The Fourth Bearer

What they were really after

THE FOURTH BEARER

Chapter Seventeen

The capital was closer than it had been that morning.

Yet Elara couldn't shake the feeling that they were riding toward something rather than simply somewhere.

The black piece of fabric remained in Evren's hand.

No crest.

No markings.

Nothing that should have mattered.

But Caelan hadn't thrown it away.

Neither had Kael.

That bothered Elara more than the fabric itself.

They continued toward the enormous white walls surrounding the capital.

The closer they came, the larger the city became.

Eight towers rose above the walls.

Each carried a different crest.

Eight kingdoms.

One capital.

Elara stared upward.

“So this is where all eight kingdoms meet?”

Caelan nodded.

“Where they meet.”

He paused.

“And where they disagree.”

“Sounds welcoming.”

“It isn't.”

As they approached the main gate, Elara noticed something strange.

There were guards everywhere.

More than there should have been.

Evren slowed his horse.

“Something's wrong.”

Kael looked toward the walls.

“Definitely.”

Caelan's expression remained calm.

Too calm.

Elara noticed.

“You know what's happening.”

“I have a suspicion.”

“Which you're going to explain?”

“Eventually.”

She sighed.

“Of course.”

They reached the gate.

Two guards stepped forward.

“Halt.”

Evren dismounted.

“We're traveling under royal authority.”

The guard looked at him.

Then at Caelan.

His expression changed.

“Prince Evren.”

He bowed immediately.

The second guard followed.

Caelan remained silent.

Elara watched the exchange carefully.

Evren nodded.

“We need entry.”

The first guard hesitated.

“The city is under restricted access.”

“Why?”

“Orders from the council.”

Evren's expression hardened.

“What kind of orders?”

The guard glanced toward the others.

“Certain individuals are not permitted to enter.”

Kael folded his arms.

“Convenient.”

The guard looked at him.

“Your name?”

“Kael.”

The guard's face remained blank.

Then his eyes moved to Elara.

His expression changed completely.

Fear.

Only for a second.

But Elara saw it.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

The guard stepped backward.

“Nothing.”

Caelan moved closer.

“Let us through.”

The guard swallowed.

“I can't.”

Evren's voice became colder.

“Why?”

The guard looked at Elara.

“Because of her.”

Silence.

Elara's heart began pounding.

“What about me?”

The guard didn't answer.

Caelan reached into his coat.

Elara recognized the movement.

The parchment.

He pulled it out.

The guard saw the symbol.

His face went pale.

“Where did you get that?”

Caelan's expression hardened.

“That's not your concern.”

The guard looked toward the city.

Then back at Caelan.

“You shouldn't have brought that here.”

Kael stepped forward.

“What does it mean?”

The guard shook his head.

“You don't understand.”

“Then explain.”

“I can't.”

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“Why?”

The guard lowered his voice.

“Because they'll hear us.”

Elara looked toward the walls.

“Who?”

The guard's eyes moved toward the watchtowers.

“The people who gave the order.”

Evren stepped closer.

“Who gave the order?”

The guard hesitated.

Then whispered,

“The Archive Council.”

Caelan went completely still.

Elara looked at him.

“You know them.”

“Yes.”

“What are they?”

“Keepers of the royal records.”

Kael looked at the parchment.

“And they don't want us inside.”

Caelan folded it again.

“No.”

Elara's stomach tightened.

“Why?”

Caelan looked at her.

“Because they know what you're looking for.”

“We don't even know what we're looking for.”

“Exactly.”

Before anyone could respond, a horn sounded from the top of the wall.

The gates began closing.

Evren grabbed his sword.

“What are they doing?”

Caelan looked toward the towers.

“They know we're here.”

Kael drew his dagger.

“Then we stop asking permission.”

Elara looked between them.

“Wait.”

She turned toward the guard.

“You said they gave the order.”

The guard nodded nervously.

“Who are they?”

He looked at her mark.

Then whispered,

“The people who have been watching you since you arrived.”

Elara felt cold.

“The Hunters?”

The guard shook his head.

“No.”

Her heart stopped.

“Then who?”

The guard looked terrified.

“The people who control the Hunters.”

A horn sounded again.

The gate continued closing.

Evren grabbed Elara's hand.

“Move.”

They turned their horses toward a smaller passage beside the main gate.

Caelan led them through.

Kael followed.

The moment they crossed beneath the stone archway, arrows struck the ground behind them.

Elara ducked.

“They're shooting at us!”

“Keep moving!” Evren shouted.

They raced through the narrow streets.

Behind them, the gate slammed shut.

The capital had let them in.

But it wasn't welcoming them.

It was trapping them.

Caelan turned down a narrow alley.

“This way.”

“How do you know?” Kael demanded.

“I've been here before.”

“You've been everywhere, apparently.”

“Not everywhere.”

Caelan stopped suddenly.

The others nearly collided with him.

“What?”

He pointed toward the wall.

A symbol had been carved into the stone.

Black.

Eight points around a circle.

Elara's mark.

Her breath caught.

“This is the same symbol.”

Caelan nodded.

“Yes.”

Kael stepped closer.

“When was it carved?”

“Recently.”

Elara looked at him.

“How do you know?”

“Because it wasn't here when I left.”

Silence.

Evren looked around.

“Someone has been preparing for us.”

Caelan's expression darkened.

“No.”

He looked toward the distant palace.

“They've been preparing for her.”

Elara stared at the symbol.

“What do they want from me?”

No one answered.

Then a voice came from the alley behind them.

“You're asking the wrong question.”

Everyone turned.

A man stood in the shadows.

He wore no armor.

No kingdom's crest.

Only a black cloak.

Elara recognized the fabric.

The same material they'd found on the road.

Kael immediately drew his dagger.

The man smiled.

“You're finally beginning to understand.”

Evren stepped in front of Elara.

“Who are you?”

The man ignored him.

His eyes remained fixed on Elara.

“The Hunters were never sent to kill you.”

Elara's blood ran cold.

“What?”

“They were sent to keep you away from the capital.”

Kael's expression hardened.

“Why?”

The man's smile disappeared.

“Because the archives contain something that should never be found.”

Caelan stepped forward.

“What?”

The man looked at him.

“You already know.”

Caelan's face went still.

Elara looked between them.

“What does he mean?”

The man continued.

“The previous Bearers weren't lost.”

Elara's heart stopped.

“What?”

“They were erased.”

A silence fell over the alley.

Evren's expression changed.

Kael lowered his dagger slightly.

Caelan stared at the man.

“Who are you?”

The man smiled again.

“Someone who knows what happens when the Fourth Bearer reaches the truth.”

Elara stepped forward.

“What happened to the others?”

The man looked directly into her eyes.

“They learned too much.”

A sharp whistle sounded from somewhere above them.

The man's expression changed.

“They're coming.”

“Who?”

He looked toward the rooftops.

“The Hunters.”

Elara tightened her grip around her sword.

“Then why are you helping us?”

The man stepped backward into the shadows.

“I'm not.”

His eyes flicked toward the palace.

“I'm warning you.”

Then he disappeared.

Kael immediately moved after him.

“Kael!”

He stopped.

The alley was empty.

No footprints.

Nothing.

Elara looked at Caelan.

“What does 'erased' mean?”

Caelan didn't answer.

“Caelan.”

He finally looked at her.

“I don't know.”

She stared at him.

“You're lying.”

His expression tightened.

“I know what the records say.”

“Then tell me.”

Caelan looked toward the palace.

“The previous Bearers were removed from history.”

“Why?”

“Because someone wanted the world to forget they ever existed.”

Elara's stomach turned.

“And the archives contain proof?”

Caelan nodded.

“Yes.”

Evren stepped beside them.

“Then that's where we're going.”

Kael returned from the empty alley.

“Agreed.”

Elara looked toward the palace.

The enormous towers rose above the city.

Somewhere inside those walls were records that could explain what had happened to the previous Bearers.

And someone was terrified she would find them.

For the first time, Elara understood.

The Hunters weren't chasing her because they wanted her dead.

They were chasing her because they were afraid of what she would discover.

She looked down at the silver mark on her palm.

The light beneath her skin pulsed once.

Then twice.

Almost like a heartbeat.

Elara closed her fingers around it.

“Let's find the archives.”

Far above them, hidden behind one of the capital's towers, a figure watched from a window.

In his hand was the same black stone bearing the ancient symbol.

He watched Elara disappear into the streets.

Then he whispered,

“She knows.”

Another voice answered from the darkness.

“Then the archives must remain closed.”

The figure looked toward the palace.

“Whatever happens…”

His fingers tightened around the stone.

“She must never learn who the First Bearer really was.”