The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3) (32 page)

Kevin sighed, set the messages down, and looked at Rigel. “I know I’m supposed to take you with me, but when I get ready to go, I just go. I’m not trying to give you trouble. I had other things on my mind and I didn’t think about it.”

Rigel shook his head. “It’s when you have other things on your mind that you need us the most.”

For a couple of minutes the two men looked at each other. Finally Rigel said, “We need to come up with a new system. Our telling you that you need to take us with you and your agreeing to do it isn’t working.”

Kevin looked down at his desk. He was really getting tired of having this conversation. He looked up and gave one quick nod. “I agree. Find Darrell, Alek, and Chris and tell them I want to see all of you. We’re going to get this settled right now.”

Rigel slowly left the room.

Ten minutes later, Darrell, Chris, and both bodyguards were seated in front of Kevin’s desk. “Rigel made a good point a little while ago,” Kevin began. “He said we need to come up with a system we can all agree on as far as this bodyguard thing goes.”

Darrell nodded. “You keep heading off without them.”

“I do,” Kevin agreed. “And that’s not going to change.” Both Chris and Darrell looked like they were going to say something, so Kevin held up his hand to stop them. “It’s not going to change. Accept it. Look, it was different when there was a risk of a major magic war if something happened to me, but that’s been taken care of, so that’s not a problem anymore.”

“But we still don’t want anything happening to you,” Darrell insisted.

“I don’t either, and while I’ll agree there are times when it’s prudent to have someone watch my back, most of the time it’s not only unnecessary, it’s detrimental. What does it say about the Master Sorcerer if he can’t leave home without someone watching over him, protecting him? Think about the message that sends. It tells the whole world that I’m weak, an easy target, and contrary to what seems to be the popular opinion around here, I’m not, and I’d rather not give that impression.”

Chris frowned. “He has a point.”

“Not much of one,” Darrell mumbled.

“Darrell, I’m a sorcerer. Granted an arrow can take me out, but if they don’t get me with the first one, they won’t get a second chance. And I’d be willing to bet most would-be assassins know that. In fact, I’d bet most of them know that unless I’m really distracted, they won’t get me with the first one either. And the same goes for an energy bolt.”

Rigel nodded. “It’s for the distracted part that you need us.”

“I’ll agree, but only to a point. There’s mildly distracted and then there’s serious distraction. I don’t need anyone when I’m mildly distracted by conversation or stray thoughts. If I’m seriously distracted, like when I’m trying to calm a storm, or repair damage, or investigate a scene like we saw in Syrando, then yes, I need someone around to watch my back. And I have no problem taking you then, but the rest of the time, no.”

“What does Laryn think about this?” Darrell asked.

“I haven’t asked her,” Kevin answered. “And at this point, and I don’t mean this in a disrespectful manner, it’s not her decision.”

Both Darrell and Chris squirmed in their seats, not pleased with the way the conversation was going. Rigel and Alek had different ways of showing their displeasure. They had both gone rigid.

Kevin sighed. “Look, I know all you want to do is keep me alive, and while I appreciate the sentiment, I can’t go along with it the way you want me to. Let’s be realistic for a moment. Take my trip today. I went to see Warren, a powerful sorcerer in his own right. No one other than Chris and Warren knew I was going to be there. What are the chances someone was hiding in Walnut Springs on the off-chance I might drop by?”

“Well, there’s a hole in that argument,” Darrell said.

“What?”

“I’d be willing to bet there’s a note on the calendar on Chris’s desk that you’d be in Walnut Springs today.” Darrell glanced over at Chris, who nodded. “There’s no telling who might have seen it. Rolan had a spy in this castle at some point. Who’s to say there’s not one here now? Maybe the same one, maybe a different one, maybe more than one. Word of that trip could have spread halfway round Terah. So yeah, someone may have been hiding in Walnut Springs, waiting for you to drop by Warren’s house.”

“Okay. You have a valid point about the calendar. We’ll address that in a minute. But keep in mind Warren’s a sorcerer. It would be suicide for anyone to try to take me out while I’m with another sorcerer. Unless the assassin can find a way to get us both with one shot, he’ll end up dead.”

“True, but we can’t rule suicide missions out,” Darrell argued. “We don’t know what pressure some of these assassins may be under to get the job done.”

Chris held his hand out for them to stop. “Okay, how about this for a compromise.” When he had everyone’s attention, he looked at Darrell and said, “Kevin’s going to go places on his own, whether we like it or not. That’s just the way it is.” Then he looked over at Kevin. “You’re taking risks, and by doing that, you’re putting all of us at risk.” Then he leaned back in his chair. “What we have to do is reduce the risks while still letting Kevin be the Master Sorcerer. So, I’m going to leave the minor stuff off the calendar, and those things he can do on his own. The more important things, like the trips to Glenarbour, go on the calendar. Anything on the calendar from now on is official, and Kevin agrees to take a bodyguard on those trips. Can we all agree to that plan?”

“I get some say as to what you write down?” Kevin asked.

“Absolutely.”

“And we have full access to the calendar?” Darrell asked.

Chris nodded and looked over at Rigel and Alek. “And that way you don’t have to wait for Kevin to tell you he’s going someplace. You can see it for yourselves, know when and where, decide who’s going with him, and ambush him in his office to make sure you’re with him when he leaves.”

“So we’re only responsible for the stuff on the calendar?” Alek asked.

Kevin and Chris both nodded. Darrell was still frowning.

“What’s the problem?” Chris asked.

“I’d like some input on the type of stuff that gets left out, but my main concern is emergencies. I don’t want him heading off to disaster areas without bodyguards, and there’s precious little warning about those things. How can I be sure he’ll have a bodyguard with him at those times?”

“Good point.” Chris stood up, walked over to the door, and opened it. “Ariel, I’d like to see all the pages for a moment, please.”

While they waited for the pages, Chris turned to Darrell. “We find out about those things through messages, and since the pages read them first, they know about disasters before we do, even if it’s only by seconds.”

Once the pages were in Kevin’s office, Chris said, “New rule. As soon as a message comes in about any kind of disaster, whether it’s a bad storm, a slaver raid, or anything else that needs Myron’s attention, I want one of you to notify the guard office. If Cpt. Darrell is there, tell him. If not, leave word with his office to find him and let him know. It’s not your responsibility to find him and tell him yourself. He’ll leave instructions about that with his staff. Any questions?”

Ariel shook his head. “I assume this also holds for messages that come in for the Governor’s Office or the General’s Office, right?”

Darrell nodded. “And if you’re not sure whether something should be considered an emergency or not, notify me. Myron’s life may depend on it.”

A look of alarm flickered over Ariel’s face, but before it could settle, it was replaced by his usual calm confidence. He nodded and asked, “Anything else?”

When Chris shook his head, Ariel motioned for the pages to return to the outer office. After they left, he pulled the door to.

“He’s good,” Darrell said. “You’ll miss him when he leaves. Any idea what he’s planning to do after he ages out of this job?”

Chris shook his head. “I hope he hangs around for a few more years, at least until he has one of the others trained to take his place. Isak’s good, and he could do it, but he doesn’t want to be in charge and I don’t want to force the issue. Cameryn’s a possibility, but she’s not as strong as I’d like for her to be. And Elin’s too immature and flighty.”

“Give her time. She may grow into it,” Darrell suggested.

Chris shook his head. “She may, but I doubt it. Anyway, are we in agreement now? The bodyguards cover anything on the official calendar and all emergencies and disasters. And Kevin can go visit his sorcerers, friends, and family on his own as long as he doesn’t make his plans public knowledge.”

Darrell nodded at Chris and then looked at Kevin. “But if your plans become public knowledge, which means we hear about them, whether they’re on the calendar or not, a bodyguard will find you and go with you.”

Kevin paused and then nodded. “Agreed. Anything else?”

Darrell and Chris looked at each other, but neither of them said anything. Then Darrell looked at his guards, but they both shook their heads, so he said, “That’s it for now. Just be careful out there when you’re on your own.”

“I will,” Kevin answered. Then he sighed and added, “Finally, a plan I can live with.”

“Yeah, well, that remains to be seen,” Darrell said as he and the bodyguards filed out of the office.

Chris mumbled, “I’m going to need a second calendar,” as he followed the others out.

The door had barely closed when there was a knock on it.

“Come in,” Kevin called out, wondering what Chris or Darrell had decided to add to the agreement, but when the door opened, Marcus walked through.

“Hi,” Kevin said as he leaned back in his chair and relaxed. “How’re things going?”

“Pretty well,” Marcus answered as he sat down. “I want to ask a favor.”

Kevin nodded.

“I’d like to go to Bridgeport tomorrow and spend the day with my sister and her family.”

“I don’t think that would be a problem, not unless something major comes up between now and then.”

“I’d also like for Hayley to go. I want her to meet my family, and I want them to meet her. Theresa said it was all right with her if it’s all right with you.”

Kevin smiled. “Fine with me. When do you want to go?”

“Shortly after breakfast, if you have the time.”

“It’ll have to be around 8:30. I have to be in the canyon lands by 9:00. When do you want to come back?”

“Around dinnertime, if that fits your schedule.”

“Six?”

“That would be perfect.”

“Okay.”

Marcus stood up. “I really do appreciate this, Myron.”

Kevin smiled again. “It’s no problem. I hope you have a good time, and I hope Hayley and your sister hit it off.”

Marcus frowned.

“Like each other,” Kevin explained.

Marcus smiled. “I do, too.”

Chapter 30

Bridgeport

After breakfast Sunday morning, Kevin headed for his office to wait for Marcus. He’d just sat down when Joan knocked on the open door. He motioned her in and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Not that I know of. Why?”

“You don’t usually come to the castle on Sunday. I wondered if something had happened.”

“No, I just wanted to talk to you,” Joan said as she sat down. “Have you got a minute?”

Kevin nodded.

“I wanted to thank you for your suggestion about talking to Serra. I asked her how things were going, and I was right. It’s not Tonnie’s fault, but having her around the other children was causing nothing but problems, so I asked Serra if she thought her mother might know someone who had the time and patience to try to help Tonnie.”

“And did she?”

Joan nodded. “Her mother. When Serra told her about the problems she was having with Tonnie, her mother volunteered to take her. She said she was bored now that her children were grown and out on their own. She picked Tonnie up yesterday morning, and from what I could tell, she’s excited about it.”

“I hope it works out. Do you know Serra’s mother?”

Again, Joan nodded. “It’s Debra, Korman’s wife.”

“The blacksmith?”

Once again, Joan nodded.

“Seems like I heard somewhere along the line that Serra grew up here, at the castle.”

“She did,” Joan said. “I think Serra was a toddler when Debra started working here, but I could be wrong about that. Anyway, Debra lived here, at the castle, until she married Korman. He was Neiven’s apprentice at the time.”

Kevin nodded. “Be sure they know if they need anything for Tonnie, or if she’s too much for them, all they have to do is let us know.”

“I will. I’ll keep a close eye on things. And I’m going to tell Debra that Theresa’s looking for something that might help her, too. But I think what Tonnie needs most is attention.”

“Let me know how it goes,” Kevin said as Joan stood up to go.

Before she could leave, Marcus knocked on the open door.

“Just wanted to let you know I’m here,” he said when Kevin looked over at him.

“It’s okay,” Joan said, “We’re done.”

“Are you ready to go?” Kevin asked him.

“Whenever you are.”

“Is Hayley with you or do we need to pick her up?”

“I told her we’d pick her up. Hope you don’t mind.”

Kevin shook his head and took out his key.

“Are you and Hayley off on another mission for the Sisterhood?” Joan asked.

Marcus grinned and shook his head. “Just going home for the day. I want to introduce Hayley to my sister and her family.”

Joan smiled. “Bet your sister’s looking forward to meeting her. Have you told her about all the places the two of you’ve been?”

Marcus shook his head. “I’m not much of a writer.”

“But she does know the two of you have been seeing each other,” Joan persisted.

“Well, not exactly.”

“You have told her about Hayley though, right?”

“Uh, not really.”

Joan frowned. “Does your sister know Hayley’s coming?”

“Marcie doesn’t even know I’m coming.” The blush that had crept up Marcus’s neck spread to his cheeks. “I didn’t think about it until yesterday afternoon.”