The Tower Of The Watchful Eye: The Legend Of Kairu Book 1 (24 page)

The next
morning, we filled our packs with the food and equal shares of the
gold and headed out into the morning sun. Disguising ourselves as
bandits again, we retraced our steps through the countryside back
to the great city of Thurlborn Peak. Under the evening sun at the
outskirts of the city, Aaron and I quickly changed back into our
normal clothes while Natalie wrapped her head back up into her
headdress and scarf.

“
I’ve got to meet my appraiser,” Natalie said as she finished
tucking in her scarf. “I’ll meet you by the docks.”

“
I’ll come with you,” Aaron said stuffing both our sets of
bandit gear back into the pack. “Andy can handle the King of his
own.”

Because things went so well last time,
Cathy chuckled.

“
Just be quick and quiet,” Natalie said to Aaron before
turning to me. “Good luck up there, ‘Demon’. See you at the
dock.”

“
Back to mocking me, are we?” I asked adjusting my
hat.

“
You wear the hat, you get mocked,” she answered as she and
Aaron headed for the city.

I shook my
head before following them at a distance, we split ways in the
market and I headed for the Stairway of Kings. The guards that
protected the Stairway were different this time and I stopped when
the one raised his hand.

“
What business do you have at the Stairway of Kings?” The
guard asked in a proud voice.

“
It owes me gold,” I answered in an equally proud
voice.

The second
guard snickered but tried to keep it hidden when the first guard
stared at me. “I beg your pardon?” he asked.

“
And you may have it,” I said closing my eyes and raising my
hand. “For I am Second Keeper Holcombe and I grant pardons to those
who seek them.”

The second
guard laughed harder and when I opened my eyes the first guard was
starting to turn red in the face.

“
Oh, calm down,” the second guard said to the first guard
before turning to me. “Do you have business in the castle,
Mage?”

“
Yes I do,” I smiled politely.

“
Go ahead then,” the second guard said motioning with his
thumb behind him.

“
You need to relax more, Larry,” the second guard said to the
first as I started to climb the stairs. “Things like this won’t
keep happening then.”

Cathy laughed.
It’s too late for
‘Larry’. The stick is planted too firmly up there.

I chuckled
softly and kept climbing the stairs.

I have a quick
question for you.

Ok
, Cathy replied.

When I was
fighting the possessed Mage, you were worried that we would both
die...

Of course...
Cathy said waiting for
my question.

But if I died,
wouldn’t your soul be free from mine because it is immortal?

I could feel Cathy hesitate before she finally
answered.
I’m not too sure that it would.
Our souls are intertwined and therefore could be treated as one
soul. There is a real possibility that when you die, I
die.

Really?

Yes
, Cathy said.

So I shouldn’t
throw myself off these stairs?

Only if you plan on surviving the fall
, Cathy answered.

At the top of
the stairs, the castle loomed over us in a more welcoming tone then
the first time we visited. The setting sun reflected off the white
castle with a blinding light as I walked towards it. Opening the
great door and entering the castle, I was struck with momentary
blindness until my vision cleared and the looming figure of Captain
Larson stood in front of me.

“
Don’t you have a cure for that?” he asked.

“
Yeah, it’s called ‘leaving at night’,” I answered as I
blinked my vision back into focus.

“
What brings you back?” Ser Larson asked.

“
I have evidence that Balendar wasn’t involved in the
kidnapping of the Nesqian Princess,” I answered.

Ser Larson
raised an eyebrow as a smirk broke out on his face. “Oh? This
should be good.”

“
I’d like to talk to the King now,” I said starting to doubt
the situation.

“
How do I know this isn’t some hoax?” he asked.

I pulled out
the rolled up map and document from my pocket and held them up so
Ser Larson could see.

“
Interesting,” he said with genuine surprise. “May I inspect
them?”

So that he can
take them to the King and claim the credit? Cathy asked.

“
I believe our agreement was that I discovered the evidence,
and then I got to talk to the King,” I said as I stretched out with
my mind.

“
I still need to verify the information before I allow you to
pass,” Ser Larson said extending his hand.

Feeling around
with my mind, I doubted that I could trick Ser Larson with a simple
Illusion spell but I could feel the energy from the plants and
trees that decorated the Main Hall. It would be enough to get where
I need to go.

“
I can’t hand over the documents,” I said as Ser Larson
sighed. “But I CAN give you this.”

The plant
closest to Ser Larson lashed out at him, grabbing him by the arm
and pulling him towards it. He called out and the other guards in
the area turned to see what was going on. With Larson wrapped up,
they didn’t waste any time advancing on my position. As they walked
past plants, I made them grab at the guards as well. I ran across
the room and up a small set of stairs that led to the throne
room.

The throne
room was just as open as the Main Hall with two long dining tables
and the thrones of the King and Queen along the back wall. The
guards stationed in this room saw me enter in a hurry and
immediately drew their swords and started advancing on me. The
guards from the Main Hall had broken free of the plants and blocked
the exit out of the room. Ser Larson broke away from the crowd with
his sword pointed directly at me but stopped as the sound of
laughter filled the room. The group of guards in front of me parted
as the smiling face of King Victor the 2nd joined my little circle
of popularity.

“
Well, now,” he started. “I’d like to say this is a surprise
but it seems to happen at least once a month.”

The King
continued to smile like the whole incident was a refreshing change
from his day to day activities. With his freshly shaven bald head
and grand beard he looked more like a friendly grandfather then
ruler of an entire kingdom.

“
My liege,” Ser Larson said with a mini bow. “Allow me to
introduce you to Second Keeper Holcombe. We spoke about him the
other day.”

“
Ah, yes,” the King said as he dismissed the rest of the
guards with a wave of his hand. “The one who promised to bring back
proof that Balendar isn’t involved with the kidnapping. You’re
still alive so I take it you have good news.”

“
Yes, your majesty,” I said with a bow before pulling out the
document and map and handing it to him.

The King
immediately handed them to Ser Larson. “Are they accurate, Ser
Larson?”

Ser Larson
quickly scanned the map and document then handed them back to the
King. “I recognize Mongoose’s handwriting.”

“
Excellent,” the King smiled. “Ser Larson, if you
will.”

“
My liege,” Ser Larson said with a bow before exiting the
room.

“
Mr. Holcombe,” the King said turning to me. “Please join me
at my throne.”

The King
walked back to his throne at a leisurely pace, sitting down next to
the Queen with a groan.

“
Second Keeper, my wife, Queen Anne,” the King said motioning
to his wife.

“
It’s rare to host to a Keeper,” Queen Anne started with a
slight bow of her head. “I see we are off to a wonderful
start.”

“
You’ll have to forgive my rude entrance,” I said with a bow.
“It was urgent for me to see the King.”

“
Isn’t it always with you, Mages?” the King chuckled as he
lowered the document. “Why is it that Mages don’t trust the normal
folk?”

“
Because we grow up with other Mages,” I answered. “You get
used to thinking everyone is out to get you.”

The King
smiled. “Well, you can trust us out here in the real world. Life is
hard. If you can’t trust other people to help you, it will only
make it harder.”

“
I will have to remember that,” I said.

“
Maybe then my guardsmen won’t have to chase you around my
home again,” the King chuckled.

I heard the
sound of armour shuffling behind me and turned around to see Ser
Larson approaching holding a large white staff.

“
Ah, Ser Larson, good timing,” the King said before turning
back to me. “He and I had a little wager to whether you could pull
this off. Looks like I lost.”

He refolded
the map and documents and handed them back to me.

“
Take these with the staff and head down to Nesqa,” he
continued. “I need you to present this evidence to Emperor Naliwa
so a truce can be called. We won’t be able to talk peace until the
Princess has been found but at least the borders will be open for
trade again.”

“
Yes, your majesty,” I nodded.

“
Now if you’ll excuse me, there is much work to be done,” the
King said.

“
I’ll lead you out,” Ser Larson said as I turned
around.

He led me out
of the throne room with one eye always on my hands. At the front
door of the Main Hall, he stood as far away from the plants as
possible and handed me the staff. “I believe this was the deal,” he
said.

“
That was quick,” I said as I took the staff and admired its
shine.

“
We know how you Mages work,” he said with a smirk. “We always
have one ready.”

“
What’s it made from? I’ve never seen a white metal like
this,” I asked.

“
And you never will,” he answered. “It’s just folded steel,
but the Forge of Kings is something else. Nobody has ever been able
to figure it out. There is just some ancient magic that makes it
stronger.”

“
Thank you and I apologize for the earlier commotion,” I
said.

He shrugged.
“Happens more than you would think. First time being tied up by
plants though.”

“
Glad I could do something new for you,” I
chuckled.

“
Good luck out there,” Ser Larson nodded then turned around
and left.

“
You too,” I muttered as I left the castle.

So congratulations on the staff,
Cathy said as I stepped outside.

There you are.
I thought you had fallen asleep or something.

I almost did with all the proper and polite
conversation,
Cathy
replied
. Let’s go kill some bandits now
and wake up.

The polite
conversation is needed sometimes...not all the time, but
sometimes.

That’s why I didn’t interrupt
, she
said as I started down the Stairway of Kings.
Now let’s gather your friends and go kill someone.

I headed down
the stairs and crossed the market to the meeting spot at the docks.
It wasn’t a long wait before Natalie and Aaron returned.

“
Nice staff,” Natalie said as they approached.

“
How’d it go?” I asked.

“
I have a buyer,” Natalie said happily. “I can live up to my
promise.”

“
What’s the plan now?” Aaron asked. “Back to the
Tower?”

I shook my
head. “I have three more items to gather. I’m heading to
Nesqa.”

“
Good luck with that!” Natalie exclaimed. “Word is you can’t
even get past the border.”

“
Yeah, we will,” I smiled.

Aaron chuckled
awkwardly. “Unfortunately there is no ‘we’. I have to go back to
the farm. I’ve already been gone long enough. My parents are going
to be worried sick.”

“
What about you, Natalie?” I asked.

“
No way am I going to Nesqa,” she said. “I’m more wanted there
then here. Only they won’t string me up to a tree and leave me for
the Lagoona Monster here. Besides,” she smiled and looked at Aaron,
“I agreed to escort him back home.”

Aaron blushed
slightly and smiled.

Ooh la la,
Cathy laughed.

I chuckled.
“Good luck you too. It’s been fun.”

“
You’re a weird guy, ‘Demon’,” Natalie said. “But better then
most.”

“
Right back at you,” I smiled. “Nate”

“
It’s been one hell of an adventure,” Aaron said.

“
You’re going to miss out on the rest of it,” I
said.

“
That’s a choice I can live with,” Aaron chuckled as he pulled
out a short sword and handed it to me. “You’re going to need this
more then me. We won’t be around to save your life
anymore.”

“
You keep it,” I said. “I have a staff.”

“
Use both,” Natalie suggested.

“
A staff and a sword?” I asked. “What am I? Some white bearded
wizard leading an army into battle?”

“
Now THERE’S a mental picture,” Natalie chuckled.