The Carnelian Tyranny: Savino’s Revenge

by Cheryl Koevoet

  Marisa shook her head, amazed at how well the secret passageway had been concealed. Returning to the library, she sat down and rested her head on her hand in quiet thought. “Adalina, is there anything else I should know before I go back?”

  “I do not know what more to tell you about the castle. You seem to know it almost as well as I do.”

  “Is there anyone who will help us fight Savino?”

  Adalina thought for a moment. “We could ask King Bertoldo Macario of Terracina to help us. He has an armada of ships and I am certain that he would come to our aid. He is the cousin of your father, you know.”

  “How can we contact him?”

  “Ooh, Terracina is several days across the sea. We would need to send a royal envoy by ship.”

  Marisa jumped to her feet. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  “Marisa wait,” Adalina said, grabbing her arm. “King Bertoldo has probably set sail for Crocetta. He was, after all, invited to your coronation. What do we do if he has already left?”

  She groaned. “Is there anyone else who can command the fleet in his absence?”

  Adalina shrugged. “There must be. Most of the kingdoms require a ruler to appoint a person to act in their stead in times of war. But we will need the Carnelian seal. If Celino can get me down to the harbor and onto a ship, I shall go there myself.”

  “Why do we need the seal?”

  “It serves as proof that the request has come from the highest-ranking royal. Only that person who is in possession of the seal is authorized to declare war, and, technically, that is you. I would simply be the envoy.”

  “Where is the seal now?”

  “It is in the Carnelian signet ring. It was last worn by Count Gregario, but I have not seen it since he died.”

  Celino and Marisa looked at each other. “Savino has it,” they both said in unison.

  “And we know where to find him, don’t we?” Celino added.

  “But he probably never takes it off.”

  “Oh, great,” Marisa said, throwing her hands in the air. “This just became Mission Impossible. I might be invisible, but how can I get it off his finger without him knowing?”

  Celino laid a hand on her shoulder. “Just get in there and assess the situation. If you aren’t back by first light, I’ll take Adalina down to the harbor and get her on the first ship out of here—ring or no ring.”

  “I’ll do what I can,” she answered, sweeping her cape around her shoulders and fastening the clasp.

  “That only gives you twenty-four hours to snag the signet ring,” said Celino. “I just hope King Bertoldo’s people will help us.”

  “Oh, they will,” Adalina assured them. “Their family is our best ally.”

  “How long will it take to get to Terracina?”

  Celino scratched his head. “Let’s see, it’s a week’s journey by sea, and another week for the trip back. It would be at least two weeks before we’d be back with Bertoldo’s army.”

  She looked at him, doubtful. “I guess we don’t have much choice. Keep her safe. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Do be careful,” Adalina urged.

  “I will.”

  Pulling her hood over her head, Marisa hurried up the street, praying silently that no one could see her. She found a spot behind a tree just a few paces from the castle gate and stayed behind it, surveying the situation at the citadel.

  Groaning when she saw two warriors on either side of the entrance and eight stationed at various positions along the rampart wall, she glanced behind her.

  There was no one in the street but a bespectacled old man rolling some racks of leather goods out in front of his shop. He didn’t seem to notice her. She turned back toward the castle, praying a quick prayer before moving toward the entrance.

  Shield me from the eyes guarding the castle. Guide my footsteps and protect me from harm.

  Tiptoeing as quietly as possible, she stepped out from behind the tree and stood directly in front of the gate. Her heart raced as she waited for the warriors to notice her, but the brawny guards posted at the entrance didn’t move a muscle. Moving toward the rampart tunnel, she wiped her clammy palms off on her cloak and passed under the archway, hearing a comforting voice in her head.

  My child, I shall always be with you. Do not be afraid.

  She entered the darkened tunnel. The deeper she went, the more her confidence grew. Emerging on the other side, she fought the instinct to duck and hide.

  As giant warriors strode to and fro in large formations from one area of the citadel to another, she ran, stopped and sidestepped around them, dodging the soldiers in a strange sort of choreography. She smiled to herself, watching the folds of her dress flowing out behind her knowing that no one else could see them.

  She was just nearing the Knight’s Hall when, all of a sudden, angry shouts erupted from it. The steady stream of warriors going in and out of the hall daunted her temporarily, but her curiosity got the better of her and she hurried up to the main door.

  Flattening herself against the wall, she waited until the next warrior opened the door and slipped in unnoticed behind him. There was a bustle of activity in the castle as she followed him through the vestibule and into the Knight’s Hall.

  At the far end of the hall near the throne platform, members of the Fiore and Macario families had been assembled. Their hands were manacled together and twelve large warriors guarded them on all sides. A blond young man was seated on the throne in front of them, scrutinizing each prisoner with his piercing blue eyes.

  Moving up closer, Marisa slipped behind a pillar and slowly leaned out. As her eyes narrowed at her cousin, she gasped in horror. No one else in the hall seemed to notice a difference in Savino’s outward appearance but what she saw sent a chill down her spine.

  Floating in the air above him were three gigantic, lizard-like creatures that controlled his movements with strings like a marionette. Grayish-green in color, the monsters’ skins were pebbly and shriveled, their webbed wings broken. When they opened their hideous mouths, sharp fangs protruded over their bony jaws. The largest of the three directed the other two with sharp talons that sliced through the air and tugged at the strings. An ominous, red mist hung in the air around them, filling the hall with the pungent odor of sulfur dioxide. When the smell reached Marisa’s nostrils, it made her stomach churn, but the others standing in front of Savino didn’t seem to notice it.

  Covering her mouth in shock, she struggled to comprehend the realness of what she was seeing. The Ambrogia stone around her neck flashed wildly with light, and instinctively she knew that in addition to the power to make her invisible, it had also given her the ability to see the physical manifestation of evil beings in the spiritual dimension.

  Remembering Celino’s instructions for her to get in and assess the situation, she took a deep breath and directed her attention to the front of the hall. Her glimpse into the spiritual world was providing her with a clear assessment of the situation, and it wasn’t good.

  Arrie, Cozimo, Tino, Helena and Cinzia all stood with their backs to her. Her uncle, Mark and Eman stood the farthest away from her, all three of them looking haggard and tired. Everyone seemed oblivious to the terrifying beasts that hovered above Savino and Marisa couldn’t tell if the demonic creatures were able to see her or not. For the moment, she thought it was best if she stay hidden.

  “Where is she?” Savino demanded, staring into each of their faces. The gigantic, ugly creature pulled the string back and forth, controlling his tongue.

  No one answered.

  “Your silence is futile. My men will search this castle level by level and chamber by chamber until we have found her. It is only a matter of time.”

  To Marisa’s surprise, Eman’s head turned to face her and their eyes locked. She gave him a questioning glance, but he just smiled at her, his eyes conveying a warm greeting before shifting back toward Savino.

  “Regardless of your resistance to reveal the whereabouts
of the traitor, you shall honor your future king by attending my coronation just a few days hence. From this moment on, you are to refer to me as His Majesty, King Savino da Rocha, and Supreme Ruler of Carnelia.”

  Helena sniffled, bowing her head in anguish.

  Savino stopped and gazed at her in passing but continued his speech, unmoved by her tears. “Each of you shall be confined to your chambers until further notice. Traitors who choose to defy my rules or try to escape will be executed immediately. No exceptions.”

  When Savino motioned to the warriors to take the prisoners away, the gargantuan soldiers herded the group out of the hall and up the stairs to their chambers. He leaned forward, his hands clasped together over his knees as he bowed his head in deep thought.

  Marisa was torn between staying with Savino and following the rest of her family upstairs. She wanted to go let her uncle and brother know that she was all right, but, at the same time, she had to discover what Savino was planning. She decided to stay in the hall.

  At that moment, the main door opened. Savino looked up at the middle-aged man being escorted into the room by a familiar, copper-haired warrior.

  “Lord Raniero to see you, Your Majesty,” Talvan announced.

  Lord Raniero?

  She tried to remember where she had heard that name before. A wave of anger slowly spread through her chest when at last it finally hit her.

  “Ah, Lord Raniero,” Savino purred. “Let us adjoin to the Crimson antechamber.”

  Motioning for him to follow, he led his guest into the side room as Talvan nodded and spun around, exiting through the main door. When he was gone, Marisa hurried over, slipping into the chamber just before Savino shut the door.

  “Please, sit,” he offered, pulling out a chair for his guest.

  The creatures above him seemed to grow agitated, panting and bobbing in a strange sort of frenzy. They moved to a corner of the ceiling farthest from her, cowering and shaking.

  “Lord Raniero, at last we have the opportunity to discuss the events of late,” Savino began, pouring two glasses of wine from a crystal decanter. With great ceremony he set a glass down in front of Raniero and took a seat beside him. “Please begin.”

  Marisa approached the middle-aged nobleman and leaned in close, finally getting a good look at her mother’s murderer.

  CHAPTER 20

  RANIERO

  A sophisticated man somewhere in his early fifties, Raniero’s outward appearance could not have been mistaken for anything but aristocratic. Although he appeared gentlemanly in his manner, Marisa knew that he could not be trusted.

  “Your Royal Highness, at your father’s insistence—”

  “Ah, ah, ah—” Savino interrupted, wagging a finger at him.

  Raniero clenched his jaw. “My apologies. Your Majesty…”

  “Go on.”

  “At your father’s insistence, I traveled with Queen Elyse and the royal family aboard the Carnelian. As I relayed to you earlier, our ship sailed into a mysterious portal that transported all of us into a strange world. As they built up new lives in this new world, I managed to gain their trust. Then I successfully disposed of the queen and withdrew completely from their community.”

  “Yes, yes—I am already aware of all this,” Savino interrupted, waving impatiently. “Just skip to the events of late.”

  “Although they thought they were rid of me, I continued to follow Princess Maraya and Prince Marcus, closely monitoring their movements and waiting for the opportunity when I might find them alone. Then, on the day of Prince Alano’s burial, the princess went out riding into the forest alone. I followed her there, but just as I was about to strike, there were great flashes of lightning and another mysterious storm swallowed her up. She just disappeared right in front of my own eyes.

  “There was no trace of her anywhere and I was forced to conclude that she had met a similar fate as we all had years before on board the Carnelian. With her neat disposal, I shifted my focus onto Prince Marcus and Baron Alessio, shadowing them instead.

  “But then, only days later, a stranger appeared at their doorstep, a man about my age. They invited him into their house as I listened outside their window. He explained to Baron Macario that the princess had been transported to Carnelia through the mysterious portal. He told them that it was imperative that both he and Prince Marcus return with him to Carnelia. After some discussion, I heard them agree to meet the stranger later on. I waited all day, following them into the woods that evening. They just stood there, waiting for something to happen.

  “Then there were lightning flashes and a great whirl of wind. As soon as the prince, his uncle and the stranger were lifted up by the mysterious wind, I leapt out of the bushes and straight into the cyclone. I was caught up in it, and, for a few minutes, everything was first blue and then black before I was finally dropped onto the forest floor.

  “When I saw that the others had landed on the ground just a short distance away, I scrambled into the bushes. Almost instantly, I recognized the woods where I used to hunt. I knew that we had arrived back in Carnelia.”

  Savino listened silently as the ugly creatures tugged at the network of strings, steering his thoughts and words. He twisted the signet ring around his finger, staring absently into space. “Did any of them see you?”

  “No, Sire.”

  “And who is this stranger of whom you speak—the one that brought them back into our world? What do you know of him?”

  “I have never seen this man, but he was knowledgeable in the portal between worlds. He knew precisely where to go and at what time. I do not know if he is from their world or from ours, but he is a learned man of some sort—a sorcerer, I believe.”

  Savino perked up. “A sorcerer?”

  “Not an Apollyon. One of another order, perhaps.”

  “At Princess Maraya’s birthday ball after they bound me in iron cuffs, I heard them discussing someone called Celino. Perhaps he is the man we are looking for?”

  Marisa sucked in her breath. If Savino found out where Celino lived, then Adalina was a good as dead. They didn’t have twenty-four hours anymore. She had to get back and warn them before Savino connected the dots.

  “Sire, since Maraya and Marcus are still alive, I am fully aware that my contract to your father has not yet been fulfilled. But I swear to you now that it shall be.”

  He hesitated, brushing some lint from his tunic before lifting his gaze to meet his host’s. “And, in return, may I assume that you intend to honor your father’s agreement?”

  Savino rose to his feet, smiling wickedly. “Thank you, Lord Raniero, for your unwavering loyalty to the da Rocha family. Once the very last Fiore has been disposed of, you will be rewarded for your efforts, with the additional bonus of knighthood.”

  “Thank you, Sire. You are truly magnanimous.”

  When Savino extended his hand to signal the meeting was over, Raniero stepped up to kiss the blood-colored stone of the Carnelian signet ring.

  “Until next time, Your Majesty,” he said with a nod, quickly leaving the chamber.

  Savino sank back into his chair and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table with his fingers intertwined. “Too many intrigues can make a man weary,” he whispered softly to himself.

  Marisa studied him carefully, circling around the table to view him at all angles before finally stopping just a few feet away. This man who she had once considered marrying was too evil, too awful to even be considered a human being and the last person she would ever want to call ‘cousin.’

  Without warning, he rose from his chair and strode back into the Knight’s Hall. Marisa followed a few steps behind as he climbed the main staircase and strode down the corridor. The creatures floating above him seemed to become even more agitated the closer she got.

  Entering the royal chambers, Savino’s gaze roamed the room slowly, as if he was searching for something. The creatures hovered high above him just under an arch and near the ceiling.

&nbs
p; Marisa spotted Darian’s suit of armor in the corner and realized they were in his chambers. She balled her fists at her sides, angry that Savino had been so bold as to take this particular room as his own.

  He removed his shoes and lay down on the bed with an audible sigh. His eyelids drooped for a few seconds before finally closing. He dozed off, snoring lightly.

  The creatures high above hovered in their place near the ceiling, but she wasn’t afraid of them anymore. Her eyes scanned the room, stopping on a large wooden box on the dresser. It looked like something Darian would use to keep his pins and medals safely tucked away. She glanced over her shoulder. Savino was still asleep, snoring even louder than before. She crept over to peek inside.

  Slowly opening the lid of the box, she gawked at the broad collection of military insignia, jewelry and pins. There were several rings displayed neatly in the top level of the box, but she couldn’t tell one from another. Some looked as if they contained precious jewels or stones and some had coat-of-arms and military markings.

  With each piece appearing as if it might be a valuable heirloom, she started to panic, afraid of swapping out one of Darian’s favorite rings by mistake. Just pick one!

  Grabbing a gold signet that appeared similar in size, weight and texture to the Carnelian signet ring, she closed the box quietly and crept over to the bed. Kneeling down next to it, her hands trembled as she wiped her sweaty palms on the blanket. She grasped the ring on Savino’s thumb and slipped it off easily. He moved slightly, mumbling in his sleep as she quickly slipped Darian’s ring on his thumb and prayed that he wouldn’t wake up.

  Without a sound, she rose to her feet and stood there for a moment, watching him as he slept peacefully. He was still handsome, but the hollows under his cheekbones were sunken and the angles of his face appeared sharper. He looked as if he had lost a lot of weight in the weeks since her birthday ball. He had dark circles under his eyes and he looked pale from exhaustion.