The Destiny of Amalah (74 page)

‘Kalon, please do not be angry with me.’

‘How can I not be?’ he said angrily.

‘I don’t know Kalon – but please try.’

Kalon looked at Ellora for a long time, he loved her so much but he was so angry with her at the same time and he was finding it difficult to reconcile the two.

‘I’m going to my room,’ he said with steely control.

‘Kalon please wait,’ she said, as she followed him.

Kalon and Ellora walked to his room in silence and when they got there Kalon turned and looked at her.

‘Kalon I know you must be angry…’

‘No you don’t know,’ he said raising his voice. ‘That morning when I found the note I was filled with fear and dread. A fear that nearly paralysed me; every waking moment I was afraid that I had lost you. That you would have ended up like one of the many bodies I saw in Aradene or Santeb.

‘Kalon…’

‘No Ellora, nothing you can say to me can make me any less angry than I am now,’ he shouted. He stepped back from her, hating the fact that he had raised his voice to her. ‘I love you, I do, you know that,’ he said lowering his voice: ‘but I am so angry with you. What the hell were you thinking?’

‘That if I reached them this would all end.’

‘You didn’t think for one moment that they might hurt you?’

‘No.’

‘Well I did and so did my father, so did Michael and so did Amara and we all told you so and we specifically said – we would face: Rakan, Waldon, Rufus and Kenaz and their army in Basimine. Yet you sneaked out in the middle of the night to go and face them alone - what possessed you?’ he asked, raising his voice again.

‘I had to Kalon! I just had to! I didn’t want to believe that I had lost my four closest friends,’ she said beginning to cry. ‘Kalon, please listen to me. I could not stand by and do nothing as we lost our friends. I love them, I have loved them ever since I can remember and all I could think when this happened, was that I wanted them back, because I couldn’t bear to lose them – I couldn’t bear to lose one, never mind four. Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz; the men we grew up with, spent most of lives with – I could not lose them – I had to try and reach them.’

Kalon shook his head slowly and looked at Ellora again.

‘I wish you had come with us to Aradene and Santeb and seen what they had done, and then you would know exactly why they were beyond reach. What they did, it is unforgivable and even if Rakan had spent an eternity in a dungeon, it still would not have been punishment enough.’

‘I cannot believe that they did this.’

‘Nor can I Ellora but what I saw with my very own eyes makes me have to.’

‘But these are not the men I knew.’

‘Either we never really knew them, or they are not the men we know. Either way they killed a man, not in anger but in cold blood. They planned and plotted together to kill a man and blame another for his death. Then they went and killed more, five and then ten and then hundreds and then thousands. They are gone to us,’ Kalon said simply.

‘No Kalon, I don’t want them to be,’ Ellora said tearfully. ‘I don’t want them to be gone.’

She sat on the bed and put her hands to her face and wiped the tears that were falling freely from her face. Kalon sat down beside her and put his arms around her and she leaned on him.

‘These were the worst days of my life, when I didn’t know what had happened to you and when I thought I might have lost you and I could not imagine going on another day without you. I’ve never known that kind of fear before and I hated every single minute of it.’

‘I just had to do something Kalon.’

‘You didn’t have to risk your life that way though.’

‘Your brother ensured I had safe passage to and from Filine.’

‘Then you are lucky.’

‘Why are you so willing to give up on them?’ she said, raising her voice. ‘Don’t you miss them? Do you care? I thought you loved them!’

‘I did, I really did. I love Rakan; he is my brother. I used to think I had the best brother and the best friends. But now – well now I feel cursed. I love them all and it pains me so that they have gone – and they have gone Ellora – they are beyond our reach and our help and that loss makes me sadder than you could ever know.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, as she rested her head on him and rested her hands on his thigh.

‘I am angry Ellora, I’m angry because you ignored all of us and placed your life in danger when there was no need to and I’m angry that you didn’t talk to me – you just left me a note.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said kissing his cheek. ‘I’m sorry I left the way I did. I’m sorry I left you the note and sneaked out in the middle of the night and I’m sorry I ignored all of you, I truly am. But I’m not sorry I went, I had to, and I had to do something.’

‘I’m trying to understand why you went, I really am and I accept your apology but promise me you will never do anything like this again.’

‘I promise.’

Kalon lifted Ellora’s head up gently and kissed her on the lips and she kissed him back.

‘You make me crazy lady,’ he said half smiling as his anger began to dissipate.

‘You make me,’ she said, throwing her arms around his neck, which was the beginning of their lovemaking. Later, the two of them bathed together and as they slipped back into bed, they slept in each others arms and when they awoke at dawn they made love until the sun rose and then they began their day again, their argument behind them.

When the day began, John of Equer rode into the palace and he was taken to see: Amara, Garrick, Michael, Kalon and Ellora who were all working in Amara’s study. When he arrived, the introductions were made and the seven of them remained standing as John began to speak.

‘I don’t know if they arrived here but there were three travellers: Hannah, Zinzi and Zach.’

‘Yes they are here,’ said Amara. ‘They arrived a few days ago.’

‘How are they?’

‘They are safe and well and they are helping us here in Amalah City.’

‘Thank the gods,’ John replied. ‘They are good friends of mine. Originally there were six of us; we were travelling through Mantor when we first became aware of the army that was destroying the nation. We decided that the only thing we could do was to leave Mantor. Three of us headed west to Filine to warn them and three – as you know – headed to Amalah to warn you.’

‘What happened to the other two?’ Garrick asked.

‘They are still in Filine,’ John answered. ‘It was decided that I should leave them to come here to warn you and help where I can.’

‘Warn us about what?’

‘The size of the army – it is at least six thousand strong. We do not know what your tactics are but we guessed that you were going to do something in Basimine.’

‘You guessed correctly,’ said Garrick.

‘Well whatever it is, I am here to help, you have my loyalty and my sword.’

‘It is greatly needed and we thank you,’ said Amara.

‘It would help if you can tell us everything that you know and everything that you observed,’ said Garrick.

‘I will try.’

John recounted what had happened to him, Imogen and Seth as they had travelled to Filine and what they had seen and heard. He told of his travels through Eastern Mantor and of his sightings of the soldiers. When he had told the six listeners all that he could remember, he stared intently at them and they stared back at him – each of them lost in their own thoughts and each of them disturbed by the news that they were being told.

‘Thank you for coming here and sharing all that you have learned with us,’ said Amara.

‘It was the least I could do,’ replied John. ‘Is it possible to see my friends now, there is much I wish to discuss with them.’

‘Of course,’ said Amara. ‘I will arrange for them to come here.’

Amara went to the corner of the study and pulled on the long cord that would summon a maid to her room and then she went back to join the others who were still stood in the centre of the room and talking among themselves. A few minutes later, a maid knocked and entered and Amara requested that Zach, Hannah and Zinzi be brought to her study. The maid nodded and then bowed, before she left the room to carry out Amara’s request.

Five minutes later the young friends were entering the study and their faces widened with delight when they saw John standing there. John smiled a broad smile and the friends ran to each other and hugged and kissed one another as they were reunited.

‘It’s so good to see you,’ said Zach.

‘You too – all of you,’ he said.

‘What about Imogen and Seth?’ asked Zinzi.

‘They were well when I left them. It was thought a wiser option that I return to Amalah, to warn the Empress of what is happening in Filine. The others have gone on to do what they have set out to do.’

‘I’m so glad that you are all alright,’ said Hannah.

‘As am I,’ said John.

Amara came over to where the friends were and she arranged for them to have some time to themselves and then to get John settled into the palace and then when she had finished speaking to them, she turned back to Michael and the others and they spoke about the day ahead before they all dispersed and went their separate ways. John and his friends caught up with each other, while Amara, Michael and Ellora worked on organising from the palace, while Kalon and Garrick organised the guard.

Two days passed by and Häkan and the guard arrived with Adriel, who was still bound and gagged. When they arrived at the palace, Adriel was taken to the Great Hall and surrounded by guards, while Häkan went in search of everyone. An hour later: Amara, Ellora, Garrick, Kalon, Häkan, Michael, Thaddeus and the council, were all present in the crest room and Adriel was before them.

‘Adriel!’ Michael spat, as his eyes sparkled with contempt and anger.

‘That is the man I saw all those years ago at my father’s funeral,’ Amara said.

‘What were you doing there?’ asked Michael.

‘I like crowds,’ Adriel replied in a haughty tone. ‘How are your parents…’?

Michael glared at Adriel and Ellora and Amara were shocked to the core at how hateful the old man before them was.

‘I think Adriel forgot something,’ Häkan cut in. ‘The less he co-operates the longer we bind his powers for.’

‘I sensed power and I was spying.’

‘Whose power?’ asked Garrick.

‘Hers,’ Adriel said, looking at the Empress; ‘and hers,’ he said looking at the princess. ‘And of course: Rakan’s, Rufus’s, Waldon, Kenaz and his.’ he said, looking at Kalon. ‘They all have power in one way or another and I knew I would be able to turn them.’ Adriel said satisfied with himself. ‘Well some of them anyway! How are your parents?’ Adriel mocked, as he stared at Amara, then Ellora and then back at Amara. Amara returned Adriel’s comments with a hard stare. ‘Horses – so unpredictable aren’t they!’

‘What do you know?’ Amara screamed as she ran at Adriel.

‘I couldn’t possibly comment,’ Adriel retorted, as he smiled slyly at Amara.

Häkan stepped in and grabbed Adriel by the throat and stared harshly at him. ‘You’re in captivity among the old guard and we are more than happy to devise ways to make your stay with us unbearable, so carry on,’ Häkan warned.

‘How?’ Garrick asked.

‘How what?’ Adriel asked, as Häkan loosened his grip on Adriel and stepped aside.

‘How did you turn them?’

‘Ah yes, you must be the proud father, what a wonderful job…’

‘Answer – the – questions,’ Häkan said sharply to Adriel.

‘My, is one of us getting drunk on their own power?’ Adriel said, with complete sarcasm.

‘Don’t test me Adriel,’ Häkan said, warning the old man. ‘I do not bluff and I am a man of my word, and you are a man of limited value, so answer the question.’

Adriel and Häkan glared at each other and then Adriel turned from Häkan and looked at the others.

‘I was their teacher in Lansten, I went by the name of Rail.’

‘There are teachers there that would have recognised you there?’ Thaddeus said disbelievingly.

‘Yes there were and they would have, had I not have performed a cloaking spell first, but that is indeed a trivial matter,’ Adriel said, bored by Thaddeus’ interruption.

‘Why?’ asked Amara.

‘Because they had power.’

‘I mean why do you do what you do? Why did you help to create this war and why did you create the last one?’

‘Because I serve a higher being who asks me too.’

‘What kind of higher being?’ asked Ellora.

‘Some call him a demon, but he is a god really. His name is Salwar and he was cast out of the heavens by the other gods’ for breaking the rules.’

‘Why does he create havoc with humans?’ Dale asked. ‘Why is he involving us?’

‘Because this is where Salwar can challenge and fight the gods: not in the heavens, not on his world – but here – on yours.’

‘Why?’

‘Because he wants to ruin the work of the gods, he wants to spoil their greatest creation.’

‘Which is?’