by Linda McNabb
The group bypassed several landings and continued up toward the top of the building. Windows at each landing showed that morning was approaching fast. They were running out of time to leave.
The stairs ended in a final landing. They were on the very top floor and the only way out was down. Eagan saw Asher flick a glance his way. A short movement of his head said ‘follow me’ and he moved them all to the back of the group as they all headed into a large room that looked out over the wall and beyond to The Gap. The main wall was mostly windows and set into those was a huge set of double doors made of glass. Several men hurried over and opened the glass doors.
Eagan flicked his gaze around the room, looking for the wizard, but there was nobody waiting for them. Perhaps he was yet to come? Maybe he wasn’t even coming?
‘Thank you my friends,’ the man in the darker cloak said as he detached from the group and headed towards the two throne-like chairs that stood against one of the internal walls. They were plain but obviously meant for those in charge.
Eagan could not help his eyebrows rising when the man sat in the larger of the two stone chairs. This man was more than likely the great wizard he had been so concerned about. He glanced at Asher with a querying look and Asher nodded once but kept his expression blank.
‘Kranos,’ Asher whispered.
Eagan looked again at the man. He knew the legends of old and Kranos was part of them. The wizard before them wasn’t at all what Darius’ tales had led him to expect. He looked, well, human!
‘Our companions will be here any moment.’ Kranos said as the crowd parted to form a passage from the doors to the throne. ‘Jex, a moment please?’
A man approached the wizard, but kept one eye on the open window. ‘Yes, Sire.’
‘You are sure that my message was sent with the cats last night?’
‘Yes, Sire. I placed the scroll in the capsule and tied it to the leader, Shan, myself.’
Kranos nodded with satisfaction and a slightly smug smile. ‘I wonder how the news was received in Deek. This will earn me my place in line for the throne.’
The man before him just nodded and stepped back. This wizard may be a lot friendlier than Eagan expected but his servants definitely knew their place.
He felt rather than saw a change in the gathered crowd. It was a stillness that fell upon them and Eagan knew the night-shadows were coming. He found a small gap in the throng of hoods and watched the open doorway. The blackness stretched out into and beyond The Gap.
It was almost the same as the view from his cottage yet this one felt very different. Just a stretch away from here lived hundreds of very powerful wizards who would no doubt love to take revenge on those who had imprisoned them there for so long.
In fact, now that he thought about it he was a bit confused about that. If the wizards had found a way to build a bridge to the mainland, then why hadn’t they come back to the west for revenge? Surely they would have tried and Eagan doubted the crude barrier they had erected would keep them out for more than a minute or two. Why had they put up a barrier of their own to stop those in the west coming here?
He had no time to puzzle on the matter any longer for a silvery mist formed outside the doors and took on the shape of a narrow bridge. It didn’t look like it would hold a bird, much less an immense night-shadow!
Eagan looked back at Kranos briefly to see if the wizard was controlling the bridge, but the man sat on the edge of his throne-like chair and eagerly watched along with everyone else. No, this was being done by someone else. Eagan cast his mind back to the teachings from Darius. How far away was the land of Deek? How far had they managed to send it from the rest of the lands? It must be a good distance as there had never been a sighting of it even on the clearest of days.
Even as he thought about how long it would take to cross the chasm he became aware that some the cats had arrived. He had expected a thundering of huge paws to announce their arrival but there was nothing but the sound of their panting to alert him. He hadn’t even seen them the first one bound into the room! As the last one leapt onto the marbled floor, the silvery mist began to disperse. Well, it was the last one to arrive, but there was no way to tell if it was the last one to start the crossing!
**
Rem eased back a little and stood half behind Waide. It wasn’t that she felt she needed the young man’s protection, although he seemed to have thought that as he gave her a nod that said he would protect her. No, she did not need his help. The blade on her back was all the protection she needed. However, she did not want to come to the attention of the great cats. The largest one stood near the man on the stone chair and Rem instantly recognised it. It was the night-shadow that had been so intent on reaching her back at the battle by High Gate and was the one that Seth’s dragon had carried off. It stood with the others, drawing deep breaths and panting loudly. Crossing the bridge looked to have taken all their energy. Rem knew all too well how fast a night-shadow could run and if they could only just make it across then a mere human had no chance.
Several people stepped forward and placed bowls down while others followed to fill them with water. The cats drank eagerly, lapping at the water with long pink tongues. The one Rem watched suddenly paused and looked up. She felt her face blanch and drew in a deep breath to calm herself. A deep growl started low in the cat’s throat and Rem felt the sudden desire to run. She was furious with herself and got ready to draw her sword.
‘Quiet, Shan!’ Kranos ordered. ‘We are all friends here.’
The great cat fell silent but its gaze moved off down the room. Rem took another deep breath to slow her suddenly fast-beating heart.
‘There is a reply, Sire,’ Jex told Kranos, pointing at the night-shadow that was staring into the small crowd.
‘Come!’ Kranos said with a firm but kind voice.
The great cat’s eyes lingered on the crowd for a few more seconds and swept along once more. The cat knew something was wrong, but hadn’t quite worked it out. It blinked once, then turned to face Kranos and approached the stone throne slowly.
Kranos reached down and took the small scroll that had been tied around the night-shadow’s neck. It was held in place by a pale green ribbon that Kranos let flutter to the ground as he eagerly unravelled the parchment.
Everyone but Rem watched as he quickly scanned the words it contained. She took the opportunity to look around to see if it would be possible to sneak out while all the attention was on the wizard.
No, there were far too many night-shadows in the room and only one way out. She turned back and saw that Kranos’ smile had dropped away and his eyes held a look of shock and disbelief. He pressed his lips firmly together, took a long, slow breath then smiled stiffly at the gathered crowd.
‘Clear the room, please. Send for my wife.’
He turned to the night-shadow which stood as if expecting a response or a letter in return. Instead Kranos reached forward and scratched the cat under the chin.
‘Thank you, Shan. You look tired. Take your kin to see our guest. He will help you restore your strength.’
The night-shadow dipped his head once and the cats streamed, as one, out the door.
Rem went to join in with the crowd as they followed the cats, but she felt someone tug at her collar.
‘We’re staying,’ Asher whispered as he pulled her behind a huge velvet curtain that screened most of the windows. The others were already there and the old man held one finger up to silence her questions.
She fumed silently for a few seconds then found a spot that allowed her to peek through a small gap in a seam.
No doubt the cats were heading to see Caden so there wasn’t much chance of rescuing him for a while at least. She had to admit she was a little curious to see what was in the message.
Kranos stood up, put the parchment on the seat of the throne, and walked over to the double floor-to-ceiling windows and pushed them shut. There was no sign of the misty bridge at all and the quickly lightening sk
y said the day had fully begun.
There was a tense silence as the wizard paced up and down the room, glancing at the throne as he passed each time. He stared at the parchment as if it were guilty of some crime then carried on across the room.
He had his hands clasped behind his back and a deep frown settled across his brow. Whatever message he had received, it was clearly not what he expected.
As she squinted through the tiny gap in the material she heard someone enter the room from the stairs. Their steps echoed across the empty room and it was a couple of seconds before they came into view.
It was the woman they had seen downstairs and she stopped and crossed her arms as she waited for her husband to turn at the end of the room.
‘Well, Kranos. What is so important that you had to drag me from my breakfast?’
Her tone wasn’t unfriendly but it was short and a little irritated. Kranos simply pointed at the parchment and kept pacing. He walked past her as he she looked quizzically at him. She shrugged and went over to pick it up.
She unrolled it and bobbed her head from side to side as she read, as if the content was normal and uninteresting. Then her body stiffened and she glanced quickly up at Kranos. Rem couldn’t tell from her expression if she was happy or sad, but she was definitely surprised. She looked back at the parchment and kept reading.
When she had finished she let her hand fall loosely at her side, gripping the parchment tightly. Her face lit up in a grin that said she was very happy with what she had read.
‘Kranos, do you know what this means?’
Her husband nodded but did not speak.
‘Why aren’t you happy? We’re going home!’
‘And we can’t come back, Mayala,’ Kranos said slowly. ‘Ever.’
‘And…’ Mayala appeared puzzled by his reply.
‘Have you not developed a fondness for this place and its people? Will you not miss them, and our lives here?’ Kranos did not raise his voice and it sounded dangerously quiet to Rem. It was the same tone Marrik had used on the rare occasions when he was struggling to keep his temper under control.
‘But they’re just humans. None of them live long enough to bother making friends with really,’ Mayala said with a shrug.
‘And there’s the matter of our missing daughter…’ Kranos stopped pacing and looked at his wife with raised eyebrows. ‘Did you not even consider that? If we leave then we have no hope of ever finding her. I had hoped that she would be the first thing you thought of.’
Mayala’s face fell into a sad, contrite expression. ‘I didn’t want to mention Arianna. I thought it would upset you. We have looked everywhere and she has not been found. We have to accept that she is gone.’
Kranos turned away to pace to the window and stopped at the double doors that had led to the bridge. ‘I have not given up hope.’ He paused and looked deep in thought. ‘I will send the cats out one last time. They will be back by nightfall and then we will go - even if they do not find her. As you read, my father has insisted that we bring the Well of Life on the night bridge and I will obey. It will be the last bridge they send across The Gap.’
‘Then I must get my things in order for the journey,’ Mayala said, nodding briefly.
‘And I will send out the cat as soon as they have refilled their life-energy,’ Kranos replied.
Kranos strode across the room and vanished down the stairs at a great pace.
**
Eagan watched and his mind raced. He had to get Rem away from here as soon as possible, but for now they had to remain hidden and silent.
Mayala remained in the room and her expression soured as soon as her husband was out of sight. She stormed across the room and stared out the window over The Gap. Her foot tapped at a fast tempo that showed an inner turmoil.
‘Jex!’ she yelled, without turning from the view. A second later hurried footsteps crossed the room.
‘Yes, my lady?’
Mayala did not turn as she addressed the guard. ‘You assured me that my daughter would never be found. The water folk nearly ruined my plans by kidnapping her last year. Although I suppose it was at least something that Kranos never found out that they took her. It would have complicated things even more.’
Mayala paced the floor a bit as if thinking over the problem then spoke again. She sounded as if she were talking to herself rather than Jex.
‘Did they really expect that stealing Arianna would make us agree to leave Dohl? If Kranos had found out he may have destroyed their entire city to get her back. He would not have left quietly. Then everyone would have found out about our shame!’
The guard began to perspire as if suddenly nervous. ‘I did my duty, my lady. I sent my most trustworthy guard to Water Haven to find her then he took her to the west as you ordered. He knew his task - to drown her in the marshes. He was instructed to never return here again either. He will live out his days hiding in the west.’
Eagan felt his heart skip a beat and then rush at double time. They were talking about Rem. He flicked a glance towards Rem to see if she had worked any of it out but he could not see her expression.
‘Yet the cats my husband sent out searching just a few moons ago returned to say they had seen her beyond the mountains,’ Mayala said coldly and turned to glare at the guard. ‘It was just as well I was the one to cast the spell to hear them speak instead of my husband.’
Jex gulped visibly and it was obvious it was the first he had heard of this.
‘So I decided to take care of it myself.’ Mayala looked over at The Gap with a wistful expression. ‘I will not have her ruin my right to the throne.’
‘You are a wise lady,’ Jex offered quietly.
‘I waited until my husband was occupied with other duties then I gathered together every cat that would heed my call. They were sent with one purpose. Kill Arianna. They could not refuse and they could not disobey, no matter how much they adored Arianna.’
‘And they found her?’ the guard asked tentatively. He looked so pale that he might faint any moment and clearly wished he were elsewhere.
‘All returned except one. Shan. The others reported the one left behind had her in sight and would not fail.’
‘I’m sure it completed its task, my lady,’ the guard offered with a nod.
Mayala scowled at the guard. ‘It returned two days ago with the Well of Life that has bought us a return to our home. I have not yet had a chance to cast the communication spell on it and ask if it completed its mission.’
There was a heavy silence for a few seconds and the guard shuffled uncomfortably. ‘What is it that I can do for you, my lady?’
‘My daughter may yet live.’ The thought of such a possibility made her frown deeply. ‘Just make sure the cats don’t find her before tonight. There are only a dozen this side of the gap anyway, so they won’t get too far.’
Jex bobbed his head as he bowed deeply. ‘Yes, my lady. I will make sure they fail.’
Mayala looked coldly at the guard. ‘Failure is one of your specialities.’
**
Chapter Sixteen - What’s in a Name?
A heavy silence hung in the room as the clipping sound of Mayala’s shoes faded away.
Nobody moved for a few seconds, and then Waide pulled the curtain aside and strode into the middle of the room.
‘We need to rescue Caden now.’ Waide took several steps towards the stairs but nobody followed him and he paused.
Rem could see the rest of their group were disturbed by what they had heard; to the point that they were silent and just staring at each other. She had no idea why the woman’s admissions would bother them. Who cared if a wizard child was lost or disposed of by uncaring parents?
‘And we thought she had woken from the sleep potion, escaped on her own and returned here,’ Asher said finally.
‘But we don’t need her anyway now,’ Tal said with a shrug. She didn’t seem as bothered as Asher. ‘It seems they are going back across The Gap for good.’
Asher looked thoughtful as he considered Tal’s words and began to nod slowly.
‘And we can bring our people back from the waters of the south,’ Asher said. A smile touched the edges of his mouth and his features relaxed as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. ‘You’re right, sister. This is good news. Father will be able to return to rule the lands here.’
‘She’s your sister?’ Eagan queried. ‘And your father rules the south?’
Rem tapped her foot and cleared her throat. ‘Really, do we have to discuss all this now? We should collect Caden.’
‘Of course,’ Eagan said hurriedly and nodded quickly. ‘We should go before someone else comes up here.’
‘Nobody comes up here unless the bridge is due to form,’ Asher said with a dismissive wave of their concerns. His smile had faded to a frown again as he looked at Rem and then at Waide who had taken a few more paces towards the exit. ‘Just who are we here for?’
‘I’ve already told you, my brother, Caden.’ Waide looked agitated at the continued delays. ‘He may not be free to leave on his own.’
‘All we have to do is keep out of sight until the wizards leave tonight then we can just find him and you can take him home,’ Tal pointed out. ‘He won’t need rescuing when they’re gone.’
‘All the same, I want to find him now and make sure he’s okay,’ Waide said, then pressed his lips together as if to stop himself saying any more.
Rem knew why he wasn’t giving them any more information. Caden was the Well of Life the wizards wanted to take across the gap. If Asher knew that he would probably refuse to rescue the boy, or even want to steal him!
Returning Caden to his family wasn’t Rem’s number one concern though. If they didn’t get Caden, then Seth may never wake up.
‘Very well we did have an agreement, and it wasn’t your fault that Arianna wasn’t here. As long as we keep out of the way of Kranos and Mayala I suppose it will be okay,’ Asher agreed in a tone that said he was less than enthusiastic but resigned to holding up his end of the bargain.
They headed back down through the corridors and stairs, and Eagan paused to collect his staff before they started searching for Caden.