Celtic Mist: The Calm Before the Storm (Battle Raven Series) (17 page)

Niall brought his lamp up to where Kedryn’s hands were. “Very clever. You would not see them if you did not know they were there. The curve in the cut of the rock is natural illusion.”

“Now the question is. Do we move ahead or rest?” Lawler said.

Niall nodded as they all looked at each other intent to move on. “I think we don’t even have to bring it up.”

“Time to start climbing.” Kedryn said as he carefully placed a foot and hand in the slots and started to move up. “Could one of you stand by the wall just in case I slip. According to Cadmon it’s only as high as . . .” A thump sounded as Kedryn smacked his head on the ceiling.

“You ok?” Niall asked.

“I’ll have a nice bump. Hold my legs I’m going to try and find the levers and push the slab up.”

When Kedryn felt his legs being steadied he let go of the hand hold and reached up. Running his fingers along the cold wet ceiling he found the edges of the trap door. There were two latches. One on each side. Quickly and as quietly as he could he flipped each latch free.

“Boost me up if you can.” Kedryn said and felt his whole body lifted and he had to lean forward and find a grip or his head would have been smashed against the ceiling again. He took in a slow breath and firmly placed his back against the stone. Feeling the wet of the stone soak his back he looked down at Niall and Lawler who looked up at him. The lamp light gave both of them an eerie glow.

“Brace yourselves I am going to push up and I don’t know how heavy it is.”

Niall blew out his lantern “We should probably have no light.”

“Right” Lawler said as he blew his out.

“Ready?” Kedryn asked as he felt his stomach knot up. Who knows what lay beyond in the shadows of the secret passageway above.

“Ready.” Niall and Lawler both said as they readied for him to push on the slab above.

Kedryn pushed up and the slab moved easier than he thought. Cautiously he looked into the inky blackness of the passageway and held his breath as he listened. There was the echo of muffled talking that seemed to be outside. He pushed the slab and it scraped on the ground and stopped and when Kedryn was certain nothing was in the tunnel he pushed himself up and crouched against the wall.

An arm hit his leg and Kedryn nearly jumped when Niall appeared. “Everything seems to be quiet.”

“It does.” Kedryn said as he stood and walked over to where he saw pin points of light illuminating the passage. He heard the scraping of stone and turned to see Lawler moved the trap door back into place. He slapped his hands to get the dirt off and the sound reverberated through the passage. They all stood silent as heavy footsteps walked up to the wall and were suddenly silenced.

“The sooner we get this done the better.” Kedryn whispered.

“Agreed. Where is this phoenix? We will have to risk some light.” Lawler said as he studied the wall where the light was coming through.

Kedryn reached into his pocket and pulled out the rock he had pick up. Immediately it began to emanate a yellowish glow. A large phoenix appeared. Why the symbol of the Phoenix was on the wall? He would have to look into that sometime. Kedryn pushed on the rock and the secret door opened a crack. He looked through it and saw Cadmon standing in front of a door with a man lying at his feet.

“No time to waste. This one heard you moving inside the wall. I had to silence him.” Cadmon said as he anxiously looked around.

Lawler narrowed his eyes at Cadmon. “Faolan believed your story?”

“Yes. He was a bit cautious but it seems Damon saw me as a prisoner before he attacked. Lady Paili convinced him to let me resume my old position.”

“Good.” Niall said.

“It took you longer than expected. I was growing anxious.” Cadmon said as they drug the bodies aside.

Kedryn clasped his forearm. “A story for when we are out of here. Let’s just say we can not go back the way we came.”

“Then that means a different route is needed.” Cadmon said looking down the hallway.

“Unfortunately yes.” Kedryn said.

“Let’s get her and get out of this God forsaken place.” Lawler said.

“Agreed. Cadmon, you and Lawler see to another escape route. I want to head out as soon as we free Kiara.”

Lawler gave Cadmon a dark look. “Why me?”

“No time for disagreements. Go Now!” Kedryn said.

Cadmon looked at Kedryn and then to Lawler. “We have to move.”

“Fine.” Lawler said as he drew his sword.

Kedryn grabbed Lawler’s arm and looked him in the eye. “No unfortunate accidents.”

Lawler gave him an innocent look. “Understood.”

Kedryn hoped he had made the right decision as he drew his claymore. Lawler’s hatred of the Firbolg was the reason why he choose Niall to come with him because he didn’t want to risk the seer. Lawler may go into a rage if there were many Firbolg in her chambers and he could make a mistake.

Stepping through the door they glanced around at the small sitting area. Kedryn held up a hand when he heard a conversation in another room. Niall motioned to a side door. As they stepped through the door Kedryn and Niall stopped in their tracks when they saw Bevin. She was sitting having tea with Paili and Kiara. Kedryn’s sword lowered and he raised it again when Lady Paili stood and drew a dagger from her belt. She motioned for Kiara to stand behind her.

“Kedryn, Niall!” Bevin said as she stood up dropping her tea cup and ran to Niall giving him a hug and began to shed tears of joy.

Muffled footsteps sounded from the sitting area and Kiara cautiously walked to the door and peeked in.

“Lawler!” Kiara said as she rushed to the sitting area nearly knocking him off his feet.

Kedryn looked to Lawler who got his balance back. He shrugged and said under his breath. “Women. I’m surprised you would even remember or recognize me.”

“How could I forget my brothers annoying friend who used to pull my pig tails?”

Kedryn walked to where Lawler and Kiara were quietly talking. “I need you and Cadmon to keep watch outside.”

“It will be done.” Cadmon said as he walked past Kedryn and Lawler followed him out the door.

Kedryn walked back in from the sitting area and looked to Paili who still had her dagger raised.

Kiara walked up to her. “It is him, my lady.”

Bevin looked to Kedryn and walked over to him. “Lawler is here with you?”

“Yes.” Kedryn said and gave her a curious look as she fidgeted at the mention of Lawler’s name.

The sensation of a tiny tingling was coming from something around his neck. Kedryn rested his hand on the falcon amulet. An uneasiness came over him and Kedryn looked around ready for guards to come bursting through the door.

“Something wrong?” Bevin asked.

“I don’t know.” Kedryn said as he looked around.

Lady Paili was finally lowering her dagger and looked Kedryn in the eyes. “He is the one?”

“Yes.” Kiara said.

In his chambers Lord Faolan sensed something was not right. He had not felt Damon’s amulet since his return. Now he felt it’s presence and the wearer was not Damon. He relaxed and concentrated feeling that the man was in the Seer’s chambers. He took up his trident staff and walked over to a secret panel. He paused feeling druid magic begin to build near the seers chambers. Only a man with Druid blood in him he knew could draw on the power.

As he strode through the passage Faolan silently opened a secret door and entered behind a tapestry. His eyes scanned the room and saw that Kiara who talking quietly to Lady Paili. There was no sign of the Druid Eion as he looked at the scene before him. He saw the Milesian

woman who was helping care for Damon standing with two men who had drawn swords. One Faolan recognized as the late Lord O’Cuinn’s nephew and the other he was not quite sure who he was.

Lord Faolan whispered to himself as he stepped out from behind the curtain and raised his trident. “It is time to dispense of this troublesome pest. I can not have interruptions of men trying to free the Seer any more.”

As Lady Paili was lowering her dagger she raised it again when Kedryn rushed forward. “Kiara behind you!”

Lady Paili turned as Lord Faolan’s deadly stroke was thrust at Kiara. Paili shoved her to the side and the trident sank into her chest piercing her heart. Paili looked into Lord Faolan’s eyes.

“Farewell, my love.” she whispered as she fell to the floor. As she faded away, her last thoughts were of Damon.

Lord Faolan let out a frightening wail and fled out of the room back through the way he came ripping the tapestry down as he fled. Faolan burst open the panel to his chambers and realized what he was doing. He let grief get in the way of vengeance and began to draw on his power.

In his chambers Damon woke with a start and ache in his heart as he felt Paili fade.

“NO!” He yelled and rolled out of his bed feeling the strain in his back. The ache in his heart overrode any pain he felt in his body. He rushed out of his chambers and noticed no guards were in the hall. He stopped at the sight of smeared on the floor in front of Kiara’s door. Damon shoved the door open to find Niall blocking his path. Pushing Niall aside he ran over to his sister where Kiara and Bevin hovered over her.

He took Paili in his arms. “Get a healer. Bring her back. Please bring my sister back! Get a healer.”

Bevin knelt down next to him. “It is too late Lord Faolan’s trident pierced her heart. There is nothing more we can do.”

“Faolan? Where is he? Are you certain he did this!” Damon looked around furious at the other men in the room.

Bevin took the hem of Paili’s dress and wiped away the blood. “Look at the wound. This was not done with a sword. The trident made that.”

Everyone turned when Cadmon and Lawler entered. Lawler paused not quite believing his eyes when he saw Bevin.

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“Let’s go. The guards have been alerted to our presence and I can feel Faolan drawing on his power. ” Cadmon said.

Lawler raised his sword. “What is he doing here? Why is he still alive?”

Lawler walked to where Damon knelt and Kedryn blocked his way. “I believe that is for Niall to decide.”

Lawler backed up a step and turned to Niall.

“We were friends in the past I can not. Do as you see fit.” Niall said and he walked out the door.

“Be done with this quickly. Niall and I will see to any who come down the hall.” Cadmon said and walked out after Niall.

Bevin took one of Damon’s hands. Her other hand took his chin gently and raised his face to look in his eyes. “Come with us.”

“You can not be serious!” Lawler screamed at her. He unsheathed his sword picking Bevin up by the waist with one arm he moved her out of the way. She let out a small cry.

Damon pulled Paili close. “Now that she is gone. Lord Faolan has lost his hold over me. I would rather die this way than receive the Blood Eagle.”

“
No.” Bevin whispered as she looked on. “Please Lawler, No.”

Kedryn didn’t know the laws of this land and decided to let Lawler deal with Damon as he saw fit. As Lawler raised his sword Kedryn had a flash. Through spots he looked over at Bevin’s tear streaked face then to Lawler. The flash unsettled him. He concentrated and let his power flow and took a closer look at Bevin and Damon. As Lawler swung Kedryn’s sword clashed stopping the downward strike at Damon’s neck.

“What are you doing?” Lawler asked looking at Kedryn in dismay “He must die.”

“He comes with us.” Kedryn sternly said and took a side glance at Bevin. The relief on her face quickly faded when Lawler turned.

“Now see here . . .” Lawler said and looked away from Kedryn when he heard someone rush in.

Cadmon stopped before Kedryn. “We must hurry.”

Kedryn looked around the room. “Discuss latter. Move now.”

Cadmon peered out the crack of the door and down the corridor. “We can take the hidden passage to the kitchen. The halls are crawling with Firbolg.”

Kedryn looked at the bodies on the floor then down the hall as heavy footsteps sounded. He jumped over the bodies and opened the panel. Kedryn watched as Damon picked up Paili’s body and followed them. Lawler gave him a look that shot daggers. Kedryn wondered if he would ever forgive him. He shut the panel behind Daman and they all held their breath as soldiers ran down the hall. When the footsteps faded Kedryn motioned to Cadmon.

“Be as quiet as you can. Very few know about this passage.” Cadmon led them down the passage and paused as they heard shuffling. He looked around the corner and saw Firnir leave the passage and step into a room.

“Where does that lead?” Niall whispered.

“It is across from the throne room. Not much further.” Cadmon said as he hurried them down the narrow passage and stopped.

“We must move quickly. I can sense Lord Faolan shielding the castle so that we can not escape.”

They rushed out the panel into the hall and past the flustered servants in the kitchen. Damon looked to the cook and she nodded motioning the staff to go about their business. Cadmon stopped at a small door and opened it a crack. He motioned for them to be silent. He shut the door, unsheathed his dagger and turned to them.