The Knights of Aragon

Chapter 42

Time is my enemy. I lost how much time has passed since we set out for the compound. My body and mind are at odds right now and I cannot tell which one has taken the reigns. All I can remember of the trek to the nearest entrance, or gate, was following Rhydian and the sky changing colors. And then, I felt myself wake up near the gate we needed to cross. "How do these work exactly?" I hear Beau ask. It's close to sunset, I think. How long have we've been walking? I wish I knew. "There are entrances all over Aragon leading into the compound. Without knowing where to look, you'd never be able to find it. Especially if you don't know how to open them." Bo glances over his shoulder and notices my attention. "How did you open the gates, Val?" Four pairs of eyes meet my gaze. I suddenly feel cornered. "Um," my voice sounds rough and dry, a consequence of my agony earlier today. "I-I didn't. The gate just showed up when we needed it the most."

            I didn't need to explain who 'we' were. My eyes take in our surroundings. We must've gone farther north. The land is rocky and dry. The trees are thinner and clearly dying. "You might've opened it without even realizing it." Rhydian tells me over his shoulder as he crouches down, sweeping away some fallen leaves. "Sometimes the entrances open to those who need it the most, while others like you and Goosey, are able to harness the magic and open it on command." This new piece of information surprises me. It shouldn't but it does. If my sorcery wasn't dormant this entire time, what else did I do without realizing? And, if Rhydian saw me at the compound that day many years ago, should it be safe to say that the magic in there recognized me? "This is it!" Rhydian exclaims in excitement, stepping back. I feel the vibrations of the portal in front of Rhydian. I let out a relieved sigh. My body has started to feel heavy. I'm getting worse. He stomps the ground twice and proclaims, "We are nobles as long as we are sought out: the greater the bounty we may give, the greater our nobility!"

            The ground rumbles in response. A blast of iron hits my nose making me cringe at the smell. Old sorcery always smells the worst. Goosey and I share a look. "Does it always stink like this?" I give her a small smile that I'm sure does not reach my eyes. "It depends on the sorcerer and how old the imprint is. Ancient sorcery is the worst." Light pours in from a seam that tears across the space in front of us. The tear grows wider and wider until the opening reveals the Knight's house. I hear one of them gasp in amazement. Their wonder tilts a corner of my lips up into a grin. It doesn't last. My stomach turns uncomfortably suddenly. You have things to do, Val. Don't vomit. Not now. I take a breath and swallow the bile that rose in that very second.

            I walk around the few that are in front of me. "I have things to do," I mumble out loud, "please don't stay out here too long." My feet quickly carry me over the barrier into the still sunny compound. That needs to be fixed. It's exactly as we left it. The emblem is still as impeccable as ever. I now know that the sword on the emblem is Excalibur and the white ribbon with the rose thorns are a calling card from King Arthur's insignia. It makes me remember my first time here. My first time as Valencia, that is. The shock, the pain, the boy trapped in a strange looking glass. "There over 3 hundred rooms, a medical hall, training field, and a dungeon in the basement. The rest of the rooms are either offices or some form of council room. The dining hall is on the first floor as well as the calling room. Around the back, you'll find the archery field." I walk up the steps as Rhydian gives the verbal tour of the place.

            I push the door open and purposefully stride to the staircase without looking at anything. "I have to do something so I won't be joining the tour," I place my hand on the banister, "I would appreciate it if there weren't any disruptions. I'll be in a room upstairs." I run up after I finish talking, not waiting for a response. The old floorboards creak at my weight. My eyes stay downcast as I rely on my memory to get where I want to go. I turn to the left and count the doors until I get to the fifth door on the right. I grab both doorknobs and twist them around. My jaw clenches at the room. My dream was a message. Prophetic or literal, does not matter. This room has the support I need.