Page 46 of The Prince and His Stolen Throne
“They’ve set out for the Grimnight Forest. They should arrive at the boundary soon.”
“Soon? What do you meansoon?” Brutus forced himself to take a deep, calming breath. This was good. This was what he wanted. The sooner the royal champions arrived, the sooner he could thwart their plans, dismantle the defense spell, and conquer the Desolated Lands. “When will they reach the lair?”
“In a few days or a few weeks, depending on how difficult it is for them to navigate the forest’s challenges.”
“Excellent,” Brutus murmured, rubbing his hands together. He considered performing his evil laugh, but he didn’t want to waste it on a one-man audience. “Return to your post. Ensure everything goessmoothly.” The more trouble the royal champions ran into on their quest, the more downtrodden they would be when they fell into Brutus’ clutches.
Wilde should have immediately disappeared to obey his master’s command, but he hesitated. “Earlier, you didn’t want the guards to hear about Treasure’s role in your plans. Why?”
Apprentices should not question their master’s decisions, but Brutus decided to use this as a teaching moment. “The more people who know about Treasure’s mission, the more likely he is to be exposed as a double agent. I need the guards to treat him like the other royal champions, so his companions don’t suspect him.”
“What if they hurt him?”
Was that concern? From a future evil mage? Brutus needed to nip that in the bud before it grew into something nasty and inconvenient. “Treasure understands the dangers of his mission. He’s willing to do whatever is necessary to see me succeed. Are you?”
Wilde stared at his master for a long time with dark, unyielding eyes. For a moment, Brutus thought he would say ‘no’, that his apprentice would walk away from five years of training without even blinking. He almost slumped in relief when Wilde finally answered.
“Yes, Master.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Nowthisis what I expected,” Fitz announced as he stepped out of the carriage when we arrived in Hud. There was a clear division between town and forest, like someone had drawn a straight line down a painting. On one side, a beautiful, cheery morning featuring a blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. On the other, trees so tall they blotted out the sun. Their ancient, gnarled limbs encroached on the beautiful morning like an infection. The deep shadows between the trees hid a world of unknown dangers. “This looks properly ravaged by evil.”
A farmer passing by scowled and demanded, “What’d you say?”
Fitz hesitated and looked back into the carriage at the rest of us, fumbling over an explanation. “I, um, mean—”
“How’d you like it if I insulted your hometown?”
“I—”
“We do our best here on the edge. We protect our homes, provide for our families!” The farmer grew more agitated as his rant continued, clenching the tool in his hand. “See how well you do when ghost wolves disembowel your cattle! They don’t even eat it! Just leave the innards lying around to rot in the sun!”
I grabbed Fitz’s arm and dragged him back into the carriage, closing the door on the farmer’s anger. “Why don’t we go to the town hall to speak with the person who posed the quest?”
He nodded shakily and passed the instructions on to the coachman.
The town hall was a squat, simple building in the center square. A bright green banner spread over the door proclaiming: “The Trees Will Not Win.”
Maximus and Delilah read the sign aloud at the same time, one with a grim period, the other with a cheerful exclamation point. I had a feeling Maximus’ recitation was closer to the townspeople’s intent.
The building’s interior was a collection of rectangles—one small square at the back, a long rectangle to one side for meetings, and the receptionist’s rectangular desk. They smiled sweetly at us and asked, “How can I help you?”
“We’re investigating the curse on the Grimnight Forest,” Fitz explained. “Do you know who proposed the quest?”
Their eyes widened and they stood up from their desk. “One moment please.” They hurried to the back office and knocked briskly on the door. The door opened just enough for them to whisper our request, then quickly snapped shut.
Wearing a strained smile, the receptionist returned to the desk. “The mayor will be with you in a moment.”
As they finished speaking, the door opened, and a man as squat and plain as the building bustled out. He was also made up of rectangles, from square glasses to a square jaw, and the way he stiffly held himself. “Mayor Brando,” he introduced, holding out his hand to each of us in turn, giving everyone the same brisk, two shake greeting. “Been a long time since we’ve hosted adventurers. Come with me and we can discuss the details.”
He led us back outside, walking briskly toward the trees. “Interesting mix you have here,” he said, examining all of us, his eyes lingering on Delilah’s pointed ears and Angelica’s impractical fluttering blouse and pure white breeches. At least she’d changed out of her wide-skirted dress. “Where are you all from?”
“Around,” I said before anyone else could answer. The less information we gave him about the Desolated Lands, the fewer rumors would spread from our arrival.
“That’s always the case with you adventuring types,” he replied wistfully. His expression shifted as we approached the trees, tightening with apprehension. He stopped ten feet away, refusing to move a step closer. “If you’re seeking a quest, I assume you saw the notice inThe Adventurers’ Weekly Guide to Main Quests and Side Quests. We can’t afforda large reward, but we’ve pooled together what we can, and you will receive a plot of land within the cleared town.”
“We aren’t here for the reward.” Fitz straightened to his full height, placed his hands on his hips, and grandiosely announced, “Defeating evil is its own reward.”
