The Crimson Fathers by J. Todd Kingrea

Author:J. Todd Kingrea
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: medieval fiction, dark fantasy, witchcraft, swords and swordfights, adventure fiction, high fantasy, witches & demons
Publisher: BHC Press
Published: 2022-07-26T00:00:00+00:00

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 999 AE

The stairs vibrated under their feet. Supports had been built into the stone walls, but more than once Thorne saw flecks of rust sifting from them in the lamplight. They were probably not accustomed to bearing so much weight at one time. The air smelled earthy, but a hint of rot lurked behind it.

The secret door did not surprise Thorne. He knew the Church had them in various places, although he had never known where any were located. They were mostly used by high-ranking officials to move about unseen. But he had no doubt they had also been used for a host of illegal activities as well, with or without the Church’s approval. The Palace of the Heiromonarch was said to be honeycombed with hidden doors and passageways.

During his time in the Paracletian Order, Thorne had heard rumors of a whole city beneath the streets of Attagon. He had never put any faith in those rumors, but now, as they descended the ancient steps, he was less sure.

Maybe the Church keeps things down here? Thorne imagined forbidden knowledge or artifacts from before the Great Cataclysm. His heart beat faster at the prospect of stumbling upon archaic treasures that the Church had buried in the depths.

They arrived at a small room and followed Tua inside. Thorne estimated they had to be at least twenty or thirty feet below ground. In the meager lamplight, what they found surprised them.

A dozen cloaks hung from pegs on the wall. A table contained a variety of hand-held weapons, lamps like they carried, torches and two empty scroll tubes. Several chairs of comfortable design sat in various places. There was one closed door opposite where they stood with a barred window in it.

“What do you want to do?” Tua asked Thorne as they moved around the room. They lit torches and blew out their lamps, placing them on the table. More light was safer.

Thorne glanced back at the stairs. “We need to avoid a fight. There’re too many of them. We’d have an advantage on the landing or the stairs. They couldn’t come at us all at once. But that’s not an advantage I’d put much faith in.”

“What’s this room for?” Amelia wondered.

Tua handed her the burlap sack since his fighting skills would be more useful compared to hers. She tossed the sack over her shoulder and held her torch higher. The smoke gently floated toward the closed door.

“It’s more than likely a safe room,” Thorne replied. He ran his hand through a pile of tunics, stockings and robes on a second table, all four colors of the Orders represented.

“Whatever for?” Amelia asked.

Thorne tested the closed door and found it unlocked. He pulled it open.

“Church officials use them,” he said. A rough manmade passageway led away from him into the darkness. For some reason, it reminded him of a hungry maw. Maybe it was the distasteful odor just beneath the smoke and stone and age around them. “If there were some sort of disaster or attack, they could sit it out down here.

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