Dorian quickly slid between them. “Fifteen minutes. Not one minute longer.” He physically pushed Belshazzar back from the gate.
Just as Belshazzar was striding back to the guard at the gate to choke him and make dinner out of him, another one of the guards appeared behind him, with a few more epaulets and a wider gold stripe on his cuffs.
“Guardian?” he asked.
“These strangers ask permission to enter the city with a citizen. However, the citizen was in a hurry to speak with the triumvirate and bustled off.”
“This is a waste of time,” the captain said. “We need the citizen here to verify the information.”
“He hurried because you told him the triumvirate was about to adjourn for the night,” Rilen said. “We need to see them as well and have been patient. We’ve sailed from West S’Kir—”
“You’re druids?” The gasp was loud.
“We’re here to see the triumvirate,” I stated, repeating Rilen’s words. “We are here with Aiko Elkthorne—”
The captain turned and glared at the guard. “You allowedLord KnightAiko Elkthorne into the city?”
“Sir, I didn’t think—”
“There is a standing order against him,” the Captain said. “Did you even ask his name?”
“Why would I have? Lord Elkthorne has been gone for years, and I certainly didn’t expect him to walk up to the gate. I didn’t know what the man looked like!”
“These five are not allowed—”
“Stand down, Captain,” came a command from behind them.
Aiko was standing there, next to three people: two men and a woman. One of the men was a near-identical version of Aiko.
“You may let them in,” the woman said.
The five of us walked through the gate to the other side, where Aiko turned to stand between the two groups. “Masters, mistress, I present to you Master Dorian, Masters Rilen and Roran, Mistress Kimber, and King Belshazzar.” He turned to us. “Your graces, Your Highness, may I present the Triumvirate of Elkthorne. High Master Yuuto Tallpine, High Mistress Aoi Wavebreaker, and High Master Reo Elkthorne.” He paused. “My father.”
Chapter Twenty
Kimber
A banquet in our honor.
I could see Belshazzar steaming mad across the table from me. I couldn’t fully fault him for being angry. We didn’t want this court reception when we desired simply to be on our way with a little direction and maybe a horse or six.
Instead, we were here, playing nicely with the Triumvirate of Elkthorne, and a dozen more guests, including both Aiko’s father Reo and his mother Suri.
Suri was very, very pregnant.
“So, Masters Druids,” Yuuto said, slicing into his dinner. “Whatever has brought you this far east?”
“Good cheese and bad company,” Belshazzar grumbled, stabbing a piece of it off his plate.
“We’re looking for someone,” Rilen answered, plowing over the king’s words. “Someone in our protection was taken, and we’re looking to rescue her.”
“Did you travel here through the Scar?” Aoi asked.
“We came by boat on the Southern Sea,” I said. “We sailed to Lick, and they sent us on to you. We are hoping for horses and replenishment for our supplies.”
“And so my many-years-missing son led you here?” Reo asked, spearing a piece of his fish and popping it into his mouth.
“He has, your grace,” I answered.
