by Ally Shields
Kam’s stomached roiled. She’d never expected the unrest to lead to this. Of course, she hadn’t anticipated a mob either. What was happening to Elvenrude? Had everyone gone mad?
“What did he tell you?” Seth demanded.
“The King’s Guards came to the guild and asked Sawyer where Kam and Brianya were. I guess he told them he hadn’t seen any of you since the mob came. Caleb said he spent the next ten minutes grilling them about their efforts to identify the participants.”
“Good for him,” Kam said. “Then what happened?”
Barrott shrugged. “Caleb said they seemed glad to get out of there, and he came to warn you. But why are you here? Is this business?”
“We were checking on Caleb and planned to pick up the citerin dust in Elvenrude,” Seth said. “Since Caleb’s safe, I wonder if we should go. I don’t intend to respond to the summons.” He looked at Kam. “What do you think?”
“What summons?” she said with a flat expression, ignoring the guild master. “I haven’t been given a summons. And I really need to see Murielle.”
Seth’s lips twitched. “So you still want to go?”
“Don’t you?”
He grinned.
Barrott’s eyes darkened with worry. “At least let me step through first. I’ll see if any of the patrol guards are watching the portal.” He transported to Elvenrude and popped back thirty seconds later. “All clear. Go quickly. And for the gods’ sake, don’t stay long.”
Sawyer Ryndel frowned at them upon their arrival and hustled them straight to the side door. “May I ask what you’re doing here?” he demanded as soon as they were outside. “Barrott just had time to tell me you were coming. Didn’t Caleb warn you?”
“We haven’t seen Caleb, but Barrott told us about the summons. We came anyway to get the magic dust.” Kam met her father’s scowling disapproval. “We need it.”
“Someone else could have gotten it.” He frowned at Seth. “Can’t you control her?” Then he caught himself, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “No, I suppose not. I never could.”
“I’m thankful you understand that,” Seth said. “But this time I happen to agree with her. About the summons…can you explain why it was issued? Has the king lost control or lost his mind?”
Her father let out a deep sigh. “A little of both maybe. He’s trying to appease the populace and take the easy way out. He’s also giving in to Trystan’s demands, and Brunic will be releasing Andolf. Is Bria still with you?”
“Yes, she’s safe. Is he looking for her too?”
“I’m afraid so. Her name is also on the writ. She’s been ordered to return to her home world. Whether she does or not, she’s prohibited from entering Elvenrude.”
“Bria doesn’t want to go home. Father, can’t you do something?”
“I’ve tried, but for now you’ll have to keep her with you. She’s not safe in Elvenrude. None of you are.”
“Then you don’t think we should see the king,” Seth said.
“Definitely not. Not yet. Let your grandfather and I work on Seliwyn. He’s not comfortable with the steps he’s taken. I know you didn’t want Andolf released, but once he’s gone, the pressure on the king will lessen. I’m counting on him to eventually do the right thing.”
Kam closed her eyes in dismay. Seliwyn had his limitations, but she hadn’t thought loyalty was one of them. No matter how this turned out, she’d have a hard time trusting him again.
“You’d better go. If you must speak with Murielle, do it quickly.” Her father lifted a hand to touch her cheek. “Stay out of sight. Godspeed to you both.” He stepped back inside and disappeared.
Kam stared at the door, tempted to go after her father and tell him…what? She hated to be the cause of the haunted look on his face. “He’s really worried,” she said.
“So am I. This way.” Seth ducked behind nearby foliage and hurried deeper into the forest. “We can cut through here, avoid the paths, and stay off the suspension walkways. It sounds like the last thing we want to do right now is run into the good citizens of Elvenrude.”
Seth’s tone was as bitter and cynical as Kam felt.
* * *
When Murielle didn’t answer the door, Kam and Seth walked around the hut. They found her sitting in the side garden surrounded by blooming plants, birds, and dozens of butterflies.
The old woman looked up and gave a knowing tilt of her chin. “I thought I’d see you today. So much fear in the air. It’s unsettling. I pray this magic dust will make a difference.” She picked up a small earthen jar from beside her bench and handed it to Kam.
“I hope so too.” Kam lifted the red clay lid and peered inside at the mound of gray powder. “Can you tell us how to use it?”
“Simple contact, and it needn’t be much. Sprinkle it around a building, touch a person with it on your hands, or throw it in the air. It works instantly.”
“And lasts how long?”
“Minutes, rather than hours.” Murielle waved a careless hand, dislodging a butterfly resting on her fingers. “I’d say less than half an hour.”
“Long enough. I’m eager to try it.” Seth grinned. “The Cyrilians are about to have a nasty surprise.”
Kam secured the jar inside her backpack. “Thank you for preparing this.”
The old woman stood with Seth giving her a hand. “Return our world to peace. That is the only thanks I need.”
“We’ll do our best.”
They left her ambling through the garden, talking with her plants. A blue and yellow bird landed on her shoulder and chirped a happy song.
Seth and Kam cut across country toward the Ryndel Guild and kept to the forests as much as possible. Except for field workers in the distance, they didn’t see anyone who might recognize them. They were close to the guild when Seth pushed back thick foliage to take a shortcut through an open glen.
Kam sucked in her breath. Two guardsmen were less than ten yards away. Seth shoved her hard enough she fell back into the brush.
“Run,” he said under his breath. “Get the dust to New Orleans.” He spun around and stepped into the open. “Good morning,” he called.
“Halt right there!” one of the guards shouted. They ran toward him. “Seth Lormarc, you are under the call of a King’s Summons. Who’s behind you?”
“No one important,” Seth said moving to intercept them. “Just one of our workers. Now, what is this nonsense about a summons?” He kept his body between the men and the thicket in an obvious attempt to block their vision and give Kam time enough to get away.
She hesitated only an instant. Her instinct was to stay and fight, but Seth had already decided the magic dust came first. She sprang to her feet and raced toward the guild.
When she burst in the guild door, her father ran toward her. “Seth?” he asked, looking outside.
“We were spotted by guards. Seth gave himself up so I could get away.”
Sawyer pulled the door closed. “And the magic dust?”
“I have it.” She gave him a pleading look. “Will you help him?”
“Don’t worry.” Her father laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll leave for the palace immediately and notify his father and grandfather. You let us take care of this. The best thing you can do for him—for all of us—is end the Cyrilian threat.”
* * *
The Lormarc family name had sufficient clout the guards didn’t lay a hand on Seth once he agreed to accompany them to the palace. One of them wanted to search for his companion, but they hadn’t gotten a good enough look to know it was Kam. Seth loudly demanded they take him to the king, and after a cursory look in the thicket, they gave up. The guards walked on either side of him in silence until they reached Captain Brunic’s office.
“Seth.” Brunic stood abruptly, knocking a stack of papers to the floor.
“We found him and a woman near Bubbling Spring woods, but she got away,” one of the guards reported. “We didn’t get a good look at her.”
/> “You want us to go back and search, Captain?” It was the same guard who’d been reluctant to give up at the scene.
“Yes, guardsman. Do that. I’ll take over here.”
The guards saluted and left. They avoided looking at Seth, which made him more uncomfortable than before. He cocked his head at Brunic. “Things have gotten a bit out of hand.”
“How in Hades did you let yourself get caught?” Brunic asked brusquely, waving him to a seat. “Why are you in Elvenrude? Didn’t you—”
“The citerin dust.”
Brunic’s irritation faded. “I see. And Kam got away with it?”
Seth lowered himself into the chair and leaned back, giving the impression he was totally at ease. He wasn’t. “Who’s asking? The captain of the guards or her friend?”
“They’re the same,” Brunic snapped. “You think I wanted this to happen? Nor did Seliwyn. He’s going to be very unhappy to hear you were brought in.”
“Then perhaps he shouldn’t have issued the summons.”
“It was that or face more mobs and an uprising from his advisors. I’ve never seen the crown so close to peril.”
“With the King’s Guards at his disposal?” Seth leaned forward. “Are you telling me you can’t handle the situation, or you don’t want to?”
“We’d have to start knocking heads. The king doesn’t want that.”
“So he’s chosen to sacrifice us instead.” Seth’s voice bristled with contempt.
“If you want to put it that way, yes. And I applaud him for it. It was a hard decision to make but better than having our streets covered in blood.”
Someone passed by the open door. Brunic got up, stalked over, and slammed it shut. “Confound it, Seth. If you’d stayed in New Orleans, this might have blown over. Now, you’ve put the king in a tough spot.” He paced the room, waving his hands in agitation. “And any minute, old Harad’s going to come steaming in here.”
“So sorry to have inconvenienced you. This isn’t exactly what I had planned for today either.”
Brunic spun to glare at him. They locked gazes for a moment. “Yeah, well, now I have to figure out what to do with you,” the captain grumbled.
A heavy knocking on the door got their instant attention.
“You better figure it out fast,” Seth said.
Before the last word was out of his mouth, the door opened. Harad Lormarc stormed into the room, his white brows lowered, his face flushed. He was followed closely by Seth’s father and Sawyer Ryndel.
“Damnation!” The captain immediately caught himself. “Sorry, gentlemen. I’m not going to pretend I don’t know why you’re here, but the king issued a summons. It’s the Guard’s duty to enforce it.”
“Release him to my custody.” Harad Lormarc looked Brunic in the eye. The patriarch of the Lormarc clan would be one hundred and eighty on his next birthday. Despite his white hair, his lean figure stood tall, and his stern gaze commanded authority.
“I can’t do that, Harad. Not until he appears before the council of advisors. And frankly, the longer we put that off, the better.” Brunic had held his position too long to be routed so easily. “It’ll only be a few days.”
“Days?” Seth started. He hadn’t expected that. His gaze flew from his grandfather to his father. Their faces looked equally stunned.
“Why you obstinate fool—” Harad began, raising the cane he carried mostly for show.
Sawyer Ryndel stepped between them. “Perhaps we should take this up with Seliwyn. He’s the only one who can rescind the summons.”
“That’s true,” Sean Lormarc agreed. He placed a hand on his father’s shoulder and urged him toward the door. “Let’s speak with him now.” He looked at Seth as if assuring himself his son was all right. Seth nodded.
As soon as the door closed, Brunic turned to Seth. “Get up. We’re leaving.” Seth just looked at him, and Brunic heaved a deep sigh. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Seliwyn’s going to refuse to see them, and they’ll come right back. I don’t want you here when that happens.”
“Not my problem,” Seth said, still refusing to budge.
“What if I let you stay in the guard quarters? Would you cooperate and remain there until this situation is resolved?”
“Place myself on house arrest? Not on your life.” Seth crossed his arms over his chest.
“Seth Lormarc.” Brunic’s face reddened. “You leave me no choice but to confine you at the Security Sanitarium.”
“Do it.” Seth’s tone was a definite challenge. “I just wish I could be here when you explain it to my grandfather.”
Brunic strode to the door, flung it open, and shouted at two of the palace guards. “Take him to Security,” he ordered pointing at Seth.
“Captain?” The guards looked bewildered. Seth understood their dilemma. Brunic’s action was extraordinary.
“Are you hard of hearing?”
“No, Captain.” The guard looked at Seth. “Would you come with us, sir?”
Seth slowly got to his feet and addressed Brunic. “You’re going to regret this.”
“Your choice, not mine.” The captain stood to one side and motioned the guards toward the door. “Go now, before his confounded relatives return.”
Seth accompanied the guards without further protest. Brunic had reacted to his goading as he’d expected. His didn’t plan on spending several days in confinement, and his only hope was getting outside the palace walls.
As they hurried him out the back entrance, the guards had little to say. They seemed embarrassed by the situation. Which wasn’t surprising, given his family’s standing and Seth’s special status with the guard. Incarceration in Elvenrude was rare, and certainly not intended for distinguished members of the aristocracy. Except for his Uncle Jermon. Treason was an extraordinary category.
Seth blinked at the thought. By the gods, is that what he was being charged with? Treason? They’d soon be saying it ran in the family. His jaw tightened and the simmering anger he’d suppressed brought a flush to his face.
As soon as they were out of sight of the palace, he tripped one of the guards and struck out with his fists and feet, attacking the unsuspecting men with more force than he’d intended. He took out the larger one with the first blow. The smaller guard was more nimble, but Seth’s furious attack quickly gained him the upper hand. A final upper cut knocked the man on his back. Seth raced toward the nearby forest.
“Halt! Halt or I’ll shoot.”
Seth didn’t look back. Sharp pain pierced his shoulder, and he stumbled. Holy Hades! They’d shot him.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Kam and Rhyden hovered close to the Ryndel portal waiting for word of Seth. An hour passed with nothing from her father. What was keeping him? What had happened to Seth?
The portal finally dinged. A familiar figure stumbled out and collapsed on the floor. Blood seeped down his arm.
“Seth! No.” Kam’s startled cry drew the guild workers’ attention and several of them rushed forward to help. “What happened?”
Kam knelt by his side, but Seth had pushed himself into a half-sitting position. “Sorry for the dramatic entrance,” he said. “I’m a little unsteady, and the guild supervisor was rather vigorous in rushing me into the portal. The King’s Guards were beating on the guild door.”
“You scared me,” Kam said, slipping an arm around him. “Are you sure you can walk?”
“I can manage. Really.”
Rhyden reached down to help Seth to his feet. “We should get out of here in case they follow you through the portal.”
“I think that’s best,” Barrott said. He gestured to the workers. “Back to work. You’ve seen nothing.” The guild workers scurried to comply.
Kam and Rhyden urged Seth into the portal. She murmured the coordinates, and they materialized in their New Orleans’ suites.
“Oh no. Is that blood?” Esty sprang from the floor where she, Bria, and Caleb had been playing cards. Poker chips
scattered.
“Get the medicine bag, Esty. Can someone get towels and hot water?” Kam pushed Seth into a kitchen chair and pulled off his shirt.
“This seems familiar,” he said, giving her a faint smile. “You got pushy the last time I was shot.”
“You need to quit playing the hero.” She cleaned and treated the wound, working quickly to hide the slight tremble in her fingers. Her voice was steady, but the sight of him lying on the floor had sent her heart racing.
“How could a guy resist having you fuss over him like this?”
She looked up, his face and lips only inches away. She was tempted. Until he grinned as if reading her mind—which he probably was. She pulled the bandage tight, and he winced. “How’d this happen?”
“Guard shot me while I was running for cover.”
She pulled back and stared at him. “This happened an hour ago, right after I left? Where have you been? Hiding in the forest?”
“No, it’s a longer story than that. But I’m starving. How about some food? And maybe a beer?”
“There’s leftover pizza,” Caleb offered. “We thought you guys would be back hours ago and ordered plenty.”
“Bring it on.”
While Seth told them about his capture, the conversation with Brunic, and his escape, he and Rhyden dug into the leftover pizza and downed a couple of beers. Kam waited for her stomach to calm.
By the time he recounted Harad’s querulous appearance, she’d relaxed enough to smile and grab a slice of the pizza. She actually laughed at Brunic’s rush to get Seth out of his office. For her captain’s sake, she hoped word of Seth’s escape had reached the palace before Seth’s grandfather and father returned. It might have taken the edge off Harad’s sharp tongue.
Seth set his beer down. “So was the dust worth it? Does it work?”
“Sure does.” Kam nodded eagerly. “I used the amulet, and Rhyden sprinkled just a pinch of dust over me.”
“She appeared instantly,” Rhyden said.