Chapter 34. Golden Flint.
Two guards stood adjacent to the wide-open gate, one of them leaned on the wall, his eyes closed.
“There’s only two of them,” I whispered to Francis as we crouched behind a line of dense spruce. “They can’t be that arrogant; something is wrong.”
Even Mother knew the importance of guarding this gate from the outside.
“Perhaps Kane ran out of live shields.” Roxanne charged the first arrow with a Royal steel tip, pointing it at one of the guards.
“Or they are inside, waiting for someone foolish to take the bait,” Francis mumbled. “At least there is no fire surrounding them.”
“Can you reach them from here,” Simon glanced at Francis and Roxanne.
“Yes,” they hissed in unison, their faces crossing with offense.
“I’m merely making sure. You both only have one shot.” Simon rolled his eyes before his features turned serious. “If anyone comes running from the outside after your assault, we will still be able to reach Gabriel and our horses from here; if no one does, we will go in.” He met each of our gazes.
Roxanne and Francis nodded, gathering to their feet—a charged bow in Roxanne’s hand, a Royal steel dagger in Francis’.
They took a small breath in before letting their weapons free.
The arrow cut through the air with a muffled whistle, boring straight through the Wurdulac’s warrior attire, finding its place deep inside of his heart.
The dagger spun through the air at the perfect arch, landing inside of another man’s throat. Blood spattered as he choked, his hands trying to stop the flow, yet it mattered not—the poison from the blade would reach his heart within minutes.
Both men slid down the wall of the gate; both men stared at the Moon with vacant eyes.
“No one is coming,” Simon broke the growing silence. “Let’s go.” He got to his feet, searching every inch of the treeline before breaking into a run.
Francis flew after him, leaving me and Roxanne to follow behind.
We ran through the exposed field, towards the wide-open gate, as I counted every step I took. Once I reached thirty two, the gates stood before me, their golden bars shone under the bleak moonlight.
“Wait here,” Francis hissed at us as he disappeared behind the entrance.
Simon followed after him, nevertheless.
Roxanne rolled her eyes, yet stayed put by my side.
My heart banged against my rib cage as I waited for Francis to reappear. Minutes passed, yet only silence followed—
The steps grew heavier behind the gate. Roxanne charged another arrow pointing it into the dark tunnel; I unsheathed the Royal steel dagger—
“It’s clear,” Francis walked out of the shadows, Simon by his side. “Lead the way.” Francis nodded at me as I walked through the opening: into the corridor I’d rarely used.
The drops of water dripped off the stoned walls, reminding me of the sound from the dungeons. We weren’t far from the place I’d lost my sister, and the memories invaded my mind like never before.
I breathed through my mouth as nausea worked its way up my throat, walking my friends to the heart of the Royal palace.
Two turns to the left, three to the right, down the stairs, through the forge, I recited Gabriel’s instructions, though I could find my way around without his assistance.
Francis held my hand, bringing comfort to my crying soul, as our quiet steps journeyed through the tunnel until the rusty, metal stairs appeared on our path.
“I will go first.” Francis walked past me, leaving me to follow after as he made his way down the set of stairs.
The metal grinded under our steps, the drops of water fell on our heads from the ceiling.
“The room is empty,” Francis whispered, offering me a hand on the last two steps.
The room was empty, indeed. The forge my father cherished now only carried a beaten up chimney in the corner. The walls that had held swords and daggers years ago now stood bare.
Three pairs of eyes bored into mine.
“The room is behind the chimney.” I walked towards the metal door that perfectly matched the stone walls. “It’s here—”
The stairs screeched under heavy steps, freezing us in place.
Damnation.
My heart banged in my ears.
Damnation—
We were trapped in a room with only one exist—
Weapons drawn, Francis pushed me behind him, waiting for whoever followed us here to appear.
Roxanne pointed her arrow at the exit, ready to let it fly free.
The tip of Simon’s sword faced the nearing shadow—
The shadow stopped: the face of our enemy appeared. Roxanne’s arrow glided through the air.
“Dear Gods!” Caleb swung to the side, avoiding the arrow by an inch. “It’s me!” He put his hands up in surrender. “It’s me!” He walked out of the shadow; no one lowered their weapons.
“What are you doing here?” Francis seethed, his dagger ready to fly.
“What am I doing here?” Caleb shook his head. “What are you doing here?”
Francis charged towards him, a muffled roar pushed through his throat as he shoved Caleb against the stoned wall. “With the Moon as my witness, I tried to spare your pathetic life.” He brought the Royal steel dagger to Caleb’s heart.
“We don’t have time for this Francis!” Roxanne hissed, her bow still charged with an arrow.
“We can’t let him walk away.” Francis allowed himself a glance at Roxanne. “He will report us to his leader,” Francis spat out.
“Let me help,” Caleb swallowed, eyeing the dagger by his heart. “I can help with whatever you are here to do.” His breathing heavied the longer Francis held the dagger against his flesh.
“After you burned my house to the ground?” Francis seethed.
“I had to.” Caleb shook his head, sweat falling down his forehead.
“Kane was suspicious of me, and I needed his trust.” Caleb closed his eyes, drawing a small breath in.
“I know all of his plans. Please, trust me.” He swallowed before adding, “I will kill myself before I betray you again, brother. Please, trust me.”
The dagger stood unmoving against Caleb’s chest, Francis’ hand visibly shook around the hilt.
“Kane is planning an attack on the Barren’s estate in a few days,” Caleb whispered. “Let me help.”
“Let go of him, Francis.” Roxanne lowered her bow, her voice echoing through the forge. “We are wasting time, and he might be of use.” Roxanne looked Caleb up and down.
Francis glanced at her before lowering his dagger, “If he runs, shoot him,” he said, walking back towards the hidden door—with no handle—behind the chimney. “How do we open this?” He asked me.
“There has to be a key hidden behind one of these stones.” I felt the stones around the door, pushing at their corners.
“You won’t find the key there,” Caleb walked towards the door, his hand in the pocket of his cloak. “Because I have it.” He passed the silver key with a Royal stamp at the top of it. “I found it a few weeks ago, but the room behind is empty, whatever you are looking for is not there.”
“Perhaps you weren’t looking well enough.” Simon put his sword back into its scabbard.
“The room is empty.” Caleb shook his head.
I took the silver key, setting it into the hidden lock as my stomach turned in nausea. If Caleb was right, we were doomed.
The lock opened when I rotated the key, the door opened silently at a slight push. I took a step into the empty room.
“Simon, guard the entrance by the stairs,” Francis instructed before following after me. “You guard the entrance to this room,” he told Roxanne. “You,” he pointed at Caleb. “Better start telling us about Kane’s plans before I decide you are useless.”
Caleb cleared his throat, joining us in the empty space. “Kane has lost a lot of his support.” He looked around the room before meeting Francis’ gaze. “After gaining the power of human royalty, many did not want to attack their own.”
I walked along the wall, my fingers brushing over the cold stones, searching for entrance. “Gabriel said the flint is behind one of the stones—same as the key.”
Francis followed my lead, reaching where I couldn’t.
“What do you mean by their own?” Francis glanced at Caleb before pushing at every corner of each stone.
“Kane is planning to take over Silverstone and Faris.” Caleb began to search for the flint as well. “Not everyone agrees with the latter: many have family and friends in the vampire village.”
“Wasn’t it obvious all along?” Roxanne’s voice echoed through the room as she stood by the entrance: her arrow drawn. “Kane didn’t make his wish of bringing the whole Kingdom—including vampires—to their knees a secret.”
Caleb shook his head. “While he openly shared his goals with his supporters, not many believed he actually wished for the vampire village to fall.” Caleb sighed, moving onto the next row of stones. “Needless to say, now that he is on the throne, he is not very good at sharing his power.”
“How much of his army is still by his side,” I asked; my lungs squeezing tight from the lack of air in the stone room.
“Majority, but I’m sure given the opportunity, some will run for their dear lives,” Caleb’s voice lowered.
“Just like what happened when the palace was taken and humans fought back. Many in his army aren’t warriors, merely lunatics who decided Kane's world is the paradise needed. He has about a thousand people in total.”
My finger froze above the stone. A thousand? That was far more than what we had: Silverstone and Faris combined. Numbers weren’t on our side—that was certain.
“But they don’t have many weapons,” Caleb continued. “They are saving the Royal steel for the attack on Faris, as there are only about two hundred royal steel weapons in their possession. If we manage to make Royal steel for every person in your army, we stand a chance.”
A chance.
“My advice,” Caleb sighed. “Is to combine your forces with Barren’s.”
The room fell into silence, the drops of water from the ceiling echoed down the chambers—
“There.” I pointed at the brick that had an odd gap, connecting to the stone next to it. “It must open somehow.” I pushed on the stone’ every corner.
“Let me.” Francis unsheathed his dagger, the blade sliding into the gap like butter. “I feel something.” His lips turned into a thin line, his eyes shut close. “Something like a lever.”
“Try my dagger,” I unsheathed my weapon. “My blade is thinner.”
Francis eyed my dagger before taking the offering. “It’s stuck,” he said, battling with the stone.
Simon rushed into the room, a finger tight to his lips. “I hear steps from the opposite side of the tunnel," he whispered. “We need to hurry.”
“Got it,” Francis whispered, pushing the dagger upwards.
The stone opened wide, revealing a hidden pocket within. A sparkling golden flint lay atop a wooden board, its sides shone bright even in this lightless room.
Francis held out the flint, crimson stones decorated its every corner—
A loud ringing vibrated through the walls of the forge, the bells from the palace’s tower pierced through the air.
My eyes widened as I met my companions' startled expressions—
“What in the Kingdom—” Simon unsheathed his sword: a dagger in his other hand.
“We have to go.” Caleb rushed to close the wicked stone, charging towards the door. Roxanne and Simon rushed down the stairs before him.
“Kane knows someone has invaded the palace, he is going to drop the portcullis.” He held the door for Francis and I as we hurried out of the forge.
“Portcullis?” I yelled to Caleb as my heart skipped a beat. Francis pushed me up the stairs, his hand tightly holding mine. “They haven't worked ever since the Crimson War!”
“They do now!” Caleb yelled rushing after us. “Run!” He screamed to Simon who stood by the corner at the end of stairs, waiting for us to make it all the way up before breaking into a run.