Portal (Nina Decker) (14 page)

“I’m sorry about what happened,” she said from beyond the closed door.

“It’s all right,” I assured her.

Poor Dani
, I thought.
After all she did to get me out of my room here I am back in it, a scared little mouse.

That was exactly what I wanted her to think. That’s what I wanted the rest of the palace to think. I was scared that was for certain. But I was also angry. I was angry at J’Tara, Dashrael, Lord and Lady Wolfstriker and all the other schemers in the castle. But most of all I was angry at myself for wasting a whole day on self-pity. I had been led around far too often since coming to Nightfall. I had been nearly drowned then threatened.  They had tried to terrify me so I would be docile and easy to control. They wanted to make me into one of those black steeds that obeyed their rider’s commands without question. But they weren’t going to break me that easily. From that moment on I was going to decide my own course. And the first thing I wanted to do was see Severin. I had to talk with him.

I waited for it to get dark out. Then I changed into my olive pants and black top. I opened the window and checked for guard patrols.  Once I was out of my room I headed back into town.

I reached the bottom of the hill and returned to the thorny ditch. There was no clear path through but I could feel the plants calling to me. They wanted to help.  I crouched low, out of sight of the guards on the stone bridge and touched the ground. Like in the forest, I felt the souls of these plants. They weren’t old and grumpy. They were young and playful. And they were willing to play “Let’s Make a Path for Nina.” Instantly the thorny bushes pulled back and I found a path to the other side.

The town was quiet and dark. Everyone had gone to bed. There were a few guardsmen about. They carried lanterns before them so I was able to spot them before they spotted me and I made my way to the town square unseen.  The crowds had left him alone by now. The cage was smeared with stains and rubbish was strewn about. Severin sat in the corner wrapped in Coldiron’s fraying jacket. The cage was made of both iron and silver. It made me sick just to get close to it but I had to.

“Severin,” I said.

When he saw me, his face softened. He thrust his arm forward even though it caused him pain. I grasped it and I kissed it. 

“I’m sorry for what I said in the tower,” he told me. “I didn’t mean any of it.”

“You tried to protect me,” I said.  “Just like you did back in the forest. But what I need now is the truth.”

Severin sighed.  “The whole truth may not be that comforting. When I originally saw you my first thoughts were about revenge. Revenge on your grandparents and your mother. I was still full of anger and hate over that day. But then I met you.”

“What changed?” I asked.

“Everything. I didn’t want to hurt you or see you hurt. Soon I realized I’d do anything to keep you safe. Then I started to think about the day of the attack.”

“You didn’t lead the attack. You came to stop it.”

Severin nodded, “Shana and Tristan had grown up together. They were best friends. Where one went the other was sure to follow. Even after I married Shana that didn’t change.”

“Was the attack their idea?”

“For a long time I thought so. But no. They were tricked. And then they were killed to keep them quiet.”

“You wanted to be captured so at the trial you could learn the truth.”

He nodded.  “I thought if I could champion myself I would at least have the chance. But your grandfather took care of that. There’s no escape for me now. Some here would call that justice.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Nina, I never told you about my past here in Nightfall because I was ashamed. “

“Ashamed of being a slave?”

“No, ashamed of what I did before that. You heard the story so you know about the Second Lycan War. My clan was part of that. Linus Coldiron insisted that we free our people and leave. My grandfather wouldn’t listen. He convinced the others to stay here and become rulers. I was born here, not as a slave but as a baron. I ruled over some of the fae and I was a bad ruler. After my father and grandfather were killed I and a few others insisted on staying. That’s how we became slaves. It was our own fault.”

Severin gripped the cage bars. The silver burned his hands. “Nina you have to promise me you’ll leave here, regardless what happens. You can’t stay. There’s this-“

“I know about the Codex and what it says about me.”

“It’s not just that. Nina, you can’t choose a winning side if you’re dead. If they think you’re not on their side, they’re going to kill you.”

Chapter 16

When I left Severin, I promised him I would do my best to get out of here. I just didn’t tell him that we’d be leaving together.

I made my way back across the ditch. The thorn bushes parted for me again. As I made my way back to the great hall I pondered my next move. How was I going to free Severin? And then how would we find my father? And then how were we all going to escape Nightfall and get back home? I wished I still had my longbow from earlier. I thought maybe I could locate the armory. I knew where the stables were. That would give us weapons and transportation. But I’d need a lot of help and the only person I trusted even a little bit was Dani. She was no warrior. I couldn’t even consider asking her to help me in this.

Without alerting the guards, I made it back to my room. Climbing back through my open window was a little difficult without someone to lend me a hand. I was strong enough but it was just awkward getting my legs over the sill. I tumbled inside. It was dark inside except for the embers of the fireplace. I used them to light a candle. That’s when I saw it.

There was a glass bottle with a stopper lying on my bed.

Someone had been in my room. The chair was still propped against the door. It was exactly as I had left it. Whoever had left the bottle must have come through the open window.

I didn’t touch it at first. But then I remembered Dani’s playlist bottle. It must be the same idea. I picked it up and removed the stopper. Words poured out. I thought it might be a trick. Maybe it was another ruse to get me to do something. I swore to myself I wouldn’t fall for it. But when I heard the voice in the bottle I nearly dropped it.

It was my father’s.

“N’Lina,” he called me. “I want you to go to the town tomorrow and…”

I was so shocked I almost missed the instructions. They were detailed. Towards the end my father rambled about brownie food and pixie music. I slowly poured the last of his words out, savoring each one. It had been so long since I heard his voice. When the last word came out I whispered to the bottle “I’m going to find you. I promise.”

I barely got any sleep. I thought it might still be a trap or a trick. But after all this time I’d finally heard from my father. Da would never intentionally lead me astray. This was the first clue to his whereabouts. I had to follow through with the plan.

The next day I put on one of the many dresses I’d been supplied with. Most of them were bright and colorful. I looked for something a little more muted and found something that looked formal and dour and a little plain. It was probably meant for a state funeral or some similar occasion. I told the servants that I’d take breakfast in my room. When the food arrived I thanked them, then after they left I slipped out the window. I walked across the wide lawns and down the hill. Spying a large group of fae lads and lasses passing over the bridge into the town, I quietly joined their group. It was much easier than charming my way through the brambles.

The town of Nightfall was bustling in the daytime. Fae, brownies and pixies went to and fro on their daily errands. I slipped in among them. No one seemed to recognize me as I made my way through the streets. I didn’t have my entourage with me.

My father’s instructions told me to go to the Red Hawk Inn near the town gates which were an imposing structure of iron and silver. Just off to the side was the inn. It was tall and had a tiled roof. I noticed that its upper floors overlooked the spiked top of the wall.

I stepped inside. The public room was full of patrons sipping beer and wine. Buxom fae serving wenches went from table to table. I heard a small voice come from below.

“Lady Bellflower?” the man asked.

I gazed down and saw the brownie innkeeper. He was only five feet tall, and had more wrinkles than a Sharpi puppy.  His thick black beard nearly touched the floor.

“You are Lady Bellflower are you not?” he asked.

I sputtered for a moment then remembered my father’s words. “Yes. I am.”

“Your rooms are ready,” the innkeeper said.

He led me up the stairs. At the end of the hall he opened the door. I went inside. The room was sparse. There was a bed, a stool, a standing mirror and a large chest.  I wandered to the window and gazed out. I could see over the spikes of the wall and to the green forest beyond. This was as close as I had come to escaping the palace.

“Your luggage arrived earlier today,” the innkeeper said.

I gazed at the chest lying at the foot of the bed. The innkeeper left and shut the door behind him. I opened “my luggage.” Inside was a suit of armor.

I took it out and examined it. It was made for a female form. It was metal but did not burn or hurt me. It must have been aluminum or something like that. I held a piece next to my forearm.  It snapped into place by itself. It opened easily when I tried to take it off. I put the piece back on then moved my arm around. The armor was light and comfortable to wear.

There was a knock at the door. The innkeeper said, “Lady Bellflower your horse is ready. If you just take the stairs to the right of your door you’ll come out in the alley behind. There you will find your mount.”

“Thank you,” I said.

My heart raced. This was a very, very bad plan. I had no idea who was helping me really. Maybe they weren’t really helping me. Maybe this was a set up to get me killed. But I was out of time and I didn’t have any better options. I took off my dress and changed it for the suit of armor. In the Middle Ages getting into and out of armor was an involved process that required servants. But this armor literally attached itself. The torso piece even gently folded my wings next to my back. I put on the gauntlets and helmet on last. I peered through the helmet’s grate and looked in the mirror. There I stood, a fae warrior in full armor.

I took a deep breath. So long I had tried to hide my heritage. I’d hid it even from myself. I tried to think of myself as just a girl, a normal human girl. The fae in me, I associated with everything bad and evil in the world because of my mother. Even here in Nightfall I had tried to hide from that part of myself. I had tried to separate myself from the fae I saw and spoke with. But I could no longer deny my true self any more than I could deny my true feelings for Severin.

I was a fae. And I was in love with Severin Saint Morgan.

Nina Decker, nurse, couldn’t save Severin now. But Princess N’Lina Wolfstriker might. I had strength and power inherited from my mother and grandfather. Since that first night in the woods I had felt it build inside me. But was I a match for J’Tara? Or would she just strike me down like all her other opponents.

I opened the door and headed to the stairway on the right. Soon I was in the alley behind the inn. There as promised was a horse, one of the black chargers. It stood motionless, waiting for me to take its reigns and give it direction. Climbing up into the high saddle was easier the second time around despite the armor. After I grasped the reigns, I made a few small maneuvers with the horse just to get used to “driving” it again. Then I set off.

I headed straight for the town square.

Chapter 17

When I arrived I was greeted by a guard.

“State your business,” he demanded.

I tried to make my voice sound a bit gruffer. “I am here to champion the prisoner.”

“Your name?”

“Bellflower,” I said. I had no other name to give.

I heard Severin yell, “No!”

I didn’t fool him. But no else objected.

I was directed to “park” my horse near the gallery. I did so and got off. Word spread quickly and soon the town square filled up with people curious to see the champion for the hated Severin Saint Morgan. I didn’t look at Severin but I could hear him.

“I don’t want her as my champion! You have to disqualify her!” he yelled.

“Silence,” said his guard.

“You don’t understand she’s-“

I held my breath. I was so close and he was about to ruin everything. But the guard smacked him in the jaw with the butt end of his spear. I resisted the urge to cry out as Severin’s unconscious head hit the bottom of the cage. I watched as Severin rolled and moaned on the ground. He was woozy but not badly hurt. I hoped they would hurry up. If he regained consciousness he could ruin everything.

I got my wish. Lord and Lady Wolfstriker soon appeared along with Dashrael, Simeon and the rest of the court. They took their places in the gallery. J’Tara arrived mounted and in full armor. She rode up before me.

“So Madam Bellflower, is it your wish that you champion this scum?” she asked.