“Nan visited him today. I escorted her to the lower dungeons and stayed with her until she ordered me to leave. Before I left, she made me unlock your mate’s cell too.”
Leo half stood before Jakab grasped his sleeve and yanked. Jakab silently bade Leo take his seat and listen. Leo and his dragon obeyed, but not before a testy growl raced up his throat.
“Stop that,” Jakab snapped. “Listen to Karlos.”
“Sorry,” Leo said. “Please continue.”
“I eavesdropped from outside the main door. My feeling is Nan had something to do with her brother’s imprisonment. Something about the situation reeked like old fish.”
Impatience simmered in Leo, making him want to leap to his feet and protest. “How will this help me free Gwenyth?” All this talking was wasting valuable time.
Jakab sent Leo a warning glance, and Leo struggled to regain a smidgen of patience.
“Nandag knew about your marriage. She has spies at the castle.”
“That was quick,” Leo said. “I informed my parents of the marriage as soon as I saw them. Jakab knew, but I told no one else. I trust Jakab with my life.” He cast his mind back over the events. “Maybe one of the guards who arrested Gwenyth. Or Telus. Telus knew. He’s aware of most of the castle secrets.”
“Knowing Telus, I’d believe anything. The dragon has always slithered like a snake,” Jakab said. “The way he swans around the castle issuing orders. Nothing escapes him.”
“He’s very accommodating for my parents,” Leo said. “I’ve never liked him, and the feeling is mutual. Our first battles came when I was a youngster.”
Jakab picked up his mug of ale.“Do we know his island of origin? Is it possible he has ties to Smoking Isle?”
“I’m not sure who’d we ask without creating more of a furor. Back to Gwenyth. Are you certain she is all right? Nan didn’t harm her?” Leo asked, tension sliding across his shoulders.
Something uncomfortable slipped across Karlos’s face.
“What?” Leo demanded. “What haven’t you told me?”
“Nan struck Gwenyth. Twice. I could do nothing to help her, and the head soldier appointed me as one of Nan’s guards. I could not check on your Gwenyth. She was still breathing, though. Martinos protected her when Nan tried to kick Gwenyth in the ribs.”
“Tell me everything,” Leo ordered. “Miss nothing.”
“I escorted Nan to the cell, and she had me unlock the cell for Martinos. Gwenyth made a sound, and Nan asked who was in there. I had to answer or draw attention to myself.”
Leo leaned closer.“What happened next?”
“Once I opened the cell door, Nan ordered Gwenyth to show herself. When Gwenyth hesitated, Nan threatened her. Gwenyth came out, and Nan acted all haughty. I could tell news of the marriage had reached Nan, and it interfered with her plans. I missed the bit before Nan struck Gwenyth. Martinos stuck up for Gwenyth and told Nan she was an innocent, but that incensed Nan even more. The second time, she hit Gwenyth so hard, your mate fell. I think she hit her head because she didn’t move or speak.”
“You should’ve intervened,” Leo snapped.
Leo rose again, and Jakab grasped his arm, jerking him to a halt. “Use your brain, Leo. If Karlos had stepped in, all our planning would’ve been for naught. We need time to get our plan sorted and our people in place. Our best chance to rescue your Gwenyth is if we move during the welcome ball for Nan and her people. You know this. We’ve discussed it as the likely scenario.”
“She was still alive when I left. I escorted Nandag to the office before returning to check on the prisoners. I’d locked the outer door so that they couldn’t escape.”
“You left Martinos alone with Gwenyth,” Leo burst out. He leaped to his feet and grasped Karlos by the throat before he could escape. Jakab wrenched them apart and thumped Leo in the chest to force him to listen.
Karlos rubbed at his throat, more alert now than he had been on first sitting. He’d also moved his chair to place more distance between himself and Leo.
“He never hurt her. When I arrived back in the lower dungeon, he’d placed Gwenyth on the stretcher bed in her cell. Before he re-entered his cell, without my having to use a weapon—I might add—he told me Gwenyth hadn’t regained consciousness, but she seemed to be breathing. I checked her and saw Martinos was right. Your mate should wake, and once she does, she’ll have a cut on her face from where Nan struck her. Bruises too, but Gwenyth will recover.”
“I’d like to wring Nan’s neck myself,” Leo growled. “I’m no closer to discovering why my parents appear to be jumping to her orders and handing me over like a prize. My brothers are avoiding me. I’m determined to hunt them down this evening.”
Jakab rose to fill their tankards with more ale. “I wonder if Telus is related to Nan.”
“I know how we can find out,” Karlos said. “The head soldier is assigning me to the two lower dungeons this evening. I’ll ask Martinos. Since Martinos is Nan’s brother, he should be able to tell me.”
“You couldn’t have told me you will see Gwenyth tonight?” Leo bit out. His hand clenched his mug, and he imagined it was Karlos’s neck.
