Authors: Mackenzie Morgan
Theresa nodded. “But I don’t understand how this is going to help. How would Rolan hear anything about it?”
“Well, we’re hoping the spies will pass it on, as a piece of juicy gossip if nothing else.”
“Spies? The ones who gave information to the assassins?” When Kevin nodded, Theresa frowned. “They’re still around?”
Kevin nodded again.
“Are you crazy?”
“You sound just like Rhianna.” Kevin shook his head. “Since we know who they are, we can use them. If I’d gotten rid of them, he’d have found a way to put new ones in their place. By leaving the old ones alone, I can feed misinformation to Rolan through them.”
“If they tell him. You can’t guarantee they will, but you can be sure they’ll feed him any information he can use to kill you or Landis.” Theresa shook her head. “I can see what you’re doing and I understand your strategy, but I still say you’re nuts.”
Kevin shrugged. “You know the old saying, better the enemy you know...”
“I think it was better the devil you know, but either way, I hope you’re not putting a target on Rhianna’s back. After all, she is an elf, and if I remember correctly, Kalen told us a relationship between a human and an elf was frowned upon on Terah. Remember?”
Kevin nodded. “That was one of my arguments when this plan was first discussed. If it gets to Rolan, it’ll get to the other seated sorcerers, but I can’t go before the council and say don’t worry about it, it’s all a ruse.”
Theresa laughed and then got serious. “Just be careful that neither of you gets hurt, and I don’t mean just physically.”
“We won’t. We know what we’re doing.”
“I’m not so sure of that.” Theresa picked up her bag. “You’ll pick me up Sunday, right?”
“Around lunchtime. But before you go, I need to talk to you about something else.”
Theresa set her bag back down and tilted her head to one side. “There’s more?”
Kevin explained about Rhianna’s summons. “I’m sure we can convince the council she did nothing wrong, but I’d like for you to be there if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll be glad to, but I’m not sure what good I’ll be. I was inside when it all happened. I didn’t see a thing.”
“But you treated his wound. You can say it was not life-threatening.”
“That I can do, and I can say she left the chapel a long time before he did, but do you really think they’ll listen to me?”
“From what Rhianna said, elves hold sisters in high esteem, so I imagine so.”
“Well, count me in. When are we going?”
“The meeting’s Monday, but I’m not sure what time we’ll need to leave. I’ll let you know Sunday.”
Theresa nodded, picked up her bag, and headed into the cave.
~ ~ ~ ~
Rhianna and Kevin left for Crinsor Run shortly after dinner. With the time difference, they arrived while Gwynn was in the kitchen fixing theirs. After hugging her mother, Rhianna asked, “Do you know where Father is?”
Gwynn nodded towards the back door. “The last time he was in here he said something about throwing out some hay in the back pasture. But if you want to talk to him about the summons, why don’t you wait until he comes back in? I’m sure he’d rather think about that while he’s sitting down with a cup of tea.”
Rhianna nodded and started fidgeting around the kitchen. Finally, after several tense minutes, Gwynn sighed. “Go on. Find him. You won’t settle until you talk to him and you’re driving me crazy.”
Rhianna kissed her mother’s cheek, grabbed Kevin’s hand, and headed out the back door.
They found Hayden as he was coming in from the back pasture. He was dusty and had hay stuck to his tunic and in his hair. Rhianna laughed as she brushed it off. “Save any of it for the horses?”
“Laugh if you like, but you used to get it all over you, too,” Hayden said as he hugged his daughter. Then he turned to Kevin and held out his hand. “Nice to see you again, Myron. I take it things are going well?”
Kevin smiled. “Gossip about us and our intentions has become the main topic of conversation in Milhaven as well as at the castle. But everyone was ready for something new to talk about after all the hoopla over Laryn’s wedding and the mess Gwendolyn stirred up. Things were starting to get dull.”
Hayden laughed and put his arm around his daughter. “We’re glad to be of service anyway we can.” Then he got serious. “I take it today’s visit has to do with the Council of Elders.”
Both Rhianna and Kevin nodded.
“Father, Myron has offered to take me to the meeting, so Xantha won’t need to.”
“Well, I assure you he wouldn’t mind, but that’s fine,” Hayden said. Then he turned to Kevin. “Have you ever been to South Port?”
Kevin shook his head. “I have no idea where South Port is, much less Weldon’s office. I was hoping you’d take a quick trip out there with me this evening. Once I’ve been there, going back won’t be a problem. We don’t have to stay, or talk to anyone. Just a quick in and out would do it.”
Hayden nodded. “We could do that while Gwynn’s getting dinner on the table. The two of you will stay for dinner,” he said, more as a statement than a question.
Rhianna caught Kevin’s eye and nodded.
“We’d love to join you while you eat dinner.”
“Good. Let’s head back to the house so I can change tunics. Rhianna, you can stay with your mother while we go.”
Half an hour later, Hayden and Kevin were back from South Port. Hayden had used Kevin’s key to take them straight to the building that housed both Weldon’s office and the meeting room for the Council of Elders.
“Rhianna tells me you plan to attend the meeting with her Monday,” Gwynn said as they sat down at the table. “Is that right?”
Kevin nodded. “And I’m taking some other people with us too, people who were there, who saw the whole thing.”
“I understand a young sorcerer was wounded by the man Rhianna hurt,” Hayden said.
Kevin nodded again. “Marcus, and he’s going with us. When I told him she was being called in to explain her actions, he offered to show them his scar.”
Hayden chuckled. “If nothing else, that should eliminate the unprovoked part of their claim.”
“And the sister who treated Saryn said she’d go, too. She wasn’t out there when everything happened, but she can say the knife wound was not life-threatening.”
“Good,” Gwynn said, relief showing in her eyes. “I was concerned about that. I know Rhianna said it wasn’t a fatal injury, but having a Sister of Healing back her up will help.”
“Saryn. That’s the name of the man you hit?” Hayden asked Rhianna.
She nodded.
“I thought you didn’t know him.”
“I didn’t at the time, but later, after Sister Theresa treated him, I was in the room while General Crandal interviewed him. He told us his name then.”
“So he was questioned?” Gwynn asked.
Kevin nodded. “He admitted trying to kill Landis, and said if it hadn’t been for Rhianna, he’d have been successful.”
“Are you going to tell the council that?” Gwynn asked.
Kevin nodded again.
“Well, sounds like you’ve got this under control,” Hayden said as he smiled at Rhianna. “Do you want me to be there?”
Rhianna shook her head. “You don’t need to.”
Hayden nodded and went back to his food. After a moment, he looked at Kevin. “I don’t need to tell you to stop by here on your way home so she can tell us how it went, do I?”
“No, sir, but I’ll take the others home first.”
Hayden frowned. “You’ll have the sorcerer and the sister, right? They’re welcome to come, too.”
“I’ll also have Alek and maybe Darrell.”
“Why?” Gwynn said. “Were they involved, too?”
“Alek was with Marcus, Landis, and Rhianna. He was a witness to the whole thing, and he’s the one who checked out Saryn’s injuries after he fell out of the tree.”
“That’s how he broke his leg? Falling out of a tree?” Hayden asked, raising his eyebrows at Rhianna.
“That’s where he was hiding, Father.”
“Why didn’t you tell me he was in a tree?”
“I didn’t think it mattered.”
“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong. The fact that he was hiding in a tree when he shot the sorcerer makes him an assassin. Don’t leave that out Monday.”
Rhianna nodded.
“And although Darrell wasn’t involved at the chapel, he’s the one who cut him down the next morning,” Kevin said. “He can say Saryn died from hanging, not from the knife wound.”
Gwynn glanced at Rhianna. “Another detail you neglected to mention.” Then she looked at Kevin. “I’m glad you’re handling this. These little details tell a different story than the one that’s making the rounds up here. I feel better now. Thank you.”
“Rhianna saved the life of my apprentice and the lives of several of my people. We’re in her debt,” Kevin said. “I’ll do anything I can to help out.”
While they ate dessert, conversation turned to news about Rhianna’s family, and shortly after everyone was done, Kevin and Rhianna left.
When they got back to the office, Chris said, “See, Nikki? I told you they’d be back soon.” Then he looked over at Kevin. “She’s been waiting forever for you to come home and take her for a walk.”
Kevin raised his eyebrows. “There’s nothing I need to take care of?”
“Nothing that won’t wait,” Chris said as he stood up and stretched. “It’s been a long day, for all of us. I’m heading up, but Nikki needs to go out for a bit. Do you want to take her, or do you want me to get one of the guards.”
“Let’s take her,” Rhianna said as she rubbed Nikki’s head. “After all, she’s been waiting for you, and who could say no to that face?”
Kevin laughed and followed the two of them out the door.
Once they were outside, Rhianna asked, “Aren’t you taking Marcus home tomorrow morning?”
Kevin nodded. “He and Hayley are going for the day. Why?”
“I was wondering if you’ll have time to take me to the canyon lands for an hour or so.”
“I can, but why?”
“I want to make a few tornadoes. I’ve passed worried and moved on to angry, and I need an outlet. Building a tornado will probably work.”
Kevin laughed. “You can come with me when I take Marcus and Hayley to Bridgeport and we’ll go to the canyon lands from there. Wrestling with tornadoes will put me in the right frame of mind for lunch at Dara’s.”
Chapter 14
A Hectic Saturday
Saturday morning while Kevin and Rhianna played with tornadoes in the canyon lands, Marcus checked out his house, and Hayley examined all the people who lived near Marcie, Marcus’s sister. Marcie’s son, Caleb, helped Marcus brush away cobwebs while her daughter, Rayne, made the rounds with Hayley. Two hours later they all gathered in Marcie’s kitchen.
After Caleb and Rayne filled up on sweet buns, Marcie sent them outside to do their chores and poured herself, Marcus, and Hayley another cup of coffee.
“Sis,” Marcus said as he took his cup, “while we’ve got a minute, I want to ask you a couple of questions.”
Marcie had picked up her coffee cup to take a sip, but she paused with the cup poised at her lips and cut her eyes over at Hayley, who was busy examining her own cup. Marcie lowered her cup to the table. “What?”
“After we left, after that raid, did anyone come around asking questions? Wanting to know what had happened? Who was here?”
Marcie slowly shook her head. “Not that I know of. Why?”
“There weren’t any strangers poking around?”
Again, Marcie shook her head. “Why? What’s going on?”
“And no one asked you where I was or how to find me?”
“Everyone knows where you are. Why are you asking me these questions? What’s happened?” When Marcus didn’t answer, Marcie turned to Hayley. “What’s he talking about?”
Instead of answering, Hayley looked at Marcus.
Marcus took a deep breath. “You know a key was involved, right?”
“Yes, and you got it away from the slaver.”
“How much do you know about those keys?”
Marcie shook her head. “Just that you can use them to go wherever you want to, but only seated sorcerers are supposed to have them, although I guess they lend them out sometimes because you’ve used one.”
“Delegates to the Federation of Terah have keys, too,” Marcus said. “But ordinary people can’t get one.”
Marcie nodded.
“Well, Myron took the key I got from the slaver to the next council meeting to return it to whoever had lent it out, but all the sorcerers showed up with their keys.”
“So someone on the federation lost theirs? Or had it stolen?”
“That’s what he thought, so he took it to Glendymere.”
“Chairman of the federation,” Marcie said with a nod. “Makes sense.”
“Glendymere made the keys, and he knows which key’s which and who’s supposed to have it. That one had been assigned to Nordia.”
“Nordia? The province that was destroyed in the great magic war? It really did exist?” Marcie asked. “So the great magic war was real? I always thought it was a legend. Did they really destroy a whole province?”
Marcus nodded.
Marcie shook her head. “I figured it was a town somewhere, maybe a district, but a whole province?”
Again, Marcus nodded. “And that key, the one the slaver had, was the key that belonged to that province. It had been lost for over five hundred years.”
“And a slaver just happened to find it?” Marcie frowned. “That doesn’t sound right.”
“Well, he didn’t exactly find it. It was given to him by a seated sorcerer. Apparently back when the magic war ended, the Seated Sorcerer of Landoryn had possession of Nordia’s key, and his family kept it. Over the years, they got into the slaving business. They must have let the slavers use it once in a while because the slaver we ran into that night was using that key.”
“How did you figure it out?”
“She showed up in Myron’s office demanding the key.”
“And the sorcerer who’d taken it away from her slaver,” Hayley added softly.
“What? Who?” Marcie looked back and forth between Hayley and Marcus, her frown deepening.
“Gwendolyn,” Marcus answered. “The Seated Sorcerer of Landoryn. She’s the reason I asked if anyone had come around asking questions. We’re trying to figure out how she made the connection between what happened here and Myron.”