The Ring Keeper, page 31
“We’ll be careful,” Talon promised. “I can’t stand the thought of Allia being held captive any more than you can. But I won’t do anything stupid. I’ll find a way in and figure out how to release her.”
Callonen couldn’t help feeling a surge of hope at the idea. Talon could do it. He could bring Allia back. But the plan was dangerous, and the demons still roamed outside the Warding.
Maybe Callonen shouldn’t agree to it, but he longed to. “Can you assure me you’ll be safe?”
“We’ll be fine,” Talon said. “And we’ll find her.”
Callonen rode hard to get from the camp at the eastern edge of the Warding back to the city. When he arrived, the afternoon was fading and silence filled the palace. His footsteps echoed in the hallways as he went straight to his father’s rooms. The royal healer met him at the door.
“Your Highness.” He bowed. “I’m relieved to see you back.”
“How is he?” Callonen asked.
The healer shook his head. “It’s not good. It’s grown much more serious since you were last home. We’ve been doing everything we can think of for months now, but the last two weeks have been worse.”
“When do you expect him to recover?” Callonen asked.
The healer put his hand on Callonen’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m doing everything I can, but I’m not sure he will recover.”
His father had seemed in perfect health before… before his second son had betrayed them.
Callonen entered the room and saw another healer bending over the bed. He went straight to his father’s side, and the healer moved to make room for him.
“Father!” Callonen knelt beside the bed and took the emperor’s hand.
“Callonen?” Caldoreth’s voice sounded weak, nothing like the powerful man who ruled an empire. His face looked deeply lined and old, the skin fragile and translucent.
“How did this happen?” Callonen asked. On his last visit, he’d noticed that his father had aged, but nothing like this. How had he gone from a vigorous man to someone who appeared ancient and frail? “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You were trying to find Allia,” Caldoreth murmured. “I know you love her, and I expected you would come home when you rescued her.”
He sat with his father late into the night before relinquishing his place to a healer. Back in his own room, Callonen got very little sleep in his soft bed. How could he rest in luxury when Allia was a prisoner? And how could he help her if he was tied to the Warding?
For the next several days, Callonen divided his time between sitting beside his father and handling the business of the empire. He’d assisted with much of it for years, but handling it alone was harder than he’d expected.
Caldoreth’s condition continued to deteriorate.
Callonen questioned the healers about the progression of his father’s illness and when they had first observed any symptoms.
“The first time we noticed anything was last winter,” a healer said. “Nearly a year ago. But his illness seemed minor at first. He just couldn’t seem to recover, though. In the last couple of months, since you were home, everything accelerated. He didn’t want us to send for you, but we had to.”
Callonen nodded. “I know you’ve done everything you could.”
The man nodded. “I wish I could do more. With your permission, I will depart for now.”
Callonen nodded, and the healer left him sitting alone in his father’s study. The emperor’s health had been failing for nearly a year, and Callonen hadn’t known until the message reached him a few days ago. The last time he’d been in the city, he’d seen his father and wondered if there was something wrong. But he’d been too focused on Allia and everything else that had happened.
Callonen rubbed his forehead. There was something about this illness. Something he should remember. He got up and paced back and forth, searching for that elusive thought.
Suddenly, the memory surfaced. His mind went back to the spring day nearly two years ago when he had gone looking for Allia in the storage rooms beneath the palace. They had found many unexpected items. He had held a spell book and read the beginning of an incantation that would cause someone to die of old age in a year.
Callonen took a lantern and three of the Emperor’s Guard. They went to the farthest corner of the palace, to the storage room where he’d seen the books. The room where he and Allia had found the spider.
He paused in the doorway, thoughts of Allia as painful as a blade in his skin. “We’re looking for crates that contain spell books,” Callonen instructed the guards. They spread out, searching.
The glass-sided container that had housed the monstrous spider was nowhere to be seen. Callonen and the others examined dozens of crates. Only a few contained books, but none of them had anything to do with magic. They found nothing out of the ordinary. Someone had removed them from the room.
Had it been Haldreth? A shaft of pain penetrated Callonen’s heart. Had his brother taken the strange glass case and the crates of artifacts and spell books? Had he studied them? Was Haldreth trying to murder their father? Could he have stolen Blackbane too?
There must be some way to help his father, some way to stop the progression of the illness. Where was the healing ring now, when they needed it so badly? And where was Allia?
For days, the emperor’s condition worsened and Callonen stayed beside his father, holding his withered hand. Just before the sun set, Caldoreth took a few final shallow breaths, and then nothing. He was gone.
Grief flooded through Callonen. His father’s absence left a stinging hole in his heart. Caldoreth had been the only family he had left besides Haldreth.
Suddenly, Callonen’s mind was exploding, filled with thousands of thoughts and voices. The sudden crushing weight pressed down on him, causing him to cry out, writhing to escape it. The noise was unbearable. He put his hands on either side of his head, as if he could hold his skull together.
Callonen tried to breathe—in and out. The steady rhythm pushed the noise and weight back a little.
He took a deep breath. The pressure receded enough that he could think again. Opening his eyes, he found himself on the floor beside his father’s bed, the healer bending over him.
“What happened?” Callonen rubbed his forehead as he tried to concentrate.
When he focused hard on his own thoughts, everything else moved to the background. He could think. All the people of Sarine were there, somewhere in his mind. If he concentrated on someone, he could tell where they were and what they were feeling.
He looked at the healer kneeling beside him. “I know now how much you really cared about my father. You gave up time with your own family to help him.”
The man’s eyes widened. He bowed in the deepest respect. “Yes, Emperor Callonen.”
Allia
WINTER WAS PASSING, and by now, Haldreth had summoned sixteen of the dark creatures. Allia woke with the all-too-familiar aching exhaustion of having healed Haldreth again. The night was silent. The faint glow of moonlight lit her room while Cirana slept in her cradle. Allia heard someone open the door stealthily.
Was it Haldreth? He hadn’t made any nighttime visits since before Cirana was born. Had he come back?
Allia’s stomach knotted. It could be someone else, any of the soldiers. Her eyes followed the dark shape of a man against the moonlight, and she shrank away in fear. She didn’t have the strength to even try to fight if he attacked her. If she cried out, it might alert a guard, but would probably not result in help for her. The man crept silently nearer.
“Allia?” a voice whispered.
No one here dared speak to her, aside from Haldreth. Who could it be? What was he going to do to her? She couldn’t even raise her arms. Fear flooded through her, and her breathing became rapid and shallow.
“Don’t be afraid. It’s Talon.”
For a long moment, her tired brain struggled to process the information. Talon? But he couldn’t be here. That wasn’t possible.
“Talon?” she murmured.
“Yes, it’s me. Please don’t be afraid.”
She relaxed against the pillow and tears of relief slipped from her eyes. “How?”
“We didn’t have enough men to attack the fortress directly, so we had to find another way in. I’m sorry it took so long.”
“Talon! I was afraid you were dead. He sent the demons to kill Callonen. Is he dead?”
“He’s alive and sent me to help you. We need to get you out of here.”
“It’s not just me. My baby too.”
If the revelation shocked Talon, he didn’t show it. He looked down into the cradle at the blanket-covered bundle.
“There has to be a way to stop Haldreth!” she continued. “He is using dark magic to summon demons, and he’s forced me to help him. He said he would kill my baby if I didn’t! I should have let him kill us both. Now so many other people have died… But I couldn’t!” She couldn’t stop the tears now. When she explained it all out loud, it sounded even worse.
“Shh…” Talon hissed, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It will be all right.”
“How can you say that? We have to stop him!”
“Yes,” Talon agreed. “But first we have to get you away from here.”
“You would take me home?” It was too good to be true. “I was afraid Callonen wouldn’t forgive me… He’s not angry with me?”
“Angry?” Talon asked. “No. He knows you were taken against your will, and he loves you. We’ve just spent a long time finding a way in. If not for the demons, he would still be trying. They can’t get into the Warding. Callonen had to get back inside before they killed him.”
Allia took in a deep breath. “Then he’s all right?”
“He’s fine, but he had to return to the city when Emperor Caldoreth became ill. Without the Warding, no one would have any protection from the Shekkar. He couldn’t come himself, but I’m here to take you home.”
For so long, Allia had thought Callonen was dead because of her. “Thank you, Talon,” Allia whispered. “I’ve been so alone here.”
“Let’s go now,” he urged. “Come with me.”
“Haldreth forced me to heal him. I can’t get up.”
“I’ll carry you.”
For a moment, a surge of hope welled up in Allia’s heart. He would take her and Cirana away. They would be rid of Haldreth forever. But what would happen after they left? Haldreth would send his demons after them. Perhaps there might be a way to stop his plans… Maybe the gate pin Haldreth used in his ritual? She tried to gather the remaining shreds of her courage.
“Wait,” she whispered. “There’s a magical object… It’s powerful. Without it, he can’t create any more demons. He needs it and the ring.”
“How can I steal it?” Talon asked.
Allia shook her head. “It has to be me. He guards it carefully. I need a replica to put in its place. Could you find someone skilled at metalwork to make one?”
“I can do it,” Talon said. “Before I became a soldier, I was a blacksmith. What’s this thing like?”
“It’s almost exactly the length of my hand.”
Talon measured the size against his own hand, nodding.
“It’s a rod as thick as my finger with six equal sides and looks like black iron.”
“I’ll do the best I can,” Talon said. “I’ll make a few, and you can pick the best one when I come back.”
“A fake won’t fool him for long,” she said, “but perhaps long enough for us to get away.”
“When?” he asked.
Allia had kept count of the healings by scratching marks into the battered wood of the bed frame. She had no way of knowing exactly how long she was unconscious after each healing, but from the time she woke up, Haldreth had been consistent in his schedule of returning to demand she assist him again.
“In four more days, he will force me to heal him again. If I refuse, his guards will kill my baby. But I don’t have the strength to continue. It’s killing me. There isn’t much time left to get Cirana away from him.”
“Cirana? Is that your baby’s name?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll get her out,” Talon promised.
Allia sighed. “That’s more important than what happens to me. We have to do this. Bring me the replica before then. That night, I will exchange them, and he will bring me back here. I will not be conscious for two or three days after the healing. Can you still get Cirana and me out if I’m too weak to move?”
“Yes. Harrow is with me. We climbed the canyon wall to get in.”
“Please be careful! No matter what happens, we have to get Cirana away from him. But what about you? Talon, he will send the demons after us.”
“I know.” Talon took a deep breath. “But if we don’t do this, he’ll create an army of demons, and no one will ever be able to stop him. We’ll just have to get back into the Warding before they kill us.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Year of Warding 23, Ara’s Countryside
Allia
AS THE FOUR DAYS PASSED, Allia regained some strength and started to convince herself that their plan might work. Talon had slipped back in one night and given her a choice of three black, six-sided iron cylinders. He had done well, and they were all good reproductions. She selected the one that best matched the size and shape of the original. Hopefully, Haldreth wouldn’t look too closely at it for a few days. She hid it in her pocket, waiting for her chance to act.
That evening, Haldreth came to her room as usual, and Allia went with him wordlessly. They descended to the chamber with the circle. Night had fallen. He began speaking the strange words, which by now were grotesquely familiar to Allia. She kept her face blank, but inside she was nervous.
The shrieking came, and the hole opened. Then Haldreth’s chest was torn apart.
The new demon emerged, and Haldreth collapsed, bleeding, onto the floor. The demon faced him. While its attention focused on Haldreth, Allia grabbed the pin from his hand, replacing it with Talon’s replica. She hid the real artifact inside her dress. The demon dove toward her, as she reached down to heal Haldreth. When she touched him, the pain was so intense that she couldn’t tell if the demon’s claws had reached her.
When Allia opened her eyes, she saw the night sky. She blinked in confusion. Where was she? She shivered with the cold and felt the chill of stone beneath her. A dark shape loomed, silhouetted against the stars. A startled gasp escaped her.
“Allia?”
Relieved, she recognized Talon’s voice. Had they made it out of the fortress? “Talon?”
“I’m here.” He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“Are we out?” It seemed too good to be true.
“We’re out,” he said.
Tears filled her eyes. “I thought I would never escape!” she cried. “Thank you! Where’s Cirana?”
“Harrow has her, right here. She’s sleeping.”
Allia hadn’t meant to let her emotions get the best of her, but she had been trapped for so long with no hope or help. Silent sobs shook her, and tears ran down her cheeks. “It will be all right,” Talon said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Would you like some water?”
He supported her head so she could drink.
“Thank you,” she murmured, taking a deep breath and trying to pull herself together. She and Cirana were both outside the fortress of Hakvere.
“Can you eat?” Talon offered her a piece of hard bread.
She couldn’t use her arms, so he broke off pieces, and she opened her mouth to accept them. He helped her wash it down with another swallow of water.
“We need to keep moving,” Talon said.
She nodded, eager to put as much distance as possible between herself and Haldreth, but she couldn’t walk or even move. There was no way she could have gotten out on her own.
“With your permission, Lady Allia?” Talon said.
He knew they had no other choice but offered what respect he could, and Allia was grateful. She nodded, and he picked her up in his arms. Harrow appeared as another dark outline beside him. They moved through the rocks, along the edge of the river. Sheer canyon walls rose on either side.
“We left horses and supplies hidden on the other side,” Talon said. “Do you have the gate pin?”
She could feel the hard outline of it against her ribs. “Yes.”
“There are villages across the river. We’ll find a forge and destroy it.”
“Thank you.” She closed her eyes to rest.
Talon
THE FOUR OF THEM TRAVELED through the rest of that night and early morning. Allia had only been awake for a brief period before she passed out again. When the terrain grew more difficult, Talon carried her over his shoulder instead of in his arms. She had not objected or even moved. It felt like he was carrying a lifeless body.
No. She still lived and would regain her strength with time and care.
The sun was growing high when the baby demanded a halt. Harrow had nestled her inside his coat to keep her warm, and she’d slept resting against his chest. Now she woke, wiggled and informed them she was hungry.
They found a protected hollow, out of sight. Haldreth’s men were surely searching along the rim of the canyon.
Talon set Allia down on the rocks. She reacted as little as if she were already dead. In the full light of day, her face looked haggard. Her cheeks were hollow, and she had dark circles beneath her eyes with heavy bruises along her cheek and jaw. As he’d carried her, he could feel how thin she was. Her body felt frail, as if anything might break her.
Knowing they would need to care for an infant, Talon had brought milk with them. It would stay good for days yet in the cold weather.
Harrow pulled the baby out of his jacket and wrapped her in a blanket.
Talon soaked bits of the hard bread in the milk and gave them to the baby. She stared up at him with large brown eyes. “Good girl,” he said as she accepted the food. “I’m sorry it’s not warm. We’re doing the best we can.”
