“Please, be calm,” Gareth continued. “I hear your fear. My men are on the shore, ready to protect you from this attack. We have been preparing for this moment, and we will keep you safe. Do not fear!”
Robin could see the ripple of relief that spread down the hill as the people turned to each other, passing on Gareth’s words.
“You will be safe,” Gareth continued.
“But what about their magic?!” someone yelled from the crowd near Robin.
“It is not strong enough to best my soldiers,” Gareth said. “While King Frederich is still recovering, I will not leave you!”
Someone sent up a cheer. Soon it was picked up by more.
“King Gareth will keep us safe!”
“Thank you, King Gareth!”
“Return to your homes,” Gareth said. “Remain here and stay safe. Prepare food and lodging for my men when they return from battle.”
The entire atmosphere changed as the chaos and fear of the crowd eased into the relief of safety and action. Robin was begrudgingly impressed at Gareth’s ability to manipulate, though she knew that he had at least used chaos magic to amplify his voice, if not more than that. The crowd loosened, and the people seeped back into town.
Robin watched Gareth retreat behind the castle gate, protected by the castle guard. If she’d had any way to prove it, Robin would have bet every coin in the River’s Talon coffers that this entire scenario had been contrived. The caller had likely been one of Gareth’s own men, poised at the perfect moment to race through the town.
Gareth and the guard had been too ready. Donning their full armor would have taken twice the time that it had taken for the crowd to form.
The only thing about the entire situation that she did believe was that the Majis ships had been sighted offshore. Gareth was ready to make his attack.
As the grass emptied, a cloud of anger still hung over one person. Ian seethed next to her. “Can no one see that he is lying?”
“They have no reason to believe otherwise,” Robin replied. She was relieved to see the depth of his anger. Where there was anger, there was still hope. “Come, we must speak with Aizel before we go back to Lockwood. We have work to do.”
Chapter 41
The small garden in front of Peter Cabril’s stone mansion was quiet and peaceful in the late evening light. Ian relished the moment of calm after the panic they had witnessed a few hours prior. He and Robin had immediately made their way to Lord Cabril’s small estate, where Aizel had been living since Gareth had taken over the castle.
The estate was close enough to the castle for Erich to visit his wife frequently, but far enough from the main city for Aizel to remain safely unseen by Gareth or any of his men who might recognize her as a Majis.
At the moment, Aizel was standing in a shadowy corner of the garden, her arms around the neck of her husband. Their voices were too low for Ian to hear what they were saying, though the wind occasionally carried over a word or two.
Ian shifted his weight on the saddle beneath him, eliciting a creak from the worn leather to cover any stray words.
Robin’s horse, saddled but empty, stood beside him.
The missing rider, sitting in front of Ian, let out an audible sigh.
“Give them a moment,” Ian said, leaning over Robin’s head to avoid looking as Erich leaned down to kiss his much shorter wife.
“I am not impatient,” Robin replied, tilting her head back toward him. “Just trying to cover the sound of their voices. It does not feel right to hear the details of their goodbye.”
Ian smiled. “I was thinking the same.” Though, in truth, he had been thinking far more than that. Holding Robin in his arms and watching the younger couple just behind the garden hedge...“We did it better than that.”
“What?” Robin’s response was high and quick, as though she knew the answer to her own question but wanted Ian to confirm it.
So he did. “Kissing in the garden shadows,” he whispered in her ear. He noted, with some surprise, that the memory of those kisses did not bring him the same pain that it once had. He also realized, with much less surprise, that it was a memory he would very much like to recreate.
The sound of approaching voices stopped him from also saying this thought out loud to Robin. Looking over his shoulder, Ian saw three men walking up the road toward them. He adjusted his hood to ensure that his face was in shadow.
The men were clearly heading toward the Cabril mansion, as it was the only house on the end of this road. Ian raised his hand in a polite greeting as they drew near, dropping his head to hide his face.
One of the men raised a hand in return, giving them a curious glance. Ian recognized him immediately.
