“Ya wouldn’t need to. The king keeps eyes on this gate at all times. Not one person comes in here without his knowledge.”
I tried to ignore the way he spoke king. It was as if he had a personal disdain for this man.
“Surely there is a way,” Marren insisted.
“No.” The man stood then placed his pipe on the seat of his small stool and approached the gate. In a low voice, he said, “Come back at dark. Hoods up. I’ll help ya in. Anything to bring this bastard down.”
Before I could inquire what he meant, he started waving his hands and yelled, “Now be gone before ya lose your heads!”
Come on, Marren said in our private way. We should do what the man says.
Reluctantly, I followed Marren into the woods and waited not so patiently for nightfall.
Chapter 29
New Allies
Marren and I walked deep enough into the woods that no one would see us and hopefully wouldn’t bump into any human hunting parties. When night had claimed the last of the sun, we walked back. Careful of the ever watchful eye of the king’s men high above, we sheltered ourselves under our hoods and stuck to the thicker of the shadows, avoiding all light, as much as possible. The walls were lined with sconces. Most having yet to be lit or having already gone out for one reason or another.
We approached the gate carefully. I peered through to find if our friend kept his word. I didn’t find him. There was no evidence of him anywhere. The stool was gone. No pipe smoke lingered in the air. The sconces that lined the wall on either side of the path were lit, shining on everything in sight, leaving no room for shadows.
What do we do now, Marren?
We wait. Even in thoughts, his words came calm and even.
What if it’s a trap?
Either way, we get into the city.
And what then? I turned to face him. What if our daughter isn’t here? What do you suppose we do then?
He moved closer to me, taking my hands into his. Emotions of hope filled me. His hope. I sighed, dropping my head to his chest. The night air had cooled considerably. My breath emerged from my mouth in a small puff of fog. Marren rested his chin on my head and smoothed the back of my hood with his hand. His warmth poured into me with his hope. My mood shifted slowly.
A snapping branch sounded through the woods. The sound carried on the air, replacing the warmth in me with a sudden and complete chill. Marren stiffened around me. He stood like a statue of solid armor. I knew I didn’t need to ask, but the words escaped me before I could stop them.
“Did you hear that?” I whispered.
One movement was all I got in a reply. One slow and deliberate nod of his head against mine.
Another snapping branch sounded.
We stood motionless, waiting for whatever made that sound to find us and turn us in. My stomach clenched with anxiety, my body started to shake uncontrollably. It was a trap. We would be brought into the city and lose our heads. All for money. The small man was definitely not a dwarf. Dwarfs possess more honor and respect for Marren than that.
Something flew through the air and hit me on my leg. I moved to glimpse what it was, but Marren seemed frozen solid, preventing me. I poked him in his side. Nope, not frozen. He moved enough for me to spot a twig at my feet. I jumped when another one, larger than the first, stopped at my feet, after it bounced off the wall behind us.
My eyes met Marren’s. We didn’t need to share our thoughts to know we thought the same thing. Both of us turned our attention toward the woods. After glancing back to me and holding up his hand to symbolize his desire for me to stay put, he walked toward the spot he thought the twigs came from.
The woods held an outline of a pale aura. Not nearly as strong as the auras on the immortal realm, but strong enough for me to discern a hunched over figure within the trees, barely visible against the bushes he sat within.
Marren approached slowly with his hands up, palms out. I barely caught the words he exchanged, but his body relaxed, which allowed me to do the same. His words reached into my mind with soothing comfort. It’s okay. It’s the gatekeeper.
I let out a heavy sigh; a breath I didn’t realize I held. Letting it out was almost as if a weight lifted from my chest. I took my place next to Marren.
The gatekeeper stood, removing himself from the bushes. He was cloaked, nearly as heavily as Marren and I was. His eyes assessed me as much as mine had of him.
With a nod, he said, “Alright, follow me. Stay close and out of the light…not that ya need that much.”