“Come near her again and I will kill you.” Ronan warned and released him roughly next to the other two guards who knelt shaking with fear. Ronan turned to Arien who’d hefted Fiona across his horse. She wasn’t moving but he could see the slight rise and fall of her breast. She lived.
“Take them to Johran if I don’t return soon,” Ronan told Bryan who nodded.
“Let’s go,” Ronan called and swung onto Sorcha’s back. “We have no time to waste if we are going to find Robusk and stop Thestian.” He kicked his horse forward, leaving Bryan, Diato and two very scared looking guards behind.
Merisgale rose from the horizon like a giant of grey stone. Ronan swallowed loudly when he saw it. It was massive. The castle stood like a tower to the Gods, surrounded by a wall that made even the dragon Montecu look small.
Ronan glanced behind them. The dragon had not traveled with them but Ronan knew he was there, just beyond sight. He’d felt him during the entire rescue and afterward when they traveled across the moors.
“How is Fiona?” Ronan glanced over at Arien.
“The same. No better but no worse either,” the boy answered.
“She won’t die,” Ula reassured Ronan and he sent her a small smile. “I swear it to you.”
“When we get inside, Arien, you take Fiona somewhere safe where Ula can tend to her.” Ronan commanded and though both the apprentice and sorceress looked as if neither liked his decision, neither argued.
“Keegan, you will stay with me?” Ronan looked at the horseman, thankful when he nodded.
“I don’t think that’s going to work,” Arien said suddenly and pointed to the gates of Merisgale. Ahead Thestian stood, waiting for them.
“Dragon’s blood,” Ronan cursed then glanced behind him. “Sorry, Monty.” Keegan rode alongside Ronan’s right side.
“Give me the sword,” Ronan barely heard Keegan’s words.
“What?”
“Give it to me and take this one.” For a moment Ronan didn’t move. Could he trust that Keegan was not the one who betrayed him? Sensing his hesitation, the horseman turned and met his gaze.
“If I were the one I would have killed you the moment I met you,” He murmured. “Now give it to me before it’s too late.”
“Ronan Culley,” Thestian called in greeting and lifted a hand in a half wave as Ronan rode ahead of the others.
“Wizard Thestian.” Ronan dismounted and bowed low as if the wizard was already king.
“You have not failed me.” Thestian spoke after Ronan rose to his feet again. “Come. You must be weary.”
“I am but I have much more to do before I can rest.” Ronan met Thestian’s gaze. “Where is King Robusk?”
Thestian’s face saddened. “He is missing.”
“Where is he?” Ronan repeated and for a moment Thestian only stared at him.
Slowly a smile slid across his fair face. He shook a finger at Ronan. “You are a clever man to be a blacksmith.” Thestian clicked his tongue. “Almost too clever.”
“He is the Stone Wizard Ronan of Johran,” Arien corrected from his horse. Ronan did not look but could hear Arien scrambling down from Ahearn’s back.
“Stay back, Arien,” Ronan commanded.
“Yes, I had heard that you joined the Johran tribe to acquire safe passage through the hills.” Thestian crossed his arms. “And you even struck a deal with the Dragols. What now, blacksmith?”
“Where is Robusk?” Ronan repeated.
“Soon he will be in the Great Sea of Death. Perhaps you’d like to meet him there?” Thestian’s eyes glittered. “The game is over. Give me my sword.”
No. Robusk used Ahearn to speak thoughts to Ronan.
Thestian clicked his tongue. “Robusk, that was a very weak attempt. Save your energy old man. It is over.”
Ronan drew the sword from his sheath and held it out threateningly. “Yes, it is over. Where is he?”
Thestian laughed maniacally. “You are going to use the fake sword on me?” Ronan frowned and looked back at Keegan.
“The sword.”
Keegan tossed it in the air and Ronan caught it. He faced Thestian again. Slowly SleaganSleagan smiled and pulled open his shirt, exposing his pale chest.
“Do it, blacksmith. The result is the same either way.”
Ronan didn’t blink. “Robusk, what wizard do you name as the next King of Merisgale before you die?” Ronan Culley. Ronan smiled as Thestian’s eyes widened. The blade of the sword began to glow and Thestian danced backward.
“Ula,” Ronan called but she didn’t answer. “Ula.” Still she was silent. Ronan did not want to take his eyes off of Thestian so he glanced to his left. His heart stopped.
“No.” Ronan felt tears brim in his eyes. “No, not you. It can’t be you.”
“Of course it is me. Did you think SleaganSleagan would have gone to so much trouble to be named and not send someone to stop you in case you caught on to what he was doing?”
Ronan’s eyes dropped to the dagger, Diato’s dagger, pressed to Ula’s throat. “I am no fool. You may have feelings for the Serpentine but it is this one you are willing to die for.”
“I…I trusted you.” Emotion welled in Ronan’s chest as Keegan started to circle around.
“Because you are a foolish man. Tell that killer to stay back or I will slit her throat.” The blade pressed firmly and tears welled in Ula’s eyes. She wasn’t using her magic to save herself, Ronan realized. She couldn’t. Not against Arien.
“I’m warning you.” Ronan said.
“Warning me?” Arien laughed. “I’ve seen you use your magic, Wihr. You can do nothing to me. Now give that sword to Thestian or I will cut out her throat.” Ronan’s hand trembled.
“No, Ronan,” Ula croaked. Ronan cursed loudly, but threw the sword to the ground. Arien smiled and glanced at Thestian when he hurried to pick it up.
“I told you. He is weak.”
“Finish them,” Thestian ground out.
Ronan turned as SleaganSleagan started back inside the gates.
“Which one first?” Arien’s face twisted in a sneer that made him unrecognizable to Ronan. “I think I’ll start with Ula Baen. I’ve put enough poison into Fiona’s arm that she will be dead in a few hours anyway.”
“Nooooooooo!” A shadow at the gates crouched, snarling, and leapt through the air onto Arien’s back. Ronan watched Arien cry out and twist as the claws of the small creature dug in and drew blood. Ula ducked but not quick enough and Arien’s blade dragged across her throat as she freed herself from his grip. A red line appeared on Ula’s neck but she shook her head, pressing her fingers against it.
“It’s not deep,” she whispered.
“What is that thing?” Keegan stepped to Ronan’s side but Ronan shook his head. It looked like a large rat but the claws and teeth resembled that of a wildcat. And it moved so quickly that Arien could not catch it. It scratched, bit, and then scurried to a new point of attack.
Arien finally grabbed the small beast by its leg and slung it away from his body. It hit the stone wall of the keep with a yelp and in an instant transformed into a man, one that Ronan was surprised to recognize as Mikel the Hort.
Ronan started forward as Arien spun, raised his dagger, the blade creating an arch over Fiona’s limp body. “Monty!” Ronan bellowed and as if waiting for that moment, in a rush of wind the wizard swooped down, knocking Arien away from Fiona and to the ground. The dagger hit the wall of the keep.
“Give me your sword!” Ronan shouted and Keegan handed him the sword. He bent down and picked up Arien’s dagger, turned it in his hand.
“Nice blade. Make it yourself?” Keegan struck quickly, thrusting the dagger into Arien’s stomach.
“Ula, help me.” The boy’s eyes rounded. Ula turned her head and wept as she backed away.
“Monty, can you get me over that wall?” Ronan called, shrugging away his own sorrow. He’d never suspected Arien. Monty plucked Ronan from the ground and in seconds was dropping him to the other side of the wall.
“Bust out that door,” Ronan told him before heading toward the castle doors. He slipped inside and closed his eyes. I call to the high council of wizards. Thestian is Sleagan. He has imprisoned King Robusk and is attempting to take over Merisgale. Arm yourselves!