39. Keelan

Chapter 39

Keelan

A tikus laughed as I gawked at the rolling waves and endless sandy shores.

“Never stood on a beach before?” the Mage poked. “Was I that remiss in your upbringing?”

I shook my head. “My time with the Guard has always been spent in Saltstone. The only coasts we have there bump against rivers. That’s not quite the same.”

“No, it definitely is not.”

I hopped off my horse and walked toward the water until I stood a few paces from its foamy edge. I drew in a long breath and stretched my arms wide, tilting my face toward the bright winter sun. “It even tastes peaceful here. How is that possible?”

“I suppose we need to plan a trip to a coastal town when this mess is over,” Atikus mused.

“I wish it was warm so I could walk in the water.” I finally turned from the rippling waves, my features relaxed by their brush with nature’s wonder. “We should look for that cave now. Any idea where to start?”

“Are you turning back into the boy I took in all those years ago?” Atikus laughed as he dismounted. “We have got to get you out of that uniform more often. There is a beautiful world outside of Saltstone.”

As we walked along the beach, I fed my horse bits of apple from my saddlebag and stared at the water almost as often as I looked for an opening in the stone that ran parallel to the shore some thirty paces inland.

“What are we looking for?” I asked, after an hour of walking. “Is there some specially shaped rock? Anything other than just a cave? Would it be too much to hope the Mages nailed a sign above the entrance?”

Atikus grunted. “It has been a thousand years since anyone used the cavern. Even if there was some record of a landmark, it would have changed many times over the millennium.”

“Great. So, we have no idea what we’re looking for.” I picked up a rock and skipped it in the water. A wave batted it down as it tried to skid atop the sea’s surface. “I know how you feel, rock.”

A loud snort drew us up short.

I grabbed the back of Atikus’s robe and pulled him down by the rocky ledge, hiding as best as we could on an open beach in broad daylight. We barely had time to peer over the rocks when Dittler moved to stand directly before me, bared his teeth, and let out an odd, undulating sound.

“Dittler?” I asked, reaching up to pat the stallion’s head that had lowered and was nudging me in the chest. “Did you just laugh at us?”

Atikus righted himself and stretched his back. “I believe so, but I am more concerned that he is out here and Jess is not with him. I may not know her well, but I am certain she would never leave that horse.”

Dittler perked up at the mention of Jess’s name and snorted, motioning with his head toward the direction from which he’d appeared. When we stared blankly, he bent down, gripped my shirt in his teeth, and yanked.

“All right, all right.” I patted the horse, urging him to release my shirt before it tore. The horse turned, trotted a few strides, and looked back, as if to say, “What are you idiots waiting for? Come on.”

“I think he wants us to follow,” Atikus said.

“I’m so glad I have a wise Mage with me to figure that out.” I laughed and gave Atikus an affectionate prod with my elbow. The old Mage grinned.

Satisfied we followed close behind, Dittler trotted away.

The beach curved before us, forming a small inlet where water pooled and almost stilled. The rocky shore shrank to a footpath only wide enough for one, with a narrow ledge opposite the water.

“Now what? There’s no opening in the rock,” I said, running a hand along the stone’s surface.

Dittler looked back, bared his teeth again, then walked through the rock.

My jaw dropped. “Atikus . . . Sweet Spirits . . . did you see that? The horse just disappeared into the rock.”

Atikus nodded and strode past me, as though a horse vanishing into stone was the most natural thing in the world. “It is a magical cave, enchanted by the Mages of old to protect and hide. Of course, they would obscure the entrance.”

He grinned back at me before turning and walking into the rock.

“I’m losing my mind. First, the horse laughs, then he walks through solid rock. What’s next?” I shook my head, trying to decide whether or not to follow Atikus and Dittler.

“Keelan, what are you waiting for?” Jess called from inside the rock with more than a hint of amusement in her voice.

“Well, here goes nothing.” I sucked in a deep breath and threw my body into the rock face.

I stumbled into a massive cavern. Bright crystals covered walls that glowed faintly. If there had only been a few, it would have been too dim to see well, but there were thousands bathing the walls—and the chamber—in an otherworldly radiance.

On one side, starting roughly twenty paces from the entrance, ten cots lined the wall in a neat row. A simple wooden table sat between the head of each cot, while a trunk hinged with ageless brass rested at the foot. On the opposite side of the cave, three round tables were ringed with chairs. A silver pitcher and four goblets rested atop each. At the far end of the chamber, against the back wall, were shelves that rose from floor to ceiling. Books, scrolls, bottles, and jars cluttered the upper shelves, while large barrels and wooden crates filled the lower racks.

I stared from the entrance, awestruck.

“How?” was all I could mutter.

“How what?” Atikus asked, a mischievous grin splitting his bushy white beard and mustache.

“How is all this here? After a thousand years?” I walked to one of the tables and picked up the perfectly polished goblets. Not a fleck of dirt or dust marred their sheen. “Everything looks clean and new. How is this possible?”

“Magic, my boy. Magic. The ancient texts speak of our forefathers having powers we can only dream to wield, much less understand. To them, these feats would have required simple preservation spells.”

Atikus turned to Jess. She sat regally at one of the tables with a goblet in hand and a proud smirk on her face. “What I do not understand is how you beat us here. How did you find this place?”

Dittler released a snort-whinny-laugh from the far end of the cave.

Jess spilled some of her wine onto the table.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled up at Atikus. “Dittler and I have—how should I say this? We have come to a better understanding of each other since we saw you last.”

Dittler trotted over to where Jess sat and nuzzled the back of her neck, then looked up at Atikus and winked .

“Did your horse just wink ?” I gaped.

She giggled—the most girlish sound I had heard from the monarch. “Probably. He is how we found the cave. After we slipped away from some roaming Constables, we made it to the coast and started searching for the entrance. Dittler walked right up to it. He did not even hesitate. I knew he was smarter than other horses but had no idea he possessed magical senses.”

“That explains a few things,” Atikus said. “Especially how animals warm to you so quickly. He likely felt the impression of what you sought through your bond.”

His head snapped up, as if he’d just realized something. “Wait. What happened before you got here? You said you ran into Constables. Are you sure they did not follow you?”

Dittler brayed, clearly amused.

Jess spit more wine and waved a hand at her horse. “They had their hands full when we left them. I am confident we were not followed, but it does appear we should exchange stories. Come over here and sit. You two have to try this wine.”

I listened as Jess recounted her journey to the cave, then as Atikus told of our adventure. Something in her bearing had shifted. Whether it was the newfound safety of our hidden grotto or the effects of the tasty magical wine, her spirits appeared higher than at any time since her rescue. The pall that had hung so heavily over Jess seemed lighter.

I caught her staring off into the distance at times, when something seemed to remind her of her father or brother—or even her mother—but the oppressive pain of her loss and the frightful escape that followed seemed to trouble her less than before.

A few times I glimpsed the headstrong, free-spirited girl I was sure she had once been.

“Do you know what day it is?” she asked Atikus as she refilled her glass.

The Mage stroked his beard as if it could impart wisdom. “I cannot say that I do. Why do you ask?”

“My name day is soon—or just passed—I am not sure. I think I am seventeen now.”

Atikus raised a glass, and a broad smile sparkled within his eyes. “To the Queen and her seventeenth year. Long may she reign.”

“Long may she reign,” I echoed from the back of the cavern where I was taking inventory of the supplies left on the shelves.

“Reign.” Jess’s smile fell. “I think the key part of that phrase is now more of a question than a statement— ‘May she reign?’ ”

“Oh, come now. I have lived a long life and seen much change in our world. Be patient. Things have a way of working out.” Atikus offered a fatherly smile.

“I suppose.” Jess took a sip and stared into her cup.

“Hey, Atikus, come look at this. I think I found something,” I said.

Atikus stood, then looked down at his knees in surprise, as if expecting more of a protest than he received. “That wine is truly amazing. We will have to take some with us when we leave. I feel at least a hundred years younger.”

“That still makes you older than dirt,” I needled as I pulled an ancient tapestry down from the wall. “I hadn’t given this much thought, but something caught my eye while I was digging through these barrels and crates. What do you make of this?”

Behind where the tapestry had hung was a mirror that stretched from the cavern’s floor to its ceiling. The mirror itself was made of a gold-tinted metal, while an ornate silver frame etched with vines and roses held the piece in place. Strange runes I didn’t recognize were etched on each corner.

Atikus stood before it and leaned close, perplexed. “Jess, come take a look at something.”

He reached a hand toward the mirror, touched it briefly, and let out a “huh.”

His brows knitted together. He cocked his head.

“Is it going to attack?” I teased.

Atikus waved a bony hand without looking away from the mirror’s surface.

He stepped back and allowed his eyes to trace the frame, starting at one corner and flowing all the way around, until he reached his starting point, then he straightened and turned toward Jess.

“Look in the mirror and tell me what you see.”

She raised a brow. “If I do not see my reflection, I will be worried.”

Atikus grunted. “Get ready to worry, then.”

She swapped places with the Mage and turned toward the mirror. It took a moment, but an image resolved in its surface.

“That is . . . that is inside the Crypt of Kings where all monarchs of the Kingdom are laid to rest. How—?”

Atikus shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure. I’ve heard tales of mystical items Enchanted to allow travel or perform other tasks a Gift might do, but nothing like this.”

“What can you tell us about the Crypt?” I asked, feeling less than useless discussing a magical mirror.

“The entrance is a small stone structure within the Palace grounds. This is the upper chamber. My father used to take me down there a few times each year to remember one grandfather or another . . . or to teach me a lesson on history. He loved object lessons.” She thought a moment, her eyes never leaving the metal. “Why would a mirror in a hidden cave on the far side of the country reflect that image? What is this thing?”

“Place your hand against it.” Atikus motioned to the mirror.

She looked back, caution mingling with curiosity in her eyes.

“It’s all right, I think,” he said.

“You think? How inspiring.” She turned back to the mirror and raised her palm. When her fingers were only inches away, she startled and yanked her hand back. “My skin tingled as I got closer.”

Atikus offered a less than helpful, “Hmm.”

Jess looked at me. All I could do was shrug. What did I know about magically Enchanted items compared to my hundreds-year-old adopted father?

Jess huffed, then turned to stare at the strange metal while stretching a single finger toward its surface. She flinched as her finger came within inches, but she continued to press it forward. When her finger reached where it should have tapped against metal, it vanished through the mirror’s surface. She jerked back and clutched her hand to her chest.

“Holy fucking Spirits!”

Her curse came so unexpectedly, a laugh burst out. She wheeled about with fiery eyes, and I had to cover my mouth to stifle any further amusement. Laughter danced in Atikus’s eyes, but the frustrating old man kept his mouth in check—for once.

Jess braced herself, resting a hand on my arm. When she realized what she’d done, she snapped that hand back, too. Her eyes focused on some point on the ground, avoiding everyone’s gazes.

Atikus saved her from her embarrassment, stepping around me to walk back to the table. “I believe this is some kind of magical doorway that leads into your Crypt.”

I took the hint and followed, a tight grin twitching on my normally stoic face.

Atikus grinned up at me as he filled a glass. “Remember, this cave was created to shelter the last Mages from Irina’s wrath. They had to get here somehow.”

“An escape route?” I sat, amazed at the implications of such a device.

Jess’s blush faded as she joined us and sat. “Does that mean we can go home?”

“Maybe you can. It’s not our home.” I sounded more bitter than I intended. “I doubt we’d be welcomed with open arms, given the army you have marching on our homeland. Do the people even know of the King’s death?”

Jess’s head drooped at the mention of her father.

“Jess, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“Do not apologize,” she snapped, then smoothed her tone. “You are right, of course. I do not even know if I could protect you—or myself. I was not exactly kind to people back home.”

“Child, you will be surprised what people will forgive when they learn who you truly are.” Atikus gave her another fatherly smile. “You may be Queen, but you are still so young. They will understand that you have grown—that you continue to grow. Never fear offering your people the respect you hope to earn from them; you might be surprised what happens.”

She stared at the Mage, an unreadable expression in her eyes. Then, without warning, she dropped to her knees and cradled his hands in hers. “Thank you, Atikus. Thank you.”

Moisture clouded the old Mage’s eyes.

She kissed his hand and stood.

“I need to sleep. That wine worked miracles, but I am exhausted. Can we talk about what comes next tomorrow morning?” she asked.

“Of course. My old bones could use some rest, too.”