The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2) (20 page)

Pat shook her head. "If Ned cannot speed his recovery then no other castor can heal him," she replied.

Ruth saw her chance to distract Pat, and sat down beside the girl. "Is this Ned a very great castor? I have only seen him perform a barrier spell. Is that difficult?"

Pat furrowed her brow. "I suppose I hardly know about Ned myself. He often visited the sanctuary where I grew up and would tell me stories of faraway lands, but never about himself. The Priests of Phaeton trusted him a great deal, which is how he came to be my protector to Galaron. I have witnessed him perform fire and barrier spells, but very little else."

Ruth sighed; her plan failed. Pat was far from distracted. She looked around the room and her eyes fell on a shelf of worn books. Her father had taught her to read, and she went over and perused the limited selection. There was a book of old fairy tales, and a thought struck her. She whirled around and mischievously smiled at Pat. "What if you were to try to kiss him? It would be very romantic if a princess could awaken a prince."

Pat tilted her head down and raised her eyes to glare at Ruth. "Do I look like the type of girl to kiss a prince awake?"

Ruth shrugged, and hugged the fairy tale book to herself. "Perhaps he's the type of boy who needs a kiss."

"Needs a kiss? What he needs is a-" Pat paused, blinked, and swung her head back to Fred. She stood up and stepped back from his bed. "Maybe that would work..." she murmured.

"What would work? A kiss?" Ruth asked her.

Pat snorted. "By Phaeton, no. I have something more practical in mind. Food."

Ruth blinked, and Pat caught her hand and whirled her around to the door. "Where are we going?" she asked Pat.

"To the kitchen," Pat replied. "We have some food to find."

The girls hurried down the steps and past the throne room, missing Ned's conversation with Martley by an early minute. Ned climbed the stairs and found his room empty but for Fred. His staff clacked on the floor as he stepped over to the bed and looked down on the boy's ashen face. He slipped down onto the end of the bed where Pat had sat, and ran a wrinkled hand through Fred's hair. "I will not let you die, but you must stop acting so foolish," he whispered to Fred. He hoped for a response, but there was nothing.

Ned jumped and whipped his head around when the door flung open and the girls came in with their arms loaded with delicious smelling food. Ned stood and curiously watched them pile the food atop the room's table. "A feast to celebrate our return?" he guessed.

"Nope," Pat replied. She picked up a juicy leg of lamb and turned to Fred. "A wakeup medicine for Fred."

Ned stepped aside and gave her ample room to work. Pat plopped down on the bed and leaned over the boy while dangling the leg over his face. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty, time to wake up."

Ruth sidled up beside Ned, and he leaned toward her. His voice dropped to a whisper to avoid Pat overhearing him. "Have you reminded her that we tried to feed Fred our rations in the valley?"

Ruth nodded. "Yes, but she won't listen."

The pair jumped when Fred's eyes snapped open and he leaned forward. His teeth clamped on the leg of lamb as though he was an underfed piranha, and Pat shouted for joy. She wrapped her arms around Fred's neck while he sat up with the leg bulging from his mouth. His head whipped around at the room. "Wa ah we?" he mumbled through the food.

Ned stepped forward and extricated the leg from his mouth. There was a relieved and bemused smile on his face. "Care to say that again?" he invited Fred.

The boy shook his head and glanced about the room. "Where are we? Are we back at the castle?"

The old castor chuckled. "Yes, my lad, and all because of your efforts," he replied.

Fred glanced down at Pat, who still hung around his neck. "That must have been a close call if you're hugging me like this. How long have I been asleep?"

Pat pulled back and wiped tears from her eyes. "Five days, and you'd better not do that again." Fred's stomach growled loudly and the boy sheepishly grinned. Pat rolled her eyes and nodded at the table. "I thought you'd need that much when you woke up."

Fred's eyes lit up and Pat fell face-first onto the covers when he slipped out from beneath her and dashed over to the food. Ruth sat down beside Pat and gave the girl a squeeze. "It worked!" she squealed.

"Of course it did," Pat replied, but a grin decorated her face. "Good food would bring Fred back from the dead." Pat noticed Ned paled. "What is it?" she asked him.

"What? Oh, yes, there is news from Tramadore and I bring orders from the king," Ned told them. He recounted the fall of Tramadore, and even Fred stopped eating to overhear the horrible happenings. "The king has ordered Hawkins to lead a few legions to assist Tramadore, and you are to remain here and guard the castle."

"Guard the castle!" Pat yelled. She stood and gestured to the window. "What am I to guard it from? The greatest threat was the undead army, and they are at Tramadore!"

Ned shook his head. "I'm afraid he's adamant in keeping you here, and Hawkins will take all the horses he can to hurry to Tramadore."

Pat clenched her fists at her side and violently shook. "What stupidity! What cowardice! He means to keep me at the head of the guards to protect himself!" She jutted out her jaw and rolled up her sleeves. "I'll show him who's a coward. I will demand he send me in place of Hawkins!" She marched to the door but Ned held up his arms to block her path.

"A moment," he pleaded. "The king is in no humor to hear your complaints after his plan to revive his father has failed."

"Then what do you suggest? We stay here?" she snapped at him. "If we had not stood idly by and watched the dark priest perform the magic then Tramadore would still be in the rightful hands of Lord Tramadore!"

Ned shook his head. "I won't argue with you there, but if we must leave it will have to be without his permission, and most especially without his knowledge."

Pat frowned. "Are you suggesting we leave Galaron without the king knowing?" Ned nodded. A grin swept across Pat's face. "Good. The rot in this city is terrible."

"Um, would somebody mind telling me what exactly happened at the valley so I know what's going on now?" Fred pleaded.

Ned chuckled and wrapped an arm around Fred's shoulders. "You were spectacular, my lad! So noble and brave! You nearly sacrificed your life to save us all."

"And I don't remember a thing after I landed on the crag," he added.

Ned patted him on the back and Fred burped. "You will remember in good time, but for now you should celebrate and be merry."

"Let's celebrate and be merry after you tell us how we're supposed to get out of the city without the king knowing," Pat spoke up.

"That question has an easy answer, and Ruth can provide it for us," Ned replied.

They all turned to Ruth, who cringed beneath the attention. "How can I help?"

"Hawkins will leave soon for Tramadore. What I propose is we leave tonight under cover of darkness and over the castle walls. Your clan can fly us over those walls and to Tramadore," Ned explained to her.

Ruth's mouthed dropped open, and she vehemently shook her head. "But my father would never agree to leave the cavern. He would say the risk was too great."

"Unfortunately, your people staying here is far more dangerous," he countered.

Ruth stiffened, and Pat put her hands on the girl's shoulders. "What do you mean? No one knows they are down there."

"But they soon will," Ned replied. "Our companions from the valley are loyal to their city and their king, neither of which appreciate your people being here. By this time they would have told their superiors about your transformation and the king will-"

Everyone jumped when there was a loud knock on the door. A gruff voice boomed from the other side. "Open this door by order of the king!"

Ned frowned and strode over to the door. He opened the entrance and found a troop of the castle guards in the hall. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?" he asked them.

The lead guard glanced past him and at Ruth. Pat scowled at the man and pulled Ruth behind her. "We've come for the girl. The king wishes to speak with her."

"About what?" Ned returned.

"That's none of your concern, now move." The guards pushed their way past Ned and went for Ruth. Pat pulled her sheath from her waist, held it in both hands and swung it at the front man. The side of the sheath struck his jaw and the crack of his bones cowed the others.

"How dare you attack one of my guardians!" Pat yelled. They halted their assault and unsheathed their swords, ready for battle.

Ned put himself between the groups and held up his hands. "A moment, good people!" he shouted.

The lead guard glared at him, and pointed his sword at the old castor. "Step aside! We have orders from the king!"

Ned clicked his tongue and shook his head. "The king should learn to treat his guests better."

"The king does as he pleases and-" Ned whipped his head to the guard and narrowed his eyes.

The man flinched and Ned nodded at Ruth. "Why do you wish to take this girl?"

The guard, cowed by Ned's glare, sullenly replied. "She is suspected of being a creature in disguise, and the king wishes to interrogate her."

Ned raised his eyebrows. "Does he? You men can stand down, we will take her ourselves."

CHAPTER 20

The guards glanced at one another, but Ned signaled to his companions to follow him. Before the men could argue he led the youngsters out the door and down the hall. They reached the throne room and found the king waiting not for them, but his guards. He jumped to his feet when they strode up to him, and Ned stood tall before the king with the three behind him. "We have come to your summons, Your Highness. Your guards informed us one of our number was wanted, so we decided to accompany her."

"The guards would have been sufficient," King Stephen growled.

"I'm sure you think so, Your Highness, but we wished to be with our companion. I believe the charges were that she was a monster." He glanced over his shoulder at Ruth, who was held by Pat. "I don't know what talk you have heard, but she appears to be a normal girl."

"Appearances are deceiving, as you are well aware," the king countered. He climbed down from his high throne and glared at the girl. "On your advice I sent for the men who returned with you. They agreed with your account but for one very important omission." He nodded at Ruth. "They claim to have seen this girl transform into a gargoyle and fly this boy out of danger."

"Out of danger?" Ned repeated with a raised eyebrow. "I don't see how they can complain about that except that the girl didn't save them."

King Stephen slammed his foot against the floor. "You know well that I tolerate no monsters in this city, as my father demanded before me! If she is indeed one of these creatures then there may be more and this infestation must be dealt with!"

Ned leaned forward and looked the king straight in the eye. "If she is a monster, then how does she look like a girl? Surely your men explained that to you."

The royal sullenly glared between the girl and the castor. "They were not specific on the change, only that it occurred."

Ned pounded his staff against the floor, and his voice boomed around the room. "Then I say they are mistaken. The girl before you is as human as I am."

King Stephen rocked to and fro musing over the arguments. After a moment's deliberation he growled and waved his hand toward the doors. "I will think the matter over and call you back to me when I have further questions."

Ned smiled and bowed to the crowned man. "Your humble subjects await your command," he replied. Ned turned and herded the youngsters back to the room. They passed the guards outside the throne room, and Ned grinned at them. "I'm afraid His Royal Highness would like a word with you."

"Guards! Come in here!" Stephen shouted. The men hurried in, their armor a clinking, and the doors shut behind them.

When they returned to the boys room, Ned bolted the door and checked to see that there were no guards hidden about the area; the room was safe. He turned to Ruth with a severe expression on his face. "Now you see my concern, and why your clan must leave here at once. The king is not a quick thinker, but he may guess the truth and see that I have bewitched you," Ned told her.

She nodded. "I'm afraid I do, but I still don't know if I can convince my father to leave."

Ned grinned and patted her shoulder. "No need for you to do that alone. We will go with you tonight and see to it that your father sees the light." He glanced over to Fred. "Except Fred. He has unfinished business to attend to."

Fred blinked in bewilderment. He wondered if he'd done something crazy during his lost five days. "I do?"

Ned wagged his eyebrows. "Have you forgotten about our drooling companion, Fluffy?"

The boy's eyes widened. "Oh! Canto said he would be ready a long time ago!" Fred was hit by a memory and cringed. "But Hawkins said he was under house arrest. What if he's still being guarded?"