by Todd, E. L.
Aleco shook his head. “I’m not a Brother and I haven’t been for years—stop associating me with the title.”
“That isn’t what I was referring to.” Aleco stared at him but said nothing. He understood his true meaning and was touched by the words. Nolan turned toward him and looked at him with his signature black gaze, staring directly into Aleco’s eyes within his cloak. “My sword is yours, Aleco—even if it claims my life.”
“It won’t,” Aleco said. “I will be the only one who perishes in this fight.”
The Chief stared at him. “You seem intent on it.”
Aleco didn’t say anything. If he didn’t die today, it would happen when they returned to the forest—it didn’t really matter.
“The battle isn’t over, Aleco. Don’t give up.”
Aleco stared at him, not understanding his words. Zyle rode up beside him and halted his steed. The army under their command stretched for a league behind them. Their armor gleamed in the early morning, making the metal of their breasts appear on fire from the blood red sun cresting the horizon. They held their swords aloft in the air, screaming as they jumped in their positions, waiting to claim their revenge and retribution. The sound of their cries washed over Aleco like an incoming tide, cooling the anxiety of his body. He had been waiting for this day for too long. Now Aleco would claim his revenge on his demonic brother and prove to his deceased family that he wasn’t completely worthless. He would stab that man through the heart for ever touching Accacia, the love of his life. Aleco felt the excitement flush through his body as he led his steed forward, holding his sword into the air as he screamed. “TO FREEDOM!”
Aleco squeezed his boots into the horse’s side and urged his mount to sprint forward. The Chief and Zyle rode on either side of him, letting their horses guide them around the trees and into the open plain before the tower wall built around the city. The horses in the rear pulled the catapults behind them, stopping them at the rear of the army of ten thousand men. Aleco had already told the men what to do.
Zyle saw the large boulders fly through the air and collide against the stone wall surrounding the city. The sound blasted their eardrums as the rock cracked the wall and fell to the ground. The soldiers standing on the wall stumbled as the fortification shook below their feet, and most were knocked to the ground twenty feet below, cracking their skull or breaking their neck as they landed on the earth.
The boulders continued to reign down on the fortifications and Aleco was glad that the walls were shaking under the force. The soldiers panicked at the unexpected attack and scrambled in chaos along the wall. Aleco and the others were almost to the gate before the Letumian guards could even react. The catapults continued to throw the boulders against the gate to the city, breaking the fortified doors with the weight of the stone rocks. Aleco halted his steed away from the gateway and waited for it to open. It was cracked down the middle but the entryway still hadn’t been severed. They needed just one more thrust.
The guards pulled the alarm bells and the ringing could be heard around the walls and on the plain below the city, alerting the citizens as well as the intruders of the attack. The arrows were fired into the army below, piercing the Asquithians and guild members through the weak spots in their armor. Zyle knocked the flying arrows away from his body and his steed, and told the warriors to step back away from the line of shots. Aleco saw the men fall around him, becoming prey to their aim. Aleco had expected the door to be open by now. He looked behind him across the field, waiting for the final boulder to be launched. The catapult had been compromised. The gears in the mechanism had been lodged together, unable to unleash the catapult. Aleco growled and ran to the gateway. The Chief followed him on his own horse and fired his own arrows into the guards along the wall. He killed every man he hit. Aleco turned to him. “Cover me, Nolan.”
The Chief nodded without looking at him. Aleco dismounted his horse and approached the front of the doorway. He extended his palm and called to the wind with his mind, fusing his consciousness with the Nature God until he felt the elemental power of the air in his fingertips. He felt the arrows bounce from his armor as they fell upon them. There were less projectiles than he had expected. Nolan was shooting most of them down.
“Step back,” Aleco shouted to the men he passed. They maneuvered out of the way and did as he asked. They looked at the door and realized the Nature Priest’s intent. Aleco unleashed the forced of the wind and it pounded against the door, making the crack in the stone wall stretch furthers downward to the floor. Finally the door severed in half and crumbled apart, leaving the boulders and the remains of the door at the entrance of the gateway. “Move the rubble,” he instructed.
Zyle heard Aleco’s words and came to the aid of the army, pushing the boulders away from the entryway and clearing the passage into the city. As soon as the road was clear, Zyle mounted his steed and withdrew his sword, understanding that the entrance of the city would be full of Letumian soldiers. “Get within the walls,” he yelled to the men and Asquithians behind. Uruith, one the greatest warriors of Suaden, took down his bow and unsheathed his sword, following behind Zyle into the city.
They charged forward into the throng of soldiers that congregated into the entryway. Zyle stabbed anyone who came too close to him and aimed to kill with every strike. He whirled his blade in a flash, remembering everything Henral had taught him in battle. The image of his friend’s face fueled him forward and he swung his blade with all the strength he had. Zyle was happy that Accacia wasn’t present. It was a relief not to worry about her. Zyle looked up at the sound of Laura’s voice. She and Roxian were pushing their horses through the crowd of people toward the left of the city, the quickest path to the Aleutian Palace. Zyle pushed forward through the throng of the battle and came closer to them. He parried a blow made to his neck and decapitated a man that lunged at his horse with a battle axe. Zyle felt the fear wash over him. There were more soldiers than they had been expecting. He hoped most of the soldiers were at Paso Robles but that seemed to be untrue.
“We have to move forward,” Roxian yelled to Zyle. Zyle heard her words but didn’t look at her. He was too busy blocking the attacks made at him. He was thankful for his legendary armor. It was the only thing keeping him alive. Zyle knew his horse wouldn’t survive the turmoil despite the armor it wore for protection.
“We can’t leave yet,” Zyle shouted. “They are outnumbered. There weren’t supposed to be so many soldiers.”
Laura decapitated a man that lunged at her, swiping his head clean from his soldiers. “We can’t deviate from the plan, Zyle. Uruith will command them to victory.”
Zyle looked around for the warrior and saw him swinging his blade and battle axe through the crowd, killing anyone who came too close. The army under his command continued to move through the gates even though most of them were being killed by the arrows that fell upon them from the wall.
“Come on, Zyle!” Roxian wielded her blade around her body and killed two men on either side of her. She turned to him and stared at him. “We need to keep going.”
Zyle looked at Aleco, who fought alongside the Chief. They stood side by side on their horses, deflecting the blows of the men within the square before the gate. After the soldiers were killed, various commanders of Aleco’s army would dispatch troops throughout the city, causing as much destruction as possible.
Aleco turned to Nolan as he fought the soldiers before him. He didn’t need to look at him while he deflected the blow. “I need to leave,” he said. “Cover my flank.”
“I’m coming with you, Aleco.”
“No,” he said. “You’re to cover me and that’s final. That was the plan.”
“Well, I’m changing it Aleco. Let’s move.”
Aleco was furious with Nolan but there wasn’t time to argue. He turned his steed through the crowd and headed to the left. The dirt street would lead to the main entryway to the keep in the corner of the city. He could see it over the houses and buil
dings within the realm. Aleco moved forward and felt his horse fall to the affliction of its injuries. Aleco jumped from the steed before it fell and maneuvered through the crowd of people without looking back. When Aleco reached the pathway he looked behind him to see Nolan standing nearby. He had abandoned his horse as well.
Aleco ran through the street with Nolan beside him, heading for Aleutian Palace. Fresh soldiers filled the street as they responded to the call of the warning bells at the entryway. It wouldn’t have mattered if the bells hadn’t been set off. The catapults had caused the earth to shake under the force of the collision of the wall, alerting every one of the attack. Aleco withdrew his sword and killed the oncoming soldiers with lightning speed. The Chief assassinated the men just as quickly. When Aleco cleared the pathway up the road, he saw the gold color of Roxian’s hair turn the corner and Aleco was glad to see they were headed for the same destination.
Nolan sprinted up the street and sheathed his sword in his scabbard, choosing to use his deadly bow instead. The Chief took down most of the men down the roadway before Aleco even caught up to them, speeding their progression through the city. Timing was the most important element at their disposal. The province was still processing the shock of the attack to begin with. He hoped to reach Drake before the king had time to prepare for the battle, leaving his Soul Binders in a place they couldn’t access.
The two men finally reached the grounds of the keep, which was swollen with soldiers. All of them were preparing their weapons in the barracks adjacent to the keep up the stairs and near the gardens of the province. There were too many to fight. They would have to go around. Aleco saw Zyle and the others hiding in the shadow of the wall that lined the streets. They were under the same predicament. Aleco and Nolan reached them and their eyes met. They didn’t know what they were going to do. There was only one entryway to Aleutian Keep but it was blocked by hundreds of soldiers. Aleco hadn’t expected the barrier. He looked at the wall that surrounded the keep from the general population and knew they would have to climb the wall. “Does anyone have any rope? I left mine at the gate.”
Zyle nodded and withdrew the rope for his pack. He was hesitant to give it over. It had sentimental value to him. Aleco grabbed it and crossed the street with the others following behind him. He moved down the wall until they were out of sight of the soldiers, who were occupied with adorning themselves with weapons and protection. Aleco attached a hook on the end of the rope and threw it over the wall, feeling it stick in a crevasse on the other side. Aleco ran up the wall and fell to the other side. He unsheathed his blade and looked around the garden. There was no one in sight. The others climbed over and fell to their feet, withdrawing their weapons to an oncoming attack. “Follow me,” Aleco whispered as he reinserted his blade. They ran across the gardens and approached the terrace entrance. Aleco could hear the sounds of screams and yells of turmoil from the battle in the province. He prayed that Uruith was orchestrating the battle well. They needed a distraction so they could approach the king. Aleco knew his brother would never engage in battle himself. He was too much of a coward. He knew he would be in the keep. There was no other possibility.
Aleco crouched behind the doorway, hiding his view in the bushes. The others stared at him in silence. He looked Zyle. “Do you know where to go?” he asked.
Zyle nodded. “Yes,” he said. “And we know where Drake’s chambers and study are—we will stay away.” Aleco nodded and opened the doorway, slipping inside the keep. Two servants were standing in the hallway, speaking to each other in hushed voices. Aleco grabbed them from behind and snapped both of their necks. They posed no threat to them but Aleco couldn’t take any chances. He grabbed their bodies and threw their corpses outside of the doorway, out of sight. Aleco walked down the dimly lit hallway and noticed all the drapes were closed. In his youth, the keep was open to the sunshine and brightness of the day at his mother’s insistence. Now it was dark and drab, looking more like a prison than a family estate. Aleco stopped when he reached the end of the hallway. He peered around the corner and looked into the wide room that housed the grand staircase. It was empty. Aleco walked into the room and stopped before the stairway. “This is where we part ways,” he said as he looked at them. “You know what to do—good luck.” Aleco turned to the Chief. “Go with them, Nolan. This is my task—you can’t help me.”
Nolan shook his head. “Stop wasting your time, Aleco. I will not let you do this alone.”
Aleco grabbed him by the arm and squeezed his skin. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
The Chief jerked his arm away. “Yes, I do, Aleco. I only wished I had realized it sooner. You and I should have done this a long time ago. I’m sorry that I let you down.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
Nolan turned toward the stairs. “I know, Aleco.”
“You realize that you’ll probably die if you do this?”
The Chief stopped and smiled at him. “There are worse things than dying. Betraying someone you love is one of them.” Nolan continued up to the second floor. Aleco nodded his goodbye to the others and followed Nolan to the top, silently grateful for the companionship. They reached the second story and heard the sound of voices approach down the hallway. Two soldiers walked down the walkway and didn’t notice Aleco and Nolan hidden in the shadows. Both men slit the throat of the two soldiers and shoved their bodies into a nearby closest.
They walked down the hallway silently and Aleco could feel his blood pump in his ears. He didn’t realize how frightened he was until this moment. His dread was mixed with a multitude of feelings. Anger, happiness, guilt, betrayal—all flooded his mind. He reached the doorway to the study and stopped before he opened it. He released his emotions with a sigh and an image formed in his mind; Accacia’s smiling face. He was doing this for her and no other reason. Aleco released the hate from his body. He turned to Nolan. “Stay out of sight until I need you. It will give us an edge.”
Voices were heard down the stairs and in the grand entranceway. Aleco recognized the alarm in their words and knew they were searching for them. If not Aleco and the Chief, then they were looking for the others. The Chief heard the sound as well. “I’ll hold them back, Aleco. You take care of your brother.” Aleco nodded. Nolan dashed down the hallway with his sword gripped in his hand. He turned the corner then he was gone.
Aleco turned the knob of the study, knowing exactly who was behind the doorway, and walked inside.
Aleutian Keep
34
“Let’s check over here.” Zyle walked down the dark hallway and pulled on the knob of a locked door. He rattled it under his grip but it wouldn’t come loose. “This doorway is locked. Perhaps he has hidden it here.”
Laura approached him and grabbed the latch, trying to loosen it with her grip. “I doubt it. Accacia said he would hide them somewhere inaccessible. He is very jealous with his possessions.”
Roxian kicked open the door and startled both of them, walking past them and into the room. She held her blade aloft and searched the inside, and realized it was just an empty bedchamber. “You’re both wrong. Aleco said Roslyn Palace is a humongous fortress. We need to find a room large enough to hold all the Soul Binders.”
“Then they probably aren’t even in the castle,” Zyle said as he watched Roxian examine the room.
Laura shook her head. “Accacia is certain they are. He would want them nearby.”
Roxian walked back out of the room and Zyle let her pass. Zyle sheathed his blade when he walked back into the deserted hallway. It seemed that everyone was participating in the battle, abandoning their posts around the keep. He was surprised that the king would forsake guards for his own protection. The man was either very stupid or incredibly cocky. He hoped it was the latter. “Perhaps they are in his bedchamber.”
Roxian glared at him. “I just said he needs a room large enough to hold all of them. They aren’t going to fit in an upstairs bedroom.”
Zyle fe
lt the anger course through his body at Roxian’s attitude. He let her words go unpunished. Now wasn’t the time to argue.
“This is why Accacia should have been here. She would know exactly where to look.” Laura walked down the hallway and looked into the next room. It was another empty bedroom. Roxian stared at her with a look of annoyance, clearly irritated that they continued to search the hallway. Neither one of them were listening to her. Laura moved on to the next room. “She lived here for years and understands Drake better than anyone—even Aleco. We should have let her return here and explore the grounds before we attacked.”
Zyle would never have allowed that. He would rather die. He didn’t say anything in retaliation to Laura’s words. None of that mattered at the moment. Zyle needed to find these Soul Binders as soon as possible. He knew Aleco’s life was hanging in the balance. “Let’s keep looking.” He sighed.
“Where?” Roxian asked incredulously. “We’ve looked everywhere.”
The floorboards creaked down the hallway and Zyle turned toward the sound instantly, holding his sword toward the intruder, prepared to strike. He saw a candle flicker down the walkway and come closer to them. Zyle felt his heart race at the approach. The sight was eerie. A man spoke. “Are you referring to Miss Accacia?”
Zyle gripped his sword. “Who are you?” he asked with a commanding voice. The authority and power rang in his words and made Roxian shiver at the sensation. “Reveal yourself.”
The man walked closer to them but his form was still disguised in the darkness. He stopped a few feet away and kneeled on the floor, placing his candle on the floorboard, and showed his hands in the air. The man was older with white hair and a wrinkled face. “My name is Aldo and I’m the chamberlain to King Aleutian. Please don’t kill me.”
“Why are you asking about Accacia?”
The man met Zyle’s gaze. “I just heard you discuss her. Is she alive?”