Chapter 5
1433 Words
5
Barely had the name left my mouth than Muridae flew past me. He scrambled over the rocks and bent down out of sight. A moment later he reappeared, as did the heads of Erik and the king. Muridae and Erik hauled the king over the rocks and into the aisle.
I hurried over to them and slid onto my knees beside Erik. He had some minor cuts on his arms, and a bad gash on his temple that bled down his face. The king was shaken, but fine.
“What the hell were you thinking?” I scolded him.
“I don’t believe thinking was involved,” he quipped.
As we spoke the tremors petered out to nothing. Muridae helped his king to his feet and Erik stood on his own. King Murinae leaned towards Erik and grasped his hand.
“It seems I owe you a favor, son of Greenwood,” the king mused.
Erik bowed his head. “I’d like to think you would have done the same for me.”
The king chuckled. “Then you think more highly of me than I deserve.” The ruler turned to his guard and shooed him away. “I’m fine. It’s the tunnels you should inspect, not my person.”
Muridae frowned. “But Father-”
“But nothing. Go and do your duty, my captain. Your people will expect as much when you’re king,” King Murinae insisted. His captain bowed his head and hurried into one of the tunnels. The king turned to us and shook his head. “He has too much heart for his old king.”
“Did you need any assistance, King Murinae?” Greenwood offered.
King Murinae shook his head. “No, and I wouldn’t trust who the Council would bring down here. Go back to your people and attend to your damage, and don’t forget to give them my message.”
I frowned glanced from Greenwood to the king and back. “What kind of a thank-you was that? He just saved-”
“We will deliver your message,” Greenwood agreed. He grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the tunnel through which we’d come.
Once in the confines of the tunnel, I wrenched myself free. “What the hell was that? You like kowtowing to people?”
I could just make out Greenwood’s frown. “This is his domain. Never forget who holds the greatest power.”
I looked him up and down. “Believe me, I have some practice in that.”
He strode forward and I followed after him. A few random torches lit our way and we passed many Diggers who stood outside their holes. Some scuttled away from us, others glared as we passed. Greenwood didn’t veer off course, and in a few minutes we arrived at the cave opening. Beyond the mouth the splattering of rain was now a downpour that slicked the ground.
Greenwood paused in the cave. I walked ahead of him and glanced out the teeth. “Can this day get any better. . .” I muttered.
“It may when we deliver the message to the Council,” Erik told me.
He led me back down the slippery, sloppy trail and to the side door. We were both soaked by the time we reached the entrance, and we left a nice trail of water down the passages to the Council room. I noticed we took a different staircase than before, but somehow still arrived at the room in the same time and from the same direction without passing over any familiar hallways.
The old men were hard at working panicking. All but Lord Greenwood and his wife squabbled and squawked among themselves. Deacon was the loudest as he pounded his fist against the arm of his chair.
“There must be something done!” he shouted.
Lord Greenwood sat with his elbows on the arms of his chair and his hands clasped together in front of him. He straightened at Deacon’s challenge and frowned. “And what do you suggest?” Greenwood asked the councilman.
“What about the Diggers?” Deacon suggested. “Maybe they’re the ones responsible for this!”
Greenwood straightened and frowned. “Why, after so long, would they do such a thing as endanger us all with earthquakes?”
“The long expanse of time is exactly why they’ve started this! All that rock air has driven them mad!” Deacon insisted.
“No, but fear has made them cautious,” the Greenwood at my side spoke up. We marched down the aisle to the arched group of chairs.
Lord Greenwood raised an eyebrow. “What has made them afraid?”
“Murder.” Erik reached into his shirt and pulled out the tattered cloth. He tossed it to the floor in front of the men. “This was found clutched in the hand of one of their murdered guards.”
The old men leaned forward in their chairs and several of their eyes widened. A dark look passed over the lord’s face. “And they accuse us?”
“They suspect treachery from the Council, and King Murinae has warned that anyone found in the underground will be put to death without mercy,” Erik informed the old men.
Lord Greenwood frowned and stroked his beard. “This is most troubling. We will have to see into it, but after we’re sure these earthquakes have finished.”
“Was there much damage the second time?” Erik asked him.
“A great more,” one of the councilmen spoke up.
“And nothing has been found to be the cause?” Erik persisted.
“Are you telling us you didn’t find anything after such a noble pronouncement to find the solution?” Deacon sneered.
“At least I have suggestions that don’t stink of irrational fear,” Erik shot back.
“Enough,” the lord interrupted them. “Bickering won’t help our people, nor will it stop the earthquakes. We must find the source, or at the least prepare for another.” His eyes swept over the men around him. “You will all return to your homes and see to the damage.”
“You forget that this isn’t a kingship, my lord,” one of the councilmen reminded him.
“If any of you have a better suggestion I’m willing to hear it,” the lord growled. There was silence among them. The lord slumped down in his chair and waved his hand at the door. “The Council is dismissed. That is at least my right as former ruler.”
The men grudgingly stood and bowed to the lord. They stepped past us, and Deacon snarled at Erik. Erik ignored him and didn’t move until the last of the councilmen had left.
“Father, the-”
“Close the door, Erik,” the lord commanded his son. Erik pursed his lips, but turned and walked to the doors.
Lady Greenwood came from behind the lord’s chair and laid her hands on the old lord’s shoulder. He clasped her hands in one of his and smiled up at her. “Those old wolves won’t get to me so easily,” he assured her.
Erik returned to my side. “Father, the Diggers did give us one piece of information regarding the earthquakes. They told us the epicenter began somewhere between their fourteenth and fifteenth tunnels.”
Lord Greenwood dropped his hand and straightened. “Then these earthquakes don’t originate from the depths of the earth?”
“Not as far as we assumed,” Erik agreed.
The lord’s bushy eyebrows crashed down and he sighed. “If that’s true then I believe I know the cause of the earthquakes. A shipment of dynamite was stolen off one of the transport ships two weeks ago. It hasn’t been recovered, and we can’t find how it disappeared from Gethin’s ship.”
I noticed Erik stiffened at my side. “Why haven’t I heard of this before?” he questioned his father.
“It wasn’t thought wise to tell anyone beyond the Council. We didn’t wish for a panic over who could have stolen the dynamite and why,” the lord explained.
“Probably jumped overboard. . .” I muttered.
Lord Greenwood’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. “This is a serious matter. There was a dozen large boxes in that shipment.”
“And Gethin has no idea how they came to be missing?” Erik wondered.
The lord shook his head. “No idea. He checked the inventory at the mainland, and by the time they reached the dock it was gone.”
“I’d say Gethin took it,” I spoke up.
Lord Greenwood frowned. “On what basis do you make this accusation?”
I shrugged. “Just a hunch that a guy who’s willing to steal girls across a lake is willing to steal dynamite while crossing the same lake.”
The lord turned his wrathful eyes on his son. “Gethin is under no suspicion, and he complied with all requests to search his vessel. Control your mate or her foolish accusations will cause a rift between the Guilds.”
Erik pursed his lips, but bowed his head. “Yes, my lord.” He turned his back on Lord Greenwood, grabbed my wrist and pulled me from the room.
I glanced over my shoulder and glimpsed Lady Greenwood. One of her hands tightly gripped the back of the lord’s chair and she looked after us with regret. We pushed through the doors and Erik slammed them behind us.
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