“Why only two?”
The Fat Lady waved her hand. “The chances of finding cover that’ll protect more than that is unlikely, and going alone is unwise.” She leaned forward. “But don’t worry—this isn’t exactly difficult. All you have to do, once you’re close enough, is to space these diamonds evenly around the Fire Pulser.” She dug into a pocket of her pants, pulling out a handful of diamonds. “Make sure they’re no closer than ten feet. And nothing can come between them.”
Dmitri took the diamonds. They weren’t spectacular—half an inch in diameter, too yellow in color to be valuable, and not cut to be worn as jewelry. Each had a hole in the bottom through which a string was attached. “What happens when I do that?” Dmitri asked.
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so you think you’ll be the first to reach her?”
“I wouldn’t ask any of my men to risk their lives.”
She shook her head. “Your Highness, that’s not a great idea. If they lose you, and the king passes away, who’ll lead the country to victory against the Lorkon?”
Dmitri leveled a stare at her. “You can’t change my mind. There aren’t enough of us to go around as it is, and I’ll do my part in the work of retrieving the princess.”
The Fat Lady snorted. “Whatever. What happens is this—a shield will form between the diamonds, preventing Lasia’s fire pulses from going too far. This will give you enough time to get past. You’ll have to hurry, though, since I don’t know how long the diamonds will hold their strength.”
She went into the house, then returned a moment later, carrying metal stakes which she gave to Dmitri. “Using the strings on the diamonds, attach them to these. That’ll make it easier to see where you’ve put each diamond so you don’t place them closer than ten feet.”
Kelson took a deep breath. “And you’re positive this will work?”
She raised her eyebrow and stared at him for several seconds.
“Never mind,” he mumbled. “I’m sure it will.”
Motioning for the men to follow, the Fat Lady strode around the corner of her cabin.
After hiking through the forest and up the hills behind her place, the Fat Lady stopped near an embankment covered with undergrowth. She pulled aside vines in the side of it, revealing a large stone slab laid into the steep hill. “Dmitri, push this over.”
He did so, revealing the entrance to a tunnel, and gasped in surprise. “The tunnel to your cabin! I’d forgotten all about this—I haven’t used it in years! Arien took me through it once right when I got here, and a couple of days later, I had to use it on my own. If I remember right, it’s a bit creepy.”
The Fat Lady chuckled. “Yes. Well, as you know, this’ll take you to the castle. Leave it cracked open slightly, so your Minya can communicate with the king and queen while you’re gone.”
***
The group left the Fat Lady, feeling much better about their situation. Dmitri supposed it was because they were somewhat more prepared for the next element. He urged his horse to go faster, wishing they hadn’t wasted so much precious time in that trap. Would Arien and the baby be all right? She’d be so heartbroken if she lost another child.
Kelson matched his horse’s pace to Dmitri’s. “What do we do if the Fat Lady’s solution doesn’t work?”
“Go the long way around.”
“Is there one?”
“I think so—through Macaria, anyway. But that’ll take several days.”
“Time we can’t lose.”
Dmitri rubbed his face. “I know.”
They set up camp on the other side of Ridgewood, a small town a couple of miles from the Fat Lady’s cabin. The group was fairly quiet, and Dmitri couldn’t blame them. Even though he felt better about the upcoming element, he worried about other possible traps set by the Lorkon. They’d been very . . . creative so far.
Dmitri sighed in exasperation, tired of his thoughts. He needed a distraction. He quickly found his best friend, hoping for some music. “Kelson, would you please pull out your instrument? We need something to lighten the mood.”
Kelson grinned in response and jogged to his horse to grab his guitar. Once the tents had all been set up and the fire had died down, he and Dmitri pulled logs close to the fire, and Kelson started playing songs Dmitri hadn’t heard since leaving Troosinal. Dmitri smiled, leaning against a tree trunk, and closed his eyes, enjoying the sound of Kelson’s voice and guitar blending together.
Later, as he was drifting to sleep, he felt Arien’s presence near him. It was as if she’d put her hand on his cheek, then whispered to him that things would be all right. He held on to that for as long as he could. The next morning, it stayed with him, giving him courage to continue.
Around mid-afternoon, they rounded a large boulder in the trail, and Dmitri’s horse reared, nearly trampling someone lying in the middle of the path. Dmitri calmed the horse down, then dismounted, Kelson at his side.
It was a woman, and she was dead. What’s more, she was obviously one of Arien’s handmaids—she wore the white dress with embroidered pink and blue flowers that Arien had all her ladies wear. Dmitri and Kelson met eyes, then ran the rest of the way around the boulder. What if the women had all been killed?
The men stopped short at the scene in front of them. Women—at least fifteen—lay on the ground near the trail. They were alive—some barely. It appeared that all the missing women would now be accounted for.
Kelson and Dmitri quickly searched through the group. Kelson called out in joy when he found his wife, but Dmitri’s heart plunged—Arien wasn’t there.
The rest of the men caught up, and several of them cried with excitement when they found their loved ones.
Two begged Dmitri to allow them to take their ladies home to receive the care and attention they so badly needed. Dmitri gave his permission for them to leave—the women were incredibly malnourished and bruised. What had the Lorkon done to them?
Dmitri joined Kelson at the side of his wife, Midian. His heart fell, looking down at her. “Kelson . . . I’m afraid she might not make it.”
Kelson shook his head. “She has to—she has to.” Tears poured down his face.
Dmitri’s heart clenched inside his chest, and he spun around, searching for a woman who was well enough to speak with him. He found one—a plump, elderly lady he recognized. He jumped to her side. “What happened?”
“The horrible monsters . . . they attacked us and hurt us.”
“Arien? Is Arien all right?”
“Oh, yes, Highness. They treated her with special care.”
Dmitri slumped in relief, but found his curiosity piqued. “Why? Why did they abuse the rest of you?”
She only shook her head in response, turning her attention back to a younger woman lying across her lap.
Dmitri returned to his friend’s side. “How is she?”
“Not responding to anything I do—I don’t think she knows I’m here.”
Then Midian moaned, and Kelson’s eyes lit up. He put his hands on her shoulders. “Midian? Are you all right?”
“Kelson . . . Kel . . .”
“I’m right here.”
But Midian didn’t react. She continued moaning, repeating his name. Then her body went limp.
“She’s not gone, is she?” Dmitri asked.
“She’s unconscious.” Kelson looked up at Dmitri. “I’ve got to find her help, and faster than Maivoryl City.”
Dmitri nodded. “Where else, then?”
“Macaria—we’re not far away, and I have friends there who’ll know what to do. They should be able to care for the others as well.”
“All right. Let’s get going.”
The nine remaining men helped the injured into saddles, some women riding two at a time, others able to ride alone. The going was slow, and Dmitri bit his tongue, not wanting to further injure the spirits of the women. But he made a silent promise to Arien that he’d get to her as fast as he could after her handmaidens had been taken care of.<
br />
An hour later, they weren’t far from town when Dmitri heard several very tiny voices arguing. Wanting to hear what the argument was about, he walked closer to the forest where the voices were originating, being careful not to lead his horse and her precious cargo off the trail. After several moments, though, he gave up. He couldn’t decipher what was being said. Dmitri looked back at the others, squinting in the sunlight until he spotted Kenji. He motioned for the Makalo to catch up. “Are those Minya voices?” he asked when Kenji reached him, matching his pace.
“Sure sounds like it.”
“I’ve never heard Minyas argue before. Does this bode ill for us?”
Kenji chuckled. “Not at all—Minyas fight regularly. Ignore it, Your Highness.”
Dmitri nodded. “All right.”
But then, just as he tried to put the argument from his mind, a Minya was hurled through the air, smacking him on the left side of the face. “What in the . . .?” He rubbed his cheek, looking for the creature who had hit him. A small female clutched Dmitri’s collar, scowling at the forest.
“All right,” Dmitri said, trying to shoo the Minya away, “that’s enough. Get going.”
The Minya released his shirt, flitting in the air in front of Dmitri, and glared, crossing her arms. “I’m not returning to them ever again.” She turned and shook her fist at the forest. Dmitri hid a laugh.
“All right . . . what do you plan to do?”
“I don’t care. They don’t want me anymore. I’ll stay with you.”
“What’s your name?”
“Early.”
“Well, we could probably use another Minya, if that’s what you want.” Dmitri crossed his fingers. He might not have to deal with Arien’s Minya anymore!
“Fine. But I don’t want to be with you.” Early looked around. Her face lit up, and she flitted away.
Dmitri turned to see where the Minya had gone, and rolled his eyes. The little creature had chosen Kenji. Of course. Dmitri brushed off his cloak in irritation. He couldn’t figure out why Minyas hated him so much. It didn’t make sense. He’d never done anything to get them to dislike him.
“You may keep her,” Dmitri said to Kenji. “Give me occasional reports on how willing she is to help.”
Kenji nodded, then turned his attention to Early.
***
The group took a lunch break, and Kelson and Dmitri sat apart from the rest, as usual.
“I don’t know, Dmitri. Honestly, I’m trying not to think of it too much.”
Dmitri rubbed the back of his head, then realized that by doing so, he was showing Kelson he was stressed, which he didn’t want to do. This had to be Kelson’s decision, and he had to feel unpressured to make it. “Whatever you decide is . . .” He almost said “the right choice,” but stopped himself in time. That would put unnecessary pressure on his best friend. “Whatever happens will happen—you’ll be guided in your decision, and I’m sure of that.”
“Thank you,” Kelson said. He sighed and leaned back, voicing his thoughts. “My loyalties are with you—as you know. But they’re also with Midian. I want to make sure she’s taken care of, and I know her the best, so it makes sense that I’d stay with her. But I’ve committed myself to helping you find Arien, and I don’t feel good about giving up on that, either.” He stretched out his legs.
“Is it possible there isn’t a right answer?”
“Yes, of course.” Kelson nodded slowly. “But the fact is, one thing will always be slightly better than another.”
“I don’t agree with that,” Dmitri said. “Whether I eat an apple or a pear matters not—they’re both a fruit and taste sweet.”
“That’s hardly a comparison.”
“I’m just trying to make this an easier choice for you. I don’t want you to feel like I’m pushing you to go either way. Just know that I’ll be grateful to you if you choose to help, but will fully support you if you stay with Midian, who is tied stronger to you than you are to me. Your loyalties should be with your wife.”
Kelson took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. He nodded. “I’ll think it over and will make my decision when we get to Macaria.”
They finally reached the small town. Dmitri stared at it from the trail—he’d never gotten over just how white and pristine it was. Even though most of the buildings were crumbling, including the castle, it had never lost its regality. It was a beautiful city. The people always said it had been bleached white by the sun—even the dirt of the streets was pure white—but Dmitri wasn’t sure how accurate that was. History tended to be changed over the years as people forgot the truth.
He jumped from his horse and joined his friend, who had been carrying Midian and now watched over her. “How is she?”
“Not good,” Kelson said. He held his wife’s hand, but it was apparent she wasn’t comfortable with the arrangement. “She doesn’t even know who I am.”
Dmitri glanced at his best friend. He heard the tone in Kelson’s voice, even though his face didn’t show it. This was deeply discouraging, and Dmitri could understand why. “Are you staying with her, then?”
Kelson shook his head. “Kenji said she might heal faster if I’m not around—right now, it’s just upsetting her to see me, not knowing why I’m touching her.” He looked up at Dmitri. “I’ll trust her to Kenji’s friend’s care and will continue with you.”
“You realize you may never see her again?”
“Yes.”
The tone behind the short answer conveyed more than the word did, and Dmitri didn’t press. He could feel Kelson’s frustration, discouragement, and even sense of letting go. He put his hand on Kelson’s shoulder and thanked him, then turned to give last-minute instructions to the rest regarding the welfare of the other women.
Dmitri chose to stay behind and watch camp while the others took the women into town. If he were to go, the people would stop them frequently. And while he didn’t mind helping and giving encouragement, this side trip into Macaria needed to be fast as possible so they could continue following Arien’s trail.
The men returned an hour later. Kelson immediately sought out Dmitri, a smile of relief on his face, and Dmitri’s spirits lifted as he heard Kelson’s report.
“She’s in good hands, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she makes a complete recovery before we return.”
Dmitri closed his eyes in relief. “Excellent.”
They followed the trail for only another hour before setting up camp. Kelson whistled as he took care of the horses, brushing them down and giving them carrots. While Dmitri was grateful for his friend’s cheerful countenance, he was still puzzled at the man’s insistence on caring for the animals. Dmitri shook his head—he couldn’t count all the times he’d told Kelson there was no need for him to be a “stable boy” any longer. But this was what Kelson enjoyed most, and there wasn’t a point in taking it away from him.
Right before he turned in, Dmitri received a message from Aldo’s Minya—a shriveled, old creature.
“Aldo says he’s been wanting to tell you, Dmitri, that he recovered the magical Key of Kilenya, and has been using it to scout out the area around Arien and the Lorkon.’”
“Oh, wonderful. Tell him thank you for what he’s doing.” The Key of Kilenya? He hadn’t heard mention of that in ages.
The Minya disappeared with a flash, and returned quickly with another message.
“He says he loves Arien, and will do anything to get her back. Then he said not to attempt to contact him for a while—to wait for him to message you again. He’s in a very difficult situation, and one mistake on his part could mean his death or the death of Arien and your unborn child.”
“How is Arien?” Dmitri asked.
The Minya disappeared and reappeared. “She’s in good health. Aldo isn’t sure why, but they’ve been very careful with her. Tender, even.”
Dmitri sank to his cot, head in hands. He took a deep breath, then looked up at the floating creature. “What would Aldo have me do
now?”
“Continue onward—he’ll get in touch with you when he’s able. If he doesn’t contact you before you get there, set up camp a day’s journey from August Fortress, the Shiengol stronghold. That’s where she’s being held.”
“I can do that. Again, give him my thanks.”
The Minya nodded, then disappeared with a flash.
Kelson sat on his cot. “Perhaps we should deliver a report to the king and queen. We haven’t since yesterday afternoon.”
“Good idea. Where is Arien’s Minya?”
“I’ll call her.” Kelson stepped outside of the tent, then returned minutes later with the Minya. Dmitri sat up and addressed her.
“Deliver a message to the castle. Tell the king and queen that Arien is safe. We’re an hour outside of Macaria, and have gone through two of the elements.”
The Minya mock saluted Dmitri, stuck her tongue out, and flitted away. He suppressed the urge to grab her as she passed. “That Minya needs a good throttling,” he said.
Kelson only chuckled in response. They didn’t have to wait long for her return, which surprised Dmitri. What surprised him even more was how she acted. The Minya flitted back and forth between Kelson and Dmitri, howling and wailing.
“Stop it!” Dmitri tried to grab her, but she zipped out of arm’s length.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“The castle has been attacked again!”
“What?” Dmitri and Kelson said at the same time.
“When?” Dmitri asked.
“This afternoon, possibly morning.” She flitted to the tent wall and pounded her tiny fists on the fabric, howling even louder.
The two friends met eyes. “We’re not going to get any information out of her like this,” Kelson said. He approached her and tried to talk to her.
A sickening feeling hit Dmitri’s stomach as he realized why she was so upset. Something had happened to Arien’s parents.
Stolen Princess: A Kilenya Chronicles Story Page 4