“King Hendon is notoriously tight-fisted.” I dodged two children playing tag, who were being chased by their frazzled nursemaid. “But it looks like he’s spending more in one day than he does in an entire year. Why go to such expense, especially since the wedding is fake?”
“These people don’t know that.” Beyan’s sweeping arm took in all of the people carousing around us.
“Appearances count,” Joichan chimed in. “But more importantly, if everyone’s happy and drunk, they won’t be looking for anything untoward during the wedding.”
By the look of things, I wasn’t sure any of the visiting nobles would even be awake for the wedding, let alone somewhat sober.
We found a quiet spot away from the majority of the crowd and stopped to talk.
“So, what’s the plan?” Rhyss asked quietly.
Beyan turned to me. “Jennica, I hate for you to go back, but you’re the best person to find your friend. I’ll go with you in case anything happens.”
“As will I,” said Joichan.
“Too many of us running around the castle may attract attention,” I said. “If it’s okay with you, I’d prefer when we get inside that you make sure my mother is safe.”
“We’ll stay out here, then, and see what we can learn,” Rhyss said.
“If we find out anything important, we’ll try to find you. Otherwise, we’ll see you at the ceremony,” Farrah said.
With that settled, we split up. Joichan, Beyan, and I easily strolled inside the palace. We didn’t have to worry about getting caught in the hallways; with all the hubbub of servants scurrying to and fro, and random nobles wandering around the Calian palace, we just looked like wedding guests enjoying the festivities.
However, as we headed farther in, there were fewer wedding guests around. We also had to avoid any of the palace guards, as they would recognize me as the princess.
We reached the castle wing that housed the private rooms of the royal family. I was betting that, due to the ongoing celebration, King Hendon would either be celebrating with the other guests or overseeing the final touches for the wedding. But my mother, still under house arrest, would most likely be confined to her room until right before the wedding, when it would be necessary for her to make an appearance.
I also hoped that my mother might have an idea of where the king had taken Taryn.
I knocked, low and urgent, on the door.
“Enter.” My mother sounded weary and resigned.
We slipped into my mother’s chambers. She stood up immediately, surprised to see us.
“Jennica! Joichan! And...” She broke off, unsure of how to react to Beyan’s presence.
Beyan sketched a quick bow. “Beyan, son of Kye of Orchwell, at your service, Your Majesty.”
My mother smiled at him, then at me. “I should have guessed who you were, since Jennica was successful in finding her father.”
“Mother! The king has Taryn. It happened last night,” I said. “We were being held in the same cell; he tried to cast a spell on me, but it didn’t work. So he took Taryn instead. She’s under the king’s control. What do you suppose he wants with her? He said something about ‘an alternate path’ to getting his way.”
My mother looked both troubled and intrigued at my words. “I heard them in the hallway last night. I believe he’s locked her in your rooms.”
Immediately, I spun around to leave. Mother’s voice stopped me. “Wait, Jennica. You were able to resist his spell?”
Turning back, I fished my amber soulstone out from beneath my bodice. “I don’t know if resist is the right word... I only knew, with every part of my being, that I didn’t want him to succeed. The more Hendon tried to hurt me with his spell, the more this... shielded me somehow.”
Mother looked at Joichan, a question lighting her eyes. “I’m glad he wasn’t able to hurt you with his vile magic. But how?”
Joichan shrugged, but smiled at me proudly. “We don’t have time for a more thorough study right now, but... you are a stronger magician than you know, Jennica.”
I smiled back, but it faded quickly as I remembered something. “Mother, Father... Hendon has a soulstone of his own. It’s a red jewel he wears around his neck.”
My mother gasped. “I’ve seen that necklace. He had it on the day he forced me to talk. Come to think of it... he’s been wearing that necklace for some time now.”
“So he’s been able to tap into that magical ability for a while, and is obviously growing more proficient in it every day,” Joichan said.
“But it doesn’t explain how he plans to conquer all of the Gifted Lands,” I argued. “He can’t exactly cast individual spells on each person here. It would take too long and be too noticeable.”
Beyan coughed slightly, catching my eye as he nodded toward the door. He was right; we needed to continue our search for Taryn.
I gave my mother and father quick hugs goodbye. Beyan opened the door and we slipped back into the hallway. Looking at him, I could see my question mirrored in his face: Now what? He shrugged. We walking toward my suite, which we had passed on the way to my mother’s set of rooms, with me leading the way.
Ahead of us, a door opened further down the hallway.
It was the door to my rooms. Those of the princess.
And leaving my room was Taryn, dressed in one of my gowns. It was a few inches too short for her, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. Which was odd, because Taryn was always conscientious about fashion, whether it was hers or mine.
And why was she wearing my clothes at all?
“Taryn!” I cried out. She looked over at us.
In an undertone, Beyan said incredulously, “Are you two related? She looks just like you!”
“Of course not.” Brushing his comment aside, I strode toward Taryn. “I’ve met her family, and trust me, it’s
