AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Reaching into his robes, he was surprised to find only three left instead of four. He was usually so careful with his beans. But he’d been in such a state all night, he must have dropped one somewhere. Oh well. He had more important things to worry about.
He threw the bean in his hand at the wall and the portal opened directly into the training hall for the sorcerers. The new recruits were lined up at attention in front of one of the great stone pillars spread throughout the room. And there, standing at their head was Kilron’s smug grin as he addressed the gathered assembly. Rothbart charged through the portal, heading straight for his enemy.
Kilron’s grin fell and his eyes widened.
Rothbart stopped and flung his hand out, reciting a spell that sent Kilron crashing backward into the far wall made of stone and colorful pieces of ceramic.
Kilron shoved off the wall, his hair askew. “What the hell?”
“Where is she,friend?”
“Where’s who?”
Rothbart cast another spell, again shoving Kilron back against the wall. The other man fell to his knees, gasping.
“I told you I wouldn’t be home,” Rothbart snarled through heavy breaths. “You saw her. You must be the one.”
Kilron threw out a hand muttering a spell, but Rothbart didn’t allow him to finish. He chanted another spell that pulled air from his lungs, and Kilron gasped again. Everyone thought of Rothbart as young and inexperienced. They always seemed to forget that he was the son of two of the most powerful sorcerers that existed. That power flowed through his very veins.
And Kilron hadn’t even managed to get in a single hit. The man struggled to breathe.
“Don’t… know… what you’re… saying… please…”
Rothbart grabbed Kilron by his robes and slammed his fist into the other man’s face.
“Don’t lie to me,” he snarled. “Now show me your wrist.” He slammed his fist into Kilron’s face again before dropping him onto the ground and tore back the first sleeve on the man’s robe. His wrist was bare. With a growl, Rothbart tore back the other sleeve.
Also bare.
He stared in confusion, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Kilron wasn’t the benefactor of the skull pact. He dropped the man to the ground and released his spell.
Kilron moaned, clutching a bloodied nose.
“Rothbart.” A commanding yet soft female voice sent dread coursing through him. What wasshedoing here? Slowly, he turned to face the queen. She stood behind him in her queenly attire that went from the tops of her head to the ends of her fingers, all regalness. Her chin lifted, her icy gaze beating him into submission.
He threw himself to his knees. “Forgive me, my queen. I did not expect you.” He lifted his eyes to look around the room, taking in the shocked and angry expressions of those gathered. The recruits, queen’s attendants, members of the court. His gut twisted.
“Am I not allowed to come and inspect my own sorcerers?” Her expression became stern. “What do you think you are doing?”
Rothbart dropped his gaze to the ground. “I believe Kilron might be involved with the murders of my family.”
“Did I not give you express instructions to discuss any suspicions that you had with me?”
He risked glancing up at her. “Suspicions of the members of the court, your majesty.”
“Well, I did not think you’d go attacking your own, Rothbart.” She folded her arms, looking at Kilron, who lay moaning.“How goes your search among the court?”
She watched him with a hard expression.
“I am still interviewing, your majesty,” he answered.
“And angered many a courtier, I have heard. Perhaps it is time we put an end to this foolishness. It seems to have given you a tendency toward suspicion and violence.”
He trembled. What had he done? “Please, your majesty. I must find my family’s killers and bring them to justice. Surely you can understand that this is the only way I will reach closure. That I—”
“Enough.” She faced the new sorcerers and everyone else waiting in the room. “You are dismissed. Kilron, see to your wounds.”
Everyone, including Kilron, bowed and left, leaving Rothbart alone with the queen.
