Page 50 of The Queen's Crown
After placing the letters in the top drawer of her desk for safekeeping, she exited her room, scanning her guards’ faces for Markis and not finding him. She quickly spoke, taking control of the situation. “I want to be escorted to the training facility.”
“Of course, Your Highness,” one of the guards said. “This way, please.” Two men remained at her door while the other four loosely surrounded her.
They traversed along hallways and stairwells until they reached the front of the palace where her guards spoke with the sentries on duty. Having their faces all covered with masks made it hard to tell what these men were thinking and if they’d permit her to leave the palace. She made sure to keep her head held high with the expectation that her orders would be obeyed.
After a moment, a groan resounded and the bridges on both sides of the mountains began to lower. Once they connected, Sabine and her guards were granted passage. The wind wasn’t nearly as strong as before, and she crossed easily without an ounce of panic.
Back on solid ground, her guards led her to the left instead of along the main street as she’d suspected they would. It felt strange being out of the palace since she’d been holed up in there for so many days.
There were several plain buildings along the side of the street. They stopped before the last one, right next to the edge of the cliff, no windows visible in the two-story structure.
One of her guards knocked and an elderly woman opened the door, granting them entrance. Sabine stepped inside. A single torch lit a square room. Once the door closed and locked, the woman knelt and opened a door built into the floor, revealing a steep staircase. Two of her guards began the descent.
Sabine hesitated.
“You going to the training grounds or not?” the elderly woman asked, a slight accent to her words.
“That’s Your Highness to you,” the guard beside her said.
The woman’s eyes widened. “Forgive me, Your Highness.”
“Of course,” Sabine said, peering down the steps. There was no end in sight since she didn’t see another level. “Does this go downintothe mountain?”
“Aye,” the woman answered.
The first two guards stopped, waiting for her.
“We’ll be right behind you,” the guard to her right assured her.
Sabine nodded. She couldn’t show any fear. Gripping the railing, she began the climb down. The first thing she noticed was the slight chill in the air. The deeper she descended, the colder it got. An odd smell filled the air though she couldn’t pinpoint what it was. After twenty feet, the staircase abruptly turned to the right. It continued in this pattern, and she realized she was descending in a square-shaped vertical tunnel of sorts. The stairs eventually stopped at a door.
One of her guards knocked, paused, knocked three times, and then kicked the bottom with his boot.
The door opened, revealing an enormous cavern. Based upon the sheer size of it, it had to be under the town. She stepped out onto a ledge that wrapped around the upper portion of the cavern where a few people stood watching the activity twenty feet below. She went to the right, out of the way, before stopping next to the railing.
Ten groups of men, all dressed in black, were spread throughout the area. One group had swords and seemed to be doing some basic katas. The group next to them was busy sparring. Some used weapons, others worked on hand-to-hand combat techniques. Each seemed to be doing something different.
“Are these all soldiers in the army?” Sabine asked no one in particular.
“Soldiers and people from the town who serve when called upon,” the guard to her left answered.
She stood there watching, amazed by the talent of some of these men. Cheering erupted from the sparring group toward the middle. One man flew onto his back, blood pouring from his nose, his arm at an odd angle. The victor reached down, helping the defeated man to his feet. They went to the edge of the circle and two different men entered the ring.
A hush descended over the cavern, and everyone turned to watch the fight about to take place.
The two men stood across from one another, each taking up a fighting stance. She instantly recognized the one on the right—it was Markis. She had no idea what he was doing here training with these Lynk men. Markis’s opponent took the first swing. He was a few inches taller than Markis but other than that, they appeared to be about the same weight. The two men circled one another. As the man’s face came into view, shock rolled through Sabine. It was the king.
Markis swung, and Rainer jumped back.
“What are you doing here?” Lottie asked as she came to stand beside Sabine.
“I wanted to speak to Rainer,” she said lamely, pointing at him.
“He won’t talk to you here.” Lottie leaned against the railing, watching the two men circle one another. “When he trains, he is very focused. You’d swear he was a soldier and not a king. Then when he’s in the palace it flips. All king, no soldier.”
“What are you doing here?” Sabine asked.
“I heard Rainer was going to fight, so I came to watch. I’m sure Axel and Anton are here as well.”
