Catching Fireflies

Chapter Five

King Dimitrius sat at his desk, head held heavy in his hands. He'd spent the last two days scouring Almoena's darkest caves and densest forests, trying to find a trace of his daughter. The only thing they'd found was her blue ball gown in the cave he'd found his Daniella in, confirming that Emanuel Donafrio really was back.

Xavier burst into his father's study, James, Nicolai and Elliot hot on his heels. "Father," he said breathlessly, "I wanted to let you know that I'm traveling to Kozata as soon as we're finished speaking."

Dimitrius didn't understand. "Why?"

"I have some friends from when we trained together as boys. You remember Jay, Sam and Matthew?" When his father nodded, Xavier continued. "They've been training with Chester Wood."

Dimitrius raised his eyebrows in surprise. Chester Wood led a very elite group of men who trained for more specialized combat situations rather than just to fight in the army. Xavier's friends had been very skilled from an early age, and they'd advanced quicker than any other Almoenian boys who'd trained with the Kozata army.

"They've studied situations like this," James added. "At this point we need all the help we can get, and I think we should consider—"

"I agree," Dimitrius said. "Go quickly. We can't waste any more time." The boys were about to leave when Dimitrius added, "Take the helicopter."

By helicopter it took the brothers less than three hours to get to Kozata. The island, though under the kings rule, had been used solely as a place where boys were trained to become knights. Dimitrius had appointed several of his best men to run the school and build up an honorable army in case it was ever needed.

When the helicopter landed, Xavier and his brother's met Richard Williams and Stephen Mackenzie at the gate of the Kozata School for Knights. Xavier, James, Elliot and Nicolai had always admired these men as they'd fought by their father's side against Emanuel Donafrio.

Richard pulled Xavier into a bear hug. "It's good to see you, son. I wish it was under different circumstances, but I'm glad you've come."

"Thank you for agreeing to see us with such short notice," Xavier responded.

"We would do anything for Dimitrius," Stephen said, patting James on the back. "We want to see Ariadna safe and back home."

The boys followed Richard and Stephan into the school where they were met by Jay, Sam and Matthew. The boys all greeted Xavier, happy to see their old friend.

Same jumped on Xavier's back, arms wrapped around his neck. "Xavi, we missed you!" He cried gleefully.

Xavier chuckled as Sam got back onto his own feet. "I wish this were only a social call, but we need your help."

They all sat down around a table as Xavier explained Ariadna's kidnapping and the reappearance of Emanuel Donafrio. Both Richard and Stephen grew grim as they learned that someone from their old ranks must have betrayed the king in order to get Emanuel on the island without his knowledge.

"What can we do, friend?" Matthew asked, ready to help.

James sighed. "We have very little to go on." He pulled the note out from his pocket and gave it to Matthew to read.

Richard left the room for a moment, but when he came back he was carrying a laptop and binder full of paper. He set both on the table and sat back down. "Your father allowed Donafrio to escape because it went against everything he was fighting for to kill him as punishment rather than in battle. Donafrio was power hungry, but he was also a coward that sent others to do his dirty work for him. While his men were fighting us, Donafrio got away and we let him because we believed him to no longer be a threat."

"That is until," Stephen piped in and opened the binder, "we caught a whiff of Donafrio and Ruman's black market."

Nicolai cocked his head to one side. "Why have you been watching over Ruman's black market? Everyone knows its there, but it's so weak it's no cause for concern."

Stephen nodded. "We all thought so, but the crime rate has significantly increased almost parallel to an increase in their economic standing. Your father had us watch Ruman in case something was going on underground that might put his people at risk."

"We did some digging, and found that Donafrio fled to Ruman shortly after your father was crowned king. His tracks end there, but since he was banished, Ruman has seen an increase in money flow with no known sources," Richard added.

"Son of a bitch," Xavier said under his breath. "He's trying to make Ruman his new kingdom."

Jay stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "So if the princess is being held captive, the best place to start is Ruman."

"Exactly," Richard agreed. "But your best bet is to go without the princes."

The boys started to protest, but Matthew cut in. "If he knew what Ariadna looked like without ever having visited Almoena, he probably had someone on the inside feeding him information."

"So he knows who we are too," James concluded.

Xavier covered his mouth with a hand as he thought everything over. With all of this information, his heart told him to fly to Ruman right now and tear the island apart until he found his sister, but he knew that if he did that there was a very good chance neither one of them would come out alive.

Jay could sense the battle waging in Xavier's head. Not only had his sister been taken, but there was a very good chance someone they trusted had betrayed them. He clapped a hand on his friends shoulder and said, "We will find her and the coward who betrayed your family."

With everything decided, Jay, Sam and Matthew flew back to Almoena with the princes. They spent the rest of the night speaking with the king and assuring them that Ariadna would be safe at home in a few days.