by Jane Henry
“He cannot access the portal!” I shout to the guards. “Your duke is held hostage on Kleedan! The portal has been manipulated. Help us!”
Two guards glance to one another, and their gazes cloud. “It is the wife of the traitor!” One shouts.
Cold twists in my stomach as they approach me, shackles in the hand of one. “No!” I shout. “He is not a traitor! He is loyal to Avalere and King Aldric!”
One smiles coldly as he stalks closer to me. I still have my spear, and I raise it in self-defense. He shakes his head. “No, no, pretty,” he growls. “You will not threaten an Avalerian soldier. To do so means execution. For now, you will only be jailed until you face trial for treason. Now drop your weapon.”
“No!” I shout, swinging it. It connects with his arm, scraping it and drawing blood, and he screams in rage, as two more guards now come toward me. “My husband is innocent!” I shout.
“Loyal? He attempted to take the life of King Aldric!” he exclaims. “You call that loyal?”
I writhe in their grip. “He did not! He never did. It is a lie!” I scream. “Take me to the Hisrach!”
One chuckles mercilessly. “We will take you to prison, and you may plead your case. For now, you will come with us.”
“No!” I shout again, kicking out and hitting one of the guards between the legs. He howls and sinks to his knees. I gasp as someone drags my wrists behind my back, shackles clicking into place. I cast a glance wildly about me. Nearby stand four guards, but just beyond me, I see something else. Frozen in place, holding a large basket of fruit, stands Tamar.
“Tamar!” I scream. “Your duke is held hostage on Kleedan! He is not the one who attempted to hurt the king. He has been framed. Find the Hisrach! Bring the Hisrach to me, and I will explain all!”
When the last words leave my mouth, my world goes dark.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Idan
When I see her disappear in the portal, I howl in rage. Will she never learn?
The few bragni I have not yet slaughtered scream and run, as I brandish my sword, defying another one to dare to approach me. I slam my hand on the edge of the portal, but it is no use. It is still closed to me. Someone on Avalere has certainly manipulated it, and I must find a way back. I can begin by returning to Svali’s family.
When I get my hands on the impetuous, foolish, defiant girl, she will not sit for a week.
As I stalk back toward the house, I cannot help but think of her, the brave look upon her face, as her eyes pled with me to understand, just before I killed the last one who touched her. My blood boils again as I remember how their filthy hands lifted the white of her tunic. I am glad their blood stains the forest floor of Kleedan. They do not deserve to live after such transgressions. My pulse pounds, and I take deep breaths to calm my rage. Still, when I finally come upon the house, I slam my fist against the door before I realize I could waken those who are ill within. I square my shoulders and close my eyes. A warrior of the highest order does not attain his position with brute and swagger. I exhale through my nose. I wipe the crimson blood on a clump of grass until the blade is clean, then slide it back into the sheath, as a small voice comes from within.
“Who is it?”
Barely tempering my still-latent fury, I hiss through the doorframe.
“It is Idan. Open this door.”
Seconds later, I hear the scratching of the latch being moved, and the heavy wooden door swings open. I push it the rest of the way open with my palm, stride in, slam the door behind me, and fasten the latch once again.
Everything appears as I left it, her mother and sister still sleeping, the pallets on the floor strewn with blankets, shades drawn so that it is still dark. The young boy stands behind the door, his eyes wide and fearful.
Svali left him to face my wrath alone. She will answer for that as well.
“Why do you cower behind the door like a mouse?” I snap. “Men do not cower in fear but face whatever they must with courage and tenacity. Get over here.” I take him roughly by the shoulder and bring him in front of me. His dirty blond hair hangs in front of his brown eyes, as he peers at me from behind the veil.
“I did try to convince her to stay,” he insists. “I stand behind the door because I am afraid you will beat me.”
My jaw clenches. What sort of man would beat a child a quarter his size? Certainly not a member of the Hisrach.
“Sit,” I order, pointing to the table. He pulls out a chair and sits, still watching me with wide, wary eyes. “I will not beat you.” I pull out a chair, take the pouch I have slung about my waist, and place it on the table. He eyes the pouch and swallows, licking his lips. The boy is famished. “I wanted her safe, and keeping her here with me would have been the best decision.” I remove the berries I found and place them upon a wooden plate. The portions are ample, and, in the corner, I spy a bag of flour. Perhaps we can fashion a meal after all. “You will learn that I will discipline you if you disobey me. I am a fair man, and I have no qualms about teaching a child to obey.” I eye him, making sure he understands I mean what I say. He swallows and nods. My father was a good and fair man, and I wish to be the same. “But I am not a bully. Bullies beat children.” I sigh. “After all, the one truly responsible for this disobedience is my wife. We have much to do if we are to get these women to safety, and I am to return to Avalere,” I say. “But first, it is time to eat.”
I stand, the chair scraping behind me as I do so. “I can make bread, my lord,” the boy offers, getting to his feet as well. “I know how. It is a simple bread that will not rise, but will fill our bellies.”
I give him a curt nod. He stands up taller and his eyes meet mine. “My lord?”
“Yes?”
“If I…cook for you, help you return to Avalere, and pledge my obedience to you, would you…” His chin juts out, and he swallows. “Would you take me back with you Avalere?”
Something about this boy, something about his stature and manner, lays hidden in his prana vitae. There is bravery in this boy. It is then that I decide, as I gaze upon this hovel Svali once called home, and remember the wicked touch of the bragni on my woman, that I will not leave him here.
“What is your name?”
He swallows. “Ryken.”
“How old are you, Ryken?” He falters, and I clear my throat. “The truth, Ryken.”
He sighs. “I am seven years old, my lord.”
He is young enough that, if he wishes, he could be trained to be a member of the Hisrach.
“You have my word,” I say. “If you aid me in this way and pledge your obedience to me as your lord, I will take you with me to Avalere. You will live in my home, and I shall raise you as my own.” His eyes widen and his cheeks flush, but he only nods. “Now, go,” I say, lest he think I am too soft. “Go make the bread.”
He scurries away, but I catch it just as he turns away from me.
He has a smile upon his face.
I watch him add water and salt to the flour then heat a bit of oil in the pan. He fries it golden brown then places it on a plate. It is surprisingly tasty. While I eat, Svali’s sister stirs. She sits up, blinking in the dim light.
“Where is Svali?” she inquires, peering at me warily.
I frown, chewing and swallowing my bread before I respond. “She is gone. She escaped this morning to the portal, with the intent, no doubt, of getting us help. She is stubborn, that girl. What is your name, woman?”
“Cambri.”
“Cambri, I am Idan, a warrior of the highest order, and duke of Avalere.”
Her eyes wide. “Pleased to meet you, my lord.”
“Likewise. How do you feel today, Cambri?”
“Much better,” she says. “But I am afraid for my mother.” She glances at her mother, who still sleeps fast, her cheeks flushed. She swings her legs over the side of the bed and lifts her blanket, but I stop her.
“Do not get out of bed yet,” I tell her. “You are weak and just waking. You could
fall or injure yourself. Stay there, and I will check on your mother.” I wait to see if she will obey. It seems defiance is common on Kleedan, and it angers me. But she does as she is told. At least someone does.
I go to her mother and touch her head. “She is still warm. I suspect the medicine Svali gave you put you into a deep and recovering sleep. Given her age and weakness, she is in a coma. If we can get her to the air of Avalere and seen to by someone with medical expertise, she will rally. I know it. But we must get her there.”
Ryken gives Cambri a plate of bread and fruit, which she accepts. “Cambri, this is Ryken. He helped me last night, and I brought him here for shelter. He will accompany us to Avalere.”
She nibbles a bit of food before speaking. “My lord, please excuse my question. But how will we get back to Avalere?”
I turn to Ryken. “Am I blocked from all portals to Avalere?”
Ryken nods. “Yes, my lord.”
“So even a disguise would prevent me from going.”
“Yes.”
I chew thoughtfully on my food before speaking. “What we need is someone strong enough to defend himself if he is attacked when accessing the portal. I am happy to play the part of defense to get whoever must go through. And he must be strong enough to not be taken prisoner if he is attacked. I must find someone who can fit this profile, and promise to reward them if they follow through with our plans.”
Both Cambri and Ryken nod.
I hate the idea of leaving these three unprotected as I seek someone trustworthy to help. How do I know I can trust someone to pull off such a mission?
“My lord,” Cambri says shyly. She is slighter than Svali, but her cheeks are rounder, her eyes purple-tinged like her sister’s but bluer. “I could ask my betrothed. He works the mines of Kleedan and is not allowed to visit except during the third week of the month. We would have to get by the bragni and those he works with to communicate with him. But if we can find him, he will help. He is strong and brave.” Her eyes fill with pride. I smile.
“How far are the mines from here?”
“A ten minute journey, my lord. Not far at all. No one risks the trek because of fear of the bragni.”
I scoff, remembering how I laid waste to the lot of them. “I do not fear the bragni.”
She grins. “I did not understand why Svali wanted to pledge herself to the Hisrach,” she says. “You have a reputation for being unbearably strict, you know.”
I cannot help but smile back at her. “It is our way,” I say.
She smiles. “But now, I am glad my sister found you.” She swings her legs over the side of the bed.
“Do you feel as if you could make this journey?” I ask.
She nods. I am not sure if she will, but it is our only chance.
⊱⟢⋯⟣⊰
I do not like leaving them here like this, but know that something must happen, and soon. If I have been locked out of returning to Avalere, I fear it is with good reason, that whoever went through the trouble of locking me out has devious plans indeed. Given what I know about the imposter on Avalere, I fear the worst.
Cambri is unsure on her feet, stumbling at times. I take her elbow to steady her. The eyes of the bragni follow us, but they keep their distance. I can only assume they see the gleam of my sword and heard tell that I laid waste to the lot at the portal this morning.
As we move toward the mines it grows darker, almost too difficult to see. Why would anyone want to live in the inky, dismal darkness of Kleedan? It is depressing.
“In the mines there are hundreds of workers, and we will have to find him among them.”
Her eyes grow brighter, as the prospect of seeing her lover looms.
I fear for Svali’s safety. Was she taken prisoner when she got through the portal? Oh, the disobedient woman! When I find her, I will teach her to obey. I will lock her away and never let her leave her room again.
“Up ahead,” Cambri whispers. “Some now take their midday meal, as they eat in shifts. Do you see?”
Dozens of tables crowd a small area, and crowds of sit and eat.
“We just have to find him — ooooh!”
She shrieks, as someone grabs her from behind. I grasp my sword, ready to draw and protect her, when a voice comes in the darkness. “Do not touch your sword. It is me, Shaan.”
Cambri’s tilts her head to see the face of the man holding her. “Shaan!”
She reaches for him, and he holds her close to him. He is a big man, easily as big as any member of the Hisrach, though he does not have the markings upon his shoulders and arms. He has light brown hair, heavy brows, and eyes as dark as the night sky. When he pulls away, his brows furrow at Cambri. “What do you do here, and who is this with you?”
“Shaan,” she says. “This is Idan, Duke of Avalere, a warrior of the highest order and member of the Hisrach.”
Shaan’s eyes widen and he bows his head. “My lord,” he says. Here on Kleedan it is not necessary that he show deference like this, but it appears he has respect for the Hisrach. I nod.
“I have been locked out of Avalere,” I say. “One there pretends to be me. I have no idea what he has done in my absence, and I must return. My wife, Svali, has gone ahead of me.” I pause and clench my jaw. “Against my wishes. Svali and Cambri’s mother is ill, and we need to get her help. I cannot access the portal and will not allow Cambri or the young boy we have back at her home to go unescorted. We must find someone who can defend themselves to access the portal, and alert my brothers of the Hisrach.”
He frowns. “I see.” He peers back upon the mines. “My lord, I see your dilemma. But if I leave the mines here when I’m not allowed, I will lose my job and my only means of survival here on Kleedan. They have placed me as guard, which is the only reason I am not in the mines even now.”
“If you aid me in my return to Avalere, Shaan, I will reward you, and pay you thrice your yearly salary.”
He casts a glance at Cambri, as if to confirm that I am trustworthy.
“Do it, Shaan,” she pleads. “Please.”
He squares his shoulders. “Very well. I will go.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Svali
They drag me to my feet as I come to. I wish for my husband. He would never allow me to be treated this way. My throat tightens when I remember how he drew his sword to protect me moments before I transported back here. They drag me toward the cell. As I go, I try to see if I can find a member of the Hisrach, someone, anyone who can go to my husband’s aid. My head hurts from having been knocked out when they took me to the prison, pounding against my temples, so at first when I see him, I blink. Do my eyes betray me?
“Idan?” I whisper, the hair on my arms standing on end, to see my warrior husband behind bars, in the cell directly across from me. But when his gaze meets mine, I know this is not my husband. There is no concern. There is something darker, something evil lurking in his eyes.
He smiles. “So they have come for you, too, wife, have they?” His smile makes my stomach twist.
Who is this man, and how deep is his plot to overtake the throne?
“You are not my husband,” I hiss, as they push me behind the iron bars and secure the lock. I grasp the bars and glare at the man who grins at me. “He is not my husband!” I shout at the guards. “He is an imposter!”
The guard merely shakes his head and leaves the room. We are now alone, the traitor staring at me from across the cell. “You will pay for this,” I whisper. “You will hang from the highest tree on Avalere. He will come for me. He will out you. And you and all those who support you will answer for this treason.”
He grins. “I know not of what you speak, Svali,” he says loudly, as if for show. And then his voice drops “And no one will believe you. After all, where is your strong warrior now?”
I turn from him. This is futile, talking with a madman. I must find a way to communicate with a member of the Hisrach.
Two small windows in my cell look upon the st
reets of Avalere. Against one corner lies a small cot with a thick blanket and pillow, and upon the table by the cot there is a glass of water, with a plate of bread and cheese. I frown, sadness washing over me as I realize the scant offerings to a prisoner here are better than those a free Kleedian might expect.
Hunger gnaws at my stomach, so I sit upon the bed and eat my food. The bread is fresh and buttered, the cheese pungent and filling. The water quenches my thirst, and after I have eaten, my head feels clearer, my vision clearer.
I hear heavy footsteps along the stone steps that lead to the cells. Expecting to see a guard, I do not get up from the bed. I gasp when my eyes fall upon the large, powerful form of none other than King Aldric himself.
“My lord!” I shout, leaping to my feet.
He glares at the guard. “Who gave you leave to imprison Svali? Open the lock at once!”
The man who is not my husband comes to the bars. It appears he has not expected the arrival of Aldric as fear flickers in his eyes.
Aldric fumes as the guards fumble with the locks, brows furrowed as he scowls.
“King Aldric, she is wife to the man who attempted to take your life!” the guard says. “We were under strict orders to arrest all under his house after the assassination attempt.”
“Ordered by whom?” Aldric asks.
“By a member of the Hisrach, my lord,” the guard says, opening my door. Aldric steps into my cell, and, to my surprise, he embraces me, a brotherly gesture I find so comforting, tears spring to me eyes.
“Are you well, Svali?” he asks.
I swallow. “I am, my lord. But Idan is in danger. Someone has conspired to keep him away from Avalere!”
He frowns and shakes his head. “Be quiet, Svali. Not here.” He turns back to the guard. “Name the warrior who told you to imprison her.”
“Zadok, my lord.”
Aldric frowns. “Bring him to me.”
The man who would take the place of my husband shouts at King Aldric, “You will not separate the kingdom of Avalere! I will see to your death! And my wife is a traitor. I have proof!”
