Theodore gritted his teeth. He had suspected something like this since he had seen Gar’rth’s new attire, but he had hoped otherwise.
“Our escape will be desperate,” he said. “And unlikely.”
“You have my word that you will not be attacked, Theodore. Although I would advise you to go as quickly as you can.”
Your word, Gar’rth? How is Morytania possibly bound by that?
“I will never see her smile or laugh or cry again,” Gar’rth murmured as he leaned down to Kara’s face. Gently, as if afraid to wake her, he kissed her forehead. Then he turned. “I shall wake the others now. You will have to carry Albertus, for his recovery is doubtful. Doric and Arisha are nearby with Lord Despaard. They have a boat which will carry you west.” He stroked Kara’s hair. “But I shall not wake her. I don’t think I could stand to hear her voice now that my decision is made.”
“Wait, Gar’rth, before you go,” Theodore sheathed his sword and approached the werewolf. He thrust his hand out. “I have always feared what you are, Gar’rth. That is no lie.” His voice broke and his vision blurred. “But the man you were when you fought at my side, when you went with Kara into The Wilderness-there are few better. I am sorry now of my jealousy of you.”
Gar’rth nodded and took Theodore’s hand in his.
“I have learned much from our time together, Theodore. Make sure you tell Ebenezer that. Together, you showed me what friendship was. I never had that before, and I will never forget that. Never.”
They embraced, Gar’rth’s strength bruising Theodore’s flesh.
“Just look after her, Theodore. Promise me you will?”
“I will, Gar’rth. I will.”
Castimir awoke with the smell of smoke in his nostrils. He coughed reflexively, and as he did so he sat up.
What happened?
Opposite him, Gideon Gleeman was looking equally confused, and behind him, on a black settle lay Kara, unmoving. At the jester’s side, lying on a litter, Albertus Black moaned.
“We haven’t long,” Gar’rth said. “You must go. Now.”
Go where? Where are we? And why is it “you” and not “we”?
“Castimir, can you help Gideon carry Albertus?” Theodore said. “I’ll take Kara.”
The wizard rushed to help Gideon as Theodore hefted Kara over his shoulder with a grunt. Only Gar’rth remained unmoving.
He’s not coming. He means to send us away and remain.
“Gar’rth, you can’t stay here,” he said. “They will force you to give yourself to Zamorak if you do… won’t they?”
“I do not know, Castimir. They have not done so yet, but I have made the choice that matters, perhaps the last free choice I ever will make. You are to go free, back to Misthalin, but the price of your freedom is that I stay behind. That is why I haven’t woken Kara. She would not understand that there are some forces it is impossible to fight.”
“But… but…” He didn’t know what to say. Gar’rth’s position was an impossible one.
“I have already spoken to Theodore about it, Castimir. He will tell all on your way back.” Gar’rth clasped Castimir in a great hug and the wizard saw his friend’s eyes water. “This is the only way, Castimir. The only way.
“And you should know that it is not just your lives for which I have made this exchange. Here, I can help, really help. On your way you will see how the wretches of the ghettoes live, of their misery and fear. If I can do anything at all to help them, then it will be worth doing. Go now, but go with the knowledge that we still have a chance to make a better world for some. He will guide you.”
Castimir turned to where Gar’rth gestured. Through an open set of double doors stood a thin elderly man with white hair and a long gaunt face. His thick sideburns ran to his chin, and when he opened his mouth the wizard noted his teeth were pointed.
He is one of them, a werewolf, I think. Or is he a vampire?
“Georgi will guide you. He is a werewolf, and he has been appointed to be my valet. Follow him, and you cannot go wrong.”
Gar’rth shook the jester’s hand, and then turned to face them all.
“I have given you each a gift, also. Theodore is now a rich man, as are you all now. Castimir, I have included Ebenezer’s spyglass in your belt pouch. I know he would like it back. The contents of Albertus’s saddlebags are in my possession, however-they are too heavy for you to carry back.”
Gar’rth stepped toward the door and gestured.
“Georgi, lead them to the Barrows beyond the city’s walls. Vanstrom and Doric will be there to meet you, if you hurry.” He turned to Castimir and gave a knowing smile. “And Arisha waits with them. So don’t delay!”
“Come, we cannot be upon the Barrows when it gets dark,” Georgi muttered as he turned in the doorway and led them on. “Not even us. Come on!”
Castimir turned back one last time as they rounded a corner in the corridor. He stared through the double doors to see Gar’rth, standing alone, looking after them. Then the shadows closed in upon him, hiding him from view, and the doors were slammed shut by some unseen force.
May the gods watch over you, my friend.
“She is waking. Be careful, Theodore, mind her head on the stone.”
Kara heard Castimir’s voice as Theodore grunted. She felt a cold wind blow on her face, and then hard stone under her feet and against her back.
“Where are we?” she murmured.
I am exhausted. My arms and legs feel empty.
“We are leaving Castle Drakan, Kara,” Gideon’s voice explained. “Gar’rth negotiated our release, and we are hastening to meet Lord Despaard.”
Kara opened her eyes. Her back was to a stone parapet, her head below the merlon. Looking down she saw a dark courtyard with roofed buildings cramped together. As the wind changed, she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell that wafted upward.
Poverty and despair. The smell of hopelessness.
“Gideon? Then you and Albertus are safe?”
“We are, Kara,” the jester confirmed. “Though Albertus is barely conscious, and his mind is fragile.”
Kara looked at Albertus. The old man was still, asleep on his litter, his face too pale.
“Where is Gar’rth?” she asked, a dread cold gripping her stomach. Whoever sent Jerrod after him isn’t going to let him walk away again.
But I might be wrong…
Their silence indicated otherwise.
“Where is he?” she asked again. To her, her own voice sounded brittle. “Just tell me.”
“I am sorry, Kara,” Theodore said. “The condition of our release-and of our lives-was that he remain behind. He made his choice, and there was nothing any of us could do to change that.”
“Why didn’t he speak to me before we left?” she demanded. “Why couldn’t you wake me?”
Theodore and Castimir shared a glance.
“Tell me!” she snapped angrily.
“He woke me first, Kara,” the knight said. “It was a magical sleep over which he seemed to have some command. We buried our differences and parted on good terms. He said he wouldn’t wake you, for fear of being unable to part with you if you protested.”
“Nothing more?”
I know you haven’t told me everything, Theodore. You are a hopeless liar.
“Nothing more, Kara,” he said. She didn’t entirely believe him, but Theodore didn’t offer to elabourate.
“We cannot wait for long,” a harsh voice muttered.
“We will be here a moment only, Georgi,” Theodore said. “I just want to see what they are building.” A brief silence, then he said. “Castimir, you have Ebenezer’s spyglass?”
To her right she saw the wizard fumble in his belt pouch and pass the golden cylinder to the knight.
“What do you see Theodore?” Castimir said after a minute.