“It's plausible,” Aldis said. “I admit that I haven't been to Undercliff in ages, not since I joined with the Scholar's Union, but I remember how strict and secretive those elder wizards could be.”
Kaina felt a pang of guilt. “I hope that Melchior didn't get into trouble because of us. He trusted us and we just left without warning.”
Aldis shook his head. “I assure you that the elders wouldn't dare take any action against Melchior. They know his judgment is unsurpassed, and though they might be taking precautionary measures, they will not harbor any resentment towards Melchior for this.”
“I beg to differ.”
Everyone turned their heads to the direction of the voice to see a familiar figure in a hooded cloak, but they all knew by the voice who it was.
“I should be angry about all this,” Melchior said. “After all, I entrusted you, Kaina with the key and the map to the Lost Library and you up and left the city in order to do who knows what. Now I know you were rescuing Aldis, of course, and while I find that admirable, I also find it incredibly foolish.”
“I know,” Kaina said, “we could have been caught, killed, hurt, and so on.”
“That's not what I mean,” Melchior said, swiftly lowering his hood. “The Elder's castle dungeon is notoriously impossible to break out of. The fact that you not only did it but managed to do it without raising an alarm or getting hurt in the process can mean only one thing.”
“What's that?” Kaina asked, although a second later she knew what he meant.
Kaina's first clue was the sound of metal swiftly pounding against stone as four Eldercliff guards rounded the corner she was facing and pointed their weapons directly at them.
One of the guards then shouted, “Halt! Surrender in the name of King Torald III!”
Melchior shook his head. “They set a trap.”
“Run!” Tristan shouted.
Kaina and her comrades turned to run in the opposite direction, but another group of guards cut off their path. In every possible direction, more guards arrived, and Kaina soon saw a familiar flash of armor that she would never forget as long as she lived.
Kaina spotted her cousin and said, “Hugo, you rat.”
“Enough Kaina,” Hugo said, “your little game ends here.”
“Indeed it does.”
Casimir soon emerged from behind the guards and said, “I would have preferred you led us to the rest of the wizards, but now that you have who could be none other than Melchior out in the open, I'll be able to find them soon enough.”
Melchior scowled, and that was when the guards and Hugo realized he was there. They stared in shock, having never seen a Merunian before, but otherwise said nothing.
“Now then,” Casimir said, “Give me the book.”
Kaina lifted her chin and pursed her lips. “I don't have it.”
Casimir laughed. “If only you were better at lying than you are at magic. No matter, Azemar can get the answers from you.”
On command, Azemar stepped forward and approached Kaina.
“Oh no...” Aldis whispered.
“He's right to worry,” Azemar said. “I'll have the answers from you momentarily.”
“Don't you dare hurt her,” Tristan growled. He lunged for Azemar, but several soldiers caught him and held him back.
“Torture is too messy. I have more efficient ways of extracting information,” Azemar said.
Kaina backed away from the adviser, but Casimir came up behind her and grabbed her by both arms. Despite her struggles, he held her firmly in place. His fingers dug into her skin and threatened to puncture it at any moment.
Azemar approached Kaina and pressed his finger to her forehead. A cold, pulsing sensation washed over her and her body grew stiff. Azemar removed his hand and Kaina found that she was no longer in control of her body, because even though in her mind she continued to fight, her body resisted.
Azemar backed away from Kaina, smiled and asked, “Where is the book?”
Kaina tried not to speak, but the words came out of her, “In the pouch...on my belt...”
She felt Casimir's hand release one of her arms, but she still couldn't move, and he reached into the pouch in question. She felt him dig around for a few seconds, and then he said, “Aha!”
To Kaina's horror, Casimir pulled the book out of her pouch and handed it to Azemar. The old man accepted it and opened the cover to reveal the key and map.
“Well well,” Azemar said, “What have we here?”
“A key,” Casimir said, “and I'd bet my birthright that's a map showing the location of the Lost Library.”
Azemar handed the items and the book back to Casimir, then focused on Kaina again and said, “I have but one more question. Where are the other wizards in Eldercliff?”
Kaina bit her lip in an attempt to not speak, but despite this, her voice kept trying to escape.
“Don't fight it,” Azemar advised, “you will only hurt yourself.”
Kaina twisted her head from side to side like a child trying not to eat their dinner. “They...are in...Under...ground!”
“Underground?” Hugo asked.
“That makes sense,” Azemar said. “We haven't been able to find them anywhere else in the city. Where is the entrance?”
“...nggh...sew...sewers...” Kaina grumbled.
“Sewers...where in the sewers?” Azemar pressed.
Kaina grunted and moaned in an effort to fight the effects of the mind control, and Azemar said, “I'm impressed. Normally people cannot fight for this long. Even Aldis couldn't.”
Kaina shut her eyes and tried to think of a way to work around the answer. “It's...gone...”
“Gone?” Azemar said. “What do you mean, 'gone?'”
“Can't get in...shut off...”
“What are you talking about, girl?” Azemar pressed.
Casimir shook his head. “Enough of this. We have the book; we'll deal with the rest of the wizards later.”
Azemar met his gaze and glared at him, at which point Casimir said, “Did I stutter, Azemar?”
The old man said nothing, but still waved his arm and released Kaina from his control. Her body relaxed, and she fell limp, but Casimir caught her. The prince lifted Kaina to her feet and said, “Very good. Let us bring the prisoners to a private location. Move out.”
The guards captured Aldis and Melchior, and it took at least five men to subdue Tristan, and Casimir brought Kaina onto his horse. They galloped off towards the castle, where Kaina dreaded what would happen next.
Casimir brought Kaina to his guest chambers, and Azemar followed them while the others were carted off to the castle dungeon. She tried to break free from Casimir's grasp, but he was simply too strong for her.
Once they arrived in the chamber, Casimir turned to Azemar and said, “Lock the door.”
Azemar obeyed and Casimir sat Kaina down in the chair that sat in front of the fireplace. Though she hoped Casimir wouldn't dare do anything to her with someone else in the room, she still couldn't help but fear that he would. She didn't show him this, of course, and simply stared daggers at him while he unfolded the map and lay it on the table in front of her.
“It's a map of Ilesia,” Casimir muttered to himself as he flattened the map. “Here is Eldercliff, and there is Sunhaven, and there is the Black Forest, the Crescent mountains, and...wait a moment...”
“What is it?” Azemar asked.
“According to this map, the Lost Library, or at least the location, is somewhere in Eboncrest. That can't be...we were just there,” Casimir said while shaking his head.
“I have a theory,” Azemar said. “We know that the library can't be in plain sight, otherwise Roric would have found it. I suspect that the library is hidden somewhere, either in the mountains or even underground.”
“But if the entrance to the library is somewhere in Eboncrest,” Casimir said, “then surely the Haventhorn family must know about it.”
They both looked at Kaina, who
said, “Don't look at me. If Elias knows about the library, he's never told me. Not that he would anyway.”
Kaina noticed Azemar about to use the same spell as before on her again, and she jerked her head to the side, looked up at him, and said, “If you touch me again, I'll bite that finger off.”
Azemar raised an eyebrow and retracted his hand, then gave Casimir a look of contempt.
Casimir met Azemar's expression, laughed, and said, “I told you she had the fire of a true queen.”
“I am not your queen,” Kaina hissed.
“Not yet,” Casimir said. “After all this is over, I have a feeling you will change your mind.”
Kaina leaned in closer to him, stared him straight in the eyes, and whispered, “Try me.”
Casimir smiled, then looked down at the map and said, “Well, I suppose we will have to pay your grandfather a visit then, won't we. If the Lost Library truly is in Eboncrest, then we'll find it. As for you...”
Casimir stood and grabbed Kaina again. “You will be kept under watch, and this time, you won't escape so easily.”
When they arrived in the dungeon, Casimir practically tossed Kaina inside the cell with the others. Aldis rushed to Kaina's aid, and Tristan ran to the door in an attempt to stop it from closing, but Casimir was too quick. Tristan made it to the door just as it slammed shut, and when he looked through the opening, he came face to face with his long lost brother.
“Enjoy your stay, Tristan,” Casimir said with a smug grin. “I know Father will be pleased to see you.”
As Casimir walked away, Tristan shouted every obscenity that Kaina knew and even some that she had never heard, most of which made her come dangerously close to blushing.
Tristan punched the door with all his might, at which point Melchior approached him from behind. “It won't do any good to break your hand trying to get out of here. We need to step back and think logically about this.”
Tristan took a deep breath, then looked back to Kaina, who was crouched down on the dirt floor while Aldis had his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her.
“This is all my fault...” Kaina muttered.
“Kaina, don't blame yourself,” Aldis assured her.
“I knew that Casimir was setting up a trap, but I foolishly came in here to save you anyway.”
“And that's admirable of you, no matter what mistakes you made,” Aldis said.
“Aldis,” Kaina said, “I appreciate what you're trying to do, but don't patronize me. It's my fault that we're locked up in here...and it's my fault that Casimir has the means to find the Lost Library.”
Kaina buried her head in her knees and tried to hide the fact that she was now crying. She heard footsteps coming close to her, and soon she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She lifted her head high enough so that whoever it was wouldn't see her tears forming, and she was surprised to see Tristan kneeling before her and comforting her.
“You know, I didn't have to follow you,” Tristan said. “This is just as much my fault.”
When he could tell she wasn't convinced, he took something out of his shirt, pulled it over his head, and held it out in front of her. Kaina lifted her head to see a beautiful, ornate, silver locket dangling before her. She stared at it intently, mesmerized by its beauty.
“What is that?” Kaina asked.
“My mother gave it to me,” Tristan replied. “She told me that when I hold it when I'm afraid or sad, it would bring me back to a place I felt the most at home. I suppose it was her way of comforting me even after she was gone.”
Tristan brushed Kaina's hair away from her neck and attached the locket. “Just give it a squeeze and think about the place you feel most at home. Maybe it'll bring you a bit of peace.”
Kaina grasped the locket in her hand and traced the intricate designs with her thumb. She felt a strange longing for something, and she pictured it in her mind as she closed her eyes. She felt Tristan's hand touch her shoulder again while Aldis and Melchior did the same. Their gestures alone gave her all the comfort she needed, but she could feel a warmth resonating from within the locket, a pulse that flowed through her body and warmed her to the core.
A place where you feel most at home.
Kaina wasn't sure why she chose the location she did, but it brought her all the comfort she needed. A light appeared just beyond Kaina's eyelids, and it wasn't until she heard a collection of gasps around her that she realized it wasn't just her imagination.
She then heard Tristan say, “What the--”
Kaina opened her eyes, but she had no explanation for what she saw. She, Tristan, Melchior, and Aldis found themselves right in the middle of the Azure Riders' hideout.
Froki stood just a few feet away and the rest of the rebels stopped what they were doing to stare at them, and soon the pale giant looked at them, shrugged, and said, “Welcome back Boss.”
Chapter 26
“The Lost Library...in Eboncrest? That's impossible,” Hugo said as Casimir told him the news.
“I thought so too,” Casimir replied, “but here it is on the map, clear as day. Eboncrest used to be called by another name, as it shows here, but this town is where Zion left his library for sure.”
Hugo shook his head. “How can that be? Our family has lived there for four hundred years and we've never found an ancient library, much less one that contained the last of all the arcane knowledge in the world.”
“I suspect that your grandfather might be able to shed some light on this,” Casimir replied.
“You...you certainly don't believe that my grandfather would harbor such a secret, do you?” Hugo asked.
“Not intentionally,” Casimir stated. “The legend of the library is not well known, so even if your grandfather does know something about it, it doesn't mean that he withheld the information with the intent to thwart the crown. Perhaps he found something peculiar, or someone else in the Haventhorn family did, and it never occurred to them that it might be important.”
“I suppose,” Hugo stated, “but I doubt that such a find would remain secret for so long.”
“That's why we need to get to Eboncrest and find out,” Casimir said.
Hugo was about to speak again when there was a knock at the door. Azemar, who had been standing silently nearby, went to open the door, and there stood the captain of the guard with a wan expression that told Casimir something was terribly wrong.
“Captain?” Casimir asked. “What is it?”
The captain bowed, then said, “My lord, we have...a bit of a problem.”
Casimir's heart sank. “What's going on? Don't tell me that Kaina escaped?”
“Not just her, My Lord,” the captain replied, “all four prisoners have vanished.”
“Vanished?” Casimir said, standing straight up. He darted around the table, closed the distance between himself and the captain, and said, “What do you mean they 'vanished?'”
“One of the guards went in to check on them, and they weren't in their cell,” the captain replied. “We searched it from top to bottom, but we found no signs of their escape. The cell door was still locked from the outside, and we found no evidence that they tunneled out.”
“Well there were the two wizards,” Hugo offered, “and I suppose Kaina is one now too, so maybe they used magic to escape.”
“Impossible,” Azemar stated. “There isn't a single known spell that can make an entire group of people vanish into thin air. Even a teleportation spell can only move two people at a time at the most, and given the size of this castle, they would still be somewhere on the grounds. There were guards were on every corner to prevent their escape, so there is no way they would have gotten out like that.”
“Then how could they have escaped?” Hugo wondered.
“I don't know,” Casimir said, “but they've left me no choice. We must leave at once. Captain, return to your duties.”
The captain bowed and replied, “Yes Sir.”
After the captain had left the room, Casimir th
en turned to Azemar and said, “We need to Eboncrest the same way we got here.”
“Of course, your majesty,” Azemar replied with a bow of his head. “Once you are all prepared, simply give me the word.”
Casimir turned to Hugo and said, “Get your cousins and let's go. We will be in Eboncrest within the hour.”
Hugo's brow furrowed, at which point Casimir sensed his hesitation and said, “Do I make myself clear, Sir Hugo?”
Hugo snapped back to attention and bowed and said, “Of course, Your Majesty. I will fetch them at once.”
Hugo marched out of the room and out into the hall without another word.
Azemar soon turned to Casimir and said, “Do you really think they could have made it to Eboncrest so quickly? I can't think of any magic that would have--”
“I don't care about that,” Casimir barked. “I won't take any chances of them getting to Eboncrest before me. What's more, I have the key, and I will be the one to open the library.”
Azemar bowed his head, then answered, “Of course, Your Majesty. Shall I send word to your father about this?”
“No,” Casimir said. “I want to arrive at his throne with my traitorous brother's head perched atop my blade and the ashes of the library in a decorative urn. A new dawn will follow in the wake of my triumph, and soon all of Ilesia will know who the true power behind the throne is. Roric will be nothing but a distant memory once I make my mark.”
Azemar eyed him cautiously. “Very well, Prince Casimir. We will set out as soon as you are ready.”
Casimir nodded. “Good.”
“Wait, so you're telling us that the Lost Library...” Emir trailed off.
Abigail finished, “...is in Eboncrest? How could we have missed that?”
After Kaina and Tristan explained everything from the past several days leading up to that point, they told everyone about how Casimir had the key and was heading to Eboncrest soon.
“We have to find the library before he does,” Kaina said.
“But we can't open it without the key,” Tristan said, “so what can we do in the mean time?”
“Maybe there is a way we can get the key from Casimir when he gets to Eboncrest,” Kaina offered. “Then once we know where the entrance to the library is, we can use it and save everything inside.”
Kaina's Dawn (Kaina Saga Book 1) Page 26