Chapter 22
Cain stepped back from DG as she focused her light at a section of mountain side. Her hands were outstretched, a look of deep concentration on her face. His skin pricked with the magic flooding the surrounding air and he was again grateful he was accustomed to hers otherwise it would have been dizzily overwhelming. After a few more seconds, the ground in front of her trembled and fell away creating a path down into the mountain.
They advanced along the path, DG lighting a wisp to guide them. After a few minutes it opened up into the mountains natural passage ways. They continued down, the hairs on Cain's neck raising with each turn as they continued unhindered. Nothing greeted them except the lonely howl of a gust a of wind.
"I don't like this," he muttered over her shoulder,"We should have run into...something...by now."
She nodded but said nothing, continuing their winding descent below. After a few more minutes the path seemed to widen and DG picked up her pace, practically breaking into a run. Cursing under his breath, Cain took off after her, the conjured wisp of light dragging behind them both. She was nearly completely covered in darkness when her footsteps changed from dull taps to a reverberating echo. Cain had just reached her when she skidded to a halt.
"DG, what the hell-"
His admonishment died on his lips as the wisp caught up to them, lighting up the cavern.
"Cain, I think we've found something..."
"Kiddo, you ain't lying."
DG tossed more wisps into the air, their combined brightness able to illuminate most of the space. The large cavern was covered in what first appeared to be stalagmites and stalactites each with a glittering gem at the end. Closer inspection revealed they were not gems but ornate and intricate glass ornaments... a leaping fish, a child's music box, a spool of ribbon... hundreds of them all catching the lights of DG'S wisps and sending fragments of color about the room.
"They're beautiful," exclaimed DG reaching out to touch one but Cain snatched up her hand, and shook his head. Something about this place unsettled him greatly and his instincts clawed at him to pull her back the way they came and not look back.
"The lawman is right. You shouldn't touch things that do not belong to you," A gritty voice echoed out from a darkened corner. Cain's revolver trained on the area, his other hand still tightly holding DGs. Out of the pitch, two blood red gems appeared, brighter than any rubies he had ever seen. They blinked in and out of existence in time with one another. With a sickening feeling, Cain realized these were this creature's eyes.
"Roquat the Red," said DG, anger coloring her words.
The unnatual gems rose into the air to tower over them before stepping into the light. His spindly arm stroked his white beard.
"Dorthea Gale" he replied with an equal amount of disgust splitting his face, "You are much like your predecessor. Unkempt, uncouth, and unworthy."
"I'm not the one hiding under rocks!" she shot back.
Roquat snarled and bent down to look her in the eyes.
"And who's fault is that? I see her in there... the little witch with gold for hair and emeralds for eyes... Even if you have her magic, you are no Ozma, Ms. Gale."
The creature again straightened before he returned to his throne in the darkened corner and pretended to take in his surroundings
"Do you like my collection?" He asked, waving his arm in the air. "I've been amassing it for quite some time. Though I must say, your mother and father have really rounded it out nicely. "
He quieted then, finger on his chin as he let her work it out.
"All of these..."she asked, her eyes widening in horror, "are people?"
He nodded before continuing, "Unworthy though you are, I will offer you a wager..."
Cain was already shaking his head no, but DG gripped his arm to still him.
"What is it?" she asked.
"If you can identify which are your parents, I will let them go-"
"DG, no-"
"-in exchange for you."
"No!"
DG dug her nails into his coat.
"No,-" she replied and Cain relaxed slightly, "if I find my parents, you let all of them go."
Roquat considered this for a moment.
"In exchange for you?"
DG nodded and pinned Cain with a glare. He gritted his teeth but remained silent. A grin split the craggy planes of Roquat's face.
"I accept. You get one guess for each, so you better be certain. Now, off you go."
DG snatched up Cain's hand, starting down one of the walk ways. He opened his mouth to speak but she held up a hand.
"Cain, help me. I have to find them and arguing with me right now is not going to do that."
He swallowed back his words and let his eyes cast over the room.
"Well, they have to be representative in some way."
"What do you think about the colors?"
Cain skimmed again, doing a quick assessment of his surroundings, "The majority are yellow and green. I can spot a few blues and reds throughout..."
He chanced a glance at her to see her mouth moving silently as she spun around, trying to work out the puzzle in her head. Suddenly she stopped.
"Purple... we have to find the purple ones."
"Purple?"
"It's the color of Royalty, both on the Other-side and in the OZ. Mother always makes Azkadellia wear some shade of it to any public gathering to subtly remind everyone of her place."
"Alright, purple it is."
The first violet bobble they came across was a bow with a quiver of arrows dangling from it. DG passed it with hardly a glance. A few minutes later a another shaped like a necklace with jewels.
"No."
She continued to weave in and out of paths until she stopped and glanced upward, one violet gem catching her eye as it dangled from its perch. A smile broke across her face and Cain leaned in to take a closer look. It was a hot air balloon with a basket suspended by the most delicate of purple crystals.
"Ahamo."
DG rolled up onto her toes, her fingertips brushing the ornament and it fell, shattering onto the ground. Her father appeared in its place, stunned and confused as Cain grasped his forearm to help him up.
"DG," he breathed, touching his daughters face before pulling her into a hug, "How did you find us?"
"Long story but listen Dad, do you know which one of these is Mother?"
Ahamo glanced around before shaking his head. The movement made him lose his balance and he stumbled, caught by Cain before he tumbled off the pathway.
"Dad, sit down and I'll go find mom. Cain, stay with him, make sure he's alright."
She didn't wait for his reply and started walking again. She passed an ornate key, piano, and a doll before her frustration grew. Her mother was still such a mystery to her, open with affection but secretive to the inner workings of her mind. Did her mother play piano? Maybe. Did the doll represent her? Or Azkadellia? Shouldn't there be two if it was actually her mother? Could it be the key? Maybe it represented her secretive nature...
DG bit her thumbnail as she spun around, a feeling of panic rising in her chest. She closed her eyes and tried to steady herself with deep breaths when she felt it... the low tones of her mother's aura, as fluctuating and intangible as starlight. DG stepped off the path, careful to move between the ornaments without touching any until she saw it. It was the most abstract of any of the items she had come across, just a smooth bead of amethyst suspended from the ceiling buy a thin strand.
"A teardrop," DG whispered to herself.
As her fingers brushed against it, it too fell, shattering to reveal her mother who collapsed into DG's arms.
"My darling," she whispered into her daughter's hair, "You should not have come."
DG pulled back, "We had to... Az and I, we couldn't just leave you."
"My dear, he wants to take your magic, yours and Ozma's, and take the throne. By coming here, you have given him exactly what he wants."
"What did you expect me to do mother?"
Lavender swayed on her feet before she could respond and DG stepped into her, putting her arm around her shoulder and leading her back to where Cain and her father remained.
Ahamo seemed to have mostly recovered, even if he was moving a little slow, and went quickly to DG to help support Lavender.
"Come on," she motioned to the others, heading back down the path where Roquat waited.
"I found my parents," she announced, motioning to her family behind her.
"So you have. Are you prepared to keep up your end of the bargain, girl?"
"Are you?"
His response came in the form of hundreds of glass ornaments shattering throughout the cavern, followed by the terrified shrieks and exclamations made by the newly freed occupants. They stumbled about in their confusion, tripping over one another and calling out for people most likely not there.
Cain looked around, trying to work out a plan that had all these people and his princess getting out of here safely. He clenched his jaw in frustration. If a fight broke out, a lot of these people would die, but he didn't see any other solution that involved leaving with DG that didn't include a shoot out.
There has to be another way... think, dammit...
His thoughts were interrupted by the soft feeling of DG hooking her pinky into his ring finger but he didn't look down and refused to be distracted. He had to find a way out.
"Cain, look at me."
"If you could rip out another exit, I could buy us some time-"
"Cain, look at them. They're helpless. You have to lead them out. You have to get them to Azkadellia and to safety."
He shook his head no, even though he knew she was right.
"I told you I wouldn't leave you."
"And I told you to listen to me."
He looked around him again, this time not being able to see past the wretched souls that sat on the floor, many with their heads in their hands, unseeing expressions of complete shock. He knew what he had to do and he thought there was a good chance he'd hate himself the rest of his life for it.
He pulled away then, stepping up on a rock ledge to be better seen by the people and let out an ear splitting whistle to get everyone's attention. From this vantage point he was able to recognize the faces of his scouts that had disappeared months ago. He motioned for them to meet him and then lifted his eyes to address everyone else.
"There is a path yonder that leads to the surface. If you are fit to walk, find someone who isn't and lend them your assistance. Do not stop for anything. All will be explained once we are topside. Let's move people."
He assigned two scouts to personally assist the Queen and Consort and the rest were to flank the civilians and bring up the rear to ensure no one fell off course or would be unable to continue.
As the last scout filed out behind the other's he turned back to DG. Roquat loomed over her, watching them with great interest. Ignoring the monster, he tugged her closer to him into a tight embrace before pulling way to touch his forehead to hers.
"I'll find you."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," she said and gave him that same sad smile she did over a year ago on that sunny day at Finaqua. She opened her mouth but was interrupted by the harsh voice of Roquat.
"Enough. Time to pay up, Ms. Gale."
With a sudden force, DG was wrenched from Cain's arms and pulled upward in a swirling cloud of magic.
When the dust cleared, a lone violet ornament now hung from the ceiling.
"Go now, lawman. I cannot guarantee you safe passage out of the mountain if you dawdle any longer."
Cain exited the room, his hand twitching at his gun. But before he left to do his duty at the order of the princess, he was able to make out what it was DG had become.
A twisting, winding tornado.