No one paid the party any attention. The Imperial Guards surely thought they'd died in that furnace.
Rik found a map on the wall and memorized the way to the front gate. His stomach churned. "Let's get out of here before something goes wrong."
They made the short journey to the open gate. Rik held his staff ready, but he saw no danger. When they stepped out the gate, the summit seemed deserted, but only at first.
"There you are," said someone off to their right. The jailer.
Chapter 61
Nadia froze in place, her heart pounding a fierce rhythm.
"Get out of the way," Rik said, eyeing the man coldly. "I will kill you."
Nadia had never heard such menace in Rik's voice.
The jailer smiled. "Did you think I'd be alone?"
Five other Imperial Guards stepped into view, carrying swords, but no bows. Some of the men had been hiding around a corner of the palace's golden exterior. Others had concealed themselves behind bushes and evergreen trees.
Nadia froze, but Rik blasted the jailer with a burst of lightning, then did the same to the next closest Imperial Guard. Both men fell, dropping their swords. Markus scooped up one sword, Nadia collected the other, and they took off across the bridge, just ahead of the Imperial Guards. Rik sent blasts of lightning over his shoulder, slowing their pursuers down.
Nadia thought her legs might collapse. Groans sounded behind them.
Soon they ducked through the entrance to the caves. Rik got in the rear of the group as they raced down the narrow incline, inches from the precipitous drop.
At first, their path was clear, but as they descended, cave entrances appeared on their left. Nadia couldn't remember which passage they'd come through on the way up. She'd been so certain of her death.
"Do either of you remember which passage to enter?" she asked.
"Dammit," Rik said. "Didn't think of that."
"Neither did I," Markus said.
They continued down the spiraling path. Nadia glanced at each passage, but her intuition told her nothing. She could barely even think.
The Imperial Guards' boots clunked behind them, growing closer.
"Let's take the next passage," Nadia said.
"You sure?" Markus asked.
"No, but I don't think it matters."
They darted into the passage, making their way by magical torchlight. The Imperial Guards followed, their chainmail rattling.
"My arm's burning again," Markus said. "Why would it do that?"
Nadia had no answer. Ahead, the passage opened into a large chamber, but it didn't feel right. Nothing about this passage did. They stepped into the chamber, where a few dozen life-size statues blocked their way. The statues held swords and spears and wore the armor of soldiers.
And Nadia had the feeling they weren't statues.
The statues came to life, charging toward the party. Nadia grabbed Markus's arm. "See if you can speak to them."
"Of course!" Markus turned to the approaching soldiers.
The soldiers came to a stop a few feet away, then split to both sides, bypassing the party and heading toward the Imperial Guards.
"What did you tell them to do?" Nadia asked.
"I told them to attack the Imperial Guards. Should give us some time."
Rik grinned. "Good thinking."
Nadia peered into the darkness ahead. "I suppose we should see where this passage leads. I still don't like it, but we've made it past one obstacle. Perhaps that's all there is."
"Yeah, maybe," Markus said, "but I doubt it."
They raced into a narrow passage that led gradually downward, and soon they reached a place where the cavern branched to their left and right. Nadia peered to her left, saw a brief orange glow, then directed the others over to the right. From behind, the cave rumbled faintly.
"I think I know what that is," Markus said.
"What?" Rik asked breathlessly
Nadia didn't turn. "A giant, fire-breathing snake."
"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Rik said, hastening his pace. The passage was just wide enough for them to run side-by-side as the rumbling intensified.
Up ahead was the end of the passage, the beginning of the slope they'd climbed a few days earlier. If Nadia could just will her body to move a little faster.
She and Rik reached the top of the slope, but Markus went sprawling to Nadia's right. He must have caught his foot on a rock. She turned to help him, but her foot slipped and she slid down the steep slope, dislodging rocks. Beside her, Rik struggled to keep his footing. When he finally got his balance, he pointed his staff at Markus.
Fire erupted from the snake's mouth, enveloping Markus. Nadia cried out. She couldn't lose Markus when she was this close to escaping.
Then the fire died down. Markus got slowly to his feet. He looked unburned, thanks to Rik's last-second shield, but he couldn't get away from the snake. It opened its enormous mouth, launched its head toward Markus, and closed its jaws around him.
"No!" Nadia cried, slipping again, watching in horror as the snake swallowed Markus. She tried to reach the snake, but Rik grabbed her arm and held strong.
"You can't do anything for him now," Rik said.
"Maybe if we killed the snake. You could use your magic."
"I'm sorry, but that last shield took everything I had."
Tears sprung to her eyes. "No! We have to do something."
She was so lost in her grief that she barely noticed when the snake made a horrible shrieking sound. The tip of a sword poked out from the snake's body, slowly carving a hole. The snake writhed in pain, but it couldn't do anything to stop Markus.
"Thank God!" Nadia said.
The hole became larger, and Markus poked his head through. He shoved the snake's skin out of the way and crawled out. The snake writhed again. Markus got back to his feet and stumbled down the slope toward Nadia and Rik, favoring his left arm.
"Let's get out of here before it gets any ideas," he said. Nadia and Rik took off after him. Soon they reached the bottom of the slope and stood beyond the invisible barrier. Markus's arm was bleeding.
"You're hurt!" Nadia said.
"One of its fangs got me. It isn't too deep, though. I'll be fine."
"What about the poison?" she asked.
"I don't feel poisoned. I think I'll be fine. As I said, it wasn't too deep." He shook his left arm, grimacing. "Let's get going."
They made the short journey to the cave's entrance. By now, evening had arrived. In her current condition, Nadia didn't care for the thought of returning to Bradenton on foot.
"I wonder if they still have our horses at the stables," she said.
To her pleasant surprise, they did. Nadia paid the stable boy, and they began their hurried ride northward, ignoring their hunger and fatigue. They needed to stay ahead of their pursuers.
That night, though, they had to stop at a village inn and eat something. Nadia remained alert for Imperial Guards, but those that did enter the inn paid them no attention. Perhaps their pursuers thought they'd died in the caves. Or perhaps word hadn't reached here yet.
In their room that night, they discussed their plans.
"We'll have to escape the Empire," Markus said.
"And leave the people to suffer?" Nadia said. "I don't like that."
"I know it sounds terrible," Markus said, "but we failed. No one can fault us for running. Imperial Guards will look for us wherever we go."
She leaned forward on her bed, massaging her temples. "I'm sorry. You're right. We'll have to go to the Fire Mountains and hope we can find that path Cyrus mentioned."
"But how will we find it?" Rik asked.
Markus looked down at his knees. "I have no idea."
Chapter 62
By the time they arrived in Bradenton two nights later, Markus thought his legs would fall off. They stabled their horses, then sneaked through the dark city, watching for Imperial Guards. Even at this hour, many people wandered the streets, carrying on lo
ud conversations, glancing around as though they still feared the monster.
Markus wiped sweat from his forehead. "It's nice to see what we did for them."
"I just wish we could have done the same for everyone," Nadia said. She'd been quiet most of the return journey. Markus couldn't blame her. She'd failed in her life's ambition/
Markus felt that failure himself, but it wasn't the same. "We're still heroes, just not the heroes we wanted to be."
Nadia looked away, and Markus turned his attention to the darkened streets. Any one of these shadowy figures could be one of their pursuers. An Imperial Guard rounded a nearby building, and they ducked into an alley. No point taking unnecessary risks.
Markus held his breath until the Imperial Guard passed. Only once the man stepped out of view did they emerge from the alley. The business district was still a few minutes away.
But it might as well have been an eternity.
Toward the center of town, the streets became more crowded, and they tried to blend into the crowd. Each step was an effort. Each glance from an Imperial Guard twisted Markus's insides.
They pretended to be nighttime revelers like everyone else, then entered Liam's dark inn shortly before midnight.
Liam was awake, wiping down the counter. "You're alive!"
"By all rights, we shouldn't be," Rik said, sagging against the wall and mopping sweat from his red hair. The common room was packed with people carrying on loud conversations.
"How'd you do it?" Liam asked.
"We'd love to tell the story," Nadia said, "but we don't have time. We need to get out of the Empire. Now."
"You'll have to speak to Captain Young," Liam said, scanning the crowd. "When he was a kid, his father used to take him to the Fire Mountains. If anyone knows of this secret route you mentioned, it's him." He set the rag down on the counter. "I'll find him. Don't go anywhere."
As Liam marched out of the inn, Markus settled down in a wooden chair, covered in sweat. He wished he could have a cool bath and soft bed, but they could rest once they escaped the Empire.
If they escaped the Empire.
The wait for Liam's return felt endless. Markus kept glancing out the windows, expecting to see Imperial Guards marching toward them.
"Markus, you're going to drive me insane," Rik said. "Just sit down."
Markus glanced out the window one last time, then took a seat. He fidgeted in the wooden chair, feeling weak and vulnerable. After what they'd done, a few Imperial Guards shouldn't have felt like much of a challenge. But Markus knew they'd had help to get this far.
Help from Warrick himself. It was the only answer that made sense.
They all remained silent until Liam returned with Captain Young.
"Do you know how to get out of the Empire?" Nadia asked him.
The captain sat down, dressed in shabby nightclothes. "One time, my father and I came to a particularly narrow passage where we had to crawl, and we took a path that branched off to the left. At the end of that passage was a chamber full of Imperial Guards. They told us to leave and never to mention this place to anyone. Seems suspicious, doesn't it?"
Nadia hopped to her feet. "Thank you. That does sound promising."
Rik was pacing beside the table. "But how will we get past the Imperial Guards?"
"We have your staff," Markus said. "Can't you shield us?"
Rik scratched at his scraggly red beard. "I can block arrows, but if they go after us with their swords, we'll have to fight."
"We'll make this work," Markus said, wishing he felt as confident as his words.
Liam offered a reassuring smile. "Good luck out there."
Luck, Markus thought. We'll need a lot of that.
After two days of nearly constant travel, they reached Allenton and stabled their horses. They stopped at an inn for one last meal, surprised to hear that no one was discussing them. It seemed strange, like Warrick didn't care that they'd tried to kill him.
Halfway through their meal, a pair of Imperial Guards entered the common room. Markus tried not to watch them, tried to look like a normal patron. He had the feeling Nadia and Rik were doing a better job. Or maybe those were just his doubts, nagging at him as always.
The Imperial Guards' gazes traveled over the party, resting there for a moment, but then the Imperial Guards moved on, conducting a whispered conversation.
"Let's get out of here," Nadia said.
They mounted their horses and rode north toward the Fire Mountains. The mountains were calm for the moment, but when they reached the base of the westernmost mountain early the next morning, smoke was rising from its crater.
"Let's hope it doesn't erupt while we're in it," Markus said as he led them into the cave, feeling as if the walls were suffocating him.
At first, as they walked by the dim glow of Rik's staff, the cave appeared ordinary, but after a few twists and turns, it opened into a larger chamber. A narrow path ran along the closest wall, and maybe a hundred feet below, lava bubbled in a giant pool, casting a red glow upon everything. Heat prickled against Markus's skin. The air smelled of sulfur.
Had Markus died and gone to Hell without realizing it?
No. This couldn't be Hell if he had Nadia by his side. He wrapped an arm around her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked.
They followed the path, rocks crunching beneath their shoes. Thick gasses choked the air, and the heat made Markus dizzy. His heart pounded like a drum until they reached a more stable area, from which they entered a darker and narrower passage. So far, Captain Young's directions had proven easy to follow.
Markus shot Rik a wry look. "Maybe this place won't be so bad."
Rik groaned, holding his shirt over his face. "Do you have to say things like that?"
"I'm just giving you trouble. You're an easy target."
"Don't worry. I know. It's not going to affect anything."
Ever since Rik had come to save them, his attitude had been much more positive. He no longer looked toward adventure eagerly, but neither was he sullen and angry. Instead, he'd found a middle ground. Sometimes cheerful, sometimes serious.
In short, he'd come to terms with what adventure really meant. It was tiring. It was brutal. But sometimes it was necessary. There was little glory in the day-to-day routine of adventure, in the strenuous days of travel, in losing the people you bonded with on the road.
Lost in thought, Markus looked up only when they reached an open chamber where geysers shot up in places, spraying molten rock across the path.
Rik braced himself against the dark cave wall. "I don't like the look of this."
Nadia consulted the rough map Captain Young had drawn for them. "I don't think we need to cross this room. The passage off to the left should be right over here." She walked a dozen or so steps and pointed toward a small opening. "Here it is."
"We have to crawl through that?" Markus said.
"I know it looks small," Nadia said, "but it's our only choice."
"Yeah, but you're not as big as me."
"I'll go in first," Nadia said. "Rik can go behind me." She turned to Rik. "Will you be all right with that?"
"No, but it would bother Markus a lot more."
Markus put a hand on Rik's shoulder. "Thanks, that means a lot to me."
"Friends stick together, right?"
"Always."
Nadia entered the passage, crawling with her stomach pressed flat to the uneven ground. After scanning the passage for a few seconds, Rik squeezed inside. Markus took a deep breath, then followed, feeling immediately as though something were crushing him.
There was no room to breathe.
Minute after grueling minute, Markus crawled, scraping his arms and legs against jagged rocks. The entrance already seemed like it belonged to a different world. His chest tightened. His breathing became rushed and labored. His heart pounded so fiercely and painfully he thought he might have a heart attack.
"I have to get out of here!" he said, pressed
flat against the rough ground. "I can't take this anymore! This place is gonna kill me!"
"Relax, Markus," Nadia said. "You're just having a panic attack. Take deep breaths."
"I-I can't. I can't even breathe."
"Just focus on it," she said. "You can do this, Markus."
Markus did focus on his breathing, and after a minute or two, his panic dulled. But it could easily return. Why the hell would Captain Young go to this place for fun?
A short time later, Nadia said, "I've found the passage off to the left. It looks bigger."
They entered this passage, and Markus exhaled with relief. He could crawl more upright now. Once the passage widened, they stood and navigated by the light of Rik's staff, peering into every dark recess, flinching at every shadow. Surely Imperial Guards were nearby.
The passage opened into a well-lit chamber with a high ceiling. Rik let his staff go dark.
"I think I hear something," someone said from across the chamber.
Not now. Not when they were so close.
"Probably another crazy traveler," said someone else. "Let's go look."
Footsteps sounded, and Markus looked for somewhere to hide, but the dim chamber was completely open. Two Imperial Guards rounded a bend, torches in hand, the light glaring in Markus's eyes.
"I told you there were crazy travelers here," said one of the men.
The other stepped closer, clutching the hilt of his sword. "What're you doing here? This is a dangerous place."
"We were only exploring," Nadia said, feigning innocence. "Is there some law against that? We didn't mean to disturb you."
"This place is forbidden to all but us," said the first Imperial Guard. "You'll have to go back the way you came. You don't want to test our patience."
Markus felt a rush of fear. "I-I'm not going back through that place! I thought I was going to die going through there the first time. Isn't there another way out?"
The men spoke to each other quietly, and Markus felt nauseous. Then the second man said, "We could lead you out the easier way, I suppose."
Rik pointed off to the right. "What's over there?"
Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1) Page 52
