“Huh?” Darrell asked, frowning.
Kevin took a deep breath. “If Cpt. Garen’s telling the truth, they need to get their families out of Trendon and away from Rolan before we take this any farther.”
“And if he’s lying and they’re here to assassinate Landis?” Darrell asked.
“Then it’s time for them to go back to Trendon,” Chris said. “Let Rolan deal with them.”
After Darrell and Cpt. Lawrence left, Chris closed the door. “Are you going to discuss this with Rhianna?”
“Not until I figure out how much is truth and how much isn’t.”
“She might object to letting someone from Trendon anywhere near Landis.”
“I know. I’ve got some of those same objections.” Kevin thought for a moment. “If I decide to talk to Landis about Garen’s offer, Rhianna’ll have to be involved, not only in the discussion, but also in the decision. And not only Rhianna. Hayden’s her foster father. He has as much say in this as anyone. I’ll want to hear what Taelor thinks, too. If Garen was around the castle as long as he says he was, I’m sure Taelor knew him and has an opinion of him one way or the other.”
“And Robyn. You said you wanted to talk to him.”
Kevin nodded. “But I’m not getting into this with any of them until I’m satisfied he’s telling me the truth. Until then, he’s not getting anywhere near Landis so there’s no point in bringing any of them in.”
~ ~ ~ ~
The next morning Kevin woke up as soon as the light crept over the mountaintops. He had barely gotten dressed when the door to Chris’s room opened and Chris walked in with two cups of coffee. Between yawns, Chris said, “Thought you might want some coffee before you left for the island.”
“You didn’t have to get up,” Kevin said as he sipped the coffee, “but I’m glad you did. I needed this.”
“I know.” Chris yawned again. “And someone needs to keep an eye on Nikki.”
“She’ll be fine. She’s half-asleep.”
“And in a minute, she and I will both be asleep again, but in my room.” Chris turned up his cup and finished his coffee. “Come on, girl. You’re staying with me for a while.”
Nikki yawned as she stood up and stretched. Then she looked at Kevin and sat back down. “It’s okay, girl,” he said. “Go with Chris and keep him company.”
Nikki got up, slowly walked over to Chris, nudged his leg with her nose, and walked through the connecting door into his room.
“It’s scary how well she understands what we say.” Chris followed her through the door. “See you later.”
Kevin stepped out on the balcony and watched dawn break over the mountains. He hadn’t been out there but a couple of minutes when he realized someone was standing beside him.
“Never gets old, does it,” the gnome said as he watched the dawn. “I hate getting up early in the morning, but it’s worth it to see a sunrise like this one.” Once the sun was up, he looked at Kevin and asked, “You ready to go?”
Kevin glanced around but he didn’t see Dani. “I thought Dani was going with us.”
“He’s here,” King Merdin said.
Kevin nodded and took out his key. As soon as he felt King Merdin’s hand on one leg and Dani’s paw on the other, he turned his key and they left.
The sky was clear and bright when they arrived on the island. King Merdin looked around. “You weren’t kidding. One big rock.”
“I know. The only shelter is a small cave over there in that rock wall.” Kevin motioned towards the wall at the end of the island.
“What’s on the other side of the wall?” King Merdin asked.
“The ocean.”
King Merdin walked around in a small circle looking at the island. “Nothing here but this rock. Ocean on all sides. No plants, no nothing. Dani? Are you picking up anything?”
The Alysian cat made himself visible and shook his head. “Not even a bird. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere quite so deserted. There are some fish swimming around, but that’s all I can find.”
“You can pick up fish?” Kevin asked.
Dani looked at Kevin. “That surprises you. Why?”
Kevin shrugged. “I don’t know. Guess I never thought about it.”
Dani nodded and gazed around the island.
“So, this is where you want to talk to your man,” King Merdin said. “Nice choice. You’re in complete control here. And if he tries anything, you can leave him here.”
“I couldn’t do that. I’d have to take him back, to jail probably, but I couldn’t abandon him here.”
“How did you find this place?”
“Yara showed it to me. I needed a place where I could stash someone overnight while I made other arrangements.”
“So you have left someone here before.”
Kevin hesitated. “Yes, but only after putting in a supply of water, food, and blankets. And we came back to pick him up long before he ran out of anything.”
King Merdin nodded. “You can do the same thing this time if you need to.” After one more glance around the island, he said, “You still want us to meet you here this afternoon?”
Kevin nodded. “I’ll have someone search him for weapons before he comes, so you don’t need to worry about that.”
“If he has any, he won’t be aiming them at us. He won’t even know we’re here.” King Merdin took out his key as Dani stepped beside him and set his paw on King Merdin’s arm. “See you this afternoon.”
After King Merdin and Dani left, Kevin took one last look around the island and then left for home. When he got back, he stretched out on his bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep again.
~ ~ ~ ~
Kevin took Nikki out to the stable and left for the chapel before breakfast. He wanted to talk to Theresa before she got started on her day. When he got to the back porch, he could see the staff in the kitchen getting ready to eat. Unfortunately, Theresa wasn’t there.
He knocked on the door and motioned for Hayley to join him. When she stepped outside, she asked, “Is everything all right?”
Kevin nodded. “I need to speak with Theresa for a minute. Do you know where she is?”
“One of Wanda’s children got sick during the night. Theresa went out there to take care of him.”
“Why didn’t they bring him here?”
“You never know what a child’s come down with, and if it’s something that spreads, we’d rather keep it confined to one family, although with the size of Wanda’s family...”
Kevin nodded. “How do I get to her farm?”
After Hayley told him, she paused. “Those directions won’t help if you use your key though, will they?”
Kevin shook his head. “I’m going to fly. She may already be on her way back, and I’d hate to get things stirred up at Wanda’s if she’s not there.”
Hayley nodded. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Kevin was halfway to Wanda’s when he spotted the buggy heading into town. He lowered himself to the road and waited for Theresa to reach him.
“Going my way?” she asked as she pulled up beside him.
“For a little bit.” Kevin climbed up on the seat. “I need to ask you to do something for me today around lunchtime. Will you be available?”
“As far as I know,” Theresa said. “I need to get a little sleep at some point, but a couple of hours will do it. What do you need?”
“Cpt. Lawrence is going to bring a man to the chapel sometime between noon and one. They’ll need access to one of the small rooms.”
“Why?”
“So Cpt. Lawrence can frisk him and make sure he’s unarmed.”
Theresa’s eyebrows rose. “What’s going on, Kevin?”
Kevin shook his head. “Can you take care of that for me?”
Theresa frowned, but nodded.
“Once Cpt. Lawrence is sure he’s unarmed, he’ll need to leave the man with you until Chris gets there. Chris will use one of the k
eys to meet you on the back porch.”
Theresa let out an exasperated sigh. “I can do it, but I want to know what’s going on.”
“I know, and I’ll explain everything to you, but not now and not here.”
“If not now, when?”
“I need to check some things out before I say anything. Let me figure out what I’m going to do and then we’ll talk.”
“Does this involve Landis?”
Kevin nodded.
“All right. Anything else?”
Kevin shook his head. “I’m not sure whether Cpt. Lawrence will introduce you or not, but the man’s name is Cpt. Garen. I’ll tell Chris you’ll meet him on the back porch around one.”
When Theresa nodded, Kevin took out his key, thanked her, and left.
~ ~ ~ ~
A few minutes before noon, Cpt. Lawrence walked into Fenway’s and glanced around. Petar was at his usual table. A few of the soldiers from the castle were having some scog, and two of the local farmers were eating lunch near the front door. But other than that, the tavern was empty.
As soon as Cpt. Lawrence sat down, Ainsley walked over with a mug of scog. When she set it down, she asked if he was actually going to eat this time.
“I’m sorry about last week, Ainsley,” Cpt. Lawrence said. “It had nothing to do with the food.”
“Then it must have been the conversation. Would you like for me to make sure you’re not disturbed today?”
Cpt. Lawrence grinned. “No, but thanks for offering.”
“So, what can I get for you?”
“Does Callie have any stew on?”
Ainsley nodded. “And it’s good. I had a bowl right before we opened for lunch.”
“How about bread?”
“Should be coming out of the oven any minute. If it’s not ready when I get your stew, I’ll bring you some as soon as she cuts it.”
“Thanks, Ainsley.”
A few minutes after Cpt. Lawrence’s food arrived, so did Cpt. Garen. As he pulled out a chair to sit down, Ainsley walked up with her hands on her hips and glared at him. “You’re not going to ruin his lunch again today, are you?”
Cpt. Garen laughed and shook his head. “I didn’t mean to spoil his appetite last week either.”
“Well, you did. He didn’t eat more than a bite after you left. So if you’re going to sit here, keep your mouth shut till he’s done. I’ll not have Callie getting all upset again thinking her food’s no good.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cpt. Garen said. “You could bring me a mug of scog though.”
“Anything else?” she snapped.
“Bring him some stew and bread,” Cpt. Lawrence said. “He’s in for a busy afternoon.”
“I am?” Cpt. Garen asked, eyes narrowing.
“You are, but we’re not talking about it until I’m done with my lunch.”
Cpt. Garen shrugged. “Looks like I’m eating lunch.”
“Fine. Just be sure you do. Callie doesn’t like it when her food’s wasted.”
After Ainsley brought Cpt. Garen’s lunch out, he and Cpt. Lawrence concentrated on eating. When they’d both finished, Cpt. Garen asked, “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Where are your men?” Cpt. Lawrence asked. When Cpt. Garen frowned, Cpt. Lawrence said, “The ones who followed you in here last week. Where are they?”
“I convinced them I was safe in here, but I imagine they’re somewhere outside watching the doors.”
Cpt. Lawrence nodded. “We’ll be leaving in a few minutes. I want you to find some way to let them know everything’s fine.”
“Where are we going?”
“You wanted to meet with Myron, didn’t you?”
“Are we going to the castle?”
Cpt. Lawrence shook his head as he drank the rest of his scog. “When we leave here, we’ll go to the chapel. After I make sure you’re not carrying any weapons, Chris will take you to meet Myron. I don’t know where, but if I know Myron, it’ll be somewhere private.”
Cpt. Garen took a deep breath and looked at Cpt. Lawrence.
“You can change your mind if you want to. You can walk out the door right now and keep on going, but if you don’t meet with him today, there won’t be a second offer.” Cpt. Lawrence stood up and pushed his chair back under the table. “I don’t mind telling you Cpt. Darrell and I are both against this, but Myron has some questions he wants to ask you. If you’re telling the truth, you have nothing to worry about, but if you’re lying, my advice is for you to walk away right now, and keep on walking until you’re out of Camden.”
Cpt. Garen let out his breath in a long sigh. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 35
Kevin Meets Cpt. Garen
By the time Cpt. Lawrence and Cpt. Garen got to the chapel, Kevin, King Merdin, and Dani were on the island and Chris was on the back porch. Theresa showed Cpt. Lawrence to a small room near the kitchen and pulled the door to after they went in. Then she went out to let Chris know they’d arrived. She’d only been back in front of the little room a couple of minutes when Cpt. Lawrence opened the door and told her Cpt. Garen was ready for Chris.
While Theresa led Cpt. Garen through the kitchen and out the back door, Cpt. Lawrence went out the front door. As he stepped outside, several men approached and by the time he reached the foot of the steps, he was surrounded.
“Where is he?” one of the men asked.
When Cpt. Lawrence didn’t answer, another one said, “Cpt. Garen. What did you do with him?”
Cpt. Lawrence shook his head. Too bad they hadn’t put in an appearance when Cpt. Garen could have explained things. “He’s where he asked to be, meeting with Myron. I suggest you go back to your camp and wait for him there. When he comes back, it won’t be through these doors.”
As Cpt. Lawrence started to walk away, one of the men grabbed his arm. “What do you mean he won’t be coming back out? What have you done to him?”
Cpt. Lawrence stared at the man’s hand on his arm until the man let go. “We haven’t done anything. Myron’s assistant, Chris, was waiting inside with the key. He’s taken Cpt. Garen to see Myron.”
“At the castle?” the first man asked.
Cpt. Lawrence shook his head. “I don’t know where they are, but I do know it’s nowhere around here. The best thing you can do is head back to your camp and wait for Cpt. Garen to join you there. Keep in mind he’s the one who asked for this meeting, not Myron.”
The men didn’t look happy, but they stepped out of the captain’s way. Cpt. Lawrence looked at the man who had spoken first. “I’ve got Cpt. Garen’s dagger.” He took the dagger and sheath Cpt. Garen had been wearing out of his pocket. “Would you give it back to him when you see him?”
The man frowned as he slowly reached out to take it.
Cpt. Lawrence sighed. “He’s meeting with the Master Sorcerer. He won’t need it until he gets back.”
Meanwhile, Chris was getting ready to take Cpt. Garen to the island. “Have you ever traveled by key before?”
Cpt. Garen nodded. “But it was a lifetime ago. I used to accompany Tsareth sometimes.”
“So you know what to expect.”
“Since it’s been so long, it’ll probably upset my stomach, but I’ll be all right after a minute or two.”
“Ready?”
Cpt. Garen nodded and put his hand on Chris’s arm.
A couple of moments later they were on the island. As Cpt. Garen waited for the bit of nausea to pass, he looked around at the barren rock surrounded by sea until his gaze settled on Myron.
“Good afternoon, Cpt. Garen,” Kevin said. “I understand you wish to speak with me.”
Cpt. Garen nodded. “Cpt. Lawrence told you what I told him last week, didn’t he?”
Kevin nodded.
“I imagine you have some questions.”
Again, Kevin nodded. “You say you were sent here to kill me, yet you haven’t tried, or if you have, it wasn’t much of an attempt since I didn’t notice.�
��
A smile tugged at the corner of Cpt. Garen’s mouth. “Or maybe we were good enough you didn’t notice.”
“Which was it?”
Cpt. Garen shrugged. “We did try at first, especially during the first few weeks, but we’re guards, not assassins. We weren’t willing to risk our lives to do Rolan’s dirty work.”
“You don’t like Rolan very much do you?”
“No, and neither do my men.”
“Why? You say you’re loyal to the House of Gergin. He’s the head of that family.”
“Only because he murdered his father and none of his brothers or sisters were strong enough to take the seat away from him.”
“Accusing a man of murder is a serious charge. Do you have any proof?”
Cpt. Garen shook his head. “But I know it all the same. At first, Rolan told us Tsareth decided to drink poison rather than face him in a fair duel, but none of us believed him and he knew it. When no one accepted suicide, Rolan changed his story and said Tsareth was an old man who had died in his sleep. No one believed that one either, but it’s the one he stuck with. Tsareth was perfectly healthy and strong as an ox.” Cpt. Garen shook his head again. “Everyone at the castle knew Rolan murdered him.” After a moment, Cpt. Garen added, “There is one person who might have witnessed it. His name was Taelor. If he’s still alive and if you could find him, he might be able to tell you what happened.”
Myron paused for a moment. “Is he telling the truth?”
“So far everything he’s said is what he believes to be true. Doesn’t mean things happened the way he says though.”
“You told Cpt. Lawrence you and your men want to offer your services to Landis. You know Rolan’s put a bounty on her head. Are you sure you want to step into the line of fire?”
“Absolutely,” Cpt. Garen answered. “We want to see her become the Seated Sorcerer of Brendolanth.”
“But she may not want that.”
Cpt. Garen paused. “She will, once she realizes what Rolan’s done.”
“Is your goal protecting Landis or defeating Rolan?”
“The way I see it, they’re the same thing.”
“No, they’re not. You might need to convince her to go into hiding to keep her safe. Are you willing to do that?”
The Warrior Elf Page 47
