Child of Hope (Prophecy Series Book 4)

by T. N. Hayden

  “We clean out the dead once a month.” Sheriff Dyckan led Kaleb from the place of murder. “That’s the deputy’s job.”

  “No.” Kaleb unsheathed his sword and slammed the hilt into the sheriff’s head.

  Sheriff Dyckan fell, and Kaleb grabbed the man’s keys. Hands shaking, Kaleb fumbled through the keys, trying each one in the locks until all the prisoners were free.

  “Thank you, Sir.” More prisoners than he could count embraced him, and Kaleb’s stomach wrenched.

  By the time he was done vomiting, the prison was empty, save the dead, sheriff, Zared, and those too hurt or sick to move.

  “Why are you helping us?” Zared demanded.

  “Put the sheriff in one of the empty cells and lock it.” Kaleb ordered. “This is disgusting. I will not leave anyone else down here. The deputy will find the sheriff eventually.”

  Zared did as ordered, and he helped Kaleb bring the wounded and sick to freedom.

  ~ Chapter 9 ~

  Sake 546

  Kaleb rode his stallion, and he wondered if they’d find the Sorceress again. He needed to find her and kill her, so he could become king and fix his father’s mistakes. What if, instead of killing her, he joined her? He shook his head. No, it didn’t matter what he witnessed. He couldn’t betray his father. Besides, if he was branded a traitor, then Izik would become the next king, and he would likely be more ruthless than their father. For the good of the people, Kaleb had to kill the Sorceress.

  Brent pulled his stallion to a halt. “Did you hear that?”

  “What?” Nate turned, and he gasped as he fell from his horse.

  Kaleb moved around as he noticed Nate sprawled on the ground by the Sorceress’ feet. Outfitted in a green leather dress, her face was nearly hidden under a dark green hood and bandana.

  “Sorceress.” Kaleb frowned.

  “Hello, my executioner.” Her white eyes were globes of pure energy, and he wondered how she had lived so long with such strange markings. Did people accept her? Had she been shunned growing up? Did she ever wish she looked normal? It would be easier if she could look like everyone else, easier to hide.

  Kaleb glanced to Brent. Nate was down. That meant she could only use her powers against one of them. The other would kill her. Part of him didn’t want to kill her, but he knew he had to. He wouldn’t be able to be king if he didn’t, and he needed to fix his father’s mistakes. He needed to be able to protect and defend his people as a true king should.

  Brent lunged from his saddle as Kaleb did. The Sorceress knelt, twisting to avoid their attacks, and her hands sparkled with magic as they chopped into their sides. Kaleb fell, and he couldn’t believe it as Brent also fell. How could she have gotten stronger? Or was it possible she had always been that strong? What if she’d only revealed what she wanted them to believe about her?

  “What now?” The voice must have belonged to Ryl.

  “Did you bring the wagon?” The Sorceress demanded as she went to Kaleb and gently brushed his long hair from his face. He wanted to catch her fingers in his and kiss and break them at the same time. “It’s going to be alright.” Her voice was low as she gently tied something around his eyes.

  Kaleb had never been so humiliated in his life. He tried to struggle against irons clamped to his wrists and ankles. This was why he hated people with magic. A blindfold kept him from seeing where the Sorceress and Ryl were taking them. It was ridiculous. Was he going to be ransomed? But they didn’t know who he was. The Sorceress didn’t know he was the prince. Would he be tortured? Sent to his father piece by piece once they figured out who he was? The unknown haunted him, and he struggled to make sense of what was happening.

  Feeling was beginning to come back in his arms, and he could almost scream. How had he gotten in this position? A prince who needed to scream for help? Izik would never let him forget this.

  Kaleb mashed his lips together, and he gasped as sudden bright light blinded him. He jerked back and could see the face of the Sorceress.

  “How are you feeling?” Her voice was liquid gold, and she was more beautiful up close than he remembered.

  Her streaked hair blew across her face and the marks of magic were inked into her skin. Her white eyes made him shiver as she seemed to gaze through him. Could she read his mind? How had she bewitched him? He despised and feared those with magic, but he wanted the Sorceress to be an exception.

  “Can you move yet?” Her gloved fingers brushed his hair, and he bumped his elbows against the wood.

  He found he could move his head, and he frowned. “Where am I? What do you plan to do with us?”

  “We have our plans for you and your friends.” She assured him. Where was she looking? With no pupil in her eyes, he couldn’t tell if her gaze rested on him or one of the others. He did know he wouldn’t let any harm come to his friends.

  “Let them go. I’m your executioner. They are of no use to you.”

  “You have little faith in the value of your friends.” She scoffed.

  “I—” Why was he trying to explain himself to a rebel? “You’d better release me. What do you plan on doing? You could have killed me back there. Why take me with you?”

  “You’re a valuable prisoner.” She shrugged.

  “And my friends?” Could they know who he was? He didn’t dare ask.

  “Valuable in their own ways.”

  He frowned as she moved around the wagon. Yes. He was chained in a wagon, like a caged beast. How had this happened? He struggled to shift his body, glancing over his shoulder to see how his friends were.

  Nate and Brent, also chained, struggled against their bonds.

  The Sorceress spoke to Brent, her words too low for Kaleb to overhear.

  “The army will find us!” Kaleb spoke as loud as he could. “You cannot hide forever.”

  Ryl slammed his fist into Kaleb’s stomach. The prince gasped as the air left his lungs. He groaned.

  “Quiet.” Ryl’s bandana moved as he spoke. His dark brown eyes narrowed, and Kaleb spat at him.

  The man shoved a piece of cloth into Kaleb’s mouth to gag him. The prince choked, but the rebel secured the rag in place. Kaleb glared.

  “We need to blindfold them once more.” Sorceress spoke to her companion. “We can’t let them see.”

  Ryl nodded and did as tasked.

  Once again Kaleb was plunged to darkness. He moaned, struggling against the chains with all his strength. He hoped he could make enough noise to alert soldiers, farmers, anyone loyal to him and his father. He was an unknown prize to the rebellion, and he wanted to see them suffer.

  Something jabbed into his side, and he groaned as the Sorceress’ magic took effect on his body. Paralyzed, he could only lie still and immobile as the journey continued.

  ~ Chapter 10 ~

  A crash woke the prince, and Kaleb found he could move once again. He’d slept; there had been nothing else to do with her magic upon him. The prince struggled to open his eyes before he remembered the blindfold.

  Shouts filled the air, and an object struck Kaleb’s arm. He tried to sit up, tried to yank his blindfold free, but he was sufficiently chained. Something moist struck his head, and the wagon jerked to a stop. An unpleasant reek wafted to his nostrils, and he heard the Sorceress shout. “Do not treat them the way they would have you treated. The soldiers are our prisoners, but they will not be harmed or humiliated.”

  Too late.

  “Move aside and let us pass with no more degradation.” A pause, and the wagon jerked forward once more.

  What had the rebels thrown at him? The prince didn’t want to know, but the smell piqued his curiosity.

  The ground turned bumpy, but it soon smoothed out. Kaleb heard the sounds of people, crowds whispering, and he pictured them pointing at the prisoners. Why hadn’t she just killed him?

  The wagon came to a halt, and Kaleb waited. Ryl yanked the prince’s blindfold free, and Kaleb was surprised to see layered houses made of wood and brick, just like a
ny city in Waden. Ryl removed the gag, and Kaleb took a deep breath of fresh air. The city was clean and somehow hidden. The city housed the rebellion, and they were careful enough to keep it secret. But why risk exposure by bringing the prince into their city?

  Because they still didn’t know who he was.

  “Welcome back, Sorceress.” A tall man who looked to be in his forties stepped forward to place a hand on her shoulder. The man’s face was obscured by a bandana, like Ryl’s.

  “Thank you, Ed.” She turned to face the wagon once more.

  “Tell me something, Sorceress.” Ed paused, as if he was trying to find the right words. “Why have you brought prisoners back here?”

  “These men have been hunting me.” She went to Kaleb and gently touched his shoulder. “I don’t think they understand the truth about their mission. They need to find out the truth, and that cannot happen anywhere else.”

  Kaleb jerked as her gloved hand wiped something free.

  No one spoke, and Kaleb waited for someone to ask the question he wanted to know the answer to. When no one did, he blurted. “What truth?”

  “You will find out soon.” Sorceress turned away from him and faced Ryl. “Take that soldier to a cell.”

  Kaleb struggled to his side as he watched Ryl and two other rebels unchain Nate, tie his hands, and shove him toward one of the houses.

  “Where will we keep this one?” Ed nodded at Kaleb. “And the boy?”

  “The boy will be taken care of.” Sorceress answered. “And that soldier shall be kept in the Sobica.”

  Ed nodded to some of his men, and Kaleb lunged forward, trying to strike the men with his elbows. But the men were too strong, and one of them unchained him.

  “Let them go!” Kaleb cried as the men hauled him from the wagon. He struggled, but two rebels held him as a third tied his hands behind his back. The three rebels dragged the prince as he thrashed against their hold. He didn’t know what the Sobica was, but he was sure he didn’t want to go there.

  Nate rubbed his wrists and sat on the hard bed. He closed his eyes and sighed. It was about time.

  The Sorceress entered his room with Ryl beside her. Nate glanced at them. “Do you think Kaleb suspected anything?”

  “It seems highly unlikely.” Ryl pulled his hood back and yanked his bandana free. “It’s good to see you.”

  Nate jumped from the bed to embrace his cousin. “Thanks for doing this for me Whitney.” He looked at her as she transitioned out of her magic state. “I know this is a risk, but I believe in him.”

  “You always said Kaleb was a good person.” Whitney hugged Nate. “I hope you’re right about him.”

  “Me too.” Nate paused. “Come on. Let’s see Aunt Henika.”

  The three walked into Henika’s cabin, and the woman embraced her nephew. “Are you alright?”

  “I could do with a healing session.” Nate admitted. “Your son took it upon himself to always make sure Kaleb never doubted my loyalty. I think Cousin enjoys beating on me.” He threw Cyril a sideways smile.

  “You’re tough.” Cyril gently punched his shoulder.

  “Thanks for this by the way.” Nate touched his ring. “It definitely works.”

  Henika smiled as she placed her hands to Nate’s shoulders. “I’m glad my gift of protection has always worked for you.”

  “I wish Brent had one of those.” Whitney sighed. “I don’t know how to face him.”

  “Remind him of the truth.” Nate looked at her. “He needs to hear it, and he needs to hear it from you.”

  Brent was thrown into a small room. He rushed back to the door, but it was locked. He pounded the wood and groaned as he fell to his knees. He’d never been a prisoner before, and he couldn’t believe his stupidity. She had grown stronger than they realized. She was able to use her magic against all three, and he hadn’t seen it coming. He had failed his prince, his friend, his kingdom.

  “Brent?”

  He jumped to his feet as his hands fell to his weaponless sides. He moved away from her as the Sorceress closed the door.

  “How did you know my name?”

  “I’ve always known your name.” Her tattoos faded into her tan skin, and her white eyes deepened to a sapphire blue. Her normally streaked hair faded to just golden-blonde, her long fingers played with a silver locket, and Brent suddenly understood how she could travel without being recognized as the Sorceress. They stared at one another for a long moment before her gaze turned sad. “Don’t you recognize me? Can’t you see who I am?” She took a step closer to him. “Brent, it’s me, Whitney, your twin sister.”

  “My sister never had magic.” But her eyes were mirrors of his sister’s. It couldn’t be. She had magic, and she was using it to make him want to turn from his prince and king. Brent needed to be strong. “Besides, my sister is missing.”

  “I’m right here.” She didn’t try to move closer. Her right thumb and pointer finger pressed against each other in a familiar movement. “Dad and I are here. Don’t you remember what happened five years ago? Don’t you remember being kidnapped? You never wanted to be a soldier. You were never loyal to King Marc.”

  “Lies.” He stumbled back against his bed. “I’ve always been loyal to my sovereign. You’re trying to confuse me with magic, but it won’t work. I’ll never turn my back on my king and prince.”

  “You have been fed so many lies, Brent.”

  “Don’t say my name.”

  “You fought the soldiers when they took you from us.” The Sorceress explained. “They tore us apart, and Mother tried to stop them from taking you. They gutted her right in front of us, and I found my magic that day. I couldn’t stop them from taking you, and I couldn’t stop them from killing Mom. She died in my arms after the soldiers departed with you screaming in chains. You are not loyal to them.”

  “Rebels killed my mother.” Brent’s lips trembled. He pressed them together to steady them. “You are telling me terrible lies.”

  “I am telling you the truth. They are the ones who put lies in your head. The king has women with Darbina magic who work with him. They’re the ones who make his soldiers loyal to him.”

  Gizelle.

  No. No. The Sorceress is trying to confuse you. She’s not your sister.

  “You have to believe me, Brent.” She ran and embraced him.

  Brent froze. She smelled of lilac and grass.

  “That one’s my favorite.” Whitney pointed to one of the clouds. “It looks like a pony.”

  “You’ve never even ridden a pony.” Brent shook his head as he tried to see the shape in the clouds. “I like the ship.” He gestured.

  “I’ve always wanted to ride a pony.”

  “And I’ve always wanted to sail on a ship.”

  “We will have to join the rebellion one day.” Whitney rolled over onto her stomach, her locket lying against her shoulder. “Nate’s parents are going to begin helping the wounded rebels as they pass through Limpkin.”

  “They will have to be careful. If the king’s soldiers find out, they’ll kill his parents.”

  “Nate promised me they would all be careful.”

  “Do you think the rebellion has a ship?”

  “I don’t know, but they must have ponies.”

  Brent smiled as the wind brought the smell of lilac to his nose, and he knew the smell would always make him think of his sister.

  “No!” Brent shoved the Sorceress from him. How could she know? Why was she wearing lilac? “Get away from me.”

  Her face fell, and he could tell he hurt her.

  “Get out of my cell.” He spat at her. “I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”

  “I have never lied to you.” Whitney’s ten-year-old voice seemed to finish her sentence as the Sorceress closed the door behind her. “And I never will.”

  Brent fell on his bed and sat, blinking in confusion as his head hurt.

  ~ Chapter 11 ~

  Kaleb counted the cracks in the ceiling for
the nineteenth time. He had never been so bored in his life, and he’d never been so sure he couldn’t escape his room. He’d been surprised when the rebels hadn’t shackled him inside a dungeon, dark, dank, and deserted.

  Someone opened the door, and four rebels stepped into the room. Kaleb recognized Ed, the Sorceress, and Ryl, but the fourth, another hooded and bandana-wearing rebel, was unknown to him.

  The fourth shut the door behind them, and Kaleb sat straight. “Where are my friends? Are Brent and Nate alright?”

  “They’re fine.” The fourth rebel assured him.

  “I want to see them.” Kaleb crossed his arms. “I need to see they’re fine for myself. Bring Nate and Brent to me.”

  “Not going to happen.” Ed stated.

  Kaleb didn’t answer, and the silence seemed to stew between the five of them. Finally, Ed broke through. “Do you even know who your father is?”

  The question surprised him, and Kaleb frowned. “Of course, I do.”

  “Your father is not King Marc.” Ed stated.

  “What?” Kaleb frowned. They couldn’t know he was the prince.

  “You are Prince Kaleb Donnie, and you think you are the son of King Marc and Queen Rose.” Ryl stated.

  “How do you know who I am?” Kaleb gaped.

  “We know a lot about you.” Ed shook his head. “We know more about you than you do.”

  “And what could you possibly know that I don’t?” Kaleb challenged.

  “Queen Rose was the wife of King Jenkin Masen, the true king of this land.” Ed moved in front of the prince. “Jenkin and I were friends, and we thought Marc was our friend too.”

  Kaleb frowned. “I’ve heard plenty about King Jenkin. My parents have always loved each other, and King Jenkin just used my mother like property.”

  “Your father was murdered by Marc, the night he took Queen Rose prisoner.” Ed continued his lie. “Your mother has magic, and Marc imprisoned her magic and memories with a Colaphizo, the bracelet she always wears.”