Praise for
Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue

“Chuck Black is a word crafter who is able to weave Kingdom principles into the fabric of one’s moral imagination. The characters he has created and the passions they exude will motivate readers to follow their examples, which have now been etched into their awakened conscience.”

—MARK HAMBY, founder and president of Cornerstone
Family Ministries and Lamplighter Publishing

“Chuck Black is the John Bunyan for our times! Chuck Black’s writing energizes and revives my passion to serve our Lord, making me examine myself so I am ready for His imminent return.”

—IACI FLANDERS, Messianic speaker, inductive Bible study
teacher, and homeschool wife and mom

“Chuck Black is a master storyteller.”

—JENNIFER IGARASHI, freelance writer, homeschool-resource
reviewer, and mother of an eleven-year-old Kingdom
Series fanatic

“Not since C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia have any fictional books boosted my faith so much. They make me cry with joy for what the King and the Prince do. They let me see our world through new eyes. The King reigns—and His Son!”

—SOPHIA, an avid reader

“As Christ taught in parables, you can use this powerful allegory to convey biblical truth, doctrine, virtues, and vices. Combat trained, Chuck Black makes warfare real without gratuitous violence but rather with a message of honor. Don’t miss the best part: the discussion questions at the end!”

—ERIC JUDSON TIBBETS, husband, dad, and captain in the
United States Navy

“For a story with nonstop, heart-pounding excitement, you can’t get a better book than one by Chuck Black.”

—HEATHER (15), HEIDI (13), HOLLY (10),
and HANNAH (8) SALZMAN

ALSO BY CHUCK BLACK

THE KINGDOM SERIES

Kingdom’s Dawn (Book One)
Kingdom’s Hope (Book Two)
Kingdom’s Edge (Book Three)
Kingdom’s Call (Book Four)
Kingdom’s Quest (Book Five)
Kingdom’s Reign (Book Six)

THE KNIGHTS OF ARRETHTRAE
Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione (Book One)
Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court (Book Two)
Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart (Book Three)

To the lady prayer warriors of the Kingdom.
Be strong and of good courage!

CONTENTS

Kingdom’s Heart: An Introduction to the Knights of Arrethtrae

Prologue: Pushing Back the Darkness

Chapter 1: Lady Carliss

Chapter 2: A Reluctant Hunt

Chapter 3: Carliss and the Bow

Chapter 4: A Friend and a Foe

Chapter 5: The Oaf

Chapter 6: The Alchemist

Chapter 7: Day One

Chapter 8: Northern Journey

Chapter 9: The Mooruvians

Chapter 10: Destiny

Chapter 11: The Waters of Moorue

Chapter 12: The Legend of Morning Star

Chapter 13: Martyrs to Be

Chapter 14: The Assassin

Chapter 15: The Secret of Lord Malco and Moorue

Chapter 16: Wounded Warrior

Chapter 17: A Sacrifice

Chapter 18: Day Eight … Morning Star

Chapter 19: Who Shall Live?

Chapter 20: The Pit of Despon Swamp

Chapter 21: Escape from the Pit

Chapter 22: Valiant Knight

Chapter 23: Day Nine … a Hopeless Mission

Chapter 24: The Freedom of Peace

Epilogue: Who Will Go?

Discussion Questions

Answers to Discussion Questions

“Journey to Moorue”
(written for Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue)

Author Commentary

KINGDOM’S HEART

An Introduction to the Knights of Arrethtrae

Like raindrops on a still summer’s eve, the words of a story can oft fall grayly upon the ears of a disinterested soul. I am Cedric of Chessington, humble servant of the Prince, and should my inadequate telling of the tales of these brave knights e’er sound as such, know that it is I who have failed and not the gallant hearts of those of whom I write, for their journeys into darkened lands to save the lives of hopeless people deserve a legacy I could never aspire to pen with appropriate skill. These men and women of princely mettle risked their very lives and endured the pounding of countless battles to deliver the message of hope and life to the far reaches of the kingdom of Arrethtrae… even to those regions over which Lucius, the Dark Knight, had gained complete dominion through the strongholds of his Shadow Warriors.

What is this hope they bring? To tell it requires another story, much of it chronicled upon previous parchments, yet worthy of much retelling.

Listen then, to the tale of a great King who ruled the Kingdom Across the Sea, along with His Son and their gallant and mighty force of Silent Warriors. A ruler of great power, justice, and mercy, this King sought to establish His rule in the land of Arrethtrae. To this end He chose a pure young man named Peyton and his wife, Dinan, to govern the land.

All was well in Arrethtrae until the rebellion… for there came a time when the King’s first and most powerful Silent Warrior, Lucius by name, drew a third of the warriors with him in an attempt to overthrow the Kingdom Across the Sea. A great battle raged until finally the King’s forces prevailed. Cast out of the kingdom—and consumed with hatred and revenge—Lucius now brought his rebellion to the land of Arrethtrae, overthrowing Peyton and Dinan and bringing great turmoil to the land.

But the King did not forget His people in Arrethtrae. He established the order of the Noble Knights to protect them until the day they would be delivered from the clutches of the Dark Knight. The great city of Chessington served as a tower of promise and hope in the darkened lands of Arrethtrae.

For many years and through great adversity, the Noble Knights persevered, waiting for the King’s promised Deliverer.

Even the noblest of hearts can be corrupted, however, and long waiting can dim the brightest hope. Thus, through the years, the Noble Knights grew selfish and greedy. Worse, they forgot the very nature of their charge. For when the King sent His only Son, the Prince, to prepare His people for battle against Lucius, the Noble Knights knew Him not, nor did they heed His call to arms.

When He rebuked them for their selfish ways, they mocked and disregarded Him. When He began to train a force of commoners—for He was a true master of the sword—they plotted against Him. Then the Noble Knights, claiming to act in the great King’s name, captured and killed His very own Son.

What a dark day that was! Lucius and his evil minions—the Shadow Warriors—reveled in this apparent victory. But all was not lost. For when the hope of the kingdom seemed to vanish and the hearts of the humble despaired, the King used the power of the Life Spice to raise His Son from the dead.

This is a mysterious tale indeed, but a true one. For the Prince was seen by many before He returned to His Father across the Great Sea. And to those who loved and followed Him—myself among them—He left a promise and a charge.

Here then is the promise: that the Prince will come again to take all who believe in Him home to the Kingdom Across the Sea.

And this is the charge: that those who love Him must travel to the far reaches of the kingdom of Arrethtrae, tell all people of Him and His imminent return, and wage war against Lucius and his Shadow Warriors.

Thus we wait in expectation. And while we wait, we fight against evil and battle to save the souls of many from darkness.

We are the knights who live and die in loyal service to the King and the Prince. Though not perfect in our call to royal duty, we know the power of the Prince resonates in our swords, and the rubble of a thousand strongholds testifies to our strength of hearts and souls.

There are many warriors in this land of Arrethtrae, many knights who serve many masters. But the knights of whom I write are my brothers and sisters, the Knights of the Prince.

They are mighty because they serve a mighty King and His Son.

They are… the Knights of Arrethtrae!

PUSHING BACK THE DARKNESS

The kingdom of Arrethtrae is vast, and though it harbors havens of good, it also shelters many strongholds of treacherous evil, places where darkness thrives. The Knights of the Prince are called to rescue countless souls, not only from the danger of sword and knife but also from those who would poison the mind and the soul. It takes an extraordinary knight to take up the cause of the Prince in the face of such danger. Such a knight was Lady Carliss.

Though Lady Carliss’s mission befell her by what may seem mere happenstance, you may rest assured that chance had nothing to do with her calling. Her pure heart and strong commitment to the King and the Prince had prepared her for the mission she rose to fulfill when she saw the grip of evil tighten around the throats of the people.

While evil seems to be ever encroaching upon the territory of our good King, I have discovered that oft the battle that pushes back the darkness waits only for one who is willing to rise up and fight. Come and hear the tale of one who was willing… the valiant Lady Carliss!

LADY CARLISS

She seemed an ordinary enough girl on the outside—a quiet, plain, and simple girl—but within, Carliss was as unique and complex as the snowflakes that sometimes fell upon her father’s farm when she was a child. On those special days, Carliss would take a dark cloth outside and catch the intricate flakes so she could gaze upon them and marvel at their perfection and beauty. She would close her eyes before they melted and try to hold each exquisite detail in her memory for as long as possible.

As she grew out of the delightful and carefree world of a child and into the reality of the kingdom, Carliss began to realize that just as the beauty of her perfect flakes had melted away, so had the perfection of the kingdom where she lived. In her spirit, she knew something was amiss, and this is what made Carliss so unusual. She ached for something she knew did not exist and yet believed it should.

This yearning was something she could not quench, and it stole away the silliness of youth before her time. Those who knew her thought her a bit peculiar, a bit too intense and serious—certainly not like the other girls. But then, Carliss had never aspired to be like the other girls. What she did aspire to was something she couldn’t quite name—until the day her world changed.

It happened when Carliss was fifteen. A man dressed in the garb of a knight arrived at their farm. He was quite short and unimpressive in appearance. He asked for room and board for a night, and he offered to pay a good price in exchange.

Carliss’s father hesitated, for he had learned to be wary of all men in a kingdom where treachery was as likely as a good deed. Carliss knew her father was concerned for the safety of her mother and the five children, but she sensed something noble in this man’s peculiarity.

When her father denied the knight’s request, Carliss felt the ache in her spirit swell to the size of a chasm that seemed to swallow her. She watched the fellow turn and leave the farm. But when he was a short distance away, Carliss could not contain herself. She ran after the man, ignoring the warning calls from her father and mother.

“Who are you, sir,” she panted when she reached him, “and why did you come here?”

The knight gazed down at Carliss from his steed and seemed to know the ache that called her to him. “I am Sir Orland, a Knight of the Prince, and I come to share His truth with you. Would you like to hear it?”

That was the day Sir Orland shared the great story of the King and the Prince with Carliss and her family. By evening, another family had been added to the Prince’s cause, and Carliss felt the ache in her spirit fade away. She closed her eyes and envisioned her perfect snowflakes in a perfect kingdom with a perfect King. Joy filled her heart, and so did her zeal for service to the Prince.

On that day, Carliss became Lady Carliss, noble daughter of the King. She and her family donned robes of a nobility that far transcended the caste nobility of the kingdom. Sir Orland also opened their eyes to realities both glorious and potentially frightening. For as the King and His Son transformed in their minds from myth and legend to reality, so did the King’s enemy, Lucius, and the ongoing battle for the kingdom… a battle in which they now had a significant role.

Over the course of the next two years, Sir Orland found many opportunities to come and train the family in the ways of the Prince and in the sword. Then, when Carliss was nearly seventeen, she and her brother Koen began training at a nearby haven for the Knights of the Prince. Carliss was commissioned a year after Koen, and her father arranged to have her mentored for a time under Sir Orland.

Now, at the age of twenty, Carliss was truly a knight of great skill by her own right. By the kingdom’s standard, she was still a quiet, plain, and simple girl. On matters of the King and the Prince, however, a fiery spirit rose up strong within her. It is what drove her to defend the meek and help the hurting and battle with all her might against the servants of the Dark Knight.

Her mettle as a Knight of the Prince had been tested just weeks before, when she helped Koen and his friend Sir Dalton defeat the evil Lord Drox. Together they had fought the terrifying four-winged death ravens and the ravenous hounds of despair and had freed many knights from Drox’s horrific prison. The three of them had grown close on that mission, and it was then that Carliss began to struggle with feelings for Dalton.

This was what troubled her on a brilliant summer day as she rode her horse, Rindy, along the road to Salisburg.

How was it possible, she wondered, to want so much to see someone… and yet dread it at the same time?

And why did it all have to be so complicated?

“Lady Carliss,” a voice called out from behind.

Carliss turned about on Rindy to see a young woman galloping to catch her. Carliss reined in her horse and waited. She had only been on the road a short time, having just left the haven at Varlaken.

Carliss had come to Varlaken with a contingent of fellow knights to help retrain those who had been imprisoned by Lord Drox. She had worked tirelessly for the past two-and-a-half weeks to reestablish the hearts and hone the skills of those men and women recently freed from Drox’s dreadful cave prison. The immensity of the daily tasks at Varlaken had kept her mind occupied, and the weariness of each day had pulled at her limbs and mind at sundown. In the quietness of the evenings, however, she had been unable to avoid the honest tugging of her heart in a direction she desperately sought to avoid.

So now she was headed for home…and Sir Dalton. Her thoughts of him confused her, and she welcomed the interruption of her ride.

The young woman slowed her horse and smiled broadly at Carliss as she approached. Carliss recognized the short, dark hair. It was a young knight named Salina.

“May I ride with you for a distance?” she asked.

Although Lady Salina was a couple of years older, Carliss had mentored and befriended her while at Varlaken. She was a beautiful woman who had fallen prey to the same deceptions of Lord Drox that so many other knights had. When Carliss, Koen, and Sir Dalton, along with the help of Sir Orland, freed Drox’s prisoners, Salina had immediately attached herself to Carliss.

Carliss, who didn’t have many female friends, had liked Salina from the beginning. She seemed like a strong knight, and Carliss was impressed with how quickly she recovered from life in Drox’s prison. Her warm brown eyes often seemed to reflect a mind that was deep in thought.

“I’m glad for the company,” Carliss told her now with a smile. “I didn’t realize you were leaving Varlaken just yet.”

Salina matched her horse’s gait to Carliss’s. “Once you left I didn’t see much need to stay,” she replied. “I think I’m ready to move on.”

Carliss nodded. “I think so too. You did very well at sword practice yesterday.”

“Not as well as you did at archery,” Salina answered. “You’re incredibly skilled with a bow, aren’t you?”

Carliss flashed a quick smile. “I guess I have a knack for it. I hunted a lot on our farm when I was growing up.”

Salina tilted her head. “It’s more than just a knack. I was in Drox’s prison, remember. I saw how you used your bow against those awful hounds—it was almost as if you knew where they were going to be before they got there. You’re quite a knight for one so young.”

“I only hope to serve my King.” Carliss ducked her head. “So, you are going home now?” she asked, anxious to change the subject.

Salina shrugged. “For a while, I guess, though I hope to receive another assignment soon. You’re heading back to Salisburg?”

Carliss nodded. “My family is there. My parents and my siblings.”

Salina gave her a teasing smile. “Isn’t that where Sir Dalton is from as well?”

“Yes…yes he is,” Carliss replied, feeling her face flush slightly. She turned to adjust her saddle pack. “Sir Dalton’s a courageous knight,” she answered carefully. “He’s a good friend, especially to my brother, Koen.”

Salina tilted her head toward Carliss. “That’s all? I thought perhaps you and he—”

“That’s all,” Carliss worked to keep her voice even. “Sir Dalton has an… understanding with Lady Brynn. We were all in training together.”

“Hmm.” Salina nodded thoughtfully as they picked up their pace to pass a precariously loaded cart. Once they were safely past, she glanced over at Carliss.

“Listen, do you remember when my brother visited me at the haven last week?” she asked.

Carliss raised her eyebrows. “Yes, I think so.”

“Well, he was so grateful for how you were helping me, and he didn’t get a chance to thank you in person.”

Salina gave Carliss another meaningful glance, and Carliss shifted in her saddle, wondering where this was leading. Sir Alston had arrived at a time when Carliss was feeling overwhelmed with her duties. He had only stayed a day, and she had seen him a few times with Salina but never actually talked with him. Carliss was perfectly fine with that, for he was a handsome fellow, and such men tended to make her feel uneasy…as Dalton had.

“What I’m saying is…I would love for you to come to my home and meet my family.”

“Oh, I don’t think—”

“It’s not far, Carliss, just a short ride north of here near Pembrook,” Salina continued. “I owe you so much, and I know that Alston and my parents would love to have an opportunity to thank you properly.”

Carliss pretended to consider the request out of courtesy, fully intending to decline. But Salina persisted.

“Please, Carliss. It would mean so much to me. At least come and share a meal with us.”

Carliss looked at Salina and couldn’t think of any reasonable excuse. Her family wasn’t expecting her on any particular day. Besides, truth be told, she had been dreading her return home, for she knew she would have to face her own emotional dilemma at the haven there. Perhaps this diversion would help clear her mind.

“All right, Salina. I’ll come,” Carliss said with a smile. “But only for a little while. Thank you for the invitation.”

“Wonderful!” Salina exclaimed. “They will all be so excited to meet you.”

Carliss ducked her head again, embarrassed at Salina’s exuberant response.

“It’s off toward Pembrook then,” she said, wondering if she had just committed to something she might later regret.

A RELUCTANT HUNT

Carliss and Salina left the main road to Salisburg to travel due north toward Pembrook. Salina’s farm was southeast of the village, so they would reach it before they came to the village. Carliss knew she would need to spend the night somewhere, and she reserved the option to stay at Pembrook should she not feel comfortable with Salina’s family or should they not offer lodging for the night.

By early evening they arrived at Salina’s farm. Salina appeared ecstatic, but Carliss couldn’t help feeling apprehensive. Her discomfort grew as they entered the yard, for it became immediately evident that something was wrong. Carts and barrels were overturned, and there was a blatant absence of any normal farm activity. Carliss scanned the area and felt for her sword just as Salina spurred her horse to gallop the last distance to the house.

“Salina—be careful!” Carliss called as her friend jumped from her steed and ran inside. Carliss followed more slowly, her senses tuned for signs of danger. The back of her neck began to tingle as she neared the house, and she drew her sword as a precaution. She heard Salina calling for her family inside and decided to dismount and circle the house for any evidence of what may have happened.

She walked along the right outside wall of the stone house. She could see that the doors of the barn were open and a section of the surrounding fence was broken down. A gray horse was grazing nearby. She knew in an instant that the horse was not simply loose of its own accord, for it was saddled and ready for travel.

Carliss gripped her sword tightly as she approached the rear corner of Salina’s home. She stepped away from the wall to gain a better view, but all she saw was a bright blade arcing its way toward her head. Carliss instinctively met the blow and positioned herself defensively, not knowing if this marauder was alone or the first of many.

Another wide slice came toward her, and she met it with the flat of her blade. She countered and glanced quickly about to assess the situation. If there were others she did not see them. She focused her complete attention on this lone bandit, and it quickly became apparent that her skills far exceeded his. The man maneuvered toward the horse, threw a wild combination of cuts and slices, then fled. Carliss started after him but was stopped by a cry from inside the house.

“Carliss!”

She hesitated just a second, then ran back to the front of the home and in through the door, fully expecting another fight. Instead she found Salina kneeling beside a chair, her eyes full of fear. Carliss scanned the room as she rushed over to her friend.

“What is it, Salina?”

Salina looked up at Carliss, unable to speak. At her knees was a pool of fresh blood.

“Is anyone here?” Carliss asked.

“No… no one. They’ve been… taken.”

“Some kind of marauder just fled the farm,” Carliss said. “There may be more.”

Salinas eyes opened wide. She jumped to her feet and ran to the front of the house. “Which way did he go?”

Carliss pointed east. Salina ran to her horse, and Carliss followed.

“Salina, we need help. We don’t know how many there are.”

“If we don’t track the man, we may never find my family again.” Salina swung into the saddle. “I’m going after them.” She slapped the reins of her horse and bolted in the direction Carliss had pointed.

Carliss mounted Rindy and followed more slowly, her discomfort growing when she saw the hoofprints of many horses in the spongy turf on the other side of the farmyard. Clearly, this was not a time to react irrationally. She understood Salina’s worry, though, and she was not one to abandon a friend, even though her instincts told her that hunting down a large band of marauders on their own was foolish.

She galloped after Salina, not pausing until they reached the top of the eastern ridge line.

“There!” Salina pointed below them to a shallow valley, where a man on a gray horse was galloping toward a wooded area. She quickly scanned the rest of the region but saw no sign of the larger contingent.

They bolted down the valley after the man, and before long it was clear he had spotted them in pursuit. They closed on him, and Salina charged recklessly after him. Carliss had to push Rindy hard to stay up with her.

They rounded a bend and had to rein in their horses to keep from colliding into a large branch that had broken from a tree and blocked their way. It was also what ended their pursuit, for their quarry lay prone on the ground, motionless. They could see his gray horse continuing the sprint eastward without a rider.

Salina jumped off her horse, drew her knife, and ran to the man on the ground. Carliss quickly joined her, noting that the man’s head was bent over onto his shoulder.

“Where’s my family?” Salina shouted, her knife at the man’s throat.

Carliss drew her sword and approached cautiously.

“Where are they?” Salina screamed again.

“Salina.” Carliss returned her sword to her scabbard. “His neck is broken.”

Salina hung her head, and Carliss put a hand on her shoulder.

“I have to find them,” Salina said. “Please help me find them.”

Carliss took a deep breath. “Of course. We can track the main contingent until we are certain of where they are headed. Then you must promise me we will ride for help.”

Salina stood and looked Carliss in the eye. “Thank you.”

“By the number of prints, there must be many of them,” Carliss said as they recovered their steeds and rode back to find the trail. “With prisoners they’ll have to travel more slowly, so we should be able to catch up with them fairly easily.”

They rode until the daylight was gone and it was too dangerous to continue in unfamiliar country, then bedded down in a grassy clearing. By early the next morning they were back on the trail, pushing their steeds as hard as they dared. At times, the tracks of the band of marauders were difficult to follow, and the knights’ progress slowed considerably. At one point they completely lost the trail and had to backtrack to discover it again. They were constantly on the lookout for some sign of violence that might have been done to the captives but found none.

With every mile they journeyed away from Salisburg, Carliss grew more hesitant to continue. She knew they needed help, but Salina could not be swayed.

That evening they camped by a small stream, somewhat discouraged that they hadn’t caught up to the marauders. They had already exhausted their meager provisions and were famished. Carliss was able to shoot a couple of pheasants, and Salina gathered a few nuts and berries for the evening meal.

The following day they picked up the trail again. In late afternoon, they finally came upon telltale signs—and sounds—of a camp being set up.

“We’ve found them,” Salina breathed, her eyes bright.

Carliss said nothing. Never before had she been so apprehensive about being successful in a hunt.

CARLISS AND THE BOW

Carliss and Salina waited until dusk to move. They tied their horses a safe distance away and then carefully and quietly approached the camp. Carliss could hardly force herself to take each step, for she knew that this was an unwise venture.

The sounds of the camp grew louder, though they could not yet see it. As they approached, evil-sounding laughter reached their ears, and they froze. They each dropped to one knee near the trunk of a large tree. Carliss reached out and grabbed Salina’s arm.

“This is foolish,” she whispered. “We know these are the men, and as far as we can tell, no one has been killed yet. If we get caught, there won’t be anyone to rescue your family. We need to go for help.”

Salina looked at Carliss with anguished eyes. “I must see them.”

“If we go any closer, they will surely see or hear us,” Carliss protested.

Salina looked toward the sounds of the encampment, then shook her arm free. “You stay, I’m going on.”

Salina carefully moved forward two steps, then glanced back at Carliss before proceeding. Carliss felt trapped between her oath to never abandon a fellow knight in peril and her dismay over the foolhardy actions of her friend. She carefully followed behind Salina, staying low to the ground. The smell of smoke and cooked game filled her nostrils, and she could now see movement ahead.

More laughter burst through the trees, and Carliss could almost make out the conversations of the marauders. Finally she reached a point where every fiber in her body resisted further advance. She felt for her sword and lifted it slightly out of its scabbard to unseat it in case she needed to draw it quickly. She grasped her bow, drew an arrow from her quiver, and set the nock of the arrow in the bowstring. Then she positioned herself on the far side of a tree stump, near some heavy underbrush, where she could clearly see Salina advance toward the encampment.

“Don’t get yourself killed, Salina,” Carliss whispered to herself, then focused intently on providing cover as she advanced.

Salina carefully made her way nearer the camp. Carliss took another step, then froze as she heard two men behind her. She dropped to the forest floor in the cover of the underbrush, hoping that Salina would see the men before it was too late. Carliss held her breath and turned her head just enough to see them as they approached. She could only hope that the brush at her back would be enough to hide her.

“Which castle do we deliver the vermin to this time?” one of the men asked.

“These are for Lord Malco himself,” the other replied. “And if that cracker Barstoon sends me out there again, I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” the other man interrupted. “Leave Moorue and take up farming?” He laughed and slapped the back of the man’s head.

The man spit and snarled, then grabbed the arm of his accomplice. They stopped right beside Carliss, and her stomach rose to her throat.

“Look there!” she heard one of the men whisper.

The other man’s eyes grew wide, and they both slowly drew their swords. Carliss held her breath as they looked beyond her to Salina. Carliss watched in torment as the men silently made their way to her unsuspecting friend. When they were a short distance away, Carliss lifted herself high enough to be able to draw back her bow. Salina was still thirty paces from the edge of camp, and Carliss was just as far behind her, with the two marauders between them.

For a moment, Carliss could think of no way to save her friend and still escape the clutches of these evil brutes and their comrades. She broke from her cover to get a better view of the men. Moment by moment the terrifying scene unfolded, and Carliss could hardly bear it. The men were close to Salina now, and Carliss drew back her bow, targeting the one closest to Salina, steeling herself for what she knew must come next.

Salina was so intent on the encampment that she was still completely unaware of her impending demise. She took two more steps, which put her just out of Carliss’s sight.

“No!” Carliss whispered. She relaxed her bow and ran forward until she caught sight of Salina again, but she was too late. One of the men had grabbed Salina from behind, and his hand was now encircling her throat. The second man stood behind them, his back to Carliss. He lifted his sword and hesitated.

Carliss drew back and let loose an arrow that followed the perfect path through the trees toward the man’s heart. Before the arrow hit its mark, Carliss drew another arrow and ran three more paces toward her friend.

Thud! The hollow sound of the arrow penetrating the man’s back seemed to echo through the forest. Carliss was now only twenty paces away. As the first man fell from view to reveal the horror on Salina’s face, Carliss drew back and pinpointed her next target.

The second man’s eyes opened wide as he realized what had happened. Salina tried to scream, but the man gripped her throat tighter and held her close, positioning her to protect himself from Carliss’s next arrow. For an instant, the scene paused, and no one seemed to know what to do. Carliss stood with the tip of her arrow aimed just above Salina’s heart and into the shoulder of her captor, anguishing over the decision to release or not.

“Over here!” the man shouted toward camp.

The shout destroyed any chance of quiet escape, but it also gave Carliss the split-second diversion she needed. The man’s eyes looked toward camp as he shouted, and in that fraction of a second, Carliss released the taut string of the bow and sent her arrow to its target with deadly accuracy.

The man looked back toward Carliss with only enough time to see the final few feet of the arrow’s flight. Salina’s eyes went wide as the arrow skimmed her left shoulder and sank solidly into the man’s shoulder. He screamed and released his grip on Salina as he fell to the ground.

“Come on, Salina!” Carliss shouted. She drew her sword and whipped her bow onto her back as she beckoned for her friend.

Salina seemed dazed and unable to move. Carliss heard a commotion from the camp and knew an alarm had been raised. She could not wait for Salina, for their only chance now was to untie the horses and flee. She ran back toward Rindy, glancing over her shoulder to see that Salina had broken from her paralysis of fear.

“Hurry!” she called out.

Salina seemed to drag behind, but Carliss did not wait for her. She would need time to loose and ready the horses. She made it to the steeds, untied them, and mounted Rindy. She grabbed the reins of Salina’s horse and rode to cover the distance between them. Within a moment, she reached Salina and threw the reins to her. The marauders had spotted them and were coming quickly, but fortunately they were all on foot.

Salina seemed to struggle to place her foot in the stirrup, and Carliss was nearly beside herself. Rindy danced in circles, sensing her master’s apprehension.

“Come on, Salina!” Carliss shouted.

Just as Salina lifted herself into the saddle, Carliss slapped Rindy’s reins and bolted into the forest, away from the pursuit of angry men. She led them at a near-reckless pace through the trees, chasing the setting sun.

After a long ride, Carliss circled back to look over a knoll and see if their escape had succeeded. It was difficult to tell, for the sun was now set and the fading light was nearly gone, but she felt fairly certain they were safe. She changed their direction two more times and rode until it was too dark for them or the enemy to see.

They dismounted, and Carliss took a deep breath. She looked at Salina, whose face was downcast.

“What happened with you back there?” Carliss asked, still a bit frustrated with her friend’s lack of response to the danger.

Salinas gaze fell to the ground. “I saw them—Alston and my mother and father. They have them tied up…” She turned and walked away from Carliss.

Carliss hadn’t considered what that sight might do to her friend and felt ashamed for judging her too harshly. She walked to Salina and put an arm around her.

“I’m sorry. That must have been difficult for you.”

Salina nodded and covered her eyes with her hand.

“We will free them, Salina. I promise.”

“How? We don’t even know where they are going,” Salina said with an edge of anger in her voice. “We’ll have to follow them until we find out.”

“No we won’t,” Carliss replied. “I heard the men talking. They are going to Moorue. Now we will ride back to Salisburg and gather a force of knights to free your family and any others these evil brutes have imprisoned.”

Carliss smiled, trying to encourage her distraught friend. Salina still seemed somewhat dazed by it all, but slowly nodded.

“All right.” She smiled weakly. “Thank you for saving my life back there.”

Carliss nodded and then went to Rindy for her bedroll. Her trip home had been interrupted and delayed, but at least she would make it home now. Soon they would have the support of many knights. Though the days ahead would be difficult, she was finally at ease with their plan. Sleep was a bit easier to embrace that night.

A FRIEND AND A FOE

In the morning, Carliss set their course for Salisburg. Though it was in the opposite direction from Moorue, it still was the closest haven. Besides this, she knew that her parents and her brother Koen would never forgive her if she embarked on a mission like this without their knowledge.

“My parents’ farm isn’t far off our route,” Salina said. “We need food, and I would like to gather a few things before moving on.”

“As long as we don’t delay too long. I want to make Salisburg by tomorrow night.”

Carliss tried to engage Salina in conversation as they rode, but her friend seemed too oppressed by the thoughts of her family’s captivity. Thus they rode in near silence. Without the task of tracking, their return trip was much faster, but they couldn’t make Salina’s farm by nightfall. They were forced to camp a half-day’s ride shy of their destination.

They rose early and began their final leg home. By late morning, Carliss began to sense that they were being followed. At one point she stopped the horses and listened.

“What’s wrong, Carliss?” Salina asked.

Carliss held her finger to her lips and scanned left, right, behind, and in front of them. Her sharp eyes just could not pick up what her instincts told her was a stalker. After a moment of silence that was interrupted only by the natural sounds of the forest, Carliss sighed.

“Nothing, I guess. I just can’t help feeling like we are being watched.” Carliss looked at Salina. “Keep a sharp eye with me, will you?”

Salina nodded, and they continued on their way. By early afternoon they arrived at Salina’s farm.

“I’m going to grab a few things from the house,” Salina said as she dismounted. “Would you check the barn to see if there’s grain for the horses?”

Carliss dismounted and walked Rindy to the barn. As they neared, Rindy seemed agitated.

“Whoa, girl,” Carliss said soothingly. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

Carliss stopped and looked all around them again. She focused her eyes as if she were hunting deer, but once again, nothing caught her eye. She was eager to be on their way back to Salisburg and wondered if the encounter with marauders had unnerved her more than she realized.

Carliss tied Rindy to a post outside the barn, opened the doors, and went in, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dark interior. All the stalls were empty—the marauders would have made sure of that. She spotted a large pile of hay in the far corner and walked over. A small creature in the shadows scurried for cover.

“Carliss!”

A deep male voice boomed through the barn. Carliss jumped, then whipped around to see who had entered the barn after her.

“Dalton?” Carliss was shocked to see the man who had caused her no small amount of inner turmoil standing before her at the entrance of the barn. His handsome face bore a look of alert concern, and his sword was drawn as if he were ready to face some vicious enemy.

He was a hero to many already, and this dauntless picture of him did nothing to assuage her thoughts of him. Carliss’s heart stumbled as his familiar blue eyes met hers, somehow causing both joy and despair. “What are you doing here?”

Sir Dalton smiled and breathed a deep sigh of relief. “All the region is looking for you, Carliss. Where have you been?”

He began to walk toward her. Carliss put her hands on her hips, not sure how to respond to Dalton’s mild scolding. She opened her mouth to speak as he came to stand before her.

“I—”

Dalton held up his hand to shush her and then froze. His eyes darted to and fro as if trying to spot something above her. Carliss began to turn and look for herself, but Dalton grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him as he swiped at the air above her head with his sword. A hideous shriek filled the air, and Carliss shuddered at the sound. Dalton used his body to shield Carliss from whatever evil creature had come to attack them. Carliss saw a blur of blue and orange out of the corner of her eye and then heard Dalton scream.

Carliss freed herself from Dalton’s protective grip and spun around just in time to catch a brief glimpse of the creature that had latched itself onto Dalton’s back. It seemed to be a kind of lizard, nearly three feet in length. Dalton fell to the ground and rolled about, trying to free himself from the thing, but it had sunk its teeth deep into his shoulder.

At first, Carliss could hardly believe her eyes, for the lizard’s skin color was fluctuating wildly, at times even taking on the colors of Dalton’s tunic. The creature had six legs and two antennalike structures on its head. Before she could react, sharp barbs at the tips of the antennae whipped forward and struck deep into Dalton’s neck. He screamed in pain.

Carliss quickly drew her long knife and made a swipe at the creature, but its speed was beyond anything she had ever seen before. It released its bite, hissed loudly, and streaked across the barn floor to the wall. Though it was large, it moved so fast she had to work hard to track it. She reached for her bow as the creature scurried straight up the barn wall and vanished.

“What in the…”

Carliss hardly dared take her eyes off the wall, but Dalton moaned as he struggled to lift himself to his knees. She knelt before him, trying to scan the rafters at the same time.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

Dalton lifted his head and brought his hand from his neck. It was covered in blood. He looked at Carliss, and she nearly gasped. His face was white and his eyes were glazed over. He looked as though he might faint at any moment. She laid her bow down, grabbed his arm, and lifted him to his feet.

“Let’s get out of here.” She lifted his arm over her shoulder, and helped him stagger out of the barn. She kept a constant watch all around them until they were clear of the barn, where Dalton fell to his knees and then crumpled to the ground, his eyes rolling back in his head.

“Dalton… Dalton!” She shook him, but he seemed delirious. Carliss glanced back into the barn and saw a wisp of movement near the door. She reached for her bow but realized it was still lying on the floor in the barn. She sheathed her knife and drew her sword, ready for another attack.

“Salina!” she called toward the house without taking her eyes from the barn.

There it was again! Carliss blinked to convince herself she had indeed seen the creature. This side of the doorway was shaded from the direct sunlight, but the wood at the top of the barn door on the right side seemed to turn liquid for an instant. A wave of dark-grained wood flowed down to the ground and stopped. Carliss slowly moved her head from side to side and could just see a swell on the bottom plank of the door.

Is this possible? she asked herself. Carliss had seen animals blend in with the surrounding forest so perfectly that only a trained and experienced eye could spot them. She had even heard that some animals had the ability to change color to match their surroundings, but this creature’s abilities far exceeded anything she had heard of or experienced.

Carliss was ten paces away. She slowly advanced with her sword before her in a hanging guard stance. With each step she took, she began to convince herself that her mind was playing tricks on her, for even a normally colored lizard would surely bulge out much farther from the plank than this bowed piece of wood.

Two more steps, and still there was no movement. She was not close enough to see whether the bulge on the wood was indeed unnatural. She pulled back her sword to strike just as two yellow eyes opened wide. The lizard shrieked, and Carliss sliced at the wood where it sat. The lizard had flattened its body to less than a third of its normal thickness but now swelled to its normal shape in an instant. With unbelievable speed the creature leapt for Carliss, and she instantly threw herself backward out of the shade of the door and into the sunlit yard. Her arm flew up to stop the creature from landing on her face, and she readied herself for the same ugly fate that had befallen Dalton.

The lizard landed on her chest, shrieked, then launched itself back toward the shade of the barn. Carliss dropped her sword, drew her long knife, and waited for another attack. Her heart was pounding hard, and the rush within her muscles almost hurt. Amazed that the lizard had fled from her, she searched the shaded outside wall of the barn and finally spotted the same subtle movement along the base that she had seen on the barn door. It was traveling rapidly away from her toward the forested area behind the barn.

Carliss quickly sheathed her knife, drew an arrow from her quiver, and ran into the barn to retrieve her bow. She was already setting the nock of the arrow into the bowstring as she turned to exit the barn. She took three paces and then froze. Her mind and eyes had already adapted to hunting this unusual creature, and now she easily spotted another subtle bulge in the wood just above the barn door. She pulled back the bow just as Salina appeared in the doorway.

“Carliss, what’s going on!”

Another lizard swelled and shrieked.

“Watch out, Salina!” Carliss released her arrow. The creature whipped its tail and bolted from its vantage point. The arrow sank deep into the wood where it had just been.

Salina screamed and ducked as the second lizard raced down the door post, following the first out of the barn. Carliss quickly drew another arrow and ran out of the barn after the creature. As before, she spotted the movement along the base of the barn, toward the trees. The lizard moved in punctuated bursts of speed, pausing every ten paces or so. Each time it paused, it took on the color and texture of its background.

Salina yelled and drew her sword. She followed Carliss as she ran down the length of the barn.

Carliss reached the end of the barn just as the lizard scurried up the height of the barn to the roof and then leapt fifteen feet to the nearest tree branch.

No! Carliss thought, realizing that the animal would be virtually undetectable in an endless sea of potential natural camouflage.

Carliss stood perfectly still, watching the branch of the tree jostle as the lizard ran down its length to the trunk. Slowly she lifted her bow and fitted another arrow, then drew back the string, and waited.

“What is it?” Salina asked again, arriving near Carliss’s right arm.

Carliss ignored her. She focused on the last subtle movement she saw and then pinpointed that spot for a target. She let the bowstring escape from her fingers, and the arrow flew straight to its unseen target.

Thud! The arrow hit the tree trunk. For an instant, Carliss thought she had missed again, but then the shriek of the dying lizard pierced the air.

Carliss ran to the base of the tree. Just above her head, the three-foot lizard flailed on the shank of Carliss’s arrow, shrieking in protest. It was a hideous sound that hurt Carliss’s ears, but it only lasted a moment. Soon the lifeless form of a blue and orange lizard hung skewered to the tree.

Salina joined her, eyes wide in amazement.

“I don’t know what it is, but it’s not from here, that’s for sure,” Carliss jabbed the lizard with her knife to make sure it was dead. Satisfied, she worked her arrow out of the trunk and carried it and the creature back to the barn. She laid it on the ground near Dalton and knelt beside him. Salina knelt on the opposite side.

“Isn’t this Sir Dalton? From the—”

“It’s him,” Carliss answered quickly as she gently lifted his head. “Dalton!”

Slowly he opened his eyes. “My lady,” he said with a smile, “why did you leave me?” But his speech was slurred, and his eyes began to roll back in his head again. The two places where the creature’s antennae had pierced his neck were swollen and red.

Carliss looked at Salina. “He’s already reacting to the bite—or the sting, or whatever it is. I’ve never seen poison work so quickly… It must be strong. We’ve got to find help for him fast.”

She retrieved a cloth from her pack on Rindy and bandaged Dalton’s neck.

“But we need to—my fam—” Salina began. Then she looked at Dalton, swallowed, and said only, “Salisburg is too far away. Pembrook is a small village, but it is just northwest of here. Perhaps someone there can help.”

Carliss considered the suggestion. She wanted to get Dalton home, but Salina was right. They were still nearly a day’s ride away from Salisburg. And by the way Dalton was reacting to the lizard’s poison, he might not have that much time.

“All right. Help me get him on his horse.”

Carliss and Salina worked hard to get Dalton mounted, but he could not keep himself upright.

“Hold him there for a moment.” Carliss ran to find a gunnysack. Wrestling the dead lizard into the sack, she secured it to her pack on Rindy. Then she mounted up behind Dalton and held his chest while Salina handed the reins to her. Salina grabbed Rindy’s reins to lead him, and they set off toward Pembrook.

Carliss’s mind raced as she struggled to keep Dalton balanced. She found it difficult to keep from thinking the worst. And even though she knew that Dalton belonged to Lady Brynn, she could not cut the strings of her heart that seemed to draw her to him. Watching him slip away was nearly unbearable.

Please help us, my Prince, she whispered as they continued their maddeningly slow pace northwest to Pembrook.

THE OAF

Carliss, Salina, and Dalton arrived in Pembrook within an hour. It was indeed a small village. Carliss estimated there were only a few hundred people. She knew the odds were slim that they would find someone here who could help Dalton. She nearly turned about to ride straight for Salisburg, but Salina insisted they try.

They rode to the only tavern in the town and dismounted. Carliss was grateful to rest her arms. Salina helped her get Dalton off his horse and position him sitting against the wall. She then went into the tavern. Dalton slumped to the side, and Carliss steadied him so he wouldn’t fall. She knelt in front of him, then lifted his chin and peered into his face.

“Don’t give up, Dalton,” she whispered.

Dalton moaned, and his head rolled to the left and right. His eyes opened halfway.

“My love,” he murmured, “I’ve come for you. Let’s ride off togeth…”

Carliss stared at him, stunned. He was clearly not himself, but hearing him say such things still rattled her.

“No one here can help.” Salina had appeared in the doorway. “How is he?”

“Ah… not very well. He’s quite delirious and babbling nonsense.”

Carliss looked up and down the main thoroughfare. The usual activity of a town filled the lane. A few small shops were open, and people were moving about their business.

Across the lane and up a few buildings, Carliss saw four children taunting some poor animal cowering in the corner. They all had sticks and took turns poking it.

“We need to find someone to help him now.” Carliss looked up at Salina. She was worried.

“I’ll check with a couple of the shops to see if they know of anyone.” Salina hurried off.

“Please stop,” Carliss heard a deep voice plead. She looked more closely at the children and was amazed to see that the animal they had been poking was actually a full-grown man hunkered down into a protective ball. The children just laughed and began striking the man with their sticks.

“Oafy, Oafy, Oafy,” the children called.

Carliss hated to leave Dalton even for a moment, but malice toward the lowly was something she could not stand by and watch. She stood and began walking toward the scene. She saw the man cover his head with his hands, trying to keep the sticks from hitting him. The children renewed their torment and taunting.

“Stop it!” Carliss quickened her pace.

The children stopped and gazed at her, seemingly perplexed. The oldest imp, a lad of about eleven, lifted his stick to strike once again. Carliss glared hard at the boy.

“Do it again,” she said sternly, “and I’ll use that stick to paddle you!”

The tormented man looked up just as the imp smacked him hard in the head with his stick. Carliss sprinted toward them, and the four children threw down their sticks and ran, laughing all the way, shouting, “Oafy, Oafy, Oafy.”

The man covered his head again as Carliss reached him. His brown rags barely covered his body, and his hair was a wild mess. A worn-out broom lay beside him.

“Are you all right?” Carliss asked gently, kneeling beside him.

The man slowly opened his eyes. He lifted his hand from the place where the last stick had hit him, and blood dripped down his forehead.

“Please stop,” the man pleaded.

Carliss leaned closer. “They are gone. They won’t hurt you anymore.”

The man carefully looked up. His face was filthy, and his eyes seemed to tilt low to the outside, giving him the appearance of a beaten puppy. He looked about for the children. Carliss smiled and touched his arm. The man was large, and she had a hard time imagining him being frightened by the meanspirited children.

The man looked into Carliss’s eyes. He smiled, but she could tell his mind was not fully there. He didn’t even seem to notice the blood trickling down his forehead.

“Oafy sweeps,” he said, then looked about for his broom.

Carliss reached for it and handed it to him. He smiled and nodded. When he stood up, Carliss rose up with him. His back did not seem to straighten fully, but even so he towered over Carliss. He began to sweep the walkway where he had been crouching as if he had just returned from a break.

“Will you be all right now?” Carliss asked.

The man smiled and nodded while making a goofy, gleeful sound with his throat.

Carliss returned the smile, then turned to go back to Dalton. She could see that he had fallen over and was now lying along the wall of the tavern. A man and a woman walked by, shaking their heads in disgust. Carliss hurried over to them.

“Excuse me,” she said, interrupting their walk, “this man is injured and—”

The man and woman snorted and then hurried on their way. Carliss was becoming agitated by this town and by their lack of success in finding help. Salina returned and shook her head.

“We’re going to Salisburg,” Carliss said. “At least there are people there who will help us.”

Salina agreed, and they lifted Dalton to his feet once again. He was worse off now and seemed much heavier than before. As they struggled to lift him to his horse, the man called Oafy appeared at Carliss’s side. He tilted his head from one side to the other as they tried fruitlessly to get Dalton mounted.

Finally Carliss turned to the man. “Please help,” she said with a gentle smile.

Oafy dropped his broom and lifted Dalton as if he were lifting a child. Once Dalton was placed in the saddle, he slumped forward onto the neck of his horse. His head was turned toward Carliss and the large fellow.

“Thank you,” Carliss said to Oafy, but he didn’t respond. He was studying Dalton’s face.

He leaned in close to Dalton and squinted. He slowly brought a finger up to Dalton’s face and looked as if he was going to poke his eye. Carliss grabbed Oafy’s hand and gently pulled it away. He looked at Carliss.

“Tolmew,” he said.

“What?” Carliss asked.

“Tolmew fix sick man,” the large fellow said again and pointed to Dalton.

“Is Tolmew nearby?” Carliss asked, wondering how much he understood.

The man seemed puzzled for a moment.

“Carliss,” Salina said. “We need to go.”

“Tolmew nearby,” the man said.

Carliss looked at Dalton. Beads of sweat had formed above his brows and on his cheeks. She touched his forehead; it burned with fever. Something told her Dalton would never make it to Salisburg alive, but trusting Dalton’s life to this childlike street sweeper seemed absurd.

Carliss looked deep into the eyes of her odd new friend. “What’s your name?”

“Oafy,” the man said soberly.

“What’s your real name?” Carliss tried once more.

The man’s eyes seemed to droop, but a slight smile lit upon his face. He put his hand to his chest.

“Ganoaf,” he said.

Carliss smiled back. “Take us to Tolmew, Ganoaf.”

THE ALCHEMIST

Carliss didn’t like being responsible for Dalton’s life. He would live or die by her decisions, and she would have to live with that forever. She wished Koen was with her. He always seemed to know exactly what to do.

They followed Ganoaf through Pembrook and into the country to the east. They traveled for some time along a road that wound through trees and hills. Finally, deep in a forested hollow, they came to a strange-looking hut. It was nestled in tightly with the surrounding trees.

Ganoaf pointed to the hut. “Tolmew.”

Carliss looked at Salina and then toward the house. She took a deep breath.

“We don’t have much of a choice. Dalton’s getting worse by the moment.”

Salina didn’t answer, but Carliss could tell by her face that she thought this was a waste of time. Ganoaf helped Carliss get Dalton off the horse, then carried him in his arms behind Carliss as she approached the door to the quaint, little forest hut. A yellow glow illumined the windows and flickered, indicating the fire inside was well tended. The thatched roof hung low to the ground on the sides, and the surrounding trees nearly engulfed the abode.

Carliss knocked on the door and waited. After a second attempt, she was rewarded with the sounds of the latch being released. The door slowly opened, and a silver-haired woman peered out. She glanced quickly at Carliss and then opened the door wide. She smiled warmly, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened. Besides Ganoaf, this was the first friendly face they had seen since entering Pembrook.

“Hello, deary,” the woman said in a gentle voice. “What brings you to our humble hut?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, madam, but I have a friend who has been injured and is in desperate need of attention.” Carliss stepped aside to reveal Ganoaf holding Dalton.

“Oh my!” the woman said. “Bring him in, Ganoaf.”

Carliss followed the woman in and helped Ganoaf get Dalton through the door.

“How in the kingdom did you get Ganoaf to help you?” the woman said. She leaned close to Carliss. “He’s not really all there, you know.”

“Ganoaf is the one who told us about you and led us here,” Carliss replied.

The woman looked at their large assistant as he laid Dalton on a cot in the corner.

“Really?” she said. “All he’s ever done is sweep the streets and sidewalks of Pembrook. We give him food from time to time, but he’s never really said much to us. However, there was that one time—”

“Excuse me, madam,” Carliss interrupted. “Are you Tolmew?”

“Tolmew?” she asked, looking perplexed. “Ah…you mean Petolemew. Good gracious, no,” the woman nearly laughed. “I am Eunice. Petolemew is my husband.”

Carliss knelt down to Dalton and felt his forehead again. “He is very sick. Is there anything you can do to help him?” Carliss asked. The kindness of the older woman was comforting, but her apparent lack of urgency was frustrating too.

The old woman came closer and peered at Dalton. “I’m so sorry. I will get Petolemew. He may be able to help.”

“He’s a doctor then?” Salina asked. “He’s here now?”

“Not a doctor, my dear. He calls himself an alchemist, although I’m sure I don’t understand the half of what he does. And of course he’s here. He’s always here.” The woman went to the far wall of the hut and opened a small door.

“Petolemew!” she shouted and then closed the door. “He’ll be here in a moment. What is your name, child?”

“I am Carliss of Salisburg. This is Salina. Apparently you already know Ganoaf. And this is Dalton.” Carliss took a cloth and wiped more beads of sweat from Dalton’s brow. She began to untie the cloth about his neck.

“What happened to him?” Eunice asked.

“He was bitten by—”

“What do you need, dear?” a reedy voice called out as the back door to the hut opened.

A white-haired gentleman entered the room and stopped just inside the threshold.

“Goodness, what have we here?” He gawked at the small room full of people. “Eunice, why didn’t you tell me we had company?”

“Because they’ve just arrived, dear. This is Carliss, Salina, and Ganoaf.”

Petolemew greeted each of them with a broad smile and a hearty handshake. “My, you’re a large fellow aren’t you?” he said to Ganoaf.

Ganoaf smiled and grunted.

Salinas brow furrowed. “I thought you knew Ganoaf already.”

Eunice shook her head as if to shush her.

“Mister Petolemew, this is Sir Dalton,” Carliss escorted him over to the cot. “He’s very sick, and I didn’t know where to go for help. Can you help him?”

The smile on Petolemew’s face quickly diminished, and he bent over to look more closely. “What happened to him?”

“He was bitten by a strange lizard. He became delirious almost immediately.”

“When did this happen?” Petolemew asked.

“Earlier today… this afternoon.”

Petolemew finished removing the bandage about Dalton’s neck, revealing the punctures made by the lizard. Petolemew brought his hand to his mouth and shook his head.

“What is it, dear?” Eunice asked.

“I’m not certain, but this looks very bad.” Petolemew looked up at Carliss with grave concern on his face. “I’m not sure there’s much I can do. Perhaps if I had the lizard I could—”

“I do have it!” Carliss exclaimed. She jumped up and ran out the door. Salina followed her to Rindy. She put a hand on Carliss’s shoulder as Carliss untied the sack holding the dead lizard.

“Carliss…I know you care a lot for Dalton.”

Carliss paused and turned to look at her friend.

“What are you trying to say, Salina?”

“I just… well… Dalton’s not looking good, and I can’t imagine that this old codger could possibly do anything for him. I think we might be wasting time here. Salisburg—”

“I wish we were in Salisburg too, Salina. But I honestly don’t think Dalton would survive the trip to Salisburg in his condition. Besides, we’re here. Let’s see what Mister Petolemew can do.” Not waiting for a reply, she lugged the bag back into the hut.

When she entered, Petolemew was sitting at the table drinking from a cup, and Eunice was standing beside him. He looked up at Carliss. “Eunice, we have guests. Why didn’t you tell me we had guests tonight?”

Carliss stood in the doorway, not quite sure what was happening. She looked at Ganoaf, who had found a broom and was sweeping the hut. Salina stepped up behind Carliss.

“What’s going on?” she whispered.

Carliss just slowly shook her head in confusion.

“Now, Petolemew,” Eunice said as she patted his shoulder. “You’ve already met Carliss and Salina. They’ve come for your help.”

Petolemew stood and came to them with a broad smile. “I am pleased to meet you. My name is Petolemew.” He turned to Eunice. “I’m certain I would have remembered meeting such lovely young ladies as these.”

Eunice came and stood beside Petolemew. “I should have mentioned to you that he has some trouble remembering things.”

“Nonsense, Eunice.” Petolemew leaned forward to Carliss. “She’s older than me and just a wee bit jealous,” he said with a wink.

Carliss stood dumbfounded. All hope of finding help for Dalton vanished in an instant. She fought back anger and frustration, having absolutely no idea what to do next.

Eunice grabbed Petolemew’s arm. “Come, dear. Carliss has a friend who needs help.”

“Really? Where is he?”

“He’s right over here.” Eunice led Petolemew to the cot again.

“Gracious, she got him in here in a hurry.” Petolemew knelt down to look at Dalton.

Eunice waved for Carliss to come, but she wanted to do something entirely uncharacteristic instead—scream. Eunice waved more vigorously, and Carliss went to Dalton.

“Keep him focused, and he will stay with you,” Eunice whispered to Carliss.

Petolemew looked at Dalton with serious concern.

“What happened to him?” he asked as he bent over to look more closely.

Carliss sighed. “He was bitten by a strange lizard.”

“When did this happen?” Petolemew asked.

Carliss hesitated. “Today…this afternoon.”

Petolemew closely inspected the red, inflamed punctures on Dalton’s neck again. “This is very serious. If I knew what kind of lizard it was, perhaps we could find an antidote.”

Carliss opened the gunnysack and lifted the dead lizard out by its tail.

“Oh my!” Petolemew exclaimed. He grabbed the lizard from Carliss and inspected it closely. “I have never seen anything like this in all my studies. This is the lizard that bit your friend?” he asked Carliss without looking up.

“No,” she replied. “But it is exactly the same kind.”

“There were two?” This time he looked over at her.

Carliss had to remind herself that she was talking to a forgetful old man, for at the present he seemed quite in control of his faculties.

“Yes, there were two. Perhaps more, but I only saw two. We were on a farm just a short distance from Pembrook.”

Petolemew went back to inspecting the lizard. “This is highly unusual, and I can tell you that this lizard is not indigenous to this region. Was it cornered? Is that why it bit your friend?”

“No. It attacked both him and me in a barn, unprovoked. It was almost as if it were stalking us.”

“You don’t say?” Petolemew opened the jaws of the lizard, being careful not to touch its teeth, then closely inspected the antennae with the poisonous barbs. He looked at Dalton’s neck once again.

Dalton moaned and turned his head from side to side. Carliss knelt down beside him and felt his forehead yet again. Then she noticed he had begun to tremble. She looked at Petolemew, and he pursed his lips together.

“Eunice, get some cool water.”

Daltons arms and legs began to shake, and soon the tremors seemed to take over his entire body. Eunice returned with the water, and Petolemew drenched a cloth in it.

“Here, swab his head with this to cool him down,” he said.

Carliss took to the task immediately. She became sick with concern as she watched the poison ravage Dalton’s body.

“Did you notice anything else about the lizard?” Petolemew asked.

Carliss described the remarkable camouflaging capabilities the lizard possessed. Petolemew scratched his head in wonderment.

“I’m certain I won’t find anything like this creature in my ordinary books or scrolls.” Petolemew tapped his temple as he thought. “I wouldn’t believe it if it weren’t in my hand. There’s perhaps one place I could find something on this…

Petolemew rose up and began walking toward the back door of the hut. Carliss swabbed Dalton’s forehead again.

Eunice nodded toward Petolemew as he walked away from them, and Carliss instantly realized what she must do. She leapt to her feet, threw the cloth to Salina, then followed Petolemew to the door.

Is he going outside? she wondered. How crazy is this old man?

Petolemew opened the door, and Carliss followed closely behind him. They entered into another very large room that was part of an addition attached to the hut. They hadn’t seen it from the outside. The thick overgrowth of trees and the diminished light in the forest must have hidden it.

The room was full of tables with jars, plants, roots, and various powders in neat piles, plus a myriad of odd-looking instruments and tools. Along the far wall were shelves holding thousands of neatly organized books and scrolls. Each shelf was meticulously labeled. In the center of the room was a large table with two scrolls spread out as though they were being carefully studied.

Petolemew walked toward the table and stopped. He tilted his head to the side.

“Do you remember what you’re looking for?” Carliss asked.

Petolemew jerked his head around.

“Who are you,” he demanded, “and how did you get into my study?”

Carliss closed her eyes and dropped her head.

“Oh, it’s all right. Don’t be sad, young lady,” Petolemew said gently. “Whatever you’re looking for, I’ll help you.”

Carliss looked back up at Petolemew and could hardly speak.

“Don’t you remember, sir?” she pleaded. “You were looking for information on the lizard.” Carliss pointed to the lizard Petolemew was still holding in his hands.

Petolemew looked down, yelled, and simultaneously threw the lizard away from him.

“Good gracious!” he exclaimed. “What is that thing?”

Carliss went to the table, sat down, and put her head in her hands. She was not the crying type, but this was almost too much. Salina’s family had been captured and was being taken to a castle dungeon. Dalton was dying. And she was at the whim of an old man who couldn’t remember who she was from moment to moment.

“I believe I’ve seen a creature like this before,” Petolemew said.

Carliss looked up to see that he had recovered the lizard and laid it on the table across from her.

“Yes, just a few moments ago,” Carliss said almost sarcastically.

“Nonsense, young lady,” he replied loftily. “Don’t be ridiculous. No, I’ve seen a picture of this lizard in one of my mythical books.”

Petolemew crossed over to the shelves with the scrolls and books.

“I don’t usually waste time studying mythical writings.” Petolemew let out a wheezy laugh. “But since the lizard is lying there, it’s certainly not mythical anymore, is it?”

He pulled a dusty scroll from the bottom of a pile, examined it, and then put it back. After three more tries, he went to the books on the same shelf and then turned, his countenance gleeful.

“This might help us,” he exclaimed as he held the book up high. He brought it to the table and opened it carefully. “I’ve been collecting ancient writings since I was a boy. These are great treasures of antiquity, young lady.”

Petolemew turned to a section of the book near the middle and then turned each page until he came to one with a drawing of a lizard next to a strange-looking flower. Carliss came and looked on beside him.

“There!” Petolemew pointed to the book. He reached for the lizard and laid it out exactly as the picture showed. It was a perfect match. “I would never have believed it if it weren’t lying there on my table.” Petolemew shook his head back and forth. “What we have here, apparently, is an esca lizard. Or dragon, as the old books would call it.”

Carliss tried to read the description, but the words were unfamiliar to her. Petolemew placed his forefinger beneath the first few words and began to translate out loud.

“Behold the marsh-dwelling esca dragon, which bears vile poison for the mind. In the wink of an eye it strikes, in the wink of an eye it is gone, and readily it takes the form of that on which it lights. None can capture it. None have killed it. It lurks in shadows and hides from the day. Pity the man who feels its bite or knows its sting, for that man will lose his senses and quiver as a leaf in a storm. Yet fear not the quaking, but rather its end, for the last of his dreams brings death. Nine days will bring visions of delight, but the tenth will be a horrible sight, for on that day the man will of surety die. The swamp lily beneath the morning star will preserve his life, but this remedy grows hard by the dragon’s nest. Though some have tried, all have died. Only one who seeks the light and overcomes will be victorious through the night. Beware the swamps of Moorue and Basillow!”

Carliss felt her heart sink as Petolemew finished. She stared at the limp form of the esca lizard and despaired. The old alchemist seemed to feel her grief and patted her hand gently.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I’m sure no one here was bitten by this hideous creature.”

Carliss looked sadly at Petolemew.

“I’m sure you’re right,” she said. She tried to smile but couldn’t.

DAY ONE

Carliss sat down in the chair next to Dalton and resumed her duty of swabbing his forehead and face with cool water. His entire body was trembling uncontrollably.

Salina was pacing back and forth. “What do we do now?” she said, finally taking a seat next to Carliss.

Carliss looked at her friend and was moved with compassion for her. She put her hand on Salina’s and squeezed.

“You must be greatly distressed for your family,” Carliss said, wanting to let her know that she had not forgotten.

Salina bit her lip and squeezed Carliss’s hand. She wiped a tear from her eye and gave a nervous laugh. “We are in quite a mess aren’t we?”

“Yes, we are,” Carliss replied. She could think of no good solution to their double dilemma. “We are tired, and it’s late into the night. Rest now, and we’ll decide what to do in the morning.”

Salina attempted a smile and nodded.

Eunice and Petolemew, who had graciously invited Carliss, Salina, and Ganoaf to sleep in their hut, offered blankets for the floor. Carliss declined, preferring to stay beside Dalton. Hours after the others had fallen asleep, Carliss was still by his side, trying to cool him as his body fought the fever and the tremors. She’d kept a candle burning so she could see his face.

“Why couldn’t you stay away?” she whispered as she wrung out the cloth in cool water and applied it to his feverish forehead.

It simply wasn’t fair. Two years ago, the thought of finding someone to spend her life with had been far from her mind, for she had long assumed that her zeal to serve the Prince made her less attractive to most young men. She was too single-minded to play the necessary games. Besides, she was a plain, quiet girl, very different from the smiling, pretty creatures the young men seemed to like.

From an early age, she had settled on the very likely possibility that she would be a Knight of the Prince unhindered by romantic distractions. This notion suited her well, and she was very comfortable with it. She actually pitied the girls who struggled with the awkward emotions their yearnings brought. With her heart protected and her mind focused on her work, she was able to cast aside any concern about the perceptions of others, and this freed her to just be Carliss.

Then one day two years earlier, the foundations of her finely tuned emotional world shifted. It was just a small shift, but she felt it—and did not like it. Sir Dalton was a couple of years older and well into a relationship with Lady Brynn—a beautiful girl, much prettier than herself, and openly scornful of Carliss. Carliss had quickly pushed aside the notion that the momentary flutter within her had anything to do with Sir Dalton. She had moved on with her life, being careful to avoid him just in case.

As circumstance would have it, however, Dalton kept crossing her path. The very worst of it all was when her dear brother, Koen, became close friends with Dalton. Before Carliss realized it, she was daily—nay, hourly—fighting the emotions she had so despised. They embarrassed her, angered her, teased her, and tempted her. Then, when she realized she was losing the battle of her heart to the merciless whims of unreturned love, she withdrew.

That was when she volunteered to help retrain the knights at Varlaken instead of going back home to Salisburg. Although she could hardly admit it even to herself, she was running from Dalton.

And now, once again, her life had been inexplicably entwined with the very man she had tried to stay away from.

Carliss paused in her duty and looked at Dalton. Her heart ached in so many ways. All of the careful protection of her heart seemed for naught. She had fallen in love with a man who was promised to another, who could never love her. She had even heard rumors of marriage between Dalton and Lady Brynn. She accepted the fact that she would be condemned to a life of loneliness no matter the outcome here, but she also knew she could bear that loneliness much easier if Dalton were alive, even though he was with another.

Daltons right hand was trembling severely, and Carliss could not make her heart obey her mind. She reached out and put her hand on his. She squeezed his hand to comfort him and began to withdraw, but his hand squeezed back. Her touch seemed to ease his tremors a bit, and though she knew her inner conflict would only increase, she left her hand on his.

“The tremors seem to have stopped,” Eunice said as she set a fresh basin of cool water on the table beside Carliss.

Carliss snapped her head up and blinked to clear the sleep from her eyes. Sunlight was streaming through the window and into the hut. Her neck ached, and so did her arm.

“What?” she asked groggily.

“I said, it looks like the tremors of your friend are over,” Eunice repeated.

Carliss looked down at Dalton and realized she was still holding his hand. She quickly pulled her hand away.

“Ah, yes, it does seem so.”

Eunice smiled at her. “It’s all right, child. Love is the greatest medicine there is.”

“It’s not like that,” Carliss began, but Eunice seemed to see right into her heart.

Eunice pulled up a chair beside Carliss and sat down. “I don’t know much about him, but you’ve picked a handsome one.”

Carliss fidgeted and looked about to make sure the others were still asleep. The only one she couldn’t see was Petolemew, who was probably studying in the back room.

“I’m not really his type.” Carliss gave Eunice a brief smile. “Besides, he’s promised to another.”

“I see,” Eunice looked kindly on Carliss. “Many times things don’t work out the way we’d like them to. But sometimes they do, and in my experience there seems to be an extra measure of blessing for those with a good and kind heart.” Eunice took Carliss’s hand in hers and patted it. “You have a good heart, child. And when your Sir Dalton recovers, perhaps he’ll see just how good.”

Carliss could not help but smile at Eunice. The words had soothed her ache, but she did not let them rest too long on her mind. Contentment was something she wanted restored in her life, and daring to hope for such a thing as Dalton’s love did little to help that. Nevertheless, she was grateful for the kindness of this old woman.

“Thank you, madam. You are very kind.” Carliss looked back at Dalton and gave a start, for his eyes were open.

“Dalton!” she exclaimed and drew close to him.

Dalton blinked.

“My love, I’ve come to rescue you,” he said and lifted a hand to her cheek. “The dragamoth comes. Hurry!”

Carliss grabbed his hand and laid it back on the bed. Dalton looked to the ceiling and slowly closed his eyes. Carliss then realized something grave.

“The tremors have stopped, and the visions continue.” She looked at Eunice with alarm. “We’re running out of time!”

Carliss stood and began to pace. Salina raised her head and blinked her eyes sleepily.

“What is it, Carliss?”

“According to Petolemew’s book on the esca lizard, we have only nine days to travel to Moorue, find the antidote, and give it to Dalton before he dies.”

Salina pushed herself to a sitting position. “If we take him to Salisburg before we go to Moorue, we’ll never make it in time,” she said.

Carliss put her hands on her hips and tried to think of other options, but could not. She was in a race against time, and every moment she delayed brought Dalton closer to death.

“We could take him with us to Moorue,” Salina said. “That would save the four-day journey back.”

Carliss looked at Dalton again and tried to imagine that scenario.

“He’s in no condition to travel at all. We would use up the time just trying to get there.” Carliss looked back at Salina. “There is only one option. You and I must leave straightaway for Moorue.” Then she looked at Eunice. “You have already done so much for us…”

Eunice stood. “We will care for Dalton.”

Carliss grabbed her hands. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you.”

Eunice smiled. “No need—”

She was interrupted by a ferocious commotion from Petolemew’s study, followed by sharp coughing.

“Eunice”—cough, cough—“Eunice! Come quickly!” the old man yelled from behind the door.

Carliss, Eunice, Salina, and Ganoaf all rushed into the study. A thick black cloud of smoke hung in the air just above their heads. Petolemew was sitting at one of the tables. His face looked as though it had been painted pitch black, and the fringes of his hair were singed. He was smiling broadly, and his white teeth and eyes stood out in stark contrast against his blackened countenance.

Eunice hurried to his side. “Petolemew, what have you done?”

“It’s marvelous!” he exclaimed, pointing to a large charred mark on the table before him.

Eunice went over and touched his face. Petolemew brushed her hand aside.

“Wonderful! You’ve brought visitors. Watch this.” He scooped a small mound of black powder from a large crucible just within arm’s reach. He reached for a lit candle and brought the flame near the mound.

Eunice began to back away. Carliss and Salina took their cue from her and also took a couple of steps back. Ganoaf, however, stepped forward toward Petolemew’s experiment.

“You be careful, Petole—” Eunice’s scolding was interrupted by a bright flash of light and a loud sound, followed by another poof of black smoke that rose up from the table in front of the alchemist.

Carliss closed her eyes and turned away, but she was not quick enough. Now, even with her eyes closed, a bright white light seemed etched in her vision, no matter which direction she looked. She looked back at Petolemew and saw that the table was on fire. After a few shouts of exclamation and some scurrying about, Petolemew found a rag and smothered the small flame.

“What is it?” Carliss asked as they reassembled about the table.

Ganoaf seemed completely mesmerized by what had just happened and was poking his finger into the crucible of unscorched black powder. He licked his finger and began to spit.

“It’s not to eat, big fella.” Petolemew grabbed the crucible and glanced at Carliss. “Is he missing a horseshoe or two?”

Carliss had to suppress her laughter, for that comment was a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.

“Mister Petolemew,” she asked, “how do you make this powder?”

“It’s a mixture of various substances…,” he began, then launched into a complicated explanation that lost Carliss almost from the beginning. But Eunice had grabbed a pen, inkwell, and parchment and was writing down as many of Petolemew’s words as possible, often asking him to repeat himself. Carliss marveled at the beautiful love that this woman demonstrated for her forgetful husband.

When his oration was through, Petolemew looked at the notes his wife had taken. For a moment, he seemed to perfectly understand his curse and the magnitude of her compassion.

“I am the most blessed man in the kingdom,” he said softly to her. A blackened tear trickled down his cheek.

Eunice went to him and put her head on his shoulder. Carliss then understood that these brief moments of loving gratitude were compensation for Eunice’s seemingly unending patience and adoration and that she cherished those moments greatly.

“Um, I hate to interrupt”—Salinas voice held a taut note of impatience—“but we need to leave as soon as possible.”

Her words brought the reality of Dalton’s danger and the captivity of Salina’s family pressing back upon them, and they were shortly in the throes of hasty preparation. Ganoaf seemed to understand the sense of urgency and followed Carliss about wherever she went. “Ganoaf help,” he would say from time to time.

Carliss took a moment to sit down beside Dalton. She felt his forehead. The fever seemed to have left him completely. She studied his face, then closed her eyes, pressing the imprint of his image into her memory while trying to quell the ache in her heart. It seemed so cruel to be caught in this web of yearning and desperation. At its very best, she imagined saving Dalton’s life to see him riding into the sunset with Lady Brynn. She opened her eyes, sat tall, and took a deep breath.

“You are a fellow Knight of the Prince and the friend of my brother. This is why I go,” she said, steeling herself for the mission. When she stood, she stood strong, having recaptured the heart of the woman the Prince had called her to be… a warrior of the King.

When all was ready, Salina mounted her horse, and Carliss waited to say farewell to Eunice and Petolemew, who had just exited the hut, each carrying a bundle. Petolemew’s face was mostly clean by now, though smudges of black soot remained about his eyes and nose. Carliss thought he looked a bit like a raccoon.

“Eunice,” he said with excitement, “we have visitors!”

“Yes, dear,” Eunice said. “But they are only passing through.”

“What a shame.” Petolemew shook his head. “It seems we never have visitors stay with us a spell anymore.”

Eunice gave him a patient smile, then handed Carliss a battered knapsack. “I’ve packed some food for you—nothing fancy, but it should keep you awhile. Will you be stopping in Brimwick Downs? It’s not too far off the way, isn’t it?”

Carliss glanced over at Salina, remembering their conversation on the subject. She had proposed stopping for reinforcements from Sir Norsington at the Brimwick Downs haven, but Salina had insisted they would save time by keeping farther to the west and hugging the foothills of the Northern Mountains. Though still concerned about her family, Salina seemed willing to postpone a rescue in the interests of saving Dalton, and Carliss was deeply grateful for her unselfishness. They had agreed to locate Salina’s family in Moorue and then come back with reinforcements once they got the antidote to Dalton.

“We will stop in Brimwick Downs on our way back,” Carliss said to Eunice as she secured the knapsack of food behind her saddle. Then she turned back and put her arms around the older woman.

“Thank you!” she whispered, then released her embrace. “We are in your debt.”

Eunice put a gentle hand to Carliss’s cheek. “Don’t you worry, child. We will take care of your young man. You take care of yourself.”

“Yes, madam.”

Eunice stepped aside. “Petolemew has something he would like to give you as well.”

Petolemew stepped forward. “Here you go, dear.” he said and handed a bundle to Carliss with a big grin.

“What is it?” she asked.

Petolemew thought for a moment and then smiled even bigger. “I have no idea!”

“It is some of the exploding mixture you saw earlier,” Eunice said. “I asked him to mix up a batch for you. It seems like it might come in useful where you are going.”

Carliss couldn’t imagine how, at least not yet.

“Be careful with it,” Eunice said. He’s put a batch in each of six leather pouches for you.”

Carliss took the bundle from Petolemew and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, which delighted the old fellow. It was an action that surprised even her.

“Thank you, sir,” she said, then swung into Rindy’s saddle.

Ganoaf stood beside Rindy and put his hand on the steed’s neck.

“Ganoaf come.” The large fellow said as he looked up at Carliss with pleading eyes.

“I’m sorry, Ganoaf, you must stay here.” Carliss patted the huge hand. “Thank you for all of your help.”

Ganoaf’s hand slowly fell from Rindy’s neck.

Just as they were about to leave, a hawk screeched from a nearby tree and Carliss jumped.

“It’s just a bird, deary,” Eunice said.

Carliss spotted the bird and took a deep breath as she realized that it bore no resemblance to the death ravens she had fought. “Yes, of course it is. I just don’t care much for birds… especially large ones.”

Carliss and Salina launched their steeds in a northerly direction, toward the foothills of the Northern Mountains. But they had barely crested the first knoll of the hollow when they heard Eunice shouting for Ganoaf. Carliss turned back to see him jogging toward them. Her shoulders fell slightly as she thought of the poor fellow trying to jog all the way to Moorue.

“Come, Carliss,” Salina said. “When we are out of sight he will give up and return to Pembrook. We can’t be encumbered with watching over him while we are trying to save my family and Sir Dalton.”

Carliss considered Salina’s words and knew them to be true, though Salina’s harsh tone bothered her. She turned her horse back on course and then realized that riding away from the meek and lowly was something she was incapable of doing. Something in her compelled her to respond to Ganoaf It was the same force within her bosom that had made her run to Sir Orland as a little girl and ask of the hope she saw in him. It was the same force that caused her to join with Sir Dalton and free her fellow knights—like Salina—from the evil prison of Lord Drox. It was a force she could not refuse, so she turned her horse around and galloped back.

“Carliss!” Salina shouted.

Carliss ignored her.

After another short delay, Ganoaf was sitting atop Dalton’s horse, Chaser, hanging on as if he had never ridden before. Carliss and Ganoaf joined Salina on the crest of the knoll, and Salina looked disgusted.

“He had better keep up,” she huffed, “or we’re leaving him behind.”

Ganoaf looked sheepishly at Carliss. She smiled at him and then nodded in the direction Salina was headed.

“Come along, Ganoaf,” Carliss said and kicked Rindy into a trot.

The haze of the morning had not yet lifted, making the Northern Mountains difficult to see, but they pressed forward, anticipating their passage to a strange city that hosted a mythical creature… and a mythical cure.

NORTHERN JOURNEY

Moorue was a three- to four-days’ journey, providing all went well and the foothills were kind to them. By the end of the first day, Ganoaf had learned to ride Chaser, remarkably well, much to Salina’s surprise and chagrin. In spite of the heavier load, Chaser seemed to take to Ganoaf, and Ganoaf to Chaser.

When it grew too dark to ride any farther, they made camp. Ganoaf stayed away from Salina and close to Carliss. When Carliss laid out her bedroll, Ganoaf lay down at her feet on the ground. Carliss wasn’t quite sure what to think about his apparent attachment to her. She didn’t find him annoying because he seemed always grateful that she allowed him to be near, but she did find his constant presence a bit awkward and wondered when, if ever, it would stop.

Ganoaf’s devotion, however, did seem to annoy Salina greatly. Carliss felt the tension mounting in their odd trio, and she wondered if allowing Ganoaf to come along would prove to be a serious mistake, and possibly even jeopardize their mission.

Each day that they traveled, Salina seemed to become more and more agitated by the big man’s presence. Although Carliss couldn’t understand exactly why this was so, she attributed it to the fact that Ganoaf seemed to become more anxious the closer they got to Moorue and would hardly let Carliss out of his sight or leave her side. She constantly felt the pressure of having to smooth out the relationship between her two comrades.

In addition, she felt a bit unnerved by the presence of a hawk screeching overhead. One seemed to follow them as they traveled, and Carliss wondered if perhaps their traveling was scaring up game for it to hunt. Whatever the reason, Carliss didn’t care for the bird’s company. Her latest encounter with Lord Drox’s death ravens was still too fresh in her mind.

By evening of the third day, they had reached the eastern edge of the foothills. From here they would travel straight north along the western edge of the Altica Valley. If all went well, they would reach the land of Moorue by the following afternoon.

They rose early the next morning and rode steadily, stopping to eat lunch in a serene, grassy refuge beneath the shade of a grove of trees. They ate the last of the food that Eunice had packed, and Carliss discovered that her leather water bottle had been leaking. It was nearly empty. She wasn’t too concerned since they were almost to Moorue and could replenish their supplies there. She washed down the dry bread that composed most of their meal with the last of the water from her bottle.

They decided to rest a bit before moving on. Carliss leaned up against a tree trunk and rested her head on its smooth bark. The three-and-a-half days of travel seemed to be taking a toll on her, and in spite of the urgency to find an antidote for Dalton, she could not resist closing her eyes for a moment, lulled by what seemed to be music in the distance.

She could hear the perfect notes of instruments playing and the sounds of hundreds of people talking, laughing, and dancing as she approached the ballroom.

The ballroom?

She looked down at her drab outfit and was embarrassed, knowing the room would be filled with men and women dressed in exquisite attire. She looked about and dashed to a column for refuge.

What am I doing here? she wondered. This is the last place in the kingdom I should be.

Just as she was about to flee the castle, she saw a stunning woman and a handsome gentleman coming up the stairs.

“Lady Brynn, you look beautiful this evening.” Dalton escorted Brynn past the column Carliss was hiding behind and into the ballroom. Carliss turned away, trying hard not to let the ache in her heart surface once again. But just for a moment, she allowed herself to consider how wonderful it would be if she were arrayed in such fanciful garments as Lady Brynn. She laughed at herself as she thought of the gorgeous royal blue dress she had once seen worn by a lady of the Arrethtraen nobility.

She turned to plan her escape, but then looked down to see that same beautiful gown now adorning her slender body—a perfect fit. She lifted the fabric and felt of the quality. “What is this?” she asked. “I must be dreaming, but it’s so real, too real to—”

“Lady Carliss.” A strong masculine voice spoke from behind and startled her.

Carliss turned to see a tall, handsome gentleman holding out his arm to her.

“Shall we?”

“I…I…” Carliss timidly slipped her arm through his, and they entered the ballroom. It was a fabulous event that outshone any she had ever witnessed. Despite the beautiful gown, she felt like a spectacle, completely out of her element.

“Shall we dance?” her escort asked.

“I don’t know how,” she replied sheepishly.

“Come, let us try just the same,” he whispered as he led her to the dance floor.

After an awkward start, Carliss seemed to quickly acquire the eloquent skills of dancing. Before long she was floating effortlessly around the ballroom in the arms of her handsome escort.

It was a strange sensation. Carliss knew she was dreaming. There had been a couple of times when she had experienced something similar-dreams she knew were dreams—but this was different. This seemed so real, and yet she had the power to manipulate people and events in the dream simply by wishing it to be so.

“Excuse me, sir,” Dalton asked politely. “May I cut in?”

Carliss’s escort looked to her for approval, and she nodded.

“I hardly recognized my best friend’s little sister,” Dalton said with a smile as he led her into the flowing movements of the dance.

Carliss blushed and momentarily looked away. “Won’t Lady Brynn be upset?” she asked as she turned back to look at Dalton.

His eyes seemed fastened in a gaze upon her. He just smiled and seemed all the more delighted to be with her.

As they danced and talked, the crowd in the ballroom made way and gradually disappeared until they were the only two left.

“Carliss no sleep,” Dalton said with a voice that was not his own.

“What did you say?” she asked.

“Carliss no sleep.” The words came again, but now Dalton’s face morphed into that of Ganoaf, and she felt her arm being pulled back and forth.

She resisted waking from the dream, but Ganoaf wouldn’t stop. She blinked, and realized that her eyes felt dry and scratchy.

“What?” she mumbled.

“Carliss no sleep!” he repeated, shaking her arm again. This really irritated her, and she yanked her arm from his grip.

“Enough! Leave me alone!”

Ganoaf cringed and backed away, apparently hurt by her harsh tone.

Carliss shook her head, trying hard to focus and remember where she was. Her rest had been deep and hard. She felt as though she were trying to recover from a full night’s sleep.

“What’s wrong?” she asked groggily.

Salina was packing up her horse.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” she said with a smile. “Nothing’s wrong; we just need to be on our way. I thought Ganoaf was going to rip your arm off trying to wake you, though. I don’t think he knows his own strength. Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Carliss shook her head, trying to clear it.

“Must have been some dream,” Salina said. “The way your arms were moving about, I’d guess you were dancing. I could almost hear the music,” Salina teased, then circled her horse to secure the saddle.

Ganoaf was still cowering a few steps away from her like a scolded puppy.

“It’s all right, Ganoaf.” Carliss pushed to her feet, holding on to the tree trunk. She held her head with her left hand. Everything spun about her for a moment, then settled back into place. “I’m not angry with you. I was just very tired.”

Ganoaf hung his head and came close. She put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right.”

They mounted up and pressed on toward Moorue. As they traveled, Carliss’s dream lingered in her mind, and she found it difficult to focus on anything else. It was a dream she wished she could dream again. However, deep in her heart, she knew it would be best if she didn’t. The fabric of that dream seemed so much easier to deal with than the reality of the kingdom in which she lived.

How long will those images and feelings last? she wondered. Her head and her heart had discovered a new battlefield upon which to war.

THE MOORUVIANS

They had not traveled far before Carliss’s mouth felt dry as a desert.

“Do you have much water left in your bottle?” she finally asked Salina when she felt she could stand it no longer.

Salina lifted the bottle and shook it.

“Not much, but you go ahead. I’m fine.” Salina tossed it to Carliss.

“Are you sure?” Carliss asked.

“Ganoaf thirsty.” The big man brought Chaser up next to Carliss. He held out his hand for the bottle.

Carliss tried to moisten her lips with her tongue, but her skin just stuck to itself.

“Ganoaf thirsty,” he pleaded again, and Carliss reluctantly gave the bottle to him.

“I gave that to you, Carliss, not—”

Just then Ganoaf grabbed the bottle from Carliss, but he lost his grip and it fell to the ground, spilling the last of their water into the dirt.

“You imbecile!” Salina shouted as she halted her steed and recovered the bottle. “That oaf is going to get us killed in Moorue, Carliss. I can’t for the life of me understand why you let him come with us.”

In spite of her dire thirst, Carliss controlled her frustration with her clumsy accomplice. “It will be all right, Salina. We’re not far away. When we arrive, I’ll find a place to keep him out of the way.”

Salina brushed off her bottle and shook her head in disgust. Once they were underway again, Ganoaf fell behind and trailed Salina and Carliss.

“You’re too hard on him, Salina,” Carliss said as she turned and looked at the slouched form riding a short distance behind them.

Salina glared at Carliss for just a second; then her countenance softened. “I suppose you’re right. I just don’t want anything to jeopardize our mission. I can’t quit thinking about my family—guess I’m a little edgy. I’ll try to go easier on him.”

Carliss nodded.

“What do you think we will face in Moorue?” Salina asked solemnly.

Carliss thought for a moment, wondering how they were going to fulfill both of their missions—locate Salina’s family and find the antidote to the lizard’s poison—in such a short time.

“I don’t know,” she replied.

By late afternoon, they entered the land of the Mooruvians. They came to a small village named Wallen, not far from the city of Moorue, and stopped to replenish their water supply. Carliss immediately realized that something strange was afoot in the town. Numerous people sat on benches staring blankly at nothing. One young woman danced down the street with her arms wrapped around an imaginary partner, and a portly middle-aged gentleman nearly bumped into Salina’s horse, a silly grin plastered on his bearded face.

They found a small tanner’s shop, where a middle-aged woman was working a piece of leather.

“Madam, do you have any leather water bottles for sale?” Carliss asked.

The woman looked up from her work. Lines of worry and bitterness creased her forehead.

“Not here. You’ll have to go to the bottler shop in Moorue for that.”

“Come on, Carliss,” Salina urged. “Let’s be on our way.”

The woman went back to her work on the leather, but Carliss stepped closer to her.

“Madam, what is wrong with these people?” she asked.

The woman looked up at Carliss and stared blankly at her. For a moment, Carliss thought she had fallen into the same strange state as so many outside her shop.

“They’ve been drinkin’ the waters,” she finally said.

“The waters?”

The woman looked exasperated. “Yes…the waters.” She nodded toward the corner of their shop, and only then did Carliss realize that a man was sitting there, propped up by the two adjoining walls. “It’s nearly all he does now.”

“What is it?” Carliss asked.

“Carliss, we need to get on to Moorue,” Salina said. She and Ganoaf both looked uncomfortable with this place.

“I don’t know exactly,” the woman said in answer to Carliss’s question. “A man comes through and sells it to folks. They drink a flask of it, and a few moments later”—she pointed back to her husband in disgust—“fools are created.”

“But I saw a girl dancing—”

“She’s drunk so much of the waters she doesn’t know which world she’s in,” the woman interrupted.

Carliss could tell that this discussion was getting the woman riled. Every time she looked at her husband, she became angrier.

Carliss risked one more question. “How long will it last?”

“Sometimes just a few minutes. But the more they drink, the longer they stay… like that. He just sits there and does nothing, sometimes all day long!” The woman was now shouting at her husband and wagging her head. She ranted about his laziness while he just continued to smile a silly grin.

Carliss decided that she had seen and heard enough. Quickly she exited the shop.

“This is really strange,” Carliss said to Salina as she took one more look at the motionless, dazed townspeople.

Dusk began to gather as they mounted up and left Wallen, confused by what they had seen. Perhaps the city of Moorue would give them more answers, Carliss thought. Darkness had fallen, however, by the time they neared the city, so they made their camp on a hill overlooking the city and its flickering lights. They would enter Moorue in the morning.

They awoke to a panoramic view of the city and took some time to get their bearings. From their hilltop vantage point, Carliss could see that the city was partially encircled by a wide river that formed a kind of moat around its edges.

“That’s the Jem River, I think,” Salina commented, stepping up beside her. “Take a look at the castles.”

Carliss had already noted the three towering castles that stood as sentries between the river and the city’s edge, positioned on the northern, eastern, and southern corners of the city. A great stonewall ran from castle to castle, creating a protective barrier around Moorue. The land between the city wall and the river was dense with trees and vegetation, but not as foreboding as the swampland that began just beyond the outer banks of the river and stretched into the Altica valley. This vast swamp was cast in shadow by a tangle of trees and shrouded by a mist that showed no signs of burning off in the morning sun.

Carliss deduced that the swamp had to be the habitat of the esca lizards Petolemew had talked about. Is the wall the people’s only protection from the lizards? she wondered. Why would a city be built this close to such a dangerous abode?

There were many questions to answer, but perhaps the most intriguing of all was the strange sight she beheld in the middle of the swampland a fair distance from the river’s eastern edge—another castle that was twice the size of the other three. It seemed to sit atop the trees in the swamp, and its spires towered higher than any of the other three castles. Also above the treetops was a brick causeway that looked to be the only way in and out of the massive structure. It spanned most of the swamp, then descended via staircase to connect with a bridge that spanned the river. Though it was daylight, Carliss could see a string of torches burning along each side of the bridge. A narrow road ran from the bridge to the city wall where the eastern castle was positioned.

It was a strange and surreal place that seemed to defy all logic. To build such a city with four castles in the midst of a poisonous-lizard-infested swamp would have taken great effort and many resources, and the inhabitants, it seemed, would be in constant danger. How could such a city prosper? Yet the city did seem prosperous, with caravans of wares entering and exiting the city gates in a steady flow. Many had passed by them on the road without uttering a word.

Salina broke into Carliss’s reverie. “So, where do we start?”

Carliss thought a minute. “With Lord Malco,” she said, remembering the name that one of the marauders had spoken. “And I have a feeling”—she pointed to the massive castle in the swamp—“that he lives there.”

DESTINY

As she looked over the strange scene of city, swamp, and castles, Carliss felt her stomach churn. Now that they had arrived in Moorue, the urgency of her mission threatened to overwhelm her. While traveling, they at least had been moving forward. Here her task turned from travel to investigation, something that was difficult to hurry and impossible to be patient with, knowing that time on a fellow knight’s life was ticking away.

How dangerous was the swamp? Was this truly the lizards’ domain? Did the ancient flower truly exist, or was it a myth? Did Malco guard his swamp? There was so much to know and no one they could trust enough to ask. Carliss felt as if she were in an enemy’s camp, disarmed by her lack of knowledge.

If only a haven of the Prince were here, she thought. But she had not heard of any missions that had ventured this far north yet.

They found a bridge over the river to the south and rode into town. As they entered the city gates, Ganoaf seemed extremely uneasy and pressed Chaser close to Rindy. The city was bustling with activity, and the main thoroughfare was a river of wayfarers in constant motion.

Carliss, Salina, and Ganoaf stayed to the side of the road, out of the main thrust of traffic, but there they encountered beggars every few paces, pleading with the passersby for handouts. One lad caught Carliss’s eye, and she fully expected to hear his plea, but it did not come. The boy just gazed up at her, well after Rindy had carried her past him. Carliss thought his demeanor odd and turned her head back to look at the lad once more, but he had disappeared into the crowd.

The city of Moorue was densely structured, with shops and homes that seemed to nearly sit atop one another. Except for the three or four main thoroughfares, the streets were narrow and crooked. Nearly all were cobblestoned. The air was heavy, damp, and filled with strange smells that did not sit well with Carliss. She found herself crinkling her nose from time to time, searching for a breath of fresh air, but there was none. Every so often she would glimpse a person who seemed dazed and distant, much like the people they had seen in Wallen.

Carliss and Salina left their horses with Ganoaf near a watering trough and walked to an open-front shop to buy some dried meat, bread, and cheese.

“New to Moorue?” the owner asked as he placed their groceries in their knapsack.

“Yes,” Carliss said, reaching into her leather vest for coins. “Anything newcomers ought to know?”

The owner eyed Carliss suspiciously, then smiled. “Not really.”

Carliss nodded. She paid the man, then turned and couldn’t help but stare at a man and a woman seated on a bench nearby. They were gazing at something and yet nothing. Both wore a countenance of dazed pleasure and seemed unaware of anything else that was happening around them.

“What’s with them?” Carliss asked the shopkeeper, nodding to the couple.

The owner leaned toward Carliss.

“You are new, aren’t you?” he said with a sly smile on his lips. “They’ve been drinking the Waters of Moorue.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Would you like to try some?”

Carliss shook her head, disgusted at the man’s tone. It unsettled her.

“Let’s go.” Salina nodded for Carliss to follow her away from the shop.

“There’s something strange here, just like in Wallen,” Carliss said as they walked toward Ganoaf and their steeds.

“I agree,” Salina said. “But I can’t see that it matters to us.”

Ganoaf handed Salina the reins to her horse. When he handed the reins of Rindy to Carliss, he looked at her with frightened eyes and leaned close.

“Moorue bad,” he said as his eyes darted from one side of the street to the other.

“I think you’re right, Ganoaf,” she whispered back. “I don’t like it here either.”

“Excuse me, my lady,” a young male voice called from behind Carliss.

She turned about to see the same lad who had watched her at the city gate. He was a bit of a ragamuffin, perhaps twelve years old. His face was smudged with dirt and his straight black hair stuck out in jagged tufts. His eyes were narrow but friendly and full of life. Carliss smiled at him.

“Are you from Brimwick Downs?” the boy asked quietly.

“No, we’re not,” Carliss replied.

The lad tilted his head and looked confused. “But the mark…” He pointed to the insignia embroidered onto Rindy’s saddle pad. He held up his hand and looked into his palm, where an inked image had been drawn. It matched Carliss’s mark—the mark of the Prince.

“You are”—the lad looked about and whispered—“a Knight of the Prince, are you not?”

“Yes, but—”

“I am Akiyma. You must come with me.” The boy grabbed Carliss’s hand and began to pull. “He is waiting for you.”

Carliss stood firm and pulled back on the boy’s hand. She glanced at Salina, who had raised an eyebrow as she looked toward the boy.

“Hold on, lad,” Carliss said. “Who’s waiting for us?”

The boy turned about as he let loose of her hand.

“My master…Si Kon!”

Carliss was stunned. Could it be the same Si Kon whom she, Dalton, and Koen had rescued from Lord Drox’s prison just a few weeks earlier? The same Si Kon who bravely fought one of Drox’s hounds of despair to help them during the rescue? She remembered that Si Kon was from the northern region of the kingdom, but Moorue? She wondered perhaps if this was a different man by the same name.

“Akiyma, is Si Kon a Knight of the Prince?”

“Yes, my lady,” Akiyma said with a wide smile. “But it is best not to say so very loudly here.” His smile diminished as he glanced about them.

Carliss leaned forward so that she was face to face with the boy. She looked straight into his eyes and saw the light of the Prince in them. The corners of her lips turned up.

“Take us to Si Kon, Akiyma.”

The boy beamed. He grabbed Carliss’s hand again, and this time she allowed it. They followed Akiyma north and then east, skirting the more heavily populated sections of the city, and the strange odors that had bothered Carliss earlier gradually disappeared. Flowering trees and greenery occasionally decorated the landscape here on the fringes of the city.

As they traveled, Carliss noted how different the culture of the Mooruvians was from the places she was used to. These people evidently loved color, for almost all were brightly arrayed, as were their homes. The people seemed polite and respectful, yet she sensed that an enemy in Moorue would run you through more quickly than anywhere else, then bow and leave you to bleed to death. Carliss suspected that placing trust in someone here could be a precarious act.

Akiyma turned out to be a talkative lad, and Carliss felt they were fast friends before they had gone far. She learned that Akiyma worked for anyone who would hire him, for his family needed his income to make ends meet. As of late, however, he had been employed for many days by the man they were traveling to meet. Akiyma hoped to continue to serve Si Kon, for he treated Akiyma well. The labor was very bearable, and Akiyma liked working for a Knight of the Prince. “Because I’m a Knight of the Prince too now,” he confided proudly. “I’ve just started learning the sword. Si Kon is teaching me.”

The sun was high overhead by the time they reached the northeast section of Moorue. The homes here were larger than most, and if they were truly being led to the same Si Kon Carliss knew, then he lived better than most Mooruvians.

“How much farther, Akiyma?” Carliss asked.

“It’s just there.” The boy pointed to a fine-looking manor with a surrounding courtyard, trees, and a gated fence separating it from other homes.

Akiyma led them through the wide gate. As they entered, he ran ahead up to the doors of the home.

“Master Si Kon, I’ve brought them!” he exclaimed as he disappeared into the home. A moment later, Akiyma appeared with a finely arrayed knight beside him. A thin black beard closely framed his mouth and matched the straight black hair that hung to his shoulders. He was of average height, but his well-muscled frame revealed him as a knight out of armor. The man hesitated in the doorway, squinting a stern look of discernment as he evaluated the odd trio before him. Carliss felt a portion of her angst disappear.

“Carliss!” he exclaimed.

“Si Kon!” She handed Rindy’s reins to Ganoaf and ran to him.

Si Kon’s face illuminated with joy. He met her halfway, and they embraced. It had been a few weeks since they both faced the deadly blades of Lord Drox and his warriors, but the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood they had forged in those few moments of battle still held fast.

Si Kon stepped back, still grasping her shoulders with his hands.

“I can’t believe that it is you who answered my call,” he exclaimed, then looked behind her toward Ganoaf and Salina. “But aren’t there more?”

Carliss was perplexed, and her face evidently showed it.

“Call?” she asked.

Si Kon’s hands dropped to his sides. He tilted his head slightly.

“I sent for Knights of the Prince to come from Brimwick Downs, the closest haven to Moorue. Isn’t that why you are here?”

Carliss slowly shook her head, trying to understand what was happening.

“But…,” Si Kon began. He looked at his errand boy. “Did you see any others, Akiyma?”

“No, Master Si Kon,” the boy replied respectfully. “I watched for the mark as you said these past five days. Only today have I seen it, and these three were all there were.”

Si Kon looked back at Carliss. He looked as confused as she felt. His eyes softened, and understanding seemed to fill them.

“It is destiny that has brought you here, Carliss, for whatever reason that may be. Come, let us greet one another and eat. Then we shall talk of the Prince and what He is doing amongst us.”

Carliss nodded. “Do you remember Salina?”

Si Kon nodded and bowed. “I trust you have recovered well?”

“Yes,” Salina replied, “largely because of Carliss’s help.”

Si Kon nodded. “I am sure of this.”

Carliss flushed slightly and quickly turned to Ganoaf.

“Si Kon, this is my friend Ganoaf from Pembrook.” She held out her arm for Ganoaf to step forward, but he just bashfully tilted his head down and gazed at the ground.

“I am pleased to meet you, Ganoaf,” Si Kon said with a smile, perceiving the simple heart and mind of the large fellow. He glanced at Carliss with a tender look that said, “Of course you would befriend and care for the lowly. That is your nature.”

Carliss looked toward Si Kon’s home to see a beautiful middle-aged woman appear in the doorway. Si Kon held out his hand to beckon her, and he looked on with great admiration as she joined them.

“Lady Carliss, I would like you to meet my wife, Takara.” Si Kon held her hand in his as she bowed her head to Carliss. “Her name means ’a treasure … my treasure.”

“I am pleased to meet you, Takara,” Carliss replied.

“And I you,” Takara replied. “I am very grateful for what you have done for Si Kon and our family. Our home is yours.”

Si Kon turned and clapped twice. “Daughters!” he called to the doorway.

With hardly a moment’s delay, two girls came to stand by Si Kon.

“This is Mariko. She is fourteen. And this is Kei. She is sixteen.”

“I am pleased to meet you Mariko… Kei.”

“Father told us how bravely you fought,” Kei said. She gazed at Carliss, obviously looking for something.

“As did your father,” Carliss said. “Without his courage, all would have been lost.”

Mariko grabbed Si Kon’s arm. “You didn’t tell us that, Father!”

“He didn’t?” Carliss countered. “Then perhaps I shall.”

Mariko’s face lit up.

“Come,” Si Kon said. “It is time to eat…and to talk.”

Carliss and her friends entered Si Kon’s home eager to talk and to hear of what strange circumstances had brought them together.

THE WATERS OF MOORUE

“Why did you send for knights?” Carliss asked.

They were seated in a simple but elegant dining room that easily held the eight of them. Si Kon had invited Akiyma to eat with them, and the lad’s eyes had widened with delight at the offer.

“I am a trader,” Si Kon said between bites. “I have done very well, for Moorue is large, and there are many wealthy families that enjoy the wool, silk, tapestries, spices, and glass from other regions of the kingdom.”

Si Kon took a sip of the delicious spicy soup Takara had prepared.

“It was on one of my trade routes that I heard the story of the Prince and became a Follower. My family soon accepted the truth of the Prince too, even at the risk of ridicule and persecution, for the lords of the city require each citizen in their district to pay allegiance to them and to their master, Lord Malco, whom I believe to be a powerful Shadow Warrior.”

At that, Carliss’s eyes widened and Salina looked up from her soup to stare at Si Kon.

“We give our allegiance only to the Prince and the King.” Si Kon looked respectfully at Takara. He gave up trying to eat and set his spoon aside as he continued.

“Being isolated from other Followers and living in a city that is hostile to the Prince, I allowed doubt to creep into my heart. That is why Lord Drox was able to hunt and eventually imprison me. Many months I was imprisoned, and Takara and my daughters thought I had been killed.”

Takara’s eyes welled up as she seemed to briefly relive those difficult days. Si Kon reached for her hand.

“In spite of my disappearance, Takara was able to continue my business by capitalizing on the contacts I had made with other traders and merchants.” He paused and looked at Takara with great admiration, then looked back at Carliss.

“That is where Dalton found me. Were it not for his courage to fight Lord Drox and your courage to help him, I would still be a prisoner in that wretched place.”

Carliss accepted the compliment and wished him to continue on.

“When I returned home, I vowed never to let doubt cripple me as it once had, and I knew I must be bolder about proclaiming the Prince to the people of Moorue, no matter the cost.”

Takara leaned forward. “We discovered that Moorue is hungry for the truth of the Prince—”

“So we are now training four other families to become Followers and Knights of the Prince too!” Mariko broke in.

“Si Kon, that is marvelous!” Carliss exclaimed. “You’ve started a haven!”

“Yes,” Si Kon said. “There are only twenty-six of us—five families—but we are no longer alone. And we are growing. Akiyma’s family just recently became Followers.”

Akiyma paused in his eating just long enough to smile, revealing fragments of leafy vegetable between his teeth. Carliss suppressed a chuckle and looked back to Si Kon. For a moment, she was able to set aside the constant anxiety in her bosom to rejoice for what was happening in Moorue because of Si Kon and his family.

“In my absence, however, the nature of my business had changed dramatically.” Si Kon hesitated, looking for the right words to say. “I discovered that Moorue’s new major export is something dark and yet… not.”

Carliss swallowed her last bite offish and realized that with Si Kon’s last statement, everyone else at the table had stopped eating too, even Ganoaf.

“What do you mean, Si Kon?”

Si Kon fidgeted a bit, then sighed. He put his hand to his chin, thinking hard.

“Lord Malco has developed something called the Waters of Moorue.”

“I’ve heard of it,” Carliss said. “A shop owner tried to sell some to me. What is it?”

“I’m still investigating, but I’ve learned enough to believe its effects are potentially very dangerous. That is why I sent for help from Brimwick Downs.” Si Kon stared blankly at a napkin on the table. “If you are not here to answer that call, I can only imagine that my messenger has met with calamity.”

Si Kon shook his head sadly. “The Waters of Moorue is a perfectly diluted mixture of water and something called esca crystals.”

Carliss’s eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat. “From the esca lizard!” she exclaimed.

Si Kon looked at her, quite stunned by her response.

“Perhaps, Carliss,” he said calmly, “though most believe that the esca lizard is a myth created to scare people away from Malco’s swamp. Some people say they have heard hissing and shrieks from Despon Swamp, supposedly from the esca lizard, but no one has ever seen such a beast. At least, no one has seen it and lived to tell about it.”

“I have,” Carliss said, trying to calm her excitement.

Si Kon looked as if he were waiting for her to recant her absurd statement.

“And it appears as though destiny is the reason for our meeting,” Carliss continued. All eyes were on her now. She leaned forward.

“Dalton was bitten by an esca lizard, Si Kon, and lies at death’s door as we speak. We have but five days to find the antidote and get it back to him before he dies.”

Si Kon’s mouth hung open as he processed Carliss’s words, still looking as though he couldn’t believe it. “How do you know it was an esca lizard?”

“Because I saw it,” Carliss replied. “And I killed it, or rather one of them. Two attacked us, but one disappeared into the forest.”

Si Kon looked at Takara and his daughters. They all looked as if they had seen a ghost, considering for the first time that these creatures might be more than just a myth. And if so, they were living nearby.

“Si Kon, I dare not waste another moment. Every hour I delay, Dalton moves closer to death. Will you help me?”

“Of course,” Si Kon replied. “I owe Dalton my life. I and all of my resources are at your disposal.”

Carliss leaned back in her chair and nodded, grateful for one friend they could trust in this strange land.

“We are here for another reason that is equally as grave,” Carliss said soberly, nodding toward Salina. “Salinas family was taken captive by a band of marauders, and we have reason to believe they were brought here to Moorue.”

Salina looked down and away, trying not to show the flood of emotion that Carliss knew was difficult for her to repress.

“I’m sorry, Salina,” Si Kon said tenderly.

“Do any of the castles keep prisoners?” Carliss asked.

Si Kon looked troubled. “Not that I am aware of. However, the only castle we know almost nothing about is Lord Malco’s. If your family is in this region, it is possible they were taken there.” He leaned forward to capture Salina’s attention. “We will do everything we can to find them.”

Salina looked at Si Kon. “Thank you. I am grateful.” She glanced at Carliss and forced a smile to her lips. “But we must focus on Sir Dalton for the moment—his time grows short. Si Kon, what else do you know about Lord Malco and these crystals?”

“As a trader, I make it my business to know where items come from and where they are delivered. Nearly every trader in Moorue is now dealing in Malco’s waters and making a healthy profit. From what I have learned, the crystals are harvested at his castle, Esca Prime, in the swamp and then delivered to the three district castles, where the mixture is processed. The three castles process the mixture differently, each one specializing in a particular taste. The city of Moorue is the distribution center for the mixture, which is beginning to reach far into the kingdom. It is imperative that Chessington and the rest of the havens become aware of what is happening here, because eventually they will all be affected by Malco’s crystals.”

“But what is the mixture for?” Carliss asked. “And why is it so bad?”

“At first it wasn’t bad,” Si Kon said. “When it was first discovered, it was used to eliminate pain while a bone was being set or a limb was being amputated. And it worked very well. The man who discovered it kept his process a secret, telling no one. Then one day he disappeared, and not long after that, Lord Malco was producing a version of it that he called the Waters of Moorue. Malco’s waters had a much more powerful effect on the mind than the pain reducer the inventor had produced. It seems to induce a dreamlike state where one can briefly live, create, and experience anything he wants. It feels so real and so pleasant that people want to experience it over and over.”

Carliss was intrigued by Si Kon’s description of the mixture and connected what she saw happen to Dalton with what she had seen in various people since coming to the land of the Mooruvians.

“Is it like ale, where a drunkard comes to need the drink?” Carliss asked.

“No,” Si Kon replied. “Ale dulls the senses, and the body comes to depend on it. The Waters of Moorue heightens the senses, and the body does not depend on it, but the mind does. More and more we are seeing people of all ages, but especially the youth, wasting away their lives while enjoying the effects of the mixture. For some it is all they want to do. They will spend all they have to buy more mixture. Eventually they become imprisoned by their perceived need to escape into this dream world.”

There was a long silence as everyone contemplated Si Kon’s words. Then one small voice broke the silence.

“Master is right, Lady Carliss,” Akiyma said. “There are many in my district who would rather drink the Waters of Moorue than face the day. I’ve heard of many who have walked the bridge.”

“Walked the bridge?” Carliss asked.

Takara looked sadly at her girls and then at Carliss. “When people have experienced the dreams of the mixture for a long period of time, they become so discontent with the waking world that they will walk across the bridge that leads to the swamp, never to return.”

Mariko was struggling to hold back tears. She bit her lips. “My friend Kikomay is gone.”

“I’m so sorry, Mariko,” Carliss replied as Mariko leaned into her mother’s consoling arm.

Carliss looked toward Si Kon. “Why don’t people stop them?”

“Because it usually happens at night when no one expects it,” Si Kon said. “I suppose some have been stopped, but once they cross the bridge and enter the swamp, there is little that can be done.”

Carliss looked at Si Kon, perplexed.

“No one has ever returned from Despon Swamp,” he explained in a low voice. “Some think it is because the ground is deceiving and swallows them up. Others say that Malco is so protective of his castle and the surrounding swamp that he kills anyone who enters.” He smiled. “Then there are those fanciful folk who blame it all on the esca lizards.”

He looked over at Carliss, and she smirked. “Perhaps we will all be of their number before this day is through,” he added. He became serious once again. “Tell me, Carliss, how do we save Sir Dalton?”

Carliss gazed straight into Si Kon’s eyes, hesitating a moment before speaking.

“I must walk the bridge!”

THE LEGEND OF MORNING STAR

“That is absurd!” Si Kon said as he slapped the table. “Didn’t you hear me? No one has ever survived Despon Swamp!”

Everyone at the table stared at Carliss.

“I must try, Si Kon. It is Dalton’s only hope.” Carliss pushed back a lock of light brown hair that draped across her right eye. “We discovered an old book that says there is a special flower that grows in the swamp. It is the only way to save the life of one bitten by the esca lizard. So I must go to try and find it.”

Si Kon looked as if he wanted to protest again.

“I knew what I would face when I came here, and I’m not going back empty-handed,” Carliss told him firmly. “Somehow I have to get into that swamp and find the flower. It sounds like the bridge is the simplest way.”

Si Kon continued to stare at Carliss, deep in thought. Finally he nodded. “Tonight there will be a meeting for the Followers here. One of the men believes in your esca lizard and has spent a great deal of time trying to discover the truth of the stories. Many, in fact, have mocked him for this, insisting he wastes his time with myths and fairy tales.”

“Does he live far away?” Carliss asked, not wanting to waste a single minute. “Can we travel to his home and talk with him now?”

Si Kon slowly nodded. “Yes, I’m sure that Soro would love to visit with you if he is home.”

“Afterward, I would like to get a closer look at one of those castles and at that bridge. How close can I get?”

“The bridge is no problem, but the castles are heavily guarded, especially Intar, Baron Karoshi’s castle.”

“We will start with the bridge then,” Carliss said, anxious to be doing something that would bring her closer to an answer. “But we need to see about the castle too.”

“As soon as possible,” added Salina. “Perhaps that is where Alston and my parents are being held.”

“Very well,” said Si Kon. We’ll leave within the hour. Takara, shall we show them to their rooms?”

Takara asked Mariko and Kei to take Carliss, Salina, and Ganoaf to their rooms. Mariko led Salina down one corridor, and Kei escorted Carliss and Ganoaf down another. Ganoaf seemed quite upset that he would not be in the same room as Carliss, but she assured him that all would be well since she would be sleeping just next door.

When Kei showed Carliss her room, she lingered at the doorway. The girl was nearly as tall as Carliss and every bit as thin. Her eyes were captivating, but Carliss sensed a forlorn spirit about her.

“Do you have many friends here?” Carliss asked, hoping to open a conversation.

“A few.” Kei looked at Carliss with eyes that seemed to search for a confidante. “Becoming a Follower has changed things a lot, though.”

Carliss smiled at Kei. “Following the Prince isn’t always easy.” She took a few steps closer. “I admire you, Kei, for being brave enough to follow Him. Though it seems like a sacrifice now, you will be greatly rewarded for choosing to follow the King and His Son.”

Kei looked away from Carliss. “I’m not so brave, Lady Carliss,” she said sadly.

Carliss waited for Kei to continue.

“The Waters of Moorue—all of my friends have used it.” Kei hesitated and couldn’t look into Carliss’s eyes anymore. She quickly glanced down the corridor, then back at Carliss. “And so have I,” she finally blurted out. “Please don’t tell Father!”

“I won’t, Kei.” Carliss reached down and grabbed Kei’s hand. “You and I both know that is something you must do.”

Kei looked at Carliss with fear in her eyes.

“He loves you greatly, Kei—that is clear. The best thing you can do is be honest with him and your mother.”

Kei took a big breath and then nodded. “I know you’re right. But… I’m afraid he won’t trust me ever again.”

Carliss didn’t answer, just waited.

“It’s just… my father has come to believe that the Waters of Moorue is so horrible,” Kei went on. “But I just don’t see it like that. I mean, it doesn’t really hurt you, and it’s actually very pleasant.”

“But don’t—”

Kei cut Carliss off, anticipating her objection. “Oh, some of the people do become obsessed with it, but I’m careful. I’m very careful, really. I just don’t think that would happen to me.”

Carliss put a hand on Kei’s shoulder. “It isn’t how far down the road you go that is important, Kei, but rather which road you choose to travel on. Do you think that those people who have become obsessed with it—killed by it—started out thinking that would happen?”

Kei closed her eyes and then nodded again. “I understand.” She opened her eyes and looked at Carliss. “Thank you for listening to me, Lady Carliss.”

“You’re welcome, Kei.”

“I hope we’ll have more time to talk,” Kei said as she turned to leave.

“I look forward to it,” Carliss replied with a smile.

Within the hour, Carliss, Salina, Si Kon, and Ganoaf were walking through a colorful garden beside Soro, the man who believed in the esca lizards. He seemed anything but gullible or deluded, for he carried the appearance of wisdom in how he talked and walked. His hair was pure white, and the gentle wrinkles of age only seemed to enhance the persona of a man of great experience. Carliss walked beside him and asked many questions about the lizards and the swamp.

“Soro, have you heard anything about a flower in the swamp that might save the life of one bitten by the esca lizard?” Carliss asked.

They had come to a pergola that vines and flowers embraced to form an enchanting alcove. It seemed a perfect place to talk of tales seldom told. Soro and Carliss sat down on a bench beneath the lattice of the pergola’s roof while the others gathered close enough to hear the soft-spoken words of the older gentleman.

“There is an ancient legend that is told to children,” he began, “though it is usually considered foolishness among the learned.”

He paused, seeming to wait for someone to object. Carliss touched his elbow gently. “Go on.”

The old man cleared his throat and began, reciting as if from memory.

“There once was a good lord who ruled the people of the land with kindness and mercy. He planted a garden that was full of beauty and splendor, and in the garden he built a castle high upon pillars so that all could see and remember that he was their lord.

“All was well in the land until the lord of the castle discovered treachery within the walls of his domain. His own first knight betrayed him and began a civil war that soon ravaged the land and brought great travail to the people. It looked as though the evil first knight had won, for the good lord seemed to have abandoned the castle to his former knight, who now claimed lordship over the land, the people, and the beautiful garden.

“But the evil first knight cared neither for the people or the garden. Before long, the flowers were strangled by vines and the sun obscured by trees that stole the light until a dark, damp swamp had replaced the garden. The evil knight brought poisonous lizards to infest the swamp, and no one could enter or leave the castle without falling to the deadly bites of the beasts.

“But the good lord had a son who was a mighty warrior, and he was angry with the evil first knight for destroying his father’s garden and inflicting such pain on his people. One evening he came to the land, and as he journeyed he defeated many of the first knight’s warriors. Then he came to the swamp. The evil first knight feared greatly, for the good lord’s son wielded a mighty and masterful sword.

“‘But ah!’ the evil first knight exclaimed. ‘My poisonous lizards will kill him before he reaches my castle.’ And that is indeed what happened. But what the evil first knight did not realize is that the good lord’s son never intended on reaching the castle. He had traveled a great distance and fought many warriors to plant the seed of a single lily in the heart of the dark swamp. And beside the lily, before he fell to the poison of the lizards, the son of the good lord thrust into the ground his brilliant sword, which he had used to defeat the minions of the evil first knight.

“The name of the great sword is Morning Star. It is said that whoever searches for the lily shall find the sword. And the one who finds the sword shall have power to overcome the darkness of the evil first knight and his warriors.”

Carliss reflected for a few moments on the legend Soro had told.

“I cannot tell which part of your tale is myth and which part is true.”

“Nor can I,” Soro answered with a smile. “As with all legends, I am sure it holds something of both.”

“It is remarkable how much it sounds like the story of the Prince,” she said.

Soro furrowed his brow. “I…never realized that. But you are absolutely right,” he said with a self-deprecating chuckle.

“Morning Star,” Carliss repeated quietly, trying to remember where she had heard the name before. She couldn’t quite place it. Carliss thanked Soro, and the foursome left to begin their investigation of the swamp and the castles.

As they walked, Si Kon told Carliss and her friends more about the castles and the city. Intar, he said, was the eastern castle of the city, the one closest to his home and to the bridge that led to the swamp. The northern castle was named Romnov and the southern, Vi Dogam. The lord of each castle answered directly to Lord Malco and was responsible for trade negotiations with different areas in the region surrounding Moorue and beyond. Baron Karoshi had been given the largest city district to govern and the largest region to manage beyond Moorue’s borders.

Evidently Malco was establishing a trading network that was quickly spreading and expanding his own personal wealth and influence. Si Kon had heard that Malco was acquiring and building other castles at key locations in other parts of the kingdom to create more production and distribution points for his esca crystals. In spite of his remarkable influence in the city, to Si Kon’s knowledge, Malco had never entered Moorue. But the castle lords made frequent visits to Esca Prime, Lord Malco’s castle.

The afternoon was well spent by the time they mounted up and rode near to the eastern castle. Carliss knew they would have to make the most of the time remaining in order to complete their investigations and make it back to Si Kon’s home for the evening haven meeting. She wanted to meet with the families of the haven to see if they could offer aid of any kind.

They traveled along the city wall until they spotted the castle gate. Just beyond it, they could see the road and the bridge in the distance that led to the swamp, its torches flickering in the long afternoon shadows.

“Carliss,” Salina ventured as they neared the gate. “I know you said we should investigate the bridge and the swamp first, but I’d like to check the castle while you’re at the swamp.” Salina’s eyes were fastened to the gate tower. “It would save time. Perhaps I could talk to the guards and find out if there are prisoners within.”

Carliss paused, then nodded. “That makes sense, but Si Kon should go with you. I’ll take Ganoaf.”

“You will need Si Kon more than I, and we both know that Ganoaf is more of a hindrance than a help,” Salina protested. “I’ll be all right. I don’t plan on doing anything foolish—just ask a few questions.”

Carliss hesitated, thinking of Salina’s earlier reckless behavior in riding after the marauders but not wanting to hinder her friend. “Do you promise?” she asked.

Salina smiled. “Promise.”

“We’ll meet back here in two hours, then, and ride back to Si Kon’s together.”

Carliss watched as Salina rode through a narrow street toward a marketplace of shops near the gate of the castle. Something in Carliss wanted to call her back, but she didn’t. Then her mind quickly turned toward the road and the bridge that led to Despon Swamp.

MARTYRS TO BE

“How far dare I go?” Carliss asked without taking her eyes off the edge of the swamp.

“Soro claims it is safe as long as you can see the walls of the city. Once you lose sight of the wall…”

Carliss, Si Kon, and Ganoaf had secured their horses to a post on the swamp side of the bridge. Now they were standing on boggy ground, staring into a misty, foreboding swamp.

Carliss took a deep breath. She looked at Ganoaf, who was gazing wide-eyed at the dark swamp before them.

“Ganoaf,” she said gently, “you should wait here.”

Ganoaf shook his head. “Ganoaf come with you.”

Carliss nodded, realizing that staying here alone would be just as frightening to him as proceeding into the swamp.

They bypassed the locked gate in front of the stairs that led up to Lord Malco’s causeway. Carliss paused and marveled at the height of it. Then she and Si Kon drew their swords, and they all entered the swamp. They walked quietly but with all senses on full alert.

The swamp was a challenge to navigate, and Carliss was discouraged by their progress. Tall trees stretched overhead, their spanning branches casting constant shadows on the ground beneath them. Mosses, lichens, mushrooms, and ferns dominated the undergrowth, winning out over the sun-starved plants that usually thrive on the plains. Small insects buzzed around their ears, and mist rose around them.

When the city wall was nearly imperceptible as a structure, they stopped.

“To go farther is too dangerous,” Si Kon said. “Soro believes the esca lizards only inhabit the center portion of the swamp, but that is speculation.”

Carliss searched the ground for the flower that had been pictured in Petolemew’s book, but to no avail. She knew they were only on the very fringes of the swamp, for it spanned a great distance before them.

“I have to go farther,” she told Si Kon.

“What good will it benefit Dalton if you die too?” he argued. “Besides, it’s getting dark. Why don’t we return and form a plan with the rest of the Followers. Tomorrow we will find your flower… if it exists.”

Carliss could hardly bear to turn back. She had to see more. Maybe the flower was just a little farther, and she could be on her way back to Dalton by morning. She sheathed her sword and drew an arrow from her quiver instead, then set the nock in the string of her bow.

“I will keep sight of you, and you keep sight of the wall. I’m going in deeper.”

“They have already gathered at my home by now, and they will be wondering where we are,” Si Kon protested. “Surely Salina is waiting as well.”

Carliss just looked at Si Kon, and he yielded his protest. She considered telling Ganoaf to stay with Si Kon but realized it would be pointless. He was as stubborn as she. Fear showed on his face, but it still was not enough to make him leave her side. Together they traveled deeper into the swamp.

Carliss couldn’t deny the apprehension that was rising up within her, but Ganoaf’s presence helped. She glanced back toward Si Kon every few steps, pausing first to listen for the esca lizards, then to search for the flower. They couldn’t travel as far as they had on their first leg because Si Kon was more difficult to spot than the forty-foot wall of the city, especially with dusk falling and tree branches obscuring the view. The boggy ground became harder to navigate the farther they went, and soon Carliss was stepping gingerly from root to stone to avoid having her feet soaked.

When Si Kon had all but disappeared from her view, Carliss stopped. Ganoaf’s eyes were open wide with fear as he searched the darkening terrain for some horrible monster that would pounce upon them. Carliss touched his arm, and he looked at her with wild eyes. Her gesture seemed to calm him some, and Carliss realized that being strong for Ganoaf helped her be strong for herself.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move. She snapped her head to the left and stared at the trees there. All was still. The sounds of croaking toads mixed with the hoot of an owl sent shivers up her spine. Carliss’s heart began to race, and she forced herself to calm down. Ganoaf picked up on her apprehension and began to fidget.

Swish! Something rustled behind them, and they both jerked about, but all was still once again. Carliss gripped her bow tightly.

“Si Kon!” The faint but panicked cry of a young voice reached them in the darkness of the swamp.

“Si Kon!” The call came again.

“Let’s go, Ganoaf,” Carliss said. They quickly backtracked toward Si Kon.

“It’s Akiyma,” Si Kon said when they reached him. Lines of worry creased his brow.

They hurried back to the bridge to find Akiyma on the far side, waving for them to hurry. They quickly mounted and rode across to meet him. The boy was clearly distraught.

“Master,” he exclaimed, “your house is on fire!”

Si Kon waited for nothing. He spurred his horse and bolted off toward the city wall. Carliss put a hand down for Akiyma to grab and lifted him onto Rindy behind her. She and Ganoaf followed Si Kon in an urgent race through the gathering darkness.

They arrived shortly behind Si Kon to discover that the entire structure was ablaze. Si Kon’s family and the other Followers were nowhere to be found. Si Kon tried to run into the blaze numerous times, shouting for his wife and daughters all the while, but was driven back by the searing heat. He finally fell to his knees close to the fire with his arms outstretched, crying his torment to the kingdom.

“Stay here, Akiyma,” Carliss ordered as she dismounted. She handed him her long knife and her bow and quiver, then ran to Si Kon.

“Come back, Si Kon,” she pleaded, worried that the structure of the home would collapse and engulf him in the flames. “Surely Takara and the girls are away and safe.”

Si Kon looked at her with tears streaming down his face. His family’s absence seemed to completely contradict her words of hope.

“Come,” she urged again.

Ganoaf appeared behind them and lifted Si Kon from behind. He half carried the knight away from the intense heat and flames that licked high into the evening sky.

Carliss heard another rider approaching quickly. She turned to see Salina leaping from her horse.

“What has happened?” she panted. “Where are Takara and the girls? Where are the other—”

Her question remained unfinished, for the thunder of a dozen horses’ hooves suddenly mixed with the roar of the fire. Within moments they were surrounded by a force of castle guardsmen. Eight of them dismounted with swords drawn and encircled Carliss, Si Kon, Salina, and Ganoaf. It was pointless to resist against such odds.

“Si Kon of the District of Intar,” one of the mounted guards shouted. “You are in violation of Lord Malco’s liege edict and are guilty of establishing an unlawful order within the city of Moorue. You are also guilty of harboring members of the illegal order and will be sentenced immediately. Take them all to Baron Karoshi.”

Carliss looked beyond the guards toward Akiyma, who still sat atop Rindy. Since he was neither a threat nor a target, the guards had completely ignored him. Carliss motioned with her head for him to leave. The boy carefully took Rindy’s reins and backed away, disappearing into the obscurity of the night. Carliss’s relief over his escape was pierced with a new stab of worry. If something had happened to the group of Followers, which included Akiyma’s family, then he would be on his own in a hostile city.

Carliss and her friends were disarmed and hustled through the streets to the castle Intar. They were taken under heavy guard through the castle gate, across the courtyards, and into the echoing great hall. From the far end of the great hall, Carliss could see Baron Karoshi, a wiry figure almost dwarfed by a massive and ornate judgment seat.

Their footsteps clattered on the cold marble floor as they were brought before the lord of the castle. His lean face wore a huge, drooping mustache and a petulant expression. Around his neck hung a medallion bearing the dragon symbol of the Vincero knights. Carliss had never seen the medallion worn so boldly by a Vincero, a testimony to their power and influence in this region.

Karoshi gestured, and another knight came to stand beside him. Carliss’s stomach rose to her throat as she recognized the man. She looked at Salina, but Salina did not look at her.

“Salina,” she whispered desperately.

“Salina…yes indeed,” Sir Alston called out. “How wonderful to have you back!”

Salina stepped forward with a twisted smile and embraced her brother. She turned around and looked at Carliss.

“Baron Karoshi, I give you Lady Carliss, Knight of the Prince.” Salina joined Alston at Karoshi’s side.

“She betrayed us!” Si Kon shouted. He stepped forward as though he would tear her apart with his bare hands. One of the guards grabbed the back of his collar and yanked him backward.

Carliss stared at her presumed friend with her mouth open and her mind in a muddled state of confusion.

“Salina,” she exclaimed, “what have you done?”

“Only that which I was sent to do, Follower. And it would have ended much sooner if it hadn’t been for that fool Dalton getting in the way.” Salina’s face revealed the true master of her heart now, and Carliss could finally see it. “But all has turned out well. Not only have we captured you and the fools of the haven here, but we have killed Dalton as well.”

“All…all of this was just a ploy?” Carliss still found it difficult to believe. “Varlaken… your family… your imprisonment under Drox?”

Karoshi stood and walked toward Si Kon and Carliss while Ganoaf tried to cower behind her.

“We are infiltrating your havens and even your friendships,” Karoshi said with a piercing stare. “The foolish days of your order are numbered! The Vinceros will rule in Arrethtrae one way or another!”

Karoshi gestured to the men still standing guard over Carliss, Si Kon, and Ganoaf.

“Put them in a cell until I receive word from Lord Malco as to his desires,” he commanded.

Carliss glared at Salina and Salina sneered back as the guards pushed them to exit the hall. They were taken down two levels in the castle to a small dungeon with just two cells. Si Kon’s family and the other Followers were not there.

After the cell clanged shut, Ganoaf sat in the corner with his knees pulled in close to his chest. He rocked back and forth with his eyes closed, but Carliss did not have the spirit to console him. She was sickened in her heart by Salina’s deception, but more so by the devastation this deception had brought to Si Kon and his family.

How could I have missed it? she wondered.

The minutes became hours as they waited to see what would happen next. There was a change of guard outside their cell, then another, and eventually they were fed a meager meal of soup and stale, hard bread. Si Kon ignored the food. He just stood at the door of the cell with his arms crossed, staring at the floor.

There was another change of guard, and Carliss realized she had completely lost track of time. She had no idea if it was day or night. Was it like this for Si Kon when he was a prisoner in Drox’s dark cave?

Carliss worked to fight the darkness that seemed to close in on her. She paced, she worried, she cried out to the Prince in her heart. Finally she just sank to the floor and waited. Exhausted from days of riding and worry, she succumbed to a heavy sleep.

She woke to see Si Kon still at his post by the door, seemingly lost in a world of silent anguish. How long had he been standing there? Carliss had no idea how long she had slept.

She quietly walked to stand beside him. Her eyes welled up as she sensed her friend’s intense pain.

“I am sorry for bringing this great sorrow to you, Si Kon,” she said quietly.

Si Kon continued to stare in silence for a moment. Carliss felt all the worse, fully expecting justified words of anger and resentment to come.

“I have seen with my own eyes, heard with my own ears, and felt with my own heart the dark evil of Lucius, his Shadow Warriors, and the Vincero Knights,” Si Kon said while still staring at nothing on the floor. Then he slowly turned his head to look at Carliss. “But I have also seen and heard of the goodness of the King and His Son. Before I became one of His knights, I was blind to the battle being waged in this kingdom—the battle between His goodness and Lucius’s evil.”

Si Kon turned to fully face Carliss, took a deep breath, and stared into her eyes. “I could never wish to be as I once was—blind. Though I suffer, and my family and others suffer, our blood is not wasted on the vanities of an ignorant life. Our sufferings give proof to the good cause for which we serve, and I will serve the King and His great Son all the more because of it!”

Carliss bit her lower lip. “Your courage and faith are an example to all of the Knights of the Prince, Si Kon… especially to me.”

Si Kon looked as if he was going to respond, but the sound of the heavy prison door opening interrupted their conversation. Salina came through the door with four guards and stood before their cell. “Good afternoon, my foolish friends,” she announced with cruel cheerfulness.

“Salina, how could you?” Carliss asked, wondering if there was even one small corner of Salina’s heart that had not been blackened by Lucius.

“It’s quite easy really. Watch.” Salina motioned for the guard to open the cell door.

She pointed to Si Kon. “Take him and the imbecile to the pit with the other Followers,” Salina commanded. Then she gestured at Carliss. “Bring her with me.”

Whatever the pit was, both Si Kon and Carliss were relieved to hear her words, for they gave the first indication that his family and the others were still alive.

By now Ganoaf had scurried over to Carliss’s side and was moaning incoherently. He crouched low to the ground and grabbed Carliss’s arm. When the guard tried to pull him away, Ganoaf gave a panicked whimper that tore at Carliss’s heart.

“Salina, you know he is harmless,” Carliss pleaded. “Please let him come with us.”

Salina scowled at Ganoaf, and he hid behind Carliss. Salina huffed, then walked to the dungeon door.

“Bring them both,” she ordered before stalking away.

Once out of the dungeon, two guards took Si Kon another direction. Carliss and Ganoaf were taken once more to the great hall to stand before Baron Karoshi.

“Why is that imbecile still here?” Karoshi asked, not expecting an answer. “Take him to the pit!”

The two guards saluted and began to pull Ganoaf away. Ganoaf cried out and pushed one of the guards so hard that he flew backward onto the floor. Three other guards brought their swords to Ganoaf, and he collapsed at Carliss’s feet, clinging to her leg.

“No!” Carliss screamed and moved to stand between Ganoaf and the guards.

Karoshi stood up, angry with the altercation.

“He is a harmless oaf,” Salina said to Karoshi. “You’ll have to kill him to get him away from her.”

For a moment everything froze as Karoshi glared at Carliss and Ganoaf with flared nostrils and eyes full of hatred. After a long moment, Karoshi turned and walked toward the doorway.

“I don’t want the mess on my marble. Bring them both!” he commanded the two guards.

The two guards escorted Carliss and Ganoaf as they followed behind Karoshi. Carliss wondered what their destination might be, but soon it was evident. They were taken through the castle gates and down the road that led to the same bridge Carliss had crossed the previous day. But this time, once on the other side, Karoshi opened the gate that led to the causeway, and they ascended the steps.

Before long, Carliss and the entourage were walking on the causeway toward Esca Prime. The sun was already sinking toward the west as they skimmed the tops of the swamp trees, soon to enter the Shadow Warrior’s evil abode.

THE ASSASSIN

Baron Karoshi and his two guards escorted Carliss and Ganoaf through the castle halls to the inner keep, where two guards allowed them entrance through the massive ornate wooden doors. Ganoaf seemed nearly overcome with fear and walked closely behind Carliss.

As they entered, a broad-shouldered man was intently studying a collection of parchments lying on the desk before him. The guards closed the doors behind them.

“Lord Malco,” Baron Karoshi announced. “As you have ordered, I bring to you Lady Carliss, Knight of the Prince.”

Lord Malco looked up from his work. His blond hair was tied in a braid that hung partway down his back. Decked in an elegant black leather doublet, matching trousers, and cape, he wore an air of stately authority. Deep blue eyes seemed to pierce Carliss as he looked at her. He opened his mouth to speak and then stopped. His eyes grew wide as he looked past her. He stepped away from his desk and threw back his cape to reveal a sword that was as powerful- and elegant-looking as its owner.

“Fool!” Malco shouted as he drew his sword. “What are you doing bringing him into my castle!”

Carliss was surprised and confused by what was happening, and evidently so was Karoshi.

“What do you mean, my lord?” The baron cringed at Malco’s anger as he looked about.

Carliss looked about too, just in time to see Ganoaf stand up straight and move with the speed of a tiger. He grabbed the nearest guard’s sword, then slammed his left forearm into the man’s chest. It was such a powerful blow that the guard flew backward four feet in the air, crashed into the wall, and crumbled to the floor. The other guard reached for his sword, but Ganoaf made one powerful, skilled cut that put him down in an instant. Ganoaf then ran to set the bar lock on the chamber door.

By now Karoshi had moved away from the ruckus and drawn his sword. Carliss stood frozen in utter amazement, stunned by Ganoaf’s actions. How could this apparent simpleton move like… a warrior?

Carliss shook herself from her daze and reached for the dead guard’s sword.

“So, Malco,” Ganoaf said with a voice that boomed through the hall, “this is where you’ve been hiding your pathetic self.”

Malco walked toward them quickly but cautiously, his sword ready and his face full of fury.

“How can you be so stupid as to bring a Silent Warrior into my own castle, let alone my chamber?” he said fiercely to Karoshi.

“I…I…didn’t know…,” Karoshi stammered.

“Shut up!” Malco shouted.

Carliss positioned herself beside Ganoaf. She couldn’t keep from glancing back and forth between her enemies and her friend. Ganoaf didn’t even look like the same man.

Ganoaf swished his sword back and forth as though he were dusting off an old set of skills. Shouts and banging came from the massive doors behind them.

“What exactly do you hope to accomplish, Ganoaf?” Malco said as his angry countenance transformed into awry smile. “You would need an army to destroy my castle, and I certainly don’t see an army.”

Ganoaf’s eyes narrowed, and the fire of an ancient battle seemed to kindle his spirit. “All I need to do is kill you, Malco.” Ganoaf emphasized his point by bringing a double-handed crosscut to Malco’s raised blade. They engaged in a vicious battle as Carliss brought her sword to bear against Karoshi. Though tempted to watch as the mastery of Ganoaf’s sword-fighting abilities was unveiled, she was quickly forced to give her full attention to Karoshi, for he was a very skilled swordsman himself.

The two fights separated as chairs were overturned and tapestries were shredded by the steel of opposing blades. Carliss realized that the outcome of one duel would determine the fate of both, so she held nothing back in her advance on the Vincero. Karoshi seemed to falter, and Carliss pressed him hard. With a few more cuts, Carliss had Karoshi backed up against Malco’s large desk. He made a desperate thrust with his blade, which she deflected and countered with a wide slice that was sure to find its mark.

The Vincero fell back onto the desk as Carliss’s blade passed just above him. He lifted his legs and kicked Carliss in the abdomen, then rolled to the opposite side of the desk. Carliss doubled over, breathless from the blow. She fought to fill her lungs with air, for she knew Karoshi would be on her in an instant.

She looked up just in time to see that he had exchanged his sword for a halberd poleax from a display on the wall and was initiating a powerful vertical cut that the strongest of swords could not deflect. Pressing hard into her forward foot, she threw her torso back and out of the way of the deadly blade, but the maneuver was not enough. The razor-sharp edge of the ax head skimmed past her face, but the spike on the top of the halberd collided with the leather spaulder on her left shoulder and snapped. The ax continued its plummet downward, slicing clear through the front of her boot.

Carliss dared not wait for the explosion of pain and the flood of blood that was sure to come. She grabbed the pole of the halberd with her left hand and used it to catapult her toward Karoshi, executing a powerful slice in her final advance. Karoshi’s eyes grew wide as he realized there was nothing he could do to stop the inevitable. He screamed as Carliss’s blade tore into his side.

Both combatants tumbled to the floor and rolled away from each other just as the doors of Malco’s chamber blasted open in a shower of splinters. Karoshi made a feeble attempt to rise, then sank lifelessly back to the floor. Carliss glanced toward Ganoaf and realized that he had just disarmed the Shadow Warrior and was one stroke short of destroying the evil lord. But now the room filled with eight massive warriors, who were on them in an instant.

Carliss pulled her foot in to see how badly it was injured, surprised that she had not yet felt any pain. She felt for her toes and realized that the ax had passed perfectly between them, slicing only the front of her boot. This good news was little consolation however, since now she was probably facing an execution in short order. She was whisked to her feet by two massive warriors and brought before Malco. Ganoaf was in the grip of two other warriors, and two more held swords at his throat.

Malco was breathing hard, a mixture of fear and great relief on his face. He turned away to recover himself and then turned back to face Ganoaf with an expression of arrogant composure.

“Looks as though your little assassination attempt has failed, Ganoaf,” Malco said with a sneer. “You always were the impetuous fool.”

“Perhaps, Malco, but one moment longer and you would have been dead!”

Malco’s smooth facade momentarily crumbled as Ganoaf’s words hit him. He turned toward the warrior holding one of the blades at Ganoaf’s throat.

“Lowtar, do not completely kill him yet. Just make him wish you had.” Malco turned with an evil smile to face Ganoaf again. “I want to kill him many times.”

“Yes, my lord,” the gruesome warrior replied as he and four other Shadow Warriors brusquely escorted Ganoaf out of Lord Malco’s chamber.

Ganoaf glanced over his shoulder at Carliss, and she feared greatly for him.

“Don’t do this, Malco,” she shouted.

Malco came to Carliss and leaned down closely to her face. He smiled, and the elegance of his evil charm licked at Carliss like a serpent’s tongue. Most would have been hypnotized by his captivating gaze, but Carliss saw into his heart. She was repulsed.

“Ah, Lady Carliss.” Malco glanced toward the doorway. “Do not be so concerned about that imbecile.” He lifted a lock of Carliss’s hair in his hand. “You should be thinking of your own fate. If you like, I can arrange for you to stay here with me… or you can join the other miserable Followers in the pit and suffer their same end.”

Carliss dared to look straight into his eyes. “They have done nothing to you.”

Malco sneered. “It isn’t what they’ve done or have not done, my fair one,” Malco replied. “It is whom they serve. Killing His servants is almost better than killing Him.”

Carliss turned her head away from him and closed her eyes.

Malco chuckled, and the sound caused Carliss to cringe.

“What shall we do with her?” one of the warriors asked. “Is Lowtar to torture her too?”

Carliss looked back at Malco with fiery resolve, and he leaned in close to her face again, peering down into the depths of her soul. He tilted his head slightly. “What is it that makes you special?” he asked with squinted eyes.

Carliss stalled in her resolve, confused by that simple question. What does he mean by that?

Malco gazed a moment longer, then replied to his warrior’s question. “Don’t be so crude, Borad. She is to be my guest for supper tonight. Take her to the dining hall. And do something with… this.” He motioned dismissively toward the body of Baron Karoshi, which lay crumpled at the side of the room.

The warrior hesitated until Malco stared hard at him; then he bowed. “Yes, my lord.”

Carliss was escorted to the dining room and placed in a chair at the end of a long table. The room was adorned with regal tapestries, elaborate moldings, and a variety of artistic pieces that would have fit well in the hall of any king. The wealth of Lord Malco was indeed great, but thinking of Ganoaf’s current predicament kept Carliss from appreciating the splendor of the hall.

After a lengthy wait, Lord Malco entered the hall and sat down at the opposite end of the table.

“Ah… it is good to have such a delightful guest with which to dine.” Malco seemed to have completely recovered from Ganoaf’s assassination attempt. He lifted a goblet of dark wine to his lips. “You must try the wine, my dear. It is exquisite.”

Carliss just stared at him.

“It’s occurred to me that you may not even know what happens in this magnificent castle.”

Malco set the wine down, stood, and crossed the room to where Carliss sat. Chills went up and down her spine as he stood behind her chair and then leaned down and spoke closely into her ear.

“Come, my lady. Let’s tour the castle, shall we? We can have our meal afterward.”

His voice was alluring and repellent at the same time. Carliss closed her eyes and tried to ignore the temptation to shudder. She stood as he pulled her chair away, and he escorted her out of the dining hall. As they exited the hall, two guards at the doorway snapped to attention.

Malco led her down a wide and elaborate hallway decked with expensive-looking statuettes, paintings, and armor displays as well as ornate moldings and columns. He held his arm out for her to take, but she huffed and turned her head away.

“Very well. Perhaps after you’ve seen my wealth and power, you will be a bit more amicable.”

As they walked, Carliss had to keep reminding herself where she was and who she was with, for the castle was pleasing to behold. Carliss had never seen anything as elaborately festooned as Malco’s castle. Every servant they met bowed low before him, and the guards and warriors all snapped immediately to attention when they passed. The great hall of the castle was breathtaking, far surpassing Karoshi’s, with an arching painted ceiling and grand ivory pillars standing guard to a massive marbled chamber.

“Your wealth is great indeed, Malco,” Carliss said as she gazed up at the fabulously ornate ceiling. “The esca crystals…how do you make them?” Her voice echoed in the great hall as she turned to look into his eyes.

Malco stopped and turned to face her. He squinted as though he was trying to discern her sincerity. Then he slowly smiled, and Carliss knew he could not resist an opportunity to boast of his greatness, even if he didn’t fully believe she was being influenced.

“So you’ve already learned of the source of my wealth,” he said. “Come with me.”

They exited the great hall and walked through a series of corridors and chambers until they reached what must be the heart of the castle. They entered a curved hallway that encircled another great chamber. Warriors standing guard at two massive doors snapped to attention as they approached.

“Have they begun yet?” Malco asked.

“Just now,” one of the warriors replied.

Malco looked at Carliss. “Now you shall see my secret to great power—power my Vinceros enjoy, and power you could enjoy too, Lady Carliss, if you are willing.”

Carliss looked at Malco and then to the doors, wondering what great mystery waited on the other side… wondering if she dared even look upon that which made evil even greater.

THE SECRET OF LORD MALCO AND MOORUE

Malco nodded, and the two guards opened the doors to the mysterious great chamber. As Carliss and Malco entered, the piercing squeals of a large hog filled the room. Carliss looked on in wonder as a barred cage holding the animal was slowly lowered by a winch through a wide opening in the floor of the chamber. A supervisor stood on a platform just at the edge of the opening and gave orders to the two men who were working the winch. White-clothed servants stood near a platform waiting for something. Around the opening in the floor were hundreds of tightly spaced barbed projections pointing to the center where the cage was, and just above them were two dozen brightly burning lamps. Carliss could just see the top portion of a wide circular staircase winding its way down into the darkness. A locked trapdoor apparently gave access to the staircase.

At first Carliss thought the opening in the center of the chamber encircled some darkened dungeon below. But then she realized there was no dungeon below at all. The chamber opened directly onto the swamp of Moorue—the abode of the esca lizards. The darkness must mean that dusk had already fallen.

Squealing echoed through the chamber once again as the hog began to charge the bars of the cage in panic. The sound unnerved Carliss.

“What’s happening?” she asked Malco.

Malco had been smiling ever since they entered the chamber, and Carliss couldn’t suppress the shudder that convulsed her back and neck muscles at his evident glee.

“We are milking the esca lizards,” he said. “Watch.”

The lower portion of the cage entered the shadow of darkness where the light of the lamps could not reach, and the rope that held the cage began to sway from the poor hog’s failed escape attempts. Soon the rope was all that Carliss could see, and the squeals of the hog were mixed with an eerie and familiar sound. Carliss backed away at the sound, but Malco grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.

“There’s nothing to fear, Lady Carliss. The lizards live in the shadows and do not come into the light. You are safe,” he said, seeming to enjoy her discomfort.

The men on the winch continued to lower the cage until the taut rope became limp, indicating that the cage had reached the ground below. The hissing sounds of a hundred esca lizards filled the chamber, and the panicked squeals of the hog transformed into bellows of pain. After a few moments, the hog became silent, but the hissing lizards did not.

The supervisor ordered the winch to be raised, and the men on the winch worked much faster to raise the cage than they had to lower it. Each clank of the winch brought apprehension to Carliss. She could hardly bear to see the final state of the poor creature, yet she could not look away.

As the top of the cage pierced the light, she caught a glimpse of movement in the murky darkness below. The cage continued to sway in jerky motions, and the hissing of the esca lizards rose in volume. Soon all but the lower portion of the cage was visible, and Carliss saw hundreds of snakelike movements in the darkness.

A few more clanks of the winch brought the prone form of the hog into the light, and the hisses of the esca lizards turned to shrieks of anger. Carliss watched in amazement as hundreds of six-legged lizards scurried from the hog and through the bars of the cage, leaping to the swamp below. The tail of one lizard was pinned beneath the fallen hog. It thrashed violently to free itself, the poisonous antennae barbs striking repeatedly at the hog’s massive body. This caused quite a stir among the supervisor and the white-clothed servants. Suddenly the lizard shrieked, bolted through the bars of the cage, and disappeared into the darkness below, leaving its tail beneath the hog.

“They’re vicious little creatures aren’t they?” Malco said with a gleam in his eye.

The cage was raised to a platform where the white-clothed servants worked quickly to remove the hog.

“See the welts on the animal?” Malco asked.

Carliss peered closer and saw hundreds of pairs of swollen marks on the skin of the hog. She also saw teeth marks and torn flesh between each welt—the identical markings she had seen on Dalton.

“The welts are caused by the esca poison. My men must work quickly to extract it before it diffuses into the body of the hog.”

Carliss realized that all of her muscles were taut from having witnessed this strange event. She took a deep breath and tried to relax.

Malco walked toward the other side of the chamber, where his servants loaded the hog onto a wheeled cart. He motioned for Carliss to follow. She joined him, knowing that if she somehow survived her visit to Malco’s castle, anything she learned would be useful.

They followed the men into another chamber, which reminded her a bit of Petolemew’s study. A strange array of instruments was used to extract the poison from the hide of the hog. Dozens of men worked quickly, filling small mortars with the bright yellow fluid.

“This is only the first step in a very complicated process,” Malco said proudly.

“A process you stole from someone else,” Carliss said without thinking.

Malco looked at Carliss as though he wanted to strike her. She imagined that no one in this castle ever dared speak to him in such a way. He grimaced, then smiled.

“I have refined what was once a very crude and unusable process. The poison in its raw form is quite deadly and dries up within a day or two. It was necessary to find a way to transform it into this.”

Malco lifted a small bowl from a table nearby and poured some of its contents into his hand. He held it for Carliss to see. In his palm was a small pile of sparkling clear crystals, each one the size of a kernel of wheat. Light from the nearby lamps gleamed off the faces of the crystals, and Carliss was amazed. They were beautiful.

“The crystals can be ground up into powder and dissolved in water, making paradise as simple as drinking from a flask. A more powerful effect is gained by putting the crystals directly beneath one’s tongue. The results are vivid and immediate.”

Malco picked one of the small crystals and held it before Carliss.

“Place one of these beneath your tongue for a moment, and you can open your eyes to a world of delight.” Malco’s deep blue eyes gazed into Carliss’s like those of a serpent hypnotizing its prey.

“May I see the rest of your process?” Carliss asked quickly. She looked across the chamber through a set of open doors that led to a much larger room. She caught glimpses of tables, instruments, cisterns, and vessels of all shapes and sizes. The room was full of people working busily at a variety of tasks.

Malco’s nostril’s flared. He put the crystals back into the bowl.

“Do you really think I would show you all of my secrets?” he asked with a smirk.

Malco escorted Carliss back to the dining hall and seated her back in her chair. Then he clapped his hands, and servants brought in trays of food that would have been the envy of the wealthiest lords in all of Arrethtrae—roasted game hens, spiced mutton, roast pork, a variety of fruits and vegetables, and soup that filled the air with an aroma that beckoned one’s tongue to taste of it.

Carliss’s stomach began to howl in hunger, for it had been a very long time since she ate. But she hesitated as she thought of Ganoaf somewhere in the bowels of the castle. In an instant, her hunger was blunted by a wave of anger—for Ganoaf, for the Followers of the haven who had been taken captive or worse, and for the countless lives that Malco was destroying through the esca powder.

Malco returned to his chair and took a deep drink from his wine-filled goblet.

“Come my dear, don’t be so foolish as to refuse such delicious food. Dine with me.” Malco lifted a slab of mutton to his mouth and tore away a large piece of it with his teeth.

“I’ll not drink or eat any of your food, Malco.” Carliss crossed her arms in defiance. “All of your gain comes at the cost of innocent lives.”

Malco laughed through a mouth full of meat. “Those who purchase the Waters of Moorue are not innocent. Of their own free will they choose to partake. I force no one.”

Malco tore a game hen in half and took a large bite. “No, my dear Carliss, what you see here is simply the beauty of economic advantage. And I, in return, give people great pleasure whenever they want it.”

Malco stopped chewing and stared at Carliss for a moment. “I am told that you experienced the effect of my crystals once. Tell me,” he coaxed. “Was it such a horrible experience? How could something that pleasing be as bad as you say?”

Carliss remembered the dream she’d had about Dalton and how difficult she had found it to wake up. The temptation to live in her dream had been powerful. Only now did she realize that Salina must have tainted her water.

She looked back at Malco. He had great power and wealth because of the fantasies of men and women who refused to face reality for what it was, who refused to hold themselves accountable for their own actions. It was a pleasure-filled state of existence that led to an apathy and laziness that the King never intended for His people.

“Because, as is the case with all of Lucius’s evil plots, it destroys people from the inside out,” Carliss answered him boldly. “And they become your prisoners in the end.”

Malco tore off another bite from the game hen. “Prisoners?” he mocked. “I have no prisoners and have harmed no one.”

Carliss leaned forward. “Really? And what of those who become so enthralled with your dream world that they walk across the bridge into the swamp to their deaths? And what of the Followers you’ve taken from the haven? Are they being well treated or tortured like Ganoaf?” Carliss’s fury rose higher. “What I see here is the propagation of evil and deception!”

“Lady Carliss, don’t be so dramatic.” The Shadow Warrior spoke with airy condescension. “I wager that if you were to try the full effect of my esca powder, you would see things quite differently. What do you say?”

“I do not wager with evil,” Carliss spat back. “I rebuke it in the name of the Prince!”

Malco grimaced, then lifted his chin to regain his composure. He stared at Carliss as he finished chewing his last bite, then lifted a napkin to his lips and wiped them without taking his gaze from her. He stood and walked the length of the table, his steely eyes fixed on Carliss all the while. To Carliss he seemed larger than before. His display of charm slowly vanished as he neared. He grasped the arms of Carliss’s chair and abruptly turned it to face him directly. He leaned down close to her face. The smell of garlic and other spices was on his breath.

“I have been ordered to attempt to sway you over to our cause, you Knights of the Prince… and you in particular.” Malco’s voice now fully revealed the darkened state of the soul within him. “But quite frankly, you disgust me.” Malco leaned closer to Carliss. She tried to turn away, but he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

“Actually, you all disgust me. Even the Vinceros disgust me. I hate you all. This kingdom is full of half-witted fools, and I would like nothing more than to kill all of you miserable Arrethtraens.”

Without warning, Malco grabbed Carliss’s neck and began to squeeze. She grabbed his hand with both of hers and pulled, but his grip tightened. He pressed his thumb and his forefinger into the base of her jawbone until the pain was unbearable. She couldn’t help opening her mouth to relieve the pressure, and as she did, Malco poured the entire contents of a small vial of crystals beneath her tongue. She tried to spit, but Malco slammed her jaw upward, pushing her head against the back of the high chair.

“Now you will live in my world and never return, fool!” Malco said with a loathsome voice. He laughed as Carliss continued to fight against him, but his powerful muscles would not yield.

She closed her eyes in an attempt to fight against the power of the esca crystals. Malco’s laughter echoed in her mind as the horror of the moment faded away into dreamscape. For one brief moment she wished she were anywhere but here, fighting against the darkness of Lucius and his wicked Shadow Warriors. She thought of the carefree days of her youth when she was just a child on her father’s farm, catching snowflakes.

Carliss opened her eyes to see the old country where she once had played. The delightful sprinkle of white flakes drifted slowly about her, landing softly on her cheek. Just to her left was the cozy farmhouse, nestled in the valley with a swirl of smoke rising from the chimney.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” she heard a familiar voice say.

“Koen!” she exclaimed. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Carliss’s brother smiled broadly. “Dalton will be out later. Shall we all take a ride together?”

Carliss smiled, but something tugged at the corner of her mind.

“Dalton?” she asked.

Koen continued to smile, but Carliss looked away to the horizon. Something wasn’t right. She put her hands to her head.

“No!” she screamed in her mind. She turned back to face Koen, and he just continued to smile. “I will not stay here!” she said.

She closed her eyes, and her mind became a battlefield of reason and temptation, logic and delight, reality and fantasy. Carliss forced herself to deny the tremendous pull on her mind and emotions. She fell to the ground, still clutching her head, and cried out to the Prince. She opened her eyes, willing it all to vanish, but it would not. Instead, the fields began to warp, and her farmhouse melted into the sky.

She tried to stand, but the grass wrapped itself around her legs and waist, pulling her downward, refusing to let her go. She screamed out her defiance to the dream world, and it dissolved away, finally releasing its grip on her mind. The black canvas that remained slowly began to reveal obscure shapes that were unpleasant and yet familiar.

“Impossible!” a dark voice resonated in her mind.

The light of Malco’s dining room broke away the remaining shadows of her mind, and Carliss saw Malco standing just a few feet before her, a look of shock on his face.

“By the power of the Prince,” Carliss said defiantly, “I will not succumb to your evil, Malco!”

Malco screamed, lifted her from the chair, and threw her against the door. She slammed into the carved wood with a thud and collapsed to the floor. Two warriors immediately entered the hall with drawn swords.

“I’m too weary to bother myself further with her tonight. Take her to a cell. Tomorrow we will feed her and Ganoaf to the esca lizards.”

WOUNDED WARRIOR

Carliss was taken to a section of the castle she had not toured and was cast into a dimly lit cell. Before long the doors opened, and two warriors cast in another prisoner who was so badly beaten that Carliss hardly recognized him.

“Ganoaf!” Carliss exclaimed. He groaned as she rolled him onto his back and began to dab his bleeding wounds with portions of her tunic. Without bandages or water, there was little else she could do for him.

Ganoaf coughed and winced in pain.

“How can I help you?” Carliss wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. For many days she had felt responsible for the childlike man she had known as Ganoaf. And even now, though it was clear he was so much more than he appeared, she could not help feeling responsible for the torture he had just endured.

Ganoaf closed his eyes and tried to take a slow, deep breath.

“There is nothing you can do,” he said with difficulty. “Time… time will help me.”

Carliss didn’t understand. In her experience, someone this badly beaten could easily die without proper care.

“I am one of the…King’s Silent Warriors,” he gasped. “The Life Spice within me will heal me… in time.”

He winced again and tried to relax. Carliss stayed silent and let this mysterious warrior concentrate on mastering his pain. She stayed close to him for a long while until his breathing became shallow and steady. As he slept, Carliss reconsidered the past few days. She stood and went to look out the bars of the cell, trying to transform her perspective on the large, simple man to that of the mighty Silent Warrior of the King.

What was his purpose in the ploy he played? she wondered. Was it solely to get close to Malco to assassinate him?

Carliss’s mind filled with questions, but she had no choice but to wait for the answers. While she waited, her mind turned to Dalton. Today was the sixth day since his tremors had ended, and reaching him would involve, at the very least, a hard three days’ ride. If he was to live, she had but one more day to escape Malco’s prison, find the swamp lily, and leave Moorue. It simply seemed impossible.

My Prince, one of your mighty servants will die if I fail, she pleaded. Please help me. The plea came from the heart of one who had sworn never to abandon a fellow knight in battle or in peril. But though she refused her mind the indulgence it craved, her plea also came from the heart of one who had been beset by the power of love.

Finally, her thoughts turned to Si Kon, his family, and the other Followers who had been taken captive. She wondered where they were being held and if they were all right. She sat motionless in silent contemplation for a long while, unable this time to find the respite of sleep.

“Carliss,” Ganoaf whispered. The flame of a lamp just outside their cell flickered, and Carliss could just see Ganoaf open his eyes. “Did they hurt you?”

Carliss came to Ganoaf and knelt beside him. She marveled that he could be so close to death and yet be concerned for her.

“No, my friend,” she answered. “I am unharmed.”

Ganoaf took a deep breath and seemed more at peace.

“I’m afraid we have failed in our missions,” Carliss said, “I in mine and you in yours.”

Ganoaf turned his head to look at her. He held up his hand, and she took hold of it.

“Neither of us has failed… not yet.”

He pulled on her hand, and she helped him rise to a sitting position. It took great effort on both of their parts, for he was twice her weight and very weak. Still, she was amazed to see how much better he was doing already. He pointed to the wall, and she helped him lean against it.

Ganoaf closed his eyes and once again seemed to focus on subduing the pain in his body.

“But how can you possibly succeed in killing Malco now?” Carliss asked.

Ganoaf sat in silence, and Carliss wondered if he had fallen unconscious.

“It was never my mission to kill Malco,” he finally said, then opened his eyes and looked at her. “My mission was and is solely to protect you. I have never lost a charge, and I will not lose you.”

Carliss stared at Ganoaf in stunned disbelief. All the while she had thought she was protecting him, and only now did she realize the foolishness of the notion. He must have known that Salina was a Vincero Knight and had protected Carliss from her throughout the journey. She thought back and realized that Ganoaf had probably saved her life countless times without her even realizing it.

“But why?” she asked.

“Because you are special in the eyes of the Prince, Carliss. He has watched you from your youth, and your pure heart has won His favor… and the favor of others.”

Carliss lowered her head, humbled by words she could hardly believe were spoken for her.

“You played the fool these past days,” she said quietly. “And now it is I who play the fool, realizing who you really are. Please forgive me.”

With great effort, Ganoaf lifted a burly arm and placed his hand on her shoulder.

“You… are no fool, Lady Carliss. You are a courageous and merciful Knight of the Prince… the key to winning a great battle that has yet to unfold fully. I have seen our great Lord in the power of your sword and in the kindness of your heart. Lift your head and be strong.”

Carliss looked at the mighty warrior and received strength from his words.

Ganoaf winced as he tried to prop himself straighter. Carliss tried to support him as best she could.

“They will come for us,” he said, “and we must be ready.”

“But Ganoaf, we are prisoners in Malco’s castle in the middle of the swamp. How and for what can we possibly be ready?”

“No matter how dark the darkness, the Prince never abandons his faithful servants,” Ganoaf said without opening his eyes.

Carliss smiled in the shadows and was grateful for the words he spoke—words that reminded her of the One she served and of His great power. She was also grateful for the companionship of her friend and protector in this dark place.

“What do you suggest?” Carliss asked.

“I believe there is a way of escape, but it will be treacherous… and…” Ganoaf hesitated. He opened his eyes and looked at Carliss.

“What is it, Ganoaf?”

“You should know that Malco does not keep prisoners long. Just as we are to be executed, so are the rest of the Followers who were captured today—and soon, I fear.”

Carliss became sick in her heart as she thought of Si Kon, his family, and the other members of the newly minted haven in Moorue.

She looked at the empty cells about them. “But where are they kept?” she asked. “Where is this pit Karoshi talked of?”

“Malco’s protection of the esca lizards has caused them to flourish to the point that there is not enough prey for them all. The only way to keep them alive now is to feed them.” Ganoaf stopped to let Carliss come to her own conclusion.

The image that filled Carliss’s mind horrified her.

“The inhabitants of Moorue believe that people overcome by the esca powder eventually walk the bridge into the swamp on their own. Although that occasionally happens, the truth is that they are taken by Malco’s warriors and imprisoned somewhere within the swamp. I must assume that place is what Karoshi called the pit. We have yet to discover its location, but we know that many have been taken there and lost to the lizards. As the demand for the Waters of Moorue increases in the kingdom, Malco will need more lizards… and they will need to be fed. One vice feeds another.”

Carliss considered Ganoaf’s words carefully. If by some miracle they were able to escape Malco’s castle, she would then be facing a heart-ripping dilemma, for time was running short for both Dalton at Petolemew’s home and the Followers here.

“Ganoaf, is there a swamp lily or am I chasing a myth?” Carliss wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

Ganoaf looked at her with sympathy in his eyes.

“I don’t know, Carliss. If there is, it must be a variant of the Life Spice flower that grows only in the Kingdom Across the Sea. I have never seen the lily of the swamp or the Life Spice flower in Arrethtrae, but that doesn’t mean they do not exist. There are some mysteries the King won’t reveal even to his Silent Warriors until it is time.”

Carliss lowered her head in discouragement. She knew the odds of the swamp lily’s existence were slim—especially if Ganoaf didn’t know about it.

“Remember, Petolemew’s book was right about the esca lizard,” Ganoaf offered. “Don’t give up on Dalton yet, my lady.”

Carliss looked at her large friend and nodded, choosing to focus not upon the narrow odds of the flower’s existence but rather upon the problem of finding a way to escape. She and Ganoaf talked long and considered many options before retiring for a few hours of rest.

A SACRIFICE

Malco’s Shadow Warriors didn’t come for Carliss and Ganoaf until early evening the next day, just as Ganoaf had expected. He had told Carliss they would wait until evening, when the esca lizards began their feeding time and were the most aggressive. So Carliss and Ganoaf waited in their cell as the hours crept by once more, and the possibility of saving Dalton’s life seemed to shrink from Carliss’s grasp.

Finally the warriors arrived—four of them. They bound Ganoaf’s hands behind him with rope and walked him and Carliss toward the milking chamber. Carliss gauged by the cautious way they handled Ganoaf that her friend was someone they feared. Although Ganoaf was larger than even the Shadow Warriors, he still seemed severely encumbered by the pain of his torture wounds, and she wondered why their escorts were so wary when she had to help him stand and walk. The guards continually pushed him from behind, cursing with every prod, but his gait was slow because of a severely injured right leg.

Malco was waiting inside the chamber with arms crossed and a superior smirk on his lips. Carliss and Ganoaf were brought before him.

“What a shame to cast such a skilled young knight to the lizards.” Malco mockingly shook his head. “I could have made a great Vincero of you, Lady Carliss.”

Carliss stared into his dark eyes and did not flinch. He turned to Ganoaf, who stood next to Carliss with his head lowered.

“Oh, Ganoaf …what a fool you’ve been. After all these years, one would think you’d have learned something by now. How appropriate for you to play a simpleton!” Malco laughed, and the other warriors joined him.

Ganoaf lifted his head and glared into Malco’s eyes, then quickly tensed his muscles as if he were going to tear Malco to pieces. Malco jumped backward, and the other warriors all thrust their swords to his neck, causing him to hold his place.

Malco’s embarrassment at his own cowardly reaction quickly turned to fury. He leaned forward toward Ganoaf’s face.

“Now I will be rid of you forever, you overgrown lout. Put them both in the cage!”

“My lord,” one of the warriors said. “The Silent Warrior is immune to the affects of the esca lizards’ poison, just as we are. Why don’t we just kill him?”

Malco looked perturbed at being questioned by one of his own men. “That is all the more reason to do it. He will be conscious as they eat him alive.” He looked at Ganoaf. “You will feel every bite and every tiny piece of flesh that is ripped from your body. How dare you enter my castle and try to kill me!”

At Malco’s signal, the Shadow Warriors crammed Carliss and Ganoaf into the cage and locked the door. Carliss could not deny the fear that was rising up within her. The image of the lizards swarming the hog the previous day filled her mind. She looked down from the side of the cage to see a small clearing on the ground of the swamp thirty feet below. Thus far the dusky light still hid the hideous lizards that waited for them somewhere below.

Ganoaf turned to stare at Malco as the winch began to clank its melodic rhythm—a dinner bell for the wretched esca lizards.

“What do we do, Ganoaf?” Carliss asked, as she set to the task of untying the ropes that held his massive arms.

“Stand back,” he said without taking his eyes off Malco. The top of the cage was now even with the floor of the chamber above, but they could still see Malco.

Ganoaf filled his lungs with air, tensed all his mighty muscles, and grimaced. Carliss watched as the ropes about his wrists strained; then individual strands began to snap. Ganoaf yelled, and all at once the rope gave way. Carliss saw Malco’s eyes grow wide in apprehension.

“Faster!” the Shadow Warrior ordered.

The sound of the clanking winch doubled as Malco and his minions disappeared from view. Ganoaf turned to face Carliss. She had never seen such a fierce look on her friend before.

“This cage was built for Arrethtraens, not for me. Are you ready, Lady Carliss? We won’t have much time.”

The sound of hissing lizards began to reach Carliss’s ears, and she shuddered. She steeled herself. “I am ready.”

They were now fifteen feet off the ground. Ganoaf grabbed two of the bars of the cage and pulled them apart until one ripped loose from its socket in the floor. He quickly yanked the upper portion of the bar until it too came loose.

Carliss could hear shouts of exclamation from above.

“Reverse the winch!” Malco ordered.

Before the winch could change direction, Ganoaf had opened the bars far enough for both of them to escape. Still nearly ten feet off the ground, they were now close enough to make a jump for it.

Ganoaf jumped with the bar of iron in his hand and tumbled to the ground. Carliss saw him wince from the pain of landing on his injured leg. The sound of the lizards grew louder, and Carliss felt the first clank of the winch lift the cage upward. She saw Ganoaf below using the ground to straighten the bar he had pulled from the cage.

Carliss jumped and rolled as her feet hit the ground. Her tumbling took her close to the edge of the clearing, and she froze in terror as she found herself face to face with a three-foot-long esca lizard. Its yellow eyes bulged, and its mouth opened wide as it hissed viciously. The forked tongue licked the air just inches from Carliss’s face, while the poisonous barbs lay back on its neck, ready to strike.

Thunk! The powerful blow of Ganoaf’s iron weapon instantly crushed the skull of the six-legged fiend. Ganoaf lifted Carliss to her feet.

“After them!” Carliss heard Malco scream to his Shadow Warriors.

She looked up and saw the trapdoor to the circular staircase open. Two warriors hesitantly began their descent. Carliss looked about for some sort of weapon but saw only splintered bones from the poor creatures that had been fed to the lizards—nothing hefty enough to be effective as a weapon.

The sound of the lizards seemed to come predominantly from one direction, the same direction from which she could now see a dozen yellow eyes peering.

“This way!” Ganoaf shouted.

They broke from the clearing on the opposite side and ran beneath the massive structure of Malco’s castle until they entered the thicker vegetation of the surrounding swamp. Carliss could hear the shouts of the warriors behind them, and the hissing of the lizards seemed to come from all around. She focused intently on navigating the ground before her and covering as much distance as quickly as possible. The vines, trees, and marshy ground were challenging, but she quickly fell into a rhythm that worked.

She looked behind her and saw Ganoaf struggling to keep up, his injured leg holding him back. He paused, looked back toward the castle, then up to the canopy above. He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled an ear-piercing screech that startled Carliss. Then he turned to join her, but an esca lizard leapt from a nearby tree and attacked him from behind. Carliss immediately spun about to help him.

Ganoaf reached for the lizard but could not lay hold of it. Once again Carliss was amazed at how quickly the lizard could match Ganoaf’s tunic in color and texture. Just as the lizard opened its jaws wide to latch onto Ganoaf’s back, Carliss grabbed the tail and yanked it from him, smashing the beast solidly into the ground, then casting it behind them.

The light of day was virtually gone, but Carliss could still see that the foliage around them was fast becoming a moving mass of camouflaged reptilian predators.

“You must go, Carliss.” Ganoaf looked up to where the sky peeked through a break in the overhanging canopy. “Spirit will help you.” He made a gesture just as the cry of a hawk penetrated the swamp. The hissing of the lizards instantly subsided, but only momentarily. “If you keep moving, you may be able to stay ahead of them. I will fight the Shadow Warriors.”

Carliss gulped. She had nearly forgotten about the Shadow Warriors, but now she realized they were just a few paces away and coming quickly. One of them screamed, and Carliss didn’t need to see to know what had happened.

“Ganoaf,” she exclaimed, “I can’t leave you here!”

“You must, Carliss. Trust me and go!”

Ganoaf turned and readied his rod of iron just as the first Shadow Warrior attacked. Carliss forced herself to flee, racing as fast as her feet would carry her. The distraction of the fight behind her seemed to confuse the lizards, allowing her enough time to put a few strides between herself and them.

The sound of clanging steel diminished with each frenzied step she took, and her heart broke for the friend who was sacrificing his life to save hers. Even if he was able to defeat both Shadow Warriors, he could never survive the esca lizards. She heard him yell, and the tears that welled up in her eyes made her flight through the darkening swamp more difficult.

“Ganoaf,” she whispered. For now that was all the mourning she could allow herself. She wiped her tears away and focused on her own survival.

Sssss. A lizard jumped to a tree trunk just ahead and hissed viciously at her, then seemed to disappear into its bark. She diverted to the right and tried to quicken her pace, but the crescendo of scurrying feet enveloped her and plunged her into despair. She knew the swamp was large, too large for her to make her way out before nightfall, and by then the lizards would overcome her.

Besides this, she was beginning to tire. She was breathing hard, the sweat pouring from her body in the humid swamp air. Her mind ran wild with sporadic thoughts of her family, Dalton, Ganoaf, Si Kon, the other Followers—all people of noble service to the Prince. Why did evil seem to have the power to overcome the good?

My Prince, where are you in this dreadful land? she pleaded in her mind.

Carliss jumped a fallen trunk and fell into a murky pool of mud and water. Her feet sank into the muck, and she struggled to free herself. Her lungs hurt, and she found it difficult to make her legs obey. It was as if she was in a bad dream, with legs made of iron and fearsome beasts chasing her… but this was no dream.

She lifted one leg up high, but the other just sank deeper into the muck, making her next step even harder. She was still five paces away from solid ground when it happened. Something dropped from above and latched onto her back, neck, and right arm. The lizard’s feet clung to her like a strangler vine, and she fought violently to free herself from it, but to no avail. The hideous creature shrieked, and Carliss tensed for the strike that would follow.

Then suddenly there was a flapping in the trees, and the lizard was yanked from her body in one powerful motion. She looked up and saw the hawk carrying the lizard up through the trees.

Spirit!

The rush of the fight had renewed the strength of her legs. Carliss pushed her way to the solid ground and resumed her flight, though it was becoming more and more difficult to see the ground and the vines that impeded her way.

She ran until her lungs felt as though they would burst and her legs burned from the exertion. She was nearly spent. After a few more moments she knew her end was near, for the darkness was nearly complete, and the hissing of hundreds of nocturnal lizards swelled to fill the air.

She stopped in a small clearing, trying to decide which direction was free of the lizards, but there was none. The wall of trees seemed to writhe and close in upon her. She collapsed to the ground on her knees and covered her head, screaming against the horrid sounds that would hail the end of Lady Carliss.

The first lizard landed upon her hunched shoulders, and she shuddered, deciding not to fight. She had nothing left within her to fight. She just waited through breath after heaving breath, shivering in fright and shaking from exhaustion. The hissing seemed to penetrate to her bones. One of the feet grasped her shoulder, but it did not feel the same as before.

“Slowly stand with me,” a calm powerful voice whispered in her ear.

Carliss froze. She dared not take her hands from her head. Had she already been stung by the esca lizard and was hallucinating as Dalton had?

She stayed still a moment longer, forcing her mind to be rational. Only then did she realize that it was not a lizard that had grasped her shoulder, but the firm grip of a hand. And the weight on her shoulder was the arm of a man. She slowly turned her head to the left and looked through the crook of her arm.

“Rise up,” the voice said again.

Carliss was trembling, but she obeyed the voice. Her legs could hardly support her, but she pushed herself to stand, then realized that the man had wrapped his cloak about her. Although the lizards were close and some were shrieking angrily, they did not attack. Carliss leaned into the protective cover the man provided, wondering how he was able to keep the deadly creatures at bay.

They moved slowly, and the lizards followed close by. She heard Spirit screech not far away but dared not lift her head to look for him. She wanted to speak to her protector but feared it might upset the delicate balance of the situation. To her it seemed as if one wrong movement or misspoken word would destroy this strange haven in an instant.

They walked for a long while in the darkness, even though she was exhausted and needed to rest. Gradually she heard the sounds of the esca lizards diminish. Then something strange began to happen. Beneath the cover of the man’s cloak, Carliss began to see an aura of light. It emanated from the ground and softly illumined the night. She lifted her head and chanced looking from beneath her cover.

Her protector had brought her to a garden in the midst of the gloomy swamp. Thousands of intricate low-lying flowers covered the firm ground in a blanket of glowing petals.

“The swamp lily,” she whispered and knelt down to gently feel the soft glowing petals of one of the flowers. They covered an area of the swamp that was nearly forty paces wide, and there were no esca lizards anywhere. Her protector had brought her to an oasis of good in a desert of evil.

Carliss closed her eyes and took a deep breath, allowing herself a moment of pleasure. Her body begged to lie down and rest. Then a frightening thought entered her mind. This whole experience was too surreal; surely she had been captured by one of Malco’s deceptive dreams. Was she yet a prisoner in his evil castle?

She looked up at the face of the man who had brought her to this place, expecting to see Dalton again, but this was a face she had never seen before.

“Do not be afraid.” His voice was so strong and yet so comforting. His eyes pierced straight through to her heart but left no wound.

Carliss wrestled with reality and fantasy. What did all this mean?

“Who are you?” she finally asked.

The man knelt down near her and smiled. “I am a friend. You are safe here.”

A heavy rustle nearby caught her attention, and Carliss looked up to see Spirit alight on a stump nearby, its feathers taking on a silvery glow in the light from the flowers. What a majestic bird. It reminded her of Ganoaf, and she grieved for him. Then she looked about at the unusual glow of the swamp lilies once more and remembered the strange words from Petolemew’s ancient book:

Nine days will bring visions of delight, but the tenth will be a horrible sight, for on that day the man will of surety die. The swamp lily beneath the morning star will preserve his life, but this remedy grows hard by the dragon’s nest. Though some have tried, all have died. Only one who seeks the light and overcomes will be victorious through the night. Beware of the swamps of Moorue and Basillow!

Those words carried mystery, promise, and dread for Carliss. Today was the seventh day. She had found the flower that would save Dalton’s life but was trapped in the middle of a deadly swamp with no means to get it to him. Even with Rindy, she would be hard pressed to make it back to Dalton in time.

The whole of her bosom ached. She looked back to the man kneeling beside her.

“Thank you, sir. You saved my life. If only…

Her voice trailed off as she thought of Ganoaf’s sacrifice and Dalton’s and the Followers’ imminent deaths. The evil of the kingdom seemed far too big for one young knight to bear.

The man reached down to the stem of one of the swamp lilies. Carliss watched as he gently pulled the flower from the ground, revealing a bulbous root. As he did so, the glow of the petals instantly faded, and Carliss wanted to tell him to stop. The man carefully held the dying flower in his hand before Carliss.

“Because of evil, it takes the sacrifice of one to give life to another. That is the cost. That is the reward.”

The man brushed the dirt from the root of the swamp lily and gave it to Carliss. “Eat. By morning your strength will return, and so will your courage. You are a faithful knight, Carliss, and have overcome. Now be valiant, for valiant you are!”

Carliss gazed at the man in wonder. She chose to trust him and took a bite of the swamp lily root, then chewed and swallowed the tasteless substance. Her lips, tongue, and cheeks began to warm with each passing moment, and she even felt the same sensation in her stomach. The warmth spread throughout her body, and she wondered if she had been tricked. Could the flower be as dangerous as the esca lizard’s poison?

Carliss felt the powerful pull of the ground on her body. She became so tired she didn’t care what happened next as long as she could be still. Her eyes half closed and she tried to speak, but the words seemed impossible to form. All she could do was watch drowsily as the man stood and drew his gleaming sword.

Would her own sacrifice be next? If so, there was nothing she could do to stop it. All she could do was lie down among the glowing flowers.

Her eyes drifted shut, and she fell into a deep sleep.

DAY EIGHT… MORNING STAR

Carliss slowly opened her eyes. She felt as though she had been sleeping for a hundred years. Her breathing was deep, and her arms and legs still felt strapped to the ground. She wondered if her mind was awake and her body was still asleep. It was a peaceful state and she lay still, embracing it for a few moments longer. Finally she lifted herself on one arm and looked about.

The swamp didn’t seem quite so dark, and the surreal garden where she lay was gleaming in the light of dawn. She saw wisps of fog slowly disappearing from around her small haven. The swamp lilies’ glow was subtle in the daylight, but the intricate beauty of the flowers was not diminished. She heard Spirit screech above the trees and knew he was watching over her. A moment later he swooped down and settled on the stump where he had rested the night before. Remembering Drox’s death ravens, Carliss marveled at how one large bird could be used for evil and another for good. It seemed to be the way of a fallen kingdom.

Carliss looked around for the man who had saved her and wondered if she had imagined him. Who is he? she wondered, not daring to assume the incomprehensible.

Carliss lifted herself onto her knees, turning as she did. Only then did she realize that just behind her, imbedded partway into the ground, was a brilliant sword of un-Arrethtraen beauty. She gawked at the splendor of the magnificent weapon. She ran her fingers along the golden handle and guard. Small, rare jewels inlaid in the gold reflected the colorful rays of the sun, and on the pommel was the perfectly engraved image of the King’s mark. The edge of the blade was so perfectly sharpened that she could hardly make out where it ended and the air about it began.

Such a sword could only belong to Him, she thought, and shivered.

Engraved in the white-silver blade near the hilt were the words, “To one who has overcome—be true to the King and His Son!” She looked on the other side of the blade, and her heart skipped a beat. She touched the gleaming letters that spelled out Morning Star.

Carliss stood and walked away from the sword. Something about it frightened her… and excited her at the same time. She looked at it from a distance and felt the strength of her muscles return. In fact, with each passing moment, she felt as though the energy of life was being poured into her bones.

She looked about for the one who had left the sword but could see no one—just the hawk preening himself on the stump. She walked the perimeter of her small haven of glowing flowers, looking into the surrounding swamp for him, but he was not there. She came to the sword again, reached for the handle, and then paused. The reality of her mission hit her hard as she remembered why she was standing here and what had brought her to this place. This was the eighth and final morning she could be in Moorue. Delaying even a few more hours would mean Dalton’s death, if Petolemew’s book was correct, and it had been spot-on thus far. If she was to make it back to Dalton in time, she needed to leave immediately. She might already be too late.

She knelt down to the ground and reached for a swamp lily, then gently pulled it out of the soft soil. The petals lost their subtle glow and seemed to wilt immediately. She pulled three more out and dusted off the bulbous roots. She tucked them within her leather vest, then returned to the sword.

“Well, Spirit,” she told the hawk, “I’m not sure what all this means, but I need this sword if I’m going to make it out of here alive.”

Carliss grasped the handle of the sword and pulled it out of the ground. Chills flowed up and down her spine as something deep within her whispered, You are called!

Carliss stood still as all the swamp noises seemed to collapse to silence. She looked down at the ground where the sword had been and realized that the swamp lilies around her were beginning to fade and wilt. Carliss became concerned that she had erred, for the entire garden seemed to be melting back into swampland. She reached down and pulled one of the wilting flowers out, but the stem disintegrated in her hand.

As she contemplated what was happening, Spirit screeched loudly and took to flight. Carliss nearly jumped out of her skin. She looked about, wondering which way to go next as the morning sunshine faded away beneath a thick layer of clouds. She couldn’t be sure where she was, but she knew that Malco’s castle lay due east of the city, so her best chance of getting out of the swamp lay to the west. Basing her calculations on the last position of the sun, she took a step in that direction, then froze. The familiar hissing sounds of torment began to fill the air, and now there was no place to hide.

Carliss ran, but once again the lizards seemed everywhere. She saw branches move without a breeze. She stepped near a log, and it opened yellow eyes and snapped at her. She had only sprinted a short distance when it seemed as though she would become overwhelmed again. She pushed through a thick growth of vines and trees. Her foot caught on a vine, and she fell to the ground. Thinking the lizards would be on her in an instant, she quickly rose to one knee and swung her sword in a circular arc around her, but it struck only air.

She snapped her head from side to side, looking for something to strike, but there was nothing. She noticed that the hissing of the lizards had subsided but did not go away. Only then did she realize that she had fallen into a strange and eerie abode. The peripheral trees she had stumbled through seemed to bend over to cover this dark domain in continual shade. On the ground all around her were dozens of large circular mounds made of twigs, vine, rocks, and mud. In the center of each were twenty to thirty apple-sized eggs.

Fear gripped Carliss’s heart at the realization that she had fallen into the nesting area of the esca lizards. She tried to stay calm, reminding herself that she was still alive and that only clear thinking could help her now.

She slowly stood and turned about, looking for some indication of the direction of attack that would surely come. She dared not go back the way she had come, for the lizards there would surely devour her in an instant. Here in the nesting area, they seemed reluctant to pursue. She didn’t understand why; perhaps they feared a struggle would destroy the eggs. Clearly, though, she had no choice but to try and make her way across the shadowy expanse of the nesting area—at least thirty paces to the next thick line of trees. She forced herself to breathe calmly but kept a tight grip on her sword.

Carliss carefully stepped between two nests, stopped, took a deep breath, and then moved on. Remarkably, she was able to proceed unhindered by the threatening shrieks and hisses of the lizards. After a painstakingly careful advance, Carliss made it two-thirds of the way across the nesting area. Coming to a point where two nests were very close together, she stepped between them and onto a loose vine. Here her quiet, careful journey through this abode of certain death ended.

The vine she had stepped on came alive in a high-pitched, ear-piercing shriek, for it was a camouflaged baby lizard. Carliss immediately lifted her foot, and the six-inch lizard scurried under one of the nests. What she heard next caused her to shudder. A deep, guttural hiss filled the air, and Carliss looked to the nearby tree on her left just ten paces away. The entire trunk seemed to move, and Carliss had to look carefully to see. Then, near the base of the tree, she saw two large yellow eyes glaring at her. Carliss whirled and brought her sword to bear in that direction just as the lizard’s skin color burst into vibrant hues of blue and orange.

This esca lizard was huge, nearly ten feet from head to tail. Carliss wondered if there were dozens more ready to pounce on her from behind, but she dared not take her eyes from the one before her. Carliss blinked, and the lizard raced toward her, seeming to appear instantly just two paces away. Carliss gripped the sword tightly with both hands, holding the tip toward the monster. She slowly backed away toward the closest edge of the nest area. Surely this must be the mother lizard… perhaps of the entire swamp, she thought.

The mother lizard followed just out of reach of Carliss’s sword. The foot-long antennae moved forward, searching for something to strike. Each time the lizard shrieked, the antennae would lie down on the back of its neck, and the entire swamp hushed to silence.

Carliss stole very quick glimpses behind her as she backed away, avoiding the nests and looking for other lizards. It was a frighteningly slow process, and she was certain the creature would attack and swallow her whole at any instant.

She finally made it to the edge of the trees and wondered what army of smaller lizards waited for her there. She was in such a desperate predicament that she could hardly make herself go on. She could hear the smaller lizards hissing beyond the vine-and-tree wall.

The mother lizard pushed closer. As quickly as the creature moved, Carliss dared not even swipe at it, for if she missed, she was certain the momentary unguarded exposure would be her end. Backing into the mass of waiting smaller lizards was not a pleasing prospect either, but she knew she had no choice.

Carliss found an opening in the trees and prepared to jump through. The mother lizard crouched low to the ground as if she were ready to launch. Just then, Spirit screeched and swooped down toward the mother lizard from behind. The lizard shrieked and struck at Spirit instead, just missing the mighty bird of prey.

Carliss used the distraction to leap through the trees out of the nesting area. She ran faster than she ever had before, imagining an entire army of esca lizards trailing close behind. The air filled once more with hissing.

As she ran, she mentally charted the location of the lizard nests and realized it had to be but a short distance directly north of Malco’s castle. She did this automatically, as she had done the same thing a thousand times while hunting game. The information didn’t really matter, however; it would probably be useless in just a few minutes.

She continued to run west until she could run no more. She was shocked that she had not been attacked yet. She slowed to a stop, wondering if by some chance she had made it out of the lizard territory, but soon the trees around her hissed and moved in fluidic motions. Everywhere she looked, she caught glimpses of subtle snakelike motions that disappeared into the bark, vines, and soil. Breathing hard, she fell into battle stance, holding the magnificent sword before her, willing to take as many of these hideous creatures with her as possible.

She waited, but none attacked.

She took a step, still holding the sword ready. Nothing happened.

After many long moments of torturous waiting, she finally approached a tree where she had earlier seen movement. When she was a sword’s length away, a portion of the trunk came to life, hissed, then scurried to the far side… away from Carliss. By now Carliss had caught her breath.

Why are the lizards staying away? She looked anew at the splendid piece in her hand. Is it this sword?

Curious to discover the secret of her transparent shield, Carliss held the sword behind her and carefully approached another tree. She prepared to duck away just in case, but once again a portion of the tree trunk sprang to life and slithered away.

Carliss reached into her vest and removed the swamp lilies she had harvested. She looked at the withered flowers and then up to the sky. She felt the peace of the Prince wash over her from head to foot and wanted to shout. That was why the man had her eat the root. And that was why she was safe now, protected by the Life Spice in the swamp lily she had eaten.

Carliss continued her journey west toward Moorue, unhindered by the threat of the esca lizards. Before long she came to the edge of the swamp and breathed a deep sigh of relief. She had survived, but now she faced the biggest dilemma of her life.

WHO SHALL LIVE?

Carliss emerged from the swamp north of Moorue and marked the place in her mind. She could see the three castles of Moorue not far to the south and traveled toward them. She followed along the river’s edge until she could see the eastern bridge and the lamps burning just above the fog in the late morning air.

She paused and reached into her vest to look at the swamp lilies once more. In her hand was life for Dalton—the reason she had come to this place. If she left the city immediately and traveled hard, Dalton might yet live. But so much had happened in the last eight days that her simple mission to find the flowers and return was now complicated by the peril of Si Kon and the Followers.

On the edge of a lonely swamp in a foreign land, Carliss was faced with the decision that every soldier that ever bore arms hopes to avoid—the decision as to which of her fellow combatants would live and which ones would die. She couldn’t choose. Not yet. She refused to give her mind fully to her dilemma, hoping to just react as one would during a sword fight. It was foolishness, she knew, but it kept her moving forward.

Carliss came to the bridge and crossed over, then made her way quickly down the road toward Moorue. She traveled along the edge of the road, using the tree line along its edge as cover. She could imagine that the castles would be on alert, especially after her and Ganoaf’s escape from Esca Prime. Her ability to move about freely in Moorue now was a lost privilege.

She saw a peasant not far up ahead leading a bundle-and-basket-laden horse. Carliss wasn’t concerned about that as much as what was coming up behind the peasant. Two mounted castle guards were fast approaching. Carliss darted off the road, hoping she hadn’t been seen. She continued along the cover of the trees, wondering if going into Moorue was a foolish plan.

The guards stopped the peasant and began to question him. Carliss moved quickly to get close enough to hear the conversation.

“What’s your business on this road?” one guard barked.

The peasant wore a wide-brimmed hat that covered his face. He continued to look down at the ground as he spoke.

“Just delivering my goods, sir,” the peasant said.

The guards looked at each other suspiciously. One guard nodded to the other, then dismounted and stalked over to the peasant. “You’re just a boy!” he said as he whipped the hat off the peasant.

“Yes sir,” the boy answered.

Carliss nearly gasped as she recognized Akiyma. She looked closer at the horse and realized that he had masqueraded Rindy as a pack horse.

The other guard dismounted and began investigating the wares on Rindy’s back.

“This ain’t no pack horse,” he exclaimed. “Where did you get this animal, and what are you up to, boy?”

“I… I’m just watching it for a friend,” Akiyma stammered.

“You’re coming with us, boy.” The first guard reached out and grabbed Akiyma by the scruff of his neck.

“No he’s not!” Carliss brandished Morning Star as she exited the trees near them.

The guards whipped about and drew their swords. “It must be her!” one cried.

“Carliss!” Akiyma struggled violently in the guard’s grasp but could not escape his tight grip.

“Drop your sword and come with us,” the other guard commanded.

“Not on your life,” Carliss replied and attacked quickly. The guard tried to defend himself as Carliss brought multiple cuts in her advance, but his eyes widened as her expertise was revealed. He brought a wide slice across from the left. Carliss deflected his blade, then countered with a quick thrust that hit his leather breastplate. To her surprise, her sword easily penetrated the leather. The guard screamed, dropped his sword, and fell to the ground wounded.

The other guard had pulled Akiyma in close to him now, realizing he was no match for Carliss. He held the edge of his blade against Akiyma’s throat, and Akiyma froze.

Anger rose within Carliss as she saw the fear on her young friend’s face. She stepped forward, and the guard pressed the steel harder against Akiyma’s tender skin.

“Stay back, or I’ll slice him open,” the guard said.

Carliss was at a loss what do. She studied the man’s face, then saw him glance down at the ground behind her. Akiyma’s eyes followed his, and she realized she had dropped her guard.

She knelt down and spun about with Morning Star leading the way in a powerful circular arc. The fallen guard had recovered his sword and was midway through a wide slice that would have cut through Carliss’s back, but his blade now passed just overhead. Her sword swished past his in the opposite direction, finding its mark. The guard immediately fell to the ground, never to rise again. Carliss rose up with fury in her eyes and glared at Akiyma’s captor.

“Let the boy go or you will suffer the same fate!”

The guard’s eyes were wide with fear. He moved toward his horse, keeping Akiyma between himself and Carliss. He threw Akiyma to the ground and mounted quickly just as Spirit screeched and dove at the guard. The horse spooked and reared, throwing the man to the ground with a thud. Carliss covered him quickly with her sword and disarmed him.

“Akiyma, get some rope,” she ordered.

Carliss tied the guard to a tree a few paces off the road and dragged his fallen comrade out of sight.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Akiyma told Carliss as she removed the wares he had tied to her horse. “I watched the castle and saw them take you to Esca Prime. Every day I came here to wait for you.”

“You have been brave, Akiyma. Thank you.” Carliss recovered her long knife and her bow and quiver, setting them across her shoulder.

Akiyma fell silent and watched Carliss with longing eyes. Carliss glanced at him as she finished preparing Rindy. She paused, then went to recover one of the guards’ horses and brought it over to where Akiyma was standing.

“What are you going to do now?” Akiyma asked.

She struggled for the right words. “Do you remember my friend Dalton? I have the flower that will save him, but I must ride very fast to reach him in time.”

Akiyma’s head lowered. “You are leaving, then?”

“We are leaving. You must come with me, Akiyma. I can’t leave you here by yourself. We will ride to Brimwick Downs and get help from other Knights of the Prince there.” Carliss tried to sound encouraging for the lad. “They can bring you back to Moorue and rescue your family, Si Kon, and everyone from the haven.”

Akiyma looked up suddenly. “They’re not dead?”

Carliss grabbed his shoulders. “No, Akiyma. They are prisoners. The knights in Brimwick Downs will do everything they can to …

Her words drifted off as she heard Ganoaf’s warning in her mind. Malco did not keep his prisoners long. To travel to Brimwick Downs and return would probably take more time than they had.

She looked down at the ground and bit her lip, sick with worry. There was the very real possibility that no matter what she did, everyone would die.

She closed her eyes, then felt Akiyma’s hand on her cheek. She looked into his dark brown eyes, once again seeing the sparkle of the Prince in them.

“You can still save Sir Dalton, Lady Carliss, it’s all right.” Akiyma smiled sadly. “The Prince will help Si Kon and my family.”

Carliss pulled Akiyma to her and hugged him tightly. The compassion that made her Carliss overwhelmed her once again, and she knew she could not leave. She also knew what Dalton would ask of her even at the expense of his life. She released him to the death that awaited and turned her mind to Despon Swamp.

“Come, Akiyma. I’ll need you to watch the horses. Let’s go find your family.”

Carliss helped Akiyma mount the guard’s horse, then mounted Rindy. They galloped back to the bridge, crossed it, and turned north. In just a few minutes, Carliss was back to the place where she had exited the swamp.

“Do you know where they are?” Akiyma asked, peering toward the tangle of vegetation that marked the beginning of the swamp.

Carliss thought about the prisoner pit and the nest of esca lizards she had discovered. Then she understood that of all the knights in the kingdom, only she could search and find the prisoners unhindered by the deadly threat of the lizards.

“No I don’t, but I have a good idea. Lord Malco’s pretty easy to figure out.” She gave him a quick smile and held Morning Star before her. “Don’t enter the swamp, Akiyma. You will be safe here. Watch Rindy for me… I’ll need her ready to go when I get back.”

“I will, Lady Carliss.”

Spirit screeched nearby, and Akiyma looked up. “I’ve seen that bird before,” he said, pointing to the sky. Carliss watched the majestic raptor circle lower. He had saved her life more than once, and she was grateful. She pulled some dried meat out of her pack and held it up, wondering if the hawk would accept her offering. Spirit came closer, looking for someplace to land. Carliss held up her arm, and Spirit settled gently onto the leather vambrace that protected her forearm.

Akiyma’s eyes were wide with astonishment, and his mouth hung open. Carliss gave the hawk the piece of dried meat. She was amazed herself at the size of the bird and the strength of its claws.

“He belongs to a friend,” Carliss told Akiyma.

She reached up and stroked the bird carefully. Spirit screeched, and the sound hurt Carliss’s ears. Akiyma covered his own. The bird then spread its wings and took flight once again.

Carliss dismounted and handed the reins to Akiyma. She patted Rindy, and something caught her eye. Still attached to Rindy’s pack was the bundle containing the strange mixture of powder that Petolemew had given her. She secured the bundle to her belt and ran into the swamp, abandoning one mission for another.

THE PIT OF DESPON SWAMP

Carliss retraced her steps to the nesting area, and as she went, all the pieces of information seemed to fall into place. Esca Prime castle, the nesting area, and the pit of prisoners all had to be near one another to make Malco’s evil scheme work, and the Prince had planted his swamp lily within reach of all of them. The castle’s location was obvious, and she had already discovered the nesting area. She mentally connected the dots and guessed there were two areas where the pit might be. She set her course northeast to investigate the first. She had grown accustomed to the occasional hiss of a lizard and its subtle movements, but they nearly ignored if not avoided her now.

After a fruitless search of the first area, which took a good portion of the afternoon, she set out for the second area. By late afternoon, she heard the slightest sound of voices and made her way in their direction. Every so often, through breaks in the trees, she could see Spirit gliding overhead, and the sight of him comforted her some. It seemed he was her only help in this dark and desperate place.

As Carliss neared, the sound of many dark voices sifted through the trees. She carefully made her way to the edge of a horrid place that she knew must be the pit.

The entire site was sunk into the ground a couple of feet and was surrounded by torches on raised steel stands spaced every ten feet. Two stone buildings squatted on opposite edges of the depression, and armed warriors entered and exited the buildings from time to time. In the middle of the site sat three domed steel cages with bars spaced closely together. A fourth cage was nearly complete, and the ground had been cleared for a fifth.

The three completed cages were packed with prisoners.

Carliss counted at least thirty guards on the site, but they were not just guards. She knew by their size and demeanor that they were all Shadow Warriors. All wore chain mail and some form of armor. She could only guess how many more were in the buildings.

Carliss slumped in despair. How could she possibly help any of the prisoners? Malco was right—it would take an army. She had sacrificed Dalton for nothing.

Carliss watched for a long while until she was convinced she had seen Si Kon and his family among the prisoners. She then slowly backed away from the borders of the pit, crawling until she was well out of sight. She stood and walked farther, trying to form some sort of plan. When she felt she was far enough away, she began to pace.

How could evil this great have flourished unhindered? she wondered. So many people…so much pain…so much death. If this truly was the feeding pit for the esca lizards, then this was the vilest place in all the kingdom. And it was all masked by the elegance and wealth of Malco’s prosperity.

It was the way of Lucius, she thought, so why shouldn’t it be the way of his lieutenants? The Dark Knight offered something pleasing to the eye and pleasant to experience—for a time—but beneath the surface there was treachery, imprisonment, and ultimately horror.

She turned to look toward the direction of the pit. As the light of day diminished, she suspected that the feeding of the lizards would begin, and so would the executions, and there was little she could do about it. Frustrated, she kicked furiously at a root.

Suddenly a strong leather-gloved hand covered her mouth from behind.

“Scream, and you’ll die in an instant,” the deep voice whispered in her right ear.

Carliss knew immediately that a Shadow Warrior had her in his grip. She felt like a fool for allowing the grief of the situation to overcome her normally keen awareness. But she still had Morning Star in her grip, and she decided she would not give in to these evil brutes without a fight.

She quickly rotated her hand about the handle of her sword so the pommel was now near her thumb, then slammed the pommel back into the face of her assailant. He yelled and released his grip on her. Carliss dove forward and repositioned her sword as she spun about to face her enemy—or enemies, for two warriors had come to take her. One now knelt on the ground with his hand to his face, blood trickling through his fingers, while the other covered him with a drawn sword. Both warriors wore chain-mail coifs and shirts, leather gloves, and leather leg armor, so that almost every inch of their bodies was covered.

The second warrior advanced, and Carliss prepared herself. She had never faced the sword of a Shadow Warrior before. From Dalton’s description of his battle with Lord Drox, she was up against a powerful force.

The first blow came and Carliss met it, gave, then countered quickly, not allowing the warrior to back her into an unrecoverable position. The ferocious volley of cuts and slices that followed obviously frustrated her opponent. At one point Carliss deflected his cut and countered so quickly that he had no choice but to use his forearm as a shield against her blade.

Carliss’s sword impacted the chain mail without damage, as she expected. She slid her blade forcefully across his protected arm as quickly as possible to recover her defensive position and was shocked when the warrior screamed and recoiled. His chain mail had been severed, and a deep gash in his arm was bleeding profusely.

Carliss glanced around her, breathing heavily. The first warrior was on his feet again. She readied her sword for another attack, concerned now that she would have to face the blades of both warriors—and who knew when more Shadow Warriors would arrive.

They looked at her through steely eyes, clearly amazed that one young female Knight of the Prince had held them off this long. The warrior with the injured arm raised his sword, his face full of fury. Just as he was about to strike again, the other warrior grabbed his arm.

“Stop!” he commanded. “You’ll not win. You’re fighting the Morning Star!”

The other warrior’s fury vanished, and the tip of his sword slowly fell as he stared first at Carliss, then at her sword. The warrior with the bleeding head pulled his fellow warrior back and spoke in hushed tones to him.

“She’s the one who escaped!” Carliss heard him say. The warrior she’d been fighting turned and looked at Carliss again, disbelief in his eyes.

“Impossible,” he said. Carliss saw him grip his sword more tightly, as if he wanted to resume the fight and finish her off. He whispered something back to his comrade, then disappeared into the swamp.

The injured warrior felt his head and looked as though he was struggling to focus. Carliss heard a crashing sound behind her and knew that other Shadow Warriors would be on her in an instant. She was trapped between the warriors at the pit and another contingent of darkness that was surely on its way to seize her. Either way, her feeble rescue attempt was over.

She looked for an avenue of escape, but it was too late. She saw movement in the trees behind her assailant, but this time it was not caused by the esca lizards. Warriors were closing in on all sides.

“The King reigns…and His Son!” Carliss called out. She raised Morning Star to make a final stand.

Just as she pulled back on the mighty sword, the warrior held out his arm, and a familiar shriek filled the air. Carliss stood frozen as an esca lizard launched from a tree limb toward the warrior. It latched onto his outstretched arm, and the antennae recoiled, ready to strike.

The warrior dropped his sword, grabbed the lizard by the body, and ripped it from his arm. The lizard shrieked angrily, but only for a moment. The warrior threw it to the ground and stomped his heavy boot in a crushing blow to the lizard’s head.

The warrior looked up at Carliss.

“I hate those things!” he said. “The King reigns indeed…and His Son!”

Carliss’s jaw dropped. “Who are you?”

“My name is Branton,” the mighty warrior said just as three others stepped through the trees to join him, their eyes all fixed upon Carliss.

“Is she the one?” a warrior asked. “The overcomer?”

Branton pointed to Carliss’s sword. “She carries Morning Star, sir. We mistook her to be a Vincero, but she fights like the Prince. There can be no other explanation.”

Carliss realized with relief that she was in the company not of Shadow Warriors but of Silent Warriors. Their talk of her made her uncomfortable, however, for she had taken the sword out of necessity, not for some noble calling they seemed to think her capable of. Just then she heard an eerie horn blast from the direction of the pit.

“What is that?” she asked, not yet daring to turn away from the warriors.

The warriors’ faces all took on a countenance of great sorrow.

“Evening falls,” the commanding warrior said gravely. “That is Malco’s call to the esca lizards to be fed.”

“No!” Carliss exclaimed. “How many prisoners will die?”

“We’ve only just discovered this pit of horror,” another warrior replied, “but from what we’ve seen… all of them.”

Carliss felt a righteous anger rise up within her like never before. Chills began in the hand that held Morning Star and flowed through her body until she could not be still. Her eyes narrowed.

“Why haven’t you stopped it?” she demanded.

The mighty warrior of the King stepped forward with a ferocity that matched her own. He spoke through clenched teeth.

“We are bound here by the actions—and inactions—of the King’s people. The call to free the people from Lucius’s prisons does not belong to us but to the Knights of the Prince!” The warrior pointed threateningly at Carliss. “We have waited for Morning Star to be given!” The warrior’s muscles tightened, and he looked like a vessel of great destruction waiting to be unleashed. “Are you the one?” he demanded.

Just then the eerie horn blasted again, and Carliss could take it no more. She imagined Si Kon, Takara, Kei, Mariko, and the others being torn apart by the horrid esca lizards. She glared back at the commanding warrior.

“I am no great knight or mighty warrior, though you might wish me to be, but I will serve the Prince and fight for His people to my last dying breath. And I will not stand by to watch the horrors of Malco be accomplished this day!”

Carliss turned and ran toward the pit of Despon Swamp with the valiant power of the Prince resonating in her heart and in her great sword. She did not wait for help nor care if the warriors followed. She jumped across a shallow pool of muck-green water and dashed between the dangling vines. She saw subtle movements going the same direction and knew the lizards were gathering.

The hissing grew in volume as she approached the pit. Then she sensed something large moving beside her and realized it could not be a lizard. She glanced to her right and saw four massive Silent Warriors matching her pace, brilliant swords drawn and ready. She looked to her left and saw three more join her.

“The King reigns!” she called out.

“And His Son!” came the reply of dozens of deep voices.

With every step she took, more mighty warriors rose up out of the cover of the swamp and joined in her charge to the pit. Carliss felt momentarily cheered… until she saw the glow of the torches ahead and began to hear the cries and shouts of a tormented people.

“Kei!” Carliss heard the distinct voice of Si Kon cry out and knew she must move faster.

By now Carliss was leading a wave of warriors that seemed to flow back from her like a wake as far as she could see in both directions. She saw esca lizards attack some of the warriors, but their chain mail and leather armor protected them, and they were not hindered by the fruitless attacks of Malco’s lizard demons.

Carliss broke through the line of torches just in time to see two Shadow Warriors dragging Kei to the near edge of the pit. Other warriors were dragging more captives to various spots along the edge of the pit.

“The King reigns!” Carliss shouted again, this time as a battle cry.

The entire area erupted in a unified response from hundreds of Silent Warriors and also from captive Knights of the Prince: “And His Son!”

A continual wave of Silent Warriors spilled into the light of the pit from the darkness of the swamp. The Shadow Warriors were momentarily dazed by the assault, but an alarm soon rose and the two stone buildings emptied themselves of vicious dark warriors. The air filled with clashing swords and anguished cries from the prisoners. The esca lizards’ hissing turned to thousands of deafening shrieks.

Carliss brought her blade immediately to bear on the two warriors who held Kei. One drew his sword to fight Carliss, while the other continued to drag Kei toward the waiting lizards. She tried to cut him off, but the blade of his fellow warrior hindered her way.

“Carliss!” Kei cried out as the warrior neared the edge of the pit, where Carliss saw a slithering, hissing mass waiting for its food.

The Shadow Warrior before her laughed as he held his sword ready to defend the evil act of his accomplice. Carliss pulled Morning Star far back and unleashed a cut that flew with all of her strength behind it. The warrior raised his blade to stop it, but Morning Star cut clean through the warrior’s grisly blade, continuing on to sever first the armor and then the torso of the evil warrior. He fell instantly to the ground.

Carliss jumped over his body and thrust her sword through the other warrior just as two lizards struck out at Kei. Carliss grabbed the girl’s arm and yanked her back, slicing through one of the lizards in one quick motion.

“Look!” Kei pointed. Two other warriors were just about to throw another woman to the lizards just twenty paces to their left. She was screaming in terror against the horror of her demise.

Carliss thrust the handle of Morning Star into Kei’s hand, whipped her bow off her back, and quickly set an arrow in the string. She aimed, released, and was already drawing back a second arrow when the first sank solidly into the side of one of the Shadow Warriors. The other warrior looked briefly about for the threat but only saw the tip of the arrow just before it penetrated deep into his chest.

Carliss set her bow back on her shoulder and recovered Morning Star. “Come, Kei.” She led the girl back to the domed cages. The Shadow Warriors were now all completely occupied with their fight against the King’s Silent Warriors… a battle resumed from across the Great Sea.

How long will this war last? Carliss wondered.

Nearly all the captives who had been offered to the lizards had made their way back to the cages, which now seemed to be the only safe haven from warriors and lizards alike. Carliss found Si Kon and the rest of the Followers in one of the cages. She unlocked the cage, and Si Kon and Takara embraced their daughter with the joy of restoration.

“Carliss … how did you …?” Si Kon looked around in wonder at the raging battle of powerful forces.

The Silent Warriors seemed easily to be overtaking the Shadow Warriors who guarded the pit, but then Carliss saw a contingent of Malco’s warriors enter the battle from the direction of Esca Prime. More Silent Warriors joined from the swamp, and the fight seemed to escalate beyond anything Carliss had ever seen. This place… this time… this battle seemed to hold great significance for both forces.

“We must get the people out of here,” Carliss shouted.

“Yes.” Si Kon nodded. “But how, Carliss? The lizards will kill us all!”

Carliss looked about.

How? She echoed his question in her mind.

ESCAPE FROM THE PIT

“Branton!” Carliss called out to the warrior she had hit earlier.

He was unlocking the door to the other unopened cage. Carliss ran over to him.

“We have to get these people out of here. Can you spare eight warriors to guard them through the swamp?”

Branton nodded and pointed to the west side of the pit, where the fighting was the least intense. “Gather them there, and I will meet you with my men.”

Carliss, Si Kon, and Soro quickly organized the other knights to gather and lead nearly one hundred captives to the edge of the pit. More than thirty Silent Warriors gave them cover as they went, but Carliss still had to engage three Shadow Warriors at different times to save the lives of some of the people. As they arrived at the edge of the pit, the prisoners seemed overcome with terror at the prospect of entering the very place they had feared only moments earlier.

“Grab the torches!” Carliss called out to Si Kon and the other knights just as Branton and seven other Silent Warriors arrived. “The lizards fear the light.” Si Kon responded quickly, recovering a sword from one of the fallen warriors and then wrestling a torch from its stand.

The warriors bracketed the people, and the Knights of the Prince spaced numerous torches from front to back. Carliss wasted no time in leading the group out of the pit and into the swamp. Thousands of lizards hissed angrily as she swished her torch back and forth, clearing a path for the people to follow. Carliss heard frightened shouts and screams from behind her as the lizards tried to penetrate the light and the warriors’ defenses.

The Silent Warriors did not falter in their duty to protect the captives. Their swords flew in a constant wall of protection. Carliss held the torch in her left hand and cut through hundreds of lizards with Morning Star. The air around them was filled with the constant sound of shrieking and hissing lizards.

They hadn’t gone very far before it felt as though they were being overwhelmed. The Silent Warriors could not keep the beasts at bay, and the slithering walls of the swamp seemed to collapse upon them. They finally stopped all forward movement and huddled in a single group as Carliss, Si Kon, and Branton and his warriors fought an endless sea of esca lizards.

One of the knights holding a torch screamed, and Carliss looked to see that one of the esca lizards had succeeded in reaching him. The man fell back into the group, instantly reacting to the poison.

“What will we do?” Si Kon called out to Carliss.

Carliss finished slicing through three more lizards. She glanced at Si Kon and could give him no answer. Two more lizards fell to her sword.

If only we had more torches. Carliss looked up at her torch, then out into the swamp. That was foolish, she thought, having just ruined her night vision with a residual bright spot everywhere she looked. But that bright spot reminded her of Petolemew’s shop, and she remembered his black powder.

“Here.” Carliss handed her torch to Si Kon.

The Silent Warriors were nearly overcome, and the people could press no closer together. Carliss reached into her sack and grabbed one of the smaller leather pouches filled with the black powder. She took an arrow, then skewered the leather pouch onto the arrowhead and held it high before her. A little of the powder trickled out.

“Hold the torch to the pouch,” Carliss shouted above the noise of the beasts. “Then turn away.”

Si Kon brought a torch to just below the pouch, and it exploded in a flash of brilliant light. Everything fell silent—everything except the sound of thousands of six-legged lizards scurrying for cover. The calm stunned the people and the Silent Warriors alike as they tried to understand what had just happened.

“Quickly!” Carliss shouted as she took her torch back from Si Kon. “We must cover as much ground as we can before they return.”

They organized back into their former protected line and resumed their exodus, carrying the injured man along with them. They made good progress, but slowly the lizards returned. After some time they were once again immersed in a fierce battle with the evil creatures. Carliss exploded a second pouch of black powder, giving them another reprieve from attack and a chance to cover more ground.

“We’re going to make it,” Si Kon said, encouraged by their progress.

“Yes,” Branton replied breathlessly, “but thousands of other Arrethtraens will fall to the same evil.”

Carliss looked at Branton and his men, who were breathing hard from their sacrificial protection, and wondered how many Arrethtraens they had already seen fall to Malco’s evil scheme. She knew something had to be done and realized she was the only one who could do it. This was her moment; this was her call.

Carliss gave the sack of black powder pouches to Si Kon.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Use this arrow with the pouches and continue to journey west. The warriors will show you the way. There should be enough of the black powder to get you to the edge of the swamp.”

“Wherever you are going,” Si Kon said, “I will come with you.”

She shook her head. “Your family… these people… need you to lead them out of here, and you will need all of the warriors as well. Akiyma waits along the river, north of Moorue. If I am not there by morning, get the people to Brimwick Downs. Sir Norsington will help you.”

Si Kon looked at Carliss with great concern in his eyes. She put a hand on his shoulder.

“I have to take care of something, and only I can do it, my friend.”

She reached into her vest and gave Si Kon the four harvested swamp lilies. “Crush up the root of one and give it to the knight who was stung. Do the same for any others who fall. If there are any left by the time you get out of the swamp, please try to get them to Dalton…” She paused, realizing it was probably too late, then forced herself to continue. “He is being taken care of by Petolemew, who lives just outside of Pembrook.”

Si Kon took the flowers and placed them in his tunic. “I will, my lady.”

Carliss turned about and launched back into the swamp, willing to sacrifice everything to stop the evil of Malco before his wicked plot could spread farther into the kingdom.

VALIANT KNIGHT

Taking out Malco’s castle would require thousands of knights and cost many lives. Carliss was alone, so she set her course for the source of Malco’s evil…the esca lizard nest area. The torch she was carrying gave her enough light to move at a relatively good pace through the night. She soon came to the wall of trees and vines that told her she was near the nesting area and was amazed at how unhindered by the esca lizards she was. She figured that most of them had been drawn to the pit for the evening feeding. In the distance, she heard the clash of battle still raging there.

Carliss secured Morning Star through the leather straps that ran across her back and drew her bow. She set the nock of an arrow in the string and paused for a moment, trying to prepare herself for what was to come. She knew there was a strong chance she might not make it out alive. The swamp lily seemed to have made her immune from the attacks of the smaller lizards, but she suspected things might be different in the nest area. The mother lizard was large and fast, and Carliss knew that most creatures fiercely protected their young. The mother esca lizard would be no different.

“Give me courage, my Prince,” she whispered, then entered the nest area.

Carliss held the bow with her right hand, her forefinger pressing tightly against the shaft of the arrow to hold it in place. With her left hand she held the torch and searched the nesting area, unnerved by how quickly the light of the torch seemed to be swallowed by the darkness of this place. Her heart was pounding, and she felt the rush of blood in her cheeks and ears. It was a constant battle to keep her fear under control as she went.

She carefully made her way to the center of the area. Something scurried just to her left, and she snapped her head to look. The shadows danced from the flickering torch, but that was all she saw. She found a niche in one of the larger nests in which to set the torch; then she drew her sword and thrust the tip into the ground beside her. She grabbed the string of her bow and drew some comfort from having her hand ready to draw and release in an instant.

Carliss hoped the light of the torch would be enough to keep the mother lizard away and yet help her see to the fringes of the nest area to spot the beast. She studied every tree trunk and vine that fell within the circle of light cast by the torch, but she could not make out the mother lizard. Carliss wondered if the nocturnal creature was hunting or perhaps had joined the rest of the lizards at the pit.

After a long, anxious, and fruitless wait, she decided to venture a few paces away from the torch, hoping to get a closer look at the periphery of the nest area. She took two steps, knelt down, peered into the darkness, and then froze. Tingles ran up the base of her neck as she sensed the presence of great evil only inches away. She slowly turned to her left and glimpsed the horror of the night unfold in an instant.

The mother lizard’s mouth was wide open, revealing rows of sharp teeth against a pink-white fleshy throat. It lunged, clamped down on Carliss’s left arm, and began to drag her off into the darkness. Carliss screamed against the severe pain, but her chain mail and vambrace held. She dropped her bow and beat against the animal’s thick leathery hide, but to no avail.

Thud! Carliss felt one of the barbed antennae smash into the spaulder on her left shoulder while the other just skimmed past her face. She grabbed a loose vine as she passed by one of the nests and pulled with all her might against the giant lizard, but she was no match for its strength. She knew another strike was imminent and that she probably would not be as fortunate a second time. The torch and her sword were now ten paces away, and she wondered if there was any hope of surviving at all.

Carliss reached for her long knife and plunged the blade into the neck of the lizard with all her might. It hardly penetrated, for it hit the bone of the creature’s jaw. The lizard snapped its head to the left without releasing its grip on Carliss, and the force of the movement nearly broke her arm. She screamed against the pain but rallied to try once more.

The antennae struck again, this time passing just to the left and right of her shoulder and impacting the ground. Carliss held tightly to the knife and pulled herself in closer to the creature as she plunged the blade once more into the lizard. This time it penetrated behind the jawbone and into the soft tissue of the neck.

The giant lizard immediately released its grip on Carliss’s arm and shrieked so loudly that Carliss could not bear the sound. The beast spun in a circle, trying to dislodge the knife. Carliss rolled away, regained her feet, and sprinted toward the torch. She recovered her bow and quickly set the arrow back in the string. She aimed at the writhing mass just ten paces away and let loose the arrow. It penetrated the shoulder of the middle leg, and the creature shrieked again.

Carliss had to cover her ears, for the shrill sound seemed to penetrate clear through her skull. The lizard’s bulging yellow eyes locked onto Carliss, and she knew she had but a fraction of a moment. She dropped the bow and yanked Morning Star from the ground. She knew that if she waited until she saw the creature move, it would be too late. She listened to that sense that always told her where to aim her arrow to hit a moving target, then initiated a powerful horizontal slice at the perfect instant in time. It would be her one and only chance.

Giving her full strength to the cut, Carliss closed her eyes at the last moment, getting a glimpse of a blurred mass crashing down on her from the darkness. She felt her arms arcing through the cut and beyond, feeling no hindrance in the sword’s path.

The beast slammed into her body. She flew backward across the nest she was near and into the torch. Sparks flew in a thousand directions, leaving only a glowing ember to illumine the night. Near darkness enveloped Carliss as she lay still, struggling to recover from the painful impact. She wondered how she could still be alive as she lifted herself to one knee and blinked to adjust her vision.

Morning Star was still firmly in her grip, and she quickly brought the magnificent weapon before her as she looked around. Beside her lay the motionless form of the mother lizard. Carliss scooted away from the creature and recovered the fading torch. Only then did she cautiously approach the beast, wondering if she dared touch it. Had she really killed it? She listened closely for any signs that the mother lizard might still be alive, and then heard something else that filled her heart with dread.

From the borders of the nest area, the sound of thousands of hissing lizards filled the air, and they were closing in quickly. Carliss listened, trying to decide which way to go, but they seemed to be everywhere. She blew on the torch in an effort to relight it, but it would not catch.

Her skin began to crawl as the darkness folded in and became a moving mass of hideous poisonous lizards. She swiped in the dark with Morning Star, but there were simply too many.

Carliss dared not take one step in any direction. The entire ground about her writhed two and three deep in lizards for as far into the darkness as she could see. They massed upon the dead form of the mother lizard and began to shriek, every esca lizard of the swamp joining in the maddening rebuke against what Carliss had done. In the flood of sound she heard Malco screaming at her… the Shadow Warriors screaming at her… the Vinceros screaming at her… and thousands of people who had come to love the Waters of Moorue screaming at her. She tried to cover her ears, but it continued on and on.

She finally could take it no more and fell to her knees. She thought she would go mad from the noise. Even if she were able to avoid being bit or stung, and even if the swamp lily protected her from the poison, morning was still hours away, and she knew she could not endure until then.

The closest lizards began to strike their antennae barbs all around her, each one getting closer and closer. Carliss lifted her eyes beyond them and thought she saw a light through the thick walls of the nest haven.

“Help!” she screamed, but she could not even hear her own voice over the shrieks of thousands of esca lizards. The light grew brighter, and she could now see that it was composed of many lights. She determined they were coming her way and slumped in relief, then realized that more than likely the light came from a contingent of Malco’s warriors. This time she would surely die.

The lights grew brighter until they penetrated the walls of the nest haven. Eight burning torches illumined the entire nest area, and Carliss shuddered at the sight. The entire floor was a writhing mass of six-legged lizards, all wanting to tear Carliss apart.

The men carrying the torches were large, and she knew they were warriors. The lizards gave way to the brightness of the torches, clearing a path as they came. Within a few moments, the warriors encircled Carliss, and one of them knelt down.

“Come with us,” Branton said as he helped Carliss to her feet.

She gazed up at the bruised and bloodied face of her friend from across the Great Sea, then nodded and grabbed his thick arm for support.

Carliss stood, and the Silent Warriors protected her as they exited the nest area. The lizards followed until they neared the edge of the swamp, then slowly disappeared into the darkness of the inner swamp. The warriors brought her near to the place where Si Kon and the others had temporarily camped for the night.

Carliss turned to face Branton. She looked into the eyes of the mighty warrior, then reached up and touched the bruised cut on his forehead.

“I’m—,” Carliss began but Branton held up his hand.

“I consider it an honor to bear that scar,” he said.

“Thank you, Branton… Thank you all,” Carliss said, beholding the faces of eight powerful vessels of the King.

The eight Silent Warriors all saluted Carliss, and she was humbled by the gesture.

“Your courage has opened the gate to a great battle, one for which we have waited for a long time,” Branton replied. “It is we who must thank you.”

Carliss lowered her head for a moment and then looked back up at them, her jaw set. “I will continue the fight with you,” she said.

Branton nodded. “Of that we have no doubt, Lady Carliss.”

They all turned to leave, but Branton turned back.

“The King reigns,” he said with a smile.

“The King reigns indeed,” Carliss replied.

“And His Son,” they said in unison, then parted ways.

Carliss watched as the mighty warriors of the King disappeared into the murky darkness of the swamp… back to the battle for the souls of men, women, and children. She held Morning Star before her and was thankful for the great victory she had been given by its power. And yet, though she had prevailed in one battle, she had lost another. The sun would soon rise on the ninth day since Dalton had begun his dreaming journey, and she had no hope now of reaching him in time.

She trudged toward Si Kon’s camp, the defeat of the day robbing her of any joy she might have felt. Weariness hung from her bones like rags, and she welcomed any reprieve she could find from her torment, even if only for a few short hours.

DAY NINE … A HOPELESS MISSION

Before the light of a rising sun had broken the horizon, Carliss was preparing Rindy for the long ride home.

Tomorrow he dies, she thought.

Her hands paused in the act of checking the bridle as she considered the hopelessness of her actions. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. Even the Silent Warriors couldn’t cover the distance between here and Pembrook in time to help Dalton. Part of her wanted to ride away in the opposite direction, not wanting to witness the irrefutable consequences of her decision to stay and fight in Moorue.

She felt a hand on her shoulder.

“What you have paid for all of us here is a price beyond measure,” Si Kon said sadly.

Carliss turned to face her courageous friend and could not help the tear that escaped her eye. She quickly wiped it away as Takara came to stand beside Si Kon. Her eyes conveyed her immense gratitude and her deep sorrow without uttering a single word. She put her arms around Carliss and hugged her tightly.

“His strength be with you,” she whispered into her ear, then released her embrace.

Kei and Mariko took turns giving hugs to Carliss, both wiping away tears as they did. Then Si Kon handed Carliss a single swamp lily.

“Three knights fell to the lizards. There is only this one left.”

Carliss took the lily and gazed at it; then she placed it in her pack on Rindy. She mounted up and looked south, past Moorue. “I will tell the knights at Brimwick Downs you are coming. I’m sure they will send help to meet you along the way.” She saluted, then kicked Rindy and embarked on a mission she could not succeed in to save the life of a friend she could not love.

Just a few strides out of the camp, she heard a small voice call her name.

“Lady Carliss! Lady Carliss!”

She looked behind her and saw young Akiyma running to catch up with her. She halted Rindy and dismounted, feeling bad that in her own despair she had forgotten to say good-bye to the young knight who had been instrumental in helping her free the people. Akiyma ran without slowing, colliding with Carliss and simultaneously wrapping his arms around her waist. Carliss hugged him back and looked deeply into his eyes.

“You are a brave young knight, Akiyma. The Prince has great adventures in store for you. Be strong for Him!”

Akiyma’s eyes lit up as he blinked away the sleep. “You’re going to save Sir Dalton now, right?”

Carliss’s smile faded. “I will try, Akiyma, but I’m afraid it’s too late. I cannot get the swamp lily to him in time.”

Akiyma’s smile faded too. Then he looked at Carliss with the gleam of the Prince in his eyes. “Spirit can.”

Carliss looked at Akiyma, dazed by the thought. She looked about.

“Is he here…now?”

“He’s always been with you, Lady Carliss. I think he belongs to you now.” Akiyma pointed to a tall tree near the camp.

The magnificent bird basked in the first beams of sunlight and screeched as if he knew he was the subject of their talk. Carliss’s mind began to race wildly with all of the possible reasons why Akiyma’s idea would and would not work. She grabbed Akiyma’s hand and Rindy’s reins and ran back to the camp.

“Si Kon!” she shouted.

Si Kon and his family gathered around to hear Akiyma’s idea.

“But how will the bird know where Petolemew’s hut is?” Si Kon asked.

Carliss thought. “That is where I first saw Spirit. He has been there, but I’m unsure as to how to tell him to return.”

She turned away and began pacing, then stopped suddenly and turned to Si Kon.

“Do you have any of the black powder left?”

“One pouch,” Si Kon said. “Just as I was about to light it, all of the lizards disappeared at once.” He raced to find it while Carliss retrieved the swamp lily from Rindy’s pack.

Si Kon returned a moment later holding the bag before him. Carliss took the bag. As she looked at the lily in one hand and the black powder pouch in the other, she shook her head.

“This seems impossible,” she said, feeling discouraged and yet hopeful all the same. “I only have one flower. If Spirit doesn’t understand or loses the lily… or if Eunice and Petolemew don’t know what to do with it…”

No one dared to say a word. Once again Carliss knew the risk was great and the responsibility of deciding was hers and hers alone to bear. She took a deep breath, then held her arm up high in the sky as she looked to Spirit.

The hawk left its perch and swooped down to land softly on Carliss’s arm. Takara, Kei, and Mariko stepped back as the bird flapped its great wings and then folded them in.

“I need a flame,” Carliss said as she walked to a nearby log.

By now others were gathering to see what the commotion was about. Akiyma ran to the remnants of the campfire and returned with a glowing stick. Carliss dumped most of the black powder on the ground, but poured a little onto the log. She lifted the empty pouch to Spirit, and the bird grabbed it with its beak.

“Light the powder on the log,” she said to Si Kon.

He touched the stick to the powder and it flashed, causing a small cloud of black smoke to rise up. Spirit flapped his wings in response to the noise but then settled back down. Carliss slowly brought Spirit closer to see and smell the smoke. She then took the empty pouch from Spirit.

“Put the lily in the pouch, and tie it to Spirit’s leg.”

Si Kon carefully did what she instructed. He double-checked the knot to make sure it was secure, then looked at Carliss and nodded. Carliss reached up and stroked Spirit’s feathers.

“Can you find Petolemew, Spirit?” she asked gently.

The hawk seemed to ignore her as he looked somewhere into the distance. Carliss could hardly make herself command the bird to leave. Was she throwing Dalton’s last chance to the wind?

Carliss pointed south. “Go, Spirit. Find Petolemew!” She lifted her arm up, and Spirit took flight. He flew in a circle twice to gain altitude as dozens of people looked upward, hoping for the impossible. Then Spirit set off toward the southwest, and a murmur of concern rose up from the people.

“He is flying the wrong direction,” Akiyma said sadly. “I’m sorry, Lady Carliss. It was a bad idea.”

Carliss looked down at her brave young friend. “No, Akiyma, it is a wonderful idea. The road from Moorue goes south because of the mountains, but Spirit is flying southwest, over the mountains—straight for Mister Petolemew’s hut.”

“Dalton will be saved?”

She shook her head. “I just don’t know, Akiyma.”

They stood watching until the hawk had disappeared from view. Carliss knew the chances of this plan working were extremely slim, but at least she had hope, and that hope gave her the strength to carry on. She mounted Rindy once again and could hardly wait to be on her way.

With a final farewell, Carliss journeyed south to the road that led around the mountains, hoping to make it halfway to Brimwick Downs by nightfall.

The next day, Carliss could think of nothing other than Dalton’s fate. Would Spirit make it in time? Would he make it at all? She grew weary of the concern but could not cast it away.

Carliss pushed Rindy as hard as she dared. That evening, Carliss reached Brimwick Downs, and her faithful steed was spent. Sir Norsington, the leader of the Brimwick Downs haven, welcomed her with an enthusiastic hug. He said he was greatly relieved to see her, for news of her disappearance had reached their fellowship. Sir Norsington offered every resource of the haven to help her and the people traveling from Moorue. He also insisted on providing her with a fresh, strong horse and sending two knights to accompany her the rest of the way home.

With a good night’s rest, food, water, and an early start, Carliss and the two knights set off for Pembrook. Carliss pushed this steed even harder, for she could not bear to wait until morning to finish this final leg of the journey. They pressed on into the night and arrived at Petolemew’s hut when the moon was full and high in the black sky.

Carliss could see no sign of Spirit. She jumped from the horse before it had even stopped and ran to the door. It was locked, so she knocked fervently until she heard the latch being worked.

“Who is knocking on my door this late at night?” Petolemew sounded annoyed.

“It’s me, Mister Petolemew, Lady Carliss.” She tried to push through, but he pushed back on the door.

“I don’t know anyone by that name,” he said, quite perturbed. “Please go away and come back tomorrow, young lady.”

“But Sir Dalton—”

“Petolemew, let her in!” Carliss heard Eunice say behind the partly closed door.

Petolemew sighed, then opened the door. Carliss quickly pushed past him and ran to the cot where Dalton was lying. Eunice was bent over him, and Carliss knelt down beside her. For a moment she dared not think or hope or even speak. She was too afraid. She looked for some sign of life but could not see it. Dalton’s face was white, his cheeks sunken. His body was perfectly still.

Eunice looked over at Carliss with grave concern on her face.

“I’m sorry, child,” she said sadly. “We did not get the flower until yesterday. He could not swallow it.”

Carliss felt the tears rushing to her eyes.

“I don’t think he’s going to make it,” Eunice said sadly.

Carliss looked at Eunice, stunned by her last comment. “He’s still alive?” she asked and knelt closer to Dalton, putting a hand on his chest.

“Only barely. I mixed some of the root with water and was able to get a bit of it down him, but I’m afraid it was too little too late.”

Carliss put her ear to Dalton’s mouth and could just barely feel the warmth of his breath and hear the subtle sound of his lungs moving the air in and out. She reached down and grabbed his hand.

“Don’t you leave, Dalton!” she whispered passionately in his ear as tears fell from her eyes. “Stay with me,” she pleaded.

“Do you have more of the mixture?” she asked.

“Yes, most of it.” Eunice crossed the room to retrieve it.

Eunice returned with a bowl of brownish liquid and gave it to Carliss. Carliss poured just a few drops in his mouth and waited. She turned to look at Eunice and saw great weariness on her face.

“Thank you, Madam Eunice,” Carliss said. “You have done everything possible. Rest now… I will watch over him.”

Eunice smiled and stood to greet the other two knights who had entered the cabin. She showed them a place to sleep, then lay down for the night. Soon the little hut was filled with soft snores.

While the household slept, Carliss talked quietly to Dalton, telling him all of the things that had happened in the past twelve days. Every few minutes she poured a few more drops of the swamp-lily mixture into his mouth, then continued speaking and holding his hand. When she ran out of story to tell, she began to talk about when she was a little girl. She told of the snowflakes she used to catch and the games she played with her family on the farm and the hunting adventures she and Koen had enjoyed.

At one point Dalton stirred slightly and swallowed. It was a small victory, but Carliss rejoiced at it and continued ministering to him through the night.

By morning, the swamp-lily mixture was gone. Dalton was still breathing, but he had yet to open his eyes.

“Koen!”

Carliss ran to her brother as he ducked through the low doorway.

For two days now she had cared for Dalton moment by moment, refusing to leave his side. While she kept vigil, she had asked the knights from Brimwick Downs to travel to Salisburg and tell her family where she was and what had happened. They had brought Koen back with them.

“Thank the King you are all right!” he said now, wrapping her in a tight hug. “We have been sick with worry for you these past two weeks.” He stepped back, still holding onto her arms. “And now … Dalton …

Koen loosed his grip on his sister and went to kneel beside Dalton’s cot.

“How is he?” he asked, not taking his eyes from his best friend.

Carliss shook her head. “He’s not well, Koen. His breathing is shallow, and he won’t wake up. We have given him the antidote for the lizard’s poison, but I’m afraid—” She felt a lump rise in her throat and stopped. She was exhausted and knew that her emotions were on edge because of it, at least that’s what she told herself. She drew in a deep breath. “All we can do is tend him and wait.”

Koen stared down at his friend, then threw an arm around his sister’s shoulder. “Then we will tend him and wait… together.”

With Eunice’s help, Carliss and Koen cared for Dalton over the next two days. Slowly they pulled him back from the brink of death, though it always seemed to be lingering nearby. Dalton remained unconscious and silent except for an occasional moan.

During those long hours by Dalton’s side, Koen shared news of home with his sister. She was concerned to learn that her father had been very ill, but relieved that he was now recovering. His illness had kept Koen at home, distraught at being unable to search for Carliss. The entire haven, however, had done everything they could think of to find her, but it was as though she had vanished from the kingdom. When the knights from Brimwick Downs arrived with news that she was near Pembrook, everyone had rejoiced, but they’d been dismayed to hear of Dalton’s condition.

“We need to get him home as soon as possible,” Carliss said after listening to her brother. “I can only imagine how sick with worry they must be.”

He nodded. “Just as soon as he can travel.”

A few days later, they stood outside the hut to say good-bye to Eunice and Petolemew. Dalton lay on a pallet of blankets in the back of a cart Koen had borrowed in Pembrook. He was still unconscious, but Carliss and Koen had decided he had improved enough to survive the trip.

“Thank you for everything.” Carliss was not one to cry, but she found herself blinking back tears as she returned the old woman’s hug. “And thank you, Petolemew.” She leaned over and gently kissed the alchemist’s wrinkled face. “We owe you so much.”

“You’re welcome, young lady.” The old man beamed as Carliss and Koen climbed into the cart. “And come back anytime,” he added. “We love visitors!”

THE FREEDOM OF PEACE

They took Dalton straight to his parents’ home near the center of town and helped settle him onto a cot in the kitchen. Carliss accepted his parents’ fervent hugs and grateful words, then set about explaining his condition and showing how to care for him. After an hour or two, however, she began to feel awkward. As Dalton’s home filled with people eager to give him attention and care, she slowly drifted to the back and stood near the wall. Time seemed to warp back on itself, and she was once more the quiet, peculiar little girl that no one seemed to notice.

Then Lady Brynn arrived, her countenance filled with love and worry. Carliss watched as Brynn tenderly placed her arm across Dalton’s chest and hugged him.

“I’m here for you, Dalton,” she whispered. Carliss looked away as a wave of sadness and loss washed over her. It’s my own fault, she told herself.

There was no point being upset with Brynn. Brynn had not caused Carliss to have feelings for Dalton. She couldn’t even blame Dalton. He had never claimed to be anything more than a friend to her. No, Carliss had no one to blame but herself, and she would know no peace until she closed the door on the ache that lived in that corner of her heart.

Carliss took a deep breath and breathed in the truth of her life. From this day forth, she vowed to protect her heart with all diligence.

“Come, Carliss,” Koen said. “Dalton is well cared for here. Mother and Father will be eager to see you.”

Carliss nodded. She turned and followed her brother to the door.

“Carliss,” she heard a soft voice call.

Carliss turned to see Lady Brynn coming toward her. Carliss steeled herself for whatever she might hear.

“I’ve been told you risked your life to save Dalton.” Brynn gazed at Carliss, her blue eyes glistening with tears.

Carliss looked away and bit her lower lip, not knowing how to respond to that. Brynn put her hand on Carliss’s arm.

“I want to thank you for what you’ve done,” she said earnestly. “I know I haven’t always been kind to you, but…you’ve helped me see what’s important. Thank you.” She leaned forward and embraced Carliss tightly, then turned back to Dalton.

Carliss wanted to turn and run and never stop. She hurried out the door, mounted up with Koen, and rode for home—the safest place in the kingdom she knew of.

Carliss’s reunion with her family was one of great joy. After a few days at home, the kingdom seemed to settle into place again, and Carliss began to feel the peace of her youth return to her. Koen continued to give favorable reports of Dalton’s recovery. When Dalton regained consciousness, Koen told Carliss, he had asked for her, but Carliss could not bring herself to visit him… at least not yet.

One evening she walked to the top of a knoll on her farm and looked at the brilliant stars that filled the sky. She thought of Si Kon and the brave knights who had lost everything because they followed the Prince. In her heart she knew what she must do, for the call of the King was clear. There was a great and mighty battle raging, and she was part of it.

That night she walked back to the farmhouse, content to be wholly committed to the Prince and His calling on her life, unhindered by the encumbrances of romantic love. She had never felt so free in all of her life, and the freedom felt good.

After a week at home, Koen and Carliss rode to Brimwick Downs to retrieve Rindy and to help in the recovery of the haven of Moorue. They would spend at least a month there equipping, training, and planning to help Si Kon and the Followers establish a secret haven in Moorue. There was much work to be done, and it would take brave souls to accomplish it, but they were willing. Besides this, they knew they would not be alone. The King had established a mighty and silent force in Moorue to battle with them.

One evening in Brimwick Downs, Carliss took her usual walk up to a knoll that gave her a splendid view of the nearby mountains and of the stars. As she stood gazing at the beauty of it all, she heard footsteps and realized her brother had come to stand beside her. He often joined her on these evening walks.

“Moorue can be a frightful place,” she said without taking her eyes from the pink mountains. “Are you ready?”

“I am ready,” came the reply, but it was not Koen who spoke it.

“Dalton!” she exclaimed.

“Hello, Carliss,” Dalton said with a wide grin. He quickly hugged her, then stood back to look in her eyes.

“You are… you are well?” Carliss said, astonished. The last time she saw him, he had been unconscious.

Dalton smiled. “I am. Nearly as good as new.”

Carliss tried to restrain her enthusiasm, but she couldn’t keep from smiling. Dalton looked thin but very well indeed.

“You are a hard one to keep up with,” Dalton said. “I was hoping to see you before you left Salisburg.”

“Whatever are you doing here?” Carliss asked, hoping to avoid explaining why she hadn’t come to visit him.

“I’ve come to join you and Koen on the mission,” he said.

At that, Carliss’s smile faded, and she slowly turned away. That was something completely unexpected… and unwanted.

“What is it, Carliss?” Dalton asked. “Why do you turn away?”

Carliss took a deep breath, realizing she needed to deal with her feelings about him openly once and for all. She had already failed when she tried to hide them, and she would not allow herself to go through that again. She turned around and faced him squarely.

“I am overjoyed that you are well again, Dalton. Truly I am, but you cannot join this mission.”

Dalton opened his mouth to speak, but Carliss held up her hand and kept talking. If she stopped now, she might never find the courage to say what she needed to say.

“For a long time I have wrestled with my feelings for you.” She looked away for a moment, embarrassed at saying the words, then forced herself to meet his eyes. “But I am free from that now.” Carliss said, refusing to give place in her heart for that which she had worked so hard to cast out.

She turned and walked away a few paces, then looked back at him with frustration. “Why do you keep showing up in my life?”

Dalton stepped closer to Carliss and looked deeply into her eyes. He reached down and took her hand. Carliss tried to pull back, but Dalton held tightly. She turned her head away, refusing his gaze. The warm and miserable feelings of love began to well up in her bosom once again, along with a confused anger.

“Because I am not free from you, Carliss, nor shall I ever be.”

Carliss hesitated, then looked back at Dalton. She softened her countenance and felt his hand relax. For one brief moment she wondered if this were possible…or had she been given the esca powder again? Was this some cruel dream?

She steeled her heart and jerked her hand from his, then turned on a heel and walked briskly away.

“Leave me alone, Dalton! You are still under the influence of the esca poison and not thinking or talking sense. I will not go through this again. Please go away.”

“Carliss!” Dalton called from behind her. “Let me talk to you for just a moment.”

Carliss hesitated, her feelings once more at war within her. When will it end? she screamed inwardly. When will I finally have peace?

When she realized that Dalton would not leave, she whirled around, drew her sword, Morning Star, and held it at his chest.

Dalton didn’t move. He stood before her just out of reach of her sword. A strange silence ensued as the two tried to sort out the confusion between them.

“I am free from the delusions of the esca poison,” Dalton looked straight into her eyes. “I doubt I will ever know how much you sacrificed and fought to save my life. I owe you so much.”

“Then why do you insist on trying to torment me?” Carliss struggled to keep her voice steady. “I asked you to leave me alone.”

“But you don’t understand.” Dalton stepped forward until the tip of her blade was touching his chest. “Weeks ago Lady Brynn and I agreed we were following different paths. It was then that I realized how significant you had become in my life.”

Carliss blinked, replaying Dalton’s words in her mind to see if she had perhaps missed something. Could this be true?

“Before you left for Moorue, I came for you, and I’m coming for you now—to thank you for all you have done, but also for another reason.”

“And what might that be?” Carliss dared to ask as she slowly lowered Morning Star.

Dalton took one step closer. “To be more than your brother’s friend. To be your friend… and more.”

Dalton seemed to struggle with his next words, and Carliss was surprised to find herself enjoying his difficulty. She was not used to seeing the great Sir Dalton fumble for words.

“You have been… are… more than an accomplished knight. You are an amazing woman, Carliss, and I…I want to spend more time with you—much more time.”

Carliss stared blankly at him for a long time, not sure how to respond. She dared not hope, but wanted to. She dared not speak, but wanted to. She dared not fall for him, but wanted to.

“I felt your hand and heard your voice when I was sick,” Dalton said. “You brought me back, Carliss. I owe you my life, and I offer it to you in whatever way you choose to use it.”

Carliss stared at him speechless, her mind wandering in a wasteland of disbelief.

After a long moment of silence, Dalton smiled sadly, then nodded his head. “I understand. I am honored to have served the Prince with you. And though I cannot promise I will stay away from you forever, I’ll not trouble you anymore with such words.”

Dalton bowed his head and then turned to leave. When he had walked a few paces away from her, Carliss broke from her silence.

“Dalton,” she called softly. He stopped, turned, and faced her.

“I didn’t know… about you and Lady Brynn.” Carliss smiled gently, allowing a new kind of peace to fill her heart. “I… also would like to spend more time with you.”

Quickly he covered the distance between them. As he drew close, he looked down at her sword. “Is it wise for me to stay a sword’s length away from you?”

Carliss laughed and held the weapon up in front of her. “Perhaps… at least until you talk to my father.” She sheathed her sword, and Dalton laughed.

“Then I shall speak with him at once,” he said, grinning widely. “I’ve already had too many holes put in me for one lifetime.”

Carliss looked up at him. “Are you truly feeling whole again?”

“Nearly,” Dalton replied. “Much more so now than a few moments ago.”

Carliss looked at him with new eyes and didn’t know just what to do. Dalton offered his arm to her.

“Shall we walk a bit?” he suggested.

Carliss nodded and took his arm, feeling only a little awkward. They talked quietly as they gazed at the beauty of the scene before them. Somewhere in the midst of their conversation, Dalton brought his gaze from the mountains to Carliss.

“Carliss, someone told me to ask you a very strange question.”

Carliss looked up at him, confused.

“Was it me you were dancing with?” he asked as he turned once more to face her. “In the dream… was it me?”

Carliss’s cheeks flushed, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “How did you know that?” she asked.

“Yesterday, on the road here,” Dalton said quickly, clearly concerned he had offended her. “I traveled for a while with a large fellow who said he knew you. He said I should ask you—”

Carliss gasped and put her hand to her mouth.

“What is it?” Dalton asked. “Was he someone you knew?”

Carliss nodded and now understood why Spirit the hawk had disappeared after delivering the swamp lily to Petolemew. She smiled and pulled Dalton close to her, then leaned her head against his shoulder. The kingdom was not perfect yet, but for a few moments it surely felt like it.

Together they gazed at the mountains and the stars for a long while, filling the night with words of the future, their future—a future with perfect snowflakes, a perfect kingdom, and a perfect King.

WHO WILL GO?

Our great and wise King’s plan to restore Arrethtrae and wrest the kingdom from Lucius’s gnarled grip is one that oft confuses the wise and lays low the lofty. And what is this mysterious strategy? It is that He has chosen the simple to perform the great and the lowly to accomplish the noble. The mission to take the battle of the ages to the very gates of evil rests squarely on the shoulders of those ordinary and unremarkable Arrethtraens who call Him their Lord. But not all are willing, and so He must ask, “Whom shall I send, and who will go?”

Lady Carliss possessed the courage to answer the call, and she did so, sacrificing much to free many from Malco’s powerful prison of the mind. She was indeed a valiant knight worthy of the legend that followed her. Though the esca battle raged on for many years, she fought with many noble Knights of the Prince in this great cause. She and Sir Dalton served side by side on many missions for the Prince, and together they served Him faithfully.

I, Cedric of Chessington, think perhaps that in the land of your kingdom, your King may be asking the same question of you, brave knight. If I could join you I would, for I know that your heart must burn with the same fire that spurred Lady Carliss to overcome and claim victory against the darkness. Therefore I say to you: Be valiant, young knight, for valiant you are! The King reigns… and His Son!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Review Questions from the Kingdom Series

Much of the allegorical symbolism in the Knights of Arrethtrae originated in the Kingdom Series. Here are a few questions to review this symbolism:

1. Who does the Prince represent?

2. Who are the Knights of the Prince?

3. Who are the Noble Knights?

4. What is Chessington? Arrethtrae?

5. Who is the Dark Knight/Lucius?

6. Who are the Silent Warriors and the Shadow Warriors?

7. What is a Vincero Knight?

8. What is a haven?

Questions for Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue

CHAPTER 1

1. Right away, we learn that Carliss was an unusual child. Why is this?

2. It is clear from this chapter that by Arrethtraen standards, Carliss’s family is not rich, successful, or famous. However, once they become Knights of the Prince, she and her parents and brother “donned robes of a nobility that far transcended the caste nobility of the kingdom.” Where in the Bible can you find verses that address this principle?

CHAPTER 2

1. Carliss realizes early on that she and Salina will need help if they are to be successful in their pursuit of the marauders, since they are dealing with an unknown force and an unknown situation. Why is it wise to seek godly counsel on matters of which you have little knowledge or experience?

CHAPTER 3

1. Even after Carliss insists they return for help, Salina refuses to cooperate. Have you ever been in a situation where a friend refused to listen to your advice and made a bad decision? What did you do?

CHAPTER 4

1. Sometimes believers undergo suffering, just as Dalton did after he was attacked by the strange creature. What kind of circumstances may cause suffering in the lives of a believer?

2. What does the Bible tell us about such suffering?

CHAPTER 5

1. Carliss cannot stand by while the cruel children torment Ganoaf. What does the Bible say about knowing what is right and not doing it?

2. Ganoaf was teased and reviled by the children. Can you find three Bible verses showing how the Lord treats the poor, the lowly, and the afflicted (an example for us to follow) or commands us to treat them?

3. When Carliss defends Ganoaf from the cruel children, she is showing compassion, especially to the lowly. Can you find the story that Jesus tells in the book of Luke about someone showing mercy to another? After Jesus finishes the story, what commission does He give His disciples?

CHAPTER 6

1. After Petolemew has his third memory lapse, Carliss finds herself completely overwhelmed and brokenhearted. What does the Bible say about those with a broken spirit or heart?

CHAPTER 7

1. Carliss felt she was losing the battle of her heart concerning Dalton. Why do you think Proverbs 4:23 urges us to diligently guard our hearts?

2. When Carliss prepares herself for the arduous task of acquiring the antidote for Dalton, she once again dons the mind-set of being a warrior (soldier) of the King. What does the Bible say about being a soldier of Jesus Christ (see 2 Timothy)?

3. Throughout Carliss’s brief stay with Eunice and Petolemew, it becomes apparent that the couple has great love for each other. How do they demonstrate their love?

CHAPTER 8

1. Carliss experiences a realistic and enticing dream. When Ganoaf tries to awaken her back into the real world, she resists and is grumpy. Sometimes people experience the same reaction when they are pulled away from things like video games, the Internet, or alternate-reality games. Why do you think this is?

CHAPTER 9

1. During their journey to Moorue, Carliss encourages Salina to be kind to Ganoaf. Have you ever been in a situation where two of your siblings or friends didn’t get along? What did you do? What does the Bible say about a situation like this?

CHAPTER 10

1. Akiyma recognizes the mark of the Prince on Rindy’s saddle pad as the group travels through Moorue. How do others recognize us as belonging to Jesus? What is His mark on us?

CHAPTER 11

1. Takara says that the people of Moorue are hungry for the truth of the Prince. Can you find a verse in the Bible about people who are seeking the truth?

2. We learn that ingesting the Waters of Moorue gives people the ability to vividly experience anything they can think of or imagine—whether foolish or not. Can you find verses that address this?

3. Each book in this series allegorically describes a stronghold of evil that can cause trouble for believers in this world. Can you determine what stronghold is being warned against in this book—and especially in this chapter, where Si Kon describes the effects of the Waters of Moorue?

4. Is retreating from the stress and tensions of life always a bad thing? Why or why not?

5. Escapism is much more of a danger for today’s believers because of technology. What are some of the forms of technological escapism that Satan uses today to imprison people—and why are they so dangerous?

6. How does Romans 12:2 relate to the issue of escapism?

7. Takara describes how people who use the Waters of Moorue may become so unhappy with the “waking world” that they walk the bridge to the swamp and never return home, and Si Kon states that once a person enters the Despon Swamp, he or she never returns. What do Despon Swamp and “walking the bridge” represent? How do the bridge and the swamp relate to the stronghold of escapism?

CHAPTER 12

1. Si Kon tells Carliss and the others that Soro has been mocked because of his belief in the esca lizards. Have you ever been teased or made fun of because of something you believed, or been in a situation where this happened to someone else? Can you think of any people in the Bible this happened to? What do their stories tell us about such situations?

2. Kei admits to Carliss that she has tried the Waters of Moorue, then begs her not to tell her father. Carliss replies that telling Si Kon is something Kei must do herself. When we make mistakes, what should we do?

3. Carliss explains to Kei that those whose lives ended in destruction as a result of the Waters of Moorue probably didn’t think that would ever happen to them. And often our culture encourages us to do what “feels right.” What does the Bible say about this?

4. Each castle in Moorue represents different avenues through which escapism can be established. Can you determine what these castles represent?

CHAPTER 13

1. Si Kon’s family is kidnapped, his business stripped from him, his home burned, and his own freedom stolen because he is a Follower. What does the Bible say about persecution?

2. Can you name some places in the world where Christianity is illegal? What should we do as believers to help our brothers and sisters in Christ in such places?

3. Carliss is horrified when Salina reveals herself to be a minion of the Dark Knight. Can you think of any instances in the Bible where believers were betrayed? Have you ever been betrayed? What does that feel like, and what does the Bible say about revenge?

4. Baron Karoshi uses Salina to deceive Carliss and the other Knights of the Prince. Deception is one of Satan’s most useful tricks. How can we as believers guard against Satan’s deception?

CHAPTER 14

1. For the second time in this book, someone turns out to be different from what was expected. We learn that Ganoaf is actually a Silent Warrior and has been merely pretending to be mentally challenged. Carliss thought she was protecting him when he was actually protecting her. Can you find a verse that correlates to this?

2. When face to face with Malco, Ganoaf apparently experiences a surge of feelings from a battle fought years ago. What is this “ancient battle”?

3. How does our culture’s perspective of angels differ from their biblical depiction? What are some of their attributes? Find verses to support your answer.

4. As Malco gives Carliss a tour of his castle, she is amazed at the opulence of the construction and decoration. Sometimes it seems as though evil prospers at the expense of the righteous. What does the Bible say about this?

5. What is represented in the name of Lord Malco?

CHAPTER 15

1. Where does the esca lizard get its name? Can you find a verse that warns us about not letting anything other than God control us?

2. Just as there are hundreds of lizards in Despon Swamp, there are many forms of escapism that can lead to sinful control in our lives. Can you name some?

3. After the purification process, the esca poison is transformed into beautiful, clear crystals. Sin is often alluring, which is another of Satan’s tricks. Why is sin so tempting, and what does the Bible say about how we should defeat it?

4. Carliss understands the consequences of falling under the control of Malco’s esca powder. That is an important step to overcoming temptation. Can you think of other consequences of succumbing to the stronghold of escapism?

5. Malco attempts to convince Carliss to try his esca powder, and she rebukes him in the name of the Prince. At that, Malco seems momentarily discomfited. Can you find a verse or verses in the Bible about rebuking evil in Jesus’ name or about the power of Jesus’ name over the demons?

6. Malco finally reveals his true nature to Carliss. Why was Carliss never deceived by him? What can we as believers learn from her?

7. Carliss overcomes Malco’s attempt to persuade her to join him and even his attempt to control her mind through the esca crystals. Find verses in Revelation about overcoming.

CHAPTER 16

1. Ganoaf tells Carliss that the Prince has watched her since her youth and that by her pure heart she won His favor. Can you find a verse in 2 Chronicles that applies to this?

2. Carliss apologizes to Ganoaf for being a fool, but he encourages her to be strong. Can you think of Bible verses that encourage us to be strong?

3. Ganoaf explains that the prisoners are food for the lizards, which then proliferate, thereby providing more poison. This allows Malco to produce more Waters of Moorue and thus imprison more people. Ganoaf states that in this way one vice feeds another. What does this symbolize for us today?

4. What does the Life Spice represent?

CHAPTER 17

1. Carliss begins to feel that the esca lizards are overwhelming her, and she cries out to the Prince. What does the Bible say about crying out to the Lord?

2. Who is the man who saves Carliss? He tells Carliss that the presence of evil requires the sacrifice of one to save another. This is a reference to the verse that states, “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Find this verse.

3. The man who saves Carliss tells her, “Now be valiant, for valiant you are!” Why does he say this to Carliss? If she is already valiant, then why does he ask her to be valiant? How does this apply to us as believers?

CHAPTER 18

1. In the oasis of swamp lilies, Carliss takes up the sword left by the Prince and knows she has found her calling. God often calls us to accomplish His will in quiet and still moments. Why do you think this is? Has this ever happened to you?

2. The sword left by the Prince has the words Morning Star inscribed on it. Where have we heard the words morning star before in this book? Read Revelation 2:26–28. What do you think Morning Star represents?

CHAPTER 19

1. Carliss felt that no matter what choice she made, someone would die. Sometimes we face situations where it seems that no matter what we choose to do, we will lose. Have you ever been faced with such a situation? What is important to remember during these times? What can we use to guide our decisions?

CHAPTER 20

1. A Silent Warrior asks if Carliss is “the overcomer.” There are numerous verses in Revelation that talk about overcoming. Can you find a verse earlier in the New Testament that defines what enables a person to overcome?

2. When Carliss demands an explanation for the Silent Warriors’ inaction, the commanding warrior’s answer communicates the frustration the Silent Warriors have all felt in waiting for an Arrethtraen to answer the call to battle. What does this represent for us today? Support your answer with a Bible verse.

3. Despite the heavy odds, Carliss moves to action to defend the prisoners. Can you give examples in the Bible where God called someone to action in spite of overwhelming odds? Why does He often do this?

4. During the battle to free Malco’s prisoners, Carliss wonders how long the war will last. What war is she referring to? When will it completely end?

CHAPTER 21

1. The esca lizards flee light, and this is why they hide after each black powder explosion in the swamp. Can you find a passage in John that explains the symbolism of this fact?

CHAPTER 22

1. Carliss determined not to destroy the perpetrator of evil, but the evil itself. Oftentimes we only “Band-Aid” the problems sin causes when we really need to address the sin itself. Can you think of any examples of this?

CHAPTER 23

1. What do you think the hawk, Spirit, represents?

CHAPTER 24

1. After Carliss brings Dalton back to his home, Brynn thanks Carliss for her courage to save Dalton. Have you ever had a person who had mistreated you try to make amends? How did you handle that situation? What did Jesus say about forgiving someone?

2. Carliss relinquishes the hold her heart has on an imagined future with Dalton and contents herself with what the Prince has called her to. This decision frees her from the struggle and pain of romantic fantasy and also frees her, a little later, to embark on a new and fruitful relationship with Dalton. Sometimes God asks us to give up everything to follow Him, but He always gives back much more than we offer. Why does God test us in this way?

3. As Carliss and Dalton plan their future together, they know it includes the day when all in the kingdom is finally perfect. When will this happen and what does this represent?

ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Answers to Review Questions from the Kingdom Series

1. The Prince represents Jesus Christ.

2. The Knights of the Prince represent all Christians.

3. The Noble Knights represent the Jews who were hostile to Jesus and His disciples (the Pharisees, etc.).

4. Chessington represents Jerusalem, and Arrethtrae represents the whole world. (Earth and terra are combined backward to make up this word.)

5. The Dark Knight, also referred to as Lucius, represents Satan.

6. The Silent Warriors are God’s angels, and the Shadow Warriors are Satan’s demons.

7. A Vincero Knight is a person who has been personally trained by one of Lucius’s Shadow Warriors to spread and cultivate evil. Vincero Knights are ruthless and twisted by the evil that has mentored them.

8. A haven represents a local church where believers are trained, discipled, and sent out to share the gospel with others.

Answers to Questions for Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue

CHAPTER 1

1. From childhood, Carliss understood there is more to life than what meets the eye. This kind of perspective precipitates maturity in a person beyond their years. The yearning Carliss feels means her heart is searching for truth, and this makes her receptive to the story of the Prince. This can happen in our lives as well, and we can only find truth in Jesus Christ.

2. Two possibilities are Acts 10:34–35 (“In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him”) and Galatians 3:26–28 (“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”).

CHAPTER 2

1. While passion is an important factor in following Jesus, He also tells us to be careful (1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”). It is always best to seek the counsel of those older and wiser than we are, those who have the experience and emotional distance to assess the situation and provide appropriate counsel.

CHAPTER 3

1. When people we care about make foolish choices, we should still love them, but we do not have to condone their behavior or go along with it. Answer based on personal experience.

CHAPTER 4

1. Suffering can occur because we are in sin and we therefore suffer the consequences of the sin. Or it may be the result of a spiritual attack because we are doing God’s will and fighting the good fight. It could also be a consequence of living in a fallen world full of sin and death—as in the case of cancer victims, those who are abused, people who are bereaved, and so forth.

2. Romans 8:28 gives us important perspective on suffering: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” We also learn in the Bible that Jesus understands our suffering (Isaiah 53:3), provides us with comfort and hope (see, for example, Jeremiah 31:13 and 2 Corinthians 1:6), and of course provides remedy for the sin that can lead to suffering (1 John 1:9).

CHAPTER 5

1. James 4:17 indicates that sin is not only doing the wrong thing but also knowing what is right and not doing it.

2. Possible answers include Deuteronomy 15:11; Psalm 138:6–7; Proverbs 3:34; Luke 14:13–14; James 4:6; and 1 John 3:17.

3. In Luke 10:30–37 we read the story of the good Samaritan. Jesus commands His disciples to “Go and do likewise.” That means you!

CHAPTER 6

1. Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” Also see Psalm 147:1–5 and Isaiah 57:15.

CHAPTER 7

1. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” This verse indicates that the heart, the source of our emotions and feelings, is a vital part of our lives, but that it can also lead us astray and take us to places that are not good for us. With our minds, however, we can influence or protect our hearts from entering and dwelling in such places. Carliss’s heart “battle” involved her feelings for Dalton, her respect for what she thought was his commitment to Brynn, and her desire to serve the Prince wholeheartedly. She was in danger of pining for something she assumed she could not have—an unhealthy place for a heart to dwell.

2. Second Timothy 2:3 says, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Oftentimes, being a warrior for Christ means putting up with conflict or difficulty.

3. Eunice cares for Petolemew and helps him with his memory loss by writing down what he says about the black powder. Petolemew tenderly expresses his gratitude to her for her help and commitment. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. This kind of enduring love transcends any selfish feelings we might have.

CHAPTER 8

1. These activities and the experiences these pastimes offer can feel more enjoyable or interesting than the real world, and they require much less work. In a way, the desire they fuel is just another form of “the lust of the flesh [and] the lust of the eyes” that John writes about in 1 John 2:16. The Bible says that this desire is not of the Father. Satan can play upon it to turn these activities into a stronghold of sin.

CHAPTER 9

1. Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Even though we cannot force people to get along, being a peacemaker and speaking encouragement—as Carliss did—may help in such situations.

CHAPTER 10

1. Love is the identifying mark of a Christian (see John 13:35). Our words and actions should always demonstrate that love for others, thereby indicating that we are indeed followers of Jesus Christ. Did you know that Christians did not come up with their own name? Instead, other people actually named them because they lived in such a way as to be easily identifiable as followers of Jesus.

CHAPTER 11

1. One possibility is Jeremiah 29:13: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” See also Acts 17:11.

2. Proverbs 24:9 and Proverbs 12:23 warn against foolish thoughts, while Philippians 4:8 encourages the practice of choosing to think only on that which will honor the Lord. It is important to understand that imagination and creative thought are wonderful gifts from God. However, just as with so many other gifts from God, they can be improperly used. When imagination and creative thought are used to “fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16) or to devise wicked activities, sin is the result.

3. The stronghold is escapism, which can be described as the habitual practice of retreating from reality through diversion or fantasy.

4. To occasionally escape from the stresses of life is a good thing. God even commanded that we rest from our labors on the Sabbath. Jesus often escaped from the crowds and even from His own disciples when He needed some time of recovery. However, these examples also show us that true, healthy replenishment really comes from spending time alone with God and not from fantasy and alternate realities that can easily become a stronghold.

5. Technological advances such as high-definition video, high-speed Internet, elaborate games, and even music-on-demand create an atmosphere of escapism for many people because the visual and audio productions are so realistic and the experiences they create are so intense and involving. They provide stimulation for the senses and imagination without truly involving people in the experiences of real life or requiring them to take responsibility or to grow.

6. Romans 12:2 warns us against being conformed to this world, and this includes feeling we need to involve ourselves in popular forms of escapism. We must constantly be vigilant and renew our minds so that we will accomplish God’s perfect will.

7. Despon Swamp represents despair or despondency, and “walking the bridge” indicates the extreme outcome of such despondency, which is suicide. Escapism, like many other strongholds, seems like a wonderful release from the pain of the world for a time. But eventually people realize that the pleasure gained is fleeting and empty. By then they have become prisoners of the sin and are unable to break free. At that point they may become despondent or even kill themselves.

CHAPTER 12

1. Although we may encounter those who belittle our faith—even other Christians—we must remain true to our convictions. Think about Noah and Job, two righteous men who were ridiculed unjustly, and about how God ultimately blessed them for their faithfulness to Him. Rest of answer based on personal experience.

2. James 5:16 tells us to “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” When we are young, it is best to take our struggles to our parents or other wise mentors.

3. Read Proverbs 14:7, 12. We shouldn’t listen to the counsel of the unwise, because that which our culture thinks is right often leads to spiritual or even physical death.

4. Intar, Romnov, and Vi Dogam represent Internet, romance novels, and video games, respectively. These are just three of many that could lead to a stronghold of escapism.

CHAPTER 13

1. Jesus said in Matthew 5:11, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” We need to remember, as Si Kon says later in the chapter, that although we may suffer and even shed our blood, “our blood is not wasted on the vanities of an ignorant life.”

2. Many countries have outlawed Christianity, including North Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Christians in these countries continue to undergo severe persecution, and the most important thing we can do to help them is pray daily. There are also many organizations we can support with our time and money that help our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world.

3. Two possible examples of biblical betrayal are Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery (Genesis 37) and Judas’s telling the chief priests of Jesus’ whereabouts (Mark 14). Betrayal obviously feels horrible and may make us extremely angry, but Romans 12:19–21 tells us to abandon our feelings of revenge, because God will do that work. Also, we should be kind to our enemies, and overcome evil with good. Rest of answer based on personal experience.

4. Christians have multiple resources available to guard against Satan’s deception. God’s holy Word is the ultimate source of truth and is a powerful weapon to use against this great enemy. The Lord is also present with us through the Holy Spirit, who gives us an ability to discern spiritual truth and deception. Another resource we have is the wise counsel of a godly friend (see Proverbs 1:5).

CHAPTER 14

1. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

2. This ancient battle represents the time when the angel Lucifer rebelled against God and convinced one-third of the angels to fight with him. (See Isaiah 14:12–14 and Revelation 12:3–4, 7–9.)

3. In the Bible, angels are usually depicted in a warriorlike form and sometimes equipped with swords (Genesis 3:24; Numbers 22:22–23). Although they may “go undercover” and appear as humans, in their angelic form they have wings (Exodus 25:18–20; Isaiah 6:1-5). Their appearance often causes great fear in the people who see them (Luke 1:11–13, 19). Conversely, our culture often depicts angelic beings in very unbiblical ways—as babies with wings or as sensual fairylike creatures.

4. Psalm 37 and Jeremiah 12:1–4, 14–17 both say that the wicked will prosper for a time but that ultimately only those who are faithful to God will have a future of promise.

5. Malco is short for malcontent or discontent. Escapism ultimately causes people to become discontent in the real world and the challenges we must face.

CHAPTER 15

1. The word esca comes directly from the stronghold in this book, escapism. Romans 6:12–14 warns us to not let sin control us. Ephesians 5:18 also warns against letting wine or drink (forms of escapism) control us.

2. These are video games, Internet usage, romance novels, alternate-reality games, television and movies, alcohol, gambling, and drugs, to name a few.

3. Sin is tempting because it appeals to our flesh. The Bible tells us that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear and that with each temptation He will make a way for us to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). We must look for that avenue of escape and take it. Remember that according to Romans 6, we are free from the power of sin because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We can be and are victorious through Christ! (See also 1 John 5:4.)

4. In addition to those depicted in this book, consequences may include laziness and apathy when operating in the real world; losing valuable relationships with family, friends, and most important, Jesus Christ; losing jobs; wasting time, money, energy, and talent.

5. In Jude 9, the angel Michael is battling with the devil and rebukes him in the name of the Lord. In Luke 8:26–31, demons controlling a man recognize Jesus and cry out fearfully in His presence. In Mark 9:38–39, Jesus tells His disciples not to forbid others from casting out demons in His name.

6. Carliss was never deceived because she knew the Prince and His truth. She also understood about the great battle that was raging for the lives of fellow Arrethtraens.

7. In the letters to the church, there are multiple exhortations for believers to overcome. See Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; and 21:7.

CHAPTER 16

1. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

2. Some examples are Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:9; 2 Chronicles 15:7; Isaiah 35:4; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Ephesians 6:10; and 2 Timothy 2:1.

3. As people become more enamored with the lifestyle of escapism, they invest more of their time, finances, and emotions in their chosen avenue of escape. This provides more resources for those who offer these activities to expand their influence to others. The cycle continues to grow as more people and resources are added.

4. The Life Spice represents eternal life.

CHAPTER 17

1. The book of Psalms has many verses addressing this. One example is Psalm 34:17: “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

2. This is the Prince, and His words come from Hebrews 9:22.

3. We frequently forget who we are and the power we have in Jesus. We often need to be reminded that we are sons and daughters of God! Read John 1:12.

CHAPTER 18

1. Sometimes we are moving too much or are too distracted with media or activities to hear the Lord’s call. When we purposely eliminate distractions in life, we are better able to focus on hearing His call (Psalm 46:10). Rest of answer based on personal experience.

2. The ancient text that told about the esca lizard in chapter 6 also mentioned the morning star. The passage in Revelation uses this symbolic name for the power of Jesus Christ, given to those who overcome.

CHAPTER 19

1. Hebrews 13:5 says that God will never leave us nor forsake us. During those times when we feel we have no real options, we should not rely on our emotions but on the Bible and the Holy Spirit. Wise counsel from godly friends or mentors can also help. Rest of answer based on personal experience.

CHAPTER 20

1. First John 5:5 says that simply believing that Jesus is the Son of God enables us to overcome the limitations of a fallen world.

2. Often it seems that evil prevails, and we wonder why God and His mighty angels do not stop the evil, but this can be because Christians are not rising up to answer God’s call to prayer and action. Often, revival starts with one man or woman who is motivated by the Holy Spirit and acts in obedience. Supporting verses include James 5:16; Ephesians 6:12; and 2 Corinthians 10:4.

3. Moses, Gideon, David, Esther, Elijah, Joseph, Ruth, Joshua, and many other biblical men and women accomplished great things despite their unfavorable situations. God works in this way so it is obvious that God is the one who should receive the glory for the victory.

4. Carliss is referring to the war between God and Satan, which will finally end at the last battle when Satan and his demons are cast into the lake of fire. See Revelation 20:10.

CHAPTER 21

1. John 3:19–21 explains that evil hates the light because the light exposes its wickedness.

CHAPTER 22

1. Any time we try to fix our sin simply by changing how we act, we aren’t addressing the true source of the problem: our heart. Rest of answer will vary with experience.

CHAPTER 23

1. The hawk Spirit represents the ways the Holy Spirit may work to bring protection, wisdom, insight, and even prophecy into our lives.

CHAPTER 24

1. We should forgive others without limit (Matthew 18:21–22). God commands us to forgive and promises to respond to us as we respond to others (Matthew 6:14–15; Mark 11:25–26). Rest of answer based on personal experience.

2. He does this to affirm in our hearts that He truly is Lord of our lives and that nothing is more important than Him. However, in this He blesses us—not always in the ways we wanted or expected, but always abundantly, beyond what we can ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20).

3. Perfection will be experienced on the day the King creates a new perfect kingdom. This represents the future when God establishes His new heaven and new earth.

AUTHOR COMMENTARY

A common temptation for many young people is to escape into a world of fantasy. This escapism has many forms, many of them made possible by a proliferation of technology in our society. Video games, romance novels, movies, Internet alternate-life sites, and role-playing games are just a few of these common escapist pastimes.

Although an occasional, temporary reprieve from the challenges and hardships of this world can be a harmless relief, escapism can easily become a powerful stronghold in a person’s life. This can become a serious problem even for believers. The list of negative consequences includes discontentment, laziness, apathy, disobedience, rebellion, stealing, lying, deviant behavior, even suicide.

In Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue, I have used allegory to depict the dangers of letting escapism overtake one’s life. Young men and women both face this temptation. They can become discontent with school, parents, privileges, jobs, relationships, relationship status, and much more. Only when we completely trust in the Lord and in His good will toward us and make the choice to face our real circumstances and problems do we find peace, contentment, and true joy in whatever condition we are in.

Lady Carliss was a devoted Knight of the Prince who had to face this battle and overcome it, just as each of us must overcome certain battles in our lives. By her faithfulness and desire to live a pure life (thirsting for righteousness)—and with the help of the Prince and those He sent to her—she was victorious.

It is my earnest prayer that all who read this book will take hold of the victory that Jesus has already won and live victoriously for Him.

But holdfast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

“He shall rule them with a rod of iron;

They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels”

—as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.

—REVELATION 2:25–28

LADY CARLISS AND THE WATERS OF MOORUE
PUBLISHED BY MULTNOMAH BOOKS
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All Scripture quotations and paraphrases are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 by Chuck Black
“Journey to Moorue” music and lyrics copyright © 2009 by Emily Elizabeth Black
Illustrations by Marcella Johnson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

MULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Black, Chuck.
Lady Carliss and the waters of Moorue / Chuck Black; [illustrations by Marcella
Johnson]. — 1st. ed.
p. cm. — (The knights of Arrethtrae; bk. 4)
Summary: Lady Carliss races against time to save Sir Dalton’s life, but an evil plot
foils her efforts and she must choose between saving him or countless others.
eISBN: 978-1-60142-258-3
[1. Knights and knighthood—Fiction. 2. Good and evil—Fiction. 3. Christian
life—Fiction. 4. Allegories.] I. Johnson, Marcella ill. II. Title.
PZ7.B528676Lad 2010
[Fic]—dc22

2009037132

v3.0