The Rise of Balakrik: The Underground of Aetror, #2

By Melody J. Bremen

The adventures of the bounty hunter's apprentice continue…

Milo and his master Rod return from a dangerous quest to find a cure for a mysterious disease. They are the only hope for the sick people of the Underground. But as they return to the shores of Aetror, an unknown enemy takes Rod captive.

As Milo struggles to find a way to set Rod free, he discovers that the disease was deliberately caused by a dangerous, powerful foe. Someone is determined to kill people of the Underground, and their methods are turning increasingly vicious.

Milo is caught in the center of political conflict while trying to stop an enemy that is far more powerful than anything he has faced. With the help of several unlikely allies, Milo must outwit this enemy before his people are wiped out.

Milo's courage is tested at every turn in this action-packed conclusion to the Underground of Aetror series.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melody J. Bremen
• Release date: Aug 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223216643

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Copyright

© 2023 Melody J. Bremen

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Printed in the United States of America.

www.melodyjbremen.com

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Chapter 1

I had a secret, probably one I’d have to keep forever. The boat that carried Rod and me home to Aetror was big enough that I could safely keep my secret. It would be tougher when we got back to our small cottage, but I could never let anyone find out.

Weeks ago, King Layon had sent us on a quest to find a cure for the strange disease that was sweeping across the Underground of Aetror. We found the cure in the tears of the luminae, the legendary creatures from the northern wastelands of Korin. And now we were on our way home with barrels full of healing potion.

And Naya. A baby lumina.

My secret.

See, it wasn’t my fault. She followed me after our quest, and by the time I realized she was there, it was too late to bring her back to the mountains she called home. She was too little to take care of herself. I had to take her with me.

I sat on my tiny cot below deck, my blanket balled up in my lap. Naya snuggled inside the blanket, nibbling on a nut. She was about the size of a kitten, with tufted ears and big, dark eyes. A milky white pearl was embedded in the fur at the base of her throat. I stroked her silky fur, keeping an ear out for Rod. It wasn’t that I was worried he would hurt Naya, but I knew he wouldn’t be happy that I’d taken her with me.

Eventually, I’d have to tell him. I was his apprentice, and we were together just about always. So he’d have to be let in on the secret. Just not today.

We were less than a day away from home and Rod still hadn’t seen her. I was impressed with my stealth. Normally, he noticed everything. But he had just recovered from the deadly illness that had taken hold of so many people from home, so I reckoned he wasn’t quite back to himself.

Land, ho! Rod called.

I covered Naya with my blanket and climbed through the hatch. A fresh breeze lifted my hair. I leaned on the rail next to Rod and looked out at the sea. The shore of Aetror was a dark line on the horizon. Finally, we were almost home. We had to get the cure to everyone who was ill, and fast. First on the list was Rod’s sister Sami. She was the woman who had raised me since my parents died when I was just a little tyke.

And when everyone was cured, we’d be heroes. How much gold do you reckon the king will pay us? I asked.

Rod twisted his mouth to one side. Don’t set your sights too high. King Layon isn’t exactly known for his generous nature.

That was certainly true. Before we left, His Majesty had told us that if we came back to the country without the cure, we’d be killed. No one said anything about a reward.

You planning on doing something with that creature once we get home? Rod asked.

I froze, and my eyes went wide. He knew? How… how long have you known?

He gave me a sidelong glance. Since day one. But only after we’d pulled away from shore. Couldn’t take the time to go back.

Because of Sami.

You didn’t answer the question, Rod said.

I rubbed the back of my neck. I hadn’t planned too far ahead. She’s my pet. She likes me.

He scoffed. Well, keep her out of sight. If the king gets a whiff of her, she’ll be snatched up and taken to him before you can sneeze.

A worm of worry wriggled in the back of my mind. I’d been figuring out how to keep the neighbors from seeing her. It hadn’t occurred to me to worry about the king. Why would he want her? We’re giving him the cure.

She’s priceless. Trust me, he’ll want her. Others will want her as well.

I looked back toward the hold and swallowed. If someone else got to her, they might pull the pearl off the base of her throat. During our travels in Korin, we learned that her tears held healing powers, but the more commonly known legends said that the pearl was the key to the cure. If anyone pulled it off, Naya would die.

What were you thinking, Milo? Rod asked, sounding more weary than upset. How are you going to care for her? You can’t always carry her around with you. She’ll get bigger, and we’re always on the move.

It was true—we didn’t stay home much. We were bounty hunters. Well, Rod was a bounty hunter. I was his apprentice. And I was still trying to figure out how to let him know I didn’t want to be a bounty hunter.

I reached into the collar of my tunic and pulled out the vial that hung around my neck. It held a small amount of the cure. I want you to have this. So you can heal Sami right away.

Rod looked down at the vial, then at me. Trying to distract me?

Me? No. Never. I just want you to have this.

Hm. He took it from me and hung it from his neck. But you need to decide what to do with that lumina after we arrive.

There was nothing to decide. She was mine. She was soft and fluffy and much more friendly than Rod. Don’t worry. I’ll keep her hidden.

I went down to my cabin and lifted the blanket off the cot. There was no little lumina underneath. I turned around in the tiny space. Come here, girl. Where did you go?

Naya squirmed out from under the cot. She shook her head vigorously and sneezed. I scooped her up, and she took hold of my thumb in her little paws.

Listen up. You’re going to have to stay quiet and hidden when we get home, understood?

She looked at me with big, wet eyes. Then, with quick movements, she licked her paws and began cleaning one of her tufted ears. I couldn’t help but smile. I would never let anything happen to her.

***

Night had fallen by the time we approached the port. A few sailors walked along the docks, but other than that, all was quiet. I tucked Naya inside my tunic and whispered to her, Stay very still. She pressed her wet nose against my skin.

I joined Rod on deck. He held up his lantern and looked at the front of my tunic, which was squirming slightly. He sighed.

It’s dark out, I said. No one will see us.

He glanced toward the docks, which were only a few feet away. He stiffened suddenly. His hand dropped to the knife at his belt.

I stepped back, eyes darting around. What had he seen?

Two dark figures rose out of a nearby rowboat. Three more figures stood in a second boat. I saw the gleam of chainmail armor. Soldiers.

Did this have anything to do with us? Questions were forming in my mouth when Rod grabbed a handful of my shirt, hooked his second hand into my belt, and tossed me overboard.

I hit the freezing water and plunged into the dark. Naya dug into my chest with tiny claws.

I kicked my way to the surface and gulped a lungful of fresh air. Naya scrambled higher, tucking herself into the crook of my neck.

From nearby, the clash of steel. A muttered voice: Get the boy.

Bugger. That was me. I didn’t wait for them to get anything. With one hand on Naya, I dove beneath the surface and swam through the inky water. I kicked hard with my legs and swiped at the long reeds and underwater plants.

What did they want from us? Didn’t they know we were on a king’s mission?

I broke above the surface. On the dock, shapes moved swiftly through the dark. Three of them were dragging Rod away. He struggled and kicked until one of them clobbered him over the head. I winced as he went down.

Two of them jumped onto our boat. One raised an ax high above his head.

My heart leaped into my throat. No, I whispered.

The soldier brought the ax down on the barrel of healing potion. It smashed apart with an awful crunching sound. He swung the ax again. I squeezed my eyes shut. Why? Why would they do that? Didn’t they know how many people we could save with that potion? Naya shuddered against my neck, like she felt it, too.

I forced myself to look back. The soldier smashed another barrel.

We spent weeks searching for the cure. Weeks.

The white healing potion poured off the deck and into the water. The sea lit up with a milky-white bloom. For a moment, I thought the healing potion would affect the water around it and turn the entire sea into a giant vat of medicine. But after a few seconds, the whiteness faded. The sea must’ve been too big or salty. It didn’t really matter the reason—the cure was gone. My throat tightened until I could barely breathe. Finding that cure was the hardest thing I’d ever done. In just a few moments, it was all… gone. The only potion left was in the vial.

The vial I just gave to Rod.

The soldier swung his ax into the remains of the last barrel, then leaned the handle on his shoulder. Didn’t he understand what he just did?

See the boy anywhere? he said, his voice carrying through the stillness.

The other soldier murmured something, and they both left.

Naya bit my ear and snuffled. She was shivering. So was I.

I had to get out of the water. I turned and swam to shore, moving with careful, quiet strokes. What was I going to do now? Sami needed the healing potion, or she would die. And Rod… I didn’t know what they were going to do to him, but something told me they weren’t taking him for tea.

As my feet touched the ground and I waded onto the beach, I fought a wave of panic. I lifted Naya off my shoulder. Her fur was plastered to her sides, which moved in and out with rapid breaths. I kissed the top of her head and rubbed her fur. It’s going to be alright, I said, hoping that was even a little true. I tucked her inside my tunic, and she dug into my chest with her little claws.

Crouching, my sodden clothes sticking to my skin, I crept closer to the docks. The soldiers were striding away from our boat. A carriage and several horses waited for them on the pier. Rod must’ve been in that carriage. Where were they taking him?

The soldiers mounted their horses. They were going to leave, and if I didn’t act fast, I might never see Rod again.

The horses broke into a brisk trot, and the carriage fell in behind them. For a heartbeat, I stood rooted to the ground. Think, Milo, think!

I didn’t think. I put one steadying hand on Naya, and I ran.

I raced after the carriage, wet boots slapping against the wood of the pier. The carriage loomed in front of me. I jumped. I hung in the empty air. For a moment, I thought I would miss. Then my foot caught the small ledge on the back of the carriage, and my fingers closed around the left edge of the wood.

Gasping, I crouched against the back of the carriage as we left the port and wound through the streets. The night air rushed past me. I shivered, goosebumps breaking out over every inch of my skin. My heart pounded a fast rhythm in my chest. Or maybe it was Naya’s heartbeat that I felt.

The carriage picked up speed. The wheels clattered over the cobblestones. Questions tumbled one over another in my mind. One thing was becoming clear—whoever sent the assassins after us on our quest was still trying to stop us. But they weren’t trying to get by unnoticed anymore. Now they were sending troops in armor after us.

As the carriage wound through the streets and passed through the highfalutin part of town, I realized I recognized the route we were taking. A cold feeling settled in my chest. If we were headed where I thought we were headed, this night was about to get a lot more complicated.

The carriage tilted as we rode up a hill. I dared to peek around the side.

Just as I thought. At the top of the hill stood Prince Amrett’s castle.

Prince Amrett, the only living child of King Layon, governed the Overground of Aetror while his father ruled from the Underground. Their castles were in the same location—one above the earth and one below it.

How could the prince be behind all this? Why would he try to stop us from bringing the cure home? Didn’t he know people were dying?

We were quickly approaching the moat. I huddled against the back of the carriage and tucked close to the wood so the guards at the gate wouldn’t see my pale face in the dark.

We rattled into the courtyard, and the carriage slowed. If I stayed put, someone would see me. Before the carriage came to a stop, I hopped off. My gaze swung wildly around the shadowy courtyard. I needed a hiding place.

There. I darted into a small entryway in the castle wall. I crouched in the dark and watched.

As the carriage and horses stopped, an old man with long white hair marched down the front steps of the castle, cape flowing behind him. The moonlight glinted off the crown on his head.

Prince Amrett.

I thought back, my mind racing. We’d met with him before we were sent on our mission. He’d sent us on a mission that nearly got us killed. We knew it was a trap, but it hadn’t occurred to me that the prince was the one who wanted us dead. It made sense now. Somehow, he knew King Layon had plans to send Rod and me on the quest. He must’ve been trying to stop King Layon’s mission before it even started. But why?

Prince Amrett stopped at the bottom of the steps and clasped his hands behind his back. One of the soldiers dismounted and stepped in front of him.

Your Highness, the bounty hunter is inside the carriage.

Good, the prince said. I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear the smile in his voice. Did he give you any trouble?

I held my breath, waiting for the soldier to mention me, but all he said was, No, sire. What should we do with him?

Lock him in the tower. We may need him.

The soldier glanced to his left at something beyond the courtyard wall. I leaned out from my hiding place and followed his gaze. Far in the distance, I saw a pinprick of light.

He was wearing this, Your Highness, the guard said, drawing my attention back to him. He held up something small. The vial.

The prince plucked it out of his hand. I’ll take care of that. Now, go. Oh, and Captain…

Yes, sire.

Let’s keep this between us, shall we?

Understood, sire.

The soldier mounted his horse. Before I could think to move, he had galloped out of the courtyard, the other riders and the carriage right behind him. My heart sank. There went Rod. And my ride.

Prince Amrett held up the vial and stared at it for several long moments.

Don’t smash it, I thought. Please don’t smash it.

He tucked it away somewhere, turned, and took the stairs two at a time. He moved quickly for someone so old.

Finally, the courtyard was empty. I released a slow breath. I had to get out of this place.

Heavy footsteps sounded to my left. I shrank back, my pulse pounding in my ears. A guard marched along the wall of the castle. He was going to pass right by me. There was no way he wouldn’t see me.

The only place for me to go—I turned to face the door behind me—was inside the castle. And that was only if the door was unlocked.

I tried the handle. It turned. I eased the door open and slipped inside.

I stood in a dim corridor. One lit torch perched on the wall. No one was in sight.

From a room nearby, a voice said, Hello? Who’s there? Footsteps approached. I darted down the corridor, searching wildly for a place to hide. Around a corner, I found a flight of stairs. I crept down them, every inch of me on high alert. It was the middle of the night, but a guard could be waiting around any corner.

At the bottom of the stairs, I found another dimly lit corridor. A thick rug silenced my footsteps. I crept forward, searching for a place to hide. I passed a small cart with a tray of half-eaten food. One full slice of bread beckoned me. I picked it up as I passed and took a bite. All this creeping around was making me hungry.

At the end of the corridor was a tall arched doorway. The room beyond was dark and silent. I stepped through the doorway and sat with my back against the wall. Every movement I made echoed, so I knew the room was large and had a high ceiling.

I