The Treason Blade (Battle for Alsaar Book 1) (22 page)

Ishar closed
her eyes and banged her head against the stone behind her in frustration. Even
though she was certain of the outcome, Ishar stood and made her way over to the
candle. Her shackle stopped her, so she lay and reached out her leg, to no
avail. The tray was out of reach. Ishar closed her eyes for a moment and laid
her head on the cold stone tiredly. She sighed, opened her eyes and slid back
to the wall. Ishar made herself a vow. If somehow she made it out of this
place, so help her Isla would feel the wrath of her hands. She shivered against
the cold that was slowly seeping into her bones. The stone room, without the
comforts of furs and a fire, sucked the heat from her body. Several more days
in this place and the people of the holding would not have to worry about
killing her. The cold would do it for them.

Ishar hugged
her legs and stared at the flame of the candle. The light made a difference and
it burned brightly, but Ishar wished she could have reached it with her feet
and kicked hard, as it now only served the purpose of illuminating what was
denied her. She wondered if the light would keep the rats away. Ishar soon had
her answer. Within minutes, she watched as several rats converged on the tray.
In their challenge over the food, the cup was knocked askew. The liquid sloshed
across the stone floor, delving into cracks. The rats scattered for a moment
but returned and investigated the porridge with eager noses. Ishar’s stomach groaned
as she watched the rodents devour her breakfast. Eventually, all that was left
was the candle, which slowly burned down. She was grateful only in the sense
that it gave her an awareness of the passage of time, but in due course
darkness slipped upon her as the candle finally flickered faintly one final
time and went out. A part of her knew it had to be past lunch. Another part
wondered why it mattered. There was no way Isla was going to let her have any
food whenever she did choose to bring it. Thinking over the woman’s petty
vindictiveness, an image suddenly came to mind of Isla emerging from Ishar’s
room and cloak covered clothes. Ishar pondered the thought. Considering the
woman’s hatred, could the cloak have also concealed a hand that held arrows?
Was Isla so desperate for revenge that she would injure Eira? Ishar leaned back
and groaned as she tried to determine from what direction her enemies hid.

Later, after
much mulling and little resolve, the sound of the lock turning came to her
ears. The door opened with a groan and Isla entered with another candle and a
tray. Ishar stayed where she was. She saw no need to rise. Isla took note of
her posture. “I take it you find our hospitality lacking?” she mocked. Ishar’s
eyes narrowed but she did not speak. She only watched the Britai woman with a
calculated look. Isla set the candle on a stone niche. She reached and took the
cup from the tray and leaned over. “Are you thirsty, Haaldyn?” She asked,
holding the cup out.

Ishar was not
certain what the woman had planned but she was sure it did not involve her
getting a cool drink. Her parched throat ached at the sight of the brimming
liquid but still she said nothing. Ishar simply fought her body’s urge to grab
for the cup.

Isla leaned
over farther. The smell of sweet paera assailed her nose. Ishar involuntarily
swallowed, her mouth instantly salivating. Ishar stared at the woman in
bewilderment. “Why do you hate me so much? I am not the one who killed your
husband.”

Isla jerked
back as if struck. Her eyes burned. “Your kind did,” she spat scathingly. “If
not for your people, he would still be alive.” Isla looked at the drink and
then back at Ishar. “I am sure you are thirsty. Here.” She threw the contents.
Liquid splattered across Ishar’s face and soaked into her clothing.

Ishar wiped
her sleeve across her face and stood to face the troubled woman. Isla took
several steps back in wariness. Ishar’s jaw tightened as she pleaded with the
woman. “Do you not see how you have let hate wrap itself so tightly around your
soul that you have little hope of releasing it?” She shook her head. “I feel
sorry for you, Isla.”

Isla’s face
grew taut with anger. “I would not worry too much about it if I were you,” she
sneered, “When you are hanged in a day or two, know I will feel nothing but joy
at seeing you swing.” She looked down at the plate on the tray and glanced
up. “And since you are not to be long
with us, I see no reason why we should worry about wasting good food on the walking
dead.” Isla turned to go.

“Wait,” Ishar
said quickly. When the other woman looked back, she asked hurriedly, “How is
Eira? Does she live?”

Isla eyes
sparked with fire. “Yes. You were not as skilled as you thought. She lives, but
her body burns with a fever that only grows and does not lessen. We still wait
for her to wake, though whether she does or not, you are still condemned by the
arrows we pulled from her body.” The Britai woman moved through the door and
slammed it shut.

Ishar found
herself once more in darkness. She thought of Eira and frowned. Her friend was
deadly ill it seemed. That did not bode well. If Eira died, would Varyk or
Lysandr be able to stop the people from demanding her death? Ishar feared the
worst as she struggled against the growing cold and hunger. Her eyes wavered
and closed at spells. She was woken once by the curious nudge of a furred body
against her legs. Fully awake, she had jumped up and kicked with her feet at
the stone floor around her. The rats had scattered in the darkness, loud
squeaks indicating their new position by the far wall. Then only silence. The
rats had been attracted to the sweetness of the paera soaked into her clothing,
she realized. Ishar stretched and continued to stand. A growing weariness over
time won out and eventually she slid back down against the wall with a shudder.
With her back straight and head tilted, Ishar listened for the noises of night
movements.

It was later
when she heard the sound of the key scraping in the lock. For a moment there
was silence as whoever was outside paused. Ishar, awake, studied the blackness
in the direction of the door and wondered who had come for her now. After
Isla’s words, she found herself mentally preparing for a fight. A moment later
the door eased open slowly with the slightest groan. Ishar, perplexed by the
quiet nature of the movement, blinked once more at the small flame of a candle
which seemed so bright to her light deprived eyes. Blinking rapidly to recover
from the blinding illumination, she tried to identify the figure behind the
held candle. It was not Isla. She had no need to cover herself with a cloak and
hood. The figure moved deeper into the room. Ishar warily rose, uncertain of
the reception she was about to receive.

The hood was
pulled back quickly. Ishar blinked again.
This time in
confusion.
“Audris?”

The Lute
woman gave a solemn nod and glanced toward the door. “Yes,” she whispered,
“though lower your voice. No one knows I am here. It is late, past the middle
of night.”

Ishar moved
away from the wall and came as far as her shackle would allow. “Why are you
here, Audris?” She asked softly.

Audris set
her candle on the same niche Isla had used. She studied Ishar. “I come because
I believe my lady’s heart has never led her wrong.”

“I do not
understand,” Ishar said, puzzled at Audris’ cryptic words.

“Eira
believed in you and in your people, that they were needed to fight the coming
war with the Tourna,” Audris spoke softly. “She would also be the first to
state this fledgling alliance would be destroyed should anything happen to
you.” She nodded hesitantly. “I come tonight because of her trust in you and
her words. Nothing must happen to you. You must live. There may be time later
to work out what happened to Eira but if the people rise up and you die because
of a rash act, our future will be destroyed.” Audris moved closer. “I have come
to lead you from this place so you may seek safety.”

After all the
accusations, hearing Audris’ words was a comfort. However, Ishar was not
certain how to respond. “I will not have you place yourself in jeopardy,
Audris. I must stay and trust that Varyk is a just man and will see this
through to my innocence.”

The Lute
woman sighed. “That day is long past. You have only this chance to flee. If you
do not, I fear the only path left for you is death.”

Fear crept
into Ishar’s heart. “What has happened?”

Sadness was
etched into Audris’ eyes. “My lady is dead. Varyk is locked in his grief and
will not leave her side.” Audris moved closer. “The word has spread. Already
the people stir up against you.”

Ishar found
her breath strangled and a deep pain burning within. She struggled for the
right choice over her overwhelming and confusing emotions. “But if I leave, it
will most assuredly point to my guilt.”

“And if you
do not leave, you will not live to see the morning light,” came Audris’ harsh
reply. “There is a way out of the fortress. A tunnel my lady showed me years
ago. It was discovered when the holding was being rebuilt but only a handful of
people know of its existence.”

Ishar
frowned. “It will be difficult to reach anywhere without being seen.
Especially if the people are so stirred to anger.”

“No,” Audris
whispered low, “The place I speak of is in the fortress itself, the side that
is closest to the outer wall, a storeroom such as this with a secret door
hidden deep in the floor.” There was a clang of metal as she raised a key in
her hand.
“Your shackle, please?”
Ishar stuck out her
chained arm and Audris unlocked the metal clasp. Ishar rubbed her raw wrist.
Audris picked up the light and made her way to the door. She turned. “We must
hurry,” she murmured when she spotted Ishar’s continued hesitation.

Ishar looked
over the room and thought of Isla. If everyone was of the Britai woman’s mind,
then Audris was right. She would have no chance to survive the night. A part of
her grieved at Eira’s passing but the decision was quickly made. Ishar moved
through the door with the other woman. Audris took the time to relock the door
and hang the keys. She glanced back at Ishar, her eyes grave. “You will need
all the time you can get.” They moved down the hallway. As they passed by the
stairs, Ishar could have sworn she heard the sound of wailing from above but
steeled her own growing ache about Eira and hurried with the Lute woman as they
made their way down the corridor. They took a turn and moved down beside the
main hall. Audris took the time to glance within,
then
motioned her hand onward to Ishar. They moved quickly forward until they came
to the hallway’s end and Audris took another right. They were now on the other
side of the fortress, the part closest to the outer wall.

Audris tugged
on Ishar’s sleeve to hurry. They quietly made their way to the end room. Audris
took a key from her belt and unlocked the door. Once inside, Audris shut the door
and shined her light around. They were indeed in a storeroom. Shelves lined the
walls and boxes were stacked upon one another at several points around a small
table set in the middle. Audris made her way to the wall that ran alongside the
outer wall. It was a section where several wooden containers stood. She looked
at Ishar and spoke in a more normal tone, “Help me with this. We have to
hurry.” Together the boxes were slid sideways. Ishar was quick to recognize the
ring hooked to the wood as a sort of knob. She reached for the handle with her
fingers and yanked upward. For a second the door resisted but then came up with
a groan. The smell of damp earth tickled her nose.

Audris
motioned down with the light. “This is the beginning of the tunnel. Varyk had
it relined and strengthened. It ends at a grove of trees and bushes coming out
of a hillside. The actual entrance is concealed by bushes. You will not be
seen. I have left a horse for you tied to a tree. I am afraid it has no saddle.
I could not afford the chance I would be questioned.” Audris wrung her hands.
“I am sorry. I also have no weapons for you.”

Ishar turned
a weary look and studied Audris sadly. “Do not worry,” she said gravely and
laid her hand gently upon the woman’s arm in friendship. “Thank you. You have
done too much already. I wish no ill will to fall upon you because of the
others’ anger.” She pointed to the candle. “May I?” Audris looked surprised but
handed over the lit candle. Ishar shined the light high as she took in the
room’s contents. A moment later she smiled and walked over to a shelf. On it
was laid a short cutting dagger. The blade was not the best but Ishar slid it
where her dwæn usually fit. She turned back to Audris and said firmly, “I am
afraid I must borrow this. I cannot leave without some defense, not that this
will provide much. Still, it is better than no form of protection,” Ishar added
as she passed the light back to Audris. “Thank you again.”

Audris
nodded. “When you leave the other end of the tunnel, I would offer the
suggestion that you go west, toward the high cliffs.”

Ishar
frowned. “My father comes. Would it not be better if I rode to meet him?”

Audris shook
her head. “By now the Lute will have been sent word that Eira was wounded,
quite possibly by a Haaldyn. They will not have heard of her death but even
that will not take long. Still, I would say to make it through Lute controlled
area just now could be dangerous. Any Haaldyn will be suspect. Your father will
come with his warriors and so be protected. The Lute would be fools to attack
him. Also, once Varyk’s men hear of your escape they will pursue. They will
more than likely head the way you speak of going. Now you will not only have to
worry about what is in front of you but also what is behind.” She shook her
head. “No, you must go to west along the Etu River until you come to the high
cliffs. Once there, cross the river, turn northward and head into the Twyndur
mountain range. That is territory you understand. It will be easier to evade
capture as you move north. There you can alert your people to possible
retaliation and bring more warriors to ensure your father’s safety.” Audris
reached inside her cloak toward her belt. She removed a flask and a small
satchel. “I thought you might need this for your journey. I do not know how
much time you will have to hunt. You must move quickly.” Audris glanced
nervously behind her. “You must hurry. There is no telling when they may come
and light will be upon you before long. You must use the cover of darkness while
it is available.”