Grishma (Book One in The Necoh Saga)

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Rounding the corner, Ryder, Albie, and Pidifer stood with their weapons poised and ready. The next guard was scheduled to arrive any second and they planned to take him down quickly and quietly.

“You ready?” whispered Ryder.

“You bet,” said Albie in a hushed tone.

Shuffling armor and brash voices filled the dark hallway.

“Here we go!” said Pidifer.

The three worked together like a well-composed symphony. Ryder slashed and cut with his sword, Pidifer swung a club, and Albie jabbed with a sharp spear.

The guards never stood a chance, and soon lay slain in a crumpled heap on the floor.

“Nice work, guys,” said Ryder.

The orvba puffed up his chest and said, “We orvba are great warriors.”

They continued down the hallway and around the next corner.

“Calla said we need to follow the green torches on the wall to find the servants’ quarters,” said Albie.

They ran into a few more guards before they reached their destination. Luckily, they disposed of them just as quickly.

“Hey Albie, you’re not bad with that spear,” said Ryder.

Albie grinned and did a small bow. “Why, thank you.”

After sneaking through several more passages and down a few more hallways, they reached the servants’ quarters.

“Calla said the men are on one side and the women are on the other,” said Albie.

“Okay, you two stand guard while I look inside. Hopefully my mom is in there or someone can tell me where she is,” said Ryder.

Ryder slowly pushed open the rotten wooden door. “Hello? Is anyone there?”

Stepping into the large open room, it took his eyes a minute to adjust to the dim light. The room appeared vacant and rows of empty bunk beds were stacked against the four walls.

This place looks more like a prison than a bedroom.

“Hello? I’m looking for Bethenny, has anyone seen her?”

Silence.

“It’s important!”

More silence.

He was about to turn around when he heard a faint clattering noise. Hope and fear surged through his body and he turned to investigate.

Walking to the far end of the room, Ryder found a locked door with a barred window. As he stood on his tiptoes, he felt like someone had kicked him in the stomach. “Mom! Mom? Are you okay?”

“Huh?” asked a frail woman, curled up on a dingy cot.

“Mom! It’s me! Ryder, your son!”

“Ryder?” The disheveled woman looked around her cell. “Son? Where are you?”

“I’m here! I’m going to get you out, Mom! Just hold on!”

Ryder raced back to Albie and Pidifer.

“She’s in there! Hand me your club!”

Running back to his mother’s cell, he started beating on the old wooden door.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A crack appeared near the bottom.

“Ryder, you might want to try and be a little quieter. We really don’t want to draw any more attention to ourselves down here,” said Albie in a hushed voice.