"I'm not sure they did," Theo said. "They'll be watching us."
The buildings and streets were the cleanest Nadia had ever seen. Most buildings had been fashioned of clean white stone that nearly glowed in the afternoon sunlight. Everyone was dressed in the finery of nobles, displaying so many bright colors it almost hurt Nadia's eyes. They all looked too busy to take notice of anyone else, Imperial Guards included.
Markus gazed at everything with wide eyes. "I've never seen such a grand city."
"Well, this is what our taxes pay for," Theo said.
"Of course," Markus said. "Warrick doesn't give a damn about anywhere else. Everyone might be equal, but some are more equal than others."
"It's disgusting, really," Garet said. "All around the empire, so many people are struggling to get by, and everyone here lives in comfort. Whatever Warrick originally intended to do, he's not doing it anymore. He just rewards those who support him."
Nadia kept her voice low. "And that's why we have to kill him."
They walked along the streets, following their neat, rectangular patterns. Much of the city looked the same, so Nadia lost her way. She'd have to rely on Theo.
They dropped off their traveling supplies at a clean and bright inn illuminated by magical torchlight. The innkeeper looked at them as though their party were a complete oddity. Nadia realized with a jolt of fear that she'd probably never retrieve those supplies.
After leaving the inn, they passed more people going about their business, then finally arrived at the library—a large building of clean white stone. Wide stone steps led up to an entrance flanked by pillars, the tops of which featured elegant swirling patterns.
Theo stood facing the rest of the party at the bottom of the steps. "This is as far as I'll take you. I'd like to be of more help, but I know little more than you. And Imperial Guard or not, I don't have access to the most highly protected sections of the library."
"Well, thank you for taking us this far," Nadia said, trying to restrain her panic.
Markus frowned. "Yeah, thanks, Uncle Theo."
"I hope I see you again," Theo said, putting his hands on Markus's shoulders, "but I have the bad feeling that might never happen. I know you can't promise anything. Whatever happens, I'll always love you."
"I know," Markus said. "I love you too, Uncle Theo, no matter what's happened." He shared an awkward hug with his uncle. A few seconds later, they stepped apart and looked at each other as though they didn't know how to say goodbye. Theo nodded to Markus, then turned and strode away.
"I suppose we should investigate the library," Garet said. He gave Markus a sympathetic smile, and Markus nodded weakly. Most of the party turned to enter the library. Markus, however, continued staring at the crowd into which his uncle had vanished.
Nadia rested a hand on Markus's shoulder. "We need to go."
He put his hand over hers. "I know. I'm just struggling with all this right now. It's hard to figure out how I feel about my uncle. Nothing's easy anymore."
"I know what you mean, but we're almost there, for better or worse." Nadia took Markus by the arm and led him up the steps, through the library's wide door, and into a well-lit interior fashioned of the same white stone.
A middle-aged woman sat behind a desk, watching them. "Do you need help finding anything?"
"Not right now," Alana said with a disarming smile. "We're only browsing. If we do need help with anything, though, we'll be sure to ask you."
"All right," the woman said, though her eyes had narrowed. Nadia felt her gaze on the backs of their heads as they made their way into the stacks. The shelves, like the walls, were made of polished white stone, and they contained more books than Nadia had ever seen.
As they walked among the stacks, Nadia felt an odd vibration in her small sack of supplies. At first, she thought it was nothing, but when it kept happening, she dug around until her hand settled on the scrolls of White Fire.
"This might sound strange," she said, "but I think these scrolls can sense that they're close to the third scroll."
Garet scratched his stubbly chin. "Not that strange. It is magic after all."
As they ventured deeper into the library, Nadia remained alert for signs of the vibrations growing stronger. First, they went off to their left, and the motion died down. Then they started in the other direction. The vibrations became stronger and stronger. After a while, Nadia worried that someone else might sense it, especially the patrolling Imperial Guards.
The scrolls' motion became most intense in one section of the library. Nadia stopped there and peered around a stone shelf, toward a door guarded by two Imperial Guards.
"I think I know where it is," she whispered.
"Behind that door," Garet said. "But how do we get through? Yes, we could kill them easily, but we don't want to attract attention." He began pacing. "There has to be another way."
"I wish Rik was here," Markus said. "He'd have a plan."
Nadia stifled a nervous laugh. "But would it work?"
She peered around the shelf again, staying out of view. What could force these Imperial Guards to leave their posts? She paced as well, her mind failing her, which she took as an insult. She liked to think she could reason her way through any situation.
After a long silence, Markus said, "Maybe we just have to force our way through."
"No," Nadia said. "Our plan relies on stealth. If Imperial Guards find out what we're doing, so will Warrick. Then our entire plan will fall apart."
"How do we know it won't fall apart anyways?" Markus said. "Cyrus told us himself that Warrick can read the Webs of Fate. There's a good chance he knows what we're doing."
Nadia didn't like the sound of that. She'd considered it herself, but rejected it. Was that her logic at work, or her prayers? Shaking her head, she said, "He can't. He would have stopped us. He would have found some way to kill us before now."
"Does any of this matter?" Alana said. "We don't know what Warrick knows. We have to operate under the assumption that he doesn't know anything. After all, if he does, we might as well go back home. Surprise is the only thing we have working for us."
"Surprise, that's it!" Markus said.
They all turned to him.
"We have to do something that surprises these Imperial Guards. They won't leave their posts for any ordinary distraction, but a magical one might work."
"You think I should use my staff?" Alana asked.
"It certainly could work," Garet said. "These men won't desert their posts unless something really strange is going on. They know they're guarding something important, even if they don't know what it is." He shook his head. "It's an insane plan. We don't know how it's going to play out. But we have to try something."
Nadia felt sick to her stomach as she leaned against a stone shelf. "No. I think we have to plan something. Rushing into this will only lead to disaster."
"But we might have to," Garet said. "We've been getting strange looks the whole time we've been in this city."
"Then we're going with my plan?" Markus said, sounding a little too eager.
"If it's a choice between that and getting arrested," Garet said, "it's no choice at all."
Alana tightened a hand on her staff. "I'm ready. I know what to do."
Nadia felt sicker than ever. Why couldn't they see how insane this was? Surely they could find another way, one that seemed less like one of Rik's ideas.
"All right," Garet said, keeping his voice low. "We're going to have to move fast. There's a good chance they won't both leave. If that's the case, we'll have to be ready."
Nadia's stomach twisted. "We'll have to kill the other, you mean?"
"You got a problem with that?" Garet asked. "They are Imperial Guards."
"Not all Imperial Guards are evil," Nadia said.
Garet glared at her. "This is war. Sometimes you have to do things you don't like."
War. As long as Nadia had planned her vengeance, she had never thought of it that way.
True, she had once felt no qualms about killing an Imperial Guard, but now she had met Markus's uncle, and she couldn't dispel her doubts.
But Garet was right, she admitted reluctantly. This was war.
"All right," she said. "We'll do what we have to do."
Garet nodded tersely. "Good. I think we're ready then. Alana, you're going to approach from the right, using your staff to produce some kind of magic. The rest of us will approach from the left, ready to kill the other Imperial Guard should the need arise."
Alana lifted her staff and started off to the right, using the many stone shelves to shield herself from the Imperial Guards' view. Nadia waited with the rest of the party, trying to calm her breathing. They moved a few shelves closer to their destination and readied their weapons.
A flash of lightning brightened the library, and Garet led Nadia and Markus out from their hiding spot. They passed a few more shelves, then stood in view of the door they wanted. One Imperial Guard had gone after Alana. The other remained at his post.
"What're you doing?" he demanded, moving a step closer.
Garet raised his bow and launched an arrow directly at the Imperial Guard's head, but the man ducked at the last moment.
"You're going to regret that," he said, racing toward them, sword drawn. Nadia had readied her own bow, but she worried she couldn't make the shot. The man was moving, chainmail covered his heart, and she still didn't know if she could do it. She aimed at his head, trying to keep her posture steady.
But then the Imperial Guard darted around the shelves. "I need help here!"
Markus turned to chase him.
Garet yanked at Markus's arm. "No. He's already made his cry for help. The best we can do is get our business done quickly."
They raced to the door, and the scrolls vibrated more fiercely than ever. Alana approached from the right, sweaty but unharmed.
"I don't know if I killed him or not," she said. "Let's move."
Garet moved forward to open the door. It didn't open.
"Dammit," he said. "We're gonna have to pick the lock." He pulled a lockpick from his pocket and worked it into the keyhole, hands steady. Nadia glanced back and forth, heart pounding, legs trembling.
Voices and quick movement came from a few shelves away. She waited for the Imperial Guards to emerge, nocking an arrow on the bowstring.
"Got it," Garet said at last. "Get in. Now."
Nadia, Markus, and Alana rushed through the door. Garet followed close behind, slamming the door, then moving over to a nearby wardrobe. He turned his gaze to Markus. "Help me get this to block the door."
Markus jumped to the other side of the wardrobe, and he and Garet pushed it toward the door. It made a horrible scraping sound against the stone floor. Nadia didn't wait for them to move it into position. She surveyed the rest of the room.
Stone shelves framed the walls of the cavernous chamber, and on these shelves sat thousands and thousands of scrolls.
The scrolls in her pack vibrated again. She pulled them out as the scraping came to an end behind her.
"They've blocked the door," someone shouted from the other side.
"Hurry, Nadia," Alana said, face pale. Nadia took off to her right, allowing the scrolls to guide her. With every step, the vibrations intensified.
They became stronger, then weaker, then stronger again. At last, she stopped at the spot where they were strongest and placed them close to all the scrolls within reach. Stronger. Weaker. Stronger. Weaker. Stronger. She fought to keep her panic from taking hold.
At last, she found the spot, pulled out the closest scroll, unfurled it, and read.
This was it. The third part of White Fire. She stood there for a moment, looking at it in awe, then remembered the situation. The Imperial Guards were pounding at the door, and the wardrobe finally moved amidst the onslaught.
Markus rushed to her side. "Did you find it?"
"Yes, but how are we going to get out of here?"
Garet glanced around, then pointed to his left. "There's a path right there."
"But where does it lead?" Nadia asked as they took off running.
"Does it matter?" Alana said. "We can't escape the other way."
True, Nadia thought, dread washing over her. She prayed more fervently than ever for God's help, then glanced back. The Imperial Guards had just entered the room, sending the wardrobe crashing to the stone floor.
"Stop right there!" one called out, but Nadia kept going, hoping that none of them had bows. With Garet in the lead, the party raced along a narrow stone corridor, which ended in a set of steps that spiraled downward.
Guided by the light of widely spaced magical torches, they raced down the spiraling stairs. The stairs continued for what felt like an eternity. The clunking of steel boots came from behind. Were the Imperial Guards gaining on them?
Then a horrible smell hit Nadia's nose. Sewage.
"God, that's awful," Markus said, and coughed a few times.
Garet kept running, reaching the bottom of the stairs. "But it might be our salvation. The Empire's sewer systems usually have multiple exits."
Nadia was glad to hear that, but she could have done without the smell. Soon she reached the bottom of the stairs and stood at the entrance to a large chamber fashioned of dark stone along which thick green vines grew. Filthy water filled a vast depression in front of them.
"We don't want to head down," Garet said. He surveyed the chamber, then pointed off to their right. "That passage, I think."
Nadia followed, trusting Garet's judgment. At the moment, she could barely think. They crossed a narrow bridge, staying just above the sludgy water, which slowly trickled downhill.
Once they all stepped into the passage, Garet said, "Markus, pull that lever."
Markus did so, and a gate slammed closed behind them. "Good thinking, Garet. That should give us some time."
"Let's hope it's enough," Alana said. They raced along the passage, which led them past other passages and into a second chamber where sludgy water moved along a slight slant. At first, Nadia didn't see any other routes, but then Alana pointed out an old, rusty ladder.
Could it handle Markus's weight? Or Garet's?
The ladder appeared at least thirty feet tall.
"Nadia and Alana, you two will go first," Garet said. Hesitantly, Nadia stepped onto the first rung and made her way up the ladder. She didn't look back, but she could feel Alana climbing close behind her. The ladder creaked and groaned.
But she did reach the top, and Alana made it a few moments later. They moved off to the side, watching as Markus began the ascent.
Markus looked down. "Aren't you coming, Garet?"
"I don't think the ladder can support both of us."
Markus continued climbing. The ladder groaned more loudly. Voices echoed, and soon nearly a dozen Imperial Guards came out of the passage behind them.
Nadia looked down at Garet. "You have to hurry!"
Regardless of the risk, Garet had to step onto the ladder before Markus could reach the top. The ladder groaned, and there was a loud snap. Nadia's body tensed. With Markus a few feet from the top, the ladder pulled away from the wall.
"Markus, grab my hand!" Nadia said, falling to her knees. Beside her, Alana did the same. They both held out their hands, and Markus grabbed them as the ladder slipped away from beneath him. His weight was nearly too much for Nadia. She started slipping, scraping her knees and elbows against the stones.
"Don't drop me!" Markus said, clinging to Nadia's hands with one hand and Alana's with the other. Slowly and strenuously, they lifted him up. He helped by pushing with his legs against the rough stone wall. Some of the vines slipped beneath his feet, and he yelped in panic.
"We have you," Alana said. "Just hold on."
Nadia's arms ached. She was strong, but Markus was heavy. Then, at last, pulling with everything she had, she lifted him high enough he could climb the rest of the way to the ledge.
Panting, she looked down. Gare
t stood at the base of the ladder, surrounded by Imperial Guards. He put his weapons on the ground, then stepped away from them. Nadia sat at the edge of the ledge, unwilling to believe her eyes.
Alana tugged at her arm. "We can't do anything for him. We have to go."
"I know," Nadia said, standing. She glanced at Garet one last time, then followed Markus and Alana into the next narrow passage. They flew along it, entering a new chamber. This one contained another ladder, one in better shape, and the ladder led up to natural light.
Nadia climbed the ladder first, reaching a grate at the top. She pulled on a lever hanging from the ceiling, the grate opened, and she climbed out into the afternoon sunshine.
The others followed, and soon they stood in a thickly wooded area overgrown with many bushes that hid the grate from view. A quick backward glance confirmed that they stood beyond the walls of Imperia, close to the base of Mount Imperia, from which dark caverns led up to the top of the mountain.
"Let's go," Nadia said. "We can't waste time now."
* * * * *
Darien was ready.
He sat back in his golden throne, feeling more at peace than he had in a long time. Yes, Nadia and Markus still needed to make it through the caverns, but few paths showed them failing there.
Darien had been worried while they were in the library, though. He couldn't have instructed the Imperial Guards to let them go without drawing the party's suspicion. They'd needed to put up a convincing chase, and they'd managed that.
Yes, everything was falling into place.
Chapter 57
Nadia led the small party into the cave with a heavy heart. She tried not to think about what was happening to Garet. Surely they would torture him to figure out why they'd entered the library. Garet was strong, but how long could he hold up to such torture?
"I feel so terrible," Nadia said as the darkness surrounded them. Widely spaced magical torches cast bluish light around them. An eerie glow.
"There was nothing we could do for Garet," Alana said, a tear trickling down her face. "He doesn't deserve what they're going to do to him."
Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1) Page 48