Steel Maiden (33 page)

“To the gate!” I yelled. “The prince has
breached the gate!”

Jon looked to the spot where I pointed, but
I didn’t have time to wait and see if he’d spotted the prince. I
was already moving.

I slid off Torak’s back, and I led him over
to a tree at the far edge of the road. After I’d looped the reins
around a branch, I stroked his neck gently.

“I’ll be right back. Promise.”

Understanding seemed to flash in his big
brown eyes.

I had lost sight of the prince, but it
didn’t matter. I knew where he was going. And I had to beat him
there. I waved my sword around like a madwoman.

“Out of my way, or I’ll slit your goddamn
throats!”

It worked. A crowd parted, and I kept my
eyes on the gate and ran. Jon slid off his horse when I passed him,
but I didn’t have time to stop.

I dodged another crowd and kept waving my
sword in front of me. I didn’t want to hurt anyone, but I would if
I had to.

Four temple guards stood at the gate when I
arrived. Their eyes darted from face to face, searching, searching
for someone. Me.

I ducked behind a cart, and then I used a
very fat man as a shield. I slipped through the gate unnoticed. I
never stopped moving. I only hoped Jon was behind me. As soon as I
cleared the gate, I tore down the main city road, dodging the
nobles and merchants. I felt a moment’s satisfaction at the fear
that flashed on the snotty faces of a group of wealthy ladies as I
purposely elbowed them out of the way. I wouldn’t soil my blade on
the likes of them.

The golden temple glinted in the sun like a
giant yellow diamond. Eight horses were tied to a hitching post at
the base of the temple. Landon’s horses. He was already inside. I
cursed and dashed towards the temple. Two temple guards stood at
the entrance, their swords already drawn. Someone had told them I
was coming. I didn’t care.

I threw myself at the nearest guard. He
grinned as he lifted his blade. He swung, but I sidestepped and
rammed my sword into his side. I yanked my sword from his bleeding
body and knocked him aside. As he staggered back, I caught a
glimpse of Jon slamming into the other guard’s chest. My assailant
had only been wounded, and he came at me again. He swung at me
hard, and I danced back.

“Make no mistake, whore, I am going to kill
you. First I’m going to cut that pretty little face of yours and
slice your throat, and then I’ll have my way with your dead
body.”

I didn’t have time for this.

The guard sneered and swung straight for my
heart, but I whirled away and sliced him in the back. He staggered
but steadied himself. He grimaced and charged after me again. I
swept forward again and landed a few strong blows on his blade. His
shirt was stained with blood, and his movements became slow. It was
all I needed. I could see the hair in his nose and smell the ale on
his breath. I stepped to the side when he attacked and thrust my
sword into his back. Blood spattered my face. A puff of air escaped
his lips, and he crumpled to the floor and didn’t get up.

I turned to see Jon ram his sword into the
other guard’s chest, and then I was running again.

I gripped my sword tightly in my clammy
hands and ran up the steps and into the main hall without pausing
to admire the golden walls or the elaborate stone pillars. I hoped
that the footfalls behind me belonged to Jon and his crew.

I bolted in the direction of the altar where
I had been brought to face the high priest the first time. I saw
the blur of cream and black shapes as I rushed past concubines and
priests, but I didn’t stop. I had to get to the stone before Landon
handed it over to the priest.

Shouts reverberated around the hall, and
temple guards came running towards me from a side corridor. I
strained to go faster as I flew down the slippery polished
floors.

Three priests stood with their backs to me,
and I slammed into them as hard as I could, never stopping. They
pitched forward and sprawled on the ground.

“How dare you touch a priest! Woman!”

“Damn you all to hell, priests!” I yelled
back and hoped I had busted some ribs. I skidded to a stop at the
edge of the altar room, and my heart leapt in my throat.

The room was packed with temple guards,
priests, and the men I recognized from Landon’s company. Their
attention had been on the platform and the altar, but like a giant
wave all the heads turned when I barreled in. I could feel the
weight of the hundreds of eyes that were on me. The priests grinned
with that same wickedness as their beloved high priest. Six red
monks stood at attention against the walls. I was completely
surrounded. I had walked into my own trap.

I saw a flash of blonde hair. Thea glared
down at me ferociously from next to the altar.

The high priest stood on the altar. The
jewels and golden thread on his white silk robe sparkled like a sun
in the dimly lit room. He held a jeweled staff like the one I had
seen on the first day of the race, and the same crippled, shadowy
creature knelt next to him. Its empty eyes were focused on me.

And there standing next to him was Prince
Landon. The Heart of Arcania, safely inside its golden cage, rested
in his hands.

In spite of the warmth of the room, a nasty
shiver went down my back.

The high priest turned his pale eyes to me
and sneered.

“Ah, Elena. You’re just in time. I must say,
it’s unfortunate that you failed to bring me what I asked. And yet
you still played your part well. None of this would have been
possible without you.”

He raised his arms and gestured towards the
rest of the room.

I didn’t want to think about
what
he
referred to, but I knew I had been partly responsible for it.

My gaze fell on Landon, but he wouldn’t meet
my eyes.

Two long ceremonial tables covered with
human skulls and candles were positioned on either side of the
altar. Coils of green smoke rose from metal containers and filled
the air with a stench of sulfur that burned my lungs. The braziers
of green fire of the altars reflected an eerie green light off the
polished floors.

A large red ring had been painted on the
floor, and it circled the altar. Strange symbols and letters were
drawn in maroon and covered the floor inside the ring. All of them
were different, and they were written in a language I’d never seen
before. There was something sinister about them, like they had been
drawn in blood and were the key to unlock some great evil.

I looked down at my feet. My boots were
inches away from the edge of the circle, and I wondered what would
happen if I stepped on it.

The air moved at my back and Jon, Will, and
Leo came up behind me. Their eyes widened when they saw the stone
in Landon’s hands.

“Bastard,” hissed Jon.

Although I couldn’t agree with him more, I
still felt a pang in my chest for Landon. Maybe he didn’t know what
he was doing. Maybe he didn’t have a choice. Maybe the priests had
blackmailed him, too. Maybe I was fooling myself.

Guards and priests crowded between the altar
and me. I would never make it in time.

“We’re too late. It’s over.” Jon cursed.

“Landon!” with panic in my voice I called
out into the chamber.

“Don’t do this. Don’t be a fool. You’ll
never get your title back. Don’t you see? He’s lying.”

Landon’s jaw twitched, but he still wouldn’t
look at me. Even from where I stood, I could see the flush spread
on his face.

“Landon. I know a part of you believes me. I
can see it plainly on your face. Deep down, you know it’s the
truth. You know he’s a liar. Landon, look at me. Look at me!”

It took all my effort not to rush across the
room and slap the stupid look from his face. I needed to make him
look at me. But I knew if I made a move, it would all be over.

The prince still wouldn’t meet my eyes.

The high priest glared at me.

“You can shout and cry all you want, but the
fact remains that you’ve lost the race. It seems you are a poor
loser, Elena. But it doesn’t change the fact that the prince won.
He has the right to do what he chooses with his prize, and as it
turns out, the prince and I have struck a deal. I am a man of my
word, and we have made an oath that neither can break.”

He turned back to the prince and bowed. He
reached out with his left hand.

“Your Highness,” he said so pleasantly it
almost felt sincere. “As we agreed. The stone, if you please.”

Everything seemed to slow down. The prince
turned towards the high priest, and I could see the sweat dripping
from his forehead and the tightness in his shoulders. There was no
time to think. I needed to act now.

Before I even registered that I was moving,
I took three strides and threw my sword like a spear straight at
the priest’s heart. It flew straight and true.

The high priest reached out and caught my
sword like it was nothing more than a harmless stick. He clicked
his tongue and shook his head slightly.

“I’ll deal with you later.”

He snapped his fingers, and the temple
guards came at us.

“Run!” Jon screamed as he and his men
doubled back the way we came.

I bolted, but I wasn’t fast enough.
Something hit me in the lower back, and I landed hard on the cold
stone floor. I lay still for a moment and blinked the black spots
from my eyes. I smelled the faint coppery tang of blood. I pushed
myself up on my knees and stared down at a puddle of my own
blood.

“You’re not going anywhere,
daughter
.”

Brother Edgar loomed over me. His sword
dripped with my blood.

“I’m going to finish what I started nine
years ago. There’s nowhere to run this time. No one to help
you.”

I was not going to let him kill me like he
did my mother. I staggered to my feet, but before I could move a
beefy temple guard pinned my arms together in his powerful hold.
The smell of male sweat almost overwhelmed me. I twisted and
kicked, but he yanked me off my feet effortlessly and held me
dangling in the air.

Brother Edgar lined up his sword against my
neck.

“Time to rectify my mistake, witch.”

“Go to hell,” I spat.

I moved, but I felt the wound in my back
tear, and warm blood trickled down to the back of my thighs.

Brother Edgar lifted his sword, his face
contorted in fury.

“Move,” he said to the guard. “Or I’ll cut
you along with her.”

The guard’s grip loosened, and I dropped to
my feet. Brother Edgar raised his sword high above his head. He was
going to decapitate me—

“Enough!” the high priest shouted
angrily.

Brother Edgar froze.

“Now is not the time, Brother Edgar. I need
you
here
by the altar, as I need
all
the priests.
Lower your sword and come stand next to your brothers so that we
may proceed. You can kill her after the ceremony.”

Brother Edgar scowled, and for a moment I
thought he might defy his master. But slowly, very slowly, he
lowered his sword.

“Don’t let her out of your sight,” he said
and moved towards the altar.

I was dizzy from the lack of blood, but I
could already feel my wound begin to heal. I feared it wouldn’t
heal fast enough to give me the strength I needed.

Jon was moving to help me, but two temple
guards stepped in front of him and put their swords to his throat.
Leo and Will were both on their knees and surrounded. It was too
late to flee. Too late for anything.

The high priest cleared his throat. “Now, if
we can dispense with this interruption, we may continue.”

He turned his attention back to the prince
and stretched out his hand again.

“Your Majesty. The stone.”

Prince Landon watched the high priest’s face
with a myriad of emotions. I could see fear, doubt, anger, and
confusion. He stood straight, but his shoulders were tense. He
gripped the golden cage and extended his arm towards the high
priest.

“Landon! No!” I made to move forward, but a
sword appeared at my heart, and I staggered back.

The prince turned towards me and his eyes
lit up. For a moment I thought I had reached him, that he wouldn’t
give the stone to the high priest. But then something dark flashed
across his face, and he turned his gaze to Jon. He looked at me one
last time, and then handed the stone to the high priest.

CHAPTER 34

I
WATCHED IN HORROR as the scene
unfolded. The high priest held the stone, and a strange, wicked
smile appeared on his face. His hand trembled, and it wasn’t from
fear.

“Goddess, forgive us,” I breathed.

If the witches were right, this was the
beginning of the end. And I had failed them. I fell to my knees,
stifling a sob and biting my tongue against a scream.