63. Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Three
Thea
The halls of the Crystal Castle echo with my hurried footsteps. Anxiety urges me to move faster. King Ephraim is usually in his study, pouring over court documents, and other things for the community. But I poke my head in, and his desk takes up a good portion of the space in front of the floor to ceiling windows. But it stands empty. I hurry deeper into the castle, barging into the war room. King Ephraim’s large sprouting antlers are precariously close to knocking his wine over as he leans over the oval table, hands running over the maps.
“Majesty.” I curtsy before I take a seat across from him. “What’s happened?”
“The Crone, her energy is moving through the city, but I can’t pinpoint exactly where it is. They’re using something to hide her, but I can’t think of what. I fear they are going to try to flee the city soon.” His gravelly voice sounds tired and his shoulders slump with the weight of the city.
“They have nowhere to go. Myrr is one of the last cities that is not under demon influence. The rest of the empire has fallen, behind your wards is the only safe place remaining.” My voice is low, no one in the city truly knows how bad the demon presence has gotten throughout the realm. With this recent string of demon attack, and the sorcerers taking Nonna, I know something is brewing. I fear the demons are going to come for Myrr. We can’t let them have Mother Willow, it would tip the balance of the world and my vision would become reality.
“I fear we are missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. We need to find the Crone, I’m sending mercenaries to watch the gates out of the city, I need you to go to the gate of fire and starlight. If the sorcerers try to run, we will catch them.” Ephraim raises his head; blind eyes meeting mine. I bow before turning on my heel to fulfill his request.
In the southernmost part of the warded territory is an arch made of red crystal. It flares brightly under the light of the sun, its red color bleeding across the grass. When the sun vanishes behind a cloud, the gate’s color shifts to a dark blue almost black with starlight sparkles that shine across it. I haven’t seen anyone since I got here hours ago. A chill sweeps through the air as the sun begins its ascent, my senses on high alert as I wait.
Night falls, and still not a soul has come anywhere near the gate. I unroll my bedroll, and find a spot where I can doze, but still see the gate easily. It’s not until the moon is at its peak that four robed figures appear in front of the gate. They’re taller than I expected, the robes hugging the planes of their chest before falling loose around their legs. Standing between two of them is Nonna, and I stamp down the urge to cry out her name. The element of surprise is what is going to make this successful. Chains bind the Crone’s wrists and ankles, and they clink with any move she makes. I creep through the trees that hide me from view as I move, I pull my guns from the sheaths on my thighs. I’m bringing Nonna home.
As I creep closer, trying to find an angle to line up my shot that doesn’t risk a stray bullet hitting Nonna, a twig cracks under my feet and two of the sorcerers’ heads snap in my direction. Leaving behind the ones trying to open the gate while they investigate the noise I just made. This might work out better for me in the long run, I’ll be able to kill them without alerting the others. I thrust my guns back into my holsters opting for the knife sheathed at my boot. It’ll be quieter, quicker. I slink deep into the woods; the sorcerers engulfed by the trees as I climb one for a better vantage point. Without warning, when the sorcerers wander just far enough, I drop on them. Quickly using my blade to slit the throat of the first before whirling on the second. He goes to call for help, but I’m too fast. Before he can utter a single word my dagger is out of my hand flying hilt over blade before embedding into his neck. He sputters, his cries drowned by his gurgles as he chokes on his own blood. The wooded area falls silent again.
I turn my attention back to the gate, doing my best to stay hidden. I watch as they drag a small blade across Nonna’s palm before pressing it against the gate. I want to launch myself at them there and then. But I must play this smart. I can’t just go charging in, that’s not how I was trained. I don’t have much of an option when the trees give way to the gate leaving an expanse of grass that separates me from them. There is no cover, nowhere to hide. The sorcerer begins to chant, and if I don’t act now, I’ll lose my chance. I decide against using my guns, I can’t risk Nonna’s life. I stalk through the grass, full predator as my long strides close the distance quickly. The sorcerers are too enamored by the forming portal that they don’t see me sneak up until I’m on them.
“You can’t leave, I won’t let you,” I growl and the sorcerer on Nonna’s right turns. His face obscured by a metal mask. Before I can pull out my second knife, he pulls a blade from the sheath hidden beneath his black robes and slashes. I step back, barely dodging the razor-sharp edge. I hold the blade up ready to end the fight. I dodge another slash, and when I duck, I slip through the sorcerer’s defenses to shove my knife hilt deep into the center of his chest. He falls to his knees as I rip the blade from his chest whirling to face Nonna and the last sorcerer just as they disappear through the portal.