by T.M. Nielsen
***
“Are you sure you’re supposed to be up and around?” Azimeth asked as Kyrin looked around the top floor of the castle.
“No,” she said, and started down a long hallway.
“I can show you back to your room.”
“I’m tired of sitting in that room.”
“Back off, royal elf,” Creteloc hissed at her. She then walked past the elf and up to Kyrin. “Over this way.”
Kyrin followed Creteloc around a few corners to a thin stone ladder that went up and stopped at the ceiling. “What’s that?”
“Go up and I’ll show you.”
Kyrin nodded and headed up it. At the top, she pushed against the ceiling, and it opened onto the roof. She pulled herself up and then looked around, shocked.
The roof was full of royal elves with crossbows. Some were coming out of tents to see who was on the roof with them. Others were sitting in the turrets and watching out over the water.
“Wow,” Kyrin said, taking a quick head count. She lost count at 80 royal elves.
Creteloc joined her. “It’s disconcerting to have this many around.”
“What are you doing up here?” Kyrin asked the closest one as she walked toward the tents.
He looked up. “Why is the Lady of Valhara up here?”
“I asked first.”
“We’re the look out.”
“Looking for what exactly?”
“Approaching ships,” he said, and then turned and walked away from her.
Kyrin went over to the side and looked down, hundreds of feet to where the waves crashed into the rocks.
“Don’t jump,” Creteloc said from behind her.
“Just don’t push me.”
“I don’t want you dead.”
Kyrin smiled and turned around. “No, you don’t want the babies dead. You couldn’t care less if I fall right now.”
“True”
“You were wrong about Alric. Admit it.”
“Why would I admit something that’s an untruth?”
“You said he got me pregnant because he didn’t want me around.”
“How is that a lie?”
“He could have left me for dead, and he didn’t.”
“He wants those babies, just like Sithias, and just like Daemionis.”
Kyrin shrugged. “He loves me, and he wants me around.”
Creteloc walked over to where one of the archers was standing. He shivered and turned around, jumping off of the turret. He had the sudden feeling that his life was in danger.
“Creteloc, leave them alone,” Kyrin said, frowning.
Creteloc returned. “When did you start ordering me around?”
“I’m not, but I don’t need any trouble.”
“So you’re okay with these royal elves?”
“Not at all. They make me nervous, and I wish they would all go away.”
“So let’s just kill off this roof.”
“How do you propose to do that?”
“Magic”
“My magic isn’t working.”
“You wouldn’t do it anyway. You’re getting soft,” Creteloc said, starting for the ladder.
“I am not.”
“By the time those babies come, you’ll be lifting your little finger to drink.” Creteloc gracefully slid down the ladder.
Kyrin headed down after her, albeit not as gracefully. She was still feeling weak from the illness. “I will not. Stop saying that or Daemionis will hear and believe you.”
Kyrin let out a small scream when someone grabbed her off of the ladder. She turned when Alric spoke, “Would you not?”
“Don’t scare me.”
“I won’t scare you if you’ll stop trying to kill yourself. The last person I want you on the roof with is Creteloc.”
“He’s not as dumb as he looks,” Creteloc said, walking away.
“Why are there royal elves up there?” Kyrin asked him.
“They’re good with bows and are watching for enemy ships.”
“Why are they here at all?”
“Their king is here, as a refugee of sorts.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you’re uncomfortable around them, and I didn’t want you to stress. They will stay up there and have agreed to leave you alone.”
“Oh”
He smiled. “Just ignore them, and we’ll try to make it so they don’t bother you.”
“Fine”
“Now, why don’t you go lay down?”
“I’m tired of lying down.”
“I bet you are, but you’re still weak.”
She huffed slightly and walked past him.
“Sure, don’t believe me, but I’m sending Finn with you,” Alric told her.
“Fine by me,” she said as she disappeared around the corner.
Azimeth went to catch up with her, but Alric stopped her. “Leave her be for now.”
“Sir?”
“She’s not happy about the elves around here, and there’s no use pushing the issue.”
The elf sighed. “Yes, sir.”
Kyrin ignored when Finn and two of the knights joined her. She wanted to find the lowest point in the castle to see if it had a dirt floor. If it did, there was a chance a portal would be there. She’d never seen one indoors but hoped natural ground might permit one.
They wound down, farther and farther. Any time the stairs ended, Kyrin would wander until she found another set. Neither Finn nor the knights said anything to her but watched for any sign of elves. Alric had given strict orders that they were to stay away from her.
It was on the lowest floor when Kyrin sighed and looked over at Finn. “No more stairs?”
“Nope”
“Not even to a dungeon?”
He chuckled. “We don’t have a dungeon in here.”
“Great,” she said, and looked around.
“All that’s down here is the doorway.”
“What doorway?”
Finn motioned for her to follow him and then led her around several corridors and to a tall stone door set into the rock wall. “That doorway.”
She moved forward and ran her fingers over deep etching on it. “Where does it go?”
“No one knows.”
“So open it.”
“We can’t. No one’s opened it since the king’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather, King Shanis.”
She turned to him. “Sounds like a story. Keep going.”
“Well, the black elf god, Tiasis, and Sithias were warring again, and somehow, King Shanis got into the fight. The strongest of Tiasis’ followers was known as D’Thal, a powerful magic user. He and Shanis were constantly trying to kill each other.”
Kyrin smiled. “Nice.”
“One day, D’Thal disappeared and this door appeared in the castle. King Shanis would never tell anyone, not even Sithias, where D’Thal went or what this door was for. No one’s ever been able to get it open.”
Kyrin looked over at the door. “Quite the history for a door. No idea what’s behind it?”
“Nope. Every king, including Alric, has tried to open it, but no one’s had any luck.”
“Well, it has odd runes on it.”
“It’s assumed to be some type of language.”
“Too bad I don’t read any of the languages I speak.”
“How many do you know?”
She shrugged. “I want to know what’s behind the door.”
“So do we.”
“What’s going on?” Alric asked, walking into the room.
“I want to know what’s behind this door,” Kyrin told him.
He nodded. “We all do. The worst was my grandfather. He hired a rogue to try to get in.”
“No luck?” Kyrin said, feeling around the edges of it.
“Nope”
Kyrin pushed, but nothing happened. A word came to her mind but again, nothing happened when she
said it.
“What’s that word for?” Alric asked.
“I’m not sure”
“So you just say words that pop into your head without knowing what they do?”
“Pretty much.”
Alric stood back by Finn and watched, hoping she could get it open.
“Pahnsar,” Kyrin said, and pushed harder. “Pahnsar hin.”
“What language is that?”
“Shadow elf,” she said, and looked at the runes again.
“Why don’t you not, okay?” Alric said. “I don’t need Auldian hearing that.”
“Shaeith”
“Was that shadow elf again?”
“Gada”
“Kyrin”
She pushed harder. “Yinshi.”
“Kyrin”
“Dahor”
“Kyrin!”
She looked at him. “What?”
“Stop”
“I want to see what’s behind it.”
“I don’t need you speaking shadow elf in front of Auldian,” Alric explained.
“Only the first was shadow elf.”
“What were the others?”
“Well… elf, troll, goblin, orc…”
“Never mind, let’s just go back up.”
She turned back to the door. “No! I want to know what’s in there.”
“No one’s known for hundreds of years.”
“Well, I’m more persistent than they are.”
“Maybe when you have magic back you can try. That’s one thing I doubt anyone’s tried.”
“I don’t want to wait.”
Alric just sighed and watched her.
“Let me have your dagger,” she said, putting her hand back toward Finn as she studied the door.
“Why?”
“Just let me borrow it please.”
He slipped the dagger off of his side and handed it to her. She turned away from the others and slid it along the palm of her hand, cutting into the flesh.
“Hey!” Alric yelled, lunging for her to get the dagger. She fell forward to get away from him and vanished through the door. Alric caught her hand before she disappeared and the momentum sent him through after her. Thinking quickly, Finn grabbed Alric’s arm as he disappeared and was also sucked through.
Creteloc hissed from behind the knights and ran at the door, hitting solid rock.
Kyrin, Finn, and Alric immediately submerged into cold, fast-moving water. They tried to surface but found only rock ceiling above them with no air available. There was a dull light off to their left, and they all began to swim toward it.
Kyrin was finding it hard to swim in the nightgown and robe, so she slipped the robe off and made things easier. Finn was weighed down with armor and had to tear most of it off before he could move. Alric wasn’t laden with anything but made sure Finn and Kyrin were behind him before swimming toward the light.
The swim was taking too long, and they pushed harder as their air ran out and things began to blur over their vision. Their heads pounded, and their lungs ached to take a breath.
Alric was the first to emerge and gasp in air hungrily. Kyrin and Finn surfaced at the same time. Finn sucked in air, and Kyrin began to cough. She still had some illness and had managed to breathe in some of the cold water.
Alric swam over to her and helped her start moving toward the edge of the water where a rock outcropping would allow them to crawl out. Once out of the water, the three breathed heavily and waited for the headaches to subside.
They were shivering when they regained enough air to look around better. Kyrin stood first and wrapped her arms around herself as she surveyed the large room they were in. Although they were in a cave, the walls were glowing slightly, putting off an eerie blue light.
An archaic sign was perched against the wall and read, “Welcome.”
“Are you okay?” Alric asked, standing up beside Kyrin. He quickly healed her hand that she’d cut with Finn’s dagger.
“Yes”
“You?” he asked Finn.
Finn nodded and joined them. “Where are we?”
“I’m not sure,” Alric replied, and then slipped off his wet tunic to wrap around Kyrin.
“We better warm up, or we’re going to freeze to death.”
“Kyrin, can you manage even a little spark?”
She grasped her shaking hands and whispered, “Shamagiem.”
They didn’t glow at all and Finn bent down to see if he could find some rocks that might produce a spark. Alric broke the sign into pieces and built it up, so they could start a fire, if at all possible.
Kyrin kept trying to produce some form of fire and became irritated when nothing seemed to work.
“Let’s try these,” Finn said, hunkering down over the broken sign. He started banging two rocks together, desperately trying to start a fire before they froze.
Alric pulled Kyrin against him and wrapped his arms around her, hoping their combined body warmth would help keep them alive.
“This isn’t working,” Finn said after trying for almost an hour to start a fire. He was now shaking, and Kyrin’s teeth were chattering.
“Okay, let’s move out then,” Alric said. “Maybe moving will help.”
Finn nodded and then reached around for his sword but his entire belt was gone. “Great. I lost my weapon.”
Alric sighed. “I didn’t have one on me.”
“Then go carefully,” Kyrin said, and started for the only opening in the rock wall. They had to walk around the pool of water for a ways before reaching it. The glassy surface reminded her of the death river, so she kept far away from it.
Finn looked through the opening first and then frowned and walked inside. Alric and Kyrin followed, shocked at what they saw.
The doorway opened into another large round room filled with racks of clothing. This room glowed orange and gave everyone a sickly color. There were racks and racks of clothing forming rows, and a mirror was at the head of each row.
“Clothes?” Kyrin asked, touching one of the tunics.
“Armor too,” Alric said. He walked over and lifted one of the chain mail shirts.
“Change before we freeze then,” Finn said, and peeled off his wet shirt. He found a light tunic and slipped it on, instantly feeling warmer. After making sure Kyrin had gone behind the only dressing curtain, he then began the laborious task of peeling off wet pants
Alric was the first to finish dressing, and then went over to look through the armor. He soon found a long-sword and checked to make sure it was sharp before putting it to his side for later. It didn’t take long to outfit himself with a chain mail shirt, plate mail leg armor, a shield, and the sword. The armor was made for a taller, more slender form, but after digging, he found enough to outfit himself, albeit in mismatched types of armor.
He turned just as Finn finished getting dressed. He was already in full plate mail and was swinging a heavy broadsword to see if it fit.
It seemed like a long time later when Alric realized that Kyrin wasn’t out with them. “Are you okay?”
“No,” she said, sounding irritated.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing”
He smiled and walked back behind the curtain. She was sitting on the floor naked, covered in tunics and pants. “Why don’t you get dressed?”
“Nothing fits.”
He nodded and then went back out and started going through the tunics. “Kyrin, these are all made for men. You may have to take one of these dresses.”
“I don’t want a dress.”
Finn grinned and sheathed his new broad sword.
“I know that,” Alric said, pulling a dress off of the rack. “However, men’s clothes won’t accommodate your body right now. I’m sorry, but take this.”
He handed the dress over, and she took it and slipped it on. She was obviously not happy with the floor length, baby-doll cut, green dress, but it fit around her middle, so she d
idn’t see as though she had a choice.
“Here, kiddo,” Finn said, walking up to her. He had a steel mace in his hand, and she took it and adjusted her grip a few times.
“No flail?”
“Not that I can find. I figured a mace is going to be as close to one as we are going to get.”
“What do you suppose this place is then?” Alric asked. “I mean, who puts clothes into a cave?”
“Most of this stuff has an emblem on it,” Finn said, walking over to him. He held his arm out, and Alric looked at the black rune on his arm.
“Kyrin, ever seen this?” he asked.
She looked at her own arm and saw the same symbol. “No.”
“Well at least we’re warm now,” Alric said, and then looked around at the clothes.
“Warm and armed,” Finn said, pleased.
Kyrin tore the bottom off of one of the dresses and tied her hair up with the strip of fabric. “Fine then. Let’s keep going. There’s a door back here.”
Alric looked over as Kyrin parted a rack of clothing, revealing a small wooden door.
“Let me go first,” Finn said, moving forward. He opened the door and peeked out. “It’s just a hallway.”
Kyrin and Alric followed him into a long stone hallway.
“There are no lights in here,” Alric said. “It’s too dangerous to walk down it.”
“That may be the only way out though.”
“How did they even see to build this?”
“If they were elves, they can see in the dark,” Kyrin explained.
“Perfect”
Kyrin tried to see down the hallway again. “I guess we go.”
“Finn, you lead then. Kyrin will be in the middle, and I’ll bring up the rear.”
Finn nodded and then started walking. Kyrin hated being in the middle but understood that she was weaker than they were and unable to cast.
Moving was slow because Finn had to take cautious steps and feel carefully along the wall.
Just when they were debating going back, Finn found a wooden surface. “Stop.”
“What?” Alric asked.
“There’s a door here.”
Finn crouched low to the floor and slid the door open with his sword, then peered around it and into a purple lit room. He studied the room before standing up and moving inside. Kyrin and Alric followed him into a large banquet room. There was a long table set in the middle, and it was filled with food. The smell made their stomachs rumble as they walked along it, looking at the different kinds of food laid out.
“Wow,” Kyrin said, stopping at a plate full of large red and yellow apples.
“I’m hungry too,” Finn said, and then turned to look around the rest of the room.
“Someone has to be down here. This food is fresh,” Alric said, backing away from it.
“Fresh or magic,” Kyrin added.
“Magic food?”
“Sure, why not?”
“You know how to make magic food?”
“Of course not. If I did, I wouldn’t starve out in the dimensions.”
“Right”
Finn returned after walking the length of the room. “There’s nothing in here but the table and food.”
“Maybe we should stay here and rest a bit,” Alric said, studying Kyrin. She was moving slower, and a raspiness had returned to her breathing.
“I’m fine,” she said, crossing her arms.
“I’m tired though,” Finn said, and then sat down against the wall. “We might as well rest where we have light.”
“How do we have light?” Kyrin asked, walking up to the wall. She touched the cold, wet stone but found no sign of how the rocks glowed. She stopped at a wooden sign similar to the first one they encountered, but this one said, ‘Noble blood here boils.’
“That’s weird,” Finn said, looking over at the sign.
“What does it say?”
“Just says noble blood here boils.”
“That doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
Finn smiled at Alric. “Is your blood boiling?”
“I’m thinking not.”
“Just checking.”
“What are the chances we shifted?” Alric asked, sitting down beside Finn.
She shrugged. “I guess we could have. I’ve never seen a portal like that though.”
“If we did shift, then now what?”
“Then we look for another doorway, and we keep shifting until I recognize a dimension.”
“That doesn’t sound appealing.”
She smiled and sat down next to them. “That’s the life of a shifter.”
“Are you really doing okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I could always call for Sithias,” Alric said. “I try not to call for him to get me out of trouble though.”
“Then don’t call him,” Kyrin told him. “We’re not even in danger.”
“We don’t know that.”
“I haven’t seen anything at all that could attack us.”
They all looked at the door and then jumped to their feet when the sound of running echoed through the hallway.
“Then again,” Kyrin whispered.
As the footsteps approached, they drew their weapons and then faced the door, ready to fight.
The footsteps stopped at the door, and they heard whispers that the Valharans didn’t understand.
Kyrin’s eyes narrowed. “They’re here for Alric.”
“You understood that?” he whispered.
“Yes, it’s shadow elf.”
Alric’s grip tightened on his sword, but the whispers soon faded, and the hallway became silent.
“Did they leave?” Finn whispered.
Alric kept a close eye on the door. “I didn’t hear them leave.”
“Maybe we better check,” Kyrin said softly.
“Maybe you should just shut up,” Alric snapped.
Kyrin frowned at him. “Excuse me?”
“I’m going to take a peek,” Finn said, moving toward the door. He didn’t feel like getting into the middle of a noble fight. He opened the door slowly and then carefully looked into the hallway. “No one’s there.”
“There has to be someone there,” Alric said, irritated. He flung open the door and looked out. When he didn’t see anyone, he started walking down the dark hallway.
“Wait, King,” Finn whispered, and then started after him.
Still irritated about the ‘shut up’ comment, Kyrin followed them in silence. The door shut behind her and cut off all light.
“Why did you shut that?” Alric yelled at her.
“I didn’t! It shut on its own.”
“Stop it,” Finn said. “We aren’t going to get out of here if you two don’t stop fighting.”
“You can’t talk to me like that. I’m the king.”
Finn simply turned back to the hallway and began to inch along it again, feeling for a doorway. It wasn’t long before he came to another door on the opposite side of the passageway as the other one. He knelt down and pushed it open. A dull yellow light glowed, and he walked into a large room filled with bunk beds.
Kyrin was the next to step in, and she started down the long row of beds. “This place is like a miniature city.”
“I agree. Like it was built as a place to live.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Alric said, walking past them. “It’s obviously all fake and conjured up by some foolish magic user.”
Kyrin started after him with her mace raised, but Finn caught her and slipped it out of her hand. “I’m not sure this is his fault.”
“It sure as hell is! I don’t have to put up with that.”
“He’s been acting strangely since that dining room.”
“I guess you’re right,” she said, and sat down on one of the beds.
“Let’s camp here for the night,” Finn suggested. “I’ll take the first watch and you two try to get some sleep.”
�
��When did you start giving orders?” Alric asked, glaring at him.
“It was more of a suggestion.”
“Well, I don’t agree.”
“You’re outvoted,” Kyrin said, laying back on the bed. “I’m going to sleep.”
Alric watched her. “Let’s just leave her and go ahead.”
“We can’t just leave her,” Finn said, shocked.
“Wake me when it’s my turn,” Kyrin said, and rolled onto her side away from them.
Finn glanced at Alric. “I say we let her sleep all night. She’s pale again, and I don’t like the sound of her breathing.”
“Why should she get to sleep all night? I’m the king. I should get to sleep while she watches over me.”
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes”
Finn sighed. “Fine, you go to sleep too, and I’ll watch all night.”
“Suit yourself,” Alric said, and laid down on the bunk beds next to the one Kyrin was in.
Finn watched them through the night but didn’t hear any more footsteps. Just as he was starting another patrol through what looked like a dormitory, Alric rolled over and looked at Kyrin.
Finn stopped to see if they were getting up and was surprised when Alric slid into bed next to Kyrin and started to kiss her.
“Alric, stop,” Kyrin snapped, and pulled away from him.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her still so he could kiss her again.
She struggled in his arms. When one hand began to lift the hem of her dress, she pushed harder and was able to get one hand free. “I said, stop it!”
“You can’t tell me no. I’m the king,” Alric said, and then hiked her dress up to her thighs.
Kyrin slapped him and sat up. “Leave me the hell alone.”
Finn jumped at them when Alric backhanded her to the bed and immediately began kissing her again. Finn pulled the king away from her, just as she grabbed her mace and faced him.
Alric pulled his chain mail shirt down. “You two seem to forget who I am.”
“I can’t believe you hit her,” Finn said, looking at the bruise forming on her cheek.
“I can!” Kyrin yelled. “He’s just like the others.”
“No, he’s not. Something’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong with me,” Alric said. “She’s my wife, and I can do with her as I please. Now either turn around and don’t watch, or leave us alone and do. It’s no matter to me.”
Alric advanced on Kyrin, and she scrambled over the back of the bunk bed and ran for the door. Alric caught up to her easily and slammed her, face first, into the wall as he began to run his hands up her legs and kiss her neck.
Kyrin turned suddenly when she felt Alric crumple behind her. Finn was standing behind him, gripping his sword.
“Did you just hit him?” Kyrin asked, looking down at the unconscious king.
Finn nodded and sheathed his broadsword. “I only hit him with the pommel. Something’s wrong with him.”
Kyrin took Alric’s sword, and then Finn began to tie him up using strips of fabric from a blanket on the bed.
When Alric’s hands were restrained behind his back, Finn sighed. “I could be killed for this.”
“You can come with me when I shift out of here,” Kyrin said, smoothing down her skirt. She was too embarrassed about what happened to even look at Finn.
“I would imagine he’ll return to normal. At least, I hope he’ll return to normal.”
Alric began to stir and finally sat up and looked around. “Why am I restrained?”
“Because I’m not sure you’re quite yourself,” Finn told him.
Alric snarled. “Let me go, or I’ll have your head for this!”
“You attacked Kyrin.”
“So?!”
“That’s enough for me. You stay restrained,” Finn said, and helped Alric to his feet.
“Even worse! I’ll torture you!”
“He has a torture room?” Kyrin asked, slightly impressed.
“No, he doesn’t,” Finn told her. “He doesn’t believe in them.”
“So he’s an evil now?”
“I’m not sure.”
Alric grinned and a dark shadow crossed his face. “I’m not evil. I’ve just seen my true path.”