Elijah couldn’t suppress the shout that came out of his mouth. “Merrick!” Everyone froze for a split second as Merrick turned to fight the new opponent, and the thief looked directly at him. Hopping out of the tent, Eli’s hands started to sweat from the nerves.
As they locked eyes, Eli moved forward, leaving the tent behind and stepping into the light of the fire.
“Do I know you?” The thief asked. “No, how silly of me. Are you going to give me the gold or not?”
Eli cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “Never,” he shouted, taking three flying steps towards him, sword raised. The twang of the swords vibrated through his hand, but he did not give up. Thrusting his sword forward again, he lunged for the thief’s gut, catching it with the point. He swiped right, and the thief cried out in pain. Not wanting to slow down, Elijah kept up with the attacks and the strength in his arms until eventually he bashed the thief to the ground. As he turned to walk away, the thief grabbed hold of his legs and he fell.
“You think a minor cut to the stomach and a few good hits are enough to get me? You lit...”
The thief’s words were cut short. As Eli rolled over onto his back, he saw Jaxon stood over the body, foot pressed against his back, pulling out his sword.
He held out a hand to Elijah and helped him up. “You fight well. Merrick’s training can be brutal, but it’s worth it.”
Melvin sniggered and wiped the blood from his sword on a spare rag.
“That’s enough. Let’s bury the dead and get to the castle in one piece. Elijah, go check on Maevine and then you both need to get some sleep.” Merrick grabbed the feet of the nearest thief and trudged off into the night, leaving Elijah’s mind to run wild with questions.
5
Castle Tour
The castle was like nothing Elijah had ever seen before. Compared to the small dusty stone buildings in Rheanydd, the building’s exterior was hard on his eyes. It comprised grey stone and glass windows that ran from floor to ceiling. Some towers in the background were in disrepair, while others looked newly built. Old and new sections aligned in architectural parallel.
Jaxon and Melvin called a halt as they reached the gates, but Elijah took note of his surroundings. Castle Aebarrow was close to the surrounding villages, yet also secluded. The nearest settlement was only an hour’s ride away, which was close to the castle for people to journey there. A glint of light caught his eye as the golden gates opened. Sounds of the metal screeching open mixed with the sound of running water causing Elijah to look to the river. A few fish jumped through the flow of water, and as they waited for permission to pass through, Eli strained for a look further inside.
“Welcome back, Commander,” the guard on the left said as they moved the horses forward through the gate. Looking up, he noticed the mix of uniforms standing around. Most of the guards had the standard uniform, a mixture of fabric and chain mail in dark grey. Elijah imagined they blended into the night easily. Others wore different variations. Must be some sort of ranking system.
“They would never normally welcome us back like that,” he heard Melvin snigger.
Eli looked to Maevine, whose focus was on the right hand side. A smile crept across her face.
“Stables are just up here.” Jaxon pointed just off to the right, completely ignoring Melvin’s comment.
Merrick’s brother led them up a path to the left. Looking around, Elijah could see that the colour of the stones didn’t match. Maybe they had parts of it rebuilt? As a faint scorch mark caught his attention, he felt a pulse of pain through his forehead. Memories trying to resurface. An image of flames flashed through his mind. Blinking hard as he shook his head, Eli tried to stop the flames in his mind from consuming him. Looking back at the gate, Elijah saw that there were four guards, two on either side of the gate at the top and another four on the bottom. His feeble attempt at trying to refocus his mind seemed to work, and the pain subsided a little. Enough for him to realise they had reached the stable doors.
A few members of staff came out to greet them: an older gentleman dressed in a white shirt with brown trousers and a waistcoat, a woman dressed in riding gear and a boy who Elijah assumed was a stable hand. Jaxon dismounted first, throwing his horse’s reins at the stable boy and running towards the woman. He picked her up and swung her around, her red hair flowing behind her in the wind. Maevine also dismounted and ran towards her too. Melvin dismounted and walked straight up to the stall and led the horse in, sneaking it a few mints before closing the gate.
“Merrick, it’s good to have you home,” said the old man, opening his arms ready for an embrace as Merrick dismounted.
“Esmond, is that you, old man?” Merrick accepted Esmond’s invitation for an embrace and hugged him. “It’s been too long.”
“Almost eleven years, Merrick,” laughed the lady with Jaxon. “Far too long to not see my brother-in-law.”
“Aelea, I’m glad to see you again. You look beautiful, as always.” Merrick hugged her and stepped back. “I see where Maevine gets her looks. I’m glad it’s not from my brother.”
Aelea shook her head with a grin. “She’s got his temper and determination to succeed though.” Her hand snaked around her daughter’s shoulders and they smiled at each other.
Watching the reunion made Elijah feel a little awkward, so he dismounted and led Keela up to where Melvin was while Merrick reacquainted with his family. The guard gave his horse a carrot while Eli gave Keela some more mints. Once she’d finished, he shut the stall behind her, leaving her in the hands of the stable boy.
“This is Elijah, my nephew.” Merrick stepped back and invited Elijah to join them. He smiled and nodded his head in acknowledgement to Aelea. She grabbed Elijah’s hand and kissed the back of it.
“Wonderful to finally meet you... Elijah.” She smiled, and her eyes glanced towards Merrick as she spoke his name. “It’s good you see you, both of you, back in Adelith.”
“Right, Merrick, we better get you inside to see King Roderick.” He turned to Elijah.
“I’ll take Elijah to his room,” Maevine offered.
“Perfect, we will come and get you for dinner.” Jaxon and Merrick left the stables, while Aelea turned to put the rest of the horses into the stalls. Maevine grabbed Elijah’s hand and pulled him in the direction his uncle had left.
“So,” she said. “What do you want to do first?” She brushed her flyaway hair back. Her blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail and in the low light of the day, the freckles on her nose made her look more like Jaxon than Aelea. “I know, let’s start with something practical.”
She took him inside, and they stopped at an archway into an open dining hall.
“This is where most of the guards and servants eat and drink. I assume as a guest you’ll be eating with Merrick and the king. But it’s nice to know where the kitchens are, in case you are ever hungry.” She gave a little giggle and winked at him.
“Thanks. Where are your rooms?” Elijah asked, and then instantly regretted it.
“I live down here,” Maevine said with a smile. “I’m one of the princesses’ handmaidens, so I spend most of my time with her. She gave me permission to come and meet you with my father. My room is on the level up from here, with the other three handmaids.” She turned on her heels and walked him down the corridor to the stairs. “This is where most of the servants live and sleep when we aren’t performing our duties. Then down that corridor is where the elite stay.”
Elijah nodded as Maevine continued her explanation of where everything was.
“You’re staying down here tonight,” Maevine said. They wandered the many hallways that snaked around the building—Elijah knew he was going to get lost if he ever stepped out alone—before finally getting to the room he was staying in. The door was built from deep wood which smelled freshly painted and opened to a decent sized place for him to rest his head. The room contained a bed, lined with fur blankets, a wardrobe and a desk with a chair. No windows,
Elijah assumed it was because they were underground, but there was enough light to confuse the brain into thinking it could be midday.
“Maevine, what’s Roderick like?” Elijah asked before she could turn away from him.
“He’s a wonderful king. Doing whatever he can. There’s been a lot of unrest with the elves, but he’s tried to keep a fair hand when making decisions. I guess he has to when half of his guard are half-elf.” Maevine looked down the corridors and then stepped closer. “It’s been hard since Hector and Rhohesia were murdered.”
Elijah’s eyes went wide. She spoke about them with such admiration.
“Yeah, Merrick told me about that. No heirs to take the throne either?”
Maevine shook her head. “Rumours are that the entire family was killed. The queen wasn’t directly related to Hector, but she was the likely choice to take over. Although King Roderick was royalty from another province, so he’s naturally taken over. It works, though.”
“Interesting, do you know a lot about the previous royal family?”
“I know a bit,” Maevine admitted. “But I was young, so I only know the stories that are told, really.” She looked down the hall. “Oh, looks like our time is up.”
“There you two are,” Jaxon called, appearing round the corner. He had changed from his guard uniform to something a little more suitable for dinner. Now Jaxon was wearing a black suit jacket that was longer at the back, the shoulders were puffed up a bit and he had a few medals on his chest. “Sweetheart, the princess is taking dinner in her room as she is feeling unwell. You’d best go up and see her,” Maevine nodded and then skipped off.
“Where’s Merrick?”
“He’s having a private conversation with the king. You need to get changed into something more presentable.” Jaxon turned his back. “I’ll wait out here while you do. The queen is excited to meet you.”
Elijah shut the door and grabbed the first thing out of the wardrobe. It wasn’t anything too fancy. Black trousers, with a red and gold top and some boots without mud on.
“Good. That’s good,” Jaxon said when he stepped outside. “Come on. Let me walk you up.”
6
Midnight Meeting
Upstairs was a lot grander than downstairs, with drapes on every window, rugs lining the halls and decorative paintings on the walls. Even the floor was beautiful, the oak wood was almost flawless with no scuffs or marks on it. There were a few servants waxing the floor as he followed Jaxon through the castle. If they looked up, Eli nodded to them in recognition, but they just turned their heads back down and carried on working.
It wasn’t long before they were outside the dining hall. The tall doors were decorated with golden accents and the king’s sigil on both doors. Two guards in uniform stood outside. It looked like the uniform had less padding than the guards on the gate, Elijah supposed this was because they wouldn’t be the ones doing the fighting. One of them had a face so red Eli thought it might pop.
He chuckled to himself as he waited for the door to be opened. Jaxon stood to attention, his back straight and eyes fixed on the door. A guard standing outside bowed his head to them as they approached. Turning on his heels, he used both hands to open the double doors.
Once opened, they revealed a huge dining hall decorated with chandeliers and pictures on every wall. Most of them were gold or yellow, matching the king’s sigil, and they consisted of portraits of the royal family and intricate drawings of food and villages. Inside, the guests were already seated and the fear of stepping into the room paralysed Elijah for just a moment. Merrick stood up and Jaxon gave him a push from behind.
“Elijah Daendis Walcott, ward of Merrick Walcott,” announced the guard on the inside with a stomp of his flagpole. He noticed a slight shift in the king and queen’s stature as he walked into the room.
Merrick stood up and beckoned him over. “This is an informal dinner. Please come and sit down, you’re more than mere guests.”
He did as his uncle asked and swiftly moved to his seat beside him. The people at the table included the king, queen, Merrick and himself.
“Elijah, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to the Adelithian court,” King Roderick said with a smile. “Please sit.” He sat down and looked at Merrick, then back to the king. “Merrick has said he wanted you to take part in the Tournament of the Elite, but that has already ended.”
“Shame, it would have been good for him to practice what I have been teaching him,” Merrick said, reaching for his drink.
King Roderick nodded. “Well, I’m sure he can still join you for training sessions. Otherwise, you are a guest of the court, Elijah. Feel free to visit the stables, library, gardens, but please don’t cause any trouble for the staff.”
Elijah rolled his eyes, making sure they did not see him. Great, brought to a place I didn’t want to come to, yet I can’t do anything fun either.
“The reservation team is yet to be selected. Maybe he could be chosen for that?” Queen Valerie suggested. “I know Sienna would feel better knowing she had a friend around. It might make her more receptive for when Prince John comes to visit.”
“Of course,” the King clapped his hands together. “What a fabulous idea from my loving wife.”
Some servants interrupted the conversation as they entered to serve the first course. It smelled divine, and Elijah’s mouth watered. When the bowl was placed in front of him, he was unsure what exactly it was that he was about to eat. The liquid meals were something he was used to, but this had stodgy bits in.
“Broccoli and cheese soup, my friend, you spoil me,” Merrick said as he picked up his spoon. “Can I dig in?”
“You know better than to get between a man and his favourite food. We had it made especially for your arrival,” King Roderick said, returning Merrick’s cheeky smile.
Elijah gingerly picked up his spoon and dipped it in the soup. Making eye contact with the queen, she quickly glanced away as he put the liquid into his mouth. It was like nothing he had ever tasted before. Full of flavours that left him eager for more. Part of him became glad Merrick had forced him to the castle, even if it was to just taste the food. Elijah’s hands moved faster as he tried to cram as much of the soup into his mouth, only reaching for the bread when his spoon could not collect enough liquid.
The main course consisted of the juiciest meat and the crunchiest vegetables, washed down with a delicate wine. He was unsure of what most of the items were, as he had only had plain food in Rheanydd. He noticed there was some salt weaver herbs stuffed in the meat.
They brought dessert out while Merrick and King Roderick spoke about their pasts. Elijah found it difficult to keep his yawns to himself and caught Merrick’s eye a few times while trying to hide them behind his hand.
“Help yourself, Elijah,” the queen said, gesturing to the treats on the table.
“Thank you, but I am stuffed already. This was delicious.”
Merrick frowned. “Are you sure?” He nodded and smiled. “Alright. If okay with you Roderick, maybe Elijah could head to bed? He seems a little pale.”
“Of course.” Elijah yawned again, hiding it with his hand. “You look exhausted. Please, go get some rest.”
“Meet me in the morning Elijah, we will do some practice training,” Merrick said as Elijah stood up.
He bowed to the king and queen and stepped out from behind the table. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” As he left, he heard Merrick apologise for Elijah’s actions. The queen replied saying they had come a long way, no wonder he was tired. While Roderick mentioned that on formal occasions, he would have to stay until the end.
By the time Elijah had found his way back to his room, Maevine was waiting outside, crouched down.
“I thought you were seeing the princess?” Elijah asked, walking up to her. “What are you doing?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “I came to see if you wanted to go riding tomorrow morning, and then I saw this under your door.” She pulled out the parchment an
d handed it to him.
Opening it, he frowned. There was nothing on it apart from a circular symbol he had never seen before. No words, yet Elijah couldn’t shake the feeling that it meant one of two things; a warning to go back where he came from or someone thought he knew what it meant.
“Weird, there’s nothing on it but this weird symbol.” He showed her and Maevine shrugged.
“Never seen that before. Maybe it was put under the wrong door?”
Elijah stuffed it into his pocket and shrugged. “Yeah, maybe.”
“So, about tomorrow? Horse riding? You want to join?”
He nodded. “Sure, that sounds like it could be fun.”
Maevine smiled. “Awesome. Midday, stables. See you there, Elijah.” She skipped off down the corridor again and Elijah headed inside his room.
He lowered his head to the pillow and closed his eyes. He tossed and turned in the sheets. His mind unable to shut off, it buzzed with questions that he wanted answers to. Instead of lying there, listening to the words swirling around inside his head, he got up. I may as well go for a walk if I can’t sleep. Opening his door, Eli stuck his head out and looked down the hallway. He checked both sides to make sure that there was no-one around to see him before he slipped out of his room, curious to find out more about the place he was now staying.
Turning the corner, he didn’t expect to bump into a servant. She was smaller than him, with long, curly brown hair. It looked like she was in a nightgown and robe.
“Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”
“Well, that’s obvious from the fact you walked right into me,” the girl snapped. “What are you doing in the hallway at night, anyway?”
Her tone was harsh and considering they’d never met each other before, he wondered why she was being so snappy towards him. “Me? I’m an Elite Guard.” The lie rolled off his tongue with ease, but he regretted it the second he said it. Why am I lying to her? Eli breathed in and puffed up his chest a little. “I should be the one asking what you’re doing out here, barely dressed and sneaking around.”
Kingdom of Lies (The Kane Saga Book 1) Page 4
