The King's Ring (The Netherworld Gate Book 2)

by Sam Ferguson

  As they neared a dune some four hundred yards away from the wall, they collapsed onto it and tried to make themselves blend in. Kelden motioned to Redbeard.

  “Where is the entrance?” Kelden asked.

  “Right where I pointed,” Redbeard replied. “Just up over this hill and in the sand. There is an access grate that drops down into the cistern.”

  “You have got to be kidding me,” Garret said in a whisper. “Kelden, I’m alright climbing over the wall, or even wearing this shirt of leaves for another day if we have to, but I am not about to take a manure bath.”

  “There’s not just manure down there,” Pinhead said as he made a sour face.”

  “Climb the wall if you want,” Redbeard said. “But I will be taking the tunnel. There is a narrow path that will keep us from getting too dirty.”

  “It better,” Sorbiy said. “We can’t very well infiltrate a city if we smell of excrement.”

  Kelden nodded. “You don’t have to come,” he told Sorbiy and Garret.

  “Ah, stuff it,” Sorbiy countered. “If the blaggard is in there, I want him as much as you do.”

  Kelden smiled. “Alright then. Redbeard, on your mark.”

  Redbeard nodded and crawled closer to the top of the dune. “Once I open the hatch, there is a ladder. It goes down to a wooden platform about thirty yards below the surface. There are some torches there. After that, there is a walkway that crosses the cistern that leads into a network of sewer tunnels. Most of them are pretty foul, so be warned that your sense of smell is going to be destroyed for a bit after this.” Redbeard thumbed back to Pinhead. “He threw up last time we were here, and he even had his nose plugged with a clothespin.”

  Pinhead frowned. “Only because I didn’t know the odor was strong enough to taste, and I was breathing through my mouth at the time.”

  “Right, let’s move,” Kelden said.

  Redbeard looked up and waited until the guard atop the wall made it to one of the towers. “Now!” he said. The five of them raced to a small structure that looked as though it might have been a well-made of stone, except that the top was capped with an iron hatch. Redbeard turned the wheel on top and opened it up. No sooner had he done so than a terrible stench assaulted them all. Kelden grimaced and put his hand over his mouth and nose.

  “Maybe climbing the wall would be better,” Sorbiy told Garret. The large man nodded his agreement.

  Redbeard and Pinhead jumped over the side and grabbed the ladder. Seconds later they gripped the outside of the ladder with their feet and hands, sliding to the bottom effortlessly. Kelden was next. Then Sorbiy. Garret was last, and closed the hatch behind them.

  By the time Garret made it down, Redbeard had lit three torches with a tinder set that had been left in the cistern. The dwarf wore a sour, disgusted expression on his face and pointed the way without daring to open his mouth.

  Kelden nodded and gestured for Redbeard to take the lead. The wooden planks creaked and sagged under their weight, but held true as the group crossed over the cistern. The construct spanned forty feet in diameter, and the raw sewage flowed in from four foot tall sewer tunnels that emptied directly into the cistern where the rotting excrement was. The sickly, continual plopping of new waste into the cistern was almost as revolting as the overpowering smell.

  The group pressed on, following Redbeard into the centermost tunnel out of five that drained into the cistern. The humans had to duck into the small tunnels, but the dwarves were able to move freely. A few places were treacherous, as the slab walkway beside the trough of sludge had crumbled away, but for the most part, Redbeard had been correct. The pathway was enough to keep them all out of the waste.

  Other than a few spider webs and a couple of rats scurrying about in the shadows, the group found no sign of any living thing down in the sewers. They walked for about twenty minutes before they turned into a narrower tunnel. This one was dry, but the stench still filled the air from the other tunnel. Redbeard led them to the end. He felt around with his hands for a few moments and then he managed to swivel a portion of the brick wall to the side, revealing another tunnel. The group slipped into the secret chamber, and then Redbeard pulled a lever on the wall. A portion of the wall fell away amidst the sound of clanking chains and grinding gears.

  “Here we are,” Redbeard said proudly.

  The group hastily left the tunnel and sealed up the secret passageway again.

  “We should douse our torches,” Kelden said.

  Redbeard shrugged. “We are in the basement, there are no windows to the outside from here. Some of us can go up and check the house.”

  “You’ve been here before, right?” Kelden asked Redbeard.

  “We’ll go, we know the layout.” Redbeard slapped Pinhead’s shoulder and the two dwarves shed their shirt of leaves before going up into the main house.

  To Kelden’s surprise, he didn’t hear a single footstep from the upper floor. The dwarves moved silently through the house, taking several minutes before making their way back to the basement.

  “Come on up,” Redbeard said. “The place is clear. Looks like it’s been boarded up. So, getting out might be a bit of a challenge, but there are clothes and other supplies we can use.”

  “Excellent,” Kelden said. Let’s get moving.” The group ascended the stairs and Redbeard led them to a bedroom. There were several swords hanging upon a multi-tiered rack hanging on the wall. Kelden went for the weapons while Garret rifled through the wardrobe for a shirt.

  “I might have been better off with the leaves,” Garret said as he pulled a brown tunic over his chest. Kelden turned to see that the bottom of the shirt stopped just above Garret’s bellybutton, and the seams were near bursting along the sides as the tunic was stretched to its limits.

  “We’ll find you a better shirt after we kill the traitor,” Sorbiy promised.

  Kelden nodded and pointed to the swords. “At least there are enough weapons for each of us.”

  Pinhead left the room as the others equipped themselves. He returned several minutes later with a pair of crossbows and four daggers in leather sheaths. “I thought these might help.”

  “Lay them on the bed,” Kelden instructed. “I don’t suppose there is a map of the city?” Kelden asked.

  Pinhead shook his head. “Didn’t see one. I looked around for what I could, but these weapons were all I found.”

  “That’s good enough for now,” Kelden said.

  “What’s the plan captain?” Sorbiy asked.

  Kelden folded his arms and stared down at the crossbows. “There are a few signal towers. We need to take those first. We don’t want to risk being spotted in the streets from above. After that, I will make my way to the governor’s mansion. My bet is that is where Tehrigg will be.”

  “We know where the towers are,” Redbeard said. “Been here a few times with our trading caravans. We can point them out.”

  Kelden nodded. “We don’t need to take all of them, just the ones closest to the governor’s mansion.”

  “You going in alone?” Sorbiy asked.

  Kelden nodded again. “I have done this sort of thing before. I can handle myself. You four just make sure that no one can light a signal fire or ring a bell.”

  CHAPTER 17

  Two Shausmatian guards sat at a table in a tall tower two blocks away from the governor’s mansion. Their shift was almost over, and they sat playing a game of dice as the first bits of silvery light from the dawn started to rise in the east.

  “The night is quiet,” Jok said.

  “Every night is quiet around here,” Gek replied dryly. “At least it’s almost over. Cast the dice already, it’s your turn.”

  “You know I have to blow on them first.” Jok blew on the red dice and shook his hand vigorously. He threw the cubes onto the table and watched as they rolled.

  “Hah,” Gek shouted. “You rolled nine, I win.” Gek reached out and took the copper coins from the table, but Jok said nothing. “Oh don�
��t be a sore loser,” Gek urged with a chuckle. He looked up at Jok, but his mouth fell open in horror. Jok’s head hung limply to one side and the rest of his body was motionless against the back of the chair. The back of an arrow shaft protruded from his temple.

  Gek jumped down from his chair and crawled. In the center of the tower stood a large brazier filled with heavily oiled wood and held up by metal legs. Beside it was a torch with a flame that waved in the gentle breeze. Gek knew he had to reach the torch and light the signal flame. He made his way to the torch and reached a hand out for it. An arrow flew under the side rail of the tower and pierced through his forearm. Gek cried out and writhed on the floor in pain.

  The hatch opened up in the floor and out jumped a stout dwarf wearing an oversized tunic that was torn short to fit the dwarf’s waist.

  “God’s be merciful,” Gek whispered in horror.

  The dwarf stepped forward and placed the tip of his sword on Gek’s neck. The Shausmatian soldier shut his eyes and waited for the sword to end his life.

  “Where is Tehrigg?” the dwarf asked.

  Gek opened his eyes slowly and turned to regard the dwarf. “In –in th –th –the manor,” Gek sputtered.

  “How many Zinferth soldiers are held in the dungeons?” the dwarf pressed.

  “I dunno,” Gek said hesitantly. The tip of the sword pressed into his flesh enough to remind him of his predicament. “Alright,” he protested with his hands up. He looked up at the dwarf that held the blade on his neck. “Alright,” Gek said again. “Most of them were killed when we took the city, but there were some survivors. There were also some loyalists that we captured later and put in the dungeons with them.”

  “How many of them are there?”

  “I’m not sure, maybe a couple hundred. A lot of the prisoners have been executed as examples for the other citizens. Tehrigg ordered it.”

  “And you said he is in the manor, is that correct?”

  “Yes, a few of the other officers are there too, and some guards as well,” Gek offered hastily, backing his neck away from the sword at his throat.

  “When you captured the soldiers and the loyalists, where did you put their weapons?”

  “There is a room on the upper floor of the dungeons, the interrogation room. The weapons and armor were thrown in there.”

  “That’s rather convenient,” the dwarf said. “Thank you, that’s all I need to know.”

  The sword plunged in.

  *****

  “Sir, a falcon has arrived from Valiv,” a young squire announced from the entrance to the library.

  “A falcon at night? What seal does it bear, boy?” Tehrigg asked.

  “It bears Simon Tellwelle’s seal,” the squire replied.

  “Bring me the letter,” Tehrigg ordered as he stared into the crackling fire from his position in the high backed chair. The squire hurried into the room and knelt before the general, holding the letter up. Tehrigg took the letter and broke the wax seal. His cold, blue eyes scanned each line carefully.

  “Summon my lieutenants,” Tehrigg ordered.

  “Sir, it is not yet dawn. Surely they will still be sleeping,” the squire protested.

  “I know what time it is boy, wake the lazy dogs and bring them to me at once!” His eyes flashed ice as he glared down at the squire.

  “As you say,” the boy replied as he ran from the room.

  “The gods take that cursed king,” Tehrigg spat. He poured himself a glass of wine and sipped it for a few moments as he waited for his chief officers to arrive. After a short while all of the officers entered the room, one of them still fussing with his uniform and yawning from sleep. The squire entered behind them and looked to Tehrigg for further instructions.

  “Is there anything else, sir?” the boy asked.

  “Go to your quarters, boy,” Tehrigg replied sharply. “This is men’s business.”

  The boy left and closed the door behind him. Tehrigg rose from his chair and turned it around to face the officers, and then sat back down. There were no other places to sit, so all of the officers were forced to stand in a semi-circle around Tehrigg as they waited for what he had to say. The general looked at each of them with hard eyes.

  The words of Captain Vald had left their sting on the general. His mood of late had been very foul, and he was becoming more curt with the men under his command almost by the second. He wondered who else might share the opinion of him that Captain Vald had expressed. Despite his officers’ frequent reassurances to the contrary, Tehrigg found himself distrusting the men before him.

  “As you know, I recently sent dispatches to King Sarito after we were visited by Captain Vald. I was concerned that perhaps the king has forgotten the urgency of matters here.” Tehrigg reached behind him and grabbed the bottle of wine. He watched the faces of his officers closely as he drank the cool, dark liquid. “It appears that the king believes that peace is close at hand. As you recall, Vald was to offer a treaty upon his victory at Kobhir.”

  “You think this unwise?” one of the officers spoke up from the left.

  “I do,” Tehrigg said simply.

  “These people are our neighbors, our brothers,” the same officer said. “We should offer them peace as quickly as possible so that we may resume peaceful relations with them. Trade has suffered much lately.”

  “Are your services for sale?” Tehrigg accused the officer coldly. “You would turn aside the blade of vengeance just to restore the fat merchants to their trade routes?”

  “I beg your pardon, sir, but it seems interesting that you ask me if my services are for sale when you are the turncoat.”

  The room fell silent. The other officers stood rigid, unmoving and hardly breathing. Tehrigg rose to his feet, glowering at the young officer. His eyes shone fiercely in the light of the fire and his face seemed almost demonic as the light and shadows played upon his hard features.

  “Make no mistake,” Tehrigg growled. “I also want peace, but I want true peace. I think it unwise to do nothing while enemies sharpen their swords and build armies. If we sue for peace now, Zinferth will rise again. They started this war without cause. That is why I serve your king now. The best way to serve my people is to bring about a true peace and punish the queen who would use her armies as toys in a game.”

  “Ah,” the young officer replied, meeting Tehrigg’s glare with a ferocious one of his own. “So you are not a craven man bent by greed and the prospects of easy money or titles then?”

  Tehrigg slammed the bottle at his feet and charged the officer. Others tried to stop him, but he pushed them aside and went for his blade. The young officer had no blade, but he stood firm and held his ground.

  “This is madness!” another officer shouted as the others still grabbed and pulled at Tehrigg.

  “Madness?” Tehrigg growled, wheeling about. “This is sedition!” The general shook off the others and threw his blade to the ground at the young officer’s feet. “Pick it up,” he commanded.

  “Sir, this is unwise,” another officer said.

  “Be silent, all of you. I know you think I am a coward, I can feel your eyes on my back. Now I will show you the truth of it.” Tehrigg removed his long knife from his belt and tossed it into his chair. “There,” he said with a wave of his arms. “Now I have no weapon. If you think me a craven man, then pick up the sword at your feet and let me prove my mettle to you.” The other officers backed away silently. The young lieutenant stood defiantly, but he did not pick up the sword.

  Tehrigg approached within a few feet of the lieutenant and held his arms out wide to the side. He stuck his chin up, exposing his neck before the young officer. “Go on,” he said. “Take the sword and spill my blood if you are so disgusted by me.”

  “No,” the lieutenant said decisively.

  Tehrigg balled up his fist and pounded the young officer with a savage right cross that sent him to the floor. “Get out,” Tehrigg growled. “I will expect your apology in the morning. You will ret
ract your words from tonight and swear fealty to me, or I will have you in the stocks until your eyes fall from their sockets and the crows feast upon your rotting flesh.”

  The young officer slowly rose to his feet and sulked out of the room. The fire was gone from his eyes. Only fear and shame remained.

  Tehrigg picked his sword up and slid it back into its scabbard. “The rest of you will do well to remain silent until I have finished explaining this letter. Then we will return to our beds for the night.” The other officers bowed their heads and waited for the general to seat himself.

  “As I was about to say, Councilor Tellwelle has held several meetings with the king lately to discuss the matter of peace. It has been decided that after the war is over, we will continue to station troops throughout this region and occupy the cities. Queen Dalynn and her family will be dealt with by trial, and Zinferth will be no more. Simon Tellwelle has informed me that after the war is over, I will be appointed as the governor of Kobhir, with eight thousand men under my control to maintain the king’s peace throughout the land. Councilor Tellwelle will also be transferred to Kobhir. He will be charged with governing all of the lands that previously belonged to Zinferth. This will assure a smooth integration of the two lands as they become one empire, under His Grace, King Sarito.”

  “So we will become one nation again?” one of the officers asked.

  “We shall build a nation like that of King Dailex,” Tehrigg confirmed.

  “No doubt, you will be looking for faithful lieutenants to help in your future duties,” another officer surmised.

  “If any of you have a desire, and prove yourselves loyal to me and the crown, then I would be happy to submit your names to Councilor Tellwelle. I am certain there will be many offices opening up in the new government. There is much work to do, and many preparations to be made, but it will be worth it. We will have an everlasting peace, and the glory of the new empire shall overshadow even the songs of legend.”