Free Island Shifters: Book 02 - An Oath of the Mage by Valerie Zambito

performed at sunrise—a tender and moving prayer to their woodland deity. It always threatened to bring to tears to Kiernan’s eyes whenever she heard it, so pure and stirring it was in tone and lyrics.
    With a lighter heart, she turned from the window and walked into the sitting room. “Beck?” she whispered, looking around the large room that held a couch and two chairs that faced a fireplace and a serving table that, she could now see and smell, held their morning breakfast.
    He was not there.
    She went back into the bedroom and slipped into a dress and soft leather sandals that laced to her knees. Returning once again to the sitting room, she crossed quickly to the outer chamber doors and opened them, surprised to see Roman Traynor outside along with Saber Anton LaFrae who Kirby Nash had assigned as her guard in his absence.
    “Roman, why are you here and not with Beck?”
    The dark Saber was instantly alert and walked past her into the room. “He is not in here?”
    “No. I was on my way to look for him.”
    Roman turned to Anton. “Gather up the Sabers. I want every inch of this palace searched for Prince Beck.”
    Kiernan was surprised by the Captain’s ardent response. “Roman, is that necessary? I am sure he is here somewhere. If I know my husband, he is probably downstairs stealing sweets from the kitchen.”
    Roman did not respond as he turned and stormed down the wide stone corridor. She had to run to keep up with his long, angry strides. At the top of the stairs, she saw Rogan and Airron, who must have just returned from his morning prayers, standing at the front doors. They were talking to someone else and, although the voices were not raised, their tones sounded anxious.
    She continued down the stairs behind Roman, and Rogan turned and nodded to them in relief. “Good, you are awake.” He stepped aside, and Kiernan now saw that it was Seana they were talking to, one of the sorceresses from the Academy. What was she doing in Kondor?
    “What is it? What has happened, Seana?” she demanded.
    Seana bowed her head in greeting. “Your Grace.” That was as much as she would ever receive from a sorceress. “Terrible news, I am afraid. Diamond sent me.”
    Kiernan immediately thought it had something to do with her father and braced herself for whatever Seana had to say.
    “There is no easy way to prepare for news like this, Your Grace, so I will say it straight out. Gemini Starr is dead.”
    Kiernan felt the blood rush to her head and reached out to grab Roman’s arm. “What!”
    “On the day you left for Kondor, she was found dead from a stab wound in Prince Beck’s office.”
    Kiernan shook her head in disbelief. “But, who…?”
    Seana shrugged. “We are unsure, but that is not all.”
    Kiernan scrubbed a tear from her eye. “Go on.”
    “As I was traveling through Aquataine, one of the watershifters informed me that an army is on the march toward Nysa, although Diamond said nothing of this to me. It is possible that even she does not yet know.”
    Kiernan was dumfounded. “An army?” She looked at Rogan and Airron. “Why would the Dwarves or Elves be marching against Nysa?”
    Seana shook her head. “Not Dwarves or Elves. Mostly, soldiers of House Etin, but there are also legionnaires from House Everard and even an angry mob of Iserport citizens.”
    So, the civil unrest that had been simmering had boiled over, but the grievances, it seemed, were directed at House Everard. And, what of the soldiers? Were they along simply to keep the peace during the civil protest of the people or was this something more? As Kiernan tried to process her thoughts, Airron asked, “Where is Beck?”
    “He…he was not in our room, so Roman and I were just coming to look for him.”
    Rogan turned to Roman. “When you find him, bring him to the great hall.” He turned back to Kiernan and Airron. “I will meet you there in a few moments with Erik. As my King, it is my duty to let him know of this at