The soldiers didn’t have a key, or if they did, they didn’t use it. They checked the door, but it was locked and they must have assumed that Mansel and Zollin couldn’t have gotten into the armory. If they had thought about the fact that they had somehow escaped the guardhouse, they might have investigated the armory more thoroughly, but they didn’t.
“That was close,” Mansel whispered.
Zollin didn’t respond. He was working on the third rib and, although the pain was easing, the fatigue was growing. He needed food, but he had to stay focused on the job at hand. Thinking about food, or the soldiers that were looking for them, only made the job at hand more difficult.
It only took about five minutes for the soldiers to sweep through the fort. Mansel could hear them talking about the possibilities. They would be back soon, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were about to get caught. Suddenly a dim light illuminated the armory. Mansel turned and saw that Zollin had conjured up another small flame. His face was pale and damp with sweat, but he was moving without pain.
“You okay now?” Mansel asked.
“Yes, just incredibly tired and hungry.”
“How can you think of food at a time like this?” Mansel joked. “I can see wanting a horn of ale, but food?”
“Let’s just get out of here.”
“I’m with you. What’s the plan?”
“We walk out.”
“That’s it? Just walk right out?”
“Yes,” Zollin said. “And the quicker, the better.”
Chapter 30
Once Mansel had recovered his sword, they swung open the armory door. The soldiers began shouting and running toward them. Zollin didn’t wait, but sent bursts of energy from his staff that stunned the soldiers. The bursts knocked them off their feet and left most of them unconscious. There were over a hundred men, but Zollin subdued them all in a matter of minutes, just from the door of the armory. At one point someone shot an arrow at him, but he deflected it easily enough. The heat of the magic inside of him was so intense it felt like he was reaching into a hot oven with his whole body. He remembered the way the wizard Cassis from the Torr had died. Zollin hadn’t killed him; he’d died because he couldn’t sustain the magic he was using. It was the first time Zollin had really understood his own limits. He didn’t feel that he was in danger of overdoing anything at the moment, but he could see that there was a line that he could not cross; his physical body just couldn’t survive it.
They walked toward the gate and were confronted by the soldiers assigned to guard it.
“Watch him, he’s some kind of a sorcerer,” said one of the men.
“He’s a wizard, actually,” Mansel said in a superior tone.
“You’re both under arrest,” said another of the soldiers. “Throw down your weapons, and you won’t be hurt.”
“That’s good advice,” Zollin said. “We are leaving this fort and this town. Stand aside, and we won’t hurt anyone.”
“You lay your weapons down,” shouted the first soldier.
Zollin didn’t wait, he sent a burst of energy that shook the soldier violently for a moment before he fell to the ground unconscious.
“Now move away from the gate!” Mansel shouted.
The soldiers scrambled away.
“None of your men are dead, just stunned,” Zollin explained. “The only exception was your centurion. I killed him in self defense, but ultimately it was his cruelty that killed him.”
The soldiers didn’t respond, so Mansel opened the smaller gate door. Just as dawn was breaking over the horizon, they stepped out into the street. Jax was waiting just where Zollin had told him to. The boy looked tired, but he was awake and alert. He met them in the road and he wasn’t alone.
“Who’s this?” Mansel asked.
“I’m Miriam. Jax and I are coming with you.”
“Oh no you’re not,” Zollin said.
“Yes, we are. Neither of you looks strong enough to ride very long, and I can stand watch while you rest. Once you’ve done that, we’ll discuss what we do next.”
Zollin was too tired to argue. They had loaded Lilly with the new provisions. Miriam had a horse for herself and Jax to ride, so Zollin climbed into his own saddle. Mansel looked confused, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he mounted his own horse, carefully cradling his broken hand, and followed Zollin.
* * *
Kelvich wandered through the obliterated camp. There were smoldering tents and patches of burning grass. And bodies, most were burned beyond recognition. The stench was overwhelming. Kelvich gagged as he searched for Quinn. He had no idea how many of the soldiers had survived, and none had yet returned to camp.
“Quinn!” the old sorcerer called out. “Quinn, are you here?”
The only sound was the crackle of the fires. Some men had been wounded by the dragon attack, but they were all silent now. Kelvich had heard them crying out in pain when he was hidden in the grove of trees, but now they were all gone, either deeply in shock or dead.
The ruined camp was hard to accept. Tears filled Kelvich’s eyes as he wandered through the remains. He had never understood such wanton destruction. He was angry and afraid at the same time. The dragon could return, he thought, and roast him just as easily as it had the soldiers.
Then he heard hoof beats. Horses were approaching, and he turned and waved his hands.
“Here, over here!” he called out.
There were several riders, but Kelvich only cared about one. The lead rider was unmistakable. He had no armor and his compact build seemed even smaller on top of the horse, but it was obviously Quinn.
“Kelvich!” he called out as he approached. “Has the beast returned?”
“No,” Kelvich answered. “Are you alright?”
“Fine, thanks. Has anyone else returned yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Any survivors?”
“None that I’ve found,” Kelvich said sadly.
“Well, that’s unfortunate, but we must turn our attention to the living. Let’s see what condition the supply train is in.”
He swung down from his horse and limped along beside his friend. He realized then that he and the old sorcerer had truly become friends. He was more than Zollin’s mentor, he was Quinn’s friend, a brother who had rescued him from mortal danger and helped him survive the terrible flight through Telford’s Pass. Quinn had seen his share of fighting and death, but he realized that Kelvich had not. The older man was wise, but the horrors of the dragon attack were almost too much for him. He felt sorry for the older man.
“What did you see?” Quinn asked gently.
“I saw you acting like a fool,” he said. “What in the world possessed you to go riding into that camp?”
“I don’t know,” Quinn said. “When I was in the army, I was content to take orders, but having a child and raising that child on my own changed me. I can’t just sit back and watch people destroy themselves.”
“All I could think of was what I was going to tell Zollin about how you died.”
“I doubt he would care overmuch,” Quinn said sadly. “He feels that I have treated him unfairly.”
“The young man I know cares for you deeply,” Kelvich assured Quinn.
“Thank you, but he told me how he really felt before he left the valley. He feels that I pushed him to be something he’s not, and I can’t say that he’s wrong. After his mother died, all I wanted was for him to be safe and to have the life that I didn’t have. To be honest, I never even considered remarrying. Perhaps I should have, if only for Zollin’s sake.”
“I can’t speak to what should or shouldn’t have been,” Kelvich said, appreciative for something to talk about besides the carnage of the army camp they were walking through. “What I do know is that Zollin is a strong, bright, and honorable young man. Perhaps his path to becoming that man was difficult. I can’t imagine growing up without a mother, but you did something right. He has power, but he is as humble as anyon
e I’ve ever met. He could have anything he wants and do whatever he wants, yet he never takes advantage of his power or the people around him. You have a lot to be proud of.”
“Oh, I’m proud of him, more than he will ever know. I just hope I haven’t pushed him so hard that I’ve destroyed any hope of having a relationship with him as a man.”
“I doubt that,” Kelvich said. “He is quick to forgive.”
“Others, but family wounds often linger and fester. I can only hope that you are right.”
They found the supply wagons. Most were destroyed, but there were a few that had little or no damage. They set about moving the good wagons away from the others. The camp had now become a graveyard. Other troops were starting to return, each man searching the bodies, looking for friends they hoped not to find. Some had begun digging graves, while others stood watch with longbows and crossbows. As light began to fill the eastern sky, the remaining legionaries finally filtered back to camp. There were several senior officers, but the knights were all dead. Quinn spoke to the men who would now be left with the responsibility of leading their troops.
“You can do what you want,” Quinn said. “You’ve got your orders, but I don’t think marching out into the open is the best way to defeat a dragon. I am going to Orrock with all haste. You can follow me, perhaps send one or two men with Kelvich and I to report to the King. He must know what he’s up against.”
The soldiers looked at one another, uncertain what to do. They were line officers, charged with training and leading their squads and regiments into battle, but strategy was always someone else’s decision.
“Perhaps we should take our troops back to Felson,” said one of the officers. “We can send a few men with you and wait for orders at our base.”
“That sounds like good sense,” Quinn said. “You might also send riders to warn the villages. Let them know the threat is real. They can either accompany your troops back to Felson or try paying the tribute.”
“Do you really think a dragon cares about gold?” someone asked.
“I have no idea,” Quinn said. “It doesn’t make much sense, does it? But if it means the difference between my village and home being destroyed or not, I say it’s worth a shot.”
The officers took half an hour composing a message for the King, then sent two riders with Quinn and Kelvich. They also allowed Quinn to borrow two horses for himself and Kelvich, with the promise that they would allow the soldiers riding with them to Orrock to return with the horses once they had delivered their message to the king.
“Well,” said Kelvich, “I had no idea we’d have a military escort into the capital.”
Quinn smiled grimly. “Let’s just hope we get there before Zollin and Mansel tear the castle down.”
* * *
When she woke up, it took her a moment to remember where she was. It had been so long since she had slept in a proper bed that she thought at first that she was back in her father’s house. Then the realization hit her that she was a captive, locked in the royal castle at Orrock. It seemed impossible. She thought of all the times she had dreamed of being a princess as a child. She had imagined being whisked away by a handsome prince in shining armor to a grand life in the royal castle. Instead, she had been kidnapped by an arrogant and evil wizard, sailing down the coast in a boat full of foreigners who looked more like pirates than merchant sailors. Now she was being held captive in the very place she had once dreamed of living, only now her dreams were different. Her dream now was of exploring the Five Kingdoms with Zollin.
She held on tightly to the memory of the man she loved. He was coming for her and Branock was afraid. That thought gave her strength and the resolve to do whatever it took to escape the evil wizard’s clutches. Her first challenge was to find out as much as she possibly could about the castle and how things worked. Branock had promised her servants to provide for her every need, and he had even given her an idea of how she could spend time alone with those servants.
She rose shortly after dawn and went to the door of her room. It was locked, although she couldn’t understand why anyone would put a lock on the outside of a door. Still, she was forced to knock on the door. It was several minutes before her captor answered her insistent plea.
“What do you want?” he asked as he opened the door wide.
“May I have a bath?” she asked.
“Yes, you could use one, eh? Well, I’ll have someone bring you up some water and fresh clothes, too. It won’t do to have our prize looking tarnished. Stay here and I’ll see that you have all that you need.”
“Alright,” Brianna said, feigning obedience.
He closed the door, and although she didn’t hear a lock, she was sure that he had secured the door somehow. She waited and before long a servant arrived with a tray of food. She hadn’t eaten much on the voyage south. She had overcome sea sickness, but the constant motion of the ship had left her without much of an appetite. Now she recognized the need to eat and regain as much strength as possible. The servant had brought boiled eggs, toasted bread, fruit, and a small bowl of porridge sweetened with honey. There was also a small decanter of apple cider and a crystal goblet to drink it from. She ate everything and afterward her stomach was beyond full, but she felt good.
Soon more servants arrived. The first ones, there were four altogether, carried a large porcelain tub. Then came more servants with large, clay pots full of steaming water. They poured the pots of water into the tub until it was brimming with hot water. Brianna stripped down and climbed into the water, which felt heavenly. With a full stomach and the warm soaking bath, she was soon dozing. Another servant arrived with soap and brushes. She was a small woman, older than Brianna’s mother, and she wore a long dress that was very utilitarian. She smiled as she offered to scrub Brianna.
“If my lady would like, I’ll wash,” she offered.
It was exactly what Brianna had been hoping for. She was perfectly capable of taking a bath without any assistance, but she was hoping for some time to talk to one of the servants. She needed information, and she was betting the serving folk had answers and would be more inclined to share them.
“I would like that very much,” Brianna said. “What’s your name?”
“They call me Edina, my lady,” she said.
“That’s a beautiful name.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m Brianna.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The bath was efficiently given without too much idle chit-chat. Once the scrubbing was over and Edina was helping her dry off, Brianna asked the question that was on her mind.
“Can you tell me about the King?”
“King Felix is very sick,” Edina said simply. “It will be his time to pass over soon.”
“How long have you served the royal family?”
“All my life, my lady.”
“Oh, you must know so much about castle life. How do you ever get used to it all?”
“It’s not as difficult as you might think. Life in a castle is just like life anywhere else, only the lord has a little more influence and a lot more worry.”
“With the King so ill, who is in charge of the kingdom?”
“The Prince has taken up his father’s duties,” she said, but there was a hint of disapproval in her tone.
“Prince Wilam?” Brianna asked.
“No, the First Prince is the diplomat in Osla,” Edina said. “Prince Simmeron has taken control of the castle, and if the King does not improve, he’ll find a way to become King.”
“But what about his brother?”
“Being a member of the royal family is a dangerous proposition,” Edina said in a matter-of-fact tone. “If you’re going to survive around here, you’ll need to keep your guard up.”
Brianna considered that fact as Edina helped her into a long, flowing, blue dress. She didn’t want to survive, she wanted to escape the castle and get out of the city as quickly as possible.
“So, you’re with
the wizard?” Edina asked.
“I’m bait,” Brianna explained. “Branock is using me to lure my friend here so that he can convince him to join forces with Branock.”
“Hum,” Edina said as she pondered this new information. “What will happen when this friend shows up?” she asked, emphasizing the word friend.
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