The Rangers of Aleera

Chapter 55

The pounding on the door did not bode well with Dante but had Maitru open the door anyway. Soldiers marched in, one dragging the Neamhain by the arm. He was shoved towards the others. A few soldiers broke off and a few minutes later, Darien was shoved towards them.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Dante demanded, feigning ignorance.

"We have the elf and the man who is always at her side," the Captain of the Guard said.

"What elf? The only elf in this house is standing right there."

"Don't play coy, Aleerian. It doesn't suit you."

"I am no Aleerian. I am Therian."

"More lies spill from your lips. But Emperor Kildea only wishes to know the truth. And he will get it from your companions. Until then, everyone in this house is to remain confined to the manor. No one is to leave or enter. You will be watched." With that he spun on his heel and marched away, followed by his soldiers.

"This isn't good," Richard said. "Especially if they figure out who she is."

"If they figure out who she is," Maitru said, "we'll all be in cells awaiting execution."

"Thanks for being so cheery, Brother."

"Richard."

"Yes, Sir."

"Liam needs to be told." Dante looked over everyone. Richard was the youngest and was almost as quick as Jelina. He was a rogue and Dante knew he had skills that no one else currently in this manor had. "I want you to take Darien with you and report this to the king."

"What part of 'You will be watched' did you not understand?" Darien asked. "Soldiers will be posted at the entrance to the grounds. Kildea has us under house arrest."

"The sewers," Ruarc said, suddenly. "Jelina said she used the sewers to escape the city."

"And how do you propose we get to the sewers," Richard asked.

"In the corridor to the servants' entrance there's a grate," Darien said. "It should drop into the sewers."

"Richard's skill will keep you from being detected at the border," Ruarc added.

"Go quickly," Dante said. "Time is of the essence."

"What of my sister? You're not going to leave her and Ainnileas to their fates?"

"Of course not. If Jelina doesn't figure a way out, we will." Dante left the room and returned a moment later with a meadskin, tossing it to Richard. "Use it once you're back on Aleerian soil."

"Yes, Sir."

~~~

Neither Wen nor Acale understood what had transpired. They'd heard the pounding on the door and the shouting and they'd looked out the window to see what looked like the entire city guard at their door. They'd run into Denae, who'd told them their father told them to hide. But Denae didn't hide with them. Wen saw that same look in her eye as the day she'd told her to let her love for Tobias be his strength. She'd been shocked to see her friend react so quickly and kill the soldier who'd found them. Wen had never seen someone die like that before. She didn't know how Denae had been able to shut the door so quickly. Wen had shouted to her and then pressed her ear to the door, struggling to hear what was going on. All she heard were muffled voices and what sounded like a knife dropping. Had Denae fought back? Wen was afraid. The soldiers had taken her father and her friend and she was afraid of what Kildea would do to them.

"Elohim, send your Elysium to aid them," she prayed.

~~~

It had been several hours since everything had quieted, but Wen and Acale were too afraid to try to emerge from hiding. What if some were left behind to wait for them? What if they'd killed everyone? Where would they go? Why were they stormed? Were they betrayed?

"What do we do?" Wen wondered aloud. "Those were our own soldiers! Why would Kildea send soldiers after his own people?"

"I don't know," Acale answered, sounding as hopeless as Wen felt. "I just don't know."

Suddenly, the grate of the far side of the room lifted upwards and slid away from the hole it had been previously covering. The sisters screamed, startled. Two men emerged from the hole.

"Darien?" Acale asked, shocked to see them. "Megildur?"

"Sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you," Darien said. "We heard your voices."

"What are you doing here?" Wen asked. "Soldiers took our father and Denae. I think."

"We know. They have Astaldo as well. Kildea placed the rest of us on house arrest, but we had to come and see if they spoke truth."

"We actually expected no one to be here."

"Denae sacrificed herself for us." Darien gave her a puzzled look. "She shut the door on us. She must have heard them coming."

"Why does that not surprise me," Megildur said, dryly. "Really wouldn't have surprised me if she fought back." Darien gave Megildur a look. "You can't stay here. You may be safer at our manor. We can sneak you in."