Echoes Of A Gloried Past (Book 2) (19 page)

Aaron approached the desk slowly, and the clerk looked up at him.

“Can I help you?" the clerk asked.

“I’d like to speak with Captain Nolan please,” Aaron said.

The clerk narrowed his gaze and then glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. “A bit late isn’t it?”

Aaron glanced at the clock and then back at the clerk. “I have some information for him.”

The clerk did not look impressed and frowned. “You can leave it with me, and I’ll pass it along to the captain. He’s quite busy at the moment.”

Aaron silently cursed the clerk in his mind and kept his eyes from rolling in annoyance. “I understand that he is busy. I can wait for him, if that will suffice. Can you tell him that I know his family isn’t safe and I’m here to help him with that?”

The clerk took a long look at him, seeming to judge whether Aaron was a threat. After a few seconds, he sighed. “You can have a seat over there.” He said, gesturing to one of the empty wooden chairs on the far side of the room.

Aaron went over and sat down. The clerk waved over one of the guards and whispered something. The guard nodded and headed toward the back. The minutes dripped past, and Aaron began to wonder whether his message was being delivered or if they were simply gathering more men to try to arrest him. 

After about ten minutes, the captain came around the clerk's desk and stopped mid-stride. His uniform held the golden tips of an officer’s wings on his collar, and his dirty blond hair was tied back into a ponytail. The captain looked to be a few years older than himself, and his hazel eyes held an edge to them as they noted the rune-carved staff in Aaron’s hands with a flicker of familiarity.

They each appraised the other for a few moments before the man smiled in greeting. "Captain Nolan at your service.”

“Aaron Jace. I appreciate you taking the time to see me, Captain. I know you must be busy. Is there someplace where we may speak privately?” Aaron asked.

The captain nodded. “Of course, if you will follow me,” he said and led Aaron through the building toward the back. 

They came to the captain’s office, and as they entered, Aaron saw an older man off to the side. Without thought, Aaron brought his staff up, and the runes flared faintly.

“Elitesmen,” Aaron spat but much to his surprise the older man made no move.

Nolan held up his hands. “It’s all right, he is with us and not with the faction you’ve faced.”

Aaron drank in the sight of the old Elitesmen in his dark leather duster and his shocking blue eyes alight with energy. They both stared at the other scarcely daring to breathe.

The Elitesmen slowly held up his hands and bowed his head. “I could hardly stand against one such as you, Ferasdiam Marked. You have nothing to fear from me. I do not stand with the Elite Order, not as it is today, not since they betrayed the Shandarian masters of the Safanarion Order.”

Aaron’s breath quickened, and he held the energy with him, waiting for the inevitable betrayal that must come from any Elitesman. It was then he thought of Sarah and the Elitesman named Beck who trained her. Beck couldn’t be the only one of the old order of the Elite who did not hold with the current regime’s ideals.

“There are none here who can stand against you, but you look to be in need of aid regardless,” the Elitesmen said.

Aaron stood poised with his staff ready, but he couldn’t sense any malice in the Elitesmen nor the superior arrogance that was ever-present in the others he had faced. He relaxed his guard, but kept a firm grip upon the bladesong within.

“I do need help,” Aaron said. “You have my friend held captive here, and your Elitesmen brethren have taken the rest.”

Nolan cleared his throat. “Your companion’s wounds are being treated, and I will take you to him momentarily, but there is something I must know. Were you the man who fought the Elitesmen earlier?”

Aaron slowly nodded.

Nolan’s eyes widened. “How?" he whispered.

Aaron glanced at the Elitesmen before returning his gaze to the captain. "I am the only living scion of the house Alenzar’seth.”

"
Ferasdiam
,"
the Elitesmen whispered.

“Isaac?” Nolan asked.

The Elitesman Isaac ignored the captain. “The rumors are true. You are Reymius Alenzar'seth's heir. Why would you come here to Khamearra?”

Aaron took a long look at the Elitesman and decided to take a chance. “Did you know a man named Beck?”

The Elitesmen’s eyes widened in shock, and he took an involuntary step forward. “Yes. He and I were part of a smaller group who broke away from the Elitesmen.”

Nolan frowned. “How is it that no one has ever heard of this rogue faction before?”

Isaac smirked. “We stayed out of sight and let the Elitesmen be, and they stopped trying to hunt us down. But now … ”

“Not all of you stayed on the sidelines,” Aaron said. “Some of you have worked with the De’anjard here in the city, and the daughter of the High King was too good an asset to let slip through your fingers.”

“You know Sarah?” Isaac asked. “We’ve not had word from her for over a month.”

Aaron swallowed. “I know her, and she is the reason I’m here in Khamearra.”

“She is in Khamearra?" the Elitesman asked.

“That’s not what I said,” Aaron answered, but was surprised to hear the note of concern in the Elitesman’s voice. “She is the reason I’m here.”

The silence hung in the air for a few moments before Nolan said quietly. “I will take you to your friend now.”

Aaron followed the other two men from the room after silently insisting that the Elitesman go first. He would be damned if he was going to let an Elitesman at his back no matter what their current allegiance happened to be.

The captain led them down to the lower levels of the building through several hallways to an almost deserted part of the station. Nolan, it appeared, wasn’t taking any chances. He stopped before opening the door.

“We moved him here because I wasn’t sure when the Elitesmen would return. We were to question the patrons of the inn and report anything suspicious. Having been witness to how the Elitesmen treat their prisoners I was intending to keep him hidden for his protection.”

Aaron nodded. “I appreciate your efforts, Captain. We overheard you and your lieutenant speaking earlier today, and I know the Elitesmen were threatening your family.”

Nolan clenched his teeth. “They did, but they are relatively safe for the moment.” He said and opened the door.

Braden lay on an old bed in the dusty room, still unconscious. A pitcher of water was by the bedside, and a man in a brown shirt was rubbing a damp towel on his forehead. To the side was the lieutenant.

“Sir,” the man in the brown shirt said, “he has minor wounds, and the blow he took to the head just happened to be in the right place. I think he will be fine and should wake up soon.”

“Thank you,” Nolan said and looked at Aaron. “He’s our resident surgeon.”

Lieutenant Anson saluted the captain upon entering the room, but Aaron ignored the man as he approached the bed where Braden appeared to be sleeping.

“Do you know what happened to him?” Aaron asked, checking him for any signs of wounds.

The lieutenant shook his head. “We found him in the alleyway next to the inn. He was thrown forcefully from the window. He has not regained consciousness, but as our surgeon said, he will be fine.”

Aaron nodded and gently shook Braden, who remained unresponsive. He sent a tendril of energy to Braden and saw that his lifebeat was greatly diminished. Aaron focused the energy around them, pulling it through him and fed it into his friend. The body, as always, was an effective conduit. Something seemed to awaken within Braden as he felt him grasp at the energy being fed. Braden had become more open to the process than when they had tried on the deck of the Raven a few weeks ago. 

Braden shot upright in the bed, sucking in a loud gasp of breath and shouting his brother’s name. Then he sank back down and looked at Aaron in surprise, still gasping for breath.

“You’re going to be fine. Just take it easy,” Aaron said.

“The Elitesmen attacked us. The others … ” Braden said, his voice trailing off questioningly.

“The others were captured,” Aaron said.

Braden rubbed the top of his head. “When I find Eric, I’m going to teach him a thing or two. He threw me out a window.”

Aaron felt his lips curve into a smile for a split second despite the lump in his throat. "Braden, your brother was killed in the attack.”

Braden looked back at him dumbfounded as if he hadn’t heard him right. Aaron met his gaze and watched as Braden struggled to his feet, shaking his head.

“Dead?!” he whispered.

Aaron nodded back, and Braden sank to his knees, his body slumped then immediately going rigid as fire sparked in his eyes. Aaron could feel the bladesong churn within Braden as never before. Braden’s eyes slowly scanned the room before they settled upon Isaac. His eyes widened in rage, and he lunged for the Elitesman. Aaron caught him in midair.

“No!” Aaron said, struggling against Braden’s muscular bulk. “He is not with them.” He had to repeat it two more times before Braden stopped.

Braden relaxed enough for Aaron to let him go, but kept a wary look on the other men in the room.

“They saved your life, kept you hidden from the other Elitesmen. Otherwise, you would have been captured with the rest,” Aaron said, and this seemed to penetrate Braden’s fog of grief. He nodded in appreciation to the other men but still kept a wary eye on the Elitesman.

Aaron turned to them. “We need to get into the Citadel of the Elite to rescue our friends. Do you know a way inside?” Aaron asked.

The captain and lieutenant shared an incredulous look, while Isaac the Elitesmen looked slightly amused.

“They are no doubt in the holding rooms where new prisoners are taken,” Isaac said, “but if they know that they are associated with you then they may take them to a different place inside the fortress. Probably one of the towers to the Grand Master’s Hall. As for getting inside … ” Isaac’s voice trailed off as he glanced back at the captain. “We’ll need the help of the Resistance, which will take some time. I wouldn’t advise to go charging off tonight.”

“But the others,” Braden insisted.

The Elitesman’s eyes became cold and calculating. “You stand the best chance at a rescue if we do some planning first. If you charge off at this moment, the only thing you will accomplish is getting them killed and yourselves for that matter. Have no doubts they will kill them all in the blink of an eye if it means keeping you from getting to them. The Elitesmen are no strangers to ruthless tactics, and right now your friends’ worth is in their knowledge about you,” he said with his gaze settling on Aaron.

The breath caught in his throat, and Aaron unclenched his jaw to speak. “What are you proposing?” Aaron asked, activating the comms device in his pocket in hopes that Tanneth or even Gavril would be able to overhear them.

“There is still time,” Nolan said. “They took everyone from the inn, which was easily over a hundred people.”

Isaac kept his gaze upon Aaron. “We use the Resistance to create a distraction throughout the city to draw their attention. They know that you will be coming. There can be no doubt about that. What they don’t know is when or how. They’ve underestimated you up until now, but that luxury is gone. They will send their very best and most dangerous recruits after you.”

“I’ve faced your Elitesmen before,” Aaron said.

Isaac nodded. “I believe you, but have you by chance seen how they bring in new recruits?”

Aaron’s mind flashed to the children he saw earlier being driven to the Citadel. "Children?" he whispered.

“What’s this?” Captain Nolan asked.

“Children,” Aaron said firmly.

Isaac nodded, his face grimly set. “They will send the Elite Masters to you, but they will also send their crop of specialized recruits. The ones honed for their ability to work with the energy in ways no sane person would ever think to try. This requires a younger mind more easily manipulated. They can boil your blood from the inside until your veins burst. Trick your eyes into seeing things that aren’t there. They are lethal killing machines and not children, despite whatever their appearances are. Are you prepared to face that?”

Aaron swallowed the bile that inched up his throat. “I will do what I must. I will never abandon my friends. And the only thing keeping me from charging off to the Citadel of the Elite is the chance that you may offer a better way to get inside, while minimizing the risk to my friends. I don’t trust any Elitesman, and if I so much as suspect a hint of foul play, there will be no force on this planet that will keep me from seeking retribution. Rest assured that we may not be able to save our friends, but you can be damned sure we will avenge them.”

Isaac searched his cold eyes for a few moments. “Yes I believe you will,” he said then looked at the others. “Tomorrow night or rather tonight, since dawn is approaching, is when they will be initiating the new recruits at the arena. The Elitesmen will gather there with the new crop of recruits to test them to see if they are worthy of the Order.”

“What kind of test?” Captain Nolan asked.

Aaron could sense the fear mixed with relief, as the Elitesmen had been targeting his son for such a fate.

“A series of trials that will allow for the assessment of their physical capabilities, but give light to their cunningness and ruthlessness in their bid for survival,” Isaac replied.

“And the prize is induction to the Elite Order at the sacrifice of their innocence,” Aaron said, unable to keep the sneer from his voice. He wanted to lash out at the Khamearrans in his midst, but their shocked looks gave knowledge to the fact that none of them had known of the practice.

“I can send word to the Resistance,” Lieutenant Anson said. “They will rally, but they will need targets.”

Aaron looked at the lieutenant. “No innocent lives are to be caught in the crossfire.”

Anson fix him with a stony gaze. “We hold with the ideals of the De’anjard, my Lord. Defend the helpless. Stand the watch. Honor your brothers of the shield. Sacrifice for the many.”