Every fiber of his being screamed at him as he agreed to her plan. “I’ll go with you,” Nash said. “If you’re wrong, I’m a dead man.”
“If I’m wrong, you can freeze time and escape,” she laughed. “If I’m right, you’ll have a new home.”
Nash felt a little better about the plan when she put it that way, and they rode on in silence. The silhouette of the castle wall soon loomed in front of them.
“Who goes there!” someone called out from the top of the wall.
Nash encouraged her to speak, “Announce yourself,” he whispered to her.
Saria collected her strength. “It is Princess Saria,” she proclaimed. “Open the portcullis, I have returned.”
Nash could hear the bars squeak open and the surprised yet cautious voices approaching with a torch. He held his position next to Saria. “It is the Princess!” he heard someone yell. “Run and tell the King!”
A few soldiers surrounded them and separated Saria from Nash. “Who is this?” the soldier with Saria questioned.
“He is with me and under my protection,” Saria stated more like a queen than a princess.
Under armed guard, Saria and Nash were led through the portcullis and into the castle. When Nash heard the iron bars squeak and bang shut, he couldn’t help but wince a little.
It was late, but the king was waiting for them in the throne room with several other men in robes. King Rowley stood when he saw Saria, she rushed forward to him and hugged him quickly.
“I missed you, Pumpkin,” he said. Nash noticed how loving the king was to his daughter, and he felt even more guilt. Rowley held her away from him and noted the tear in her blouse that they had patched during the journey. He looked up at Nash sternly. “Who is this man with you,” he said with a growl.
Saria stepped back from her father and approached Nash. “Father, this is Nash. Please sit and listen to everything I have to tell you before you react,” she said.
King Rowley scowled deeply and sat down. The men near him, obviously his advisors, frowned as well. “Go on,” he said in a tone that put Nash on edge.
“Nash is both a villain and a hero in this story, so you have to hear it from the beginning to end to make an informed decision. He is under my protection at the moment. You are the only one that can over-rule that,” she said and waited for him to respond to her statement.
Rowley nodded for her to continue, and she described the last two days as best she could. She left out anything to do with Nash’s ability; she was afraid it might scare her father if he knew what Nash could do.
“So in short, Nash is Adriana’s killer, my kidnapper, and my savior,” Saria concluded.
King Rowley shook his head. “I don’t understand,” he said. “If Nash killed your sister and kidnapped you, why do you feel like returning you is enough to make up for the rest?”
“Were you not listening, Father?” Saria asked. “I wasn’t describing his crimes. I was describing his moral dilemmas and how he handled them. He couldn’t kill me, I was too young for his standard, so he kidnapped me. He intended to have me safely held someplace, but when King Sargus ordered my death, he stepped up and threw everything away to save me.”
“King Sargus will pay for his part in all of this,” King Rowley growled.
“My King,” one of the robed men interrupted.
“Speak, Meric,” King Rowley commanded.
“May I question the young man?” Meric asked.
“Go ahead,” Rowley answered and rubbed his chin while he considered what he had heard so far.
Meric stepped forward, “Nash? Do you have the weapon you used to kill Adriana with you?”
“I do,” Nash answered. There were a few gasps in the room.
“No one searched him!?” one of the advisors shouted.
Nash reached into his vest and removed his blade from his sheath. The sound of swords being drawn could be heard throughout the room. Saria walked to him with her hand out. Nash placed the knife in her hand, “Be very careful with that, it’s more than a knife,” he warned her.
Meric wasn’t surprised at the statement. “Bring it here, please,” he asked Saria.
Saria turned and brought it to him. She offered it to him, but he recoiled. “Just hold it there for a moment,” he said and waved his hands over it while chanting something. “Give it back to him, child,” Meric said. King Rowley had watched intently as Meric chanted.
“Is that wise?” one of the advisors asked.
Rowley dismissed their concerns, “Give it to him,” he said. “What did you find, Meric?” Rowley asked his mage.
“I believe Adriana can be saved,” Meric said with a smile.
“Truly? How?” Rowley asked.
“If Nash is willing to assist, I can reverse the blade’s effect,” Meric said with confidence.
Nash interjected. “I was never keen on the idea of killing her. If it can be undone, I will help any way I can.” Saria smiled at him, and King Rowley considered his statement.
“I’m not sure I can ever forgive you, Nash, but if you give my daughter back to me, we can both move forward,” King Rowley said.
“What do you need me to do, Meric?” Nash asked.
“Follow me,” Meric said and quickly moved to an exit. Nash did as he asked as the dumbfounded soldiers looked on. Saria followed him. When the soldiers tried to follow, Rowley waved them off and had them wait with him.
Meric led them through a maze of corridors to a room that was lit with many candles. There were four guards, one in each corner of the room. In the center of the room was Princess Adriana on a large wooden table, dressed in her finest gown. There was a magical glow around her, and the sides of the table were lined with flowers from mourners.
“What is this glow,” Nash asked in amazement.
“The King wisely gave Adriana’s corpse to me to investigate how she died,” Meric responded. “When I noticed a magical imprint, I placed her body in a stasis field so it would not degrade any further while I researched it.”
“You said we could reverse the blade’s effect. How?” Nash asked.
“Your blade contains the soul of every person you killed with it,” Meric stated. “If you put the blade back in Adriana, in nearly the same place, it must be close,” he cautioned, “I can pull the soul back out of the blade and into her.”
“I’m doubtful,” Nash said. “I’m willing to try, though.” He thought about the kill and replayed it in his mind. “It was the back of her neck, so she will have to be sitting up or laying on her back for me to get it right,” Nash explained.
“Roll her over,” Meric commanded two of the guards. They gingerly moved her to her stomach.
Nash moved to her left side and held the dagger in his right hand. “Are you sure?” he asked Meric.
“I am ready,” Meric said. “Do it.”
Nash thrust the blade into her neck at an angle that would penetrate her brain, just like he did that night, and held it there. Meric began to chant in a language Nash did not recognize for a long time. Nash’s arm was getting tired, when suddenly, Meric said, “Remove the blade.”
Nash slowly pulled the blade out. There was no mark to indicate where it had penetrated when he was done removing it. The room was collectively holding their breath, waiting for something to happen.
“Is something supposed to happen?” Saria asked. “How long do we wait?”
As she spoke, Adriana drew in a sharp breath, and she coughed.
“Everyone out,” Meric yelled and stepped forward. He helped Adriana sit up and held a small bottle to her lips and had her drink it.
The guards all but pushed Nash and Saria out of the room and brought them back to the throne room. King Rowley leaned forward on the throne expectantly as the group entered the room.
“Well?” King Rowley asked.
“She’s alive, Daddy!” Saria screamed excitedly.
King Rowley, in a rare display of affection, beckoned his daughter to him. She ran to him, and they hugged, and both cried tears of joy.
Once King Rowley got control of himself, he looked up at Nash and his escort. “Disarm him,” Rowley said. “Lock him up until I can decide what to do with him.”
“Father!” Saria screamed. “You can’t do this!”
“I can,” King Rowley said.
Saria looked to Nash as he considered his options.