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  At least two dozen guards escorted them down the narrow purple carpet leading up to Stephen’s throne. Ethan watched the faces of courtiers and ladies dressed in their finery. These dangerous prisoners provided the latest intrigue for those who lived for it. Some turned away when he met their gaze. Others mused in whispers with their neighbors, and a few young ladies even batted their eyes seductively at him. Ethan turned away, blushing. He found Levi rolling his eyes at him instead.

  As they approached the throne, Stephen tensed like a cat ready to spring upon a cornered mouse. He placed a silver, jewel-encrusted goblet down upon a tray holding fresh cut fruit and pieces of sliced beef and cheese, almost spilling it all with the force of the gesture. But his eyes never left the men approaching him.

  Ethan, Levi and Seth came to stand just before the short set of steps leading onto the throne platform. Stephen’s eyes found Ethan in particular, his eyes burning into him as though he might kill this priest of Shaddai with his stare alone.

  Levi bowed before the king, his manacles clanking around his wrists. But Stephen’s eyes didn’t depart from Ethan until the Captain spoke. “Your Majesty,â€� he said, employing all the diplomacy an ex-pirate might muster. “I’m glad to see that you are well—â€�

  King Stephen seized upon the intrusion like an adder’s strike. “And why should I not be, Captain Bonifast? Did you think me so stupid that I would not know the mischief you’ve conjured against me with this villainous dog?â€�

  Levi’s jaw fell slack in confusion. Stephen’s finger trembled, outstretched toward Ethan to emphasize his last syllable. Ethan gulped down the lump building in his throat. Caution was called for, only he wasn’t sure what he could have possibly done to gain the King’s fury.

  Levi interceded before the question could spring from Ethan’s lips. “Your Majesty, I’m quite certain there must be some mistake. Ethan has been loyal to The Order of Shaddai since the time you met him on that fateful day so many months ago. Isaiah himself, I’m sure, would be glad to vouch for his unshakeable character and bravery against our mutual enemy.â€�

  “You mean to say ally, Captain,â€� Stephen shook visibly as he spoke, his anger a furnace barely contained. “My spies have brought me word of the young Nodian priest who has turned to ally himself with Mordred. Do not think that I will be swayed by a rogue’s tongue from that which I know to be fact! You are clearly here in Wayland to spy us out before the invasion already on its way around Cape Redemption, set to land on these very shores at my doorstep.â€�

  He stood now, quivering with rage as he spoke. “Had I not wanted to see you in this villain’s company for myself, I would have had my men execute you on the spot in Fenceton!â€�

  Ethan could stand no more of these false accusations. He spoke up in a loud authoritative voice, surprising himself. “Your Highness, despite the accusations brought against me, I remain a faithful priest to my Order and servant of the Lord, Shaddai. He has sent me to proclaim the hour of his deliverance and to dispense his justice.â€�

  King Stephen thrust his finger toward Ethan furiously. “How dare you insinuate yourself into the prophecy? Guards, kill them all immediately!â€�

  What happened in only a fraction of a second, for everyone else, seemed to drag into long minutes for Ethan. He phased into the spiritual realm, more spectral than truly invisible, passing through the shackles binding his wrists as six of the soldiers standing guard around them drew their bows and released their arrows.

  Seth had begun to react. Levi hadn’t yet. Several guards had started to release their swords with bloodlust in their eyes.

  Six arrow shafts split the atmosphere toward the place where Ethan had been standing and where his friends still stood. He danced elegantly among the arrows, turning to each in turn with gentle glancing sweeps of his hands, caressing them into changes of trajectory—the archers becoming the new targets.

  As six arrows dashed into the right thighs of the six archers who had fired them, Ethan’s spiritual blade split into two, leaping to his hands already in motion. He divided each of the other guard’s swords through their scabbards, barely a blur to the naked eye, even before the men could finish drawing them.

  Ethan became fully flesh once again. His empty manacles completed their descent to the purple runway carpet behind him with a dull clank. Levi jumped, only having just begun to raise his bound hands, trying to ward off the archers he’d known were going to fire. The archers, for their part, fell to the floor in pain, grasping their wounded legs, as stunned as anyone.

  King Stephen stood there, heaving, his mouth agape in disbelief. The court fell silent as gasps of alarm and the sound of severed sword blades hitting the floor died away. After a long moment, staring at Ethan, Stephen said, “You can’t be him.â€�

  Ethan straightened, a calm assurance he’d never felt before growing in his chest. “I am Shaddai’s Deliverer, Your Highness. In the name of The Sovereign Lord of Creation, I demand that you release us.â€�

  No one moved. The guards looked at one another, then to their king, dumbfounded. Levi smiled, all teeth, raising his manacles with a shake, intending that someone produce a key to affect his immediate release.

  Ethan might have rolled his eyes at his friend, but felt the moment required a firmer stance. He had expected the King’s obstinacy to evaporate; only it didn’t.

  King Stephen looked shocked, as though Ethan had just slapped his face. “What did you say to me, boy? I’ll have your head before you demand another thing from me! And your traitorous friends will share your fate.â€�

  Ethan tried to calm down, to think rationally. Something wasn’t right here. Why was the King acting this way? He sensed Seth and Levi’s unease now. They were preparing to move fast if it became necessary.

  Ethan’s flesh tingled as though ants were crawling underneath his skin. And then he realized what was happening. He searched beyond what natural sight could show him. His vision shifted somewhat. Black tendrils of smoke became visible to him. They seemed to emanate from the king’s throne, as though it had been on fire briefly and then extinguished.

  He heard the voices too—many of them all whispering at once. Wicked, blasphemous thoughts full of venom were seeping into King Stephen as he stood near the silver throne. Ethan lunged instinctively for the King. He shifted from the physical to the spiritual realm—barely a visible specter when he passed through Stephen’s body with his raised sword.

  Piercing shrieks rose from the throne, multiplying in intensity as Ethan slashed down through the ornate silver chair with its regal purple upholstery. He cleaved the high back in two diagonally, with his first strike, then severed the seat and arms from the base with his next.

  Spirits, like gnashing black eels, shot away from the ruined piece of furniture. King Stephen collapsed upon the platform, a marionette whose strings had been cut. The spirits evaporated—their screeching curses the only residue remaining until all fell silent again.

  Ethan returned to his physical form as people rushed to the fallen king. “Is he still alive?â€� Levi asked.

  Ethan felt Stephen’s heart still beating in his chest and sighed with relief. “Yes, he only fainted, I think.â€�

  “I saw those serpents come out of the throne when you destroyed it,â€� Levi said. “What were they?â€�

  “I suppose they must have been some sort of demon I’ve never encountered before. They may have caused the King to act that way.â€� Ethan hoped he was right. This theory would answer many things and keep them from going to war with the King in his own throne room if he recovered.

  Levi stood up, assuming command. “All right, you lot,â€� he said, referring to the guards who stood about gaping at the madness they h
ad just witnessed and their king still lying unconscious on the throne room floor. “Let’s get King Stephen into his bedchamber on the double.� When they dawdled around, looking at one another, Levi raised his voice even louder. “What’s the matter? Haven’t you ever seen a demon possessed chair before? Now, get moving, or I’ll inform the King of your laziness when he wakes up!�

  This appeared to be enough incentive. Men quickly came out of the woodwork to help move the King safely into his own bed. Levi looked pleased with the turn of events and their escape from kingly wrath, until he realized no one had ever released him. “And let’s get a key on these manacles, shall we?â€�

  INTRUDER

  Gideon watched silently, from a patch of thick yellow grass, for two hours, as the two guards stood half asleep before the main gate, leaning precariously upon their spears. The sun had set more than two hours ago, and he felt sure that he had their routine pretty well figured out.

  Every half hour, the guards were required to call out “all’s well,â€� and the gatekeepers replied in kind. Gideon hoped they might follow a standard protocol, relieving these men now that nightfall had come. This meant he wouldn’t have long to act.

  With the night as his cover, Gideon eased from his patch of grass so that its rustling wouldn’t startle the men. He approached silently, remaining out of view of the guard who should have been facing him but was instead trying precariously to get his pipe lit. Gideon sprang.

  He snapped the neck of the guard nearest him; the one with his back turned, relieved the man of his spear and swung it toward the man with the pipe just as the guard raised his eyes to the disturbance. The wooden end of the spear struck him across the mouth, sending the lit tobacco flying through the darkness like scalded fireflies. The guard mumbled in pain, but with a broken jaw, he wouldn’t be crying out any alarms in the near future. Gideon stuck him across the back of the neck and he fell unconscious with several of his own teeth oozing out from between his bloody lips.

  Gideon worked fast, pulling the unconscious man out of sight into the undergrowth. The other guard he relieved of his uniform. He hid the body before assuming the man’s post with spear in hand.

  He didn’t have long to wait before a cry spread across the wall to change the guard. Gideon waited until he heard a slide in the gate and a man calling to him from the other side. “Ready to come in for the night, lads?â€�

  “Aye, it’s getting a bit chilly out here and I need to relieve myself, besides,â€� Gideon replied. The man closed the slide, where only his eyes had peered through into the darkness, and began to unfasten the mechanism holding the main gate into its locked position. He heard the clank of heavy metal, the withdrawal of counterweights, and knew he never would have forced it open. He smiled. This was too easy.

  First one guard, then another emerged from the gate as it opened slightly behind Gideon. He stood his post just inside the torchlight, waiting for these men to notice the obvious.

  “Hey, what happened to Izzy?â€� the first guard asked.

  “I told you, I need to relieve myself,â€� Gideon said. “Izzy couldn’t wait.â€�

  The second man wandered toward the darkness, calling for Izzy as the first replacement turned to face Gideon. When the man saw his face in the light and didn’t recognize it, he started to cry out. Gideon lashed out like a viper and hit the man in the throat with two fingers. The guard gasped weakly, once, before Gideon followed through with an elbow, covered in metal gauntlets, to the face. Down he went. Gideon caught the other man before he could turn completely around. He brought the handle of his spear down on the man’s collarbone with enough force to send the guard crashing, unconscious, to the ground.

  Within moments a call of “all’s well,â€� resounded across all stations upon the wall above him. Gideon paused from hiding the unconscious men’s bodies and called out to them. “All’s well!â€� The main gate still stood askew. He now had one half hour in order to get a few essential supplies and escape through the other side of the fortress before anyone realized the main gate had been compromised.

  Gideon squeezed inside the gate and pulled the large lever to reset the spring and lock on the main gate. A dirt courtyard opened up beyond the raised portcullis above him. Sheep bleated contentedly in a pen to his left while a horse stable, lit by lamps, stood directly across from him at the rear. Beyond that, another set of heavy doors stood, which must have left out of the fortress, following the main road into the Wayland. Before he could go, he had to get food and water. It had been too long since he’d eaten and Gideon had no idea how long it would be before he came upon a town along the way.

  The rest of the fortress seemed to be comprised of several stocky buildings, which must have housed the troops themselves and any facilities they might need. His best course of action would be to avoid any place with a buildup of soldiers. As he walked out into the courtyard, Gideon saw men on guard within towers and on the wall behind him.

  A cistern, full of rain water, stood on his way to the horse-stalls. He stopped and bent over the edge, drinking deeply. The water was cool and refreshing—not as clean as a running stream, but not bad. Other men walked through the courtyard in pairs, but no one came near him.

  Gideon decided a search for a water pouch would be too risky. If he could only find a bow, he would easily be able to hunt for any food he needed. Still, he did have a nice heavy dagger on this belt. That would be useful for hunting too, if not for making his own bow and arrows once he got out of here.

  He wiped the excess water from his face and started toward the stalls. Several men tended to the horses in the well lit barn, but there were guards inside who appeared to be instructing the laborers on some aspect of their animal’s care. Gideon looked beyond them to the doors at the far end. By the time he incapacitated the guards and men caring for the horses, stole a horse, then opened the doors to get away, he’d have the entire place coming down on him.

  It was well known that those in the highest command positions at this fort had also been trained by The Order of Shaddai. Unfortunately the matter had turned into somewhat of a scandalous affair between Isaiah and the High Priest of Wayland’s Temple, Sandoval. The latter had considered it a matter of personal service to King Stephen, while Isaiah felt it best for The Order to remain out of each country’s political affairs. Still, if those men answered the alarm, Gideon would probably not make it out alive. He needed some way to get a horse and get out.

  Gideon spotted a servant carrying a bucket of pitch and fresh torches in a sack upon his back. At each place where a torch waned, the servant dipped the new torch into the bucket, coating it well, then lit it before setting it in place of the other. Gideon smiled. He had his diversion.

  Gideon followed the servant and came upon him as he passed through shadows upon the courtyard near one of the buildings. He took the bucket of pitch and made sure no one appeared to be looking his way. Then, in darkness, he ran toward the horse stalls and launched the bucket up and away.

  It collided with the top of the archway leading into the stalls and exploded. Pitch flew out from the arch and dripped below it onto the hay strewn upon the ground. Next, Gideon grabbed a torch from a nearby mount and sent it careening through the air. It landed near the base of the arch quickly setting the pitch aflame.

  As the fire spread, the men inside with the horses cried out and sounded a bell alarm within the barn. Men came rushing from everywhere. Gideon ran through a breach in the flames before it engulfed the entire entrance beneath the archway. He was inside the barn with the frantic men and animals.

  Guards cried out instructions beyond the flames where Gideon had come from, but for the moment they couldn’t get through. The horses grew impatient to be set free, the men and soldiers within the barn barely able to control them.

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p; “Loose the horses!� Gideon shouted over the din. Two of the servants looked at him, puzzled, until Gideon pointed to the back doors leading out of the fortress. “Open the rear doors, you fools, and set these poor animals free before they roast alive!�

  The men seemed to catch his meaning and ran for the doors. One even managed to get one of the soldiers to help. Soon the rear doors were swinging open to the outside world and the main road beyond. Gideon ran to the stalls and began to loose the locks on them.

  The horses, only too glad to be set free, pushed through the stall doors and dashed out of the fortress as fast as the men could free them. Gideon spotted the animal chosen to bear him to Wayland’s capital. He grabbed a saddle and quickly set to work harnessing the animal. The mare, with her patchwork brown and white coat, reminded Gideon of his former horse. He opened the stall door and led the horse out, pulling the reins to keep her from taking off without him.

  One of the soldiers turned from another animal and saw Gideon climbing onto the mare. “Hey! What are you doing?â€�

  Gideon lashed out with a boot and clipped the man’s head, knocking him to the ground. Gideon goaded the mare. They launched out through the doors. The soldier regained himself, standing and crying out in alarm after the one who had just stolen his horse.

  DESPERADO

  Daybreak had come nearly an hour before by the time Gideon decided it was time to stop and allow his horse some rest and both of them something to eat. He’d found a shallow brook off the main road and tied the horse so that it could graze and water itself.

  With only his borrowed dagger, from the soldier’s uniform, Gideon went in search of prey. Basing himself among the branches of a fir tree near the same stream, he soon spotted a fat rabbit coming to the water. His dagger found its mark, and soon Gideon had the rabbit skinned and roasting nicely upon a spit over a little fire.

  He stretched his sore muscles, hoping for a relaxing few hours of sleep once he’d eaten. His horse raised its head, nickering. Gideon stopped breathing, listening. The birds, active in the trees only a moment before, had gone silent.