Secrets and Guardians: Devious Intentions by H. Chambers (hot novels to read txt) 📕

Felspar, as instructed, had told everyone that the passage to the right of the stone steps was not to be entered. Despite the corridor they were standing in being a more than ample size, some were beginning to panic. There didn't appear to be any way out other than the way they had come in. A couple of them were trying to force one of the ancient oak doors, while another at a different door was trying to pick the lock. Bella lost her temper.

'Will you lot calm down? I understand you thought you'd be escaping through this tunnel and out somewhere miles away from danger, but Penn would not have got us down here just to die.'

'It feels like that, a tomb, that’s what it feels like,' moaned Haber from the back.

'Oh shut up,' said Bella.

Glint ran into the library. Penn was standing to one side, his eyes closed a staff in his right hand.

'Ah, there you are,' said Penn opening his eyes and walking towards him.

Reaching into his cloak Penn brought out a ring of ancient keys. Carefully selecting one he handed it over to Glint.

'Go down and open the second door on the left, no matter what happens do not attempt to open any other doors with this key. There are torches just inside the door, light them before going any further, the steps are steep. When everyone is down wait for me in the tunnel.'

Felspar came in from the back room, the library doors crashed open, two injured soldiers staggered in. Felspar and Glint went to help them. Penn let them past and then walked out of the library.

Kerdred's men were now through the gates and spilling over the wall. Penn watched for a second, Hylaw's men had formed tight defensive rows. They were edging closer to the library, but their progress was painfully slow and costly. Another smaller group of ten men were trying to make their way over, without help they weren't going to make it. Penn strode across, the staff now his weapon. Whether it liked it or not, the staff was bound to protect him. After being swung rather ineptly at a couple of opponents, it took over. Taking over part of Penn's mind, it focused his senses. Everything around him seemed to slow down. The two swordsmen who had only backed off, moved in slow motion towards him. This time when Penn swung the staff, he was visualising the exact point of contact. The staff smashed into the head of one, skin, hair, blood and other bits floated from the wound. The man's eyes held Penn’s gaze in disbelief as he went sideways into the other. Seconds passed for Penn before they were both on the ground. Time then returned to normal, until he faced his next assailant.

By the time he reached the men, only seven were still alive. Those left were exhausted. Penn lashed out mercilessly. The speed and extra reach giving Penn a huge advantage. They lost only one more man before joining up with Hylaw and Breaker. Unlike the swordsmen whose fighting displayed a certain amount of skill, Breaker’s oversized, two handed spiked club was wielded with pure brute strength. He might have been a lot slower than Penn, but the body count was about the same. Those in the back lines were now at the library doors. Will was one of the first through with the dogs.

'Get to the tunnels, we'll get the doors,' shouted one of the men who had been protecting him from the worst of the action.

The scream was unmistakeable. Hylaw looked across, two men were dragging a hysterical auburn haired woman towards Kerdred. It would be suicidal to try and help her, but how could he not? Breaker saw Ami as well, he knew Hylaw would feel compelled to try and save her. Grabbing his collar he heaved Hylaw backwards through the closing doors. Penn went diving in with them. The men standing behind the doors pushed with every ounce of strength they had left. Breaker, back on his feet, brought his club down hard on a shoulder visible between the doors. Penn stabbed at it with the end of the staff managing to drive the smashed limb back out of the doorway. With the doors now closed, Breaker pulled down the solid wood crosspiece. Exhausted they slid to the floor. Flickering candle light cast eerie shadows around the room. Hylaw stood hunched staring angrily at the barred door. Breaker looked at Penn, he also looked angry.

'These doors will not hold them forever, get down to the tunnels,' commanded Penn in a voice that wasn't to be questioned.

'Except you.'

Hylaw narrowed his eyes and raised his sword. Penn's eyes seemed to change colour.

'Don't even think about it,' Penn snarled, his voice sending the rest hurrying to the back room.

Breaker paused wondering whether to stay or not, he felt sorry for Hylaw. Looking at both of them he realised this needed to be sorted out now, between the two of them, alone.

'Eldin persuaded me to risk revealing secrets that have been kept for hundreds of years. Made me believe that what was happening now was important enough, that you were important enough. You can't even command your own sister,' Penn said in disgust.

'I...she...,' stammered Hylaw realising the truth in Penn’s words.

The blackness in Penn's eyes faded, dropping his shoulders he looked back at Hylaw.

'Kerdred will not kill her. She will be taken back to Brinkton to marry one of his sons. Eldin's plans for you to take back Landra have just been ruined. They will use her against you. And because of her I cannot risk...'

'Risk what?' questioned Hylaw.

'Just go down to the tunnels, I will follow shortly,' said Penn heavily.

Kerdred turned his horse so he could get a better look at Ami. Despite her bedraggled appearance he could see she had potential. Not that it really mattered Andrass didn't have to find her attractive, just make sure she bore him sons. There were eight other prisoners and like Ami they had their heads down.

'They've barred themselves in, probably tunnels underneath,' reported Kilgor. 'Not take long.'

Kerdred watched as the battering ram was being hurriedly carried to the library.

'I want the Princess guarded at all times, she is not to be harmed,' said Kerdred.

Ami was relieved to hear his words.

'Kill the others.'

'Lord Kerdred!'

Kerdred turned his horse to face the oncoming rider.

'It's the old hag!' The rider pulled his horse up just in front of him. 'She's in the forest.'

Kerdred didn't wait to find out more. Outside the wall the ground was strewn with dead bodies. Working his way through, he reached the three men standing at the edge of the forest. One of the men stepped forward.

'We were going to go in after her but thought you might want to hunt her down yourself.'

The look on Kerdred's face made him grin, a malicious, sneering grin. He had known Kerdred would want this pleasure all to himself. Kerdred dismounted his horse.

'Follow me, there might be a few of Hylaw’s men around,' said Kerdred heading into the forest.

Penn was the only one left in the library. Standing in the centre he reached for the pouch