Secrets of Arkana Fortress (13 page)

Byde eyed her, impressed with her observations. ‘Ancient magic courses through the entire body; it needs the strength of a complete entity, and not just a part of one. My magic is in my blood, so it runs through my veins.’

‘Ancient magic?’ Olen addressed him with a sudden look of realisation. ‘You mean the ancient ways don’t you? You told us about casting being one of those ways.’ He trailed off.

‘Yes, Olen,’ acknowledged Byde. ‘I am the last of my kind.’

Chapter 10

‘You useless prick, you useless fucking prick.’ Dedrick arched his arm around and smashed his fist into Mikos’s face. The resounding smack bounced off the stone-walled room giving company to the old man’s volcanic mood.

              Mikos grimaced as he bent down clutching his cheek. ‘It’s better than nothing, old man; cool off.’

              Dedrick grunted disapprovingly at being called old. ‘This is a bunch of worthless shit. How is this supposed to save my little Evie?’ He brandished the wad of letters in the air that Mikos had relinquished from the commander’s office.

              He looked down at the floor and then back at Dedrick. ‘That is useful information that you could sell and make a tidy profit on after you’ve saved the girl.’ He straightened himself up and continued to rub his face. He had been taken back to the same cold room he had woken up in, but this time it was colder than normal, and not just literally.

              ‘I do not much
care
for tales of wars and spying on people who have long been dead,’ Dedrick snapped as he chucked the letters at Mikos’s face. ‘You know something? You’re one lucky bastard.’ He turned his back and held his chin in his hand.

              Mikos raised an eyebrow and then bent down to pick up the discarded letters. ‘Lucky? What you on about?’

              Dedrick whirled around, the gust from his cloak creating a chilling breeze. ‘You are lucky that I’ve got a plan B; I just knew you would cock this up.’

              ‘Plan B, is it? Well then I guess you don’t need me anymore then.’

              ‘Guess again, shit for brains,’ Dedrick barked fearfully. ‘You’ll help me rescue Evie, or your life’ll be forfeit.’

              Mikos picked up the letters, tucking them into his belt before waving his arms in the air in protest. ‘In other words you’d kill me if I didn’t help you get your precious little girl back?’

              A second fist pounded into his face, sending him stumbling back. This Dedrick character certainly had some physical power for one so aged. ‘Stop doing that!’ cried Mikos, who was quickly getting bruised.

              ‘Never take that fucking tone with me when mentioning my niece, arsehole.’ He stooped over him and glared with fire in his eyes. ‘I’ll tell you when to speak.’

              ‘Piss off, old man,’ Mikos roared with a sudden bout of defiance that rendered Dedrick a bit taken aback. He scrambled to his feet, nursing the newest bruise, and squared up to his captor. ‘I’ve had enough of kowtowing to your fucking feet.’

              Another fist arose, hovered momentarily, and then receded. A soft huffing could be heard as Dedrick began to pace up and down, hands locked behind his back. He finally stopped and addressed his defiant captive. ‘Tell you what… you help me get my niece back and then you can go – no questions asked, no strings attached. Sound good to you, Mr Valdera?’ His tone was strangely sincere, not sounding sarcastic in the slightest.

              Mikos shuffled his feet and backed off ever so slightly, his face an unexpected picture of confusion and suspicion. ‘No strings attached? You mean just allow me to go and you won’t grind my good name into the dust?’

              Dedrick nodded briefly. ‘You have my word on that.’

              With a doubtful smirk Mikos walked to one side a few steps, hand on his hips. ‘Well I hope you’re not offended if I remain sceptical of your word, considering the present circumstances and all.’

              ‘Not at all. An extra pair of hands, appropriately armed of course, can always go a long way.’

              ‘Wait a minute, are you expecting me to kill Donnol guards of all people?’ Mikos looked from one side to the other, and then shook his head, the look in his eyes rekindling his earlier reluctance. ‘I dunno if I can do that.’

              ‘Well then that’s tough shit ain’t it?’ Dedrick replied sternly as he rubbed his chest. ‘It’s that or no deal. You don’t have much o’ a choice, trader man.’ He suddenly coughed harshly, a deep rasping emanating from his throat. ‘Fuck’s sake.’

              A swift train of thought rolled through Mikos’s head as he watched the old man hack up his guts. He shook it off. ‘Fine I’ll do it; anything to get out of here and back on track,’ he replied with a sigh.

              Dedrick raised his head and, for the first time that Mikos had seen, smiled at him. ‘Then we’ll make the preparations.’ He turned slowly, hand still on chest, and started to walk off.

              ‘When are you planning to set out?’ Mikos called after him.

              ‘As soon as possible – tonight probably.’

***

‘You want to know what plan B is then, Mr Valdera?’ Orlanna asked him abruptly as she handed Mikos a beaker of ale. ‘Here, get this down you.’

              He took the vessel and drank heartily from it. This ale was much better than the watered down rat piss you got in the local pubs and taverns; this was probably Donnol ale before it got handed to each and every proprietor. It was more or less the same in these big cities – watering down the finest ales, beers, and spirits into a thinner, much cheaper tasting beverage, and still charging full price for it. It was a refreshing change to taste something so pure and bodied.

              ‘Good stuff this,’ he complimented before taking another longing swig of it.

              ‘Only the very best for Dedrick and the boys,’ Orlanna beamed. ‘And their guests of course.’

              ‘Miss Orlanna,’ Mikos began. ‘How am I considered to be a guest when I was bagged, beaten, and bonded?’

              She waved a hand, stifling back a smile. ‘It’s standard for any of his guests. Our apologies, but surely you can understand the reasons behind all of this?’

              Mikos pursed his lips and shrugged. ‘I suppose so,’ he sighed.

              ‘Good,’ she nodded. With a graceful movement she glided over to a large metallic door in the small conference room they were in – housing an overly large table, fireplace, and chairs – and then faced Mikos once more. ‘So, you want to know what plan B is?’ She opened the door, a clunking sound bouncing around the room as the hefty lock mechanism unbolted itself.

              ‘Meet Kelken and Breena Lexos.’

***

              Kelken strolled in with a grouchy look on his face. He snorted at Orlanna as she introduced him and Breena. ‘Thank the gods you let us in coz there was a chill starting in that corridor. Where’s the fire?’ The old warhorse of a warrior staggered over to the roaring fireplace behind where Mikos stood, shoving him away as he moved closer. ‘Out the way, kid,’ he snarled with a shivery voice before he began to stoke the coals.

              The red-headed girl called Breena placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. Mikos noticed that they were reptilian; it was hard not to notice to be honest, including the trail of scales running down both sides of her neck that must’ve reached down to her legs, and other places.

              Mikos shook his head free of his curiosities and looked at Orlanna again. ‘Who are these people?’ he asked bewildered.

              Breena waggled a finger at him with a sneer. ‘We have names, you know. I’m Breena and that’s my dad, Kelken. Were you not listening or something?’ Her voice was scathing. Mikos noted her looks; surprisingly alluring and sexy for a half-breed.

              ‘And you can stop looking me up and down,’ she added before turning away.

              Out of nowhere there was a heavy-handed slap to the back of his head from the old man behind him. ‘Keep your eyes in their sockets before I gouge them out and feed ‘em to the dog,’ he snarled.

              The sudden shift in the atmosphere singled him out, and he lowered his head, trying to bite his tongue. He was feeling much like an outcast at the moment.

              ‘So,’ Kelken started to rub his hands together vigorously. ‘What’s the name of this careless cow we gotta rescue?’

              Orlanna shot him a glance as if to say
‘don’t you dare sound so annoyed when you’re getting paid for her safe return’
. ‘Her name is Evie Ranliss – the niece of your employer.’

              The old man swallowed hard and stayed silent as he turned back to the fireplace.

              ‘I apologise for my father,’ said Breena, her flowing red hair being smoothed out by her delicate fingers.

She reminded Mikos of a swan – graceful and majestic, but hiding a temper that could rip a person’s head off with one snap of the tongue.

‘He’s a bit of a tactless old dog that’s only used to conversing with enemies in battle,’ she explained to Orlanna who was now sitting on the edge of the table staring at Breena’s father with distaste.

‘I’m sure he didn’t mean it, did you, Mr Lexos?’ Mikos intervened nervously, a sudden bout of awkwardness setting in in the presence of these two strangers.

Kelken looked at the distressed man, and then to Orlanna. ‘Who is this stupid looking clown by the way?’

Orlanna stood up and stepped forward. ‘This is Mr Valdera, the reason Dedrick hired you.’

‘How do you mean?’ asked Kelken.

‘He’s the one who more or less handed Mr Ranliss’s niece to the authorities.’

‘Purely by accident,’ Mikos blurted out as he looked from Orlanna, to Kelken, and then to Breena. ‘I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

Kelken laughed and patted Mikos hard on the back. ‘Hey it’s no skin off my nose… tis people like you that get me and my daughter paid. Just keep fucking up and we’ll be happy, alright?’

Just then, another heavy-set door behind the table unbolted and creaked open quickly. Dedrick beheld the two mercenaries with cautious eyes – he didn’t know these people, so his lack of trust for strangers had already set in. ‘Thank you for coming, mercenaries.’

Orlanna went to his side and raised an arm in the direction of Kelken and Breena. ‘Dedrick, this is Breena and…’

‘I don’t care to know their names. The less we know about each other the better… agreed?’ He raised his eyebrows questioningly at them both.

Breena nodded and took a seat while Kelken turned back to the fireplace with a grunt of acknowledgement. ‘Suits me fine,’ he mumbled. ‘Just tell us about this contract and we’ll get the cogs whirring.’

Dedrick motioned for everyone to sit. ‘Please, take a seat everyone.’ They all joined him apart from Kelken who insisted on staying by the fire. ‘Very well then, mercenary, I’ll begin.’ He looked at each one of them in turn. ‘As you two are aware, my niece was inadvertently apprehended by this man here.’ He raised an accusing finger up at Mikos. ‘She has therefore been imprisoned, and will more than likely be executed within a day or two. That is why we must move tonight without delay.’

Breena leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table top. ‘We’ve read the plan of action your assistant drafted up, and my dad and I have to admit that such a direct course of action is inadvisable. If you allow us to improvise this one, you’ll find that your young niece will come out of this unscathed.’

Dedrick glowered at the red-head, a deep-rooted snarling in his throat as he breathed heavily. ‘What would your initial tactic be then?’

Kelken piped up as he leaned against the wall by the fireplace. ‘Instead of a division of forces I would recommend a distraction and extraction strategy – you and your forces, Mr Ranliss, could create distractions in whatever form you want while me and my daughter sneak in and get her out.

‘And what makes you think that just the pair of you would succeed instead of my plan?’ Dedrick asked, doubt on his ale-aged features.

Kelken laughed and slapped the wall with his palm with genuine amusement. ‘Because, good sir, we are highly trained professionals, whereas your lot are a bunch of rebels, and certainly not soldiers.’

Orlanna rested her chin on her clasped hands and looked at the old mercenary. ‘I take it you have extensive military training then?’ she asked with an essence of doubting sarcasm in her voice. ‘Mr Ranliss has military training as well you know, and I would imagine it’s just as good as yours.’

Breena suddenly held her head in her hands and began mumbling. ‘Here we go… you shouldn’t have said that, miss.’

Orlanna, a look of fast-acting confusion now moving across her slender features, watched Kelken reach into his heavy leather jacket and pull out a small medallion from around his neck. He unclipped it and slid it across the table. ‘If you know your stuff, Mr Ranliss, you should recognise what that thing means.’

Orlanna picked up the silvery disc and brought it up close to her face to examine it. She flinched suddenly and shoved it into Dedrick’s large palm. ‘Maybe he is better trained than you are after all, Dedrick.’