Beyonders: A World Without Heroes or Heroines (ON HOLD)

Chapter 16-The Dangler

Disclaimer: I do not own the Beyonders. All I own is Alexis/Salix Creed, nothing else. Everything else belongs to Brandon Mull.

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Jason, Rachel and I stood awkwardly on the door step as we waited for someone to answer. After an few minutes, the door whipped inward and a woman with long dark hair pulled back stood in the doorway. The woman's gaze flicked back and forth in between the three of us.

"What do you want?" the woman asked suspiciously.

"Uh, we're looking for the Dangler," Jason said politely to the woman.

The woman's eyes shifted from Jason to Rachel who was smiling lightly then to me with my hood up.

"Nicholas is ill. He can't take visitors." the woman lied. I could tell she wasn't telling the whole truth. It was one of my many talents.

"We really need to speak with Nicholas," Rachel added politely.

"Then you should have visited two years ago," the woman snapped. I guess something must have happed to Nicholas that had made this woman so touchy about the whole situation.

"Please?" Jason persisted. "We're strangers to Trensicourt. We really need his help."

The woman narrowed her eyes at us. "Leave." she snapped, trying to slam the door in our faces.

I stuck my foot in the doorway, preventing the door from closing all the way. "Wait! Galloran sent us."

The woman looked startled upon hearing my words. "Wait here," the woman said, briskly as she closed the door. A few minutes later the same woman opened the door but soon was joined by another, older shorter woman who held a fancy crossbow aimed right at us.

"Leave before we have to use violence," the older woman said. I shook my head at the two woman.

Jason held up the ring Galloran gave him back at the castle. "I'm Lord Jason of Caberton. The title came to me from Galloran."

The two women looked at Jason with interest now. Jason held his hand up father for the women to inspect the ring. The shorter woman lowered her crossbow and ordered. "Step inside."

The three of us passed through the doorway just as the taller woman slammed the door shut quickly. The door had many complicated looking locks on it. It made me wonder.

'How important is this Nicholas guy, anyway? Probably very if Galloran mentioned him. He most likey will help us if he's  still loyal to Galloran'

The shorter woman introduced herself and the other woman. "I am Kayla. This is my daughter, Minna."

"I'm Jason and this is Lady Rachel, my sister." Jason motioned to the red head who smiled at the two women. "And this is Salix." Jason pointed to me. I nodded at the two women.

The older woman beckoned for the three of us to follow her down the hallway. "This way, you three."

We were led into a dimly lit room with loads of candles and a bed in the far corner. A man lay in the bed. He appeared to have no legs.

'Explosion maybe? Or torture by Maldor?'

Jason stepped forward to the man just as the man called out. "The ring?"

Jason stepped closer and held the hand up with the ring on it. The man claiming to be Nicholas, inspected the ring closely just like the two women had before. "So you must be Jason, Rachel and... Salix? Correct?"