Beren sat at the long table, swirling the last sip of raspberry port in his glass before finally setting it down so the servant could clear his plate.
Jaran had been in rather a good mood today, perhaps an attempt to draw attention away from the fact that Queen Azelie had been getting steadily more distracted as the days wore on. At first, they had all just assumed it was nervousness at actually being able to pull off a surprise party for someone who could actually turn her own telepathic powers against her--but these last few days, she had been almost frantic, completely put off by something that she seemed rather reluctant to talk about.
Speaking of talking about things... His conscience reminded him. Zayra, herself, wasn't handling things well. This influx of struggle didn't strike him as an indication of a Shadow jacking (he shuddered as he recalled the ease with which Troy could turn their powers catastrophic at his own whim) but she was definitely not the composed, collected woman she'd finally become, in the last year or so. It was as if all the acceptance and affirmation he gave her, all the practice sessions where she could maintain a controlled environment and learn the boundaries within which she could successfully regulate her Gift, the way she learned to perceive it as a benefit and find opportunities to use it in a supportive role, rather than letting it consume her... all of this was slowly being unraveled somehow. Yesterday, Beren had hoped it had something to do with anxiety over another birthday passing, and that the party would somehow fix things.
Today, he realized he hadn't seen her since breakfast that morning. He stood with a frown on his face, and headed out toward the long corridor that led to the various rooms in the wing, and the Great Hall that connected to other towers in the castle. Zayra didn't strike him as the person to just vanish from his life without saying something. She frequently retreated when in the group settings, a steady discipline grown out of refusing to sink back into the old habits of craving the spotlight all the time, but to go an entire day without seeing her... now that was odd.
He passed by the door of her parlor, but kept moving when he saw it closed. Zayra never closed the door when she went in, one of the servants would do it for her whenever she went out. If it was closed, he could safely assume she hadn't yet been by to open it.
A sudden thought crossed his mind, and Beren turned down the hallway where they'd hid the presents. Azelie had worked closely with Aurelle to craft a most clever ruse specifically geared toward Zayra's perception, convincing her that there was no door at that specific point in the wall. Only Anahita had the key, as well, so that the others wouldn't even have the inclination to slip up in front of her. Now that he'd thought about it, she had been dropping some hints about some event coming up. Part of him could assume that it was the coronation anniversary--but could she suspect something about a celebration all centered around her?
"Your Grace."
Beren flinched and a sudden layer of frost materialized over most of the door. He covered his surprise with irritation as he turned. "Ah, Risyn, just the man I wanted to see."
The dark violet eyes fixed on him. Somehow, Risyn always managed to stand where the most shadows gathered over his features, no matter how bright the electric lanterns were, all along the wall. He bowed low. "I anticipated as much. How might I be of service?"
"Oh, nothing too surreptitious or conspiratorial," Beren kept his tone light to hide the worry suddenly gripping his chest. "I'd just wondered if you've seen my wife recently."
Risyn's expression never changed--he hardly even blinked--as he answered, "I have seen people coming and going all day, but Princess Zayra does not tend to cross my path."
Beren sighed; it was true, ever since Korsan left a year previously, having spent two years training Risyn to succeed him, Zayra had flatly refused to transfer such a level of trust from the master to his apprentice, and many times she had voiced to Beren her complaint of his strange methods for harnessing his Gifted affinity for magic, so different from the way Korsan utilized it. She actively avoided him when she could, and remained withdrawn and unfocused whenever an interaction couldn't be avoided.
"I'm sure she'll come around at some point," Beren stammered. "Thanks anyway." He continued down the hallway toward the Great Hall at the center, sending a mental message to his sister-in-law as he did.
Azelie, I'm looking for Zayra--can you find her for me?
The telepathic response came a few moments later. She's in the castle--in fact, I'm picking up her thoughts from the vicinity of your rooms, if that helps.
Beren pressed his lips in frustration. She wasn't in his room, he didn't think she'd be in hers--so where could she be? Was she avoiding him, and if so, for what reason?
It doesn't much, he said. But thanks anyway. At the very least, he could know that she was somewhere in the castle, or else Azelie wouldn't be able to reach her so quickly. Beren came to a stop at the end of the hall when Azelie's next thought reached him.
She seems really frightened about something, Beren.
It's not just stress, is it? He thought back, entertaining the hope.
No, this is more than that. Something has her terrified, and she needs you! I think it--
Her thoughts cut off like someone whispering gently and then fully slapping his ear. Beren felt the unfamiliar scramble of his own thoughts rattling around on their own. Azelie? he thought tentatively. What happened? Are you all right?
I'm sorry... I mean, I'm fine... The thoughts came in wispy, barely-discernible bursts, as if Azelie had suddenly moved very far away to finish the conversation.
Beren rolled his eyes and groaned. He didn't have much choice but to return to Zayra's rooms. He knocked softly on the door. "Zayra, are you in there?" he called.
The room on the other side gave no answer. Beren lifted the latch, and the door fell open. At least it wasn't locked. He stepped inside, looking around. "Zayra?" Had she fainted, perhaps? Was that why she couldn't answer? What had she been so frightened about, according to Azelie?
"Zayra, my love!" Beren called loudly, his voice rebounding off the walls. He noted the small table in front of the open window, and an unfamiliar gilded box on the floor. Had someone given her a gift early? He picked it up, noting the velvet recess lining the interior, but whatever had been inside was there no longer.
A chill breeze coasted over his shoulders, and Beren snapped the lid of the box shut with a small shiver. The stars twinkled in a clear sky, and he could feel the warmth from the sun still radiating from the windowsill--so why did the night feel so cold all of a sudden?
Shouting erupted in the Great Hall of the castle. Beren heard someone calling his name.
Azelie's thoughts came through clearly at last. Beren, come quickly to the Great Hall. It's important.
Is this about Zayra? He thought, as he set aside the box and left the room with the door standing wide open.
Just come, was all Azelie would say.
Down in the Great Hall, Beren saw Azelie and Jaran holding each other, looking very worried, while Erlis loomed against the wall, her eyes shifting nervously as she fidgeted with the talisman-stone around her neck. Anahita looked up when he entered, and curtsied when she saw that he noticed, but she had a worried look on her face. Risyn was there also, with his arms crossed and the closest thing to a frown on his face. Aurelle came into the room behind him, with the Clissander twins sauntering close behind.
The two people Beren didn't expect to see at the Castle were Denahlia, her cropped, dark hair gleaming in the light of the glowlamp chandelier, and Velora, who stood along with one of her wolves sitting calmly at her side.
The two wardens were giving Jaran some kind of report.
"The Harbor is secure," Denahlia said. "I've left Hayden in charge, as well as my cousin Markus, who showed up randomly a few days ago."
Azelie's lips twitched. "And you're sure you trust him?" she asked.
"Is he capable of filling in for you, watching the Harbor?" Jaran seemed more than a little twitchy, Beren thought.
Denahlia stiffened. "I'd trust him with my life," she answered.
Velora nodded to Beren as he joined his brother. Her gaze darkened. "We're almost all here... but where's Princess Zayra?"
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Aurelle leaned in with a bewildered expression. "Has the ship I told you about arrived yet?"
Denahlia seemed reluctant to give the Illusionist any of her attention, even as Jaran and Azelie wanted to know, "Ship? What ship?"
Beren felt the temperature drop again--though he seemed to be the only one who noticed, and his eyes were drawn to the foreboding Mage scrutinizing everything without speaking. The longer Denahlia talked, the more his expression changed.
The Harbor Watch threw up her hands. "You told me that a ship was coming, but you didn't give me any pertinent information! Ships come and go from my docks every day, and we do our best to watch them--"
"But this one came along through my illusion, so it's important!" Aurelle insisted, finally gaining Denahlia's attention. "It keeps coming, every time I open my hand. I've seen a dark flag on the masthead, and it has a wide keel."
Beren watched Risyn shift posture, rocking from one side to the next. His arms dropped, and his fingers wiggled--this was about as ruffled as he'd ever seen the Mage.
Denahlia waved her fingers, too, but a strange warping of the light in front of her palm gave evidence of something only her eyes could see. She nodded to Aurelle, "Now was that so hard?" she teased. "Just from that alone, you must mean the Brigadier's Ransom."
"And?" Aurelle prompted, as a glowing parchment appeared in thin air at a wave of her hand.
Denahlia shrugged. "What can I say? It's crew has a history of piracy, but all their paperwork was in order and we haven't had any problems yet. The most we can do is keep a weather eye on them."
Beren leaned over to the King and Queen. "What's all this about?" he murmured. "Why did we all need to be here?"
Jaran nodded toward Velora. "These two came walking in with warnings that we are all four in danger--" He glanced around his brother, as if Zayra was tucked into his pocket somewhere. "Where's your wife?"
Beren huffed. "That's what I'd like to know!"
"She wasn't in her room?" Azelie inquired with a small frown.
Beren shook his head. "No, I didn't see her anywhere, nor any evidence of foul play."
"Foul play?" Aurelle whirled around, distracted from her own conversation by the last words of his.
"What's this about?"
"Okay, everybody!" Beren marched forward, his own frustration coming out in beads of water clinging to the back of his hand. He faced the gathered crowd. "Here it is: while you all are worried about rumors and speculation about someone trying to come after us--my wife, the focus of tomorrow's celebration, is missing."
All chatter fell silent. Eyes darted from one side of the gathered group to the other.
Velora's eyes narrowed. "Exactly how long has she been missing?"
"I saw her at breakfast this morning," Beren said. "I just assumed she went off to do her own thing--she's been really focused on settling people in Wildhaven lately, making sure they're all equipped for the cold season."
Anahita cleared her throat and stepped forward. "I came into her parlor to help with the letters, as usual, but she wasn't there. I went down to the kitchen to help Damaris clean up from breakfast, and he was working on the cake. Her Majesty," she nodded to Azelie, "came down to look for something, and I left with her--and when I came down again immediately afterward, Damaris was gone!"
The wolf at Velora's side came to its feet, and the Alpha placed a reassuring hand on the animal's head. "Shh, Sable, it's all right." She eyed the rest of the group. "That's two of us missing--"
"But they aren't missing!" Azelie insisted. "I can still hear their thoughts sometimes, among everyone else's."
Jaran started pacing. "They can't have gone far, then--"
"But who would take them?" Aurelle mused.
"That is assuming that there is someone else involved," Javira pointed out. "They could have just gotten lost. There is a lot of unused space in this castle."
"For this long?" Kaidan objected to his sister. "Every point in this castle leads back to the general areas."
The redhead shook her head. "Not every point," she replied.
Beren squinted at her, as he saw Azelie begin to nod as if she knew exactly what Javira was talking about. "What do you mean?"
Kaidan reached for his sister's hand, but she stepped away, bowing to the King and Queen. "Follow me, your Majesties."
The whole group followed the young woman out to the gardens, while Azelie kept her head on the side.
"I can still hear him," she muttered. "Damaris... He's shouting from somewhere inside the walls."Javira came to a stop outside, beneath the disused West Tower, not far from the kitchens and cellars but a fair distance from the dungeons, situated more on the north and eastern sides of the castle. She pointed to a mound of roots almost as tall as a man and wide as Beren's outstretched arms, clinging to the lower portion of the castle. "I placed that there to cover a tunnel that ran deep into the walls. I don't know how far it extends, nor where it leads to, but I figured it ought not be there anyway."
Azelie scurried forward and placed her hand on the barrier of roots. "I hear Damaris!" she said. "He's in there!" She paused a moment, and when she lifted her head, a smile broke out over her face. "He can hear me now, too! He says he's been completely surrounded by the roots, and he's not at all sure where he is."
Beren inched forward, hope pounding in his heart. "Is Zayra there with him?"
Azelie shook her head. "I don't hear her as clearly as I did before. Damaris is completely alone."
Jaran turned to Javira. "Well?" he prompted. "You made this barrier--now take it down and let Damaris out of there."
Javira shrugged and started directing the roots, prying them loose and letting them slither away. She was only about halfway to making any sort of opening when Azelie yelled, "Stop!" and clapped her hands to the sides of her head.
Javira lowered her hands and glanced at the young queen. "What is wrong?"
Azelie winced. "Damaris... you're hurting him. The roots that you are moving have closed in around them, and if you keep going, without knowing where he is, those roots could crush him!"
"Let him burn himself out, then!" Denahlia snapped. She bent down against the barrier. "You hear that, kid? Fire is the surest and safest way to get yourself out of there. Just burn it all down!"
"No!" Beren clapped a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "What if he hurts Zayra?"
The strange, glassy eyes fixed on him, and for the first time Beren noticed the jagged scar tracing over Denahlia's left eye. When had that happened? "You heard the queen," she remarked. "Princess Zayra isn't down there. It's just Damaris, and we all know that the Phoenix is impervious to fire." She nodded to Azelie.
Seconds later, a plume of smoke issued from between the roots, and they could hear the faint snap and crackle of a fire brewing deep within the recesses. The whole group drew back gradually as the flames increased, and once the flames reached the outside of the wall, a small dark shape hurtled from among them, and both Beren and Anahita moved in to douse the flames with water.Damaris threw himself on the ground, basking in the cool, wet grass, gasping the fresh air as if he hadn't had the chance to breathe in all the time he'd been down there.
Anahita came racing over as soon as the fire was out. She assisted him to a sitting position and offered him water from her own hands. "What happened?" She asked. "How did you get down there inside the walls?"
Damaris slurped the water and caught his breath. He brushed the last few embers out of his shaggy hair and looked around at all of his worried friends. "I don't know how I got there," he said. "One moment, I was talking with Anahita about some things that had gone missing around the kitchen, and the way she kept moving things and reorganizing pantry shelves without my say-so--"
"Which I didn't!" Anahita insisted, flicking a bead of water at his face.
"And the next moment, right after she left to go find Lady Zayra who was missing," Damaris shuddered and grabbed his shoulders. "I heard something down in the cellar and went to investigate, and then something grabbed me and I blacked out, and when I came to, I was in a tiny room with no door, and I couldn't tell if it was in the castle or under it!" He looked over at Azelie. "Boy, was I glad to hear your voice! I was beginning to wonder if anyone would even notice I was missing!"
Beren scowled and shook his head. "That still doesn't explain what happened to Zayra!" He glanced toward the blackened hole, as if he wanted to go in himself to search for his missing wife.
"Yes, or who exactly is responsible for grabbing Damaris," Jaran grunted. He watched Velora lead her wolf over to the hole, keeping a firm hold on a long leather leash as the wolf crept further in for inspection. "Denahlia," he glanced toward the young woman who was gesturing toward glinting bulbs mounted at even intervals around the edge of the walls. "Do you think this kidnapper is the person you needed to warn us about?"
Denahlia shook her head. "No, the job Markus mentioned was the retrieval of an item at any cost--even if it meant murder. That's why we were so keen on keeping you all safe."
Beren appeared at his brother's side. "You're kidding me! So not only do we have a mysterious bogeyman apparently living in the walls of the castle, but my wife might have met her fate at the hands of a murderer?"
His words precipitated a loud crash from the direction of the gazebo. Even at this distance, everyone could see the mound of shrubbery and dirt surrounded by large shards of pottery. Something shifted the dirt and vines around, but no one could quite tell what it was.
Kaidan and Javira shared a look that only Azelie noticed, because she heard among their thoughts words like portal and forest creature--but Velora and her wolf reached the site of the shattered vase, and Velora kept the animal back as she stared at a point just beside it.
"Beren!" She called. "You're going to want to see this!"
All of them gathered behind Velora. The decorative stones stood out among the layer of dark potting soil, spelling out two words: SEE ME. Beside it, a trail of uprooted flowers led to a circle made of vines, just closing in place. Denahlia raised her hands and Beren could see the way the light wobbled and bent between her spread palms, allowing her to see what their naked eyes could not--but with the way she still frowned and lowered her hands, he could tell that she still couldn't see what was there to see.
"See Me?" he read aloud. "See what?"
Azelie was staring at the space just above the circle. She uttered one word. "Zayra."
Beren gawked at her, and looked back at the circle. He nudged the vines with his foot, even going so far as to step inside the circle--but he could see, feel, and hear nothing. "Zayra?" He gasped. "What does this mean? Where is she?" he started to look around, but Azelie shook her head and pointed right toward him, to the space he now invaded.
"She's right there," she said. "She says you're standing right against her."
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