Eventide (Meratis Trilogy Book 2) (44 page)

“What do you say to this, Sir Venn? Would you approve such a proposal?”

Venn tried to clear her expression of any hope or happiness. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Ansella raised her hand towards her face, maybe to tap her finger against her lip, but as if she remembered the mask, dropped it onto her skirt. “Very well. You have Our leave to accompany them. But know that you are welcome back here if it does not meet your expectations.”

Venn bowed again. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Finally the queen turned to Jeff. “And how about you, Mr. Powell? What would you ask of the Andvellian Queen?”

The way she said the words, Jeff heard the message underneath.
The queen of the world you claim to have created. What could I possibly offer
you
?

Before Jeff could answer, the room went dark, the sunlight disappearing from the six floor-to-ceiling windows. Whispers and exclamations burst from the crowd as everyone looked outside. The afternoon sun had disappeared, covered in thick black clouds that hadn’t been there a moment ago. Fat raindrops began to fall, ticking against the thick glass, and lightning flashed in blue-white forks, hitting the ground in short flashes of fire.

Venn and Cassie moved closer to Jeff and they jumped as the first grumble of thunder rolled through. From the crowd, he saw Maggie try to move closer, caught in the mob of hundreds of bodies.

Only it didn’t sound exactly like thunder. And it came from inside, just past the doors.

Impossible
, Jeff thought.
Raul is dead. Raul is
gone
!

He and Jasmine exchanged a look, and she shook her head, just as worried and confused.

The rumble came again, and this time the doors at the back of the room flew open, seemingly of their own accord, revealing the source of the sound.

In the doorway, a lion stood, throwing back its maned head to release another chest-deep roar.

The crowd screamed and rushed to get away from the aisle as the cat loped forward, the patterns on its creamy fur and thick brown mane shifting with each lightning strike.

People tried to escape, but the doors slammed shut again to trap everyone inside.

Maggie managed to push her way to the front next to Brady. She shouted a word of command, but the spell rebounded and knocked her back.

The Queensguard blocked the lion’s path down the aisle, swords and spears drawn, but the lion raised a paw and swatted them away as if they were kittens.

Behind Jeff, the queen raised her ceremonial sword. She’d taken off her mask and it sat now in Basten’s open palms where he stood behind his chair, never one to be part of the fight. Ariana drew her own daggers, but Jayden stood in front of her, sword ready.

Jeff didn’t know what to do. There was nowhere to run and no weapon for him to grab. So he stood paralysed and waited to see what would happen.

The lion glanced at the queen and disregarded her, padding in front of Jeff. He stopped breathing. The lion sat down, still tall enough to reach Jeff’s shoulder. It raised its paw and rested it on his chest, the claws black and sharp against his coat. He stayed as still as he could.

The air around the lion shimmered, and whispers rippled across the room like a breeze, shaking the pennants that hung from the ceiling.

The lion roared once more, and in response, more growls sounded behind them. Cassie whipped around with a startled gasp, and Jeff suspected there would be two more lions in the far corners of the room. Which no one else had seen enter. Because they hadn’t been there a moment ago.

His fear eased, replaced by an anxious uncertainty, and as his shoulders relaxed, the lion’s eyes changed from gold to emerald. The paw on his chest tingled with energy, and his hair stood on end as the vibrations ran down his arms and up the back of his neck.

He blinked, and the lion was gone, the paw changed to a bare hand, and a woman stood in its place.

“I should have known,” he said.

Kay grinned.

For the occasion, she had dressed up, the usual sheer dress replaced with a flowing gown of pale green, her long hair braided, partially up, the rest falling over her shoulders.

“Did you think we would miss,”

“A party in honour of,”

“Jeffrey Lionheart?”

None of the tension in the room eased as the new arrivals revealed themselves. Based on Venn’s blank stare, Jeff guessed the Sisters weren’t as widely known in Andvell as they seemed to be among the Feldall population. But Jasmine and Jayden sheathed their weapons, looking entertained by everyone else’s reactions.

Jeff spun in a circle to greet the other two Sisters, Aya looking stunning in a sky-blue princess gown, with a full skirt and off the shoulder bodice, her milk-white hair pinned up, showing off the most of her black skin. Lan, in the far corner, wore a tight short-sleeved yellow gown with a red belt around her waist, her black hair rolled into a side bun.

He turned back to Kay. “I guess I’m glad you stopped by. That I get to say farewell. You certainly made an entrance, but I don’t know how I feel about the Lionheart.”

“You rose above your promise,” said Kay.

Aya spoke up, joining Kay on her left. “Saved the country. Saved the,”

“World.” Lan came up on her right. “We owe you a gift.”

“Who are you?” Ariana demanded, still holding her daggers. She had pinned her skirt up to her belt, revealing one long leg beneath, giving a bit of freedom if she came to a fight. Jeff noted the way Jayden’s gaze was fixated on the muscular thigh.

“We are the—” Kay began.

“They’re witches,” Jeff interrupted, not giving them a chance to get into their long riddle-ridden spiel. “Illusionists. Far from harmless, but I don’t think they’re here to cause trouble.”

The queen gave a nod, and the guards stood down. Ariana hesitated, eyes narrowed with suspicion, and tucked the daggers away, letting her skirt drop back to the floor.

The Sisters laughed, and the crowd gasped as the power of their voices stroked their minds with its unique quality.

Maggie crossed her arms, and she and Jasmine stood together, looking unimpressed and annoyed.

“What sort of gift?” the enchantress demanded. “And in exchange for what?”

Lan giggled. “The feat has been accomplished.”

“Raul is gone. The threat,”

“Expired. The gift is owed.”

“Do I get to choose what it is?” Jeff asked. “If so, I’d really like you to return what you took. I think I’ve earned it.”

Aya’s eyebrow arched. “You request what was freely,”

“Given in return for another boon. Are you,”

“Willing to accept what may be taken?”

Jeff swallowed and glanced at Cassie. She returned the look, and he saw her willingness to help him, for him to say yes, come what may. But he couldn’t. He took her hand and squeezed it.

“No. So fine. What are you offering instead?”

Kay held out an empty hand and Aya cupped her palm on one side, Lan curving her hand around the other, creating a circle in the middle. A warm yellow light glowed through their fingers, growing so bright that Jeff had to look away. When the light faded, Aya and Lan removed their hands, revealing a glowing orb in Kay’s palm.

“What is it?” Jeff asked, eying it warily.

“A key,” Kay replied.

She held it out for him and cautiously, hesitantly, Jeff took it. He expected it to be hot, but it was cool, the light disappearing as Kay released it. The orb sat in his palm, a heavy glass ball with green, blue, and yellow swirls on the inside.

“Some doors, once open, are not made,”

“To be closed. Some bridges meant,”

“To be crossed. This will keep the door open.”

Jeff stared down at the ball, his shoulders sagging.

“So you’re saying this will bring me back here if I ever want to?”

The Sisters nodded.

“Great. Thanks.”
Worst. Gift. Ever
. “But why are you giving me a gift? I thought I owed you a debt? Isn’t that what you said in the woods? Are you going to give me any details on that one?”

The Sister’s grinned, and as one they said, “The debt is yours. It will be paid.”

“Strangely, that doesn’t put me at ease.”

In a flash of green, blue, and yellow light, they disappeared without answering, the colours breaking up and floating around the room like fireflies before winking out of existence.

The clouds outside dissipated, the storm cleared, and sun returned to the room. The crowd began to breathe again and return to their positions in the court.

Queen Ansella, her hand to her chest, sank onto her throne.

Ariana remained standing, her arms crossed.

“Well,” the queen said, apparently struggling in the effort to revert to her aloof hauteur. “We can see events never fail to be interesting in your presence. We almost hope you choose to make use of that gift.”

She gestured to the orb, and Jeff frowned down at it. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, I hope I don’t.”

Queen Ansella smiled, looking much more relaxed now without the mask. She rested her hands on the arms of the chair and nodded at her guard. “The audience is finished for today. Clear the court.”

Rising to her feet, she swept into her private chambers. Basten followed, but Ariana stayed where she was until the page came out and whispered in her ear. The page then turned to the others and said, “The queen wishes you to join her.”

The rest of the group followed in a long line into the large room behind the audience chamber. The queen didn’t sit in the carved chair, but stood at the dresser, fiddling with the figurines on top of it.

“I don’t normally stand for unexpected visitors in my audience chamber,” she said.

“Our apologies, Your Majesty,” said Brady. “They have a tendency to arrive at unexpected times.”

“It will provide a good story for the people for years to come, I expect.” She set down a gilded mirror and turned to them, crossing her hands over her dress. “I would like to thank you, personally, for everything you’ve done. To be honest, I didn’t think you’d find a way. I still don’t know if I can believe all of what you told me.”

“We have a saying about truth and fiction, Your Majesty,” said Jeff.

She smirked. “I believe we have a similar one here. So what comes next?”

“Cassie and I go home, before we stir up any more excitement.”

Jasmine laughed. “You know it’s all going to start up again the moment you leave. Are you sure you don’t want to stay? See what happens now?”

Jeff grinned. “The next steps are on you. I’m hands-off from here on out.”

“So you say,” said Maggie. “The Sisters seem to have different ideas.”

Jeff frowned. “Let’s prove them wrong for a change, shall we?”

Cassie turned to Venn. “So what about you? Do you want to come with us? See how the regular world works out for you?”

The younger woman flushed, looked around, and then nodded.

Maggie stretched out her hands. “I have my words, and my magic is safe. I’m ready whenever you are.”

Jeff held the orb in his hands. “Should we use this thing? See if it works?”

Maggie’s face fell. “Oh, let me do this. Please? It might be my last time.”

Jeff thought about saying “Will be,” but let the words go unspoken. He didn’t know if he wanted her to make that promise. So he nodded and looked around at everyone, and the familiar feeling of wanting to stay came over him. But the glass ball weighed heavily in his shirt pocket, and he realised he would never really be apart from them. Not if he didn’t want to be.

He threw his arms first around Brady, surprising the scholar—counsellor—who laughed and hugged him back. “No more obsessive research, all right? I don’t want to have to worry about you anymore.”

Brady patted him on the back. “I don’t think you need to worry about worrying.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Jasmine said as she gave Jeff a hug. “Make sure he takes good long breaks from his books.”

Cassie chuckled and threw her arms around Jasmine while Brady flushed a deep red.

“Now there’s an image I didn’t need,” Jayden groaned, clapping his hand on Jeff’s shoulder. “Take care of yourself, brother. And be smart this time. I don’t think the beautiful Miss Murphy will give you too many more chances if you keep fu—” he glanced at the queen, “messing up.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Cassie said with a smile. “I think he’s earned himself a few.”

Jeff bowed to the queen and princess, both of whom nodded in farewell.

“It was a strange and wonderful privilege to meet you, Jeff Powell,” said Queen Ansella. “If ever you should return to his world, I hope you’ll think to stop by.”

“How could I pass up an offer like that?” he asked, feeling too giddy with anticipation to be formal.

Maggie pulled him in for a tight squeeze, and then embraced Cassie, and finally Venn.