Whispers (Book 3 of Wielder series)

Chapter 6 - Into the Palace

Darrel did not linger at the healer's.

As soon as the healer finished setting his ribs and helped ease his pain, Darrel charted the quickest way to reach the capitol and hit the ground running.

He knew traveling on foot would take far too long. So he folded a paper dragon out of origami and used magic to enlarge it. Riding upon its back was a struggle with his chest wrapped up as tightly as a mummy's, but he made do. It was worth it, for how quickly he was able to pass through worlds. And he barely allowed himself to stop. He rode late into the night, and rose well before daybreak. He ate rations from his pack instead of buying something in the nearest town. He passed villages and cities so fast, they blurred beneath his feet.

Even so, it still took him over a week to reach the capitol.

He was sure he looked quite awful by the time he reached the palace. He didn't care. His only thought was of getting help for Alie, no matter what it took.

He soared over rooftops and streets full of people. He ignored the cries of alarm and shouts from soldiers raising alarms. He set his gaze on the castle, and he flew right to its gates.

On his journey, he'd given many hours to contemplating the pros and cons of flying over the palace wall. He knew such an act was against the law; the punishment of which was life imprisonment, if whoever attempted such a feat managed to survive the onslaught of guards that would roll out to defend the castle.

It was the threat of imprisonment, not the fear of death, that ultimately caused him to land the dragon just outside the palace walls. He didn't have time to sit in a dungeon. He had to get Willy, tell him about Alie, and get back to flying.

Having seen his approach, a team of guards waited for him at the gate. They stood in rows with swords pointed at his chest as the dragon gave one last shake upon landing, shrinking back down into the folded paper it had been created from. Smirking at their shock, he bent and picked up the origami figure.

A tall, muscled soldier pushed his way through the ranks. "Hold your positions!" he shouted, causing all the guards to stiffen. Darrel stiffened a little himself. The training he'd received during his time as a palace guard still managed to overtake him now and then, and the sound of a command barked by an obvious authority definitely triggered an automatic response. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to relax his shoulders, stashing the dragon in his pocket. With as much authority as the commanding guard, he sauntered up to the gate.

Magic coursed along the thick iron bars, shutting him out. Recalling the words he'd practiced a hundred times during his flight, he bellowed, "My name is Darrel Mesa. I'm a companion to the Ultimate Wielder Alison Vanderville. I have an urgent message for Ultimate Wielder William Morris. Open the gate. Now."

The guards blinked at him. Some stared in surprise. Others, skepticism. One rolled his eyes.

The commanding guard peered at him with eyes narrowed. "Got any proof of that claim?"

"Sure." He felt like showing the guard the middle finger, but instead dug into his pocket for the gold-plated royal crest that had been given to each of them when they'd departed the capitol. The empress had promised that Alie and her friends were welcome back at the palace whenever they felt the need to return, but would need to show the crest in order to be permitted entrance at the gate.

The guard glared at the crest. "Looks fake."

Darrel clenched his jaw. He didn't have time for this. Passing his hand over the crest, he activated the sliver of magic that was locked inside it, which would cause the metal to glow a specific color. That color changed each day; only the magic knew what color to show.