by Victor Kloss
Ben felt the same way. He delved into his bag and took out the last of their sandwiches.
“Your hunger is to be expected,” Lantis said, as he watched them munch down their food.
“Why? Does that trance spell you cast on us last night drain the body?”
“It wasn’t last night,” Lantis said. “It was two nights ago.”
Ben almost choked. “What?”
“You’ve been out for thirty-six hours. I’m sorry, it took me some time to get here and my colleagues saw no sense in waking you.”
Charlie had turned pale. “It’s tonight.”
“What’s tonight?” Lantis asked, sensing their sudden alarm.
Ben grabbed his bag and strapped it over his shoulder.
“The dark elves spread a rumour that I’m going to be executed, in an attempt to capture my parents.”
“But you’re not.”
“No, but my parents don’t know that.” The more Ben talked, the more he realised how desperate the situation was. “Nobody except the dark elves know where we are.”
“Where is this execution supposedly taking place?”
“The Floating Prison.”
Lantis gave his first sign of worry, a subtle creasing of his smooth forehead. “Let us hope your parents are not fooled.”
“Do you know where the Floating Prison is?” Charlie asked.
“It is a small island that floats somewhere in the sky, though nobody knows where. It’s Suktar’s personal jail. As you can imagine, escaping is impossible.”
“It can’t be impossible,” Ben said. “There must be a way in, so there is obviously a way out.”
“The entrance is through a gateway, but its location is unknown and it changes each day. As for the exit, there is a different gateway that also changes daily.”
Ben ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. “Do you know where the entrance gateway is today?”
“No, and I would strongly advise you against finding out. Going to the Floating Prison serves no purpose. If your parents do find a way in, it will be a lot easier escaping without worrying about you.”
“The dark elves captured a friend of ours,” Ben said. “She is going to be executed as well. So we don’t really have a choice.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lantis said.
“Who would know where the entrance gateway is?”
“The only people who might possibly know are the Institute. They have a mighty network of people across the Unseen Kingdoms.”
“We’re not on great terms with the Institute right now,” Ben said. “Is there anyone else who might know?”
Lantis shook his head and Ben cursed. The Institute was the last place he wanted to return to, but if it was the only way to the Floating Prison, what choice did he have?
— Chapter Twenty-Seven —
Unwanted Rescue
They left the wood elves and set a good pace back to the forest clearing. The sun was poking through the tall trees and Ben guessed it to be approaching midday. That meant they had about eight hours before dusk. Eight hours to save Natalie and find his parents.
“I don’t want to be a pessimist—”
“Then stop talking,” Ben said.
“…but I’ve been thinking about our to-do list. First, we have to fire that spell the taxi driver gave us and hope he arrives. Then we have to sneak onto the Dragonway avoiding the dark elves, get back to the Institute, find the location of the Floating Prison, rescue Natalie and make an escape. Have I missed anything?”
“My parents,” Ben said. “Once we’re at the Floating Prison, I want to find them.”
“Your parents – of course. Also, while we’re there I wouldn’t mind catching up with Elessar over a cup of tea.”
Ben couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s just concentrate on getting back to the Institute and worry about the other stuff later.”
“I’d prefer to worry about it now,” Charlie said. He swatted aside a stray branch. “Are we doing the right thing? I don’t want to sound like a coward and I certainly don’t want to abandon Natalie, but wouldn’t it make more sense to report her kidnapping to the Institute? They have a far better chance of rescuing her than we do.”
“My parents don’t trust the Institute and neither do I.”
“What about Wren?”
Ben considered the question. “I trust her, but we have no idea if she’ll be there when we return.”
The trek back seemed shorter than the original journey and it wasn’t long before Ben could make out the clearing through the trees. Charlie handed Ben the spell pellet and he tucked it into his pouch. This was one spell he could not mess up or else they would have no way back to the Dragonway.
“What’s that?”
Charlie was pointing at a hint of colour beyond the trees, in the clearing.
A ripple of movement. Voices.
Ben and Charlie stopped less than twenty yards from the forest edge and darted behind one of the huge pines.
“What can you see?” Ben whispered.
Charlie had his back pinned against the tree. Slowly he turned his head and peered round. “I see a couple of those creatures that look like a cross between a lion and an eagle.”
“A griffin?”
“That’s the one,” Charlie said. “They have riders.”
“Are they dark elves?” Ben asked. His own view was obscured by branches.
Charlie squinted. “I don’t think so.” His eyes widened. “They have stars floating above their shoulders.”
“The Institute,” Ben said.
“How did they find us?”
Ben barely heard the question. He was thinking furiously, re-adjusting his hastily made plans. Yes, this was better – riskier but better. They needed to take risks; they only had eight hours.
“Follow me and try not to talk,” Ben said.
Charlie gave an unrestrained gasp as Ben unpeeled himself from the tree.
“Ben, are you mad?” Charlie whispered furiously. “Ben!”
He ignored Charlie’s frantic pleading and walked through the last of the trees and into the large circular clearing.
There were three of them. Two sat on griffins, but it was the man in the middle, sitting atop a gleaming black pegasus, who caught Ben’s attention. He was big, with serious eyes and four red diamonds floating above his right shoulder.
“Ben Greenwood,” the man said in a calm, even voice. “My name is Matthew. It is good to see you. We have been waiting some time.”
Ben watched the man closely. The four red diamonds meant he was probably one of Draven’s right-hand Wardens, but his composure was the polar opposite to that of his senior.
“How did you find us?”
“We have many contacts in Borgen. I have come to take you home.”
Ben hesitated. “Home? I thought the Institute wanted me confined in Taecia.”
“There have been developments,” Matthew said. “Draven has instructed me to return you back to your home in Croydon and post a Warden to make sure you are safe.”
Ben thought fast. A couple of days ago going home would have been wonderful, but now it was a disaster. He needed to get back to the Institute. Matthew didn’t look like a man whose mind was easily swayed. Ben took a gamble.
“One of your apprentices, Natalie, has been captured by the dark elves. She is going to be executed at sunset at the Floating Prison.”
Ben expected some sort of response, but Matthew barely flinched.
“I will inform Draven as soon as I’ve seen you safely home. Now, we’d better get going.”
The two Wardens on griffins jumped down and beckoned them forward. Ben threw a desperate look at Charlie, but he was no help at all.
“This doesn’t need to be forceful,” Matthew said, seeing their lack of movement.
The two griffin riders started towards them, Spellshooters by their side.
“My parents!” Ben said in a rush and the two men paused. “The dark elves ha
ve spread a rumour that I’m also going to be executed in order to lure my parents to the Floating Prison.”
This produced even less reaction than the news of Natalie. “We know. Why do you think we are taking you home? To get you as far away from the dark elves as possible.”
Ben cursed silently. He wanted to tell them he needed to get to the Floating Prison, but what was the point? They would never understand his desire to find his parents.
The men resumed their advance. Ben glanced back. They could flee into the forest, but Charlie would never be able to keep up with him.
“You should run,” Charlie said. There was steel behind his pale face. “I can buy you a few seconds. You can make it back to the wood elves.”
“Good idea,” Ben said, as he readied himself for the oncoming Warden. Ben had no intention of leaving Charlie.
A screeching noise pierced the air. Ben looked skywards, searching for the source, hands covering his ears. Charlie tripped and landed on his backside.
In the distance, flying swiftly beneath the clouds, was a huge dragon-like animal. Someone was riding its back. Ben could just make out the rider’s flapping cloak as the beast approached.
“God damn,” Matthew said, his voice hard. He barked a command to his two men. “Back on your griffins. We’ve got company.”
The dragon circled above them. It was a wyvern, Ben realised, remembering the huge animals on the roof of the Institute. It had a long, narrow neck and a crocodile-like mouth. Ben took a step back as the wyvern came in to land and the ground shook on impact. When Ben’s eyes finally went from the wyvern to the rider, his heart leapt.
It was Alex.
His blue, hooded cloak looked strangely impressive and contrasted with the trendy, tight-fitting jeans and black, pointed shoes. Eyes sparkling, he reminded Ben of a five year old up to no good.
“Good afternoon,” Alex said, giving them a little salute. He towered over everyone on his wyvern. “Apologies for being late. You’re a sly fox, Matthew; you nearly threw me off the trail. Have you considered switching departments? I could use someone like you.”
Matthew had a face of stone. “This mission is not your concern, Alex. I have orders from Draven to take these two boys home.”
“How lovely for you,” Alex said, making a show of inspecting his nails. “However, I have a wyvern that can eat you whole, so your orders don’t mean squat.”
Matthew glanced warily at the wyvern, but his determination never wavered. “I have orders.”
“I had a feeling you might say that.”
Alex pulled the wyvern’s rein and it reared its huge neck, towering over Matthew with a mighty roar that gave Ben goosebumps.
The wyvern snapped its neck forward like a snake striking, but Matthew’s black pegasus was already moving and with a mighty leap it took to the sky. One of the griffin riders went with him. They started circling the wyvern like a couple of annoying wasps.
“Ben!”
The remaining Warden had dismounted and was running right at them, Spellshooter in hand.
Ben squared up to the Warden, eyes focused on his Spellshooter. The tip started to glow and the Warden took aim. A flash of white exploded. Ben dived to his right and felt the spell whiz by. He rolled and sprung to his feet just in time to see the Warden jump on him. With a burst of energy Ben squirmed free and threw himself at the Warden’s legs. Both of them went down. They rolled around in the grass, Ben barely hearing the screeches and blasts from the other battle. He had a hold of the Warden’s wrist and was trying to point the Spellshooter away. But the Warden was too strong and slowly the Spellshooter turned towards Ben’s chest.
Thump. A huge branch smashed the Warden on the head. He dropped his Spellshooter and looked up in a daze. Another blow caught him full on the face and he slumped to the floor, motionless.
Charlie stood over them, branch raised, as if another blow might be needed.
“He’s out,” Ben said, picking himself up.
They turned to the other battle scene and gasped.
The griffins, the pegasus and their riders lay on the ground, unconscious. Alex sat sideways on the wyvern, legs crossed as if he were enjoying the midday air.
“Are we ready?” Alex asked. He saw Ben and Charlie staring at the fallen Wardens. “They’re fine. Abbey’s breath is quite toxic, but they’ll recover. I don’t envy the headache they’ll have.”
“Abbey?”
“My wyvern,” Alex said, giving her a little pat. She lowered her neck until her long crocodile head touched the ground. “On you get.”
“You want us to get on that thing?”
“Yes, and make it quick. She’s not that thrilled at having to take all three of us.”
“Where are we going?” Ben asked.
“The Floating Prison obviously. The entrance is back in Taecia, so we’ve got a bit of flying to do.”
Ben took a deep breath and approached the beast. His unease grew as he examined the wyvern’s scaly neck. How were they supposed to stay on that? But as he climbed up, the beast’s scales stuck to him like Velcro. With a bit of coaxing, Charlie eventually joined them.
The wyvern lifted its neck and suddenly they were ten feet high. With a great flap of its wings, the wyvern took to the air. It soared up with such acceleration Ben’s neck was nearly thrown out of place. He took in great gulps of air as the forest quickly receded into a blanket of green.
“The Institute has been working day and night to find you since you gave Draven’s Wardens the slip. The dark elves weren’t happy and our treaty with them looks like it’s about to go up in smoke. The Executive Council finally realised kissing up to the dark elves wasn’t working, which is why they’re trying to get you home and as far away from the dark elves as possible.”
“But you’re not?” Ben asked.
“I know your parents. They will attempt a rescue if they think there is the slightest chance you’ve been captured. But not even they can escape the Floating Prison without help.”
“But why take us?”
Alex turned and gave Ben a rare flash of sincerity. “I heard about that spell your parents laid on you and how it seems to repel dark elf magic. We’re going to need that if we have any chance of success.”
So Alex didn’t need them at all, just Ben’s spell. He wasn’t surprised, but he still felt a little disappointed.
“Do you know about Natalie?”
“Yes. My guess is the dark elves will disguise her as you. They will execute her at the island’s highest point to get the best chance of spotting Greg and Jane. There is a huge rock formation on top of the tallest hill that gives a panoramic view of the whole island. By the time Greg and Jane get close enough to recognise the disguise, they will be trapped.”
“So, just to be clear,” Charlie said, “we have to rescue Natalie and potentially Ben’s parents by approaching the most exposed place on the island?”
“You got it.”
“How well guarded will the Floating Prison be?”
“Very. Even the gateway entrance will be watched, hence the wyvern.”
“That’s not as comforting as it sounds.”
Alex shook his head. “Don’t worry about it; I have a plan.”
“I hate that line,” Charlie muttered under his breath.
Ben hoped Alex’s plans weren’t as ad hoc as his. Charlie did have a point – the rescue mission seemed hopeless, even by his standards; but he trusted Alex for one very good reason.
“Do you know my parents well?” Ben asked.
“Very well,” Alex said, the flippancy in his voice disappearing momentarily. “I count them as my closest friends.”
It was just the answer Ben had been hoping for. His next question made his stomach churn with nerves, but he forced it out; he had to know the answer.
“Do you know what crime my parents were accused of?”
There was a pause. “Yes, I do.” Another, longer pause. “At least, I know part of it. Only your parents
know the whole story, despite my efforts to learn the truth.”
Ben didn’t like the silence that followed, but he knew what Alex was doing. He was trying to figure out the best words to use. The anticipation had Ben squirming on his seat.
“It happened over twenty years ago when they lived in a cottage in Sussex,” Alex said. Ben had seen pictures of the cottage with its acres of open gardens. “An intruder, a dark elf in disguise, entered their house. There was a fracas. The dark elf was killed and your parents were done for murder.”
The word “murder” echoed in his head and made his heart falter. But he resisted the tide of emotions threatening to swamp him.
Charlie asked the question Ben had been about to voice. “So they got done even though someone broke into their house? Surely they acted in self-defence?”
“Not quite,” Alex replied. “Yes, the dark elf broke into their house and yes, they acted in self-defence. But the dark elf had escaped. He had made it halfway down the cottage path before Greg shot him down.”
Ben frowned. “Why would he shoot a fleeing dark elf?”
Alex turned around, his grey eyes filled with intensity. “That, Ben, is a very good question.”
“Had the dark elf stolen something?” Charlie asked.
“No. The dark elf came and left with nothing, hence the mystery.”
Their peaceful flight was a stark contrast to Ben’s spinning mind, disturbed only by the wyvern’s flapping wings and occasional snort. So his parents hadn’t gone to jail for stealing the Armour from the Institute. His dad had been convicted for shooting a fleeing dark elf and his mother was probably an accomplice to the crime.
Alex was clearly confused by the dark elf’s presence at the cottage, but Ben wasn’t. What if the dark elf had been searching for Elizabeth’s Armour? He must have learnt his parents might have it, so he tracked them to their house. He didn’t escape with the Armour, but clearly he learnt something so significant his dad felt he had to stop the elf escaping.
Was Elizabeth’s Armour really that important? Important enough to kill for? Lantis said it was the only thing that could defeat Suktar. Did that justify his dad’s crime?
The questions waged a war in his head. He wanted to talk to Charlie, but it was clear Alex didn’t know about the Armour. There must be a good reason for someone as senior and close to his parents to be kept in ignorance, so Ben kept quiet.