Page 19 of Cage of Darkness
Allyssa nodded and readjusted herselfon the saddle. She would do what she could to save her parentsunnecessary suffering and to protect Emperion. It was time to enterhell. She just hadn’t expected hell to be so bloodycold.
After another mile, they came to along, narrow bridge that extended from the side of the mountainthey were on to the castle sitting atop a separate mountain. Thebridge had been cleared of snow, although not a single person wasin sight. Soma nudged his horse onto the bridge. Its hooves slid,so he slowed the animal. The next soldier steered his horse afterhim.
“Your turn,” one of the mensaid to Odar.
Odar glanced at Allyssa. “Keep yourhorse in the center.” There weren’t any guardrails and the bridgewas only eight-feet wide. He steered his horse onto the crossing,another soldier going after him.
“You next,” someone said toAllyssa.
“Is there another way?” Shegulped, looking down into the ravine below. The drop had to be overa hundred feet. With the strong wind and the lack of railings, shehad no desire to step foot on that bridge, especially on ahorse.
“No. One way in, one wayout. Keeps the castle safe and secure.” The narrow bridge made itimpossible for an army to cross. “Get going. I’d like to be insidewhere it’s warm.”
Allyssa nudged her horse forward. Itsnorted, and she awkwardly patted its neck, wishing her wristsweren’t bound. “Come on, boy. Nice and slow.” The horse steppedonto the bridge. “That’s it.” She kept her eyes focused on the wallsurrounding the castle, refusing to look down. The wind thrashedacross her body; terror seized her heart, making it difficult tobreathe.
The bridge ended, and Allyssa gladlynudged her horse onto the small platform where Soma, Odar, and thesoldiers who had already crossed waited. Once the remaining menjoined them, Soma faced the stone wall and knocked on the irondoor.
A one-foot-by-one-foot section slidopen, revealing the top of someone’s head. “State yourbusiness.”
“I’m escorting twoprisoners for my mother, Queen Jana,” Soma said. The wind continuedto thrash against them. Allyssa wanted the door opened so she couldget off this crowded platform before someone fell off.
The man nodded. “Proceed.” The windowslammed shut, and the massive iron door groaned as it opened toadmit them.
They crossed through the thickperimeter wall. On the other side, the royal family’s castle stoodtall and imposing, no smoke rising from the chimneys. The windowswere dark, and no one was about, giving the place an empty andlifeless feel. Soma led the way down the deserted road.
“This castle is one of theoldest on the mainland,” Odar said, coming alongside her. “Hundredsof years ago, Prince Nero of Emperion was engaged to marry theprincess from Russek. Instead of going through with the arrangedmarriage, Nero left with his secret lover, Atta. Russek andEmperion went to war. However, they reached a truce after only afew weeks of fighting and have been living peacefully ever since.Even when Emperor Hamen, a man known for waging war and invadingother kingdoms, ruled, he never went to war withRussek.”
“Interesting,” Allyssa saidas they neared the castle’s entrance. “However, now that Russek haskidnapped me, I can assure you Emperion will wage war on thiskingdom, and they will bring it to the ground.” She just wished shewould be alive to see it.
The corners of Odar’s lips bent upwardas he fought a smile.
The gate swung open, and the groupentered a stone courtyard surrounded by the castle. The enormousstructure consisted of a mismatched combination of square towersand round spires of various sizes. Some were topped with turrets,others with statues of men wielding swords. No flags or bannersflew. Not a single sentry was visible.
The assassin pulled his horse to astop before a darkened archway and whistled. Two sentries emergedout of the shadows with their swords drawn.
“I have two prisoners formy mother, Queen Jana.” He dismounted, indicating for everyone elseto do the same. Allyssa awkwardly slid off her horse, and Soma cuther bindings before moving over to Odar and slicing through his. Hethen dismissed the Russek soldiers who had accompanied them there.The men took the horses and headed toward the stables.
“This way,” one of thesentries said.
Allyssa hesitated, wondering if shecould run and hide somewhere. Shifting her weight, she scanned thearea for exits. As she did so, four additional sentries came out ofthe dark archway and surrounded them. Six armed men and oneassassin. There was no chance of escaping now.
Chapter Eight
Soma disappeared into the darkarchway. Odar hurried after him, not once glancing Allyssa’s way.She followed, the sentries herding her forward. The archway led toa short corridor. The only light came from a couple of windows thatwere so dirty she couldn’t see through them. The corridor feltchilly and damp.
From her studies, she knew this castlewas King Drenton’s primary residence. However, the place was sodreary and depressing that she wondered how anyone, especially aking, could live here.
At the end of the corridor, theystopped before an arched door while Soma played with the lock. Thesentries surrounding her and Odar towered above them. Each man woreblack leather armor with a fur cape draped over his shoulders.Their hair hung loose. But what Allyssa found most intriguing werethe intricate black marks swirled over their foreheads and cheeks.Each man had a different, yet similar, pattern. Since Soma didn’thave one, she believed it was some sort of militarymark.
The door swung open. “Follow me,” Somaordered, stepping into another corridor, this one glowing withbright light. Warmth spread over her as she entered, and one of thesoldiers took her cape, yanking it from her shoulders. “Won’t beneeding this.”
Without faltering, she continued alongthe corridor, glad to finally be in a section of the castle thathad some life to it. Torches hung on the walls, interspaced withfaded tapestries. There wasn’t a single window in sight. Twosentries stood guard on either side of an oversizeddoor.
“Your Highness,” the one onthe right said, swinging the door open to admit them. “Welcome tocourt.” A strip of thick red carpet led from the door to a raiseddais fifty feet away. The room was alight with torches, and a fireroared off to the side in an enormous hearth twice as tall asAllyssa. Banners with the royal family’s crest hung from therafters. Three dozen people mingled about the ThroneRoom.
“Prince Soma, PrincessAllyssa of Emperion, and Prince Odar of Fren,” the sentry holdingthe door bellowed. A collective gasp resounded through theroom.
Keeping her head high, Allyssa startedwalking along the runner. The people she passed murmured to oneanother, craning their necks to see her. She had to be a mess. Whenwas the last time she bathed? Regardless of her own appearance—andsmell—she would carry herself with dignity since she was theprincess of Emperion and heir to the throne.
