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Chapter 32 - Poison

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Tayne leant back in his chair, musing over the King’s cryptic words.

The Silverborn are free to continue their duties. I will not bind you -- but the Sentinel must remain, for a time at least.

He wasn’t sure why it bothered him so much. None of the other topics had.  Yet, in the past three hours following the meeting’s conclusion, he hadn’t been able to shake that sentence. The words replayed in his mind, renewing the cold, prickling sensation with each repetition.

I will not bind you -- but the Sentinel must remain, for a time at least.

Tayne’s brow creased in thought. He pushed further back into the chair, causing the front two legs to lift from the ground as he replaced them with his own.

Was he to interpret that as the King binding Skye to Alguarde, the city where she was barely connected to her element? The place where fanatics stalked her and those that sought her harm could remain hidden within the crowds?

More to the point, what would become of Skye if he and the Silverborn were to pick up and leave? Would she end up disappearing into the wilds, alone and hunted if he left her behind?

You’ve always known she could never come with you. The moment she steps outside Alguarde’s walls, the shadow will hunt her.

The thought bounced around inside his skull. In an odd way, he’d never actually expected this moment to come. That somehow, things would just work out.

When you should have been making plans. Plus one for leadership, Tayne. You’re an idiot.

Tayne sighed and returned the chair’s legs to the floor.

His eyes glanced over the paperwork he’d been left with after the meeting, darting from one pointless figure to another. All statistics and horse manure ‘facts’ that had no significance besides their ability to distract the King from the matter at hand.

Tayne ran his thumb over the pile. It was almost as thick as his hand.

The Advisor would have spent hours weaving the details of these together... the carefully presented order...

With a devious grin, Tayne picked it up and threw it over his head. It fluttered to the ground, settling like giant, statistically-decorated butterflies on the rug.

“And after all his work, the bastard didn’t even bother to turn up,” muttered Tayne.

He was only beginning to regret his decision when the door to his study slammed open. Instinct took over and Tayne leapt to his feet, turning to face the figure who hunched over in the doorway. They leant heavily on the handle, as if out of breath. Tayne recognised the garments immediately.

The man was the King’s messenger.

Tayne half ran, half walked over to the man struggling to stand. He grasped his shoulders and led him to a chair, despite the man’s gasped protests that he was fine, and it was too urgent.

“Silverborn, his... his majesty the King... reques... requests your immediate presence at the... at the royal courts,” said the messenger between heaving breaths.

Tayne buckled his sword to his belt while he spoke. “What could be so urgent? I met with him mere hours ago.”

The messenger straightened slightly. “It’s the Queen.”

Another deep breath. He sat up straight and looked Tayne in the eyes.

“She’s been poisoned.”

*+*+*+*

It took Tayne five minutes to reach the King’s chambers, and as far as he was concerned, it was ten minutes too late.

The guards allowed him passage easily, stepping aside before Tayne needed to break stride. That alone relayed the King’s urgency. Tayne pushed himself harder, straining his burning muscles and digging for the energy to maintain the flat out sprint.

He rounded the corner, slammed into the wall and kept going, pounding down the red carpet for all he was worth. The entrance to the chamber was at the end of this hall. He could see the embellished archway that Verdrana so often scorned for wasted wealth. A Silverborn, sword drawn, stood guard outside it.

The Silverborn waved an arm at him, and Tayne recognised the mop of blonde hair.

“Jess, how long?”

Jesse shook his head and waved a flustered hand about, thinking. “They, uh, found her about thirty minutes ago.”

Tayne nodded and moved inside. His chest heaved, his lungs seeking the air they’d been unable to draw during his mad dash. Despite his irritation toward the Queen, the sight made his heart catch in his throat.

She lay on the extravagant bed, arms by her sides, garbed in a long purple gown. From the way it and her hair lay draped over the edge, Tayne guessed she’d been moved from wherever they’d found her. Her breaths were rare, irregular, and she twitched violently with each draw. Sweat glistened on her brow, and Tayne could make out lines of pain.

Nissa knelt beside her, her stare focussed entirely on the glowing blade hilt in her hands. She pressed it to the Queen’s stomach, her mouth moving in soundless words.

“Tayne! Tayne, oh thank the deities.”

The King moved out from the corner of room, wringing his hands. Coupled with the sight of Alguarde’s Queen, Tayne’s world seemed to stop at the sight of his friend. King or not, he stared at his Queen like a lost puppy.

Sorrow and grief lined the skin around his eyes which never left Alice’s gaze. With every violent spasm the Queen had, Darien met with his own silent shudders. His crown, usually worn with such pride, sat discarded and forgotten on the side table.

Tayne could only guess what was running through the King’s mind.

“What happened, Darien?” asked Tayne.

 “I-- I’m not sure. I was in a council with the Advisor when your man outside ran to me. He-- He garbled something, something about the Queen and they’d found her, begged me to follow him...” Darien took hold of Tayne’s upper arms in a vice like grip. “Tayne what will I do without her? Who could do such a thing?”

Tayne grasped Darien’s arms and locked eyes with him. “I’m not sure, but we’ll find out. This will not go unpunished, but you need to keep your head.”

He waited for Darien to regain his composure. When the King lifted his head, his gaze was exactly that -- the gaze of a King who could take control of the situation.

Tayne nodded in approval. “Now, who found her first?”

“That would be me.”

Nissa rose from her position, leaving the enchanted blade on the Queen’s still form. She wiped her hands over her tunic and moved to join Tayne and Darien. Tayne glanced at the dark stain her palms had left.

Is that blood?

“I found her nearly thirty five minutes ago when I was delivering the missive to the King, as you asked of me. She was lying face down in one of the corridors near the council chambers. She couldn’t have been there two minutes; the passage is used regularly by the castle’s staff.”

“And you’ve been here with her ever since?” asked Tayne.

“Yes. I called to Jesse, who I’d passed a minute or so before. I told him to fetch the physician and alert the guards, as the murderer was most likely still among us at the time. Although--“

Darien’s face darkened. “You said murderer, why?”

Nissa licked her lips, a habit she formed when considering her words carefully.  “Because, my King... The poison used was intended to kill.”

Darien was silent. He closed his eyes and inclined his head ever so slightly. When they opened, he set his shoulders and pressed his hands to his sides.

“What can we do?” His voice made it clear exactly what he expected the answer to be.  

Nissa rubbed her thumb along the surface of her palm. It was a small gesture, but drew Tayne’s gaze to her palm, where a small, precise cut ran along the surface.

Strange...

“I’ve done all I can until the Advisor returns with the ingredients I require. I believe I can make an antidote. In the meantime, I’ve set the energy in my Silverborn blade to stopping the poison’s spread. She will live, assuming there are no complications.”

Darien’s shoulders slumped, the relief evident in his sigh.

“You can identify it at such an early stage?” asked Tayne.

“Verdrana and myself have studied various potions, some poisons, very closely over the last few months, especially now the Sentinel library is open to us. Ones that involve the use of a demon’s blood, either to hinder or help its drinker.” 

Nissa moved back to the Queen’s bedside, where the sword still emitted a faint glow.

“As you can see,” she continued, “the pallor of the skin, the slight purple tone she’s taking on around her extremities? That’s an indicator that a demon’s blood was used. As for the poison, her irregular breathing and her twitching indicates that it’s Nistall, or as the elves call it, ‘The Night’s stalker’. It’s supposed to simulate being hunted by their greatest fear.”

Though he said nothing, Tayne could read the look on the King’s face. They’d both heard Nissa, and were most likely both obsessing over the same words.

Or as the elves call it...

“So it’s an elven poison, yes?” asked the King, his tone neutral.

“Don’t jump to conclusions, Darien,” said Tayne, gripping the King’s wrist. “Skye is not the only one with access to that library. Nissa, how long does it take to brew the potion?” Somehow, by not mentioning the word poison, the situation seemed better. Potions could be countered with more potions. No one had to die.

“An hour at most. Nistall can only be kept for sixteen hours after it’s brewed before it loses the ability to kill.”

Tayne nodded and pressed the thought into his blade. The hilt cooled under his hand as the mental note etched itself into a Whisper. Instead of sealing the link, he left it open, guessing he’d have a great many more notes to record before he was ready to move.

He removed his hand from the blade and knelt beside the Queen. She shuddered, arching her back off the mattress and baring her teeth. Tayne suppressed the bile rising in his throat.

How could anyone do this to another? To not only wish someone dead, but with such pain?

He looked away, happening to turn towards Nissa.

She watched the Queen with an impassive expression. The twitches and spasms that caused Tayne such discomfort seemed to hold no interest for her. She acted like she’d witnessed this before, or was it perhaps that she didn’t care for the Queen’s wellbeing?

Suddenly unsure of Nissa’s motives, Tayne extended a hand to hover over the glowing blade on the Queen’s chest. He felt the ebb and flow, the blade’s heartbeat, massaging its way around the still form of the Queen. No malicious intent was apparent, it seemed like a slightly modified healing charm.

“You did well with the blade. The energy is strong around it. How did you do it?”

 “I re-directed the healing energy we store in the blade to slow the poison around her body until the Advisor returns with the ingredients I require. It is why her breathing is slow.”

“You don’t need to be touching it?” asked Tayne, relaxing slightly.

“No. Verdrana and I discovered several techniques lost to us in the Sentinel Library. I am feeding the blade energy from myself, hence why it has not dimmed. Obviously it would be more efficient to maintain contact, but it’s an opportunity to practice.”

The King growled behind them.

Nissa’s expression remained the same, her gaze focussed on the Queen. “I would not endanger the Queen’s life, my King. If I were unsure of myself, I would ask Tayne to use his gift, though it would by no means cure the poison entirely.”

Tayne’s brows drew together. Something wasn’t quite right with Nissa. Her stare was glassy, shifting in and out of focus. Perhaps the enchantment’s toll was too great? He was debating whether to force her to cut off the spell when she took a sudden breath in and clutched her hand.

The cut... could it be?

Without really knowing why, Tayne grabbed Nissa’s wrist and forced her fingers open. The tiny gash across her palm wept dark red blood, almost purple. Tayne smeared the blood, searching the wound quickly for sign of damage. At the pressure, Nissa winced and pulled her hand away, glaring daggers at Tayne.

Tayne drew breath to speak, but was interrupted by shouting in the corridor.

Four of the royal guards, loaded with various boxes and plants, half walked, half ran towards the room. Led by Donovan and a slightly taller, lankier man, they made quite the sight.

“My King! Does she live still? I feared the worst, but--“

“Advisor, there is no time. Did you bring the ingredients I require?” asked Nissa, standing up and very deliberately facing her back to Tayne. She wiped her injured hand across her leggings again, adding to the ever-growing dark patch.

The Advisor nodded and motioned for the guards to enter. They did so, each moving to the wall and placing their boxes at Donovan’s instruction.

“That will be all. Stand guard outside, and send the Silverborn in.”

Nissa gestured to the plants now skirting the room. “I didn’t ask for most of these. You wasted time bringing these useless plants here.”

The Advisor smirked, casting a sly glance in Jesse’s direction. The younger Silverborn appeared disoriented, as if unsure he should be there. “I think you will find they are more than necessary, Silverborn. I have made an important discovery.”

“More important than the Queen’s life?” asked Nissa. Her hand was curled into a tight ball, blood leaking through the miniscule gaps between her fingers.

“Enough!” ordered the King. “Prepare the antidote. Anything you require and it shall be yours, but do it quickly.”

Nissa complied without any further argument, retreating to the corner where Donovan had placed a group of plants, vials and other things Tayne was unfamiliar with. The King turned back to Donovan with a satisfied nod.

“What is this discovery, Advisor?”

Tayne’s stomach dropped the way Donovan immediately perked up. The Advisor pulled out a dark green book from the folds of his cloak, pursed his lips and casually flicking through the pages. Jesse gave Tayne a nervous glance, and Tayne couldn’t blame him. The small man in black before him had never managed to unsettle him quite like he was managing now.

He’s got something on us. Or at least, he’s damned sure he’s got something.

“Ah hah!” Donovan clicked his tongue and pointed a deliberate finger at the title of a marked page.

‘Nistall.’

“With my sources, I have managed to procure this most interesting book from its previous, although unknown, owner. As you can see, it lists the exact ingredients, time, recipe and properties of the very poison that was used against our beloved Queen.”

Donovan lifted the book to show the King, and then more reluctantly so, Tayne.

The King raised an eyebrow at the Advisor.

“This isn’t information we didn’t already know. What makes this so special?”

Donovan tapped his fingers over the ingredients list. “I found this book in the Silverborn quarters late yesterday afternoon while delivering the pre-council documents to Tayne. The seal indicates it is from the Sentinel library that was opened recently. It was lying in the common room, marked and obviously used. I found the title.... disturbing, to say the least, so I decided it best to take it into custody as to avoid such tragedy as we have been faced with today.

“While it was not to be, there is a silver lining to this dark and looming storm. I believe I have found the culprit, or at least, the most likely suspect.”

The King gestured for Donovan to continue, his frown deepening. Tayne’s stomach reached his waist and kept plummeting.

“I took it upon myself to read these marked pages, sire. All of them detailed descriptions for deadly poisons, most to kill slowly and cause agonising pain. Now, Nissa, take a moment from your concoction--“

“Antidote,” growled the King.

“--antidote, and tell us of the properties of demon’s blood, and how it is collected, if you will?”

With a scowl, Nissa turned. The glassy look was gone from her eyes, although her hand was still stained with blood despite her attempts to wipe it off. Tayne was beginning to worry if it’d ever stop bleeding.

“Demon’s blood can only be collected, as you say while the demon is still alive, else the blood dissolves with the demon. For Nistall, the blood can be kept no longer than four days and six hours before it loses its potential to kill.”

“So the person would need to be strong to subdue the demon, yes? A feat not many are capable of?”

“I suppose, although there are ways to capture demons with relative ease.”

Donovan acted like he’d never heard her. “So, majesty. This person would have to be strong, have access to the Sentinel library -- an honour granted only to members of the Silverborn or the Sentinel herself. They would need to have a strong reason to hate the Queen, such as feeling threatened by her. They would need to have knowledge of the poison. An elven poison. And most importantly,” he added with a contemptuous smile, “they would need to have access to the ingredients.”

The implication was there. It wasn’t difficult to guess where the Advisor was heading with his accusation. Sentinel library. Elven poison. Plant and demon based ingredients.

Worst of all, Tayne now knew Skye possessed intricate knowledge of poisons. The memory of last night’s soul-link was fresh in his mind.

He knew how she viewed demons, and could easily envision her administering an agonising poison to the twisted souls from the edge of her blade without a qualm. How much of a jump would it have been from her to target the Queen, a woman she saw as cunning, cruel, and incapable of mercy just as demons were?

Heart at the bottom of his boots, Tayne put his hands up.

“You’re leaping to conclusions where none exist, Advisor. There is no way to prove this isn’t a set up, to isolate our one hope of defeating the shadow. They can’t get to her directly, so they drive her out of safety.”

“I agree,” said the King. “This whole thing seems too obvious. I like to give our Sentinel a little more credit than leaving the book from the library lying around, and choosing an elven poison of all things.”

Tayne nodded, his doubt receding with the King’s belief behind him. Skye would never be so careless. “Exactly. It also raises the question of how they got to Alice in the first place. How was it that the Queen ended up alone in a corridor, with no witnesses? Nissa, when will she wake?”

Nissa glanced up from the silvery blue liquid bubbling in the vial she held. “There is no way to tell. The poison attacks the mind. Her willpower decides when she wakes. The antidote only counters the lethal component.”

Tayne exhaled loudly. How could he have believed Skye was responsible for something like this? It wasn’t like her at all. Killing the Queen, perhaps. But doing it with such a subtle, sly method? She’d have challenged the woman to a duel and killed her in the circle.

He went to voice the thought -- excluding Skye’s suspected dislike for the Queen -- but was interrupted by Donovan, clutching a leather bound book in his hands.

“My King, Silverborn, as much as I would like to believe this true, I have in my possession two pieces of information you may not know about yet, as they only occurred today. Nearly six hours ago, if my sources are correct.”

The King raised a skeptical eyebrow at the Advisor. “I understand you have a dislike of the Sentinel, Advisor, however I suggest you remember who it is you accuse. You may proceed, I suppose.”

With a deep bow, Donovan opened his book -- a log, as it turned out -- and handed it over for the King’s inspection.

“Seven hours ago, I accompanied Queen Alice through the city. We were mounted and on horseback in the merchant district when we came across the Sentinel, having recently completed a healing of a woman with fatal injuries.”

Tayne narrowed his eyes. One of the Silverborn patrols in that district had brought back a woman and her son earlier today, claiming she required protection and Luke would see to her when he returned. Wrain had handled it, Tayne having an enormous amount of material to revise for the next council meeting. He found himself wishing that he’d paid more attention to the development. Then, this surprise might not have been dropped on his head quite so hard.

What relevance could this possibly have to Skye’s involvement?

“The Queen, curious and grateful decided to stop and thank the Sentinel for her involvement in saving the woman’s life. However, it wasn’t long until a Silverborn, Luke I believe, began making wild accusations, to which the Sentinel did nothing to stop, allowing the Silverborn to slander the Kingdom’s name.”

Not Skye. The Sentinel. The Advisor was associating her with the corrupted scum that plagued the land. Donovan was trying so hard to present Skye in the wrong that he was willing to overlook any discrepancies on Luke’s behalf.

I’m going to kill him later if their feud places Skye in danger.

“This one too,” said the Advisor, gesturing to Jesse, “was there, and yet did nothing about it. In the end, the Queen was about to step in when violence was threatened. Before she managed to, however, the Sentinel forced the Silverborn into silence. Her parting words were, ‘I bid you good day and hope that it finds you as well as our brief time together here has today’, before she turned and left.”

“Now, I thought nothing of it at the time, your majesty, thinking it said out of flared tempers and an insincere threat. However, it was only until much later that I realised exactly how serious she may have been.”

The Advisor turned to Jesse, who squirmed under his glare.

“You. I wish to confirm exactly where you went. After visiting several clothing and assorted stores, you visited the blacksmith, did you not?”

Jesse gave a hesitant nod. “Uh, yes, but I don’t see what it has to do with--“

“My King, please refer to the ingredients list of Nistall.”

The room was silent for a moment as the King picked up the old book that’d been found lying around the Silverborn’s quarters. His eyes scanned the pages, and Tayne held his breath.

“Iron filings,” he said after a great length. “They are common, Donovan.”

“As I am well aware, my Lord. Silverborn, where did you go after that?”

Jesse retreated a few steps under Donovan’s glare. “I, uh, we went back to the Silverborn quarters, we didn’t--“

“That is a lie, as you very well know. Are you protecting someone?”

“What? No! It’s just--“

“I brought with me the owner of a small greenhouse which grows various plant ingredients for medicinal potions in a district not far from the Silverborn quarters, my King. I found some most interesting items there, which the keeper has allowed me to present to you. Silverborn Jesse, do you recognise any of these plants?”

Tayne glanced down at the floor, following the Advisor’s hand. Boxes filled with three plants each sat in a neat row against the wall where the royal guard had placed them.

One in particular caught his eye -- a purple leaved plant with blue flowers that seemed to shimmer from within. If he were correct, it seemed to be missing a flower and several leaves, crudely plucked from a now bare stem.

Jesse spent the next few seconds looking from plant to plant, continuously verging on the point of shaking or nodding his head, as if indecisive. With the Advisor’s urging, Jesse gave a hesitant shrug.

“I... I suppose one or two of those look familiar, but I’m not sure, and, uh, they’re pretty common anyway, aren’t they?” he asked, worry spreading over his face.

Oh Jess, why are you lying? That’s only going to make this worse...

The Advisor rolled his eyes, hiding the gesture from the King. He turned back to the royal, face suddenly grim and hands spread in an apologetic gesture.

“My Lord, the plant you find Tayne so keenly observing is Purblu, the key ingredient to making Nistall lethal. Both leaves and petals are required, which as you can see have been recently stripped. The plant still weeps. Most disturbingly, you will find that the plant has been touched with a magical hand. I need not remind you the only person capable of producing the golden glow.”

“Yes, I suppose we did see it at the trial,” said the King. “But she is a nature Sentinel. It was not uncommon to find them caressing the source of their power.”

“You will find that from the keeper of the garden, Sentinel Skye took interest only in the plants which are key to brewing Nistall. You must remember that she has not yet been trained by another Sentinel, sire, we cannot consider her to be in their exact likeness. She is an anomaly, an unpredictable figure of unknown power amongst us, and--“

“She’s not a demon! Why are you treating her like one?” Jesse stamped his foot, anger barely contained in his voice.

“She has brought demons to us, Silverborn,” said the Advisor. “She is a danger, whether you like it or not. Tell me, why did you not say before you entered the herb shop? Why did you deny having seen these plants before? Why, oh Silverborn, do you lie to cover for your precious Sentinel if she is as innocent as you claim?”

“Because of you! You do this!”

“Uncover the truth, you mean? Protect the Kingdom from the corrupted?”

“No! You... you manipulate everything around you! She’s safe here, but you want to drive her away! You want her to go back into danger! You’re... you’re worse than the corrupted!”

Tayne stepped back, shocked. From Jesse, that was about as big as insults came. The turn in the blonde haired Silverborn in the last few weeks had been significant, but this? Tayne had wanted Jesse to come out of his shell and find his confidence, but this newfound anger took him by surprise.

What could possibly have affected him so much? Skye? Whatever he saw last night in her chambers, with the intruder?

Tayne shuddered, not wanting to think of the possibilities. He couldn’t let Jesse turn into another Luke, a man consumed by hatred no matter how well he hid it.  

The Advisor seemed amused, raising his eyebrows and folding his arms.

“You seem to have been--“

“Enough! Stop this madness.” The King switched his gaze between Donovan and Jesse, ensuring his point was made. “While I am not convinced, there is evidence enough to make me believe Skye is at least the target of a set up. She may be in danger.” He paused, rubbing his temples.  “Nissa, how long on the antidote?”

“Just a few more minutes, the petals must be ground properly, or...”

She trailed off, her hand coming to a complete stop in the bowl. Tayne followed her stare.

Alice had, somehow, pushed herself up on to an elbow. Her eyes were vacant, her breathing still ragged as she stared with sightless eyes ahead of her. A horrible shudder went through her body and she fell back on the bed with a thud.

Darien was by her side in a flash, hand supporting her neck which she fought a losing battle to hold up. He took her hand in his own, clutching her fingers and searching her face with the look of a desperate madman on his own.

“Alice, Alice can you hear me?”

Agonising silence went by, broken only by the Queen’s ragged breaths.

Nissa moved over, hands once more working furiously. “Sire, you must let her rest. The blade cannot move, else the poison might spread.”

Reluctant in his movements, Darien removed his hand from Alice’s neck. Like lighting, Alice’s hand darted to Darien’s arm. Her head snapped towards him, her lids closed.

“Sentinel...” she breathed, the words a whisper on her lips. “Sentinel... did not... expect...”

Alice coughed, and her hand fell away. Darien clutched it and began shaking his wife’s shoulders.

“Alice? Alice, come back! Alice!”

He shook her harder and in his fit of passion, the Silverborn blade fell from her chest. It landed beside her, its light fading almost immediately.

Alice shivered. With the calm before the storm, her head jerked back unexpectedly and her limbs began to spasm in seizure.

“Tayne! Get him away, he’s spreading the poison!” cried Nissa.

Reacting to her words, Tayne darted forward and wrapped his arms around Darien’s torso. He struggled for control briefly before his Silverborn strength asserted itself, and pinned the King’s arms to his sides in an awkward embrace. Jesse leapt forward, prying his fingers from Alice’s wrist and placing himself between the couple.

Nissa ran forward, shoving the Advisor to one side. She knelt and smeared a green-blue paste over the Queen’s lips, then held her shoulders against the bed. Jesse swapped frantic looks between King and Queen, as if trying to decide where he was needed most.

Tayne only held on tighter, trying to ignore the wetness forming on his sleeve.

The minutes passed by with an excruciating slowness. Darien stopped struggling, and at some point, the restraint had turned into Tayne comforting the King, one arm wrapped around Darien’s body and holding his shoulder firmly.

Finally, Alice calmed. Nissa and Jesse breathed a sigh of relief and released her tentatively, still eyeing her warily. Nissa turned on her knees and gave a weary nod to the King.

“She’ll live, my King. The worst is now over.”

The King closed his eyes, moving slowly to his Queen and laying a hand over hers again. She sighed at the contact, her eyelids fluttering peacefully like she knew he was there. Tayne felt a pang of relief, the realisation of what could have occurred crashing down around him. He found himself with one thought.

Is Skye capable of causing that kind of pain in others, demon or not? How can one person hate something so much?

“She said Sentinel.”

Tayne glanced up at the unexpected words. “My King?” he asked, puzzled.

“Alice, she said Sentinel. That she didn’t expect a Sentinel.”

The King stood and straightened his robes around him. Tayne’s heart was suddenly back in his boots.

“Advisor, send a messenger for Sentinel Skye.”

“I already have, majesty,” said the Advisor with a bow. “He is waiting outside as we speak.” He took a few steps to the doorway and beckoned an unseen figure to enter. A skinny man dressed in the royal messenger’s traditional clothes entered, red faced and out of breath.

“I sent for him earlier, in case the Sentinel’s healing was needed,” the Advisor told the King. Then, to the messenger he said, “Did you find her?”

“Nay, I did not. She was not in the training grounds nor in her quarters as you suggested. I could not find her anywhere, and did not think it wise to delay bringing this news to you. I left the message with the female Silverborn, however, and they mentioned the Sentinel had run off only a few minutes prior after training.”

The Advisor waved his hand. “You are dismissed.”

The messenger bowed and ran out of the room, quickly disappearing from sight.

The King swept out of the room. Tayne followed him, anxious to see what he was doing. He didn’t need to wait long -- the King addressed the royal guard with a stony expression on his face.

“Find the Sentinel, and bring her here immediately. She should be considered dangerous, possibly a threat to Alguarde. Approach with caution.”

Tayne intercepted. “Darien, what are you doing?”

The King unleashed the full force of his glare on Tayne, who refused to cower or back down before it. The thought of Skye in chains and considered a prisoner strengthened his spine. There was no way he could let this pass unchallenged.  

“You have seen the evidence, Silverborn. Do not deny the facts.”

“It’s a set up, like you admitted not nearly ten minutes ago! It’s an obvious trick to force her from Alguarde! She’ll panic when the guards try to restrain her, she’ll fight back! People will get hurt because of a serious misunderstanding!”

The King regarded Tayne for a long moment, holding the guards back with an open palm.

“Very well. You have one hour to locate the Sentinel and bring her back here for questioning. If she is truly innocent, she will have nothing to hide.”

And like that, Tayne was off and running down the corridor, with Jesse close on his heels.

*+*+*+*