The Warrior Elf

by Morgan, Mackenzie

  “I don’t see why not. It’s his job to protect us, and if the slavers hadn’t killed my father, Jared would have to honor the deal he made with him.”

  Joan frowned. “If you haven’t heard from him, what makes you think Myron needs to talk to him?”

  “I got a letter from his business manager, a man I fully intend to get rid of as soon as we’re married. He said since my father was dead, the contract was void, and Jared was pursuing another arrangement.”

  “I see,” Joan said slowly. “Is there someone you could stay with while you figure out what to do?”

  “I don’t need to stay with anyone. I want to marry Jared as my father intended. Myron needs to go to Bushwell and make Jared honor the contract he signed with my father. My life was set, and now, because Myron didn’t do his job, it’s all messed up. It’s his fault my life’s wrecked and he needs to fix it.”

  Joan leaned back and looked at Doreen for a minute. “I’m not sure we can ask Myron to play matchmaker. That’s a little outside his realm of responsibility, Doreen.”

  “It shouldn’t be, not when this mess is all his fault.”

  Nan shook her head. “You can’t blame Myron for those raids.”

  “You’d feel differently if you’d lost everything like I have,” Doreen answered.

  “I did lose everything,” Margot said. “My husband was killed, my house was destroyed, and I have no idea where my son is or even if he’s still alive, but that doesn’t make it Myron’s fault.”

  “It’s his province. He’s supposed to protect it,” Doreen argued.

  “He can’t be everywhere,” Lyla said. “The way I see it, he went above and beyond his duty when he figured out where we were and came after us.”

  “It’s his responsibility to make sure we’re safe in our homes, and he didn’t,” Doreen said coolly, “so it’s up to him to make things right.”

  Joan shook her head. “I’ll tell him you’d like to speak with him, but you’re going to have to argue your own case. In the meantime, you need to figure out how you can earn a living in case you end up on your own, and you need to find someplace to stay while this is getting settled. You can’t keep living at Jana’s.” Joan straightened the papers in her lap and set them on the table beside her chair. “Well, that’s all we need to discuss tonight. Now, if you’ll come with me, there’s tea and cake in the kitchen.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  While Joan was meeting with the women, Kevin was in Torrey’s kitchen having coffee and cake. After they finished eating, Kevin asked Torrey if he could borrow Warren for a bit. “I want to talk to him about something, and I’d like to take him someplace else to do it.”

  “Just don’t forget to bring him back and in one piece.”

  “Not another duel, I hope,” Warren said as he stood up.

  “Not this time.” Kevin held out his arm to Warren. A few minutes later they were standing in bright sunshine on the ledge in front of the cave Kevin had originally set up for Gaynor.

  Warren looked around for a moment. “Are the chairs still inside?”

  Kevin nodded as he stepped inside to get one of the glowstone torches.

  After the two men were seated in the cave room where Landis and Robyn had talked, Warren asked, “What can I do for you?”

  “How would you feel about taking on an apprentice?”

  Warren frowned. “You wouldn’t be talking about your apprentice, would you?”

  Kevin nodded.

  “Are you sure I’m the right choice? I don’t know how good I’d be at it. I haven’t had an apprentice in years.” Warren grinned. “But I have to admit it’s a lot of fun. They get so excited when they actually manage to do something right.”

  Kevin laughed. “I remember that feeling. Sometimes I still can’t believe all the stuff magic can do. But in answer to your question, yes, I’m sure you’re the right choice. She needs someone who can work with her every day, and I can’t do that. I’ll help as much as I can, but she’s not safe in Milhaven. We’ve already found that out. If I’d had any idea how things were going to work out, I wouldn’t have agreed to take her on in the first place, but I never dreamed anyone would send assassins into Milhaven to kill her. She’s no danger to anyone right now, but I guess that’s the point. Rolan wants to get rid of her before she knows enough to be a threat.”

  “But if she’s in Walnut Springs, it won’t take the assassins long to figure out where she is. She’d be in just as much danger there, if not more. There wouldn’t be as many people around to protect her.”

  “I know, which is why you’d have to work with her somewhere else, someplace where Rolan can’t find you.”

  “So Torrey and I’d have to move,” Warren said slowly.

  “For a while, several years probably.” Kevin paused. “When I brought you home from Shadron’s you said you needed to leave Walnut Springs so Colin could gain some experience and confidence. Well, this is your chance.”

  Warren frowned. “I think I said that my being there was undermining him.”

  Kevin shrugged. “Same idea.”

  “I don’t know how Torrey will feel about this. She has some close friends there and I’m not sure I’m willing to ask her to leave them.”

  “She won’t have to, not completely. She can go back to visit anytime she wants to. If you want me to, I’ll find someone to live in your house, keep it clean and have it ready for her to drop in for a day or two, or for a week, on a moment’s notice. She can go home as often as she likes.”

  “Where would we be living? Here?”

  “Not at first. For the first few months you’d be staying in a little valley tucked away in the mountains of Nandelia, but after that, you’d be here.”

  Warren hesitated. “Before I can give you an answer, I need to talk to Torrey, and she needs to see both places. Can you take us?”

  “Sure. When do you want to go? Right now?”

  Warren nodded.

  “All right. I can show you where you’d be staying in Rainbow Valley, but it’ll be dark there right now.”

  “That’s all right. I just want her to see what she’s getting into. Let’s go get her and then, after she sees both places, we’ll talk.” Warren stood up.

  “There is one other thing I guess I should tell you,” Kevin said as he stood up. “You know I have someone else working with her on gathering energy, right?”

  Warren nodded. “You don’t have to gather it, so you don’t know how to do it. You can’t teach what you don’t understand.”

  “Right. Anyway, her current teacher wants to talk to you about what she can and can’t do at this point and then have the two of you work together for a while as she starts using what she’s gathered. It won’t be for long, probably a few months, but that’s why you’ll need to stay in Rainbow Valley for a while.”

  “I don’t have a problem with that. Sounds like a good plan to me.”

  “Would it change your mind if you knew the person working with her right now isn’t human?”

  Warren frowned. “Who else has to gather energy?”

  “Well, he doesn’t have to gather it. He just knows how it’s done. It’s Glendymere.”

  Warren sat back down. “Glendymere? The dragon?”

  Kevin nodded.

  “You want me to meet with Glendymere and work out a training plan with him?”

  Again Kevin nodded.

  A slow smile spread across Warren’s face. “I get to talk to Glendymere? And work with him? Glendymere? Grandfather of the dragons?”

  “Well, that’s what he says, but I don’t see how he can be the grandfather of them all.”

  Warren shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. That’s what they call him. I’ve always wanted to meet him.” He stood back up. “I’ve got to tell Torrey about this.” Then he asked, “Can she meet him, too?”

  Kevin grinned. “I’m sure that can be arranged. And you’ll meet the family of giants who attend him.”

  “Giants, too?” War
ren rubbed his hands together. “I can’t wait. Let’s go get Torrey. She’s going to love this!”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Two hours later, Warren, Torrey, and Kevin were back in Torrey’s kitchen in Walnut Springs. They’d toured the caves in Rainbow Valley and inspected the cave system they’d be living in on the island. Torrey was fine with both as long as Kevin promised to bring her back home whenever she needed to pick something up or was getting lonely.

  “So when do we go?” Warren asked as they settled around the kitchen table with more coffee and cake.

  “I’m not sure, but soon. First I need to make arrangements for you to talk to Glendymere and see when he wants you to start working with her,” Kevin answered. “I’d like to take you out there a couple of days before you start so you can get settled, meet the giants, and spend a little time with Landis. Her best friend, Rhianna, will be with her. She’s an elf by the way. And Landis’s half-brother, Taelor, is there too, but he’s not involved in her training. He helps Sari with the herb gardens.”

  “Sari?” Torrey asked. “Is she a sister?”

  Kevin shook his head. “She’s Ashni’s and Blalick’s daughter. Theresa taught her how to grow, tend, and prepare herbs while we were there and still goes out every once in a while to help with the gardens. I’m sure you’ll meet her while you’re there. She’s a sister. I’ve known her longer than I’ve known Glendymere. Now, do you have any questions for me?”

  “I’m sure I will later, after I’ve had time to think, but not right now,” Torrey answered. She looked over at Warren, but he just shrugged and said, “Not yet.”

  “Then I’m going to head home. I’ll let you know when Glendymere wants to talk to you, but it’ll probably be next Sunday. In the meantime, go ahead and tell Colin you’ll be leaving, but don’t tell anyone where you’re going or anything about Landis. You never know who’s listening and she does have a price on her head.”

  Chapter 3

  The Weekend's Unfinished Business

  After the women left Sunday evening, Joan went back over her notes to see what she could come up with.

  From what she’d seen while they were traveling, most sisters would welcome help in any area they could get it, so Joan wrote a letter to Sister Brena to see if she could find a spot for Lyla. But she decided to hold off on asking Sister Brena to find a place for Sherri. She wanted her to spend some time with Sister Agnes first to be sure she understood what being a chapel aide entailed.

  If Cryslyn could find a spot for Jacelyn on the playground staff, she could move into one of the staff rooms at the castle.

  As for Nan, there might be a job for her in Milhaven. Tolliver’s wife hated working in the store but he couldn’t do it all by himself. He’d recently asked Joan if she knew of anyone who wanted to work, but everyone she knew was already busy. Nan might be just what he needed. She’d talk to him Monday.

  Unfortunately she couldn’t do the same thing for Margot. Fenway had all the help he needed. His daughter was his waitress, and his cook had been with him for so long she was like family. The only way he’d hire someone else was if one of them left. Joan ran through the short list of women she knew, looking for someone who lived in an inland area in the south. She found four, so she wrote to each of them asking if they knew of anyone who needed help in a tavern. When the letters were done, she called it a day and went to bed.

  The next morning she went by Cryslyn’s office and left a note on her desk about Jacelyn. When she got to the governor’s office, Petri was already there, so she handed him the letters she’d written. “Take these to the aviary please, and on your way back in, tell Ariel I need to speak with Myron when he has a free moment.”

  As Petri opened the door, he asked, “Do you want to go to him or do you want him to come here?”

  “It doesn’t matter. If he wants to get out of the office for a minute, we can talk in here. Otherwise, I’ll go there.”

  Petri nodded and left.

  Not even three minutes later Kevin opened her door and walked in. Joan shook her head. “I said I wanted to talk to you when you had some free time, not this minute. And I said I’d come to you.”

  “Should I leave then?” Kevin asked with a grin.

  “Of course not. But I didn’t send for you, no matter what message you got.”

  Kevin laughed. “I was coming from the dining hall as Petri was going out. He mentioned you wanted to see me sometime today, so I decided to come here before going to my office. Once I set foot in there I never know when I’ll be able to get out again. So, what’s up? Is this about the meeting you had last night?”

  Joan nodded. “We have six women who don’t have anywhere to go and who need to make arrangements for their future. Five of them are going to be fairly easy, I hope. At least I’ve got a starting point. It’s the sixth who’s going to be a problem.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s rather abrasive and has an entitled attitude. At home we’d call her a diva. She has plans for her future, but I don’t think they’re going to work out. Unfortunately she wants you to make sure they do.”

  Kevin frowned. “What kind of plans?”

  Before Joan could say, her door swung open and Doreen walked in.

  Joan glared at her. “I told you I’d send for you when Myron had time to see you.”

  “And I decided to save you the trouble,” Doreen said. “It looks like my timing’s perfect. Myron’s here and he’s obviously not busy since he has time to chat.”

  Joan clenched her teeth. “Myron, this is Doreen, the woman I was telling you about. And Doreen, this is Myron, the man who rescued you from the dungeon.”

  “And the one who let me get captured in the first place.” Doreen held her hand out to Myron. “No hard feelings though, since you did manage to rescue us. Now, if you’ll just make sure I get my life back, all will be forgiven.”

  “See what I mean?” Joan asked Kevin.

  Kevin gave a slight nod. “Shall we go to my office?”

  “Yes, I think that would be best.” Doreen turned towards the open door. Right before she stepped into the hall, she glanced back at Joan. “I’ll see you later about the arrangements for my bridal chest.”

  Joan looked at Kevin. “What’s a bridal chest?” she mouthed.

  Kevin shrugged and followed Doreen through the door.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Chris was in the reception area when Kevin and Doreen walked in. He tilted his head towards the coffee carafe when he caught Kevin’s eye. At Kevin’s nod, he fixed a tray with the carafe and three cups and followed Kevin into the office. After he set the tray on the back table, Doreen stepped over and said, “I’ll take care of this. You may go.”

  Chris raised his eyebrows and glanced at Kevin.

  “Doreen,” Kevin said, “this is Chris, my assistant. We both like our coffee black, thank you.”

  Chris sat down at the desk he used in Kevin’s office and took out some paper and a pen.

  Doreen looked at the paper as she handed him a cup of coffee. “What’s that for?”

  “I always take notes during Kevin’s interviews,” Chris said. “Helps keep things straight.”

  “Be sure you get it right the first time. I do not like having to repeat myself.”

  “Doreen, have a seat so we can get started,” Kevin said. “I have another meeting in fifteen minutes.”

  Doreen set Kevin’s coffee on the side of his desk and sat down with hers. “I was hoping you could spare one of your citizens a little more time than that, but since that’s all the time we have, I’ll get straight to the point.” She straightened her shoulders, shook her head to get her hair to settle just right, smiled, and began. “Before the raid, I was betrothed to Jared, a businessman in Bushwell. After I was finally rescued, I wrote to Jared to tell him of my whereabouts, but his business manager intercepted my letter. I haven’t heard one word from Jared, but his manager wrote that since my father had been killed during the raid, Jared was pursuing other i
nterests.”

  Doreen wrinkled her nose. “I don’t care for Jared’s business manager and I feel sure he’s figured out that once I’m married to Jared, he’s gone. I’m also sure he’s the one who encouraged Jared to look elsewhere for a wife. I want you to go to Bushwell, find Jared, and tell him I’m here and he needs to honor the promises he made to both me and my father. If you hadn’t allowed slavers to capture me and murder my father, I would be getting married in May. You need to make sure that still happens.” Doreen leaned back in her seat and smiled. “It’s going to take me a little time to get my bridal chest together, so I need this taken care of this week. When do you plan to go talk to Jared?”

  Kevin cleared his throat. “I’m sorry your life got interrupted, but I’m not responsible for that. Slavers have been raiding the coasts for years, and everyone who lives there knows it and accepts the risks. I am not to blame for your father’s death or your capture.” Doreen’s face hardened as she opened her mouth to speak, but Kevin raised his hand to stop her. “However, I will take you to Bushwell and let you talk to Jared yourself. The two of you can decide what you’re going to do. If he wants to marry you, I’m sure that can be arranged. You can stay in Bushwell until time for the wedding or you can come back here, whichever you prefer. But if he’s changed his mind, that’s none of my concern. No one should ever be forced to marry someone they don’t want to, and I will not do it.”

  “You have to make him honor his word,” Doreen demanded. “I’m supposed to have servants to handle the household tasks. I want the life I was promised, the life that was stolen from me when you let those slavers raid our shores! You need to fix this!”

  Kevin took a deep breath. “Yelling at me won’t do any good. I told you I’d take you to Bushwell and let you talk to Jared and I will, but you might want to take a different approach with him. Demanding that he marry you probably isn’t your best option.” Kevin paused and then asked, “Doreen, how well do you know Jared?”

  “I don’t know him at all. Jared and my father arranged everything in Bushwell. His business manager brought the contract to our house for my father to sign. Jared was supposed to, but his manager said he was too busy.” Doreen took a deep breath. “I want the life I was promised. If I don’t marry him, I don’t have anywhere to go or any way to live. I’ve already lost my home and my father. Don’t let me lose my future, too. Promise me you’ll make Jared honor his word so I can get my life back.”