Bastial Sentinels (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 5) (36 page)

Then they left.

Chapter 34:

JEK

Raymess wasn’t generous with the amount of food he left for the Elven army of two thousand, and Jek wasn’t the only one who was starving. They ate all of the dried meat and some of the bread, leaving just three heavy sacks untouched. Jek didn’t know what was in them, nor did he ask. He was more concerned about how he would get his cure without being seen.

It was well into the night by then. Micah and Tobkin would be asleep in the room where Jek had left his bag.
Would they have moved it?
Sudden hope came as he thought of Micah putting the bag somewhere near the entrance.

No, there’s nowhere to hide it.
It must still be in his quarters…unless Raymess moved it.

Then Jek thought of the young king setting his bag aflame, burning all the precious seeds within.

Could he do such a thing?
Raymess was obstinate but not malicious. Though, Jek had never seen someone betray him before.

“Ready, Jek?” Klaiya asked.

He swallowed hard. “Ready.”

Klaiya’s plan for the horses was far from sound, but it was all she could come up with, and Jek thought of nothing better. Her brother, Aarlan, wanted to come with them, but she convinced him it would be unwise for them both to put themselves in such danger. Jek took it to mean they were the highest ranking among these Elves. But they did need at least one more psychic to help them bring the three horses down the mountain path while Jek “got himself killed trying to get his bag,” as they’d said so bluntly.

Reela volunteered to be the third. Jek was surprised when Cleve didn’t object. When asked, Cleve replied that there was no point. Reela would do as she pleased no matter what he said.

“Aren’t you worried?” Jek asked.

“Of course.”

Reela slid her arm around Cleve. “I’ll be fine,” she assured him.

Jek let them be. He needed a moment alone anyway.

Whether it was a blessing or a curse, he wasn’t nervous. His family entered his mind. The first thing he felt was guilt for not thinking of them sooner. At least they would understand if he didn’t make it out of the bunker. They knew how much he suffered every night. Lisanda did as well. There was solace in the thought that she would despise Raymess if Jek died. He knew it was wrong, for it would only make Lisanda more miserable, yet he couldn’t help but feel it would be fitting.

“Jek, is that you?” It was Peter’s voice.

“Yes.”

Peter’s shadowed form shuffled toward him. “So now we’re traitors.” He sounded lighthearted.

Suddenly Jek didn’t want to speak with his friend. Earlier, he figured Peter was the only one who completely understood what he felt, but now he saw it was the opposite. The man was infatuated with Klaiya. Nothing could bring him misery as long as he was near her.

“How did it come to this?” Jek asked.

“What do you mean?”

“How are we the only ones who switched sides? For you it’s clear—Klaiya. But I have no feelings for her or any of these Elves. Why didn’t others come with me?”

“You may think I’m so driven by my emotions that I’m willing to stand against my friends and allies—and I might be at fault for giving you that impression—but it’s not true. I didn’t switch because of my feelings for Klaiya. Instead, my feelings allowed me to see her as a potential ally. I listened to her arguing with Raymess, and I chose a side.”

“I see.”

“No doubt Calvon’s been thinking about everything Klaiya said the moment we stood beside her. I’m sure he’s up there right now tormented by his decision to stay, as he’ll continue to be. But if it weren’t for us, he wouldn’t even consider going against Raymess. If we’d just had more time to convince others, we could’ve eventually swayed him and everyone else. But I’m sure we will in time.”

“Let’s hope it’s before the desmarls reach any towns.”

“Jek,” Klaiya called. “Let’s go.”

Peter shook Jek’s hand. “I might be the only one who thinks so,” Peter said, “but I’m confident you’ll get your cure and return safely.”

Jek was surprised how much these words put him at ease. “Thank you. I’m not sure why, but that makes me feel better.”

“We often underestimate the power of believing in each other. A little support from a friend can completely change our attitude.”

Jek thanked Peter again and joined Reela and Klaiya. The mountain lay ahead of them, though it just looked like a shadowed mound. He removed his wand from his belt.

“No light,” Klaiya said. “We can’t risk being seen.”

Of course
, Jek thought. For him, using magic in many circumstances was hardly different than gesturing while speaking.

He found it unsettling that his control over Sartious Energy—which led to his darkness—would play no role in retrieving the cure. This felt like a trial, a test of his ability. But all that was being tested was his skill at sneaking, something he’d never been good at.

Part of him thought it was more of a matter of luck. He shooed away the idea. Never had he relied on luck before, and he wasn’t about to start now.

While the mountain towered over the lake, the climb up to the bunker’s entrance wasn’t anything like actually climbing a mountain. The slope was hardly steep, for one thing. Paths twisted back and forth. Normally it wasn’t dangerous, but it was so dark now that a blind man might’ve had an easier time navigating because of his experience shuffling across uneven ground.

Klaiya and Reela clung to each other for balance, but Jek found it easier on his own. He didn’t like worrying about keeping an Elf on her feet, even if it meant she might help him stay on his.

Without light, it took them a full hour to reach the entrance. Jek allowed the women to take the lead, knowing they could use psyche to sense the presence of others.

Others…what were they now? Enemies? He found it easier to continue thinking of them as frogs, even if he was no longer a frog himself.

“Just one guard,” Klaiya whispered. “We’re going to try putting him to sleep. We need to get as close as possible. Stay here.”

As Jek waited for them to return, he stared back down the path, trying to recall what the ground felt like and where the turns were sharpest. It might be useful later as he made his escape, allowing him to run without slipping off the path and falling to his death.

No, he couldn’t run. But as long as he was faster than his pursuers, he could escape.

“Catch him!” he heard one of the women whisper. It was followed by sounds of a scuffle, then more whispers.

The urge to go to the women entered his mind. Figuring it was psyche, he listened. Klaiya and Reela were moving a frog to the edge of the entrance. They sat him against the wall, and his head slumped to his chest.

“Reela will keep him asleep,” Klaiya whispered. “Let’s get the horses.”

One sconce halfway down the hall made the bunker barely lighter than outside. Jek followed just behind Klaiya, careful to keep his hasty footsteps as quiet as possible. They turned and followed the stone tunnel to the stables, where a flimsy half-door only slowed them for a heartbeat before they got it open quietly.

Seffry was asleep on a straw bed. Whenever Jek had come to speak with the large-bellied man, the smell of horse feces always reminded him of the tower with desmarls to which he and Lisanda were taken by men of Waywen.

Jek moved to Seffry’s side and gently awoke him.

Seffry grumbled. “Hmm, what’s the matter?”

Jek waited for him to sit up and recognize him.

“Jek—”

“We’re just here for three horses,” he interrupted. “Please stay quiet.” Jek motioned for Klaiya to open the stable doors.

“You can’t,” Seffry whispered. “I can’t let you.”

“You’re not letting us,” Jek said. “We snuck in and took them while you were sleeping.”

“I saw what happened after the battle.” Seffry swung his legs over the bed, motioning to stand.

“Stay in bed,” Jek told him.

Seffry stopped. “Raymess is wrong to dismiss the Elves. I don’t agree with the way they’ve gone about all this, but I don’t see much of a choice at this point. Everyone needs to join Fatholl before it’s too late. Will these horses help with that?”

“Yes. They’re necessary, in fact.”

“Do you need more than three?”

Three horses started following Klaiya out of the tunnel. She didn’t have hold of their reins, using an outstretched hand to guide them instead. “Three is all we need. It’s too risky to take more.”

Seffry pushed himself to his feet. “I have no skill with a sword, but I know horses. Will you take me with you?”

“We don’t have time to discuss this,” Klaiya said.

“You could at least use his help getting the horses down the mountain,” Jek said.

“If I’m leaving this room with you, I’m staying with you until the end.” Seffry’s hard tone came as a shock. “I’m from Vrasl, a small town along the very north edge of Zav. If the desmarls attack, it will be one of the first places to be decimated.”

“Come, then,” Klaiya whispered. “Just keep quiet and take a horse.”

“I’ll meet you in the forest,” Jek said.

As he sped by them, Jek heard Seffry ask Klaiya where he was going. Jek didn’t hear her response as he went deeper into the bunker.

He moved quickly, his nerves finally catching up to him. His hands shook. For comfort, he took his wand from his belt and gripped it firmly.

The main tunnel from the entrance led to a corridor with three possible routes. If any men were on watch, it would be here. He just then remembered how useless his wand would be and latched it back onto his belt. His magic might get him past a man or two, but it would wake more in the process.

His heart threatened to jump from his chest when he heard someone grumbling just around the corner.
Turn back
.
This is madness.

He started to turn.
No. I can’t leave my cure. I’ll never be able to live with myself if I run.

Keeping as still as possible, Jek strained his ears. Barely, he could hear the man’s breathing. It sounded like he was asleep, though Jek couldn’t be sure without risking a glance.

He held his breath and peered around the corridor. The guard had tucked his body into a crevice in one wall, curled on his side with his helmet on the ground just in front of his face. Jek started to tiptoe, but his boots squeaked, so he went back to walking flat. Still they pattered with each press and release.

Bastial hell, I should’ve removed them in the stables.

Jek froze when he heard the guard stir. He stared at the man and waited for him to sit up. It was going to be all over, but at least Jek could run and make it out. At least he would live.

The man didn’t lift his head. Now he was dead quiet.
Had he even awoken?
Jek stood there exposed in the middle of the corridor, waiting for the man to sit up and catch him or for his own heart to calm. But neither happened.

Jek reasoned that if the man was awake, perhaps he would mistake Jek for a frog. It gave him an idea. He would turn his back and walk casually. Hardly anyone would recognize him from behind if he acted like he belonged there. So he strode through to the next tunnel, resisting the urge to look back.

He heard nothing and took a breath of relief, then another, then another. He’d been holding his breath without even realizing it.

As he passed the toilet chambers, he heard someone walk out behind him. For a moment, Jek stopped. He was about to turn to see if he was spotted, but he fought back his reflex.

Just keep walking casually.

It worked. He came through another tunnel, then reached stairs. It wouldn’t be long before he was at Micah and Tobkin’s sleeping quarters. He couldn’t imagine Micah restraining him or even calling for the guards, no matter what Raymess had threatened. But Tobkin was different. He’d been in charge here before Raymess arrived, and he had no loyalty to Jek. If Raymess saw Jek as an enemy, so would Tobkin.

The moment Jek reached the door to Micah’s quarters, he realized how difficult it would be getting through unheard. Like the other doors in the bunker, it didn’t fit snugly into the doorway. It scraped the floor, and its hinges squeaked.

He grasped the handle and pulled slowly, so slowly. When he heard scraping, he stopped and listened for signs of movement within the room. He heard nothing, so he continued.

The noise of the door was like a snore but soft and continuous. He tried lifting as he pulled. It seemed to help, changing the tone to be closer to a sharp gust of air.

His heart felt like it was climbing into his throat. Being so deep within the bunker, he had no plan besides running if things went awry…
and I’d never make it out from here.

Finally, he opened the door just wide enough to slip through the doorway. Barely enough light for him to see shapes followed him in. He could hear Micah and Tobkin breathing.

Please don’t wake up. Please don’t wake up
, Jek repeated as he crept forward. His footsteps crunched. He cursed himself for never practicing how to walk lightly on his feet.