“I’m sorry, I...I really can’t say,” the man stammered.
Even Vallerie narrowed her eyes at the man now.
“Yes, you can. Where is Cassidy?” Warren asked. He had a chance to bring Cassidy back now. He had a chance to be useful again.
“I can’t,” the man said, trying to pull his hand away from Warren, but Warren held firm.
“Why?” Warren asked.
“They didn’t tell me! They just said to keep quiet.”
Warren crushed the man’s hand in his. “Who wouldn’t tell you? What do you want with us?”
“Please, I don’t know!” the man begged.
He knew something, and Warren wasn’t about to let him escape.
“Then tell me what you do know! Where did you take Cassidy?” Warren’s voice boomed with thunder. He was about to break the man’s hand.
“Okay, Okay! I’ll tell you!” the man shrieked.
Warren loosened his grip enough for him to fight past the pain and talk.
“There’s a city in the swamp,” the man said. “We live there, that’s where we took him.”
“Take us there,” Warren said.
“I can’t.”
Warren glanced at Emron, who responded by hefting his hammer.
The man turned his head, but the act didn’t fool anyone. Warren had no intention of hurting the man, but he knew if he scared him enough, he’d do anything they wanted. He only needed to squeeze his hand a little before the man decided to talk.
“All right! All right! I’ll take you!”
“Thank you,” Warren said, releasing his hand.
The man turned around, rubbing his sore hand as he walked. Warren began untying Noble’s reins when the man stopped him.
“Your steed will not aid you where we’re going.”
Warren shook his head. “We can’t leave them here.”
“You’ll be back to them soon enough.”
“I’m not leaving my horse unprotected.”
“Then stay,” the man growled.
Warren didn’t like this. The whole thing felt wrong. He had the opportunity to figure out why these people helped them, but he couldn’t convince himself to trust them. He stared hard at Noble, his mind befuddled from absence of sleep and his desire to see his friend. Warren closed his eyes, trying to clear his head and think objectively. Something was wrong, he didn’t know what, but at the moment, he understood that this man could take them to Cassidy, and that was where Warren was going to go.
“Fine,” Warren relented. “But if I so much as suspect trouble, your hand will be the least of your worries.”
The stranger led them through the forest. Twenty minutes later they arrived at the edge of the swamp where the slide marks of several rafts cut through the mud. Tossing aside some makeshift camouflage, the man unveiled a sturdy-looking raft and pushed it a couple of feet into the water.
“All aboard,” he said, bitterness hanging on the edge of his voice.
Warren ignored the snide comment and stepped aboard the raft with Vallerie and Emron close behind.
The raft soon skimmed over the surface of the murky water, leaving the sight of land far behind them.
Decaying trees, lined with moss, sprouted from the dark water every few yards. Heavy fog veiled obstacles fifteen feet in front of the barge. The man weaved the raft between tree stumps with surprising dexterity. The trees became more and more dense, heightening Warren’s concern, who pushed down the anxiety rising in his chest. Ahead of them, a wall of trees intercepted their path.
“You’re sure you know where you’re going?” Emron asked skeptically.
“We would be dead by now if I didn’t.” The stranger paddled straight for the trees.
Warren clenched his jaw, willing himself to accept the shaky explanation. The foliage parted, and they entered an open lake with a collection of islands stretching beyond the foggy horizon. Rope bridges linked the land masses together in towering bulbous trees that crowded the tiny islands. Pathways and windows hollowed the trees, making bizarre shelters. White orbs patrolled the bridges, providing light in the misty air.
As the raft entered the secluded habitation, an orb drifted over their heads, lighting the way across the water. They neared the islands, and Warren saw people in the trees and on the water. Scores of people rode in rafts and canoes across the marsh, each with at least one of the strange lights near their boat.
“What is this place?” Warren breathed.
“The Surface Lands, that’s all I’ll tell you about it. Just keep you heads down, all right?” the stranger grumbled.
The man led the warriors deeper into the maze of islands. As they paddled onward, the noise of water falling caught Warren’s attention.
“Where is that sound coming from?”
“Shh,” the man hushed.
Warren scowled. Forcing his hand to stay away from his sword, He peered forward. For Cassidy’s sake, he would compromise.
Out of the fog, a ring of lights appeared above a section of water. Warren’s eyes widened. They were nearing a large circular drop off. Sweat tickled the back of his neck as he hoped the stranger steered them past the sinkhole.
“Try not to fall off the raft,” the man said, stepping toward its center.
“What?” Vallerie exclaimed.
Warren drew his blade, unsure of what to do.
“Will you just trust me?” the man said, holding up his hands.
“What’s down there?”
“The rest of the kingdom. That’s where your companion is. You have to trust me,” the man said.
“You keep asking me to trust you—”
“And have I led you astray?” the man asked.
Not yet. Warren scowled.
Why would the man stay on the raft with them if he had tricked them? Would he really sacrifice his own life for this place? He wouldn’t when Warren crushed his hand. Either way, Warren had little choice: the current had caught them.
Warren sheathed his blade and stepped back.
The edge of the drop-off crept up on the raft at an agonizingly slow rate. Sweat pooled in Warren’s gauntlet as his breaths grew shorter. With the raft’s center sliding over the hole, Warren closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable plunge. After a few seconds, when it hadn’t come, Warren opened his eyes. The raft sank gently into the chasm.
Warren glanced at the man and gave him an apologetic nod, then eyed his friends. Emron’s hand slipped from the grip of his war hammer and back to his side. Vallerie initially relaxed as well, but grew impatient, rolling the corner of her lower lip between her teeth. A vein that stuck out in her forehead when she became anxious pounded rhythmically.
Warren laid a hand on her shoulder, and she looked at him with a knit brow. He managed a half smile, aware that it didn’t convince either one of them, but Vallerie’s brow relaxed as she nodded.
Golden light shimmered through the water behind Vallerie.
“What is that?” Warren asked.
The stranger said nothing. The raft alighted on the surface of the water, and the stranger paddled toward the light. Just before the falling water touched the raft, it parted. Warren lost his breath as the rest of a tremendous lake appeared. A magnificent city lay underground. Orbs of light danced through bustling streets and near the tallest towers. Buildings made of white stone and taller than Fortitude’s tower stretched into the expanse.
“Where are we?” Warren exhaled.
“Illithium.”
“It’s beautiful,” Vallerie said.
“It was,” the stranger said, paddling towards docks at the water’s edge.
“Was?” Warren asked.
“The Darkness has robbed Illithium of much of her beauty.”
“Then there’s something we have in common,” Warren said, his hand clenched into a fist.
“The Darkness has destroyed many of the cities above ground. My birth city, Fortitude, is the only city in this part of the world still standing.”
<
br /> “My people are aware of the outside’s struggles. We may be secluded, but we are not ignorant.”
Warren froze.
“You knew people were being slaughtered?” Warren asked, jaw tight.
“Yes.”
Warren grabbed the man. Vallerie started to reach for him, but Emron stopped her.
“Why?” Warren seethed.
“Our people are our own. What can one kingdom do against the Darkness?” the stranger said, not meeting Warren’s gaze.
“That’s a pathetic excuse!”
“Warren,” Vallerie begged.
Warren held the man there for a moment, but eventually let the man go. Beating him to a pulp now wouldn’t bring back the people who had died and it wouldn’t get them to Cassidy.
A minute later, they arrived at the docks. Cypress planks bound by sturdy ropes provided a simple place to tie down several scores of rafts. After securing the raft, the man led the team down the dock. A loud rumble shook the cave.
“Move!” the stranger shouted.
A large portion of the ceiling crumbled, falling onto the docks. Warren, Vallerie, Emron and the stranger raced towards the city.
Crash!
Another stalactite hit the wharf, shattering both wood planks and boats. Warren lost his footing as the docks shuddered and then fell into the water. Freezing pins and needles pricked at him. He tried to take a deep breath, only to fill his lungs with water. The darkness expanded below and around him. He frantically kicked and pumped his arms, but his armor dragged him down farther. With frozen fingers, he tugged at the straps on his armor. His lungs burned, yearning for air as it got harder and harder to move.
An anchor splashed above him. The tips of his fingers slid under the anchor’s end. Warren swung his hand up again, this time getting a firm grasp on the metal. He jerked the rope around, hoping whoever had thrown it in would notice the movement. The anchor rose.
Warren’s head broke the surface near the ruined jetty. Vallerie and Emron grabbed his arms and tugged him safely onto the dock where he expelled water from his lungs.
“What just happened?” Vallerie asked, looking to the stranger.
“This cave has been collapsing since that foul Darkness above has taken over,” the man said, dropping the rope he used to pull Warren to safety.
“You couldn’t have said anything about that earlier?” Emron growled.
“Emron, leave it be,” Warren said, gesturing for him to let it go.
Warren stumbled to a half-standing position.
“We should keep moving. The authorities will be here soon. If they see you, things could end...badly,” the stranger said, glancing toward the city.
Warren nodded, then straightened.
Dark gray spots freckled the white stone of Illithium while tiny, detailed sculptures carved into the door frames of buildings accented the architecture—each one different from the last.
“What are those sculptures?” Vallerie asked.
“They are a sign of the owner’s trade,” the man replied.
As they walked, Warren noticed people gawking at them. Conversations died as they approached, leaving only watchful silence. Warren forced himself to focus on following the man. The stranger must have noticed their audience.
“This way,” he said, leading them down an alleyway.
Warren sensed Emron tensing as he looked back at the street full of people.
“Where are we going?” Vallerie asked, rubbing her wedding ring.
“Shh. You’ve already drawn too much attention to us,” the stranger said.
Their guide shimmied between buildings, pausing occasionally. The farther they traveled, the darker the alley became, and not only because of a lack of light. The buildings themselves seemed darker than the ones closer to the lake, as if the gray spots had grown thicker. Warren’s hand shifted to the pommel of his sword.
The stranger turned between two buildings, then stopped. He examined Warren and his team and glanced through the alleyway.
“Wait here. You can’t walk the streets openly.”
“And we’re supposed to trust you as you leave us here?” Warren asked.
The series of alleyways seemed the perfect trap. Warren and the others wouldn’t be able to fight in the tight space, and if they tried to run, they would become lost.
“I’ve already risked a lot getting you this far. I’m not getting caught because you stand out in a crowd. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“If you’re not?” Emron asked.
“I will be.”
“We need proof that you won’t betray us.”
“Fine. If I’m not, then take this.” The man pulled a rolled parchment from his bag and unraveled it—a map.
“You are here. Follow this road. It’ll take you to your friend, here,” the man explained, tracing a path with his finger.
“What if we leave now,” Emron asked.
“The authorities will probably catch you.”
“Who are the authorities? Why can’t we be here?” Vallerie asked.
“I don’t have time to explain. Just trust me and stay here.”
Warren rubbed his face. The whole situation screamed that something was wrong, but he was too tired and too cold to figure out what.
“All right, ten minutes. That’s all you’ll get.” The man nodded, then dashed down an alleyway.
“Are you sure that was a good idea?” Emron asked.
“We stick out too much in the crowd,” Warren said, sitting against a wall. His fall in the lake had left him trembling, and he didn’t need to waste energy standing.
Emron followed suit several seconds later. Vallerie sat and hugged her knees. Her eyes locked on the alleyway the stranger had gone down, while Emron checked the entry points to their location. Watching his two friends made Warren even more nervous. He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. They couldn’t afford to get desperate or paranoid. They had to keep calm.
Seconds after closing his eyes, Warren heard Vallerie stand. Cracking an eye, he watched her pace. He opened his other eye.
“Vallerie, relax,” Warren advised.
“He’s out there,” Vallerie mumbled.
“We’ll get him back, but I need you to stay focused. We don’t know much about these people. If things go bad, I’ll need your help to find the quickest way out.”
“Let me see the map. I can find him.”
Vallerie specialized in stealth. In another situation, he would have let her go, but she wasn’t thinking clearly.
“Vallerie, we need to stay together. If something happened out there, we wouldn’t be able to help you.”
Vallerie opened her mouth, poised to argue, but stopped. Tears welled in her eyes, and Warren stood to hug her.
“I miss him so much,” Vallerie whispered.
“I know.” Warren wrapped his arms around her.
Vallerie stepped back and sat against the wall with Warren. Several more minutes passed, and Warren wasn’t getting warmer. He shivered. Why was that lake so cold? The swamp above them was warm—the air humid. It wouldn’t surprise him if the lake was slightly cooler, but it was cold enough to grow icebergs. Warren clenched his hands into fists, trying to stave off the shaking. The entire kingdom was a mystery. The cave didn’t have any characteristics of the swamp —not even the boggy smell.
Before he thought more on it, Emron clambered to his feet. The stranger had returned. Warren stood and crossed his arms over his chest, still fighting the shivering.
“Put these on,” the stranger said.
He dropped the sack slung over his shoulder at Warren’s feet.
Inside lay three rolls of clothing.
“They won’t fit over our armor,” Warren said.
“You’ll have to leave your armor and weapons here.”
Warren shook his head. This was madness. Their weapons and armor were their last defense. They couldn’t leave them in an obscure alleyway.
“You have
to trust me,” the stranger begged.
“Warren,” Vallerie pleaded.
Warren clenched his teeth. He was too cold and tired to think of a better solution. “Fine.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” the man said, backing down the alleyway where Warren lost sight of him.
“This is a bad idea,” Emron said.
“It’s our only chance to find Cass,” Vallerie said, grabbing the smallest roll.
Emron looked at Warren.
“We don’t have any better options,” Warren said, taking the smaller of the remaining two bundles.
Emron snorted but picked up the last bundle.
Dressed in inexpensive shirts and rough trousers, Warren and his team moved to the alleyway the stranger had ducked into. Warren felt exposed without his armor. Every step felt too light, too easy. To his surprise, the stranger had waited in the alley, though he paced like a wild dog. When he saw Warren, he stopped.
“Let’s get moving.”
The team followed the man through winding city streets, twisting and turning their way across town. Now clothed in the same garb as the people, no one seemed to notice Warren and his team. Warren’s hand drifted to where his blade should have been, but remembered it was still in the alley. He shivered. Getting out of his wet gear had helped, but the cold still clung to him.
“Where did this place come from?” Warren asked.
“Let’s just call it a gift from Akokios.”
Warren knit his brow.
“But that means this place has existed for close to a thousand years,” Vallerie said.
The stranger kept moving forward.
Valndrial stood for several centuries before falling—but this kingdom—it made Ruben’s home seem young. Warren pushed the thought to the back of his mind—he had other questions.
“The other night when we were attacked, what was the light that banished the wolves?”
“A chemical called magnesium—very useful when an enemy needs to be blinded,” the man said.
“That chemical blinded us too,” Emron said, stopping in front of the man.
“O-our masks are designed to allow us to see when Kruziik uses it. Unless you have one, it can’t be helped,” the man stammered as Emron towered over him.
The Ajoiner Realm (Defenders of Radiance Book 1) Page 6