Rudimentum: Oracle

Chapter 24

Swift and William rode through the city, the past two days having been slow and empty. Dressed as the enemy, William ignored the seething hatred and fear from the people. Glares burned their way from the braver men and women while others entirely averted their gazes. More than once Swift had to hold his tongue against their stares.

William looked up at the castle, the tallest tower like a beacon calling to him. She was in there somewhere alone with nothing but emptiness and lies sitting beside her. If he reached out his hand, he felt like he could touch it.

"We are so close," he said.

"I don't suppose you want to turn around?" said Swift. "Abandon your oh so wonderful plan and head straight for her?"

His gaze faltered. "I want to," he said, "but we need to regroup. Figure out the best plan. Captain Trebolt knows Mordrake's habits better than us. His insight is invaluable." He adjusted the bracers on his forearms and watched as every so often Swift shifted and tugged at the leather cuirass over top their robes.

They continued through the city with their heads low. The city, although unchanged, carried with it a darkness as if a storm cloud had permanently blocked out the sun. Swift noticed the frightened looks of those he passed and not that long ago he would not have cared, but there was no respect in their eyes. Only fear, and he preferred the former.

They exited Umbra's northern gate where the houses and farms eventually thinned. The wide gravel road split east and west where it meandered through fields and soon enough twisted into the mountains. But their path was straight where their target stood looming in the distance, overshadowed by the rising peaks of the mountains behind it.

"Have you ever seen Umbra Keep?" asked William, the two of them alone on the road.

"I was never caught," said Swift with a grin.

"Funny," said William. "Where in your life have you been?"

"As a pirate we sailed mostly through the southern kingdoms, but we did go north a few times. Once, a few years back, we docked at Yodner and saw Queen Valerie addressing the people. She's a beauty, though quite different from Elysia. She's tall and light-haired and there was a coldness in her heart that attracted me." William raised an eyebrow. "What? I was a different man then."

Large, fortified walls surrounded Umbra Keep and watch towers rose in each corner, manned by guards with crossbows. Its northern gate led to one of the passes through the Shourin Mountains while its southern gate, which they approached now, was a ride away from the outskirts of the city of Umbra. Swift swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. City walls were one thing, these were entirely another.

William glanced at the men on the wall who eyes their approach. He turned to Swift. "Do you remember what I told you?"

"Aye, keep my head low and my mouth shut. Both you and Elysia like to give me that order," said Swift.

A large arched passageway with its own gate extended out from the main wall. William knew it was a security checkpoint and getting past there would be the trickiest part. He swallowed hard. As he had hoped, none of the guards were under the influence of Mordrake's magic. He refused to look up one last time at the archers with gleaming steel tips at the ready.

They reigned in their horses and the two guards outside looked them up and down. Their eyes dimmed in recognition. One guard nodded and signalled for the first gate to open. It groaned upwards, the spikes an ominous and not-so-subtle threat.

The horses strode forward. To their right a guard sat in a room in the wall. He looked up from his papers and his face slightly paled, his dark moustache thick on his face. The guard cleared his throat. William and Swift keep their faces hidden in the shadow of their hoods. "What can I do for you?"