Chapter 26 Chapter 26

Chapter 26 Chapter 26


The wall slid open. Torchlights flooded the dark room where they were hiding. Kaelen squinted against the light. Three men stood before them. The one in front was Marik. His face was still bloody from where the wood had hit him. His eyes were cold.

Marik looked at Kaelen. He looked at Rook with her knife. He looked at Sparrow and Mira in the corner.

He said "Wow. The Greyman. Finally."

Kaelen said nothing.

Marik stepped into the room. His men followed. They spread out. One went to the corner where Sparrow and Mira were. Sparrow raised her piece of wood. The man laughed.

Marik said "Put that down, girl. You'll hurt yourself."

Sparrow did not move.

Marik looked at Kaelen. "Where's the woman? The one who owns this place?"

Kaelen said "I don't know."

Marik's eyes narrowed. "You don't know."

"I don't know."

Marik stepped closer. He was taller than Kaelen. Broader. He had killed men before. You could see it in his face.

He said "You're going to tell me where she is. Or I'll start with the girls."

Rook moved. Her knife came up. She stepped between Marik and Mira.

She said "Try it."

Marik looked at her. He almost smiled. "The little one has teeth."

Kaelen said "Leave them alone."

Marik turned back to him. "Then tell me where the woman is."

Kaelen was quiet for a moment. Then he said "She got away. Before you came in. There's another way out. She took it."

Marik stared at him. His face was hard. "You're lying."

"I'm not."

Marik looked at the back of the room. At the wall where they had come in. At the dark corner where Elara had disappeared.

He shouted "Search the place. Every corner. Find her."

His men moved immediately. They went through the room. They opened cabinets. They pushed crates. They found nothing.

One of them came back. "Nothing, boss. She's gone."

Marik's face was hard. His jaw was tight. He looked at Kaelen.

He said "You're coming with us."

Rook said "No."

Marik looked at her. "The boss wants him. He didn't say anything about the girls. You can walk away."

Rook said "We're not walking anywhere."

Marik said "That's your choice."

He looked at his men. Two of them moved toward Rook. She raised her knife. Her face was tight. Her eyes were steady.

Kaelen said "Wait."

Everyone stopped.

Kaelen looked at Rook. He looked at Sparrow. He looked at Mira with her bad ankle.

He said "I'll go with you. Let them go. I also want to see Alden. I have a message for him."

Rook said "No."

He said "Yes."

She said crying, "We're not leaving you."

He said "You are."

She cried out "Kaelen."

He stepped closer to her. His voice was low. "They'll kill you. All of you. For nothing. I won't let that happen."

She said "They'll kill you."

He smiled and said "Maybe. But I'll have a chance. You won't."

She stared at him. Her eyes were wet. "I'm not leaving you."

He put his hand on her arm. "You have to. Take Sparrow. Take Mira. Find somewhere safe. Wait for me."

She said "Wait for you where?"

He said "The old cemetery. By the north wall. I'll find you."

She shook her head. "You're lying. You're not coming back."

He looked at her. His face was hard. But his eyes were soft. "I'll come back."

She stared at him. Then she looked at Sparrow. At Mira. At Marik and his men.

She lowered her knife.

She said "If you die, I'm going to kill you."

He almost smiled. "I know."

Marik watched them. His face was bored. "Are you done?"

Kaelen turned to him. "Let them go."

Marik nodded. "They're nothing to me."

Kaelen looked at Rook. "Go. Now."

She grabbed Sparrow's arm. Pulled her toward the door. Sparrow helped Mira up. Mira limped. Her face was filled with pain.

Rook stopped at the door. She looked back at Kaelen.

She said "The cemetery. Three days."

He said "Three days."

She stared at him for a moment. Then she was gone.

Marik looked at Kaelen. "Hmmm. What a touching story. Now move.."

Kaelen said nothing.

Marik said "You cost me a lot tonight. My face. My men. The woman."

Kaelen said "Oops, I'm sorry."

Marik laughed. It was not a happy sound. "No you're not."

He grabbed Kaelen's arm. His grip was tight. "Let's go. Alden's waiting."

They went out of the shop. Into the street. The night was cold. The sky was clear. Stars above them.

Marik's men flanked Kaelen. One on each side. One behind. Marik led.

They walked through the city. Past dark buildings. Past empty streets. Past the fish market. Past the old prison.

Kaelen's arm throbbed. His chest hurt. His head pounded. He kept walking.

Marik said "You're quiet."

Kaelen said nothing.

Marik said "Most men would be begging. Pleading. Offering money. Offering anything."

Kaelen said "I don't have money."

Marik said "You have something. Alden wants it."

Kaelen said "What?"

Marik said "I don't know. He didn't tell me. He just said find him and bring him in."

They turned down a street Kaelen knew. Alden's street. The house was at the end. Lights in the windows. Guards at the gate.

Marik stopped. He looked at Kaelen.

He said "Last chance. Tell me where the woman is. I'll make it quick."

Kaelen said "I told you. I don't know."

Marik stared at him. Then he nodded. "Alright."

They walked to the gate. The guards opened it. They walked through the garden. To the front door. The door opened.

Pearce stood there. His face was pale. He looked at Kaelen. He looked at Marik.

He said "Lord Alden is waiting."

They went inside. The house was warm. Candles everywhere. The floors were polished. The walls were hung with paintings. Kaelen had been here before. As a servant. As an old man. Now he was something else.

Pearce led them through the hall. Past the dining room. To the study. He knocked.

A voice from inside. "Come in."

Pearce opened the door. Kaelen stepped inside.

Lord Theron Alden sat behind his desk. He was wearing a dark jacket. His hair was combed back. His face was calm. He looked at Kaelen. His eyes moved over his face. His chest. His arm.

He said jubilating, "The Greyman. In my house. Finally."

Kaelen said nothing.

Alden looked at Marik. "Leave us."

Marik said "My lord, he's dangerous."

Alden said "He's bleeding. He's unarmed. He's standing in my study with two guards at the door. I think I'll be fine."

Marik looked at Kaelen. Then he nodded. He left. The door closed behind him.

Alden stood up. He walked around his desk. He came to stand in front of Kaelen.

He looked at Kaelen's face. At the blood on his shirt. At the cut on his arm.

He said "You're younger than I expected."

Kaelen said nothing.

Alden said "You were in my dining room. Twice. Once as a servant. Once as an old man. I should have known."

Kaelen kept looking at him and said nothing.

Alden said "You're not going to talk? Most men talk when they're brought to me."

Kaelen said "I'm not most men."

Alden smiled. It was cold. "No. You're not."

He walked back to his desk. He sat down. He picked up a piece of paper. He looked at it.

He said "You've been busy. Haunting Vane's men. Freezing his money. Sending ghosts to Crest's office. Making my merchants doubt me."

Kaelen said nothing.

Alden said "You've done all this alone? With a couple of street girls?"

Kaelen still said nothing.

Alden set the paper down. He looked at Kaelen. His face was hard.

He said "Who are you?"

Kaelen looked at him. His eyes were steady. His voice was low.

He said "You don't remember me?"

Alden's eyes narrowed. "Should I?"

Kaelen said "Ten years ago. A merchant family. The Valerius house. You gave the order."

Alden's face changed. Just for a moment. Then it was calm again.

He said "Valerius. The leather merchant."

Kaelen said "My father."

Alden looked at him. His eyes moved over Kaelen's face. Searching.

He said "There was a boy. They said he ran."

Kaelen said "They said I wouldn't last the winter."

Alden was quiet for a moment. Then he said "They were wrong."

Kaelen said "Yes."

Alden sat back in his chair. He looked at Kaelen for a long time. His face was unreadable.

He said "What do you want? Money? Power? Vengeance?"

Kaelen said "I want you to know who I am. Before you die."

Alden stared at him. Then he laughed. It was a short sound. Not happy.

He said "You think you can kill me? In my own house? With my guards outside?"

Kaelen said nothing.

Alden said "You're brave. I'll give you that. But you're also stupid."

He picked up a bell from his desk and rang it.

The door opened. Marik came in. Two guards behind him.

Alden said "Take him to the cellar. I'll deal with him in the morning."

Marik grabbed Kaelen's arm. Kaelen did not resist.

Marik said "The girls got away. The ones with him."

Alden said "Find them. They can't have gone far."

Marik nodded. He pulled Kaelen toward the door.

Kaelen stopped. He looked at Alden.

He said "Elara got away too."

Alden's face changed. Just a flicker.

Kaelen said "She knows everything. About your men. Your money. Your deals. She's already talking to your enemies."

Alden stood up. His face was hard. "Where is she?"

Kaelen said "You'll never find her."

Alden stared at him. His jaw was tight. "Take him."

Marik pulled Kaelen out of the room.

The cellar was cold. Dark. Wet. Marik pushed Kaelen down the stairs. His feet slipped. He grabbed the wall.

Marik said "You should have run when you had the chance."

Kaelen still quiet.

They reached the bottom. There was a door. Marik opened it. A small room. Stone walls. No windows. A bucket in the corner.

Marik pushed Kaelen inside. He fell to his knees. His chest screamed. His arm bled.

Marik stood in the doorway. He looked down at Kaelen.

He said "Alden will kill you in the morning. Slow. He likes it slow."

Marik said "The girls? They'll find them. The woman? They'll find her too."

Kaelen looked up at him. His face was hard.

He said "No. They won't."

Marik stared at him. Then he closed the door. The lock clicked.

Kaelen sat in the dark. His arm throbbed. His chest ached. His head pounded.

He closed his eyes.

He thought about Rook. About Sparrow. About Mira. He hoped they made it to the cemetery.

He thought about Elara. He hoped she got away.

He thought about Alden. About his face when Kaelen told him who he was. About the fear behind his eyes.

Kaelen said to himself "Three days."

He leaned back against the wall. The stone was cold.

He closed his eyes.

Footsteps came down the stairs. The lock clicked. The door opened.

Marik stood there. His face was hard.

He said "The woman. The one who owns the shop. She didn't get away."

Kaelen looked up.

Marik said "We found her. In the tunnel. She's upstairs now. With Alden."

Kaelen's heart stopped.

Marik said "He wants you to watch."

He grabbed Kaelen's arm. Pulled him up. Kaelen's legs were weak. His arm screamed.

Marik pulled him out of the cellar. Up the stairs. Through the hall.

Voices came from the study. Alden's voice. Cold. Quiet.

Then Elara's voice. Calm. Steady.

Marik pushed Kaelen through the door.

Elara was there. On her knees. Her hands were tied behind her back. Her face was bruised. Her lip was cut. Her eyes were steady.

She looked at Kaelen. She almost smiled.

She said "You should have run."

He said "So should you."

Alden stood behind his desk. His face was calm. His hands were folded.

He said "Now. Let's talk.”