“Yes, that part is great news. However, Michael is still in the hands of my father. I hope he hasn’t mistreated the child, but I fear he probably has.” Siena paused and took a sip of milk, her mind spinning. “He wants Roderick to make a trade . . . his son for me.”
“Laird Scott will never agree.”
“How could he not make the trade?” Siena asked. “He wants his son more than anything and I want Michael back with his father. Nothing in the world would make Roderick happier.”
“But the laird loves you, milady, I’m sure he will think of something. He would never make the trade.” Agatha frowned. “I don’t like that look in your eye, milady. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’m going to sit here a few minutes and think,” Siena said as she stared into the fire wanting the fire to speak to her. Then she remembered the stones. She slipped her right hand into her pouch and slipped the four stones into her hand. She held them tightly in her hand and murmured, “Speak to me. Show me the boy.”
In the middle of the flames, she could see the child. He was in her old bedroom. Michael was very thin, pale, and crying. Her heart ached for the child. He looked so frightened. She definitely knew how that felt. Then the flames produced her father’s face and she jumped back bumping the back of her head on the chair. He was talking to Henry, his first in command.
“We will looklike weare going to make the exchange, but once the boy is almost to his father you will shoot an arrow into the boy’s back and kill him. Let Roderick feel what is like to truly lose a son. I’ll have no more use for the boy.
“What about your daughter?” Henry asked.
A slow smile spread on her father’s face. “I do have use for her.”
Siena was breathinghard when she jerked back to the present. She peered at Agatha who was sitting on the edge of her chair. “It’s a trap.”
“What did you see?”
“My father is planning to kill the boy in front of Roderick to even the score for my brother’s death.”
Agatha gasped. “But you did the killing, milady.”
“Aye, but I’m not sure he knows that I killed my brother, however, my father needs me, so he cannot kill me. Of that I am sure.”
“Milady, we must do something.”
“Do you remember that there is a passage in the back of the castle?” It was built because my father didn’t want to see servants running around the castle.”
“Aye.”
“I think I can get into the castle and get the child out without anyone seeing me.”
Agatha shook her head, then gasped. “It is awfully dangerous, milady.”
“I don’t want Roderick doing battle with my father’s men. I don’t want to be the cause of men losing their lives when I can make a difference. I can get Michael and we can head back toward Black Dawn.”
“But they will notice the child is gone and come after you.”
Siena looked around the room as if she was trying to find the answer. “I know.” She swung back. “The kitchen staff has always been loyal to me. I will get some food from them and ask that they keep up the pretense that the boy is still in his room for a little while. Father wouldn’t bother to check on the boy every day. That will give us a little time. Before I leave, I’ll dispatch a messenger to Roderick telling him what is going on. With luck, he will meet us on the road home, and no one will get caught.”
“But what ifyouare caught?”
Siena frowned. “I’ll tell them that if they let the boy go then I will lead them to the Holy Grail. They have been looking for it for years.”
“You know where it is?”
“Not exactly.” Siena stood up with a half-smile. “But I have confidence now that I can find it.
“I need to go see the fairies.”
Chapter 16
After explaining to Agatha that she could not go with her, Siena grabbed her cloak and hurried to the kitchen where Alva stopped her to approve the dinner menu. Siena nodded, knowing she wouldn’t be there to enjoy the meal. She didn’t want the household to know she was leaving Black Dawn. She sighed, then she hurried out the back door.
Siena knew she had the strength to rescue the child. She would not fail. Across the lawn, she saw a puff of smoke drifting up in the air and knew that Elen, too, was visiting the fairies.
