Page 50 of Her Royal Blood

The man came back with a bundle of clothing. “You can change here.” He showed me to a room in his home with a bed, neatly made, and a rocking chair. “We have been cooperative with the warlord, and have paid him the taxes he’s demanded of us. I am happy to support our nation, but the money is getting low.” His voice dipped in volume and he seemed ashamed that Polonius had forced him to give most of his earnings.

“Thank you,” I took the clothes from him. “And I hope that happier and more prosperous times are ahead.”

With that I dressed quickly and expressed my gratitude to the family again for the clothes. I didn’t tarry in their home and as soon as I was out onto the streets I changed my face to one of a nondescript servant girl. I kept my head low and walked among the Crypt Claw soldiers without being noticed. I continued to keep to the shadows as I made my way to the Genesis pit and the tunnels beneath.

I entered the tunnels and was able to quickly find my way to the dungeons where I believed Bindi and my Royal Guards were still being held. In order to get past the Crypt Claw guards which were watching the prisoners, I had to mask myself in an invisibility cloak so I could move without being seen.

I found Bindi laying with her back against the wall, knees tucked up staring at the ceiling looking defeated. I hated to see her in that state. Being in captivity for nearly 10 days, without the hope of rescue or rebellion must have truly dampened her spirits.

“Bindi,” I whispered near her ear, still cloaked in invisibility. “It’s Aria.”

Bindi slowly turned her face towards my voice, a slight smile formed where the hard line of a frown had been.

“You’re Majesty?” she said, relieved..

“Are you okay?” I was really worried about her, I’d never seen her defeated.

“We worked out and trained and one of the guards killed a soldier for it as a warning for us to stop,” her voice cracked as she said it. “They said Polonius would kill one of us a day if we started training again. They also doubled the guards,” she said in a whisper.

“I’m going to get you out of here. Navarrah City has triumphed and is about to retake the ports. They liberated two ships of prisoners from the Isle of Vitoria and now they fight under the Navarrian banner. If I am able to free you and the Royal Guards, do you think you can get to Navarrah City to help them? I’m going to unlock your cells and cover you with an invisibility spell, but I won’t be able to hold it much farther than a few miles past Onyx Rah. Do you think you and the soldiers can make it to Lex after my cloaking spell wears off?” I knew Bindi was a good soldier, but this was going to take all of her skill and training to get to Lex without anyone stopping them.

“Absolutely we can do it, as long as you can get us out of here. What will we do when the guards find our cells empty? Won’t Polonius retaliate against you?” She was always thinking of me, it was hard to accept sometimes.

“Perhaps you can steal Crypt Claw vehicles, this will get you to Navarrah City faster. I left one on the road to Onyx Rah, and there must be others parked outside of the palace. Those will get you to Navarrah City quickly and by the time Polonius realizes that you are gone, he’ll have a war on his hands. He won’t be worrying about a few escaped soldiers.” I touched her hand, hoping she could feel me.

Her smile widened, so she did.

“I’ve been so worried about you,” Bindi confessed. “I wasn’t sure you’d make it back to us. It all seemed so risky. And poor Gabrielle, Polonius has been parading her around everywhereand she’s done a great job pretending she’s you. He brings her down here to threaten ‘you’ from time to time. She wears a thinly veiled scowl, but is obedient. Polonius seems content, but also cautious of ‘Aria’.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Good,” I said and watched Bindi smile. “Are you ready to get out of here?” I asked, preparing to glamor the guards.

“You know I am,” she said and I was about to cast a spell on the two guards standing watch over several newly fortified cells when two guards came running in.

“We’ve lost the ports in Navarrah City. The soldiers have been ambushed by hundreds of warriors. They’re in retreat and Polonius has lost contact with two of his ships carrying more recruits. He wants us to get ready to march on Navarrah City now!” My heart raced hearing that.

“I have to get you out of here.” I said, frantically.

“Don’t go back to the barracks. Report for deployment, instead.” One of the incoming guards said, he was taller with a much beefier build but scarred and war torn.

He looked tired and weary and by his expression, probably happy that he wasn’t going to be deployed.

“Get to those cars before they do,” I said only for Bindi to hear as the guards changed shifts and the two who had been watching the cells walked out.

“I will not fail you, my queen,” Bindi said and prepared herself to leave the prison and lead her troops to victory.

I laid a mist of sleep over both of the new guards and immediately used my magic to see the inner workings of the locks, once I detected the locking mechanisms, I disengaged them and all of the locks simultaneously clicked open.

“Everyone out,” Bindi shouted. “Follow my voice. A mage is going to cloak us in invisibility. We run for the vehicles and take as many as we can. Keep to the back roads and get to NavarrahCity STAT.” That was it. I enveloped them in the chasm between realms, cloaking them with invisibility and they disappeared.

They would run and try to get to the vehicles before the Crypt Claw warriors were assembled and ready. Once out of my magical range, my Royal Guards would shift out of the chasm and materialize as I would no longer be able to hold them there, magically. Hopefully, it would be enough of a headstart for them to make it to Navarrah City, unharmed.

Now I had to find Halo and Gabrielle. I stayed invisible and continued to search the dungeons to see if perhaps they were holding Halo in a cell by herself. As I searched, on my way through the castle, I couldn’t find Halo anywhere. Still invisible and glad to be retaining my strength, I moved through the palace to find where Polonius was keeping Gabrielle. I hoped that when I found her, Halo would be with her. Polonius may have brought them to Brahman's peak, but Bindy and the Royal Guards were detained here in our dungeons and the Crimson Pitaya was growing on my lands. I assumed Polonius would have taken up residence in my castle in order to keep control of my people and the Crimson Pitaya production.

I checked mine and Lex's old room and saw it was being used. When I opened the door across the hall, I found Gabrielle sitting with Halo who had her hands bound with Pitaya silk. Polonius must have been keeping Halo close, which was advantageous because Gabrielle needed her magic to pretend she was me. All of a sudden, booming from the level below I heard Polonius’ bellowing voice.

“Aria,” he sounded angry.

Chapter 17

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