“What do you want?” Kaina demanded. “I don't have money, if that's what you're after.”
“We don't want money,” the man said. “Just stay quiet and don't try to remove your blindfold.”
“What blindfold--”
Before Kaina could finish her question, the man wrapped a piece of cloth around her eyes, obscuring her view.
“How dare you! Stop it!” she barked.
“If you don't want a gag as well, I suggest you be quiet,” the man snapped.
Even with Kaina's protests, the man said nothing more, and within a few moments she felt his horse take off and she heard the rest soon follow.
The soft glow of morning light leaked through the drawn curtains of Casimir's room, gently waking him from his deep slumber. The satin sheets that caressed him nearly lulled him back to sleep, and they probably would have had it not been the more pressing concerns on his mind.
Casimir been lying awake in bed and hadn't even had the chance to change into his day clothes, so when Azemar entered once again without any heed for privacy, the prince sat up in bed and snapped, “What in the world are you doing?”
“Forgive me, Sire,” Azemar said, “but I've just been informed by Lord Elias that...well, that your betrothed has been...abducted.”
That caught Casimir's attention. “She's been what?”
“Abducted,” Azemar repeated. “It would seem that mysterious assailants were seen in town last night, and that Sir Hugo witnessed the abduction and even went into town to look for her, but to no avail. They posted a reward for her safe return this morning.”
Casimir and Azemar locked eyes and stared for several seconds, then both men burst into laughter.
“It amazes me that they think they can cover up the fact that she simply ran off to avoid marriage,” Azemar said.
“Well, we can't exactly tell them that we know the truth,” Casimir said. “Unless, of course, you've secured the book?”
Azemar frowned. “Unfortunately, my Lord, it would seem that not only has the women you intend to make your queen run away, but she also managed to obtain the book.”
Casimir jumped out of bed. “What? And you couldn't think to tell me this first?”
“I assure you,” Azemar said, “I have men out looking for her in Eldercliff. You see, we caught a conspirator of hers who helped her escape and sent her to look for...none other than Melchior.”
Casimir froze. “So he's alive...I never imagined it was true.”
“Yes, but I have men in Eldercliff who will find her before she finds Melchior. They will secure the book, then I will deliver it and her to you,” Azemar said.
“Good,” Casimir said. “In the meantime, don't let on that we know anything.”
“Yes, Sire,” Azemar said with a bow.
After Azemar left the room, Casimir walked over to his window. He was on the second floor, as was where the guest rooms were, and he could see the garden from his position. The workers were just coming outside to start the day, and he could see one man gathering water from the well in the middle of the garden. A kitchen worker gathered herbs for breakfast, and a guard walked around the outside wall of the garden to look for any more of the previous night's troublemakers.
All of his subjects would soon look to him for leadership. It was a heavy burden, and even more so was the burden of the family tradition. His father, his father's father, and all of the kings of Ilesia ever since Roric knew the tales of the library that Zion left behind, but neither one had been able to find it.
That would soon change, and Casimir would be forever known as the king who found The Lost Library.
Chapter 7
Kaina wasn't certain how long the men traveled, but she heard faint whispering once they finally came to a halt. Soon she felt the man behind her dismount, and a few seconds later he grabbed her by the waist and set her down beside him. He grabbed her arm and walked her forward, and with each step she took she feared if it would be her last.
The men soon entered a building, and Kaina heard wooden floor boards creaking under her every step. They walked a bit further, the cold, damp air traveling through a tunnel of sorts based on the sounds, and soon they were out into another area.
“You two, come with me. The rest of you get back to your posts,” the man holding her suddenly said.
Kaina heard their affirmative remarks, followed by their footsteps receding in different directions. The man made Kaina walk again, and this time she could hear what sounded like two sets of footsteps behind them. Next Kaina heard chattering and whispering all around her, and she began to wonder if it was all about her. The voices died down behind her the further they marched, so she presumed they had come to another area.
“Watch your step,” the man said.
Kaina lifted her foot and found another step, then another, then another. She made a mental note to count the steps as they climbed until they reached the second floor of wherever they were. From there, the man led her a few more paces until she heard him push open a door, and he led her inside.
The man soon set Kaina down in a chair, at which point he fastened the ropes around her wrist to the back of the chair. She heard the door shut and two sets of footsteps closed in on her position. One of the men went behind her while the other two walked in front, and a second later she felt the man behind her untie the blindfold.
The cloth was gone a moment later, and it took a moment for Kaina's eyes to adjust to dimly lit room. The man who had untied her blindfold now joined the others, and all three waited patiently for her to get a grasp on the situation. She was in some kind of room with wooden floors and walls. She was seated in the only piece of furniture in the room, an old wooden chair, while the three men stood in front of her.
The man furthest to the left towered over the others. His arms were nearly as thick as Kaina's thighs and were bare save for leather straps on his forearms, which were folded across his chest. He had white blonde, shoulder length hair and light blue eyes and had even fairer skin than hers. Everything about his features reminded Kaina of freshly fallen snow, and for a moment she had a vision of this man in the middle of a snow storm with no cloak or any form of protection and he would still not succumb to the elements. What little he had of a neck was covered on the sides by the collar of his leather jerkin that was covered from chest to waist with belts. Completing his outfit was an azure blue cloak that was wrapped around his shoulders.
The man all the way to the right, by contrast, was shorter and darker. He was thin with black hair that was fashioned in dreadlocks and tied at the base of his neck and had stubble covering the lower half of his face. He had honey brown skin and he wore a sleeveless jerkin, a blue cloak similar to the giant's, and a pair of black bracers. A long bow was strapped to his back, along with a quiver, and Kaina had a hunch that he was one of the men who had been shooting at her out in the plains. He peered at her with black eyes, and Kaina could almost bet that they were like a cat's when he set his sights on a target.
When Kaina's eyes fell on the man in the middle, she recognized his eyes before anything else. The warm brown reminded her of faded, glowing embers barely clinging to the last bit of heat that held together. His hood was down, as was his mask, and Kaina could now see what he looked like. His hair was not black as she originally thought, but a deep, dark brown. It fell just past his chin and framed the sides of his angular jaw, which was just beginning to see the first form of a beard after days of not shaving. He wore the same black jerkin and blue cloak as the others as well as black trousers, gloves, and a long sword strapped to his belt.
The man in the middle, while holding up the cloth that had just been over Kaina's eyes as if it were a curious piece of art, said, “So, you're the girl who has the book.”
Kaina's heart dropped. They were working for the Disciples.
The man met her gaze and said, “Oh don't worry, we're not associated with the men who attacked you. We are, however, very interested in this book you've com
e across.”
Kaina lifted her head and peered downward through her eyelids and said, “I don't know what you're talking about.”
The man looked back at her and said, “Don't be coy. We have scouts in Eboncrest who informed us that you were seen with the book in your possession. We discovered that you left town with it late last night, so it's safe to assume that it's among your effects.”
Kaina stared at him.
“Don't make this more difficult,” the bowman said. “If you give us the book, we'll let you go free and unharmed.”
“Why should I believe that?” Kaina asked.
“If we wanted to hurt you, we would have done it by now,” the pale giant said, his deep booming voice startling Kaina. “We just want the book and you can be on your way.”
Kaina remained silent.
The middle man dropped the blindfold onto the floor and leaned over her. He placed both his hands on the arm rests of the chair, looked into Kaina's eyes, and said, “I'm not trying to get this book to do you any favors, but if you give it to me, you won't get entangled in something you know nothing about. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, girl. Give me the book and this can all go away.”
Kaina stared right back, and even leaned in and said, “I'm not about to trust your word on that, considering you kidnapped me and tied me to a chair.”
“You wouldn't have come if I had asked you politely. This was the only way to get you here and secure the book for your own protection,” the man said.
“Oh, well I certainly appreciate it,” Kaina remarked. “The blindfold was to protect my eyes from the sun, then?”
“That was so you didn't see the way to our base,” the giant said.
Kaina leaned back in the chair and smirked. “I'm in the abandoned copper mine in the north of the Crescent Mountains.”
The men stared at her, and by the blank looks on their faces she knew she was spot on.
“How did you know that?” the middle man pressed.
Kaina scanned the room and said, “This room was likely used as a sleeping quarters for miners, as they often placed wood like this so their beds wouldn't sink into the mud. I also heard echoing as you spoke, indicating tunnels, and through the blindfold I could see light from oil lanterns hanging over head. I could tell we were going north for most of the way because the sun was brighter on the right side of my blindfold. Therefore, it's safe to assume that I am in the copper mine at the foot of the northern section of the Crescent Mountains.”
The men exchanged glances, then the middle man leaned in closer and said, “That wasn't wise. If we wanted to, we could kill you so you wouldn't reveal the location of our base. Fortunately for you, we aren't those kind of men.”
“What kind of men are you, exactly?” Kaina asked.
The middle man folded his arms and said, “We are members of a secretive organization that works to rid Ilesia of the king's influence.”
Kaina remembered Hugo's previous mission and said, “You're the Azure Riders, aren't you? You were in the Ashlands before my—er, before Hugo Haventhorn went to look for you there?”
“I already know who you are, Kaina Haventhorn,” the middle man said. “There's no use in trying to conceal your identity.”
“Well that's hardly sporting,” Kaina said. “After all, I know nothing about you or your friends here.”
“My name is Tristan,” the middle man replied. “I am the leader of the Azure Riders.”
“I'm Emir,” the bowman replied.
“Froki,” the giant grunted.
“Now that that's out of the way,” Tristan said, “yes, Kaina Haventhorn, we were at the Ashlands because we were looking for the book.”
“Why the Ashlands?” Kaina pressed.
“We received a tip that a traveler uncovered it there,” Emir replied. “We found out that he went to Eboncrest from there, which is why we were watching the town.”
“Why do you want the book?” Kaina asked.
“That's none of your business,” Tristan replied.
“Well,” Kaina scoffed, “if you're going to be like that, why should I help you?”
“You admit that you have it, then?” Tristan said.
“I didn't say that,” Kaina remarked.
“You do have it,” Tristan said, “and I'm getting tired of playing this game with you.”
“And I'm tired of dealing with you. You have some nerve treating me like a prisoner and making demands of me like you own me. I don't know what you want with the book and frankly I don't care. I just need to get to Eldercliff and find Melchior before it's too late.”
Kaina realized too late that she had blurted out the name of the man she was supposed to go and find. She watched for their reactions, but only Tristan seemed to understand.
Tristan stared at her. “How do you know that name?”
“A friend told me,” Kaina replied.
Tristan looked at the other two men and said, “Leave us.”
The two obeyed without question and exited the room, shutting the door and locking it behind them. Tristan walked around Kaina and reached for her binds. He untied them, and either he didn't notice that Kaina had been trying to loosen them or he didn't care. Once her bindings were free, Kaina stood up and rubbed her wrists to get the feeling back into them.
Tristan took several steps towards her and Kaina was forced to back up against the wall. He placed a hand on the wall next to her head, locked eyes with her again, and said, “Who told you that name?”
“That's none of your business,” Kaina mimicked.
“Kaina,” Tristan said with a raised voice, “this is serious. If you know that name, it means that you're more involved in this than I thought.”
He backed off and offered her a softer expression. He exhaled slowly, then continued, “Listen to me. If this book falls into the wrong hands, the king will be able to find a place that has long been forgotten.”
“The Lost Library,” Kaina said.
“Exactly, and if you know about that, you know why the king must never find it.”
Kaina shook her head. “All I know is that Roric claimed that the wizard who created it wanted to make it so that wizards could one day return to power, but I don't know what to believe anymore.”
“Well, I can tell you for certain that what you've been told isn't what is true in the slightest.”
“And you know this how?”
“Because Melchior told me.”
Kaina felt her heart skip a beat. “You know Melchior? How?”
“I met him during one of our missions in Eldercliff,” Tristan explained. “He told me that there was far more to the story of the war than history books will tell you, mainly because Roric made sure that only what he wanted to be known was actually recorded.”
“So what actually happened?” Kaina asked with a hint of skepticism in her tone. “Also, how could Melchior have been alive at the time of the war? That was over four hundred years ago.”
“He's...not exactly human, from what I've been told,” Tristan said.
“What is he?”
“I don't know, and I can't describe him either. He wore a mask and his hood drawn during our encounter, so I never even saw his face. As for the war, all you need to know is that Roric wasn't the poor, oppressed peasant that he was made out to be.”
“Why can't you tell me more?” Kaina pressed.
“I'm not certain I can trust you,” Tristan said. “I'm certain that the feeling is mutual.”
“You're certainly right about that,” Kaina replied. “I can't give you the book, and you can't let me leave until I do.”
Tristan thought for a moment, then said, “You're bringing the book to Melchior, correct?”
Kaina hesitated. She knew that Aldis told her not to speak to anyone or trust them until she spoke with Melchior, but she knew that Tristan wouldn't allow her to leave until she did.
“Yes,” Kaina replied hesitantly.
Tristan nodded.
“You may not want to believe that the king is capable of such things, but he's been searching for that book his entire life. You may have been told that he sent his troops to the Ashlands to search for us, but even though we were in the area, he too was searching for the book and had followed the same lead we had. Evidently the king got the same tip we had, so that's why he sent Casimir and Azemar to Eboncrest.”
“So Casimir is involved too,” Kaina said. “I might have known.”
To Kaina's surprise, Tristan laughed. “Ah yes, I heard all about your arranged marriage and the scene you made when you found out.”
Kaina reddened and shifted her eyes in defiance.
“Don't worry, I don't blame you,” Tristan assured. “No doubt the royal family won't take kindly to it, however.”
“They're no concern of mine,” Kaina replied.
“They should be. They're more dangerous than they let on.”
“And you know this how?”
“Never mind that. Now then, I don't know how you came into contact with the book, but someone told you about Melchior, and now you need to get it to him.”
Kaina arched her brow. “I was also advised not to speak to or trust anyone else.”
“Smart move,” Tristan said. “If you need to get that book to Melchior, I suppose I'm going to have to go with you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Like I told you, I can't trust you yet. I'm going to go with you to make sure it reaches Melchior's hands. Since you cannot trust me, you will have to go with me to ensure it gets there. Does that make sense?”
Kaina furrowed her brow. She didn't want to have to travel with Tristan to Eldercliff, but she wasn't going to be able to leave until she did. She would also need more supplies, and she knew that Tristan would probably be better experienced at traveling than she was. She would stick with him...for now.
“Fine,” Kaina said. “But you aren't going to handle the book.”
“Where is it?” Tristan asked.
“It's safe,” Kaina said.
Tristan studied Kaina intently, then to her surprise, he said, “We leave at Dawn. In the meantime, get some rest. You'll find the mess hall if you go down the stairs and through the corridor, and don't even think about leaving the base. We have guards posted near the entrance at all times, and they won't allow you to leave without a fight.”
Kaina's Dawn (Kaina Saga Book 1) Page 8