Chapter 34: Human Trafficking
“Is that my father’s voice?” I whispered from our hiding place, “Can you see anything?”
Amy giggled, “I can see your bust. I’m nose deep in it. Sorry to disappoint.”
I giggled as well, “I’m only disappointed that we can’t enjoy it.”
“That is definitely your father’s voice,” Fiona whispered, “And it is getting closer.”
“This is taking too long,” My father said. “Every day the men and weapons are in our catacombs, we are in danger.”
“We knew that when we agreed to this.” A second voice said.
“Is that the Baron?” Fiona asked.
“It can’t be.” Amy whispered.
The second man said, “The risk is why we are being rewarded as we are. They wouldn’t share the blood of the royal family for a simple task with no risk, would they?”
“No Giles, they wouldn’t.”
“It is,” I answered, “They’re both in on it. And what the hell is the blood of the royal family.”
“How would I know?” Amy asked.
“Just checking.” I answered.
“I’ve never heard of it either.” Vincent whispered
The baron continued. “They wouldn’t give us control of the post war government if this weren’t a significant task we were doing, would they?”
“Don’t lecture me, Giles. It’s not like we’ve given them nothing. We’re letting them use our land as a beachhead for an invasion. We’re allowing them to use the catacombs as a command center. If the invasion fails, it won’t take the dukes long to pinpoint our barony as the source of the invasion. And don’t forget you offered our daughters to sweeten the deal. We’ve given them plenty. This is an even exchange.”
“Our daughters?” I whispered, “I thought it was just Lynn.”
“Yes, Jean, it is. But that’s not my point. My point is that there are risks that we are being compensated for taking. The risk is the reason for the reward. So don’t complain about it.”
“This is full on Vichy France stuff,” I whispered.
“What is Vichy France?” Fiona asked.
And I had done it again, “It’s a place in a book I read. Don’t worry about it.”
Then I heard the baron say my name, and I stopped talking.
“Have you decided who Karen will marry?” My Uncle said.
“The ambassador says he can whip some obedience into her. He liked the look of her when she visited to apologize.”
“He means whip literally,” I whispered.
“I remember,” Fiona whispered back.
“He wants a second wife then?” My Uncle continued.
“His first wife is almost fifty years old now. He wants a younger model.” My father chuckled as he spoke.
I gagged. Unlike Ys, Hyperborea did not have gender equality. A wife was an indentured servant with sexual benefits. The idea made my skin crawl.
“I could kill them right here.” Fiona said, jaw clenched.
“That wouldn’t solve anything.” I answered, “That would guarantee war. No, we'll wait.”
"This would be so much simpler if they'd managed to capture Karen. I'm astonished how much trouble she has caused." the baron said.
"I would like to remind you that we could do that ourselves. She sleeps in our castle."
"That would cast too much suspicion on us. Let Wulfric take the risks. Let his men fight the countess."
The two men continued to walk and talk until they were out of hearing range.
We waited in the darkness for a good opportunity to sneak away. But the flow of Hyperboreans never ended. Hours passed, before the area seemed clear.
“Are we clear?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
“I think so,” Fiona said.
“Did you hear that?” A voice said in the darkness.
“What?”
“Voices,” the first speaker said.
“So?” The second speaker answered.
“Women’s voices,” the first speaker said. “I definitely heard two women speaking. Do you know any women who should be in these caves?”
“No.” The second voice had hardened as it spoke.
I spoke in a whisper, “Fiona, Vincent. It sounds like there’s just two of them. You’ll each need to take one out before they can raise an alarm.”
“You’re in the way, so is Amy.” Fiona whispered back.
I cursed in my mind, realizing that she was right. I heard the two Hyperboreans walking towards us. Gravel crunched beneath leather boots.
“Okay,” I said, “On my signal, Amy and I fling ourselves to either side. I’ll go right. Amy, go left. Then Fiona and Vincent will take them out.”
“Vincent, let us do a Number 16.” Fiona whispered.
“I don’t have a club or a staff,” Vincent answered.
“Can you improvise?” Fiona asked.
“Who are you talking to here? Of course, I can.”
Two blond men emerged from the darkness. One pulled a lantern from where it hung on the wall. They moved towards our hiding spot.
“Now!” I yelled and threw myself to the right. I couldn’t run, and so I just lunged. I landed on my forearms and rolled away from the hiding spot. I saw Amy sprinting to the left.
The two men stared with wide eyes. And then they began to draw large knives from belt sheathes. Before either knife could clear its sheath, Fiona and Vincent burst out of the darkness. Fiona threw two knives, burying them in the necks of the two men. The men gagged in unison and struggled to stand as blood gushed from their throats. Vincent ran straight at the men, snatching up a pair of burnt out torches from where they lay on a barrel. He grasped both torches in the middle. He aimed the torches at the men’s necks, clotheslining them. I could see why he’d prefer a staff he could hold with both hands. But the torches did the job and sent both men spinning to the ground.
Vincent leaped upon the man on the right and, drawing his saber, rammed the blade through the man’s rib cage. Fiona reached the man on the left and beheaded him with a deft slash of her own saber.
“They’re going to know somebody was here.” Vincent said, wiping his saber clean.
“Indeed,” Fiona answered, “Ren, Amy, are you two alright?”
“I’m fine,” Amy answered walking to where I lay on the stones. “How are you dear?”
I took stock, “My arms hurt. I suspect I’ll have bruises tomorrow. Long sleeves or opera gloves for the near future. But otherwise, I’m fine.”
Amy helped me to my feet.
“We should leave immediately. As soon as the absence of these two is noticed, an alarm will go up. I suspect it will be dangerous to use this route again. We should go. Now.”
I nodded, “Okay. We’ve lost this round. We retreat for now.”
Vincent and Amy each took one of my arms. And we went back the way we came, with Fiona taking point. The rest of the escape was uneventful. But I was furious as the thought that I had blown our cover. Saving the seer would be so much more difficult now.
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