Page 79 of A Kingdom Restored

Spite, probably.

Heath slipped his hand into hers as they walked, the pressure reassuring. His thoughts were likely following a similar course to hers, and she was grateful that he hadn’t tried to talk her into staying back from this crucial encounter. They’d come a long way.

Their path took them around the edge of the town, back toward the water. The road into Arinton had led them from the water’s edge up a gentle slope, but at this point of the shore the ground fell away in a cliff, the water some fifteen feet directly below.

On top of the cliff there was a paved courtyard, its edge lined with a waist-high balustrade. Half a dozen guards stood some distance back from the barrier, next to which there were three figures.

Recognizing Prince Lachlan, Merletta realized that some of the guards must be his. The others were undoubtedly there for King Matlock, who was in conversation with the third figure, a lithe silver-haired man with his back to the approaching group.

The king saw them over his companion’s shoulder, and his face visibly hardened. His eyes flicked to Heath and Merletta’s joined hands, and his own hand actually strayed to the hilt of his sword. Merletta swallowed. Clearly he believed his informant’s lies about Merletta having some powerful destructive magic.

Issuing a curt command they were still too far away to hear, the king shifted to face them fully, his son maneuvering beside him. The guards converged, not quite forming a barrier between the trio and the oncoming group, but certainly making their presence felt.

“Your Majesty,” the duke greeted the king calmly. “There’s no need for your guards to be alarmed.”

“I’ll be the judge of that, Norik,” said the king, his voice curt.

His next words were lost to Merletta as the silver-haired man turned. Merletta and Sage let out audible gasps, drawing instinctively together.

“It’s him,” Sage whispered. Her eyes flicked down the Record Master’s form. “He has his legs—he’s wearing human coverings and everything!”

Merletta nodded grimly. “He looks very comfortable in this world, doesn’t he?” She shook her head. “I can hardly believe he’s actually here. I thought for sure he would have sent someone else to do his dirty work.”

The Record Master’s gray eyes met hers, and Merletta drew back slightly. His expression might be calm, but he couldn’t hide the murder in his eyes. He wanted her dead. Perhaps more than he wanted anything else in this moment.

Heath seemed to sense it, too—perhaps reading the Record Master with his extra sight—because he tightened his hold on Merletta’s hand, shifting slightly so she was partially behind him.

“Stay away from her,” he said, his voice as cold as the depths.

The Record Master’s eyes flew to Heath, seeming taken aback. He hadn’t moved, or given any visible sign of wanting to hurt Merletta. Perhaps he was surprised to have the young human respond to his thoughts rather than his actions.

The duke followed his son’s gaze, and Merletta actually heard him catch his breath.

“Who is this man, Your Majesty?” he asked.

“It is no affair of yours whom I speak to, Norik,” the king reminded him.

“I imagine that means you don’t know yourself,” said Heath’s father dispassionately. “And I’m not surprised. I’ve never encountered anyone to equal him. His every breath radiates deception. I doubt any detail of whatever he’s told you is the truth.”

“What a convenient assessment by your magic, cousin,” the king said, with a humorless laugh. He stepped forward, his eyes glinting. “Is this what it comes to? I thought the dangerous aspirations were limited to your sons, but have you coveted my crown as well? For how many years have you played your part, preparing for the day when you would use your magic to overthrow me?”

“How dare you, Your Majesty?” The impassioned protest came, most unexpectedly, from Laura. Heath’s sister stepped forward from the group, her eyes blazing. “My father has given you nothing but faithful service all his life, and you have repaid him with hateful suspicion.”

“Laura.” The duke’s quiet admonishment came as no surprise to Merletta. Her exposure to him was enough to tell her he wouldn’t want his children putting themselves on dangerous ground for his sake. No wonder Heath had such honor, and such a strong instinct of protection for those he loved.

“Nothing but faithful service?” repeated Prince Lachlan, weighing in. His eyes flicked to Heath and away again, one hand balled into a fist. “Is that what you call concealing the fact that his own son was spying on his sovereign with dangerous magic?”

“That’s right,” said the king in a hard voice. “I know all about Lord Heath’s illicit magic.”

“I assumed you would,” Heath said calmly. “I would never expect Prince Lachlan would keep it a secret from you—I know I didn’t enjoy keeping it a secret from him. But you can’t blame my father for any of that. If my magic had showed up when I was a child, like most of my family’s magic did, I would never have dreamed of keeping it to myself. But it only became evident after you had introduced restrictions which were—forgive my bluntness, Your Majesty—utterly impossible for us to keep. For that reason, and because I was concerned that my developing magic would make melesseffective in my role as liaison, I chose not to tell even my own family.”

“Oh, Heath.” The quiet words came from Heath’s cousin Bianca, who’d sidled up to the front of the group. “I wish we hadn’t made you feel that way.”

Heath acknowledged her words with a nod, but his eyes were on Prince Lachlan, who looked ever so slightly less rigid.

“It wasn’t because I had any nefarious intentions,” Heath said quietly, his words clearly directed to the prince.

“Do not be distracted by these tactics, Your Majesty.” The Record Master’s smooth voice—its tones hatefully familiar—carried across the courtyard. His eyes flicked to Merletta. “That is the young woman I spoke to you about. Remove her—do not underestimate her!” His eyes narrowed as he seemed to notice Sage for the first time. “And she’s brought another of her line! You cannot allow them the opportunity to use their magic against you!”

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