Page 48 of Oaths & Vengeance (Realm of Zadrya #1)

Darrow

M y head ached fiercely. I sat hunched over on the couch in my loft, maintaining a connection to the sebeska currently flying around Lord Morgunn’s castle.

For the last few days, I’d been searching for Aella with no sign of her.

The day after I last saw her, my spies reported that she never returned to Tradain and that her uncle was furious when she wasn’t there to transport his soldiers for a surprise attack on Veronna.

I hadn’t known he planned one, but I couldn’t say it didn’t please me to discover I had thwarted him by absconding with his niece.

My only fear was what he might have done to her as punishment.

The fact that I couldn’t find her with the sebeska and my spies couldn’t locate her didn’t bode well.

Her uncle must have confined her somewhere, but my locator spell only revealed she was somewhere inside or near the castle.

Flying over her courtyard garden and using the bird’s vision, I noticed the plants appeared parched. Their colors weren’t as vibrant, and many sagged in the afternoon heat. It hadn’t rained for the last two weeks. With summer at its height, they needed regular watering.

Since marrying Aella, I’d used my birds to monitor her from a distance regularly, and she had never neglected her plants before, even while at Tradain.

The fact that she did now indicated that something had prevented her from reaching the garden.

I wished I could see inside her bedroom window, but they’d spelled it shut and darkened the glass.

Until this week, it had been clear. Was she inside, or was something else going on? I didn’t like not knowing.

Aella had no idea I could mind-link with sebeskas, so she wouldn’t worry about that for privacy.

It was a rare gift that I kept secret from all except a few closest to me, as it gave me an advantage in spying.

I’d never used the ability as much as I had recently.

The protective urge I had over my wife drove me to find out what happened to her, and I hated that none of my usual avenues for information worked.

She was mine to keep safe, yet I was failing her.

Resigned that she was nowhere easily accessible, I let my control of the bird go and returned to myself.

I rubbed my head. The migraine would pass in an hour or two, but I was too worried to rest. I needed to find a way to draw out Aella so I could be certain Lord Morgunn hadn’t hurt her.

There had to be a way without storming the castle.

An idea struck me.

I stood abruptly, wincing as a stab of pain hit my temple.

Once it eased, I hurried to wash and change.

I’d begun the search shortly after breakfast and only took a break once to relieve myself, never bothering to change out of my nightclothes.

Searching every nook and cranny of Ivory Castle grounds and listening to hushed conversations took hours, and I’d lost track of time.

After I’d groomed myself and put on a midnight blue tunic and black pants, I hurried from the loft and headed toward Siggaya’s portal ring.

A channeler would be there in twenty minutes to open it, and luckily, the destination at this time of day was the Court of Porrine.

The king was the one person I knew who could force Lord Morgunn to bring out his niece.

It was in his best interest to assist me on this matter.

My migraine had finally eased by the time I arrived at the palace. I spotted the king’s eldest son passing through the formal reception area with a determined stride. He appeared to be heading outside.

Armin was nearly as tall as me, though slightly leaner. His ears were the same as all light elves, pointed and matching his beige skin. He kept his dark blonde hair slicked back and trimmed at the nape. Most would consider him handsome, but he rarely smiled or laughed anymore .

Since he was only two years older, the king often asked my sister and me to visit when we were growing up, as well as other highborn children our age, so that we might form long-lasting bonds.

There was a time when Armin and I were quite close, but he’d become withdrawn after his wife died in childbirth four years ago, the baby passing with her.

It was a common problem since the Naforya Fountain was lost and had worsened over time.

Armin had taken it particularly hard since he’d loved her dearly.

Now, his only focus was on serving his father and the realm.

I hated watching him live a half-life, but he’d resisted all my efforts to socialize and bring him out of his melancholy.

“Prince,” I said, giving him a short bow. “How are you?”

Armin stopped, surprise on his features. “I’m well, thank you. What are you doing here?”

“I came to speak to your father about a personal matter,” I replied.

He frowned. “Come with me.”

The prince led me out of the reception area and through an ornately decorated corridor to a small sitting room.

After we entered, he closed the door firmly behind him and whispered a privacy spell.

I was surprised he went to such lengths without knowing why I visited.

He was known to have some foresight, though. Could he have guessed?

“Tell me your troubles,” Armin commanded.

I clasped my hands behind my back. “It’s a complicated matter.”

“If it’s about your wife, I’d imagine so.”

I jolted at his words. “You know?”

He nodded. “My father informed me the day after he married the two of you since I need to be aware of such matters. He worries about the future of the realm.”

“Yes, that is true,” I agreed.

Though it still surprised me, I understood why the king chose to tell him. Armin was excellent at keeping secrets and would never betray our trust. It only worried me as more and more people learned about my marriage that it could eventually leak out before we were ready .

The prince looked at me with azure eyes that matched his father’s. “I believe you chose wisely with Lord Morgunn’s niece. She is powerful with a good heart, but I sense something may have happened to her.”

“Aella hasn’t been seen in five days, and all my attempts to locate her at Ivory Castle have failed. None of my spies have been able to provide any information, either,” I said and went on to explain what happened the night she disappeared.

Armin frowned. “So you wish us to help by summoning her?”

“Yes, I do.”

“As you know, the summer ball is in two days. We sent invitations to all the lords and ladies over a month ago. Her uncle confirmed his attendance but not hers. I can have my father insist she be here. Morgunn can hardly refuse, and if you’re there, you can see her for yourself.”

Relief filled me. I’d forgotten about the ball with so many other matters on my mind, but it was the perfect way to see Aella without drawing suspicion—as long as I was careful. “How soon do you think your father can get word to Lord Morgunn?”

“I’ll make certain he sends a sebeska by this evening.”

“You have my gratitude,” I said, glad I’d run into him. It didn’t hurt to have the prince on my side as I navigated my complicated marriage, and I needed to rebuild our relationship in any case.

Armin nodded. “Then I suppose you should prepare yourself for the ball.”

“Will you be there?” I asked. While serious about his duties, he often skipped social events. He and his wife had six years of being at the center of them, constantly proving to be the happiest couple in the realm as they danced the night away. Those times were past now.

The corner of Armin’s lips twitched. “I hadn’t planned on it, but in light of this turn of events, I believe I will attend. It would be well worth it to watch you and your wife in the same room, playing a rather dangerous game.”

At least it was some consolation that my struggles helped him. “I will look forward to seeing you.”