Red Gold - 24. Chapter 24 - Rescue

Leelany led the way along the base of the cliffs until they shrank to nothing and the river valley opened out narrowing into the distance. Without pausing Leelany galloped into the valley and along it until the path again climbed into the cliffs and suddenly Gabrielle found herself on the road she had seen in her very first dream. Again she rode past the road that led to the castle that had become her home and, instead took the narrow rocky path, clinging to the side of the mountain, climbing towards the broken shell high above.

About half way up the mountain Leelany pulled her horse sharply into the wall of the cliff and vanished. Shocked Gabrielle also reigned her horse at the spot and found a cleft in the rock, just large enough for a horse. Ducking her head to avoid the low roof she passed into a long low cave. Leelany had dismounted and was tying her horse to a metal ring set into the stone.

“What is this place?”

“It is a secret way to the top of the mountain. It must have been built when the castle was in use.”

“How did you know it was here?”

“I have been talking to people and exploring. It is widely known of in the village although I have not been here before myself. I do not believe that the Sorcerer is aware of it. If we had climbed the outside path we would have been seen for sure. This way there is a chance we will get at least to the top of the mountain without being seen.”

“What about Cai? Does he know of this way?”

“No. This is not the way he will go. He does not have a horse, remember. There is another way, a way that is impassable to horses but more hidden, it will take time and if we hurry we can still be at the top before him. If we are very lucky we can intercept him before he is seen.”

“Then hurry Lee, please.”

With Gabrielle close behind Leelany led the way up flight after flight of stone steps leading up the inside of the mountain. It seemed as though the darkness and the airlessness would never end. Gabrielle thought that her lungs would burst and her legs turn to jelly but she kept pushing, keeping bright in her mind’s eye an image of green and red gold.

When Leelany stopped suddenly Gabrielle almost ran into the back of her.

“What is it?”

“Hush, we are at the top. There is daylight ahead. Stay here and I will scout.”

Gabrielle leaned against the wall and struggled to bring the breathing under her control. By the time Leelany returned she was not only ready to press on but desperate to do so.

“Come, it is safe but only if you are silent and keep under cover. We are close to the castle and there are guards but I can detect them. Keep close and keep low.”

Gabrielle nodded and followed as Leelany led the way out through a curtain of ivy into a thicket. Pushing through the undergrowth they came to the edge and looked out over an area of scrubland to where the walls of the castle loomed less than a hundred feet away.

Leelany led the way around the perimeter of the castle, keeping to the thicket as much as they could, dodging from one piece of cover to the next whilst Leelany was constantly alert for guards or random roaming demons. Now and again she would whirl and fling Gabrielle unceremoniously into a bush, a patch of undergrowth or, once, into a nettle patch and would crouch beside her as shadows passed and vanished.

After they had gone about half way around the castle Leelany stopped and drew Gabrielle back into the thicket a little way.

“The path that I think Cai would have taken comes out just ahead. I don’t know how fast he was able to travel or exactly what time he left but I would suspect that he is near the top if not already here. The question is… do we wait near the top, go back down the path or range out up here?”

“What is your feeling?”

“I feel that he is still on the path.”

“Then go down to meet him. I will wait here. If I see anything I will come get you.”

“If that is what you wish My Lady.”

“Can it Lee, we haven’t time for nonsense. Don’t go too far, if you don’t find him soon come back.”

“Yes ma’am.” but she was smiling as she slipped away.

Now that she was alone it was not so easy to be strong and confident. A wild wind was blowing from the direction of the castle, and with it came the smell of woodsmoke and burning flesh. At the place where she was the thicket pressed close to the wall of the castle so that there was only a strip of scrub less that ten feet wide before the castle wall. Curiosity drew her across it and she pressed her back against the cold stone of the wall, thankful that she had thought to dress in a dress the colour of autumn leaves, in this landscape she was all but invisible.

Inching along the wall she came to a place where there had once been a window which had fallen taking part of the wall with it. Crouching she peered over the edge and found herself looking through the ruin of a room, with the roof and far wall fallen so that she could see through into the courtyard beyond. The scene was familiar to her, she had seen it before, in her dreams. There was an alter, dark with old blood and, before it a blazing fire. Scattered around the courtyard were creatures that were half human half demon. And, at the centre was a pile of something dark. She could not quite make out what it was until the man who stood behind the altar reached his hand into the air plucking from it, seemingly from nowhere, a bird which beat at him with its wings until he pinned it to the altar and, taking a knife sliced off its head.

Instead of blood a thin dark mist flowed from its neck and formed roughly into man shape. The Sorcerer picked up the head and threw it into the air. As it fell it seemed to, in the same instant, explode and expand filling the misty shape and forming one of the shadow demons. Joining its fellows in the courtyard it went to work with the others. The Sorcerer tossed the body of the bird onto the pile in the middle with which the demons fed the fire.

Turning away and pressing her back against the wall Gabrielle gagged and covered her mouth with her hand. Taking a deep breath to steady herself she automatically scanned the tree line with her eyes and caught a movement a way to her left, a place which faced the courtyard were it opened to the outside, to the road. It was gone as soon as she saw it but for an instant she had seen, at least she had thought she had seen, a flash of red gold.

“Damn.” She looked around wildly but there was no sign of Leelany. Cursing she ducked back into the thicket and fought her way through the undergrowth praying to anyone who might hear that he would not make a move until she had found him. Stumbling over roots and pulling free of branched that sought to tangle in her clothes and her hair she finally made it to the spot she had seen from her previous vantage point. There did not appear to be anything or anyone there and she did not have the skills that Cai or Leelany would have had to tell if anyone had been there.

Desperately she turned around and around, crouching low in the thickest part of the thicket she could find but there was nothing, no one there. Gabrielle sank to her knees and put her head in her hands. And then she heard something. It was almost nothing but for an instant she was sure that there was someone or something moving, not too far away. It could, of course, have been a demon but…..

Staying on her knees she crawled towards the sound, keeping low to the ground and moving as quickly and silently as she could. And then she saw him. Quite suddenly, silently and without warning he rose out of the bushes very close by. He had been so intent on what he was doing he had neither seen nor heard her. That was a bad sign, he was careless of his own safety. He had a bow, drawn with an arrow in the string. Following the line of the arrow she could see his target and panicked.

Uncoiling like a spring Gabrielle rose from the bushes and began to launch herself at him. In an instant she saw Cai turn his head towards her, a look of shock on his face and then she was falling, landing hard with the wind knocked out of her and a knee in the small of her back pinning her to the ground. Wildly she struggled desperate to get up, desperate to get to Cai.”

“Be still you fool.” It was Leelany’s voice, hissing close to her ear and she froze instantly. The knee withdrew and Gabrielle rolled over onto her back looking up into Leelany’s face where the expression was unreadable. “I knew that if I left you for an instant you would get into trouble.”

“Cai…..”

“Don’t worry about Cai, he can take care of himself. He saw you and disappeared. He will find us if we manage to keep out of reach of the guards. Hurry.”

Leelany disappeared into the trees and Gabrielle followed her deeper and deeper into the thicket. At last they stopped looking around fearfully but there was nothing, no movement. They waited for what seemed like a long time but nothing came…. no demon and no Cai.

“We have to go back.”

“Don’t be foolish. We are safe here and Cai will find us eventually.”

“No, I have a bad feeling, we have to go back.”

“Wait here. I will check it out.”

“Alright, be quick.”

Leelany disappeared and Gabrielle waited, her heart pounding, seeing movement everywhere, hearing noises all around. When Leelany appeared suddenly next to her she jumped almost out of her skin. Leelany was breathing hard, her face very grave.

“They have him.”

“What?”

“Cai. I had forgotten the control He has over him. He called, Cai could do nothing but respond. He has him.”

Without another word Gabrielle pushed past Leelany and began to push her way through the thicket.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I have to see. I have to help him.”

“What can you do?”

“I don’t know…. something.”

“It would be better if you did not go there.”

“Why.”

“Cai is in the hands of the enemy, it is not likely that they will treat him gently and if He hurts Cai you will want to run to him, I know you.”

“Of course I will.”

“And then you will both be in their hands and He will have you to hold over your father. Don’t be foolish Gabrielle, think of someone other than yourself.”

“Don’t say it and don’t think it. He is all I have been thinking about lately. If you had thought about him half as much we would not be here now.”

“We will have this discussion another time Lee. For now, I have other business to take care of.”

Ignoring Leelany she pushed through the trees, more gently, more quietly. Leelany did not try to call her back think time but she felt her disapproval at her shoulder. Keeping low to the ground Gabrielle crept to the place where she had previously stood to watch the murder of the birds.

Carefully she flattened herself against the wall and pulled herself up so that she could look through the window. Cai was standing in front of the altar facing the Sorcerer. The shadows clustered thickly and it was possible only to see flashes of his bright hair among them.

There was a strange hissing sound, a susurration among the shadow demons and suddenly they scattered, flying in all directions. Moments later the sound of cries and shouts came to Gabrielle from the surrounding trees. The war had begun.

“Daughter of Moravia, I know you are there, I know you are watching. Come to me.”

Gabrielle’s heart lurched. He was speaking to her. She suddenly felt very exposed and ducked her head beneath the window ledge. At her shoulder Leelany hissed. “Fool.” then took her place at the window.

“You will come to me child, I have something you want and the only way you can ever hope to have it back in one piece is to come to me. Your father is drawing close and there is one with him who thinks only of you. He brings beings of power and my shadows are falling. Perhaps he can even drive a sword through my heart but before he does my own sword will take from you the only thing that means anything to you.

“I wish to live Daughter of Moravia, I wish to speak to you of terms. Come to me and I will release the boy. You know that he is in my power. Unless I release him he will die here today, whether my by sword or by my will. If I die he dies. Do you understand that? Do you wish to risk his life?

In the silence that followed the air was thick with the sound of fighting drawing nearer.

“Hurry child, your time is running out…. and so is his. I would have liked his screams to have called you but he is strong this forest boy, perhaps it would be easier just to kill him after all.”

The sound of thundering hooves filled the air and Gabrielle peered through the window again, just in time to see a gigantic white horse appear, bursting from the trees. Gabrielle paid little heed to it as her attention was captured by the sight of Cai, now on his knees before the Sorcerer, who had moved sideways away from the alter, his head thrown back and his back arched, struggling against some indescribably agony, his lips compressed against the slighted sound that might betray him and her.

Nevertheless she could not help but see as the Sorcerer stretched out his arm towards the galloping horse, making a strange movement with his hand. Although it had been travelling at full gallop the horse immediately stopped dead and reared, bucking wildly. Caught completely by surprise Orien was thrown from the saddle, falling heavily and awkwardly to lie still on the cobbled floor.

“No!”

“Aaaaaaaah.” With a hissing sight the Sorcerer turned towards the window and Gabrielle saw the glow of two red eyes in the darkness of the hood. “Come princess, come to me.”

Gabrielle drew back, horror stricken. She knew that the Sorcerer expected her be compelled to come to him and it occurred to her that it might be useful to have him believe that.

“Watch from here. You can’t shoot him at the moment but the other magic users are working to neutralise him, I can feel it. You will know if they succeed, I don’t know how you will know but you will, and if you don’t I will. Watch for it.”

“Gabrielle, no….” But Leelany could not afford to stop her or she would have revealed her own position and she could only watch helpless and Gabrielle slowly walked along the wall to its end and then stepped into the courtyard.

Very slowly and deliberately she went first to Orien and knelt at his side. He was very pale and there was blood on his face and on his lips but when she pressed her fingers to his wrist his pulse was steady. Weak with relief she stood up and turned to face the Sorcerer who was waiting patiently. She could not see his face but she knew it wore a smile.

Slowly she walked forward, keeping her eyes on the hood, beneath which she thought there must be a face. When she was maybe ten feet away she stopped.

“You wanted to talk, then talk, but talk quickly your time is running out.”

“Is that what you think?” close to the voice was soft and sibilant, not unpleasant. ‘This’, thought Gabrielle, ‘is the last think my mother saw, the last voice she heard. This…. being murdered my mother and tore me from her still living body then cast her away like a piece of meat. This… being tried to take from me the only person in the world I have ever truly loved. This….. being has terrorised my people and has been the cause of more sorrow than I can bear.’ And she wanted to strike out at him, she wanted to tear him and beat at him.

But there was Cai, still kneeling but, released from the pain he had slumped, his head hanging forward. At the sound of her voice he turned to look at her, his eyes filled with horror that she was there. He shook his head

“No…” He tried to rise to go to her but the Sorcerer made a gesture with his hand and he was thrown sideways, slamming into the alter. There was a sickening thud as his head struck the stone and with a grunt of pain he slid down to sit with his back against the alter stunned and struggling to remain conscious.

“Cai.” Gabrielle ran to him and, kneeling threw her arms around him. He looked up at her, his eyes dazed but he nodded his head and smiled reassuringly. Lifting her eyes to the inscrutable, faceless figure before her she snarled “Hurt him again and I will personally tear of that hood and cut your throat with your own knife.”

“Strong words little dove. I would fear if I thought there was any way you could achieve it.”

He made another gesture with his hand and Cai was jerked out of her arms, lifted to his feet as if by invisible hands. Another gesture and he was bent backwards over the alter. With a cry of horror Gabrielle leaped to her feet and, grabbing his hands tried to pull him away, but neither she nor he could move an inch.

“Run Gabrielle, run from here as fast as you can. He can’t hold you and his doom closes in. There is nothing you can do to help me. Flee.”

“He speaks wisely, and that is just what you should do, princess…. Flee. But you will not. As long as I hold his heart in my hand you will not run away.” As he spoke he seemed to flow, dissolving into shadow and reassembling a few feet away, beside the altar, his hand on Cai’s chest.

“Run Gabrielle, save yourself. Now!” The word was cut short as pain slammed through him from the touch of the hand. His body jerked and his head cracked against the stone again as his body arched.

“Stop!” Flight was the last thing on Gabrielle’s mind. She would not, could not leave him and the Sorcerer knew it. “Kill him and you have nothing to bargain with. You have no hold on me.”

“That may be true but he has proved something of a trial to me. I have never had to try so hard to kill someone before. It will be a pleasure to taste the last moments of his life and it will give me indescribably power, enough perhaps to resist the magic that has come with the former Prince of Seline.”

“Former?” Even in the midst of deadly pain Cai heard and seized onto the implication.

“Indeed. It would seem that Prince Orien has met with an unfortunately accident and is sadly…. deceased.”

“Dead?” with every ounce of his strength Cai lifted his head and turned his eyes to Gabrielle, “you….. are….free?”

“I swear it, Cai. I am free.”

The look in his eyes struck to her heart until, overcome, he let his head fall back and his eyes close. Only Gabrielle saw his fingers twitch on the hilt of the knife at his hip.

Her heart pounding with possibility Gabrielle gazed deep into the hood searching out the face beneath and seeing only the dull red glow of the eyes. Sensing that the world turned on this moment she resolved to dominate his attention as much as she could.

“Tell me, how did you feel when you murdered my mother? Was there the faintest hint of emotion, of remorse when you tore me from her body?”

“Remorse? It has been a long time since I have been inflicted by such emotion. It was nothing more than satisfaction at a job completed. Frustration when you were stolen from me and determination to ensure that the day would come when I would have you in my power as was always intended.”

“That day will never come.”

“Ah but it has, my dear, it has come. You are here are you not?”

“Yes, I am here. But your minions are not. Your minions are gone, destroyed by the combined troops of my father and the King of Seline, who is hardly likely to be inclined to mercy when he discovers what you have done to his son.”

“I can make more.”

“No doubt you can, but there are other sorcerers in Seline and they are approaching as we speak. You can feel it can’t you? You can feel them approach, their magic sweeping across the space between you, weakening you. Soon it will make you vulnerable and you will be killed. If there is justice in the world it will be my knife that takes your life.”

“Ah, well then you will be disappointed, you see I have no life to take. I am nothing but smoke and fire and you cannot kill smoke.”

But there was something deep in the heart of the confidence with which he spoke that was not entirely sure.