She sat up, staring at her surroundings in confusion. The White Wood no longer glowed, and that dastardly Druid was gone. A dream within a dream.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.” Dyna rubbed her face. “The Druid, he is not a normal fae is he?”
Zev blinked at her unexpected question. “I have had that impression myself.” He got back to his feet. “We have to go.”
“Why? What happened?”
Everyone else was awake now, standing together as they stared at something past her shoulder.
“A member of House Norrlen is here.”
Dyna leaped up to her feet.
Her vision swayed, and Zev grabbed her arm before her legs gave out. Stumbling past the others, she met the stern gaze of an elf. He was older than the elves she had met, with age more prevalent in his features and with short ashy blond hair showing streaks of gray. He wore dark green robes and held a white staff.
“I am Eldred Lothiriel, Magi Master of the Sellav province, in service to the Norrlen Household,” he said, his tone distrustful and curt. His eyes reminded her of a ghost fern, and they narrowed as he studied them before his gaze fell on her again. “Was it you who called for aid with the stone circle? To do so, you would have used a ring.”
Lucenna held it out as proof.
His jaw clenched. “That signet belongs to Rawn Norrlen. How did it come into your possession?”
“He gave it to me.”
“Let it be known, to lie about a member of the King’s court is a grave offense.”
Lucenna crossed her arms. “Why would I lie?”
“Why would you not?” Eldred countered coolly. “Lord Norrlen is a wanted elf with a substantial bounty on his head. He has not been seen in over twenty years. To claim he has given you his signet ring is either a lie, or you have somehow captured him to secure your fortune.”
Princess Keena huffed. “They are telling you the truth, Master Eldred.”
“I will hear proof of that first.”
A surge of anxiousness and sorrow flooded Dyna’s chest as she looked at her Guardians. How would they prove it? His Household didn’t know them. But she knew Rawn.
“Lord Norrlen is the kindest person I have ever met,” Dyna said faintly. “He taught me how to shoot a bow and how to swing a sword. And he taught me what it means to be strong without them.”
Eldred stilled at whatever he read on her face.
“Rawn has a son who he carves wooden toys for,” Zev said next. “Even if he is much too old for them.”
The Magi Master’s expression changed, his suspicion wavering.
Lucenna then added, “Every single month since Rawn has left home, he has written a letter to his wife so she would know he was alive.”
“Rawn is our friend.” Dyna’s voice wavered with the lump growing in her throat. “And so was Fair…”
Eldred heard the meaning in her statement. “Was?”
Klyde sighed. “We have come here to bring unfortunate news to his family … regarding his capture.”
His face paled. “Capture? Who has him?”
Lucenna handed him Rawn’s ring. “I think you know.”
Eldred’s hand trembled as he accepted it. “Was he alive when they took him?”
