The boy held out his hand for the bag. Will gave it to him. “Excellent. And what’s your brother’s name?”
“Carmichael Ross Longfellow. He usually goes by Michael or Mike. He told me he was going to the Americas. He likes places that aren’t too busy, so I’d stick with smaller towns in your search.”
Fox Springs smiled smugly. “Finding him won’t be an issue. I’ll send you a message when I’ve completed your task at which time I expect the other half of my payment.”
Will was taken aback. “The other half?”
“Yes, another fifty pieces of gold. Is that a problem? If it is, I’m sure you’ll be able to find someone else.” Fox Springs moved to return Will’s items.
“No, no problem. Another fifty pieces. You’ve got it.”
“I’ll be in touch.” And with that, the boy disappeared.
The scene receded and I found myself in my room at headquarters once more, my head spinning, my breaths coming in shallow gasps. I couldn’t get past the horrible image of my father being beaten senseless by his own brother, who was clearly agonized by his actions that were beyond his control. Trent once told me King Trinnen was better than his brother, Tenebris. I found that extremely difficult to believe after the scene I had just witnessed. Nausea rolled through my stomach. I leaned over the edge of the mattress, afraid I might actually throw up.
After several minutes of deep breaths, I calmed myself down enough to process the images in their entirety. This much was obvious—the bond between my dad and his brother ran deep. Circumstances had forced them apart in various ways, but both still felt loyalty and love for the other. I itched with curiosity as I stared at the letter from my father, which lay on top of my open luggage. I knew I wouldn’t open it, though—not after what I’d just seen. I felt an intense desire to protect both my father and unknown uncle, and that included guarding their secrets.
One more piece of my life’s puzzle also snapped into place—the reason Dad said he couldn’t come back to Cyrus with me. He was banished. He literally could not return as long as Praesidium existed. I also better understood the reasons for his lies. I couldn’t blame him for hating Cyrus. The treatment he received here was abhorrent. Of course he wouldn’t want me to return.
Another interesting moment was meeting Fox Springs. He seemed… sly. Perhaps his name was supposed to be indicative of that quality. How I would have liked to meet him when he was part of the Miners. It was sad to think of him dead now. He was so young.
I flopped down on the mattress, hating myself for jumping to conclusions about my dad. I thought he was afraid to return to Cyrus. I thought he was being a coward. I should have known better—my dad had always been strong, tough, and a fierce defender of what was right. Though I know he was terrified for me to come back here, I also think he’s probably proud of the things I’m trying to accomplish. Though I still regret not leaving on better terms with him, the thought brought some peace to my convoluted heart and mind.
Chapter 23
Restless
The clock ticked slowly through the night. I didn’t catch even a minute’s rest. When it was finally six o’clock, I decided it would be acceptable to wake Trent and tell him about my vision.
I crept down the west corridor hoping not to wake anyone. I approached the wooden door covering Trent’s small room and knocked lightly. A moment later, it swung open to reveal an already dressed and alert-looking Trent. He smiled his charming smile.
“Good morning, gorgeous,” he greeted me.
I blushed slightly. “Good morning. Can I come in?”
Trent glanced behind himself nervously. “Yeah, I guess that’s fine.” He stepped aside to let me through. His bedroom mirrored mine exactly—a mattress on the floor, a wooden chair, and a plastic set of drawers for his belongings, which contained one pair of jeans and two t-shirts. Trent didn’t keep much here since he tried to sleep at home as often as possible.
The door closed behind us, and I instantly understood his nervous behavior. We were alone—completely alone. In a private room. And an hour before anyone expected us to be anywhere. My stomach twisted. That’s not why I was here.
Trent stood at the door, his arms crossed behind his back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in on you,” I apologized. “I just have something I want to tell you before the meeting. It’s about a vision I had last night.”
Trent visibly relaxed as he understood my unexpected appearance. “Sounds interesting. Go ahead and have a seat.” He motioned to the wooden chair. Trent sat on his mattress with his back pressed against the rock wall.
I dove into my visions, trying to remember every detail. The scene in the dungeons was particularly painful to re-live but important for Trent to understand, so I pushed forward, nausea and hatred for King Trinnen turning my stomach.
When I finished, Trent looked surprised. “That’s quite the story. Sounds like there’s a lot about your father you don’t know, but I guess it helps clarify a few points.”
“It definitely raises as many questions as it answers,” I agreed. “Look, Trent, before I left my house, my dad gave me this knife and letter.” I removed the two objects from my pants pocket and held them out. “The knife is the object that held the memories. He asked me to find his brother and get them to him.”
“That would be awesome if you could track him down, Ava. Sounds like something to look forward to once we have this whole mess with Tenebris behind us.”
I didn’t miss Trent’s meaning. He understood I was excited about finding my uncle, but he was clearly saying it was something that should wait. I frowned. “Maybe we should be trying to find him now. He might know something that could help us. He did work for Tenebris after all.”
“Yeah, but so do a lot of guards. The royals have always been careful not to reveal too much to their servants. I doubt he’d know anything that could help.” Trent said it like it was the end of the discussion. I wasn’t ready to give up so easily, but I decided it could wait.
“Fine. Let’s go get something to eat. The meeting will be starting soon.” I stood from the chair and walked out of the room without bothering to wait for Trent, though I could hear he was following close behind.
Breakfast was a quiet affair. I was angry with Trent, and he was obviously frustrated by my anger. We hurriedly dumped our dishes in the sink, and then entered the game room. We sat on the loveseat but at opposite ends of the small couch.
All of the Miners slowly trickled into the room over the next five minutes. Most were quiet, still groggy from an early morning, but Elsie and Katherine were in a heated argument as they entered the room.
“—should just ask Trevor to carve me out my own space. I am so sick of you stealing all of my stuff,” Katherine huffed as she entered the room.
“Go for it! No one’s stopping you. In fact, save him some trouble and just move into his room, why don’t you?” Elsie shouted. “Then I wouldn’t have to be woken up at all hours of the night when you two finally decide to stop making out!”
Katherine’s face went from a deep red to purple as she stuttered for a retort. Trevor—who had been sitting across the room—jumped up and went to Katherine’s side. He put an arm around her and gave Elsie a hard look. Elsie seemed to realize her enormous slip and gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.
“I am so sorry, Kat,” she breathed. “I didn’t mean to— I wasn’t thinking— that was really stupid—”
I glanced around the rest of the room. Surprise was evident on everyone’s faces. So I guess Elsie was simply pretending not to know when I asked her about Katherine’s love life, but the rest of the group clearly had no idea.
“Just shut up, Elsie,” Katherine said, turning into Trevor, her face still bright red from embarrassment. “Let’s sit down,” she mumbled. Trevor took her hand and led her over to the spot where he’d been sitting before.
“Oh come on, people,” Warren said as he walked into the room, Meraki slightly behind him. They were holding
hands. She gave an icy glare in my general direction, so—forgetting my anger with Trent—I slid over and took his hand. He smiled down at me. “This isn’t grade school. Nobody cares who you’re dating. Obviously we have several couples in the room.” He lifted his hand that held Meraki’s and looked pointedly in mine and Trent’s direction. “We can all learn to cope with it. Now let’s get on with the meeting. We have a lot to get done today.”
Warren took his place at the front of the room. With a sigh, I heaved myself off the couch and joined him at the front. I watched as Meraki took the seat farthest from where Trent sat. I was okay with that.
Warren cleared his throat. “As you are all aware, the team has decided to move up our attack on Tenebris.”
“Some of the team, you mean,” Amos grumbled.
“Shut up, Amos.” Jameson chucked a pillow at Amos who took it straight to the face. Normally, that wouldn’t hurt, but with Jameson’s super-strength abilities, it was probably rather painful. Amos stood, red-faced, to retaliate, though I’m not sure why. No one was crazy enough to pick a fight with Jameson. In addition to his super-strength, he had enhanced fighting abilities. Warren looked at them both with raised eyebrows. Amos hesitated, then sat back down with a huff.
“We will attack seven days from today,” Warren continued. “Remember that capturing Praesidium—not necessarily killing Tenebris—is our primary target. However, if any of you do get the chance to take out my dear old dad, go for it.
“There is much to be done to prepare. I’ve spent most of the night drawing up training and observation schedules. Every day leading up to the attack, each one of you will participate in four hours of combative and/or magical training as well as four hours of reconnaissance work. There are several areas around the palace where our existing intel is weak. This schedule,” Warren stood to post a large, poster-sized paper on the wall, “will detail when and where you are expected each day. It also details who is the team leader for each reconnaissance or training session. If you are assigned to be a team leader, you are responsible for the safety of each member of your team. Do not take the responsibility lightly. When the meeting is adjourned, you can look over the schedule more closely. If you are unable to meet these commitments, you will be dismissed from the team, effective immediately. Any questions?”
The expressions around the room were stony. It was obvious most of the group was unhappy with Warren’s leadership style, but I was grateful he was drawing a hard line. Now was not the time for arguments. We needed to get serious and get things done.
“Next item of business,” Warren carried on. “I’m hoping we can come up with some ideas or solutions to this problem as a group. We have not been able to do any reconnaissance work inside the castle. Any previous attempts have been utter failures. I feel it is vital we get a better look at life for Tenebris on a day-to-day basis. I believe this could reveal the key to stealing Praesidium.
“Now, I have a thought. The annual Cyrun Royal Ball is coming up in just three days. As we all know, it’s an important event for those closest to the king. This is likely our best opportunity to penetrate the castle, though security is sure to be even tighter than usual. Any suggestions for how we make the breach?”
The room was silent. Everyone looked at each other, hoping someone might have an idea. Nobody did. Except me.
“I had a vision last night,” I began. “It was about my father’s brother who was a well-respected guard for King Trinnen and then King Tenebris. He left on good terms, and Tenebris specifically said my uncle was welcome back to the palace any time. Perhaps if I was able to find him, I could convince him to help us. I have reason to believe he hates Praesidium and the king as much as we do.”
“Are you insane?” Damion was the first to speak, his blue eyes critical. “It’s way too dangerous to bring in an outsider this close to our date of attack, let alone someone who has served the king for years. He’ll report us immediately. We’ll all be arrested and killed.”
“I agree. That’s crazy,” Teresa said.
“He could be our only chance! He would know loads about the palace schedule, the guards and their rounds, and King Tenebris himself. His knowledge could be invaluable,” I defended.
“You’re so naive, Ava,” Amos said. “Most people in this stupid kingdom are unwilling to lift a finger against the king. What makes you think your uncle would be any different?”
“I think it’s a great idea!” Elsie chirped. Everyone looked at her with the same ludicrous expression they were giving me. Katherine’s eyes burned with frustration. “Ava is totally right. Her uncle would be an awesome resource. Ava is smart—she won’t go blowing every Miner secret the second she walks through her uncle’s door. She’ll play it safe until she has a better idea of where he stands before she gives anything away. Plus, either way, she doesn’t have to mention who we are or where our hideout is. Worst case scenario, she puts herself in major trouble, but we all know she can probably handle her uncle, even with his guard training. I say we let her go for it.”
The room turned to utter chaos with insults being thrown every direction. I gave Elsie an appreciative smile which she returned.
“Enough!” Warren called out. The room grew quiet with several reluctant huffs. “I think Ava and Elsie are right. We will set certain parameters Ava must agree to, of course, but this could be the break we’ve been hoping for.”
“Thank you!” I cried. “I will not let you guys down. I swear to be very careful and not reveal anything about us until I get a feel for my uncle’s loyalties.”
“That’s all good and everything, but we need to decide on specifics that remain a secret no matter what,” Damion said.
“I agree,” Warren nodded. “You may not mention how many of us are part of the Miners or anyone by name, you cannot tell him even a general idea of where hideout is, you cannot reveal anyone’s magical abilities besides your own, and you cannot tell him when we plan to attack. If you can agree to keep all of those details to yourself, you may attempt to find him. Any clue where he may be?”
“I have an idea,” Trent spoke up. “Ava was telling me about her vision this morning. She described a meeting her uncle had after he was released from his service to the king with the Traveler Fox Springs.” The room seemed to grow stiff at the mention of the Miners’ lost member. Trent cleared his throat uncomfortably before he carried on. “She described a statue of a centaur that was visible from the edge of the alleyway. I’m familiar with the place she described. It’s in Cashmere, so her uncle was there not long ago.”
“Yes, my father is from Cashmere,” I said excitedly. “King Trinnen mentioned that. My uncle probably stayed in the province where they grew up.”
“Sounds like a solid lead,” Warren agreed. “Follow it and see where it takes you. Trent, you’ll go with Ava. I can’t give you more than today to try and track him down. I need you, Trent, to help get people to their reconnaissance assignments, and you both need to train with the team, so work quickly.”
“Understood,” I nodded.
“Well get going then,” Warren said impatiently, motioning for us to stand.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you meant now. Ready, Trent?”
“Guess I have to be.” We stood, and he took my hands.
Chapter 24
Cashmere
We appeared in front of a bronze centaur statue with a pool of water at its base, just like I’d seen in my vision.
“You did it!” I jumped and wrapped my arms around Trent’s neck. “I can’t believe I’m going to meet an extended family member! I’ve never done this before. Do you think he’ll like me?” I dropped my arms and stepped back.
Trent laughed and ruffled my hair. “You’re silly. I’m sure if what you told me about your vision is true, he’ll be ecstatic to meet his brother’s daughter. And I’m sure he’ll appreciate a reply from his brother after all this time. You still have the knife and letter, right?”
“Right here,”
I said, patting my pants pocket. I realized it was not the best pair of jeans to wear when meeting family for the first time. They were old and raggedy. My shirt, too, was a bit tattered and rather plain—a simple magenta t-shirt.
“You look great,” Trent smiled, guessing my train of thought. “Stop worrying. Now let’s see if we can figure out where your uncle actually is. The pub is supposed to be the gossip center of town. I’d say that’s where we begin.” He pointed to a dingy looking wood building that stood at the end of the street, passed the long rows of shops.
As we opened the door to the pub, I was met with a distinct sense of familiarity—this was the place my dad and Will had come for drinks. It was as dark and dank as it had been in my vision, with a fire lit in the fireplace, despite the stuffy atmosphere inside.
Trent took my hand and dragged me toward the dirty bar at the front of the pub. We each took a seat and were met with unfriendly glares from the pair of men sitting to the left. The bartender—a portly, balding man with wrinkled skin and a limp in his step—approached us and asked what we wanted to drink. I looked at Trent with alarm. I’d never had a drink in my entire life. Kids back home were sometimes into that kind of stuff, but I had never been interested.
“Two beers would be fine,” Trent answered.
The bartender shuffled a few paces and filled two dirty mugs. I stifled a gag. He slid the mugs down the bar to us without another word.
Trent passed me a drink, which I hesitantly lifted to my nose. Cautiously, I sniffed. Bad idea—it smelled disgusting.
“You don’t have to drink it, Ava,” Trent whispered as he tried not to laugh. “In fact, I think it would be best if neither of us did. We want to be sharp.”
Still, Trent lifted the mug to his mouth, though the level of his drink hadn’t changed when he set the mug back down. I followed suit and pretended to take a sip as well.
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