Warden (Blade Asunder Book 3) Read online

“You insult me, human. Animal blood is not the requirement of Akkedis royalty!” Gishja filled the room with her anger, her voice echoing around the vast chamber.

  All was silent, not even a breath could be heard.

  “Royalty requires royal blood, human, can you fill my cup with that?”

  Myriam knew what was coming, but it still rocked her to her very core. They were in desperate danger now, and she was left in no doubt that the Empress was threatening her very life. The time had come. They were no longer guests, but prisoners of the Akkedis people.

  “No!” Myriam shouted out for all to hear. “I cannot provide such a price. I can feed your people, as I have promised, but I cannot fulfill your personal requirements, Empress Gishja.”

  Myriam had hoped that some of those who would overhear her would be sympathetic to their plight. There must be many Akkedis who were unhappy being ruled by such a treacherous Empress. A union between the two people would have many advantages for both their nations, and she was certain that some here would see the benefit in that. Yet, this Empress was blatantly making the human’s her enemy.

  “Then you do not value the life of your grandmother very well, do you, human?” Gishja’s voice filled the chamber once again. “Guards, take them all prisoner. Keep them together, it will make my feasting so much easier,” the Akkedis Empress instructed, no longer willing to keep up the charade of the welcoming host.

  “So much for rescuing the Duchess, Ghaffar, only to murder her entire family,” Ganry cried out above the noise of the approaching guards. “I salute you for your trickery. I look forward to removing your head from your shoulders in repayment.”

  Ghaffar bowed low to him. He had done well and his Empress would reward him greatly. Soon she would be healthy again with her new supply of D’Anjue blood flowing into her cup.

  22

  Ganry’s anger rose as he stared at the slimy Ghaffar. He drew his sword swept it in a wide arc to keep the guards at bay. Perseus had mirrored his actions on the other side of their small circle, Myriam and the others shielded between the two veteran warriors.

  Ganry looked around and witnessed more Akkedis guards heading in their direction at speed.

  “How many do you think we could kill, Perseus, before we are overcome? I believe I could take at least a score, maybe more.”

  “Between us, double that,” Perseus laughed.

  “Let’s make the Akkedis regret the day they double crossed us.”

  In between swings of his sword, Ganry saw the Akkedis Empress was being led out of the chamber surrounded by her royal guards. Ghaffar though, did not warrant such protection and Ganry managed to throw a small dagger that grazed Ghaffar’s cheek, causing blood to flow, before embedding in the wall behind him.

  “Hah!” Ganry chortled. “Next time if will be your throat, little creature.”

  “Filthy Palarian!” Ghaffar shouted at him. “You will pay for this, dearly.”

  “I want them alive,” the Lizard Empress instructed as she was hurriedly pushed through the door and out of the chamber.

  Ghaffar quickly followed her, his hand over the wound on his cheek, cursing the human as he fled. That fool would regret the day that he had marked him. He would personally make him suffer, Ghaffar promised to himself. By the time he had finished with him, he will have wished he had died here today.

  With the Akkedis Empress and Ghaffar gone, Ganry turned his attention to the lizard creatures that were surrounding them. Myriam seemed in no immediate danger. She stood tall and proud, her face impassive. If they were to ever get out of this alive, she would make a wonderful Queen of Palara.

  “Well my friend,” Perseus said, “shall we do battle? Make them pay for their treachery?”

  With those words he leapt high into the air, sword drawn before landing between two large lizards and embedding it into the throat of one of them, before he quickly spun on the balls of his feet and removed the head from the shoulders of the other.

  “The skin is tough, Perseus, but it holds little resistance to a sharp blade,” Ganry cried, his sword hacking and slashing at their tough skins.

  Ganry found himself facing three guards, their swords extended in front of them as they cautiously tried to engage him, wary of his weapon. They had seen a number of their colleagues fall and were in no rush to join them.

  Suddenly one of them raised the courage to attack, and lunged at Ganry with a cry of victory in its throat. This soon turned into a death rattle as Ganry’s sword speared through its neck, the fabled blade slipping through the scales before protruding out of its back. The creature fell to the floor in a crumple, its blood staining the sandy ground of the royal chamber.

  One of the remaining lizards spun around quickly, its tail whipping against Ganry’s legs sending him tumbling to the ground. Two Akkedis lizards were soon on him, pinning him to the floor.

  Ganry managed to raise another of his daggers and plunge it into one of the lizard’s ear, pressing it all the way in until the hilt stopped it from going any deeper. The creature screamed out its agony, with hot, sticky blood gushing out onto Ganry as it slumped dead on top of him. Before he could kill the other, more lizards were on him, pinning his arms to the ground. Looking across to his right, he could see that Perseus was in the same situation. He too was pinned down by a number of the Akkedis guards.

  Breathless, Ganry had no regrets that he had chosen to attack the enemy. They needed to know that they would not give up without a fight. He worried for Myriam and the plans these scaly creatures had for her. Right now, he was powerless to help her.

  “It was good to have you by my side, Ganry,” Perseus said to him as they lay trapped beneath the heavy Akkedis that held them down.

  He nodded his acknowledgment. Ganry relaxed and stopped struggling under the weight of the Akkedis who practically sat on top of him. They were soon dragged to their feet.

  Ganry smiled at Perseus who had also been pulled up. He looked a mess, and Ganry was certain that he must look the same, clothing disheveled and torn, blood, most of it their enemies, covering them. He had some satisfaction knowing that some Akkedis had paid part of the price for their treachery.

  Dragged from the chamber, they were led into a procession of tunnels. Every now and then one of the Akkedis guards would strike them with their heavy scaled fists. They had been instructed not to kill them, but it was clear that they were determined to make them suffer for the colleagues they had lost in the chamber. By the time they reached the dungeons, both were bruised and bloody from the blows.

  With hands and feet chained together, they were strapped to the walls, the chains pulling tight so that their feet only just touched the ground. As they hung there, a female Akkedis approached them with a bucket before throwing freezing cold water all over them.

  Ganry cried out at the shock of the water on his bruised body.

  “You do well to remain quiet, human,” the female said to him.

  He looked at her. She was familiar, and he realized she had served them in the rooms.

  “You do well, Arriba, to stay away, in case I get loose,” he answered her back with viciousness.

  She hissed and walked out of the chamber, leaving the two males hanging in their chains.

  23

  “Do not treat me like a fool, boy,” Lord Josiah spat. He was so close to Artas that spittle showered his face. “I demand to see the Queen, and we all know that you cannot meet such a request because she has abandoned her people, is that not so, sir?”

  Artas remained calm. He too had a noble upbringing and followed the etiquette that any situation dictated. This one was forcing him to remain civilized in the face of revolt.

  “Our Queen is on a mission to save this Kingdom, Lord Josiah. That does not mean that the Kingdom is in jeopardy. Indeed, Queen Myriam is busy making this Kingdom stronger.” Artas would not divulge the whole tale, not to this minor royal from the outlands.

  Stood in the middle of open ground on the outskirts of the
castle was not an ideal place to have such a discussion. Many townsfolk were gathering to witness the confrontation. Rumor had spread that there was to be another coup, and this was not news the citizens of Palara wanted to hear.

  “You say she is on some dangerous mission, yet she does not take her army,” the Duke spat back. “Putting herself in danger. For all we know she may be dead already and the throne stands vacant.” He pauses for his words to take effect with the surrounding throng of people. If they thought she was dead, then they would be more accepting to a member of her family, such as him, taking up the crown. “So it is good that I am here, on hand, to take over the throne while she is absent. I will be Regent until she returns.”

  “That will not be necessary,” Lord Parsival interrupted his fellow Lord as he stood by the side of Artas. “We have a Regent, and I suggest you bow down to him, Lord Josiah. He was put in place by our own Queen, through all the official channels. You, sir, would simply be another usurper and this Kingdom has had its fare share of them.” Parsival did not intend on allowing this arrogant Lord to overthrow their present Regent.

  “How can this foolish boy be the Kingdom’s Regent? He does not even carry one drop of royal blood within his veins. This is an absolute insult to the people of this Kingdom. I will take charge immediately, and any who stand in my way will suffer my wrath,” Lord Josiah threatened.

  Lady Leonie now joined in the affray. “Sir, we have documentation to support Regent Artas Holstein, who’s family have served the royal bloodline for many years. Indeed, they died with the King. They have earned this badge. Our Queen would not have chosen him had she not trusted him.”

  “For all we know these papers could be falsified,” the Lord intimated. “You three could have killed our Queen and taken the power of her seat for yourselves.” He gripped his sword hilt and took a menacing step closer towards them. It was obvious that the minor lord was looking for a fight, and Artas would either have to back down, or call his bluff.

  “This has gone far enough, Lord Josiah,” Artas finally retaliated. “I am placing you under arrest as a threat to the throne. You will remain imprisoned within the castle walls until the return of Queen Myriam, who can then decide your fate.”

  With that, a very red faced Lord Josiah huffed in indignation, his eyes bulging. He drew his sword from its scabbard, pointing it threateningly at Artas.

  “How dare you threaten me, you fool? My armies will overrun this place in an instant. It will be you, sir, who will languish in the dungeons.” Turning to his men, he rallied them to his aid. “Take your up your arms. We are overrunning the castle. Kill all of those who stand in your way!” he yelled at his men.

  Lord Josiah’s men were unsure exactly what they were being ordered to do. There were not enough of them in number to overrun a castle. They were a simple traveling bodyguard, and the castle would be very well defended by a much larger army. Still, if their Lord ordered such action, they were obliged to comply. As one, they all drew their arms and confronted the castle guards.

  The gathered citizens gasped at the turn of events. Soldiers confronting the castle defenders and all readying to engage in combat. They had only just recovered from the last coup, one that had caused much hardship and loss of life, and they certainly did not want another usurper ruling them.

  Later, when discussing that day in the bars and taverns of the castle, no-one could be certain who made the first move, who had made that rallying cry. But as one they had all taken up arms to protect their castle from the offending soldiers. Armed with pitchforks and scythes, they stood side by side with the castle guards, in solidarity.

  Artas looked upon the people in amazement, though his army far outnumbered Lord Josiah’s he was grateful that Myriam had the support of her citizens. All they needed now was the return of their Queen.

  “I suggest you lay down your arms, Lord Josiah. The people of the Kingdom have spoken. You will not rule here in the Queen’s absence.” Artas spread his arms, emphasizing the actions of the citizens.

  The Duke had not noticed that the townsfolk were threatening his own small force. All he was interested in was getting into the throne room and taking charge of the seat of power. He looked around and for the first time he realized the numbers of the castle’s army. Some had remained hidden behind the huge castle gates, but now they marched forward, surrounding his own men.

  Plus the imbeciles of this town thought they could threaten him with their meager tools. This was an outrage, and absolute insult to his family. For now he would concede, as he had no choice, but he promised to himself that this was not to be the end of his rebellion. He would demand to be treated as was fitting of his bloodline.

  “And what do you intend on doing with me and my men?” he demanded to know.

  “I have a room awaiting your arrival,” Artas informed him. “Your men will be sent marching to your own lands. You sir, will be treated as a guest of the castle until the Queen arrives home.”

  Despite his fury, Lord Josiah could see that this would work to his advantage. Once he was on the inside of the castle, he just needed to await his opportunity and he would murder these upstarts in their beds. They were all that stood in his way to power. Once the Regent was dead and the Queen still absent, the army and people would soon fall into line. He was after all, a member of the royal family, albeit distant.

  24

  “I demand to see my friends! That’s the least you can allow me,” Myriam shouted at Ghaffar.

  “Of course, I assure you that they have not been harmed in any way. I also have good news for you.” He was quite pleased with himself at how well this was all going. Four of the D’Anjue bloodline to feed his Empress would keep her alive for years to come. “Your grandmother is recovering, slightly, so we will arrange for her to share your room. How kind of our Empress to allow that, do you not agree?”

  “If you think I will kneel to the likes of you, traitor, then think again,” Myriam spat at him. She would personally take off this creature’s head, if only she had a weapon. “I want answers about Ganry. Why have you taken him prisoner?”

  “Come now, Queen Myriam, you know full well why. His and Perseus’s actions in the royal chamber highlight the need to keep them restrained,” Ghaffar replied, quite content with his reasoning. “We cannot be having any disturbances once we get started.”

  “Start what? What is it that you are about to start?” Myriam quizzed. “Why exactly have you tricked us to come to this wretched place?”

  “This is my home and it is where you and your family will live out your days, so I’d advise you to get used to it. If you behave, we will keep you comfortable and allow you some freedom. All we ask in return is that you supply my Empress with your royal blood. Not too difficult a task, now that there are four of you.”

  As he finished speaking the door opened. Linz and Hendon walked in, with guards behind them pushing them on. Myriam ran to them both and hugged each one.

  “I’m so glad you’re both safe,” she cried, tears now involuntarily running down her cheeks.

  Linz wiped a tear away and looked into her eyes. It was not sadness that he saw in Myriam’s face, but determination.

  “I’m so sorry, Linz, that I brought you to this gruesome place,” she sobbed onto his shoulder.

  “I will leave you to console one another,” Ghaffar spoke. “You should be grateful that my Empress is so generous to allow you all to converse.” With that, he quickly turned and marched out of the room.

  Myriam stopped her false tears. “I swear I will personally kill that creature,” she promised. “We were right, they are wanting to feed from our bloodline. It must be what keeps the Empress alive. They intend to keep us for her for as long as possible, by taking a small amount from each of us in turn, so we stay healthy. They must have bled my poor grandmother dry,” she said, her anger boiling.

  “I could find a weapon and ambush them as they come into the room, Myriam,” Linz offered. “You never know, the c
onfusion might open up an opportunity for us to escape and take our chances in the city.”

  “Linz, you are such a brave one, but no. I do believe that Perseus may our way out of this place. I don’t know why, but I feel he came here for another reason and not just to bring me to my grandmother.”

  “It’s a pity they took our daggers and rings,” Linz said. “If we put the Berghein stones together we might have been strong enough to make an escape attempt.”

  “No,” Hendon joined in the conversation. “Barnaby informs me that they are the keepers of these stones. They gave them to our ancestors in their hatred of the dragons. Then they cowardly sat back while our ancestors battled with the dragons. The Akkedis Empress allowed our family to keep these stones so she could spy on us through them. She has been kept alive by the lake men. Ghaffar, along with the Rooggaru, have been siphoning blood from our people to bring back to her.”

  Hendon cocked his head sideways, holding the staff close to his ear as though it were actually speaking to him physically. He nodded and muttered something unintelligible before continuing. “Barnaby also says that once all the stones were found and put together, this increased the power of the D’Anjue family and eroded the magic of the Akkedis Empress. She is weakened to a point of no return, and so she is dying. The only way to keep her alive now is with the untainted D’Anjue blood. The lake men’s blood has become too weak for her needs. We are still linked to the royal family bloodline, so our blood is stronger and will keep her alive longer. For now, she does not need much but it will get worse. She will require more and more as time goes by. Once we die so will she.”

  “How does Barnaby know all this?” Myriam questioned.

  “He tells me he has access to vast knowledge, more than he ever had. He looks things up, like we do in our library, or maybe even like a crystal ball, I’m not sure,” Hendon tried to explain this strange information as best he could, but he did not fully understand it himself. Most of the time Barnaby spoke in riddles, using words he was unfamiliar with.