[Fairytale 02] - Asleep (2013)

by Elizabeth Darcy

  “Lead the way,” he said, deciding to trust her for the time being.

  Chapter 42

  “Your Highness, wait!” a scout shouted, his horse kicking up clods of dirt as he rode toward Jess at breakneck speed.

  For a second she was tempted to ignore him and plunge into the forest, but she knew Tanvir wouldn’t have sent anyone after her if it wasn’t important. “What is it?” she asked.

  “Prince Devaran left a signal for us.”

  “A signal? What sort of signal?” Jess’s eyes flew to the tower, but she could see nothing from her vantage point.

  “Straw men, hanging from a window on the twelfth story. They’re not visible from here, but Prince Tanvirous believes Prince Devaran meant to warn us that there are fifty guards in the tower.”

  Jess had to close her eyes for a moment, the relief was so overwhelming. Had she not received Dev’s ring, she might have thought the straw men were a trap, but the ring had told her that Dev was looking out for her, and she knew with unshakable conviction that the straw men were his. He’d know she would enter the tower, and he’d want to try to provide her with a tactical advantage.

  “Tell Prince Tanvirous I received the message and will take every precaution,” she said, opening her eyes and looking at the scout.

  “May the gods watch over you, Your Highness.” He put his spurs to his horse and sped off.

  “Move out,” Jess commanded her party.

  The first assault came as they approached the cave. An arrow whistled by, uncomfortably close to Jess’s head, and she urged her horse forward. Visibility was extremely low in the twilit forest, but that didn’t do much to reassure Jess. Her horse made enough noise to make her detectable, and even though she doubted the archer could see well enough to target her with any accuracy, spraying arrows in her general direction might be enough to earn the archer a hit. Another arrow whizzed through the trees, followed by a strangled gasp, and Ashra appeared at Jess’s side.

  “Are you well, Your Highness?” she asked.

  “Fine,” Jess answered. “Was anyone else hit?”

  “Not that I’m aware.”

  Halting her horse, Jess leapt down from its back, slapping it on the rump and sending it rushing off toward her army. Jess couldn’t see it, but she heard another arrow, and she crouched low. “Dismount,” she hissed at Ashra.

  There was a squelching sound as Ashra hit the ground, and she sent her horse off running just as Jess had. The others must have realized what they were doing, because a few second later Jess heard other horses crashing through the trees. A few more arrows whooshed through the air and Jess gritted her teeth as one of the horses screamed. The sound was followed by a more human cry, then silence.

  “Let’s hope that’s all of them,” Ashra muttered.

  She and Jess made cautious progress to the cave entrance, but they didn’t draw additional fire. After a few minutes of waiting, they were joined by the others, and Jess’s eyes had adjusted well enough for her to see the wet gleam of blood on Rahib’s left side.

  “Is that your blood?” Jess asked him.

  “Yes, but I was only grazed. I’m fine, Your Highness.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Yes. I would never compromise this mission.”

  “I know you wouldn’t,” Jess assured him. “But I will not have you place yourself in any additional danger. Can you fight with that wound?”

  “It won’t stop me.”

  “Very well.” Jess waved to her party that they should follow.

  A faint light came from far back in the cave, and Jess surmised that the guards must have left a torch somewhere along the route. She was comforted at the thought that not even they could find their way in the dark. As Jess and her companions plunged inside, her heart began to race from a combination of fear, excitement, and hope.

  Please, please let Dev be okay, she prayed.

  The torches were spaced at irregular intervals, leaving long stretches so dark Jess could see no more than a foot ahead. Cold, humid wind huffed through the tunnel, and she could not shake the sensation that some large beast was breathing on her. She could hear the faint scrape of her companions and the dripping of water somewhere off in the distance, but she didn’t hear any sound that would indicate they had reached the tower yet, nor did she see any sign of other guards. Minutes stretched before her like hours, and it seemed like the stone ceiling of the tunnel began closing in around her, making her breaths shallower each time she inhaled.

  Why am I so frightened by a cave?

  She was angry with herself for letting her environment get the best of her, but deep down she knew her fear had nothing to do with the tunnel and everything to do with her terror at time slipping through her fingers. Every minute wasted wandering through the tunnel brought Dev another minute closer to whatever fate Ellaria had planned for him.

  At long last they reached a rusted iron gate, a torch flickering on the other side of it. The sight made Jess’s heart stop. She crept toward it, staying alert for any other signs of life. Surely they couldn’t have locked the guards outside of the tunnel. What if they needed to get back in to warn those inside?

  Feeling faint, Jess seized the gate, afraid that she might scream and beat her fists bloody against it if it didn’t open. To her immense relief it did, and she had to pause for a second while her body sagged against the metal, flecks of rust breaking off and dusting her leathers. She gave it a careful tug and it let out a screech that was magnified by the stone walls, the sound bouncing off them in a way that set Jess’s teeth on edge. She didn’t see how it couldn’t have been heard in the tower above, and she froze, her body rigid with tension as she waited to see if the noise would bring guards running. The air felt dense, and Jess was sure she was breathing in her companions’ tension.

  When no one came after a few minutes, Jess sucked in a deep breath and pulled gingerly on the gate. It gave off a feeble creak or two, but the sound was nowhere near as loud as that initial screech. Ducking through the gate, she gestured to her companions to maintain their positions outside of it, and she crept past the torch, balancing on the balls of her feet. Another stone staircase stood a short distance away, but the passage was too dim for her to see how long it was or if there was anything at the top. Jess returned to her companions and told them what she had found.

  “What if it’s a trap? Your Highness, let me lead the way. It’s too dangerous for you,” Pala whispered.

  “Pala’s right,” Holen agreed. “It would be wisest to allow her to lead, and I’ll follow behind her. You follow us, Your Highness, with Loren, Ashra, and Rahib bringing up the rear. You’ll be as safe as we can make you.”

  Jess opened her mouth to protest, but Rahib shook his head, his teeth flashing white in the dim light as he grinned at her. “Come now, Your Highness. You know you’re worth more than all of us put together. It’s our duty to protect you, so please let us do it.”

  Sighing, Jess admitted defeat. “I’d trade fifty of me for one of you,” she told her companions, but she couldn’t argue with their logic. Though Jess didn’t think of herself as being worth more than them, she knew how important she was to the security and stability of her Realm.

  “Let’s go,” Pala said, turning and leading them up the stairs.

  The higher they went the harder it was to see, and Jess wobbled a few times, causing her stomach to plummet. She was tempted to drop to her hands and knees and crawl up the stairs, but she wanted to keep her hands free in case she needed to draw a weapon.

  Finally, they reached a door. Pala and Holen stepped aside so that Jess could approach, and she pressed her ear to it but couldn’t hear a thing. Running her hands over the door, she estimated it was several inches of solid oak, and it was banded with iron. The stairs were so steep and the door so sturdy that breaking it down would be problematic, especially since they would need an unwieldy battering ram. Jess closed her eyes and prayed it wasn’t locked.

  “We’ll go
first,” Pala said, her voice so quiet it was little more than a breath. Jess nodded, though she didn’t know if Pala could see her, and went a few steps down, drawing her blades and crouching in a fighting stance. A sliver of light cut through the darkness as Pala eased the door open.

  No battering ram necessary, thank the gods!

  Jess held her breath but heard nothing, nor did anyone push their way through to see who was on the stairs. Pala eased it open a bit more. Holen slipped inside and Jess tightened her grip on her dirks, poised to attack. Seconds passed, then Holen appeared in the doorway, gesturing that they should come through.

  They found themselves in a small, windowless antechamber. It was impossible to tell if they were still underground. Muffled sounds came from the other side of the door, but they were sporadic and not very loud, leading Jess to conclude that they hadn’t yet reached the main part of the tower. She didn’t relish the idea of fighting her way through the center of it; as good as Jess’s party was, six against fifty didn’t make for very favorable numbers. She wouldn’t hesitate to fight if she had to, but she hoped they’d find a side passage.

  Holen moved for the door while Pala positioned herself on the other side, back pressed against the wall so that she could leap in and strike when it opened. Ashra stood in front of Jess, Loren and Rahib spread out on either side.

  “Go,” Jess mouthed. This time Holen swung the door all the way open in one smooth movement. It let out a low groan, alerting whoever was on the other side, and Jess braced herself for battle. Pala leapt through the door, followed by Ashra, and a short scuffle ensued. By the time Jess and the others were in, Pala and Ashra held two subdued captives: servants, their eyes wide and wild with fear.

  “Mercy,” one of them whispered, looking at Jess with a pleading gaze. She loosened her grip on her weapons and met the man’s eyes with a searing gaze.

  “Where is Ellaria?”

  “We don’ know, exac’ly,” the other servant answered. This one was a woman, and though she looked every bit as scared as her male companion, Jess could see relief in her eyes. “Las’ we heard, she were preparin’ for battle.”

  Jess gave the woman a curt nod. “And Prince Devaran?”

  “Alive,” the man said, sounding eager to give them whatever information they wanted. “Twelve flights up.” Jess exchanged a quick glance with her companions, trying to decide if she could trust the veracity of the information.

  “He speaks true,” the woman added, anxious. “We want no trouble. Ellaria is a cruel mistress.” The man whimpered, as if trying to lend credence to the claim.

  “Then why have you not escaped?” Jess asked.

  “We’re surrounded, ain’ we? We were scared the other army’d kill us on sight,” the man said. “Please, spare us.”

  Easing her stance, Jess jerked her chin at Rahib and Ashra. “Take them down the stairs and lock the gate behind them; the key is there. You two, follow the tunnel out into the forest and hide until it’s safe to come out. If the troops outside see that you’re unarmed they won’t harm you, but you should wait to reveal yourselves until the battle is over.”

  “Thank you, my lady. Thank you,” the man said, falling to his knees and seizing Jess’s hand, placing several noisy kisses on it. The woman followed suit, making Jess’s companions tense, but she waved them off. After dealing with the crafty thieves in the Carpesian Forest, Jess was skilled at spotting duplicity, and she didn’t see it in these two. Still, that didn’t guarantee they wouldn’t raise the hue and cry, and Jess knew she was taking a risk.

  “Let’s move,” Ashra said to the servants in a low voice.

  “Forgive me, Your Highness, but are you sure that was wise?” Loren asked as they waited.

  “No,” Jess admitted. “But I don’t want to slaughter innocents. It’ll take them time to navigate the tunnel, and by then I’m sure our presence in the tower will already be known. Besides, even if they head to another secret entrance, our scouts are still patrolling the forest.”

  Loren didn’t look thrilled by the answer but he nodded. Ashra and Rahib returned.

  “The gate’s locked, Your Highness,” Ashra said.

  “Well done. We need to move quickly, and though I doubt my identity will remain secret for much longer, you should all stop referring to me as ‘Your Highness’. No need to tip our hand any sooner than necessary.”

  “What shall we call you then?” Holen asked.

  “Mule, for I’m as stubborn as one,” Jess suggested.

  Rahib let out a small snort, Pala bit back a smile, and the others tried to keep a straight face, at least until Jess smiled. Then they all gave up and grinned as well.

  “If Their Majesties ever hear about this…” Loren said, looking amused.

  “I’ll be sure you’re issued a royal pardon. Now let’s move. We’ll take the first staircase we see. With any luck, we won’t have to fight our way past too many guards.”

  Falling back into formation, Jess and her group headed deeper into the tower.

  Chapter 43

  Tansy was as good as her word. As he took a cautious step outside of his cell, Dev nearly tripped over the stupid guard. The man let out a loud snore but didn’t wake, and Dev felt a vicious sense of satisfaction.

  I hope she gave him whatever they’ve been using on me.

  Glancing up, he caught Tansy’s eye, and she nodded as if she could sense his thoughts, then took a step forward.

  “Wait,” he said, and she stopped. He shuffled a step away from her and crouched. It almost made him topple over, but he braced his left hand against the filthy rushes covering the floor as he used his right to quickly riffle through the guard’s possessions. The female guard lay sprawled a short distance away, as dead to the world as the male guard, and Dev went through her things as well. Their swords would be too unwieldy, especially in his present condition, so he didn’t want to take them, but he also didn’t want to leave them for the guards, in case they woke and came after him and Tansy. Deciding to trust her once more, he thrust the swords at her.

  “Take these into my cell. There’s a hole in my mattress. Hide them in there.”

  She bit her bottom lip and gave him a curt nod. She looked reluctant to touch the swords, but she scooped them up and did as Dev bid her.

  Aside from the swords, each guard was equipped with a few daggers, and Dev collected all of them. He longed to take their armor, but disrobing them would take too much time and he didn’t want to linger. Someone would come looking soon, and he wanted to be long gone when they arrived.

  “Take this,” Dev whispered, handing one of the daggers to Tansy when she reappeared.

  “Thank you. A spare may be handy.” She lifted her skirt high enough to show him the dagger strapped to her ankle, and he grinned.

  “Wise woman,” he said.

  “I’ve nicked more than a few grabby guards with it,” she said, her eyes going icy. She turned and walked through an archway into a small chamber, the only one that wasn’t a cell, and Dev followed her, staggering and supporting himself against one of the walls. If he’d had the strength to spare for it, he would’ve kicked the unconscious guard for good measure. He wanted to scream his frustration at his floppy limbs. The more he moved the better he felt, but his recovery was still much too slow. He hoped Tansy knew of a place where they could hole up while he waited for the effects of the drugs to wear off.

  Entering the chamber, he saw a small table and chairs and a few shelves that held a jumble of wine bottles, ale mugs, a few food items of questionable quality, and some chipped dice. A dirty, ragged tapestry hung on the wall, and Dev’s mouth dropped open as Tansy swept it aside, revealing a door so small they’d have to bend over double to pass through it. She pulled it open and he could just make out a staircase.

  “That goes up,” he said, pointing out the obvious.

  “It does,” she confirmed, pausing before the door. She pointed back out into the open corridor. “And that one goes down. Which do you
think we’d be wise to take right now?”

  “Getting trapped on an upper floor won’t do us any good.”

  “Neither will going down to a floor full of armed guards. There are other staircases that go down. Now, this is the last time I’ll say this to you, and then I’ll leave you to your own devices while I save my skin: trust me or don’t. It’s up to you, but I won’t stop to debate the merits of my plan with you any longer.”

  “Fair enough, I suppose,” Dev sighed. He stepped through the door and she dropped the tapestry back in place, closing the door behind him. A weak glow from above provided their only light.

  “Stay to the left side,” Tansy whispered, brushing past him. “The stairs are wider there.”

  He followed her, clinging to the wall as his shaky legs made slow progress up the stairs. He had to take them one at a time, putting one foot up and then the other before taking the next step, and every second he felt a horrible swooping sensation in his stomach, certain he’d miss the next step and take a tumble backward.

  “You should feel better soon,” Tansy murmured, and Dev looked up to find she had paused to wait for him. “I cut your last dose with water.”

  “That was a partial dose?” Dev asked in disbelief.

  “She’d have had me give you your strongest dose yet.”

  “I still don’t understand why you’re helping me.”

  Heaving a huge sigh, Tansy said, “I told you, I don’t want your death on my conscience, nor do I want to see the Realms fall to Ellaria. And I figure that if I throw my lot in with you, I may come out the better for it in the end.”

  “So it’s a reward you’re after?” Dev asked, a small smile playing on his lips. He was developing a healthy admiration for her resourcefulness and her pluck.

  “So what if it is?” she asked, jutting her chin out at him.

  “Oh, you’ll get a reward, if we survive this,” he assured her. “It’s just that I find I trust you more when you’re being completely honest about your intentions. No offense, but I’m not sure I’d believe anyone acting selflessly in this instance.”