Remembered (36 page)

Together they took a deep breath, nodded to one another, and
walked out from behind the pillar.

They jogged to the right.

Within seconds, they were running up the steps of the
Citadom.

When they reached the top, Markum kissed her forehead. “For
luck,” he whispered. He tapped on the door twice, then once, then twice again.

They heard a bolt sliding.

The door creaked open.

Borm looked out at them from a crack in the door. His eyes focused
on Annie and swelled. “Ah, Annella,” he said in a jarring voice. He opened the
door further and stood aside, allowing them to walk past him.

Upon entering the corridor, Annie noticed Danus with his
back to them, not thirty feet away, staring out the window of one of the doors
that led to the garden.

He turned to look at them, his emerald-green eyes landing on
Annie. “So it’s true,” he mumbled, walking towards her and Markum. He placed a
hand on her shoulder.

“Did you doubt the word of my father and me?” Markum
questioned.

“No,” Danus answered. “I did not, but it’s still a shock to
see her standing before me.” He gazed into her face for a moment. “Annella, I’m
so happy that you’re alive and well.”

“Enough talk, Danus,” Borm scolded. “They must hurry before
my nerves get the better of me.”

Markum and Annie loosened the sashes and motioned for Borm
to do the same. “I’ll take care of that,” Danus whispered. “You two go. Hurry.”

Both apprentices whispered a quick ‘good luck’. Danus went
to stand in front of the back doors, once more, while Borm walked them over to
the stairs that led to the prisons.

Annie and Markum took one more deep breath, and then they
sprang down the stairs.

When they were almost at the bottom, and the cells were in
sight, Markum pulled one sword from behind his back. Annie pulled her sword
also. But then they both stopped short, utterly surprised by what they saw.

No peaceman stood guard.

All three cells were empty.

“What the hell is this?” Markum said in a bewildered voice.

“No!” Annie gasped.

They glared at one another. “What does this mean?” Markum
said louder.

“Kellus,” Annie moaned. She put her hand over her mouth and
sat on the bottom step, feeling herself beginning to lose control.

Markum leaned his forearm against the narrow wall, rested
his head against his arm, and punched the stone wall with his other hand. “No!”
he yelled. “No!”

Moments passed in a foggy haze.

Finally, Annie registered Markum sitting next to her on the
bottom step. “We’re too late for him,” Markum mumbled. He sucked in a breath.
“We’ve failed.”

Annie closed her eyes tight. “No, Markum,” she answered
after a moment. “No, he’s still alive; I know it.” She was sure that she would
have felt the impact, the cruel, diabolical void of his loss, the moment he
ceased to be.

“But where is he, then?” Markum asked in a desperate voice.

Annie couldn’t think straight. Her mind was blurry.

But slowly, a memory began to nudge at her. A thought
struggled to break through. It pushed at her mind until it became clear:
‘Would
you like to know a secret?’
she recalled Nordorum’s voice from many months
earlier.
‘This is one that very few in the Citadom are aware of.
Under
your feet is a trap door that leads to a sublevel of the complex.’
Annie
gasped. “There is a secret passage that leads to an ancient part of the complex
below the basement,” she told Markum quickly. “Not many know of it, but I would
be willing to wager that Lionel does. I have a gut feeling that we’re supposed
to go there.”

“Let’s go, then,” Markum urged.

They ran back up the stairs and stopped in front of Borm who
blocked their way. “Where is he?” he questioned.

“All three cells are empty,” Markum replied.

“What do you mean?” Danus asked, walking over to them. “How
is that possible?”

“Nordorum told me of a secret passage leading to a hidden
level of the complex. Markum and I are going to check there,” Annie explained.

Danus and Borm shared a look and nodded. “We’ll go with
you,” Danus said.

“No, Danus,” Markum answered. “This could mean trouble for
you.”

“I doubted my friend, and for that I’m ashamed. I want to
make amends any way I can,” Danus replied.

“I’ll gladly risk the trouble to help Kellus,” Borm added
sincerely.

Markum nodded to them. “Lead the way, Annie,” he commanded.

They ran up two flights, climbed the spiral staircase that
led to the roof, and over to the tower.

“There’s a trap door under our feet,” Annie announced. “Look
for a seam, a crack in the stones.”

“It’s too dark,” Danus said. “I’m going to my room to get a
lantern.” He returned after a short while, holding two. He handed one to
Markum.

They had run their hands over nearly every inch of the
ground when Markum finally said, “I feel a hinge.” He placed the light right
over the spot he’d felt. They lowered their heads; their faces were mere inches
from the ground.

“I see it,” Annie exclaimed. “Now we need to find the other
side. There has to be a handle of sorts.”

“I see the other end. Look here, there is a slight crack
between the stones,” Danus announced. “But no handle.”

He was right; it had to be the other end. It was opposite
the hinge, and would make a large enough opening for a full-grown person to
climb in to, but how would they open it?

“Try pushing on the stone in front,” Markum suggested.

The first stone that Danus touched caused the trap door to
pop open slightly.

They stood back and let Markum raise the trap door up. “It’s
a blessing you went for the lamps, Danus. It would be impossible to see in
there otherwise. The steps are spiral and very narrow, barely enough room for a
foot. This will be dangerous,” he explained. “Annie, follow behind me and hold
on to my shoulder. I’ll lead the way.”

Markum descended the stairs gingerly. He held onto the stone
floor until his entire body was inside the hole.

Annie sat on the edge of the opening and eased herself
forward until she felt Markum place her foot on a step that was invisible to
her. She straightened up and put her hand on his shoulder, turning back to see
Danus directly behind.

The stairwell was cold. Not a normal cold from low
temperatures or a bitter wind, but a suffocating cold, a hollow, dank cold,
like the air was dead, having been confined to this place for centuries.

The stairway reeked with a musty stench that floated up from
beneath them—dead rodents, perhaps. Annie held her breath as often as she
could.

It seemed that at least a half-hour had passed when they
finally reached the bottom.

Markum took Kellus’s sword from Annie and handed her the
lantern. He pulled the extra sword from his scabbard. “Danus, Borm, take these
swords. We don’t know what lies up ahead of us,” he whispered.

They walked slowly down a narrow, stone passage that
declined marginally. The ceiling was low and rounded—barely a foot above their
heads—and the walls were much too close together. They had to walk single file.

The stench grew stronger and turned Annie’s stomach.

They walked in silence through the dark tunnel until they
saw a dim light in the distance.

Annie stiffened behind Markum, afraid of what they would
find in the dungeon, but Markum walked faster, urged on by the light.

When the light was approximately seventy feet away, Annie thought
she heard a moan in the distance. “Did you hear that?” she whispered to Markum.
The whisper carried down the hall.

“Yes, what was it?” he asked.

She listened intently and then heard it: another weak moan
followed by a slight shuffling.

“Is that an animal?” Danus whispered, coming up behind her.

“Kellus,” she moaned and pushed past Markum, running forward.

Markum grabbed her arm and put his finger to his lips. “He
may not be alone,” he breathed.

They walked on as quietly as possible, straining to hear any
other sounds, anything that would allude to what lay ahead.

Finally, they reached another prison cell, gated with thick
planks of wood. A large, ancient looking keyhole adorned the door. They had to
put their eyes up to the cracks between the planks to see inside.

There was a body lying bloodied and broken on the ground. Weak,
painful moans escaped from the man who was barely alive.

But it was not Kellus that lay there.

It was Nordorum.

“Master!” Danus gasped.

“Who’s there?” Nordorum’s question was barely audible. It
was obvious that he wouldn’t last long in this condition.

“Master, it’s the apprentices Danus and Borm. We’re here
with Annella and Markum Kir. What should we do?” Danus blurted out.

“Annella…” Nordorum mumbled.

“Yes, Nordorum, I’m here,” she responded.

“Annella…keys…desk…in my living room,” he labored to say.

“What does he want?” Borm questioned.

“I believe he wants me to go to his apartment. There is a
ring of keys hanging from a nail on front of a desk,” she answered, silently
thanking heaven that the memory came back to her so fast.

“Yes,” Nordorum responded.

“I’ll go with you,” Danus announced. “Markum and Borm can
stay here with the Master.”

Annie placed her hand into Danus’s and together they ran
back up the narrow passageway, making it up the steps in a third of the time it
took to descend.

Danus jumped from the tower then turned and opened his arms
for Annie to jump into. They flew across the roof and back down the spiral
staircase, then down the stairs. They burst through the doors into the garden
and ran to the right. They raced into the building and frantically took the
stairs two at a time.

“Who’s there?” a voice called from the second floor.

Annie and Danus continued to run, ignoring the voice,
hearing two more doors open.

“Two apprentices,” another voice called. “I saw the
uniforms. They are running to the third floor. Lionel will be furious if they
awaken him.”

“Foolish apprentices and their pranks. I’ll put a stop to
this,” someone else called out.

Several sets of feet pounded on the stairs behind them.

Annie grabbed Danus’s arm. “If Lionel should come out of his
apartment—”

Danus finished the sentence for her. “I’ll take him down,
don’t worry.” He gripped the sword tighter.

Two more doors opened on the third floor as they ran past.

They reached Nordorum’s apartment. Danus pushed Annie aside
and leaned all the way back before kicking the door. It shook, but didn’t open.

There were at least seven peacemen running down the hall
towards them. “What are you doing, young man?” one yelled. “How dare you?”

Danus kicked the door again, and this time it gave way.

“He has broken down the Master’s door!” someone yelled.

“Was that Danus?” another called out.

“Yes, but who was the other?”

Annie flew across the room and grabbed the large ring of
keys.

Danus turned to face the door, holding the sword with both
hands, pointing it forward.

Conor was the first peaceman to enter. His eyes fell upon
the sword that Danus held defensively. “What is the meaning of this?” he asked.

“You must listen to me,” Danus called out. “Don’t take
another step forward. We have found the Master, but he is near death. We don’t
have time for your doubts. I will fight my way through you if I have to.”

“What are you talking about, Danus?” Conor said calmly.

“If you will simply follow us, we will lead you to the
Master,” Danus replied. “But if you try to prevent me from returning to him,
you have my word that I will fight you.”

Annie walked across the room and stood next to the
apprentice.

“Is that Annella Derlyn?” a peaceman asked.

“Isn’t that Kellus’s missing bride?” another said at the
same moment.

“It’s me,” Annie answered, nodding.

“We thought you were dead,” Conor said in a dazed voice.

“No,” Annie replied. “I was kidnapped by Lionel, as was
Nordorum. I was sent away and my husband framed for the murder of Loc upon my
return. Kellus was shut-up to cover the truth of Lionel’s crime against me.”

Exclamations of shock rang out among the peaceman.

“If Kellus is innocent, someone must go to the prisons and
free him immediately,” a small, rounded peaceman said.

“Kellus is not in the prisons,” Annie answered. “All three
cells are empty. My brother-in-law and I came here tonight to free him, but
when we reached the prison, there was no Kellus there.”

“How do we know they speak the truth against Lionel?” the
small peaceman asked.

“If you will follow us, we will lead you to the Master. He
will confirm our story, if he still lives, that is,” Danus answered.

“Lead the way, Danus,” Conor ordered.

Danus lowered the sword and took Annie’s hand once more.
They ran back the way they’d come moments before, this time with a group of
peacemen on their heels.

By the time they reached Markum and Borm, Annie knew it was
much too late to meet their family. She wondered what they thought had happened
to them, and how much distress this was causing them.

She handed the keys to Borm who took a while to discover the
correct one that would open the wooden gate.

“Who did this to you?” Conor asked when Nordorum had drunk
down half a cup of water. “Was it Lionel?”

Nordorum nodded.

“We must get him to the hospital right away,” Conor told the
other men. “We will need to take turns carrying him. There’s no easier way to
get him back up those narrow stairs.”

“I’ll carry him first. It would be an honor,” Danus offered.

“Carefully, Danus,” Conor cautioned. “He has many injuries.
His left leg is broken and perhaps some ribs. What other internal injuries he
may have, I won’t know until I can examine him thoroughly.”