Chapter 26 Faolan #2
“I’ve read the briefings, if that’s what you mean. I’m not sure why any of that would be relevant. There are priests everywhere. Is this because of the involvement you suspect they had with egg trafficking?” Alaric answered.
“No,” Kol spoke up, looking shaken. “It’s more than eggs. When they found me, I was being held with cargo intended for the priests’ stores. Everything was marked with the same symbol. Including my jailers. They bore it on their wrists.” He was ashen while recalling the memories.
“Is someone going to fill us in?” Calytrix demanded.
Nyx gave Alaric a questioning look.
He shrugged. “They are in as much danger, so maybe they should know. I can’t say how much they will or won’t be told in the palace, but who are they going to tell?”
“No one,” Caly interjected. “And if it involves our safety, we need to know.”
Nyx weighed it for a few moments, then leaned in.
“We believe there is a secret organization within the priesthood, and we suspect them of—” He sighed.
“What don’t we suspect them of? They control the undead—that we know.
They killed an entire flight of dragons and ryders and kidnapped Kol, to what end, we still aren’t sure.
They’re involved in the growing, trading, and storing huge quantities of Dragon's Bane, and we know them to be stealing and moving dragon eggs.”
“That’s—” Nova clutched her chest in astonishment, unable to put it into actual words.
The sisters were rightfully shaken by the idea that priests could be involved in such misdeeds, no matter that they worshiped a different religion to that which was favored in the Light kingdom.
Priests were supposed to be above reproach.
“And you know these are those same priests?” Caly asked.
“Their banner includes the symbol we have seen attached to all of their wrong doings so far,” Nyx said.
Calytrix squinted at the boat down river, but it was likely still too far away for her fae eyes to see. “A sun?”
Kol pulled some parchment and a charcoal he must carry with him and quietly sketched out a geometric symbol of overlapping hexagons with a sun at its center, showing it to the group.
Calytrix and Nova gasped in unison, and all eyes turned on them.
“It’s impossible. That is the symbol of an old charter from the Light Kingdom. They were once the priests who worshipped the Sun God until the Kingdoms were unified, and our people were forced to worship a false Goddess,” Calytrix spat.
“Caly,” Nova hissed in warning.
“What? We are speaking plainly here. Should I not mention centuries of oppression in the name of unity while we debate who is at fault?”
“Well, whoever this organization is now, they are using this symbol, and we have seen it time and time again wherever they are at work. Sometimes in plain sight but always associated with this underground network we have been tracking.”
“And they are here, tracking us, you think?” Nova asked, fear lacing her tone.
“I pray to the Goddess they are not,” Nyx said, “but it’s possible.”
“Why would they fly their colors like that if they are after us?” Caly questioned.
“Like I said, sometimes it’s in plain sight. After all, who suspects priests of any wrong doing? But we must be on our guard. They could be here for us.”
“We have to focus on getting back to the First Kingdom, where the prince and princesses will be safer within the palace. The undead are our biggest concern, not a boat full of priests,” I said because the longer we put off returning them, the less resolve I had.
All of it felt like a distraction. If they were linked, why would they warn us with their banner?
“I don’t think it is a separate issue,” Alaric said, looking between the three of us. “It could all be connected for all you know. I don’t think we should get off the boat.”
Time was running out to make that decision because we were about to dock, and they were the next boat in behind us.
I exhaled, giving another glance to the vessel
“I don’t think we should get off the boat either.” Kol seemed frozen by fear, but he probably had a better sense for these things because of what he went through…or maybe it was an overreaction.
“I don’t think staying on the ship is an option. We booked fare to Havelock, and even if we could book further, I don’t think it’s fair to drag the crew into this,” Nyx stated.
Kol’s hands balled into fists, looking towards the banner flying on the priests’ boat. “I’ve got a bad feeling, Nyx. If we get off the ship now, we will face the undead.”
“What other choice do we have?” Nyx asked.
Zaria put her hand on his arm. “We need to disembark and make haste to a safer location.”
“Do you think we could create a diversion?” Nyx asked, exhaling heavily.
“I don’t know.” Kol turned away from us, rubbing the back of his head.
“We are getting down to the wire here,” I said under my breath as the rest of the passengers begin to disembark.
“Does anyone have an idea?” Nyx flexed his jaw.
A few of us shook our heads.
One of the well-meaning crew approached us and asked, “Are you ready to return to dry land?”
“Yes, sorry.” Nyx plastered a fake smile on his face. The crew member walked away, and Nyx kept his voice low. “I know everything is telling you not to, Kol, but we have to get off. I’m not willing to risk this crew and innocent passengers by continuing.”
“Okay,” Kol said, but I couldn’t read his mood. Was he placating Nyx or willing to go along with us?
“There are stables up ahead. They should have plenty of mounts for us to choose from. You can see them just up the riverbank north.” Nyx nodded in that direction, and they were easily visible.
“Everyone needs to keep their guard up, and if anything should happen, and I mean anything,” he said, looking at first Kol, then me, “We protect our wards first no matter what. If we are attacked again, I’m not taking any more chances.
We each take one of the wards and flee. Don’t look back or wait for the rest. Go.
Just get back to the First Kingdom however you can. Perhaps we will be safer divided.”
Kol looked apprehensive, so I nodded on behalf of both of us.
He looked to the rest of the group. “Do not leave our sides, and move directly to the stables. I’ll take the lead. Ready?”
“Yes,” we muttered one by one.
I tugged at Kol’s elbow, and he looked back at me. “You’ve got this,” I told him, hoping that my faith in him would count for something if we encountered a problem.
Kol gave one nod, and we followed the group, bringing up the rear.
We smiled at the crew as we stepped onto the dock. They nodded but pulled the ropes as soon as we were off the boat.
“That was weird.” They weren’t even waiting for new passengers? I turned to see if Nyx heard me, but as I did, movement caught my eyes.
Like they had materialized out of nowhere…the undead swarmed us.