Bellatrix: Swords of Chaos, Book One

CHAPTER 21

  Range grabbed Sterlin’s arm and jerked him into the room.”By the Beard of Ooln, what is the meaning of this?”Perhaps Cortibis had not told him the entire truth, or Sterlin was trickier than he initially thought.

  Sterlin landed in the room on his feet, instantly Rolin and Cortibis surrounded him. Range slammed the door and dropped the lock.Everyone stood still, staring.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Sterlin asked, preparing for action.He was dressed from head to toe in black.His mask was pulled back revealing his dust colored hair and most of his face.

  “I believe Range asked you first,” Cortibis said.

  “First you leave me and then you attack me?” Sterlin said.

  “You stole the Sword,” Cortibis said.

  “Idiot!” Sterlin began. Then,”What are you talking about?”

  “It’s true,” Cortibis said.

  “Sterlin where have you been,” Range asked.”We thought you dead.”

  “Not dead, abandoned. Who would have thought my traveling companions would leave me behind without searching, and then be living the good life in the castle.” He crossed his arms.

  “We thought you dead, fool,” Cortibis said.”You hit me in the back of the head, and then ran off with the Sword.”

  “I ran off with the Sword?” Sterlin asked, halfway uncrossing his arms.

  “Aye.”

  “So, I hit you in the back of the head, and then I took off with a Sword of Saddig?” Sterlin asked again.

  “Aye.”

  “After I knocked you out, I decided to leave everything I had and my horse, and just run on foot.Is that it? Do I have it correctly?” he asked.

  “Appears so, thief,” Cortibis said. Now Cortibis crossed his arms.

  “Just tell us what happened,” Range said to Sterlin.

  “Why? You’ve already made up your minds,” Sterlin said, turning his nose up.

  “Stop acting like a woman,” Rolin said.

  “So what are you doing here at the castle?” Cortibis asked.

  “The lady told me you read my journal,” Sterlin said.

  “We did.”

  “So what do you think I’m doing at the castle?”He waved his hands as if to say, come on boys, keep up.

  “Thieving like a criminal does,” Cortibis said.

  “Thieving like Levitin,” Range said.

  Sterlin pointed at Range.”You, my young man, win the prize.”

  “We know he’s Levitin.” Cortibis shrugged.”He even tried to steal your Sword, Range.”

  “He says no.” Range indicated toward Sterlin.

  “You’re going to trust the thief?” Cortibis asked.

  Sterlin stood with his arms crossed, saying nothing.

  “We’re running out of time,” Rolin reminded Range.

  Suddenly Range felt ashamed. He looked over at the forgotten prince and then at the thief Levitin.Here he was about to do something absolutely wrong for this Sword and he was judging others.Ooln forgive him.

  “If you wish, you may come with us,” Range said. Cortibis sniffed.

  “What I wish is immaterial. It is what I must do. Only you know I am Levitin.” He looked over at the prince.”And of course you, Your Highness.”The prince’s frown was deep.

  “And you are the only ones in the entire land who know I hold Bellatrix,” Range added.

  “There now we’re all even,” Sterlin said.

  Cortibis still regarded the thief, distrust gathering at the corners of his eyes.”Range is the employer, and whatever he says goes. But you stay away from my purse, thief.”

  Sterlin stepped toward him.”Listen here, mercenary,” he leaned closer to Cortibis who did not back down.”Perhaps you have not heard of my legacy. I—”

  “You endanger the lives of the commoners you so love to talk about,” Cortibis said.

  “By giving them money?” Sterlin asked, holding out his hands innocently.

  “We’re running out of time,” Rolin reminded Range.Range began packing up his things.

  Range nodded.”Cortibis, Sterlin, try to get a long.Cortibis, leave Sterlin—”

  “His name’s Levitin,” Cortibis said.

  “No. We call him Sterlin while with us.” Range pointed to Cortibis.”He’s done many good things for a lot of people.”

  “Menace,” Cortibis said.

  “Regardless, try to get along,” Range said.”Now let’s find a way out.” He finished packing his things.

  “Why don’t you just walk out the front door?” Sterlin asked.

  “We’re taking him with us,” Cortibis said, thumbing toward the prince.”Boy won’t we make a happy group. A warrior, a thief, a prince, and a couple of commoners.”

  “Why would you want to take him? He’s spoiled to the core,” Sterlin said, holding his nose.

  “Commoner!” The prince objected.

  “He knows of the Sword, and now he knows who you are,” Range said.”So unless you want him blabbing to the rest of the world, then I would suggest you think of a way we can exit the castle and not be seen.”

  “You’re abducting the crown prince of Rommel,” Sterlin said.

  “Are you going to help or just stand there?” Range asked. He just wanted out of this palace and on the road.The sooner this was over, the sooner he could go home.

  “Anyone can get out of the palace without being seen,” Sterlin said.

  Everyone stared at the thief.

  “Come again?” Range asked.

  “I can get you out and no one will be the wiser,” Sterlin promised.

  “How might that be?” Range asked.

  “You’ve already forgotten to whom you speak?” Sterlin asked, placing his hands on his hips.

  “Just tell me,” Range said.

  “There is a catacomb of tunnels running through this palace,” Sterlin said.

  “They lead out? No one will see?” Range asked.

  “No one will see. They really aren’t for people, they’re for the elaborate heating, cooling, and water pumped into the castle walls. Did you know they have water that comes out of the walls directly into your bath?And a device in the cellars that heats and cools parts of the castle?” Sterlin asked.

  “The king told us,” Range said.”Continue.”

  “What are you doing here, anyway? That old woman at the healing shop about flipped her ninny when she saw me,” Sterlin asked.

  “It’s a long story, better saved for another time. We also need to find out what you are doing alive. For now, just get us out of this palace,” Range said.

  “Okay, okay, buy you’d better gag His Royal Pain, there are some parts of the tunnels where a voice would be heard. Oh, and it might be a wee bit difficult getting to the access door.”

  Range turned to Cortibis.”Gag Remmy.”He turned back to Sterlin.”Show us the way.”

  “What about the demons?” Cortibis asked.

  “We’ve got our vials of oil. We should be okay. I want to get out of the palace,” Range said.

  “Hopefully the king’s men are taking care of them tonight anyway,” Cortibis said.Cortibis loathed demons, but at the moment Range didn’t care.He was tired of babying everyone. Now he had the prince.Ooln’s beard.

  “Demons?” Sterlin asked.

  “Lead the way, thief,” Range said, opening the door to the room.

  “I get no information,” Sterlin said.

  “Later,” Range said.

  Sterlin stepped to the door and peered up and down the hall.”It’s almost shift change time.”

  “Then make haste,” Range said.

  “Let me go down the hall and check,” Sterlin said.He slinked out of the room and disappeared in the gloom.He reappeared a few moments later.”All’s clear. We need to hurry though. This hall will be full of people very soon. Grab Remmy and let’s go.”

  The prince mumbled something through his gag. They forced him out the door and down the hall.He struggled, but was no match.

  ?
??It’s right up here,” Sterlin said.He was nearly invisible to them in the dark hallway.They could only see his outline as it shadowed along. Range made certain to keep the prince between himself and Rolin. If anyone saw them now, they were dead men.They don’t just throw you into the dungeon for abducting the crown prince.He hoped the thief was right about where he was going.

  Sterlin came to a place hidden in shadows. Range could discern nothing extraordinary about this part of the hall. He looked around. There were no people about, but there were a lot of doors, stairs, and passageways that opened here. In the gloom he and his companions would be hidden on a cursory glance, but discernable at closer scrutiny. Sterlin began slipping his fingers about the stones, searching.”It’s here somewhere. Give me just a moment.”It was then that Range felt the prince lunge into his back.He fell against Sterlin as Rolin reached for the prince, but the prince was too fast, taking two steps right before Cortibis grabbed him around the collar and jerked him back.

  They heard fast footsteps: clip-clop, clip-clop. The prince began to wail through his gag.

  “Hurry!” Range whispered.Rolin and Cortibis surrounded the prince. Rolin held his hand over the prince’s gag. Prince Remillion struggled endlessly. A door at the end of the hall squeaked open. Range could see a figure exit a room and then turn in the opposite direction.

  “Find it, or we’re all about to be beheaded,” Range whisper-yelled. He could hear more footsteps walking about. He was afraid to look.“Everyone get against the wall.”

  “Here it is,” Sterlin said.Presently, slow and silent, the wall before them began to open.

  The footsteps got closer.They could see a figure far down the hall, heading toward them at a fast clip.Range grabbed the prince from Rolin and stuffed him into the slim opening of the wall.He began to follow, but was too broad. The door was opening too slowly.He could feel the prince wriggling in his grasp.He was not letting the prince go and he was not going to get caught.Footsteps, closer this time: clip-clop, clip-clop.

  Finally the door opened just enough for Range to scrape through.He almost fell into complete darkness.Grabbing the prince, he stepped out of the way and leaned against the wall letting his companions slip through. He felt, more than saw, Rolin, Sterlin and Cortibis as they entered the passageway. Sterlin flipped some other switch and the door began its inexorable closing.The footsteps were closer and closer.

  “Is anyone there?” a female voice asked.Range held his hand over the prince’s mouth like a vise.They did not move until they heard the woman’s footsteps fade away.

  “Stay here for a moment,” Sterlin said.

  Range heard a gear quietly churning in the wall. This passage was cold and a solid breeze passed, smelling somewhat like a dank, moldy cellar. He thought of his parent’s cellar.Foolish thoughts for a time like this.

  Sterlin appeared a few moments later with a very small torch.”Let’s go,” he whispered.

  The thief moved ahead of them at a decent clip.Everything was made of pitted stone, the walls, the ceiling, the floor.They shuffled along for a little while with the prince struggling the entire way.Sterlin stopped at a point and turned to them.”Here’s where it gets fun,” he said, and then turned and squatted. Range could see him climb into a smaller shaft, just big enough for two men to sit up right, shoulder to shoulder.He felt claustrophobia well up. Cortibis climbed in first, followed by Rolin with the prince and then Range.Range could make out nothing ahead of him. Sometimes the light from Sterlin’s torch would appear, only to disappear a second later. The pack on his back scraped along the ceiling in fits. He could hear Rolin’s staff tapping the walls every few minutes. His knees were beginning to hurt and every crawl forward caused him great pain.His shoulder began to burn from the injury.

  Suddenly Rolin stopped and Range bumped into him.

  “What is happening?” Range whispered.

  Rolin sat and leaned toward Range.”We must crawl over.”

  “We’re doing that right now!” Range said.

  Rolin turned away from him in the darkness.Range looked ahead and could see the flickering light. Shadows maneuvered over something.He saw Rolin move ahead, while Sterlin sat with the torch.Cortibis held the wriggling prince.

  Range could see why they’d stopped. There was a large hole in the floor of the tunnel.They had to place their hands across, and then one knee at a time.Rolin crawled across the hole and moved on so Range would have a place. Sterlin held the torch. Range stretched across and leaned toward Sterlin.”How much longer?”

  “Not much, now we have to go down a few levels.”

  “Let’s go,” Range said.

  Sterlin took the lead again and Range noticed the floor began to descend slowly.His shoulder and knees were screaming.He heard a sort of grunt ahead of him and then a strange sliding sound.He stopped for a moment and felt before him.He could not feel Rolin.He moved ahead farther, but could still not feel the man.Damn this darkness.

  “Rolin?” he whispered.

  Range moved ahead again.This time his hands felt air though and he fell forward.He began to roll to the side. The floor was sloped at such a degree that he could only slide down the stones, which were smooth here.He slid at a slow pace for a while, always keeping his hands out in front.Suddenly the level of the floor straightened and then flattened out all together.He could see Sterlin ahead, holding the torch.

  “Sorry about that,” Sterlin whispered.

  “Thanks,” Range whispered back.

  Rolin held the prince who had quit struggling and was just sitting. Cortibis sat in the shadows.

  “How much farther?” Range asked.

  “Not much,” Sterlin said.”We’re on the ground floor now, ahead is a small door we must squeeze through.You and Rolin may have a tough time.”

  “Just get us there.”

  “The door opens up into a thick bush. The bush is around the corner from the main entrance to the palace. It is dark; we will be unnoticed in the night.Once we are away from there we must move to the north.”

  “Let’s move,” Range said. The north was fine with him.

  “Be careful coming out of the bush.There may be a sentry,” Sterlin said so all could hear. The prince made a grunt.

  They crawled for a few more minutes and Range could hear Sterlin opening the door. It made only the slightest squeak.He could see the dim outline of the night through the door.Sterlin’s body covered the hole for a moment, and then Cortibis shoved the prince out.Range could hear the prince struggling with Sterlin.Cortibis quickly crawled through the space and helped the thief subdue the prince.Rolin was next.He thrust his staff out and then forced himself through the small opening. The Zmarly had to struggle for a few moments to get his shoulders through.Finally he was out.

  Range crawled forward and scrunched his shoulders together as much as possible. Where Rolin was more triangular in the torso, he was square.He wasn’t going to fit through. He just knew it.He was too broad-shouldered. After twisting and grunting for a long time, he finally got enough shoulder through so he could lift an arm out and give his hand to Rolin and Cortibis.They pulled him so he could get his other hand out and get pulled with both.He finally got through the cursed thing with his companions pulling with all their might. His shoulder was on fire.

  “You all right?” Cortibis whispered.

  “Aye, lets get out of—” He stopped at the sound of approaching boots.They all grabbed the prince and held him down. The footsteps stopped. Rolin put his entire arm over the face of the prince.The prince wailed and wailed but the sound never got past Rolin’s arm. The footsteps scrunched on the pebbled pathway.The prince got one foot free and kicked out, shaking the bush. Range heard the feet scratch the pebbles.”Who’s there?” came a husky voice.

  They held the prince down even tighter. The boot scratched again, but the man said nothing. He jabbed something into the bush, and as he did, Sterlin bolted from the bush.

  “Stop!” yelled the guard, giving chase.

&
nbsp; “Where’s that fool thief off to?” Cortibis whispered.

  “Saving our hides,” Range said.He crawled out of the bush, dragging the prince.Rolin and Cortibis followed.They were in the open, but the moon was hidden behind a smudge of clouds.Range grabbed the prince and ran to the north.Luckily their exit was the on the side of the castle facing toward the town.Many closed shops and businesses lined the streets. All the citizens were at home, hiding from the demons.

  Range pulled the prince with him.The prince had ceased to struggle. Perhaps he had given up. Perhaps it was a ruse to get Range to lower his guard. Range didn’t care. As long as they got out of the palace and into the city proper he didn’t care about anything. A few more blocks and they would be clear.

  Suddenly a demon appeared before them and lunged toward Range, who blocked it with his forearm.Not now! Rolin immediately was in action. He spun and knocked the demon back with his staff.

  “We need the oil,” Cortibis said, already reaching for his.

  “Save it, we need to get out of here,” Range said.

  “He is right,” Rolin said.”It would be wise to be prepared.”Cortibis stopped halfway with his hand in his shirt.

  “Go ahead,” Range said. He looked around.Someone had to walk by.They were completely exposed here.He thought he could see someone approaching, but was wrong.

  Cortibis spread the oil on his sword and Rolin’s staff.The demon came back for another fight but Rolin and Cortibis dispatched it. Once done, they were on the way north again.

  In the distance they could hear the sounds of battle.

  “That must be the king’s men,” Range said.

  “As long as they stay over there,” Cortibis said.

  “Agreed. They are to the north though, let us go a little to the east and then north again,” Range said.

  They moved to the east without any encounters, and then moved to the north.Nothing hindered the way. Almost an hour later they were clear of the city and pushing up the road.

  “We need to get off this road,” Cortibis said.

  “Don’t want to run into any sentries posted on the way out of the city.”The fear that had been in his stomach was beginning to dissipate and with it the strength in his legs. He felt tired and weak. His knees hurt, his shoulder hurt, and he was abducting the prince.He needed to rest. He didn’t think he could make it up the north side of the valley.

  “Let’s keep going,” he said.”I don’t want to stop until we get to the top.”

  In the distance they could hear horses riding hard.

  “Hide!” Range called and waved.They all took a hiding spot and waited.The sounds of the horses grew louder. They were slowing down.Range could just make out the road.The horses dropped to almost a walk. He held the prince in shaking arms. His breath was short and heavy. He could hear the prince breathing the same way.The prince must be scared. The horses clipped and clopped, plodding along.Someone was looking for something.

  “Are you fools out there anywhere?” a hushed voice asked.

  Sterlin.

  Range moved slowly toward the road.As he did, he noticed all but one of the horses had no riders. He stepped out from the brush.”We are here.”

  Sterling turned to him.”Let’s be on then. I have procured horses for our trip.” The thief sat up, stretching his arm across the steeds as if to say, here you are.

  “I can see that,” Range said. Rolin and Cortibis dragged the prince out.”Where did you get them?”

  “The king let me borrow them.”

  “Then we’d best make haste before he learns of his benevolence,” Range said.

  “That would be prudent,” Sterlin replied.

  There was a horse for each person, even one for the prince. They roped his hands together, and his horse to Rolin’s. Range was glad to have a horse, his body was fighting his mind.

  Once they were mounted up they rode hard into the night.

  .

  .