The Torn Guardian

by J. D. Wilde

  While Adira goes in to check, Grace and I duck into an alleyway. The last thing we need is to be caught and arrested again. Adira appears behind us and tells us to come in through the back door. We have a major problem.

  When I get inside, I see what Adira was so worried about. Sebastian is on the ground, leaning against the bar counter motionless. He has a long, deep slash going all the way from his shoulder to the bottom of his waist. We get nearer and see Sebastian has lost too much blood and is no longer breathing. We have not caught a single break since this whole thing started. Our one lead is dead and by the looks of it was murdered an hour tops before we arrived.

  Grace is not keen on the idea of searching over his body as it comes off as disrespectful, but we do not have much of choice. I’m hoping he left something behind that can help us figure everything out. After Grace sighs and relents, Adira reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crisp, folded piece of paper.

  Before she can unfold it, the front door bursts off its hinges. Adira’s reflexes are great, but not fast enough. The guard catches sight of us as we disappear into the portal and yells, “Murderers!” I look to see who it is, and my heart drops. It is the queen’s brother, Justin.

  Chapter 21

  If the three of us were not wanted criminals in this country before, we sure are now. I’m worried about whether they will be able to find us here as Kenley will be in a world of trouble if they find us at his place. However, I am more worried and curious as to why Justin has a bright red dragon mark on his arm. I’m trying to think back to when I first saw him, but I think he wore a jacket covering it.

  Before I can bring it up with the others, Grace asks Adira what the paper Sebastian had in his pocket reads. Adira unfolds the paper and a smaller piece falls out. Kenley picks it up and says it is a ticket to the annual ball tomorrow night. He hands it to me, and I look down at the paper Adira is holding to see it is a flyer for the same thing. Grace questions if Sebastian wanted us to stop a party, but I doubt that. He more than likely wants us to stop something from happening at the ball. Kenley agrees with me and states we have to stop whatever it is as it is clearly important. Sebastian died because he knew something about this.

  Grace tells Kenley that he will have to go. We were not going to be welcomed before, but Justin caught us leaning over Sebastian after he died. Since we are on the topic of Justin, I bring up the mark on his hand and inquire with Kenley if he had ever seen it before. Kenley is taken aback and asks me repeatedly if I am positive the mark I saw was red.

  I know where this is going. I am quite positive of what I saw, and that fact alone is incriminating. My suspicions are confirmed by Kenley when he affirms the red mark is the symbol given by Sethos to his followers. When we ask if Kenley is willing to go to the ball, he accepts. The life priest wants to ensure Sebastian’s death was not in vain. He is tearing up, and I do not know what to say.

  He excuses himself and leaves us in the room. I cannot say for sure, but judging from what little I have seen in memories, I believe Kenley was close to all of the guardsmen under Jo. According to her, Kenley's kindness and honesty is unlike any other. In a city so insistent on manipulation and deception it was a welcome change for Jo. Now, the elder needed some kindness shown to him. I glance at Grace and Adira, and they both nod without a word needing to be said. I wish I knew what we are going to say or had some idea on how to comfort him, but I don’t. All I know is a friend is hurting, and I want to help him.

  When we find him, he is sitting at a table bowing his head. I don’t know what you say to someone who feels they should not have outlived their youthful counterparts, so I do not say anything. I sit down next to Kenley and hold him. Adira sits on the opposite side and does the same. We look at Grace, and after a moment’s hesitation, she joins in from behind him. The old man lightly laughs while he is buried beneath us. He thanks us, but I can still hear the pain in his voice. This isn’t something that can be hugged away. We leave him knowing he needs time to himself. I truly wish to one day be able to actually know the perfect way to handle the situations like this, but something tells the perfect way doesn’t exist.

  After a semi-restful sleep, I wake up the next morning to formulate a plan with the others. Kenley may be the only one waltzing in through the front door, but he will not be the only one in attendance. The ball will be in one two story room, but Kenley informs us the upstairs quarters are living areas for the palace officials. If Adira can open a portal to get us to the top, we should be able to enter in unnoticed as no one will be up there.

  Guards block off entrance to those parts of the palace while the ball is going, so the biggest problem is getting close enough to where Adira can open a portal inside. Our best bet, according to Kenley, will be to enter in the back. There is a large garden covered in trees, shrubs, and other plant life. It can provide cover while we work our way to the top.

  It is well after sunset when we head out, but the town is alive. Everyone is clamoring trying to get into the ball. It kind of disgusts me, and really irks Grace. I cannot read Adira’s expression, but judging how annoyed she is at having to maneuver around the city as we are doing, I’m guessing she does not approve either.

  As if getting to the palace’s outer gate is not hard enough, Kenley was not joking about the garden being large. If the queen wants to, she can build another palace in this space. There is not one but three fountains and so many flowers blooming all around it I’m surprised anyone can walk throughout the space at all. There are trees and hedges, but those are actually spread apart and not very tall. Several guards are patrolling while guests sip on colorful spirits and make small talk, so I don’t think we have much of a choice. Adira is going to have to use the claw to move us up.

  Adira is not comfortable with the idea, but Grace and I need her to do it. We help her calm her nerves and relax, so she can focus. If we take it slowly and plan the cover out ahead of time, we should be fine. Adira opens a portal and walks through. She is situated perfectly behind the fountain on the far left just as planned. I follow and appear slightly to the left of her; so far so good. Grace is last, but either she messes up or the portal acts up. She isn’t behind the fountain, she is in it. And there are people who heard her splash. She dives down into the water quickly, but Adira and I need to think of something fast. Grace cannot hold her breath forever.

  Kenley might be my favorite person in the world. He enters the garden from the ballroom and is standing on the patio yelling about how good it is to be back while holding a large champagne glass. He is dressed in Saphira’s finest green clothes complete with gloves and top hat. Several people who initially turned to the fountain cheer when he shows up, and he becomes the center of attention. I tap Grace’s shoulder to let her know she can surface, and both Adira and I pull her out. Adira swiftly makes another portal, and we jump through. This time we all land where we are supposed to behind a large blossoming bush.

  We continue to move around the garden this way with little resistance. Kenley has everyone’s full attention as he dances and jokes with the other partygoers. Although I would love to watch, he can only distract them with his antics for so long.

  Soon Adira is able to get us inside one of the unoccupied guest rooms by opening a portal on its balcony. After it becomes clear we are safe and concealed for the time being, I erupt into a downright fit of laughter because Grace is furious, and her soaked hair is plastered to her face like a wet dog. Adira is also fighting to keep herself together at the site of our sister of death. Grace tells us to laugh it up because she fully intends on getting us back. I don’t know why I’m being included here. I had no control over the events that occurred.

  We enter into the actual room of the party, but stick to the shadows. I spot several guards in front of the curved staircases on the left and right sides of the room leading up here, confirming what Kenley stated. No one should be up here for the time being, so I relax a teensy bit and have a look around.

  The first thing
I notice is the music playing. It sounds so beautiful, and I wish I play anything like it someday. I’m envious of the dancers who get to listen to and enjoy this music as they gracefully twirl around the bright stone floors. It is mesmerizing to watch them as their colorful dresses and coats fly in the air.

  Despite it being quite dark outside, everything in the room is clearly visible thanks to the three large crystal chandeliers spanning across the ceiling. I hear Adira awe and turn to see her head lifted up towards the sky. The entire roof is made of glass which allows the full sight of the moons and stars to be seen, and it is a magnificent site, leaving me in the same state of awe as her.

  While Adira and I are easily distracted, Grace is not. She finds Kenley in the crowd, who has also found us, and brings our attention to him. He gives all three of us a wink and continues to mingle with the guests.

  “Sly old man knows how to play drunk,” Grace says.

  “It’s not like he hasn’t had years to practice,” I say, but I am equally tickled.

  Grace starts identifying several people within the crowd. There are many of Oriare’s most important politicians and families in attendance. I ask her who is talking to Kenley, and she replies with her nose scrunched. The man with perfectly groomed silver hair and a matching pointed beard is Justin’s and Isabella’s uncle, Sir David.

  “He’s a prick,” Grace says, and she really loathes him.

  “You think everyone in Oriare is a prick,” I say with a shrug. She really does, and I am beginning to see why. Up here I hear several bits and pieces of other people’s conversations, and almost none of them are about what they can be doing to help their citizens and allies. Everybody seems preoccupied with trying to determine who wore the best outfit of the night.

  “Well, yes. But he’s the prickiest of the pricks,” Grace retorts, and I smile. There has to be some truth in that statement, as Kenley looks slightly uncomfortable. I would love to get a closer look, but it’s currently impossible.

  We stay up here for hours occasionally making small talk to try and pass the time, but nothing happens. I’m starting to get bored, and it is getting harder to stay awake. I’m pretty sure Grace and Adira are dozing off as well because they find this almost as dull as I do.

  The only thing keeping me up is watching Queen Isabella interact with all these crazily dressed people. Compared to the others her black silk gown flowing freely from her breasts to the floor appears normal. It is interesting to watch because unlike all the others, she does not seem content with small talk. She isn’t laughing or smiling at some crude jokes. In fact, the overall atmosphere seems to make her uncomfortable as she constantly shifts from leaning on one side of her body to the other.

  When I bring this to Grace and Adira's attentions, chaos almost instantaneously erupts. Multiple devilins come smashing through the rooftop glass and onto the unsuspecting people. One of them is about to eliminate the queen, but the beasts falters and roars in agony as my arrow pierces through its back shoulder. Without any hesitation, Adira opens a portal in front of Isabella, and the three of us march through on to the ground floor.

  Isabella is flabbergasted when she sees us, but her expression quickly changes to hurt as she trusted us when she let us go the first time. I want to explain. I want to talk to her, but we do not have the time for that. Adira says she will get the queen out of here, but Isabella insists on fighting us about it.

  Justin told her about how he found us over Sebastian. Thankfully Kenley joins us, and the queen attempts to ask him questions. He brushes her off stating when they are safe he will answer. Adira opens a world portal, and Kenley pushes the queen through as she shouts at him before following after her.

  With the queen out of harm’s way for the time being, the three of us focus on the devilins, and I have never been more ready for something. It has been a long, uneventful night thus far, but killing these creatures will be an excellent release. I glance over at Grace and Adira who are smiling confidently and ready. They want to fight as much as I do, maybe even more.

  Grace and Adira charge in one right after the other. Grace starts by putting the devilin off balance with a medium strike using her scythe. Adira follows with a punch to its face, and I finish it off with a devastating shot to the jugular. Whenever a devilin is too close to either of us, the other one covers. Adira warns me whenever one is getting to close and moves me via portal as necessary. I continue to barrage the monsters with arrows when they get to close to either Grace or Adira, while also clearing a path so the people who attended the party can escape. Grace and Adira are having to carefully watch their blows, making sure not to send devilins flying onto the partygoers. With the room clear, we can truly begin the beating.

  And do we. These devilins were not expecting the type of annihilation we are handing them, but I am enjoying this. The three of us are in sync, and our enemies cannot keep up with us. Within minutes the entire room is smeared in black blood. A few people were unable to escape the devilins when they first showed up, but this would have been a bloodshed in the opposite direction if we were not here.

  Before I leave through the portal Adira has made, I look up to see both Justin and his uncle, Sir David, staring hard at me. Sir David looks wrathful, but I suppose if he is helping Justin and Sethos, he should be. Grace, Adira, and I ruined their plans. I hop into the portal and arrive back in Kenley’s shop. Unfortunately we are no longer staying here. Justin and possibly some others who support Sethos saw Kenley go with Isabella. If we stay, we are asking to be attacked.

  Kenley seals his home away as he did before. He has another mirror in the room with the round table and activates it. We take turns stepping to the other side, and once we are all in, Kenley destroys the mirror on the other side. This is another one of the guardsmen’s safe houses. It is dusty from lack of use, and Kenley thinks we will be safe here for the time being. He starts to unpack the furniture, and the three of us help.

  It takes me awhile to realize the queen is nowhere to be found. I ask Kenley where she is, and he exclaims he nearly forgot. He opens a wardrobe, and Isabella is inside with a cloth over her mouth and hands tied behind her back. When Kenley removes the cloth she starts furiously screaming at all of us, so he quickly puts the cloth back on and closes the door.

  Grace starts laughing hysterically at how quickly the life priest chose to do so rather than let the queen out and attempt to calm her. We decide with a unanimous vote to leave Isabella in there until she calms down a tad. When we do speak to her, we will try to explain everything. Hopefully the queen of Oriare will be in a more listening mood. But judging by the amount of shaking the wardrobe is doing and angry muffled grunts coming from inside of it, I doubt she will be.

  Chapter 22

  It’s been nearly an hour and the feisty queen has not stopped banging on the doors of the wardrobe she is locked in. I would be really impressed if the constant knocking didn’t annoy me. Grace is also beginning to show signs of irritation, so we all agree to let the queen out. When we open the door again and remove the cloth, Grace lifts her scythe to Isabella’s chin and tells her to calm herself. We did happen to just save her.

  Isabella no longer shouts but states rather confidently we kidnapped her. She then questions us about what we want. She has her own theories of course. She thinks we are trying to overtake Oriare so we can rule over all the lands.

  “Please your highness,” Grace says coolly, “Not one of us want to rule over your shitty nation.”

  I agree with Grace, but again I wish she said things with a little more tact. She isn’t making us any friends here, and I would prefer to have Isabella as a friend rather than an enemy. Having a queen at our corner to calm the people can be useful.

  Although the queen of Oriare is not in a position to make demands, she tries to nonetheless. She wants to know why we are here and what we can possibly want from her. Grace, Adira, and I all look to Kenley, and he gives us a look that silently asks us really? I don’t know what to say, a
nd neither do the other two. Kenley has wisdom and experience on his side. Plus the queen has known him for years, possibly decades. Our tale might sound more believable if he were to tell her.

  I sit back and watch the events unfold. Kenley starts off light enough by explaining what Jo had done in setting up the guardsmen to uncover the corruption of Oriare. Then he starts the unbelievable bits about what Grace, Adira, and I are, what Jo was, and what is currently happening. It is taking all of my effort not to laugh at her expressions as Kenley goes over everything, and I am not the only one struggling to maintain myself. Adira and Grace are both about to lose it. If anyone understands how unbelievable this is, it is them.

  She either flat out does not believe or does not want to. Either way, we will have a hard time doing this without her support, especially since the devilins seem keen on killing her. Things will go much smoother if she accepts our protection. I’m coming up with nothing but blanks as I think about what we can do to convince her. Suddenly, I remember the very first memory I experienced in this world in which Jo was talking to her about going to Briza.

  I ask Kenley to give me his necklace with the dragon stone, and he hands it to me. It lights up in the palm of my hand the same brilliant white I knew it would. I hand it to Grace, and the stone turns black instead. Finally she tosses it to Adira who returns it to the pale green glow Jo had already shown Isabella. All of sudden the queen realizes we, like Jo, have dragon marks on our hands.

  Isabella asks us for a seat, and I pull one out for her. Her mind has to be processing every little detail. The queen cannot get over her own brother betraying her though. She insists that her uncle, brother, and two other royal guard captains got the marks on their arms as a tribute to Jo, nothing more. I do not blame her for not wanting to believe her family is trying to kill her. Nobody would; however, for her protection and the sake of our plan, she needs to.