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The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3)

Page 69

by Mackenzie Morgan


  The aroma of fresh baked bread floated out the door and hit Kevin right in the face. “I need to speak with Theresa, but I’d love a bit of that bread if you could spare it. I just realized I haven’t had lunch, and that bread smells wonderful.”

  Hayley laughed and held the door open for him. “Let me find Theresa and then I’ll make you a sandwich. You can eat while you talk.”

  A few minutes later, Kevin was seated at the kitchen table with a chicken sandwich and a large glass of milk. He ate while Theresa finished up with a patient, and by the time she joined him, he was done.

  “Could we walk while we talk?” Theresa asked. “I haven’t been outside all day.”

  Kevin finished the last swallow of milk. “Hayley, that sandwich hit the spot. Thanks.”

  As Hayley laughed and cleared the table, Kevin and Theresa headed out back.

  After they were out of earshot of the chapel, Theresa said, “Okay, what’s up?”

  Kevin told her about Gwendolyn’s visit.

  Theresa shook her head. “I bet Elin’s scared to death. And Chris probably isn’t feeling a whole lot better.”

  “I know.”

  “You are going to go get them, aren’t you?”

  Kevin nodded.

  “How can I help?”

  “By being there when I bring them back. They may be fine, but they may not, and I’d like for you to be there, to check them out.”

  Theresa nodded. “I don’t have any plans to go anywhere. Where do you want me? At the castle?”

  Kevin shook his head. “Not yet. I’ll let you know when I go.”

  “Just let me know where you want me and when,” Theresa said. “I’ll be there.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Kevin went straight to his bedroom from the chapel. He opened one the drawers in his dresser and felt around under his tunics until he found the little leather pouch with King Merdin’s chimes. He took out the chimes and put the pouch back in the drawer. Then, after hanging the chimes on his balcony, he went to find Laryn and Steve.

  Laryn was another potential target for Gwendolyn, and he wanted her away from the castle, too. He checked their house, but they weren’t there. His next stop was the kitchen, to see if anyone there had seen them.

  “They were in here not fifteen minutes ago,” Miranda said as she stirred something in a big pot, “looking for you.”

  “Do you know where they went?”

  “Have you tried your office?”

  Kevin shook his head.

  “I’d try that next if I were you.” She turned to the vegetables on the counter and picked up a big knife. “Shame what’s happened to Elin and Chris.” Miranda punctuated each word with a solid whack of her knife as she chopped some onions. “Wish that woman had shown up in here,” she muttered, accompanied by more whacks. “I know how to use this knife for more than cutting up food.” Whack, whack. “Just let her show up again.” Whack, whack.

  Kevin grinned as he backed out of the kitchen.

  Next, he headed for his office. He was almost there when Steve and Laryn walked out of Karl’s office.

  “Where have you been?” Laryn asked. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

  “I’ve been a lot of places.” Kevin opened the door to his reception area and motioned for them to go in. “Let’s talk in my office.”

  After Laryn and Steve were inside, Kevin shut the door and walked around to his chair. “You’ve heard what happened?”

  “We heard Gwendolyn showed up, grabbed Elin, demanded you return some key and hand over Marcus. Chris tried to grab Elin, but Gwendolyn turned her key, so he’s gone, too,” Steve said. “Is that about right?”

  Kevin nodded.

  “Where are the pages?” Laryn asked. “Joan said you took them to a horse farm. Anyone I know?”

  Kevin laughed. “They’re with Shadron. Marcus is up there, too.”

  “Cameryn, too?”

  “No, I took her to stay with Allisandra.”

  “You could have left her with Kayla, you know.”

  “I thought about it, but I think Cameryn needs a distraction, and the baby will provide it.”

  Laryn nodded. “Good idea.” Then she laughed. “It’s not like Allisandra won’t love the help.”

  “I’m surprised Marcus agreed to go to Shadron’s,” Steve said.

  “He didn’t want to. He said I should turn him over to Gwendolyn if it would help get Chris and Elin back.”

  Laryn frowned. “She’d kill him.”

  “I know. So does he. Anyway, I told him I wasn’t going to be forced to do anything, and that this is just a game to her, one she’s not going to win.”

  “So you do have a plan,” Laryn said.

  “Well, it’s not fully formed yet, but I’m working on it. And if that one doesn’t pan out, I’ll come up with something else,” Kevin said. “But I need you two to do something for me.”

  “Anything,” Steve said as Laryn nodded.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” Kevin said with a grin. “I want you two to pack a bag for a couple of weeks. You’re going on a belated honeymoon.”

  “Honeymoon?” Laryn asked, frowning.

  “Are you sure that’s what you want?” Steve asked.

  Kevin nodded.

  “All right,” Steve said.

  Laryn shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere until someone tells me what’s going on.”

  “A honeymoon is a trip newlyweds make after the wedding. It’s a time for them to be off by themselves,” Steve explained. “Most couples on Earth go away for a week or two to some romantic place.” He looked at Kevin. “Where are we going? Might be good to know before we pack.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Laryn said. “Myron needs me here. He doesn’t have Chris, he doesn’t have any pages, someone has to help out in here.”

  Kevin folded his hands together and put them on top of his desk. “Laryn, I need you to do this for me. You and Steve are very important to me, and everyone knows it. I’m going to get Chris back, and Elin too, and when I do, Gwendolyn’s going to be really angry. I don’t want anyone around here she can use as a hostage. That’s why the pages are gone, that’s why Marcus is gone, and as of tomorrow morning, the playground’s going to be shut down. She is not going to grab a couple of those kids to use as hostages. I need everyone who’s vulnerable out of here, and you are.”

  Laryn didn’t say anything, so Kevin continued. “She hates the House of Nordin. I don’t know why, and I don’t care, but she does. And you are the only member of the family she can go after without taking a good chance at getting herself killed.” Kevin looked into his aunt’s eyes. “You know I’m right. I need to be able to concentrate on defeating her without having to worry about your safety.”

  After a moment, Laryn nodded. “I understand, and I’ll go along with it, but if you need to talk, if you need me for anything, you’ll come get me, right? Do I have your word on that?”

  “Absolutely,” Kevin said. “But for right now, I want you away from here.”

  “You still haven’t said where we’re going,” Steve said as he stood up.

  “How does Rainbow Valley sound to you?”

  Steve grinned. “Can we stay in the caves?”

  Kevin nodded. “Just be sure you go see Glendymere. He wanted me to bring you out there right after you got married, but things kept getting in the way.”

  “I take it he approves?” Steve asked. “Otherwise, I’d rather not see him.”

  “Oh, he approves. In fact, he’s taking credit for it, said it was because of the pendant he gave you.”

  Steve frowned and pulled his pendant out from under his tunic. “This one?”

  Kevin nodded. “Remember when he gave them to us? He told us what they meant. What did he say about yours?”

  Steve shook his head. “There were two parts, one for each stone. Let me think.” After a moment he said, “One was for vision. I don’t think that’s the one he means though. He sai
d the other would heal my heart.”

  Laryn nodded. “The amethyst.”

  “Okay,” Steve said. “Well, shall we go get packed?”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  While Kevin was waiting for Steve and Laryn to pack, he went down to Cryslyn’s office. Her door was open and she and Serra were bent over some account books. Kevin knocked on the open door and walked in.

  “I heard what happened this morning,” Cryslyn said. “I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this. It’s not right.”

  “No, it’s not,” Kevin agreed.

  “What can we do to help?” Serra asked.

  “For one thing, keep everyone out of my office,” Kevin said. “I don’t want any of the staff to go in there unless I’m there, not to clean, not to empty trash cans, not to do anything. I don’t want to take the chance she might come back and grab someone else.”

  Cryslyn nodded. “I understand. I’ll see to it.”

  “And I’d like to close the playground until this mess is settled.”

  Serra’s mouth dropped open, but she closed it and nodded. “I’ll take care of it when the parents pick their children up this afternoon.”

  “Then you better get out there,” Cryslyn said. “It’s time for some of them to be picked up.”

  Serra nodded, got up, and left the office.

  “Anything else?” Cryslyn asked.

  “I’m probably overreacting, but I want you to keep all the staff away from the family quarters, too.”

  Cryslyn frowned. “But your room will need to be straightened up and cleaned, and your clothes will need to be washed.”

  “I can live with a little dust and dirt. She’s already got two people I care about. I don’t aim to let her have any more. As for my clothes? I’ll bring any clothes that need to be washed down here and give them to you. No one needs to go upstairs to get them. And I can pick up after myself. I even know how to use a broom and dust cloth. Just please, keep your staff away from my office and out of the family quarters.”

  Cryslyn took a deep breath and sighed. “All right. But as soon as this thing gets settled, and I know it will, we’re going to give your room a good cleaning, and your office too, and at that point, I’m going to be telling you to stay out of the way.”

  “Deal.” Kevin stood up to leave. “And Cryslyn?” When she looked up and met his eyes, he said, “Thanks for understanding.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  After Kevin left Cryslyn’s office, he headed back to the kitchen. Miranda had finished with the vegetables she’d been chopping and moved on to making bread. Her hands were in dough up to her elbows.

  “If you want something, you’ll have to get it yourself,” she said when Kevin walked in. “I’m a bit busy at the moment.”

  “Where’s your help?” Kevin poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot she kept on the stove.

  “I gave them a few hours off. They were upset about that mess this morning and needed to get away for a while. They’ll be back soon.”

  “You need an assistant,” Kevin said. “Will you at least consider it?”

  “I’ll let you know when I’m ready for one.” Miranda kept kneading the dough. “Now, is there something else? Or did you just want some coffee?”

  “I need to ask you to do something for me.”

  “What?”

  “You know I’ve sent the pages away.”

  Miranda nodded.

  “And you know how you like to look after everyone.”

  Miranda frowned, stopped working, and looked up at Kevin. “What do you mean?”

  Kevin pointed to the coffee pot. “You keep a pot of coffee on the stove all day long, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drink a cup.”

  Miranda shrugged and went back to work. “I prefer tea, but most folks around here like coffee, so yes, I keep a pot ready.”

  “You take care of people. You make special desserts for Chris. You send me fruit and cheese every morning. You look after us.”

  “All right. Your point?”

  “I don’t want you to send me anything until I get this mess sorted out.”

  Miranda looked at Kevin. “What?”

  “Don’t fix a tray and send it down to the office or up to my room. Don’t send me a cup of coffee first thing in the morning either.”

  Miranda frowned. “A lot of the time you’re too busy to eat during meals. Why shouldn’t I send you something? Chris isn’t here. The pages aren’t here. How else are you going to get something?”

  “I’ll come get it myself. Look, Gwendolyn could decide to make another visit. I don’t want any of your staff caught in the middle of this.”

  “Oh,” Miranda said softly. “I hadn’t thought about that. Why would she bother with someone from the kitchen?”

  “I don’t know that she would, but I also don’t know that she wouldn’t. There’s a good chance I’ll make her angry before this is over, and I don’t know what she might do, so keep your staff away from my office, my room, and me. If I want something, I’ll come get it. Can I count on you to let me get my own stuff and keep your staff away from me?”

  “If that’s what you want, I guess I can go along with it. For now.”

  “Thanks.” Kevin set his empty coffee cup in the sink. “See you later.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Kevin took Nikki up to his room after dinner. He’d gone to the dining room mainly so the staff would know he was there. He pushed his food around on the plate a bit, but that was about it.

  When he picked up Nikki’s brush, her tail started wagging so hard her whole body shook. He moved the coffee table out of the way and sat down on the floor with his back against the couch. Nikki settled down beside him and pawed at the hand holding the brush.

  “Okay, girl,” Kevin said as he started brushing her. “Let me tell you about the day I’ve had.”

  As Kevin went through his day, he reviewed the precautions he’d taken and tried to think of anything he might have overlooked. Finally he asked, “Can you think of anything I left out? Of anyone else I need to get out of here?”

  When he heard a voice say, “No, I think that about covers it,” he jumped up and spun around. His parents were standing beside the couch.

  “Oh!” Kevin said as he stepped back. “You startled me!”

  Badec grinned. “Guess you were too busy with your dog to notice when we came in.” He glanced towards Nikki. “Nice looking dog, but not much of a watchdog.”

  “Maybe she just doesn’t sense spirits,” Yvonne said, holding her hand out towards Nikki’s face. “Some dogs do, some don’t. Just like people.”

  “Well, let’s hope she’ll let you know if someone alive comes in,” Badec said with a bit of a huff.

  “She would,” Kevin said defensively, petting her head.

  “Never mind your father.” Yvonne elbowed Badec, which looked strange since her elbow went straight into his body. “She’s a lovely dog, and it’s always possible she realizes we’re no threat, therefore she doesn’t need to warn us off. At any rate, I’m sure you’ll enjoy her.”

  Badec’s face turned serious. “Sorry about what happened earlier today.”

  “Did you see it?”

  “No, but we sensed something had happened, so we started listening. Good idea getting the rest of the pages and that young sorcerer out of the way.”

  Kevin laughed. “You realize he’s a good ten years older than I am, right?”

  “You are planning to do something about this, aren’t you? Some way of getting Chris and the girl back?” Badec asked.

  Kevin nodded. “I’m working on a plan.”

  “You’d be within your rights if you marched into her castle and tossed a few energy bolts around.”

  Kevin shook his head. “I can’t do that. There’s no way I could just walk in and kill her.”

  “I couldn’t do that either, but I sure could cause a bit of damage,” Badec said.

  “That I might be able to do, but I’ve got something else i
n mind I’d like to try first.” After a moment, he added, “Of course if she’s hurt Chris or Elin, I might reconsider my no-kill position.”

  “Whatever you decide to do, she has it coming, up to and including killing her. She crossed a line when she barged into your office and snatched your page, never mind your assistant.”

  Kevin nodded his agreement.

  “There’s not a sorcerer on the council who wouldn’t stand behind you on this one, son. No one wants to think another sorcerer could use that key to invade their homes.”

  Yvonne nodded. “You can’t let her get by with this. It puts everyone at risk.”

  “There must be some serious consequences,” Badec said. “You have to protect not only the sanctity of your home, but the sanctity of the other sorcerers’ homes as well.”

  “I know.”

  Badec nodded. “Time’s about up for this visit, but before I go, I want to thank you for getting my sister out of harm’s way.” As his image began to fade, he added, “Just remember, it won’t do anyone any good if you go and get yourself killed. Watch your back around her, and if she gives you even half a reason, don’t hesitate to kill her. She wouldn’t think twice about killing you.”

  After they were gone, Kevin and Nikki walked out on the balcony. The sky was clear and there was a chill in the air. He could hear the soft crunch of the frozen ground as the guards made their rounds.

  He gazed towards the faint shadows of the mountains in the east. Far past those mountains, across the ocean, on the other side of Terah, Chris was waiting. Kevin tried to throw his thoughts as far out there as he could, “Hang in there, Chris. I’m coming.”

  Chapter 74

  Meanwhile in Landoryn

  While Kevin was getting ready for bed, Chris was waking up to clanging and shouted orders. He felt like he had just closed his eyes when the guards started banging on the bars telling everyone to line up.

  Once they were all lined up next to the cell bars, a guard went down the line with a bucket and a small dipper. Each captive got one dipper full of water, and from what Chris’s cellmates had told him the night before, that would be all the water they’d get until evening. Water came twice a day. Food, in the form of a piece of bread and some moldy cheese, came once every two days.

 

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