The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2)

by Heidi Willard

  "And how would that help us?" Hawkins asked him.

  "It would direct his attention away from the city while the army attacked the front," Spalding guessed in an excited voice. "They would take the city and cut Sturgeon off from reentering the castle."

  "Precisely," Ned replied.

  "I can see a million ways this plan will fail," Hawkins countered. "What if Sturgeon releases his army on ours? We would be overwhelmed in minutes. If he does swallow the bait and follow you into the tunnel what's to keep him from unleashing his army and retaking the city?"

  "I have a plan for that," a soft, quiet voice spoke up. Deadly Sins stepped forward and his piercing eyes glanced over the group. "I will see to it that he doesn't leave the cavern alive."

  Spalding glared at Sins. "How can we trust a murderer-for-hire, particularly since you worked for Sturgeon before?" he countered.

  Sins narrowed his eyes. "He lost my favor when he attacked the city. I will not work for a man so laden with the deaths of innocents."

  "Even an assassin has principle?" Spalding mockingly asked him.

  Ned stepped between the men and held out his arms. "Enough, gentlemen. Our enemies are in the castle." Spalding turned away in disgust, but Ned caught Sins' eyes. "Can you ensure this way will destroy the army, if nothing else?"

  "Can the dead be destroyed?" Ruth wondered.

  Ned nodded. "Yes, by removing their heads, crushing their bones or both."

  Sins bowed his head. "I can guarantee they will be destroyed with those method, and will take care to clear the way for whoever passes through the tunnel." He didn't wait for a reply, but swept out of the tent.

  Percy sighed and shrugged. "He's always so impatient when he's on a job."

  "Can you guarantee his loyalty, Sir Percy?" Pat asked him.

  The young man cringed. "I'm afraid not entirely, but he must truly hate my father to betray an employer. I've never heard of him doing anything like this before."

  Ned clapped his hands together and looked around at the people. "Well, we seem to have ourselves a shaky plan. How soon can the men be ready?"

  Spalding and Hawkins glanced at one another. "My men are ready now," Hawkins replied.

  "And those who are not wounded can fight this minute," Spalding told him.

  "Good, have them ready at sunset," Ned commanded.

  The two men blinked, and Spalding stepped forward. "Ready at sunset? That's several hours from now."

  "Yes, and in case this goes badly we'll need all the help we can get fending off the army. That includes the clan of gargoyles who accompanied us as far as the ridge," Ned explained to them.

  Hawkins stiffened, but Spalding was interested. "Gargoyles? They still exist?"

  Ned nodded. "Yes, and they have been kind enough to offer their services in return for sanctuary in Tramadore, but we must have night for their help."

  "What about the other soldiers? We have many more humans than monsters, and they need light," Hawkins angrily countered.

  Pat stepped forward. "They will take care of the fighting before the sun, and the gargoyles will give us the advantage in the dark," she firmly replied. "If you wish to make a complaint against our allies, I suggest you do so after the battle. If we are all dead then you will have saved your breath, and if we're still alive it may well be because of those same monsters."

  Hawkins scowled, but bowed his head. The action caused a reflection of an item on his breast, and Ned raised an eyebrow. "An interesting trinket you have there, Captain Hawkins," he commented as he nodded at the hairpin. "A family heirloom?"

  "What? Oh, no, just a favor," he replied. "If you will excuse me I will prepare the men."

  Hawkins left and Spalding smiled at the group. "I am very glad to see you all on our side. We may have hope in this battle." He bowed and went to prepare his own men.

  When they'd left Pat slumped down into a chair and leaned forward. She rung her hands together and shook her head. "Hawkins is right, this is madness. There are a million ways we could fail and doom both Galaron and Tramadore to Sturgeon's rule."

  Ned walked over and put a hand on her shoulder; he smiled down on the young girl. "With such adventurers at our disposal I can't see how we will lose."

  Pat wryly looked up at him, and her eyes flickered over to Fred. "Well, if someone performs an earthquake I can see how we would all be doomed."

  Fred's shoulders slumped, and Ruth patted him on the back. Ned chuckled. "Yes, well, I'm sure there won't be any need of his magic. Our role is a simple rescue mission-"

  "-and getting Sturgeon to follow us," Pat added. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. "You do realize that means he could release the army on us."

  Ned sheepishly grinned. "There is that possibility. We'll have to be sure to ask Hawkins for his fastest horses."

  CHAPTER 23

  Pat spoke with Hawkins about the horses and the others rested for a few hours on an assortment of barrels and chairs outside Hawkins' tent, Percy with them. Ned looked over the boy with curiosity. "How is it your father doesn't know about your disloyalty?" he asked him.

  Percy started forward from the chair he was in, and sheepishly grinned. "That obvious?" he countered.

  "You're very calm against our imminent defeat. I surmised you must still be in your father's favor," Ned replied.

  Percy smiled and nodded. "Yes, my father doesn't know my true intentions, and Sins is very capable of sneaking both of us in and out of the city. Without him now, though, I'm stuck in the fray."

  "Then are you going to fight?" Fred asked him. He couldn't imagine the well-dressed lord fighting in the blood and gore of battle.

  Percy shrugged. "I have no sword nor steed, and while I have some skill with the sword I don't believe I would be a match for any foe, man or skeleton. I would also only be in the way with your dangerous mission," he added. He stood and stretched. "And seeing as how I eliminated every way to be useful, I should leave and let the fighting to those who know how to do it."

  He walked off into the tents, and Fred glanced at Ned. "Do you think we should just let him go? He might tell his father."

  Ned frowned, but shook his head. "No. Sturgeon is a clever man, but I don't believe he would send his only son to ingratiate himself with us. He knows the only true immortality is obtained through children, and would rather keep his son safe than throw him into the risky business of spying."

  "Ah still don't trust him," Canto spoke up. "The boy is too willing to betray his own kin."

  "Our suspicions aside, we have a task to perform that will require our complete focus," Ned scolded.

  Fred didn't want to think about that, and hopped off the barrel he sat on. "I'm going to go for a walk," he told them. Fluffy stood up and wagged his tail, and Fred smiled. "Not here. You'll scare everyone." Fluffy drooped and laid back down.

  "Mindful you're not gone long," Ned spoke up. "We leave in less than half an hour."

  Ruth jumped off her barrel. "May I go with you?" she asked him.

  The boy shrugged. "Sure."

  The pair wandered off into the forest of tents, and Canto glanced at Ned. "That young fellow reminds me of someone," he commented.

  Ned shrugged. "Perhaps, perhaps not."

  Canto harrumphed. "Perhaps so," he muttered.

  Fred and Ruth wandered through the tents, and the atmosphere was tense. The men made ready their horses and swords, and many passed them on the way to join the calvary squad at the far end of the encampment to the northwest of Tramadore and the camp. Ruth noticed they headed straight for the gates of Tramadore. "Did you want to see the city?" she asked him.

  Fred nodded. "Yeah. I kind of wanted to see the place before this battle. I might not get another chance." He glanced at her. "Besides, if we win this it'll be your new home. Don't you want to see it?" he countered.

  Ruth bowed her head and furrowed her brow. "I can't say it's home to me yet, not without Lord Tramadore's permission for us to live there."

  "I'
m sure he'll say you can live there. He's a good lord, and you're going to be one of the ones helping us rescue him," Fred encouraged her.

  "Yes, but I won't be much help until after sunset," she reminded him.

  "That's not very long now," he pointed out. They arrived at their destination, the large rock along the road that sat on the west-to-south road in front of Tramadore. The tall, sharp rock towered over them, and Fred looked for a way to climb to top. A chill wind blew off it and over him, but Fred brushed it off. "I wish you had your wings right now," he told Ruth.

  She smiled and shook her head. "You'll just have to wait," she teased.

  "Or try to climb it," he countered. Fred saw a handhold just out of arm's reach. He flattened himself against the stone and jumped up. His fingers caught the hold and he grinned. "Now just got to-"

  The stone beneath his fingers cracked open to reveal a pulsing rock. Fred gasped and his hold slipped. He fell into Ruth's arms, and they both collapsed to the ground. Their eyes widened as they watched cracks rush out of the broken area and cover the giant stone. The bright light pushed out of the cracks in spears and shot into the darkening sky. There were shouts from the tents behind them and hands were laid on them. The pair screamed and struggled until they realized it was Pat, Hawkins, Ned and the others.

  Pat glared at Fred, whom she held up by his armpits. "What did you do now?" she shouted at him.

  "Nothing!" he exclaimed. "I just touched the rock and it came to life!"

  The cracks groaned and widened. Chunks of rock fell to the ground and the earth shook beneath their feet. The stone rose up several feet higher and the outer covering fell to the broken ground to reveal a boulder made of pure, shining amethyst. The men and companions were in awe until the pale light darkened. Ned's eyes widened and he covered them all in a barrier a moment before a beam of light shot out at them. It hit the barrier and pushed the whole group back five yards.

  Ned glanced around them. "Run, you fools!" he yelled to the soldiers who he couldn't cover. They grabbed their swords and rushed away from the darkening stone. Another beam hit the barrier and Ned winced. He opened a hole in the rear of the barrier and focused his efforts on the front. "Out the back!" he ordered them.

  Fluffy scooped up Fred and the girls, and the group hurried out the rear. The light of the stone pulsed and stretched out into tentacles. They passed Ned's barrier and made for the others. Ned collapsed his barrier and swung his staff to shoot balls of flames at the lengths of the tendrils. The balls hit and severed the light, which caused the whole arm to dissipate. Ned rushed after them, covering the group with his fireballs. The entire camp was emptied, and the men and their horses stood at the other end of the encampment a half mile off. The tendrils gave up the chase halfway and retreated back into the stone.

  The companions turned and with their uneasy army at their backs they looked out on the stone. With each passing moment the halo of magic grew larger and darker. The core of the stone remained bright, and its light lit up the plains like the full moon on a cloudless night.

  Pat slipped off Fluffy and scowled at the rock. "Is this some sort of trap by Sturgeon?" she asked her companions.

  Ned shook his head. "No, this magic is too powerful. Only Canavar could have created such an enchanted stone."

  "But the stone has been here for years!" Spalding argued. "How could he have placed it on this road knowing we would be here?"

  The ground shook and a dark column of magic shot up from the tip of the stone. A terrible howl filled the air and shadows flew out of the column. The shadow creatures wore cloaks over their bodies and hoods over their heads. No legs stuck out from beneath the cloaks, but red eyes burned inside the hoods. They descended to the earth and filled the ground with their spectral forms. The things swooped and dodged over one another until one caught sight of the city gates. It howled and pointed, and they moved as a single shadow toward the city. The countless creatures swarmed over the road and slammed against the walls of Tramadore.

  "They're attacking the city!" Spalding cried out. He turned to Hawkins. "You must abide by your oath and help us defend the walls!"

  "How are we to defeat creatures such as those?" Hawkins snapped back. "It would be as though they were attacking the air!"

  "Then let me give them the power to do so," Ned spoke up. "And it will give them the courage to fight." He stepped up to the front of the army and raised his hands in the air. His staff glowed and sparkled, and each sparkle shot out over the army. They landed on every weapon, and the blades and arrows pulsed with light magic. The men lifted their weapons and stared in awe at the bright magic. Ned turned to Spalding and Hawkins. "With these weapons they will be able to destroy the creatures as though they were men."

  "And a woman will lead them," Pat spoke up. She took hold of one of Hawkins' spare horses and swung into the saddle. The men behind her were scared and confused. She unsheathed her sword, which glowed without the use of Ned's magic, and turned to the combined army of Galaron and Tramadore. "Brave men of Galaron, you have left your homes to fight for the honor of Tramadore. Now you fight to defend her from this evil. Your weapons are blessed, and with a stroke you will smite the shadows who plague the walls of Tramadore." She looked to the columns of Tramadore soldiers. "Valiant men of Tramadore, now is the time to defend your home from this new menace. Protect her with your life, for you fight to save your wives and children." Pat raised her sword above her head, and the bright blade glowed in the last rays of the setting sun. "For Tramadore, and the glory of Galaron!"

  "For Tramadore!" the men of Tramadore cried back.

  "For Galaron's glory!" the men of Galaron yelled.

  Pat spurred her horse toward the stone. The columns of soldiers, with Hawkins and Spalding at the lead, raced after her. Canto commandeered one of the encampment's pack animals and followed the cry of battle.

  Fred had Ruth seated behind him, and he turned Fluffy around to spur them on to battle. Ned caught Fluffy's saddle horn and stopped them from joining the fray. "Our mission remains the same," Ned told them.

  Fred gestured to the army and the wraiths. The stone no longer spewed the shadow creatures, but they numbered in the thousands. "But we're needed here!" he protested.

  Ned stared into the boy's eyes with his unwavering gaze. "If Sturgeon absorbs the magic from that stone then all the world will be in peril. We must lead him away from the battle."

  Fred glanced between Ned and the charging army. Pat reached the front line of the wraiths and her sword cut through them like knife through butter. Their screams of rage filled the evening air and the mass turned from the city walls and against the oncoming armies. Man and shadow clashed, and both were cut down as the wraiths revealed clawed hands and from beneath their cloaks came long, sharp teeth.

  Fred turned away and grit his teeth; he felt like such a coward. "Damn it..." he muttered.

  Ned slipped in back of Ruth and nodded at the entrance to the castle at the far end of the mountain. "We must hurry or all our efforts will be for naught."

  CHAPTER 24

  The three aboard the cantankus shot over the plains and came to the locked golden gate. Behind it lay the bodies of half a dozen guards, and Ned's expression grew strained. He slipped off Fluffy and unlocked the gate. "It appears the assassin kept his word and has traveled from the stairs through the caves to free us a path."

  Fred scowled. "Let's just get this done," he insisted.

  Ned got back on Fluffy, keeping the gate open for their escape, and they sprinted into the cavern system. They passed more groups of guards, all dead, and climbed the winding stairs as far as Fluffy's body would fit. They dismounted and snuck up to the hatch beneath the dining hall floor. Ned put a finger to his lips and gestured to the ceiling. Voices floated through the floor.

  "But my lord, the armies are right outside the gates!" a nervous man entreated their lord.

  A fist pounded against the table, and Sturgeon's voice spoke angrily to the other man. "Why do you b
other me with this news? Let them battle and wipe each other out, and the victor will deal with my army. What is more important is finding that assassin. He may know the whereabouts of my son."

  "The men are looking for them both, my lord, but we've had no luck," the man replied.

  "Then stop relying on luck and use your wits!" Sturgeon snapped. "Use the men from the cavern if you must, but find them!"

  "Perhaps they aren't as loyal as you assumed," a calm, soft voice spoke up. It was Lord Tramadore.

  "Perhaps you would like your tongue cut out, my lord," Sturgeon mocked him.

  "I don't believe I'd like that at all," Tramadore countered.

  "Then what do you say to this?" The three below the hatch heard the sound of a hand knocking against bone. "You had me underfoot for too long, Tramadore. Now you will be the one to kneel."

  "You're mad, Sturgeon, if you believe you were ever mistreated enough to justify your actions now," Tramadore bit back.

  The doors to the room slammed open and a new voice broke in on the conversation. "My lord, the dark army has turned back on the walls! They've broken through the gates!"

  A chair clattered onto the ground. "What?" Sturgeon shouted. "Where are the fools who are supposed to be guarding them?"

  "They are overwhelmed, my lord, and their weapons do nothing against these shadows," the man replied.

  "Must I do everything myself?" Sturgeon growled.

  They heard his footsteps stalk out of the room, and Ned ventured to push up the hatch. The group saw Tramadore seated on one side of the dining table with two guards along the wall behind him. There was a meal on the table, and the door leading to the entrance hall was open. Ned noticed silverware on the table and peeked his staff over the rim of the hole. Tramadore stared at the table in a depressed stupor, but he jumped when the utensils came to life.

  The silverware leaned their necks forward in a bow, and the guards on either side of him noticed the living utensils. They grabbed for the swords in their sheaths, but the forks and knives flew off the table and pinned them to the wall. The guards screamed for help before the large serving spoons floated up and bashed them hard on the head, silencing their wails. Unfortunately, it was too late. There was noise in the halls and Ned popped out of the hatch. He quickly untied Tramadore and pushed the man ahead of him before more guards crashed into the room. Ned sicked the silverware on them and the men needed their swords to fend off the vicious knives and forks.