One guard stepped forward as they approached. "Lady Nadia, your father's been worried." He narrowed his eyes at Markus. "Who is this?"
Markus backed away, as if trying to hide behind her—impossible at his size. She put a hand on his shoulder and encouraged him forward.
"Markus saved my life this morning."
"It sounds like you have quite a story to tell," the guard said. "Your father should be in his study." He looked again at Markus. "You may accompany her."
Markus nodded weakly, scooting closer to Nadia, and she felt the urge to laugh. For someone who'd challenged an Imperial Guard, he didn't seem brave right now. She led the way through the open castle gate and into the grand foyer. Beside her, Markus stared at everything, eyes wide.
The gate guard who'd spoken to them accompanied them across the foyer. Nadia felt a stab of anger. She was capable of finding her father's study on her own. Perhaps she was under watch. Her father must have figured out where she'd been last night. Would he even have kind words for Markus? With the stress her father faced, his actions were unpredictable.
They reached the door to her father's study, and the guard knocked.
"Come in," her father said.
The guard opened the door, ushered them inside, then stood off to the left. Nadia walked into the room, chest tight.
"Nadia, you're alive," her father said, looking up. He sounded relieved. Other than that, she wasn't sure.
"Yes, Father, but just barely."
Her father leaned on his polished wooden desk and pointed at Markus. "Who is this?"
"This is Markus," she said. "He saved my life."
"This is a story I'd like to hear," her father said, his expression unreadable. "I know how it began. I know where you were last night."
Nadia swayed on the spot, wringing her hands together. She was proud that she'd disobeyed her father, so why did she feel so anxious now?
"I knew something like this would happen," her father said. "You have no respect for my position or authority."
She tried to control her temper, but it exploded. "How can I respect your position and authority when you support an evil regime? When you disgrace your wife's memory every day?"
Her father's eyes narrowed in a way she'd never seen before, and his expression hardened, like ice had taken hold of his features. "Don't. Ever. Say that. Again. I loved your mother more than anything in the world. You've gone too far this time, Nadia."
She breathed deeply, holding in the retort she longed to hurl at him. When she felt she could speak, she said, "I'm sorry, Father. I didn't mean to question your love for her. I just can't understand how you can love her and support the government that killed her. How you could have loved her and turned her in to the Imperial Guards."
"I had no choice. Life isn't as simple as you want it to be. I won't say I agree with everything the emperor does, but as high lord, I must obey him. Your mother's activities nearly lost me my position, and perhaps my life. If you'd been caught last night, that would've been the end for me as well. There's no room for your kind of idealism in this world. Warrick is our ruler, and he always will be. We have to make the best we can out of that situation. When we support him, we are rewarded. When we don't, we are punished."
Nadia shook her head, disgusted. People like her father were the reason no one ever stood up to Warrick. Beside her, Markus was frowning. She met his eyes briefly to say everything would be all right. Her father wasn't a bad man, just a misguided one. He would treat Markus fairly as long as Markus didn't reveal too much.
Her father crossed his arms. "Now I'd like to hear you story."
"Can the guard leave first?" Nadia asked. "I don't want anyone else hearing this."
Her father sent the guard out of the room.
Nadia took a breath, fought against her anger, and recounted her story.
Afterward, her father said, "Does anyone else know of this?"
"No," she said. "Just the three of us now."
"Then it will stay that way. You might have made some foolish decisions, but I won't see my only daughter executed for defending herself." He turned his gaze to Markus. "The same goes for you, young man. You stepped in to save my daughter at great personal risk. What you did was a crime, but I promise I won't tell anyone. Thank you for saving her."
"I just did what anyone would've done."
"No, you didn't," her father said. "Most people wouldn't have gotten involved. I owe you a great debt, young man. No matter what my daughter might think, I'm a fair man." He opened a drawer, pulled out a handful of gold coins, then handed them to Markus. Markus tucked them into a small bag tied to his waist, failing to hide a smile.
He glanced toward the door. "I should probably get going now."
Her father rose. "No. I'd like to give you a tour of the castle. I'm sure you're curious. Not many commoners get a chance to see inside here. Besides, I need a chance to stretch my legs."
"Well, okay. I guess I have time."
Her father led them out of the room. Nadia followed, sick with guilt over Varek and Len. How could she go on living without two of her closest friends?
Nadia's mind wandered while her father showed Markus the castle's first floor. Markus seemed interested in the practice room, but not the library. Before Nadia knew it, they were upstairs, taking a look at her room. All the while, she fought against tears. She couldn't let them see her weakness.
When they stepped out of her room, Markus pointed to a stone door. "What's that room?"
"Just a storage room," her father said. "Nothing interesting there."
They finished up by visiting the guard barracks. Nadia had to stay out of the room. Tears streamed down her face as she fell to a squat. When Markus and her father left the barracks, she still hadn't stopped the tears.
"You okay?" Markus asked. He reached out as if to put a hand on her shoulder, then pulled the hand away.
She got to her feet. "I-I'm fine. I just—I can't—never mind."
"I think you're regretting last night," her father said with a stern expression. "Maybe you should have thought about such possibilities before you disobeyed me."
She glared at him. "I lost two of my closest friends in the world. I really don't care what you have to say right now. No one regrets last night more than I."
Her father's expression didn't soften. "Well, I think you might understand now why I do things the way I do. Opposing Warrick brings nothing but pain. I learned that the hard way, and so have you, I hope."
She looked away from both of them. "It still doesn't make anything right. Warrick rules only because we fear him, because people turn away from their dreams when something like this happens. But I don't care what I have to lose."
"Nadia, you're only going to make yourself miserable," her father said. He sounded genuinely concerned, no longer so angry. "Let it go."
She wiped a tear track from her cheek. "I can't. I have to try."
"You'll change your mind in time," her father said. "Believe me, after your mother's execution, I wanted to do something to avenge her. I hated what I'd done, and I still do. But the anger faded with time."
"Okay, maybe you're right," she said, but she didn't believe a word of it.
"Good. Now you're seeing some sense."
She almost laughed. Was he really that oblivious?
"I guess it's time to show Markus here out," her father said.
When they reached the open gate, Nadia felt another twinge of sadness. She didn't want Markus to go.
Her father put a hand on Markus's shoulder. "Thank you again. However angry I might sound with Nadia, I assure you I love her very much. If you ever need my help, I'll do everything in my power to provide it." He sighed. "I can make no promises, though."
How typical of her father. No promises.
"Don't worry," Markus said. "I understand."
Nadia stepped closer to him, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I-I'm glad I met you, Markus."
"Yeah, I'm glad too. I
guess this is goodbye."
Nadia watched with regret as he marched down the cobblestone path leading away from the castle. She looked away finally when her father put a hand on her shoulder.
She pulled away from his touch. "It seems so strange. He saved my life, and I'll probably never see him again."
Her father frowned, leading her away from the open gate. "I'm sure he can take care of himself. You need to turn your attention to your future. Tylen is coming by for dinner this evening. I expect you to be on your best behavior."
Nadia stopped in the middle of the stone foyer and glared at her father. "How could you possibly expect me to deal with Tylen after what I've been through?"
"The world doesn't stop for your bad decisions, Nadia."
"Two of my closest friends just died! I need to be alone."
Her father's expression remained stern. "Well, you have until dinner."
He turned and strode toward his study, leaving Nadia fuming. She longed to hurl something at the back of her father's head, but angering him would accomplish nothing. Fighting against tears, she made her way to her room, then knocked on the door to Avia's room. Avia stepped through a few moments later, frowning with concern.
"I heard about last night." Avia settled down beside Nadia on the bed. The wrinkles on Avia's face seemed to have deepened. "I'm glad you're okay."
Nadia looked down at her knees. "But Varek and Len aren't. I got them killed."
"They would have been there even without you. You can't blame yourself for everything that goes wrong. Like you have for your mother's death. It's time you moved on, Nadia. You can't let negative emotions consume you like this."
"Y-you don't understand," Nadia said, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Varek and Len remained behind to protect me. That's what got them killed."
"Nadia, you aren't thinking about this rationally. I've been told that you were the only person who noticed the spies at the back of the room. If you hadn't been there, no one would have escaped."
Nadia wiped away a tear track. "You're right. I didn't remember that."
Avia rested a warm hand on her shoulder. "You have a way of doing that. You get so focused on one thing that you block everything else out. You have to learn to let things go."
"I can't do that. You know I can't."
Avia rose. "As long as you think like that, you won't change. I think you need some time alone to sort through your thoughts. I'll be nearby if you need me."
"Thank you," Nadia said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Avia retreated to her room while Nadia sat at the edge of her bed, holding back tears. How could she handle Tylen on top of everything else?
Chapter 18: Prisoner
Markus tried not to look back as he walked down the cobblestone path toward Crayden, looking up at the small mountains that surrounded the city. He didn't know what to make of Nadia, but he liked something about her. Would he ever see her again?
But he couldn't worry about her. He had his own dismal future to consider.
His steps took him to the blacksmith's shop where his old friend Tomas worked as an apprentice. Markus stepped into the shop, a building filled with weapons and armor he couldn't normally afford. Now he could, but those things would slow him down on a long journey.
Tomas stood at the counter. He'd grown a short brown beard, and the work at the forge had given him muscles to rival Markus's.
"What're you still doing around here?" Tomas asked. "Thought you and Rik would've left by now."
"We tried. Didn't work out so well."
"Is Rik okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine. We got lucky. The Imperial Guards spared us. Now I'm gonna have to make it to Mountainside."
"That's gonna be a rough journey," Tomas said. "I won't say it's impossible, but the Black Swamp ain't exactly an easy place to cross." He chuckled. "I'd come with you, but I've got a pretty good life shaping up here."
"Don't worry," Markus said. "I won't blame you for staying behind."
"So when're you leaving?"
"As soon as I can. Just thought I'd stop by to say goodbye." Markus shook his head. "I still can't believe I have to leave everything behind. Saying goodbye the first time was hard enough. Saying it again, that just feels weird. I wish I could feel more hopeful."
Tomas smiled weakly. "You and Rik are resourceful. You'll make it."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better."
Markus considered telling Tomas everything, but no—letting Tomas in on the secret of the barrier might put him in danger. Markus didn't even want to tell Tomas about the Imperial Guard he and Nadia had killed. In truth, Markus didn't want to think about this morning at all.
"You need any weapons or anything?" Tomas asked.
"No, I've got what I need." Markus gestured to the sword on his back.
Tomas looked around the dim shop, then spoke in a low voice. "You know, I'm thinking about joining up with the Order. Met a girl named Kara who's in it. She says I should join. My master would hate it, but that's his problem."
Markus kept his voice low. "The Order's dangerous, you know. Yeah, that's where I'm hoping to end up, but I don't really have a choice. You have a stable life. The world isn't great, but you're not gonna change anything by getting involved."
Tomas leaned hard on the wooden counter. "I don't know. Maybe you're right."
"Whatever you do, keep safe for me, okay?"
"You, too."
"Goodbye, Tomas. I'll miss you."
Markus turned to leave, but then the door opened. Through it strode five Imperial Guards. Markus's stomach gave a sudden twist. He recognized the man at the front of the group.
Commander Glenn.
Markus tried in vain to find a shadowy corner of the room. Heart hammering, he turned to face the Imperial Guards.
"Ah, Markus." Commander Glenn smiled. "I hoped we'd find you here."
Markus stepped forward on wavering legs. "And why is that, exactly?"
"Your uncle informed us that you'd left. He wasn't sure where you'd go, but he mentioned your friend Tomas here. Guess we had good timing."
"Well, there's still a day left," Markus said.
Commander Glenn smiled again. "Nothing wrong with an early start, I think."
No matter how many times Markus glanced around the room, he could find no escape. He couldn't fight them either. Tomas avoided his gaze, and Markus didn't blame him. Better not to get involved.
"I-I'm not ready yet," Markus said.
"That, I think, is obvious." Commander Glenn stepped toward him. "So we're gonna ask you to come with us today. Your uncle wants you to have a choice."
Two Imperial Guards stepped forward, took Markus's sword and leather sack, then wrapped their gauntleted arms around Markus's. Markus didn't try to resist. He glanced back at Tomas, who looked on with a frown. Then the Imperial Guards marched Markus out of the shop, toward his grim future.
They walked the sundrenched streets of Crayden, past buildings of old wood and passersby who made no move to help.
"It isn't as bad as you think," Commander Glenn said as they exited the market district and started through a poorer district marked by dirt roads and rotting wood.
"You're not gonna change my mind," Markus said, marching between his captors.
They stopped in the middle of the road, and no one came near them. "Your uncle told me you'd be stubborn," the commander said. "Is this your final decision?"
Markus's throat felt tight. "Yes, it is. I'll die before I serve Warrick."
"We can arrange that," said one of the other Imperial Guards.
"Let's not be hasty." Commander Glenn looked at Markus with cool blue eyes. "I can see you won't be convinced easily, so I think there's a third option here. Maybe a little prison time will change your mind."
"Do you really think you can convince me to join you?"
"Well, it's worth a try. Believe me, it'd be easier to kill you, but your uncle's a good friend of mine."
&
nbsp; And Warrick wants me alive, Markus added silently. "I'll take prison."
"Not a pleasant fate, but it's your choice."
Commander Glenn gave orders to his men, and they started toward the prison on the city's north side. Crayden's Imperial Guard garrison stood in the center of town, only a few streets away. Fleetingly, Markus wished he were going there instead of prison.
Then again, everyone in the empire lived in prison. Freedom had been so close, and now it was gone, nothing but a cruel illusion.
Crayden's prison was a large wooden building. They entered and walked to the warden, who sat behind a rickety desk. He looked up with a bored expression. "Another prisoner, I presume."
"He's to be taken to the lowest level," Commander Glenn said. "We need the key."
The warden grabbed an old, rusty key from the key rack behind his desk. In addition to the warden, two other guards kept constant watch over the keys. This did little to lift Markus's spirits. But who would break him out anyways?
Well, that was the kind of insane thing Rik might do.
The warden handed the key to Commander Glenn, who motioned for his men to follow with Markus. At the back of the large main level was a staircase carved into the rocky ground beneath the city, like a cave of close, suffocating walls
The staircase continued downward past five prison levels, a testament to the many prisoners taken by Imperial Guards. When they reached the bottom level, Markus's mood sank lower than ever. A solitary torch flickered against the stone walls. Water dripped into the cavern, moistening the stones and nourishing thin vines.
The Imperial Guards led Markus to a large cell, unlocked the door, then shoved him inside. Markus hit the ground with a painful thud. By the time he turned back toward the cell door, the Imperial Guards had slammed it and turned the key.
"Enjoy your time down here," said one of them. "You'll change your mind quick enough."
Markus glared at him. "I don't think so."
The men marched silently up the stairs, and Markus settled down against the wet stone floor with a heavy sigh. How could he keep from going insane in this place?
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 14
