The Princess smiled sadly, “I’ll be fine, Warren. I shall always have Knights like you to protect me from the evil forces in the world. Like boredom and marriage.”
Chapter 60 A Message
Solace sat down across from the tattooed elf again and folded his hands, “You have your answer?”
The half elf let out a slow breath, “I’ll tell you what I know but let me see my brother.”
The Inquisitor shrugged, “After. Now spill.”
The thug glared at the man and crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair, “I don’t think that’s going to happen. I have what you need to know.”
Solace rose to his feet and made for the door, “Maybe your brother will be a bit more cooperative.”
The elf growled, “Fine. I’ll tell you but I need to see my brother immediately after.”
A smile ghosted across Solace’s face before he wiped it away and turned to face the man sitting at the table. The room really was rather depressing. All dim and damp and just plain sad. The Inquisitor made his way over and sat back down. The elf licked his lips and glanced around the room before sighing.
The Knight raised an eyebrow and the man started, “I don’t actually know who it is. He’s always passed information along by dead drop and we pick it up. As for the murders you’ve been looking into. We haven’t ordered them but our informant is the one committing them. It was his price for helping us but I don’t know what he has against you.”
Solace crossed his arms, “How do you contact this informant?”
The thug shook his head, “We don’t. A date is marked in the information for the next dead drop.”
Silence filled the air and Solace made a ‘go on’ gesture with his hand. The elf stared at him in silence and the Knight let out a breath, “When is the next drop and where?”
The elf opened his mouth and then shut it and then opened it again, “What’s the date?”
Solace rolled his eyes, “It’s Sunday. April 3rd, 1503 Post-Cataclysm. 3524 by the old calendar. Is that specific enough or do you need the hour to?”
- “It’s tonight.”
The Inquisitor glared at him, “Where? And don’t make me get a map.”
Tension filled the air as the prisoner leaned back away from his questioner and swallowed, “Near the river, the bridge of graves. I don’t know the details of where it’s hidden, just that its on top not underneath.”
Solace leaned back in his chair, “Do you pick it up or does one of your men?”
“One of my men normally but that red-eyed freak killed him. I never sent him out until after dark but he always came back right away. Well, there was that one time he didn’t but that was because of that lady from the who-”
“-Who I don’t care about. Does your informant know who you are or just a general sense of who you work for?”
-“I don’t know. I’ve never met him.”
-“This information. Who’s it for?”
A nervous glance at the door and Solace popped a knuckle, making the elf turn his attention back to the Knight, “I don’t know. I send it out with a messenger they send to me once a month.”
Solace ran his fingers through his hair, “When is that messenger due to arrive?”
“15th of every month. By the South Gate. She’s a human, not an elf and well, she stands out. Lots of knives, likes leather. Her name is Lorelei. She normally hangs around for a few days. I think it’s partially to be forgotten by gate guards and partially to meet with other contacts.”
The Inquisitor stood up, “I see. I’ll have some more questions for you later.”
The elf stared after the man as he walked across the room, “What about my brother?”
Solace sighed, “See, you have trust issues. I haven’t even left the room and you’re already panicking,” The Inquisitor opened the door and looked at the guard, “Toss him in his brother’s cell.”
The guard snapped a quick salute and Solace rushed off down the hallway. It was time to get back in the field.
Three hours of watching the bridge of graves and there was nothing. Reginald and Hawkes had drifted back into the city across it but for as old as their families were both would have relatives buried in the graveyard outside the city. Dozens of people had made their way across the bridge in both directions, including a funeral procession. Anyone could have dropped something and the elf didn’t know any more about where the drop was. Solace knew he could find it though and kept watching the bridge as the sun slowly set.
There was nothing overt about it. Then again there was a spy in their midst so he may have found out about the capture of the other half of his information chain and bailed out on tonight. It never hurt to check though. The sun dipped below the horizon and Solace continued to wait for another hour. The Knight finally decided to call it and dropped down to the street below. The bridge was a macabre affair made of dark granite and carved with angry, demonic faces that were supposed to keep the unquiet dad where they belonged. It had been built just a few hundred years ago after the old bridge had collapsed.
Solace scanned the bridge for anything overt and didn’t see anything obvious. That wasn’t surprising though. A few silent words and power flowed through the Knight and swept across the bridge. Pressure bloomed in his head from the direction of the city but one spot felt absurdly sharper then the rest from directly behind. The spell had been designed to search out items with certain similarities to the original. In this case, ink. Solace had also brought paper with him in case the ink failed. The Inquisitor turned toward the sharp pressure and ignored the more distant items and plodded across. As the Knight reached the edge the pressure seemed to e coming from directly below him and the man knelt down. The pressure rose as he lowered himself to the ground.
The Inquisitor raised his hand and it began to glow with a dim light as he scanned the stonework. There wasn’t any writing but one stone’s mortar looked fresher then the others. Solace reached forward with his other hand and grabbed the stone. Then gave it a yank and the mortar dissolved, a spell had been holding it in place. Solace reached into the hole and pulled out a tube of paper and smiled as he unfurled it. The handwriting was familiar but Solace couldn’t place it. The thing that bothered Solace the most is that the Princess had been frequenting a particular diner with only a single Knight to accompany her and that she was not acting as the Princess. She was hiding in the populace. At the bottom, the black outline of a bird with its wings spread was visible. Solace grit his teeth at the foreign symbol and headed back towards the Wall.
Chapter 61 Three Days
Alden stood alongside Warren with Elise, Enzo, Skorri and John gathered around the tower they were waiting for Sergeant Hunter in Wednesday morning. The green eyed teen knew that there was only one reason why all of them would be gathered again so soon after the last incident. Elise was back on her feet but she wasn’t at 100% just yet. The young man worried that she wouldn’t be able to keep up when the time came to take the Trial.
The blonde seemed to read his mind and muttered from her position next to him, “I can handle myself.”
Alden opened his mouth but Enzo cut in from the other side of Elise, “We know you can. We’re just worried you’re not healed all the way.”
Elise rolled her eyes, “I’m fine. Really, the Medics cleared me this morning.”
The green eyed teen grunted and Enzo seemed inclined to let silence fill the air. Elise let out a huff, “Do I need to prove it? Which one of you wants to fight?”
Both young men gazed evenly at her and Alden grunted again. The blonde simmered for a moment longer and then leaned back up against the wall between them. A silence filled the air as Reginald and Hawkes arrived. Blackfeather made his way to the opposite side of the tower without glancing at any of them and Hawkes nodded politely to them before settling in beside his partner. Ser
geant Hunter arrived a few seconds later and stood on top of a nearby chair.
The older Knight scanned the group of Cadets before him and took a deep breath, “The next three days are yours to do as you please. The Third Trial begins Saturday and you will need to be combat ready. I suggest you use that time to prepare whatever you may need because some of you may not make it back. Each team will be fighting an orc in the arena with the King and city in attendance. Do you have any questions?”
A stunned silence filled the air and Skorri was the first one to break it, “What weapons can we bring?”
The Sergeant shrugged, “Whatever you want to.”
More silence. This one lingered in the air and seemed to settle over everything until Reginald broke it, “They expect us to kill orcs?”
Sergeant Hunter turned and looked at the Cadet from atop his chair, “Yes, they do. They expect you to do it in three days. They might expect you to do it again three years from now.”
Alden let out a breath, “What weapons will they have?”
Malcolm frowned, “I’m not sure exactly but expect clubs and basic weapons. Nothing bladed though. At the worst I would say spears. Orcs, as you should know, are dangerous without weapons. They’re stronger and faster then any of us so don’t try to pummel the thing into the ground with your fists. Skorri.”
The giant snorted. “I’m stupid, not suicidal.”
The Knight Sergeant smiled for the first time and looked around, “Is there anything else?”
The Cadets glanced at each other as the silence returned and Malcolm nodded, “Very well. You know where to find me should anything come up. Enjoy yourselves. Dismissed.”
Alden glanced over at Warren as the Sergeant moved toward the door and the green eyed man said, “We probably should keep training between now and then. Best to avoid gettin’ lazy.”
The big teen nodded and Alden glanced over at Elise, “I guess me and Warren are gonna go beat on each other with pointy pieces of metal. I’ll find you later?”
Elise smiled at him, “I suppose you will if you come looking. Which I expect you to. Meet me in the library after dinner and we can make plans for tomorrow and the next day.”
Alden smiled back, “I can do that I reckon. Take it easy and get that leg back where it needs to be. I don’t want the orc to think you’re taking it easy on him.”
The blonde rolled her eyes, “I’m sure that’s what he’ll think. I’ll see you later.”
Warren coughed into his fist and this time Alden let out an exaggerated sigh, “I gotta go, my mother hen is calling me.”
Elise laughed as she planted a kiss on Alden’s cheek and the young man turned to follow his large friend back down into the Wall. If Enzo could melt things with his eyes, Alden would be a puddle. The sandy haired teen made his way down below the Wall to the training rings and stepped into the sand pit with Warren. Neither of them wore their armor and practicing with actual steel blades would do more harm then good.
Alden lifted a wooden practice blade off the rack and swung it a couple of times to see how it felt. Just like his actual sword. Warren had found his shield and mace already as the door swung open and Reginald Blackfeather swept into the room. Hawkes was already absent from the dark teen’s presence and the young man smiled, “Faulkner, I see you and your hick have decided to train. Not that I blame you of course, with a partner like that I would train as much as I could as well.”
The green eyed teen grit his teeth as Warren responded, “I’ll take him over you any day in any situation, Blackfeather.”
The dark haired teen nodded a few times, “I see. Well, since you’re backing him I have no choice. Alden Flint, I, Reginald Blackfeather accept your challenge by Rite of Arms for the duel to be held on the following Sunday after completion of the Third Trial provided that all parties involved are capable of performing at full capacity. Your witness?”
Alden stared at the young man for a full ten seconds before Reginald raised an eyebrow and asked, “Did I speak too fast for you to understand?”
The green eyed teen felt his temper flare and responded, “Warren Faulkner. Your witness, weapons and terms?”
Blackfeather smirked, “Alexander Hawkes. Longswords only. To the death.”
Alden grinned broadly, “Feeling confident are we?”
The dark haired teen turned on his heel and made for the door, “Let’s keep this between us. Just so you know, I’ll be cheering for you during the Third Trial. I wouldn’t want an Orc to rob me of my chance to kill you myself you whore son.”
The emerald eyed young man half growled, “Same to you, Crow-feathers.”
Reginald stopped and tossed a cold glare over his shoulder as Alden felt a cold chill race down his spine, “Don’t insult my family you stupid, ignorant, dirt farmer.”
Alden’s temper flared and heat flooded his body, “Then don’t insult mine you spoiled, arrogant cheat.”
The tension in the room could be cut with a knife as Alden’s eyes narrow and the young man saw Warren lower himself into a fighting stance. Reginald snorted and walked out of the room. Alden let go of his anger and the room seemed to cool back down. The young man slowly let out a breath and lifted a kite shield off of the table and enterd a ready stance across from Warren. He couldn’t wait to teach Reginald Blackfeather a lesson in manners.
Chapter 62 The Beginning Of The End
Three days never slid by so quickly. Saturday had arrived and Warren sat in the stands over a large, circular, grassy arena. The original arena had been built before the Cataclysm but had since been destroyed and rebuilt. Nothing of the original had been saved except for the shape of the arena which was a rounded off arrowhead. The entire fighting ground had been planted in grass with two thirds of the arena along the edges of the point of the arrow head being surrounded by seats. A wall stood on the far third that was roughly ten feet tall. The entire thing was smaller then the original had been.
The big man sat alone looking into the arena as he waited. No one but the participants were expected to be here yet and Alden was off with Elise. In a way Warren was nervous but at the same time he wasn’t. He had faith in his abilities and in Alden’s. Both of them were capable fighters and they had the advantage of equipment. He rose to his feet, armor clanking and stretched as best he could. His shield hung from his back and his mace was clipped to his hip. His helmet sat on the next seat and the big man rolled his neck, popping it as he picked up the helmet and descended from the stands into the rooms below. They also offered a more direct view onto the field but were covered with a matrix of heavy bars. This is where they would be waiting and watching the others. After the fights they would be taken elsewhere to be checked over and given a chance to relax and recover.
Warren and Alden were set to fight in the second match. Skorri and John were fighting first. Reginald and Hawkes were set to fight third and Elise and Enzo were fighting last. Warren sat with a heavy thump and continued to wait, staring out through the heavy bars. A few minutes later Enzo appeared, axe at his side and shield in hand. The other hand was carrying a heavy leather sack. The blonde man sat down beside Warren and dropped the sack that rattled with the sound of metal on metal. A comfortable silence fell between the two men.
A few minutes later Enzo let out a grunt, “Why do I get the feeling I should be beating the snot out of Alden right now?”
Warren took a moment to respond to the sudden question, “You’re asking the wrong person. Although the imminent potential of death does bring out our passions.”
Enzo’s eyes narrowed as he gazed out onto the field and the silence returned. Skorri and John arrived a few minutes later and Skorri laughed as he looked at Warren, “I’m glad you’re here. If you weren’t I’d be worried about the sounds coming from your room.”
The blonde twin surged to his feet and Warren grabbed his shoulder,
“You have good intentions in protecting your sister but let her make her own decisions.”
Enzo glared back at Warren, “Let go of me, Warren. I have to go kill Flint.”
A familiar voice driftd through the door, “Kill me for what?”
Warren glanced up at the outline of Alden, Elise standing behind him. The blonde woman shot her brother a pointed stare, “Enzo. Calm down. We’re not children anymore. As far as the Crown is concerned I’ve been allowed to do as I please for a year now.
Alden glanced over at Elise, “You’re eighteen? I thought you were younger then that.”
Elise looked at the green eyed teen, “Really? That is what you’re focused on?
The young man shrugged, “Well, I’m only 16, wait, 17 now.”
Enzo’s glare slowly faded away as the conversation took place, “You don’t know how old you are? And I know our age, Elise.”
Alden rolled his eyes, “I know my own age. My birthday was on the 4th and I forgot about it.”
Reginald’s voice broke in, “I’m honestly surprised you can count. And that you haven’t managed to walk off a cliff in 17 years. But still, miracles do happen from time to time.”
Blackfeather locked eyes with Alden and the young man clenched his fists and took a step forward before Warren put a hand on his shoulder, “Alden, we have enough to worry about today.”
Alden took a deep breath, “You’re right.”
A tense silence filled the room that persisted for five minutes before Sergeant Hunter appeared and broke it, “Today is the day. The Third Trial. I’m sure all of you are nervous but you’ve all been trained for this moment. There is no reason that today will end in tragedy. The people will start arriving soon. Skorri, John. Your fight starts in an hour. Anyone need anything?”
A Knight's Path (The Path of Cinder Book 1) Page 24