Heartstone (Eligium Series Book 5)

by Jake Allen Coleman

  He whistled through his teeth, "That's not all you are, is it? You are Krystelle Mora, also the daughter of Queen Camryn, aren't you?" So much for the hope he would not recognize her name. Who was this smuggler who had his finger on the pulse of the kingdom? She nodded and he clapped his hands, "I knew it!"

  "Fine now that you know who I am, will you return the gesture?" He raised one eyebrow, shaking his head. "I thought not. No matter how much you are paying the guard, eventually the Krenon will come here. It is too obvious a place to hide. You need to get me out of this ruin and away from Aldmoor as quickly as possible."

  "I think not, Princess."

  "It was not a request, and do not call me that."

  "Fine. Krystelle then, or do you still prefer Karla? Either way, leaving now would be a mistake. The Krenon will have cordoned off the town. We leave now and they'll find you for certain."

  Krystelle admitted to herself his reasoning made sense. Not that she would tell him that. The man was far too sure of himself. "None of that changes what I said. The Krenon will come here sooner or later and it will be better if I am long gone before that happens. What other alternative is there?"

  "You hide. There are places within this fortress they'd never think to look. Trust me on that, I have a lot of experience in this sort of thing."

  "That is your plan? You are going to smuggle me?"

  He smiled a wide grin, "That's what I do, princess."

  Chapter Nineteen

  More than two hours had passed since Jeffry deposited Krystelle in the cistern to wait while he went into the city on a mission to spy out the progress of the Krenon search. Sealed against water, the old cistern served the smugglers as a place to hide their goods. As the minutes ticked by, Krystelle grew more uneasy. A feeling the stale odor of mold and old mushrooms accentuated. It should not have taken him this long to return.

  She paced beneath the arching roof, pondering her next move. Avoiding the pool of stale water at the far end, she had to duck as the arching roof came down to the walls. The red bricks making up the ceiling reminded her of the color of Krenon robes. An ill omen in the dim light of the single torch filling the chamber with the smell of burning pitch.

  Pondering her next move, she settled in against one wall. That the Krenon found her in Aldmoor with so little effort stretched coincidence to the breaking point. Yet find her they had. She needed to do something even more unexpected. That meant her plan to return to the Dazhberg would have to be abandoned. She toyed with the idea of booking passage to Cale Uriasz, but a feeling in her gut told her that would be a mistake.

  No, she needed to find the journal and get it to Sebastian at Daguranso. The message Zefran brought told her that he was the key to fixing whatever was happening with the Ban. Memories of the attack in the palace the night she had fled haunted her. Furniture coming alive and trying to kill her! On the road to Aldmoor she had heard rumors and stories of worse. Bad as the Krenon occupation was, the release of wild magic could be catastrophic.

  Voices outside the cistern startled her awake. The torch had all but burned out, telling her she had slept for some time. Bolting to her feet, she pulled Gabirel's Sword from its sheathe. Fearing the Krenon had discovered her hiding place she retreated into the shadows.

  Across the chamber, the door rattled and scraped open. Torchlight poured in from the passageway outside, but the voices had gone silent. She tightened her grip on the sword, its comfortable weight providing reassurance. A dozen mercenaries poured through the door with a pair of Krenon Brothers in their red robes on their heels. Jeffry came through last of all.

  The mercenaries spread out through the cistern, flanking her on all sides as one of the Krenon stalked towards her. Arms stretched out to either side, he locked eyes with her, "Krystelle Mora, it is good we have finally found you. You should not have left the palace. Your mother is most worried about you."

  "Let's not pretend my mother is anything other than your prisoner," she spat.

  The smile on the Krenon's face melted and he lowered his arms. "No pretense, then. I can appreciate that. You may as well set down that sword. We are too many for you to fight."

  Krystelle considered the odds. Two Krenon, a dozen mercs, and no doubt more of each between her and freedom. Jeffry had led them right to her and her chances of fighting her way out were slim. Ignoring the Krenon for a moment, she locked her gaze on the smuggler. "You bastard."

  Flinching, he held up his hands. "What would you have me do? I suffered Gerlach Pwyll for you and I have no intention of repeating the experience." His face hardened, "I am a businessman and have no quarrel with the Krenon. Besides, they made turning you over to them quite lucrative."

  Krystelle shook her head, straining to keep the disappointment she felt from showing. She barely knew the man, yet the betrayal felt like he had plunged a dagger straight into her heart. She turned her focus back to the Krenon. "If I set down this sword, what's to say you will not just kill me?"

  The Krenon laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. "Oh, have no fear of that. You are worth far more to us alive than dead. Your mother has been quite reluctant to abdicate in favor of Tanjia. Possession of the Sword will help legitimize her claim, but a proclamation from the Queen will mean so much more. Your presence should help convince her."

  "So, I am to be a hostage then. You may be disappointed in the result. Her maternal instinct is not well developed. I doubt a threat to me will move her."

  "That would be most unfortunate…for you. Enough stalling. Put the sword down." He gestured to the mercenaries, who moved in with their weapons ready. With twelve, she would be overwhelmed. She might be able to kill four or five of them before they disarmed her, but she held no illusions. She would lose the battle and stood a good chance of serious injury. The sword-master general had been very clear about this kind of scenario. Better to live and fight another day.

  Straightening out of her fighting stance, Krystelle flipped the sword up, extending the hilt to the Krenon Brother. He took the sword as three of the mercenaries closed in, binding her hands. She glared at Jeffry, "I hope it was worth it."

  He stared at her for a long moment, his face unreadable, and then turned to the Krenon. "What about our agreement? The sword was to remain with me."

  The Krenon arched an eyebrow under his bald head. "I'm afraid our agreement will have to be amended. The Sword is far too valuable, and dangerous, to leave with the likes of you. No, it possesses magical properties and must be kept safe. This should more than compensate you." Pulling a pouch from beneath his robes, he tossed it to Jeffry, who snagged it out of the air, the sound of coins jangled from inside. He didn't bother to look inside, but opened his mouth in protest. The Krenon held up a hand, "I suggest you let it go, for your own health and the safety of your compatriots upstairs. A word from me and these mercenaries will cut down each and every one."

  Striding out, the Krenon waved a hand and the mercenaries pushed Krystelle to start her walking. She followed the two Krenon out of the room, mercenaries surrounding her. Glaring at Jeffry as she passed, she spat at his feet. He looked down at the spittle on his foot and then back up at Krystelle, winking at her as the mercenaries led her from the cistern.

  Chapter Twenty

  A few hours after her capture at the hands of the Krenon, Krystelle found herself tied to the back of a horse and riding south through the night back in the direction of Naevean. Jeffry Cavan's betrayal still stung her heart. She had thought better of him and had not believed he would give her over to the Krenon so willingly. She cursed herself for being so trusting.

  Neither the mercenaries guarding her nor their Krenon masters said a single word to her as they traveled. She spent the first two hours studying her captors and feeling out the bonds that held her hands fast. They knew what they were doing she decided grudgingly. There was no chance she would work the knots loose and there were always at least two guards watching her closely. Her only hope of escape would be after they stopped and made ca
mp for the night.

  As the miles drudged past, the monotony of fleeting trees in the dim moonlight lulled her senses. She had long since resigned herself to the fact that they intended to ride through the night. At this rate they would be to Naevean in a fraction of the time it took her to reach Aldmoor. Bone tired, she struggled to keep her eyes open. Not that there was any chance of falling from the saddle, they had tied her on too tight.

  Her eyes snapped open. They were in the deepest part of the forest and she caught a glimpse of the moon at least a hand higher in the sky. She did not know how long she slept, nor what caused her to awaken. Craning her head to look around, she saw the Krenon leader raise a hand, bringing the little caravan to a halt. A burly, well-armed fellow rode to the front of the line to consult with the Krenon. Krystelle assumed he must be the mercenary captain.

  After a few quick words, the captain waived a hand and his men moved smoothly into a defensive formation. Krystelle’s guards grabbed her horse's lead and pulled her along toward the Krenon and their captain. No sooner had they reached the front of the line when an arrow flew down from the sky, embedding itself in the flank of the Krenon leader's horse.

  Rearing up, the horse threw its rider and galloped off into the forest. "Find that bowman!" roared the mercenary captain as a second arrow thumped into the ground next to his side-stepping horse. A third and then a fourth arrow dropped in, grazing another horse and impaling one of the mercenaries. As he fell to the ground, screaming, one of his compatriots shouted, "There! In the forest. I see movement to the west."

  As one, the mercenaries wheeled in the indicated direction, determined to put a stop to the arrows. Only moments had passed since the first arrow unhorsed the Krenon and he was just scrambling back to his feet. "Hold!" he ordered. "There could be more of them out there!"

  The mercenaries paused, but only for a moment as three more arrows slammed into their party, killing another horse and narrowly missing another. They charged into the dark forest and the Krenon grabbed the mercenary captain's saddle to prevent him riding off. "Stop your men! They are being drawn out."

  The captain looked after his charging men and cursed, "Damn if you're not right." He turned to the two guarding Krystelle, "Take the prisoner and these Brothers and make a break for it, we'll be right behind. Don't stop for anything." Nodding, one of the guards pulled the Krenon leader up behind him in the saddle and they rode off with Krystelle in tow.

  Behind her she could hear the sounds of men charging through the brush. Besides the occasional shout there was nothing to say they had found their prey. She wondered who would have been so bold as to attack so strong a party. They traveled at least a mile from the site of the attack when the lead guard pulled his horse up short.

  Peering around him, Krystelle saw a tree laying across the path. "We'll have to go 'round," grunted the guard. No sooner were the words out of his mouth when another tree behind them crashed to the ground, hemming them in between the two. "Release the girl and we'll let you live!" called a muffled voice from the darkness.

  The Krenon leader leaned close to whisper to the guard in the saddle in front of him, "They're bluffing." Krystelle could just make out what he said, "If they were enough to take her by force, they'd not bother with all this trickery. Watch for an opening and then ride on." He shifted on the horse, turning toward the forest and shouting, "Why should we believe you?"

  "Because you haven't any choice. Light 'em up!" A ring of torches flared in the darkness, surrounding the diminished group. "You...mercenary! Do you really want to die out here?"

  "Don't listen to him!" hissed the Krenon.

  The two mercenaries looked at each other for a long moment and then the first guard glanced back at the Krenon behind him, "Get off."

  "What?"

  "Get off the horse," he repeated.

  "What do you think you're doing? I order you to..."

  The mercenary interrupted him, "Only the Captain gives us orders and you're not him. Seein' how he's not here to say otherwise, you better get off this horse."

  Krystelle watched, her mouth gaping, as the Krenon leader clambered down from the horse. The other guard reached out with a dagger and sliced through the bonds holding her hands tied. He jerked his head and she grabbed the reigns, pointing the horse's nose toward the forest.

  "Good decision!" shouted the strange voice.

  The Krenon leader took two steps toward her, reaching out a hand to grab her saddle as she passed. He didn't get close before the mercenary brought a sword to his throat. Eyes wide, he glared at the guard, "How dare you!"

  "Oh, shut up," said the mercenary, reversing his sword and knocking him in the head with the hilt.

  Silent to this point, the other Krenon glared at the mercenary, "You'll regret that."

  Ignoring them, Krystelle made her way into the forest, allowing the horse to choose its own path. The last thing she needed would be to cripple the mount just as she was escaping. Within moments a pair of cloaked figures came up beside her.

  "Leave the horse," whispered the first. With nothing to do but trust these strangers, she climbed out of the saddle. After giving the horse a pat on its hindquarters to send it into the bush, her rescuer motioned for Krystelle to follow and the three of them made their way deeper into the forest.

  Whomever they were, they knew what they were doing. Neither of her rescuers made a sound as they moved through the dark woods and Krystelle was hard pressed to keep up. She felt clumsy compared to the grace with which they both moved. Once she opened her mouth to speak, and the one closest to her put a hand on her arm, shaking their head.

  They carried on that way for the better part of an hour, creeping through the forest and putting distance between themselves and Krystelle's erstwhile captors. Brushing up against them, Krystelle was pretty sure one was a man and the other a woman, but otherwise her rescuers' identity remained a mystery. Just when she thought she could not take it any longer, they emerged into a clearing where three horses waited. Walking over to the horse the man pulled his hood down, allowing Krystelle to get a look at him. Mystery solved.

  "Jeffry?" she gaped.

  He threw a glance over his shoulder, that smirk back on his face. "Surprised to see me?"

  "You had better explain what the hell is going on! Why betray me to the Krenon just to risk all this?"

  Bending down to un-hobble the horses, he gestured to his companion, "Ask your friend there. It was her idea."

  "My friend?" Krystelle turned to the other cloaked figure, who was letting down her own cloak. She stared, not believing her own eyes. "Daciana...but you're...dead," she said at last.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  "Not dead. Not yet at least," laughed Daciana Halle. "It's been a long time since I had to pull your bacon out of the fire." Black hair tied back in a tight braid, the woman looked tired and worn, and Krystelle wondered what had happened to her since that day she left the Dazhberg in pursuit of Gerlach Pwyll at the behest of the High Council.

  "You do know each other then," said Jeffry, rising from the last hobble and gesturing to the horses. "I was wondering about that when she approached me in Aldmoor. However, I suggest we continue this reunion on the move. Our little deception won't fool the Krenon for long. Quietly now, we don't want to help them any more than we already have."

  Krystelle was confused. What deception? And how had Daciana fallen in with Jeffry? Scrambling into her saddle, she tried to corral her thoughts. With Jeffry in the lead and Daciana trailing behind, the three riders made off into the dark forest. Watching him pick his way through the woods, it seemed to Krystelle he followed some path that only he could see. Turning left and then right without hesitation, they made good time.

  The half-moon was high up in the sky when Jeffry slackened his pace, allowing Krystelle and Daciana to draw up next to him. "We should be clear of them by now," he said in a low voice.

  Krystelle turned to Daciana, "You have some explaining to do. Start with how you got her
e?"

  Jeffry laughed, "How about showing some gratitude? We did just save you from the Krenon."

  She glared at the man, "I would not have needed saving if you had not turned me over to them first. Explanations. Now."

  Daciana shook her head and sighed, "You always were prickly. I've known..." she glanced back at their companion, one eyebrow raised, "...Jeffry for many years. Longer than I've known you, in fact. I heard the rumors of what happened in Naevean and came to Aldmoor looking for him."

  "She found me just as I was getting ready to come back to the keep."

  "And a good thing I did. His 'plan' was to wait them out. He'd paid the city watch again to keep them away. It wasn't going to work. As soon as the Krenon figured out the watch was keeping them from the keep, they would have pounced. I suggested..." Jeffry gave a snort and Daciana raised that eyebrow again. "As I was saying, I suggested an alternative plan."

  He took up the story as they led their horses down into a dry creek-bed, "Her..." he paused, "suggestion...was that I pretend to be an opportunist..." It was Krystelle's turn to snort. He ignored her, "and go to the Krenon offering to lead them to you. They would want to get you out of Aldmoor and back to Naevean as quickly as possible and we could set up an ambush ahead of them."

  "Ok," said Krystelle, "Obviously your plan worked. But what was the deception?"

  He smirked, "That was my idea. I wasn't going to risk any of my crew going up against the Krenon."

  "You mean you needed to protect your bottom line and they needed to receive a shipment of goods tonight," said Daciana.

  "As you say. Regardless, they weren't needed in tonight's business with the Krenon. Your friend there is handy with the bow and created havoc initially in their ranks. Then all we needed was some subterfuge and trickery in the woods to make the Krenon think they were under an all-out assault. While they searched the woods, thinking they needed to defend against a large troupe, we could spirit you away. Gone before they even realized what happened."