The Guardian Prince, page 23
“Human, does that map of yours indicate any new turns?” Gaelan asked, apparently unfazed by the drop in temperature.
Sabine checked the armband. “Not for a while yet.”
“Then that gate is going to be a problem.”
Squinting into the gloom ahead, Sabine envied her companions’ superior eyesight. She continued forward, reluctant to admit she saw nothing. “Not necessarily. There’s no mark on the cuff to indicate any sort of barrier, but that doesn't mean it's significant. It could be the map only marks distance and direction.”
“Let’s hope so.”
Just then, Sabine spied the gate, as tall and as wide as her former home in Khapor. Small black mounds dotted the ground before it, splayed randomly in a half-circle array.
Yes, she agreed silently, wrinkling her nose as she caught a whiff of a charred, acrid smell. Let’s hope so, indeed.
As they approached the gate, the acrid smell grew stronger. Sabine stared at the mounds they passed, seeking to identify them, when she suddenly realized they were singed bodies. Sabine gagged. Recognizing the odor of charred flesh, she choked on the bile that surged up her throat. She considered covering her mouth and nose with her cloak, but did not want to appear squeamish, so she focused on inhaling shallow breaths, instead.
The gate itself turned out to be made of two doors, both etched with a wide, deep line around their borders and carved with figures across their entire surfaces. What appeared at first to be a chaotic jumble of shapes soon sharpened into a picture of a battle scene involving the four races. It seemed to Sabine that the carved Dryht, Aethel, and Humans fought against the Rüddan, but it was hard to tell in the dimness of a single illumination orb and the chaos of the scene.
One of the doors was already cracked open. Not far—just enough for a person, or people walking single file, to pass through.
“Oh, good,” Gaelan muttered as they paused outside. “The Rüddan left it open for us.”
“Not by choice,” Koen said. Sabine glanced at the Dryht. “What do you mean?”
Koen gestured to the edge of the open door. “See these marks?”
Sabine examined the nicks, gouges, and scratches the Dryht indicated, then nodded. Koen waved to their right. “That indicates the Rüddan forced the door open rather than solving the challenge that unlocks it.”
Sabine arched her eyebrows. “Is that even possible?
Aodhan nodded. “Occasionally. It depends on the nature of the doorway.”
“And how many lives you have available to throw at it,” Gaelan added as he toed one of the nearby bodies.
Sabine grimaced. She wished he wouldn’t disrespect the dead like that, even if they were Rüddan. She opened her mouth to ask him to stop, then changed her mind. He was a soldier, after all—the highest ranking of Aodhan’s elite guard. He was no stranger to death and certainly no respecter of the Rüddan. To reprimand him would not change his actions. It would probably just make him angry. Rather than pick a fight, it would be best to just leave him alone.
“It also means,” Aodhan continued, “that the challenge inside has not been reset.”
Koen nodded. “Unless the gateway itself was the first test. In any case, you are correct. This is one of the labyrinth’s riddles that we won’t have to solve.”
Gaelan looked up from the body he’d been inspecting. “Finally, some good news.”
Aodhan nodded. “Either way, they probably still have a strong lead on us. Let’s see what’s on the other side of this door.”
Koen peered into the black space beyond the opening. “Wait a moment before following me.”
As he walked through the doorway, Sabine drew in and slowly released a deep breath. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she tensed and prepared to move quickly if the Dryht signaled any trouble.
Moments later, he reappeared. “It’s clear.”
Relaxing slightly, Sabine followed Koen and the others through the labyrinth gate.
She stepped into a large chamber with a ceiling so high that she could not even begin to discern it. Just where her ability to see started to diminish, she noted several ledges jutting out from the otherwise smooth, bare walls. More dead Rüddan littered the chamber, their bodies mangled and burned, their blood dry on the loose dusting of dirt scattered over the floor.
On the other side of the chamber, a large shadow lay heaped on the floor, encircled by several dead Rüddan. Beyond the body five open doorways were set into the chamber’s walls.
Sabine glanced quickly around the chamber as she crossed it, her gaze never resting on one spot for very long. Although she knew the battle was over, and the Rüddan had moved on, she could not shake the feeling that some of the surrounding bodies might only be feigning death, lying in wait to attack as soon as she and her companions had passed.
“A celenwyrm,” Koen said, identifying the heaped shadow as they approached it. “A fire elemental. Normally a new one would spawn after the labyrinth challenger had defeated and moved beyond the test.”
Sabine studied the beast. It looked like one of the legged snakes she often saw in the desert around Rhosynard, only its body was not as elongated. And it was the size of a two-story house. And it had wings that were just as large. Sabine shuddered. If the overlapping scales were as hard as they looked, then she was surprised more Rüddan than those scattered about had not lost their lives in the battle to kill the creature.
“I’m glad we don’t have to fight it,” Gaelan murmured, his expression grim. “Maybe our luck will hold and the Rüddan will face all the monsters for us.”
“If they do,” Aodhan countered as he passed the dead celenwyrm, “then we will arrive too late and they will win the godstone, as well.”
Gaelan glanced sharply at Aodhan. Setting his lips in a grim line, he nodded and fell in behind the Aethel prince.
Sabine followed, casting one last glance over the celenwyrm. If this was only the first test, and it had taken so many Rüddan to kill it, how could she and the others hope to gain the godstone?
On the other side of the celenwyrm, Gaelan studied the footprints left by those Rüddan who had survived the encounter. “It looks like they split up again, taking some of their forces down each path.”
“Better odds for us, then, when we run into them,” Aodhan said. Looking at Sabine, he asked, “Which way next?”
Sabine glanced down at the cuff. The glowing path veered a little to the left, but not as sharply as it would for a hard turn, so she pointed to the second doorway. “That one.”
They traveled in silence. Although she could not guess at the thoughts of the others, Sabine’s own thoughts were plagued by the realization of the enormity of their task. She had known that retrieving the godstone would not be easy—had even known in the back of her mind that she or her companions could die—but to see the sheer number of Rüddan slain by the first beast made her doubt any chance she and her companions might have had.
Every once in a while, she told the others where to turn. Occasionally they paused to discover the way forward when a path seemed to end. Other than that, though, they remained silent, alert and listening for any sounds that might indicate a nearby patrol.
“More doors ahead,” Gaelan called out suddenly, “and a large opening before them.”
Sabine peered into the darkness but was unsurprised to find she could not see anything yet. Absently, she replaced the cuff on her arm for safekeeping.
A short while later the path led them to a large, half-circular chamber which held the doors Gaelan had spotted. Spaced evenly around a half-circle perimeter, each one was made of metal-reinforced wood and set in metal archways. The color of the metal changed with each door, making Sabine think each was a different type, but intricate patterns of knots and swirls were embossed on all of them.
Several Rüddan lay clustered randomly in front of each door. Unlike those in the previous chamber, however, these bodies bore no charring, no marks at all to hint how they died. This, more than anything, caused Sabine’s stomach to clench in anxiety.
All at once a random breeze pushed one of the doors, closing it with a dull thud. Sabine jumped, but the others had already moved forward. Careful not to touch anything, they began inspecting each of the doors.
“This one has been forced,” Koen said. “So has the one next to it.”
“As have these,” Gaelan echoed.
Recovered from her surprise, Sabine moved to the other side of the half-circle, opposite Gaelan and Koen. As she drew nearer, she noted black marks surrounding the locks on each door. The metal looked like it had imploded.
“They’ve all been forced,” Aodhan surmised.
When Sabine nodded to confirm this appeared to be the case on her end as well, he used the tip of his sword to push open the door nearest to him. Nothing happened, so he moved onto the next. The others joined in until all of the doors stood fully ajar.
Blackness lay beyond each opening. The only difference from one to another was the air that seeped through. Some tunnels oozed hot, moist air, others leaked a brisk, cold breeze, and variations in between. Some tunnels smelled fresh, some dank, some musty, and some like decay.
“I wonder what the challenge was,” Koen mused, studying the doorframe in front of him.
Sabine followed the direction of his gaze and noted footprints leading to the entrance. A quick glance at the other doorways confirmed that the Rüddan had split their forces again and sent soldiers down every tunnel, just as they had at the last branching.
“I wonder how they died.” Sabine studied the bodies nearest her. Aside from expressions of panic and terror upon their faces, there were no clues to be seen.
“Doesn’t matter,” Aodhan said, his expression resolute. “Only three challenges remain, and we don’t know how far ahead the rest of them are. We must make haste.”
Sabine nodded and removed the cuff from her arm once more. Because the path of light only arched slightly to the right, but at an angle that was undistinguishable, it was hard to determine precisely which tunnel to follow. After explaining this to the others, the group decided to try the third door.
Sabine grimaced, for this path reeked of mold, but at least it was warm. After a while, however, she noted that the corresponding light was not fading on her map. When she mentioned this to the others they decided to backtrack and try another route.
It wasn’t until their third try that they found the right path. When Sabine saw the glow on the armband fading once again, she breathed a sigh of relief. Although this passage was a bit musty, the odor was mild and the floor smooth, so the team made good time.
“Shhh,” Gaelan whispered suddenly, thrusting his arm out to stop Sabine from going any further. The motion was so abrupt that her arm stung where it collided with his, and she crashed into him at full speed. He glanced her way but said nothing, only motioned to the others. Those two stopped beside him.
“What is it?” Sabine whispered.
“Noises ahead.”
Sabine glanced to Aodhan in time to see him and Koen drawing their weapons. As Koen dimmed the light that glowed about them until it was barely bright enough to see by, Gaelan drew his twin swords.
Regretting her lack of a weapon once again, Sabine returned the cuff to her arm. As Aodhan and Koen fell in behind Gaelan, she dropped back to a defensive position at the rear.
She heard nothing at first. However, the alert, intent expressions on the faces of the others told her that they did. Soon she began to discern it herself—a murmur of three or four voices and the rustle of movement that grew louder as she advanced.
They approached a curve in the path. Gaelan stopped and signaled to Aodhan, who nodded. He motioned for Koen to follow and for her to wait where she was.
Suppressing a grimace, she mirrored his nod. Even though her instincts chaffed, screaming that it was a bad idea, she stayed behind as the others crept silently around the curve.
She listened for some indication of what was happening in the next room but heard nothing for a few long moments. Finally, the echo of surprised voices and the sharp clang of swords reverberated back to her.
She could remain behind no longer. Unsure what to do, but certain she had to do something, Sabine rushed forward.
Around the curve, the path stopped in what looked like a dead end. Two torches flickered on the floor as if dropped by whomever had been holding them. Their light darted erratically, casting variations of soft and hard shadow around the chamber. Apparently the seven Rüddan now caught there had been looking for a hidden opening that would lead them forward when Sabine’s companions had surprised them. Two black shapes lay sprawled on the floor now, dark puddles leaking beneath them. One dim figure fought with Aodhan and another with Koen as Gaelan, his back to the wall nearest Sabine, kept two Rüddan at bay. The last, who carried no weapon, appeared to have just slipped beyond the fight and was heading her way. He had not seen her yet, but he would soon enough.
Sabine scanned the narrow passage, searching for something to use as a weapon. If this Rüddan escaped, he could return to Naois with the news of their presence. The last thing Sabine and the others needed was an entire camp of angry Rüddan pursuing them through the labyrinth. The only problem was, the tunnel was empty of everything except the thin layer of dirt that covered the floor.
It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. As quickly as she could while the Rüddan soldier hurried in her direction, she scooped up a handful of the fine silt and flung it into his face.
“Aaaggh!” The soldier swiped at his eyes. Behind him, Gaelan lunged and another Rüddan slumped to the ground.
The man opposite Sabine rubbed his face even as he continued staggering forward. Out of options, Sabine lunged for his knees and hoped for the best. Colliding with him, she wrapped her arms around his legs, pushed forward with all her weight, and held on tightly as they fell.
Small spikes of pain pierced her hands as the Rüddan landed on them, crushing them into the stone path. The soldier thumped against the ground, his head crashing against the rock with a dull thudding sound. Even so, he recovered quickly and began throwing punches.
Before Sabine could decide what to do next, something struck her right above the ear, catapulting her into darkness.
“Sabine,” Aodhan called, his voice a curious mix of request and command. “Sabine, wake up.”
Sabine grimaced but didn’t open her eyes. “What’s in it for me?”
Pushing her hair away from her forehead, Aodhan chuckled. “A large headache, most likely, but that’s what comes of rushing soldiers you’re not trained to fight.”
Eyes still closed, Sabine rolled to her side then slowly pushed herself upright. “You saw that?”
“Indeed.” Although she couldn’t see him yet, Sabine imagined Aodhan’s expression to be rather stern. “What were you thinking?”
Sabine cracked an eye open to gauge if she was right. She regretted it instantly, however, for the throbbing in her head doubled. Sighing in resignation, she braced against the headache and opened both eyes.
“I was thinking I need to learn to use a weapon when we get back to Rhosynard.”
Gaelan snorted and Koen chuckled, but Aodhan only gave her a stern look.
“He was getting away,” Sabine protested in her defense. Trying not to grimace, she gingerly adjusted her position. “I had to keep him from reporting back to Naois.”
Although Aodhan scowled like her father at his most protective, Sabine noticed a glimmer in his eye that she thought might be approval. Much to her surprise, a sense of warmth suffused her, dulling the ache in her skull for a moment. A very short, fleeting moment.
“Koen,” she moaned, closing her eyes once more, “do you have any harrowroot for this headache? And maybe some water?”
The Dryht chuckled once more as he drew near. “Where, exactly, does it hurt?”
Sabine circled her hand vaguely over her left ear. A moment later a breath of warmth blossomed in her head and the ache ebbed into nothingness.
“Even better,” she murmured, turning her head to the right and left, up and down. “Thanks.”
Koen nodded and passed her water skin to her. “You could have done the same.”
Sabine shrugged as she sipped from the water skin. “It didn’t occur to me. I’m too used to doing it the other way, I suppose.”
Koen arched his eyes as if to say that was where Sabine’s problem lay but didn’t speak. Before he could change his mind, Sabine asked, “Did you get the Rüddan?”
Gaelan shook his head. “After you fell, none of us could break away from our battles. He’ll be reporting to the Emissary soon.”
I could have stopped him if I had thought to use the magic, Sabine scolded herself, then grimaced. Unless it wasn’t in Torian’s will.
She was just about to ask Koen why he hadn’t used magic in the battle, himself, but Aodhan was speaking again. “Gaelan found the opening to the next part of the path while you were knocked out. If you’re recovered enough, we should move on.”
Nodding, Sabine removed the cuff from her upper arm. Attempting a joke to show she was travel-ready, she said, “Just be sure to catch me if I fall.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The path Gaelan had discovered led them to a long, narrow corridor. This opened upon a round chamber dimly lit by a shadowy light which emitted from nowhere and everywhere at once. Rectangular tables ringed the perimeter, pushed side-by-side against the walls. Bronze mirrors of varying shapes and sizes, laying down or supported by wooden stands, littered their surfaces. Other mirrors, also in wooden frames but too large to fit atop the tables, stood scattered around the room on the floor. The largest of these, a rectangular glass mirror framed in dark wood, dominated the center of the room. Two men could have walked through it easily.
