by Jeff Wheeler
“Follow me,” Sewell said, exhaling dramatically.
Rand had the urge to punch him in the kidneys just to see how he reacted to it. But he resisted the petty nonsense and followed Sewell down a dark corridor to Lady Corinne’s private study, the one that opened to the gardens on the other side of the grounds. Sewell rapped on the door and then opened it.
“Randall Patchett, ma’am,” he announced.
“Thank you, Sewell. Please let him in.”
Her voice was always so calm and collected. She was the epitome of ice. Nothing enraged her. Well, maybe he had finally managed to break her reserve.
Sewell shut the door, and Rand stood there, arms folded, trying to find her in the dark room. There were no Leerings in this room. None at all.
“Where are you?” he called out.
“You can’t see me because I don’t want you to see me,” she answered.
Then suddenly she was standing right in front of him. The web of illusion had fallen away. How close had she been standing? For how long? It unnerved him that she could creep up on a person like a spider.
“Let’s just get this over with. I failed,” he said with a disgusted sigh. “I did the best I could, but her mind is the strongest I’ve ever tried to bend. I almost had her at the ball . . . but she ran away.”
Lady Corinne didn’t react. “I know, Will. I was there.”
“Of course you were,” he said, chuckling. He hated when she used his real name. He wanted to forget that one forever. To never be reminded of it. “Then why summon me tonight? You saw it all happen in person. What else do you need to know?”
“How do you think it went?” she asked, turning away from him. Had she asked him the question? No, she was speaking to someone else.
There, in the shadows. The kishion.
“It will take something big, but she’ll fall,” he said in his dark voice. “She’ll turn. I have no doubt.”
“No, of course you don’t,” Corinne said with a throb of satisfaction. “Even killing you didn’t rattle her too hard. But mothers are different, aren’t they?” She turned back to Will Russell and gave him a penetrating look. “You’ve done what you were supposed to do. Now focus your attention on wooing the sister. Make it seem like a fit of jealousy. It will add to the guilt she already feels. I will finish what you started with my daughter. She’ll be one of us soon.”
“You think you can do it?” he quipped back, then realized he shouldn’t have questioned her.
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “I’m very good at what I do,” she answered coldly. “Last night, Richard Fitzempress pleaded with me to marry him. ‘Too soon,’ I whispered. ‘The rumors would spread vicious lies about us.’ He’s groveling now. Desperate. The divorce writs have been drafted for weeks. He hates his daughter even more, if that’s possible. She’s stronger than she’s ever been. But we’re very close to learning the secret, the one they’ve hidden so well. Richard knows it. Once it is ours, Lockhaven will come crashing down.” Her smile was devious. “We have the orb now. We’ll blind their harbinger. This peace of theirs won’t last very long.”
“What about Montpensier?” Will demanded.
She smiled. “He’s nothing but a pawn in all this. He’ll get the velvet bench he wants. And rue the day”—the look in her eyes terrified him—“when all of it comes crashing down.”
The scars on Will’s face started to itch again.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Inspiration comes to authors from many sources. Sometimes it’s a view of a majestic scene. Sometimes it’s standing by a waterfall in Yosemite. Sometimes it’s a line written by another author in another book.
The opening scene of this book was inspired by such a thing. I’m an unabashed fan of period dramas, and one of my favorites is Bleak House by Charles Dickens. I’ve seen the miniseries many times, but the line that set my wheels turning is in the book. In the story, a young lawyer named Guppy confronts Lady Dedlock about her past. Dickens does an aside at that moment that jumped out to me: “Young man of the name of Guppy! There have been times, when ladies lived in strongholds and had unscrupulous attendants within call, when that poor life of yours would not have been worth a minute’s purchase, with those beautiful eyes looking at you as they look at this moment.”
That passage leaped into my mind. It’s true that Lady Dedlock wouldn’t have killed Guppy. But in another world, such a character as Guppy would not be safe. There would be henchmen nearby who would solve the problem with murder. That was the moment when I invented Lady Corinne’s character and determined she would be the villain of the story. Sometimes characters just leap fully formed into my mind and are ready for their close-up. As we proceed in this five-part tale, get ready for some more surprises.
Until we meet again in Book 4 of the Harbinger Series.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As I write these words, my oldest is submitting papers to become a full-time missionary for our church. As this book is released, and you are now reading them, she’ll have been gone for many months. I’d like to acknowledge my daughter, Isabelle, for her insights, her enthusiasm, and her energy for this series. She has been a great sounding board for ideas. I’d also like to recognize my sister, Emily, who, like my daughter, has the fortitude to suffer through three chapters a week in their rawest form.
And to Angela, my awesome developmental editor, congratulations on the new baby! This book was edited in thirds, which we’d never done during our long partnership, and it worked its magic. Getting her feedback before it was completed was especially helpful in the creative process. I’d also like to thank my entire team at 47North for hosting us in Seattle in the spring. I had a personal dream come true, appearing on a panel with my mentor and inspiration, Terry Brooks, as we discussed with Robin Hobb and Tamora Pierce how to keep it PG in the age of Game of Thrones.
Last but not least, to my able group of first readers who keep it real: Shannon, Robin, Gina, Travis, Sunil, and Dan. Thank you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2016 Mica Sloan
Jeff Wheeler is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain Series, as well as the Muirwood and Mirrowen novels. He took an early retirement from his career at Intel in 2014 to write full-time. He is a husband, father of five, and devout member of his church. He lives in the Rocky Mountains and is the founder of Deep Magic: The E-zine of Clean Fantasy and Science Fiction. Find out more about Deep Magic at www.deepmagic.co, and visit Jeff’s many worlds at jeff-wheeler.com.