Fire and Thorn by Mary Vee

Author:Mary Vee [Vee, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781091176058
Publisher: Never Give Up Stories Publications
Published: 2019-03-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Three

Gilbert backed out into the corridor. “Let’s get out of here. And, Ben, stick close. Really close.”

“You’ll hear no arguments from me, sire.”

They checked the corridor before leaving and didn’t see any servants. “I found a short cut to the Great Hall, sire. Follow me.”

They clung close to the walls and cautiously peered around each corner before stepping into the next one. In the center of the palace was a wide circular staircase. They looked over the edge first before tiptoeing down. On the main floor, Ben pointed. “Straight ahead, through those double doors.”

Gilbert nodded. “No one will dare attack us here.” He walked to the door and heard the sound of many people mumbling inside the Great Hall. He whispered, “Can you tell what they are saying?”

Ben shrugged.

They opened the door slightly and leaned inside. Kneeling in the center of the room was his uncle and his staff with their eyes closed. “What are they doing?” Gilbert whispered. “He said this was an urgent meeting. I thought they would discuss a plan to save Aerlis.”

“Maybe they have or plan to do it next,” whispered Ben. “I think King Roland is speaking now.”

Gilbert didn’t want to interrupt his uncle. As a fellow king, he had the right to ask a guard to interrupt and announce his presence. In another kingdom, he would do that. But this was his uncle. His father, may he rest in peace, wouldn’t have allowed him to interrupt Uncle Roland. He’d probably send Gilbert to bed without supper just for thinking the idea, even at his age.

The information presented at this very moment could save Aerlis. He should hear what they said. He looked at the layout of the large hall for a place where he could hide and listen to the conversations. “Over there, to the right. We could sneak behind those thick curtains hanging from the ceiling.”

“Weren’t you invited to meet with King Roland here?”

“Not to this meeting. Invited or not, I want to know what they’re saying.”

They crouched and dashed behind the cover. On the way, though, Ben stepped on a sleeping hound’s tail. The dog yelped then bared its teeth and growled. They backed away from the animal. No one called for the poor dog. They inched backward not seeing dangling ropes. Ben tripped over one and fell, slamming Gilbert into the curtains. Their weight tugged on the fabric and ripped it from the ceiling hooks. Yards and yards of heavy cloth tumbled down on top of them.

“I can’t see.”

“I can’t see either, sire. Wait, here’s an end. I think I found the way out. Uh oh. We have trouble.”

Gilbert shoved fabric aside. “Is it the dog, or my uncle?”

Ben lifted enough material to make a passage for them. They pushed through to the opening and gazed up into the eyes of a giant guard who spoke not a word but pointed.

Uncle Roland rose from his knees and regally walked up to his throne. “Come here, Gilbert.”

“Good going, Ben, now we’re in trouble.

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