The Channel (The Gifted Book 2) (14 page)

"You'll need fresh horses." Taulin glanced to Daen and received confirmation with a simple nod. "We brought five extra horses when we arrived. If the stable doesn't have others more rested, then you can take them. They weren't ridden hard the second half of the day."

Daulr was giving Kaurl and Taulin the eye, like a mother would give her children when she suspected they had been up to something.

Kaurl smiled with understanding. "I'll fill you in on the ride." He turned his attention back to Taulin. "If what Randell suggests is true, King Argeon might need a representative from Laundan to confirm that we're not attacking. You stay. Go to the courts if you have to. Meanwhile, I'll look into the trouble in the south."

Kaurl stood to leave. "Daulr, get some food and send some out to your men. We leave within the hour." He nodded to his dinner guests. "It's been a pleasure. Daen, come visit us soon." He left the dining room.

Daulr stood to do as her brother ordered. "It was nice meeting you." She nodded to Rhea and Randell. "Daen, I will give Mother your best." She winked at him. "Taulin, will you join me?"

"In a moment," he said.

Daulr left the room to seek provisions for her and her team.

15
Family

Randell leaned forward and casually reached for the pitcher. "Don't look now, but we're being watched," he whispered. From where he was sitting, he could see most of the room.

Of course, anytime someone says 'don't look,' that's all you want to do. It took effort, but Rhea refrained.

Daen didn't have much luck either. He leaned back as if to relax, his eyes dancing around the room and returning to Randell. "Where?"

"Far side of the room near the front window, two men, they were here when we came in. I've been trying to get a read on them without tipping them off, but there's too much activity between us. I would have to try too hard and risk being noticed. They've been way too interested in what's going on at this table."

"I wonder if they're the same men Lanne suspected." Rhea still hadn't looked across the room, and it was killing her.

"Most likely." Daen finished his ale. "Shall we settle our tab and go see Lanne and Gaibel?" Daen didn't wait for an answer but stood and laid some coins on the table.

While they moved toward the dining room exit, Rhea casually looked around the room, scanning over the men at the table by the window. When they reached the lobby, she stopped Daen. "I'll join you shortly in your room. I want to investigate our potential spies. Then, we can see Lanne and Gaibel, okay?"

Daen wasn't sure he liked the idea of Rhea risking herself but then remembered her ability to disappear. "Be careful."

Taulin had taken a few steps past them but turned to see why they'd stopped. "What are you planning?"

Rhea glanced over her shoulder to the dining room before answering. "A little investigative work."

Taulin's face flashed with the same expression as Daen's, but he held back his protest. "Fine. I need to make sure Daulr and her men are set with the horses. I'll see you in Room 12 shortly?" He raised a brow in question.

Daen nodded. "Check my room first before knocking on 12."

"Don't give them the horse I was riding," Rhea quickly added. "I've grown fond of him."

Taulin smiled and nodded.

Rhea watched Taulin leave through the front door of the inn. The glass in the doors afforded a perfect view as he crossed the road and approached Daulr and her men.

Daen and Randell turned towards the stairs, and Rhea stepped into a small alcove. When no one was looking, she disappeared, just before the two men in question stepped out of the dining room.

~~~

Daulr was paying a server from the kitchen for the provisions she'd just procured when Taulin approached.

"Thank you. And here's something for you." She tipped the boy and sent him on his way.

"That was fast." Taulin watched as the boy ran around the back of the building.

"I ordered food that travels well. It was easy for them to pull it together." She pulled out an apple before handing the provisions to Bandon to share with the men. "We have a long ride ahead of us. Where are those horses you mentioned?"

Taulin motioned towards the stables across the road. "Right this way."

~~~

Rhea quietly slipped in behind the men who had been watching them during their meal but didn't get too close. Memories of Gauvin turning and grabbing her flashed through her mind. She needed to be careful.

As quietly as she could, she walked up to the two men as if to ask them a question. If they could see through her disguise, she didn't want them thinking she was trying to be covert.

Neither of the men reacted. That was good. It was working.

The first man, the larger of the two, looked around. "They must have gone to their rooms."

"What about the women from King Argeon's court?" The second one asked.

"They're in Room 12. I checked with the clerk earlier."

Rhea's jaw dropped. Apparently, they didn't have privacy laws in Luxatra.

"I don't like what's going on." the second man whined his concern. "What are three of King Craen's heirs doing here? They must suspect something."

The larger man nodded.

The whiny man twisted his fingers. "What do you want to do now? Stay with King Argeon's people or follow the Laundan people?"

"Our orders are to follow Argeon's people until they meet with a man and woman who are supposed to be arriving any day now. But it couldn't hurt to check out the Laundan group. Let's find out what rooms they're staying in. Maybe it'll be worth something."

Both men stepped to the counter. "Three men and a woman checked in an hour or two ago. They asked us to meet them in their room but forgot to give us the room number." The larger man winked. "Too much ale, if you know what I mean."

The clerk behind the counter nodded. "Rooms 7, 9, and 11."

The first man laid a few coins on the counter.

The clerked looked around to see if anyone was watching and quickly pocketed the coins as the two men stepped away.

"What do we do now?" the smaller whiny man asked quietly.

"Let's go see if we can hear anything through their room doors." He headed for the stairs, and Rhea followed.

When they reached the top of the stairs, the men hesitated, peeking around the corner before proceeding. They stopped at Room 7, and the larger man pressed his ear to the door while the whiny man kept watch.

Rhea held her breath.
Was Kaurl still in there?

"I don't hear anything," the larger man whispered.

"Try the next." The whiny man looked anxious, like he wanted his colleague to hurry.

Rhea's heart started to race. She was on the verge of panic. The next room was where Daen and Randell were waiting for her. What if they were talking about Room 12 or the king or anything else that would give these guys a clue as to who they really were?

The larger man leaned close to the door but then shook his head.

Rhea almost sighed aloud, catching herself before she made a sound.

The larger man went to the next room, Room 11. Rhea relaxed. That was her room so, obviously, nothing would be heard.

The whiny man started to wring his fingers again as he looked up and down the hall. "Hurry up. We've pressed our luck too far."

The larger man stepped away from Rhea's door. "The only way out of here is through the lobby. Let's go make ourselves comfortable. We'll just have to wait them out."

Rhea held herself close to the wall as they passed by. When they were out of sight, she thanked her little energy helpers and became visible before knocking on the door of Room 9.

~~~

Randell flopped onto his bed and threw his arm over his eyes. He was exhausted. His internal clock was telling him it was time for bed, but the Luxatran clock said differently. The bed wasn't as comfortable as the beds at home, but they sure beat sleeping on a pile of hay, which he'd done twice since being here.

Daen paced the length of the room, from door to window and back again.

Without looking, Randell knew what Daen was doing. "You're making me tired just
listening
to you." He turned and watched him pace to the window again. "She'll be careful."

"I just wish she'd hurry up." Daen stopped pacing suddenly as his eyes flew to the door.

Randell, noticing the silence, lifted his arm from his eyes. "What is it?"

"Shh." Daen crept slowly to the door and listened.

Randell stood and watched, waiting for Daen to tell him something.

Daen motioned for Randell to join him at the door but pressed a finger to his lips.

Together, they listened to the whispers and shuffling of feet on the other side. Two male voices, whispering about something ... Daen couldn't tell what. A moment later, they were gone.

Randell stepped further into the room. "Who do you think that was?"

Daen shrugged as he went to sit on his bed. He'd just sat down when there was a knock on the door and the hiss of a voice. "It's me."

Daen let Rhea in. "What did you learn?"

"They were following Lanne and Gaibel but have taken an interest in us. They think we're Laundan people."

Randell nodded. "That makes sense."

Daen grinned. "That could work to our advantage later, we'll see. Where are they now?"

"Waiting in the lobby. They think the only way out of here is past them. I don't know who they plan on following, but if they see us with Lanne and Gaibel, they'll suspect that King Argeon and King Craen are working together."

Daen stepped towards the door. "Let's go bring Lanne and Gaibel up to speed."

~~~

Kaurl joined his brother and sister in the stables, his gear ready to be strapped to his saddle. "What haven't you told me?" He asked Taulin.

Taulin started and turned to face his brother. "What do you mean?" He knew exactly what Kaurl was after, but he was torn between the trust Rhea had in him and his loyalty to his family and realm. Of course, if he felt Laundan was in danger, by all means he would talk, but what he'd experienced with Rhea, Daen, and Randell … that information seemed personal for some reason.

Kaurl studied Taulin's face, his eyes, trying to see into his thoughts.

"You don't have that gift, remember?"

Kaurl waved his arm. "Ha! I can still read you, gift or not."

"Oh? And what is it you see?" Taulin knew he was pushing his luck. Kaurl was heir to the throne and could make Taulin's life miserable if he wanted to.

"You seem to have ... I don't know ... they mean more to you than I would expect for having only joined them at the end of a fight."

Taulin shrugged. "Really?"

"What happened?"

Taulin could see the concern in Kaurl's eyes. "You needn't be concerned."

"How do you know? What happened to make you trust them so much? I can understand if you remembered Daen, but you don't. Something happened to connect you to him and his companions."

Taulin didn't respond as he tried to think of an answer to his brother's question.

Kaurl ran his fingers through his hair and tugged. "Taulin, I'm about to leave you alone with them. Daen I trust, but if I could just be sure you were going to be all right …"

Taulin knew he couldn't torture his brother any longer. There was some information he could share and not add to his worry. "After the battle, we took to the forest trails. While we were resting, we were attacked and Rhea saved me ... us."

"Attacked? How?"

"From a distance. Someone tried to kill us."

"Someone knows we're here. They were trying to assassinate you. You're coming with me."

"No. You were right from the start. Someone needs to stay behind, try to show that Laundan does not want war. Besides, from what Rhea said, I don't think they were shooting for me specifically. I just happened to be there at the wrong time."

Kaurl stiffened and his eyes went wide. "Are they after Daen?"

As soon as his explanation left his lips, Taulin knew he'd said too much. "I don't know who they were truly after, or why, but that doesn't matter. I'm staying."

Kaurl and Taulin locked eyes just as Daulr joined them. "Well, don't you two look like you're about to make a scene? Spill it."

Both men turned their glare on her.

Daulr threw her hands up in defense. "Fine. But we're ready to go when you are." She turned to join her team.

"Daulr." Kaurl called her back but kept his eyes on Taulin. "Assign Bandon to Taulin. I don't want him here alone."

"Wait! I don't need a watchdog."

"Hey. He's no watchdog. You'd be lucky to have him. He's one of my best." Daulr crossed her arms over her puffed-up chest.

"You either take Bandon or come with us." Kaurl whispered.

It was times like this Taulin wished he wasn't the little brother. He hesitated, but realized he wasn't going to win this argument. "Fine."

Daulr dropped her arms and turned to her team. "Bandon! Unpack your horse. You're staying with Taulin."

16
Rendezvous

When they knocked on Room 12's door, they were greeted by the unfamiliar woman, the one who'd been dining with Lanne and Gaibel. Behind the woman, Lanne and Gaibel stood to greet them.

Within seconds, Lanne had her arms wrapped around Rhea in a lung-crushing hug. "It's so good to finally be able to hug you." She pulled back, leaving her hands on her shoulders and took in Rhea's face and hair and smile. "You are lovelier in person."

Lanne didn't waste time with her own interests in Rhea but, instead, let go of her shoulders and stepped back, putting Rhea face to face with her biological mother, Gaibel.

Gaibel's body twitched as she held herself at bay, keeping herself from grabbing the young woman who didn't know her, who had grown up knowing only one mother, and it wasn't her. Years of training, of hiding her feelings, of being a commander of men and women in the king's forces battled against the emotions that now threatened to spill forward.

Rhea looked into Gaibel's eyes and saw the sadness and pain she was experiencing. She could see Gaibel's body screaming the need to lunge forward and take Rhea into her arms. Slowly, Rhea opened her arms to invite her mother to her.