The Godling Chronicles (Shadow of the Gods, Book #3) (41 page)

“
Then I suggest you finish your
business and leave,” said Lee.

“
I'm finished,” said Lanmore. “And
soon, you will be, too.”

The door slammed hard. Lee couldn't help but
feel pity for the captain. A commoner in a world of nobles, clawing
his way through the ranks, was admirable. He had felt a genuine
kinship with the man. But still, he was the enemy. He had not
really thought he could anger Lanmore enough to release him. But it
had been worth a try. Still, there must be a way.

He slid down the wall, allowing the chains to
support him. He needed to rest. He need to stay strong. When the
moment arrived, he would be ready. He fell asleep, his face still
showing determination.

The sound of a creaking door shocked him out
of his slumber. It was the light footfalls of Penelope, but mixed
with the clinking of metal, and scraping of leather. He felt thin,
delicate fingers pull the blind-fold from his eyes. He squinted at
the light from the torches, but as his eyes focused, he saw
her.

Her long, straight, raven hair fell down her
back and around her shoulders, framing her sweet features. Her
ivory skin and deep blue eyes staring lovingly at him, brought him
to tears. She smiled a warm, sad smile as she stepped back. Even in
the blue nightgown she wore, she looked graceful. Age had not
touched her. She was every inch the woman he remembered.

“
It is you,” he cried.

In her right hand she held a large, iron key.
With it, she reached up and unshackled him. Lee nearly collapsed.
Struggling to steady himself, he threw his arms around his wife and
embraced her tightly.

“
I am here, my love,” she whispered.
She pulled back slightly and met his eyes.

Lee was weeping openly. He kissed Penelope
long and deep, crushing her to his chest. “I prayed for this. Come.
We will find Jacob, and I will get you away from here.”

She pointed to a guard’s uniform and sword,
piled next to the door. “Quickly. Change into this.”

Lee beamed, and donned the uniform. “Are you
ready?”

Penelope smiled a sad smile, and kissed Lee
once more. “I cannot go with you.”

“
What do you mean,” he exclaimed. “Of
course, you can. They will not stop us. If I have to, I will cut my
way through every soldier in Angrääl.”

Penelope grasped her stomach and doubled
over. Lee rushed to her side and helped her as she slid to the
floor.

“
What is wrong?” His voice was
desperate.

“
I am saving you the only way I can,”
she said, weakly. “I told you. I belong to the king now. He has
enslaved my spirit. I could only resist him for a short time. But
it will be long enough...” She winced in pain, then reached inside
her robe, and pulled out a small, empty vial.

“
Please, no!” he sobbed. He recognized
the faint odor of venil root. “Not this way!”

“
It was the only way I would not betray
you,” she explained, softly. “I could not bear you falling under
the same curse that now possesses me. The Reborn King is more
powerful than you can imagine. He must be stopped. His plans go far
beyond the coming war. He wants to watch the world burn. And once
he has conquered all, he will destroy the earth....and heaven along
with it. Nothing will remain.” She tried to push Lee away, but he
held her fast. “Now go. Jacob has been spotted three miles south of
the garrison. Find him before they do. Please, save our son.” Her
eyes closed and with one last gasp, and she went limp.

Tears fell freely as he pulled her close.
Then, as if an echo in his mind, came the words save our son. He
laid her gently on the floor and kissed her lips. “Goodbye, my
love.” He took one final look and wiped his eyes. Dark sadness
began to boil into blinding rage.

He open the door to his cell. Two guards lay
dead, just outside, one wearing nothing but his underclothes. He
dragged the bodies inside the cell and closed the door. Lee thought
about the layout of the garrison. He hoped the uniform would be
enough to allow him to pass through unnoticed. That must have been
why Penelope cleaned his face, he thought. She must have known all
along. The memory stabbed at him, harshly. No. He must push aside
despair for now. He recalled how he had been brought there. They
had not blindfolded him until after he was in chains. Their
mistake.

He made his way through the stone corridors
of the keep until he reached the main hall leading to the front
entrance. His muscles tensed as two guards walked by, but to his
relief they didn't even bother to look at him. The bureaucrats had
left their desks for the evening, so the path to the door was
open.

Hoping it was night, he opened the door and
stepped into the yard. Torches burned around the perimeter and
along the slate path leading to the gatehouse. The frigid night air
swept under his clothes. He shivered for a split second, then
walked at a steady pace toward the gate. Two guards were at the
gatehouse, but they scarcely noticed his passing.

The road south was empty. He looked north to
Kratis. It glowed on the background of the night sky, its towers
looming ominously. The thought of the Dark Knight being so close
redoubled his rage, but he forced it down and headed south. Once
out of eyesight of the garrison, he left the road, darting in and
out from behind trees and brushes, and stopping every few yards to
listen for signs of Jacob. Just as Penelope had said, after three
miles, he heard him.

Lee crept silently until he was only a few
yards away from a felled tree. Jacob crouched behind it ready to
spring.

“
Jacob,” whispered Lee. “Come
out.”

Jacob stayed perfectly still. Lee called out
again. This time he cautiously climbed over the tree and walked to
where his father waited. Lee embraced his son.

“
How did you escape?” asked
Jacob.

The pain of Penelope's death cut deep once
again. “We must flee.”

“
What about mother?” he
pressed.

Before Lee could respond, he heard several
men approaching from the road. He spun around, but heard more men
coming from the other direction.

“
Don't try to run,” called the voice of
Captain Lanmore. “There is no escape.”

Lee and Jacob drew their swords.

“
Come closer if you long for death,”
called Lee.

The men halted their approach.

“
There is no need for this,” shouted
Lanmore, from a few yards away. “My master wishes you returned to
him unharmed. You and your son.”

“
If I return to your master, it will be
to end his life,” roared Lee.

Lanmore laughed. “Even your dear wife knew
that was impossible. Why do you think she helped you escape?”

Jacob shot Lee an accusing glance.

“
And for that she paid with her life,”
Lee replied, with hatred spewing from his lips. “My wife lay dead
because of your master’s evil. Do you think I will simply return
with you? You’re a bigger fool than I thought.”

“
Do you really think the Reborn King
would allow such a noble lady to die?” he asked. “She could not
escape his grasp so easily. No, Lord Nal'Thain. Your wife still
lives.”

“
You lie!” he shouted. “I saw her die.
I held her in my arms.”

“
I'm sure you did. But the king is
powerful. Those whom he wishes to live will live.” He took a step
forward, and sheathed his sword. “He knew she would help you
escape, and he knew she would try to take her own life to ensure
that she could not betray you. Ask yourself this. How did you
escape so easily? How did you walk straight through the front gate?
He knew you would try to find your son. Should we have tried to
capture him, he would have resisted, and the King does not want his
blood. Return with me now and you can be with your family
again.”

“
When I run, you follow,” Lee whispered
to Jacob.

“
But mother—” he protested.

“
Your mother is dead,” he snapped. “And
you will not follow her.”

Lee burst into a dead run southeast. Jacob
was on his heels. He passed the soldiers just as they realized he
was there. They gave chase, but Lee and Jacob were too fast and
soon they disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

The soldiers returned to Captain Lanmore,
scraped, bruised, and out of breath. He ordered them to return to
the garrison. He paused and stared into the shadows of the forest.
He felt a presence just behind him. Its raw power nearly sent him
falling to his knees, but he dare not turn around.

“
Such a pity.” said a voice. It was
almost a whisper, yet it carried a power that made the sound seem
to take physical form.

“
Forgive me, Master,” he said. Fear
pierced his heart. “They escaped. My men weren't fast
enough.”

“
If I wanted them captured I would have
sent the Vrykol.” It sounded amused. “But it matters not. I already
have foreseen the fate of Lee Starfinder.”

The presence vanished. Lanmore fell to the
ground and wept.

Chapter 28

Gewey stared over the bow of the ship.
Aaliyah had continued with his training, but as they drew closer to
their destination, he noticed that she would frequently lose focus.
After a week she had taken to sleeping on deck. Gewey had offered
to give her the room, but she told him that she preferred to sleep
under the stars, and enjoy the scent of ocean air.

He had tried on several occasions to speak
with her, hoping to lift her spirits, but she would withdraw even
further. By the time the ship rounded the Tarvansia Peninsula,
Aaliyah informed him that he would be spending his remaining time
studying with Drasalisia, the navigator. Gewey tried to object but
she would not be swayed, and seemed relieved when the navigator
reluctantly agreed.

From the onset of the lessons, he realized
that Drasalisia intended to be a strict task-master. The first day,
he joined her at the bow of the ship. She looked at him sideways,
then handed him a small cup of water. She had him sit cross-legged
on the deck, a few feet behind her.

“
You can join me when you learn
control,” she said. She held out her hand and a small droplet of
water floated from the cup and hovered a few inches in the air.
Then it rolled on the cups edge and slid back in. “When you can do
this, you are ready to continue.” She stood up and stared down at
Gewey for a moment, then with a huff, returned to the
bow.

Gewey closed his eyes and allowed the flow of
the air to surround the tiny cup, but quickly found that he could
not lift the water. Again and again, the cup spilled over. Each
time he returned with more water the navigator shot him a
disapproving glance. After three hours, he leaped to his feet and
let out a frustrated scream.

“
What good is this?” he shouted. “How
does this help me?”

The navigator strode over and picked up the
cup. “Hold this in your palm.”

He obeyed, unenthusiastically. Another tiny
droplet of water floated out and drifted toward the navigator.

“
Not everything needs brute force,” she
said. The droplet flew forward at blinding speed, and struck the
cup, shattering it. Water and glass fell to the deck. Gewey stared
in amazement. “Such a thing could be quite useful, wouldn't you
say?” She returned to her duties and glanced over her shoulder.
“You will need another cup.”

Gewey nearly broke into a run, excited by
what he had seen. For six straight hours he continued to try, but
was still unable to do it. The sun was setting and the navigator
was being relieved. She walked over to Gewey and sat next to
him.

“
Show me what you are doing,” she said,
in her typical, emotionless way. She took Gewey’s hand and brought
her spirit close to his.

Gewey tried once again, and once again
failed. He forced the water over the side. The moment it touched
the deck he felt the navigator seize the flow and return it to the
cup.

“
You must understand the way this power
works,” she explained. “Power of the earth, air and water are not
different. At least, not in essence. They are pieces of the same
world. You try to dig and lift the water with air, as a shovel to
earth. Or you throw it, as a bale of hay into a wagon.” She reached
out and touched the flow of the water, surrounding a tiny drop,
pressing it in. “You transition it from one to the other. It is as
one hand touching the other. The air stirred almost imperceptibly,
and blended with the droplet. In unison, it rose, carried on a tiny
cushion of air. “Do you see?” The droplet fell gently back into the
cup.

“
I understand.” His words were a
gasp.

“
Good,” she said, with a hint of
satisfaction. “Return tomorrow and try again. You have done enough
today.”

In spite of his desire to continue, he knew
it was useless to argue. The rest of the evening he spent with the
crew, learning the ship and listening to their tales. Aaliyah
joined him for dinner, but stayed in her cabin for the rest of the
evening, until she went on deck to sleep.

This time Gewey was determined to find out
what troubled her and brought his blanket and pillow and lay down
beside her.

“
I know you think you can help me,”
said Aaliyah. “But there is really nothing you can do.”

“
If I can't help, would you at least
tell me what is troubling you?”

She sighed, and closed her eyes. “I am trying
to still my heart. Soon I must see Nehrutu again.”