CHAPTER

Nine

Tristan was missing. His bed had not been slept in, and his quarters were empty. If for some reason he had actually left the Redoubt and not yet returned, it could only add to their troubles.

The two frantic wizards ordered Shannon to go and awaken Joshua and have him join them in the quarters of the princess. Tristan might have slept the night in her room, watching over her. But Wigg felt in his heart that the prince was not in the Redoubt.

Wigg‘s mood darkened even further as he followed Faegan down the hallways. They desperately needed the Chosen Ones now. The wizards knew they must win a battle against time if their world was to remain safe.

Tristan, where are you? Wigg shouted silently as they approached the princess‘ door. After a soft knock, they heard Shailiha bid them to enter.

The princess was fully dressed and sitting in a rocking chair, holding Morganna. Her pale blue gown flowed beautifully down around her waist and ankles. The gold medallion that carried the heraldry of her family lay around her neck, twinkling in the soft light of the room.

Morganna cooed softly, and the princess smiled and wrinkled her nose at the baby as the wizards walked in.

The Shailiha that Wigg and Faegan saw before them was the woman they had hoped she would be—the woman she had for so long deserved to be again. Her hazel eyes and firm mouth showed both her intelligence and strong sense of purpose, where for so long there had been only lost, sorrowful gazes. A happy, compassionate personality radiated outward from her, just as it always had before the coming of the sorceresses.

Shailiha was indeed an image of her mother, the late queen—except that the princess had more strength, and an even greater sense of purpose. Like her twin brother, she also had a commanding sense of both physical and moral courage. Unlike many other women of her day, she had never been afraid to speak her mind in the company of men.

―You are well, Your Highness?‖ Faegan asked first. He wheeled his chair closer to the princess, looking deeply into her hazel eyes. ―No ill effects from yesterday?‖

She smiled at him. ―I feel wonderful, thanks to the two of you.‖

―And the prince—have you see him today?‖ Wigg asked quietly. ―Did he stay here with you last night?‖

Shailiha rose to walk to the crib. She put down the baby and then turned back to the wizards.

―I‘m afraid I have a confession to make.‖ She pursed her lips into a slight, mischievous smile.

This is the Shailiha I used to know, Wigg thought. ―And what confession would that be?‖ he asked sternly, placing his hands into the opposite sleeves of his robes.

―I asked him to visit the graves for me,‖ she answered. ―If he is not here in the Redoubt, then that is no doubt where you will find him.‖

―The graves?‖ Faegan asked, looking up at Wigg. His jaw hardened a bit. It was clear by the look on his face that he had just realized that there were yet more secrets he didn‘t know—

and Faegan was the type who liked to tease others with mysteries, rather than the reverse. So much had happened in Eutracia without him, during his self-imposed exile in Shadowood—

so much tragedy that he‘d been unable to prevent, or even deal with. Since he had returned to Tammerland, it seemed as if he‘d resolved to make up for lost time. ―Whose graves?‖ he demanded sharply.

―Those of the wizards of the Directorate and the royal family,‖ Wigg answered softly. He rubbed his chin with one hand, remembering the night when the prince had sat on his heels before the fresh graves. Tristan had remained there a long time, motionless in both the darkness and the rain, and had finally used one of his dirks to cut an incision into each of his palms. Squeezing the blood down and out over the fresh, soft mounds of earth, he had sworn an oath to find and return his sister.

―We can only hope that he comes back soon,‖ Wigg said, worry showing on his craggy face.

Looking back into the eyes of the princess, he said, ―The truth is that we need you both very badly right now. Every moment he is away worsens the situation.‖

Shailiha had always been able to discern when Wigg was worried. A short pang of guilt went through her—a result of having asked Tristan to do something that was apparently dangerous, coupled with the fact that there was obviously something the two wizards had not told her.

―What happened?‖ she asked softly.

Faegan started to speak, but another knock came upon the door. Shannon appeared in the doorway, the consul Joshua standing obediently behind him. ―I have brought the consul, as you requested,‖ the gnome said, blowing a whiff of smoke out the bowl of his corncob pipe.

―Thank you, Shannon,‖ Faegan answered. ―You may go. Joshua, please come and join us.‖

As Shannon retreated into the hallway, Joshua walked into the room. Upon seeing the princess, he was clearly taken aback. ―Your Highness!‖ he exclaimed, bowing slightly.

―Princess Shailiha, may I present Joshua, of the House of Linton,‖ Wigg said. ―He was one of the consuls I sent out to destroy the screaming harpies and blood stalkers, just before the attack by the Coven. He has returned to us by the skin of his teeth, and with an amazing tale to tell.‖

Shailiha took in the tall, sandy-haired man in the dark blue robe, noticing his strong jaw and hazel eyes. He was a bit on the thin side, and his right arm was wrapped in a sling.

Joshua walked to her and bowed again, took one of her hands and kissed the back of it lightly. ―Your Highness,‖ he repeated softly. ―The pleasure is mine.‖ He straightened up, calmly looking into her eyes.

―And what is this story that so intrigues the wizards?‖ she asked him with real interest.

At a nod from Faegan, Joshua began to tell the princess of the loss of his squad, and of finding the other group of consuls. He explained being attacked by the giant birds of prey, and how the others had been taken away. Shailiha listened intently, her face darkening as the story progressed.

Despite the incredible tale, though, she surmised that this was not what the wizards had come to discuss with her. Shailiha sensed that whatever they wanted to tell her would be for her ears only. She decided not to be inquisitive in the presence of the consul unless Wigg or Faegan offered to speak of it first.

―I hope I have not frightened you with all of this,‖ Joshua said earnestly. ―But the wizards and I believe the threat from these creatures to be very real, and I only hope that a way can be found to deal with them.‖

Indeed, Shailiha thought. She could remember her father, the king, as he sat in his great chair in the Chamber of Supplication, where he met with citizens who had special concerns or favors to ask. Sometimes he had taken her with him to those meetings, allowing her to sit quietly by his side with the wizards as he dealt with the problems that were brought to him.

“Someday this responsibility, along with many others, shall belong to your brother,” he had said. “And there may be times when he will seek out your advice.” But the princess had not understood him then. Now her thoughts went to Tristan, and she bit her lower lip in concern.

―We have assigned Joshua to the Redoubt libraries, to research anything that might be useful in discovering more about these flying creatures,‖ Wigg told her. ―But nothing has turned up yet. These beings remain a mystery, as do so many other things.

―There is much to tell you, Your Highness,‖ he continued rather sadly. ―We not only have a great many challenges to face, but we also find that there is now a distinctly limited amount of time with which to deal with them. But to better explain our concerns to you, we would prefer to retire to another room. Due to your inexperience in the craft, this problem must be actually seen with your own two eyes for you to truly understand it.‖

Seeing the concern in both of their faces, she immediately agreed. ―Of course,‖ she said.

Reaching to a nearby table, Shailiha picked up the sling that the gnome wives had made for her and donned it. Then she lifted Morganna from her crib, and gently placed her into the sling. The baby cooed softly.

Wigg went to door. Morganna cradled closely before her, the princess followed the two wizards and the consul down the great hallways of the Redoubt.