The attack wasn’t led by King Ramantus, Dmitri’s father, as he’d suspected. Instead, a group of evil, non-human beings called Lorkon had kidnapped the princess.
Aldo instructed Dmitri to choose companions of varying ability for a dangerous quest to rescue the princess. She was being held in the land of the Shiengols.
Deciding to read the rest of the note later with the king, Dmitri pocketed it, then quickly returned to the throne room. Kelson waited near the door and joined Dmitri by the king.
“Aldo wasn’t there, but I found this.” Dmitri handed the first note to King Roylance. “Which led me to this.” He gave the king the letter.
Roylance read both papers and looked up. “You must do as he says. And hurry—the sooner you leave, the faster we’ll find my child.”
Dmitri nodded, but Kelson looked skeptical.
“I know you appreciate Aldo, but is he trustworthy? He went to the cabin ahead of Dmitri, and wasn’t there when Dmitri arrived and found Ezra dead. Aldo returned to put a letter in place, and again, didn’t wait for Dmitri. And he’s leading him away from Maivoryl City. What if he’s behind the attack?”
King Roylance didn’t respond at first. He frowned, obviously thinking over Kelson’s question, then shook his head. “No. Aldo is a brother to me. Not once has he done anything to disprove himself in the past sixty-five years. We must not allow fear to tear us from those who have proven themselves loyal over and over again.”
Kelson nodded—it appeared he accepted the king’s response. Either that, or he realized that arguing wouldn’t do any good.
Dmitri took a breath, wanting to change the subject. He didn’t feel comfortable questioning Aldo either. The man had been a wonderful help since Dmitri had arrived in Gevkan, and Arien was very attached to him. “How is the queen?”
A grave expression crossed the king’s face. “Not well at all, and I’m afraid she won’t last much longer.” He rubbed his eyes, then looked up at Dmitri. “Who do you think you’ll take with you?”
“Kelson, to start with.”
“Of course. He’s a trusted friend and ally.”
Dmitri nodded, looking at his best friend. “And he knows many good men here.”
“Yes. I’ll help find others . . . How about Brend and his brother, Ferron?”
“Great idea,” Dmitri said. “Both are excellent.”
The king rubbed his beard. “Have you thought of taking a Makalo?”
Dmitri shrugged. “Not really.”
His father hated Makalos. He thought they were lazy, short, annoying creatures. Dmitri had met his first Makalo, Kenji, several years ago when he’d first come to Gevkan, and hadn’t found him to be anything like what his father had implied. Quite the opposite—he was hard working, knowledgeable, and friendly, and the rest of the Makalos seemed to be the same. Of course, Dmitri’s father had been correct about one thing—Makalos were short. They were only about four feet tall.
“Is there one you’d be comfortable with? They’ll make the way much easier with their magic.”
Dmitri nodded. “Yes. I’ll have Kenji come—he’s young, but reliable.” He glanced at his friend. “Kelson, aside from Ferron and Brend, I’ll let you and Kenji choose who else will come.”
“I’ll get a list of men to you by tonight.”
The king leaned back in the throne. “If the queen were here right now, she’d suggest taking a Shiengol for protection, guidance, and wisdom. It would ensure a successful and safe trip . . . if you could convince one to accompany you.”
“Yes, very true,” Dmitri said, slowly nodding. The Shiengols had always intimidated him, though. They were powerful, magical, and exceptionally moody.
But the king was right. Their abilities and understandings would put Dmitri way ahead of the Lorkon.
He snapped his fingers. A servant approached, and Dmitri asked the man to deliver a request to the Shiengols in Maivoryl City for an audience with King Roylance. Hopefully, one of them—any of them—would honor that request.
Dmitri took a deep breath. “We’re in need of a Minya still.”
Kelson smiled. “You’re sure you trust one enough to come?”
Dmitri rolled his eyes. Kelson knew he couldn’t stand the tiny creatures—regardless of how effective they were at delivering messages. He’d always found them to be impertinent and annoying. “We don’t have a choice. It’s either that or not maintain communication with the castle.”
“Why don’t you take Arien’s Minya?” the king asked.
“She hates me. And I can’t even remember her name.”
The king and Kelson chuckled. “I’ll take care of that,” Kelson said. “A grouchy Minya is better than no Minya.”
***
Dmitri watched as Kelson finished tightening the saddle straps on his horse.
“This is a great group we’ve got here,” Kelson said. “Eleven in all—six humans, five Makalos. We’ll quickly catch up with these things called Lorkon.”
Dmitri nodded. “That’s what I’m hoping.”
He glanced at the others. All had been affected by the Lorkon attack in one way or another, including two who had lost loved ones to death. Dmitri struggled to put aside the feeling of despair that crept up from his stomach into his chest. What if they didn’t find the women? What if Arien was lost forever?
“Cheer up, Your Highness,” Kelson said, apparently sensing the prince’s emotions. “We’ll come out conquerors—regardless of these snares the Lorkon have set.”
Dmitri put his arm across his best friend’s shoulders. “I have no doubt we will. And as long as you are around to keep us energetic and positive, we’ll succeed.”
Kelson chuckled in response, and Dmitri decided to meet the members of their team. He walked around, shaking hands and thanking the others for their willingness to come.
He wished they’d been able to find a Shiengol, but none had responded to the call. Must’ve been because of the last-minute notice. Shiengols were so temperamental. Another blow had come in the form of Ferren—Brend’s brother, and one of the best members of the king’s guard. No one could find him anywhere, not even a body after the attack.
Dmitri got to Kenji last. The Makalo’s face was a little below Dmitri’s eye level, even while Kenji sat on his pony. He smiled at Dmitri, extending his hand.
“I’m grateful you asked me to come,” he said. “I was planning to volunteer, but you got to it first.”
Dmitri chuckled. “We’ll definitely use your services—especially your understanding of medical things.”
Kenji looked down, flushing. “I understand little compared to the older Makalos, but I’ll do my best. At least I can help you know when there’s danger in the area.”
Dmitri raised his eyebrows. “Really? How?”
“My Rezend,” Kenji said, lifting his left hand. As was typical for Makalos, his ring finger glowed a faint blue. “I can sense living things in the surrounding area when my finger comes in contact with trees.”
Dmitri folded his arms and mock glared at the Makalo. “I’ve known of Rezend since coming here, and you never told me of this ability.” He smiled to show he was teasing.
Kenji shrugged, his cheeks turning red. “I’m sorry—I just never thought to bring it up before. I forget how much you don’t know of Makalos. It’s fairly common knowledge.”
Dmitri sighed, wishing yet again that his father had allowed the smaller creatures into his kingdom. “Thank you for telling me. I’m sure I’ll use that ability frequently.” He turned to the rest of the group and raised his voice. “We need to be on our way.”
Just then, King Roylance shuffled through the front doors of the castle, a guard at his side carrying Queen Ara Liese. Dmitri hadn’t seen the queen in weeks, and he had to cover his shock at how far her condition had gone. She was so frail! She couldn’t weigh more than eighty pounds. Her skin was gray, her usual bright eyes and smile dampened. She held out her arms for Dmitri and pulled him in for a hug. Her voice
quivered. “Find my daughter, please. But above all, take care of yourself. I couldn’t bear to lose both of you.”
King Roylance gave his well-wishes and a final blessing for a safe trip, then waved good-bye as the group pulled away. Dmitri looked back, nodding one last time to the king and queen before the thick forest obstructed his view of the castle. The feelings of despair from earlier nearly overcame him, and he felt a sob rising in his throat as he thought of Arien and her beloved parents.
“They’re not looking well,” Kelson said.
Dmitri shook his head, blinking back tears. “Not at all.” He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid Queen Ara Liese won’t last much longer.”
The two friends rode in silence, and Dmitri took the opportunity to regain his composure. When he was sure he could talk without his voice faltering, he glanced around. “So . . . where’s that Minya?”
Kelson snorted. “Who knows? Pillaging an innocent town, probably.”
Dmitri pulled a handful of dandelion seeds from his saddle bag, whispered into them, then blew them away.
“You’re calling for her? Is it possible you’ve learned her name?”
“Whose? The Minya’s? Not a chance. I asked for ‘Sour Old Messenger.’ She’ll know I’m talking about her.”
Kelson chuckled, shaking his head.
A few minutes later, a plump, two-inch-tall, wingless human-like creature floated to Dmitri. She didn’t direct her grumpy expression at him, but stared in the air somewhere above his head. “Whaddya want?”
Dmitri clenched his fists, fighting to ignore her insolent attitude. “Contact the Makalo patriarch and find out what he’s heard about the attack. See if he knows anything concerning these Lorkon.”
The Minya drifted away.
Dmitri smirked. “Let’s see how long she takes this time, shall we?”
“You know, I could always take over—communicate with her instead of you doing it.”
“We can try that, if you think it’ll do any good.”
Kelson nodded. “It may.”
The Minya returned only seconds later. “I can’t get to him.”
“Why?” Kelson asked.
She just shrugged and flitted past them.
Dmitri shook his head. “Dumb thing.”
***
Nearly half a mile from the lake, Dmitri noticed something odd about the air in front of them. As the group got closer, he motioned for everyone to stop.
Something shimmered between them and the lake—something big, stretching from one side of the valley to the other.
“Do you see that?” Dmitri asked Kelson.
“Yes,” Kelson said, squinting in the sunlight. “What is it?”
Brend pulled his horse up alongside Dmitri and Kelson. “With your permission, Highness, I’ll ride ahead to inspect.”
Dmitri waved the man forward, and the rest of the group waited, anxious to understand the phenomenon.
It didn’t take long before Brend’s horse panicked—bucking, dashing forward, jumping, shaking its head. And the poor creature wasn’t the only thing suffering. Brend clutched at his face and throat, coughing and gagging.
“Pull them back!” Dmitri yelled. “Pull them back!”
Kelson spurred forward, but was nearly bucked off when Brend’s horse screamed. Kelson’s horse wouldn’t let him get any closer.
Dmitri jumped down, threw his reins to the nearest person, and ran forward on foot. Without hesitation, he plunged into the shimmering air. A cold, wet feeling instantly spread across his entire body, and an intense pressure covered every inch of him. The compression was so great, it felt like he’d fallen into the bottom of an ocean. Trusting his instinct to hold his breath, eyes burning, he strained forward. Dmitri reached Brend’s horse and grabbed its reins.
He dragged the animal around, still holding his breath, afraid of what would happen if he tried to take in air.
Dmitri tugged on the leather straps, his muscles straining from exertion and lack of oxygen. The horse barely moved an inch. Dmitri narrowed his eyes, pulling harder, then felt someone touch his shoulder. Kelson grabbed hold of the reins, and together, they pulled. The horse moved several more inches.
Suppressing a growl of frustration, Dmitri made eye contact with Kelson, motioned for him to pull, then counted down from three with his fingers. They heaved. Again, only a few inches of ground were gained. Dmitri’s chest was on fire, his throat begging him to breathe.
They were joined by several other men, who pushed from behind while another pulled Brend from the horse.
Finally, just when Dmitri’s vision started to fade, he and the rest struggled out of the shimmering air. The intense pressure released, and the wet feeling left. Dmitri coughed, breathing hard. The oxygen felt like it ripped through him to get to his lungs and brain again.
The horse fell to its knees, then toppled over, and Kelson jumped to help it. Dmitri turned his attention to Brend. He rolled the man to his stomach and thumped him on the back, joined by Kenji, who helped support Brend’s head.
After several seconds, Brend gagged and spluttered, struggling against Dmitri and Kenji. They released him and stepped back. He relaxed, pulling himself into a sitting position. “I’m fine . . . I’m fine.”
“Water, Your Highness,” Kenji said.
“He needs some?”
“No—he was in water.”
“He was drowning?” Dmitri asked, knowing that what Kenji said was true. “But how is this possible?”
“It’s the first element—it must be. Brend is incredibly lucky not to have drowned.”
After ensuring that Brend and the horse would be all right, Dmitri got up and walked back to the shimmering air, stopping just before it. “How did this come to be, and what exactly is it?” He put his hand into the iridescent air. He was shocked by the feeling of water falling over it and his arm. His skin didn’t appear to be wet, however, and he raised an eyebrow.
Kelson joined him. “A magical waterfall.”
“It stopped me,” Arien’s Minya said right next to Dmitri. He resisted the urge to swat her away, turning instead to face the group.
“Men, spread out. Search for the edges.” He instructed the Minya to find the top of the waterfall.
Brend got up to follow the others, but Dmitri gently pushed him back down. “You need to rest. You nearly died.”
An hour later, everyone had all returned. They couldn’t find anything.
Brend attempted to stand again. “My Lord, I’ve already been in it. If you’d like, I’ll see if I can find out how thick it is.”
“No—I won’t have anyone risking their lives again. Last time, you went plenty far enough—this won’t be a small barrier, and we can’t afford to lose men.”
“How shall we get through?” someone asked.
“Are we sure there even is a way?” another of the men asked.
Dmitri nodded. “I’m positive the Lorkon left one.” He strode to his horse and pulled himself up, nudging her to the water.
He nearly fell off when she reared up, nostrils flaring, the whites of her eyes flashing. Dmitri clung to her until she’d calmed down, speaking to her in soothing tones, patting her neck.
When she was ready, he turned her so her side was near the waterfall, getting him close enough to put his hand back into the shimmering air. “I wonder . . .”
He looked over his shoulder. “Kelson, you go in that direction.” He pointed opposite from where he faced. “I’ll go this way. Keep your hand in the water, and call if you feel a break.”
Kelson nodded, and Dmitri put his hand in the waterfall again. The change in temperature was only slightly noticeable, but it was enough. He nudged his horse forward, entering the forest that lined both sides of the road.
The going was slow. After only a couple of moments, he found that his skin adjusted to the coolness, and he had to twist and put the other hand in as he continued.
As the trees grew closer together, crowding man and horse to
the water, Dmitri found it increasingly difficult to continue. He considered going forward on foot, but decided against it, since making sure his hand was still in the water took too much concentration. Instead, he loosened her reins, letting her pick her way.
Half a mile later, Dmitri gasped when the water ended. He double, then triple-checked it, wanting to be sure his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. Sure enough, the magical waterfall disappeared for six feet before starting up again. Wonderful!
“Hello?” Dmitri called over his shoulder. “I think I’ve found something! Everyone, come!”
Deciding not to move lest he lose the spot, he waited for the others to catch up. The Lorkon had chosen the location of their tunnel well—there was about twenty feet of a break in the forest near the entrance, allowing his entire group to assemble around him. When the others arrived, Dmitri showed them the pause in water.
“A tunnel!” Kenji said.
Dmitri scanned the group. “Kelson?”
“He’s on his way, Lord,” Brend said.
“All right. Let’s take a break and eat when he arrives.”
Kelson returned and pulled food from his saddlebags, which he passed around. Dmitri leaned against a large rock, quietly eating his meal, listening to the others. He smiled at their excitement—finding the tunnel had recharged their spirits.
Dmitri took a deep breath and surveyed the break in the waterfall. He couldn’t tell how tall it was, but figured they’d be able to ride through. He tilted his head, thinking of the possible problems they’d encounter while doing that, though. How would the horses react? The path wouldn’t go straight through the water, he was sure of that. Too easy. Would the men have to lead their horses, or would riding suffice? Only one way to find out.
He stood and untethered his horse. “Everyone ready?”
The men gathered their things, then followed as Dmitri rode into the tunnel, instinctively holding his breath. His horse was jumpy at first, as was to be expected, but seemed to do fine after several moments. He exhaled in relief.
The first thing Dmitri noticed, aside from the wavy and distorted sunlight, was how cold it was in the tunnel compared to the hot August weather of outside. He pulled his cloak closer around him.
Stolen Princess: A Kilenya Chronicles Story Page 2
