“These damn rats are everywhere down here,” the soldier exclaimed. He tried to step on one as it ran into the cell. The soldier bent slightly, and Jesset saw who stood behind the soldier.
Kirt raised a large rock and brought it down upon the guard’s head.
Maybe the escape plan was in the works after all.
Chapter Eighteen
“Snow!” Hambone cried out as he hiked through the forest. The rabbit was quick and he only knew her general direction from the house. Grace floated next to him, and the wizard stumbled a few steps behind.
The hiking in the forest took its toll on Ynob more than anyone else. “Can…we…rest a…moment?” The wizard panted as he finally caught up to the dwarc. This was the most physical exercise he had had in a long while.
“She could be up ahead.” Hambone said, looking further ahead and seeing nothing.
“Then why…would she…not have…answered us?”
Hambone turned around and faced the pathetic man. “Maybe because you are with us.” He turned back around and continued in the same direction.
“Oh.”
They had been on Snow’s tail for two hours now, with never a word from Dante or Snow. Both were clan were quick animals, but both had some sense to them as well.
Grace chimed a simple twitter as they progressed, before she sped off ahead. Hambone looked up from his feet and saw too. In front of them a huge, old wall materialized.
But this is not what excited the party. A rabbit ran back and forth along the wall.
Grace reached Snow first and flew down right by her face. It took Snow a minute to realize who it was.
“I didn’t think you would follow.” Snow looked back and saw the rest of the party. “Hambone! And oh….”
Hambone approached, but the wizard kept his distance mainly due to fatigue. “Where’s Dante?”
“That’s what I was going to ask you! He’s not with you?” Snow asked, starting to look concerned. Grace piped up to answer her. “He was first? I didn’t expect him to be the first one to follow me.” Her voice trailed off and she scanned the forest.
“I’m sure he will be right along,” Ynob said. “He probably got turned around and will make it here eventually.”
Everyone turned and stared at the wizard after he said this. Snow hopped up to him and said. “That is the first nice thing I have ever heard you say.”
The wizard merely brushed it off.
Hambone cut in. “So Snow, what is your plan? Are you attempting to jump the wall?” He looked up remembering rumors that soldiers used to patrol the walls. No one was up there.
“You’ve been hanging around the wizard too much.” Snow moved away from Ynob and stared at the wall. “There has to be some way around it. Katrena took Kara somehow to the other side.”
“There is.” The wizard stood straighter than he had before, now rested a bit from his long hike.
Everyone looked at him, awaiting more to his comment. When it didn’t come, Snow spoke up first. “Well? You can’t say that there is a way around and not go on.”
“I can actually.”
“Wow, just when I was starting to like you, the old rude wizard pops his pointed hat back on,” Snow said with disgust.
“If you give me a moment, I’ll….”
“What? Be rude again? Waste our time?”
“Snow! Settle down. Let him speak. He did hike all this way with us,” Hambone scolded.
She gave him a dirty look.
“Thank you.” Ynob addressed Hambone. “As I was saying before I was…interrupted. It has been a long time since I used the door, so finding it may be tricky.”
“A door?” Hambone asked.
“Yes, the story goes, if one believes it, that the architect for these walls fell in love with a dryad or nymph of some sort. So he designed a secret door that once the walls were in place, he could secretly use to visit his love. He died one night after visiting her and the key to the door was lost.”
Grace twittered. And then Hambone added in. “I remember that too. At the market place, a troll or somebody was trying to sell a special key.”
“Well, that’s the thing. I have seen many people selling many keys. It is a story that comes and goes in the market place. Maybe there are real keys to the door.”
“That’s all fun and games, but how do we get on the other side of this wall? Kara is still in trouble. Remember Katrena? The one who kidnapped Kara and almost killed Grace? So unless we find this…” The rabbit trailed off as a glowing outline of a door formed farther down the wall. She quickly glanced back at the wizard who finished a spell.
“I thought you said it would be ‘tricky’?”
The wizard looked back at her, adjusting his robe and standing a little taller. “I will take that as a thank you.”
Hambone approached the door with Grace trailing behind. He pushed on the door, but it didn’t open. He hit it harder to see if a little force would do the trick, but all he succeeded in doing was bruising his shoulder.
Snow watched and then turned to Ynob. “Okay, blow up the door.”
Ynob looked at her quizzically. “Blow up the door?”
“Let loose with a fireball or whatever and destroy it.”
The wizard started to speak, and then held it for a minute thinking over his response. “These days I tend to use non-violent, defensive magic.”
“Pretend the door is attacking you and blow it up.”
“Really, rabbit….”
“Don’t you call me…” Schunk.
“Guys!”
Snow was almost in Ynob’s face before they both turned to look at Hambone. He stood by the now-open door. “Grace picked the lock.”
Grace twittered happily and flew through the door. Hambone followed.
Snow looked back at Ynob. “You were shown up by a sprite.” She smiled and ran to the door.
***
The Witch Guard dragged Katrena to a small room where they shackled her to a wooden X, the best shape to keep arms and limbs away from each other. Once inside the room, they stripped Katrena of her disguise and small arsenal of weapons. Her screams echoed in the tiny room, echoing back inside her soul as the demon from the box tormented her. Katrena thrashed about uncontrollably.
Kreitan smiled at her anguish. Katrena could see the wonderment in his eyes. He never knew he was dealing with an elf. But like a good captain, he hid her true elf self from the rest of his men. Katrena could only imagine how other humans would react to her presence here. Most men feared, hated the other races in the Territories. That fear kept them away from the walls and from crossing the rivers.
The lid of the mahogany box slid closed and released the struggling Katrena from the demon’s magic. She was in agony.
“So I ask you again, where is the necklace?”
Katrena ached mentally. Her mind felt as if she had been spinning in circles. Trying to form a clear thought was nearly impossible. It was the fourth time now that Kreitan had used the box to coax the answer out of her. Such a stupid mistake with the sleep bomb. She needed her head clear to plan an escape, yet that was proving to be harder with each attack.
“Come now. It must be getting extremely hard for you. Tell me what I want to know.” Kreitan moved very close now, his warm words cascading down her cheek, his breath holding the smell of onions and fish.
“The…girl…” Her words came out in slurred chunks.
“No, no…We have covered this. She is no longer important. I obtained what I needed from her uncle. Now, you have what I need. Tell me where the….”
Kreitan.
She heard a faint whisper of his name. Katrena looked toward the captain, surprised. She left her head hanging as not to remind Kreitan that she still possessed some of her physical strength.
Kreitan continued on dismissing the voice. “Where is….”
Kreitan!
This time the voice vibrated Katrena. It was not the sweet whisper like before, but a harsh cry f
rom a scalded child—sharp, high, and biting.
Come to me. Now! It was insistent. Katrena looked about, wondering who and where the voice originated. Krietan seemed to know.
“I will return to finish this.”
Kreitan slammed the box down on a nearby table.
Now!
Kreitan shuddered visibly at the sound. He slammed and bolted the door as he left.
Katrena lifted her head. Her mind felt as if it was made up of loose pebbles tumbling back and forth. She took a deep breath and focused herself both mentally and physically. Once her mental capabilities were back up to speed, she was confident she could escape. But race-hating humans were everywhere and there was not a disguise in sight. Plus, she was still confined.
And how long would Kreitan be gone? Would escape even be possible?
Chapter Nineteen
Ynob led the pack among the trees. He told them they needed a change of clothes and maybe some transportation if they were going to the castle. He told Snow to stay in her rabbit form and try not to speak when other humans were around.
“Where the heck are we going?” Hambone complained. He was not happy being on the human side of the wall. The wizard had done his best to disguise Hambone, but the dwarc felt all wrong.
“Ask the wizard?” Snow yelled back.
“Just a little farther.” Ynob exclaimed, pointing ahead.
Grace was the one who was at the greatest disadvantage. The only disguise she could have pulled off would be a light. They didn’t have a lamp, so she hid in one of Hambone’s pockets. She grumbled softly to herself.
It seemed like they had left the wall quite some time ago, but all trudged on for Kara’s sake. The land on this side of the river looked no different than in the Territories. Hambone hadn’t seen any other humans yet, but they had passed an animal he had never seen before. Ynob called it a cow and said that humans would get milk and beef from the animal.
“What’s milk?” Hambone had many questions.
“It’s a white liquid that comes from the cow’s udder.” The wizard pointed to a sack that hung below the cow.
“What’s beef?”
“Beef is meat.”
“And where on the cow does that come from?” Hambone was very curious. Maybe he would get some meat from the cow and milk to go with it.
The wizard quickly hurried them on without answering his question. Now that they were farther on, Hambone dreamed of eating meat and drinking milk. Or at least eating something.
“There’s a house nearby. Stay here while I check it out.” They gathered around a small pine tree, as the wizard approached the house. He disappeared from sight.
“I hope there’s food here,” Hambone said as his stomach growled.
Snow nodded. She was busy looking around when all of a sudden she froze, looked in another direction, and bolted from under the tree. They heard barking, and soon a small dog started to chase after Snow. It gained ground on her, as she tried to double back.
“Go…away…” Schunk. She transformed mid-stride and skidded across the grass on her face. The dog stopped in its tracks, startled by the new development. Grace came out of Hambone’s pocket to have a look.
The dog barked at Grace, who twittered back at the dog. This dialogue went on back and forth a few times.
“Grace, do you understand that dog?” Hambone asked. Snow picked herself off the grass, massaging her stained face.
“That dog will understand me in a minute.” Snow walked determinedly at the dog, until Grace intercepted her. Grace sprite-spoke.
“I don’t care if he was only playing.” Snow complained.
More twittering from Grace.
“His master was taken from him? Oh, boo hoo.” Snow turned away from the dog to address Hambone. “Is the wizard back?”
Ynob parted the shrubs. “Yes I am, and I thought I told you to stay in your were form?”
“I did it to escape this little terror.” Snow pointed behind her at the dog.
The wizard gave her a patronizing look.
“Well, you try being a rabbit and being chased by a mutt.”
“Come on. No one’s home. We can stay for a bit. And yes Hambone, there is food.”
Hambone quickly followed the wizard and Grace flew after him. The dog at first started to follow the sprite and then sat next to Snow.
“Don’t try to make friends with me now, buddy.” She made a move toward the dog and it backed away. She then followed the others with the pup trailing her.
It was a blacksmith’s home, or at least that’s what it looked like. A huge forge sat toward the opening. A sword rested next to it. The inside of the house was in shambles as if someone had ransacked it.
Hambone quickly sought out food, while Ynob inspected everything. Grace flew down by the dog, and Snow sneered. Grace twittered with the dog.
“I’m going out back to search around. Stay here.” Ynob said.
“Yes, master.” Snow mocked him, but the wizard was already gone.
Hambone busied himself by gobbling down food found in the pantry. He wasn’t stopping to take a breath in between bites. Snow watched him disgusted. “You want some?” The dwarc held out an ear of corn. Snow turned away.
The lonely sword drew her attention. It looked like fine craftsmanship as far as she could tell. Maybe it was a sword for royalty or a noble. She knew there were classes of humans in this land. The Territories had little of the class ranking and more of a race ranking.
Grace flew up to Snow and twittered loudly. “What? The dog knows something?” The sprite became excited again and chirped on. Hambone listened in as the sprite-speak became louder.
“Kara’s dog?” Hambone interrupted, bits of corn falling from his mouth. Grace continued her story. Snow listened intently. After the sprite finished, she looked at both of them. There was still an excited jitter in her flying.
“We should tell Ynob about this right away.” Snow said and turned toward the door, but suddenly the wizard appeared right there. His face looked white and scared. “What’s the matter?”
“There is something terrible in this land…and it knows I’m here.”
***
Four hours after Katrena secured her in a church pew, Kara was able to break the binding spell. With some coaxing from Rose, she began with flexing just her fingers and toes and then slowly moving her legs. Rose suggested using the muscles could thwart the effects of the spell. Kara tested her movements during the last hour so she wouldn’t overexert and call attention to herself by falling flat on her face. Finally, Kara felt able to leave her pew, even leave the church. She assumed her illusion charm dissolved as well, but so far none of the pilgrims or religious folk acted any differently toward her. Slowly and calmly, she exited her pew and then made her way out of the church.
A few of the soldiers remained at their posts, but they were regular lookouts and not members of the Witch Guard. One sentry stood near the back door. Kara wished she could go around him, but that was the way Katrena had brought her in.
Go slow. Act normal. Act like you belong.
Rose’s coaching helped greatly. It made Kara calm. She approached the guard, and his eyes turned to her. But then, they quickly looked elsewhere. Kara took that moment and exited, her heart beating rapidly. Maybe her disguise still worked.
Outside the church, there was minor hustle and bustle with carts going along the castle road and people traveling every which way. The chaos before her was overwhelming, but Rose again reminded her to act normal. Kara blended right in.
Parked on the side of the church was Katrena’s cart. Kara had remembered that part. Peasants couldn’t leave their transportation out in plain sight without someone stealing it.
Turning the corner, she stuttered to a halt, slightly gasping. A silver and violet Witch Guard soldier stood looking over at Katrena’s cart. He saw Kara before she could scramble away.
“Old woman, this cart, is it yours?” His eyes were penetrating, as if they
could see right through her.
“Uh, uh…” Kara couldn’t get her mouth to work.
“You should not leave it unattended. We live in dangerous times. Let me help you up.” The guard extended his hand. Cautiously, she extended her own, not sure if this was a trap.
The guard was gentle, helping her up into the driver’s seat. She smiled a weakly and then nodded. But now a different panic set in. She had never driven a cart before. Of course, she had been with her father as he controlled their horses, but she never did pay much attention.
She shook the reins weakly against the horses’ flanks. Nothing happened. She tried once more with the same effect.
“Let me. Ya!” The Witch Guard slapped the rear of the nearest horse and yelled. It suddenly let out a whinny and jolted forward. Its partner followed suit. As the cart moved away, Kara turned to look at the guard to wave a thank you. When she caught his gaze, he held a confused look. Quickly, she ducked back out of sight. Had her disguise worn off?
***
Black smoke clogged the air of the dungeon, making it impossible to see. Kirt and Jesset crept through the maze hunched over, not wanting to crawl if they had to make a run for it.
“I think…cough…the exit is…cough…” But Jesset couldn’t finish. His lungs expelled puffs of soot.
The rat named Vern was Jesset’s guide.
Yeah, I can smell the market. Just tough it out a little bit longer. Vern waddled ahead.
Jesset grabbed his brother’s hand and squeezed. Soon they would be out of here.
“Halt!”
Behind them came a coughing command. Both prisoners quickened their steps. Light penetrated the smoke farther down the corridor. Hope filled Jesset.
“Prisoners escap—” The rest of the cry was muffled by a cough.
The day sky blinded them both as they erupted out of the smoke-spewing doorway. Kirt fell to his knees, knocking Jesset to the ground. Coughs wracked each of them, but it was good to breathe fresh air.
Kara Page 17