Hierarchy (Book Four of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Forty-One: Premeditation

The manor's main hall had been busy the past evening. A dinner held in honor of Arjiah and Do'vak had been a wonderful use for the large room, and everyone had enjoyed a boisterous night. But today, there were only a few people gathered.

Lugaria was shaking his head. "I'm telling you, there's no simple way to sneak into the castle. They make all those passages to get out of, not into, and that matters."

Corbin sighed, as if annoyed. "If you can go out of them, then you could go in them."

"Regardless," Katerin said sharply, eyeing them both. "We don't know of any paths in or out, aside from the usual doors.

Corbin and Lugaria got along like hot peppers and pumpkins. They were two things that did not mix, likely because of the arrogance each favored.

"What about prisoners?" Fykes asked, avoiding their topic. "We have to figure out where would they be held."

A half dozen answers floated up from those around the table, but Katerin shook her head. "They'll be where-ever Kryrial is, and he'll be in the castle. He won't risk loosing them."

"Even the princess?" Agrata had been quiet, listening but not joining into the myriad of arguments.

Katerin bit her tongue. From her time spent with the princess, she knew the girl was headstrong. Kryrial had seemed disinterested in bending her mind as he had the princes, but he could have. And she had no one in the city willing to dig. At her last attempt, the Emerald syndicate seemed as though it had vanished. No one knew where, or if, they still gathered.

"He'll be lording over everyone, from the throne room. If he's worried someone might escape, he'd throw them in the prison." All eyes fell on Halemeda, who shrugged. "He always liked the room more than any other place. There are a dozen offices, but everything that could be conducted in the throne-room, was."

"Can you draw it?" Brazen asked, scratching his head.

Approaching the table, Katerin's fingers intertwined with Fykes' under the table as everyone talked, and as Halemeda sketched.

Halemeda drew a large, ornate and pillared room. It looked as Katerin had expected it too, with the addition of a few rows of pews for seating. When she asked about these, Halemeda explained they often used them for council meetings or announcements when the weather was not fair. Above the throne was a sizable balcony, with a hall and a door at its far end. She described these as a series of rooms for eating, studying, and signing parchments. They were sparsely furnished and meant to adapt to the needs of whoever gathered. They questioned Halemeda's knowledge, until they had a rough estimate of the castle's halls, and a good idea of where they could approach and exit.

Hours had passed, and there were tired smiles, as the group gazed down at a stack of parchments, scribbled with notes, sketches, guard formations, and estimated times of arrival throughout the castle.

"So, our best plan so far, is to walk in to the city. The guards will recognize me, I'm sure." Katerin scrunched her nose.

"And if they try to take you directly to the headsman's block?" Agrata gave her a curious look.

"He'll want to gloat," Halemeda said, brushing a strand of hair away from her eyes.

Katerin nodded. "Kryrial wants me to come to him. And if they interfere, I suppose that's your job." She looked over at Lugaria and Agrata. "You're there to make sure we have an escape."

They nodded, and though neither looked eager, she knew they would not fail.

"Which will be much easier, with these," Telemir proffered two small gemstones to the both of them. "It will either remove, or subdue any kind of mind altering enchantment placed upon the guards. Or, I suppose, yourselves, if necessary. If any is present, of course. If they are fanatics—"