Return of the Crown

by Millie Burns

  Centering herself, she felt magic welling within her. She imagined a rock lifting itself and rolling to the other side of the cave to settle itself in front of the entrance. A rumbling sound let her know it obeyed her will. She set her mind to the next rock, and the next, until the front of the cave was blocked and the back was open. Air rushed in, greeting her.

  Tilgey held Zelera’s mirror in shaking hands. He tapped the dark glass and summoned Zelera. He shuddered as his reflection disappeared and Zelera appeared looking down her aquiline nose at him.

  “You had better have good news,” she hissed.

  “Your ladyship, we got her! We captured her at the edge of Desolation. She just popped up there at the edge of the grasslands, all wiped out, like you said she’d be if she used too much magic.”

  “Did she give you any trouble?”

  “Nah, she’s been passed out these past four days. She only began stirring when we threw her in the cave.”

  “There are no exits in this cave I presume.”

  Tilgey shifted his weight and clutched the mirror, “Well now, it has a back entrance, but it’s sealed with boulders. It took us three days to cover that exit. She can’t budge those boulders, itty bitty thing that she is. ’Sides, she’s bound hand and foot. She ain’t had nothing to eat neither. Well, just a little broth last night, but she’ll be weaker than a new-born lamb.”

  “Stop babbling,” Zelera seethed, “and roll away the boulder. I want to see her; I want to look upon her with my own eyes.”

  “Um, your highness, she was starting to stir. What if she starts throwing magic at us?”

  A jolting pain ripped through Tilgey’s heart, doubling him over. It felt as if his heart was being squeezed in a giant fist. “Who are you more afraid of? I told you my magic will protect you. I want to look upon her, now!”

  The screeching words resounded through his head. “Cugh, Smuggit, get over here and roll away this stone,” he gasped as the pain subsided. “Be careful in case the little princess tries something funny.”

  The two men put their backs against the huge stone, pushing and straining. It rolled away revealing the wall of boulders. A ghastly scream filled the air exploding the mirror; shards of glass sprayed out.

  Wide-eyed and pale Tilgey croaked, “To the back of the cliffs, you idiots. If she escapes we’ll not live to see another sunrise.”

  Chapter 9

  Ravyn stumbled through the chilly dark passage. Running her hand along the right wall, she felt her way deeper into the mountain’s belly. Twice she found tunnels leading off to the side, but the draft flowed at her straight on. At one point the ceiling lowered down causing her to hunch over. It narrowed further still until only a small gap remained. She pushed her pack ahead of her. She got down on her belly inching along like a caterpillar. Her arms reached ahead, scrabbling in the darkness for something to pull on. It felt as though the walls were closing in on her, the rocks swallowing her whole.

  Frantic to move forward, she grasped the rough rock and wriggled her way forward. Her hips caught the rock. A plaintive cry escaped her lips. She closed her eyes, exhaling her stress. Wiggling her right arm forward, she felt her hip scrape along the wall an inch or so, then another. Her calm returned as she dragged herself further through the tiny fissure. Those big thugs could not follow her down this path.

  The opening widened, and she resumed a crouching stance. She placed her hand on the right wall once more, pursuing the draft of air. The complete blackness softened to gray, and she could make out the shape of the tunnel.

  The twittering of birds reached her ears, and she quickened her pace. Blue skies swam into view. She stopped short, pebbles skittering and plinking against the rock as they slipped off the end of her trail to fall straight down the cliff face. Ravyn held tightly to the edge of the rocks, looking above and below for a trail. A sheer rock wall gloated at her. She clutched her pack devoid of rope. The rising hope she’d been nurturing plummeted to rock bottom.

  Looking down from the summit of the mountain, Blade noticed three openings below him in the back of the rock face. Which one led to Ravyn? He spotted a ledge some fifty feet down that gave him access to a cave, and a short traverse would lead him to a second cave if the first proved to be a dead end.

  Noting the large handholds on the rock, he decided to climb down rather than use his rope to rappel. He grabbed onto the lip with his hands as he lowered his legs over the edge. His toe found purchase on a modest nub. A vertical crack ran down the rock. He jammed his fist into it, flexing his hand against the rough granite to create a very safe hold. He brought his foot over and slipped it into the crack as well, twisting until it wedged securely. He descended rapidly to the ledge below by cramming his hands and feet into the crack and then lowering himself to the next level.

  He peered into the cave at the base of the ledge he stood on. It was shallow, a dead end. Movement to his left caught his eye. Shimmering black hair fluttered in the breeze, a pennant pointing to his goal. “Ravyn,” he cried!

  Startled, Ravyn peered around the cliff wall to see a man standing on a ledge twenty feet away.

  “Stay back or I’ll, I’ll, jump!”

  Blade smiled at her. “Ravyn, I’m Blade. Don’t you remember me? I’d recognize you anywhere.”

  Fear clouded her features, and she looked anxiously about for the other members of the bandit party.

  Blade pulled a thick gold chain out from underneath his shirt, “I’m still wearing your pendant, the Unicorn.”

  She touched the dragon hanging at her throat. Searching the face of the man, she saw her friend in his green eyes and her unicorn against his chest. “Blade, it is you! How did you find me? Never mind, that. I managed to escape, and I don’t think I can be followed down the passage I took.” She glanced down at her dirt-streaked clothes, “But, how do I get to you?”

  “I’ll come to you. Stay put!” Shouldering his pack, he began traversing the slim ledge running between the two caves.

  Ravyn held her breath as Blade began edging across the cliff wall. It looked impassable. But Blade’s hands moved from crack to crack and nub to nub, denying gravity’s desire to take effect. Never once did his feet slip from the tiny rim of rock jutting out from the cliff face. He slid across the rock as if he were water. Before she knew it, he was standing in front of her. His arms wrapped around her, and they were both weeping with joy. Tears sprang to her eyes, and Ravyn lost herself in the safety of his arms.

  Finally shaking herself free of his embrace, Ravyn wiped at her tear-stained cheeks. Princesses do not cry. “We have to get away; I don’t know if they realize I’m missing yet.”

  Blade surveyed their position. One path of descent was easier, but it took them close to another cave. If that cave were a passage through the mountain, it wouldn’t be safe. The ledge they were standing on overhung the cliff below. Lying on his stomach, he looked over the edge. Rising he winked at Ravyn. “I have a plan.” Grabbing the lip of the cliff, he swung over the edge, hanging for a moment. Then his hands slipped free, and he was gone. Ravyn gasped, then heard, “Ravyn, there’s a large ledge here. Swing over, and I’ll catch you.”

  Ravyn wasn’t afraid of heights, but falling into the unknown was a scary proposition. She hesitated a moment, gulping in air and pushing her fear aside. Grasping the edge of the rocks, her legs slid over the edge, and she dangled by her arms.

  “Okay, Ravyn, swing in and drop. I promise I’ve got you.”

  She flung her legs backwards, then as the momentum pulled her forward she let go, her heart leaping out of her chest. Strong arms wrapped protectively around her, and she felt the firm rock ledge beneath her feet. She smiled up at Blade.

  Shouting erupted from the top of the cliffs. “I believe they know I am missing,” Ravyn stated.

  The rock face became sheerer below. Blade could climb down, but he was a skilled climber. He appraised Ravyn, scanning her slender frame and soft hands. The next ledge was about eighty feet away.


  Pulling a length of rope from his pack, he tied it around a large piece of sturdy rock. He pulled against it with all his body weight. It held. “Ravyn, you need to rappel down. Do you know how?”

  “I believe I can do anything now that you’re here with me. We always made a great team back at the castle, though the adventure is real this time.”

  He handed her some soft calfskin gloves. “Here, put these on. Then, put the rope between your legs. Good. Now thread the rope around your left hip bringing it up across your chest and over your right shoulder. Bring it behind your back, and hold it with your left hand. That’ll be your brake. Place your right hand on the rope above you. That helps you stay upright and guides you. OK, that looks good. Now just lean out, feed the rope through your hands, and walk down the cliff face. Just don’t let go!”

  She smiled; this was just like adventures of old. Taking up the slack in the rope and exhaling her fear, she stepped off the edge. The friction of the rope sizzled across her thighs and hips. She descended quickly, using her left hand to brake only once. Her knees buckled as she hit the ledge below, and she landed in an untidy heap. Chagrined, she jumped up and dusted herself off.

  Blade untied the rope, tossing it down to her. Another long vertical crack ran down the face, nearly reaching the ledge. Blade lowered himself down the steep face wedging feet and hands into the crack. The crack quit ten feet from the ledge. Hanging from a fist jammed in the crack, Blade relaxed his hand. He slipped from the crack and dropped, landing like a cat beside Ravyn.

  A loud cry echoed out across the valley, drawing their attention to the summit. A tall wiry man was waving and shouting, pointing at them. The valley floor was still sixty feet away.

  Blade looked for a place to tie off the rope, but the ledge offered up nothing. Ravyn placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him to the side of the ledge where a deep channel ran all the way up the rocks. It was a couple feet wide.

  "This looks sort of like a chimney. Can we climb down it? Do you remember when we climbed the chimney at the castle? We put our hands and feet on one wall with our back on the opposite side. We inched up to the third floor. Boy did we get in trouble for that when we tracked soot all over the castle. Can we do that in reverse?”

  Blade chuckled at the memory. “I believe we could, Rav, Lady’s first,” he said bowing theatrically.

  There was a little nub to put her feet against on the opposite wall. She slid her back down and against the wall, while pushing with her hands across the gap. The opposing pressure made it very secure. She bent her right knee, bringing her foot down below her bottom, and pushed her back down toward her feet. She then slid her hands lower, the whole time pressing with back and feet, and then she switched her legs. Again, she ground her back down the wall. It was grueling tedious work. The steady downward grind rubbed her back raw. The valley floor inched closer.

  Blade lowered himself into the slot, beginning the slow descent as well. The chimney ran out about ten feet from the ground. Ravyn grasped a notch in the rock, hanging by her arms and letting her legs dangle. Dropping down, Ravyn’s ankle twisted as she landed on the gravelly soil. She cried out in pain.

  Blade dropped down beside her and held out his hand, helping her stand. “We need to get to those trees. That skinny one is already halfway down the cliffs. And the other two are surely heading for their horses.”

  Sprinting across the open space between the cliffs and the trees, Ravyn's ankle screamed at her with every step. Biting her lip, she pressed on.

  “The road is to the west; they will patrol it. We should head north first and then angle west later.” Ravyn nodded in agreement. “Follow in my footsteps, Rav; we don’t want to leave a trail. Be careful not to brush against the bushes or scuff the forest litter.”

  Their pace slowed as they picked their way through the dark woods. Occasionally Blade would run off to the side, breaking branches and scuffing the leaves on the forest floor to create false trails. They progressed deeper into the woods, still undetected.

  Blade set a furious pace, pushing further and further into the woods. Stumbling to keep up, Ravyn ground her teeth together, the pain flaring in her ankle. Determined not to show weakness, she held the tears at bay as she continued limping along.

  Several hours later, Blade slowed down, looking around the forest for a good place to rest. “I think we can rest a spell. You must be exhausted,” Blade flashed a comforting smile.

  “I can keep going,” Ravyn said stubbornly, though her ankle really hurt and her stomach was growling.

  “If we don’t stop and rest now, that leg’s going to stop us. Your limp is getting worse. Did you pack any herbs or salves?” Blade gestured to Ravyn’s pack.

  “No. I was never sick or injured on the island where I lived. I didn’t even think to bring medicine. I guess I didn’t plan very well,” she sighed, shoulders slumping.

  The sun was slinking down, and darkness closed in on them under the canopy of the tress. “We’ll make a camp here. No fire, but I have some provisions. I’ll get some salve on your ankle too. Magda gave me a special ointment that aids healing.” He produced a little jar of green cream that gave off a spicy scent.

  “Who’s Magda?” Ravyn asked, jealousy creeping into her thoughts on slinky feet.

  “Oh, she’s one of Connor’s old friends. She was the headmistress at the School of Light.” Blade smiled as he sat down on the ground next to an old log.

  “Oh, so she’s old?”

  “Yeah, I’d guess she’s around Connor’s age.” He cocked his head and stared into her eyes.

  She blushed but smiled. His green eyes sparkled and she turned her head to break their magnetic hold.

  Ravyn closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest. Squirrels rustled through the leaves, and the birds singing quieted as daylight disappeared. She settled on the log as Blade dug into his pack.

  “You look thirsty,” Blade said handing Ravyn a waterskin along with some flat bread and cheese. “Now, take your boot off so I can look at your ankle.”

  Ravyn leaned over and began unlacing the boot.

  “Those are finely crafted; I’ve never seen boots like that. Where did you get those?”

  Ravyn caressed the soft leather. “Rowan made them. And my clothes too, though they’ve seen much better days.” With the laces unbound, she pulled her feet free, tossing the boots aside. The cool air felt good against her sweaty skin.

  Blade picked up her injured foot, placing it gently in his lap. Taking a dollop of salve from the jar, he massaged the spicy ointment into her foot and ankle. Then producing a long strip of cloth, he gently wrapped her foot from toes to mid calf. “That should help with the pain and swelling, and we’ll rest here till morning. Eat, and tell me all about Rowan, and where you’ve been, and well everything.” His eyes shone brightly in the twilight.

  They sat under the trees, filling each other in on all the details of their lives. Too excited to sleep, they laughed and talked into the wee hours of the morning.

  Chapter 10

  Tilgey gulped; sweat beaded his brow as he held out the backup mirror. Darkness had closed in on them, suffocating their chances of finding the girl. Smuggit and Cugh stood off to the side, scuffing their feet in the dirt.

  “So, you incompetent fool. You let her escape. I told you what would happen if you failed me,” Zelera’s dark eyes blazed with fury.

  Tilgey trembled, “M-m-m-mistress, if you scry out her location, I will go there and get her back for you. A man was helping her, but he’d be no match for Cugh, Smuggit, and meself. P-p-please, lady, we can do this. You can count on us.”

  Growling like a panther on the prowl, she eyed her cowed prey. “No, Tilgey. You had your chance. I cannot count on you.” She leered out at him, “But you can count on this.”

  Tilgey’s head burst with pain. Shrieking he collapsed to the ground. Smuggit then fell to the ground squealing in agony, clutching his skull. He was followed by Cugh who screeched in ho
rror as he hit the hard ground, a wet mark running down the leg of his trousers. Then all was dead silent.

  Zelera eyed the lifeless bodies through the scrying bowl. “By the powers the Darkness hath given to me, I surrender these three souls unto thy domain. May they rot in hell forever. So be it, I pray,” she cried in earnest.

  She glanced past the corpses trying to see through the surrounding trees. Ravyn was in there somewhere. Her sharp teeth ground against each other causing the muscle in her jaw to quiver. “You can only hide for so long, little bird. At some point you will spread your wings to fly, and I’ll find you,” she hissed.

  She searched the aural field for magical traces of Ravyn, finding none. With the trees so closely set, she could not penetrate their leafy boughs to see the forest floor. The forest was dark and quiet. She started turning away from the bowl, frustrated. Mid-turn, she caught sight of movement out of the corner of her eye. Spinning around, she drew her aura down to the base of the mountains. Female harpies filled the sky, tearing at each other with sharp talons, feathers flying. The only male of their clan sat cowering in a nest, waiting for the victor to claim mating rights. A wicked smile split Zelera’s taut face.

  The creatures soiled the air with their filthy language while clawing and scratching each other. Zelera drew upon the darkness forcing her aural thread to expand, filling the sky. Forming an image of her face in the clouds, she thundered down at the dirty bird women, “Stop your bickering, you nasty twits! I, Zelera, Empress of all Aigerach, have a task for you.”

  Some harpies settled in their roosts, but the three most aggressive harpies flew at the face shouting obscenities and letting loose foul excrement.

  Lightning cracked through the sky catching one of the harpies in the chest, and she plummeted to the ground. The sickly smell of burnt feathers wafted up from where she lay crumpled in the grass.