Page 50 of Cage of Destiny
The leader stopped beforeone of the buildings and dismounted. “Wait here,” he instructedbefore entering.
An odd smell permeated theair. Glancing around, Allyssa saw a mound of smoldering ashes downone of the crooked streets. Revulsion filled her.
“They were probably loyalto Prince Kerdan,” Larek whispered. “Queen Jana must dispose ofthose who oppose her regime.”
“By slaughtering her ownpeople like pigs?” she replied. Who could do such a cruelthing?
“These aren’t her ownpeople,” Odar pointed out. “Jana is from Emperion. Haven’t you everwondered why hatred for your kingdom is so prevalenthere?”
She felt Larek’s arm,which was around her, stiffen at Odar’s remarks. Was that howRusseks truly felt? That Jana represented Emperion? ThatJanawasEmperion? Allyssa was about to try to explain that Emperionsdespised Jana as well when the leader returned.
“Bring the prisonersinside,” he ordered.
Allyssa dismounted andLarek took hold of her arm, leading her inside the dilapidatedbuilding. She entered a dimly lit room with a round table that hadbeen shoved into one of the corners. A tall, imposing man rose fromthe chair, staring at her. She recognized him from the castle inClovek—this was the man she’d impaled with her dagger when he’dthrown himself in front of Jana to protect the horridwoman.
The man’s cold eyes lookedover Odar and then Allyssa. “These are the correct prisoners.” Hiswords lacked the heavy accent most Russeks had.
“Captain Zerek, we weretold that once you verified their identities, we were to deliverthem to Queen Jana,” the leader said.
“That is correct, Rutek,”Zerek replied. He hastily wrote something on a piece of paper,handing it to one of his men, who read it and hurried from theroom.
“Are we taking them toClovek?” Rutek asked.
“No. Duke Opanek’s home. Heis expecting you. When you deliver the prisoners, he will pay you.”Zerek sat down at the round table, which was strewn with papers andmaps.
“The duke will pay us?”Larek asked. “The order said that the first one to deliver theprince and princess to the queen will get the reward. It didn’t sayanything about a duke.”
“The queen is at the duke’shouse. She has something… special planned for thesetwo.”
The capital city was wellfortified. There would be no logical reason for Jana to leaveunless… “What’s happened in Clovek?” Allyssa asked.
Zerek jerked his head inher direction. “What did you say?” he demanded.
“You heard me,” shereplied. All reports indicated Jana had the backing of the nobles.However, what if one of those nobles tried to overthrow her? Theonly thing Jana could do would be to flee, gain forces by killingKerdan and taking control of another section of the army, and thenreturn to Clovek and retake it.
Zerek stood, his facecontorting in rage. “Tell me what you know.”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t beasking what happened.”
He remained still, staringat her for several uncomfortable minutes before turning to theleader and responding, “You have three days to deliver theprisoners. The money you so desperately seek is at Duke Opanek’sdwelling. Dismissed.”
They exited and climbedonto their mounts. A chill slid over Allyssa’s body that hadnothing to do with the cold air. Where was Nathenek? What aboutKerdan and her father? Did they know the queen was no longer inClovek? Allyssa vowed to come up with a plan of her own just incase something had gone terribly wrong. When she glanced over atOdar, she found him watching her, his lips pursed and his eyebrowsbent inward. His thoughts must mirror her own.
***
At midday, they reached asmall village. While staying at the castle in Clovek, Allyssa saw agreat deal of poverty at the town she’d traveled to with Kerdan.This village reminded her of that one. The houses were small shacksin no condition to withstand the harsh Russek weather. The roadswere uneven and rough, the people haggard with torn clothing, andthere was a feeling of despair to the place.
Rutek stopped before thegeneral store and went inside alone while everyone else remainedoutside. Not far away, a person stood filling a bucket with waterfrom the well located in the center of the village. Surrounding thewell were a few carts with people selling goods. One had bread,another some withered vegetables, and the last cart had some sortof meat. Allyssa vaguely wondered where the meat came from and thendecided she didn’t really want to know.
At the northern end of thetown square—if one could even call it that—some men had started togather. Each held a hoe, shovel, or pitchfork.
“Should we be concernedabout those people?” Allyssa asked Larek.
“They’re no match for us,”he replied.
The villagers probablyweren’t nearly as proficient in fighting as the soldiers. “I’drather not see anyone die,” she replied, peering over her shoulderat Larek. “There are other ways to prevent a confrontation fromhappening than wielding a sword.”
“Oh.” He shifted on hishorse. “Well, what are you suggesting?”
