Chapter 34

34

I prefer to face an enemy who attacks me with a blade; the enemy within is insidious and sneakier in his assault.

~ Ranger Founder Saruk

After the taybarri's announcement—the telepathic words apparently conveying to all present—the guards who'd been contemplating arresting Kaylina stood back to wait. A messenger ran into the castle. Vlerion remained at Kaylina's side, his sword in hand, his dangerous gaze promising dire consequences if anyone approached her.

Targon and the rangers had come over to stand beside Vlerion, but they'd sheathed their weapons. Targon stood with his arms folded over his chest.

After greeting their elders, the ranger taybarri had joined the herd, standing almost like bodyguards for their queen. Their queen who hadn't mentioned her rank at any point during their journey, at least not that Kaylina had heard. She couldn't tell if Vlerion had been surprised. He was busy looming beside her and looking fierce.

Would King Gavatorin or Queen Petalira come in person to greet Seerathi? They'd allowed the Kar'ruk diplomatic party to stay in the castle, so there had to be some royal rules about receiving representatives from other nations and treating them cordially. Far too cordially, in the case of the Kar'ruk.

While they waited, Kaylina glanced often at the guards and wondered if she should try to slip away when they weren't looking.

"Should have saved some of that powder for me," she murmured.

"You will not be attacked while I and these rangers are present," Vlerion said, but his face was grim. He had to acknowledge that if the king or queen ordered the rangers to stand down and let Kaylina be taken, he would be bound by his oath to do so.

Targon tapped a pocket in his uniform, pulled out a folded paper, and handed it to one of his men. Kaylina couldn't hear what he said, but the ranger trotted through the double doors and into the castle.

Soon, upper doors opened, and guards stepped out onto a balcony overlooking the courtyard. They carried raised swords, but their stances appeared more ceremonial than battle-ready. However, their uniforms were rumpled and askew, so they clearly hadn't escaped the attack unscathed. By now, everyone in the castle looked frazzled.

Queen Petalira and King Gavatorin stepped out onto the balcony. Their hair was combed, their clothing straight, but they also looked rattled by the morning's events.

Nonetheless, Petalira's gaze skimmed alertly over the taybarri. Gavatorin's eyes were more confused as he peered down at them. He glanced at the rangers, then looked toward a man standing in the shadows near the guards keeping the Kar'ruk restrained.

Since Kaylina had only seen Spymaster Sabor through a crack in Targon's office, it took her a moment to recognize him. He nodded at the king, who nodded back while looking a touch relieved.

"One of his keepers," Vlerion murmured, "though I understand there are a number of people running things now that he's gone senile."

Kaylina started to answer, but the queen's gaze had shifted to the rangers, and she frowned when she spotted Kaylina near them. Her eyes narrowed.

"She hasn't forgotten you," Targon noted mildly.

"It's my perky personality," Kaylina said. "People remember it."

Targon glanced at her chest. "Perky something."

Vlerion glared at him, and was that the faintest growl?

"Easy, boy," Targon told him. "Your savage side is showing."

The taybarri queen started speaking telepathically, and that pulled Petalira's gaze back to the furred visitors.

After repeating her name and introducing the other taybarri elders, Seerathi said, We have come at the request of Lord Vlerion and Kaylina Korbian. She came deep into the mountains to seek us out, requesting that we help Zaldor in this fraught time.

"Vlerion and who?" The king looked blearily around.

Kaylina resisted the urge to shrink back or hide behind Vlerion. She hadn't expected the taybarri to mention her, certainly not by name.

Petalira frowned at her again. "Continue, please," she told Seerathi.

Usually, the elders, having grown less aggressive and muscled than our vigorous youth, do not involve themselves in the battles between men and men or men and the Kar'ruk, but, as an anrokk with excellent honey, Korbian swayed us to listen to her plea.

Petalira's lips pressed together as she probably thought about how Kaylina's excellent honey had been turned into poisoned mead.

Not by my hand, Kaylina wanted to shout, but she kept her mouth shut. Nobody had brought that up yet. The taybarri probably didn't even know about it.

We came, not to do battle, but to make sure the truth of history is known to all who are now fighting over the right to dwell upon this land.

"What truth of history?" Petalira asked.

The Kar'ruk female leader also asked something but in her own tongue.

Seerathi must have understood both languages, because she continued on without trouble. As all are likely aware, the Daygarii traveled all through these mountains and this coastal land, interacting with nature and leaving their magical mark on the flora. They also left a few traps and warnings. They did not, however, ever claim ownership of these lands. They commanded only that the handful of preserves they left behind be undisturbed by hunters so that the animals and plants living within could thrive.

What is less known is that our people once lived in this area. When our numbers were greater, we even claimed this land. What you now call Frost Harbor was a favorite fishing place of ours. We burrowed many tunnels on either side of what you call the Stillguard River. It was, to our people, the Salmon Spawning Pathway—Erestu.

Covetous of the salmon and the easier hunting south and west of the mountains, the Kar'ruk desired this area for themselves. They attacked our people in a season when we were weakened from a disease that plagued our kind. They took advantage, driving us to the south, and they invaded not only the land above but the tunnels where we'd once raised our cubs. That is where they built their catacombs, bricking in what was dirt but which our people had nonetheless created and used for millennia. They occupied these lands until the human gold mining started, and many Zaldorians came to this place and eventually drove out the Kar'ruk. As you recall, our kind aided humans in this endeavor, also desiring to see the Kar'ruk pushed back. Seerathi gazed over at the diplomatic party. We have heard that the Kar'ruk are attempting to claim a right to the catacombs and the land above them, but this all belonged to our kind before theirs. If we are allowing that claims may be made based on prior occupation, then our claim precedes theirs. They have no right to the mouth of the Stillguard River nor the valleys to the north and south.

One of the Kar'ruk females said something belligerent. Surprisingly, the other female at her side grimaced and whispered something to her. Did she know the truth of the matter?

Should you venture deeply into the Kar'ruk catacombs and dig, you would find the bones of our ancestors, for we once also used the passageways near the river for burial.

One of the females prodded a male Kar'ruk, the one who spoke Zaldorian. "We believe these statements are made in error, but we will return to our lands to consult with our chiefs and religious leaders on this matter."

Vlerion snorted. "After their invasion attempt, they ought to be put to death. Had we done the same to them, our diplomatic party would already be dead."

That might have been true, but the spymaster nodded to the king again, and Gavatorin spoke.

"We will allow the Kar'ruk diplomatic party to return to their lands. Those who have fallen here… their bodies may be taken for your funeral rituals if you wish, and the wounded will be returned to you. Our lenience is only because…" He'd spoken firmly to start with but trailed off, uncertainty wrinkling his brow.

The queen looked at her husband, but maybe she didn't know the answer either. It was an aide who leaned closer to the king's back and mouthed what looked like, "Virts," to him.

"Our lenience," Gavatorin repeated, "is only because we believe your plot was at least partially instigated by a human element who made promises to lure you here. They are a power-hungry and conniving group who seek to overthrow the throne, and they will be punished for their traitorous ways. Should the Kar'ruk step into our lands again, they will be ruthlessly slain by our mighty rangers." The king looked toward Targon and seemed to include Vlerion in the nod he gave.

Kaylina hoped that no suspicion clung to them, that the crown hadn't taken any stock in the newspapers the Virts had been printing. The king, she recalled, had already known Vlerion's secret.

The Kar'ruk grumbled to themselves, then gathered their dead and headed for the gates. The tight-jawed guards there, many of whom had suffered injuries, didn't step aside immediately.

Only when the king said, "Let them pass," did the glowering men move to do so.

At a finger twitch from the spymaster, numerous guards joined the group, making it clear they would escort the Kar'ruk out of the city—if not out of the kingdom entirely.

As the last of the party passed through the gates, Petalira's gaze shifted back to the taybarri and rangers, settling on Vlerion and Kaylina. Her eyes were cool.

Kaylina tensed, afraid Petalira was about to sic the guards on her. Why had Kaylina so foolishly followed the rangers and taybarri into the castle? It wasn't as if the handful of lead rounds she'd flung had swayed the battle. Nor had she ever believed anything she could do would. Not here, anyway. If she'd been at Stillguard Castle with the plant, she might have convinced it to help, but she doubted it could, even invigorated with honey water, shoot its power across the city to take down foes.

The queen opened her mouth, but someone whispered something from the doorway of the balcony, and she turned before speaking. The ranger that Targon had given a folded paper to was up there, escorted by two guards. He bowed to the queen as he handed her the note and pointed at Targon.

Vlerion looked to his captain, eyebrows raised, but Targon merely folded his arms over his chest again and waited. The queen opened the paper and read whatever was inside.

"Not a love letter, I trust," Kaylina muttered.

Targon squinted at her and gave Vlerion one of his I'm-still-waiting-for-you-to-instill-reverence-in-her frowns.

Petalira lowered the paper and looked at Targon. "Explain, Captain."

"I understand it's a signed note from the one who sold Jana Bloomlong the poison that was used in a bottle of mead delivered to your castle and that the poison maker is willing to answer questions on the matter."

"You understand ?" The queen's eyebrows twitched.

"My doctor and a young helper spoke with him and acquired the admission while I was busy with the Kar'ruk." Targon twitched a shoulder, as if he was indifferent on the matter.

Young helper? That had to be Frayvar. Would this change anything?

"Jana Bloomlong is a trusted kingdom subject of decades ." Petalira frowned at Kaylina again. "Was this young helper the brother of that one?"

Targon shrugged again. "He was."

As Petalira continued to glower, Kaylina's hope that the note might help faded. Maybe Jana was close enough to the queen that Petalira didn't want to believe she'd been at the heart of the plot. Maybe no amount of evidence would change her mind.

As I have stated, Seerathi spoke into the silence, it is because of the druid-blooded female that we came.

Though surprised the taybarri queen was defending her when she could have no knowledge of the poisoning incident, Kaylina nodded firmly. Maybe Petalira would listen to another royal.

"Druid-blooded?" Petalira mouthed.

Kaylina didn't nod at that. She still had her doubts.

"Kaylina is not guilty of the crime of which she was accused, Your Majesties," Vlerion said, addressing the king as well, though Gavatorin was watching the last of the Kar'ruk departing and probably hadn't figured out who Kaylina was. "She has helped the crown on two different occasions now," Vlerion added.

Fortunately, Jana Bloomlong wasn't there to accuse him of defending Kaylina because his penis told him to. Kaylina wondered where her mead-making nemesis was. She supposed it was too much to hope that her inn had burned to the ground and she would be forced to retire to the countryside. A far distant countryside.

I have seen into her mind and believe she desires this city and its people to thrive, Seerathi said.

Kaylina winced, hoping the taybarri wouldn't add so there are customers who can drink her mead and make her famous, or something like that. If Seerathi truly could read thoughts, she would know what motivated Kaylina. While Kaylina didn't wish any ill on the kingdom or its subjects, she probably wouldn't be risking her life if not for her dream. And Vlerion. He had become very important to her these past weeks.

"Can you also see in her mind if she poisoned mead that was delivered to the castle?" Petalira asked in a neutral tone, lifting the paper. "Or does she genuinely believe that someone else did it?"

The silver-furred head turned, wise eyes locking onto Kaylina.

Panic welled in her. She was innocent, but would her scattered thoughts confirm that sufficiently? Confirm that she hadn't had anything to do with the plot and that Jana had been responsible? That Kaylina would never poison anyone and certainly not through her craft?

She couldn't imagine anything more loathsome than deliberately defiling a beautiful batch of mead made from delicious and pure honey from bees who foraged on rare altered plants. What an affront. Jana should have stabbed her own eyes out before destroying mead of such high quality. Jana had even admitted to tasting it. She knew how good it had been.

Seerathi's head swung back toward Petalira. She did not attempt to poison you. She is too devoted to her craft, perhaps egotistically so, to have considered her alcohol an acceptable receptacle for a poison.

"Uhm." Kaylina wasn't sure that would sway anyone. Those weren't the thoughts she should have let cavort through her mind.

Next to her, Vlerion raised his eyebrows.

Kaylina could only shrug and whisper, "It's true. If I was going to poison someone, I'd use shitty wine with the bouquet of used socks."

"Such a bouquet would hide poison well," he murmured, amusement glinting in his eyes.

"I see." Queen Petalira didn't sound nearly as amused. After glancing at the note again and contemplatively considering Kaylina for a long moment—one which made Kaylina squirm —she said, "Since the evidence against her was only ever circumstantial, I will dismiss it as insufficient."

"Does that mean…" Kaylina looked to Vlerion.

"She's not going to have you arrested, girl." Targon slapped her on the back.

Kaylina was on the verge of feeling relieved until he spoke again.

"That means you can return to your ranger training."

"Oh, joy."

Vlerion looked at his boss. "She's ecstatic."

"And still irreverent. Oh, joy, my lord , and thank you for helping me."

"Yes," Kaylina said as reverently as she could. "Thank you, my lord."

Targon grunted. He was a hard man to please.

"The city will need time to recover, and people may not be dining out for a while," Petalira said, "but you may return to your mead-making business endeavor, Kaylina Korbian."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Kaylina dipped her head low, then wondered if she was supposed to bow or curtsey or something else.

The gesture must have sufficed because Petalira didn't appear offended. She thanked the taybarri for coming, the king told them accommodations would be made for them, and they both departed from the balcony.

"At least she's not sarcastic with the royalty," Targon said.

"Not until they accuse her of crimes, no," Vlerion said. "She has common sense."

" Commoner sense. Unlike those idiots who plotted with the Kar'ruk. You don't get into bed with an enemy like that. The Kar'ruk would have killed the Virts as happily as anyone else. I'm surprised they talked one into perpetrating their so-called beast murders, but I suppose the Kar'ruk are always delighted to kill humans." Targon spat in disgust, called his rangers to him, and ordered them to help the guards check the rest of the castle and grounds for invisible enemies that might yet be lurking.

Vlerion lifted a hand to Kaylina, perhaps to offer a hug or pat of congratulations, but Targon called back, "That means you too, Vlerion. I want you to gather some rangers, get the watchtowers manned again, and make sure nobody is skulking around out there. Oh, and smash that damn press. That newspaper is officially going out of business."

"A ranger is always on duty," Vlerion murmured, then nodded at Kaylina. "I'll come see you later. When you're done making all the honey drops you promised the taybarri."

Kaylina looked toward the center of the courtyard and found Levitke, Crenoch, Seerathi, and the rest of the silver- and blue-furred faces turned toward her.

"Ah. Yes. A priority."

"I should think so." Vlerion squeezed her arm before striding away to assist his captain.

"I'd better find Frayvar to help stir the pot," Kaylina said.

Judging by all the taybarri that padded toward her, she would have an escort to do so.