The Channel (The Gifted Book 2) (19 page)

Gaibel looked and nodded.

"So what does this mean for us, going forward?" Randell asked.

Taulin shrugged. "I'm not sure. Possibly nothing, but it's good to know."

"Then I propose we get the spies put away so Gaibel and Lanne can get to the king and we can get out of here before the others arrive," said Randell.

Rhea raised her hand. "I second that."

20
Spies

Gaibel put on the rest of her uniform consisting of an armor vest and her weapons. She pulled on her cloak last. "Beth and I can take care of this."

Taulin stood and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Want any help?"

Gaibel shook her head. "We need to maintain that you don't know us. Besides, I want these swine." Her lip lifted in a slight snarl. The warrior was back. She wasn't a mother; she was a commander in the royal forces.

Rhea saw another opportunity to practice her gift. "I'll help. I'll be back up." She went invisible again.

Gaibel found Rhea's enthusiasm sweet, but warned, "As long as you stay hidden."

"Yes, mother."

Gaibel couldn't see Rhea's grin, but her tone said it all. She laughed and rolled her eyes. "And it starts." She reached for the door. "I'll fill Beth in so she's not surprised if something happens."

"All right."

Gaibel pulled the door open, and they stepped into the hall where Beth waited. "Come with me. We're going to arrest some spies." As they started down the hall, Rhea slipped from the room and followed. Gaibel told Beth that Rhea had the gift to hide under the veil and was currently walking with them. She also mentioned the energy balls. Just in case things got ugly, Gaibel didn't want Beth being surprised if Rhea engaged.

They continued down the stairs towards the lobby. Rhea wondered if Gaibel would share more ... like the part where Rhea was a channel, but she left that out.

Gaibel paused at the bottom of the stairs and scanned the space in front of her. The clerk was sitting in a chair behind the counter, asleep. The two spies sat in the middle of the lobby, holding a quiet conversation. No one else was around.

Gaibel's first inclination was to try and get them outside before taking them into custody, but she hadn't quite figured out a foolproof way to make them follow her. She was relieved to see that the lobby was clear of bystanders, making it possible for her to engage them where they sat.

As they approached the spies, Gaibel and Beth drew their swords and pointed them at the spies. A strong show of force at the start would hopefully prevent the two men from resisting and elevating the situation.

"In the name of King Argeon, I place you under arrest for spying on the king's guards," Gaibel stated. "Stand up and come with us."

At first the men didn't move, they appeared stunned, but that didn't last long. Durth started to laugh as he stood up and smirked. "Just the two of you?"

Rhea slipped behind the men, ready to take them down from the back if they tried to resist.

Berdie's eyes darted between Durth and the two warriors in front of them. He slowly got to his feet, wondering if Durth was going to make him actually fight. Durth's laugh made his blood run cold.

Durth pulled his sword and took a stance that welcomed the two warriors in front of him to try to take him. He cast Berdie a stern look that meant only one thing.

Berdie pulled his sword but did not display the same aggressive body language as his friend.

Gaibel formed an energy ball. "Put them away, and you won't get hurt." She looked dead serious, but Durth wasn't fazed.

Rhea couldn't see the spies faces, but from Durth's body language, she didn't think he was taking Gaibel seriously. Berdie seemed nervous. Just then, Durth lunged at Beth.

Beth shifted right and blocked his jab, bringing the man in closer. She punched him in the face and retreated, ready for the next attack.

Berdie hesitated, not wanting to engage Gaibel.

"Enough of this!" Gaibel threw her energy ball at Durth.

He stood there, not moving for a couple seconds before his knees started to wobble. He went down hard, first to his knees and then onto his face, sprawled on the lobby floor.

Gaibel focused on Berdie while forming another energy ball. "What will it be? Cooperation or do you want to join your friend?"

Berdie dropped his sword and raised his hands in defense. "I didn't want anything to do with following you. He made me, said we needed the money, I swear."

Gaibel motioned with her sword. "Help her pick up your friend. You're going to the guard station."

Berdie stepped over his fallen comrade, and between him and Beth, they hoisted the stunned man, hanging his arms over their shoulders, and dragged him to the door.

Gaibel sheathed her sword, retrieved the ones on the floor and followed them out onto the inn porch.

Rhea followed Gaibel and Beth down the road to the guard tower where the guards quickly rose from their seats and saluted Gaibel when she entered.

~~~

Taulin stood at the window and watched as Gaibel and Beth escorted the spies to the guard station at the other end of the small town. He couldn't see Rhea, but he knew she was there, walking with them, protecting them.

Randell sat on one of the beds and watched Taulin at the window. He could see Taulin's emotions flaring in his aura and wondered what was going on in his head.

Daen stood and reached for Lanne's hand. "Come. Let's make arrangements with the kitchen for provisions." He nodded to Randell as he and Lanne slipped out the door.

Randell nodded back, confirming he was okay.

"I've never met someone like her before," Taulin spoke quietly.

Randell laughed lightly. "No one has."

Taulin turned away from the window and looked at Randell. "Ha! I suppose you're right." He pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. "How long have you known her?"

Randell thought about the time difference between the two worlds and how to explain. "Not long at all. Maybe six days."

Taulin's eyes went wide. "That's all? But she trusts you so completely. How is that possible?"

Randell thought about how to answer. He could only guess as to why Rhea trusted him. "I don't know. Maybe it's because I have nothing to gain by helping her. Or maybe it's because I walked away from my job, my family, my home, and my world to help her. Or maybe she just likes me." Randell gave Taulin one of his goofy half smiles, typically reserved for his students. He didn't want to give the prince a hard time, but he also didn't want Taulin thinking he'd have it easy.

Taulin listened carefully, and in awe, to the sacrifices this man had made and wondered if he could ever do the same. "You love her."

Randell tipped his head to the side and thought about Taulin's declaration. He saw a flicker of pain in Taulin's eyes before the cool princely facade returned. "I care for her, of course, but not in the way you seem to imply. We're related to each other."

A glimmer of hope dance in Taulin's heart, but he quickly smothered it. "But you are distant cousins." He'd known of such matches.

Randell smirked. Should he give Taulin a hard time or open the way for him? He decided he couldn't lie. "True, but I don't see her that way."

Taulin stood and returned to the window to wait for Rhea's return.

Randell smiled inwardly as he watched Taulin at the window and suddenly felt like Rhea's older brother.

~~~

"Throw these two in the cells." The guards took Durth in tow, and Gaibel motioned for Berdie to follow.

When they started to put Durth into one of the first cells, Gaibel stopped them. "No, take him down one more level." She turned to Berdie. "You, in there, now."

Beth followed the guards, with Durth hanging from their shoulders, to the next level where he was unceremoniously dumped in one of the darker and danker cells the tower had to offer. After ensuring the cell door was locked, she returned to Gaibel with the station guards for further instructions.

Gaibel motioned for Beth to stand guard over Berdie in his cell while she interrogated him. The first question wasn't really necessary, but Berdie didn't know. Gaibel wanted to see if he would tell her the truth. "What's your name?"

"Berdie." The answer was quick and truthful. Gaibel was pleased.

Now for a harder question ... this is where prisoners tend to stop talking either out of loyalty or fear. "Who hired you?"

Berdie quivered as he shook his head, not wanting to answer. "Please don't make me say ... please. He'll kill me if I tell. Please don't make me do this."

Gaibel could see that the man was nothing without his friend and in way over his head. She motioned for Beth to step out of the cell as she backed out as well.

She started to shut the cell door when Berdie yelled, "Wait! You're not going to leave me here are you? I didn't do anything?"

"Are you going to answer my questions?" Gaibel raised a brow and glared at the man in the cell.

Berdie sank down on the bench that would serve as his bed. "I can't."

"Fine. Have it your way." Gaibel locked the cell door and turned to the other guards. "The prisoners are to have no food or drink until I return. Is that understood?"

The guards' eyes went wide with disbelief, glancing to each other to see if one had the nerve to argue, but they didn't. They both nodded slowly. "Yes, ma'am."

A voice from behind the cell door whined, "Wait. When will you come back?"

"I have business to attend to," Gaibel replied in a casual tone, "and now that I don't have you following me, I can finish my work. We'll be back in about a month, maybe."

The station guards tried to hide their expression, but it was obvious they were confused.

Berdie wrapped his fingers around the cell door bars. "But I'll starve? You can't do this."

"Well, according to you, you're dead anyway. I don't suppose whoever hired you will be pleased that you got caught."

Berdie started to whimper. "But starving. That's cruel. You can't do that."

"So ... I should kill you now, save on your keep." Her tone conveyed a matter-of-fact attitude.

"No, no! Please! Don't!"

Gaibel turned her back on the cell and was quiet for a moment. Rhea suspected she was pretending to consider his plea, but the expression on her face wasn't consistent with that. She looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"I expect people to earn their keep. You haven't earned anything. In fact," she spun around to face the small, barred opening and Berdie's scared eyes, "you've wasted my time. You owe me a debt." Before Berdie could argue, Gaibel added, "But I'm willing to overlook the debt if you tell me who hired you."

The cell was silent. He didn't come across as a tough guy ready to play chicken with his food and water supply, but his silence cast some doubt. "Do you promise not to tell that I told?"

Was this guy for real?
Rhea was starting to feel sorry for him.

"Well Berdie, I'll promise you this. The man who hired you would have to get past the guards to kill you while you're in here."

There was silence while Berdie considered his options and the likelihood someone would break in to kill him. "I don't know the man's name. Durth met him in Sentran. He's the one who agreed to follow you. He made me come along."

"Thank you. Now, that wasn't so hard was it?"

"So you won't starve me?"

Gaibel laughed. "Oh, I didn't say that. You've just repaid me for my time spent having to arrest you. If you don't want to starve, I'll need more information than that."

"What do you want to know?"

Berdie's voice reminded Rhea of the character Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Low and forlorn. At any minute, she was sure he'd say, "Oh bother." She pressed her hand over mouth to prevent a laugh from escaping.

Gaibel turned to the guards who had been watching with great interest. She waved them on. "Return to your stations." They gave her a nod and quickly exited the cells.

When they were gone, Gaibel continued her interrogation. "Where in Sentran did Durth meet the man who hired you?"

"He didn't hire me," Berdie whined.

"Enough! Answer my question, now!"

There was a pause and a whimper. "He told me Cauhill. I wasn't there. Durth came and got me."

"How did you know to follow us?"

"We got a message from our contact at the castle. They said you were meeting someone, and we were to follow you."

Gaibel hesitated ever so slightly. The castle. There were spies at the castle.
Damn!

"Who are your contacts?"

"Two women. They work in the castle. That's all I know."

Gaibel started to pace. "Did they say who we were meeting?"

"A woman traveling with a man."

"What were you to do when I met with this supposed man and woman?"

"Send a message and continue following you."

Gaibel closed her eyes, tipped her head back, and took a deep quiet breath before returning her attention to Berdie. "Have you reported yet?"

Berdie shook his head. "No."

Gaibel lunged at the door, putting her face inches from the opening. "Liar! You sent a bird last night."

Berdie groaned. "It wasn't me. It was Durth. He sent the bird."

"What did he report?"

"It weren't nothing about you."

Gaibel slammed the sword she took from Durth against the small opening, causing Berdie to jump back. "What did he report?"

There was another pause.

"Berdie? You were doing so well. Now you are wasting my time again."

"But I didn't see the note," Berdie quickly blurted out.

"But you know what it said."

Berdie groaned. "Durth said he sent word that three of King Craen's heirs were in Taulomi and that Prince Taulin was still here with a guardian, a man, and a woman."

"Have you received word back?"

Silence.

"Berdie!"

"Yes, ma'am, sir, ma'am. Durth got a message back. He has it."

Gaibel whispered to Beth to retrieve the message from Durth's unconscious body.

"What did it say?"

"Durth said they were sending someone. I don't know what they plan on doing. Durth says he doesn't know."