A Circle of Crows (11 page)

Sam shook his head and thought for sure this must all be a dream and he would wake up with his wife lying beside him in bed.

Tap, tap, tap.

Sam looked to locate the sound. He could not find anything out of place in the bedroom.

Tap. Tap. Tap.
It was louder this time.

Solomon growled low and menacingly with his teeth bared, which Sam had never seen this gentle animal do before.

The dog was looking toward the kitchen with his hackles raised.

Sam reached under his bed and grabbed his shotgun, then strode toward the kitchen.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

At the kitchen window sat a magpie, staring at him unblinkingly. In its beak dangled an apricot ribbon. The very color Morgana had been wearing in her ponytail the night she disappeared.

The bird took flight and Sam raced out onto the stoop to try and catch it.

It was nowhere in sight. He wrestled the dog back inside and to his bedroom.

Sam lay down on the bed and invited the dog to join him. Soon, he was gently snoring but the dog was watchful, staring out the window till the rising of the sun.

Sam awoke to the dog's whining. Uncertainty filled him and he was unclear as to whether the events of the previous night had been a dream, or reality.

"Get that rabbit, boy,” he mumbled to the dog, as his forepaws twitched with the dream he was having.

Sam walked to the kitchen and sat down at the table. A book Bella had been reading a few days ago sat spine up on the table, marking her place where she had left off.

He wondered as he sat waiting for the coffee to brew, how he was supposed to act normally and go about his day? He knew he would never be whole again without his wife.

As the aroma of coffee filled the kitchen, his loneliness for his wife was a sharp ache in his chest.

Walking to the front door to retrieve the morning paper, he opened it to see a beautiful apricot ribbon lying on top of the newspaper on the front porch. He sat down on the stoop and ran it through his rough hands, over and over.

Chapter 22

The party approached the foothills of the mountain. Jagged crags and sharp fragments of rock littered the ground all along the face of the cliff, while black smoke billowed from the top of it.

Morgana peered outside. She was becoming desperate. She now fully understood the fate of all the children she had grown fond of over the time she was with them. Glancing around the wagon counting them, she tried to calculate how many children had been brought here to suffer this fate. She was having trouble thinking clearly; panic was taking hold. She began to feel as if her thoughts were a spinning wheel spewing its threads in all directions. Breaking out into a cold sweat, she was becoming dizzy and her heart was racing. She distractedly wondered if this was what her mother had called a
panic attack
; something Morgana had watched her mother experience for years after the death of her father. Unwillingly, she recalled an image of her mother sitting on the window bench at the inn late at night, watching the snow fall onto the road outside. Her mother was eerily still in an attempt not to awaken the then five year old Morgana.

Morgana heard horses approaching and she shushed Eva to be silent as the officers congregated outside their wagon entrance.

"Captain, I have never gained access to any of the chambers within the mountain. As we will be ready to commence shortly, I thought it wise we discuss the procedures."

"Yes, McCullough, by tomorrow at nightfall, this will be behind us,” replied the captain grimly.

"You mean till six more months pass,” and as the captain eyed him curiously, he hastily added, “sir."

Captain Dennehy strode over toward a patch of evergreens, clustered together and bent from the heavy windstorms. With both hands, he leaned on a massive rock, and as he did, it moved to the side, just enough for a person to enter, albeit sideways.

"Follow me, Colin. I'll instruct you in the procedure,” he said, beckoning for Colin to follow.

Colin walked toward the evergreens, and as the captain's back turned, he fingered his wedding ring, now around his neck on a chain. He thought of Marisol, sleeping soundly when he left the wagon, and how he had adjusted the coarse blankets over her before slipping into the night.

As they shimmied into the crevasse, Colin saw it opened into a narrow hallway. Captain Dennehy removed a torch from the wall and lit it with flint rocks he extracted from his pocket. They began to walk slowly down the passageway, when Colin was struck by the stench emanating from in front of them. As they progressed, he ascertained it smelled of smoke, decay and sulfur. The smell tunneled its way into his unconsciousness and suddenly, his head was filled with visions of his burning home and family.

He clenched his jaw in determination and resisted the impulse to kill the captain without mercy, just as the man would show none to the small beings outside.

They reached an open chamber with two tunnels on either side. In the center of the room, Colin spied five rows of shackles and manacles, with ten sets in each row. As he walked, he felt a rustling movement around his feet. Bones littered the floor; tiny skulls and extremity fragments were everywhere. Colin shuddered and resisted the urge to regurgitate. He walked toward the manacles to feign interest in them in case the captain had been watching him.

"How many times have you led this expedition?” requested Colin.

The big man turned to face him. “Since the beginning when you were just a lad."

"Is there another way out in case Hyde decides he would like us as well, despite our impurities?"

The captain cackled. “Aye. And for sure, he is not a just creature. He would just as likely consume or cinder any of us, and he has tried to do so on numerous occasions. The procedure is to bring the sacrifices in row by row, then have some men stand by the exit and others on the upper decks in case something goes awry.” He gesticulated upward and Colin saw a large overhang of rock with a ladder leading to it.

"Is there only one exit out of the cave?” inquired Colin.

"There is folklore that states there is another down the left passageway, but that is also where the beast dwells. Once Hyde begins feeding, he breathes fire and brimstone for close to an hour. For that reason, we have not had the opportunity to see if the tale is indeed true."

"Why is he not venturing out now to investigate?"

"I told you, he can smell souls! Smells their souls, he does. I reckon you and I are low on his list of devourables for the day."

The women rode behind Nathaniel. They snaked their way up the winding mountain path with Nathaniel on a great chestnut horse, the twins on appaloosas and Bella on a young mare. They followed the trail of the three wagons and soldiers deep into the night without rest. Nathaniel was surprised at their level of endurance. As the sun began to rise, Raena brought her mount up to Nathaniel.

"Can you tell me what your captain has planned?” inquired Rae.

"Well, Commander McCullough was to recruit as many of the faithful as he could to go on the expedition, then attempt to free the children and slay the beast if possible,” he began in a thick brogue which reminded Rae of a Scotsman.

"However, only ten of the twenty-five on this trip are faithful. I've acquired daggers for you to conceal, as well as small swords for each of you in case you need to defend yourselves."

"How much further are they?” Rae asked anxiously.

"Not much further now. We'll venture to the top of that ridge. They will stop the wagon train and await nightfall. The sacrifices always occur at night."

Rae searched his face. “Have you seen one before then?"

Nathaniel's expression turned steely as he replied, “Yes, I witnessed my first when I was seventeen. By twenty-one, I learned of the resistance and immediately joined.

"We will be victorious, or die trying. This is no way to live. If we are to continue our lives in this fashion, death would be a welcome change."

The party rode in silence, all wrestling with their own personal fears and apprehensions regarding the destiny of the innocent souls they pursued. They continued upward on the trail till it was necessary for them to lean forward in their saddles to assist their mounts with the climb. Trees were clustered close together and due to the elevation, the air was becoming close, more difficult to breathe.

"What is that smell?” requested Bella, her small, waifish nose wrinkled in disgust.

"It smells like chemistry class when we used hydrogen sulfide,” suggested Rae.

"That, miladies, would be Hyde. You should all try to rest for a bit."

Nathaniel gestured below them in the distance; the wagons were barely perceptible in a circle. “You will need as much strength as you can muster. I know not what awaits us once we approach the lair."

Night fell. The soldiers began to remove ten sleeping children at a time from the wagons, and carried them into the cave.

"McCullough! Have the men move the children into the inner chamber first!” the captain bellowed over the thunderclaps that had begun moments ago. “If any of them attempt to flee in this weather, we'll lose them for sure!"

Morgan watched in horror as, one by one, the children were removed from beside her. Each one of them looked at her beseechingly, as if she had any control over their situation. She watched as the children were shuttled across the clearing and into the crevasse through the blinding, sheeting deluge.

Suddenly, the only ones who remained in the wagon were Eva, herself and three other wee ones. Colin appeared at the flap and held out his hand to her and Morgana panicked. “Please, sir, please spare us! I just want to go home, sir! Let me go and I will take these little ones with me!"

Thunder boomed outside and rain was coming in through the flaps now.

"Girl, calm yourself. Do you not remember Marisol and her words to you? The time has come. When the skirmish breaks out, flee and take as many children with you as you can. Follow the trail and keep off the road if you hear horses approach."

He slipped a silver key out of his pocket and placed it firmly into her palm, and said, “Put this is your mouth."

Morgana calmed and did as she was directed. As he left the wagon, she pulled Eva to her and whispered fervently in her ear, “We are getting out of here. Stay close to me, no matter what happens."

Chapter 23

On the ridge, the party assembled in preparation to create a diversion in order to rescue as many children as possible.

Rachael, who had not taken her eyes away from the scene below since their arrival, grabbed Nathaniel by his arm and entreated him, “If the stone door closes below, do you know how to open it again?"

She pointed frantically down where the last of the children were now being ushered across the clearing. Morgana was being led across by a guard, her long hair flying in the wind. As Rachael spied her daughter, her heart began to race and she felt as if she were spiraling down a long chute. She began to sprint toward the trail, grabbing her sword and her pack as she went. “I'm going now. I'll kill each one of them with my bare hands if they touch my child. I swear to God I will."

Raena ran toward her twin and with a flying leap, tackled her to the ground.

Raena grabbed Rachael's shoulders and rolled her over. “This is it. Focus! If they see you now, we are dead and they'll kill the children as well. Get control of yourself!"

"Yes. Alright. When are we going then?"

Nathaniel began to descend down the mountain path, followed by Rachael, Bella and Raena. In their attempt to be clandestine, the going was slow. As they glanced below, Rachael noted all the party were inside, save two guards.

Dusk was approaching, and they were now crouched in the high weeds behind the wagons, awaiting the precise moment to approach.

Nathaniel motioned for them to draw closer to him and whispered, “I will slay these guards. Make ready to approach the door. Push on the black stone beside the wall and you will gain entry."

"Please be careful,” Raena said to him as he began moving out of the brush.

"Thank you, milady, I shall.” He nodded slightly to her.

He was almost to the circle of wagons when Rachael blurted out, “I'm going. I refuse to sit here and watch this.” She promptly began moving low to the ground in pursuit of Nathaniel.

"Rae, let's make for the door,” said Bella. They stopped ten feet from the entrance, waiting for the enemy to be slain.

Unseen, Rachael climbed into the back of one of the wagons and peered out to watch Nathaniel's stealth.

Nathaniel silently approached the first guard from behind and silently cut his throat, being sure to cut the jugular vein as he did to ensure a quick death. The second guard rounded on him and their swords began to clash as the sound of metal on metal filled the night.

Suddenly, a third guard leaped out of the wagon next to Rachael's and howled in fury at the sight of the dead man splayed on the ground before him.

In a surreal moment, Rachael watched as the third guard created crimson footprints in the mud as he walked through his fallen comrade's blood.

He approached the opening where Rachael was hidden; forgetting that she possessed a dagger, she grabbed a pan and hit him in the back of the skull with all of the strength she could muster. His body crumpled to the earth.

The second guard, distracted by the commotion, turned his head to look. Without a second glance, Nathaniel ran him through with his blade.

"Rachael, you do not follow instructions; for that, I am grateful. Run!"

He turned and made for the opening as all three women fell in behind him.

All the children were now shackled in the inner chamber and wailing. Small ones thrashed against the manacles and cried out for aid. Morgana tried to comfort the children beside her, but she, too, was just a child, quivering and praying for the comfort of her home.

Christian and Colin were poised on either side of the chamber, nervously eyeing one another. Captain Dennehy shouted commands above the cacophony of sound which was amplified by the acoustics in the chamber.