And he wasn’t the only one causing problems. The Chameleon had come close to taking over Eberon and Tourin before disappearing in the form of an eagle.
On a personal level, Gwennore wished that all her loved ones could be perfectly happy, but it didn’t seem possible. Her heart wrenched as she watched Leo crouch down in front of his daughter. It was so obvious that the poor man wanted to hug Eviana, but he didn’t dare when his touch could harm or even kill. All he could do was smile through his tears and ask her if she was all right.
He wasn’t the only man with glistening eyes. General Dravenko blinked away tears as spoke to his sister in the Eberoni language. “Sorcha, I have always hoped I would see you again.”
She ignored him and turned to Gwennore. “Are ye sure I’m related to this man? He doesn’t even look like me.”
“He looks like his father, while ye resemble yer mother,” Gwennore replied.
Sorcha frowned. “How can ye know that? Have ye met my parents?”
Gwennore shook her head. “I don’t believe…”
“They have passed on to the Realm of the Heavens,” General Dravenko said softly.
With a wince, Sorcha turned away. “Why should I believe any of this?” When she gave Gwennore an entreating look, her eyes glimmered with moisture. “Do ye trust him?”
“Well, I…” Gwennore glanced at the general. He had already proven himself capable of deception and trickery.
He gave her a wry look before turning to Sorcha. “I brought you something.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a velvet pouch. “This belonged to our mother. She would have wanted you to have it.”
Sorcha opened it and pulled out an ornate ring with an oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds. “Oh, my.”
Her sisters crowded around her for a better view.
“It’s magnificent,” Luciana murmured.
“It must be worth a fortune.” Sorcha eyed the general once again. “I don’t suppose ye would give this to me if I wasn’t yer sister?”
His mouth curled up. “True.”
She fit the ring on her finger. “Am I from a noble family then?”
He shrugged. “You could say that.”
She gave him a dubious look. “If ye’re so rich and powerful, why do ye need Gwennore’s help?”
“I believe her special gift will help us,” he explained. “I will not let any harm come to her.”
Sorcha removed the ring and dropped it back into the velvet pouch. “How can I be sure ye won’t abandon her? After all, ye abandoned me.”
He winced. “You were not abandoned. You were sent away so you would be safe.”
She scoffed. “Why should I believe that? Ye still live in Norveshka. Was no one worried about yer safety?”
“I was sent away,” he said quietly. “About a year after you were. I went to a remote area far to the north.”
Sorcha’s eyes widened. “We were both rejected? Why?”
“Not rejected.” He shook his head. “At that time, a plague was sweeping through the country of Norveshka. Most adults survived, but many children died, including a brother and sister of ours. After you were born, Mother was afraid she would lose you, too, so she sent you to the Isle of Moon. She was trying to save you.”
“But she never asked me to return,” Sorcha protested. “She never contacted me.”
“She died a few days after you left,” he murmured.
Sorcha stiffened. “Fr-from the plague?”
He shook his head. “She drowned in the Norva River.” When Sorcha glanced toward the river, he added, “North of here, by the town of Dreshka. Father died ten years ago.”
Sorcha’s shoulders slumped. “I see.”
He was being careful not to mention anything about the so-called curse, Gwennore realized.
“I am hoping it will be safe for you to visit soon,” he added.
“Is it safe for Gwennore now?” Luciana asked.
“I will protect her. You have my word.”
“You had better, my lord general.” Sorcha grabbed on to Gwennore. “If anything happens to my sister, I’m coming after you.”
The general smiled. “Spoken like a true Norveshki. Please, call me Silas.”
Sorcha lifted her chin. “I will after you safely return my sister.”
He nodded, then turned to Gwennore. “We need to go now so we can be back before nightfall.”
A thrill of excitement shot through Gwennore. She was really doing this!
“We will trust you to take care of her then,” Luciana told him. “And I thank you for returning my daughter.”
“My pleasure, Your Majesty.” He bowed his head.
“We are counting on you.” Brigitta extended a hand, and when he took it, she inhaled sharply, closing her eyes.
“Brigitta.” Gwennore caught her sister as she stumbled back. Her special gift must have been triggered by the general’s touch.
“Are you all right, Your Majesty?” he asked.
“Yes.” Brigitta drew in a deep breath.
“We need to say good-bye.” Luciana pulled Gwennore and her sisters aside. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Gwennore nodded. “I agreed to only one month. And if I am successful, no more children will be kidnapped.”
“Please be careful,” Brigitta whispered. “When I touched the general, I came close to passing out.”
Gwennore winced. “That bad?”
Brigitta nodded. “He is a man of many secrets.”
* * *
Gwennore’s heart pounded as the barge floated away from Vorushka. What adventures were waiting for her at Draven Castle? Now that they had to go upriver, the crew was hard at work on the oars and poles. The only ones not working were herself and the general.
He motioned for her to join him at the table. “We should make our plans.”
“All right,” she responded in Norveshki as she took a seat. “Where did Aleksi go?”
“I sent him to the army camp to fetch
