Part 30 (1/2)
A frantic neighing cut off Max's reply. Melody grabbed his arm?
”Guards?”
”No, Starlight. We must have startled her.”
Max ran to the stable and found the horse stomping nervously. He took hold of her halter to still her while rubbing her forehead.
”Calm down girl. It's only me. Don't be frightened.”
Melody reached him and pointed at the ground. ”We didn't scare her, Max. There is another animal in the stall.”
Following Melody's finger, Max watched a small figure dart out from around Starlight's hooves. It stopped under the light of a lantern several feet away from them. Max shook his head while wiping the sweat off of his brow.
”Almost given away by a mouse.”
”Max! That's Spook.”
”What? It can't be.”
Melody crouched down. ”Come here, Spook. You remember me, don't you?”
Max couldn't believe his eyes as the little mouse ran over to Melody.
”See, it is her.”
Max squatted next to Melody. ”Well, I'll be.”
Melody examined a piece of cloth tied to Spook's tail. ”Who did this?”
Max recognized the cloth at once. ”It's a piece of ribbon from Alexandra's hair. Spook must have hidden in her dress when the Protectors took her.”
The mouse suddenly turned, running a few feet away from them before stopping and facing them once more. Spook waited a few seconds before repeating the maneuver. Melody slowly turned her head towards Max.
”I think she wants us to follower her.”
”Funny, Melody.”
”I'm serious. You would be amazed at how smart animals are. On top of that, the Immortals were known to have a great affinity with nature.”
”But it's a mouse.”
Melody put her hands on her hips. ”A few minutes ago we broke into the most heavily fortified place in Velrune by climbing a stack of empty wine barrels. Now you're questioning following a mouse when you have no idea where you're going to begin with?”
Max glanced back at the wall they had climbed over. ”You really think she wants us to follow her?”
Melody took a couple of steps towards Spook. The little mouse turned, ran a few feet more then stopped, facing them once again. Max groaned.
”Eve's never going to let me hear the end of this. Ok, new plan, we follow Spook.”
Max joined Melody and followed Spook as she scurried along a spa.r.s.e trail of hay that led to an open door in the side of the main building. Sticking his head in, Max saw a mound of hay stacked in the center of a small room. On the far wall he saw another door leading farther into the building.
”Huh, I hadn't noticed this door before.”
”You really didn't have a plan on getting us in did you, Max?”
”Well...”
Spook ran through the room.
”There she goes, we'd better keep up.”
Max jogged after the mouse. Melody rolled her eyes and followed.
Spook led them through hallways, rooms and even down a flight of stairs. Max and Melody ran as hard as they could to keep Spook in sight, until she shot through a small hole in the wall of a dead-end hallway. They slid to a stop and caught their breath. After a moment, Max studied the wall.
”Now what?”
Melody felt along the wall. ”My job with the Church is to validate rumors. Mostly they're false, but every now and again one rings true.”
Melody pushed on a brick, sending the wall swinging inward. ”Secret pa.s.sages inside Protector Headquarters, I guess I'll mark that rumor as true.”
The false wall revealed a spiral staircase leading down. Following for several flights, they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Taking a deep breath, Max pushed the door open. On the other side was a small room with a small lock box and a pair of guards sitting in chairs next to another door. The sound of the door opening startled the guards from their sleep. The one on the left jumped to attention.
”Who are you?”
Max stood as straight as he could and tried to sound important. ”I'm Sgt. Maxwell Laskaris, I need to speak with one of the prisoners.”
”Haven't heard of you, now get out of here.”
Melody shouted from behind. ”Hey!”
Max tried to turn around, but was shoved forward. Steadying himself, he found Lysander standing next to him with a backpack slung over his shoulder.
”I need to speak to one of the prisoners as well.”
”Sgt. Harris, we thought you had left with the others.”
”I had other duties to attend to. Now, if you will let me pa.s.s.”
”I...I'm sorry sir. Lord Avram directly ordered us to keep everyone out of the dungeon until his return.”
”Is that so?”
Lysander stepped forward and grabbed the guard, lifting him off the ground with ease. The second guard reached for his sword, but Max intercepted him. Unsheathing his own sword, he held it at the guard's neck.
Lysander shook the guard he held. ”Keys.”
The guard reached a shaking hand down to his belt. He unfastened the ring of keys, dropping them to the floor.
”Good, now I think it's time you took a little nap.”