CHAPTER 1
I had been cooped up within the walls of my castle for months, my advisers being too fearful to let me out of the gates. With almost an hour between breakfast and my first meeting, I decided to sneak out and take a walk among the familiar trees behind the castle, the same trees that watched over my father on his final walk. I grew up playing, and later spent many hours hunting in those woods; I was not afraid.
Besides, over the past few months, I became convinced that if I could walk the same path as my father, I’d find something that everyone else had missed. I found it impossible to concentrate on anything else.
It was a rare, fall day, the skies, a dome of deep blue, the air clear and sharp, scented with the faint smell of snow. Any worries I might’ve had going into the forest felt silly. Since my father disappeared, it seemed as if the forest was trying to lure me in but I had avoided its call. On this particular day, however, its seductive pull was irresistible. I stepped onto the familiar path without as much as a glance back and instantly appreciated the abundance of color and the smell that surrounded me. The last of the year’s soft sun rays shone through the branches, and, for the first time since the terrible tragedy, I had the sense that life was worth living, that my wounds and those of the kingdom would eventually heal.
I slowed my walk until I stood under a large oak. Its leaves, tongues of fire swaying in the breeze, formed a canopy so dense that my view of the blue above was significantly hampered. A thick layer of green moss-covered much of its gnarly trunk. Is it still here? I lowered myself to the ground and scraped the moss at eye level. An old inscription emerged.
M + A = BF
I traced the letters with my index finger and thought of the day Aria and I snuck away from our tutoring and spent the afternoon in the woods having a picnic. I was about eight at the time, she was a year younger. We each got in trouble, and following our unapproved outing, I had a much harder time getting away from the castle without supervision.
I was still reminiscing when a slight unexpected movement to my right drew my attention. My heart beat faster. I turned and immediately assumed my eyes were playing tricks on me. Perched high on a nearby tree, an unusually large cat was staring straight at me. Its fur shone like silver in the pale sunlight; its mesmerizing, green eyes paralyzed me. I thought it a mirage that would disappear as soon as I blinked, but its abrupt, angry growl made me realize how wrong I was. Without hesitation, I started towards the castle. After only a few strides I saw the creature seated in the path ahead of me, blocking my only route to safety.
As our eyes locked, an icy knife ran down my spine. My heart stopped and my insides twisted causing me to feel weak and nauseous as in a free fall.
I forced my eyes to blink, and making a sharp U-turn, I ran away from the castle and away from any help. My feet pounded the well-worn path while my heart beat so loudly it drowned out all other noises except the sound of the giant cat’s growl.
A recently downed tree blocked my way. I hurled myself into the forest, leaving the path behind. With desperation giving my feet wings, I flew through the trees.
I was about to collapse from exhaustion and fear when I glimpsed an unusual metal gate, barely visible through the thick tree trunks. I didn’t think; I threw myself at it. With a loud creak, its rusted hinges reluctantly gave way, allowing me to enter a narrow pathway that descended into the ground at a steep angle. I immediately pushed the heavy gate shut behind me and locked it using its sizeable latch. I could hear the growls of that phenomenal creature getting louder and wondered if the gate would withstand an attack. There was nothing more I could do to protect the entrance, so I hurried down the passageway. As I ventured farther belowground, darkness enveloped me, I slowed my pace and groped my way forward. I stumbled often. The further I traveled, the fainter the echoes of the growls became. At least the gate was holding.
As I further slowed my frenzied crawl and assessed the situation. I struggled to take in deep breaths. I couldn’t see anything, but the tunnel’s ceiling felt close, giving me the sensation that I was entombed under a mountain of soil.
There was no way back, so I continued my trek until the texture of the walls changed. The rough, packed soil with roots protruding at unequal intervals turned to smooth stone. Through the blackness, a tiny flicker of light beckoned me. I picked up my pace.
The barely visible gleam became brighter. I eventually arrived at yet another metal gate. Its design was intricate, but it was rusted with age. Will I be able to open it? Beyond the gate lay a small cavern carved from granite. The light emanated from a small rectangular box on top of a stone table. The gate opened as soon as I touched it, gliding in an unexpected, fluid movement.
I stepped in cautiously, but my curiosity egged me forward. Before reaching the table, my eyes were drawn to a piece of bright blue cloth lying on the floor that stood out against the gray of the polished stone. I immediately recognized it as my father’s handkerchief.
My heart raced and I struggled to breathe.
I picked up the cloth and brought it to my face. It still had a faint trace of his smell. Is it possible that I am close to finding my father? Is he well? Am I too late? He would surely have come back or sent word if he was able. One thing was sure, he had been in that very room.
I placed the handkerchief in my pocket and turned to the box. Made of translucent alabaster, it was inscribed with rows of cursive silver writing. Although I didn’t recognize the language, I could not tear my eyes away. The light glowing from within was mesmerizing. I touched the top of the luminous box, ran my fingers parallel to the inscriptions. The other three walls of the square cavern that I could barely see before, instantly illuminated.
Each one of them was completely covered by a mural. The scenes depicted were quite different from each other. One wall showed a forest enveloped in thick mist. The second wall portrayed the ancient coast of a sea. When I turned toward the third wall, I was startled by something I had never seen before. Golden sand covered the ground as far as one could see, and short hills dotted the landscape. In the distance, a large river snaked through the sandy hills with only a trace of green bordering its banks.
The vibrant images covering the walls looked as if they were alive, nothing short of transparent windows into the landscape. The oddity of that first impression struck me, as I was surely deep belowground, and the only logical explanation was that some highly skilled painter was able to represent nature in a fiercely realistic way. What drew my attention though, was the fact that each wall was missing a piece of its mural. Each missing piece was of a different shape, and at once I noticed something familiar about them, a war hammer, a lightning bolt, and a beetle-like insect.
I had seen these same three shapes together somewhere.
“Our coat of arms of course!” I exclaimed, shattering the silence of the underground.
The glow of the box beckoned me once again; I stepped closer and examined it in more detail. The writing was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I was educated in the predominant modern languages of the world, as well as all of the dead ones; none of it helped me decipher the writing or discern its origin. I hesitated but I had no choice but to touch it again if I was to see what was inside.
I lifted the top of the box; a shiver ran down my spine, raising the hair on my arms. A feeling of warmth followed, from my fingertips through the rest of my body. Colors became sharper and my senses more acute. As if I was viewing the world through dirty lenses until that moment. Suddenly I felt more alive than ever before, all lingering fear replaced by unquenchable courage and desire to act. All at once, I knew what I had to do. The box lay open, revealing a beautifully carved crystal key that glowed. I had no idea what lock the key was supposed to open, but I felt that once I figured out a way to restore the walls, the purpose of the key would become obvious. I could not wait to get back to the castle and share my discovery.
