“I hope you will keep me on as your companion,” Callie said to Mirabella.

  “Oh, aye, I’m thrilled to finally have a friend.”

  “You will be queen,” Callie said, as if she wanted her to know she couldn’t be a friend like Mirabella had hoped for. “But I will be there for you always.” She smiled.

  “You will be my friend. Even a queen needs them. Just like Rina is my friend, though she is a powerful warrior. I mean, they can really make the best of friends, eh?”

  Rina smiled, appreciating the princess for including her as a friend. “Titles mean nothing to me. So, aye, I will be your friend.”

  “You can even stay here with us. Be my bodyguard and friend?”

  Rina laughed. “I have too many missions to accomplish for now.” She didn’t want to be in a stationary job like that, watching over the princess always. She had more adventures she wanted to go on. And getting rid of Vladek’s druids remained a priority for her.

  “I understand,” Mirabella said. “I wish I could help you.”

  “You need to be here for yourself, for your new people, for the king,” Rina said. She hoped Mirabella would find this to be a good home for her now. At least her accommodations were beautiful, inviting, perfect for a princess. Well, a queen soon.

  “You will love it here,” Callie said. “Everyone is eager to welcome you as their new queen.”

  Callie and the maid finished plaiting her hair, and then they seemed to take a collective sigh. “Are you ready to go to the chapel?” Callie asked.

  “Aye.” Mirabella sounded ready to get this over with. She looked nervous though.

  Rina was glad she wasn’t the one being put on the spot like this.

  Just then Justina looked timidly into the bedchamber. “May…may I speak to the princess?”

  “Certes,” Mirabella said.

  Everyone stayed there with Mirabella in case Justina was up to no good.

  “I…I know you can hear things that most of us can’t, and you might have heard my talk with King Leogane. I’m sorry for everything I said to King Leogane about you. Phiri told me to say those things to the king. Before I ask your forgiveness, I want to tell you I…I just told King Leogane the whole truth, that everything I had said to him earlier were lies. I…I don’t want to work for your uncle. He’s a bad man. From what I’ve seen concerning you, you’ve been a victim. If you can…can forgive me, I would like to work for you like I should have been doing all along.” Justina looked like she truly was repentant. She was young. Maybe she could become a proper lady in waiting to the princess.

  “Aye, I had hoped you could be,” Mirabella said.

  Rina hoped Justina wouldn’t disappoint her, but the woman could be sent away if she didn’t work out.

  Callie stayed with Mirabella while Rina and Franny and Justina followed behind her. “The king will allow you to choose your own maids and companions.”

  “I’m glad. Will you help me since I know no one here?” Mirabella asked.

  “I will.”

  That would be a big change for Mirabella, Rina thought, since her uncle had been the one who assigned the princess’s guards and maids before that.

  When they finally reached the chapel, it was filled with courtiers and the king was waiting for Mirabella, smiling, looking eager to marry her.

  Such a change from when Rina had seen Mirabella and the king’s interaction at Castle Mayden.

  Artur joined Rina as she glanced around for Mirabella’s uncle. “Where is he?”

  “Her uncle? He was furious and left with his men,” Artur said.

  The ceremony was still going on when Rina looked for Dracolin and Persephonice in the gathered crowd in the church. Had they already left?

  Artur leaned over and whispered to Rina, “Who are you looking for now?”

  “My cousin and his wife.”

  Artur smiled at her. He pointed to them standing nearby, watching the ceremony, like Rina and Artur should have been doing. Rina glanced around at the people in the chapel, seeing the smiles everyone was wearing. They appeared to be happy to have Mirabella there and that she was marrying their king. Rina was glad for that.

  When Leogane and Mirabella kissed, it looked like the kind of kiss Rina would like to share with a man she loved. She smiled. She was happy for them.

  Then the king and his wife headed out of the chapel where they would have a large celebration planned for the newly married couple. A coronation to make her his queen would come a few days later.

  Artur asked Rina, “Were you like this when your cousin was married?”

  “When Dracolin married Persephonice? What do you mean?”

  Artur laughed. “Everyone else was quiet, watching the ceremony. You were full of questions.”

  Rina smiled. “I had to know what was going on with everyone.”

  “During the king’s wedding ceremony.”

  She sighed. “I had to find out about everything. They look happy, don’t they?”

  “Yeah, they do.”

  “She needed someone like him in her life.” Rina let out her breath, so bothered by the scars she’d seen on Mirabella’s back when Rina figured she hadn’t done anything to deserve it, she said to Artur, “Her uncle beat her.”

  Artur’s eyes widened.

  “She has scars on her back from his beatings.”

  Artur rubbed his chin. “The king doesn’t know, does he?”

  “I doubt he would unless Mirabella mentioned it and I don’t think she would have talked to him about it. I wonder how Leogane will take it.”

  “If he didn’t believe her before about what her uncle did to her father, he will know it once he sees the abuse she has suffered,” Artur said.

  “You still don’t know if he believes her?”

  “He didn’t talk to me about it, but after the way her uncle had hold of her arm and was dragging her with him, I’m sure she’ll have bruises on her arm. King Leogane will have to figure her uncle was a bully and that the rest was true. What are you going to do after this?” Artur asked.

  “Oh, I need to get rid of a couple of druids and Vladek who was trying to kill us also.”

  “I’m going with you. The king wants to send some of his men with us. Dracolin and Persephonice want to go with us.”

  “Good.”

  “I thought you liked to go alone on your missions,” Artur said, sounding like he was teasing Rina.

  “Normally, I do. But this time, I don’t mind sharing the glory with you. As far as Dracolin going? There’s absolutely no saying no to him.”

  Dracolin and Persephonice joined them then. “Are you ready to go?” Dracolin asked.

  “Where?” Rina asked.

  “To get rid of some druids. She’s known as the Dark Arts Druid Slayer. Did you know?” Dracolin asked Artur.

  Rina rolled her eyes at her cousin.

  Artur smiled. “No, she didn’t tell me that.”

  “She’s killed three already. I haven’t managed to find even one,” Dracolin said.

  “Three?” Artur glanced at Rina and she knew he’d be questioning her about the other two cases.

  “We were going to the wedding feast,” Rina said, figuring her cousin was giving her a hard time like he was known to do. Those who were invited to a king’s wedding feast didn’t turn down the opportunity. It could look like a slight.

  “You can stay for the feast. We’re going,” Dracolin said.

  “No, I’m going. I’m just surprised. Ahh, you think that this is the best time to locate the druids and Vladek,” Rina said.

  “Yeah. They’ll figure everyone’s busy with the celebration. We don’t doubt we’ll see Inari with them, stirring up more trouble,” Dracolin said.

  “Are you scouting the area using the dragon?” Rina asked.

  “No. We’ll go by horse. The king is providing them to us,” Dracolin said.

  “So they know you’re going to search for the druids while he’s having his feast with his new bride?” Rina asked.

  Dracolin smiled at her. “Of course. We wouldn’t think of ditching the king’s wedding feast otherwise.”

  “Okay, so what are we waiting for? And how many of the king’s men are going with us?” Rina asked.

  “This is it. You, me, Artur, and Persephonice. Of course you know of her ability to speak to creatures that we can’t speak with. She will try and talk to the dark arts knights and see if she can get through to them, to turn them away from what the druids and Vladek are trying to have them do,” Dracolin said.

  “That would be great.” Though Rina didn’t believe Persephonice could control creatures that turned to dust upon death, if they were ever alive in the first place. But Rina had to look in on the married couple in the great hall just for a moment.

  They were laughing with each other, and then dancing.

  “You are a romantic. I never figured you would be,” Artur said to her. “You owe me the stories about the other druids.”

  She smiled at him. “Just don’t call me the Dark Arts Druid Slayer.”

  “I like the name.”

  “I do lots of other missions and I don’t want everyone to think that’s all I do.”

  Then they headed out into the courtyard, but Jeremka met up with them. “King Leogane said I could go with you also.”

  “Good,” Artur said. “We can use your help.”

  Rina thought it would make it harder for them to sneak around, the more of them there were. Everyone was dressed in padded armor. She had thought of going without horses, but that would take them too long to reach the druids they were trying to locate.

  15

  The more Artur learned about Rina, the more he wanted to know. He figured when Leogane learned Mirabella had been physically beaten, he’d want to kill her uncle himself. Artur would be there helping him. But that Rina had killed two more druids and hadn’t mentioned it to them? He had to know the stories.

  The weather turned foul not too far from the castle, rain coming down in a torrent, the wind whipping about them. It could be a good thing for them though. It would muffle their horse’s footfalls and help cover their tracks.

  It was harder on them as they pulled their cloaks up to protect themselves from the cold rain.

  They traveled for about five miles when Rina disappeared. Rina had left her horse or maybe she was on her horse, but just cloaked. Artur sure wished he had that ability.

  Alone, Rina ran through the woods, seeing a dark arts knight, and blending with a tree, and when he disappeared, she began moving again. She knew she needed to run by herself and cloak herself every time she ran into one of the knights until she could locate Vladek and his druids. Going with her friends just wouldn’t work as well. Once she found these guys, she’d return to her companions and let them know where they were.

  Then she heard King Inari speaking with someone. His own men? She thought they would have been headed for their Black Hills castle, not here.

  Then she heard Vladek talking. They were together. “You shouldn’t have told Leogane that he could have the princess. If we had done what we agreed, you would have had an alliance with me.”

  “He and I have always seen eye to eye on who our enemies are. You were an unknown.”

  “But you told him you had changed your mind?” Vladek asked, sounding furious.

  “Aye, like we agreed. But Leogane decided to marry her. What could I do then? I couldn’t stop him,” Inari said. “I told her he couldn’t marry her, and he said he was going to anyway. He had the superior forces. I couldn’t go against his wishes.”

  “Do you think he’ll learn you killed Mirabella’s father?” Vladek asked.

  “What?” Inari sputtered. “Who said such lies?”

  Rina moved closer to see them standing in the pouring rain, all huddled up. There were no dark arts knights in the area. Just a few of Vladek’s elven knights and Inari’s men and the two druids.

  She wished she could take out one of the druids at least, but they were all too close together.

  “You don’t have to lie to me about it,” Vladek said. “I know the truth. I don’t care how you came to be on the throne. I just want your niece for my wife.”

  “And the alliance,” Inari said, as if he wasn’t sure if Vladek still wanted it.

  “Of course. And the properties and coin as part of her dowry.”

  Rina had known the imposter healer had lied that Vladek hadn’t wanted any of those things.

  Artur saw Persephonice suddenly slide off her borrowed horse. Now what?

  She held up her finger to her lips and motioned to the woods. Dracolin dismounted and walked with her, protecting her. That’s when Artur saw what they were doing. A dark arts knight was near them and Persephonice was speaking to him in a low, calm voice. Artur couldn’t hear her words, but he was shocked to see the knight didn’t immediately attack her.

  At the same time, Artur kept watching for any sign of any more of the dark arts knights, wishing he knew where Rina was. She’d better not be going after the druids, Vladek, and Inari all on her own. He glanced back to see the dark arts knight move off as if Dracolin and Persephonice weren’t the enemy. Artur had never seen Persephonice work her magic with creatures the elves couldn’t communicate with. What had she told him and what was he doing? Would he keep their conversation quiet?

  Artur could just imagine the knight returning to his master and telling him a woman had talked to him.

  Persephonice and Dracolin returned to Artur. “What did you say to him?” he asked, his voice hushed.

  Dracolin was waiting to hear too. He didn’t have Persephonice’s ability to understand other languages, so he wouldn’t know what was said either.

  “I told him he had new orders. He is supposed to tell the others like him to eliminate the druids,” Persephonice said.

  “Will he do it?” Artur couldn’t believe she’d tell him to do that. It was a great idea—if it worked.

  “He said he would. But the druids might be able to change his or the others’ minds back to what they were supposed to do—eliminate Leogane and his people. I told him we were not Leogane’s men, just travelers passing through. The knight said they wanted to end this. As it is, they are not alive, and they aren’t dead. They fight because they are made to, but they only do as well as they can to appear to Vladek and his druids that they are doing his bidding. In truth, they can’t wait to return to their former state where they were resting in peace. They have fought enough battles in their time.”

  “So they will aid us?” Artur asked.

  “Yes, if he spoke the truth and I believe he did. He just needed new orders, which I gave him,” Persephonice said. “Where’s Rina?”

  “I don’t know. I’m afraid she is looking for their encampment,” Artur said.

  “Let’s find her,” Dracolin said.

  Rina saw a group of dark arts knights approach the campfire, walking right past her hiding place against a tree and in the heavy rain. She didn’t think they could hear her frantic heart beating.

  “What are you doing in camp?” Vladek asked, sounding surprised and angered. “You’re supposed to be watching Leogane’s castle.”

  Had they seen the companions leave the castle? It didn’t make sense that they hadn’t reported this to Vladek.

  “Go,” the druid Cabillero said, waving his arm in the direction of the castle. “You have your orders.”

  But the dark arts knights continued to move into the camp, their numbers growing. Inari looked shaken, his eyes wide, his hand on the hilt of his sword. It appeared Vladek had a revolt on his hands unless it was as the druids said. They’d make the dark arts knights more powerful, but at a cost. They could lose control of them. What if they attacked Inari and his men? It would serve the king and Vladek right.

  Then one of the dark arts knights drew close to Cabillero and as soon as she saw him swing his sword at the druid, she couldn’t believe it. At once, Vladek pulled out his own sword to kill the knight.

  The next thing she knew, the knights were fighting Vladek’s inner circle of elven knights, Inari’s knights, and still trying to take down the druids. The dark arts knights had killed two of Inari’s men and he appeared to be looking for a horse and a way to escape this.

  Vladek was killing the dark arts knights now swarming into camp as quickly as he could. She didn’t think the knights tired like the elves did after fighting an insurmountable number. The druids were trying to regain control of the knights and Rina knew she and her companions might have the upper hand in this moment. She rushed forth, moving from tree to tree, getting closer to the druids, seeing a dark arts knight look in her direction when she was visible in the gap between the trees. But none were bothering with her now. It seemed the druid’s magic had backfired on them, but she couldn’t risk them finally getting control of the situation.

  She finally reached the clearing near where the first of the druids was located. Two of Vladek’s elf knights were protecting him from the dark arts knights now. It was now or never. If she lunged forward to attack the druid, would the elf knights and the dark druid knights gang up on her? She had to try.

  She dove into the melee, fighting one of Vladek’s elf knights, hoping a dark arts knight wouldn’t strike her in the back. She took the elf knight down and tore into the druid, killing him instantly. Before she could reach the other druid who was much farther away from her and in the midst of a chaotic battle between Inari’s men, Vladek’s elves, Vladek, and the dark arts knights, she saw Artur, Jeremka, and Dracolin coming to help her fight. Persephonice believed in instilling peace between warring factions, so Rina was a little surprised she was here. She wasn’t fighting, but no one was attacking her either as she stood on the peripheral of the fighting, and looked as if she was surrounded by a protective shield. Rina had never seen it for herself, but she’d heard Persephonice could protect herself with one and had when the blue elves had tried to shoot her with blow darts filled with a sleeping potion.