by Rachel James
He waited for her to lessen her hold, and he spun to the left, knocking her off balance. Seizing his opportunity, he jumped to his feet and picked up his weapon and in one swift movement held it to her neck.
Calipher clapped. “Nicely done. Alys, I think you have met your match.”
Niall wiped the beads of sweat forming along his brow. Not what he usually did before breakfast.
He was thankful the sparring session had finished, but before he could close-in on Alys, Calipher had him cornered, and Alys disappeared.
“Niall, a moment, if you please.”
Calipher walked alongside him, his hands within his bell sleeves. “How goes your quest?”
“We have found two pieces of armour, as I’m sure Alys has already told you. When you spoke to us before, you did not mention this.”
“I told you all I knew. Aloedia did not reveal her entire plan to me, I presume you’ve come across more guardians like me?”
“Aye, one.”
“His name?”
Niall frowned. “Turi. Why is it of such import to you?”
“I am merely trying to piece things together, just as you are. We are running out of time. If Alys does not find the sword soon, we may need to come up with a different plan.”
“What kind?”
“A compromise, I suspect. Still, do not think about it. Focus on your mission. Do you envisage finding whatever it is you’re looking for here?”
Niall hesitated, “Anything is possible.”
“We should start in the chapel,” said Alys, as she and Niall walked through the courtyard. “Cabal is already searching the scroll chamber.”
They headed for the ancient church building. Gold cherubim adorned the entrance, granite flooring, imported from across the sea, filled the area. Alys meandered along, admiring the beautiful artwork on the stone walls. Tapestries depicting scriptural stories hung elegantly at the front, and a dais stood with an altar.
She ran a finger along the Rivalyn emblem, and studied the image above it, retelling the story of Moses and the plagues of Egypt. One depicted a battle scene, but no words to accompany the mural. She moved on to pictures of the crucifixion and resurrection.
“We never found any shoes. Do you think we have missed something important, that would lead us to the next piece of armour?”
Niall quirked his lip. “I do not think so. We shouldn’t assume there will be a piece of armour waiting for us at every turn.”
She sighed and glanced at the cushion by the altar, and her eyes landed on a floor marking, slightly covered by fabric. Excitedly she peeled it back. The royal seal again, and an imprint of a circle. She tugged at the chain around her neck and pulled out the medallion which she used to gain access to the palace tunnel. She placed the end in the hole, and turned, grimacing at the stiffness and noise that accompanied. Had it been that long since its last use?
One of the stone panels lowered, revealing steps downward.
“What is that medallion you carry around your neck? And how is it possible to unlock this hatch along with the one at Ryvilla?”
She shrugged. “My father gave it to me so that I could train with Calipher and access the mountain hideout. I knew there were other doors to which it opened… I’d just never found them. Until now.”
Taking a deep breath, they went down to investigate.
The passageway was unlit, and she let out a yelp as her face brushed passed a cobweb. “Sorry, I didn’t expect that.”
Niall grabbed her hand, and led the way, holding up his torch as their only source of light. The pathway went downwards, and the air was stale and the walls slippery. “This doesn’t make sense. Why would we be guided up the mountain, only to come down again?”
Niall waved the torch around. “I think we’re going down the other side. I wonder if this will lead out to the valley.”
The passage came to an abrupt stop, and a small entryway led them into a tiny chamber, with a pedestal standing in the centre. Alys’s heart beat faster. “The shield must be here.”
They moved to the pedestal, and Niall traced his hands upon the engravings. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; And it shall remove; and naught shall be impossible unto you.” Niall stroked the top of the pedestal, a layer of dust covering his hand.
“Another Scripture?”
He nodded. “From the gospel of Matthew.”
“But what does it mean?”
“That if we have faith, even the tiniest amount, we can move this mountain.”
Alys laughed. “Of course it does.” She moved around the room. “We are at a dead end. Clearly, something was once here, but now it’s gone.”
Niall lifted the torch higher and examined the ground. “There are no other footprints. See? These are yours, and mine, but no one else has been down here for...goodness knows. We must have faith. After all, isn’t faith the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen?”
Niall was right. She was thinking about things far too literally. She closed her eyes. God help them. What were they missing? “Wait, can you hear that?”
Niall cocked his head to one side. “Sounds like a waterfall.”
Alys moved toward the sound. “There must be another way out.” She patted the walls for some kind of lever.
“Here, let me help.” Niall placed his torch on the pedestal to free his hands, and the wall lit-up. An image of a dove stared at them. Alys gasped. “Niall, ’tis the same symbol as on my breastplate.” She touched the emblem, and something gave way. Suddenly the floor tilted, and the wall shifted. With no time to fathom what was going on, they were flung downwards, the sound of water growing louder. Niall grabbed her hand as they plummeted down the dark passageway.
Oh, for heaven’s sake, here they go again.
Niall gripped Alys tighter as they landed in a pool of hot water, and the stench of rotten eggs ascended his nostrils.
“Where are we?” Alys shouted above the torrential noise.
He swam frantically about, the darkness overwhelming his senses. “I do not know; I can’t see a thing. Reach out your hand.” After a few attempts, he finally grabbed hold of Alys.
“The water’s rising,” panicked Alys.
He fumbled around the chamber searching for an exit route. “I can’t find a way out.”
Alys started to laugh. “You and water don’t mix, do you?”
If he had time to get annoyed with her, he would have. “Can you blame me? I’ve not had a good relationship with it in the past. Tends to throw me into situations beyond my control. Besides, I’d be a lot calmer if I could just see something...”
Alys leaned back and gazed up at the ceiling. “There is a little light...the smallest crack, but...”
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting.”
“For what?”
“For the water to rise enough to get out of here.”
“And what makes you think it will?”
“Just trying to exercise a little faith.”
He had to laugh with her, either that or break down. “All right, I’ll give you that one. What have we got to lose?” He sat back in the water, so he was neck-deep, allowing the rising water to carry him.
The water moved up fast. He grabbed hold of a ridge on the lower ceiling as they rose above it. “Grab the walls as we go up. We might climb the rest of the way.”
“Good idea.” Alys gripped one part, but her hand slipped away, and he caught her before she went underwater.
“I got you. Try again.”
She took a deep breath, and this time clasped the side. “My hands are so wet I can barely grip anything.”
He reached up to the ledge and pulled up his body. He lunged his foot hard into the wall. One more stretch and his hand grasped the top.
“There’s some kind of hatch...” The door was heavy, but when he pushed, it gave way a fraction. “Help me shift this.”
The intensity of daylight was welcoming, despite the blinding effect it momentarily had on his sight. He pulled himself up, the wind catching his breath. He rolled over and dangled his arms down to give Alys a hand up.
Alys whistled. “You were right, we’ve entered the valley, although, we have a fair way to go.”
Niall noticed Alys shivering, and, unable to offer her a cloak, he wrapped his arm around her instead. “We can’t go back now.” He glanced down at her attire. She had changed into a simple tunic, but still wore her armour. “I’m very glad you’ve got your breastplate with you.”
Her brow furrowed. “But we’ve left Cabal. What will he think?”
“He knew we were in the chapel. Hopefully, he didn’t follow us and risk getting trapped in that bizarre pool.”
“I wonder if he discovered anything.” She pulled her knees up to her chest. “We have failed in our mission to find the shield.” She grabbed her braid and squeezed out the excess water. “I don’t understand. Did we get this wrong? Did someone else take the shield before us? Mayhap there was no shield like there were no physical shoes.”
“That pedestal was there for a reason.” He scratched his head. “But it would not be large enough to carry a shield.”
Alys leaned back on her arms. “Then why was it there? Just to encourage our faith?”
“What did it say again...faith as a mustard seed...move mountains.” He turned to face her. “You have faith to get out...move mountains...” He stopped short and jerked his head back to the entrance. Surely not.
He scouted around, the cover that he shoved aside was certainly the right size and shape, mayhap not the colour, but...
Alys came to his aid, and both of them scoured the area. She pointed at the round metal, which had rolled away. She lunged forward, span round, grabbed the shield and turned her foot to stop herself from sliding off the mountain.
Niall exhaled in relief, this woman was more fearless than his sister, and he thought he had a job keeping her in check. Taking care with his steps, he joined Alys.
With trembling hands, she turned the contraption over, found the handle, and slipped her arm under. “Is it the shield? I expected the colour to match my armour. This is just black—naught special.”
Niall stepped forward. “May I?”
Alys handed the cover over to him. Taking the corner of his wet tunic, he began to rub the shield. Alys gasped as the dirt and grass residue disappeared and revealed a shiny silver surface.
Excitement showing in her eyes, she used her sleeves to wipe and reveal the familiar Rivalyn crest. The sapphire stones soon appeared. “We nearly lost this down the mountain!”
He nodded, at a loss for words they’d found the shield. “I confess, I was beginning to think someone had taken it.”
“I, as well.”
She sat down again and propped the shield on her knees. “There is another inscription look, around the edge.”
Niall traced his hands over the bottom part of the shield. “Wrestle not with flesh and blood.”
Alys curled her lip. “That’s it?”
Niall turned the shield round. “No, some symbols are here. A symbol for a valley and then a crown. And here, is another verse, from the Psalms... ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Your rod and staff they comfort me.’”
“The next piece of armour is the helmet. Do you think it could be my mother’s crown? And if so, where would that be?”
“I think we must go through the valley—it seems more than a coincidence that the shield mentions a valley, and we just happened to be in one. The question is, where are we going to, and what are we looking for?”
“What does wrestle not with flesh and blood refer to? I recognized it is from the Scriptures, but cannot place where.”
“I believe it is from Ephesians, ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’”
“Rulers… high places… If we travel through this valley, eventually we reach Castraholm.”
Niall jerked his head toward her. “Didn’t you say that is where your father is?”
Chapter Eleven
“We must find some change of clothes,” said Alys, as the damp woollen fabric irritated her skin.
Niall glanced down at her. “Aye, you’ll stand out in a crowd wearing all that shining armour.”
She rolled her eyes. “I was referring to our wet attire.”
He grinned and winked. “I know.”
They powered through the Baedu Valley in search of somewhere safe to rest.
“Have you been here before?” asked Niall.
Alys nodded. “Some time ago.” But things had changed since then.
“Are they friendlies or hostile?”
Alys shrugged, ashamed that she knew so little of her people. “Look, here is the village. There is a family here who will be able to help us.”
She kept close to Niall and strode over to the fletcher’s hut. Mary spotted her but froze, her face paling. Then, snapping out of her shock, she ushered them hastily inside. Mary duck her head out the doorway, peered around, then promptly closed it shut behind her. She placed a hand to her chest. “Gracious, my lady. You are the last person I expected to see. To be truthful, I thought you’d been...”
Alys frowned. “What’s happened?”
“You don’t know? Shieldoks of course. They’re everywhere. We can’t go here or there without their say so.”
Alys swallowed and sat down next to one of Mary’s three children. She ruffled the girl’s hair and turned on a brave smile. “Where is William?”
“He’s been summoned.”
“By whom?”
She raised her hands in the air. “Ryvilla, but who knows who’s in charge now.”
“Are the Shieldoks violent toward you?”
“Oh, the smithy tried to stand-up to them, and they killed him on the spot. Since then, no one dares challenge them.”
“And what of Castraholm? They offer you no support?”
She shook her head. “It is a relief you are alive and well,” her eyes narrowed, “although a little worse for wear, if I may be so bold.”
Niall glanced down. “We would appreciate some dry clothes, if you’d be so kind...”
“Aye, of course.” She sized up Niall. “You’re about my Will’s size.” She went over to the trunk, pulled out a tunic and hose and passed them to him. “You can change over there.”
Niall accepted them and went behind the semi-sheer drape of fabric used to section off the one-roomed hut. Alys could see his silhouette as he changed, and she spun round to face Mary, her face growing warm.
A small smile crept up on Mary’s face, accompanied by a questioning brow. Alys folded her arms and smiled back. There was no chance she was opening up to Mary on such matters. “Have you something to cover my armour?”
Mary’s gaze shot down to her breastplate, and her face wrinkled. “Where did you—?”
“’Tis a long story.”
The woman blew out a ragged breath and handed her a simple gown and a matching cloak. “The Shieldoks are at every exit and entry point. They’ll not let you through.”
Mary escorted her to the other side of the room behind another sheet of muslin and helped her remove her soiled dress. “Are you sure of what you’re doing? I fear something is amiss.”
“I’m not sure of anything anymore.”
“Nonsense.” Mary placed the breastplate back on her and then put her hand over it. “Trust this. You have your faith. Lord I pray for wisdom and discernment for you, child. You’ll surely need it in the coming days.”
Alys turned to look at her old nurse. “What is it, Mary? You sense something, don’t you?”
She patted Alys’s arm. “I’m mighty glad you wear that armou
r, ’tis all I can say. Be on your guard.”
Alys nodded her head toward Niall. “That’s why my protector is with me.”
Mary smiled and whispered in her ear, “Aye, I have a good feeling about that one,” and then a little louder she said, “I expect you’re hungry. You two rest-up a while, and I’ll get supper on.”
Alys sat on the floor adorned with bright red and purple colour fabrics. Niall collapsed beside her, freshly dressed in a leather tunic and hose. He quite took her breath away, looking so relaxed without his usual soldier’s uniform. She nodded in approval. “You’ll certainly blend in a good deal better now.” She pulled a face. “I don’t envy you wearing all that heavy armour.”
“Nor I with you, and that breastplate.”
She had to blink out of the trance she kept finding herself in with him. He was her guard for goodness sake, not a potential suitor. And yet, here they sat, so close, the intimacy was beyond anything she ever knew. She laughed inwardly. Only a few days ago, he would call her ‘my lady’. That seemed to have all gone.
“So, how do you know Mary?” Niall leaned back and stretched his long legs out in front of him, taking up the entire floor.
“She was my nurse, but then she married the fletcher, and I was too old to need a replacement.” She looked down and examined her fingernails.
“You must miss her.”
She looked across at him; He was very astute. “I do miss her frankness.”
Cabal walked silently along the cloisters and headed for Meredith’s chamber. As he neared her doorway, Ariana’s voice could be heard.
“They’ve disappeared, my lady.”
“Alys wouldn’t just leave without saying farewell to her mother. Something untoward has happened.”
Cabal stood outside the entrance and hesitated. Things did not add up. They had moved the Lady Meredith on the pretence of her health, but she seemed as fit as could be. And was Praefect Druce really at Castraholm?
He grimaced at his inner turmoil. His instinct was to go after Niall and Alys, after seeing the open hatch in the chapel, but he covered it up. Niall would take care of Alys’s safety, to that he had no doubt. But something was going on here, and his instinct convinced him to witness it. He peered through the crack in the door. Meredith was pacing the room in her nightgown.