by Eric Vall
The thick metal door opened inward, and we followed Torrin into a dimly lit room that looked to be maybe the size of my chambers back at the Lunar Palace. I could just see the golden glow of the treasure he mentioned, but it was too dark to get a good look. Still, the sensation I got around treasure was tingling through my veins, and I clenched and unclenched my hands at the feeling.
“Lord Evan, would you mind lighting the torches there and there?” Torrin asked as he pointed to the walls on our right and left.
“Sure,” I replied and conjured a fireball in each hand.
I tossed the burning orbs in the directions he’d indicated, and the torches caught fire and lit the room.
Then we all took in a collective gasp.
The room was at least three times the size I’d thought it was, nearly as large as the expansive hall where the lord and lady’s chairs sat, but that wasn’t the craziest part.
The room was absolutely filled with treasure.
Floor to ceiling piles of gold coins, jewelry, gold statues, artwork, and jewels lined all three walls away from the door and took up most of the floor. A pathway had been cleared to allow easier access to the piles, and it appeared to loop around the room in one giant U.
It took every ounce of my self-control to resist throwing all of it in my spatial storage right then and there.
I took a few deep breaths, and Alyona squeezed my hand with reassurance.
“I can see why you believe the thieves are after your treasure,” Laika murmured, and her gray eyes were wide with surprise. “There’s, ah, a lot of it.”
“Yes,” Torrin chuckled. “As I said, my father amassed quite a fortune, but Lady Meadow and I have rarely added treasure of our own since I assumed control of Lexavo. It has mostly sat here collecting dust unless we needed to pay for goods.”
“Well, it seems the stories of your father’s taste for gold has spread,” I noted. “You’re the only one with a key?”
“Yes,” the old man confirmed. “And once I die, the key will be given to my son.”
“Your son?” I raised an eyebrow, even though I’d guessed who his son was already. “Where is he during all of this?”
“Right here,” Samuel chuckled, and I turned to the soldier as I fought a grin. “I have led our soldiers for many years during my father’s rule. When he dies, my son will take over the army, and I will take lordship.”
“Ahh, that makes sense,” I replied with a laugh. “So, everything just gets handed down to male heirs?”
“Yes,” Torrin said and nodded. “My daughters have been married to other city leaders to help reunite us after the damage my father caused. We haven’t been at war for nearly fifty years. The thieves have brought the most action we’ve seen since then.”
“I see,” I murmured as my hungry eyes traveled back over the treasures. “I think it’s wise to keep your guards on high alert. Even though only a few of the bandits escaped, it seemed at least one of them was a mage.”
“A mage?” Meadow gasped.
“Yes, ma’am,” I confirmed. “I would have killed all of the runners, but there was a sudden cloud of smoke, and then they were gone.”
“Oh, this is worrisome.” Torrin frowned. “Do you think I could simply offer some of the gold to appease them?”
“I doubt it,” I snorted. “And I wouldn’t offer the bastards anything anyway. You may not agree with how the gold got here, but regardless, it’s yours. You shouldn’t have to negotiate for your city’s safety with a bunch of criminals.”
Torrin nodded his head thoughtfully as he tugged on his beard.
“What else do you think we should do, Lord Evan?” Samuel asked.
“I may have an idea,” Alyona offered. “Perhaps we should help set a trap. Lady Naomi is quite skilled with her mirage magic, and we’ve successfully caught bandits before.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I could be that much help,” Naomi said with a blush.
“Don’t be silly,” the princess chided her and smiled. “You’re brilliant and a fast learner.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” I agreed.
“How would we set this trap?” Torrin wondered, and he cocked his head to the side. “We’ve never done such a thing.”
“Well, they want treasure, right?” I thought out loud as I began to pace back and forth. “So, we use the mirage magic to offer treasure, but then something has to hold them there.”
“Perhaps a Carcera spell?” Miraya suggested.
“Oh, fantastic idea!” Alyona exclaimed. “If we put something outside the gate with the mirage magic over it, we can spell it with the Carcera spell to trap them inside it. Lord Torrin, could someone fashion a mobile prison?”
“I have many smiths, but I believe I know the perfect one to create what you’re thinking,” the old leader replied. “How big should it be?”
“Big enough for six men,” I answered. “I saw only four escape, but we should have room for a couple more, just to be on the safe side.”
“Samuel, find Adlaro,” Torrin ordered his son. “He can make the cell for us.”
“Of course.” Samuel dipped his head and rushed out of the vault.
“Would you like something to eat or drink while we wait?” Lady Meadow offered. “We could have the staff prepare a small meal. You must be exhausted after the fight earlier.”
“That would be lovely,” Alyona replied before I could, and she was a little more well-mannered in her acceptance.
I probably would have growled something about how dragons are always hungry.
Torrin gestured for us to walk back out into the hallway, and I gave one last longing look over my shoulder at the treasure vault before the old man pulled the door shut behind us and spun the lock back into place. Then we followed the couple back down the hallway and took a sharp right into a dining area. A long wooden table stretched nearly the length of the room, and there was room for at least twenty people to sit.
As we found chairs and sat down, a servant popped in through the back entrance and immediately began to pour wine into goblets and deliver them to each of us.
“Lord Evan, I know your entrance to my city was less pleasant than I’d hoped, but I am glad you came,” Torrin declared as we all sipped on our drinks. “I’ve been very intrigued about you since word of Hatra’s rise has spread throughout Rahma.”
“I’m glad I came, too,” I replied with a grin. “It seems we had perfect timing.”
“Indeed,” the old man agreed and laughed. “So, you are from Hatra originally?”
“I was adopted there,” I hedged. “My parents are Elders of Hatra, and they’ve been crucial to the repairs we’ve done in the city.”
“Amazing,” he breathed. “At least you don’t have a terrible reputation of your father to overcome.”
“Yeah, that would suck,” I agreed.
Torrin burst out into hearty laughter until his face turned red, and while he tried to catch his breath, the servant returned with two more behind him. The staff set down trays of finger sandwiches made with a creamy brown sauce, cheese, and what smelled like sliced ham. Then they added two large bowls of apples and grapes before they topped off our wine and scurried back to the kitchen.
I glanced over to see Aaliyah’s slightly disappointed face and chuckled at the lioness’ appetite. At times, it matched my own.
We ate the tiny sandwiches and fruit with the occasional friendly conversation as we waited for Adlaro to complete the task. After about ten of the little snacks, I gave up on the idea of getting full. I’d have to eat a big dinner at home tonight.
As I sat back in my chair, Samuel and another human rushed into the dining hall.
“My lord, I have completed your task,” the second man announced with a deep bow. “I pray it is to your liking.”
The smith was a large man with a gut that reminded me of Santa Claus and a filthy apron hanging over it. He was bald, and smudges of black and gray soot dotted his head and face.
“I’m certain you did well, Adlaro,” Lord Torrin replied. “Let’s see it.”
We got up from the table and followed Adlaro and Samuel outside the palace. A large iron box sat atop a wagon and featured only two small openings for air to get in and a door with a handle similar to that on the vault door.
It was perfect.
“Is it sufficient, my lord?” Adlaro asked and wrung his hands together.
“Looks like it will hold the men,” I observed as I walked around the wagon to look over the prison before I turned back to Torrin. “Your smith has done well.”
“Thank you, my lord,” the smith said with another awkward bow.
“Then let’s get it set up,” Laika urged with a swish of her furry gray tail.
Samuel nodded to the smith, and he clambered up to the wagon to take the reins. Then we led the cart out the front gate of the city and pulled the prison down to the ground. The metal box landed with a thump, and Nallen and Samuel lined up to start pushing it closer to the city wall.
“Hold on, fellas,” I interjected with a chuckle. “Let me make this easier.”
As they stepped back from the box with confused expressions, I activated my stone magic, and the pebbles of sand began to push the prison across the ground until it slid to a stop a few inches from the wall.
“That was much easier.” Nallen grinned.
“You’re up, ladies,” I said to Alyona and Naomi as I gestured to the box.
The lady mages came closer to the cell and circled around it slowly.
“We need to layer them with the Carcera spell first, so it is activated last,” Alyona mused. “Unless we want a final spell that would notify the guards?”
“Probably a good idea,” I agreed. “Just in case they don’t see it happen.”
“Okay,” the princess replied with a nod.
Then she and Naomi murmured together for a moment before they joined hands and began the first spell. Gold and violet swirls of smoky magic escaped their fingers and began to swirl around the prison like a small tornado, and after a few laps around the metal box, the magic settled on the surface as a bright shiny glow quickly faded from the naked eye.
“Miraya, could you help us power the Carcera spell?” Alyona asked the spirit. “If one is a mage, he may be able to fight it, so we need it to be strong.”
“Of course, my lady,” Miraya replied and stepped forward to place her hands on each of the mages’ shoulders.
Naomi and Alyona started the next spell, and a bright red glow emanated from their hands before it shot up into the sky above us and poured back down over the prison like molten lava. The Carcera spell seemed to spill over every piece of metal until we could no longer see the box, and then it seeped into the surface and disappeared.
“Fascinating,” Meadow breathed.
“They’re pretty damn good,” I bragged as another grin spread across my face.
Alyona smiled over her shoulder at me, and then the magical women began the final spell. Naomi laid her hands on the box, while Alyona and Miraya each put their hands on her shoulders to channel more power behind the mirage. We all watched in awe as the box shimmered for a moment, and then it was like a curtain fell over the prison. On the surface of the magical cover, a pile of gold coins and jewels appeared just as it looked in the vault. The coins even shimmered in the sunlight, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think they were the real deal.
Finally, the three women stepped back from the trap and brushed off their hands as they smiled at each other proudly.
“That looks sooooo good!” Aaliyah purred as she hugged them.
“It really does,” Laika agreed and squeezed Alyona’s hand.
“I concur,” Torrin boomed. “Your magical abilities are quite impressive.”
“You don’t have any mages here?” I wondered.
“No.” Meadow shook her head. “None of our citizens have been born with the ability. It is a great mystery.”
“Weird,” I murmured. “Well, I think they’ll get the idea of the gold being free to them if they return. The guards should still be watching, and maybe they can even play along and encourage the bandits to take it and leave you alone.”
“Great idea.” Torrin nodded toward Samuel. “Let the guards know for every shift. They need to seem worried or frightened.”
“Perfect,” I said with a grin. “As long as they play the part well, you should have a cell of bandits in no time.”
“We greatly appreciate your help today, Lord Evan,” the old man declared as he grasped my forearm. “You are a valuable ally to Lexavo.”
“Thank you, Lord Torrin,” I replied. “Hatra is fortunate to have you as an ally as well. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need anything else. And I’d like to know when you catch the thieves, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll send word as soon as we have them,” he agreed.
I looked over to see the women saying their goodbyes to Lady Meadow, and I bowed to the older woman before we walked toward the airship to return to Hatra.
We boarded the vessel, and Nallen made his way to the helm.
“My lord, the bandits are not a local issue,” Saxon stated as we lifted up into the air. “We have seen a few different cities experiencing the same problem.”
“We need to speak with the king on how to handle the bandits on a large scale,” I muttered. “I’d like to put traps at every city, but I don’t know if it would be plausible.”
“Surely, we can think of something,” Laika chimed in. “You’ve come up with a solution for every problem we’ve faced so far.”
“That’s true,” Aaliyah agreed, and her orange eyes narrowed in thought. “Maybe this one will take some more research as well.”
“Maybe,” I murmured. “Either way, we need to get rid of all these damn thieves, so Rahma can focus on the war at the Breach.”
“Indeed,” Saxon hissed, and his forked tongue slid out from between his lips in frustration.
The journey back to Hatra was short, and as the airship lowered to the ground in front of the Lunar Palace, I could see my parents standing in the doorway awaiting our arrival.
“Evan, how was your trip?” Julia asked before I even reached the bottom of the ramp.
“My love, let our son step onto the ground before you begin your inquisition,” Ruslan teased.
“It was more exciting than we’d planned,” I chuckled. “There were--”
“My lord!” a voice suddenly shouted from the other side of the airship.
We all turned to see Cia sprinting as fast as her short legs would carry her, and she waved her arms over her head frantically.
“Cia, what’s wrong?” I demanded as the small girl skidded to a stop in front of me.
“We have a problem!” she exclaimed in her raspy voice. “You must come quickly!”
I growled and followed the Mesic toward the fields.
Chapter 10
I caught up with Cia in only three strides, and then I had to slow down to match her pace. I wasn’t sure what we were running to, so I decided to stay with her until I figured it out. My women and the Blue Tree Guild warriors followed along behind us, and we hurried along the road until Cia took a sharp turn and cut between houses. We rushed through people’s yards, and several citizens looked up with confusion as we scrambled past them.
When we finally reached the edge of the farmland, Cia slowed down to weave through the crops to the other end. As we passed through the stalks, I realized I didn’t see any of the farmers working the field.
I soon figured out why.
We ran through the last of the crops, and a crowd of citizens had gathered against the wall. Their voices were strained with anxiety as they murmured together.
“Back up!” Cia ordered. “Lord Evan is here! Move!”
The farmers stepped back from the wall to reveal a hole in the stones near the bottom where the wall met the ground. The edges of the hole were jagged, and chunks of stone l
aid on the ground inside the wall, as though an explosion had blown open the hole through the barrier. Since I’d yet to see any dynamite in Inati, my conclusion was some kind of spell had broken through the thick stone, and the hole was just big enough for a person to crawl through and have access to the city.
“When did you find this?” I demanded.
“Just this morning,” Cia answered.
“It wasn’t there when I put away the tools last night,” one of the farmers said as he pointed to the toolshed a few feet away from the hole. “I was the last one here, and I would have seen it.”
“Does anyone stay overnight here?” Laika asked.
“No,” Afra said as she gently pushed her way through the crowd. “The last of the workers checks out with me, and then everyone checks in just after sunrise the next morning. I haven’t had anyone work overnight in months.”
“Okay,” I murmured as I scanned the area. “What about this morning? Who was the first person here?”
“I was,” a mole Demi-Human man said and stepped away from the others. “I got here at sunrise, but I didn’t see that. I don’t think it was here, my lord. I would’ve noticed.”
“It would be pretty noticeable,” Aaliyah agreed. “Did anyone hear anything? This doesn’t look like it would have been quiet.”
The workers all shook their heads no, and the mole man spoke up again.
“I doubt we would have,” he answered. “We were running carts on the east end of the fields all morning. We were already pretty far away from here, but the carts are really loud, too.”
“Great,” I muttered.
Any chance of finding footprints in the sand was gone since the workers had trampled all over the area to catch a glimpse of the hole. So, someone broke into the city at some point while we were gone, and we had no idea where he or she went.
“What should we do, my lord?” Afra asked, and her fox ears flicked nervously atop her head.
“First, I’ll fix this hole,” I replied. “We don’t want anyone else to get in, and I don’t want to let the bastard sneak back out. Everyone, stand back.”
The farm workers scurried even further away from the wall as I strode forward and called on my stone magic. Then I lifted the pieces of stone from the ground and pushed them back into the wall. It was like solving a puzzle, but the pieces were super fucked up. As the last few crumbles found their places, I walked closer and put my hand against the rockface. I could feel the discord of the mismatched stones, and I knew they wouldn’t hold well for long.
