Earthbound, p.17
Earthbound, page 17
Sharp words were exchanged in low tones from the other side of the door. “Stand down,” a new voice said with an unmistakable quaver.
Tehran snorted and moved forward again. “I would get out of my way and let me take this up with whomever sent you.”
More scrambling and whispers.
“A name,” he commanded. “Or you will join those confined to these halls.”
Emilia swore she heard one of the guards squeak in dismay.
“The encrypt came direct from Council Timmers moments ago. He confirmed we were not to release the prisoner for anyone, Overseer or otherwise.”
“You are being lied to,” Tehran said loudly, and then looking back at Emilia and Jai whispered. “Which way?”
She pointed to the left and he began pushing forward again, manoeuvring the group of guards to the right of the intersection.
A heated argument continued between the guards in hissed words. “We need you to stop, Overseer. Surrender the prisoner and take this up with Council Timmers directly,” said one of the voices.
“Timmers said to lock down the whole Keep. No one leaves,” argued another.
“That’s ridiculous, we can’t lock an Overseer in the Keep,” a third chimed in.
Tehran kept the door moving according to Emilia’s directions, slowly pressing the guards back. “You cannot stop me,” he warned. “And I don’t want to kill you.”
Silence met his statement.
“Are they gone?” Jai asked.
“Not all of them,” Tehran whispered looking through the narrow window, “but half. I’m guessing they are trying to flank us. We need to move quickly.”
The hall narrowed, and he twisted the door in front of himself, pointing corners to the ceiling and floor, and wedged it in tightly to block the hall.
“Run!” Tehran, already on the move, grabbed Emilia’s hand.
A voice shouted, and was soon joined by the clatter of bodies against the wedged door. A crash of metal on stone echoed behind them. Emilia directed them around a few more turns and they emerged into a service hallway. Tehran took the lead as she lost her serial points of reference.
They reached a narrow door and tumbled through it into the entrance hall behind the kiosks. The exit was blocked by a dozen guards standing with weapons drawn, and an oily looking man in overly-opulent clothing standing in front of them with arms crossed. His appearance struck Emilia as particularly odd. It was the middle of the night, and he stood dressed as if he were meeting the Elders themselves.
“Overseer Tehran,” he said in a lofty tone that didn’t match his nasally voice and held the hint of an unfamiliar accent. “Stand down.”
Tehran stepped protectively in front of Emilia and Jai joined him. “Council Timmers, I assume.”
“I am. And you, Overseer, are committing treason.”
Tehran snorted and strode forward, closing the distance between them with his long strides. Timmers held his ground, silvery blue eyes narrowing. Several of the guards behind him shifted nervously. Tehran didn’t stop until he stood so close to the Council that his broad back blocked the man from Emilia’s view. Jai covered a chuckle by coughing. Emilia glanced at the messenger. He didn’t look to be feeling any of the tension she was and stood grinning at the unfolding scene.
“You are on dangerous ground, Council,” Tehran said. His tone held the cool detachment she only heard when he was leaning into the full weight of his authority. “Move, or I will move you and anyone who stands against me.”
Again, a ripple of unease moved through the guards.
“Stand,” Timmers commanded them. “Always so arrogant, you Overseers. Acting like you are the only one the world answers to.”
Emilia frowned and glanced toward Jai. Shock at the Council’s brazen words was mirrored on the messenger’s face, all laughter forgotten.
Timmers’ arm flicked up and Tehran instinctively shifted to the side. A glint of silver shot past where he’d been standing. Almost at the same moment, Jai grunted and stumbled back a few steps.
Stunned, Emilia stared at the narrow dart sticking through Jai’s left side. He reached to pull it out, but she stopped him with a quick hand. “Leave it.” Blood leaked between her fingers as she tried to keep pressure around the wound and hazarded a glance towards Tehran.
Timmers was already downed, laying unnaturally still. Tehran pulled off a bracer with a built-in crossbow from the man’s forearm with a look of deadly rage. He stared at the guards in challenge, but none approached and instead lowered their weapons in deference.
Emilia returned her attention to Jai and took a closer look at the wound. Thank the Skies. It looked to have embedded itself in his right side but shallow enough to have missed his kidney. “Tehran,” she called.
His head snapped towards her, and rage dissolved into concern. He stepped over Timmers and rushed back to her side.
“How bad is it?”
“I’ll be fine,” grunted Jai.
Tehran waited for her response. She chewed at her lower lip in thought before answering. “I don’t want to pull it out in case we nick something vital.”
“Can we get him out of here?”
The moment of paralysis passed, and she snapped into action. “Grab me some cloth or fabric of some sort.”
Jai took a steadying breath, looking pale. She shrugged herself under his arm. “Lean into me if you need to. It’s going to be okay.”
Jai gave her a weak smile. “I’ll be fine.” But she felt his weight lean into her regardless. Tehran returned with a long silk scarf; no doubt removed from Timmers.
Tehran took over steadying the messenger, freeing Emilia to work. She wrapped the cloth around the dart end, cocooning it before wrapping the remaining length of fabric around Jai’s body to stabilize the bandage as much as possible.
“I reacted too quickly. Hit him too hard. We needed answers.” The note of regret was impossible to miss in Tehran’s words.
“He wouldn’t have given them, Overseer,” Jai said through clenched teeth. “He wasn’t the sort.”
“There. That’s as good as I can manage. Try not to flex too much as we move. Let Tehran and I take your weight,” Emilia instructed.
The guards made no move to stop them; they only stared, each of them at a loss to what they should do. Once Jai was in the craft, Emilia paused and forced her lungs to accept a deep, shuddering breath and wiped her face into her sleeve.
Tehran glanced her way with an eyebrow raised questioningly. “I’m okay,” she said, still breathless. She ignored the faint cramping in her gut and moved to the passenger seat.
Tehran got in, glancing into the back cabin where Jai lay. “Hang on. We are meeting Daedan. He will know where to get you help.”
Jai let out a long breath. “Anything is better than living out the rest of my days within that stone. Thanks for coming for me.”
Tehran didn’t answer and Emilia could see the emotions playing across his face. Guilt. Frustration. Anger.
“Do you think other messengers from the Reaches are in the Keep?” Emilia asked.
“I’m not sure, and we don’t have time to check. I doubt this endeavour ends with Timmers,” Tehran said.
“Who has that kind of reach?” asked Jai.
“I’m not sure yet,” Tehran admitted.
“I suppose I’m gonna need to lay low until you do,” Jai said.
Emilia gave him a sympathetic look. “The plan was for you to return to Rikken. Now you may have to wait until you have healed enough to travel.”
“That won’t be long,” Jai said, trying for levity. The effort made him grimace, but he kept the conversation going. “Where will you be going next? The Capital?”
Tehran’s jaw flexed, his eyes fixed on the road. “We are. We need to figure out what’s going on and warn the Order about what’s happening in the Reaches.”
Jai cleared his throat. “We?”
“Emilia and I,” Tehran clarified.
Jai swallowed. “Right. Of course.”
Tehran broke the tension and returned to business. “There are a few things I need you to pass on to the Rikken Council. Make sure they understand this may be bigger than the arrival of beasts. They need to prepare defences for both beasts and hostiles. Reassure them we will return as soon as we can.”
Jai asked a few clarifying questions, ensuring he would pass on the information correctly.
“Could you also tell my mother I’m okay?” Emilia said and then hesitated before adding, “And that I’m sorry.”
He met her eye for a moment and then nodded without further question. “I will.”
◆◆◆
They met Daedan on a quiet side street at the southern edge of the city. He stood with his thick arms crossed over his round chest, attempting to look casual as he leaned against the side of his own small transport.
He looked as out of place as the caterpillars stranded on his brow. Tehran seemed to be thinking the same thing and let out an amused snort. “I guess we value his ability to hack communications more than his ability to blend in.”
Once stopped, Daedan clucked over Jai’s state as they transferred him into the newer and more comfortable craft. “I know a healer who is very discreet. She is only a few blocks from my place and will have you fixed up in a jiffy.”
Daedan dipped his head to the two of them. “Best of luck to both of you.” He grasped Emilia’s hands in his. “Tehran will do right by you. Never thought I’d see the day that man bonded but this is as right as the Sky is blue.”
She gave him a half-hearted smile and a tight hug. “Thanks, Daedan.”
Jai stared at them in shock from his seat and Emilia bit her lip. Surprise, mom! Same daughter, new son-in-law. Oblivious to the reactions around him, Daedan patted her arm one last time and lumbered around the driver’s side of the craft.
“It was necessary,” Tehran bit out, uncharacteristically sharp.
Jai lifted his hands in a surrendered gesture. “None of my business.”
“Safe travels,” Emilia said, as Daedan climbed into his seat.
“We will, dear. Have no fear for us. We’ll be back in Rikken in no time,” Daedan assured. Moments later the craft pulled away, Jai still looking stunned.
Emilia let out a breath. “That will make our return home interesting.”
“One crisis at a time,” Tehran said and wrapped an arm around her. Standing in his reassuring warmth, she let the worry fade.
Armoury
Knox
Knox took to the air in the grey relief of impending dawn, leaving the small raiding party behind. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop he travelled quickly, only slowing when he reached the dark packed earth of the central market. At its centre, an impressive structure sat suspended between a ring of ancient oaks. The additional supporting pillars at its base were obscured by darkness.
A wide ramp framed with ornate handrails running its length led up to the broad balcony that stretched wide like an open palm. Two guards stood at the threshold of the great doors, and single sentries were posted at regular intervals around the building, their silhouettes protruding from the shadows.
Knox tried to judge the height of the structure from his position a street back from the edge of the square. It was bigger than he expected. From its supporting struts the building rose three stories, pinned at each of its six corners by one of the large oaks. The outside facade held rows of darkened windows, many of them with private balconies. The detailed ornamentation covering the building was becoming easier to make out. Knox glanced at the sky, worried. The stars had nearly all vanished into the pale light.
It’s now or never. His dark form would soon be easy to spot against a pale dawn. Sky help me, he silently prayed and made a small jump to the closest of the houses before he gathered his strength and pushed himself towards the council hall at an aggressive angle. There was no time for a lofty jump suspended against the gathering light.
He hit the side of the building with more force than he was prepared for, and his hands and feet dug deep divots into the thick planks of milled wood. The dull thud of his impact rang in his ears like a gong, and he clung to the side, waiting.
No shouts of alarm sounded from below. He let out a breath.
Careful to choose firm handholds, he made his way to the nearest window, and pulled on the shutters. Without an adjoining balcony, it was unlikely to be a room of much import. The shutters swung outward on silent hinges. The glass paned window similarly swung outward. He climbed over the sill into the room, holding his breath while waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim light.
A figure. A flash of adrenaline coursed through him. He took an instinctive step to the side, reaching for his club. A dark form in elaborate armour stood before him. He was mid-swing before it came fully into focus, stilling his blow. A mannequin.
The room held two other mannequins in similar armour and tables holding a wide assortment of weapons. He slowed his heart rate, releasing the power and dropped his upraised arm with a repressed huff. He skirted the rest of the gear and slowly cracked the door open.
He was expecting a dark hallway and was instead met by a wide, well-lit balcony, edged with another ornately rung balustrade. Expansive skylights in the domed ceiling let in the first blushes of morning.
He cursed quietly. He had kept this part of his plan to himself and now he belatedly realized his error. He assumed the council chambers would be similar to the one in Rikken, a small theatre built within the larger structure. Here though, they had created the entire building to function as a theatre for the one central room several stories below him.
He crept forward and peered over the edge. His stomach dropped. Eight guards stood at attention around the typical meeting configuration of central facing seating. Instead of council seats in the centre, there was a collection of desks, tables and cabinets collected on the theatre dais.
It was exactly what he was hoping to find, the command centre for the Tumultian army, but in the most inaccessible space, completely exposed and out of reach.
Here, he had no stones to fling and any attempt to engage in hand-to-hand would be easily seen by the others. Without a way to silence all the guards simultaneously, the whole building would immediately be alerted to his presence.
Knox lowered his head and slowly eased back into the dark room with a heavy sigh. His side venture decidedly fruitless, he turned to leave. A ball of golden energy hit him square in his chest.
The air left his lungs, his weight slamming into the door behind him. Before he could flare his strength, two more pulses of energy hit him like weighted steel hammers. He dropped to his knees. His vision blurred in and out of focus as the heat in his veins tried to clear the fog. A shadow detached from the far side of the room along with a ball of energy coalescing at its side.
“Of all the rooms you could have come to, you came to my personal armoury,” a sharp voice gloated in the darkness. “The Earth rewards me.”
Knox put a hand on the floor trying to still the swirling room. The next bolt hit him in the side of his head. His skin burned and his ears rang. Blackness clawed at the edge of his vision.
“Such arrogance,” the voice mocked. “To think you could creep into our very heart without us knowing.”
A retort sprang to his lips but died before he could speak as two more bolts of energy struck him and the world went dark.
◆◆◆
Knox awoke to the lingering stabs of pain. His newly-reclaimed invulnerability should have negated any such effects. He fought to free his mind from the fog as another slice of pain spiked down his back with fresh agony. A groan escaped his lips.
“He’s waking, Commander,” a thickly-accented voice said, echoing through his dull senses.
His last moments of consciousness in the upstairs room came flooding back with a surge of adrenaline. He searched for the knot of fire in his chest and called on his strength as he tried to move. Pain hit him in the gut with such intensity he retched.
“You may want to stay still,” a new voice suggested, “and calm yourself.”
His eyelids weighed heavy, but he forced them open, searching for the voice. He’d been moved. He now sat on the main floor of the theatre, back from the cluster of desks.
How long has it been? He glanced at the domed ceiling and the full light of day. Syracuse and the others should be long gone and safe.
He looked down at where he sat. He saw no bonds restraining him and he moved to stand. A jolt more impressive than the first two coursed up through his legs and he collapsed back, his vision flickering. His stomach obliged this time and fully emptied its contents.
An amused chuckle rang lightly through the air. “I did warn you not to move, Overseer.”
Knox suppressed the urge to turn toward the unfamiliar voice and pulled in a shaky breath before another shock hit him square in his spine. The air was forced from his lungs, and his muscles convulsed.
Heat rose up and he roared through gritted teeth. “I didn’t move.”
Again, the mocking laugh tinkled like a bell. “Good. I would like to finish our conversation before you black out again.” He caught motion in his peripheral vision but kept his head still as he tracked the figure coming into his line of sight.
A thickly-muscled woman wearing dark red armour stepped before him. Her blonde hair was worked into two tightly braided ropes on each side of her head with a loose braid tangled down the centre in a dramatic sweep. She had a strong jaw and severe features matched with chilling ice blue eyes. Her bearing left little doubt this was the Tumultian Commander before him.
Knox braced himself for another jolt, but it didn’t come. He watched the woman as she paced before him with movements that spoke of a lifetime of training. “Why are you in the Mercurial?” he demanded.
Her expression twisted from condescension to a biting smile. “You are here to answer my questions, not the other way around.” She paused as another jolt of energy punctuated her statement.
