Embers of an Age (Blood War Trilogy) (19 page)

Ellora let her gaze survey the somber crowd and she spied a
few
she recognized. There at the back of the captives were several of the orphans she had been housed with. They looked dirty and sad, but none seemed to carry the burden of defeat as the adults around them did. They had not yet given up. Ellora felt a tear well up at their courage. They had suffered a form of enslavement their entire lives, so this was little different in their eyes. Knowing what was to come next, she saw the opportunity to free them
before Olenn or his men spotted her
. She could use their help.

She dug quietly through the wreckage and secured a shattered stone that held a sharp edge
, and then rooted out a few more
.
Nothing better to be found, she followed the prince’s example and crouched low, clearing the distance between the city and the ragged lines within just a few moments. She raised a finger to her lips as the orphans’ voices started to rise, calling them to silence. The men and women around her went quiet, as well, but nothing could mask the excitement and trepidation in their eyes. Ellora immediately went to work on the bonds of the closest orphan boy named Mikil. The stone cut quickly and freed his hands, and Ellora handed him another of the rocks as soon as he was loose. He went to work on
another
boy’s
restraints
, and she cut free one of the men who stood nearby.

She went on until all of the orphans were free of their
binds
. Mikil and Brandon were joined by Thelis and Kane. Ellora directed them to pass the rocks on, and then led them from the group back to the hole in the city’s wall. They had just made it inside when a cry rose up behind them. They hunkered down and watched as the people of Lathah burst from the gathering and charged the surprised Grol. The beasts raised their weapons and scrambled to form ranks, but the prince and his men were upon them.

Flashes of blue and black
blurred in Ellora’s vision as the magical swords of the prince cleaved through the Grol. Beasts crumpled to the ground under the unexpected assault, and began to scatter. The wave of freed captives rolled over them like
ants spilling from a hill
. Using only their hands and feet, the Lathahns battered the Grol guards ripping them to pieces as though their roles had been reversed; the Lathahns becoming
the beasts.

Ellora could hear the ferocity of the battle, her ears ringing. Inhuman screams rose up and echoed against the mountain, reverberating through the ruins of the city. The
thump
of flesh on steel resounded as the Lathahns overwhelmed the Grol, fists and feet raining down over and over
. A few short moments later, it was all over.

A massive cheer exploded
in the wake of battle
, the people of Lathah kissing and embracing each other, scrambling to free those who had yet to be turned loose. The smiles of the four orphans stretched their cheeks to the limits. It was a bittersweet moment for Ellora. She knew the cost of their freedom.

“Don’t get too excited,” she told the boys. They looked at her with wide eyes. “Prince Olenn killed the king and captured
the princess
and her family. He left the people to die even though he had a means of escape that could have been used by everyone.”

“You speak true?” Mikil asked.

Ellora nodded. “I was captured with the princess and taken from Pathra and brought back here through secret tunnels in the mountain.” She pointed toward where Malya and her family stood, though they were little more than
faint
silhouettes against the wreckage. “That’s them. The prince has them bound and under guard.”

The boys muttered amongst themselves a moment, Brandon turning to Ellora. “Prove it.”

She didn’t bother to respond. Ellora
motioned for them to follow
and snuck off through the debris, guiding the group closer but staying out of sight of the guards. The men didn’t bother to look back as she and the boys drew close enough to see the group clearly.

Mikil’s eyes looked as though they might slip loose of his sockets for his surprise. “That’s her,” he whispered.

Ellora kept her, “I told you,” to herself.
The chants of Prince Olenn filled her ears as the freed captives celebrated. She saw the guards grin and slap each other across the back at the success
.
Malya and her family
stood
stone-faced and
despondent
.

The boys slunk lower behind the piles of wreckage they used as their hiding place. “He means to kill them?” Mikil asked?

“I don’t know,” Ellora told him, shrugging. “All I know is he doesn’t want her seen by the people. That is why she is here and not
out there
with him.” She looked to each bo
y, meeting their eyes. “We can’
t let him hurt her.”

Brandon shook his head. “There are
too many guards for us. We can’
t
fight them, not just us
.”

“Did you see any more of
us
when you were tied up?”

“I saw some,” Mikil answered.

“I did, to
o,” Kane answered. Thelis nodded, as well
.

Ellora looked to Mikil, the oldest of the group. “Then go get them and bring them back to the hole in the wall where we came in
…
quietly
.
Don’t let the prince or his men see you.
” She turned to Brandon. “A lot of people—soldiers—died in the city
when the Grol attacked
. Go gather whatever weapons you can find.
If we’re not here when you get back, look for us higher up in the levels. The prince will probably keep
the princess
inside
,
and the only place I can think of that would be free of prying eyes would be the Crown.” The two boys nodded. “Be safe,” she said to both before they ran off.

“And me?” Thelis asked.

“Stay with me, for now.” She smiled at
the young boy
. “I might need someone to protect me.”

Thelis
beamed and looked back to the princess
, his chest puffed out
. Ellora drew in a deep breath and settled in to wait. Everything depended on what Prince Olenn did next. If he ordered Malya from the city, there would be nothing Ellora could do to help her. Even if he left her inside its walls, Ellora was uncertain she and a rabble of orphans could overpower trained soldiers and rescue the princess, but she was set on trying.
She owed
Malya
that much.

The princess had extended her hand to Ellora and treated her better than anyone
ever had
. If death was Ellora’s reward for trying to repay that kindness, so be it.
She was willing to risk it.

Domor wept.
Without Sultae setting a hand upon him, he had given in and told her all he knew of the Sha’ree plan to train fighters in the O’hra and lead an army against the Grol forces. He told of the journey to Ah Uto Ree and of the people who traveled in the group. Sultae had left him with a smile.

He looked across the room to see Zalee squirming in agony beneath the constant wash of magical energy that flowed from the trough beside her. She had woken at last, but that had been no mercy. She screamed and thrashed in defiance, at
first, before her body grew too weak to fight
. Now
,
she only moaned and twisted against the chains that held her in place. Her eyes fluttered, pink tears staining her cheeks and
tortured
chest as she suffered.

Domor had betrayed her, telling Sultae what she wanted to know while Zalee had met the cruel torture of her fellow Sha’ree without breaking. He had only to see
her
battered and beaten before he
made up his mind to speak all he knew.
Nothing but a coward
, he chastised himself, but even the honesty of his words failed to soften his guilt.

Cael, the son of Domor’s brother, traveled to Ah Uto Ree along with the others. Domor had betrayed him, as well.
He had come all the way from Vel to save Cael, or so he had told everyone, but the truth lie elsewhere. Domor had only partially told Uthul when he said he returned for both the boy and the relic. Cael had only been a small child when Domor last saw him. He remembered little of the boy. Here in the dark caverns where he was likely to meet his end, he could be more honest, at least with himself. It had been the relic, the golden rod, which had drawn him from his fugue of alcohol and drawn him across Ahreele.

A
s Sultae knelt before him
,
he had feared only
for his own life
.
Watching Zalee wither before him
brought out his shame, but still he could think of nothing but what lay before him. What last orders had Sultae given Illraine before her departure?
He could see no purpose to
keeping him alive. Zalee might well be traded to the Sha’ree for ransom or leverage, but Domor had no one; he had
no value
. A cold chill settled over him at the thought. Domor sunk against the chains that held his arms, feeling them bite into his wrists. He tugged harder to feel the pain. He deserved it.

For hours he hung with only the sounds of Zalee’s torment for company
, his arms
long since gone
numb
. She was fading. Of this, he was certain. Her moans had grown low, resonating deep in her throat. She barely moved as the pure magical essence circled the trough beside her. Soon she would be dead.
He stared across the room, assailed yet again by guilt. Could he have done something to help her, to keep Sultae from having tortured her? Lost in his head, he didn’t hear the forger come in.

“She still lives, though not for long,” Illraine said. Her deep voice echoed through the chamber, startling Domor
and confirming what he already knew
.

He snapped his head to look at her. She came closer, her pale hands fiddling with the links of the chains that held Domor to the wall.

“It is time to go,” she said, loosening the last of the
restraints
from
the
stone peg.

Domor looked up at her as she gave the chain slack so he could get to his feet. His gaze shifted to Zalee. The Sha’ree’s eyes were open. Though little more than cracks against her bruised face, she looked back at Domor and met his gaze. Under her stare, he felt the burden of guilt press him against the wall. Tears spilled loose once more, warming his cheeks and he gasped to draw breath.
He shuddered under Illraine’s appraisal.

With a deep inhalation of the pungent air, he willed his hand to function and pointed at Zalee, his eyes widening. “No!” he called out.

Illraine spun, her eyes going to Zalee.

A cold emptiness filled Domor as made his choice
, Illraine falling for his feint
. He knew what had to be done.

“What are—”
the forger began.

Domor interrupted her with his feet. He curled his legs under him and leaned back into the wall to gather the most leverage he could, and kicked out. His heels crashed into Illraine’s back. It was like kicking a wall
,
but
the blow
sent her tumbling.

Domor’s eyes went wide as he realized she still held tight to the chains that bound his wrists. They snapped taut and yanked him to his feet as Illraine struggled to regain her balance. The sudden weight on the chain yanked her sideways and sent her crashing to the floor. The room trembled under his feet just before Domor was pulled to his knees just a short distance behind her.

“I’ll kill you!” she screamed as she rolled to her side, her cheek bloody from the fall.

Illraine pulled the chain and Domor slid across the stone floor toward her.
He
clasped his hands around the links and fought
to resist
her, but she was too strong.
Domor
slid
across the stone floor, scrabbling for purchase
. He
managed to get to his feet, fighting with all his strength. It wasn’t nearly enough, but
with all of his weight added in,
he held his ground against her one hand. The forger c
limbed to her knees, laughing. The bitterness of it stung his ears. She was toying with him. Illraine started to her feet, using her free hand to stabilize herself. Domor could feel the tension increasing in the chain
. Once she was up, he would be a rat on a leash, flung about at the mercy of her whims. She knew it, as well.

Just as her hand left the ground, Domor released the chain and charged. Illraine’s eyes went wide as her balance fell away under the sudden s
lack. She wobbled but didn’t fall
, but Domor
wasn’t yet done
. He ducked his head and raised his arms before him, crashing into the forger’s broad chest. His momentum sent her flying.