Happy reading! The Feres King Chapter 24
Ted took forever to come for me, and when he finally did, it was way past noon. Okay, I didn't know for certain, but it sure felt like it. I wondered what he'd been doing all this time. I didn't ask him, though, for whatever it was took a lot of oomph out of him. And color too.
`Are you ready?' He asked. His voice was steady but he looked a bit groggy.
Okay, I knew I said I wasn't going to ask, but he really didn't look well.
`What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?'
`I feel fine,' he said rubbing at the side of his neck drawing my attention there. That was when I noticed the two evenly spaced bloody puncture marks between his fingers. Vampire bites!
`You've been bitten?'
He quickly hid the bite marks and took a few steps back.
`It's nothing.'
The hell it's not,' I said closing in on him. Tell me who did this to you?'
He went all solemn on me. He refused to say another word. Xell did this to him. I just knew it, but why ? I thought Ned was in Xell's employment. Had he done something wrong? Or maybe he just ran into a vampire while exploring our escape route.
As soon as I thought about the latter my reasoning rejected the idea. The vampires are sleeping and hiding from daylight, so it highly unlikely one of them bit him. Besides, he would have had more puncture marks because the vampires roost in nests. The smell of blood would have awokened the others.
No. Xell did something to him. Ned's face turned red with embarrassment then paled with disgust.
Ned, look at me,' I said softly. If we're going to be friends I need you to be honest with me. And whatever Xell made you do, I promise to reserve all judgments.'
Danalie did this to me,' he finally said after sometime. I should have known when Xell told me to bring his daughter lunch. But I thought with Christine gone I was free from all of that...'
His words didn't make a lot of sense at first. Christine was dead and gone for sure this time. That bitch was never coming back. But then it all became clear. Back in Dowerr, Seth-eagle had ripped Dana's arm off, meaning she must had been fatally wounded. Hearing Ned now, I guessed she didn't make it. So now it seemed that Xell had turned his other daughter into a vampire also. And Ned just became her lunchbox.
Wait! That was why Xell hired Ned, wasn't it. He had been feeding Christine all this time and now it seemed that he's doing the same with Dana. That explained a lot. It told me how and why Ned looked underfed, bony and so sickly. I shivered in horror. The poor guy. Talking about jumping out of the frying pan only to land in the fire; heshould have stayed in prison. At least there, nobody would have messed with the badass mean guy look he had going on.
I took Ned into my arms and hugged him. He didn't lose it like I would have if I were in his shoes. Rather he did cling to me as tight as he could. He was crushing me but I didn't care. He needed some compassion and love.
`Enough of that,' he said pushing me away while trying to be less emotional some time later. I could see past his sudden machismo act, of course. But I only smiled because I realized that was his way of coping. He reminded me so much of Wren.
`If we got a chance at getting out of here the time is now,' he said picking up and slung a leather bag I never saw before around a shoulder to hang by his side.
`Uh, right!'
I followed in his every step until we reached the kitchen. Ned was right. They must be really keen on their naps since we really met no one on the way. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about the kitchen staff. There were five of them and they were everywhere.
`How are we going to get past these people?'
`Leave it to me. You see the trash chute over there.' He pointed to a nasty looking hole by the water basin with rotten vegetable leaves sticking to it.
I nodded.
`Good. When I give you the signal run for it and dive in.'
Was he serious?
`That thing is filthy,' I said in disgust.
Do you want to get out of here or not?' He said looking at me expectedly. Either we take the chute or we go through the camp of warriors outside. You choose.'
Putting it that way, the chute looks so much inviting. `The chute,' I said.
Wise choice,' he said. I'll distract them long enough for you to get to it. Now watch for my signal.'
`Ok,' I simply said already feeling a little sick.
Handing me his leather bag, Ned waltzed in there. I watched as he engaged the fat woman and her rustic looking companion not far from her, in conversation. They seemed to like him because they were laughing at something he said to them.
It took forever, but finally when the woman carried away some freshly peeled potatoes to the table in the middle of the kitchen Ned gave me the signal. I checked out the companion who was hunching over plucking a duck and the other three kitchen staff who were busy on the other side of the kitchen. It was now or never.
Gulping down spit, I made a mad dash for the chute. Without any hesitation I dove in hands first. I slid down in nauseating slimes and landed in a heap of garbage. Ned tumbled after me once I managed to crawl my way through to stand by a foot path.
`I stink,' I complained once Ned joined me.
`It ought to be. We just came down a garbage chute.'
`Stating the obvious; not really imaginative are you,' I sarcastically said.
He chuckled. I couldn't help myself when I bent down and picked up some rotten vegetables to throw at him. His laugher got louder. He was really enjoying himself. If the situation were different, I might have found it funny too.
I watched him for a while. He really was cute when he laughed.
`What?' He asked when he caught me staring. I raised my shoulders as if to say nothing.
`We better get a move on, then, before they realize we've gone. Come on this way,' he said going up the path.
`Thank the Great Feri for the weight loss; otherwise, I would never have fit through the chute.'
`Don't thank them just yet. We still have to get tested for cholera or some other related diseases.'
`You're no fun,' he said grinning.
After a mile of trekking, we deviated from the path. Bare footed on stony ground was a killer. On top of that I was thirsty and tired.
`Can we rest? I'm completely washed-out.'
`No resting. We're still too close to the castle.'
`I wish Nick was here. He would have teleported us right out of here in no time. Wait! I should send him a whisper...'
Ned brusquely stopped causing me to crash into his back. He turned on his heel.
`Tell me you haven't done that.'
`Done what?' I replied.
Whispered to your friends,' he said, because if you did we might as well turn back and beg Xell for mercy.'
`I didn't send anything. But how's that got anything to do with begging Xell for mercy?'
`His stronghold has an eight mile protective barrier around it. If you send a whisper from the inside it would be redirected straight to him. So for both our sake don't send any. You got that?'
`Aye, aye captain,' I joked. Although, I was glad I didn't whisper to Wren back in the cell, God knows I wanted to.
Ned turned his back to me while holding back a grin.
We covered three more miles before Ned broke the silence that had befallen us.
`I think we're being followed.'
I didn't sense anything. Also I saw nothing around to confirm his suspicion.
`Whatever it, it's above us.'
`Should we be worried?'
`I don't think so. It's just a bird.'
Right then, a crow flew past us and landed on a branch in front of us. Croaking, it watched us.
We paid it no mind as we continued on our way.
We had covered a few more miles when we heard a hurn in the distance. Ned stopped.
`What is it?'
`They've discovered we're gone. Hurry! We must get past the barrier. It's just a few clicks in front of us.'
We picked up our pace and soon enough, we met the barrier. I was panting hard and my feet were killing me. Ned wasn't doing so well either. I noticed he kept leaning against every tree he could lay his hands on.
I heard noises came from behind us and I knew they had picked up our trail. I didn't want to sound pessimistic, but unless we could find some way to go faster or conceal ourselves,s whoever was coming would be upon us soon.
Ned and I crossed the barrier. But now what? Before I got a chance to say something to Ned, a dozen warlocks materialized all around us.
Oh shit! They've found us.
`Ned.'
`Hold on. I'm trying to think.'
What was there to think of? They've already caught up with us.
`Stay where you are and put your hands where we can see them,' one of the warlocks said.
Both Ned and I raised our hands in the air.
I couldn't believe they had caught up with us so fast. I was going back to Xell's dungeon. It was really not fair. I'd crawled through garbage and run through a god forsaken terrain for nothing. No. I still had a little juice left and I was going to make it count.
`Rye no –' Ned started but didn't finish. That was because right then the crow that had been following us came to land on one of my shoulder. It croaked sending shivered down everyone's spine.
`What the hell...?' For the second time something prevented me from finishing my sentence. Bluish sparkling lights appeared and soon a tall brunette woman in her forties appeared by our side.
`The Feres and his companion are under my protection. Leave now or be destroyed,' she said in a commanding voice.
`Who are you to order us around?'
The woman smirked before she blasted the warrior who spoke with a jet of lightning emanated from the palm of her hand. The warlock rose three feet before crashing into a tree. It was hard to tell whether he survived or not, but the lightning left a scorch mark on his chest. The other warriors drew back and went to hide behind the trees.
The woman laughed. Then she turned to Ned and me.
Don't be afraid,' she said when she noticed how tight I was clinging to Ned. I mean you no harm.'
That was hard to believe with what I had just witnessed.
`Who are you?' I asked nervously.
The crow took off from my shoulder and landed on her forearm. `Pitch, you have done well my pet,' she said stroking at the crow's head gently. It was clear that she was his mistress.
`For now my name is of no consequence. Quickly, we must get out of here. More warriors are on the way and I really don't want to hurt anyone else this day.'
Without touching us, she spread her free arm and I felt the pull of being teleported.
Moments later we appeared in a clearing in the middle of yet another forest.
`Here you are. You're safe now.'
`Where have you brought us? And who are you?'
She laughed. A mile that way lays the High Guard Camp. You'll meet your friends there. They've been worried about you.' She looked in Ned's direction. And your friend needs a healer's touch. You should know he really isn't well.'
Why is she avoiding telling me her name?
If it means that much to you my name is Amma,' she said as if she had heard my thought. Your friend Wren should know, as I am his mother.'
Wren's mother!
She laughed at the stupid expression on my face. `Take care now for I really must be going. Hope we meet again young Feres.'
With that she dematerialized leaving behind her bird.
...
End of chapter 24