The Gathering (59 page)

"Time to go, Padre!!
 
Saddle up!!"

Father Leon looked around and up at the giant steed.
 
He tried to get his leg in the stirrup, but he couldn't reach.
 
Blaylock sat on his horse and watched.
 
He sighed and motioned to Brollen, who strode over and picked up the priest and tossed him onto the back of the horse.

As the soldiers climbed onto their horses, the Shape came out of the castle.
 
He walked over to Blaylock, who leaned over as the Shape quietly gave him instructions.
 
When he was done, Blaylock was grinning.

The Shape then moved to the center of the quad and raised his hands.

"Make sure she follows you…and make sure that no harm comes to those you bring back."

He began to chant ancient words and from the archway a spiral of wind appeared and grew bigger and bigger until it was twenty feet in diameter.
 
The center was black.

Blaylock looked over at Brollen and sighed, then turned back to the swirling mass and yelled.

"AAAGGHHHH!!!!"

He charged his horse forward and Brollen, his men and Father Leon followed.
 
They all moved into the blackness and vanished as the great mass closed and disappeared behind them.

Moments later, the vortex opened on a hill.
 
The silence was broken when the Horde thundered out of the blackness and the horses’ hooves connected with the ground.
 
They traveled a hundred feet or so before they stopped.
 
Blaylock turned around to make sure they had all gotten out.
 
Father Leon was missing.

Blaylock leaned on his saddle horn and yawned as the mass began to close.
 
As the maelstrom had shrunken to ten feet, the beleaguered priest emerged, only instant before the transport closed behind him.
 
He stopped his horse and looked around as he shook, his eyes wide.
 

"Try to keep up, Padre…we're not babysitting."

He looked at the priest and shook his head, then turned his steed west.
 
In the distance was a mountain and on top a castle.
 
Father Leon could just barely make out its flag, a great bronze unicorn.
 
The priest lowered his head and quietly cried.

82

Albion Merganser moved quietly through the village.
 
He rubbed his eyes as he continued to think.
 
He hadn't slept much as he had spent most of the morning trying to come up with a plan.
 
How could he get them out?
 
There were always two guards and there were only two keys.
 
One the jailer carried and the other Sean carried.
 
How could he get them to open the door?

He wandered over to the bench across from the jail and sat down.
 
He watched the movement of the soldiers within and sighed.
 
Then he glanced over towards the main Dining Hall and the kitchens.
 
Everyone was walking in and out of the hall and the kitchens.
 
No one seemed to notice one another and he narrowed his eyes.
 
That was it!
 
No one noticed him.
 
Everywhere he went, no one paid much attention to him.
 

Then he realized that the guards had their food delivered when Rona and Darla had their food delivered.
 
His father's sleeping pills!
 
He jumped up and smiled, then ran off to Keystone House.

He walked into the quarters.
 

"Elian?
 
Father?
 
Anyone here?"

The silence was heavy as he moved swiftly to his father's room.
 
He moved to his father's nightstand and there was the bottle.
 
He read the instructions and carefully removed six tabs and put them in his pocket.
 
He replaced the bottle carefully.

He sighed.
 
His hands were sweating and he wiped them on his pants.
 
He pushed his hair out of his face and in that moment he stopped and felt something in his gut, a great sinking feeling.
 
He began to wonder if he should go through with this plan.

He desperately wanted his mother, but what if Rona hurt someone again?
 
The sinking feeling grew heavy and spread into his chest.

 
He lightly rubbed his fingertips against the fabric of his pocket and felt the pills slightly protruding from under the cotton; he reached into his pocket and pulled them out.
 
He shook his head and started back for the bottle.

"Albie?
 
Albie, Sweetheart?
 
Are you coming to me?"

Albion looked around the room.

"Mother?"

"I'm waiting, Darling.
 
I'm waiting."

"I'm coming, Mother, I'm coming."

Albion absently put the pills back in his pocket and walked out of his father's room, closing the door behind him.
 
He looked down the hall and saw that the living area was still empty.
 
He left through the front door and again made his way towards the jail.
 
He smiled at the thought of seeing his mother.
 

"Hey, Albion!"

He turned to his right and saw Lisa and Brandon.

"Sorry?"

"I said have you seen Coeli?
 
We can't find her."

Albion shrugged and shook his head.

"No, sorry.
 
Maybe she went to the stables.
 
I think I saw Sam over that way a little while ago."

The twins thanked him as they ran off.
 
Albion thought of his mother as he neared the jail again.
 
The sun was bright against the solar panels of the village and Albie's eyes began to hurt.
 
He quickly found himself in front of the Dining Hall and walked over to the kitchens.

As he entered he saw that Gordon Hutton was arguing with a chef about something the chef had put in a soup.
 
Albie stayed quietly against the wall and watched the bustling kitchen.
 
He was there about ten minutes before he saw the silver domed trays.
 
He walked over in time to hear several of the kitchen staff talking about the prisoners.

"Look, I'm just telling you what I heard."

"Do you really think that Alia would have a public execution without a trial?
 
No way!! Besides, lots of folks don't think she's guilty, they want the proof."

"She as much admitted it already.
 
I say we toss her out on her ear."

"Well, some are saying that she's been working with…"

"All right you lot, stop gabbing and finish up those salads.
 
And get Peters to take that food over to the jail.
 
Those soldiers are probably eating their shoes at this point.
 
Remember, the steak is for the guards and the meatloaf is for the prisoners."

The staff dispersed and the domes were left unattended.
 
Albion moved towards them and when he was only two feet from them, a tall man in a chef's suit walked over and began to load the trays on to a cart.
 
Albion sighed and dropped his head.
 
He missed it; he had missed his chance.

"You looking for something to do, Kid?"

Albie looked up and saw the tall man looking down at him and smiling.

"How about you help me by carrying that coffee pot?
 
It always spills on the cart.
 
I'm sure the guards would appreciate having a full pot instead of half of one."

Albion smiled and nodded his head.

"Sure."

"Ok then, grab the pot and we're off.
 
Hey, what's your name?"

"Albion…Albion Merganser."

"Cool, I'm Jake Peters."

Jake Peters talked and pushed the cart towards the jail and as Albion followed, he glanced in the direction of the booths.
 
He stopped for a moment and watched the people moving about the village, talking and laughing.
 
He again felt that sinking feeling and he was about to head back to the kitchen when Jake Peters looked over at him.

"Are you coming?
 
That coffee's getting cold, Albie."

Albion smiled and nodded.
 
He wasn't used to having people call after him.
 
He followed Peters the rest of the way and they entered the building.

"Ah, finally!!"

The guard with the black hair moved over to smell the food as his counterpart shook her head.

"You'd eat dirt if you were hungry enough."

He turned and lifted his hand.

"Ah, no."

Peters pushed the cart to the wall and motioned for Albie to set the pot down.
 

"Thanks to my assistant here, you have a full pot of coffee today."

The female guard got up and grabbed her mug.

"Excellent!"

Albion moved forward and offered to take the mug.

"Can I get that for you?"

The guard shrugged her shoulders and handed him the cup.

"Sure."

Then the male soldier handed Albie his mug, too.

"Me too, please."

Albie smiled and set the mugs down as the guards took the trays and looked underneath.
 
Albie glanced around and saw that they all had their back to him.

He pulled the pills from his pocket and dropped three into each mug as he poured the coffee.

The white pills quickly disintegrated and Albie stirred the cups.

"Cream in mine, please."

Albie turned to see the woman guard looking at him.
 
He smiled and looked at the man.

"Black for me, Kid."

Albie nodded and lifted the mugs towards the guards. As the soldiers took them, Albie winced at the knots in his stomach.
 

The soldiers sipped and then thanked Peters and Albie as they took the food in to the prisoners and Peters escorted Albie to the door.

"I'll be back in a while to collect the plates, Mayer.
 
Try not to eat the utensils."

Peters smiled as he ushered Albie out of the jail.
 
There on the wall next to the door that led to the cells was the master key.
 
Albie walked out and looked at Peters.