Thronegarden by Andrew Dickerson (top rated books of all time .txt) 📕

This time the leviathan took only a few seconds to say the answer was Death, and their only opportunity of recovering the bell rested on their final riddle.

“Maybe we should take some time to discuss our options,” Delridden suggested.

“We don’t need to because this last riddle is really good,” Damselfly assured.

“Let’s hear it,” the leviathan demanded.

“What is Delridden’s real name?”

“That is not a real riddle,” the leviathan disputed.

“It most certainly is,” Damselfly grinned.

“How could I know such a thing?” the leviathan sulked.

“Are you saying you don’t know, because if you are, I win.”

The leviathan shook his large head, sending a fresh wave of water at his adversaries. Delridden still appeared concerned although Damselfly and Buttontail were looking rather pleased with themselves.

“What is his name?”

The leviathan struggled with himself, swimming from one end of the well to another in an attempt to help him think.

“What is his name?”

The leviathan was getting frustrated, turning the water into a violent froth. Suddenly, he raised his large head high out of the well so he was eye to eye with them.

“I got the first two riddles correct so I want more than one guess,” he negotiated.

“I thought you were an expert at solving riddles,” Damselfly mocked.

“Five guesses,” the leviathan stated.

“Three and that is being generous.”

“Fine,” the leviathan accepted.

Again, they waited while the sea creature pondered as he constantly muttered, “What is his name?”

A period of tense silence lasted several minutes before the leviathan ventured his first guess.

“Tom.”

“Wrong,” Damselfly replied.

The leviathan threw himself against the wall in his anger, shaking the floor below them and sending further jets of water over the edge.

“John.”

“No, only one chance left,” the princess reminded.

By now the leviathan was in such a rage, Damselfly half expected the water to start boiling.

“What is his name?” the creature bellowed.

“WHAT IS HIS NAME!”

The leviathan shook the ruins in his terrifying wrath, and yet Damselfly continued to smile cheerfully as though none of it mattered.

“Will,” the leviathan whispered.

“Wrong again, that means I win.” Damselfly celebrated with Buttons.

The princess and her faithful companion danced a small jig at their success, leaving Delridden looking bemused.

“Hand over the bell,” Damselfly said.

“Wait a moment,” the leviathan added slyly. “What is his name?”

Delridden stepped forward to answer before being silenced by the leviathan.

“This is a game between the girl and I. If she does not know the answer, then I keep the bell.”

“I do know the answer,” Damselfly revealed.

“How can you?” Delridden questioned.

“Enough debate, tell me now,” the leviathan roared. “What is his name?”

“Kimson.”

They emerged from the ruined tower, triumphant, with Damselfly holding the bell. Buttons was in high spirits though Delridden was lagging behind.

“How could you possibly know that?” he asked.

“I have never told anyone my real name since I got to Shadowgarden. Unless…”

Delridden looked at them hopefully, and Damselfly nodded with a flashing smile.

“Yes, we met Uriel.”

Back in the Thronegarden dungeon, Uriel had given Damselfly the gate token which set them on their mission. She had described a brave soldier as her true love and everything they had learned about Delridden had convinced Damselfly that this was the same man. It had been a gamble, but they had the bell, and with it they were that much closer to recovering Death’s timepiece and saving her mother.

“Where is she?” Delridden asked, stunned.

“In Thronegarden,” the princess answered vaguely.

“I went there,” he stated. “Of course I did, it was the first place I thought of though no one had seen her.”

“She attempted to reach the Evergarden and was imprisoned,” Damselfly confessed.

Delridden dropped to the ground like the words had physically struck him; the veteran soldier looked vulnerable and shocked.

“I have to find her,” he said.

“Of course, and we will help,” Damselfly promised.

“You helped us so it is the least we can do,” Buttons agreed.

“Why did she try to visit the Evergarden? It doesn’t make any sense,” Delridden questioned.

“I cannot say,” Damselfly replied. “I’m sure she had a good reason.”

“A good reason?” Delridden struggled. “A reason why she left without a word, abandoning her family and everyone who cares about her. All because of some foolish notion to visit the Evergarden, a place near impossible to reach and from which no one has ever returned.”

Delridden seemed to realise how careless his words had been the moment he spoke them. Damselfly and Buttons looked crushed at his harsh criticism of their own parallel mission.

“I’m sorry,” he apologised. “I just need to understand why she left.”

“That is your mission,” Damselfly acknowledged.

“I don’t know how I can ever thank you for what you have done,” Delridden praised. “You have given me my identity and purpose back.”

“I think you’ve saved our lives enough to repay us,” Damselfly laughed.

“Thank you.” Delridden rose to his feet, a new man.

“I will find Uriel and everything will be right again.”

“I know you will,” Damselfly gave her blessing.

“Er, guys,” Buttons interrupted. “We have a problem.”

Damselfly and Delridden turned to follow the rabbit’s gaze, and their eyes were greeted by signs of a great battle. The war for Shadowgarden had been fought and won while they were underground.

It was a scene of confusion.

A number of Sprites lay sprawled across the plain with signs of battle everywhere; a plume of smoke rose from the Shades’ huts and a sense of foreboding met the trio.

All thoughts of triumph fled Damselfly as she witnessed the carnage that had occurred while they were below ground. Delridden was especially affected, believing his sword might have made some small difference against the tide of enemies.

“Where are the rest?” Delridden questioned.

Moving reluctantly forward, Damselfly caught sight of several figures kneeling in the dirt. Behind them, stretching