“What did you do to him?” Kaina shouted.
“Don't worry,” Azemar assured, “it was just to keep him quiet.”
Kaina turned back to Casimir, whose smile made her want to melt his face off, and said, “Let him go!”
“Only if you give me the book,” Casimir said.
“How do I know you won't double cross me?” Kaina asked.
“Consider this, then,” Casimir said. “You're surrounded on all sides, so my comrades could take the book from you even if you fight back. I'll get to you and the book no matter what you choose, so why not make things easier on yourself?”
Kaina looked to the ground, and she could feel everyone's eyes on her. She knew what she had to do, and she didn't like it one bit.
Kaina looked up at Casimir, a lone tear escaping from her eye, and said, “I will never give you this book.”
“Have it your way,” Casimir said. “Kill him.”
Kaina cried out as Azemar held a dagger to her beloved mentor's throat, the latter of which was too dazed to even understand what was going on, much less fight back. This cruel gesture only fueled Kaina's fire even further than when she first refused the Prince at the ball. His smug, dung-eating smile alone wanted nothing more than to crush his head under her boot.
“You have until the count of three,” Casimir said. “One...”
Kaina's heart sank as time stretched on, barely even a blur. She couldn't allow Aldis to be harmed after he put himself in this situation to save her...
“Two...”
Kaina held her breath. All she could do was stare at Aldis in his dazed state. Would he even be aware of her betrayal...?
“Three...”
Kaina's heart stopped. “Wait, I'll-”
She was abruptly interrupted by a familiar screeching sound, and a flash of gold that flew at Azemar, causing him to drop the dagger. He cursed, and all eyes shot to the culprit.
The golden eagle, majestic and furious, circled around and swooped in for another attack. It flew at Casimir next, and the prince swiftly ducked to avoid it. Several of the Disciples drew their blades as it circled again, attacking everyone and everything it could reach. The men scattered in a dire effort to get rid of the beast, but to no avail. The eagle simply flew out of reach after each round with more speed than any other master of the skies.
Kaina stared in awe at the magnificent creature, but Tristan tugged her arm to save her from her thoughts. That was when she noticed that the men had left an opening in their defenses and that gave both of them the opportunity to run through before they could even notice.
“Now's our chance,” Tristan said as he pulled Kaina by her arm.
“What about Aldis?” Kaina asked.
“We can't go back for him,” Tristan said. “I'm sorry, but we have to keep this book out of Casimir's hands.”
Kaina made one last, tearful glance back at Aldis, who stumbled to the ground in the chaos. Much like a helpless infant, he stared around at the Disciples, prince, and adviser with no concept of what they were doing.
Another tug of her arm reminded her of the situation, but she still didn't move until Tristan shouted, “Kaina!”
With a heavy heart, Kaina turned and followed Tristan into the nearest alley.
When they could no longer hear the shouts of Casimir and his men, Tristan and Kaina stopped by a stack of barrels to catch their breath. They crouched down into the shadows, then after a few moments of silence save for their heavy breathing, Kaina turned to Tristan and said, “You're Casimir's brother?”
Tristan sighed and leaned his head back against the brick wall behind them and said, “I didn't think you would trust me if I told you that I was the younger brother of your betrothed.”
“He is not my betrothed,” Kaina hissed. “And what about the other rebels? Do they know?”
“Not all of them,” Tristan said. “Froki, Emir, and Abigail are the only ones who know.”
Kaina stared at him. “Just what did you plan on saying to the others in the off chance you defeated your father and brother? 'Great job everyone, by the way, I'm actually the other son of the king we just killed, so I guess that means I'm king now!'”
Tristan shrugged. “No, I was going to serve them cake as well.”
“Tristan!” Kaina shrieked.
“All right, all right,” Tristan said. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but that's not important right now. We need to find Melchior before Casimir catches us and takes the book...”
Kaina was far from done with this conversation, but she put it to the back of her mind and said, “What can we do? How can we find Melchior now?”
“You don't find me.”
Kaina and Tristan jumped to their feet at the sudden sound of a deep, melodic voice. They looked up and saw another hooded individual stepping out of the shadows. Though his hood was drawn, Kaina could see that he wore a white mask in the shape of a human face underneath. Though it was indeed unsettling to see, the intricate blue robes he wore indicated magical talents, and a wave of relief washed over her. He edged closer to them as then stood up and readied to defend themselves or run, whichever came first.
“I find you,” the voice said.
Kaina stared at the hooded man, expecting another trick, but something about his demeanor told her that it wasn't.
“Melchior?” she asked.
The hooded figure didn't look at her, or even move for that matter, and Kaina was beginning to wonder if it was actually a statue under the cloak that they somehow managed to not see on their way into the alley, but he soon spoke again and abolished the notion.
“I feared that this would happen, which is why I had my friend watch over you” the man claiming to be Melchior stated. “Prince Casimir can be quite cunning.”
“It's Melchior all right,” Tristan whispered. “I'd recognize that voice anywhere.”
“It's a pleasure to see you again, Tristan,” Melchior replied.
“I wish I could say the same,” Tristan replied. Upon realizing how rude this sounded, he then corrected himself by saying, “Er, what I mean is...I didn't see your face before...so--”
“I understand,” Melchior said. “You have found the book, then?”
Kaina nodded, though she wasn't sure how he knew.
“Very well, come with me,” he said, “I will tell you everything you need to know.”
“Won't Casimir see us if we go that way?” Kaina asked.
Melchior stopped. “Don't worry about him. Zephyr will keep them busy and throw them off your trail.”
“You mean the eagle?” Kaina asked.
Melchior nodded. “Come with me and I will take you to safety.”
He walked away again and Kaina and Tristan exchanged a glance, then simultaneously marched off behind Melchior to wherever it was he was taking them.
Melchior led Kaina and Tristan from the alley to the next street, then he turned again and wrapped around the next building, paying no heed to who might be lurking on the other side. It soon became apparent that they didn't need to worry about being spotted, as not even a single beggar lurked in the areas they were in.
Melchior finally stopped near a sewer grate and stopped down to examine it.
“No, not that one,” he muttered as he stood again and kept going further down. Kaina eyed him curiously as he stopped at the next grate and repeated this process. He then stopped at a third grate and said, “Here it is.”
Melchior lifted the sewer grate and ushered Kaina and Tristan inside. A ladder led down into the sewer, but oddly enough there was no water even though Kaina heard it trickling all around them. Tristan dropped down beside her and they both searched for the source of the flowing water.
When Melchior stepped down from the ladder, he noticed them looking around and said, “Don't bother. The sound you hear is only an illusion to fool people who pass by expecting to hear it.”
Kaina and Tristan exchanged a glance and then once they noticed Melchior walking forward, the
y followed again. The area they were now in was a tunnel built with stone bricks in an arch shape that, at its apex, stood only a few inches above Melchior's head. It only occurred to Kaina then just how tall he was, for even Tristan was visibly shorter than him.
Melchior turned down another tunnel that was made the same way as the one before, and Kaina noted that each one was lit by a lantern, but rather than candles, there seemed to be just floating light in each one. Before long she had become so fixated on these curiosities that she didn't notice Melchior had stopped until she ran right into him.
Kaina stepped back in embarrassment, but Melchior didn't even seem to notice. He stopped at a section of wall at the end of the tunnel that appeared to be bare. He stepped up closer to the wall and traced a symbol on the brick with his finger, at which point Kaina noticed he wore black gloves, and within moments the bricks began to move before their astonished eyes. The bricks opened up to another tunnel with an opening at the end about ten feet ahead, and once the bricks stopped moving, Melchior marched forward into the tunnel.
Kaina followed first, then she turned to Tristan and said, “Are you coming?”
Tristan stopped staring at the wall long enough to notice Kaina and caught up to her. He followed close behind as she stepped out into the light right behind Melchior, and when her eyes lay on the sight ahead, all she could utter was, “Oh...my...”
In the enormous cavern ahead lay not the city of Eldercliff, but an entire underground replica. Though there were some minor differences, the city had a similar layout, architecture, and feel. The tunnel led to platform that overlooked the city of the cavern and sloped down, then split off and led to the front gates. There were buildings built on top of rock formations and others were wrapped around them like a coiled snake. Most perplexing of all was the strange birds they saw flying overhead in all different directions.
Melchior turned to face them and, while still concealing his face, he said, “Welcome to Undercliff, the city of wizards.”
Kaina's heart gave a leap at the wonder of it all as she and Tristan followed Melchior into the city. Undercliff shimmered with lights unlike anything she had ever seen before. Light seemed to come from everywhere and it wasn't long before she saw that there were more floating orbs of light lining the cobblestone streets. There were owls, hawks, and even a few eagles roaming about and it didn't take long for Kaina to notice that many of them were carrying messages and even supplies.
People of all kinds walked about in colorful robes and odd fashions. Each wizard who walked past them had a more colorful and ornate robe than the last, and Kaina had no doubt that if her mother had seen her dress in such a way, she would have forbidden her from ever marching out into public again. They passed shops containing books in the windows, bottles of shimmering liquids and strange spices, and there was also one store that sold strange pole-like objects that resembled a sort of long walking cane. The sign above the store read, Moonherald's Staves and Wands.
Kaina shrugged, never having heard of such things, and she turned to the area in front of her. Melchior led them to a town square with a statue just like the city above, but instead of a statue of Roric in the center, it was an old man in a robe holding another one of those cane-like objects.
“Who is that?” Kaina asked, pointing to the statue.
Melchior stopped and turned to her, then said, “You should know, considering you found his book.”
Kaina turned back to the statue and that was when she saw that tucked under his other arm was a stone replica of the very book that she kept in the pouch on her belt. She placed her hand on it, as if to remind herself of its existence, and then she moved along as soon as she saw their guide moving again.
Melchior made his way to the largest building in the town square, which was a tall, stone tower that was right behind the statue in the middle of the square. He walked up the stone stairs just in front and waited at the door for Kaina to reach him, then Tristan, and then he opened the door to allow them in first.
The first room was a rotunda comprised of entire walls of books, much to Kaina's delight. She estimated that it contained about the same amount of books as the manor's library, possibly even more. There were tables on either side of the room where scholars conducted various research, Kaina imagined, and all that she could hear was the sound of pages flipping and quills scratching into parchment.
At the opposite end of the room stood a desk that sat in front of a set of stairs that began on the left side of the desk and wrapped up the side of the tower in a spiral pattern. The man behind the desk nodded to Melchior as they passed and went straight for the stairs. Melchior climbed up the spiral stairs, ignoring each floor that they passed until they reached the top, which Kaina estimated to be about the fifth or sixth floor, since she lost count about halfway up, and he opened the door and stepped inside.
This final room was a study, complete with a long desk and a fireplace along with thousands of books lining every spare inch of wall. There was another spiral staircase that led up to a landing, and from there Kaina could see that there was another door that led into what she could only presume was a bed chamber. Three chairs sat before the hearth, one of which was larger than the others, and all of which faced a small table in the center. Melchior beckoned for them to follow him there, and finally, he gestured for them to sit down.
Kaina sat in one of the smaller chairs while Tristan took the one beside her. Melchior sat directly across from them, his face still hidden in the shadow of his cloak. Kaina stretched her aching feet out on the floor, then waited for Melchior to speak.
“I have no doubt you have many questions, Kaina Haventhorn,” Melchior said, and Kaina didn't even bother to ask how he knew her name. “I am here to tell you everything you haven't been told, and by the end of the night, you will question everything you thought you knew.”
Melchior reached up and grasped the sides of his hood and added, “But first, in order to properly begin, I will do something that I have done for very few people in my five hundred years.”
Melchior pulled back his hood and removed his mask, and in spite of herself, Kaina gasped.
Chapter 19
Although Casimir and the Disciples had made every attempt to evade the wretched eagle to focus on their quarry, it would swoop back down and attack them only to fly away when they made attempts to strike it. By the time Casimir and the Disciples had finally chased the strange, golden bird off, Kaina and Tristan were long gone.
If Casimir didn't know any better, he would have thought that the bird was actually helping them.
“Spread out and find them,” Casimir ordered. “Whoever returns without them will forfeit their heads.”
The men spread out and Azemar, still holding onto the dazed Aldis, approached the prince and said, “Sire, that eagle was no coincidence. I suspect Melchior may have intervened in their escape, and they are likely with him now.”
Casimir's face flushed red. “In other words, Melchior has the book.”
“I'm afraid so,” Azemar said, “and unless we can find where he is hiding, we may never find the book now.”
Casimir inhaled sharply, then he released his built up rage and kicked the barrel over and smashed onto the ground.
After it was clear that the prince would not loose his fury again, Azemar said, “There may yet be hope. After all, we still have him.” He gestured to Aldis, who sat on the ground and stared off into space, and added, “If he knows where Melchior is hiding, then I can get him to tell us just like I got him to tell me about Kaina coming here to Eldercliff.”
Casimir looked at him. “When will this wear off?”
“Probably about an hour,” Azemar said. “By then I'll have him secured and he won't remember a thing about what happened after he saw Kaina.”
“Fine,” Casimir said, “but I want to be there when you do it. Now if you will excuse me, I have a task I need to complete.”
Casimir turned towards the hideout that they had firs
t arrived in, and then he heard Azemar call from behind him, “You had best be wary of what you're about to do, Prince.”
Casimir stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. “What are you talking about?”
“I know that you've made deals with him in the past, and the longer you keep giving up parts of your soul...you become less and less human.”
Casimir took in a sharp breath and said, “Bring the scholar to the hideout and alert me the moment he is ready.”
The prince then marched off without turning to see Azemar's reaction. The former knew the consequences of his actions, but he also knew fully well that should things work out in his favor, the result would be far worth the effort. It wasn't until Roric discovered this little loophole that mortals knew what could be achieved by making deals with demons.
Casimir continued to the old house and found the trap door that led into the basement. It was empty, so he made his way to the corner where he left his satchel. Through Azemar told him he wouldn't need to pack anything, Casimir never went anywhere without his only means of contacting Mareth. His eyes soon fell on the box containing the quill, and he opened it up not only to reveal that, but also a piece of folded parchment tucked into the fabric. The prince removed both from the box and began to write:
Kaina has reached Melchior. Why haven't you retrieved her or the book?
A reply soon formed:
I will have her soon. She has entered the spiritual plane and will be highly vulnerable to my influence.
Casimir raised his eyebrow, but he ignored it and wrote:
You had better find her and the book before she opens it, or else.
Casimir waited, and for several minutes he began to wonder if Mareth was even going to answer. However, one final reply appeared:
It will be done. You have my word.
Casimir didn't know if that was even possible, but he knew that regardless he would soon have the means to find Kaina himself anyway, and he would make her his queen.
Kaina's Dawn (Kaina Saga Book 1) Page 20