Page 60 of Dragon Rogue

Chapter 23

“Jori?” Marli stepped toward the elevator, but it closed in her face. “Damn. Why didn’t he say anything?” She muttered, resuming her course toward the council room. “Hey, why didn’t you tell me everyone was back already?”

Sten looked up from Eamerson’s tablet. “They’re not.”

“They should arrive in a few hours,” Eamerson added.

“I just saw Jori go into the elevator.”

“Just now?” The males exchanged glances.

“Yes, just now.” Marli said, rolling her eyes.

Eamerson whipped his cell from his pocket, punching the call button. “Watch the surveillance cameras on the elevator right now. Then check back over the last thirty minutes.” He glanced at Marli. “Use Ms. Fleetwing as a marker with the most recent timestamp to track King Mountainside’s movements. No, he hasn’t returned yet. Yes, that’s bad. Mobilize the deputies and call me back.”

As soon as Eamerson finished the call, he followed Sten out of the council room toward the elevator, nose twitching.

“I smell blood.” Sten called the elevator up and inspected the buttons. “There’s a blood smear here,” he pointed at the panel.

“I have a droplet here,” Eamerson said from beside the door to the royal suite. He touched it, then held his fingertip under his nose. “Smells like Jori, but it’s not quite right. I also detect a hint of pine. I’ve cleaned enough his wounds after failed landings that I know the smell of it.”

The door wasn’t quite closed. Sten shoved the door open.

“We shouldn’t go into the king’s private quarters—” Eamerson said on impulse.

“He won’t mind in this case,” Sten countered, gaze glued to the floor.

Marli followed both males, scanning the room as they went, spreading out through the suite. “What was he doing?”

“Pretty sure that wasn’t Jori, so I’d say it’s a safe guess the imposter is after something of value.”

“So we do have a thief on the loose in the mountain.”

“I don’t see any jewellery boxes or safes. Just clothes.” Marli moved through the closet.

“Vault.” Eamerson said. “They’d be after the vault.”

“There’s another blood smear under the mirror here,” she called out.

Eamerson joined her at the back wall, locating the stain and within moments discovered the hidden keyhole in the bracket. He sucked in his breath.

“What did you find?” Sten asked from the door.

“The stain is smeared from under the mirror, where there’s a keyhole.”

“Shit.” He strode forward to inspect it for himself.

“Do you think it’s the same key that opens the tunnels?” Marli asked. “That this is the same person that freed Clive and Merwin?”

“And can somehow look like Jori, now.” Sten ran a hand through his hair.

“It’s possible they’ve done this before. We just wouldn’t know.”

“Not without asking Jori to confirm every instance of his appearance on the surveillance footage.”

Marli’s heart hammered in her chest. “If this person can pose as Jori, they have the power to incite the tribe to invade Aeleftheria.”

“No one knows where it is, except me, Clive, and Merwin.”

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