Heartless

“Mreaaa!” the cat squawked and sank a set of dagger-like claws into Felix’s leg.

“Mreaa, yourself! Dragons eat – ” Felix stopped, ground his teeth, then kicked again. The cat dodged as easily as though it could see him. It continued to pace back and forth, leading the way and looping back to make certain the prince was still coming. And Felix, rather to his disgust, realized that as he followed the cat, he found better footing in the dark.

The sounds of pursuit drew closer. Felix looked back to see torches flashing just beyond an outcrop of rocks. He saw a thicket of bushes not far ahead and made for it as fast as he could with his burden. Unable to be gentle in his haste, he dropped his father to the ground. The king moaned, and Felix winced but continued his hurried actions.

Pushing his father, he whispered, “Crawl into the bushes, quick.” He could hear men’s voices calling to each other, so close. “Hurry, Father!” His heart raced, and he felt he would be sick.

Don’t think, he told himself. Don’t think!

“Felix?” the king called feebly, but too late.

Felix sprang away from the thicket, running and leaping until he was several yards away. He jumped onto a boulder and shouted, “Here! Here! Over here!” waving his arms in the dark.

Three tall figures with torches turned his way. Felix leapt from the boulder and sprinted down the hill away from his father. Shouts followed him.

“Is that the prince?”

“Prince Felix! Your Highness!”

Don’t think! Felix half ran and half fell in the dark down the hillside.

Two more figures appeared suddenly in his path, but his momentum was too great to turn aside. He fell into their arms, struggling and kicking, unable to free himself.

“Prince Felix?” a deep voice asked. “Is that you?”

“Let me go!” he shouted hopelessly.

“If that’s you, Your Highness,” the speaker said, “we are the king’s men.”

“Liars!” Felix cried.

“Indeed not, prince,” the speaker insisted, quickly pulling back a hand when Felix tried to bite. “I am Captain Durand. General Argus sent me and my men to find you, your father, and the princess. Argus is holding the duke’s men off at the base of the hill, but we are gravely outmatched. We must get you away from here.”

Running footsteps told Felix that his three pursuers were catching up. Even so, he settled down in his captors’ grasp. “The duke?” he asked, panting.

“The Duke of Shippening,” Captain Durand said. “He has attacked Sondhold in full force without warning. We are undermanned at Ramgrip. General Argus will not keep him from the palace long. Where is your father, prince? We met many people fleeing from the palace, but they could give us no word of the king.”

A shout interrupted whatever answer Felix may have given. Five horsemen rode up. By the torchlight, Felix could see that one of the riders supported King Fidel in front of him. The king clung weakly to the pommel of the saddle, but his eyes glittered when they fell on Felix.

“Bring him to me,” he commanded, his voice quavering.

Durand and the other soldier holding Felix’s arms escorted him to his father. The king took hold of the front of Felix’s shirt and, with surprising strength, lifted him to his toes. He glared fiercely into Felix’s eyes.

“Don’t you ever try to save me again,” he growled, his voice tight with anger. “I will not have you risk your life for me. Understand?”

Felix swallowed hard and nodded. Fidel let him go and sagged back into the arms of the rider.

“Give him a horse,” Durand said. One of the five horsemen dismounted and hoisted Felix into the saddle in his place. “Ride to the garrison in Dompstead,” the captain said. “General Argus will join you there as soon as he can. I fear we will be forced from Sondhold before the night is through.”

Fidel rallied himself one last time. “Una?” he breathed.

“Do not fear, Your Majesty,” Captain Durand said. “We’ll find your daughter.”

Without another word the horsemen started down the hill at a trot. Felix clung to the horse’s mane, but the beast seemed fairly sure-footed in the dark.

“Mreeeow?”

The prince heard the small cry and pulled his horse up short before he’d ridden ten paces.

“Your Highness,” Captain Durand said. “What are you – ”

Ignoring the captain, Felix leapt from the saddle. Monster materialized from the night at his ankles. He scooped the cat up, draped him over his shoulder, and scrambled back into the saddle. Monster’s claws dug painfully into his shoulder, but Felix didn’t care. He urged the horse to catch up with the others, holding on to the cat with one hand.





18

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