My Royal Pain Quest (The Lakeland Knight series, #2) (16 page)

Cassandra sat looking at me, the overgrown whitish bangs falling on her eyes. She had a firm, determined expression, as if she’d made a decision.

“We’ll see what tomorrow brings,” she said. “Let’s get some rest. We’ll both think about it overnight, maybe we’ll come up with something.”

I doubted it, but what else was there to do?

“Very well. Good night, Archie.”

“Good night.”

I was at the door when Cassandra called after me.

“Lord Arkus?”

“Yes?”

“Have I been of any help to you on this quest?”

“More than you can imagine. Why do you ask?”

She gave a shy smile. “Just wanted to know.”

***

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I did not sleep well and woke up early. Trying to think about it overnight, as Cassandra had suggested, didn’t do much except giving me strange dreams of fighting, flying, then discovering I had no more berries and falling. I hoped she had better results.

I thought she was still asleep, but when I walked out into the corridor I saw her door ajar again. I knocked; there came no response. Was she out and about already? I knocked again and peered inside. The room was empty. I figured she decided to sneak into the kitchen as early as she could. Good idea; if someone saw her and reported it to Morgard, it would raise his suspicions.

I went back to my chamber and packed, making sure the bag was as light as possible. I knew I might regret getting rid of some of the stuff later on, but if I wanted to live to see the “later on,” it was best to leave it behind.

Fifteen or twenty minutes later I was set to go. Cassandra still hadn’t returned. I was getting worried.

“Have you seen Archibald?” I asked Kellemar’s guards.

“No,” they both answered.

“Have you been here all night?”

“No, Your Lordship. We’d taken the post about two hours ago.”

“And you did not see Archie leave his room?”

“No.”

So she’d snuck out before that, in the middle of the night. My heart sank. Did she get caught?

I went to the kitchen, out to the yard, and back inside. No sign of her. No one I asked saw Archibald this morning. I tried to keep the panic down, but I was not managing that well. Something had happened, it was clear now.

“Where are the men who were here before you?” I questioned the guards again.

One of them chuckled. “Probably being flogged.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Got drunk and fell asleep on the job,” he explained. “Morgard caught them.”

So those two wouldn’t have seen her, either.

I went in search for the chieftain. By the time I found him eating breakfast in the main hall, I had a strong suspicion he was somehow involved.

“Where is my manservant?”

“Archibald? Why, is he missing?”

His response seemed rehearsed, and so did his surprise.

“Yes. I can’t find him.”

Morgard shrugged. “He must be doing his chores, packing, or getting you breakfast from the kitchen.”

“I’ve just been to the kitchen, they haven’t seen him.”

“I would have suggested he’s out chasing girls, but I don’t have any pretty girls here, haha!”

The laugh sounded forced as well.

“Morgard, this isn’t funny.”

“Why are you worried? Have my guys threatened him or something?”

“It’s not like Archibald to suddenly disappear, telling me nothing.” My alarm got the best of me, I could no longer keep up the pretense. “I
know
something has happened… and I think you know where he is.”

The chieftain stopped eating and acted all offended.

“What are you accusing me of? Arkus, this is rather insulting. If this is how you repay for my hospitality—”

He was interrupted by a crashing noise from the outside, followed by clinking of metal, screams—and the growl.

We both rushed to the window. The beast had climbed over the wall, bringing down a part of it, and was now plowing through Morgard’s men, breaking spears, swords, and shields. I knew where he was headed. He only needed to cross the yard to get inside, if he chose to use the door. If not, there were plenty of windows or easily breakable wooden patches.

“You weren’t kidding about that, either!” Morgard snapped.

He turned around and ran out of the hall. I followed, only instead of going outside I raced to Kellemar’s room. At least I knew Cassandra was not in the yard. The prince, on the other hand, must be going insane if he heard the growl. Not seeing me around, he would think that I made good on my threat.

I reached his chamber. The guards were gone from his door, and they had even forgotten to lock it. With all the commotion, this would have been a perfect opportunity to escape, but I wasn’t leaving without Cassandra.

I went inside. The prince was there, pressed into a corner, his temples glistening with cold sweat. He was clutching a dagger, which we both knew was useless—unless he planned to use it on himself when the beast got to him.

“Good thing you had enough sense to stay here, where I can easily find you,” I said. “Come with me.”

He followed without a word. I rushed through the corridors, opening all doors, breaking down those that were locked. I didn’t expect Kellemar to be coherent enough to be of any help, but I still gave him a sword as soon as I came across one. If we found Cassandra and tried to run, he was going to need it.

“Stay close to me.”

He probably didn’t need the reminder, but I wasn’t sure he was all there. I knew what fear could do to a person.

“What are you doing?” he asked when I kicked yet another door open.

“Looking for Archibald. He is missing.”

“Morgard’s got him.”

I span around. “You saw it?”

“Yes. I woke up to them fighting in my room.”

That didn’t make any sense.

“What exactly did you see?”

Kellemar was trembling, his eyes darted all over the place, but he managed to answer me.

“They were fighting. Morgard overpowered Archibald and dragged him away.”

Oh no.

“Was he wounded?”

“No. Morgard disarmed him, but never struck him after that.”

“Where did he take him?”

“I didn’t see.”

Right. He couldn’t have seen that.

“Well, Archibald is more than a servant, he is a friend, and we’re not leaving without him.”

Much to my surprise, the prince nodded. “I know.”

I continued the search, listening to the mayhem outside. Once in a while I would look out a window to check whether the beast made it into the castle yet. He got a little sidetracked. Unused to any kind of opposition, the monster was ticked off at Morgard’s men and indulged in chasing them over the yard, crashing everything in his path. Good; that would keep them occupied.

Why would Cassandra be fighting with Morgard in the prince’s room? The question pounded in my head. I couldn’t find any answer.

The castle was large, and I did not know it that well. Cassandra could be locked up anywhere. Fighting despair, I ran down a staircase. More doors. Thicker, heavier, all of them locked.

“Archie!” I yelled for the umpteenth time. “Are you here?”

“Over here!” came a muffled response from somewhere on my right, followed by the banging of fists against a door.

I rushed to the sound. The door was encased in metal, like the one to Morgard’s treasury.

“Are you hurt?”

“No. Maybe just a couple of bruises.”

The door was so thick, Cassandra’s voice was barely coming through. There was no way I could break this one open.

I still tried, nearly smashing my shoulder. No. No way.

“What does Morgard want with you? What were you doing in Kellemar’s room?”

“I wanted the prince to try making more berries. I’d thought of something that might work. But Morgard walked in before I could even wake the prince.”

So she was trying to help, to make our odds a little better. My faithful Archie was caught hoping to get five more berries—probably because I had allowed a moment of weakness last night and whined about the risk.

I snatched Jarvi’s sword and hit the door with it. Alas, while it could break the magic of a secret passage in rock, it could not cut through metal. I concentrated on wooden parts, hoping to chip enough of a hole to get Cassandra out. That could actually work.

“How did you find me?” came Cassandra’s voice again. “Where’s Morgard?”

“Outside, playing with Kellemar’s beast.”

“The monster is here?”

“Yes. For once, he’s being helpful.”

“Is the prince with you?”

I kept hacking at the door. “Of course. Why?”

“Lord Arkus, you two must run! Get the salt and go, don’t worry about me.”

Yeah, right. Like I had trusted friends to spare.

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Please, don’t waste time, run!” She sounded most insistent. “There won’t be another chance like this! I’ll escape, I know how!”

I hit again and took a larger fragment of wood out. Still no hole, but I was getting closer.

“Oh? Then you should tell me, and we’ll do it all together.”

“It’s—it’s complicated. It will take some time, but I
will
escape, I promise!”

“Don’t bother making stuff up, Cas—” Oops, nearly slipped. “‘Cause you’re not a very good liar.”

Stone and wood came crashing down somewhere close, the sound reverberated through the corridor.

“Arkus.” Kellemar’s voice was barely above a whisper.

I knew what it meant. Leaving the door alone, I turned to face the beast.

He slithered down the stairs and stopped. The glowing red eyes shifted from me to the prince and back.

“Have you… perhaps… changed… your… mind?”

“No. I am still protecting him.”

“What… will it… take… for you… to… do it?”

“Nothing you can offer. Go away.”

He looked at the sword in my hand, at the pieces of wood on the floor.

“I can… open… that… door…”

“That would be very nice of you. But I won’t give up the prince.”

The beast’s eyes narrowed in hateful frustration. There was nothing he could do, and he knew it. Slowly turning around, he climbed back up the stairs and disappeared from view.

I attacked the door again. We were running out of time; knowing the beast, I was certain he wouldn’t mess with the castle or Morgard’s men anymore, he’d just leave. And it would not take Morgard long to start searching for the prince.

I was right. The chieftain showed up in no time, followed by dozens of men. His jerkin was torn, left shoulder and chest bloodied. He must have gotten too close to the beast.

“Here you are,” he greeted me, his face dark. “I thought so.”

I had Jarvi’s sword sheathed as soon as I’d heard their footsteps, to avoid drawing attention to the shiny blade. If this turned into a fight though, I’d have to use it.

“Morgard, your detention of my servant is outrageous,” I said. “If something he did has upset you, you should have brought it to me instead of locking him up and lying about it. Release him this minute or I will report to the League.”

The chieftain smirked. “But you no longer
are
in the League. Your expulsion is only a matter of time now that you’ve disobeyed their order.”

He was right. But it never hurts to bluff a little.

“I don’t see how I disobeyed. My planned departure was interrupted first by my servant missing, and then by the attack of the beast.”

Morgard was no fool, of course.

“Don’t give me that.” He pointed at the prince. “Here is the proof, standing right there. Try to deny that you were attempting to escape with him.”

And you try to prove it, Morgard.

“I had the prince with me to protect him from the monster. We are here, we haven’t escaped. Nor were we attempting to when you found us—with plenty of witnesses, if I might add. You found me trying to release my servant, to which I have the full right. Is it not so?”

I actually cornered him here. I had no idea how I was going to end this, but at the moment, Morgard couldn’t dispute my statement.

“Speaking of the monster,” he said after a pause, glaring at me, “you had knowingly brought that thing with you to my castle. This is something
I
should report. You endangered me, my men, and my home.”

“I did no such thing.
You
summoned Prince Kellemar here. I had told you right away that he was being haunted by a monster, and warned you how dangerous that monster is.”

Once again, I was right. Morgard gritted his teeth.

“I’ve had enough of this.” He motioned to his men. “Throw them out of my castle.”

I stood ready to snatch both swords and fight, but what he’d just said stunned me into immobilization. Throw
them
out?

Dozens of strong hands grabbed me and the prince and dragged us away.

“Don’t hurt or disarm them,” I heard Morgard’s voice, “I don’t want any problems with the League. Just kick them out and lock the gate.”

I tried to break free. “Morgard, you have no right to detain my servant! I’m not leaving without him!”

He just laughed. “Yes, you are.”

***

Morgard’s order was carried out quickly and efficiently. Before we knew it, Kellemar and I were outside the castle’s wall. I just stood there, trying to collect my thoughts that were shattered to pieces with this last turn of events. It seemed like it was going to be a while before I could gather the pieces and make something out of them.