The Coming Of Shadows (The Shadow Tide Book 1) Read online

  He worked his way slowly and quietly through the streets, keeping a vigilant eye, not only in front and behind, but above him for any roaming guards that might see him moving about. It was a slow and aggravating process, but it was absolutely necessary that he make this flawless.

  After an hour of searching, he finally found his way in through a small slop ramp that led into what appeared to be one of the Palace’s kitchens. It hadn't been used in some time and was apparently clean. He climbed it quietly and quickly, making his way into the cramped space next to the door that led into the kitchen.

  He sat for several seconds listening through the thin oak door, waiting for any sound that might tell him that the way was appropriate. It was quiet, if the kitchen was in use, he would have heard the sounds of cooking pots and servants inside. Instead he heard silence. He checked the functionality of his spring loaded daggers strapped on his arm. He checked his pistol, the assortment of throwing daggers strapped to his midsection, the opium cloth tucked into his small satchel and most of Justice Calls strapped on his back.

  He took a small vial of oil from his satchel and gently put generous amounts on each of the hinges supporting the door before opening it. Slowly he reached his dagger into the space between the door and the frame and unlatched the bar holding the door shut.

  With the greatest of ease, he opened it. The oil did the trick, and the hinges remained silent as his eyes began to scan every part of the room. It hadn't been used in some time. The oven was empty and showed no signs of use. There was a door on his right that led from the kitchen and two windows that looked down to the street.

  His feet hit the floor, no sound as he crouched and did a final scan of the room before making his way toward the door. He was quick and silent; once again he listened, used the oil and opened the door.

  He was inside now. He made his way through the Palace, dodging servants and guards as he got his bearings and started working his way to the part of the Palace where the King would be and surely Oberon too.

  The sun was still high when he made his way into the main wing of the Palace. This was it; he was closer now than he’d ever been, and he could feel the excitement build. He knew that once he found Oberon he would have to seclude himself so he could question him.

  It wouldn't be an easy task but the Steward’s personal chambers would be the best place to do such a thing; he just had to find him.

  He peered out from behind a wall and saw the small court room the King used to hold his Earls’ court. The room was not a likely place for him to be but it was worth a check before he moved into the upper levels of the towers and began his search there.

  The court room was empty, and he knew that across the room more passages lead to the King’s personal office, and he knew that Oberon would be there.

  He started to move across the room but something stopped him. It wasn't the sight of a person but a sensation. Cold, round and small on the back of his neck. It was a sensation that he knew all too well.

  “Move and your brains will be the paint upon these walls.” It was the voice of Lord Candrin.

  Stupid. You're better than this, he thought as he scolded himself. Instinctively he raised his arms in surrender and slowly turned.

  Lord Candrin had somehow had gotten behind him. While he had worried more about the empty court room, Lord Candrin must have passed and seen him. He had made the biggest mistake ever and left his back open, a mistake that could be costly.

  “Who are you?” Lord Candrin said as he raised the gun level with Ash’s eyes.

  “You should know. Lord Candrin is it? Tell me; where may I find Oberon. I have something for him,” Ash said as he looked at Lord Candrin’s grip on the gun.

  His knuckles were not white but his grip was firm. He knew how to hold a gun and hold it right. “I have no idea who you are, and if you were telling the truth you would have known that all deliveries must be checked in at the gate and that the contents would be delivered after inspection.” Lord Candrin said pushing the barrel of the gun closer to his face. “I suggest you tell me now who are and how you got in here and maybe your punishment won’t hurt as bad before you die.”

  That was cold, he thought as he looked at the man’s eyes. They were cold eyes, battle hardened eyes that showed no emotion.

  “I am nothing more than a servant looking for my way, you see I came here...” Screw this. He threw his right hand up and quickly swung it left to right, pushing the gun away from his face.

  It fired and the shot rang through the halls breaking the silence of the Palace. Dammit. He had only a second and he had to make it count. His left hand caught the Lord’s free hand and twisted it away from his rapier on his belt. He grabbed Candrin’s left arm and quickly twisted it, at the same time spinning him.

  The gun had fallen from the man’s hand, and he grabbed the hilt of his rapier and drew it. The man was strong but his speed was not that of Ash and in seconds Ash had his arm locking the man’s hand in place and Lord Candrin’s own rapier at his neck.

  “Now, Lord Candrin, as you see I have you in a position that doesn’t benefit you. Yes, that is your own sword that rests on your neck now and I have no problem using it.” He felt the man tense up.

  “Now tell me who is Oberon and where is he?”

  “He is the man to guide our King to greatness.”

  “You speak highly of the man you have asked to take an innocent life.”

  “I do not know what you speak of. My guard will be here in seconds and you will forfeit yours.”

  “No, Lord Candrin, you will forfeit yours.” He lied. He had no intention of killing him, just hurting him. He took the butt of the rapier and raised it to hit the man on the head, but before he could finish it he heard the shot ring out.

  The musket ball missed him only by inches and struck the wall behind him. He ducked and pulled his own pistol and fired the shot. The ball struck the guard in his left shoulder and caused the man to fall and drop his gun on the floor, a painful but not life threatening blow. “Guards, kill him,” he heard Candrin yell as he took off.

  He ran through the passages, trying to find the best way out. He knew that he taken a wrong turn, but it was too late to turn back now. He heard the sounds of yelling and orders being given behind him.

  He ran. The halls of the Palace all looked the same and now he was utterly lost. Turning a corner, he ran into two more guards but he didn’t stop. Both raised their muskets but he was faster. He drew two of his throwing daggers and without stopping or slowing, hit his targets, the exposed upper thigh of each man.

  They both collapsed on the floor as he ran by. He could see a window in front of him and he knew he was close but this was wrong, all wrong. He was on the south side of Palace and the window was at the end of building. He had no choice; he had to get outside and fast. He got to the window and lowered his head and dove.

  The glass broke easily under his momentum, and he tumbled out onto a small terrace that over-looked the river below. It wasn’t a high fall but it was high enough. Below him he could see the port and the ships docked below. The water was deep here and he would survive the jump, but he had to be sure and clear the rocks that loomed below.

  “And so the end of the road leads here,” he heard a voice from behind say. It was Oberon. He was surrounded by ten of the Crimson Guard and Lord Candrin. “You see when I pay for a job to be done, I expect the job to be done. Now I see that you have not only had the chance to complete the job but you didn’t do it and led our condemned into the safe haven of Lord Carlye,” he said, looking at Ash.

  Lord Candrin had his sword and his pistol back in hand. “Master Oberon this is he. May I please dispatch his life?” he asked.

  “Not yet. The man you have before you is a man who has been trained by the best in this world. He is nothing more than a mere assassin and surely his coming here today means only one thing. He has come for our King.”

  He watched as each of the men raised their muskets and coc
ked them into firing. “Let’s see you dodge this many,” Oberon said with a smile upon his face.

  “And watch each of your men miss!” He jumped as the muskets rang to life. He felt one ball graze his arm, it wouldn’t kill him but these rocks would. The fall seemed to last forever and the impact sent pain throughout his body.

  The river waters were cold and deep but the pain was worse. He had to swim and swim fast, he had failed, but he was alive to fight another day and he knew Oberon was almost untouchable but Lord Candrin wasn’t. It was time for Ash to right Lord Candrin's past actions.

  XXXV

  Dominic returned to the Estate in enough time to find Allan and Aiden back in the courtyard. He had been riding along through the Commons causing the people to follow him long enough to give Allan time he needed to get Aiden back and hopefully without the wrong people knowing of it.

  He felt sure the guards at the dock witnessed Aiden and more than likely Allan coming to meet them which meant there would only be mere minutes before the King's soldiers arrived.

  “Lock down the Estate, no one gets in no one leaves until I say so,” Dominic told his guard as he rode to the horse attendant. “Aiden, right now we need to get inside and out of sight.

  He walked toward Aiden who stood with Jacob Southerlin and nine other men, all of whom were armed. “Your Grace if you please it is not safe outside.” He told Aiden as he gestured for him to follow him inside the Estate.

  Aiden's face was hard and emotionless. He could see his brother was tired from the journey and even though he might not admit it, he was probably ready for rest. “We need to speak in private, You, me, Jacob, Allan and Mariella.” Aiden said as they walked through the front entrance of the Estate.

  They walked in silence, Aiden following close beside Dominic. They passed a house servant in the passages and Dominic ordered him to retrieve Mariella and bring her to the courtroom.

  The courtroom was smaller than the King's but it had its size. Once inside Dominic ordered the guard that only Mariella was allowed to enter when she arrived.

  “Earl of Easterway. I hear the King has a bounty on my head?” Aiden asked as the doors closed behind them.

  “Not so much a bounty but he is looking for you. Before we go any further, Aiden, I just want you to know that I have done everything I could to convince him that our quarrel is nothing but a family disagreement, nothing else.” Dominic said looking at his brother.

  His brother began to pace around him slowly, his eyes never leaving him. “So. You take something you swore away. You join league with a King who over-taxes and threatens war to those who do not pay. You choose to serve a king who looks to destroy rather than stand with your family?” Aiden asked as he turned squarely to Dominic

  “Aiden, I do not support the actions of Jayden. My only choice is to serve him long enough for Lord Wakefield to gain support enough to challenge his taxes. If I turn away from him now, all of our family will suffer at his hands. Just believe me, Aiden.”

  “No. I will not. If Jayden chooses to take me, let him try. I have enough men to challenge his best guard. In the end I may die, but I would have fought with honor.” He stopped as the door to the courtroom opened and Mariella stepped in.

  Her face was distant as she looked around the room, first at Dominic and Aiden and then her father, Jacob. “What’s going on?” she asked softly continuing to look at her father.

  “Nothing, My Lady. Dominic here and I are just talking,” Aiden said, looking at her, then back at Dominic.

  Please brother. He begged in his head as he watched his wife and his brother. “Aiden, I know that your trust in me is broken but please I beg you. If the King learns you are here...”

  “Dammit, I know! I know, Dominic I admit the crimes against you the night you fled Denoi were not just. I was scared. I was afraid you were there to take my place. It was wrong. Dominic, father had known that this day would come for a long time, he knew in King Liam’s failing health that one day Jayden would take the throne, and when that happened, the land that we knew would be gone.

  “Dominic I have resented you since the day you left us. As I got older I knew that you would be lost to us and you could become a threat to us. Please, brother, tell me that you are with us.

  “Dominic, I came here begging for you to forgive me for my actions at home and to join me. You know, brother, that we have the power to challenge these taxes of the King…brother, please,” Aiden begged.

  Dominic’s head raced. He wanted so much to believe his brother and to tell him yes but it was far more complicated. “Aiden listen. Right now is the wrong time, Lord Wakefield is gathering what he needs to dispute these taxes and we have to give him time. But for now I have to remain loyal to the King to keep his eyes off you…”

  “NO! NO! I will not hear it. You remain loyal to him. To save us? Oh yes, brother, I see what you are doing. With one hand you will shield me while with your other you undermine me and give the King my head on a platter.” He screamed as he reached for his rapier and drew it.

  “Aiden, wait.”

  “No you listen. You join me and swear your loyalty to your true family or you join your King and condemn yourself for whatever justice befalls you.”

  “Aiden, please listen to me for now. My loyalty to Jayden is the key-”

  It was too late--Aiden swung his sword at him. He was able to dodge the blow that would have killed and he reached for his own sword on his side.

  “Stay out of it,” he ordered Allan who had reached for his own sword and began to draw it.

  “Aiden, I don’t want to fight you but if it is the answer I will.”

  “Then I have my answer.”

  Aiden charged him and he quickly dodged him. He raised his sword and blocked his brother’s attack. Aiden was strong and fast through years of training under Jacob Southerlin. He attacked again and once again he was able to block his brother’s attack.

  Aiden moved around him side stepping any attack Dominic threw at him. He could hear through his concentration Mariella begging them to stop. He stepped in and jabbed; the blow was blocked.

  Everything he could throw at Aiden was blocked and everything Dominic threw at him was blocked also. The fight was even, and at this rate they would fight for hours, hours they didn’t have at all.

  He had to end this and fast. Using the flat side of his sword he was able to land a blow Aiden wasn’t expecting, to the side of his knee. It wasn’t a hard blow or damaging blow but it gave Dominic the opening he needed.

  Aiden lost his balance just slightly and Dominic used that to kick his foot and knock the sword out of his hand. He had his brother open for attack now. He gripped his sword, he could do this.

  He threw his sword down and charged his brother tackling him and knocking him down on the floor. He raised his hand to punch but Aiden caught his wind and was able to turn himself over and pin Dominic to the floor and landed a blow into Dominic’s ribs.

  Pain ran through his body as he punched back, landing blows left and right to the back of Aiden’s head and back. He wrapped his legs, kicked and punched some more as Aiden tried to protect himself and punch at the same time.

  The blows were working, and he found himself able to move out from Aiden and get to his knees as his brother crawled to his knees. He swung his right hand and landed it on Aiden’s cheek causing his brother to stagger.

  He wasn’t expecting his brother to recover so fast but he did and was able to land a punch of his own to Dominic’s lips and nose. Pain shot through him but it wouldn’t stop him, he grabbed and found his brother’s hair and quickly pulled him in, wrapping his left arm around his neck.

  He landed two more blows to Aiden’s face as he squeezed. “Dammit, Aiden, listen to me one damn minute. If you want, I promise you I won’t stop kicking your ass until I do. Now listen.

  Jayden wants you and he wants you now. If you don’t listen to me, you will find yourself in the prison before the end of the night.

&nbs
p; “Lord Wakefield is marching with support on this city and if he can get here unopposed he will be able to challenge Jayden’s law in court where he will gain support, from me and others but I need you free. I need you to wait until that day.

  “Aiden, I will admit that if Jayden sends his military to meet Lord Wakefield, he will crush them. Listen to me and listen to me good. If that happens, Lord Wakefield will die a martyr in some eyes, and then and only then will Jayden be forced to recant the laws. Go home, Aiden, get out of this city and fast, go raise support in the north and wait for my message. I will not betray you. I swear on our father’s grave.”

  He felt tears come to his eyes as he released his brother. He saw Aiden’s face, bloody and red. “How do I trust you?” Aiden asked him.

  “Aiden, just do it,” he said. “Get out of here before it’s too late and this all ends in vain.”

  “I want to believe you but... can I Dominic?”

  “Yes! Now please...” His brother hit him again but it wasn’t out of anger. He embraced him and he heard his brother crying for the first time in years. “Aiden, please, I can get you out of the city but you have to go now.” He said as he embraced his brother back. “I won’t raise an army, not yet.” He said releasing his embrace and standing to his feet. “I will get the support we need and I will wait for your message. Now how do we get out of here?”

  For the first time in almost eight years the brothers were cooperating, House Carlye had been reunited. “This way.”

  XXXVI

  Dominic had cleaned the blood from his hands and grabbed his pistol. Aiden's guards had joined them in the courtyard and had the horses ready to go. “You’re not going to be able to go back to the port.” Dominic said as his horse was brought to him by Allan.

  “My Lord, the guards on the wall report Crimson Guard moving in from the south, fifty at most,” Allan said handing the reigns of the horse.