Michael Spradlin: Keeper of the Grail

But I knew why Sir Hugh was here. He wanted the Grail, plain and simple. What I could not figure out yet was how he knew I had it. Sir Thomas said only a few of the knights in the entire Order even knew of the Grail. He was one of the few, and I could not imagine him sharing that knowledge with Sir Hugh, whom he held in such low regard. Unless Sir Hugh knew of the Grail’s existence before Sir Thomas did. Or had learned of its existence some other way and that Sir Thomas was the one who guarded it.

Something told me this was not the case. I couldn’t imagine knowledge of something so valuable and rare being entrusted to such a liar and cheat. No doubt through villainous means, Sir Hugh had followed the trail that led to me. Now more than ever, I needed to find a way to get the Grail to safety.

Robard continued pacing. I moved to the corner of my cell and sat slumped against the wall. Soon the shadows grew darker and twilight crept in. When darkness arrived, one of the men-at-arms lighted an oil lamp sitting on the table, filling the room with dim light. Robard and I were silent for a long time, thinking.

“In the streets, as we were being led here, I thought I saw Maryam watching. Perhaps she’ll…”

“Don’t even mention her name,” Robard interrupted. “She’s under no obligation to help us anymore, anyway. She’s long gone. If we’re going to get out of here, we’re going to have to do it on our own. We’ve seen the last of the Assassin.”

With impeccable timing, Maryam’s face appeared in the window of Robard’s cell and she whispered quietly, “Hello, Archer. Did you miss me?”

The faint glow of the oil lamp gave us just enough light to see the dim outline of Maryam’s face in the window. I was nearly speechless, and Robard stood frozen in place as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Don’t stop pacing, you idiot! Keep moving like you were before or the guards will grow suspicious,” she hissed.

Startled as he was, Robard resumed pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath. He threw a few curses and complaints at the guards for good measure.

“Tristan, I am about to create a diversion. Be ready!” she whispered.

“What? Wait…What are you going…?” But she was gone before the words were out of my mouth.

For several minutes nothing happened. Robard continued pacing, and I sat slumped in the corner as if I were about to drift off to sleep. The guards still sat on the bench across the room, talking quietly.

The entrance to the jail had no door. It had either broken off or fallen into disrepair and been removed. A few minutes after Maryam appeared in our window, we watched a smoking bundle of dried rushes come flying through the entryway, landing in the center of the room. They must have been coated in grease and dunked in water or mud, for instead of bursting into flames they merely created smoke, which began to fill the room.

The guards jumped to their feet, shouting. One ran to the center of the room, stomping at the bundle in an attempt to put out the sputtering flames. The smoke kept streaming off the rushes and he began coughing. Then two more torches flew in, landing at his feet. Smoke billowed up around him, and even in the dim light of the lamp he was almost invisible.

Both men were yelling now as the smoke thickened. It would soon reach our cell and we would not be able to breathe. The lamp on the table was suddenly extinguished, plunging the room into darkness except for a few flickering shadows cast by the flames of the torches. I heard a muttered curse, and then one of the guards let out a pained scream. I heard a sword being drawn, then the clang of steel followed by more curses and shouts.

Out of the commotion and noise, a shadowy figure appeared at my cell door, and a few seconds later it swung open. The figure moved to Robard’s cell and his door opened as well.

“Come!” Maryam shouted. “This way!”

“Wait!” I called after her. I needed to get the satchel and my swords.

The smoke was disorienting, but I had a general sense of which direction to go. I couldn’t see Maryam or Robard, but heard them moving toward the door. I quickly crossed the room toward the table holding our weapons and supplies. Halfway to where I thought the table should be, I stumbled over something on the floor, falling hard to the ground. It was one of the guards. He didn’t move, and for a moment I worried that Maryam had killed him. But a groan escaped his lips and I realized he was only stunned. I scrambled to my feet, staggering the rest of the way across the room to the table. Feeling around with my hands, I grabbed the satchel, quickly throwing it over my shoulder.

I ran my hand over the table, finding my swords and gathering them up. I started moving toward the door, then remembered Robard’s bow and wallet of arrows. Taking them as well as our bedrolls, I touched along the wall with my shoulder until I reached the door.

Robard and Maryam stood waiting just outside the door. It was good to breathe the cool night air. I handed Robard his bow and arrows, and we wasted no time running away.

Just a few yards down the street we heard the shouts of the guards as they emerged from the smoking jail. They hollered loudly, sounding the alarm, and we ran faster. Maryam led us down the street, turning at the first intersection. Sprinting until we reached the next alley we ran through it and then another, until the shouts of the guards faded away. Approaching the entrance to another street, we carefully peered out at a main thoroughfare lighted by torches every few yards. A few cooking fires still burned in the ovens and clay chimneys that stood in front of the buildings lining the street. We saw no one in either direction.

Looping Sir Thomas’ battle sword over my back I hooked the short sword to my belt.

“Robard, I am sorry for what happened. I never expected to find Sir Hugh in Tyre,” I said.

“We’ll discuss it later. Let’s escape first,” he said.

“Agreed. Let’s head for the docks. There will be taverns there, and where there are taverns there are sailors. We should be able to find passage on a ship. Sir Thomas left me with some money, enough to get us back to England. Maryam, can you take us there?” I asked.

“Yes, but we must hurry. Those guards will return to the Commandery and bring help. The docks are the first place they’ll look. The city gates are closed at night, so we can’t get out that way unless we climb the walls, which are guarded. Let’s go,” she said.

Maryam started down the street.

“Wait!” I yelled.

She stopped.

“I need to get something first. In the alley this afternoon I buried something. It’s quite valuable and I must retrieve it. Can you lead us back there first?”

In the low light from the torches and fires I could see Robard’s eyes narrow.

“I thought you told me you carried dispatches and orders for the Templars in Tyre,” he asked.

“I did. I do. I am. Or was,” I said. I had hoped he would not ask these questions.

“You gave nothing to the Marshal. Did you bury the orders? What did you have that you didn’t want the Templars here to see?” he asked.

“It is a long story. Full of intrigue, with many layers,” I exaggerated. “For now, let’s just say that I was following orders. At the first opportunity I will explain everything. Now, however, I would suggest more escaping.” I hoped I sounded convincing, but I also hoped Robard would forget that I would explain later. I had promised Sir Thomas I would tell no one.

Robard’s face held its puzzled expression, but then he shrugged.

“In case I haven’t mentioned it, we need to hurry!” Maryam cut in. “If you wish to return to that alley, it’s this way.”