The Catastrophe of the Emerald Queen (29 page)

Bue had
snapped alert and he stared at the newcomer. “Can you release us?”
Jared asked quickly. 

Scious
scratched his head. “Of course, of course, of course. Anything for
my friend,” and looked around. Seeing the mechanical levers near to
him he looked at the boys. “Does this release you?”

  “
Yes,
but be careful. The one on the far left retracts the floor,” Jared
replied.  

Scious tutted and pulled the
levers one at a time. The chains detached from the bracelets and
one by one they were released. Bue and Jared fell to the floor and
collapsed. They rubbed their sore wrists and shook their numb hands
to get the blood flowing again.

 “
Now we
need to get you out of here so we do,” Scious muttered, scratching
his head under his hat again. “It really is most inconvenient you
summoned me while I was eating. Had to quickly grab my hat, never
go out without my hat you know.”

 “
We
need to find Mordalayn,” Jared said and Scious smirked.

 “
The
warrior? Your friend? Of course, he stopped those horrible men from
hurting me. We must indeed find him.”

 “
How do
we get out?” Bue asked, his eyes still swollen from crying and his
voice croaky from where he’d been shouting.

 
Scious
looked around the gloomy room. “Stand next to the door,” he
said. 

Bue and Jared followed his
suggestion and he stood next to the levers and then yanked hard on
the one to open the pit. With the same deafening grind the
triangles retracted into the surrounding floor. Scious ran and
stood next to the boys. Within a few seconds they could hear a key
being frantically turned in the other side of the door and as it
swung open two guards ran in.

 
The
guards ran to the empty chains and the open floor, confused. As
they ran forward Scious pulled Bue and Jared through the open door
and slammed it, turning the key in the lock smirking triumphantly.
The two guards thudded into the door on the other side and began
pounding on it, shouting furiously. Scious raised the large bunch
of keys then placed them in a large pocket in his coat.

 “
Come,
we have to go,” he whispered and moved up the corridor, the guards
still hammering on the door.

 
Jared
looked around. The table next to the room they had been in was
bare. Only a flagon of wine and a couple of mugs plus a crude dice
game. Light flickered in the stone corridor from lanterns on the
walls. The place was dank and gloomy, moss in scattered patches on
the floor and walls. The corridor ended just beyond the door to
their former prison. No one else was about.

“
We need to
get out of this place now,” Scious said as they moved away. “People
will be coming soon.” 

“
No, we have
to find Mordalayn we can’t leave him here,” Jared replied. He
turned to Scious and looked imploringly to the little man. “Can you
help us find him?” 

Scious bowed.
“But of course, of course, of course my young friend. Your friend
is a friend of Scious’s too so he is. It would be my honour and my
pleasure.” 

“
Where would
they have taken him?” Jared asked, glancing left to right to check
no one was coming.

 “
I
would suggest that the king would have taken him to the
games.” 

“
Games?”
Jared asked confused. 

“
This isn’t
just a prison,” Scious said frantically. “This is also the place
where the king has his sports. Nasty sports though they
are.” 

Jared still looked concerned.
Bue said quickly. “They’ve taken him to the arena?” 

“
Would say so
young master, would say so,” Scious answered, bobbing his head
again, the feather in his hat waving madly.

 
Jared
paled. “We have to get him out of there. Can you do it?”

 “
Like I
said, always happy to repay a debt, but my debt is for one
repayment only. Scious takes all of you or some of you, but I do
not come back once I go.”

 
Bue
spoke up. “Show us the way,” and gestured for Scious to lead. He
scurried on ahead, the shouting and pounding on the door becoming
fainter and fainter until it faded away. The corridor was narrow
and now there was no sound apart from their own foot falls on the
uneven stone.

As they
passed a small closet in the wall Bue shouted. “Wait!” He reached
inside and pulled out his prize bow and the quiver belt, still full
of quarrels. Inside there was also their backpacks. “Our stuff,” he
said unemotionally and began tossing out the packs to the others.
Jared saw Bue’s face was grim and cold.

 
As they
reached the end of the corridor Scious raised his finger to his
lips, gesturing for them to be quiet. “We mustn’t make a noise but
I can get us out of here.” He reached down and withdrew the big
bunch of keys. He squinted at them and after a moment grunted. He
inserted a big rusty key into the lock of the wooden door. After a
few seconds of fumbling he cackled triumphantly and grabbed the
handle, yanking it and the door swung open. Peering round the frame
cautiously he beckoned the others to follow him.

 
They
stepped into a more brightly lit but still relatively gloomy hall
with tall cylindrical stone pillars supporting the roof. The light
filtered in from above from a huge round window in the ceiling and
from various doors that led off from the main area. Scious looked
back at them and whispered to them. “There is one guard here but
he’s asleep. Make no noise.”

 
They
slipped out the door and crept slowly past the snoring guard. He
had a tankard in his hand and nearby was a flagon of wine, nearly
empty. His helmet was on the table next to him and he snuffled as
they tiptoed past him. They froze as he stirred but breathed a sigh
of relief as he simply slumped into a more comfortable position and
carried on snoring. Scious led them to a door on the far left past
the guard and after checking they were all present he opened it
very quietly and they all went through. “We need to get upstairs,”
he said, shutting it behind them. He tapped the side of his nose
with his index finger and winked at them, “Scious’s nose knows,”
and tittered at his own joke.

As he went to
move on Bue grabbed his sleeve. He had loaded and cranked his bow.
“Where does this go?” he whispered.

“
To the next
level young master, where the games are held so they are.” He
gestured to the room they’d just left. “The other doors lead to the
rest of the jail. You were in a special room. We needs to get past
the guards on the next floor.”

 “
Can
you do that without us being seen?” Bue asked him looking
doubtful. 

Scious looked
hurt. “Oh yes! Sneaking is one of my better things.” He moved up
the spiralling staircase, his feet falling silently on the steps.
Bue and Jared looked at each other then moved to follow
Scious.

Chapter
24

“Not so close to me!” Harrod
whispered angrily as the frozen figure of the priest crinkled into
immobility in front of him.

 
His
partner grunted and returned the jewel to his pocket. The old
priest who had stopped them as they were about to enter the hub was
now swathed in ice. Harrod waved his hand in front of the old man’s
face, looking a little concerned.

 “
You’re
only supposed to stop them not kill them Crow. We need them later.
No one else knows how the magic here works.” He tutted, a frown
creasing his brow. 

“
He’s not
dead,” Crow answered crustily. “Although he might have a cold when
he wakes up.” 

Harrod stared
again at the eyes of the iced man in front of him. They were frozen
open in a shocked expression. He shrugged. “Whatever. Now…let’s get
this done.” He beamed brightly, his carefree demeanour
returning. 

Crow winked
at him and they both drew the hoods of their priestly robes over
their heads and Harrod knocked loudly on the door with the tip of
his staff. 

“
Open in the
name of the queen and all that is joyous in Alegria,” he shouted in
a high tone. 

“
Don’t overdo
it,” Crow hissed as the locking bolt was pulled on the other
side. 

The door
opened a crack and a pair of suspicious eyes peered out. “Yes?” a
voice croaked quizzically. “What do you want?”

 “
Tidings to you errr…exalted brother of our most beloved
brethren,” Harrod said, grinning brightly, his pearly white teeth
showing. Crow nudged his arm as the old man on the other side
peered doubtfully at him. “We bring grave news of Our Lady and must
speak to the Prime Guardian immediately.”

 “
Oh
really,” the old man said, his eyes tightening even further. “Well,
in that case you need to tell me the daily password don’t
you.” 

Harrod’s
smiled slipped a fraction then he beamed again. “Brother of our
most wonderful and precious world of loveliness, in our haste we
forgot to find it out. Please bring us the Prime Guardian so we may
deliver him this most urgent and pressing of messages for his
exalted ears only.” 

There was a
pause and the eyes narrowed again. “There IS no daily password.
Nice try!” The door slammed again and the lock was shoved in place.
Harrod scowled and they could hear the sound of running feet plus
muffled shouting. 

Crow pushed
him to one side. “Trust you to gild the lily” he hissed and drew
another crystal from his robe. Stepping back he spoke a few words
and with a whoosh the crystal glowed and the door vanished into
dust. 

They stepped
forward, the powder from the disintegrated door making them cough
and saw several scared priests gawking at them. All were dressed in
white and gold robes and all stood around a huge tower, squat at
its base and rising up and up into the ceiling high above where it
tapered to a finer and finer point before vanishing. It glowed a
dark green at its base and as Harrod and Crow strode nearer the
priests started to scatter.

 “
Gentlemen we come in peace, we leave you in pieces,” Harrod
said brightly, then adding to himself, “I’ve always wanted to say
that.” Crow removed a third crystal from his pocket and turned,
dropping it in the open doorway. It expanded sideways and then
flashed upwards. Looking like some bright form of shiny, grey
chewing gum it completely sealed the doorway. Then he took his
other stone and turned to the nearest priest who raised his hands
in shock. Blue light flashed from the crystal and the man was
frozen, immobile. His hands were still raised as if in
surrender.

 “
Deal
with them I need to find the Prime,” Harrod yelled as the priests
shrieked and scattered while Crow started to stalk them round the
vast room, immobilising them one at a time.

 
Two
priests stood in front of a wooden door, ornately carved and
although terrified were clearly not going to move without some form
of persuasion.  

“
Now
gentlemen,” Harrod said calmly. “Let’s be reasonable.”

 
They
shook their heads and he sighed. “CROW!!” 

With the
other priests despatched, Crow made his way over and without
hesitation turned his crystal on them. 

“
Thank you
kind sir,” Harrod said and with a shove, pushed the immobile forms
aside. They hit the ground with a bump and tinkle of loosened ice
chips. 

The door
opened. An old man with a white beard and a robe stood there,
fearless and composed. Crow and Harrod hesitated and the old man
looked at them. “What is it you want? I am no threat to
you.” 

Harrod beamed
again. “that’s good to know. We need you to activate the summons
signal for your absent ruler. If you would be so
kind.” 

The Prime Guardian stepped
forward. Crow took his arm and pulled him to the marble barrier
that encircled the huge grey pillar. At one section was a stone
tablet, held in place in a horizontal frame. Crow pushed the priest
up against it roughly and Harrod tutted. “Now, now Crow there’s no
need to be so…pushy. This gentleman is here to help us. Aren’t
you?”

 “
Our
Lady is unreachable now,” the Prime Guardian informed them calmly.
“Even if I activate this, there’s no guarantee that….”

 “
You
let us worry about that, there’s a good chap” Harrod said patting
his shoulder. 

The old man swallowed hard and
placed his hands over the tablet. The lines of writing etched into
the stone began to glimmer and then flow, mingling and merging,
criss crossing in patterns.

 
The
priest softly spoke a few words and the words stopped weaving and
formed together. The base of the pillar changed from dark to bright
green. Light sped up it and within seconds the whole thing
glowed. 

“
Forgive me
My Lady,” the priest said, closing his eyes.

 “
I’m
sure she will old chap,” Harrod assured him jovially and turned as
Crow brought out his crystal once more. There was a crackle of
energy as the priest was encased in ice.

 
Harrod
rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Now…how do we get out?”

Chapter
25

Mordalayn was restrained,
tightly and with no possibility of free movement or
struggle.