The Chronicles of Lumineia: Book 02 - The Gathering (22 page)

“Let’s assume
it’s on the top floor then. How do we get in?” Siarra said.

Counting a
score of armed orcs in sight, Taryn glanced at Jack with a sly look, “Another
sneaky fox?”

The thief
grinned. “Unfortunately not. Those doors,” he pointed towards a pair of doorways
at each corner, “have extra guards in case of an intruder—or an escapee. There are
also locations nearby that contain hundreds ready if an alarm is raised.”

Liri tilted
her head towards the south side, shrouded in darkness. “How well guarded are
the north and south sides?”

“If they
haven’t changed, there should be at least a score, too many for us to risk
taking them down without setting off an alarm. Besides, there are no entrances
on the sides,” Jack replied.

Liri touched
Taryn on the arm. “You could cut us a door.”

“Too risky,”
Siarra said. “If anyone found it they would know someone is inside, but she
cocked her head to the side and looked at Taryn and Jack. “How far can either
of you jump?”

Taryn shrugged
and looked at Jack, who said, “Twenty or thirty feet— if I can get a running
start, but there aren’t any windows on the sides low enough to jump to.”

Siarra nodded
in satisfaction. “Then we will need a ladder.”

Fifteen
minutes later they stood on a roof forty feet from the side of the palace.
Siarra concentrated for a moment and bricks began grinding out of the wall to
form a ladder leading to a window on the third floor. She muttered to herself
about reshaping the mortar so the handholds would be sound, and then opened her
eyes.

Jack looked
doubtfully at the expanse and jerked his head. “Not possible, it’s too far,” he
whispered.

Liri glanced
at Taryn who raised his hands. “I don’t know. If it were a little less maybe—or
if I had help.”

Jack spun to
face him. Bending his knees he cupped his hands together and straightened his
arms. “How about a boost?” he asked.

Taryn grinned
and crouched, but waited for Liri to give the all clear before taking the few
steps in a rush. Just as he stepped into the cupped hands he leapt at same time
that Jack launched him into the air. Flying outward, he watched the wall jump
into sharp focus. As he began to descend, he caught one of the handholds.
Before he could grab another the brick snapped and he began to fall. Dropping
the piece, he reached out and grasped two with his hands and pulled his feet to
the wall. For a moment he held his breath, hoping that no one had heard.

Hearing no
response he cautiously scaled the bumped out bricks, and found himself
wondering if Liri had seen him. Of course she had seen him, what else would she
be paying attention to? Regardless of his logic, he still felt the inexplicable
urge to look back at her. The feeling was maddening, and made him wonder if he
had lost his mind. And why was his heart pounding at the thought of her smiling
up at him . . .? Growling in an attempt to return his focus, he slowed as he
approached the opening.

Reaching the
window, he paused to peer into the darkened room. Scanning the space with his
senses he heard nothing, so he rolled over the sill and stepped inside. With slow
steps he searched the room, but found nothing except a broken bed covered with
dust. Satisfied, he turned back to the window and signaled that he was ready.

While he'd
climbed, Jack must have ‘scavenged’ a rope. Now he uncoiled the cord and deftly
tossed it up to Taryn. Snatching it out of the air, he secured it to a protruding
brick. One by one, Siarra and Liri pulled themselves up the rope. Taryn
breathed a sigh of relief when he helped Liri through the window. Looking back,
he saw Jack untie the rope and swing to the wall. He glided up the handholds
and slipped through the window.

“Excellent,”
Siarra whispered. “Now let’s go find the king.”

Jack darted to
the door with the rest of them mirroring his caution. As he eased the door open
it squeaked in protest and he froze. Moving to the hinges he withdrew a rag
from a pouch. As he worked, the scent of oil filled Taryn’s nostrils, but
before he could ask the thief had already finished. Sliding back to the other
side of the door, he slid it open again. Only a tiny squeak escaped the hinges
as he opened it enough to see down the hall.

“Two guards,
orcs, one stationary thirty paces down, the other a rover moving towards us.
Too late to close the door,” Jack whispered, his form melting into the darkness
as lazy footfalls began to sound. With no place to hide, Taryn watched Liri and
Siarra ghost their way to the wall behind where the door would open. Echoing
their movements, Taryn joined them and inserted himself between Siarra and the
door. He held his breath as he tracked the footsteps, getting louder with every
stride. Twenty feet, ten feet, five feet, the sounds stopped right outside their
room and a low grunt of confusion revealed he’d seen the opening.

The guard shuffled
two steps and swung the door wide, flooding the room with torchlight. A brief
moment passed with only the dim sounds from the street trickling in the window.
Taryn scanned the bare room, searching in vain for Jack’s hiding spot.
Where
is he?
he thought. Then the guard stepped into the room, his heavy form
causing the floorboards to creak. Still blocked from his line of sight by the
door, Taryn slid one of his feet forward, readying himself to leap around the
door if the guard moved any deeper.

Without
warning a dark shape dropped from above. Landing lightly Jack wrapped his arms
around the orcs neck, cutting its cry of alarm to a gurgle. Taryn darted around
the door to strike, but stopped short as he saw the full metal helm on the gray-skinned
orc. Understanding now why Jack hadn’t struck him, he stepped forward and
snatched the torch and the short sword from the guard’s grasp.

Extinguishing
the torch and plunging the room back into shadow, he watched and waited for the
thief to finish. Jack flashed him a grateful smirk before focusing on his
opponent. With his muscles bulging against his black tunic, the thief worked
his headlock until the orc stopped squirming and slumped.

“Where were
you?” Taryn whispered as he helped catch the guard and slide him to the floor.

Jack jerked
his head towards the top of the door. “I stood on the lip,” he replied just as
quietly, and Taryn spotted a thin piece of moulding over the door. Barely wide
enough for a toe hold, the only way he could have stood there without falling was
if there was a hand-hold. Looking up at the ceiling he saw a small hole in the
plaster that revealed a section of rafter. Taryn shook his head, wondering how
he’d gotten into the position without making a sound.

“It’s what I
do,” Jack whispered, fighting a smile as he read Taryn’s expression.

Taryn grinned
and used his chin to point down the hall as he helped Liri bind and gag the
guard. “What about the other one?” he said, but Jack inclined his head and
swept his hand out. Taryn’s grin widened at the invitation as he stood and slid
towards the door. Just before he could peek down the corridor, Siarra caught
his arm. Coming to a halt he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“This isn’t a
game, boys,” she whispered, her tone laced with disapproval. “We can’t afford
to mess this up.” Although her comment seemed to be directed at Jack, her gaze
flicked to Taryn.

Taryn shrugged
and allowed his sister to pull him out of the way. Joining Jack and Liri, he peeked
down the hallway. Siarra stood with her back to the open door and leaned out.
Straightening, she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed. At first nothing
happened, but then the guard gasped and dropped to his knees as his gloved hand
clutched his chest. Wheezing, he fought for breath before he collapsed to the
floor.

Taryn looked
at Siarra in amazement and she allowed a small smile. “I slowed his heart down
so he couldn’t get enough air. He’ll wake up and be irritated that he passed out.”
Her eyes flicked to Jack, and the challenge in her faint smile was unmistakable.
Confused by the interplay, Taryn looked to Liri in bewilderment. His puzzlement
heightened as he saw Liri with an amused expression. Once again Jack’s words
about reading women came back to him and he frowned to himself.

How much
have I missed
?

Gazing at
Liri's profile, he wished he could talk to her about it, but felt a reluctance
to do so. He'd felt an openness with Liri his whole life, but since he'd
realized his affection for her, this topic felt untouchable. But if not her,
who else? Mae was too closed, Siarra didn't like discussing emotional things,
and Trin would probably just laugh. That left only Jack, which meant sarcasm
and innuendoes he didn't understand. Was there no one he could talk to?

He sighed and shoved
the irritating thought aside before falling into step behind Liri. Creeping
forward, the four of them penetrated the halls of the gnome palace in search of
the king. Finding stairs, they climbed to the next floor.

The few
rambling orcs they passed were easily avoided, and a short time later they
found a guarded room on the top floor. After Siarra took the guards breath away,
they opened the door to find a lavish sitting room lit by a large fire and a
few torches. Dressed in a robe, a single gnome sat on the couch in front of the
fire with a book in his hands. At the sound of the door he looked up and rose
to his feet.

“Who are you
and what are you doing here?” the gnome king demanded in an oddly cultured
accent.

Siarra stepped
forward while Taryn and Jack dragged the two guards inside and closed the door.
“I am the Oracle, honorable king Talfar, and have come to speak to you on a
matter that is vital to your nation's survival.”

The small
yellow-skinned king stared at Siarra before saying, “Prove it.”

Taryn bit his
lip not to smile and caught Liri doing the same thing. Unabashed, Jack laughed
as Siarra took the challenge and stepped forward. “Allow me to show you what is
coming, Talfar,” she said.

The king,
taken aback by her easy acceptance of his challenge, hesitated before nodding.
Siarra approached him and placed her hand on the side of his angular head. When
he winced at her touch she said, “Relax, I’m not going to hurt you.”

Then she
transferred her prophetic images into his mind, causing him to go rigid. Taryn
watched the gnome king as he envisioned his entire people being wiped out. He’d
seen Siarra show this to other leaders and had talked about it a great deal
with her. At first he’d felt overwhelmed, but that had given way to disbelief. Now,
for the first time since she'd told the shocked high council of the elves, he
felt he was beginning to accept it. The gathering had begun, but, for all their
heroics, would likely end in the annihilation of every living person in
Lumineia.

Unless he
succeeded.

His uncle had
said that every life was precious and important in the battle to do what was
right. Now he understood. As he looked back at the people he had met—Braon,
Newhawk, and now the king of the gnomes—he realized that each had had their
role. Watching the gnome king struggle to draw breath, Taryn’s mind was drawn
to the small glass orb in his pocket. Perhaps it was time for him to admit to
himself the weight of his destiny. With difficulty, he acknowledged the
responsibility that was his birthright . . . and made the decision to activate
the prophetic magic—when the time was right.

The spindly
king collapsed to his knees when Siarra severed the connection and he gasped,
“What was that?”

“That is the
army coming to destroy your nation,” she said, “and your only hope is to gather
every soul with the other races.”

Talfar knelt
for a moment longer before he stood and squared his shoulders. “Is what I saw
inevitable?” he asked.

Siarra shook
her head. “No, what you saw is not certain, but it was a glimpse of what will
happen if you remain here.”

Talfar looked
at her with deep sadness. “Then we are lost.”

“Surely you
will
try
to save your people?” Liri said, stepping forward.

The king
looked at her and shook his head. “The balance between the gnomes and orcs is
good for both our races. We prevent the orcs from fighting amongst themselves by
giving them intelligent leadership, and they give us labor to build and grow.” He
sighed and sank onto the couch. “Unfortunately, there is no way to convince
these uneducated masses to leave. An attempt would be foolhardy and cause
someone to consider my rule weak. Another would most certainly attempt to
strike me down and take my place. It would not be the first time it has
happened in this city.”

Siarra gave a
small smile. “If we gave you a way, would you take it?”

Talfar leaned
back and looked at the ceiling, considering her words before he spoke. “Yes, I
believe I would. Unlike most of our two races I had the privilege of being
educated by someone similar to yourself, and believe in an oracle’s ability—but
my belief in your story is not enough.” He cocked his head to the side and
frowned, curiosity sparking in his eyes. “But what did you have in mind?”

 “We have the
Ocleon.”

Talfar blinked
and leaned forward. “How did you obtain the sacred stone?”

“We,
convinced
the thief to allow us to return it,” Siarra explained, causing Jack to shift.

The little
king smiled for the first time. “Well that might change things, if we could persuade
the high priest to go along with this.” Holding up a hand to forestall Siarra’s
next comment he added, “But he is not a good gnome, and has more than a normal
share of greed.”

“Is there
anything we can do to convince him?” Liri asked, but the king seemed lost in
thought.

After a moment
he laughed to himself and said, “Perhaps
you
could, if the Oracle is any
good with magic?” She bristled at his comment and he chuckled. “Good, then we
might have a way.”