Five Kingdoms: Books 01, 02 & 03

by Toby Neighbors

  “No one. The King must have forgotten to lock it.”

  “Don’t lie to me,” Branock said, enhancing his voice so the servants around the King’s bed shrank away. “Tell me who they were.”

  “It was the girl, Brianna, and some man with a sword and shield,” said one of the other servants.

  Branock didn’t wait; he simply whirled around and started after them. Prince Simmeron followed along with four of his guards. As they went down into the dark passageway, Branock kindled two flames that danced above his shoulders. In the darkness he looked like a demon, but Simmeron was more afraid of being left in the dark than staying close to the wizard, so he hurried to keep up.

  The physical exertion was taxing on Branock. The battle had been exhausting, but searching the castle, and now chasing the girl through the secret tunnel, was almost more than he could stand. He pushed himself, hurrying down the spiral stairs and running through the tunnel. Only Prince Simmeron seemed to be in worse shape than Branock. He had two of his guards helping him along. It was his fear of the dark that kept him moving.

  “Can’t we...stop?” he panted.

  “No,” Branock shouted. “We have to catch up to them.”

  * * *

  Mansel and Brianna had come through the long tunnel without problems, but they found themselves surrounded by soldiers when they came up into the dockside garrison.

  “Who are you?” demanded one of the guards.

  “Just servants,” Brianna said quickly.

  “Servants don’t carry swords,” the man said, eyeing Mansel suspiciously.

  “I’ve been ordered to protect her,” Mansel replied.

  “That’s interesting, I’ve never heard of a servant ordered to protect another servant. Why would she need it? And why are the two of you using the royal passageway?”

  “He’s not a servant, he’s a knight,” Brianna said. “The castle is under attack by a wizard. We were ordered to flee and I had been cleaning the tunnel so I went this way.”

  The soldiers all looked at each other. It was apparent that none of them were buying the story. Mansel realized they weren’t wearing armor, some didn’t even have their weapons close to hand. He decided that now was the best time to attack them, before they had a chance to prepare.

  He rushed forward, ignoring Brianna’s protest. He lowered his shield and slammed into the first two men. There were five soldiers in all, and the first two went down hard under Mansel’s charge. He swung the pommel of his sword at another and caught the man on the jaw, knocking him out cold. The two on the ground were scrambling to get back to their feet, and the other two were trying to get to their weapons.

  Mansel grabbed Brianna’s hand and ran for the door, but then two fully armed and armored soldiers blocked it. Mansel pushed Brianna into the corner and took up a position in front of her. He had enough room to swing his sword, but perhaps the soldiers wouldn’t. The two from the doorway came toward Mansel, their shields held at the ready. Behind them the other soldiers were forming up.

  “I don’t want to kill you,” Mansel said. “We are on the same side. We are Yelsians. Let us go and no one has to get hurt.”

  “Keller’s hurt already,” said one of the soldiers he had knocked down. “You broke his jaw.”

  “I’m sorry, please believe me. I’m only trying to protect the girl and get out of the city.”

  “You’re the wizard’s girl,” said one of the two soldiers facing Mansel. “You’ve been hiding in the royal passage this whole time?”

  “No,” Brianna said. “I’m just a servant.”

  The first soldier to Mansel’s right lunged, bringing his sword up to try and get under Mansel’s shield, but the warrior simply stepped aside and swung his own sword at the attacker’s arm. He was forced to raise his shield at the same time to ward off the other soldier’s attack, and his own strike had little power behind it. The blade hit the man’s forearm, just above the wrist, cutting down to the bone and causing the man to drop his sword. The other soldier used his shield to push Mansel back, but the warrior was ready for that. He planted his feet, and although the rough, wooden shield bruised his ribs, he pushed back, losing no ground. Instead, he swung his sword in a high arc that caused the soldier to duck.

  Just then Branock burst through the door behind the soldiers.

  “Stop!” he roared. “Do not harm them.”

  “Oh...my...angel...” Simeron panted. He was red faced and wheezing. “I’ve found...you...at last.”

  “Lower your weapons, Mansel, you’re coming with us.”

  “Never,” he said grimly.

  The thought went through his head that this was where he would die. He had never really thought much about death. Even when the soldiers were beating him in Felson, he hadn’t considered that he might die. Now, without Zollin to fight the wizard, he knew he didn’t stand a chance.

  Branock waved a hand and the sword Mansel was holding grew hot in his hand. He flung the weapon, but it stopped in midair and dropped harmlessly to the ground.

  “This is foolish, boy,” Branock said angrily. “I grow tired of your resistance. I only need the girl, so if you persist, I will kill you where you stand.”

  Mansel still had his shield, and he was about to raise it and charge the wizard, but Brianna put her hand on his shoulder.

  “Live to fight another day,” she whispered.

  He dropped the shield.

  “Take them,” he ordered the soldiers, who were only too happy to help.

  They were rough with Mansel, but he had expected that. They pushed him into the wall and checked for more weapons. He had none and didn’t resist. One brought out a set of manacles, much like the ones that Mansel had used on the guards that were holding him before.

  “No,” Branock said. “No chains. Tie their hands. Make sure the knots are tight.”

  The soldiers bound Mansel’s hands behind his back with a rough cord, tying it so tightly he could feel his hands going numb almost immediately.

  “Don’t touch her,” Simmeron shouted when one of the soldiers started toward Brianna. “That is...” he was still trying to catch his breath, “your future...Queen.”

  “She still needs to be bound,” Branock snapped. “Tie her hands gently,” he ordered.

  One of the soldiers went forward, and Brianna held out her hands. He wrapped the cord three times around her wrists and then tied it. Simmeron came forward and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

  “It’s only a display, my love. Soon we will be together, and no one will ever come between us again.”

  Brianna did not respond. It took all of her self control not to spit in the Prince’s face. They were led outside and brought immediately to the riverside gate to the city.

  “My lord,” one of the soldiers shouted down from the palisade. “There are strange occurrences in the city.”

  “Red lightening and green smoke,” shouted another soldier, the fear evident in his tone.

  “And strange sounds,” said the first.

  “It is nothing, a distraction,” Branock said. “Lock the gate behind us and see that none enter or leave until you have word from us.”

  “Aye, my lord,” the soldier responded.

  Branock marched his hostages through the city streets and back to the castle. Zollin saw them. He had taken refuge in a tall house, climbing up to the roof and concealing himself as he cast spells around the city that sent the populace fleeing, and the soldiers from the castle, thinking they were in pursuit of him, went running past his hiding spot. He had found wine and bread. He was eating and regaining his strength when he saw Branock leading a small party back into the castle. He saw Brianna and Mansel, both bound and held against their will. He ground his teeth in frustration and hurried back down to ground level.

  He knew this time that there could be no retreat. He raised a shield around him as he walked. There were still a few guards left on the castle walls. They had come down to open the gates and were only just
retaking their positions as Zollin neared the gate. They signaled to someone inside the castle walls, but didn’t try to harm him, even though they held their crossbows at the ready, bolts nocked and strings set.

  Zollin walked through and found that once again Mansel was on the castle steps, only this time Brianna was with him. Two of the Royal Guards held Brianna’s arms, and two more had knives at Mansel’s throat.

  “Zollin, this is your last chance,” Branock said.

  But Zollin ignored him. He reached out with his power and felt Branock reinforcing his defenses, but Zollin wasn’t trying to attack the other wizard. Instead he thrust back the soldiers holding Mansel. The two guardsmen, caught completely off guard, stumbled back and Zollin lifted his friend high into the air. The flames of Zollin’s power were raging now. The only safe place for his friend was under the gate, and that is where Zollin sat him, even as Branock blasted Zollin with a river of flame.

  The blow felt like being kicked by a horse. Zollin’s defense held, but he was sent stumbling, and Mansel dropped the last few feet all at once. Then Zollin turned and sent his own blast of sizzling energy straight into Branock’s flame. The sight was dazzling. The flames billowed as Zollin’s energy snapped and popped, shaking the ground and castle walls with the thunder they created. Zollin felt the magic inside of him growing hotter and hotter, but his strength did not falter. He was steadily pushing the older wizard back now. The heat from the exchange was blistering, and the cobblestones beneath it were blackened from the exchange.

  “Shoot,” Branock shouted to the archers, but his voice did not carry above the crackle of Zollin’s attack. He felt his heart fluttering and knew he couldn’t keep up the attack much longer. He had only one trick left. He used the last of his energy to create a strong cocoon around himself and then broke off his attack. Zollin’s energy slammed into the older wizard and sent him flying across the courtyard.

  Zollin knew that the older wizard wasn’t dead, but he also knew that there was no more fight left in Branock. His own magic was welling up, threatening to engulf him like an erupting volcano that tears the mountain apart.

  He tamped it all down and looked up at Brianna. Her eyes were bright with pride and excitement. Zollin wanted to run to her, but the Royal Guards still held her and Simmeron was coming down the steps toward him.

  “You shall be my new wizard,” he proclaimed.

  “I belong to no man,” Zollin said, his voice tight as he controlled the urge to hurl the silly Prince into the wall, crushing every bone in his body.

  “I am your King,” he said.

  “No,” Brianna shouted. “Felix is still King. Zollin you can save him. You can heal him.”

  “No, that’s impossible,” Simmeron said, suddenly nervous.

  Zollin addressed the Royal Guards; all four were around Brianna now. “Release my friends, and I will do all I can for the King.”

  “No, I forbid it. It’s a trick,” Simmeron shouted. “He’ll kill the King. Don’t listen to him.”

  “He’s telling the truth,” Brianna said. “I swear it. He won’t hurt anyone, I promise.”

  “Come with us,” said one of the guards. “If you do no harm, I’ll release the girl.”

  Zollin nodded and started across the courtyard, but Simmeron came running at him. He was screaming incoherently. Zollin lifted the prince high into the air, causing him to squeal in a high pitched warble that reminded Zollin of a pig. He set the prince on the castle wall and then went inside the castle.

  The guards surrounded Zollin, weapons raised menacingly, but he did not resist. One guard led Brianna and the others followed Zollin, who was still limping from the unhealed wound in his leg. They went up to the King’s chamber, where the servants were still huddled around the sickbed.

  “Is this your friend?” Edina asked Brianna.

  “Yes, this is Zollin,” she replied.

  “Can you help him?” the petite servant asked.

  “I am going to try, but I need food and drink.”

  Edina and two other women hurried from the room. Brianna brought over a padded stool and Zollin slumped down on it. He hadn’t realized just how tired he was or how much his leg was hurting. He reached out with is mind, probing the King’s body for an indication of what was making him sick. There were foreign particles in his blood. They were attacking his major organs and there was internal bleeding. The liver was overwhelmed, trying to filter the blood and falling further and further behind in the effort.

  “He’s very sick,” Zollin said at last. “He’s been poisoned.”

  “That’s impossible,” said a tall, skeletal looking man. “I’m his physician, and I oversee every part of his treatment. Who do you think you are, some sort of witch doctor?”

  “He’s a wizard,” Brianna said proudly.

  “You’re his doctor?” Zollin asked. “What are you treating him with?”

  The man’s eyes shifted nervously. “It’s a mixture of healing herbs and medicines. It’s all very technical.”

  “I’m sure,” Zollin said. He turned to the guards. “This is going to take a while, but you’ll see immediate results once I’m through. I wouldn’t let that man leave,” Zollin added, indicating the physician.

  “What are you waiting for?” asked one of the guards.

  “I need to eat first. Once I start, I won’t be able to do anything else until I’m finished.”

  It was several more minutes before Edina returned. She had bread, cheese, roasted beef that was still quite rare, and some stewed vegetables. The other women had a large bottle of wine, and the third had cups. Zollin ate quickly, oblivious to the half-cooked nature of the food. He drank one cup of wine and then, as he felt his strength returning, he turned his attention to the King.

  His first goal was to invigorate the liver; it needed oxygen and help sifting the King’s blood. Then he began attacking the poison itself. He couldn’t remove it as he had the poison from his own body at Brighton’s Gate. He needed to transmute it, which wasn’t difficult, just tedious. There were thousands of tiny bits of the poison spread through the King’s body. Hours passed as Zollin worked. He could feel the liver functioning as it should again, but the damage to the other organs still needed to be repaired. He sent healing energy into the organs, prompting them to heal and speeding the process.

  By the time he finished, it was late into the night. Once he pulled his magic back and opened his eyes, his head was swimming. Brianna pushed another cup of wine into his hand. He had been hunched over the King’s bed for hours, and his back popped loudly in the quiet room as he stretched.

  “Is he healed?” Edina asked.

  “Yes,” Zollin said. “There may still be some traces of the poison in his blood, but his liver will clean it.

  “You mean he’s going to live?” she asked one more time, not quite willing to believe what she was hearing.

  “Yes,” Zollin said.

  He reached out and shook the King’s leg. The Royal Guardsmen moved to stop him, but the King’s eyes fluttered open.

  “Hungry,” he said, though his voice was barely a rasp.

  The castle servants went to work immediately. They propped the King up in bed. He was still very weak. They brought broth and wine. He ate and his color returned. Zollin moved across the room and tested the physician’s medicines. They were all laced with poison, and the Royal Guards took the man to the dungeons.

  It was the first time that Zollin had been able to focus on Brianna. She looked radiant, he thought. Her dark hair was tied back into a complicated braid that accentuated her facial features and long neck. Her brown eyes stared deeply into his.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Yes, if you are.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, “now that you’re here.”

  Chapter 40

  Zollin fell asleep almost as soon as he was done healing his own leg. Brianna stayed with him in the King’s chamber, as did most of the servants and members of the Royal Gu
ard. The city had been assured that all was safe and had come back into their homes. Orders had been sent to the King’s army and to the Royal Guards who had been sent to find Zollin during the battle. They had all returned to the castle. Prince Simmeron had locked himself in his suite of rooms, and Mansel had chosen to remain at the inn nearby, where a certain serving girl made sure that he was comfortable.

  When Zollin woke up it was early, the sun was just beginning to rise. He felt better, hungry, but well rested. Brianna was curled on the large fainting couch beside him. He lay there, luxuriating in just being near her.