by K. E. Young
I looked back towards Mero and waved my arms. The moving light of my candle caught his attention and they wandered over. "Find something?" Dantalion whispered.
I held the candle low and showed him. "Help me down. I want to see what's down there. Maybe we can hide the casks there until we can nail down Nurian. There are too many to carry back with us now. Geran needs one or two for evidence, but that's all." He flashed a grin and nodded. I set the candle where we wouldn't knock it over and sat on the edge. They each grabbed a hand and lifted me smoothly out over the edge and down.
Dantalion handed me the candle and said, "I'll go stand watch."
I grabbed his boot to stop him. "The stairway continues downward on the other side of that little bulge in the wall next to where we came down."
"I understand. We must check it out at some point but we need to deal with the poison first I think."
I ducked down under the edge of the balcony. It was like the crawlspace under a deck with about three feet of clearance at its highest point, narrowing to a crack at the back of the balcony. The space was about four feet deep, cluttered with rubble and well exposed.
However, the ledge I was on sloped gently down towards the channel and there was about an inch of stone above water at the end of the wall holding the balcony up. I peeked around the corner and found the space under the balcony hollowed out into bays with support walls at intervals. The water was shallow here, washing the edges of my boots and I could duck into the first bay where the stone was dry. There was some fallen stone blocking a direct view and I thought behind them would make a good hiding spot.
I went back around the wall to the broken bay where I had entered and grinned. "I found a good spot. Hurry, I'll stack them here and then one of you can come down and help me carry them around the wall and under the balcony."
They nodded and rushed to collect casks. They each carried two per trip. With me stacking, and them running, we got the casks down to the rock shelf within minutes. Mero jumped down and we carted them around the end of the support wall and under the balcony. This part took longer since we had to pick our way over rough footing but it still took less time than I expected. Mero sifted some dry sand that had washed in from the river during a flood over the casks to conceal them further. To get back on the balcony, I acted as a stepping-stone for Mero and he and Dantalion lifted me up. They had left a single cask, which Mero tucked under one arm.
"Keep going or head back?" I asked.
Dantalion sighed. "We need to get the proof and the news to Geran. However, we also need to see where this leads. We don't know what other plans Nurian has or how he got the poison into the palace. I dislike knowing that Nurian may have something waiting for us with the Emperor due to arrive at any time."
I sighed. "We need to split up."
Mero frowned unhappily but nodded agreement. I held out my hands for the cask. "We already know the path behind us is narrow and easily defended if I'm spotted, and I have an escape route back to you if I need it. Since the passages were empty when we came down, the chances of someone spotting me are slim. Meanwhile, we know nothing about what's further down the passage. It could be safe, or not. It would be best if you have someone to guard your back if you need it."
I set the cask and my candle on the ground and threw myself into his arms. He squeezed me tight for a moment then pulled back to whisper, "Stay safe," before giving me a fierce kiss.
I got a big hug from my brother as well before I scooped up the candle and cask and ran up the stairs. It was critical we get the sample of the poison to Geran as soon as possible. We needed to get this bastard nailed down tight and it would be nice to do it before the Emperor arrived. With the poison out of Nurian's grasp, we didn't have to wait any longer.
When I got to the top of the steps I stopped long enough to catch my breath. Then I waited until I felt I could be sure there wasn't anyone on the other side with pressing my ear to the swinging door. I gently pulled the handle to make the least amount of noise and pushed through with the cask in front of me. I picked it back up on the other side, making sure the door latched before I retraced the route out.
Navigating the overpasses was difficult and I ended up stripping my tunic off, making a bag of it and tying it and the cask to the back of my belt with my bra. It left my jiggly bits hanging in the air so I was cold, uncomfortable, and self-conscious. There was no other way I could do it though. I wasn't tall enough to set the cask on the top of the overpass and I couldn't manage the ladder one handed. The foot and handholds were shallow scoops carved out of the wall with little to grip. I nearly singed my eyebrows a time or two holding the candle in my teeth while scaling the ladders.
I was almost to the crossroads when I heard footsteps echoing behind me. In a panic, I rushed to the crossroads on tiptoe. Not wanting to leave the distinctive smell of snuffed candle to alert them, I pinched the wick with my fingers. The candle went into the tunic with the cask and I inched around the crossroads searching for the correct passage. I realized my mistake almost immediately. I should have chanced the candle's light being seen long enough to identify my destination first.
At last, I found the one I was looking for and inched down the passage on silent feet, trailing my hand along the wall searching for openings, and hoping to all the gods that I remembered the right one. The walking got closer and I started to get nervous. Searching for something you can't see while trying to stay silent is harder than it sounds.
Somehow, I got lucky. I ducked into the first of the side passages as I heard the walking get to the crossroads. Peering around the corner, I saw Nurian himself, lantern hooked to his belt. The distances seemed a lot less in the light than they had in the dark. I watched as he turned and took the ladder to the small passage high in the wall I had noticed earlier.
Waiting long enough to calm my pounding heart, I continued towards my exit. I stopped to don my bra and tunic when I reached the one I hoped was right. Not hearing anything, I picked up the cask, cautiously cracked the door, and exited.
After I made sure the door latched, I looked around the salon for some way of disguising the cask and spotted a lap rug folded over the arm of a chair. I rolled the cask in it and tucked it back under my arm. It was a bad idea to go wandering through the palace with the cask when we hadn't identified all of Nurian's co-conspirators yet. I knew I was filthy but that was unavoidable.
Rushing back to the dragonlords' area of the palace, I saw servants but nobody else. I was getting anxious again when it occurred to me that it might be lunchtime, so I checked the dining hall.
Chapter 18
Day 9: 47th Day of Sanctuary, 3866
I hurried up to Geran, who looked more than a little alarmed at my appearance. I placed my bundle next to him and whispered, "We found the poison. Nurian has a secret passage that leads to the cistern intake. He had eighteen casks like this one waiting to go in. Mero, Dantalion, and I hid them and they continued on to see where the passage lets out. It isn't on the map of secret passages I compiled from the builder's diagrams. Furthermore, I spotted Nurian himself in the passages heading somewhere. Presumable he's doing it now since he knows everyone is eating. I don't think he spotted me."
Geran looked a little overwhelmed at my recitation before his countenance hardened. "Good work. You can give me the whole story later but we need to move fast. Rendas is due soon." He looked up and waved at Harad to get his attention before drawing his hand across his throat. Harad looked grim and spoke to his warriors. They rose, shoving in a last mouthful in some cases. Geran turned back to me. "Do you think you can hunt him down?"
I grinned. "If not I can at least flush him out."
"Do it."
I rose and called out, "Cordan, Thalak, and Tani, with me! The rest of the warriors, take your orders from Lord Bretisel and High-Lord Geran." Harad tipped a grateful nod in my direction as I turned to head back to the salon. I was halfway back with my people hot on my heels when I realized there were more footsteps
than my people could account for.
Looking back, I realized that the Drakkeni warriors were following. When I stopped, the one in command of their little troop bowed and said, "Captain Kilas. Lord Kelan said we were to protect you and, as long as you didn't try to send us away, follow your orders."
I sighed then jerked my head in acceptance. "We're going into the secret passages to see if we can catch Nurian or at least flush him out. I need you to remain as silent as possible while we're in there."
"Yes, my lady!"
When we got to the little salon, I grabbed all the candles from the wall sconces and handed them to Tani and Cordan. We waited just long enough to light them and entered the passage. I led them straight to the crossroads where I pointed to the upper passage. "That's the way I saw him take. This other passage leads to the quarters used by the court, including Nurian, and the secret entrance to the cistern intake. Lords Cassettis and Dantalion are tracing the cistern passage to see where it lets out. Cordan, I need you and one of these fine gentlemen to stay here and keep watch. If you hear someone coming from the court passage, sneak up on them and capture if possible. If it's Mero and Dantalion, let them know I warned Geran, and Harad is on the move. Then lead them up here. Got it?"
"Yes, my lady! I won't fail you."
I smiled. Cordan was so damned earnest. "I know you won't." Captain Kilas directed one of his men to stay and the rest of us swarmed up the ladder.
I wasn't sure what was down this way so I kept a close eye on the dust. The passage was as dust free as the one outside his quarters. Then the dust free path stopped dead with no door or passage nearby. "Dammit, it's another secret door!" I crouched down, examining the walls where the trail ended. When I found it, it was just like the cistern passage. I pushed the stone, revealing the handle, and paused. "Tani, where are we?"
"If my sense of direction and distance are correct, we're above the vault offices."
Nurian was looting the vault. It shouldn't have surprised me. Padget mentioned Nurian's miserly attitude. Sandish was right. Nurian would make a very bad king. "I don't like that one bit." This door latch was stiffer but still silent. I crawled through when I saw no light. The rest followed me, with another Drakkeni peeling off to stand watch outside the passage with a candle and a drawn sword.
Like the cistern passage, this was a steep narrow stairwell. Halfway down, I signaled the candles snuffed because there was light ahead. I could hear voices too.
The stairwell took a sharp turn into a small room with another of the secret doors propped open with a stool. I crouched down out of reach of the brightest light, grateful for my dark clothing, and peered through. It was a large room with a ranks of shelves with locked chests on them. The shelves had numbers on them and there was a blackboard with chalked entries that corresponded to the numbers and a bookshelf with a collection of logbooks. Nurian was loading gold into a sack from an opened chest while a vault clerk argued with him.
"My lord, you can't take so much at once! They're already suspicious. They'll find out."
"Nonsense, they'll never miss it when they're dead. The ship will be here in two more days and we'll have enough of the poison to kill them all. Even those fools coming to do homage to that uppity slit who thinks she's a warrior. Meanwhile, Padjet failed and I need to hire a new assassin. Cassettis is getting too close. I don't see why I should spend my money when they have plenty."
With those words, Nurian burned through the remains of my tolerance. The man was scum and should be pounded into red goo. I pulled a knife off Tani's belt with one hand and the knife from my own belt with the other. Diving through the door, I rolled to clear the way for the others. The Drakkeni poured through after me with Thalak hot on their heels and Tani bringing up the rear. The clerk had a split second of horror on his face before he whirled for the door. I threw the knife in my right hand, almost skewering his fingers on the door. He shied back and went down under a Drakkeni half again his size. Meanwhile, Nurian had pulled a sword and was charging me. Silly rabbit. Thalak intercepted him and had him on the defensive almost immediately.
It was apparent that he had trained for power rather than precision and speed. I yelled, "Don't kill him! We want a traitor, not a martyr." Thalak allowed Nurian to tire himself out then disarmed him. As soon as Nurian's sword hit the floor, I whipped behind him and put a chokehold on him until he passed out. Tani stripped his belt and restrained him with it.
"Well. I wonder how much gold he's stolen so far. Tani, when the dust settles a little, can you have Michael do an audit? We'll see if he can figure out how much Nurian has stolen. By the way, does Nurian have an heir?"
"No, my lady, not officially at least. He has several bastards though. He has a habit of taking whatever woman strikes his fancy, whether or not she agrees."
"I think we're better off without him. Do you think Geran would mind if I accidently break his neck?"
She smiled. "Traitor, not martyr."
I barked a short laugh. "Using my own words against me? No doubt, you're right. Well." I nudged Nurian with one foot. "Let's give Geran his present. I want to go hunt down Mero and make sure he's all right." I sighed. "We ought to check the court passage and see if there are any other door handles that show signs of use. Nurian's was polished till it practically glowed."
"It would be best to have men posted in the hallways leading to the court wing first my lady. That way they won't have an escape route."
"Sounds good. Could you give these two to Geran and ask him for some men to do that? We'll examine the passageway so we know who to hit as soon as the men are in place." I gave her an evil grin and grabbed some chalk and a couple lanterns to supplement our candles. "I think it might help to lower Nurian's credibility if it was an 'uppity slit' who drags his hide in."
"Yes, my lady." Tani nodded firmly then gave Nurian a speculative look and I wondered if she would take me literally. I hoped so. The Captain directed one of his remaining two men to help her and we ducked back into the passage, leaving it propped open behind us.
We trekked back to the crossroads, collecting the Drakkeni at the secret door in the process. I really had to learn their names.
Cordan was waiting for us. "My lady, I heard movement from the court passage just a few moments ago. Since I could hear you coming I waited for you," he whispered.
I nodded and patted him on the shoulder, then addressed the group. "The passage ahead has a lot of these overpasses and corners. It means there are places for an ambush so pay attention. Look for polished handles on the doors, oil on the hinges, and lack of dust on the floor and walls. When people pass it disturbs the dust, so the less dust, the more traffic. We need to be silent." I passed bits of the chalk around. "Mark the doors that show signs of use or fresh oiling. After that, when Harad's men are in place outside we sweep through and nail down the inhabitants. No one gets away. Captain, the secret passage down to the cistern that Lords Cassettis and Dantalion are investigating is near the end, just past Nurian's quarters. It's like the one to the vault. We need to make sure it's watched." I paused then smiled wryly. "Maybe I should get more men."
Thalak spoke up. "We should see where some of these exits come out too. We want no one coming up behind us without warning."
He had a good point. Mero still had the map so we had no idea where these exited. We needed people. Not necessarily warriors, just people parked on the other side of the exit to discourage anyone from using a supposedly secret entrance.
"Cordan, I need you to go back and collect as many able-bodied non-warriors you can and bring them here in small groups of three or four at a time. We'll scout out where the exits lead and position one or two within sight of each exit on the public side unless it goes to private quarters. All they need to do is be there so people can't get in unseen. They can read, converse, whatever. It doesn't matter. They just need to be within view of the secret door so they can act as a deterrent. I need you to get them organized and explain all this. Be careful. We don't
want to spook our prey. Koris or Tani should be able to help if you need it."
"I'll take care of it, my lady!" He hurried off to the exit.
I grinned. Something about the kid made me smile. He was more capable than he gave himself credit for being. I just had to beat a little confidence into him. "Okay. Let's get started. Remember to keep quiet." The captain detailed one of his men to stay at the crossroads while he and I checked the other passages. The rest investigated the court passage. Two other passages looked like they had traffic. I marked them with chalk so we knew which ones to watch at a glance. With the captain watching my back, I bent double to watch the floor and lower walls as we crept down the passageway.
We found no more passages like the vault and the cistern, but we did find a series of peepholes that looked out on what looked like a boardroom. I assumed was some kind of council hall. Only about half of the chairs were still around the table and I assumed that Geran and his men used it. There were other peepholes for the throne room and Geran's office behind it. The office also had a door. The handle was dull with tarnish, but fresh oil glistened on the hinge so it was clear Nurian had either used it or planned to. I marked the door with an 'X' and we backtracked, briefing the crossroads guard on what we found before checking out the other passage.
This passage twisted and turned before ending in a vertical laddered shaft. It was black as the grave going down, but I there was light far above. Laying down to look closer at the ladder rungs just below the level of the floor, I saw they showed traffic. Then I climbed out and looked at the rungs of the ladder a few steps above. They also showed activity. It was impossible to see which way was more heavily used as you could with the passages. Gripping the ladder rung much wiped all the dust off every time you used it.
