by B. T. Narro
“Sure.”
“It’s fine, Michael,” the king said. “Yes, our enemies already know much about all of us because of a leak. Anyone else? Now is the time to admit it. It will not look good for you if it comes out later in our investigations.”
No one said anything.
“I will have Aliana’s mother and Eden’s mother questioned.”
“What about Michael’s bar wench?” Eden asked.
“I’m not too concerned about her or who else heard about Jon’s class, frankly. It’s not a vulnerability. You all seem to have the proper judgment not to divulge anything that could create vulnerabilities, so let me just remind you to keep it that way. Someone is actively working against us, and I will find out who soon enough. Kataleya’s father is our primary suspect right now. Leon, Jennava, I need your help. There must be some way we can spy on Whitley Yorn without him knowing. We need to observe every guest or meeting he has to figure out if he could be connected to Cason. I also want Luther Prigg investigated. I believe there’s only one sorcerer who can spy for us, and I want her watching Whitley. Can one of you find the elf from the forest who, I was told, can cloak herself?”
“I could try,” Leon said, “but I never got to know her.”
“Neither did I, sire,” Jennava said.
“I spoke with her a while before everyone else arrived,” I said. “And I met her earlier with Aliana and Eden when we first went into the forest. I’m pretty sure she trusts me, after she saw what I did to get troops in the forest.”
He scowled at me for a moment. “Yes, you are probably right. Do you believe you could convince her to help us, though?”
“I’m not sure. She’s steadfast in her purpose, which seems to be remaining in the forest and watching for Rohaer’s soldiers. But I could ask her to teach me how to use an illusion. It is within my range.”
The king glanced at Leon. “How long might it take Jon to learn to cloak himself?”
“I defer to Jennava for all spells of ordia.”
Jennava looked at me. She had gray hair, but wore it in a youthful tail behind her head. She looked a fair amount of years older than Leon, but I figured she was younger.
I hadn’t gotten to know her very well, but we did speak at length when I met her in Koluk. Together, we had come up with the plan to intercept Rohaer’s one hundred troops in the forest. I figured she trusted me.
“I don’t know much about illusions except that they are extremely difficult,” she said, “but Leon mentioned that you went from knowing nothing about mana to learning Expel in a few days. Given that information, it might be possible to learn an illusion spell in a few days as well.”
“Could it be possible in a shorter time?” the king asked.
“Are you comfortable with ordia yet?” Jennava asked me.
I shook my head. “I’ve only been working on offensive spells, nothing with ordia.”
“Then probably not.”
“I’ve decided then,” the king announced. “Jon, you will go into the forest and try to convince the elf to assist us. If she won’t leave the forest, then learn how to perform an illusion and return here to practice. In the meantime, I will have men watching Whitley and Luther without tipping them off that I suspect them.”
“My best chance of learning the spell quickly is by staying in the forest while I practice,” I said. “But it might be better if I don’t go at all. Cason is likely to attack again.”
“Again?” Nykal asked.
“Jon and I just fought him and a couple others.” Leon gestured at the enchanted staff he’d tossed away from us earlier. “That cursed thing belongs to a dead man.”
“Is it actually cursed?” Charlie asked.
“No, enchanted with essence of dteria,” I clarified for Leon.
“What happened to Cason?” Nykal asked.
“He was saved by someone who lifted him into the air,” I said. “We didn’t get a good look at whoever it was.”
“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” the king asked.
“There was no hurry,” Leon explained. “The dead man was already dead, and the rest escaped. We sent guards looking for them, but Cason and the one who saved him can lift themselves higher than any building, and Cason can cloak himself. Maybe the other can as well. They’re almost impossible to catch or kill until they make themselves vulnerable through another attack, and that’s not going to be now.”
“How do you know that?” Nykal asked.
“Because they clearly thought they were going to kill both of us, and they lost.” Leon spoke about all this casually, while I felt just a tad bit more alarmed about everything. “They need a new plan of attack. New plans take time. Also, I did burn off Cason’s eyebrows and some of his hair. It’s going to be easy for anyone to recognize him when he’s not using an illusion. Can’t heal hair.”
“Let me get this straight,” the king said. “Cason and a few men ambushed you and Jon, but they underestimated you and had to flee with the help of a dark mage who lifted Cason into the air?”
“That’s right,” Leon said.
“But this other powerful dark mage was not part of the ambush?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Leon lifted a finger. “Actually, that’s a very good question.”
I caught Leon’s gaze only to shrug at him. I hadn’t wondered that yet.
The king appeared angry. “You told me you wouldn’t need the callring.”
“And I didn’t.”
“You and Jon could’ve been killed by Cason.”
“No, I knew we could handle Cason just fine, like we did. Besides, I didn’t expect him to find us. It was only because Jon had to heal a curse. The witch or warlock who set the curse must’ve told Cason where they felt it disappear, and Cason went to investigate. Then he found us. If he wasn’t so stupid, he would’ve run rather than engaged us. He’s not a threat, sire. He’s a nuisance.”
I thought Leon was being a little too confident.
“You’re taking a callring next time,” the king demanded. “There’s no reason not to.”
“Fine.”
The king stared at Leon for a moment before he looked up and away and seemed to mull something over.
“Cason’s first plan was stopped, and now his second has likely been slowed,” Nykal said. “With my replacement of the corrupt head guard, he’s running out of options to usurp power or coin. I wouldn’t say he is a threat to the kingdom anymore, but he still is to all of you if he catches one of you without Leon nearby.”
The king glanced at us and took his time. “I was already aware that a dteria sorcerer with Cason’s power has the ability to lift himself higher than these castle walls. I have increased my guard. All of us are safe while we are here. If Cason did attack the castle, even with the aid of other dark mages as powerful as himself, it would be a battle we would win.”
He paused as he stared at Leon. “I’m glad you went with Jon, but we can’t have you babysitting my sorcerers every time they need to leave the castle.”
“Jon held his own,” Leon said. “As I’m sure many of the sorcerers can now.”
I gave Leon a doubtful look. Had I been alone against Cason and the two others, I wasn’t sure I would be standing here now.
“You can always run away,” Leon said to me. “All of you can.”
“Cason can grab people and suspend them in the air,” I felt inclined to remind Leon. “It was how I saw Cason kill a man the first time I encountered him.”
“A man without sorcery,” Leon countered. “All of you could defend yourselves.”
Eden cleared her throat. “Excuse me.”
“I’m obviously talking about every combat sorcerer, Eden. Of course you, Aliana, Charlie, and Reuben should not be leaving the castle unless you are accompanied by me or Jenn.”
“Which leads us to the task at hand,” the king said. “Jon, I want you to learn how to perform an illusion. It is a valuable skill th
at may even help you in combat against dark mages. So yes, it is better if you go rather than stay here even with the risk of Cason still at large. Now I just need to figure out who to send with you to keep you safe. I believe the chances of an imminent attack against you or this castle are low. Byron has done a fine job disrupting the activity of the dark mages in the city. Any large-scale endeavor would have been detected.
“I suspect instead that Cason plans to leave for Rohaer soon enough to join Frederick’s army and wait for the end of winter. But Cason might try one last attempt at weakening us or stealing from me or my people if we allow him time to plan and organize. Jennava or Leon, would either of you benefit from time in the forest like these young sorcerers?”
All of this rumination was a clear reminder that the king was still figuring out how best to utilize us, while Cason was still figuring out how best to destroy us. I appreciated his majesty’s candor with us, but we had already almost lost Reuben and Grufaeragar because we weren’t prepared. I felt that we were better equipped to deal with our enemies now compared to before. But we still had a ways to go before I would feel safe, like I did when I first came here, when my only worry was how to prove myself.
I missed those times.
One other thing was starting to become clear from all this. Being king was something that took time to learn. Every day, Nykal’s inexperience seemed to show more and more. At least he knew to trust the right people. Byron was an excellent choice for a head guard, and Leon was turning out to be a better instructor than I’d realized.
We were the biggest risk of all, however—me and the other seven sorcerers. I was fairly certain that not many leaders in his position would’ve spent what little coin they had on inexperienced sorcerers but rather would’ve attempted to start building their army with soldiers who’d seen combat.
I desperately wanted to prove Nykal right, and I had a feeling the rest of my peers did as well.
Except for one of us, and I really had trouble believing it was Kataleya.
“When you’ve used sorcery as long as we have, sire,” Jennava said, “a day or two in the forest isn’t going to make a difference. It helps most when learning a new skill.”
“Then the rest of you will go with Jon, so long as it will help you improve. That is, if Leon believes all of you are ready to ride a horse out of the city and defend each other from a possible attack.”
“Certainly,” Leon said. “Jenn and I can stay here to defend the castle, if that’s what you’re hinting at.”
“I am. Jon, take the callring and tracker ring. Leon will have the others.”
The king passed a callring to me, but then he paused and looked at Charlie. “Where is the tracker ring?”
“I have to fetch it from my room. Can I go to the forest as well, King Nykal?” he asked, sounding younger than he looked. “I wouldn’t benefit from time there, but I don’t want to stay here alone. I want to meet the elf.”
“Yes, that is fine.”
“What about Kataleya?” Leon asked the king.
He sighed as he put his hand to his chin. “She is harmless now that she will be watched. If she is indeed innocent, she shouldn’t miss out on this time in the forest. She will stay with all of you. Aliana, Eden, and Remi, you will be responsible for making sure at least one of you has her in sight at all times. All times, understand?”
“Even while sleeping?” Eden asked.
“You will sleep around her. She is not to speak to any citizen on the way to the forest or on the way back. She will be delivered right to me, wherever I am in the castle, when you all return together. Do not separate from each other. No one is going to be alone any longer, and not just because the forest is dangerous. I want all of you to keep eyes on each other and report anything suspicious directly to me or Barrett.”
I knew I should be concerned about one of my peers, but I was more worried about the creatures in the forest. Looking at Eden and Aliana as they met my gaze with fearful expressions, I was sure they felt the same way. The memory of the cantar going for my throat even after I’d buried two arrows in the beast was still vivid in all our minds.
“We understand,” Michael said for us. “We’ll leave…after supper, right?”
“Yes,” the king said. “Do not stay in the forest more than two days, even if you do not find the elf.”
Aliana asked, “Will Kataleya be eating with us in the dining hall?” She looked up toward the apartments, prompting all of us to glance in the same direction.
Kataleya was watching us from her window with a menacing glare. She grabbed her curtains and yanked them closed.
“She will eat alone in her room and join you all as you leave,” Nykal said. “I will inform her that she, along with everyone else, is to be monitored from now on until we determine the source of the leak.”
“So do you think it was her after all?” Charlie asked.
“What I think does not matter. The possibility exists, so precautious must be taken. I’m sure Kataleya will come to understand that, though it might take her some time.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
We had to ride slowly. Not everyone felt comfortable on their mount. Charlie seemed especially nervous as he gripped the reins of his white horse tightly. I led our group out of the castle and headed through Newhaven.
We drew many looks from the people as we remained vigilant. The feeling that any of these people could be a dark mage was one I hoped to get rid of one day soon, but first we had to figure out which of us was working with the enemy.
It was a tense ride out of the castle. I was used to hearing chatter among the girls, but they were silent as they followed behind us boys. Kataleya rode between Eden and Aliana, with Remi behind all. I could feel Kataleya’s anger like heat on my back. She had seemed honest during her pleadings to the king. I didn’t believe she had betrayed us, but there was a chance I was wrong.
We were silent the whole way to the forest. We were even quiet during the first mile as we rode deeper into the woods. I knew Eslenda could find us easier than we would find her, but I was eager to finally break the silence as I drew breath to shout.
“Eslenda!” I called out. Then louder, “Eslenda, it’s Jon! We need to speak.”
There was no reply, just the horses huffing.
So we rode on. I called out for Eslenda a few more times, but we didn’t hear back.
I asked Aliana behind me, “Do you sense anyone?”
“No, just some small animals.”
Kataleya muttered something about Aliana.
“What did you say?” Aliana asked.
Kataleya usually had a smile on her face, but she looked like a different person as she scowled now. Her blonde hair was in disarray, her eyes red.
“I said you could be lying,” she told Aliana confidently.
Aliana glared at her. “Why would you say that?”
“Because I think it was you who put the ring in my room.”
Now Aliana muttered something as she shook her head.
“Speak up,” Kataleya demanded.
“You’re insane to think I did that. I’m your friend.”
“You were my friend, you mean. Or you pretended to be, at least.”
With all of us still on our mounts, Aliana looked at Eden, but Eden just glanced around nervously at the rest of us, her gaze resting on Michael.
“Kataleya, I don’t know if this is the right time…” Michael began.
“No, we are going to discuss this right now! Get off your horses.”
“We need to find Eslenda,” Aliana said.
“Of course you would try to keep this conversation from happening,” Kataleya accused.
“I have nothing to hide!”
“Neither do I!” Kataleya said, her loud voice beginning to startle the horses.
“Kataleya,” Michael said. “The animals.”
“Everyone off your horses now!” Kataleya demanded.
Reuben argued, “You do not have the authori
ty to give such an order, especially after what you are accused of.”
“Get off your horses now, or I’m going to start screaming!”
“We’re getting off,” I announced. There was no point in trying to calm her down. She would scare the animals first.
We all begrudgingly tied up our mounts and walked some distance from the animals. We formed a loose circle, most of us separating from each other more than usual.
Kataleya looked at each of us as if we had betrayed her. Her gaze lingered on me for a little while. I showed her a sad look that she ignored.
“I can’t believe all of you think I could’ve done this,” she said. “No one stood up for me. Even now.”
I noticed many hanging their heads, but I looked right at Kataleya. “I don’t want to speak for everyone,” I said, “but I can guess they are feeling the same as me right now.”
“Which is?” she asked.
“It is hard to believe that you signaled for the dark mages to enter the castle so they could kill Grufaeragar. I don’t think even the king wants to believe it was you. But it appears that someone did do that with a callring that later was found in your room. I understand you haven’t always locked your door when leaving. I’m sure all of us haven’t, either.”
“I have,” Charlie interrupted.
“So have I,” Reuben added.
“The point is, we don’t know who put the callring there,” I responded to them. “Any of us could be working with Cason. We understand, Kataleya, that someone could’ve framed you. But it’s strange, you must admit, that your father is the only person connected to any of us who the king mentioned.”
“He mentioned one other man,” Kataleya said pointedly. “Luther Prigg. Am I right, Charlie?”
“Charlie, don’t—”
“How’d you know?” Charlie asked at the same time Michael was trying to stop him. “Did you hear the king mention him?” he asked Kataleya.
“No, you just confirmed my suspicions. During the time I was alone I was thinking through all of this. The Priggs are the other noble family who the king collaborates with when collecting taxes. Have any of you met Luther Prigg?”
