is.”
“Well, Nemenese is convinced you want his kingdom. Someone wants him out of the way.”
“It’s not me. We’d better find out who did this.”
“I destroyed the vapor creature without trace.”
“Yes, but someone created it, and there will be someone in the city that released it here unless he or she has fled after dispatching it. See what you can find out. I shall go to King Nemenese at once and assure him I had nothing to do with this.”
“He won’t believe you. I doubt he will even receive you. He might have already fled the palace and be making his way out of the city.”
“I must try to find him or he will forever be suspicious of me,” Saxthor said. He rushed past the wizard to find the old king.
*
“Majesty!” Saxthor exclaimed, rushing to catch up with Nemenese, who was racing down the palace hallway with his guards closely gathered around him. A flurry of frantic servants struggling with his luggage trailed behind.
“Stay away from me!” Nemenese shouted as he quickened his pace.
“I’m not responsible for that attack.”
“So you say now.” Nemenese halted and pointed for his guards to stand between the emperor and himself. “Your attack failed, as you see, but I’ll not remain here for another attempt.”
“I had nothing to do with that vile thing,” Saxthor said. He stopped close to the king but didn’t attempt to push through his guards.
“I can’t afford to trust you in that. You may send my daughter back to me. Helgamyr will be welcomed home. You have my granddaughter under your control, but I shall disinherit her so that she has no claim to my throne. It will do you no good to kill me and my son.”
“I shall get to the bottom of this and let you know who is responsible.”
“Indeed. Who will you point your wicked finger at to cover your own blunder?” Nemenese asked.
“I assure you; I had nothing to do with this.”
With a grunt, the king turned and motioning his guards to keep close. He fled Ossenkosk and made his way across the empire, barely stopping until he was back within his own kingdom. There wasn’t another attack, but twice Nemenese thought he saw a creature of unknown species trailing his escape.
* * *
Helgamyr rushed out of her father’s royal guest suite later that day in hysterics. Her thoughts raced through possibilities, having discovered the rooms empty and all the entourage and baggage gone with the royal Velstorbokkin guests.
“Guard!” Helgamyr shouted to a soldier standing by the next suite in the Ossenkosk east wing. The guard rushed to the dowager. “Where is my father, King Nemenese? Have they moved him?”
“He’s gone, Your Majesty.”
“Gone! Gone where?”
“He left with his court and attendants an hour ago.”
“Left?” the dowager exclaimed storming down the corridor. “We’ll see about that.”
*
Helgamyr burst into the private audience chamber where Saxthor was talking with Boktorian. The guards pursued, but Saxthor motioned them back out.
“What’s the meaning of this? Where has my father gone? Why would he depart without taking leave of me?”
“Calm yourself, Your Highness,” Saxthor said, nodding to the chatra to withdraw. “King Nemenese left this afternoon after a foiled attempt on his life. Memlatec destroyed the attacker, but your father decided to return to Velstorbokkin without delay. I’m sorry he didn’t stop to say goodbye to you.”
Helgamyr stared incredulously at Saxthor; her face was red hot. She grabbed Saxthor’s arm, feeling her nails dig into his flesh. “Did you have anything to do with this attack?” Helgamyr’s throat tightened and choked off her last words.
Saxthor put his hand on hers and patted it gently to reassure her. He looked into her eyes. “I had nothing to do with the attack. It was an energy vapor, a sort of deadly serpent of energy woven around the hair of the intended victim.”
“Helgamyr snatched back her arm. Her eyes didn’t leave Saxthor as
“Well, Nemenese is convinced you want his kingdom. Someone wants him out of the way.”
“It’s not me. We’d better find out who did this.”
“I destroyed the vapor creature without trace.”
“Yes, but someone created it, and there will be someone in the city that released it here unless he or she has fled after dispatching it. See what you can find out. I shall go to King Nemenese at once and assure him I had nothing to do with this.”
“He won’t believe you. I doubt he will even receive you. He might have already fled the palace and be making his way out of the city.”
“I must try to find him or he will forever be suspicious of me,” Saxthor said. He rushed past the wizard to find the old king.
*
“Majesty!” Saxthor exclaimed, rushing to catch up with Nemenese, who was racing down the palace hallway with his guards closely gathered around him. A flurry of frantic servants struggling with his luggage trailed behind.
“Stay away from me!” Nemenese shouted as he quickened his pace.
“I’m not responsible for that attack.”
“So you say now.” Nemenese halted and pointed for his guards to stand between the emperor and himself. “Your attack failed, as you see, but I’ll not remain here for another attempt.”
“I had nothing to do with that vile thing,” Saxthor said. He stopped close to the king but didn’t attempt to push through his guards.
“I can’t afford to trust you in that. You may send my daughter back to me. Helgamyr will be welcomed home. You have my granddaughter under your control, but I shall disinherit her so that she has no claim to my throne. It will do you no good to kill me and my son.”
“I shall get to the bottom of this and let you know who is responsible.”
“Indeed. Who will you point your wicked finger at to cover your own blunder?” Nemenese asked.
“I assure you; I had nothing to do with this.”
With a grunt, the king turned and motioning his guards to keep close. He fled Ossenkosk and made his way across the empire, barely stopping until he was back within his own kingdom. There wasn’t another attack, but twice Nemenese thought he saw a creature of unknown species trailing his escape.
* * *
Helgamyr rushed out of her father’s royal guest suite later that day in hysterics. Her thoughts raced through possibilities, having discovered the rooms empty and all the entourage and baggage gone with the royal Velstorbokkin guests.
“Guard!” Helgamyr shouted to a soldier standing by the next suite in the Ossenkosk east wing. The guard rushed to the dowager. “Where is my father, King Nemenese? Have they moved him?”
“He’s gone, Your Majesty.”
“Gone! Gone where?”
“He left with his court and attendants an hour ago.”
“Left?” the dowager exclaimed storming down the corridor. “We’ll see about that.”
*
Helgamyr burst into the private audience chamber where Saxthor was talking with Boktorian. The guards pursued, but Saxthor motioned them back out.
“What’s the meaning of this? Where has my father gone? Why would he depart without taking leave of me?”
“Calm yourself, Your Highness,” Saxthor said, nodding to the chatra to withdraw. “King Nemenese left this afternoon after a foiled attempt on his life. Memlatec destroyed the attacker, but your father decided to return to Velstorbokkin without delay. I’m sorry he didn’t stop to say goodbye to you.”
Helgamyr stared incredulously at Saxthor; her face was red hot. She grabbed Saxthor’s arm, feeling her nails dig into his flesh. “Did you have anything to do with this attack?” Helgamyr’s throat tightened and choked off her last words.
Saxthor put his hand on hers and patted it gently to reassure her. He looked into her eyes. “I had nothing to do with the attack. It was an energy vapor, a sort of deadly serpent of energy woven around the hair of the intended victim.”
“Helgamyr snatched back her arm. Her eyes didn’t leave Saxthor as
Similar Books
