Either I was in the right place, and The Joker didn’t use this particular part of the castle, which was good because it meant he wouldn’t have heard me. Or I was in the wrong place completely. I decided that the latter choice wasn’t one I wanted to think about and set about finding Journey. Traditionally, kidnapped princesses were kept in the tallest tower, but The Joker’s father had been kept in a king’s dungeon when he’d been locked up. I had no way of knowing which one The Joker would go for.
The corridor outside the room was equally empty, although, without the moonlight, it was difficult to see anything at all. I could really have done with Journey’s, what did she call it? A flashlight.
I could hear a distant sound. It sounded like a person talking although I couldn’t tell who it was. As I got closer, I realized it wasn’t one voice at all. It was two. A man and a woman were arguing. At first, I thought it was The Joker and Journey, but as I crept down the corridor and got closer, I realized it wasn’t either of them. In fact, I didn’t recognize the voices at all. Just what I needed. Some other people to deal with. I craned my head to hear what they were saying, but I was still too far away to make out the words. I followed them, nevertheless, along the corridor and down a huge stone staircase into the castle's main entrance. I could see the inside of the doors I’d climbed up. They were bolted shut reminding me that I still had to find a way out of this place once I’d found Journey. It wouldn’t have surprised me at all if Journey turned out to be a brilliant climber, but to put all my hopes on her being able to climb out the way I’d gotten in was madness. I’d have to think about it, but for now, finding her was my main priority. The warring couple seemed to be through one of the doors off the main entrance. I put my ear to the door to hear them more clearly.
“I know where you were, Brett. You were out with her. I saw you.”
“But, Janell, it was only a business meeting. I’d never cheat on you.”
Who were these people? It sounded like they were having some kind of domestic argument. Part of me wondered if it would be a good idea to intrude and ask them about The Joker, but a bigger part of me realized that it was probably not the best of ideas. Whoever they were, they would probably be shocked to find a complete stranger in their house, and judging by the fact that The Joker was here, they were more than likely servants of his. I thought back to everything I knew about The Joker. Having company wasn’t his style at all. Still, I didn’t have time to worry about other people. I had to find Journey. There were so many doors off the entranceway I didn’t know where to start. It was light here, thanks to some kind of lighting, no doubt of a magical nature. I could see ancient tapestries hanging on every wall and shields with coats of arms painted on them placed between them. Another set of stairs ran upwards at the other side of the vast hall, this one a much smaller staircase than the one I’d just run down. It spiraled upwards, more than likely up to one of the towers. Leaving the arguing couple behind, I decided to start at the top and work my way down. The spiral staircase seemed to go on forever, and I realized it must be the one leading to the tallest tower. No doors led off it the whole way up, but occasional rays of moonlight filtered in through small arched windows. At the very top was an oak door. I tried the handle, but it didn’t open. There was no keyhole so it couldn’t be locked, but it wouldn’t open, nevertheless. I dropped down a couple of stairs to take a run up and ran headlong into the door in an attempt to bust it open. It didn’t budge, and it was all I could do not to fall back down the stairs.
“Who is it?” shouted a voice I immediately recognized from behind the door.
“Journey!”
“Ash?” The door opened, and she stood there, looking as beautiful as ever, although her face showed a look of confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to rescue you. How did you open the door?” My shoulder hurt from the force of me barging into it.
“I turned the handle. Why are you rescuing me? I told you I wanted to be with Ben. I’m fine.”
“But he locked you in the highest tower,” I began.
“No, he didn’t. You saw that the door wasn’t locked.”
“You don’t understand…”
“No Ash, you don’t understand. I don’t know how you found me, but I’m happy here. I don’t have to be a princess. I don’t have to have children. I don’t have to do anything. I’m free. For the first time in my life, I can do whatever I want.”
“He’s going to kill you.”
“Ash, stop it. Just stop it!”
“Where is he?” The last thing I needed was for him to hear Journey shouting at me and come to investigate. I ushered her back into her room and closed the door behind us.
The room was the most opulent I’d ever seen, and I’d seen Journey’s apartments in Cerce.
“Wow,” I said, looking around. I couldn’t help myself. Everything was gold, from the carpet to the circular four-poster bed in the middle of the room. It was ghastly.
“I know. Beautiful, isn’t it. Ben used magic to make it exactly how I wanted it. He didn’t even need to ask. He could already see into my mind.”
“Journey. He’s going to kill you. I told you his story. Well, it turns out there was a part I didn’t know. I’ve since found out that he must kill to stay alive. He has to have a woman given to him and…”
“I was hardly given to him,” replied Journey, cutting me off. “I do have a mind of my own.”
“He asked me if you were his. Do you remember? I said ‘yes’ and then straight away he transported me home.”
“Let’s get something straight right now,” she said, anger filling her voice. “I’m not his, nor was I yours to give. I’ve spent my whole life being a commodity, and I’ve had enough. The only one I belong to is me, and if Ben can help me be me, then this is exactly where I want to be. Do you understand me?” She placed her hands on her hips and stared, leaving me unsure what to do next. I could either spend more time trying to convince her to come with me or just kidnap her. Both of these came with their own set of problems.
“Journey. I get it. Being the heir to the throne sucks. I’m only The Five, and there are days I wish it would all go away, and I could live a much simpler life. So I can only imagine how it must be for The Jack. Sage is constantly having to perform royal duties, and every day I’m relieved I’m not him. So I can imagine how awful it is for you. And you have the added burden of having to produce not one heir but eleven. The responsibility is not only huge but also completely ridiculous. But what will being here accomplish? Yes, you might have saved yourself, if we put aside the fact that The Joker is planning to kill you today, but what about future generations of royals in Vanatus? Ok, you might be the only female Jack at the moment, but there will be others, maybe a niece of yours? She’ll have to go through the very same thing. This stupid rule will continue on and on until someone puts their foot down and does something about it. Instead of running away from the problem, why don’t you take steps to resolve it? I know you are a feisty woman, and despite that shallow exterior you show to the world, I know you have a heart. I saw you playing with those children the other night. I don’t think for a second you don’t one day want to get married and have children of your own, I think it's a fact that you are being forced to that’s the issue; or more than likely, the fact that you are being expected to have so many. Put your power to good use and stop this now. Don’t hide in a golden tower.”
She was crying. It was not the reaction I’d expected at all. I expected her to fight back; I only hoped she would listen. It seemed I’d hit a nerve after all.
“You are right. I need to stop this. Doesn’t the Jack of Spades have a daughter? She’s only a baby, but she’ll grow up knowing how awful this is. I need to stop this, Ash. Thank you.”
She moved forward and hugged me. This time there was nothing sexual in it at all. She only wanted comfort. She pulled back from me, her eyes still red-rimmed from the tears. Without the makeup she usually wore, and with t
he mask finally off, I saw her for what she really was. For the first time, I saw the real Journey, and she was beautiful. This was a girl I could fall in love with.
“That’s the spirit,” I said, relief flooding through me. “Let’s go.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Ash.”
“But you just said…”
“I said I wanted to stop this madness, and I will. Who better to help me than the most powerful sorcerer in Vanatus?”
“But he’s going to kill you!” I repeated, yet again. I’d lost the argument.
“You know, I do appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Ash, and I’m grateful for your concern; but I think you are wrong. Why would he be so nice to me if he was going to kill me? Let’s settle this once and for all.” She swished past me before I had a chance to stop her and left through the door. I chased her down the spiral staircase and out into the large hallway. Dawn was beginning to break and the early morning sunlight poured in through the windows, bathing the hall in a red-gold glow. I could still hear the couple talking, but they weren’t arguing anymore. It sounded as though they were making up. I watched as Journey strode purposefully toward the door they were behind and flung it open. I followed behind and came upon the strangest scene.
The Joker sat on a couch drinking what looked to be whiskey from a crystal goblet. The couple I’d heard was actually two people somehow stuck in a magic box in a corner of the room. The Joker had been watching them before we had burst through the door. Now, of course, he was looking straight at us, bewilderment on his face.
“Ben,” started Journey. “Can you turn the TV off for a moment, please? We have a problem.”
Great, I was a problem now.
“I see,” said The Joker, rising from his seat. He still had the appearance of the pretty boy he’d turned himself into for Journey’s benefit. I think I preferred him as the tall ghost-like creature.
“Ash found us, and now he thinks you’re going to kill me.”
Instead of looking at Journey, he stared straight at me.
“I wonder how he found us. I was very careful in my magic.” I could feel him trying to get into my brain. The same feeling of wisps of fingers, tendrils, winding their way into my conscious. I was still wearing the amulet, but, of course, it was useless, spent of its magic. Instead, I closed my eyes and closed my mind. I tried to think back to when Mali pulled him out of my brain the first time and to replicate it. It was working slightly, but he was way too strong for me. I had no magic. I had no way to stop him.
“Stop!” I shouted, opening my eyes and looking straight at him.
I think the shouting was enough to startle him. I could feel my brain unfog.
“You don’t need to look into my brain. I found you because I have a spirit guide watching me. She heard you tell Journey where you were going. It’s no witchcraft or wizardry. Delving into my brain won’t help you.”
“Perhaps you are right. After all, why waste my magic on you when I’m going to kill you.” He raised his hand toward me as though he was going to cast a spell in my direction. I think he would have killed me right then and there if not for Journey jumping between us.
“Ben! What are you doing? You can just send him home. You don’t need to kill him.”
“Journey, get out of my way. He is a thorn in my side and needs to be disposed of.”
“Ben?” I could hear the uncertainty in her voice now. It was good that she was finally seeing his true colors, not that it helped us get out of here.
“Journey, if you don’t move, I’ll be forced to kill you too. I had wanted to do it properly a little later, but if this is the way you want it, so be it.”
“Are you freaking kidding me with this shit? You lousy scum-sucking elf-fucking asshole?”
Well, she certainly didn’t mince her words
“Let down by a man again! When will I ever learn?”
“Journey! This is not the best time for ranting.”
“Yep. Let’s go!” She pushed me towards the open door but not before a spark of purple light flew over our heads, inches from us. I grabbed her hand and raced out of the door into the big hall. Another jet of light passed by us. Why wasn’t he hitting us? We were not that far ahead of him.
“Thank fuck he’s been drinking,” said Journey, answering my unasked question. He was drunk.
I pulled Journey quickly through the entrance hall, not knowing which way to go. She grabbed a large shield from the wall as we ran past and held it behind her. I had no idea if a metal shield could repel magic and didn’t want to find out, but it was better than nothing.
“Through that door!” she shouted, nodding her head toward a door I’d not been through. I raced through it, pulling her with me and we slammed it shut behind us. It led to some stairs going downward. Without putting any thought into where we were heading, we rushed down the stairs. It was dark, but there was just enough light at the bottom to keep our footing. The room at the bottom was some kind of cellar with large wooden boxes piled up all around. The light was coming from a small window, high up on the wall. How come I not have seen it when I was trying to get in? It must have been about ground level, although, most of it was covered in snow. We climbed onto a box to reach it, just as we heard the door upstairs being blasted into pieces. I fiddled with the window’s catch.
“Quicker!” yelled Journey, even though she was right behind me. “He’s coming!”
I pulled on the catch harder, struggling with it. It had rusted over the years. Something flew past me. At first, I thought it was more of The Joker’s magic, but then I saw what it actually was. It was the shield that Journey had picked up earlier. Snow began to pour in, mixed with the shards of glass from the broken window. Some glass still remained in the frame, enough to cut us, but as the only other option was being killed by The Joker, a few scratches were something I was willing to take. I pushed Journey up and out of the hole and climbed up right after her, trying to avoid the biggest shards. When I stood up and looked at my surroundings, it became obvious why I hadn’t noticed this window from the outside. We were on a small ledge that had been cut out of the sheer rock face. It was only a foot wide. To our right, the face climbed about fifteen feet above us, and to the left, was a crevasse so deep I could barely see the bottom. The desire to close my eyes again was strong, but given the situation, probably not the best of ideas. I inched my way along the narrow ledge, following Journey. My pace was much slower than hers as I clung to the cliff face on my left. I knew The Joker was right behind us, but the crippling fear of the drop was causing me to feel both sick and faint at the same time. We turned a corner and found ourselves back on the hill, a little way down from the castle entrance. I wanted to kiss the ground and run away from the edge all at once, but instead, I looked behind me. The Joker was nowhere to be seen.
“Come on!” yelled Journey, grabbing my hand. We’d just made it onto the main path when The Joker appeared in front of us. Of course, he hadn’t had to climb onto the ledge; he knew magic.
Journey pushed me towards him with such force that I fell to the ground. What was she doing? Was this some elaborate scheme and she was really on his side? The fall hurt, but then, I felt her jump on top of me. It took me a few seconds to realize that we were both lying on the shield. The shield that was now moving with considerable speed across the snow and straight for The Joker. The air sizzled with his magic, and as I looked back, he’d managed to melt all the snow behind us. Thanks to the whiskey, his reflexes were slow. I closed my eyes as we barged into him with full force, the way a bowling ball might plow through bowling pins. I was aware of him flying right over us with the force of the impact and his screams, whether of pain or frustration, followed us right down the snow-covered hill. If he managed to get up and shoot magic at us, I’ll never know; we were already long gone.
Five of Clubs (War and Suits Book 4) Page 10