Free Age of Druids by India Drummond Page A

when you arrived?”
     
    “Four experienced Watchers blocked his access to magical flows. Others guarded the doors and windows in pairs since his second attempt at escape. I entered, but didn’t find him as I expected.”
     
    “In what way?”
     
    “He was haughty, smug. Not at all like someone facing a death sentence.”
     
    “Sounds like him, actually,” Munro said. “Anyone who knows Eilidh would guess that she’d never want to sentence him to die. Did he deny the treason?”
     
    “How could he? I have no doubt he might plead innocence to Eilidh, but he and I were alone.”
     
    “No Watchers stayed in the room with you?”
     
    “Why should they? Without his magic, he was of no threat to anyone. Even you could best him in that state.”
     
    Munro didn’t take offense. Humans were virtually helpless against faeries as long as the faerie had access to the flows. Without magic, however, they stood little chance faced with the brute strength of human muscle. The loss left them disoriented and bereft, hardly a danger.
     
    “He boasted ridiculously, predicting a revolution in Caledonia. His eyes were glazed and he was frenzied with his own delusion.” Griogair shifted in his chair uncomfortably. “I listened to him rave for a while but grew bored.”
     
    “You weren’t concerned?”
     
    Griogair shrugged. “Only about how his raving might affect Eilidh. She would find a way to blame herself.” He brushed a piece of lint off the knee of his fine leather trousers. “I started to leave, but he began to scream as though in distress. When I turned to see what had upset him, he charged me with what I believed at the time was a knife in his hand.”
     
    “An elemental knife?”
     
    “Yes.”
     
    That shouldn’t have been possible without access to the flows. Munro frowned, wondering if there was something he was missing. “And you conjured one of your own?”
     
    “Yes. I drew my sword to defend myself. He flew at me, and I reacted. In an instant, Koen was dead.” The prince’s tone was flat. He didn’t meet Munro’s gaze.
     
    “You could have blocked him with a shield of air and not hurt him.”
     
    “Probably,” Griogair agreed.
     
    “Why didn’t you?”
     
    “I had less than two seconds in which to respond. My choice was driven by instinct.”
     
    “You said what you believed to be a knife . You think the weapon was an illusion?” Munro asked.
     
    “Koen was not capable of creating illusions,” Griogair replied.
     
    “Someone else might have.”
     
    Griogair shook his head. “The Caledonian Watchers are trained to detect illusions, even if it’s not being cast directly at them. There were no less than eight just outside the room.”
     
    “Could they have been in collusion with Koen?”
     
    “No. Most of them I knew a long time and can vouch for personally, and two were astral faeries who had been with Eilidh on the Isle of Skye before she ascended to the throne. I cannot believe any of the Caledonian Watchers to be corrupt, and I would swear on my life there is no way all those present were, which is what such a plan would require.”
     
    “Someone outside? One of the former Andenans or someone hired or influenced by them?”
     
    “The truth is, I received the same training as the Watchers in that regard, and I sensed no illusion or influence either.”
     
    “Then how do you explain Koen’s knife?”
     
    “A grave error on my part.” He leaned forward in his seat. “I’m sorry, Munro. I know this disappoints you and, worse yet, that my actions have devastated our mate, but I made a mistake. I believed I saw a knife, but it happened quickly. When he fell, Koen had a spoon in his hand.” Griogair laughed without humour. “A spoon.”
     
    “Eilidh must understand. How could she have had you arrested, knowing Koen came at you like that? Even if he only attacked with a spoon, it was an honest mistake.”
     
    “She’s getting pressure from Prince