by Kim Fedyk
Zeeshan also told Arleth a bit about his friend Thom. And Arleth listened with sympathy. She knew what it was like to lose a best friend. Although Thom wasn’t dead, the way Zeeshan had described him after the ‘incident,’ he might as well have been.
The young Talywag was in the middle of telling a particularly funny story of him and Thom and how they had outsmarted a good-for-nothing bandit when Zeeshan abruptly stopped.
“Did you hear that?” He asked tensely.
Arleth perked up her ears but she couldn’t hear anything. “No, I don’t hear anything,” she said slowly.
But Zeeshan wasn’t convinced. He continued listening intently. Arleth still didn’t hear anything but she remained silent and strained her ears for any sounds of movement.
All of a sudden she heard a very faint clicking noise. She listened harder. It sounded like footsteps, and they were getting louder.
“Someone is coming! Quick hide behind me,” whispered Zeeshan urgently.
Arleth had moved closer to the creature when they had been talking and now she was sitting practically in his lap. She felt two huge furry hands pick her up and move her backwards.
“My waist is chained to the wall,” Zeeshan explained quietly. “You will have to climb up and wedge yourself between my back and the wall.”
As quickly as she could in the darkness, she felt for the wall with her right hand and Zeeshan’s back with her left. She carefully climbed off the platform provided by his hand and felt herself fall down a bit into the crevice left by his back. Her back got scraped a bit on the way down but she hardly noticed.
No sooner had she reached the relative safety of her hiding place, then the door to the room burst open, with a fury of green light and two figures stood illuminated in the doorway.
“Rogan, did you really have to break down the door,” said the familiar but angry voice of Absalom.
“It’s no matter,” said a second, raspy voice. “I can easily fix it.”
There was a “hmph” in reply and the raspy voice said a few inaudible words into the darkness. The room immediately lit up and Arleth, her head peaking out slightly from behind Zeeshan’s back saw the owner of the second voice for a split second before she tucked her head back behind him for cover.
She would recognize the green skin, blood-curdling red eyes and pitch-black robes anywhere. Standing not twenty feet from where she hid was the creature whose image had been burned in her mind for the last seven years. The creature that had killed everyone she had ever known. The Dread Mage that had reduced the orphanage to a wasteland of death and scorched rubble. Arleth covered her mouth with her hands to stop herself from screaming.
Chapter 18
Aedan slowly opened his eyes and looked around disoriented at his surroundings. He didn’t immediately realize where he was as he looked through the gloom. Then slowly he saw the metal bars on three sides boxing him in and felt the cold, damp wall at his back. With a sinking feeling, Aedan realized where he was – a dungeon cell deep under Iridian castle. As he sat huddled and naked on the floor, the events of a less than an hour ago flooded back to him in a rush. How he had been taken captive by the Grekens, been brought to Absalom... and then how the man had smashed the two Alondranes and had him knocked out and thrown in here.
But as Aedan continued looking around at the cell he was in, he started to smile. He was cold, naked, and had a pounding headache, but the first part of their plan had worked! The cell he was in only had one solid wall, the rest were open bars and although he was chained to the wall, the cell was so small that he could almost touch the bar in front of him with his foot. This was the part that had worried both him and Selene so much – what kind of cell would Absalom put him into. They had known that Absalom would search him for Alondranes – it was one of Selene’s trademarks after all. The usurping bastard was smart enough to realize Aedan wouldn’t have come here without a plan. But Aedan and Selene had planned on that and had tailored their actions accordingly, and had hidden a third – real – Alondrane on Aedan’s inner thigh. The real stumbling block was the cell – if he had been put in a solid cell with no bars or in a cell much larger than this one, their plan wouldn’t have worked. Val had been particular angry about this part – he didn’t like putting his friends at risk. Val liked simple, failsafe plans that guaranteed success.
But both Aedan and Selene had agreed that Absalom would most likely put him in a cell such as this one. First, they knew that most of the cells were like this one, as they had been when Aedan’s father was still king. Second, Absalom knew how an Alondrane worked and he was just cocky enough to put Aedan in a cell such as this so he would forever regret that he could have escaped had he been smarter. Absalom would assume he had out-witted Aedan and would not even think of the possibility that it could have been the other way around.
Aedan started laughing, how predictable Absalom was! His laughter brought over a Greken who had been standing guard outside the cell. The creature hissed and slammed its huge arm into the bars of the cage.
Good! Aedan thought, there only appeared to be one Greken, and one by itself would cause no problem for Selene. Aedan waited a few moments for the Greken to lose interest in its captive. It turned away and walked back to where it had been standing before; a few feet in front of the cage. Aedan turned as far to the right as he could, which wasn’t very far at all being chained as he was to the wall. But even a little bit would be enough to get Selene behind the Greken so she could have the element of surprise.
“Onantra,” he whispered.
Aedan felt the Alondrane detach itself from his inner thigh and roll down his leg. It fell to the floor at his feet and rolled silently across the cell, through the bars and out into the room beyond. It stopped five feet from where Aedan sat – exactly the distance Selene had tested it for.
Aedan whispered again, “Selene!”
It shimmered faintly in the dim light of the dungeon and started to expand. Aedan looked ahead nervously but the Greken hadn’t moved. So far, the creature didn’t seem to notice what was happening a few feet behind it. Aedan bit his lip in anxiety and looked back at the shimmering Alondrane. If only she could appear before the Greken noticed her. It had already expanded to the general size of Selene, but so far it had no discernable shape. In a couple more seconds, a violet light twisted violently upwards and then sideways as if stretching into shape. There was a small “crack” and the light flickered briefly and then went out. In its place stood the very beautiful, very comforting figure of Selene.
Aedan sighed in relief but it was premature – the “crack” had finally alerted the Greken and it turned around and immediately saw Selene standing in front of it. With a hiss it ran at the slim woman in front of it. But Selene hadn’t yet seen the Greken, she was looking into the cell at him.
Aedan eyes went wide with fear, “Selene! Greken!” He yelled, turning to look to the left at the creature that was already in mid-lunge.
Luckily Selene was quick to respond and within a heartbeat she had turned to face her oncoming attacker. She ducked just in time to avoid a vicious claw to her torso and then swung her head down out of reach of its extended tentacles. The Greken wheeled around quickly to face Selene again, but she was ready for it. Crouched cat-like on the ground she extended her arms and a bolt of red light flashed from her palms. Four of the creature’s tentacles (two on either side of its head) immediately rose up and wrapped itself around the Greken’s neck. The creature made a strangled hiss and clawed at them in vain. Selene sent another bolt of red light at the creature, this one hitting it square in the chest. The force of the impact wasn’t great but it was enough to startle the creature for a few seconds. It was all she needed. With a swift ‘X’ motion of her hands she tightened the razor sharp tentacles around its neck. They tore into the tough scales of its neck without mercy. The Greken’s eyes bulged out in fear and it made a last desperate effort to loosen his own tentacles from around his neck. But it was too late. With a grunt,
Selene made a final swift motion with her hand and the tentacles sliced through the creature’s neck. Its serpentine head fell to the ground in front of it with a thud. Its body twitched violently once and then went still. It remained standing in place for a few impossible seconds and then slumped to the ground to join the head that it had been attached to a few seconds before.
Still crouching on the ground, a strand of blonde hair fell across Selene’s face and she calmly tucked it back behind her ear. She stood up and walked over to the dead Greken. She plucked up the Greken’s ring of keys from the ground where they had fallen and came over to Aedan’s cell. The third key she tried was the right one and she opened the door and walked the one step over to Aedan. She bent down in front of him. With a long finger she tapped him gently on the nose,
“We will have to shove this in Val’s face when we get back.”
Aedan laughed, “I think he will be glad to have this shoved in his face.”
Selene gave him a look of disbelief.
“Ya you are right, although he will be happy to see us, he will likely be mad that our, what did he call it? ‘Haphazard bird-something?’
“Bird brained”
“Yes that our haphazard bird-brained plan worked.”
They both smiled picturing Val’s face.
Selene, using the keys she had taken from the guard, unlocked Aedan’s chains and they both stood up. Aedan stretched and looked at Selene. She was looking at him with concern.
“What is it?”
“You are naked!”
“Yes? Please tell me you brought me clothes.”
“But I didn’t,” Selene said apologetically, “I thought that they would put your clothes back in the cell with you.”
Aedan thought she was joking. “So what is in the bag you are wearing,” he asked, looking at a small brown travelling bag she had slung across her shoulder.
“Oh that?” She said twisting to see it more clearly. “That just has some food, concealing spells and some other supplies we might need.”
“Oh,” Aedan said sadly. He was already quite cold and he didn’t much like the idea of walking around Iridian castle completely naked. But what other choice did he have? He looked at Selene again, she was wearing a cloak. “Give me you cloak Selene and then I can at least cover myself from my waist down.”
“Good idea!” She unfastened her cloak and handed it to Aedan. He took it and bent his head down to concentrate on tying in around his waist.
He didn’t see the smile on Selene’s face.
“Aedan,” She said innocently after he had just finished securing the cloak. “Here.”
She tossed him his clothes.
Aedan took one look at his clothes and lunged at Selene. She easily avoided his playful swipe and laughingly caught him as he stumbled into her, caught off balance by her evasion. She pushed him gently away, “Put on your clothes Aedan. We want to rescue this girl not scare her away.”
Despite himself, Aedan could feel a smile forming on his lips. He didn’t want Selene to see it, so he quickly turned his back to her in what he hoped she would interpret as an act of modesty and started putting on his clothes. Selene, smiling and shaking her head slightly at Aedan’s back, put her cloak back on.
Five minutes later, Aedan finished dressing and they walked out of the cell together. The laughter was gone from both of them. Selene handed Aedan a concealing spell. They looked at each other through the gloom in understanding and crept out into the dungeon. They had their jokes but the truth was they both realized that the next part of their plan was the hardest. They had to find Arleth before someone realized Aedan had escaped; searching through a castle swarming with enemies; knowing they had to avoid Absalom and Rogan but not having the slightest clue where they were; find Arleth when they also had no idea where she was; convince her to come with them; and then after doing so, have all three safely sneak back out of the castle to their hideout in the mountains. Thinking about it like this, it certainly seemed like what they had done so far – getting into the castle and escaping the dungeon was the easy part.
* * *
Wedged between the wall and Zeeshan’s back, Arleth fought to control her mounting horror. She was so shocked that she couldn’t even scream, her mouth opened instead in a silent “o.” Arleth’s eyes were opened just as wide, but she was not staring at Zeeshan’s furry back directly in front of her. Her eyes were a million miles away, across the universe, seven years in the past witnessing again that day in the orphanage when she had last seen the Dread Mage.
She realized then that she had never expected to see it again. For no logical reason she had somehow assumed that after she had ran out of the orphanage, Neve and the Dread Mage had killed each other. It had never occurred to her that the Dread Mage would have survived. But here it was, standing not twenty feet in front of her. The murderer who had destroyed everything and everyone she had ever loved.
But why?
Why was it here on Oherra in Iridian Castle. Her mind flashed to the snatches of conversation she had heard in the dark when the door had been opened. It had been talking with Absalom, they had seemed almost....partners? But that was impossible.... wasn’t it? Absalom had called it a name hadn’t he? He had called it, something with an S... no it was an R. She strained her memory, ‘Richard? No... Ronan? No that wasn’t quite right.... Rogan! Yes he had called the creature Rogan.’ The name seemed more familiar to her though.
With a sudden shock of realization, it hit her. The remaining colour drained from her already pale face.
Rogan was the name of Absalom’s sorcerer. The king of Oherra’s sorcerer was a Dread Mage?!? The Dread Mage that had killed Neve, and Flora, and Janaya and... everyone, everyone at the orphanage but her.
She felt Zeeshan squirm slightly in front of her. The sudden movement interrupted her thoughts for a few seconds and she looked up to see why the Talywag had moved. Right away she noticed that she was the reason. In her horror she had dug her nails into his back so hard that thin rivulets of blood were dripping onto her fingers. Quickly she removed her nails. She wanted to say “sorry” but was afraid of being heard. Instead she rubbed his back gently over the wound in an attempt to apologize. Zeeshan stopped squirming and he seemed to relax (relatively speaking) once more.
Arleth was only vaguely aware however that her soothing gesture was having this effect – as another, equally terrifying thought had just come to her.
Arleth had let Absalom’s sorcerer perform magic on her – he had probed her mind! The Dread Mage that she had seen brutally stab Flora before her very eyes had, had his hands on her shoulders just yesterday, performing a spell on her to extract her memories. It felt like an icy cold hand had clenched over her heart. Her breathing came in ragged gasps and she felt like she was going to be sick. Absalom had said the spell was harmless, but she no longer believed what he had told her.
What had he done to her?
Was she going to turn into something like Zeeshan? Had he done the same kind of thing to her? Would she also transform? Obviously it hadn’t happened right away like it did with Zeeshan, but would she start changing today, tomorrow, five days from now? Or was she even now changing into something different than herself. Her mind involuntarily flashed to the beautiful woman she had seen in the courtyard. The woman with the horrendous gash on her back. Would she end up like that? The thought that she had absolutely no idea what he had done to her terrified her to her core.
“Arleth?”
The sound of her name jolted her thoughts back to the present.
“Well I don’t see her do you,” Absalom said derisively to his Dread Mage.
“No,” Rogan admitted.
“Really,” Absalom responded angrily, “I don’t understand how this could have happened. All you had to do was keep an eye on her, and then collect her for me this morning. I was busy with Aedan as you know. But I successfully managed to capture him. But you, what were you doing? We knew that Tobin told her to come her
e. We know how curious she is. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that here should have been the first place to look. Now she is gone and could be anywhere. Aedan is down in the dungeons too, in case you have forgotten. Think for a second what could happen if she runs into him?”
Rogan was practically shaking he was so angry with Absalom’s arrogant words. He managed to hold in his angry retorts but he glared at Absalom with hatred.
“I was busy with a few things.” He said it with such venom that it gave Absalom pause for a few seconds. But he quickly recovered and continued on his tirade. This time though, he was a bit gentler.
“I mean Rogan, you were the one that was so anxious to enchant Arleth. You would think that she would have been your top priority this morning.”
Rogan remained silent but the hatred was still in his eyes.
“She is not here anyways so we had better look elsewhere. It’s not like she can leave the castle. Aedan is locked up, Tobin is dead, and the servants are mere puppets. No one will help her. We will find her today and by nightfall she will be enchanted. Just you see.”
With that he took a final glance around the room, turned on his heal and strode out of the room. Absalom followed silently after him. He slightly regretted getting so angry with Rogan. Not for sentimental reasons, but for practicality. Their partnership was based on mere convenience – neither could rule Oherra by themselves. There was no emotion or good will involved, simply a cold calculated rationality. This ensured that no matter how angry they became, neither of them would backstab the other. But it still didn’t hurt for Absalom to be on the safe side anyways. He shivered ever so slightly as he passed through the open door and into the hall.
Unaware of such evil politics, Arleth climbed slowly out from behind Zeeshan, desperately trying to make sense of what she had just overheard.
She no longer had any doubts as to the truth of what Neve’s brother had told her. Absalom was clearly not the virtuous leader he pretended to be. The eerie lack of personality among all the servants; the woman in the courtyard with the gaping wound; and of course the information that Neve’s brother had given her, had all made her wary. Wary enough to come down here and find out for herself. But until the events of this morning, she wasn’t sure if her suspicions, if they were even warranted, should lie with Absalom, or elsewhere.