Assassin's Curse (44 page)

Jeda had gone first to pick the locked gate blocking the entryway into the fortress and then returned for Kala.
 
He lowered himself again into the river and swam for the unseen opening beneath the surface.
 
Kala held onto his shirt, holding her breath and keeping her eyes tightly shut.
 
The underwater channel slowly rose and they surfaced into a tunnel of breathable air beneath the fortress.
 
Kala let out an explosive breath and shook the water off her face vigorously.
 
Jeda moved to the side of the tunnel, finding the narrow footpath built alongside it.

“It’s here,” he whispered, and they both climbed out of the water.
 

He had discovered this exit during his early novice days.
 
The fortress was built beside a river that was used as both a source of water and power.
 
An ingenious series of ducts and gates were designed to allow the river to provide water for the fortress’s drinking wells, power for its grinding wheels, and flushing for the inevitable waste.
 

As a young novice, part of his nightly duties was to open the floodgate that allowed the river water to rush through and clean out the privy tunnel that ran the length of the fortress.
 
The lever for the floodgate was located in a control room deep within the fortress, along with an access hatch into the tunnel itself.
 
The novices were also required to climb down this hatch to conduct a weekly integrity check of the tunnel walls.
 
It was an odious task usually accomplished with a lantern held high, but little attention to detail.
 

Jeda’s insatiable curiosity overcame his revulsion one night when he decided to investigate the tunnel’s entire length and where it might
lead to.
 
The tunnel sloped down and slowly filled with water.
 
He continued to follow it, swimming underwater when he could no longer walk, and eventually found a locked gate at the end.
 
The tunnel ended outside the fortress just below the river’s surface and out of plain site.
 
It had been dug pointing downstream so the water would not rush in and flood the entire length.
 
Picking the lock had been child’s play and he soon found himself outside the fortress’s walls with no one the wiser.
 

His first breath of freedom was short-lived though, for once outside the fortress, he had no place to go.
 
He went back inside that night, but did use that private exit over the years whenever he wanted to leave the fortress undetected.
 
He found it strange that he was now using his means of escape to sneak back in.

Moving along with Kala holding the back of his shirt, they finally came to the ladder leading up to the control room.
 
Opening the hatch cover slightly, he peered into the room.
 
There were candles burning in recessed sconces along the wall and they gave off enough light for him to see two people facing away from the hatch.
 
From his own past, he knew one would be a full brother while the other would be only a novice.
 
He motioned for Kala to come forward and pointed at the two inside, making a sign that they would try to sneak up on them.
 
She nodded her understanding and together they stepped into the room.
 
As they moved forward, some slight noise or sixth sense caused the brother to look around, confused at seeing another pair coming up out of the hatchway.
 
It took but a moment for him to notice the clothing of these two strangers and realize they were intruders.
 
His realization came an instant too late as Jeda threw himself forward, knocking the brother down and smashing his head upon the hard floor.
 
The blow knocked him out cold and Jeda turned to face the novice.
 
Kala had brought her sister’s babies and drew them as she moved on the novice.
 
The novice made the mistake of backing up towards the brother, not realizing Jeda had knocked him out.
 
It was short work for Jeda to step behind the novice and knock him out as well.

“Poppy, I could have handled her.”

Jeda looked down to see the novice was in fact a young girl about the same age as Kala and Kara.
 
He was silently thankful he had not killed her.

“I know you could, but we need to move silently and quickly.
 
We’ll do that better working as a team.
 
Now help me tie them up and drag them out of sight.”

In short order, the two unconscious guards were hidden.
 
Once they were finished, Kala quickly ran over to a bucket of clean water and washed her face and hands.
 
Jeda could not help but smile as she cleaned the grime off herself.
 
Although she may be a trained killer and powerful witch, she was still a little girl who did not like to be dirty.
 
He moved over to the door and peaked out into a long, curving, empty corridor.
 

“This corridor will eventually lead us to an area directly beneath the Grand Masters’ Council Chambers,” Jeda whispered to his daughter.
 
“The council chambers are where the masters meet and conduct their daily business.
 
They will want to keep Kara close, so I think they will keep her locked in one of the rooms on this level below their chambers.
 
There is a staircase that leads from this level up to the chambers and would provide the Masters easy access if they kept her there.
 
That’s where we will start searching for Kara.
 
The rooms will be guarded and we will need to move quickly and quietly to find Kara before we are discovered.
 
The last thing we need is for the fortress to be alerted that there are intruders inside.”

Kala nodded.
 
“But, what if she’s not there?”

“Then we will have to think of something else.
 
Maybe I will be able to
persuade
one of the guards to tell me where she is.”

“Oh, I can help you with that, Poppy.”

Jeda cringed, remembering how quickly the assassin talked back in the stables when Kala questioned him.
 
If he got out of this alive, he would have to find out how his daughter did that.

“We’ll see when we get there.”
 
 

***

The brother knocked lightly on Mave’s cell door.
 
He waited a moment and had prepared to knock a second time when the door finally flew open.

“What is it?”

“Brother Mave, your presence is requested in the council chambers.
 
The masters have requested you bring our guest.”

Mave closed the door without answering and walked over to collect the sleeping girl.
 
Before he picked her up, he put on two sets of padded armor and an assortment of weapons.
 
He would be taking no chances this night.
 
Lastly, he strapped on his two swords, picked up the unconscious girl, and joined the brother waiting outside.
 

“What is the purpose of this summons?”

“I am not sure Brother, but the fortress has visitors.”

Interesting, maybe the traitor has come using the front door.

Mave picked up his pace as he went to meet what he hoped was his destiny.

***

Gelda looked around the pretentious foyer of the guild fortress with distaste.
 
The seemingly endless displays of gilded armor and exotic weapons were a bit much for her tastes, but it did instill a morbid sense of confidence in the guild’s proffered services.
 
Of course, this type of display was exactly what the nobility and merchants would expect when they came to arrange a contract: a show of wealth and power that captured and emanated the professionalism that was trademark of these silent killers.
 
Above all else, they were dedicated to their craft and everyone knew that, once a contract was agreed upon, the guild never failed.

“Well, where are they and why have we been kept waiting in this drafty hall?”
 
Catherine tapped her foot and crossed her arms, emphasizing her displeasure.

“Sister, they will be with us directly,” Elizabeth replied.
 
“Be patient for a little while longer.”

The three women had been admitted to the foyer and were left to their own devices while one of the attendants left to inform the masters of their arrival.
 
Although they were left alone, none of them had any delusions that they were not being watched.
 
After a few moments, the attendant returned and asked them to accompany him.
 
He led them to a set of double doors, knocked before opening it, and ushered them in.
 
The women walked carefully inside, looking everywhere and trusting nothing in this house of death.
 
Both Gelda and Elizabeth had readied themselves with power in case it was needed, and they both practically crackled with the amount they held.

As they entered the room,
they were met by five wizened men standing behind a semi-circular table
.

“Countess Berkshire, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” the elderly man in the center said.

***

Jeda crept along the corridor hugging the wall as it slowly curved to the right.
 
They had not met any more guards since leaving the control room, but Jeda knew their luck would not hold out for long: there were just too many brothers and students in the fortress.
 
As if on cue, Jeda heard someone walking
their
way.
 
He loosened the knives in his forearm sheaths, holding no illusions that their break-in would not result in someone’s untimely death.
 
The brothers in the fortress were just too well trained.
   

Jeda motioned Kala back and slipped one of his throwing knives into his hand.
 
As the guard came around the corner, he let it fly, striking the startled man in his chest and killing him instantly.
 
Jeda ran up and caught him before he could fall and make any more noise.
 
He had begun to carry the dead man back to the last empty room they had checked in order to dump his body inside when another guard rounded the corner.

The new guard saw Jeda dragging his brother along the floor and momentarily froze.
 
With no hesitation, Jeda dropped the body and grabbed for another of his throwing knives.
 
This guard’s training kicked in and he rushed Jeda, ducking beneath the throw of the knife that he had caused Jeda to rush.
 
The guard launched his own attack with a swift kick to Jeda’s chest, sending Jeda flying backwards and landing hard on his back.
 
The jarring impact knocked the wind out of him, giving the guard the opportunity to jump on him and catch him in a deadly
choke hold
.
 
He grabbed the front of Jeda’s jersey, twisting and turning the collar in against his throat, and pinching off the flow of blood to his brain.
 
Jeda struggled against the hold, throwing short punches to the brother’s arms and ribs, but his hold was unbreakable and Jeda was starting to black out when the guard’s grip suddenly loosened.
 
Jeda snaked his hand inside the assailant’s grip and jerked up to break the stranglehold.
 
The brother fell to the floor dead and, as Jeda rose, he saw the knife protruding from his back.
 
Kala stood above them both with another knife in her hand.

“Teamwork,” she whispered.

Jeda nodded his head and motioned for her to help him with the two dead men.
 
Once they had deposited the bodies inside an empty room, they went back to checking the other rooms and moving closer to the staircase at the end of the corridor.
 
He had no idea what the guards had been doing or where they had been going, but someone would come looking for them soon enough and would raise an alarm when they found the dead bodies.

“Let’s go.
 
We’re getting close to the staircase and we’re running out of time.”

***

Mave entered through a side entrance to the council chambers and stopped a few feet inside as he noticed who else was in the room.
 
Grand Master Dykara was standing in the middle of the room and was talking with a woman.
 
From her bearing and haughtiness, Mave assumed she was the countess.
 
He would give much to be alone for five minutes with this overbearing bitch to teach her a few lessons in humility.
 
More than anything else, he hated how the nobility strutted whenever they came to the fortress for a contract.
 
Without the guild, they would not get their dirty deeds taken care of, but none of them ever showed the proper respect the masters deserved.
 
This, above all else, rankled him to his core.
 

“Countess, this day has been long in coming,” the master continued.

“Too long from my account,” she answered curtly.
 
She was not a woman who was used to waiting, especially upon anyone whom she had paid for services.
 
She looked over at Mave with disdain, not noticing that he carried the very precious bundle she had come to collect.
 
Mave’s eyes narrowed at the disrespect she heaped upon Grand Master Dykara and himself.
 
Her insulting manner incensed him to the point of breaking, but he held his ground.