Page 1 of Storms of Allegiance
ChapterOne
Iran up the shallow steps leading to the grand entrance of the law keepers’ hall. I hadn’t intended to be late, but the most recent group of guests at the inn had taken a liking to Ember. They had kept me over breakfast, admiring and patting the fox while they fed her choice scraps of their meal. Every attempt to escape to our room had been blocked until Ember had finally gorged herself so completely that she fell asleep in my arms.
I had been running ever since, depositing Ember in her box by our fire and hurrying straight to the hall. Even so, I was later than the time specified in Amara’s note.
My tardiness looked even worse against her early morning activity—she had been up and gone from the inn before I even woke. Of course, based on the contents of her note, she had forgotten it was a special day. Perhaps she would take pity on me when she remembered.
With that thought in mind, I pushed through the double doors and rushed into the spacious entrance hall. My footsteps echoed on the white marble beneath my feet, but no one looked my way.
I focused on the small knot of people around the lone counter and immediately wished I hadn’t. If it wasn’t for my distraction and hurry, my ability would have given some warning of the disaster waiting for me. But taken by surprise, my body reacted before my mind could.
One look at the unnatural angle of the man’s leg was enough to send darkness rushing across my vision. My ears rang as my stomach heaved, an unpleasant reminder that I still hadn’t completely conquered my squeamishness. Sinking onto my knees, my head lowered of its own volition, only stopping when it met the cool marble of the floor.
Excellent. I had embarrassed myself before even making it across the entrance hall. At least I hadn’t actually lost consciousness.
Sucking in a deep breath, I sent my power spreading through me. Like a wave receding, my nausea settled and my eyes and ears cleared, my breathing slowing to a normal rhythm.
I remained in place for several more seconds, however. As I focused on my breathing, I tried to convince myself I hadn’t just completely humiliated myself in the middle of the law keepers’ hall. It wasn’t working.
“Delphine?” The concerned voice of my influencer made me groan and lift my head.
Amara was reaching a hand down to me, her face concerned. I took the offered assistance and hauled myself to my feet.
“Are you all right?” she asked, her brow still creased. “I thought you’d moved past the squeamishness?”
I sighed. “It’s still there. I have enough control now that I can suppress it, so it isn’t usually a problem. But if I’m caught by surprise…”
I gestured toward the group by the counter, forcing myself to look at them without flinching. Now that I was prepared, it was a simple matter to keep a firm hold on my reactions, driving away both my mental and physical response to the sight of someone with a significant injury.
Amara grimaced. “An unpleasant business—and unfortunate timing. I should have met you at the door.”
I shook my head. “You had no way of knowing I’d rush in here headlong, like a fool. If it had been the hospital, I would have been more circumspect.” I looked at the injured person again, squinting to see them better across the remaining distance. “But what are they doing here? They seem strangely composed given…” I swallowed, feeling the faint brush of my mastered squeamishness.
There was something disconcertingly unnatural in the scene before me. The injured man was gesticulating wildly, his primary emotion anger, none of his attention on his horrific injury. His two companions seemed equally irritated, one of them constantly interjecting over the man’s words, although from her manner, the woman seemed to be backing him up rather than disputing his words.
The fourth person stood apart from the other three, his position suggesting he was on the opposite side of whatever dispute was underway. He wasn’t speaking, but not from any lack of engagement. Instead he appeared too enraged to speak, his face growing redder and redder whenever he looked at the injured man.
“He has already been attended to by a healer,” said a new voice as a man almost two decades my senior strolled toward us. “He isn’t feeling any pain, and he’s in no danger, either.”
“Not just any healer,” Amara added. “Hayes did it himself, so I’m sure the injured man doesn’t feel a thing.”
“You did it?” I asked my master’s close friend and my sometime instructor. Given Hayes’s strength, I was surprised he hadn’t completed the healing fully.
“Thankfully I happened to come across the patient within minutes of the injury occurring. In normal circumstances, I would have healed him fully on the spot, but he claimed it was a deliberate attack.” Hayes threw the man a look that suggested he doubted the story. “So naturally I didn’t dare cross Anka by doing anything other than alleviating the patient’s discomfort and ensuring he was in no danger.”
“But you’re not a weak or inexperienced healer,” I protested. “Surely you could have healed him and Anka could have questioned you about the injury later?”
“Thank you for your high praise,” he said gravely, despite the twinkle in his eyes. “But I assure you Anka doesn’t hold me in such high esteem. In her eyes, I’m as green as any apprentice when it comes to matters of law keeping. I wouldn’t even know what it is they’re looking for when they examine an injury, so how could I report on it later?”
Amara snorted at this assessment of her aunt, the head of the Caltor law keepers’ hall. I gave Hayes a grin of solidarity, though. The older woman was a formidable presence, and I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side either.
“So he’s claiming it wasn’t an accident.” I looked at him thoughtfully. Would he have been so quick to insist on going to the law keepers’ hall instead of the hospital if there hadn’t happened to be a healer on hand to almost instantly relieve his pain?
Before either Amara or Hayes could respond, a new figure appeared in the entrance hall. The law keeper faltered slightly as she saw the injured leg. She quickly regained her stride and hurried over, however, remonstrating with the small group before she’d even reached them. All four of those in front of the desk turned on her immediately, their voices rising again.
“I should have left him a sliver of pain,” Hayes muttered in obvious solidarity with the beleaguered law keeper.
When Amara turned a stern look on him, he gazed at her innocently.