Shard Knight (Echoes Across Time Book 1) (41 page)

“What can we do to stop him?” Rika said.

“As I mentioned earlier, we need Lora’s Heart, but we also need the rings,” Sir Alcott paused and took a long sip from the coffee suppressing a yawn.

“I was afraid you’d mention the rings,” Danielle said.

“Lora and Elan created the rings as a safeguard. If either orb was shattered, the rings’ owner could use them to rebuild and restore magic. Elan and Lora passed these rings down to their children.”

“How do the rings restore magic?” Ronan said.

“Heilyn didn’t say exactly,” Sir Alcott said. “He said the rings act as a catalyst, and the holders must be ‘pure of blood and body’. He goes on to say that magic can’t be restored unless the hearts ‘beat as one’.”

“I’m not sure how to interpret that,” Danielle said.

“Pure of blood must refer to a mixed lineage of Ayralen and Meranthian bloodlines,” Ronan said.

“You may be right Ronan,” Sir Alcott said. “Heilyn foresaw Meranthians cutting themselves off from their Ayralen counterparts.”

“But what does ‘pure of body’ mean?” Rika said.

Thick silence spread across the table as Rika’s question went unanswered.

“It seems certain from the book’s text that whoever restores magic takes control of its power, but Heilyn didn’t make it clear how that happens.”

“That makes sense,” Ronan said. “But Lora’s Heart could be anywhere. If nobody’s found it in two thousand years, how are we supposed to find it now?”

“Oh yes, the book does give the location for Lora’s Heart,” Sir Alcott said. He let out an enormous yawn and took another swallow of coffee.

Danielle coughed and sputtered as she choked on a half-eaten bite of scrambled egg. She grabbed a napkin and covered her mouth until she brought herself under control. “You know where Lora’s Heart is? And you didn’t tell us that first?”

Sir Alcott rubbed his chin. “I’m sorry Danielle, I found the other information far more interesting. Besides, it doesn’t specify an exact location, but it does say Lora’s Heart can be found beneath the city of Freehold.”

“An ancient aqueduct runs beneath the Shadow City,” Ronan said.

“That would be an excellent starting point. The book says the entrance is hidden, but it can be unlocked by ‘those who are one with nature and its creatures’,” Sir Alcott said.

“A warden,” Danielle said.

“And a guardian,” Rika said.

“We need to find Lora’s Heart before Merric Pride or life as we know it ends,” Ronan said.

Rika chuckled and shook her head.

Danielle’s brows furrowed. “What’s so funny Rika?”

Rika leaned back. “I was just thinking, we need to go on a quest to recover Lora’s Heart, break into the royal palace and steal Elan’s Heart, retrieve Danielle’s ring from Pride, and unlock the lost secret to restoring an ancient magic system.”

Danielle smiled. “And topple an insane tyrant. You can’t forget that part.”

“I’ve got a plan for the rings. The rest will be as easy as buttering a biscuit.” Ronan grabbed the last biscuit from the basket and tore away half in a single bite.

Sir Alcott raised a bushy eyebrow, and shot Ronan a dubious look.

“Sir Alcott, if you and Devery can figure out how to get us into the heart room, the three of us will find Lora’s Heart.”

“I think we can manage that request,” he said. “But how will we contact you.”

“After you’ve made your arrangements, head to the Queen’s Heart,” Ronan said. “Master McClaren is a friend. He knows who I am and can hide us in Freehold for a short time.”

“Be careful Ronan. I don’t know what power protects Lora’s Heart, but don’t rush in,” Sir Alcott said.

“I’ve done enough rushing in for a lifetime Sir Alcott. We’ll be careful.”

A Strange Meeting

Ronan pointed toward a thick grove of trees shadowed beneath a rocky cliff. “It’s ahead. Just beyond that patch of trees.”

He gave Reggie a nudge, and the stallion broke into an easy trot.

Danielle channeled flows of nature magic and used her mind to close the distance with the cluster of birch, alder, oak, and maple trees. Her conscious mind traveled along the link, and she peered over the swaying treetops as if physically standing among them.

The rocky cliff beyond the tree cluster hid a small opening in the rock face a dozen feet from ground level. Nothing moved near the smooth man-made entrance.

Satisfied, Danielle prepared to severe the mental link when an enormous black and silver hawk screeched as it swooped over the tree line carrying a dirty disheveled man atop its back.

Danielle broke the link. “Hold on Ronan. Rika’s back, and she’s brought somebody with her.”

“Whoa boy.” Ronan pulled back Reggie’s reigns. His eyes drifted skyward as he watched Rika hug the treetops and fly straight for them.

Rika beat back her massive silver-tipped wings, extended her talons, and touched down on the grass beside Danielle and Ronan. On her back sat the bedraggled form of Brendyn Hartel.

“Brendyn!” Danielle leaped from Betty’s saddle and grabbed hold of the warden slumped forward clutching Rika’s neck. “Ronan help me.”

Ronan and Danielle pried Brendyn loose from Rika’s back and lowered him to the ground. He wore the stained, torn, and dirty gray uniform assigned the Ayralen colonists and carried his belt pouch and heartwood staff strapped to his back. Brendyn dropped to a knee and pulled in deep rasping breaths. “Who is this idiotic guardian, and where did she learn to fly?”

Danielle sighed. “Brendyn, are you okay? Where’s Arber?”

“No, of course I’m not okay. Do I look okay Danielle?” He stood and brushed bits of dried dirt and grass from his soiled trousers.

Rika shifted into her natural form. “I found him about a mile north of here. He signaled me using his staff as a beacon.”

“I thought Keely might see me, not this, this…,” he waved a hand toward Rika, “girl!” Brendyn said.

“Where’s Arber?” Danielle said.

“Arber’s at the southern camp. I managed to escape, he wasn’t as lucky.”

“What about my father, Ambassador Finn? Did you see him?” Rika said

“Ah…you’re Finn’s spawn. I thought you were dead.” He unstrapped his staff and adjusted his grip on the handle. “He was alive the last time I saw him. Arber’s with him.”

“How did you escape?” Ronan said.

Brendyn made no effort to disguise his contempt as he sized up Ronan like a drunken vagrant passed out in an alley. “Well, it looks like you’ve found him Danielle. Congratulations. Mission accomplished. Along the way, you managed to get every single team member either killed or captured. Bravo.”

Heat spread through Danielle’s cheeks, and she lowered her gaze. His words stung, but she couldn’t change the past and wouldn’t offer any apology for her actions. Every member of her team knew the risk involved when they volunteered.

Rika turned a harsh glare on Brendyn. “Don’t speak to Danielle like that!”

“Oh I’m sorry, did you spend the last month in a prison locked up with no food and left for dead?”

“No,” she said.

Brendyn smirked. “Then shut - “

“I spent two months in a prison locked up with no food and left for dead. So did Danielle. You’re not the only one to suffer you…you miserable little man.” Rika stared daggers through the bedraggled warden.

“It’s okay Rika. Don’t let him get to you,” Danielle said.

“You still haven’t answered the question,” Ronan said. “How did you escape?”

“My captors were stupid. That’s how.” He rolled his eyes and turned a mocking smile on Ronan.

Ronan shrugged. “Danielle, Rika, let’s go. Brendyn, follow along if you like, just try not to get yourself killed.”

Danielle’s blue eyes flashed with anger. “Brendyn, drop the sarcasm. We’ve all dealt with a lot, and you’re only making it worse. If you come along, play nice.”

“So I’m supposed to follow this Meranthian? He’s a shard knight Danielle. We can’t trust him.”

Rika lunged at Brendyn with death in her eye and swung a leather gloved fist at his hooked nose.

Her punch missed Brendyn’s nose by an inch as he ducked beneath it. “Get this lunatic away from me!” He covered his head and crouched cowering away from Rika.

Ronan grabbed Rika by her elbow and held her back. “Don’t let him anger you. Let’s go. He’s wasting our time.”

“We can leave the horses in that cluster of trees.” Danielle said.

Ronan secured Reggie on a low hanging branch making sure he had room enough to graze on a thick patch of nearby grass. He tied Betty alongside Reggie and met the group near the smooth round hole leading into the cliff face.

“What is that?” Rika said

“It’s the service entrance to Freehold’s first aqueduct. It supplied Freehold’s earliest citizens with water in the years after its construction. Workers would use this tunnel to perform maintenance or check for problems with the water flow,” Ronan said.

Danielle pressed a few seeds against the rock face and sent nature magic coursing through them. A series of heavy brown vines twisted and spread along the cliff wall forming a living ladder that ended just below the round opening. “Let’s go.”

Ronan climbed the ladder, knelt on the entrance’s rocky ledge, and reached for Danielle’s hand.

She took his hand and climbed the ladder until she stood next to him.

Rika shifted into a small bird and fluttered up next to Ronan before shifting to her human form.

“Can you see anything down the hole Ronan?” Danielle said.

“Smooth, slimy, wet rock like a giant slide, and a few bats.”

“Bats?” Rika closed her eyes as focused concentration lined her face. She opened her eyes and shifted into a squeaky black cave bat before disappearing down the shaft.

“A few weeks ago she would’ve walked a mile out of her way to avoid a bat, now she is one.” Ronan chuckled and shook his head.

“I’m still firmly in the ‘go out of my way to avoid them’ camp,” Danielle said.

Brendyn climbed the vine ladder before joining Ronan and Danielle inside the dark hole. “Danielle, before I follow you and Mister Wonderful here down this dark, bat infested cave, can you tell me what we’re doing here?”

“Do you remember the book from the ruins in Salem’s Peak?”

Brendyn licked his lips, and his eyes flickered down to her belt pouch. “Of course I remember. Do you have it with you?”

“No. Sir Alcott has it. He’s Ronan’s friend.”

“What?” Brendyn’s eyes bulged, and his face went ashen. “Why would you entrust such a priceless artifact with a barbaric Meranthian?”

Anger flashed in Ronan’s green eyes. “There’s no person alive I’d entrust more with an item so rare and valuable,” Ronan said. “Who do you think translated it?”

Brendyn scoffed. “Spare me your outrage shard knight.”

“The book’s led us here Brendyn,” Danielle said. “It said Lora’s Heart lies beneath Freehold.”

“Please Danielle, some greedy Meranthian treasure hunter would’ve long ago looted it.” Brendyn said. “You’re not going to believe some dusty old book are you?”

“The Book of Order said Lora’s Heart can’t be found without a warden and guardian. Meranthia hasn’t allowed either inside its borders for two thousand years,” she said.

“Rika’s reached the base of the shaft,” Ronan said. “Come on. The ceiling’s low, you’ll have to slide down the passage.” Ronan sat on the slimy stone surface and pushed off slipping downward disappearing into the dark shaft.

Danielle lowered her bottom to the wet moss covered stone and slid ahead into the darkness. She pushed forward using her hands for the first few feet. She shuddered when the moss beneath her turned into a cold slimy ooze, and she began moving faster down the shaft.

As Danielle built up speed, a bubble of panic bulged in her mind, and she pushed back the urge to reach out her hands to slow her momentum. She dispelled the idea as images of thick mounds of bat feces raced through her mind.

Ronan’s body hurtled down the shaft in front of Danielle squishing through muddy slime.

As she descended, the shaft grew darker until Danielle couldn’t see an inch past her nose. The air surrounding her thickened, and the musty stench of cave rot filled her nostrils.

After what felt like an eternity, a warm pair of strong hands scooped up Danielle as the shaft ended abruptly.

“I’ve got you,” Ronan said. He held Danielle in his arms as if she weighed no more than a babe before setting her down.

A shrill high-pitched shriek followed as Brendyn shot from the dark shaft flopping against the slippery rock with the grace of a pregnant water buffalo.

“Oh, sorry about that,” Ronan said with amusement sprinkled in his words.

Brendyn groaned in reply and pushed himself to his feet.

“This passage travels a long way in two directions,” Rika said.

Trickling water ran beneath the team’s feet cutting through the pitch-black silence.

“The passageway definitely slopes.” Danielle said. She channeled shard magic and probed outward with her mind searching for any living organism. Beneath the flowing water she found a growth of algae covering the stone floor.