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Taf Ila groped for an answer, but his mind was too flustered by the stressful
day to allow him to locate the whereabouts of the human children.
Quylan sensed his difficulty and said, I will find them, Father. Go home.
I must stay with you, Taf Ila protested.
Go home, Quylan insisted. I will be fine. Shan will protect us from Onja,
and we need only collect this good woman s children.
Taf Ila noted the faith in his daughter s voice when she spoke Shan s name. He
heard her affection too. Taf Ila could not help but wonder what had taken
place between his daughter and Onja s challenger.
After a quick hug to her father, Quylan got on her horse. Already she
concentrated on locating the children, and the bright lifeforce of the infant
boy easily popped into her perception.
Assuming the girl was nearby as well, Quylan announced, They are still in the
Keep. Let us go.
Dreibrand signaled to his warriors and they continued without delay. Although
Taf Ila had not agreed to stay behind, he was soon abandoned because he had no
horse. He pressed against a building as three hundred human warriors hurried
past him without any respect. Some of the warriors looked at him with
disapproval. They only saw him as one of Onja s servants a position that
seemed no longer to command authority.
It was hard to face such rapid changes. Taf Ila hoped his daughter knew what
she was doing.
What struck Dreibrand the most when he reached the Keep was the absence of
Shan s tower. The rubble of the collapsed tower had been cleaned up and the
damage to buildings in the vicinity had been repaired, so he knew it had
happened months earlier.
The gates were open, but the courtyard was not deserted. About two dozen rys,
both soldiers and domestic servants, stopped in their tracks when the humans
rode in. Fear did not show easily on the faces of rys, but they looked
nervous.
The Yentay flowed into the courtyard behind Dreibrand as he approached the rys
at a slowing pace.
Starfield lowered his head and the horse s nostrils fluttered with heavy
breathing as he eyed the rys.
We serve Lord Shan. We will secure the Keep in his name, Dreibrand announced
boldly.
Sensing the warding around the humans, the rys stared at the invaders and they
were afraid.
Quylan moved forward to assure her people that Shan meant them no harm.
In the rys language she said, We will not attack you. Shan only wants the
Queen.
An older rys household servant found her voice. You and Shan will only anger
her with your treason. The Queen cannot be defeated.
Haughtily, Quylan said, I would think Shan has already shown his power to
you.
I will not mix myself with your madness, spat the female servant, and she
turned to leave.
The other rys in her company timidly followed. The human warriors rustled with
indignation, but
Dreibrand held up his hand to belay any attempts to stop the rys.
Let them continue. As was said, our business is not with them, Dreibrand
said. Let us move into the Keep.
Is Onja in there? Miranda asked Quylan.
No. Few rys remain inside, Quylan answered.
Then are my children locked up? Miranda demanded, wondering why her children
had been left behind in the evacuation.
Quylan hesitated. She noticed that her assumption about both children being
inside the Keep had been hasty. Without mentioning anything, Quylan hoped that
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a warding hid Elendra from her mind s eye. Many places in the Keep were
heavily warded.
Quylan quickly dismounted and entered the Keep. Dreibrand and Miranda ran
after her, accompanied by Tytido and a squad of warriors.
Once inside the shadowy high-ceilinged corridors of the Keep, Quylan probed
the levels for Elendra.
Her steps quickened with panic as she failed to locate the girl.
Quylan guided them rapidly into the private levels. At the end of a long hall
Miranda recognized the form of her son beside a prone rys female. Her
anticipation broke with a scream of both delight and terror, and Miranda
dashed to the boy. Miranda found the extra speed effortlessly despite already
gasping for breath and sweating heavily after the long run.
She snatched Esseldan in a fierce hug. Being rudely awakened made Esseldan
cry, which roused the nanny. Joy rang in Miranda s ears and she did not even
hear the crying, but when the female rys stirred from the floor, Miranda
hissed defensively and withdrew a step.
The nanny squealed at the sight of humans, but Quylan stepped in to prevent
her from fleeing.
Where is the girl? Quylan asked urgently in her native tongue.
The Queen took her, the nanny said.
Where? Quylan snapped. She did not want to admit that she could not find the
girl on her own.
I do not know, the nanny whimpered, fearing Quylan would treat her the same
way Onja had.
What are you saying? Where is my daughter? Miranda demanded apprehensively.
She had a terrible feeling. The elation of retrieving Esseldan was being
diminished by Elendra s absence.
Quylan s eyes pierced the female servant, but she believed the nanny had
answered honestly.
Onja took her, Quylan confessed, unable to look at the woman.
What? Miranda shrieked. She shifted Esseldan into the grip of one arm.
Subconsciously she noted that the boy was much heavier than the last time she
had held him. You said they were here.
I thought both of them were, Quylan defended.
Miranda shot Quylan a hostile and disappointed look before focusing on the
nanny.
Where did Onja take Elendra? Miranda yelled.
The human mother frightened the nanny, who would have bolted if Quylan had not
held her arm firmly. I do not know, the nanny wailed.
Miranda instantly rejected the answer, and her free hand shot out and wickedly
slapped the female rys. The abuse shocked Quylan who released the unfortunate
nanny, but Miranda struck the servant again and again, driving her down the
corridor. Finally the nanny tried to defend herself with magic, but her heat
spells snapped uselessly around the warded woman, who did not relent.
Quylan had never imagined that a human could assault a rys with such success
and vehemence, and shock briefly prevented her from intervening.
Tell me or I will kill you! Miranda threatened.
Dreibrand took charge, realizing the nanny was probably undeserving of the
attack. He put his arms around Miranda and her son and pulled her away from
the nanny. It pleased Dreibrand to see the boy, even though he still cried
with fear. Long dark curls hung around Esseldan s face and the boy was well
grown and in good health.
Where is Elendra? This servant will not tell me, Miranda moaned. After her
explosion of anger, she leaned into Dreibrand s strong embrace.
We will find her, Dreibrand soothed.
Quylan emerged from her surprise and stopped the sobbing nanny who was
scrambling away.
Please tell us, Quylan urged.
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I do not know, the nanny insisted.
While still holding Miranda, Dreibrand turned back to Tytido. Keep
searching, he ordered. The warriors spread out, exploring each chamber as
they went.
Quylan use your magic to find her, Miranda begged.
I am trying, but she must be warded. I cannot see everywhere, Quylan
admitted.
Reluctantly, Dreibrand reasoned, Taf Ila said Onja probably went to the Tomb
of Dacian. If she took Elendra, they must be across the lake by now.
No. She must be here, Miranda protested, although inwardly she believed him.
I will go across the lake, Dreibrand decided. Shan must be there too.
I am going too, Miranda declared.
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