Page 34 of The Tricksters Deception

“Corvu?” I question, watching him also slam the gate of the cell shut. “Corvu!” I yell louder as he begins to disappear from my sight. It was a trick. It was all a trick. Who would have more reason to overthrow a King than a Trickster whose mother was probably executed for being a Witch. Pulling frantically and painfully on the chains that held me in place, I continue to scream, “CORVU!”

Chapter nineteen

Iscreamed and cried for what felt like hours. So much, in fact, by the time I was found my throat felt dry and my voice barely audible. I could tell how swollen my face was from crying as well. The sounds of battle had died down a little while ago. I still don't believe Corvu tricked me.

I was brought before the King, who listened without word to what I told him had happened. No one would give me any information about why the Orc army retreated. Gecko stood amongst the small crowd that tried desperately to convince me that the Trickster ran off with the amulet and that I needed to find a way home before they invaded. After moments where I didn't speak, J'san was asked to direct me back to my room with Sandy by his side.

The guards remained at the door as I watch Sandy and J'san exchange a nod, and it becomes just her and I standing in this wide empty room. My eyes are sore. Sandy clears her throat, and ushers me to stand closer to the window where the noise from outside would cover her words.

"They were lies." She whispers.

"What?" I ask.

"Corvu rushed into us after he locked you in the dungeon. He said that you gave him the amulet but he had to make you believe he betrayed you so that you wouldn't come after him." Now my eyes are just shaking.

"What?" I repeat myself.

"Listen! Corvu knows that if Cutlass kills him while wearing the amulet, it will lose all of its power. If Cutlass can't torture it out of you, he will just kill you. Corvu didn't want that for you so he surrendered himself in your place."

"You're telling me he's chosen suicide over pretty much any other alternative?"

"To protect you? Why wouldn't he?" I want to respond to that but I don't have the luxury of believing something that's probably just another lie.

"You're saying that to make me feel better." I state.

"No! I'm telling you because Corvu begged the King and Prince to keep the lie." Something feels dead inside. The words should make me happy, but I feel nothing.

"She's telling the truth." Gecko's voice makes me spin around, he's been on the balcony this whole time?

"When did you get here?" I ask him.

"I left before the meet ended and came here to wait for you." He says, approaching me with concern spread across his forehead.

"I just…I don't trust it." He looks up at me, eyes wide, teary.

"You trust me, don't you? I told Corvu not to do it, I told him you hate lies. But he said he didn't want you to die!" Gecko states, whilst asking a heavy question. "I left my family and I found you instead." He continues, "I found that stupid Trickster too, and he saved me, he saved you!"

"Full trust was needed to keep the amulets power, Gecko." I sigh, sitting down at the edge of the bed, rubbing my forehead – I wonder if they have medication for migraines here. "He made me trust him so that he could take the amulet to Cutlass. Didn't you think it was strange he disappeared so often? The army was never far behind – he randomly appeared with bandages out of nowhere for crying out loud! I was so stupid to think he thought of me as anything other than a mule."

"Then you are stupid." Gecko mumbles, though I heard him perfectly, "Because if he didn't hurt you, what would you be doing right now?"

"Probably something just as stupid like going after him." Gecko walks back to the balcony and comes back with something – a sword, and a slingshot. Corvu's.

"He gave these to me and told me to look after it from now on, and to protect you with them if I could, because he won't need them anymore." Gecko looks me straight in the eyes, a wrenching feeling taking place of the emptiness. "Trust me, Tia. Please!"

"I need to find him." The words come out faster than I could think of them.

"J'san tells me their army is northwest of here. Probably not more than an hour's ride." Sandy smiles, exhaling. My heart races at this news. Searching through the bags in my room, I make sure to grab as much gear as I can effortlessly carry, including the blessed dagger Sophii had given me. Sandy watches as I race around the room, continuing to talk to me, "He begged the King, the Prince, and your friend Gecko to keep quiet, so you'd stay safe. Are you sure about this? It's not what he wanted."

"That's baloney." Gecko responds, "Did I get that right?" He asks me, I smile but don't respond. I didn't even know he heard that conversation.

I walk up to Gecko and hold my hand out for Corvu's sword. I need something to defend myself or at least give to Corvu when I see him. I expect to either die by Orc or by accidental self-impalement.

With the guards probably not going to let me leave, there's only one method of escape. I need to pull a runaway trick, and Sandy and Gecko have to pretend I'm still in my room. Pulling apart all the sheets and dresses from the bed and wardrobe, I tie them together and throw them out the balcony window. It's enough that I can jump down the rest of the way. After only four minutes of hesitation, I make the descent. Luckily, the makeshift rope doesn’t snap, and the drop at the bottom isn't as high as I thought.

Running to the nearby stables, I struggle to find my horse, so I grab the saddle of one nearby. This is the first time I successfully saddle up a horse without any assistance, and Corvu isn’t here to see it or poke fun at me.

I have to rescue him.

---