The Wicked House of Caroline

A sudden pain shot through her shoulder as her body bounced from one side of the carriage to the other. If it weren’t for the cushion wrapped around her, she was afraid that there could be broken bones instead of just bruises. However, her future injuries if she survived this attempt on her life weren’t what was going through her head as the carriage tumbled down the cliffside.

There were three things in Beks’ mind.

First, she did not know enough curse words to keep up with how many times she’d hit the wall, floor, ceiling, or the jutting wood of the bench. Second, she was glad her memory was exceptional, as she’d burned the faces of those six bastards into her mind. If she survived, she would make good on her promise.

And third, unexpectedly, she remembered a brief moment years ago, when Uncle Timur was still alive. The rooftops of the villas were sloped and it had been a rather cold winter, so there were mounds of fluffy white snow on the ground. She had fled after her lessons to find someone to play with and found the Second and Third Prince.

They were easy to find, as they were on the roof of one of the buildings that framed their shared courtyard.

“Beks! What are you doing here?” The Third Prince had stopped what he was doing, holding up what looked like the top layer of padding of one of their mattresses, and looked down at her from the roof.

“Can I play with you?” Beks had asked with big gray eyes filled with hope.

The Second Prince, who had a pillow tied to his front and back, had looked down and nodded. He then waved an arm. “Sure! Come on up. We put the ladder on the side. Be careful when you climb!”

Her eyes had lit up and she scurried around the side of the building and saw the ladder. She was quite a good climber, so she didn’t hesitate to shimmy up. The Third Prince had walked to the edge and knelt down, wrapping his arms around her, and helping her up onto the roof. He held on to her chubby little body to keep her from falling.

“Hold on to my hand and when I tell you to sit and wait, you sit and wait, all right?” the Third Prince had told her in a stern voice. “If you slip, you’ll fall, and you won’t have anything to protect you.”

Beks had nodded her head, her small hand holding his as she stepped carefully along the path made through the snow on the rooftop to get to where the Second Prince was, near the peak. “What are you doing?” she had asked as the Third Prince made her sit.

“Beks, do you see all that snow?” the Second Prince had asked with a mischievous glint practically shining from his eyes. He had motioned out into the courtyard, at the untouched, fluffy snow. Beks had nodded. “We’re going to roll down the roof and onto the snowbank!”

She had gasped, but the Third Prince was quick to reassure her. “Don’t worry! It’s only one story and we’ll be fine since we’re cushioning our fall with the mattress cushion and pillows.”

“Not to mention we’ll land on the snowbank that’s already as tall as us,” the Second Prince had said with pride. He and his brother had exchanged looks. “This is going to be so fun!”

“This is the best idea we’ve had in a while,” the Third Prince agreed.

However, before they could finish wrapping the Second Prince in the mattress cushion as a final ‘safety’ layer, Uncle Timur had arrived. In the end, the Second Prince had slipped from surprise when his father yelled at him. He had rolled down and fell into the snowbank, though not in the position he planned, causing him to let out an ugly yell before the sudden silence of snow shut him up.

Uncle Timur had the servants drag him out while he climbed up to fetch her and force the Third Prince down. He had scolded them for doing something so dangerous and then scolded the twins for dragging her along with them.

“Adah, it’s perfectly safe. We were careful. Everything is under control. Look, Laz is fine!” The Third Prince had tried to reason while motioning towards his brother who was dazed and had to be helped to stand by a servant after being pulled from the snowbank.

The next time Beks saw the twins, they could barely sit, and were exhausted from a full week of intense training as punishment. They were forced to apologize to her for putting her in danger, but Beks didn’t think she’d been in any. She trusted the twins and they weren’t too high off the ground to begin with.

Then Uncle Timur had scolded her for putting too much trust in his ‘idiot sons’.

Still, Beks felt safer then than she did now.

There was a roar of water as the carriage slammed into the sea’s surface. Beks felt warm water drops on her face and she opened her eyes. She was on her back, her body curled up and the small of her back digging into a metal fixture.

Water was rushing in through the windows and through the wide-open door, or lack thereof. She hadn’t noticed while tumbling down, but since it hadn’t been locked after she was shoved back inside, the door had swung open and was ripped off during the descent. As a result, turbulent sea water was rushing into the suddenly small compartment.

She unwrapped herself from the cushion and trudged to the door. It was a good idea to thin out her clothes so as not to drag her down anymore. Beks extended her hands to try to brace herself against the walls. A glimmer caught her eye on the corner of the bench.

Beks’ hand shot down and snatched the metal canister that had been ripped off her neck just as the water overcame the side of the bench. She shoved the canister into her cleavage, making sure it was tucked in as securely as possible before gripping the sides of the door and pulling herself out.

The water soaked her dress and she grabbed on to the top, or rather, what used to be the bottom step of the carriage. The wood and metal vehicle was upside down, and turning in the waves. Beks clung on to one side, trying to grab one the metal latches beneath the carriage used for hooking things in order to pull herself up.

She heard a creak and looked over her shoulder.

“No, no, no, no....” The carriage was turning in the water and running into the sharp, barnacle covered rocks jutting out of the water. A corner of the carriage scraped along one of the rocks before one side of it slammed against another. If it weren’t for the sturdy metal-enforced corners and sides, the wood would’ve given out under the force.

And if they could do that much to wood, what more to a human body?

Her arms strained forward and her fingertips brushed the metal. With a final pull, she managed to grab hold of the metal bar and she pulled herself up. She crawled on to the bottom of the carriage and fell back, pulling her feet up just as the side of the carriage she’d been on slammed onto a rock and shook.

Breathe, Beks, breathe. She forced herself to take even breaths to try to calm her racing heart as she scrambled away from the side that had hit the rocks. She looked around and found that the tides were taking her away from the cliffside, but into a gauntlet of sea rocks jutting out from the waves.

Her eyes crinkled up as she gripped the metal bar that she used to anchor herself.

It was fine. As long as the carriage floated and she held on, she wouldn’t be crushed against the rocks or sliced against them.

She didn’t hear the whistle over the crashing waves, but she felt something cut past her cheek. As it registered, a thud was heard and her eyes followed the movement on her left. Her eyes went wide as she saw the arrow embedded on the bottom of the carriage.

“Is pushing me off a cliff not enough?” Beks’ head shot up towards the top of the cliff. She could see the figures looming over the edge. Two of them had weapons in their hands that appeared to look like crossbows. She narrowed her eyes and scooted to the corner, trying to make herself as small a target as possible.

Another arrow swept past her and ricocheted off a rock and into the water. Another barely missed her shoulder and went directly into the water. The carriage was bobbing up and down, as well as turning in different directions with the waves, so she was a moving target.

The paladins continued to point their weapons at her. Another arrow landed in front of her and she gasped. She tucked her legs beneath her and glared.

“You wretched Temple dogs! Why didn’t you just kill me with your swords, you pathetic incompetent bastards!” She screamed towards them, but didn’t know if her words and curses reached their ears.

Another half dozen arrows flew at her, most missing, but one did slice past her shoulder. In response, she raised her hand and made a rude gesture with her fingers that she learned from the Second Prince as a child. In her entire life, she’d never done such a thing. She may have cursed someone in her head, even sworn to relieve some frustration aloud, but never a rude gesture.

As far as she was concerned, those Temple bastards deserved it and more.

She couldn’t help but look at her upper arm, where the arrow had sliced past. Her sleeves were red. Blood spread through the already wet fabric, but it didn’t look too deep. She’d have to bandage it up.

The arrows that were shot began to fall short. It was likely that she had finally drifted out of range, and as Beks watched the arrows drop into the sea, she closed her eyes and let out a low, deep breath. Her heart was beating quickly, but still steady. Normally, she’d take her pills in the midst of the attack, but having foreseen attempted murder while still in the carriage, she’d taken two pills before they left the camp site.

It seemed that doing so helped restrain the attack and she made a mental note that the medicine might help. Why hadn’t anyone discussed preventative medicine before? Then again, it wasn’t as if they knew when she’d have an attack.

Her body was suddenly jerked forward and her hand, which had loosened, slipped away from the bar she was holding on to. Her body slid forward and she looked back. The carriage had slammed against another rock.

There were more. Some rocks were as big as a person, some were just the tips peeking out from the rough water, and others were larger than the carriage itself and surrounded by white foam. Her heart sank as she noticed the obvious pull of water in different directions as they met. If she remembered correctly, whatever could affect water movement was underneath.

Her chest tightened as she approached water that didn’t look like ordinary tides. The current was pulling the carriage towards it and Beks felt her breath leave her. There was a widening hole in the center of the current and it would only be a matter of moments before she and the carriage were sucked in.

For a moment, her mind went blank and her body numb.

She was going to drown. She was going to be lost in a whirlpool, drown, and never get her revenge on those Temple bastards who were trying to kill her. She could still see the determination on that paladin’s face as he shoved her back into the carriage and pushed as if his life depended on it.

There was no fear on his face when she stabbed his hand, only surprise, as if he didn’t expect her to retaliate. Her eyes narrowed as anger and hatred coursed through her. It was the Temple who prophesied her coming, inadvertently taking her from her family and putting a responsibility on her that no child should carry.

It was the Temple that sent useless clerics to let her foster brother rot to death.

Then, its new oracle beds her fiancé, who foolishly disrespects her in front of the entire court by announcing the oracle as his Wife of Choice.

Now, the Temple’s guard dogs push her off a cliff, try to assassinate her, and the rest of her family.

She’d never felt such rage and a single thought overwhelmed her:I can’t die yet.

She turned around and looked for something to grab on to. The carriage scraped along the side of jutting rocks on its way to the whirlpool. The rocks were jagged and slippery, but they were anchored to the ground.

Beks pushed herself up to a kneeling position beside the edge of the carriage. It moved alongside a large rock that was like a tiny island. If she were pinned between it and the carriage, she would be crushed.

Her eyes fixed on the rock, looking for a place for her hands and feet to grab on to. She couldn’t stay on the carriage any longer or she’d be drawn into the whirlpool.

The overturned vehicle passed the rock, crashing into it with a corner.

Beks jumped.

Her body slammed into the rock and she grabbed onto whatever she could. The sharp edges sliced at her fingertips and her cheeks, the protrusions of the stone poking at her gut and making her breathing short as her legs dangled for a moment before she found her footing. She couldn’t feel the pain of cuts against her tender flesh as she pressed herself against the stone and looked over her shoulder.

The carriage was tossed more than body’s length from where she was now clinging for her life. She watched as it was caught in the current and spun in a circle, round and round, until it disappeared into the underwater funnel. She shut her eyes and relaxed, trying to calm herself as the water continued to roar around her.

After her heart rate seemed to lower, she began to use her hands and feet to find places to adjust her footing and grip in hopes of getting into a more comfortable position. From that side of the rock, she couldn’t see the top of the cliff and decided to wait until it was dark to move around and try to find a way back.

She was already feeling her way around the rock blind. It didn’t matter if she couldn’t see well. She managed to find a narrow ledge on the rock for her to sit. She secured herself and took a moment to look at her sleeves and hands. Blood from various cuts and scrapes had mixed with salt water, and her sleeves were almost shredded from the sharp rock face.

She lifted her hand and touched her cheek, hissing as she felt a sharp pain as soon as she touched it. Her fingertips had blood again. Still, she tilted her head back and let out a tired breath.

Perhaps the tide would recede or the waves would become less turbulent if she waited. Ignoring her hunger, she sat in place, watching the water for any changes. After some time, the tide began to recede and the waters weren’t as choppy. The whirlpool dissipated, as if it weren’t there to begin with.

Beks wondered if she could take advantage of the lowering tide to climb over the rocks and get back on shore. Her body ached and her cheeks burned from sun exposure, but she ignored any pain and carefully felt her way around to peer over the top of the rock. The sun was still out, but it wouldn’t be long before it reached the horizon.

She squinted and couldn’t make out any more figures standing by the cliff’s edge. She looked long the shoreline, looking for any sign of the men. Most of the shoreline was rocky, but every so often, between the jagged rocks, there were enclaves that had a small beach. She hoped to find one to drag her worn body to, but couldn’t see any.

As she made her way down and tried to think of how to get around the jagged cliffs, she caught a movement from the corner of her eye. She turned around and saw bubbles coming up from the water. Her eyes widened and she pasted her back against the rock.

Was it an animal? Now that she thought about it, aside from sea birds, she hadn’t seen any marine life. Didn’t her mother say there were many dangerous animals in the ocean? Her stomach sank. Sharks, murderous whales that tipped boats, giant tentacled monsters, and sea serpents from the deep said to change the ocean currents when they swam.

Her eyes crinkled up at the unrealistic thought of a deep-sea leviathan appearing. This wasn’t even its habitat, but she couldn’t help but think of the massive serpent as bubbles reached the surface. She saw something coming out of the water . Something dark and large.

She held her breath.

The carriage broke through the surface and bobbed in the water, still upside down but floating.

Beks let her mouth drop for just a moment.

The overturned vehicle floated in front of her in the relatively calm waters, almost as if inviting her to get back on. Her eyes crinkled up as she considered her options. It would take her some time and some swimming between rocks to get back to shore, and even then, she’d need to find a way to get up the cliff.

The carriage didn’t look like it was going to sink any time soon.

Logic said to wait it out on the rocks and attempt to make her way back.

But her gut said to get on the carriage. Beks narrowed her eyes. Perhaps if she’d listened to her instinct earlier, she could’ve prepared better for Luther’s inevitable stupidity and his father’s manipulation. She’d followed protocol and logic, and look where that got her. Stuck on a rock, like a crippled seal. When she started to take a chance because a nagging feeling told her to, it was too late.

She crouched down, one hand still clinging on to the rocks while the other reached for the carriage. As soon as she could grab one of the metal fixtures on the side, she pulled it towards her. She jumped back on it and froze, allowing it to settle beneath her. She then sat down and used her legs to kick her away from the rock.

The carriage moved along with the current like a raft without a paddle. Beks watched the rocky shoreline get further and further away and pursed her lips.

All right, maybe this wasn’t my best idea. She slumped forward and took a deep breath before falling back and laying across the bottom of the carriage with her arms and legs spread out, exhausted. She looked at the darkening sky and squinted.

She hoped her family was faring better than her.

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“It’s colder than I thought! I can barely see with all the snow coming down. And at an angle, too! I’ve never seen snow come down horizontally!” The driver had been replaced with the chattiest royal guard Deo had ever met.

Outside the carriage, it should’ve been daylight, but with the snow, it was a hazy, frigid gray. The temperature had dropped and for those unfamiliar, it would’ve seemed as if they were in the middle of a blizzard. However, for this northern border area, this was the normal weather.

The reason the Northern Pass was so important was because it had far less brutal weather, allowing for man, beast, and monster to travel through. It was the preferred area of travel, which was why it needed to be guarded, as when the creatures of the frozen north were stimulated by bihar from the volcanic eruptions, they would stampede through and pour into northern Kadmus.

Deo had spent much of his time in the military there, so even if the carriage did not have engraved bihar script to keep the temperature inside steady, he wasn’t too fazed by the cold. At least the wind wasn’t cutting his body like it was the men outside.

He sat with his back against the wall separating him from the driver outside. His wrists were still bound by thick metal shackles connected by a metal bar. His ankles each had thick metal cuffs around them and a chain that had been anchored to a metal loop on the floor. He couldn’t even walk to the far side of the carriage.

He took a deep breath and leaned back, waiting for them to stop and release him. During that entire trek to the northern border, they hadn’t opened the door once. All his food was served from a small, narrow hole on the floor, at the base of the door. He could only eat with his hands, though the driver had been careful to give him any liquids in shallow bowls.

It was both good and bad that the driver was no longer with them now that they’d come this far. Bad in that no one served him decent food now that the old man was gone. Good in that the old man didn’t need to be put through the torture of baring the weather. He also wouldn’t be in any danger once they stopped.

Deo hadn’t said a word to anyone about it, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know. Chamberlain Wilton specially chose the driver, and had been aided by Beks in the past, so he was guaranteed to take care of Deo as much as he could within his limits. Deo appreciated this; good food meant he could keep up his strength.

The chatty royal guard who was now the driver had spent much of his time talking to the driver on the journey. This was because Deo was quiet and the other ‘guards’ did not talk. The chatty guard was from a group of royal guards guarding a royal residence in the Seneca Duchy. He’d also escorted prisoner carriages before, which was why he knew how to drive one.

Deo had noticed that the chatty guard introduced himself to the other guards, asking where they were stationed and if they were new, as he had never seen them before. This was the first clue. Then, those guards didn’t talk. They seemed to keep to themselves whenever they stopped, even ostracizing the chatty guard.

The chatty guard then told the driver not to mind the other guards, as they were likely ordered to escort the carriage last minute. Before they left, the barracks for royal guards next to the palace grounds was hit with food poisoning, causing many of the escort guards to be replaced. The chatty guard had been lucky, as he was off the day before and went out to eat, so he could still come on his assignment.

Deo was sure the food poisoning wasn’t an accident. The ‘guards’ with them were most likely replaced. Replaced to do what?

The corners of his lips rose. He knew what.

They couldn’t kill him before they left the kingdom’s borders and passed the last checkpoint. They were being tracked, and if the punishment were not followed through, the court would be upset. If it got out that the Carolines, who were taking the blame and still had allies in court, were killed before they could even be exiled, what did that say to the other nobles?

In addition, they needed to find an isolated place and get rid of any witnesses, including the driver. If they were killed outside the borders, who is to say that they were killed or just fell victim to the harsh environment they were exiled to? Wasn’t that the point of exile? To die outside?

Deo let out a small snort. He had no plans of dying. He had to find his family, reunite, and return to Sagittate. As long as King Laurence was healed, they’d assist him in retaking Kadmus. His sister’s dud of an ex-fiancé wasn’t going to sit on that throne for long and if his conniving father thought he would, then their wicked House of Caroline would destroy the County House of Hessing.

“Have we gone far enough?” The chatty guard named Lloyd-something, Deo couldn’t remember his surname...or was his surname Lloyd? It didn’t matter. The point was that he was the only real royal guard remaining. His assignment was to escort the prisoner carriage to the border to ensure that the prisoner did not escape or die before exile.

“This is enough. We were told we’d reach past the stele borders within half a day of leaving the checkpoint garrison,” one of the other ‘guards’ replied in their Great River Basin accent. “It has been over a day. We can stop here.”

Deo’s eyes flew open.

Whether that chatty guard would survive was up to him.

The carriage was turned around and creaked to a stop. Deo felt it bounce as Lloyd jumped off the driver’s seat.

“Surround the door. He may try to flee as soon as we open it,” one of the men said.

Deo wanted to snort. They wanted him to run away from a fight? Who did they think he was?

The wind was howling outside and Deo could barely hear the slight jingle of keys as the heavy metal locks were turned. The door opened, but Deo didn’t jump out as they expected.

“My ankles are bolted to the ground, idiots,” Deo reminded them in a mocking voice. They really were too tense right now.

“You, go inside and unlock the anchor chain.”

The ‘you’ was Lloyd and he climbed into the carriage. He seemed wary of Deo.

“Scared?” Deo asked with his lips curled up.

Lloyd lowered his eyes. “You are Lady Rebecca’s brother. She is honorable and good.”

“I’m her brother. Not her.”

“The tree is not steady if the roots are not good.”

Deo raised a brow. The rattle of chains sounded and Lloyd stepped back. For someone who had tried to convince himself that Deo wouldn’t hurt him because of Lady Rebecca, Lloyd still scrambled back, as if Deo would lunge at him.

Deo disappointed him. He remained seated and didn’t move, though he was no longer chained to the ground.

“Get out of the carriage!” someone yelled.

Deo sneered. “Make me.”

Scowling, two of the shivering men climbed inside and grabbed Deo by the arms. They tried to toss him out, but he landed neatly on his feet.

“Stay here and watch the carriage,” one of the men told Lloyd. “We’ll take him further out.”

“Further out?” Lloyd sounded confused. “But we’re already past the stele border. At this point, we can leave him.”

Deo let out a chuckle. “Yes, you can leave me here. Where am I going to go? Back to Kadmus?” He shrugged, causing the chains metal around his arms to clink. “At the very least, you can undo my shackles, can’t you? Isn’t it bad enough you’re abandoning me in the middle of a blizzard.”

“You are from Sagittate,” one of the men said as he drew his sword. “You are familiar with the cold.”

“I’m familiar with cold, but that doesn’t mean I’ll frolic in a blizzard.”

“Why are you drawing your sword?” It appeared as if the chatty guard was paying attention. He stood at the threshold of the carriage; his pale brows furrowed as the other men in similar uniform pulled their swords from their sheaths.

“We must chase the criminal out! Stay in the carriage!”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.” Lloyd frowned and looked around warily. “In the past, we can leave an exile-”

“In the past, prisoner carriages were escorted by royal guards,” Deo said as his eyes crinkled up with a smile. “Not Temple Paladins.”

Confusion filled the real royal guard’s face, but Deo didn’t pay attention to him. The paladins didn’t move from their spots and seemed to be considering what he just said.

“What are you talking about? You’re spouting non-sense!” One of the men took a threatening step forward and Deo laughed.

“You’d think that if you took on a mission like this, you’d at least learn a Kadmium accent. Listen.” Deo grinned and his voice changed from his natural Sagittate accent to a standard one. “You’re supposed to sound like this.”

“There are many people who have different accents-

“I can prove it,” Deo said. Without waiting for them to reply, he lowered his shoulder. Though his gait was limited with the chains, he was quick on his feet and rammed into the nearest man. As expected, the others began to shout and attack.

Deo turned and raised his arms, using the metal between his wrists to block a blade from coming down. He kept it between him and the sharp edge, sliding it down until he was close enough to the man to twisted away and slam the metal into his face.

“Someone restrain him!”

“Look at you, holding a hand and a half so firmly with both hands awkwardly. You don’t know what to do if one hand is free!” Deo yelled into the air as he ducked and then threw his arms to the side, slamming the metal cuffs into someone’s stomach. “Your stance is different from the royal guards and you’re more aggressive, focusing on the head! This is not the focus on royal guard swordsmanship!”

“How do you know?” Someone rushed from the side and Deo jumped aside, narrowly missing a blade.

Deo laughed, as if the entire thing were a game to him. “Because one of my sword instructors was a retired royal guard!”

“Watch out!”

Deo sensed someone run behind him and heard the clang of metal. “Oh, finally decided to join in?”

“My assignment was to ensure you got to the border and were exiled safely! Not to execute you upon arrival!” Lloyd said as he lifted a leg and kicked a man away. “Your sentence was not death! And my real brothers would honor that!”

The corners of Deo’s lips remained curled up. “Not bad,” he said. “In that case, I’ll cover you. Stay between me and the carriage, and get the keys and unlock my shackles. Five against one and another restrained isn’t very good odds.”

Lloyd nodded and put his sword away. The keys were in his pocket and he fumbled to get them out as Deo kept his back to him and stood in a fighting posture despite having no weapons.

Five men rushed towards him and Deo used the metal between his arms to entangle the sword closest to him. He slid the shackles against the sword until he reached the man’s arms, twisted them until a faint crack was heard. Screaming filled the air as the man’s arms dropped. His grip on the sword loosened and it was just enough for Deo to take the sword from him.

“I can’t find the key!

“What do you mean you can’t find the key? You were the one who unlocked the chain and door!

“It must’ve fallen from my pocket when I collided with one of the paladins!”

“Then find it!” Deo clashed with another man, holding the sword awkwardly with one hand while the shackles on his wrists and ankles restricted his movement. He ducked out the way as a blade came down. “Find it?”

“Don’t rush me!” Lloyd was on the ground where their footsteps had crushed the snow down. He was squinting on his hands and knees, touching the ground.

A sword cut down and grazed the front of Deo’s clothes. “It’s difficult to defend when my legs can’t move how I want them!”

“Found it! Give me your arms!”

“My arms are busy!” Deo yelled as he parried another cut and shoved the pointed guards of the sword into a man’s throat. “Free my legs!”

Lloyd nodded and knelt down. “Stop moving!”

“How can I stop moving? I’m making sure they don’t cut off your head!” He didn’t notice the other man trying to grab onto his ankle so he could unlock it. Deo’s focus was on the paladins still standing. “Hurry up!

“I can’t unlock it if you keep moving!”

“What do you want me to do?” Deo growled. “Stand here frozen, like a sedentary target?” He couldn’t help but take another step forward to get a better position and heard Lloyd yell beneath him.

“I can’t get the key into the hole like this! It’s hard enough with the snow all over the place!”

“Then do it faster!”

Lloyd let out a frustrated yell. Deo tried to take another step, but a pair of arms grabbed onto his leg. His eyes nearly bulged from his face as he resisted the urge to look down and take his eyes off his attacker.

As a sword was parried, he yelled back. “What are you doing? Get off! I can’t move!”

Lloyd was clinging on to his right leg, holding him down by almost laying at his feet so he could get a good look at the lock and unshackle him.

“That’s the point!”

“Are you with them or me?” Deo shouted. He swung his sword up and almost hopped on his free leg to adjust his position and bring down his sword again. “Hurry up!”

The pressure around his leg suddenly loosened and before Lloyd could say anything, Deo kicked him off and stormed forward. He didn’t pay attention to Lloyd rolling to the side, groaning as he rushed the nearest man.

“You dare kill a holy knight?” The last man shouted as he took a step back and seemed to brace himself for Deo’s attack.

Deo’s gray eyes narrowed. “I prefer to think of it as allowing you to meet your beloved gods faster.”

The spray of blood felt warm against his face as he watched the last body fall to the ground. His heart was racing as he looked down and raised his sword. Without a word, he shoved it through the man’s chest to ensure he was dead. He then turned around. Ignoring the only real royal guard, he went to each body and ran the tip of sword through their chests and backs one by one.

“Is that necessary?” Lloyd asked with squinted eyes as he fell back against the carriage and shuddered.

“If even one of them survives, by some miracle, and gets back to their handlers, it will decrease the amount of time my family can get ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“Backlash from the Temple,” Deo replied. “Paladins are only moved by high priests, priestesses, and oracles.”

“Oracles?” Lloyd narrowed his eyes and after a few moments, an enlightened expression appeared on his face. “The King’s lover? But....” His voice trailed off and his mouth opened.

Deo stood in front of him. “My wrists.” He raised the metal shackle still on his wrists and Lloyd leaned forward to unlock it.

“Lady Rebecca has already been exiled. Why would the oracle order her entire family to be assassinated?”

“The only valid reason is that we are a threat to the Temple.”

“How?”

The heavy shackles and metal fell to the ground, and Deo rubbed his sore wrists. “I don’t know. I expected this from the Third Consort, but not from the Temple.” His eyes narrowed. “Unless they really are working together.”

“From His Highness?”

Deo let out a small scoff as he turned around and began dragging the bodies of the paladins together. “What are you going to do now?” Lloyd opened his mouth, but no words came out. “If you go back, you’ll be questioned, so I’m afraid I can’t let you go back.”

His face paled as he looked at Deo. His hand seemed to grope at the hilt at his side. “Then....”

Deo chuckled and dumped one body on top of another. “I’m not going to kill you. You’re my accomplice now.”

“Accomplice....” Lloyd’s eyes widened as he seemed to realize what was going on and for a moment, appeared as if his soul had left him. Deo let out a laugh and shook his head.

“Relax. If you’re an accomplice, you’re one of my people. A Caroline takes care of their own,” Deo said.

“But...but you can’t go back to Kadmus....” Lloyd muttered.

“Who said I’m going back to Kadmus?” Deo raised a brow. He looked towards a direction. “That way is the Giant’s Ridge mountain range. It goes diagonally from northwest to southeast. It is passible along its southern mountains. It’s still well within the arctic zones, but outside of Kadmus’ boundaries.”

Lloyd nodded, but frowned. “The Giant’s Ridge is filled with ice beasts. Hunters only go there during the summer months.”

“You’re familiar?” Deo kept his head down and stripped some of the thicker clothes, including the heavy winter cloaks, off the fallen men, and tossed them to the side.

“A few older guards had been sent to assist in rescuing hunters lost in the area. They told me,” Lloyd replied. He looked at Deo suspiciously. “How do you know where to go?”

“My education is extensive,” Deo replied in a smooth voice.

“Then, what about after Giant’s Ridge?”

“The warring states of Brekram, Dranga, and Salgul, which are constantly fighting over the one livable patch of valley there,” Deo replied. “If we can get past them, we can go down to the high desert.”

“What’s in the high desert?”

“Not what, who.” Deo said. He lowered his hands and grabbed onto chunks of cold fabric on the corpses of the men. He narrowed his eyes and focused. He could feel a little energy coursing from the pit of his stomach and up through his arms. It was a drop in the proverbial bucket compared to what he was used to and he grit his teeth.

“What are you doing?”

Deo didn’t answer. He willed the miniscule amount of biha he could control to move. He grit his teeth. He was too cocky. Suppression markings could fully suppress weak and average biha users, but for the small group at the highest level of ability, it could only limit their strength. This wasn’t very well known and those that did know kept quiet about it.

He hadn’t had this much struggle working with his biha since he was a toddler, and even then, he’d accidentally set things on fire. Finally, the biha flowed out and though small, it was enough to light the remaining layer of clothes on the corpses on fire.

Lloyd jumped up. “How did you do that?” He looked at Deo and Deo could feel his eyes boring into the back of his neck, at the coin-sized black mark. “You’re suppressed!”

“Suppressed, but not completely unable to use my biha,” Deo replied. “I have about as much strength as a match,” he said with disgust. He stepped back, watching the flames burn the skin and clothes. “But it’s enough to give us fire when we need it.” He looked at Lloyd. “Are you coming?”

Lloyd’s eyes were fixed on the flames, as if looking at a ghost. He was quiet for a few breaths before he turned his eyes back to Deo. “Who are you looking for in the high desert?”

“Who else? The man exiled to the east,” Deo said. “My father.”

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The screaming died down as the blood gurgled to the top of the long slit across a man’s neck. He fell to his knees with a heavy thud and then slumped back against the other bodies. The interior of the prisoner carriage reeked of blood and former Duke Robert of Caroline rubbed his sore wrists before he rounded the pile of bodies and slid through a rectangular hole just enough for an adult man to squeeze through.

“Wash your hands, Your Grace.” The old driver offered to pour water from a water skin and the man with the dark red hair gave him a grateful smile.

“Thank you, Mr. Reidan. Much appreciated.” Robert held out his hands and the old man poured some water over it, rinsing the blood from his hands. As soon as most of the hot, wet stickiness was gone, he raised his arms and stretched them over his head. “It’s been a while since I could stretch out like this. It’s so cramped in that carriage.”

Mr. Reidan nodded. “It is unfortunate, but that was the largest available with the security measures they assigned to you.”

“They were right to assign some measures. My arms and legs were chained to the floor and ceiling, the only way in or out was through that ridiculous hole,” he said looking over his shoulder. The light from the campfire at the mouth of the cave wall shined upon the carriage, but kept the hole dark. “I really couldn’t get out any sooner.”

“Do you wish to take a horse and leave now, Your Grace?”

“No, the sun is going to rise before I get too far. I don’t know if I’ll be able to find shelter in time, so it’s best to stay here today and move tonight,” he said, looking up at the sky as orange began to make the horizon glow.

The Shadow Desert was considered the hottest place on the continent. So much that caravans only traveled at night, as heat stroke had taken plenty of lives. Along the caravan routes, there were man-made places to stop every half day or so, allowing for shelter, but Robert didn’t know where they’d taken him.

All he knew was that they’d go as far from the main route as they could to avoid anyone witnessing his murder, or finding his body. They’d told Mr. Reidan to go out further away in order to throw him deep in the desert and, following Robert’s orders, Mr. Reidan did as he was told. After all, Chamberlain Wilton had given him strict instructions to make sure to take care of the former duke.

The old driver didn’t know that the royal guards with them were assassins.

Not that they were able to assassinate anyone.

Six bodies lay inside the carriage and not one of them was the former duke.

“Your Grace, where should I send the information to if there is word on Lady Rebecca?” the old man asked.

Robert narrowed his eyes and let out a low breath. “In the high desert, there is a trading post before the warring states called Etav. Send someone there once you hear of my daughter.”

“What about Her Grace the Duchess and your other children?”

“They are able to protect themselves,” Robert said as he lowered his eyes. “It is Beks who won’t be able to defend herself against assassins.” His hands clenched and he took a deep breath. “If my eldest son comes to find me, the most logical place will be Etav. From there, with or without word on my daughter, we will go south ourselves to find her. She could be lost or injured.”

The old man nodded, but hesitated. “Your Grace, what if-”

“There are no ifs,” Robert replied with a sharp voice. “How often have the Great Oracle’s prophecies been wrong?” When Mr. Reidan didn’t answer, he nodded. “Exactly. I believe my daughter is alive.” He clenched his jaw. “Twenty years, I’ve clung to that belief and I won’t stop now.”

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

Her skin was sunburnt; there were numerous cuts, scrapes, and bruises all over her body; and she was hungry and thirsty. Her gray eyes swept around at the vastness of the ocean. On the map she’d burned into her mind, there were islands, so where were they? All she saw was that hateful line of the horizon.

Her upturned carriage drifted along, taking her away from the cliffs she’d been pushed from and out into the open water. Surprisingly, the current continued to push her in one direction. If she looked over the edge, she could make out the difference between the current and the waves going in different directions.

It was strange and she could only wonder what was underneath the surface that made the water move in such a way. It was also the reason she was afraid to jump off the carriage. If she were swept away, she’d only tire herself. Once she was tired, that was it. She wouldn’t have any strength to keep going.

At least right now, she wasn’t exerting any effort.

It hurt too much to move from where she lay. Her meager consolation was that at least she didn’t have an attack. Yet.

She didn’t know how long the effects of pills taken preemptively would last.

The sun had risen and was at its peak directly above her. The air was humid and even with the breeze over the water, without any shade, the sun baked her. Beks closed her eyes, silently wishing for the islands drawn on the map to appear.

The air began to cool and the sunlight on her face was lost. Beks furrowed her brows. That was strange; sunset was hours away. She opened her eyes and took a sharp breath. She sat up straight, ignoring the pain shooting through her body as her head snapped around.

The baking sun was gone.

The brilliant blue, cloudless sky was gone.

The flat horizon she’d seen in the distance was gone.

Her chest tightened as an unexpected surge of panic shot through her. Just a moment ago, she was out in the middle of the ocean on a clear day.

Now, she saw nothing but gray fog around her. Her skin began to crawl as her fingers clawed into the wood beneath her.

There was no fog when she closed her eyes. She would’veseen it. It had been so clear. Where did this come from?

She swallowed hard. Even the humid air seemed colder.

All she could hear was the creak of the carriage and the lap of the water around her.

“Where am I....?” she whispered. She wasn’t even sure which direction she was going.

Her heart hung as she sat stiff on the carriage, afraid that any movement she made would trigger something to appear through the fog.

Breathe, Beks, breathe, her mind chanted.

She was still for so long; her arms began to tremble. She shut her eyes, counting in silence to try to keep herself calm. Perhaps she kept her eyes closed longer than she thought and the fog rolled in. She had those days where one moment she was busy with something in the morning, and then suddenly realized it was afternoon, with all the time in between a blur, as if she’d blacked out.

Maybe that’s what this was?

She opened her eyes. The fog was still there and her stomach sank. Not seeing anything was more unnerving than seeing nothing on the horizon.

Then she heard scraping. She craned her neck and felt the carriage buckle beneath her.

“What-ah!” Her body shot forward and she nearly slammed her unprepared head and torso on the overturned carriage as it caught on something underwater and ran aground. Beks gritted her teeth and lifted her head up.

She squinted. Since when was there a beach?

The fog was still thick, but unlike moments ago, where she could barely see her arms in front of her, she could see a stretch of sand through the haze. She looked around as the water pushed against the carriage, but couldn’t pull it on to the beach. She looked to be several paces from where the waves lapped at the sand.

She looked over the side of the carriage and couldn’t see the bottom of the murky water. Worried that it was deeper than she thought, Beks crawled to the side closest to the shore and laid on her stomach. She carefully slid herself over the edge and lowered herself into the warm water.

She maintained a firm grip on the carriage as she sank lower and lower, until she was chest deep and could feel fine sand slipping into her shoes. Her eyes widened as relief flooded her. Still using the carriage to steady herself she put her feet down and began to step away from the carriage.

Her feet were heavy and the open cuts burned in the salt water, but she pushed forward, towards the shore. Her dress was soaked and it was difficult to move, but once she was knee deep, she gathered the fabric in her arms and trudged the rest of the way up.

As soon as the sand went from firm and wet to dry and loose, Beks fell to her knees and let out a tired cry. She never thought she’d be so happy on land. Her hands dug into the warm sand and she relished the feeling through her fingers. She hunched over, choking back a cry as the relief gave way to fear and sadness.

She gritted her teeth and clenched the sand beneath her. Now was not the time. She needed to find something to eat. She needed to make a shelter.

She needed to think of what she’d do next.

She opened her eyes and raised her head. Several paces away was a tree line filled with vegetation she didn’t recognize immediately. It was a bit worrisome that the environment was strange, but she couldn’t lay on the beach the entire time. She needed to find food and a place to sleep that was somewhat safe.

Once I rest a bit, I can plan. She nodded to herself and pushed herself up. Just as she began to wring out the layers of her dress, her hair stood on end. She heard a shrill cry from her right and looked towards the tree line. The top of the trees swayed in the breeze, but there was one particular place where the trees seemed to be coming down.

Another shriek sounded and Beks felt the ground beneath her move.

“This can’t be good....” she whispered as she gathered her skirts. She caught a movement through the trees and her heart shot to her throat. A low rumbling filled the air and she took a step back.

A long, slender trunk of a palm toppled down from the tree line and crashed onto the beach. Large, black, and brown creatures shot out, their loud snorts and growls piercing her as the shaking grew stronger.

Beks had never seen wild boars that large. As they ran along the tree line, appearing to stay clear of the open area of the beach, she realized that the shrill cry she heard wasn’t coming from them.

The sound cut through the air once more, as if reminding her about it. She lifted her head, but couldn’t see much over the fog.

But she heard it. As she stood still, afraid to move, she began to make out a shape in the haze. Something massive was flying above them. Her eyes drifted to the boars. If it was after those boars, then how big was it?

How could the universe leave her question unanswered?

In a break in the fog, the shadows of a massive wingspan covered the width of the beach and Beks held her breath. The boars were fast, but not fast enough to escape the extended talons of a giant bird of prey. Its two scaled feet reached down and snatched one of the boars, sending it squealing and grunting as it was lifted into the air and disappeared into the fog.

Two more thoughts rushed towards Beks as she stood frozen in place, like a fool.

First, she never thought she’d see a real, living rokh in her lifetime. The beasts were legendary and she couldn’t remember the last time someone sighted one, though she was assured they were real. This was an honor.

Second, she needed to hide before that honor came after her.