Broken Crown

by Drae Box

  The Master Frey smiled as he stepped inside, letting the broken door swing shut on its own. He lifted a hand to chest level, with the palm towards the ceiling, and a small spark burst into life above his hand, before swirling into a ball of fire that hovered above him.

  “Miss Leoma,” he uttered as he strode towards her. “Where’s Raneth? I take it that you’re both back from the Newer Kingdom.”

  Aldora backed up a step as Thane continued to advance. His black-brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, but his temples showed that more than a little of his hair was abandoning the front of his head. The elder man’s grey eyes stayed transfixed on her as he drew nearer, waiting for her response.

  “Get away from me,” growled Aldora.

  Thane smiled and slowed his footsteps until he stalled. “Don’t be so alarmed, Aldora. I know you two are dating now, and my family’s way of life demands that I kill Dragon Bayre next. Besides, Raneth’s taking too long to have an heir, so I can’t risk anything bad happening to you.”

  Aldora inspected the area around her and Thane, looking for something she could slowly get close to and then attack him with, but other than the leaves that had been swept inside by the wind, there was nothing – the floor of the factory was bare. If I draw the Dagger, he’ll definitely hurt me. He just won’t kill me.

  “What are you even doing here?” she snapped. “You were permanently banned from Green City.”

  “Whilst King Cray was in power,” stated Thane with a smile. “Now he’s not recognised as a legal representative of Giften law, I can pretty much do what I want in Green.”

  He took a final step forwards, grabbed her wrist and squeezed. Aldora pulled back, trying to slip free from his hold, but his fingers dug into her wrist, hurting her. “Let go.”

  “Not until you tell me where Raneth is.”

  “Why don’t you track him?” snapped Aldora, yanking on her arm again. “That’s what you’ve always done before.”

  Thane tilted his head as he frowned intently at her. “He’s nearby, isn’t he? You two must have split up to avoid Denzel’s men.”

  The door swung open, extinguishing Thane’s ball of fire, and a Brethren stepped inside.

  “Oi! Turn around slowly. And you,” snapped the Brethren, pointing his finger at Aldora, “no funny business. Hands up.”

  “Oh, for goodness sake,” murmured Thane as he let go of Aldora.

  He spun round and shoved a hand out towards the Brethren. A whip of fire crashed against the Brethren’s neck and torso, and he fell to the floor screaming. Thane gently raised his other hand; there was a fireball growing above his palm. It swept into the Brethren’s face and chest, expanding in size as it bore into the man’s flesh and he fell into silence. Thane wiped his hands together, then turned and smiled at Aldora. “I think it’s time we leave, don’t you?” he asked.

  He held a hand out to her. Aldora eyed it and frowned.

  The Master Frey sighed. “Very well. Walk with me then.”

  He led her towards the downed Brethren and swept a hand in a small semi-circle over the dead man’s chest. The fire shrank and died at the motion, and Thane shoved the dead man to the side with the toe of his boot. He stepped out into the night air, and after a moment’s hesitation, so did Aldora.

  “I will help you find Raneth, and then I’m smuggling you both out of Green before you get yourselves killed. Only the Frey have the right to kill you two, and I won’t let Denzel’s untrained dogs steal that honour.”

  “It’s not a right just because your family declares it one, you know,” snarled Aldora as she folded her arms. “And it’s not honourable to keep harassing and murdering a family since before kingdom records began.”

  “Look,” uttered Thane as he led her out of the industrial estate of Green City. “You don’t understand. It’s our way of life – for both families – and the reason behind it all wasn’t recorded, or if it was, one of our ancestors destroyed the evidence.”

  “Yours probably.”

  “Probably,” admitted Thane with a smile. “You’re rather snappy today. Did you fall out with Raneth?”

  “No,” lied Aldora.

  She looked away from Thane, turning her attention to the streets around them and spotting three women waiting up ahead for them, without the Brethren or the Guardsmen’s jackets. Frey Followers, she realised as she glanced up at Thane. He was walking towards his employees without any concern. I don’t understand why anyone would willingly help the Frey hunt down and kill the Bayres. It must be the money or something. I know Drigoe was forced into it when Thane adopted him, but he managed to get out of it and marry my sister.

  “I suppose that explains why he’s not here yet, trying to pull you away from me,” said Thane.

  “Shut up.”

  Thane laughed. “Hit a nerve, did I? I’m sure he’ll forgive you. He’s head over heels in love with you. My sources told me he took his mother’s ring to Newer. I think he wanted it there ready to propose to you. Did he?” When she didn’t respond, Thane’s smile dropped. “You said no?”

  “He hasn’t technically asked yet,” snapped Aldora. “And if he did take his mother’s ring to Newer with him, he lost it to the cannibals.”

  “Sounds like the two of you had fun,” stated Thane.

  Aldora glared at Thane. Go away and die somewhere horrible. She glanced down at the Dagger of Protection at her waist. Maybe I could stab him with it? It won’t let me use its powers to attack, but it’s still a blade and it’s been used to stab people who didn’t deserve it before… And Thane does deserve it.

  “I wouldn’t,” said Thane as he tapped her reaching hand away from the Dagger of Protection. “Or when I find Raneth, I’ll kill him instead of his father.” Thane smiled. “Then his father will have to get that healer friend of his in Calbride City to give him a new heir.” He smirked. “They think I don’t know about Rafaela.”

  “Please just leave us alone,” said Aldora as the three women fell into step behind them.

  “I can’t do that. Like I said, the Bayres are mine to play with, not Broken Crown’s. That means, whether Denzel knows it or not, you’re the most important part of the Bayre–Frey Feud right now.” He patted her shoulder. “We have high hopes for you.”

  “We?” asked Aldora. “Who’s we?”

  “My family.”

  “I don’t want your help getting out of Green, and I don’t want your help finding Raneth,” stated Aldora. I have to get him to leave me alone so I can go and find Raneth. I should have run the same way as him. “What makes you think you can get us out unharmed anyway?”

  “Who said unharmed?” asked Thane. “But I know I can get you two out alive and with ease. My Followers weren’t banned – just me, and I’ve quite a few smuggling tunnels and bolt holes around the city. I’ve smuggled so much Southern Kingdom technology into Giften over the years, my family has become quite good at it.”

  “Televisions and stuff?” asked Aldora. “How did you get those past people? They’re huge.”

  “No, nothing useless like that. Weapons mostly – guns.”

  Aldora frowned, thinking back to the Newer Royal Guards she had seen, each sporting a Southern Kingdom gun. If he’s brought those nasty things into Giften, we have a huge problem. She tugged her jacket closer to her frame. Royal officials aren’t trained to protect themselves against guns because they’re not commonly available in Giften, only in the Southern Kingdom. If the wrong people have them, the royal officials won’t last long enough for me to help them.

  “Did you give the guns to my uncle?”

  “Indirectly, yes. Broken Crown has a large stash of them somewhere.”

  “And I bet your pockets got much deeper,” grumbled Aldora.

  “Of course. I do nothing for free unless it serves me later on to do so.”

  The Dagger Bearer walked beside Thane, her hands tucked under her arms. He turned into a narrow alleyway. Aldora hesitated and glanced over her shoulder as the three Fre
y Followers drew close to her back. One reached out and nudged her a step forwards into the alleyway. The Dagger Bearer turned to look where they were forcing her to go. This isn’t right, she realised. Thane was standing halfway down the alleyway. He smiled at her and beckoned her closer. That’s dodgy all by itself.

  “No,” she uttered.

  She turned and shoved against one of the Frey Followers. They stumbled back and one of them grabbed the Follower’s shoulder to steady her. The third Follower grabbed Aldora and spun her round by her shoulders, pushing her into Thane’s waiting hands. Aldora closed her eyes as Thane slammed her front against the wall, a hand against her back.

  “Hold still,” he ordered.

  Aldora pressed her hands against the wall and pushed, trying to force herself away from the wall. “Get off me! What are you doing?”

  Thane’s warm body pressed against her back and a hand slid down her side. Aldora grabbed his wrist as he reached for the Dagger of Protection. Don’t you dare! He pulled at the Dagger, trying to draw it from its sheath, and Aldora stamped a foot onto his feet. He jammed a knee into the back of hers. Her leg gave way and she bashed her face against the wall as she fell against it.

  Thane grabbed her hair and flung her onto the ground. The Dagger slid free of the sheath and Aldora grabbed for it, but Thane stamped on her hand. She cried out, drawing her hand to her chest. The Master Frey picked up the Dagger of Protection with a smile.

  “Thank you, Aldora.” He tucked it into the back of his belt.

  Aldora slowly sat up and glared at Thane. “Give that back. If you use that against Raneth, I’ll–”

  “It’s not for Raneth,” stated Thane, holding a hand out to her.

  She smacked it away and rested one hand against the wall as she stood up. She eyed her other hand, the one Thane had stamped on, flexing her fingers carefully and wincing when it hurt, but not drastically. “Then who?”

  The Master Frey didn’t answer, but grabbed her wrist instead. “Move.” He yanked her towards the other end of the alleyway. “And keep close,” he ordered as he looked over his shoulder at his Followers.

  Chapter Five

  Raneth

  Raneth flung his hands towards the Brethren. White mist shot from his palms, slicing through the air towards them as it hardened into slithers of ice. One Brethren raised a hand and a fireball swallowed the flying ice and rippled towards Raneth. The royal official ducked behind a metal bin and grimaced as the fireball smacked into the bin and began to heat it. He eased back and stood up, looking back at the Brethren.

  The concrete under Raneth’s feet cracked. He jerked into a run, bashing his shoulder into a wall as he turned. Ruddy Denzites. Why can’t I shake them? He spun round a corner, ending up behind a cafe. He peeped over his shoulder to check on the Brethren. A cloud of dirt was rushing towards him. Bummer. He sprinted towards a large bin by the cafe’s back door, glancing back at the brown cloud as it crashed into a wall behind him. Here goes nothing, he thought, pulling up the lid and looking inside. Just enough room. He climbed in, nestling into the leftover food and bags of rubbish as he pulled the lid back over. Speckles of dirt battered the bin from all angles but the back. Raneth hunkered deeper into the rubbish, resting his arm against his mouth and nose, trying not to gag.

  “Where’d he go?”

  “He definitely came down here. I could feel his footsteps,” stated the other Brethren to the first. The soft patter of the dirt died down. “Maybe he went through that building there, or up that drainpipe. That’s near where he last stepped.”

  That one must be the one with the Common Gift of Earth. No wonder I couldn’t lose them. Sounds like he’s mastered the gift. He flinched as one of the pouches on the front of his belt began to vibrate. My grebunar. Holding his breath, he waited to see if his flinch had given him away. He couldn’t answer it. There was no volume control on his. If Aldora or Cray – whoever it was – talked at normal level or louder, or if something was noisy near them, the Brethren would hear it. Heck, they might hear the blasted thing vibrating. As long as he didn’t squeeze it to accept the greb, he’d be fine. Maybe. He watched the bin’s lid, listening to the two Brethren arguing about how to find him. They must not have heard it. He didn’t dare breathe a sigh of relief.

  “Alright. I’ll run to the other side of the building. You try that door and see if you can get in. He might have picked it and locked it again from the inside, so just break it. Denzel’s extra nosy about everything to do with Bayre, so look everywhere.”

  Raneth stilled as he listened to the two Brethren walk away from one another. He heard the crunch of the door next to him as the one with the Common Gift of Earth shoved against it. A second crunch of the wood was followed by a thump as the door fell against the cafe’s floor. The royal official inhaled then coughed into his elbow, pushing his arm hard against his mouth to stop the Brethren hearing him.

  Think I’m OK, he decided when the bin stayed shut. I’ve nowhere to go but back the way I came or up the drainpipe, so I’d best stay here for a bit longer. The Bayre stifled another cough. How am I going to find Aldora? I could try and track her, but she wouldn’t have dropped anything. She knows bits of Green, but not all of it. She might go to Jim’s or back to Ali’s if she can find her way. Raneth mulled over which was more likely. Unless she’s walked up to a Brethren and asked to see her uncle. Raneth frowned. But why did she run when I did then? Instinct because I did? She wouldn’t greb me if she was with a Brethren, would she? Maybe she’s lost. I could try and get her on the grebunars once I’m safe. What if she doesn’t want anything to do with me because she is starting to think I’m a monster and a murderer? Raneth glanced up at the lid of the bin as glass shattered nearby. Even if she thinks that of me, I have to look out for her if I can. We’re both too recognisable. And she tried to contact me. Unless it was Cray. I can’t let her uncle get hold of her. There’s no way he’ll listen to her, and there’s no way he just wants her close because she’s family. He’s up to something.

  Raneth lifted the bin lid an inch and peered out. Might be safe now. I’ll use that drainpipe and then jump to another building.

  He climbed the drainpipe with practised ease and strode carefully along the tiles of the sloping roof, staying on the same side as the back of the cafe. If I stay up on the rooftops, I might spot her more easily. Raneth sprinted across the roof, leapt across the street and smashed into the terracotta tiles of the next house. Winded, he stayed on his front and listened to the ground below. Please don’t let anyone have seen me.

  Raneth climbed to his knees and strained to hear any sign of the Brethren. Doesn’t sound like they saw or heard me. He crept closer to the front of the building and peered down into the street. A unit of ten brown jackets strode past. Guardsmen, remembered Raneth. Organised. Trained. They’re even walking in sync. Someone with army experience is responsible for them. He watched them curiously as he lowered onto his front to make himself smaller and less visible against the rooftop. Four of the ten had crossbows strapped to their backs. Big ones too, not those little ones that are easy to reload. They’ve chosen deadliness over speed. Handy. Raneth smiled and looked at the other six. Four of them had a basic sword gently tapping against their leg as they walked along the road, and the other two had twin short swords. Those two will be fast.

  The Bayre watched as the Broken Crown unit walked under a street light. They can see too easily, decided Raneth. If I’m to find Aldora, I need the light too, but we both need the dark to avoid these guys. If she is avoiding them. He pulled up his hood and wrinkled his nose as the smell of gone-off milk pulled at his nose. I have to hope Aldora isn’t with Broken Crown just yet, that there’s still time for us to work together for Giften’s sake.

  Raneth army-crawled across the roof until he reached the side of the building, where it shared a private alleyway to its back garden with its neighbour. He jumped down and prowled out of the alleyway and back onto the streets. I need some advantage. Lights off. Gla
ncing over his shoulder at the Guardsmen heading in the opposite direction, Raneth exhaled. I just hope they don’t know Green’s streets as well as I do.

  Continuing onwards, Raneth made steady progress towards one of Green City’s substations, which had been installed a few years before by Southern Kingdom technicians, with some of the city’s own technicians observing and learning. He drew close to the gate of the fenced building and glanced around. The street was deserted except for him and a red squirrel that stared back at him from a tree in front of the substation. The substation wasn’t much to look at; it was a small square building, with one light by its door. Raneth slipped free his lockpicks and started working on the padlock that protected the substation’s perimeter fence. The padlock quickly gave way and the royal official crept up the short path to the front door. He slipped his picks into the lock and felt for the tumblers, finding only one. He released the tumbler and the cheap lock gave way. I should tell Cray to update the security with better locks when he’s back, thought Raneth, slipping inside.

  The interior of the small substation was strangled in darkness. Grey boxes lined the walls and stood like sentries between them, their presence accentuated by their constant buzzing and the small circular lights of blue, red, green and yellow that gave Raneth the smallest of light to see by. There’s got to be a master off-switch somewhere.

  Slipping a hand into a back pocket of his trousers, Raneth withdrew a silver lighter and flicked it on as he drew close to the first of the grey machines. Oil heater? What do they need one of those for? He prowled deeper, carefully reading the labels on each box. He rubbed at an ear as he noticed another noise under the buzz of the machines – a high-pitched whine.