Ginny Hartman (22 page)

The simmering rage he felt was beginning to boil up inside of him as he searched the entire room over. When it became perfectly clear that the girl was nowhere to be found, his hands clenched angrily into his hair and he let out a frustrated scream.

“What is the meaning of this?” King Cedric hollered behind him, not sounding pleased in the least.

Asher forced himself to calm as he turned to the king. “Where is she?”

“Who?”

“Your niece, Princess Rosalind.”

“I told you before, that information will remain private as of the moment.”

“Is she here at the castle?” Asher refused to give up.

“Absolutely not. It wouldn't be safe for her to be here.”

“Then you have been kept as clueless as the rest of us.”

“What do you mean?” King Cedric asked, confusion marring his face.

“It would seem that your lead defender has been keeping secrets from you. I came across him just this eve having his way with Princess Rosalind.”

“Rosalind? How can that be, she's nowhere near Malton Castle.” Anger seeped through his words, delighting Asher.

“Apparently you have been lied to. Terric has been keeping her here, with him, for his own gratification.”

The king's nostrils flared much like an angry bull ready to charge, his face turning a violent shade of red. “Where is he? I will have him killed.”

“I have already sentenced him to death for his treachery. He has just been delivered to the dungeon.”

“How soon can his execution be arranged?” The thought of his dear niece being taken advantage of was clearly not sitting well with the king.

“According to the law, he will have to first be tried and found guilty. We are looking at a minimum of a week.”

“I'll override the law,” King Cedric growled. “He will be executed in two-day’s time. Where is my niece?”

“That I don't know. I barred her in this very chamber when I escorted Terric to the dungeon. When I came back, she had disappeared.”

“Find her,” King Cedric roared. Asher had never seen the normally even-tempered man so incensed.

“Aye, Your Majesty.”

***

Aeden clenched his fists angrily at his sides as he listened to Asher announce to the entire castle that his brother had betrayed the king and was now awaiting execution in the castle dungeon. The entire castle staff, as well as all of King Cedric's defenders, were tasked with the job to search the princess out. As Aeden listened to the charges against his brother, he knew they couldn't be true. He was sure that Terric had delivered Princess Rosalind safely to their mother, that this all had to be some terrible mistake.

As soon as Asher dismissed them to begin their search, Aeden marched up to him, “Where is King Cedric?”

“Tis none of your business,” Asher snapped back, perturbed that someone dared speak to him.

“Of course it is my concern. These outrageous charges are brought against my brother, and I insist they are false.” His pleas on Terric's behalf fell on deaf ears. Asher turned and hastily walked away from him without saying another word.

Aeden began searching, but not for the princess as everyone else was doing, but for King Cedric instead. He had to talk to him and convince him that the charges brought against Terric were false. He knew he was being out of line going to the king's personal chambers, but a desperation like he had never known before compelled him onward.

He knocked roughly against the king's door and impatiently waited for a response. When the king finally answered, he appeared shocked to see Aeden standing there. “I came to talk to you about my brother.”

“I do not wish to speak of that traitor.”

“He is not a traitor. You must believe me when I say that he did not do that with which he is being accused.”

“Asher saw him with my niece in his bedchamber. Are you meaning to say that I should not trust Darth's lead trajector?” His voice was condescending and Aeden knew he had to be careful with his words.

“Nay, but I am suggesting that there is some other possible explanation. Let me go to Terric and speak to him about this.”

“Nay, I will not grant that request. For all I know, you are in on the treachery as well.”

Aeden stepped back as if he had been delivered a blow. The king had never spoken so harshly to him. Aeden had never given him reason not to trust him. Trying to ignore the anger his accusation caused he asked, “Have you spoken with him?”

“I refuse to speak to the traitor. I put my highest trust in him, and it seems my trust was grossly misplaced.”

Discouraged, Aeden stepped back from the king. And, not knowing what else he could do, he pulled his defenders tunic off over his head angrily and threw it at King Cedric's feet. “I refuse to defend a man that cannot find it in him to treat one of his closest friends with respect. He put his life at risk for you every single day and this is how you thank him?” he hissed before turning and fleeing the castle.

Aeden sprinted to the stables. He refused to think about what he had just done, knowing that if he did he might regret the way he spoke to the king, or the way he had just turned his back on everything he had worked his entire life for. But all he had to do was think of Terric locked up in the dungeon and he knew that he would never regret coming to his aide.

Though he had rode through the night, Aeden didn't feel the least bit tired when he finally approached is family's home. He was anxious to see if Princess Rosalind was at Emerson Castle and even more eager to formulate a plan to free Terric. He would not let his brother be executed while he sat back and did nothing.

The morning dawn was just beginning to break as he crested the knoll that led up to his home. He kicked his destrier in the flank and pushed him into a sprint, not stopping until he was at last in the inner courtyard. As soon as he had dismounted, he ran into the house and called out, “Mother, Gwendolyn, where are you?”

He knew that logically, they were probably still asleep, but his information could not wait. When he received no answer, he sprinted up the spiral steps leading to the bedchambers. He reached the tower and threw his mother’s door open, letting in a small stream of early morning sun. Laying on the bed, illuminated in the light, was his mother holding Princess Rosalind in her arms. His body flooded with relief, knowing that Asher's claims indeed were false, for the proof was laying before his very eyes. Princess Rosalind was not in Peltis.

His mother stretched herself awake, rubbing her eyes to see what had intruded on her slumber. Aeden walked towards the bed, “Mother, Terric is in trouble.”

She surprised him by saying, “Aye, I know.”

“How could you possibly know?”

“Rosalind told me everything.”

Aeden was dumb stricken. “How could...how did she know?” He was suddenly tempted to shake her awake so he could question her himself. How could she sleep so soundly if she knew that Terric was set to be executed?

For a minute he wondered if he had spoken aloud, for the princess slowly roused, turning her hazy violet eyes on him. It took her a moment to register what she was seeing, but when she did she bolted up in the bed and gasped, “Aeden? What are you doing here? Is Terric...” she couldn't finish her sentence.

“He's locked up in Peltis. The King has ordered him killed in two-day’s time. I came to see if you could help.”

Princess Rosalind started hyperventilating as she backed herself up against the wall. Aeden ignored her and turned to his mother, nearly shouting, “How did Rosalind know he was in trouble?”

“Remember how your grandfather Richard could transport?”

“What does he have to do with anything?”

“Rosalind shares his gift; she's a transporter. She had gone to see Terric when Asher caught them in his chambers. She transported back here when Asher locked her in Terric's chamber while they took him to the dungeon.”

Aeden reeled back, “So she was in Peltis?”

“Aye, but tis not what they think. It was only the second time she had gone to see him, and nothing inappropriate happened.”

“Why would she go to him?” Then turning to her he asked, “Why did you put your life in danger like that? And my brother's as well?” He was trying so hard to understand.

His mother stood up and pulled his attention back to her because the princess was in no position to answer him. “Aeden, tis a delicate matter. She and Terric have fallen in love, and she only longed to see him and know that he was well.”

“In love?” he asked lamely. Of course, he had teased Terric about being in love with the girl. Why was he surprised by the confirmation?

“Aye. Has King Cedric spoken to Terric?  Has everything been set right?”

“The king refuses to speak to him. He thinks he's a traitor who took advantage of his niece, he will not be reasoned with. I went to him myself to try and persuade him of Terric's innocence, but he refused to listen. I resigned my post as defender and raced through the night to get here so I could find out what is going on. We have to save Terric.”

Finally, Princess Rosalind spoke, “How? How can we save him? Time is running out.”

Aeden sat on the bed and scooted close to her, “Can you transport to him and somehow bring him back with you?”

She looked to his mother expectantly, “Can I?”

“Tis not the way it works. Your gift can only be used by you. I know this because I used to always beg my father to take me with him when he transported, and once he even tried just to prove to me that it couldn't be done.”

“But wait!” Princess Rosalind exclaimed excitedly, “I failed to tell you that Terric is a transporter as well.”

“What?” Both Aeden and Millicent asked in dismay.

“When I told him how I had come to be in Peltis, he recalled a time when he transported once, several years back. I tried to get him to attempt it again, but he wasn't successful.”

Slowly an idea started forming in Aeden's mind. “Mayhap he can transport himself out of there, free himself from the dungeon and avoid being executed.”

His mother was thoughtful. “Assuming he could do it, where would he go? He would forever have to live in hiding.  For, if the king ever found him, there would be no leniency.”

“Nay, there would not,” Aeden agreed. “But wouldn't a life in hiding be preferable to being executed?”

Princess Rosalind chimed in, “I don't think he can do it. He hasn't transported since well before he became lead defender for my uncle. That was years ago, and he wasn't even remotely successful when I urged him to try it again.”

“I can think of no other way to save him,” Aeden cried desperately.

The three sat in worried silence before Princess Rosalind spoke, “Mayhap I can transport back to him and urge him to try harder to do it. If it is the only way to save his life, perhaps he'll put more effort into it.”

Millicent looked at her, horror filling her eyes, “Nay, I cannot allow you to go there again.”

Aeden turned to his mother. “It could be Terric's only hope.” Then turning to Princess Rosalind he warned, “The entire castle is searching for you. You cannot allow yourself to be seen by anyone but Terric. If they find you at Malton Castle, it will only substantiate Asher's claims. Your uncle is not in the right frame of mind to be reasoned with right now. He believes what Asher has told him and holds no trust for Terric. If you try to convince him otherwise, he will just think you are in on the deceit.”

“He truly has no faith in Terric then?” the question was asked in a shaky voice and he knew, without answering her, that she felt betrayed by her own uncle.  Her face said it all.

“Very well, I see that it must be done,” his mother said to dispel the awkward silence. “Rosalind, you have to promise you will be as cautious as possible. If there is no way to save Terric, your own safety must be your primary concern.”

“I can't just leave Terric there to be killed.”

“Rosalind, listen to me,” his mother's usually calm voice was firm. “You are the future Queen of the southwest.  We cannot allow anything,
anything
to happen to you. Do you understand?”

“But Terric...”

“There will be no but's or I will refuse to allow you to go. Do you understand?”

She gnawed painfully on her bottom lip before answering, “Aye, I will do as you wish.” Aeden released a pent up breath. He prayed that their plan would be enough to save his brother's life. “But how will I know where to go? How will I know where to find Terric?”

“He's in the dungeon,” Aeden repeated somewhat irritated that he had to state the obvious.

“We are aware of that,” his mother interjected. “She needs to know specifics in order to transport there. The only place she has been to in Malton Castle is Terric's chamber. She can't very well appear there without risking being discovered. If she wants to transport to the dungeon, she needs to imagine it in her mind.”

“And how can she imagine someplace she has never been?” Aeden asked.

“Exactly.”

“I have been to the dungeon. I will describe it to you. I am not exactly sure where he is being kept, but if you are careful, you can find him without being discovered.”

Princess Rosalind scooted closer to him. “I'm listening. Tell me everything you know.”

Chapter 24

Into the Dungeon

Rosalind tried to calm her nerves as she found herself standing in the small, dingy alcove in the dark depths of the dungeon at Malton Castle. She shuddered in repulsion at the rats she could hear scurrying past her feet. Her initial reaction when she had arrived was to transport herself immediately back home, but she took several deep breaths and willed her mind to think about the only thing that mattered, saving Terric. She knew she would willingly endure far worse than filthy rodents if it would help him.

Listening intently, she made sure that the hall was silent before attempting to leave the relative safety of the alcove. She made her steps as light as she could, as she walked the hall in the darkness. There were several doors lining the hall with only a tiny, narrow slit near the middle for the guards to shove the prisoners’ daily ration of moldy bread and scummy water through. She would have to start looking into each opening to determine where Terric was being held.