Magic Weaver

Chapter Five(v2)

He took a moment to marvel at his new abilities. They were more incredible than anything Cedric had ever experienced. It took Cedric half an hour to look down at his hand and curse foully. It had completely slipped his mind that the servant's ring remained on his finger. As soon as he acknowledged the ring, he noticed that he had already absorbed information, but had ignored it until the caught his attention. In his mind's eye he could see how the mysterious ring worked. Hm. He thought. That's odd. Something was strange. This ring...there was something fishy about how it worked. But he didn't waste precious time wondering about it-Rafe could be tracking him at this very moment. Cedric barked out a mental command and the ring effortlessly slipped off his finger. He took a moment, thinking of the hordes of soldiers outside, waiting to take him to the gallows. If only he knew how to do that before; he wouldn't be in this mess. Cedric bounced the ring in his hand for a time, deep in thought. He couldn't understand how Rafe worked this thing. It was so unusual.  

He sat there a while, but this time he wasn't bored in the least, for nerves plagued him. Whenever his fingers happened to brush against a wall he would be informed that someone was above the king's forgotten tomb, which unnerved him to say the least. Once, out of curiosity, he even placed a finger on the casket. It sent chills through Cedric as he was given the sense that there was, in fact, a bundle that occupied the casket. It could only be a body. For a while that sent Cedric into distress. He was sure that King Henry was going to jump out of his casket at any moment. Although he was confident that no-one knew about the tomb, that didn't stop him from worrying. The cook seemed to know all of Cedric's hiding places. What if Rafe (or someone else if he was dead) managed to force the information out of him? The cook was strong, but even the mightiest fall.  

There was a tense knock from the stairs. Cedric's mind halted, fiddling with his bloodied jacket nervously.  

"Cedric!" A voice hissed, struggling to keep his volume hushed yet still audible. "It's me! Let me in."  

The sound came from Jack's throat, though this failed to comfort him. What if Jack was working with the castle? What if they had forced him to lure Cedric out? Cedric jumped up the stairs, but paused to listen once he reached the black slab.  

"Let me in, damn it! Hurry, before someone sees!"  

Cedric hesitantly lifted his hand above his head and touched cool rock. There was only one person above him. Cedric took a breath in relief. They hadn't forced Jake to lure Cedric out. Cedric complied to Jack's wishes and lifted the grave upward. Cedric caught a glimpse of twilight as Jack climbed into the tomb before he locked himself in once again. The two settled back next to the casket, and Jack visibly shivered away from it.  

"That thing is creepy." Jack muttered. "To think that King Henry is right there..."  

Cedric nodded. "What are you doing here?"  

Jack beamed. "I'm going to help you escape. And I'm going with you."  

"Are you sure? The duke isn't going to be pleased when he finds out."  

Jack's beam only grew. "He deserves nothing less. I gave my soul to him! And how does he repay me? By deciding to kill you off anyway! No, I'm not going to take it anymore. I'm sick of putrid castle life."  

"I don’t know if that’s a good idea. If I escape, that’s one thing, but you’re the king’s nephew. They won’t be willing to let you go peacefully." Cedric warned. "And if they find us, it could end badly."  

Jack shrugged indifferently. "I could help you. You don't know what's out there and how to survive. I do."  

"How?"