Katie bit her lip and nodded.
“Perfect, then we should all be ready. When the guards come, do not hesitate. There is no need for silence as we approach. We cannot hope to hide ourselves. There is only one way in and out of Karnag. We must be swift and not hesitate when we approach. Do exactly as I say and everything will be fine. Mr. Moore, shall we?”
Once again they took up their positions on the dark cave trail, Connor in front and Zuna and Katie a few yards behind, carrying on a quiet conversation. Connor didn’t even have to try not to eavesdrop this time. He was too filled with thoughts of his father, not to mention the dead guards.
He wasn’t sure if he should feel happy, excited, nervous, angry, or maybe all of these emotions at once. His father had been a great Judge, but after marrying his mother and having Connor, he turned himself in to the Council to spare their lives and he had been sentenced to Karnag. Was the Council to blame for being so harsh? Was his father to blame for lying to his mother all those years?
These thoughts led Connor no closer to finding a conclusion than when he started. He still didn’t know who to be mad at or hold responsible, and then he was reminded why he pushed these thoughts out of his mind when they bothered him.
Torch in his right hand and war axe in his left, he continued down the path, forcing the wheels in his mind to ignore the question of his father and instead be more aware of his surroundings. Zuna said very soon the guards would be aware of their arrival and Connor had to be ready for anything.
The flame from the torch only allowed him to see a few yards into the darkness ahead. What was in the inky blackness beyond was anyone’s guess. The undead? Connor thought to himself as he gripped his axe tighter, like zombies?
That’s when they heard the first sound of shuffling feet. Connor paused. It sounded like a couple of pairs of feet being dragged across the rough, uneven ground. Connor froze and gripped the solid war axe in his hand. It felt good, a perfect friend for the task to come. The noise slowly grew louder and closer, ever closer.
“Aim for the head,” Zuna counseled her two traveling partners, not a hint of fear or doubt in her voice. “That’s the only way to permanently put them down.”
Katie edged closer until she stood at Connor’s right. Zuna soon appeared at his left. With their combined light, they could see what approached. First, all they could see were just two pairs of feet, but as the figures grew closer and emerged from the darkness; they could make out legs, a torso, and finally heads. The bodies were already half decomposed and the clothes they wore were impossible to distinguish. The things that came at them moaned and grabbed at the air between them. Their lifeless eyes saw only one thing—them.
Connor bottled his fear for a later day and rushed forward. With a roar that Lu would have been proud of, he swung his axe at one of the things’ neck. The head separated from body with a graceful plop and rolled into the darkness as the body sank to the floor.
The second corpse grabbed at Connor. Just as it was about to get a skeletal hand on his arm, a bolt of sizzling blue energy burned through the air close to Connor’s ear, burning dead flesh and boring a hole through the head of his attacker. Connor turned around and looked at Zuna.
“Don’t thank me, that was Miss Huber.”
Connor looked at Katie, even more baffled than before.
“I’ve been practicing,” she said shakily as she lowered her right hand.
“Come now, you two.” Zuna said, breaking the silence as she started a light jog. “They know we’re here now and more will come. We must be swift.”
Connor and Katie fell in beside the spry older women as they traveled ever deeper into the darkness.
“How many of them are there?” Connor asked.
“How many dead people and Elites are in the world?” Zuna replied.
“Oh.”
“And that is why we must not try and make a stand, they would overwhelm even the greatest warrior.”
“If—if they bite us, will we become one of them?” Katie asked.
“No, dear. They aren’t zombies, they’re just dead.”
As the trio ran deeper into the darkness, the sound of approaching feet to either side and behind them became more evident. A few times they were faced with the undead blocking their path, but so far it wasn’t anything a few axe swings or bolts of energy couldn’t handle.
“What is that? A laser beam from your hand?” Connor asked as Katie raised her right arm. A few inches from her palm, a blue flame formed, then shot out at her attacker.”
“Kind of, it’s more like focused energy. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Very cool.”
“Here we are. Zuna stopped as the tunnel opened into a huge cavern. The space was so large Connor couldn’t see where it ended. A dull, greenish light that emitted from the walls lit the scene before them. There was a sea of undead figures surrounding a huge stone fortress that sprung from the cave ground.
It was as if someone had taken the Abelardus castle, made it ominous and foreboding, and tucked it deep below the earth. And that wasn’t even the worst part.
The worst part was they had absolutely no time to think about their next move as the sea of undead moved towards them in front and the sound of pursuers behind them became louder and louder.
“What now?” Katie had to shout over the shuffling and snarling of the undead army.
“Now,” Zuna said, as calm as if she were attending a church potluck, “we clear a path.”
Bolts of Katie’s blue magic and Zuna’s purple magic shot left and right as Connor allowed his Elite gene to show itself and he cleaved a path through the sea of undead through red eyes and clenched teeth.
Connor made sure not to let the power consume him, afraid he would lose control like he had on The Island. Instead, he gave the rage inside of him a short leash, ensuring he stayed in control.
Body parts flew left and right as Connor dropped his torch, grabbed the war axe with both hands, and cleaved his way through the crowd. Hands and teeth shot at him from every direction, but whenever one came close, a blue energy bolt would whiz by and save him.
Connor’s arms burned as he cleared a path towards the dark castle’s tall walls. There didn’t seem to be a way inside, no gates, windows, or doors were visible as they approached. What seemed like an eternity passed before the trio was able to make it to the castle’s closest wall.
“Now what?” Connor panted as sweat dripped from his brow and into his red eyes.
“Now you buy me some time and I will figure out a way in,” Zuna answered.
“Connor!” Katie shouted as the mob of figures regrouped and converged on their location.
“Stay close to Zuna, and stop whatever gets past me,” he told her.
Katie nodded. In place of the sweet girl he had grown up with was a black-eyed sorceress. Katie was stronger than he’d ever guessed. He knew how scared she was, but she had put everything aside and answered the call. “Why are you standing there like an idiot?” she asked through short fanged teeth. “Look out!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
A bolt of lightning blazed past him and landed between the eyes of a particularly heavy set Elite wearing pirate clothing.
“Oh, sorry.” Connor lifted his axe again and set to work. Head after head, body after body fell to the floor. Bodies dressed like knights, cooks, cowboys, sailors, soldiers, and barbarians all met the same fate. Connor had formed a half circle around Katie and Zuna, and very soon the dead began to pile, forming a kind of meat wall around the three of them.
“Zuna!” Connor shouted as he cleaved yet another head. “How are we doing?”
“Almost—there we are.”
Connor looked back to see a smiling Zuna next to an opening in the rock about four feet high and two feet across. “Not my best work, but on short notice this will have to do.” She disappeared into the darkness a moment later.
“Hurry,” Katie urged as she followed Zuna into the prison.
&n
bsp; Connor dove through the opening behind them, the undead horde close at his heels.
With a tap of her staff on the inside of the prison wall, the opening shut as if it were never there.
The inside of the prison was lined with rows of large cell doors. It was like a dream, a long hall of doors met them on either side. Multiple levels of this hall spanned as far upward as they could see. The same green glow that came from nowhere and everywhere illuminated the interior. The entire prison was made from one kind of black rock and there was a smell of must and decay in the air.
“Let us not linger here,” Zuna warned. “First your father, then the keys, and we are on our way.”
“But which—” Katie’s eyes dilated from black to blue as she stared first down then up the long row of cell doors. “Which one is he in?”
Each door was exactly the same except for a date stamped into the area where a peephole would normally be. The door immediately to their right read 129 A.D.
“Connor, when is your birthday?” Zuna asked.
“January 7, 1995.”
“So let’s search for a door nine months before then.”
The three moved deeper and deeper into the tomb-like prison. The only sound to be heard was their footsteps and the light tap of wood on stone from Zuna’s staff. Lucky for them, whoever had constructed the prison had been sensible enough to mark the doors in chronological order.
Weaving through the maze reminded Connor of trying to find a specific book in a large library. They made turn after turn, Connor in the lead gripping his axe, with Zuna and Katie once again following behind talking quietly.
After a few more twists, they were in front of a door that read, March 1994.
“This has to be it,” Connor said. “The next door is two years after and the one before it is dated August 1969.”
“Very well,” Zuna said, moving forward and grabbing the stone handle in her small, ebony palm. She murmured a few words and the door swung open.
“Hurry, Connor. The warden will be notified of a door being open, we have but moments.”
Connor nodded and swallowed hard.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Katie asked.
“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”
The two stepped into the small cell that was void of any bed, sink, or furniture. A shadow hung on the far wall. The man was almost a skeleton. He was chained, arms high on the wall, body slumped forward, head down. Long, dark grey hair hung down from his head, covering his face. He was shirtless and barefoot, only an aged pair of pants hung from his narrow hips.
“Ca—Caderyn Moore?” Connor asked.
The figure didn’t move. Connor stepped closer, only a few feet away now. “Dad?”
The man’s head slowly rose, revealing a heavy silver-grey beard, dirt-stained face and sad brown eyes. “What?” the man’s voice cracked, barely audible. “What did you call me?”
Connor fought back the emotion from his voice. “I’m Connor. I’m your son. I’m here to rescue you.”
Tears formed in the man’s brown eyes. “Connor, no. You have to leave, the warden will be here and—”
“Shhhhh… it’s okay. We’ll get you out safe and deal with the warden.”
“No, no—you don’t understand!”
Zuna poked her head into the cell. “We are out of time, Connor. Quickly, now.”
Connor nodded. “Katie, do you think you can hold him up?”
“Sure.” Katie gently grabbed Caderyn around the torso as Connor hefted the axe and sparks flew as steel met steel. The chains fell to the floor. Katie supported Caderyn under his left arm and Connor on his right.
Caderyn had fallen into some kind of daze, mumbling as they exited the cell and joined Zuna. “My son… no… you have to go… Connor… my son, Connor…”
“Okay, we’re ready. Let’s get the keys and get out of here,” Connor said.
“No need,” Zuna answered. “The keys are coming to us.”
Both Katie and Connor gave her a questioning look as the green light that had illuminated them their entire trip changed color and bright blue flames shot through the heavy air. A sound like a dozen people whispering met their ears as a shadow fell on the group.
“The warden?” an unfamiliar female voice asked, laughing from somewhere deep down the row of cells. “There’s no need to worry about the warden. I don’t think he’ll be in any shape to see anyone ever again.”
A tall, robed figure emerged from down the row and walked towards them quickly. A large set of keys dangled noisily from her left hand.
“That voice.” Katie released Caderyn, leaving him in Connor’s care and took a few steps forward, standing next to Zuna. She looked as though she were hypnotized.
“Hello, my sweet Katie. I’m here to get you now.”
“Mom?”
The robed figure was just a few yards from the group as she threw back her dark hood and revealed her fair skin and long blonde hair. “Yes, Katie, it’s me.” Katie’s mother opened her arms and gave her daughter an enticing smile. “Come, give me hug.”
Katie took a step forward, then hesitated, her brow furrowed, mind torn between running to her mother and yelling at her. “What happened to you? After they killed Dad and I woke up in the hospital, you were gone. I was so scared for you, and now—now you’re here?”
“I’ll explain everything soon, Katie, but what’s important now is that you take your place by my side—away from them.” She motioned a slender arm towards Zuna, Connor, and Caderyn.
Katie hesitated, shaking her head.
“Why don’t you tell her what you are? What you have done? That way she can make an informed decision,” Zuna asked. “Why don’t you tell her you married her father as cover, hid your whereabouts with magic, and then freed Vercin? Tell her the only reason you’re back now is because somehow you passed down your ability for magic to her and now you want to use her. Tell her—”
“Enough!” Julie screamed. “Don’t poison her mind further, Zuna.”
“Is—is that true? You married Dad and hid from the Elite race? You freed Vercin?”
“It’s complicated, sweetie. You’re just going to have to trust me for now.”
“Where were you after Dad died and I was in the hospital? Where have you been?”
Julie narrowed her blue eyes. “I don’t have time for this, Katharine Huber. You come here now and obey your mother!”
“No.”
“Katharine!”
“I’m not joining you and whatever you’re involved with until you explain what happened!”
“Tell her, Julie,” Zuna said once again.
“Fine. I married your father and hid my presence from the Council with magic until the time was right. I did free Vercin from his prison and now I stand with him. Don’t be stupid, Katie. Ours is the winning side. Don’t throw in your lot with this group. They have no hope of victory. Come with me and I’ll show you the true power that is attainable through magic. I won’t hold you back from reaching your true potential like I was held back for so many years.”
Katie shook her head and took a step back, tears filling her eyes. “No. I don’t know what kind of monster you are, but I won’t join you.”
Julie’s eyes turned black as she dropped the ring of keys in her hand. “Then you are a fool, Katie. You still have much to learn. Perhaps when all your friends are destroyed, you will rethink my offer.”
“Enough, Julie,” Zuna said, taking a step forward. “The girl has made up her mind.”
“Zuna, I should have known it would be you leading the would-be Judge. Since I once called you teacher, I will give you one chance to step aside. I’m not here for you.”
“Then what are you here for?”
A wicked smile played across Julie’s glossed lips. “Every day more and more Elites flock to Vercin’s banner, but for our ranks to truly swell, for us to have an army, we need hundreds, thousands of recruits.” She opened her arms, taking in the rows of cells around her
. “What better a place to find Elites who hate the Council and everything the Elite Law says than those who have been imprisoned by them? What better recruits to our cause than the inmates of Karnag?”
“Julie, you know this is madness. I will not allow you to do this.”
“You allow me?” Julie tilted her head backwards and gave a long laugh. “Zuna, my powers have far surpassed yours. The power you held from me is now mine to control.”
“Dark magic is no one’s to control, Julie. You cannot control it. In time it will consume you.”
“Perhaps in time, Zuna. But that time is not now. Step aside. I was only here for the inmates, but now that the almighty Judge is present, I’m sure Vercin would love me to bring back his head.”
The row of cells in which they stood seemed to close in around them. Magical energy sparked and crackled around Julie in varying shades of blue.
“It’s time for you to go,” Zuna said, turning to Connor and Katie.
“What? Go?” Connor repeated. “No, we can help.”
“Julie’s power is beyond anything you possess. In time, you will rival her, but not now.”
“But Zuna—” Katie began.
“Enough, child, go now. Do you remember the spells I taught you to open the wall to exit Karnag as well as the incantation to get back to the surface?”
A tear rolled down Katie’s cheek. “Yes, but come with us.”
Zuna smiled at her. “Grab the keys as you go. I will hold her as long as I can.” She turned to Connor. “Listen to your father, no matter what questions you may have about him. He loves you very much. And you’re going to make a great Judge. Morrigan was right about you.”
Connor stood speechless. He tightened his left arm around his father’s waist, shifted his grip on the axe, and nodded.
Zuna turned back to face Julie, her eyes now orange orbs. “Let us see exactly how powerful you have become.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Julie smiled. Black and blue energy gathered around her hands in spheres that grew larger and larger with each passing second. “As you wish.”
The Trials (The Elite Series) Page 13
