Cataindar

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

Darcius was high on sky tearing through Cataindar with his six most trusted scougers.  His future dukes, army generals, advisors.  The dewin stones set in his weapons burned brightly in their settings.  He sprinted towards the Princess’ chamber, his team’s paws pounded the ground in unison, just as they had been trained. 

My brothers in arms. 

Darcius would revenge Greaves’ death.  Putting his plan in action had felt the same as fighting, he had a kind of incredible tunnel vision. He could feel the future unwind in front of him. He could feel his dewin flow through him and propel him forward.

As he rounded the corner to the Princess’ chambers he saw it was guarded by just one scouger.  He didn’t break his run but fell to all fours and pushed his speed as hard as he could. The guard saw him approach and his eyes widened in horror, in a pacnic he fumbled drawing the sword on his side.  Darcius pounced up to the side of the wall, carried by blistering pace he continued with long strides on all fours along its surface, before pouncing down onto the guard.  The force of the impact knocked the guard clean off his feet, his sword scattering away with Darcius on top of him.  As they scraped along the floor Darcius grabbed his head with both paws and with a jerk of his body, twisted it violently.

The scouger beneath him went limp. 

They came to a halt.  Darcius carefully rested the head down.  With his paw he gently closed the catains twitching dead eyes.  He got up to his feet and turned to the princess’ door. 

Dark revenge filled his heart.

He pulled his short dagger from his side, took a short run up and kicked the door open. Darcius strode through with his scougers following behind. 

In the centre of the room stood a terrified Clearwater.

*  *  *

Luisa closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, meditating.  She was surrounded by junior readers and her scouger guards.  All were sat with their cosmos stones or weapons in their laps, with their eyes closed letting the dewin flow through them.  She felt an incredible collective power as they all sat together, scougers and readers alike. With each deep breath she took, she felt like her consciousness lifted, the borders of her mind unfurling like an expanse of billowing silk. She felt like she could tune into the soul of Cataindar, feel the lives of the thousands of catains, tune into the fabric that pulled them all together. In her mind’s eye there was an explosion of colour and suddenly she was surrounded by blue light, and a thousand twinkling stars. She was gliding through this space and she could each soul of her friends, feel their love.

But something felt wrong.

She tried to focus on it, like dark ink in water, a stain on the fabric of Cataindar. She felt it as strong as if someone had spoken the name in her ear. A soul she knew so well.

Clearwater. 

Luisa was sucked back into her body and she opened her eyes. 

“We need to get to my quarters, now!”

*  *  *

The abbot sat at a table with Thorne and Finn.  He sighed at the empty spots where Luisa and Darcius were supposed to be sitting.  He drummed his old claws on the table and shook his head.

“Youngsters. They have no idea how important it is to make a meeting on time.”

Finn sighed and looked across at Thorne who was trying to not to laugh.  He had to look away not to join her.

*  *  *

 Darcius carefully walked through the door to Luisa’s quarters eyes darting side to side checking that no guard was concealed.  His curved dagger was in his hand.  Clearwater backed away.

“Hello Clearwater.” Darcius said.

He moved around the room. The case of royal weapons was pushed to the corner.

It was shut. 

He approached it, crouching, inspecting its seam, looking for a way for it to open. 

His scougers fanned round menacingly. Two grabbed Clearwater each side.  Darcius slowly came towards Clearwater. Until his face was next to hers.

“I thought we had a deal.”

Darcius gently took Clearwater’s crumpling face in both of his hands as she sobbed, tears fell down her cheeks.

He pulled her face close to his and whispered.

“Clearwater.  It wasn’t easy getting you this close to the princess. I’ve been disappointed in your behaviour since. You’ve forgotten about us, about where you came from, forgotten about your kin.”

Clearwater shook her head vehemently, pulling against Darcius’ scougers.

“Darcius, you are wrong! The princess is good, she is brave she is hnn....”  

Darcius gripped her throat so tightly it squeezed the voice from her.

“I can’t see a way that you are going to survive this Clearwater.  But if you do not help me now, I am going to make a special effort to kill all of your family. I know the Drylliads better than anyone. There is nowhere they could escape.  Do you understand?”

Clearwater could make no sound, but her wet eyes darted around the room in panic.

With the back of his paw Darcius stroked the side of her face. “Shh, shh, don’t cry now. I just need you to tell me how Luisa opened the royal weapons chest. There is something inside that I need.”

Clearwater gurgled.

“Yes - speak Clearwater, speak pretty one and give your family a fighting chance. Or stay silent and I will send one of my scougers to cut them to pieces right now.” He released the grip on her throat.

Clearwater took a shaky breath.  “She used her royal pendant.”

Darcius closed his eyes. 

So.  The royal pendant was some kind of key.

In a flash of anger he grabbed Clearwater roughly, wrenching her from the grip of his scougers and thumped her head down onto the chest, he pulling the curved knife from his side and tucked it under Clearwater’s throat.

Darcius suddenly felt an overwhelming shock to his system. Like an invisible spectre had entered the room. A feeling so strong it wiped away his rage.

He stopped, and looked about, his hackles raised. He shook his head, but he had keen instincts, instincts he had learned to listen to. 

He picked up Clearwater, “Scouger’s prepare yourselves, the Princess is coming…”

-- 

I tell you what guys - just wow! The feedback and buzz I have been getting from this is just amazing. I love how much people seem to be enjoying the build up to this finale! Thank you so, so much. As always - as you are reading please click that little star; voting and leaving a comment, even a lil one - is what helps the book rank and helps it grow.

This is still a work in progress, so am keenly listening for critiques and suggestions - I dont want Cataindar to be that book where you read it and go - "I wish they had done this." - Let me know! It might end up in the final version!

I know some of you have been asking me how much is left - we have three weeks of hardcore story and then two weeks of wrapping up. On my clock Cataindar will be totally done on the first week of October - so still a FULL MONTH of Action to happen!

Thank you so very much for all the enthusiasm - it had meant the world.

Please tell me what you think!

See you Friday! :-)