City of Gold (34 page)

A thousand flickering candle lights illuminated the room as Foz entered through the large doors. Despite the candle flames, the temperature plummeted the instant he stepped through, as though passing from summer to winter.

Foz glanced around as he entered deeper into the chamber. Each of the tiny candles had been arranged meticulously with identical spacing and placement.

“Welcome, my nephew,” the Golden King’s voice sounded from the gloom, his words rushing out and swirling around Foz like a forceful breeze. Foz’s eyes scanned the room but found no sign of the speaker.

Foz gave a cautious bow. “Your Majesty, we have received word from the Borderlands. The fortress is ready to fall.”

The Prince continued to search uneasily for the King.

“Burn it to the ground.”

Foz shivered. “And, what of the survivors?”

Turning around again, Foz came face to face with the King. The candle light illuminated his polished golden skin as he smiled.

“Leave none alive.”

83

The Fortress Falls

NOCSIC WATCHED AS THE WOODEN DOORS bent under the pressure of another ram. The door would soon be breeched. His arm trembled under the weight of his blood-stained sword. The strain was not for fear, but from exhaustion.

The enemy had pounded against Flore Gub with the fury of an endless ocean. Weeks of unrelenting battle, yet the enemy had continued its onslaught.

He glanced to the floor to his father Captain Talgu. The shaft of the fatal spear was still lodged into his ribs. The killing blow had added his father to the crowded rank of men who had died to defend Flore Gub—men who had died in vain.

With a bang the doors exploded off their hinges. A wave of enemy soldiers flooded in. Nocsic smiled, recalling Dace’s words, “
If you die—die valiantly
.”

“This one’s for you, my old friend.” Mustering the last of his strength he brought his sword crashing down on the lead warrior, sending him limply to the ground. Twirling in place, he sliced his sword across two more soldiers’ necks. Enemies continued to drop under the force of Nocsic’s blade. Every time a soldier fell another would take his comrade’s place.

All at once the commotion died. Nocsic was once again alone in the room. He felt cold. He looked to his body. He was covered in bloody wounds and scars but didn’t feel pain.

A shadow fell over him. In the archway was a behemoth of a man. Six spikes jutted out from his spider-shaped helmet. Nocsic’s heart fell. The man in the doorway was
The Impaler
—El Dorado’s High General.

Nocsic tried to lift his sword but didn’t have the strength. Instead he collapsed to his knees, using his blade as a cane to hold himself up. The spider-faced man stood over him. Without hesitation, he swung his blade down upon the kneeling Captain.

Cody slowly funneled the granules from
The Speaking Sands
back into the vial. It had been refreshing to speak with Eva again. The calm she always exuded made him regret having ignored contact with the Princess the last few weeks. He had quickly informed her of the pending breakout in four days’ time.

He returned the pewter bowl to his nightstand and collapsed onto his bed. He needed to recoup his strength for the escape.

He jerked his head up as he heard a knock on the door. The residue in the corners of his eyes suggested that he had drifted off into a deep sleep, although it had seemed like only a blink. He rolled out of his bed and opened the door.

There was a middle-aged lady with short, curly hair like that of sheep-wool. She presented Cody with a bundle of clothing. “Here is the new tunic you requested.”

Cody looked at the cloth bundle and scratched his head. “I don’t remember asking for…” he began, but the lady cut him off. “The one you requested two nights ago. Please check carefully to confirm it is precisely as you wished.” Before Cody could question further, the woman curtseyed and disappeared down the corridor.

Cody closed the door and spread the new garments out on his bed. He grinned. Like his current outfit, there was gold embroidered lettering. However, instead of a
B.K.
the letters read:
G.T.

Grabbing them, Cody peeled the letters off. On the back of the “G”was a scribbled note:

Flore Gub has fallen. Golden King is on the move.

We can no longer wait. We must Act.

Tonight.

84

Waiting for the Sign

“IT’S IMPOSSIBLE!” JADE DECLARED in exasperation. “We’re not ready! It wasn’t supposed to happen this way!” She was pacing back and forth. Cody, Tiana, and Xerx sat in a semi-circle on the floor in Cody’s chamber. Xerx had used the High Language to create a steel barricade on the door. Despite being alone, they spoke in almost inaudible whispers.

“Well, it
did
happen this way so there’s no use in us wasting our time talking about how it
should
have been. We must do what we can,” Tiana interjected.

Jade stopped her pacing and looked down at Tiana. “I was not saying that we shouldn’t,” she uttered defensively.

Cody pushed himself up to his feet. “Stop. This isn’t the time to argue. We’re all in this together.”

“The decoy is still days away from being finished. We won’t be able to able to steal the Book from the Great Hall. We may never get a chance like this again to gain control of
The Key
,” Tiana observed.

Xerx nodded. “Tallsin agrees—which is why Randilin is going to steal the Book from the King’s chamber.”

“What?!” the three exclaimed in unison. “That’s suicide!”

Xerx hung his head. “It is not ideal, but Tiana is right—it’s now or never. You’ve seen the size of his forces. If the Golden King marches to Atlantis tomorrow there will be no stopping him. We
need
that Book. It’s our only chance.”

Cody gave his head a hard shake. “What about the others?”

“They all know. And, they will be prepared,” Xerx sighed. “This Second Great War may well hinge on it.”

Xerx lowered his voice when heard scuffling from outside the door. He scurried to the window and jumped up on the ledge. He turned back one last time. “Wait for the sign.”

85

The Piercing Sting of Love

SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL. It was not prideful or vain emotion. It was merely an acknowledgment of the truth. She gazed down at the sleek, snow-white dress that clung tightly against her body. The dress was her favorite. It had once belonged to her mother and was reserved for only the most special occasions—occasions such as tonight.

Queen Cia gave a final twirling examination of the outfit to assure that everything looked perfect. It did.

A familiar scent wafted from the entrance of her chamber announcing that her anxious wait was over. She smiled. “You’re late again, Dunstan.”

Two firm hands wrapped around her from behind and pulled her into an embrace. “You know how much it pains me to keep such a beautiful lady waiting…why don’t we make up for lost time?” he replied eloquently, punctuating it with a jolly laugh.

He brought his hands to her shoulders and began to rub. “Tense as always, my Queen,” Dunstan teased. Cia rolled her head forward, soaking in the joy offered by Dunstan’s hands.

“Until the Book Keeper returns, I am afraid I must get used to it. At least I have you to help carry this burden. Anyone other than Kantan.”

Dunstan kissed the back of her head. “I’d carry
all
the burden if I could. Although I’m afraid I’d be crushed under the weight!” he laughed.

Cia turned around to face Dunstan for the first time. Every time she looked into his eyes she was struck by his handsome features. There was an alluring warmth to him. When he smiled his entire face was involved in the action, not just his lips. It was comforting. It was just how she always remembered her father.

Her shoulders slouched, finally yielding to his firm fingers. “What have I done, Dunstan? Was I mad to send the Book Keeper? Atlantis’ only hope…
my
only hope. Little Eva tells me the Book Keeper has infiltrated El Dorado. She still refuses to reveal how it is she speaks with him, but it matters not. That was a week ago. I have failed my people.”

Dunstan pulled her against his chest. “That boy has overcome more in the last two months than most will in a lifetime. He’s special. My gut tells me he is safe. You are the best queen Atlantis has ever had.”

“I’m the
only
queen Atlantis has ever had!” Cia said with a smile. “What would I do without you? You’ve been my anchor.”

Dunstan turned her around and leaned in close. “You need not worry about what you would do
without
me—but I know one thing you can do
with
me.” Cia felt her heart skip a beat, but she maintained her composure. She allowed his face to slowly close the gap between them, his lips meeting hers tenderly. In that instant all worries, frets, and fears ceased to be. She completely released herself to the moment. She broke the kiss to catch her breath. “I love you,” she whispered.

Dunstan placed his forehead against hers. “And I love you, my Queen.”

Their lips reconnected again, more furiously, as though to make up for the brief moment of separation. She pulled him tighter into the embrace. A tingling sensation ran through her body. She stumbled back lightheaded. “You’re making me dizzy!” She steadied herself. “It seems I’m not the only one love sick. Are you okay? Why are you looking at me like that? Dunstan?”

He stood like a statue, his face as expressionless as a rock. Cia grasped her forehead; her vision was blurry. She felt something warm on her brow.
I’d better not be sweating! My powder will run!
She brought her hand down and found that it was covered in a strange red liquid. She glanced at Dunstan for explanation, but he remained frozen, staring at her indifferently.

She looked down to see her pure white dress now drenched in the same red substance. She inspected it with her hand. She felt something firm and pulled on it. The moment she did, she again felt faint. The object in her hands was a dagger, stained scarlet up to the hilt.

The next thing she knew she was lying on the ground. Her body began to shiver and her eyes drooped. She felt tired. She turned her head to find Dunstan but he was gone. She was alone.

Cia rested her head on the floor, no longer having the strength to hold it up. “Daddy?” she called out silently. Her entire body now felt strange. She pulled her knees up and curled into a ball to try to warm herself. She was so cold. She squeezed her eyes closed.
Mom, I’m sorry about the dress…

86

Less Than Perfect

CODY STARED ABSENTLY at the domed ceiling of his chamber. Time dragged on sluggishly; each second stretching into an eternity.

He went over the escape plan in his head. No matter how many times he worked it over, he was consumed by the same sentiment: the plan was foolhardy, it was sure to fail—but it was their only chance.

He stroked his hand over the cover of the Book, allowing its energy to sooth his cramped muscles. He inhaled deeply to steady his intensified breathing.
Relax, Cody. Relax.

The self pep talk did little to assure him though. How could it? He knew that even the slightest mistake could doom the lives of hundreds. In a city prided on perfection, their escape could ill-afford to be anything less.

Cody perked up. Had he heard something? A soft whistle sounded from outside his room. Crawling out of bed, he tiptoed to the window and glanced out. Across the city, toward the far wall, he could see a vague procession of lights.

The parade of lights was heading away from the city toward the caves.
The sacrificed Resistance volunteers.

It had begun.

Randilin licked his thick, dry lips. He also had heard the soft whistle from outside his window.
I’m getting too bloody old for this sort of thing
, he said to himself sullenly. He took a deep breath and puffed out his shoulders.
Well, here goes nothing.