Incarceron Part 102

Keiro's eyes were blue and blank with desperation. He hesitated. For a long moment he stood there unmoving, and then he closed his hand and nodded slowly. He looked down at the Key and held it out to Finn.

"Then I'll have to find it. Enjoy your kingdom, brother. Rule well. Watch your back."

Finn was too shaken to answer. A distant hammering made them all look up.

"What's that?" Claudia asked.

Jared said quickly, "It's here. Evian made his attempt and is dead. The Queen's guards are at the door."

She stared at her father. He said, "You must come back, Claudia. Bring the boy. I need him now."

"Is he really Giles?" she asked harshly.

The Warden's smile was wintry.

"He is now."

As his words ended the screen went blank. A ripple of movement ran down the corridor; Finn looked around anxiously. Bricks clattered from the vault. Then he looked up and saw the tiny red Eye whirr and click on him.

"Oh yes," the voice said softly.

"You have all forgotten about me. And why should I let any of my children go?"

34.

He woke and found them all around him. The old, lame, the diseased, the half-made men.

He hid his head and was filled with shame and anger.

"I have failed you," he said.

"I have journeyed so far and I have failed."

"Not so," they answered.

"There is a door we know, a tiny, secret door.

None of us dare crawl through, in case we die there.

If you promise to come back for us, we will show you."

Sapphique was lithe and slender. He looked at them with his dark eyes.

"Take me there," he whispered.

-Legends of Sapphique ***

"What happened?"

Jared gasped.

"The Prison has interfered," the Warden hissed with fury.

His fingers moved swiftly over the controls.

"Well, stop it! Order it to-"

"I cannot make Incarceron obey me."

The Warden glared at him.

"No one has done that for centuries. The Prison rules, Master. I have no power over it."

Then in a voice so low Jared barely heard, "It laughs at me."

Appalled, Jared stared at the blank screen.

Outside, a fist pounded again on the bronze doors. A voice thundered, "Warden! Open this! The Queen demands your presence."

"Evian made a poor job of his a.s.sa.s.sination," the Warden said. He glanced up.

"Don't fear, they won't get in. Even with axes."

"She thinks you were involved."

"Maybe. It is a good excuse to be rid of me. There will be no marriage now."

Jared shook his head.

"Then were all finished."