He marched onward, and Elaine glared daggers at his back. She didn’t want to kill anything, certainly nothing as cute as a rabbit. She had eaten them many times, sure, but she hadn’t had to kill them. I’m not a farm girl, she thought bitterly. Next he’ll be asking me to wring chickens’ necks.
Not that they were likely to see a chicken, though. If they did she might very well attempt to kill one. Chickens seemed less repugnant to kill than rabbits. Objectively, she knew her logic didn’t make sense, but she didn’t feel like examining it. Certainly not on his account, anyway!
As they walked, she noticed Chad bending over to pick something green. The hunter offered it to Cyhan, but the big man held up one hand, declining his offer.
Elaine watched him chew for a moment before finally asking, “What’s that?”
“Sheep sorrel,” replied the woodsman. “You don’t want any.”
“I might,” she retorted. “Let me try some.”
He handed her a handful of green leaves. “It won’t fill yer belly, but it’s better than nothin’.”
Tentatively, she put a leaf in her mouth and chewed. The flavor was shockingly sour, so much so that she spit the leaf out and dropped the rest.
Chad snickered, leaning over to reclaim the fallen leaves. “That’s my breakfast. Next time just hand ‘em back.”
“You can’t really live on those, can you?” she asked.
“Probably not,” said Chad. “Even if ya could, who would want to? At best they just help keep my stomach from growlin’ too much.”
“Maybe we should try the snares Cyhan mentioned,” she put in.
“I’d rather wait until we get to the next town. It’d be quicker,” replied the hunter.
Elaine frowned. Something didn’t add up. “Next town? Did we pass one already?”
Cyhan spoke up, “A couple of hours ago.”
“Why didn’t we stop?”
Chad turned on her. “Since you’re so keen on questions, I’ll tell ya. If you was a pissed-off archmage, huntin’ fugitives along the river, where would you look after ya gave up trackin’ ‘em?”
“Oh.”
“Not only that,” continued Chad. “He prob’ly went home and had a nice nap last night, while the Royal Guard rode out and took up positions in every village within ten miles or more.”
“Then why are we following the river? We want to go north, don’t we?” asked Elaine.
“We’ll die of thirst if we go north with no water. I know ya said you can boil water and all that, but without something to carry it with us, we won’t find any until we cross the northern branch of the Myrtle River, an’ who knows how long after that,” he explained.
Every time Elaine thought perhaps their situation might improve, Chad came along and burst her bubble.
The hunter went on, “So we follow the river, ‘cuz that’s where the villages are. And once we get a pot and some skins, we can carry water with us. Then we can think about headin’ north.”
“Are you going to steal them?”
He gave her a sidelong look. “Ya really have a high opinion of me, don’t ya?” Then he showed her his purse. “I think I can trade some o’ these shiny coins fer what we need. Assumin’ the guards aren’t there waitin’ on us.”
Then he smiled wickedly. “If there are guards, you can sneak in an’ steal what we need. Ain’t that what Prathion means? Wizard sneak-thief?”
“It’s a shame we can’t just make a circle and go back to the Count’s home,” said Cyhan suddenly.
They all understood why that was a bad idea, but Chad felt the need to vocalize it anyway. “Yeah, Moira’s probably up to her tits in guards an’ questions by now.”
“Do you have to be so vulgar?” snapped Elaine.
Chad and Cyhan both began laughing, then Cyhan put in, “She has a point.”
The hunter looked at the big man in surprise, but Sir Cyhan wasn’t done. “You’re a bad man.” He grinned as he said it.
“You! Of all the people in the world, you’re gonna take her side? You’re worse than me! You were a damned assassin before you took service with King Edward,” exclaimed Chad.
Cyhan smiled faintly. “You’ve killed more men than I have.”
Elaine watched with interest as the two of them argued. That last remark surprised her. She had always assumed the knight was the more dangerous of the two. She still thought he was, but if so…
“In wars!” bit back the hunter. “It was all honest killin’—well, most of it.”
“Honest is face-to-face, not from fifty yards away,” opined Sir Cyhan.
“What about in the dark, with a dagger?” asked Chad. “Or when they’re sleepin’?”
“You’ve done as much,” accused Cyhan.
Elaine stared at the two of them, then asked, “One of you was an assassin?”
Cyhan and Chad each pointed at the other, answering in unison, “He was.” Then they both started laughing.
“Let’s go,” said Chad after a moment. “We’ll never get anywhere if we stand around jackin’ our jaws all day.”
Elaine followed, but she kept a little extra distance. She had known the two men since her teen years, but she had always known them as heroes, even if Chad’s reputation was a little more mixed. Now she was beginning to doubt her assumptions.
***
Moira was on her knees, staring at the floor. In front of her stood Ariadne, Queen of Lothion. With the Queen was a host of soldiers, though some of them were actually krytek. Their progenitor and leader, Tyrion, was also with the Queen. None of them seemed very happy.
“Where is he?” asked the Queen once again.
“I don’t know,” said Moira truthfully.
“Lies!” shouted Tyrion. “You helped plan this, didn’t you? Admit it!”
Moira kept her tone meek. “No, Your Grace, I knew nothing of it. My father kept me in the dark. I haven’t spoken with him since before he was arrested.” Humphrey whined beside her. The young dog didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew something was wrong.
“Shut that dog up!” yelled Tyrion.
Moira’s head came up, a defiant look in her eyes, but Ariadne spoke before she lost her temper. “Leave the dog out of it, Tyrion. He’s surely innocent if anyone is in this sordid mess.”
Something changed in Tyrion’s face, and he nodded. Then he bent down and stroked Humphrey’s head. “Forgive me, my Queen. My anger has been out of control lately.” He turned his head to look at Moira. “If you’re lying, I’ll see you strung up beside your father.”
“I believe her,” said the Queen suddenly. “I know my cousin. Killing a bastard like my late-husband is just like him, but he wouldn’t want to drag his family into this with him. That’s why he kept Conall and the others out of it.”
Tyrion growled, “Not that bitch, Rose Thornbear, though. He had no qualms about turning his slut loose to handle his problems.”
“Rose isn’t like that,” began Moira.
Ariadne interrupted, “Mind your tongue, Lord Illeniel.”
Standing back up, Tyrion nodded. “Very well. I agree. The girl is probably innocent, but it matters little. You should lock her up, Your Majesty.”
“If she has done nothing, I couldn’t conscience such a thing,” said Ariadne.
Tyrion strode across the room, stopping at the mantle, where he idly picked up a small porcelain cup, one of Penny’s many knick-knacks. “Innocence isn’t the point, my Queen. If you wish to catch my descendant, we need to bait the trap. Lock his daughter up and he’ll be forced to come to us.”
Ariadne glanced to either side of herself, then issued a sharp order to the guards and krytek, “Leave us.” Once they were gone she said softly, “You make the mistake of thinking I want to apprehend my cousin. He may have broken the law, but he did a service to all o
f us by ridding the world of that man. My only goal is to prevent a civil war. Putting chains on Moira will only serve to create more conflict. As long as Mordecai stays well beyond my reach, the lords will have no cause for complaint.”
“He didn’t kill him,” said Moira.
“How would you know?” said Tyrion. “Every child wants to believe their father is a saint.”
“I looked into Millie’s mind, before the trial,” said Moira evenly. “She didn’t believe he killed the Prince, no matter what she said on the stand.”
The Queen looked thoughtful. “That may be. Rose made an excellent case for one of the servants being the true killer, and she might have lied to protect him. Unfortunately, the judge ruled against your father, Moira. As Queen, I have to serve as the enforcer of Lothion’s justice.”
“It’s not justice to execute an innocent man,” put in Moira.
“Then make sure I do not find your father, for I will have no choice,” said Ariadne, her voice sad.
Tyrion leaned in close, until his nose was almost against Moira’s. “Our Queen is soft on your father, but I fully intend to ensure that your father’s punishment is carried out. Two men died during his escape, though the thing that has really has lit a fire in my heart, was the attempt on my own life.”
“Tyrion!” warned Ariadne.
But he ignored her. Straightening up, he added, “That goes for Rose Thornbear as well. Once I find them, I’ll make certain their insides are outside.”
“I won’t warn you again,” said the Queen.
Tyrion looked back at her, then assumed a look of innocence. “Your Majesty has issued an order for their immediate execution. I merely intend to do my duty.” Then he returned his attention to Moira. “By the way, Her Majesty has also issued a proclamation stripping both your father and Rose Thornbear of all titles, land, and privileges. Make sure to pass that along to your dear father when you see him next.”
Ariadne spoke hurriedly, her tone one of reassurance, “I will pass the title to Conall.”
“What of my older brother, Matthew?” asked Moira.
The Queen frowned. “Given his absence, as well as Irene’s absence, they are under suspicion of aiding and abetting your father’s escape. I cannot pass the title to either of them. Your younger brother is the only one whose loyalty is still unquestioned.”
Tyrion sneered. “Your brother and sister must present themselves before the Queen within a week to make an accounting of themselves. Otherwise they will be declared outlaws as well.”
Moira remained on her knees until they had left, but she was inwardly fuming. The krytek and guards remained, ostensibly to wait in case her father returned, but within a quarter of an hour she had picked up enough from their minds to know their second purpose.
They were searching for the dragon eggs.
Returning to her bedroom, Moira shut the door, then checked to make sure the privacy ward on her room was secure. Retrieving her stylus and her notes on teleport circles, she made a new one that lead to the transfer house at Castle Cameron.
She couldn’t go herself, of course. Her absence would be noticed, but she had an easy solution for that problem. Passing a large portion of her aythar to her alter ego, she and Myra separated.
Moira and her spell-twin stood facing each other for several moments. Then Myra stepped into the circle and was gone. Moira settled onto her bed to wait, absently scratching Humphrey’s ears.
In the yard of the new and still vacant Castle Cameron, Myra went to the makeshift control chamber that had been set up in a temporary building by the gatehouse. Once there, she went inside and activated the shield that would seal the castle off. Washbrook she left open. The people there would need their freedom, but the castle, and more importantly, the Ironheart Chamber beneath it, would remain beyond the Queen’s reach.
Myra created a new teleport circle within the control room itself, then went back to the transfer house and spent several minutes obliterating the circles there. When she was done, there was only one way left to enter the castle grounds. The circle she had just created, and only she knew its key.
Satisfied, she returned to Moira’s room. As soon as she was back, the two of them erased the keys from the circle on the floor and added new ones. Then she teleported to the dragon cave hidden in the mountains above and behind Castle Cameron.
Myra destroyed the circle there and created a new one leading to the castle yard, then began carefully transporting the dragon eggs there. It took a multitude of trips, since each egg was nearly a foot in diameter, but once she had finished, she levitated them and went into the newly created castle.
The heat would have been nigh unto unbearable for a normal human, but for Myra it wasn’t a concern. She followed the corridors until she found the stairs down and began descending into the depths. Myra passed through storage rooms and cellars, until she found the secret entrance to the stairs that led even farther down, to the Ironheart Chamber itself. Once there, she stored the eggs inside and sealed the chamber, locking the door enchantment.
Even if Tyrion found the chamber, he would be unable to open it without the code, and if he tried to force his way in, by damaging the enchantment itself, the Ironheart Chamber would explode, releasing the stored power that had once belonged to Karenth, the former god of justice. Myra didn’t think even Tyrion would foolish enough to try that. There was enough power stored within the chamber to destroy everything for miles in every direction.
Worse, if the eggs themselves were destroyed, they would release their aythar as well, and since each egg contained nearly as much as the Ironheart Chamber—the results would likely be catastrophic. It might even be worse than the event that created the Gulf of Garulon, when the Dark God Balinthor had been destroyed.
“Desperate measures for desperate times,” muttered Myra.
Her tasks complete, she went back above ground and used her circle to return again to Moira’s room. Then they completely erased the circle. The only way to enter Castle Cameron now would be to create a new circle, and that could only be done with knowledge of the proper key.
Myra merged with her creator and then asked, Do you want to know the key?
No, answered Moira. Keep it to yourself. They don’t know about you. If I don’t know it, I can’t reveal it, even if they get desperate and try something stupid. In the worst case, I’ll have you escape and give it to Father.
Myra thought the logic sound, but it made her uncomfortable. Moira was a Centyr mage, so getting the information from her mind without consent would be impossible, which meant that ‘something stupid’ could only be old-fashioned torture. She wasn’t sure she could stomach escaping and leaving her sister to suffer such a fate alone.
“I’m hungry,” said Moira suddenly. “I think I’ll go cook something.”
You aren’t actually hungry, said Myra to her mentally.
Moira smiled. It’s time to go to work. There are at least ten krytek here. It will take time to subvert them all without alerting them to what I’m doing.
I don’t think that’s wise, cautioned Myra.
Don’t worry, replied Moira. I’ll go slow. I have nothing but time. Give me a week and they’ll be eating out of my hand.
Chapter 42
Rose watched in fascination as the house of sand and what appeared to be glass climbed upward, growing as if of its own accord. It happened over a span of a few minutes and then came to a halt, finished. When she turned her eyes back on Mordecai, her fascination turned to shock.
Lying on the sand in his place was a woman, and though the night was dark, the fire provided enough light to recognize her by her features. It was a face she knew well—that of Penelope Illeniel.
“Penny?” asked Rose, when her shock had faded enough for her mouth to begin working again.
The woman sat up slowly, seeming somewhat dazed as she st
ared back at Rose.
“Is that really you?” asked Rose, feeling her heart begin to move as emotions flooded through her.
“How long has it been?” asked Penny.
Rose stared at her, dumbfounded, before finally responding, “Since what?”
“Since I died.”
Standing up, Rose began to back away. “Who are you?”
Penny grimaced. “That’s a tough question. Technically, I’m Mordecai, I suppose, but I prefer to think of myself as Penny, at least for now.”
Rose sat down, though it was nearly a fall. It felt as though the very world had shifted beneath her feet. After a few seconds, she gave some thought for her guest. Penny was still clad in the bottom half of her dress, the one Mordecai had been wearing. Consequently, she was naked from the waist up. Gathering up the blanket, Rose took it to her friend and settled it around her shoulders. Then she asked, “How is this possible?”
“It’s complicated,” said Penny. “First, how long have I been dead?”
“But you aren’t,” said Rose.
Her friend’s eyes grew sad. “Don’t get your hopes up, Rose. I’m about as dead as it gets. This is just sort of a little break from it. How long?”
“Four months.”
“How are the children?”
“Which ones?” said Rose, still struggling to process what was happening.
Penny smiled. “All of them, yours and mine. They’re well?”
Rose nodded. “As far as I know. We’ve had some excitement of late. Gram, Matthew, and Irene are in another world, where Lancaster is. Actually, I think it’s this world, but we haven’t found it yet.”
“They found Roland? What about Moira?” Penny’s questions were endless, and Rose spent the next half hour catching her up on recent events. The story of Mordecai’s arrest and capture upset Penny quite a bit, but Rose did her best to explain everything as well as she could, though she left out some of the more intimate moments she and Mordecai had been through.
Penny studied her while she spoke, and when Rose finally came to a finish, Penny asked her, “You left out some things, didn’t you?”
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