“There’s a van near the exit,” Karl told them. “Can you make it to level six from here?”
Drake nodded. “Where on level six?”
“Sewage treatment. You’ll find a shaft there that will take you to just outside the city.”
“Then what?”
“That’s taken care of,” Lenora told him. “I have a friend already waiting for us.” She bowed to the officers. “Thank you for your help, all of you. I will not forget it.”
“Just stay safe, Your Highness,” Karl said.
Each man bowed and then turned back toward the lift.
“Are you sure they can be trusted?” Drake asked, once they were gone.
“I’m not sure of anything,” she responded. “But I think if they were going to betray me, they would have done so already.” They started toward the far end of the lot. “My father taught me to cultivate relationships among the rank and file. He said that one day it could prove to be useful.”
Drake recalled Salazar remarking on the very same thing. “Are you sure it’s your brother who is behind this?” he asked.
Lenora looked over to him, her eyes barely holding back tears. “I’m sure.”
They reached the van and Drake surveyed the area. “It looks clear,” he said. “Are you certain you still want to go through with this? Last chance to change your mind.”
Lenora offered no reply. Though she was trembling, he could see a determined set to her face that told him all he needed to know. He simply fired the van to life and pulled from the lot.
He’d been unaware of the shaft that the officer had described. Troi was an old city, built and rebuilt over thousands of years, and the royal guard was pretty thorough about sealing off any old tunnels and passages leading in or out. This one must have been deliberately kept off any schematics, he realized.
Drake glanced across at Lenora. He wanted to speak to her – to somehow bring her at least a measure of comfort – but could not find anything remotely like the right words. From the look of her face, she might burst into tears at any moment. And who could blame her? Very soon she was going to be hunted by her own brother, who had just murdered their father. What could he possibly say to make things better?
After they pulled onto the main highway, it was Lenora who broke the silence.
“I don’t want you to worry about me. I’m not as weak as I might appear.”
“I don’t think you’re weak at all,” Drake told her. “After what has happened, I think you’re handling it pretty well.”
She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek. “Am I? I don’t feel like I am.”
“Believe me, I’ve seen people fall completely apart after suffering much less than you have.”
She gave him a fragile smile and took his hand. “Thank you.”
“For what? It was you who saved me, remember.”
“Just…thank you.”
They drove the rest of the way in silence. Drake could feel the firmness of her grip, the warmth of her skin pressing against his. Even with everything else going on around them, it made his heart race. His love for her had not diminished, not even by a small fraction.
The foul air heralded their approach to the sewage facility, and Lenora instinctively covered her nose. “The shaft is just half a mile east of the plant,” she said.
“Is it guarded?”
“It’s how my brother escaped, so I don’t think so.”
That would explain why it was kept from the records – a secret way out for the royals, just in case. But that meant Salazar would be aware of it and possibly have it watched.
She directed him to a narrow street that came to a dead-end. Here they parked in front of a three-story warehouse. A few people were about, but no one took any particular interest in them as they exited the vehicle. All the same, Drake made sure he kept his hand in the pocket where he had shoved the P37.
They entered the building where a small unoccupied office was set off to the right and a flight of stairs led to the main floor. Aside from a few scattered crates, it appeared to be empty.
“My brother bought this place years back when he first discovered the passage,” Lenora said. “Not even my father knew about it.” She pointed to a door on the right-hand side of the room. “The tunnel is just through there.”
As they moved toward this, Drake caught a movement in the corner of his eye. Without thinking, he shoved Lenora to his back and drew his weapon.
“Would you really shoot me?” a voice said from several yards away.
Standing beside a stack of empty crates was Salazar. He was wearing a loose-fitting black shirt and pants, together with a long red satin jacket.
Drake channeled mana into the weapon, a vicious snarl on his lips. “You think I won’t?”
The prince’s body shimmered from a protection spell. He took a single pace closer. “To save my sister? In an instant; I know you would. But that is why I am here as well – to save her.”
“You murdered our father,” Lenora snapped at him.
Drake sensed the mana surging through her body with ever-increasing force.
Salazar nodded. “And I am sorry about that. I didn’t want it to be this way, but he wouldn’t listen to reason. He refused to see that what I am trying to do will actually save us in the years to come.”
“And what is it you are trying to do…other than kill your sister?” asked Drake.
Salazar looked hurt. “Kill her? Is that what she told you? No, never! I love her.”
“Like you loved father?” Her voice quivered with rage.
“I know you must hate me right now. But it will pass in time. Please. Come home. Don’t force me to hunt you. You know full well there is nowhere you can go. That’s why you didn’t leave with Drake the first time.”
“Before we go any further, I have to know something,” Drake interjected.
Salazar nodded understandingly. “Of course you do. You want to know why I betrayed you. And the truth is, you have no idea how much that pained me. Unfortunately, Xavier was insistent. He refused to allow you to run freely through Vale. He was afraid that if you found out what we were doing, you would cause problems.”
By now, Lenora’s power had built to an almost critical level. Drake could feel it begging to be released. This situation was about to come to a head. “And what exactly is it you are doing?” he asked. “Does it have to do with Hrashast?”
Salazar smiled. “Yes. He told me you had seen the holovid. And in a way, I suppose it does connect. But as you do not know what Hrashast is, explaining would be pointless.”
“I know what it is,” said Lenora.
His smile vanished. “And that, dear sister, is what has put us both in this unfortunate situation. Your admission has left me without options. Now, enough of this. Come home and I will allow Drake to go free. He can return to his life in the provinces. It might be harsh, but at least he’ll be alive. Isn’t that what you want?”
“Let me show you what it is I want, brother.” Her voice was hard as iron. She leaned over quickly to whisper into Drake’s ear. “Together.”
“Together,” he agreed.
The word had barely left his mouth when both simultaneously let loose a ferocious blast of mana. Clearly prepared for such an attack, Salazar quickly waved both hands to bring a disk of white light springing up a few feet in front of him. Normally, this would be a more than adequate shield, and together with the protective spell already cast make him virtually invulnerable. But this was not a normal attack. The prince could never have anticipated the sheer strength of his sister’s rage. The combined power of Drake’s P37 and Lenora’s magic scattered his shield like dust. The streams of mana smashed into his chest, sending him sprawling.
Drake glared down at the prince, who was moaning and clutching at his chest. Though injured, the protection spell had managed to keep him alive...for the moment. He took aim for another shot, but Lenora grabbed at his arm.
“No,” she plead
ed. “Please don’t.”
After a second, he lowered the weapon.
“Thank you,” she breathed.
Drake was trembling with fury. In the heat of that moment, she was almost certainly the only person in Vale who could have stopped him.
Without another word, Lenora set off toward the door, Drake on her heels. Beyond was a short corridor, at the end of which was a steel trapdoor. Drake lifted this up on its hinges to reveal a narrow shaft with a ladder fixed to the wall. He waited for Lenora to enter and reach the bottom before following, closing the door behind him. Dim lights from mana bulbs lit the tunnel. Tubes and wires were fastened to the walls and ceiling. From the look of things, this was an old utility tunnel.
“Do you think he’ll follow us?” he asked.
“No. Salazar wouldn’t want anyone knowing about this place, especially Xavier. If we hurry, we can reach the end before he thinks to send the royal guard for us.”
“How far is it?”
“Quite a long way. It will take us at least six hours.”
“And you are sure your friend will be waiting there?”
She touched his arm. “I’m sure. You are the only person I trust more.”
Chapter Eighteen
The trek was grueling, with uneven ground and steep inclines slowing their progress considerably. Further adding to their difficulties, the air was thick with moisture, making every breath labored and forcing several brief halts.
“You told Salazar you knew what Hrashast means,” Drake said, as they squatted down for their latest stop.
“Yes, it’s a spell known only to the high mages,” she told him. “They use it to keep the land sick. They infuse it into the mana streams.”
“Sick? What are you talking about? I thought the high mages were trying to heal the land, not destroy it?”
Lenora sniffed. “The only thing they care about is holding onto power. They are the ones keeping the land infertile and the people starving. They know that so long as they control the power and food supply, they control Vale.”
“And your father knew of this?”
There was a brief pause, as if she were loath to speak the words. “All kings are told of it once they ascend to the throne. I only found out by accident. If the high mages knew I was aware of their secret, they would have me killed immediately.”
Drake could barely believe what he was hearing. “Your father was a good man. Surely he would have done something about it?”
“Like what? Shut down the power station? Can you imagine what would happen if Vale went dark? Only the high mages understand how it works. They control the mana streams; so they control Vale. The king is little more than a figurehead.”
“But why keep the people hungry?”
“Everything is about dependence and control. If you keep food and resources limited, that keeps the minds of the people focused almost entirely on survival. That way, they cannot see beyond the next day. They do as they are told, never questioning anything.”
Drake considered what he had learned for a moment. Was this the secret that Exodus knew? If so, why hadn’t they already broadcast it to everyone? The answer came to him quickly: no one would ever believe such a story. The people couldn’t allow themselves to. Without the power station, everything they depended on would be plunged into darkness. Utter chaos would quickly follow.
“Is this why your brother ran?” he asked.
“No. He ran because my father discovered what he was planning to do.”
“What was that?”
“After you were exiled, Salazar began conducting studies. I helped him at first because...”
She hesitated awkwardly before adding: “Because I hoped to get word about what you were doing.”
This made him smile despite the terrible things he was learning. “What kind of studies?”
“Food supply, population growth, demographics, things like that. The more Salazar learned, the more depressed he became. I think it finally broke his mind. He started saying to me that the only way for the people to live properly was to empty the provinces. He wanted to kill the entire population outside of Troi. I told father about this.”
“Kill everyone? Are you serious?”
“Quite serious. I don’t know how he was intending to achieve it, but Father must have found out. He told me Salazar had gone completely mad and was planning something truly horrific. Unfortunately, he didn’t give me any details.”
“Well, we need to find out about them soon. He’s king now.”
Drake’s mind was buzzing as they rose to their feet and set off again. Kill everyone? It was completely insane. How could Salazar be considering such a thing? There had to be more. He was sure of it. Something else was behind this. The man he knew would never have contemplated such a foul deed, not in a million years.
He sighed. Then again, he never would have believed that Salazar might betray him, either.
By the time they reached the door to the surface, Drake’s legs felt as though they were on fire. Lenora seemed to be faring better, though he noticed her posture had become slightly bent. After stopping, he reminded himself that Salazar would have recovered some time ago, and if he chose to, had enough time to send royal guards to intercept them. But would the prince be willing to divulge the location of the passage to anyone? That was the key question. They would know the answer to that soon enough.
He gestured for Lenora to wait while he climbed the stairs and listened at the door. It was a pointless exercise. They were still very close to the city, and nothing short of weapons fire would have risen above the ever-present roar and hum of Troi.
Easing the door open, he stepped outside. The tunnel had left them roughly two miles west of the city. Troi’s barrier wall loomed high, behind which its magnificent spires could be seen rising even higher, all the way up to where the mana streams sparkled. Drake saw a service road a few hundred yards ahead. Other than this, just a few small buildings were scattered about, most of them used to store materials for maintenance.
Lenora climbed out behind him, her hands glowing with mana and ready to strike if necessary. Drake scanned the area, but could see no one about.
“Your friend is late,” he remarked sourly.
“I’m not late,” a voice replied almost immediately. It came from behind a stack of cables next to one of the buildings. “I just didn’t want to get shot.”
Drake’s eyes popped wide as Bane stepped into view, a wide smile on his face. He was clad in a blue suede jacket and black shirt. A broad brimmed hat rested casually on his head.
Drake instantly took aim, but was prevented from firing only by Lenora leaping in front of him. “Drake, no!” she shouted. “Samuel is with me.”
He cocked his head. “You know him?”
“Of course she does,” Bane said. He strode up with arms held wide. “I am so very pleased to see you, Lenora. I was just about to come looking.”
Such was Drake’s confusion that for a moment he was unable to speak.
“It would appear our friend is in need of some convincing,” Bane continued. “That’s my fault, I suppose. Our last encounter was a bit…unpleasant. Though I can truthfully say that I never intended to harm you in any way.” He turned his attention to Lenora to give a sweeping formal bow. “Now, how may I serve you, Your Highness?”
“You can start by explaining to me why you tried to kill Salazar,” Lenora responded. “That was not what I asked of you.”
Bane averted his eyes. “I know. And I apologize. But when I heard about his plan, I knew it had to be done. And I knew you would never give me permission.”
Drake turned to face Lenora, his anger reaching its limit. “Someone had better tell me what the hell is going on. Who is he to you?”
Lenora smiled. “I am truly sorry. I’ve kept Samuel’s secret for so long, it didn’t feel right to say anything before.”
“So he works for you?”
“Works? No, far from it.” She placed her hand
on his cheek. “Samuel Freidman – the man you know as Bane – is my cousin.”
Drake glared at Bane, whose smile had grown wider than ever. “Your cousin? This low-life murderer is actually related to you?”
“Drake Sharazi!” Lenora snapped. “That’s enough. Do you hear me?”
Bane raised a hand. “It’s all right. He has good reason to think like that. I wasn’t exactly forthcoming on our first encounter, but hopefully we can now start anew.” He glanced over his shoulder as a trucked passed by. “But not here. I have made arrangements, so if you don’t mind…”
He started toward one of the buildings. “I think you’ll be pleased with our mode of travel.”
As they rounded the corner, Drake stopped short. Waiting there for them was Cal.
“How did you get your hands on her?” he asked, unable to hide his approval.
“The man you sent her to at Grim Lake let me have her,” Bane explained
“Vic just handed Cal over to you?” He had sent her to him for repairs. There were more than ample resources in Troi, and of course there was Dorn, but knowing the situation in Grim Lake, he’d been trying to help the old man out.
“Well, handed over isn’t exactly the way I would put it,” he admitted.
“So you stole her?”
Bane opened the door and slid into the back seat. “I would think you’d be grateful for the trouble I took. It was damn risky for me to go there. Crews are still cleaning up the rubble from our last visit.”
Drake fired the ignition and ran his hands along the wheel. The engine hummed perfectly. He had missed driving her; the exhilaration of feeling the power as he pushed her faster and faster down long stretches of open road was a unique joy.
Lenora cleared her throat. “If you don’t mind, I think we should be going.”
He gave her a self-conscious grin. “Sorry.” Then, just as he started to pull out, he heard Bane chuckling in the back. “What?” he demanded.
“I was thinking how angry Father would be if he knew you had sent her to Grim Lake for repairs.”
The Vale: Behind The Vale Page 22
