Lord Oaken raised his voice. “The king does not rule magic.”
A reminder of where he stood had the Hunter visibly shaken.
Dar stepped away from the hearth, drawing attention. “If I had known your true purpose, you would never have entered Driochmor.”
“Your father feared that, which is why he ordered me to give the message directly to Lord Oaken and the council.”
“And if I don’t comply?” Lord Oaken asked.
The Hunter looked around at everyone there. “Then the king will have his answer… Driochmor refuses to stand united with Scotara.”
“Magic can be a powerful ally and even a more powerful enemy,” Marek warned.
“The king will not suffer a threat,” the Hunter said.
Marek was quick to reply, “No threat, an observation.”
Without thinking, Kaelan moved slightly in front of Bria. Not enough to hide her. Just enough to remind everyone present that anyone wishing to reach his wife would need to go through him first.
Wynn noticed. The faint smile that touched her lips lasted only a moment.
“You either comply with the king’s command, or you don’t,” the Hunter said. “The Wise woman comes with me or I and my troop leave alone. I will give you time to discuss it and return for an answer by midday.”
The Hunter left the room without saying another word or glancing at anyone in particular.
Silence lingered after he departed.
No one seemed eager to be the first to speak.
It was Dar who finally broke the silence.
“My apologies,” he said. “Had I known the reason for their arrival, I would have never brought them here.”
“No apology is necessary,” Lord Oaken said, though his tone remained sharp. “The deception was not yours.”
Dar ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “My father sent word that an urgent message needed to be delivered directly to the council. I still do not understand why the king did not simply entrust it to Elara and me.”
A humorless laugh escaped Marek. “Perhaps the king trusts you less than you believed.”
Dar snorted. “The king trusts no one.”
“A wise habit for a king,” Rowan said.
“A lonely one,” Seren countered.
The room fell silent again, but only briefly.
Then Kaelan spoke. “Bria and I encountered Hunters searching for the Wise woman just before reaching here.”
Every eye turned to him.
“And they openly admitted their purpose?” Dar asked.
Kaelan nodded. “They believed we might have information.”
A troubled look crossed Dar’s face.
“Then why send another troop?” Marek asked, trying to make sense of the strategy.
