The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3) (81 page)

Mikos nodded.

“And she’ll have to pick us up afterwards.”

Again, Mikos nodded.

“If it doesn’t work, we don’t meet her. We’ll go somewhere far away and start a new life.”

“Doing what?” Mikos asked. “All I know how to do is run a slave business.”

“You know how to move things from one place to another. You know how to manage accounts. We could go into business with wagons and dry goods instead of boats and slaves. We’d get by. But that’s only if we don’t find out where the key is. If we do, we can come back here.”

“Maybe, if she can get the key back.”

“Are you kidding? You find out who has it, she’ll get it back. What sorcerer could stand up to your mother? If she shows up on their doorstep and asks for it, they’ll give it to her. And if they don’t, she’ll zap them and take it. Problem solved. Back in business.” Devron stood up and pointed to the lunch tray. “Eat your lunch, and then write to your mother. You have a plan now. You don’t want her wondering why there aren’t any new slaves and start asking questions. You need to tell her yourself before someone else does.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Tuesday morning when Gwendolyn reached her office a letter from her son, Mikos, was sitting on top of her morning mail. She picked it up and fingered the edges. She couldn’t remember ever getting a note from him before. His monthly reports went to Varnel, her business manager. A personal message spelled trouble.

With a resigned sigh, she opened the note. After she read it, she shook her head in frustration. He hadn’t told her a thing! All the note said was he needed to speak with her in person. If it was all that important, why hadn’t he come himself?

Realization hit her like a punch in the gut. He’d lost the key. Anger shot through her and threatened to send sparks flying all around the room. Gwendolyn fought for control, struggling to keep the magical energy inside, locked away in her mind. She closed her eyes and took several long, deep breaths.

“If he’s lost that key, I’ll kill him,” she muttered to the empty room. “Kill him dead.” There was no way she would allow that level of carelessness to survive. Her fists clenched and unclenched as she fought the urge to destroy. She needed an outlet, and she needed it now.

With a turn of the key, Gwendolyn went to a desolate area near the border between Landoryn and Glendal. For the next fifteen minutes, she indulged her desire to destroy, and then she spent the next forty-five minutes replenishing her energy levels and cleaning up the worst of the mess she’d created. When she felt back in control, she turned the key and went to Mikos’s office.

Mikos was at his desk going over the latest reports from the mines when his mother arrived. He immediately stood up and started sweating.

Before he could say a word, Gwendolyn slapped him across the face. “How dare you lose my key!”

“I’m sorry, Mother,” he said, looking down at the desktop.

“Explain.”

Mikos spent the next few minutes telling Gwendolyn about the team, how well they’d done with their previous raids, the scouting report, and the unexpected sorcerer they’d encountered when they raided near Bridgeport. “There wasn’t supposed to be a sorcerer within twenty miles of that settlement. I don’t know who he was or where he came from, but, with your permission, I’d like to find out.”

Gwendolyn didn’t speak for a moment. Then she nodded. “Continue.”

Mikos outlined the plan he and Devron had come up with.

“That’s fine as far as it goes, but how are you going to get my key back?”

Mikos felt his face turn red. “I can’t. I could try, but we both know all that would do is get me killed. It wouldn’t get your key back.”

“Right. I’m going to have to do that, so why bother with the rest of it? Why shouldn’t I go there myself and demand they tell me who he was and where he lives?”

“You could, and I’m sure they’d tell you, but they’d also tell Myron.”

Gwendolyn looked at Mikos for a minute. “Why isn’t Devron in here with you? Isn’t he part of this plan of yours?”

“I told him this was between me and you.” Mikos looked his mother straight in the eyes, and for the first time in his life, he thought he saw a spark of respect in her eyes.

“You thought I’d kill you, didn’t you?”

“I knew it was a possibility.”

“And you didn’t want me to kill him by association.”

Mikos nodded.

“All right. I’ll let you try. How long will it take for you to get ready?”

“We can be ready to go tonight, but I’d rather give things time to settle down around Bridgeport.”

“Why?”

“They know there was another man by now, and I’m sure they know there was a key. If strangers show up and start asking questions, they’ll get suspicious and close ranks. If we wait a couple of weeks, it’ll be old news. They won’t mind talking about it, especially the second time we stop there.”

Gwendolyn nodded. “When do you want to go?”

“Next week, maybe Sunday.”

“Where do you plan to go?”

“I thought we’d use the camp the raiders were using. I know where it is, and it’s isolated. No one would notice us coming and going. And there’s an extra boat there we can use.”

“As long as you come back with the information I need to get my key back, we’re fine. If not, well, don’t count on a long life.” Gwendolyn turned her key and left.

Chapter 67

Back in Milhaven

Wednesday morning, Chris and Darrell were sparring on the practice meadow when Darrell saw what looked like a good-sized boulder suddenly appear behind Chris. He grabbed Chris by the arm, slung him away from the rock, and stepped between them. Before Darrell’s mind had a chance to register what he was seeing, he was set for a fight, sword in one hand, dagger in the other.

As Darrell’s gaze swept up the creature, features began to register: duck feet connected to short legs, wings on his back, hands with talons for fingers, small black eyes, and an owl’s beak. As Darrell stared open-mouthed, the beak began to move.

“Excuse me, sir,” chirped the rock, “but I was hoping to speak with Master Sorcerer Myron. Could you direct me to him?”

“Sandy?” Chris tried to push past Darrell, but Darrell blocked him.

“You know this rock?!” Darrell asked from a crouch, ready to do whatever he could to defend against solid stone.

“It’s okay,” Chris answered as he shoved his way past Darrell. “It’s Sandy

“Ah, Chris,” Sandy chirped. “I thought that might be you, but I couldn’t be sure. And your defender?”

“Oh, sorry.” Chris sheathed his sword. “Sandy, this is Darrell, Captain of the Guard. Darrell, this is Sandy, the gargoyle representative to the Federation of Terah.”

Darrell slowly stood up as he lowered his sword and put his dagger back in its sheath on his belt. “Pleased to meet you, sir.”

Sandy laughed, which sounded like water tripping over pebbles. “Thank you for your courtesy, sir, but I doubt you’re pleased to see someone who is so impervious to your weapons. But I assure you, Captain, your sorcerer is in no danger from me.” Sandy turned to Chris. “Could you please direct me to Myron’s office? I need to speak with him.”

“Of course. If you’ll come with me, I’ll take you to him.” Chris stepped over to walk beside Sandy while Darrell fell in close behind.

As they approached the castle, Chris nodded towards the front door. “I don’t mean to be rude, but do steps pose a problem for you? If they do, we can go around back. There are no steps there, but it’s a little farther.”

“No offense taken,” Sandy chirped. “Steps are fine, as long as they aren’t too steep. We can go in the front door if you like.”

When they reached the bottom of the steps, Darrell gave a nod and the guard at the front door opened the door and held it open for them as they entered the main hall. At Darrell’s nod, the door to the business wing was opened, and with another nod, a guard opened the door to Kevin’s main office.

Although everyone knew gargoyles existed, few people in Camden had ever seen one, but as Sandy walked towards Kevin’s office everyone he met acted as if it were an everyday occurrence for a walking rock to call on the Master Sorcerer. The pages were no exception. After their initial surprise, training took over and Sandy was offered refreshments while Chris let Kevin know he’d arrived.

Kevin went out to the reception area to greet him. “It’s nice to see you again, Sandy.” He wasn’t sure whether to shake hands or not, but Sandy rescued him by giving Kevin a slight bow with his head, which Kevin promptly answered. Then, formalities over, Kevin said, “I understand you wish to speak with me. Would you like some refreshments first?”

Sandy shook his head. “Your pages already offered, but I’m fine. Could we talk now, please?”

“Of course.” Kevin waved towards his office. “After you.”

Chris raised his eyebrows and tilted his head towards Kevin’s office. Kevin shrugged, and as Sandy stepped into the office, Kevin gave Chris a sign to wait and followed Sandy inside.

After he shut the door, Kevin asked, “Would you mind if Chris joins us? He sits in on most of my meetings and takes notes. It helps keep things straight.”

“I mean no offense to Chris, but I’m here on behalf of someone else, and she asked me to speak with you and you alone. I feel sure you’ll share what I’m going to tell you with Chris as soon as I leave, but that’s you’re decision, not mine. I must honor her wishes.”

“Very well.” Kevin continued around to his desk. As he started to sit down, he stopped. He had no idea whether or not Sandy could sit at all, much less in one of the chairs he had in his office.

Sandy laughed. “Go ahead and have a seat. I’m fine. But it’s nice to be deferred to. This is my first visit to the castle in Camden, and I have to admit, I’m impressed. Your Captain of the Guard was uneasy about letting me enter, even after Chris vouched for me, but he escorted us to your office and made sure none of his guards challenged us. And your pages were most considerate. I’m more accustomed to humans acting like all of the rest of us need to accommodate them, not the other way around. It’s nice to be treated with respect. And I thank you.”

Kevin didn’t know how to respond to that. “We try to treat all of our visitors with the same dignity and respect we’d expect if we were to visit them.”

Sandy gave a little nod and began. “I’m here on behalf of Bianca. She, as her father before her, has always made sure we’re allowed to live in peace in our desert. In return, we try to rescue any of her people or animals who manage to get themselves lost in the dunes. Over the years, we’ve developed a close working relationship, a friendship of sorts. When she came to me yesterday and asked me to undertake this mission, I readily agreed.”

Sandy paused a moment. “Last Saturday, after your council meeting, Gwendolyn of Landoryn showed up at Bianca’s castle unannounced. She said she had a gift for Bianca, a tribute to their long-lasting amity. She presented Bianca with eight slaves, four adults and four children, all female.”

Kevin wasn’t sure what to say, so he didn’t say anything.

“Bianca wants you to know she and Gwendolyn are not friends, they are not allies, but they share a shoreline, so Bianca takes care not to antagonize Gwendolyn. Bianca also wants you to know she doesn’t like slavery any more than you do, but she can’t let her opinions become common knowledge. Gwendolyn would consider it a personal insult and Bianca’s people along the shore would pay the price.”

Kevin nodded, still not sure what he was expected to say or do.

“After Gwendolyn left, Bianca took the new slaves to the dining room and had food brought in. While they ate, she sat with them and asked some questions. All eight of them were from Camden, though not from the same area.”

Kevin’s eyes narrowed and he squared his shoulders. “Do you know if Gwendolyn made gifts to any other sorcerers?”

Sandy shook his head. “I have no information about any other province. But please remember, you cannot let anyone know Bianca said anything. Too many lives are at risk if you do.”

“You have my word. No one other than Chris will find out about this conversation.”

“Thank you. Bianca said to tell you she’ll take care of them. She knows you’ll want to bring them back home at some point, but she’d like for you to wait until Gwendolyn has time to forget what they look like. She’ll send her governor to meet with your governor to work out the details next spring if that’s all right with you.”

Kevin nodded, but tension was written all over his face. “That’s fine.”

Sandy tilted his head and studied Kevin for a moment. “I have a feeling I’ve brought you bad news. Sorry about that, but Bianca thought you should know.”

“Thank you for coming, and please tell Bianca I said thank you for letting me know.”

Sandy took out his key, nodded to Kevin, and left.

~ ~ ~ ~

As soon as Sandy left, Kevin opened his door and motioned for Chris to join him. Once they were alone, he told Chris the gist of Bianca’s message.

“So, does this mean Gwendolyn was behind all those raids? Or is this completely separate?”

Kevin shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Chris frowned. “Do you think she’s giving slaves to the other sorcerers, too? What’s her plan?”

“I don’t know. We can’t confront Gwendolyn without causing problems for Bianca, and we can’t ask any of the other sorcerers if she’s given them any slaves without telling them why we’re asking. It could be a one-time thing. Gwendolyn may have given Bianca the slaves as a gesture of good will.”

“You don’t believe that, do you?”

Kevin shook his head. “But I can’t prove otherwise.”

“So we wait to see what happens next?”

Kevin nodded. “We wait.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Sunday morning, after Kevin left for the canyon lands, Chris headed down to the office. When he walked in, Marshall was sitting at the conference table talking to Isak.

“Good morning, Marshall,” Chris said. “If you’re looking for Nikki, she’s not here yet. Myron’s got a few things to do before he picks her up.”