Wyln’s gaze, though, was narrowed on Laurel—there were tales of earth masters returning from the dead as something other than their normal, fun-loving selves. Something even darker than necromancers. But before Wyln could speak, he was shoved out of the way by Beollan. Shouting, “Ranulf!” the Lord of Fellmark rushed down the steps to the altar where his newly revealed nephew was also getting to his feet. Ranulf was completely human again. He was also completely naked, wearing nothing but wet beard and skin. Swinging his cloak off, Beollan wrapped it around the burly Marcher Lord, but it wasn’t wide enough and gaped in the middle, framing all of the bear lord’s attributes. Neither seemed to care as they pounded on each other’s backs, Ranulf’s face still gaunt, his eyes sunk deep into his head even as he grinned like a maniac.
But then, Jeff and I weren’t exactly shining examples of restraint and decorum. Giving my own shout, I leapt, slamming into Jeff, and we hung onto each other, laughing as we teetered and swayed, Jeff’s sopping uniform squelching under my hands, the bundle of staves I held fluttering, clacking and ringing. I felt a steadying arm and, looking up, saw Arlis encircling us both. Heedless of soaked tabards, he rested his forehead against my shoulder, his body shaking hard. Wyln, though, remained where he was, his eyes still narrowed at Laurel.
“Where were you, Faena?” Wyln asked over the tumult
“Someplace safe,” Laurel said, his wet fur dark brown, his feathers plastered against his head. He took his staff back from me. “Where none of us who were, hrmm, vulnerable could be reached.”
Unable to ride any further in the press of the crowd, Commander Ebner had the troopers dismount, and he and his senior officers pushed their way to where Jusson stood with his alive-again Lord Commander and royal guards, Captain Suiden and the Mountain Patrol worked through the square towards the portico steps, with the butterflies fluttering above the captain. Apparently Queen Mab’s faeries had made it to the garrison.
“One moment I was fighting for my life against giant spiders,” Jeff said, shuddering. “The next— There was this lady, Lord Wyln.”
Wyln relaxed—somewhat. “Was there now, Corbin’son What did she look like?”
Jeff’s brow wrinkled. “I don’t know. She kept changing But she took me to this lake that was full of people—”
I blinked at Jeff. Maybe the vision I had of my soul hadn’t been quite so metaphorical after all.
“Reminisce later,” Laurel said. He jogged down the steps, the wooden beads in his ears damply clacking. “We’re not done yet.”
The rush that had me leaping about was fading fast, leaving my legs trembling. Arlis took my arm, but he seemed in just as much danger of imminent collapse as I was. As was Jeff. The three of us sort of leaned on each other as we followed Laurel, stupid grins on our faces. The sky was a perfect autumn blue and we were alive to see it. Wyln, though, placed himself between us and the Faena. It seemed that he hadn’t relaxed that much.
“What’s not done?” I asked around the enchanter.
‘There is still the sorcerer,” Laurel said. He pushed his way towards where Jusson and Thadro stood in a knot of royal guards, garrison officers, aristos and even some of the town elders from both sides.
I frowned. “What sorcerer?”
“The one who started all this,” Laurel said. “Remember the attempt to bind you?”
Oh, that sorcerer. My frown deepening, I looked about, trying to see if anyone looked like an evil mage, but though there was plenty of laughing and crying, no one was off chortling to himself while favoring a broken wrist. Dyfrig was still at the impromptu altar, packing the implements of blessing. He met my gaze and, putting the last away, came to join us. He was hindered, though, by townsfolk who gently mobbed him, wanting blessings and prayers.
Beollan and Ranulf saw us on the move and also started our way. They had no trouble getting through—nothing blazed a trail faster than a naked man carrying a battleaxe. The crowd parted for Chadde too, though the peacekeeper was fully clothed and carried only her ceremonial truncheon. Sidetracked from Thadro, she and her watchmen had been quietly separating out those who had aligned themselves with Helto. However, none seemed to mind being rounded up and more than one of the town rowdies and turncoats were sitting on the ground amid the puddles, quietly bawling. And more than one watched me go by with the same wide-eyed stare.
However, Bram was missing, as were Helto, Gawell and Ednoth. And Rosea had disappeared with the sea. I pushed away the image of her, forever spinning, her red hair streaming about her.
“What’s wrong?” Chadde asked, arriving at the same time as Dyfrig, Beollan and Ranulf.
“I don’t know,” Dyfrig said. He reached over and plucked the Staff of Office from my grasp. I was once again down to one—my own. As far as I was concerned, that was plenty.
“They look as though they’re going on a mission,” Beollan said.
“As if the one we just had wasn’t enough,” Ranulf put in, his scowl back on his face.
“Laurel says the sorcerer is still out there, my lords,” Jeff began. Then he and Arlis stiffened into a sort of walking attention as Suiden and the Mountain Patrol reached us. I tried but damned near got my legs tangled up.
“Sir!” we three said in unison. The butterflies dancing about Suiden flitted over and landed on my shoulder. And they immediately sprung up again at discovering my tabard was soaking wet.
“What wizard?” Suiden demanded. “The same you talked about earlier, Sro Wyln? Why do I smell the sea? Did this wizard raise a storm? Is that why you’re all wet?” The captain’s gaze passed Dyfrig, then snapped back in shock. “Your Reverence?” he asked, a rare look of astonishment washing over his dark face. He then saw Ranulf and his mouth dropped open. “What the hell have you been doing?”
Wyln’s amused smile briefly flickered. “We’ve had a rather busy time since we last spoke, Your Highness,” he said, keeping his eyes on Laurel.
“And the ones who kept things hopping are missing,” Chadde said. “On your way here, Suiden, did you happen to see—” A scream rent the air and she closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. “Never mind, I think they’ve been found.”
There was another scream, as high-pitched as the first. All eyes turned to the small side street that led to the charnel house and everyone gave a collective sigh.
“I really want this day to end,” Jusson said as he watched Laurel stride towards him. He then watched Laurel stride past him. “Master Cat?” the king asked, his brows knitting.
Laurel’s ears flicked back, but he didn’t slow down.
“What’s this about, Captain?” Thadro asked Suiden.
Ebner, standing beside Thadro, saw Ranulf and blinked, the garrison commander’s mustache points rising in surprise.
Captain Javes, on the other side of Ebner, merely raised his quiz glass. He then turned it on Jeff, Arlis and me, his wolf yellow eyes gleaming behind the magnifying lens.
“I don’t know, sir,” Suiden said. “Sro Faena said that there’s a dark wizard still running loose.”
“The one that started everything by attacking Rabbit, sir,” Jeff added helpfully.
“Oh?” Jusson turned to Laurel, who’d halted a little ways from the alleyway. Beyond him, blazing over the rooftops, was the column of fire, but it might as well have been burning on the backside of the moon. Shivering in my wet clothes, I tried for fire and got the sickly blue flicker. Noting my efforts, Wyln tried himself, and got the same result. Despite the banishment of the demon, we were still blocked—at least in that aspect. I didn’t bother with either earth or air. Nor did I try water, afraid that I’d evoke a tidal wave.