A Star is Born: The Coming Dawn: Book I (37 page)

“The king is mad,” Octavos said.

They approached a moat surrounding the oblong castle. The water churned as if something sinister lived in its depths. Thick chains held up a drawbridge. It protected the tall and oddly-placed towers, and looked like it was imbued with magic or wouldn’t stand.

The drawbridge was only yards out of reach. “I got this,” Octavos said. He kicked a hole in the ground as he spoke. Then he searched the edge of the forest, soon finding a lengthy limb that he hacked from a tree. He ran, heading straight toward the moat as if he was going to throw the branch at it, but at the last second he dug the end into the hole and roared as he jumped with all his might. He vaulted into the air, and tightened his body having his feet point high into the sky. He swung straight up, and then he pushed away from the pole, hurdling toward the drawbridge. While soaring, he seized both axes strapped to his back, and then began to drop. Right when Ky didn’t think he was going to make it, he swung the axes into the bottom of the bridge. For a moment, he hung, gripping the handles. Then he began to climb, using his weapons, and scaled the wooden wall in seconds. When he reached the top he gouged a hole large enough to climb through. Moments later he lowered the bridge and they all walked across.

“I don’t like this.” Cobaaron shook his head, not happy. “Why is this so easy?”

“Easy?” Athaya scoffed. “Nothing so far is easy.”

They entered the castle’s inner court. The men were quiet, and watched their backs as they walked. Cobaaron tested the air. “I don’t like this,” he repeated with a heavy growl. The men were back-to-back as they moved. They looked high and low. Ky didn’t see anything.

“Where do you think he is?” Davior asked.

The drawbridge began to close, and at the same time the door to the dungeons opened. A deep purple glow shone from behind it. “Over here. Quickly,” a Star whispered, stepping out of the dungeon. The purple light from his skin was covered by an elaborate black swirl as if several keys had been drawn on him. Cobaaron eyed Octavos; they had an unspoken conversation before Octavos nodded his head. “Quickly. It’s not safe out there. King Verellis is sure to be watching. He has a discerning crux that shows him everything he seeks.”

No one moved until Cobaaron. He was hesitant, but followed the Star into the dungeon. They wound down a spiral staircase. “There are more Stars than me. I’m risking my life to help you, and I’m hoping in return you’ll take us with you.”

“How many?” Cobaaron ask.

“There are two others Stars and a few servants. No more than ten in all. We were locked here, except me. I’m the keeper.” The Star stopped at the bottom of the stairs and cautiously peeked around the corner before moving ahead. He removed keys from his pocket and hurried them along, passing several doors. The Star ran to a chamber, and unlocked it. Several people came out and thanked him for saving them. He ran to another cell door, and let out one more person. When he unlatched the bolt to free the last prisoners, two Stars were huddled together. Their lights were dim, but their love was keeping them alive and glowing. “Hurry out of there. The king is surely coming.”

“We’re being saved?” the male Star asked.

“Of course. Cobaaron the Unconquerable is here! He’s here to free us,” the purple Star announced, and when the two Stars rushed from a cell, the purple Star told them to follow him. “This way. There is a secret path leading underground. We can escape under Lenora Lake.”

“I’m here for the king,” Cobaaron said, unwilling to follow the Star.

The Star spun around, shaking with fear. “But our safety… Take us first under the lake, and then return.”

“Brute and Davior. Take these people with fifty warriors. The rest will stay with me to find the king,” Cobaaron ordered the group. Brute and Davior stepped forward, and told the purple Star to lead the way.

“The way into the heart of the castle is up ahead. We can split up after that last door. Come,” the purple Star stated.

They all hurried behind the purple Star, until they reached the hallway he mentioned. The Star gave him quick directions, telling Cobaaron how to find the king’s gallery. When they parted, Cobaaron took Ky’s hand, reminding her to stay close.

They ran down the long corridor, turned left twice as the Star instructed, and then went up a flight of stairs and through a door. “Strange,” Cobaaron said. He saw statues, burning lamps, and long cracks in the stone walls. Ky wasn’t sure what he was looking at. Cobaaron walked to the wall and put his finger on a small vine with a single leaf that was growing from a crack. “Give me your weapon,” he commanded the closest warrior. He reached out his hand, and with no delay was given a blade. He carved an X in the wall. “Let’s go back.”

They went back through the door, down the flight of stairs, turned right each time the corridor stopped, and then found themselves in the same place where they had split up with the rest of the group. Ky gasped. On the wall, a huge X was carved into the stone. Cobaaron glared at it. Then Octavos and he exchanged an unspoken conversation in a glance. Octavos shrugged, “Well, you knew it was a trap. This is it.”

“We’ll have to check all the doors, and search for concealed exits. Maybe there is a hidden passageway,” Cobaaron said.

“Did the Star trick us?” Athaya asked.

“The Star might’ve, yes. But it’s not clear if the Star knew. The king could have closed the corridor when we entered,” Octavos said.

“Or they could be lost in another part of the castle,” Cobaaron said. “We have to find our way out.”

“And if we don’t?” Laxis asked.

“We’ll be here forever,” X-avor said.

“No. I don’t want to die here,” Vergara said. The other women cried out, too.

“Quit scaring the women,” Cobaaron growled. “We’ll get out. It’s only a matter time. We will start by trying to find a trapdoor.”

“Should we split up?” Octavos asked.

“We might lose each other as well. I don’t want to risk it,” Cobaaron said.

“But we don’t have much time. The king could be escaping as we speak. We need to find our way out
now
. Let me go. I’ll disappear around the corner, and then come back. We would know after that either way. If I come back, then we can split up and look. And if I don’t, I’ll find my own way out. I’ll be right back,” Octavos replied and spun on his heels.

“
No
!” Athaya rushed to speak up. Octavos gaped at her as if he’d never seen her before. “No,” she said quietly. “I mean...I am a woman. I’m worthless to Cobaaron. You’re his second. I...I’ll go.” She was shaking from fear but didn’t wait for anyone to argue. She rushed past Octavos, their shoulders collided when she past him. Athaya seemed to be running with her eyes closed, because she couldn’t manage to stay in a straight line. Ky was sure if she had the courage to get lost, possibly forever, she wouldn’t want to see it coming either. Athaya rounded the corner and disappeared. Ky breathlessly waited. Everyone was straining their ears, trying to hear for footsteps.

“I shouldn’t have let her go,” Octavos said. “That was too brave. She can’t find a way out as I could have.”

“She’s gone,” Vergara screeched shrilly. Ky’s heart sank.

“
Sh
!” Cobaaron hushed Vergara’s whimpering, as she voiced not wanting to die in the trap. He listened for sounds, but Ky couldn’t hear anything.

Just then Athaya rounded the corner. She was walking slowly, not wanting to know what terrors awaited her. The moment she saw them standing where she left them, she smiled with relief, and hastily returned to them. “I guess that answers that question,” she said with a nervous joy in her voice. She grinned, clearly happy to be reunited.

“Yes, woman, it does,” Octavos said.

“Well done,” Cobaaron said to Athaya, and clapped her back as if she were a warrior. He then addressed the group, “Let’s go find this door. Shout if you find anything.” He pointed to Ky. “You come with me. I want groups of two for safety.”

They paired up, everyone going into separate rooms. Cobaaron and Ky entered room after room. They opened every door, but found nothing unusual. Everything was as it ought to be. They didn’t find hidden doors that went inside the castle, or magically find themselves in the king’s gallery. Several minutes later they were lucky enough to find a trapdoor, but it led them back to the hall with the X in the stone wall. After that they searched different corridors. Everyone soon ran out of places to investigate.

Ky was exhausted. The stone floor looked inviting, and she kept twitching from fatigue. When warriors made their way back to the corridor, there wasn’t good news; no one had found a way out. Cobaaron fell quiet as he thought. He had his back against the wall. His arms were folded, and he scowled at the giant X.

The men huddled around him, as they all came back finding nothing suspicious or an exit. The warriors hushed the women anytime they tried to speak or whimper about not getting out. Panic filled their minds. Vergara especially shook with fear and snapped at any man who would try to silence her.

Ky felt claustrophobic. Her mind traveled into darker thoughts of never escaping. She didn’t want to be lost or die in the castle. She didn’t know if the blood Cobaaron and she shared was capable of keeping her alive long enough to drive both of them crazy while in search of a way out.

She yawned, and then fell asleep standing, before quickly jolting awake. Holding still for such a long time was putting her to sleep. Her fatigue mounted. Her eyes became increasingly heavy.

Just then Cobaaron pushed off the wall. He walked to the X and placed his hand on it. “Get something to destroy this barrier,” he said. “Get the statues.”

The warriors surrounded a nearby sculpture and heaved it off the ground. They carried it to the wall, and then pounded the rock against the X. The stone chipped away as the statue crumbled with each blow.

“We’ll need more. Split up again. Women search for statues. When you find one, have the warriors fetch it,” Cobaaron ordered and at his command everyone went to find more stone images.

Each group went farther and farther. Ky knew she saw a statue in a room Cobaaron and she searched for trapdoors. She passed warriors carrying the heavy stone figures toward the gouged X.

Ky entered a room and told two warriors a large figure rested just beyond. They followed her, calling four more men to help. The six hefted the rock and hauled it to the hallway. Ky searched the room finding no others, and immediately went into another room.

When she came across the trapdoor that led to the X on the wall, she saw another statue. She left the secret passageway, and went to get more warriors.

“Did you find a statue?” Cobaaron asked rushing into the room, locking the door behind him.

“There is another in the secret passageway,” Ky replied.

“We have enough.” Cobaaron took Ky’s hand and smiled at her with concern. “You look so tired. I’m pushing you too hard. Are you okay?” He lowered his head to meet her eyes, waiting for an answer.

“I’m fine,” Ky lied.

“You’re not. I wish I could do something to help you, but it won’t be long now, and it will all be over.” His hands wrapped around her waist and he held her closer. “I promise you that.” His voice was a low, loving whisper. “Come here,” he said, and his arms reached around her neck as if to hug her. But a large pink stone necklace dropped from his hands. He clasped it around her neck, and let go. The necklace lay on her bare skin. A second later Ky screamed. The necklace dug long prongs into her chest and it felt like knives were piercing her heart.

“Get it off!” she yelled. But he didn’t budge. He didn’t help her. He stood there watching her panic, trying to claw the necklace off, as if her pain amused him. “Help me,” she pleaded, but then the pain stopped.

It felt as if she was sleeping. Her body was warm and relaxed. The long-awaited comfort of slumber rejuvenated her. He had given her something to help her after all.

Ky felt like she was in a dreamscape. Nothing felt real, she couldn’t focus on her surroundings, and all was obscure. “It feels good, doesn’t it?” he asked her. She nodded. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never put it on. But I’ve been told it’s nice.” His smile appeared again, but it never reached his eyes. He cupped her face in his hands. “You’re very beautiful. You remind me of her. She was very beautiful, too.”

“Who?” Ky demanded jealously, as she pushed away. She didn’t like him thinking of another woman when he was about to kiss her, and she didn’t like how her altered appearance reminded him of another woman. Ky was offended that he’d never mentioned another lover.

“Don’t pull away from me!” he shouted, and the necklace yanked Ky toward him.

Just then the door burst open. Cobaaron rammed into it. Ky stared at him in confusion. Then she looked at the Cobaaron who was firmly holding her. There was two of him. The one holding her roughly dragged her away.

“No Ky!” Cobaaron yelled, as he reached for her. He sprinted after them.

Ky was forced into the small inner room, and the Cobaaron that controlled her slammed the door. There was a loud thud. She could hear Cobaaron yelling and flinging himself into the door with all his strength.

The inner room melted away like hot wax, and a new chamber appeared.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Ky was no longer in the dungeons. The imposter Cobaaron and she were in a much larger room with wide windows that overlooked the dark courtyard below, and she could tell they were in a tall tower. The lit torches along the four walls brightened the room. It reminded her of a medieval office with shelves of trinkets, odd inventions, and strange furniture. A big globe of water slowly spun on a many-legged post in the corner. Ky could see objects reflecting on the water; the warriors on the other side pounded statues, trying to break through.

The fraudulent Cobaaron stared at her with unmistakable love. “I loved her. You know I loved her,” he said softly.

“Who are you?” she asked.

He removed a cloak that a moment ago was invisible. He shape-shifted from Cobaaron, to the purple Star. As his light dimmed and the black tattoos faded from his body, he altered into a man she’s never seen, but could guess who he was. He was young, in his mid-twenties. His eyes were sandy colored. His walnut hair grew long. He had a handsome face. A trusting face, but Ky knew better than to entrust him.