She gave him a dubious glance. “The Throne Room is through there?”
“The entrance is camouflaged for security purposes.” He smiled. “Are you ready to meet your father?”
Alice took another deep breath and nodded. “As ready as I will ever be.”
∞∞∞
When Kellan emerged from the castle, the photographers and camera crews had disappeared, and the horses were munching on the landscaping.
“We’re done here. Let’s go.” Kellan mounted his horse and waited for his friends to do the same.
Gus jumped into his saddle and gave him a sidelong glance. “You look like you want to hit someone.”
“I’d like to hit one wizard in particular.”
“I hear you.” Paddy chuckled. “I recognized Blackmon’s smarmy face as soon as he got out of the Pompous Carriage.”
Dewar laughed. “I like that. Pompous Carriage.”
The four Rangers rode their horses down the drive.
“I don’t like wizards as a rule, but Blackmon is the worst.” Paddy grimaced. “You don’t suppose that pretty lady is his sweetheart, do you?”
Kellan’s lips formed a flat line. “No, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have hopes in her direction. She’s his type.”
“What type is that?” Gus gave Kellan a crooked smile. “Glamorous and single?”
Kellan shook his head. “Rich and beautiful. In Blade’s case, the single part is optional.”
“That girl is every man’s type.” Paddy sighed. “When the Captain mentioned a VIP, I didn’t picture someone like her.”
“I wonder who she is?” Dewar glanced at Kellan. “Did you catch her name?”
“No, but I wish I could have warned her against Blade.”
“She seemed like an intelligent girl.” Gus shrugged. “Maybe she’ll see what a contemptible lout he is on her own.”
“Maybe.”
Kellan fell silent as his thoughts returned to the lady he’d escorted into the castle. Her looks, sense of humor, and kindly manner had been so appealing he almost wished he’d never seen her at all. A girl like that would never consider dating a Ranger of modest means…although he had built up a goodly sum from tracking rogue wizards. Maybe someday Blade Blackmon would make a mistake. If so, Kellan would hunt him down just for the pleasure of it.
∞∞∞
Alice gulped as Blade opened the door of the Throne Room for her, but when she saw the people assembled inside, her feet seemed stuck to the hallway carpet. Men and women dressed in suits were sitting behind a u-shaped table and a polished marble floor reflected light from several sparkling chandeliers and matching sconces. The gold and white flag of Colossus hung from a pole in the corner and the royal crest decorated the carved wooden paneling in the back.
“I’ll announce you.” Blade brushed past Alice and cleared his throat. “Your Majesty, and members of the Privy Council, I give you Princess Alessandra.”
As the assembly rose, Blade beckoned Alice forward. Although the blood in her veins had turned to ice and she was trembling, she forced her feet to move. Although she had entered a Throne Room, she didn’t see a throne anywhere, much less her mother, and she wasn’t even certain which man was King Justin. As everyone at the table was seated, Blade rested his hand at the small of Alice’s back and propelled her into the center of the floor.
A commanding voice rang out. “So, you’re my daughter.”
Alice focused on the person who spoke—a man sitting six feet away. Her father was younger than he looked on the vidscreen, little more than forty years old, with pleasing features and crisply curled dark hair. She’d expected to feel some sort of kinship or connection toward him, but she felt nothing at all except for bewilderment. Why did she have to meet the king in front of a room full of people and without her mother by her side?
She remembered to curtsy. “Your Majesty.”
Onlookers erupted with comments such as, “She’ll do nicely, Sire,” “Well done,” and, “The girl looks a great deal like Helene.” The acoustics in the room were excellent and Alice could hear people whispering about her hair, body, and face. Although she didn’t think anyone said anything unkind, she was appalled, nevertheless. She was a guest at Briarwood Castle, yet she was being dissected and evaluated like a participant in the Promenade.
Alice edged back. “If you’ll excuse me. It was a pleasure…”
Her voice trailed off when it became clear no one was listening. She turned to leave but Blade blocked her path.
“No one turns their back on the king, Alessandra. Not even a princess.”
She turned around and waited for the conversation to die down.
Her father gestured. “Bring the girl a chair.”
A chair was deposited nearby, and she sat, too intimidated to do otherwise. After a translucent vidscreen descended from the ceiling, King Justin nodded. “Mr. Blackmon, you have the floor.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Blade cleared his throat. “For the last two years, Princess Alessandra attended the Vanguard School for Young Ladies.”
When video from the finishing school lit the vidscreen, Alice’s jaw dropped. In it, her hair was pulled back into a blond ponytail and she was clad in her loose-fitting uniform. She and two classmates were deep in sober conversation as they walked across the grounds. The footage was quite recent because she’d worn her hair in a ponytail during exam week.
Blade continued, “The princess graduated with honors in everything except for Magical Arts. In that particular course, she barely achieved a passing grade.” He held up a piece of paper. “I have a report of her final marks here.”
Alice’s reservations about the young wizard had proven to be correct after all and she felt a bitter sense of disappointment. Blade had not just traveled to Vanguard to fetch her but also to assemble a dossier for her father.
The king attention focused on Alice. “Why did you perform so poorly in Magical Arts?”
Unwilling to confess the truth, even to her father, she cast about for a plausible explanation. “I had other interests, I suppose.”
He pursed his lips. “Did Helene try to teach you any wizardry?”
“She tried.” The falsehood sprang easily to Alice’s lips. “Eventually, she gave up.”
“You take after me.” He chuckled. “Proceed, Mr. Blackmon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The princess was raised in a small Vanguard village known as Squirrel Flats.” Images of her home town flashed onto the screen. “The place is less than a two-hour drive from the border.”
Pictures of dirt streets, rustic architecture, and horse-pulled wagons elicited titters and laughter from the Privy Council and Alice felt blood rush to her cheeks. Squirrel Flats was homely, perhaps, but decent people lived there. How dare the Privy Council mock it?
When Villify’s image appeared, more laughter ensued. Alice tried to bite back her emotions, but her vision swam with tears.
“Helene Masters left the infant princess in the care of this man and his late wife, although she came to visit during summers and any time Alessandra’s school was not in session.” Blade gestured toward Alice. “The princess was never told the truth of her birthright until the ambassador and I arrived.”
One of the Privy Council smiled at Alice. “I expect the news came as a pleasant surprise?”
“No.” Her spine straightened. “I would say it came as an unwelcome shock.”
He recoiled at her sharp response and a few Council members gasped in dismay.
A tall thin man stepped out of the shadows in the corner. “After the delights of Squirrel Flats, I expect Briarwood Castle is out of your ken, Princess.”
“I insist you remain civil, Pompano.” King Justin shot the man a cold glance. “Alessandra needs time to adjust to her new life and a little kindness will go a long way.”
So that arrogant prig was the Wizard Pompano? Alice disliked him at first sight…although her thoughts quickly returned to something her father h
ad just said.
“My new life?” She shook her head “I don’t understand. I’m returning to Vanguard after my visit.”
The king frowned. “You can never go back, Alessandra. When the world discovers that I have an heir, you won’t be safe anywhere else.”
Alice gripped the arms of her chair. “Just let me speak with Mother and we’ll work something out. Please!”
The king gave her a look of pity. “Has no one told you, then?”
Blade stirred. “Neither Quincy nor I thought it was our place to say anything, Your Majesty.”
“What is it?” A sense of panic ran through Alice’s veins and her head began to buzz. “What has happened to Mother?”
A muscle worked in her father’s jaw but before the king could reply, Pompano stepped forward. “Raiders from the Shadow Realm breached our security a little over a week ago and kidnapped Helene. We fear she is dead.”
Chapter Five
The Minfo
Alice sank into a chair, distraught, as her father came in to the room and told the hovering maids to leave. Once the bedroom was clear, he sighed. “I am sorry you had to find out this way. For what it’s worth, I love Helene very much and still do.”
She could not bring herself to respond.
The king glanced around. “This is her suite. I thought being surrounded by Helene’s things might bring you comfort.”
Alice finally met his gaze. “What is being done to recover her?”
He spread his hands. “I’ve made inquiries through diplomatic channels to no avail. Helene’s kidnapping would be an act of war, yet we have no direct proof the Shadow Realm is behind it.”
She peered at him. “Pompano seems to believe otherwise.”
“Indeed, certain of my advisors are pushing me to declare war on the Shadow Realm. Until I can discover what actually occurred, however, I’m attempting to delay as long as possible. That’s where you can help.”
“I don’t see how.”
“I need a distraction.”
Alice scoffed. “That’s what the Promenade is for.”
“Yes, but the usual pageantry isn’t enough. The kingdom must focus on a newly minted princess who will be participating in the Promenade this year. Events will so exciting and energizing, people will talk of nothing else.”
Her eyes narrowed. “And in the meantime?”
“Pompano is investigating the situation as best he can but also, I’ve tasked him with getting the Node Network operational as soon as possible. We need the Network to move our troops to the border at a moment’s notice if necessary.”
Alice crossed over to the balcony to give herself time to think. As she stared out at the manicured gardens and a view to a labyrinth, she knew nothing could stop her if she chose to leave. Yet if she refused to go along with her father’s plans, she might never learn what had really happened to her mother.
She turned. “All right, I’ll play along for now.”
“I’m glad I can count on you to cooperate.” The king crossed over to put a hand on her shoulder. “I suspect you’ve inherited the best from both of your parents.”
Alice searched his face. “When did Mother tell you about me?”
“She didn’t. You did.” He produced a letter from an inside pocket of his coat and gave it to her. “This letter arrived after she disappeared.”
Her eyes fell to the missive, which she’d written ten days before her graduation. In the end, she had been responsible for unveiling her own existence. Fortunately, however, her wizardry was still her secret to keep.
“You read my personal correspondence?”
“I apologize for invading your privacy, but I thought the letter might hold a clue to your Helene’s kidnapping.” He paused. “She was right to hide you away. The late queen was an extremely vindictive wizard. Had Tara known about my first marriage to Helene or the fact I had a legitimate heir, she would have had the both of you killed.”
Alice swallowed hard. “What do you intend to say publicly about Mother’s disappearance?”
“We’ve already sent out a press release to say she’s in ill health and has taken a sabbatical for an extended period of time.”
“People will believe that?”
“They believe anything we tell them. Tomorrow will mark the one-year anniversary of Tara’s death so there’s an official day of mourning.” He offered her a sad smile. “The Ministry of Information has a plan for revealing your existence and then your life will change forever.”
The man had a gift for understatement. “It already has, Your Majesty.”
“I suppose so.” He studied her a moment. “I would be honored if you called me Father.”
Although Alice nodded, she knew it would take a concerted effort to force the word from her lips. “As you wish.”
Inexplicably, the king laughed. “Until I laid eyes on you, I really didn’t believe I had a daughter.” His smile faded. “I just wish we could have met under happier circumstances.” He squared his shoulders and strode from the room.
She sighed. “So do I.”
∞∞∞
After the horses had been tended to, Kellan and his friends returned to the locker room to change out of their uniforms. When Captain Woods appeared in the doorway, the Rangers came to attention and saluted.
The captain returned their salute. “At ease. Have you heard the news?”
Kellan shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Head Wizard Helene has taken a sabbatical. It seems she’s exhausted from overwork and is in poor health. In fact, she may not survive.”
Kellan took a half-step back. “Not really?”
Woods gave him a curt nod. “It was broadcast on the vidscreen a few minutes ago.”
Dewar gasped. “Nobody said a word about it while we were performing our duties at the castle earlier today.”
Kellan removed his hat. “Head Wizard Helene is too young to die.”
Captain Woods peered at him. “I’m sorry, Stratford. I forgot that you and the Head Wizard knew one another.”
Kellan swallowed the lump in his throat. “She was the only decent wizard I ever met.”
“I hope she recovers soon.” The captain’s lips tightened. “The four of you are leading Queen Tara’s memorial service tomorrow.”
Kellan nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“After you change, take a few hours for yourselves but be ready to ride at nine o’clock in the morning.”
As the captain turned to leave, the Rangers murmured, “Yes, sir.”
In the locker room, the general mood was subdued. As Kellan removed his dress uniform, his thoughts focused on the time he’d spent with Helene Masters. The lovely woman had been more grounded than any other wizard of his acquaintance and exceedingly healthy. What could account for her sudden decline?
“Hey, Kellan.” Paddy caught his eye. “How’d you know the Head Wizard so well?”
“I wouldn’t say I knew her well, exactly. It’s just that I brought my idea for a tracking device to her, and she helped me develop it.”
Gus passed by on his way to the showers. “She seemed like a nice woman.”
“Yes.” Kellan frowned. “I’d like to know what really happened to her.”
“You think there was some sort of scheme to do her in?” Dewar jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s get a steak dinner tonight and watch the vidscreen for some news.”
“Sounds good.”
As Kellan hit the shower, he remained pensive. Although he was eager to see the news, whatever the Ministry of Information said about Helene Masters, he knew the truth was certain to be something different.
∞∞∞
After her father left, Alice changed into a pair of comfortable trousers she’d brought from home, scrubbed off her makeup, and pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail. Although she knew she ought to write Villify a letter, she simply didn’t have the heart to do anything except curl up in bed. Her overwhelming concern was for her mother, but e
very so often a surge of white-hot anger would flow through her. Blade had flirted with her, paid her compliments, and pretended to be her friend while lying to her face. Her suspicious nature had kept her from making a complete fool of herself, but the wizard had earned her scorn.
When night fell, a knock came at her sitting room and a maid appeared with a rolling cart.
“My name is Mary and I’ve brought you dinner.” The young woman pushed the cart into the room. “I hope you’re feeling better.”
The smell of food made Alice’s mouth water. “I’m glad you’ve come because nobody has told me what I’m supposed to do about meals or much of anything else.”
The maid gestured toward the vidscreen mounted to the wall. “Your daily itinerary will always be there. Just turn to Channel P, for Princess. The vidscreen is voice-actuated if you call it by name—Aether—but you can also use the control unit.”
She picked up the remote, activated the vidscreen, and turned it to the proper channel. Underneath the day’s date was the notation: Princess Alessandra - Arrival at one o’clock. Free Time from two o’clock on. Dinner in Room at seven o’clock.
Alice frowned. “What about tomorrow?”
Before the maid could say anything, the vidscreen changed to the following day’s itinerary: Breakfast in Room at seven o’clock. Attendants to help dress at eight o’clock. Memorial Service at nine o’clock. Return to castle no later than eleven o’clock. Lunch in Room at half-past twelve. One o’clock at the Ministry of Information for briefing. Further updates pending.
Alice stared at the vidscreen. “Every minute of every day is planned out?”
Mary shrugged. “I expect if there is something in particular you wish to do, the Minfo could work it into your schedule.”
“Minfo?”
“Oh…that’s what we call the Ministry of Information.”
Alice managed a smile. “What do you call the Ministry of Magic?”
The maid’s expression darkened. “Them wizards, mostly. Begging your pardon.”
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