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And that was why we were not announcing our visit. That way we could avoid an ambush on the docks. The only thing worse than showing up unannounced was showing up announced.
It was going to be a mess, but we hoped we could charm and smile our way out of it. John had volunteered for the trip, unable to help his curiosity. Emric would be going with us too, as well as one attendant to help us dress according to their customs, one of my guards, and five guards of Owen’s choosing. Ten of us would be making the trip, plus the crew who would sail us there.
We’d spent the past few days deliberating the size of team to take. Jorah had wanted us to take more guards, but in the end, I had felt the smaller the group, the less threat we would pose to them.
“Remember,” River continued, “you only give a slight bow and only to the queen herself. Your rank as a royal, even one who has abdicated, means that most of them should bow to you.”
“And if they don’t,” John added, “or only give you the barest of bows, it is a sign of disrespect.”
“I’ll not make a fuss about it.” Though if they wanted to insult me, I’d rather they just outright say it.
John snorted a laugh. “Good plan. If we are all to survive the trip, it would be advisable not to make a big fuss about much of anything.”
The tall doors of the library we were settled in opened, causing the sound barrier I had up to fall. A short, dark-haired boy with wide blue eyes slid into the room and darted under a table.
Not long after, I heard forceful footsteps. That’d be Krew.
He peeked his head in the room. “You haven’t seen Warrick, have you?”
I knew for a fact the sages would not cover for Warrick. They hadn’t ever covered for me. So I immediately responded, “I think he went that way.” I pointed down the long hallway in the wrong direction.
I kept my eyes on Krew’s, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Warrick clap a hand over his mouth as if to keep himself from laughing.
Krew had taken a step in the direction I pointed, but then spun back around, having heard it.
I snapped the book in my lap shut and stood. “I’ll be right back, gentlemen.”
River chuckled. “I never thought I would say this, but itisgood to have children in the castle again.” He paused. “This next generation cannot possibly be as vexing as the last.”
“You wound me,” I deadpanned over my shoulder.
Krew was moving for the table. I waited for him to lean over before I used my magic to slide underneath Warrick and bring him to me.
I crouched down to his level. “Hop on and hold on.”
“What?!” Warrick exclaimed.
“Hurry,” I urged.
He hopped on my back and quickly wrapped his arms around my neck as I held on to him with one hand and used my magic to glide us from the room with the other. Krew was, of course, on our tails.
Warrick was soon cackling while hanging on as we sped down the hallway toward the spiral staircase. Krew was using his magic to chase us, but I knew it couldn’t possibly be full speed or he would’ve already reached us. I was also not going full speed, as I didn’t want to traumatize the poor child.
Warrick gasped. “Keir, the stairs!”
I grinned. One of the first things Krew and I had learned how to do as kids with our magic once it settled was use it to glide down the staircases. And the spiral staircases were way more fun than the others.
Maybe I hadn’t grown up at all. Wasn’t wave riding the same thing, just on the ocean with a few extra variables?
Warrick let out a squeal as we began winding down the stairs, faster and faster as we neared the bottom. I let out more of my magic to form a soft landing for us to crash into at the bottom.
Silver magic combined with mine, making our landing even larger moments before Warrick and I fell into the magic, me first of course, so I wouldn’t crush Warrick.
Warrick was laughing and so was I by the time Krew reached the bottom.
“Again!” Warrick roared as Krew gracefully used his magic to launch himself over us and land just beyond the magical barrier. “Again, again, again!”
“Back in the castle for only a few days and do you see what you’ve started?”
