Tales of Sundardesha: Journey of a lost queen (book I)

Chapter 13 - Wolnost

When they walked out of Maeve's house, Sabrena was no longer waiting alone. Bernt's tall figure towered over the young woman.

"Any luck?" he asked Ayden.

"Yes," Ayden nodded.

"That's good news." Bernt smiled in the faint light. "But we'll have time to talk later when we get to Wolnost."

Bernt and Sabrena led them to an old house situated behind the market of Ritender.

The house was quite large, and Thalya thought it must have belonged to some wealthy nobleman. However, the imposing building looked abandoned with wooden boards nailed on the window and front door. When they came closer Thalya noticed the marble on the façade was cracked at multiple spot.

They circled the construction and hid in an alleyway where they entered through a back door.

Bernt took a candle that had been left in the narrow vestibule. Once they were all inside the door that led to the street was firmly closed, Thalya noticed there was no exit from the confined room.

The older man went to the diagonal corner and knocked 3 times on different spot.

The sound of a lock filled the small room and entire corner moved aside allowing just enough space for one person to enter.

One by one they each crossed into a spacious corridor.

Then Bernt guided them toward a large stairs that descended to what looked like a vault. It was dark and the air was cool. To Thalya felt like the flights of stairs were endless. Finally, and the bottom of the stairs they reached a large reinforced steel door.

Bernt gave a strange pattern of knock and a voice came from the inside.

"Password".

"Sanya nidhindo ortur," Bernt spoke in a foreign language.

Then Thalya heard again the loud clicking of a lock and the immense door moved slowly with a screeching sound.

As the door opened, it revealed a well-lit spacious room full of people.

The open space bustled with the noise of conversation. There were tables and chairs scattered in different locations.

"Welcome to Wolnost." Bernt motioned proudly toward the inside of the room.

Before she stepped inside, Thalya looked at Ayden and when he nodded, she moved forward. Once they were in, the door was locked again, Thalya intentionally left the hood on her head as she, Ayden, and Saoirse followed Bernt to the other side of the room.

Though Ayden seemed to trust the man, after everything they had gone through, Thalya felt wary. She wasn't sure if she should reveal her identity to all the strangers in the room.

They finally stopped in front of a desk that was put aside from the other tables and Thalya guessed it was Bernt's private working place.

The surface of the desk was covered in parchments.

"Sorry for the mess," Bernt apologized motioning at the small table. Then he cleared his throat. "Now before we get down to business, we couldn't properly introduce ourselves earlier." He started. "My name is Bernt Rollin, like Ayden I am a former knight of the Crown." he introduced himself. "I am currently a General in Wolnost."

"Ayden said that Wolnost is the resistance that fights against Queen Bryann." Thalya's tone was a little too sharp.

"Yes, we are fighting for the liberation of Sundardesha," he affirmed.