The Chronicles of Lorrek Box Set

by Kelly Blanchard

  “Athorim—where the thymords relocated the ancient kelliphs long ago.”

  Draben and Reven shared a look, and Draben sighed. “I take it this is a bad thing.”

  Anelm nodded as she approached them. “It has the potential to be very detrimental, so gather your things. We must be off as quickly as possible.” While they prepared, Anelm reached out to her brother to warn him.

  27

  Caleth sat on his throne in Athorim, drumming his fingers on the armrests of his throne—waiting. Before him a wide staircase descended down to his level, and on either side of the stairs waterfalls cascaded down into pools which circled the landing of the throne. The water lapped against the black stone of the palace, sending ripples of light through the polished, living stone.

  Still, Caleth waited.

  His sister alerted him of all the danger heading toward Athorim, and he had fortified the city and secured his prisoners. Several times he had brought Roskelem to consciousness again, commanding him to behave. However, the former king had discovered a way to get Caleth’s attention, so he kept throwing himself into the magic barrier. The last time Caleth had walked down there to talk with his prisoner, Verddra had told him, “Leave him be. If he dies, let him die. The world would have one less tainted soul breathing the air.”

  However, that was a decision Caleth was not willing to make at such a dangerous time, but neither Verddra nor Roskelem knew what was about to unfold, and he had no desire to tell them. Instead, he healed Roskelem once more and ordered the guard, “Chain him to the wall. He won’t be able to hurt himself that way.” With that, Caleth rose to his feet and went on his way, but as he left, he heard Roskelem regaining consciousness and yelling for him.

  “Come back here, you pathetic excuse for a king!”

  Caleth ignored him and left the dungeon.

  Now, he sat in the throne room, contemplating all that had happened and all that may happen in the near future. He wasn’t certain what to expect, yet he knew long-buried secrets of Athorim were about to be exposed.

  He sensed a stir in the magic realm as if someone had magicked in proximity to the throne room. Caleth drummed his fingers again and waited as he sensed the guards moving fast to confront and then escort his visitors to the throne room.

  Finally, four figures appeared on the top of the stairs escorted by several guards. Caleth recognized them as King Heldon of Cuskelom, Prince Lorrek of Cuskelom, Therth of Cuskelom, and Princess Gremina of Serhon.

  Remaining seated, King Caleth motioned his guards away. They had more guests arriving who would need to be brought to him as well. Once they were gone, his visitors made their way down the stairs to the landing of the throne and bowed to King Caleth. However, he neither spoke nor did he move. His eyes remained on Gremina, as he knew what her demand would be. He wanted her to speak.

  For a moment, no one broke the silence. Gremina glanced at Heldon, since he was equal to Caleth and therefore carried more command behind his words, yet he looked at her. This had been entirely her idea, and he still did not support it.

  Growing tired of the silence, Lorrek finally pushed past the two and locked eyes with King Caleth. “Your Majesty, pardon the intrusion, yet Princess Gremina seeks to have her deranged father released from your dungeons.”

  Gremina glared at Lorrek. “He is not deranged!”

  He shot her a look over his shoulder. “He imprisoned Princess Anelm and forced her to use tainted magic. He stripped me of my memories and turned me into his personal assassin. He is not sound in his mind.” Then Lorrek looked back at Caleth who had yet to move. This reminded Lorrek of the time a year ago when he came here seeking safe haven for young Prince Moren of Nirrorm after Countess Verddra had overthrown Nirrorm. Caleth sat upon the throne and agreed to harbor the little prince, but upon the condition that Lorrek go to Serhon to purchase the freedom of Princess Anelm, whom King Roskelem had wrongfully imprisoned.

  Now Lorrek stood in that very same spot, but it was Roskelem’s own freedom which hung in the balance. This time, Lorrek did not care to secure that freedom. He was only here to magick the others to Athorim, and looking around, he determined he came ahead of everyone else. That was good.

  However, Gremina was oblivious to the greater threat. She stepped forward. “King Caleth, I demand you release my father to the custody of Serhon. I can assure you he will not rule as king.”

  Finally, Caleth spoke. “Why do you want him released? He is a war criminal who has done much wrong and must pay for his crimes.”

  “He is my father.”

  “And yet he turned your mother into stone during the Battle of Cuskelom.” Caleth met her eyes with a fiery stare.

  Gremina clenched her fists at the reminder of this. “I know very well what he has done. Why do you think I want him back so badly? I want him to undo what has he done. I want my family back.”

  “Undo what he has done...” Caleth mused. “He has no magic. How can he undo all he has done?”

  A smile tugged at the corner of Gremina’s lips. Finally, she had the upper hand and knew something the rest of them did not. She squared her shoulders. “My father learned his spells through an ancient spellbook that had come into his possession a prior to him gaining magic. He was obsessed with magic even then. I believe that spellbook holds the key to unlocking the stone statues and restoring them to their former state. If they are dead, we will bury them. If they live, they will be freed once more.”

  “Yet as I said,” Caleth opened his hand, “Roskelem has no magic. He could not reverse the spell even if he had the spellbook.”

  “Yes, but one of you could.” She looked at Lorrek and at Caleth.

  Lorrek observed her throughout this exchange. He had not expected this to be her ultimate purpose, but he could respect it. However, he had to ask, “Do you know where the spellbook is?”

  “Aye.”

  “Then why do you need Roskelem at all?”

  Gremina smiled. “The spellbook is protected by the fiercest of guardians, who will only obey my father. They have means of trapping magic, and they are fearsome warriors. If my father tells them to stand down, they will. Otherwise, they will kill anyone who crosses paths with them.”

  Lorrek shrugged. “Tell me the location, and I can magick myself there—”

  “It’s not that simple.” Gremina shook her head. “He was obsessed with keeping this book hidden—especially from magic users. Once he gained magic, he cast hundreds of cloaking spells over it so no magic user could locate it and magick to it.”

  She had a sound argument, although Lorrek still didn’t like the situation. He cast Caleth a look and bowed to him. “The decision is yours, Your Majesty.” Then he stepped back beside Heldon and Therth.

  Heldon spoke in a lowered voice with his little brother, “Do you truly consent to the release of King Roskelem?”

  Lorrek responded with a quiet voice, “I want the statue spell to be reversed. If this is the way to do that, then so be it.” He kept his eyes on Caleth and Gremina as he watched them measure each other.

  Finally, Caleth sat back in his throne and broke the silence. “Why should I agree to his release? I could command him to accompany you to the spellbook, and I could oversee the spell’s reversal. However, afterwards, Roskelem has no right to freedom.”

  “You are quite right, Your Majesty.” Gremina bowed her head, but when she lifted her chin once more, a smirk spread across her face, and she straightened regally. “However, if you do not release my father to me, I will not return to you a Black Stone of Athorim.” These words caused Caleth to straighten and lean forward with interest. Gremina reached into her pouch then pulled out her hand and opened her palm, revealing a sliver of black stone. “This is only a piece of it. I’ve placed it in the hands of someone I trust, and they will not hand it over to you without my command. So, if you would like this piece of the heritage of Athorim returned to you, you must release my father to me.” She closed her hand once more, putting the shard o
f stone back into the pouch.

  Caleth narrowed his eyes. However, a shift in magic had him casting his gaze up the stairs as the guards escorted more guests. He acknowledged them with a nod and addressed them, notifying the others of their arrival. “Prince Theran, Lady Vixen, welcome. Lady Radella, are you here to request your mother’s release as well?” He lifted his brows.

  Radella shook her head. “Nay. There are more pressing matters to which we must attend.”

  “Agreed.” Caleth shifted his attention back to Gremina while Theran stood alongside his brothers, and Vixen stood near Therth. Radella made her way down the stairs and drew near to Lorrek, catching his eye. They shared a nod but then turned their attention to those in front of them to see how events would unravel.

  Caleth drummed his fingers on the arm of the throne once more. His hardened eyes remained on Gremina. “You wish to gamble?”

  “I wish for my family to be fully restored, and I will do whatever I must to make that happen.”

  “You play a dangerous game, Your Highness.” Caleth nodded to her, but she lifted her chin in defiance.

  “I do what I must.”

  “Very well.” Caleth reached through the magic realm and gave a command to the men keeping guard of Roskelem, and then he focused on the princess of Serhon once more. “You may have your wish. However, it may not be as simple as you would like.” As soon as he said this, two guards magicked in with Roskelem, shackled. Caleth watched Gremina’s face as she took in the appearance of her father—pleased to see he was in good health, but perturbed that he lacked the finery he had grown accustomed to while living a royal life.

  At a gesture of Caleth’s hand, the shackles fell from Roskelem’s wrists, and Roskelem immediately began to rub his wrists as he smiled at Gremina. “My dear! So good of you to come. I knew you would not leave me to rot in that dungeon.” He slid a glare to Caleth.

  Heldon stared in disbelief that Caleth would concede so easily, and he shot Lorrek a look. Surely, this must be a ruse of some kind. Roskelem could not be freed so easily. When he saw Lorrek not making a move, Heldon felt indignation stir up within him, and he moved to take a step forward to object, yet Lorrek clasped a hand onto his shoulder, holding him firmly in place.

  With a lowered voice only Heldon could hear, Lorrek told him, “Hold. See how this plays out.”

  So there was something more, but what? Heldon looked back at the reunion of Gremina and Roskelem and then at Caleth. What were they waiting for?

  Finally, Caleth broke his silence, “King Roskelem, your daughter has requested I free you. However, it is not as simple as that.”

  Both Roskelem and Gremina shot Caleth a suspicious look. “What do you mean by that?” Gremina demanded to know.

  Caleth steepled his hands and leaned forward as he sat on his throne above them, and he stared down at them. “The role you play is small and insignificant compared to what is about to unfold. There is something greater at play.”

  Gremina shared a confused look with her father but then shot Caleth another scowl. Did Caleth intend to cheat her—bring her father to her only to snatch him away again? She would not stand for that. She was Princess of Serhon and Queen of Thieves. At her command, she could unleash assassins upon this place and kill them all, yet she refrained. She made a fist and took a step toward the throne, speaking in a low, measured tone, “What are you—”

  Suddenly a magic-laced gale tore through throne room, causing everyone to step back and lift their hands to shield their eyes.

  When they lowered their eyes, they saw the tall figure of Rykeldan standing in their midst. Lorrek gripped Heldon’s arm and pulled him back behind him, and he caught Therth’s eye and jutted with his chin for him to step behind him as well.

  However, Therth glared, shook his head, and slipped closer to Gremina. Whoever this new person was, he refused to allow Gremina to be harmed.

  Theran remained where he stood and clenched his hand into a fist. Vixen lowered her stance, ready to fight if necessary.

  On the throne, Caleth fixed his eyes on Rykeldan, and he slowly sat up straighter. “Rykeldan,” he greeted him with a nod.

  Rykeldan took in his surroundings, noting the reaction the black stone of the room had when in contact with the water. That was curious, but he sensed magic flowing through the air, in the stone, and throughout the room. It was a different kind of magic—a familiar kind to him, and he straightened as he inhaled deeply, as if smelling a familiar scent. Then he smiled at Caleth. “So it was true. The one I thought I saw was indeed Therina, and not a mere figment of my imagination because where she is, there you are as well, Perenden.”

  Caleth shook his head. “You are confused. This is not Kellirothen. This is not even the same world. You have been locked away for a long time. Things have changed. It is not as it once was.”

  Looking between Caleth and this stranger, Roskelem kept waiting for someone to give an explanation, yet none was offered. Although he didn’t know this ‘Rykeldan’ individual, he sensed he was extremely powerful, and Roskelem was drawn to that power. He cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Excuse me, but would someone care to introduce this stranger?” He flashed a smile at Rykeldan. “I am King Roskelem of Serhon—the Ruler of Thieves, Assassins, and Bandits...” He trailed off when Rykeldan’s golden eyes fell upon him, and the tall stranger took a step toward him. Roskelem chuckled uncertainly and took a step back to keep his distance.

  “You are the one who trained Princess Mordora of Nirrorm how to turn flesh into statues,” Rykeldan stated.

  Roskelem swallowed hard but willed himself to remain still while Rykeldan circled him. Something about this man struck fear into Roskelem’s heart. He wasn’t sure what it was, but even without his magic, Roskelem could still sense power radiating off the stranger.

  Refusing to appear weak, Roskelem squared his shoulders and stood his ground with chin lifted proudly. “Yes, yes I am the one who trained her. She was incredibly talented.”

  Rykeldan continued to circle the king of Serhon as if inspecting him. “Yet you have no magic of your own.” He came to stand in front of Roskelem once more and met his gaze. His face was unreadable.

  The mention of the loss of his magic cause fury to fury within Roskelem, and he pointed at Lorrek. “Because he stole it from me!”

  Following where the finger pointed, Rykeldan saw Lorrek. He looked stronger now, and Rykeldan knew better than to trifle with him at this moment. He acknowledged Lorrek with a nod but then turned his gaze back upon the strange occurrence he found in front of him. Through the eyes of magic, he saw a void around Roskelem’s aura. People without magic always had a mute aura, yet with Roskelem there was both a void and traces of magic tainted with something foreign to Rykeldan. He didn’t recognize it.

  As he touched the void with his magic, understanding dawned on Rykeldan, and he locked eyes with Roskelem. “You are a disgrace to any with magic.” He leaned forward to speak into Roskelem’s face, and Roskelem flinched at the sudden closeness and rage in Rykeldan’s eyes. “You sought to engineer magic and be equal to us. You are a pest, a leech!” Rykeldan suddenly pulled back, squaring his shoulders and giving Roskelem one final nod of absolute disgust before he turned his attention back to Caleth. “This is the company which you keep, Perenden?” He gestured sharply to Roskelem but kept his eyes on Caleth. “You have sunk low, yet you deem yourself worthy of that throne?”

  Caleth tightened his hand on his armrest, willing himself to remain calm. Rykeldan was confused. He didn’t understand how much time had passed or where he was. Caleth kept his voice measured. “This is not Kellirothen. You have no right here. You have no claim here.”

  “I am KING of the Kelliphs!” Rykeldan snapped then pointed at Caleth. “And you are a kelliph! Therefore, I am your king.”

  “Not exactly.” A new voice joined the conversation, and all eyes shifted as Anelm stood at the top of the stairs flanked by the two thymords. She remained there for a moment, allo
wing for Rykeldan to register the presence of the thymords, but then she made her way down the stairs with them in tow.

  Rykeldan stared as he watched her approach. Her beauty was unmatched by any he had ever seen, and he had lived for a very long time. He didn’t think he would ever see her again. “Therina...it is you! The last thing the thymords told me before locking me away in that bracelet was that you had given your life to create something that would end me.” He looked hurt by this and scowled at the thymords before fixing his eyes on Anelm.

  Roskelem looked at everyone. Were they not confused like him? When he saw no one move to ask the obvious question, he finally spoke up. “My sincerest apologies, but...why do you call him Perenden and her Therina?” He motioned from Caleth to Anelm. “They are King Caleth and his sister, Princess Anelm of Athorim. Know you nothing at all?”

  Rykeldan chuckled as he shifted his gaze back to the small king. “You are the one who knows nothing.” But then he looked back at Anelm. “The Dragons have prophesied long ago that my soulbound is Therina.” However, as he stared at her, transfixed and lost in so many memories and so many dreams, he noticed something about her—a blemish. A streak of black marred her otherwise flawless ashen blond hair, and he frowned as he approached her, ignoring how the thymords went on guard at his closeness.

  He stared at her and lifted a pale hand to her hair to touch it. He had seen this before, and he knew what it meant, but Therina would never do that. He locked confused eyes with her. “How did this happen?”

  Anelm did not shy away from his touch. Instead, she lifted her chin to meet his gaze, and then she tossed her gaze across the room to Roskelem. “He forced me to use tainted magic for his own purposes.”

  Rage filled Rykeldan, and Therth grabbed Gremina, pulling her away from her father as the kelliph spun around to face him. “You dare taint a kelliph? The soulbound of the King of Kelliphs?!” He marched up to Roskelem, towering over him while Roskelem shrank back.

  “I didn’t mean to!”