Chapter 7 Part 4

Avery entered the kitchens of the palace. He had wondered about aimlessly listening and snooping most of the day. When his stomach began to growl somewhat, another member of the house guard suggested that he drop by the kitchens and get a snack. It occurred to Avery that even prisoners had to be fed, and he could use that lead to locate Nikki and Sam.

The head cook looked up from a desk where he was inventorying the cooking supplies when Avery entered. The cook leaned back and frowned. "I suppose you want to be fed," he asked with a grump.

"If it’s not too much trouble," Avery replied. "I’ll even help deliver food to the prisoners in exchange."

The cook leaned forward, his eyebrows rose in surprise. Most guards simply demanded immediate service. To receive respect and courtesy from one was rare and to get genuine gratitude was unheard of.

The cook motioned to a table and Avery took a seat. One of the assistant cooks set a bowl of stew before him and a wedge of bread. A second cook fetched a cup of water and passed it across the table before returning to his own task.

Avery thanked the kitchen staff and quietly ate his meal. The stew, though salty was welcome and the water was cool. The bread was a little stale, but the water softened it up well enough.

A quarter of an hour later Avery finished eating. He cleaned his plate in a shallow basin of running water and stacked the cleaned bowl and cup on a rack among others to dry. The action gained amused looks of astonishment from the kitchen staff.

"If you would like me to deliver any foods," Avery told the head cook, "I’m off duty and would repay your kindness."

The cook smiled and shook his head in wonder. "Hendif, over there," he pointed to an assistant who was loading a dolly with a large vat of slop and several trays of food, "could use some help."

Avery lent a hand to the cook's assistant, Hendif and together they towed the food laden dolly out into the back corridors used by servants of the palace. They pulled the dolly down a gentle spiraling ramp into the depths of the dungeons. It was exactly where Avery had wanted to go.

One by one, they, assisted by the jail keeper, opened each cell and filled each prisoner's food dish from the vat. The gruel was far from appetizing, and Avery found his nose wrinkling in spite of the fact that he had recently eaten well.

As they fed each cell. Avery held his breath, hoping to discover his lost love, and yet praying that he would not when he saw the conditions in which the prisoners were being held. He was not certain whether it was disappointment or relief he felt when they had fed all the prisoners in the dungeon and Nikki had not been seen.

The jail keeper locked the last cell and took one of the trays from the dolly. Then Avery and the steward hauled the laden vehicle back up the ramp.

"Where to now?" Avery asked. The vat was almost empty.

"There are a few political prisoners in the tower," Hendif told him. "They get better food than the criminals. That’s who where we’re going next."

Avery and the steward pulled the cart up the spiraling ramp for what seemed like hours until they entered another detention area. The jailer there opened the door to let them in. "It looks like you managed to conscript some help today. Eh, Hendif?" the guard greeted them.

Hendif passed the jailer his tray. "At least when we get through you can be sure that he’ll eat well tonight. You could get better grub too, if you would lend a hand now and then."

The jailer laughed and opened the first cell. A young man dressed in fine linen stood gazing out a window. "Any word from my father?" the occupant asked.

"No," the jailer replied. "No word yet. We’ve brought your supper."

The prisoner did not even turn about and the steward simply placed the tray on a rugged table. The tower cells were sparsely furnished apartments.

The door was closed and they proceeded to the next cell. Avery was wondering why the young man had been imprisoned when the next door opened to reveal Nikki sitting next to the barred window looking longingly out and into the sky. On a pallet lay Sam's body. It was thin and malnourished. The woman glanced briefly at her visitors then returned to gaze out the window.

Avery wanted to run to her, but that would give him away. He had to reassure her though, so he acted on an impulse. He grabbed the first tray from the dolly and carried it over to the table there he set the platter and when the jailer and steward's view was blocked, he reached into his pocket and drew forth a fresh oak leaf. He lay it across the top of the cup and turned to leave. As the door was closed behind him, he could not resist one last glance back.

Avery finished helping Hendif with his work and accepted his reward of a slice of freshly grilled mutton when he returned to the kitchen. Then he excused himself.

The first step was complete. He knew where Nikki and Sam were and that they were both alive. His next task was to devise a way to get them out. He needed a diversion, he decided.

It provided itself just before noon the next morning. Avery, now proficient at avoiding Tyson, marched boldly down a corridor as if on sentry duty. He passed an archway when a voice called out startling him.

"Hey you." Avery stopped and backed up a few steps. Had he been discovered? What clue had given him away?

Through the arch stood another guard at the entrance to a large room. The guard beckoned him over. That was a good sign, because if he had been discovered, the guard more than likely would have raised an alarm.

Avery approached with forced nonchalance. He decided the best cover was to pretend he was just going off duty.

"Hey, pal, where’re you going?" the soldier asked as Avery joined him.

"I was on my way to the kitchens. I’ve been walking these halls all morning." It was the truth. Avery decided that he would remember that cover. He had spent long hours trying to convince Armegon that if told correctly, the truth can be just as effective cover as a lie. Armegon would never admit it though.

"Well I’ve been at this post for four hours and I could really use a break," the guard complained. "Look, if you’ll watch this room long enough for me to go to the sludge pit and relieve myself and grab a quarter loaf of meal-bread on the way back, I promise I’ll get you an extra ration as well. Then you’ll get more than the normal grunt's ration of grub for the day."

Avery frowned, he would rather work on his problem of locating a sufficient diversion, but he saw no reason why he could not give the guard a break, so he agreed. "What am I supposed to do?"

The guard gestured inside the room. It was a library of some kind. "Just make certain that no one enters here without the presence of the master or his uncle the warlock or at least their permission."

"That’s all?"

"Oh, yea, and the librarian, he can go in the library, but he can not go into the vault," the guard pointed to a heavy door bound by lock and key. "Only one of the Blackheart blood can enter there unattended."

"What’s in there?"

"Look nosy," the guard said politely as not to insult Avery into refusing to cover for him, "it really isn’t any of our business. I think there’s some special book or tome or something like that in there as well as some other things, but nothing that concerns simple soldiers like us."

Avery nodded. "Go ahead and do your business. I'll cover for you."

The guard waved and headed down the hall. Avery watched him go then reached to his side. He pushed the standard issue short sword aside and reached beneath the tabard and cape. Placing his hand on Liberator's hilt he awakened the sword's mind.

"Will you fight for me?" he whispered.

I will help you free those unjustly detained, but I warn you not to indulge in excessive killing.

"I want to get into that vault. I may be able to use its contents to create a diversion."

Our minds are linked. Do not lie to me. You believe the Tome of Creation may be in there. You want to take it.

"Who does it belong to?"

The Creator.

"Then I can reclaim it in the Creator's name."

That is acceptable, for these people certainly do not have the Creator's best interests in mind.

"Is that door magically protected?"

That is a silly question, the sword, Avery swore, was sneering. Would you not protect it with magic?

Can you break the enchantment?

Is that an insult?

The sword was getting too much like Armegon, Avery noted.

The sword did not miss the thought. When one is powerful, there is no need to hide it.

"There is such a thing as humility and modesty," Avery objected.

Those qualities apply only to the living.

The game could go on longer, but they were wasting time and Avery knew it. "Can you break the enchantment without anyone knowing?"

No

"Some power," Avery teased.

You are missing the obvious solution, the sword answered.

"Please enlighten me."

There was a momentary pause. Were you not pressed for time and innocent lives not in danger, I would refuse for that 'some power' crack, it said. If you can not go through the door, go through the wall. I can cut through any substance.

Avery wasted no time. He checked to ensure that the hall was empty then drew the sword clear of its scabbard. He ran over to the wall next to the heavy door. The sword blade slid through the granite rock with no resistance. Avery quickly carved out a triangular door with beveled edges so that it would fall outward with ease. He had to act quickly to avoid the falling block of stone. It fell to the floor with a loud crash, and Avery was certain that the sound would attract attention. But after several long moments, and no one came to investigate, he had lucked out.

Grabbing a torch from the wall, he entered the vault of House Blackheart. The Tome Of Creation was impossible to miss. It lay on a reading pedestal closed, but there could be no mistake. The binding was made of stone and the cover was polished marble. It was a cubit square in area, and a hand thick.

"How do we get it out of here?" Avery asked. He was reluctant to touch it for fear of magical defenses.

The book itself is not protected, the sword replied. The pedestal is, but that spell can be easily broken and no one will be the wiser.

"Well do it," Avery grumbled. He waved the sword over the pedestal and it's image wavered momentarily. Avery reached out and took the book. It was surprisingly light considering what it was made of.

Remember this moment, the sword advised. You now hold the most powerful item to ever exist. It is the spell book of God.

Avery held the book closely then vacated the vault. He sheathed the sword and the voice of Liberator went silent. With a tremendous effort, he lifted the stone slab back into the hole and used some loose rubble to wedge it into place. Then he pushed a shelf over to cover the hole in the wall.

Avery cleared a second shelf of books onto the outer library floor. As much as it bothered him to do the deed, he set fire to the pile of manuscripts. Knowledge should never be wasted, he knew, but he needed the diversion, and a fire in the library that had housed the Tome of Creation would get everyone's attention.

As soon as the flame began to grow, Avery wrapped the Tome in an old dusty cloth and sprinted down the corridor towards the tower. His plan was simple. Once the fire was discovered, there would be confusion. In that time, he could get Nikki and he would use Liberator to cut the wall from her cell. She could use her own magic to get them out of the city, then.

Avery hurried up the stairs as fast as his powerful legs would carry him. Soon he was approaching the tower where the prisoners were kept. He turned the corner and came face to face with what could only be Miguel Blackheart. The description was too clear as was the mantle that he wore. He had been speaking to the jailer rather harshly when Avery had stumbled upon the scene. He had gotten careless.

Miguel turned on the new arrival. Again Avery's helm had saved him from being recognized as an infiltrator. "Well what do you want," the head of House Blackheart snapped angrily.

Avery stuttered for only half a second then told the truth. "My lord, there is a fire in the library and possibly even in the vault."

Miguel's eyes went wide. "The Tome!" he cried and pushed his way past Avery and disappeared down the stairs.

Avery looked at the jailer who sighed. "Thanks, I was getting a royal chewing out. Somehow one of the prisoners managed to get an oak leaf in her cell. She used it to conjure a flood of water in the master's chambers when he tried to seduce her."

Avery laughed and reached out as if to pat the jailer on the back. Instead he belted the man on the chin as hard as he could knocking him out cold. The healer then knelt by his victim and checked him over. The jawbone was cracked, but the man would live. Avery really did not want to kill him.

Avery took the cell's keys and made his way to Nikki's cell. It seemed like it took an eternity to get there. Almost in slow motion the key turned in the lock and the door swung open.