“I didn’t know that. All right. I guess I could get one of my aunts or uncles, but none of them are the least bit interested in taking over the seat.”
“It doesn’t matter who, but you need a sorcerer to stand beside Chris. So find someone, preferably tomorrow.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
“Get plenty of rest.” Glendymere looked at Chris. “I’m counting on you to take care of that one.”
Chris nodded. “And plenty of food.”
“Right. He needs to be in top form.”
“I’ve got a question. If something happens to me, can a competition be set up fast enough for the new seated sorcerer to be ready for the council meeting the next month?”
“Probably not, but that shouldn’t be an issue. Gwendolyn’s heir is the one who’ll need some time to get things settled. He or she will need to hold some kind of ceremony for Gwendolyn, put new people in office, everything you had to do when you got to Milhaven. You had three weeks. Did it feel like enough time to you?”
Kevin shook his head. “It felt like I was caught up in a whirlwind.”
“Right, which is why we’re trying to give her replacement as much time as we can. So, the duel is next Saturday. Let the other sorcerers know.” Glendymere paused. “They are coming, aren’t they?”
Chris nodded as Kevin said, “About that. We may have a problem.” Then he told Glendymere what Damien had said.
“Can’t say I blame him. The same thought crossed my mind. We don’t need that woman in the Master’s Chair.”
“But you won’t, I know that, and you can’t let him. If he kills her, you’ll have to kill him, and he’s the best one on the council. Don’t let it happen.”
Glendymere didn’t say anything.
“Don’t let him do something you’ll have to kill him for!”
Glendymere still didn’t say a word.
“Glendymere, promise me you won’t let him do it. I’ll talk to him this week and try to convince him to wait and challenge her. I know he can beat her. But don’t let him do anything foolish next Saturday.”
Glendymere glared at Kevin and snorted smoke. “You want to keep Damien from killing Gwendolyn? Then kill her yourself! It’s up to you to protect your sorcerers, not me. Do your job and he won’t have to kill her!” And with that, Glendymere spread his wings and leapt into the sky.
~ ~ ~ ~
Gwendolyn’s first stop on her way home from the council meeting was the same strip of land where she’d gone when she realized Mikos had lost her key. She threw energy bolts at anything and everything for the first hour. Then she spent the next hour clearing up the damage.
When she arrived at her castle, she sent for her son and heir, Alastar. After he joined her, she told him Myron had raided the dungeon in the basement and stolen all their slaves.
Alastar showed no reaction. “What are you going to do about it?”
Gwendolyn smiled. She was pleased. He’d make a good Master Sorcerer one day. He didn’t waste time on needless emotion. He cut straight to the heart of the matter. “I’ve already done it.”
Alastar tilted his head to one side and met her gaze, waiting for her to continue.
“I exposed him as a thief in front of the whole council and then I challenged him to a duel.”
Alastar’s eyes widened at the news. “When?”
“Probably next Saturday. It’s usually the first Saturday after a challenge.”
“That doesn’t give us much time.”
Gwendolyn frowned. “For what?”
“To destroy his concentration,” Alastar said matter-of-factly. “You’ve always said a battle was won before the first blow was struck, that the key to success was to give your opponent something else to worry about so he couldn’t adequately prepare.”
Gwendolyn smiled as she leaned back in her chair. He’d learned his lessons well. “I’ve already taken care of that. I grabbed his assistant right out of his office last week. Myron might have his assistant back, but he’ll spend the last week of his life worrying about who else I might grab, what else I might do before the duel. He’ll spend the week trying to outsmart me, to anticipate what I might come up with. It’ll ruin his days and keep him up at night. He’s soft, like his father. He worries more about his people than himself. That’s his weakness.”
Alastar nodded. “What do you have planned for the duel?”
Gwendolyn frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Are you going to set a trap? Is there anything you want me to do?”
Gwendolyn shook her head. “It’s not necessary, and besides, Glendymere will be there. That old dragon has always favored the House of Nordin. He’ll be looking for any excuse he can find to destroy me before I can put an end to that house. We have to stick to the rules, no tricks, no hostages, no threats, just the duel.”
“But you have to do something to make sure you win.”
“I’ll win,” Gwendolyn said coldly.
“He’s part elf,” Alastar pointed out. “Between that and his human magic, no one on Terah can match his power except the dragons.”
“Power isn’t worth a whole lot unless you know how to use it, and he’s young. He just started training a year and a half ago. You’ve got more experience than he does. There’s no way he has the skill to duel.”
“I’ve heard he’s dueled against dragons, Mother.”
Gwendolyn shook her head. “He may have played with dragons, or rather, they may have toyed with him, but if he’d dueled with a dragon, he’d be dead. Besides, even if he has sparred with dragons, it won’t help. He doesn’t have what it takes to throw a killing bolt. I do.”
Chapter 81
Loose Ends
Chris slumped down on the couch in Kevin’s room when they got back from Willow Canyon. “He’s right, you know. It’s your job to take Gwendolyn out, not his and not Damien’s.”
“I’m not sure I can do it, not if she runs out of power.”
“Well, you’ve got one week to get sure,” Chris grumbled. “Look, I’m beat. I need some sleep. Is there anything we need to do right now?”
Kevin shook his head. “I’m going to check with Joan to see how things went this morning, and I want to thank Cryslyn and Miranda.”
“They’re going to ask about Gwendolyn’s reaction. What are you going to say?”
“That she blew up in front of the whole council and admitted kidnapping you and Elin.”
“You’re not going to mention the challenge?”
Kevin shook his head. “I need a little time to get used to the idea myself before I tell anyone else.”
“Okay,” Chris said, standing up. “I’m going to bed.”
“Don’t be surprised if you wake up and I’m not here. I’ll probably take Nikki for a walk this afternoon.”
Chris nodded as he walked towards his room. “If I don’t wake up in time for dinner, get me up.”
~ ~ ~ ~
By the time Kevin and Nikki made it back to the castle, Chris was in the dining room. Miranda had made all of his favorite dishes and was personally making sure he got some of each. When he pleaded fatigue so he could leave, she fixed a tray with a plate of food, a stack of cookies, two small tarts, and a huge slice of cake.
Kevin came in as Miranda set the tray on the table. Chris caught him before he sat down and whispered, “Miranda fixed that tray for me, but I’ve already eaten too much. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, so if you go on upstairs, you can eat it and she’ll never know the difference.”
Kevin nodded, poured himself a mug of scog, and left the dining room.
Chris carried the tray upstairs, set it down on the coffee table, and motioned for Kevin to sit down and eat.
“Where are the pages?” Chris asked as he sat down across from Kevin.
“At Shadron’s, with Marcus.”
Chris nodded. “All of them?”
Kevin shook his head as he finished the mouthful of food he was eating. “Elin and Cameryn are
with Allisandra.”
“When are you going to bring them back?”
“I want to leave them where they are until this mess is settled, one way or the other. I thought I’d go by Shadron’s on my way back from Willow Canyon tomorrow and talk to him.”
“Are you going to ask him to stand for you?”
Kevin nodded and took a swallow of scog. “And I’m going to ask him if he’ll take care of the pages if something happens to me. Marcus will find a job as a sorcerer easy enough. I’m not worried about him. Gwendolyn doesn’t know what he looks like. And he’s not her target anyway. I am. I doubt she’ll give him a second thought if I’m gone.” He stopped talking long enough to eat a bit more. “Ariel’s old enough to go out on his own, but all he knows how to do is run an office. He’s really good at it, but there aren’t a whole lot of jobs out there for office managers.”
“But there are some,” Chris said. “Shadron can probably help him find one.”
“I agree. Isak and Petri are too young to be on their own. They’ll need some sort of apprenticeship. But again, Shadron will know how to handle that.”
“What about the girls?”
“I don’t know,” Kevin admitted. “Actually, whether I win or lose, they need to figure out what they’re going to do after they age out of being pages. Maybe Allisandra will have some ideas.”
“Laryn knows them pretty well. She might have some ideas on that, too.”
“I’ll talk to her sometime this week and see what she says.”
“You realize all of this sounds like you’re not going to make it back.”
“Well, I have to plan for all contingencies.”
“But the way you’ve thought all of this out makes it sound like you think it’s a done deal, and that’s the wrong attitude for you to have. You can’t go into this thing expecting to lose.”
“Chris, I don’t know what’s going to happen next Saturday, but I know me. If I don’t have everyone I feel responsible for taken care of, I’ll be worrying about them when I should be focusing on her. I need everything handled so I can concentrate on not getting killed.”
“Just don’t lose sight of the ‘not getting killed’ part.” Chris stood up and stretched. “I’m going to get some sleep. See you in the morning.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Sunday morning, Chris was waiting with coffee and pastries when Kevin got back from his morning workout.
“I want you to stay away from the office while I’m gone,” Kevin said, picking up a pastry.
“Why?”
“Gwendolyn.”
“You don’t think she’d pull the same stunt again, do you?”
“It worked before. Why wouldn’t she?”
Chris shrugged. “I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Well, I have, and Damien’s right. She’ll do whatever it takes to win. What better way to distract me this week than make me spend it trying to find you again?”
“Is that why you decided to leave the pages, Marcus, and Laryn where they are?”
Kevin shook his head. “I was thinking more along the lines of what she might do when the duel’s over. If she doesn’t win, I don’t want her getting back here before I do and taking her revenge out on them.”
“So you still think both of you are going to survive?”
Kevin shrugged. “Probably.”
Chris shook his head. “You need to finish this thing, once and for all. If she walks away from the duel, it’ll just drag on and on, involving more innocent bystanders, and you’ll still end up having to kill her. Might as well get it over with Saturday.”
Kevin shook his head. “It’s not that simple, Chris.”
“Yes, it is.”
Kevin took a deep breath and stared past Chris. “I need you to send a couple of letters today, but from up here. I’m serious. Don’t go in the office unless I’m here, okay?”
Chris nodded as he got up to get a piece of paper and a pen.
“I want to talk to Robyn before Saturday. Ask Brena to let Sister Glenice know we’ll be in Mapleton Thursday evening. We’ll go straight to her office.”
“What if he can’t make it?”
Kevin shook his head. “If he can’t make it, I’ll tell Glenice and have her pass it on. We don’t have time to wait for an answer. And send a letter to Tanner, Damien’s Second. Tell him I need to speak with Damien. I’ll be in Prindley to see him Friday afternoon. Ask him to let us know if Friday’s not convenient.”
“You know they’re not going to say that,” Chris said.
“I know, which is why we’re giving them the option.”
Chris grinned. “Got it. Do you want these on your calendar?”
Kevin shook his head. “I don’t want anything on my calendar this week. Besides, it’s kept in the office and we’ll be working out of here.” Kevin stood up and took out his key. “Do you need anything out of the office before I go?”
Chris shook his head. “I’ll get the letters out within the hour. Anything else?”
“Not that I can think of right now. I’ll probably eat lunch at Shadron’s, so don’t expect me back until mid-afternoon.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Sparring with Jonquin was almost boring that morning. Glendymere had insisted Jonquin only use human magic for the duel, so there wasn’t a lot he could do. There were no huge waves, flying fish, tornadoes, sandstorms, or anything else that might be considered fun. Just a lot of energy bolts flying back and forth. All in all, it was a tedious couple of hours.
Kevin got to Shadron’s earlier than he’d expected. Kayla hadn’t started fixing lunch, so rather than wait until after they ate, Kevin asked his uncle to go for a walk with him while she cooked.
After they were well away from the house, the barns, and the bunkhouse, Kevin told Shadron about the council meeting and the challenge. “I need someone to stand with Chris, a sorcerer, just in case I don’t make it through this.”
Shadron nodded. “Someone for Glendymere to hand the key to.”
“You’ve done this before.”
“More than once, for Badec.”
They walked on for a bit. Then Kevin asked, “So? Will you do it?”
Shadron shook his head. “I don’t think I’m the best choice this time, Myron. The sorcerers who challenged your father weren’t challenging him personally. They were ambitious and greedy. They wanted power. They didn’t care who sat in the seat for Camden as long as they were sitting on the Master’s Chair. That’s not the case here. Gwendolyn doesn’t want to be Master Sorcerer. Her problem is with the House of Nordin, and if she sees another member of the house she hates standing there, ready to receive the key, I’m not sure what she might do. You need someone else standing with Chris, someone not connected with us in any way.”
Kevin thought for a moment. “You may be right. When she challenged me, she said she wanted to get rid of the House of Nordin for good.”
“You need to find someone else.”
“All right.” Kevin paused a moment. “I’d like to ask another favor of you.”
Shadron nodded.
“I don’t know how this duel’s going to play out. If she kills me, will you take care of the pages?
“Are you going to leave them here until after the duel?”
“I’d like to. I don’t know what she might do this week to try to distract me, and I don’t want them in the line of fire.”
“Sure, I’ll look after them, but nothing’s going to happen to you unless you get careless. She can’t beat you unless you let her.”
“Or unless I can’t bring myself to end it.”
Shadron sighed. “There is that. Afraid I can’t help you there. That’s got to come from you.”
“I know.”
“Well, don’t worry about the pages. We’ve got them covered. Just get yourself ready, and when you’re fighting her, remember all the stuff she’s done. You need to stop her before she hurts even more people. That’s where your focus nee
ds to be, on stopping her, and the only way to stop someone like her is to kill them.”
~ ~ ~ ~
When Kevin got back to Milhaven, he took Nikki for a walk in the woods. He needed to think. He had to find someone to stand with Chris, but he needed to choose carefully. He fully intended to survive this duel, and the last thing he needed to do was put ideas in someone’s head and have them challenge him for his seat. He already had one duel staring him in the face. He didn’t need another.
The only non-relative he felt comfortable asking was Warren, but he hated to put him in that spot. He sifted through the short list of sorcerers he actually knew, searching for another candidate, for someone he could trust not to read too much into it, but he kept coming back to Warren.
Kevin waited until after dinner to go to Walnut Springs. After a quick hello to Torrey and Colin, Kevin asked Warren if he could talk to him for a moment. Then he spent the next hour giving Warren a blow by blow account of the past week, including the council meeting.
When he was done, Warren leaned back in his chair. “Is there anything I can do to make this easier for you?”
Kevin nodded and explained about needing someone to stand by Chris.
Warren shook his head. “I’m too old. If you put me up there beside Chris, the other sorcerers will know you’re not serious about having me hold that seat until a competition can be arranged. You need someone younger, not as young as you, but someone who doesn’t have a head full of white hair.”
“I can’t think of anyone I’d rather trust that seat to than you.”
Warren shook his head again. “You need to ask one of your uncles. How about Shadron?”
“Already tried that.” Kevin explained why Shadron had refused, and how that ruled out the rest of his family. “So, you see why I need you.”
“There’s got to be someone out there who’s level-headed enough to do this. Let me think.” After a few minutes, Warren leaned forward and tapped on his desk. “What about that woman? The one who did the contract to build that road. She sounded like she had good sense, and she didn’t try to take advantage of the situation. Have you thought about asking her?”
The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3) Page 76