The egg must have fallen from my pocket. I’d accidentally set the thing off—the signal that the way was clear to kill the king.
I could see the next events unroll in horrible clarity. Alaric wouldn’t question my message. He’d go to Leofric’s chamber with a weapon, but instead of harming the king, Alaric would inflict the fatal wound on himself.
I’d no way to tell him the message was a mistake. I’d inadvertently lured Alaric to his death.
Ronan looked across the tower where the bugs disappeared. “What was that?”
Even then, I hated to implicate Alaric, but I’d no choice. I needed Ronan’s help. We had to find and stop Alaric.
I rushed toward Ronan and took hold of his hand. “Promise me you’ll help me save Alaric.”
“What?”
My words came out in a panicked tumble. “I accidentally stepped on the signal. That was the sign that the wizards’ protection was gone. Now Alaric will try to slay the king and will be slain in his place.”
I was afraid Ronan wouldn’t find this news nearly as upsetting as I did and was anticipating he’d tilt his head and say, “Alaric? You mean the one you just swore wasn’t an assassin?”
Instead of saying those words, Ronan cursed. “Where is he now? In the stables?”
I searched the floor for my wand but still didn’t see it. “Probably. He may have already left. He’s got a camouflage cloak so he’ll be moving slowly. We need to find him.”
A swish of Ronan’s wand illuminated the area where my wand lay. I hurried to it and picked it up.
Ronan raked his hand through his hair. “You can’t go hunting about the courtyard for him. A noblewoman in a torn, dirty gown roaming around in the middle of the night is bound to draw the wrong sort of attention.”
“That’s why I need your help.” I wasn’t quite thinking clearly. My mind was too busy calculating how long I had left until Alaric lay dead somewhere. “He’ll use one of the secret entrances to the king’s chamber. Do you know them? Which one is closest to the stables? You can go there. I’ll head to the stables. Perhaps I can intercept him and explain.”
“A noblewoman in a torn and dirty dress going to the stables in the middle of the night will also draw attention.”
I lifted my hands in frustration. “While we stand here arguing, Alaric is heading toward the castle.”
“Very well.” Ronan flicked his wand.
I felt myself shrinking, changing, falling. My fingernails curled into black claws surrounded by fur. I was a mouse again.
I squeaked indignantly. I’d definitely not requested this. Did Ronan mean to keep me a prisoner somewhere while he took care of Alaric? After all, Ronan had never said he would help Alaric.
I turned to plead with Ronan.
He’d vanished.
CHAPTER 28
Afalcon plucked me up in his claws. With a flap of his wings, we flew up and over the tower’s crenelations. Wherever he was taking me, he wanted to go speedily there. His talons pinched the fur at my side, perhaps doing more damage to my gown. I hoped when he changed me back I would still be decent.
We swooped over the courtyard high above its trees and gardens. The wizards’ orbs seemed like small glowing apples. He glided toward a third-floor garderobe window, dived through it, and just when I feared we would smack into a wall, he changed directions and winged down the hallway. He stopped short of the stairs, landed, and released me.
I sat on the floor, whiskers twitching, while he transformed back into a human. He swished his wand at me, and legs akimbo, I returned to my natural state.
He held his hand out to help me up. “Become invisible and follow me.”
I winked out of sight. “Where are we going?”
“To the king’s chamber.” He headed past guards posted at the bottom of the stairs and took the steps two at a time, nearly running. “We don’t know which passageway Alaric is taking,”he whispered, supposing me close enough to hear. I was, but just barely keeping up with him. “However, we know where he’ll end up. The passageways within the courtyard all converge on the same entrance. You can stand there to stop him, but first I’ll have to speak to the king and explain the situation. Remain silent until I call upon you. Lord Clement is in the room with King Leofric and will need to be sent away before you reveal yourself.”
I wanted to know how Ronan planned to explain the situation to King Leofric in a way that wouldn’t make him send guards to apprehend Alaric or, for that matter, me. I couldn’t ask. By that point, we were passing the guards posted at the top of the stairs.
The soldiers nodded at Ronan and didn’t ask why he was in such a hurry. I trailed after him as closely as I could.