
e quick and decisive.
After spending the time alone, convincing himself of the perfection of his bold scheme, Zhek finally went to find Rekar. He told him of what he planned to do. Zhek knew the Royal Family would never see it coming and he reveled in the outrage that would unfold.
Rekar was shocked at what Zhek was suggesting. In spite of the Draxens’ well-earned reputation for brutality, this was exceptionally malicious and cold-blooded. Even for a man robbed of the only thing in his life that mattered, it was inconceivable. Evil. He started to protest, “Zhek, what you are proposing, it is not right, it…”
“We have no choice now!” Zhek shouted. He did not want to hear of it. He looked like a man possessed. “I have considered other options. This is the only way to end the Selaren rule once and for all.”
“But…” Rekar started to say.
Zhek waved him off angrily. “We have to turn the people against the King. You and Shera still have access to the Palace and its grounds. We have to do this soon, before they figure out who might have helped me gain access to my son.”
“They will not suspect us,” Rekar argued.
“They will,” Zhek growled. “How else would I have known where Setar was located in the Palace? How else would a plan have been devised to stage the fire? They will know someone had knowledge of the inner workings of the Palace. You told me yourself that you and Shera have been witnessed out of place there. It is only a matter of time before you are found out. They will execute you if they find out you two are spies.”
Rekar inhaled deeply. He realized Zhek was right. He and Shera were in a very risky situation.
Zhek nodded. “So you see, it is not just me who is exposed. You two will soon be as well…unless we give them something else to worry about. Something much, much bigger…”
Rekar began to sweat. His stomach lurched. He hated the Royal Family too, but what Zhek was proposing was beyond comprehension, and far beyond what he felt capable of. But Rekar knew an investigation would soon be launched. Questions asked. Fingers pointed. They were running out of time. He did not know what to do.
“It is the only way,” Zhek said, his breathing labored.
Zhek’s lungs burned with every breath, reminding him of the suffering the Royal Family had inflicted on him. He could never escape it, not even in sleep. Zhek was often awoken during the night by coughing fits. Sometimes they would be so severe that he would cough up blood. Thoughts of revenge haunted him every minute of every day. His sleep, when it came to him, was filled with scattered, disjointed images of fire and swords and the memory of Zazmaria. He still ached for her, but he was alone. Due to the lasting and severe effects of his injuries, he also realized he would not live out a long life. Maybe not long at all. He could feel it. He had nothing to lose. Setar was all he had in the world. Without him, his life meant nothing. Time was also his enemy. He was desperate.
Rekar’s mind raced to find another solution. Something less extreme. Anything. “We should take some time, consider other options…”
“There is no time Rekar! They will find out about you and Shera,” he said pointing a finger in his face, “then they will come looking for you. Then they will also find me. I will not forsake getting my son back. His rightful place is with me! Those contemptible people have filled his head with lies. I will not stand for it!”
Rekar knew there was no arguing with Zhek. For Zhek there was too much at stake, it was too personal. “We have to talk this over with the others,” Rekar said finally. “We will need a great deal of help.”
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They called a gathering of Zhek’s supporters. Many expressed their sympathies to Zhek about the failed attempt to get his son. However, the Palace had not said anything about the kidnapping attempt. The only news given was that there had been an accidental fire in the new wing and that there had been casualties of the fire, including the Head Priest. Nothing else. Zhek would use this short window of opportunity while the Palace tried to sort things out, to his own advantage.
Shera had pulled her husband aside in their bedroom prior to the meeting. “Rekar,” she whispered, “we cannot do this. The man has gone mad.”
“And if we do not, how long do you think it will take them to realize it was us who leaked information about the Palace and Setar? They will figure out that we helped to set that fire.” Rekar was feeling panic rise inside of him. He pulled away from her.
“There must be another way,” she pleaded, grabbing his sleeve. “Why can we not take just a little time like before? Try to come up with a different plan?”
“Because we do not have the luxury of time!” Rekar said, then lowered his voice again. “Zhek is right. We must act quickly to get their attention off of the kidnapping attempt or they will come for us.”
“But at what cost?” she asked, trembling.
“It will not be our cost,” he countered. “Do not concern yourself with what happens to others. Think only of what might happen to us, should we go against Zhek in this.”
She just looked at her husband searching his face. She saw the fear in his eye and felt a cold chill trail down her spine.
“Come, we will be late,” Rekar said. “Zhek is expecting us.”
They joined Zhek and the others, already gathered in their living room.
Zhek took a seat. “I thank you all for your efforts in helping a father be with his only son…the only surviving member of my family,” he addressed them. He knew he would have to heavily leverage their sympathy for his situation and their hatred of the King to get them believing in the plan he was going to put forth.
“We support you, Zhek,” one man said.
“This is not over,” a woman added. “We will help you take back Setar.”
Zhek smiled. “Well, not if the King has anything to say about it.”
“Then we should silence him!” someone yelled out from the back of the room.
Zhek laughed. “Yes, we should. But I have been thinking, we have been trying to do everything ourselves, and it has been hard.”
“We are not afraid of hard work, Zhek,” the first man said.
“No, my friends, you have proven your dedication, your resilience time and time again. I could not ask for better allies.” He smiled, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He looked around the room. Their attention was riveted on him. He had them, now he just had to convince them to see things as he did.
“My hope in getting my son is fading, my friends,” he said as sadly as he could. “The King will surely increase security beyond anything we can hope to overcome.”
“We are strong, Zhek!” the woman called out. “We are not afraid of him!”
The gathering clapped and cheered.
This was working out just as he hoped.
“I know, my trusted friends. You are the bravest, strongest, and smartest people I have ever known. You have proven that to me beyond any doubt.” He paused. It was time to reveal his scheme. “Which is why I know you will understand what I am about to ask you to do.”
Shera stood at the back of the room. She looked around at those gathered. Zhek’s anger and hate was overwhelming him. Surely she would not be the only one who would see Zhek’s obsession was turning to utter madness.