The dagger disappeared from her throat. Danielle felt it raise, the hilt ready to strike her. But before he could knock her unconscious, she reached out to the four horses that were drawing the coach. They whinnied loudly and suddenly bolted forward. The carriage swayed wildly on the wet cobbles. Mason was thrown off her and slammed against the door. Timbers and glass shattered and Danielle looked up to find the open door banging against the carriage as they raced along. Her male captor had disappeared. She quickly turned her attention on her last captor only to find that the woman was holding on for dear life while working desperately to bring her crossbow to bear.
At that moment the draw pole and traces snapped and the carriage jerked violently to the right, veering up onto two wheels. The bow fired. The bolt smashed into the seat above Danielle’s head, but before she could move there was a solid, bone-jarring jolt. Timbers sheared and splintered and then they were falling through the air as the carriage toppled over the side of the stone bridge, which was halfway down the main colonnade to the palace gate.
The impact with the water below knocked Danielle silly and the next thing she knew the cold dark depths of the King’s River were surging into the wrecked cabin, dragging her beneath the surface.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“James, you should at least eat something before you go,” Faith had followed him across the yard, her shawl pulled tight around her shoulders.
James was saddling a horse for the return trip to Arkaelyon. He’d made the decision to leave even as Danielle’s coach disappeared through the gates of the readying yard a few minutes ago.
“She will not thank you if you run yourself ragged.”
“Faith, I’m fine. I can be back in Illandia by nightfall tomorrow and I’m sure her father will want to hear what has happened in person.”
“Gods, you’re as bad as she is.”
Michael and Bastion were wandering over. A second bell had begun to toll through the night. This one was coming from the direction of the palace’s main gate. No one in the yard was paying it any attention for such alarms were common when the Grand Assembly was meeting. But bells this time of night made James nervous.
“You leaving?” Michael asked as he approached.
“If my lord would permit it, yes. Danielle wants me to tell your father what has transpired here tonight and I think it should be done in person rather than via a bird. It will certainly be safer.”
“I agree.”
“He shouldn’t be doing any such thing,” Faith said. “He hasn’t slept or eaten in more than a day.”
Michael ignored his fiancé and shook James’ hand. His grateful smile grim. “Thank you. We’ll see you back in Illandia in five days. And James, I’m not your lord.”
They embraced like brothers and then Bastion gave James a firm handshake. There was no need for words. They both knew how hard it was going to be without their princess around. Six months seemed an impossibly long time to be bereft of her presence and company. Even now, the world seemed emptier than it had a few minutes ago.
James turned to Faith, who stepped forward and kissed his cheek.
“You be careful. For her sake.”
He said that he would and then mounted up.
“You know if anyone can do this, James, its Dee,” Michael said solemnly.
“I know.” He nodded his farewell and reined his horse to the trot. As he made for the open gates at the far end of the yard he glanced back over his shoulder. “Best of luck with the Vafusolum Proposal.”
“She’ll skin us alive if we fail,” Michael called back.
“And then some, I suspect.”
It was at that moment that the Keeper of Kathius hall, Mr Husking, emerged from inside and came running down the stairs to the readying yard, his coat tails flying around his bandy legs.
“Milords, Milady. A palace guard has just brought word that a carriage bearing the Arkaelyon crest has tumbled into the King’s River. It has to be her ladyship.”
James’ pulse raced. “Anyone hurt?”
“It appears so, sir.”
His heart froze with dread and he started to rein his horse back in the direction of the gate.
Faith demanded that he wait. She had hoisted the hem of her dress off the ground and started forward towards him. “Michael, Bastion, get three horses and follow us.”
She gave James her hand and he hauled her up behind him, before setting the horse to a gallop. They raced out through the archway and turned in the direction of the main gates of the palace, riding as the crow flies across gardens and carriageways. In a few moments they could see the torch lit pillars that graced both sides of the Royal Colonnade through the trees of the South garden. Then the bridge came into view. Scores of palace guards had descended on the scene with torches to light the area and at this distance it was impossible to see much in the chaos.
Faith’s hold around his waist tightened and she pointed towards the river. “There.”
James had just noticed it too, a semi-submerged carriage. Or at least what was left of it. A team of horses had been assembled on the far side of the dark river and several soldiers were wading out to the wreck with ropes bundled around their waists.
More men of the palace guard were fanning out on both sides of the riverbank with torches and lanterns, likely looking for survivors; or the dead.
“Dee will be fine,” Faith said.
James felt the same cold terror evident in Faith’s voice and put his heels to the horse’s flank, driving it as hard as he dared. He guided their mount over a hedgerow and then turned towards the cobbled colonnade.
A cordon of guards had formed on the nearside of the bridge. A sergeant saw them coming down the cobbled road towards him and the gathering crowd he was holding back from the scene, and put up his hand, stepping forward to halt their approach.
“No one is allowed through, sir. The Lord Chancellor is on his way and orders are that no-one should pass this way until after his arrival.”
Faith dismounted. “Lord Leefton will be most put out if he finds you denied us passage.”
The man’s eyes widened as the light of a nearby torch revealed to whom he had spoken. “Madam General, I didn’t recognise you. Please.” He stepped aside and gestured them over the bridge.
It was well known that where many sworn knights found the Lady Galloway a threat the common soldier adored her.
James quickly dismounted and followed Faith past the cordon and across the bridge. With each step their pace increased until they were running. At the end of the bridge they veered into the park-like grounds, dewy grass replacing cobbles under foot.
Just ahead the ropes had been attached to the carriage and the horses were pulling the wreck towards the riverbank.
James was looking everywhere for any sign that survivors were being attended to, but there was nothing.
“Is there anyone inside?” he called out, dreading the answer, as he and Faith approached the group of soldiers who were in the company of a Gate Captain. The blond haired fellow turned sharply at hearing James’ question, annoyance crossing his bearded face.
His demeanour immediately changed as he saw Faith striding towards him. “Madam General.” He offered a respectful bow and looked back to James. “No, sir, there was no one inside.”
“But there are injured?” Faith said.
“Where are the survivors?” James was still looking for them, hoping to find a head of bedraggled blond hair.
“We have found no survivors, sir, only dead. The coachman and six of my men.” The captain nodded in the direction of a stand of oak trees a dozen yards up the bank. James saw them, or more to the point, a tarpaulin laid over what he assumed were seven bodies.
“The Lady de Brie was on board in the company of a gentleman.” He was trying to rein back his fear but it crackled in his voice.
The captain swallowed, and several of his men looked over at hearing this. “I am sorry, sir, but we have not found her, or a gentleman.
We’re searching the river and the grounds as we speak…”
“What happened?” Faith asked.
“The men on watch at the top of the gate tower saw the carriage career off the bridge. A troop of mounted guards weren’t far behind, but seemed to be having trouble with their horses. I sent men to help while we fetched ropes. When we arrived they had been murdered and there was no one here except the coachmen and twenty horses milling about on the bank. I’ve sent riders to secure every gate leading out of the palace grounds and word of this will have reached Lord Leefton by now.”
This made absolutely no sense to James at all. Trying to remedy that, and not sure where else to start, he grabbed a torch and went over to the carriage. It was being pulled up onto the bank, water gushing from its cabin. The vehicle was a wreck, jagged glass in the windows, the front bench was smashed and three of its wheels had been sheered off with the impact with the river. He poked his head inside and looked-over the muddy, waterlogged interior. There was nothing that might tell them what had happened. At least until a crossbow bolt imbedded in one of the leather seats caught his eye.
“Lady Galloway, you’d best have a look at this.”
Faith pushed up beside him. The captain arrived a few steps behind her.
“Tell me that’s not what I think it is?”
“I wish I could.” Faith stepped inside and broke the quiver off to examine the fletching. “It’s palace guard.”
“How could this happen? Cargius was with her,” James forced his emotions down, and made himself focus. “The twenty men? You saw twenty men, and they just disappeared? There must be tracks leading away from here?”
“That’s the oddity, there are none,” the captain replied. “The dew on the grass is undisturbed, and they couldn’t have crossed the colonnade without being seen. All we know is that a Surlemian woman attired in one of our uniforms was among the murderers. One of my men said as much before he died.”
“A Surlemian woman?” That made no sense to James. Nor Faith, but Danielle and Cargius were not here and nor were those who had done this, which could mean only one thing. At least to James’ mind. This was an abduction.
“Men don’t just disappear,” Faith said, obviously eager to be doing something to help find Dee. She clearly thought the same thing as James. “They’ve likely escaped along the river’s edge to avoid detection.”
“It’s being searched in both directions and the men have been instructed to look for any sign that someone has left it,” the captain replied.
“Good. Widen your search to the grounds and buildings and bolster the number of men at the gates. They have to be here somewhere. And tell your men to be careful. I don’t want the lady and her companion harmed.”
James was trying to piece it all together. He walked over to where the Captain had indicated his men had been killed and crouched down, holding the torch over the trampled grass. What he saw suggested the Captain’s men had not suffered.
“You think the good lady has been abducted?” the captain asked.
“I’d bet my life on it,” James said. It meant Dee was still alive and that at least was a relief. Yet he found no evidence that Danielle had been here. He got up and moved further a field. The troop of mounted soldier’s arrived from the direction of the colonnade, the fresh hoof marks in the grass were plain to see. They had dismounted among the trees that lined the slight rise from the river and shooed their horses up on the lawn before heading down to the riverbank. Escape along the river seemed the only possibility.
“At least this means she is still alive,” Faith said, arriving at his side.
“For how long? You know what they’re going to do to her.” The thought was making James sick with worry.
“Why would they leave the horses?” Faith said, lowering her voice so the captain couldn’t hear them.
“Probably not their original intension. But then again putting the carriage into the river, most likely wasn’t part of their plan either,” James said. “You abduct someone, you want to do it quietly, right?”
“You think it was Dee’s doing. The carriage in the water certainly drew unwanted attention. Unfortunately her would-be rescuers were not sufficient in number to be of assistance.”
James caught a whiff of something in the air that made him frown. He quickly stood. “Captain.”
“Yes?”
“Did any of your men see a flock of crows or bats in the area after the crash?”
“Gods, no,” Faith cursed under her breath, evidently realising what he was thinking.
The captain looked at James as if he were barmy. “I don’t think so. Why?”
A soldier nearby piped in. “I did, sir. Thought they might have been forced from their roost in the barracks tower with the fire and all.”
“Something we should know?” the captain asked.
“No. Thank you.”
James walked away to the nearest tree. His thoughts were racing again. If they had escaped the scene via the river, then they’d find them. He was sure of that. The Captain had acted quickly to secure the palace gates. But if Dee was already beyond the walls there was no way they could track her.
“Danielle can’t transform?” Faith whispered.
“Perhaps she can,” James replied. “Or perhaps they can do it for her?” There was so much they didn’t have a clue about. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to think what to do now.
Michael and Bastion had just ridden down from the colonnade and the Captain was pointing along the riverbank to where James and Faith were standing. Both men made short work of the distance and leaped down from their respective saddles.
“What’s happened? Where is she?” Michael demanded. The young prince was almost beside himself with worry, his face pale in the torchlight.
“We think she’s been abducted,” Faith said glumly.
“Then what are we doing here? We have to do something?”
“They abandoned their horses,” she said. “We suspect they escaped by changing form. In which case, they could be anywhere.”
Michael shook his head in disbelief and began to choke up. Faith embraced him, tears in her eyes.
Something Faith said gave James an idea. Gave him hope that all wasn’t yet lost. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
He ran between the trees and up the small rise to the manicured lawn where a number of guardsmen were tethering the abandoned horses to the rear of a wagon.
James addressed the closest soldier, “Do those horses bear the brand of the palace guard?”
“The saddles are palace issue.”
He brushed past the soldier and checked the first horse he came across. Then he checked another and another. None bore the royal crest, or any brand for that matter. It was what he’d hoped for and without a word he bolted back down to the others. “They have to have come in somewhere. The horses are not from the palace stables.”
“That doesn’t explain were they have gone,” Faith replied.
“Maybe it does. Twenty guardsmen riding through Amthenium would not have gone unnoticed. It’s a place to start. It might even lead us back to wherever they have returned to. Where they are holding her.” He knew how that sounded. But it was something at least.
“Well, unless they rode through the palace precincts from the gates in the east wall they had to have come in either through the Gate of the Saints, or via the entrance under the barrack’s tower,” Bastion said.
Like Faith and Michael the undersecretary was animated again by hope; hope they might have a lead.
“The former or the latter are highly unlikely,” Faith said. “If this was my work, I’d have come in through the Gate of the Saints. It is a long way from the palace barracks and the grounds offer good cover from the palace and it’s the shortest route to Kathius Hall.” She was already moving in that direction. “Michael, go and tell Leefton what we fear.”
“I’d rather go with you.”
“No. One de Brie has been taken this
night; I’m not going to let two be placed in danger. You know your duty. Now go.”
The young prince reluctantly remounted his horse. “Be careful and be discreet.”
“We’ll find her and bring her back.”
In the distance the Chancellor’s carriage and mounted guards had just arrived. A sizable crowd was beginning to congregate at the far end of the bridge and some of them were walking down to the riverbank across the water. Some had even begun to call out to the soldiers, asking what had happened.
James couldn’t let himself worry about what would be said. He suspected most wouldn’t believe the truth even if they were told it. Finding Danielle was the only thing that mattered right now - and finding her quickly.
With Bastion and Faith at his side, he led the way through the manicured grounds towards the Gate of the Saints at a slow run, eyes scanning their surroundings, hoping to see anything that might help their search. The flame of the torch hissed and fluttered as they ran, threatening to gutter-out, but there was no question of slowing down.
“Over there!” Faith said. Her hand latched onto James’ sleeve and drew him up. She pointed at the stone path to their right. It ran from a pergola on the river’s edge up through the tree-studded lawn to one of the entrances to the palace’s famed flower gardens that was in deep shadow fifty yards away.
“Someone has come out of the river and headed this way.”
James saw it now. The flagstone’s glistened with puddles of water and here and there the outline of what looked like a soldier’s boot was visible. From what he could tell there were probably no more than five or six in the party and they were heading in the direction of the Gate of the Saints.
“It has to be Dee. Why else would they risk escaping on foot when they could fly?” Faith said.
James was thinking the same thing. He drew his sword and headed towards the flower garden. While the gate wasn’t more than a few hundred yards beyond the garden, a thicket of tall trees blocked their view of all but the parapets of the tower. They had barely entered the garden under one of its stone arches when Faith suddenly stopped again.
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