Douglas Niles: Lord of the Rose

“No, I’d have to say the wound was caused by a knife, not a sword. There was no sign of fire. Nor were there any witnesses, though the duke claimed the Assassin fled along the top of the wall. I did think it strange that none of the guards spotted the culprit.”

“Let’s go have a talk with the duke,” Jaymes suggested. “See what he has to say about all this.”

“I won’t let you near him-not while you’re carrying that blade!” Marckus declared hotly.

The swordsman thought for a moment, his eyes shifting from one captain to the other. After a long pause, he sheathed the weapon then unhooked the scabbard from his belt.

“I expect this back,” he said, before handing it to the surprised officers.

“I’ll make no promises,” Marckus said, as Powell took Giantsmiter. “But if you are telling the truth…”

“Wait,” said Powell. Almost apologetically, he leaned forward, patted the swordsman’s waist, felt the outlines of the two crossbows. “I remember you carried a little surprise under there. We better take those, too.”

The two captains, carrying their own swords, flanked the disarmed Jaymes as they hurried down the hall to an ornate door. The portal was ajar, so Powell knocked, then stuck his head into the room.

“He’s not here!” he said.

“I think,” Marckus said, very slowly, “I might know where we can find him.”

Dram Feldspar hopped down from the supply wagon as it rolled through the gate of Castle Caergoth. He had secured transport from the frightened teamster by standing in the road and threatening to chop the wagon’s wheels off with his axe if the man refused.

Sulfie and Salty Pete were beside him, and now they jumped to the ground and rushed after him through the doors that lay in pieces just inside the hall of the keep. From the charred, broken planking, the dwarf suspected Jaymes had preceded them.

“Up here,” the dwarf shouted, indicating a vast staircase rising to upper floors. “I think our boy’s gonna need some help.”

Axe in hand, he started up the stairs, the gnomes panting after. He reached the first landing, looked to the right and left into a pair of ornately decorated corridors. Each had crystal chandeliers, gilt-lined columns, plush red carpeting. Taking a guess, he jogged to the left down a long hallway lined with doors.

“You-hey you, dwarf!” cried a woman, coming into view down a side hallway. “Tarry a moment.”

He turned in surprise. “Do I know you?” he asked the person, obviously a noblewoman, who was advancing toward him, considering he was an intruder wielding an axe (not to mention accompanied by two out-of-breath gnomes, who looked slightly mad). Her long hair was golden, her face proud, sublimely beautiful.

“No-but I’ve seen you before,” she replied. “Here, in Caergoth, I watched you in the Gnome Ghetto-when you and the man they call the Assassin-the man you call Jaymes-escaped-with Coryn’s help. You’re his friend, are you not?”

“Might be.” Dram glared, still suspicious. “Who in Reorx’s foundry are you?”

“I’m the Princess of Palanthas,” said the lady, “and I’d like to help you.”

“How?”

“Well,” she said, her hands on her hips, “you’re looking for Jaymes and the duke, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Dram admitted.

“For starters, you’re in the wrong place. This is the guest wing-the residential quarters are over there.”

“Is that so?” demanded the dwarf, with a confused scowl. “Why should I believe you?”

“I’m as interested in the truth as you are,” said the princess. “Stop arguing. We don’t have much time. Come with me.”

She started along the corridor, with the gnomes shrugging their shoulders and following her at a brisk pace. Shaking his head in exasperation, Dram joined in the race.

“Captain Marckus! Captain Powell!”

“Yes-Reynaud? What is it?” said Marckus.

They were escorting Jaymes toward the door of the duke’s game room, when the other officer approached them at a run.

“I have a message for Captain Powell-the princess needs you right away!” Reynaud said to Powell. “She’s in the guest wing and said to tell you it’s urgent! I’ll take over here.”

“All right. Keep an eye on the prisoner,” Powell said, his thoughts immediately on the safety of his noble charge.

He rushed down the corridor and turned the corner, as Reynaud took up a flanking position behind Jaymes.

“We’re on our way to the game room,” said Marckus, warily eyeing Reynaud. “We’re going to talk to the duke.”

Another dozen steps brought them to that chamber, and Marckus reached out to open the door. He didn’t see the knife in Reynaud’s hand, though he felt the steel blade stab into his back.

The veteran captain turned to protest and slumped to the floor. The last thing Marckus saw before his world went black was Reynaud pushing Jaymes Markham into the game room, following the prisoner inside, and slamming the door behind him.

These are the rooms of the duke’s residence, in this wing,” Selinda told Dram, gesturing to a long, high hallway paneled in dark wood. “His private apartments are down there.”

The dwarf and the princess, with the gnomes hurrying along behind, trotted down the castle corridor. Dram, his axe ready, looked alertly to the left and right, still uncertain if he could trust this woman. Just as they turned into the passage, a grizzled knight of Solamnia with the epaulets of a captain lunged into their path. The dwarf instantly recognized the officer whose company had discovered the companions in the apple grove, the very knight who had arrested Jaymes Markham. The man’s sword was out, and he advanced on the dwarf with a murderous glare.

“Thank the gods I found you, Princess!” cried Captain Powell, “Get away from her, you scoundrel!”

The knight closed in without waiting for a reply. Dram raised his axe and adopted a fighting crouch, ready to draw blood.

“Captain Powell-wait!” cried Selinda. The woman stepped between the two glaring combatants.

“Don’t be fooled, lady!” cried the captain. “It’s the same dwarf as accompanied the Assassin! They’re in this together! His comrade is in the castle, already under guard-let me take him, now!”

“No! I already know that Markham is here, too!” she declared. “We’re going to look for him now-and I don’t believe he’s an Assassin, any more than I believe you’re the master of the thieves’ guild!”

“What! Wait…” The captain glowered, feeling uncertain. “Didn’t you send for help… say you needed me urgently?”

“Certainly not,” she replied. “I’ve been pacing around like a caged animal, until I finally decided I needed to do something. I encountered Dram-and we are going to see the duke together.”

She frowned, suddenly. “Who told you I needed help?”

“Captain Reynaud.” Powell’s face darkened. He spun on his heel. “Come on!” he shouted, starting off at a run.

Dram and Selinda sprinted after, ignoring Sulfie’s plaintive cries to “Wait up!” The trio raced to the end of the corridor, turning into a dark-walled hall leading to the ducal apartment.

“By Joli-no!” shouted the captain. He sprinted ahead to kneel beside a wounded, motionless man. “Marck!” he cried.

It was Captain Marckus, who lay on the floor outside the game room, bleeding profusely from a wound to his back.

Selinda also rushed to kneel and touch the man’s pallid forehead. “He’s alive, but barely,” the princess said grimly.

Powell glanced at Selinda and Dram, who had joined them. “Either the Assassin did this, or…”