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Dark One Rising(39)



He laughed. “Do you think I’m some sort of sorcerer or something that I can bend people to my will? What’s next, I can move mountains and make the stars fall?”

“I know the stories about you are true, and I will find proof.”

“Why do I get the idea that you had something to do with Melenthia’s disappearance?”

“Maybe I did. I have vowed to protect her. I won’t allow her to be a slave in your house, to treat her however you choose. Maybe that works for the common street trash that you seem to find so appealing, but it won’t work for my sister.”

“No matter. Jaron will find her and bring her to me.”

Kevaan got closer to Fallon’s face. “If he, or you, do anything to harm her, you will wish you had never stepped foot over the border. I will hunt you down, and your puppet as well.”

“As I warned you before when you tried to interfere in my affairs, you would do well not to threaten me.” His eyes turned dark and cold.

“That’s not a threat, Fallon, it’s a promise.”

Fallon merely leered at him and walked away, leaving Kevaan shaking at the top of the stairs. It was now very dark, and he prayed his sister was okay, hidden somewhere from spying eyes.

He watched as Jaron and two men-at-arms galloped out of the courtyard past the gates. He looked toward the Dark Woods, hoping that Alek would be able to find her before they did.



***



The sun hadn’t even started to show itself when Garreth was pounding on Melenthia’s door. She sat up in bed startled, kicked off the covers and unlatched the door. Garreth pushed his way in and grabbed her by the arms.

“Melenthia, you must leave now. Hurry up child, get your things together.”

She set to work gathering her belongings and stuffing them into her bag.

“What is it Garreth, what has happened?”

“Someone has been asking about you.”

“What, already?”

“Word has gotten here that there was a stranger in town last night, asking about you. Bale, the shopkeeper on the south side, sent word to me that there was a stranger asking him if he’d seen you.”

“How did Bale know I was here?”

“I have eyes keeping watch for me, in various parts of the city.”

“Can this Bale be trusted?”

“Yes, he and I do exclusive business with each other and have been friends for years. He can be trusted not to betray you.”

“What happened?”

“He sent word that a stranger pounded on his door an hour ago. He needed supplies and seemed in a hurry about purchasing them and moving on. Bale didn’t think anything about it at first, then the stranger started asking if he’d seen anyone come into town last night that was trying not to be noticed. Bale told him that most folks notice everyone, and if it’s someone unknown to them, they tend to ask a lot of questions. He told the stranger that he didn’t know of anyone, and he didn’t see anyone come through himself. The stranger paid for his supplies, thanked him, then moved on. He suspected that he could be making his way to this side of town. He will probably start asking more questions as soon as shopkeepers and merchants start opening their doors. I want you far away from here before he does.”

“How could Fallon’s men be looking for me already? He was not supposed to have arrived at the castle until last night.”

“Are you sure your timing is right? Perhaps he was even closer than you thought.”

“No, he was spotted by our border patrol. They saw him pass the night before I left. Even at a steady pace he wouldn’t be able to get there before then.”

“I won’t take any chances. You need to get going.”

“How am I going to get out of here without being seen?”

“We’ll take the back stairs and get you out the back door through the kitchen. Conor will get you out by wagon. He already has your horse just inside the woods waiting for you. It’s usual for him to fetch supplies from Brookhaven, and he always leaves before dawn in order to get loaded and return before the afternoon rush. It’ll work.”

“You can’t send Conor out, Garreth; he’s just a boy.”

“He’s older than most. He’ll know what to do. I don’t worry about him, but if you don’t get out of here now, I’ll have to worry about you.”

“Did the stranger identify himself or whether he was with Fallon or not?”

“No. Bale said he seemed anxious to find you, but didn’t get any sinister feelings about him. But I won’t take any chances. People would recognize your brother, and since he’s the only one that knows you’re gone, anyone else asking for you has to be trouble.”