The Shrine of Avooblis Read online

  The gate was open, welcoming the nobles for the weekly banquet, so Dagdron, Earl, and Count and Countess Valorington walked inside and followed the red carpet into the banquet room. A long table crossed the entire room, and was fancily set with lush centerpieces and elegant dishes.

  “Whoa,” Dagdron said quietly. “I’ve never seen so many richies together at the same time.”

  Earl grabbed the back of Dagdron’s cloak in response, steering him directly to where the Valoringtons sat at the long wooden table. Before taking a seat, Earl’s father smiled proudly, focusing mainly on the man and woman directly across the table. They were dressed in lavish robes. The woman had glamorous dark hair, and the man wore a pair of tiny spectacles on the end of his nose. Sitting next to the man was a teenage boy, also wearing a maroon-colored robe. His face was reddish and freckled.

  “Earl and Countess Solloughy,” Count Valorington said, still smiling and nodding toward the couple. “My son Earl and his roommate from the Adventurers’ Academy have just arrived this afternoon to Lordavia.”

  The Solloughbys smiled in return, though it came across as more of a sneer, Dagdron noticed.

  “Hello, Grady,” Earl said to the boy. “This is my friend Dagdron.”

  Grady scowled in reply.

  “What’s wrong with those richies?” Dagdron asked as they all took their seats.

  “They’re jealous of my family,” Earl whispered. “We were made nobles at the same time, but Grady wasn’t accepted at the Adventurers’ Academy and I was.”

  “Can I slice them?” Dagdron asked, clutching his dagger beneath his cloak.

  “No,” Earl said, pushing Dagdron’s hand down.

  “Can we sneak into their house tonight?”

  “No,” Earl said. “Stop talking like that in front of the other royals. They won’t understand your sarcasm.”

  “I’m not being sarcastic.”

  “Don’t even think about it,” Earl said, shifting Dagdron’s hand away from where his dagger was hidden.

  In spite of Earl’s worries, Dagdron was well-behaved, for the most part, during the banquet. He only had to stop him five times from whipping out his dagger to eat with, instead of properly using the utensils provided for them on the table.

  While everyone else at the table seemed smitten with the chicken platter doused in a rich cream sauce and the vegetables at the side, Dagdron just nibbled here and there at the food.

  “Don’t they have any normal sausage?” Dagdron asked Earl. “Or at least some chicken without this thick sauce on it. And these vegetables are nothing compared to Wendahl’s.”

  “Stop being rude,” Earl said. “Lordavia is famous for their fruits and vegetables. That’s one of the main reasons that Broodavia is jealous of us. The soil here is so much richer. They can’t grow produce like we do here. The soil’s too rocky there.”

  “How come you gorged down Wendahl’s? You’re just picking at these vegetables.”

  “We both know you can’t compare magically enhanced vegetables with natural ones,” Earl replied, lowering his voice as he noticed his father looking at them.

  “Now you’re against Wendahl’s magic? I didn’t see you complain when he put a protection spell on us.”

  “Just eat your vegetables.”

  In addition to controlling Dagdron, Earl had the task of monitoring his father as well. Throughout the banquet, Earl’s father mentioned at least six times how proud they were of Earl’s achievements at the Adventurers’ Academy.

  “Earl is having incredible success at the Adventurers’ Academy,” Count Valorington said loudly so that not only the Solloughbys, but the other nobles to the left and right could hear as well. “Headmaster Gwauldron was so impressed with Earl and Dagdron that he gave them a special quest. It was the first time that much confidence had been placed in any first years. Even we never imagined that our son would bring such glory to Lordavia and the Valorington name.”

  Each time, the three Solloughbys sneered, but the other royals were very impressed, asking additional questions. Earl answered modestly, giving more details about his and Dagdron’s quest and all they had gone through to find the Arch of Avooblis. Word of the arch crystals had even spread to Lordavia by then, and the nobles were anxious to get as much information about the gossip they had heard.

  Dagdron, bored by the royal chitchat, occupied the rest of the meal glancing at the richies at the table. He tried to catch a glimpse of Elloriana and Byron, but they were seated at the far end of the table. From a distance, they did appear to be smiling and laughing with one another.

  As soon as the main course was over, Count Valorington excused their family from the table.

  “My son, Earl, really needs to get home. As I said, he just returned today from a month of adventurer training,” he said loudly, making sure as many nobles as possible could hear.

  “Dad, stop,” Earl said, though he smiled too as the Solloughbys gave them one final look of scorn. He really was too exhausted to say much else, so he and Dagdron followed Earl’s parents back to their home.

  Dagdron and Earl went into the warrior’s bedroom. Dagdron wadded his cloak and lay down on the floor. Earl said goodnight but, exhausted from having slept on the ground for so long, as soon as his head hit his soft pillow, he zonked right to sleep.

  The rogue, keeping his mind alert, rested as he listened to his friend’s snores. After an hour or so, Dagdron put his cloak back on and slipped out the window into the rose patio. After a month of climbing around Cliffmount, Dagdron had no problems scurrying up the garden wall. He balanced carefully as he made his way along the top of the wall, heading in the direction of the main courtyard. There were a couple of families who were enjoying the summer evening on their patios, but he was able to slip by in the darkness without being noticed.

  Dagdron’s first real challenge came when he reached the courtyard, where the wall rose up in front him. With only a slight hesitation, Dagdron placed his hands against the wall before scaling it, using the rough edges to brace himself. He paused at the top of the wall, looking out over the courtyard. Directly below him was the bridge that ran around the edge of the plaza, connecting the front pyramid to the opposite side of the square. Seeing guards walking the bridges, the rogue decided to stay atop the wall. He had to be even more sure-footed as he skirted around because of the patrolling guards who exited the corridors in the courtyard below, marched across the plaza, and disappeared again. Each time, Dagdron stopped dead still, shrouding himself in the darkness, hoping none of the guards would notice him.

  When he reached the side of the courtyard above the corridors leading to the king and queen’s area, Dagdron moved stealthily over the top of the covered corridors until he was overlooking the garden. From his observations that evening, Dagdron knew this was going to be the most difficult part. Not only were there two guards below on each side of the portcullis, there was also an enchanter stationed on the lookout above the gate. Scanning the area, Dagdron saw there were no lights on in the windows of the section of the pyramid on the right side, just behind the wall.

  Accepting this as the best course of action, Dagdron crossed to the opposite side of the garden, where he crawled across the top of the garden wall, using the fruit trees as cover to make sure the guards didn’t see him. The walls surrounding the inner pyramid were smoother than the courtyard wall had been, so Dagdron pulled out his dagger. As he scaled the tower, he stabbed his dagger into any chip or crack he could find, using it as leverage to keep moving upward. When he reached the dark window, he threw himself through headfirst, landing in a crouching position as he listened. When he felt confident that the guards hadn’t seen him, he crossed the room and peered out the window on the opposite side.

  Dagdron, knowing that any questions would have aroused suspicious, had not asked Earl anything about the location of the high-ranking royals’ quarters. But, as he scanned the area, he figured the destination he searched for would be in the highest levels of the
castle, so he crawled out the window, continuing his way along the top of the wall.

  He eventually came to a garden that was below the tallest portion of the pyramid. There were two fountains in the center with lush vegetation growing all around the garden. He made his way to the nearest tree and climbed down. Freezing momentarily, he scanned the area, making sure there were no hidden guards in the shadows. Locating none, Dagdron snuck across the garden, walking lightly on his feet so he didn’t make a single sound. When he reached the tall tree that grew near the wall, he scurried up the trunk into the heights until he could see in the first window he came to.

  “First try,” Dagdron said when he saw Elloriana. She was seated at the desk in her bedroom, studying her magic books.

  Dagdron edged out onto the branch that would get him closest to the window. He jumped, feeling the branch give beneath him, but still landed lithely in the frame of the window. Elloriana didn’t look up, so Dagdron sat down on the windowsill.

  “Still all wrapped up in your romance novels?” Dagdron said.

  Elloriana let out a loud gasp as she jumped from her chair. She was about to yell for the guards but, seeing it was Dagdron, she cast a flame spell at him instead. Dagdron ducked and the spell flew outside.

  “Get out of here, you dirty thief,” the princess of Lordavia said. “You have no right to invade my private chambers.”

  “Can we skip the part where you pretend like you’re not interested in what me and Earl have been up to all summer?” Dagdron said. “Or are you worried that Byron will find out I was in your room? You’re obviously still in love him. We could hear you giggling at dinner.”

  “I am trying to get information on what evil plans he has for Lordavia,” Elloriana said. “Did you and Earl find out any information?”

  Dagdron, smiling under his hood as he saw the interest in the princess’s face, shook his head.

  “Didn’t you even ask your father if he knew anything about Broodavia?”

  “We didn’t have time. We were too busy caught up in the arches business again.”

  “What? I thought that was all settled.”

  Dagdron gave a quick explanation about how Rance, Kas, and Wally had attacked the first time and then followed them. Elloriana’s fear was visible as she listened.

  “Did you find out anything about the arches?” she asked.

  “Minimal,” Dagdron said. “You might be able to help out if you’re still interested in magic.”

  Elloriana rolled her eyes. “Why do you think I’m staying up so late studying? I can’t even keep up on my magic knowledge during the summer without making my parents suspicious. What magic question do you have?”

  Dagdron pulled a cloth out of his pocket and unfolded it, exposing the blue sphere Wendahl had sent after them. He showed it to Elloriana and told her how Wendahl was cupping it in his hands before they were interrupted.

  “I’ve heard about enchanters tapping into the magic of certain objects. I’ll give it try.”

  She held out her hands. Dagdron, hearing Earl’s protests in the back of his mind, hesitated. But then he shook off the thought, knowing this was why he had approached Elloriana alone.

  The princess sat down on her bed, cupping the orb in her hands. She began mumbling incantations to call forth the hidden powers. She had a moment’s look of triumph etched on her face as the sphere’s light grew brighter, but then she was suddenly flung backward, her head falling on her pillow and her arms flopping to the side.

  Dagdron lunged out to catch the sphere as it arced in the air, folding it carefully in the cloth again. He approached the bed. Elloriana’s eyes were closed, so he softly felt her wrist, searching for her pulse. When he felt her heart still pumping normally, he shrugged and set about examining the room. Elloriana had a huge jewelry box on her dresser, so he flicked it open. He selected two necklaces, one golden and one with pearls. He also took a couple of silver brooches and a gem-encrusted bracelet.

  The rogue was about to head out the window when he stopped.

  We might still need her help, he thought. He crossed the room silently, closed all the magic books, and carried them to a chest in the corner. He opened it to place the books in, and caught sight of the drawstrings of a small pouch. He snatched it up, hearing the clink of coins, and pocketed it before placing the books in and shutting the lid.

  Dagdron, satisfied with his evening’s work, headed out the window, excited to sneak all the way back to Earl’s house.

  Chapter 6: Seeds of Betrayal

  Earl was particularly perky at the breakfast table the following morning. A good night’s rest in his own bed had renewed his adventurer’s spirit full fold. Dagdron, on the other hand, was his normal expressionless self as they ate cornbread and berries. Even in the morning hours, Count Valorington was prone to talking boisterously, and so, as he drenched his cornbread with honey, he explained animatedly to Dagdron everything they were going to show him in Lordavia that day.

  There was an impatient knock at the front door. Earl’s father drizzled honey across the table as he lifted the bottle in surprise.

  “Who could that be at such an early hour?” Countess Valorington said, standing from the table.

  Dagdron, though maintaining his blank face, was surprised himself. He hadn’t expected Elloriana to send the guards after him this early. That must mean she woke up from having her brain blasted, Dagdron reckoned.

  “Princess Elloriana?” Countess Valorington said, her mouth opening in shock.

  After Earl’s mother’s exclamation, even Dagdron couldn’t help glancing toward the doorway. Fortunately, Earl and his dad stood from the table, and neither noticed the break in Dagdron’s facial features.

  Elloriana, already dressed in a yellow gown, stood formally in the doorway, so Earl’s mother put one arm over her chest, as if that would hide the fact that she was still in her nightgown.

  “I am so sorry to disturb you at such an early hour,” Elloriana said as Count Valorington and Earl reached the door. “But I am so busy with the Fortigroff’s visit to Lordavia that I don’t have enough time as it is. I noticed that Earl had returned from his summer adventure, and I wanted to reconnect with him. We really cultivated a close relationship at the Adventurers’ Academy.”

  “Of course, of course,” Count Valorington said. “Come in, come in.”

  Earl, though shocked, moved courteously out of the way so Elloriana could enter.

  “Oh, is Dagdron here, too?” Elloriana said.

  Dagdron ignored her and continued to nibble at his cornbread.

  “Countess Valorington, I have heard such splendid compliments about your roses, would it be all right if Earl, Dagdron, and I retired to the garden to reminisce about our first year at the academy?” Elloriana asked.

  “Of course,” Countess Valorington said, pride showing in her face. “That will give me time to get straightened up. Would you like something for breakfast?”

  “Thank you for the offer, but I already ate. I had a very early start this morning.” Elloriana smiled and, pulling Earl with her, started across the main room.

  Dagdron, realizing Elloriana had no guards with her, returned to his breakfast as if nothing had disturbed him.

  “Dagdron, let’s go,” Earl said.

  “You two go ahead,” he replied, stabbing a blueberry with his dagger and eating it.

  “Dagdron, I really want to catch up with you,” Elloriana said. “Now, come on!”

  The princess of Lordavia dropped all facade of polite behavior, stomped to the table, clutched Dagdron around the arm, and yanked him out of his chair. Dagdron had just enough time to grab the rest of his cornbread before she pulled him down the hallway with Earl.

  “If only Lita were here,” Earl said when they were on the patio. “The jolly band of four adventurers would be together again.”

  “What in the land did you do to me?” Elloriana ignored Earl and turned on Dagdron.

  “Nothing,” Dagdron said.
r />   “What was that blue orb?”

  “What are you talking about?” Earl interjected, confused.

  “He was in my room last night!” Elloriana said.

  “Dagdron, you snuck out? I didn’t hear you at all.”

  “You were snoring as soon as your head hit your richy pillow,” Dagdron replied.

  “Just tell me what the blue orb was!” Elloriana said.

  “You showed her the sphere?” Earl said.

  “I thought she could tap into its power. But she couldn’t.”

  “Dagdron, that was so dangerous! Her mind could’ve been fried.”

  “It didn’t do anything to her brain. It knocked her unconscious.”

  Earl’s mouth dropped open in shock.

  “And he just left me there,” Elloriana said.

  “I hid your magic books.”

  “I know, I already found them. And give me back my pouch of coins!”

  “What pouch?”

  “I know you stole it!”

  Earl’s mom stuck her head out of the upper window to see what the raised voices were about, so Earl grabbed Dagdron and Elloriana, guiding them to the rose bushes in the far corner and feigning that he was pointing them out to Elloriana.

  “Princess, we don’t know what the orb is. Dagdron should not have shown it to you.”

  “I want to see it again.” Elloriana folded her arms and, in spite of Earl’s protest, she refused to move until Dagdron pulled the cloth from his pocket and unfolded it.

  “I told you the truth last night,” Dagdron said. “We met an enchanter, he cupped this sphere in his hands, supposedly to show us something about the arches, and then we were interrupted. He told us to flee, and the sphere came zooming after us. After that, we came to Lordavia.”

  Elloriana looked at Earl, who nodded his head.

  “We don’t know anything else. But Rance really is after us. You need to be careful, Princess.”