“I hope you’re right,” Anders said. “Because that time it sounded closer.”
“Let’s move. Where did you sense Nadir?” Ivan asked, hoping it wasn’t the corridor where the boorish bellows continued to echo.
Anders pointed down the hallway directly to the left of the terrible noises.
Ivan looked down the darkened hall, then back to Anders. His expression serious, “Are you sure?”
Anders nodded, “I’m sure.”
They took off in a hurry down the dark corridor, Ivan grabbing a lit torch from the wall as they entered. Three times they heard the bellows of the unknown beast. It faded slightly the farther down the hallway they went. Anders was convinced that whatever it was had broken free from its cell and was roaming the first floor of the dungeon.
Nadir’s cell was farther than Anders recalled and both he and Ivan were beginning to heave exhaustedly by the time they arrived at the cage door. Nadir must have heard them coming because he stood with his hands wrapped around the bars of the iron-caged door.
“Ivan?” Nadir said with surprise as the old dragonrider and Anders came to a halt outside his cell.
Anders took a quick look at the surrounding cells; they were all empty, except for one. A small elf girl who looked to be no more than ten years old lay curled in a ball on the stone floor. Anders wondered what she possibly could have done to end up in there. His attention returned to Nadir as he heard his name.
“And Anders. How did you two find me? And why are you here?” he asked sounding slightly suspicious that their reasons for being there may not be honest or lawful.
Ivan read the changing expression on Nadir’s face and quieted his suspicions, “Nadir, we’ve come here in the name of your father to set you free. We’ve discovered proof that will exonerate you of the crimes for which you are being held a prisoner.”
“That’s wonderful news!” Nadir exclaimed. When neither Anders nor Ivan’s expressions turned to joy, Nadir asked, “Why do I get the feeling there’s something terrible you’re not telling me?”
Ivan turned to face Nadir and took a deep breath before continuing, “This will not be easy for you to hear,” he began. “Shortly after you became imprisoned, your father sent Anders, Maija, Natalia and me on a diplomatic mission to Mount Orena. We were sent, in your stead, to restore the faith of good trade between your peoples. While counseling with the dwarf king, Remli, we discovered that Merglan had corrupted the dwarf delegated to be ambassador to the elves. He was sabotaging the relationship between the elves and dwarfs. His goal was to disrupt your alliance so Merglan would be able to strike while the feud between your two kingdoms escalated.”
“That’s terrible news,” Nadir spat. “What kind of hateful person attempts to destroy such a just and noble cause?”
Ivan winced as though he’d been pricked with a needle as Nadir spoke.
Nadir noticed his reaction and asked, “Was that not the terrible news?”
Ivan continued, “It’s the beginning to what terrible events came to unfold after our discovery.”
Nadir clenched his jaw and steadied his stance as if he were about to be dealt a terrible blow. He nodded once to let Ivan know he was ready for him to continue.
“Once the dwarf traitor was rooted out and captured, he poisoned himself to avoid giving away his secrets. After a thorough search of his personal effects, we found letters.”
“What kind of letters?” Nadir asked.
“Incriminating letters,” Ivan replied. “Not only was the dwarf in cahoots with Merglan, but he’d been conspiring with someone high in the elven ranks.”
“A member of the High Council?” Nadir suggested.
Ivan nodded slowly.
“Who?” Nadir demanded.
“It was the queen,” Ivan said shortly.
Nadir spat a slur of elvish Anders didn’t understand but assumed to be curses.
“Does my father know?” Nadir asked. “Is that why you’re here in his place?”
Ivan hesitated to answer.
“Come on then, tell me.”
“We tried to get the king alone to tell him the news. Lageena was present and the king insisted on her being in the room for whatever it was we needed to tell him. I underestimated her.”
Nadir inhaled shortly and took a step back as if someone had pushed him. “What’s happened to my father?” he asked in a shaky voice.
“Upon our revealing her false identity to the king, she attempted to flee. The king went after her. Before she leapt from their bedroom window, she delivered a fatal blow. I’m sorry, Nadir, but your father is dead.”
A silence deeper than Anders had ever known befell the prison corridor. Nadir’s face flushed a ghostly white as if all his blood had been drained. He stood staring into the darkened hallway, tears welling in his eyes. Anders couldn’t gauge how much time passed during the lengthy silence.
Nadir was first to speak. “Where is she?” he asked coldly.
“Before we came down here to free you, Natalia and Zahara were hunting her down. All of the city watch had been made aware of her treason. All gates were sealed. She couldn’t have left the city. Now we just need to smoke her out of whichever hole she has slunk away to,” Ivan said.
“Good,” Nadir said shortly.
“We need to get you out of here. Your people are in need of a leader. If we let this go too long without a firm commander, a coup could arise to try to take control of the crown. Nadir, you are the king now,” Ivan let the words settle.
Wiping away tears, Nadir said, “You’re right. I must take command and see that this traitor is put to justice. Now how do you propose to get me out of here?”
“The magical bonds holding you here are designed to process and judge evidence that could convict you or set you free,” Ivan said reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the letter he’d brought back from Mount Orena.
“What are we going to do with that?” Anders asked. “I don’t see a judge or even a prison guard to read that.”
