Victory and Defeat: Book Five of the Restoration Series

by Williams, Christopher

  He continued to run, his feet slapping loudly against the stone road. His back and neck itched as he waited for the man’s spirit to grab him, or for him to run into another of the solid, but invisible walls. It didn’t happen.

  He smiled, even as he continued his mad dash. His health wasn’t bad, but the panic and fear were making his heart pump furiously and his breathing grew ragged. His mind refused to consider the horrible implications of this ambush. He needed to time to think about exactly what this meant, but now was not the time.

  His smile slipped away as he heard footfalls from behind him. He knew it wasn’t Dagan or Cassandra; it had to be the dark-haired man. He swallowed hard and ran for his life. He knew the guards patrolled this area regularly, but of course there wasn’t any about when he really needed them.

  There were two options as he saw them. He could to continue to run and hope he came across the city guard before the man caught him, or he could began to shout as he ran. Perhaps his screams would be heard and someone would respond. He hated to shout; it seemed almost cowardly, and it would use up his dearly needed air, but it might just save his life. He sucked in air and opened his mouth to scream. He never got the chance.

  A shadow seemed to emerge from the darkness of a small cross street, and for one glorious moment, Angaria thought he was saved. A momentary euphoria burst through him at the thought of miraculously stumbling across some of the guards. He turned to look at the newcomer, but he never got a good look. Something hard struck him in the face and propelled him backwards. He slammed into the ground, and his head bounced on the stones. He immediately blacked out.

  Warren hurriedly knelt down beside the prone figure of the duke. The man’s head had hit the stones hard, and that sort of blow could easily kill a man. He held his breath as he checked for any signs of life. A low moan escaped the duke’s lips and Warren began to breathe again. He glanced up at the man watching them. “Atock, you could have killed him!”

  “Is he dead?” Atock asked. He didn’t sound like he cared one way or the other.

  Warren shook his head. “No.”

  Atock smiled and shrugged. Any comment he was going to make was cut off by the sudden arrival of Agminion and Jared. They were both gasping for air.

  Jared glanced at the prone figure of the duke. “The countess?”

  Warren waved his hand over his shoulder, indicating back up the street.

  Jared immediately set off at a brisk walk south, heading in the direction of the others.

  Warren pulled the duke up by one arm and threw the man over his shoulder. He had to adjust him a couple of times to get the man’s weight balanced, but then he turned and followed Agminion south along the street. Atock brought up the rear.

  They arrived moments later to the sight of Dagan sitting on the ground covered in blood. Cassandra and Jared were leaning over him, and the magician was working on his wound.

  Agminion knelt beside them and reached out with his spirit, probing the wound. “That’s bad.”

  “I know,” Cassandra said in a half-irritated, half-distracted voice. “I don’t think the dart was poisoned though.” She glanced at Agminion. “You’ll have to keep the wound closed until we get to the castle.”

  Agminion nodded. “That will limit me if we have another confrontation.”

  “I know,” Cassandra said. “I’ve stopped the bleeding, but it is up to you to keep it from starting back up.”

  Agminion nodded again.

  “Can he walk?” Warren asked. He stopped just short of the others, the duke still hanging over his shoulder.

  “Of course I can,” Dagan said a little breathless. Then he added, “But I will need some help.”

  “Agminion and I will help him,” Cassandra said. She glanced at Jared. “We have to get back to the castle quickly.”

  Jared snorted in reply, “I’m well aware.”

  Cassandra opened her mouth to say something, but they all froze as a man’s voice called out, “Don’t move.” It seemed the city guard had arrived after all.

  Jared and Agminion straightened up, turning to face the newcomer.

  It turned out that there were five newcomers. The five members of the city guard were spread out across the street and they all had their swords drawn.

  Atock dropped his hand to the hilt of his two swords, but Jared snapped a quick, “No!” Then in a much lower voice he said, “Pull up your hoods and keep your faces covered. I expected to run into the guards, and I actually planned on it. Keep your hoods over your face and be quiet.” He glanced at Agminion, “Cover the duke and countess Lells as well.”

  Agminion nodded and moved to do so.

  “I said don’t move,” the guard in the middle said. His insignia marked his as a sergeant, which meant he was the leader of this group.

  Jared stepped forward and approached the guards. As one, their swords rose to point at him. “Sergeant, do you know who I am?” he asked. His tone was crisp and commanding.

  The sergeant studied him for a moment, and then his eyes widened and he gasped. “Lord Narra!”

  Jared nodded. “I am acting upon the king’s orders and you have intruded.”

  The sergeant still looked surprised, but he was also beginning to look a bit anxious. “My apologies, my lord. We heard shouts and responded per our orders.”

  “Then why are you still pointing those swords at me?” Jared demanded.

  “Once again my apologies,” the sergeant said, and he sheathed his sword, the other four guards did as well. “We beg your pardon, but we were not expecting one of your rank on the streets at this time of night.”

  “Understandable,” Jared replied. “As it turns out, I’m glad you came along. I have need of you.”

  “Need of us?” the sergeant repeated.

  Jared nodded. “I have several commands, and you are going to follow them explicitly. Do you understand?”

  The sergeant looked completely lost, but he nodded his head. “Yes sir!”

  “The five of you are going to accompany me. I need you to carry two unconscious persons for me, but I want you to listen very carefully. You will not look at the faces of these people. None of them! Do you understand?”

  The sergeant had gone pale. “Sir, I cannot leave my post. I will be accused of desertion.”

  “No,” Jared said and shook his head. “I will have a word with the Commander of the City Guard. You will not be punished for obeying my orders. But there is one thing that I wish to stress. If any of you try to see the faces of the people that you are carrying, or the faces of those accompanying me, then you will be a guest in the king’s dungeon until your hair is white. Understood?”

  All five men struggled to stand up straighter and the sergeant answered for them all. “Yes, sir!”

  Chapter 27

  Jared led the group through the streets of the nobles’ district. Fortunately, it was close to the king’s palace and they made the trip rather quickly.

  The city guards carried the unconscious forms of Duke Angaria and Countess Hannah. None of the guards so much as glanced toward the hoods that covered their faces.

  Atock, Agminion, Cassandra, Warren, and Dagan followed along behind the guards. The guards did not look back, but still they kept their faces concealed.

  Dagan only made it a hundred yards or so before his legs gave out and Atock was forced to carry him. The old man’s breathing was still strong, but his body was weak. The blood coming from his wound was barely a trickle, as Agminion kept the wound closed.

  They exited the nobles’ district and approached King Darion’s castle from the east. The main entrance was located on the north side, but they entered via a small gate barely big enough for one man to pass through. It was a servant’s gate and was normally locked and heavily guarded. When they had exited through this gate, no one was around. Before they had left the castle, Jared had arranged for this gate to be unlocked and unguarded.

  Stepping into the castle courtyard, Jared turned to the sout
h. The castle proper lay that way, but he stopped at the stables, which were between the main castle and the small gate. He opened a large door and urged them through.

  The stables were like every other stable they had ever seen, smelling of horses and hay. Jared paid no heed and hurried to the far end where he turned into a small stone room. There was a small cot and a wooden table with one chair. It was currently empty.

  Wasting no time, Jared yanked open an ingeniously concealed trap door in the floor, exposing a ladder.

  “Down the ladder,” Jared barked, “and be careful.”

  It wasn’t easy climbing a ladder while carrying another person, but they managed. Shortly thereafter they had descended the ten or so feet and came to a tunnel that headed off to the southwest.

  Jared once again took the lead and they followed the tunnel. It was narrow and the lit torches barely gave enough light, but they managed.

  The tunnel wound its way along, sometimes descending a bit, other times rising, until at last the tunnel ended in steps.

  Jared did not even stop, but hurried up the steps. There was a trap door at the top, but it had already been thrown open. Two men stood there and they seemed to know they were coming. The one on the right looked older, but still young. He had short, blond hair and a muscular build. The one on the left looked more like a kid.

  Jared emerged from the steps, but he did not greet them, instead he began issuing orders immediately.

  “Gidon, go and fetch the king’s healer. Send him to me here and then ask the king to join me.” The young kid on the left immediately turned and ran.

  The city guards finished climbing the steps and just stood there holding their burdens with their eyes downward.

  Cassandra and the others climbed up behind them and looked around. They had emerged into a long but narrow room, which was unmistakably a guardroom. Off to the left were two small beds, and there was a table and three chairs to their right. On either of the narrow ends was a thick wooden door. The kid had ran out the door to their left and he left it open; they could see a short hallway and stairs leading up.

  Jared turned to the other door, the one that remained closed. He quickly crossed the room and pulled a key from somewhere within his cloak. He unlocked the door and threw it open. He turned back and beckoned the second of the two young men forward. “Emmet, lead these guards to the cells. Place the man in one and the woman in another. Do not look at their faces. Do you understand?” The young man nodded, and Jared continued, “Lock them in and then escort these guardsmen to their own cell.”

  “My lord?” the sergeant said, suddenly looking weary. “Are we to be locked up as well?”

  Jared raised a hand to placate the guards. “Be at peace. I need to ensure your silence on this until the morning. You will be guests of the king only until the sun rises and then you will be free to leave.”

  The sergeant looked less than convinced, as did several of his men, but any objection on their part was stalled by the sudden return of Gidon. He wasn’t alone; an old man trotted along behind carrying a healer’s bag.

  “Lord Jared,” Gidon said upon entering the room. “The king shall join you shortly.”

  “Good,” Jared answered, “Emmet, see to our guests.”

  If the guardsmen still had notions of resisting the spymaster’s orders, the news that their king would soon be here changed their minds. They followed Emmet through the door. As soon as they had passed, Jared closed the heavy door, although he did not lock it.

  “Gidon, I need you to take a message to Armon,” Jared said once the door was closed. “Tell him to ready the hundred.” The boy blinked in confusion and Jared smiled at him. “Do not worry. He will know what it means. Now hurry!”

  “Yes sir,” Gidon said, and turned and ran back out the door.

  “My lord,” the old healer said timidly. “Your boy said my services were needed.”

  “Indeed they are,” Jared replied. He gestured in Atock’s direction. “Place him on one of the beds so that Master Oded can have a look.”

  Atock carefully laid the old sorcerer down, but Dagan’s hood fell open and Oded, gasped. He looked wide-eyed at Jared. “Do you know who this is?” he asked.

  Jared was spared having to answer by the arrival of the king.

  King Darion entered the room alone. His guards could be seen through the open door, and they did not look pleased. Still, one did not argue with a king. Darion closed the door behind him and then looked around. “Tell me what has happened.”

  “My King,” Oded said before anyone else could speak. “This is the sorcerer Eul-Dagan. He is one of the heretics you have been searching for.”

  The king nodded. “I am aware of who he is. Please do all that you can to heal his wounds.”

  Oded nodded once, and then turned his attention to Dagan. To the healer’s credit, he did not look once and did not appear to listen to the story that Jared relayed to the king.

  It did not take long for Jared to finish telling the king all that they had done. By the time Jared was finished, Darion looked sick.

  “What have you done?” he demanded. “The church will know that we are moving against them. This could very well be the end of the kingdom. Gods, arresting the duke and countess.”

  Spreading his hands in a mollifying manner, Jared said, “Our plan is not complete. If all goes well, then we still hope to use the secret passage tonight and bring the church to heel.”

  “Tell me,” Darion said. He was still a bit pale, but he was handling the shock well.

  “First, we must convince either the duke or the countess to show us how to open the secret entrance to the temple.”

  “You mean torture?” King Darion asked.

  Cassandra snorted. “Luck to you. Angaria will never give that secret up.”

  “Every man breaks,” Jared said softly.

  “True,” Cassandra agreed, “but within the hour?”

  Jared shrugged. “Perhaps not, but I believe the lady will prove less resistant.” He paused and tilted his head to one side. “My king, perhaps today is the day you get to use that piece of paper you have been carrying with you for so long.”

  Darion was quiet for a while and then he sighed, “I do not believe that threat will be enough to make Angaria tell you what you want to know.”

  “I agree, but perhaps using that paper against the duke will make the countess more receptive. We only need one of them to help us.”

  Less than a quarter of an hour later, King Darion led the group into the cell area. Atock and the healer stayed behind with Dagan. The old sorcerer’s wound had been stitched together, but Oded did not want to move his patient. Dagan was not in any imminent danger, but the old healer wanted to be cautious.

  Emmet waited in the passage beyond the door and he hastily bowed as the king entered. The hallway was long and rather plain. The walls and ceiling were made of stone and three torches struggled to light the hallway. This was one of several dungeons of King Darion’s castle. Like most of the others, it was rarely used. There were four doors on the left side of the passage and four more on the right.

  “Emmet, where are the prisoners?” Jared demanded.

  Emmet pointed to the first door on their left. “The man is in there. His right arm is chained to the wall.” He pointed to the door directly opposite Angaria’s cell. “And the woman is in there. Her arm is also chained.”

  “And the guards?”

  “I put them at the very end, on the left,” Emmet replied.

  Jared smiled. Emmet was a protégé of his, and he showed a real knack for understanding just what needed to be done. By placing the guards as far from the duke and countess as possible, he minimized anything that they might hear. “Good work. Now, I want you to go wait in the next room. Do not look at the men with the healer. Do you understand?”

  “Yes sir,” Emmet said, and Jared knew his command would be obeyed.

  They waited until the boy had left and then they closed the door beh
ind him.

  “Open Angaria’s door,” King Darion commanded.

  “Sire, with your permission, I would like to open Countess Lells’s door first. I want to make sure that she hears everything we say to Angaria.”

  The king nodded and Jared hurried to unlock and open the door.

  Countess Hannah Lells sat on the floor with her back against the wall. Her right arm was held up by a chain that was attached to a ring embedded in the wall. To put it simply, she had looked better. Her hair was disheveled, and she appeared to have been crying. She looked up as the door opened and her eyes widened at the sight of Darion. “My king! What has happened? Why am I here?”

  “Listen and obey me,” King Darion said. “On pain of death, you are to remain silent.” He held her gaze for a moment, and it seemed likely the woman was about to burst into tears again. She did not cry though; perhaps, she feared that the noise she would make crying would be enough to bring the king’s judgment down on her.

  Turning away from her cell, Darion nodded to Jared. The spymaster hurried to Angaria’s cell, unlocked the door, and swung it open.

  Hannah looked a mess, but she did not compare to Angaria. He too sat on the floor and rested his back against the wall. His mouth and nose were bleeding, and his left cheek was turning an ugly purplish color. He looked like someone had dragged him through a sewer. His eyes rested on Jared for a moment, and then they moved to the king. Cassandra was visible behind the King, but the Duke did not look at her, not once. Despite his dirty clothes and bruised face, Angaria held himself with a sense of command and determination. “I must insist that you release me immediately.” He spoke carefully, moving his mouth and jaw as little as possible. Consequently, he slurred some of his words as he spoke.

  “Ah, my poor duke,” Darion said in a jovial manner. “I am afraid that you are not in a position to insist on much of anything.”

  “You know that your actions tonight will start a civil war,” Angaria said quietly. “Instead of fighting that bastard Flaranthlas and those assisting him, we will be fighting each other.”