Dark Fate: The Gathering (The Dark Fate Chronicles Book 1) (34 page)

Kesh’s ranting stopped suddenly, and Kinsey looked up to see the slim man peering out of one of the windows. Calls from the Pelosians in the street heralded the sounds of horses and wagon wheels outside. The door flew open and Pelosian soldiers flowed in, Mason at their head. Erik, Rouke, and Bale followed, but Bale stopped and stepped to one side just as he came in. “Put her on the table, quickly!” he said, waving and pointing to someone outside. Two soldiers carried one of the princesses into the common room on a makeshift litter and placed her on the table. She was wrapped in several cloaks and appeared to be unconscious. Riverwood’s physician, Sabian, trailed in after. His grey hair was in disarray and clutched a blanket around his shoulders as he shuffled across the floor with a small limp.

Kinsey stood and looked at Erik. “How bad?”

Erik shook his head slightly and murmured softly as he watched Sabian begin to examine the princess’s pale, dirty face. “She’s still breathing.”

“Set him over there.” Bale directed two soldiers with a bound man dragging between them to a corner near the hearth. “Mason. Search this place from top to bottom.”

Mason nodded and took a handful of guards to the foot of the stairs. He ordered a pair to search the kitchen and another pair to the back. Mason himself, followed by two more soldiers, went upstairs.

“Both sisters were taken; we don’t have time for this, Bale,” Kinsey said.

Kesh came away from the window. “Which one is that?” He moved toward the table where the princess laid.

“The four of
you
,” Bale said, waving his hand to encompass Kinsey and the other Basinians, “to the corner.” He took hold of Kesh as the politician tried to get past and pushed him toward the hearth. “It’s time to find out what happened here tonight.”

“You’re not actually thinking of torturing
me
, are you?” Chancellor Tomelen’s eyes were wide with fright.

Bale smiled coldly. “That depends on how well you repeat your story.” He jabbed an iron poker at the heavy logs burning in the open hearth.

He had listened to the quartet’s stories three times already, independently. Each of the four men he held in highest suspicion had been bound, ears stopped, but eyes left open so they could see his work with the bandit. After this telling, he would listen to them once more—as they were being burned by hot iron. He had already taken the liberty of branding the captured kidnapper into unconsciousness. The fellow had held up well, for his kind, but had agreed, eventually, to lead them to Princess Sacha. Now he need only find the traitor. The scum had proved useless in that.

“This is pointless, Bale. They haven’t done anything wrong!” Marcella pleaded. “They tried to help, for Eos’ sake!”

Bale turned from the fire. “Things are not always what they seem, Lady Moridin.”

“Shouldn’t you be after Magistrate Harristone. He’s the one who has gone missing,” Bella chimed in. The way her head bobbed on her skinny neck as she spoke, she looked like one of the great white cranes found on the northern edges of Long Lake.

“Perhaps,” replied Bale. He looked at the group in front of him. “Unfortunately, the magistrate is unavailable, so we must work with what we have.”

Mason had found the four young women hiding in the bathing rooms in the back of the tavern. Unharmed, but in need of clothing, they sat on benches wrapped in white towels. The remaining emissaries from Basinia had been found upstairs in their beds and supposedly unaware of the wicked deeds that had taken place below the very roof under which they slumbered.

All of the Basinian dignitaries sat disheveled and disgruntled but silent next to the princesses’ cousins. All but one. Magistrate Brier Harristone had not been found. His bedroom was void of any belongings and no signs of a struggle were evident. The only item of note in the magistrate’s room was the body of a guard who had been set to watch the upper floor. A delicate and expensive knife, as might be expected for an older, wealthy man to own, had been left lodged in the throat of the soldier.
Suspicious, or planted?

“Listen to these fine young women, Captain.” Kesh licked his swollen lips. “Continuing with such crass action will not bode well for the alliance between our two nations.”

Bale laughed openly at that. “And the abduction of the very princesses who are to cement that alliance bodes
well
for said alliance?” He pulled the hot iron poker from the flames and pointed the smoking tip at Kesh’s nose, causing the man’s eyes to cross as he shied away. “Save your words, Chancellor. You’ll need them soon enough.” Bale walked over to Erik, gesturing at a nearby soldier, who removed the muffling cloth from the delicate ears. “I’ll start with you,
elf
.”

“Bale. Stop. I command it.” Princess Sloane’s voice was weak and barely audible over the crackling flames of the fire. “We must find my sister.”

Sabian was partially supporting the young woman while holding a steaming cup in front of her haggard face.
The foolish old man has revived her!
The interrogation would have gone much more smoothly if she had remained unconscious.

Bale knew he should have dismissed the healer when Sabian had objected to the treatment of the brigand. Instead, he had foolishly allowed the old man to stay to care for the princess.

Sloane’s cousins leapt from the bench and rushed to her side. “Thank Eos. You’re awake!” cried Meagan. The others hovered over Princess Sloane, babbling and murmuring about her and what was happening.

The old physician set down the steaming cup when Sloane did not take it from his hand and waved irritably at the gaggle of young women. Once they parted, he moved to look into her eyes. “How do you feel, my dear?”

“Terrible. Help me to my feet,” commanded the princess.

The old man’s face puckered. “I think not; you have a severe concussion. Rest is what you need.” His eyes touched on Bale, then cut quickly to the floor.

Bale was momentarily speechless. The old man was
pretending
he had nothing to do with the princess’s return to consciousness. “The physician is correct, Princess,” he managed to say, controlling his tone carefully. He thrust the hot iron back in the fire with a scowl, then moved to her side. “You are injured and must rest. Princess Sacha
will
be found. I will see to that.”

“By torturing those who can help us most? No, Bale. I will see my sister found, and I will have it done without further savagery.” She sat up and swayed, almost falling from the table.

Bale reached out to steady her. “I mean only to find who has betrayed us, Princess. I will find Princess Sacha and see you both back to Pelos. Immediately.”

The room exploded with gasps and shock at his words. “You can’t be serious. It could mean war!” Lady Cora Barrelon stood, dignified despite the bedclothes. “Dire this situation may be, but it could easily become worse if the marriage does not take place.”

Bale could feel his blood start to boil, and he looked at the Basinian emissary with anger in his eyes. “I mean what I say, Basinian, and if you are attempting to threaten me—”

“Bale!” the princess barked. “Stop this!” Her hand went to her brow as she winced. “We
must
proceed to Waterfall Citadel, but only
after
my sister is found.” Her words brought silence to the bickering and fear permeating the room.

“May I say something, Princess?”

Bale’s head snapped around in surprise, finding the half-dwarf on his feet.

The stocky man’s ears were uncovered and the gag hung loose about his neck, though his hands and feet were still bound.

Bale ground his teeth, trying to determine how Kinsey had been partially freed, as no one stood near him.

The princess nodded in assent.

“I take full responsibility for what’s happened and I humbly ask you to let me make amends. I will find your sister and bring her to Waterfall Citadel.”

“I fully intend for you to help me retrieve my sister, Master Kinsey.” Princess Sloane edged to the end of the table so her toes touched the floor. She swayed once more and began to topple.

Swearing under his breath, Bale grabbed for her before she hit the ground. “You will be more of a hindrance in your condition than an assistance.”

Sabian’s stick-like hands clutched firmly at one of the princess’s arms, and he clucked his tongue in exasperation. “Absolutely out of the question!”

Bale laid her back on the table. “I shall make sure your sister is brought back safely while you wait here.”

“It is not safe to wait here,” said Erik.

Bale opened his mouth to snarl at the elf.

“And quite aside from possible danger,” Lady Barrelon said, before he could bark at the elf, “we are expected at the Citadel within the week.” The old woman stepped forward, closing some of the distance between herself and the swaying princess. “If we do not arrive on time, we will draw attention to what has happened here.”

Bale couldn’t believe the audacity of the woman. Trying to blatantly hide the events that had occurred while he stood right in front of her. “And that is exactly what I intend to do. I will expose this farce and see those responsible put to death!”

“No, Bale. No good can come of this. Father will go to war, and
I
will not allow that to happen.” Princess Sloane’s voice was faint and losing strength, but the steady look of concentration in her eyes belied her weakness. “Lady Barrelon is correct. You must take me to the Citadel.”

Bale worked his mouth for words, but nothing came.

“Master Kinsey?” Sloane called.

The broad man was still bound hand and foot, but he rose from where he was seated. “Yes, Princess.”

“Find my sister, Master Kinsey. She means everything to me.” She looked at Mason and motioned toward Kinsey, Erik, Rouke, and Kesh. “Release them, now.”

Bale fumed as Mason bent to follow her instructions.

The infernal half-breed approached the princess and knelt before her. She grabbed his thick arm and said softly, “Take what you need and go. Now, before I lose consciousness again and Bale tries to stop you.”

Bale could contain his rage no longer. The words burst forth. “No, Princess! You cannot do this!”

“I can, I will, and I have.” Princess Sloane focused her gaze on him. For a bare instant, the lack of focus parted, and the iron hardness of Hathorn’s eyes bored into his own. “You. Will. Let. Them. Go.”

He was powerless. His own men would turn against him if he disobeyed the princess’s direct command. He stood in mute fury, the grinding of his teeth so loud in his head it was difficult to hear the speech of those around him. Quivering with hands clasped at a formal rest, he watched as the elf and his companions made their escape.

They wasted little time. Once free, the elf took the prisoner outside while Kinsey spoke with his man Rouke. After a brief conversation, the two approached the table. “Rouke will stay to lead the escort, and as an act of good faith.”

Bale snorted.
What total rubbish
. This Rouke was more of a fool than he thought. The elf must have planned this scenario from the beginning and this idiot would pay the blood price for his two conspirators.

Chancellor Tomelen’s voice cracked as he spoke. “I will go with them, in Rouke’s stead.”

“What?” chorused Bale, Rouke, and Kinsey.

“Are you out of your mind, Chancellor?” blurted Lady Barrelon.

The chancellor straightened as all eyes turned to him. “I’m not letting this man out of my sight.” He pointed to Kinsey.

“Absolutely not. I—” Kinsey began.

“SILENCE!” Princess Sloane shouted, then raised one quivering hand to her brow. “I accept. Now go!”

There was no argument after that. Everyone dispersed to gather their things. Kinsey, Erik, Chancellor Tomelen, and the prisoner rode off just as the glow of morning broke above the treetops, painting the rapids with brilliant flashes of light.

Mason caught Bale’s eye with an unspoken question, and Bale nodded curtly. Five Pelosian riders disappeared into the wilderness in slow pursuit.