Mantle: The Return of the Sha

by Gary Bregar

  When they had finally come to a stop, Balki brought her down from the horse and flung her over his shoulder. She would think on this later and be surprised that Balki would be able to lift her so easily.

  He sat her against a tree and removed the bag from her head. The sun was bright and Bella could not open her eyes for a few moments. When she finally did, she saw Balki Touro standing before her, looking down on her with a sinister grin.

  Bella immediately saw that he had grown ill or somehow been possessed. In fact, she thought that, if she had not known it was him, she would not have recognized him. He had aged terribly in such a short period of time and she tried to think back to their encounter in the Throne Room. Had he looked this old? No, she was sure he hadn’t.

  “Welcome…Majesty,” he said with some sarcasm.

  Bella was stunned by the voice, which was very deep and had a kind of gurgling sound to it. In the oddest way, she thought that whoever or whatever was commanding the voice was unfamiliar with the bodily tools for making it. It was almost as a child who knows words but is still finding them in their own throat. Whatever was speaking, she didn’t believe for a minute that it belonged to Balki Touro.

  “Who are you?” she asked, staring Balki in the eyes.

  “You know very well who I am,” he replied. “Or does your husband not speak to you of such things?”

  “I know that a scheme such as this could not have been imagined by Balki Touro. He is but a trivial boy!” she said, forcing herself to laugh. She had no intention of being a willing and bumbling idiot, no matter her safety.

  Her response had angered him, and this time the answer that Bella heard, as she was being slapped across the face, was that of Balki Touro.

  “You stupid girl,” Balki yelled at her. She was bleeding from the mouth now, but she did her best to hold a slight grin, mocking him. When he pulled his arm back as if to strike her again, Bella could clearly see a change in him. She knew that the Other had regained control, and she now wondered how much conflict she could cause between the two of them.

  “Majesty, forgive the manners of my host. He is quick-tempered,” he said, the voice again deeper and gurgling. “I, on the other hand, am quite practical in matters such as this. However, know that if my temper should be lost, it will mean a great deal more for you than a hand on your cheek.”

  The message were delivered calmly and with the proper words to convey respect for her. But it was the sinister tone and deep gurgling of the voice that made Bella’s skin crawl. It occurred to her that she would rather the words be crude if they were to be mixed with such evil undertones.

  She stared him in the eyes and when their gaze was locked, he grinned mechanically as if for the first time. A shiver ran up her spine and she realized that it would not be long before her purpose in this would be revealed. Whatever it was, she already knew that the situation would be impossible.

  ****

  There are two main roads leading out of Obengaard to the east: the Hobble Road and the Wyed Path. The Wyed Path, being narrow and in disrepair at some spots, was considered the shorter route to the Outlands and was the typical way of transport to the guard posts situated along the Outland border. However, the Hobble, being wide and in generally fair condition, was the route that would be followed if you had fifty thousand men behind you.

  The Hobble, which had only recently been partially traveled by King Ekkill and his party, was the road that King Zander now traveled with his men to rescue Queen Bella, and quite likely into battle with the Skites. The road would not lead them directly to the Outland Post, but it would carry them most of the way.

  Lizabet Abbot had other plans—a third way.

  She had devised a plan to make the journey herself to save Bella, and made her pitch to Dorian for help in leaving the castle and obtaining a horse. He had tried to convince her not to go and, when that had failed and he was sure that she would not be swayed, he had insisted on going with her.

  She had protested this immediately, but only because she felt obligated to. Deep down, she really did want him to go with her to find Bella, but she knew that she would be putting him in grave danger, so she had resisted him. But Dorian’s insistence whittled her down and she had finally relented, agreeing to let him help her. She immediately felt waves of guilt for what she was about to put him through.

  Once they had decided that they would both be going on the journey to save Bella, they realized that they would need additional help getting out of the city unnoticed. There were more guards throughout the castle now, and the stables were being watched and inventoried on a constant basis. The announcement of the impending war had changed everything.

  They went to the abandoned part of the castle to talk over their plans, as they often did when they felt the need for privacy, away from the bustle of the castle. They went, as usual, to the room across from that which held the secret door.

  Although the room was covered in dust from top to bottom, there were several pieces of furniture hidden under gray tarps, and they removed the cover from a single chair and a long bench that was like those used during Bella and Zander’s marriage ceremony in the Throne Room.

  There they sat, bathed in the illumination of the light crystal, examining every aspect of their planned trip to the Outlands. They thought it would be easy enough to obtain horses, but they were hard-pressed for a plan to ride out of the city unnoticed. There were guards stationed along the wall of the city, and the guards would have no trouble spotting them as they rode. If they were found out, it was likely that they would be apprehended and brought back to the castle to be kept under lock. That would make it impossible to make a successful second attempt.

  “We need a diversion,” Dorian finally said. “Something which will take their attention away from the road.”

  “Yes, but what can pull so many of them away at once?” Lizabet asked.

  Dorian sat quietly for a moment, staring at the stone floor. Lizabet was about to add something when Dorian finally spoke. “I believe that there may be an unfortunate accident at the Emm’s powder shed,” he said with a smile forming on his face.

  Lizabet, however, had a look of shock. “I do not want to burn the city!”

  “No, no,” Dorian said. “I see that you don’t get away from the castle much.”

  His smile was gaining momentum.

  “The Emm’s powder shed is along the south wall, far from anything of any importance. There won’t be any damage—except for the shed, of course.”

  “I don’t know—” Lizabet began.

  “If anything, the good people of Obengaard will witness an unscheduled display of fireworks,” he interrupted. “Who isn’t entertained by fireworks?” He was nearly laughing now, despite the situation.

  “Then we’re still presented with a problem,” Lizabet said, still skeptical of the plan. “We cannot be in two places at once. Who will light the shed?”

  Before Dorian could answer that he did not know, there was a sound of shuffling feet coming from just outside the room. They didn’t know it, but it was the same sound that Bella had heard just before she had been found by Balki in the Throne Room.

  Lizabet and Dorian both heard it and looked at each other, seeming to communicate with their eyes. Lizabet put her finger up to her mouth to indicate that Dorian should not speak, and then grabbed his hand. They both stood and quietly walked into the shadow of a covered piece of tall-standing furniture.

  They stood quietly, not sure what to do next, when suddenly there was flickering yellow and orange light entering the room. It was clear that someone was entering from the corridor outside with a torch. When Dorian snuck a glance around the corner of their hiding place, he let out a deep sigh of relief. It was only Pike.

  “You frightened us, Pike,” Dorian said, stepping out from the shadow with Lizabet following behind.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Dorian, truly I am,” Pike said, his head held down.

  He was still feeling guilt over the q
ueen’s kidnapping and had been keeping his distance since it had happened. Lizabet had forgiven him for not telling her immediately of her sister’s attack, but he felt terrible about the lie nonetheless.

  “How long have you been listening?” Lizabet asked with a tone of frustration.

  “I was standing outside, Miss Lizabet,” he said, not really answering the question.

  “Yes, I can see that, Pike,” Lizabet said. “What did you hear?”

  Pike only stood silent for a moment, looking toward his feet.

  “Pike, answer her,” Dorian said in a tone that was almost scolding.

  “I can light the shed. I can help you,” Pike said, ignoring the question.

  Lizabet’s eyes widened. “You?” she said. “Pike, thank you, but I would not put you in such danger.”

  “Miss Lizabet,” Pike said sorrowfully. “I am to blame for the queen’s attack. You know it is true. Let me help.”

  “Pike, I’ve told you before, you are not to blame for Bella’s attack. Please believe that,” she said.

  “He could help us, you know,” Dorian said, looking at her. “The plan is far from perfect, but it would work, I think.”

  “I’m not sure,” Lizabet said. “You are so large and so noticeable, that I fear you would be caught.”

  For the first time since he entered, Pike smiled. “Miss Lizabet, we Lopers are the heart of the castle, true, but we also know the city. There are ways to move without being seen, and it is my job—my life even—to know such things. Please let me help you—let me help the queen.”

  Lizabet thought for a moment, and then sighed with defeat. She could think of no one else that could help them.

  Lizabet looked at Dorian with a questioning look and he only shrugged in reply.

  “All right,” she said, “but you must watch out for yourself first, before all else. I cannot bear the thought of your capture as a result of helping us. You would be locked up by the guard, for sure.”

  Pike’s smile filled his face.

  The plan had been simple enough, they thought. Dorian would lay a short fuse leading to an oil pot just behind the Emm’s powder shed. Pike would then arrive later in the night to light the fuse, and when the Emm’s fire powder lit, Lizabet and Dorian would head off to the east on horses that they will have borrowed from the stables.

  They had decided to use the Time Bells to signal when the operation would begin. The Time Bells were struck every six hours in order to give Fories an accurate time for turning hour glasses. Some hour glasses ran for twelve hours, but most ran at six-hour intervals. The bells were struck so that everyone ran on the same time.

  The striking of the bell at midnight would serve as the signal for Pike to set the shed ablaze. When they discussed the plans in the abandoned area of the castle, Pike had looked visibly shaken each time the conversation came around to his part. Both Lizabet and Dorian could easily see that he was frightened, but when Lizabet had offered to free him from the task, he only insisted that he should help. He felt guilty, and no amount of fear would prevent him from making things right in his own heart, even if that meant putting himself in danger.

  Putting those feelings into action was not easy for him. After all, Lopers were notoriously sensitive—most would say cowards. But that way of thinking about the Lopers wasn’t entirely fair. Their reputation for being soft preceded them, so they were never put in positions that would test their bravery. It was Pike’s curiosity that had brought his test of courage directly to him, and now he felt he must play it out to the end.

  ****

  When Pike saw that the glass was nearing midnight, he quietly left the bunk house that he shared with his brothers and sisters, and made his way to the far side of the city where the Emm’s powder shed stood. He carried an unlit torch, which he would use later in his task, and wore a hooded cloak that offered him peace of mind more than disguise. Standing eight feet tall, it would be obvious to anyone that he was a Loper. Even though they might not know it was him personally, identifying any Loper as the perpetrator of the crime would be just as damaging.

  He walked toward the shed, and when it came into view, he stepped into the empty narrow space between two large buildings. The alley was solid darkness and his gray skin did its part to camouflage him from anyone walking nearby. Hiding in the shadows was the one aspect of the mission that he had already practiced.

  He stood for what seemed to him like a long time, watching the shed with anticipation. The street that he looked onto was empty of people other than the occasional passerby making their way home, no doubt.

  As he stood draped in darkness, he was washed over by both dread and eager anticipation.

  ****

  Lizabet and Dorian left the castle earlier than Pike. They had decided not to take horses from the Bannister stables, but instead they would borrow them from the Obengaard stables along the edge of the city. The Obengaard stables were vast, and they could easily sneak into them unnoticed.

  When they arrived at the gates of the stables, they could see through the dim light inside silhouettes of guards walking down the rows of horses, occasionally crossing the aisles. They thought themselves lucky, though, that there were fewer guards on duty than they had expected.

  Dorian entered first, turning the corner into the darkness. Lizabet followed, and they made their way to an aisle of horse stalls where it seemed darker.

  They had both visited the Bannister stables on many occasions, where horses were kept for the king, his advisers, and other officials, but neither of them had ever been inside the Obengaard stables. In the Bannister stables, the horses were tended by individual stable boys, but in the Obengaard stables, there wasn’t such personalized service.

  They noticed that on each of the stalls hung the accompanying tack and saddle. These stables kept horses for the Royal Guard (the horses used by the armies were kept elsewhere), and it seemed each man had his own preference of tack and saddle. Both of them thought that the only way to acquire better luck would be if the horses saddled themselves.

  They chose the two horses closest to the door that they would leave by. They were two beautiful horses, one brown with white markings and the other white with small light gray marking. Dorian took the bridle from the hook in front of the brown horse and slipped it over his head, carefully adjusting it while stroking the horse on the side of its face below the ear. He didn’t want the horse to start any conversations, so he whispered Animal-speak into its ear.

  We would ask your help in finding the queen. Will you help us?

  The horse jerked its head up and down.

  Yes.

  When he had the bridle placed over his horse, he repeated the same question to Lizabet’s horse. She did not have the gift of Animal-speak, so she waited until Dorian had asked the question before placing her bridle. She knew that such things must be agreed to by the horses or they would not cooperate.

  Once everything had been settled, they finished saddling the horses and led them by the reins to the door that they would go through. When they reached the door, Dorian opened it slightly to get a view of the street. He saw two guards who had obviously just recently passed the door and were walking away from them. Dorian supposed that they were off duty.

  As he was waiting for the men to add distance between them, he heard a scuffle from behind. When he turned around, he saw that the horses had their ears laid back as if they were anxious. His brown horse stomped its foot once and Dorian knew that a guard from inside the stables was approaching. They must make their move now if ever.

  He took one more look to the cobbled street, then slid the door open and walked with his horse out into the street. Lizabet followed behind and they immediately mounted their horses and rode down the street toward the east gate.

  When they arrived within sight of the gate, they stopped and held back just out of sight. They counted three guards on the ground and saw several on top of the wall. All hope was centered on Pike and they now counted on hi
s distraction to take the guards away from the area and toward the exploding shed.

  ****

  The streets were not cobbled in the part of the city where Pike now stood, and walking on dirt meant that his long and heavy strides would not make so much noise. That also meant, however, that he might not hear someone approaching until it was too late.

  Once the Time Bells finally rang, he took a deep breath and stepped from the darkness and into the street. He turned away from the direction of the shed and backtracked to the nearest burning lamp. Once his torch was lit, he hurried to the shed. It took almost no time, given his long strides.

  When he reached the shed, his breath was taken from him for a moment and simple urgency was replaced by panic. He didn’t find the fuse leading to the bowl of oil as he had expected. Dorian was to have laid it out for him—they had gone over it many times. Now he stood with his heart racing.

  As he frantically searched the side and back of the Emm’s shed, he realized that of all the times they had gone over the plan they had never said which side of the shed the fuse would be hidden. It made sense that Dorian would have come from the castle from a different direction.

  He quickly walked around to the other side of the shed and easily found the fuse laying along the side of the shed’s wall. It ran along the side until it disappeared into the darkness at the back of the building.

  He was just about to drop his torch onto the fuse when he heard someone behind him.

  “What are you doing there, Loper?”

  It was a guard who had undoubtedly noticed him lurking in the shadows, examining the soil around the Emm’s powder shed. Pike straightened his posture and turned around to find the guard standing across the street, a good distance from him.

  “I’m doing nothing, sir,” Pike responded. He felt himself shaking and hoped that the man would not notice.