“Are you all right?” Mansel asked.
“Yes, I’m fine, thanks to Zollin,” Quinn said.
Mansel looked at Zollin, and the wall that held back his grief broke. He sobbed quietly. Zollin was surprised. He had never expected to see Mansel cry.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “Oh, God, I killed Kelvich. Oh, no.”
“Pull yourself together,” Zollin whispered. “We’ve got trouble and we need your help.”
“What you did was terrible, but you were under the witch’s spell,” Quinn said. “She’s a vile bitch, that one. She deserves to burn in hell.”
Quinn was looking at Zollin when he spoke, and they both looked at Mansel.
“I was a fool,” he said. “I would have done anything for her. How is that possible, Quinn?”
“Magic is powerful,” Zollin said. “And we need to be sure the spell is broken, Mansel. I need to hear you denounce her.”
“Denounce her? I’ll kill her if I ever see her again, even if it means my own death. She can’t be allowed to go on. There’s no telling what she can do, Zollin.”
“We’ll deal with her when we can, but first we have a situation here.”
“What sort of situation?” Mansel said.
“We’re in Orrock; did you know that?” Quinn asked him.
“Yes, I remember everything,” he said bitterly, as if the words were acid in his mouth.
“Then you know there’s an army laying siege to the city,” Zollin said.
“And I think there’s a plot against Zollin,” Quinn said.
“What are we going to do?” Mansel said.
“Play along for now,” Zollin said. “But I need you to watch Quinn’s back.”
“I will. I won’t let anyone near him.”
“All right, good. Give me a little time. I’m supposed to meet with the King soon. I’ll be pretending to be drugged. I want you guys ready to move at a moment’s notice. Don’t worry about me, just make sure you get out of the city safe, if you have to.”
“All right. And Zollin, I’m sorry.”
Anger fought with sympathy inside Zollin as he looked at Mansel. He could see the contrition on Mansel’s face, but it didn’t bring Kelvich back. The old sorcerer had been Zollin’s mentor and a good friend. The thought of Kelvich dying with strangers was incredibly painful, but he didn’t have time to grieve. He’d made that mistake with Brianna, and it had cost Kelvich his life. He didn’t want anyone else to die because of his anger or rage. He put it from his mind and nodded.
“Just stay safe,” Zollin said.
* * *
Commander Corlis lay as still as possible. His eyes were closed, but he heard every word that was spoken. He knew that Zollin suspected the King of foul play and that he intended to go along with the King until he knew what was happening. Corlis wasn’t sure what he should do. If he went to the King, Zollin would be in danger, and Corlis was fond of Zollin. He had hoped they might become friends, but his first duty was to his King.
He had to figure out a way to get to the King without arousing suspicion that he was privy to Zollin’s plans. When Zollin hurried from the room, Corlis had hoped that Mansel and Quinn would follow, but they decided staying put was their best option. Corlis waited, impatiently. He knew he needed to convince Quinn and Mansel that he was just waking up and hadn’t heard their plans, but he also knew the longer he waited, the more time he was giving Zollin to betray the King.
Finally, when he couldn’t wait any longer, he yawned dramatically.
“Whose idea is it for sick people to have to sleep on a wooden table?” he said in a lazy voice.
“You’re awake,” Quinn said. “Zollin healed your wounds.”
“Yeah, now I just need someone to work the kinks out of my back from sleeping on a wooden table all night.”
“You’re lucky to be breathing,” Mansel said. “If Quinn hadn’t wounded me in our fight, I would have chopped you into bits.”
“Speaking of which, I think it’s time the castle guard put you where you belong,” the commander said. “I’m sure a dungeon cell will make this place seem like the King’s own chambers in comparison.”
“There’s no need for that,” Quinn said. “He was under a witch’s spell when he attacked us. The spell has been broken.”
“Oh, okay,” Corlis said. “If he was under a spell from an evil witch, then everything’s fine. Oh, wait, this isn’t a children’s story. This is real life, and he attacked an officer. That’s a hanging offense, I believe.”
“You can’t be serious,” Quinn said.
“I can,” Commander Corlis said in an arrogant tone. “You both stay here.”
“Okay,” Quinn said.
Then he punched Corlis on the chin with a right hook that snapped the commander’s head to the side. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed in a heap on the floor.
“Help me get him up,” said Quinn. “We’ll put him on the table and lock the door from the outside.”
“And where are we going to go?” Mansel asked.
“Somewhere we can be of help if we’re needed.”
Chapter 35
Zollin hurried up to the King’s chambers, where he found the King eating with his generals and Commander Hausey. The King stood up when Zollin entered.
“Ah, Zollin. We’re just about to talk strategy,” the King said in a warm tone. “Someone get Zollin a plate of food. It’s going to be a long day, and we may not get the chance to eat again anytime soon. You need to eat to keep up your strength.”
Zollin nodded and took the plate of food he’d been given by a servant. He tried desperately to remember what had happened in Felson when he’d been drugged. He remembered eating and then being woken up hours later by Kelvich. The King was already talking to his generals, discussing plans for King Felix to ride out with Commander Hausey and General Grigg under a flag of truce to sue for peace.
Zollin walked among the men, pushing out thoughts of seeing him eat, but he didn’t touch the food. Instead he scraped bits and pieces off his plate, just letting them fall on the floor. He wasn’t sure what else to do with them. He hoped his portrayal of a drugged person would be convincing enough to fool the King and his generals.
“I think perhaps Zollin should ride out with us,” King Felix said. “It will give us a chance to catch up on what we’ve been planning.”
“Not to mention he might prove useful in dealing with this wizard from the Torr,” General Grigg added.
“That’s fine with me,” Zollin said casually, but he was looking at Commander Hausey when he spoke. The look in the soldier’s eye wasn’t lost on Zollin. It was obvious the King was planning something.
“Let’s go, then,” Felix said. “The sooner we break this siege the better.”
They walked down the stairs together and Zollin moved slower and slower. Commander Hausey took his arm once they were several paces behind everyone else.
“Why did you eat?” he hissed in Zollin’s ear.
Zollin looked at him and winked. Then he leaned on Hausey.
“Master Zollin,” Hausey said loudly. “Are you well?”
“Just tired,” he said, shaking his head as if to clear the cobwebs.
“The boy needs more sleep,” said King Felix in a patronizing tone.
“I’ll be fine, Sire,” he said.
“Yes, I’m sure you will. Let’s get mounted.”
“What can I do?” Hausey asked in a hushed tone.
“Just stay close and alert.”
Commander Hausey helped Zollin onto the horse that a servant was holding for him. They rode through the city just as the citizens of Orrock were starting their daily chores. Zollin made a show of sagging lower and lower in his saddle. When they arrived at the main gate, General Griggs raised a lance with a white banner. The other generals rode through the gate first, followed by King Felix, then Zollin and Commander Hausey.
“Sire, I believe there is something wrong with the wizard,” said General Griggs in a mocking tone.
Zollin was now slumped onto the neck of his horse. He pretended to be completely senseless.