Page 92 of The Seeker

The city of Malheim was mostly unchanged from the day Ena and I had escaped into the mountains, and I was glad that war hadn’t destroyed the quaint winding streets, other than a few walls stained with blood. The palace stood out in the distance, beckoning me back into its depths.

Just the image alone made my chest tighten, stealing my breath, but I nudged Nala forward regardless.

I had to do this.

The iron gates of the keep were wide open, much different from when I’d lived here, and I was able to ride Nala right in. It wasn’t until I dismounted that I took notice of the few guards lined against the wall of the palace. One of them stepped forward, and it wasn’t until he was reaching for Nala’s reins that I recognized him.

“Derek?”

“Welcome back, Ms. Runa.” He smiled, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “I’ll set her up in the barn for you?”

“Okay,” I breathed, unsure what I should say to the man who was once my escort. “Um . . . Is Collum around?”

He pointed. “She was in the courtyard when I last saw her, but she may have been called into a meeting. Check the library if you don’t find her there.”

I nodded and walked in the direction he’d pointed.

Though this had once been my home, it felt surreal to wander the halls now, knowing that I could leave whenever I wanted.

I wasn’t a prisoner anymore.

The courtyard was devoid of people, though there were several wicker chairs situated in a circle—a new addition to the space. I’d often questioned why Hansen and Adis maintained such spaces within their homes when they barely used them. I’d theorized that the courtyards were a thing of the past—back when the viscounts had wives and children—but now I wondered if they hadn’t known how to use them.

I didn’t rush to the library, knowing if Collum was in a meeting that she probably didn’t want to be interrupted. When I arrived at the large door, I pressed my ear to it, wondering if I should wait when I heard the low murmur of voices from the other side of the oak.

In the end, I decided not to, pushing open the door enough to slip through, using my hands to ease it closed. The voices didn’t stop, or even pause. I crept closer.

“So far we have a merchant, a guard, myself, and a healer on the panel, but what we really need is someone with a family, and maybe a teacher?” It was Collum’s voice, and I inched closer, trying to make out who she was speaking with.

“I agree. It would also be a good idea to have a farmer who can speak for those who rely on the land for their labor. That would bring us to seven. I’m sure we could add one or two more.”

“Well, I’d like a Seid coven leader to join, as well as a fisherman, though I know there aren’t many of those left.” She released a breath. “Most of them ended up as soldiers in the war.”

It was odd hearing Collum talk so calmly about political matters, and for a moment she was the woman who raised me again, not the one I’d fought in a stone cell over whether or not I should escape forced servitude with Leif.

Not wanting to make things too awkward, I decided it was time to announce my presence, and I cleared my throat before stepping out from behind the bookcase into the area where they were talking. My cousin spun to look at me, and I smiled at how healthy she appeared compared to the last time I’d seen her. She was back to her normal weight, her figure once again filling out in the way I knew caused men and women alike to turn their heads. “Runa.”

I smiled. “Collum.”

She rose, pulling me into a hug. This gave me the opportunity to take in the man who sat at the table, my smile falling as I recognized him.

It was Ryle.

CHAPTER 31

“Ryle.” He looked much the same as when I’d last seen him on the journey to Shianp. My mouth dried, and my gaze nervously darted to the side as I wondered how he was here.

And if Otho knew he was here.

“Can we talk?” I asked her, hoping she would hear what I left unsaid.

“Ryle’s my advisor; he sits in on all political discussions,” she informed me, her blue eyes sparkling.

“This is a personal matter,” I specified. It wasn’t, but I definitely wasn’t about to say anything with Ryle in the room.

It worked. “Ryle, can you give me a moment with my cousin?”

“Of course,” he replied in an even tone, crossing the room and closing the door behind him. It was a challenge not to glare at his back.