“Yes, yes, it could,” replied the older man absentmindedly, deep in thought yet again. Then, the Regent suddenly snapped his head up, as if he’d plucked the answer out of thin air.
“Sir?”
“I’ll have them dig...all of them...for however long it takes.”
“To do what, Sir?” asked Furlong.
“To clear the path forward.”
A few hours later, Obadiah stood, with Furlong astutely next to him, in front of each mining crew. Dozens of team leaders were gathered along with their teams in the mining Apex.
Obadiah watched as hundreds of miners gossiped excitedly within their groups, all speculating why they’d been summoned to the mines together. The teams usually worked independently, so each miner was guessing the motivation behind their gathering as they whispered and jabbered amongst themselves. It was also exceptionally early in the morning, which only seemed to heighten the excitement.
The bell hadn’t yet sounded for the day.
Unwilling to associate with the unprivileged citizens of his burrow for a moment longer than was necessary, Obadiah raised his hands jovially, effectively silencing the hoard.
“As I’m sure most of you know by now, the recent groundshake that closed off mineshaft eight, has taken a toll. Several miners, including my son Gideon, have been lost to us. However–,” and here he paused, more for dramatic effect than anything else. He put a steadying hand on his chest and one on the shoulder of his manservant before continuing. “However, as no bodies have been recovered, we must consider the possibility that they may have survived the groundshake. They may be simply trapped on the other side of the cave-in.”
Here, the miners once again began to whisper to their team members. The noise level grew, but once again was silenced by the Regent’s raised hands.
“Please, hear me out,” he said, pleading with the crowd, “I don’t take your lives for granted. I would never want to perpetuate the feeling of loss that I am suffering. We cannot allow more families to be broken by this tragedy!”
As the crowd heard his words, a solitary hooded figure broke free from the masses, approaching the Regent. As it got nearer, it bowed its head with respect and removed its hood.
“Regent, why has this meeting been called without the miner administrator's permission or participation?”
Obadiah stared down at the figure, surprised to find a young, spiky-haired woman standing before him. She appeared only a few cycles older than his own son.
“Ah yes, Miss...” and he paused, waiting for a response.
“Ulenna,” she informed him curtly, with a degree of visible discomfort.
“Yes, Miss Ulenna, you would be the administrator's aide?”
“Yes, Regent.”
“I see, yes…well, you may relay a message to your mistress,” he replied with a broad and inviting smile, “please tell her that there’s no need to worry. Her Regent is stepping in to oversee rescue efforts. With all your help,” and here he addressed the crowd, “we will see this tunnel cleared so that we can return our fallen miners to the arms of their loving families.”
“Regent, your son is the only one that has a family,” interrupted the short-haired aide once again. Before Obadiah could respond, however, the young woman quickly bowed and turned away, lightly parting the crowd as she departed the Apex. The Regent was left glaring stupidly at the back of her head as she left the assembly.
He stumbled over his words briefly, eventually regaining his train of thought.
“Leaders, you must assemble and organize your teams. We have much work to do.”
The old man's voice drawled on behind her as she walked out of the Apex, heading into the supply storeroom. She quickly passed through to the lighted pathway that led up to the mining entrance.
The old fool.
Ulenna couldn't help but frown on her jog to the surface. Since she was tasked with relaying messages for her mistress, she was continually traversing the mining tunnels with great haste, leading to a healthier physique than many others. As she hastened to the surface, each step brought with it more anxiety.
“Mayge!” she exclaimed as she burst into the portly woman's office.
“Ulenna!” said the older woman, jumping slightly at the interruption.
“I'm sorry I startled you, but the Regent has taken over the mines!” she said, putting her hands on Mayge's desk and leaning in towards her. “He said for me to tell you not to worry, that he’ll bring back the lost mining crew!”
“He’s assuming they’re still alive?” asked Mayge, her eyes sparkling with sudden interest.
“Yes, ma'am. Said he wants to return them all to their families,” the girl reported, “I pointed out the obvious flaw with that reasoning.”
“All orphans except Gideon,” the administrator said with a grin.
“Yes,” said the aide, her eyes bright, “when I left, he was outlining the plans to have the tunnel cleared.”
“Was he now,” said Mayge, deep in thought.
“What do we do?”
“Do?” asked Mayge with a look of surprise. “We will do nothing, especially when Obadiah is beginning to show us his hand so spectacularly.”
“His hand?”
“Yes–a reference to the game of cards...you've played cards before, haven’t you?”
“No, ma'am, our headmistress didn’t allow games,” replied the young woman honestly.
“Well, what it means is he’s revealing things to those of us who know his true intentions. We’ve been suspicious of his movements lately and have been gathering information. Since the groundshake, I assume his current state is one of utter panic,” reported the administrator with a smile.
Ulenna stood confused, a blank look on her face, “What plan?”
“You’ll see,” said Mayge eagerly. “Actually, his urgency only elevates the need for us to step up your participation within our organization.”
“I'm not sure I follow, Mistress,” said the short-haired girl as she removed her hands from Mayge's desk, a nervous look on her face.
“It seems Obadiah has graciously relieved me, and therefore you as well, from duty. The time has come to meet with others who can help us,” explained the portly woman.
“Help us do what?” the girl asked with suspicion.
Mayge clasped her hands before speaking again. “Right now, we’re in the midst of a great change. Our society has functioned currently for a great length of time. But now, difficult choices must be made. You’ve served well as my aid, and I believe you’re now better prepared for the challenging tasks that lay ahead. You’ll have to discard your fear and trust everything I say,” she held out her hands, offering them to her young follower.
The woman accepted them without hesitation. Mayge looked pleased, taking and squeezing Ulenna's hands gently within her own.
“I will Mistress,” said the young woman solemnly, appreciating the apparent trust her mentor was placing in her.
Mayge nodded before slowly releasing Ulenna's hands. She grabbed a bag and stuffed a few documents inside before giving the office one last glance. “Ready?”
The aide nodded, stepping out into the main cavern after her elder.
“I’ll do whatever you need of me, Ma’am,” said the young woman, looking at the aging administrator as they walked away from the mining district and toward the main avenue of the burrow.
Yes,” smiled Mayge as she turned to the girl and patted her shoulder, “I knew you would when the time came.”
The older woman led Ulenna up the main road, further into the heart of Ashbourne, which was emptier than usual for the time of morning.
“Everyone's in the mines,” murmured Ulenna as she noticed Mayge's evident surprise and pleasure.
“Yes, it’s another inadvertent help to us,” Mayge said with a grin, “fewer questions to answer about where we’re going.”
The aide nodded her understanding, following her elder up the long roadway as it ran parallel to th
e river. There were several moments of silence as Ulenna bit her lip, restraining herself until she could no longer hold her tongue.
“Where are we going?” asked Ulenna as they traversed the well-worn road, following it to the north.
“To the Grotto, my child,” said Mayge, huffing from the hurried pace they were keeping. She noted the sudden look of alarm on her subordinate’s face, smiling as she walked, “we have many important people to see.”
Chapter Seventeen
After over an hour of walking, Gideon was beginning to regret leaving the others. There was nothing except more tunnel ahead of them, and he was missing the conversation that the others provided.
Traveling with Abree wasn't terrible, but they had nothing in common and so far they hadn't talked at all. He would’ve risked a brief glance in Abree's direction to test her temperament, but he didn't want the look to incite conversation.
I should’ve waited for the others.
The afterthought of leaving Ranelle behind was even more upsetting than the action had been. The look on her face was burned into his memory. Ranelle had been so upset with him before he’d left, he hadn't even been able to explain why he wanted to go alone with Abree in the first place.
Since the cave-in, whenever Gideon chanced a look in Abree's direction, she was always staring at him. She seemed transfixed, as if he was holding onto something she desperately wanted. He thought maybe she was taken with him at one point, but that just didn't feel right either. Someone like Abree didn't fall for someone like him. Either way, he felt the need to ask her but it wasn't something he wanted to mention in front of the others. What if it was a crush, and he humiliated her? He figured if they scouted ahead, he might be able to discuss it candidly, without embarrassment.
However, as they walked along, he just couldn’t pluck up the courage to broach the topic. So, he simply continued walking, counting his footsteps to pass the time. Fifty steps...one hundred...two hundred...eventually he lost count. Clenching his jaw as he nervously cracked the joints on his hands, he knew the inevitable had to come. He had to know what her fixation was about.
“Ahem,” he cleared his throat quietly, noticing Abree jump.
“Yes,” she said, looking at him curiously as they walked.
“Umm,” he said stupidly, before thinking of something to say, “how's the foot?”
“Oh...good,” she said as they continued, “you know I hate to admit it, but your girlfriend isn't too bad with those herbs of hers.”
Gideon smiled, either from the rare compliment for Ranelle or because Abree had referred to Ranelle as his girlfriend. “I thought you hated her.”
“Hah,” she laughed out loud, “I meant what I said about her parents…”
“And what about her?”
Abree’s nose wrinkled as if she’d caught a whiff of an unpleasant smell, “The problem I have with her is that she keeps getting in the way of my responsibilities.”
“Responsibilities?” he asked, confused.
“Yeah, you don't really think the Regent would let you run around in the mines without supervision, do you?”
Gideon’s stride faltered.
“I was your responsibility?”
“Your father called me to the manor and ordered that I report your actions to him,” she said nonchalantly.
“He wanted you to keep an eye on me?” His disbelief grew as he waited for her response.
“Not really ‘keep an eye on you,’ rather just keep him informed with what you were up to...you know, tell him where you were going and with who.”
Gideon thought for a moment. “Did he say why?”
“Didn't ask,” she shrugged her shoulders, “when the Regent asks something of you, you just do it.”
Gideon accepted her response, nodding. Generally, the Regent's requests were always obeyed.
“Did he ask you to do anything else besides watch me?”
“No,” she replied quickly, “I just figured he was acting parental, you know, protective.”
“My father isn't the protective type.”
“Well, I don't know!” she said, exasperated, “My parents have been gone a long time...I don't really remember what it's like.”
“What it’s like?” he repeated her words, unsure of their meaning.
“To have parents...” she said plainly, “that care about what you do and how you’re doing.” She gave him a sideways look.
“Oh,” he replied quietly.
“Your father must care a lot to want you looked after.”
“Hmm,” he said, choosing his next words carefully, “that's why I’m confused–my father’s never been very caring.”
“What do you mean?”
“He just barks out orders and expects them to be followed,” Gideon spoke as he kicked a pebble while they walked. Thinking about his father gave him mixed feelings.
“You two aren’t close?” Abree prodded as they walked.
“My father’s too busy for much of anything. He’s always plotting and trying to strong-arm people into doing what he wants. Growing up, I always felt like another one of his peons.” Remembering back to his childhood, the only kindness he could recall was when his mother was still there.
“Did he try to strong-arm you too?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well,” Abree began, “I've heard rumors about how controlling he can be–harsh even. I always assumed you were free to do whatever because he wanted it that way.”
“On the contrary, I’ve always butted heads with my father. He wanted me to stay out of the mines, but I knew if I was to become Regent one day, I had to be involved in Ashbourne’s industries.”
“Ha!” Abree laughed, “and look at you now...King of the Mines!”
Gideon smiled, chuckling at the irony. Then, he had a sudden thought. “I'll bet my father’s furious now.”
“Why?” asked Abree, looking at him with alarm.
“My father said the Regents are part of a broken line. There’s never been a Regent's offspring that’s ever survived to assume office. He said some people think the position is cursed.”
“That's ridiculous–you don't honestly believe that, do you?” asked Abree, her eyebrows raised.
“I take it from your tone that you don't.”
Abree laughed. “It's just something they tell us unprivileged folks, so we don't feel bad about our lot in life. I suppose some people admire the Regent more than they would otherwise, knowing that his children may suffer somehow. As if becoming Regent is to sacrifice your family’s future.”
“Well, I'm pretty sure my father believed,” said Gideon, thinking back on his childhood.
“Did he tell you that?”
“No, my father didn’t talk about his superstitions, but he was adamant that he would succeed where others had failed. He told me our family would bring greatness to Ashbourne,” Gideon recalled, remembering the sparse conversations he’d had with Obadiah in his younger cycles.
“That doesn't sound like enough proof that he believed in a curse.”
“Proof?” asked Gideon, squeezing his eyelids closed, remembering the pain from his past that he rarely spoke of.
“Yeah, wanting greatness for your family is hardly proof that he had silly beliefs.” Abree shrugged as they walked, speaking casually of things that greatly affected Gideon.
“I have nothing to prove to you or anyone else about my family or my father. He’s always demanded his way, and I don't have to convince you of that,” he replied, harsher than he intended, but he was tired of the girl’s prying.
Abree bristled and began her response; however, she was interrupted as Gideon stopped dead in his tracks. Tearing her gaze from him and looking at the tunnel ahead, she saw, not an endless shaft like before, but something different.
When they walked closer, they could tell that the tunnel widened, transitioning smoothly upward and outward into a spacious cavern. The two teenagers gawked at this newly found room, eyes f
ull, mouths hanging open slightly. From the darkness of the pitched ceiling, sizable finger-like appendages hung down, suspended like phantoms in the open air above them. On the floor, more appendages stood tall like silent guards of stone. As the two teenagers edged closer, their wonder grew as the mounds had the appearance of ice.
“What are these things?” Abree whispered with apprehension, as they came within arms-length of one.
Gideon shrugged his shoulders–he’d never seen anything like it before.
Taller than either of the miners, each mound was translucent. They crisscrossed, in no particular pattern, from where the teenagers stood at the beginning of the cavern to as far as their eyes could see. The ceiling and floor of the strange cave were speckled with the massive structures, giving the cavern the appearance of a giant mouth full of teeth made of ice.
“What is this place?” Abree whispered again, a note of fear in her voice, as if speaking too loudly would bring the outcroppings crashing down on top of them.
“I don't know. I’m pretty sure no one from Alysium has ever traveled this far.” Gideon held out a shaky hand and slowly touched one of the appendages that stood in front of him. His eyes opened wider with alarm, expecting the massive structure to be frozen water. However, he found that it was surprisingly warm to the touch.
“What is it?” asked Abree, catching his look of alarm, glancing at the mound as if it might reach out and bite her.
“You tell me,” said Gideon, grabbing Abree’s arm before she could protest, thrusting it toward the structure until her hand brushed its surface.
Abree frantically attempted to pull away until she felt her hand graze the smooth exterior. Suddenly she stopped, touching the translucent mound with her fingertips, the same bemused expression crossing her face as Gideon’s.
“Umm…” she said in a low tone as she squinted suspiciously at the mass, then back at Gideon.
“Yeah…” he said slowly, raising his eyebrows as a small smile spread across his lips, “the further down we go, the weirder things seem to get.”
Alysium Page 16