The Shadowed Land

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "Thank you, but I think I'll pass. Just point me toward the potion maker."

  "Things don't work like that around here." He took a threatening step toward her.

  She pointed her sword at him. "Don't take another step."

  He grabbed the blade of the sword with a gauntleted hand and yanked it out of her grip before flinging it across the street. She tried to scramble toward it, but his hands fastened around her arms and he tackled her to the rocky ground. When had she become so slow and weak? Had her travels tired her that much?

  "You ain't going anywhere." He held a dagger to her throat and pinned her beneath his knees. "If you resist, I'll slit your throat. Don't care if you're dead or alive." He smiled wickedly. "Though I do like a good fight sometimes."

  Nadia spat in his face, earning herself a blow to the head. Pain lanced through her head, and for a moment, she thought she'd pass out.

  "We'll have none of that," he said. "A lady does not spit at a man."

  "And a man should not rape a woman. That doesn't seem to stop you." Nadia was amazed at the strength in her words. She'd never imagined she'd be in a situation like this. It should have been terrifying, but instead she felt only anger. This man deserved to die.

  "A man has needs," said her attacker. "It's up to you. You can lie back and enjoy it, or you can fight me. I'd recommend the first choice."

  It might have been the smarter option, but Nadia would not sit here and let this man rape her, not without a fight. She felt tears streaming down her face and cursed herself for shedding them. It was no time for weakness.

  But what about Markus? If she fought against this man and he killed her, she would never have a chance to heal Markus. Maybe it was better to let the man have his way.

  But there was no guarantee he wouldn't kill her anyway.

  Still pinning her to the ground, he began to rip at her clothes. He tore her shirt and pants as he pulled them off. Her heart thudded in her ears. She tried to wriggle free, but he was too heavy, and she was too weak. Her arms and legs were pinned beneath his weight.

  He ripped off her undergarments, tearing them in the process, and she felt horribly exposed.

  "Please, stop," she said, but it came out as a pitiful whimper.

  The man grinned. "Oh, I have no intention of doing that."

  Nadia closed her eyes, accepting the inevitable.

  "Leave her alone."

  She opened her eyes to see a large man standing over them. He wore the red surcoat of an Imperial Guard commander. His hair and beard were red, and there was something familiar about him. Maybe it was only the fact that he was an Imperial Guard.

  "Just having a little fun," said her attacker.

  "And I have no problem with that," said the Imperial Guard, "as long as she's having fun too. Doesn't look like that's the case here." He glanced down at Nadia. "You weren't having fun, were you?"

  "No. He was about to rape me." She got to her feet shakily.

  "I wasn't gonna hurt her," said her attacker.

  "You were holding a knife to her throat. Forgive me if I don't believe you." The Imperial Guard took a step toward him. "It's time to do something I should've done a long time ago."

  Her attacker's eyes went wide. "No! Please!"

  With the quick, controlled movements of a professional, the Imperial Guard plunged his sword through the man's chest. The man's face contorted in pain, and he let out a quick gasp before falling limp.

  The Imperial Guard removed the sword. "He won't trouble you again."

  "Thank you," Nadia said, tears streaming down her face. She wrapped her arms around her breasts and held her legs together as if that could hide her nakedness.

  The Imperial Guard noticed her embarrassment. He removed his surcoat and wrapped it around her. It was long enough that it covered everything that needed covering.

  "I'll find you some better clothes. Looks like yours are nothing but rags now."

  "Why are you helping me?" Nadia asked.

  "I'm the law here. It's my job to protect people like you. I can tell you don't belong here. I'm the commander here, so I see every prisoner when they're brought in. You aren't one of them. I have no idea how you got in here, but you need to get out as soon as possible."

  "I can't do that," Nadia said. Her legs were trembling so much she could barely stand. "I came here to find a potion maker. He's the only one who can save the man I love."

  "I know of this potion maker. Come with me and I can take you to him."

  Nadia grabbed the potion recipe from her ruined clothes. Then, holding the Imperial Guard's surcoat tight around her, she began walking beside him. "Why do I feel like I've seen you somewhere before?"

  He looked away. "No idea. Let's go find the potion maker."

  Chapter 43: Faces from the Past

  Nadia went with the Imperial Guard to the small building he called home. Still, she thought there was something familiar about him. Looking at his face made her feel angry, though she couldn't figure out why. He'd just saved her life. Why would she be angry?

  "You never told me your name," she said as they stepped through his door.

  "Oh, sorry. Must've been distracted. Name's Alten."

  The name meant nothing to her at first, but then she remembered. Her mother had mentioned the name in passing. Alten Ross used to be the highest-ranking Imperial Guard commander in Crayden. The implications of that revelation swept through her like wildfire.

  She recognized his face, his red beard. He'd been there when her mother was arrested.

  He'd swung the axe that killed her.

  Nadia stopped a few feet into the house, overcome by a sudden rush of emotion. She took a few steps away from him, trying to hold back tears.

  He must have noticed her apprehension because he frowned at her, looking confused. "Something wrong?"

  She took a breath. "I know who you are."

  "Oh."

  "Is that all you have to say?"

  He ran a hand through his beard. "I was hoping you wouldn't figure it out."

  She took a few more steps away from him. How could she put any trust in the man who'd killed her mother? This man was not a simple Imperial Guard, not a warden of the Prison City. He was a man who'd had power in the Imperial Guard ranks, a man who'd let countless horrible deeds take place under his watch. It didn't matter that he'd saved her life.

  "I'm sorry, Nadia," he said. "I doubt you can ever forgive me."

  She took another step back, running into the wooden wall. "Wait. How do you know who I am? I never told you my name."

  "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but Warrick told me you'd be coming and I should look for you because you needed my protection. I don't know how he knew this or why he'd want to protect you, but that's what he told me."

  To his credit, he had stayed where he was instead of stepping toward her.

  "Then what you told me before was a bunch of lies?" she asked. "You said your duty is to protect people like me. But would you have protected me if Warrick hadn't told you to?"

  "Yes, I would have. No matter what you might think of me, I am not a bad man."

  "You killed my mother!" she said, rage welling up inside her. How dare he speak to her as if he could be forgiven! But as quickly as the anger had come, it disappeared. She felt suddenly weak, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

  "I'm sorry."

  "Are you really?" she demanded.

  He ran a hand through his beard again. To her surprise, he looked truly anxious. Did he care what she thought of him, or was something else going on here?

  "I am truly sorry," he said. "The day after you lost your mother, I was transferred to this place. Here, I've seen the dark side of Warrick's empire. I always believed in what I was doing as an Imperial Guard, but I can't believe in this. This place is cruel. Disgusting. I've made it my mission in life to protect those who don't belong here. People like you."

  This time, Nadia believed him. She could see the pain behind his eyes when he
spoke of this place. How could anyone see the savagery of the Prison City without wanting to change it? Perhaps the man had changed since the day he'd killed her mother.

  "Then you no longer support Warrick?" she asked.

  "I support protecting people in this place. I learned long ago that it's better not to worry too much about right and wrong when it comes to Warrick." He ran a hand through his beard once again. "That's part of the reason I became an Imperial Guard in the first place. I wanted to do the best I could for the people of the Empire."

  "But you didn't change anything."

  "I know that now," he said. "I learned quickly that even a commander has little power to change anything. Sure, I could keep my men in line, but in the end, Warrick was giving the orders. If I didn't carry them out, somebody else would have. That doesn't mean that everything I did was right. That doesn't excuse some of my actions. I know that."

  Again, Nadia believed he was telling the truth. It seemed as if he were releasing a burden he'd carried for a long time. She was surprised to find a little forgiveness in her heart.

  "I'm not sure I can ever forgive you," she said.

  "And I don't expect your forgiveness." He gestured toward a wardrobe at the other side of the room. "Now why don't we find you something better to wear? Everything in here will be too big for you, but it's better than walking around in just my surcoat."

  He pulled out some clothing from the wardrobe. It was too large for her. She'd have to roll up the pant legs and shirt sleeves, and she'd need a tight belt. He handed her the clothing, a simple tan tunic and matching pants.

  "I'll step outside while you change," he said.

  Nadia found herself appreciating that gesture. He'd already seen her naked, so he didn't have to do that. In truth, she never would have expected an Imperial Guard to be so courteous toward her—least of all the Imperial Guard who'd killed her mother.

  She changed quickly, then called him back inside. Though she had to look ridiculous in his oversized clothing, she was glad to be wearing something.

  "Before we go to the potion maker," he said, "I have to take you to meet someone else."

  "Who?"

  "You'll see."

  Nadia didn't have the energy to argue. She wouldn't survive in this place without Alten's protection, so she had to do whatever he wanted. A scary thought, but at least he didn't seem like someone who would take advantage of her. If he'd had cruel intentions, he would have shown them by now. No one was that good an actor.

  She followed him through the narrow streets of the Prison City. A few prisoners watched them, but no one threatened them. They seemed to fear Alten. Even at his side, however, Nadia didn't feel safe. If the prisoners chose to attack in great numbers, they could overwhelm him.

  Nadia and Alten walked a few streets away, then stopped before a rundown building. It was smaller than Alten's home, so small it could scarcely be called a home.

  Alten knocked on the door, and it opened about thirty seconds later. When Nadia saw the person who answered the door, her mouth fell open in shock. She had to rub her eyes. Though his beard had grown out a bit, there was no doubt.

  It was Garet.

  "Nadia!" he said breathlessly. "What're you doing here?"

  "I'm looking for a potion maker. I need him to heal Markus. How did you end up here?"

  "Well, after the Imperial Guards captured me in the sewers, they sent me here instead of executing me. They didn't even torture me, though it seemed like they wanted to. I think Warrick must've given them specific orders regarding me. Don’t know why."

  Nadia turned to Alten. "How did you know that I knew Garet?"

  "Warrick told me."

  But why would Warrick want Nadia to reunite with Garet? Why would he choose to spare Garet, just as he'd chosen not to kill Nadia and Markus? She was missing something, and she hated to think that Warrick was controlling her life.

  "You do know what we tried to do?" Nadia asked Alten. "Don't you?"

  "Yes, I know that you tried to kill Warrick."

  "And that doesn't bother you?" Nadia asked.

  "I'm not even sure I support Warrick anymore. I've seen too many horrible things to believe that he always has everyone's best interests in mind. I'd never actually try to kill him myself, even if I thought I might succeed, but I don't blame you for trying."

  "You're not at all what I expected from an Imperial Guard," Nadia said.

  "We're not all alike."

  Nadia knew that all too well. Once, she could have killed any Imperial Guard without a second thought, but now she'd seen good Imperial Guards. The world was more complicated than she'd once thought.

  After a few moments of awkward silence, Garet said, "Let's find this potion maker."

  Alten nodded his agreement, and they ventured deeper into the prison city, passing people who watched them warily. Nadia doubted she'd ever forget the images of this place. The dirt. The frayed clothing. The dead looks in everyone's eyes.

  "Are there other Imperial Guards here?" she asked. "You can't be alone."

  "No, I’m not alone," Alten said, keeping his eyes on their surroundings as they crossed a street covered in trash. "We've got a good contingent of Imperial Guards around here. There's even a garrison at the north side of the city."

  "Why don't you live there?" she asked. "Isn't it dangerous being on your own?"

  "I don't live in that small house most of the time. It's just a place where I've got some of my belongings. It was closer than the garrison, and I figured you wouldn't want to go there."

  She chuckled almost silently, knowing she couldn't argue with that.

  "We also have some of the prisoners acting as protectors around here. There are a few of 'em we can trust. People like Garet. It's not as lawless around here as it looks." He shook his head slowly. "Just wish Warrick would send a few more supplies our way. These people might be criminals and enemies of the Empire, but they don't deserve to starve."

  A few minutes later, they stopped before a building larger than most in the Prison City.

  "This is where the potion maker lives," Alten said.

  Nadia pulled the potion recipe from a pocket in her tunic, then knocked on the door. There was no answer. She waited awhile, then eased the door open. The room inside was dark and full of all kinds of junk. Strange smells hung in the air, both spicy and sulfurous, tickling her nostrils.

  She made her way through the cluttered room, taking care that she didn't knock anything over. Something was bubbling in the distance, and she thought she saw a shadow move. Her chest felt tight. She didn't like intruding upon the potion maker like this.

  When she reached the center of the room, she found a large cauldron in which some green liquid gave off a foul smell like rotten eggs. She gagged and pulled the collar of her tunic over her nose.

  "Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?"

  A door to her right opened, and a man stepped through it. She'd expected an old man, but he looked to be about forty years old, with long dark hair and a few days' growth of beard. His clothes were frayed and patched.

  "You need something?" he asked.

  "I need a potion to cure the man I love. Here's the recipe." She handed the book to him.

  He frowned as he examined the recipe. "This is an old one. He suffered from a snake bite if I'm not mistaken. This'll take me about a day to brew."

  "That's all right," Nadia said, though she'd hoped she might get out of here sooner. "How much is it going to cost me?"

  "Nothing. You're in need of a potion. I can make it for you. The knowledge that I've saved a life is payment enough."

  "Thank you," Nadia said. "You don't know how much this means to me."

  "Come back this time tomorrow. It'll be ready."

  Nadia thanked him again, then rejoined Alten and Garet outside. She told them how long it would take, and then they started back toward Alten's place. As they walked, Nadia couldn't help but notice that people were watching them. Her stomach churned
.

  The arrow came out of nowhere.

  Nadia ducked when she felt it fly past her ear. When she looked up, the arrow was lodged in Alten's neck. He clutched at the arrow, eyes wide in shock, as blood flowed down his neck.

  "No, don't pull it out!" Nadia said, but the warning came too late. Alten yanked the arrow out of his neck, and his blood flowed more freely. He staggered a few steps, then hit the ground.

  A man approached from the right, holding a bow. "He shouldn't have killed my friend."

  The man turned away without another word.

  Garet bent low over Alten, applying pressure to his neck, but it was a losing battle. There was only one chance. She raced back into the potion maker's shop, finding him working on her potion already.

  "You need something else?" he asked.

  "Some kind of healing potion. Something for blood loss."

  "I'm sorry. I don't have anything prepared."

  By the time Nadia returned to Alten, he was dead, so the potion wouldn't have mattered. Nadia stared at his body in horrified silence. She'd felt no real connection to him as a person, though she did appreciate what he'd done for her.

  But now she was in real trouble. Without Alten, she had no way of escaping the Prison City. None of the Imperial Guards would believe that she wasn't a prisoner.

  She turned to Garet. "Any idea how we might escape this place?"

  "I've been trying for weeks. I've got nothing."

  Chapter 44: Prison Break

  Ander paced in the common room of the Taylorville inn where they'd taken up residence. He couldn't sit around here and hope for news of Nadia. He'd always been a man of action, and that wasn't going to change now.

  "Nadia has to be in the Prison City," he said.

  Mara poked at a bowl of oatmeal. "How can you be sure?"

  "I can't be sure, but it makes sense. We have to get inside."

  "You want us to break into the Empire's most secure prison?" Dave asked. "I'm not sure this is what I meant to do when I joined you. I want a chance to defeat Warrick. While I liked Nadia, I don't know if she's worth this much risk."