“If he isn’t there, then he must be on a hunt and decided to camp somewhere else.” Elijah didn’t miss a beat. “He was excited to get out there. It was all he could talk about for several nights. Said he missed the thrill of the hunt.”
Elijah was a very convincing liar.
But not persuasive enough.
“Is that so?” Doubt dripped from the knight’s tone.
“It is,” Elijah bit out. “And to be really honest with you, I don’t appreciate the insinuation that I’m not being truthful with you.”
Well, he wasn’t being even remotely truthful.
“And I also don’t appreciate you and your knights with your fancy black armor and fancier black mantles showing up at this time of night,” Elijah went on. “Dragging everyone out in the cold—including the children, as if they could somehow be of assistance to you.”
“Careful, Elijah,” Casteel murmured.
The carriage door opened without a sound, and a voice spilled out, one that was smooth and almost friendly. “Everyone inside New Haven can be of assistance if given the right motivation.”
Magda placed a hand on Elijah’s arm, most likely silencing whatever it was that was about to come out of the man’s mouth.
“After all, as subjects of the Kingdom of Solis, very minimal motivation should be required if one is faithful to his or her King and Queen.” The Ascended came into my line of sight. I knew that crescent-shaped face and long, raven-black hair.
“Lord Chaney,” I whispered, pressing my hands against the bark of a tree. The Ascended wore no cloak or gloves, only a heavy tunic over dark breeches. “He’s from Masadonia. Why would he be here looking for Halverston?”
That didn’t make sense unless I…I was wrong to think they were here for the Lord of New Haven.
Casteel didn’t answer, and the unease grew as I glanced at him. His chin was lowered, jaw set and hard as he stared forward. His hand curved around the hilt of his short sword.
“I do find Lord Halverston’s absence concerning, which we will need to address appropriately,” Chaney remarked, drawing my gaze back to him. “But I’ve come all this way on far more important business that must be handled first. I know we’ve never met, so I feel it’s important to let you know that unlike the knights, I am not nearly as patient when it comes to humoring unhelpful subjects.”
“I don’t think your knights are all that patient either,” Elijah replied.
Chaney chuckled, the sound as cold as the wind funneling the snow along the ground. I didn’t know much about Lord Chaney other than seeing him at the Council meetings. Sometimes, when I snuck about Castle Teerman, I overheard him with the Duke or Duchess. All the Ascended gave me the creeps, but Chaney appeared pleasant enough. He always nodded politely in my direction when we crossed paths, never stared too long, and he’d been kind to the staff as far as I knew.
“Well, then, please note that I’m even less patient.” The Ascended stopped in front of one of the children, a boy I’d seen running from house to house when we first arrived in New Haven. He’d been outside the stables the night I learned the truth about Casteel. “I’ve been told that visitors arrived not too many days ago.”
My spine went rigid. They had to be here for me, but how did they discover so quickly that we were here?
“You heard wrong, my Lord,” Elijah answered. “There have been no visitors. Only those returning to the keep.”
The Lord strolled past Elijah, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped once more, this time in front of an elderly man who had his arm around another who looked as if he could barely stand. “I’m here on behalf of the Crown.” He looked over his shoulder to Elijah. “So, I really hope you won’t lie to me. To do so is akin to lying to the King and Queen, and that would be an act of treason. While they are more often than not our benevolent benefactors, they are still our rulers. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” Elijah replied stoically.
“Good.” Chaney pivoted to face where Elijah stood, unclasping his hands. “I’m well aware that a group arrived recently. I may call them visitors. You might refer to them as ‘those returning to the keep.’ Semantics. So, I will let that slide. A young woman traveled with them. Where is she?”
I exhaled roughly, feeling nothing but a sense of rising dread.
It was Magda who spoke. “There was no woman that returned recently, my Lord.”