Remembered

by E. D. Brady

  “Kellus sits in a cell waiting the return of Nordorum to receive a trial, but Nordorum will not return. This leaves Kellus to rot in prison until Lionel thinks enough time has passed that no one will grow suspicious if Kellus meets an untimely death. Kellus knows this. This is what he warned Danus about.”

  “No!” Annie screamed.

  “Calm down, Annie,” Max murmured, still holding her around her shoulders. The others looked on for some time as she tried to compose herself with Max’s help.

  “I apologize, Annie. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Markum said quietly.

  “But you’re right,” she answered. She felt desperate tears well up in her yes. She knew Kellus was right also. Lionel would never risk Kellus being brought to trial.

  “As I was saying, I don’t believe that Lionel killed Nordorum because he had no reason to. It’s not as if Lionel knew that Annie was back before Kellus returned to the Citadom yesterday,” Tol continued. “He would have had to kill Nordorum on Saturday, the last time anyone has seen the Master. Why would he kill him then? The only people that know of Annie’s return are us here and Kellus. How could Lionel have found out?”

  “Us here, Kellus, and Mr. and Mrs. Wellum,” Annie interjected. She knew immediately that this was very bad. How could she have been so foolish?

  “Who?” Tol asked.

  “My old neighbors…Mr. and Mrs. Wellum,” Annie answered.

  Tol closed his eyes and leaned back against the counter. “Please tell me that you are not referring to the Mr. Wellum that has a fish stall at the market. Please tell me you don’t mean that gossiping old fool.”

  “That’s the same Mr. Wellum,” Annie said in a hushed voice. She looked down at her hands. She had made a major mistake.

  Tol threw his head back. His hands started shaking. He breathed deep, trying hard to calm himself. “Why?” he yelled through clenched teeth. “Why does he know that you’re back, Annie?”

  “I didn’t know where to find Max and Cora. I hoped that he could give me information, which he did,” she cried.

  Tol banged the counter. “Why would you have needed that information? Was it not obvious to you that Kellus would never abandon the twins? Did you not trust his character?”

  Annie buried her face in her hands.

  “We can safely assume that Markum is right, then. Lionel did know you were back before Kellus returned there,” Tol continued.

  “I wasn’t thinking clearly,” Annie cried in her own defense. “I knew nothing at the time.”

  Tol ran his hands through his hair. “Forgive me,” he said sincerely, pleadingly. “I had no right to talk to you that way. I know what an ordeal you’ve been through.”

  Markum walked quickly over to the wall where he had set his sword when he entered the kitchen. He began tying a scabbard to his waist.

  “What are you doing?” Tol asked in a harsh tone.

  “I’m going to get my brother from that fucking place. I intend to use force if necessary,” Markum answered.

  “Sit down,” Tol ordered.

  “No,” Markum replied sharply, glaring at his father. “You sent Kellus back there. He didn’t want to go, but you convinced him that it was the right thing to do. Why should I listen to you?”

  “Sit down!” Sara’s yell echoed around the room.

  “Mother, he will kill Kellus. Your son will not come home again, I’m sure of it.” Markum yelled back.

  “Please, Markum,” Tol begged. “The news that old Mr. Wellum knew of Annie’s return changes everything. This isn’t just about Kellus anymore. Every one of us is at risk now. Kellus may be safer than the rest of us, for now, at least.”

  “What should we do?” Max asked.

  “I need time to think,” Tol answered. “And I’m forbidding any of you from leaving this house. We must assume that Lionel is aware that we all know the truth. He may plan to have us attacked here.”

  Annie stood up and walked towards the door leading to the living room.

  “Where are you going?” Cora called after her.

  “To my bedroom. I can’t stand another minute of this. I’m going to lie down,” Annie called back. She walked up the stairs, threw herself onto her bed and pulled a pillow over her head. “Kellus!” she cried out. Her Kellus sat in a prison cell waiting to be executed. He had committed no crime, but he would die regardless.

  It was useless. There was no refuge from the torment, no hiding from the inevitable.

  An hour later, she made her way back downstairs, suddenly needing the company of others.

  Tol, Markum, and Max were still seated at the table. They were deep in conversation, heads close together. All three looked at her when she entered the room.

  “How are you, young lady?” Tol asked.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I want him back,” she sobbed.

  “I’m going to get him back for you…for us,” Markum said. “You have my word on that.”

  “He speaks the truth,” Tol assured her. He looked resigned, but the pain in his eyes was evident. “I hate the idea of sending another son into that place, but Markum is right, it’s the only way.”

  “You’re going to the Citadom to get Kellus?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Markum answered. “We’re convinced now that Nordorum will not return. Kellus will have no other help.”

  “When?” she questioned.

  “The sooner, the better,” Tol answered. “We hope to recruit the help of Danus and Borm. If they could simply let Markum into the Citadom in the middle of the night, it would cut the risk in half. I hate to think of him having to break in, if it’s even possible.”

  “I think I should go with him,” Max said, “but Tol and Markum won’t listen to reason.”

  “This has been decided, Max,” Tol said firmly. “You are needed here in case the house is attacked. If Markum is caught, he will end up in a cell with his brother, which leaves only you and me to protect the girls.”

  “But I was given a tour of the complex,” Max argued. “Few civilians have ever seen the parts of the Citadom that I’ve seen. Markum has already admitted that he has only seen the garden and Kellus’s room, which is at the very beginning of an enormous basement.”

  “I can’t risk losing both you and Markum,” Tol said. “I’ll admit your knowledge of the complex could be valuable to Markum, but it’s too much of a trade-off. If we can convince Danus to help, he can give Markum details.”

  Max threw up his hands, exasperated.

  “Max has a point,” Annie said. “No matter how many details Danus could give Markum, it wouldn’t be the same as someone who has actually seen the inside of the buildings, who knows exactly where the prisons are and how to get there.”

  “Do you think that Max should go with Markum, then?” Tol asked.

  “No,” she replied. “I think I should.”

  “No!” Max shouted. “It’s much too dangerous for you. Imagine if you, of all people, were caught there.”

  “You’re wrong, Max,” Annie shot back. “It’s the safest place for me, and the best place for me to be caught.”

  “What are you talking about?” Max asked.

  “Think about it; if this house is attacked, I’ll be the prime target, the living proof of foul play. If Lionel was to have us attacked here, it will not be to arrest us; it will be to kill us. However, if I’m caught in the Citadom, not only will the peacemen not kill us, but I will also be living proof of foul play, but in a way that will prove Lionel’s guilt. It will make this safer for Markum also. If he’s caught trying to free Kellus, few will believe his claims of Kellus’s innocence, but if I’m with him, they would have no choice.”

  “She’s right,” Markum said.

  “What if you’re discovered in the Citadom by Lionel?” Max questioned.

  “I think the odds are slim, but even so, Lionel will not engage us in front of witnesses. It would be to his loss if he did. If we were to encounter Lionel alone, then it would be two ag
ainst one.”

  “She is right,” Tol said. “I think she should go with Markum.”

  “I don’t like it,” Max mumbled.

  “Listen, Max,” Annie pleaded. “If anything happens to Kellus, I am as good as dead anyway. It makes more sense for me to take a risk saving him, than to sit here waiting for my world to end. If Kellus dies, I may go on, but this world would be no more than a prison, a hell.”

  Max smiled sadly, squeezing Annie’s shoulder. “I know what he means to you.”

  It was decided that Markum would accompany Tol to the shop the following morning. He would spend the day cleaning the windows, sweeping the sidewalks, and doing any other chore that kept him outside with a clear view of the Citadom. If he was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Danus or Borm, he would approach them, tell them the plan, and hope that they would agree to help.

  Chapter 24

  Annie waited as patiently as possible for Tol and Markum to return the following evening. She was desperate to know if they were able to talk to Danus or Borm. The tension throughout the day was almost unbearable, and the conversations non-existent.

  When Tol and Markum finally walked through the door, she knew immediately that something was terribly wrong by their grave expressions.

  Markum looked at no one and busied himself untying his boots, and then lifting things out of a bag that he carried. It was apparent to her that he was purposely avoiding questioning eyes.

  She couldn’t bear the suspense, but was severely dreading more bad news.

  “How is my son?” Sara demanded. Her patience had finally worn out.

  “Sit down, Sara,” Tol said solemnly.

  “What happened?” she asked in a panicked tone, lowering herself into the nearest chair. “I think we’ve all guessed by now that the news is not good. Let us have it, Tol.”

  Annie sat in the chair next to Sara’s, overcome with fear.

  “Kellus is fine…for now,” Tol replied.

  “Did you see Danus or Borm?” Max asked.

  Tol nodded. “They came to us.”

  “And?” Max pressed.

  “And they are willing to help us,” Tol answered.

  “But this is good news,” Zifini said. “Why do you both look so troubled?”

  Tol shot a worried glance to Markum, who quickly looked down at the table. “It may be too late,” he said quietly.

  The blood drained from Annie’s body. She felt cold all over.

  “What do you mean?” Max asked.

  Tol swallowed before answering. “Yesterday, when we thought that Lionel would kill Kellus, I believed we had time,” Tol responded. “I thought that Lionel would not act too quickly, that he would wait until the incident with Kellus had died down. I thought he would wait until it was not forefront on the minds of the men at the Citadom. I was wrong.”

  “What do you mean?” Sara cried.

  “It seems that Lionel grows more paranoid by the hour,” Tol answered. “He fears that someone will listen to Kellus and recognize the truth. He can’t risk keeping him locked up there for too long.”

  “How is Kellus?” Cora queried.

  “From what we have heard, Kellus knows this better than anyone. He knows that his hours are numbered,” Tol answered in an anguished voice.

  Annie gripped Cora’s hand.

  Heaviness seemed to settle over the room, a thick fog.

  “How do you know this?” Max asked. “Who has spoken with him?”

  “Danus and Borm came to the shop to see me,” Tol said. “They were confused by things that are taking place at the Citadom, and concerned for Kellus’s state of mind. But more than that, Lionel is acting in a way that they believe to be unethical.”

  “What do you mean?” Cora questioned.

  “Early this morning, Danus went to the prisons to visit Kellus. A peaceman by the name of Merriclus was assigned to guard Kellus through the night—he is one of the ten senior peacemen. Danus instantly thought this odd; senior peacemen are rarely tasked with such tedious chores. When he told Merriclus that he wanted to see Kellus, he was told that Kellus is forbidden visitors.”

  “But that can’t be,” Sara gasped. “Even murderers are allowed—”

  “I know, Sara,” Tol butted in. “It has always been the policy at the Citadom that a man is innocent until proven guilty, and that even the guilty are allowed to visit with family and friends. Kellus has been stripped of all rights.”

  Sara put her hand over her mouth, scrunching her eyes in agony.

  It took every ounce of strength Annie had not to scream. Cora squeezed her sister’s hand tighter.

  “So, Danus didn’t speak with Kellus?” Max asked.”

  “He did, actually,” Tol answered. “He said that Merriclus has always been a kind and fair man, and that the peaceman went so far as to give reasons for the decision to keep Kellus from visitors.”

  “What are they?” Zifini asked.

  “Danus was told that Lionel called a meeting with the remaining ten senior peaceman. Apparently, Lionel expressed to being in a state of confusion as to how he should handle Kellus. He said that he wished for the return of Nordorum as he was never instructed how to deal with such an unusual crime.”

  Markum began tapping the table with his fist, continuing to look down as though he wanted to punch someone desperately.

  “In all the centuries that the Citadom has been, there has never been a murder inside the complex. Such an atrocity was thought impossible until this week. Obviously, only a deranged being, a very dangerous person, could commit such a heinous act.”

  “That fucking bastard!” Max yelled out.

  “Let me finish, Max,” Tol requested. “Lionel’s first request to the senior peacemen was that they back him in a petition to Nordorum upon his return. Lionel said that he would propose to Nordorum that Kellus also be tried for the murder of Annella Derlyn.”

  “What?” Cora screamed.

  “Please, let me finish,” Tol begged again. “Seemingly, the senior peacemen were opposed to this at first, knowing how Kellus suffered over the loss of his wife, but Lionel gave a compelling argument. ‘The man murdered in cold blood’, Lionel declared. ‘he murdered an innocent young man, an apprentice who upheld the rules of the Citadom beyond that of the other apprentices. Loc’s only offense was that he was considerate enough to check on Kellus after Kellus seemed distraught at dinner. Would a scoundrel like that really be adverse to taking an innocent young woman as a lover, then disposing of her after he’d had his fill of her? Didn’t Kellus admit that he was the last person to see Annella alive?’ In the end, some of the seniors were convinced that Kellus had, indeed, murdered his wife.”

  “But why would they agree to deny Kellus his rights?” Max asked.

  “Danus was told that Lionel asked the peacemen to back him on that decision, as well. Again, at first they disagreed; it just wasn’t the way of the Citadom. But again, Lionel gave a good argument. ‘Had not Kellus fooled every one of them, had not every man in the Citadom looked upon Kellus with agonizing pity over the loss of his bride? It is apparent that Kellus is not only a murderous fiend, but an accomplished liar, as well. Who knows what tales he would spin to the other men?’ Lionel claimed that he, as well as the other senior peacemen, had a duty to protect every man in the complex until Nordorum’s return. He begged their pardon if this was a misapplication of his position. He said he would gladly make amends if Nordorum disagrees with him, but until the Master’s return, he sees no other way. In the end, they all agreed.”

  “But you said that Danus did visit with Kellus,” Cora said.

  “Yes, it seems that he was able to convince Merriclus to give him five minutes alone with Kellus. He was sworn to secrecy and promised not to believe anything Kellus told him.”

  “What happened?” Max asked. “What did Kellus say?”

  “When Merriclus climbed the stairs, Danus sat on the floor on the other side of the gate. He said Kellus looked utterly defeated, but
not as tortured as when Annie disappeared. This time he looked almost calmer, resigned. According to Danus, Kellus looked him in the eye and said simply: ‘I will not live out the weekend, Danus. Any hour now, my executioner will come for me’. Danus argued that Kellus was talking madness, but Kellus insisted, even accused Danus of knowing the truth deep down inside. Danus also informed Kellus that there was talk among the senior peacemen that he had murdered Annie, that he would be tried for her murder. He said that Kellus simply smiled and said: ‘My Annie’s alive’. At this point, Danus tried to reason with Kellus. He tried to remind him that Annie was gone, but Kellus explained that he’d spent the weekend in the arms of an angel. He told Danus that Annie was with his family and that his father could confirm this. Danus tried to tell Kellus that if this was the truth, then Nordorum would put it right. That’s when Kellus told Danus that he believes Nordorum is already dead.”

  Tol looked directly at Annie. He cleared his throat. “Kellus gave Danus a message to pass on to you,” he said.

  “What is it?” Annie asked, her heart aching.

  “He told Danus to tell you that from the first time he saw you, at your parent’s funeral, you have been the only thing he ever wanted, the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. He said that he had lived only to love you, even if it was only for a short time.”

  The tears flowed freely down Annie’s face and neck. She no longer bothered trying to mop the deluge with her hands. Instead, she placed her fingers on her throbbing temples and tried to sniff through the blockage in her nose.

  “My poor son,” Sara cried. She stood up and threw herself into Tol’s arms, weeping.

  After a long moment, Tol managed to calm Sara and get her back into a chair. He cleared his throat again. “When Danus and Borm came to see us, they said they feared Kellus had gone insane. But when I confirmed Kellus’s story, it wasn’t hard to gain their cooperation. They are more than willing to help us.”

  Annie stood up to leave the table. She would lie down and pray for sleep, pray that she never woke again.

  “Where are you going, Annie?” Tol asked. “It’s not finished yet. He’s still alive.”