Joel lost focus on the conversation at that point. His father’s words struck a sudden chord. Underneath the palace. Underneath. Joel’s gasp was loud enough to draw the attention of Koal and Cenric, but he ignored their stares altogether and whipped his head around to address Kirk.
“Two sennights ago, in the royal courtyard, I heard your sister speak of a passage through the catacombs! Do you remember?”
Kirk’s eyes widened with recall. “Y–yes.”
Joel crossed the room in three long strides and set a hand on Kirk’s shoulder. “Can you show us the way?”
“Show us the way where?” Koal demanded. “What are you talking about?”
All eyes in the room fell onto Joel and Kirk. The trainee cringed beneath the scrutiny. “I don’t know how to get there myself. Only Kenisha does.”
Joel froze. “Where is she now?”
“I–I believe she’s in the servant quarters.”
“If we find her, can she show us to the passageway?” Joel asked.
Koal slammed a fist on the table, drawing both boys’ attentions. “Dammit Joel, talk to me! What are you going on about? Passageway where?”
Joel turned to face his father, explaining in a rushed, excited voice, “Kirk’s sister knows a way out. She said there’s a passageway through the catacombs, beneath the palace.” He licked his lips nervously. “We wouldn’t have to worry about the wall at all. We can bypass it entirely this way.”
Koal raised an eyebrow. “Through the catacombs?”
Kirk finally found his voice, timid as it was. “The passageway yields to a drainage canal that flows out beyond the wall. My sister told me the opening is wide enough for a person to crawl through.”
Cenric stepped away from the table, a worried frown contorting his features. “Are you sure?”
Kirk winced, biting his lower lip. “No. I’m not entirely sure. It’s what she told me.”
“Da,” Joel pleaded, taking a tentative step toward Koal. “We need to find his sister. This could be our only means of escape.”
Liro stood in the corridor that separated the common room from the bedchambers. He leaned against the wall, openly glaring at Joel. “You’re a fool, brother. Maybe you’d enjoy getting lost endlessly in a maze of tombs, but I would not!” Cruel eyes shifted toward Koal. “Father, Joel’s perverted condition has clearly clouded his judgment on the matter. We can’t trust him to make rational decisions.”
Anger rushed to Joel’s face in a hot wave. He jerked his head around to glare at Liro. “How dare you!”
Joel’s rage was only second to Liro’s scorn. The older brother flashed a smug smile. “How dare I? How dare you for asking us to put our lives in the hands of some boy you’re undoubtedly polishing up to be your new shiny bauble in the Nemesio brat’s absence.”
“You leave Gib out of this!” Joel clenched his hands into fists, doing all he could to contain the anger threatening to boil over. “This has nothing to do with him!”
“Yes,” Liro replied snidely. “Clearly you’ve already moved on to pursue other interests.”
Never in Joel’s eighteen years had he resorted to physical violence, but Liro’s terrible words stabbed him so viscously in the heart and filled him with such agonizing pain that all Joel wanted to do in that moment was lunge at his older brother. How can he say such hateful words about me? About Gib? And to assume that I’m seducing Kirk now—Joel blinked back tears, refusing to allow his brother the satisfaction of seeing the droplets fall.
Koal slammed his hand on the tabletop again, only this time, his fury was directed at Liro. “Bad form, Liro Adelwijn! Have you not a single drop of integrity left? It isn’t any wonder no one wants anything to do with you!”
Liro reeled like he’d taken a physical blow. His dull eyes landed on Koal and glazed over with some unreadable emotion. “Is this how you justify your lack of want for me, Father? Because we both know that isn’t true.”
Koal’s voice was a dangerous snarl. “Your entire childhood, you lived under my roof, went to the finest schools, had the best of everything. Your mother and I doted on you tirelessly, loved you unconditionally. Any ‘lack of want’ you think you’ve perceived is no fault of mine or hers. I know my heart and your place in it, but I’ll be damned if I can prove it to you! You’ve poisoned yourself with your hate.”
Joel shuddered as he witnessed father and son glare at one another through gritted teeth and clenched hands. All the air seemed to have been removed from the room. The tension ascended from the shadows to grip Joel’s heart, and he gasped, finding it difficult to breathe.
Cenric moved to stand beside the seneschal, the sound of his faint footfalls hitting the stone floor rising above the silence. Koal blinked, as though he’d just awakened from a deep trance, and broke eye contact with Liro to meet Cenric’s troubled gaze.
Cenric cleared his throat. “We need to make a decision.”
Conflict plagued Koal’s eyes, and Joel braced himself for whatever choice might be made. He locked his jaw to prevent the pleas that sat on the tip of his tongue from escaping, but his mind couldn’t be quieted. Please, Da. You have to trust me. This is the only way we have a chance to escape. What can I do to prove to you that Kirk won’t betray us?
Joel startled when he felt a firm hand grip his shoulder and was surprised to see his father had approached while Joel had been lost in contemplation. Koal scrutinized his son closely, and Joel did his best to meet his sire’s measured gaze.
“You’re sure about this?” Koal asked, never taking his eyes from Joel’s face. “Do you truly believe we can place our trust in this young man?”
Joel could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Is this what I think it is? Is Father giving me the final say? Does the fate of our party lie solely on me?
He glanced around the room. Cenric gave him a nod of encouragement. NezReth stood in the shadows, his expression unreadable but not disapproving. Hasain’s face was a well-guarded mask, and Liro’s seething wrath couldn’t be avoided. With a shuddering sigh, Joel looked over at Kirk briefly before returning to his father.
“I know we can trust him. His word is honorable.”
Koal nodded, once and decisively. “All right. Let’s find this sister of his and see if she can lead us to safety.”
The Ardenian envoys waited in an enclave just beyond the corridor leading to the servant quarters. Kirk left them with express instructions to remain silent and out of sight and informed them he’d be back shortly.
Time crawled as tensions ran high. Liro was the first to break protocol and make underhanded remarks about their situation. Joel shushed him to little avail. Eventually Koal put a swift end to the sniveling but was quick to follow up with a lament of his own. “Where are they, Joel? This is taking too long.”
“We can’t leave without them, can we?” Hasain asked. “None of us knows the way, right?” He shifted a hopeful look to NezReth, but the Blessed Mage only met the gaze with vacant eyes.
No. None of them knew where they were going. They were entirely at Kirk and Kenisha’s mercy.
Liro groaned. “I’m sure they’re well on their way to inform the Imperial authorities by now. We’re all fools for going through with this—you lot for trusting the servant in the first place and me for not leaving all of you to your fate.”
Joel whirled on one heel to glare at his brother, but once again Koal silenced Liro. Joel was left to endure his brother’s smug smile.
Footsteps could be heard in the close distance and everyone, even Liro, tensed. Koal’s hand shot for the hilt of his sword, and Joel could feel Hasain pooling mage energy into his hands. Joel thought to do the same, but in the moment, his mind seized. Could he take a life if it came down to that? Even if it was the life of an Imperial soldier who would take his if he didn’t fight back?
Kirk and his sister rounded the corner, and Joel’s tension dissipated. Thank The Two, it’s only them.
The Imperial siblings slowed briefly, the
ir eyes flashing from each envoy to the next. Joel’s stomach sank when he realized his father hadn’t stood down just yet. Koal’s hand still gripped the hilt of his weapon. Likewise, Hasain hadn’t retracted his magic. What were they doing? Were they trying to scare off their guides?
NezReth lifted his chin, eyes unfocused. “They’re alone. No soldiers.”
Koal responded instantly, dropping the hand that had been clutching the sword, and Hasain followed, releasing the energy back into the air. Kirk and Kenisha ventured forward after that. Both had donned cloaks, obscuring their hair and faces and making it difficult to tell exactly what they were thinking or feeling.
Kenisha’s voice was a hushed whisper. “Follow me then. Stay close.”
“What if someone sees us? What then?” Cenric, who’d been quiet up until then, asked.
Her response was wry and clear. “I’d suggest you run, Ambassador.”
“All right. Let’s be done with this.” Koal’s terse words suggested this conversation had met its end, and no one questioned his authority. “Lead the way.”
Kenisha led them through several corridors that Joel didn’t recognize. This was definitely part of the palace he’d never seen before. Everything was ensconced in shadow, and the fine ornaments which decorated the rest of the royal building were notably missing. The farther they went, the worse repair the building was in. Some of the pillars were even chipped or cracked.
“Mind the stairs,” Kenisha warned as they passed through an arched doorway and came to stand at the head of an ominous stairwell. “Sometimes they’re slick. Don’t fall. It’s a long way down.”
Joel gulped as he looked onward. Indeed, it was a long way down. The spiraling staircase turned in an endless corkscrew down into the ground. The others were already beginning to descend into the darkness, and Joel had no option other than to follow.
The farther they went, the more moisture accumulated on the smooth stone steps and the less light made its way to them. Joel pressed his hand to the wall to keep his balance and caught the faint silhouette of Hasain doing the same. A few steps farther and NezReth cleared his throat before blue light flickered out from his upturned palm. The mage orb threw off a scant amount of illumination, hopefully enough to keep them all from breaking their skulls. Cool air pricked Joel’s skin. If he wasn’t mistaken, the temperature continued to drop with every step he took.
Just as he was starting to wonder if the twisting stairs would ever come to an end, his feet met solid ground, and he whispered a muffled prayer. A narrow corridor stretched out before the party. In the dim light, Joel could see cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, tents of silk above their heads. The foul stench of decayed plants and mildew made him want to gag, and all around him the sound of trickling water echoed off the stone walls.
“What is this place?” Hasain asked.
Kirk shared a dark look with his sister before lifting his voice. “These are the catacombs, Lord Hasain. The great Imperial royals of the past are all laid to rest down here.”
In the hazy light of the mage orb, Hasain’s face went pale. Joel sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. He didn’t feel so well himself. Knowing that corpses lay within the vaults lining either side of the passageway only made him all the more unsettled.
Cenric huffed a sigh. “Let’s not tarry.”
“Not afraid, are we?” Liro arched a brow. “Surely we’re all well-schooled enough to know better than to fear the dead.” He stole a glance at Kirk and Kenisha before a sly smile pulled at his mouth. “Well, perhaps not all of us are so well schooled.”
“Enough. We’re moving on.” Koal’s gruff command forced the conversation to a halt.
Kenisha lowered her head and crept forward without another word. The envoys fell in behind her, with NezReth near the front of the line. His summoned light was the only illumination in the passage. Joel could feel Liro and Hasain crowding in on the mage to keep the orb within their sight.
Not a single word was shared as they made their way deeper and deeper into the ground. The air continued to grow colder and stale smelling the farther they went, and Joel realized belatedly that he was gasping for breath. The thought of being so far beneath the ground coupled with their tight confines was nearly enough to unhinge his frazzled mind.
A sturdy hand squeezed his shoulder. “Deep, steady breaths, Joel. You’re doing fine. It’s going to be all right.” The calm of Cenric’s voice eased the tension, but only just so.
Joel glanced back, but in the low light, he couldn’t make out his mentor’s face. Did Cenric even believe his own words? Joel wasn’t sure, but his desperation made him choose to believe. We’re all right. We’re going to be all right.
He had nearly convinced himself to calm down when he bumped straight into Hasain’s back. Flailing to catch his balance, Joel frowned. “What’s going on? Why did you stop?”
Hasain didn’t offer to speak. Pointing to the front of the line, the Radek lord leaned aside to allow Joel to see for himself.
Up ahead, the path forked. Kenisha had stopped and was looking back and forth between the two halls. Koal questioned her impatiently but all she did was shake her head. “I wasn’t told about this.”
Koal sighed and folded his arms over his chest. “We haven’t the time for delays. What are the odds of them both leading to the outside?”
“They may very well both lead outside, Seneschal.” Kirk’s voice shook when he spoke. “But if we take the wrong path, then who knows where we’ll come out?”
“Does anyone else see the frivolity of this venture now?” Liro snarled. “We could be comfortably resting in our suite, preparing for the morrow when we would return to Arden the way we originally planned.”
Koal waved his hand, dismissing his eldest son’s complaint. “Too late now. Stay quiet. We have to think.”
Joel held his breath, willing his pounding heart to slow. What would they do if they couldn’t figure out which way to go? They were losing time standing here, but if they chose wrong and exited the catacombs in a bad place, then they had no guarantee of making it anyway. He hoped his father would come up with a solution—and fast.
Before any suggestions could be made, however, angry shouts began to echo off the walls. Joel’s blood froze in his veins as he whipped his head back in the direction they’d come. Everyone fell silent as they took in the sounds of boots slapping on the damp floor, resonating all around them. The voices grew to a deafening crescendo, and one rose above the others to demand “the cowards” be found. Joel gasped and fell back a step, bumping into his mentor.
Koal let out an angry hiss. “We’ve been missed!”
“Which way do we go?” Hasain’s choked cry sounded like that of a scared child, but Joel couldn’t find fault with that. He felt much the same way.
At the head of their group, Kenisha gasped and pointed to the right. “This way! The air feels like it’s moving faster from this side.”
Behind them, Joel could see the faint glow of torchlight. Time was up. With a lurch, the envoys moved as one down the selected corridor. Dignity forsaken, Joel gasped for air with no concern for how loud he was being.
“More steps! Take care!” Koal called back to them.
The stairwell was short this time, but when they reached the bottom step, all of their taller members were forced to duck. The low ceiling only added to the claustrophobic feel of the tombs, and Joel dug at the neck of his robes, feeling as though he was being strangled.
“There’s standing water in there!” Koal shouted. “We won’t be able to see what we’re stepping on!”
Kirk urged them forward. “We haven’t a choice now. They’re gaining on us.”
Joel looked back and had to cling to the dampened wall for support. Kirk was right. The light was getting brighter. He tried to suck in a deep breath but only managed to wheeze. The soldier’s angry voices clouded his mind with terror, making it difficult to think.
“We have to move on, Seneschal,” Cenric insist
ed, his tone oddly calm despite the dire circumstances.
They were on the move again. Joel followed along blindly. Hasain pulled on Joel’s arm while Cenric pushed from behind, forcing Joel to keep lurching ahead. The walls seemed to close around him as he tromped through black, ankle-deep water. He slammed his eyes shut despite the danger of it. He couldn’t look. He couldn’t see their tomb for what it was.
The farther they went, the less sense Joel could make of anything. Blood roared in his ears, and it took all he had just to keep up with the others. He could almost feel the Imperial soldiers at his back, breathing down his neck. They were losing their lead.
His feet slid away from one another and he fell to his knees, but Hasain dragged Joel back up almost instantaneously. Pain shot through his legs as he staggered forward, but he knew he had to keep going. I can’t die here. I won’t.
Cenric’s strained voice rose behind them. “We’re about to have company, Koal!”
Everyone stopped moving, and a moment later, Koal pushed past, sword already drawn as he made his way to the back of the line. “You all need to keep moving. Now!”
Joel bleated and reached for his father, but Hasain was already pulling on Joel’s arm again. He struggled against the vice-like grip. “Stop! Let me go! He can’t face them alone. He’ll die. Let me go!”
The shouts of the Imperial soldiers swelled to fill the cramped corridor as they rounded the corner. Joel froze in the midst of his fight to escape, staring in abject horror. There they were—too many soldiers to count—rushing toward the envoys, with their bronze armor and drawn longswords.
He struggled against the hold again and was surprised, when this time, he broke away. Behind him, Joel could feel Hasain pooling his magic once more, and a defiant streak of hope fluttered within Joel’s chest. NezReth had also turned to face the oncoming soldiers. The mage’s expression was set in a grim mask, and his power crackled dangerously around the tunnel.
Again, Koal waved for them to fall back. “I said keep going! Get the hell out of here!”
Nightfall: Book Two of the Chronicles of Arden Page 32