Test The Awakened: Book Two, page 24
“It gets worse,” he admitted. “The Southern General had been killed in an earlier skirmish, so Dacien was appointed to the position of General.”
…strong as an ox!
A memory of a conversation with Dacien came to Kael’s mind, interrupting his story. Immediately, he realized another piece of the puzzle.
It was Jorn. Jorn was killed by accident and Dacien took his place!
“What is it?” Saba asked.
“I just realized something that I hadn’t noticed before. The Southern General who was killed in an earlier battle was also someone I grew up with.” Kael gulped some wine and continued. “Anyway, we were summoned here to Orud to meet with the Emperor. But during the meetings, a messenger warned of an approaching Korgan army. Dacien and the other Generals left to confront the barbarians, while I was stationed at the northern wall. Near midnight the Palace was attacked in secret and the western wing was set on fire. I suspected that this was only a distraction and got into the Palace just in time to find the Emperor and his Commanders murdered. I followed the trail of the assassin and caught up with him on the roof. He escaped and I didn’t get to see his face, but I’m positive that it was Ukiru.”
Saba shook his head in silence and took a minute to ponder what Kael had said. When he found the words, he spoke. “They used this war to gain control of Orud.”
“That’s right,” Kael replied. “A competent soldier can rise through the ranks quickly in times of conflict. Narian led the Syvaku, and I have no doubt that the Korgan are led by one of them, as well.”
Saba stared off to the side as he spoke. “Tell me again the names of the nine.”
“Narian I just spoke of. He was tall and strong, but had a good heart.” Kael began to remember his childhood friends and relayed more than Saba had asked for. His emotions were clouded, mixed with anger of betrayal and also fond memories of friendship.
“Jorn was a stout child, not just fat. He was built like an ox and incredibly strong. He was the Southern General, but was accidentally killed in a battle with the Syvaku. That’s how Dacien came to the position of General.
Then there is Berit, the Northern General. He didn’t like people and spent all his time in the library. We used to tease him, carrying him out of the library by force, to make him go with us on short excursions.”
The Southern Naval Commander is Horace. He was a cocky child who excelled in our combat training, but struggled with our classroom studies.
Arden is the Northern Naval Commander. He was just a bit older than the rest of us and mature for his age. He always had a different perspective and could be stubborn. But he had a good sense of humor.
And then there’s Soren. He’s the General of the Eastern Territory. He was my closest friend. He had seen many difficult times in his childhood and grew up without parents. He was well acquainted with violence and was the toughest of all the kids. He was the shortest, but we were all afraid to disagree with him out of fear. In spite of this, he loved to laugh and kept us all in good spirits most of the time. He was my competition. In combat as well as the classroom, he was excellent at everything he did. We were always neck and neck except for leadership. This is where he surpassed me. He was a natural leader and I couldn’t ever beat him in competitions that required managing others.”
Kael trailed off, lost in thought.
“That’s six; what of the other three?” Saba asked.
“Rainer was the youngest. He wasn’t really good at anything except arguing with Ukiru and knowing how to manipulate people.
Coen was nice… really talkative. He was good with classroom studies, but struggled in combat.
And the last is Donagh. He was just as big as Narian, but a bit thinner. He too excelled in combat due to his size and strength. But he was selfish and got into fights with most of us at one time or another. Except for Soren, that is.”
Saba nodded his head, taking mental account of each individual. “So you haven’t seen these other three?”
“That’s right. I don’t know what role they are playing, but you can be assured that they all have some part in this.”
Saba leaned to the side and looked out the window. “It is almost dawn.”
Kael turned around to see the sky lightening to the east. “Dacien is in danger. He doesn’t understand what is going on around him.
“Yes. When the sun comes up, I will go into the city and talk to some people, ask some questions. I want to know the rest of the Emperor’s plan and how well it was received. I’ll also find out where Dacien is.”
Kael nodded, then yawned.
“Why don’t you get some rest; it’s been a long night.”
“Thanks,” Kael replied, leaning back in his chair. “Saba?”
“Yes.”
“It’s good to see you again.”
The old man smiled. “…and you, as well.”
Chapter 25
Kael jerked awake, startled by an unknown sound. He lay still, ears probing the silence for an explanation. But all was silent in Saba’s house. Must have been a dream. The bright sun was beaming in through the windows and Kael judged it to be roughly noon. He rose from his chair and stretched, then walked outside and stood on the sand, staring at the ocean. Seagulls passed by overhead, riding the same soft breeze that caused the long blades of nearby grass to bow to the north.
Kael breathed in the salty air and considered his conversation with Saba. But his mind was still cluttered with a mixture of emotions. Out of habit, he sat down on the sand, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes. During his time at the monastery, there were many times of confusion and anger. And the only thing that helped was to sit above the cliffs and allow the ebb and flow of the ocean and wind drive the confusion from his mind.
With his eyes closed, his mind sought information from the sounds about him. As he had trained himself to do, he quieted his thoughts, forcing his mind to reach out with his other sense, the one he’d never told anyone about. It seemed elusive at first, but gradually, the familiar sensation returned.
He could feel the grass sway, the tiny spiraling currents of wind as they passed by. He focused his sense and pushed it out from him to feel the water at the shore. In this way, he explored his surroundings and, almost immediately, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He was at peace again and his emotions began to sort themselves out. He wasn’t sure how long it took, but eventually, he began to see things clearly.
The sting of betrayal and the guilt of being associated with these people began to rise to the surface. He felt as though he was responsible for them and their actions. They are powerful and dangerous! Someone’s got to stop them!
But how could Kael ever hope to stop them. He had always found combat to be easy, until Narian. During that fight, he almost lost. And Narian wasn’t the best in the group. But I did stop him. He’s no longer a factor in this situation.
Slowly, Kael’s fear receded, and in its place was a resolution that something had to be done. He would probably be killed, but there was no one else who could even stand a chance against these people. They had trained their whole lives for this mission, and they would succeed otherwise. I trained with them. I can’t let them succeed.
The sun was beginning to slip behind the western horizon when Kael caught sight of a small vessel heading straight for the house. Within minutes, he could see that it was Saba’s ship with a strange dark object aboard. Kael waited patiently at the water’s edge and eventually made sense of what he was seeing. Ajani stood at the bow, holding the reins of Kael’s horse. Kael smiled and waved to his friend.
As the sky continued to darken, the small boat came to a stop in the sand. Kael waded out to help lower the cargo ramp and un-board his horse.
“Do you have it?” Kael asked quietly.
Ajani slung two large bags over his shoulders and winked, indicating the presence of the sword.
“Thank you,” Kael whispered. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt the need to keep it a secret. He didn’t yet understand what it was, and so didn’t want to talk about it with anyone. Luckily, Ajani rarely spoke.
When Saba neared, they led the horse down the ramp and through the shallow water, draping the reins over the branch of a shade tree near the house.
Saba cooked a simple meal. After they ate, they sat on the porch looking at the firelight from the city reflecting off the rippled ocean.
“He’s freed the slaves and given them the same status as the rest of the working class.” Saba said, relaying what information he had gathered during his excursion into the city. “You’re a free man now,” he said, nudging Ajani.
The scarred man smiled indifferently.
“He hasn’t been a slave since I found him in Leoran,” Kael corrected.
“Of course,” Saba offered, apologetically. “It has really caused unrest in the city. But most of the citizens agree with him. Only the ones who stand to lose profits have put up an argument. Normally, this would be a good thing. But I have to wonder why he did it, and how it helps his cause. Clearly, it wasn’t out of pure intentions.”
“He’s building an army,” Kael answered. “The Syvaku, the Korgs, the Kaliel, the Orud armies and navy, and now the entire slave population of the Empire are under his control.
They all considered these words for several moments, with nothing but the sounds of lapping water in the background. Finally, Saba broke the silence.
“Kael. There’s one thing I haven’t mentioned.”
“…only one thing?” Kael questioned, knowing that Saba had many secrets.
“…one thing in particular. Your mother was at the feast.”
Kael turned to look at Saba, a look of shock on his face. “How is that possible? Dacien said she disappeared from Bastul when the Syvaku attacked. He thought she was kidnapped.”
“I don’t know, but she was at Magnus’ side for portions of the evening. Dacien didn’t seem to notice.”
“He was Captain of the Guard in Bastul; but it’s possible that he never met her,” Kael offered, then went silent. After a minute, he spoke again. “So the High Priest, his name is Magnus?”
“Magnus Calidon,” Saba clarified. “Does it make you feel different toward him, knowing his name?”
“No,” Kael answered flatly.
A seagull screeched as it flew overhead, heading for the water. It offered a momentary distraction as they watched it land a few yards out, ripples of water extending outward from its chosen landing site.
“The Generals and Commanders are staying at the Palace tonight, along with the Emperor. And Maeryn seems to be an honored guest of Magnus’, so I would not be surprised if she was staying at the Palace as well. But there is much activity among the ranks of the Orud soldiers. It appears that they are preparing to leave.”
“Saba…” Kael said, turning to look at the old man in the eyes. “They have to be stopped.”
“I know. I am trying to figure out how to get an audience with the Council, without Magnus attending.”
“No,” corrected Kael. “There is no time for talking. I have to act, before their plans are finalized. Whatever they’re doing, we can’t afford for them to get prepared.”
“What do you propose we do?” Saba questioned.
“I’m going into the city at midnight. I need to borrow your boat.”
“Nonsense. I’ll take you myself. What are you going to do?”
“Dacien and my mother can’t stay where they are; their lives are in danger.”
“Kael,” Saba protested. “You said yourself that these men are extremely dangerous. After you escaped, what did they do? While you were traveling the world, they were continuing their training, preparing for what they are doing at this very moment. How can you hope to do anything about it? I say we tell the Council about Magnus’ secret dealings. With your testimony, they would surely bring him to trial.”
“And then what?” Kael replied. “Magnus is gifted with speech. He could convince them of anything. It wouldn’t work.”
“And what is your plan?”
Kael rose to his feet and looked down on his friends sitting in the porch. “They planned every last detail, but they didn’t account for me. As much as I hate to say it, I’m one of them. And I’m the only one that can stop them.”
* * * *
Saba’s boat cut silently through the water, pushed by a stiff breeze. Kael stood at the prow, staring into the distance. He was dressed in a style that Saba had never seen before. The pants were black, loose fitting above the knee for ease of movement, but snug around the calf so as not to get caught on anything. The tunic, if it could be called such, covered his entire upper body, as well as his arms. The same strategy had been applied to this piece of clothing as well, fitting loosely around the shoulders, but tight on the forearms. The back of Kael’s hands were also covered by a flap of material and held into place with a loop around the middle finger, such that when he made a fist, his light skin disappeared, leaving only a shadow of dark fabric in the shape of a man. Gone were the sandals of traditional Orud style. In their place, were dark boots of the same black fabric, covering all the skin of his feet. The soles were soft leather which produced hardly any sound when Kael moved across the deck of the ship.
The only thing that could be seen clearly, without straining the eyes, was Kael’s head. His hair was gathered at the back and fluttered in the breeze. Kael’s hands were free of weapons, holding only a small bundle of fabric that Saba assumed was intended to cover his head.
Ahead and to the port side, a small abandoned dock extended out into the bay. Saba guided the boat toward it. Six miles outside the city limits was a long way, but Kael didn’t seem to mind.
Saba concentrated on his approach to the dock while his peripheral vision noted Kael’s blonde head disappear into the darkness. A quick glance confirmed that he had pulled a black hood over his head. Saba turned the sails, and they went slack, the boat coasting toward the dock.
“Will you not be armed,” Saba spoke into the night air, mindful of the way sound carries over water.
“Men will fall. Weapons will abound,” came the reply from the shadow at the prow.
Saba turned his attention back to the approaching dock. He adjusted the position of the rudder, bringing them aside the tip of the dock. When he looked back, Kael was already on the dock, halfway to the shore. Saba hadn’t even seen him move.
Kael turned around, only his eyes showing through a horizontal slit in his hood. “Thank you for everything,” he said quietly, then disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter 26
The Palace guard had been doubled due to the strange events over the past few days. Spearmen circled the base of the wall surrounding the Palace, with a detachment moving one direction nearest the wall while a second detachment moved in the opposite direction farther away from the wall. Their pacing was timed such that there was always visual coverage of the entire guarded wall at all times. Archers followed a similar routine along the top of the wall. This was in addition to the guards stationed in hidden places throughout the surrounding fields and trees, keeping watch over the various approaches to the Palace.
Even with the increased security, they failed to notice the shadow that moved silently among them. The darkness of the night couldn’t be illuminated properly by the torches scattered throughout the Palace gardens. And through the darkness, Kael moved with stealth and speed.
One particular guard, on his route around the base of the wall, thought he heard something behind him. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed nothing. He looked back to the wall and stopped walking, letting his ears probe the night, but to no avail. After a few seconds, he resumed his march, walking past the base of the guard tower that jutted sharply inward to connect with the wall, resulting in a shadow cast by the torchlight only a few yards back. And only a few yards ahead, another guard approached, boredom showing on his face.
* * * *
Kael held himself close to the stone, fingers jammed into the crevices, holding his body in the shadow between the guard tower and the wall, ten feet off the ground. He counted to twenty in his head then began to scale the wall as the second guard passed beyond the tower underneath him.
He paused just before the top of the wall, waiting to hear the changing of the guard, which occurred every twenty minutes. His fingers began to shake, struggling to maintain their grip on the stone. After three minutes of holding still, footsteps sounded above, followed by muffled speech. Kael waited another minute, then cocked his head to the side and eased upward to peer over the edge. The new guard was facing his direction, but looking downward as he readjusted his scabbard on his belt.
Kael swung silently over the wall and landed in front of the man. By the time the guard looked up, his vision was already blurry, caused by the pressure against the side of his throat that restricted the blood flow to his brain. Kael held tight as the man lost consciousness. That’ll buy me twenty minutes before they realize I’m here!
Kael eased the guard to the ground and propped him against the wall, arranging his cloak to appear as if the man had fallen asleep. If he was lucky, he might get another couple minutes out of the charade.
…fifty one, fifty two, fifty three.
Kael eased open the door that separated the guard house from the walkway along the top of the wall. As expected, the archer had just passed. Kael slipped out of the door, across the walkway, and descended the stone staircase that led down to the Palace courtyard.
Once inside the Palace wall, Kael moved more quickly, but still conscious of the occasional archer passing overhead. He swung around the outside of the Palace itself, until he arrived underneath the windows of the guest quarters. Hiding in the shadows, he waited until the passing of another guard, then scaled a vine that ran up the left side of the window. At the third floor, Kael pulled himself over the balcony and dropped to the floor, just inside the room where he hoped Dacien was still staying.
Approaching quietly, he found Dacien asleep on his bed. Kael pulled off his hood and leaned close to hear his friend’s steady breathing. Putting his hand over Dacien’s mouth, he whispered into his ear.
…strong as an ox!
A memory of a conversation with Dacien came to Kael’s mind, interrupting his story. Immediately, he realized another piece of the puzzle.
It was Jorn. Jorn was killed by accident and Dacien took his place!
“What is it?” Saba asked.
“I just realized something that I hadn’t noticed before. The Southern General who was killed in an earlier battle was also someone I grew up with.” Kael gulped some wine and continued. “Anyway, we were summoned here to Orud to meet with the Emperor. But during the meetings, a messenger warned of an approaching Korgan army. Dacien and the other Generals left to confront the barbarians, while I was stationed at the northern wall. Near midnight the Palace was attacked in secret and the western wing was set on fire. I suspected that this was only a distraction and got into the Palace just in time to find the Emperor and his Commanders murdered. I followed the trail of the assassin and caught up with him on the roof. He escaped and I didn’t get to see his face, but I’m positive that it was Ukiru.”
Saba shook his head in silence and took a minute to ponder what Kael had said. When he found the words, he spoke. “They used this war to gain control of Orud.”
“That’s right,” Kael replied. “A competent soldier can rise through the ranks quickly in times of conflict. Narian led the Syvaku, and I have no doubt that the Korgan are led by one of them, as well.”
Saba stared off to the side as he spoke. “Tell me again the names of the nine.”
“Narian I just spoke of. He was tall and strong, but had a good heart.” Kael began to remember his childhood friends and relayed more than Saba had asked for. His emotions were clouded, mixed with anger of betrayal and also fond memories of friendship.
“Jorn was a stout child, not just fat. He was built like an ox and incredibly strong. He was the Southern General, but was accidentally killed in a battle with the Syvaku. That’s how Dacien came to the position of General.
Then there is Berit, the Northern General. He didn’t like people and spent all his time in the library. We used to tease him, carrying him out of the library by force, to make him go with us on short excursions.”
The Southern Naval Commander is Horace. He was a cocky child who excelled in our combat training, but struggled with our classroom studies.
Arden is the Northern Naval Commander. He was just a bit older than the rest of us and mature for his age. He always had a different perspective and could be stubborn. But he had a good sense of humor.
And then there’s Soren. He’s the General of the Eastern Territory. He was my closest friend. He had seen many difficult times in his childhood and grew up without parents. He was well acquainted with violence and was the toughest of all the kids. He was the shortest, but we were all afraid to disagree with him out of fear. In spite of this, he loved to laugh and kept us all in good spirits most of the time. He was my competition. In combat as well as the classroom, he was excellent at everything he did. We were always neck and neck except for leadership. This is where he surpassed me. He was a natural leader and I couldn’t ever beat him in competitions that required managing others.”
Kael trailed off, lost in thought.
“That’s six; what of the other three?” Saba asked.
“Rainer was the youngest. He wasn’t really good at anything except arguing with Ukiru and knowing how to manipulate people.
Coen was nice… really talkative. He was good with classroom studies, but struggled in combat.
And the last is Donagh. He was just as big as Narian, but a bit thinner. He too excelled in combat due to his size and strength. But he was selfish and got into fights with most of us at one time or another. Except for Soren, that is.”
Saba nodded his head, taking mental account of each individual. “So you haven’t seen these other three?”
“That’s right. I don’t know what role they are playing, but you can be assured that they all have some part in this.”
Saba leaned to the side and looked out the window. “It is almost dawn.”
Kael turned around to see the sky lightening to the east. “Dacien is in danger. He doesn’t understand what is going on around him.
“Yes. When the sun comes up, I will go into the city and talk to some people, ask some questions. I want to know the rest of the Emperor’s plan and how well it was received. I’ll also find out where Dacien is.”
Kael nodded, then yawned.
“Why don’t you get some rest; it’s been a long night.”
“Thanks,” Kael replied, leaning back in his chair. “Saba?”
“Yes.”
“It’s good to see you again.”
The old man smiled. “…and you, as well.”
Chapter 25
Kael jerked awake, startled by an unknown sound. He lay still, ears probing the silence for an explanation. But all was silent in Saba’s house. Must have been a dream. The bright sun was beaming in through the windows and Kael judged it to be roughly noon. He rose from his chair and stretched, then walked outside and stood on the sand, staring at the ocean. Seagulls passed by overhead, riding the same soft breeze that caused the long blades of nearby grass to bow to the north.
Kael breathed in the salty air and considered his conversation with Saba. But his mind was still cluttered with a mixture of emotions. Out of habit, he sat down on the sand, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes. During his time at the monastery, there were many times of confusion and anger. And the only thing that helped was to sit above the cliffs and allow the ebb and flow of the ocean and wind drive the confusion from his mind.
With his eyes closed, his mind sought information from the sounds about him. As he had trained himself to do, he quieted his thoughts, forcing his mind to reach out with his other sense, the one he’d never told anyone about. It seemed elusive at first, but gradually, the familiar sensation returned.
He could feel the grass sway, the tiny spiraling currents of wind as they passed by. He focused his sense and pushed it out from him to feel the water at the shore. In this way, he explored his surroundings and, almost immediately, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He was at peace again and his emotions began to sort themselves out. He wasn’t sure how long it took, but eventually, he began to see things clearly.
The sting of betrayal and the guilt of being associated with these people began to rise to the surface. He felt as though he was responsible for them and their actions. They are powerful and dangerous! Someone’s got to stop them!
But how could Kael ever hope to stop them. He had always found combat to be easy, until Narian. During that fight, he almost lost. And Narian wasn’t the best in the group. But I did stop him. He’s no longer a factor in this situation.
Slowly, Kael’s fear receded, and in its place was a resolution that something had to be done. He would probably be killed, but there was no one else who could even stand a chance against these people. They had trained their whole lives for this mission, and they would succeed otherwise. I trained with them. I can’t let them succeed.
The sun was beginning to slip behind the western horizon when Kael caught sight of a small vessel heading straight for the house. Within minutes, he could see that it was Saba’s ship with a strange dark object aboard. Kael waited patiently at the water’s edge and eventually made sense of what he was seeing. Ajani stood at the bow, holding the reins of Kael’s horse. Kael smiled and waved to his friend.
As the sky continued to darken, the small boat came to a stop in the sand. Kael waded out to help lower the cargo ramp and un-board his horse.
“Do you have it?” Kael asked quietly.
Ajani slung two large bags over his shoulders and winked, indicating the presence of the sword.
“Thank you,” Kael whispered. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt the need to keep it a secret. He didn’t yet understand what it was, and so didn’t want to talk about it with anyone. Luckily, Ajani rarely spoke.
When Saba neared, they led the horse down the ramp and through the shallow water, draping the reins over the branch of a shade tree near the house.
Saba cooked a simple meal. After they ate, they sat on the porch looking at the firelight from the city reflecting off the rippled ocean.
“He’s freed the slaves and given them the same status as the rest of the working class.” Saba said, relaying what information he had gathered during his excursion into the city. “You’re a free man now,” he said, nudging Ajani.
The scarred man smiled indifferently.
“He hasn’t been a slave since I found him in Leoran,” Kael corrected.
“Of course,” Saba offered, apologetically. “It has really caused unrest in the city. But most of the citizens agree with him. Only the ones who stand to lose profits have put up an argument. Normally, this would be a good thing. But I have to wonder why he did it, and how it helps his cause. Clearly, it wasn’t out of pure intentions.”
“He’s building an army,” Kael answered. “The Syvaku, the Korgs, the Kaliel, the Orud armies and navy, and now the entire slave population of the Empire are under his control.
They all considered these words for several moments, with nothing but the sounds of lapping water in the background. Finally, Saba broke the silence.
“Kael. There’s one thing I haven’t mentioned.”
“…only one thing?” Kael questioned, knowing that Saba had many secrets.
“…one thing in particular. Your mother was at the feast.”
Kael turned to look at Saba, a look of shock on his face. “How is that possible? Dacien said she disappeared from Bastul when the Syvaku attacked. He thought she was kidnapped.”
“I don’t know, but she was at Magnus’ side for portions of the evening. Dacien didn’t seem to notice.”
“He was Captain of the Guard in Bastul; but it’s possible that he never met her,” Kael offered, then went silent. After a minute, he spoke again. “So the High Priest, his name is Magnus?”
“Magnus Calidon,” Saba clarified. “Does it make you feel different toward him, knowing his name?”
“No,” Kael answered flatly.
A seagull screeched as it flew overhead, heading for the water. It offered a momentary distraction as they watched it land a few yards out, ripples of water extending outward from its chosen landing site.
“The Generals and Commanders are staying at the Palace tonight, along with the Emperor. And Maeryn seems to be an honored guest of Magnus’, so I would not be surprised if she was staying at the Palace as well. But there is much activity among the ranks of the Orud soldiers. It appears that they are preparing to leave.”
“Saba…” Kael said, turning to look at the old man in the eyes. “They have to be stopped.”
“I know. I am trying to figure out how to get an audience with the Council, without Magnus attending.”
“No,” corrected Kael. “There is no time for talking. I have to act, before their plans are finalized. Whatever they’re doing, we can’t afford for them to get prepared.”
“What do you propose we do?” Saba questioned.
“I’m going into the city at midnight. I need to borrow your boat.”
“Nonsense. I’ll take you myself. What are you going to do?”
“Dacien and my mother can’t stay where they are; their lives are in danger.”
“Kael,” Saba protested. “You said yourself that these men are extremely dangerous. After you escaped, what did they do? While you were traveling the world, they were continuing their training, preparing for what they are doing at this very moment. How can you hope to do anything about it? I say we tell the Council about Magnus’ secret dealings. With your testimony, they would surely bring him to trial.”
“And then what?” Kael replied. “Magnus is gifted with speech. He could convince them of anything. It wouldn’t work.”
“And what is your plan?”
Kael rose to his feet and looked down on his friends sitting in the porch. “They planned every last detail, but they didn’t account for me. As much as I hate to say it, I’m one of them. And I’m the only one that can stop them.”
* * * *
Saba’s boat cut silently through the water, pushed by a stiff breeze. Kael stood at the prow, staring into the distance. He was dressed in a style that Saba had never seen before. The pants were black, loose fitting above the knee for ease of movement, but snug around the calf so as not to get caught on anything. The tunic, if it could be called such, covered his entire upper body, as well as his arms. The same strategy had been applied to this piece of clothing as well, fitting loosely around the shoulders, but tight on the forearms. The back of Kael’s hands were also covered by a flap of material and held into place with a loop around the middle finger, such that when he made a fist, his light skin disappeared, leaving only a shadow of dark fabric in the shape of a man. Gone were the sandals of traditional Orud style. In their place, were dark boots of the same black fabric, covering all the skin of his feet. The soles were soft leather which produced hardly any sound when Kael moved across the deck of the ship.
The only thing that could be seen clearly, without straining the eyes, was Kael’s head. His hair was gathered at the back and fluttered in the breeze. Kael’s hands were free of weapons, holding only a small bundle of fabric that Saba assumed was intended to cover his head.
Ahead and to the port side, a small abandoned dock extended out into the bay. Saba guided the boat toward it. Six miles outside the city limits was a long way, but Kael didn’t seem to mind.
Saba concentrated on his approach to the dock while his peripheral vision noted Kael’s blonde head disappear into the darkness. A quick glance confirmed that he had pulled a black hood over his head. Saba turned the sails, and they went slack, the boat coasting toward the dock.
“Will you not be armed,” Saba spoke into the night air, mindful of the way sound carries over water.
“Men will fall. Weapons will abound,” came the reply from the shadow at the prow.
Saba turned his attention back to the approaching dock. He adjusted the position of the rudder, bringing them aside the tip of the dock. When he looked back, Kael was already on the dock, halfway to the shore. Saba hadn’t even seen him move.
Kael turned around, only his eyes showing through a horizontal slit in his hood. “Thank you for everything,” he said quietly, then disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter 26
The Palace guard had been doubled due to the strange events over the past few days. Spearmen circled the base of the wall surrounding the Palace, with a detachment moving one direction nearest the wall while a second detachment moved in the opposite direction farther away from the wall. Their pacing was timed such that there was always visual coverage of the entire guarded wall at all times. Archers followed a similar routine along the top of the wall. This was in addition to the guards stationed in hidden places throughout the surrounding fields and trees, keeping watch over the various approaches to the Palace.
Even with the increased security, they failed to notice the shadow that moved silently among them. The darkness of the night couldn’t be illuminated properly by the torches scattered throughout the Palace gardens. And through the darkness, Kael moved with stealth and speed.
One particular guard, on his route around the base of the wall, thought he heard something behind him. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed nothing. He looked back to the wall and stopped walking, letting his ears probe the night, but to no avail. After a few seconds, he resumed his march, walking past the base of the guard tower that jutted sharply inward to connect with the wall, resulting in a shadow cast by the torchlight only a few yards back. And only a few yards ahead, another guard approached, boredom showing on his face.
* * * *
Kael held himself close to the stone, fingers jammed into the crevices, holding his body in the shadow between the guard tower and the wall, ten feet off the ground. He counted to twenty in his head then began to scale the wall as the second guard passed beyond the tower underneath him.
He paused just before the top of the wall, waiting to hear the changing of the guard, which occurred every twenty minutes. His fingers began to shake, struggling to maintain their grip on the stone. After three minutes of holding still, footsteps sounded above, followed by muffled speech. Kael waited another minute, then cocked his head to the side and eased upward to peer over the edge. The new guard was facing his direction, but looking downward as he readjusted his scabbard on his belt.
Kael swung silently over the wall and landed in front of the man. By the time the guard looked up, his vision was already blurry, caused by the pressure against the side of his throat that restricted the blood flow to his brain. Kael held tight as the man lost consciousness. That’ll buy me twenty minutes before they realize I’m here!
Kael eased the guard to the ground and propped him against the wall, arranging his cloak to appear as if the man had fallen asleep. If he was lucky, he might get another couple minutes out of the charade.
…fifty one, fifty two, fifty three.
Kael eased open the door that separated the guard house from the walkway along the top of the wall. As expected, the archer had just passed. Kael slipped out of the door, across the walkway, and descended the stone staircase that led down to the Palace courtyard.
Once inside the Palace wall, Kael moved more quickly, but still conscious of the occasional archer passing overhead. He swung around the outside of the Palace itself, until he arrived underneath the windows of the guest quarters. Hiding in the shadows, he waited until the passing of another guard, then scaled a vine that ran up the left side of the window. At the third floor, Kael pulled himself over the balcony and dropped to the floor, just inside the room where he hoped Dacien was still staying.
Approaching quietly, he found Dacien asleep on his bed. Kael pulled off his hood and leaned close to hear his friend’s steady breathing. Putting his hand over Dacien’s mouth, he whispered into his ear.
