The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3) (62 page)

Kevin nodded. “So she’s still coming along pretty well?”

“Quite well. She can draw from the ground and water at the same time, and fill two balls. I know that doesn’t mean much to you, but a lot of sorcerers never learn to work with two sources at one time, and some are barely strong enough to fill one ball. She’s doing very well now that she wants to learn.”

“Do you think she’ll be able to hold her own against Rolan?”

“You know there’s no way I can answer that. I have no idea how strong Rolan is. If you wanted my assessment of his strength, you should have let me go get my pendant.”

“If you had, he might not have survived the encounter.”

“And that would be a bad thing? Seems to me it would have saved us all a lot of hassle, but it was your decision. Hope you don’t end up regretting it. Now, are you ready to call it a day? I have a young sorcerer waiting for me.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Serra had made up her mind to give the woman who claimed to be her aunt a chance, but she already knew she wasn’t going to leave Milhaven. This was her home, and her true family lived in the house behind the blacksmith shop. Nothing the woman could say or do was going to change that.

Fortunately Saturday was sunny and not too cool because Serra didn’t want an audience while they were eating lunch. She had no idea what might get said, and the only way she could avoid a potential scene was for them to eat outside at one of the patio tables.

She wiped off the table she wanted to use and then made her way to Myron’s reception area. When she got there, she asked Isak if Myron had left to go pick up the minister of Lochland’s wife.

Isak nodded. “Thanzer and his wife are in Myron’s office.”

“He picked up both of them?” Serra asked in near panic. She felt capable of handling one supposed relative, but two?

“You weren’t expecting Thanzer?” Isak asked.

Serra shook her head, straightened her shoulders, and took a couple of deep breaths. “It’s all right. I thought I was only meeting with his wife.”

“And so you are,” Kevin said from his doorway. “Serra, I’d like to introduce Thanzer, the minister of Lochland, and his wife, Yani. Thanzer is going to have lunch with Karl while you and Yani get to know each other.”

Serra nodded and stepped forward to shake hands with the older couple. “Nice to meet you.”

Yani grabbed Serra’s hand and held on. “And very nice to meet you, Serra. I’ve been waiting for this day all of your life.” She patted Serra’s hand and then slowly released it, smiling the softest of smiles the whole time.

“Well, if you’ll come with me, we’ll get some lunch,” Serra said, taking a step back.

“When you’re done, come back here,” Kevin said.

Serra nodded and turned to Yani. “I thought it would be nice if we had a little privacy, so I’ve arranged for us to eat on the patio. Will that be all right?”

“Of course,” Yani said.

Serra led Yani out of Kevin’s office and down the hall towards the dining room. When they got there, Serra handed Yani a plate. After they fixed their plates and carried them outside, Yani shook her head and laughed.

“What?” Serra asked as they sat down.

“You’re a lot like your mother.”

“Tell me about her.”

“She was wonderful and a trial at the same time, but I loved her dearly,” Yani said with a smile. “I don’t know where to start. I was her older sister, and as I was quite a bit older, I was more patient with her than I would have been if we’d been closer in age.” Yani ate a few bites and drank a little scog. “Elayne was always an independent child. She was fine off on her own. She didn’t like it when other people told her what to do, and she’d ignore it as often as she’d do it. You’d think she’d have grown out of it and become a proper young lady, especially if you knew my mother and grandmother, but she didn’t.”

“So she was a bit rebellious?”

“To say the least,” Yani said, laughing. “Mother had picked out the man she thought would be the perfect husband for Elayne. Preston was a nice, settled, mild-mannered farmer. Mother thought Elayne would liven up Preston’s life, and he would calm hers down. But Elayne wasn’t interested. Allan had caught her eye when they were children, and neither of them ever looked at anyone else. It didn’t come as a surprise to anyone when they wanted to marry, but both of their mothers were determined to prevent it.”

“Why?”

“Because Allan was just like Elayne. Mother figured if they got married they’d be off to who knows where and do who knows what.” Yani paused a moment. “And that’s exactly what happened. They hadn’t been married two years when they decided Ridgeville wasn’t for them. But getting away from Ridgeville wasn’t enough for those two. They left Lochland, even Camden, and ended up on the coast of Dresland. I have no idea how they got there, but that’s the thing about those two. There was no adventure too outlandish, no risk they weren’t willing to take. I hate you didn’t get to know them. You’d have had lots of fun growing up with them.”

Serra wasn’t sure how to take that last comment at first, but after thinking about it, she decided Yani hadn’t intended to belittle Debra. “Well, growing up around here wasn’t exactly dull.”

“No, I don’t imagine it was. Tell me about your life.”

For the next fifteen minutes, Serra told Yani about life in the castle, both as a child and as a grown woman.

“You really like working here, don’t you?” Yani asked.

Serra nodded. “I love it here. I’m comfortable here. This is home.”

“Serra, I’m not trying to take you away from this,” Yani said. “I have to admit, when I was here last weekend, all I wanted to do was grab you and make you come back with us. But that was just reaction to finding you. I know better. After all, you are your mother’s daughter.”

“I’m also Debra’s daughter,” Serra said quietly.

“Yes, you are,” Yani said, smiling again. “And from what I’ve seen, she’s done a wonderful job raising you. Elayne would be really proud of the woman you’ve become. What I meant when I said you’re your mother’s daughter is you’re your own person. You’re not going to let other people decide what you’re going to do with your life or where you’re going to live. I want you to know I realize that. I’m your aunt, but I’d also like to be your friend.”

Serra exhaled a long sigh. “That would be nice.” She leaned back and relaxed a bit. “Tell me about my grandparents, and Ridgeville.”

For the next hour the two women talked and laughed. When Carrie walked out of the dining room, Serra jumped up and started gathering up their plates. “Oh, Carrie, I’m so sorry. I lost track of time. Have you been waiting for these?”

Carrie shook her head. “No, I just finished up with the others. You didn’t hold me up at all. Now sit back down and enjoy your visit.” While she’d been talking, Carrie had loaded everything on her tray. “If I don’t see you again before I leave, have a nice day tomorrow.”

“You, too,” Serra replied.

When Carrie had gone back inside, Yani asked, “Doesn’t she work tomorrow? Won’t you see her then?”

Serra shook her head. “She has tomorrow off. So do I.”

“What do you do on your days off?”

“I usually spend the day in Milhaven, with my family.”

“Would you mind terribly if Thanzer and I joined you next Sunday? I’d like to meet Debra, and I’d like for him to get to know you.”

Serra hesitated.

“Ask Debra how she feels about it and send me a note. I’m sure Myron will pick us up, but I’ll check with him when we get back to the office.”

Serra nodded and stood up. “Speaking of the office, we’d better go. I imagine your husband’s been back quite a while by now.”

“Very well.” Yani stood up and straightened her skirt. “I’ve enjoyed talking with you Serra, and I’m already looking forward to next Sunday.”

As they turned to go inside, Serra said, “I’ve enjoyed meeting you too, and we’ll see how things work out concerning next week. Debra may already have plans. I’ll let you know.”

Chapter 56

The Wedding

Sunday morning after Kevin picked up Kyle, he left for Danyelle’s. The rest of the family was already at the castle.

Shadron had come back Thursday, the day Dayed had asked Kevin to pick up the wardrobes, cabinets, and furniture for Laryn and Steve’s house. Dayed, Shadron, and Kyle had worked until dark Thursday evening, and all day Friday and Saturday getting everything ready for Laryn and Steve to move in Sunday night.

Allisandra had asked Kevin to pick her and her flowers up early Saturday morning. She and Craven worked on the gardens all day. By the time they were done, Laryn had small flower beds on both sides of the front steps, a flower box on her porch, and a garden complete with pebbled walkways out back. The only thing left was to line the front gardens with rocks, but Neiven told her he’d take care of it later.

Picking up Danyelle and her family took two trips. Six people, a couple of bags of linens, a crate of kitchen supplies, quilts, knitted afghans, and a handmade rug all had to be transported. As soon as Danyelle settled her two youngest children in the playground with Serra, she and Sedwin went out to Laryn’s house to put away the stuff she’d brought.

First, Danyelle moved the bedroom furniture around enough to get the rug down. Then she made the bed and covered it with a thick bedspread. She stored the extra sheets, quilts, and afghans she’d brought in the chest Dayed had made for the foot of the bed.

Next, she moved to the kitchen. It was the first time she’d seen the cabinets Dayed had made for their sister, and as she looked at them, she felt a twinge of jealousy. They were gorgeous. He’d carved designs in all the doors and drawers, and the handles seemed to grow out of the design. While she examined Dayed’s work, she stored the pots, pans, dishes, utensils, tablecloths, and kitchen towels she’d brought in cabinets and drawers throughout the room.

Once the kitchen was set up, Danyelle moved to the living room. She draped the lap rugs she’d made over the backs of the couch and chairs, and put doilies under the glowstone lamps on the end tables.

She hadn’t made anything for the spare bedroom because she wasn’t sure what they were going to do with it. When she opened the door to the extra room, she saw a couple of tables and two large desks. Papers were scattered on the tables, so she walked over to take a look at them.

She picked up first one picture, then another. Some appeared to be finished, but most were still works in progress. As she studied the sketches, she realized that although they were quite good, they weren’t all done by the same hand.

“Sedwin? Come here for a minute,” Danyelle called out. When he joined her, she waved her arm around the room and asked, “What do you think?”

He looked around for a minute. “These are good. I take it Laryn’s drawing again?”

Danyelle nodded. “But I don’t think these are all hers. Some of them, like that one over there,” she pointed to a sketch of Corin, Laryn’s unicorn, “don’t look like her work. It’s different somehow. I don’t think she did that one.”

“She didn’t,” Brandt said from the doorway. “Sorry, didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but Mother sent me down here to see if anyone needed any help. Do you? Need help, I mean.”

Danyelle shook her head. “Do you know who drew this?”

Brandt nodded. “Steve. I saw him on the patio working on it one day last week. Can’t remember which day though.”

“So Steve’s an artist, too.” Danyelle looked around the room. “Wonder which ones are his?”

Brandt shrugged. “I can’t help you there, but I’ve seen him sketch birds, people, just about everything. Same as Laryn.”

“You’ve seen her sketching, too?”

Brandt nodded. “With Steve.”

Danyelle smiled and gave a little nod as she and Sedwin left the room, pulling the door to behind them. “I think we’re done here. Let’s head back up to the castle. Come along, Brandt.”

Meanwhile, Tolliver had arrived, and his first stop was Kevin’s main office. “Please let Myron know I’m here, and ask him if he has a moment,” he said to Ariel as soon as he entered the office. “I need to speak with him.”

A few minutes later, Ariel ushered Tolliver into Kevin’s office.

“You needed to see me?” Kevin asked.

“Yes,” Tolliver said, standing near the door, obviously uncomfortable.

“Have a seat.” Kevin motioned to a chair. “Would you care for something to eat or drink?”

“No, thank you,” Tolliver answered as he gingerly sat down. “I have a favor to ask.”

Kevin nodded.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Laryn’s day, but I need a few signatures in the Register of Residents. The castle is considered part of Milhaven, and there are some people living here who have never signed in.”

“Whose signatures do you need?”

“Well, yours for one. And your assistant, your governor, his wife, your guard captain, and the two children who live with your governor and his wife. I also need to get the man who’s going to marry Laryn to sign the resident register as well as the marriage register, but if that’s going to be a problem, I guess we could do it later.” Tolliver paused and took a breath. “And I understand you added a few people to the staff last month, the ones Gov. Karl brought back from Glenarbour. All of them need to sign the register, and since everyone should be here today, I’d like to put it in here so they can all sign it. Of course, if you’d prefer, I could bring it back at some point next week, but that would mean either closing the store or getting my wife to cover it, which I can do, but she hates to be left there by herself. She’s not sure of the prices, you see, so I hate to ask her to cover unless I absolutely have to.”

Kevin was afraid the man would run out of breath as fast as he was talking, so he held up his hand to stop him. “We’ll get the signatures you need today. No need to make two trips.”

He stood up and led Tolliver back into the reception area.

“Ariel, would you find Steve and ask him to come in here for a moment?” After Ariel left, Kevin looked around the room for a place for the book. He decided Chris’s desk would be the safest place. After he set the book down, Kevin picked up a pen and turned to Tolliver. “Where would you like for me to sign?”