Knights of Riona Read online

  We walked for hours, there was nothing but wilderness around us. The day before I would have been terrified of what may have been hiding in the forest, waiting to attack. But after all I’d witnessed, the only thing running through my mind was whether we’d find something to eat. My stomach growled, but I pretended I’d heard nothing. The last thing I needed was for Taeren to think I needed to be coddled and fed like an infant.

  My feet protested with every step I took. I had never traveled so far into the forest, so I had no way of knowing if we were close to Godfrey Tower or if we were going to keep walking forever. Nearly all pink and yellow had disappeared from the sky. Dusk was nearing and soon they would be swallowed by the darkness.

  Taeren took my hand again, interlacing his fingers with mine. My cheeks grew warm at his touch, I wasn’t prepared to face our tangled history. I should have pulled away, but something kept me from going through with it. A gentle squeeze on my hand let me know he was just trying to reassure me. He’d mistaken my silence for grief yet again. I was sad, there was no question about that, but instead of depression all I felt was determination. We were going to make it out of this and Riona would rebuild without the looming threat of the Gorum breathing down our necks.

  We continued on in silence until Taeren abruptly led us off the path.

  “I thought you said we’d make less noise on the road.”

  “Yes, but it will be dark soon. We’re more likely to find shelter in the trees than we are just wandering along the path.”

  I knew he had a point, but I couldn’t help but feel irritated by the detour. Stopping would only prolong our journey. Stopping could make it easier for the Gorum to track us and capture us too. Even though I should have questioned his logic, I allowed him to lead me away. I stumbled a few times as my dress caught around my legs and picked up sticks from the ground. My delicate shoes were not designed for traipsing through the woods, so they had already developed holes on the bottom, leaving my feet exposed to the underbrush.

  Perhaps my first order of business as queen would be to declare that women and girls could wear trousers whenever they pleased. A smirk crept across my face at the uproar that would cause amongst the traditional and elite. Especially the regional leaders appointed by my mother to run each outlying village. The first face that popped into my mind was Lady Carmella of Garneton; she would fan herself and say something about how that would never happen if she were queen.

  Just as my mother had pointed out every time Lady Carmella tried to impose her will upon the other Ladies of Riona, ruling a queendom wasn’t as simple as making others do what you want. It was much more than that. I knew I would never be half the queen my mother was, but I would continue her mission to treat all people fairly and ensure that no one felt oppressed by the crown.

  “Over here, we can get some rest in that cave.”

  I picked my way across the small opening that led to a rocky mound. It was clear we were traveling toward the mountains. The terrain had changed the further we got from the castle, the ground was steeper with broken patches of dense forest interrupted by rock formations. The cave Taeren had pointed out must have been abandoned by the animal that inhabited it. Skeletal remains of less fortunate creatures littered the floor. My stomach turned just imagining trying to sleep in that filth.

  Rebellion flared inside me as I watched my guard clear away the offensive remains. I tried to bite my tongue, but deep down I knew there was no way I would be spending any more time than necessary in that cave.

  By the time we had put enough distance between us and the grisly scene we’d witnessed, all signs of the pink and orange daylit sky had disappeared. The rich purple hue had swallowed the light. Not a solitary star remained and we were consumed by darkness. I cleared out a small cave and made a bed out of leaves. Delia had been mostly silent since the death of her parents, and I wasn’t going to push her for conversation. She hadn’t shed another tear; instead her face reflected the same stony resolve that was within my own mind. Despite what happened, we would protect the Bloodstone and I would make sure Princess Delia lived to reclaim her throne.

  “Get some rest, Princess. We have another long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

  “I don’t know why we’re bothering to stop now. We should keep moving; take advantage of the darkness.”

  I could hardly believe my ears. The young girl in front of me had somehow transformed since witnessing the death of her parents. The tone of her voice was now cut by a sharp edge. I considered her suggestion. Spending the night alone in a cave with the girl I’d loved since childhood wasn’t a good idea. I wasn’t sure if I would be strong enough to sleep next to her without crossing a line. As much as I wanted to say those feelings had disappeared, they were still there, strong as ever. Maybe she was right, maybe we should keep moving. Staying in one place, even for a night, would only put us in jeopardy.

  “Well, if we’re going to keep moving we should probably figure out our destination,” I told her quietly.

  “What do you mean? Aren’t we supposed to go to Godfrey Tower? Isn’t that what my m—” She stopped when she realized why I hadn’t mentioned continuing to Godfrey Tower.

  “Now that we won’t be meeting your parents, can you think of any reason why we should go there?”

  Delia turned her gaze toward the sky. “I can think of a million reasons why we shouldn’t go, but none of them matter. I can’t help thinking that my mother picked that location for a reason. She didn’t do anything without reason.”

  If I knew anything about Queen Isadora, it was that she always had a plan. The night blooming flora was beginning to awaken; it would provide enough light to enable us to continue on our way. I offered Delia my arm as we left the cave behind. Rionan days were lit by the sky, but our nights provided a very different kind of light. We picked our way across the glowing foliage until we reached the path.

  “Stay close to me, Delia. We don’t know what may be lurking in the forest.”

  “Don’t insult me. Just because I’m a princess doesn’t mean I’m inept. You should know that much about me.” She caught herself, as though she didn’t want to finish her next thought. “My mother has been grooming me to become the next Queen of Riona for as long as I can remember. You may keep your sword, but you could spare a dagger so I might defend myself should the need arise.”

  Without hesitation, I reached inside my jacket and handed her the dagger I kept strapped to my side. I watched in awe as she cut away the bottom six inches of her dress, then tucked the dagger into the sash she wore tied around her tiny waist.

  “Hope you can keep up!” she called as she strode into the night.

  I can only imagine the expression on my face as I stared after her. I had expected her to be a whining puddle of tears after not only being separated from her parents, but also witnessing their gruesome demise. Instead, she was proving to be just as headstrong as her mother before her. I was impressed.

  Our journey took us through the night. The stars were just beginning to appear through the purple blanket of night; small orange and pink bursts appeared around them, spreading from each star like ripples in water. As we neared Godfrey Tower, the presence of our enemies told me the Sideon must have discovered our original intentions and decided to intercept us. I motioned for Delia to fall back but she wasn’t where I expected her to be. She had climbed to the top of a nearby tree and was peering toward the tower from her perch.

  “What are you doing?” I hissed.

  “Getting a better look. What are you doing?”

  I didn’t know how to respond. I just crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at her. As much as she infuriated me, she was definitely not the helpless princess I’d envisioned. I sighed and gave in.

  “Well, what do you see?”

  “There are three Gorum and two Sideon. The two who killed my parents are there.”

  “Okay, come down now. We must find a way to get into the tower. No doubt there are weapons within.”
/>   Delia deftly leapt to grab the next branch down, then dropped to the next. She swung herself down to the ground. I stared at her, open-mouthed. She shrugged and dusted off the remnants of her dress.

  “There are a lot of trees on the castle grounds. I don’t get out much,” she said smugly.

  I cleared my throat in response. We edged closer to the wide stone edifice. The ivy growing up the side told me this wasn’t used often enough to warrant a caretaker, but the forbidding metal gate reassured me that it was well-protected. Two of the Gorum were sitting on the ground, tossing a large boulder back and forth between them. The largest of the three stood guard, his eyes swept the tree line as if expecting us to come skipping into the clearing at any moment. Even more troubling than the oversized oafs was the presence of the Sideon. Every time I saw one up close it gave me chills.

  No living person could describe the physical appearance of the Sideon. I wasn’t convinced they had corporeal bodies. Their black shrouds concealed the existence of a face, and while they moved their arms, I’d never seen a hand appear from beneath the torn, oversized cloaks that covered them. To add to their terrifying appearance, they never actually walked. They hovered above the earth, floating instead of walking.

  I was sure it wasn’t a good thing that the Sideon seemed to set their focus on the forest, right where Delia and I were still concealed. Perhaps they could smell the power coming from the amulet.

  “Do you think you can get into the tower if I provide a distraction?” I asked.

  “And how do you propose I do that? Climb the vines? Knock on the door? Don’t be daft, Taeren.”

  “Okay, one way or another, we need to get into that tower. There must be weapons and non-perishable food within those walls.”

  “Then it has to be you. You’ll have to get inside. I’ll create a distraction over there.” She pointed towards a stone wall that ran along the eastern side of the tower. The only break in the wall came in the form of a roughly carved archway.

  “And how will you get away from them?”

  “Do I have to think of everything?”

  “Alright, then I’ll distract them with the catapult at the top of the tower. I’ll shoot something into the distance to lead them away from your location,” I said.

  With our plan decided, Delia picked her way over to the far edge of the stone wall. I had no idea what type of distraction she was planning. I don’t think I’d have been prepared for what she did next even if she had clued me in beforehand. Delia climbed up the wall using the stones as footholds and handgrips. Once she stood atop the wall, she promptly dropped herself over the side. Seconds passed, but they felt like hours as I held my breath, waiting for her to do something.

  “Oh, boys!”

  Three hideous heads whipped around, searching for the source of the call. They didn’t have to search long; Delia appeared in the archway holding a necklace at arm’s length. My stomach clenched—how had she gotten the amulet away from me? As the bumbling simpletons tripped over their own feet to get to Delia, I frantically reached for the pouch around my neck—the Bloodstone was still inside. I didn’t know if I should be proud of her resourcefulness or terrified I would witness her demise. She was offering them the necklace she’d been wearing, leading them to believe she was in possession of the amulet they desperately sought.

  I waited until the Gorum had righted themselves and were closer to Delia than they were to me. The Sideon had drifted in her direction, interested in the distraction she provided. I rushed across the path between the trees and my location. The gate was old but well-maintained, and I hoped it wouldn’t make too much noise when I opened it.

  “Is this what you’re looking for?” Delia was playing with fire. I had to get them away from her quickly.

  From the outside, the mechanism to raise the door was built into a torch mount to the left. I knew the mechanism could be disabled from inside the tower, but when no one was inside it was the only way inside in the absence of a doorknob. Not only would the Gorum not know that detail about Rionian architecture, they would have destroyed the mechanism if they’d tried to activate it with their oversized hands. I grabbed the sconce and pulled. The gate lurched to life, rising inch by inch.

  “Give us amulet. We let you go.”

  “You don’t really think I believe that, do you? You buffoons wouldn’t know mercy if it smacked you in the face.”

  I cringed at her idea of a distraction. Delia was flirting with disaster, and it wouldn’t be long before the Gorum realized she wasn’t holding the necklace they were looking for. I dropped to the ground and rolled under the gate once it was a few feet from the ground. The sooner I found the inside mechanism to halt its progress, the better. Once inside, I quickly located the sconce that matched the one outside. I pulled on it to stop it from raising any higher, but to allow it to stay raised enough for Delia to slide beneath.

  Inside the tower to the left was a winding staircase that lead to the roof. Sprinting towards the stairs, I heard a terrified scream. Things weren’t going well for Delia. I took the stairs two at a time until I reached the top. A catapult was mounted to a cart in the middle, accompanied by a pile of large metal balls. It was designed to be portable, but one look at the contraption told me it would take at least four men to move it. I chanced a glance over the parapet. The Gorum had Delia to the left.

  She was leading the Gorum further away from the tower… but they were gaining on her. I watched in horror as the largest of the three leapt at her, closing his clammy hand around her delicate body. Her shriek pierced the air as I pulled the basket into place. I heaved one of the balls into the catapult and positioned it to send the Gorum running in the opposite direction.

  “This not amulet. This just pretty bauble. Why you trick us?”

  It was now or never. I put all my weight into releasing the spring, sending the ball soaring toward the forest. The resulting crash caused all three enormous heads to whip in the opposite direction. I quickly pulled the catapult arm back and reloaded it, released the spring, and sent another ball crashing into the trees.

  The thunderous clamoring of the Gorum’s feet shook the tower beneath me as they each attempted to launch themselves toward the source of the sound. I hoped they would release Delia, giving her the chance to join me—but it was too much to hope for. They charged off with her still in the grasp of their leader. There was only one thing to do; follow them.

  Once they were past the tower, I rolled under the front gate again. With as much noise as they were making I didn’t bother trying to conceal my footfalls. The path narrowed, but the trees bent away in broken fragments from the stampede of Gorum. A small clearing featuring a crystal-clear pond caught my attention. Smooth stone steps dotted the water, leading to a raised stone island in the middle of the pond. Winding steps led to an empty archway with a rippling center. Something was barely visible on the other side, but it never came into focus. I stopped and stared before realizing the Gorum were on their way back toward me.

  “Boy! Catch the boy,” commanded the largest.

  “Taeren, run!” Delia screeched.

  I turned on my heel to run away, but thought better of it when I caught sight of the Sideon behind me. I didn’t dare turn my back on them, so I positioned myself at an angle that allowed me to see both of my enemies. I drew my sword and brandished it at the Gorum that still clutched Delia in his fist.

  “Unhand the lady!”

  “No. Mine.”

  I blinked at the childlike response before brandishing my sword again. “I said, unhand the lady. Do not make me unleash my army.”

  The strangled sound that escaped the Gorum must have been their version of laughter. It was almost painful to listen to. For one sickening second, I was certain he was going to swallow her. He held her above his head with a grin that resembled a grimace.

  “You want girl? Go fetch.”

  A careless toss turned into one of the strangest things I’ve ever witnessed. She flew in t
he direction of the pond. The lone archway began to glow, the light wrapping around it and crackling with expectation. As Delia neared the arch, the light seemed to reach out and snatch her from the air mid-fall. All at once, the glow disappeared, taking the princess with it.

  She was gone.

  “Argh! Girl got away,” raged the Gorum.

  Before I could do anything to process the situation, he slammed a fist onto the arch, destroying the portal and trapping Delia in an unknown dimension. The silence that followed was only interrupted by the heavy mouth-breathing of the Gorum. I didn’t stop to think, I ran as fast as I could back to the tower.

  I lowered the gate the rest of the way and collapsed against the wall. I had failed. My commander had sent me to protect the royal family, and I had failed. The Queen had told me to protect her daughter, and I had failed. I was hiding like a coward in the middle of the Rionian Forest, cut off from what was left of my people. How would I ever face them again?

  Just as I was about to give up hope, a vibration emanated from the pouch resting against my chest. The only thing I had managed to do right was protect the Bloodstone. I reached down and took it out of the smooth leather bag. I turned it over in my hands, first staring at the vibrant pink stone, then noticing the inscription carved on the back.

  “Sanguinem sanguini, cor cordi. Nec lapis, Riona nulla.”

  Latin. The language spoken by the first settlers of Riona. It translated to, “Blood to blood, heart to heart. Without the stone, Riona is no more.” I had no idea what it could mean, other than what the Queen had told us about the magic of the stone being tied to the life of the kingdom. I gripped the amulet once more before tucking it back into the pouch.

  It wasn’t long before I heard the pounding footsteps of the Gorum as they returned, searching for me. I wondered if it would matter if they found me. Maybe I deserved the same fate as Queen Isadora and King Theophilus. Hours passed before the Gorum lumbered away, too stupid to try destroying the tower to see if I was inside.

  When I began to search the contents of the room around me I discovered why the tower had been built. Logbooks and maps were stacked on the shelves. In my despondence, I started flipping through a loosely bound book that appeared to be a journal.