Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1)

by Ryan W. Mueller

  He took off running while Kara raced toward the prison. Flames had erupted over the main entrance, so she ran around to the side, finding another way inside, a location the fire had not yet reached.

  The smoke assaulted her, and she ducked low, coughing. How could Nadia and the others be alive in this? Kara had to duck beams sitting diagonally across her path, climb over others that sat at her feet. The smoke made it look like night had fallen. Even the flames didn't cast enough light. She could feel their heat, though, as it grew stronger and stronger.

  "Nadia, can you hear me?" she shouted, inhaling smoke.

  Nothing.

  "Nadia, please!" Kara felt on the verge of tears.

  "Kara, is that you?" Nadia's voice sounded weak.

  "Nadia, I'm coming! Hang in there."

  She pushed through the debris-choked path, dodging the flames that surged everywhere. In places, she could see the smoky sky.

  At last, she came to a place where a large amount of the roof had caved in. Beneath this debris sat Nadia, whose head poked out from a mass of boards. A thin stream of blood had trickled from Nadia's head and down her cheek, but she looked all right otherwise.

  "Let me get this stuff off you," Kara said, throwing aside debris. She kept her head ducked low and ignored the heat of the flames.

  Not for the first time, she was glad for all her sword training. It had given her strong muscles, strong enough that she could move the heavy wooden beams, especially with the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

  Once she moved some of the debris, Nadia shifted the rest away from her. Then Nadia directed Kara a few feet away, where Rik and Markus were trapped. Together, they shifted the debris aside. It took nearly a minute, but they freed Markus and Rik. None of them had suffered more than some cuts, bruises, and mild burns.

  "I know the way out," Kara said, leading the way. The fires ahead of them had nearly blocked the path. As they squeezed through a narrow gap in the flames, her skin erupted with pain. She ignored it, though, ignored the screams of the others behind her.

  The smoke swirled in thick clouds, and they all coughed, but Kara could see the exit up ahead. She raced through the opening, pulling Nadia along.

  They moved as far from the burning prison as possible. Smoke still hung in the air, but not so thickly they couldn't breathe.

  Markus coughed. "Did you see Berig?"

  "Berig?" Kara said.

  "Short guy with a thick brown beard."

  "Oh, he got out," Kara said. "He's headed toward the castle. It's made of stone, so it might be our best shot to escape."

  Rik looked up at the circle of fire. "I don't know. Do we have enough time?"

  "We might not," Nadia said. "We need to get moving."

  They took off toward the castle. Kara told Nadia of David's death, but Nadia showed little response. They could mourn him later.

  The chaos had died down. No more screams. No more fighting. Just an ominous silence. Had the Imperial Guards killed everyone already? Kara checked for other people but couldn't see anyone through the smoke. Not until they came closer to the center of the city.

  Ahead of them stood two people. Once the smoke cleared, her heart felt lighter. "Aric!" she said. "Ander! Thank God you're alive!"

  Aric rushed over and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I was so worried, Kara."

  Kara pulled out of the hug. "What are you doing here?"

  "We're searching for survivors," Ander said with a hand on his magical staff. "There's a guy here who's managed to find a way into the Imperial Guard teleportation chamber. We're rounding up everyone we can find and getting them all there. It's the only chance we have."

  Nadia grabbed Ander's arm. "Have you seen my father or Avia?"

  "Sorry, Nadia, I don't know what's happened to them."

  "I have to know," Nadia said. "I have to at least try to help them."

  Kara placed a hand on her shoulder. "They're probably dead, Nadia. You need to save your own life."

  "Sorry, I have to do this." Nadia took on that look of determination that said Kara wouldn't change her mind. She always had that look when she talked about killing Warrick.

  Kara fought against tears. "Be careful, Nadia. Please."

  "I'll do my best."

  Markus moved to stand beside Nadia. "I'm coming, too. I have to make sure Berig's okay. It's probably crazy, but we've got a chance. The castle's made of stone."

  "That is crazy," Rik said. "Even for me."

  "You're not coming, then?" Markus said.

  "No, I have to do the smart thing."

  "I understand," Markus said. "I'll see you in a bit."

  But Kara had the feeling none of them would see each other again.

  * * * * *

  Berig froze, looking up at the closed castle gate. How the hell would he get in there now?

  Panicking, he raced around the castle's left side. A tall tower stood there, taller even than the flames growing closer. But how could he climb that tower?

  When he came closer, he felt a small ray of hope. A series of ledges wound around the tower, sloping upward. The ledges looked sturdy enough, and he'd always been a good climber. It came with the territory during his days as a thief. He couldn't count the number of times he'd escaped detection by climbing on Bradenton's buildings.

  Now he had to figure out how he'd get to the first ledge. It stood about ten feet above the ground, too high for him to reach. Maybe he could jump and kick off the wall.

  He got in position, raced toward the wall, and launched himself high into the air. When he hit the wall, he gave it a firm kick and turned his body. His hands found the ledge, and with adrenaline coursing through his veins, he hoisted himself up. The remaining ledges looked easier to reach.

  This would have been fun under different circumstances.

  * * * * *

  Tylen hadn't moved from in front of Nadia's open window. He watched the ring of fire grow closer, transfixed by its power and beauty. Though he'd never given much thought to how he'd die, he hadn't expected it to be like this.

  He had expected to go down fighting, unlike his parents when they'd died of the plague. A small part of him had even hoped to die a hero's death, to leave a lasting legacy on the world. More than anything, Tylen wanted to be remembered. No one would remember another death among thousands of others on this day.

  No one would remember Tylen.

  The flames inched closer. The more he stared at them, the more discouraged he became.

  Time to accept death.

  He sank down on Nadia's bed. The faint smell of her perfume lingered on the sheets. Strange to think that, in his dying moments, he would smell the woman who was supposed to be the path to his new life. Of course, now she was probably dead somewhere in the city.

  Like so many others. How could Warrick do something like this?

  It was one thing to kill the resistance. It was another to kill people who had done nothing against him—worse, people who had supported him. People like Tylen.

  Tylen saw a man on the ledge and rubbed his eyes, thinking he had to be mistaken, but when he looked again, the man was still there.

  "What're you doing in there?" the man said. He had a disgustingly sloppy beard.

  "Waiting for the fire to come."

  "Well, why don't you wait for it to come up a bit higher? You know, where the flames ain't gonna get you. There's another couple of ledges."

  Tylen fixed his gaze on the short, unkempt man. How had Tylen not come to that realization himself? It felt like somebody had removed a heavy weight from his chest, and he rushed toward the window with sudden energy.

  "Thank you," he said, angered that he hadn't thought of this escape. He never liked to be dependent on others. That was for the poor people who needed the government's help.

  The man darted out of view. Taking a deep breath, Tylen stepped through the window. A sudden wave of dizziness hit him. He'd never liked heights.

  The dizziness didn't fade. He fel
t like throwing up.

  No, you have to do this, he told himself, taking deep breaths and summoning his courage. Inch by inch, he moved along the narrow ledge. He still had time. The flames moved so slowly. All he had to do was concentrate on not falling.

  As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he felt another wave of dizziness. He froze, looking down at the ground, the world spinning around him.

  "Come on," the man shouted from above. "You ain't got time."

  Tylen pulled his gaze away from the distant ground, then made his way to the next ledge and pulled himself up with surprising ease. A little farther and he'd be safe.

  The fire crept closer.

  * * * * *

  Markus raced toward the castle alongside Nadia. It was stupid, but he had to help Berig after sharing so much with him.

  Smoke drifted by in intermittently thicker clouds. From time to time, Nadia and Markus coughed, but they kept running. Markus was glad for all the time he'd spent training with his uncle. Beside him, Nadia didn't appear to be struggling.

  After they passed another row of buildings, the castle came into view. They'd seen some people on their way through town, and told them to head to the garrison. Now the path was empty. Markus had the feeling Nadia would not like what they found at the castle.

  Nadia froze hallway up the cobblestone path leading to the castle.

  Markus put a hand on her back. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

  "The gate's closed. We can't get inside."

  "What do we do, then? The flames are too close."

  In fact, the fire had closed more than half the distance to them, looking as though it had reached the far edge of the castle grounds. Nadia looked around, eyes wide with panic.

  "Come on, Nadia. Think of something. You know this place. I don't."

  She chewed on her lower lip while Markus looked toward the flames, wondering where Berig had gone.

  Nadia slapped a hand to her forehead. "I think I have an idea. Come on!"

  She took off, and Markus followed. They turned to the left, going through the castle's gardens and approaching the tower where Nadia's room was located. At the base of the tower, Nadia stopped and looked up.

  "We need to climb these ledges." She pointed them out. Around the tower spiraled a series of narrow ledges, a pattern that seemed odd to Markus.

  "And how are we going to get to the first one? That's too high."

  She paced as the glow of the approaching flames bathed them and the tower in orange. Markus swore he could feel the heat of the flames already.

  "There's a courtyard over this way." She took off to the left. "There should be some crates there. If we find one, we can use it to get to the first ledge."

  When they reached the courtyard, Markus saw a stack of crates. He and Nadia selected one and lifted it. It was heavy, but they managed.

  Slowly but surely, they moved the crate over to the tower. Markus risked a glance at the flames. The fire had reached the castle's gardens, and giant hedges were aflame, smoke rising from them in black towers.

  "No time to waste," he said, getting onto the crate. He stopped to help Nadia up, but she climbed on her own.

  "Don't worry about me. I've been down these ledges before. Going up isn't much different."

  He reached the next ledge and looked back to watch Nadia pull herself up, kicking against the uneven stones with her feet. When she reached the ledge, she glared at him. "Get moving. I told you not to worry about me. We don't have time."

  Markus didn't want to risk losing her, though. Not after he'd taken such a risk to save her life before. Not after she'd done the same to get him out of prison.

  Up, up, up. The ledges wound around the tower. Nadia had mentioned going down these ledges. What insane idea had driven her to do that? Markus turned. The flames were maybe twenty feet away, inching closer. There wasn't time to get high enough.

  "We're not going to make it!" he shouted.

  She pushed at him from behind. "Keep going."

  The next ledge, then the next. His muscles complained, but he ignored the pain. The flames stood maybe ten feet away, the heat more intense than anything he'd ever felt. Sweat poured from his hair.

  They reached a ledge with windows, one of which was open. Markus tugged at Nadia's arm. "We have to take our chances inside."

  She glanced back at the flames. "Okay."

  Markus pulled her through the open window, and they tumbled into her bedroom. They shot back to their feet and raced toward the door as the flames burst through the window behind them, igniting everything.

  He and Nadia reached the corridor outside her room.

  "Where now?" she asked. "The flames will get us everywhere."

  Markus looked across the corridor, suddenly remembering something from that tour of the castle a few days ago. He pointed to their right. "That interior storage room has a stone door."

  "Of course!" she said, taking off alongside him. The flames raced through the corridor behind them, igniting the red carpet that ran through the tower. Heat like never before burned against Markus's back. He reached the stone door and pushed it open.

  They rushed inside, then flung the door closed behind them. A little smoke rushed through the door, but they kept the flames out.

  Then they collapsed against a large stack of crates.

  Chapter 27

  Theo stood outside the garrison, watching the flames approach. The fire had passed well beyond the castle, burning half of what remained of the city. Ander and Aric had rounded up everyone they could find. They stood in the teleportation chamber with the door propped open, informing everyone how to travel to Theo's cabin.

  The last straggler was Rik.

  "I can't believe Markus was so stupid," Theo said, though in truth he could believe it.

  "Well, you know Markus," Rik said.

  "I just have to hope he made it there. Though how he might have gotten around the flames, I have no idea." Theo looked down at the ground. "I never thought to lose him like this. I feel like I've failed him in every way."

  Rik forced a smile. "Markus will make it. He's resourceful."

  "Not really. You've always been the resourceful one."

  "Well, he's with Nadia. She seems like she can think her way through a situation."

  "I hope you're right," Theo said.

  "Why don't you come on in? Markus isn't going to show up."

  Theo didn't move. "You go in, Rik. I'm going to wait as long as I can. Maybe Markus will show up at the last second. I doubt it, but I have to give him that chance."

  "Okay." Rik nodded, then disappeared into the garrison.

  Theo stood among the smoke and desolation, looking over what remained of the city he had once patrolled, the city destroyed by former comrades of his. Yes, this was the kind of thing Warrick could only force them to do, but it still troubled him. Had he not been retired, Warrick might have required him to help destroy the city.

  Theo had saved maybe forty people—forty people out of a city of twenty thousand. Many had died in their burning homes before they'd known anything was wrong. Those who'd escaped were butchered in the streets, women and children included.

  He couldn't help but feel he had some of this blood on his hands.

  Theo felt relieved that Markus had been so stubborn. Markus never could have lived with himself after doing this. Even many Imperial Guards would struggle with it. Suicides always went up after events like this. Only the cruelest could live with themselves afterward.

  After all, Theo had killed a few people in his time, wishing even then that there'd been a way around it. These atrocities, they were things for which he could never forgive himself.

  The flames came closer. Markus was nowhere in sight.

  Theo didn't normally show his emotions, but he couldn't keep the tears away. He'd always thought of Markus as the son he'd never had, the only person he cared about in a life without attachments.

  When the flames came within a city block, Theo g
ave up his watch. He strode to the teleportation chamber with a heavy heart and stepped onto the teleportation platform.

  He raised his right hand. "Crayden Forest, outside Theo's cabin."

  * * * * *

  Nadia put a hand on the door. "It doesn't feel hot anymore."

  Markus felt it with his own hand. "Should we risk it?"

  "Well, I'm sick of hiding in here."

  He nodded his agreement, and they inched the door open. A blast of smoke greeted them, black and heavy, and they coughed. When the smoke cleared, Nadia saw that the flames were no longer burning through the entire corridor. The fire had run out of material to burn.

  She stepped across the corridor, back into her room. Her door, burned to ashes. Her bed frame, melted. Around the room, scattered fires still burned.

  Markus put a hand on her shoulder. "This is horrible."

  She felt nervous about being touched. "I-I know. Dead. They're all dead. My father. Avia. All the servants. All the guards. There's no way they survived this."

  "You'll find a way to make it through this."

  She fell to her knees, breaking down in tears. "I can't stand it. I've lost everyone."

  "Not everyone. You still have me."

  "I barely know you," she said, wiping away tears. "You saved my life. I know. But that doesn't mean I feel about you the way I feel about the people I've lost."

  "I know." He stepped away. "Do you need your space then?"

  She nodded, unable to articulate a response. Everyone's remains were probably nothing but piles of ash. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye—someone climbing in through the open window.

  It took her a moment. "Berig? How did you survive?"

  "Climbed up a bit higher. Got above the flames." Berig glanced back. "So did this guy."

  Nadia watched as the other man stepped into the room. Though his handsome face and perfectly tailored clothes were blackened by smoke, she recognized him immediately. Tylen.

  Why did Tylen, of all people, have to survive this?

  "Lady Nadia, you're all right!" he said, a little breathless. Briefly, she thought she'd heard true relief in his voice, but then she realized he was glad his ticket to power had survived.