The heavy brocade curtains hung in tatters, scorching the stone mullions. Incredulously, Oriana watched as the flames spread across the walls and crept overhead, hissing and spitting from the ceiling.
‘How is the fire spreading across stone? Quick, Karima, move faster!’
Karima shuffled backwards, clunking Oriana in the chin with her boot.
‘Hey!’ Oriana protested. ‘Look out I am behind you, you know!’
‘I thought I heard something. Now I’m actually scared...what’s happening?’
‘I don’t know!’ Oriana snapped, instantly cross with herself as Karima’s face crumpled. ‘Sorry, I should watch my tongue. I know as much as you do.’
Jumping up, Oriana hauled Karima to her feet before ducking down as an intense flame shot down from the ceiling, singeing her hair. With the heat making her skin glow she led the way past the last three doors in the corridor. Sweat trickled down her forehead, stinging her already sensitive eyes and making it hard to see clearly. Using her hand, she wiped away the sweat and glanced back at Karima.
Karima, her face shiny and pink, smiled weakly. ‘I’m okay. Shouldn’t you call for your father?’
Oriana shook her head, wayward tendrils of her long, blonde hair sticking to her damp face. ‘Can’t you hear that?’
‘What?’
‘Screaming.’
‘Well, there is a fire.’
‘On every floor? I doubt this fire can be felt a floor below through the stone and the smoke is rising, not going down.’
Karima was silent for a moment. ‘Do we have to go down there? I don’t want to find out who is screaming or why. I knew I heard something.’
A sudden flare of fire stopped Oriana in her tracks, completely blocking the way out of the corridor with a wall of flames. Karima crashed into Oriana’s back. Oriana steadied herself just in time but the tip of her nose scraped the sizzling wall of flames. Spinning around on her heel she grabbed the door handle to the nearest room and pushed it open. Behind her, Karima screamed as flames surged towards them. Forcing her friend in front of her, Oriana’s back burnt with the heat of the fire as she shielded Karima, pushing Karima into the room first.
Oriana felt a snap at the base of her neck as the band securing her hair broke, allowing her long hair to tumble free. A searing pain shot up and down her spine and her vision flashed in and out of focus. Knowing she needed to move, she willed her feet to obey but they inexplicably remained welded to the floor. Glancing over her shoulder Oriana saw she was acting as a human barrier to the raging fire. She was not sure whether it was the material of her clothes she could smell burning, or her very flesh and hair.
Time slowed.
Even the raging of the fire stilled.
Oriana watched helplessly as Karima stumbled into the sanctuary of the room. Yellowed, late afternoon light filtered through the windows in the wall opposite the door and dust particles danced slowly on the sunrays. She thought how that meant the evening would be pleasant before realising it was ridiculous to be thinking of such a thing when she was about to be roasted to death.
Karima turned around to face Oriana, her mouth opening in an ‘o’. ‘Oriana, you’re on fire...drop and roll, hurry up!’
Oriana could not hear her friend’s words although she knew Karima was speaking. It sounded as if Karima was standing across the other side of a vast, impassable ocean.
‘Don’t just stand there!’ Karima yelled.
Oriana’s gaze finally settled on Karima’s worried face. ‘I can’t move!’
‘You’ll burn to death!’
Oriana shook her head, making her hair swing, and the flames bearing upon her crackled back into life. ‘I don’t think I am. Actually, it doesn’t feel as if I am burning, it’s no worse than sunbathing. This is so weird!’
Confused, she glanced again over her shoulder. Sure enough the flames pressed behind her, curving in an arc around her body. She yelped, her feet suddenly unstuck as a gush of cold water hit her from behind, extinguishing the flames around her and plastering her clothes and hair to her back.
‘Go,’ hissed a young man, tossing aside the bucket he had thrown the water from. ‘Just run and don’t look back.’
Oriana stared at him. She did not recognise him and was certain he was not part of the castle staff. His blond hair was damp and swept back off his high forehead, and from where he was standing Oriana could tell he was taller than her. He had clear blue eyes, and a defined jawline. He was, she thought, beautiful.
‘Move!’ The man waved his hand at Oriana. ‘The fire will return to full strength in a moment and I don’t have any more water to push it back.’
‘Come on, Oriana!’ Karima peeked around the door frame. ‘Hurry!’
The young man looked briefly at Karima and nodded. ‘Your friend is right.’ In two long strides he reached Oriana and grasped her elbow. ‘I should be capturing you, not helping you escape...now go.’ He smiled, displaying his teeth and a narrow gap separating the top, front two.
‘Who are you?’ Oriana shook off the man’s hold. Her eyes narrowed. ‘Is this a trick?’
The sound of stampeding feet echoed in the next corridor, becoming distinctly louder as they neared.
The man glanced behind him. ‘No trick, just go. You are running out of time.’
From the corner of her eye Oriana caught the flickering of the fire as it began to rise once more. The intruder was right; pretty soon the flames would again consume the corridor. She squared her shoulders.
‘I’m not going anywhere. Not until I know my parents are okay.’
The man grabbed Oriana again. ‘Then you will burn, Oriana.’
‘How do you know who I am?’ Oriana demanded, plucking the man’s long fingers from her forearm.
‘Stop this!’ Karima tugged on Oriana’s hand. ‘Please, I’m scared. Let’s hide!’
Oriana shivered as the man lifted a section of her hair, allowing the damp locks to slither through his fingers. ‘No-one could fail to know who you are; beautiful princess with the golden hair.’
Shouts and cries neared them. Screams spliced through the voices, intersected with the crash of metal against stone.
Swords, Oriana thought as she looked from Karima to the young man. He wasn’t much older than her. The realisation surprised Oriana and it was then she noticed the sword hanging from his belt, its blade stained red.
A rush of fear trembled through her, and her composure slipped. ‘Why are you here?’
The young man withdrew his sword while shoving Oriana into the room with his free hand. ‘My father,’ he muttered, before pulling the door closed behind him. ‘Hide!’
Inside the room, Oriana glanced at Karima, who was visibly shaking beside her. ‘I can’t just run away. This is my family’s castle. These are our people, they believe in my family...rely on them for protection from things like this.’
‘I knew you’d say that. It’s what makes you a better person than me. All I want to do is run.’ Karima’s eyes filled with tears. ‘If we can’t leave at least take us somewhere safe, I don’t know what’s happening but I know it’s not good.’
Oriana drew in a deep breath, hoping to stop herself from shaking. She had to remain in control. Focused. ‘I must find my parents. If something has happened to them, I must be strong for the kingdom.’
‘To be strong you must survive.’ Karima looked around the room. ‘How are we supposed to get out of this room? We’re too far up from the ground to jump out of the window; even if we landed in the moat we’d break our necks. There’s nowhere to hide in here!’
A clattering outside the room caught Oriana’s voice in her throat. Through the closed door, muffled voices could be heard. Holding her finger to her lips, she gestured for Karima to follow her. Tiptoeing across the room she tilted a framed painting hanging on the far left wall and felt across the smooth stone until her fingers found a slight protrusion. Pushing firmly, a click sounded and part of the wall slid back. Keeping an e
ye on the door to the room, she willed the stone to slide back faster. The section screeched, slowing to a near stop.
Oriana’s throat constricted.
‘We can’t squeeze through there,’ Karima hissed.
‘You don’t need to tell me that!’
Using all of her strength Oriana pressed both hands against the edge of the stone and pushed but it did nothing to widen the gap. Defeated she slumped backwards against the panel, resting the back of her head, and damp hair, against the stone. She sighed at the exact same time the stone slid back into action, and she grabbed onto Karima for support.
‘What did you do?’ Karima asked in wonder.
Oriana shrugged, glancing fearfully at the still closed door as the voices in the corridor rose.
‘Will someone put out this damn fire? I’m roasting like a spit-roast-hog here!’
‘It’s Alisdair’s magic, make him do it,’ said a second voice.
‘Alisdair,’ bellowed the first voice. ‘Extinguish the flames!’
There was a scuffle outside, and something banged against the opposite side of the wooden door to the room, making Oriana jump.
‘Nearly wide enough,’ she whispered to Karima. ‘Just a moment more.’
‘Sire, shall I extinguish all of the flames throughout the castle?’ asked a third voice clearly belonging to Alisdair.
‘Of course, you imbecilic fool,’ said the first voice. ‘There will be no castle for me to take if the damn thing is burnt to the ground. Son, have you found anything worth seizing for yourself?’
‘No, Father,’ replied another voice.
‘It’s him,’ Karima whispered. ‘The man with the water.’
The gap was finally wide enough for them to squeeze through so Oriana stepped through, followed by Karima.
‘Yes, I recognised his voice,’ Oriana whispered back, feeling around on the opposite side of the wall. ‘Where is the push stone? Oh my goodness, I can’t find it...follow me, we’ll have to hope no-one comes into the room and sees the opening.’
The passageway was dark and narrow. Dust had accumulated over the years, piled toe-deep through non-use. The voices grew distant as Oriana and Karima tiptoed further away from the room.
‘Where does this lead to?’ Karima asked. ‘I never knew this was here. You’ve never shown me. I thought I was your best friend. Best friends share things like this, things like secrets.’
‘Keep your voice down,’ Oriana hissed. ‘To our right is the main corridor, we’re only separated by a wall. They may hear us. I never told you because you didn’t need to know about this passageway. You make it sound as if I have loads of secrets. Well, I don’t. This passageway is meant for emergencies, in case the royal family needs to escape from intruders.’
‘Do you know who the intruders are?’
‘No, but we’ll know as soon as we find my parents.’
‘What’s that?’ Colour drained from Karima’s face. ‘Oh no, voices...in here with us!’
‘It’s them!’ Oriana broke into a run. ‘They’ve found the opening, run!’
Their combined footsteps reverberated around them as they picked up their skirts and raced down the passageway, following its twists and turns. Heavier footsteps stomped some distance behind them, and the sound of metal scraped against stone as swords and armour of their pursuers caught against the narrow walls.
Karima snapped at Oriana’s heels. ‘Come on, you’re a faster runner than me usually. Put some effort in!’
‘I am!’ Oriana tugged at her hair. ‘My stupid hair keeps getting tangled around me now it is loose and damp!’
‘Halt!’ a deep voice bellowed—one easily distinguishable as the voice belonging to the father of the young man from the corridor. ‘Halt now or face the blade!’
‘Who are these people?’ Karima wailed. ‘What do they want?’
‘Light the way, Alisdair,’ commanded the deep voice.
Instantly the passageway was plunged into light as fire shot across the ceiling, slathering it with constant flames.
Oriana’s heart pounded against her ribs, the sound of blood whooshing filled her ears.
‘My guess is they want to take over the castle.’ Sweat beaded across Oriana’s forehead. Her golden hair rippled behind her and she wished she had not kept it so long, it was such a hindrance. ‘We’re nearly at the end of the passageway.’
With a surge of adrenaline, she sped ahead of Karima and punched the flat, wide push-stone on the wall. This time the concealed entrance slid open faster and Oriana jumped through as soon as the opening was wide enough. Karima was several metres behind, and red in the face from the exertion.
Oriana yelled at her. ‘Pick up the pace, Karima.’
Karima glanced over her shoulder, lost her footing and fell forwards. Splaying out her hands, she crashed into the wall, just short of the opening and fell to the floor with a crunch.
The thundering of approaching footsteps matched the staccato beat of Oriana’s racing heart.
‘Carry on without me, Oriana,’ Karima sobbed. ‘I’ll slow you down, you must leave me...you are the princess, you must survive!’
‘I don’t care if I’m the princess,’ Oriana replied sharply. ‘There’s no way I’m leaving you.’
Jumping back through the opening, she raced to her friend’s side and hauled the latter to her feet.
‘Owww!’ Karima crumpled. ‘My knee hurts, I don’t think I can run.’
‘You will.’ Oriana’s mouth set in a firm line. ‘I will not leave you behind.’
Karima put her left foot down and screamed. ‘I think I’ve broken my ankle...go!’
‘No.’ Oriana wrapped an arm around Karima’s waist. ‘Put your arm around my shoulders, I’ll help you.’
As soon as she felt the weight of Karima’s arm across her, Oriana broke into a run, half supporting, half dragging Karima to the opening. Roughly, she shoved the other woman through before her.
‘Oriana!’ Karima screamed, clutching onto the wall for support. ‘They’re gaining on us!’
Oriana, fumbling with the push-stone, swore under her breath. ‘The push- stone’s stuck, I can’t close the opening.’ She hit the stone harder.
‘They’re too close!’
A stab of pain shot up Oriana’s forearm from the force she punched the push-stone with. A screech of stone against stone signalled a response. ‘It’s working. It’ll be closed before they can reach us!’
A bearded man, wearing dark armour which glowed peculiarly with reflected light from the roaring flames overhead, pounded down the narrow passageway, his sword protruding before him. His mouth curved in a sinister smile as he caught sight of Oriana and Karima at the end of the passage.
‘Sire,’ he cried. ‘I think we have found King Germaine’s daughter trying to flee!’
Behind him, a taller, wider man drew into view. ‘Stay your blade, Leonis, we favour the girl alive...for the moment. She will make a pretty start to my son’s own collection...stop the passageway from closing!’
‘Run, Oriana.’ Karima pushed Oriana. ‘It’s King Acapf The Collector!’
‘We run together.’ Once more, Oriana supported Karima. ‘Head towards my parents’ chambers. Their rooms are a safe hold.’
They ran, harder and faster than Oriana had ever run in her life. She did not dare glance behind her, knowing King Acapf and his men would not be far behind; the concealed push-stone would not faze them for long. Something whizzed through the air towards them and Oriana instinctively ducked but whatever it was hit her in the back, making her lose her hold on Karima.
‘I’m okay,’ Karima panted as Oriana looked at her. ‘I think it’s just a bad sprain, I can move on my own now.’
Although Oriana had felt the blow to her back, there was no pain so she grabbed Karima’s hand. ‘We need to be faster.’
Karima tugged her hand out of Oriana’s. ‘I can run, don’t wait for me. I’ll be behind you.’
Another whizz sounded behind t
hem and this time Oriana braced for the impact. The item hit her again on the back and ricocheted, spinning off and over her head, pinging from wall to wall.
‘Karima, duck!’ Oriana yelled, watching in dismay as the metal disc spun towards her friend.
Karima’s eyes widened as the disc splayed open into pincers and she ducked but it was too late. The metal pincers sped forwards, snapping shut around Karima’s neck to form a ring.
Oriana lunged forwards as Karima crumpled and fell to her knees. Reaching for Karima, Oriana hastily snapped her hands back as crackles of white light shot from the ring and rippled over her friend’s body.
Karima screamed and a stream of white light shot out from her mouth. Snapping her lips closed, she turned her eyes to Oriana, their irises crackling with minute fizzles of static.
‘Go,’ Karima whispered, her voice pained. ‘You can’t help me, he has me now.’
‘No!’ Hot tears spurted from Oriana’s own eyes. ‘I won’t leave you. We’ve been friends since we were babies!’ She reached for Karima again.
Crackles of light swarmed Karima, stretching from the ring around her neck. ‘You can’t touch me while I wear this ring. Stop trying to, it’s hurting me!’ Her face contorted in a mask of pain.
‘I’ll stop,’ Oriana promised. ‘If you stand up and run with me. We’ll find a way to remove the ring.’
Karima’s eyes were sad as she shook her head. ‘I can’t stand.’
Tears cascaded over Oriana’s cheeks. Another disc whizzed through the air and Oriana jumped to her feet. ‘I will return, Karima, and I will free you!’
Oriana’s heart cracked as she turned her back on her lifelong friend. For a moment she was unable to move, emotion clouding her eyes and stealing her breath. Clenching her fists, she picked up her feet and ran. Another disc hit her on the back of the head this time and she feared the pincer grip around her neck. When she heard the metal clatter to the floor, she dipped her head and sped around the last turn of the corridor leading to her parents’ chambers. Glancing behind, she saw the others had not yet caught up with her.
Always Golden Page 2
