The Last Mage

Chapter 14: Discovered

"But why can't Brielle come? We're all in danger, might as well be in it together!" It was Requel trying again to make Nathan change his mind. Brielle listened from the hallway for the signal. She glanced back toward her mother's room. She was sewing in there. She'd come mostly around but she was still awful quiet. Hardly talked at all.

Knock knock! That was the signal. She slipped quietly behind Nathan and past the girls into the disappearing hallway.

"Well if Brielle doesn't get to come, I'm not going either!" That was new.

"Fine. Don't. It's not safe anyway. You should stay." Nathan was so calm about all this. If she didn't know better she'd say he was just playing along with the trick and he'd catch her in the next breath. Requel turned back toward the door looking quite distressed.

"Oh Nathan! Sometimes..." And with that she stormed to the door and they disappeared down its length. Brielle sighed a bit in relief. They might pull this off after all.

Russel cleared his throat standing next to Nathan. "Maybe you're right, Nate. Maybe no one should have gone. After all, Brielle might resent their visit and that'll make this place like a beehive in no time..."

"She won't be resenting anything she didn't miss." Nathan strapped on his swords and started for the exit.

"You mean she's with them?!" Skyler ran down the hall appearing again a second later. "Why'd you let her go?! That was rather foolish, Nathan."

"What with all the guards... they must be expecting something. What if we missed-"Nathan cut Russel's complaint off with a wave of his hand.

"She just wants some stinky air. What harm can it do...with us right behind them?" He winked and started out the exit.

"I'm staying right here." Thomas sat heavily on a cushion rubbing his leg. "Someone's got to look after Laura..." They could tell it pained him to give up command of their little troop but his horse had thrown him and he'd landed wrong only a few hours before. And it was a good idea not to leave Brielle's mother alone. Not here with all this mage stuff that did who knows what.

Eryn peeked around the corner making sure all was clear. They'd only seen one other person not sleeping and he'd been leaving too quickly to see who it was. Other than that the hall reverberated with snores and a few words from sleepy mouths. They had decided to stick together instead of splitting up. They could keep track of each other more closely that way. At least till they reached their parents. Requel's room was first and they peered inside trying to see through the dark. All was still. Not even breathing greeted their ears.

"We need a light..." Requel stumbled into the room. They could hear her moving about, familiar with her parent's room. "Hey... there's no one here!" She slipped out and lit a small round lamp. Everyone peered into the shadows but there was no one in the room. They looked quickly around but nothing gave them any hint.

Brielle felt the cold start to creep into her stomach. Something was wrong. She took the lantern from Requel and started down the hall. The others followed. Amber's quarters held no one. They squeezed together trying not to make any sound. Eryn's doorway loomed in front of them. Nothing. Her parents' room. No one there either.

They stood still for a moment in the lamplight. Their parents were gone. Brielle couldn't help glancing further up the hall where her father had lain. Zarlo. Their parents must have been taken by the Questioners. She didn't want to voice her thoughts. The air was no longer fresh but stank, like so many unclean bodies. Like the dung heaps at the edge of town. Like death. They were gonna die. They had to get out of here.

She turned back to the room her friends had entered. She hesitated, suddenly feeling uneasy. She glanced down the hall but the lamp light destroyed her night vision so she could see nothing beyond its small ring. Yet her instincts told her something was there. Just beyond the light. Yes! There were footsteps!