A wave of fire engulfed the cultists as the ball of fire struck the far wall, blasting it to pieces and erupting over the street outside. Pieces of stone and debris showered Aiden as the air was burned out before him, the sound of a scream coming from his mouth almost drowned out by the noise.
Then, a stillness fell over the shattered chamber, accompanied by silence that was broken only by the crackle of flames from burning wood. The smell of charred flesh permeated the air as Aiden lay face down on the carpet, breathing heavily and praying the fire was enough to vanquish their enemies, for he had no more strength left to fight with.
Lifting his head, the exhausted young man surveyed the scene and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw nothing moving amidst the smoke and debris. Slowly rising to his feet, he looked to his companions and saw they were all still breathing. The remaining senators slowly peeked out from behind the enormous table and with them was Criosa, appearing overwhelmed at the scope of what she had just witnessed.
Aiden gave her a brief wave of acknowledgement, and then slowly limped through the decimated ranks of the cultists to the far wall, which was now more of a balcony than anything else. There were no intact bodies to be found, but oddly, there was a small circle on the carpet that was free of debris or scorch marks. The cultist leader’s scythe lay on the floor next to the circle, and looking around, Aiden couldn’t see any sign of his body.
He felt a calm detachment from the scene, and noted that his numerous injuries weren’t causing him any pain. This might be a bad thing, but right now he was just glad to still be alive. Looking down at the street below, he saw a huge crowd of citizens who had gathered to see what was going on.
A light snowfall drifted down from the sky as he spied Maggie, wrapped in a blanket that had been provided for her. She waved up at him with her remaining arm and he sighed with relief, noting the large bank of snow surrounding the building which must have cushioned her fall.
A commotion near the senators brought Aiden’s attention back to their situation, and with one glance he saw that they weren’t quite finished here yet. Senator Augustus Johnson, clad in an ornate breastplate and wielding a rapier was slowly making his way towards the huge doors, with Criosa held before him and his weapon poised on her throat. She barely breathed as she was led across the room, her blue eyes looking at Aiden in desperation.
“You think you’ve won here?” the senator uttered in cold rage. “All you have succeeded in accomplishing is the assured destruction of our Kingdom. There are forces at work beyond your comprehension while we squander our resources on a pointless war in another land.” There was nothing further Aiden could do here - he was utterly spent, as were most of his allies. Pacian, however, was slowly making his way through the crowd of senators towards Augustus.
“That is for the King to decide,” Aiden croaked, attempting to distract the man. “It isn’t your place to make decisions for him, let alone seek the assassination of the elected body. We’ve been following your trail for days Senator, and with the evidence piled against you, you’ve no choice but to surrender.” All he cared about was getting that weapon away from Criosa’s slender neck.
“I’m afraid I won’t be around to find out, boy,” Augustus replied caustically as he started kicking furniture away from the door. As he did so, the sounds of banging could be heard coming from the other side.
“This is the City Watch! Stand clear!” came the muffled words as the doors started to buckle inwards.
“You’ve nowhere to go,” Nellise remarked between breaths. “Best you surrender now rather than injure the princess and damn yourself in the process.” Augustus seemed to consider this for a moment, as Pacian crept closer and closer to the man. Finally, the rapier came away from Criosa and she was pushed free. She rushed forward, her eyes brimming with tears as she embraced Aiden in a crushing hug.
“A wise move,” he told the senator as the man dropped his weapon and put his hands behind his head.
“More than you know,” Augustus replied haughtily. “I have powerful allies, and I can assure you that I will not be hanged for this.”
“I’d be satisfied with life in a dungeon for your troubles,” Aiden muttered darkly, putting his good arm around Criosa and trying to calm her down.
“I will be imprisoned, certainly,” the senator attested, “but my allies and I will be freed long before the Ironlord defeats the King’s army and comes to seize the throne.” Aiden stared at him in shock, alone amongst the people present in understanding that reference.
“How do you know that name?” he whispered, barely audible over the sound of the Watch breaking through the doors. Before Augustus could answer however, Pacian stepped up behind him and slashed a dagger across the Senator’s throat.
“No!” Aiden gasped in disbelief as the senator fell to the floor to the screams of the people watching nearby. Nellise, aghast at the sight, ran forward to try and save the man. Pushing a stunned Criosa aside, Aiden limped up to Pacian, pure rage giving him a final burst of energy and stood there, nose to nose as he yelled.
“What the hell were you thinking? You’ve just murdered a senator of -”
“I just killed the man behind this whole bloody thing,” Pacian yelled back, standing his ground. “Did you hear what he said? Bastards like this always have a way of avoiding the consequences for their actions, but I made sure he paid the price.” The doors finally gave way and a dozen watchmen burst into the room, weapons at the ready as they took in the incredible scene. Sensing the guards had their weapons pointed in his direction, Aiden calmed down somewhat.
“You’ve just crossed a line, Pace,” he muttered quietly. “This wasn’t some bandit leader or even a mercenary commander - you just killed a senator of Aielund in cold blood, and now we’ll never know who was really behind all this. Remember ‘Number One’? This isn’t him!”
“It doesn’t matter,” Pacian shrugged, keeping an eye on the guardsmen as they escorted the shaking politicians from the chamber one by one. “We’ve eliminated the assassins, and all the people he was relying upon to carry out his plans. We’ve cut off all his arms and legs, and there’s nothing more he can do against anyone.” Nellise, still kneeling over the remains of the Senator, looked up at Pacian with a combination of outrage and sadness.
“Aiden Wainwright and company?” A man asked, catching his attention. It was a senior officer of the City Watch and his expression did not bode well for them. “You’re all coming with us until we can figure this out.”
“We just saved these people’s lives,” Pacian retorted. “Ask them.”
“The senators have vouched for you, as has Princess Criosa, sir,” the guardsman explained, “except for the part about stabbing one of the senators to death right in front of them. I’m not paid enough to figure out something as big as this, so take a few minutes to pull yourselves together, gentlemen, as I’ll be taking you to see the duke so he can make a judgement.”
Aiden gave Pacian a knowing glance, but he seemed unfazed by the implications. Nothing further was said as Nellise conducted some simple healing on everyone present, and once Sir William, Ronan and Valennia were back on their feet they were marched downstairs through the cold night towards the castle.
Chapter Twenty One
Flanked by what appeared to be the majority of the City Watch, Aiden and his companions trudged through the cold streets on the way to the castle, stopping only to pick up Maggie on the way past. She sat in Valennia’s arms, the akoran warrior-maiden struggling with the load at first, but growing stronger with each passing minute as Maggie continued to treat her injuries.
The poor little raelani had managed to heal her wounds after landing in the snow drift, but her right arm was completely gone. She seemed to be in mild shock, so she conducted her healing with a sort of hazy detachment.
Criosa had insisted on accompanying the weary group despite the reservations of the Sergeant of the Watch, and her presence was probably the main reason for the elabo
rate escort. She was an angel of mercy, moving amongst Aiden’s battered friends to help tend to their wounds or offer simple words of gratitude and encouragement.
Everyone but the Watch kept their distance from Pacian, who hobbled along oblivious to their shunning, proud of his deed. Aiden thought he’d be arrested on the spot, but Criosa convinced the guard to hold off until they had spoken with the duke.
The relative warm of the castle beckoned as they crossed the drawbridge and were led directly through to the King’s court, to be greeted by Sir Godfrey. He had been conferring with one of the City Watch who had run ahead to pass on the news.
Valennia put Maggie on the floor, where she was able to stand without any difficulty. While she was crouched, Aiden noticed the akoran had acquired a new weapon which was strapped to her back. It was the cultist leader’ scythe, still covered in blood from the battle.
“Are you sure you want to be carrying that thing around?” Aiden inquired, his voice weak and quiet. “For all we know, it’s tainted from whatever god that bastard worshipped.”
“I will purify it if necessary,” she replied, “but I will not relinquish it, for it is a trophy of our glorious victory this night. I would have preferred to take the head of their leader but I could not find it.”
“How about we get you a nice big axe instead,” Aiden suggested. She answered with a shake of her head that had an air of finality to it. Further conversation on this topic was interrupted by the approach of Sir Godfrey, who was doing a very good job of keeping calm despite the grim news.
“Sir William, it is a pleasure to see you again,” he greeted the old knight after spotting him in the group. Sir William had been silent since the fight, his greyish skin and drooping eyelids made him look far older than usual, but he seemed to perk up at the sight of the other knight.
“It’s been too long, old friend,” Sir William replied, his voice cracking with exhaustion. “I fear that affairs of state have conspired to keep you from the company of your peers.”
“’Tis the burden of leadership I suppose,” Sir Godfrey shrugged. “I am well-pleased to see you back in action in spite of your advancing years.”
“Balderdash,” Sir William scoffed, “you’re only two years younger than I, so save your piteous sentiments for someone more deserving. I’m not quite ready to be put out to pasture quite yet, My Lord.”
“Well spoken, sir, and it is tremendous to see you back in the thick of things. I only wish it was not under such dire circumstances.”
“With respect, My Lord, it is the dark times that truly test who we are,” Sir William replied solemnly. “It is only through challenge that we grow, even at our age.”
“Quite so,” Sir Godfrey nodded, smoothing his moustache in what Aiden would describe as a ‘nervous fashion’. “I’m afraid we must talk of more pressing matters. The Watch has informed me of what has transpired at the Senate, Aiden.”
“With respect, My Lord, the Sergeant of the Guard did not fully interview me on the spot,” Aiden explained. “There is a lot more to be told.”
“I should hope so!” Sir Godfrey bristled. “An attack of this scale on a major institution of our government is appalling, not to mention the death of one of our most prominent Senators.”
“Pardon me for intruding,” Criosa interrupted smoothly, “but will the duke be present for this meeting?”
“After he received word of the attack, I advised His Grace to put on his breastplate, Your Highness,” Sir Godfrey replied in a more composed fashion. “We must take every precaution to ensure the safety of our leaders, and needless to say I would strongly urge you not to leave the castle, Princess.”
“Yes, I was expecting this,” she sighed, resigned to remaining a prisoner here for some time.
As she spoke, a door on the far left corner of the room opened and the duke strode out, clad in an ornate breastplate similar to that which Augustus Johnson had been wearing at the time of his demise.
The castellan scurried along behind him, trying to finish off attaching the straps to secure the armour, and a white-robed man Aiden recognised as a prelate of the Church brought up the rear.
“Aiden Wainwright!” the Duke bellowed from halfway across the room. “I trust you can shed some light on the attempted assassination of nearly a dozen members of parliament, not to mention the King’s own daughter!”
“Things took a turn for the worse, Your Grace,” Aiden began delicately, glancing at Pacian briefly. “A thorough search of Senator Johnson’s house yielded no real evidence of wrongdoing on his part, until we discovered that he had been harbouring at least a dozen people in his basement.” Aiden went on to describe how they had followed the trail which led to the senate building, and the beginning of the attack upon the people therein while the prelate and Nellise began to heal their more extensive wounds.
He kept his remarks on the fight itself brief, as he was still coming to terms with the ferocity of the battle and the fact that they had won, despite the odds. Criosa had other ideas, however, and embellished their parts at appropriate intervals, making them out to be far more heroic than Aiden recalled. The duke seemed impressed, but when the discussion turned to the death of Senator Johnson, things became strained.
“Clearly the man was in league with, and possibly even organised the assassination plot against the Senate,” he began in a measured voice, “and no-one would have been enraged more than myself at the sight of the blaggard holding a weapon to our beloved Criosa’s throat. But once he chose to surrender, it should have been plainly obvious to you, Mister Savidge, that he was no longer a threat, and indeed, could have provided further information as to the identity and whereabouts of this ‘Number One’ who continues to elude us.”
“You’re assuming he would have been co-operative,” Pacian pointed out. “He was gloating at the thought of being released in the near future by his ‘powerful friends’ and I for one wasn’t prepared to let that happen.”
“It was not your judgement to make, sir,” the duke shouted, his face turning a splotchy shade of red. “This is a city of laws! You murdered that man, and if he were not so obviously a threat to this Kingdom I would have you thrown in prison for this deed!”
“If you have a problem with me killing your enemies, then that’s what you’d better do, because I have no regrets,” Pacian retorted. “Perhaps you wouldn’t be dealing with a conspiracy like this if you had the guts to do what was necessary. The way I see it, his key ally in the government has been eliminated and his organisation of expensive assassins has been killed, and that’s a win in my book. The only question you should be asking is - how far are you willing to go to defend your kingdom?”
“You should listen to the pretty blond man,” Valennia added, drawing everyone’s attention. “This Senate man, Son of John, was your enemy. He brought in the robed ones to kill your elders, and he deserved to die for that crime. I only regret I did not have the opportunity to do it myself.”
“I will not be spoken to like this,” the duke growled ominously.
“Gentlemen, please, remain civil!” Criosa cried in an effort to restore sanity to the room. The duke and Pacian glared at each other for a long moment until the old man stepped aside to catch his breath. The prelate finished up his healing and exchanged a long, brooding glance with Nellise that Aiden didn’t have time to think about at the moment.
“If we might stick to the issue at hand,” Sir Godfrey interjected smoothly. “The individual who organised this is still at large… unless you have evidence to suggest that Senator Johnson was this ‘Number One’ chap?”
“I had Kinsey check his handwriting against the note that Aiden recovered,” Duke Montague said somewhat more calmly than before. “They’re not even remotely the same.”
“Then the trail has gone cold,” Sir Godfrey sighed. “We may never know who was behind this.”
“If having his cause utterly destroyed wasn’t enough to persuade him to run for the hills, we’ll deal wi
th him if and when he shows his face again,” Pacian said with finality.
“Before he perished,” Nellise mentioned quietly, tearing her gaze from the prelate, “the senator mentioned something about the ‘Ironlord’ coming to take the throne. Might this person, whoever he is, be ‘Number One’?” At the mention of the Ironlord, Sir Godfrey and the Duke went rigid, moving only to glance at one another.
“Augustus said this?” the duke asked quietly, receiving a silent nod from Nellise in reply.
“How on earth could he have found out?” Sir Godfrey whispered, almost to himself.
“He must have been told of it from someone who knew,” the castellan mused ominously. “There may well be a spy within our ranks. I shall fetch Mister Kinsey at once,” he added, turning to walk quickly towards a door that led further into the castle.
“I don’t understand,” Nellise remarked in confusion.
“The Ironlord is a matter of utmost secrecy within the King’s court,” Sir Godfrey explained. “I would have preferred to keep you in ignorance of this knowledge, but the cat is out of the bag, as they say.”
“I haven’t heard of this either,” Criosa added archly. “Is it customary to keep your King’s daughter ignorant as well?”
“When your father has ordered it to be so, yes,” the duke lamented.
“Wait a moment,” Nellise interrupted. “Is this the same Ironlord that attacked Fort Highmarch over a hundred years ago? The history books state that it was a barbarian warlord from the Windless Steppes who led an army against several nations.”
“Those histories are a fabrication,” the Duke explained delicately. “It was thought that erasing knowledge of the true nature of this foe would diminish its influence over those that allied with it.”
“I knew it!” Aiden muttered, drawing odd looks from those around him. “I tried telling people what really happened at that battle, but nobody would believe me.”
“How would you know what really happened?” the duke inquired curiously. In his wounded state, Aiden had blurted out something he should have kept quiet about.
In Defence of the Crown (The Aielund Saga Book 2) Page 37