The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3) (86 page)

“Well, you should be afraid of her. She’s dangerous, make no mistake about that, and not just because she can throw an energy bolt. Killing you is just one of the things she could do, and it’s not even the worst one. If she had any idea who your sister is, she’d grab her, or the children, just to watch you squirm. I want you and everyone else she might use to threaten me stashed away someplace safe. And then I’m going to get Chris and Elin, and if I can figure out a way to do it, I’m going to pay her back in spades.”

At Marcus’s quizzical look, Kevin said, “I’m going to come up with some kind of revenge, something I can do that will make her think twice about pulling a stunt like this again.” Marcus nodded, so Kevin continued. “Now, go pack a bag. And pack enough for a couple of weeks.”

Marcus stood up. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is. I’ll see you back here in an hour.”

As soon as Marcus was gone, Kevin shut his door, took out his key, and went to pay his Uncle Shadron a quick visit.

~ ~ ~ ~

Twenty minutes later, Kevin was back. He opened his door and walked into the reception area where his pages were still in shock.

“Okay, I want each of you to go to your room and pack a bag. Pack enough for at least a couple of weeks. Ariel, you and Isak need warm clothes. You’re going to be outside a bit. Cameryn, you won’t need a lot of warm clothes, but a heavy cloak would be a good idea. And I want all of you back here in twenty minutes. Now go!”

“But,” Ariel started.

“No buts,” Kevin interrupted. “Go.”

As soon as they were out of the office, Kevin stepped across the hall to the governor’s office. When he opened the door, Joan looked at him and shook her head. “You’ll get him back, Kevin.”

“I plan to, but in the meantime, I want the pages out of the castle, including Petri.”

Joan nodded. “He just went down to the kitchen for some coffee. What do you want me to tell him when he gets back?”

“To pack a bag for a couple of weeks and be in my office in twenty minutes. And tell him to pack warm clothes.”

“Where are you taking them?”

“To a horse farm.”

“A horse farm?” Joan asked.

“They’ll be safe, don’t worry.”

“I’ll send him over.”

“Thanks.”

“And Kevin, be careful. We don’t want to lose you.”

Kevin nodded. “I will. Tell him to hurry.”

Kevin went back to his office to wait. Marcus was the first one back, so while they were waiting for the pages, Kevin said, “I’m sending the pages with you, all except Cameryn. It’s a horse farm. You’ve worked with horses before, right?”

Marcus nodded. “One of the jobs I had while I was waiting to be old enough to apprentice.”

“Well, as far as I know, the pages have never worked around horses. I’m not sure they even know how to ride, but this would be a good time for them to learn. I’ll leave that up to you and Uncle Shadron.”

“We’re going to be at Shadron’s?”

Kevin nodded.

“All right.” Marcus rubbed his hands on his leggings.

“What?”

“Nothing.” Marcus looked across the room.

“No, what’s the problem?”

“He’s a legend. I’ve heard stories about Shadron all of my life. He’s the best horseman in Camden. It’s a little intimidating to be working for him.”

Kevin frowned and looked at Marcus. “You work for the Master Sorcerer! What can be more intimidating than that?”

“Your Uncle Shadron.”

Kevin shook his head. “He’s a nice guy. You’ve met him before. You’ve been to his house!”

“I know, but this is different, and he’s a legend.”

Before their conversation could go any further, the office door opened and the pages trooped in.

“We’re ready,” Ariel said, “but I still think it’s wrong to run away.”

“You aren’t running away,” Kevin said. “Think about it this way. Suppose someone told you to do something you didn’t want to do. If that person was holding a knife to Cameryn’s throat, would you do it?”

Ariel shrugged. “I’d have to. I wouldn’t have any choice.”

“Okay. Now supposed that person tells you to do something you don’t want to do, but has no one to threaten if you don’t. Would you do it then?”

“Of course not.”

Kevin nodded. “I have no intention of doing what she wants. So I’m making sure there’s no one else for her to threaten.”

“You mean give her the key and Marcus?” Isak asked, looking at Marcus.

Kevin shook his head. “She does want the key back, but she doesn’t care one bit about Marcus. The only reason she demanded him is she knows I won’t do it. She’s trying to force a showdown.”

“Then why doesn’t she just challenge you?” Petri asked.

“I wish she would,” Kevin said, “but for now, this is her game, so we have to play it.” He held out his arm. “Cameryn, wait here. I’ll be back for you in a minute. Now if the rest of you would put a hand on my arm, we’ll go.”

~ ~ ~ ~

When Kevin got back, Cameryn was at the table quietly crying.

“It’s going to be all right,” Kevin said. “I’ll get them back.”

“But it won’t ever be the same again.” Cameryn wiped her tears. “We’ll always know that at any moment someone could pop in here and grab one of us. It’s scary.”

“Yes, it is, and I can’t promise you it won’t ever happen again. All I can do is make sure it’s not worth it.”

“How?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I’m going to figure out some way to make Gwendolyn regret this. It’s going to cost her.”

Cameryn nodded and stood up. “Where am I going?”

“Do you remember my Aunt Allisandra? The one who had the baby right after Christmas?”

Cameryn nodded. “I liked her.”

“Good. You’ll be staying with her for a little while. She could use the help with the baby.”

“And she said it was all right?”

“I haven’t asked her yet.” Kevin held out his arm. “Let’s go see what she says.”

Chapter 73

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It was mid-afternoon by the time Kevin left Allisandra’s. Theresa was next on his list, so he headed for the chapel in Milhaven. When Kevin knocked on the back door of the chapel, Hayley opened it. “Good afternoon, Myron. What can I do for you?”

The aroma of fresh baked bread floated out the door and hit Kevin right in the face. “I need to speak with Theresa, but I’d love a bit of that bread if you could spare it. I just realized I haven’t had lunch, and that bread smells wonderful.”

Hayley laughed and held the door open for him. “Let me find Theresa and then I’ll make you a sandwich. You can eat while you talk.”

A few minutes later, Kevin was seated at the kitchen table with a chicken sandwich and a large glass of milk. He ate while Theresa finished up with a patient, and by the time she joined him, he was done.

“Could we walk while we talk?” Theresa asked. “I haven’t been outside all day.”

Kevin finished the last swallow of milk. “Hayley, that sandwich hit the spot. Thanks.”

As Hayley laughed and cleared the table, Kevin and Theresa headed out back.

After they were out of earshot of the chapel, Theresa said, “Okay, what’s up?”

Kevin told her about Gwendolyn’s visit.

Theresa shook her head. “I bet Elin’s scared to death. And Chris probably isn’t feeling a whole lot better.”

“I know.”

“You are going to go get them, aren’t you?”

Kevin nodded.

“How can I help?”

“By being there when I bring them back. They may be fine, but they may not, and I’d like for you to be there, to check them out.”

Theresa nodded. “I don’t have any plans to go anywhere. Where do you want me? At the castle?”

Kevin shook his head. “Not yet. I’ll let you know when I go.”

“Just let me know where you want me and when,” Theresa said. “I’ll be there.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Kevin went straight to his bedroom from the chapel. He opened one the drawers in his dresser and felt around under his tunics until he found the little leather pouch with King Merdin’s chimes. He took out the chimes and put the pouch back in the drawer. Then, after hanging the chimes on his balcony, he went to find Laryn and Steve.

Laryn was another potential target for Gwendolyn, and he wanted her away from the castle, too. He checked their house, but they weren’t there. His next stop was the kitchen, to see if anyone there had seen them.

“They were in here not fifteen minutes ago,” Miranda said as she stirred something in a big pot, “looking for you.”

“Do you know where they went?”

“Have you tried your office?”

Kevin shook his head.

“I’d try that next if I were you.” She turned to the vegetables on the counter and picked up a big knife. “Shame what’s happened to Elin and Chris.” Miranda punctuated each word with a solid whack of her knife as she chopped some onions. “Wish that woman had shown up in here,” she muttered, accompanied by more whacks. “I know how to use this knife for more than cutting up food.” Whack, whack. “Just let her show up again.” Whack, whack.

Kevin grinned as he backed out of the kitchen.

Next, he headed for his office. He was almost there when Steve and Laryn walked out of Karl’s office.

“Where have you been?” Laryn asked. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I’ve been a lot of places.” Kevin opened the door to his reception area and motioned for them to go in. “Let’s talk in my office.”

After Laryn and Steve were inside, Kevin shut the door and walked around to his chair. “You’ve heard what happened?”

“We heard Gwendolyn showed up, grabbed Elin, demanded you return some key and hand over Marcus. Chris tried to grab Elin, but Gwendolyn turned her key, so he’s gone, too,” Steve said. “Is that about right?”

Kevin nodded.

“Where are the pages?” Laryn asked. “Joan said you took them to a horse farm. Anyone I know?”

Kevin laughed. “They’re with Shadron. Marcus is up there, too.”

“Cameryn, too?”

“No, I took her to stay with Allisandra.”

“You could have left her with Kayla, you know.”

“I thought about it, but I think Cameryn needs a distraction, and the baby will provide it.”

Laryn nodded. “Good idea.” Then she laughed. “It’s not like Allisandra won’t love the help.”

“I’m surprised Marcus agreed to go to Shadron’s,” Steve said.

“He didn’t want to. He said I should turn him over to Gwendolyn if it would help get Chris and Elin back.”

Laryn frowned. “She’d kill him.”

“I know. So does he. Anyway, I told him I wasn’t going to be forced to do anything, and that this is just a game to her, one she’s not going to win.”

“So you do have a plan,” Laryn said.

“Well, it’s not fully formed yet, but I’m working on it. And if that one doesn’t pan out, I’ll come up with something else,” Kevin said. “But I need you two to do something for me.”

“Anything,” Steve said as Laryn nodded.

“I’m glad you feel that way,” Kevin said with a grin. “I want you two to pack a bag for a couple of weeks. You’re going on a belated honeymoon.”

“Honeymoon?” Laryn asked, frowning.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Steve asked.

Kevin nodded.

“All right,” Steve said.

Laryn shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere until someone tells me what’s going on.”

“A honeymoon is a trip newlyweds make after the wedding. It’s a time for them to be off by themselves,” Steve explained. “Most couples on Earth go away for a week or two to some romantic place.” He looked at Kevin. “Where are we going? Might be good to know before we pack.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Laryn said. “Myron needs me here. He doesn’t have Chris, he doesn’t have any pages, someone has to help out in here.”

Kevin folded his hands together and put them on top of his desk. “Laryn, I need you to do this for me. You and Steve are very important to me, and everyone knows it. I’m going to get Chris back, and Elin too, and when I do, Gwendolyn’s going to be really angry. I don’t want anyone around here she can use as a hostage. That’s why the pages are gone, that’s why Marcus is gone, and as of tomorrow morning, the playground’s going to be shut down. She is not going to grab a couple of those kids to use as hostages. I need everyone who’s vulnerable out of here, and you are.”

Laryn didn’t say anything, so Kevin continued. “She hates the House of Nordin. I don’t know why, and I don’t care, but she does. And you are the only member of the family she can go after without taking a good chance at getting herself killed.” Kevin looked into his aunt’s eyes. “You know I’m right. I need to be able to concentrate on defeating her without having to worry about your safety.”

After a moment, Laryn nodded. “I understand, and I’ll go along with it, but if you need to talk, if you need me for anything, you’ll come get me, right? Do I have your word on that?”

“Absolutely,” Kevin said. “But for right now, I want you away from here.”

“You still haven’t said where we’re going,” Steve said as he stood up.

“How does Rainbow Valley sound to you?”

Steve grinned. “Can we stay in the caves?”

Kevin nodded. “Just be sure you go see Glendymere. He wanted me to bring you out there right after you got married, but things kept getting in the way.”

“I take it he approves?” Steve asked. “Otherwise, I’d rather not see him.”

“Oh, he approves. In fact, he’s taking credit for it, said it was because of the pendant he gave you.”

Steve frowned and pulled his pendant out from under his tunic. “This one?”

Kevin nodded. “Remember when he gave them to us? He told us what they meant. What did he say about yours?”

Steve shook his head. “There were two parts, one for each stone. Let me think.” After a moment he said, “One was for vision. I don’t think that’s the one he means though. He said the other would heal my heart.”

Laryn nodded. “The amethyst.”

“Okay,” Steve said. “Well, shall we go get packed?”

~ ~ ~ ~

While Kevin was waiting for Steve and Laryn to pack, he went down to Cryslyn’s office. Her door was open and she and Serra were bent over some account books. Kevin knocked on the open door and walked in.