Passages (Alternate Worlds Book 1)

by Taylor Leigh

  ‘Andrew…’ she croaked unsteadily.

  Andrew raised his pistol and pointed it directly at the Blaiden man’s forehead. He knew the man wouldn’t know what the firearm was, but a show of some aggression was better than none. ‘This is a weapon,’ he said calmly. ‘And I promise you I can kill you before you even take one step. Now, I suggest you think over your next move very carefully.’

  The Wolf bared his teeth. ‘You obviously care for one of these items, but which is it? I’ve heard of your coldness, boy. To you, life is nothing. So, which do you want to lose? The girl…or your work? Drop your weapon or lose your prize.’

  Andrew’s eyes flickered to the book, then to Victoria. The look in her eyes sent a surprising wave of guilt through him. Through the tears he saw something else. Acceptance. Somehow she knew—or thought she knew—that he wanted the book. Was that really how he came across to her after all of this time? He knew it was. How could she think anything else? Perhaps it was true, but if these were her dying moments, she deserved some comfort, didn’t she? He looked at her hard, hoping she could see what he was feeling. Apologetic, embarrassed, determined.

  ‘I’m not playing your games,’ he said flatly.

  The man spat on the floor, then dropped the book. The parchment fell straight into the welcoming flames. Victoria let out a strangled crackling gasp that ended in a killed-off sob as her throat was squeezed.

  Andrew fired. The bullet hit the man in the forehead and exploded out the back of his skull with satisfying results. His eyes rolled back in his forehead as a small trickle of blood snaked down his nose. He released Victoria and fell backwards to the floor with a loud crash!

  Andrew dropped his arm holding the gun and took a deep breath. No doubt every Blaiden in the keep heard that noise. He remotely took note of the fact that his firearm worked. He supposed he should be pleased. His eyes darted to the fireplace where the book was nothing more than a charcoal by now. He grunted.

  Victoria was lying on the floor, unmoving, staring at the wall. She started choking, gasping. Andrew cursed quietly and walked over to her, pocketing his weapon. He dropped down on his knees next to her and turned her over so he could see her face.

  ‘Victoria? Victoria, are you all right? Answer me. Are you hurt?’

  Victoria’s eyes wouldn’t meet his; they slipped back to the far wall. ‘It’s gone. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t save the book. It was your life and it’s all gone now.’

  ‘Are you hurt?’ he asked a little impatiently. He couldn’t see anything wrong externally, but that didn’t mean anything. She’d have some impressive bruising around her throat, but she could definitely talk.

  Victoria slowly sat up. ‘No, I’m fine. I’m sorry, Andrew.’

  He pulled her close for a moment, pressing her head to his chest as he tried to compose himself. She choked and wheezed but she seemed all right. The book was a pity, but in the long run he hadn’t much hope for it anyway. Academia had rejected him so many times in the past, why would one new discovery make any difference? And besides, he could always write another. Victoria was a much more valuable save in the long run. Victoria still had it all in her head and luckily she still had that. But she wouldn’t, not for much longer if he didn’t get her out of here.

  He pulled her away slowly. She was staring at him as if seeing him for the first time. Like when she’d been pulled up out of the ferns. He smiled gently. ‘Now that you can breathe again, come on. We have to get out of here.’

  * * * * *

  They bumped into Thedric and Tollin just as they raced from the library. Thedric almost took off Andrew’s head with a powerful blow in surprise and Tollin gave a happy cheer when he saw Victoria. He wrapped his arms around her in a strong hug.

  A horrible human roar came from inside the library and they all turned to see three Blaiden struggle through the narrow doorway. The Blaiden looked up and spotted them. Their black lips rippled up over their teeth in identical snarls.

  ‘Time to go,’ Tollin ushered them down the hall.

  They ran, hearing the pack hard at their heels. Victoria gripped Andrew’s hand tighter, partway out of fear, partly because she was afraid he was on the verge of collapse. He led them into a dark room and slammed the door shut, locking it.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Thedric demanded, voice tight with fright.

  Andrew shook his head, wheezing. ‘We’re not all going to make it. There’s not a chance now that they know we’re here. We have to split up,’ he swallowed. ‘Those remaining can cause a distraction.’

  Tollin nodded, face grim.

  ‘And who exactly would you chose to go?’ Thedric demanded. ‘Anyone who stays behind is basically being sentenced to their death!’

  ‘Can’t we just all go?’ Victoria cried.

  Andrew’s head went back and forth again. ‘No. If we all leave they’ll definitely follow. The promise of fresh blood will be too strong for them—not to mention three of us have death warrants on our heads. Thanks for telling us about that, Tollin. They’re here for us and they intend to have us. Besides, we only have two horses.’

  ‘We can all fit on two horses!’ Victoria said.

  Andrew’s head shook again. ‘No. Slow us down too much. I’ve already stated the reasons. Now shut up. Don’t keep arguing; it’s wasting time.’

  ‘I say again, who would you chose?’ Thedric growled.

  Andrew looked up, cold eyes shining with a clinical hardness that was nothing more than weighing options. ‘Victoria will go,’ he said grimly after a moment.

  Victoria shook her head wildly. ‘I am not leaving!’ she snapped.

  Thedric gaped, incredulous. ‘Of course you’d pick her.’

  Andrew gave her a hard look. ‘There’s no point staying out of loyalty. Your feelings for me are only going to get you killed. You’re the smallest and by far the best rider; you’ll be the fastest if you go.’

  Victoria’s vision was blurred by furious tears. ‘I—I can’t.’

  Andrew swept forward and grabbed her firmly, almost painfully, by the shoulders. His eyes held no kindness at all. ‘Victoria you have to go. That’s the end of the discussion. Tollin is going with you. This is the best thing you can do for me.’

  ‘What?’ Tollin asked, distracted. ‘Why am I going?’

  Andrew regarded him, still holding on to Victoria. ‘Because she won’t be able to find her way. You can lead her. Thed and I know this keep better than anyone. We can hide out here long enough to cause a distraction and then sneak back down and ride off as well. You two take one horse, leave the other for us. We’ll meet at the river. It’s the half-way point between here and Miol Mor.’

  Victoria hardened her jaw. ‘If this is just some game for you, Andrew, some way for you to escape your boredom. Some way to prove yourself…I’ll never forgive you.’

  Andrew didn’t answer. He locked eyes with his brother, who looked ready to kill him. Victoria’s words seemed to hit Thedric smack in the forehead. He narrowed his eyes and stiffened, ready to jump Andrew when a horrible rattling hit the doors, sounding ready to break them off their hinges.

  Thedric dashed towards them instead as the banging grew louder. ‘This is mental!’ he shouted, throwing his weight against them. Tollin darted forward to help, though he looked more the type to blow over in a strong wind than one to be an effective door-blocker.

  Victoria crossed her arms tightly. ‘We should all just go. Staying makes no sense.’

  Andrew tilted her head up so she could see his face. His eyes had softened, just a bit. She wondered if he’d done it intentionally, to make her feel better. His tone was softer as well. ‘Victoria, we can’t. Thedric and I need to distract the Blaiden to make sure you and Tollin can get away. We’re the two best fighters in the group. We stand the best chance.’

  ‘You don’t have to try to be a hero,’ she breathed.

  Andrew smiled thinly. ‘I know. I’ll never be one.’ He leant forward and kissed her gently on
the cheek. ‘You’ll have to be quick.’

  Tollin studied him. ‘How long should we give you?’ His body jumped as the Blaiden hit the door again.

  Andrew frowned. ‘An hour. After that, head towards Flotsen and warn them. If the Blaiden are here, they will most likely head to our village as well. If they’re not there already. Flotsen will have the manpower to stop them.’

  He motioned for them to follow and led them down a tight passageway that ran out of the small room they were in and down a narrow hall. He stopped at a wooden door and nodded for Thedric to stand guard. The door swung open to reveal a tight tunnel, dusty and full of cobwebs. Andrew guided Victoria towards the darkened passage. She couldn’t help but cling to him. Tollin followed.

  ‘You certainly know this place well,’ Tollin admired, voice echoing in the small space.

  ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘It works to our advantage. I explored here as a boy for most of my childhood. There’s several secret passageways I know about. Used them to torment the servants. This leads to the stables. Go now. Thedric and I will be at the front and draw the Blaiden away from you two. You should make a clean getaway. We’ll be right behind you.’

  Tollin took Victoria by the arm and gently pushed her into the tunnel. When he turned back to Andrew, his eyes were dark. ‘I’ll take good care of her.’

  Andrew nodded and grabbed the door. ‘Get out of here. Quickly!’ He locked eyes with Victoria for a brief second. They were wide and filled with an unfamiliar emotion. Regret, perhaps? Guilt? His lips pulled down into a hard line. Whatever it was, it didn’t last long. He tore his gaze from hers and pushed the door shut with a loud scrape. The tunnel went pitch dark.

  ‘I’ll take the lead,’ Tollin said grimly, sliding past her. ‘We’d better hurry.’

  Victoria stumbled through the darkened passageway, fighting back blinding tears. Tollin’s warm hand was strong and comforting in hers. If not for him, Victoria knew she wouldn’t be able to make it. Being torn from Andrew this way was not how she wanted to say goodbye.

  A knot was forcing its way up into her chest. She didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that it was most likely the last time she would ever see him. The look he had given her right before he’d closed the door had told her that much. He didn’t believe he was going to survive.

  Up ahead, Victoria saw a thin square of dim light, a doorway in the tunnel. Tollin shoved the wooden door open with a grunt and stuck his head out into the cold night air. He sniffed. The ground was covered in a blanket of white, illuminated with a bloody sheen from Scrabia above them, masked by clouds. Tollin crept out slowly and motioned for her to follow once he’d taken a cautious look.

  ‘Come on.’ Tollin tugged Victoria out and they dashed across the open ground. They crunched through the thin layer of snow, pelted by freezing rain, and made their way towards the stables. There were horrible noises coming from the far side of the castle. Roars and snarls and curses that barely sounded human.

  Tollin threw the door open and they both ducked inside. Her eyes took a moment adjusting to the darkness. Elberon, Andrew’s black horse, threw his head up to look at them. Thedric’s larger charger stamped her feet. ‘Don’t have time to get her saddled,’ Tollin said, walking towards the charger’s stall. ‘Can you ride bare back?’

  Victoria nodded.

  ‘We’ll take Thedric’s horse,’ Tollin instructed. ‘She’s heavier and won’t be able to run as fast but we’ll leave Andrew’s faster one for their getaway.’

  Victoria nodded and swung herself up behind him, wrapping her arms round his thin frame. Tollin kicked the animal to a start and the great mare thundered to the door. As the horse swung away from the keep and down the slight incline into the forest, Victoria twisted round to look back. Up above the doors, a window was thrown open and Victoria saw a distinctive blond-haired head pop out.

  ‘You there!’ Andrew’s deep voice cried down to them. ‘Fancy a game of wits? I wager my brain against all of your combined! I’ve already killed several of you. Why don’t you come inside and give me something more challenging! I’m getting bored!’ The Wolves roared in rage and hurled things up towards the window, but Andrew was already gone.

  There was a snarl off to her left and the mare danced to the right in a start as a Wolf giant dove out of the darkness towards them, swinging an axe. The horse whinnied loudly and several Blaiden at the gate stopped to look.

  ‘They’re escaping!’ one shouted in a hoarse, angry voice.

  ‘Come on, let’s go!’ Tollin snapped, wheeling the horse round to charge past the Blaiden man, throwing him aside. Victoria gripped his waist in fright as they dashed towards the trees.

  ‘Forget the horses!’ Another Wolf shouted. ‘They have no place to go! They’re heading to the village!’

  It was then that the castle disappeared from sight.

  Victoria and Tollin rode in silence, pushing their horse as hard as Tollin dared. Around them, the woods were dark and menacing in the stormy weather. Twisted branches seemed to reach out to her across the trail as they were tossed in the freezing wind. As the landscape blew past her, the frightening vision of yellow eyes flickered in her mind from everywhere.

  All of a sudden, Tollin pulled the horse up short.

  ‘Look,’ he said darkly, pointing down into the road. Victoria could hardly see in the darkness, but she could make out two lumpy shapes half buried in the snow. Bright red splotted the otherwise perfect white. ‘Those were the guards at the keep. We sent them to warn the village of an attack.’

  Their throats were torn out.

  She swallowed, realisation of what it meant for the village filling her. Tollin kicked the horse into a run again without another word. He fell lost in his own brooding thoughts and didn’t seem keen on sharing them. Victoria was lost in her own mind as well. Her only thoughts were of Andrew. She knew it was selfish. Poor Thedric was there as well, and unlike his brother, he had a healthy sense of fear. But Andrew…

  Just when she seemed to possibly be making a breakthrough with him, just when he seemed to finally be opening up to her, if only a tiny bit, he had to do something like this. She was beginning to unravel the mystery of him. He had actually confessed what his true feelings—or lack of—were. Victoria had an inkling he didn’t speak of that to many… and now that he was opening up he was being torn away from her. Or the other way round. She was being ripped from his side. What was he doing right now? Would he even be able to handle the stress? Or would he completely break down?

  She clung tighter to Tollin’s chest. The wind pulled the tears away from her eyes and snow peppered her cheeks. With each step away from the keep, Victoria began to calm herself. She had seen Andrew do many wonderful things over the months; he always impressed her with his brilliance. If anyone could survive an hour outwitting drugged up savages, it would be Andrew. To him, Victoria told herself, it was child’s play.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Andrew and Thedric both peered out of the window down at the hoard of Blaiden men tearing away at the outside of the keep. There was a burst of flame and they both watched mutely as the stable caught fire. Andrew’s horse, in wild panic, raced from the building and into the trees. Thedric shouted in rage as he watched their only escape galloping away from them.

  Andrew pulled his head back inside after a moment of assessment. ‘So, they’re away then. Good.’

  Thedric cocked his head to one side. ‘I don’t believe it!’ He let out a mirthless laugh. ‘You, my heartless brother, worried over the safety of a girl! You just sacrificed our lives for her, didn’t you?’

  Andrew studied him coolly, ignoring the sounds of the Blaiden growing closer. ‘We couldn’t all escape from here. They needed a chance to get away and that’s what I gave them.’

  Thedric shook his head. ‘We’re not riding away from here, are we? We can’t! We’re just bait so your little girlfriend doesn’t get killed, too!’

  ‘Well, what was I supposed to do?’ Andrew yelled. It
clearly took Thedric aback for a moment. He rarely saw Andrew react in desperation. ‘Was I just supposed to let her die here? If she had a chance to get away with Tollin then of course I took it! Tollin and she are more important than we are. I don’t know why, but they are.’

  Thedric laughed again. ‘You just can’t admit that you care for her, can you? Even if we’re about to die, even if you just sacrificed your life for her and we’re about to be murdered, you can’t admit that you care about her!’

  ‘Look, we don’t have time to discuss this now! We’ve got about five minutes, at the most. Realistically, probably three.’

  Thedric glowered hatefully at his brother. ‘Was she right about you? About this?’

  Andrew eyed him. ‘I’m afraid I don’t—’

  ‘About you wanting to stay here simply for the excitement! To push yourself somehow?’

  Andrew turned away. ‘Don’t be ridiculous! I stayed behind for completely logical reasons. You wanted to be a soldier, didn’t you? All of your training as captain of the guard has been for nothing up till now. Well, now here’s your chance! Facing battle and death head on, that’s exactly what you want, isn’t it?’ He tilted his head, watching Thedric’s expression tighten with sharp eyes. ‘Or are you really a coward deep down? Afraid to prove yourself because you know you’ll fail. That’s what all of the tough talk is about, isn’t it? You know you’ll never be able to be what our father wants you to be. But you’ve always been okay with that because as long as you talk tough and complain about the fact you haven’t been accepted to be a soldier, perhaps he’ll somehow forgive you, and perhaps somehow you’ll forgive yourself for being such a coward.’

  Thedric fumed. ‘Shut up! We’re about to die, and what? You’re analysing me? I’m sick of it!’ Thedric lashed out, striking Andrew sharply across the face. Andrew fell backwards, a rush of adrenalin hitting him. He put his hand to his nose and it came away bright red with blood, contrast against his pale skin.