Chapter 33 CASPIANS POV
I knew I had to go this route alone. She’s with my men and they will keep her safe. But I can tell there’s something coming ahead and I didn’t want her anywhere near it.
??I stare into the tunnel preparing myself mentally. Looking down at the muddy ground I see all the footprints, though just by looking, there’s at least five men. I look around to see if I can find anything that was dry enough to catch fire and use as a torch but I can’t find anything. I look down at the part of my shirt still tucked into my pants and I know that’s my only option. I grab the first thick stick I can find and step just into the tunnel to get out of the rain. I pull out the old rusted zippo lighter I had found on the ship, flip the zippo open, and watch the flame light up my space.
??I pull my shirt out from my pants and rip it all the way around till I have myself a full strip of almost dry cloth. I wrap it around the top of the stick and tie it tight. ?? ??
I reopen the zippo and catch the cloth on fire to create my torch. It catches fast, bringing a welcoming heat but I know damn well I won’t have a ton of time with this. Maybe enough to hopefully get where I’m going. The flame dances as my hand is slightly unsteady. I take a deep breath in and start to walk. ??
The tunnel is damp, condensation promotes into mold as it climbs up the sides of the walls. Every step I take I can hear the mud grasping onto the rubber at the soles of my boots. A loud mucky sounds with every print I track. Continuing down the tunnel, I hear voices in the distance. Soft mumbles so I know I need to get closer. I pull out my sword and hold it in my left hand tightly. I can’t help to think how much I don’t want to be in this position but I can’t let Abigail down. She is depending on me to protect her more now than ever, so I can only prevail.
I hunch down and walk slowly until I see their light and without thought I immediately stick my torch into the mud and watch as the flame dies out. If they see my light, I’ll lose my advantage. I stalk my way forward getting closer and closer to the light, their mumbles slowly becoming more easier to make out.
“All I know is that Ace said to wait for her here.” A man with a deep raspy voice yells out. They’re talking about Abigail, suddenly my mind grows a grotesque mix of anger and protectiveness. I knew I made the right decision keeping her from this path. I move just a bit closer and hide up against the wall in the last bit of shadow left before I step into their light. I see five men huddled around a fire they made on what looks like the only dry part of the ground. ??
“How long does he expect us to wait?!” Demands the bigger brute of a man closest to me. He’s who I will need to take down first. I continue listening as I coordinate my next moves.
“He said until she arrived. He said he had her in custody and it was just a matter of time until they arrived with her. The instructions were clear as day.”
Responded the man standing to the far right of the tunnel. This one was smaller and young, an easy feat. I really don’t have time to hope I can get more information, I’ve heard enough and want nothing more than to destroy the ones who dare think they can bring harm to Abigail. The more the talk the less I hear as my blood begins to boil, building rage all through my body.
I’ll kill them before they even have a second thought. ??I grab my sword tightly, and take a deep breath in and steady myself. I can NOT go blind with rage, it makes me sloppy.
I take a good look behind them to see the tunnel splits off into two. The left side is pitch black and full of cobwebs, the right seems to be the path these men plan to take as it has torches lit up throughout the way.
Okay, game time.
I quickly ran up on the balls of my phalanx to the big man closest to me. Wrap my sword in and across the hyoid bone of his neck and pull it back down like I was playing a violin. I can hear the sword sliding through cartilage and the weight of his throat pushing pressure on it as it slides through. Blood drenches the ground in front of him before the other four men notice or even register exactly what is happening.
The man to my left stands stunned and looks up at me in fear. I stab my sword as hard as I can into his chest putting all my weight into it and pull it from side to side slicing through his heart and every connected artery. I kick my foot up and put it on his body pushing off of it to remove my sword. The body smacks into the ground just as I quickly move my body around to face the other three men on the other side of the fire.
All three men are slightly facing a different angle waiting for my next move. I stand stagnant for a moment to gather my next thoughts when suddenly the little guy on the left side asks with a shaky unsure tone, “Are...Are you Caspian?”
I stop, my face as shocked as I certainly feel, How could he possibly know who I am? Or my name in general?
“What’s it matter who I am?” I growl back.
“Ace, he mentioned you were with Abigail. Though we were under the impression she would be with you. We... Well, we have been waiting two days for your arrival.”
Waiting on OUR arrival? I tighten my sword in my palms and look at the three men again standing diagonal from me. All of them standing in a nervous stance, shaking in their palms. These aren’t men who are experienced fighters, why would Ace send these men to escort Abigail while knowing her skills with a sword?
“Why are you waiting on us?”I demand.
What game are they playing? I think to myself but then out of the back of the tunnel I see a shadow coming our direction. It looks to be only one person creeping this way.
I wonder if this is Ace. Where these men were just stalling while they waited for his arrival.
“Caspian, I’m assuming Ace didn’t have the chance to explain. there’s a lot you don’t know.” The man slowly sets his sword on the ground and lifts both hands up. I watch cautiously as I see him nudge the other two to do the same. I’m so unsure of what's happening.
Are they trying to throw me off? Is there really something more at play here?
Uncertainty starts to settle in and I loosen up my shoulders just enough to show them I’m listening. Then I see the man in the tunnel as clear as day.
Russell.
He’s not tied up or being held hostage at all. In fact, he seems to be casually waiting in the tunnels just as these other men were.
“Caspian, Ace isn’t the bad guy you are thinking he is. He's done everything to this point to protect Abigail. The order noticed her when we all ported to Parteis Island and threatened to kill everyone on the ship if he didn’t turn her in. Abby is the daughter of the top royal family, she is a spitting image of her mother, it truly was only a matter of time.” The men continue on.
“I know damn well who Abigail is,” I snapped back.
“You think you were the only one hired to get her? You really think they were going to leave retrieving the most valuable princess in the world, to just one person? Common Caspian, you are smarter than that. They loaded the ship with a bunch of men sent with Ace to retrieve her. He immediately set this plan in place prior to leaving the island. He was going to win them over to protect the crew he grew up with all while protecting Abby.” Russell intervenes.
This can't possibly be true, can it? I don’t want to believe anything he is saying but looking at the three of them and now looking around, they weren’t preparing to fight. They were just waiting for a familiar face.
Russel continues, “Ace needed to sell it so that he was truly on their side. He couldn’t let up until they reached Symbodia but Captain Charles recognized some of the men from the island. Ace had no choice, it was to kill him or blow his cover and watch everyone he loved die. He was going to send everyone left from our crew, including Abigail, to us so we could sneak away.”
I’m lost for words but based on everything Abby has told me about Ace, it all seems to add up. In fact, I would have done the same thing for her if I was in his position. I slide my sword back into its scabbard.
Shit! I sent Abby to Ace with my men. Trained Bounty hunters designed to kill anyone, but especially him.
“Russell, If what you say is true, we don’t have much time. Arielle and Abby are on their way with my men as we speak. Abigail has so much hate in her body, she won't listen to him. She will end his life without a second thought. I need you to take me to him quickly or he is as good as dead.” Russell senses the panic in my voice as his entire demeanor changes. His movements now are with urgency as he grabs a weapon thrown to the ground by the other three.
“Caspian, I’ll guide you to them at the top. But we need to hurry. You and I both know Arielle can easily clear out those men to give Abigail an easier path to Ace. Time is short.” I don’t think for a moment to question him any further. Russell and I have known each other for years and I know when he’s being deceitful. This is not one of those times.
Hold on Abby, please.