It was covered in scabrous rust and had only a thin slit cut into it for the guards to peer into. Once the servants had reached it, Haggs shuffled forward and squinted through the opening.
“Well?” Durg growled. “Is he still alive?”
“How should I know?” Haggs snapped back. “He's still shackled and silenced, but he ain't movin'. Could be he's dead. Why's Gant keep it so cold in there anyway, I'd like to know.”
“Shut it. And he'd better not be dead, or we'll catch it, even if it ain't our fault.”
Durg pushed his partner aside and grabbed the thick bolt with both hands. He yanked at it but the lock barely moved.
“Give me a hand, you lazy arse,” he told Haggs.
The other goblin cursed but found a hold on the bolt and waited.
“On three. One, two, three.”
Together, the pair managed to force the stiff bolt over and unlocked the door.
“Whew. We need to put some kitchen grease on that thing,” Durg said as he shook his gnarled hands painfully.
Aeris noticed that his knuckles were thick with arthritis and realized that the goblin must be very old indeed.
“Bah, why bother? Good slop or not, that stinking human will be dead soon anyway,” Haggs said, nodding sagely as he spoke.
“Says who?”
“Have you looked at him? Sick, wastin' to nothing 'cause he won't eat. And I guess some of our cuts might have gotten dirt in 'em. Look infected, they do.”
Aeris began to shake with rage. Whether the prisoner was Simon or not, these animals had a lot to answer for. He only wished that he could make them pay personally. But it was more important to try to save whoever was in there than to kill these two creatures, as much as he wanted to.
“Open the blasted door and I'll push the slop in,” Durg told Haggs as he moved back behind the cart. “Let's get this done. I'm hungry.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Haggs shoved the door and it reluctantly opened inward with an ear-splitting squeal, revealing a dimly lit room beyond. Faint torchlight reflected off of walls dripping with moisture and Aeris saw steam rising from the mouths of the goblins. The room was even colder than the hallway.
Durg shoved the cart forward on its uneven wheels and it slid into the room. He followed it with Haggs on his heels.
“Got yer grub here, human,” the goblin exclaimed loudly, as if his prisoner was deaf. “Fat lotta good it'll do ya, though,” he added. “I think yer right, Haggs. He's wasting away, he is.”
“Told ya. Let him down from the wall but keep his hands shackled behind him. He can push his face into the bowl if he really wants to eat.”
“He can't. Look at him. He can barely move. We'll have to feed him ourselves, curse it. Look, leave the gag on him and we'll do the job when we get back. He won't waste away any more than he has in an hour, right?”
Aeris heard the rattle of chains but stayed out in the hallway. From what he could see, the cell wasn't very large and he couldn't take the chance that he might brush up against one of the goblins. Such contact would penetrate his cloak of invisibility for a few seconds. He couldn't risk it.
The sound of a body hitting the ground was followed by a faint moan.
“Well, he's still alive, at least.”
“Yeah, Gant can't blame us if he dies. We brought the food just like he said to. Let's go. We'll come back after we have our slop, feed 'im and get the cart.”
The pair exited the cell and Aeris ascended and hugged the ceiling as they passed. Apparently they weren't worried that their chained, half-dead prisoner would make a break for it and try to get by two armed guards.
The elemental waited until the servants had disappeared before he entered the cell. He was reluctant to see the condition of whomever was in there, and even more so if it was Simon. But he steeled himself to face the worst and flew into the room.
There was a sickly-sweet smell in the air that Aeris recognized immediately. His sense of smell wasn't very acute, but he'd seen more than one battlefield in his long life and he knew the stench of gangrene very well. It was even more nauseating when combined with the smell of the beef stew that the goblins had brought for the prisoner.
The prisoner.
Aeris looked down at the crumpled form on the floor beside the cart. It was a man, naked except for a scrap of filthy cloth hanging from his loins. He was covered in running sores, some so swollen that they looked like boils. Dirty and stinking, the man was as pale as ice and, even unconscious, was shivering on the cold ground.
The light from the single weak torch barely illuminated the room and Aeris descended quickly to examine the prisoner more closely.
His long, matted hair covered his face and the elemental drew close enough to hesitantly pushed it aside.
The man had a hideous metal device strapped across his mouth, with a leather thong holding it tightly in place. Obviously it was meant to stop him from speaking or, in this case, from casting a spell. It was indeed Simon O'Toole.
“Oh, my dear wizard,” Aeris whispered in a shaking voice. “Look what they've done to you.”
Maybe it was the sound of a familiar voice in the middle of the nightmare that had become his life, but Simon's eyelids fluttered and he squinted at the elemental, mere inches away from his face.
His jaw moved but he was unable to make the slightest noise.
“Wait,” Aeris told him. “Wait a moment and I'll get that horrible device off of you.”
Demonstrating the amazing strength of even the smallest of elementals, Aeris moved around to the back of Simon's head, carefully pulled the thick leather strap with both hands and snapped it like it was a piece of thread. And then, for good measure, he moved down to the wizard's wrists and looked at the shackles on them.
Iron? Bah.
Aeris gripped the middle link of the chain that connected the wristbands and concentrated. He smiled grimly as the metal began to glow.
Fire elementals aren't the only ones who can heat things up, he thought.
There was a subdued snap of metal and the chain separated.
He zipped back up to Simon's head and gently removed the metal mouthpiece. There was a sharp blade on the inside of the device that would have sliced up the wearer's tongue if he had tried to say even one word.
“Monstrous,” Aeris hissed and he flung the strap across the room.
Simon's lips were swollen, and so was his tongue.
He's dry as an old bone, Aeris thought and flew up to look at the top of the cart.
Ah, there's a small flask of water. How considerate of those animals.
He grabbed it and flew back down to Simon.
“I have water, my dear wizard, but do try to sit up first. This cold floor will be the death of you.”
Bleary eyed and unfocused, nevertheless the man did his best to push himself up from where he was sprawled. Aeris slipped under his shoulder and shoved firmly and between the two of them, Simon was able to sit up and lean back against the wall.
The elemental took the flask and carried it to the wizard's mouth.
“Drink, slowly,” Aeris told him. “You won't be able to speak until you do.”
Simon did as he was told, watching the elemental through eyes yellow with exhaustion and sickness. When he pulled back, a stream of water splashed down his chin and over his bare chest, leaving a streak of white skin in the filth that caked him.
“Aeris,” the wizard whispered. “Is it really you? Or am I still dreaming? If I am, I hope that I never wake up.”
Air elementals couldn't cry, but Aeris stroked the wizard's cheek, his thin beard rough under the elemental's hand.
“It's really me, my dear wizard. Well, you've gotten yourself into a bit of a mess, haven't you?”
Simon laughed weakly, a laugh that turned into a raspy cough.
Aeris stared at him with concern. The wizard was badly wounded and the wounds had gone bad. He probably also had pneumonia. They had to get out of this place and find
a cleric as soon as possible.
When he could breathe again, Simon closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.
“You could say that,” he finally replied. “All I wanted was to do a little sightseeing. Well, I have definitely seen some sights, I can tell you.”
“Simon,” Aeris interrupted him. “We can discuss your vacation later. Now is not the time and this is not the place. Focus and Gate us out of here.”
“Gate?”
The wizard blinked rapidly, as if trying to remember something.
“Gate. Yes, I should be able to do that, shouldn't I?” he muttered. “But I can't, Aeris. I can't.”
“Can't? What are you saying. The goblins kept you from speaking because they feared you would be able to use your powers. Well, now you can speak, so go ahead; use them.”
Simon frowned. He still looked a little dazed but was becoming more alert by the minute.
“I just said I can't. There's a wizard here, an evil creature named Gant.”
“I've heard the name,” Aeris told him.
“I wish that I never had. He's invoked a spell of some kind. It's constantly draining my magic; I don't even have enough energy to light a candle.”
Aeris' eyes widened in surprise.
“That globe!” he exclaimed. “That purple globe! That's what the wizard was using it for.”
Simon painfully pushed himself upright an inch or two, staring at the elemental in surprise.
“You've seen him?” he gasped.
“For an instant, yes. Luckily he didn't see me. He sensed me though and I barely got away in time. But he was huddled over this glowing globe and I'll bet that is what is draining away your power.”
Simon settled back against the wall with an exhausted sigh.
“Well, good to know, I suppose, but it doesn't help us now. How the hell am I going to get out of here?”
The wizard and the elemental stared at each other blankly. Both knew that the goblins would be back soon but neither could figure out what to do next.
“If we hear those two returning, you have to get to safety,” Simon told Aeris solemnly.
The elemental snorted.
“Not likely. I've found you and I'm staying with you, no matter what. I know where my duty lies.”
Simon began to object and Aeris raised a hand to cut him off. He grinned at the wizard.
“Besides, I have an idea.”
Chapter 20
“Uh-oh, your ideas don't always work out as planned,” Simon told the elemental nervously.
“Bah, that's not true. Well okay, occasionally things don't quite go the way I'd like, but it's rare.”
Even though his eyes were swollen with illness and distress, the wizard still managed to look dubious.
Aeris rolled his eyes.
“Relax. This is something that you can do to save us, even if your powers have somehow been weakened.”
“Drained, Aeris. They've been drained.”
“A temporary condition, I'm sure,” the elemental said blithely. “Once you get away from that cursed goblin wizard, I have no doubt that your magic will return.”
Simon closed his eyes, too tired and sick to argue.
“You're very reassuring,” he muttered. “So what do you think I should do?”
“Do you remember the visit you had from the great Astrandamus?”
The wizard rubbed his eyes with hands that shook weakly and peered at Aeris.
“How could I forget it? Your ruler is a bit overwhelming,” he said with a smile.
Aeris noticed that one of Simon's bottom teeth was missing and several were chipped and he felt a fresh surge of anger. He pushed it aside and focused on the task at hand. Getting distracted now could prove fatal.
“Well, he mentioned that you could summon aid at need. I'd say that this situation qualifies, wouldn't you?”
The wizard gaped in surprise.
“Aethos! He said that I can call upon Aethos.”
“Exactly. And may I remind you, my dear wizard, that you are an elementalist? With your ability to speak restored, you can call upon any of the elementals that you have summoned in the past by name and they must respond. No powers or spells necessary.”
Simon seemed to collapse into himself with relief. He laughed softly even as he winced with pain.
“I did forget. What the hell is wrong with me?”
“In your defense, this place,” Aeris waved at the dismal cell, “is a trifle distracting. But now you know what you can do. Aethos will aid you and, considering the pair of armed guards that are stationed at the end of that hall out there, you might want to call in some extra firepower.”
“Do you have a suggestion?”
“Incendus,” the elemental said with a wicked grin. “He is very fond of you, I believe.”
“Is he? It's hard to tell through the flames.”
Simon tried to push himself to his feet, hissed in pain and fell back against the wall again.
“That was a bad idea,” he said through clenched teeth. “I think my left leg is broken. Funny how the larger pains can blend together with the smaller ones, isn't it?”
“Funny isn't the word I would use,” Aeris said, trying to sound calm as his anger rose again. “Now do get on with it. We need to get you to one of the clerics at Nottinghill Castle.”
“Ah, that sounds nice. You do realize that if I summon Aethos, his entrance is going to alert every goblin in this hellhole, right?”
Aeris flew back to look out at the hallway.
“I know. That's why I suggest that you call upon Incendus first. He can deal with any threats while Aethos gets you out of here.”
“Okay. Fine.”
Simon used both hands to gingerly straighten out his broken leg. It was swollen to twice its normal size and he flinched as he tried not to look at it.
He glanced over at Aeris, who nodded encouragingly, and turned to stare across the cell.
“Incendus, I need your help,” he said as firmly as he could.
A hissing sound filled the room, as if someone had poured a large quantity of water on an open fire. The air immediately became warmer and Simon sighed with pleasure. A chill had settled into his bones and he wondered if he would ever feel genuinely warm again.
A spark of red appeared in midair and suddenly bloomed into a blaze of wicked fire, vaguely man-shaped. The cell glowed brightly and the air became even hotter.
“Wizard, you have summoned me and I answer as I am bound to do,” Incendus said in a voice that crackled like flame.
A face, with almost human features, appeared on the head of the fire elemental and he seemed able to see Simon clearly for the first time.
“What has happened here?” Incendus exclaimed, his voice rising. “You are injured. You have been attacked? That is intolerable!”
“Easy there, my friend,” Simon told him, trying to keep the volatile elemental calm. “I'm okay. Sort of. Thank you for answering my call. I've been a prisoner of goblins and I am, at the moment, powerless, which is why I've had to disturb you.”
“The only thing that disturbs me is the attack on someone I respect,” Incendus growled. “You need rescuing, I assume, but I am sorry to say that I cannot carry you away from this place. My very touch would prove fatal to you, sir wizard.”
“He knows that,” Aeris spoke up.
The fire elemental turned to look at him and nodded in greeting.
“You are the one who found the wizard?” he asked.
“I am,” Aeris replied. “And I suggested that he summon you to protect him while he calls upon one who can carry him away from this horrible place.”
“Wise. Well done, little one.”
Incendus crossed the cell and moved to block the door.
“Summon away, sir wizard. None shall pass by me, I assure you of that.”
Simon nodded, feeling better for the first time since he'd first awoken in the midst of this nightmare.
“Thank you.”
“Aethos, please come to me,” Simon called out.
“Ah, Aethos,” Incendus murmured. “Good choice.”
The wizard closed his eyes and put his hands over his ears in anticipation. A few seconds later, he looked up, startled, as someone started laughing.
A transparent figure, like a man-sized version of Aeris, was floating a few feet away. He stared down at Simon with a wide grin.
“You were expecting something a bit more...dramatic, I assume?” he asked.
“Well yes, actually. What happened to the whole 'thunder and lightning' thing?”
“Our lord has taken heed of your, shall we say, complaints about our signature style of responding to a summons and has allowed us to tone it down, at least when it comes to answering your call, sir wizard.”
Aethos nodded once at Aeris and then frowned at the back of Incendus, who was staring grimly down the hallway.
When he looked back at Simon, he seemed to notice his condition for the first time and his eyes widened.
“You are hurt. What has happened here?”
“Goblins,” Incendus growled over his shoulder. “Filthy, scuttling, evil goblins is what happened. The wizard has been imprisoned here and, as you can see, has been tormented by them.”
“How dare they,” Aethos fumed. “Oh, they shall pay for this, mark my words. They shall pay in full measure for this outrage.”
“Aethos, please,” Simon said, his voice beginning to quiver with weakness. “Can we just get out of here? I'm in no shape to start a war right now.”
The air elemental's rage turned to concern and he smiled down at the wizard.
“Yes, of course. But my vengeance is only delayed. Now, let us get you to safety.”
He bent down and gently picked Simon up in his arms. To the wizard, it felt like a gentle breeze was wafting over him, allowing him to float suspended in midair. It was a very soothing sensation.
“Rest, sir wizard,” he said quietly. “I've got you.”
He turned toward the door.
“Incendus, clear the way, won't you?”
“It will be my pleasure,” the fire elemental rumbled. “Follow me, but not too closely. I will need room to work.”
The Queen of Dragons (Tales from the New Earth Book 8) Page 25