“True,” Riyan agreed.
Chad came to Bart and asked, “You don’t suppose there could be a secret entrance to the ‘real’ horde do you?”
“Maybe,” he replied. Glancing around at the way the room was laid out, he said, “I’ll take a look around.”
“While you do that,” Riyan told him, “I’ll go see how Kevik and Seth are doing.” Then with that, he turned and headed for the short passage leading from the room. Haran and his men went with him as did Chyfe.
“I never properly thanked you for saving me that day at Marl Crest,” Haran said.
“We were glad to do it,” he replied. “After all, if it hadn’t been for us, you never would have been captured in the first place.” He glanced to the new Warlord of the Orack Tribe. “Anyway, I think we’re even now.”
Haran laughed. “So it would seem.”
They found Seth revived though physically weak. Soth saw them coming first and said to Haran, “Your potion saved his life.”
“I’m glad,” Haran responded.
“How is Kevik?” asked Chyfe.
“I checked on him a few minutes ago,” explained Soth. “He was alive and some of the burned areas had shown signs of healing.”
“I’m going to take a look,” Riyan announced. Moving out, he left the twins as he and the others walked down toward where the gem’s glow bathed Kevik in a soft light.
“So,” Haran said as he came to look upon Kevik. “This is the one who bested Geffen.” He glanced to Riyan and added, “Geffen was one of the most powerful and skilled magic users I have ever encountered.”
Riyan only nodded.
Kevik still looked bad. His face was splotchy with patches of burned skin, the front part of his scalp was bereft of hair leaving only a small, singed patch in the back.
“Kevik?” asked Riyan. When the magic user failed to respond, Riyan turned back toward Haran. “You wouldn’t have another healing potion would you?”
“Yes I do,” he replied. Reaching into his cloak, he pulled forth another vial similar to the one he had given Soth. “Here,” he said as he handed it to Riyan. “It’s the last.”
“Thank you.” Taking the vial, Riyan pulled the stopper and let a few drops drip onto Kevik’s lips. “Come on Kevik,” he said as he allowed several more drops to fall.
Drop by drop, he administered the potion to Kevik. Once the last had passed his lips, Riyan sat back and watched. After a few moments, he turned to Haran. “It’s not working.”
“Give it time,” urged Haran. “Such extensive damage as he’s sustained will take time to heal.”
It actually took another half hour before Kevik began to stir. He only regained consciousness long enough for Riyan and Bart to bring him to see the room beyond the sigiled wall, then lost it shortly thereafter.
“We should make our way back to the surface,” Haran said when they brought Kevik back to the dais room. He had been told of their escape and how his men as well as those of Captain Lyrun were left entrapped by Kevik’s spell. “There’s no telling what may happen should your magic user’s spell disappear before I return.”
“You’re right,” agreed Riyan. Patting his pack which now held his share of the gems, he said, “We have what we came for.”
So once a makeshift stretcher had been constructed for Kevik, Haran volunteered two of his men to be the stretcher bearers. Also before they left, he recovered the King’s sword that Lord Kueryn had appropriated, and the one taken by Captain Lyrun. When they returned to the room wherein the King and his three lords lay, the two swords were placed back where they belonged.
Haran took a moment to reverently place the King back onto the center of his bier from where Lord Kueryn had pushed him aside in his desire to retrieve the sword. “May your rest be ever peaceful,” Haran said quietly as he crossed the King’s hands upon his chest.
Once all was as it should be, they continued on their way to the surface.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
As they reached the uppermost level and were headed down the passageway toward the exit to the surface, Chad quipped to Riyan, “Why is it every time we come here, someone gets carried back to the surface?”
Riyan grinned. During their last excursion within these ancient passages, he and Chad had to carry Bart all the way back to Quillim after being struck by a poisoned dart. Now it was Kevik’s turn. “It does seem that way doesn’t it,” he replied.
Upon reaching the hole leading up and out, they climbed through to the outside. The two bearers carrying Kevik, with the help of Riyan, Chad, and the others, reached the surface without spilling him.
The sun was shining as they emerged, though the rumble of thunder could be heard coming from the clouds gathering around the tops of the mountains to the west. Having grown up in the vicinity, Riyan knew they were going to be in for a storm before the day was out.
“At least it will wash away all traces of our presence here,” he said as he stared at the thunderheads.
Bart nodded. “And when the berry patch overgrows the hole this spring, the entrance will again be hidden.”
“There is always the chance that someone will stumble upon it,” Haran said. “It would be a shame for the King’s rest to be disturbed once more.”
“I know,” replied Riyan. “But given that this area is far from civilization, it’s unlikely anyone will come here.”
After everyone had made it from the underground passageway, they started heading back to where they left Haran’s and Captain Lyrun’s men entrapped by Kevik’s spell.
“What should we do with Captain Lyrun’s men?” asked Chyfe.
Riyan glanced to him and said, “I know what you would do.”
“I’d hang every last one of them,” he affirmed. “Bandits and murderers are what they are!”
To Haran, Riyan said, “We passed through a town called Sterrith where they claimed Lyrun’s band robbed and murdered several of the locals.”
Haran nodded. “My uncle paid them to do that,” he said, anger apparent in his voice. “The anger and hatred that and other such occurrences bred made it easier for him to persuade other Tribes in joining the assault on Yerith Keep.”
“How could he order the murder and rape of his own people?” Chad demanded.
“I don’t know,” replied Haran. “Had I known of this before, I would have acted to put a stop to it. As for me, I didn’t know of the connection between them until they met us after we left the Tinderlock Mountains. By then it was too late to do anything.”
“There’s a lot to rectify before this will all be over,” Bart said.
“Yes,” agreed Haran. “There will.”
Riyan was about to reply when he noticed several figures making their way along the bank of the stream. At the present, they were quite a ways further down the stream and still oblivious to their presence.
“Kevik’s spell must have ended,” commented Chad when he saw them.
Bart came to a sudden stop. “I don’t think so,” he said. Turning to Haran he asked, “If the spell had ended and they were freed, would they send only five after us?”
Understanding suddenly dawned as Haran slowly shook his head. “No,” he replied. “They would not send only a handful if they thought my uncle and the rest of us were in peril.”
“That’s what I thought,” Bart said. “I suggest we hide. To the trees, fast!”
Moving quickly, they backtracked along the stream to a stand of trees growing thickly together. The approaching men, of whom there were five, continued heading their way. It appeared that the men still hadn’t noticed them.
“They are Byrdlon soldiers my lord,” one of Haran’s men announced.
“Lyrun’s men?” asked Haran.
“Uncertain,” the man replied.
Bart looked back and could see the crest of Duke Alric emblazoned on the men’s uniforms. “There could be treachery afoot.”
As they reached the stand of trees, Chyfe moved behind one of the trunks and gazed around it at the oncoming men. His right hand grasped the hilt of his sword and he knew blood would soon be spilled. He and the others continued watching as the men grew steadily closer.