by Sam Argent
“Lay off the boy. He’s just like his father,” Dalia said.
Sebastian froze. “Excuse me?”
“Whip-smart with a witty mouth. That’s just like our Caspian,” Dalia said. “What are you going to spend that coin on?”
Sebastian frowned. “That’s none of your business.”
“Probably books,” Pratchett said as he sadly eyed Sebastian stacking the money.
Trenton laughed. “She’s right. That sounds exactly like Caspian.”
“I feel tired,” Sebastian said. “I’m going to bed.”
“Coward.” Demetrius crossed his arms. “You’re afraid of losing that stash.”
Sebastian shrugged. “I’m happy with my haul and have no plans of endangering it. Good night and enjoy the rest of Solstice,” he said while leaving.
“Hey you, quiet fellow,” Demetrius said to Feoras. “Take his place and deal yourself in. You look like a man I can win a lot of money off of.”
DALIA CLOSED the door of the Orwell study. “I don’t know how you pushed out so many of those shits, Cynthia. Do any of them know how to watch their fucking mouths?”
“They act on instinct,” Cynthia said. “They know rubbish when they see it.”
“I’m disappointed you never told your children about me,” Trenton said as he lounged on the blue couch. “I thought we were close.”
“With the path you took, I didn’t see a way for it to end well,” Caspian said.
“Tucking your tail between your legs always works out for you, doesn’t it?” Feoras asked.
“We’re not the ones banished from Anerith and hiding in Larnlyon,” Cynthia said. “Lack of foresight is your greatest weakness, Keyes.”
“I think I’m mistaken,” Trenton said. “Sebastian’s mouth is all you, Cynthia.”
“That boy needs a beating,” Dalia said.
Cynthia laughed. “Gods, Dalia, you probably sold your parents for money, and you think I’d take motherly advice from you?”
“I am not here so you two can relive your rivalry,” Trenton said. “I have soldiers who need to be kept out of sight, and your forest is perfect. Talk it into letting them stay, and I’ll pay you generously.” Trenton grimaced at the faded wood. “You two obviously need the money.”
“I have a fondness for my neck and head staying attached, so I have to decline,” Caspian said.
“Caspian, this house is filled with hostages. Take the money while I’m still asking.”
“I wondered when you’d start threatening my family,” Cynthia said. “You’re still the same.”
“You’re wrong. I’m not as patient as I used to be, and you two don’t have enough goodwill to bargain with.”
“I’m sorry,” Caspian said. “Please tell me when I came out of my home to denounce you as evil and told the Anerithian authorities where the evidence was to convict you. If I had betrayed you, you would be dead. I have plenty of goodwill left, and I’m using it to ask you to leave. This is my home, and I’ve worked hard to make it so.”
Trenton sprang to his feet and shoved Caspian against a wall. “I wouldn’t have been in Anerith in the first place if you hadn’t convinced the others to leave me.”
“That is not what happened,” Caspian hissed. “I saw a bad situation and wanted out. If more followed my example, it wasn’t because I told them to go but because you gave them no reason to stay.”
“Despite not being powerful enough to deserve the position, you were Uvel’s first student, and it meant something to them.”
Caspian rolled his eyes. “That’s why you’re angry at me. Uvel told me everything I wanted to know and kept secrets from you. That wasn’t my fault, either. All you had to do was give the old man attention and say what a smart wizard he was. I didn’t tell you to let pride burn through that bridge.”
“I wonder if you don’t know more than you’ve said.” Trenton leaned in closer. “What if you truly did as I asked and begged Uvel when he was weak to tell you about the Heart of Light?”
“He was dying and I gave him comfort. That’s all I did,” Caspian said.
“It amazes me how the most selfish of us is the softest,” Dalia said.
“Any emotion that doesn’t come at the cost of a coin amazes you, Dalia,” Cynthia said. “We didn’t want to be dragged into your schemes in the past, and we still don’t. Why can’t you leave us alone?”
“This location and your forest’s ability to hide magic are convenient to me,” Trenton said. “That’s all you need to know.”
“The risk to my family is too great,” Caspian said.
“Fine,” Trenton said and released Caspian. “I’m done asking.” He reached under his robe and pulled out an amulet. It glowed briefly, and Trenton smiled. “I’ve ordered my men into the forest, and if anything looks suspicious, they’re to burn it.”
“That would probably catch attention,” Caspian pointed out.
“Not with my wards in place.” Trenton stretched his arms out. “You can show me to my room now.”
CHAPTER 31
DIANA SHOOK her mirror again and glared at Dalia. “Funny how you three arrive and all the mirrors stop working.”
“That is a funny coincidence,” Dalia said. “You should keep shaking it just in case.”
“Have you eaten yet?” Diana asked sweetly.
“I’ll fix breakfast,” James said. “I have nothing else to do.” He stared out the kitchen window at the snow. “The roads will be blocked for days.”
“At least we had warning, so there’s plenty of food,” Kraven said.
“Yes but we weren’t expecting this much,” Kevin said. “This is a loss of two weeks.”
Demetrius smirked. “You’re starting to look forward to spring as much as Luke.”
“I thought that gray skin was because of incubus blood,” Dalia said. She shrugged. “Just sell a pint of his blood at market, and you should be good.”
For the first time, Sebastian saw Luke’s eyes turn black.
“I’ll be upstairs if you want me,” Luke growled out and left the kitchen.
“He sure is a sensitive one,” Dalia said and continued reading her book.
“I’m going to join him,” Kevin said. “Call me when breakfast is ready.”
Sebastian sighed and went in search of his father. Maybe Diana would poison Dalia in his absence. Upstairs, his parents’ door was shut, and Sebastian knocked.
“Come in,” his mother called out.
Sebastian entered and found his parents kneeling on the floor with a map of the forest spread out. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing that concerns you,” Lord Orwell said as he rolled up the map. “What do you want?”
“Is Dalia in the organ business?”
“Why do you ask?” Lady Orwell stood and went through her drawers.
“Because she brought up selling Luke’s blood.”
Lady Orwell sighed. “If it has a price, she will sell it.”
Sebastian nodded. “Luke took her seriously and Kevin is calming him down.”
“This snow is hampering our plans, but we are trying to get them out of our house,” Lady Orwell said earnestly.
“It’s becoming harder to watch Diana when more than half of us want her to succeed,” Sebastian said.
“Truth be told, I wish we could kill all of them too, but Trenton is vengeful and he’ll take his anger out on one of you,” Lord Orwell said.
“Figure out a way to get rid of him before our annoyance outweighs the danger, Father. We don’t tolerate a heavy hand for long,” Sebastian said.
“I’m starting to think we gave you too much leeway,” Lady Orwell said as she opened a decanter and filled a glass. “Try not to prove Dalia right before I have a chance to kill her.”
“What is it between you two?” Sebastian asked. “I thought you and Diana went at each other’s throats, but you and Dalia are quite different.”
His mother smiled. “That bitch showed me her claws and I clipped them. Now go
back to your brothers and sisters before they do anything drastic,” she ordered.
CAPTAIN PEMBROST watched his prince pace. “He’s broken the same promise before. There’s no need to be upset.”
Prince Turren frowned at him and kept walking.
“Have you thought that maybe Sebastian doesn’t feel the same way about you? Maybe it’s only lust.”
“This time was different,” Turren said as he spun on his heels again. “He meant it.”
“You said that the last time.”
“There is no reason to remind me of what I said. I was there, Pembrost.”
“Aiming your anger at me does not change the hard truth.”
“I will find out why Sebastian hasn’t contacted me, and then I will make conclusions,” Turren said and stopped pacing. “I couldn’t have made myself clearer about how I felt.”
“He’s a strange lad. Maybe he needs time.”
“I gave him that,” Turren said quietly. “This is his answer.”
“An answer to what?” Pembrost inquired.
“I know you are concerned about my welfare, but please may I be alone?”
Pembrost stood and bowed to his prince. “Of course, Your Highness. I’m sorry for disturbing you.” When he was outside the door, Pembrost leaned against it and sighed. “I should never have encouraged those two.”
CAPTAIN PEMBROST waited next to Frederick in the king and queen’s warded bedroom.
“Have you noticed Turren acting strangely?” Queen Anne asked.
“Yes, but it’s the usual.” Captain Pembrost shrugged. “He’s upset about the Orwell boy again.”
“I thought you reported that Sebastian seemed more open to Turren’s advances,” the king said.
“That’s what I thought too, but Sebastian didn’t communicate with him on the night of Solstice like he promised. Turren was hurt by his insensitivity.”
Frederick frowned. “Has Turren tried contacting Sebastian?”
“Sebastian was adamant about doing it, and Turren is trying to respect his wishes,” Pembrost said.
“Persuade Turren to try anyway and report if Sebastian responds,” Frederick said.
Pembrost looked at the wizard. “What is going on?”
King Harris sat forward. “If I tell you a very sensitive piece of information, you cannot reveal it to Turren. Under that circumstance, you will be included.”
It wasn’t easy to keep secrets from his charge, but he could do nothing to protect Turren if he remained ignorant. “This stays between us,” Pembrost said.
“I sometimes communicate with Ophelia, and we had agreed to message each other during Solstice,” Frederick said. “On that night, I received no correspondence and have been unable to open a connection. The fact that Turren can’t reach Sebastian either is troubling.”
“Is it possible the forest is interfering with the connection?” Pembrost asked.
“It’s never been a problem before,” Frederick said. “There is another thing we haven’t told you. That is the reason we’re worried.”
“What other thing?”
“The information about Trenton hiding in Larnlyon,” Queen Anne said. “We received it from Sebastian. He scryed it with the help of Margaret and Harold.”
Pembrost’s chest tightened. “That information came just a few days before Solstice.”
“We don’t think it’s a coincidence, and we’re sending a party to check on the Orwells,” Queen Anne said.
“Gods, if anything happens to Sebastian, Turren will never forgive himself. Why did you let him do it?”
Harris laughed. “Run that sentence through your head again. Sebastian made it known that not even Harold could stop him, and our interference could have tipped off Trenton. It was a solid plan, so Trenton shouldn’t have any idea who the wizards responsible were. Not with a few Orwells carrying the same crystals Margaret used across the country.”
Pembrost closed his eyes. “And I have to carry this knowledge around Turren. He’ll never trust me again if he finds out.”
“We’re only keeping him in the dark until we know for sure that something happened.” Harris glanced at his wife. “We don’t want him being rash.”
Queen Anne frowned. “Why are you looking at me?”
Harris looked away. “No reason.”
“I was not rash,” Anne said.
“I didn’t say anything,” Harris said.
Anne turned to the court wizard. “Frederick, why is your cousin still breathing?”
“Because you saved his ass countless times,” Frederick answered.
“Rash decisions end with the client dying.” Anne patted Harris’s stomach. “And he’s so damn healthy, he’s growing a gut.”
“This is not a gut!”
“So you say, husband, so you say.”
“YOU HAVE your orders, Lieutenant Adams and Sergeant Hooper,” Captain Pembrost said. “Any questions?”
Adams raised his hand. “I have two.”
Pembrost nodded at him to go on.
“Am I going to get in trouble with the king, and where is Hooper?”
“She’s taking a sabbatical.” Hooper’s face melted into the queen’s. “How did you know it was me?”
“Hooper is right handed, your sword is on the wrong side, and you tap your forefinger on your sword hilt when you’re excited,” Adams said.
Queen Anne grinned. “You’re right, Pembrost. He’s nosier than a sprite and perfect for the job.”
Adams sighed. “It’s just a healthy curiosity I have about people.”
“Well, I need it to sniff out what’s happening at the Orwell household.”
“I get to see the troublesome lad again?”
“If nothing is wrong, yes,” Pembrost said.
“And if we do find him?”
“We’re dragging him back here so we can keep him under protection,” Queen Anne said.
Adams smiled. “I’ll enjoy that a lot, Your Majesty.”
“Does that boy annoy everyone?” Pembrost shook his head.
CHAPTER 32
LUKE STARED out the window with his face pressed against the glass. “Yeah, they’re in the neighboring woods and trying to stay out of sight. No cook fires, and no tents unless they’re warded.”
“I hope they spread out farther and make our job easier,” Sebastian said.
“Why are they clumped together like that?” Emily asked.
“The forest knows Father’s emotions and is responding in kind. He won’t have to utter a word for it to kill Trenton’s people,” Diana said.
“You’re really going through with this?” Kevin asked Sebastian. “What if Trenton has the Heart of Light stored on the other side of our land? What if it’s on him?”
“It’s not on him,” Ophelia said. Everyone turned to look at the woman who was supposed to be barricaded in her room.
“It’s not a good idea for you to be out here,” Sebastian said.
“Sebastian, I love my nieces and nephews, but I need time away from them or I’ll go insane.”
“We don’t know how long Trenton and his lackeys will be gone,” Kevin said. “You’ll have to put up with them a little longer. Where’s Mernon?”
“He disappeared when Trenton left,” Ophelia said.
Kevin frowned. “I wonder what that’s about.”
“Never mind that,” Ophelia said. “What you’re looking for is in that direction.” She pointed to the area where Luke had seen the most soldiers.
“That won’t be a problem at all.” Diana rolled her eyes. “We might as well give up.”
Demetrius walked into the kitchen and looked at everyone gathered together. “Are you guys up to something?”
“No,” Kevin said. “We’re discussing what’s to eat for breakfast.”
“I guess I can’t be included in your plotting, huh? That’s too bad, because I saw Father leading Dalia and Feoras back to the house.”
“Damn that imbecile,” Diana said. “K
evin, take Ophelia back upstairs and be quick about it. Sebastian, grab one of the chairs I brought with me and hold it in front of you.” Diana picked up a chair while she talked and motioned for Sebastian to follow her out of the kitchen. The door opened as Diana stepped in front of it. Dalia walked into Sebastian’s chair, and both of them became entangled. Sebastian pulled at it so they lost their balance and fell. Diana missed Feoras, but he had to jump outside to avoid running into her. “Great timing, Father, as usual,” she said while helping Sebastian up. Dalia glared at Diana and stood on her own.
“What are you doing?” Lord Orwell asked.
“Putting these chairs back on the wagon. We only eat as a family on Solstice, and there’s no reason I should let them be broken while we’re snowed in,” Diana said.
“Your chairs are perfectly fine at the house.”
Diana looked at their father’s companions. “I doubt it. Excuse us, but these chairs are heavy.” She shoved through the intruders and their father and Sebastian followed.
When they reached the back of Diana’s wagon and were out of sight of the others, Diana put her chair down. “Now is a good time to confess that you have more magic than you said.”
Sebastian placed his chair beside hers. “If I do?”
“The forest’s roots reach under the house. I want you to talk to them and ask if there are any poisonous plants nearby. A plant with vines that can tap into the water.”
“How do you know I talk to nature?” Sebastian asked.
Diana rolled her eyes. “One of the most powerful wizards takes you under his wing without Father making a fuss about it? And said wizard works with earth magic? I’m not an idiot, and I’ve seen the forest protect you before. It’s attracted to your magic. Now do as I say before we’re noticed.”
Sebastian frowned and concentrated on the ground. Strands of roots led under the house, and he silently greeted them. They were joyful to hear from him, and their happiness overwhelmed Sebastian. He shook his head to clear it and begged the plants to calm down. Sebastian imagined the book of poisons his mother had made him memorize and asked the plants if anything looked familiar. Pages went by in his head, and then the plants grew louder in his mind again as a farer’s lotus formed in his memory. They were nasty buggers that could trick other plants into producing the same poison that they made. It will be perfect for poisoning people slowly enough not to notice the effects, Sebastian thought as he contemplated cold-blooded murder.
