Dark One Rising(27)

Tomas bowed. “What’s so urgent, My Lord, that you are in such haste?”

“I’m looking for my sister. Have you seen her, Tomas?”

“No, Your Highness. She has not been down here today.”

Kevaan didn’t quite believe the young fair haired man, but he decided not to make a scene. He knew Lucan would know something and tell him.

“Thank you, Tomas. As you were.”

Tomas bowed to Kevaan and returned to his post. Kevaan went into the stables. He found Lucan working with a skittish horse halfway down the stables. Lucan looked up and saw Kevaan standing over him. Lucan knew the prince was mad, but he had to be strong for Melenthia.

“Where is she, Lucan?”

“Who, Your Highness?”

“You know damn well who, Lucan. Where’s Melenthia?”

“I haven’t seen her today, Your Highness. Perhaps she’s in the garden playing lawn ball.”

“No, she’s gone. Her day bag is missing.”

“Then perhaps she went into the village to buy some chocolates at the market.”

Kevaan stared at him, hard. He knew Lucan knew where she went, and he would beat it out of him if necessary. He knew Lucan cared deeply for his sister, even loved her, and he knew he would be devastated if anything happened to her. He also knew Melenthia told him everything. He would know about her betrothal to Fallon, and that he was on his way. He would try being gentle. If that didn’t work, then he’d beat it out of him.

“Lucan, we both know how you feel about Melenthia. You are in love with her and if things were different, if you were not a stable hand, I know you would have asked her to be your wife years ago. But because you love her, you would not do anything that would embarrass her, so you have kept silent about it. If you truly love her, like I know you do, you will tell me what you know. I’m afraid for her life but I have made plans to keep her safe. What’s happened? Tell me where she has gone.”

Lucan hung his head and began to weep. “She has fled, Your Highness. She found out Fallon was ahead of schedule and asked me to help her escape. I cut her hair, Your Highness, short, all her beautiful hair. I prepared her horse while she packed, and Tomas stole her sword out of the armory. She left just after dawn, heading west down the Stillwater Creek. She is probably halfway to the Dark Woods by now. I would guess she will hole up somewhere in Tamerlane, then continue on west at dawn. She may be headed to Isamar. I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

Kevaan placed a consoling hand on Lucan’s shoulder. “It’s alright. I know you were doing what you thought was right to keep her safe from a terrible fate. You must tell no one of this. I will be here when Fallon arrives and will make sure my father knows nothing. If he’s surprised by her departure, he cannot be called a liar. Fallon would see right through him if he did.”

“What about Melenthia?”

“She’s safer if I don’t follow. I have a plan in place to keep her safe. I have someone who will look for her and escort her somewhere so that she will be hidden and protected. It’s better if she’s on her own, for now.” He paused for a moment, then asked, “Did you say you cut her hair?”

“Yes. All of it.”

“Why?”

“She thought it would help disguise her.”

Kevaan shook his head. “That’s all well and good until someone looks too closely at her eyes.”

“I tried to tell her that, but she wouldn’t listen. It pained me to do so.”

“It’ll grow back.You did the right thing to help her. Continue to keep her safe. Tell no one of her departure or that we spoke, and make sure Tomas remains tight lipped as well. Her safety depends on it.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I would do nothing to bring her to harm.”

“I know.”

Kevaan patted Lucan’s shoulder and left him to finish his work. As he crossed the bailey to go inside, he caught Tomas’ eye. He nodded to him subtlety, and Tomas nodded back. Kevaan didn’t worry about either of them. Melenthia had mesmerized many men with her beauty and charm; he just wished one of them could have been of royal blood. Then she could have married and saved herself from this awful fate. He shook his head sadly and went inside.





CHAPTER 7


King Dainard Grayson stood with his back to the bedroom door, staring out the window, gazing across the green countryside that rolled all the way down to the Eirene Sea. He was the king of all of the land laid out before him, and he was proud, but something felt missing in his life lately. He felt incomplete. He took a deep breath, and the light southern wind blew the smell of salty air to his nostrils.