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. "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. Garet 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: The Point of No Return
Nad
ia 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 gonna do to him."
"Maybe we can rescue him afterward," Markus said.
Nadia felt a knot in her stomach. "I don't think there will be an afterward."
"I know," Markus said. "I just thought we should try to be optimistic."
Nadia wished she could share that sentiment, but she had known all this time that she was going to her death. No one could kill Warrick and escape.
They walked farther into the twisting cavern, keeping a brisk pace. Soon the Imperial Guards would guess where the small party was headed. Their chance at surprising Warrick dwindled with every passing second.
Soon they came to a branch in the cavern. Nadia glanced back, expecting to see Imperial Guards in pursuit, but the caves were still and silent.
"Which way?" Markus asked, peering into each passage in turn.
"I have no idea," Nadia said. Both passages looked the same, with widely spaced magical torches and fields of stalagmites and stalactites. Could she apply her intuition to this choice? She had never learned to use it consciously.
"We could always try one and hope," Markus said.
"That sounds like a terrible idea," Nadia said.
"Have you thought of anything better?"
"No, but I still think it's a terrible idea."
"It's all we can do," Alana said, tightening a hand around her staff. "If there are monsters, I can deal with them. After all we've been through, we can handle this place."
"Can we?" Markus asked. "I don't even know what this place is."
"It doesn't have a name," Nadia said, "but I believe Warrick created these caves as a method for people to reach his palace should the teleportation system somehow fail. They are also an obstacle. Any path other than the correct one is likely full of monsters."
Markus peered into the darkness. "You hear anything?"
"Probably just the echoes of my voice," Nadia said, but she wasn't certain of that, for she thought she had heard something else. Silently, she led the party deeper into the passage, to a place where the ground sloped steeply upward through thickening clusters of giant stalagmites
Another sound echoed. A growl?
Nadia peered up the dark slope, but saw nothing. "We should turn back. I don't like the way this feels."
"I don't feel anything," Markus said. "Alana can keep us safe if anything threatens us."
"I suppose you're right." Nadia wished they'd change their minds. They started up the slope with Alana and Markus leading the way. Nadia felt a moment of invisible resistance, then a change in the air. She dismissed it, thinking she was imagining things. Soon her legs burned, and sweat clung to her forehead.
After an arduous climb, they reached the top. Nadia peered to the right into the darkness.
Another growl. Louder. Closer.
"Maybe you were right," Markus said, turning back. As growls rumbled through the cave, they raced back to the slope. An orange glow brightened the passage. From behind them came a giant, fire-breathing monster that looked vaguely like a snake.
"What the hell is that?" Alana said as they raced down the slope, struggling for footing. Rocks crumbled away beneath them, and the cave trembled with the snake's movement. Alana sent jets of fire over her shoulder.
They didn't slow the snake.
Nadia's foot slipped, and she started sliding down the slope. Each impact with the jagged rocks felt like cutting her skin with a knife. But then Markus helped her to her feet, and they continued running as the ground rumbled more and more.
A surge of fire came toward them. Alana created a shield just in time to keep it from incinerating them, but Nadia still felt the tremendous heat.
Toward the bottom, the slope became steeper than ever. Too steep for them to run. They all tumbled forward, landing on the flat ground below with a jarring thud that knocked the wind out of Nadia. Struggling to get her breath back, she turned to watch her death.
But the snake stopped a few feet from the bottom of the slope. Fire came from its mouth but flattened out against an invisible barrier.
"Alana, are you doing that?" Nadia asked.
"No. Warrick must have created some kind of barrier."
"I actually think I might have felt that barrier," Nadia said, and Markus nodded his agreement.
"I didn't feel anything," Alana said.
Nadia considered that a moment. "Maybe it's related to our magical abilities."
"Whatever it is, it should be useful," Markus said, getting to his feet. "If we enter a passage and feel that same feeling, we'll know we're going somewhere dangerous."
"Perhaps," Nadia said.
Markus pulled her to her feet while Alana stood on her own. The snake remained at the bottom of the slope, staring at them with large yellow eyes.
Bruised and woozy, the party traveled back to the place where the passage had branched before, and they chose the other passage. They made their way by the light of magical torches and soon came to an open chamber where three passages stood ahead of them.
"Which one now?" Markus asked.
"We'll start with the middle passage," Nadia said, and they began walking. The magical torchlight continued, brighter than before.
Nadia remained alert for any feelings of unease, for that nearly imperceptible shift in her surroundings that accompanied an invisible barrier. She felt neither, though, and soon the passage opened into a towering chamber. A narrow path ran along the walls of the chamber, spiraling gradually upward.
"I think this might take us all the way to the top of the mountain," Markus said.
"Let's hope so," Nadia said, feeling as if a weight had settled over her.
Every step they took was a step toward fulfilling her life's dream, or failing to do so. She felt the sudden urge to turn back, to abandon everything she'd ever worked for. Perhaps she could settle down in Bradenton, where she was a hero, and forget about vengeance. Would her mother expect her to die for something so improbable?
All this time, she'd approached her quest with the determination that she would never give up, but now she knew more reasons than ever to do so. Yes, they'd lost so many on this quest. Yes, Warrick oppressed the people. But that didn't mean she had to kill Warrick.
For the longest time, she'd lived only for vengeance, devoting every moment of her life to that goal. Even her friendship with Kara hadn't changed that. She'd cared more about doing her mother proud than forming a close relationship with anybody.
But now that had changed. She loved Markus and wanted a life with him. Through all these hardships, he'd stood by her side, always there to support her in her moments of weakness. And there was something about him, a sort of innocence she admired. Despite everything he'd been through, he was still Markus, the young man who'd stepped in to save her that day in the forest. He stood up for the right thing, even if it might bring him harm.
She had met him when he was trying to escape a future he didn't want. Now he was willingly marching toward a future that would most likely kill him. Yes, he'd had his moments of doubt, but he'd decided in the end that he had to do this. And so had she.
But it wasn't so easy anymore.
"I don't know if I can do this," she said quietly, worried about sharing her doubts. Would she influence the others to change their minds? Did she want that? Tears formed in her eyes, and she tried to hold them back.
For so long, she'd been strong, faking it even when she didn't feel it, but now she wanted anything other than this. Could she throw her life away now that she had something to live for?<
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Markus put a hand on her shoulder. "Of course you can do this. I know we probably won't succeed, but we have to try. For your mother. For Garet. For Jakob. For Kara. So many people have lost their lives for this quest. We can't disappoint them."
"How can you be so confident?" Nadia asked.
"I'm not. I'm scared to death. But you have to remember Crayden."
Tears choked her voice. "Of course. I know."
"I know it's not easy," Alana said, "but we can do this. We have the scrolls."
Nadia remembered that she had not yet looked at the scrolls. She called the others to a stop and unfurled the scrolls so that she could read them in their entirety and know what to do.
The instructions on the scrolls told her that she'd need to read a certain set of symbols aloud, and then the magic of the scrolls would become part of her. After that, she had to concentrate on releasing that power, and her spell would hit its target. However, she had to be careful that she directed the spell only at Warrick. It would incinerate anyone it touched.
And she had to be quick. The spell would remain charged for a few minutes at most.
She stowed the scrolls in her bag again. "I know what to do."
"And you're ready to do it?" Alana asked.
"I'm ready," she said, though she felt anything but ready. They resumed their trek up the spiraling path, which became narrower and narrower as it neared the top.
After a few more minutes, they reached a place where natural light filtered into the cave. They scooted along the narrow path and came to the exit. When Nadia stepped out of the cave, she decided she'd never been so happy to see orange evening sunlight.
If only she could have felt happier about the next part of their quest.
Maybe half a mile distant, the Golden Place stood in all its glory. Thirty or forty feet tall everywhere, with taller towers flanking its open gate. Like a castle, but more beautiful than any building she'd ever seen. The evening sun shined a brilliant orange on the golden walls.
"How much gold did he use to build that place?" Markus asked. "Couldn't some of that have gone to help the people?"
Nadia felt a hot stab of anger. "I know. I don't think it's solid gold, but that's still enough to feed countless families. As you said, Markus, in Warrick's world, some people are more equal than others." She experienced a renewed surge of determination. "That's why we have to kill him. Abuses like this can't go unpunished."
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 49