Chapter Thirty-Four - Interrogation

''Have you ever been involved in an interrogation?'' Emlyn asked her accompaniment as they descended the stairs towards the dungeon.

Ailith mused. ''Not where I'm the one doing the questioning.'' She turned to see the swordswoman staring at her with a single brow raised. ''It only happened once!''

The warrior couldn't believe her luck when Emlyn came to her room asking for assistance. However, the glint in her eyes partially vanished when told the matter concerned Jozi. The fact that Ailith had talked with the assassin before the whole incident pestered her to no end, not helped by the lack of understanding of the motive. A frown formed when remembering the respect Jozi seemed to show her, angry to think that it was all an act.

''I thought Cadere already questioned her?'' Ailith inquired.

''The Princess would feel more at ease if we made another attempt.'' Emlyn's gaze hardened. ''Also, the original report was vague. Either Marshal Cadere failed to properly dissect for answers, or this assassin is committed to her cause until death.''

''When we talked before the tournament, she said that she wasn't fond of Knights. If she speaks to me, maybe I could get answers from her.''

''That's why I brought you!''

Ailith's fist clenched and her blood rushed as she looked around her. Burn marks, erratic engravings, and crumbled stone were just a few of the common sights she spotted as they progressed further down the dark hallway. A pair of splintered, but still standing, wooden doors marked the entrance, guarded by two heavily armoured Knights with tattered attire. Beyond the door were the muffled war cries of prisoners baying for a fight or freedom or both.

The Knights on guard acknowledged Emlyn's presence with a nod. One of them retrieved a set of keys hidden behind a loose slab in the nearby wall and placed one in the lock. A metallic boom echoed loudly, causing the voices in the dungeon to instantly cease. The door swung open to reveal a narrow corridor with multiple cell blocks lined up on each side. Emlyn strutted forward without hesitation, and Ailith followed...curious, terrified and excited for what she might see. The moment they stepped inside, the Knights quickly sealed the entrance.

Ailith scanned each of the barred compartments. The size and layout varied depending on the prisoner. Their environment differed with some cells displaying varying consequences of their magic. All that remained consistent was that each prisoner, no matter their race, was chained securely to the wall in an upright position with bulky shackles attached to each limb. Rods marked with black symbols jutted from the shackles. Frenzied clanging caused Ailith to turn sharply to one cell. A prisoner inside jerked violently in his restrains, their body occasionally shifting from flesh into a transparent mist before reverting back again painfully.

''Has anyone ever escaped?'' she asked curiously.

''No,'' Emlyn responded. ''The rods in those shackles are locked to pressure points throughout their body, rendering any magical ability useless unless set free by us.''

The Commander had halted in front of one cell, facing the occupant inside. Ailith stopped and turned, fixing her gaze upon Jozi, chained to the wall and staring at the stone slab floor. The assassin's fingers twitched rhythmically against her shackles. Her hair had been cut and her cheeks shrunken in. Dirt riddled the parts of her body not hidden under chains. A lump formed in Ailith's throat, and her wrists and ankles pulsed for a brief moment.

Emlyn took two steps back. The sound of her precise footsteps caused Jozi to lift her head. She blinked twice, eyeing Ailith curiously before realisation dawned on her. ''Didn't think I'd see you again.'' She said in a raspy tone.

Ailith shuffled on her feet and took a moment before meeting Jozi's stare. ''Why did you attack the Princess?'' she blurted out.

Jozi's lip twitched. ''So, you're one of them now?'' the amusement on her face faded and her jaw clenched as she leered at Emlyn. ''Your friend already got everything from me. I have nothing more to say to you.''

''Okay, here's another question. Did you work alone?''

Jozi's eyes narrowed and her mouth remained closed, leaving the dungeon eerily silent.

Glancing back and forth from Jozi and Emlyn, Ailith rolled her tongue inside of her mouth and pondered. Relying on standard tactics to get the information they needed would be futile. Risks would have to be taken to appease their prisoner. She looked back up at Jozi. ''How about this? To make things fair, you can ask me anything you want. We'll go back and forth with questions. I'll answer honestly if you do the same. The only rule is that I can't ask you why you wanted to kill the Princess and if you worked alone. Deal?''

To her surprise, Emlyn didn't scold her for the idea. Instead, the Commander folded her arms over her chest and observed.

A smirk slowly grew over Jozi's lips. ''Okay, I'll play along. But I get to start.''

''Fine.''

Jozi tilted her head slightly. ''Did you know she was the Princess?''

''I didn't,'' Ailith answered. ''Do you have a personal grudge against the royal family?''

''I don't know them personally, so no.'' She replied with a hint of amusement. ''What were you doing in the library at the time?''

''I entered the castle and got myself lost.''

Jozi nodded. ''This place is a maze.''

Doubt crept into Ailith's mind. Her hopes of getting Jozi to open up were marred by the prisoner's sarcastic attitude. Ailith suggested this game, but it was clear who was treating it like one. Jozi's last statement rang repeatedly in the warrior's subconscious. ''How did you know the Princess would be in the library?'' she asked.

Jozi didn't answer immediately. ''Lucky guess. She likes to keep to herself, so it only made sense that's where she would be.'' Her eyes shifted to the ground for a second before coming back up to meet Ailith's. ''What do you get out of helping them?''

''I want to be a Knight.''

Solemnness flashed across the assassin's face. ''That makes too much sense.''

Ailith took a deep breath. ''You said you didn't know her personally. So, how do you know she likes to keep to herself?''

''I'll answer your question with one of my own. How much did you know about her? Considering you didn't even know it was her at the time, you wouldn't have been able to describe what she looked like beforehand.''

Ailith opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't muster the words needed to argue.

''Bluebloods don't make it a habit of brushing shoulders with commoners,'' Jozi continued. ''In fact, they like to think we don't exist. We're just stains under their polished boots. It's been that way for years and nothing has changed. Peaceful protestors are locked away alongside the most detestable of criminals, looking forward to nothing more than a grave behind bars because the royal family don't want to get their hands dirty.''

As Ailith readied her defence for Nassandra, something clicked in the back of her mind. A single word spoken by Jozi ignited a recent memory, causing it to flash before her. Ailith took a cautious step forward. ''Do...do you know about the White Sword?''

Jozi's eyes narrowed. ''You asked the last question! It's my turn! Do you know about the White Sword?''

''I don't know much,'' Ailith admitted. ''They're a group who hate the Knights and the wealthy. They've been called terrorists...''

''Terrorists? Is that what Bluebloods now call those who ask for more than table scraps?''

''What would you call them?''

''Something between dreamers and revolutionaries.''

''Are you with them?''

Jozi paused, letting the silence linger for a little while longer. ''You asked the last question.''

Ailith grumbled.

''Are you and your family well off? If you have any.''

Every nerve inside of the warrior screamed for her to lie. The last thing she needed was for Jozi to twist this game in her favour. However, seeing the conviction blaze in Jozi's eyes caused Ailith's defences to lower. Staring at the ground, she sighed. ''No. But, if I become a Knight, I can make a difference.''

''You think you're the first one to try? If the Knights of the past couldn't make a difference, what makes you so different?''

Ailith thought about answering. She'd heard this kind of tone countless times in the past and was always willing to show her fire. She searched for that burning fire inside, ready to let it roar for the whole dungeon to hear. Her heart sunk as a cold chill wrapped its claws around her neck, preventing her from speaking. She knew the words she wanted to say. At least, she thought she did. How could she make the difference?

She stood puzzled while Jozi looked at her with a triumphant grin. Then, she remembered a loophole. ''You asked the last question,'' Ailith said.

Jozi frowned.

Ailith took another deep, regaining her composure. ''Why did you show me your weapon? If you knew what you were going to do, why would you reveal yourself like that to impress me?''

''I like what you did for that beggar.''

Ailith blinked. ''That's it?''

''You stood up for someone who couldn't defend herself. I saw that as a noble act and wanted to show you that I was someone who appreciated it. The Knights threatened to throw you out for causing a ruckus. The only way to fight injustice is through our actions, not sitting idly by praying to the Gods for a solution that will never come. Or look to help from the Knights, who'd rather fill their bellies and pinch more coins out of the people. People who stand up and fight for true equality, like you and the White Sword...we are the real heroes.''

Ailith's breath stilled. ''We?''

''We're done!''

The warrior jumped at the voice. She'd almost forgotten that Emlyn was standing right behind her. Without waiting for Ailith, the Commander marched down the dungeon and towards the exit.

Jozi leant forward as far as she could to get Ailith's attention; her face knotted into a grimace. ''Stronger people than you have fallen, Ailith. If you don't escape their clutches soon, you'll be another name etched into their forgotten wall of fame. Or is that what you want?''

Resisting the temptation to defend her beliefs, Ailith rushed after Emlyn, hurrying out of the dungeon before the door was bolted shut by the Knights guarding the outside. Even after leaving, Emlyn's stride never slowed; Ailith had to skip a step or two to catch-up.

''She really is with the White Sword.'' The warrior mumbled.

Emlyn's expression coarsened to the point where Ailith could hear her teeth grinding. ''She broke too easily. I don't know how we didn't get this information from her sooner.''

''Well, we have it now. So, what next?''

''The White Sword is our strongest lead. If we follow their trail, we'll know when they intend to strike next.''

''You mean if they-,''

''When!''

Ailith chose to hold her tongue. After aiding Emlyn with the interrogation, the last thing she needed was to antagonise the Commander into an argument.

Her ears warmed to the sound of a pleasant hum in the distance. Ailith paused, listening to the sound of someone singing. Although she couldn't distinguish the words to the melody, the enchanting voice caused a smile to tug at the corners of her mouth.

Emlyn glanced over her shoulder and saw Ailith stopping to listen to the song. ''Ignore it.''

''I know that voice!'' Ailith said before rushing down another corridor.

She weaved in and out of the halls, allowing the voice to sweep her up and guide her towards her destination. After reaching a dark corridor, she stopped at a locked door with a small grille opening. Seeing the door immediately set-off a flash of memories. Her wrists and ankles tightened recollecting the phantom pain of the shackles used to imprison her.

She lifted her foot to step forward only to be hurled into the nearby wall by Emlyn gripping her shoulder.

''Sorry,'' Ailith wheezed. She tried to push herself free, however, Emlyn kept her pressed against the wall with one hand. ''I just wanted to say hello. I was with them when I was imprisoned.''

After a short moment, Emlyn's grasp loosened, even though her eyes still glazed with intensity. ''You're under my watch. You don't move unless I say so. Understood?''

Ailith nodded breathlessly. Her smile grew as she rolled her stiff shoulder. ''Wow, you're strong. I knew I made the right decision making you my rival.''

Emlyn's expression remained static. ''You have one minute.'' She gestured towards the door, taking a step back.

Without wasting a second, Ailith walked over to the door and peeked through the opening. It was just as she remembered it. A narrow walkway with two rows of cages on each side with the damage she inflicted on the back wall still visible. The inmates fidgeted, many covering their ears, as Rene bellowed majestically in the far corner, his mouth so wide open that everyone could see his uvula.

On the other side, Griff grunted loudly and banged his fist on the bars. ''Rene, I swear to the Gods, if you don't shut your mouth, I will throw this stone into that big yap of yours!''

Sitting close-by, Katelyn snorted. ''Last time you tried to throw something at someone, you stubbed your own toe. An intoxicated archer would have been more accurate.''

''Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's not much space in here for me to practice my aim.'' Griff glared at his cellmate.

Everyone jumped when they heard a knock on the door. ''I'd rather your cell space than being chained to the wall any day,'' Ailith smirked.

Their smiles and cheers brightened the dungeon. They leapt to their feet, rushing over as close as they could to greet Ailith, despite bars and a door separating them. Griff clapped loudly. ''Well, well, the chain-breaker has returned!''

''Chain-breaker?'' Ailith arched her brow.

''Aye,'' Rene nodded. ''No matter how strong the shackles are that bind us, nothing can ever break a spirit longing for freedom. Allow me to sing a song I wrote inspired by your act.''

''No!'' All the prisoners screamed unanimously.

Ailith chuckled. ''I promise that I'll hear your song one day. But, I can't stay long.''

Katelyn wagged her finger. ''Oh no, you are not leaving without explaining what happened after you left. Griff was worried sick that something had happened to you.''

The grouch's eyes bulged as everyone faced him. ''I...I wasn't...don't put me on the spot like that!''

''I know a Krilleg who I think you'd get along with quite well,'' Ailith said. ''As for what happened, they gave me a trial and realised that I was innocent.''

''An innocent who saved the life of the Princess,'' Griff stated. ''Did they reward you?''

''Oh yeah, you'd definitely get along with Thwak. And...'' she hesitated, wondering how much she should say, or if there was anything she could say. Despite being with the Knights for weeks now, her dream still felt somewhat distant. She shook her head and continued. ''I'm helping with the investigation.''

Katelyn leaned forward. ''Did you find out who did it?''

''It looks like it might have been the White Sword after all.''

''What?'' Katelyn gasped. ''That can't be true.''

''The person who attacked me and the Princess is with them. I don't know what else to think.'' Ailith admitted, watching as Katelyn's face paled and her gaze lowered to the floor.

Rene cleared his throat. ''I believe you mean the Princess and I!''

Griff turned sharply to the bard. ''She's helping to uncover a plot to assassinate the Princess, and you're more concerned with her grammar?''

''There has to be a misunderstanding,'' Katelyn protested. ''The White Sword would never attack anyone unless it was self-defence.''

''Trust me,'' Ailith said. ''This wasn't in self-defence.''

''Time's up!'' Emlyn barked at her, already walking away.

Half her face cast in shadow, Ailith turned to leave. ''I promise I'll try to visit more often.''

''Wait!'' Katelyn shouted. ''There's a mistake. The White Sword couldn't have been behind this!''

''Why not?'' Ailith asked.

Clutching her hands tightly against the bars of her cell, Katelyn's face knotted and her cheeks reddened. She slowly lifted her head. Everyone held a collective breath as she opened her mouth, struggling to find the words at first.

''Because I'm with the White Sword!''

A/N: Hello guys, girls and everyone else. I hope that you enjoyed this new chapter. Sorry for the long wait. The good news is I've got a few days off from work now, so I have more time to write. You won't want to miss the next few chapters. What did you think of this one? What is the truth about the White Sword? What's next for Ailith and Emlyn? Until next time, take care.