The Marenon Chronicles Collection

Chapter Twenty-Nine





Julian darted in the shadows of the dark, vacant halls of Maroke’s fortress, searching for any sign of the direction Holden could have gone. He had slipped away from the group before they went down the stairs to follow Gilrod. He hoped that they had found Kaden in good condition, but Julian had come for the purpose of confronting Holden. This would be his only chance to face him alone and without support from any other traitor that might be travelling the halls of Jekyll Rock. He would deal with this situation and get back to the others. And if he couldn’t meet up with them, he would find his own way out.

He continued the way they had first come and followed the path he saw Holden taking when he had left with Maroke. He sneaked through the corridor and back into the square hall that had since been deserted. He then silently made his way through the stone archway on the north side and continued down the dimly lit path until he came to a split. He walked cautiously down the corridor to the right, aware that there were too many possible directions Holden could have taken for Julian to stumble upon him accidentally.

As he crept around the corner he slid to a halt and hid behind the stone wall when he heard the footsteps of oncoming guards. Instinctively, he felt for the dagger under his cloak. Their voices and steps sounded closer and heavier with each passing second. One muttered to the other something about food and a strange smell from the Nestorians. Julian gripped his dagger under his cloak firmly with one hand and his sword with the other. When the two Stühoc guards came into view, Julian jumped out, stabbing one through the throat with his dagger and shoving the other Stühoc against the wall, pressing his sword against his neck. Julian had been so quick that the guards didn’t have time to even cry out.

Julian motioned with his eyes to the dying Stühoc on the ground. “If you make a sound I swear that will be you before you finish a word.”

The shaking Stühoc said nothing.

“Where is Ward Holden staying in the fortress?”

The Stühoc remained silent.

“Answer me or you’re dead!”

Julian could sense the genuine fear from the Stühoc, fear that would cause him to say anything to live.

“On the third floor,” the Stühoc said. “West wing, fourth room. It’s the only occupied room on that wing.”

Julian sniffed and the stench of the Stühoc’s rotten breath made him want to vomit. Julian hated killing in cold blood, but since he was dealing with a Stühoc and since he couldn’t afford to leave any loose ends, he knew what he had to do. Without another breath he pressed his sword tight against the Stühoc’s throat and cut it cleanly through. As the Stühoc fell to the floor with gray blood spilling from the neck, Julian retrieved his dagger from the throat of the other Stühoc and stepped over his first victim toward the stairs. The second Stühoc bled out in mere seconds.

*****

At first, no one could figure what the next move should be in getting out of Mudavé. It was obvious what Julian was doing and that fact left him out of consideration when planning their escape. If Julian was around when they left, fine. There would be no second rescue attempt. Alric and Silas threw the unconscious Gilrod into Kaden’s former cell and locked it. He wouldn’t be making noise for a while. By the time he woke they would hopefully be long gone.

“I don’t mean to complain,” Alric said, “but you devised a clever way of getting into Mudavé, and now you have no suggestions for finding a way out.”

“There wasn’t much planning going on at all was there?” Garland shot back. “Julian gave Coffman and Lorcan his wristband. I’ll contact them and tell them to fly the sarians in after us.”

“They can’t very well fly down here,” Kaden said wearily. “They’d be filled with arrows before they could land.”

“We could go there.” Silas pointed to the top of the fortress at the plateau. “There is a path to the top and it’s high enough to avoid being shot down.”

The others seemed to consider Silas’ suggestion and in a moment Garland placed a finger on the bright green stone. Lorcan’s voice could be heard from the device.

“I don’t know Coffman, I’ve never messed with one of these things before.”

“Lorcan,” Garland called. “Can you hear me?”

“Yes,” he said. “How are things your way?”

“Better than expected so far. How’s Skarret?”

“He’s lost a lot of blood.”

Garland winced. “Listen. I need you and Coffman to fly in here and pick us up. We’ve got Kaden, but there’s no other way out.”

There was nothing but silence on the other end.

“Lorcan did you hear me?”

“I don’t know if we can do it,” Lorcan said. Silas thought his voice sounded a bit shakier than it had seconds before.

“What do you mean you don’t think you can do it?” Garland demanded.

Inga walked over to Garland and grabbed his wrist, pulling it up to her mouth. “Lorcan! We’re stranded here surrounded by thousands of Stühocs and we need you to come pick us up. We’ll be on the plateau at the top of the fortress. If you don’t get here then we’ll die, do you understand?”

Silence.

Everyone waited for an answer, looking at each other awkwardly.

The next voice was not Lorcan’s, but this time it was Coffman’s. “We’ll be there in a few,” he confirmed.

“We’ll see you at the top,” Garland said.

“Nice work,” said Silas once Inga moved away from Garland.

“Sometimes you just have to talk some sense into his head,” she said.

“Let’s move,” Kaden commanded. “We don’t have much time before they realize you aren’t Nestorians.”

They heeded Kaden’s advice and moved through the outdoor corridor, weapons drawn. Silas had nothing but the staff in his hands, truly hoping that Julian was correct about the staff’s powers, and that Garland had been truthful about who birthed him. Silas couldn’t know either until the time and situation warranted such a revelation.

The steep path began on this side of the fortress inside the slave field and wound around the entire mountain. It would not be easy to keep out of sight but they hoped that the eyes of the Stühocs would not be looking their way.

*****

Julian had a feeling that the Stühoc didn’t lie to him. There was no time to be chasing lies. He moved to the fourth room in the hallway. The wooden door had been left slightly open and he could hear a voice coming from the other side. It was Holden speaking animatedly to someone through his wristband.

“Yes, they have already come.”

“But that’s impossible.” It was the voice of Spencer. “I was just in contact with them this morning. They are not visiting for another week. Perhaps you should check who is under those Nestorian masks, Holden.”

Holden said nothing.

“You’ve been fooled,” Spencer said. “You need to deal with the imposters. They cannot get both medallions.”

“I carry the red medallion with me,” Holden said. “It is safe.”

“Let me know what you find out.”

Holden’s glowing wristband faded and he stood rigid when he realized he wasn’t in the room alone.

Without turning, he sighed and then spoke. “I suppose you’re here to kill me aren’t you, Julian?”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Who else would be in Mudavé, dressed as a Nestorian, trying to get every last medallion?”

“Your day is done, Holden. You aren’t getting away with anything. You’ve allied yourself to the Stühocs and it’s going to cost you your life.”

Holden pursed his lips and smiled. “It already has,” he said. He turned only to be met with a bloodied sword pointing at his chest, mere feet from him.

“You’re foolish if you think killing me will stop what is already happening. There are many more pieces to this puzzle than just me, I assure you.”

“So you aren’t working alone?”

“What do you think? I’ve got the entire council under my thumb, save three,” he said proudly.

This couldn’t be. How could so many on the council be in favor of a Stühoc uprising?

“Which three?” Julian said.

“Kaden and you obviously,” he said. “And there is one in particular that I don’t think would turn as long as you were alive.”

Nalani. She had always been true to the cause. Julian knew she would never turn. But knowing that the others were working with Holden would make this mission more difficult. He knew that Nalani would never betray the Dunarians. But how could all the others do so?

“I know what you’re thinking, Julian and you should stop. How many original members of the council are still members?”

Kaden and you, Julian thought.

“And how many members of the Dunarian council did I recruit myself?”

The rest of them. Julian cursed.

“Nalani and I weren’t original members and you never came to us for your little plot!”

“You both were high recommendations from our military,” Holden explained. “Politically it would have been foolish not to put you on the council. We were coming to you eventually, but things stirred into motion so quickly, we decided to use you rather than turn you. And you have done rather well, I might add. You’ve brought us two medallions, which I still have yet to see, but I know they are at Jekyll Rock.”

You will never see them.

“And you carry the red medallion of the Stühocs with you,” Julian said. “If you were smart you would have hidden it.”

“I am smart, Julian. You just don’t realize how smart I really am.”

“We’ll see,” Julian said.

“How about this?” Holden continued. “You managed to kill your brother which is one less thing that we have to worry about. We can now put in one of our own people to take the kingship and merge all of humanity’s causes together. Together we will bring peace to Marenon where all will live tranquilly.”

“You preach peace but you ally with the Stühocs against your own kind,” Julian said through his teeth. “You are nothing but a snake.”

“It doesn’t matter what you think, Julian. You’re out. The council has voted.”

Julian wasn’t sure what to believe now. What if Holden was lying about the council? What if he was alone in this and he was just trying to get Julian to turn against everyone?

“You’re lying,” Julian said. “You’re saying they’re with you just to get to me. It’s all false isn’t it? You’re working alone in this, Holden, and now you’re scared with no place to go.”

“If only you were right,” Holden said. He pulled a chain from under his shirt revealing a large golden key. “I’ve got the proof right here.”

Julian’s brow furrowed at the sight of the key.

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t think I cheat without protecting myself? In case the other council members decide to betray me, I’ve kept a record proving who has been on my side and who hasn’t. This key opens the door to that record.”

“I don’t believe you,” Julian said.

“As I said before, Julian. It doesn’t matter what you think. What is true is true. What is false is false. What you have to say about it changes nothing. Now if you’ll step out of my way, I have to deal with your friends.”

Holden began to move past Julian, but he stood firm, sword pointing to the traitor’s face.

“You don’t want to fight me, Julian,” Holden warned.

“You’re right. I want to kill you.”

Before Julian could even register what had happened, Holden’s sword was out deflecting his. Without hesitation Holden slashed again, while Julian barely had time to parry. He had been taken by surprise and didn’t have the proper footing for a duel. Again, Holden jabbed and slashed. Julian was scarcely surviving each blow as each swing barely missed, until finally Holden cut high and Julian was able to duck and take a stab of his own that was blocked by Holden. Julian had met a formidable opponent, but he would not let Holden get away this time.