Authors: Mackenzie Morgan
Kevin nodded. “And then I can make plans to move them.”
~ ~ ~ ~
After Steve, Laryn, and everything they needed for their stay in Rainbow Valley were stashed away in the caves, Kevin dropped by Glendymere’s cave to pick up Rhianna. When they got back to the office, Alek, Rigel, Marcus, Brandon, and Chris were talking in the reception area.
“What’s up?” Kevin asked as he and Rhianna walked out of his office.
“Doreen’s lumber should get here around lunchtime,” Chris said. “It’s coming in on three wagons and Marcus has volunteered to unload them. The others are going to help out.”
“I take it she’s okay with some help?”
“She said she’d love some provided no one tries to change the plans. She wants the house up, but she wants it done her way.”
“Has she picked out a spot yet?” Kevin asked.
Rigel nodded. “She found a place on the other side of town. It’s a little past Fenway’s house.”
Kevin frowned. “I thought he stayed at the inn.”
Rigel shook his head. “He and Ainsley live in the last house on the right as you head out of town. It’s not far from the tavern, but he says it’s far enough.”
“Would you mind if I go with you?” Rhianna asked. “I want to see where she’s going to build.”
“Be glad to have you,” Rigel said. “But if you want to ride out there with us, we’re going to be leaving in a few minutes.”
Rhianna nodded. “I’ll go change and meet you out back.”
After she left the office, Alek said, “I’ll stay,” and Rigel nodded.
“There’s no need,” Kevin said. “I’m not going anywhere this afternoon unless something comes up, and if it does, I promise I’ll come get one of you on the way.”
Alek looked at Chris.
“I’ll make sure he does,” Chris said.
“All right, if you’re sure,” Alek said, looking back at Kevin, “but I want you to tell Cpt. Darrell yourself, and I want to be there when you do.”
Kevin laughed and motioned for Alek to come with him. “We’ll go find him right now.”
Ten minutes later, Rhianna was out at the stable waiting for Corin when Nikki came running up the road from the pastures. “Where have you been?” Rhianna asked as she knelt down to pet the pup. “And does anyone know you’re running around on your own?”
Neiven leaned out the stable door. “She’s not on her own.” He nodded towards the pasture. “Marshall took her with him this morning. She always beats him back.”
Rhianna glanced towards the road. She hadn’t noticed the horse and rider trailing along behind Nikki.
As Watson headed towards the stable doors, Marshall pulled him back and dismounted. He tied Watson’s reins to the fence and held his hand out towards Rhianna. “Hello, I’m Marshall. I take care of Nikki during the day.”
Rhianna nodded as she shook his hand. “Myron and Chris speak highly of you. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name’s Rhianna.”
When Marshall looked at her face, his jaw dropped.
Rhianna’s eyebrows arched. “What? Do I have something on my face?”
Marshall turned several shades of red. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare, but your eyes are red, like my grandfather’s.”
“Your grandfather has red eyes?” Rhianna looked at the young man carefully. “Does he live around here?”
Marshall shook his head. “He lives in Farragon, or at least he used to.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“The day before my mother and I were captured by slavers. I was seven years old then, so I guess it’s been eight years since I’ve seen him or my father.”
“Were they captured, too?”
“They weren’t home. They train soldiers for the army and they were in some other town working with the squad there when the slavers came.” Then he paused and added, “I’m glad they weren’t home. If they had been, they’d be dead. The slavers killed all the men.”
“I’m so sorry,” Rhianna said. “Is your grandfather your father’s father?”
“No, he’s my mother’s father. My father’s a soldier under him. That’s how he and my mother met.”
Rhianna nodded. “So where’s your mother now?”
“I guess she’s still at the castle in Riordan. That’s where we ended up. She works as a maid. I worked in the stable until I was old enough to be on my own. That’s when they sent me to Glenarbour. They told me I would be sold as a stable hand, but I don’t think they sell slaves that way in Glenarbour. We were split into families and singles. I was lucky I ended up here.”
“I think we’re the lucky ones. From what I’ve heard, you’re quite good with the horses, and Nikki adores you.”
Marshall smiled. “I like animals, more than people sometimes.”
Rhianna laughed. “I know what you mean.”
Marshall stepped over towards Watson as Corin walked up. “Guess I’d better take care of Watson. Were you looking for Nikki?”
Rhianna shook her head. “No, just waiting for Corin,” she said as she swung up on Corin’s back. “Have a nice afternoon, Marshall. See you later.”
~ ~ ~ ~
A little after four, Marcus and Rigel knocked on Kevin’s open door. Kevin and Chris were reviewing the notes on the district sorcerers in the southern districts to see if there was someone who might like to switch with Darwyn. Kevin had pulled the contracts for a couple of sorcerers who were in low paying districts thinking they might be willing to put up with some snow if it came with an increase in pay.
“Come on in,” Kevin said, setting down the paper he had in his hand. “All unloaded?”
Marcus nodded. “And sorted and stacked according to Doreen’s specifications. She knows what she wants.”
Rigel grinned. “As far as the house is concerned anyway.”
“What doesn’t she know about?” Chris asked.
“Gardens,” Rigel answered. “While we were unloading and stacking, she and Rhianna marked the corners of the house, the corners for the porches, where she wants walls, and so on. Then Rhianna wanted to mark out the boundaries of the gardens.”
Marcus laughed. “I don’t think Doreen was planning to have gardens.”
“Well, she’s going to have them now,” Rigel said, still grinning. “A vegetable garden, an herb garden, and flowers around front.”
“Rhianna’s idea?” Chris asked.
Rigel nodded. “She told Doreen not to worry about it, she’d help her get them planted this spring, and then it would just be a matter of tending them. When Doreen said she had no idea how to do that, Rhianna waved her off and said she’d teach her. Rhianna wants us to find some river rocks to use along the borders.”
Kevin shook his head. “I’ve seen her mother’s gardens. If Rhianna’s planning anything like those, Doreen has no idea what she’s in for. And speaking of Rhianna, where is she?”
“She said she wanted to wash up and change clothes before dinner.” Marcus looked down at his own filthy clothes. “Guess we need to do the same.”
“And Chris,” Rigel said. “We need to go get her tools. She’s already picked out the spot for her tool shed and pulled out enough lumber to make it. She wants it done first, so she’s planning to start on it tomorrow morning.”
Chris nodded. “We’ll go right after breakfast. Meet me here.”
~ ~ ~ ~
During dinner, Rhianna smiled at Kevin and said, “It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to talk. Do you think we could slip away and go Elsewhere after dinner and have a little time to ourselves?”
A few other people at the table heard her comment and tried to smother their smiles, but Kevin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something was up. “Sure,” he answered with a grin. “Just let me check by my office first in case anything’s come up during dinner.”
It was all he could do to sit through the rest of the meal. If what Rhianna had to tell him was so sensitive she wanted to go to the island to talk, something major must have happened. Kevin thought back over her day. She’d been fine when he picked her up in Willow Canyon, and if anything had come up while she was there, she’d have said something before they came back to Milhaven. Then she took off with Marcus and Rigel. From what they’d said, she and Doreen had worked together all afternoon, and even if Marcus had missed something, Rigel wouldn’t have. Did she see someone in the woods? Did Doreen say something she felt he needed to know? What could have happened?
Dinner seemed to last forever, but finally enough people had finished that Kevin felt he could leave without arousing suspicion.
Rhianna waited a few minutes, then excused herself and headed for his office. When she got there, she knocked on his door, walked in, and shut the door behind her. “Do you want to leave from here or go outside first?”
“Let’s leave from the family garden in case anyone’s watching.”
Rhianna nodded and opened the door. Kevin joined her and the two of them walked back through the castle to the dining room and out onto the patio. Kevin put his arm around her as they headed towards the family garden. As soon as they walked between the high hedges at the garden entrance, he turned the key.
When they got to the island, Kevin led the way into the cave. He picked up a glowstone torch and headed down the hallway to the sitting room. As Kevin uncovered the glowstones in the lamps, Rhianna sat down on one of the chairs.
“So, what’s going on?” Kevin asked as he sat down opposite her.
“We have a problem, and by ‘we,’ I mean you as Master Sorcerer and me as a warrior elf.”
“Okay. What?”
“Marshall, or more accurately, Marshall’s mother.”
Kevin leaned back. So Kyle was right. Marshall did have elven blood.
“Today when I went down to the stable to meet Corin, Marshall was there. He saw my eyes and said his grandfather had red eyes too, and that I was the only other person he’d ever seen with red eyes. I don’t think he knows what it means.”
“Only elves have red eyes, right?”
“Not all elves have red eyes, only those who are full-blooded.” Rhianna paused. “I didn’t tell him his grandfather was an elf. I didn’t think it was my place, but I did ask if it was his father’s father or his mother’s father. He said it was his mother’s.”
“So his mother is legally an elf. Is Marshall?”
“That depends on whether or not his father is. But that’s not important right now. Marshall’s not a slave anymore. His mother is, and that’s a big problem.”
“Do you know where she is?”
Rhianna nodded. “She’s in Riordan, working as a maid at the castle. Or she was the last time Marshall saw her.”
Kevin let out a long breath.
“We’ve got to do something about it.”
“I know,” Kevin said quietly. “Back when Kyle was teaching him how to work with Nikki he said he thought Marshall must have some elven blood in him. Guess he was right.”
“I think it would be best if we could handle this quietly, without involving Weldon, the elders, Caelan, or the federation.”
“I agree. I’m just not sure how to go about it.”
“Marshall’s mother is at the castle in Riordan. Why not go get her like you did all those other slaves? According to Doreen, you rescued over a hundred.”
Kevin hesitated. “This isn’t quite the same. Everyone I rescued was from Camden, and I’d already told the seated sorcerers if any of my people were captured, I’d go get them and bring them home. Marshall’s mother isn’t from Camden. There’s no way I can justify going in and taking her.”
“I thought you were opposed to slavery.”
“I am, and if I had my way, I’d free all the slaves on Terah, but it doesn’t work that way. I can’t go charging into another sorcerer’s province and grab someone out. That would open the door to all kinds of retaliation.” He thought for a moment. “I might be able to buy her though.”
“I don’t care how you do it, but it has to be done, and soon,” Rhianna said. “If the elders find out I knew there was an elf in captivity and didn’t report it, I’d be in trouble again. They’d consider that treason, which is worse than violating my oath.”
Kevin nodded.
“I’m taking a big chance keeping quiet. I’m not trying to give you an ultimatum, but if this isn’t taken care of before summer, I’ll have to report it. ”
Kevin nodded again.
“If Duane had run into Marshall while he was here, he’d have already reported it. Between this and Rolan’s men in North Amden ...” Rhianna shook her head. “You’d have a mess on your hands.”
“I know,” Kevin said thoughtfully. “I’ve got a couple of questions.”
“What?”
“Well, for one, even I can translocate, and my elven blood is watered down through several generations. If she’s an elf, how was she captured?”
“She’s a mother, and the need to protect her child would be stronger than her impulse to survive. Transolcation is an instinct triggered by life-threatening danger. Most of the time you translocate before you realize you’re in danger, but if you don’t, if you have time to think, it doesn’t work. And translocating on demand is a skill some elves never master.”
“Okay, but she knew she was an elf, right?”
“I’d say yes, but you never know. Her father may not have told her.”
“Let’s say for the sake of argument she did know she was an elf. Why didn’t she tell the slavers?”
“Because they’d have killed both her and her son.”
“Why? I know they wouldn’t be able to sell them, but why not let them go?”
“Because they might tell someone what happened, and no slaver wants a bunch of warrior elves after them.” Rhianna took a deep breath and continued. “It’s against human law to traffic in other races as a peacekeeping measure, but with us it’s more than that. It’s not just against some law. It’s an affront to everything we believe, to everything we stand for, everything we are. It degrades all of us to have one of our own bound into servitude, and if one of us is stripped of the freedoms we hold so dear, we all are.” Rhianna paused. “If the slavers had any reason to think she had elven blood in her, much less was legally an elf, they’d have thrown her overboard in the middle of the sea, along with everyone else on the boat. They wouldn’t want to risk elves ever finding out they’d picked up an elf, accidentally or otherwise.”
“I guess that’s why her father didn’t sound the alarm when he realized what had happened.”
Rhianna nodded. “And why we need to be careful how we handle this. If the sorcerer in Riordan finds out one of his slaves is an elf, he might use an energy bolt to reduce her to ashes so there’s no evidence she was ever there. Even the sorcerers fear us, with good reason.”