“I’ve never even met him.” Elijah shook his head. “Who even told him this ‘foretelling’?”
“The Master spoke with a witch. He asked her about his future, and she told him that no matter what he did, a boy with a mark on his back would get in his way,” Lilliana explained. “Osmar was around then. He told me how many boy’s lives were ended because of so-called a mark. They were all different shapes and sizes, but none of them gave the Master what he was searching for.”
“Was something supposed to happen when he killed the right boy?” Sahab shook his head. “So much death and for what? For him to have not found the right one.”
“He killed them all because he didn’t want anyone getting in his way…” Elijah’s voice trailed off.
“Getting in the way of what, though?” Sahab asked.
“If I knew any more, I would tell you.” Lilliana said no, pleaded. “Please, you have to believe me.”
“I think we need to find the witch that told him this rubbish to begin with,” Elijah said. Lilliana and Sahab both looked at him with concerned faces. “What? It’s the only way we are going to find out exactly what she said. It’s not like fortune tellers are well known for their transparency.”
“I agree with you, Eli.” Sahab nodded. “But I’m uncertain we are the best people to go and look for a witch.”
“No, but we can bring the information to the king. Tell him how helpful our source has been,” he explained. Lilliana’s concern didn’t waiver. She sat hunched at the table, looking down.
“He’ll demand to know who it was,” Sahab said.
“And we will tell him, our very good friend down in the dungeons.” Elijah paced a few times before continuing to speak. “In fact, I might even pay him a visit first, and see what else he can add to what we know.”
“I’m coming with you,” Sahab said, taking a few steps to join Eli. “Two testimonials are better than one.” He paused and looked at Elijah as he pushed up his sleeves. “Plus, if anything bad happens, you know I have your back.”
25
The Hangman’s Noose
The old librarian didn’t move when they approached his cell. Sprawled out across the straw bed, Osmar’s only movement was the rise and fall of his chest. Dark and damp, Elijah was glad he had never come here before. The walls were covered with water droplets and moss grew into the cell from the small, barred window.
Osmar’s clothes were saturated with mud and dirt. Elijah couldn’t see his feet but was certain he wasn’t wearing shoes, and the smell was horrendous. He had to stop himself from gagging. A feeling came over him that he couldn’t quite name. Nervous, but not afraid of what he was about to find out. His heart pounded in his chest. Trying to build up the courage to speak, when Osmar made the first move.
“Ah, hello young prince,” came his hushed tones. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Don’t call me that,” Elijah snapped. He looked up and down the corridors to see if anyone had overheard. The only two guards he could see were sitting at the far end. A small candle lit their table and the card game they were playing. Their attention was elsewhere.
“But that’s what you are.”
He glared back at the librarian before looking into the cells next to Osmar. The one on the left was empty, but to the right was not.
Sahab checked and gave the go ahead to speak. “He’s asleep, we can carry on.”
“How did you come to know Lilliana?” Elijah asked. There was no reason to be subtle about what he wanted to know.
Osmar jumped from his bed and slammed into the cell bars, a crazed look in his eyes. “How do I know whom?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know who I am talking about. The girl, the one who’s working for the Master.”
“Oh, the blonde one whose been following you in the shadows?” Osmar blinked, putting a crooked smile on his face. Elijah clenched his jaw and nodded. “Never seen her before.” He shrugged and smiled.
Liar. “Don’t play games, Osmar, you helped me once. Help me again, please?”
Osmar looked up and down the corridor, curling his fingers around the bars. “Okay, here’s what I will do. I’ll help you, if,” he held his finger up, “you bring me a decent meal.”
“You want to bargain with me now?” Elijah stepped back. “No, not going to happen.”
“Then there is no need for you to be here. All I want is a warm loaf of bread, and some broth with chicken. Bring me that and I will be an open book.” Osmar smirked and returned to lying on his bed. “I’ll see you soon, little prince,” he whispered before closing his eyes.
Elijah slammed his hands onto the cell bars in a rage and turned to walk away. Osmar said nothing, but in his mind, Eli was picturing his smug smile. Walking down the corridor to where the guards were, he clenched his fists and let out a loud grunt, catching the guards’ attention.
“You alright Eli?” One of them said, standing as they came past.
Elijah took a deep breath. “Yes. Keep a close eye on him, please.”
“He’s been getting castle secrets outside,” Sahab elaborated. “We will be watching you too.” His friend placed a hand on Elijah’s back, nudging him towards the stairs back up to the main corridor.
As Elijah walked through the door, he kicked over a bucket of water. One maid squealed as the water covered her legs and arms, stopping her from cleaning the floor. Apologising, while walking away, Eli quickened his pace to get outside. He marched to the training grounds.
“Elijah, would you slow down?” Sahab called, who was now a foot behind him. “Elijah!”
“What?” Elijah spun on his heels to face his friend. “What?” He said again, panting.
“You need to calm down,” Sahab said. “To think straight. He was trying to get in your head. You’ve let him in and now you’re acting out like an idiot.”
“There is no one else who can tell me information, Sahab. Don’t you get that? It was me or John, I’m next. I’m not ready to die.” Elijah threw his arms in the air. The admission taking the air from his lungs.
“You won’t,” Sahab called. “Elijah, I don’t know what you’re feeling. I’m still processing what you told me, but we will keep you and the princess safe.”
Elijah was on the move again. He wanted to hit something, and his friend wasn’t an option, so he ran to the training ground.
There weren’t many soldiers out in the yard. Eli presumed they were either inside the barracks or out on patrol. The practice dummies were free to use. Picking up a heavy sword, Elijah launched it at the straw made man. Hitting it over and over until his arm gave out.
Sinking to the floor, Elijah sat still for a few moments. Sahab didn’t move closer until Eli looked up at him and nodded his head.
“Feel better now?” Sahab asked. “It’s our shift at Sienna’s door tonight, so Gianna will need to take over from whoever is there this afternoon. She’ll think she’s staying with Leon all night if we don’t go now.”
Guilt poked at Eli’s heart like a sharp, hot stick. He hadn’t seen Leon for a while, caught up in all the mess that was going on in the castle. “I haven’t seen him awake yet,” Elijah said.
“Then we’d better go see him before Gianna tells him you’ve been busy doing errands for the king. Leon will think you don’t care.”
Inside the infirmary, it was quiet. It seemed the patients were either not in their beds or asleep. Sahab walked slower, cutting the noise made from his shoes to a minimum. Naoko came out of one of the empty bedrooms with some sheets and smiled as she went past.
“Sahab, Eli!” Gianna called as they nearly walked past Leon’s bed.
“Hey, how is he?” Elijah asked, taking a seat. “Has there been any change?”
“I’m only resting my eyes. I can still hear you,” Leon said, looking up at them. “Do I have to tell you I’m fine?”
“Sorry Leon, I thought you were asleep. Is there still a lot of pain?” Elijah asked. In response, Leon nodded hi
s head and braced himself as he pushed up to seating.
“Thank you, for saving my life,” he said in hushed tones.
Elijah looked at the floor. “It was you or him. I-I couldn’t save you both.” His voice didn’t falter as he spoke, and he swallowed down the emotions that threatened his composure. “I’m just glad you’re alive. For a moment, I didn’t think you’d wake up.”
“Is that why you haven’t visited?” Leon’s question hit him hard. How could his friend think he had never visited?
“Not while you were awake, no,” he said. Eli sat back in his chair.
“I’m glad you’re both here, but that means I have to go.” Gianna stood up and squeezed Leon’s hand. “Tell me all about it later.”
Elijah nodded. Gianna was an excellent judge of character and people’s feelings. She knew there was something Eli wanted to talk about and yet, didn’t make it a need to know things. Patience was something Elijah really needed to learn.
“Come on then, spit it out,” his friend said. Leon laughed, but then winced immediately after. “Sorry, my ribs are still delicate.”
“Do you need a nurse? I can grab Naoko?”
“Eli, stop fretting, honestly I am fine.” Leon settled back down onto the bed and smiled. “See, just fine.”
“Fine, isn’t a pleasant word. Stop using it.”
“Wow, you two wasted no time getting back to your old married couple ways. Still bickering,” Sahab said with a laugh. “We came to update you on what’s been going on outside. There’s lots of news.”
Elijah and Sahab got into a routine of telling different parts of what had happened since Leon and Elijah were attacked. They filled him in on the King’s rampage and how he was killing anyone with a connection to the Agents of Cyran who didn’t bring the information forward.
Elijah spoke about Lilliana and revealed how she had been speaking to Osmar in the dungeons. The librarian’s demands were the most interesting to Leon. He tried to laugh at how wound-up Elijah was getting over it and said, “it’s a hot meal that you could have lied about, or even asked the maid to bring you.”
Naoko came in to check on them a couple times, scolding them if Leon was wincing. However, the only section of the story Eli didn’t tell Leon was the part about him. How he was this Missing Prince they were all looking for. Or so he was led to believe. As far as he knew, there were two orphans with claims to thrones, one of them was dead, and the other was him.
Sahab finished telling Leon about their time exploring and their mission from the King to find out as much information as possible when Jaxon walked in.
“Eli, nice to see you visiting your friend,” he roared.
“It’s been on the to do list for a while,” Elijah said, gulping. “The king has kept me very busy, it’s nice to have some respite.”
“Yes, King Roderick is on the warpath. Probably best to stay out of his way for now. Have you managed to find what he was looking for?”
“There’s a prisoner in the dungeons I have been speaking with. He wants a decent meal before he will talk,” Eli explained. “I was going to speak to the king after checking in with Leon.”
“Don’t stay here on my accord, go and speak with the king,” Leon said, shooing them with his hands. “It sounds like he should hear this information now.”
“Who is it in the dungeons?” Jaxon asked, his face paling slightly.
Eli furrowed his brow. “Osmar the librarian.”
Jaxon lifted his hand and rubbed his forehead, then sighed. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but we got a call from the guards a few moments ago. Osmar, he’s dead.”
“What?” Elijah stood up as Sahab stepped forward.
“He can’t have, we were just there.” Sahab ran his hands through his hair. “How could this have happened?” His eyes wide with shock at the news.
“I don’t know how it happened. The guards said they didn’t see anyone go down there, but when they went around with food, Osmar was hanging from a rope,” Jaxon explained. “It has to be the work from someone inside the Agents of Cyran. How else would they know he was in the dungeon? Osmar could have been one of them.”
Eli’s stomach turned. The one person who knew might have been able to tell him something about his past without worrying he would get upset. The only chance of figuring out what was happening with the Master and Agents of Cyran had gone. How could I have listened to him about that stupid meal? I should have got it out of him.
“It’ll be alright, Eli,” Leon said with a cough. “You know the king will sort out this mess.”
“That’s not what I am afraid of.” He rubbed the pain spreading across his head. “I think I need to lie down before my shift tonight.” Eli turned to Sahab. “Come and get me in a few hours?”
“Of course.” Sahab nodded.
“I’m just going to stay here.” Leon smiled at his own wit. Eli couldn’t help but smile. If Leon was cracking jokes, it meant he was getting better.
“You do that, Leon. Hopefully, Naoko might let you out for a walk tomorrow. We can sit in the garden, discuss your training plan.” Jaxon winked, knowing he had probably upset the lad, and walked over to one of the other nurses.
“I better get going,” Eli said, standing up. “If I don’t sort my head out, I won’t be in a fit state to protect the princess.”
“I’ll see you in a bit then,” Sahab said, taking his seat.
“Don’t jump into my grave as fast as you do my seat, my friend,” Elijah said, slapping him on the back of the shoulder. “See you in a few hours.”
His feet didn’t take Elijah back to his room like he intended. Instead, he avoided going back to the room with the bottle of ale stashed underneath his bed and paced the corridor outside the kitchen. The doors were open, and the cook looked up every time he walked past.
“Are you going to come in? Or distract me all afternoon?”
He shrugged and walked into the kitchen and sat down at the end of the table closest to her. She walked out from behind the counter and set down a cup of fiery liquid in front of him.
“This will take the edge off.”
“Thank you.” He sniffed the liquid before taking a sip. There were a few notes of lavender, but he couldn’t tell what else was in it.
“Lavender and camomile to help you relax, there’s also some rose in there to make it sweet. I’ll also make you some cassia. Should help with the cravings.”
“Cravings?” Elijah scrunched his nose.
The cook didn’t answer but simply nodded and started mixing a few different things together.
“It’ll help with focus for your shift this evening.”
“I’ll be alright. Thank you,” Elijah replied, not wanting her to fuss over him. “I’ll send someone down if I need anything,” he added when she noticed her pursed lips. This seemed to satisfy her, and she went back to preparing the meal.
He sat in silence, allowing his mind to wonder. From everything I know, some people think the witch’s words have meaning, while others think they’re all lies. Does anyone really know the truth?
“Elijah, you’re still here? Don’t you have somewhere to be?” The cook’s words pulled him out of his thoughts. Looking round at her, he realised too much time had passed, and she’d finished preparing the meal.
He drank his lukewarm tea and grimaced at the taste. Standing, he tidied up the mess other people had left all over the table. He thought of Sienna and how she must be feeling in all this. He wondered if she would ask questions like her father had. Turning to check the table one more time, Elijah noticed parchment lying there.
A quick glance around the room showed him no-one was around, Elijah grabbed the paper and opened it. Written down was the riddle from his parents, and a warning to the prince. It told him to be careful and that if he continued looking into his parents’ past, the writer would make it obvious who he was.
Screwing up the note he threw it aimed for the fire in the room's corner and missed.
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Sahab appeared in the doorway and caught it. “Woah, what did this paper do to you?”
“I was aiming for the fire…”
His friend raised an eyebrow and read the note. Sahab quickly screwed it back up and threw it into the fire. “Nothing interesting. Come on Elijah, we had better get to the princess.” Sahab nodded his head to the cook, and they both left the room.
26
Loosing your Footing
Princess Sienna was quiet throughout the night. Aylee, Mary and Maevine came out a few times to let the pair of them know she was alright. When morning came. Elijah’s eyes were struggling to stay open; he barely heard Sahab as he spoke.
“Would you have told me?”
“Told you what?” He turned to look at Sahab. His friend’s eyes were glued to the floor.
“That you’re… you know…”
Elijah sighed. “Of course, I would have. We’re friends.”
“If Lilliana hadn’t said anything… I still wouldn’t know now, would I?”
“No.” Elijah pushed himself away from the wall. “But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have told you. We wanted to make sure the threat was gone.” He went to step forward, but the door opened, ending their conversation and causing him to jump back.
Maevine stepped out and smiled as she eyed him from head to toe. Hovering in the doorway, she shook her head. “She’s waking up now. Once she’s ready, you can escort her highness to breakfast.” Sahab stifled his laugh as she turned to look at him. “Something funny?”
“Uh, no,” he said quickly, throwing a scowl in Elijah’s direction. Eli crossed his left arm over his torso and covered his mouth with his right hand, stopping the laugh that threatened to escape.
“Your excuse?” She fired at Elijah.
His eyes widened as she turned back to him. “I, uh.” Instead of answering, he coughed and then smiled.
“That’s what I thought. Now stop yawning and stand straight. She will be out shortly.” With her last words, she shut the door.
Kingdom of Lies (The Kane Saga Book 1) Page 19
