The Unwilling Accomplice (Book 5) (13 page)

The girls strode into the room forty minutes later than their other companions. The atmosphere in the ballroom was thick with fun and sweat. The dance floor was covered in couples dancing to the tune of a fine orchestra situated at the rear-center of the room. The refreshments were along the left wall, and there they saw their male counterparts. Ruth pulled on Pat's arm and guided her over to the wall a few feet away from the entrance doors. The noise of the room ensured they would not be overheard by anyone else.

"Should we speak of what we overheard?" Ruth asked her friend.

"What could we tell them? That they were planning a surprise of fireworks?" Pat pointed out.

"But I do not trust the captain's words," Ruth argued.

Pat furrowed her brow. "You believe he was lying?" she guessed.

"Yes," Ruth replied.

Pat pursed her lips and glanced behind them at the entrance doors. "To tell you the truth I, too, no longer trust this Captain Lee," she admitted. As she watched Ransan had entered shortly after them, and now the captain strode in with his wide smile on his face. He noticed her perusing him and bowed his head toward her. She bowed back, but couldn't manage a smile. "We shall see if anything comes of this, but for now we shall merely watch them," Pat advised her friend.

The women continued over to the refreshment table where Canto stood by with a large, filled plate in his hand. He was eating as though half-starved. By him were Percy and Sins, and Fred and Ned stood closer to the center of the ballroom. Ned was greeted occasionally by the older elves, one of them being Tolen.

The Head Librarian, attired in his usual garb, walked up to Ned and bowed to the castor. "It has been many years, Edwin Tisule," he commented.

"Ned, if you will, my dear Tolen," Ned pleaded.

"Do you change your name to change with the times, or do you find yourself to be a new man?" Tolen asked him.

"Neither. I wish only for a shorter, simpler name, and one that shall not curse me with the nickname of 'Eddy,'" Ned replied.

While the two old friends discussed names the rest of the party watched the dance with a mixture of interest and apprehension. Ruth leaned toward the elegant dancers and her eyes were filled with longing. Percy stepped up beside her and his eyes flickered from the innocent youth to the dark, brooding assassin. He glanced over his shoulder at Sins. "Sins, I wish for you to perform for me a very great, and pleasurable, favor," he told the assassin. Sins raised an eyebrow and Percy nodded to Ruth. "I would be obliged if you would have the pleasure of escorting Ruth through a dance or two."

"I will not," Sins refused.

Ruth's cheeks reddened with embarrassment and she shrank into herself. Percy set his hands on her shoulders and glared daggers at his assassin. "Come come, Sins, surely you can dance," he teased him.

"Why are you not dancing?" a voice spoke up. They turned to see King Theowin with Telana. He was bedecked with his crown, and she with jewels that glittered in the light of the half-dozen chandeliers that hung above them. Telana also wore a feathered hat that accentuated her lithe body. The companions bowed to their royal highnesses, and he smiled at the young folk. "What travesty is this? So many young legs, and none of them to dance? Did I not hear someone invited to dance?"

"I have offered the hand of this fair maiden to my retainer, but he seems unwilling," Percy spoke up as he nodded to Sins.

The king turned to Sins and scrutinized the assassin. "I have heard and seen a great deal of assassins, but never have I had the pleasure of seeing one of them dance. Would you do me the honor of being the first?" he requested.

Sins' eyes narrowed, but he moved to stand before Ruth and bowed to her. He held out his hand and turned his head up so their eyes met. "If you would do me the honor," he asked her.

Ruth smiled and took his arm. "The honor is mine," she argued.

The pair sauntered onto the dance floor and joined hands while his hand settled on her hip and her own on his shoulder. Sins led them into the rhythm of the waltz and they sailed across the floor. Theowin smiled and clapped his hands. "Marvelous! I have never seen better partners," he complimented them.

Percy stepped up to Telana and offered her his arm. "If you would give me the pleasure of this dance?" he requested.

She giggled and took his arm. "Gladly," she replied.

They moved into the mix of dancers and were soon lost in the crowds. Theowin turned to the three remaining companions, one of which was still eating like his life, or future diet, depended on it. The king settled his gaze on Pat and Fred. "You two appear to be the same age. Why not try a dance?" he suggested.

"I don't know how," Fred told him.

"I am sure this young lady will remedy that situation. You can dance, can you not, Lady Pat?" Theowin asked her.

"I can, Your Majesty, but I am tired," she argued.

"Then the dance will awaken you," he countered. He took one of each of their hands and joined them. The pair both blushed and Pat looked at the floor. "Now be off with you or I will be sorely disappointed." It was a light threat, but Pat didn't wish to refuse the kind king's request.

"Very well," she agreed. She turned without looking at Fred and led him to the dance floor. When they came to the floor Pat had no choice but to look at him, and she noticed his eyes were studying her face. "Is something the matter?" she asked him.

"I really don't know how to dance," he repeated.

Pat snorted and grasped his hand while her other settled on his shoulder. "Then we'll take this slow, and try not to step on my toes," she teased.

Fred hesitantly set his hand on her hip and Pat drifted them into the music. They rocked to and fro in time with the soft beat and sailed between the other couples. There was silence between them for a few minutes until Pat coughed.

"What was that?" Fred asked her.

"I didn't say anything," she told him.

"Oh." The silence returned until Pat dared to scrutinize Fred's pale appearance. He noticed her gazing intently at him. "What?"

"How are you feeling?" she wondered.

He shrugged, and they were nearly thrown from their swing. "Tired, but fine," he replied.

"You didn't join us for lunch. Ned told us you were asleep. Did you sleep away the day?" she asked him.

"Somehow I did, but I'm fine," he repeated.

Pat pursed her lips and gazed into his eyes. "Are you still bothered by what we spoke of earlier?" she asked him.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Fred replied.

Pat smiled. "I'm sure the world will look better tomorrow," she comforted him.

"Would it? Knowing I was the son of-well, of him?" Fred returned.

"Regardless of the parentage of your soul, you are still yourself. No one can change that," she insisted.

"What does everyone else still think of that?" he wondered.

"Uncertain, but give them-" Something out of the side of her eye caught her attention and she glanced past Fred to see Captain Lee standing at the edge of the dancers. He held a glass of wine in his hand, and when they passed near he raised the glass to them. Pat's heart picked up the tempo and she lowered her voice. "There is something at work here that we may not like," she whispered to Fred.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Ruth and I overheard Captain Lee speaking to Ransan. They were talking about a surprise-"

"You fool!"

The clear voice cut through the dancing and talking, and the music and laughter died as everyone's attention was on a small group of people. Ruth, Sins, Percy and Telana stood opposite a fuming Ransan, and between them on the floor was Sins' hat. Ransan gestured to the hat. Percy held Telana's tiara in his hands.

"You dare insult me?" he growled, addressing Sins.

"No," was Sins' answer.

"Then why throw your hat at my head?" Ransan argued.

"It was an accident," Percy argued. "I took Telana's tiara to tease her, and in her efforts to get it back I was careless and bumped into Sins. I had no idea his hat would spill onto you."

"If your friend is so foolish as to wear a hat then he must know the custom that a dishonor such as this cannot be reconciled except through a duel," Ransan informed him.

Percy stepped between Ransan and the group. "I am sure this agreement can be settled without violence," he insisted.

King Theowin strode over to the adversaries with a grave face. The music in the background died. "I am sorry, but for us there is no greater insult and the only way to dispel the dishonor is to duel."

Ransan straightened and looked every bit the picture of a ruffled bird. "I formally challenge you, human, to a Lapita Duel. I shall be kind and give you the choice of weapons. Rapier or saber?"

"Neither. I will not duel you," Sins refused.

"You have no choice!" Ransan insisted.

"My new friend, I must insist that you humor our customs and accept his request," Theowin commanded Sins.

Sins stiffened and his hand twitched, eager for this dagger to remedy the situation. The room was tense as everyone waited to hear what the dark man had to say. Ruth stepped forward and took one of his arms. He turned his head to the side and glanced at her pale face out of the corner of his eyes. She looked at him with her own pleading eyes, and his eyes narrowed. He looked back to Ransan. "Rapier," he replied.

"With the weapon decided I will demand the time. It shall be at five in the evening just before sunset," Ransan announced to the whole room. Sins gave a nod and the room breathed a sigh of relief. Crisis was averted, but only for a time.

CHAPTER 17

The room clamored with talk of the duel challenge, but Theowin raised his arms and everyone quieted. "Let us brush aside the unpleasantness until the morrow and have our merriment tonight," he called to the crowd.

The orchestra struck up the music and the crowds joined in the dance, but the words on their lips related to the forthcoming duel. Ransan smirked at Sins and bowed at him. "Until tomorrow," he chuckled, and turned and vanished into the crowd.

The companions with Telana moved over to a corner close to the entrance to the room. Their faces were grim and Ruth clung onto Sins' arm as though he would be killed at any moment.

"This is ridiculous," Pat growled. She turned to Ned. "Can nothing be done to enchant us from this mess?" she asked him.

"There is no getting out of this through magic," Ned scolded her.

"Then perhaps a quick escape as we did the last city?" Percy suggested.

"I will not flee," Sins refused.

Ruth pulled on his arm. "But you might be killed," she pointed out.

Canto scoffed. "Not with these fools. We watched 'em earlier and Ah didn't see as much as a pinprick of blood on 'em."

"But you don't understand," Telana spoke up, and everyone turned to her. "My cousin challenged you to a Lapita Duel. In such a duel the objective is to force the opponent to acquiesce through whatever means necessary, even if those means are stabbing them over their entire body. Though you fight with a rapier sharp points are affixed to the ends in order for a strike to cause bleeding," she explained.

Percy's face fell. "Then we must rely on your cousin's lack of skill and supposed cowardice to ensure our friend's success," he commented.

Telana shook her head. "Ransan is proficient in the rapier and when his honor is pricked he will stop at nothing to avenge himself," she told them.

Ned pursed his lips and sighed. "Then it seems we must put our faith in Sins' experience as an assassin and hope Ransan's skills fail him."

The mood among the companions was dark, and they soon left the merriment of the ball in groups of gloomy twos. Fred and Ned were a pair, and they first stopped at Fred's door. Fred placed his hand on the handle and noticed Ned stood close behind to follow him inside.

"Do you really believe Martley will try to kidnap me again?" he wondered.

"There is a great possibility, but I know you don't believe she is as great a threat to yourself as your friends believe," Ned commented.

Fred shrugged. "She's not trying to steal my soul like Canavar," he pointed out.

"No, but I would prefer you remain with us," Ned replied.

"Can everyone say that?" Fred wondered.

"Perhaps when they have had more than an afternoon to think it over, but I will settle your mind some by remaining in the hall rather than having an old man watch you by your bedside," Ned offered.

"What about Martley?" Fred reminded him.

"I will place a barrier around the room so none may enter," Ned told him.

Fred turned away and sighed. "Thank you," he whispered.

Ned raised an eyebrow. "For what?" he wondered.

"For believing in me. The me that I am," Fred explained.

Ned chuckled and patted Fred on the shoulder. "I will always believe in you. Never doubt that."