Invocation

by Tera Lyn Cortez

  “Yes. They were on the verge of extinction even back in my day, but there was a small, very secretive clan who lived not far from the king's castle. If they still exist and we can woo them to help us, their assistance will be priceless.”

  “What if we find them and they just eat us instead?” I literally shook with fear as I voiced my concern to her.

  She just shook her head as she pawed through the jewelry in the chest. “Nah, unless you give them reason to believe you might taste good, you'll be fine.”

  “What?” I could barely squeak out the single word.

  She finally paused in her digging, and looked up at me, laughing when she got a look at my expression. “Are you truly afraid of dragons?”

  “I happen to have a healthy fear of ALL creatures who can eat me as a snack.”

  Shaking her head, she laughed her chiming peals of laughter as she returned to her search. “Do not fear, Princess, for we shall protect you.”

  Chapter Five

  She handed me the last of her choices to take as bribes, or gifts, or whatever need we had of them, and looked around one last time. I took a final glance as well, thinking I couldn't wait for a calmer time in my life, so I could return to this room and go through all the things my father had left me. There were so many crates and chests we had yet to open.

  As we left the vault, I chose to use my hand print to seal the door once more. We were going to be away for an undetermined amount of time, and I felt better knowing the door would be locked while I wasn't around.

  I could hear the guys in the study, so we headed that direction. Each of them had an impressive set of weapons strapped to them, and I whistled at their choices.

  “I just need to change, then if one of you could help me with the sheaths for my daggers I would appreciate it.”

  They both nodded their assent, and I turned to head out the door.

  “Oh, and would one of you grab some snacks and throw them in my pack?” That set them laughing and I huffed at them. “Well, remember, nobody wants me to get hangry.”

  “Don't worry, Ev. We'll be sure to feed you.” Taryk smiled at me and followed me out of the study.

  As we neared my bedroom door, he had a few words of advice for me. “Wear the most durable clothes you have. Leather is good, and boots if you have them. You want to get as much protection as possible from them, and either Xavier or I will help you spell them for extra strength.”

  I nodded, wondering what the cabin would have in store for me, knowing it would provide me with appropriate gear. I opened the closet and was not disappointed. Leather pants, which I prayed were comfortable, knee high leather booths with a sturdy heel, both in black, and a snug fitting gray shirt. There was a black leather jacket to go over.

  Lying on the bed was a black backpack, and I swapped out the one I had intended to take for what the cabin suggested. Magic knows best.

  I was attempting to wiggle my way into the unreasonably tight leather pants when I heard Taryk shout from the other room. “Hey, guys, we have company!”

  I tugged the T-shirt over my head as I ran out the door to see what he meant. A quick glance through the front window and I immediately saw the problem.

  The malevolent mist had returned, and it looked angry. Instead of the gray tones it had always appeared in before, this time it resembled a solid black cloud. It surrounded us on all sides, pressed against the wards from every angle. I couldn't even see the forest. This was not good. Not good at all.

  “I am going to finish dressing. We need to figure out what to do. Let's get Xavier after you grab my snacks.”

  I returned to my room, throwing on the jacket and backpack before settling on the edge of the bed to don my footwear. Thankfully they were not as tight as the pants. Which, by the way, were very comfortable once I got them on. Even the sheathes for my daggers went on with very little fight.

  Just as I was lacing up my boots, and shrill sound echoed through the cabin. Startled, I ran for the hall. Taryk came running from the kitchen, and I could hear Xavier and Celeste yelling for us.

  “Hurry, get in here!” Xavier held the door and motioned for us to get inside. “Everleigh, say the words conservatam agnovimus quickly!”

  As I followed his commands, he began leading us down the tunnel to the training room. “What is going on?” I had no clue, but there was no way it could be good if everybody was panicking.

  Celeste looked more worried than I had ever seen her. “The cabin's wards have been breached. We must get out of here right now!”

  “What? How? And where are we going?” I had assumed the wards were unbreakable.

  “You need to create a portal to the chateau in Myntas. Quickly.” Celeste motioned toward the wall of the cave as Yuri fluttered next to her.

  “I can't! I've never been there before! I don't know how!” I began to freak out. Everybody was counting on me to get them out of here, but I didn't know where to take them.

  Xavier grabbed my hand as the shrieking increased. It felt as if the mountain itself was trembling. “We must hurry, the spell you cast was an instruction for the cabin to activate its self-preservation mode. We need to get out of here before it is complete. The cabin will cease to exist, and all that will be left is the study, the training room, and the tunnel leading between them. locked deep within the mountain.”

  “What?” I had started repeating myself, and I could hear it, but seemed to have lost the majority of my vocabulary with the stress of the situation.

  “You need to make a portal. Use our bond and see the vision I am sending to you. Take us there. Quickly.” Xavier pushed the image of a room into my mind.

  The first portal I created was useless. Barely a foot across, nobody would be getting through it but Yuri. I could feel the impending disaster and my new found skills were suffering because I couldn't focus.

  Taryk grabbed me by the shoulders and looked in my eyes. “You can do this. Take a deep breath, and concentrate. I am right here with you.”

  Willing my body to calm, I took the deep breath he suggested. The trembling in my hands slowed, and I took a moment to feel the power of the ring.

  The air shimmered and the portal appeared, as I struggled to hold it long enough for everyone to make it to the other side.

  Xavier poked his head through, then beckoned us to follow. It took every ounce of concentration I had to hold it open and shuffle toward it. Recognizing my struggle, Taryk picked me up and carried me through. Just as the portal snapped closed, we heard an unearthly bellow from the other side.

  “What was that?” I was terrified we had just left some magical monster to terrorize Earth.

  “Frustration,” Celeste replied. “When we activated the preservation spell of the cabin, not only did the cabin disappear, most likely before anything had even been able to get inside, but the spell itself is set up to expel whatever magical being is in the area back to where it came from.”

  Sighing in relief, I posed my next question. “So, where are we exactly?”

  “Illuminaire.” Taryk called forth a globe of light, and I looked around curiously. We were in a room in a castle, but there were no identifying pieces showcased here.

  “Let's keep the light low in case someone notices the light in a long-abandoned window. This is my old room in my father’s original castle. The few times we did come to visit, we got to pick out our room and claim it. The wards placed on the castle have not been broken in all these years, and we are the only ones to have set foot in here in centuries.”

  Taryk lowered the globe to the floor and reduced the light to the minimum we could get by with. The still air and hush of silence unnerved me, but I was oddly excited to see the castle where my father had lived, and where he and my mother had fallen in love, if only for a few ill-fated weeks.

  It looked as if it's people had just left the room. The lack of dust and grime surprised me, for a place that had essentially been abandoned for centuries.

  Yuri flitted to the wi
ndow, looking out. It looked to be just past dusk here, and I could barely see the darkened trees surrounding the castle.

  “Do you think your family is still out there?” I asked her quietly.

  “I hope so. It has been so long since I saw these woods last. Back before I was sent to you, the woods were alight with our luminescence at night. It looked as if tiny stars floated through the forest.”

  There was silence all around. I saw no moving creatures and heard no sounds. Not even the rustling of the wind. Whether because of the wards encompassing the castle, or some other cause, it was oddly still.

  Celeste manifested and looked around. “I think we need to carry on. It would have been best to go to the chateau first so Everleigh could inherit her full powers. Since we are here, however, I believe we should get what we came for, and continue on our way. We are in danger, even if the castle is protected.”

  I agreed with her fully, even if it meant not spending much time here. I hoped one day I would be able to come back and see it restored to its former glory. Including my brother sitting on his throne.

  Everyone nodded their agreement, and I motioned for Xavier to lead the way. In spite of its age, the heavy wooden door opened smoothly, and Xavier stepped out into the dark hall and looked both ways before beckoning to the rest of us.

  “It's empty, as I expected. Come on out.”

  As we stepped out of the bedroom, I noticed it wasn't a hall at all, but more of an open balcony. Four tall arched doorways, all matching the one we had just exited, led off this particular landing, plus a hall at either end. A grand staircase led down on both sides.

  The height of the ceiling stretched high above us, and beautiful tapestries, each depicting a different scene, hung along the gray stone walls. I found myself wishing for more light, as I squinted to make out the details hidden in the gloom.

  Xavier headed for one of the staircases, leading us down and telling us about the place as we walked. “All four of us kids chose one of the bedrooms on this landing. The room below that we are descending into is a sitting room. We must keep the light low, as it has floor to ceiling windows facing the gardens. Nobody should be able to see, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I cannot remember if the wards prevented people from seeing in, or just getting in.”

  I ran my hand along the smooth banister and marveled at how stunning it was. I could tell it was dark wood, but there wasn't enough light for more specific identification. It was obvious that the finish of the wood was high gloss, as it threw the reflection from Taryk's orb back onto the stairway.

  Our footsteps echoed through the silence. As we reached the lower level, I could see the furniture still sitting in place as if waiting for the family to come home any minute. Again, I felt a rush of sadness at the thought of it sitting here, abandoned for all this time. I made a silent vow that it would be restored to its original grandeur. Filled with family, and the sounds of little feet pattering through its great halls.

  Xavier led us toward the massive fireplace at the end of the room, flanked by doors even taller than the ones leading from the bedchambers upstairs. These sat open, waiting for us to pass through. We skirted a massive table to follow along the back wall.

  “This is the dining hall. The kitchen is straight ahead of us, but we won't be going through there right now.”

  My stomach must have ears, because it took that moment to protest loudly at its emptiness. Everybody laughed, forgetting for a moment that we were attempting to be quiet.

  “Sorry. Making a portal made me hungry, I guess.” I just shrugged. They should be used to this by now.

  “Everything makes you hungry,” Xavier teased.

  Taryk reached into his pocket, producing a granola bar. “This will hopefully tide you over until we can sit and eat. I think we should wait till we get below where there are no windows for spies to peek into.”

  Grinning, I snatched it from his hand. “You're the best,” I mumbled through the crumbs of my first taste. It was gone in four bites, and I stuffed the wrapper into my pocket. It didn't last nearly long enough, if you ask me, but my stomach was appeased.

  We passed through a doorway on our left, leading into a darker, more enclosed hallway. Taryk turned up the brightness of his sphere, showing us fairly a conventional walkway with no adornments on the walls. It had high ceilings, but not soaring to match the room we just came from.

  “At the end of this hallway is a set of stairs leading into the cellars. Once we enter the stairway, we can turn the light up, and be slightly less cautious about sound. As always, though, we want to be on alert constantly, just in case.”

  Our footsteps echoed as we traveled the stone floors, and even our whispers seemed to bounce back at us. The whole place just seemed so lonely. I could almost feel it missing its former occupants.

  The group began descending the flight of steps ahead of me. I couldn't seem to stop pausing to look around, even when there wasn't much to see. As soon as I got both feet onto the stairs, I felt a firm nudge from behind.

  I made a squeak as I attempted to keep my balance, as there was no railing to grab on to. Taryk spun around and caught me by the arm as I pinwheeled; as soon as I felt certain I wasn't going to go crashing down, I turned around. Nothing but emptiness greeted me.

  “Something pushed me!”

  Taryk pushed past me to return to the hallway, searching for what or who might have given me the extra “help” onto the steps. He didn't discover anything more than I had.

  “Walk between Xavier and I. As a matter of fact, hold my hand.”

  I smirked at him. “Aw, you want to hold my hand?”

  Eyebrow cocked, he held his out. “Safety first. Besides, how do we know you didn't make that up just so you could ask to hold my hand?”

  Snorting with derision, I put my hand on my hip. “Why Taryk, are you calling me a liar?”

  “If the shoe fits...”

  He was lucky I didn't have anything to throw at him in that moment. Yuri, who had been very quiet since we arrived, spoke up from the hood of my jacket where she had been riding.

  “I'll watch your back. I'm in the perfect position to do so,” she offered. “We need to keep on moving.”

  I thanked her, and threaded my fingers through Taryk's, refusing to admit that I might be enjoying this as more than a way to keep me from tumbling ass over teakettle to the stone floor below. The stairs curved in a wide spiral, making it difficult to see ahead of or behind us very far.

  Twice we passed doorways leading onto floors. The first one Xavier ignored. He began to turn off onto the second, but Yuri halted him.

  “Not this one. The very bottom.”

  Xavier looked at her, his face showing his surprise. “The dungeons?”

  Yuri nodded. “Yes. He wanted to be certain that even if the castle crumbled, the room would be protected deep below the surface.”

  Xavier paused, and the rest of us came to a stop behind him. “We need to think over our game plan very carefully. The dungeons are located far below this level. I am unsure if the original spell placed on the castle was extended to them. They are warded to keep out intruders, obviously, but I am unsure if they have the same protections.”

  I was confused. “Well, if the castle is undisturbed, and you have to go through the castle to get to the dungeon, then should the dungeons not be safe also?”

  Yuri piped up before Xavier managed to. “There is a tunnel leading from the dungeons to a place deep within our forest. Heavily protected, at least it used to be, but it is open to the world outside of the castle. Out fiercest warriors used to guard it.”

  “Nobody wanted to drag prisoners, who were often screaming and fighting, through the castle itself. So they were brought in through the tunnel. It's also far enough down that nobody from the castle above would be wandering in to it accidentally.” Xavier looked thoughtful as he contemplated our next move.

  “Well, whether it has the same protections or not, that's irrelevant at this point
. We need to get down there. At least we know now that we need to be extra cautious.” I didn't have a whole lot of patience for standing in this stairwell as we debated the subject.

  “You have a point. Let's move. Stay close to each other; let’s be as quiet as we can. I hope we can find this hidden room without too much trouble.

  The longer we climbed down the steps, the more I wondered just how far we needed to go. I had been able to tell by looking out the window that the castle was set on a steep hillside, although not quite what I would call a cliff. The forest surrounded it on all sides, so the tunnel could lead any direction.

  Eventually, we reached a small landing. Our way into what I assumed was the dungeon stood blocked by a massive door fashioned out of a solid piece of timber. A small window was cut in the middle of the door. Four metal bars blocked the possibility of anything getting through, and it was covered by a metal looking plate on the opposite side.

  We had no way to see what awaited us when we opened that door. If our luck held, the answer would be nothing, remaining abandoned as it had been meant to be. If luck was not on our side, it could be any number of disastrous situations. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

  Chapter Six

  Yuri left the comfort of my hood and flew to the front of the group. “You get the door open, and let me do a little scouting. I am the smallest and the fastest.”

  I wanted to protest, but knew she spoke the truth. “We'll keep the door cracked. If you see anything at all that looks suspicious, come right back here so we can decide how to deal with it, okay?”

  Before she could answer, Celeste spoke up. “Ah, but I am invisible. I can slip through the hall unseen.”

  We all looked at each other, Taryk and Xavier shrugging. I just waved my hand at her. “Go. Let us know what you find.”

  Yuri returned to my hood, huffing with indignation when she plopped down. “How am I going to be of assistance if you won't let me do anything to help?”