Near mid-evening, they reached the edge of the forest. Beyond was a clearing, and they could see the base of the huge mountain that sat right in the middle of the dense jungle. They had arrived at the lone mountain of Ibarjan. It wasn't a good idea to climb an unfamiliar mountain at night. Hence, they made camp in the forest. Zo made a small fire. Arkon squatted next to her.
“How long will it take to climb and be back?” he said.
Since he unknowingly gave her the opening she had been searching for, Zo obligingly took the map out from her pack, and unrolled it. She pointed a finger at the mountain and traced an imaginary path over its length. “It'll take at least half a day, maybe more.”
Arkon traced a finger over the map. “It’s going to be a hard climb.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” she said. “Maybe we can leave the boy at the base? He’ll slow us down.”
Arkon shook his head. “Alone? What if he gets into trouble?”
Zo chewed on her bottom lip. She glanced at Leo who was leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree. He held the mage’s diary in his hands and was staring at it, as if he could read the words. “We might have to stay on the mountain for at least one night to search for the flower. I don’t like the idea of leaving him down here, without anyone to protect him…but perhaps if you were to stay with him?”
“Impossible.” Arkon stated in a hard voice. “I’m not leaving your side.”
“I just have to climb up there and get the damned flower. I think I can do it by myself.” Zo’s eyes glinted. Did he think she was incapable of looking after herself just because the ekeme managed to overwhelm her with such ease?
“There’s still some daylight left. I’ll go see if I can find some food.” Abruptly, Arkon stood and walked away, clearing looking for a way to avoid this argument.
Zo rolled the map and stuffed it back in her pack. She glared at his retreating back. So close to the end of their journey, she didn’t intend to fight with her companion, and especially not when he had risked his life to save hers. Also, she knew his presence by her side reassured her. When he was with her, she felt safe, especially after the incident in the chasm. It was funny, she smiled. She’d thought he would be a burden, instead, he’d proven his worth many times over in the journey so far. He was an interesting man. A good, courageous and brave man who deserved far more respect than she gave him.
Perhaps when he returned, she should apologize for her rude behavior.
As she waited for Arkon to come back, Zo read Alicia’s last entry. The presence of ameers in the kingdom surprised her. They came too late to prevent Seve from being attacked, but the fact that they came to help king Seve meant that they expected the war to spread to Iram at a future date.
Zo pondered over the implications of this strange alliance. If King Vindha did ever cast his eyes on Iram, he would find them prepared to protect their freedom. Since everything seemed to be under control in the castle, she resisted the temptation to leave a message. Instead, she placed the diary back in the pack.
Arkon’s conclusions were right; it couldn’t have been anyone but Zima who was giving information regarding their whereabouts to the enemy. But why would Zima betray them? Was she the one who had poisoned Seve? Zo had known the old women since she was a fierce, young mage. Somehow, her mind just refused to accept the possibility that Zima was intent on betraying Zo and her family.
Where was Arkon? He had been gone a long time. She glanced over at Leo. He’d fallen asleep, Bikram's diary still clutched in his hands. The little sunlight that was filtering through the tree branches dwindled until it was impossible to see much past the light of their fire.
Zo whistled, hoping to hear his answering whistle in return. But there was none. Worried, she called out his name. When no answer was forthcoming, Zo realized that he had either wandered too far away for him to hear her call, or some misfortune had befallen him.
Quickly, she splashed some water on the fire, dousing the flames. She put some mud on it. Standing, she hefted Arkon’s pack and hers on her shoulders.
She shook Leo awake and told him to pick up Arkon’s blanket. “Something’s wrong. We’ll go look for Arkon,” she said, a worried note in her voice. It was unlike Arkon to go too far away. Always wary of her safety, he stayed close, no matter what they did.
Leo rubbed his eyes. “He won’t need it. The bad women will give him a straw pallet to sleep on.”
Zo whirled around to face the boy. “What?”
Leo stared at her, frightened by her tone. “Huh? I saw it…”
She gripped the boy’s shoulder. “What did you see? Which bad women?”
Leo fingered the medallion he wore around his neck. “Bad women came out of their caves and took Arkon.”
Zo wasn’t sure what to make of this sudden revelation from the boy. Had he dreamt during his nap? Or was this vision prophetic? Leo hadn’t shown any magical skills since they had met but the ekeme had clearly seen him as a threat which meant he had some magic that he didn’t, or couldn’t, overtly use. Also, he knew where to find Erob’s body, and the way the boy had always found them while following them through unfamiliar terrain was uncanny.
Did he have some kind of a magical ability which he couldn’t control but which allowed him to see into the future, or the past?
“Come with me.” Letting go, she walked in the direction she’d last seen Arkon go. Leo picked up the blanket and his pack and they followed Arkon’s trail easily enough. Broken branches and trodden bushes showed where he had stepped to pluck fruits from the trees, and dig roots from the grass. Fifty feet away from their camp, under a tree lay a cloth bag full of fruits and roots.
Zo picked up the bag. There was no sign of struggle. Who could have overpowered a man like Arkon without any fight? Perhaps, the people who took him had the magical ability to bind him in some spell? She cursed softly. She should have protected him with some wards. How could she have overlooked anything so basic?
She turned to stare at the boy. Was he telling the truth before? “How many women were there?”
Leo narrowed his eyes. “Seven. They were dressed in green robes, and carried chains in their hands.”
“Chains?”
“And they had knives too,” he added.
If Leo was right, Arkon was in grave danger. Who were these women and where did they take Arkon?
Zo ran a hand over her face. Once again, she was at the crossroads of a decision. Should she abandon Arkon to his fate and continue with her mission, or should she risk wasting time to pursue him? So near the mountain, she was loath to interrupt her journey. Every day wasted was a step closer to death for Seve and Alicia, but she couldn’t just leave Arkon in the hands of these strange women. What was their intention? Did they plan to kill him? What did they want from him?
Decision made, Zo gave Leo an apple from the bag. “Wash this. We’ll eat as we walk.”
“Are we going to save Arkon from the bad women?” Taking his water skin, the boy washed the apple before munching on it.
Zo weaved a spell, creating a small ball of light to float above their heads. It would show them the way. She couldn’t wait till morning to follow the trail. The women could kill him anytime. “Yes. We’re going to save him.”
After all, he had saved them from the ekeme. She couldn’t just leave him at the mercy of strangers. Zo strode off, following the trail Arkon and his captors left behind. No matter how long it took, she had every intention of rescuing her companion.
The women who took him would rue the day they were born.
Chapter Twelve
An afternoon breeze blew briskly through the castle window, bringing with it the tangy scent of the balmy sea. Alicia stood at the window, observing the ongoing frantic activity in the castle courtyard. Newly enlisted soldiers who had taken their oaths in the morning were being shepherded towards the training grounds that were five leagues away. She watched as the last battalion of young men and women marched out.
Next to move out was the crop of mages she had recently selected for training. They were going to a separate camp. Zo wasn’t here to browbeat, bully, and scare them half to death – but her assistant training master would hold the fort until she got back to hound them. Alicia knew her twin won’t be happy with this new development. She didn’t want to do anything with the war or the mainland, but until Seve was well enough to take care of the matter, Alicia felt responsible for the safety of their kingdom, and she wanted to start preparing an army of those who would protect their borders when the need arose.
To think, only ten days ago, they were cocooned in a safe harmonious land, blissfully oblivious to the mounting danger lurking in the neighboring kingdom. Now, Iram was gearing up for a war.
“Princess?” A maid entered with her afternoon meal. “Is there anything else you require?”
Alicia shook her head, willfully ignoring the painful throbbing in her temples. Soon she would have to start taking the magical healing brew three times a day. With Seve indisposed, and Zo missing, there was always so much more to do. Worse, however, was the endless waiting; for death to claim them or for Zo to save them. Who would win; the long-reaching arms of death, or her brave, beautiful sister Zo?
Alicia smiled. Knowing Zo, she would fight tooth and nail to bring her siblings back from the arms of death. If she was a betting person, Alicia would have put her money on her twin.
After checking the meal for any hint of poison or mischief, she picked up a piece of bread and liberally slathered it with butter. Her appetite had all but disappeared now - but Alicia never allowed herself to forget that she was the only one standing between her brother and death, and any nourishment she took benefitted him too.
Just as she finished buttering the bread, a loud explosion rocked the castle. Sweeping the tray aside, Alicia ran to the source of the sound, knowing in her heart where it had originated from even before she recognized the direction. Someone was trying to murder her brother yet again. Running through the long, curvaceous corridor, she was barely aware of her guards who were following her, or the servants who had dropped all work to see what was going on.
Smoke covered the corridor in front of the king’s room. Thankfully, the doors were intact. A large circular charred portion on one of the doors indicated the target was indeed the king.
“Get back,” she yelled at her own guards as she muttered an incantation to disperse the smoke.
The hazy air revealed that all of the guards were alive. Many of them looked to be in shock, but at least their wards had done the job. None of them was even minutely hurt, although most of them were coughing due to smoke inhalation.
Alicia saw Sultan, Jace, and Arian standing at the edge of the smoke. The four mages who were guarding the room along with the guards stood at the door. Walking over to them, Alicia motioned for them to open the door. Inside, Seve lay sleeping as before. Sighing with relief, she made sure the wards inside the room were holding firm before stepping out.
“What happened?” she asked Sultan as he closed the door once more.
“It seems someone directed a large ball of magical fire towards the king’s room. The spell was designed to plow its way through the door, and perhaps set fire in the room but the protection shields on the door held firm, deflecting most of the magic away without causing any harm," he said. He glanced at the ameers flanking him. "The extra fortification implemented by the ameers yesterday probably helped save the guards and the room."
“Thank you.” Alicia nodded to the ameers.
“We’re glad to be of some use, princess,” said Arian.
“Put extra wards on the door,” she ordered the mages who were on duty. “Where did the spell come from? Did you see anyone or anything before the fire hit you?”
One of them wiped the soot off his face. “Nothing, princess. There was no warning, no one came forward.
The spell just came out of nowhere.”
“It came from that direction. I saw the huge blue ball of fire a moment before it hit us. There wasn’t any time to deflect it,” said the other.
Alicia nodded. It had been a desperate effort. After the last murder attempt, and since the arrival of the ameers, the room was well-guarded. It would not be easy for anyone to gain access to it. “You did a good job. I’ll ask someone to send in replacements, and you can take rest.”
She walked over to Jace and Sultan who were now standing with their arms crossed over their chests as they watched Arian mutter a long incantation. “What’s going on?”
Sultan looked over at her. “Arian says he can follow the thread of the spell back to its source.” His doubtful tone indicated he didn’t really believe such an act was possible.
Alicia frowned. “I’ve never heard of something like this.”
“It’s something he was working on before we left the keep,” said Jace. “If one starts tracking right after the spell takes effect, it can be done. Not always. Not with a great accuracy, but it might be possible to trace its path backward. It works sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
“The technique hasn’t been perfected yet.” Jace began to follow Arian who was now walking in a straight line, still muttering the incantation. Sultan followed the two ameers.
“Maria, see to it that the guards are replaced and new mages are posted here. Double the guard,” she told Sultan’s assistant who stood watching the activity with measured eyes.
“Yes, princess.” Maria hurried off to do her bidding. Alicia stayed back to ensure that the mages reinstated the wards on the doors, and a new lot of guards and four mages replaced the battered team. She gave instructions to the new mages. Satisfied with the security measures, she walked in the direction where the ameers and Sultan had disappeared. She caught them climbing the stairs to the second floor of the castle.
Arian was at the top of the stairs, with Sultan and Jace close behind him. Alicia didn’t believe Arian’s new technique would show any results. She had never heard of anyone being able to follow the magic back to its source. Still, it was important to try everything. They were no closer to discovering the identity of the brazen killer who seemed intent on murdering the king. Despite the added security and caution, his shadowy presence in the castle was a constant reminder that their world was no longer safe.
She climbed up the stairs to join them. As she reached half-way up the stairs, Arian gave a shout and jumped back. A bright ball of flame whizzed past Jace’s head and slammed into the wall. Arian, Jace and Sultan gave chase in the direction from which the fire had come. Alicia ran up, rapidly following them.
The men ran headlong through winding corridors and past closed doors. The murderer seemed familiar with the layout of the castle, because he chose his path carefully, always staying elusively ahead. Two more balls of fire flew past, one nearly hitting Jace who threw up his shield in time. Whoever the killer was, he was a powerful mage.
“Stay back,” Alicia yelled to Sultan. He wasn’t a mage, and hence didn’t have any protection. It left him extremely vulnerable. Ignoring her command, he ran ahead, his arms pumping vigorously as he tried to catch the murderer. Ahead lay the library. Alicia saw someone slip through them, and close the doors behind. Moments later, Arian and Jace burst open the doors with powerful spells. Sultan rushed through along with them.
A scream burst through Alicia’s throat even as she saw twin bursts of fire swamp the library foyer. The red-hot flame spread through the antechamber with rapid speed. Everyone disappeared from view. Muttering an incantation under her breath, Alicia removed the fire and the resulting smoke. The sight that met her eyes chilled her to the bone.
Jace and Arian stood engulfed in fire, their shields holding strong as they muttered incantations to remove the flames. On the floor lay Sultan. One of the fireballs had hit him straight on the chest. His body was on fire. The impact was so great that his face and chest skin had burned clean off, leaving behind a charred caricature of the man he was. Alicia dropped by his side.
She muttered a spell to start a healing spell but it was evident that he was beyond her help. Mercifully, he had died the instant the fireball hit him.
Alicia stifled a sob. Tears escaped her eyes. “I swear when I find the person responsible for doing this, I’ll kill him myself.”
Jace and Arian ran towards the inner library. Sparing one last glance at Sultan’s smoking body, Alicia followed them. Sultan’s death lay heavy on her heart. He had been a friend, an advisor, and a teacher to her and her siblings, for as long as she could remember.
Who else would die before they managed to catch this elusive killer?
Seeing a shadow disappear behind one of the bookshelves, she shouted to the men to alert them. “There he goes!”
Jace and Arian gave chase.
Alicia saw Zima lying against her desk. She must have come in the way of the killer while he was attempting to flee. Alicia ran to the librarian, and saw her looking dazed. Thank the goddess, she was alive. Blood ran in rivulets down her forehead from a gash on her head. She must have hit the desk hard.
Alicia held the old woman as she struggled to sit. “Easy. Here, take my hand.”
“When I find that chit of a girl I’m going to strangle her with my bare hands. How dare she?” Zima muttered, holding her head with both her hands. Her knuckles were singed. The murderer must have directed a fireball at her, but Zima’s shield saved her.
Alicia reared back. “Which chit of a girl?”
Zima groaned. Raising her hand, she touched her forehead and stared in disbelief at the blood that smeared her fingers. “Why? Look at this,” she sounded surprised.
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