Chapter Seven
“Wake up,” Soma barked.
Allyssa peeled her eyelids open. A soldier hovered above her. She flew upright, and he grabbed her arm, dragging her off the cot. Another soldier did the same to Odar.
“What’s going on?” she demanded, her voice still gravely from sleep.
Soma stood near the tent’s exit. “No talking.” He wore a thick wool cape, which concealed his tunic bearing the royal family’s crest. His eyes were pulled tight, and his good hand rested on the hilt of his sword. “If either of you so much as blinks from here to the horses, you’ll wish you were dead.” He reached up and pulled his hood on, hiding his face in shadow. “Let’s go.” He exited the tent.
The soldier shoved Allyssa forward, and she moved to the exit, glancing over her shoulder at Odar. He followed close behind, his face not giving anything away. She stepped outside. Cold air whipped around her body. The sun had not yet risen, and a thick fog blanketed the tents in the dull gray of dawn.
Allyssa followed Soma through the silent camp, her boots softly crunching on the dirt. She almost asked when the men rose to do practice drills, but remembered Soma’s threat and refrained from speaking.
A man stepped around the corner of a tent, blocking their path. Soma continued, as if the man wasn’t there. Just before they collided, the man stepped aside. He towered over the assassin and weighed twice as much. “What are you doing, Prince?” the man asked, his voice deep and throaty. He said the word prince with a hint of disgust. Tattoos covered the side of his face—black swirls ending in knife points. They reminded her of Darmik’s tattoos on his lower neck and chest.
“None of your business, Brookfel,” Soma replied.
Brookfel smiled, scanning Allyssa and Odar before returning his focus to Soma. “It may not be my business, but it certainly is Prince Kerdan’s. As a captain of this army, he outranks you. Now, tell me what you’re doing here.” He folded his arms across his beefy chest and took a step closer to the assassin.
Soma shifted his weight, a small blade clutched in his hand. “I’m returning home. Since I was in the vicinity, I decided to sleep here for the night. That is all.” He resumed walking.
Odar headed after Soma, his guard close behind. Allyssa hesitated. Would this man, Brookfel, help her? She glanced up and found him watching her. She went to take a step toward him, but Odar cleared his throat, gaining her attention. He waved her over, and she hurried to catch up with him.
“Brookfel is a member of Prince Kerdan’s elite squad,” Odar whispered. “If he knew your identity, you’d be gutted and sent back to your parents in pieces.”
She shuddered. “And here I thought Soma was the bad one.”
“The assassin is deadly like a poisonous snake. On the other hand, Prince Kerdan and his men are vicious like a pack of hungry wolves that will tear you apart.”
At the edge of the military base, a man stood holding three horses. Behind him, half a dozen soldiers were mounted and ready to ride. The assassin climbed on one of the horses. “Hurry,” he barked. She glanced back, not seeing any soldiers roaming about the camp.
The man escorting Allyssa grabbed her around the waist, lifting her onto a horse. He secured her hands together with rope, then handed the reins to one of the mounted soldiers. She fought the urge to scream. Being on a horse was the last thing she wanted to do right now. Odar was similarly situated, a different soldier holding the reins of his horse. Prince Soma raised his arm, and everyone began to move out.
“Why the additional men?” Allyssa asked. Maybe the assassin wouldn’t paralyze them since there were so many soldiers.
Soma shot her a dark look. “Now that we are in Russek, stealth is no longer necessary.”
She snorted. If stealth was no longer necessary, then why did they just sneak out of the camp?
“The king is due to arrive here tomorrow,” one of the soldiers stated. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait for your stepfather?”
Allyssa noted the lack of title. If one of her own soldiers spoke to her in such a way, she’d reprimand him immediately. Soma slowed his horse, coming alongside the soldier. “What’s your name?”
“Vladek.”
In one swift motion, Soma grabbed Vladek’s hand, slicing off his ring finger. Vladek screamed, and Soma pulled him so they were face to face. “Let this be a reminder. Do not question me. Ever.” He released Vladek and nudged his horse faster. The soldiers did the same, trying to keep up with the assassin. Allyssa glanced behind her. The tents were already small dots on the horizon. Perhaps she should have taken her chances with Brookfel.
***
The deeper into Russek they traveled, the harsher the weather and landscape became. The air turned bitter and cold. The green valley gave way to rocky mountains.
They rode all day until they came to a village. Small, single-story shacks lined the only road. Some of the doors hung loose on their hinges, giving the village an abandoned feel. Maybe it was due to the upcoming war, or maybe this village only existed to house those passing by. Soma led them to a crude, two-story building with the word Lodging painted above the front door. He ordered four of the soldiers to take the horses to the stables around back. The remaining two accompanied them inside. A dozen or so round tables were situated throughout a square room, a single torch lighting the space. The hearth was empty.
“Anyone here?” Soma called out.
A woman in her thirties wearing a worn apron appeared. Soma secured three rooms for the night and ordered food. When the woman left, they sat at one of the tables, no one speaking. A few minutes later, the woman returned with bowls of stew. Allyssa raised her bound wrists toward Soma, but he shook his head.
“How am I supposed to eat?”
“I’m sure you can figure something out.”
Odar had already grabbed his spoon and was shoveling stew into his mouth despite having his wrists tied together. Allyssa sighed and attempted to do the same. The food was barely warm and had an odd taste to it. She couldn’t quite identify the meat. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the woman huddled in the doorway to the kitchen, watching her.
When they finished eating, they headed to the second floor where the rooms were located. The place smelled of mildew and the floors creaked. Soma assigned three people to each room, ensuring Odar and Allyssa were separated. While she didn’t particularly like sleeping in a room with two strange men, she was too exhausted to argue. Climbing onto the stiff straw mattress, she cuddled into herself, trying to warm up, and fell asleep.
The next morning, a fur-lined cape lay atop her. When she questioned where it came from, neither of the soldiers knew. She stood and tied it around her neck, the length fitting perfectly. The two men led her downstairs. As they passed through the tavern toward the exit, Allyssa saw the woman from last night at a table kneading bread. She glanced up at Allyssa and smiled. The fur-lined cape must have come from her. Given the poverty of this village, she didn’t feel worthy of such a precious gift. When she went to remove it, the woman insisted she keep it.
“She’s right,” one of the soldiers said. “You’re going to need it so you don’t freeze to death.”
Allyssa thanked the woman and exited the inn. When they reached the stables, everyone else was there, ready to ride out. Thankfully, Soma didn’t say anything about the cape. She mounted her horse, and they left the village behind, traveling deeper into Russek.
No matter where they went, the reaction was always the same—no one seemed to recognize Prince Soma, and he made no attempt to flaunt his identity. Instead, he repeatedly stated that they were a group of soldiers heading to Clovek, the town where the king’s castle was located. No one questioned the story.
They rode for days—each day becoming colder than the previous one. They only stopped to eat and sleep. Because the temperature plummeted at night, they always stayed at an inn.
Even though they traveled on a main road, they passed very few villages. Allyssa was beginning to wonder where everyone lived. The settlements she did see consisted of dilapidated wooden or stone houses, a single well as the main water source, and very few people out and about. The ground was so cold and hard that hardly any crops grew in this region. The muted colors made everything look dreary and depressing.
A week into their trip, a vicious snowstorm hit, causing them to seek shelter in an abandoned building until it passed. Even huddled around a fire, she didn’t think she’d ever be warm again. Snow blew in through the cracks in the ceiling, the howling wind mirroring her turbulent thoughts. Soma made each of them take a turn melting snow in a pot over the fire, then drinking the warm water. She found herself crying for no reason, the tears freezing on her cheeks. At some point, she fell asleep.
She woke up in Soma’s arms.
“Oh good, you’re not dead,” he said sardonically.
He carried her outside and sat her atop a horse; everyone else was already mounted and ready to ride. She squinted, shielding her eyes from the blinding light. Snow covered everything, including the surrounding hills. The roads and valleys looked like they had been wrapped in a white furry blanket.
The horses trudged along, having difficulty navigating through the snow. As they rode into a valley between two mountains, the wind whipped through, howling like an animal. Allyssa pulled the cape tightly around her body. She no longer felt her fingers, feet, or nose. Odar was lying against his horse, trying to avoid the frigid wind. Even with a blanket wrapped around him, his body shook. She offered him her cape, but he refused, saying she needed it more. Her breath came out in white puffs, and her eyes stung. She longed for home—the lush green hills and warm sunshine. No wonder so few people lived in this blasted place.
At the end of the valley, Prince Soma led the group to the right. When they rounded the mountain, an ominous castle stood in the distance. Constructed out of dark stones, it seemed as if it grew out of the rocky land. Dark, low clouds cast a gray hue over the snowy landscape.
Allyssa’s body shook—not from the weather, but from the fact that they had arrived in Clovek, the capital of Russek. She was going to have to face her father’s evil, bitter half sister, who would use her as a bargaining chip to gain control of Emperion. Her stomach twisted at the thought. Since childhood, she had been taught that the kingdom came first. Her parents would never meet Jana’s demands. She was going to die.
“What are you doing?” Soma demanded, glancing over his shoulder at her.
She had started to slide off the horse, one foot only inches above the snowy ground.
Vladek came alongside her. He reached out with his good hand, helping her back onto the saddle. His hand with the missing finger had been wrapped with strips of fabric, and he still wasn’t using it. “She just slipped,” Vladek replied to Soma. “She’s secure now.”
The assassin faced forward again.
“I wouldn’t try to escape,” Vladek whispered. “Besides this fortified castle, the only other place nearby is a military compound. There’s nowhere to go for help, and you wouldn’t last a day out here in this weather.”
But she had to try, especially since she was going to die anyway. When she peered over at Odar, he shook his head, his eyes pleading with her not to do anything stupid—like make a run for it.
“There are six of us plus Prince Soma,” Vladek stated. “We’re armed and on horses. How far do you think you’d get on foot in unfamiliar land?”
“Perhaps it’s better to be struck down out here rather than in there,” Allyssa whispered.
Vladek shrugged. “He won’t allow you to be killed right now. Injured maybe.” He held up his hand with the missing finger to emphasize his point. “You’re going to be taken into the castle, I guarantee it. You can fight and make it more difficult, maybe getting hurt in the process. Or, you can save your energy for when you need it. Because you will need every ounce of strength you can muster. Of that you can be certain.”
Allyssa nodded and readjusted herself on the saddle. She would do what she could to save her parents unnecessary suffering and to protect Emperion. It was time to enter hell. She just hadn’t expected hell to be so bloody cold.
After another mile, they came to a long, narrow bridge that extended from the side of the mountain they were on to the castle sitting atop a separate mountain. The bridge had been cleared of snow, although not a single person was in sight. Soma nudged his horse onto the bridge. Its hooves slid, so he slowed the animal. The next soldier steered his horse after him.
“Your turn,” one of the men said to Odar.
Odar glanced at Allyssa. “Keep your horse in the center.” There weren’t any guardrails and the bridge was only eight-feet wide. He steered his horse onto the crossing, another soldier going after him.
“You next,” someone said to Allyssa.
“Is there another way?” She gulped, looking down into the ravine below. The drop had to be over a hundred feet. With the strong wind and the lack of railings, she had no desire to step foot on that bridge, especially on a horse.
“No. One way in, one way out. Keeps the castle safe and secure.” The narrow bridge made it impossible for an army to cross. “Get going. I’d like to be inside where it’s warm.”
Allyssa nudged her horse forward. It snorted, and she awkwardly patted its neck, wishing her wrists weren’t bound. “Come on, boy. Nice and slow.” The horse stepped onto the bridge. “That’s it.” She kept her eyes focused on the wall surrounding the castle, refusing to look down. The wind thrashed across her body; terror seized her heart, making it difficult to breathe.
The bridge ended, and Allyssa gladly nudged her horse onto the small platform where Soma, Odar, and the soldiers who had already crossed waited. Once the remaining men joined them, Soma faced the stone wall and knocked on the iron door.
A one-foot-by-one-foot section slid open, revealing the top of someone’s head. “State your business.”
“I’m escorting two prisoners for my mother, Queen Jana,” Soma said. The wind continued to thrash against them. Allyssa wanted the door opened so she could get off this crowded platform before someone fell off.
The man nodded. “Proceed.” The window slammed shut, and the massive iron door groaned as it opened to admit them.
They crossed through the thick perimeter wall. On the other side, the royal family’s castle stood tall and imposing, no smoke rising from the chimneys. The windows were dark, and no one was about, giving the place an empty and lifeless feel. Soma led the way down the deserted road.
“This castle is one of the oldest on the mainland,” Odar said, coming alongside her. “Hundreds of years ago, Prince Nero of Emperion was engaged to marry the princess from Russek. Instead of going through with the arranged marriage, Nero left with his secret lover, Atta. Russek and Emperion went to war. However, they reached a truce after only a few weeks of fighting and have been living peacefully ever since. Even when Emperor Hamen, a man known for waging war and invading other kingdoms, ruled, he never went to war with Russek.”
“Interesting,” Allyssa said as they neared the castle’s entrance. “However, now that Russek has kidnapped me, I can assure you Emperion will wage war on this kingdom, and they will bring it to the ground.” She just wished she would be alive to see it.
The corners of Odar’s lips bent upward as he fought a smile.
The gate swung open, and the group entered a stone courtyard surrounded by the castle. The enormous structure consisted of a mismatched combination of square towers and round spires of various sizes. Some were topped with turrets, others with statues of men wielding swords. No flags or banners flew. Not a single sentry was visible.
The assassin pulled his horse to a stop before a darkened archway and whistled. Two sentries emerged out of the shadows with their swords drawn.
“I have two prisoners for my mother, Queen Jana.” He dismounted, indicating for everyone else to do the same. Allyssa awkwardly slid off her horse, and Soma cut her bindings before moving over to Odar and slicing through his. He then dismissed the Russek soldiers who had accompanied them there. The men took the horses and headed toward the stables.
“This way,” one of the sentries said.
Allyssa hesitated, wondering if she could run and hide somewhere. Shifting her weight, she scanned the area for exits. As she did so, four additional sentries came out of the dark archway and surrounded them. Six armed men and one assassin. There was no chance of escaping now.