“Thank you. But why are you helping me?”
Maddix sighed. “Let’s just say we’re not so different, you and I.”
“You lost in the games too?”
He turned for the cockpit. “A story for another day, perhaps. Now, eat and rest. You’ll be needing your energy.”
Left alone to herself for the first time in days, Maria did just that, eating every last crumb with relish, her body absorbing the nutrients like a dry sponge dropped in a bucket of warm water. By the time they landed in the city a short time later, she felt decent. At least as well as she could feel, given what was coming next.
“This is going to suck,” she quietly worried as the siblings roughly hauled her to her feet and dragged her out of the ship’s open door.
The tracker followed, close but not taking charge. They werethe bosses, and now more than ever it was his role to play obedient lap dog, and do as he was told, no matter how it made him feel.
Maria glanced around. She’d seen the city before, obviously, and had made her escape through part of it. She’d competed in the grand arena and fled through the winding streets, but this? This was impressive. They’d landed in a large courtyard within a manicured estate. A familiar face stared at her from his plush seat, several dozen of the leading members of the city standing on either side of him to witness this moment.
It was Chancellor Vinchi glaring at her with cold eyes. And he was not amused.
“Father, we have returned with the escaped servant,” Galla called out. “Captured and brought home, as you wished.”
“It took you long enough,” the man said with a particularly dissatisfied sneer. “This is one woman. A commoner not even from this world. What could have possibly taken you so long?” He turned his attention to his son, noting his slight limp. “And what happened to you?”
“We were attacked, Father! A vicious attempt that injured my leg. I demand retribution! I demand blood!”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, but the chancellor simply watched quietly as his son made his case. The surprising moment was when the hunter-tracker stepped forward, quite unexpected.
“Sir, that is not the case.”
“What are you doing?” Flagro hissed.
Maddix ignored him. “The escapee was simply living her life and posed no threat to any of us at any time. It was merely a lengthy and somewhat difficult journey to track them down. But track them down we did. And I would add, your children performed admirably,” he lied.
“Is this the case?” the chancellor asked his son.
“We did perform exceptionally well,” the young man said, puffing up his chest. “But the attack caused harm to my leg, further slowing our return.”
“Not so, chancellor,” Maddix again interrupted. “Your son was injured, it is true, but he fell victim to a clever animal trap while helping control the captive. It was an unfortunate accident, not an attack on your heir.”
“Youdarecontradict me?” Flagro snarled.
The corners of Maddix’s mouth twitched upward for a split-second. “Dare? Darewhat, if I might ask? You are a Vinchi, and I serve, but I am under obligation to yourfather, not you, and I relay thefactsto the chancellor without bias, as I have always done. As I am duty bound to do. You may have a different perception of the events, as is your prerogative. I, however, merely convey what I observed.”
The assembled leaders and big wigs of the city snickered amongst themselves, sending Flagro into even more of a fit. His sister realized he was about to make a big mistake and grabbed his arm hard.
“Shut up, brother,” she hissed in his ear, turning and striding to her father, a broad smile on her face. She leaned in close, hugging him warmly in a long embrace, but her mouth was anything but happy.
“The other families laugh at us, Father. They disrespect us. They no longer fear you. In fact, I have heard some talk of the belief you may be losing control over our subjects. That you are no longer fit to be the leader of the city. Of the five families.”
“What’s that, you say? I’ve heard no such thing,” he replied quietly, his eyes darting to the nearby elites.
“I love you, Father, and I do not wish for any shame to fall upon our house, or for you to lose the power you have wielded so expertly my entire life.”
She released her hug and stepped back, watching, and waiting to see what, if anything the chancellor would do.
Vinchi glanced at those assembled nearby, smiling politely as his mind raced. Yes, he could see it now. Hints of doubt in their eyes. But he was the leader of this city, and he would remind them exactly why that was. The chancellor rose to his feet, his arm raising, pointing an accusing finger at the human woman.
“You have made a mockery of the sanctity of our Husken Games. Taken our hospitality when offered to you and thrown it in our faces. You offendallour people with your disregard for Dotharian laws. I was willing to overlook your lacking runes as a result of your difficult circumstances. I even had them provided for you at no expense. But you have proven yourself a thankless ruffian. One I should have left to the fates. A mistake I will rectify at once.”
He turned to his head of staff. “Summon the Dotharian Overseer for our sector. Tell them we have a gross violation of Dotharian law. An outsider scoffing at Dotharian oversight.”
