“Strange magic?” Konrad asked. “What strange magic?”
The grand healer touched the king’s cheeks, gazing into his eyes. Senta removed the harness from Gerard, who immediately shifted.
“It was like a pale light. I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Elias explained.
A servant handed Gerard a robe, which he tugged on. Konrad, Gerard, Senta, and Luther crowded around the grand healer as she examined the king.
The grand healer glanced at them. “Please, Your Highnesses, will you give me space so I can attend to him properly.”
They stepped back whilst continuing to watch the grand healer at work.
Elias glanced around, searching the crowd. But he couldn’t see the one person he was looking for. “Has anyone seen Colette?” He remembered passing her empty room. His fingers clenched. Where was she?
“She’s fine, Elias. You don’t have to worry about her,” Senta said.
“Really?”
Senta nodded. “It’s thanks to her I’m alive.”
“What?”
“I ran into her as I headed towards our rooms. We went in together,” Senta said. “It was clearly meant to be an ambush. But when they attacked me, she unleashed a massive lightning storm.” She laughed. “Together, we were able to take out our assailants.”
“What?” Elias looked around. “But where is she now?”
“Resting. She overdid it a bit.” Senta studied Elias. “She is a lot more powerful than I was led to believe.”
Elias didn’t respond to that. “But is she okay?”
“She is. A healer saw her, and now she is in bed, sleeping. Juniper is watching over her.” Senta’s lips quirked. “Colette hit me a little with the lightning. But just a bit. She killed all those she was actually aiming for.”
Elias let out a breath. Actually, it was lucky that Colette had not accidentally killed herself and Senta.
“Prince Elias.”
Elias turned towards the voice. The grand monk and grand shield walked towards him.
“I am sorry to bother you after what it appears was a great ordeal.” The grand monk’s grey brows drew together. “But can you please explain what happened. Provide as much detail as you can.”
The grand shield took Elias’s arm in a gentle but firm grip. She guided Elias away to a less chaotic part of the courtyard.
Elias wanted to protest. He wanted to remain with Gerard, his siblings, and the king. But obviously somebody had to tell the grand monk what had occurred. And he supposed it made sense for that person to be him.
He launched into his tale, trying not to leave out any details. He kept glancing at Gerard as he spoke. But Gerard didn’t look back; he was too focused on his father. A few others gathered to hear Elias talk, including Lord Barrett Morton and Prince Ash Rosewood.
“Queen Consort Adelina is still at the tower now. We shackled her to a pole. Someone will need to go and retrieve her.” Elias paused. “She needs to be questioned. She knows vital information that may assist in understanding what has occurred.”
“I will lead the warrior doves to capture her and bring her back.” The grand shield wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her sword.
“I’ll accompany you.” Lord Barrett Morton stepped forward.
The grand shield smiled thinly. “Thank you, but that will not be necessary, Your Lordship.”
“Unfortunately I think it is. Despite her crimes, she is still, at least for the moment, the queen consort of Draconia. Someone from Draconia should see to her capture and ensure she is treated as her rank demands.” He glanced at the king and his older children. “And I do not believe anyone else is available.”
The grand shield exhaled but nodded. Apparently, she did not wish to be the cause of a political incident.
“And others will need to collect the bodies from where the battle occurred,” Elias said to the grand monk. “There were three figures, dressed in grey robes and wearing black masks. I believe their identities are extremely important to uncovering all those involved in the plot.”
