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Before they could react, Krolaun threw his Cloak of Elvenkind about himself, sending him plunging into invisibility. He grabbed my arm, and we both went crashing through the window of Olan's room, plunging headlong towards the ground. As we fell, I could feel the Power surge in the air, and a Gate opened in front of my falling form. I fell straight through that Gate, landing on the soft grass near the Green Dragon Inn. Silently, I cursed Krolaun for doing this to me.I picked myself up from the ground, making no effort to brush the grassblades from myself. I pulled frantically at the Power of Earth, though carefully forming the Gate itself. As i wove the Power into the Gate, keying it to Krol's lifeforce, I could feel a presence lurking in the deeper shadows, prompting me to hasten my work. The Gate flared to life and I paused on the threshold, looking back over my shoulder to make sure i wasn't being followed. Just as I began to advance on the Gate, a surging blast of magic sent me flying through.
I burst out of the Gate, tumbling back onto the Palace grounds in Tybis. Krol was not too far away, clutching something silver to his chest before it vanished beneath his cloak. He looked up at me, and yelled, "What are you doing here?! Damn it!"
"I couldn't let you do this alone!" I retorted.
We both looked up simultaneously as some figure stepped into the light of my Gate, making an eerie silhouette in the light of the magic. Quickly, I dispelled the Power and the Gate fell away, taking the sinister shadow with it as well.
"We've got to find the Queen!" Krol shouted urgently.
I nodded, "Let's go."
Together, we scrambled to our feet and made it to the main doors of the Palace.
Our boots rang upon the cold marble floors of the Main Entrance of the Palace. Krol and I began searching frantically for any sign of what might be where the Queen would be located. All the doors looked the same, all the halls were identical. There were no identifying marks. Both of us could feel the sense of urgency heightening behind us. We had to find a way out, now!
"Katja! Krolaun!" echoed a voice, "This way!"
Our eyes, my green and his grey, settled upon the speaker, finding to be the Queen's Advisor, Arvend. The old Tyberan waved madly at us, gesturing to the hall he stood before. We tarried a moment as Krolaun looked at me, "Do we trust him?"
I glanced back at him, "Do we have any other options?"
"We can run..."
"To where? They have the barrier."
Krolaun nodded and took off towards Arvend, I immediately followed. Without speaking, Arvend led us down the labyrinthine halls of the Palace. As we twisted and turned through all the massive halls, I eventually lost all sense of direction, for every hall looked just as all the halls preceding it. We finally came to a stop before a set of double doors.
"Olan," the old Tyb puffed in his exertion of running, "Olan said you'd be needing help."
"That is an understatement," Krolaun replied.
I came to a skidding halt beside Krol and I looked at them, "Are we going to flee or chat?"
"Worry not," Arvend said, pushing open the doors. We stepped into the room, and instantly our eyes were greeted by a huge chamber colored in warm gold and bronze. In the center of the room, on a raised dias, is a huge silver lion lounging in silent stillness. Upon this silver lion-throne, sits a tall, regal form. Her white-furred face and blue-green eyes stare calmly at us at our intrusion, but she merely nods.
"Welcome, Katja...and Krolaun, I presume?"
Krol stepped forward, falling respectfully to one knee, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"I have heard much of you," she begins, but the sound of the guards beyond the doors interrupts. She glances at the doors then to her personal guards that stand watch at the door, "Seal the doors. Tell them all I am not to be disturbed."
Arvend stepped forward, "But Highness, won't that be suspicious?"
The Queen turned her eyes upon her Advisor, and they flared slightly, "Do you dispute me, Advisor?"
He bowed meekly to oneside, not daring to look at the Queen, "No, Your Majesty." Abruptly, he turned to the guards, motioning, "Do as She has commanded!"
Fearing our recapture, Krolaun stepped in front of me, his blade at the ready. However, the guards merely sealed the doors as the Queen turned her blue-green gaze upon the elf, "What brings you to me in such urgency, Elf-kin?"
Krolaun stood defiantly before the feline ruler, "I stand before you to bring to your attention a matter of great urgency."
She raised an elegant brow, "Yes, Arvend reported your extensive knowledge of the Border War."
"Yes, but do you know why those troops were so far out of position?"
She shook her head, "No, I was never sent a copy of that order."
Krolaun took a step forward in his fervor, "You never will. Sharidia will see to that."
"Sharidia? The Warriel Commander?"
The elf nodded, "Yes. She is the one who circumvented Olan's command and sent that regiment to destroy my home."
The Queen's eyes narrowed, "These are serious incriminations you make, my Lord Elf. I would request that some sort of proof be presented."
"I know, Your Majesty. I encountered that camp after a fight with Sharidia. Following that, she sent a spy, Di Amvue, who gave me the information. Is it normal for the insignia of a Commander of the Warrioresses of the Veil to be present on the battle- standard of a border army?"
"Di Amvue? The scout? Yes, I am familiar with him. He can vouch for you then?"
Krolaun looked up at the Queen, "Unfortunately, he was in my employ, but was a double agent for Sharidia. I have no tolerance for those who betray me, and therefore, he was eradicated for his treachery."
"I see," the Queen rose, motioning to the guards. I took a step forward, opening my mouth to protest, but Krolaun took a violet-bound book from beneath his cloak. He looked at the Queen, silently beseeching the opportunity to present the book. She nodded and he gave it over to her, and she settled once more into her throne.
He backed away as she opened the book, "That, Your Majesty, is the journal of a Priest of Sekhmet; the one who Cleansed Katja and held Ylena Armitanis captive in that camp. The attrocities in that journal will speak for itself. But I offer more proof--"
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© 1999 E. Angeli Mansfield