“It was one of my nightmares about being a prisoner in a cave.” She frowned and touched the dragon tear. “I can’t sense it. It’s cold. Something happened.”
“Yeah, it knocked you to the floor and took over your mind.” Jev’s fingers twitched with the urge to pull it over her head and toss it to the other side of the room where it couldn’t influence her.
“No, I mean something happened to it. To the soul the gem is linked to. Him. Or maybe her. I’ve never been certain.”
“Because little oval gems don’t have genitalia. Zenia.” Jev rested his hands on her waist, prepared to help her to her feet if she was ready. “Can you stand? Krox has brought some troops. We’re going to have to meet with them and give them what intel we have on the elves. I don’t suppose you could check on them again and see where they holed up for the night?”
“I can’t check on anything.” She held the dragon tear out on its chain, the gem still dark. “I don’t sense it anymore, and I don’t think I can call upon any magic.”
Dread filled Jev. Thus far, her dragon tear was the only thing that had been effective against the powerful elf wardens.
Zenia’s eyes held similar dread, and concern, as well. “I’m worried about it. And without it… I have nothing to offer.”
“You have plenty to offer.” Jev helped her to her feet and wrapped her in a hug.
Light flared between their chests. Startled, he released her and backed away.
The gem pulsed with a strong blue light, the hue appearing healthier than the green-tinted blue from before.
“It appears to be back,” he noted dryly.
Zenia wrapped her fingers around it again. Jev was tempted to grab her wrist and stop her, lest she be pulled into another trance.
Her mouth twisted. “It’s refusing to tell me what happened.”
“Rude.”
“I think when it shares the dreams with me, it’s unintentional. I wish I knew how to help it. The soul linked to it.”
“At the risk of being rude myself, could you check on the elves again? It concerned me that you detected them heading east last night.” Toward his family’s land. Other zyndar families held land out in that direction, but the Dharrows had a lot of it and close to the city. Jev worried they would find out those elves had been taking refuge in the forest on the back half of his family’s acreage.
“Yes, I will.” Zenia took a deep breath. Was she shaken from that dream or trance or whatever it had been? “Give me a moment, please.”
“Can I get you anything? Something to drink? To eat? The kitchen staff was awake and cooking when I went by on my way out.”
“Maybe after this.” She smiled at him, but it seemed wan.
Jev felt guilty for asking her to use the dragon tear again so soon after she’d experienced something that had disturbed her. “Never mind. We’ll ride out in that direction and look the old-fashioned way once we hear back about those mages.”
“It’s all right. It won’t take me long to check again.” Zenia smiled again and touched his jaw. “Besides, I like having you hold me.”
“Oh? I’m willing to do that anytime, you know. Just come up and lean on me, and I’ll wrap my arms around you.”
“Good to know.” Zenia took another deep breath, as if she were bracing herself for something painful, then closed her eyes.
He frowned, wishing he hadn’t asked at all. He didn’t want her risking pain or discomfort simply to help him.
“I sense them,” she whispered. “The dragon tear is familiar with Vornzylar now and can find him quickly. I just have to make sure he doesn’t sense me.”
Jev’s frown only deepened. He feared the elves might be able to attack her somehow through her link with—
Zenia gasped and stiffened in his arms. Her lips rippled back in pain.
Damn it, why had he asked her to use the thing again?
“Zenia?” Jev stroked her hair. “Come back to me. Forget it, all right?”
Her knees buckled. If he hadn’t been holding her, she would have crumpled to the floor again.
Zenia’s eyes flew open. Her hand jerked up, found his arm, and gripped it tightly. Her breathing came rapidly, as if she’d run a race.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, knowing his request was the reason for her pain.
“He sensed me.”
“Vornzylar?”
“Yes. He looked right at me, the same as last time. He touched his sword and—I’m not sure what exactly he did. Some kind of mental attack. Somehow, he was able to hurt me even across many miles.”
“Then no more searching for him. Not that way. We’ll get some hounds if we need to find him.”
“No need,” she whispered. Her face had grown ashen. “He and his three friends were on your property, standing in some trees across the pond from your castle and looking at it.”
A harsh chill hammered Jev’s spine. “Why? What could they want there?”
He had the urge to sprint to the stable, snatch the first horse, and gallop out to Dharrow Castle. Was there some reason the elves would target his family? Because he’d befriended Lornysh and they hadn’t been able to kill him? Would they hurt Jev’s kin in order to get to him, and through him to Lornysh? His mind balked at the twisted logic, but that didn’t keep him from fearing for his family.
“I’m not sure. I couldn’t tell what they were thinking. I just saw them, as if I were a bird flying above them.” She tilted her head, a touch of wonder entering her voice as she added, “Or a dragon.”
“I wish we did have a dragon. I hear they’re faster than horses.”
She snorted softly, patted his arm, and released it. “We better take your friend’s men and go out there right away. I don’t think we can wait for Targyon to sweet-talk the archmages.”
“No.” Jev grimaced at the idea of fighting those elves without more magic at their backs—especially if something was going on with Zenia’s dragon tear and it might not be reliable—but he had to check on his family and make sure they weren’t in danger. As soon as possible.
“I wonder if they could be looking for that magical stone on your property,” Zenia mused. “Didn’t Lornysh say it was for communicating with other elves?”
Jev swore. “I’d forgotten about that.” He released Zenia and thumped a fist against the nearest desk. “I bet that’s it. I bet they’re calling in reinforcements.”
“More wardens?”
Jev envisioned more powerful elves with powerful magical swords appearing to come after Lornysh and any elf trying to befriend Kor. “By the founders, I hope not.”
The steam carriage hissed and rattled as it turned off the kingdom highway and charged up the bumpy road toward Dharrow Castle.
Zenia, Rhi, and Jev sat on a bench opposite two army officers, everyone’s shoulders and knees knocking together as the vehicle jostled them about. The rest of the soldiers were coming in steam wagons requisitioned from the king’s vehicle house. Rhi had almost missed arriving at work in time to join the caravan, and she’d had a few snippy words about Zenia trying to leave for an epic adventure without her.
Jev sat with his elbows on his knees, his fingers threaded together, and his chin resting on them. His jaw was tense, his eyes tight. He definitely didn’t see this as an adventure.
Zenia wanted to rest a reassuring hand on his back, but she didn’t know Captain Krox or the other officer—a zyndar lieutenant who’d fought with them in the war. The last thing she and Jev needed were more rumors spreading about their relationship.
“Dharrow Castle ahead,” the driver called back from the bench outside the carriage.
“Maybe they’ll have breakfast prepared for us,” Rhi muttered. “Since we had to leave before eating.”
“You didn’t have to come.” Zenia didn’t mind having Rhi along, but she worried physical strength and weapons would be a poor match for the elves. She hoped Targyon had arranged for some mages to follow as soon as possible.
Jev pr
essed his forehead against the window in the door. He looked like he might open it and peer out, no matter that they were flying along an uneven road at close to thirty miles an hour.
He glanced at Zenia, a question in his eyes, and she thought he would ask her to check on Vornzylar again. Zenia would if he made the request, but she was afraid of what would happen to her if she did. By now, the elf knew she was spying on him. The first time, he’d only looked at her. But last time, his mental attack had been like a dagger driving into her brain. Even hours after the dragon tear had broken the link, the pain lingered, a stabbing headache behind her eyes.
“There’s no smoke or anything like that, Zyndar Dharrow,” the driver called back.
Jev didn’t appear reassured, but he looked back out the window without asking for anything from Zenia.
“Elves assassinate people,” Krox grumbled. “They don’t burn down buildings.”
“These ones do,” the lieutenant said. “They blew up the elf tower and that weird tree ship. Not that I care about those things as long as they leave our buildings alone. I don’t know what the problem is if they’re just fighting their own kind.”
Jev glared at the officer, his hand tightening into a fist.
Krox slapped his man on the chest. “They’re doing it in our city, and they’re intruders we didn’t invite. That’s the problem. Besides, the men need a training exercise.” He grinned. “After the beatings we took in the war, I’ll be happy to run these bastards out of Dharrow Castle.”
Zenia didn’t think they were in Dharrow Castle, but she didn’t mention the magical meeting stone. She doubted Jev wanted everyone to know there was a special elven communication device on his property.
Rhi opened her mouth, but Zenia gently nudged her with an elbow, and she kept her thoughts to herself.
The carriage swung around and stopped in front of the drawbridge. It was raised. When Zenia had been up here before, it had been lowered, and that had seemed its normal state.
Jev threw the door open and jumped out, hollering a worried greeting.
Krox and his officer stepped out too. Zenia hesitated, questioning whether she would be welcome. She had no trouble imagining Jev’s father stomping out and yelling at her, no doubt believing her some vile influence seducing his son and leading him astray.
Rhi shifted, as if to get up, but paused to look at Zenia, her eyebrows raised.
“Is he out there?” Zenia murmured, touching her dragon tear. Checking on Jev’s father shouldn’t cause any problems. He wasn’t some magical elf who could hurl an attack from afar.
The gem responded by showing her an image of the drawbridge lowering and Heber Dharrow riding out with five other men, all on horseback and all carrying weapons.
“Are we hiding from Jev’s surly relatives?” Rhi asked when Zenia didn’t climb out.
“For the moment.”
“You sure? I wouldn’t mind kicking his father in the fountain again.”
“You seem extra grumpy this morning.” Zenia scooted over so she could see out the window. “Didn’t your soap-sharing adventure with Hydal go well?”
“It took an unexpected twist. I had an itch I needed scratched, and he seemed like an available itch-scratcher, but he wouldn’t look at me when I was naked in the bath. He was blushing, so I know he wasn’t unaware of my lush nudity, but kept trying to converse with me while politely handing me soaps and sponges that I could use on myself. He recited a poem about some zyndar of old singing ballads to a zyndari daughter trapped in a tower by her horrendous mother who insisted she wait for marriage to see men.”
“The Tale of Chastity Chroma, yes. I remember it.”
“I didn’t know if he was trying to tell me something or just babbling nervously. I was clearly available. It wasn’t as if he had to woo me. Are all zyndar this confusing?” Rhi looked out the window toward where Jev was walking up to his father’s horse.
“I’ll hazard a guess that he wants to court you like a gentleman, not simply scratch your itches.”
“What kind of man doesn’t want to scratch a woman’s itches?”
“I’m sure he wants to, but maybe he wishes to get to know you better first.”
“That’s so weird.”
Zenia held up a hand to still the conversation for now.
“What’s going on, Father?” Jev’s voice carried through the open door of the carriage.
“A girl from one of the villages came up at dawn and reported seeing elves while she was out milking. Elves. On our land. Again.” Heber growled like a rabid dog.
“We’re here to handle them. Why don’t you stay and watch the castle? I don’t think they have a reason to threaten our family, but we believe these are the elves that blew up the embassy and a ship in port. Did that news make it out here?”
“Filthy savages.” Heber spat noisily. “We’re not hiding while they cavort on our land.”
“I didn’t say to hide. I said to protect the castle. I’ve brought fifty men up, and the king is going to send mages soon.”
Or so he hoped, Zenia thought. Jev didn’t mention that they weren’t certain about the mage reinforcements.
“You had better be here to direct them,” Jev added.
“You want me to cower in the castle while others fight for me?”
“Others who are young, muscular, and experienced at battling elves. Krox, show my father some muscle.”
“You know I only do that for the ladies, Jev.”
“Not that muscle,” Krox’s lieutenant said.
A couple of men laughed. Heber did not. Neither did Jev.
“We’ll handle it, Father,” Jev said. “You can help look if you like, but…”
Jev trailed off, and with the help of the dragon tear, Zenia saw why. A woman in her forties and wearing a robe stepped into the castle gateway. That wasn’t Fremia, was it? No, Jev had said she was a teenager.
In the courtyard behind her, a boy with a wooden sword peered out at the gathering. A portly woman in an apron swooped in and pulled him away.
“So nice of you to give me permission,” Heber growled.
“What is she doing here?” Jev asked, his voice growing icy.
“None of your business,” Heber said.
Zenia, through her dragon tear, sensed someone using magic. It wasn’t unusual to find other people with dragon tears, especially among the zyndar, but she found it suspicious and reached out to pinpoint the source. It was the woman. She was wearing a dragon tear and using it.
“Zenia is here,” Jev said, startling her.
Zenia hadn’t minded staying out of sight in the carriage.
“You promised to talk to her,” Jev added.
Now? Surely, they had more important things to worry about. Unless he believed that woman was a threat?
“Not while there are elves crawling all over our property,” Heber said.
“I think now is the perfect time. Krox, your men are going to have to go on horseback. The fields are too rough for the wagons, and I wager the elves are in the trees. Bhraykok, show these officers to the stable, please. Father, which village was it? We can have some of the men start the search there. And Morlok, take one squad and check the other side of the pond. Zenia saw them there earlier.”
Since her name kept coming up, Zenia felt cowardly for staying in the carriage. She eased out, though she lingered near the door, not wanting to intrude on what was turning into a military operation.
Heber spotted her right away and glared at her from atop his horse. At first, the woman in the robe—she looked like she belonged in a bath or bedroom, not wandering around a castle courtyard—only squinted curiously at her. But something must have helped her recognize Zenia, for the squint turned into a chilly glare.
Zenia still had no idea who she was, but her dragon tear sensed hers and did the magical equivalent of raising its hackles. It didn’t usually do that when it encountered other dragon tears. It was almost as if it believed the woman and her gem we
re enemies.
The daylight faded, and Zenia’s vision grew hazy. She winced and gripped the carriage door, afraid she was going to experience that walking nightmare again.
Instead, she continued to view the men speaking in front of her, but she also saw something more. A faint lavender line in the air, running from the woman and her dragon tear to Heber’s head. It reminded her of a leash.
It’s manipulating him? she silently asked.
Her dragon tear gave the mental equivalent of a nod. A very firm nod.
Zenia sensed it was doing more than manipulating Heber. Almost controlling him? She wished she were close enough to see the engraving in the woman’s gem. Was it the eyetooth of justice? The same as she’d had when she’d been an inquisitor? Zenia had never used that gem to attempt to control anyone, but she’d read minds and occasionally manipulated enemies for the good of the temple. She knew it was possible for such dragon tears to be used in less scrupulous ways.
“Zenia?” Jev touched her arm, and the light returned to normal. “Lieutenant Cark and I are going to take men out to locate the elves. I know we’ll need your help eventually, but I’d like you to stay here for a while and talk to my father and Zyndari Bludnor.” He emphasized the name so she wouldn’t miss it. Fremia Bludnor’s mother, of course. “I’ll fire shots in the air if we find the elves and need you to come out.”
“Don’t you think it would be useful if I came with you now?” Zenia asked quietly. Rhi had also stepped out of the carriage and was eyeing Heber speculatively. “I could talk to them later. After this issue is resolved.”
She sensed that Jev wanted to prioritize his issue—their issue—but he sighed and nodded. “You’re more logical than I am.” He lowered his voice and turned his back to the others as he faced her. “But I’m right, aren’t I? That she’s manipulating him?”
“Yes. And it’s illegal since she’s not a watchman or inquisitor.”
“Nobody’s going to arrest a zyndari woman,” Jev said.
Zenia snorted. “Tell me about it. I—”
A little tingle emanated from her dragon tear, and she received a brief vision of newcomers heading up the road on horseback. An elf and a dwarf. Ah.
Agents of the Crown- The Complete Series Page 102