Free Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 by Connie Suttle Page B

attempts to
follow his plan of invasion, or he returns to defend his throne. He must know by
now that we've rescued Rath."
    "Without Yevil at his side to pour poison in his ear,
perhaps Father will see reason, now," Amlis grumbled.
    I preferred not to rely on Amlis' hopes—Tamblin had his own
demons and they drove him much of the time. I held no illusions that light
would shine upon his blackened mind now that Yevil was gone. After all, he'd
asked his eldest son to kill Yevil, likely knowing somewhere in the recesses of
his soul that the Prince could die at Yevil's hand.
    Then, after knowing Yevil was responsible for Timblor's death,
he still allied himself with the known evil. Tamblin's senses had twisted long
ago and there were no delusions in my mind that he would find rationality at
last.
    He'd killed his brother, too, as well as the Avii King and Queen.
That act had started the sickness overtaking Fyris. Whether at Yevil's coaxing
or by his own desire, he'd effectively killed the people of his kingdom. His
desire to sail away from Fyris and attack the unknown was ludicrous.
    "Look, we're exhausted. There will be time enough to
discuss these things when we're rested," Amlis rose and stretched. "I'll
speak with my uncle in the morning and we'll decide what to do then."
    I waited until I'd shut the door of Justis' suite to work the
kinks from my neck and shoulders. Justis stretched out his wings to relieve
cramping from the hurried flight to Vhrist.
    "I can probably remove the knots in your neck and
shoulders," I offered.
    "Please," Justis sank to his knees and allowed his
wings to droop beside him. Placing my hands on the affected areas, I healed
them of their aches. His skin was smooth and strong beneath my hands. I pulled
away the moment I knew he felt better.
    "Thank you—I have never had relief so quickly."
Justis stood and without a backward glance, strode into his bedroom and shut
the door.
    * * *
    "I intend to clear out the old healer's quarters and set
up a clinic there for those who wish to seek treatment," Ordin announced
over a late breakfast the following morning. "Medics from Berel's ships
have offered to help and with their knowledge and the medicines they carry, it
is my hope to relieve some of their suffering."
    "That is an excellent idea," Kaldill agreed. "It
will help in our investigation of the poison, I think. I wish to send samples
to some I know, so they may work on the same problem from afar."
    "I have word that some will come who are immune to all
poisons," Daragar interjected. He sat with us, making himself smaller to
fit the chairs about the long table in the King's chambers.
    Except there was no King, and never had been. Tamblin named
himself such, but he'd been deposed by his wife and son. Amlis would never call
himself King, but I was concerned that Omina would consider herself Queen no
matter what. I worried that things were moving too swiftly toward a less than
ideal conclusion, but I had no authority and less desire to share that
particular concern.
    Who is coming? I ventured to send mindspeech to
Daragar.
    You will see , he replied.
    He was right—I would see. All I had to do was look at them,
after all. I'd seen what Daragar and Kaldill were, and they were very powerful.
So far, none had defied what I could read in them.
    Justis had been silent throughout the meal, choosing to listen
to the others talk. I learned that Kaldill and Daragar had imprisoned Yevil—not
in the dungeons beneath the castle but on the highest level, where the Avii
once landed when they visited Tandelis.
    I hadn't been to see the prisoner there, but many from the
castle had already made their way up repaired steps to look upon a one-legged
aberration. Yevil had no friends among the residents—he'd killed too many of
their friends and family to have allies.
    Varnell and his loyal guards, on the other hand, were in the
dungeon—at Amlis' command. I hoped they weren't being mistreated, but had no
desire to walk