Page 63 of Mattox
Yulen and Edge were waiting outside the remnants of the front gate when Atty and the others appeared at the top of the small rise. Just inside the walls, Keelor, Echo, as well as Nevo and Johna, just as eagerly watched for the return of their spouses and loved ones.
Mistelle had given her horse to her brother and Caralas, and rode with Lucien. As they drew nearer the compound, the others ran up to greet them, and to welcome Mattox and Caralas home. Mattox helped Caralas down, then leaped out of the saddle to embrace his father. Neither one said a word, the both of them too overcome by tears.
Caralas gave her father a hard hug as he swooped her up and turned her around. “Daddy! Daddy!”
“Oh, God, it’s so good to have you back.” Setting her back on her feet, Edge held her at arm’s length to check her over and noticed the bandages. “You were injured. How badly?”
She shook her head, smiling to reassure him. “Not as bad as it looks. Some scrapes and a sprained wrist is the worst of it.” She hugged him again. “Oh, I have so much to tell you!”
“So do I.” He dropped a kiss to her forehead but didn’t release her. “We’re leaving in the morning.”
Releasing him, she leaned back, a perplexed look on her face. “What?”
“I said we’re going back to Vega City.”
“Wh-why?”
“The conference is over. The majority of the battle lords voted to end it and return to their individual compounds where their dead can be put to rest.”
“Dad, is it true?” Lucien asked his father.
Yulen nodded. “It’s true. And because the battle lords are leaving, the Mutah delegations figured there’s no sense in staying, either. A few have already left. The rest should be gone by the end of the week.”
“We’ll put all this behind us, including that attempt on your life,” Edge told his daughter. “Once we leave here, we won’t have to worry about it happening again.”
“Not unless Marlin Tanger is accompanying us,” Caralas snapped.
Edge blinked in confusion. “Of course, he’s coming with us. Why wouldn’t he be?”
“Because she believes he may be the one behind that attempt,” Mattox spoke up. He stepped closer to the couple, keeping his dark red gaze on the man. “If Tanger goes back with you, there’s a very good chance one, or both of you, are going to have an ‘accident.’”
Edge turned to his daughter. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“He’s been insinuating for years that Vega City and Red Rock need to be reunited under one battle lord,” she reminded him.
“I agree,” Edge said. “He’s made it clear that’s his opinion. He’s never tried to hide it. If he really wanted to do something, he’s had plenty of opportunities to make that happen, but he hasn’t. So why would you accuse him of such a thing now?”
Caralas stood her ground. “Because the blame would immediately fall on him. Everyone knows how much he covets the idea of governing over Vega City. But if something should happen to you and me while at this conference, or while we’re on the road, he could easily avoid being suspect number one.”
“How?”
“By hiring someone to take you or Cara out,” Mattox grimly replied.
Edge made a disparaging sound. “You’re talking nonsense. Where’s your proof?” He glared at Mattox. “Show me your proof.”
“We have none,” Yulen spoke up. “All we have is your daughter’s gut feeling.”
Edge mulled over what Caralas told him. “All right. Let’s say, for the sake of trying to make sense out of all this, let’s say it’s true. So why hasn’t there been any further attempt onmylife? Why wasshethe target, and not me?” He waved a hand at the evident destruction lying behind them. “It’s not like we’re sitting behind well-guarded walls now.”
“Good heavens, man! We just survived a massive naydo!” Renken burst out. “The attacker could’ve perished in it. Or maybe he left, thinking the storm took care of things for him.”
“Or maybe he’s sitting, waiting, and watching to see how things pan out in the aftermath,” Lucien suggested.
“As for why your daughter and not you, she’s your only heir, correct?” Mattox pressed. “If she dies, who would gain Vega City upon your death?” He tilted his head at the man. “For that matter, how much longer do you think you’d be allowed to live before you also perished? What’s to stop this Tanger guy from claiming you died from a broken heart?”
“And I repeat, you have no proof whatsoever to back your outlandish claims!” Edge insisted. “I believe the attack was merely incidental. That whoever it was shot at the first person he saw, hoping to disrupt the conference. That, or it could have been an errant shot.”
Atty took two steps toward the battle lord, her face flushed with heat. “Lorgon Edge, three arrows were stolen from my private stash of weapons. One of those arrows was used to try and take down your daughter because whoever shot it knew an investigation would show it belonged to me. It has my mark on it. Now, whether or not Caralas was the actual intended target, or, as you suggest, a way for someone who doesn’t want this conference to succeed to disrupt it, they obviously got their wish. The conference has been cancelled. Everyone’s returning to their homes. But in case the archerisspecifically targeting you or your daughter, I strongly urge you to take appropriate action to prevent that man from succeeding.”
