The elf motioned for them to follow and disappeared over the top. Eric went first, then Anna, the other wizards, Matt, and finally Ryan. When Matt reached the top, he found a cart loaded with arrows, bolts, crossbows, and long bows had been left in the way so that he had to get on the wall and move over a few feet before dropping to the walkway. That’s when he saw the cart had a broken wheel, preventing it from being moved. He gazed around and saw that the wall was about fifteen feet wide, the walkway they crouched on a few feet below the top. No one could see them unless from above, where his eyes darted to towers, but the fog had risen over the wall to obscure everything.
Dravo turned to them as Ryan finished arriving last. “The broken cart is a ruse, I’m certain. My man put it here so the rope ladder could be here all the time.”
“How do you know this?” Eric asked.
“I don’t, but it’s too coincidental. He is smart. We must go down this tower, now, and head for the king’s quarters. He is likely awake, as are far more guards, so we should expect a fight.”
“Right. Lead the way.”
They made it into the tower and descended the spiral stairs to the ground floor, where they could have stepped out into interior grounds. The fog was nearly absent there, having not seeped over and down the fortifications. Matt hoped they would stay within the castle walls, as they were not solid but hallways full of storage items like barrels and crates, but the prince led them onto the grounds. The castle itself stood not too far away, and they made it to its side wall, creaking open a door to get inside, where it was dark.
“Where do you think the king is now?” Eric asked whispered. “Throne room?”
“No. That’s only used for formal moments, on the first floor. He is probably not in bed on the third, given that everyone knows who is in the prison and what the bell means. He will be on the second level, where business is done.”
“So up this flight of steps?”
“Yes. There will be two chambers we must get through to reach the main one where he is likely to be. Expect a fight, and we must be quick to prevent them from sealing the other doors, the king inside. Soliander?”
Matt pursed his lips. “I’ll be right behind you. See if you can create an opening for me to cast through to the next room.”
The prince remarked, “Even if we make into that room, there is a way out the other side.”
Eric sighed. “I don’t like it. Can we go around and trap him? I feel like we don’t have enough people to do that, but we have three wizards.”
The prince agreed. “That is my concern as well. However, we have surprise to help us. If you take Soliander around to the other side, and the other wizards come with Korrin and I, this may work, but you risk being discovered.”
Eric and Matt exchanged a look, and the wizard shrugged, remarking, “Even if we start fighting over there, and you start doing so over here, they will realize they are surrounded and that can cause confusion. Let’s try it.”
Dravo measured them with his gaze and then turned to Ryan. “I suggest we purposely make noise to draw them to us.”
“Right.” The knight didn’t look too pleased with the idea.
They agreed to wait a few minutes before ascending, voices being audible above. Eric led the way along the hall that stood against the castle’s rear wall, then stopped. Ahead were several guards at the rear exit, the one that likely led to the path toward the portal, though the door appeared to be blocked by more crates and barrels as if no one ever used the rear door. They wouldn’t make it past the guards and retreated quickly to the others, telling them the issue.
The prince said, “Go up to the third floor here and use the same hallway there. You will not find the same problem.”
Realizing they should have thought of that before, Matt followed Eric up the corner stairs, the same ones the rest would use in a few minutes. They reached the second floor and didn’t bother peeking out to see what or who was outside the stairwell, multiple voices chatting idly about the fun they would have hunting the escaped humans if they weren’t stuck inside guarding the king. Matt and Eric continued up to the third level, where the royal rooms were. Less noise was here, and they easily made their way to the other side of the castle, and then down the stairs just as the fighting broke out. They heard yelling from there.
“What is going on?” someone bellowed closer to them.
“Your Majesty,” said another elf’s voice, “we must get you to safety.”
“Dravo!” someone yelled farther away.
“Dravo?” King Erods barked. “What is… Did he…? Bring that elf to me now!”
Several men screamed in pain, and Matt assumed one of the other wizards had cast something.
“Your Majesty! They will enter the room any moment!”
Eric peered in, turned back, and smiled. Then he pulled out his short sword and stepped into the room with Matt following, a spell on his lips. In front of them, the king stood facing away, straight white hair down his back from a balding black head, a disheveled red robe covering him. A wide oak table sat before him and on the other side of it stood a tall elf who faced them, sunken cheeks below red eyes that widened, his thin lips parting. He also wore a robe as if having hastily dressed and was apparently some sort of counselor. The rest of
