“I understand. When you’ve been onboard as long as we have, it’s hard to be land-locked.”
“That’s true, Commander. We can’t even see the water from here. We’ll have to pretend that small pond down there is the ocean.”
They all laughed. It’s good to see the crew in such positive spirits, she thought.
She returned to her position in line and saw the colonel waving to her from the front. “Commander, the Fifth Prince would like to speak with you.”
“Thank you, I’ll be there soon.”
Aisling was pleased that Colonel Lex and his troops had been located. They had been sent a false message that the prince was waiting for them in a remote location. No doubt, she thought, it was a ploy of General Neo’s to weaken Drayaen’s forces. She felt relieved that the prince had fortified his armies before their trip.
The flickering torches in the village cast an amber glow against the streets and alleyways, mimicking the colors of the setting sun. The corrugated hills jutted out from the hard terrain and formed a sequential, overlapping pattern of peaks and valleys. As she watched the sun set, the fog rolled in. The low-forming clouds looked like a cauldron’s brew, floating between the rock formations and covering the landscape with a misty, wafting pallor.
She turned around and noticed that Prince Drayaen had set up dinner for them on the ridge. She approached him and smiled. “The food looks wonderful. But before we eat, I’d like to wash off the trail dust in the pond below, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Colonel Lex can go with you.”
“No need. It’s close. I can see it from here.”
“Fine, I’ll send an assistant then.” He waved over one of his liveried servants. “Please take the commander down to the lagoon.” He glanced back at Aisling and looked amused. “Hurry, or all the food will be gone,” he chided.
“No worries, we’ll be right back,” she laughed. She and the servant headed down the cliff path, toward the water. On the way, they chatted. The retainer had been working for the prince for several years and was used to the nomadic lifestyle. Aisling looked below. The fog was becoming more dense. She examined the trail for something to hold. The slope was steeper than she had envisioned.
Without warning, a feeling of impending dread swept over her. It was as if a powerful, malevolent force was pulling her closer. She retrieved her dagger from her magic pocket and reached for her key.
The servant cautioned her to be careful. As he turned around to guide her movements, he looked up in alarm.
A hooded figure appeared from behind a tree.
In the next moment, Aisling was flung off the cliff.
She gasped as she tumbled into a plummet. She shouted, “I command that the wind sweep up from the water and cushion my fall.” At once, she felt a rush of air slow her descent. She hit the ground with a thud.
The servant peered over the edge at her prone body before running down the path and disappearing over the ridge.
Aisling lay on the ground, recovering from the shock. The edge of the pond was near. Animal skeletons were scattered around the rim. She wrinkled her brow, thinking about her near-death experience. Before she fell, there had been a jangling noise. She had turned in time to catch a glimpse of a hooded figure who vanished in an instant. She shook her head. It must have been an illusion. But the bruises on her arm were real.
Drayaen scoured the perimeter of the camp, his view obscured by mist. He frowned. He didn’t like having Aisling out of his sight for so long. On the ship, she was surrounded by armed men. Here in the rough terrain, it was another matter.
A few minutes later, when there was still no sign of her, he motioned to Colonel Lex. “The commander is washing up in the pond. Send someone to make sure that everything is fine.”
As the colonel nodded, Drayaen saw his servant running up the trail. He rose at once and rushed to meet him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your Highness, the commander was attacked.”
“What?”
“There was someone hiding among the trees.” He clasped his hands. “She was pushed off the ridge.”
Cold dread filled Drayaen. He turned to the colonel. “Get a few men and follow me.”
How could this have happened? She’s surrounded by soldiers. A chilling thought crossed his mind. Someone must have been waiting for her to leave the secured area.
He withdrew his sword and headed through the haze.
At last, her prone form could be seen through the fog. He sprinted to her side and bent down to check her condition. “Are you hurt?”
“I’ll be all right,” she said. “Although I managed to fall on my bad shoulder.”
“All right.” He turned to the colonel. “Lead us out of here. We’re going to the guest quarters.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll have some men follow you.”
Drayaen picked Aisling up and carried her to the ridge, where the servant was waiting. “We need water and bandages,” Drayaen said. “Bring them to her room. And food as well.”
They crossed the path into a secluded garden. Colonel Lex held open the door to Aisling’s room, and Drayaen settled her on the bed.
“Station a few guards in front of the door.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He sat next to Aisling and unbuttoned her jacket. As he removed the sleeve, he saw that the shoulder area on her white shirt had turned red. This doesn’t look good, he thought.
“Your wound has been aggravated.” He opened the door to speak with the guard. “Tell the healer I need to see him now.”
“Yes, Your Highness, right away.”
He turned back to Aisling, whose breathing had become shallow. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“My hand.”
He reached out and held her wrist, inspecting the wound. It was abraded and starting to swell.
A knock at the door signaled the arrival of supplies. Drayaen reached out to grab some water and a cloth, and applied the compress against her palm. As he looked at her face, he was concerned to see a pained expression.
“You’ll be fine,” he said. “I’ve summoned one of the warrior monks to treat you. He’ll be here in a minute.” He held her injured hand. “What happened?”
“Someone was hiding on the side of the path.”
“Did you see who it was?”
“No, they were wearing a hood.”
Whoever did this will live to regret it, he vowed.
“I’ll be back. We’ll have you better in no time.” As Drayaen left the room, he was thinking about the remainder of their trip. “Either someone has infiltrated the warrior monks, or we are being followed,” he muttered.
The servant was hovering outside the guest quarters. As Drayaen entered the garden, he motioned for him to approach.
“Your Highness.”
“Tell me everything.”
“At the top of the hill, someone came out of the fog. He pushed the commander.”
“She fell from there? Are you sure? At that height, it would be almost impossible to survive.”
“I know, but that’s what I saw.”
“Who harmed her?”
“I didn’t see his face.”
“What did you see?”
“Your Highness,” he said in a low voice, “he was wearing a Palace Guard uniform.”
“What?”
“I recognized the clothing.”
“You’re sure?”
He nodded.
Drayaen masked his alarm. “All right. Not a word of this to anyone. Everything will be fine.”
He hoped that were true.
The prince entered the guest quarters as the healer was packing his medical bag. He looked over to see Aisling propped up against some pillows with her eyes closed, her face pallid and still.
“How is she?”
“Her shoulder is dislocated. I’ve reset it, but the fall aggravated her recent injury. We’ll need to watch for infection. I’ve redressed
the wound, so it should be fine for now.”
“What about her hand?”
“We’re lucky it’s not broken. It looks like a bad sprain.”
“What else can we do?”
“I’ll make her a special tea for the pain. She’ll need to drink it every few hours.”
“All right. How long before she starts to feel better?”
“She’s young and in good health. It could be a matter of a few days, or weeks, depending on the patient.”
“Thank you.”
“If you need anything else, Your Highness, just let me know.”
The healer bowed and backed out of the room.
Drayaen leaned over the bed and ran his fingers across Aisling’s cheek. Her eyes fluttered open.
“You must be realizing how much trouble I cause,” she said with a weak smile. “I’m sorry I’m such a challenge.”
“You are a big burden. So much so, that from now on, my major focus will be you.” He smiled back at her, then covered her with a blanket and sat on the bed.
She reached out and placed a hand on his arm. “Do you think I was the target?”
His face darkened. “I believe so.”
“Was this latest assault intended to distract us from our mission?”
“It’s possible. Lex is searching the area. He’ll let us know if he finds anything.”
“If they do, we’ll be prepared,” she said.
“Yes, let’s discuss our plan. You need to rest for a few days, and then we’re going to the palace.”
“So soon?”
“I must talk with my father. He needs to meet you. We’ll also be closer to your fleet.”
“That’s good news. It will be a relief to know that everything is all right.”
Drayaen thought about the recent turn of events. He realized that a lot of Aisling’s well-being was linked to the safety of her crew and ships. There was a lot more at stake than just the mission. He needed to protect them all.
As they finished dinner, there was a knock at the door. The healer monk entered the room. “Your Highness, I have the commander’s tea.” He gestured the prince aside. “This should put her to sleep right away. A small dose will work.”
“Thank you. I’ll see that she gets it.”
“Good night, Your Highness,” he said, backing out of the room.
The prince turned his attention to Aisling. “Drink this and you’ll feel better. I’ll stay here with you awhile. Can you move forward?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“I’ll sit behind you.”
As she leaned her body against his powerful frame, she felt her worries dissipate. “Thank you for being so attentive.”
“I’m just sorry you were hurt. From now on, I plan to keep you near me. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” This is the best part of my day, he thought, sitting here with her.
As she felt herself drifting, she nestled into the crook of his arm. She could feel his fingers moving through her long, wavy hair, and looked up at him. “Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows.”
“All right. When I was a child, my mother, the queen, died. My brother and I were both sent away to live with relations. But they were angry with the king because they believed my mother was killed for political reasons. Somehow, they thought that the king knew the guilty party but never did anything about it. I don’t remember much, but everyone around us seemed unhappy.”
“Us?”
“Yes, the Sixth Prince and me. We grew up in the same household. That’s why we’re close. We may aggravate each other, but the truth is that I would do anything for him.”
He looked down to see her eyelashes fluttering. Each time I look at her, he thought, she’s even more beautiful. He felt himself becoming distracted but tried to concentrate.
“What happened after your mother died?”
“There was a new queen.”
“Is she still alive?”
“Yes, she still rules with my father.”
“Who is intimidated by you now?”
“What?”
“It sounds like your mother was perceived as a threat. Who would want you gone? What would they gain? I think General Neo works for that person.”
“I also believe they’re connected. First, my mother and older brother, and then me and Zo. I suspect someone within the royal family is trying to sabotage my efforts. We both know the food thefts are meant to destabilize the crown. But since we’ve joined forces, we’re a powerful team, with my soldiers and your fleet.” This fight goes back more than ten years, perhaps even longer, he thought. Now, I’m in a position to do something about it.
He looked down and found her asleep. He was flooded with relief that she was safe. How was she able to survive that fall? He shook his head. Anyone else would have been killed. His uneasiness increased when he realized how much her well-being consumed his focus.
We can’t be together, he reminded himself. The king was in a weak position and needed other supporters. He would be forced to make a marriage alliance with a noble family who would back his father.
The situation seemed hopeless.
He felt a pang of regret as he wrapped his arms around her. He ran his thumb over her cheek and kissed her on the forehead. For a while, he watched her sleep, before closing the door behind him.
When Aisling awoke, it was mid-morning. She glanced across the courtyard to the prince’s quarters. His sentry was gone and there were no signs of his troops. Her shoulder and hand were feeling better. That must have been a powerful tea, she thought. She drank it at the end of the evening, when the prince recounted the story of his mother. After that, his words were a blur. “I think I fell asleep while he was still talking,” she muttered.
She tested her shoulder and thought about her recent experience. The figure who shoved her off the cliff had intended to kill her. Although her reaction time was more rapid than the first attack in the water, it still wasn’t good enough. How could she assist others when her timing was so off? I’m going to confront powerful enemies, maybe even several at once, she thought. I have to be better.
She began to pace. General Neo had seen her issue commands with the dagger, and now his forces were trying to eliminate them. She’d made matters worse for the prince. She couldn’t tell him about her powers, but somehow, he needed to be warned about the increasing danger.
She ran her hands through her hair as her thoughts raced. If Drayaen were to know the truth, would he still want to work with her? Or would she be too much of a liability? If that were the case, she would never reach her goal.
She shook her head. “I can’t risk it,” she concluded. “Nothing is worse than being controlled by others, and I have to protect my power. But what if something happened to the Fifth Prince, because I’ve withheld information?”
Aisling clutched her dagger and recalled the wizard’s words: “To create a lasting impact, you must work with others, and use your mind, heart and soul.” So far, she had practiced her magic by relying on the powers of logic. It’s urgent that I venture into the other dimensions, she thought, although she wasn’t quite sure what that meant. Somehow, she had a feeling that her powers were much stronger than she even imagined.
She had a lot to learn, and time was running out.
CHAPTER EIGHT
CLOUD BURST
The next morning, the sun splashed colors of deep pink and orange on the horizon. Aisling left the guest quarters and walked out of the compound in search of Sean and the crew. She hadn’t seen them since the night of her accident and was anxious to reconnect.
Several soldiers in the supply line were loading barrels of water into the wagons. She moved closer. They turned away from her and walked down the hill. She was wondering where they were going, when a sentry interrupted her thoughts.
“The prince would like you to ride in front with him.”
“I’ll be right there.”
This will be a challenge, she realized.
We’re on rough terrain and I haven’t ridden since my injury. She looked up as the prince waved her forward.
“There you are. How are you feeling?” he asked, smiling at her.
“Much better, thank you.”
He nodded. “Don’t worry. Today, our trip will be short. There’s another monastery a few miles from here. We can settle in this afternoon. It will give you more time to recover.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” she replied. It had been a long night. She was still debating how much to tell him, and felt as though a heavy weight anchored her body.
The prince signaled to his soldiers, and they advanced down the rocky path, into the forest. When they entered the deep canopy of trees, much of the sunlight was blocked. As they traveled across the terrain, she could see a valley ahead. Aisling surveyed the rocky hills that bordered both sides of the winding trail. She watched the scouts advance into the craggy ledges, searching for unwanted company.
Without warning, there was a commotion behind her. She gripped the reins as her horse became skittish. As she turned to look at the formation, Colonel Lex galloped to the front of the line.
“Your Highness, we have a problem. Several of the men have been taken ill.”
“What’s wrong with them?”
“I don’t know. They’re nauseous and their throats are burning.”
“Do they all have the same symptoms?”
“It appears that way.”
“How long have they been feeling like this?”
“It happened in the last fifteen minutes or so.”
Aisling watched the prince’s face darken.
“The healer from the temple is with us, at the end of the line. Have him look at the men.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The soldiers stayed in formation for several minutes as the officers rode to the rear of the unit. Then the colonel returned with the healer and a reconnaissance team.
“We have four more men down. That’s eight altogether.”
“What is their illness?”
“From what I can tell, it’s water contamination.”
“How can that be? We brought our own supplies.”
Aisling pulled on the reins and moved her horse closer to the prince. “Your Highness, are some men in the unit sick?”
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