The White Tower (The Aldoran Chronicles: Book 1)

by Michael Wisehart

  As much as Ferrin wanted to test out each and every one of the inquisitor’s tools on him, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Seizing the iron clamps with his magic, he snapped them shut around Cheeks’ wrists and ankles.

  “What are you planning on doing?” Cheeks whimpered.

  “What do you think?” Ferrin said as he walked over to the array of tools on the table and let his hands glide over each. He was feeling rather conflicted. At this point, he didn’t know if his desire for vengeance and retribution was stronger than his sense of morality. It had been well tested during his time in the White Tower.

  “Wait!” Cheeks begged. “If you kill me, the others will know.” Ferrin lifted the wiggler out of its place in the satchel and walked back to the table. “Each member of the Inquisition has been connected with a layered spell which immediately informs the others if one of us was to meet an untimely end.”

  “You’re bluffing.”

  “What did you think these runes on my head were for? Decoration? Look around you!” Cheeks spat, gulping for air. “What do you think we do here? We work with the most dangerous people in Aldor. Of course we would have a system of warning.”

  Ferrin hesitated. He wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t want to sell his soul for the sake of retaliation or if it was because he actually believed the inquisitor. Either way, he guessed it solved his problem. He lowered his arm.

  Ferrin replaced the wiggler back in its slot and grabbed an old rag, probably used for wiping Cheeks’ sweat, and stuffed it deep into the big man’s mouth before making his way over to where Rae sat, clutching her daughter. The healer struggled to her feet.

  Ferrin carried the little girl over to where he had left his travel bag at the entrance. He laid her down and she started digging inquisitively through its contents.

  “Rae! No!”

  Ferrin stopped his rummaging and quickly spun around. Rae had removed Cheeks’ gag.

  “Think of Suri,” the fat inquisitor said. “I’m her father.”

  “Not anymore.”

  Ferrin jumped to his feet when he saw what was in her hand, and he ran for the rack.

  A wet choking sound was all he heard as she slid the stone blade through Cheeks’ neck. His blue eyes flared and his body jerked to the side.

  “What have you done?” Ferrin watched Rae take a step backwards and wipe the blood from her hands on the front of her dress before walking over to where her daughter sat digging around inside his travel bag. Ferrin tried to stem the bleeding around the inquisitor’s wound with his own hands, but even he could see there was no hope for the man. “Rae, you need to save him. What if he was telling the truth?”

  Looking across the room, Rae’s gaze was searing. Ferrin knew there was nothing he would ever be able to do, or say, that would bring her to save the inquisitor’s life. Somehow he had known all along she wasn’t leaving until one of them was dead.

  Without stopping to think about the possible ramifications of Rae’s actions, Ferrin pulled the stone blade from Cheek’s neck and wiped it on the front of the inquisitor’s robes before tucking it into the back of his trousers for easy access. He grabbed the inquisitor’s tools and quickly stuffed the case inside the large travel pouch.

  “Here,” Ferrin said, pulling the crystal from around his neck. “You’ll need to heal your wounds before we go. But I’ll need it back in order to get us out of here.”

  “It doesn’t work like that for me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean the crystal requires the wielder to use their own strength for the magic to work. It is very difficult for a healer to heal themselves. It’s not impossible, but it would take a lot longer than what we have time for.” She handed the crystal back to Ferrin and then glanced down at her bandaged wounds. She pressed her hand against the bloodstained material. “I can survive. They’re not very deep. Besides, if we don’t get out of here, it’s not going to matter much anyway.”

  Ferrin replaced the transferal around his neck and swung his pack over his shoulder with a grunt. He lifted Suri and headed for the door. “Time to go.”

  Rae slid open the door and disappeared into the outer chamber. Ferrin paused a moment to take one final glimpse around the small stone room, ending on Cheeks. The blood flowing from his neck produced a colorful contrast to the stark white of his robes. A pitiful sight to behold, and yet disturbingly satisfying.

  He was just turning to leave when he noticed the color of the inquisitor’s tattoos begin to shift. They shifted from black to a pale chartreuse, and along with this change of color came a sudden increase in luminosity. They were glowing.

  “Well, isn’t this just my luck.”

  Chapter 79 | Ferrin

  FOLLOWING ON RAE’S HEELS, Ferrin raced across the open atrium and into the small hallway that ended at a flight of stairs leading up and out of the Hall of Inquisition. They had barely made the first step when the sound of men filing into the chamber from the adjacent hallway brought them around. “I guess for once he was telling the truth.” Ferrin almost laughed at the irony. I finally get the chance to kill the evil pig and it’s that very action that’s going to seal our fate. He rolled his eyes.

  Rae sneered at the offhanded remark and charged up the steps. Not waiting to see what happened next, Ferrin took them two at a time with Suri bouncing in his arms. The little girl giggled as if it were all in good fun. They stopped at the iron door at the top.

  Torchlight was already beginning to fill the hallway below as men in white robes, black robes, and some without any robes at all, sprinted up the stairwell in hot pursuit. Putting his shoulder to the door, Ferrin shoved it open. Turning around, he could see the glint of open blades in the hands of the closest men. He rushed through the open doorway and forced its heavy girth shut as the first of the men pushed back from the other side.

  Still holding a tight grip on his magic, he sealed the door by melding it to the surrounding wall, and then smelting the hinges and handle for good measure. “Let’s see you try getting out of there.” Turning back around, he caught a glimpse of Rae heading for the first hallway on the left. “Do you know where you’re going?”

  “Of course,” she said with an exasperated expression. “This is my home.”

  Ferrin watched as the little woman charged into the darkened corridor. Can’t argue with that, he thought. Still clutching Suri to his chest, he raced after her. For someone so small, she was really quick. His eyes scanned the dim area ahead and he spotted her standing at a second entranceway on the right, motioning for him to hurry.

  He made his way to her side and she quickly checked on Suri’s condition. At the time, she was playing a game of running her fingers through Ferrin’s beard and seeing how many whiskers she could pull out. It was a sure reminder of why he had always kept it trimmed short.

  On they ran, endlessly it seemed.

  The White Tower was alive with the shouts of the Black Watch running to and fro, searching for any sign of the escaping prisoners. Each time they were about to be discovered, Rae would usher them into an adjoining hall, or side room, or even broom closet, till the threat had passed. Apparently, she wasn’t exaggerating when she said she knew her way around the enormous construct. If it had been left to Ferrin, they would have been lost or captured long ago. But no matter how many times she would angle off from one direction to miss a passing patrol, she would somehow always manage to get them back where they needed to be.

  He knew, however, if they didn’t reach the outer walls soon, their luck was bound to run out. Unfortunately for them, it was sooner than he had expected.

  Around the next junction was another long corridor. He could hear the clanging of swords and armor coming from behind as the armed guards were heading in their direction. Again, he dashed after Rae. His arms, even as large as they were from years at the smithy, were beginning to tire under the strain of Suri’s weight, not to mention a lack of proper nutrition.

  Rae seemed to be an
endless bundle of energy as she continued running. She was as graceful as a doe—agile and swift. Just ahead, the latch to the next doorway they were struggling to reach pulled back and a white-robed guard stepped through. Rae nearly tripped over her own feet trying to stop, while Ferrin nearly tripped over her.

  The hall was too dark to make out the guard’s face. Ferrin wondered how many others were waiting on the other side of the door. The clamor of the guards behind them was growing, and pretty soon they would be cornered. There was only one option. Charge the guard blocking their path and hope for the best. He figured his luck was nearing its end anyway. What did he have to lose? Quickly, he handed Suri off to her mother and pulled the stone blade from his back pocket before charging.

  Within five paces, Ferrin was forced to pull up short as the man in white suddenly spoke. “Smith, is that you?” Ferrin kept his knife held out in front of him. The voice was familiar. From the other side of the door, the guard pulled out a torch and the light confirmed it. It was Nostrils. “This way!” the guard said, motioning for them to follow.

  Ferrin could hear the sound of their pursuers nearing the far entrance to the hall they were in. With little other choice, he followed. Rae and Suri hugged closely to his waist, keeping well clear of the guard. “I’ve been waiting for you,” the captain said, ushering them through the door just as the first of the Black Watch rounded the far end.

  Nostrils quickly shut the door behind them to hide their presence. Ferrin could hear him calling to the guards from the other side. Moment of truth, he thought.

  “Haven’t seen them . . .”

  “ . . . try the south corridors.”

  After a nervous moment, the door squeaked open and the White Tower captain rematerialized. “I don’t know how you’ve made it this far without being caught,” he said as he shut and latched the door. “Absolute miracle if you ask me.”

  “Why are you helping us?” Ferrin asked, unconcerned about hiding the skepticism in his voice. “This is all a bit convenient, don’t you think? How did you know we’d be here?”

  “Someone told me you would.”

  Ferrin’s face contorted and he jerked his knife up, pinning Nostrils to the wall. “Told you? Who told you?”

  The captain gulped. “Look, I’ve been waiting for a long time to get out of this place, and haven’t found a single opportunity yet. I’m just as much a prisoner here as you.” Ferrin’s scowl clearly didn’t go unnoticed and the captain revised his statement. “Apart from the whole torture you till you die . . . revive you . . . and torture you again, of course.” Ferrin released his blade and moved back. The captain rubbed at the spot on his neck where the knife had been.

  “Here, help me with this.” He handed Ferrin another large travel sack and then hefted two of his own before turning and heading down another dark corridor.

  “What’s all this?” Ferrin asked as hurried to keep up with the captain.

  “Supplies . . . Anyway, as I was saying, about a year ago I was called to one of the upper cells to calm a prisoner. The man said he would talk to no one but me. How he got my name I’ll never know.” Nostrils shrugged. “When I got there, he asked to speak with me alone. I figured, how bad could it be? He looked half dead and he was chained to a wall.” Ferrin’s curiosity was piqued. “So I shut the door and listened. And what he told me, I have to tell you, left me troubled and hopeful all at the same time.”

  Nostrils pulled them to a halt at the end of another small corridor. He listened for a brief moment, peeked around the edge, and then nodded to the far left stairwell and began moving once again.

  “Anyway, the old man said he knew that I wanted to leave the Tower and that it was going to happen. But, in order to do so, I would have to help you three escape as well.” Nostrils cocked his head to the side. “Well, he didn’t exactly specify you three in particular. He just said a man, a woman, and a small child.” Turning to see their reaction, he smiled. “And here you are. He also gave me explicit instructions about what I was to do and where I was to wait for you.”

  Ferrin couldn’t hide his smile as he thought about the seer’s earlier statement of aid coming from unexpected sources. Azriel, you old coot, even from your cell, you’re still helping me.

  “So,” Nostrils said with a shrug, “when I heard there were three people trying to escape, I knew it had to be you. I was waiting in the exact spot he told me, and just like magic—” He waved his arms around for dramatic flair. “—there you were.” He was bubbling over with excitement as they rounded the next corner and walked face-first into a small company of armed guards. Everyone came to an immediate halt as eyes danced from one person to the next, everyone trying to determine what was going on and what they should do about it.

  “So, did he tell you what to do here?” Rae’s remark was both sarcastic and rhetorical.

  Nostrils was the first to try breaking the extremely awkward and deadly silence. “Found them!” he hollered out, throwing on a wide smile with arms extended.

  No one moved.

  “Yeah, caught them wandering the halls.” His smile was both fake and nervous. “No need to worry, just on our way back to the Inquisition Chambers. Yep, everything’s under control. No need to panic.” Ferrin rolled his eyes. We’re all going to die.

  Ferrin watched as the guards’ hands began making the downward slide to the hilts of their swords. Without a second thought, Ferrin thrust Suri back into her mother’s arms. Using his magic, he bonded the blades of the guards’ steel to their scabbards, rendering them useless. Reaching behind his belt, he drew the dead inquisitor’s stone blade. With a roar that caused Nostrils to yelp with surprise, Ferrin leapt at the closest guard. His knife swung wildly for the man’s throat.

  Ferrin had never seen a more stunned individual than that guard as he struggled to pull an unmoving blade. Ferrin hit the man with the strength of a true smith, ripping through his neck and nicking the bone at the back on his way through. Grabbing at his opened throat, the guard tried to holler but it came out as a sickening sort of burble. Blood and saliva sprayed from the gaping wound.

  After the sudden shock of what had taken place dawned on them, the three remaining guards danced around as they too tried pulling their swords with no more luck than their comrade. Ferrin was already on top of the second man before the guard had even remembered he was holding a halberd in his other hand. Ferrin plunged his knife into the man’s chest once, twice, three times and then flung his body to the side.

  The third and fourth had already given up on brandishing their useless weapons and had fallen back to a defensive position. They readied their halberds, tips forward, as they thought to stave off a full-on assault. In comparison to their massive polearms, Ferrin’s knife seemed a little inconsequential. Nostrils fell in beside him, sword drawn, waiting to see who would be the first to make a move.

  The guards’ attention shifted and their faces paled as they watched in horror while the metal ends of their halberds suddenly bent backwards and pointed in their direction. Glancing at each other, they dropped their spears and took off running in the opposite direction.

  Ferrin took two steps to go after them but Nostrils pulled him back. “We don’t have time, smith. It won’t take them long to get back to the south side of the tower, and we need to get out of here, preferably without being seen.”

  “And how in the name of Aldor are we going to do that?”

  “Uhum.” Rae cleared her throat, bringing both men’s heads whipping around. She stood there with one cocked eyebrow as she held out the top of a white uniform with her free hand.

  Ferrin shook his head and grinned. “Of course . . . I knew there was a reason I brought you along.”

  Rae’s demeanor hardened. “Brought me along?” One fist went to her hip. “I think you got that backwards, bush face.” Ferrin smiled his most affectionate smile, but it went unnoticed beneath the overgrowth on his cheeks and chin, or more than likely she had simply ignored it.

  They
worked as fast as humanly possible to undress the two guards. They cleaned and hid as much of the blood as they could before dressing in the dead men’s uniforms and making their way to one of the not-so-known side exits.

  Stepping through the door, Ferrin swelled his chest with a deep gulp of clean air. His breath turned to mist in front of his face as he exhaled, enjoying the sudden taste of freedom. “Now what?”

  “Now you wait here while I procure a few horses from the stables.”

  “Aren’t they going to question why?”

  “No. Believe it or not, it’s actually my night on gate duty and I generally have two other guards who accompany me. I don’t know how he did it, but that old man up there seemed to have known all of this in advance. He was the one who told me to start adding my name to the perimeter watch.” Nostrils shook his head. “Anyway, I’ll be back with the horses. Wait here and stay out of sight till I get back.”

  Ferrin directed Rae to a cluster of rocks off to the side of the entranceway. They crouched behind them waiting for the captain to return. It wasn’t long before Ferrin heard the sound of horse’s hooves heading in their direction. Tempting a peek, he saw Nostrils reining up in front of their hiding spot with two additional fully-saddled mounts.

  After helping Rae onto her horse, Ferrin lifted a blanket-wrapped Suri. “Here,” he said as she reached out and took her daughter in her arms. Pulling the transferal from around his neck, Ferrin held it out to her. “I believe this belongs to you.” She leaned her head forward and he hung the crystal back into place before she tucked it beneath the wrappings on her chest. “How are your wounds?”

  “They will heal.” When she said nothing more, he turned and swung himself onto his own mount and secured his travel sack with the rest of his horse’s gear.

  In the moonlight, the four travelers appeared to be nothing more than a small squad on night patrol, making their typical sweep of the Tower’s base. With Nostrils taking the lead, they began their silent journey forward, pushing toward the two monolithic stone sentinels guarding the outer gates, and from there, the Pass of Arnon.