Eric frowned. She was right. “Okay, let’s go through the gate, but we have to hurry. Nir’lion probably won’t be back soon, but there’s only so much time before she knows we’re gone.” He started examining the door’s lock, pulling tools from various pockets in his black leather pants.
Ryan observed, “She’ll never suspect we went through the gate unless someone sees us.”
“What about Lorian, or whoever she’s got downstairs?” Matt asked. “Should we get him now? He could help us.”
“I think we just run the risk of being caught,” answered Eric, inserting a tool into the door and fumbling around with it. It had been years since he did this and it brought back bad memories. “Let’s get Lorian when we come back.”
Anna interjected, “Okay, but what about the queen? She can’t come with us. It’s too dangerous.”
Ryan exchanged a look with Lorella. “Yeah, but leaving her here isn’t wise, especially once we take out the guards. Who knows what else is still in this place? The guards are keeping her in here but also protecting her in a way.”
That was a good point that no one had an answer for until Matt reached for his spell book. “I have an idea,” he started. “There’s a spell of invisibility in here somewhere. She can just stay here until we return and no one will realize she’s still here.”
Ryan remarked, “That might work. Do you know how to cast it?”
The wizard made a face. “No. I have to find it first. Ah, here it is. It doesn’t look too bad.” He spent a few moments practicing the words and gestures. Then he gave the staff and book to Ryan before approaching the queen, who arched an eyebrow at the idea of him casting a spell on her. He faltered.
“I, uh, beg your pardon, your honor,” Matt started, and Eric smiled at the title, “but I need to, uh, cast this spell on you, if you don’t mind.”
At that, Eric chuckled, prompting Anna to smack his arm. It jostled the tool in the lock, which clicked. In surprise, the rogue pulled on the door and it opened with a creak. He waited before going any further.
“Your Majesty,” Anna started confidently, “we’re certain this is the best way to protect you while we’re gone.”
“If I didn’t agree I wouldn’t still be standing here,” the queen replied with muted humor. Turning to Matt, she asked pointedly, “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
Projecting confidence, he replied, “Yes.”
Queen Lorella held his gaze a moment. Eric watched, knowing she was judging Matt, who managed to hold her gaze without flinching. “Then proceed.”
He nodded and went over the words and motions again, but just when he was about to do the spell, he paused. “Um, would you mind closing your eyes?” She complied without comment and he visibly relaxed and began the spell. One moment the queen stood there and the next she had vanished.
“Good work,” said Anna approvingly.
“I think you four had better be going,” remarked the invisible queen.
“Right,” Eric agreed.
Ryan and Eric unsheathed their swords before opening the door a crack. Golden torch light filled the hall. The rogue opened it wider, ready for anything, but nothing happened. He stuck his head out a bit further, but his forehead bumped into something invisible.
“Ouch,” he said, rubbing it. Then he reached out to feel the opening, discovering it was blocked from top to bottom with an invisible wall. Two guards to one side stepped into view, smug grins mocking him. Frowning, he turned to Matt and gestured for the wizard to do his thing, even though the guards would be ready. Matt focused his will on the staff and blockage but didn’t have any luck dispelling it.
Disappointed, the wizard remarked, “I can’t get rid of it. The other ones I did were by Soliander, and his staff helped a lot with his own spells, I guess. These are by the dragon, I bet, and they’re supposed to be very strong in magic. I guess I’m not much of a wizard,” he concluded.
Eric sighed and closed the door so they could talk in private. He wondered why the queen hadn’t mentioned it, but she had likely assumed Matt could get around it. Or maybe she hadn’t known. The dragon had known they were coming, clearly. Looking around the room, his eyes fell on the shards of glass.
“The window,” he said, starting for it. “She probably didn’t plan to bust through it like that so maybe it’s not protected.” He stuck a hand through it without trouble, then his head, peering down into the dark gulf, gusts of wind tearing at his black hair. The courtyard stood to one side far below, dense treetops to the other, and nothing but boulders directly beneath him and a window thirty feet straight down. Descending that would be tricky even for him, despite his years of rock climbing. He had none of the usual safety gear except chalk, but if he could make it to the window, he could come back up and take out the unsuspecting guards.
After hearing the plan, Ryan asked, “Even if that works, how are the rest of us going to get out? The door will still be blocked.”
“They can turn it off,” said the queen. “One of the guards has a little device that removes it and puts it back. It’s how they bring me food.”
“Great,” said Eric, projecting confidence he didn’t really feel. “See you in a few minutes.”
As the others exchanged worried looks, he clambered onto the window ledge, dangling his legs over the side. Rain soaked them quickly as he put chalk on his hands. The rain might wash it off, but it was better than nothing. He rolled onto his stomach and eased both legs out and down, searching with
