by Isaac Crowe
Max felt his heart lighten a bit. “Then let’s go. I want to figure out how we’re going to break into the dungeon before it gets too dark.”
Melody rolled her eyes. “And I kept thinking Eve was the crazy one.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“Are you sure about this Max?”
“No, not really. I’m open to suggestions.”
Melody sighed. “Nothing here, it’s just that this seems a bit too silly to work.”
“Normally I would agree, but, like I said, the only guards I saw this morning are at the gate. You saw for yourself that the ones on this side are asleep. I’m betting it’s the same for the two on the other side.”
“Okay then, let’s give it a shot.”
Max and Melody each rolled a barrel next to the wall separating them from the Protectors courtyard. Carefully, they stood them upright side by side. Max walked back behind the nearest house to retrieve a third barrel they had found. Rolling it next to the other two, he and Melody lifted it on to the others forming a pyramid. Max tried to rock the top barrel, but it remained steady.
“Thank goodness the first gate was left unguarded or this wouldn’t have worked.”
Satisfied, he stepped back next to Melody to survey the pyramid of barrels. She nodded at the stack. “Well, this is your idea, so you first.”
“What happened to ladies first?”
“I’ll be the first to run when they catch you climbing over the wall, how’s that?”
Max rolled his eyes. “Right.”
Max climbed the stack of barrels. From the top he grabbed the ledge of the wall and pulled himself up. He looked down the length of the wall.
“I don’t see anyone coming.”
“And you haven’t been shot by an arrow yet either.”
Max started to laugh, then realized she wasn’t joking. “Hurry, before that changes.”
“Okay, okay, I’m coming.”
Melody climbed the stack and stood on the top barrel. Max knelt, reaching out his hand to help her onto the wall. She slapped his hand away and grabbed the ledge. She pulled with her arms as she jumped and managed to slide her stomach onto the wall. She paused a moment before swinging her legs up behind her. Max shook his head and dropped down off the wall to the courtyard below. Melody, still lying on her stomach, looked down at him.
“Um, I don’t know about this.”
“You climbed up fine.”
“I didn’t have to look down then.”
Max shook his head. “Fine.” He held out his arms. “Go ahead, I’ll catch you.”
Melody moved to a sitting position with her legs hanging over the ledge. She took a deep breath and shoved herself off of the wall. Max caught her in his arms and lowered her to the ground. She straightened out her robe.
“Thank you, Maxwell.”
“I still don’t see how you climbed up, but couldn’t…”
“So what’s your plan now?”
Max stared at her a moment then shook his head again. “I’m assuming that access to the dungeon is from within the building. So, we go in and find it.”
“That simple, huh?”
A frantic neighing cut off Max’s reply. Melody grabbed his arm?
“Guards?”
“No, Starlight. We must have startled her.”
Max ran to the stable and found the horse stomping nervously. He took hold of her halter to still her while rubbing her forehead.
“Calm down girl. It’s only me. Don’t be frightened.”
Melody reached him and pointed at the ground. “We didn’t scare her, Max. There is another animal in the stall.”
Following Melody’s finger, Max watched a small figure dart out from around Starlight’s hooves. It stopped under the light of a lantern several feet away from them. Max shook his head while wiping the sweat off of his brow.
“Almost given away by a mouse.”
“Max! That’s Spook.”
“What? It can’t be.”
Melody crouched down. “Come here, Spook. You remember me, don’t you?”
Max couldn’t believe his eyes as the little mouse ran over to Melody.
“See, it is her.”
Max squatted next to Melody. “Well, I’ll be.”
Melody examined a piece of cloth tied to Spook’s tail. “Who did this?”
Max recognized the cloth at once. “It’s a piece of ribbon from Alexandra’s hair. Spook must have hidden in her dress when the Protectors took her.”
The mouse suddenly turned, running a few feet away from them before stopping and facing them once more. Spook waited a few seconds before repeating the maneuver. Melody slowly turned her head towards Max.
“I think she wants us to follower her.”
“Funny, Melody.”
“I’m serious. You would be amazed at how smart animals are. On top of that, the Immortals were known to have a great affinity with nature.”
“But it’s a mouse.”
Melody put her hands on her hips. “A few minutes ago we broke into the most heavily fortified place in Velrune by climbing a stack of empty wine barrels. Now you’re questioning following a mouse when you have no idea where you’re going to begin with?”
Max glanced back at the wall they had climbed over. “You really think she wants us to follow her?”
Melody took a couple of steps towards Spook. The little mouse turned, ran a few feet more then stopped, facing them once again. Max groaned.
“Eve’s never going to let me hear the end of this. Ok, new plan, we follow Spook.”
Max joined Melody and followed Spook as she scurried along a sparse trail of hay that led to an open door in the side of the main building. Sticking his head in, Max saw a mound of hay stacked in the center of a small room. On the far wall he saw another door leading farther into the building.
“Huh, I hadn’t noticed this door before.”
“You really didn’t have a plan on getting us in did you, Max?”
“Well…”
Spook ran through the room.
“There she goes, we’d better keep up.”
Max jogged after the mouse. Melody rolled her eyes and followed.
Spook led them through hallways, rooms and even down a flight of stairs. Max and Melody ran as hard as they could to keep Spook in sight, until she shot through a small hole in the wall of a dead-end hallway. They slid to a stop and caught their breath. After a moment, Max studied the wall.
“Now what?”
Melody felt along the wall. “My job with the Church is to validate rumors. Mostly they’re false, but every now and again one rings true.”
Melody pushed on a brick, sending the wall swinging inward. “Secret passages inside Protector Headquarters, I guess I’ll mark that rumor as true.”
The false wall revealed a spiral staircase leading down. Following for several flights, they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Taking a deep breath, Max pushed the door open. On the other side was a small room with a small lock box and a pair of guards sitting in chairs next to another door. The sound of the door opening startled the guards from their sleep. The one on the left jumped to attention.
“Who are you?”
Max stood as straight as he could and tried to sound important. “I’m Sgt. Maxwell Laskaris, I need to speak with one of the prisoners.”
“Haven’t heard of you, now get out of here.”
Melody shouted from behind. “Hey!”
Max tried to turn around, but was shoved forward. Steadying himself, he found Lysander standing next to him with a backpack slung over his shoulder.
“I need to speak to one of the prisoners as well.”
“Sgt. Harris, we thought you had left with the others.”
“I had other duties to attend to. Now, if you will let me pass.”
“I…I’m sorry sir. Lord Avram directly ordered us to keep everyone out of the dungeon until his return.”
“Is that so?”
Lysander stepped forward and grabbed the
guard, lifting him off the ground with ease. The second guard reached for his sword, but Max intercepted him. Unsheathing his own sword, he held it at the guard’s neck.
Lysander shook the guard he held. “Keys.”
The guard reached a shaking hand down to his belt. He unfastened the ring of keys, dropping them to the floor.
“Good, now I think it’s time you took a little nap.”
Lysander let go of the guard, striking him on top of the head before he could reach for his weapon. With the first guard unconscious, Lysander turned to the other one. The second guard swallowed hard.
“Wait, I’ll be quiet.”
Max removed his sword from the guard’s neck. The guard sunk to his knees, his focus on Lysander.
“I won’t do anything, I promise.”
Lysander nodded. “I know you won’t. Max?”
Max swung the blunt edge of his sword, striking the guard on the back of the head. The guard fell flat. Max bent down and verified that he was unconscious. Lysander patted Max on the shoulder.
“It’s okay, Max. If this goes badly, they can at least say they put up a fight.”
Max stood. “What are you doing here, Lysander?”
“The same as you I would guess, trying to get answers.”
Melody stormed up to Lysander. “Answers? Couldn’t you have gotten those without having turned us over to the Protectors?”
“No, I couldn’t.” Lysander bent down and grabbed the keys. “Coming?”
Melody shook her head. “I don’t trust you. How do I know you aren’t going to lock us in one of those cells?”
“I understand your concern, but I have little time to convince you otherwise.”
Max stuck out his hand. “Will you at least give Melody and I your word that you will let us leave?”
Lysander shook Max’s hand. “You have my word, if it still means anything to you.”
“It does for the moment.”
Lysander nodded then turned to the lock on the door, trying one key after another until it unlocked. He swung it open and stared blankly down the dimly lit tunnel.
“I’m not sure which cell she’s in.”
Max shrugged his shoulders. “That’s okay, we’ll follow Spook.”
“What?”
Max pointed at Spook who sat on her haunches just beyond the arch of the door. Lysander stepped back in surprise.
“What the… is that the mouse Evangeline had?”
Spook turned and hurried down the corridor. The others gave chase, winding through a dizzying maze of intersecting corridors lined with cells. Finally, Spook stopped in front of a cell and waited. When they reached her she darted between the bars.
Inside the cell, Alexandra lay in a fetal position on a stone slab carved out of the rock wall. The skin on her face and hands had drawn tight to her bones. Her burns remained untreated. Spook climbed onto the slab, tickling Alexandra’s face with her whiskers until she woke. Seeing the mouse, she spoke in a raspy voice.
“Hey, Spook. Did you find them?”
Max stepped close to the bars. “If by them you mean us, then, yes.”
Alexandra jerked in surprise. She pushed herself into a seated position.
“Actually, no, I did not mean you.”
“Then who? Eve?”
Alexandra winced as she nodded. “Yes.”
“Where is she supposed to be?”
“Outside the west gate, along with the people from my camp.”
Melody stepped beside Max. “Did you plan for this to happen?”
“Lord Avram, the stone and I all needed to come together. This was one of the possibilities, though not the one I had hoped for.”
Max heard Lysander grunt behind them. “I thought as much.”
Alexandra gave Lysander a curious look. “You I certainly did not expect.”
“I need answers from you, honest ones.”
“Does it matter what I say? You do not trust me.”
“I will this time.”
Lysander slid the backpack off of his shoulder. Crouching down, he opened it. Max tensed. “What are you going to do, Lysander?”
Lysander reached inside the bag. “Alexandra, I brought someone else along with me. She misses you terribly.”
Lysander pulled out a doll worn by decades of use. It was old, but well taken care of by a loving owner. Not the least bit of stuffing shown from the several meticulously sewn stitches, nor could a single stray thread from the clothing be seen.
Lysander held the doll in front of the cell’s entrance. Her eyes wide, Alexandra slid off the bench and fell to her knees at the cell door. She stretched her arm between the bars, trying to grab the doll.
“My doll? Don’t hurt my doll!”
Lysander held the doll inches outside of her reach. “I’m not going to hurt her, she’s already very sad. You left her behind; she doesn’t think you love her anymore.”
“No, that’s not true! I didn’t mean to leave her. I’d never do that.”
Max stood speechless at the sudden transformation in Alexandra. She’s centuries old, and knows more than I ever will, but she is still just a scared little kid.
Lysander turned the doll to face him. “She told me she might trust you again, if you’re completely honest with her.”
Alexandra slowly pulled her hand back and sat on the floor, nodding as she wrung her hands together.
“O…okay. Anything she wants.”
“Well, she wants to know if you told the cat-girl and her friends the truth when you were in the big forest.”
Lysander turned the doll back to Alexandra whose eyes locked on it. “Of course I did. You were there, Emma. You know I told them everything, just like we saw it.”
“What do you really want to do with the Lifestone?”
“To fix what that stupid Egan did to my friends. They should be free, not trapped in cities wearing collars.”
“Isn’t someone going to get hurt if you do that?”
Alexandra wrung her hands even harder, causing the wounds from the rope to bleed. Lysander gave her several seconds to respond. When she failed to he pulled the doll away from the cell to put it back in the bag. Alexandra shot forward, hitting her head on the bars as she stretched her hand out for the doll.
“No!”
Max saw a wave of pain cross Lysander’s face. He stopped to listen. Alexandra spoke between sniffles as tears freely flowed down her face.
“I…I have to get rid of…Egan. He has to pay for killing mommy and daddy. Peter promised he would help me free the cats if I left everyone else alone, but…he left me.”
Lysander held the doll in reach of Alexandra’s straining hand. She carefully took hold, pulling it back to her chest where she wrapped her arms around it. Lysander stood and walked a short distance down the corridor, but not before Max glimpsed the tears on his cheeks. He tossed the keys over his shoulder.
“Let her out, Max.”
Max grabbed the keys, unlocked the door and swung it open. Alexandra didn’t even notice. She sat gently rocking side to side with her faced buried against the doll. Melody slipped past him as he turned to Lysander.
“That doll is what I saw you grab back at the village, isn’t it?”
Lysander nodded
“How did you know it meant so much to her?”
“Not long before my wife’s death, she gave a doll to my daughter, Agalia. After my wife passed, Agalia wouldn’t let go of that doll for anything in the world. Unlike me, Agalia was too young to have many memories of her mother. But that doll, that doll kept her connected. By holding it, she could hold on to her mother.”
“That morning in the forest when you saw me standing over Alexandra, I was watching her sleep. There, curled up sucking her thumb, I began to see the disguise she wore. Agalia had worn the same one, tough around the other adults and her friends, then crying herself to sleep at night.
“Alexandra may have been alive for over 600 years, but she stopped living the night h
er mother died, and that stone did whatever it did to her. With her parents, and most of her kind dead, that doll is all she has left. Losing that doll would mean losing what she had of a childhood before everything went to hell.”
Lysander came back to the cell. “I did not enjoy doing that to her, nor what Lt. Biros did in the forest. I did not believe he could be so cruel. Please know that.”
Max nodded. “I believe you. I saw the look on your face when Tyco hit her. You wanted to beat him to a pulp, didn’t you?”
Lysander bowed his head. “I needed to know the truth, without any doubt, before I could turn against everything I had followed my whole life. Although, now that I have verified Lord Avram's crimes, I’m not sure what to do.”
Melody stepped out of the cell. “To start with, we need to get Alexandra’s help. She mentioned those from her camp are waiting outside the gates.”
Max nodded. “Yes, and Eve is supposed to be there too. I want to see her, and I want to find out what else Alexandra had planned. Lysander?”
“Do you really think she can stop Lord Avram?”
Alexandra lifted her head, rubbing the back of her sleeve across her eyes. “I can stop him, not easily, but if you help me, I can. I…Peter and I figured out a way to fix everything.”
Alexandra tried to stand, but her legs had weakened too much. Melody rushed back inside the cell and took hold of her hands. “She needs to draw energy to heal.”
Alexandra pulled back from Melody. “Not from you, any of you. You will need your strength. My followers outside will help.”
Lysander entered the cell, scooping Alexandra up in his arms. “Then let’s get you out of here.”
Max looked both ways down the corridor. “Uh, does anyone remember the way back out?”
Alexandra rolled her eyes. “Oh for the love of…Spook?”
Spook jumped off the bench where she had been observing them and scurried out of the cell and down the twisting passageways.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Max stood by the stable, arms crossed. “I guess I never considered how we would get back out.”
Lysander snickered. “You didn’t toss a few wine barrels over the wall for the return trip?”
Max turned to Lysander. “You saw that? Wait, how did you get in?”
