Zenith (4) (The Underground Kingdom) Read online

  "I think you're right," Thorn agreed. "Who else would do it? But what's out next move?"

  "I think that our friend here could tell us that," I proclaimed. "He's been less than open with us so far."

  "What do you mean?" he protested, squirming. "I've told you everything I know."

  "No, you haven't," I contradicted. "Didn't you say that you weren’t allowed in the warehouse?"

  "That's right," he affirmed.

  "You're lying," I stated, flatly. "Zenith followed the scent of your handkerchief, and that handkerchief was found in the Council Member’s room, which means you must have been there at some stage. This is your last chance." I beckoned to Trix and she stepped towards the prisoner, making a show of desperately trying to hold back Zenith whose growling had suddenly increased in intensity.

  "Yes!" the fairy shrieked, terror-stricken at Zenith’s approach, especially when Zenith snapped at him. "Yes, I was there! I took the money from the cupboard and gave it to them! They took it away. You’ve got to believe me! I don't know any more, I swear!"

  "I think he's telling the truth this time," I concluded.

  "I believe you're right," Fink agreed.

  “One last thing,” I asked. “How did you get into the cabinet?”

  “I was given a key,” the cowed prisoner gibbered.

  “Who gave it to you?” I wanted to know.

  “Someone slipped it under my door one night, with a sheet of instructions. I didn’t see anybody. It’s the truth!”

  "I believe you," I soothed, looking around at everyone. "So, to sum up: we have a mysterious key giver, combined with a tunnel and an amount of money being taken by the dwarfs for purposes unknown. Has anybody anything else to add?"

  "This one," Fink commented, roughly shaking the prisoner, "should be locked up in the meantime until the whole situation is resolved. Then we should report to the Council of Elders."

  "It sounds like a plan," Thorn agreed. We did as Fink suggested and found ourselves in front of the Elders again, describing our progress so far.

  "And what's your next move?" we were asked.

  Everyone looked enquiringly at me. I wished they’d stop doing that. It's not as if I knew any of the answers. However, I seemed to have no trouble at all with generating the questions. Actually, I simply made things up as I went along, but my companions appeared to take me for some sort of a clairvoyant who could see the whole game plan ahead of time. I could have told them that they were well off the mark, but I doubt if they would have listened to me, anyway. Ah, the curse of leadership. It’s essential to constantly appear as if you know what you’re doing.

  "I guess we should pay our friends, the dwarfs, a visit and see if we can find anything there," I said. "At the very least, we may be able to retrieve the stolen money."

  "Don't put yourself into any danger," one of the Elders commented. "Our colleague’s money has been reimbursed from the Town Treasury already but, if you do find it, that will be a bonus."

  "We'll be in contact," I pledged. "We'll start off straight away."

  "Best of luck," we were told.

  Chapter 7

  Outside the council chambers, I found myself bombarded with queries about the makeup of the expedition group. "We'll stick to the usual," I decided. "Myself, Thorn, Trix, Zenith and Nix." Immediately, Tracey began objecting to the choices.

  "You're taking my baby?" she protested. "It could be dangerous! I don't want her getting hurt!"

  "For god’s sake, Traculimna," Thorn complained, "you can't protect Trix forever. Anyway, she’s an adult, not a baby! She's been in these sorts of situations before, you know, and now she has Zenith for protection as well. We won't let anything happen to her, I promise. Loosen those apron strings of yours for once and let her follow her own path."

  "You're right," Tracey agreed, her eyes filling, "but I’m finding it hard to let go. Everything you said about her is true, but she is my child even though I’m not really her mother. Surely you can see how I feel?"

  "I do," Trix exclaimed, rushing to Tracey and kissing her cheek. "I can't think of a greater honor than for you to think of me as your daughter. I'm the luckiest person in the entire world to have you as a mother. Thank you, Traculimna. I don't deserve it, but thank you from the bottom of my heart."

  "Oh, my darling little one," Tracey sobbed, "be careful. Don't do anything foolish. I’d die if something happened to you."

  "I'll be fine," Trix soothed, brushing away Tracey’s tears with her fingertips. "Zenith will protect me. And so will Stephen and Arugohumna."

  "I want to come along, too," Fink suddenly interjected.

  "You do?" I exclaimed, surprised. "What about the prisoner?"

  "He's already locked up," Fink replied. "My men can guard him until I come back."

  "But why do you want to come?" Thorn asked. "I've never thought of you as the ……. um, adventurous type."

  Fink flushed. "I know in the past that I've been somewhat ……… conservative," he admitted, "but now I want to learn how to do my job better and if that includes chasing criminals all over the countryside, then so be it. I want to go." I looked at Fink with admiration. He really was trying to better himself and how could I refuse his ambition to do so?

  "Very well," I agreed, conscious of Fink's pleading eyes. "One more wouldn’t hurt. Let's gather some food and accessories, and be on our way."

  As Thorn and Fink wandered off to gather the necessary supplies, Tracey then came up to me and grasped my hands. "And you be careful too, my darling," she softly murmured. "Come back to me. I love you.”

  "You what?" I whispered. "Tracey, do you know what you're saying?"

  "I know exactly what I'm saying," she affirmed, squeezing my fingers. "It's taken me some time to come to this conclusion, but I finally have. I love you, Stephen, and nothing you say will change that." She smiled helplessly at me. "I know you have feelings for my sister and I don't know what to do about that, but I want you to know of my feelings before you go. Please think of me as someone who wants you in her life." A single tear trickled down her face. "This is coming out all wrong, I know, but I just had to say it." She kissed me, gave me a final soulful look, and then hurried away, leaving me totally bewildered. Gods, now what do I do?

  Putting thoughts of Tracey aside, I marshalled the troops and we set out for dwarf territory. Despite my determination not to think of Tracey and to keep my mind on the job, I found myself speculating about the ramifications of what she’d told me. She loved me! Or so she said. How much of that could be counted as sheer emotion due to my departure on this mission, I wasn't quite sure, but now I was well and truly up the proverbial creek without a paddle. What on earth should I do about it? Did I love her? And what about Thorn? What on earth was I going to do there? Damn it! The situation seemed insoluble. The threesome idea flitted back into my awareness and I toyed with that concept for a little while before rejecting it. Well, not fully. It remained an intriguing idea, but the concept would be more for my benefit than anybody else's. I couldn't expect Thorn and Tracey to share while I didn't. Very bad manners, if nothing else. Why did life have to be so complicated? Previous to this, my existence had been mundane. Lonely, yes, but uneventful and dull. Just look at it now! Two beautiful women, both claiming to love me, and I can't decide between them. If I chose Tracey, what would that do to Thorn? And vice versa? This whole thing was going to end in tears, I just knew it.

  There was some debate among us whether we should inform the dwarf king of our presence or not. In the end, and not surprisingly, Fink adamantly came down on the side of a royal visit. To ensure protocol, he maintained. To humor him, we agreed, and we changed our direction towards the cave where the dwarf king resided. We reached the series of caves that marked the beginning of the dwarf territory, and we were quickly granted an audience with the king. I'm sorry to say that his high, squeaky voice still made me giggle internally. * It sounded so unexpectedly out of character with his gruff external appearance that the co
ntrast was risible. Luckily, I controlled my impolite merriment enough not to laugh out loud as Fink explained the reason for our visit.

  "Your information is disturbing," the king said. "If the dissidents do have the money, then they can use it to buy weapons. Although they were widely scattered by your last visit to their camp, I’m told that they appear to have regrouped themselves. Their stated aim to overthrow the throne hasn’t varied and, with financial backing, they could very well succeed. As before, I can offer you the assistance of the Royal guard."

  "Your Majesty is generous," Fink replied, bowing. He looked back at me and I nodded consent. "We accept your offer and hope we can bring the matter to a speedy conclusion."

  * See ‘Dangerous Desires (2)’

  Chapter 8

  Our next task was to collect Nix, so we set out, thirty strong, to do just that.

  "Well, well, what have we here?" Nix commented, when he opened his door upon our knocking. "I'm sorry, but we don't want to buy any lavatory brushes today, thank you. Come back later in the month."

  "Oh, you're such a comedian," Thorn grimaced. "Fortunately, your looks help you there because you're funny looking already. Ugly, really, but I was too polite to point it out before."

  Nix grinned and gave Thorn an enthusiastic hug. "Right back at you," he replied. "When are you going to give up your misguided romantic attachment to Stephen and move in with me, eh?" Thorn’s face flushed scarlet to the roots of her hair and she hurriedly pulled out of Nix’s embrace.

  "You horrible, nasty little toad!" she squealed. "Ugh! The very idea! Why, I ought to …… to …….. do something to you," she ended, lamely.

  "Admit it, Arugohumna," Nix continued, pushing his innuendo to outrageous limits. "You can't resist me, can you? You lie awake at night, tossing and turning, moaning with desire. Don't worry; it's nothing to be ashamed of. I happen to be irresistible to floozies like you."

  Thorn's face became a montage of fury, embarrassment, horror and laughter, much to the amusement of the nearby dwarfs. She spluttered incoherently, bereft of words insulting enough to reply to Nix’s ludicrous statements, so she satisfied herself by punching him in the chest, none too gently either.

  "Ow!" Nix complained. "What was that for? It hurt!"

  "What was it for?" Thorn parroted, astonished. "You're kidding, right?"

  "We whistleblowers always have to suffer for telling the truth," Nix sighed mournfully, massaging his chest. "All I did was to verbalise the contents of your mind, my dear Arugohumna. You know that I'm the person of your dreams. I can't understand why you persist in denying it. Be free! Once you acknowledge it, your life will be so much easier."

  By this time, Thorn was beyond words. Finally, she could stand it no longer and burst into uncontrollable laughter.

  "Well, I like that!" Nix huffed indignantly, winking at me. "Young fairies, these days, I ask you! Stephen, do yourself a favor, and look around somebody else to be with. Anybody else would do. Even Trix’s pet here would be more suitable."

  "Nix, you're shameless!" I told him. "One day you’ll go too far and Thorn will run you through with her sword."

  Nix shrugged, complacently. "Well, if that day ever comes, then at least I'd have had one last laugh. Now, what's all this about?"

  We explained the circumstances and asked him to join us, something he was only too willing to do. And so, our party set out again, enlarged by the welcome addition of the world's most sardonic goblin. Thorn was still chuckling as she walked by my side, occasionally brushing up against me, whether by accident or design, I wasn't quite sure. However, it wasn’t accidental when she firmly grasped my hand and tugged me closer to her side.

  "This may not be the best time," she muttered, "but you said before that we weren't ready for the next level of a relationship. I want to change that. Can I say, right here and now, that I love you, Stephen?" She blushed, but continued doggedly. "There! I've said it! I want you to be mine, now and forever! I don't know exactly how you feel about me, but I want you to know where I stand. Stephen, my life is in your hands. I know this is difficult because you’re human and I'm not, but perhaps we can work things out. I'm not quite sure how, but there must be a way, somehow. I want to be with you. I'm sorry if this is making you uncomfortable, but I had to say it. I realise that my sister is an added complication since she fancies herself in love with you as well, and I believe that you may reciprocate her emotion." She crushed my hand in frustration. "This is coming out all wrong!" she cried despairingly, echoing Tracey’s previous anguished statement. "It's not how I wanted to say it at all! But still, there it is and I can't take it back. I don't want to take it back! I'll leave you alone now, Stephen. I apologise if I’ve upset you but it had to be said. We'll get together later on." So saying, she strode hurriedly off, leaving me in a maelstrom of emotion.

  And there it was. The double whammy. First Tracey and now Thorn. Gods above, what was I going to do?

  – Now you've done it!

  ‘Me? I haven't done anything.’

  – Yes, you have. It's all your fault. This is another fine mess you've managed to create from nothing. Congratulations.

  ‘Hey, it was them, not me! They fell in love with me!’

  – And you haven’t fallen in love with them, by any chance? Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn't the crux of the problem the fact that you can't choose?

  ‘Okay, that may have a slight bearing on things, but how about offering some advice instead of sarcasm. Isn't that your job after all?’

  – Maybe. It all depends.

  ‘Depends on what?’

  – On how much you're willing to listen. You have this distressing habit of not following your own advice. I mean, here I am, slaving away for you, day and night, and you just ignore me. And then you wonder why I'm so sarcastic all the time? How did you expect me to work under those conditions? I'm only human, after all.

  ‘No, you're not. I'm human. You're a …… a …. what the devil are you, anyway?’

  – Stephen, I am your father!

  ‘Don't be silly. I need some advice. Advice! Not stupid Star War jokes.’

  – You need a sense of humor, is what. Anyway, I can't help you. This whole thing is a shambles and I can't see any exit. You're on your own.

  ‘And that’s your advice? Well, thanks for nothing!’

  – You’re welcome. Come again!

  ‘And now with the Simpsons jokes? Have you no shame?’

  – Practically none. You beat it out of me years ago.

  ‘Go!’

  – You wish is my command, sahib.

  Chapter 9

  We stopped some distance from the dissident dwarf camp and held a council of war. As we had done once before, I suggested a small raiding party to scout the terrain. I marvelled at the similarity of the circumstances of my two visits to this area. * Previously, when we had proposed to rescue Max’s sister from her captors, the raiding party had consisted of me, Thorn, Nix and Max with Fink leading an attacking force as a distraction for us. This time the raiding party included Trix, Thorn, Zenith, Nix and Fink, mainly because I couldn't persuade any of them to stay behind.

  "We’ll scout ahead while the rest of you," I instructed, indicating the dwarf contingent, "stay here until we come back. Don't do anything until we return, okay?" They nodded agreement and settled down to wait. Our group moved off, using all available concealment, until we were overlooking the enemy encampment. It hadn’t changed at all from the last time I'd seen it. The cave mouth was at one end and the waterfall at the other, with various tents still scattered over the canyon floor.

  "What exactly are we looking for?" Thorn whispered.

  "I have no idea," I whispered back, "but the most logical place to look would be in the cave. But how to get in there is the question of the day. We can't just walk in."

  "We could use the same distraction that we did the last time," Fink suggested. "The king’s guards could attack from the waterfall end had we could slip in to the
cave while the fighting was going on."

  "Yes, you could do that," came an unknown voice from behind us, "or you could surrender right now before something unpleasant happens to you."

  As one, we spun around in shock. Surrounding us, appearing as if from out of thin air, was a semicircle of dwarfs, all heavily armed and scowling in our general direction. Immediately, Zenith bolted, streaking between the legs of the dwarfs before anyone could even blink. Thorn and Nix glanced at me for orders as I considered the odds. We were badly outnumbered and taken by surprise. Fighting was out of the question. We wouldn't have had a chance, so I raised my hands in surrender. With a disgusted look on her face, Thorn did likewise, followed by the others in our party. Well, I thought, as we were prodded down to the canyon floor, this had proven to be totally embarrassing. Caught in the most basic of traps like the merest novices before the battle had even begun. How had it happened? We’d scanned the area quite thoroughly at each step. They'd been waiting for us, hidden among the rocks, but how had they known we'd be coming in the first place? No, something definitely wasn't kosher about this whole setup. The smell was reminiscent of a month old dead fish, but I didn't have time to speculate about it because we were marched into the cave and bundled into a cage. The door was securely locked and we were left alone with our thoughts.

  "Not the best of beginnings," Nix murmured ironically, as we surveyed our surroundings.

  "Zenith ran away!" Trix moaned in disbelief.

  "He couldn't have done anything, sweetie," I soothed. "There were too many of them. It was probably the smartest thing for him to do. At least he’s safe."

  "I suppose," she morbidly agreed.

  "So, what do we do now?" Thorn asked, rattling the cage bars, to no effect.

  "I'm not too sure," I replied. "We’re inside the cave, which is where we wanted to be, so that's one good thing, although it wasn't the best way to do it. What worries me is how they knew we were coming. Someone along the line is a double agent."