Fall of the Titan (The Desolate Empire Book 5)

by Christina Ochs

  Trystan sighed, and pulled Natalya’s pendant from his pocket. “You’d better take this, then.”

  Natalya hesitated, then took it. “You’re probably right.” By now they were traveling alongside the walls enclosing the palace’s massive gardens.

  As they reached the main gate, Natalya slowed her mule and grabbed Trystan’s hand. “We'll meet again soon, I promise. Thank you for bringing me this far.”

  Trystan squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes. “I swore I would, so I did. I’ll see you inside.” He turned to the farmers and Louise behind them. “Do as the Maxima says, and don’t let anything happen to her.”

  Trystan waited until they’d ridden down the street and disappeared around the corner. Natalya would lead them to the servant’s door. He turned his mule to the main entrance, an impressive sweep of marble stairs and gigantic carved doors, suddenly conscious of the fact he hadn’t shaved in several days and that his peasant clothes were dirty from the road. It didn’t matter. He raised his chin to look down on the approaching guard.

  “Take this creature to the stable and rub it down well. I have an appointment inside.” He jumped down and tossed the reins to the guard without looking back. Sometimes, attitude was everything. Now he just had to hope it would get him to the king.

  Anton

  Anton moved faster than he ever had in his life, throwing Elektra to the ground, then firing at the Maximus. He was still a little far for a good shot, but as Anton stepped forward, drawing his other pistol, a red stain bloomed on the cleric’s white robe. All of the guards coming his way suddenly retreated to protect the Maximus.

  Anton grinned and raised the other pistol to finish the job, but a guard stepped in front of him. He emptied the pistol into the guard’s belly, then drew his sword. The rest of them now clustered around the Maximus, but Anton didn't worry about him anymore.

  His sword at the ready, he backed up rapidly. He needed to get to Maryna. Most of his troops had reached this room and were battling the guards.

  Maryna lay facedown on the floor, her bound hands covering her head. Anton ran to her, grabbing her by the shoulder. “Are you all right, Your Grace?”

  Maryna looked up at him, relief flooding her face. “I am. How will we get out of here?”

  “Quickly.” Anton grinned, helping her to her feet, then cutting her bonds with his short knife.

  “What about the archduchess?” Maryna tilted her head as she stood, and Anton spotted Elektra huddled behind a chair.

  “I should kill her,” Anton said, though he wasn’t certain. He didn’t know for sure that Elektra had betrayed them on purpose, and she might still be Lennart’s ally.

  “Oh, don’t do that,” Maryna said. “She was trying to help me.”

  Anton snorted. “Some help. Fine, I won’t kill her. But she can stay here and sort this out herself.”

  “All right,” Maryna said uncertainly, though she let Anton lead her to the door without resisting.

  He didn’t give Elektra another look. He had enough to worry about. His own troops barely kept the temple guards at bay, and it was a long way back to the river. Anton pushed Maryna behind him and drew another blade.

  “Stay back,” he said, “and do as I say.”

  Maryna kept quiet but nodded, looking determined.

  Anton came upon a guard fighting with one of his men and ran him through from behind, then got another one that came toward him. “We’re leaving,” he shouted. “Keep everyone in here.”

  “He murdered the Maximus,” someone behind him yelled. “Don’t let him get away.”

  Anton hoped it was true about the Maximus, but wouldn't stick around to find out. “Out, out!” he shouted, waving his sword at his troops. When he saw they had all reached the corridor, he pushed the big double doors shut. There was no bar on the outside, but they could improvise.

  “Block it,” he said, and turned to see Maryna already shoving at a chest that had been sitting against the wall. He helped her push it against the door while everyone else grabbed any piece of furniture they found to block it. It wouldn’t hold long, but hopefully long enough to let them get away.

  That done, Anton grabbed Maryna’s hand and ran down the corridor to the courtyard door. Fighting raged out here too, especially around Princess Viviane’s carriage. Anton ran to it to look inside. The door swung on one hinge and the carriage stood empty.

  “We have to find her,” Maryna said. “She killed my father.”

  Anton slammed the carriage door, though all that did was break the other hinge, and the whole thing clattered to the ground. He looked around, figuring he’d kill Viviane if he saw her, but there was no sign of her in the confusion.

  “I’m sorry, but we’ve got to go.”

  His troops weren’t outnumbered right now, but they would be once the other guards broke out of the palace. Someone brought him a horse and another for Maryna. They mounted and rode out of the courtyard, Anton’s troops following after he called orders at them.

  He hoped they wouldn’t run into trouble as they neared Princess Vivian’s palace, but the gate was quiet, and Anton nearly forgot he had troops there too. He didn’t want to stop, so he sent a messenger for them. “Tell them to get to the river. We won’t wait, but there’ll be a boat for you. We’ll meet up in Lerania.”

  The messenger galloped down the long lane and Anton got moving.

  “Are you all right?” he asked Maryna again.

  Her eyes were still wide and terrified, her hair a mess, with one braid pinned to her head while the other fell past her shoulders.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “What will we do now?”

  “Get to the boats,” Anton said. “We’ll see if we can get to Lerania fast and go overland as we’d planned. With enough chaos here, no one will stop us.”

  “I hope so.” Maryna swallowed. “What about those other troops? The ones I was supposed to talk to.”

  Anton couldn’t believe he’d forgotten about them. “I don’t know,” he said. “But I don’t want Princess Viviane getting her hands on them. I’ll think of something.”

  He wondered if he could still persuade them to fight for him. That meant Elektra would have to do without, but she’d have to fend for herself anyway. If the Maximus was dead, maybe she still had a chance at capturing Princess Viviane and holding onto power. If she was smart, she’d figure out a way. His job was still to get Maryna safe to Terragand, and now he wished he hadn’t stopped.

  To his relief, all was quiet at the boats. A few temple guards had remained behind, but Karil had overcome them quickly enough. Anton explained what had happened and Karil shook his head.

  “I could have told you Elektra wasn’t trustworthy. In fact, I recall saying exactly that.”

  “You’re right,” Anton said, feeling embarrassed. “Don’t worry. I won’t trust her again.”

  Trystan

  Pretending he led an entourage of at least twenty, Trystan approached the guards at the doors to the king’s palace. Even though they moved to stop him, he kept walking until he ran into the haft of a tall halberd.

  “Get out of my way this instant,” he snarled. Annoyingly, the guard was a tall fellow, so Trystan had to look up.

  The guard shook his head. “Who’re you?”

  “Duke Trystan Martinek of Podoska, here to see King Gauvain.”

  The guard took a step back, though he still held his weapon in Trystan’s way. At least it wasn’t pressing against his chest anymore. “Where in the name of the gods is Podoska?”

  Trystan smirked. “Only one of the most important kingdoms in Kronland. Some say the most important.”

  “I’ve heard of it,” another guard said. “Though I also heard it was the smallest,” he added with an insolent grin.

  “Size has nothing to do with significance.” Trystan hoped that was true, since the second guard was even bigger than the first. “My mother Princess Edyta is King Lennart’s most important ally. And he is an ally to Galladium. I
come with tidings straight from King Lennart himself.”

  “Then why are you dressed like a Galladian farmer?” the first guard asked, even as he lowered the halberd.

  Trystan took a step forward, but decided not to press his luck just yet. “I’m in disguise of course.” He shook his head as though it should have been obvious. “The Empress Teodora has agents everywhere looking for me. I am far too well-known to travel using my real identity.”

  The guards were looking at each other now, uncertain. “You can’t come into the palace armed like that.”

  “I’ll leave my weapons with you, if you like.” Trystan had forgotten about his sword and pistols, carrying them again felt so natural.

  The first guard hesitated a long time before saying, “All right. Leave your weapons with us and check in with the majordomo inside.”

  Trystan kept up his haughty air while handing over his weapons, then made his way through the door with the most extreme swagger he could muster. It was hard walking amongst the laces and jewels of the court dandies in a rough linen jacket and woolen breeches. Trystan remembered the silly blue cap on his head and pulled it off, scowling at a man snickering nearby.

  He recognized the majordomo from his last visit to the palace. He announced his name and that he bore a message from Lennart. “I must see the king at once.”

  “Huh,” the majordomo said, looking Trystan up and down, wrinkling his nose. “I can’t believe the guards let in a peasant. They shall be punished.”

  “I am not a peasant.” Trystan let his voice rise until it echoed from the ornate ceilings. “I am the Duke of Podoska, as I just said.”

  “No duke would ever wear such rags.” The majordomo flapped his hands at Trystan. “Get out of my sight. You smell of the stables.”

  Trystan walked forward until he stood nose to nose with the man. “I am carrying an important message from King Lennart. It should be obvious that I am in disguise. You are the one who’ll be punished if you don’t let me see the king this instant.”

  The majordomo still looked snooty, but at least he backed up a step. Trystan hoped he had at least planted some doubt in his mind. Shaking his head, the majordomo said, “The king isn’t seeing anyone today, but I can get you an appointment tomorrow.”

  “Not good enough,” Trystan said firmly. “I have urgent business.” He thought of something else. “If the king is busy, I’ve been authorized to deliver the message to the queen instead.”

  “What does the queen care about military matters?”

  “I never said they were military. Now tell the queen that Trystan Martinek, Duke of Podoska is here with important information regarding his mission.” He said the word duke as loudly as he could without shouting, since titles seemed to be the only things that mattered to this lot. “She’ll be aware of the mission,” he added, praying Zofya was available to see him.

  By now, everyone in the room was gawking at Trystan and the majordomo, which the man clearly hated. No doubt he fancied himself a behind the scenes operator. That gave Trystan another idea, so he leaned forward and murmured, “It concerns Duchess Maryna Bernotas of Terragand, a close friend to the queen.”

  That caught the man off guard. “I’m well acquainted with the duchess,” he said. “A charming young lady, though I fear she is dead.”

  “She isn’t.” Trystan softened his tone, seeing the majordomo seemed worried about Maryna. “She’s quite well in fact, and I wish to let the queen know.”

  “Then you shall see her straight away,” the majordomo said. His expression had transformed from sneering haughtiness to warm concern in an instant.

  “Thank you,” Trystan said, softening his voice and expression. “I won’t forget this.”

  “I’ll take you myself,” the man said, waving over a footman to take his spot near the door. “The queen will be anxious to receive news about her friend.”

  He led Trystan down an endless corridor, then through a series of ornate rooms looking out over the garden. Trystan wished he had a moment to enjoy the view, but seeing the queen was far more important.

  The majordomo knocked on a closed door and whispered something to the person who opened it. The whispering went on for a moment, there was an exclamation and the door flew open.

  Zofya Inferrara stood before Trystan. “Oh, Duke, it really is you. How funny you look!”

  Her dark eyes danced and her cheeks were flushed. If Trystan hadn’t been in love with Natalya he might have fallen for the queen. In fact, before he met Natalya, he’d thought about her quite a bit.

  “I’m in disguise,” he said, stepping forward to kiss her hand. “I bring urgent news about your friend, and the king’s,” he added with a significant nod. “I must speak to you alone.”

  “Of course.” Zofya took him by the hand and pulled him into the room. “Guard this door, Gaston,” she told the majordomo. “Let no one but the king enter.”

  When they were alone, Zofya pulled him into a corner. “We’re in a great deal of trouble here,” she whispered. “You must help us.”

  Elektra

  Elektra crept across the floor, praying no one noticed her. She’d seen Anton and Maryna standing together, staring at her, but when she looked again they had disappeared, the Maximus’s guards shoving at the closed door.

  No one seemed to pay attention to her, so Elektra got up and hurried across the room to the Maximus’s chair. It stood empty and bloodstained, the Maximus sprawled on the floor nearby.

  One young guard sat next to him.

  “Is he dead?” Elektra asked. Claudius Maximus’s dark face was waxen, his eyes closed. Elektra wasn't sure if she wanted him dead or not, since she needed his help with Princess Viviane.

  The guard looked up at her. “Seems so.” He shook his head. “Here I worried that soldier would kill you, and the next second, he’d shot the Maximus.”

  “I thought he would kill me too.” Elektra had had no time to think, it had all happened so fast. But somehow she believed Anton would have killed her if he thought it would help Maryna.

  By the time she turned back toward the door, the guards had shoved it open and the room stood nearly empty. Elektra hurried out. She needed to make sure Princess Viviane remained captive.

  When she got to the courtyard, guards milled around in confusion, though it appeared a party was being organized to pursue Anton and Maryna.

  “Stop!” Elektra shouted, though only a few guards looked at her. “You must secure Princess Viviane.”

  The guards shook their heads and rode off, so Elektra hurried toward the carriage. Its door was gone and it stood empty. Her heart in her mouth, Elektra ran to the one holding the Duchess of Lemberg. It stood empty as well.

  Elektra stood in the middle of the courtyard, frozen. Unless Anton had killed the princess, she was on the loose somewhere, and Elektra had no friends. She needed to do something, and fast.

  A servant rushed across the courtyard and Elektra grabbed at her arm. “Where’s Princess Viviane?” she asked.

  The woman stared at her. “She ran toward the temple, last I saw.”

  “Thank you.” Elektra dropped her arm and the woman hurried off. So Viviane wasn’t dead. It was only a matter of time before her hired army appeared, and Elektra doubted she would get to the river unopposed now.

  She had to get out of here, since a dead Maximus offered her no protection. Not that he would have after this anyway.

  Elektra hurried back inside the palace. She’d come with only the clothes on her back, and it would take days to get out of the kingdom. All was confusion inside, with servants running about, shouting, a few of them crying. It was hard to believe anyone would mourn such an unpleasant man, though maybe the Maximus had been kind to some of them.

  Elektra ran down the corridor, poking her head into various rooms until she found the Maximus’s study. It stood empty, so she went inside and latched the door. After sitting down at his desk, she started opening drawers. The third one yielded a small but
heavy bag of coin, and when Elektra peeked inside, she caught the glint of gold. She shoved it into her pocket, then turned to the Maximus’s papers, shuffling through them quickly.

  At first she saw nothing too interesting, aside from some rather unpleasant plans for reconverting the local population to the true faith. But at the bottom of a pile of papers near the back of a drawer, she found a sheet with scribblings in the Ancient Tongue.

  Elektra’s mouth went dry as she deciphered the spidery letters. So far, she’d only heard rumors of such things, but the words were unmistakable. She’d found the key to her mother’s youth.

  Elektra licked her lips, then folded the paper up and shoved it into another pocket. She had no idea what she’d do with the information, but perhaps it would be useful. A small knife, meant to open letters, lay at the edge of the desk and Elektra took that too.

  Now it was time to go. She dropped her cloak and grabbed another one hanging on a hook. It was made of heavy black velvet, lined in gold silk, much nicer than her own. It was too big for her, but better for a long journey.

  She stepped back into the corridor, closing the door behind her, and made her way back to the courtyard, praying that no one would stop her. A few guards milled about in confused clusters.

  “Hey, where are you going in His Holiness’s cloak?” someone shouted.

  Elektra said nothing and walked faster. The stables seemed leagues away.

  “Hey!”

  She broke into a run, aware she’d never reach the stables before the guards caught her. Then she saw a horse standing nearby, already saddled and looking fresh. It was a little big for her, but she couldn’t be picky. So she grabbed the reins and jumped into the saddle, even as someone else shouted at her.

  Pushing her heels into the horse’s side, she slapped it on the neck and shouted, “Go!”