Sir Oswyn bowed low again. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
King Brower nodded and then spoke to all of his visitors. “I see represented here many of our most dependable allies: Alleble, Yewland, Acacia, and the surviving remnant of Mithegard-our trading partner from the west. You came to us in our time of great need. Our walls might well have held against Paragor’s thrust. But I fear the enemy would have been patient… content to burn us out. But tell me, how did you know to come? And how did you coordinate your forces so quickly in response?”
King Ravelle stepped forward. “The answer to both questions is the same,” he said. “King Eliam the Everlasting has sent forth his messengers to the four corners of The Realm. All of the friends of Alleble were summoned to form a common army against Paragor’s new threat. The messenger who traveled here returned to us with an account of your siege. It was Kaliam’s decision to send this combined force to swiftly counter Paragor’s strike.”
Queen Illaria came forward and bowed. “Master of the Blue Mountains, Paragor’s army has swelled beyond reckoning. Armies from the far west-Candleforge, Frostland, and Inferness-have taken on the black harness. King Eliam calls for your aid. Will you and your people come?”
“Even had you not rescued us today, bringing a net of fire to snare our common enemy… even then, we would come,” declared King Brower, and his eyes glinted blue. “I will not forget the kindness Alleble has shown the Glimpses of the Blue Mountains through the long years. By King Eliam’s hand the trade routes have stayed open and Ludgeon has prospered. By King Eliam’s wisdom we were able to see that the enemy’s offers of might and wealth were control and decay in disguise. And by King Eliam’s promises we all have a hope beyond this life. In two days, every hammer, blade, and axe will come before the walls of Alleble and offer our service to the one true King!”
The Stone Sentries pounded the hafts of their weapons upon the room’s floor. Others followed suit with their weapons. When the ruckus died down, Mallik approached the throne. “King Brower, the thunder of your hammer still booms!” he said, garnering instant approval from the other Blue Mountain Glimpses. “But Alleble needs more than just our hammers for this scrap. Paragor has new weapons at his disposal, perilous creatures, and a beast whose flame can melt stone!”
Anxious murmurs swept through the hall. Mallik went on. “Alleble’s walls are stout, a match for most any attack. But for this foe, and for this battle, King Brower, Alleble needs new walls crafted by our hands. Walls built from the matchless blue granite of this land! King Eliam will need every hammer, yes, but before that, he needs our craft and our skill to rebuild the walls of Alleble to a might never before seen in The Realm!”
Mallik expected cheers and patriotic clamor, for he knew his people took great pride in their stonecraft. But instead, pained looks were exchanged and troubled expressions appeared. King Brower sat down hard on his throne.
At last, King Brower broke the brooding silence. “Alas, Mallik, kindred of this land, had you asked for anything else, I would have given it freely. But while Paragor’s attack took away relatively few lives, he has yet robbed us. Now it becomes clear that was his plan all along. He had no intent to invade, capture, or conquer. No, Paragor knew that Alleble would need our help to fortify their defenses. Paragor’s attack destroyed all of our wind-carriages and most of our stone-cutting tools. Mallik, we will come to fight for King Eliam, but it will be a year or more before we are able to build new walls.”
18
BEYOND THE GATE OF DESPAIR
W earing the armor of Galdoth and the helmet of Blarrak, Aidan raced through the Blackwood after the other Paragor Knights. They were already mounting their dragon steeds when Aidan burst out of the forest. He stumbled and went over a sudden down slope and crashed with a yelp into the midst of the enemy. Blarrak’s barbed spear clattered at the feet of Drang, the leader of the enemy expedition. Aidan quickly got to his feet and stood up, feeling as if every enemy knight could see right through his disguise.
“It is about time, Blarrak, you sloth!” Drang said, shoving the spear into Aidan’s hand. “We were about to take flight without you! Aye, where is that slowcoach Galdoth?”
Aidan made his throat as rough as he could and spoke deeply. “The bowhawkers!” he yelled. “They shot Galdoth from behind!”
A murmur swept through the Paragor Knights. “Lads,” said Drang as he leaped into his dragon’s saddle, “I think it is time we bid Yewland a less-than-fond farewell. Blarrak, tether Galdoth’s steed to your own. Make haste!”
Aidan waited a few nervous heartbeats as the other knights mounted up, for he didn’t want to accidentally sit in the saddle of a dragon that wasn’t his own. Even so, there were two dragons without riders: a long, narrow dragon the color of red clay, and an ugly, thick-limbed beast with a scarred gray hide. Aidan guessed. He figured Blarrak had been about as ugly as they came, so Aidan took the ugly dragon. He quickly lashed the reddish dragon’s reins to his dragon’s saddle harness.
Drang and the others spurred their dragons and took to the air. Aidan leaned forward in the saddle and pressed his knees into the creature’s flanks. Blarrak’s dragon sniffed at Aidan a few times, but Aidan gave the reins a swift snap, and the winged beast lifted off as well.
Aidan was relieved that he didn’t have to steer his dragon very much. It simply followed the others. They climbed high into the evening sky. The sun soon was swallowed in the cold murk on the western horizon, and Aidan spent the long flight to Paragory in the dark… thinking.
He thought about his mother and Robby. They had both shown encouraging signs before Aidan left for The Realm. But would they take the next step? Aidan wondered. Mom might because Dad’ll get after her. But Robby, who would get after him? He had killed Count Eogan, a servant of Paragor. What would come of that? Aidan shuddered.
Then Aidan’s thoughts turned to Antoinette. How had the enemy captured such a skilled swordmaiden? Antoinette would have fought her way out of-oh, no! he thought. What if she got caught trying to get to Robby’s Glimpse? Then her capture would be… my fault.
Aidan shook his head. Maybe it wasn’t Antoinette who had been captured at all. But that didn’t make sense. This Kearn, whoever he was, had someone from the Mirror Realm imprisoned. Drang’s description made it almost a certainty that it was Antoinette. And King Eliam had directed him to attempt this rescue. As the hours sailed restlessly by, Aidan pondered these things.
Suddenly, the air whooshing around Aidan went icy cold. The great desolate expanse known as the Grimwalk lay below in bleak gray shadows. And the jagged mountains of Paragory came into view. But something was very different. The Prince’s Crown was dotted and streaked with orange like a large piece of firewood, blackened but lit with smoldering embers. Torches! Aidan realized. And they’re moving.
Aidan knew that meant an army, an army of unbelievable size. “Never alone,” Aidan whispered. He reached behind his breastplate and touched the sapling hidden there. What am I to do with you? he wondered. But as Aidan removed his hand, the sapling caught on the rough Paragor armor. The newborn tree tumbled out. A rush of wind tossed it about in the air. Aidan tried to catch it, but all he could do was watch the sapling fall into the murky gray of the Grimwalk.
The dragon riders led by Drang spiraled downward and landed in half-frozen muck outside of two tall arched doors made of some ancient black metal. The Gate of Despair! Aidan shuddered, for he remembered the first time he had encountered that gate.
Drang sounded a large horn. Another horn answered from within, followed by a muffled boom, and the slow rumble of grinding metal. The two massive doors began to open, and from the thin fissure between the doors, harsh red light spilled out. Black smoke began to snake out near the tops of the doors. The knights around him covered their mouths and noses. Aidan followed their lead to avoid drawing attention, then steadied himself and issued a silent plea to King Eliam for strength.
As the opening widened, a wave of horror and revu
lsion washed over Aidan. He constricted his grip on the reins and fought off the violent churning heaves in his stomach. For an odor came forth from the gate. There was the sickly sweet smell of rot, the acrid stench of burning flesh, and something else-foulness beyond the smell of death and decay! It was as if someone had unearthed the bowels of The Realm where many dead things had been buried, and in so doing had released a river of sewage and gore.
Aidan gagged, but somehow managed to keep his stomach. He had to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention to himself.
“Come on, lads!” bellowed Drang. “Lord Kearn will be most anxious for our return!” The opening widened more, and the dragons ambled forward. As Aidan’s dragon drew closer, Aidan shifted uncomfortably in his saddle.
Within the cavern there were hundreds of knights marching purposefully between uncountable racks of swords, barbed spears, wide double-bladed axes, wickedly serrated swords-and scythelike weapons Aidan had not seen before. These had a long wooden staff and at the end bore a long, curved, sicklelike blade.
Dozens of wooden towers stood dormant like silent giants along the sides of the cavern. Each one had wheels at its base, six armored compartments, and an adjustable platform at the top. Next to these Aidan saw row upon row of catapults and tarped wagons full of barrels-These are the siege weapons used against Mithegard!
The ceiling was smoky and filled with jagged stalactites. Hung among them were great chains of iron and odd-looking long cages filled with black dangling moss.
Paragor’s Knights nodded or saluted as the soldiers passed. Drang stopped the caravan and leaned from his saddle to talk with a sentry. This knight raced off into one of the yawning tunnels that ran around all sides of the cavern. The dragon riders began to dismount, and the massive doors shut behind them with a thunderous boom.
Aidan released the reins and slowly looked up to one of the long cages hanging directly overhead, and for several agonizing moments, he could not focus on what he saw. Still staring at the basket, Aidan reeled and nearly fell out of his saddle. For dangling from the basket, with black rotting flesh barely clinging to it, was a skeletal arm.
Aidan staggered down from his saddle and landed with a sickening splatter. He refused to look down at his boots.
“Line up, you louts!” Drang hissed. “Lord Kearn is coming!”
The dragon riders quickly formed two rows of rigidly straight lines. Aidan joined them, barely breathing. From across the cavern, marching with confidence and purpose, strode a tall caped warrior. His hair was long and blond. He carried a massive wide sword in one hand, and in the other what looked like a book.
Aidan knew this warrior. “Robby’s Glimpse,” he whispered. The red glint in Kearn’s eyes made Aidan cringe.
His menacing sword at his side, Kearn strode up to Drang. “What in The Realm took you so long?” he demanded in a very deep, commanding voice with no hint of Robby’s tone or accent. “The Black Breath begins in an hour. We march in three!”
“Lord Kearn,” Drang said with a bow. “We took the time as was necessary. Nothing more. Our errand, as you know, was for Paragor first.”
Kearn closed in and held the blade of his weapon to Drang’s neck. “Trifle me not with your priorities. I know them well enough. Paragor, no doubt, will wonder why you took so long as well. I am certain that he will have less patience for your excuses than I.”
“B-but, Master Kearn,” Drang said. “We have brought back what you asked for. That Baen-Edge miser Ebenezer drove a hard bargain, but ours was harder.” Drang and the others laughed. Kearn sheathed his sword.
“Let me see it,” Kearn commanded. “And you had better hope that you brought back the right one.”
Drang turned to one of the other dragon riders, who handed him a bundle. Drang unwrapped it and handed a beautiful sword to Kearn. “You see, Lord Kearn,” Drang said, pandering to his superior. “The seabird wings on the crossguard, just like you said. The runes, the spiraling banners on the ivory grip. It is the very blade!”
“I misjudged you, Drang. Yes, this is the one!” Kearn exulted. “You have done well, Drang. Very well.”
“You going to taunt her with it, eh, Kearn?” Drang asked slyly.
“What else?” Kearn replied curtly. Drang’s smile disappeared.
Aidan stared at the blade. The Daughter of Light, Gwenne’s sword. Would Antoinette have been given it to use in The Realm? he wondered.
“You will no doubt be wanting your gold,” Kearn said.
Drang shifted and looked back at the other knights. “If it is all the same to you, Lord Kearn, we would like half of the gold we agreed on.”
“Half?” Kearn raised an eyebrow.
Drang swallowed. “Well, sir, we went to the old tree like Paragor commanded, but there was nothing else there. So, uh… we had hoped that you might put in a word on our behalf… to the master, that is.”
Kearn laughed. “You mean you want me to excuse you from Paragor’s rage for your failure to complete his mission?”
“Well, sir, it is in both our best interests,” Drang replied. “Our side errand to fetch the sword might have been the reason we missed whatever was at the old tree.”
“Why, you conniving little wretch!” Kearn hissed. “Dare you threaten to blame your incompetence on me? I ought to feed you all to the firstborn!” Kearn pointed his sword to the dark hollow in the back of the cavern.
“No, please!” Drang pleaded. “I did not mean it as a threat! We would not tell Paragor at first that you sent us on an errand without his leave. It is just that, well… the master is very wise-and persuasive! Sooner or later he would dig the truth from us-unless someone he trusts gives him a reason he will believe.”
Kearn lowered the sword. “Very well,” he said. “I will clear your name before Paragor, and you will get one quarter of the promised gold!”
“One quarter?” Drang exclaimed.
“Silence!” Kearn commanded. “Be content that I give you any gold at all.”
And with that, Kearn turned to leave. Aidan frowned. He had wanted to follow Kearn, hoping that if Antoinette was nearby Kearn would lead him to her. Now Kearn was headed to see Paragor. Aidan had no desire to sneak into the lair of Alleble’s most powerful enemy.
“Oh, one more thing, Drang,” Kearn called out, turning and walking back. “You took a team of eighteen. And yet I count only seventeen who return.”
“It is Galdoth you miss, sir,” Drang replied. “Great lummox lost his weapon-got it stuck in the stump of the old tree, he did. He and Blarrak fell behind after a turn, and then the bowhawkers came upon them! Slew Galdoth with their cursed shafts! Blarrak just barely escaped. Hearing the news, we mounted up and flew home at all speed.”
Kearn strolled over and stood in front of Aidan. “Is this so, Blarrak?” Kearn asked, his voice clipped and tight. “You were nearly slain by the Yewland Braves?”
Aidan nodded. He was thankful for the close-fitting helmet, for it hid his face. Kearn might not recognize Aidan personally, but they all would certainly recognize that Aidan was not Glimpse-kind.
“They missed you?” Kearn said, nodding in an exaggerated fashion. “I find that very interesting. The Braves of Yewland do not often miss.”
Aidan knew he had to say something. Once again, he lowered his voice and tried to speak in the manner of the enemy. “Galdoth fell behind me, black shaft buried deep in his back. I escaped around a bend and tumbled down the hill before they could hit me!”
“I suppose that is possible,” Kearn said. “The archers would have been on the run, firing at a running target. Perhaps when you fell, their fire went awry. But there is something more troubling to me.”
Aidan swallowed.
“You see, our scouts reported that Queen Illaria and her kin had sought refuge within the walls of Alleble. There should not be even a single brave left in that part of The Realm.”
Aidan felt like his blood had turned to ice water. He had no idea what to say.
“No,
you were not pursued by Yewland’s Braves, were you, Blarrak?” Kearn said, his eyes glinting red. “A convenient story-but not especially intelligent. I know what you did.”
19
TWISTED PATHS
A idan gripped Blarrak’s barbed spear so tightly that his knuckles cracked. His other hand drifted slowly to the hilt of Fury. His stomach was tied in knots.
“I guess your game all too easily,” Kearn continued. “You never liked Galdoth much, did you? And this was a perfect opportunity to do something about it. You had Galdoth unarmed, at your mercy. With him out of the way, more gold for all of you. Greedy scoundrels!”
“We did no such thing,” Drang said. “Though it is true none of us liked Galdoth very much… we did not do him in. We found many prints near the old tree. The bowhawkers left a company of braves behind… or maybe more. Perhaps Queen Illaria sent back a company to search the old tree.”
Kearn stared at Aidan, and then backed slowly away. “Say what you wish,” Kearn said at last. “But with a few creative twists of my own, I can use your lame excuse for a story to persuade Paragor to spare your miserable hides.” And with that, Kearn turned and walked swiftly out of the main cavern.
Aidan sighed. Kearn had been far too close for comfort. But in those moments while Kearn had been so close, Aidan had seen the book he carried. He was almost certain it was Antoinette’s Book of Alleble. She must be here, he thought.
Drang and the other dragon riders headed to a dining hall through a descending tunnel on the left of the cavern. Aidan hung back. At the first bend in the tunnel, he left them and ran back to the horrific cavern just inside the Gate of Despair.
The activity level in the cavern had increased markedly: Dragons were being saddled; the catapults and wagons were being wheeled out; and soldiers were arming themselves at the racks of weapons.
Drang had said that Kearn kept his pet in one of the towers. Trying not to be conspicuous, Aidan began making his way around the perimeter to the back of the cavern, searching for an opening that led upward. The first two clearly went down. The next one had a very tall arched entrance. The path beyond went neither up nor down, but rather straight in.
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