“Are you hurt?” Olenka handed her a white linen towel and a child’s nightgown from the nearby cabinet.
“My back is a little sore.”
Olenka tsked. “You shouldn’t have carried the child up all those stairs.”
Gwennore nodded, even though she suspected her aches and pains were the result of her body slamming into Puff’s forelegs. As she dried off Eviana, she spotted the small punctures where the dragon’s talons had pierced the little girl’s skin. “I’ll need an ointment for these.”
“Of course. I’ll send the maid for it.” Olenka hurried out the door.
Gwennore slipped the nightgown over Eviana’s head, combed out her hair, then led her back into the nursery.
“Come and eat.” Olenka motioned to the small table set with bread, cheese, fruit, and pastries.
Eviana took a bite from an apple tart and grinned. “This is yummy!”
A knock sounded at the door, then Dimitri opened it to let another servant in. She bobbed an awkward curtsy, since her arms were burdened with a huge stack of clothes.
“Begging your pardon. Lady Margosha sent these for…” The servant gulped at the sight of Gwennore. “For … you.”
Gwennore groaned inwardly. Once again she was being regarded with horror.
Olenka’s mouth fell open. “Those are the most beautiful gowns from our storeroom!”
The servant nodded. “Lady Margosha gave them to me. She said the general ordered it.”
“Oh, really?” Olenka aimed a smirk at Gwennore. “With the way he’s behaving, everyone’s going to figure out that he’s your lover.”
The servant gasped and dropped half of the clothes while Dimitri muttered a curse and shut the door.
“It’s not true!” Gwennore cried.
“Careful with those!” Olenka snatched the fallen clothes up and dumped them on top of the servant’s load. “By the Light, there must be enough here to last a week.”
Another shot of alarm skittered through Gwennore. She couldn’t remain here with Eviana for a week! Didn’t the general understand that they needed to return to Eberon as soon as possible? “I must see the general right away. It’s urgent.”
Olenka snorted. “I bet you’re not the only one feeling urgent.” She motioned for Gwennore and the servant to follow her. “Fortunately, there’s a bedchamber close by.”
Gwennore gritted her teeth. Could this day get any worse? After making sure Eviana was happily eating, she followed Olenka and the servant through the dressing room to a bedchamber.
“This is the nanny’s room.” Olenka whisked the dust cover off a wide, four-poster bed. “Put the clothing here.”
While the servant arranged everything on top of a blue linen bedspread, Gwennore looked around the room. A comfy armchair, draped with a dust cover, rested close to the hearth. Next to the chair, there was a table and candlestick. Two small tables flanked the bed. The room was bright, thanks to several windows that faced west, where the sun was moving toward the horizon.
“Quickly, now,” Olenka told her. “You should change before your lover arrives.”
“He’s not—” With a frustrated groan, Gwennore glanced down at her bedraggled gown, stained with urine. No matter what ridiculous things people might think, she still needed to talk to the general right away. “I’d like to wash up first.”
“Of course.” Olenka frowned at her own gown. “I have a water stain on my skirt from drawing the bath. I should change, too.” She dashed through the dressing room, calling back, “I’ll return shortly!”
The servant curtsied and started to leave.
“Wait.” Gwennore gave her an apologetic smile. “Could you help me with these laces?” She turned sideways, motioning to her back.
The servant inched toward her slowly as if she were a poisonous snake ready to strike.
“I’m not going to hurt you. What’s your name?”
“K-Kendra, my lady.”
“I’m Gwennore.” She lifted her loose and tangled hair out of the way. Goddesses help her, it might take an hour to get a comb through the disheveled mess.
Kendra fumbled with the laces for a few minutes, then gasped. “I didn’t know elves were spotted green and blue!”
“Green and…?” Gwennore winced. “Those must be bruises. I took a hard fall earlier.”
“Oh. Well. You’re all done now.”
“Thank you.” Gwennore turned to face her. “Could you mind the princess while I bathe?”
“Yes, my lady.” The servant dashed from the room as if she were escaping the threat of imminent death.
Gwennore groaned. The next time someone acted as if she were a frightful creature, she really would vent her rage.
She removed her soiled gown, selected a clean shift from the new clothes on the bed, then went back to the dressing room. She’d noticed before that there were pipes along the wall. When she turned a spigot, cool water splashed into the tub. Amazing. She would have to ask how this was accomplished, so Luciana could replicate it at Ebton Palace.
After washing and putting on a clean shift, she peeked into the nursery to make sure Eviana was all right. Nissa was back, and Kendra had left.
Gwennore returned to the nanny’s bedchamber and selected a blue silk gown. When she slipped it over her head, her back twinged once again.
A shadow moved across the room, and she glanced at the windows. A large eagle was flying back and forth.
“Brody!” She ran to the windows and nearly tripped on the hem of her gown. Without the laces done, the gown was dragging on the floor and in danger of falling off.
Pinning the bodice against her chest with one hand, she used her other hand to unlatch the window and push it open. The eagle flew inside and landed on the floor.
As Brody’s form began to shimmer, she realized he would be naked once he shifted. Quickly, she pulled the dust cover off the armchair and tossed it on top of him. He flailed about underneath it, then emerged.
At the sight of his bare shoulders, she turned her back to him. Then, with a silent groan, she realized the back of her gown was open.
“Gwennie, are you all right? Where’s Eviana?”
She glanced back to find him standing with the white sheet wrapped around his waist. “Eviana is next door in the nursery. Please let Luciana know that we’re perfectly fine, and we’ll return as soon as possible.”
Brody scowled. “You’re not fine. I saw the bruises on your back. What the hell did they do to you?”
“Nothing. The bruises happened when I fell through the air and crashed into Puff.”
“Puff?”
“He’s the dragon who caught me.”
Brody stepped toward her, an incredulous look on his face. “One of those wretched dragons abducted you, and you named him Puff?”
“He didn’t abduct me. He saved my life!”
“He brought you here against your will.”
“No, I asked him to. I needed to stay with Eviana. And Puff promised he would help me get her back home.”
“Wait.” Brody held up a hand. “The dragon promised?”
Gwennore nodded. “I can hear them. And communicate with them.”
Brody’s eyes widened. “How? I can’t do that.”
“I don’t know how, but Puff said he would help. And I think the general will, too.”
“General Dravenko?”
“Ye know him?” Gwennore glanced at the door to the dressing room, which was still open just a crack. “He should be here any minute now.”
Brody nodded. “I’ll talk to him. I’ve dealt with him before.”
“Oh, good.” She stepped closer. “Before he comes, I need to tell you something. Ye know about my gift, right?”
“Aye.”
Gwennore lowered her voice. “I touched the queen’s hand. And she’s mad.”
“Angry?”
“No. Crazy. She’s lost five children. And I think she’s the one who ordered the kidnapping. She believes Eviana is h
er daughter who passed away.”
Brody grimaced. “That is crazy.”
“I know.” Gwennore adjusted her hold on her bodice to keep her gown from falling off. “And there’s more.”
“You want me to tie off those laces?”
“Ye don’t mind?”
“No.” He motioned for her to turn. “You were saying?”
“I detected something when I touched the queen’s hand.” Gwennore stumbled back when he tugged sharply at her laces.
“Hold on to the bedpost,” he grumbled.
She grabbed on. “I believe the queen is being poisoned.”
“What?”
Gwennore glanced back at him. “I might be able to use my gift to help her.”
Brody snorted. “She’s the reason you and Eviana were kidnapped. Why on Aerthlan would you want to help her?”
Why, indeed? Gwennore wondered. The most sensible thing for her to do was to leave this place as soon as possible and make sure Eviana was safely returned home.
But ye were born with a special gift, she argued with herself. Wasn’t she supposed to use it? If she could help the queen recover, then the woman might stop kidnapping children. Then no more children and parents would be traumatized.
Green and brown, the colors of the Norveshki army. The number three for Eviana’s third birthday. Gwennore swallowed hard. Had the Telling Stones predicted that she would come to this place? Was she meant to be here?
* * *
When Silas reached the nursery, he found his colonel and best friend scowling as he leaned against the closed doors.
“Something wrong?” Silas asked.
Dimitri sighed. “Why did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Tell everyone you captured her in battle.”
“Lady Gwennore?”
“Who else?” Dimitri grumbled.
Silas shrugged. “She was about to be arrested as an assassin. I needed to vouch for her character, so I made it sound like I’d known her for a while and trusted her.”
Dimitri snorted. “Well, you definitely succeeded.”
“Is there a point to this?”
“Some people think you’re bedding her.”
Silas flinched. “What? How did they—”
“You said she was your captive and she’d proven herself useful.”
Silas gave him an incredulous look. “There must be a hundred ways to be useful that have nothing to do with—” An image flitted through his mind of Gwennore, her arms and legs wrapped around him, her naked body pressed against him. Damn. She was breathtaking. And he—
“Are you drooling?”
Silas wiped his chin, then realized his friend had been joking.
While Dimitri snickered, Silas raised a fist, threatening to punch him. “When I said useful, I meant her intelligence and fluency in several languages.”
“Right.”
“Sod off.” Silas pushed him aside so he could access the nursery door.
“She said the little girl is the Eberoni princess. Does the king realize the mess he’s—”
“He’s not here.”
“But I saw him—”
“I know, but he left again. I don’t know why.” Silas noted the worried glint in his friend’s eyes. No doubt Dimitri was wondering if Petras was also succumbing to insanity. “Don’t even think it.”
“He has put our country in danger.”
“I’m going to fix it.”
Dimitri winced. “You’ve had to fix things before. And he’s not always grateful—”
“I know the risk. But no matter what, we are returning the princess and Lady Gwennore tomorrow. It is the only way to avoid war with Eberon and Tourin.”
Dimitri nodded. “You’re right.”
Silas reached for the doorknob. “I’ll tell Lady Gwennore to be ready before dawn.”
“Oh.” Dimitri grabbed his arm to stop him. “I should tell you. She grew up with Sorcha.”
“I know.”
Dimitri huffed. “Is there anything you don’t know?” His eyes took on a mischievous glint. “Actually, I did hear something rather shocking from Lady Olenka, but you probably—”
“What?”
“According to her, you’re the most handsome man on Aerthlan.”
Silas scoffed. “If you learn something important, let me know.” He reached for the doorknob once again.
“So I guess you’re not interested in Lady Gwennore’s response.”
Silas hesitated. Had she agreed? He caught Dimitri smirking at him. Bastard.
Dimitri grinned. “I heard that.”
“I let you hear it.”
With a snort, Dimitri crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “So you don’t want to know what she said?”
“Don’t need to. I can read her mind too well.”
“Oh, right.” Dimitri’s mouth twitched. “Then you must have heard her call you General Gorgeous.”
Silas hissed in a breath, then pointed a finger in his friend’s face. “Stop invading her mind.”
“Why not? You are.”
“I can’t help it,” Silas grumbled. “She’s practically shouting at us.”
“I know,” Dimitri agreed. “It’s so strange. Why are we hearing her?”
“I don’t know. If we didn’t have our shields up, she could probably read our minds, too. She can hear the dragons.”
“Crap.”
“Precisely. If any other elves have that ability, imagine the havoc they could cause during battle.” Silas frowned. “I need to talk to her.”
Dimitri nodded. “At least you’ll know if she’s lying or not, since you can read her mind.”
That was true, although Silas found it very distracting when she called him General Gorgeous. It kept reminding him that she was absolutely beautiful. The image of her naked in his bed flitted through his mind once again, and he shoved it aside. “It’s not right for us to invade her privacy. I’ll have to tell her how to erect a mental shield.”
“You can’t do that without admitting that you’ve been hearing her.” Dimitri grinned. “General Gorgeous.”
“Smart-ass.” Silas entered the nursery to the sound of his friend’s chuckling. As he approached the little girl by the hearth, he noted she was happily eating with a servant watching over her. Where was Gwennore?
His gaze wandered about the room, not finding her. Memories of his childhood rushed at him, slowing his steps to a halt. How long had it been? Almost twenty years since he’d lived in this room. He’d been sent far away at the age of seven to avoid the so-called curse.
The servant spotted him and curtsied. Then the little girl noticed him, and her eyes grew wide with fear.
Silas smiled at her and said in Eberoni, “Don’t worry. I’m a friend. I know your aunt Brigitta and her husband, King Ulfrid. And I’ve met Brody several times.”
The little girl bit her lip, then softly replied, “I wanna go home, please.”
Guilt pricked at him. How many kidnappings had occurred over the last few years that he’d been unable to stop? He squatted in front of the little girl so she wouldn’t have to look up at him. “Your name is Eviana, right?”
When she nodded, he continued, “The sun will be setting soon, so it’s too late to take you home today. But I will take you tomorrow morning. Can you be brave and spend one night here?”
She frowned, jutting out her bottom lip. “I’ll miss the party then. It’s my buffday. Ewic’s, too. And my mama’s.”
Tonight the two moons were eclipsing, so that meant Eviana and her twin brother were Embraced. Silas had heard the rumor before from his spy at the Eberoni court. He’d also heard that all five of the adopted sisters were Embraced. What kind of gift had his sister, Sorcha, grown up with? And Lady Gwennore—what was her gift? “Is it Gwennore’s birthday, too? I know it must be Sorcha’s.”
Eviana’s eyes widened with surprise. “You know Aunt Sowcha?” When he nodded, she smiled. “It is her buffday. And Kin
g Ulfwid’s. That’s why they’re having a big party.” Her smile faded. “I’m gonna miss it.”
“I’m sure they’ll wait for you to get back. They won’t want to celebrate without you.”
“Weally?”
Silas smiled. “Really.” He straightened and addressed the servant in Norveshki. “It’s the child’s birthday today. Could you run to the kitchen and tell them I want a cake sent here tonight? And some party food.”
“Yes, my lord.” The servant dashed from the room.
Eviana’s lip trembled. “Is something wong?”
“No, she’ll be right back. Do you know where Lady Gwennore is?”
The little girl pointed toward the dressing room.
He refilled her cup with more apple juice. “I need to talk to Gwennore. Will you be all right here?”
She nodded. “I want to play with the dollies.”
“Excellent plan.” He headed toward the dressing room.
The door was cracked open, and he peeked inside. Empty. Gwennore had to be in the adjoining bedchamber. Just the thought of a bed made her naked image creep into his thoughts once again. Dammit, stop that. He slipped into the dressing room and froze when he heard a man’s voice.
What the hell? Gwennore was with a man in the bedchamber? Silas eased closer to the door.
“Hold on to the bedpost,” the man ordered.
What? Silas peered through the narrow opening of the door and spotted her at the foot of the bed with a man partially hidden behind her. With her gown loose and her hair disheveled, she looked like she’d just enjoyed a rough tussle in bed. Dammit. Stop thinking about her that way. But who the hell was this man?
“I believe the queen is being poisoned,” Gwennore said softly in Eberoni.
“What?” the man responded in the same language.
Silas’s breath caught. Did Gwennore believe, like him, that there was a logical reason for the queen’s illness?
“I might be able to use my gift to help her,” Gwennore continued.
Silas grew tense. Could she really help the queen? What was this gift she had? And who was this man she talking to? He eased the door open wider and his heart lurched. Dammit! The man was naked with a sheet tied around his waist.