Grishma (Book One in The Necoh Saga)

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

It was difficult to keep track of time down in the dungeons. Ryder attempted to predict when the guards would patrol the cells and when the alligator man would stop by with his daily meal.

“Okay, here we go,” said Ryder. Without further hesitation, he began a strenuous workout of pushups, running in place, and jumping onto his stone bed, then off again. Even though his muscles burned and his breathing became ragged, he kept going.

Suddenly, the door creaked open loudly and one of the guards entered the cellblock with a bright torch.

Ryder, covered in sweat dropped to the floor and began rolling back and forth. “Oh no! Watch out! King! No, don’t! This is terrible! The King, the King has been lost!”

The guard walked to Ryder’s cell and yelled, “Be quiet!”

Albie spoke up. “But sir, he is a vision seeker! You must bring him to the King at once!”

“I’ll do no such thing,” sneered the guard.

“But sir, you will be hailed a hero! You alone shall be responsible for saving the King’s life! Didn’t you hear what the boy said? Someone is going to kill the King!” said Albie.

The guard brought the torch closer to Ryder.

Make him believe you! Make it count!

Rolling around on the floor, he moaned, and then yelled, “Oh, no, the King, the King is gone! No! Stay away! Stay away from Princess Sophie! You can’t kill her, too! I won’t let you!”

The guard’s face changed from disbelief to pure panic. “Are you sure he’s a vision seeker?”

“Of course I’m sure!” snapped Albie.

“Eh, boy, hey, boy! Wake up! Tell me of your visions at once!”

Ryder immediately sat up straight as a board and his eyelids shot open.

“Ah!” The guard jumped.

“It’s terrible. The King will be assassinated tonight and they are going to try to kill the Princess as well!”

The guard pondered his choices and then said, “All right boy, if you truly are a vision seeker, tell me, what is my name and why am I working down in the Dungeons of Sumner?”

Um, that’s a real good question and I don’t have the slightest clue!

Albie cleared his throat, “Sir, I mean no disrespect, but that isn’t how it works. Vision seekers just receive visions, like one would receive a letter from a messenger.”

“Is that true, boy?”

“Yes, sir, it is.”

“Well, then you better come with me,” said the guard, still unsure of his choice.

“Calla! The keys! I need them at once!”

“Sir, the visions, they cause fever and weakness. I’ll need your help getting up,” stammered Ryder.

“Yes, yes, very well then,” said the guard.

Bursting through the doors, Calla scurried toward the guard with a large ring of keys in her hand.

Seizing the keys, the guard opened the cell and reached for Ryder, but before he could grab him, Ryder rolled out of the way, forcing the guard to step into the dingy cell.

“What the hell?”

Without giving the guard time to utter one more word, Ryder pulled roughly on the guard’s extended hand. In the process, he managed to pull the guard into the cell with him.