Heir of Pendel (A Pandoran Novel, #4)

by Barbara Kloss

  I don't argue. I speak truth. It is up to others whether or not they want to accept it.

  I chuckled, earning myself a sideways glance from Alex, to which I just rolled my eyes toward Nexus.

  Soon Tran, Fleck, Mercedes, Hawk, and a few of Mercedes' guards, as well as about a dozen of her wounded, followed us back to the gate. I recognized one of her guards—Catia, was it? She'd attended the dinner Mercedes had held in Mosaque, and I remembered Catia had had a particular affinity for dragon lore. Even now, her eyes sparkled with fascination on Nexus, and when she noticed me looking at her, she smiled like a child in a candy store. Alex walked behind me and fell in to step beside Mercedes, and the two of them shared the details of their respective journeys, while Fleck held tight to my hand, practically bouncing beside me.

  "So, did the Dalorens ever find out your name?" I asked Fleck while we walked. Er, I walked. He bounced.

  "No, we didn't have time," he said, though he didn't sound disappointed. "But they did tell me something else." My curiosity piqued as he swung our interlocked hands between us. "Remember how I was having all those bad dreams?"

  "Yes. Didn't Tran say you kept having them because your powers were starting to manifest?"

  "I did," Tran answered at my other side. "But the young Master Fleck, here, suffered dreams infinitely worse than what they should've been, and I was happy to see my suspicions had been confirmed." He looked a little bloated by all that self-congratulatory happiness.

  "And…?"

  "Dalorens usually have one gift of Sight, whether it be to See past, present, or future. Fleck, here, has the ability to See all three."

  I looked down at Fleck who grinned awkwardly up at me. "Is this true?" I asked.

  His nose wrinkled with his shy grin.

  No wonder people—my grandfather included—had wanted access to his power. "Can you see what will happen with Eris?" I asked.

  Fleck's expression fell in a way that made me feel guilty for asking. "I'm sorry," I said. "I shouldn't have asked."

  "It's okay, lady. I'd tell you if I knew anything."

  "Curiously," Tran interjected, "Fleck can't see the future where Gaia is concerned. He's tried."

  "Do you think it has to do with the shield?" Alex asked from behind me. Mercedes still walked with him, and she was listening in too.

  "It's a good thought," Tran said, "but I believe that if the shield were warping the Sight, Fleck wouldn't be able to See anything at all, yet he can still See the past and present."

  "Is that how you knew Gesh needed your help?" Alex asked.

  "No, though Fleck did help us determine their exact location. I knew of their circumstances because of my brother, Arioch."

  Alex's curiosity spiked with my own. The last we'd seen of Arioch was in Karth, and Sonya and Master Durus had been with him. Maybe Arioch would know where Sonya was.

  "You've been in touch with him?" Alex asked. I heard the eagerness in his voice.

  "It's more he who's been in touch with me," Tran huffed and his grey mustache bristled. "Won't leave me alone. Part of that firstborn nonsense. Always feels as if he's the only one mature enough to understand what's really going on. Tell you what—this is the first time he's left Pendel in over a century—a century! Can you believe that? How can one understand anything when they never step foot out their front door?"

  "Tran, where is Arioch now?" I asked, trying to get Tran back on track.

  I felt a rush of Alex's gratitude.

  "Ah, the Aegis Quarters," Tran replied.

  "What in Gaia's name is he doing there?" Alex asked, surprised.

  "He's"—Tran's voice dropped lower—"protecting the tunnels."

  Alex's understanding moved through me, but, unsurprisingly, I was totally confused. "Tunnels…?" I asked quietly, and Mercedes' interest roused too.

  "They run beneath the castle," Alex replied. "They were built for the royal family to have an escape route in case of an emergency. Very few know of their existence. They end in the hidden cellar beneath the Aegis Quarters. We hid you down there with my parents."

  I remembered. And to think I hadn't known who I was at the time, and that hidden tunnel would've led me right to it. Then I thought of Stefan. He could've had a way out. My uncle had laid siege to the castle, and Stefan, my grandfather, and Cicero Del Conte could've snuck out of the castle and probably still been alive. But Stefan would never do that. He would never leave his people alone and helpless, and so he had stayed and the three of them had died.

  "Does Eris know about these tunnels?" I asked.

  "I thought he did, but it doesn't appear to be the case, according to my brother," Tran continued. "Perhaps Darius wasn't so naïve about his youngest son and only entrusted his oldest with that information."

  "You knew," I said to Alex.

  "We had to, as the personal aegises of your family," he said, "and even then, my father only told me a few years ago. But I'm surprised Arioch knows. How…why is he even there?"

  "Because…he's making sure no one finds the prince," Tran replied.

  My heart stopped, and so did my feet. "As in Stefan? My brother?"

  Tran gazed down his large nose at me. "Why, who else would it be, my dear? Unless there's some other prince I'm unaware of. Gaia knows there could be. It seems we've got princes popping up all over the place these days." He looked directly at Alex.

  Stefan was…he was…

  "But…Stefan's dead…I was told…" I stuttered, unable to comprehend or believe what he was saying. "I felt him die!"

  "Hm, I'm fairly certain he survived," Tran said. "Eris missed his heart, but only by a few centimeters. They've been caring for him in the tunnels because they didn't dare move him much farther until his health stabilized."

  Stefan was alive. My brother…he hadn't died. He was still in Valdon, and he was being taking care of…

  My mind whirled. I needed to sit down. Alex grabbed my hand firmly in his, and I leaned against him for support.

  "Who are they?" Alex asked, sliding his arm around my waist and hugging me to him.

  "Why…your mother and Master Durus, I believe," Tran said to Alex.

  A little squeak of air escaped Alex's lips, and I wouldn't have heard it if I weren't standing so close to his mouth.

  Sonya was alive, too! She hadn't been with Sir Torren's men during the fight with Campagna. I gripped Alex's arm and he squeezed my waist, but he didn't stop squeezing it.

  "Master Antoni and Headmaster Ambrose are also there. According to Arioch, Aegis Sonya refuses to leave Prince Stefan's side; therefore, Master Durus is staying with her. Master Antoni and Headmaster Ambrose are the ones responsible for sneaking Prince Stefan out of the castle."

  I hadn't realized the depth of my despair until it was suddenly gone. My brother was still alive, and Sonya was safe, and Gesh was here, and with them had come Tran and Fleck. Maybe things weren't so dire after all.

  There were about twenty in our council, including Alex, Vera, Thad, Tran, Fleck, Mercedes, Hawk, Catia, and a few in Mercedes' escort, as well as a few Nords Alex had chosen. Myez stayed behind to care for the wounded, and also because Alex didn't think it the right time for me to explain him. I was surprised Danton or Carter weren't there. I didn't know where they were, but I wasn't about to ask.

  We spent the rest of the morning arguing. At least that's what it seemed like to me. Otis had made room for us in his dining hall, so that we'd have a place to strategize. He even served hot rolls and drinks, though considering some of the rising tempers, I thought Otis should probably stop with the drinks. A few of our small council were angry about the plan Alex and I, and a few others, had come up with. And that plan was essentially to use a feint attack to draw Eris's attention to the main gate while the rest of our forces hid in the forest, waiting to come in behind. Meanwhile, another contingent, including Nexus and me, would exploit the existing cracks in the weak, eastern corner of the wall, knock it down and clear a way through for Alex and a dozen others to g
ain access into the castle.

  We knew we couldn't use the underground tunnels. Stefan was down there, and, considering his condition, we couldn't draw attention to those tunnels. Not to mention, Tran said Arioch had sealed the tunnels behind them. Breaking that seal would give us away, anyway.

  Once the wall was down, I would keep attacking from the skies with Nexus. This all sounded fine and dandy to me, but there were a good handful present who didn't think it was at all fine and dandy. That particular handful wanted me to fly ahead and douse the castle in flames while we concentrated our combined army of three thousand against the main gate.

  "A direct attack will not work," Tran said—again—to a very stubborn Nord, named Falk, who'd spilled little droplets of ale all over his beard. Every time he talked, I kept waiting for those droplets to finally drop to the floor. "There are simply too many of them. We need to upset their equilibrium first."

  "But what Alexander suggests will take too long," Falk said. "It'll give them time to concentrate their attack against us."

  "That's exactly what we want, Falk," Alex said evenly, calmly, despite the frustration I felt bubbling inside of him. "We want to concentrate their attack at the main gate. That will give us time to tear down the eastern corner. And, as Lady Bellona mentioned earlier, the shadowguard operate as a hive—at least Eris's fabrications, and we know most of his current shadowguard are comprised of those fabrications. Getting to Eris is our main goal. Besides, the shadowguard won't be able to function without his direction, and once he is out of the picture, overtaking them will be easy. Sometimes the longest way around is really the shortest way there."

  Falk folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, clearly annoyed. I also saw a drop of ale fling off his beard and onto his sleeve. "There are too many variables with this. If Lady Bellona can hold off the shadowguard arrows, and if the shadowguard come through the front gate, and if Tran can tear down the eastern corner, and if you can get to Eris in time…"

  Thad leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes so far his head rolled a little with them.

  "I will hold off their arrows." Mercedes' gaze simmered on Falk.

  "That's beside the point," Alex said to Falk. "There will always be ifs. If I'd listened to ifs, I never would've come to Alioth in the first place. And here we are." He threaded his fingers together, set them on the table, and leaned over them. "No one is suggesting everything will go according to plan. That is why it is called a plan. However we're forced to adjust, our objective remains getting to Eris. If our first line of attack fails, we'll draw back and give Daria time with Nexus, as we discussed earlier."

  "So tell me why, again, the princess and her dragon can't just hose the castle in flames?" a Nord asked. "Seems to me like the quickest way to get Eris."

  "Yes, but that fire could also damage the shield, and if the shield is damaged, it could damage our world. Remember, the two are tied."

  "The other territories have been notified, yes?" Mercedes asked. "To get the people near the portals, just in case?"

  Alex nodded. "I sent word while I was in Astor, though there's not much I can do about the people of Valdon. You let your people know before you left, correct?"

  Mercedes nodded. "They're assembling right outside of Mosaque, just in case."

  "Why not send the preen-ciss ahead to scout?" Catia asked, looking at me then Alex. "Thet way she could tell us exactly where Eris's army is stationed and what 'e 'as. I know thet Arioch 'as told thee wizard, but 'e can't see everything from thee Aegis Quarters. An arial view woot be best."

  "She's right," a Nordic woman, named Egret, added. "How do we know Arioch hasn't missed something? Wouldn't it be better if Princess Daria flew over to take inventory?"

  "Yeah, because Eris won't notice a two-ton dragon doing a perimeter check around the castle." Thad's voice almost rolled, too. Vera sat beside him, looking quite proud.

  Egret's eyes narrowed. "Princess Daria could be careful."

  "Princess Daria is always careful." Vera narrowed eyes on Egret. "She's not invisible."

  Egret bristled and was about to retort, but I spoke up first.

  "Egret," I said politely, though I shared in Alex's growing irritation. "Even if we could somehow evade my uncle's radar, who's to say his position wouldn't change by the time we get there? We aren't even leaving for a few days. It's much better—and safer—to have Tran speak with Arioch as they've been doing. And, as Alexander mentioned earlier, we'll be sending a few scouting parties ahead of us. Perhaps you'd like to be part of one so that you can ensure nothing gets missed."

  A few sparks of amusement flickered around the room. Thaddeus beamed at me as if he'd give me a high-five if I were sitting close enough. Even Vera smiled. Alex squeezed my thigh beneath the table, an imperceptible grin at his mouth.

  Egret, however, did not see the humor. Actually, she might be a worthy opponent for Vera in a contest of who had the deadliest glares.

  "We can't afford to have Princess Daria and her dragon seen," Alex said in a very matter-of-fact tone. "As far as we can tell, Eris doesn't know about them yet, which makes them our largest advantage in this war."

  "Pun absolutely intended," Thad remarked.

  Alex frowned and looked sideways at him as if to ask, 'Really…?'

  "I agree in that Nexus needs to be a surprise," Mercedes added. "Far too much hinges on the princess and her dragon, since we're using them to upset Eris's balance."

  There were a few nods of agreement, none of which came from Egret. Actually, she kind of looked like she wanted to hit me.

  "What about thee Daloren?" The question had come from another one of Mercedes' guards. Everyone turned toward Fleck, who currently looked as if he wanted to hide. "Can 'e See anything that could 'elp us?"

  I grabbed Fleck's little hand beneath the table and looked him straight in his flecked eyes. "You don't have to answer that," I whispered.

  "It's okay, lady. I want to help," he whispered back, then sat up in his chair, his face bright red as he addressed the table. "I can't…See anything. I try to, but it's like…it's like the world isn't there anymore. I get these little flickers of light and then…everything just goes dark."

  The table fell quiet. Little pricks of curiosity tickled me from all sides, but there was one swell of concern that stood out from the rest. It had come from Tran, who conveniently studied the grains of wood on the table.

  "Can you See if Eris has the unity stone?" Mercedes asked.

  Fleck bit his bottom lip. "I don't think he does…it's hard to know, though, because…sometimes the Sight doesn't let me See what I ask it to show me."

  "Maybee you neet to try again," Catia suggested. "You're new to the Keep, no?" She said Keep like Kip. "I theenk it takes some of them years to control their Sight."

  "Yes, but…" Fleck started as more and more similar comments pummeled him from all sides. Everyone demanded he try again, that he must be missing something, that we needed his information. It was when Falk barked, "What a pathetic excuse for a Daloren," that I decided to say something.

  "Whatever abilities Fleck may or may not have are not yours by right." I looked straight at Falk, then addressed the crowd. "His gifts don't belong to any of us. He's helping us as best he can, and whatever he's able to share, we should consider ourselves fortunate, not deserving."

  "Is that what you tell yourself so that you don't have to take responsibility for being too cowardly to fight in the front lines with the rest of us?" Falk glowered at me.

  The table fell silent.

  Alex tensed in his chair and I knew he was about to put Falk in his place, but I squeezed Alex's leg beneath the table to let him know I'd handle this.

  "Falk, is it?" I said.

  Falk sat smugly, still glaring.

  "I don't know you, and you don't know me. But they say it takes only one-tenth of a second to make a first impression, and so far you've spent the past few hours trying to derail every single idea we've come up with, which leads me to
believe that you're just a cynical person. We don't have room for cynicism, Falk. The castle is taken and we are outnumbered. We already know our chances are slim, and we're running out of time. If and when my uncle gets that unity stone in his hands, we're all doomed.

  "So what we need are ideas, and if those ideas don't work, we need more ideas, not an argument. We need you to help us figure out how this can work instead of telling us why it can't. And I am not shirking my responsibility. When you are charged with the responsibility of being the sole defense against each and every gargon in Eris's possession, and doing this while maneuvering a few thousand feet in frigid air with only saddle straps to hold you in place, then, perhaps, you can talk to me about what it means to be a coward."

  At some point during my monologue, Falk's eyes hardened and his fists clenched on the table. Alex's pride burned like a bonfire beside me, and Thad leaned back in his chair with his feet crossed on the table. Vera glared daggers at Falk, daring him to do something.

  I thought Falk was going to leave. I expected him to curse at me and storm out of the room, but he just sat there, glaring at me, and when he sat back in his chair, he looked a little smaller. That was the last of his outbursts, and the negativity.

  By the end of it, Alex decided we'd leave in two days' time. Everyone agreed. Many of our men still needed time to heal from our battle with Campagna—Alex included—and Mercedes' men (and women) could use the rest after traveling from Gesh. And, she added, they had a few injured as well. In the meantime, we'd gather together our resources and construct more long-range weapons, like catapults, bows and arrows, slings, and javelins, and refine the weaponry and armor already in our possession. Alex directed who was to oversee the various projects, and then we all split and got to work.

  The room mostly cleared out, except for Alex, Tran, Fleck and me. Fleck was still sitting in his chair, staring down at the floor. Alex met my gaze, understanding my intent.

  "Meet you there in a minute?" I said so only he could hear me.