by Jason Tesar
The squeal of metal upon metal sounded harsh against the silence. Whoever it was had opened the door and stepped into his cell, leaving the door open behind him. The blurry shape moved slowly forward and Kael looked up without lifting his head. The person began to take shape and definition, finally revealing the man’s features and the bandage around his leg.
“Are you surprised to see me?” asked Lemus.
Kael didn’t answer.
“Oh, it wasn’t quite as bad as it looked. You, on the other hand, don’t seem to be doing so well.”
The sound of Lemus’ voice hurt Kael’s ears, which felt hot and tender. He tried to ignore both the man’s loud voice and the intended message of his words. Suddenly, there was a flicker of blurred movement and Kael felt Lemus’ foot crash into his stomach, throwing him against the back wall. All of the air shot out of his lungs and he started to panic, fighting for a breath. Just when he thought he couldn’t go any longer without air, his lungs started to work again, accepting only small breaths at a time.
Kael pushed himself up into a sitting position to be ready for another attack. He still felt a little nauseous, but fear was causing it to wear off quickly.
Lemus didn’t advance, but stayed in the middle of the room and crossed his arms. “That’s better,” he said, as if Kael had been disrespectful lying down before. “You know, your father wasn’t perfect either?” Lemus paused, trying to choose the right words. “Did you know … did he ever tell you what he did with criminals? I’ll bet he didn’t. It’s actually quite admirable.” Lemus took a few steps forward and crouched down in front of Kael.
“Your father knew that everyone had a use to the Empire, even criminals. Usually they could be bribed in some way, or turned into informants, but sometimes that wouldn’t work. So your father would put them in jail, keep them without food or water for days, until it was time. Then a jailer would come in, put a black bag over their head and lead them into the execution room. There, they were given the opportunity to confess all their wrongdoings or be tortured. And if they withheld nothing, they would be released. But they weren’t released. After the torture, the executioner would come out and …” Lemus dragged a thumb across his neck. The stubble under his chin made a loud scratching noise in the small room.
Kael showed no expression at Lemus’ story, and it angered the tall man.
“It is a practice I intend to continue, and I am pleased that you have chosen to participate.” A large smile spread across his face. Lemus rose to his feet, wincing slightly in the process before turning around. Kael noticed his limp just as his features began to blur into a vaguely man-shaped blotch in his vision. The loud metal clang of the door signaled the end of the one-sided conversation.
~
The next few days were much the same as the first—at least it seemed like days, though it was impossible to tell without seeing the sunlight. Everything looked just the same to Kael. The same stone walls. The same flickering torchlight from down the hallway. Hunger gnawed at him like an insect buzzing in his ear. He was uncomfortable no matter what he did. Sitting. Standing. Pacing the floor. Nothing seemed to help.
Even his thoughts were troubling as he kept imagining what was happening to his family. Mother’s probably worried about me. Does she even know I’m here? The sight of Ajani’s limp and bloodied form suddenly came to mind. He could still hear Lemus’ grunting between each punch and the thud of his knuckles against Ajani’s tiny body. He wasn’t moving, and Lemus just kept hitting him. It reminded Kael of the first time he saw a dead rat when he was really young. It was just lying there on its side, its mouth open, like it died in pain. He used to have nightmares and would cry when he thought about how it used to be a live animal, and then it was just a lump of dead flesh. I hope Ajani’s not dead! And Father, too. I hope he’s alive. Out there somewhere on a secret mission that he has to do by himself. It was lonely in the cell. I wish Saba could be here with me. He always makes things fun and interesting.
The creaking sound of a metal door interrupted his thoughts.
It must be morning. There was always more movement and sound right after Kael woke up, only this time he hadn’t slept.
He heard footsteps coming down the hallway and the sound made his heart quicken. He wasn’t sure why he was scared. Maybe they were finally bringing some food. Lemus was probably just trying to scare him for a few days, letting him think about what he had done.
The footsteps were getting louder, and Kael instinctively backed away from the bars. A large man appeared in front of his cell. He was a jailer, and it looked to Kael as if this man hadn’t seen the light of day in several years. He was fat, with uneven stubble and pale skin that made him look like he was dead. Kael had never seen a dead person before, but he imagined that they would look like this. The man pulled a ring of keys from his belt and began to unlock the cell door. Kael watched for several seconds before he noticed the piece of black fabric hanging from the jailer’s belt.
A hood!
All at once, Lemus’ story came back to him. He was coming to take Kael to the torture chamber. Kael backed away, but there was nowhere to go.
The jailer hooked the key ring back on his belt and pushed open the door, stepping into the cell. With one hand held out to the side of his overweight body to prevent the prisoner from escaping, he pulled out the black hood.
Kael saw an opportunity and ran toward the man, ducking under his legs.
The jailer was quicker than he looked. He pulled his legs together just in time to catch Kael by the waist. Kael tried to kick and wiggle his way out from the man’s legs, but the jailer dropped to the ground, pinning him in place. It felt like a horse had fallen on top of him. There was nothing he could do but wait and try to keep breathing. The man slipped the hood over Kael’s head, then pulled his arms behind him and tied them with rope.
Then the man stood up and lifted Kael to his feet, shoving him down the hallway. Kael stumbled along, not knowing which direction to go. The sour smell of the hood made his head spin, and combined with the inability to see, Kael lost all sense of direction. The jailer’s heavy hand grabbed hold of his shoulder and pushed him along.
They walked in this manner for a short while before the jailer pulled Kael to a stop. The jingling of keys could be heard as the man searched for the one to open the door that must be in front of them.
Kael could barely make out the orange glow of torches through the thick hood. He waited until the man let go of his shoulder, then jumped away and ran down what he thought was the hallway. He followed the line of the torches, keeping in between where he thought they were.
The laugh of the jailer was loud and unexpected.
Suddenly, Kael hit a wall with full speed where one should not have been and slumped to the floor. His head was ringing and he fought to stay conscious as the smell of the hood over his head made him want to vomit.
The jailer caught up with Kael and pulled him to his feet again.
It’s useless. There’s no way to escape.
The jailer shoved him through the door that was now unlocked and immediately Kael felt a difference in the air. They were outside. The grating sound of gravel underfoot was all he could hear as the jailer pushed Kael’s shoulder, keeping him moving forward. After a short distance, they stopped again.
“Put him in the back,” someone said.
Then Kael was lifted off the ground and into the back of a covered wagon. A harsh clank sounded as the iron gate was shut and locked.
Is this the executioner? Is he taking me away?
Outside the wagon, someone mumbled something.
“He’ll have a witness,” the jailer replied. His voice was hushed, but Kael could still make out his words.
“I don’t like this,” the other man said.
“Just stick to the plan and keep your mouth shut.”
The carriage began to move. Kael waited nervously, completely confused. He expected to be taken to the executioner’s chamber to have hi
s head cut off, but something else was happening.
After a few minutes, the wagon stopped again and Kael was taken out and walked across a wooden dock. He could hear the lapping of the water underneath him and the creak of the timbers that supported their weight. They changed direction a few times before walking across a plank and onto the deck of a ship. His footsteps sounded hollower than before, and the ship moved with the gentle motion of the water.
Kael was taken below deck and yanked to a stop in front of an open door. Suddenly, the hood was pulled from his head and he was shoved from behind. With his hands still tied behind him, he fell to the floor in the middle of a small room. The door slammed shut behind him. Kael lifted his head and saw that his room was completely bare. No furniture and no windows except for a small peep hole in the middle of the door. It was another jail cell.
Minutes later, the ship began to move and Kael crawled to the corner of the room, leaning against the wall for support.
Where are they taking me?
* * * *
The sound of retching echoed down the hallway, and Zula quickened her pace toward the noise. Patches of sunlight dappled the steps leading up to the master’s chambers. Zula rushed past, wondering what horrible thing was happening now. At the top of the stairs, she pushed open the bedroom doors and turned toward the bathing room, relieved that Lemus had left the house early in the morning. There, hunched over in the corner, was Maeryn, unaware that anyone else was in the room.
It took Zula only a second to realize what was happening. “Whose child is it in your womb?”
Maeryn lifted her head, startled, but didn’t turn to face the servant woman. “What are you talking about?” she mumbled, still facing the wall.
“Don’t bother trying to hide it from me,” countered Zula. “It is going to be obvious in a few months anyway.”
Maeryn turned around. Her eyes were red with tears and her skin was a few shades paler than usual. “It’s Adair’s.”
“Are you sure?” the servant woman asked, not wholly believing her answer.
“Yes, I’m sure.” Maeryn slumped against the wall and closed her eyes.
Zula resisted the urge to comfort her mistress. Maeryn would need to toughen up quickly if she hoped to survive now, although it was becoming obvious that she didn’t care either way.
“You’re worried about the safety of this child because of …”
A silent pause followed, while Maeryn’s face twisted into an unrecognizable mask. “He had Kael executed!”
Maeryn’s body shook with sobs, and Zula waited for the moment to pass before speaking again. “How will my new master know that it is not his child?”
Zula’s question hung in the air as Maeryn considered the words. After a long silence, she lifted her head. “You’re right. He would have no idea.” The tears had stopped, replaced by a gleam of hope in her eyes.
Zula pushed on, hoping to further encourage the lady. “It would be the safest way to bring this child into the world. Men like him think nothing of hurting other people but are protective of their own children.”
Maeryn’s face turned from one of anguish to restrained happiness in a matter of seconds. “Thank you.”
“Mistress, might I make a suggestion?” Zula asked, fully intending to give her opinion anyway. When Maeryn didn’t object, she continued. “Your life may have changed for the worse, but you have many opportunities around you. You must choose to see them.”
Maeryn nodded, considering the words.
Even Zula had to admit the oddity of giving advice to her master, but something told her that this woman was different. This woman would listen and not be offended.
“Zula, would you please fetch me some water to clean this up?”
“I’ll clean it, mistress.”
“No. I couldn’t let you do that,” Maeryn objected, repulsed by the thought.
“I don’t mind. You need to get some rest.” Zula turned around and walked away, not leaving any more room for discussion.
CHAPTER 12
The passage aboard the prison ship had taken days. How many, Kael wasn’t sure. It must have been five or six, but he was never allowed out of his cell. It was now evening. The stars were out as they led him from the docks into a stone fortress in the side of a mountain. There was no hood over his head this time as the Orud soldiers prodded him down a hallway. On both sides were cells. Some were empty, but most contained at least one person huddled in the corner. They quickly left the cells behind and continued down a corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. Kael shuddered at the thought of going so deep into the mountain.
Finally, at the end of the hall were two torches flanking an iron gate. One guard lowered his spear toward Kael’s chest, while the other pulled out a knife and grabbed hold of his tunic.
“What are you doing?”
“Shut your mouth!” the guard said.
He began to cut Kael’s tunic from his body, while Kael held as still as he could, helpless with his hands tied behind his back. When the tunic was gone, the guard grabbed Kael’s loincloth and cut one side, nicking the skin.
Kael flinched, then felt a trickle of blood run down his thigh.
“Hold still!” the guard snapped.
Tears of shame began to roll down his face and he shut his eyes to make them stop. He was completely naked now.
“Go,” one soldier ordered, while the other unlocked and opened the gate.
The passage was completely dark, and Kael slowly walked through, fearing what he would find inside. As his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, the harsh sound of the slamming gate behind him rang out among the stone walls and floor, making him jump. He could barely see movement. There were other people in the cell, lots of them. And the cell was big.
Moving to his right, Kael felt for the wall, then slid down and huddled on the floor. He pulled his knees up to his chin and waited. For what, he didn’t know. He wasn’t about to sleep, so he just stared into the darkness and waited.
~
Hours later, a guard lit torches along a hallway outside the chamber opposite from Kael. With the illumination, Kael could begin to make out the features of his surroundings. It was a circular chamber, a hundred feet across. The only way in or out was the gate that Kael came through, behind and to his left. On the opposite wall were three barred windows showing a view of the hallway outside their cell. It was like a pen used to corral animals, only there were no animals. There were children, dozens of them, all boys like himself. None of them had clothing.
Kael shifted his weight and a fist-sized chunk of rock fell from the wall behind his shoulder. He reached out and grabbed the jagged shard and placed it back in the void it left. Then it gave him an idea. I wonder if there’s a way out of this place. Scanning the walls, his eyes settled on the barred windows. He wondered how far apart each bar was and if he might be able to squeeze through.
And Kael wasn’t the only one. Just as the thought occurred to him, a boy climbed up into one of the windows and reached his arm through the bars. A small group quickly formed around the boy, cheering him on. He was small, smaller than Kael, but it was obvious that he wouldn’t fit through. His shoulder and chest could fit, but the bars were too close together to allow his head to get through.
Kael stood up and started to walk over, then stopped abruptly as he saw something dark sprout from between the boy’s shoulder blades. Some in the group let out screams of shock, and scattered like rats. The boy slipped backward off the window ledge, the blade of the spear disappearing through his back again. He landed hard on the stone floor, and his lifeless body lay perfectly still.
“Stay back from the windows,” the guard yelled, pulling his weapon back through the bars.
Kael instantly lost his breath and slumped to the ground. His heart raced with fear, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the boy. His motionless body lay on the ground, his mouth open in a grimace of pain. Where a living being used to be, there was now only dead fles
h. Just like a rat! He started to cry and covered his face with his hands so that the others wouldn’t see him.
~
The day dragged on, if it was in fact daytime. Kael kept to himself, as did most of the other children. The dead boy’s body still lay under the window; no one had come to take it away. Kael overheard some of the boys talking about food. Usually they were given something to eat in the middle of the day, but that hadn’t happened today. When nightfall came, signaled by the guard extinguishing the torches in the hallway, the air grew cold and Kael found himself shivering. It’s never this cold in Bastul. Where have they taken me? And what kind of jail is this? As the temperature continued to drop, he huddled against the wall and wrapped his arms around his legs in an attempt to keep warm. It worked for a while, but then the shivering returned. He tried sleeping, but was too uncomfortable. His stomach began to growl again. The minutes crept by slowly and Kael couldn’t help himself as he started to cry again.
~
Shortly after the guard came to light the torches, the air grew warmer. Kael stayed huddled against the wall and slept for a few minutes, enjoying the relief from the cold. When he awoke, he could see that most of the other boys were clustered in groups now, except for a few others scattered around the chamber, still asleep. But after a few minutes, he noticed that they weren’t sleeping. Their skin looked pale and they weren’t moving. They froze to death! Kael suddenly felt nauseous and his stomach heaved, but there was nothing to vomit.
~
By midday, the hunger pains in Kael’s stomach had returned, and with them, a growing anger. We’re all starving to death. How can they treat children like this? A sudden squeal and the sound of the opening gate brought Kael out of his thoughts and turned everyone’s attention to one side of the room.
Running through the opening came a wild boar, grunting in agitation. It ran forward about ten feet and stopped, looking around at its new surroundings.
Kael immediately backed away, knowing that boars were extremely dangerous.
The other boys did the same, all except one. He had dark hair and scars on his back as if he had endured many beatings. He walked forward cautiously, with his hands held out to either side.
