Page 77 of Lake of Sorrow

“It would be safer to get rid of her,” another man said. “If she’s got magical powers, we don’t want her helping the enemy.”

“We need allies,” Mitzy said firmly. “Commoners, like us, who understand what we want to do. And we don’t get rid of people. We want a world that’s fair and safe for all, not one where inconvenient people disappear.”

A door thumped. Were they still searching the castle? Mitzy sounded like she was standing in one spot, but the men might have been moving around.

If they were searching, the pantry would be an obvious place to look. Kaylina stepped back and crouched, finding the crease in the flagstone floor that indicated the trapdoor leading to the root cellar—and the catacombs. She didn’t want to miss anything, but she couldn’t let the Virts find her.

“She might come to us naturally when she learns the truth about the rangers,” Mitzy said. “About what they’re protecting.”

Kaylina froze with her hand on the cold stone of the trapdoor.

“Not what,” the man said. “Who.”

“It’s both, really, isn’t it? If Hokkens can be believed.”

“I didn’t believe him at first, but….”

“He survived the massacre at the castle,” Mitzy said, and Kaylina scowled, certain of where the conversation was going. They knew about Vlerion. “He said?—”

“I know what Hokkens said, girl, but men don’t turn into animals. There’s no magic that can do that.”

“No magic that we know about and remember, but the druids had a lot, and there have been stories about a beast ravaging this part of the kingdom for generations.”

“Vlerion isn’t that old.”

Kaylina closed her eyes. Yes, they knew. It was exactly as Vlerion had feared.

“He doesn’t seem that old. But if Hokkens is right, he’s been turning into that… thing and killing people for centuries.”

Kaylina shook her head. They had part of the story but not all of it. They didn’t know the curse was linked to the entire Havartaft family, that Vlerion’s ancestors had been to blame for previous atrocities.

“When is our paper going to print up the story? Put the blame where it belongs and demand the rangers out him—if they’re not in collusion with him? After that, those on the fence about joining our cause should turn. Altered orchards, even the nobility might turn on that.”

“Soon,” Mitzy said. “According to Cougar, anyway. They’ve been laying the groundwork. It’s a big accusation to make, but if more bodies show up…”

“Oh, I’m sure they will. The rangers don’t care enough to stop it.”

“We’ve searched the entire castle,” another speaker said, footsteps accompanying the words. “Except that creepy-as-the-catacombs tower. I’m not going up there. The vines hanging down are twitching.”

“I hate this place.”

“Check the kitchen, and then we’ll go.”

Kaylina cursed to herself and lifted the trapdoor as quietly as she could. Footsteps sounded in the kitchen, and a shadow moved in front of the cracked pantry door. Hurrying to climb down, she almost missed a ladder rung and fell. She caught herself, pulling the trap door closed and wincing at the thump it made.

She stepped back, worried she would have to flee into the catacombs, but bumped into something. No, someone. She gasped, barely keeping from making it a cry of alarm.

An arm wrapped around her, pulling her against a hard male chest, and a hand flattened over her mouth to keep her from screaming.

20

You want to wear that uniform, you put the good of the kingdom ahead of your personal desires.

~ Ranger Captain Targon

Kaylina didn’t try to scream or bite the hand across her mouth, and it soon loosened. Even in the dark, she recognized the hard body behind her, the way the muscled arms gripped her, and the aura of her captor.

“You’re not a Virt,” Vlerion whispered in her ear as he lowered his hand.