The Witch; Stronghold; Underworld

by Ky Tyrand

  But this wasn’t the time or place.

  She ignored the eyes, the faces of her father’s enemies, and the rise of whispers that spread across the room. The Princess walked straight to the Innkeeper’s counter, and asked the balding man behind the bar if he knew where to find a woman named Sirona.

  The man watched her silently while drying steins with a white cloth, before leaning in and looking her in the eyes. “Are you certain you want to find her,” he whispered, so that only she could hear. “She might not be what you are expecting.”

  Ki’ara nodded. “I need to find her. My friend’s life depends on it.”

  The man traded the dried cup for a wet one. “A small road branches off the main,” he told her. “About two-thousand paces to the North. It goes to the left, up into the hills. She has a cabin near the top. If you reach Morgana’s Perch, you’ve gone too far.” His gray eyes darted about, and he added softly, “Go now. Quickly. It’s not safe for you here.”

  Ki’ara thanked him and slid a coin across the counter, which vanished under the wave of his hand.

  “Be careful,” he whispered. “These men are looking for a girl your size and age.”

  My age. Ki’ara wanted to kick herself. She had never used the Mu’turi to make herself look older, but didn’t see why it couldn’t work. She wished she had have thought of it before stepping foot into this place. Probably something she would need to practice in front of a mirror, though, if she hoped to fool anybody. “Thank you,” she repeated, as she turned to walk away.

  The squeaking of chairs on the wood floor warned her that it would not be that easy.

  14

  The Royal Guardsmen were on their feet – moving between Ki’ara and the door.

  “Now, hold up young lady,” said one that she recognized from Stronghold. “Where might you be going?”

  She tried to remember his name … Pellwyn? Penwyn…? Perwyn. Lieutenant Perwyn.

  “Well, I might be going home to clean the stables, if you would kindly let me pass.”

  A grin spread across the man’s bearded face, as his eyes glanced at his men.

  “It’s a little late for cleaning stables, is it not?” the man asked.

  Ki’ara nodded, trying to think on her feet. “Normally it would be. But my father is ill, as are my brothers. I’m trying to do their chores, as well as my own. It’s a lot of work.”

  “Yes,” said Perwyn. “I’m sure it is. And what business do you have here with the Innkeeper at this hour?”

  Good question. “My father asked me to settle a debt for him. I was supposed to do it earlier, but … there’s just a lot to do, and I’m behind.”

  The soldier nodded. He almost seemed friendly. Ki’ara knew that he wasn’t. “It’s a lot of work, farming. Isn’t it?”

  She swallowed. Nodded.

  “My own parents were farmers,” said the man. “As was I.” He sauntered to the side, and then casually took a step closer to Ki’ara. “They talk a certain way, you know. How they choose their words. And the way they say them. But you … you talk more like a Princess from Stronghold than a farm girl from Valley’s End.”

  Ki’ara seemed taken aback. “Do I look like the Princess?”

  “No, you do not,” Perwyn agreed. “But the thing of it is … we were warned that she may have a way of disguising herself that could fool all but the most astute of people. Therefore, we were told to apprehend any girl the size and age of the Princess, and not to release her unless we were certain, without a doubt, that it was not her.”

  This is not good.

  “Innkeeper!” the soldier shouted across the room, “Can you vouch for this girl?”

  Ki’ara looked back at the man, her eyes pleading.

  The Innkeeper nearly dropped a stein as his eyes looked everywhere else but at her. Ki’ara could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he cautiously nodded. But then his head circled, and somehow his nod turned to a shake.

  “What is that?” barked the soldier. “Why is your head moving every which way? Do you know this girl, or not?”

  “No,” the man’s eyes dropped to the counter as he shook his bald, sweaty head. “I do not.”

  Ki’ara’s shoulders dropped. Fingers were hovering over weapons all around her. Most of them carried both swords and blasters.

  Things were about to get ugly.

  “Take her,” said Perwyn, tilting his head at the girl.

  15

  Ki’ara’s Niksuru flashed to life. Before the men could draw their weapons, she threw one – converted to a six-pointed star. It shot from her hand in a blur of blue light that struck the closest Guardsman in the knee, dropping him in and instant.

  The girl’s arm whipped over her head as she steered the weapon in a circle around herself, and then directed it toward the remaining group of soldiers. One by one the spinning plasma blades hit them. Some were caught by surprise, while others tried dancing away, as the whirling light sped at their legs.

  Unfortunately, the weapon slowed with every strike. Ki’ara knew that it would keep losing momentum unless she allowed the energy particles to speed up. Only then would the men’s limbs stop slowing it down.

  That would be a last resort.

  As it was, the jolts of Blue Energy were enough to send them toppling and dodging; grabbing their legs, and cursing in pain.

  It was a distraction, and cleared a path.

  Ki’ara caught hold of the spinning Niksuru and bolted for the door.

  Hands came at her as she hopped through the throng of surprised soldiers, but she swatted them away with her Blue Energy blades, determined to reach the door.

  She made it past the crawling men, and would be able to escape and dash for the jungle…

  Or so she thought.

  A hand caught hold of her ankle. She kicked her feet as she went down, landing with a thud against the hard wooden floor. It happened so fast that it nearly rattled the senses from her.

  Others pounced on her before she had a chance to get up, stripping one of her weapons away. They were cautious of the segments of plasma, but too strong for Ki’ara once they caught hold of her wrists. Before she knew it, her second Niksuru was ripped from her hand.

  The Blue Energy blinked out as Ki’ara was picked up, held firmly by two strong soldiers as she wriggled and kicked in an attempt to break free.

  There were far too many of them, each too powerful for her to wrestle.

  But that wouldn’t prevent her from trying.

  Why didn’t I ask Je’nna for help?

  16

  As if on cue, the door pushed open, and a small figure appeared, hidden under a brown hooded cloak. There was brief pause in the action as eyes turned to see who had entered. But the moment the soldiers realized the person was alone and too small to be a threat, they went back to their debauchery.

  The hooded figure stepped in and plopped down at a table near the fray, ignored by everyone but the abductee. Even under the thick hood and cloak, past the crowd of smelly Guardsmen, Ki’ara immediately recognized that confident swagger. It seemed impossible that she could be here so soon…

  With an arm around her neck, another holding her off the ground by her waist, and each of her arms stretched out to the sides, the Princess croaked, “A little help here…”

  The figure didn’t move, just leaned over the table as if waiting to be served a drink.

  Ki’ara’s heart sank. Wishful thinking. She knew deep down that there was no way Je’nna could have gotten here this fast.

  But then – “Oh, now you want my help?”

  Ki’ara had never been so happy to hear Je’nna’s angry voice.

  “You didn’t seem to need it when you snuck off!” added the girl, looking up from the shadows of her hood.

  The pressure around Ki’ara’s neck and ribs made it difficult to talk. “Maybe now’s not the…”

  Je’nna scowled at her, without budging, as the soldiers tried to read the situation; reassessing wheth
er the hooded girl was a threat.

  “I thought … Mother had ordered you … to keep me there,” Ki’ara squawked. “I couldn’t risk … you saying no.”

  Je’nna looked down at the table, admitting, “She did.”

  The bearded leader directed his remaining minions – those not already clinging to Ki’ara – to seize the other girl as well.

  Three of them took a step toward Je’nna.

  The pink-haired girl finally drew her pistols. “Fun’s over, boys.”

  17

  Once again caught by surprise, the men fumbled for their blasters until Je’nna snapped, “Don’t!” She stood up with her two pistols in hand, levelled at a pair of the Guardsmen – one of them being the bearded leader, Perwyn. “There are seven of you,” she hissed. “And I will kill at least four of you before anyone gets a weapon out. Yeah, one of you might get lucky. One of you may even shoot me. But I guarantee that I will kill at least four of you.” Her eyes locked on the leader. “Tell your men what you want them to do, curly beard. But know that you die first.”

  Ki’ara let out a breath, wondering why she hadn’t asked Je’nna to come with her in the first place.

  The leader waved to his men, urging everyone to relax. “Now hold on, Miss. Nobody needs to get hurt here, or to get shot by your toy guns.”

  Two of his men chuckled.

  The rest looked terrified.

  In the blink of an eye, Je’nna moved an arm just far enough to miss the bearded man, as she pulled the trigger, blasting a large hole clean through the door. She aimed high, in case anyone was on the other side, and had it levelled back on Perwyn before he even knew what had happened.

  “Woah,” the men jumped, startled by the effect of the blast.

  Ki’ara could feel the grip around her loosen.

  But it didn’t release.

  “Okay,” said Perwyn, dropping his own weapon and ordering his men to do the same.

  “Woah, ho, ho. Did you see that?” – a loud voice outside the Inn – “Someone launched a CANNON in there.”

  The men froze. Most hadn’t dropped their weapons yet.

  Whoever was behind that door had changed things – both for the men, and for the girls.

  The door kicked open, nearly flying off its hinges.

  Too tall for the doorway, a man ducked in and sauntered forward, commanding the room’s attention. Next to Sir Grue’gan, he was the most imposing man Ki’ara had ever seen. His chiseled face and arms were covered in horrific tattoos, which carried up the shaved sides of his head, to the long dark hair that striped a line along the top of his head. He wore the uniform of the Royal Guard, though it barely fit his massive frame.

  He looked familiar to Ki’ara for some reason, but she couldn’t place him. She wished for her Niksuru, but men stronger than her had firm grips on them.

  “Did you do that?” the man pointed at Je’nna, and then at the hole in the door. “Wow! You are packing some HEAT.”

  Je’nna had already redirected one of her pistols at the new figure. Her second was still levelled at Perwyn.

  The tall man looked down at Je’nna the same way the bearded man had – like a child holding toys. “You should put those down before someone gets hurt.”

  “We’re leaving,” declared Je’nna.

  “Sir,” Perwyn nodded toward Ki’ara, “I believe this may be the girl you seek.”

  Even Perwyn answers to this guy?

  A smile slid across the tattooed man’s face. “REALLY?”

  The man stepped forward. He didn’t seem at all concerned about the weapons Je’nna was ready to fire, despite being impressed by the hole in the door.

  More soldiers filtered into the room behind the towering man, lining up to either side of him. Nearly a dozen of them. Their uniforms were slightly different than standard issue. Darker.

  The grip tightened around Ki’ara’s neck and waist. This is bad. Were it not for Je’nna being there, with her guns in hand, Ki’ara feared she would have a heart attack.

  “And the other one?”

  Ki’ara glanced at Je’nna, not liking what she saw. Something was missing. She didn’t look herself. Not surprising, considering the predicament. But Je’nna always seemed so confident – her hands steady. Are they shaking? For a moment, Ki’ara thought the girl might have pulled the triggers. Is it possible this is too much, even for Je’nna?

  “A friend, perhaps,” said Perwyn.

  “Are we certain that one’s not our girl?” The tall man was oddly animated, throwing his body into every word.

  “Positive, Sir. Too short.”

  Je’nna didn’t react to the insult. This isn’t like her. Her eyes were looking about. They fell on her wrist, where Ki’ara thought she saw a mark of some kind.

  “Too short,” the tattooed man echoed, swaying his massive body in a way that made him look off balance. “Well then, today is your lucky day, short girl with the BIG guns. You may go.” He looked straight at Je’nna and waved a hand toward the door.

  “I’m not leaving alone,” said Je’nna, a little too meekly for Ki’ara’s liking.

  The tattooed man frowned, and then nodded. “Alright then. You can stay, and join her. But – fair warning – I’m going to do things to that girl that she is going to HATE. If you don’t want to be a part of that, now would be the time to go.”

  Ki’ara knew that Je’nna would never leave her. She was going to start shooting any moment now, and Ki’ara had to be ready.

  Without giving it away, she reached out to her Niksuru and tested the tendrils of energy that connected them to her. She was ready to retract them the instant Je’nna made her move. Hopefully, if Ki’ara caught the men by surprise with a hard enough pull, she could break them free. Or maybe she could light them up while they held them. Perhaps they would loosen their grip if the Blue Energy cut into them. But … something seemed off about the devices…

  “Well, what’s it going to be, short girl?”

  Je’nna opened her mouth to say something…

  Let them have it, Ki’ara tried to will the words into the other girl’s head, we’ll fight our way out of this!

  But Je’nna’s mouth snapped shut as she looked back down at her wrist. What is that mark? Ki’ara had never noticed the dark streaks mixed into Je’nna’s pink hair, before. What’s going on with her? The girl’s glossy teal eyes met Ki’ara’s.

  That look … what was it?

  Without a word, Je’nna holstered one of her guns, drew a dagger, and darted for the door.

  18

  “Let her go,” chuckled the tattooed man. “The one I want is right here.”

  Je’nna’s unexpected departure took the air from Ki’ara’s lungs. It never occurred to her that the other girl would abandon her like this.

  Ki’ara had been certain that Je’nna’s guns could somehow get them out of this.

  Big mistake.

  The Princess had been warned not to trust anyone. It was her own fault for daring to believe that Je’nna had her back. Never in a million years would Ki’ara have thought that girl a coward. Is she still mad that I didn’t invite her? Or is she just trying to save her own skin? No. Something was wrong with her. Regardless, the outcome was the same: Ki’ara was on her own.

  After the girl ran off, the men looked at one another and laughed. They seemed to have forgotten that a moment ago they were throwing down their weapons for fear of the girl and her guns.

  This was Ki’ara’s chance.

  Her wrists were held tight, but it didn’t stop her from reaching out to her weapons…

  One was held firmly, but the other snapped to her hand with a loud clap that made the men jump.

  Upon seeing the beam of searing blue plasma next to his arm, the soldier holding her hand immediately let go and stepped away. With her hand free, Ki’ara let the Blue Energy sink back into the cylindrical handle. But it didn’t stop there – the dazzling light slid straight out the other end, allowing her to bury the blad
e into the man holding her from behind.

  The plasma sunk into his hip without any resistance whatsoever.

  Screaming out in pain, the man crumpled to the ground, taking Ki’ara along with him. He let go, and pushed her away – the same response by the soldier holding her other wrist.

  The girl scrambled to her feet, trying once again for her other Niksuru. When it didn’t pull free, she let the Blue Energy out from both ends of its handle – something she could do from across the room. Nearly losing his hands, the man holding the device threw it away from him.

  But it didn’t fall to the ground like some thought it might. Instead, it went straight to Ki’ara’s waiting hand. The instant it landed in her palm, Ki’ara flipped it into a star and let it fly.

  The soldiers all leapt back as the glowing disk whipped around at them. She meant it as a warning to keep them at bay, but when they started drawing their blasters, Ki’ara realized that she’d made a terrible mistake. Though she hated the idea of cutting them down, these men would kill her if she held back. Ki’ara resolved to turn up the heat on the next pass.

  But she didn’t get the chance.

  It wasn’t until the tattooed man reached out and caught hold of the flying Niksuru, that Ki’ara realized she had completely lost control of the Blue Energy.

  19

  The plasma blades had fizzled out and went dark an instant before the man had reached up with his gloved hand. He snatched the star-shaped handle out of the air with lightning fast reflexes, leaving Ki’ara to wonder what had just happened. She’d never felt this before. It was as if the Blue Energy was just … gone.

  She still had one Niksuru.

  But every Royal Guardsman in the room now had a gun aimed at her.

  Adrenaline had the girl’s entire body buzzing. She didn’t know what was happening with her Niksuru, and didn’t dare throw her second one. Not that it would matter once these men started firing.