by Jon Kiln
She had felt the presence of her granddaughter, imaginary or real, she could not tell. Whatever it was, she had tried to reach out to her but she simply did not have the strength to awaken from the deep sleep that had taken over her body.
Myriam, Myriam, I am here. Wake me up if you can for I am still here, she called out in her dreams.
Were they dreams or was she simply dead? She felt no pain, only a need to rest. This shell of a body could function no more. She would have to let it go soon. It was such hard work holding on. She longed for the light of the sun. Why couldn’t she find it?
Her granddaughter’s presence faded and she was once again alone. Then the pain started up again, a drumming noise in her ear, like a pump pounding within her veins. A stinging sensation shivered through her entire body and her muscles seized up tightly as she convulsed on the bed.
The female Akkedis, known by her friends as Arriba, felt sorry for the dying woman. She had seemed such a kindly human. As she replaced the pump back into the woman’s veins, she wondered at how much more this frail human frame could take. The Akkedis Empress was demanding more in her drink or she too could die. This human was her lifeline and she worried that the woman did not have much more liquid left to give. If the Empress was to live, then Ghaffar needed to act quickly, or their world would be in chaos.
***
Myriam was heartbroken at what she had witnessed. She wanted to demand that her grandmother be put in her room, but Ganry had cautioned against this, for now. Why was Ganry advising this? She needed to care for her grandmother, and right now she cared little for anything else.
“Ganry, we have traveled long and hard to find the Duchess. I do not believe my grandmother will be in this world for much longer and yet you tell me not to make demands. Why?” Myriam had always trusted Ganry’s judgment because he had always put her life before his own, yet this did not make any sense.
“Myriam,” he called her by her first name, “I know the Duchess suffers greatly, but I do not believe she is ill. I think there is more to her condition than the injuries caused by Duke Harald. I fear for your life, and as Queen, I must beg you not to put yourself in danger until we can avoid it no more.”
“You believe that the Akkedis are killing my grandmother?” Myriam was unsure if this was what Ganry was implying. Surely not? Ghaffar had rescued the Duchess from the pits of hell within the dungeons of the castle. Then he had got her far away from the dangers. Didn’t that make him her savior?
“I too feel that we are all in danger in this city,” Linz offered his advise. “There is something linking the legend of the Rooggaru and Ghaffar, but I have not managed to unravel the mystery. He appeared as a monk in the temple on many occasions, and he was there the night that my uncle was killed. I am wary of him and think he means us harm.”
19
Ganry decided it was time to approach Perseus and see what his part was to be in all of this. If he had a battle on his hands then he would need Perseus at his side, but he was not sure if he could be trusted.
When he entered Perseus’s room it was empty, with no sign of him anywhere. He had many questions for this elusive Vandemlander, and so took a seat in a chair by the door and waited for Perseus to return. He wondered where he could have gone. None of them were allowed to wander unhindered through the caves. He hoped that he had not come to any harm. He would need his blade if they needed to fight their way out.
A movement on the floor caught his attention and he quickly stood, drawing his sword. A snake, long with a thick body and a scaly skin of many colors writhed out from under the bed. He must have missed it when he entered the room. Had it eaten Perseus? No. He doubted that a warrior of Perseus’s ability would be overcome by a snake, even one as huge as this one.
The snake quickly moved towards Ganry, its tongue slithering in and out of a wide mouth, making hissing noises. Its upper body raised up high, standing upright. The bottom half of its scaled body lay pooled in a circle on the floor.
Its red eyes stared into Ganry’s, as if searching for his soul. The weak could easily become mesmerized by those hypnotic eyes. Ganry lowered his sword, Windstorm, holding it at his side. This ancient piece of weaponry had been forged by Grimlock bladesmiths in the Limestone Mountains. Few would survive its sharp edge, not even the thick scales of a giant snake. Yet he sensed this beast would do him no harm.
What occurred next caused Ganry to doubt his own eyes as he witnessed the snake transforming into Perseus, who bowed his head, his palms together in a greeting.
“I am able to slip and slide within the walls, Ganry, and find out much needed information. I am almost ready to complete my task for my master, Qutaybah.”
Ganry slid Windstorm back into its scabbard and he sat back down in the chair, wondering at what Perseus was really about.
“Something tells me that your mission here was not just to deliver our Queen to her grandmother, am I right, Perseus?” Ganry asked.
The door to the outside corridor opened and Ghaffar stood there. At first he looked annoyed and said nothing. Was he aware of Perseus’s trips within the walls?
“Empress Gishja has requested an audience with Queen Myriam. You are all to attend,” he said curtly, closing the door behind him as he left.
“It seems we are summoned, Perseus. I hope it is nothing to do with your tour of the caves,” Ganry said as he knocked on the adjoining door that led to Myriam’s room.
As he opened it, he saw that Myriam was resting on her bed. Her yellow blonde hair was loose upon her pillow and she looked truly beautiful. Fleetingly, he was reminded of his own of daughter, Ruby, who would have been around the same age as the Queen.
In those dark days after he had lost his wife and daughter, he had cared little for his own life and he had served as a mercenary, taking the most dangerous of commissions. But serving Myriam had given him a reason to live again, and he would serve her until his death. He placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her gently.
“My Queen, we have been summoned by the Akkedis Empress. Would you like to freshen up?”
Myriam sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her sleep on an evening was restless and she often found herself drifting off to sleep during the day, if it was indeed daytime. Who knew so deep underground.
“Gather the others, Ganry, I will ready myself,” she said, automatically seeking out the dagger, Harkan, that she kept under her pillow. Whenever she held it in the hand with the matching ring, it would shine with a white light and then fade out again, almost as if it had charged itself ready for battle.
She pulled at the necklace that Barnaby had given her. Recently it had felt heavy around her neck and had rubbed at her skin. She looked in the mirror, her hand going to a red mark just under her jawline. It was around two inches long and seemed to rise in an inflamed mound, at its center a puncture mark. How had that got there?
When Barnaby gave her the necklace, he said it had magical properties and would ward off anything harmful, but so far it had done nothing, though it was very pretty. Now that she looked upon it, she recalled a dream she had of the necklace. It had been trying to awaken her because she was choking, but yet she could not awaken. She seemed to be having many strange dreams in this place, dreams that disturbed her, making her sleep fitful.
Linz and Hendon entered her room. She looked at Hendon as he also had an identical necklace, but she could not see it.
“Where is the necklace given to you by Barnaby?” she asked, concerned that he really needed to be wearing it.
“I gave it to Linz because I have the staff now, a direct link with Barnaby who protects me at all times,” he told her.
She looked at Linz and noticed the necklace around his darker skinned neck.
“How are you two sleeping?” she asked of them.
“If you mean does Linz snore loud enough to keep me awake so I cannot sleep, then no I’m not sleeping well,” Hendon replied.
Linz laughed. “I sleep very well, Myriam. As for Hen
don, he’s too busy mumbling to his staff, but I simply shut out his noise and I’m soon in a peaceful slumber.”
“I only ask because I think my necklace is active when I sleep. It awakens me with some sort of warning. Do you think it has caused these marks?” She showed them the single puncture wound on her throat.
***
“The Empress is not pleased, Arriba. Why were you unable to draw blood from the female?” Ghaffar questioned one of his servants. “Have you lost your touch of invisibility?”
“No, Ghaffar, I have not. My magic remains in my blood for ever and I will continue to serve the Empress always. The girl wears a necklace and when I punctured her skin to take her juices, the necklace burned me. I then tried to puncture elsewhere on her body, but the necklace kept attacking me with burns. When I grabbed it to try and pull it from her neck, it awoke her, so I had to leave.”
“A necklace?” Ghaffar had not heard of such a thing. “I know of the stones, but these are of Akkedis origin, so we should be able to control their magic. I know nothing of any necklace. We must try to steal this thing away.”
20
A female Akkedis came to take them to the meeting with their Empress, but first they were all led to a chamber with many heated baths. It seemed a custom to bathe before an audience with the Empress. The cavern smelled strongly of sulphur. Guards stood around one empty bath, but the others contained many Akkedis, washing themselves.
“This place stinks.” Hendon was first to speak, though he said it quietly. It would not do to upset all the Akkedis that surrounded them.
“I will explain to them our etiquette with regards to human bathing,” Ganry said to Myriam. “It seems that the Akkedis do not differentiate their females from the males. I will see if I can obtain a private bathing area for you.”
“No, Ganry,” Myriam stopped him. ”I feel this is a test of my resolve. Let us make the most of this hot, bubbling water and bathe together. We are all friends, and I am sure you will divert your eyes at the appropriate moments.” She smiled at Ganry for his thoughtfulness.
The hot spa was refreshing on her naked skin and she felt cleaned. If this was some ploy by Ghaffar, then it had backfired on him. It seemed the little man was becoming more daring. It would only be a matter of time before they would be treated as prisoners and no longer guests. She took her time in the hot spa to think on her present situation. Soon, it would be time to act and make their escape, but could they take the Duchess with them?
***
“Your Queen and all of you are in danger,” Perseus informed Ganry as they bathed in the hot pool.
“I knew that the minute we set off.” Ganry was not surprised at Perseus’s words of warning. “What I do not know is what your part is in this, Perseus, because I do not believe it to be that of a guide.”
“I am sworn to protect your Queen and the Duchess, and I am not your enemy, Ganry, of that you can be certain. But I fear it may be too late for the Duchess.” Perseus did not wish to explain his role. What these human’s did not know, they could not repeat. It was better that way.
“Do you know what ails the Duchess?”
Perseus knew very well what ailed the Duchess, but could not divulge this information for fear of jeopardizing his own plans.
“We should ask the Lizard Empress if the Duchess can be moved to her granddaughter’s room. She no longer serves a purpose for the Akkedis in her present state, so I think she will agree to this,” Perseus said. He knew they had almost drained the Duchess dry of her blood juices, and she was very close to death. “Convince the Akkedis Empress that if the Duchess rests with those who she loves, she will make a full recovery and will soon be fit again. This will please the Empress.”
He knew that this would build up her blood supply once again, but the Akkedis seemed unaware that all they needed to do was let the patient rest in between sessions. If he could get them to convey this message to the Akkedis, it may buy the Duchess some time.
“Whatever do you mean, Perseus?” Myriam had been slowly moving over towards the men, hiding her modesty beneath the water. “Are you saying that my grandmother was serving some sort of purpose for the Akkedis?” Myriam was confused at his words.
“Blood!” Linz whispered as he waded through the water in their direction. “The Rooggaru fed from my uncle’s blood. That is how the Akkedis feed.”
“Are you saying that Ghaffar is taking my grandmother’s blood?” Myriam gasped.
“That puts us all in danger then. We’ve all got a good supply,” Hendon said as he also moved closer to the group.
Ganry pointed out the obvious. “In case you have not already noticed, my dear Hendon, we are already in danger and have been ever since we came to this city.”
“That’s what I dreamed about, I remember now,” Myriam recalled. “My necklace stopped them from taking my blood, that’s why it burned at my skin, to warn me.”
“You mean they were in your room?” Ganry was angry with the Akkedis, but more angry with himself as he had checked that room for secret passages. “They did not enter through the door, so there must be another way into your chamber. Tonight, we swap rooms. I’ll be interested to see who’s paying you a visit in your sleep.”
The female Akkedis, Arriba, appeared at the edge of the pool. She again was allocated to the humans.
“It is time,” she said to them. “The Empress is ready to receive you.” She bowed her head.
“Listen,” Ganry addressed the group. “We most not let them know we are aware of this. We are not yet ready to face them down.”
Despite his calm words, Ganry was furious with the Akkedis, angry that they had kidnapped the Duchess, but even more angry that they threatened Myriam. He may be urging caution now, but one day in the not too distant future, these lizards would pay a heavy price for their treachery, and Ganry would personally see to it.
They all nodded their agreement before leaving the baths.
None of the menfolk seemed to be aware that they had climbed from the pool naked, but Myriam stayed in the water. Whilst she had managed to get into the pool, she was now suddenly self conscious of her nakedness. Linz approached the edge of the water with a towel, grateful that these creatures used such things.
“It seems the Akkedis Empress wants us cleaned up before she eats us for dinner,” Linz joked.
Myriam could not see the funny side of his jest. It was just a little too close to the truth.
21
The Queen’s party were led into a new area of the caves, one that they had not seen before. Though it was hard to tell one stone passageway from another, this new area was better lit and had fresher air to breath.
Led into a huge chamber, they all stared in wonder at the glittering walls of crystals. Many rare stones came from these regions so it was not a surprise to see them, but the wall was covered in a shimmering glow of twinkling rainbow colors. It was magnificent.
The tall vaulted ceiling rose so high above them that they could not see where the walls ended. In the center of the chamber on a raised bejeweled dais, sat the Akkedis ruler, Empress Gishja, overlooking her subjects.
This truly was a royal chamber, Myriam thought, and the Empress was a frightening sight for any human. Her scaled body shone with an almost luminous green. The form of her body was eerily human shaped, only more that of a bent old person with a permanently misshaped backbone. The lumpy bone was clearly visible through her thick scaled skin before it merged into a thick, long snake-like tail.
Her feet and hands were adorned with long sharp claws. But it was the face that unnerved Myriam the most. It looked cruel and unfriendly, with wide yellow eyes that never seemed to blink. Her head had high protruding cheekbones adorned with wiry hair, plaited into straight vertical lines. The little pointed chin mimicked a human face, a cruel face, one that had never shown any mercy.
Ghaffar appeared at the side of his Empress and spoke to the new arrivals. “Empress Gishja welcomes the humans into her city, an
d hopes that they will repay her kindness of saving the human Duchess. What do you offer our Empress for such generosity?” he asked, directing his look at Myriam.
“I cannot know what riches the great Empress Gishja is in need of,” Myriam replied. “If my grandmother is allowed to come and share my chamber, where I can care for her, she will soon recover fully and we will not burden the Akkedis Empress with our presence much longer. When I return to my Kingdom, I can send forth any payment the Empress would consider suitable.”
“What if the payment I require is more than you can afford, human Queen?” Gishja hissed.
“You cannot know this until you name your price, Empress Gishja.” Myriam would show no fear, as this she had been well trained for. “I value my grandmother dearly and I am willing to reward you richly for your help in caring for her and keeping her safe.”
“I need no riches, human girl.” Gishja spoke with the hiss of a snake, if a snake could speak.
“Then let us burden you no longer and be off on our way,” Myriam suggested.
“You take my hospitality and run, what sort of a gratitude is that?”
“I will send you a hundred horses so your people may roam the desert lands with comfort.” Myriam stood her ground, staring the Akkedis Empress right into her yellow mesmerizing eyes.
“We have no need of such creatures. We do not eat that which you call meat,” Gishja replied, almost laughing.
“What is it that Empress Gishja requires from the human lands as a reward for her kindness?” Myriam asked.
“I require blood,” Gishja spat out loudly, showing a long forked, black-red tongue. “Can you supply me with this?”
“Indeed I can, Empress Gishja. We have an abundance of livestock in our lands. There are many full bred cattle, pigs and sheep. If this is important to your people, then yes, I can supply such creatures that will give you such sustenance.”
